Brothers and Sisters,
Greetings in the Name of the Lord.
This coming Sunday, December 21, is The Sunday Before Nativity, but, at St John’s, it’s also Reception Sunday. We’re going to be baptizing and chrismating a lot of people and making a lot of people catechumens. We’re starting Orthros at 7:30am so we can get it all done, but it will be a whole lot more fun if you are present as well, so planning on arriving for the Divine Liturgy a little earlier than you normally do so you can congratulate the newly illumined and welcome the new catechumens.
It's now official! His Eminence, Metropolitan SABA, will be at our parish on Saturday, January 24, and when he’s here, he will ordain Seth H. to the Holy Diaconate. We’ll let you know about specific times as soon as all that’s confirmed, but, right now, please let the future Father Deacon Seraphim and Shamassy Elizabeth know that you will be praying for them, and please reserve the morning of January 24 for that once in a lifetime event.
Fasting Days
The Nativity Fast runs through Wednesday, December 24. According to our Archdiocese’s Calendar, the Fast is divided into two periods: (1) November 15th through December 15th when the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine, and olive oil) is observed on Wednesdays and Fridays, with a blessing for wine, olive oil and fish on other days; and (2) the subsequent period after December 15th, including that 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. Wednesday, November 12, and Friday, November 14. The Nativity Fast begins Saturday, November 15, and runs through, Wednesday, December 24. Women who are pregnant or nursing, children who are still growing, and anyone with a medically supervised diet is not to keep the full fast. Many American Orthodox Christians also obtain a blessing to celebrate Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 27). If you need a blessing to modify the fast in any way, please check with one of our priests.
Daily Services
Monday, December 15-Friday, December 19: Orthros 5am; Vespers 5pm; (it’s always a good idea to check the day before and make sure nothing has come up to change the regular schedule). However, Fr. Andrew, Seth Hart, and many other folks continue to broadcast daily readings from spiritual books online. They are now reading Made For Union by Father George Dokos. The schedule is as follows: M-F at 12pm.
In addition to the daily Synaxarion readings posted in the #synaxarion channel on Discord, the online team is now posting daily Bible Readings that will allow you to read through the Bible in a year. These readings are posted in the #bible-365 channel.
Tuesday, December 16
The Inquirer’s Class 7pm
Wednesday, December 17
The Nativity Paraclesis 7pm
Saturday, December 20
St Thomas School 4pm
Great Vespers 6pm
Sunday, December 21 The Sunday Before Nativity
Orthros 7:30am
Divine Liturgy 10am
Fellowship Hour Noon
Youth 1pm
Coming Up
We've been offering the Nativity Paraclesis on Wednesday evenings throughout the Fast. This week we will offer the last of those services, but our hope is that we will all be able to participate in at least one, so please plan on joining us. To make these services even more meaningful, we are encouraged everyone to bring canned goods for the Hill County Community Ministries basket.
The archdiocese expects all of us to make our confession before Christmas. That holy mystery is available on Saturday evening after Great Vespers and just about any other time with a specific appointment. However, we will not be hearing confessions after Tuesday, December 23, so our clergy can prepare for the festal services.
It's time to start planning for the Feast of Nativity. Here is the schedule for the Divine Services: on Wednesday, December 24th, we will offer Orthros at 5am, the Royal Hours at 9am, and The First Liturgy of the Feast, The Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St Basil, at noon. On Christmas Day, we will serve Orthros at 8am and Divine Liturgy at 10am. Please know that we will not have a Fellowship Hour after either of the liturgies and that coffee will not be available, so please be sure and make your own arrangements in that regard.
The 2026 House Blessing Schedule is included in the email version of this week’s newsletter. Please check to make sure your name or your family’s name appears on the list; if not, please email Father Aidan and tell him to check the list twice. We send out the schedule over a month in advance so everyone can do their best to be present for the House Blessing.
The reports for our Annual Meeting on Sunday, February 8, are now available. Please read through them in the weeks ahead. It’s a great way to find out about all the great things that are going on in our parish. You can find the reports in the announcement channel on Discord.
Our Moment of Grace and Courtesy
Let’s remember to stay out of the construction area—and that includes all of us: children, adults, children accompanied by adults. We are all drawn to big machines, and we all want to see the changes on the property, but it is a dangerous space, and none of us are authorized to be back there.
This Week’s Recommended Baby Name
Since we have so many babies, all of us at One Take Productions thought it would be helpful if we highlighted a saints’ name each week to help with the process of name selection. So, straight out of the Synaxarion, this week’s Certified Orthodox Baby Name is Eustratius.
an unworthy priest
aidan