Protection Parish Newsletter - October/November 2011

Baptisms in Sept.-Oct: 

Joseph, Nathan, Maxim.

Weddings: 

Michael O'Callaghan-Vasilisa Koposhilov, Saviour Calleja-Marina Chernih, Nathan Harris-Alexandra Nevzorova, Dennis Popov-Laura Harmes.

Laid to rest: 

Olga Verevkin

Thanks to 

Fr Nicholas Dalinkiewicz, other clergy, parish council and sisterhood members who “held the fort” while the Rector was away in September. In addition to regular services and other activities, a number of repair and maintenance projects were completed. Hopefully, our parish newsletter will not be affected by the Rector’s absences in the future.

News

• Early October saw intense activity inside the church as scaffolding was put up for installation of the icon canvases on the upper nave western wall. Thanks to Costa Diakoumakos who donated the scaffolding and labour. He was helped by altar server Nick Mantis and others. That saved well over $2,000 in costs.
  
  The murals were installed 3-8 October. On Monday 3/10/11 Costa came to consult with the iconographer Antonina Ganin in regard to the scaffold set-up. She admitted that she had not used such a good scaffold in any of her previous projects. Tonia first laid out the eleven pieces of canvas on the floor in our hall to trim them for a perfect fit. Helpers were needed on most days, especially on Tuesday 4/10/11 when the large and smaller pieces were glued and lifted into position. Thanks to Greg Uskhopov (with son Ben) and Dima Sbarsky who washed the windows he could reach. Andrei and Varia Davidoff helped with touch up and trim work.
• A working bee was conducted on Saturday 8 October in preparation for the patronal feast. Further cleaning had to be done after the scaffolding was removed on Monday 10 October.
  
  The patronal feast was held on Friday 14 October. Vladika was still in America at that time, thus the liturgy was headed by the Dean, Fr Michael Protopopov with all the Cathedral clergy and visitors from neighbouring parishes, a total of thirteen priests and four deacons. Over three hundred people attended the liturgy and the festal moleben with procession around the church. Every available seat at the banquet tables was taken and everyone enjoyed the delicious dishes served by the sisters. $2,220 was collected when the sisters went around with the plate in support of the continuing icon mural project. The murals created excitement and interest, making people turn their heads to look at the two large festal compositions: The Nativity and the Baptism of the Lord.
• The annual fund raising event for the nuns of Bungarby was held on Sunday 23 October and raised over $19,000. Despite lower attendance close to record result was achieved. Abbess Anna told those who were present about the progress of their building works
  
  The East Brunswick Primary School held a successful trivia night fund raiser at the church hall on Friday October 31.
• The Kursk thirteenth century icon was venerated on 7 and 8 November. More will be said about these events in the December issue, when the Kursk icon is celebrated.

Coming events: 

• Sun 27th November – Holy Land fundraiser;
• December 19-31 – Teen Retreat followed by 18+ Youth Conference (see posters)