UPDATES POSTED JAN. 18 & 21!
Each year, the Orthodox Church reaffirms its commitment to, in the words of Metropolitan Tikhon, "the proclamation of the Sanctity of Life – as an opportunity to reiterate unequivocally our commitment to the defense of the defenseless, and the protection of the most vulnerable, and thus our opposition to abortion. As Christians it cannot be any other way."
Read the OCA announcement concerning Sanctity of Life Sunday, commemorated this year on January 16, 2022. Excerpt:
"Sanctity of Life Sunday will be a precursor to the March for Life on January 21, 2022, on the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing abortion in the United States of America. His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon will be present and gather with the Orthodox faithful from across the country to remember the victims of abortion."
Here at Christ the Savior-Holy Spirit, we have collected numerous links to outstanding materials from a variety of sources, including several of Fr Steven's classic meditations, and much more, on our special page for the Sanctity of Life. 
OCMC CELEBRATES 2021 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Dear Parish Faithful, One of the most effective charitable institutions in operation today, anywhere in the world, is the IOCC - International Orthodox Christian Charity. As a parish we have made regular generous donations to its ongoing activity. Below is a summary of the past year's many accomplishments. As written below, this is about "spreading Christ's love." Work You Made Possible
2022 STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM BEGINS We launched the Pledge Drive for 2022 on Sunday, October 17. All parish families will receive a packet in the mail by Tuesday, October 19 that offers a fairly detailed description of all parish programs and activities supported by your contribution to the parish by means of a financial pledge. Together, this is our communal support of the parish as the local Body of Christ. As in recent years, we again provide our Online Pledge Form which is quick and secure. Fill out your pledge in under a minute! Thank you for your support of our parish! 
Learn about our many parish ministries and where you might contribute your time and talents.
DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS, SAINTS & PROLOGUE ON OUR WEBSITE!
Now you can read the Daily Scripture readings, view the lives and icons of the daily saints and feasts (and learn their hymns), and explore the theological and narrative riches of The Prologue of Ochrid, the massive daily compendium compiled and authored by St Nikolai Velimirovich (who served in America in the mid 20th century). This new page updates automatically each day, and replaces the external links which we used to post, and which pointed (inconveniently) to three different web pages. The new links are a permanent feature on both our Home page and our Worship Schedule page, and make it easier than ever before to keep up with the Daily Readings and harmonize our lives with the Life of the Church, learning and growing in our love for Jesus Christ and His Most Pure Mother and the Saints. We think you'll love this new feature, and we invite you to try it out!
A new gallery for the Covidtide era has been added (October 2020), with previous updates including Theophany 2020, a Baptism, and visit of Bishop Paul in December 2019, plus Youth Group activities from Autumn 2019. Plus, be sure to look back through all our extensive galleries for 2019 including the Great Feasts, our Summer Workshops, the 30th Anniversary Celebration of Fr Steven's ministry at Christ the Savior-Holy Spirit, and more. Plus, get to know our many new members, and re-visit 2018 with its many events and feasts in the life of the parish, all on our Photo Gallery Page.
On June 30, 2020, the parish celebrated Fr Steven & Presvytera Deborah's 30 years of ministry here at Christ the Savior-Holy Spirit. View some wonderful images from the special program and meal, and read some of Father Steven's reflections on this significant anniversary. AXIOS! and Thank you, Father Steven and Presvytera, and may God grant you Many Years!!! View photos on our Photo Gallery...
PARISHIONER DELIVERS TALK AT ORTHODOX CONFERENCE Christ the Savior parishioner Natasha Frasch delivered a talk at the recent conference, Speaking the Truth in Love, held at St Tikhon's Orthodox Seminary in South Canaan PA over the November 7-9 weekend. The lineup of speakers included Archbishop Michael of New York & New Jersey, well known and prolific writer and speaker Kh. Frederica Mathewes-Green, Archimandrite Sergius (Abbot of St Tikhon's Monastery), and many other scholars and clergy, monastics and laity, and was organized by Drs. David Ford and Mary Ford, who presented a retreat at our parish back in the 1990s. You can learn more about the conference here, and listen to and download the presentations at Ancient Faith Radio. 
The Divine Liturgy of the Orthodox Church by Archpriest Steven C. Kostoff Third Edition, with a new Epilogue by the author... Seekers, catechumens and Orthodox faithful alike will be blessed by this trustworthy and inspiring guide to the Divine Liturgy and the Life in Christ, composed by our beloved pastor, a faithful presbyter of the Orthodox Church in America. Paperback, 64 pages, full color cover; $9.99 retail. Full info here, plus special link to order with a 20% discount!
Fr Steven's most recent book is available through the church office/bookstore, and online. "For almost twenty years now, parishioners at Christ the Savior-Holy Spirit in Cincinnati, and friends in Christ from places near and far, have been receiving from Father Steven his 'Monday Morning Meditations' via email, or have been visiting his Orthodox Christian Meditations Blog. Now at long last a selection of Father Steven's reflections have been published in book form by Kaloros Press!" Learn more on this special page, and purchase at the church, or order online here.
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NEW FOR 2021...
CHURCH SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
Keep connected and up to date with our new Church School Newsletter, published weekly! See the cover of Issue 1 at left.
Links to newsletters will be posted here as soon as they are published.
New to the parish? Late registration needed? — No Problem! Please contact Fr Steven or Terrie Sauer. We look forward to welcoming you and your children! 
ORTHODOX MISSIONARIES VISIT CTS On Sunday, September 19, we welcomed Orthodox Christian missionaries Dr. Jeffrey and Caryn Macdonald to Christ the Savior-Holy Spirit. Our parish has been helping support their missionary work for some years now. Dr Jeffrey gave a post-Liturgy talk on the status of their work in Albania, where they and have been living and working as long-term missionaries for eight years. Watch Jeffrey Macdonald's presentation on our YouTube channel.
Jeffrey and Caryn Macdonald live in the village of Shen Vlash in Albania as long-term missionaries. They are both teaching at the Resurrection Orthodox Theological Academy in Shen Vlash, near Durres. The theological academy was established in 1992 to train Albanian clergy and church workers to help restore Church life after the period of communist persecution. Dr. Macdonald previously taught for many years at St. Herman’s Seminary in Kodiak helping to prepare Native Alaskans to serve in the Church in Alaska. Dr. Macdonald studied at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Seminary, following an undergraduate degree in Biblical Studies and Archaeology at Wheaton College, in Illinois. He later completed a doctoral degree in Early Christian Studies at the Catholic University of America, in Washington, D.C.
For more info, follow these links: Jeffrey and Caryn Macdonald - Missionaries to Albania - Facebook Page The Macdonald's Page on the Orthodox Christian Mission Center website See our special page on the Macdonald's missionary work
UPDATE FROM ST NICHOLAS UGANDA CHILDREN'S FUND We've received a very positive update and newsletter from Peter and Sharon Georges of the St Nicholas Uganda Children's Fund, in which they share how ten of their top students have excelled in their university prep testing and placement. Christ the Savior-Holy Spirit has helped support the St Nicholas Uganda Children's Fund for many years as part of our commitment to international Orthodox ministries. You can learn more about their work and how you can contribute on our special page. 
Parish Giving NEW! Secure, online donations make it easy to support the life of the parish. Choose 'COVER FEES' to increase your gift by the amount of the processing costs. Learn more and get started on our DONATE page. 
NEW COVID UPDATE Current COVID Directives extended until end of January: MASKS REQUIRED FOR CLERGY, SERVERS, CHOIR Masks recommended for all services | Masks provided No Church School or Coffee Hour until further norice See the full update on our Covid-19 Guidelines Page (Jan. 20, 2022) 
PARISH NEWS - If you would like to receive updates on parish life at Christ the Savior-Holy Spirit, please contact Fr. Steven and request to be added to his email list. 
ORTHODOX WORLD NEWS - Headline news from around the Orthodox world, plus daily podcasts on the saints and scriptures, updated via RSS Feed.
YOUTH GROUP UPDATE Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, our in-person meetings have been suspended. We are hopeful for resumption of Church School through an online curriculum in the Autumn of 2020, and likewise for opportunities for our Youth Group to hold virtual meetings and perhaps some small gatherings, if God wills. Learn about our Youth Group and how to join here... More photos posted in our Gallery... 
A Special Resource of the Midwest Diocese of the OCA Dear Parish Faithful — Our Midwest Diocese has developed a Family Life website that His Grace, Bishop Paul is encouraging that our parish families turn to for helpful resources in raising our families in today's world. — Fr. Steven
Special thanks to our new parish food pantry coordinator, Stefanie Zidarescu. Any and all contributions will be welcome.
We can always use replenishment of standard items - see below and on our Food Pantry page:
Thank you! SPECIAL VIDEO ON OUR ICONOGAPHER, FR. ANDREW TREGUBOV Dear Parish Faithful,
I just discovered this wonderful YouTube video featuring our parish iconographer, Fr. Andrew Tregubov, explaining the traditional method and theory behind icon painting. Quite fascinating. It is relatively short and very nicely produced. Please take the time to watch this. I invited Fr. Andrew to the parish many times, but he always had to decline because of his responsibilities in caring for his parents and in-laws. His wife, Galina, hand stitched our burial shroud that we venerate during Holy Week.
With Fr. Andrew as our iconographer, our parish is blessed with some of the best iconography being created today in North America.
Fr. Steven
SUBMIT PRAYER REQUESTS ONLINE - Our Ministries Page now has an easy to use Prayer Request Form, so you may place your prayer requests straight from our website. You can also use the form to have your email address added to our Prayer Chain.
PARISH CALENDAR SYNC — NEVER MISS ANOTHER SERVICE OR EVENT! — This is a wonderful feature of our website, as once you sync our calendar to your iPhone, iPad, Android device, PC or Mac, it will automatically update as we post our parish schedule on our pop-up calendar. Just use the provided sync buttons to enable. Our calendar is featured on our Home page and our Schedule page. Learn more here. Search Our Site! PARISH CORNER - A special collection of internal documents for members of Christ the Savior-Holy Spirit. Password protected. |
