Newsletter May 14, 2026

We will have the Baptism of Connor and Chelsea’s son Julian this Sunday at 8:30 AM (in place of Orthros). Please join us for this beautiful occasion and service!

This coming Sunday is Teacher appreciation Sunday. Here is the letter in that regard from our Metropoltin SABA:

https://www.antiochian.org/regulararticle/2804

In addition to Metropolitan SABA’s words, let us add our own. I am very greatful to Keri and Charity for their loving effort in providing our dear children with spiritual education. Please share your thanks and love with them as well!

The Sanctifying Dimension, Part Three

After the death of his previous spiritual father, he chose Metropolitan Anthony Bloom, the well-known Metropolitan of London, famous for his spiritual depth, as his new spiritual father. In time, Metropolitan Anthony recommended him to become a bishop in North America, since he had proven to be a successful missionary. According to Russian Orthodox tradition, a bishop must be a canonical monk before his episcopal consecration. And so it was.

When he made his confession before his monastic tonsure, he said to his spiritual father, “I understand well how I will live the vows of chastity and poverty, but I still do not understand how I will live the vow of obedience. A bishop is the one who gives directions, guidance, and instructions. He is the one who is obeyed.”

Metropolitan Anthony was silent for a moment, then answered, “Always consider yourself a novice monk, and obey everyone who asks you for a service that you are able to fulfill.” Father Vladimir took this counsel as a law of obedience and strove to live by it for the rest of his life. He was tonsured a monk, taking his new name from his new patron saint, Basil.

Read the entire article: https://www.antiochian.org/regulararticle/2801

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.

Resuming this coming Wednesday May 20 (5:30 & 6:30). Thank you for your patience and generosity!

As you have noticed, Connor has been preaching some sermons lately. This is a requirement for his theological studies which he is undertaking. Since it is part of his course work, it would be beneficial for him to hear some of your feedback. Please take a moment to talk with him!

For my part, I think he has done a splendid job and am very inspired by his great work!

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 16:16-34

IN THOSE DAYS, as we apostles were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by soothsaying. She followed Paul and us, crying, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” And this she did for many days. But Paul was annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, “I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour. But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the rulers; and when they had brought them to the magistrates they said, “These men are Jews and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs which it is not lawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” The crowd joined in attacking them; and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and every one’s fetters were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out and said, “Men, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds, and he was baptized at once, with all his family. Then he brought them up into his house, and set food before them; and he rejoiced with all his household that he had believed in God.

Gospel: JOHN 9:1-38

At that time, as Jesus passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him. We must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day; night comes, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” As he said this, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the man’s eyes with the clay, saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar, said, “Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?” Some said, “It is he”; others said, “No, but he is like him.” He said, “I am the man.” They said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” He answered, “The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went and washed and received my sight.” They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know. They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. The Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put clay on my eyes and I washed, and I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” There was a division among them. So they again said to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet. The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight, and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess him to be Christ he was to be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, “He is of age, ask him. So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give God the praise; we know that this man is a sinner.” He answered, “Whether he is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I know, that though I was blind, now I see.” They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered them, “I have told you already and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you too want to become his disciples?” And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” The man answered, “Why, this is a marvel! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out. Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of man?” He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who speaks to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe”; and he worshiped him.

Recollections of St. Dionysius Ignat

Met. Athanasios of Limassol

Father Dionysius at first said, “What can I tell you? I do not even speak Greek! What can I tell you?” But we convinced him, and he came and sat down where the old hospital of the monastery was. We, the new fathers, gathered around him—ten or twenty of us—and he shared some spiritual words with us. He expressed his joy at the repopulation of Vatopedi Monastery, and he encouraged us to have patience, to have faith in Christ and the Theotokos, to pray, and not to fear, for God would help us.

While he was speaking, something paradoxical happened: a strong and intense fragrance began to emanate from him—not just a scent, but a powerful fragrance. At first, I thought I was the only one who noticed it, but I saw the other fathers looking at one another, and I realized we were all sensing it. I strongly suspect that Papa Dionysii also felt it, for at one point he said, “Please excuse me now, I must leave,” and stood up rather abruptly, interrupting his words, and left. After he was gone, we asked each other what had happened. The fragrance had filled the entire area, and we concluded it had been a supernatural event, connected to the Elder’s presence.

Read the entire article: https://orthochristian.com/177481.html