In Portland, Oregon, our people gathered at the church dedicated to the Holy Archdeacon Stephen to offer prayers of thanksgiving at the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy together with their Bishop and clergy, and to celebrate the parish’s patron feast day. His Grace Bishop Maxim of Western America greeted and blessed the gathered faithful, who welcomed him joyfully in front of the church. A large number of children and believers from Portland and Eugene received the archpastoral blessing and proceeded into the holy temple to offer gifts and prayers of gratitude to the Creator of all, who by His action created us out of non-being and continues to guide us on our journey through all of life.

As they entered the church, hymns were sung to the Gracious Virgin from whom the eternal God was incarnate. The sisters of our parish, who for years have adorned the services with their voices, once again began the gathering with their beautiful chanting. Upon entering, the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy commenced. After the Gospel reading, Bishop Maxim delivered an inspired homily. Speaking about the Gospel, the Bishop instructed the faithful on its words during these days of celebrating the coming of the Savior into the world in the flesh, when He becomes one of us. He reminded everyone of the great love of the Holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen, who even in the hour of his suffering showed love for all people.

After the conclusion of the homily and the so-called Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of the Faithful, or the Eucharist, followed. Through the hands of our Archpastor, the Holy Gifts were offered to God the Father, and in return the Trinitarian grace shone forth as the true light of the presence of the Kingdom of God in time and space. The prayers and exclamations of the Bishop and clergy were accompanied by the responses of the chanters of the parish of the Holy Archdeacon Stephen. The coming of Christ among us brings us the greatest light—the Nativity of Christ—as Bishop Maxim emphasized in his inspired sermon delivered at the Divine Liturgy.

The Communion of the faithful is a great joy, and thus we note with gratitude the large number of those united in the Body and Blood of the Lord, among whom the youngest were especially numerous. Concelebrating with Bishop Maxim were Priest John Suvak, Priest Jovan Katanić, and Deacons Steven Dyer from Eugene, Steven Bambakidis of the Antiochian Church, and Darko Hrle from Seattle. After the Ambon Prayer, Bishop Maxim awarded episcopal certificates and the Order of Saint Sebastian to parishioners as a sign of gratitude for their dedication and contribution to the Church, emphasizing that in the years to come there would be many more such expressions of thanksgiving.

He then invited the gathered faithful to take part in a procession around the church. The beautiful weather favored the joyful procession, which sang the troparia of the Nativity of Christ and of the Holy Archdeacon Stephen. After the Gospel reading at the entrance to the church, the Bishop, together with the clergy and people, entered the parish hall, where the festal bread (slava bread) was cut. It had been prepared by Darko and Jelena Ivković, this year’s kumovi of the slava.

At the agape meal lovingly prepared by the diligent hosts and the sisters of the Circle of Serbian Sisters of St. Stephen, dear guests from the parish in Eugene and the local hosts—the parishioners of St. Stephen—were welcomed, filling the parish hall to the last seat. During the festal lunch, the folklore group “Gračanica” performed an appropriate program, accompanied by applause.

At the end, Bishop Maxim greeted everyone with a paternal blessing. This Sunday remains a beautiful memory for the Church of God, with gratitude to the Lord for this day and thanksgiving for all the blessings that rest upon us