Much hard work went into our parish hosting the second annual Walk of Life Pilgrimage these last few days. And there are many, many people to thank. THANK YOU ALL! This was a really significant undertaking - and just before our festival for the second year in a row. As most are aware, the plan was to hold the pilgrimage elsewhere this year, but that could not be done and so we had the honor of hosting the pilgrims for a second time. We simply cannot say thank you enough! We have an active parish, and it is important that this activity be shared by many. If you did not have a chance to volunteer for the pilgrimage please make sure to do so for the festival. We must share the love of labor for the sake of Christ so that we do not burn out those who are the most willing to serve! We all have a duty to conduct ministry - to serve others - and we do our best as a parish family to facilitate that duty. Please do your best to take advantage of these opportunities!

Many pictures and other information is being posted now. Please check our parish and the diocesan Facebook pages for more information on the Walk of Life!

You read that right! We need your extension cords - the heavy duty outdoor ones - for the festival. Please use duct tape to form a little space on each cord that you let us borrow and write your name on it in permanent marker. We promise to return these! Please contact our Starosta, Nathan Longan (starosta@stvladimiraami.org or 734-678-8042) to arrange drop off of your extension cords, or just bring them to church this coming Sunday. Thank you in advance for your help with the festival!

In a few hours the pilgrims on the diocesan Walk of Life will depart St. Vladimir's. Please remember the pilgrims in your prayers today and throughout the weekend as they walk the roads of Washtenaw County with banners, icons, and singing hymns of the Good News of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. May the Lord grant them all safe and spiritually profitable travels!

Please note that the September all-English cycle of Divine Services will be held on September 30 and October 1. At one time this was scheduled for September 9-10. Please make a note of this change and please spread the word to those you know or suspect would need to know this information. Thank you.

The public school year begins just after Labor Day in Michigan. Moreover, we will begin Church School instruction on September 24. Thus, to cover all those beginning school at this time of year - both students and teachers - we will hold our annual molben for the beginning of instruction on Sunday, September 4, at the very end of the Liturgy. Please join us!

Please find our September schedule of services and activities at this link:

http://www.stvladimiraami.org/calendars ... lendar.pdf

Pass the word!

The adult discussion group has waned a bit in the last few years and that is fine. Everyone is busy and getting together can be difficult and this is understood. These things are not written in stone and can change. So we will change! We have worked for several years with our youth groups on social outreach – helping those who are in need. It is important to live our faith in this way – to minister to others just as our Lord ministered and ministers to us. There are several local social service agencies that we can work with. Some we have worked with in our youth group efforts and this has been a very positive opportunity for our youth. But it isn't only the young people that need to live their faith – we all do! So this year we would like to give specific opportunities for our adults to serve – about once per month. But we need some help facilitating these opportunities. The time commitment would not be terribly large – perhaps an hour a month working with Fr. Gregory to arrange opportunities for our adult parishioners to help others, as well as a few more hours participating in the ministry itself as we help others. Please contact Fr. Gregory if you can help! We'd like to begin our work in September, so help is needed very soon to facilitate that September date. Please help your parish family members grow spiritually as we make a more conscious effort to reach out to and work actively in the name of our Lord in our local community!

It is a true blessing to have the opportunity to partake of Holy Communion on one's patron saint's day. Fr. Gregory is willing to consider serving Liturgy on your name's day – yes YOURS. If you would be willing to attend the Divine Services on the eve of the feast and on the feast itself, and to partake of Holy Communion on that day please contact him. This is not a guarantee that we can do this – but we can certainly try. But please don't tell him a week before. Something like six months before would be better – three months before as a minimum. See Fr. Gregory with questions!

Please plan to join us on the second annual Walk of Life Procession! Register now at the link below:

https://goo.gl/forms/P1JPnxKikR1Aw7sa2

Volunteer to help now by emailing info@stvladimiraami.org. Don't miss this great opportunity!

Please note that His Eminence Archbishop Peter of Chicago & Mid-America will be leading the Divine Services at the Dormition Cathedral in Ferndale, MI. Vigil tonight is at 6:00 p.m. with Divine Liturgy tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m.

At St. Vladimir's we will have our usual weekend cycle of Divine Services with Vigil tonight at 6:00 p.m. and Divine Liturgy tomorrow at 10:00 a.m.