June Calendar and Ministries, 7534/2026.
Welcome to St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco Russian Orthodox Mission Church, Winfield, PA.
570-863-9039. stjohnthewonderworker.com. Priest Paul Siewers, Rector. priestpauls@pm.me
June on our Church calendar includes our Parish Feast Day on Saturday morning July 4 (please plan on coming to the Liturgy for St. John followed by our Parish Picnic). We are blessed this July 4 to commemorate our patron St. John, a saint of both Russia and America whose missionary work helped lay the groundwork for many of us coming into Orthodoxy, and also the 250th anniversary of our country. May St. John intercede for us, and may God bless America! In addition, this month appropriately features the Apostles Fast, a time for renewed commitment to Confession, prayer, fasting, alms-giving, and service, as part of our spiritual armament for mission work to America. Included below for your attention also are prayer lists for our prison and university ministries.
Please note: Our monthly newsletter appears on or before the first day of the month on the original Christian Church calendar which we follow (add 13 days to the modern civil calendar), in this year of Creation 7534 in Orthodox Christian reckoning.
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“Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free,” said our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, who also noted “I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” That’s our standard for this month. We’ll be celebrating freedom in the deepest sense–freedom from sin and worldliness given us by Jesus Christ in His One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, the Orthodox Church. Glory to God! And may He bless our country! See more details on the month ahead below. Please be sure to mark your calendar for our Feast Day on Saturday July 4, when Divine Liturgy will be followed by our parish picnic. As our Church bell reads, quoting Deuteronomy, and the Liberty Bell made famous in the American founding: “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto the inhabitants thereof.” That’s our mission.
CALENDAR ITEMS FOR JUNE (Dates given are first on the Church calendar, then on the civil calendar)
The Apostles Fast
Runs through the Sunday of the Apostles Peter and Paul, June 29/July 12. Please check out the fasting requirements on our parish calendar, or at stjonah.org or eadiocese.org. Generally, weekends are fish days, and Tuesdays and Thursdays are wine and olive oil days. Default fasting is “vegan plus shellfish.” As with any major fast, this is a time especially to come to Confession, to double down on our prayer life and Orthodox study, and also to engage in alms-giving, including extra support for our mission work at Church, and potentially support for our Prison and Sick Visitation ministries (see below). Reducing “screen time” and generally cutting down on consumer comfort and worldliness are also part of this major fast of the Church year.
Regular Services and Programs
Vigil 4:30 p.m. Saturdays, Divine Liturgy 10 a.m. Sundays (Prayers of the Third and Sixth Hours at 9:40 a.m.), Akathist 7 p.m. Wednesdays.
–Orthodoxy Online class. We currently continue to review Catechism materials that are of help both to “old and new” Orthodox Christians.
–Orthodox Christian Community Bible Study. 2:30 p.m. Sundays, Bucknell Barnes & Noble Bookstore Cafe. We continue to discuss the Wisdom of Sirach with guidance from the Church Fathers.
All are welcome at all of the above; no homework or prior knowledge or attendance is needed for the discussions, and reading materials are supplied.
Feast Day Events
–Feast of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco; Friday July 3 Vigil, 4:30 p.m. Saturday July 4, Divine Liturgy 10 a.m. (Hours 9:40), followed by parish picnic.
–Fourth of July Related Mission Events
Saturday morning June 27: Union County Veterans Memorial Parade (Lewisburg Fourth of July Parade), Market Street, downtown Lewisburg. Those in Church “float” should gather at 9 a.m. along North Seventh Street. Parade from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Friday July 3. Pineknotter Days Craft Fair, Northumberland, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., downtown historic Northumberland.
Other Parish Calendar Highlights for June
June 1/14, Sunday of All Saints of Russia.
June 8/21, Sunday of All Saints of America.
June 21/July 4, Parish Feast Day and Parish Picnic.
MINISTRIES AND SUMMER PROJECTS
Susquehanna Valley Orthodox Christian Film Series
Please join us monthly from July through November for free showings plus discussions of old and new “classics” of films about Orthodox Christianity. Films will be shown outside on the grounds of St. John’s in Winfield (where you can enjoy he experience of “drive-in” Orthodox movies!), on the Bucknell University campus, and at the Campus Theatre in downtown Lewisburg. Details below. Each film will be followed by a discussion of Orthodox Christian themes in the movies, facilitated by Priest Paul Siewers, a longtime professor of English at Bucknell.
Tuesday, July 14. 9 p.m. On the grounds of St. John’s. American Orthodox.
Tuesday, August 25. 9 p.m. On the grounds of St. John’s. Ostrov.
Sunday Sept. 12, 1 p.m. Campus Theatre, downtown Lewisburg. Moses the Black
Tuesday, October 20, 7 p.m. Bucknell campus: Elaine Langone Student Center Forum. Andrei Rublev.
Tuesday, November 17, 7 p.m. Bucknell campus. Elaine Langone Student Center Forum. Man of God.
Prison Ministry
Weekly visits to Muncy SCI and by appointment with inmates. To help, please contact Fr. Paul and/or donate to the basket marked “Prison Ministry” at Church. Thank you!
The following inmates have asked that we include them in our prayer lists, please do!
Orthodox: Tanya, Constance,and Rachel (although the latter we’re still getting baptismal documentation for).
Non-Orthodox: Helina, J.J., Laurel, Michelle, LaShawn, Leslie, Angela, Yvonne, Jennifer Kristy, Sharon, Bobbie, Antonesa, Crystal and family, Lauren, Jennifer
Sick Visitation Ministry
Currently we’re visiting Mary (Sally) and Innocent. Thanks to Justin and Cuthbert for assisting with rides for Innocent to Church. Please include them in your prayers. If you’d like to volunteer to help with this parish ministry, please contact Fr. Paul. We also may occasionally have collections for special needs for those facing health challenges. May the Lord give us good strength!
Sisterhood of St. Olga of Alaska
The Sisterhood just met the last week of May on the Church calendar at Mary (Sally)’s house for lunch. Thanks to Mary for her hospitality! One project for the summer: Developing themed coffee hours, in addition to helping to coordinate the Parish Picnic. Considering ministry for children, including possibly a parish outing to Knoebels amusement park, will also be on the agenda.
Brotherhood of St. Alfred the Great of England
We will be planning brotherhood gatherings and projects to start after the conclusion of the Apostles Fast, including possible food sales, support for the film series, and a shooting outing. One project in the meantime also: Finishing the playground.
University Ministry
We plan to have a presence again this year at first-year orientation at Bucknell, where Fr. Paul is Orthodox Christian Chaplain. Also we welcome a new student at Susquehanna who plans to be attending our parish, and hopefully we can extend the ministry further there in future, including promotion of our film series and on-campus events. Please in your mercy include the students below on your prayer list, and consider helping as needed with rides for students. Contact Fr. Paul for more information.
Susquehanna University students: Elizabeth
Bucknell University students: Eleni, Maya, Daniel, Nikoloz, Georgia, Vera, Alexander, Isabella, Athena, Brandon
Father Paul will again be offering his full-credit Bible as Literature course at Bucknell this fall semester, as well as a seminar on Christian literature, The Hidden God of Nature.
Please pray for our catechumens: Corey, Ty, Wyatt, James, Aaron
Please pray for our Pastoral School students: Reader Luke, Reader Nicholas, Warden Nik.
Please pray for the upcoming wedding of Nik and Sofia, that it may be blessed.
REMINDERS ON PROPER PREPARATION FOR THE EUCHARIST, AND ATTIRE IN CHURCH
Dearest to Christ, a few reminders:
–Participation in the Eucharist should include
(a) Saying the Pre-Communion Prayers that can be found in the booklet linked here (available in e-book or paper-booklet form) https://a.co/d/0i3wadaH, starting with the Order for Preparation in the middle of the booklet (additional earlier Canon and Akathist prayers in the booklet are optional, though required for clergy and monastics, and always good if you can). The Order for Preparation section is also found in the Jordanville Prayer Book. Also the preparation prayers are linked on our website:
https://4c966451-a460-4c35-b2e2-1fda434811be.filesusr.com/ugd/729f7e_7171a90ddb0e499a8e141483b6c26a7d.pdf
(b) In addition, preparation requires fasting from all food and drink, from midnight before the morning of taking Communion (except for medical reasons, contact Fr. Paul), and from marital relations Saturday/the night before. Generally, preparation like fasting in general should include prayer, alms-giving, and, with God’s help, cultivation of a warm heart open to His love and love of others in Him.
(c) To that end, the mystery of Confession is part of needed preparation as well. At a minimum, by tradition Confession should be made during each of the four major fasting periods of the Church year (we are now in one, the Apostles Fast), but more often as needed and wanted, due to acts of sin or a passion-troubled heart, which could make receiving the Holy Gifts spiritually detrimental for you otherwise. If you have sins needing Confession, please be sure to contact Fr. Paul to schedule Confession before receiving, or attend Vigil the night before or Confession during that service (in addition, Confession can be done if you arrive early Sunday, but it is best to give Father a heads up in advance if possible). Otherwise, please plan to refrain from receiving if Confession is needed.
(d) Attending Vigil the night before also is part of preparation for Communion, at least in part (Vigil or Matins), or preferably as a whole. But if you cannot participate in worship at Church the night before, please also read the Reader Vespers service at home that night, https://www.saintjonah.org/services/vespers.htm, and come early before Liturgy to receive a blessing from Fr. Paul to take Communion.
Our participation in the Eucharist starts with our life and is not just a “Sunday morning” thing. The Russian tradition calls this govenie, and it is one of the distinctive aspects of Orthodoxy. Glory to God!
–If you plan to visit another Orthodox Church to receive for any reason, please contact Fr. Paul in advance for a blessing, so that you can inform the Priest at the Church where you are visiting that you have the blessing of your home priest and are properly prepared to receive. In addition, please email or call the priest where you are visiting a few days in advance to let him know of your visit.
–Proper attire for Church: Prayerful attention and a heart open to God’s love and the Holy Spirit is the best attire of all! Then, also, following our tradition, and to express humility in worship to one another: Long pants and long-sleeve shirts (or jackets) for men, and long skirts or dresses for women. Women should wear head coverings especially when taking Communion. Scarves are available on the bookcase at Church if needed. But always remember the need for humility and love for others, especially visitors, without sinful criticism or judgment of others. That said, please also remember to turn cell phones off in Church and refrain from texting or scrolling during services. In Church we are all living icons of Christ as worshipers and participants, and set an example for others, as well as showing our willingness to humble ourselves before God. Thanks for observing these traditions (which also were the standards set for us from the start of our mission by our founding Rector Father Claude). Glory to God!
CONFESSION, PRAYER REQUESTS, AND INQUIRIES
Contact Father Paul at 570-863-9039 or priestpauls@pm.me.
With love and prayers to you all, asking for your prayers!