Sunday, January 1 st, 2017 Feasts of Circumcision of Christ & St. Basil the Great

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1 Diocese of Eagle River and the PROPHET ELIJAH Antiochian Orthodox Mission Pacific Northwest T H E R A V E N OUR PASTOR: V. Rev. Paul Moses Jaroslaw 107 S. Dennis St. PO Box 1210 Ellensburg, Washington Church: (509) Pastor: (907) frpaulmoses1111@gmail.com OUR BISHOP: His Eminence, Metropolitan JOSEPH Diocese of Los Angeles and the West Apolytikion / Troparion (Tone 4) The incarnate Angel, and the Prophet s summit and boast, the second forerunner of the coming of Christ our God, Elijah, the glorious, from above sent down his grace upon Elisha; he doth cast out sickness and also cleanse lepers, and unto all that honor him, he poureth forth streams of cures. Our Mission is dedicated to the Prophet Elijah, Patron and protector of our community. Sunday, January 1 st, 2017 Feasts of Circumcision of Christ & St. Basil the Great Tone 3 / Eothinon 6 Epistle: Colossians 2:8-12 Gospel: St. Luke 2:20-21,40-52 Homilist: Dn. Basil Hinkle

2 Announcements for the Week *Post Agape meal Coffee Hour clean up* - Week: 1 Men! 1. Today, Sunday, January 1 st : The Feast of the Circumcision of Christ & St. Basil the Great..(and New Year!) with the annual cutting of the Vasilopita!!!! 2. This Friday, January 6 th : The Great Feast of Theophany, and the Blessing of the Waters! (Please see the attached PDF) On Thursday, January 5 th, (The Paramon, Eve ) (a strict fast day) we will serve: 1. The Royal Hours and Typika for the Feast from 7:00-8:30 AM. 2. 5:00 PM, The Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, w/ Indoor Great Blessing of the Waters. On Friday morning, January 6: 1. 8:30 AM, we will serve Festal Orthros :00 AM: Festal Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, followed directly by the Outdoor Great Blessing of the Waters at our own Mercer (Mercy!) Creek (that borders the Church property!) 3. Theophany Home blessings: Beginning Friday afternoon on the Feast of Theophany, and continuing through January, Fr. Paul will begin blessing homes. If you deisre (Like Zacchaeus) to have your home blessed, please arrange this with Fr. Paul.

3 Looking Ahead 1. Thursday, February 2 nd : The Great Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple 2. Sunday, February 5 th : The Sunday of the Pharisee & Publican (Lent is coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) 3. Monday, February 6 th Thursday, February 9 th : Antiochian Clergy Symposium in Los Angeles Fr. Paul & Dn. Vasily will be travelling, along with all the Clergy of the Diocese of the West, and the Pacific Northwest, to the annual Clergy Symposium with His Eminence, Metropolitan JOSEPH in Los Angeles.

4 SCHEDULE FOR DAILY SERVICES SUNDAY 9:00am Orthros 10:00am Divine Liturgy Mon. Tues. Wed. Thu. Fri. Sat. 3:00am 6:45am 6:00am 6:45am 6:45am 6:00am Orthros Orthros Divine Liturgy Orthros Orthros Divine Liturgy 6:00pm 6:00pm 6:00pm 6:00pm 5:50pm Vespers Vespers Teaching & Compline Paraklysis 9th Hour Note: Fr. Paul hears confessions on Saturday after Vespers, or by appointment. 6:00pm Great Vespers On Sunday, We should encourage the people to come to Orthros from the very beginning. In the Six Psalms of Orthros, we find all the Christian advice, wisdom, and morality. We cannot come to the Divine Liturgy and receive the Holy Communion without preparation. Orthros is about how to prepare for Divine Liturgy. Metropolitan JOSEPH NAME DAYS Member Name Day Patron Saint_ Dn. Vasily January 1 st St. Basil the Great Jeff Basil Winter January 1 st St. Basil the Great Emma Lewis January 1 st St. Emeilia Juliana Sautter January 2 nd St. Julianas of Lazezevo John Wytko January 7 th St. John the Forerunner BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES Member Day Celebration Paisius Andrew Pruitt January 1 st Birthday Rachel Kerns January 6 th Birthday

5 Spiritual Morsels If we don t resist, then our ancestors will arise from their graves. They suffered so much for the Fatherland, and we? What are we doing for it?.. If Christians don t begin to witness their faith, to resist evil, then the destroyers will become even more insolent. But today s Christians are no warriors. If the Church keeps silent, to avoid conflict with the government, if the Metropolitans are silent, if the monks hold their peace, then who will speak up? St. Paisios of Mt. Athos A place does not save you. There is no place where you can flee from yourself. St. Nikon of Optina Elder Paisius the Athonite I know from experience that in this life people are divided in two categories. A third category does not exist; people either belong to one or the other. The first one resembles the fly. The main characteristic of the fly is that it is attracted by dirt. For example, when a fly is found in a garden full of flowers with beautiful fragrances, it will ignore them and will go sit on top of some dirt found on the ground. It will start messing around with it and feel comfortable with the bad smell. If the fly could talk, and you asked it to show you a rose in the garden, it would answer: I don t even know what a rose looks like. I only know where to find garbage, toilets and dirt. There are some people who resemble the fly. People belonging to this category have learned to think negatively and always look for the bad things in life, ignoring and refusing the presence of good. The other category is like the bee whose main characteristic is to always look for something sweet and nice to sit on. When a bee is found in a room full of dirt and there is a small piece of sweet in a corner, it will ignore the dirt and will go to sit on top of the sweet. Now, if we ask the bee to show us where the garbage is, it will answer: I don t know. I can only tell you where to find flowers, sweets, honey and sugar; it only knows the good things in life and is ignorant of all evil. This is the second category of people who have a positive thinking and see only the good side of things. They always try to cover up the evil in order to protect their fellow men; on the contrary, people in the first category try to expose the evil and bring it to the surface. When someone comes to me and starts accusing other people and puts me in a difficult situation, I tell him the above example. Then, I ask him to decide to which category he wishes to belong, so he may find people of the same kind to socialize with. Pray simply. Do not expect to find in your heart any remarkable gift of prayer. Consider yourself unworthy of it. Then you will find peace. Use the empty cold dryness of your prayer as food for your humility. Repeat constantly: I am not worthy; Lord, I am not worthy! But say it calmly, without agitation. St. Macarius of Optina Never say, Why has this happened to me? Or when you see someone with gangrene or cancer or blindness, don t ask, Why did this happen to them? But ask God to give you the vision of the other bank of the river. Then you will see with the angels as it is in fact: Everything is according to the plan of God. Everything! Gerondessa Gabriella

6 Photos of our Mission 12 Newly Illumined Soldiers of Christ, Baptized on Christmas Eve morning!

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