Newsletter Nov. 26, 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.

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!

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 change or exception …)

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 2:14-22

Brethren, Christ is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Gospel: LUKE 18:18-27

At that time, a ruler came to Jesus and asked him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’ ” And he said, “All these I have observed from my youth.” And when Jesus heard it, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” But when he heard this he became sad, for he was very rich. Jesus looking at him said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” But he said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.

How I Stopped Reading the Gospel and What I Got Out of It – A Priest’s Story
Hegumen Alypius (Zhivotikov)

In the early days of my monastic career at the Donskoy Monastery in Moscow, there was a period when I stopped reading the Gospel. I was very busy then, and I did not have enough time to open the Scriptures and focus on the meaning of the words. I did not pay much attention to this, and simply continued to fulfil my duties, working from four in the morning until very late in the evening. 

…

In this state, I came to the office of the abbot, Father Agathodor, to discuss some work matters. He, being a discerning man, immediately asked what was the matter with me. 

In an exhausted voice, I answered quietly, “I don’t know… I don’t feel well.” 

He stopped his gaze on me, as if trying to quickly look into my soul and find the source of my illness. Suddenly he asked, “When was the last time you read the Gospel?” I began to recall and was horrified to realize that I could not remember the last time I picked up a book, let alone reading the Gospel. 

Read the entire article:
https://catalog.obitel-minsk.com/blog/2022/11/how-i-stopped-reading-the-gospel-and-what-i-got-out-of-it-a-priests-story

Who Sang at the Ancient Divine Services and How? History of the Eight Ecclesiastical Modes
Anastasia Parkhomchik

The history of liturgical singing begins in the Heavenly world, where the angelic ranks sing praise to God. Their song originates from before the creation of the world and continues in eternity. The “earthly” history of liturgical singing can be conditionally divided into several periods. 

Let us look into the time during which the main system of liturgical singing known as the eight church modes was formed.  Formative Periods of Liturgical Singing

The music historian Vladimir Martynov in his research work titled History of Liturgical Singing identifies three main formative periods of church singing.

Read the entire article:
https://catalog.obitel-minsk.com/blog/2022/11/who-sang-at-the-ancient-divine-services-and-how-the-history-of-the-kliros