UPDATE: NATHAN ZORBAS Nathan sustained an injury to the head last Tuesday in a snowboarding accident. Although his injury required surgery soon thereafter, he is now out of the hospital and making good strides in recovery. The Zorbas family thanks everyone who remembered Nathan and all the family in prayers over the last week. We continue to ask God to grant Nathan a full recovery and thank Him for His great mercy toward Nathan and his family.

TODAY`S COFFEE HOUR HOSTS Many thanks to Salwa & Ramzi for providing today's coffee hour refreshments--much appreciated!

TODAY: SPRING GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING Please stay for the general assembly meeting commencing right after coffee hour today. 2010 stewards of our church are eligible to vote. If you have questions regarding your eligibility to vote, see Lynne Lucher or Salwa Abuamsha before the meeting begins.

EXERCISING A SACRED DUTY Your voice is needed and appreciated--parishioners are encouraged to testify for the passage of State Senate Joint Resolution 28 (relating to the Ecumenical Patriarchate and religious rights) this Friday at 1:30 PM. There are many ways to testify as outlined in the special section of this bulletin.

WHEN I WAS IN PRISON, YOU CAME TO VISIT ME... More icons are needed for prisoners--we have received an "order" for 22 paper icons of the Resurrection to present to inmates in celebration of Holy Pascha at prison facilities here in Alaska. Sunday School students, parents, and any other adult who wants to visit a prisoner with a Paschal greeting this year is encouraged to color one or more icons this week. We would like to complete 15 or so more than we now have. Would you help with this project? Pres. has the icons to be colored, please see her.

PLEASE HELP--SPRING SPRUCE UP Parishioners are asked if they would be willing to set aside some time between now and Friday of this week to come by the church to do some spring cleaning.

Any time--morning, afternoon or evening when you can spare an hour or two to dust, oil woodwork, remove wax, scrub a floor, clean windows, polish icons or other metal work, spray clean the chandelier, etc. These are tasks that traditionally have been done on Lazarus Saturday but with festival baking in the offing, it is best to give this task earlier attention.

So, please, if you can and are willing, would you kindly make a little time in your schedule so the building will look clean and tidy for the upcoming holiday?

Thank you very much for your kind consideration of this request.

REGULAR WEEKLY SERVICES Sat. 5:30 PM Great Vespers
Sun. 9:10 AM Orthros
Sun. 10:30 AM Divine Liturgy
Changes/additional services noted in the bulletin weekly.


FEAST OF THE HOLY ANNUNCATION Great Vespers for the Feast will be prayed at 5:30PM Wednesday evening and orthros/Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Annunciation will begin at 9AM this Thursday morning. This major feast day on the liturgical calendar relaxes the Great Fast to allow the consumption of fish, olive oil and wine this Thursday. A light celebratory lunch will follow the morning service.

FEAST OF THE RAISING OF LAZARUS We celebrate the Raising of Lazarus this Saturday. Great Vespers for the Feast will be prayed at 5:30PM Friday evening with orthros/Divine Liturgy beginning at 9AM.

WHAT`S NEW IN THE BOOKSTORE? Traditional red Paschal egg dye is available at $2/packet. This is the boil-in type of dye. We have also recently extended our selection of CD's--please stop by and take a look.

SECOND FESTIVAL BAKING EVENT The next baking session is scheduled for the end of this month, March 25th - 28th. We will be assembling BAKLAVA. (Yeah!) The schedule is as follows, and there will be a sign up sheet during coffee hour or you can e-mail me (Illiya@gci.net) to let me know when you can help.

Thursday 25th - 4pm - 8pm Make the mix and prep the prep rooms

Friday 26th - 4pm -8pm Assemble trays

Saturday 27th 10am - 5pm Assemble trays

Sunday 28th - 12pm - 3pm Finish assembly and clean up

BUILDING PROJECT NEWS Positive things continue to take place for our new church. Our final plans are with the City and our design team continues to answer their questions - moving us closer to receiving our building permit. We did receive a partial permit already - our foundation permit! This allows us to begin construction on the foundation!

Our plans are out for bid with eight different contractors. We had a pre-bid meeting with them to answer questions. There is a great deal of interest as construction activity for new buildings is very low - this means that we should expect low/competitive bids.

Bids are due on Good Friday, April 2nd. The bids will be scored, not just on price, but on each companies experience with non-profits/churches and their personnel assigned to the project. The proposals will be reviewed and scored by the Building Committee.

The dome will be constructed in one piece and available early for the iconography to be painted on. We have spoken to a past parishioner that is an iconographer and would do the iconography for our parish as a donation (we would provide paint and lodging).

For those waiting and wondering when the church project will begin, get ready, things are happening and we may see equipment by the end of April or early May beginning construction! We are all extremely excited and it is now more important than ever to fulfill your pledge or consider if you can help the project further.

Glory to God for this wonderful news!
The Building Committee

ALMSGIVING DURING GREAT LENT St. Irene has posted its annual Lenten "envelope" almsgiving display in the fellowship hall this season. This is a great way to easily give alms during Great Lent for whatever ministry is particularly close to your heart. St. Irene will take the responsibility of making sure your gift gets to its destination. Thank you!

ADDITIONAL 50/50 SPLIT THE POT RAFFLE TICKETS are available in the fellowship hall.

ASSISTING SERBIAN BROTHERS & SISTERS St. Irene Philoptochos has just a few bags of honey coated pecans left in the fellowship hall. Suggested donation is $6/bag.

Monies received will go to assist Orthodox Christian brethren in Kosovo and its environs through the Decani Monastery Relief Fund. These brethren are suffering great hardships at this time.

The Decani Monastery Relief Fund regularly helps local people continue to survive in ravaged conditions. The fund makes possible the purchase and distribution of food, livestock, fuel and wood burning stoves for homes and schools where families and students suffer the effects of the routine losses of basic heat and electricity.

Fr. Nektarios Serfes of Ss. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Boise, ID is the President of the Decani Monastery Relief Fund USA and it is our privilege to work with him in providing relief for our suffering brethren in Kosovo. Read of this ministry here which is on-going: http://www.kosovo.net/dec_relfund.html

Let us help lighten the burdens of our Serbian brethren by our prayers and our almsgiving this season. Thank you.

GRADUATIONS We are in the process of compiling a list of this year`s upcoming graduates--if you know of those in our community who are graduating from university, high school or junior high, would you please let Fr. Leo or Presbytera know? Thank you!

ALASKA MILITARY YOUTH ACADEMY is looking for mentors for its cadets. Lynne Lucher has a thorough explanation of the program along with an mentor`s application form she can send you electronically, if desired. Please contact her if interested.

THANK YOU CORNER Who should receive a note of thanks? Please send info to Pres. for inclusion in the bulletin: doxa@clearwire.net (include a request for a "read" receipt under the options tab before sending to make sure she has received your message--thx!)

IMPORTANT MESSAGE RE BULLETIN ENTRIES Please send your bulletin entries directly to Pres. Candace (doxa@clearwire.net) rather than thru Fr. Leo`s email. Use this address doxa@clearwire.net for submissions for a particular Sunday and send no later than noon on Saturdays. I accept submissions throughout the week as well, though Saturday noon is the new deadline. Thank you, Pres.

IONIAN VILLAGE FAMILY CAMP 2010 Ionian Village Family Camp, a collaboration of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese offices of Ionian Village and the Center for Family Care, is currently accepting registrations for its inaugural Family Camp to be held July 17-26, 2010. Families who participate in Ionian Village travel across Greece venerate the relics of saints, walk in the footsteps of the Apostles, and visit significant sites of Greek history and culture. At the end of the program, families return to their homes with strengthened faith and a greater appreciation for the Church and Greek culture. Participants are encouraged to take advantage of new early registration fees, discounts for large families, and children under 12. To qualify for the early registration, participants must register online by March 31, 2010. For more information about the program or to register for Summer Camp 2010 visit www.ionianvillage.org or contact the Ionian Village Family Camp at 845.424.8175 or the Center for Family Care at familycare@goarch.org