All Saints Weekly Bulletin

^{Sunday, December 28th}

^{Sunday After the Nativity of Christ}

9:00am Orthros 10:00am Divine Liturgy

Memorial Service for His Grace Bishop Timothy of Hexamilion (40 Days)

Weekly Calendar

Sun. Dec. 28: Sunday After the Nativity of Christ (Fast Free)

9:00am Orthros 10:00am Divine Liturgy

Mon. Dec. 29: 14,000 Holy Innocents (Fast Free)

Tues. Dec. 30: St. Anysia the Martyr of Thessaloniki (Fast Free)

Wed. Dec. 31: St. Melania the Younger, Nun of Rome (Fast Free)

Thurs. Jan. 1: St. Basil the Great (Fast Free)

9:00am Orthros 10:00am Divine Liturgy

Fri. Jan. 2: St. Seraphim of Sarov (Fast Free)

Sat. Jan. 3: St. Genevieve of Paris (Fast Free)

Sun. Jan. 4: Sunday Before the Theophany (Fast Free)

9:00am Orthros 10:00am Divine Liturgy

Vasilopita Blessing & Cutting following Divine Liturgy

Parish Announcements

Vasilopita Blessing & Cutting – Sun. Jan. 4^th following Divine Liturgy

The Vasilopita is the cake baked in honor of St. Basil. As we celebrate his feast day on the New Year, we bake the Vasilopita and cut and distribute pieces to honor members of our community.

His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael’s Archpastoral Visit

Tues. Jan. 6^th

9am Orthros – 10am Divine Liturgy w/ Great Blessing of the Waters of the Theophany

6pm Christmas Dinner @ Grecian Gardens

Wed. Jan. 7^th

9am Orthros – 10am Divine Liturgy for St. John the Baptist

6pm Lecture by His Eminence @ All Saints

River Blessing – Sun. Jan. 11^th @ 12:30pm (Yacht Club)

Our annual River Blessing will again take place at the Yacht Club (5102 N Galena Rd, Peoria Heights, IL 61616). Following Divine Liturgy, we will head to the Yacht Club to have our fellowship hour and then bless the Illinois River.

Orthodox Catechism – Thursdays @ 8pm (via Zoom)

No Catechism Class this week.

All Saints Christmas Dinner with His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago – Tues. Jan. 6th @ Grecian Gardens (6pm Salad Bar, 7pm Dinner)

Please join us for our annual Christmas Dinner on Tuesday, January 6th, 2026, at Grecian Gardens in Chillicothe. This year, we'll celebrate with our beloved Metropolitan Nathanael. The festivities begin at 6pm with a salad bar, followed by dinner at 7pm, featuring favorites like their Prime Rib, Greek Chicken, and Orange Roughy. Seniors receive a $10 discount, and there's a special kids' menu for those under 12. Each meal includes dessert and soft drinks. A cash bar will also be available. Kindly RSVP by December 29th at the link below or to Jacob Kaufman at 309-222-4803, who will also be handling the payments. For those who have RSVP’d to attend, we ask that you please make your payment before the date of the dinner.

Wisdom of the Fathers

Do you see now the reason why God permitted the Virgin to be betrothed? It is revealed to you here: that Joseph might care for her and watch over her. The angel did not say, "take thy wife," but "take the mother of the Child." For once his suspicion had been allayed, and the righteous man had understood from the miracles attendant at His birth that everything was of the Holy Spirit, the angel no longer calls her Joseph’s "wife." Even the Lord flees, to confirm that He was truly man. For if He had fallen into the hands of Herod and had not been slain, it would have seemed that He had been made flesh only in appearance. He flees into Egypt to sanctify even that place. For there were two lands that were the workshops of every iniquity: Babylon and Egypt. By means of the Magi He accepted the adoration of Babylon, and Egypt He sanctified by His own presence. Remain there until you receive God’s command. So we, too, should do nothing apart from the will of God. Behold the foolishness of a man who labors to prevail against the will of God. For if it is not of God, what do you fear? But if it is of God, how can you destroy the Child?

Theophylact of Ochrid