A Prayer of St. Basil the Great
“We bless thee, O God most high and Lord of mercies, whoever works great and mysterious deeds for us, glorious, wonderful, and numberless; who provides us with sleep as a rest from our infirmities and as a repose for our bodies tired by labor. We thank thee that thou hast not destroyed us in our transgressions, but in thy love toward mankind thou hast raised us up, as we lay in despair, that we may glorify thy Majesty. We entreat thine infinite goodness, enlighten the eyes of our understanding and raise up our minds from the heavy sleep of indolence; open our mouths and fill them with thy praise, that we may unceasingly sing and confess thee, who art God glorified in all and by all, the eternal Father, the Only-Begotten Son, and the all-holy and good and life-giving Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages.” Amen.
“Prayers for Eastern Orthodox Christians”
“The Miami Valley Episcopal Russian Network (MVERN) of the Diocese of Southern Ohio is a unique ecumenical project between Episcopal and Orthodox Churches. Thirteen churches in southern Ohio, including 11 Episcopal churches and 2 Orthodox churches, have formed a parish partnership with St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, located in the village of Sablino, Russia, thirty miles south of St. Petersburg.
From its founding in 1997 until 2014, MVERN has contributed twice to the enlargement of St. Nicholas Church, donated humanitarian supplies and funds in support of this outreach ministry, and sponsored 23 exchange trips for almost 340 American and Russian youth, laypersons, teachers, and clergy.”
(From the Wright State University online resource summary)
Episcopal – Russian Youth Exchanges – St. Nickolas Orthodox Church, Sablino
1995 – 2009
Through the Miami Valley Episcopal Russian Network and its youth exchange programs, hundreds of pilgrims – including bishops, clergy, and laity of all ages have been in relationship and exchanges made between the Russian Orthodox Church in Sablino Russia and the Miami Valley of central Ohio in the last twenty years.
A vibrant part of this partnerships has been a number of youth exchanges between parishes spanning from 1995 to 2009. This is a photographic chronicle of some of those journeys – the largest American-Russian Church Youth Exchange program in the United States at the time.
A Russian Prayer for Beginning Good Work
“O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, do Thou accept our fervent supplication and bless the good intent and work of Thy servants, that they may begin favourably, and may complete it unto Thy glory without any obstacle. Do Thou assist the workers and direct the work of their hands, and cause it to be brought speedily to completion by the power of Thy Most-holy Spirit, For Thine it is to be merciful and to save us, O our God, and unto Thee do we send up glory, together with Thy Father Who is without beginning, and Thy Most-holy, Good and Lifegiving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.” Amen.
“The Great Book of Needs“
St Tikhon’s Seminary Press
1999