Brothers and Sisters,
This coming Thursday, September 14, we will celebrate the Feast of the Elevation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross. We will offer Great Vespers on Wednesday, September 13, at 6pm, right before the Fall Theological Seminar, and then on the next day, we will serve Orthros at 5am and Divine Liturgy at 7am.
Our Calendar
Fasting Days
Wednesday, September 13, Thursday, September 14 (though there is a blessing for fish and wine since it is a feast day), and Friday, September 15.
Daily Services
Monday, Sep 11 - Friday, Sep 15
Orthros 5am
Vespers 5pm
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 H. 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 H., and Matthew G. and many other folks continue to broadcast daily readings from spiritual books online. Sts Barsunuphius and John: Letters from the Desert. The schedule is M-F at 12pm.
Also, we will now be reading the Daily Synaxarion on Discord.
Tuesday, September 12
Orthodoxy 101 at 7 pm in the Parish House (also on Discord)
Wednesday, September 13
Great Vespers for the Elevation of the Cross 6 pm
Fall Theological Seminar at 7 pm (also on Discord)
Thursday, September 14
The Feast of the Elevation of the Cross
Orthros 5 am
Divine Liturgy 7 am
Bible Study, Old Testament Edition 7 pm (on Discord)
Saturday, September 16
St Thomas School 4 pm
Great Vespers 6 pm
Sunday, September 17
The Sunday After The Elevation
Orthros 8 am
Church School 8:15 am
Divine Liturgy 10 am
Fellowship Hour Noon
St. Thomas School
On Saturday September 16, DeAnne M. will be leading the discussion on Chapter 11 of Volume III “Russian Church Singing”. 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, September 14, to reserve your spot.
Coming Up
The Fall Theological Seminar is off to a great start, but, on the weekend of September 23-24, all three of our temple iconographers will be with us: Martin Earle, Seraphim O’Keefe, and our own Baker Galloway. We will be able to get to know them and their families, and they will be talking to us about the iconography for our new building. That will be an amazing weekend, but the rest of the fall will be every bit as amazing, because, on the rest of the Wednesday evenings through November 8, we will be working with the iconographers via Zoom to fill out the plans for the iconographic temple program. This is something that folks never, ever get to do; most of these decisions are made by the clergy or large donors, so be sure and reserve the weekend of September 23-24 and every Wednesday evening from August 30-November 8! See you at the Seminar.
On November 10 -12, the ladies of St John's will be visiting the Monastery of The Holy Nativity in East Texas. This trip is limited to the first 20 women who reserve their spot by paying for their share of the Air B&B bill. If you would like to participate, please contact Misty W. for the details.
Our Moment of Grace and Courtesy
When the priests are processing through the nave during the Great Entrance, everyone is welcome to touch their vestments as an act of prayer. However, please do not grab hold of the vestments as this could cause an accident. Parents and grandparents (and godparents), please be sure that your children understand that they are to simply hold out their hand and touch the vestments rather than try to hold on to them.
Things That Make Priests Happy
Blessing Robert and Dawny H. on their four month anniversary (and listening to their adventures in dry wall); talking with Stephen G. and Matt G. about Yetis and Tom Landry; celebrating the Feast of the Nativity explaining to Nick C. and Demetry Z. why it’s so important to stay out of recliners and away from Chinese buffets; waving at Yoshiko H. as she went by on the gurney; listening to the very large owl that was sitting on the roof of the Long Hall when I arrived for the festal services.
An unworthy priest,
aidan