Detroit Council of Orthodox Churches announces Sunday evening Lenten Vesper schedule

— The Council of Orthodox Christian Churches of Metropolitan Detroit [COCC] will sponsor its annual series of lenten Vesper services at area parishes five Sundays during Great Lent 2006.

COCC’s president, the Very Rev. Roman Star, rector of St. Innocent Church [Moscow Patriarchate], Redford, MI, will preside at the services, at which area clergy will deliver the homilies. COCC’s Inter-Orthodox Choir, directed by Victoria Kopistiansky, will sing the responses at the weekly services.

The services will begin at 6:00 p.m. on the following dates:

March 12, Sunday of Orthodoxy.

St. Clement Ohridski Macedonian-Bulgarian Orthodox Church, 19600 Ford Road, Dearborn, MI; 313-271-3110.

The Very Rev. Paul Jannakos, homilist.

March 19, Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas.

St. Lazarus Serbian Orthodox Church, 5675 Outer Drive, Detroit, MI; 313-893-6025.

The Very Rev. James Jorgenson, homilist.

March 26, Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross.

St. Thomas Albanian Orthodox Church [OCA], 29150 10 Mile Road, Farmington Hills, MI; 248-471-1059.

The Very Rev. George Shaloub, homilist.

April 2, Sunday of St. John Climacus.

Holy Trinity Church [OCA], 20500 Anglin St., Detroit, MI; 313-366-0677.

The Rev. Michael Arbanas, homilist.

April 9, Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt.

St. Paul Macedonian-Bulgarian Orthodox Cathedral [OCA], 700 N. Beech Daly Road, Dearborn Heights, MI; 313-565-9863.

The Rev. James Goodwin, homilist.

The public is invited to attend the services, after which refreshments will be served. Donations will assist COCC’s charities and projects.

For further information, contact the Very Rev. Michael Matsko, Holy Transfiguration Church [OCA], Livonia, MI, at 248-476-3432 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

The COCC is a 50-year-old clergy and lay association that represents various canonical Orthodox churches in metropolitan Detroit. It promotes inter-Orthodox cooperation, heightens the Orthodox community’s awareness of its cultural heritage, and supports the Inter-Orthodox Choir and other Orthodox ministries and charities.