Brothers and Sisters,
This week marks the beginning of our Annual Budget Campaign. That’s different from our Capital Campaign. The Capital Campaign is how we raise money for our new temple; the Budget Campaign is how we raise money to pay the bills in the coming year. Of course, if you have questions, our Finance Folks, Arun, Jennifer, and Ray, are standing by to provide you with answers. Also, please know that we need to get all the 2024 Commitments in by Sunday, November 26, so we can make any necessary adjustments to the budget before we begin the New Year.
Our Calendar
Fasting Days
Wednesday, November 8, and Friday, November 10.
Daily Services
Monday, Nov 6 - Friday, Nov 10
Orthros 5 am
Vespers 5 pm
(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 “On the Human Condition” by St Basil the Great. The schedule is M-F at 12pm.
Also, our online team will now be reading the Daily Synaxarion on the #synaxarion channel.
Tuesday, November 7
Orthodoxy 101 7 pm at the Parish House and Discord
Wednesday, November 8
Fall Theological Seminar at 7 pm (also on Discord)
Thursday, November 9
Bible Study, New Testament Edition 7 pm on Discord
Saturday, November 11
Youth Church School 4 pm
St. Thomas School 4 pm
Great Vespers 6 pm
Sunday, November 12
The Eigth Sunday of St. Luke
Orthros 8 am
Divine Liturgy 10 am
Fellowship Hour Noon
St. Thomas School
On Saturday, November 11, Gabe M. will be leading the discussion of the chapter in Volume IV entitled, “Vespers, Compline, Midnight Office, and Matins”. Online access is available on Discord; like to participate online, you still need to sign-up ahead of time. Just send an email to remote.meetings@theforerunner.org by Thursday, November 9, to reserve your spot.
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.
We will celebrate the Feast of the Entrance of the Mother of God on Tuesday, November 21. On Monday, November 20, we will offer Great Vespers at 7pm, and on Tuesday, the day of the feast, we will serve Orthros at 5am and Divine Liturgy at 7am. Praying with the Most Holy Theotokos would be a wonderful way to begin the Thanksgiving holiday.
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
Our Fellowship Hour Teams report that it has become a real challenge to adequately assist younger, unaccompanied children in the serving line. So, to keep the line running smoothly and to make sure that children do not end up eating anything their parents do not want them to eat, the teams are now requesting that all children under the age of 10 be accompanied by a parent. If a child under ten is in the line without a parent present, a team member will simply ask the child to wait and get their food when one of their parents is available to help.
An unworthy priest,
aidan