Today marks the dual feast of the Great Martyr Barbara and the Venerable John of Damascus. Tonight at St. Vladimir's we will hold a moleben in honor of both saints at 6:00 p.m. We congratulate all celebrating their name's days today! Please learn more about these important favorites of God at the links below.

St. Barbara - English:

http://oca.org/saints/lives/2015/12/04/ ... s-in-syria

St. Barbara - Russian:

http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Life/life6475.htm

St. John - English:

http://oca.org/saints/lives/2015/12/04/ ... f-damascus

St. John - Russian:

http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Life/life3062.htm

Thank you to all who worked so hard to make our Sisterhood Bake Sale on Saturday, December 12 such a great success! To those who baked of course, but also to those who worked at the bake sale, those who set up and broke down, and to everyone who contributed in any way we say: THANK YOU!

Parish present and future ORPR campers will meet monthly beginning in January at Fr. Gregory's home in Saline. All those interested or even remotely curious about ORPR summer camp are welcome and encouraged to attend!

Meetings will take place on the following Sundays 3:00-5:00 p.m.:

January 31
February 21
March 27
April 17
May 22
June 12

Learn more about ORPR camp at the camp web site:

http://orprcamp.org/

Our parish strongly supports and encourages Orthodox scouting. Join us at these preparatory meetings and at ORPR camp this year!

In that tomorrow marks the feast of St. Andrew the First Called Apostle we thought it would be appropriate to include here a little rhyme about the names of the Apostles that will help everyone remember these very important saints of the Church. Congratulations to all with the feast!

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Peter, Andrew, James and John,
Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Tom*,
Simon, James, Judas, and Jude,
Last of all Matthias include!

*Abbreviated for the sake of the rhyme - of course this is Thomas

Our Sisterhood Bake Sale is back! This year we are again pleased to offer delicious treats for the holidays to our parish family, friends, and the local community. Please spread the word – the flyer is here and is fully suitable for sharing with others. So please share!

http://stvladimiraami.org/flyers/bakesale2015.pdf

If you would like to help bake (and we know you do) please contact our Head Sister, Ksenia Nikulshina at headsister@stvladimiraami.org

December is shaping up to be a really busy month! Thus, in order to continue our tradition of one all-English cycle of services per month we will serve a Midnight Liturgy on December 12. More information here:

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

Please join us! There are not many opportunities for us as Orthodox Christians to struggle physically – here is one and a good one. Participating in the Divine Liturgy is always good, but when we serve at midnight we cannot help but recall the early Christians who also served in the middle of the night to keep safe from the authorities which sought to destroy them. All are welcome!

Today marks the feast of the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God. This icon has been the main holy object of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia since the original evacuation of the refugees from the Crimea during the Bolshevik Revolution. The icon resides at the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York where the Synod of Bishops meets annually around this feast day. At St. Vladimir's we will have a moleben to the icon at 6:00 p.m. tonight. God willing the Kursk Icon will visit our parish during Great Lent this coming year. Please learn more about the icon at the links below. Congratulations to all with the feast!

English:

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

Russian:

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

Please note that the next meeting of our St. Vladimir's Parents' Group has been moved from December 14 to December 21. All other details are the same. More information and RSVP at the link below:

http://goo.gl/forms/fbLW8yKcMr

We present here a short educational offering for both children and adults. Parents are asked to review the children’s portion with their children. It is very important for us to attend the Divine Services on Sundays and whenever else we are able, but in addition it is our spiritual responsibility to educate ourselves and our families in the faith. It is our hope that this mid-week offering will be an aid in this regard. Please contact Fr. Gregory with questions or suggestions.

For Adults: the explanation of last Sunday's Gospel reading by Blessed Theophylact:

http://chrysostompress.org/c_26th_pentecost.html

For Children – an activity based on last Sunday's Gospel reading for various ages:

http://www.antiochian.org/sites/default ... 1-22-b.pdf

December 19 marks the feast of the patron saint and protector of children St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. At St. Vladimir's we will have a Children's Liturgy on this day. Our Youth Choir will sing, young boys will serve as altar servers, young people will ring the bells, work in the kiosk, take up the collection, prepare the meal after the Liturgy, etc. Our young people will do everything associate with this Liturgy! Please take a moment now to sign up your child for the various duties associate with this Liturgy at this link:

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

As is our usual practice with our Children's Liturgies, our Church School will meet after the Liturgy on this day and WILL NOT MEET IN THE AFTERNOON.

ALL YOUNG PEOPLE OF THE PARISH ARE URGED TO PREPARE THEMSELVES AND TO PARTAKE OF HOLY COMMUNION ON THIS DAY! Confessions will of course be held on the evening before. As the Liturgy begins at 9:00 a.m. there will be little time for Confession in the morning. Parents – please arrange for your child to confess at the evening service on 12/18/15 or earlier.