Beloved Brothers and Sisters,

Tempus fugit… Time flies.   Indeed, it’s hard to believe that another calendar year has come and gone.  Three hundred sixty-five days have past, days that brought joys, successes as well as losses and sorrows.  Nonetheless, we entrust this past year to the Lord and look to the year ahead, confident in God’s mercy and reliant upon His love for us.  The Holy Apostle James reminds us that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17), and so we anticipate another year at Saints Peter and Paul Church that promises to be filled with blessings in whatever form they shall take.   

We have recently celebrated the Great Feast of Holy Theophany, recalling that the Lord revealed Himself and that the mystery of the Trinity was made manifest on the banks of the River Jordan.  Key to our celebration of that Feast was the remembrance of our own immersion in the waters of Baptism which, like Christ’s own Baptism, revealed each one of us to be God’s well-favored sons and daughters.  We should never underestimate or undervalue the high calling we have received in being called to be God’s children and to carry the name of Christ and bear in our very persons the presence of Christ in the world. 

The Feast of the Nativity which we celebrated less than a month ago and the Feast of the Theophany remind us that Christ took on our human flesh in the womb of the Most Pure Theotokos, was born as one of us in the cave of Bethlehem, and that He revealed Himself to us on the bank of the River Jordan.  These feasts remind us that God came to unite Himself to us and that “GOD IS WITH US,” remaining ever present in our lives as He continues to work within us through the action of the Holy Spirit.  We, in our turn, become His presence in the midst of the world as we seek to sanctify the world through our own lives of holiness, service, and sacrifice.

Throughout the past twelve years of my service here at Saints Peter and Paul Church you have often heard me say, using various words and images, that our hands, feet, mouths, and our entire selves are those of Christ.  We speak for Christ; we reach out in love and healing on Christ’s behalf; we carry the Good News of the Gospel wherever life takes us, in our daily and regular and occasional and special activities.  Let’ have that in mind as we begin the New Year.  May we see each day, week, month, and season of this year as grace-filled times that provide opportunities for us to proclaim Christ in our own words and deeds.

As we begin this New Year, let us pray for one another as each one of us strives to make 2019 another year in which we reach out to the world in the Name of Christ, living and acting as His very Presence.  May the Lord God bless you all with peace, prosperity, good health, and all that is necessary for salvation!

With love in the Lord Who reveals Himself and enlightens the world, 

+Bishop Daniel

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HOUSE BLESSINGS- To arrange for having your home blessed, please contact Bishop Daniel, Father David, or Father Mihai.

CONGRATULATIONS AND MANY YEARS!  To Deacon John Weiss as he celebrates the first anniversary of his ordination to the Holy Diaconate.  May the Lord bless him and grant him, Matushka Juliana, and their family many blessings as they serve Christ’s Holy Church!

ANNUAL PARISH MEETING:  The annual parish meeting will be held on Sunday, January 27, following the Divine Liturgy.

THANK YOU to all of you for your love, support, cards, and gifts during the Holiday Season.  Your kind words and sentiments and your many expressions of support are deeply appreciated.  God bless you for your thoughtful kindness!  +Bishop Daniel

THANK YOU to everyone who made our 2018 celebration of the Lord’s Nativity another beautiful, inspiring, and spiritually-rewarding celebration of the Lord’s presence among us.  The Divine Services, Holy Supper, music, flowers, decorations, food, etc., etc., were all wonderfully arranged and yet another sign of our parish community’s love of God and of neighbor.  Blessings to everyone!

DIVINE LITURGY – The Divine Liturgy will be celebrated at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 24, the Feast of Blessed Xenia of Saint Petersburg.  This is also the anniversary of the Episcopal Consecration of His Grace Bishop DANIEL.

For February

Friday, February 1, Vespers, 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, February 2, Meeting of the Lord, Divine Liturgy, 9:00 a.m.

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