Fr. Gregory is available to bring Holy Communion to the sick, bless homes and apartments (or dorm rooms), or to provide spiritual support to any and all of our parish family whenever there is a need. Please do not hesitate to contact him! Too often those in need suffer in silence because they do not want to “bother” the priest. Fr. Gregory is here to serve our parish family – just as Christ came to minister so too is this the calling of the parish priest. You can reach Fr. Gregory by phone or SMS at 734-649-5746 or via email at ogrisha@stvladimiraami.org. Rest assured – he looks forward to hearing from you any time – whether you have a specific need or even if you just need to talk – please contact him!

Today in America we celebrate Memorial Day. This civil holiday was first called Decoration Day and was connected with the decoration of the graves of Civil War soldiers and others who died in that most destructive of American wars. In 1971 this unofficial holiday became law in the United States. Today is the third day of a three-day weekend in America. Such weekends are always welcome. But let us not forget WHY we have this holiday – remembrance of our veterans and decoration of their graves. We ask each of our parish family today to take a minute and reflect on the sacrifice of others that allows us to live the life we live today. Many died in hope of a better future – and for them we are that future. Let us pray for them – that the Lord will have mercy on them – and let us live righteous lives in service to others, remembering the example of those who came before us and their honorable sacrifice on our behalf. May the Lord grant them a place in His Heavenly Kingdom!

Please join us for a live broadcast of today's Vigil beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the following link:

http://www.stvladimiraami.org:8000/liturgy.ogg.m3u

If you have any trouble with the live stream please visit this link:

http://soundoftheparish.blogspot.com/p/ ... dimir.html

If the information at that link does not help please email info@stvladimiraami.org and we will assist you as soon as possible (but after the Divine Service).

Please remember - the stream only broadcasts live services. If you would like to listen to previously recorded and edited services please visit our sound blog:

http://soundoftheparish.blogspot.com/

With Bishop Peter's blessing, this year summer courses will again be offered in the Pastoral School of the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America. The following courses will be offered this year – dates for the courses are June 20 – August 6, 2016 (Liturgics is slightly longer in duration):

Liturgics
Church Slavonic
Byzantine History
Parish Management and Operations
Thesis Writing Workshop
Homiletics – NEW
New Testament Greek – NEW
New Testament Latin – NEW

All Pastoral School summer courses are available to the general public without the need for a formal application to our complete Diploma program. To register please visit the following link:

http://www.orthodoxtheologicalschool.or ... iew/summer

To learn more about the summer courses and all the offerings of the Pastoral School please visit this link:

http://www.orthodoxtheologicalschool.or ... scriptions

For more information or with questions please contact the Dean of the Pastoral School, Archpriest Gregory Joyce (fr.gregory.joyce@orthodoxtheologicalschool.org).

In place of the hymn "It is Truly Meet..." we sing a hymn from the 9th ode of the Paschal Canon from Pascha until Ascension. This is a hymn that we all should memorize. To help with that memorization we include it at the link below. Christ is Risen!

http://stvladimiraami.org/flyers/shines ... usalem.pdf

Our next Children's Liturgy is set for Saturday, June 18. This is the Soul Saturday immediately before Pentecost. We held a Children's Liturgy on this particular Saturday last year and it worked out quite nicely. We are looking forward to this year's effort being equally successful. Parents should sign up for their children to fill the various duties surrounding the Divine Liturgy at this link:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/137Tvs8DyJyoluZ-2N0lrWu06RjLDLITO4aGzU92FSQg/edit?usp=sharing

Please have a look at our Blogtushka offering:

http://blogtushka.blogspot.com/

There admittedly wasn't a lot of action there for a while, but we have ended the hibernation and hope to post regularly there. If you have topics that you would like covered please comment on that there, or by emailing Fr. Gregory. And please pray that we find the time and the strength to keep posting there regularly!

You have a dentist. You have a doctor. You probably have a hair dresser or barber. You might have a dog groomer or vet. You have people that you do business with. Those people need to be asked to sponsor the St. Vladimir's Festival so that thousands of people are exposed to their business in a positive way. And those businesses need to be asked to sponsor by you. Yes you. The person that spends money at their business every month, ever week, sometimes every day. And they will be HAPPY to sponsor our festival if you ask them. If you do not ask they are unlikely to hand you a check and ask you to give it to the Festival. So please ask – do not be shy – these folks appreciate your business and they know you. They don't know Fr. Gregory. They don't know Nathan. They don't know other people in our parish – they know YOU! Please leverage that relationship to do them a favor – spending a few hundred dollars to help our festival gives them exposure to thousands of happy people that will spend money at their business in the future. This only works if everyone pitches in and asks. And if we do – we will be in great shape! Help us be in great shape and ask your favorite businesses to sponsor our festival today!

We are privileged to have several representatives from the St. Elizabeth convent in Minsk, Belarus visit our parish on Monday evening, May 23. The sisters will, as always, have their beautiful icons, vestments, and other church goods for sale. These make GREAT unique gifts and support the very worthy ministries this convent undertakes in serving those in the most need in society. What ministries are those you say? Come to the presentation and find out! Vespers starts at 6:00 p.m., with the presentation at about 8:00 p.m. (but their church goods will be for sale during the evening services). BUT WAIT – if you are thinking you have seen all this before and there is no need to participate you are WRONG! :) That is because this year a special lecture about iconography will be offered in addition to information about the ministries of the convent. This is a great package that you should take advantage of: Vespers & Matins for Sts. Cyril & Methodius, an edifying lecture on iconography, and the opportunity to support those who are really doing God's work! Don't miss it!

"This is the cause of all evils: the ignorance of the Scriptures. We go into battle without arms, and how ought we to come off safe?" -St. John Chrysostom, Homily IX on Colossians.

In order to help increase the general knowledge of scripture in our parish family we present here for your edification the scripture readings for the coming week. At least one Gospel Reading and one Epistle reading are assigned for each day of the year (although during Great Lent the readings are from the Old Testament). Hearing or reading only those readings appointed for Sunday merely scratches the surface of the great spiritual wealth that the scriptures provide us. Some of the readings are easily understandable – others are less so. As Orthodox Christians we do not make private interpretation of scripture, but rather consult the fathers of the Church for their explanations to aid us in our understanding. Those wishing to have access to such explanations are asked to contact Fr. Gregory or inquire in the kiosk for further reading in this regard. Bibles may also be acquired in the kiosk.

Monday: Acts 10:1-16 & John 6:56-69
Tuesday: Acts 10:21-33 & John 7:1-13
Wednesday: Acts 14:6-18 & John 7:14-30
Thursday: Acts 10:34-43 & John 8:12-20
Friday: Acts 10:44-11:10 & John 8:21-30
Saturday: Acts 12:1-11 & John 8:31-42

Please find below several very nice articles on how to read the scripture from an Orthodox point of view.

By St. Justin (Popovich):

http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/phronema/bible_how.aspx

By Bishop Kalistos (Ware):

http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/phronema/ware_howto.aspx

This short article explains to us not just HOW to read the scriptures, but also what our goal should be in reading the scriptures. A short read and well worth it:

http://www.chrysostompress.org/reading_scripture.html

As noted in the article above we need God's help and blessing to read and understand the scriptures correctly. What better way to entreat God's help in this regard than through prayer? Please find the prayer before reading the scriptures here:

http://www.chrysostompress.org/prayer_b ... pture.html