Please find the sound file of Dr. Andrei Desnitsky's March lecture here at St. Vladimir's at the link below:

http://www.stvladimiraami.org/sound/ad03-20-14.wav

The video of his lecture is quite poor, thus we are posting this sound file only. It is not perfect, but if you turn up the volume a little bit you can hear him quite clearly. We hope you enjoy revisiting this lecture if you were able to attend, or hearing it for the first time if you were not!

The feast of St. Savva falls every year the day before St. Nicholas: 5/18 December. Thus, St. Savva is often overlooked. This is really quite unfortunate! St. Savva is a great saint of the Universal Church and we should honor him and know his life. Tonight at 5:00 p.m. at St. Vladimir's we will serve a moleben to St. Savva. His life can be found at the links below. Congratulations to our lone parish Savva and to the monastery which bears the name of St. Savva and which celebrates its feast day today in Harper Woods!

English:

http://oca.org/saints/lives/2014/12/05/ ... sanctified

Russian:

http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Life/life3066.htm

Please join us for the feast of St. Nicholas – the patron saint of children – for Vigil on December 18 at 6:00 p.m. and Divine Liturgy, a Children's Procession, and Gifts on December 19 at 8:00 a.m. Also on December 19 our young people will perform a play about St. Nicholas. This play will be repeated on Sunday, December 21 immediately after the kissing of the cross. There will be a rehearsal of the play at 5:00 p.m. on December 18. Parents – please review your child's lines with him/her. A copy of the play is at the link below.

All are invited to join us for St. Nicholas Day!

http://stvladimiraami.org/flyers/stnikolayplay2014.pdf

It is a pious tradition at St. Vladimir Church for virtually everyone to partake of the Holy Mysteries on the Feast of our Lord’s Nativity. Please confess early for the feast! Confessions will be heard at the following times – please take advantage of this opportunity!

Tuesday, December 30: Confession 6:00-8:00 p.m. (Please make an appointment with Fr. Gregory)
Wednesday, December 31: Confession 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (Please make an appointment with Fr. Gregory)
Friday, January 2: Confession during and after Evening Services (beginning at 6:00 p.m.)
Saturday, January 3: Confession 3:00-6:00 p.m. (Please make an appointment with Fr. Gregory)
Monday, January 5: Confession 6:00-8:00 p.m. (Please make an appointment with Fr. Gregory)
Tuesday, January 6: Confession begins at 4:00 p.m., Vigil 6:00 p.m., Confession during and following Vigil

Please note: those who have confessed beginning December 27 need not confess again before Nativity, but are welcome to partake of the Holy Mysteries having prepared themselves by reading the appointed prayer rule and attending the Divine Services for the feast.

At St. Vladimir's we make kits for the homeless several times per year. The next time we will do this is Saturday, December 20 at 3:00 p.m. at the parish church. It is important that we begin this effort on time as the Youth Choir, Bell Ringers, and Altar Servers begin their practice at 4:00 p.m. sharp, with Church School at 5:00 p.m. sharp. Those who are unable to attend but who would like to help with this worthy cause are asked to contact Marina Edwards at info@stvladimiraami.org for more information. Please join us!!!

Our parish Christmas Pageant (Yolka) is set for Sunday, January 11 at 2:30 p.m. at the Dexter Public Library, 3255 Alpine Street, Dexter, MI 48130. Tickets are $15/child before January 1, $20/child after January 1. Purchase tickets now! Learn more at the link below. Please plan to join us for this wonderful annual St. Vladimir's tradition!

http://stvladimiraami.org/flyers/yolka.pdf

Starosta’s corner
volume 1, issue 4

Saturday, December 13, 2014
St. Andrew the First Called

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

Congratulations on this wonderful holiday. I’m actually starting the letter before the first star, so technically, unless I get really carried away and I’m not done before midnight, this might be more accurately called the eve of the holiday, nevertheless, God willing, many of you will read this on the day we celebrate St. Andrew. It is a wonderful day for this note to be read.

St. Andrew and his brother St. Peter were called by our Lord to be “fishers of men.” It is often hard to avoid being ensnared by the whirlwind of nets cast by the secular world, but perhaps we can use the time to strive to be among those caught in the salvific nets cast by this great saint.

During this month in particular we’re bombarded by media urging us to “spend, spend, spend”, and we can get caught up in the whirlwind...we can get caught up, but we don’t have to get caught up. We are fasting because we are preparing ourselves for the celebration of the Nativity, and preparation is about practice and training.

So let’s step back a bit and think about what we can do to really make an inner difference, to change ourselves for the better. For me stepping back and thinking has been in large part an exercise in prayer and reflection on this past year.

Read the reminder of the Starosta's Corner at the link below:

http://stvladimiraami.org/pamphlets/starostascorner.pdf

Tomorrow the Holy Church celebrates the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle. At St. Vladimir's we will mark this feast with Vespers & Matins this evening at 6:00 p.m. and Divine Liturgy tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m. Please join us as your schedule allows! Below please find additional information about the life of the First Called Apostle, St. Andrew.

English:

http://oca.org/saints/lives/2014/11/30/ ... rst-called

Russian:

http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Life/life3252.htm

Please join us for a prosphora baking workshop on December 27 beginning at 9:00 a.m. The workshop will be held at the home of Panagioti and Patricia Apostolou. RSVP ASAP – space is limited. WE NEED PROSPHORA BAKERS! This is a very spiritually rewarding undertaking. You will be preparing the very bread that becomes of Body of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is a great honor! To learn more or to reserve your place please contact Fr. Gregory.

Our Teen Youth Group meets this Sunday from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at Fr. Gregory's home in Saline. Final plans for the St. Herman's conference are the main agenda item, but we will also have an open discussion about ANY question the young people would like to discuss. That means that the teens need to COME READY WITH QUESTIONS! Please plan to join us! RSVP ASAP to we can prepare the appropriate amount of lenten sweets. See you Sunday!