"Gracanica" Serbian Orthodox Church

Dear brothers and sisters,

With the desire to always inform you about further plans and steps regarding the opening of our church, we inform you that we will continue to act with the blessing of our Bishop, and in accordance with local provincial laws. For your convenience we enclose the act of the Bishop, as well as the instructions of the local state authorities regarding the measures that must be taken before the opening of the church.

It is very encouraging news that most of our province is slowly but surely heading towards opening up. In that spirit, we also plan our activities and the opening of the church. In order for everything to be in accordance with the regulations, we will need the help of committed volunteers.

If you are able to help by volunteering and are interested in taking a more active part in the life of our church, please send your wish and contact to executive@gracanicawindsor.com. The Board of Directors will make further plans and issue instructions based on the information at its disposal.

Your contact and your help are necessary for further timely planning.

Letter from Bishop

Ontario Ministry of Health COVID 19 Religious Services Guideline

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Драга браћо и сестре, 

Са жељом да Вас увек обавештавамо о даљим плановима и корацима по питању отварања нашег храма, обавештавамо вас да ћемо и даље поступати по благослову нашег Епископа, а у складу са локалним државним законима. У прилогу Вам достављамо акт Епископа, као и упутства локалних државних власти по питању мера које морају бити предузете пре отварања храма.

Веома је охрабрујућа вест да већина наше провинције полако али сигурно иде ка отварању. У том духу и ми планирамо наше активности и отварање цркве. Но, наш циљ није само испуњавање слова закона, већ свеукупно здравље верних. Стога, да би све било у складу са прописима требаће нам помоћ посвећених волонтера.

Верујемо да бисмо осигурали безбедност верника испуњавајући све захтеве од стране надлежних, али су нам потребни посвећени волонтери који ће блиско сарађивати са Управним одбором и активно учествовати у спровођењу свих мера наведених у документима. Уколико сте у могућности да помогнете добровољним радом и заинтересовани да узмете активнијег учешћа у животу наше цркве, молимо вас да вашу жељу и контакт доставите на executive@gracanicawindsor.com. Управни одбор ће правити даље планове и издавати упутства на основу информација које буде имао на располагању.

Ваш контакт и ваша помоћ су неопходни ради даљег благовремног планирања.

Порука Владика

On Friday, June 26 and Saturday, June 27 the Multicultural Council will host our first-ever virtual celebration of culture, designed to be enjoyed from the safety and convenience of your own home. Based entirely online, this festival will showcase many of the wonderful traditions of the ethnic communities here in Windsor-Essex. For more information, visit www.carrouselofnations.com

Ethnic communities in Windsor-Essex will share music and dance performances, cooking demonstrations, and traditional presentations unique to their cultures.  Carrousel@Home has also partnered with both participating villages and local restaurants to promote their delivery, curbside, and take-out services during our event.

Our Gracanica Community has been working hard to put together and film our Serbian Village's display for Carrousel@Home. We want to thank Jelica Stevanov and Anne Dube for coordinating our efforts on behalf of the Church and Serbian Heritage Museum. We are excited to represent our Serbian Village in this unique version of our yearly event.

Participating Communities include:

Dear brothers and sisters,

In consideration of the recent situation regarding the spread of the COVID 19 virus, according to the instructions of the institutions qualified for infection control, and upon the blessing of His Grace, the Bishop of Canada, Kyr Mitrofan, we are informing you that in the upcoming period the Gracanica Church, in Windsor, will continue with regular worship and prayer for all, and on behalf of all of you, our parishioners, but only in the presence of the two priests.

Bearing in mind that each family, particularly now, should be a "home church". We ask all of you, throughout this time of temptation and necessity, to remain in your homes and to practice your personal and family prayers to the Lord for the salvation of mankind. Also, in order to remain in spiritual unity with one another as a community, we will make our best effort to transmit all services, in both of our churches, live through our social networks, in order that all of you can take part in worship through modern means of communication.

Therefore, for the time being, the regular worship and prayer life of our churches continues, but without the physical presence of believers. We kindly ask that you send the names of your loved ones to the following contacts for prayerful remembrance at Proskomidia to fr.vladimirv@gmail.com. These measures will remain in effect until further notice. God willing, moving forward, we will notify you of further steps in a timely manner.

Драга браћо и сестре,

Имајући у виду новонасталу ситуацију у вези са ширењем вируса COVID 19, према инструкцијама надлежних институција за сузбијање инфекције а по благослову Преосвећеног Епископа канадског господина др Митрофана, обавештавамо вас да ће се у будуће у цркви Грачаници, обављати редовна богослужења и молитве за све вас, наше парохијене, али само у присуству свештеника. Подсећајући све наше парохијане да је свака породица „црква у малом“, молимо све вас да у овом времену искушења, останете у својим кућама и да своје личне молитве за спасење људског рода, узнесете ка Господу. Такође, како би остали у духовном јединству једни са другима, потрудићемо се да све службе у обе наше цркве, преносимо уживо преко наших друштвених мрежа, тако да сви можете путем савремених средстава комуникације на овај начин узети учешћа у богослужењу.

Распоред Богослужења:

Св. Литургија – сваке недеље и на празнике у 10:00.

Дакле, редовни богослужбени и молитвени живот наших цркава се наставља, али без присуства верника. Молимо вас да имена ваших вољених за молитвено помињање на Светим Литургијма шаљете на емаил адресу fr.vladimirv@gmail.com. 

Ове мере остају на снази до даљњег. О даљим корацима ћемо вас обавестити накнадно.

We are very excited to celebrate with the community the purchase of the New Serbian Centre Property. When circumstances allow, we plan to hold a celebratory land blessing and fundraiser banquet. 

While we wish we could see you all very soon, this event is 

Tentatively Postponed to FALL 2020.

Community Members – The Serbian Centre needs our help during these difficult times. 

Please join us in writing the stories future generations will tell and consider giving $50 for the future of the Serbian Centre.

#50fortheFuture

Give $50 per person, $50 per family, whatever is in your heart to give will help us establish some certainty, amidst so much uncertainty. 

When sending your contribution, please send a picture of yourself, or family, be as creative as you wish. It can be a video, saying “I am the future of the Serbian Centre” Or holding a sign saying the same. We look forward to seeing all the familiar community faces and sharing them on Facebook as they come in. For those that are harder to reach because of social distancing, perhaps your parents or grandparents, consider going to take a picture of them on their front porch or in their front window if they would like to take part.

We believe in our community, and this Easter weekend we encourage you to share the beautiful stories that you have from our Church and our Community Centre with your families.

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING PARISHIONER RECORDS

To ensure all our parish records are up to date, Fr. Vladimir is requesting that parishioners of the Gracanica Church fill out a quick form.  Forms can be submitted at the church, or to any Executive Board Member.  

Thank You for your cooperation.
VIEW AND DOWNLOAD THE PARISHIONER RECORD FORM HERE