For the third year in a row, our parish marched in Omsted Falls' Heritage Days Parade. We entered a float and passed out candy and rulers with church's logo on it.
Jennifer Kee was enrolled in the ranks of the Catechumens before the Divine Liturgy this Sunday. Ann Burnosky and Delores Taskey are her sponsors. God grant them all many years!
George Lichvarik honored by Holy Synod (18 July 05)
George Lichvarik received a gramota (official commendation) from the Holy Synod of Bishops of the OCA during the All-American Council in Toronto.
Is it as easy as it looks? Several of us found out at an ethnic dance practice, where those who could helped those who couldn't to learn a few steps. Is there hope for those with two left feet? Ah, there's always hope.
The women of the parish came through again with trays of baklava, nut rolls, koulourakia, cookies and brownies which they offered for sale both in downtown Olmsted Falls and at the garage sale
(If you missed getting your goodies at Heritage Days -- or want more -- the women will be baking in time for Thanksgiving & Christmas. Here are details.)
Nick Sarris, athletic inductee (10 Sept 2005) - 09/10/05
Nick Sarris was honored by being inducted into the Berea High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Nick was a three-sport athlete who played football, basketball and baseball; named to the All-Greater Cleveland Conference in three sports during his senior year and was named the GCC's Outstanding Lineman, as well. Also, as a 12th grader, he held the scoring record for the school's basketball team.
May her memory be eternal! - 09/07/05
Zarifula Cormas, Maria Sarris's mother and our oldest parishioner, has fallen asleep in the Lord. She was a week short of her 97th birthday. She lost consciousness shortly after receiving Holy Communion, Confession & Unction, and died peacefully the next day in the company of her family. ΑÆωνία º μνημ¬!
Jim & Isabel tie the knot! (4 Sept 2005) - 09/04/05
Jim Cunagin and Isable Schuermeyer were married at St Innocent's in the presence of a large number of their family and friends. After an outdoor reception, the couple left for a week's honeymoon in the Dominican Republic. God grant them many blessed and happy years in their life together!
Church school begins! - 09/10/05
The fall session of our church school began on Saturday, 10 Sept, and will run for eight weeks. Classes are on Saturday afternoon for one hour; the kids are then given dinner and they attend Vespers with their parents.
The EOWG held its September meeting at St Innocent's. Women from a number of Cleveland area parishes gathered for a monthly meeting, fellowship and a program.
We collected 35 boxes of winter clothing totaling 494 pounds. Thanks to Lu Timko for supplying 40 new packing boxes and to those who came to help sort, pack, and weigh: Angela Skinner, Maria Sarris, Barbara VanDusen, Joni Barnish, Delores Taskey, and John Skinner. Special thanks also to our missionaries who give their all in serving Christ and also give us the opportunities to help them in their work.
Both Jeremy & Christopher Butler are Scouts in North Olmsted Troop 53. At a recent Court of Honor, both of them received merit badges & other awards from work they have done here & at summer camp. Fr Michael was asked to give the invocation & benediction for the ceremony, which took place at North Olmsted Methodist Church.
The parish's women's group had its social meeting on Sunday evening, 18 Sept, at El Rodeo Mexican Restaurant in North Olmsted. Although they missed the mariachi band, the food was great and the fellowship time was excellent!
Ronald Bartolec, a close friend of Connie Zimmerman's, was made a catechumen after Vespers on 1 October. God grant him many years!
Catechumen number 3 - 10/02/05
Paul Smith was made a catechumen before Liturgy on 2 October. Paul is husband of Cheryl Grizzell, who was received into the church last December. God grant him many years!
Feastday & Godparents' Day celebration - 10/02/05
The Sunday before St Innocent's day (6 Oct), the parish has a bash in honor of our patron Saint. This year, we also honored our Godparents, who were invited to attend the Liturgy and the lunch afterwards. During the Liturgy we all renounced Satan again, confessed that we were united to Christ, professed our Faith by reciting the Creed, and then receiving Holy Communion...
St Innocent responds to Hurricane Katrina - 09/04/05
The parish took up a collection for the victims of Hurrican Katrina after Liturgy on 4 September. St Innocent collected over $2,336 in aid which is to be channelled through International Orthodox Christian Charities. Some parishioners were able to increase their giving by going through employers' matching funds programs. All in all, the generosity of our parishioners is still phenomenal. God reward you all many times over with the abundance of His grace!
Party in honor of St Nicholas - 12/05/05
After Vespers on the eve of St Nicholas, the children of St Innocent's enjoyed a some refreshments and received a small gift in honor of St Nicholas. Everyone also got chocolate-filled gold coins in memory of one of St Nicholas's famous acts of charity. Thanks to Mary Kevdzija for making it happen.
Lots of people were kind enough to help out with the whole church cleaning, polishing brass, cleaning windows, extracting wax from the carpets, wiping down the Icons, and doing a lot of other chores that don't get done very often. Kudos to everyone who pitched in, and thanks for your time and effort!
On Friday evening of the week of the Publican & Pharisee, per custom, a couple of dozen parishioners got together at a local restaurant for a dinner out when we could eat meat. The food was excellent, the fellowship & conversation even better. Kudos to Lu Timko for putting it together.
The parish enjoyed its annual hayride at the Chalet in the Metroparks. Lots of hay got chucked around -- with all Christian charity, of course --, and there were some fine eats afterwards. (Follow the link to more pictures.)
St Innocent's was able to provide a small service to our community by hosting North Olmsted's Boy Scout Troop 53 for a very special event, an Eagle Scout Court of Honor, at which Elliot Phillips & Michael Steward were each award the rank of Eagle Scout. Kudos to them both for their extraordinary achievement! God grant them many years!
Olmsted Family Ministries, a local evangelical congregation, visited St Innocent's for Vespers. The congregation, led by Mr John Hawkins, has been exploring the practices of other faith traditions and asked to attend an Orthodox service. About 45 members of their church received a brief orientation to the Orthodox temple and how it is used in worship, and Fr Michael paused at different times during the Vespers service to explain what was taking place. Everyone was able to stay afterwards for fellowship over coffee and cookies. We made a lot of new friends that evening, and we are grateful that we were able to share our faith with them. We hope they know what a blessing they were to us, too!
History in the making! - 10/05/05
Under the capable instruction of Cheryl Grizzell, several of the women of St Innocent's got together and made their first batch of pierogi this week. Additional days of pierogi pinching will be scheduled, and the pierogi will be made to fill orders for next month's pastry sale.
Major kudos to Bob Klinar! Bob completed all 26.2 miles of the Chicago Marathon on Sunday in 4 hours, 23 minutes. He finished 16,545th out of some 40,000 participants. Part of his motivation was to raise money for the American Cancer Society. (More info & pictures at the link.)
Fr Michael hosted his Second Annual Male Bonding Party on Sunday evening. It was a great time for the three dozen or so men who came and made it all happen. (Follow the link for more info and lots of pictures.)
St Innocent choir sang in the Pan-Orthodox Christmas Concert, as we do every year. This year's concert was held at St Vladimir Ukrainian Church in Parma. Choirs from many Orthodox backgrounds -- Russian, Ukrainian, Greek, Antiochian, Serbian, and Romanian --, as well as a group of men from St Herman's House of Hospitality, performed liturgical music, folk carols, and traditional English Christmas carols. Thanks to Ellen D'Fantis, our choir director, for whipping us all into shape.
The Greater Cleveland Council of Orthodox Clergy meets monthly. The February meeting was at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church. What goes on at these meetings? Why, only the clergy that attend the meetings know, & we're not telling.
Dr Charles Linderman, one of our missionaries serving in Albania, was in town for a few days this week. He came home to the U.S. to attend an annual surgical conference, do a little fund-raising, & to visit with family & friends.
Fr Michael & Fr Deacon Michael were invited to attend an annual interfaith dinner, hosted by Alex Machaskee at the Plain Dealer. Representatives of various faith communities came together to talk with some of the Plain Dealer's executives & share comments & concerns about the paper's coverage of religious issues.
Bob & Elena Kelley joined St Innocent's a few weeks ago, but we didn't have a photo of them at the time. They come to us from St Mary's Romanian Cathedral. Their children are Aidan, Colin, & Georgia. We're glad to have you with us!
George Russell, one of our missionaries in Albania, was in the States for a couple of weeks visiting family. He & his daughter Maddie were with us at Liturgy today. They're spending a few days in Cleveland before returning home to Tirana. They have a lot of friends here who were glad to see them.
Angela Pod, Jen Kee and Fr Michael visited Holy Dormition Monastery in Rives Junction, MI, for an overnight stay. It was a prayerful, peaceful time. They arrived mid-afternoon and had a couple of quiet hours before evening services. After the evening services, there was dinner and time to talk and relax. In the morning, the bell for services rang at 6:30, with Liturgy starting at 9. After brunch, they came home. There are a few pictures from the trip, if you follow the link.
Weeks of pinching pierogi, grinding nuts, mixing, rolling, and baking began to pay off with the first of two bake sales this fall. Orders were made ready for pickup, and extra pastry was on hand for walk-in customers to buy.
Three families were able to participate in the annual "Turkey Hunt" food drive, which takes place the Sunday before Thanksgiving each year. Teams of young people are given routes in the neighborhoods of Olmsted Falls & Township and go door to door asking for food for the hungry. They are encouraged to be bold enough to ask for the families' Thanksgiving turkey (hence the name of the food drive). The food collected is sorted and distributed to the hungry in the community. Kudos & thanks to all of those who gave their time to help out!
The wonder-working Icon of our Lady of Sitka visited our sister parish of SS Peter & Paul in Lorain. This Icon, which was brought to Alaska by our own St Innocent, hangs in the Cathedral of St Michael, Sitka, AK, which St Innocent built.
Jackie Griswold & the Olmsted Falls freshmen girl's volley ball team won the Southwest Conference Championships last month. Jacque is to the right of the one in white, holding the award. Congratulations!
The first square dance in years was a swell time for everyone who came. A lot of young people were there and seemed to have the most fun. Several families from neighboring parishes came to dance with us. Kudos to Julie Hall and Lu Timko for organizing it. We'll have to do this again soon. (Follow the link for more pictures.)
Before the Liturgy & in the presence of the parish & some visiting friends, Joe & Nicole Dippong became our fourth & fifth catechumens. May they enjoy God's abiding grace in their journey toward the fulness of the Faith, & may God grant them many years!
Dr Jim Cunagin spent two weeks in St Bernard Parish, LA, in October providing relief for victims of Hurricane Katrina. He manned an urgent care clinic along with health care professionals from other parts of the country. The clinic, a pharmacy & an immunization program operated in a cluster of tents. Everyone was immunized for hepatitis & tetanus, & most of the people whom he treated suffered injuries resulting from navigating on or cleaning up debris. God reward you abundantly for your service!
Fr Michael & Fr Deacon Michael made the Mosaic section of today's Plain Dealer. The article told about the interfaith dinner they attended on 27 October, an account of which can be found below in the news items. Fr Michael was quoted extensively in the article.
Letters to the troops - 11/13/05
Kudos to Ann Stanca, who organized a campaign to send letters to our military personnel serving overseas. Fourteen people from our parish wrote 114 letters (kudos to you!). The letters have been sent to the OSA/LCBA headquarters, which will forward them to the military in time for them to arrive before Christmas. Follow the link to read a few of the letters, which are posted here with their author's permission.
Kudos to Sam D'Fantis, who has just finished his certification as a Master Home Inspector. He'll be starting up his new business soon. God grant him every success!
Decorating for Christmas - 12/04/05
After Liturgy, all the children of the parish were invited to help decorate the church for Christmas. The tree was set up, and garlands and wreaths were hung. St Nicholas' Icon was decorated especially, in anticipation of his feast day. Lots of little hands made the time fly, everybody had a good time, and the church is beautiful.
Fr Michael presents third Advent Lecture - 12/13/05
Fr Michael was the featured speaker at the third and last Advent Lecture, sponsored by the Greater Cleveland Council of Orthodox Clergy. Fr Michael spoke on philanthropy, and how our love for our neighbor is based on the fact that God first loved us. He spoke at St Demetrios Greek Church in Rocky River, and is seen here with Fr Paul Patitsas, pastor of St Demetrios Church.
Kudos to Trisha Cassell - 12/13/05
Our own Trisha Cassell graduated from Ashland University on 13 December with a B.A. in early childhood education. Way to go!
Chrismations on Pentecost - 06/11/06
On the great & holy day of Pentecost, three Catechumens -- Joseph & Nicole Dippong, & Joshua Bobrosky -- were chrismated at the beginning of the Divine Liturgy. In addition, John Danko, who had been away from the Church for a very long time, was restored to Communion. God grant all of them & their sponsors many years in His Kingdom & His richest blessings!
One of our catechumens, Jennifer Kee, was received into the fulness of the Faith on 1 January, St Basil's day. Her sponsors were Ann Burnosky and Delores Taskey. Jen first visited St Innocent's in November of 2004 and began attending regularly soon afterwards. She became a formal catechumen in September 2005. Jen is a real blessing to our community, and we are glad to have her as a full member. God grant her and her sponsors many, many years!
An article on iconography that Michael Goltz wrote was accepted for publication in The Word Magazine, the official publication of the Antiochian Archdiocese. Here is the link to the article. You will need Adobe Acrobat to read it. Also, his Icon of the Nativity of Christ, which we used at St Innocent's for Christmas, was on the cover of The Word in their December issue.
Theophany - 01/06/06
A few pictures from the Great Blessing of Water at St Innocent's. Follow the link.
Jarno & Sarah Wassen are both students at St Vladimir's Seminary in New York. They were in our area over the Christmas break & were able to be a part of St Innocent's family for the time they were here. Follow the link for a word of thanks from them.
Sandy Zimmerman, who announced her desire to become a member of the Orthodox Church after the Great Friday evening service, was made a catechumen before the Divine Liturgy today. Sandy brings the number of catecumens at St Innocent to six. Several of Sandy's in-laws are members of the parish & we are glad to count her among our number. God grant her many years!
Fr Michael, Jeremy & Christopher Butler have landed places on a mission to Project Mexico this summer. They will be going with Fr Stephen Ziton & members of St George's Antiochian Church in Cleveland on 7 July for a week in Tijuana, Mexico, building a house for a homeless family. Check out the Project Mexico website to see what it's all about. (And what a coincidence: the orphanage there is named after St Innocent!)
Report from Christians In Action - 01/31/06
St Innocent's participates in Christians In Action, the charitable organization in Olmsted Falls & Township supported by all the local churches. We got a little e-mailing from them recently that describes some of the things that CIA has been doing. Follow the link to find it.
Fr Michael was invited to St Mary of the Falls Catholic Church in observance of National Catholic Schools Week. The school hosted a breakfast for civic, educational & religious leaders in Olmsted Falls & Township. Children from St Mary's School sang & the band performed. God grant them many more years of excellence in education! (We used St Mary's classrooms for a couple of years for our own church school, before we built the hall, & we have always enjoyed a good relationship with them. So, we are happy to celebrate their achievements.)
On the Sunday nearest St Innocent's day (6 October), we celebrate our patron saint's memory with a Serbian-style Slava celebration. The kolach bread is blessed at the end of the Liturgy, with all the children taking part. Afterwards, we feast, with a catered lunch that was provided free of charge to the parishioners.
Dan & Lorie Courey, with their two sons Niko and Ray, have recently joined our parish. They come to us from St George's Church downtown and have recently moved into the neighborhood behind the church. We're glad to have you with us!
St Innocent's received the gift of a new tabernacle for the altar. Constructed out of tiger maple & walnut, Rich Myerly's father made it as a scale model of our temple. All of the wood used for construction was found wood: the tiger maple was from scraps that Rich found, while the walnut came from a tree that fell down in Ann Burnosky's yard several years ago. Kudo's to Rich's dad for a beautiful addition to our temple!
Every February, the clergy of the Diocese of the Midwest get together with Abp Job at the Carmelite Retreat Center in Darien, IL, for three days of fellowship, worship, & discussion. Pictures & more info can be had at the link.
The spring session of church school is underway now, with four classes running every Saturday afternoon. The children have dinner after class & then attend Vespers with their families.
The 2006 Annual Parish Meeting (APM) was held after Liturgy today. (Kudos to the women who put together a fantastic spread for lunch!) As is our custom, the meeting was held in the temple. About 2/3 of the adult membership were present, & the meeting last an hour & a quarter.
St Innocent is pleased to wecome Sonia Walsen to our membership. Sonia, who prefers to go by "Sis," moved to Westlake several months ago from the Pittsburgh area.
Melissa McCutcheon's granddaughter, McKensie, age 10, has expressed her desire to become an Orthodox Christian. She will be enrolled in the ranks of the Catechumens soon. May God bless her desire & grant her many years of growth & prosperity in His Church!
Jane Curran's grandson, Maximillian Vokoun, was baptized at the Divine Liturgy on Lazarus Saturday. Maximillian lives in Phoenix, AZ, with his parents, but most of his extended family is in Cleveland, so the baptism was performed here. God grant him, & his godparents, Greg Blocksom & Connie Zimmerman, many years!
Cindy Klinar reports the following: The North Olmsted Mite Hockey Team traveled to Niagara Falls over President's Day weekend (along with all of it's family and friends) to participate in the Grand Niagara Patriot Hockey Tournament...
Kudos & thanks to the three clergymen who were kind enough to cover for Fr Michael while he was on vacation: Fr John Klembara, retired Priest of St Andrew's Church, Maple Heights; Fr Gregory Jensen, Priest of the Pittsburgh Diocese of the Greek Archdiocese, & Fr Michael's best friend in the world; & Hieromonk Gregory (Woolfenden), Pastor of St Mary's Ukrainian Church in Lorain. We appreciate your willingness to help our congregation, & may God bless you for your efforts on our behalf.
New patio - 06/17/06
The Grounds Committee, with the help of several other parishioners, has put in a new patio next to the north doors of the church. Kudos to them for a job well done! (A flowerbed with annuals was installed subsequently to finish the project.)
The fathers of the parish were honored with a lunch (grilled meat!) after the Liturgy on Fathers' Day. Thanks to the women who prepared the meal for the fathers.
Maria Sarris & her family have donated a pair of Icon stands for the narthex of the church in memory of her mother, Zarifula Cormas, who passed away last year. They are both a beautiful addition to the church & a fitting memorial to the woman who was our oldest parishioner prior to her death. May her memory be eternal.
In prior years, Fr Michael sent out travelogues with pictures from his vacation, which he did not do this year. Because people have asked, here are some pictures from his vacation... for those who are interested.
Thanks to Rich Myerly's dad for building a sand box to hold candles in the church. Having the new sand box lets us get rid of the old sand boxes, that sat on the steps of the ambon & threatened to torch the Deacon every time he passed by.
The recent Diocesan Assembly passed one formal resolution, and, in addition, there was a statement from the laity that our own Melissa McCutcheon wrote that was signed by forty-six of the attending lay people. The texts of both of them are at the link.
Fr Michael's third annual Male Bonding Party was a success: great fellowship among the men; roasted lamb; fine beer, tequila, and cigars; a good fire. Why, even an impromptu poker game broke out. Thanks to all the men who contributed something to the event. For a few pictures, follow the link.
The Vacation Church School found itself on the other side of the wardrobe this week, as over 30 children from St Innocent's & some sister parishes are getting together for a week-long look at the movie based on C S Lewis's classic, The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe. Each day includes prayer, singing, watching a part of the Narnia movie, explanation & commentary by Fr Michael, crafts & games. Follow the link to slide shows of each day's activities.
By His grace & love for mankind, our Lord has called to His Church Michael & Laura Larkin & their two sons, Neil & Reid, who were made catechumens this morning before the Divine Liturgy. Pray for them, that their journey into the fulness of Orthodoxy will be fruitful & filled with God's richest blessings.
Olmsted Falls Heritage Days is upon us, & with great weather, to boot! The annual celebration in Olmsted Falls & Township begins with a parade, includes a day of city-wide garage sales, live entertainment around town, & other festivities. Being one of the best opportunities to be seen & better known in our community, St Innocent's is there!
On Sunday, 27 August, His Eminence, Job, Archbishop of Chicago & the Diocese of the Midwest, made an archpastoral visit to our parish. Pictures & details are at the link.
Our own Kathleen Morriss is featured in this month's edition of Cleveland Magazine. The September issue is dedicated to the area's private schools, & one article profiled 10 private high school students "who are making their mark onstage, in the lab, on the field, in the community and beyond." Kathleen is a senior at Lake Ridge Academy.
Fr Michael was received into the Orthodox Church by Chrismation on the Eve of Theophany 23 years ago. Since he is now 46, he has been Orthodox for half his life. At the Vesperal Liturgy on the Eve of the Feast, he remembered the late Archimandrite Thomas (Green) who Chrismated him, and his godfather, David Johnson, currently of Solihull, England, and expressed his gratitude to the members of St Seraphim Cathedral in Dallas, TX, for their love and support in bringing him to the Orthodox Church.
The Great Blessing of Water - 01/06/07
The young people of the parish took part in the annual Blessing of Water on Theophany this year, gathering around the Priest, learning about the service as it took place, and helping with the Scripture readings. Afterwards, Annette Butler provided brunch for all the youth and their parents.
Westlake High School recently participated in the National City Home and Garden Model Home Competition with other schools from around Northeast Ohio. Westlake took 9 of the 10 places. Lydia Hudak's team, which included her friends Samantha and Seth, placed eighth and the home will be on display at the National Home and Garden Show, Feb. 3-11 and the I-X Center. Stop by the booth to see the homes!!
The "Turkey Hunt," an annual food drive for needy families in Olmsted Falls and Township, was a success again this year, thanks in part to the young people from St Innocent's who braved steady rain and sleet to collect food door to door. Pictures of the participants, and some pictures of what was collected, are at the link.
Our own Bob Klinar recently ran a marathon in Washington. He says, "I wish to extend, to all of my parish family at St. Innocent, my sincerest gratitude for all of the support and encouragement that I was afforded in my efforts to prepare for & complete the 2006 Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC. It was a glorious day, with God smiling on my face and my beautiful family there to cheer me on!!! Thank you to everyone, for your kind words and thoughts.
Bob Royer and Faith Duttko wedded - 10/22/06
On Sunday afternoon, 22 October, Bob Royer and Faith Duttko were wed at St Innocent's. The couple took a Carribean cruise for their honeymoon. God grant them many years!
Kevin Lytle and Jun Qi married - 11/05/06
On Sunday afternoon, 5 November, Kevin Lytle, a Reader at St Innocent's, and Dr Jun Qi, who is doing post-doctoral medical research at the Cleveland Clinic, were married at St Innocent's. The couple is delaying their honeymoon until the Spring, when they hope to visit Jun's family in China.
Fr Michael spent a week in Guatemala with Andy Morriss. Most of the time was vacation, but he also visited the Hogar Raphael Ayau, the orphanage run by Mother Ines, and delivered a contribution from the parish. He was also able to visit her monastery. There are photos at the link.
After Liturgy on Sunday, a number of the parishioners, both young and old, decorated the temple and set up the Christmas tree. Honey and Pete Zimmerman made music and everyone sang Christmas carols, including a particularly lively rendition of "The Twelve Days of Christmas." There are a few pictures at the link.
Joann Ochmanski, who had been a member of St Innocent in years past, has returned to our fellowship. She had been attending Holy Trinity Church in Parma with her father. She is Michelle Blocksom's sister. We are glad to have you back!
George Russell, one of our missionaries serving in Albania, has returned to the United States for a two-month fund-raising trip. He worshipped with us on February 26. He is currently travelling around the country speaking at churches & raising funds to support his family's work in Albania. George will be back at St Innocent & will make a presentation to the church on Friday, 14 April (tentatively). Check out our missionaries' homepages & see what they're doing for the Kingdom of God!
Jon & Lynn Bozin have joined St Innocent with their two daughters, Briana & Alyssa. Previously the Bozins had attended Buna Vestire Romanian Church. The family lives in the neighborhood, very close to the church, & the girls are enjoying church school very much.
Fr Michael speaks at Spring Arbor College - 02/28/06
Fr Michael was invited by the Orthodox Christian Fellowship of Spring Arbor College, Spring Arbor, MI, to give a public lecture on "Spiritual Growth: An Orthodox Perspective."
As they have for the past few years, parishioners enjoyed an ice cream social after Forgiveness Vespers. Mountains of concupiscent curds cascading with salacious syrup & other exquisite delights bade a very fond farewell to cheesfare week & ushered in the rigors of the Fast. It was the last hurrah, & it was a good one.
McKensie Kilbane became our newest -- & youngest -- catechumen today. Granddaughter of Melissa McCutcheon, she read clearly her Profession of Faith for everyone to hear, & made a fine show of renouncing the devil. God help her along her way & grant her many, many years!
On the Sunday of Orthodoxy, when the Church commemorates the restoration of Icons, the children of St Innocent share in the procession of the Great Entrance at Liturgy, carrying Icons of favorite Saints, their Patron Saints & guardian angels.
The new Parish Council for 2006 was sworn in at the end of Liturgy today. Members of the Parish Council include Deacon Michael Timko, President; Bob Klinar, Vice-President; Teri Cassell, Secretary; Julie Hall, Treasurer; John Skinner, Dave Minich, & Dan Gall, Trustees. God grant them His grace to serve His Church well!
15 seconds of fame - 03/12/06
On Sunday evening, Fr Michael participated with over two dozen other Orthodox clergy in the celebration of the Sunday of Orthodoxy at St Paul Greek Church in North Royalton. A photographer from the Plain Dealer caught him in a moment of what, is it prayer, weariness, or something else?, & took this photo. The picture made the front page of the Plain Dealer Monday morning.
Paul Smith, who became a catechumen formally last May, was chrismated at the Divine Liturgy this morning. He is the second person to enter the Church so far this year. He follows his wife, Cheryl Grizzell, who was received into the church in December of 2004. God grant him, & his sponsor, Nick Sarris, many years in the fulness of the Faith!
Joshua Bobrosky is the newest member of our church. He found Orthodoxy at St Luke's Mission in Solon, where he has been enrolled as a Catechumen since last Fall. He comes to us now in the rank of Catechumen & looks forward to the day when he will be received into the fulness of the Faith. We're glad you're here!
Chas Hall, husband of Julie Hall, passed away in his sleep early in the morning on Friday the 17th. Though not a member of St Innocent's, he attended services & social events at the parish & was well-known by many of us. He is shown here at a parish hay ride. He is survived by his wife, Julie, & two sons, Keaton & Mitchell. May his memory be eternal!
Pete Trivanovich, who is related to several of our parishioners in several ways, had his seventieth birthday this week, & his sister, Carol Schigel, organized a lunch & party for him after Liturgy. His family, being exceptionally musical, did not miss the opportunity for a little jam session, either. God grant him many years!
On Sunday evening, the clergy & faithful of the Cleveland Deanery gathered at St Theodosius Cathedral with our Hierarch, Archbishop Job, for the Akathist to the Cross. (Somehow Vladyka Job makes that church look good!) The service was well attended, prayerful & uplifting. Kudos to Fr John Zdinak & the faithful of the cathedral for a beautiful service & a fine meal afterwards.
Jeremy & Christopher Butler spent a couple of days from their spring break at Holy Dormition Monastery in Rives Junction, MI, attending services & helping out where they could. Mother Macrina, the monastery's ad hoc youth director, found useful ways to harness their energy for the glory of God & the good order of the monastery.
Many years to the newly consecrated Bishop Irenij - 07/15/06
Hieromonk Irinej (Dobrijevic), who has served at St Innocent's in years past, & who is well-known to many in the parish, was consecrated a bishop of the Serbian Church in Belgrade, Serbia on 15 July. Here is a link for some pictures of the event: http://spc.yu/Vesti-2006/07/18-07-06-c.html#sla Although the text is in Serbian, if you click on the pictures, you will get a larger view. A link to the text in English -- but without the pictures -- is this one: http://www.serbian-church.net/Vesti-2006/07/18-07-06-e.html God grant Bishop Irenij many years in his episcopacy!
Collection for Project Mexico - 05/14/06
Kudos & thanks to everyone who contributed to Fr Michael, Jeremy & Chris Butler's trip to Project Mexico! Contributions on Sunday totalled $775, which goes a long way to offset the cost of the trip.
Fr Michael & his boys will be leaving on 7 July for a week's worth of work in Tijuana, Mexico, building a house for a family that needs one. Fr Stephen Ziton of St George Antiochian Church in Cleveland organized the trip & will be going himself with his two daughters.
Please check out the Project Mexico website at www.projectmexico.org to see what the Butler's will be doing, & if you have not made a contribution to share in this work, we encourage you to do so. Thanks in advance!
IOCC Banquet - 05/15/06
The 16th annual banquet for International Orthodox Christian Charities was held this Monday evening at St Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Rocky River. St Innocent's was well-represented, with three tables of attendees. Honey Zimmerman's tambouritsa band, Sarena, provided the entertainment during the cocktail hour before the meal. A new video, showcasing IOCC's international work, was presented, & a field worker who has served in Palestine, the Republic of Georgia, & in the hurricane-ravaged South, talked about the work he has been involved in.
May God richly reward the generosity of the people who have contributed to IOCC's work!
(There's a slide show at the link of various pictures from the banquet.)
Avram & Ann Stanca celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on 6 October 2006. God grant them many years and much peace, health and happiness in the years to come.
Project Mexico - 07/25/06
Fr Michael & his sons, Jeremy & Christopher, were part of a Project Mexico team, 7-14 July. Please follow the link for pictures & some narrative about what they did.
Michael Goltz, who has been a member of St Innocent's for two and a half years, has found new work in Pittsburgh & has moved there. He was an active member of the parish, an iconographer, & he was especially grateful to the men's Wild At Heart group which was a real support to him during a difficult time in his life. In order to send him off well, several of the participants in the men's group got together at Fr Michael's house for a going away party. We burned the hut he had constructed last year for the Male Bonding Party (& which did not get burnt then), drank beer, ate sausages, & smoked cigars. May God prosper Michael in his new line of work & bless him in his life in Pittsburgh.
Each Memorial Day, area Orthodox clergy gather at St Theodosius Cemetery for a service at the veteran's monument. Aftrer the service, the clergy bless graves of the faithful departed.
The Olmsted Ministerial Alliance, in which Fr Michael participates, hosts an annual baccalaureate for the high school's graduating class. Held in the high school auditorium, the High School Ceremonial Brass provided processional music, & the High School Senior Choir sang for the occasion. This year, Fr Michael provided the welcome & the final benediction.
On the day before Ascension, we celebrate the Leave-taking of Pascha, when we sing the Paschal service over again & say farewell to some of the hymns we love most dearly. Some of the members of the Greater Cleveland Council of Orthodox Clergy concelebrated the Liturgy at St Innocent's this year, among them Hieromonk Gregory (Valentine) of the Bulgarian Diocese; Archpriest Dennis Kristof (St Nicholas Ukrainian Pro-Cathedral; Lakewood), Hieromonk Gregory (Woolfenden) of St Mary's Ukrainian Church, Lorain; Priest Paul Patitsas of St Demetrios Greek Church, Rocky River. Also in attendance was Abbot John Henry from St Herman's Monastery & House of Hospitality.
After Vespers on the eve of Ascension, Mckensie Ann Kilbane, age 10, grand-daughter of Melissa McCutcheon, fulfilled a 6-year long desire to become Orthodox & was Chrismated. Since she comes to the Faith so young, may God grant her very many years in His service & bless her life abundantly with His grace!
St Innocent welcomes into our fellowship Mary Lou Hannum, who encountered Orthodoxy in Fr Michael's Eastern Christian Tradition class at Baldwin-Wallace College last January. The class sparked her interest, which grew into a desire to join the Church. God grant her a fruitful Catechumenate & the richest blessings of His Kingdom.
Bells for St Innocent's - 06/04/06
Through the generosity of a couple of parishioners, St Innocent was able to purchase a set of five brass bells. Imported from Russia, the bells are a matched set & are tuned to each other so that they are harmonious. They were blessed at the end of Liturgy today. Once a stand for them is built, they will be hung outside on the north side of the temple & we will begin training people in the proper ways of Orthodox bell-ringing.
Pauline & Christopher Russell, along with Melanie Linderman, have returned from Albania for a few weeks of rest. Follow the link for a summary of what they've been doing lately & a slide show of pictures from Albania.
This year's golf outing was a great time! Despite a rather spectacular cloudburst near the end of the course, people enjoyed themselves, played some good golf, enjoyed live tambouritsa music & a lamb & chicken dinner. Follow the link for a slide show with lots of pictures.
Part of getting ready for the Heritage Days celebration in Olmsted Falls is to bake the kinds of things that only an Orthodox parish can make well: koulourakia, baklava, spanikopita, nut rolls 'n' such.
Christians In Action is a local charitable organization supported by all the churches in Olmsted Falls & Township. Each year at Easter time, CIA collects food through the elementary schools, sorts it, & makes it available to families in need. The local Kiwanis Club distributes the food, & this year 48 families received food assistance. For the second year in a row, CIA asked to use St Innocent's hall for their food drive. Barb Culley, the coordinator for CIA, says the organization likes our facilities because the accessibility is open & there are no stairs. We, of course, are always happy to be of service.
Spring Cleaning - 04/08/06
Twice a year, before Christmas & before Pascha, the temple gets a thorough cleaning & polishing. Thanks & kudos to everyone who came to lend a hand; it's always friendlier when there's more.
Fr Michael was ordained on 15 April -- tax day -- in 1995, by His Eminence, Archbishop Job, at St Demetrius Orthodox Church in Jackson, Michigan. He has been a Priest for 11 years (though he says that comes out to 77 in clergy-years)...
OPA! The annual Bright Friday dance was a swell time! If you weren't there, ya shoulda been. This year we held the dance in the parish hall instead of in rented facilities. Fred Zwich & his band, our perennial favorites, made all kinds of music. The price was right; the food was plentiful, good & free; & everybody had a good time. There are pictures at the link.
George Russell, one of St Innocent's missionaries in Albania, has been in the U.S. for the last two months raising money to fund the work that his family is doing in Tirana. As one of his last stops, he spoke to his home parish about the good things that are going on in Albania. (More info thru the link...)
Feasts don't happen without preparation. Palm Sunday takes a lot of work. The temple has to be decorated with palms, & palms & pussywillows need to be tied together with ribbons & bells before they are blessed...
During the Palm Sunday Liturgy (at which there was record attendance: 137 people!) the children process with the Great Entrance in front of the clergy, & also the whole congregation processes with their palms at the end of the Liturgy. With great weather this year, it was a beautiful thing.
Our children enjoyed observing St Nicholas day this year. On the eve of the feast, during Vespers, they left their shoes in the narthex of the church in hopes of a present from the Saint (so did certain of the clergy). At the end of the service, Tricia Cassell read the story of the Saint's life to everyone, who gathered around the foot of the ambon to hear it. Afterwards, there was a party that included a kind of fruit cake made in St Nicholas' honor. Mother Theonymphi from St Mary of Egypt Monastery was there to accept presents which the children brought to be given away to other children in need. It was a really good time. May St Nicholas keep us by his prayers!
On St Nicholas day in the evening, area clergy and faithful gathered at St Innocent's to sing the Akathist Hymn to St Nicholas. After the service, everyone in attendance was anointed with the holy myrrh that has been flowing from the relics of St Nicholas since his death in the 4th century. Cake and coffee were served afterwards. Thanks to Frs Andrew Harmon, Remus Grama, and Milorad Orlic for their concelebration. Through the prayers of our holy Father Nicholas, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us.
Thanksgiving Eve ecumenical service - 11/22/06
On Thanksgiving eve, Fr Michael joined fellow clergy from the other churches in Olmsted Falls and Township for the annual ecumenical service. This year's service was held at St Mary of the Falls Roman Catholic Church; thanks to Fr Bob Cole and his parish for hosting the event and providing excellent hospitality afterwards.
Symeon Cambouris Baptized - 03/31/07
During the Divine Liturgy on Lazarus Saturday, the child of God, Symeon Cambouris, son of Dr Nicholas and Daniela Cambouris, was Baptized, Chrismated and was first in line for Holy Communion. God grant him, his family and his sponsors many years!
Also on Lazarus Saturday, after the morning Liturgy, several people volunteered their time to put together bunches of palms and pussy-willows to be blessed at Vespers that evening and to decorate the church for Palm Sunday.
A few pictures from our Palm Sunday celebration are at the link. All the children are invited to participate in the Great Entrance with their palms, and we process around the church once at the end of the service. At St Innocent's, all the bundles of palms and pussy-willows are tied up with ribbons to which a small bell is attached. Ringing the bells is actually encouraged throughout the service, children of all ages are happy to comply, and a very joyful noise arises.
After the evening service, two further things took place. First, members of the congregation signed up for 1-hour shifts to read the Psalms in front of the tomb. This vigil at the tomb was maintained continuously from Great Friday evening through the Vesperal Liturgy on Great Saturday.
While the vigil at the tomb began, over 40 members of the congregation went out to visit other churches which were also keeping vigil at their tombs. This we call "tomb-hopping," and is how pious Orthodox folk go out on the town on Great Friday night. We visited St Theodosius Cathedral (Cleveland), Archangel Michael Church (Broadview Hts), Holy Trinity Church (Parma), and St Sava Church (Parma). There are a few pictures at the link.
The annual Bright Friday dinner and dance was a swell time this year, with a catered meal and live music by Fred Zwich and his orchestra. Most everyone found something he or she could dance to, be it ballroom or ethnic dancing. Why, even the kids had the Chicken Dance, but not all to themselves...
On the feast of Pentectost (which was also the first anniversary of her parents' Chrismation) the Child of God Stella May Dippong was Baptized into the Body of Christ. Many years to her, to her parents, Joe and Nicole, and her sponsors, Subdeacon Michael and Jennifer Porter.
Fr Michael joined other area Orthodox clergy and Veterans organizations at St Theodosius Cemetery on Memorial Day for the annual service at the Armed Forces Memorial there.
Kathleen Morriss, who needed to fulfill a community service project as a graduating senior from high school, organized a mission trip to Hogar Rafael Ayau orphanage in Guatemala. Her mother and grandmother were part of the trip, and our good friend, Fr Stephen Ziton, led the group. During the week they were in Guatemala, they helped the orphanage staff with the children and toured the monastery and new orphanage, which are under construction on the shore of Lake Amatitlan, about 45 minutes outside of Guatemala City. There are a lot of pictures from the trip at the link.
Fr Michael joined the clergy of the other churches in Olmsted Falls and Township for a Baccalaureate service honoring the graduating class of 2007. Rev Jim McClaren (River of Life United Methodist) gave the invocation, Rev Harrison Gapter (All Saints Lutheran) and Rev Robert Cole (St Mary of the Falls Catholic) provided Scripture readings, pastor John Hawkins (Olmsted Family Ministries) gave the sermon, Fr Michael gave the benediction, and Rev Leah Matthews (Olmsted Community) gave the final benediction. The high school's choir and brass ensemble provided music for the occasion, as well.
Congrats and farewells - 06/24/07
On Sunday the 24th, we honored the young people who graduated high school this month: Justine Blocksom, Kristen Cassell, and Kathleen Morris, and Michael D'Fantis, who graduated from Dayton College with a degree in mechanical engineering.
Also, we bid farewell to the Andy Morriss, his wife Carol Akers, and their daughters Kathleen and Julia. The Morrisses, who were with us for just over two years and have been good friends and parishioners, are leaving for Champaign-Urbana, IL, where Andy will assume an endowed chair at the law school there.
Prayer service for the welfare of our Church - 06/25/07
Per Archbishop Job's request, the faithful of St Innocent's kept Monday, 25 June, as a day of prayer and fasting for the welfare of the Orthodox Church in America, as it resolves the difficulties it currently faces. Thanks to those who came to the evening prayer service and lifted up sincere voices of intercession to the Lord.
For those people interested in praying for the welfare of the Church at home, a modified version of the prayer service, approved by the Archbishop, can be had here.
ANNUAL GOLF OUTING - 06/26/07
Information on this year's St Innocent Golf Outing is posted here on the website. Check it out!
New resources for Orthodox Christians - 06/26/07
Fr Michael will begin posting chapters for two new e-books on this website in the near future. The e-books will be:
Orthodox Christian Observance: A Handbook, a practical guide for living the Orthodox Faith from day to day; and
The Structure of the Orthodox Temple and its Furnishings, a decription and guide to an Orthodox church in general, and to St Innocent's in particular, explaining why things are set up the way they are and what it all means. Watch for installments to begin soon!
Bobby Zimmerman goes to camp - 06/27/07
Bobby Zimmerman, Connie Z's grandson, attended a week of summer camp at Camp St Vladimir in June. Reports are that he loved it and can't wait to go back. At the link are a few photos from parents' night, when all the kids put on skits and a talent show.
Peter Trivanovich, a member of St Innocent's, passed away suddenly on Thursday, 5 July, late in the morning. He is survived by his wife, Leathian, and a very large family (many of whom are also members of the parish). He was also active in the deaf community in Cleveland. May his memory be eternal!
Annual Golf Outing a swell time! - 07/22/07
Under beautiful skies and on pleasant fairways, the annual golf outing provided a great afternoon for over sixty golfers, who finished the day with a steak dinner and prizes. Kudos to Lauren Timko and the golf committee for an exceptionally fine event! Pictures from the event can be found at the link.
Heritage Days bake sale and garage sale - 08/16/07
St Innocent's participated again this year in the community-wide Heritage Days events by holding a garage sale and a pastry sale at the church. Because our pastries have become well-known, too, a lot of people came just to buy cookies and pastry. Kudos and thanks to all of the women who make these events possible and reaped a good profit for the church! (There are some pictures at the link.)
In spite of downpours of rain, the annual parish picnic was a great time for everyone. We had use of indoor facilities with a kitchen, and several people thought to bring board games, cards, and dominoes, so adults and kids alike had things to play. Thanks to Dave and Bonnie Minich for the use of the facilities; to Bob Klinar, who manned the grills in the rain; and to everyone who brought side dishes, desserts, games, and themselves to the picnic.
St Innocent is happy to welcome Kalli Obeng and her two sons, Bryce and Xander, into our fellowship. The Obengs come to us from our sister church, Holy Assumption parish, in Canton. Kalli's brother, Kerik Foerg, will also be joining us (but we don't have a picture of him yet). We're glad you're here!
Three new Catechumens - 08/26/07
Before the Liturgy on Sunday, three people publicly renounced Satan, confessed their union with Christ, recited the Symbol of Faith, bowed down in worship before Him, and thus became the most recent Catechumens in our parish. Please remember Ali Lombardo, and Amy Ries and her son, Jared, in your prayers, as they complete their journey into the fulness of the Faith. God grant them many years!
Fr Michael will soon begin to offer weekly classes for catechumens, persons interested in learning about Orthodoxy, and adults who want to know more about their faith. The series will be offered at two different times during the week and will run for 13 weeks. It will cover Orthodox faith, practice and spirituality. Classes start on 19 September. Please see the monthly calendar on the Service Schedule page for days and times. Books can be purchased from Amazon via the "shopping portal" link on the left. Please let Fr Michael know you are interested in participating.
New opportunities for community - 09/02/07
Fr Michael will be restarting the men's group, and Melissa McCutcheon will be restarting the women's Bible study, both in the near future. If you are interested in knowing more, or in participating, please contact either Fr Michael or Melissa. More information will be available soon.
Redesigned Amazon portal - 09/04/07
Amazon recently redesigned their associate's portals, and that means St Innocent got a new one, too. Here you can buy books for upcoming classes and fellowship groups at the church, as well as browse the whole Amazon website. And remember: anything you buy via our shopping portal means St Innocent gets a small rebate on your purchase.
Please check it out, via the "Shopping Portal" link at the left side of the page.
Want automatic updates on St Innocent events? - 09/04/07
Add an RSS feed to your own webpage to keep abreast of parish events. You must set up the feed manually; copy and use this link to do so:
Melissa McCutcheon, Paul Pangrace, Fr Gregory Jensen, and Fr Michael attended a workshop in Perrysburg, near Toledo this last weekend. The workshop, entitled "Called & Gifted," presented a spiritual gift inventory that participants took to begin discerning ways in which they may have particular gifts from God which are to be used for building up the community of the Church.
Once a year, parishioners from St Innocent's prepare a cookout at St Herman's House of Hospitality for the hungry and homeless that look to them for support. Thanks to everyone who participated in the cookout, and special kudos to Dave and Bonnie Minich, who organized the event.
The Orthodoxy 101 class will meet only in the evening on Wednesday, 3 October; there will be no morning class. Audio recording of the second class has been posted here. Readings, images, and study questions for the third class can be found here. Please complete the readings before the class.
Male Bonding Party IV - 09/23/07
Fr Michael's fourth annual male bonding party was a great time for all who came. Pictures are at the link.
The fall session of church school has begun for the younger children of the parish. Pictures of the young 'uns can be found at the link. Church school for the older kids -- and for interested adults -- will be a series of interfaith field trips scheduled over the next few months. Watch the parish website for information on upcoming field trips.
Every year on the Sunday nearest St Innocent's day, the parish offers a free brunch to the members in honor of our patron, St Innocent. Pictures from the slava celebration in the church and from the brunch afterwards are available at the link.
Albanian Missionary running in Detroit Marathon - 10/14/07
George Russell, who has been serving as a missionary in Albania for four years with his wife Pauline and their two children Christopher and Madeline, will be running in the Detroit Marathon on October 21, 2007. He is doing this as a fundraiser for their overall mission with the Orthodox Church of Albania, and specifically for the Soup Kitchen which they have helped establish in Tirana. The Orthodox Church’s Soup Kitchen in Tirana feeds hundreds of the poorest people four times every week. This event is also a means of trying to raise an awareness overall of what the Orthodox Church is doing in missions.
Please look at their website www.runforalbania.org to better understand why George is running the marathon, and to see their work in Albania.
Some pictures from the Diocesan Assembly - 10/01/07
Just a few pictures from the recent Diocesan Assembly, for those who'd like to see how it was.
The weather couldn't've been better for the hayride this year. Great times were had by all. There was fine hay chuckin' and casual eats to make it a memorable day. Also, some live entertainment, face painting and balloon sculpting was an added bonus for the young and young at heart.
"Blessed is God, Who desires that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth," says the Priest near the end of the service for making one a catechumen. Today, St Innocent welcomes Mike and Peggy Russell and their three children, Mollie, Sidney, and little Samuel, into the ranks of the catechumens. God grant them the fulfillment of their desire and a blessed place in His Kingdom!
Fr Michael recently began a series of teachings on the structure and meaning of the Divine Liturgy, which is designed to help everyone understand what we do in church, and why, so that we can participate in it more fully. Today, he performed the Proskomedia in the center of the church and showed everyone what it meant.
St Innocent is pleased to welcome the newly-married Jim and Cassie Clouser to membership. Jim is a recent convert to Orthodoxy, and Cassie grew up in the Greek church in Campbell. Both are trained musicians. They are currently living in Berea. We're glad to have you with us!
Sarah (nee Alberts) and her newborn daugther, Morgana, were churched before Liturgy this Sunday. Sarah attended St Innocent's a few years ago while she was a student at Baldwin-Wallace College. She has since married (husband Chris) and started her family, and they are living on the west side of Cleveland. It's always good to see familiar faces -- and new ones, too!
After years beyond anyone's reckoning, the set of gold sticharia that the altar servers have been wearing have been replaced with a new set. Fr Michael blessed the new vestments at the beginning of Liturgy and the young men were able to wear them for the first time. Of course, the servers make the vestments look very fine, and they are glad to have them.
For the 6th year in a row, young people from St Innocent's participated in the annual Turkey Hunt, a food collection on the Sunday before Thanksgiving that benefits the needy in Olmsted Falls and Township. The whole collection is distributed through Christians In Acation. Thanks to Bob, Aidan and Georgia Kelley; Linda, Mark and Eric Riha, and their friend Patrick Haynes; Christopher Butler; Veronica Hudak; and Lonna and Jared Hendricks on behalf of people whose lives have been made a little richer for their time and effort.
Deacon Gregory (formerly known to us as Jarno) Wassen was in town over the Thanksgiving holiday with his wife, Sarah, and baby Cassian, who has grown considerably since he was baptized last January. Deacon Gregory was ordained at St Vladimir's Seminary last September, so this is the first opportunity we have had for him to serve with us since his ordination.
Kudos and thanks to those who had time to help with the semi-annual church cleaning, especially to those who did the difficult work of washing windows, polishing brass, and scraping wax off the floors. The temple was made beautiful in time for Nativity. Also, we got a special treat as the "First Cousins Club" of the Trivanovich family stopped by and sang Christmas carols for us.
Amy Ries's daughter, Lonna, was made a catechumen before Liturgy this morning, joining her mother and brother in preparation for reception into the Church. Currently, St Innocent has 10 catechumens. Do remember them in your prayers as they look forward to their reception into the fulness of the Faith.
The Christmas tree and other decorations were set out after Liturgy today, to get ready for the Nativity of Christ. Thanks especially to all the children that helped to decorate the tree. After the tree was set up, gifts that have been bought and wrapped for needy families in the community were placed under the tree.
Marie Candea, Elena Kelley's mother, who has been worshipping with us for many weeks now, has transferred her membership from St Mary's Romanian Cathedral and has joined St Innocent's parish. We're glad to have you as part of our church family!
St Innocent welcomes the Mortons - 12/16/07
Richard & Catherine Morton, who have worshipped with us many times over the last year or so, have joined the parish. They come with their children, Olivia and Christian. We're blessed to have you with us!
Seven young people attend the SVS Christmas Retreat - 12/26/07
Seven high school age young people from St Innocent's attended the service-oriented youth retreat at St Vladimir's Seminary on 26-29 December. Pictures and details are at the link.
Orthodox Youth Outreach -- One Teen's Experience - 01/04/08
Olivia Morton was interviewed for Ancient Faith Radio about the Christmas retreat our young people went on. You can find her interview, in .mp3 format or as streaming audio, here:
St Vladimir's Seminary has posted an article about the Christmas Teen Retreat which some of our young people attended. There's a nice write-up and a photo gallery with pictures we didn't have previously. You can find the article here: http://www.svots.edu/news/recent/2007-1226-christmasretreat/
As many as have been baptized - 01/20/08
By the grace of God, and through the ministry of her grandfather, the Very Rev Archpriest George Alberts, the child of God, Morgana Elyce Goldie, was Baptized, Chrismated, and joined to the Body of Christ during the Divine Liturgy this Sunday. Photos of the service are at the link.
The local chapter of ZOE For Life and its supporters gathered at St Innocent's this evening for an Akathist to Jesus Christ and to pray for an end to abortion on this "Sanctity of Life" Sunday, as it is observed in many Orthodox churches in America. Fr John Nakonachny of St Vladimir Ukrainian Cathedral concelebrated the service with Fr Michael; other area clergy were in attendance, too. ZOE charters a bus to take Cleveland area residents to Washington, D.C., for the annual March for Life.
March for Life 2008 - 01/22/08
Bob and Jonah Klinar represented St Innocent's at the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., this year. While at the march, they came across some dear friends of ours. Find out who at the link...
Over three dozen members of St Innocent's visited St John's Monastery in Hiram, OH, on Saturday night. We were given monastic hospitality and a brief history of the monastic life and of the brotherhood of St John's. Afterwards, we attended Vespers and Compline with the monks in their chapel. Following that, most of the attendees had a fine dinner at a local barbecue restaurant.
Per tradition, candles were blessed after services for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord and distributed to the faithful.
As many as have been baptized... - 02/10/08
On Saturday evening after Vespers and on Sunday morning during the Divine Liturgy, 9-10 February, five of our eleven catechumens were received into the fulness of the Faith. Hilary Ries was Baptized, and Amy Ries and Lonna and Jared Hendrickson were Chrismated. God grant them and their sponsors many, many years!
Taking advantage of the fast-free Friday in the week of the Publican & Pharisee, several St Innocent families got together for a game night at the church. Board games, cards, puzzles, and lots of fun for young and old.
The Annual Parish Meeting of St Innocent's was held after the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, 24 February. The meeting, which lasted just under an hour, went well.
Persons elected to various offices include: Parish Council Vice-President: Sam D'Fantis Parish Council Treasurer: Julie Hall (re-elected) Parish Council Trustees: Dan Gall (re-electe) and Fred Cassell Auditing Committee: Lu Timko (re-elected) and Sue Kidd Nominating Committee: Becky Riffle and Carol Schigel (re-elected).
As soon as the Archbishop approves the minutes and candidates, they will be installed formally in their positions. Congratulations to them all.
The large crucifix at the church, which stood badly in need of renovation, was graciously repainted by Fr Yves Babich, Priest at our sister parish, SS Peter & Paul Church, Lakewood. The corpus, repainted in the Byzantine style, was returned last week and blessed at the end of Liturgy. Thanks to Fr Yves for his generosity and time in undertaking this project for us.
The Russell family -- Michael, Peggy, Molly, Sidney, and Sam -- were received into the fulness of the Faith this weekend with the Baptism of the children and the Chrismation of the whole family. Pictures can be found at the link. God grant all of them, and their sponsors, Mike & Laura Larkin, many, many years!
Two of our children made their first confessions this year after preparing for it during church school sessions. Molly Russell and James Spoerl made their confessions before Vespers this evening. After Liturgy the next day, there was cake to celebrate. Congratulations to Molly and to James! It's a big step for everyone to take.
A new section of the website has been created: a series of brief audio classes on the newly-published Orthodox Study Bible. The link can be found on the menu to the left.
Also, the audio files and related material for the Orthodoxy 101 class can now be found under the Devotional Helps.
Forgiveness Vespers - 03/09/08
A few pictures from Forgivness Vespers, with which we begin Great Lent, and of the ice cream social that followed the service.
McKensie Kilbane had a leading role in her school play this evening, and over a dozen of her friends from St Innocent's were on hand to see her perform.
New-born Noah Royer brought his parents to St Innocent for the first time today. There were prayers for him and his mother before Liturgy began. His Baptism will be scheduled soon.
On the Sunday of Orthodoxy, we ask the children of the parish to process with their icons in the great entrance with the clergy. In addition, the weather cooperated this year and the whole congregation made procession around the church.
This year, the church school teachers have put together a series of brief charitable projects for the children of the parish to complete during coffee hour each week of Great Lent. The first project was to decorate cookies to send to the young people who live at the residental home where Kirk Ries works.
This year, St Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church hosted the Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers, which was attended by clergy and faithful from all over greater Cleveland. Fr Patrick Henry Reardon, of All Saints Church in Chicago, was the guest speaker.
This Sunday the children painted small flower pots and wooden flowers to go in them. These will be taken to a local nursing home and given to the residents. There was a lot of fun with the paint, perhaps too much fun in some cases...
Dan & Catrina Kovalak, along with Melissa Tesar, visited St Innocent's from Archangel Michael Church today to talk about St Vladimir's Church Camp. They talked about improvements to the camp and answered questions from parents. Information about the two summer camp sessions will be available at the church (and here on the website, of course) as it becomes available. Our own Natalie D'Fantis will be a counsellor at the camp this summer and also has information.
St Innocent's Church will be selling pierogi at the church during Great Lent, every Saturday afternoon from 24 February thru 31 March. Pick-up time will be between 3 and 5:30 p.m. (Pierogi can be picked up after scheduled services, too.) Cost is $5 per dozen.
Please call Maria Sarris at 440.234.2935 for more information.
First Confessions - 02/17/07
Ms Spoerl's 2nd grade church school class has been learning about Confession, and this Saturday all the children made their first confessions. Kudos to Lucy Aleksandrovic, Aidan Kelley, Nate Kidd, Maxim Klinar, Bryce Obeng, and Allison Spoerl! In addition, the children put together the coffee hour after Liturgy on Sunday. Thanks to all of them and to Ms Spoerl for a job well done!
Our newest member - 02/08/07
Stella Dippong was born on 8 February to Joe and Nicole. She weighed 6 lbs, 1 oz, and was 18" long at birth. God grant her and her parents many years!
Although belated, St Innocent's wants to welcome Tom, Suzan, Gabriel and Mary Virosteck to the parish. They joined us at the beginning of the year. We're glad you're a part of our family!
Cassian Wassen Baptized - 02/04/07
St Innocent's was honored to baptized Cassian Wassen, the first-born son of Jarno and Sarah Wassen, who are both currently enrolled at St Vladimir's Seminary in New York. The recently ordained Priest Robert Royer accompanied the family to the church and served as godfather to the baby, and then concelebated the Liturgy, and communed his godson for the first time. God grant all of them many, many years!
On Presidents Day 2007, Jonah Klinar led his Strongsville Mustangs Squirt Hockey Team to a “Melt the Ice”Tournament Championship, with 2 goals in a 6-1 victory over Cleveland Heights. The Mustangs finished the tournament undefeated, by besting Garfield Heights, Shaker Heights and Cleveland Heights in the Finale. Jonah finished the tournament with a team high of 4 goals scored. The long and trying season has come to an end , and Jonah would like to thank all of those wonderful people who supported him throughout the season, especially Ray and Judy Budoi, who were in attendance to witness the big victory in the Championship game!
Honey Zimmerman, who has been suffering from ovarian cancer, was pronounced clear of the disease by her doctor recently. The parish offered prayers of thanksgiving for her during and after the Liturgy on Sunday the 4th, and her family provided a lunch for the whole parish afterwards. Honey credited her cure to the grace of God and the prayers of her family and friends. May God keep her free from disease and among us for many, many years.
Castaway Bay! - 02/08/07
A whole lot of families from St Innocent's -- over three dozen people in all -- spent a couple of days at Castaway Bay in Sandusky earlier this month. The trip was a family and social event, an overnight stay at a nearyby water park, for fun and to escape cabin fever in snowy February. Everybody had a great time. Kudos to Cindy Klinar, who coordinated the trip!
Several of the young people of the parish got together after Liturgy on Sunday the 11th and went to the Chalet in the Metroparks for an afternoon of tobogganing. Pictures of their outing can be found at the link. Thanks to Lauren Timko for organizing it.
Thanks to everyone who took time to participate in the APM. The work of the parish is always done better when many people undertake to do it together. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the well-being of St Innocent’s over the past year in capacities too numerous to mention. Congratulations to those who were elected to positions of responsibility; thank you for your willingness to serve. Persons elected were
Dn Michael Timko, re-elected Parish Council President Dave Minich, Parish Council Secretary Connie Zimmerman, Parish Council Trustee Barb van Dusen, re-elected Auditor Rich Myerly, Nominating Committee.
Reception of Converts - 03/04/07
St Innocent's is very pleased to receive into full membership Michael, Laura, Neil and Reid Larkin, who have been Catechumens for the past several months. Reid was Baptized after Vespers on Saturday evening, and then the whole family was Chrismated during Liturgy on Sunday morning. Please keep the newly-illumined family in your prayers, that God grant them stability and grace, and many happy years in His Church.
His Eminence, Archbishop Job, celebrated the Liturgy of the Presanctified for us on Friday evening. At the beginning of the service, His Eminence invested Jeremy Butler with the orarion and blessed him to serve as a Sub-Deacon in the Diocese of the Midwest. Pictures of the investing can be found at the link. Axios!
On Palm Sunday, our children "with the palms of victory" process with the clergy at the Great Entrance, and the weather allowed us to process outside at the end of the Divine Liturgy. It was a beautiful beginning to the Holy Weeks observances at St Innocent's.
Sandra Zimmerman was received into the fulness of the Faith this evening before Bridegroom Matins. Julie Hall served as her sponsor, and her family was on hand to witness her Chrismation. (Sandy was the last of our recent group of Catechumens to be received. Alas, the rank of Catechumens at St Innocent's is depleted! Pray for more people to find their way to Christ and His Church.) God grant Sandy many years!
Scenes from Holy Week & Pascha. Some pictures from the services of Great & Holy Thursday. (Special thanks to Lu Timko for providing most of the pictures from Holy Week.)
Scenes from Holy Week & Pascha. After the Friday evening Lamentations service, members of St Innocent's began a round-the-clock vigil of singing Psalms in front of the tomb of Christ. While this began, several carloads of parishioners went to visit other Orthodox churches in greater Cleveland that were also open all night. This late-night pilgrimage we call "tomb-hopping." It's especially popular with the young people, who don't have as much trouble staying up late.
Jon Timko's son, Cole Alexander, was Baptized before the Vesperal Liturgy on Great & Holy Saturday. God grant him, his family and his sponsors, many years!
Mothers' Day fell on the Sunday of the Myrrhbearing Women this year, and the men of the parish provided and served a brunch for all the women in the parish. (Special thanks to Mike Russell for planning the meal and doing most of the cooking.)
Our own Honey Zimmerman and her sister, Mickey Arangelovic, have been inducted into the Tamburitza Association of America Hall of Fame for their lifetime commitment to the preservation and growth of tambura music in America. Honey has her own tambura orchestra, Sarena, which provided entertainment at the recent IOCC banquet; you can find out more about Sarena here. Congratulations to Honey & Mickey on their recognition and for their love and dedication to their musical heritage!
St Innocent's has been without a catechumen since Palm Sunday, but that is fixed now. Kirk Ries, whose family was received into the Church in February, has entered the ranks of the Catechumens. We look forward to his Chrismation later this year.
Pictures from this year at St Vladimir's Summer camp. Thanks to our own Natalie D'Fantis, who was a counselor at the camp this year, for all the photos.
Pilgrimage to Holy Transfiguration Monastery - 08/06/08
A dozen members of St Innocent's were able to travel to Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Ellwood City, PA, for their patronal feast day this year. A few pictures from the Divine Liturgy and the Unction Service, concelebrated by Archbishop Nathaniel, Metropolitan Maximos of Pittsburgh, and over a dozen Priests, can be found at the link.
The diocesan Parish Health Facilitator, Mr Joe Kormos, was invited to St Innocent's to lead a group of 18 parishioners in process to begin some strategic planning for our future. Considering the current status of the parish, where we would like to be in five years, and asking how we might get there, generated a lot of enthusiasm, discussion and ideas, which we will be reviewing and working up into a feasable plan in the weeks ahead.
Church school begins - 08/31/08
Church school began under its new format this Sunday, with classes for all ages, preschool to adult, going on before Liturgy. The church had purchased a set of movable room dividers which made it possible to hold four classes simultaneously in the hall.
This year's annual parish picnic was combined with the beginning of the church school program. Burgers and dogs on the grill, a great assortment of side dishes. It was a fine feast.
Both church school and the annual parish picnic coincided with the last day of the Church's calendar, so Amy Ries planned a series of "silly Olympics" games for the kids to mark the event.
Fr Michael was invited to participate in "Breakthrough: Ethics, Economics and the Environment, A Program for Religious Leaders" which was a conference sponsored by the Foundation for Research on Economics and the Environment in Bozeman, Montana. Our own Andy Morriss was one of the presenters at the conference, and Fr Gregory Jensen also came as a participant.
The annual golf outing, held 21 September at Springvale Golf Course in North Olmsted, was a great time for all. Congratulations to all the golfers, especially to those who played well. Kudos to the golf committee who worked hard to put together a quality event.
For the 25th anniversary celebration of the congregation, several of the children of the parish narrated a life of St Innocent, which was put together with a slide show to make a presentation for the parish. Alas, technical difficulties got in the way of the children's work being shown at the 25th anniversary banquet, but you can see it here, at the link.
Honey Zimmerman and her sister, Mickey Arangelovich, were inducted into the Tambouritza Association of America's Hall of Fame at the end of September at the Association's 2008 Extravaganza in Pittsburgh, PA. Congratulations and kudos to Honey & Mickey for their recognition!
Amy Antochow, who has been attending St Innocent's in recent months with her fiance, Josh Bobrosky, became our most recent catechumen before Vespers today. Please remember her in your prayers as she grows in her knowledge and love for the Faith and for Christ.
Many years to His Beatitude, Jonah, Archbishop of Washington & New
York, and Metropolitan of all America and Canada! You can find some
photos, audio files 'n' such at the link.
Ellen D'Fantis stepped down from leading our music after 18 years of service to Christ and to His Church. She has given generously of herself the whole time she has served the liturgical needs of the parish, and her contribution to St Innocent's is inestimable. She has our warmest affection and our deepest respect. God grant her many, many years!
Pan-Orthodox Unction Service - 11/17/08
The Greater Cleveland Council of Orthodox Clergy sponsored an Unction Service at the beginning of the Nativity Fast for the benefit and well-being of the faithful. Seven clergy, Fr Michael included, along with His Grace, Bishop Mark of Toledo, concelebrated at St George Antiochian Church in Cleveland.
Thanks to all the young people who participated in the annual "Turkey Hunt" food drive for Christians In Action, and to all those who gave their time to sort, pack and tote into the pantry all the food that was collected. There are some 70 families in Olmsted Falls & Township that are in need this month, and what you worked for all goes to help them. God counts your steps!
Needed donations for the Guatemalan mission trip - 11/26/08
Hogar Raphael Ayau is the orphanage in Guatemala to which several of us are going on a mission trip next February. Mother Inez has sent us a list of items that the orphanage needs. You can download that list in .pdf here. Children are encouraged to bring items from the list to the St Nicholas party after Liturgy on 6 December. (Items should not be wrapped.)
The children of the parish put on a really great Christmas play this year. The "Roman Broadcasting Network" sent reporters to Bethlehem to investigate reports of strange goings on and foreign visitors coming to town. The children acted their, recited their lines and sang carols. Kudos to the kids and to everyone who helped out with the production. "Two thumbs up!"
Many years to the newly-illumined child of God, Sarah Jun Lytle, to her parents, Kevin and Xiao Jun, and to her Godmother, Annette Butler. God grant them all many years!
Kudos and thanks to everyone who supported our mission team to the Hogar Rafael Ayau in Guatemala, to Catherine Fuller-Morton who put the mission together, to Mothers Inez and Ivonne for their hospitality, and for the 80+ children of the Hogar for the love they showered on the team. A set of pictures is at the link. More will be posted later.
Mike McClelland, a former student of Fr Michael's at Baldwin-Wallace College, is one of those in the armed forces for whom we have been praying. Recently, Father got e-mail and some pictures from Mike, which are posted here, to put a face to one of the people you pray for.
Please follow the link for some off-site collections of pictures that Catherine and Maria took while the mission team was in Guatemala, and also for a couple of audio files of the children singing in church.
St Innocen'ts held a Lenten retreat for the children of the parish. They spent an afternoon learning about Great Lent and also prepared kollyva and attended the Soul Saturday Memorial Service at the end of their retreat.
On 29 March, at the end of the Divine Liturgy, the new Parish Council was sworn in. The new Parish Council consists of Paul Kidd, President; Connie Zimmerman, Vice-President; Lu Timko, Secretary; Julie Hall, Treasurer; Dan Gall, Fred Cassell, and John Skinner, Trustees. Also sworn into office were Rich Myerly and Greg Blocksom, Auditing Committee; and Ed Stanczak, Nominating Committee.
Our one remaining Catechumen, Amy Bobrosky, was Chrismated on Lazarus Saturday. God grant her, and her sponsors, Julie Hall & Connie Zimmerman, many years!
Video of the group that went "tomb-hopping" on Great & Holy Friday evening is available on YouTube now, and at the link here. Also, (dare we?) video from the Bright Friday dance.
At its annual banquet on Monday evening, Connie Zimmerman received the Diane Zamiska Award from the Cleveland
chapter of International Orthodox Christian Charities for outstanding volunteer work with the Cleveland Metropolitan
Committee of IOCC. She received an engraved clock as a gift, and the Diane Zamiska Award plaque will be displayed at St Innocent's for the next year.
If you'd like to see the latest promo video from IOCC, you can watch it here (in Windows Media Format).
Teen Game Night - 05/15/09
A number of the young people at St I's, along with some new friends from our sister parish, St Matthew's Antiochian Church, got together for fun and games after Vespers on Saturday night.
St I's was honored to host the June meeting of the Greater Cleveland Council of Orthodoxy Clergy, which meets monthly to discuss and coordinate things of interest to the clergy and faithful of greater Cleveland. This month's meeting focused on current internet technology and social media, and how these can be used beneficially in our parishes.
Annual parish picnic - 06/07/09
The annual parish picnic was held on Pentecost this year, with burgers and dogs on the grill, and great time all around.
Fr Michael attends Liberty Fund colloquium - 05/28/09
Fr Michael attended a Liberty Fund colloquium, "The Role of Economics in Understanding Religion," 28-31 May, at the White Stallion Ranch outside of Tucson, Arizona. Also in attendance were Andy Morriss, who directed the colloquium, and Mother Maria from the monastery in Guatemala (both of whom send their greetings).
Thanks to those who donated new Icons for the adornment of the temple. They will be put up in the next week or so. Also, there are 2 new Icons of St Xenia of St Petersburg available for borrowing.
Youth car wash - 06/20/09
The youth of the parish held two car washes this month to raise money to help them go to summer camp. Altogether, they raised $671.
St I's is pleased to welcome as new members Nick & Milica Dionisos and their children, Alex, Maria and Sophia.
Also, Miki McNally, her children, Morgan and Patrick; and Chad Schmid and his daughter, Joyce.
New catechumen - 06/24/09
On Wednesday morning, the feast of the Nativity of the Holy Forerunner, before the Divine Liturgy, Shaun McKinley was received into the ranks of the Catechumens. Please pray for his growth in Christ and support him in his journey to the fullness of the Faith. God grant him many years!
Ladies' "Sunset on the beach" - 07/14/09
The women of the parish were invited to spend an evening at the Clifton Beach Club on Lake Erie to enjoy each others' company as the sun went down.
Kudos to Alex, Maria and Sophia Dionisos, who, along with some of their friends, sponsored "Alex's Lemonade Stand" in their neighborhood. The Lemonade Stands are set up to raise money for research in children's brain tumors. They set a goal of $120 and made $395! Way to go!
Kristen Cassell spent a week in New Orleans building homes for victims of Hurricane Katrina, all under the auspices of International Orthodox Christian Charities. Pictures of her trip are on her Facebook page.
Cookout & swimming party - 07/12/09
Some pictures from last month's parish cookout and swimming party at Ledgewood Clubhouse in Strongsville.
The congregation prayed for all the students going back to school this fall, as well as for all the teachers and administrators who are also parishioners at St I's. Part of the blessing including a good sprinkling with Holy Water, which is always a hit with the younger crowd.
Bob Taskey, whose wife, Delores, is a long-time member of St Innocent's, entered the ranks of the Catecumenate before Liturgy this Sunday. God grant him many years!
The Church New Year starts on 1 September, so we had a new year's picnic on the Sunday before. Kudos and thanks to Kirk & Amy Ries who put together the feast, cooked the burgers 'n' dogs, and provided silly games for the kids to play.
At Liturgy on Sunday, 6 Sept, the Child of God, Nicholas Joseph Dippong was Baptized. God grant him, his sponsors, Joshua & Amy Bobrosky, his parents and family Many, many years!
Before Liturgy this Sunday we received into the rank of Catechumens David Adkins, Michelle Nunes, and Jon Adkins. Please pray for them as they grow into the fulness of the Faith.
The children of the parish decorated Crosses in anticipation of the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross (14 Sept.) Fr Michael blessed them at the end of Liturgy on Sunday.
On Saturday afternoon, several of the women of the parish visited Mother Ana at Monastery Marcha in Richfield. They all shared in reading the Akathist to the Mother of God, had dinner together and talked late into the evening.
St Innocent's is pleased that Mr Pat Galbincea, who had been a member of the parish when it was a mission in Westlake, and who has been attending church elsewhere in the last few years, has returned to our membership.
Hay chuckin'! - 10/25/09
The annual parish hayride at the Chalet in Strongsville. Pics and video at the link.
One of our catechumens, Jon Adkins, participated in a martial arts tournament and won 1st Place in Tiny Dragons
- Chonji, and 1st Place
in Tiny Dragons – Skills. Kudos to him!
Jude Hammer baptism - 12/21/09
On the weekend of 21-22 November, the Child of God Jude Hammer, was Baptized, Chrismated and received the Eucharist for the first time. God grant him, his parents, his family, and his sponsors, many years!
On 21 November, the Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos, Shaun McKinley was received into the Church through Holy Chrismation. God grant him, his family and his sponsors, many years!
Several of the Orthodox students attending Case Western Reserve University--including our own George Linderman, who is a freshman there this year--attend St Innocent's on Sunday, 22 November.
Church cleaning - 12/23/09
Thanks to everyone who cleaned the church, polished brass, and made the temple beautiful and ready for Christmas. Small tasks done with great love. Kudos to you!
Everyone who left their shoes in the narthex during Vespers for St Nicholas were rewarded for their faith in the holy Saint.
Bob Taskey Chrismation - 12/06/09
On Sunday, 6 December, the Feast of St Nicholas, Bob Taskey was received into the Church by Holy Chrismation. God grant him, his family, and his sponsor, many years!
The church school children put on a wonderful Christmas play again this year. There are several pictures of them at the link. Thanks, kids! A great job.
Several pictures from Archbishop Job's funeral at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Chicago, sent to Fr Michael by a friend who was there. May Vladyka's memory be eternal.
David Adkins and his son, Jon, were Baptized on Saturday evening, 2 January, following Vespers. On Sunday morning, during the Divine Liturgy, Michelle made her Profession of Faith, and the whole family was Chrismated. God grant them, their family, sponsors and friends, many years!
For Shaun McKinley, who left us for Army basic training on 3 February. After the last Liturgy he was able to attend, he was surprised with cake and very warm farewells. God grant him many years, health, and angelic protection as he serves our country in the armed forces.
Annual Parish Meeting - 02/07/10
The Annual Parish Meeting was held after the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, 7 February. Thanks to everyone who participated. Newly-elected Parish Council members are Dave Minich (Vice-President), Dan Gall (Treasurer), Fred Cassell (re-elected Trustee), and Jim Spoerl (Trustee). Sue Kidd is re-elected to Auditing Committee, and Kathy Garlesky & Connie Zimmerman are elected to Nominating Committee. Thanks to all who have served in elected positions over the past year, and to everyone who is willing to serve now.
Many Years to David & Michelle Adkins - 01/24/10
On Sunday, 24 January, David Adkins and Michelle Nunes were married at St Innocent's. Pictures of the ceremony are at the link. God grant them, their attendants, their family and friends, many, many blessed years!
Updates to the parish website have been very slow over the past few months, for a variety of reasons. We hope to have the entire site up to date in the next few days. Here are a number of news events and pictures from the life of the parish that have not been posted previously. As always, if you have pictures of parish happenings, or of significant events in the lives of our parishioners, please send them so they can be posted.
Note, too, that the parish (Google) calendar is up to date through 1 September.
Indeed He is risen!
Deanery meeting at St I's - 02/18/10
St I's was privileged to host the February meeting of the Cleveland Deanery. After the Deanery's business was concluded, we welcomed His Grace, Bishop Ignatios of Madagascar and several other Orthodox clergy from the area, who came to hear him speak about the missionary work he is doing.
Our own Fr Michael was assigned to St I's on 1 March 2000 by Archbishop Job (of blessed memory). Many of the parishioners contributed to a gift fund at the liturgical goods store at St John's Monastery in Hiram, where Fr Michael found a wooden pectoral Cross, a carved wooden blessing Cross, and a new stole and cuffs to travel with. Fr Michael still maintains that St I's is better than he deserves, and is grateful for the prayers and support of his congregation.
The OCA's Pastoral Life Conference was held at Baldwin-Wallace College on 27-30 June. The feast of SS Peter & Paul fell during the conference, and the attendees used our temple for services. His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, His Grace, Bishop Melchizedek of Pittsburgh, and a number of other clergy served and were in attendance. Our sister parish in Lorain brought relics of SS Peter & Paul for the veneration of the faithful. At the Liturgy, Fr Michael was elevated to the rank of Archpriest, and Fr Deacon Michael was awarded the double orarion for his service to the Church. Pictures (courtesty of Fr Gregory Safchuk) are at the link.
With the blessing of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, your humble servant, the Priest Michael, is to be elevated to the rank of Archpriest.
This elevation will be done by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, at the Divine Liturgy either at the Clergy Convocation to be held in August in Chicago, or at the Diocesan Assembly to be held in October in Minneapolis.
Being afraid of heights, Fr Michael has some concerns about his impending elevation...
Anniversary of ordination - 03/27/10
Lazarus Saturday was the 15th anniversary of Fr Michael's ordination to the priesthood. His ordination took place on 15 April 1995 at St Demetrius Church, in Jackson, MI, at the hands of (then) Bishop Job.Pictures from that distant past are at the link.
St Innocent church school will get underway with serious business next Sunday morning, but this week, the children all had fun roasting marshmallows and enjoying each others' company.
God grant many years to the newly-illumined handmaiden of God, Katie Kee, who was Baptized and Chrismated on the 16 & 17 October, and to her Godmother, Laura Larkin.
A few scenes from the pan-Orthodox Holy Unction service at St Theodosius. Thanks to Fr John Zdinak for hosting us, to all the Priests who offered their service and their prayers, and to Fr Matthew Thurman for the pictures.
Fr Michael was privileged to concelebrate a service before the wonder-working and myrrh-streaming "Hawaiian" Icon of the Mother of God, which was made available for the veneration of the faithful at St George Serbian Church in North Canton, OH.
Per our practice at St I's, we celebrated St Innocent's feast day with a Slava celebration, a practice best known in the Serbian Church. All of the children of parish participate in the service and the elevation of the Slava bread.
Fr Michael was privileged to concelebrate a service in North Canton before the wonder-working and myrrh-streaming "Hawaiian" Icon of the Mother of God last week, and he brought back, as a blessing to the parish, some of the holy myrrh, with which he anointed everyone at the end of Liturgy.
A party to celebrate St Nicholas day, with traditional St Nicholas Cake to eat, and a visit from the holy man himself. The younger children were also read the story of his life. Afterwards, the children decorated the Christmas tree in the church.
Thanks to everyone who bought presents for the needy families sponsored by Christians In Action this year. Over 80 families were provided for by CIA. St Innocent's took care of four households, plus several members of another very large household. For some in our community, what you provided will be the only gifts they get this year. God bless your for your mercy.
Kudos and thanks to all the women (and Jared) who gave many, many hours to making pierogi, spanakopita, nut rolls, baklava, and all the cookies for our two fall bake sales. Both were a great success. Kudos, also, to those who helped to promote the sale and brought in orders. And to those who were on hand to sell the goods. May God remember your service and you dedication.
The children's Christmas play was a great success this year, with many children participating, fine performances, and great singing. (Also, the cutest little lambs you ever saw.) Kudos to the teachers and parents who made it possible. Pictures at the link.
