For those facing the reality of an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy the decision to choose life is often a difficult one. Sadly, the perceived lack of support, love and acceptance from family, neighbors and the Church can lead an individual to think that terminating the pregnancy is the only option. Thanks be to God, the work of ZOE for Life is making an impact and giving expectant mother’s a true choice by offering non-judgmental love and support in tangible and spiritual ways.

The incredible ministry of ZOE for Life began in 1998 as a dream shared on a porch by faithful Orthodox Christians in Ohio who desired to serve Christ and their community by providing hope and support to expectant mothers who were facing difficult decisions about navigating their pregnancies and the reality of raising a child. In 2018 a chapter of ZOE for Life began to minister in the greater Ann Arbor, MI area as a joint ministry between St. Vladimir Russian Orthodox Church and St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church. Christian love and material support began to be shared with many in the community.

Archbishop Peter has blessed and challenged us so that in 2023 the clergy and faithful of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia work together to found a Zoe for Life chapter in each of our Michigan parishes - that this ministry grow and reach every part of our beautiful state. Now that we have made it through the pandemic, and following the implementation of Proposition 3 in our state, there is much work to be done! Each parish is encouraged to begin to learn about and implement the vision of this ministry. This ministry does not have to begin on a grand scale - it can begin as an intentional effort to raise awareness about the needs of expectant mothers in crisis. It can then grow to a consistent practice of prayer for those in need and those ministering to them. Finally, it can blossom into tangible ways of serving and loving expectant mothers who are contemplating how to respond to their pregnancy. It can be collecting and distributing diapers. It can be providing a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on. It can be be a home cooked meal and a reassuring smile. We are called to love and serve the world around us, especially those in need and those who are vulnerable. With God’s help we can and we must, as Orthodox Christians, commit to promoting LIFE at all stages.

A Zoe for Life chapter in every Michigan parish is our goal, and this ministry works best when the clergy and laity together make this a priority for their parish. If you have questions or are interested in how you and your parish can be a partner in this vital, life changing ministry please contact Stephanie Chisholm at stephanielchisholm@gmail.com or Archpriest Gregory Joyce, Dean of the Michigan Parishes.

The funeral arrangements for Priest Daniel Shirak are the following:

Thursday, February 23, 2023 at Dormition Cathedral in Ferndale, MI: Liturgy 10:00 a.m., Funeral 6:00 p.m.

Friday, February 24, 2023: Burial 11:00 a.m. at United Memorial Gardens, Plymouth, MI

God willing, Archbishop Peter will preside at the funeral.

Please remember Priest Daniel in your prayers during these 40 days. His 40th day is March 30, 2023.

We regret to inform the faithful of the Michigan Deanery that Priest Daniel Shirak, staff clergyman of the Dormition Cathedral in Ferndale, MI has reposed in the Lord. We ask the prayers of all for the repose of his soul. Funeral arrangements will be forthcoming and announced here.

With Archbishop Peter’s blessing our Ann Arbor St. Vladimir parish is sponsoring a one-day marriage retreat on Saturday, February 12/25, 2023 with the topic: “Effectively Communicating with and Praying for your Spouse”.

All couples, including those considering marriage, are urged to participate!
This is about care and maintenance of the Church’s core social foundational entity. If our marriages are strong our families will be strong! And if our families are strong our parish will be strong! And if our parishes are strong the Church will be strong! Do your part to make the Church strong by registering today for our parish marriage retreat:

REGISTER - MARRIAGE RETREAT 2023
The retreat will be led by our own Addie Lanterman, along with her professional colleague Amanda Vergin. DO NOT MISS!

Our Michigan Deanery Youth Choir sang the Divine Liturgy at Dormition Cathedral in Ferndale on Sunday, January 22, 2023. Thank you to all who made the Youth Choir’s visit to Ferndale possible, and to Fr. Victor and the cathedral faithful for a warm welcome!

On January 1/14, in Alanson, MI the first ever Divine Liturgy was served. Priest Micah Chisholm and Deacon Michael Rosmeissl served the Liturgy in the former United Methodist Church building. Stephanie Chisholm sang the service and forty one individuals attended. Fifteen people partook of Holy Communion. At the conclusion of the service the Vasilopita (St. Basil's Bread) was blessed and cut in honor of St. Basil. whose feast day it was. Nearly half of the people present were inquirers seeking Christ and it is evident that the region is ripe for the harvest. Following the Divine Liturgy a wonderful meal was shared and nearly everyone stayed and shared in fellowship. Father Micah intends to serve Divine Liturgy once a month and to begin an inquirer class in February. God willing Divine services will be established on an ongoing basis. We ask your prayers for the newly established missionary endeavor. Father Micah serves St. Sebastian Orthodox Church as its Rector and this new missionary endeavor is an offshoot of that parish. The Next Divine Liturgy is already scheduled for February 11.

On Saturday/Sunday, January 14/15, 2023 about 20 young adults (18-25 or so) gathered at our St. Vladimir Church in Ann Arbor. Fr. Andrei Sommer, Vice Chair of ROCOR’s Youth Committee, joined us from the Synodal Cathedral in New York City and led the activities for the weekend. Fr. Andrei arrived on Friday, January 13 in time to participate in the St. Vladimir Annual Nativity Charity Ball, as did many of the program participants. The ball was in support of the St. Vladimir parish’s parish school, the Ann Arbor Orthodox Classical Academy, which is presently under construction and slated to begin instruction in the school in September or 2023. The school is already teaching students in the church proper, but the new facility will be a huge boon to this crucial educational endeavor, aimed at preparing the next generation of leaders for our Orthodox Michigan.

Saturday began with Divine Liturgy for the feast of St. Basil the Great, served by Priest Colin Bower and Deacon Dmitri Mihailov. After a light brunch the work began! The gathered young people prepared and recorded podcasts in support of the greater PVYA podcasting project, which began at the PVYA conference in Utah in June, 2022. Not just a few of Saturday’s participants had also been in Utah, and those young people took the lead in the day’s work. Nine new podcasts were prepared and will be released over the next few months. All are encouraged to subscribe to the podcasts:

APPLE
SOUND CLOUD
SPOTIFY
Following the podcasting work the young people participated in the Saturday evening Vigil, which was followed by a somewhat massive bonfire and a pizza dinner. In the midst of all the work and social interaction something else important happened too: a Prince Vladimir Youth Association of Michigan was founded. Much more information in this regard will be forthcoming, but this group focuses on the 18-25 year old demographic, which has been traditionally under-served by the Church in North America. We hope to make a difference in the faith of this important age group, and we ask your prayers in this regard.


On Sunday all gathered again in the church to participate in the Divine Liturgy. Following the Liturgy the parish sisterhood offered a rather bountiful meal to all the parishioners, as well as the PVYA participants. A bit of work polishing Saturday’s podcasting efforts was undertaken, and then all returned to their homes in Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Fr. Andrei was presented with the gift of an icon of St. Mardarije of Libertyville, who reposed at the beginning of the 20th Century in Ann Arbor, and who is the patron saint of the Ann Arbor Orthodox Classical Academy. In return, Fr. Andrei gave a copy of his recently published book to the parish library, and also to Fr. Gregory Joyce, Rector of the parish.


Thank God for His mercy in allowing the young people to gather. This first effort of the PVYAMI was successful, but much work is still to be done. May the Lord also bless the forthcoming efforts!

With a generous donation from a friend of the mission in Chicago, Fr. Jesse purchased the raw materials from local hardware stores and staring working on the iconostasis in October. Parishioners lent power tools, Fr. Jesse's 15-year-old son Anthony made blueprints using CAD software, and Reader George helped with installation. The iconostasis is stable, portable, and was affordable (total cost about $500). The mission hopes to add Royal Doors an Deacon's Doors sometime this Lent.

The day after Christmas, St. Jacob's was blessed to celebrate its fourth and fifth baptisms since August and welcomed the newly-illumined Xenia and her daughter Kyriake to Christ's flock.


St. Jacob's is a small Orthodox mission community in an economically depressed area of rural Michigan, and outside donations from supporters in Lower Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin have proven vital to its growth.

If you can find it in your budget to make a donation to St. Jacob's--any amount helps!--please visit our donation page:

DONATE TO ST. JACOB'S

LEARN MORE ABOUT ST. JACOB'S

On Sunday, 2/15 January, 2023 the faithful of the Lansing area gathered at the St. Seraphim Mission to celebrate the lesser feast day of the temple, the main feast being July 19/August 1. Priest Colin Bower led the Divine Services on this day, assisted by Deacon Vladimir Pyrozhenko. Congratulations to all the laborers of Christ's Vineyard laboring in the Lansing Mission! God willing, a priest can soon be found to lead the Mission and oversee the growth of the faith in the Capital Region of our Michigan!

Our parish in Lake Odessa, Michigan is dedicated to the Venerable Herman of Alaska. On the winter feast day of St. Herman it has become a tradition for those who are free on this day from throughout Michigan to gather in Lake Odessa to mark the feast of this favorite of God. Archpriest Michael Carney is the Rector of the parish and Deacon Elias Reeves assists Fr. Michael in service to the community. The two of them served Vigil for the feast on the eve, and they were joined by the Dean of our Michigan parishes, Archpriest Gregory Joyce, for Divine Liturgy on December 12/25. The choir sang beautifully for the feast under the direction of Daria Carney. Following the Divine Liturgy, at which almost all present partook of Holy Communion, the parish sisterhood offered a lenten meal for all in attendance. We congratulate everyone in the Lake Odessa parish with the feast!

PICTURES OF THE FEAST