Brothers and Sisters,
Christ is Risen!
Thanks to everyone who has made Holy Week and Pascha such a wonderful experience: the choir, the chanters, the ushers, the prosphora bakers, the flower arrangers, the altar servers, the bread and banner servers, the bookstore staff, the folks who helped with trash management, the people who kept the candle trays clean and the bathrooms wiped down, the bier carriers, the gospel readers, the vigil keepers, the piñata painters, the Meal Trainers, the persevering parents, the long-distance drivers, the tech folks, and “all those who, for the multitude of names, we have not remembered”—thanks to you all.
The Pascha Book Study begins this coming Wednesday, and we will also have all of our regular adult educational events—Orthodoxy 101, The Bible Study, and St Thomas School—so don’t let that Paschal Energy go to waste! Join us for any or all of those group meetings and build on the blessings that you have already received during Great Lent and Holy Week.
Our Calendar
Fasting Days
There is no fasting during Bright Week, Monday, May 6-Sunday, May 12. Wha-Hoo!
Daily Services
Tuesday, May 7—Friday, May 10: Orthros 5am; Vespers 5pm (please note that there will not be any daily services on Monday, May 6 and that the services of Bright Week are significantly shorter than the services during the rest of the year. In general, it’s good to remember that 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).
Fr. Andrew, Seth Hart, and Matthew Groh and many other folks continue to broadcast daily readings from spiritual books online. They are now reading “The Ethics of Beauty”. The schedule is as follows: M-F at 12pm.
Also, our online team will now be reading the Daily Synaxarion on Discord. Just look for this channel: #synaxarion
Tuesday, May 7
Orthodoxy 101 7pm; you can also access the group on Discord
Wednesday, May 8
The Pascha Book Study 7pm
Thursday, May 9
The Bible Study, New Testament Edition 7pm; you can access this group on Discord
Saturday, May 11
Youth Group 4pm
St Thomas School 4pm
Great Vespers 6pm
Sunday, May 12
Thomas Sunday
Orthros 8am
Divine Liturgy 10am
Fellowship Hour Noon
Membership Update
On Great and Holy Saturday, we made four people catechumens: Rustyn D., Isabell L., John H., and Emma N. Please let these folks know that you are praying for them as they prepare to be fully received into the Church.
This week, we will also be saying Godspeed to Tyler and Tara L. and their children. They are all moving to Colorado to be closer to family, so be sure to let them know that we will continue to remember them all in our daily prayers.
St Thomas School
On Saturday, May 11, Father Aidan will be leading the discussion of chapter three of Volume V entitled, “The Holy Eucharist”. 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, May 9, to reserve your spot.
Coming Up
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—that’s this coming Wednesday, 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. Remember, the fun is more real when you’re really there, but, if you’re over 50 or live a long way from the parish, you can join us on Discord.
On Sunday, May 19, we’re going to have our next Safety and Security Rehearsal. This will be for an eminent severe weather event, so, before we take our quarterly stroll to the Rally Signs on the parking lot, we will all get down on the floor for a ten count. It will all happen between the Divine Liturgy and Fellowship Hour, and all the ushers will be on hand to help us out.
Come join the St. Joanna Myrrhbearers on Sunday, May 19th (Sunday of the Myrrhbearers), to continue our celebration of Pascha! In the Orthodox tradition of visiting cemeteries to announce Christ’s Resurrection to the departed, the Myrrhbearers are planning a fellowship-hour festivity at the Cedar Park Cemetery, just down the road from St. John’s. Cold drinks and desserts will be available under shaded tents, and (drumroll please…) there will be a chance to WIN PRIZES! Prizes will be distributed to THREE children and THREE adults (winners must be present to win). Just get your ticket from a Myrrhbearer in the Memorial Garden before the Divine Liturgy, then head down to the cemetery. There will be a special tent devoted to children’s activities and we can all enjoy cool drinks and sweet treats while learning about expanding St. John's Orthodox section of the cemetery. Bring picnic chairs and enjoy fellowship as we sing "Christ is Risen" to all who are resting there. Don't miss this joyful and beautiful event!
On Saturday, May 25, we are going to have our annual Blessing of Animals. Monday, May 27 is the feast day of St Melangel of Wales; she had a special relationship with rabbits. However, there are a great many saints that have had close relationships with all sorts of animals, and the birds and the beasts and the creatures of the sea are going to be redeemed along with all of us. We already bless domestic animals when we do House Blessings each year, but bringing our pets to the parish for a blessing is even more fun. However, we want everyone--humans and pets--to participate in the blessing in a way that is safe and healthy, so we consulted with Jason F., a member of our community who's been a vet for a number of decades, and we’ve put together some guidelines for the event that we will share with you in a few weeks. But, right now, just put Saturday, May 25, on your phone or circle it on your calendar, and be prepared to join in the fun.
Our Moment of Grace and Courtesy
The area between the main doors to the nave and the table that is just inside those doors needs to remain clear as much as possible. Folks are constantly coming in and going out, and if people stand in front of the door or by the table during the liturgy, that makes it difficult to enter and exit. The ushers will be reminding us to keep this area open, so please follow their directions.
an unworthy priest
aidan