March 2006 Newsletter

Lenten Reading

Great Lent is not just about fasting. Fasting is not the goal of Lent, but one of the means to the goal, which is to draw closer to Christ. In Lent we fast, we make prostrations (usually with the Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian, which is used in the weekday Lenten services), we attend the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts on Wednesdays and Fridays. Through these means we strive to break through the crust of deadly spiritual indifference that so easily builds up on the surface of our hearts, and commune with Christ in the depths.

Spiritual books can aid us in this process of striving to deepen our life. As a pastor, I am often asked which books I would recommend.

First of all, I recommend the Holy Scriptures! Read more of the Bible than you did before, and if you have never read through the Bible in its entirety, resolve to do this. It is not necessary (or possible!) to understand everything one reads in the Scriptures at a first reading. But the more we expose ourselves to God’s Word, the more our hard hearts are softened.

Secondly, I would recommend the books of Fr. Alexander Schmemann, such as his “Great Lent”, “Of Water and the Spirit” (dealing with baptism), and “For the Life of the World” (dealing with sacraments and an Orthodox approach to life). For those who need a little history, his “Historical Road of Eastern Orthodoxy” provides a good Orthodox perspective on church history

Thirdly, I would recommend reading the Fathers, both their works and their lives. A good beginning to our Patristic reading would be the writings of the Apostolic Fathers, sucha as the Epistle of Clement, the Epistles of Ignatius of Antioch, the Didache, and the Martyrdom of Polycarp. Lives of the Fathers are also helpful. A two-volume set entitled “The Fathers of the Eastern Church” and "The Fathers of the Western Church" by Robert Payne helps bring the Fathers to light as real people.

Fourthly, monastic classics are recommended, provided that one realizes that a certain amount of cultural translation is necessary for those of us who are not monastic. The “Ladder of Divine Ascent” is the traditional Lenten favourite, for which reason the Fourth Sunday in Great Lent commemorates its author, St. John of Sinai.

Spiritual reading is a time-honoured part of our Lenten discipline. But in reading, one must read with the heart as well as the head. That is, we read not merely to stuff information into our brains, but to work to transform our lives. On the Last Day, God will not quiz us about the Bible, the Fathers or monastic literature. He will judge us on how well our lives and deeds reflected and manifested His love.

All my love,

Fr. Lawrence

Project Mexico!

Kimberley Francis has been replaced by Seraphim Smith on the Project Mexico trip in March to help out at St. Innocent's Orphanage. Keep praying and get your financial support for this good cause in.

The Marimba fundraiser is going ahead at Holy Resurrection Church Vancouver on Friday March 3 at 7 pm.

Tickets or donations—speak to Kimberley at church or contact her at (604)626-3296 or kimberleyfrancis@yahoo.com

++++ Fasting Rules March 2006++++

please see the separate sheet for detailed Lenten fasting rules!

Mon. Feb. 27- Sun. Mar. 5 Dairy Week—all foods except meat allowed

Last Dairy Day Sunday Mar. 5^th

Sat. Mar. 25 Annunciation –fish wine and oil allowed.

Remember to fast totally from noon for Presanctified liturgies and for Annunciation vesperal liturgy.

THERE WILL BE A SIGN-UP SHEET for soup, buns etc. for evening liturgies.

MARCH Special EVENTS

Mon. Mar 6 & Tues Mar. 7- Canon of St. Andrew

Wed. March 8 --NO service

Weds. Mar 15, 22, 29 – Presanctified Liturgy

Fridays Mar.10, 17, 31- Presanctified Liturgy

Sat. Mar. 18 - Memorial Saturday- Trisagion after vespers

Sun.March 19 —Youth bowling after liturgy see Maria Dafnis or Magdalen Farley

NO Tuesday Abbotsford Studies during Lent

Women's Group

Plans are in the making for baby showers for our two new moms, Deanna and Amy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Youth Group

This month's activity:

Youth Bowling :

Saturday March 18th

5-7 pm

See the youth leaders for details:

Magdalen Farley

778-898-0013

Maria Dafnis 604-339-4613

Confession

(again already!)

Don't wait till the last minute! Saturdays after vespers are always a good time for confessions; otherwise, speak to one of the priests to arrange a time.

MEMORIAL SATURDAY

We are such a young parish, we have had little experience with the Orthodox church's comforting and transforming way of dealing with death. Saturday March 18^th is a Memorial Saturday, set aside to remember the departed. Please bring the names of departed you wish remembered at a Panikhida that will be served after vespers that evening.

Newletter: February 2006

On the Ringing of Bells

The ringing of bells to summon the faithful to worship is very old in the church, going back about 1500 years, and it has become the Christian sound, par excellence. That is why the Turks outlawed the ringing of church bells—causing the Christians to get creative and invent the semandron instead—a large board which is beaten by a wooden mallet to produce a ringing sound. Semandrons remain a part of Orthodox culture (especially in monasteries). But bells are still the quintessential Christian way to summon the faithful to prayer. It is said that the ringing of bells were responsible for driving the fairies out of Ireland - that is, the last traces of paganism were banished by the spread of Christian worship. The typikon (or set of instructions on how to conduct the services) presupposes bells, and gives instructions on how they are to be used.

Up until now, we have had to make do without a bell at St. Herman’s. But no longer. At the December meeting, Parish Council began to investigate how we might have a bell of our own, and one has been obtained. It is a small bell (later perhaps we can get a larger one, in a bell tower, right beside our cupola!), and it will be mounted in the narthex where it can be heard by all in the church. (And where it cannot be stolen during the week, which might be the case were it mounted outside.) The bell will be rung at 10.00 a.m. on Sunday morning, inviting children in the Sunday school and parents waiting for them to come into church. More than that, it will lift up our hearts to God, preparing us to lay aside our earthly cares and draw near to our Lord.

In our frantic society, it becomes harder and harder to focus our attention on the Lord. The church bell helps us in our focus, ringing in our ears and our hearts, and calling us home.

All my love,

Fr. Lawrence

 

Project Mexico!

Our own Kimberley Francis will be among those going from this Deanery and Archdiocese on the Project Mexico trip in March to help out at St. Innocent's Orphanage. Several fundraising projects are planned, with details soon to be announced. Meanwhile if there is anything you want to know or to volunteer your help or make a donation, speak to Kimberley at church or contact her at (604) 626-3296 or kimberleyfrancis{at}yahoo.com (please replace "{at}" with "@").

 

Candle Blessings

The Meeting of our Lord in the Temple is the feast when we bless candles, lamp oil, incense and charcoal for use in our home icon corners. Please remember to bring yours with you to the Vesperal Liturgy on February 1st, the eve of this feast.

 

Fasting Rules February 2006

• Wed. Feb. 1- Eve of Meeting Feast —Complete fast from noon for eucharist at Vesperal Liturgy, Festal foods for the meal afterward
• Feb. 12-18- Fast Free Week all foods allowed
• Mon. Feb. 19-Sun. 26 --Wed & Fri fast as normal.
• Last Meat day Sunday Feb. 26th
• Mon. Feb. 27- Sun. Mar. 5 Dairy Week —all foods except meat allowed
• Last Dairy Day Sunday Mar. 5th

 

FEBRUARY Special EVENTS

• Wed. Feb. 1—Eve of Meeting of our Lord -7: 00 pmVesperal Liturgy & Blessing of Candles/festal meal
• Sun. Feb. 5—Youth event after liturgy see Maria D. or Magdalen
• Tues Feb. 7, 28 -Study at Durans'
• Sat. Feb. 18—Icon workshop w. Heather McKean. Details from Mat. Sarah
• Weekend of Feb 10-13 Fr. Lawrence will be leading the Youth Retreat in Saskatoon—all services continue as usual with Fr. Justin

 

CARE TO SHARE RECIPES …

...with your fellow members?

Check out the blog at http://spruciesinthekitchen.blogspot.com

 

BULLETIN BOARDS

for UP TO THE MINUTE information about special activites, don't forget to check the bulletin boards in the hallway.

 

Women's Group

Our women's group is open to all women in the parish. It is very informal and chiefly to aid fellowship and unity in our far-flung and growing parish. There is now a SIGN UP sheet. Please consider hosting a meeting one month. The exact date and type of activity—anything from a formal study program to a movie night to just chatting, can be worked out by the person hosting. We want to move the days and locations of these get-togethers around to allow all women in the parish to at least attend some of them.

So far there have been: akathist and discussion of plans at Mat. Sarah's (south Surrey), Movie night (I missed it, I don't know where it was?—Ed.), study w. Fr. Justin at Raks' (N. Surrey), Advent Quiet Day at Theresias' (Chilliwack.)

Contact person : Mat. Sarah (604) 541-7343

 

Youth Group

This month's activity: Chocolate & Skating

When: Sun. Feb 5, 1-5pm

Cost: $10

Please pick up your children at the Sports Plex (across from Colossus) at 5

Contact persons:

• Magdalen (778) 898-0013
• Maria D. (604) 339-4613