Brothers and Sisters,
Greetings in the Name of the Lord.
Holy Week has begun! Please read through all the material in this week’s newsletter so you will be prepared to participate as often as possible.
Our Calendar
Fasting Days
The traditional fasting discipline is that we go without meat (beef, pork, chicken, and fish with backbones), dairy products, oil, wine, and hard liquor through Pascha, Sunday, May 5. If you need to modify that discipline in any way, please speak with your spiritual father as soon as possible.
The Schedule for Holy Week
Sunday, April 28
Palm Sunday
Bridegroom Orthros 6pm
Monday, April 29
Great and Holy Monday
Pre-Sanctified Liturgy 6am
Bridegroom Orthros 7pm
Tuesday, April 30
Great and Holy Tuesday
Pre-Sanctified Liturgy 6am
Bridegroom Orthros 7pm
Wednesday, May 1
Great and Holy Wednesday
Pre-Sanctified Liturgy 6am
Service of Holy Unction 7pm
Thursday, May 2
Great and Holy Thursday
Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St Basil 6am
Service of the Twelve Holy Gospels 7pm
Friday, May 3
Great and Holy Friday
Royal Hours 9am
Descent from the Cross Vespers Noon
Service of Lamentations 7pm
Saturday, May 4
Great and Holy Saturday
Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St Basil 8am
During this service, Restin D. and Emma N. will be made catechumens, Mary Anne B., Michael T., and Sam K. will be received into the Church, and Alexander M. will be baptized
Services of the Great and Holy Pascha 11pm
Sunday, May 5
The Great and Holy Pascha
Agape Vespers 2pm
Paschal Picnic 3pm
Coming Up
Please help us adorn the bier, nave and narthex for Pascha weekend by contributing to the Flower Fund. Simply log into your Realm account, go to Giving>Give>Fund>Flower Fund, and select the amount of your donation. This is a beautiful way to honor both Christ's entombment and Resurrection!
Every year, we build upon the spiritual blessings that we acquire during Great Lent by participating in The Pascha Book Study. The study always begins on Bright Wednesday—this year, that will be on May 8—and it runs every Wednesday evening through the entire season (the final Wednesday evening, we all attend Great Vespers for the Feast of the Ascension). The group begins at 7pm, and, this year, we’re going to be working our way through the text of The Akathist for a New Temple. We’ve been reading through that long hymn for just about a year now, but, during those five Wednesday evenings, we’re going to be talking about all the Biblical references and all the saints that are in the poem, and we will also be talking about what that means for our Capital Campaign which will officially begin in just a few months. That will be fun, but, on the final Wednesday evening, we will also have a very special surprise that you simply won’t want to miss, so, if you don’t already have a copy of the Akathist, pick one up at Christ the Lightgiver (start praying through it each week), and plan on joining us May 8, 15, 22, 29, and June 5.
Our Moment of Grace and Courtesy
It’s time review our annual Paschal Moments of Grace and Courtesy. Here’s the final reminder: The services for the Great and Holy Pascha take place over-night, but we’re not going to be attending a slumber party or a sleep over; we’re going to be participating in the most important and most beautiful services of the entire year. So, our clothing should reflect the occasion. Think prom or wedding or 50th anniversary or big job interview and show up in your very best.
an unworthy priest
aidan