Good News Red Deer!

The Good News is that people who dream big can bring fields of opportunity to bear much fruit. And in this great Nativity season, while Christmas Carollers in the Ukrainian tradition may sprinkle wheat seeds to ensure successful crops and prosperity for the host family, more seeds are being sown in Red Deer's Ukrainian Orthodox Community - and soon to bear much fruit!

The Red Deer UOCC Parish has grown from its hopeful mission status and now the physical task of Church Temple Building has arrived. With hope, faith and charity, the good people at St. John's Cultural Center (Edmonton), Viter Ukrainian Dancers and Folk Choir and special guest artist Theresa Sokyrka are enthusiastically contributing to this important fundraising evening. For more information call 403-700-9942 or contact orthodoxrd@gmail.com.

Perhaps you will agree that in Canada, this wonderful land of opportunity, all of Ukrainian Alberta truly stops being strangers to one another's needs, and contributes to days of promise, faith and community.

Kyivan Rus' Sovereign, Saint and Hero

Monuments to great heroes, to champions of the good, monuments to mark sad moments that teach us never to forget, and then there are monuments which speak to the spirit. Calgary is home to a special monument, a type of structure explicitly created to commemorate a real person, and an extraordinary historical, cultural and spiritual event.

The Ukrainian Church closest to the Langevin Bridge off Memorial Drive adds some Eastern European flare to our Western Canadian cityscape.  While the hopeful start of the first Ukrainian Catholic Church in Calgary in 1912 was shortlived noteably because of Canada's First World War Internment Operations, the end of the war brought a resurgence of spirit.  The changing political climate in the ancestral homeland meant new Ukrainian Canadians would have to be self-reliant, so they forged ahead embracing the legacy of Kyivan Rus' Sovereign, Saint and Hero -Volodymyr. 


Baptism of Volodymyr-public domain

From the Feast Day in his honor on July 28th to August 14th marking Volodymyr's official Baptism and acceptance of Orthodox Christianity as the State Religion of Kyivan Rus', these are heady, legacy days for Ukrainians.  Interestingly enough,  The Primary Chronicle names Anna, the sister of Byzantine Emperors Basil and Constantine, and records that her brothers agreed to her marriage to Volodymyr upon his receipt of Christian Baptism, in Kherson.  It looks like Volodymyr married into the faith!  Heady times for me too since the the location of these events, the Ruins of the Basilica and Saint Volodymyr Cathedral in National Preserve of Tauric Chersonesos, Sevastopol, Crimea, Ukraine will be part of my summer tour this month. 

Ukrainian-Calgarians, thankful for their huge Canadian inheritance, and emulating their ancestral Sovereign pressed forward with a vision of a people united by a common spiritual culture that transcended the parochial loyalties of their village past.  The church standing on Meredith Road looking over the river to downtown Calgary would welcome all those of Ukrainian ancestry.

St. Vlad's is a great community for Ukrainian-Calgarian hospitality.  On Sunday, July 28th the church marks its Temple Patron Feast Day with Divine Liturgy, followed by prayers and procession around the temple to honor Kyivan Rus' Sovereign and Saint, Volodymyr's  Baptism of Ukraine 1025 years ago. Come and contribute your favorite dish to the pot-luck luncheon, and you will be sure to meet friends, renew aquaintance and be spiritually uplifted!

http://www.ukrainian-orthodoxy.org/saints/otherSaints/volodymyr.htm

http://ukrainiancalgary.blogspot.ca/2013/03/988-2013-makes-1025-years.html

May Long Weekend Ukrainian Dance Extravaganza



Take ridne!  From Kosiw, Ivano-Frankivsk,
Western Ukraine, from Iryna. 

What to do this May long weekend? Albertans have a great venue and a great idea!  Time to get to the Ukrainian Village!

Alberta's Ukrainian dancing fans, as well as those from across the Canadian prairies have a great May long weeend event happening!  It is time for The Celebration of Dance!

On Monday, May 20, 2013, Alberta's largest dance extravaganza will feature a variety of dance groups of all ages!  Gotta get there! The Ukrainian Village will be the host venue for a great day of authentic sights and celebrations of Ukrainian heritage, family fun and activities including a village market, musicians, entertainers, and more!  The rural life of Ukrainian settlers as they became players in Alberta's formative years will make for an entertaining and worthwhile step into history!  With wagon rides, sheep shearing demonstrations, religious services in the authentic Albertan built Ukrainian churches, informative exhibits, and of course, traditional Ukrainian foods, this is a weekend for everyone!

This is also a worthwhile family trip for those currently writing Alberta's academic achievement tests, in elementary school!  With a focus on the lives of Albertans, and her history,  this heritage museum is the best! 

Bring your picnic gear, your walking shoes, and a bag for your market shopping, that is, if you have time between all the dance extravaganza fun! Don't forget to bring your camera - the heritage museum is staffed by actors who portray the various roles involved in this cultural heritage museum - lots of stories to tell!  The Village is open from 10 to 5 this Monday!

http://www.ukrainianvillage.ca

 

988-2013 makes 1025 years!

The year 2013 will mark the 1025 year of Christening of the Kyvian Rus' Ukrainian State - 988 to the present. I'm hoping to get to Ukraine to catch a glimpse of how they might celebrate the date!  And here in Calgary, Ukraine's King Volodymyr is well represented by the impressive church on the hill in Bridgeland overlooking Memorial Drive.

By 980 King of Kyivan Rus', Volodymyr Sviatoslavich Rurikovich (958-1015) had consolidated his empire from Ukraine to the Baltic Sea, solidifying frontiers from any incursions. King Volodymyr established amazing international relationships with neighboring royal courts. Royally commanded, his boyars brought envoy delegations from the great religions of the world for Religion 101 - Comparative Studies (Christianity, Judaism and Islam) By 987 Volodymyr was drawn to Eastern Christianity, for the full festive ritual of the Byzantine church, the beauty, majesty and awed because "God dwells there.....". Bringing the Byzantine world closer through this relationship of faith was impressive.

Legend has it that Saint Andrew, the first Apostle of Christ, traveled over the Black Sea to the ancient Greek colony of Chersonesos, (literally peninsula - an ancient city and now an archaeological site near Sevastopol in the Crimea, Ukraine ) where the faith was accepted by many thousands. This video tour of Ancient Chersonesos is one of the sites on the Black Sea Odyssey tour, a place commemorating the place of Volodymyr's Christian Baptism.http://www.360cities.net/image/ancient-ruins-of-chersonesos-sevastopol#306.10,5.50,78.8

Saint Andrew is said to have traveled north up the Dnipro River to a place where Kyiv would in time be celebrated for its thousand golden domed temples. This ancient place retained its status in Eastern European Christianity from Saint Andrew's time.  The Christian Baptism of King Volodymyr the Great, and Kyivan Rus' made it a Metropolitanate of the Patriarch of Constantinople.

Newly Christened, King Volodymyr received the Princess Anna of Constantinople in Christian marriage and initiated a campaign of Christianization in his nation of Kyivan Rus' (Ukraine). Removing pagan idols, deposing pagan wives, and adopting a new convert's zeal to the tasks before him, he compelled his household, court and officials to submit to a memorable Christian Baptism by immersion in the Dnipro River flowing through his city of Kyiv.

In 988 King Volodymyr's people walked into the water in the Obolon' area, a part of right bank Kyiv that is a floodplain between the River Dnipro and Pochaina.  Podil Raion (Lower City)  just above the floodplain contains construction dating back to at least the 9th to 11 centuries making it the oldest neighbourhood of the city of Kyiv and its historical center. A family member toured me through the  prestigious district years back, to The St. Elijah church (Ilinska Tserkva), the first Orthodox parish in Kyivan Rus'.  Records show that in 945 AD a Liturgy was served at the already built Church of Saint Elijah by the flowing river Dnipro.  Pagan warrior Princes of  Kyiv, Askold and Dir are said to have witnesses a miracle, and initiated its construction. Imagine a full immersion Christening in the Dnipro River, and appreciating the dry land ceremony of presentation in the temple of Saint Elijah only 1025 years ago!  

Rus' newly minted Christians took to their new moral code with enthusiasm, and trepidation. King Volodymyr set an admirable example for his people by freely giving money to the church, the poor, and hesitated to repeat his war craft or inflict capital punishment for fear of bearing sin. A role model, he generously funded the building of beautiful churches. Volodymyr directed clergy who remained in each newly Christianized city to teach spirituality, literacy, culture and economics in the accompanying schools built by his royal decree. Culture flourished. By 1015 he had calmed the spirits of many doubters.

So many historical references can be drawn from seeing the beautiful temple in honor of St. Volodymyr - Equal to the Saints, ideally situated with its panoramic vista of the Bow River in Calgary.  Enjoy!  http://www.beautifulalberta.com/ed-panoramas/st-vladimirs-ukrainian-orthodox-church-in-calgary/

National Congress of Ukrainian Catholic Women's League of Canada 2013

The fabric of the  Ukrainian Canadian community is a tapestry of many, many special  individuals who generously volunteer their time, talents and treasure in meritorious organizations that benefit all Canadians. One such group is the Ukrainian Catholic Women's League of Canada, whose open arms welcome all newcomers!

With a commitment to the Church, nurturing cultural heritage, and providing resources for living an authentic Christian life, the UCWLC does good work.

They will be holding their 2013 National Convention  in Saskatoon this spring on June 27-30, 2013.   For more information contact your local Ukrainian Catholic church.

Spirituality and Symbols

Calgary is the home of three Ukrainian Christian communities - three Christian churches.  Since the building of the first Ukrainian church in Calgary in 1912, these communities have all served the spiritual needs of Calgarians, Southern Albertans, family and guests from far and wide.  The mission work of these congregations involves meeting the need to commune - to live together, think together, and pray together as one Christian family.

How fortunate we are to live in a democracy that guarantees the freedom to associate, freedom to believe, freedom to choose how we express our faith - things some Canadians may often take for granted.  From time to time, it might be good to recall some of the reasons why immigrants choose this democratic nation for a home!!  Good to remember why it is a place we cherish and pray to preserve for generations to come!

How fortunate for spiritually thirsty Ukrainian Canadians that communities continue to congregate together, use the ancestral language and traditions, honor the saints and Saints of our ancestral homeland, and pray that our comings and goings will be judged favourably by eternity.   

What is a Ukrainian church?  What is a Greek church or a Bulgarian church or a ......whatever ethnicity you choose?  Ukrainians have choices it seems.  Or perhaps, the world is trying to decide what to do with Ukrainian choices.

I truly believe that knowledge is essential for self understanding.  Unfortunately, knowledge itself doesn't always equal insight.  That is, perhaps, why the Ukrainian Christian world continues to ponder its future.  Historic documents speak volumes, but in every re-reading, with every new context, they deliver a richer picture.  Some people drink wine, some become overly engaged in wine drinking, but then some become connoisseurs - people who understand the subtle notes, the fleeting flavour, and the enduring end note - whose opinions are valued and considered - for their insight. For it is true that every good thing comes with a cost.

In following Uke Tube, some of these topics of interest are discussed. 

Ethnicity, Symbolism and Orthodox Christianity

www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1jJ6yB2A4Y

Canonical Territories & the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQhVJrxGbpw


Chambésy & the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPFTxR4lCy4


Canonicity & the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3I5NKrCXMI

Ukrainian Christmas on World FM

Remember listening to the Ukrainian programs in the evening as a child?  Radio shows from Camrose, Edmonton, and a variety of locales took advantage of the crisp clear winter weather for great long distance radio reception - it was great to listen, to sing along, to hear that everyone was enjoying the season.  It was a way of connecting to the entire Ukrainian diaspora it seemed to me.  Everybody was listening from the farms, from the town, cities, in the vehicles - wonderful!

Thanks to www.worldfm.ca you can listen where ever you may be!  Ukrainian Christmas on World FM has great holiday programming this year.  Make sure to send this contact information to all your family and friends! And PRINT A COPY FOR THE GRANDPARENTS! You can also hear in the Edmonton area on 101.7 FM!

UKRAINIAN CHRISTMAS RADIO SPECIALS (all times MT)

101.7 World FM

Monday, January 7, 2013

· 4:00-4:30 pm Christmas music & greetings

· 4:30-5:00 pm Father Kenneth Kearns Bilingual School

· 5:00-5:30 pm Dnipro Choir

· 5:30-6:00 pm Ukrainian Youth Unity (CYM, Liga ukraintsiv, Liga ukrainok, etc.)

· 6:00-6:30 pm St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic Parish

· 6:30-7:00 pm St. John’s Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral

· 7:00-8:00 pm Xmas Liturgical Highlights, St. John’s Cathedral

Friday, January 18, 2013

· 6:00-6:30 pm Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization

· 6:30-7:00 pm Dnipro Choir

NEW FEATURE, JUST IN TIME FOR DRIVING HOME FROM MIDNIGHT MASS OR CELEBRATING WITH FRIENDS

Their overnight, commercial-free World Music montage will feature songs for Julian Christmas:

· 12 Midnight Jan. 6 to 5:00 am Jan. 7, and

· 12 Midnight Jan. 7 to 5:00 am Jan. 8

Ukrainian carols, holiday songs, etc. interspersed with a few Greek and Serbian festive favourites.

Thanks to Roman Brytan  - Program Director - 101.7 World FM

www.worldfm.ca   10212 Jasper Avenue Edmonton Alberta Canada T2J 5A3

780-863-2040 cell; 780-401-1601 office direct

Ukrainian Christmas Carol Concert - Edmonton

The Ukrainian Music Society of Alberta Українське Музичне Товариство Альберти has been active in areas related to arts and culture since 1984.

The Ukrainian Music Society of Alberta is again inviting the community to a celebration of Ukrainian Carols and Schedrivky -Вечір Колядок і Щедрівок  a Ukrainian Christmas Carol Concert on Sunday, January 27, 2013 at 3:00 PM at St. John's Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral, in Edmonton, Alberta.

This is always great event that embraces all the Ukrainian community in prayerful song in celebration of the Nativity of Jesus Christ! Come, bring your children, and seniors - sing in harmony with the many voiced choir of angels - the Ukrainian Music Society of Alberta invites everyone to attend!

Admission is by donation to "Orphanage Project in Ukraine, care of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada Western Eparchy". This year's event will be hosted by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada Western Eparchy. Remember to stay for the fellowship and post concert refreshments at St. John's Cultural Centre (10951-107 Street Edmonton).

For more information contact Luba Boyko-Bell at 780-469-4890

St. Stephen's MALANKA 2013

amk2012

Calgary's first Ukrainian New Year's MALANKA Новорічна Маланка! of the season is going to be quite the event!  The lovely people at St. Stephen's Protomartyr Ukrainian Catholic Church have planned a special evening of celebration to mark the Ukrainian New Year on Friday, January 11th, 2013.  For an excellent meal and seasonal entertainment make sure to book your tickets soon!  For more information contact Ed Tysowski - 403-547-3226  or check online at www.protomartyr.ca.  

St. Stephen's is located at 4903-45 Street S. W., Calgary.

Where is Calgary's Internee Plaque?

Calgary's first Ukrainian church rang its bells in 1912, in what is currently Tuxedo area.  Local Calgarians of Ukrainian ethnicity, coal miners, labourers, farmers and ranchers joined in prayer together - celebrating their ancestral faith.  However, this high moment was short lived.  The many men, women and children who celebrated the liturgy together, were soon engulfed in another tragedy - the WW1 war time internment of "enemy aliens".

Newly minted Canadians, people of Ukrainian ethnicity from the breadbasket of Europe, holding a variety of citizenship papers including those of Austro-Hungary (WW1 enemies of the British Empire) were declared enemy aliens. During World War 1, these people were gathered in 24 internment camps across Canada, and some of them were, if not locals, then itinerant workers in the Calgary area.  Who were they? What are their names? What became of them?

The Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association has been a leader in the Ukrainian Canadian struggle for government ackowledgement of what happened to Ukrainians and other East Europeans during Canada's first national internment operations of 1914-1920.  With over twenty years of service to the community the UCCLA has gained public attention, but only recently, in 2008, did the signing of a technical document establish a $10 million dollar endowment fund within the Ukrainian Canadian Foundation of Taras Shevchenko.  With these funds, UCCLA has been instrumental, with the Canadian government, in establishing memorial sites, and permanent markers at the various sites across Canada to pay tribute to those internees.  One such site is at the Castle Mountain Internment Camp site near Calgary, but most recently another marker was unveiled and blessed in the Whitney Pier district of Sydney, Nova Scotia. 

Like Calgary's 1912 establishment of its first Ukrainian church, the ethnically Ukrainian congregation at Whitney Pier in Sydney, Nova Scotia celebrated its church's first Divine Liturgy in 1912.  Sydney was grievously affected by the internment operations, and now there is a monument to acknowledge that fact, thanks to UCCLA and the local community.

Calgary's Ukrainian community suffered too.  During the First World War, many people were interned, leading to the closing of the first Ukrainian church in Calgary.  The community life of Ukrainians here in Western Canada was forever changed.  Some say that even after nearly a hundred years have passed, this event still resonates in the minds and hearts of families and friends here..  Could it be that this trauma led to immediate assimilation, and intentional loss of ancestral culture, language and family ties?

In defence of the human rights and civil liberties of the entire Ukrainian community here in Canada, but specifically Calgary, I wonder where in the city of Calgary there is such a place of honor? 

For more information, check THE NEW PATHYWAY, Thursday, October 11, 2012 page 6 for two more articles.  Also check www.infoukes.com/newpathway
And CAPE BRETON POST, 21 September, 2012

Sviato Pokrova 2012

Today, October 14, is a festive day for Ukrainians everywhere.  Whether you are involved in church life, or a patriot, this is the Day of Ukrainian Cossacks.  Like many things in the Ukrainian life, today has many layers of complexity. 

Today is Pokrova, the day recognizing the act of intercession of the Theotokos, the Blessed Virgin Mary, over the people of the Blachernae church in Constantinpole.  According to Eastern Orthodox Sacred Tradition, in the tenth century on this day, St. Andrew the Blessed Fool for Christ, rose for prayers, and at four in the morning, he saw the dome of the Blachernae church open and the Virgin Mary enter, moving in the air above him, surrounded by the Holy Angels and Saints. She knelt and prayed with tears for all the faithful. St. Andrew and his disciple St. Epiphanius saw it, and the people were amazed.

In the same spirit, the Virgin Mary has appeared in various sites in Ukraine, and over the centuries has become the protector of Ukraine. 

Pokrova is also tied to the Ukrainian Insurgent Army UPA and has indeed become a day recognizing the struggle for national liberation.  But complexity its is by-line. 
Of course, history is all dependent upon who writes the words.  As I have recently read in the book Bloodlands by Timothy Snyder, people don't frequently have many choices during war, and during the course of Ukraine's last century (and for many before it seems) the people have been vulnerably between a rock and a hard place.  Difficult to choose options when you have none, and yet somehow the world goes on. 

The Ukrainian political movements of the 1920's and 1930's were fighting foreign and domestic enemies.  The organization mentioned above was formed to protect the people from repression and exploitation by the various "ruling bodies", and drive to the goal of an independent, free and unified state.  Extremely difficult circumstances dictated the acceptance of violence as an acceptable tool.  Hindsight is 20/20, and historians can interpret the strategic errors those in the trenches were too busy to sort out. 

Тарас Петрененко Україна
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bF-hynOwRA&feature=share

Warrior heritage of Ukrainian Cossacks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7rqdQ7dgCM&feature=share

 

http://ukrainiancalgary.blogspot.ca/2012/10/giving-thanks_7.htmlFor Ukraine, for its diaspora, for Ukrainians everywhere, on this October 14th, whether you like red borsch, green or white, greetings on this day of Pokrova!  (The photo is from Edmonton's Borsch Fest 2012 - wish I 'd had the chance to attend!

http://ukrainiancalgary.blogspot.ca/2012/07/borshch-fest-ukrainian-male-chorus.html






 

Calgary's Ukrainian Pioneer Park

Ukrainian Canadian Congress logo
"strong because we are united"

Calgary's Ukrainian Pioneer Park is located on the 600 block of 7th Avenue.  A little to the east of Edmonton Trail, kittty corner from the Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Assumption, Ukrainian Pioneer Park is a testament to the early settlers in the area, dedicated to celebrating Calgary's Ukrainian community.  

Ukrainian Pioneer Park- Calgary

This is a lovely, little park in the Renfrew area.  With a playground for little ones, and park benches to sit on, it provides a gentle respite to the busy schedule.  There is a little corner store across the street where you can purchase a little snack to enjoy while the kids play at the park.  



Ukrainian Pioneer Park-Calgary

Until the 1940's this was farmland. During the Second World War, there was a Royal Canadian Air Force training base and airfield here. It served as Calgary's airport too. Once the airport was relocated from its original site (on the corner of present-day 6th Street and Regal Crescent), the area was developed for residential use.

In 1991 (marking a century of Ukrainian Canadian settlement) a monument to the Ukrainian Pioneers was celebrated by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress and the City of Calgary.  Make a point of bringing guests to Calgary to the Ukrainian landmarks in our great city, and thank Canada for welcoming Ukrainians for over a century!    

 

BORSHCH FEST - Ukrainian Male Chorus

The Ukrainian Male Chorus of Edmonton was recently in Southern Alberta on their mission to promote Ukrainian Music to the world.  Their trip to Banff, with the free admission performance was a great opportunity to reconnect with the past.  The significance of Southern Alberta in the Ukrainian Canadian experience is a treasure of stories, mostly untold - perhaps time to reveal a snapshot?  Stories of opportunity, adventure, sacrifice, contributions and resilience!

Did you know how many Ukrainian labourers were involved in the building of the Banff Cave and Basin Hot Springs facility?  Did you know about the internment camp at Castle Mountain?  Well, a look into Ukrainian Canadian history, and a glimpse at the huge migration of Ukrainian immigrants to the southern Alberta region say, a hundred years ago tells an important story.

The choir also came to sing the responses to the Liturgy at St. Vladimir's Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Calgary.  With the impromptu performance of Ukrainian folk songs after the Liturgy and Coffee Fellowship, the choir showcased its versatility, excellence, and great passion for the Choral Tradition of Ukraine, and Choral Tradition of Western Canada.  The experienced, yet fresh and enthusiastic approach to Ukrainian Choral Music in Canada's 2012 - what a gift!

If you enjoy this Ukrainian Choral Tradition, perhaps the Ukrainian Male Chorus's next big event is for you?

They are holding a special event called  Borshch Fest - Do Not Wear White on Saturday, October 13, 2012 at 6PM at St. John's Cultural Centre - 10611-110 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta.  Make sure you get your tickets soon - it's bound to be a lively and entertaining cultural event! 

I hope they make it a tradition!! 

	Tickets: $40 - Buy 10 and you get to reserve a Table! Be the first on your block! Tickets are limited, so don't delay! 6 pm - Cocktails and borsh...ch tasting 7 pm - Celebrity Cook-off, judging, and performance by Ukrainian Male Chorus of Edmonton 9 pm - Dance by Barvinok 10:15 pm - Lunch For tickets please contact: Bo: 780-717-3609 Dave: 780-863-8877 umctickets@gmail.comSee

Adult Ukrainian Language Classes

How fortunate I have been to have the ability to speak in Ukrainian!  I am one of those Ukrainian Canadians with several generations of family born on Canadian soil, yet my family was able, because of great community programs, to ensure that I could speak well in Ukrainian.  I have to admit, my language is not contemporary Kievan, however most people from Ukraine know Canadian Ukrainians are doing a good job when they try to speak.  It has been a priority for my family.  It has also been important for my children, both of whom speak well.  Thank heavens for Sadohock, Ukrainian School, at both Assumption and St. Vladimir's (ridna shkola) and Plast Ukrainian Scouts in Calgary!

Having said that, I know that many families have not been so blessed with opportunities for themselves and their children.  Thank heavens the mind continues to be flexible, eager for new challenges, no matter what age a person may be!  That is why it is so fortunate for Calgarians that St. Stephen's Ukrainian Catholic Church is offering these language classes for adults and young people this coming year. 

If you need basics, if you need conversational language, if you are growing your confidence, this is the program for you! 

Other similar Ukrainian language programs have been offered in Calgary before.  Several years ago the UWAC at St. Vladimir's Ukrainian Orthodox Church had Adult Ukrainian classes.  Also, did you know that in Edmonton, St. Andrew's Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the UWAC there has sponsored Ukrainian language learning for adults for many, many years!!  I understand that there were 40 students registered last year, in several classes!  With folk singing, discussions about interesting historical artifacts, and the opportunity to build community using Ukrainian language, it has been, and continues to provide great instruction for all their students.

So, Calgarians, your time is now!  I hope you take the opportunity to improve your Ukrainian language - our Ukrainian educational leaders at St. Stephen's can help!!





Charity Golf Tournament UOCC Red Deer

Last summer I started taking golf lessons.  Spent some time with a pro and actually enjoyed myself.  Then spent some time with the family, just hitting a bucket of balls.  For a workaholic like me the idea seemed so frivolous.  Actually, I have poor eye hand coordination, but it is becoming a necessary part of social life these days.  So, I am off to the golf course again very soon. I hope to get good enough to not embarrass myself at the tournament in August - the fundraiser tournament for the Red Deer Ukrainian Orthodox Church. 

Maybe you can join the group for this worthy cause!  If spending time with a good group of people is a blessing, then share this blessing with the mission minded Ukrainian Orthodox Church leaders in Red Deer.  They are hoping to gather funds for the building of their new church in Red Deer. 

Fundraising Golf Tournament in Calgary on August 11, 2012

Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Mission Parish of Red Deer is hosting a charity golf tournament in Calgary on August 11, 2012 to help raise funds for their church building. The tournament is at Silverwing Links Golf Course, at 3434 48 Avenue, NE • Calgary, AB and tournament will begin at 1:30 pm. Registration opens at 12:30. The fee is $150.00 and includes 18 holes of golf, a wonderful steak dinner, and a cart rental. Dinner only tickets are $50.00. Please contact Dobr. Julie Chrapko at 403-453-5407 or orthodoxrd@gmail.com for a registration form or if you have any questions. Registration closes July 28 or when the tournament is full.

Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Mission was organized in 1999, and since its inception has been served by five pastors - priests from the UOCC, including Father Sawchenko, Father Powalinsky, Father Pozdyk, Father Bilous, and Father Chrapko. The long held dream of having their own Ukrainian Orthodox church in central Alberta is slowly coming to fruition.  The mission parish is growing steadily and meets for Liturgy and other pastoral activities at the Parkland Funeral Home in Red Deer on two Sundays a month.  Once a month the members gather for Vespers and Catechism Lessons.   

Dobrodijka Julie Chrapko was pleased to share this information with all of you.  She hopes you will participate in this venture and, on behalf of the Red Deer UOCC mission, thanks everyone for their prayers and support!

2012 Ukie Stampede Stomp

Hey Calgarians!  It's almost time to get your cowboy boots on again for the Calgary Stampede!!

Remember to put the 2012 Ukie Stampede Stomp on your calendar!  On Saturday, July 7th, 2012 from 6-12 PM the Knights of Columbus is holding a Fundraiser BBQ Steak Dinner and Dance at St. Stephen's Cultural Centre (4903-45 St. SW). 




You can call Terry for tickets ($40/p) at 403-540-0411.  Supper is at 7pm and the Dance at 9 pm.  Yahoo!!

Calgary Visit of Ukrainian Male Chorus of Edmonton



at Mukachevo, Ukraine - infoukes.com

A few weeks ago I was speaking with Orest Soltykevych of Edmonton, and he surprised me with the news that the UKRAINIAN MALE CHORUS OF EDMONTON is coming to sing in Calgary this month.  What lovely news! 

I just love the sound of male voices, especially singing together!  The liturgical music of the Ukrainian tradition is so moving.  Prayerful, deep, rich, resonant sounds - the enveloping sounds that make my spirit remember the hopes and dreams of my ancestors.  The sound of Hospodi pomiluj!  touches my heart in a way no other prayer does. 

Orest said that the choir has decided to take the opportunity to promote the Ukrainian choral tradition by touring various centres in Western Canada. 

They are coming to Calgary to sing the responses to the Divine Liturgy, on Sunday, June 24 at St. Vladimir’s Ukrainian Orthodox Congregation at 404 Meredith Road NE.

I sincerely hope you will come and participate in the worship service! 

Remember to mark this date on your calendar - come for the prayer and worship together.