Newsletter Mar. 30, 2023

St. James Parish News

March 30, 2023
Feast of St. John Climacus

Do not say, after spending a long time in prayer, that nothing has been gained; for you have already gained something. And what higher good is there than to cling to the Lord and persevere in unceasing union with Him? St. John Climacus

Our New Metropolitan SABA

Metropolitan SABA has been publishing a weekly article for his flock in America as he is working out the details of his relocation here. Here is a link to the most recent:

An Exceptional Example of True Freedom
https://www.antiochian.org/regulararticle/1559

Lenten Wednesday Evening Class

Since we have a large group of people preparing for Baptism/Chrismation this Lent, we will reserve our Wed. evening classes during Lent for just the current catechumens only. After Pascha, the classes will again be open to everyone.

Sunday Lenten Pan-Orthodox Vespers

The Denver area Orthodox Churches will again share a pan-Orthodox Vespres service each Sunday evening during Great Lent. The schedule is included here and on our website calendar.

March 5, Assumption Theotokos Cathedral, Denver 6:00 PM
March 12, Holy Transfiguration Cathedral, Denver 5:00 PM
March 19, Ss. Peter & Paul, Boulder 5:00 PM
March 26, St Spyridon, Loveland 5:00 PM
April 2, St Elias, Arvada 5:00 PM

Name days, Birthdays and Anniversaries

Silouani & Roger King – Anniversary: 03-26
Anja Halseide – Birthday: 03-28
Paul Groene – Birthday: 03-31

May God grant you many years!

Upcoming Feasts / Celebrations

Saturday April 1
9:00 AM Men’s Group
Tuesday April 4
6:30 PM Women’s Spirituality Group
Wednesday April 5
5:30 PM Presanctified Liturgy
7:00 PM Catechism class
Friday April 7
5:30 PM Presanctified Liturgy
Saturday April 8
Lazarus Saturday
9:00 AM Divine Liturgy
Sunday April 9
Palm Sunday
8:30 AM Orthros
9:30 AM Liturgy
7:00 PM Bridegroom Orthros
Monday April 10
Saturday April 15
Holy Week
see parish calendar
Tuesday April 18
6:30 PM Women’s Group

Please remember that our full calendar continues to be available at our parish web site. Here is a link:
http://stjfc.org/Pages/Calendar/calendar.php

Prosphora

April 2 Nana D. (Peggy Y.)
April 9 Natalia M.
April 16 Shana V.
April 23 Aida T.
April 30 Peggy Y.

Full schedule:
https://stjfc.org/Pages/Ministries/Prosphora/Docs/prosphora sched 2023 web.pdf

Readers

April 2 Thomas 5th of Lent (Mary of Egypt) Heb. 9:11-14
April 9 Ken Palm Sunday Phil. 4:4-9
April 16 James GREAT & HOLY PASCHA Acts 1:1-8
April 23 Isaac/Micah *2nd of Pascha (Thomas) / Great Martyr George Acts 12:1-11
April 30 Nate 3rd of Pascha (Myrrh-bearers) Acts 6:1-7

Full schedule:
https://stjfc.org/Pages/Ministries/Altar/Docs/epistle readers for 2023.pdf

Scripture Readings for this coming Sunday

Epistle: ST. PAUL’S LETTER TO THE HEBREWS 9:11-14

BRETHREN, when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the Holy Place, taking not the blood of goats and calves but his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a heifer sanctifies for the purification of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Gospel: MARK 10:32-45

At that time, Jesus took his twelve disciples, and he began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles; and they will mock him, and spit upon him, and scourge him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise.” And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him, and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant of James and John. And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Spiritual Reading

The Comfort of the Cross
Hieromonk Gabriel

But the comfort that the Church offers us today is not at all what many of us might expect. The Church does not bring out for our veneration an icon of the Resurrection. She does not remind us of the beautiful and supremely joyful hymns which we will soon sing together again on Pascha night. She does not comfort us by calling to our remembrance the blessedness of the life of the age to come. Instead, She brings us the Cross.

And so, my brothers and sisters, when we come face to face with the Cross in our own lives — whether in the form of trials and temptations, or assaults from our sins and our passions, or the mockery and derision of the unbelieving world — let us not become distressed, or confused, or disheartened. It is not a sign that God has forgotten or abandoned us; it is not a sign that we ourselves are nothing but failures; it is not a sign that something has somehow gone terribly wrong. On the contrary, let us instead rejoice and give most fervent thanks, for through the Cross God is offering us the greatest of gifts and the holiest of opportunities: the chance to truly learn to love, the chance to truly become a Christian, the chance to truly become like Him.

May God grant each one of us the strength and the courage to receive the comfort which the Church offers us today in the Cross of Christ. May He fill each one of our hearts with the love that alone can enable us to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and [to] run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:1-2)…. so that “where I am, there shall also my servant be” (John 12:26). Amen!

Read the entire article:

The Comfort of the Cross

V. Rev. Mark Haas
St. James Orthodox Church
2610 S.E. Frontage Rd.
Fort Collins, CO 80525
970.221.4180
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