Welcome to the Home Page of St. Vladimir Church! 

Today's Date According to the Church (Old) Calendar:


Regular Services:
Saturday Vigil: 6:00 p.m. (Except Pascha)
Sunday Divine Liturgy: 10:00 a.m. (Except Pascha)

Full Service Schedule:

Phone: (734) 475-4590
Address: 9900 Jackson Rd., Dexter, MI 48130-9426
Click for Directions | Google Map


Learning Orthodoxy - Adult Education 
23/9/20, 12:00 PM
Posted by Fr. Gregory


Learning Orthodoxy is a class for adults who wish to learn more about the Orthodox faith. This class is open and accessible to all who wish to come, whether they are an Orthodox Christian or someone curious about Orthodox Christianity. Each week we will present a lesson followed by questions and answers. We will meet on Sunday afternoon following the parish meal following the Divine Liturgy. Please contact Deacon Colin Bower at cmbower10@gmail.com for questions!

CLASS SCHEDULE & SYLLABUS

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Divine Liturgy Explained 
22/9/20, 06:00 AM
Posted by Fr. Gregory

The Divine Service we attend most often is the Divine Liturgy. We know it, but do we know it? The better we understand the Divine Liturgy the more we will engage in this "work of the people", and the more we will get from it. Or perhaps better put, the more it will transform us. And since we are seeking to be transformed into the children of God, should we not take the time to delve more deeply into the Divine Liturgy - the most theologically significant Divine Service? That is a purely rhetorical question of course, since the answer must be "yes"! The article below is a classic of the 20th century, written by one of the most influential theologians of that time. That time was not that long ago - and this article is well, well worth the read!

http://orthodoxinfo.com/general/pomaz_lit.aspx
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Monday First Things - Teachings of the Holy Fathers 
21/9/20, 06:00 AM
Posted by Fr. Gregory

What is the aim of the incarnate dispensation of God’s Word, preached in all the Holy Scriptures but which we, who read them, do not know? The only aim is that, having entered into what is our own, we should participate in what is His. The Son of God has become Son of Man in order to make us, men, sons of God, raising our race by grace to what He is Himself by nature, granting us birth from above through the grace of the Holy Spirit and leading us straightway to the kingdom of heaven, or rather, granting us this kingdom of heaven within us (Luke 17:21), in order that we should not merely be fed by the hope of entering it, but entering into full possession thereof should cry: our ‘life is hid with Christ in God’ (Col. 3:3).

+ St. Simeon the New Theologian (Philokalia)
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Tithe.ly Platform now Available for St. Vladimir Family 
17/9/20, 06:00 PM
Posted by Fr. Gregory


Our parishioners have asked us for an easy way to manage their gifts from their bank accounts to St. Vladimir's. We now offer the tithe.ly platform for our parish family's convenience. You can make bank or credit card recurring transfers via tithe.ly. This platform has great reviews and thousands of parishes use it happily. Please check it out on our DONATE page or find the direct link below:

ST. VLADIMIR'S TITHE.LY PAGE

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Monday First Things - Teachings of the Holy Fathers 
14/9/20, 06:00 AM
Posted by Fr. Gregory


The aim of all those who live in God is to please our Lord Jesus Christ and become reconciled with God the Father through receiving the Holy Spirit, thus securing their salvation, for in this consists the salvation of every soul. If this aim and this activity is lacking, all other labour is useless and all other striving is in vain. Every path of life which does not lead to this is without profit.

+ St. Simeon the New Theologian (Philokalia)
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St. Nikephoros the Leper 
11/9/20, 06:00 PM
Posted by Fr. Gregory


As promised, here is the life of St. Nikephoros, the saint who appeared in Greece and promised to entreat the Lord for us against the new Coronavirus. Let us, indeed, ask him to pray to God for us!

We have icons of St. Nikephoros at St. Vladimir's and we are happy to give one to each family or single. Please ask Fr. Gregory or Fr. Moses about this and you will receive your icon. Thank you to the anonymous faithful person who donated these icons!

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Saint Nikephoros the Leper

Fr. Nikephoros (in the world, Nicholas) was born in a village of Chania, in Serikari. His parents were simple and pious villagers, who while he was still a small child, died and left him an orphan. Thus, at the age of thirteen he left his home, traveled to Chania and began to work in a barbershop. There he started to show the first signs of Hansen's disease (i.e. leprosy). At that time, lepers were exiled to the island of Spinaloga, because leprosy was a transmissible disease and was treated with fear and horror. Nicholas, when he was sixteen years old and when the signs of his disease began to be more visible, to flee from enclosure on Spinaloga fled with a boat for Egypt. There he remained working in Alexandria, again in a barbershop, however the signs of his disease became even more evident, especially on his hands and face. Due to the suggestions of a cleric he fled to Chios where there was a home for lepers, in which was a priest, Fr. Anthimos Vagianos, later St. Anthimos of Chios.

Nicholas reached Chios in 1914 at the age of 24. At the leper home in Chios, where there was a grouping of many beautiful little homes, was a chapel of St. Lazaros, where was preserved the wonder-working icon of Panagia of Ypakoe (Obedience). In that place was opened the stadium of virtues for Nicholas. Within two years St. Anthimos discerned that he was ready for the angelic schema and tonsured him a monk with the name Nikephoros. The disease progressed and evolved in the absence of suitable medicines, and brought many great changes (the medicine was found later, in 1947).

Fr. Nikephoros lived with indiscriminate, genuine obedience, with austere fasting, working in gardens. He also compiled in a catalogue the miracles of St. Anthimos, which he had seen with his own eyes (many took the place of healing of the demon-possessed).

There was a unique spiritual relationship between St. Anthimos and monk Nikephoros, who “did not separate himself from him by even a step”, as mentioned by Fr. Theoklitos of Dionysiou in his book “St. Anthimos of Chios”. Fr. Nikephoros prayed for endless hours at night, performing countless prostrations, not offering a word to anyone nor spoiling his heart on anyone, and was the head chanter of the church. Because of his illness, however, slowly he lost his eyesight and most of the hymns were chanted by others.

In 1957 the Lovokomeio of Chios was closed and the remaining patients, along with Fr. Nikephoros, were sent to the Anti-Leper Station of St. Barbara in Athens, in Aigaleo. At that time Fr. Nikephoros was about 67 years old. His body parts and his eyes had been totally affected and transformed from the illness.

There, in the Anti-Leper station lived Fr. Eumenios, who also had Hansen's disease, but because of medical advances was totally cured. He decided however to remain for the rest of his life in the Anti-leper station near his fellow patients, who he treated with much love. Thus he became a spiritual child of Fr. Nikephoros, to whom as a reward for his patience, the Lord had granted many gifts. Many people flocked to the humble cell of the leper monk Nikephoros, at St. Barbara of Aigaleo, to receive his blessing. Those who met him mention that:

Though he was confined to bed, with wounds and pains, he did not murmur but showed great patience.

He had the grace of comforting the troubled.

His eyes were constantly irritated, his vision was minimal, and he had hooked hands and paralyzed lower extremities.

Besides all of these he was most sweet, mild, greatly smiling, relating grace-filled stories, he was enjoyable, lovable.

He said: “My children, do you pray? And how do you pray? ...with the prayer of Jesus you should pray, with the “LORD JESUS CHRIST, HAVE MERCY ON ME”. Thus you should pray. This way is good.”

His face, which was eaten by the signs of his sickness and wounds, shone and imparted joy to all who saw this totally poor and phenomenally sick man who said: “Let His holy Name be glorified.”

At the age of 74, on January 4th 1964, Fr. Nikephoros reposed in the Lord. His holy relics were fragrant when they were later uncovered. Fr. Eumenios, and other pious people offered many occasions when miracles occurred at the intercessions of Fr. Nikephoros.

(From the book: Nikephoros the Leper: The Radiant Athlete of Patience, by Monk Simon, Athens 2007)
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Join us this Sunday! 
11/9/20, 06:00 AM
Posted by Fr. Gregory


All are welcome at St. Vladimir's! Pleae join us this Sunday! More information can be found at this link, and we encourage you to share this with family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers!

DIVINE SERVICES FOR SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2020

Due to the pandemic we have guidelines that must be followed. Please find those here:
PARISH PLAN TO EXIT QUARANTINE

ONE PAGE SYNOPSIS OF STEP 5 GUIDELINES

Outdoor services (Sunday Liturgies) do not require sign up. All other services (which are held inside the church building) do - including Saturday evening Vigil. Sign up here:

DIVINE SERVICES WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 7, 2020

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Beheading of St. John the Baptist is Thursday & Friday 
10/9/20, 06:00 AM
Posted by Fr. Gregory


Please plan to join us for the of the commemoration of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist on September 10 at 6:00 p.m and September 11 at 8:00 a.m. All are welcome! The services will be inside the church, so we ask that you sign up. This allows us to understand the number of people that will attend since we have limited, physically distanced spaces:

SIGN UP TO ATTEND SERVICES - WEEK OF 9/7/20

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Farewell to McPhersons! 
8/9/20, 06:00 PM
Posted by Fr. Gregory


Please join us on Sunday, September 13 as we bid farewell to Fr. Moses and his family. Fr. Moses will serve his first Divine Liturgy as Rector of the Protection of the Theotokos parish in Austin, TX on Sunday, September 27. We are very thankful for everything that that McPhersons have done for our parish family and we want to say thank you and wish them all the best as they begin a new chapter in their lives! Please plan to join us at St. Vladimir’s on September 13!
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Monday First Things: Teaching of the Holy Fathers 
7/9/20, 06:00 AM
Posted by Fr. Gregory


“Christians who believe in Christ make the sign of the cross upon themselves, not casually and disrespectfully, but with full attention, care, fear and trembling and all devout respect… For according to the respect each person show to the Cross, so he receives corresponding strength and help from God.”

St. Symeon the New Theologian
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