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Parish News
/ The Latest / Parish News
Wisdom

Quotes from St. Maximus the Confessor

What pleases God is love, temperance, contemplation, and prayer. What pleases the flesh is gluttony, intemperance, and what contributes to them. Therefore, “those who are in the flesh cannot please God. And those who are Christ’s have crucified their flesh with its passions and lusts.” (Galatians 5:24)

If you want to prevail over your thoughts, take care of your passions and you will easily drive them from your mind. Thus for fornication, fast, keep vigil, work hard, keep to yourself. For anger and hurt, disdain reputation and dishonor and material things. For grudges, pray for the one who has hurt you and you will be rid of them.

There are three reasons for the love of money: pleasure-seeking, vainglory, and lack of faith. And more serious than the other two is lack of faith. The hedonist loves money because with it he lives in luxury; the vain person because with it he can be praised; the person who lacks faith because he can hide it and keep it while in fear of hunger, or old age, or illness, or exile. He lays his hope on it rather than on God the maker and provider of the whole creation, even of the last and least of living things.

†St. Maximus Confessor, Maximus Confessor: Selected Writings, ed., The Four Hundred Chapters on Love, p. 62

Upcoming Events
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Weekday Services - July 8th and 9th

We have the baptism of infant Stephen Scott on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. followed by fellowship.  We Divine Liturgy on Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. (Hours at 8:40 a.m.)


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Parish Council - July 10th

Our monthly council meeting is this Thursday (July 10th) at 6:30 p.m.


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Strategic Planning Survey - Open Through July 13th

We are off to a good start on the surveys, but we also have many more to go. Catechumens do this too, please!

On June 22nd we 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.  
  7. All questions may not pertain directly to our St. Michael’s Church operations.  For example, there might be a question about the paid administrative support personnel which our St. Michael’s does not have.  In this case, please answer this question (and any similar non-applicable questions) with either “Neither Agree or Disagree” or “I Don’t Know”.  We will see these responses when the data is compiled and will recognize that this question is N/A.
  8. Some questions pertain to the Church Leadership.  This question pertains to any of our internal church leaders such as those who head up our Sunday School, Men’s Group, Women’s group, and others in our parish who have stepped up to serve in some form of leadership in our church.  There will be separate questions that will be asked specifically about the Parish Council.
  9. The term “we” in the questions refers to the Parish Council.
  10. Question 119 uses a Greek Term, “Philoptochos Society”.  This term refers to our Women’s Group or what used to be known as the Altar Society.

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: Growth Fund

Through the end of this year, every dollar donated to the Growth Fund will be matched dollar for dollar up to $100k! We have the opportunity to have $200k (or more) towards expanding the Kingdom of our Lord here in our area, as we are called to do. Donate online and select the Growth Fund, or write a check with “Growth Fund” in the memo field.  


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Prosphora Bakers Needed!

We need more bread bakers to help with making the small prosphora commemoration breads that are used during Divine Liturgies. Please see Susan Skomorucha to sign-up as well as schedule a training session. Thank you!


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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
Jul 13 Skomorucha Burns
Jul 20 Altschul Wales

 

Service Schedule

 

Date Coffee Hour Service Duty Church Cleaners
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
Jul 20 Clause / Whalen / Beyene / Cuthbert Telep / Baldychev Long / Huff‑Cadreau

 

Adult Altar Servers

 

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

 

News from the Orthodox Church in America

Monday, 7 Jul 2025

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Saturday, 21 Jun 2025

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Tuesday, 17 Jun 2025

Livestream Services for the Glorification of the Righteous Olga of Kwethluk
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A Look Ahead
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This Week's Schedule

Tuesday, July 8th

Baptism & Fellowship

at 6:00 p.m.

 

Wednesday, July 9th

Hours

at 8:40 a.m.

Divine Liturgy

at 9:00 a.m.

 

Thursday, July 10th

Parish Council

at 6:30 p.m.

 

Friday, July 11th

Play Date at Lums Pond Playground

from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

 

Saturday, July 12th

Monthly Panikhida

at 4:15 p.m.

Great Vespers

at 5:00 p.m.

 

Sunday, July 13th

(Note changes!)

Hours

at 8:30 a.m.

Divine Liturgy

at 8:50 a.m.

(livestreamed)

followed by

Fellowship

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Important Dates

Sunday, July 20th

Holy Prophet Elijah

(Blessing of Vehicles)

 

Wednesday, August 6th

Great Feast: The Transfiguration of Our Lord

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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
Contact

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