St.Vladimir Orthodox Church

January 15, 2021

This is the 32th Sunday after Pentecost, Tone 7, Sunday before the Theophany; Synaxis of the Seventy Apostle

Saturday, January 16 at 6pm - Vespers
Sunday, January 17 at 10am - Liturgy

Readings
Epistle: 2 Timothy 4:5-8
Gospel: St. Mark 1:1-8

Reminders: During the Covid restrictions we are allowing Communions at the back door which will be opened at Communion time.

Tuesday January 19th is Theophany so Monday evening January 18th at 6:30pm Great Vespers with the Great Blessing of Water. Make sure you bring containers so you can take Holy Water home.

January 20th: Synaxis of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John

Sunday January 24th: Holy Baptism and First Communion of Jeff and Krystal Frellick. Plus the blessing of the Atlantic Ocean after liturgy.

Calendars (English and English/Russian Version) are available at the candle stand and are valued at $12. This is a voluntary contribution towards the cost of the calendars. Please put the money in an envelope and mark it "Calendars".

There are several things I want to bring to your attention. The first is something that does not seem to happen in this parish and which should. I noticed last year that I was not asked to bless any homes. It is the custom within most Orthodox communities that the faithful have their homes blessed every year, and this takes place in association with the Theophany feast. I commend this practice to you and would like you to consider this in terms of your own home and having it blessed. We simply go around your home sprinkling it with Holy Water, which has been newly blessed at Theophany, and with lighted candles singing or saying the Theophany Troparion: When You, O Lord were baptized in the Jordan the worship of the Trinity was made manifest, for the voice of the Father bore witness to You and called You His beloved Son. And the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the truthfulness of His word. O Christ our God, You have revealed Yourself and have enlightened the world, glory to You. Please take this to heart. It is important that where you live day by day be filled with the Holy Spirit and the love and light of Christ. We shall bless the Atlantic Ocean as well.

I noticed that there were members of the parish missing for the Christmas liturgy at St. Antonios Church and I am wondering why that would be so? It could be that people were working that evening so couldn't come; it could be that being on the Julian (old) Calendar and the next morning being a work day, people didn't feel they wanted to be tired that next day. I asked for the use of St. Antonios, after remembering the stream of our people and others coming for Communion a year ago. It is important that we receive Communion on the great feasts of the Church, so I ask you to make sure you are prepared, and come for that purpose. Almost all of the Catechumens were present at St. Antonios, including those who travelled from Antigonish and Goshen. May God bless them.

I presented Father Maximos with a bottle of Champagne Cognac as a token; thanking him for allowing us to use his church for our Christmas Liturgy. He is always gracious and generous towards us.

It reminds me, what shall we do this year for Pascha? We can't fit everybody into our church if the Covid restrictions are still in force, and we can't ask to use another church since all Orthodox serve Pascha at the same time. Speaking to Father Maximos about this, he may have to ask permission to serve two Paschal Liturgies as it is; I may have to make the same request. We can pray that the weather on May 1st and 2nd be sunny and warm so we can serve the night liturgy outside, it's not an unreasonable prayer request, but we should start praying now. (It's unlikely there will be sun during the night Liturgy . that would take an awful lot of prayer! but perhaps not impossible.)

My Dear Friends, May God give us the courage to do His will, and may He bless us all,

In the Love of Christ,

-- Father David