Find by Year/Month

Find by Category

2001 – The Rector’s Report for year 2001

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING FOR 2001

MARCH 3, 2002

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Parishioners of the Holy Resurrection Church!

We gathered today to sum up the results of our church spiritual, administrative life and plan real ways for the future of our church.

The past 2001 year was a busy year not only for our Church but for the whole Diocese as well. In July 2001, the Archdiocesan Assembly took place in Edmonton where a lot of interesting issues were discussed.

In 2001, in our church we introduced a new service, called “Akaphist”. Every first Saturday of each month “Akaphist to the Mother of God Who is quick to help” is celebrated after the Vespers. Many Orthodox believers attend the service. Last month, on February 2, 2002, there were a great number of people, when His Grace Bishop Seraphim prayed with us on that day. He expressed his joy with words “It was like in Russia” when there are many people in church, it is a great joy for our Lord and salvation for us. Please remember that we come to church because it is our duty to glorify God for everything he does for us.

There was another innovation last year in our church. Every second and fourth Saturday of the month Matushka Elena and I prepare Orthodox Catechism (Bible Study). Every second Saturday it is in Russian, and every fourth Saturday it is in English.

My wish is to see more parishioners at Vespers, Akaphists, and Bible Studies, especially Council members who are to be an example for the rest of the parishioners. And it is especially important at the present time, during a new emigrational wave to Canada, when we see a lot of newcomers to our church.

The following significant events occurred during 2001:

1. A new Church Council was elected. All of them worked hard for the sake of our Holy Resurrection Church.

2. The celebration of the Triumph of Orthodoxy took place in our Holy Resurrection Church. This consisted of 13 priests from all canonical jurisdictions who celebrated this special event of the Orthodox faith. A multitude of believers were present at this special service. I would like to express my special thanks to our Sisterhood who prepared refreshments for all the parishioners and guests who attended this event.

Great Lent is approaching and I ask that you all please pay attention to our schedule and make every effort to attend the church during this time.

The special holiday of Pascha was celebrated with a special solemnity. Approximately 300 people attended the Easter Evening Service. On Easter Sunday at 10:00 in the morning I was surprised to see approximately 40 people who brought baskets to bless. Thanks to all our singers, sub-deacons and readers who participated in the services.

I participated in the Agape and the Paschal Vespers which was celebrated at St. George’s Cathedral at 11:00 am.

I express my sincerest gratitude to all the parishioners and guests who have supported our lunches and bazaars. On behalf of all of us here I extend our sincerest thanks to all who so generously volunteered their hard work, donated home baking and crafts for our Bazaar and Rummage Sale. There are many preparations which often include day long sessions of baking and cooking in our church kitchen in preparation for these events. Our deepest gratitude goes to Isabella Chounikhina, President of the Sisterhood and all the other ladies who helped her in the kitchen. May God bless your labors to the glory of God and to the benefit of our dear church.

His Grace, the Right Reverend Seraphim, Bishop of Ottawa and Canada arrived in Vancouver on September 7, 2001, and stayed for one week. On the Eve and Feast day of the Elevation of the Cross, His Grace Vladyka Seraphim celebrated the Divine Services in our church. During the week of his stay, His Grace took part in the regular meeting of the Executive of the Russian Orthodox Society.

The Pontifical Liturgy on the Patronal Feast Day of our church on Sunday, September 23, 2001, was headed by His Grace Bishop Seraphim. Thanks to Vladyka for his sermon and arch- pastoral blessing. Also during his stay in Vancouver, Vladyka had the opportunity to meet many parishioners of our parish in the Vancouver area and he also visited many homes of parishioners. We sincerely thank our dear Vladyka for his visit to our city, for his prayers and for his arch pastoral blessing. Is poll eti Despota!

Two Christmas concerts were held in January 2001. The details will be given by Matushka Elena.

Besides the regular services conducted during the year of 2001 in accordance with the schedule also performed were baptisms and chrismations; weddings, administrations of anointing with Holy Oil and funerals. There were approximately 200 services conducted such as: Liturgies, Vespers, Vigils and Pro-liturgies at senior citizen institutions such as Kopernik Lodge and St. Michael’s Centre.

Many times I visited parishioners at their homes and in hospitals.

Before finishing my report I would like to personally thank all the members of the church council who served the church. Thank you to Sophia Weremchuk for a great job being as president of the Russian Orthodox Society. Sophia restored charitable status which our church lost in 1997.

Thank you Matushka Mary Slipko for executing the responsibilities of the Vice-President of the Council Council during the last year. She was a great help to the Sisterhood with the preparation of the Bazaar, Rummage Sale, and other events.

Thank you Larissa Tkatshov for undertaking the job of the Secretary of the Council. We are very glad to see you back after you illness. May the Lord God grant you a good health to continue this responsibility.

Thank you Olga Petrovna Fetisoff for the enormous work as the Treasurer and book keeper of the Russian Orthodox Society. Which she carried almost of 23 years, for the beautification of the church on all of the festal occasions; for exchanging the church vestments; for helping the Sisterhood with the Bazaars and for all other works for the church.

Thank you Izabella Chounnikhina for undertaking the duties of the President of the Sisterhood, for bringing over $15, 000 into the treasury of the church through the Sisterhood’s hard efforts, for organizing and preparing lunches and banquets for the festal days together with the members of the Sisterhood.

Thank you Raisa Kolesnikov for continuous chairmanship of the group “Miloserdia” for gathering clothing, shoes, food and other items and shipping them to Russia and the Ukraine.

Thank you Arthur Kostiha for patiently being the Church Warden organizing the festal processions of the church and many other various duties.

Thank you Matushka Elena Fourik for taking care of the cultural events such as concerts, lectures and many other things and especially for being the Director and an instructor in the Sunday School.

Thank you to Mike Andruff for your excellent job as Property Manager during the last two years working very hard. The best description of your responsibilities is that you represent for us in your report. May God Bless you with good health!

Thank you to Ludmila Darialova for the accounting of the income and expenses of the Sisterhood and for her assistance in all her their work.

Besides the members of the church council I would like to express my deep gratitude to the following parishioners of our church:

Sandra Ellis for her help to the Sisterhood, for organizing “clean up” on our church yards, for organizing the annual Bazaars, the Rummage Sale and other events. God bless you Sandra and your children!

Gloria Prystupa for typing in English all the materials for our “Parish Life”, for beautifying of the holy iconostasis, and the Church itself; for assisting in the preparation of exchanging the church vestments.

Ksana Kulik for helping to decorate the holy iconostasis and the church itself.

Bill Mitrocsak for wonderful generosity towards the needs of the church, for volunteer work in the office, for Cross-decals (3,300), for the business cards (3,000), for everything donated to the church itself and for the assisting in the preparation of the church vestments for exchange.

Thanks to Alexander and Galina Ovodov for their tremendous work putting together the website for the parish. This is really a huge job! Thank you very much!

Maria Alexandrova for organizing concert play of Musitions of Bremens. Thanks to all the participants!

I would also like to thank the members of the Auditing Committee: George Vishniakoff, Nelica Volrich and Sandra Ellis, who preformed their tasks with devotion and professionalism.

On behalf of the church, I would like to express my deepest thanks and appreciation to all who have contributed with financial resources for the benefit of our common cause and especially to the generous donor Mrs. Lidia Klassen. May the Lord God bless her with good health for many, many years.

Special thanks to Nina and Igor Chudin and their helpers for assisting the church in preparations for making pelmeni, vareniki, pirozki and so on. God Bless you all!

Also I would like to thank from the very bottom of my heart those who worked so hard for the good of the church to: Father Steven and Matushka Mary Slipko, Father Andrey and Matushka Henriette Somov, for Father James McLuckie, Sub-Deacons, Readers, for Altar boys (Acolytes), to the members of the church choir, to the teachers of the Sunday School, and to many unknown parishioners who were involved in all the numerous activities and events of the church life throughout the past year. Please forgive me if I have missed anyone.

Today we will elect the new Church Council, Auditing Committee and Church Warden. Let me wish to all that we are going to elect a great success in their duties. Please give them your support and help when ever they need it.

Thank you very much for your attention and may God bless you all!

Father Michael Fork,

Rector

Comments are closed.