January - March 2005

• In February, 2005, the monastery was visited by His Grace, Bishop Seraphim of Ottawa and All Canada. He was accompanied by Very Reverend Archpriest Dennis Pihach, Chancellor of the Canadian Archdiocese, and by Proto-Presbyter Robert Kondratick, Chancellor of the OCA, together with John Mendala, the OCA Webmaster, and others. They were greeted by His Grace, Bishop Varlaam and Hieromonk Moses, but His Eminence Archbishop Lazar was away in Texas and Florida at the time. After a tour of the monastery, lunch was served, then everyone departed for Langley to visit the Saint Nicholas Parish. It was a joy to have such visitors at the monastery. Photographs of the visit were on the OCA website and they can be accessed by visiting the OCA archives for February, 2005.

• His Eminence Archbishop Lazar visited Dallas, Texas in February where he was the guest of His Eminence Archbishop Dmitri of the Diocese of the South. Viadika Lazar gave a number of lectures in both Texas and Florida and he has been invited to return this year to carry out more retreats for the Orthdoox faithful in the southern states of the U.S.A.

• The Monastery of All Saints of North America became swamped with orders for pure beeswax candles some time ago, but thanks to the efforts of Father Deacon John Bingham who has begun making many candles, the work has proceeded actively. The candles are of a superior quality because the best wicking is used, and the wax is not only pure beeswax with no additives, but it is of the very best quality in all of North America. This makes for evenly burning candles with unbelievable fragrance, qualities so essential in church services, but many exclusive gift stores, antique shops and boutiques have found out, mainly by word of mouth, about these exquisite candles and they are now ordering them, although churches using them for their divine services receive prior attention. Orthodox Churches from the Priboloff Islands in Alaska to St John’s in Newfoundland, from Yukon in the North to Mexico in the South, have used these candles.

• By popular demand, the Monastery of All Saints of North America has begun a monthly Divine Liturgy served in Church Slavonic. The response has been unexpected, with countless people making arrangements to drive to the monastery for these Liturgies. It is very encouraging to witness such missionary zeal.

• 2005 has become a clean-up year at the monastery. A number of visits have been made by various pious people armed with brooms, mops, buckets and all types of cleaning equipment. Every nook and cranny has been cleaned out so that windows are gleaming and everything looks fresh again. May everyone who has given so much help be blessed!

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