Nine months of planning by our chairs and festival committee, hundreds of volunteers, and thousands of guests: our annual Greek Festival, held in anticipation of the Feasts of Ss. Joachim and Anna, has concluded! Just 14 hours after thanking our last guests, the grounds are fully prepared for services and ready to welcome our preschool and elementary students for their first day of school tomorrow.
On behalf of the approximately 10,000 friends and neighbors who enjoyed our Orthodox Christian hospitality, thank you for a beautiful weekend.
Success after a weekend like this can be measured in many ways. As a priest, I suggest that our success is rooted in the joy of glorifying God together as we worked—setting up, cleaning up, cooking, baking, frying, dancing, laughing, praying, and worshipping. Success is also evident in the joy our guests experienced. As Irene and Fr. Lukas wisely shared on Good Day Sacramento, the Festival is our way of sharing warmth and hospitality, rooted in Faith, with the Roseville community. It is our way of letting our neighbors know that we are always here for them and that the Orthodox Church will always be here for them.
Again, I express my sincere gratitude to all of you for your love of Christ, your prayers, your tireless efforts, and the Christian love and joy you brought to this weekend.
May the Mother of God—whose Nativity we celebrate tomorrow beginning at 9:00 AM—and Saints Joachim and Anna—whose feast we celebrate on Wednesday beginning at 9:00 AM (with Great Vespers on Tuesday evening at 6:00 PM)—ever intercede on our behalf!