Through death Thou dost transform what is mortal, and through burial Thou dost transform what is corruptible; for in a manner befitting God Thou dost make incorrupt and immortal the nature which Thou hast assumed, since Thy flesh did not see corruption and in a wondrous manner Thy soul was not abandoned in hell. 
-Canon of Holy Saturday, Ode 5

We wish you all the joy of the Lord's resurrection!

On the weekend of Palm Sunday, April 27-28, Archbishop Michael made his annual Archpastoral visit to Holy Apostles Parish in Lansing, NY. At Saturday evening Vespers, Vladyka shared a moving sermon on confession by St. Innocent of Alaska and Moscow, and palms and pussy willows were blessed.

On Sunday, Vladyka was greeted with flowers, using this occasion to encourage the young girls to blossom into helpers for the church. He was then welcomed with bread and salt by Senior Warden Paula Tarallo. In addition to parish clergy Fr. Joel Brady and Deacon Ivan Bazarov, Vladyka was assisted by Deacon Stephan Karlgut and a full complement of altar servers. In his sermon, Vladyka reflected on our Savior’s humility and encouraged us to focus on traveling with him to the Cross and Resurrection. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, all processed around the outside of the church with palms and willow branches. We then shared a festive meal and fellowship with our beloved Vladyka.

This article also appeared on our diocesan website.

Our full schedule of Holy Week services can be found on the Monthly Calendar page. Here is a brief explanation of the services. It should be noted in general that, during Holy Week, everything is done “in anticipation” as we hurry toward the Resurrection. This means that, for most of the week we are doing Vespers in the morning, and the following day’s Matins in the evening.

Bridegroom Matins are served the first three evenings of Holy Week. Each day has a slightly different theme, but all emphasize the need for spiritual preparation and vigilance as we go to meet the crucified and risen Christ.

The Presanctified Liturgy has been served throughout Lent; on Wednesday morning we celebrate this service a final time, before we begin to focus exclusively on the events of the Passion.

Matins on Wednesday evening commemorates Christ’s Mystical Supper with his disciples, focusing especially on his washing of their feet.

Vesperal Liturgy on Thursday continues the commemoration of the Mystical Supper, but focusing more on the institution of the Eucharist.

The Passion Gospels Service, the Matins served on Thursday evening, remembers the Passion of Christ in 12 Gospel readings, with hymns reflecting mystery of Christ’s mercy in the face of humanity’s rejection.

The Royal Hours is a quiet service, with hymns and readings from the Old and New Testaments encouraging us to reflect on the theme of Christ’s Passion.

Vespers of Holy Friday, or the Burial, commemorates Joseph and Nicodemus laying Christ in the tomb, and already at this service we begin to see glimmers of the light of the Resurrection.

Lamentations, the Matins served Friday night, celebrates Christ keeping the Sabbath in the tomb bodily, but spiritually conquering Hades and setting free the dead.

The Vesperal Liturgy on Holy Saturday begins, in a quiet and subdued way, the celebration of the Resurrection that will be held with full exuberance that night. It includes many readings from the Old Testament that show the prophetic prefigurements of the Resurrection. Holy Saturday is traditionally a time for receiving converts into the Church, and this year we’ll receive two people before the Vesperal Liturgy begins.

The Paschal Vigil begins with a quiet service in which the burial-shroud is taken from the tomb to the Altar. Then all go in procession around the church with lit candles, after which the full joy of the feast breaks forth in the jubilant Matins and Divine Liturgy.

In our final days of preparation for Great Lent, we were blessed to receive an icon of St. Païsios the Athonite, who reposed in 1994 and is one of the most widely-beloved modern Saints. We're grateful to our iconographer Helena for her ongoing support of our mission, and we're blessed to have this great saint's intercessions visibly represented for us as we enter this season of spiritual struggle.

On February 2, when we commemorate the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple (see Luke 2:22-40), there's a practice of blessing candles. (This gives the feast its traditional English name of Candlemas.) Below are a selection of the prayers for this blessing:

O Almighty, Pre-eternal God, Who, on this day, didst lay Thine Only-begotten Son in the arms of the Holy Simeon in Thy holy Temple, we call upon Thy deep compassion: do Thou bless and sanctify these candles which we, Thy servants, receive and desire to carry for the majesty of Thy Name, and be pleased to light them with the light of Thy heavenly blessing, that we who are offering them unto Thee, our Lord God, meetly enflamed with Thy sweetest love, through a holy fire, may be counted worthy also to stand in the holy Temple of Thy glory. For Thou art our God, and unto Thee do we send up glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

O Lord Jesus Christ, the True Light that enlighteneth every man that comes into the world: Do Thou pour out Thy blessing upon these candles, and sanctify them with the light of Thy grace. And pleased, O Merciful One, that as these lights, kindled with visible fire, drive away the darkness of night, so may our hearts, kindled with invisible fire, and illumined with the brightness of the Holy Spirit, banish the blindness of every sin, that, by the cleansing of our spiritual eyes, we may be able to see that which is well-pleasing unto Thee and necessary for our salvation; and that having triumphed over the dark forces of this world, we may be counted worthy to attain to the everlasting Light. For Thou art our Savior, and unto Thee do we send up glory, together with Thy Father Who is without beginning, and Thy Most-holy, Good, and Lifegiving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

(From the Great Book of Needs, Vol. 2, published by St. Tikhon's Press.)

We once again held our Theophany lake blessing with St. Catherine's Greek Orthodox Church of Ithaca. It was a blessed opportunity to bear joint witness to Christ's sanctification of the waters and of the whole world through his baptism.

As we have a few years in the past, we began 2024 with a night vigil. One of the people who attended wrote the following reflection:

Some of us took part in a New Year's vigil at our church on New Year's Eve.

As this photo records, just at midnight we came to the beginning of the Anaphora, where the priest says "Let us lift up our hearts!"

It was a beautiful way to see in another year.

I'd like to turn this into a New Year's resolution: Let us lift up our hearts!

I was struck in a new way by an exhortation that comes a few moments earlier in the Divine Liturgy: "Let us attend, so that we may offer the holy oblation in peace."

Peace requires attention! So, by all means, in the coming year, Let us attend.

Christ our God has come in the flesh.
The Father begot Him from the womb before the Morning Star.
He rules the heavenly hosts,
yet now He lies in a manger of dumb beasts.
He Who looses the tangled knots of sin
now is wrapped in swaddling clothes.

-Canon of Nativity, Ode 6

The Feast of the Procession of the Cross originated in Constantinople, where the Cross was carried through the city during the first part of August to bless water sources, with prayers for protection from sickness. It’s still an occasion for water blessings, and while it’s a less well-known one than the Baptism of Christ in January, a few of us enjoyed blessing the lake in somewhat more hospitable weather.

For St. Thomas Sunday (the Sunday after Pascha), Archbishop Michael made his annual visit to Holy Apostles. He tonsured Nikolaos Demetriades as a reader, and awarded Fr. Joel the Kamilavka. Especially falling during the Paschal season, it was a joyous occasion for all.

To celebrate Jesus sanctifying the waters by his baptism, Orthodox churches not only bless water in church, but traditionally bless the nearest body of water as well. We have a long-standing practice of blessing Cayuga Lake on or shortly after the Feast of Theophany. This year we had the particular joy of holding this blessing jointly with St. Catherine's Greek Orthodox Church in Ithaca. It was a lovely opportunity to embody our shared work of sanctifying this place.

How can a womb contain Him Whom nothing can contain?
How can He remain in His Father’s bosom, yet rest in His Mother’s arms?
It is His good pleasure to accomplish this.
Having no flesh, He purposely assumes it for our sake.
HE WHO IS becomes what He never was.
He shares our substance without forsaking His own nature.
Desiring to make us citizens of the world on high,
Christ, the Only-begotten of the Father, is born on earth as a man.

-From Matins for Nativity

Lazarus was baptized on December 18, 2022. It’s always a joy to see a new Christian life beginning in the Church!

On the Feast of the Transfiguration, we bless fruit: as Christ’s Transfiguration shows the beauty of humanity in its intended divine beauty, so we take the beautiful fruits of creation and offer them up to God, so that they may share in spiritual beauty as well. This year people brought especially abundant offerings of fruit, as can be seen in the picture.

The 34B Bridge, right next to our church, was under construction for long enough that for some of us, walking out to check on its progress after services became a regular routine. So when it was finished, we did what comes naturally to a church steeped in the liturgical mindset of sanctifying the created world: we held a procession and blessed it.

Pascha is a traditional time to receive converts into the Church, since Baptism is a personal participation in the death and Resurrection of Christ. This year we received two new members by Baptism on Lazarus Saturday, and a third by Chrismation on Holy Saturday.

Just before we were required to close services to the public, we were given the blessing of celebrating the Baptism of Jonathan (Panteleimon) Harris. It is always a joy to welcome new members to Christ's holy Church; we have several more people currently preparing for Baptism, and we pray that restrictions on gatherings will soon be lifted so that we can welcome them as well.

Holy Apostles Mission held its annual Blessing of Cayuga Lake on the Sunday after Theophany, January 11 at Myers Park in Lansing. We were blessed with unseasonably warm weather, and many people from the parish gathered to join in this beautiful celebration of Christ’s sanctifying the waters by His Baptism, and all of creation by His Incarnation.

“In the preceding feast we saw Thee as a child, while in the present we behold Thee full-grown, our God made manifest, perfect God from perfect God. For today, the time of the feast is at hand for us: the choir of saints assembles with us and angels join with men in keeping festival. Today the grace of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descended upon the waters. Today the Sun that never sets has risen and the world is filled with splendour by the light of the Lord. Today the moon shines upon the world with the brightness of its rays. Today the glittering stars make the inhabited earth fair with the radiance of their shining. Today the clouds drop down upon mankind the dew of righteousness from on high. Today the Uncreated of His own will accepts the laying on of hands from His own creature. Today the Prophet and Forerunner approaches the Master, but stands before Him with trembling, seeing the condescension of God towards us. Today the waters of the Jordan are transformed into healing by the coming of the Lord. Today the whole creation is watered by mystical streams.”

—From the Great Blessing of Waters

During Holy Week, the Church remembers Christ's Passion and Resurrection with some of her most ancient and beautiful services. Walking with Christ to His Passion through Holy Week and entering into His Resurrection on Pascha night is an experience like no other. Below is a schedule of services at Holy Apostles for this year's Holy Week, with short explanations of the services. Many of these services are held “by anticipation”: Vespers is held in the morning, with the next day's Matins in the evening. This reflects the Church's eager hurrying toward the Resurrection, and also conveys a certain sense of time being “turned upside-down” by the events of Christ's Passion.

Sunday, April 21st

9:30 AM: Palm Sunday Liturgy
We remember Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem: after raising Lazarus, He comes as already the Conqueror of death.

6:30 PM: Bridegroom Matins
The Bridegroom Matins services have as their common theme the soul's readiness to receive Christ, as seen in the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1–13). They take their name from the hymn “Behold, the Bridegroom comes in the middle of the night...” The first service remembers Joseph in Egypt, an Old Testament foreshadowing of Christ's unjust suffering and the triumph of righteousness.

Monday, April 22nd

6:30 PM: Bridegroom Matins
The second Bridegroom Matins service gives special attention to the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14–30) and the need to use our spiritual gifts wisely.

Tuesday, April 23rd

6:30 PM: Bridegroom Matins
The third and final Bridegroom Matins service focuses on the contrast between the woman who washed Jesus' feet with precious oil, and Judas, who rejected and betrayed Christ.

Wednesday, April 24th

8:30 AM: Presanctified Liturgy
The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts has been served for our spiritual sustenance throughout Lent. On Holy Wednesday we hold this service a final time, and then put aside the Lenten order of services in order to focus on the events of Christ's Passion.

6:30 PM: Holy Unction
The service of Holy Unction is not officially included in the cycle of Holy Week services, but it has become a custom to hold it during Holy Week “for the healing of soul and body” so that, after the Lenten struggle to cleanse our souls and bodies, we come to the Feast refreshed and made whole.

Thursday, April 25th

9:00 AM: Vesperal Divine Liturgy
This service commemorates the Mystical Supper, at which Christ instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

6:30 PM: Matins with Passion Gospels
This service centers around the reading of the Gospel accounts of Christ's Crucifixion, along with beautiful hymns in honor of His suffering for our salvation.

Friday, April 26th

9:00 AM: Royal Hours
The service of Royal Hours is held before the greatest feasts of the Church year, with hymns and Scripture readings showing how the Old and New Testament point to the mystery of our salvation.

2:30 PM: Vespers
Holy Friday Vespers remembers Christ's Body being taken down from the Cross and laid in the tomb. The burial-shroud is carried in solemn procession and laid in the middle of the Church until the Paschal Vigil.

6:30 PM: Matins with Lamentations
The “Lamentations” are verses interspersed with the reading of Psalm 118/119. They recall the use of this Psalm in funerals, but already the verses begin to turn toward victory and the Resurrection.

Saturday, April 27th

9:30 AM: Reception of Converts and Vesperal Liturgy
Holy Saturday is traditionally a day for receiving converts into the Church, with Lent having served as a time of preparation for them. This year we'll be welcoming five new members. The Holy Saturday Liturgy begins the celebration of the Resurrection: the spiritual mood of the day remains quiet and solemn, but the vestments and coverings in the church are changed to white, and the Scripture readings refer explicitly to the Resurrection. Christ rises quietly, with the joyful ``fanfare'' waiting until the evening vigil.

11:30 PM: Paschal Vigil
The vigil service begins quietly and somberly, then, after a solemn procession, erupts into joyful song. The Gospel is read in many languages, symbolizing Christ's Words going out into the whole earth. After Matins and the Liturgy, festive foods are blessed and all share in the joy of Christ's Resurrection.

Sunday, April 28th

2:00 PM: Agapē Vespers
The Paschal Liturgy is held as part of the Vigil, but we gather on the day of the Feast as well to share once again in the joy of Our Risen Lord.

Bright Week

Bright Week, the week following Pascha, is a continued celebration of the Resurrection. Liturgies will be served on Monday and Friday. During this week, we do not fast, and even the daily prayers take on a festive character, being replaced by special “Paschal Hours.”

The Sunday of the Cross marks the mid-point of Great Lent. In the middle of the Fast, we remember the Cross of Christ as the center of our Christian struggle. This remembrance of the Cross is also given to us to strengthen us for the days ahead as we prepare to celebrate the Glorious Resurrection.

This year, we were blessed to celebrate this Sunday with our annual visit from our beloved Archbishop Michael. His Eminence preached a homily after Vespers on Saturday, and celebrated the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on Sunday, at which he gave another inspiring homily on the significance of the Cross as a revelation of God’s love for us. During the Liturgy, he also awarded Fr. Joel the right to wear the Nabedrennik, or liturgical thigh-shield.

Following Divine Liturgy, Archbishop Michael installed Fr. Joel as Rector of the parish (so far he has been Acting Rector), and installed the new parish council for 2019. Following this, all enjoyed a festive Lenten meal and fellowship with one another and with our Archbishop. We thank all of the many people who helped to make this a joyous weekend!

Archimandrite Sergius, Abbot of St. Tikhon's Monastery, visited Holy Apostles for the weekend of January 26th. On Friday, January 25th, he gave a talk at Cornell University, entitled "Monasticism in the Age of Busyness," giving an introduction to Orthodox Christian spirituality in a modern context. Many Orthodox students and young adults traveled to Ithaca for the event, and were hosted by the Cornell OCF for a weekend-long retreat, and several people from the Cornell community attended as well.

On Saturday, January 26th, Fr. Sergius gave a talk at Holy Apostles, entitled "Acquiring the Mind of Christ." He brought with him the miraculous Icon of St. Anna from the Monastery, and spoke about the reality of the presence of God in our lives, made manifest in the Sacraments, in the Saints, and in Holy Icons and Relics.

On Sunday, January 27th, Fr. Sergius concelebrated with Fr. Joel at Divine Liturgy, and gave a sermon in which he reiterated themes from his earlier talks and connected them to St. John Chrysostom, who was commemorated that day, and to the Sunday Gospel reading on the Parable of the Talents.

On the Feast of Theophany, it's traditional to bless water not only in the church, but outside, at a well or the nearest significant body of water. At Christ's baptism, it is not a matter of the waters cleansing Him, but of Him cleansing and sanctifying the waters, and by extension the whole created world. So, since we meet right up the hill from the second-largest of the Finger Lakes, we made our way down in spite of cold and wind to bless the waters and remember Christ's sanctification of all creation in this place where the beauty of that creation is so much on display.

“At the voice of the one crying in the desert, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord’, you came, Lord, having taken the form of a servant, asking for Baptism, though you did not know sin. The waters saw you and were afraid. The Forerunner trembled and cried out, saying, ‘How will the lamp enlighten the Light? The servant place his hand on the Master? Saviour, who take away the sin of the world, make me and the waters holy’.”
—From the Great Blessing of Waters, trans. Fr. Ephrem (Lash)

On June 30, the Feast of the Holy Apostles, we were blessed with a visit from our beloved Archbishop Michael. He was at Holy Apostles for Vespers on June 29, and served the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on June 30. Also serving, along with Fr Joel and Deacon Ivan, were Frs Alexey Karlgut and Timothy Holowatch of Endicott, NY, and Deacon Stephan Karlgut. Seminarian and blessed Subdeacon Robert West, originally from Lansing, accompanied the Archbishop as his driver and served in the altar. 

The choir sang beautifully under the direction of Matushka Anastasia Karlgut from Endicott, and with the help of visiting singers from Endicott.

Archbishop Michael was enroute to a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the repose of the Holy New Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth, and traveling with a portion of her relics. We were blessed by the presence of this great Saint's relic, an inspiration to Christians throughout the world.

After the Liturgy, all shared in a festive meal prepared by the parish.

Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ,
Let us worship the Holy Lord Jesus,
The Only Sinless One.

We venerate Thy Cross, O Christ,
and we praise and glorify Thy Resurrection,
For behold, through the Cross, joy has come into all the world.

Let us always bless the Lord,
Praising His Resurrection,
for by enduring the Cross for us,

He has destroyed death by death!

On Sunday, August 20, Archbishop MICHAEL of the Diocese of New York and New Jersey celebrated the Hierarchical Liturgy at Holy Apostles Church. Reader Robert West, a parishioner of Holy Apostles who is now studying at St. Tikhon's Seminary and has spent the summer assisting Archbishop Michael in his travels, was blessed to serve with the orarion (subdiaconal stole). Reader Ivan Bazarov, having completed the St. Tikhon's Diaconal Formation program this past Spring, was ordained to the Holy Diaconate during the Liturgy.

We were joined by many local clergy and singers for this festive occasion. In the afternoon, Holy Apostles parish also hosted the New York State Deanery's annual clergy picnic at nearby Myers Park. Local clergy and their families, along with parishioners, were able to enjoy food, fellowship, and swimming in Cayuga Lake.

We give thanks for this joyous day, and pray that God will preserve our beloved Archbishop, Deacon Ivan, Reader Robert, and all our clergy and the people of this parish for many blessed years.

August 6th commemorates the Transfiguration of Christ, when Jesus revealed His glory to His disciples on Mount Tabor (see Mt. 17:1-8; Mk. 9:2-8; Lk. 9:28-36). This is a great feast not only because of its revelation of Christ's divinity, but because it reveals human nature as it was meant to be transformed by sharing in God's glory. On this day we bless fruit, the "first fruits" of the earth serving as a sign of all creation being renewed and tranfigured by God's grace.

Several parishioners brought fruit, which was blessed at the end of the Divine Liturgy on Sunday and shared as part of the meal following.

On Saturday, July 15, the church received a new icon panel for our iconostasis. The icon was blessed on Sunday, July 16, and installed during the following week.

The icon depicts twelve Apostles, gathered around Christ, with the Holy Spirit descending in the form of a dove from heaven. It reminds us of the apostles as our patrons and intercessors, and of our own "apostolic" calling as a Church community.

This icon joins three other beautifully hand-painted icons on our iconostasis: of Christ, His Mother, and the saints of North America. The next project is a pair of panels for the Holy Doors, depicting the four Evangelists (who are currently shown in small icon reproductions on the doors).

"No less than the written word, an icon is an instrument for the transmission of Christian tradition and faith. Through sacred imagery, the Holy Spirit speaks to us, revealing truths that may not be evident to those using only the tools of reason...

"The icon has a hieratic character; it is concerned solely with the sacred. Through line and color, the iconographer seeks to convey the awesomeness of the invisible and divine reality and to lead the viewer to a consciousness of the divine presence. The icon is theology written in images and color."

—Jim Forest, Praying with Icons

In a town with such a rich history as Lansing, Memorial Day is both a day of remembrance and a time to unofficially begin the summer season.  Both of these ideas converged recently at the entrance to the local town park where about a dozen gathered together in a ceremony to honor the fallen soldiers of the community.

The angels in heaven were rejoicing and the saints were singing the praises of the Lord as a family was brought into Holy Orthodoxy. Having searched for a church with which to raise their two young children, the Brown family found themselves embracing the Orthodox Church. Before the Divine Liturgy, and surrounded by travelling family and friends, the children were baptized and the whole family was chrismated together. May God grant them many years of spiritual growth and communal joy – as well as to their sponsors, Ivan and Natalie.

On Thursday evening, January 27, David Murphy spoke to us about his time in the western region of Kenya. David is a doctoral student at Cornell and spent a couple of months last summer living in Kisumu, Kenya. While there, he spent some time among the local Orthodox communities, as well as with Abp Makarios, the local hierarch. He witnessed amazing faith among the people, in spite of (or perhaps due to) their impoverished state. The churches in Kenya re growing at an amazing rate, with many new churches being consecrated each year.

After the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, January 24, the faithful and friends of Holy Apostles Church gathered for the annual meeting. As always, it was a chance to reflect on the blessings that came our way in 2015, as well as to prepare for the administration of the parish in 2016. The exciting prospect of purchasing the church building was discussed, and a few new people were added to the Parish Council.

Dear friends: For the past 5 years, we at Holy Apostles Orthodox Church have been blessed with the generous support of many benefactors to help us plant this Christian community in the heart of the Finger Lakes. Through that generosity, we have been able to have a full worship life, support college ministry at two colleges, offer camp scholarships for our youths and support local charitable organizations.

We have a day for giving thanks, and two dedicated to shopping. Now, for several years we have been challenged by #GivingTuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back to worthy charities. On Tuesday, December 1, please remember Holy Apostles Church in your generosity and give to the building fund. Point your friends to a special page that has been set up, HolyApostlesLansing.org/GivingTuesday.html.

On a beautiful Tuesday evening, November 17^th, His Grace, the Right Reverend Alexander of Toledo, Bishop of the Bulgarian Diocese of the Orthodox Church in America, traveled to Ithaca, NY to give a lecture on the writings of St Dionysius the Areopagite. The talk was hosted by Holy Apostles Orthodox Mission of Lansing, NY and the Orthodox Christian Fellowship of Cornell University. The lecture was given in conjunction with Holy Apostles Church’s ongoing adult education class, the Know Your Faith Series.

In one of the longest standing social traditions of Holy Apostles Church, the youth and their adult chaperones (drivers) will head to Iron Kettle Farm in Candor on October 18^th. They will enjoy such activities as the corn maze, hay rides, pumpkin chucking and indulging in candied apples and the like. All members, friends and visitors to the parish are invited to come along on the trip, which is sure to be a fun time for all!

On Tuesday night, September 15, several of the faithful of Holy Apostles Church and friends embarked on the next series of adult education. This year, the parishioners are studying the Fathers of the Church. Beginning with the Apostolic and Ante-Nicene Fathers, the class will progress through the great expanse of the writings of the Church Fathers, culminating with two saints from North America in the last century - Ss Tikhon of Moscow and Nikolai of Zicha and South Canaan.

The Diocese of New York and New Jersey has been holding a diaconal training school in conjunction with St Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. For the first time in its existence, Holy Apostles is sending two students to discern their diaconal vocation. Reader Robert and Ivan are making the commitment to the two year program in order to further their studies of the Holy Orthodox Church and to learn what it means to be a deacon. It is, therefore, necessary for the parishioners and friends of the parish to remember these two men in their prayers and to offer encouragement in their studies.

On Sunday, August 30^th, the parishioners of Holy Apostles Church asked for the Lord’s blessing to come upon all of those who are beginning the new academic year. With so many students, professors and university staff in attendance at the parish, it is good to begin the year by dedicating all things to the glory of God.

Holy Apostles Mission in Lansing, NY, celebrated its fifth anniversary this past weekend led by His Eminence, Michael, Archbishop of New York and the Diocese of New York and New Jersey. His Eminence had just previously celebrated the 125^th anniversary of St George’s Church in Buffalo, the oldest parish in the diocese. As a sign of the endurance of the Orthodox Christians of the diocese and the blessings that the Lord continues to send to His people, His Eminence led the faithful of one of the youngest parishes in its celebration. In addition, nine local clergy representing three jurisdictions, as well as faithful from throughout the diocese and beyond came together to give thanks to God for the tremendous blessings that have been poured out on this young and vibrant community.

The Faithful of Holy Apostles Orthodox Church invites you to celebrate 5 blessed years of worship, service and fellowship in Lansing, NY. Over the past 5 years, we have grown from a small group of dedicated men and women to a robust community many times its original size. From the beauty of the services to the meals we share together as a family, Hoy Apostles has become a Christ centered community dedicated to the spreading of the Gospel.

The Church website now contains the sermons preached at the Divine Liturgy. Click here >

St Tikhon, who spent many years bringing the light of the Gospel to the various peoples of North America, established a monastery in 1905 as a base of missionary operations. This is the monastery that today bears the name of his patron saint. Every year since then, the faithful of the Church have gathered at that holy site to memorialize those who have fallen asleep in the Lord.

Pascha was a very blessed event this year. After a fulfilling Holy Week, the faithful and friends gathered together late in the evening to hear the proclamation of the Resurrection message. The divine services were celebrated with great joy and hope. This was followed by the by-now legendary Paschal meals in the social hall. Many thinks to Jon Weinheimer for the photographs.

See the Invitation to the Holy and Great Feast of PASCHA

On Saturday, January10th, the faithful and friends of Holy Apostles Church in Lansing, NY made the trek down to Myers Park to bless Cayuga Lake for the 4^th consecutive year. In grateful thanksgiving to the all good God Who revealed Himself in the waters of baptism, the lake and surrounding waterways were blessed through the prayers of those present and by the tossing of the cross into the lake.

Dear Friend of Holy Apostles Church in Lansing, NY:

Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back. Please donate to help us grow our Building Fund.

            Over the past 4 years, we have grown to a community of 50 faithful with a robust college ministry. We are rapidly outgrowing our current worship space and need to plan for our future.

You can make a donation by PayPal (make sure you add Building Fund on the Purpose line.)

You can also pledge a donation by emailing Office@HolyApostlesLansing.org and mailing a check to PO Box 333, Lansing, NY 14882.

You can forward this message to a friend who may want to share their financial blessings.

Thank you for your generous support!

Faithfully,

Fr James Worthington, Rector

Pumpkins are everywhere this time of year, and they surround the town of Lansing where the local farmers grow them. In another event for our youths, there was pumpkin carving after Great Vespers on October 25^th. They did a great job and their personalities are reflected in the carved faces. Not only will these pumpkins adorn the front of the building for visitors next week, but it was an evening of laughs and treats that filled up our tables and hearts.

On Sunday afternoon, October 12^th, the youth of the parish, accompanied by their drivers, went out to Iron Kettle Farm in Candor, NY for our third annual trip.  It was a beautiful fall day, and 15 members of the congregation and friends of the parish made the short trip.  You will see some similar pictures to last year - the rides and attractions are much the same - but you will see new faces and the growth of the children who come together for fellowship year after year.

Bp Michael wrote that "On Sunday, September 28th, I ask all the faithful of the Diocese of New York and New Jersey to join me in celebrating Church Musician Appreciation Day. On that day, which is the Sunday closest to the feast day of Saint Romanos the Melodist (October 1st), I encourage Rectors, Parish Councils, and the faithful of our parishes to offer special thanks to their choir directors, singers, composers, arrangers, and those who teach church music to our children."  In joyful agreement with His Grace and for the directors, coordinators, singers and readers, We gave a certificate of thanks for each of those who participated in this ministry.

During his visit here on September 14, Bp Michael tonsured Sr Warden Bob West to the rank of Reader. Bob is a dedicated member of the parish, having served as Sr Warden for two terms, and is a faithful server at the altar of Christ on Sunday mornings. On Saturday evenings and at many other times, he is also found in the choir lending a hand in the singing and reading. This tonsuring is a first step in clerical ministry for Bob as he explores what God's will may be for his future in service to Christ through His holy Church.

His Grace, Bp Michael joined the Holy Apostles Church community for the divine services during the weekend of September 13-14. His Grace arrived in time for a dish to pass supper which was a joyful time of food and fellowship. After that, we returned to the church to celebrate Great Vespers for the Feast of the Elevation of the Life-giving Cross.

On Saturday, September 13, the faithful of the community, and the family and friends of Michael and Arlene gathered together for an historic event in the life of the parish. Their son, Matthew, was the first person to be baptized and chrismated into Christ's Holy Church at Holy Apostles Mission Church. Joined by the godparents Sr Warden Bob West and Lisa, the family approached the baptismal font and gave their child to the service of the Church and so that he may be a full member of the Body of Christ.

On Saturday, September 6, the youth of the parish gathered together for a very special night.

The Orthodox Church received a new communicant before the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, June 8th when Casey was chrismated. Casey sings with the choir and has a faith that is ever deepening through her illumination into the Holy Orthodox Church. Taking St Catherine of Alexandria as her heavenly intercessor, Casey was joined by her godmother Janet (Martha) for the chrismation. Let us all wish the newly-illumined handmaiden of God Casey many blessed years!

With a full cycle of services, Holy Apostles Church made itself ready for the celebration of the feast of the Resurrection with many gatherings, and even welcoming a new catechumen. 

From Friday night through Sunday morning, the faithful of New York State came together at Greek Peak Mountain Resort as part of the New York State Deanery Youth and Family Retreat. With over 60 in attendance, the weekend began with activities for everyone's tastes. As some of the adults headed off for a quiet meal, the youth made their way to the Cascade Indoor Water Park. They were not seen for many hours, but the reports were that they had a fabulous time. After a long and tasty meal, and after prying the kids from their watery fun, everyone retired for some well needed rest. Some went to their rooms, while others returned home for the night.

Dr Harry Boosalis, Professor of Dogmatic Theology at St Tikhon's Orthodox Seminary in South Canaan, PA will be giving a lecture on the deep spiritual life that is offered by the Orthodox faith. St Silouan, a saint of the early 20th century and monk on Mt Athos, has had a profound influence on spirituality and the modern worshipper. Vespers will be celebrated at 4 pm with the lecture at 5 pm, and a dinner to follow. All are welcome. For more information, please contact Fr. James Worthington at 315-706-6185, or check back to our website at HolyApostlesLansing.org.

On Saturday, February 1st, 11 of the faithful of Holy Apostles Orthodox Mission Church made the pilgrimage to St Tikhons Monastery in South Canaan, PA.  It was a wonderful and spiritually fulfilling day as the pilgrims met many of the monastic borotherhood, toured the Metropolitan Museum with its multitude of artifacts, icons and relics, as well as visiting the monastery church.  St Tikhons is America's Holy Mountain and the place where saints have walked for over 100 years.  Of special note was the theme that St Nikolai, one time rector of St Tikhons Seminary, seemed to pop up all over the place as if the saints themselves welcomed the faithful.  You will notice a lack of pictures and staged group shots.  While many of us thought about it, we were basking in the glory that God has shown forth in this holy community, and we simply forgot to take more pictures.  Special thanks are due to Fr Igumen Sergius, abbot of the monastery and the brotherhood there who welcomed us so warmly. 

On Sunday morning, January 19th, the daughter of a wonderful family of our parish was brought into the Holy Orthodox faith through the mystery of chrismation.  It was a beautiful beginning to a wonderful day and we welcome Sofiya into the faith and wish her many blessed years! 

For the third year now, the faithful and friends of Holy Apostles Orthodox Church in Lansing, NY blessed Cayuga Lake during the Theophany season. Making the trek to the lakeside on Saturday, January 11th were 16 hearty people who joined their voiced in joyous prayer to God to bless this, the largest of the Finger Lakes. Before the service started, a bonfire was lit on the point at Myers Park, though it would be as necessary as in previous years. The weather was marvelous, reaching almost 50 degrees during the service.

Consistent with the Orthodox faith is the concept of Green Burial - promoting the dignity of the human person while remaining good stewards of the God's green earth.  Come and join us for an evening discussing this issue which will touch all of our lives. 

We are hoping to offer this as a webinar as well.  For further instructions on how to connect to this presentation from a distance, email us at office@HolyApostlesLansing.org.

Preceding then Divine Liturgy on Sunday, November 24th, Bill and Janet Allard were chrismated and brought into the fullness of Christ's Holy Church.  Being long time inquirers and supporters at Holy Apostles Church, it was with great joy that the community gathered to grow just a little bit more, through God's grace, in this year. 

On the evening of Thursday, November 14th, the faithful of Holy Apostles Church in Lansing, NY (a mission of the Diocese of New York and New Jersey) were joined by His Grace, Bp Michael and faithful from several area churches for a monumental and historic event in her young life.

          Having worshipped for its first three years with two icons on temporary panels, Holy Apostles raised the funds for the construction of an iconostasis.  This was delivered several weeks ago and was stained, sealed and installed by the faithful missionaries to the Finger Lakes region.  They have been worshipping with the aid of the new iconostasis since the beginning of October. 

One of the most remarkable things that Jesus ever said to His disciples was: "If you have faith even as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you" (Matthew 17:20). He told them that faith can move mountains.

Over the past month, I have witnessed a miracle proving that!  On two occasions, a total of more than one hundred individuals, from across the Diocese of New York and New Jersey, came to the outskirts of Princeton, New Jersey, to help the faithful of the Mother of God Mission Parish build their new temple.

On Sunday afternoon, October 20th, we went out to Iron Kettle Farm in Candor, NY for our second annual trip.  It was a beautiful fall day, and 13 members of the congregation and friends of the parish made the short trip. 

On Friday night, October 4, after installing our new iconostasis, we stayed to watch the Russian spiritual classic The Island (Ostrov).  The Island is a compelling fictional drama of the life and spiritual struggle of a sniveling ship hand who through a dramatic war event, encounters true repentance and reconciliation. His wholesome contrition, faith and struggle endows him as a mystic and enigma on his tiny little island, performing miracles, foreseeing the future and other events while living a self-deprived, repentant life. Taking place in the wake of the Russian/Nazi conflict of World War II, The Island begins with a gripping first scene and ends in tearful, dramatic fashion. (English subtitles.)  Popcorn was provided, and many snacks were shared.  We hope to do this again in the future. 

Our long awaited and newly constructed iconostasis has arrived.  Being made in California, it was shipped to Syracuse where it was retrieved and brought back to the Worthington's house.  There, many of the community gathered to stain and seal it over the next week.  Some parishioners even come for 4 straight nights to put their love and care into this beautiful piece of art.  After the iconostasis had lost that new polyurethane smell, it was brought to the church and erected in the sanctuary.  There we could see the beauty that is evident in God's holy church made more evident.

A free showing of the Russian spiritual drama The Island.  Popcorn will be provided.  (You can sneak in your own candy if you want).  The Island is a compelling fictional drama of the life and spiritual struggle of a sniveling ship hand who through a dramatic war event, encounters true repentance and reconciliation. His wholesome contrition, faith and struggle endows him as a mystic and enigma on his tiny little island, performing miracles, foreseeing the future and other events while living a self-deprived, repentant life. Taking place in the wake of the Russian/Nazi conflict of World War II, The Island begins with a gripping first scene and ends in tearful, dramatic fashion. (English subtitles.)

On May 25th and 26th, His Grace Bishop Michael, our beloved archpastor, spent the weekend in worship and fellowship with the faithful of Holy Apostles Orthodox Mission Church.  Having recently arrived from pilgrimage to the Holy Land, he joined us for Great Vespers on Saturday evening, which was followed by a dessert reception and conversation.  On Sunday morning, we celebrated the Divine Liturgy together, along with some of the faithful from our mother parish of Ss Peter and Paul in Endicott, along with Frs Alexey and Timm.  Afterwards, we moved down to Myers Park for a picnic lunch.  It was a glorious weekend, and one that we hope to repeat for years to come. 

Agape Vespers is a time for us to come back to the church and continue our celebration of the Resurrection.  After the light service with all of the lights on, and the doors open, the children headed outside for an egg hunt.  Many eggs were donated by the parishioners and friends of the parish.  As would be expected, it didn't take long for all of the eggs to be found, and for the kids to find a place in front of the church to trade their treasures with one another.  In addition, on this day we handed over a basket full of Paschal goodies to friends of the parish so that they could have a full and abundant feast on this day as well.  These items were collected over he past few weeks and show the love of the faithful of the parish.

PASCHA!  The PASCHA of our Lord!  From death to life, from darkness to light, from penitence to joyful singing.  The church was full with about 50 faithful, visitors and friends to witness the Resurrection.  The entire church erupted in the singing of the service, and when it came time to hear the Gospel, it was read in English, Church Slavonic, Latin, French, German, Russian and Greek.  Christ is risen!

Finally, the moment for the celebration of the feast had come.  The church was dark, except for a few candles over the shroud.  Outside, the world was going to sleep, but the faithful and many, many friends arrived for the beginning of the New Day.  These pictures of the darkness becoming light are just amazing.

In what is becoming a frequent occurrence at Holy Apostles, there was another chrismation, this time on the traditional day of Holy Saturday.  Samuel has been attending the church for a long time now, and had a strong desire to be united to the Church of Christ.  Surrounded by some long time friends, he was chrismated and received his first taste of the Eucharist. 

As the light waned, but with the sky still waiting to light the procession, we gathered at our Lord's tomb to sing the lamentations.  When our cries of grief had been heard, we took up the body of Christ and processed around the church for the first time in the weekend.  When we done singing, the lights were extinguished, and some quiet time was spent contemplating the life creating body that laid within the tomb.

Time came for the shroud to be placed into the tomb.  Having been placed on the altar earlier before the vesperal service began, it was picked up by Bob (Sr Warden) and Greg (Awesome OCF member) and carried to the grave.  This solemn moment marks the death of Christ and the beginning of our three day wait for the glorious Resurrection.

After the celebration of the Passion Gospels, the faithful of Holy Apostles brought out the new bier, shroud (plashchinitsa, epitaphios) and created the garden tomb for our Lord.  The flowers were exquisitely fragrant and a fitting place for Christ's body was found in the middle of our little mission church. 

On Holy Thursday, the faithful gathered to hear the passion gospels read, and to have them enlightened with the beautiful texts of the Church and the singing from friend of the parish Dave.  Everyone had a chance to hold a candle and serve our Lord as we heard about his prayers for the world, betrayal at the hand of Judas, trial in front of the Sanhedrin and Pontius Pilate, His Crucifixion and life-creating death.

Holy Week was very active at Holy Apostles Church.  Click on more information to read news stories about the services of the week and to see pictures.

To celebrate the Second Sunday of Great Lent and St Gregory Palamas, two longtime visitors to the parish were welcomed into the ranks of the catechumenate before the Divine Liturgy.  Sam and Steve both were called to the front of the congregation after the Sixth Hour.  With his hands on their heads, Fr James read the prayer over them initiating their first steps in coming to the Church. 

Before the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, March 24th, Melissa and Keira were chrismated and welcomed into the Holy Orthodox Church.  They have become voracious students of the faith, and strive in their lives to make Christ the center of everything they do.

The first week of Great Lent was a profound and important moment in the life of Holy Apostles Church.  From Forgiveness Vespers to chrismations on the following Sunday, the parish was alive with the movement of the Holy Spirit. 

On Tuesday evening, February 5^th, the faithful of Holy Apostles Church and students from the Cornell OCF, as well as some friends, went down to Bartlett Hall to see the amazing skills and surprising antics of the Harlem Globetrotters.  They come in once a year, and we thought it was time we enjoy the fun as a community.  In all, 15 faithful and friends spent the evening together. 

40 days after the Nativity of Christ, His parents presented Him to the holy men in the Temple, as was the Jewish Law.  We celebrate the feast every year remembering when God first came into His Temple.  With the Light entering the holy places, we also bless the candles that illuminate our church.  On Sunday, February 3^rd, before the start of the Divine Liturgy, we also celebrated the light that Christ gives to us.  We blessed the candles to be used in the coming year, as well as the processional candles that the altar servers use during the divine services. 

          To learn more about the Meeting of the Lord, click here. 

On January 5th and 6th, the Feast of the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan was celebrated by this faithful community.  The celebreations began with the Great Blessing of Waters on the eve of the feast, attended by several of the hearty types.  The Divine Liturgy followed the next day with the Second Annual Great Blessing of Cayuga Lake.  This was a brisk but beautiful service, which sounded just beautiful.  Again, the ice cross was created just for the day by our friend Sarah White.  After the blessing, we all warmed ourselves with Coffee and Hot Chocolate, donated by Bob West.

Christ is baptized!  In the River Jordan!

Christ is Born!  In the flesh!

Here are some pictures from when the church was decorated for the feast.  May we all find the peace that the newborn Christ offers to us, and the salvation that he gives to us.

Holy Apostles Church held its first Holy Supper on the Eve of the Nativity of Christ, before commencing with the Vigil for the feast.  Many tasty lenten dishes were brought and shared.  And of course, a place was set for Christ, in hopeful anticipation of His birth and of the banquet in the kingdom to come. 

The most important thing we do is pray.  We pray for our loved ones, our friends, our enemies and ourselves.  We bring these intentions ot the church and ask that those we pray for have their sins washed away by the precious blood of Christ.  On January 16th, the faithful of the congregation came together before services to witness how the Proskomedia is done.  You can see from the pictures that as each person arrived, they were drawn to the front of their church where the lesson was being given.  It was wonderful to see so many smiling faces so early, and eager to learn about the faith.

With the leadership of Darlene, the parish collected gifts to be distributed to victims of Hurricane Sandy.  Small toys and games, as well as toiletries and personal hygiene items were collected.  They were then lovingly placed by members of the parish in shoboxes, wrapped and given to a local organization for distribution.  The packages were delivered to Staten Island and Union Beach, NJ.  Many thanks to all who volunteered their time to think up this project, see it through, wrap the gifts and deliver them!  Christ is born!

On St Nicholas Day, December 6th, the children of the parish brought there shoes to the church in hopeful expectations of goodies and treats in honor and memory of St Nicholas.  They were not disappointed when they came to church the following Sunday and foudn that there shoes were filled.  Who loves Nicholas the saintly?  These kids do!  On the following Sunday, the youth of the Church School program sponsored a Pancake Breakfast.

With the devastation of Hurricane Sandy that was visited on many of the residents of our diocese, the faithful of Holy Apostles Church set about to supply some relief.  Within a few days of the realization of the damage, we offered ourselves as a collection point for clothing, water, food, cleaning supplies and personal hygiene items.  The response was overwhelming, with a 26’ truck needed to transport the aid.

Parma, OH - His Eminence, Archbishop Tikhon, Archbishop of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania, was elected Primate of the Orthodox Church in America during the 17th All-American Council of the Orthodox Church in America at Holy Trinity Church here Tuesday, November 13, 2012.

Six hundred and sixty three hierarchs, clergy and lay delegates and observers representing OCA parishes across the US, Canada, and Mexico participated in the Council. Five hundred and ninety were eligible to vote.

With Hurricane Sandy recently pummeling much of our diocese and the residents of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Holy Apostles Mission began collecting relief items to help our brothers and sisters recover and sustain themselves in the short term.  We began collecting clothing, winter supplies, food, cleaning and hygienic items.  Our initial hope was to send an SUV with supplies.  We quickly realized that we were going to need something much bigger.  We are taking a large moving truck to the Jersey shore on Friday evening.

Our adult education class will commence on Tuesday evening, November 6^that Panera Bread on S Meadow St, Ithaca.  The classes will begin at 7:45 PM and end at 9 PM.  At a recent gathering of the parish, all of those present said that they desired more education in the faith.  Therefore, these classes are for the lifelong Orthodox Christian who is seeking to learn more about their faith, the convert who wants to continue in becoming a mature Orthodox Christian, as well as the inquirer and catechumens who want to know exactly what makes the Orthodox faith so attractive and fulfilling. 

            For our text, we will be using the book “Introducing the Orthodox Church: Its Faith and Life.”  The book is available from Light and Life Publishing, and there are a few copies available through the parish. 

            I hope to see you there!

On Thursday evening, October 18^th, Fr Jonathan Ivanoff, the director of the diocesan Department of Missions and Evangelism came to Lansing and spoke with many of the faithful of the mission about how to proceed with growth. 

On Sunday afternoon, October 7^th, we headed out to Iron Kettle Farm in Candor for our fall outing.  It turned out to be a nice fall day – cool enough for flannel, and warm enough to enjoy all of the many activities that are offered there.

The Department of Evangelization recently released the names of missions slated to receive Church Planting Grants in 2013.

Two missions will receive grants for a second year, while two additional missions will receive first-time assistance.  The Diocese of Mexico also will receive a special grant.

Receiving second-year grants are the Nativity of the Lord Mission, Shreveport, LA, in the Diocese of the South, and Saint Nicholas of Myra Church, Lawrence, KS, in the Diocese of the Midwest.  Priests Jason Foster and Joshua Lollar respectively serve as priests-in-charge of these communities.

First-year grants have been awarded to Holy Archangels Church, Annapolis, MD, in the Archdiocese of Washington, DC, where Priest Robert Miclean is priest-in-charge, and Holy Apostles Church, Lansing, NY, served by Priest James Worthington, priest-in-charge.

Several of the youth attended St Andrews Camp this summer, where they participated in the usual camping activities and became friends with Orthodox youth from around the diocese.  The first week was horse week, and is always very popular.  In the second week, the campers learned about music.  In the third week, they learned about ecology with many hands on activities.  And if you think this was all about the education, there were bonfires, games, trips to Sylvan Beach Amusement Park and mini golfing, among other activities.  And I hear that there were also hijinks and pranks all around.  

Fr James also returned as Teen Week leader for his third straight year.  

Check out the blog for St Andrews which has some pictures from the sessions, and the main website for information about the camp and its retreat facilities.  

On Sunday evening, May 27th, the faithful of Holy Apostles Orthodox Church and representatives of at least 8 other parishes in the area, were witness to a miraculous night.  The myrrhstreaming Hawaii Iveron Icon of the Mother of God came to us for an evening visit.  While in the area for the 108th St Tikhon's Monastery pilgrimage, the icon and its caretaker, Reader Nectarios, traveled to our little mission parish.  After a small delay in arriving, the icon was met at the doors by Fr James and the altar servers.  It then processed into church.  Then the  Akathist to the Iveron Icon was sung.  Over 45 people prayed as the Icon adorned the middle of the church. 


Update:  More pictures have been added to the photo gallery.  Click the More Information button, and then look at the photo gallery marked Pictures from Petruta.

On Friday evening, May 25th, the faithful of Holy Apostles Orthodox Church, along with many visitors of St John the Forerunner Church in Nanticoke, PA, gathered together around the Pantanassa Icon of the Mother of God, known for its hand in many miraculous healings.  The icon resides with Fr Adam Sexton in his parish, and made the journey to Lansing for this special occasion.  The icon of our Mother found its place in the middle of the church.  The priests and the faithful then sang the Akathist that is associated with the icon.

The miraculous Myrrh-Streaming Iveron Icon of the Mother of God will visit the Holy Apostles Orthodox Church on Sunday, May 27th, 2012, at 7:00 p.m. The Church is located at 347 Ridge Rd (34 B) in Lansing, NY. All are invited to the solemn visitation of the wonder-working icon.
       The icon will arrive at the Church, be greeted by the clergy and faithful, and a prayer service will be sung before it. Upon completion of the service, all present will have the opportunity to venerate the icon and be anointed by the holy myrrh that miraculously streams from it. The icon’s home is Holy Theotokos of Iveron Russian Orthodox Church in Honolulu, Hawaii. This visit is in conjunction with the icons visit to St Tikhon’s Orthodox Monastery and Seminary in northeast Pennsylvania.

On May 25, 2012, Holy Apostles Orthodox Church, will hold a healing service. The service will take place at its church at 347 Ridge Rd, Lansing. The public is invited to participate in the service, and are encouraged to be part of this historic service. The service begins at 6:30 PM. A prayer service, known as an akathist in the Orthodox Church, will be celebrated in the presence of a miraculous and holy image known as the Pantanassa Icon of the Mother of God. This will be followed by anointing with holy oil. 

On Bright Tuesday, the Divine Liturgy was held with special guests from our sister parish of Ss Peter and Paul in Endicott, NY.  

Coming up now are many pictures from Holy Week and Pascha at Holy Apostles Orthodox Church in Lansing.  Take your time, look at these pictures, and thank God, as we did, that we can all say Christ is risen!

Go to this article for a complete wrap-up of Holy Week and PASCHA.

As we approach the Great and Holy Pascha, there are several things that need to be fixed, cleaned or touched up.  Attached here is a list of projects and items that we can try to accomplish.  There will be a clean up day on April 7th for all of us to get together and take care of our holy temple.  To see the full list, click here.

On Sunday, February 19th at Hope Lodge of Greek Peak, His Grace, Bishop Michael hosted a dinner in honor of the Distinguished Diocesan Benefactors.   

Our Church School has begun meeting on Sundays after the Divine Liturgy.  This week we discussed the parable of the Prodigal Son, and worked on the worksheet, which is available here.

Following the annual Deanery Family and Youth Retreat, all of those who participated were invited to celebrate the Divine Liturgy with us in Lansing.  Braving snow and bad road conditions, about 50 of the faithful and bleary eyed children made it to the Mission.  After a beautiful Liturgy with Bp Michael, we sang a 40 day Panikhida for Lillian Ferraro.  Coffee Hour was hosted by us at the Crossroads Restaurant, continuing last year’s tradition.  We thank all of our friends for visiting, and look forward to the same event next year.  

The youth of the Church School met on Wednesday, January 18th for their weekly lesson.  This week, they learned about the Proskomedia - the service of preparation done before the Divine Liturgy at which the bread and wine are prepared.  They learned about the implements used, such as the paten, chalice, spear and spoon.  They also learned about the saints that are commemorated during the Proskomedia, and why we pray for all of our family and friends.  To see the hand out from the lesson, click here.  We hope to grow the Church School program int he future so that all can have the opportunity to learn about Jesus Christ and His Holy Church. 

Our friends down at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Elmira joined us to bless Cayuga Lake.  Here are the pictures that their rector, Fr Jason Kappanadze, took.  We thank them for supporting us and praying with us on this momentous occasion.

The Great Blessing of Cayuga Lake garnered some media attention.  There were several announcements made beforehand, and one article has been written about the event itself so far.

Announcement:
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012201040327

Coverage:
http://www.ithaca.com/news/lansing/article_2c3364ae-3c96-11e1-b01c-0019bb2963f4.html

Yesterday’s event went very well, and has made me very proud to be worshipping with all of you.  We had wonderful help preparing the meal and at the lake.  We especially must thank Michaeleen’s Florist, Wildflowers Florist, Mira’s Mediterranean Bistro, MaineSource, and Six Mile Creek Winery.  We also must thank The Lansing Parks and Rec Dept and all of our parishioners for making this a special day in the life of our parish and this town.  May God grant all of you many years!

The poinsettias arrived, and the church has been completely prepared for the Feast of the Nativity.  Many thanks to all those who donated decorations, made wreaths and sprays, and helped to arrange the flowers in the church.

Last year, the Deanery Family Conference and Youth Retreat with Bishop Michael at Greek Peak had over 150 people participating in the two-day event filled with religious presentations and lectures, fellowship, liturgical services, great food, and fun. It was a tremendous success.
 

The Church School presented their Nativity Play, Happy Birthday, Jesus! after the Divine Liturgy on December 18.  The worked very hard at preparing the script, props and their performances, to the delight of the parishioners, family and extended family that was in attendance.

The first regularly scheduled youth outing took place on November 30, 2011 when several of the youth of the parish went out to the Bowl-A-Drome for a fun filled night.

Two events were held at the parish on the night before Thanksgiving.  As usual, the Church School children got together to practice the Nativity Play that they will be presenting on December 18th after the Divine Liturgy.  The play is about the gifts we offer back to Christ.  After rehearsals, the community gathered to celebrate the akathist "Glory to God For All Things."  It was well attended, and a truly spiritual beginning to Thanksgiving Day.

As a fundraiser for the Church School program, the children will be raffling off the Thanksgiving center pieces you see adorning the icons this Sunday.  Please consider supporting the education of our youth and get a beautiful center piece for this Thursday.  For more information, see this announcement.

The children of the Church School met for the first time on the evening of Wednesday, November 16th.  After an opening prayer, the children engaged in a lesson about bread - how it is used in Church services, why we ask for our daily bread in the Lord's Prayer, and the Lord's statement that "I am the bread of life."  After that, they moved to the kitchen where they learned how to bake prosphora.  When the bread was baking, they returned to the library/classroom to talk about namesdays, since one of the students was celebrating his own.  Then it was time for everybody's favorite time of the week, Stump the Priest - where the children can ask any question of Fr James about the Church or Scriptures and try to stump him!  There were many enthusiastic players, though Fr was not stumped this time around.  At that time, the bread was ready to be taken out of the oven.  It was beautiful, and will make a perfect offering for this Sunday's Divine Liturgy. 
       This was the first of many classes for the youth of this parish.  The next meeting will be on Wednesday, November 23rd when we will come together as a parish family to sing the Akathist "Glory to God for all Things," in preparation for Thanksgiving.  See you there!

Visit our Facebook page for another way to keep updated on what exciting things are happening in the parish.  The address is http://www.facebook.com/pages/Holy-Apostles-Orthodox-Mission/281591311873279.

Fr James and his family hosted the parish at their home for a first Divine Liturgy Open House.  Many of hte faithful of the parish came out to enjoy the meal.

This is an article written by Ally Oleynik for her writing class at Ithaca College. Ally visited the parish in October 2010.

Looking for a church to welcome you in fellowship, prayer, and the beauty of Orthodoxy? Until now, your Orthodox options in Tompkins County were limited to just one Orthodox church while neighboring Broome County offered eight Orthodox places of worship. But, with the help of a budding congregation it is now possible to take a 20 minute drive to Lansing, NY to share in an English speaking worship service with members of the Orthodox Church in America.

His Grace, Bishop Michael, will be visiting our parish on Friday, April 15, 2011, and celebrate the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy.  Following the service, His Grace will join us for a lenten supper in the fellowship hall.  Everyone is invited to attend the service and visit with Bishop Michael.  Many Years, O Master!

We wish to thank our sister parishes-St. Nicholas in Auburn, NY and St. Nicholas in Cohoes, NY for their generosity to our parish.  May all of their labors yield 100 fold.  

We at Holy Apostles are grateful to All-Mighty God, The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit, for the blessing we have received.  In just five months, our small parish has been blessed to serve the needs of the faithful living in Lansing and the surrounding area.  Some have stopped by to wish us a bountiful harvest while others now look to us as their new home.  To all of you who have supported our work, may God bless you abundantly.

January will be a wonderful time of celebration for our parish family.  His Grace, Bishop Michael will visit us on the weekend of January 28-30.  Our parish along with other New York State deanery parishes will gather together for prayer and fellowship at the Greek Peak Water Park.  His Grace will lead us in prayer, offer spiritual counsel and relax while families enjoy themselves at the winter resort.

On Sunday, His Grace will travel with clergy and faithful to Holy Apostles in Lansing to celebrate the Divine Liturgy.  It will mark Bishop Michael's first visit to our parish, and we invite you to come and worship with us as a community of faith and love.  During His Grace's priestly service, he was the driving force behind several mission parishes so he will be no stranger to the needs and concerns of a young mission. His Grace has donated several liturgical objects and has urged other parishes to assist Holy Apostles in any way they can.

To His Grace, Bishop Michael, Many Years, O Master!

Sunday, October 3, marks our second month anniversary as a parish family.  In just two months, we have established a real foundation firmly rooted in Christ and His message of salvation.