On Saturday May 17 and Sunday May 18, 2014, the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman, His Grace Bishop Peter, Administrator of the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America, visited his parish in Ann Arbor, MI. On Saturday evening His Grace arrived at the St. Vladimir parish to the peal of the parish bells rung by the young ladies of the parish.  Bishop Peter presided at the Vigil that evening.  Also participating in the evening Divine Services were:  Archpriest Gregory Joyce (Rector of the parish), Archpriest Victor Trotskyy, Priest Joseph Towne (parish cleric), Protodeacon Vadim Gan, Deacon Ioann Feloniuk, Deacon Zacharias Martinchek (parish cleric) and Deacon Nicholas Olsen (parish cleric). The parish choir sang beautifully and prayerfully under the direction of Roman Vershynin. After the reading of the Sunday Resurrectional Gospel Bishop Peter addressed the faithful with a short but powerful sermon on the Gospel reading. Following the Vigil a reception was held in Bishop Peter’s honor at the home of long-time parishioners Konstantin and Albina Poplavsky. 

 

On Sunday morning Bishop Peter again arrived at the parish church to the sound of the parish bells rung by several of the parish’s young ladies.  His Grace was met by children of the parish Church School and the parish Starosta, Nathaniel Longan, with the traditional bread and salt.  After having vested in the midst of the temple, during the Hours Bishop Peter tonsured parishioners Vladimir Pirozhenko and Peter Longan as Readers and elevated parish Readers Methodius Chwastek and Dmitry Kashchenko to the rank of Subdeacon. Following the reading of the Gospel at the Divine Liturgy His Grace addressed the gathered faithful with an instructive sermon on the Sunday of the Samaritan woman and the need to challenge oneself to see the world not thorough carnal eyes, but through spiritual eyes – to always value one’s salvation above all else. Participating in the Divine Liturgy in addition to His Grace were: Archpriest Gregory Joyce, Priest Michael Bondar, Priest Joseph Towne, Protodeacon Vadim Gan, Deacons Ioann Feloniuk, Zacharias Martinchek, and Nicholas Olsen. The parish choir again sang wonderfully under the direction of Roman Vershynin.  Several hymns were alternatively sung by the parish’s youth choir. Following the Divine Liturgy at which a multitude of the faithful partook of Holy Communion from two chalices, the parish’s St. Xenia Sisterhood provided a robust meal in support of the parish’s building fund for all in attendance. After having participated in the luncheon and thanked those who made his visit possible, His Grace and those accompanying him departed the parish to the sounds of the parish’s bells. The faithful lingered long after the departure of their Archpastor, reflecting on the weekend’s activities and Divine Services, and preparing the parish church for the next round of Divine Services.