St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church

June 2008 Newsletter Items

2008-05-31T10:08:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-04-15T17:27:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-30T17:00:00.000-07:00

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

2008-02-01T15:52:00.000-08:00

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

2007-12-29T13:13:00.000-08:00

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

2007-11-23T10:24:00.000-08:00

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

2007-10-27T16:55:00.000-07:00

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.

HELP WANTED: Sermon Trimming and Cataloguing

2007-10-01T22:58:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, most of Fr. Lawrence's recent sermons have been recorded - they just haven't been edited, catalogued, or uploaded to St. Herman's website. While none of these steps take a great deal of time (or even technical know-how), they have remained mostly undone until now because they have so often taken just a little more time than I have had.

But of course we all want to see Fr. Lawrence's sermons made available, so I have finally skipped the first two steps and uploaded them "raw and unedited" to the homilies directory on the St. Herman's website. The few homilies I was able to edit, catalogue, and upload while I was at St. Herman's are available here, and the unedited (or, more accurately, "untrimmed", since all that really needs to be done is to trim the rough beginning and ending bits off) and uncatalogued homilies are now available in a subdirectory here. I am hoping that their availability will inspire some tech-savvy denizen or friend of St. Herman's to trim and catalogue them properly as a service to all who love to listen to Fr. Lawrence "hold forth".

If you're willing to step forward, please let me know at frjustin{at}stjohnofshanghai.org (replace "{at}" with "@", as usual!) - or, if you want to get started right away, just download Father's sermons, install MP3 Direct Cut on your computer, pull out your old church calendar (to figure out which sermon he preached when), and e-mail me the finished product to re-upload!

Fr. Lawrence’s Message to the Parish

2007-09-28T15:21:00.000-07:00

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ at St. Herman's: Glory to Jesus Christ! Please forgive my absence from you as I recover from my second emergency retinal surgery in as many weeks. It is very difficult for me to be away from you: when the starting bell rings, an old race horse wants to bolt from the starting gate, and when Sunday morning comes, an old one-eyed priest wants to pray at the altar and preach from the ambo. But my surgeon has forbidden me to return to work for an entire month, and my bishop has ordered me to obey his medical advice.In all this enforced absence, I am consoled by three things. (Here comes the three-point sermon after all.)1. I am consoled by the hard work and dedication of Deacon Kurt, who is God's great gift to all of us. Being the interim pastor for an absent priest was /not /part of the expected job description when he was ordained, and this added burden is made all the more challenging by his extra domestic tasks during the week. Yet he has risen wonderfully to the sudden challenges and our community could not be left in better pastoral hands.2. I am consoled by the presence of my dear friend and concelebrant, Fr. John Bingham. This month has been more than interesting for him as well, and yet he has selflessly carved out the time to befriend a sick brother. I am grateful to him for his love, compassion and kindness, both to me and to our community. It is my hope that we shall yet stand together at the same altar and serve together for many Liturgies.3. Finally, I am consoled by your presence here in my absence, for it means that my words have not altogether been in vain. In all my sermons my aim has been to uplift the Name of Jesus, so that you, the holy people of God, come to Liturgy to meet, worship and exalt Him. He is our joy, the strength in our hearts, the breath in our lungs, and, (as I am discovering) the light in our eyes. You come to Church to commune with Him, as earthly members joined to our heavenly Head.That is, you do not come to Liturgy because Fr. Lawrence is there, but rather because the Lord Jesus is there and because, as His people who belong to Him, you also belong to one another. Your absence from here on Sundays would tell me that you are failing one another as fellow-members of the same body, and therefore that I have failed you as your priest. (And how could I remedy that? By starting to preach_four_-point sermons?)
Therefore, as you meet together in the weeks tocome as the holy community you are, as St. Paul says, "I am filled with comfort, I am overflowing with joy in all my affliction". You are my consolation.May God bless and keep you all.Your loving papa and fellow-servant,
Fr. Lawrence

posted by Mat. Donna Sept 28/2007. Latest newsletter items appear in the post below this one.

From the 2007 October newsletter:

2007-09-28T15:19:00.000-07:00

October Special Events
Sun. Oct. 9 Thanksgiving

-- blessing of harvest with holy water after liturgy.

FASTING RULES FOR OCTOBER

Wednesdays & Fridays this month we follow the usual fasts and abstain from meat, fish, dairy, wine and oil.

One exception this month:

Fri. Oct. 26 St. Demetrius Fish, wine, oil allowed.

aaYOUTH EVENT THIS MONTH!aa

OUR ANNUAL VISIT TO THE PUMPKIN PATCH!

For both age groups together
at Alderacres Pumpkin Patch
Sunday October 28
1:00 to 4:00 PM

Please bring along $5-10* for a pumpkin and goodies from the concession. Also bring warm comfy clothes & shoes to change into after liturgy.
*if you have any concerns about the cost, please speak to one of the youth leaders- Magdalen, Syd or Melissa.

DIAKONIA

Diakonia is a new ministry of Saint Herman's, coordinated by Angelina Hawrylyshen and Maria Campbell. It is a ministry to less fortunate people at the local, national and international levels. Our first project is to put together "mercy bags" for homeless adults. We will be collecting donations of brand new, packaged toothpaste, toothbrushes, bars of soap, deodorant/
antiperspirants, socks, disposable razors, shaving cream and treats/ goodies/candies. Please bring these items to church. There will be a big plastic bin labelled and ready to receive them. We will be accepting donations of items for all of October and November. In December, probably around Saint Nicholas Day, we will put together gift bags of the donated items and take them to a homeless shelter.
Our goal is to give 100 bags. For more information about Diakonia, check out our bulletin board in the hall.

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IMPORTANT service changes

2007-09-06T20:49:00.001-07:00

Fr. Lawrence has asked me to post this-- please spread the word to anyone who may not see the news here. Thanks....Mat. DonnaDue to Fr. Lawrence being on sick leave from his surgery, the Liturgy for the Nativity of the Theotokos this Sat. Sept. 8 at 10.00 am will be cancelled.The normal weekend services will continue as scheduled, with Deacon Kurt serving Great Vespers this Sat. Sept. 8 at 7.00 pm, and Obednitza (with the Presanctified Gifts) this Sunday Sept. 9 at 10.00 am. (Note: this is a Eucharistic service, so the faithful should come fasting to receive Holy Communion as usual.)The Vesperal Service for the Feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross will be served on Thursday Sept. 13 at 7.00 pm, with the Eucharistic Gifts. Either Fr. Lawrence will return to preside, or Deacon Kurt will serve the Presanctified Gifts in his absence.It is hoped that Fr. Lawrence will be able to return from sick leave, serving Great Vespers and Liturgy on Sat. Sept. 15 and Sun. Sept. 16.

From the 2007 Sept. newsletter:

2007-09-03T16:15:00.000-07:00

Icons in the Home

You can tell much about a person and discern what is important to him by having a quick look at the inside of his home. Pictures of children reveal the importance of family, models and pictures of ships speak to an interest in the sea. I have even seen a large flag of the Byzantine double-headed eagle proclaiming the love and loyalty of its owner. And of course, in any truly Orthodox home, one should find the holy icons.

Icons are not simply decorations or objets d’art, to be scattered about like secular pictures as part of the decor. They are extensions of our life in the church, and as such their appearance in the home should convey a churchly sacredness. In the church temple, as well as adorning the walls, they also take a specific order on the iconostas (or icon screen). In the home, as well as being on the walls, they should form part of the icon corner.

The icon corner (or wall; it need not be in a corner) is where the family gathers for prayer, as a kind of domestic chapel. Ideally it is oriented (literally speaking!), so that one is facing east when one prays, but this is not always possible. Whatever its orientation, the icon corner functions as the beating heart of the home. Without it, and without its daily use, a house is heartless (spiritually speaking) and Orthodox only in name. The icon corner may be elaborate (with many icons), or quite simple (with only one icon), but whether elaborate or simple, it possesses unrivalled importance in the house and as such should be kept clean and tidy and used regularly. It is the place where one meets the Lord, standing in awe before Him to receive the fire that He will send down upon the human heart.

Yours in the Lord,

Fr. Lawrence

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September Special Events

Sat. Sept. 8 – 10 am
Liturgy Nativity of the Theotokos

Thurs. Sept. 13 – 7 pm Vesperal Liturgy for the Elevation of the Holy Cross (fasting food at meal afterwards)

Sun. Sept. 16 – post liturgy
Special Congregational Meeting

Sun. Sept. 30 -2-3 pm
Life Chain on 200 St.

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Congregational Meeting

A very short congregational meeting
re a budget amendment will be held after liturgy

Sunday Sept. 16th

=================================================

FASTING RULES FOR SEPTEMBER

Wednesdays & Fridays this month we follow the usual fasts and abstain from meat, fish, dairy, wine and oil.

One exception this month:

Wed. Sept. 26 St. John the Theologian Fish, wine, oil allowed.

===============================================

STRICT FAST (no exceptions to the regular Fri. fast) is also kept on Sept. 14 Holy Cross Day

We will have vesperal liturgy the evening before, Thurs. Sept 13. Please fast completely from noon before receiving Communion and bring strictly LENTEN food to share afterward

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

YOUTH EVENTS THIS FALL !

Alas, the time has come to say goodbye. My friend and fellow youth leader, David Pasivirta, is off to the island, and it’s with a great sadness that we say goodbye. I want to take this opportunity to say thank you, on behalf of the whole parish, for the work you have done for the youth group. We will miss you greatly, and wish you and Laurenn all the joy in the world.

It is however, with great joy and happy anticipation that I welcome Syd and Melissa Ketel to the youth group team. They will be taking over for Dave as my partners in crime, and starting in September, will be helping me steer the youth group in new and exciting directions. We will be mentioning some of these changes at the upcoming parish meeting. Until then, parents may be assured that we are already working hard to provide fun and blessed events for their youth. We are making plans for a start-of-the-year event for both juniors and seniors, to take place mid-late September.

Thank you again, Syd and Melissa, for taking on this ministry with me. It’s going to be a great year! -- Magdalen F.

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

LANGLEY LIFE CHAIN

200th St, 56th Ave-64th Ave,

Sept 30, 2007

2:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Please join Fr. Lawrence & other members of our parish at this brief
silent demonstration in support of Life.

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

DIRECTORY UPDATE TIME!!

Muryn Jordan has taken over the directory update. She will have the draft printout at church this week or next –please check to be sure your information is current and correct

From the August 2007 Newsletter

2007-07-28T12:26:00.000-07:00

On the Ringing of Bells

For many centuries, bells have always been a sign of the presence of the Church and the triumph of Christ—so much so that in some Islamic countries, church bells are forbidden. (This is the origin of the use of the semantron—the long wooden board which was beaten as the summons into church, for it was used as a substitute for bells when their use was forbidden). Currently at time of writing (early July) we have one small bell hanging in the narthex which is rung as our summons into the church nave for services. God grant this summer we will have a larger set of bells, installed outside safely in a small bell-tower enclosure. When they are installed, they will be rung each Sunday morning, as the call to the faithful to gather for worship.

Even now, we should prepare ourselves to respond to the sound of the bell. Whenever we hear this ancient and holy sound, we should conclude our conversations and file immediately into church. The deacon lets the priest know that it is time for the Liturgy to begin by telling him, “It is time for the Lord to act.” The priest may not delay—the urgency of the holy time is upon him. The bells serve as the deacon for the faithful. When they are struck and rung, we know that it is the holy and appointed hour. Christ is in our midst, to speak to us, to feed us, to transform us. The bell calls us all to this sacred and life-giving encounter with Him.

Yours in the Lord,

Fr. Lawrence

DEANERY CAMP COUNTDOWN ! !

CAMP DRAWS EVER CLOSER!

Thurs. August 23- Tues. August 28

The location will be Seven Springs, at
Nanoose Bay on Vancouver Island.

Contact Dn. Kurt dnkurt@saintherman.org

with any questions.

Potential Staffers and Campers are encouraged to go to www.starsenycamp.ca and register... TODAY!

August Events

Sun. Aug. 5—Transfiguration Liturgy w. blessing of grapes & fruit
Wed. Aug 8—St. Herman vespers
Wed. Aug 15—Dormition vesperal liturgy & blessing of flowers,
followed by panikhida for Nonna Evans. Festal meal follows

FASTING RULES FOR AUGUST

Wednesdays & Fridays this month we follow the usual fasts and abstain from meat, fish, dairy, wine and oil with exceptions below:

Dormition Fast Aug 1-14:

On weekdays of the Fast, we abstain from meat, fish, dairy, wine and oil.

On Saturdays and Sundays of the Fast, we abstain from meat, fish and dairy, but are allowed wine and oil.

Fish, wine and oil are also allowed on:

Aug. 6 Transfiguration. We are not serving this day, but will celebrate the feast at liturgy on the forefeast Sunday Aug. 5. Father has given permission for fish that Sunday.
Aug. 9 St. Herman of Alaska
Aug. 13 St. Tikhon of Zadonsk

STRICT FAST (no exceptions to the regular Wed. fast) is kept on
Aug. 29 Beheading of John the Baptist

===============================================
WED Aug 15 Dormition: fast from noon for communion at vesperal liturgy. FESTAL meal afterward—bring food to share.

NO youth event this month

Because of CAMP! J

Watch for the next youth get-together in the fall!

aaaaaaaaaaaa

Blessing of Grapes and other harvest fruits at Transfiguration after Liturgy Sunday August 5th

and
blessing of Flowers & herbs at Dormition vesperal liturgy Wed. Aug 15th

aaaaaaaaaaaa

Pray for our catechumens:

Andrew Friesen
Lindsey Friesen
Dylan Falk
Ryan Bishop
Robyn Bishop
Meike Hall
Peter Hall

Pray for expectant mothers:

Monica Olteanu
Deanna Chattaway

from the July 2007 newsletter

2007-06-20T14:50:00.000-07:00

Introducing St. Arseny

Many of us know that our B.C. church camp is named after “St. Arseny”, but perhaps fewer of us know who this wonderful saint is. Like all true saints, he is worth getting to know!

St. Arseny was born in the mid-nineteenth century in south Russia, and came to the new world in 1902 as part of the American Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Mission (later called “the Metropolia”, because it was headed by a Metropolitan, and later still in 1970 “the Orthodox Church in America”). He worked as a tireless missionary in the northeastern United States, and then in Winnipeg. He helped found St. Tikhon’s monastery and orphanage in Pennsylvania, and after his “retirement” also founded there the Pastoral School for priests that later became St. Tikhon’s Seminary. He was consecrated as bishop for Canada, and because of his gifted preaching he was popularly known as “the Canadian Chrysostom”. He died in 1945 and was buried on the grounds of the monastery he helped to found and where he spent his last years.

As in the case of many saints (such as our own St. Herman of Alaska), St. Arseny was known by the people to be a saint and is being venerated as such even before his official glorification/ canonization. That is why our own Archbishop Seraphim allowed both our B.C. Church camp and the still emerging academic institute in Winnipeg to be named for St. Arseny. That is also why Vladika asked me some time ago to produce a liturgical service for St. Arseny (i.e. the official hymns for Great Vespers, Matins and the Liturgy), and just recently blessed my writing of an Akathist to him.

I would urge you all to get to know St. Arseny, asking for his prayers and relying on his love. You can read of his Life on the website of the Saint Arseny Institute—just find http://www.saintarseny.ca/, then find the “History” section, then the “Saint Arseny” section.

We in Canada have a special and precious connection with Saint Arseny of Winnipeg. He is one of ours, as well as being one of God’s. Let us trust in God’s care and in Saint Arseny’s intercession.

Holy Arseny of Winnipeg, pray to God for us!

Yours in the Lord,
Fr. Lawrence

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

DEANERY CAMP COUNTDOWN ! !

As this newsletter goes to press, the Victoria fundraiser (and hockey match) will be taking place.

This year’s camp will run Thurs. August 23- Tues. August 28
The location will be Seven Springs, at Nanoose Bay on Vancouver Island.

Contact Dn. Kurt dnkurt at saintherman dot org
with any questions.

Potential Staffers and Campers are encouraged to go to http://www.starsenycamp.ca/

and register... TODAY!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

July Events

July 16-27 Father Lawrence will be away at Clergy Synaxis/Archdiocesan Assembly in Ottawa, followed by a short family vacation in Toronto. Services will continue in his absence with reader’s vespers on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Sunday liturgy July 22 will be served by guest (really a family member returning for a visit!) Fr. Richard Rene from St. Peter the Aleut Calgary, with sermon by Dn. Kurt.

July 16-20 Dn. Kurt is also in Ottawa. In case of an emergency requiring a priest during that time, please call Fr. Michael Gillis 604-856-5172. For all other needs relating to the church, contact any parish council member.

July 28 Kai & Theresia are hosting their second annual Barbecue for the parish. Details to be posted.

FASTING RULES JULY 2007

The usual Wednesday and Friday fasts include abstaining from meat, fish, eggs and dairy, wine (all alcohol) and olive oil.

Fish, wine & oil are permitted the following days:

Friday, July 20th Prophet Elijah
Friday, July 27th Great Martyr Panteleimon

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Coming up in the fall:

Calgary women’s retreat Sept 21-23
For info & registration forms see Mat. Donna
Next youth event

Get out your wands, your Invisibility Cloaks, tap the map and say "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good", cause we're going to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix! This event is for both junior and senior muggles. Date to be determined. We'll also be needing a couple of volunteer drivers to get us all to the theatre. Please contact Dave or Magdalen for details.

Magdalen F 778-898-0013
or Dave P 778-888-4717

-------------------------------
MANY YEARS to:
Meike & Peter who were married recently

Kallista Rak who graduated from High School

++++++++++++++++++++++
Pray for our catechumens:

Andrew Friesen
Lindsey Friesen
Dylan Falk
Ryan Bishop
Robyn Bishop
Meike Hall
Peter Hall

Pray for expectant mothers:

Monica Olteanu
Mat. Jenny Hainsworth

From the June 2007 Newsletter

2007-05-25T10:04:00.000-07:00

Orthodoxy of the Heart
June 15 is the feast of Blessed Augustine of Hippo, and it is important that we do not overlook him, for there is much he can teach us about the Orthodoxy of the heart. It is true that some of St. Augustine’s theological teaching on grace, free will and predestination has not been embraced by the Church. Nobody bats a thousand—not even an undisputed Church Father. As St. Photius said, “Have there not been complicated conditions which have forced many Fathers in part to express themselves imprecisely? If some have spoken imprecisely or even deviated from the right path…we still admit them to the list of Fathers, because of their righteousness of life… We do not take as doctrine those areas in which they strayed, but we embrace the men.” No one Father has it all. It is through the consensus of the Fathers that the fullness of truth is revealed.

Blessed Augustine has always been accepted as a true Church Father by the ancient Church, in the east as well as the west. St. Gregory the Dialogist (to whose authorship our Presanctified Liturgy is ascribed) wrote of him, “If you desire to be satiated with delicious food, read the works of the blessed Augustine.” The Fifth Ecumenical Council, held in Constantinople in 553, proclaimed, “We in every way follow the holy Fathers, Athanasius, Basil, Gregory, Cyril, Augustine…” The Council referred to him as “Augustine of most religious memory, who shone forth resplendent among the African bishops”. St. Mark of Ephesus spoke of him as “blessed Augustine” and used his writings against the Latins at the Council of Florence. (For more information about the history of St. Augustine’s place in the Church, see “The Place of Blessed Augustine in the Orthodox Church” by Seraphim Rose.)

What can Augustine teach us today? In the words of Fr. Seraphim Rose already quoted, “the Orthodoxy of the heart”. In his Confessions, Augustine wrote, “You [O God] made us for Yourself and our hearts are restless until they rest in You”. He concluded his great book The City of God with the words, [“At the end] we shall be still and we shall see, we shall see and we shall love, we shall love and we shall praise. Behold what will be, in the end, without end! For what is our end but to reach the Kingdom which has no end?” From these words and others, it is plain that Augustine knew what it was to love God and to find his center in Him. It is too easy in our day to define Orthodoxy controversially, as if it were another denomination, despising the west and thinking ourselves superior. The mysticism and heart of Blessed Augustine provide a much-needed antidote. We must strive for the warm Orthodoxy of the heart that he embodied, and like him, find our rest, not in sterile controversy, but in God.

All my love,

Fr. Lawrence

+++++ June Events +++++

Mon. June 4 – Apostles’ Fast begins
Sun. June 10—Party for Meike after lunch at Rowena’s
Thurs. June 28 – – 7.00 pm Vesperal Liturgy for Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. Fast from noon, bring festal food to share

Fri. June 29 – St. Arseny fundraising dinner in Victoria
Sat. June 30 – BC Deanery hockey tournament in Victoria

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FASTING RULES JUNE 2007

Sunday May 27- Sunday June 3 Pentecost Fast-free week.

Apostle’s fast begins Monday June 4th ---no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil

EXCEPTIONS:

Fish, wine & oil are permitted the following days:

All Saturdays & Sundays
Mon June 11-- Sts Bartholomew & Barnabas
Tues June 19-- Apostle Jude

Thurs June 28 fast from noon for communion at festal liturgy. We will celebrate with festal food afterward

Fri June 29 Apostles Feast Fish wine & oil permitted

**************************************************
DEANERY WEEKEND on the ISLAND !

Friday, June 29th at 5:30pm at the Ukrainian Cultural Centre (3277 Douglas Street, Victoria).

Tickets available from Dn. Kurt for $30, kids under 12 free.
Price includes a full, multicultural dinner, consisting of dishes from various ethnicities. Silent auction and a dance will follow. All funds go to support the camp

Anybody interested in staying overnight, Fr. John is arranging billeting with all of his crew for the HOCKEY GAME the next day

Sat. June 30th – HOCKEY CHALLENGE! On the Island Dn. Kurt says: “We are going to try to have practices every Sunday after church (that is, after lunch and choir practice), weather permitting, right up until that weekend.”

=======================================
Celebration for Meike

After lunch on
Sunday June 10th

at Rowena’s house
#34- 20449-66th Ave

Gifts not expected, babes in arms welcome.
=========================================

Next St. Herman’s
youth event:
End of School Year Party—Senior Youth only
Details:

Magdalen Farley 778-898-0013
or Dave Pasivirta 778-888-4717

-------------------------------

MANY YEARS to those entering the church at Holy Pentecost:

Peter Schultz
James Parson

Pray for our catechumens:

Andrew Friesen
Lindsey Friesen
Dylan Falk
Ryan Bishop
Robyn Bishop

Pray for expectant mothers:

Mat. Jenny Hainsworth
Monica Olteanu

From the May 2007 Newsletter

2007-04-28T15:05:00.000-07:00

Sweet Sorrow: Bidding Farewell

to Fr. Justin & the St. John Mission Folk

If it is true, as the Bard says, that parting is such sweet sorrow, we may find some sweetness in parting with Fr. Justin and his fellow St. John of Shanghai members in the knowledge that they begin a new chapter in Orthodox outreach to Vancouver. Fr. Justin, baptized at St. Herman’s (along with his Matushka Sarah), departed for three years of study at St. Vladimir’s Seminary and then returned to the Vancouver area for the specific purpose of founding the first all-English mission in Vancouver. This necessitated a time of preparation and liturgical apprenticeship served at St. Herman’s, so that he and his (growing) family have been with us until now. From before Fr. Justin’s return from Seminary, his Vancouver mission was envisioned as a daughter plant of St. Herman’s, and as an organic extension of our growth here, so it was natural that he would gather resources and experience here before transplanting it further west across the Fraser River.

Now the Lord has blessed St. John of Shanghai mission with a place of their own for Sunday liturgy and fellowship meal: the building next to St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Parish, on Napier St. at Semlin Drive. Their first Sunday Liturgy there is scheduled (quite appropriately!) for Pentecost, May 27^thTheir last Liturgy with us will be Sunday May 20, the Sunday of the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council.

Archbishop Seraphim has charged us here at St. Herman’s with special support for Fr. Justin’s mission and that means, though we love and pray for all Orthodox in the lower mainland, St. John of Shanghai parish will always have a special place in our hearts. We will support them—for example-- with liturgical and musical resources. Also, certain items (e.g. a censer, a Communion set, a Shroud for Holy Friday) have already been provided. But above all, we support them with our love, our encouragement and our prayers. I remember only too well in what short supply such crucial things were when I arrived to help St. Herman’s mission in 1987, when it was the only canonical English language mission in B.C., beginning in the Hartleys’ home chapel. A hug and an encouraging word can go far!

We therefore pledge to Fr. Justin, his courageous family and intrepid parishioners, all our love, encouragement and prayers. As the Lord said, “the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few” (Mt. 9:37). On Sunday May 20, make sure that you add your voice of encouragement and your pledge of prayer to Fr. Justin as he bids us farewell to begin this new work in the Lord’s harvest.

Yours in the Lord

Fr. Lawrence

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

NEW info St. John of Shanghai

www.stjohnofshanghai.org

frjustin at stjohnofshanghai.org

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

+++++ May Events +++++

Fri. May 4-- 7 pm—ladies’ wine & cheese at Ana Wright’s

May 7-15 – Fr. Lawrence on vacation (weekend services May 12-13 continue as usual)

Wed. May 16 – 7.00 pm Vesperal Liturgy for Ascension Day

Sun. May 20 – Farewell to Fr. Justin & St. John mission folk

Sat. May 26^th- afternoon Youth Bowling at Dell Lanes details TBA

Sat. May 26^th-- 7:00 pm Vespers w. Litya and Memorial Trisagion

Sun. May 27 – Pentecost (1.00 pm Kneeling Service)

FASTING RULES MAY 2007

Paschaltide is fast free, with the blessing of Abp. SERAPHIM, until the leavetaking May 16^th on the eve of Ascension

Wed. April 16^th: fast from noon for communion at Vesperal Liturgy

Festal food for meal after

Fri. May 18/ Wed May 23/ Fri May 25:

return to regular Wed/Fri fast: no meat, fish, dairy, wine or oil

Sunday May 27- Sat June 2 Pentecost Fast-free week.

(be prepared for Apostle’s fast first Monday in June! Pascha was early this year, and so the Apostle’s fast will be longish.)

not on the icons please...

Lipstick, gloss, and lip balm make smudges on the holy icons, unpleasant for fellow members and ultimately damaging to the icons. Blotting with a tissue does not remove all traces, so it is better to simply refrain from using these products before any church service.

Next St. Herman’s

youth event:

Bowling

at Dell Lanes Surrey

Sat. May 26^th afternoon

Details TBA

See Magdalen Farley

or Dave Pasivirta

+++++++++++++++++++++

HOCKEY DAY IN THE DEANERY!

Watch for details coming soon!

-------------------------------

Pray for our catechumens:

Andrew & Lindsey Friesen

Dylan Falk

Peter Schultz