While October is often as serene as it is beautiful, the month of November is a month of preparation for Orthodox Christians. We get ready for the Nativity Fast (which begins on Wednesday, November 15.) In this month, we also celebrate the Great Feast of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple (Nov. 20/21) and Thanksgiving (Nov. 22/23, this year.) At the same time, the hallmarks of church life–many beautiful services, Sunday School, Christian Education
offerings, Catechesis, smaller spiritual gatherings and alms projects, choir development, fellowship, college ministry, and youth group–continue unabated! You can explore our online parish schedule (updated 3 months in advance) or view the hard copy of the October calendar on the right.
We welcome you to visit our parish community of St. Athanasius and learn about our many ministries. If you are new to Orthodoxy, we also invite you to learn about our Orthodox Christian Faith. We also welcome those who are in (or close to) Madison County to consider a visit our St. Nina Mission, which helps extend the reach of the Orthodox Faith along the I-75 corridor and Wilderness Trail. (You can subscribe to our St. Nina weekly email here. You can sign up for our main weekly parish email here.) Among the regular services and events you’ll generally find each week at our church in Nicholasville (just minutes south from Lexington) are:
- 630pm Saturday Evening Service (Cathedral Vigil or Great Vespers)
- 730pm Saturday Confessions following the evening service
- 930am Sunday Liturgy with Fellowship Hour following
- 12-1230pm Sunday Bread Ministry (free distribution of bread/foods )
- 630pm Wednesday Vespers
- 720-820pm Wednesday Christian Education: Catechesis & Learning
- other services, especially Molebens and Akathists, according to the calendar
Below is a collection of photos from October 2023–including the Feast of the Protection of the Theotokos on October 1, a wedding that same afternoon, a parish hike, a parish work day, an altar-server workshop, a visit from a nun, plus an array of services and events throughout the month. Enjoy these scenes from parish life in October 2023–and come visit us in November!