Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, has shone to the world the light of wisdom! For by it, those who worshiped the stars were taught by a star to adore Thee, the Sun of Righteousness and to know Thee, the Orient from on high

O Lord, glory to Thee!

(Troparion).

SAINT MARY OF EGYPT ORTHODOX CHURCH IN AMERICA

Newsletter – DECEMBER 2012

925 Beaver Ruin Rd. Norcross, GA 30093

770-923-7790

Clergy Archpriest Peter Smith – Rector fadapita@aol.com 678-924-0004

Hieromonk Cyprian (DuRant) frcyprian@stmaryofegypt.com 678-765-7357

Deacon Lazarus Muska rckmuska@bellsouth.net 770-638-0472

Archpriest Dimitri Oselinsky (attached) doselinsky@gmail.com 678-765-6027

Priest Thomas Alessandroni (attached) frtoma@comcast.net 678-373-9433

Lay Leadership Matushka Terri Smith Choir Director mommatisme@aol.com 678-924-0004

Carl Bartz Secretary bartz.ca@gmail.com 770-878-1282

Janice Douglass Treasurer douglass5@aol.com 770-921-2565

Tim York Webmaster tim@yorkwork.com 404-538-0976

Anya Gill Warden anyagill@yahoo.com 404-218-3588

Taylor Hostetter Outreach, Catechist, Building Committee Chair hostetter@charter.net 770-682-7020

Michaela Staskiewicz anelen@bellsouth.net 404-578-8522

Barbara Massoudi barbara.massoudi@gmail.com 770-296-1810

Calendar Highlights

December 6: St. Nicholas Day

December 16: Nativity Play

December 24-25 Nativity of Our

Lord and Savior

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PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION ARE NEEDED FOR: The Orthodox Church in America Diocese of the South Metropolitan Tikhon Archbishop Nikon, Our Holy Synod, Archpriest Peter, Matushka Anastasia, Lottie Hieromonk Cyprian, Macrina and Nina Priest Thomas; Matushka Angela Archpriest Dimitri; Matushka Maryanne Priest Paul and Matushka Gabrielle Deacon Lazarus Metropolitan Theodosius; Metropolitan Herman, Metropolitan Jonah Our catechumens: Jacob, Stephanie, David, Kim, Ian, David, Matthew, Lindsay, Preston, Kevin, LeMontre, Layla Natalia, Kristina and Peter Ioanna (Margaret) Michael and Serah (Ioanna’s son and daughter in law) The infant Juliana & family David, Elizabeth and David Ward (Patrick) and Cindy (Patricia) Marcella Elena, Artemy, Kristina and Anna Alexander and Marina (Tanya Klimova’s parents as her father battles cancer) Linda (Janice Douglass’ sister – will need chemo again for leukemia relapse after her bone marrow transplant Cathie Payton (Maryanne Romano’s mother – in treatment for breast cancer) Richard Romano (Chris’ father) Elise (Chris’ mother and Richard’s wife and caregiver) Robert and Xenia Peterson Magdalene Marston Elaine Calugar and family, Carole; Anna, Victor; Tanya and family - especially Veronica; Todd, Kimber, Mathew, Maggie, Amanda (and the child to be born of her) and her fiancé Paul, and Scott Niko Bouboulis battling a brain tumor; his father, Pano Christopher Michael Thomas, Emilia, Maria, Catherine; Craig Anna (Lynne) Katherine-Theodora, Claude, and the Hunter-Terry family Harvey (George) and Irene Ghiz (Emily’s parents) Christopher (Emily’s cousin) and Julie Ghiz – Julie in treatment for breast cancer Rayna and family Nancy Carolan (Fr. Tom’s sister) undergoing cancer treatment Nathaniel, Maria and family (Nathaniel is a long time friend of the Alessandroni’s diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor); Jim Mason friend of the Alessandroni’s undergoing cancer treatment Bob Winters (Vincent Hunter’s cousin’s husband succumbing to lung cancer) Angela; Lisa, Maddie and Daniel (Michael Berry’s daughter and grandchildren) Danielle and Michael (Ralph Geeza’s niece and brother) Kerin Tamara, Todd Demetrios and family as they prepare to move to Atlanta

Jonathan as he serves in the army and his son Jeremiah who is hydrocephalic and battling a new infection (Patrick Easter’s son and grandson). Tony (possible cancer) Panormitis (Drosos’ father) Susan, Lillian and Fay (Phil Mattox’s sister in law and family friends) Marian, Nezhla for guidance; Maria for healing; Caleb for protection; Joshua, Doug Jason (colleague and friend of Carol Vien’s recently diagnosed with ALS) Andrea Rajski (Michaela’s friend) St. Basil’s House Ss Peter and Paul Gainesville Mission Sts Mary and Martha Monastery All those who have suffered devastation in the floods, winds and fires as results of recent hurricane and storms Those who have fallen asleep in the Lord: Christopher Tsialos (Emily’s uncle) Thomas (Paul Skiba’s brother in law) Laurie Paffhausen (Metropolitan Jonah’s sister) Archbishop Dmitri Agnes (family friend of Phil Mattox) Kenyah, Lisa, Yeremiah, Jerry, Franco

St. Ignatius of Antioch

Commemorated on December 20

For those who wonder why our children’s playground has

been called Fort St. Ignatius, here is the story of this

wonderful saint. As a child, he was called by Christ himself

(Mt 18:3) and there is the understanding that he was the

lad who stepped forward with the basket of loaves and

fishes to feed the multitude. How can an encounter with

Christ transform the life of our children?

From www.oca.org

Tradition suggests that when St Ignatius was a little boy,

the Savior hugged him and said: "Unless you turn and

become as little children, you shall not enter into the

Kingdom of Heaven" (Mt. 18:3). The saint was called "God-

Bearer" (Theophoros), because he bore God in his heart

and prayed unceasingly to Him. He also had this name

because he was held in the arms of Christ, the incarnate

Son of God.

St Ignatius was a disciple of the Apostle John the

Theologian, together with St Polycarp of Smyrna. As

Bishop of Antioch, St Ignatius was zealous and spared no

http://www.oca.org/

effort to build up the church of Christ. To him is attributed

the practice of antiphonal singing (by two choirs) during

church services. He had seen a vision of the angels in

heaven alternately singing praises to God, and divided his

church choir to follow this example. In the time of

persecution he was a source of strength to the souls of his

flock, and was eager to suffer for Christ.

In the year 106 the emperor Trajan (98-117), after his

victory over the Scythians, ordered everyone to give

thanks to the pagan gods, and to put to death any

Christians who refused to worship the idols. In the year

107, Trajan happened to pass through Antioch. Here they

told him that Bishop Ignatius openly confessed Christ, and

taught people to scorn riches, to lead a virtuous life, and

preserve their virginity. St Ignatius came voluntarily before

the emperor, so as to avert persecution of the Christians in

Antioch. St Ignatius rejected the persistent requests of the

emperor Trajan to sacrifice to the idols. The emperor then

decided to send him to Rome to be thrown to the wild

beasts. St Ignatius joyfully accepted the sentence imposed

upon him. His readiness for martyrdom was attested to by

eyewitnesses, who accompanied St Ignatius from Antioch

to Rome.

On the way to Rome, the ship sailed from Seleucia stopped

at Smyrna, where St Ignatius met with his friend Bishop

Polycarp. Clergy and believers from other cities and towns

thronged to see St Ignatius. He exhorted everyone not to

fear death and not to grieve for him. In his Epistle to the

Roman Christians, he asked them to assist him with their

prayers, and to pray that God would strengthen him in his

impending martyrdom for Christ: "I seek Him Who died for

us; I desire Him Who rose for our salvation... In me, desire

has been nailed to the cross, and no flame of material

longing is left. Only the living water speaks within me,

saying, 'Hasten to the Father.'"

From Smyrna, St Ignatius went to Troas. Here he heard the

happy news of the end of the persecution against

Christians in Antioch. From Troas, St Ignatius sailed to

Neapolis (in Macedonia) and then to Philippi.

On the way to Rome St Ignatius visited several churches,

teaching and guiding the Christians there. He also wrote

seven epistles: to the churches of Ephesus, Magnesia,

Tralles, Rome, Philadelphia, and Smyrna. He also

addressed a letter to St Polycarp, who mentions a

collection of the letters of St Ignatius in his letter to the

Philippians (Ch. 13). St Irenaeus of Lyons quotes from St

Ignatius's letter to the Romans (AGAINST HERESIES 5:28:4).

All these letters have survived to the present day.

The Roman Christians met St Ignatius with great joy and

profound sorrow. Some of them hoped to prevent his

execution, but St Ignatius implored them not to do this.

Kneeling down, he prayed together with the believers for

the Church, for love between the brethren, and for an end

to the persecution against Christians.

On December 20, the day of a pagan festival, they led St

Ignatius into the arena, and he turned to the people: "Men

of Rome, you know that I am sentenced to death, not

because of any crime, but because of my love for God, by

Whose love I am embraced. I long to be with Him, and

offer myself to him as a pure loaf, made of fine wheat

ground fine by the teeth of wild beasts."

After this the lions were released and tore him to pieces,

leaving only his heart and a few bones. Tradition says that

on his way to execution, St Ignatius unceasingly repeated

the name of Jesus Christ. When they asked him why he

was doing this, St Ignatius answered that this Name was

written in his heart, and that he confessed with his lips

Him Whom he always carried within. When the saint was

devoured by the lions, his heart was not touched. When

they cut open the heart, the pagans saw an inscription in

gold letters: "Jesus Christ." After his execution St Ignatius

appeared to many of the faithful in their sleep to comfort

them, and some saw him at prayer for the city of Rome.

Hearing of the saint's great courage, Trajan thought well of

him and stopped the persecution against the Christians.

The relics of St Ignatius were transferred to Antioch

(January 29), and on February 1, 637 were returned to

Rome and placed in the church of San Clemente.

Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann celebrated the divine liturgy for the last time on Thanksgiving Day. This was particularly appropriate since Father Alexander had devoted his whole life to teaching, writing and preaching about

the Eucharist; for the word eucharist in Greek means thanksgiving. At the conclusion of the liturgy, Father Alexander took from his pocket a short written sermon, in

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=386918461392919&set=a.345250995559666.81680.330820977002668&type=1&relevant_count=1

the form of a prayer, which he proceeded to read. This was a strange occurrence since Father never wrote his liturgical homilies, but delivered them extemporaneously. These were his words, which proved to be the last ever spoken by him from the ambo in Church: Thank You, O Lord! Everyone capable of thanksgiving is capable of salvation and eternal joy. Thank You, O Lord, for having accepted this Eucharist, which we offered to the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and which filled our hearts with the joy, peace and righteousness of the Holy Spirit. Thank You, O Lord, for having revealed Yourself unto us and given us the foretaste of Your Kingdom. Thank You, O Lord, for having united us to one another in serving You and Your Holy Church. Thank You, O Lord, for having helped us to overcome all difficulties, tensions, passions, temptations and restored peace, mutual love and joy in sharing the communion of the Holy Spirit. Thank You, O Lord, for the sufferings You bestowed upon us, for they are purifying us from selfishness and reminding us of the “one thing needed;” Your eternal Kingdom. Thank You, O Lord, for having given us this country where we are free to Worship You. Thank You, O Lord, for this school, where the name of God is proclaimed. Thank You, O Lord, for our families: husbands, wives and, especially, children who teach us how to celebrate Your holy Name in joy, movement and holy noise. Thank You, O Lord, for everyone and everything. Great are You, O Lord, and marvelous are Your deeds, and no word is sufficient to celebrate Your miracles. Lord, it is good to be here! Amen.

"Dost thou fast? Give me proof of it by thy

works! .... "If thou seest a poor man, take pity on him! If

thou seest an enemy, be reconciled to him! ....

"For let not the mouth only fast, but also the

eye, and the ear, and the feet, and the hands, and all the members of our bodies.

"Let the hands fast, by being pure from graft and greed.

"Let the feet fast, by ceasing from running to

immoral spectacles. "Let the eyes fast, being taught never to fix

themselves sinfully upon fair countenances, or

to busy themselves with strange beauties. ....

"Dost thou not eat flesh? Feed not upon

lasciviousness by means of the eyes.

"Let the ears fast also ..., in refusing to receive

evil gossip and slander. ....

"Let the mouth too fast, from disgraceful speech

and from berating.

"For what doth it profit, if we abstain from birds

and fishes; and yet bite and devour our

brethren? The evil speaker eateth the flesh of

his brother, and biteth the body of his

neighbour."

—St. John Chrysostom (ca. 347–407),

Archbishop of Constantinople: from Homily III,

of his "Homilies on the Statutes.

Nativity of Christ

Orthodox Church – Volume ii – Worship

The celebration of the feast of the Nativity of Christ in the Orthodox Church is patterned after the celebration of the feast of the Lord’s Resurrection. A fast of forty days precedes the feast, with special preparatory days announcing the approaching birth of the Saviour. Thus, on St Andrew’s Day (November 30) and St Nicholas Day (December 6) songs are sung to announce the coming birthday of the Lord:

Adorn yourself, O Cavern. Make ready, O Manger. O Shepherds and wisemen, bring your gifts and bear witness. For the Virgin is coming bearing Christ in her womb (Vesperal Hymn of St Nicholas Day)

On the eve of Christmas, the Royal Hours are read and the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil is served with Vespers. At these services the Old Testament prophecies of Christ’s birth are chanted, emphasizing the prophecy of Micah which foretells Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Saviour, and the prophecies

of Isaiah about the appearance and character of the Messiah:

The Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel, which translated is, God with us (Is 7:14-15).

God is with us, understand all ye nations, and submit yourselves, for God is with us (Is 8:9).

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulders, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end (Is 9:6-7).

The Vigil of Christmas begins with Great Compline, highlighted once again by the solemn chanting of God is with us and the words of the prophecy of Isaiah. At Compline there is also the singing of the Troparion and Kontakion of the feast along with the special hymns glorifying the Saviour’s birth. There are also the special long litanies of intercession and the solemn blessing of the five loaves of bread together with thewheat and the wine of which the faithful partake and the oil with which they are anointed. This part of the festal vigil, which is done on all great feasts, is called the litya (in Greek, the artoklasia or the breaking of the bread).

At the beginning of the Christmas Matins, which together with Compline form the Christmas Vigil, the six matinal psalms begin as usual with the words; Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will among men (Lk 2:14).

At the Christmas services these words of the angelic song are normally sung with great solemnity rather than being chanted as at the daily service. The Christmas Matins proceed as usual. The gospel reading from Matthew (1:18-25) tells of the birth of Christ, and all of the hymns and verses glorify his appearance on earth:

Christ is born, glorify him. Christ is from heaven, go to meet him. Christ is an earth, be ye lifted up. Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing out with gladness, all ye people. For he is glorified. (First Ode of the Christmas Canon)

The Christmas Liturgy begins with psalms of glorification and praise. The troparion and kontakion mark the entrance with the Book of the Gospels. The baptismal line from Galatians 3:27 once again

replaces the Thrice-Holy. The Epistle reading is from Galatians:

But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So through God, you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son then an heir (Gal 4:4-7).

The Gospel reading is the familiar Christmas story from Matthew (2:1-12), and the liturgy continues in the normal fashion. A specific two-day celebration follows, dedicated to Mary the Theotokos and St Stephen, the First Martyr. The period of Christmas rejoicing extends to Epiphany during which time the Christmas songs are sung and fasting and kneeling in prayer are not called for by the Church.

The feast of Christmas is formally entitled the Nativity in the Flesh of our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ. At Christmas we celebrate the birth as a man of the Son of God, the one who together with the Father and the Holy Spirit is truly God from all eternity. Thus, we sing in the Church.

Today the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent One, and the earth offers a cave to the Unapproachable One! Angels, with shepherds, glorify Him! The wise men journey with the star! Since for our sake the Eternal God is born as a little child (Kontakion).

The feast of Christmas was not a separate Church feast for the first four centuries of Christian history. It was celebrated with Epiphany in the one great feast of God’s appearance on earth in the form of the human Messiah of Israel. The Nativity began to be celebrated as such on the twenty-fifth of December in order to offset the pagan festival of the Invincible Sun which occurred on that day. It was established by the Church quite consciously as an attempt to defeat the false religion of the heathens. Thus, we discover the troparion of the feast making a polemic against the worship of the sun and the stars and calling for the adoration of Christ, the True Sun of Righteousness (Mal 4:2), who is himself worshiped by all of the elements of nature.

Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, has shone to the world the light of wisdom! For by it, those who worshiped the stars were taught by a star to adore Thee, the Sun of Righteousness and to know Thee, the Orient from on high (Lk 1:78, translated as Dawn or Day spring). O Lord, glory to Thee! (Troparion).

Thus, the feast of Christmas is the celebration of the world’s salvation through the Son of God who became man for our sake that, through him, we might ourselves become divine, sons of God the Father by the indwelling of his Holy Spirit in us.

.The Nativity Icon

The most wise Lord comes to be born, Receiving hospitality from His own creatures.

Let us also receive Him, That this divine Child in the cave may make us His

guests In the paradise of delights!

The Birth of Christ has always been celebrated and hymned by Christians in some way or other, as it is central to the Faith. The Word of God in past times may have appeared as an angel of the Lord, or the divine fire of the burning bush, but now, from this time onwards, He has become one of us; and not just as a fully-grown man descended from Heaven, but in humility God is born of a woman, and comes to us as a tiny, speechless, infant. This is what is shown in the Nativity Icon, and around this central historical event other stories surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ are depicted.

The common form of the Nativity Icon, with few variations, dates from around the 15th century, though it draws upon sources much older: the Old Testament Prophecies, the New Testament Gospel accounts, and ancient narratives on the life of the Virgin Mary.

The New Testament in the Nativity Icon

The child-Christ and His mother are shown in a cave, surrounded by impossibly sharp, inhospitable, rocks

which reflect the cruel world into which Jesus was born. The Gospels record that Joseph and Mary could not find a room at any inn when they came to take part in the census at Bethlehem, and so Jesus was laid in a manger, an animal’s feeding trough. Common to the time, animals were not sheltered in wooden barns, but in caves and recesses in the hills, and so this “stable” is shown in the Icon.

High in the skies is a star which sends down a single shaft towards the baby Jesus. This star is being followed by the Magi, the wise Persians from the East, who are bearing gifts to the Christ. But they are shown in the distance, still on their journey. They are not there.

Thronged in the skies are a host of angels bringing the glad tidings of the birth of the world’s Saviour. On the right, the shepherds – people not regarded by anyone else – are the first to be given the Good News of Jesus’ birth. But they are also shown outside of the cave, still by their flocks. They too are not at Christ’s side yet.

Besides His mother, the only company Jesus Christ has in the first few hours of His earthly life are a lowly ox and donkey. This is the humility of God’s incarnation on earth.

The Old Testament in the Nativity Icon

A prophecy of Isaiah fulfilled

The humbleness of Christ’s origins should not surprise us, as the manner of His birth was prophesied many hundreds of years prior to the event. The presence of the Ox and the Donkey in the Nativity icon fulfills one of many prophecies in the Old Testament book of Isaiah:

“The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master’s crib”(Isaiah 1:3) . Here the animals are also shown providing warmth to Jesus by their breath.

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Mary gazes toward the Jesse Tree

Also found somewhere in most icons of the Nativity is a “Jesse Tree.” Named after an Old Testament patriarch, the tree’s presence is to remind us of another fulfilled prophecy from Isaiah:

“A shoot shall sprout from the stump (tree) of Jesse and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him” (Isaiah 11:1-2). In the flesh, Jesus can trace his ancestry through both His mother and adoptive father Joseph, all the way back to Jesse. This lineage is also sometimes shown in icons of the Jesse Tree.

Other Ancient Texts in the Nativity Icon

Another important source for the story of Jesus’ birth is the Protoevangelium of James, a 2nd century text which describes the life of the Virgin Mary. This naturally includes a description of Christ’s Nativity, and the account is more detailed than those found in the Gospels.

According to the Evangelium, Joseph brought along two women – a midwife and a woman called Salome – to help with the birth of Jesus. Salome is identified with a woman who later became a disciple of Christ, was the mother of the Apostles James and John, and was one of the women who discovered the empty tomb after Christ’s resurrection.

But where is Joseph? Unlike the well-known Nativity scenes in the West, in Orthodox Icons Joseph is usually found in the bottom of the icon, away from his betrothed and her Son. Sometimes seen listening to an old man, Joseph looks

troubled. He is beset with new doubts regarding this

birth, and these doubts are delivered to him by satan in the form of an old man, as recorded in the Protoevangelium. The devil suggests that if the infant were truly divine He would not have been born in the human way. These arguments, which ultimately did not cause Joseph to stumble, have constantly returned to trouble the Church, and are the basis of many heresies regarding Who Christ was and is. In the person of Joseph, the icon discloses not only his personal drama, but the drama of all mankind, the difficulty of accepting that which is beyond reason, the Incarnation of God.

As well as declaring the glorious and joyous news of the Birth of Christ, the icon also acknowledges, as do the hymns of the Church, the great mystery of this event.

How is He contained in a womb, whom nothing can contain?

And how can He who is in the bosom of the Father be held in the arms of His Mother?

This is according to His good pleasure, as He knows and wishes. For being without flesh,

of His own will has He been made flesh; and He Who Is,

for our sakes has become that which He was not. Without departing from His own nature

He has shared in our substance. Desiring to fill the world on high with citizens,

Christ has undergone a twofold birth.

From Reader’s Guide to Icons

When someone injures us in whatever way, whether with slanders or with insults, we should

think of him as our brother who has been taken hold of by the enemy. He has fallen victim to the

enemy. Accordingly we need to have

compassion for him and entreat God to have mercy both on us and on him, and God will help

both. If, however, we are filled with anger against him, then the enemy will jump from him

to us and make a mockery of us both. A person

who condemns others does not love Christ. Our egotism is at fault. This is where condemnation

of others stems from. - Elder Porphyrios, Wounded by Love, pg. 182

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Dear Baba, Help me understand what it means for

something to be “Holy.” I thought I understood. But I realized that I really didn’t understand deep down at all when I tried to explain to my child that the water in that bottle was holy

water and needed to be treated specially. In the church I came from,

we’d think nothing of giving our kids the leftover grape juice after a communion

service because the grape juice had served its purpose. Now I get the sense that once something or someone is holy, it is beyond just their usefulness for a moment in time but it becomes part of their essence. And I know unless I ‘get it’, I won’t be able to infuse my children with it. Help me fill the holes in my understanding of Holy.

Dear Holey Holy;

Unfortunately, we live in a society where we’ve become so jaded that we don’t recognize holiness. At most, now days, it is a relative thing – only holy for the person who wishes it to be and quaint for everyone else. Now before we get started, I do wish very much that you will sit down and enjoy a nice hot cup of tea with me. Your explanation of the grape juice was very helpful to me. Thank you. And it is with that I think we should begin our chat. The grape juice example you gave represents a temporary usefulness or purpose. So first and foremost we will need to shift from immediate need to eternity. Holy and hallowed are beautiful words don’t you think? You can see easily where the halo comes from that. And the halo we talk about isn’t the tinsel and wire that makes up a costume worn on the outside – but the light of Christ brightly shining through a person who has opened their very life to Christ. We say in the wedding service – what God has joined together let no man put asunder. Imagine how much more powerful that is when the union is with God Himself. The bond with God is the very definition of heaven and we were created for that very purpose. That bond was meant to last forever, and my dear, that is a key point. God does not use us for an immediate purpose and then discard us. Can you imagine the hopelessness of us trying to worship a God who will only use us when we suit His immediate purpose and knowing we’d get cast aside after He was done with us? Of course God wouldn’t do that. This is absolutely a critical thing to understand when we talk of the Theotokos. God did not use her for an

immediate purpose of giving birth to His Only Begotten Son and then discard her either. And yet so many in society today believe she has served her purpose and is now relegated to a part in a Christmas pageant. What hope is there for any of us if she whose womb contained the uncontainable is discarded after use? We may have become a throw-away society but thankfully God has not.

In His love for His creation, He wishes nothing more than we choose a life-transforming restoration to the purpose for which we were created - worshipping Him and communing with Him. And that is meant to be for all eternity. Because of the chasm between heaven and earth that we created with The Fall, we lost sight of the fact that all of creation is called to be restored to its original purpose. It is beautifully expressed in the Pantocrator icon of Christ on the ceiling or in the top of the dome of many Orthodox churches. He is God over all creation. So in the holiest moment of the liturgy, a miracle happens. Our gifts of bread and wine become the body and blood of Our Lord and Savior and it is never to be undone. At a consecration of a church several years ago, Archbishop Dmitri of blessed memory spoke of our call to return all of creation to God. In the case of that church – the little plot of land it stood on was now restored. Wood and pigments used to write an icon are restored to their purpose of glorifying God. Water too, infused with the working of the Holy Spirit, becomes holy and not just for a moment but transformed permanently. The question becomes – If something becomes a piece of the Garden again should we not tread as though we are on holy ground? It isn’t a cerebral thing or just holy in theory. The temple of our Lord where the Holy Spirit actively works, is holy space. There is a beautiful Persian parable about a traveler in the desert. He keeps smelling roses but obviously can find none anywhere near him. Finally, he traces the fragrance to a piece of clay so he questions the lump of clay how this could be and as can only happen in a parable, the clay replies “I am but a lump of clay incapable of such a fine fragrance, but I have dwelt with a rose.” Now my dear, your tea cup needs to be refilled and you simply must try some of this delightful rosehip marmalade. With enveloping hugs; Baba

NEWS ITEMS:

Annual Parish Meeting

Please mark your calendar for the

annual parish meeting to be held

on Sunday January 20, 2013

Playground: Thank you to

everyone who helped support

the playground project – whether

by your financial support, garage

sale donations, fundraising

organizing efforts plus those who worked so

hard to install the playground and keep the

workers fed and watered. The children of the

parish will hopefully enjoy their special Fort St.

Ignatius for years to come

St. Nicholas Coins: 1 more

week! We are now actively

collecting funds for the

children of St. Mary’s to help

their families during the

Nativity Season.

Pledge forms and

Volunteer Sign Ups

It is time to make your

annual pledge of

membership and support with your time, talent

and treasury. Membership forms have been

emailed to everyone on the list and additional

copies are available.

Coffee Hour Sign Up for 2013 All

families are asked to sign up to be part of a

coffee hour team 4 times per year as our

fair share to this important time of

fellowship. The sign up sheet for

the first half of 2013 is now

available. If you need help

getting a team together, please

see a parish council member or ask a friend at

coffee hour.

Diocese of the South

Pastoral Conference:

February 4-7

We are hosting the annual

Pastoral conference the week of February 4,

2013. We need volunteers from the parish to

help in a variety of areas. Please see Michaela

Staskewicz or Anya Gill to volunteer

Are you interested in serving on the

Parish Council in 2013?

Please see Fr. Peter.

Parish Council Corner Treasurer’s

Report:

Income (Jan-Oct): $148,335.74

Expenses (Jan-Oct): $131,677.24

Actual Net Income: $16,658.50

Budgeted Net Income: $3206.54

Thank you for your faithful support of our parish

Week of Dec 2

Sun Dec 2 9:00 Choir Practice 9:40 Hours

10:00 Divine Liturgy

Mon Dec 3 10:00a Akathist

Tues Dec 4 10:00 a Akathist

Weds Dec 5 7:00 p Daily Vespers Fr. Paul’s class on the Nicene

Creed

Thurs Dec 6 St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

7:40 a Hours 8:00 a Divine Liturgy

Fri Dec 7 10:00a Various 7:00 p Great Vespers

Sat Dec 8 4:00 Confessions 5:00 Vigil

Week of Dec 9

Sun Dec 9 9:00 Choir Practice 9:40 Hours

10:00 Divine Liturgy

Mon Dec 10 10:00 a Akathist

Tues Dec 11 10:00 a Akathist 7:00 Catechumen Class at

Starbucks

Weds Dec 12 7 p Daily Vespers Fr. Paul’s class on the Nicene

Creed

Thurs Dec 13 7:40 a Hours 8:00 a Divine Liturgy

Fri Dec 14 10:00a Various

Sat Dec 15 4:00 Confessions 5:00 Vigil

Week of Dec 16

Sun Dec 16 9:00 Choir Practice 9:40 Hours

10:00 Divine Liturgy

Mon Dec 17 10:00 a Akathist

Tues Dec 18 10:00 a Akathist 7:00 Catechumen Class at

Starbucks

Weds Dec 19 7:00 p Daily Vespers Fr. Paul’s class on the Nicene

Creed

Thurs Dec 20 7:40 Hours 8:00 a Divine Liturgy

Fri Dec 21 10:00 Various

7:00 p Great Vespers

Sat Dec 22 4:00 Confessions 5:00 Vigil

Week of Dec 23

Sun Dec 23 9:00 Choir Practice 9:40 Hours

10:00 Divine Liturgy

Mon Dec 24 10:00a Akathist

Tues Dec 25 Feast of the Nativity

Weds Dec 26 7:00 p Daily Vespers

Thurs Dec 27 7:40 a Hours 8:00 a Divine Liturgy

Fri Dec 28 10:00a Various

Sat Dec 29 4:00 Confessions 5:00 Vigil

Week of Dec 30

Sun Dec 30 9:40 Hours 10:00 Divine Liturgy

DECEMBER Calendar