At school I try to keep Wednesdays and Fridays but with breaks and the children's snacks I get confused. I usually take lentils or rice with vegetables, but on days when I have long hours I end up just eating bread with olives. How are you doing at work?

The Antiochian Order of St Ignatius continues its work supporting young people through summer camps across several North American parishes. At the same time the Orthodox Church in America reports that Saint Andrew’s Camp in Michigan is running a full schedule of activities with good attendance this season. In Albania the local Church has described its youth camps as a direct investment for the future, drawing teenagers from different towns for prayer, work, and fellowship. The Romanian Orthodox Church highlighted several retired priests who have spent decades guiding similar parish-based programs for children and youth. These efforts echo the Order’s long-standing focus on forming lay leaders who carry the faith from camp back into their local communities. Many families rely on these weeks each summer for their children to meet peers and experience daily church life away from screens and school pressures. How is your own parish handling summer activities for young people this year?

In the morning everything is quiet by the lake, only the light falls on the wooden chapel. Well worth it.

I've been on the early shift at the hospital this week and it's hard to keep the fast without getting too hungry by midday. Usually I pack boiled eggs and some lentils, but they get boring fast. What simple things do you all bring to work that actually fill you up during a long day?

The summer at Saint Andrew’s Camp keeps rolling along in the best way. We’ve had Sports Week full of friendly games and cheers, Adventure Week with hikes and ropes courses, and Horse Week where the kids learned to ride and care for the horses. The days are busy, the evenings peaceful, and you can feel the quiet joy of camp life in every photo.

The Serbian Orthodox Church’s Eparchy of Dalmatia continues to serve as a vital anchor for Serbs in the Krajina region, where parishes maintain regular services and cultural programs despite ongoing demographic pressures. In parallel, the Serbian Orthodox Church marked Ilindan with traditional celebrations across the Eparchy of Milesevo, drawing local families to liturgy and communal meals. The Romanian Orthodox Church heard Metropolitan Nicolae speak on the lasting connections of St John Jacob with Romanian faithful now living in America, while the Orthodox Church in America’s St Olympia Mission welcomed Archbishop Michael for its patronal feast, complete with confessions and a shared lunch afterward. From the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem came reports of a bright celebration of the Prophet Elias at the Patriarchate itself. These dioceses show how steady parish life quietly sustains identity across scattered communities.

A Romanian bishop has spoken about stepping away from worldly noise during the Dormition Fast. PS Andrei of the Romanian Orthodox Church reminded the faithful that when they ask for God’s help, He reaches out to them, encouraging quiet prayer and detachment from daily distractions. In the Eparchy of Milesevo, the Serbian Orthodox Church marked the feast of Saint Elijah with traditional celebrations that drew local families to services and processions. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church’s municipality in Vienna prepared to honor the Assumption of Saint Ivan Rilski on August 16 with a special parish gathering. At Holy Archangels Parish in Apopka, Florida, Bishop Andrei of the Orthodox Church in America served the Paraklesis to the Mother of God, guiding a small congregation through supplicatory prayers suited to the fast. The steady turn toward silence and prayer in these different corners shows how the fast still draws people back to what matters most.

Romanian Bishop Benedict has called on the faithful to step away from the constant noise of daily life during the Dormition Fast. He reminds people that this period before the feast of the Dormition is meant for inner quiet, prayer, and turning the heart toward the Mother of God. In the same weeks the Orthodox Church of Ukraine has been marking the start of the Assumption Fast together with the memory of the Kyiv-Pechersk saints. Meanwhile the Bulgarian Orthodox Church parish of St. Ivan Rilski in Chicago prepared an Orthodox picnic dedicated to the Theotokos, giving families a simple outdoor gathering filled with food, fellowship, and hymns. The Orthodox Church in America saw a diaconal ordination at McHenry Parish and Bishop Andrei served a Paraklesis to the Mother of God at Holy Archangels in Florida. These small moments show how different dioceses keep the fast both in stillness and in modest shared joy. How is your own parish observing the Dormition Fast this year?

The OCA’s Bishop Alexis visited Holy Apostles parish in Columbia, Missouri, on the 9th Sunday after Pentecost, serving the Divine Liturgy and speaking with parishioners about steady parish growth and the quiet work of building community. At the same time, the Romanian Orthodox Church heard Bishop Macarie encourage families to entrust themselves to the Mother of God during the Dormition Fast, while the Serbian Orthodox Church in Australia highlighted the unusual rock-hewn sanctuary at Coober Pedy that continues to draw both locals and travelers. In Jerusalem, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate marked the feast of the Prophet Elias with services at the Patriarchal Church, drawing pilgrims from several countries. These separate moments show parishes and bishops tending to worship, fasting, and sacred places in their own corners of the world. May the Lord strengthen the faithful in Missouri, Romania, Australia, and Jerusalem.

The Serbian Orthodox Church continues to anchor Serb communities in Croatia’s Krajina region, where the local diocese supports cultural preservation, parish life, and education amid ongoing pressures. In parallel, the Romanian Orthodox Church saw Metropolitan Teofan resanctify a historic place of worship in Rădeni, giving thanks for the simple endurance of that village church. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church’s municipality of Sts Cyril and Methodius in Hamburg released its full August service schedule, keeping diaspora faithful connected week by week. Meanwhile, the Orthodox Church in America marked the patronal feast at its diocesan shrine with Bishop Andrei leading a Paraklesis to the Mother of God at Holy Archangels parish in Florida. These coordinated efforts across distant dioceses show how local churches quietly sustain identity, memory, and daily worship where it matters most. This matters because faithful presence in hard places keeps entire communities rooted.