St. James Parish News
January 8, 2026
Commemoration of Sts. Julian and his wife, Vasilissa, and those with them in Egypt
Lo! the priest in the likeness of Moses purges the defilements of the soul;—and with oil of anointing, lo! he seals new lambs for the Kingdom.
Samuel anointed David to be king among the People:—but lo! the priest anoints you to be heirs in the Kingdom.
For with the armour that David put on, after the anointing he fought—and laid low the giant who sought to subdue Israel.
Lo! again in the chrism of Christ, and in the armour that is from the water—the haughtiness of the Evil One is humbled, who sought to subdue the Gentiles.
By the water that flowed from the rock, the thirst of the People was quenched. Lo! in the fountain of Christ, the thirst of the peoples is quenched.
The rod of Moses opened the rock, and the streams flowed forth; and they were refreshed by its draught, who had grown faint with thirst.
Lo! from the side of Christ flowed the stream that bestowed life.—The Gentiles drank that were weary, and in it forgot their pains.
With Thy dew besprinkle my vileness, and my crimes in Thy blood shall be atoned!—And I shall be, O my Lord, at Thy right hand, and with Thy Saints I shall be joined! St. Ephraim the Syrian
Service changes NEXT weekend (1/17)
Great Vespers on Saturday evening (January 17) is cancelled.
Orthros and Divine Liturgy will be celebrated as usual on Sunday (January 18).
Theophany Home Blessings
In this time after the Feast of Theophany and before Great Lent (1/6 – 2/20) we bring the Holy Water newly blessed during Theophany services to each of our homes and celebrate the service of the Theophany Home Blessing. I would love to celebrate it at everyone’s home (catechumens included!) this year.
Weekday evenings are the prefered time. Please contact me via phone or email to schedule a time. Also, while I appreciate everyone’s hospitality, I would ask that there be no food. We can celebrate the service and then have a visit over a cup of tea (or other refreshment).
For the celebration of the service, I simply need a small space near your icons. I will bring everything required with me. If you would like to light a candle and carry it around during the blessing that would be great. The service is simple: we will say the few prayers and a litany, and then we will walk through the home and bless each room with the Holy Water.
I may be accompanied by some of our altar servers when I visit.
Parish Council
This Sunday (Jan 11) during fellowship.
Name days, Birthdays and Anniversaries
Nina G. – Nameday: 01-14
May God grant you many years!
Upcoming Feasts / Celebrations
Please remember that our full calendar continues to be available at our parish web site. Here is a link:
https://stjfc.org/Pages/Calendar/calendar.php
Prosphora
| January 11 | Nana D. |
| January 18 | Natalia M. |
| January 25 | Shana V. |
| February 1 | Anna H. |
| February 8 | Kari H. |
Full schedule:
https://stjfc.org/Pages/Ministries/Prosphora/Docs/prosphora sched 2026 web.pdf
Readers
| January 11 | Thomas | Sunday after Theophany | Eph. 4:7-13 |
| January 18 | Ken | Athanasius & Cyril | Heb. 13:7-16 |
| January 25 | Jared | Gregory the Theologian | Heb. 7:26-8:2 |
| February 1 | Connor | Pharisee and Publican | II Tim. 3:10-15 |
| February 8 | Isaac | Prodigal Son | I Cor. 6:12-20 |
| February 15 | Nate | Last Judgment (Meat Fare) | I Cor. 8:8-9:2 |
| February 22 | Gabriel | Forgiveness (Cheese Fare) | Rom. 13:11-14:4 |
| March 1 | Zach | 1st of Lent (Orthodoxy) | Heb. 11:24-26, 32-40 |
Full schedule:
https://stjfc.org/Pages/Ministries/Altar/Docs/epistle readers for 2026.pdf
Scripture Readings for this coming Sunday
Epistle: ST. PAUL’S LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS 4:7-13
BRETHREN, grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it is said, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” (in saying, “He ascended, ” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
Gospel: MATTHEW 4:12-17
At that time, when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Spiritual Reading
God With Us
Igumen Gabriel
Thus, today the God-Man has become incarnate not for the sake of man alone, but also for the sake of the whole creation; the Second Adam has come to fulfill the holy obedience from which the First Adam fell, uniting in Himself all things in heaven and on earth, “that God may be all in all” (1 Cor. 15:28). St. Maximus the Confessor explains this great mystery in his 7th Ambiguum, stating that it is God’s good pleasure that
the creator of all things might be received as one, coming to reside through humanity in all beings proportionally, and that all things, separated from each other according to nature, might come to unity by converging around the one nature of man.
And this is why “the earnest expectation of [creation] waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God” (Rom. 8:19): because on that day, all creation will — according to its proper measure — participate through us in God.
My brothers and sisters, what a supremely lofty calling and what absolutely incomprehensible grace has been bestowed upon us this day by our all-compassionate God!
Read the entire article: https://www.rememberingsion.com/p/god-with-us-sermon-on-nativity
St. James Orthodox Church
2610 S.E. Frontage Rd.
Fort Collins, CO 80525
970.221.4180