Newsletter April 17, 2026

The Sanctifying Dimension, Part One

Abide with me, break Your bread, and give it to me, that my eyes may be opened and my heart may burn with love for You, and that I may proclaim what Your presence works within me.

So, when I cry out that You are risen, risen forever, those who hear me will believe me and know that I am not merely repeating a song I love.

Restore me and Your people, O my Christ, to an everlasting feast, so that our daily greeting may become: O my joy, Christ is risen!

Read the entire article: https://www.antiochian.org/regulararticle/2780

The Sanctifying Dimension, Part One

This is the condition of many people for whom faith has become an ideological, intellectual conviction—mixed with religious practices—while the living sanctifying dimension is absent from their lives, practically rather than merely theoretically.

The sanctifying dimension of life is essential to Christian faith, and it is the Church’s function, especially through the liturgy. That our lives be sanctified does not mean that they are limited only to good deeds and virtuous behavior. This path is certainly necessary for those who believe in the Gospel teachings. But the presence of God and His action in life—His effect upon it, and its transformation into a true fullness from Him—is an indispensable matter of faith, if we desire a truly living faith.

Read the entire article: https://www.antiochian.org/regulararticle/2781

Thanks to everyone who helped with all of the work to make the Pascha picnic happen. Especially to Zach and Isaac and Micah for procuring, preparing, and cooking the lamb. And to everyone who pitched in and gave a hand in all of the cleanup.

Congratulations to everyone who was Baptised/Chrismated during Holy Week! Glory to God!

One more reminder to the Newly Illumined (and to everyone): Please say your Saint’s name (which is your new Christian name!) out loud as you approach the Chalice. This is, firstly, your proclimation to God of who is approaching for Communion. (It is also a help tp me so that I also can state your name as I gserve you Holy Communion).

It was pointed out to me by one of the altar servers that I, too, say my name out loud at the altar as I partake of Holy Communion.

Friends, I am going to take a few weeks off from Wednesday evening services. A little rest. Also, I need to make some trips, which I cannot accomplish without being away over a Wednesday.

So, I ask your forgiveness. I will announce when the services will resume.

For the catechumens and inquirers, since Wednesday evening was our main time for meeting together, I want to emphasize that I will still be available to meet one-on-one. Please continue your reading / studying, and as questions arise, please let me know and we will get together to discuss them.

Our diocesan Parish Life Conference (which is the annual gathering of our diocesan community for fellowship and worship) will take place in Denver this summer (June 10th – 13th)! This is a great opportunity to experience the event. The culminating event is the Divine Liturgy on Saturday morning, where all of the priests of the diocese celebrate together. It is, literally, awesome.

Here is the link for the PLC website. It contains schedules, location, registration, etc.
https://www.antiochianevents.com/wichita
Please note that you will need to register and pay for admittance to any of the events (except, of course, any of the liturgical services…).

Please remember that our full calendar continues to be available at our parish web site. Here is a link:
https://stjfc.org/Pages/Calendar/calendar.php

Full schedule:
https://stjfc.org/Pages/Ministries/Prosphora/Docs/prosphora sched 2026 web.pdf

Full schedule:
https://stjfc.org/Pages/Ministries/Altar/Docs/epistle readers for 2026.pdf

Epistle: ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 5:12-20

In those days, many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high honor. And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and pallets, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed. But the high priest rose up and all who were with him, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them in the common prison. But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out and said, “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.”

Gospel: JOHN 20:19-31

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in His side, I will not believe.” Eight days later, His disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand, and place it in My side; do not be faithless, but believing.” Thomas answered Him, “My Lord and My God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you may have life in His name.

Paschal Message of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine

Met. Onuphry

Through the Most Glorious Resurrection, the lost Paradise is returned to mankind. The doors of Paradise are now closed not from within but from outside, that is, everybody, if he only wants, can take the sacred key from God and open the doors of Paradise for himself. That sacred key is on Golgotha, where our Saviour and Lord was crucified on the Cross, destroyed our sins, and freed us from the power of the devil, delivering us from his hand. On Golgotha, Divine Love overcame human malice, the mercy of God destroyed human sins, and the peace of God became higher than all enmity.

Christian, take up your cross, consisting of sorrows, illnesses, and other trials of life, and ascend Golgotha and be crucified on your cross; that is, become indifferent to earthly sinful passions, and turn to God with rational love. Crucified love is that sacred key with which you, in due time, will open the doors of Paradise for yourself, where there are no afflictions, illnesses, or sorrow, but only joy, peace, and bliss.

Let us make haste, dear brothers and sisters, to the returned Paradise and remember that blessedness is neither in earthly pleasures or amusements nor in high offices. These only make promises but offer no blessedness itself. Blessedness is only in God and with God, and no matter who a man is or what he owns, he can find true blessedness only if he loves God and trusts Him in his heart. That is what Christ suffered and rose for: to gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad (Jn. 11:52) and lead them into the eternal blessedness of life in Paradise.

Read the entire article: https://orthochristian.com/176940.html