3rd Annual Angel Tree

The Ascension Cathedral invites you to help light up the lives of families less fortunate, by providing gifts for some families in local shelters. We teamed up with FESCO (Family Emergency Shelter Coalition) who helps support homeless families and move them from crisis to stability.

Through FESCO, we were given two families. The first is a family of 6 (triplets and one on the way), and the second is a single mother with 2 children. Our goal is to try and provide 4-5 gifts for each person.

If you would like to participate, simply sign up for one or more of the gifts on our signup genius.

Please return wrapped and labeled gifts to the church by Friday, December 10. If it is more convenient to drop off in Castro Valley or Lafayette, we can also arrange that, just let us know.

For questions, please contact
Athanasia Yfantis at 510-913-6118

Merry Christmas and God Bless!

Funeral Services for Rev. Fr. Thomas J. Paris

Beloved Ascension Parishioners,

As we prepare to offer prayers for the servant of God, Anastasios the Presbyter, our beloved Fr. Tom, who has fallen asleep in the Lord, no doubt we are all recalling the profound impact he made in our lives through his faith and love. As St. Paul guides us, “Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith” (Hebrews 13:7). Please also continue to keep Presbytera Vaso and the Paris family in your prayers. 

Also, keep in mind the following:

Prior to Arriving for Services on Friday or Saturday

COVID Guidelines: Due to the emergence of the Covid-19 Delta variant, which is much more transmissible than previous forms of the virus, the Alameda County Public Health Department has issued a new Order requiring masks for all individuals over the age of 2 in public indoor settings. The full press release is available here.

Parking & Transportation: Reserved handicapped parking will be on the third floor of the Parking Pavilion. Additional parking will be available at the Mormon Temple Lot. Please carpool and do not leave any valuables in your car. Shuttle service will be available both from the Mormon Parking Lot and to the Interment on Saturday.

Live Stream: All the services, including the interment, will be live streamed and will be available on our parish website, Facebook LIVE and YouTube Channel. Additionally, you will be able to listen to an audio stream of the service on the Platia during the services, or watch the Live Stream in the Fr. Tom Paris Event Center or in the Richmond Room.

Offering Respects: If you would like to offer your final respects to Fr. Tom, please do so on Friday from 4 PM to 6 PM or you may continue after the Trisagion. There will be very limited time to offer your respects on Saturday. The Cathedral will remain open until everyone has had the opportunity to pay their respects on Friday evening.

Trisagion - Friday, August 13th

The Cathedral will open at 4 PM for viewing until 6 PM. At 6 PM the Trisagion will be presided by His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos, His Grace Bishop Spyridon, and His Grace Bishop Ioannis and clergy. After the Trisagion and eulogies, a coffee hour will be hosted on the Platia by the Philoptochos. The family kindly requests that you refrain from greeting them in the Cathedral.

Funeral - Saturday, August 14th

On Saturday, Matins will begin at 7 AM followed immediately by the Divine Liturgy celebrated by Rev. Fr. James Paris and Rev. Fr. Paul Paris, Rev. Fr. Thomas J. Paris’ two sons. Following the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy there will be a brief opportunity to pay your final respects to Fr. Tom. Please note, this opportunity will be very limited, no more than an hour.

The Funeral will begin at 10 AM. His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos. Once the Funeral concludes all the congregation will be asked to exit the Cathedral. You will not be able to pay your respects or greet the family at this time. Those in the side pews will exit the side doors and those in the middle pews will exit out the front doors. Please stand along the red carpet as we process to the hearse.

For more information and to make a donation please visit our parish website.

We are thankful for your prayers, support and assistance in this time. May Fr. Tom’s memory be eternal and may God grant him rest.

In the Resurrected Christ,

Fr. Tom & Fr. Nick

The Falling Asleep of Rev. Fr. Thomas J. Paris

Dear Ascension Community,

Our beloved Rev. Father Thomas J. Paris passed away peacefully at home this morning following a long and courageous battle with cancer.

Father Tom Paris embodied the heart and soul of the Ascension Greek Orthodox Community in Oakland for 50 years. His service to the local community and the Greek Orthodox Church in America was a shining example to all our fellow clergy.

Fr. Tom’s dedication and his love impacted over three generations of Greek Orthodox Christians in the Bay Area. He was part of everyone’s family. Our sympathy, love, and prayers go out to his wife, Presvytera Vaso, his children, and grandchildren.

May his memory be eternal.

In the resurrected Christ,

Father Tom Z

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Rev. Father Thomas J. Paris Services

Friday, August 13

Viewing from 4:00pm | Trisagion 6:00pm

Reception immediately following on the Platia at Ascension Cathedral

Saturday, August 14

Matins 7:00am followed by the Divine Liturgy | Funeral 10:00am

Interment immediately following at Mountain View Cemetery

and Makaria to follow at Ascension Cathedral

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2021 Holy Week & Bright Week Service Schedule

Dear Ascension Community,

We are so excited to be able to celebrate Holy Week together this year! We are meant to pray, experience and participate in the Lord's crucifixion and resurrection together, as one body in Christ, and are thankful that we will be able to do so. We are grateful to the leadership of our clergy, parish council, reopening committee and staff who have put in countless hours to put together the following guidance and plan.

Reservations are now open for Holy Week (Palm Sunday and many of the Holy Week services). Please make sure to review all the services that require an RSVP and make a reservation for only the services you will attend. Our hope is that everyone who would like to attend in-person will be able to do so, and are only requiring RSVPs for services where our maximum capacity is more likely to be reached.

Please make sure to reserve a spot for service before attending via the links below. To comply with guidelines we are limiting attendance to 270 parishioners, practicing social distancing, and wearing face coverings.

To attend you must reserve your spot using the links below. Once you fill out the form, you will receive an email confirmation that you are registered. We are also accepting phone call reservations at 510-531-3400, however we encourage you to use the reservation form.

**ONCE WE REACH CAPACITY FOR A SERVICE THE LINK THE RSVP FORM WILL NO LONGER BE ACCESSIBLE**

Reservations for:
Sunday, April 25th- Palm Sunday 10am
Wednesday, April 28th- Holy Wednesday- Holy Unction 3 pm
Wednesday, April 28th- Holy Wednesday - Holy Unction and Matins- 6:00 pm
Thursday, April 29th- Holy Thursday- Matins of the 12 Gospels- 6:00 pm
Friday, April 30th- Holy Friday- Apokatheilosis 3:00 pm
Friday, April 30th- Holy Friday- Epitaphios- 6:00 pm (no outdoor procession, indoors only)
Saturday, May 1st- Holy & Great Saturday Vesperal Liturgy- 9:00 am
Saturday, May 1st- Holy & Great Saturday- Anastasis Midnight: Matins and Divine Liturgy - 11:30 pm (will begin on the Platia followed by Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral)

Your health and safety as well as your spiritual health is our top priority, all the steps we are taking are in consideration of your well being. If you are not feeling well or have health conditions that make you more vulnerable, we ask you to continue to enjoy services from home via the live streaming. Also please note- the outside doors will be open to allow for airflow which might be drafty so please bring a jacket.

Please click the link for more information about what to expect when you come to the Cathedral as well as the list of questions to ask yourself before you come.

See attached for a detailed schedule for ALL services for Holy Week.

Support a Missionary!

Dear Ascension Community,

From June to August this summer, I will have the privilege of traveling to St. Basil's Academy in New York to serve as an intern for Project Mexico & St. Innocent Service Works' home building and service program. As you may know, St Basil's Academy is a national non-profit philanthropic center of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America which provides a loving Christian environment and a home for orphans, children of chronically ill or destitute parents and children from broken homes. The Academy's mission is to facilitate shelter, protection, love, and education in youth so they grow up to be healthy, wholesome, well-rounded Orthodox Christians, as well as productive members of society with vision and hope.

Due to the challenges of the pandemic and border closures, Project Mexico has organized mission trips across the country, instead of their traditional home building trips in Tijuana. My fellow interns and I will be at locations such as the St. Herman House in Cleveland, the Neighborhood Resilience Project in Pittsburg, building homes for Habitat for Humanity in Boston, and so many other wonderful service opportunities.

Most of you can't simply pack up and spend an entire summer on a mission trip. However, you can play an integral role in our Orthodox mission programs through your prayers and financial support of interns such as I, as we act as the boots on the ground, putting Christ's Gospel in action. In order for me to participate in this internship, I need to raise $6,500 by May 20th. This money will pay for my transportation to and from New York, training, housing, food and some other minimal expenses during my stay.

I know that this pandemic has wreaked financial havoc for many and there isn't a lot of extra cash to go around. However, gifts of any size will go a long way, and I consider your support an honor not to be taken lightly. But most importantly, I ask for your continued prayers this summer as I hope to fulfill Christ's calling to "defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy" Psalm 82:3.

You can donate directly online to my personal fundraising page:

https://sisw.managedmissions.com/MyTrip/williamcumbelich1 or write a check made payable to Project Mexico & St. Innocent Orphanage.* Please write summer internship and my name on the memo line of the check. Your donation will be tax deductible. For more information, see St. Innocent Service Works & St. Innocent Orphanage website at www.projectmexico.org.

Please keep me in your prayers as I prepare, and while I'm there. Thank you for your support and may God bless you all!

In Christ,

William Cumbelich

* Please note that contributions made directly to individuals are not tax-deductible per IRS law (Pub. 526).

Forgiveness Vespers and Great Lent

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you…

(Matthew 6:14)

When I was growing up once a month there was a special Sunday that the Sunday School children received Holy Communion. On our way out of the house we had a monthly ritual. As we left for Church, we, my brother and sister and I, would ask forgiveness of each other and of our parents. We would also kiss my father’s hand. In this way we were prepared (in addition to the fasting) to receive Holy Communion.

This Sunday, March 14 at 5pm we will celebrate what is called Forgiveness Vespers. Throughout the service the hymns speak to us about the coming Lenten period and for forgiveness. Our Lord taught us in the Sermon on the Mount: For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14-15). Forgiveness is extremely important in our walk with Christ.

At the end of the Sunday evening vespers, we will ask forgiveness of each other. With our current situation, it will be difficult to gather in the Cathedral and, as is the tradition, embrace each other and ask for forgiveness. Bot we can do this within our families and in our homes.

I invite and encourage you and your families to pray with us during the live streaming of the Forgiveness Vespers (5pm, see links below). Have an icon in the room with you. At the end of the service when prompted, ask forgiveness of one another and kissing each other on both cheeks. And ask for forgiveness and strength form our Lord and the intercessions of the Theotokos. If you are alone turn to the icons asking for forgiveness.

I pray this is a blessed Great Lent that gives the opportunity to further your faith and commitment to our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

In Christ,

Fr. Tom

Service Schedule for the Week of March 15th

During Great Lent we offer various services to help increase and focus our prayer life. The first week of Great Lent services will be celebrated each evening at 6pm. We encourage, if you are able and well, to attend. If you are unable please join us via our live streaming. asee the schedule below.
For those who will attend the Presanctified Liturgy on wednesday evening, please try to fast from eating from your lunch time meal.