On Saturday 1 July and Sunday 2 July we had services for the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost and in honour of the Holy Apostle Jude, brother of the Lord (+c.80 AD).  All-night Vigil was served on Saturday evening and the Hours and Divine Liturgy were served on Sunday morning.  At Divine Liturgy the parish rector was assisted by Deacon Michael Matys and prayers were offered for peace in Ukraine.  In his sermon the parish rector spoke about readings from the Letters of the Apostles, their place in the life of the church, and certain themes of today’s readings: being servants of righteousness (Romans 6:19) unto everlasting life (Romans 6:22), “contend[ing] earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints” (Jude 1:3), and the Apostle Jude’s exhortation to Christians to “keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 1:20-21).  Following Divine Liturgy many of those present enjoyed piroshki that had been prepared by our Ladies’ Auxiliary.  The front of the church was then cleared in preparation for the extension of the soleas (the part of the sanctuary platform in front of the iconostasis) and the amvon (the extended area in front of the Royal Doors) - work that will, in turn, allow for a larger sanctuary when our new iconostasis is installed.