more permanent announcements are available in the "News and Announcements" section of our Parish Bulletin (see the "Current Parish Bulletin" tab of this web-site).
Fundraising for the Parish Building Fund
On-Line Mall
Please use our on-line mall for ALL your on-line shopping. How to do this is all explained on church web site on the "Building Fund page". Going through the on-line mall to the site where you shop takes only a couple of extra clicks, but our building fund gets a donation for every purchase made through our on-line mall. Mariya Petrenko will be happy to review the instructions and do a demo to show you how now, today, both during and after our meal. Take advantage of this.
Decorating and Cleaning the Church for Nativity
Many, many thanks to the small volunteer army that took care of the decoration in preparation for Nativity, Friday and Yesterday. There is some left to be done. Today after trapeza and Sunday School is the first opportunity. The last opportunity will be on Wednesday. By Wednesday, January 5th, the decorating must be completed. There will be virtually continuous services from Thursday morning through Friday mid-day and there will be no opportunity for decorating during those days. Check with Mariya Petrenko to see what is left to be done, and be ready to help if asked.
A Nativity Gift for “Nick’s Place”
Our parish has an outreach to Nick’s Place, a local halfway house in Beltsville. The residents are six young men who are in the process of righting their lives. As a special effort for Nativity Monica Pelt, who is tasked with coordinating our outreach to “Nick’s Place” has this suggestion: Planning to bake something for Nativity? If so, you could donate a loaf of bread, cake, cookies or other homemade goodies to our Nativity basket for Nick's Place. I will be delivering the basket on Friday, January 7th, after services with a card from our parish. Contact me if you have any questions (202) 486-8005 or abayeap@yahoo.com. --Monica
From Saint Maria Skobtsova of Paris:
The way to God lies through love of other people and there is no other way. At the Last Judgment I shall not be asked if I was successful in my ascetic exercises or how many prostrations I made in the course of my prayers. I shall be asked, did I feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and the prisoners: that is all I shall be asked.
Festal Nativity Open House
All are invited to the Rectory to celebrate the feast on Friday, January 7th, at about 2 PM. Please bring a dish to share. Brigid Diaz is, as usual, coordinating the meal, so please see her about your contribution. There is also a signup sheet on the bulletin board.
Christmas Carol Singing – SAVE THE DATE!
St, Joseph’s Young Adults and Holy Apostles invites you to the rectory for a Christmas Carol Singing party Friday, January 14th,, at 7:00 PM. It is a fast-free Friday. Please bring an “ethnic” appetizer to share. Please RSVP to either Matushka Deborah or Claire Mendis.
Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God to Visit Us – SAVE THE DATES!
Wednesday, February 2nd at 6 PM and Thursday, February 3rd at 8:40 AM, we will celebrate an Evening Vigil and Divine Liturgy before the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God, Protectress of the Russian Diaspora. We always need her help, and we should be grateful that the diocese is the willing channel for this help.
St. Joseph’s Young Adults – “Orthodoxy Awareness Week”
St. Joseph the Patriarch Young Adults Group is getting ready to sponsor “Orthodoxy Awareness Week,” during this coming Lent. They and we hope to draw to the Faith those of college age who are now at the University of MD in College Park, two miles from here. We also plan to advertise the event locally, in the Beltsville News, and put out flyers. Please pray for them and us, as we prepare for this.
Ongoing Sisterhood Activities
The sisterhood is continuing to take donations for Christmas floral decoration, including, we hope of course, poinsettias. Please put your contribution into the basket provided. Let’s gather our goodies and tell her about them to support this project. If anyone knows where we can obtain poinsettias, please speak to Mariya.
Matushka Anastasia is also collecting recipes for the projected Parish cookbook. Please share recipes and photos with her.
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$500,000.00
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From 'St John of Shanghai and San Francisco, Zealous Builder of Churches'
Everywhere he went he either oversaw the building of churches or supported the same with his attention and prayers... He wrote about the godly work of building churches:
"In building churches here on earth, we create for ourselves eternal habitations in heaven."
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Become a Church Builder! |
Since 2009 we have been restoring our beautiful chapel, gifted to our parish that year by the Christian Brothers.
To date, we have received and administered grants of approximately $400,000 so far, and continue to apply for the grants as they become available.
