Highlights covering Palm Sunday, Bridegroom Matins, Great and Holy Friday Evening (Matins of Holy Saturday, Lamentations w/Procession), and Agape Vespers on Pascha.

The Great Feast of Palm Sunday, preceded by the Raising of Lazarus, was celebrated with a full church and waving palms and pussywillows... The evening of Pam Sunday saw our first celebration of the Bridegroom Matins, as Fr Steven processed through the church with the Nymphios icon.

Strong parish turnout and a shining church greeted His Grace, Bishop Paul of Chicago and the Midwest for his first visit to Christ the Savior-Holy Spirit. On Saturday, His Grace enjoyed lunch with the Parish Council, before presiding at Saturday evening Great Vespers. After Vespers, Bishop Paul shared with us a little about himself and conducted a Q&A session with parishioners.

On Sunday, His Grace was greeted by Parish Council President Ellyn Gillette with the traditional gift of bread and salt, and Fausta and Fiona Fenner bearing flowers on behalf of the parish youth.

At the beginning of the Divine Liturgy, His Grace tonsured Paul Gansle, Johnothon Sauer, and Stephen Wendland as Readers, the first stage of ordination in the Orthodox Church. Paul, Johnothon and Stephen are enrolled in the OCA Diaconal Program.

After Liturgy, a wonderful lenten meal was enjoyed by all.

We thank His Grace for his archpastoral visit, and hope he returns soon and as frequently as his busy schedule allows!

Eis Polla Eti Despota!

Approximately 27 adults and a dozen youth joined forces to dust, vacuum, polish, sweep, mop, swiffer, shine, clean, replace light bulbs and flourescent tubes indoors, as well as rake, clean, plant and pickup the grounds. We wish we had more pictures, but everyone was pretty busy, and there was little time for these, let alone a staged group shot. Thank you one and all for helping get the church, hall and grounds ready for Bishop Paul's visit March 28-29, as well as for Holy Week and Pascha.

Sophia Boehne, daughter of Jacob and Adalia, was baptized on Sunday, December 13 in the context of a Baptismal Liturgy. Erin Lockridge is her godmother/sponsor. A beautiful, peaceful Liturgy and Baptism was experienced, as you will see from these pictures!  'Many Years!' to the newly illumined Sophia, her parents Jacob & Adalia, big brother Elijah, and her sponsor Erin!

We had a wonderful day, Sunday, December 6, following the Liturgy, with our Nativity play and meal. We would like to thank our "Production Co-ordinator," Presvytera Deborah and all of her helpers - costume designers, musicians and singers, etc. -  for a finely-conceived and executed Nativity Play.  The Charity Dinner to follow brought in around $750.00, one of our highest totals ever.  Our high school students will determine how that charity money will be distributed.

Special thanks to Mike Fleisch for the photos and video, and to Nadya Gerasimchuk for the top two videos added Jan. 16 2016. (Scroll down for video!)

On Sunday morning, November 22, we celebrated a Baptismal Liturgy, baptizing Athanasius Herbst, son of Andrew and Suzanne Herbst.  The sponsor is Chuck Haynes. The experience of a Baptismal Liturgy is always a powerful one, reminding us of the ancient yet timeless practice of the Church from her earliest days, wherby believers were born anew "of water and the Spirit." Many Years!

We received Suzanne Herbst into full communion of the Orthodox Church this past September, with the first part of the Service of Reception on Saturday the 19th following Great Vespers, and the Chrismation on Sunday morning during the Divine Liturgy. Suzanne's sponsor is Jennifer Haynes. Welcome home, Suzanne, and God grant you Many Years!

"One of my beloved professors from seminary always used to say that a sign of a spiritually strong parish is that parish's devotion to the Mother of God. For she is the personal image of the Church - warm, embracing, nurturing, protecting..."

~ Fr. Steven

Our dear brother Joe Foster has been a friend of Christ the Savior-Holy Spirit for some 25 years or so, and we rejoice at welcoming him into full communion! Joseph's sponsor is Steve Pride.  God grant you many years!!!

This week-long, immersive training in not only the techniques, but the theology, spirituality and anthropology of traditional Orthodox Christian iconology and iconography was a revelation for the participants, and a first for our parish. We are deeply humbled to have been able to host Master Iconographer Vladislav Andrejev and his Prosopon team, and hope to do so again! Full story here.

Little Amelia, who set a high bar for peaceful, serene infant baptisms, daughter of Leanne Davis, was received into the Church through Baptism and Chrismation during the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, June 14; Anne Taylor, sponsor.

To worthily celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, Mother Elizaveta and her sister Chynara and their children Carolina and Aziz hosted a special Moleben service and cookout in honor of The Holy Trinity, the Theotokos and all the Saints. A Joyous Feast!

Laura Menze (May 24) and Melissa Munaco (June 7) were recently received into full communion of the Orthodox Church through the sacraments of Confession, Chrismation and Communion. The Reception by Chrismation occurred during the Little Entrance of the Sunday Divine Liturgy, and so in both cases were truly festal events in the life of the Church, witnessed and joined in by the entire parish community. We wish Laura, Melissa, and their sponsors and families "Many Years!"