March 27, 2008
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
Greetings in Christ!
My friends, it is my honor to continue to serve on the Parish Council of our mission parish. St. Mary Magdalene Church is established in this area of the Central Valley to “proclaim and to live the Orthodox Faith.” Those of us who have been a part of the leadership here throughout the years continue to have great hopes and dreams for our little church. As lay leaders here, we want to share that sense of hope and vision with you. Yet, as Father David has said so many times, there is temptation and challenge every time we seek to follow God. Even now, our church community is facing great challenges. Therefore, our church treasurer, Bill Stickney, has asked me to write to you, to ask for your help for our mission parish in Merced.
As most us know, St. Mary Magdalene Orthodox Church is going through rough waters financially, of late. There are no quick fixes, but a great deal is at stake. Frankly, we are not meeting our obligations. In particular, Father David, our Rector, has not been fully paid his monthly compensation for more than a month; we are presently over $3,500 behind in Father’s salary. (It’s a good thing that both Father David and Matushka Karen work on the side at Merced College, or else this time would be an overwhelming hardship for their family.) If you’re like me, you want to see this situation corrected ASAP.
This is Lent, a time of sacrifice and spiritual effort, and our church needs your generous support. Not only do we need to catch up, but we need to pay some occasional bills that are soon due. Please join me and the entire Parish Council as we re-dedicate ourselves to meet the challenges that face our church. Please help us at this time.
Sincerely Yours,
Petar Magazinovic, Warden
Saint Mary Magdalene Orthodox Church
Merced, CA
