Newest Posts to the Website:

June 12, 2021:  Andrei Roudenko - Remembering Mikhail Sergeevich Konstantinov.

June 11, 2021:  Choir Director Andrei Roudenko's weekly email.  See the "Services and Saints" link at the bottom of the Home Page.

June 5, 2021:  Archpriest Serge Kotar's weekly spiritual email.  See the "Sunday Gospels" link at the bottom of the Home Page.

May 15, 2021:  Message from Andrei Roudenko, Parish COVID-19 Protection Plan Coordinator.  See Home Page.

May 10, 2021:  Message from Andrei Roudenko, Parish COVID-19 Protection Plan Coordinator.  See Home Page.

April 26, 2021:  May/June 2021 Newsletter posted.  Click on Newsletter/Current Newsletter.

June 12, 2021:  Andrei Roudenko - Remembering Mikhail Sergeevich Konstantinov 

Yesterday, June 11 in 1982, Mikhail Sergeevich Konstantinov, long-time director (регент) of the Holy Virgin Cathedral choir in San Francisco, reposed in the Lord.  For almost two decades, to commemorate the memory of this magnificent church musician, our choir in Burlingame has featured Konstantinov's arrangements in our Liturgy closest to his day of repose.  We plan to continue this tradition this weekend.

Mikhail Sergeevich was both unique, and at the same time, typical of mid-20th Century church choir figures in the diaspora. In 2007, Vladimir V. Krassovsky, current conductor of the the Holy Virgin Cathedral choir in San Francisco, presented a very moving biography of Mikhail Sergeevich at the 20th Annual Russian Orthodox Church Musicians' Conference in Seattle.  That presentation is available here.  

Our choir members and I are grateful to Mikhail Sergeevich for his inspired contribution to our church music legacy, and it is with this sense of gratitude and respect that we feature his arrangements in our services, and pray that Lord accept his soul in the Kingdom of Heaven.

May 15, 2021:  Message from Andrei Roudenko, Parish COVID-19 Protection Plan Coordinator

On Wednesday, May 12, San Mateo County advanced to California’s Yellow Tier, which allows the broadest reopening of the economy since the beginning of the pandemic.  Some important features of Yellow Tier are (1) Places of Worship are allowed attendance up to 50% capacity, and (2) face covering guidelines are partially revised.  With regard to face covering, the following are revised guidance, (which are presented here only to illustrate the basis for the discussion further on in this posting):

1.       For fully vaccinated persons, face coverings are not required outdoors except when attending crowded outdoor events, such as live performances, parades, fairs, festivals, sports events, or other similar settings.

2.       For unvaccinated persons, face coverings are required outdoors any time physical distancing cannot be maintained,.

3.       In indoor settings outside of one's home, including public transportation, face coverings continue to be required regardless of vaccination status,

4.       Fully Vaccinated people can:

• Visit, without wearing masks or physical distancing, with other fully vaccinated people in indoor or outdoor settings; and
• Visit, without wearing masks or physical distancing, with unvaccinated people (including children) from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease in indoor and outdoor settings.

 As far as indoor attendance at our church is concerned, unfortunately, moving to Yellow Tier has no positive impact for us since, as described in several past postings, our indoor capacity is limited by social distancing.  We will therefore need to continue our current hybrid indoor/outdoor attendance approach (as described in our Website posting “May 10, 2021:  Message from Andrei Roudenko, Parish COVID-19 Protection Plan Coordinator”), until social distancing requirements are relaxed.

 

It is worthy to note that emerging relaxed requirements are generally centered on vaccination.  With regard to vaccinations, the policy of our parish is:

1.       We neither encourage nor discourage vaccination in general, and for COVID-19 in particular - we consider that vaccination is a personal choice,

2.       We respect confidentiality associated with disclosing (or not) whether an individual has received a vaccination in general, and related to COVID-19 in particular,

3.       We do not encourage or approve of any actions that violate requirements that are established by competent civil authorities (as long as the requirements do not violate the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, the teachings of the Holy Fathers, or any Directives of our Ruling Bishop),

4.       We STRONGLY DISCOURAGE vaccination when any component of the vaccine is the product of harvested aborted fetuses.

 

While we believe our policy is appropriate, within its constraints, it will be difficult for us to implement measures to increase indoor attendance, within civil regulations. For example, we could establish separate attendance locations for vaccinated (indoor) and non-vaccinated (outdoor) attendees, but this would be discriminatory and potentially compromise confidentiality.  This one example is illustrative of the types of complicated decisions that we will be facing in the near future.

 

With God’s guidance, we will work to restore normal church attendance - this is our goal.  Until then, we ask for your patience as we maintain our current status quo, and prayers, so that every decision that we take is pleasing to God and beneficial to you, our parish members.

May 10, 2021:  Message from Andrei Roudenko, Parish COVID-19 Protection Plan Coordinator

A year ago, on May 9, 2020, after a month and a half of LiveStream-only services, our parish resumed in-person attendance at our services.  Then, as it is today, attendance was (and is) limited to parish “super-bubble” members, and was implemented using a pre-scheduled “invitation” protocol.  Since May 9, 2020, we have had approximately 3,800 in-person attendees.  This represents approximately 8,500 hours of service attendance, not counting clergy and choir members.  By the Grace of God, and thanks to everyone’s careful adherence to our COVID-19 Prevention Training program, we have NOT had a single documented COVID-19 infection in our parish!  Thank God!

Until State and County COVID-19 requirements are lifted, we remain “closed” to the general public, which means that attendance at our services will continue to be limited to pre-scheduled “invited” parish “super-bubble” members.  Likewise, until State and County requirements are amended, we must continue to adhere to social distancing and face covering requirements.  But, since members of our parish “super-bubble” have demonstrated successful compliance with requirements over the past year, we are simplifying our processes, as discussed below.

What will remain the SAME:

1.  Attendance at our services will continue to be limited to pre-scheduled “invited” parish “super-bubble” members. Dimitry Bobroff will continue to issue “invitations” to parish “super-bubble” members via email.  (See “What is CHANGED”, below)
2.  We will continue “hybrid” indoor and outdoor attendance.
3.  Attendees will need to maintain 6-foot social distancing between members of different households (“Clusters”) and use face covering when on church property.
4.  Putting up candles and veneration of Icons INSIDE the church will be limited to BEFORE our Services begin, (i.e., before 6 p.m. for Vigil and 9 a.m. for Hours/Liturgy).
5.  Persons arriving for Liturgy after 9 a.m. may put up candles OUTSIDE the church BEFORE the beginning of Liturgy (approximately 9:25 a.m.). Once the Liturgy begins, all are requested to remain in their socially-distanced indoor and outdoor locations.
6.  If you are planning to take Communion (Holy Mysteries), you are requested to have Confession the NIGHT BEFORE (as was typical “pre-COVID” practice), during the preceding Vigil Service.
7.  Those who wish to partake of the Holy Mysteries will need to maintain 6-foot social distancing while approaching and departing from the Holy Mysteries. 

What is CHANGED:

1. Invitees no longer need to reply to the “invitation” email - just attend (or not).
2. Inside attendee locations will not be pre-assigned.  Early arrivals, i.e., prior to 9:00 a.m. can enter inside the church and occupy a location in the main part and in the side room, as long as there is 6-foot front-to-back and side-to-side social-distanced space available.  Otherwise, please stand outside and maintain social-distancing from others.
3. There will no longer be Ushers to check you in.
4. On an “honor system”, prior to attending a service, all attendees are expected to SELF-monitor temperature measurement, SELF-assessment of COVID-19 symptoms, and all other aspects of our latest, revised COVID-19 Prevention Training Program, click here, and if potentially affected, refrain from attending services.

Our simplification of process is NOT a reduction of requirements.  It is a shift of responsibility from parish Ushers to you, our attendees.  With your continued cooperation and diligence, and of course with God’s help, we pray that our simplified process will continue to maintain our desire to combine expanded in-person attendance at our services with prudent safety measures.

Upcoming Services on Livestream (see Schedule of Services) 

Sunday, June 13:  9:00am Hours, Divine Liturgy - Sunday of the Holy Fathers

Friday, June 18:  6:00pm NO CHURCH SERVICES

Saturday, June 19:  9:00am Hours, Divine Liturgy - Ancestral Sabbath

Saturday, June 19:  6:00pm Vigil Services

Sunday, June 20:  9:00am Hours, Divine Liturgy, Vespers - HOLY PENTECOST/TROITSA

Monday, June 21:  Matins, Divine Liturgy - HOLY SPIRIT DAY

Saturday, June 26:  6:00pm Vigil Services

Sunday, June 27  9:00am Hours, Divine Liturgy - SUNDAY OF ALL SAINTS

Saturday, July 3:  6:00pm Vigil Services - Eve of Our FEASTDAY

Sunday, July 4:  9:00am Divine Liturgy - ALL SAINTS OF RUSSIA - OUR CHURCH FEASTDAY

Tuesday, July 6:  6:00pm Vigil Services (next day Liturgy is at Castro Valley)

Saturday, July 10:  6:00pm Vigil Services

Sunday, July 11:  9:00am Divine Liturgy

Father Dimitri Jakimowicz sends out weekly church service texts in both Russian and English.  Contact him at frdimitrij@gmail.com to request being added to his distribution list. 

For Liturgical Texts in English and Slavonic from Holy Protection Russian Orthodox Church in Austin, Texas click here.