New Church Phone Number

209-617-9389

We needed to get a new phone number in order to hook up a phone in the parish office. The explanation is way too difficult to explain here. If you have an inquiring mind, ask Petar, Jason or Cody – they will be happy to explain it to you – I think? It will be posted on the old website and the new website once it is in service. On the message is also my personal phone number for anyone needing to contact me directly. This is all part of the huge transition in progress following the passing of our brother in Christ, David.

Thriving Parish Project

We will most likely begin the small group discussions in June. We will have sign up near the end of May. Bookstore News – August 1st is the date for the new bookstore’s Grand Opening. A larger emphasis will be placed on books! We will still carry the item you want in terms of gifts, icons, incense, charcoal, and candles.

Donations for Church Camp

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Church Camp collection. It is the only event we do for our youth throughout the year – you contributions help defray the costs of all the volunteers! Donate Here

The 8th Day

It may seem at times that the Church and the life we live within her can become darkened, boring, not relevant and not important. But then the day of Pascha comes and in a miraculous way, all doubt, darkness, and fears go away! Any dualism of the soul and any blasphemy against the Truth disappear in the sound of Paschal bells and the victorious hymn “Christ is Risen!” The world is contracted on the basis of seven days – the week. The number six points to the created world while the number seven reminds us that the created world is blessed. Here lies the key to understanding of the meaning of Saturday celebrations. On the seventh day, which is Saturday, God blessed everything He created. Thus, on Saturday man had to rest from his everyday work, think about the Creator’s work and glorify Him for how perfectly He had everything organized. It was supposed that on Saturday that man did not reveal his power over the created world: he was supposed to spend that day without digging, cutting or lighting a fire. This day should have been filled with prayer, rest, and thoughts about God. However, man has sinned and fallen victim to the seducer. He needed to be saved from sin. Saturday could not save man, because it was only there to support his spiritual life. Christ healed humanity and He did that on Sunday, the first day of the week. The redemption of the world is even a greater example of love than its creation. In the Church’s deep theology – Sunday is not only the first day of the week but also the “8th day” as it breaks the cycle and goes beyond it. On that very first day, God created light and separated it from darkness. It is joyful that we can see the similarity between this day and the day of Resurrection, the resurrected Christ defeated darkness. The Holy Fathers of the Church began referring to the Sunday celebration as the 8th day. The seventh day, is when God does not create anything new and rules over what is already created. With Christ’s coming into the world a new day will come – the eighth day – and the Kingdom of Heaven, of which there shall be no end. The Sunday celebration unites the two ends of history – it artistic beginning and its dramatic end. (St. Elizabeth Convent Website with some changes due to translation)

Bright week is also referred to as the “8th day” as the entire week is the day of Pascha itself and the day of Pascha last more than one day (in our reckoning) – in the Kingdom there is no time. I felt sad that I could not celebrate Pascha with my children, but in reality I did celebrate Pascha with them as we celebrated the 8th day together at Holy Trinity Cathedral during the beautiful Bright Wednesday Liturgy with numerous clergy, the Archbishop and well over 100 people in attendance – all singing “Christ is Risen!” and living, breathing and worshiping in the reality of the 8th day celebration of Christ’s Resurrection. This reality may have escaped us this year during our Bright Thursday celebration – nonetheless the reality of the 8th day exists, even if our community was less than enthusiastic in living in this reality. Next year we will continue to strive to live in the endless time of the Kingdom – right here in our humble community where God gives us this great gift to live in the timelessness of His Kingdom.