St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church
Dec 2008 Newsletter Items
Special Christmas Service Times!!
Dec. 24 6 pm Vigil
Dec. 25 9 am Liturgy
(NO lunch after)
NB Sun. Dec. 28 after liturgy -Jan. 3: Fr. Lawrence on vacation.
In emergency a message can be forwarded from the office phone #; or see Dn. Kurt.
Moving On
Those who were aware of the crisis in the OCA of the past few years are doubtless also aware of the events that recently occurred in Pittsburgh: how the delegates of the All-American Council confronted the Holy Synod over the past, how (then) Bishop JONAH spoke in response, bluntly admitting that the past two Metropolitans were “corrupt” and the Holy Synod left leaderless and dysfunctional. He also said that the Church now needed to “let it go” or it would destroy us. The delegates of that All-American Council heeded Bishop JONAH’s words, and overwhelmingly nominated him to be our the next Metropolitan. In an amazing show of humility, the Holy Synod heeded those nominations and elected him their leader and Metropolitan, despite the fact that he was consecrated Bishop only eleven days (that’s eleven days!) previously.
What does this mean for us? That we can now begin to move on and leave the past behind us and in God’s hands (where it will end up anyway) and get on with the work of being the Church. There are more than enough challenges for the Orthodox Church in America to face, and there is no need to marinate in the problems of the past.
It also means that God is with us. Many thousands of people were praying for that All-American Council, and it appears that God hearkened to those prayers. How else could one explain what is almost a fairy-tale ending of hope and joy to what before seemed an insoluble problem?
At the end of the election and of (now) Metropolitan JONAH’s “inaugural speech”, one man (perhaps from the Pentecostal tradition?) went running through the foyer shouting, “Hallelujah! We have a leader! Hallelujah!” Indeed we do have a leader. And more than that, we have a Saviour: our Lord Jesus Christ, who has never abandoned His Church, nor failed those who reach out to Him in penitence and humility.
“Glory to God for all things!”
Yours in the Lord
Fr. Lawrence
++++++++++++++++++
Don’t Forget the Women's Quiet Day
December 13, 11 am
49175 Elkview Road, Chilliwack
feel free to bring a small, interesting tidbit to nibble
DIAKONIA —
Donation bin in Narthex
Still collecting
· socks
· gloves,
· and treats (individually wrapped small candies and chocolate bars) and cough drops/throat lozenges
to be put together in goodie bags to be distributed near Saint Nicholas Day
DECEMBER SPECIAL EVENTS
Sat. Dec. 13, 11 am—Women’s quiet day 49175 Elkview Road, Chwk
6:30 pm at church– Vespers & Litya for ST. HERMAN’s DAY
_______________________
CONFESSIONS:
Please plan and arrange EARLY for your Advent confession. The usual time is after vespers, but if necessary other arrangements can be made.
_________________________
NOTE –AGM agenda
The date of our AGM (likely late in January) will be announced soon.
In the intrests of an efficient meetings, we do not take additions to the agenda from the floor. Therefore, please submit any items in writing for possible inclusion on the agenda to any parish council member no later than Jan 12th
LIBRARY & BOOKSTORE NEWS
The parish library and bookstore are going to be reorganized. The bookstore will remain open, but it will be necessary to temporarily close the library until the new year.
Our library began with several of us “donating” our books to the church to pool our resources and make them available to all our members. To clarify, “donating” your books does NOT need to mean giving them permanently to the Church. It means allowing them to “live” in the Church library and be available for other St. Herman’s people to borrow. Any books that have your name in them will be considered your property and not Church property.
Please give any books you’d like to loan the Church to either Vivian or Andrea. Books will be vetted by Fr. Lawrence. We will be keeping an inventory of all books and better track of circulating books. We will also be buying some new books that will actually belong to the library and will have display copies of many of the books that will be available in the bookstore.
The new “sign-out” book will be organized by last names, just like the Church directory. The loan period will be 1 month (shorter for “in demand” books). There will be email or phone reminders about due books.
We will also be starting a new blog for online book reviews. If you are interested in taking part, contact Mat. Donna
December fasting—
No meat, fish, dairy & eggs or wine & oil till Dec. 25 with these exceptions:
· Fish, wine & oil allowed first two weekends
· wine & oil allowed Tues. & Thurs.
· Wine & oil, no fish allowed weekend Dec. 20-21
Dec. 25-Jan 4 incl.: Fast Free
Jan. 5: strict Lenten food for Eve of Theophany
Dec. 24 6 pm Vigil
Dec. 25 9 am Liturgy
(NO lunch after)
NB Sun. Dec. 28 after liturgy -Jan. 3: Fr. Lawrence on vacation.
In emergency a message can be forwarded from the office phone #; or see Dn. Kurt.
Moving On
Those who were aware of the crisis in the OCA of the past few years are doubtless also aware of the events that recently occurred in Pittsburgh: how the delegates of the All-American Council confronted the Holy Synod over the past, how (then) Bishop JONAH spoke in response, bluntly admitting that the past two Metropolitans were “corrupt” and the Holy Synod left leaderless and dysfunctional. He also said that the Church now needed to “let it go” or it would destroy us. The delegates of that All-American Council heeded Bishop JONAH’s words, and overwhelmingly nominated him to be our the next Metropolitan. In an amazing show of humility, the Holy Synod heeded those nominations and elected him their leader and Metropolitan, despite the fact that he was consecrated Bishop only eleven days (that’s eleven days!) previously.
What does this mean for us? That we can now begin to move on and leave the past behind us and in God’s hands (where it will end up anyway) and get on with the work of being the Church. There are more than enough challenges for the Orthodox Church in America to face, and there is no need to marinate in the problems of the past.
It also means that God is with us. Many thousands of people were praying for that All-American Council, and it appears that God hearkened to those prayers. How else could one explain what is almost a fairy-tale ending of hope and joy to what before seemed an insoluble problem?
At the end of the election and of (now) Metropolitan JONAH’s “inaugural speech”, one man (perhaps from the Pentecostal tradition?) went running through the foyer shouting, “Hallelujah! We have a leader! Hallelujah!” Indeed we do have a leader. And more than that, we have a Saviour: our Lord Jesus Christ, who has never abandoned His Church, nor failed those who reach out to Him in penitence and humility.
“Glory to God for all things!”
Yours in the Lord
Fr. Lawrence
++++++++++++++++++
Don’t Forget the Women's Quiet Day
December 13, 11 am
49175 Elkview Road, Chilliwack
feel free to bring a small, interesting tidbit to nibble
DIAKONIA —
Donation bin in Narthex
Still collecting
· socks
· gloves,
· and treats (individually wrapped small candies and chocolate bars) and cough drops/throat lozenges
to be put together in goodie bags to be distributed near Saint Nicholas Day
DECEMBER SPECIAL EVENTS
Sat. Dec. 13, 11 am—Women’s quiet day 49175 Elkview Road, Chwk
6:30 pm at church– Vespers & Litya for ST. HERMAN’s DAY
_______________________
CONFESSIONS:
Please plan and arrange EARLY for your Advent confession. The usual time is after vespers, but if necessary other arrangements can be made.
_________________________
NOTE –AGM agenda
The date of our AGM (likely late in January) will be announced soon.
In the intrests of an efficient meetings, we do not take additions to the agenda from the floor. Therefore, please submit any items in writing for possible inclusion on the agenda to any parish council member no later than Jan 12th
LIBRARY & BOOKSTORE NEWS
The parish library and bookstore are going to be reorganized. The bookstore will remain open, but it will be necessary to temporarily close the library until the new year.
Our library began with several of us “donating” our books to the church to pool our resources and make them available to all our members. To clarify, “donating” your books does NOT need to mean giving them permanently to the Church. It means allowing them to “live” in the Church library and be available for other St. Herman’s people to borrow. Any books that have your name in them will be considered your property and not Church property.
Please give any books you’d like to loan the Church to either Vivian or Andrea. Books will be vetted by Fr. Lawrence. We will be keeping an inventory of all books and better track of circulating books. We will also be buying some new books that will actually belong to the library and will have display copies of many of the books that will be available in the bookstore.
The new “sign-out” book will be organized by last names, just like the Church directory. The loan period will be 1 month (shorter for “in demand” books). There will be email or phone reminders about due books.
We will also be starting a new blog for online book reviews. If you are interested in taking part, contact Mat. Donna
December fasting—
No meat, fish, dairy & eggs or wine & oil till Dec. 25 with these exceptions:
· Fish, wine & oil allowed first two weekends
· wine & oil allowed Tues. & Thurs.
· Wine & oil, no fish allowed weekend Dec. 20-21
Dec. 25-Jan 4 incl.: Fast Free
Jan. 5: strict Lenten food for Eve of Theophany
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