Calendar: December 2005

In my seemingly never-ending quest for the perfect calendar, I've created yet another new calendar section for our site: from now on, you should be able to just go to saintherman.net/calendar to view the latest version of our church calendar. Hope you like it!

Newsletter: December 2005

Preparing for Christmas

For people in the world, “preparing for Christmas” simply means doing things like buying presents, getting the tree, decorating the tree, sending Christmas cards, buying the turkey, etc. etc. (And etc!—there seems to be no end to it!) In the Church, however, preparing for Christmas means something more.

Christmas is not simply a time to open gifts. It is also a time to open our souls to Christ, and to receive afresh the gift of His love. But souls are difficult things to open—we have them wrapped up so tightly in the grim wrappings of sloth, anger, lust, envy and covetousness. In order then to open our souls to Christ at Christmas Liturgy and receive the gift of the Feast, we need to shed the sinful wrappings which conceal our souls. And the fastest way to shed these wrappings is in Confession.

Therefore, part of our Orthodox preparation for Christmas must include making a fearless moral inventory of ourselves (as people in the twelve-step programmes call it), and by coming to Confession to offer ourselves in repentance and brokenness to Christ. Without this inner spiritual work, all our fasting can remain fruitless and external. For the Nativity Fast is not just about changing our diet; it is mostly about changing our life.

The Christmas Rush (that horrible North American tradition) threatens to sweep all before it and land us at December 25 before we know it, and before we have had time to prepare for Christmas. Don’t let it sweep away your opportunity to unwrap your soul, and receive the greatest of Christmas gifts—the renewed joy of Jesus on the Feast of His Nativity. Come to Confession soon, and really prepare for Christmas.

All my love,

Fr. Lawrence

 

An appeal from Holy Apostle Barnabas Mission

Fr. Alexis and Holy Apostle Barnabas Mission in Comox are raising funds to build a chapel on Fr. Alexis’ property, so that the Mission will have a more permanent and accessible place to worship. (See their letter on our church bulletin board). Anyone wishing to contribute to this worthy work should send their contribution to Fr. Alexis Nikkel at 3821 Piercy Road, Courtenay, B.C., V9J 1R7 , payable to “Holy Apostle Barnabas Mission".

 

NOTE CHRISTMAS SERVICES SPECIAL TIMES!

• DEC. 24th 6 PM Christmas Eve Vigil
• DEC 25th 9 AM Christmas Day Liturgy (no coffee hour after)

 

Fasting Rules December 2005

All Days until Nativity are regular fast days with no meat, fish, eggs or dairy, wine or olive oil. Exceptions easing the fast somewhat occur on certain feasts.

All days this month are like regular Wednesdays and Fridays except:

• Saturdays & Sundays - fish, wine, oil allowed
• Tues Dec 6 - St. Nicholas - fish, wine, oil allowed
• Mon. Dec 12 - St. Spyridon - fish, wine, oil allowed
• Tues Dec 13 - St.Herman - fish, wine & oil allowed
• Thurs Dec 15 - St Eleutherius - wine & oil allowed
• Sat. Dec 24 - Eve of Nativity - wine & oil allowed
• Sun. Dec 25 - Jan 4 - Fast-free period

 

DECEMBER EVENTS

• Sat. Dec. 3 - St. Herman’s Open House 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
  • Bake Sale, Book Table, cookie-making for the children and hot apple cider for all.
• Tues. Dec. 6 - St. Nicholas Akathist 7:00 p.m.
• Tues. Dec. 13 - St. Herman Vespers7:00 p.m.
• Fri. Dec. 16 - Narnia Night: seeing the movie “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, with coffee afterwards. (See Ramona for details.)
• Sat. Dec. 17 - 10 am Women’s Brunch and Quiet Day at Theresia Lerche’s home in Chilliwack (see Mat. Sarah for details)
• Fri. Dec. 30 - Men’s Night at Wildemans', 7.30 pm.
• Fr. Lawrence will betaking the period between Christmas and New Year's as time off—Please call only in case of emergency.
• Wed. Vespers will be CANCELLED Dec. 21 & 28

 

Reminders

Confessions:

The OCA standard for confessions is approximately once in six weeks, assuming you are attending services each Sunday. Our local custom is to encourage confession particularly at fasting periods like Advent.

Plan to make an examination of conscience and come to confession in advance of the Nativity Feast.

Times for Confession:

• Before or after Wednesday Vespers
• Before or after the Tuesday services for St. Nicholas (Dec 6) or St. Herman (Dec 13)
• Before or after Saturday Vespers

If you are unable to come at these times, please arrange another time with one of the priests.

House Blessings:

Theophany comes up quickly after Christmas! Plan now to schedule a visit from one of our priests to bless your house for the coming year.

Calendar: November 2005

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
In emergencies while Fr. Lawrence is away, please contact Fr. Justin Hewlett at (604) 541-7343.		1	2 7 pm vespers	3 7 pm Vancouver Study	4	5 3:30 music wkshp 5:00 reader wkshp 7 pm vespers
6 10 am Liturgy	7	8 7 pm Abbotsford Study	9 7 pm vespers	10 Fr. Lawrence to Archdiocesan Council 7 pm Vancouver Study	11 Remembrance Day	12 7 pm vespers & Remembrance Day trisagion
13 10 am Liturgy	14	15 NATIVITY FAST BEGINS	16 7 pm vespers	17 7 pm Vancouver Study	18 Fr. Lawrence returns	19 7 pm vigil for Entrance feast
20 10 am Liturgy (for Entrance Feast)	21 Entrance of Theotokos into the Temple	22	23 7 pm vespers	24 7 pm Vancouver Study	25	26 7 pm vespers
27 10 am Liturgy	28	29	30 7 pm vespers		Please note: Abbotsford study is now once a month - don't miss it!

Newsletter: November 2005

Concerning the Choir

This month we continue our series on ministries in the Church with the role of the Choir.

Prior to the Byzantine music workshop on November 5 at. 3.00 pm, I would like reflect on the role of the Choir in Orthodox worship. In some places, the role of the Choir is imperfectly understood. In these places, the Choir does everything (often in very complicated and operatic style), and the rest of the congregation is reduced to passive listening. Or, swinging to the other extreme, the Choir has no real role apart from the congregation, as absolutely everything is sung congregationally, in unison.

Both of these extremes are distortions of the authentic liturgical tradition. In Orthodox worship, there are three basic liturgical “players”— the clergy, the choir, and the rest of the holy laity. Sometimes these roles overlap (such as when all say the Creed together), but sometimes their roles are quite distinct.

Take for example the Matins Canon sung at Pascha. During this time, the Choir sings the complicated Paschal Canon, while the congregation participates by listening. And during the Canon, while the Choir is still singing, the priest comes forth from the altar to cense the people, crying out “Christ is risen!” , and the congregation responds, “Indeed He is risen!” The priest and congregation here do not wait until the Choir has finished singing their piece; rather, they shout joyfully over top of them, so that all three, priest, choir and people, have their own distinctive role and contribution to the singing of the Canon.

Or, taking another example: at Great Vespers, some parts are done by priest or reader alone, such as the Great Litany (by the priest), or the Trisagion Prayers (by the Reader). Some parts are done by all present together, such as the singing of “Gladsome Light”, or the “Song of Simeon”, which priest, choir and people sing together. Other parts are done by reader and choir alone (such

as the “Lord I call” hymn, where the reader chants the psalm verses and the choir sings the variable hymns interspersing those verses). At Vespers, all three, clergy, choir and people, have their own roles to fulfill, which sometimes overlap and sometimes do not.

Thus, Orthodox worship expresses Orthodox ecclesiology (or doctrine of the Church). The Church is a Body, the Body of Christ, and in a body, all members and limbs do not have the same function (see 1 Cor. 12:14-26). All the various members of the Body offer their own gifts, their own contributions, to the harmony of the whole body and the upbuilding of the common assembly.

As we approach this coming opportunity to learn more about worship and music, we must bear in mind who we are—not a collection of individuals, but the holy Body of Christ the Lord.

- Fr. Lawrence

 

St. Herman's Church OPEN HOUSE
Saturday, December 3rd, 10am - 2pm

The church will be open to the public

We are having a bake sale and St. Nicholas Day cookie decorating and we will invite the neighourhood.

Volunteers needed to bake goods - and bring them to the
church Friday evening.  Also needed: volunteers to wrap the baked
goods in preparation for Saturday on Friday evening; and willing
folk to come and hang out at the church on Saturday afternoon to
talk to the masses that will come and visit.

We will advertise this in the local papers... the draw will be the
baked goods - we will donate any money we make to the Orthodox Stocking Fund.

If God moves you and you are willing... please contact:
RamonaWildeman 604-888-3996 or ramona.wildeman{at}gmail.com (replace {at} with @).

 

+++ Fasting Rules, November 2005 +++

Wednesdays and Fridays are regular fast days with no meat, fish, eggs or dairy, wine or olive oil. Exceptions easing the fast somewhat occur on certain feasts.

November 15 begins the Advent fast

All days this month are like regular Wednesdays and Fridays except:

• Wine and oil allowed most days this month except Tues Nov 15, Mon Nov 28.
• Saturdays & Sundays - Fish, wine, oil allowed.
• Wed Nov 16 - St. Matthew. Fish, wine, oil
• Mon Nov 21 - Entr. Theotokos. Fish, wine & oil
• Wed Nov 30 - St. Andrew. Fish wine & oil

 

NOVEMBER EVENTS

• Sat. Nov. 5 – Byzantine music workshop – 3.00 pm, followed by supper at 6.00 and then 7.00 pm Vespers
• Tues. Nov. 8 – Bible study at Durans’, 7.00 pm
• Fr. Lawrence will be away at Archdiocesan Council Nov 10-17 (Services continue as usual, including a Remembrance Day trisagion after vespers on Sat. Nov 12).
• For pastoral needs during Fr. Lawrence's absence, please contact Fr. Justin at 604-541-7343

 

THANKS A BUNCH!

Just a brief word from the youth leaders to say a very big thank you to all the volunteers who came and helped out with our first monthly youth group outing. The kids had a spectacular time, and we're now busily planning our next get-together, which should be taking place near the end of November. Thanks again to all who helped make our first gathering a success!

- Magdalen & Maria