Saint Vincent de Paul (A voluteer opportunity the second Tuesday of the month)

cropped-Mission-Logo-in-White.png

In Matthew 25 it is clear that we are to feed the hungry. ‘In as much as you do it to the least of one of my brethren, you have done it onto me’. Our SVdP ministry has been committed and active for some 15 years. Our efforts with this local ministry (503 Giuseppe Court, Suite 8 Roseville, https://www.placersvdp.com) include preparing a meal, serving the meal, and cleaning up dishes. You do not need experience, just a willing, and loving heart!

Our SVdP designated day to serve is the second Tuesday of each month. We arrive by 9:30 am and are usually finished by 11:30 am with COVID times (the guests cannot enter the building). Non-COVID times are 9:30-1:30.

We always welcome volunteers and are actively looking to build a consistent team of folks that we can rotate amongst. If you are over the age of 14 and would like to be involved in rolling up your sleeves and helping those less fortunate than ourselves, please contact Markella 916-599-6909. And, God-willing, once we have a regular team of regular volunteers, we can request an additional day to serve those in need. May our efforts continued to be blessed.

Iconographic Plan for the Shrine Church of Saint Anna (Video)

Since 1998, stewards of our community have hoped to build a Church. It was decided in 2001 that the sanctuary was to be dedicated to seeking the intercessions of St. Anna. Thanks be to God, each day we make more progress, bringing this vision to reality (visit and then scroll down on our homepage, www.saintanna.org to view the latest progress). At some point next year, we’ll be celebrating services in our beautiful Shrine Church.

I’ve included the word “Shrine” above because this was not part of our original vision; it was however a blessing that was bestowed upon us. It distinguishes our community. It distinguishes our ministry. It distinguishes our holy space.

In approximately 2008, we began studying how a Church honoring Saint Anna, that possessed her relics (and with those of St. Joachim), that was also dedicated to the sanctity of marriage and family, might communicate these blessings through sacred space and iconography. It was a lengthy study that included travel to several monasteries, included the input of theologians, clergy, laity, artisans, and some of you. Thanks be to God, we have a plan!

Thanks be to God, Massimo Melinni and his artisans, together with Francesca Lofaro, have brought this vision to reality. As you watch the video prepared for our parish, I would encourage you to:

  1. Be prayerful! This is an offering to God that will inspire generations.

  2. Be overwhelmed! The Church will be simply stunning!

  3. Be humbled! It will cost a lot and may not get done for a generation, but that’s okay. Others may have to finish the work we begin.

  4. Be joyful! God is good and our matron saint is worthy of our honor as she continues to intercede on our behalf.

  5. Be trusting! God will provide through our prayers, through our efforts, and through our offerings.

Ultimately, our efforts are not simply about the structure or the iconography or any of the furnishings (the plan for the woodwork should be ready in about a month though), it’s about salvation! This project, like our stewardship, is an expression of our love for Christ, our hope in the Resurrection, and our willingness to offer His love to all those who come into our midst here in Roseville.


May God be well pleased with our efforts.

+fr. Christopher

"How to" Green Your Parish - Featuring St. Anna Parish!

This week’s “How-to” Green Your Parish episode features our Parish on “Learning from our Parishes.” The “How-to” Green Your Parish series is an initiative of the Department of Inter-Orthodox, Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations. New episodes will be released weekly featuring ideas and ways to introduce creation care and sustainability in your parish and home. Ranging from practical to theological, each three-minute video offers a unique perspective on environmental stewardship through the knowledge and expertise of Orthodox Christians across the United States. 

Our gratitude to Fr. Seraphim, Emil, and Tim for being featured in the video and for sharing their insights as good stewards of Creation. We also thank Stephen for taking the footage and doing the first round of edits.

May our efforts on our Church grounds continue to be blessed and to God’s glory through the intercessions of St. Anna.

In Support of Missions (Project Mexico & St. Innocent Service Works' home building and service program)

In Support of Missions – An Opportunity to Give!

Dear St Anna's Community,

For those of you who don't know me, my name is William Cumbelich, and I am Spiro and Vasiliki Halikas' grandson. You might have seen me over the years on my visits up here in Roseville, however my family and I live in the Bay Area, and I have grown up serving in the altar at Ascension Cathedral in Oakland.

From June to August this summer, I will have the privilege of traveling to St Basil's Academy in New York to serve as an intern for Project Mexico & St. Innocent Service Works' home building and service program. As you may know, St Basil's Academy is a national non-profit philanthropic center of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America which provides a loving Christian environment and a home for orphans, children of chronically ill or destitute parents and children from broken homes. The Academy's mission is to facilitate shelter, protection, love, and education in youth so they grow up to be healthy, wholesome, well-rounded Orthodox Christians, as well as productive members of society with vision and hope.

Due to the challenges of the pandemic and border closures, Project Mexico has organized mission trips across the country, instead of their traditional home building trips in Tijuana. My fellow interns and I will be at locations such as the St Herman house in Cleveland, the Neighborhood Resilience Project in Pittsburg, building homes for Habitat for Humanity in Boston, and so many other wonderful service opportunities.

Most of you can't simply pack up and spend an entire summer on a mission trip. However, you can play an integral role in our Orthodox mission programs through your prayers and financial support of interns such as I, as we act as the boots on the ground, putting Christ's Gospel in action. In order for me to participate in this internship, I need to raise $6,500 by May 20th. This money will pay for my transportation to and from New York, training, housing, food and some other minimal expenses during my stay.

I know that this pandemic has wreaked financial havoc for many and there isn't a lot of extra cash to go around. However, gifts of any size will go a long way, and I consider your support an honor not to be taken lightly. But most importantly, I ask for your continued prayers this summer as I hope to fulfill Christ's calling to "defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy" Psalm 82:3

You can donate directly online to my personal fundraising page: https://sisw.managedmissions.com/MyTrip/williamcumbelich1 or write a check made payable to Project Mexico & St. Innocent Orphanage. Please write summer internship and my name on the memo line of the check. Your donation will be tax deductible. For more information, see St. Innocent Service Works & St. Innocent Orphanage website at www.projectmexico.org.

Please keep me in your prayers as I prepare, and while I'm there. Thank you for your support and may God bless you all! In Christ,
William Cumbelich

Holy Thursday All Night Vigil

Reverend Fathers, Stewards, and Friends of St. Anna Parish,

“Today is hung upon a tree, He Who did hang the earth upon the waters. A wreath of thorns crowns Him, Who is the King of Angels; A false purple is put around Him, Who encircled heaven in clouds. A slapping was received by Him, Who freed Adam in Jordan. The Bridegroom of the Church was fixed with nails; the Son of the Virgin was pierced by a lance. We worship Your Passion, O Christ; Show to us also Your Glorious Resurrection.”

This hymn will be chanted as the Cross of our Lord is processed around the Church following the fifth Gospel lesson this evening. The readings, the hymns, the melodic tones, and even the feel of the Church are extremely somber; our Lord is delivered up unto death…out of love for His Creation.

As has been our tradition since our time in the office suite on N. Sunrise, we will keep vigil from the close of services through the start of Royal Hours on Holy Friday. Currently, we have individuals signed up to read throughout the night, except for between 5-6 and 8-9. If you would like to be added to our readers, please let me know ASAP. Even if you’re not scheduled to read, I would encourage you to come to the Church at any point tonight to pray in the Church as the Psalms are prayed.