Our newest mission in the Michigan Deanery is the St. Ambrose Community, centered in Mackinaw City. The feast day of the mission falls on December 7/20 annually, in that it is named after St. Ambrose of Milan. Being so far north in the Lower Peninsula the potential for severe winter weather is great on December 20, but the Lord sent warm weather (for December) and sunshine for this first ever Second Pascha of the community.

Vigil was led on the evening of December 19 (for the first time in the mission’s history – until now the community regularly served Vespers only on the evenings before Divine Liturgy). The following clergymen took part:

Archpriest Gregory Joyce, Dean of Michigan Parishes

Priest Micah Chisholm, Rector of the St. Sebastian Parish in Traverse City

Priest Jesse Rimshas, Rector of the St. Jacob Mission in Ishpeming/Marquette

Priest Dmitri Mihaliov, Clergyman of the St. Vladimir Church in Ann Arbor and Serving Priest of the St. Ambrose Mission

Deacon Dmitriy Kashchenko, Clergyman of St. Vladimir Church in Ann Arbor

The Vigil was well attended, as was the Liturgy on the day of the feast. Approximately 40 of the faithful gathered for the Liturgy, with most partaking of the Holy Mysteries. Following the Liturgy the mission’s sisterhood provided a luncheon for those gathered with the main dish of Whitefish – a Lenten delicacy of the norther Great Lakes. We ask your prayers for the success of the St. Ambrose Mission. You can find their web site here: https://stambroseorthodox.org/

Pictures of the Feast Day can be found here: https://stvladimirchurch.smugmug.com/Michigan-Deanery/St-Amrose-First-Second-Pascha-2023/