Church Events/Services
March 24-25, 2007 - The Choir of St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary in South Canaan, Pennsylvania, visited SS. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church on the weekend of March 24-25, 2007. The photoreport of the seminarians' weekend visit is comprised of two parts. The first part covers the Vesper service and the Spaghetti Dinner which was served prior to the service of Great Vespers With Litiya on Saturday evening, March 24. The second part of the photoreport covers the Divine Liturgy which was served on Sunday morning, March 25 - the Feast Day of the Annunciation of the Most-Holy Theotokos. We begin below with the Spaghetti Dinner which was held in our Church Hall.
Junior FOCA Spaghetti Dinner
March 24, 2007 - The Junior membership of FOCA (the Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America) sponsored a Spaghetti Dinner to help raise funds to cover the cost of attending a national basketball tournament later this spring. Our guests having arrived from South Canaan, they were able to join our parishioners and other visitors for the meal prior to the evening service at 7:00 p.m. in Church. Below are several scenes from that dinner.
Above right and below left - service to others is best learned at an early age and by the example set by adults (below right).
Above right - Rev. David Garretson, Rector of SS. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, met with the seminarians at the dinner moments before the evening service was to begin. Below, the seminarians set up a makeshift bookstore whereby parishioners could purchase items - icons, CDs, books, and the like - normally available only at the Seminary.
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Great Vespers With Litiya on the Eve of the Feast Day of the Annunciation of the Most-Holy Theotokos
March 24, 2007 - Saturday evening, March 24, was the eve of a Feast - the Annunciation of the Most-Holy Theotokos. As such, the service appointed for the evening was Great Vespers With Litiya. For those who may not be aware, Litiya are augmented prayers and supplications which do not usually accompany the shorter version of the Vesper service.
Above are photos of the interior of our Church, taken before anyone had entered the Church for the evening. For the photographers among you, the photo above right was exposed at 1.6 seconds and ASA 100. The shot - obviously not a handheld feat - was accomplished with an ultra-wide angle zoom lens by positioning the camera on the non-moving outer wall of the choir loft.
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Above left - as the seminarians began arriving in the choir loft, their director, Priestmonk Sergius (Bowyer), reflects upon the beautiful interior of our Church. Above right - sensing that time was yet available for what was about to happen, your reporter took this group photo of the seminarians at 6:53 p.m. beneath the stained-glass icon of our Patrons - Saints Peter and Paul. Below are scenes from the service celebrated by Fr. David, including photos of the choir and of the parishioners in attendance at the service. The service was well-attended by both our parishioners and visiting guests. At both the service of Great Vespers With Litiya and the service of Divine Liturgy, the Seminary Choir sang the responses to the services with reverence, harmony, and precision.
You may click on the photo above left to view an enlargement.
You may click on the photo above right to view an enlargement.
Above left - Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6) Children also learn by the example of adults when it comes to attending Church as well. Above left, two children occupied the front pew for the best possible view of the service.
Above and below left - it being the eve of a major Feast, parishioners received anointing with Holy Oil at the dismissal. Below right - after the service was concluded, Fr. David supervised the assignment of seminarians to volunteer parishioners. The parishioners had graciously invited the visiting seminarians to their homes for the brief overnight stay.
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Above left - a parishioner makes the acquaintance of seminarians who will avail themselves of the hospitality of her home. Above right - Choir Director and Priestmonk Sergius - a Stavrophore monk - spent the evening with the Garretson family at the Church Rectory. Below - Andrew Michael Steffaro - son of the National President of the Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America and grandson of a priest, is shown moments after the evening service had concluded. This concludes Part I. of the visit of the seminarians to our parish on the weekend of March 24-25, 2007. Please be sure to visit Part II. of this photoreport to see the service of Divine Liturgy on the Feast Day of the Annunciation.
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