Brothers and Sisters,
Happy Feast!
Our All Night Vigil for St Eanswythe of Folkestone will mark the beginning of the Three Year Pledge Portion of our Capital Campaign. That will happen this coming Friday, August 30. We sent out a letter with all the details a while back, but, just in case, you missed it, you can read up on everything in the email edition of the newsletter.
This coming Sunday, September 1, marks the beginning of the Liturgical Year, and that is also the Sunday when we will begin Church School. The archdiocese is now emphasizing that all children need to be officially registered in order to participate in Church School, and the deadline for that application passed a few weeks ago, but if you have a child that you would like to be in Church School, please contact our Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Coordinator, Sandi Andrews.
Our Calendar
Fasting Days
Wednesday, August 28, Thursday, August 29 (It’s the Beheading of the Forerunner), and Friday, August 30
Daily Services
Monday, August 26--Friday, August 30, Orthros 5am and Vespers, 5pm (But check the services for the All-Night Vigil; also, if you wish to attend the daily services, it’s always a good idea to check the day before to make sure the services will be offered).
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 Holy Spirit” by St Basil the Great. 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, August 27
Orthodoxy 101 7pm; you can also access the group on Discord
Parish Council 7pm
Wednesday, August 28
The Fall Theological Seminar; you can also access the group on Discord
Thursday, August 29
The Bible Study, New Testament Edition 7pm; you can access this group on Discord
Friday, August 31
All Night Vigil for St Eanswythe
11pm Little Compline with Canon of Preparation and Akathist Hymn
Around 11:50pm Great Vespers
Around 12:50am Festal Orthros
Around 2:35am Divine Liturgy
Saturday, August 31
The Feast of St Eanswythe
Youth 4pm
St Thomas School 4pm
Great Vespers 6pm
Sunday, September 1
The Feast of the Indiction
Orthros 8am
Church School 8:15am
Divine Liturgy 10am
Fellowship Hour Noon
We will have our Annual School Blessing at the Conclusion of this Sunday’s Divine Liturgy. Also, since this is the first Sunday of the month, it is also Blessing Sunday, so if you’re going to be traveling during August 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.
Tuesday, September 3
Orthodoxy 101 7pm; you can also access the group on Discord
Wednesday, September 4
Fall Theological Seminar 7pm; you can also access the group on Discord
Thursday, September 5
The Bible Study, Old Testament Edition 7pm; you can access this group on Discord
St Thomas School
On Saturday, August 31, Michael R. will be leading the discussion of chapter thirteen of Volume V entitled, “The Order for Blessing Various Objects”. 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, August 29, to reserve your spot.
Finance Update
We finished up July with a $2,000 deficit, so that means our surplus on the year is now right at $31,000. Most Orthodox parishes would love to be wrapping up the summer in that kind of shape, and we certainly are grateful, but we also need to remember that, on Friday, August 30, we are beginning the Three Year Pledge portion of our Capital Campaign. That means we will need to maintain our regular contributions to the parish, and, in addition to those offerings, we will need to give as much as we can to the Building Fund. We know that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are faithful, and we know that our community is unbelievably generous, so we are looking forward to finding out how much we will be able to raise through our pledges.
This Week’s Memorial Service
After the Divine Liturgy, we offered the memorial service for longtime parishioners, Robert & Audray R.. They both contributed much to our parish community, and are greatly missed. Some of our women paid special tribute to Audray by wearing hats; several which had actually come from Audray's large collection . Please take a few minutes to get to know this loving couple by reading their bio (in the email edition of the newsletter), and by remembering them in your prayers. Memory Eternal.
Coming Up
This year our Fall Theological Seminar promises to be a whole lot of fun. We’re going to be reading a book by a Protestant pastor; the book is called Stability, and it’s available in the bookstore. But we’re not only going to be talking about the spiritual advantages—and challenges—of sticking it out in a particular community, we’re also going to be talking with folks in our parish who have done just that. Below is the schedule for the readings and the interviews, but plan now to join us in the parish house at 7pm on Wednesday, August 28. We will be getting together each Wednesday evening through the start of Nativity Lent, and, while we will have an online option available for those folks who live at a distance, let’s not forget that the conversation is always richer and more meaningful if you are actually present.
Aug 28 Introduction: Stability, History, and Holy Orthodoxy
Sept 4 Reading Assignment: A True Story. Guest: Pat K.
Sept 11 Reading Assignment: Introduction. Guest: Vera P.
Sept 18 Reading Assignment: Chapter 1. Stability and God. Guests: Rob and Becky T.
Sept 25 Reading Assignment: Chapter 2. Stability and Self. Guests: Matt and Valerie G.
Oct 2 Reading Assignment: Chapter 3. Stability and Relationships Guest: Rick K.
Oct 9 Reading Assignment: Chapter 4. Stability and Place. Guests: Jerry and Maggie B.
Oct 16 Reading Assignment: Chapter 5. Stability and Change. Guests: Chris and Sarah S.
Oct 23 Reading Assignment: Chapter 6. Practices of Stability. Guest: Baker G.
Oct 30 Reading Assignment: Chapter 7. Where Do We Stay From Here? p 125-134. Guest: Mary K.
Nov 6 Reading Assignment: Chapter 7. Where Do We Stay From Here? p 134-148. Guests: John and Lindsey B.
Nov 13 Conclusion: The Final Stability
There are several feasts in September, and, fortunately, they are all on weekends. This coming Sunday, we will celebrate the Feast of the Indiction. On Sunday, September 8, we will also celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God. We will offer all the Divine Services on our regular Sunday morning schedule, so let’s take full advantage of these weekends and participate as often as we can.
In addition to the Indiction and the Nativity of the Mother of God during the first two weeks of the month, on Saturday, September 14, we will celebrate the Feast of the Elevation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross. The new Episcopal Vicar for our Diocese, Father Calinic Berger will also join us for that entire weekend; he will be at all the Divine Services that weekend. We will keep our regular weekend schedule of Saturday evening and Sunday morning, but, for the Feast of the Elevation, we will offer Great Vespers on Friday, September 13, at 7pm , and then, on Saturday, the day of the feast, we will offer Orthros at 6am and Divine Liturgy at 8am. Father Calinic will also be meeting with the parish council on Saturday, September 14, and he will be visiting with everyone at Fellowship Hour on Sunday, September 15.
Our Moment of Grace and Courtesy
On those Sundays when Church School is in session, let’s remember that this is an opportunity for all the parents to participate in Orthros or offer some private prayers or catch up on some spiritual reading. The common room in the parish house is available for those who prefer not to be in Orthros, but, when we are in that room, we need to be as quiet as possible with our personal devotions, and we need to remember that Fellowship Hour does not start until after the Divine Liturgy has ended.
Capital Campaign Countdown Column
Whatever is obtained as a result of long and persistent prayer will remain.
-St John Climacus
We are now less than a week away from our three year pledge campaign that will begin on the Feast of St Eanswythe, August 31. If you would like to learn more about the project, please read through the FAQ that is attached to this newsletter, but, to help us prepare for this historic effort, this week’s Countdown Column comes to us from our parish council vice president, Jennifer R.:
Grand architectural style and beautiful adornment, the transcendent variety that filled me with wonder when visiting various churches, chapels, and cathedrals across Europe, is largely absent in our modern American culture. And yet curiously, at one time committed European visionaries – planners, fund-raisers, builders, finishers – committed to long-term, expensive projects that would continue to inspire awe and wonder far beyond their own experience and even that of their immediate ancestors. The ancient beauty I witnessed cultivated an overwhelming desire in me, and no doubt in countless others over time, to worship in a state of reverence and self-abandonment. The structures were more than buildings. They had been constructed for the glory of God and the good of mankind - earthly places providing intimacy with Him and isolation from the world’s distractions. Many had remained consistently open for hundreds of years, even amidst various crisis conditions.
Even so, I confess that initial skepticism grabbed me when I first heard about plans to build a big, beautiful, expensive temple. Couldn’t the money be put to better use? However, as I participated in the first Fall Theological Seminar devoted to this subject, I realized the structures I’d seen in Europe invited me to experience “more” on various levels, including unique inner peace and deeper connection with the saints adorning the walls. How incredible that my church community in America was willing to dedicate time and resources similarly. I am reminded of this every time I enter the Long Hall and venerate the hand-painted icons, kiss the Holy Gospel and participate in communion from a precious chalice. Those before me prayed for this and then invested their time, money and talents to make it possible. “O Lord, I have loved the beauty of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwelleth.” (Psalm 25) How much more so might it be with a new, glorious temple?!
-Jennifer
an unworthy priest
aidan