Newsletter: November 2004

On Spiritual Openness and on Learning to Worship

As Christians we are called to sing to the Lord a new song (Ps. 98:1). This song comes from a heart that is open to God. And one of the signs that the heart is open to God is that it is open to learn new ways to praise Him.

It is because of this that I have urged our Choir to be open to finding new musical settings to our beloved Orthodox songs, adding constantly to their repertoire. The introduction of these new musical settings must be done carefully and judiciously, preparing the congregation properly before introducing them, and not introducing too many at once. But it must be done. Otherwise we risk worship becoming stale, and our hearts closing to new things.

In obedience to this, the Choir has learned (and taught to the congregation) a new koinonikon (the hymn “One is holy” sung just before receiving Communion), and a new Cherubic hymn refrain. It is hoped that we may also learn better the special version of “Many Years” which we have used previously on special occasions, such as baptisms and ordinations.

An aid to learning more about how to worship is our Worship Workshop, held on the Feast Day of St. John Chrysostom (Saturday, November 13, held at 3:00 pm. This workshop is intended for everyone, not just the Choir. (It is hoped that the Choir will have more technical workshops earlier that day, focusing on choir music specifically.) Emphasis at the 3.00 pm session will be on learning what we are doing, why we are doing it, and how to do it, and this will include actual hands-on practice. This is not just for Choir or for people with musical ability, but for all the faithful, since all are called to worship God as the people whom He created to declare His marvellous works (1 Pt. 2:9). The workshop will be followed by supper in the church hall at 6.00 pm, and Great Vespers in the church at 7.00 pm .

It is important to recognize that worship is for everyone, since there often exists in many parishes a temptation to separate the Choir from the rest of the faithful, and to think that it is the Choir’s job to sing, and the people are there simply as passive listeners. This is a mistake, since it transforms the Divine Liturgy from the corporate offering of the whole People of God into a kind of concert, performed by priest and choir for the enjoyment and edification of the audience. The Liturgy is NOT a concert, but the total offering made by all those present, each one offering his or her particular gift.

It is true that the Choir is sometimes called upon by our liturgical tradition to sing, and the people called upon to worship by listening (such as at the stichs for the “Lord I call” hymns at Vespers, or during the canon at Matins). But most often the Choir is called upon to lead the people in corporate singing. The Choir practises hard and long so that this leadership will be accurate—they will sing the right notes in the right manner so that all of the rest of the faithful may sing correctly too.

I would encourage all to come to this workshop. The worship of Almighty God is the most important thing we do in this age, and the few hours spent preparing to do it well will not be misspent.

All my love in the Lord,

Fr. Lawrence.

Community Announcements

1. Saturday Vespers , at 7.00 pm. – November 6, 13, 20, 27
(Note: Saturday Nov. 20 is a Vigil for the Feast of the Entrance)
Sunday Liturgy, at 10.00 am – November 7, 14, 21, 28
(Note: Sunday, Nov. 21 is the Feast of the Entrance)

2. Bible Study will be held on Wednesdays after Vespers at Church during the Nativity Fast, Vespers beginning at 7.00 pm. Vespers will begin Wed., Nov. 17.

3. Fr. Lawrence away for Archdiocesan Council, Thursday, November 4 to Thursday, November 11. Vespers and Liturgy will continue as usual, served by Fr. Justin.

4. Worship Workshop , Saturday, November 13, 3.00 pm . A supper will be held afterwards in the Hall, leading to Great Vespers at 7.00 pm . Note: this is for everyone, not just the Choir!

5. The Nativity Fast begins Monday, November 15. Remember to make your confession during this time. The following fasting rules apply:

Fasting rules for the Nativity Fast:
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, we abstain from meat, fish, dairy, wine and oil.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we abstain from meat, fish, and dairy, but are allowed wine and oil.
On Saturdays and Sunday, we abstain from meat and dairy, but are allowed wine, oil and fish.
From December 20 until Christmas , we abstain from meat, fish and dairy, even if it be Saturday or Sunday.
The following rules also apply:
On Nov. 16, we are allowed fish for the feast of St. Matthew
On Nov. 21, we are allowed fish for the feast of the Entrance
On Nov 30, we are allowed fish for the feast of St. Andrew
On Dec. 5, we are allowed fish for the feast of St. Sava
On Dec. 6, we are allowed fish for the feast of St. Nicholas
On Dec. 13, we are allowed fish for the feast of St. Herman

Please remember these rules as you bring food for the Coffee Hour following the Divine Liturgy.

Choir Corner – November

Come to the Worship Workshop on Saturday, November 13^th at 4:00 p.m. to learn about the role of the assembly in the worship of the Church. Who is the assembly? In his book “The Eucharist”, Fr. Alexander Schmemann tells us: “ We need to be thoroughly aware that we come to the temple not for individual prayer but to assemble together as the Church” So together we all are the assembly and that’s why we should all attend the worship workshop. See you there.

In mid-November we begin the pre-Nativity fasting period. This will be reflected liturgically with our usual music changes of simpler or more “somber” settings of “Come, Let Us Worship”, the Beatitudes, the Alleluia, the Our Father, “One is Holy” and “Blessed is He”. However, since on November 21^st we have both a Great Feast (Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple ) and a baptism, we will be using our festal alleluia and a festal hymn to the Theotokos.

As we enter the advent season, please remember the choir in your prayers. We will be working hard practicing the music for St. Herman’s Day (December 13^th) and the Great Feasts of Christmas and Theophany.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns regarding the choir, please talk to me at coffee hour, or phone me @ 591-6326 or email me @ davidcolin{at}telus.net (replace “{at}” with “@”).

- Andrea Folster, Choir Director

St. Herman’s Members at Life Chain

Sunday afternoon October 3^rd saw the annual Life Chain silent witness along 200^th St. in Langley . After the usual rigorous choir practice, I found it tempting to just go home at 2 p.m. and put up my feet while looking forward to celebrating my birthday. But this once-a-year event was really a great way to rejoice that I have a birthday—something many small people in this country never get to have.

We stood several feet apart, holding signs reading "Abortion Kills Children" and "Abortion Hurts Women". The code of conduct printed on the backs of these signs urges participants to remain silent and pray; not to carry any other signs; not to respond in kind to any heckling from passers-by. Our little group did create some interest among the other participants, as we had with us identifiable monastics and clergy. At least one person expressed gratitude that the Orthodox Church has spoken firmly and clearly in support of human life at all stages.

When the one-hour demonstration was over, we were approached by a couple of young people in Goth gear (and "Abortion Saves Lives" on the back of the young man's T-shirt) with a video camera, who asked politely about our involvement in the event. They asked Fr. Lawrence several questions for their documentary; whether this will appear anywhere or what spin they will give it we do not know, but we were able to speak respectfully with them, and hope this will give them pause in the future when they think about Christianity and life issues.

Nine of our members took part in this event: Fr. Lawrence and myself, Magdalen, Mother Anna, Brother Cyprian, Tal, James Hartley, Phil Jordahl and Sister Angelina. If all the members of churches in the Langley area who believe that abortion is wrong and has negative consequences were to attend this event every year, it could not help but attract attention from the media and others. That attention is sorely needed in a country which has no abortion law, and where abortion at any time throughout the nine months of pregnancy is therefore permissible. As demonstrated by the young people with the video camera, this was our chance to keep the conversation about this issue going, in hope of shedding light in the darkness. This is one hour, once a year—I invite everyone who has a birthday to join us next year, and make St. Herman's contribution to the day a larger one than ever before.

- Mat. Donna

A Reminder about the Food Bank

Don’t forget that God calls us to remember the poor. One way we can do this corporately as a church is to collect donations in the food bank basket which Fr. Lawrence takes to the food bank after Sunday Liturgy.

The food bank basket is placed in the prothesis chapel, not only so that it is available and handy to the faithful after they have venerated the icons on the iconostas. It is also placed there because of the liturgical unity of the offering of food to the poor and the offering of the Holy Oblation of the Eucharist.

In the ancient days, the faithful would bring food to the church's prothesis (or offering) chapel, including bread and wine. Some of this food would be distributed to the needy, and some used at the Sunday Liturgy, the deacons taking the best bread and wine for use at the Eucharist. Thus the Eucharist was a true offering of love, for the same offering of food served for the Divine Liturgy as served to feed the poor.

This ancient unity is expressed at St. Herman's by the placement of the food bank basket: it is placed in the same prothesis chapel in which the Bread and Wine for the Eucharist are prepared.

Let's remember the poor as we make our Sunday Eucharistic Offering of love.