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Wisdom

Pentecost
Excerpt from St. Gregory the Theologian on Pentecost

We celebrate Pentecost and the dwelling with us of the Spirit and the appointed time of promise and the fulfillment of hope. The mystery is as great as it is venerable. What concerns Christ’s embodiment is ended, or rather what concerns his bodily dwelling with us.… What concerns the Spirit is beginning. And what concerned Christ? A virgin, birth, a manger, wrapping in swaddling clothes, angels glorifying him, shepherds running to him, a star in motion, magi worshiping him and bearing gifts, Herod’s murder of children, Jesus fleeing into Egypt, circumcised, baptized, receiving testimony from above, tempted, stoned for our sake—by which he had to be given as a model of suffering on behalf of the word — betrayed, nailed to the cross, buried, risen, ascended…

…This Spirit, who is most wise and most loving toward humankind, if he takes a shepherd makes him a harper subduing evil spirits by song and proclaims him king of Israel. If he takes a goatherd scraping mulberry trees, he makes him a prophet. Consider David and Amos. If he takes a youth with natural talents, he makes him a judge of elders, even beyond his years. Daniel testifies to this, who was victorious over lions in their den. If he finds fishermen, he catches them in a net for Christ, they who catch the whole world with the line of the Word. Take for me Peter and Andrew and the sons of thunder, thundering the things of the Spirit. If he finds tax collectors, he gains them as disciples and makes them merchants of souls. Matthew says this, who yesterday was a tax collector and today is an evangelist. If he finds fervent persecutors, he relocates their zeal and makes Pauls instead of Sauls and binds them to piety as much as they had been bound to evil.

Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev quoting St. Gregory the Theologion, The Worship and Liturgical Life of the Orthodox Church, pp. 362-363.

Upcoming Events
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Weekday Services - June 24th and 25th

This week we have a service on Tuesday, but instead of Vespers, we will have baptisms! Please join us as four of our catechumens will be received.  The service is at 6:00 p.m. followed by fellowship.

Wednesday morning there will be a Divine Liturgy at 9:00 a.m. (Hours at 8:40 a.m.)


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Strategic Planning Survey - Open Through July 13th

Susan Skomorucha announced during our Special Parish Meeting that we have launched a strategic planning survey called the Effective Parish Assessment (EPA). We ask that parishioners and catechumens take 30 minutes of their time to complete the survey.  Your responses will be used to determine where our parish is today and where we want to be in the future. All responses are anonymous. 

To access the survey, do the following:

  1. Use the QR code to the left of this news item, or use this link: https://effectiveparish.org/survey
  2. On the Effective Parish Assessment page, click on the button labeled Take Effective Parish Assessment Now.
  3. Once in the assessment, click the green OK button.
  4. Answer the question about our parish by selecting WILMINGTON, DE - Saint Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church from the dropdown list. Be careful. There are currently two parishes in the list named Saint Michael the Archangel.
  5. Answer the question about our jurisdiction by selecting Orthodox Church in America from the dropdown list.
  6. Answer the remaining questions in the assessment.  Answer all of the questions in one sitting.  If you must step away from completing the assessment, then leave your browser open to the assessment.  Don't linger over your answers; go with your first impressions.  If a question does not apply to our parish, answer it with Neither agree nor disagree, or I don't know.  Finally, if you don't know something, then I don't know is the correct answer!

For additional information about this assessment or for assistance with completing it, please see Susan Skomorucha.


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Play Dates - Next One Is July 11th

Moms, bring your children to weekday liturgy and hang around afterwards for fellowship and let the kids play. Also, keep an eye out for park play dates - next one is Friday, July 11th!

Here is the current schedule of play dates for the summer:

  • July 11 at Lums Pond Playground (Bear, DE)
  • July 25 at Nichols Park (Landenberg, PA)
  • August 8 TBD (possibly at Tice house for a pool party)

The play dates will start at 9:00 a.m. and end at 1:00 p.m. 

Please bring water, snacks, and/or lunch. Contact Christina Tice with any questions. She is also interested in having some help with hosting & planning.


Other Announcements
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Reminder: Opt-in Email

Father Silouan uses an opt-in email service to send out his communications (such as the Weekend Update) to the parish.  This is a different service than the parish Listserv.

To sign up, click on “The Latest” in the menu above.  Then click on "Email Signup" which is the first item in the drop-down menu.


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Reminder: Online Tithes & Offerings

Don’t forget you can give tithes and offerings online, including designated funds. There are two ways to do this.  First, you can use the green "Give" button on Father Silouan's "Weekend Update" emails.  Second, you can use the menu on this page.  Click on "The Latest," then click on "Church Connect."  Finally click on the blue "Give Online" button.


Reader Schedule

 

Date Matins Epistle
Jun 29 Skomorucha Bergwall
Jul 6 Plumley Peck
Jul 13 Skomorucha Burns

 

Service Schedule

 

Date Coffee Hour Service Duty Church Cleaners
Jun 22 Diehl / Kendall / Koehler / Santana / Sharma Telep / Baldychev Baldychev / Shatley‑Sylvest
Jun 29 Baldychev / Prior / Morales / Jaimes Bunitsky / Morjana Lenon / Immediato / Jaimes
Jul 6 Shatley / Bunitsky / Davis / Altschul / Roundtree / Ricks Riley / Riley Bunitsky / Davis / Koehler
Jul 13 Stultz / Jankovic / Placintar / Bachinksy / Giesing Stultz / Najemy Dempsey / Plummer / Santana

 

Adult Altar Servers

 

Date Servers
Jun 29 Davis / Jaimes
Jul 6 Bergwall / Dorsey
Jul 13 Bergwall / Davis
Jul 20 Dorsey / Jaimes
Jul 27 Burns / Davis

 

News from the Orthodox Church in America

Tuesday, 24 Jun 2025

Rehearsal and Music Update for the 21st All-American Council
6 hours ago


Monday, 23 Jun 2025

Holy Synod confirms appointment of Priest David Bozeman as Secretary of the O...
39 hours ago


Saturday, 21 Jun 2025

His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon Presides at the Glorification of the Righte...
72 hours ago


Tuesday, 17 Jun 2025

Livestream Services for the Glorification of the Righteous Olga of Kwethluk
184 hours ago


Monday, 16 Jun 2025

Washington state targets priests, confidentiality of confession with discrimi...
195 hours ago


Sunday, 15 Jun 2025

Summary Report Released in Response to Metropolitan Tikhon’s Call for Reflection
230 hours ago


Friday, 13 Jun 2025

Delegate Handbook and Reports of the Officers Now Available for the 21st All-...
267 hours ago


Thursday, 12 Jun 2025

Liturgical Service Texts and Life of the Righteous Olga of Kwethluk Now Avail...
293 hours ago

Archpriest Alexander Garklavs to present at OCA Office of Pastoral Life’s Jun...
294 hours ago


Wednesday, 11 Jun 2025

His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon Celebrates Pentecost Services
326 hours ago


A Look Ahead
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This Week's Schedule

Tuesday, June 24th

Baptisms & Fellowship

at 6:00 p.m.

 

Wednesday, June 25th

Hours

at 8:40 a.m.

Weekday Divine Liturgy

at 9:00 a.m.

 

Saturday, June 28th

Great Vespers

at 5:00 p.m.

followed by

Confessions

 

Sunday, June 29th

Ss. Peter & Paul

Matins

at 8:00 a.m.

Divine Liturgy

at 9:00 a.m.

(livestreamed)

followed by

Fellowship

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Important Dates

Monday, June 16th through

Saturday, June 28th

The Apostle's Fast

 

Sunday, July 20th

Holy Prophet Elijah

(Blessing of Vehicles)

 

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The Mission of The Orthodox Church in America, the local autocephalous Orthodox Christian Church, is to be faithful in fulfilling the commandment of Christ to “Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”

Learn More >

St. Michael's is part of the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania, which is presided over by The Most Reverend Mark (Maymon), Archbishop of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania. Our mission is bringing the joy of Christ's resurrection to those who have never heard the Good News, and to strengthen and encourage the faithful who reside within Wilmington and the local area. 

More Information >

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The Holy Scripture is a collection of books written over multiple centuries by those inspired by God to do so. It is the primary witness to the Orthodox Christian faith, within Holy Tradition and often described as its highest point. It was written by the prophets and apostles in human language, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and collected, edited, and canonized by the Church.

Daily Readings >

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Holiness or sainthood is a gift (charisma) given by God to man, through the Holy Spirit. Man's effort to become a participant in the life of divine holiness is indispensable, but sanctification itself is the work of the Holy Trinity, especially through the sanctifying power of Jesus Christ, who was incarnate, suffered crucifixion, and rose from the dead, in order to lead us to the life of holiness, through the communion with the Holy Spirit.

Today's Saints >

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St. Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church
Wilmington, Delaware
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