The Saint Andrew News

Transcription

1 The Saint Andrew News St. Andrew Orthodox Church - Riverside, CA Dear and Pious Parishioners The Lord s blessing be upon each of you as we begin another ecclesiastical year. September 1 st is the Church New Year. This is the day that the liturgical clock resets, and we begin to walk through the festivals and fasts of the Church once more. Each year the calendar alters a bit as various of the autocephalous churches celebrate newly-glorified saints in the calendar. Each year the content of the menaion is designed to increase! The thickness of our 12 volume menaion, from which we draw the texts of our services for commemoration of the saints of the day, is a testimony to the grace of God in the Church. The Church is a saint-making factory. What wisdom the Church possesses in the design of the liturgical calendar! She insures that we observant believers are re-evangelized each year through the commemorations of our Savior s mighty acts of redemption! We are renewed, reminded, and reformed each year by our worship life and liturgical discipline. We seek to climb to a higher place spiritually each year. On September 1 st, we also commemorate the lives of two incredible saints: Ss. Symeon the Stylite and the Holy Prophet Joshua, the Son of Nun, disciple of Moses the God-Seer. These saints both have a special message for us as we begin the church year. St. Symeon calls us to approach the new year with ambition to seek God. When we seek, we find. When we have no goals, and have no aspirations for spiritual accomplishment, then we make no progress whatsoever. St. Symeon became a monk as a young man, and was so zealous that his abbot actually asked him to leave the monastery lest some of the other monks tried to imitate him and did harm to themselves by assuming an asceticism that was above them. St. Symeon lived on top of a high pillar, and there, held up the world by his holy prayers. One visitor witnessed him doing 1,244 prostrations without ceasing. His life and example remind us that the purpose of this coming year is to grow in our love for God and men. Spiritual acquisition is the purpose of life. The Holy Prophet Joshua also has a message for us for the new year. Joshua was a faithful spiritual son of the Prophet Moses the God-Seer. He walked with Moses and the people of Israel through the wilderness for 40 years. Then he was blessed to lead the people of God into the promised land and to divide the land among the 12 tribes. His prayers stopped the sun in the sky, and parted the river Jordan so that the ark and the faithful could pass through on dry ground. His message to us is to keep our focus this year on our destination: the promised land, which is the Kingdom of God. This life makes sense for us only in the perspective of our final destination: heaven. So, dear ones, as we begin a new ecclesiastical year I exhort you with love - seek to climb higher in your spiritual life, and keep your eyes fixed on the heavenly city. With much love, Fr Josiah Volume 18 Issue 9 September 2009 Published Monthly St. Andrew Orthodox Church of Riverside is a parish of the Selfruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, Diocese of Los Angeles and the West, the See of the Right Reverend Bishop JOSEPH. Saturdays: Great Vespers, 5:30 p.m. Sundays: Matins, 9 a.m. Divine Liturgy, 10 a.m. Feast Days: Liturgy, 6 p.m. On Eve of Feast Church School follows The Divine Liturgy For additional services and events, and for the latest updates, go to Canyon Crest Drive Riverside, CA (951) V. Rev. Josiah Trenham, pastor Submit articles to the editor at lucy.hanna@sbcglobal.net

2 Page 2 BARBARIAN CUSTOMS OR 21 WAYS TO BE AN ORTHODOX WITHOUT CLASS! 1. Litter trash around the facility so that the priest can pick it all up by hand on Monday morning. 2. Place your bulletins with icons on them on the ground to be walked on, used as coffee mats, and in other ways defiled. 3. Put Prayer Books on the floor under your seats when you are not using them as though they are not holy books. 4. Allow your children to wander around the church during divine services, to go in and out of the doors numerous times, to visit numerous different people in the church during service, to disregard the forbiddances of the ushers, to use the restroom during services, to scatter play toys around a large circumference in the middle of the church, and to talk during divine service. You wouldn t want your back to hurt from holding your children would you? Really, that is asking too much. 5. Pretend that your children are not here and do not need to be carefully watched during coffee hour and agape meal. Be oblivious to their where-abouts after church despite the fact that there is a dangerous parking lot and busy street within feet. 6. Wear baseball caps to church, t-shirts with images (sometimes foul and obnoxious), jeans, and shorts and in other ways demonstrate to God that you do not revere His holy house nor consider it a big deal at all to draw near to His Holy Presence. 7. Allow your children to come to church filthy, with uncombed hair, food in their teeth, and basically show that you do not consider preparing to come to church to be an important thing. 8. Play with the candles, take candles that you haven t paid for, and twist them into all sorts of shapes for the fun of it- make it clear that you have no intention to use them to heighten and express your prayer. 9. Walk into the church without so much as a hesitation, don t cross yourself, don t say the prayer upon entering a church (do you even know what this is?), don t stop and venerate the Holy Icons in the narthex. Just cruise in like it ain t no thing. And do the same thing when you leave the church. Just walk out. Don t bother bowing to the Holy Altar or asking the blessing of the Saints as you re-enter the world. You don t need their help anyway right? 10. Look around a lot during the divine services and check out who is and isn t at church, what people are wearing, etc. 11. Grab and hold the Holy Bread like it is Webers. Use one hand, not two like the priest requires. Don t bother dropping numerous crumbs on the ground, and allowing the holy bread, which imparts sanctification to the faithful, to be trampled on by hundreds of feet. Don t bother picking up crumbs when you see them. It is hard to bend down you know. 12. After Liturgy come stand next to the deacon s doors and stare into the altar while the priest and deacon divest. It is always nice to have people staring at you when you are dressing right? Besides your concerns are very important and cannot wait. 13. Whatever you do, do not allow the priest to make it out of the altar after Liturgy and to the new visitors whom he wants to meet. Your personal matters can t wait a few minutes to let a few visitors meet the priest! And don t even think about introducing yourself to visitors and taking them by the hand to make sure Father can meet them! 14. Make sure your cell phones are left on so that they go off throughout the service, especially during the reading of the Gospel and the Anaphora. 15. Chew gum in church, and then spit it outside the doors so that huge clumps build up on the sidewalk for others to step in. 16. After you have received Holy Communion proceed to leave immediately, before the priest dismisses you. It is always polite when invited to someone s house to eat and run. 17. Don t pray the thanksgiving prayers for after receiving communion, and don t let others pray the prayers. Instead talk to them constantly in the line while the prayers are being read by the chanters so that no one can hear what is being said. (Continued on page 3)

3 Page 3 (Continued from page 2) 18. Trample on the flowers that are blooming around the church, especially make sure you don t miss the opportunity to break off the stems of the budding agapanthas. 19. Take the recently blessed holy things, like the red Paschal eggs, and throw them at each other for fun in the parking lot. 20. Here is an old faithful! Come late to church! And then proceed to come to the front of the church to stand or to light a candle so that everyone else can be disturbed in their prayer by your coming late. 21. If you don t have little children who are taxing you during the service, then proceed to look around and stare at those who do. Give them a good scowl when the children are acting up, and don t bother asking if you could help them, hold the children yourself, or provide any assistance. Unanimous Decision at the Parish Special Meeting on Sunday, August 23rd, 2009 Glory to God! At our special congregational meeting on Sunday August 23rd, following the Divine Liturgy, the parish voted unanimously to authorize the parish council to sign contracts within 30 days with the general contractor and the bank. Following the meeting, a letter accompanied by sketches of the proposed Temple were sent to His Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP for his blessing upon our decision. We are glad to report that we have indeed received his blessing. A copy of His Eminence s letter of approval is printed on page 5 of this Newsletter. BACK TO SCHOOL FALL PARISH PICNIC Our Annual St. Andrew Back-to-Sunday School fall parish picnic will take place on Sunday, September 20 Following the Divine Liturgy at Andulka Park There will be games, volleyball, etc to commence our new church school year. Attention ALL females of St. Andrew Church 18 years and older... Myrrhbearers First Meeting of the Ecclesiastical New Year will take place on Saturday, September 12 From 11 am to 1 pm at the home of Theodosia Sammons 4425 University Avenue, Riverside (951) Please bring a potluck salad or dessert to share St. Andrew Monthly Income and Expense Report General Fund July 2009 Income $23, Expense $25, Building Fund July 2009 Income $54, Expense $159,529.72

4 Page 4 St. Matthew Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church 2369 Sonoma Street Torrance, California (310) A parish of the Diocese of Los Angeles and the West, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America Rev. Fr. George Aquaro Rev. Dn. Barsoum Barsoum Rt. Rev. Fr. Paul Doyle Pastor Pastoral Assistant Pastor Emeritus TO: Right Reverend, Very Reverend and Reverend Clergy, and all the Faithful of the Diocese of Los Angeles and the West FROM: Rev. George Aquaro DATE: May 15, 2009 RE: 2009 Fall Gathering This year, we have been granted the honor by His Grace, Bishop Joseph, to share with all of you the joy of celebrating our 25th anniversary by hosting this year s Fall Gathering, October 9-11, In conjunction with the Gathering, our parish will be hosting a dinner with His Grace at the Torrance Marriott, open to everyone. Enclosed with this memo is everything you will need to register and reserve your rooms at the Marriott. Please remember that the dinner is an open event, and so you can invite friends and family to come. However, we must stress that seating is limited, so book your tickets right away. We hope you will enjoy your stay in the South Bay, and we know you will appreciate the accommodations at the Marriott. If you have any questions, please our committee: 2009fallgathering@gmail.com or call (310) You can also register at: Hotel Reservations Torrance Marriott 3635 Fashion Way Torrance, California Special Rate: $99 per night Reference Code: St. Matthew Dinner Reservations Torrance Marriot Banquet Room Saturday, October 10 6:30pm - Midnight Adults : $65 Children 12 and under: $40 Please reserve your seat by October 1st Seating is limited - Open to Gathering registrants Name: Address: Phone: Cell: Address: Credit Card #: Exp. Date: Type: Visa or MasterCard PLEASE CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOXES Name SOYO Antiochian Women Fellowship of St. John Registration $10 Dinner Adult $65 Dinner Child $40 TOTAL AMOUNT: I am driving my own vehicle (circle one) YES / NO

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6 Page 6 St. Andrew Community News, August On Sunday, August 9, Madeleine Brigid, daughter of Matt and Brigid Clark was churched. Many years! Alexandra Herbert receives a blessing from Fr. Josiah on Sunday, August 9th, as she prepares to go off to Boston University with a full scholarship. Congratulations Alexandra! Also on August 9, Lucia, daughter of Chris and Christy Gonzalez-Aden and Michael, son of Michael & Agape Silversmith, were baptized. Congratulations and many years to the newly-illumined and their families. All-night Vigil for the Feast of the Dormition of our most Holy Theotokos began following Vespers on Friday, August 14 and ended at the start of Divine Liturgy for the Feast on Saturday, August 15. Many of our youth and adults took turns reading the account of the Dormition. Shown here, Erin Bernard and Jeremy Phillips who were the last readers right before the start of the Divine Liturgy.

7 Page 7 From left to right: Sophia Grace Cawthon (4 months) Olivia Leigh Trenham (6 months) Phillip Henry Simpson (6 months) Michael James Silversmith (2 months) Lucia Christina Gonzalez-Aden (2 ½ mo) Elizabeth Abesadze (11 months) Stephen Edward Climacus Baxter (5 mo) Madeleine Brigid Clark (7 weeks) Anysia Marcella Bussey (8 months) On Sunday, August 16, nine of our fourteen St. Andrew babies under age one, posed for this beautiful photo appropriately taken under the map of the world. May they grow and fill this world with more faithful Orthodox. Not pictured: Gwendolyn Milkie (8 months) Charlotte Milkie (8 months) Helena Rose Younes (1 year on August 11) Natalia Oceguera (10 months) Michael San Miguel (3 months) Congratulations to Jordan and Bettina Beck who were united in the sacrament of Holy Matrimony on Sunday, August 23rd at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Anaheim, California. May God bless the new couple and grant them many years!

8 St. Andrew Orthodox Church 4700 Canyon Crest Drive Riverside, CA 92507