Dear brothers and sisters!
\nDecember 24th in our Church All Saints in Fargo, ND, was the last Church service in 2016. It was a festive divine Service, the last before Christmas. After the service, for the first time our Church held a festive Christmas concert.
\n2016 was a special year, a landmark year for our Church. He was special because of your great love to the Church, your dedication, your desire to rebuild the House of God and make it filled with love to our Lord God. It was special because we have restored our parish, and even multiplied his by new parishioners.
\nAnd it was all done by you in just 5 months!
\nAll of you all may remember that in July 2016 the Temple was in repulsive condition. The iconostasis does not exist, was only the framework. In the altar there was no utensils for worship, the altar table and the table of oblation were empty: no service books, no utensils, nothing. Everything at Church was in a poor state. Moreover, the Temple is almost closed, all Church services, of course, was discontinued.
\nI want to remind you that we managed to do in 5 months. We Worship every second Saturday. This will be continued in 2017.
\nWe have completed the construction of the iconostasis, including its gilding and decoration; returned 6 icons; changed all light bulbs to economical; we repaired toilets; built shower cubicle in the female toilet; fixed all windows; finished building the altar; laid flooring; cleaned all carpet coverage; removed bad trees and shrubs around the Church ( now perfectly visible); cleaned the territory from garbage; ordered a marble slab with the name of the Temple (it will hang over the entrance to the Temple), opened on the Internet website of the Temple, and Facebook page; changed one of the boilers to more efficient and economical ($3,800); brought to the Temple all the necessary liturgical books and all the necessary utensils ( Tabernacle, table gospel, two altar cross, incense, the Eucharist, vestments, service books, and a lot of new icons). Thank you father Michael of the Greek Church in Madison, who donated 7 large icons for the iconostasis. These icons were written in 1955. For all the work done we paid only the necessary materials. And the rest of the work you have done yourself. Today, Church has in the Bank $ 8,000.
\nAll made lets you proudly to meet the new 2017 and with confidence know that in the coming year we will make our Church even better and attract in our parish new parishioners.
\nA few days ago I spoke with Archbishop Peter. He asked me to thank you for what you have preserved the House of God and showed the great Orthodox faith, in his service of our Lord God and wished all of you good health and God’s blessing!
\nOur parish is grateful to the Archbishop for a blessing, kind words and support. At the beginning of next year, immediately after Christmas, we will ask the Archbishop to visit our updated Temple to pray with us and bless us in the further improvement of our God’s House<\/p>\n
Archpriest Vasily Kuzmych
\n12.24.2016.<\/p>\n