Brothers and Sisters,
Christ is Risen!
This week’s newsletter is coming to you from the brand-spankin’ new, super-charged, ultra-turbo, wide-screen computer that Ray W. set up for the parish. It replaces the now fourteen year old model installed by Matt H. (which involved Matt’s interaction with a really large reptile; the installation of the new machine did not involve any animals with scales). Please thank both of these men for their efforts on behalf of our community.
This coming Saturday afternoon, May 24, at 4:30pm, we will have our Annual Blessing of Animals. All creatures are welcome, but please read through the instructions that are included in this newsletter, because we want everyone to be safe and to have a good time.
Our Calendar
Fasting Days
Wednesday, May 21, and Friday, May 23
Daily Services
Monday, May 19-Friday, May 23; 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 “The Orthodox Faith” by St John of Damascus. 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 May 20
Inquirer’s 101 7pm; you can also access the group on Discord
Wednesday, May 21
The Pascha Book Study 7pm
Thursday, May 22
The Bible Study, Old Testament Edition
Saturday, May 24
St Thomas School 4pm
Blessing of Animals 4:30pm
Great Vespers 6pm
Sunday, May 25 Sunday of the Blind Man
Orthros 8am
Divine Liturgy 10am
Fellowship Hour Noon
Coming Up
This coming Saturday, May 24, we are going to have our annual Blessing of Animals. Tuesday, May 27 is the feast day of St Melangell 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. Please read through them carefully:
The blessing will take place outside. Animals will not be allowed either in the Parish House or the Long Hall.
We will gather in the area between the Long Hall and the Parish House at 4:30pm on Saturday, May 24. The service will be the Ninth Hour, and it will most likely take about 20 minutes.
All small animals (cats, gerbils, lizards, guinea pigs, hamsters, snakes, etc) must be in containers, and they must stay in those containers while they are on parish property.
All dogs must be on leashes, and they must be leashed the entire time they are on parish property. Young children should not be allowed to control dogs; a responsible adult must handle the leashed dog. Also, if you have a dog that is aggressive or nervous or that does not interact well with humans or other animals, please do not bring it to the parish. We will be happy to bless aggressive and anxious dogs at their homes.
Domestic farm animals (goats, sheep, pigs, cattle, horses) are welcome, but they must remain in the trailers or vehicles in which they are transported.
There should not be any contact between any of the animals while they are on parish property.
All dogs and cats must be vaccinated. Dogs must have had Distemper (DHPP), Kennel Cough (Bordetella) and Rabies. Cats must have had Feline Distemper or upper respiratory vaccine (FVRCP) and Rabies. If you have questions about any of those vaccinations, Jason F. has indicated that he will be happy to communicate with you on our parish Discord platform. If your dog or cat does not have all those vaccination, and you would still like the animal to be blessed, you are welcome to attend the service, but the dog or cat must stay in your car. One of the priests will bless the animal while it is in the car.
Please bring water in a bottle or a bowl for your pet.
Please bring plastic bags and be prepared to clean up after your pet when they have a bowel movement.
That may seem like a lot, but it's pretty normal pet stuff, and it will ensure that our Blessing of Animals is a beautiful service that honors the Most Holy Trinity. And, notice, it is a worship service--that means we're not organizing a temporary dog park or a petting zoo. We're going to read prayers, bless all the animals with holy water, and sing some hymns. Then those of us who do not have pet responsibilities will go into the Long Hall for Great Vespers--and Great Vespers will feature hymns that have been specifically composed for the occasion. If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with Father Aidan or Jason F.
On Thursday, May 29, we will wrap up the Paschal Season with the lovely Feast of the Ascension. We will offer Great Vespers at 7pm on Wednesday, May 28, and then, on the morning of the feast, we will serve Orthros at 5am and Divine Liturgy at 7am. Please join us for the celebration.
The first full weekend in June is when we will celebrate the Great Feast of Pentecost. Saturday, June 7, will be the final Saturday of Souls for 2025; we will offer Orthros at 6am and Divine Liturgy at 8am (if you have not yet been able to pray for your departed family members and friends, please be sure to join us!). Great Vespers will be served at 6pm that evening, and then, on Sunday, June 8, we will offer Orthros at 8am, Divine Liturgy at 10am, the Pentecost Picnic at noon, and then Kneeling Vespers will be served no later than 1pm. Pentecost is one of the highlights of the Liturgical Year, so plan on being a part of it all.
After a decade and a half of keeping up with the Prosphora Schedule, Mary K. is passing on the responsibility to Emma N. If you have never baked bread for the liturgy, this would be a great time to get on the list; there is now even a channel on our parish Discord that's all about Prosphora. Please thank both of these women for their service to our community.
Our Moment of Grace and Courtesy
When people need to return items that they have borrowed from someone else, they often bring those items with them to the divine services. However, if the person that you need to give the item to isn't at the service, please be sure and take the item home with you and try to make the connection another time; do not leave the item at the parish in the hopes that the person will eventually stumble across it. Here at St John's we try to assist and support folks in lots and lots of different ways, but we simply cannot be the drop off point for dishes, clothes, books, shoes, produce, shower gifts, toys, baby equipment, birthday presents, tools, movies, home school curricula--you get the idea.
an unworthy priest
aidan