Father has been visiting our home-bound parishioners who are on his list to receive the Sacraments. If you (or someone you know) have not been visited in the past and need to receive the Sacraments at home/residence, please call the Rectory to make arrangements.

Dates to remember: Parish Confessions will be heard on April 13 from 1:30 to 3:00. Please arrive no later than 2:30. On Wednesday, April 10, Pre-Sanctified Liturgy will be held here at St. John’s. Confessions will be heard starting at 6:00 p.m. The next joint Pre-Sanctified Liturgy will be held in Saddle Brook on April 17 with the Archbishop at 6:30 p.m. Please refer to the church calendar for all the services listed. Do not be left behind in the joyous Resurrection of the Lord. Remember: “The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord; a good understanding is in all who practice it.” (Psalm 110:10)

The Food Pantry is always in need of food items. Please keep those less fortunate in mind and help us to feed those in need. A basket is in the vestibule of the church for your convenience. Our heartfelt condolences and sincere sympathy is extended to Helen Baron, our Food Pantry coordinator, and all her family on the recent death of her husband, Steven Baron. Memory Eternal!

Many thanks to all those who cooked, cleaned up and helped in any way for our “O” Club Lenten Pot Luck luncheon March 24. It was a wonderful collection of delicious food prepared and donated by our talented cooks.

The FOCA (Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America) Gifts of Love Annual Fund Drive This year will be donating to St. Tabitha’s House in Malava, Kenya. St. Tabitha’s House is a Christian orphanage under the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria started in the Kibera Slums of Kenya. They currently house 26 children, providing food, shelter, academic and spiritual education and so much more. St. Tabitha’s House was founded by Fr. Agapios Lipesa and his wife Papadia Dorah. He was assigned as the rector of St. George the Great Martyr parish in the Kibera Slums in the Kisumu Diocese in Kenya. As part of his work as a parish priest, he consistently saw the horrific conditions that the people of Kibera lived in. At the same time he felt a strong love for the orphans who make up the most vulnerable of the population.

Fr. Agapios and Papadia Dorah moved the orphans from the Kibera slum outside of Nairobi to Malava in Kakamega County in order to provide them with a safe place to live. They provide for the children’s every need including shelter, clothing, daily meals, schooling, and medical care. Fr. Agapios travels back regularly to Kibera to rescue more children and bring them to Malava. With the blessing of His Grace Bishop Athanasios and by the generosity of others, a beautiful parcel of land was purchased on which to build a new home, future schoolhouse, medical clinic and church. Information on this project is plentiful on line by searching St. Tabitha’s House orphanage – Kenya. As Jesus Christ asks us to feed the hungry and clothe the poor, we are asking your chapters/parishes to open their hearts to do His work. Our collection will be on Palm Sunday, April 21.