Brothers and Sisters,
Merry Christmas!
This week we will be celebrating the Feast of the Circumcision. On Wednesday, December 31th, we will offer Great Vespers at 7pm. On Thursday, January 1, we will serve Orthros at 6am and Divine Liturgy at 8 am. It’s a great way to start the New Year off right, but please know that we will not have a Fellowship Hour after the liturgy and that coffee will not be available, so please be sure and make your own arrangements in that regard.
Here's a quick Finance Update: Between now and the end of the year, December 31, 2025, we need to receive $13,000 to reach our budget goal: so, please check to make sure you are current on the amount you pledged to contribute this year (you can do that on Realm; if you need assistance with Realm, just check with Ray W.), and, if you are up to date, please give a little more to help out all the folks who just have not been able to contribute as much as they had planned to.
Fasting Days
There is no fasting between December 25 and January 4, but Monday, January 5, the Eve of Theophany is a strict fast day, and the normal Wednesday/Friday fasting schedule resumes on Wednesday, January 7.
Daily Services
Monday, December 29-Friday, January 2: Orthros 5am; Vespers 5pm; (but check the festal schedule and please note that 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; they will soon begin Hymns of Paradise by St Ephrem the Syrian. 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 30
The Inquirer’s Class 7pm
Wednesday, December 31
Great Vespers 7pm
Thursday, January 1 The Feast of The Circumcision
Orthros 6am
Divine Liturgy 8am
Saturday, January 3
St Thomas School 4pm
Great Vespers 6pm
Sunday, January 4 The Sunday Before Theophany
Orthros 8am
Church School Celebration 8:15am
Divine Liturgy 10am
Fellowship Hour Noon
Youth 1pm
Coming Up
We will celebrate the Great Feast of Theophany on January 5th and 6th. On Monday, January 5th, we will offer Orthros at 5am, The Royal Hours at 9am, and the Vesperal Liturgy with the First Blessing of the Waters at noon. On Tuesday, January 6, we will serve Orthros at 5am and the Divine Liturgy with the Great Blessing of the Waters at 7am. Please plan on participating in these festal services as often as you can.
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.
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.
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
During Great Vespers, parents should not allow unaccompanied children to go into the narthex or to the bathroom. There are no ushers on duty during that service, and, since the Long Hall is a public building, literally anyone could be in those areas; unfortunately, it only takes a moment for something truly horrific to happen. Please remember that there simply are no safe spaces or safe places.
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 Aphrodisius.
an unworthy priest
aidan