We will celebrate the great feast of the Transfiguration with vespers on Thursday, Aug 5, at 6 pm, and a festal Divine Liturgy on Friday, Aug 6, at 9:30 am. Bring fruits to church to be blesssed! Also, enjoy a lessening of the Dormition fast and feast on some fish.
Choir Rehearsal (And Dinner!)
Starting August 12, the choir will meet on the second Thursday of each month for rehearsal, 6-7.30p. Gather at 5.30p for dinner! RSVP to Fr Andrew if you are coming, and mention whether you’re willing to help with food on occasion. Drinks will be provided! August and September will be devoted to music for the Pontifical Liturgy and the Feasts.
All Parish Meeting
Coming September 19! We’ll formally decide how to use the parish house, and provide updates on church finances and ministries. Please read this PDF for the agenda and information, and send any questions or feedback to the parish council ASAP.
Dormition
The fast begins August 1, ending with the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos on August 15. Plan to come to confession, after vespers or by appointment. Email Fr Andrew to set up a time.
Children at Heart Blood Drive
St Basil’s is hosting a blood drive to benefit Children at Heart! Come August 18, from 11 am to 4 pm. Click here to sign up for a donation time. We will provide drinks and snacks, as well as our parish hall for donors to recuperate. Hope to see you there!
Matins for St Panteleimon
Ask the Clergy
On the last Sunday of every month, starting this Sunday, Jul 25, bring your burning questions to ask the clergy. Fr Andrew will be available to answer your questions monthly, and we’re kicking this first one off with a chance to get Dcn Maximus’ insights, too! Starts at 11:45 in the nave.
Theology on Tap: Jul 30
Join us for a drink and a lively conversation about Orthodox theology. Fr Andrew and Dcn Maximus will lead discussion: come with questions. Wrightsville Beach Brewery.
Women's Guild: Aug 1
Agenda for August 1, 2021
Opening Prayer
Minutes last meeting
Discussion of topics
Saint Emilia Women’s Guild
Define the woman’s group
Possible committees, group leaders volunteered to organize committees
Define vision and mission
Pass out church year calendar with possible activities
Social Activities
New topics
Closing Prayer
Dn. Maximus Gibson and family
We will welcome seminarian Deacon Maximus Gibson and his family July 20-August 2. They will stay at the parish house as he completes a summer internship with us.
Dn. Maximus Gibson and his family are from Denton, TX, where their home parish, St. Maximus the Confessor Orthodox Church, is located. Dn. Maximus just completed his second year of seminary at St. Tikhon's and will be returning for his third and final year in the Fall. Prior to seminary, he was an employee of the Federal government for 14 years, and earned a degree in English with a minor in Philosophy from the University of North Texas. He is joined by his wife Matushka Michelle and daughter Madeline.
Men's Group Tomorrow
Calling all men: we’re painting the sheds tomorrow at 9am — bring a brush! — and eating a hearty breakfast at 10am. Hope to see you there!
Summer Mortgage Reduction Drive
First: Thank you to everyone who gives and has given so generously to St Basil—members and friends, recent and long-time, near and far. We have never been more financially stable than today. Most of us have given out of our abundance; quite a few have given out of your penury (Luke 21). Keep it up!
Second: I am often asked when we will build the Church building. Realistically, the answer is: when we have paid off our debts and raised a significant portion of the building costs! This is a long row to hoe, but with consistent, sacrificial giving it is possible, just as generations of our forefathers have done.
Finally: In consultation with the Parish Council, I decided a comprehensive update on our current mortgage debt is in order. This will be coming in the next week or two, but here is a brief overview:
We have made significant strides in the last two years, paying back over $40,000 owed to parishioners for our current buildings.
Our current mortgage debt is $508,366.16. This is owed to two organizations: (1) $284,031.94 to the Diocese of the South (DOS), and (2) $224,334.22 to the Russian Brotherhood Organization (RBO). Our monthly mortgage payment of $2,525 services principal and interest of the RBO portion only (the original loan was $300,000 (3/18/2016), with a 6% interest rate, repaid over 15 years). NB: This means that, by paying only our monthly mortgage, we would not repay all of our debt until after 2040.
Through September, the basket collection at the end of liturgy will go to mortgage debt repayment. To maintain a proper spiritual attitude toward our money, 10% (a tithe) of this will go to a mission church in Korea that needs building repairs; the rest will go directly to pay down our own principal.
Even more helpful would be pledges of consistent contributions to repay our mortgage debt. Look for more information soon, and begin prayerfully considering whether you may pledge a monthly contribution. Mortgage repayment is not as glamorous as giving to a “new building fund”, but (for once the banks and our moral teaching agree:) it must come first.
Thank you for your continued generosity. May God bless it and continue to give the increase!
Women's Group
Campout for Leavetaking of Pentecost
Join us for a campout on the Church grounds June 25-26. We will serve all of the day's services at their appointed times (see below); between services we will enjoy fellowship around a campfire (guitars and other instruments welcome!), supper over the fire (meats provided), stargazing (bring telescopes!), and hopefully some sleep. Bring a tent and sleeping bag to stay the whole time, or come for what you can! Begins Friday, June 25 with Vespers at 6 PM and ends Saturday with Divine Liturgy at 8 AM. See the full schedule below. Please RSVP if you plan to join us for dinner at Vespers Friday so that we can prepare enough food.
6 PM Vespers
Dinner following Vespers
8:30 PM Compline
1 AM Midnight Office
6 AM Matins, followed by the Hours
8 AM Divine Liturgy
Pentecost / Father's Day Brunch
After kneeling vespers Sunday, please share your favorite brunch food to show our dads how much we appreciate them. Please do not bring desserts! We have plenty of desserts, but are seeking dishes for breakfast and lunch. Thank you!
Pentecost Kneeling Vespers
We will celebrate Pentecost on June 20. Kneeling vespers will happen right after liturgy, followed by coffee hour.
Coffee Hour Update
Coffee hour is returning to our original style: potluck! We hope you’ll join us. Thank you!
Ascension: June 10
Ascension Liturgy: June 10 at 9:30 AM.
Women's Group
St Emilia Women’s Group
Next meeting: Saturday, June 5 @ 3 PM
COVID Restrictions
Following the most recent update from our Archbishop (see here: link), Fr Andrew has decided, with the Parish Council, to end all mandatory COVID precautions at St Basil beginning June 6. This is slightly earlier than previously planned.
This means, beginning on June 6: we will no longer sanitize the communion spoon; no one is required to wear a mask or socially distance; coffee fellowship may resume indoors. Everyone is of course welcome to continue wearing masks, distancing, and fellowshipping outside if they choose to do so. Please continue to refrain from asking others their vaccination status. We will continue streaming Sunday Liturgy through June 13 as planned. The doors between nave and parish hall will continue to stay open.
Note well: If you are experiencing COVID symptoms, please stay home! We would hate to move backward with an outbreak, even a minor one!