Happy New Year… Now?

Church New Year on the Orthodox Christian calendar falls on September 1, a date inherited from the Hebrew culture and Greco-Roman social order in which the Church was born. The Biblical holy day of Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) often falls in September. And end-of-summer harvests trig­gered a new fiscal year for the ancient Roman Empire’s tax system on the first of this month, too.

That explains the “oddity” of Church New Year. But its appearance “out of season” (by our civil calendars) reminds us: God’s always open to fresh starts on our part, at any time. “Stop dwelling on past events and brooding over times gone by,” he tells us. “Look, I am about to do something new!” (Isaiah 43:18-19). God ever beckons us to break with the past and embrace the future he dreams for us. Let’s, then, pursue that “something new” God has in store for us!

Mark Your Calendar!

Monday, September 1
Church New Year

Sunday, September 7 • 9:30 a.m.
Divine Liturgy
Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Sunday Before Exaltation of the Cross

Monday, September 8
Birth of the Virgin Mary

Sunday, September 14 • 9:30 a.m.
Divine Liturgy
Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Exaltation of the Cross

Sunday, September 21 • 9:30 a.m.
Divine Liturgy
Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Sunday After Exaltation of the Cross

Sunday, September 28 • 9:30 a.m.
Divine Liturgy
Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost

Pitch In!

Church doesn’t happen on its own. It happens when all of us pool our time, talent, and treasure together and put them at God’s disposal to do his will as followers of Jesus. In a word, that’s stewardship. Want to lend a helping hand? See our parish priest, Father Alexis Woytek to find out what needs doing. Want to become a supporting member? See our parish treasurer, Mrs. Lydia Pinkowski to find out how. Thanks for pitching in to make your church happen!

Reach Out!

The Church doesn’t exist for itself. God calls it to reach out and share his love with the world that it lives in. Our parish charity bin is one way that we do such outreach, by collecting nonperish­able food that our friends at People Helping People in Hernando County share with locals in need. To download a grocery list from our website, click here. Thanks for reaching out and helping others through your church’s charity!