Vespers and Divine Liturgy for St. Ephraim the Syrian will be celebrated on Wednesday, Jan 27, at 6PM.

Our parish is currently in a phased re-opening process due to the current healthcare crisis. This service may be attended by those who are on the St. Herman roster.  All services are live-streamed on our Facebook page "Sts Cyril and Methody Orthodox Church". Direct link: facebook.com/186593154712821/live

Vespers will be served at 5PM on Saturday, January 30. 

Our parish is currently in a phased re-opening process due to the current healthcare crisis.  This service may be attended by those who are on the Vespers Roster.  All services are live-streamed on our Facebook page "Sts Cyril and Methody Orthodox Church" - Direct link: facebook.com/186593154712821/live

The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom commemorating Holy Wonderworkers, Unmercenaries and Martyrs Cyrus And John and their Companions will be served at 10AM on Sunday, January 24. 

Our parish is currently in a phased re-opening process due to the current healthcare crisis. This service may be attended by those who are on the St. John Roster.  All services are live-streamed on our Facebook page "Sts Cyril and Methody Orthodox Church". Direct link: facebook.com/186593154712821/live

The Liturgy will be followed at Noon with a service for the Reception of Communion open to all prepared Orthodox Christians.

As always, visitors are welcome to our parish. However, due to the limitations resulting from the current healthcare crisis, please contact Father Andrew (at the Contact tab above) so that you can be added to the schedule. Visitors will be expected to wear a mask, comply with social distancing guidelines, and provide and email or phone number in the event that contact tracing is required.

With the blessing of our diocesan hierarch, we will celebrate a Communion service after the Divine Liturgy on Sundays, for those who are not on the roster assigned for the Liturgy that day. The service will be at noon, at the front door of the church. Those members of our parish family, who are properly prepared and desire to receive the Sacrament, should stand outside the front of the church, maintaining social distancing and using masks.

There is an urgent need for food for our outdoor food box, for our food pantry, and for the FOCUS food pantry in St. Louis. Please bring food when you come to services, or contact Father Andrew to arrange for drop off. You can also drop food off at the FOCUS center from 9:30-11AM on Wednesday, June 24.

Here are the donation needs for the Focus Food Pantry:

WHAT WE DO NOT NEED:  carrots, corn, green beans.

WHAT WE ALWAYS NEED:

Canned meat: Chicken, Roast Beef, Spam, Beef Stew, Sardines, Chili

Canned Soups: Chunky Soups (preferably with beef), Condensed Soup, Chicken Noodle; cream of mushroom; vegetable beef

Canned Vegetables: Pork and Beans, Asparagus, Spinach, Beans

Hygiene Needs: Razors, Deodorant, Soap (not small bars from hotels), Tooth Brushes, Tooth Paste, Shampoo

Our parish has been blessed for the first phase of re-opening. During this period, in person church attendance will be limited to parishioners assigned to "rosters" on a rotating basis. Guidelines have been emailed/mailed to all parishioners. Please check your inbox, and contact Father Andrew to be added to a roster. Live-stream services will be continued during re-opening.

Having obtained updated guidance from our diocesan archbishop Alexander, we are now blessed to serve an updated service schedule. Check the upcoming services feed or click on "Calendar" above for details. We are still restricted to myself, one deacon, one server, and one chanter, our faithful are not blessed to attend in person. Father Andrew and Popadia Joan will offer the services, live streamed on our Facebook page "Sts Cyril and Methody Orthodox Church".

Having obtained a clarification from the state of Illinois in regard to the stay at home order, and subsequently receiving the blessing of our diocesan archbishop Alexander, we are now blessed to serve all the services which we would normally have on our schedule, at church. However, we are still restricted to myself, one deacon, one server, and one chanter, our faithful are not blessed to attend in person. Father Andrew and Popadia Joan will offer the services, live streamed on our Facebook page "Sts Cyril and Methody Orthodox Church".

Due to the current healthcare crisis, our temple is closed. Father Andrew and Popadia Joan will offer the services from their home, live streamed on our Facebook page "Sts Cyril and Methody Orthodox Church".

In Christ, Fr Andrew Moulton

Our jurisdiction, the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) has just published (March 17, 5PM CDT) a new statement on coronavirus. See it at www.oca.org. There is also a page with resources for Orthodox Christian staying at home:

https://www.oca.org/resources-coronavirus

Prot. 03162020
16 March 2020
Martyr Sabinus of Egypt
To the clergy and faithful of our God-protected Diocese:
Our divine services, chief among them the Holy Liturgy, are an offering made to God "on behalf of all and for all." During this global health crisis, we must continue to pray and, as long as possible, to gather for prayer in church and to offer to God his "due worship and praise" (Prayer of the Trisagion). "It is proper and right" (Eucharistic prayer of St. John Chrysostom). As a result, I am not yet prepared to cancel church services in our parishes.
However, in light of new information and recommendations released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) today, some revisions to my initial directives are necessary. I bless the celebration of Vespers on Saturday evenings, the Divine Liturgy on Sunday mornings, the Lenten Presanctified Liturgies, and the Vesperal Liturgy of the Annunciation under the following condition: the only people that are required to be present are the priest (and deacon), an altar server, and chanter or small group of singers. As far as one can plan attendance, the complete gathering should total no more than ten (10) people.
Yet, anyone else who comes to services cannot and will not be turned away at the door. They along with the singers and the servers are to be advised of the risk. However, I advise that everyone other than the people mentioned above pray at home during the time of the divine services.
These revised guidelines are in effect up to, and including, Palm Sunday, April 12, 2020.
I do not make this decision lightly. However, we must do what is necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19.
With love in Christ,
+Alexander
Archbishop of Toledo and the Bulgarian Diocese – Orthodox Church in America

In conformity with the guidance received from our archbishop Alexander, effective Monday March 16 and continuing through at least Sunday April 5th, the only services which will be celebrated at our parish are the Saturday evening Vespers (5PM), the Sunday morning Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great (10AM), and the Wednesday evening Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts (6PM).

During this period Akathists, Memorial Liturgies, Church School, Adult Study, Prayer Group, and after Liturgy luncheon/coffee hours are cancelled.

The calendar on this web site has been updated to reflect changes through Sunday, April 5th (St. Mary of Egypt Sunday). When we receive guidance on how to proceed beyond that date, we will update the calendar as needed and post announcements here.

Further information will be provided as necessary.

With love in Christ,

Fr Andrew Moulton