Newsletter Nov. 18, 2022

The Parish Council and I would like to have an informal parish general meeting on Sunday December 4th during our fellowship time. Things were a little crazy the past souple of years and so we haven’t met in awhile. We would like to share with you the status of the parish and hear from you all any topics or questions.

As you all winessed last Sunday, I fumbled and dropped a little of the Sacrament during Communion. It was wholy and only my fault. I just twitched when getting the Sacrament out of the chalice and on to the spoon. I ask God and you all for forgiveness.

When speaking with the Parish Council afterwards regarding this, they suggested that it would be helpful if I explained again the details of receiving Communion in Church.

First, let me say that at St. James our practice is that only people approach the chalice who are receiving. I understand that some other parishes encourage everyone to approach and then those who are not receiving ask for a blessing instead of receiving. While this is a nice ‘inclusive’ practice, it is not the traditional method. There are plenty of other opportunities to receive a blessing and I am glad to do so: just not at the moment of Holy Communion. Let’s keep the practice of only approaching the chalice in order to receive.

Second, the traditional body posture when approaching the chalice and when receiving is to fold one’s arms upon the chest: when approaching (in line), when receiving, and after receiving. At this point we do NOT make a metania nor the sign of the cross. There is a practical as well as poious reason for this: bowing or moving the hands to make a cross create the opportunity to collide with the chalice and cause a spill. Please just keep arms folded upon the chest. (also: no hands in the pockets…) This is also another particular way that we participate with our body when doing a spiritual act.

Third, please come all the way up to the chalice: bring the face and mouth right up to the chalice and stand on the little rug put out for Communion. The rug is there for both you and I to stand on and thus to catch any of the sacrament should some spill. When the face and mouth are close to the chalice, there is less opportunity to spill. I appreciate that our Western sense of personal space is a little uncomfortable with such nearness. But Holy Communion is an intimate occasion: both between you and God and between you and the priest. So please, again for both practical and spiritual reasons, please approach and come close.

Finally, the actual reception. Again, the traditional practice is to allow me to place the spoon in the mouth and then to close the mouth on the spoon and allow me to remove it. From the practical standpoint, the Sacrament is then safely in the mouth and there is much less opportunity to spill. From the spiritual standpoint, the only reason to receive Holy Communion is that we believe that it is the Very Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the greatest gift we can receive, so we do so with great reverence and care and expectation! Based on this belief, there really should be no fear of contracting anything through reception of the Sacrament. This is the method I prefer and that I encourage. However, we do have also the practice in our Antiochian tradtion of pouring the Sacrament from the spoon into the mouth. If, after everything above, one still prefers to receive this way, I will do so. I ask, in this case, that the person then help me to do so. Please approach closely as stated above and then tilt the back and open wide so that I am enabled to pour from the spoon. Please let’s do all one or all the other. The worst case for me is when someone approaches, opens the mouth, but does not tilt the head back. Then it is nearly impossible for me to pour from the spoon without spilling or without banging the spoon on the teeth.

I apologize for the long dissertation. I hope that a little of the practical details will help everyone understand and appreciate a little more deeply the process of distributing / receiving Holy Communion.

Again: arms folded, no cross, approach closely. Thank you.

I would like to create the opportunity to deepen / expand our spiritual life. I am going to start with a men’s group because there has already been some expressed interest. However, I am planning also to develop and start a similar group for Women. From the reading that I have been doing in this regard, it is clear that men and women experience and express their spiritualtity differently and that it is there beneficial to both that unique settings exist for both. I need to hear input from all of you. Please help me discern and formulate what these groups will function / look like. Let me hear from you!

This Fast is divided into two periods: The first is November 15th through December 19th when the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine, and olive oil) is observed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with katalysis for wine and olive oil (some also permit fish) on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and for fish, wine, and olive oil on Saturdays and Sundays. The second is the period of the Forefeast, December 20th through 24th, when the traditional fasting discipline is observed Monday through Friday, with katalysis for wine and olive oil on Saturday and Sunday.

(katalysis means exception or lessening…)

The Nativity Fast began on Tuesday Nov. 15.

This Fast is divided into two periods: The first is November 15th through December 19th when the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine, and olive oil) is observed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with katalysis for wine and olive oil (some also permit fish) on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and for fish, wine, and olive oil on Saturdays and Sundays. The second is the period of the Forefeast, December 20th through 24th, when the traditional fasting discipline is observed Monday through Friday, with katalysis for wine and olive oil on Saturday and Sunday.

(katalysis means exception or lessening…)

Bill sent me a link to a video from the Pskov Caves monastery. It is filmed by the author of the book “Everyday Saints” when he was a young monk there at the monastery and shows many of the monks he described in the book.

The newsletters are sent out via a mail list. Hopefully everyone is receiving them. If you know someone who is not receiving them, or if you ever want to read tem and you are away from email, they are all posted at the website. The link is not presdently posted on the website menu, but you can read them directly with this link:
https://stjfc.org/newsletter/

I have noticed sometimes lately people saying “thank you” to those who are cleaning or otherwise working during our fellowship time. Can I humbly say that this is not really appropriate (although well intentioned). If you notice someone else working, the more appropriate response would be to get up and join them in the work…

Rebecca Haas – Birthday: 11-20
Nana & Jim Dubler – Anniversary: 11-21
Catherine Haluszczak – Nameday: 11-24
Anja Halseide – Nameday: 11-25

May God grant you many years!

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

Epistle: ST. PAUL’S LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS 2:4-10

Brethren, God who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God: not because of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Gospel: LUKE 12:16-21

The Lord said this parable: “The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” As he said these things, he cried out: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Conformed to His Image
Fr. Stephen Freeman

One of the most distinctive doctrines in Orthodox theology is that of theosis – divinization – becoming “like God.” Those who inquire into the faith likely stumble across this teaching fairly early, and, no doubt, some are drawn to it. Of course, there are those who run away from it and fear that it is saying something that it isn’t. Perhaps the most attractive aspect of theosis is the unabashedly positive note that it places in the midst of salvation. Whereas many Western treatments of salvation major in “not going to hell,” theosis gives tangible content and a goal that is more than avoidance.

But what is theosis? How should we think of it?

Read the entire article:
https://blogs.ancientfaith.com/rememberingsion/2022/10/25/the-oca-and-the-academy/