Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

            May God bless all of you as we now enter into this 5^th week of the Great Fast. As Fr Andrew was emphasizing in his sermon this Sunday… we have but two weeks left before the bright feast of Pascha. This coming Wednesday will be the final evening Presanctified Liturgy of this year. If you have not taken advantage of the blessing of attending a Presanctified Liturgy this Lent, we urge you to do so! These services are so solemn and so beautiful. It is a great blessing and a great privilege of the Lenten season to attend and participate in the beauty of these Presanctified Liturgies.

            I know that many members of our parish went to the Lenten Retreat at the Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco on Sunday. I am looking forward to hearing how everything went… I expect that it was a very edifying event – with many recollections of the sanctity of St John during his life.

            For a summary life of St John please see here: Life and Miracles of St. John (Maximovich) of Shanghai and San Francisco—One of the Greatest Saints of the 20th Century / OrthoChristian.Com

            On Tuesday evening at 7pm we will have our weekly Bible Study in which we are concluding our study of the Book of Revelation. Join us via Zoom at: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82677977675  

Wednesday at 6pm, as noted above, there will be a Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.

There will NOT be a Catechism class this week. The Catechism classes will be on a hiatus for several weeks as we then move into Holy Week and then Fr Andrew will have travels in the first weeks of May. Stay tuned for when the Catechism classes will resume.

            Friday at 7am there will be a Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.

            Friday evening we will NOT have services as St Herman’s – as I will be serving Unction with the clergy at our sister church in Palo Alto. If you missed receiving Holy Unction at St Herman’s, here is another chance to participate in this healing ministry for body and soul. Unction will begin at 6pm at Protection of the Holy Virgin Church in Palo Alto.

            Saturday at 9am we will Liturgy for Lazarus Saturday. Our usual 2pm class will be held that afternoon and then Vigil will be at 4pm.

            May God grant you a blessed conclusion to the Fast… next weekend we move into Palm Sunday and Holy Week and will accompany Christ through all those events which lead to His death and burial and to His glorious Resurrection! May God give you strength and resolve to make the most of these remaining days of Lent.

Fr Martin