Brothers and Sisters,
Our Capital Campaign visits are in full swing, so read through The Akathist for the New Temple, read the Frequently Asked Questions document, write down all your questions, be praying about what you will contribute, and be watching for that special email from one of our priests.
Our Calendar
Fasting Days
Wednesday, November 1, and Friday, November 3.
Daily Services
Monday, Oct 30 - Tue, Oct 31
Orthros 5 am
Vespers 5 pm
(There will not be any daily services, Wednesday-Friday of this week; in general, if you plan on attending the in-person services, it’s always a good idea to check the day before and make sure the regular schedule will be observed.)
Also, Seth Hart and friends will be at the online chanter’s stand, offering the First, Third, Sixth, and Ninth Hours this week: 1st hour: 6:45 a.m.; 3rd hour: 8:45 a.m.; 6th hour: 11:45 a.m. 9th hour: 3:45 p.m.
Fr. Andrew, Seth Hart, and Matthew Groh and many other folks continue to broadcast daily readings from spiritual books online. They are now reading Face to Face by Father Stephen Freeman. The schedule is M-F at 12pm.
Also, our online team will now be reading the Daily Synaxarion on the #synaxarion channel.
Wednesday, November 1
Fall Theological Seminar at 7 pm (also on Discord)
Saturday, November 4
Prosphora Baking Class 10 am
Great Vespers 6 pm
Sunday, October 29
The Fifth Sunday of St. Luke
Orthros 8 am
Church School 8:15 am
Divine Liturgy 10 am
Since this is the first Sunday of the month, it is also Blessing Sunday, so if you’re going to be traveling during November or if you have icons, prayer ropes, and crosses to be blessed, just show up at the chanter’s stand after liturgy for those prayers. But the first Sunday of the month is also Claim Your Stuff Sunday; that means you need to check the Lost and Found Box in the kitchen because it will all go to Goodwill after Fellowship Hour is over.
Financial Update
Thanks to the mercy of the Most Holy Trinity and your faithfulness, we ended the month of September with a surplus of just over $17,000. That brings the surplus on the year to over $93,000. At the end of 2023, whatever surplus we have will be used to lower our current loan or it will be added to our Capital Campaign fund; however, we still have a full quarter to go, so please be sure that you are current on your commitment to the parish (you can access that information on REALM or you can speak directly to one of the Finance Folks), and, if you are, please consider contributing an additional amount to help those who are not able to give as much as they had originally planned.
St. Thomas School
On Saturday, November 4, St Thomas School will offer a Practical Class on Prosphora Baking. The group will meet between 10am and 2pm; Mary K. will be teaching, and a light lunch will be served while the loaves are baking. This is a great opportunity to learn a skill that is an important part of the Orthodox spiritual life, so, if you would like to get in on the class, just send a note to Mary or Benedict H.
Coming Up
The Nativity Fast will begin on Wednesday, November 15. This fasting season is divided into two periods: (A) November 15th through December 19th when the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine, and olive oil) is observed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with a blessing for wine and olive oil (some also permit fish) on Tuesday and Thursday, and for fish, wine, and olive oil on Saturday and Sunday, and (B) the period of the Forefeast, December 20th through 24th, when the traditional fasting discipline is observed Monday through Friday, with a blessing for wine and olive oil on Saturday and Sunday. The eve of the feast, December 24th is a strict fast day. December 25th through January 4th is fast-free. Many American Christians ask for a blessing and take a day off from the fast on Thanksgiving Day, but, if you need to modify the fast in any way, please check with your spiritual father as soon as possible.
During the Nativity Fast, we always offer the Nativity Paraclesis on Wednesday evenings at 7pm. This year, there will be six of those services—on November 15,22,29 and December 6,13,20—so all of us should be able to make at least one of them. So please go ahead and note on you calendar the services in which you will be able to participate.
The Archdiocese expects us all to make our confession at least once during Nativity Lent. In our community, confession is offered on Saturday evenings after Great Vespers, or just about any other time by appointment. We will not be hearing confessions on Christmas Eve, Sunday, December 24, but, between now and the end of December, all you need to do is show up on Saturday night or contact one of our priests to arrange a specific time to participate in this Holy Mystery.
Our Moment of Grace and Courtesy
It's easy to get distracted during the Divine Liturgy, but three of the most important moments in the service are when we say our 'Amens' during the Consecration of the Holy Gifts. That's not just a fancy way of saying 'OK'; that's our opportunity to affirm and to seal what has just taken place on the altar. Amen is also one of the titles of our Lord and Master. So, when it's time to say, 'Amen', 'Amen', and the triple 'Amen', we should do so with excitement and joy and enough volume to flatten the flame on the altar candles.
An unworthy priest,
aidan