Yikes! It happened again! The schedule came together in such a way that all three of our youth groups meet this Sunday. That is not bad - just busy! Please see information to the right of this announcement (in the "Upcoming Activities" area of the home page) to register for the appropriate event. See you Sunday! :)

Our Greeter Ministry aims to welcome existing parish members and visitors as they enter St. Vladimir and assist them in any way possible. In order to do that effectively we need to have team of about 8 people that volunteer in groups of two to be greeters each Sunday morning. What does it mean to be a greeter? A greeter will be a friendly person available to answer questions, guide people to the available pamphlets about the church and Orthodoxy, provide them with informational bulletin, invite them to stay for the meal after Liturgy and make polite conversation with them during the meal if they chose to stay. The greeter is the person that the visitors knows is there to help. Please join us! Contact Addie or Nathan today to participate in this important ministry of welcoming new comers to the parish!

We are seeking volunteers to join a steering committee that will help us take the next steps towards a parish school. We need to work on feasibility/demographic studies, prepare/research governance structures (best practices of other similar Orthodox schools), work on strategic planning initiatives, understand the bureaucratic/regulatory burden to begin instruction and going forward, and more. The time line for deliverables is January 2016 to the Parish Council and February 2016 to the Annual Parish Assembly. We are seeking an inclusive, diverse group of those interested in seeing our school efforts succeed. This is the single best way to influence and support this effort. Please join us! Contact Fr. Gregory by November 22, 2015 if you are interested in participating in this effort.

Congratulations to those joined to the Holy Church via baptism and chrismation over the last few months! Those received, their sponsors, and the dates of their reception (Church Calendar) are below. Please remember the newly-enlightened in your prayers!

August 5, 2015 - Anastasia (Amanda) Apostolou
Sponsor: Zhanna Skalitzky

August 29, 2015 - Esther Chisolm
Sponsor: Eleni Nicholas

September 12, 2015 - Elizabeth Hamidi
Sponsor: Ksenia Nikulshina

October 18, 2015 - Alexei Redkozubov
Sponsors: Alexei Stadnik, Maria Redkozubova

October 18, 2015 - Alexandra Nagornaya
Sponsor: Alexandra Wilson

October 18, 2015 - Maria Matz
Sponsor: Ludmila Bozhko

The St. Herman's Youth Conference this year is set for December 28, 2015 – January 1, 2016 in Dallas, TX. That is a long way to travel! So we will help. Here is the plan. We will leave Ann Arbor on December 27 and travel to St. Louis in vans. We will spend the night in St. Louis. Then we will drive to Dallas the next day to arrive in time for the beginning of the retreat. More information on the retreat here:

http://chicagodiocese.org/news_150922_1.html

We need to know if you will join us in the van from Ann Arbor – space is limited! The price of the travel will be basically sharing gas and rental expenses. As always the parish will help, but those who travel will need to provide some support. Talk to Fr. Gregory if that will be a problem for you. No matter what there will be a place for you if you'd like to go. And you should – this will be a great experience for our youth!

Please go to this form and reserve your place in the van now:

http://goo.gl/forms/bX7muQQKUM

Please find the schedule of services for this week at the link below:

http://stvladimiraami.org/calendars/weekof11-08-15.pdf

God-willing we will serve Divine Liturgy each day this week as well as Evening Divine Services nearly every day. Please join us as your schedule allows!

Thank you to all who worked so hard to make Bishop Peter's visit to St. Vladimir's on November 7 & 8 so successful! The services were sung beautifully and prayerfully, the food was plentiful and delicious, and every other detail was as close to perfect as it could be! Congratulations to the newly-ordained Deacon Vladimir Pyrozhenko and the newly-tonsured Reader Roman Vershynin and to their families! May the merciful Lord grant them many years of service in His Vineyard! Thank you to the ORPR camp families whose children met the bishop with the traditional bread and salt on Sunday before the Divine Liturgy. And to all who labored anonymously for the glory of God: THANK YOU! May the Lord reward you in this life and the next for your service to His Holy Church!

Please note that the dates of the English cycle for December has been changed to December 25-26. We ask your forgiveness for any inconvenience in this regard. Unfortunately this move in unavoidable. Thank you for your understanding.

Please note that no photography will be allowed during Bishop Peter's visit without a specific blessing from Fr. Gregory. If you would like to take pictures please talk to Fr. Gregory. When the bishop visits things can be somewhat like paparazzi at the Oscars. That is not conductive to prayer and will distract the bishop and make him not want to visit us. That is an unacceptable outcome. Thank you for your understanding in this matter. Please contact Fr. Gregory with questions or concerns.

The October schedule of services listed tonight's services as Vespers & Matins for Demetrius Saturday. However, we have had to make a small change to that plan due to various factors outside our control. Tonight's service will be a Pannykhida for the reposed as part of Demetrius Saturday. The service will begin at 6:00 p.m. sharp. Thank you for your understanding and please contact Fr. Gregory if you have any questions.