Lenten mission service - March 16, 2025

On Sunday, March 16, St Michael Church hosted the Coal Region Lenten Mission Vespers. We welcomed the faithful and clergy from the neighboring parishes: Fr Jeff Zias (St Michael Church in Freeland & St Michael Church in St Clair of the Carpatho-Russian Diocese), Fr Joe Fester (St John Church in Nesquehoning & St Nicholas Church in Lansford of the Carpatho-Russian Diocese), Fr Edward Hughes (Antiochian Archdiocese), Fr James Weremedic (St Mary Church in Coaldale of theOCA), and Fr Kirill Zawatski (Holy Ascension Church in Frackville & St Mary Church in St Clair of the OCA). Parish rector, Fr Aleksey Paranyuk, presided.

The choir sang beautifully under the direction of Greg Sagan. Fr Kirill delivered a sermon focusing on the importance of orienting our efforts during Lent on the things that are eternal: on God and our salvation. He reminded us that Lent is not just about giving up things, but about freeing ourselves from things that draw us further away from God.

The lenten meal and fellowship were organized by Sandy and Joe Tosca.

Good strength to all for the remainder of our Lenten journey!

View from the back of the church during our lenten_mission. The church is mostly full, and four clergy members wearing purple vestments can be seen near the front of the church.

View of the iconostasis with four clergy members and an altar boy waling towards the Royal Doors. The clergy members are wearing purple vestments, and the altar boy is wearing a gold vestment.

Five priests in purple vestments are standing in a semi-circle facing the iconostasis. They are standing between the center icon table and the two steps leading up to the walkway that runs the length of the iconostasis.

Photo of Fr. Kirill standing at a lecturn in front of the Royal Doors and delivering a sermon. In the moment captured, he's looking towards the lecturn, and his hands are clasped in front of him.

Photo Fr. Aleksey standing in front of, and facing, the Royal Doors. He is wearing a black vestment and has his head bowed slightly in prayer.

Fr. Kirill is standing in front of the iconostasis and blessing the church. In the moment captured in the photo, he standing in front of the left side-door, between St. Innocent and the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus. He's facing left-frame, and his censor is catch mid-air in front of St. Innocent.

Fr. Aleksey appears in the right side of the frame and is reading from the bible that is on the lecturn in front of him. A white-haired priest can be seen standing behind the altar table in the lower left corner of the photo. His hands are clasped in front of him, and he's holding a white piece of paper. Three candles are on the altar table in front of him.

Six priests in purple vestments are standing in a straight line facing the iconostasis. They are standing between the center icon table and the two steps leading up to the walkway that runs the length of the iconostasis. The photo was taken to the left, and behind, the priest on the far left.

Close-up photo of six priests standing in a line along the back wall of the altar. The photo was taken from the right side of the altar, and a large cross appears in the upper right corner of the frame, with the altar table just slight visible in the lower left corner.

Five priests in purple vestments are standing in a straight line facing the iconostasis. They are standing between the center icon table and the two steps leading up to the walkway that runs the length of the iconostasis and facing Fr. Alexsey, who is standing in front of the Royal Doors while facing the priests and the congregation. The photo was taken to the left, and behind, the priest on the far left.

Photo of Fr. Kirill standing at a lecturn in front of the Royal Doors and delivering a sermon. In the moment captured, his hands are resting on the lecturn, and he's looking out towards the congregation as he speaks.

Parishioners and visitors standing for a prayer before the lenten meal begins. Three long tables with purple tablecloths run perpendicular to the lower right corner of the photo, and people are standing on either side of the tables, facing towards someone off-camera and left-of-frame.

Parishioners and guests seated at tables in the church hall for a lenten meal. On the left two-thirds of the picture, a long table runs perpendicular from the bottom of the photo towards the back. Part of a second table is visible in the right third. The walls having brown paneling with some mostly white informational posters hanging on the back wall.

Parishioners and guests seated at tables in the church hall for a lenten meal. A long table runs from the lower-right corner to the center of the photo, and part of a second table is visible in the lower left corner. The walls having brown paneling, and there's a blackboard on the back wall. There's also a person to the left of the blackboard, who is walking toward the left side of the photo.

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