June 2008 Newsletter Items

While Fr. Lawrence is away June 21-28,
for all pastoral emergencies please contact

Dn. Kurt Jordan 604-824-1214

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DIRECTORY NOW AVAILABLE for Spring 2008

Thank you Muryn J for doing the latest edition. There are a few hard copies in the narthex, but if you would prefer it in electronic format, please contact Muryn at sthermans.directory@gmail.com

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DIAKONIA PROJECT —ST. ARSENY CAMP

The gift of giving…….

Diakonia is now accepting donations to help send some of our kids in need of financial assistance to this year’s camp.

Please see Maria C. or Teresa H.

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JUNE SPECIAL EVENTS


Wed. June 4– 7.00 pm – Vesperal Liturgy for Ascension

Sunday June 15 PENTECOST: following the festal liturgy & lunch, we will have Kneeling Prayers at 1 pm

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RUMOURS ABOUND of HOCKEY!

The Island Sticks have issued a challenge for
Mon. June 30th
Watch Spruce Island for confirmation…..

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Fasting in June

We return to Wednesday & Friday fasts after Ascension Day.— June 6, 11 and 13

The week after Pentecost, June 15, is FAST FREE

The APOSTLES’ FAST runs from Mon June 23 to Sat. Jun 28 inclusive.

Wine & oil are allowed Tues. & Thurs., Fish is allowed Saturday.

The Apostles’ feast is on Sunday Jun 29.

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The Vestment Guild of St. Tabitha

A number of people have banded together at St. Herman's under the protection St. Tabitha (see Acts 9:39), the patroness of seamstresses, to be the new Vestment Guild. Their task is to sew, repair and clean the vestments used in divine worship, and we are delighted they have undertaken this good work. Anyone interested in helping, please see Theresia L.

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A Gentle Reminder

Please remember not to wear lipstick or lip balm to church, as this harms the icons when they are venerated. (Consider the abstinence a part of the fasting!) Also, in the warm weather we are reminded our Bishop's direction that shorts and skirts be no shorter than knee length, for the sake of modesty

HOLY WEEK and BEYOND!

A one-page flyer with this info will be distributed at church on Palm Sunday, April 20th. There will be NO MAY NEWSLETTER, but a May Calendar will be ready in time for distribution at PASCHAL SERVICES.

HOLY Week evenings— all at 7 p.m.

MON. Apr. 21— Bridegroom Matins
TUES. Apr. 22— Bridegroom Matins
WED. Apr. 23— Presanctified Liturgy (Fast from noon, bring food to share)
THURS. Apr. 24— Twelve Gospel Readings
FRI. Apr. 25— Veneration & Procession w. Shroud
Followed by night-long vigil & readings by those who wish to remain in the church.

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HOLY SATURDAY Apr. 26:

10:00 AM— Liturgy of St. Basil
10:00 PM— Baptism & Chrismation

11:30 PM—PASCHAL Nocturnes, Procession, Paschal Liturgy
Blessing of Baskets in hall afterward

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HOLY PASCHA SUNDAY Apr. 27:

NO MORNING SERVICE
THIS SUNDAY ONLY!

4 p.m. Paschal Vespers & Parish BBQ

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BRIGHT WEEK-After PASCHA :

Father Lawrence will be on vacation Mon. April 28 until Saturday May 3rd.

Bright Wednesday 7 pm April 30th vespers will be led by a Reader.

BRIGHT SATURDAY MAY 3rd

9 AM Men’s and boys’ breakfast fellowship and HOCKEY!!

1 pm House blessing & BBQ at Dan's new place-- see Spruce Island for details

Items from April 2008 newsletter

Crossing Over the Line

The great Moses once drew a line. In a world gone mad with sin, self-indulgence, and idolatrous rebellion against God, he cried out, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me!” (Ex. 32:26) He drew a metaphorical line in the sand, and called for the courageous to defy all that was going on around them and step over it. Many did, and that was when the fun really began. (You can read all about in Exodus 32.)

In Christ, God once again draws a line, and for two thousand years the Church has been calling for the courageous from the world to step over it. That is the essence of the catechumenate. A catechumen is not simply one who is receiving instruction—he (or she) is also one who is crossing over the line, leaving the side of the world and coming over to God’s side. (We see this spiritual defection from the world expressed liturgically when the catechumen-to-be spits on the devil, and then turns around and prostrates himself before Lord.)

The Christians are the people who have abandoned the world, renounced sin, self-indulgence and the idolatry of self, and taken their stand with Jesus Christ, our King and our God. And we find that as soon as we take this stand, the fun really begins.

The Christian life, therefore, calls for valiant hearts, an adventurous spirit, a two-edged sword in our hands and the high praises of God in our throats (Ps. 149:6). Pascha proclaims that the final victory is assured. Until that day of victory, we stand together, and march as one, in a mighty Paschal procession through the centuries. In the age to come, there will be time enough to strip our sleeves and display our wounds to the wondering eyes of angels. Now is the time to stand with Christ our King, to endure the heat of battle and to win the crown—“we few, we happy few, we band of brothers”.

Yours in the Lord,

Fr. Lawrence


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CONFESSIONS
Confessions are normally done after vespers or, if that is impossible, by appointment. After liturgy is NOT generally an appropriate or practical time. Unless it is an emergency, please avoid asking for confession after liturgy. In such a case, Fr. Lawrence will ask you to wait till after the community meal so that he can spend time with both our own members and our visitors.
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The BELLS of
ST HERMAN’s
The tower and bells may not look quite like this graphic— but they will ring to announce the beginning of services, starting NEXT SUNDAY APRIL 6th!!!
Please be there for the BLESSING OF THE BELLS at the end of Matins before Liturgy
begins at 10 a.m.
More info and photos HERE

APRIL SPECIAL EVENTS
Lenten Services continue on Wed. & Fri as per attached calendar.

Special note:

Wed. April 9 – 7.00 pm – Great Canon and Life of St. Mary of Egypt

Fri. April 11 – 7.00 pm – Akathist to the Most-holy Theotokos
These above two services are non-Eucharistic, so will not require fasting from noon; there will be NO MEAL afterwards.

SUN. April 6 10 a.m. —BLESSING OF BELLS and ringing for the first time!

PRE-PASCHAL CLEANING BEE!!!

Lazarus Saturday
Sat. April 19 – 10.00 am – Matins and church clean-up. Please bring along some cleaning supplies & Lenten lunch to share.

HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE

Week nights— all at 7 p.m.
MON. Apr. 21— Bridegroom Matins
TUES. Apr. 22— Bridegroom Matins
WED. Apr. 23— Presanctified Liturgy (Fast from noon, bring food to share)
THURS. Apr. 24— Twelve Gospel Readings
FRI. Apr. 25— Veneration & Procession w. Shroud

HOLY SATURDAY Apr. 26:
10. AM— Liturgy of St. Basil

10. PM— Baptism & Chrismation

11:30 PM—Nocturnes, Procession, Paschal Liturgy
Blessing of Baskets in hall afterward

HOLY PASCHA SUNDAY Apr. 27:
NO MORNING SERVICE THIS SUNDAY ONLY!

4 p.m. Paschal Vespers & Parish Barbecue

Items from February 2008 Newsletter

Legalism and Laxity

As Great Lent approaches, we are reminded that serving God faithfully is a matter of avoiding extremes, of keeping the proper and saving balance. As GK Chesterton once said, “It is always simple to fall; there are an infinity of angles at which one falls, only one at which one stands.” One can fall into legalism, or one can fall the opposite way into laxity. We are called to remain spiritually upright. Temptations to fall into either legalism or laxity are common among converts, and that is why we at St. Herman’s must be especially vigilant. The devil, for his part, doesn’t care whether he makes you fall into legalism or laxity, as long he can make you fall. Legalism is a very old temptation for the Orthodox, since we have so many rules. But the main sign that one has fallen into legalism is not a rigorous keeping of the rules. (I am thinking of the saintly Elder Cleopa, who would not break his Lenten fast even in the hospital.) Legalism is present when you are mostly concerned that other people keep the rules, and are easily bent out of shape when they do not. Keep the fast as rigorously as you please, and derive all the benefit you like—just keep your eyes firmly fixed on the plate of food before you, and not on anyone else’s. Your neighbour already has a Judge in heaven who is keeping score for him, and doesn’t need your help on earth.
The opposite temptation to legalism is laxity, and people who are alive to the evils of legalism and especially vulnerable. Laxity is not defined as a willingness to set aside the rules under certain circumstances, for we have the example of saints who would cheerfully set aside their fasting discipline when the demands of charity required it. Rather, laxity is present when one mostly never keeps the rules—when most Fridays come and go and find meat on your dinner table and your conscience never taps you on the shoulder about it. All things being equal, Orthodox don’t eat meat, fish or dairy on Wednesdays and Fridays, and they eat nothing at all prior to receiving Holy Communion. If we call ourselves Orthodox, we need to (as they say) get with the programme, for it is the Church’s programme, not ours.
Keeping balance can be difficult, especially in a militantly secular society like ours. The key is seeking God in humility. As St. Paul says in 1 Cor. 10:12, “Let anyone who thinks he stands, take heed lest he falls.”


Yours in the Lord,
Fr. Lawrence


MANY YEARS to

Our new parish council:

Sava Duran
Vivian Hartley
Ramona Wildeman
Greg Wright
Muryn Jordan
Kai Lerche

And to our retiring
members

Athina Parson
Stephanie Quissy


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*New * Diakonia Project!

The winter project of Diakonia collected over sixty bags of needed personal items for distribution to the homeless. The next project will be the collection of baby items for those in need.
Maria Campbell and Angelina Hawrylyshen will also be glad to hear your suggestions for mission and service projects at the local, national and international level.

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FEBRUARY SPECIAL EVENTS

Sat. Feb 2— 9 AM
Liturgy for Feast of the Meeting.

At 12:30 PM that same day,
David Pasivirta & Laurenn Kollin invite us to the celebration of their marriage at St. Michael’s Orthodox Church, 7838 Canada Way, Burnaby

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Fasting rules for FEBRUARY 2008

As our new wall calendars include detailed fasting rules re: wine, oil etc., I will only note more general items in this box in future. The new calendars are available in the narthex for a toonie donation to the candle money tin. —Mat. Donna, editor
· All Wed. & Fri. this month, except for the Fast Free Week, are normal fast days—NO meat, dairy, eggs, fish (fish w. backbone), wine (all alcohol) or olive oil.
· Mon. Feb. 18 up to and including Sun. Feb. 24
is the FAST FREE WEEK . All foods allowed

January 2008 Newsletter Items

The Calendar is updated.

LIVING IN A BLESSED HOME

It is the custom of the Orthodox to have their homes blessed by the priest in the days following the Feast of Theophany every January 6. The rite of house blessing is brief but wonderful—it not only brings the blessing of God upon one’s home for the coming year, but also binds the domestic family together as part of the Family of God. The preparations are easy: one simply prepares a table with a bowl of Holy Water, a leafy sprig (to sprinkle the Holy Water), an icon, a candle (for carrying from room to room) and a list of names of the living and the departed for the priest to offer to God as part of the rite. (I can provide Holy Water and sprig if you do not have one available.) The prayers themselves take only a few minutes, and then the family leads the priest from room to room (the head of the house carrying the candle) as all sing the Theophany tropar and the priest sprinkles the walls of each room with Holy Water. At the end, the priest sprinkles all present with the Holy Water (it is my practice to bless any animals within reach also). The whole visit need last no longer than twenty minutes—but what an important few minutes it is. For it is in this way that one consecrates one’s home and life there to the Lord for the months that follow.
It is always my great joy to visit the homes of the faithful in the parish. I am never too busy to visit, especially for such a joyful occasion. All you need do is call to arrange for a convenient time.

Yours in the Lord,
Fr. Lawrence

JANUARY EVENTS:


Sat. Jan. 5 – 7 pm Theophany Vespers and Blessing of Waters


Sun. Jan. 6 –10 am Theophany Liturgy followed by

outdoor blessing of water (Fraser River) weather permitting

Sun. Jan. 20 – Annual Congregational Meeting after Liturgy
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Fasting rules for JANUARY 2008
Jan. 1– Jan 4 Fast free period continues
Jan. 5 Eve of Theophany fast— wine & oil allowed

All Wed. & Fri. after Theophany (Jan 6) are normal fast days—NO meat, dairy, eggs, fish (fish w. backbone), wine (all alcohol) or olive oil.

Exceptions: wine & oil are allowed on the following saints’ days:
Jan. 11 Theodosius the Great
Jan25 Gregory the Theologian
Jan 30 Three Hierarchs: Basil the Great,
Gregory the Theologian,
John Chrysostom

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THANKS to EVERYONE who served in the Lord’s Church at St. Herman’s in AD 2007

Too many to list— but of particular note recently:

Sandy Folster supplied the Hogwarts castle. The raffle raised over $300 for St. Arseny Camp

Koinonia Ministry DONORS of items to homeless care packets: Maria C. & Angelina H. report more than 60 bags were filled and distributed.

Kai L. and his intrepid team caring for the building –we have a new sink & counter, new shed, new candle table, more coat hooks & probably lots of stuff we don’t notice!

Pres. Sava Duran & all our parish council who keep things moving here at St. Herman’s!
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MANY YEARS to newly-received Members Dec 23/07:
by baptism:

Dylan Falk
Peter Hall
Andrew (Seraphim) Friesen
Lindsey (Diordia) Friesen
Ryan (Tikhon) Bishop

by chrismation:
Robyn (Anastasia) Bishop
Meike (Macrina) Hall

From the December 2007 Newsletter

A Song for the Morning

Good news: by popular request, we will be serving Matins every Sunday morning at 9.30 am, beginning Sunday December 2. (This will replace the chanting of Third Hour.) All are invited to attend Matins, which will be followed immediately by the Divine Liturgy, beginning at its usual time of 10.10 am. Please note: if for some reason you cannot attend Matins, make sure you are not late for Liturgy!

The sung service of Matins is part of the essential round of services, and so, with Vespers, it is served every day in monasteries. (They have to do less driving to get to Church there.) The name “Matins” (Greek “Orthros”) means “morning”, because it is classically served in the morning—that is, at the beginning of the morning, at about 2.00 a.m. It is structured so that when it is fully served (as in monasteries), it lasts about 3 hours or more, and when the priest chants “Glory to You who have shown us the light!” near the end of the service, it is because God has just shown them the light, with the sun peaking up over the horizon. (Fear not: our abbreviated parish Matins will only last about 40 minutes!)

Matins is a great blessing because, along with Vespers, much of the Church’s teaching is given through its hymns, which vary Sunday by Sunday. The service of the Divine Liturgy is largely the same every week (with only the troparia and lessons changing), but there is much more variable material in Matins, especially in the Canon. It is through this material that the Church bestows its vision and teaches its dogmas. For dogmas, in Orthodoxy, are not to be simply learned like lessons, but sung like hymns. The Church puts a song of praise into the mouth of her children, and it is from these songs that we learn the truth. Many of these songs are in Matins. Our morning song is soon to begin.

Yours in the Lord,

Fr. Lawrence

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Christmas Services

Dec. 24, 6 PM
Christmas Eve Vigil

Dec. 25, 9 AM
Christmas Day Liturgy, (NO coffee hour)

Note the earlier times for the Christmas services

Dec. 26-28 Fr. Lawrence on vacation except for emergency calls.

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December Special Events

Sat. Dec 1- 4pm-8 pm Youth event at the church

Wed. Dec. 5 - 7 PM Akathist to St. Nicholas

Fri. Dec. 7 - 7 PM Men’s Gathering, Dan Steenburgh’s

Wed. Dec. 12 - 7 PM Akathist to St. Herman

Sat Dec 15 - 11 AM- 5 PM Women’s Quiet Day
at Theresia Lerche’s

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FASTING RULES FOR DECEMBER

Throughout the Nativity fast, we abstain from meat, fish, dairy, wine and oil, with these exceptions:

Tuesdays and Thursdays wine and oil are permitted.

Fish, wine and oil are also permitted on the following days:

Nov 30 St. Andrew
Dec. 5 St. Sava
Dec. 6 St. Nicholas
Dec. 13 St. Herman

All Saturdays and Sundays EXCEPT from Dec. 20 to Christmas

From December 20 until Christmas, there are NO exceptions

December 25 till Jan 4—FAST FREE


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DIAKONIA
Almsgiving is a traditional part of the Nativity Fast.
Already we have collected a great many supplies for distribution to the homeless this cold season! Please make your contribution to the bin in the narthex. For details of items needed, please see the
DIAKONIA bulletin board.

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SENIOR YOUTH GROUP GATHERING!

SAT. DEC 1st
at the church at 4 pm

Fun, Fellowship, and Service to others.

We will remain for vespers & prayers to the Theotokos—pickup at 8 pm.

Magdalen Farley
Syd & Melissa Ketel
Youth Leaders


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Annual Women’s Advent Quiet Day

Come and take a breather from the pre-Christmas rush. We will pray the Akathist to the Theotokos, sit together talking, reading, doing crafts, take walks outside….whatever we feel like! Please bring some Lenten goodies to share.

Sat. Dec. 15,
11 AM to 5 PM at
Theresia’s house
49175 Elkview Rd. Chilliwack

From the 2007 November Newsletter

Daring to Approach

Being a Christian requires both daring and vigilance: daring to approach the divine Eucharistic Chalice each Sunday, and vigilance over our heart, lest we approach unworthily. The ancient norm is weekly Communion. St. Basil the Great writes, “Daily Communion and participation in the holy Body and Blood of Christ is a good, helpful practice…For myself, I communicate four times a week: on the Lord’s Day, on Wednesday, on Friday and Saturday, and on the other days if there is a commemoration of a martyr.” It is by receiving Holy Communion that we remain part of Christ’s Body, and that is why, at St. Herman’s, it is the custom of the faithful to receive the saving Mysteries each time they are offered, Sunday by Sunday.
The days we live in, however, are very dark and dangerous. The secularism soaking our society makes it too easy to skip our prayers, to ignore the disciplines of fasting, to drift away from consecration to God. We face the danger of approaching the Chalice too casually, without sufficient preparation, and of losing our sense of awe of the sacramental Presence offered us on Sunday morning.
The answer lies not in receiving less frequently, for that would involve making our laxity normal; rather, we must eliminate the laxity from our week, not the Holy Communion.

Three things are required of those who come for Holy Communion (as the Church’s Liturgy commands us to do):

1. Spend Saturday night in spiritual preparation. If you cannot attend Great Vespers, at least do not attend parties. Keep your heart as still as you can.
2. Fast from midnight, taking no water and no food. (Medical conditions, including pregnancy and nursing, may call for some mitigation of this.) That means no coffee in the morning and (if you are a smoker), no cigarettes. (No one said fasting would be easy!)
3. Pray the appointed pre-Communion prayers, offering yourself in renewed dedication to Christ, reaching for His forgiveness and forgiving any who may have sinned against you.

Ultimately it is the state of the heart that matters, not bare externals. But faith cannot be present without works, and if we approach the Chalice with humble faith, we will do these works as well. It is a dangerous and wonderful thing to approach the living God. Our weekly discipleship to Him requires determination and daring: determination to obey Him and prepare our hearts, and daring to approach the saving Chalice of spiritual Fire.
Yours in the Lord,
Fr. Lawrence

Sat. Nov. 3
Set your clock back one hour before bed!

November Special Events


Sat. Nov. 3 – FALL BACK!!! set clocks before retiring for return to Standard time

Sun. Nov. 11 - Remembrance Day prayers at liturgy

Thurs. Nov. 15 – Nativity Fast begins

Wed. Nov. 21 – 7.00 pm Vesperal Liturgy for the Entrance of the Theotokos. Fast from noon for communion; bring food to share (fish permitted)

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FASTING RULES FOR THE NATIVITY FAST

Throughout this fast, we abstain from meat, fish, dairy, wine and oil, with these exceptions:

Tuesdays and Thursdays wine and oil are permitted.

Fish, wine and oil are also permitted on the following days:

Saturdays and Sundays EXCEPT from Dec. 20 to Christmas

Nov. 16 St. Matthew
Nov. 21 Feast of the Entrance
Nov 30 St. Andrew
Dec. 5 St. Sava
Dec. 6 St. Nicholas
Dec. 13 St. Herman

From December 20 until Christmas, there are NO exceptions
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DIAKONIA

Already we have collected a great many supplies for distribution to the homeless this cold season!

Please make your contribution to the bin in the narthex. For details of items needed, please see the DIAKONIA bulletin board.

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HOLY CONFESSION: OUR ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST

It is our custom at St. Herman’s for the faithful to confess at least four times a year, at the four fasting seasons of the church year. (This of course does not mean one cannot confess more often, and at other times also.) The approaching Nativity Fast (beginning Nov. 15) means that the time for receiving the sacrament of Confession is drawing near. The best time for Confession is Saturday evening after Great Vespers, for then it becomes a part of one’s weekly approach to the Chalice. If this is impossible, confessions may be heard at other times also; see Fr. Lawrence to schedule a time.