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News and Events
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New Church Items Blessing (December 20, 2008)
Memorial Divine Liturgy (May 15, 2008)
The Christening of Zoe. 12/31/07
The Feast of Theophany - Jan., 2008
Sarasota Memorial Hospital Visiting Russia
Last updated on
June 9, 2009
Baptism and Chrismation of Christopher Safron (May 17, 2009)
This month we celebrated Christopher's entrance into the Holy Orthodox Church. May God bless Christopher and his sponsors!
St. Mark Church joined "RELAY FOR LIFE" (May 2 & 3, 2009)
On Saturday and Sunday, May 2-3, 2009 St. Mark Orthodox Church joined the “Relay for Life” organized by the American Cancer Society event in support of the battle against a disease that takes so many lives.
With prayer, members of St. Mark Church Relay Team, including cancer survivors and caregivers, started the 18-hour all night vigil, celebrating the lives of those who battled with cancer and remembering those who passed on, perhaps lost the battle, but in our Orthodox belief in the Resurrection, winning the war.
By being a part of the event, we joined hundreds of other people of all ages in our community to help raise awareness and defeat cancer by raising funds for ACS' lifesaving mission. During the event we were able to raise about $650 for ACS.
The most emotionally vivid event was the "Luminaria Ceremony" in honor of survivors and in memory of those who died. In the silence and darkness of the night, with a mixture of joy, sadness, and hopefulness in our hearts we joined the procession around the hundreds and hundreds of candles lit... standing like rows of angels in their white paper bags, reading each name, both those we knew, and those strangers who became more familiar with every lap.
For those of us who just recently walked in our nocturnal Paschal Procession, repeating the ritual year after year, for burial and for Resurrection, candles lit, silent and contemplative or singing with joy, there was a similar feeling, increased only by the image of the icon of St. Nektarios behind our own flickering beeswax tapers. He was looking over and reflecting back on each and every passerby. THAT was AWESOME! He was there with us, blessing those who knew and for those who didn't; there was opportunity later to share the wonderful cards Fr. John had prepared for those who inquired.
There were also those moments of music and noise of fun as well, less serious and one can definitely add comical in nature, that included walking contests like the bubble blowing event (good thing little Dimitry came prepared with a jar of bubbles!), the dude dressed like a lady (we think they should be paired off with the lady dressed as a dude!), walking in sunglasses, crazy hats, PJs, crazy hair, flags of the country represented, and more entertaining ideas! Of course there was food and fun for kids from the youngest to the oldest. As we walked, we kept stringing a bead for every lap...Our "kids" who counted, ended up with a stringed proof of participation. AHHH, it's the AFTERMATH of finding our feet, our backs, our time-of-day that added to the memories!
From our "team captain" (who heard a parkfull of " Happy Birthday Father Joooohhn..." ) & Christopher, Maria & Dan, Diane, Vera & Vlad, Cleo, Marilyn & Stavros, Jerome, Sunnie & Donnie, Angelique & Chloe, Dan & Dimitry to an unexpected visitor from the past--Dale, + Nadya, there was some good spirit at Bray Park to cherish by our TEAM. Thank you to all who contributed to this event on the field or in your support and donations.
This event was of a great emotional and spiritual value for everyone who participated in it. We hope we will join the ACS annual “Relay for Life” next year.
Have YOU been tagged by cancer? Would you like us to remember those you know and love who have been?
Will you please join us?!
By Nadya Golubov
May God grant rest to the soul of His newly departed servant PETER AZZO
and may hismemory be eternal!
Please keep in your prayers
Jeff "Uncle Nicholas" Maier
who will be leaving for High Point, NC June 1st, where he will be taking a position as a pharmacist.
You will be sorely missed!!1
Sponsorship opportunities
If anyone would like to "sponsor" one of the items below it would be greatly appreciated.
Click here to view the list of the required construction works and church items you may want to sponsor!
NEW St. Mark Church TRAVEL SITE (www.stmarktravel.com)
- Are you planning a trip?
- Like to cruise?
- Need a rental car?
- Want to send flowers?
We can set it all up for you and St. Mark receives an additional benefit. a % return to help our building program! Check out the WWW.STMARKTRAVEL.COM site.
Book domestic and international flights, group travel, hotels, cars, tee times for golf right in the comfort of your own home - using you very own computer. Ask Jeff Nicholas Maier or Diane Mitrovich for more information.
Prayers for those who are ill or have special needs
| Alexis, Vanessa, & child to be born Angeliki & Haralampos Angelina Borzkowski Ann & Dean Christopoulos Ann Guzy Anthony Pluta Archbishop DMITRI Archpriest Alexander G. & Family Archpriest David Milligan Archpriest Kallinikos Archpriest Stephen & Mat. Lois Archpriest Mikhail & Family Archpriest Sergei Garklavs Archpriest Stephen & Mat. Lois Plumlee Archpriest Vladimir Christo Wright Dmitry, Inna & child to be born Douglas, Ronald Jacob Dankerl & Family |
Jacob Dankerl & Family Joseph G. Matushka Mary Dirga Matushka Tatiana & child to be born Newborns Sophia & Tatiana Nicholas Maier Nikolai Tschursin Nina Berner Peter Azzo & family Richard Eaton Sister Elena & Sister Natalia Sotirii & Vaso Pilar & Dr. Ken Alonso Tatiana & Sergei Moissev Timothy Herman Larsen Vera Bourenina & family |
The Children of St. Innocent Orphanage The Children of St .Catherine Orphanage Igumena Antonia and the Nuns at the Princess Monastery Igumena Efrosine and the Nuns of the St. Elizabeth Convent in Minsk Our Construction Crew: Larry, Brian, Andy, John, Richard, Daniel, David, Douglas, Ronald |
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