Слава Ісусу Христу! – Слава на віки! Glory to Jesus Christ! Let Us Glorify Him!
Dear Parish Members, Friends of the Parish, and Visitors;
On behalf of the Board of Management, it is a privilege to welcome you to our website. I hope that you find the contents informative. Over the next few months, the website will be undergoing revisions, considering that it has remained essentially the same for a number of years. I ask for your patience during this period of revisions and updates.
This message begins with general comments on the activities and programs of our Parish in the context of the New Church Year and concludes with a note on stewardship.
New Church Year: According to the Julian Calendar, each September 14 marks the start of a New Church Year. For our Parish, it means continuing, renewing, and the beginning of activities and programs, such as Church Divine Liturgy Services, Church School, and classes in Ukrainian Language and Ukrainian Dance. We welcome you to join us in worship. Divine Liturgies are served in Ukrainian and English. If you have young children, you may want to enrol them in our Parish’s Church School program by contacting the Parish Priest. The Ladies Auxiliary of the Parish offers an excellent Ukrainian Language Program for Adults. Additional information about the program and registration may be found on this website under “Programs” (Click on “Cultural/Educational/Church School”). Elsewhere on the website, information regarding registration in the Parish’s Veerneest Dance Program is available. Should you have questions regarding the various activities and programs, you can contact Joan at the office (780-4691463) or the Parish Priest or the respective program director.
Stewardship: Our Church, that is, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada is Christ- and Gospel- Centered. The beginning of each New Church Year is a reminder that all of us are stewards, first and foremost of Christ’s Church and thereby stewards of our Parish. Very often, we adopt a very narrow definition of stewardship as solely referring to financial matters, things such as membership dues and levies and donations. While finances are absolutely essential to the survival of our Church and our Parish, stewardship is more than that! It is about serving. Upon reflecting on stewardship, past and present members of our Parish have been good stewards over the 60 years that the Parish has been in existence. This year marks our Parish’s 60th Anniversary! Let us re-dedicate ourselves to continuing the commitment made by our founding members for the coming New Church Year and years to come. I do not want to belabour the topic of stewardship in the context of our Church and Parish as it is a very complex concept. I will conclude with reference to Williams and McKibben (1994; page 227; Oriented Leadership; Why Every Christian Needs It) who state:
1. Stewardship is learning how to be a responsible and concerned caretaker of Christ’s Church; it is learning how to enjoy Church life and be happy in Church work, for in Her dwells the fullness of the Spirit of God.
2. Stewardship is our active commitment to use all our time, talent, and treasure for the benefit of humankind in grateful acknowledgment of Christ’s redeeming love.
For a more complete understanding of stewardship, I recommend the book by Williams and McKibben.
Should you have any comments or questions, please contact the parish.
In closing, I wish all of you the best of health and much success in all your endeavours.
In Christ,
Ernest N. Skakun – President