New Year & New Semester this September

With September 1st, the Orthodox Church marks the start of a New “Church Year.” There is a kind of “reset” with the feasts that we celebrate, too. For instance, our first “Great Feast” of the new year is the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, which “begins” the events that ultimately lead to our Lord’s Death & Resurrection. Another major feast at the beginning of the year is the Feast of Exaltation of the Cross, reminding us–6 months before we celebrate Holy Friday & Pascha–that everything is about the Cross! As classes resume and people get back into their fall routines, there are several important moments to note in this month.

Visitors Sunday: September 8 will be our Fall Visitors Sunday. We invite our friends and family to take a peek inside our parish life. Liturgy starts at 930am. Arrive a little early and you’ll find a greeter to help orient you. After the Liturgy (with a foundational sermon on what Orthodox Christianity is about) we will take you on a tour of the church. A lunch with time for Q & A will follow in the hall. Every Sunday is a time to welcome visitors, but this Sunday is special and we hope you come. The Facebook Event page is here.

“Orthodoxy in 60 Minutes” will be offered Wednesday, September 11, 720-820pm immediatley after our usual Wednesday Vespers at 630pm. Again this is a great intro to our Faith and we invite you to check out Vespers and sit in on this introductory class. A completely new Catechesis Series will begin on Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 720-820pm–and will continue until Christmas! Any serious inquirers are welcome to sit in on the classes.

Fall Picnic Immediately After Liturgy on Sunday, September 15 at 260 Brown Young Lane (a wedding barn being offered to us for an outing.) Grilled meats and field games will be provided. Just bring favorite sides and beverages (please no liquor, though.)

Our Annual Parish Meeting is scheduled for immediately after the Liturgy on Sunday, September 22 (with pizza lunch and parish hike to follow at the Pinnacles in Berea.) The link with all relevant information for the APM is here.

The St. Herman Fall Campout (joined by multiple parishes) is scheduled for September 27-29 at the Falls Creek Campgrounds near Lake Cumberland. Full information on the campout is here. And a Facebook Group about the Campout can be found here.