The Scroll Newsletter September, 2013

The Scroll Newsletter September, 2013 HAPPY NEW YEAR! The Church Calendar A Means of Acquiring Grace The calendar can be an objective presentation of dates and events but the church calendar comes alive with celebration. We honor the saints, prepare for feasts and celebrate the sacred events of our Lord s life. In this way, we transform remembrance into reality. We do not simply recreate an event, but we mystically participate in it. We not only honor a saint, we engage in a relationship with those who have gone before us. The church calendar can become the crowning reality of our life, giving us opportunities to participate in the grace of heavenly realities. The busy ness of life can get in the way, but we need to fight to establish a churchly routine. Why? What awaits us? The Lord beckons us to enter more deeply into a relationship with Him and His saints through our participation in the holy services of the Church. He desires us to substantially enter the Kingdom of Heaven where we experience righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17) We can be given ways to soar above this world s confusion, lifted from despair, and ascend with Christ and His saints to heavenly places. Christ promised not to leave us alone but to be present with us. In our coming together during the Church year, we participate in this reality of salvation, help and joy. Therefore, beloved, may Christ our true God guide us to the heavenly places through our participation in the sacred events celebrated each year. And may we experience, along with all the saints, the glories of the Kingdom in this life as a foretaste of life to come! - Fr. Nicholas Speier, Senior Pastor

Welcome (back) to The Scroll Newsletter After almost six years of rest, the parish newsletter has been revived. As communications methods and technology advance and change so rapidly, we are actually getting better at keeping people informed and up-too-date about what is going on in the parish, and in touch with the thousands of online resources about our Orthodox Faith. The vision and goals of the newsletter will continue to be refined in the next six months, but in general, we would like it to serve a purpose that other resources within the parish cannot; for example, to showcase the vast talent within our parish in areas like writing and photography. We also would like to provide information that will help us to grow closer to Christ and each other in ways that the weekly bulletin, the website and our email communication cannot. If you have an interest in contributing your talents to the newsletter in some way, please contact Valerie at the church office: office@stathanasius.org. The next newsletter will be published around Christmas. The Scroll Editorial Team: Fr. Nicholas Speier, Valerie Yova, Stephanie Braun & Jane Meyer So what s an Administrator, anyway? In January of 2010, the leadership of St. Athanasius parish took a bold step in creating a full-time position that was half Music Leadership and half Parish Administration, and they hired Valerie Yova to fill that role. Compelled by what was learned and decided in the strategic planning process, they were moving forward in areas that all agreed needed development. Valerie came to us with 18 years of work experience in non-profit management and 20 years in Orthodox music ministry, most recently serving as Director of Public Relations for Project Mexico and as Music Director at St. Anthony Antiochian Orthodox Church in San Diego. Our Administrator/Music Director has worked alongside Fr. Nicholas and the Parish Council in the past nearly four years to address administrative challenges, develop systems and procedures (including staff job evaluation tools and processes), support and develop ministry teams, improve parish communications by utilizing technology more effectively, and of course, developing the sound, skills and team spirit of our musicians. Valerie also supports Fr. Nicholas and the parish in general with clerical skills, however her main responsibilities are not as the church receptionist and secretary. Fortunately, technology has made it possible for voicemail and e-mail to get information to the priest and other appropriate clergy or parish leadership in a timely fashion. Since Valerie s job often requires her to be at the church in the evenings for meetings and rehearsals, the typical 9-5 office coverage is not always possible. As we prepare to move over to our new building in 2014, we will continue to make sure that the needs of the parish are met and that the church and the office are open during specific regular hours for those who need access. We thank you for your support, understanding, encouragement and feedback. - Fr. Nicholas and the Parish Council

The Liturgical Year at a Glance 2013-2014 ACTUAL DATE: FEAST/EVENT COMMEMORATED: TIME: Sunday, 9/8 THE BIRTH OF THE THEOTOKOS Festal Vespers 9/7 6:00 p.m. Festal Matins 9/8 9:00 a.m. Festal Liturgy 9/8 10:00 a.m. Saturday, 9/14 Elevation of the Holy Cross 11/14 Festal Liturgy 8:00 a.m. Sunday, 9/15 Religious Education classes begin Sundays 8:45 a.m. October 11-13 Diocese Fall Delegates Meeting Palmdale, CA Saturday, 10/26 The Sacred, Profane & Everything in Between 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Music Workshop for Adults Saturday, 11/2 St. Raphael 11/2 Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. Friday, 11/15 ADVENT FAST BEGINS Friday, 11/15 Advent Seminar 7:00-8:30 p.m. Saturday, 11/16 Advent Seminar 9:00 a.m.-noon Thursday, 11/21 PRESENTATION OF THE THEOTOKOS 11/20 Vesperal-Lit. 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, 12/25 NATIVITY OF OUR LORD 12/24 Royal Hours 8:00 a.m. 12/24 Matins/Lit. 8:00 p.m. Sunday, 12/29 Blessing of the Graves after Divine Liturgy Wednesday, 1/1 Feast of St. Basil 12/31 Vesperal-Lit. 6:00 p.m. Monday, 1/6 EPIPHANY (Theophany) 1/6 Liturgy 6:00 p.m. Sunday, 2/2 PRESENTATION OF OUR LORD 2/1 Festal Vespers 6:00 p.m. 2/2 Festal Matins 9:00 a.m. 2/2 Festal Liturgy 10:00 a.m. Sunday, 2/23 Meatfare Sunday/Picnic Friday, 2/28 Lenten Seminar 7-8:30 p.m. Saturday, 3/1 Lenten Seminar 9-11:30 a.m. Sunday 3/2 Monday, 3/3 Cheesefare Sunday/Forgiveness Vespers at 6 p.m. GREAT LENT BEGINS (Continued on next page.)

The Liturgical Year at a Glance (continued) 2013-2014 ACTUAL DATE: FEAST/EVENT COMMEMORATED: TIME: Sunday, 3/9 Sunday of Orthodoxy Pan-Orthodox Vespers Saturdays SOUL LITURGIES 8:00 a.m. March 15,22, 29 Tuesday, 3/25 ANNUNCIATION of the Mother Of God 3/24 Vesperal-Lit 6:00 p.m. Saturday, 4/12 LAZARUS SATURDAY 4/12 Liturgy 8:00 a.m. Sunday 4/13 PALM SUNDAY 4/12 Festal Vespers 6:00 p.m. 4/13 Festal Matins 9:00 a.m. 4/13 Festal Liturgy 10:00 a.m. 4/14-18 HOLY WEEK Saturday, 4/19 Christ's Victory over Hades 4/19 Vesperal-Lit. 8:00 a.m. Sunday, 4/20 GREAT & HOLY PASCHA 4/20 Rush Service 5:00 a.m. and Paschal Liturgy 4/21-26 BRIGHT WEEK (Fast-free) Sunday, 4/27 Thomas Sunday/Blessing of Graves after Liturgy Wednesday, 5/14 Midfeast of Pentecost 5/14 Divine Liturgy 6:00 p.m. Thursday, 5/29 ASCENSION 5/28 Vesperal-Lit 6:00 p.m. Saturday,6/7 Pentecost Evangelism Workshop 6/7 9:00 a.m.-noon Sunday, 6/8 PENTECOST 6/7 Festal Vespers 6:00 p.m. 6/8 Festal Matins 9:00 a.m. 6/8 Festal Liturgy 10:00 a.m. 6/9-13 Fast-free Monday, 6/16 Saints Peter & Paul Fast begins Sunday, 6/29 Feast of Saints Peter & Paul 6/28 Festal Vespers 6:00 p.m. 6/29 Festal Matins 9:00 a.m. 6/29 Festal Liturgy 10:00 a.m. June 23-July10 Summer School July 1-6 Diocesan Parish Life Conference San Francisco Wednesday, 8/6 TRANFIGURATION of our Lord 8/5 Vesperal-Lit. 6:00 p.m. Friday, 8/15 DORMITION of the Theotokos 8/14 Vesperal-Lit. 6:00 p.m.

September, 2013 Dear Parish Family and Friends of St. Athanasius Church, After a 25 year effort, we feel very blessed to finally be building a new church. As you know, our project is well underway. The fellowship hall will be completed in January 2014 with plans to build the temple in the near future. On September 27th, we will host our annual golf tournament fundraiser. This year's tournament will be played in honor of our departed friend and dear deacon, Howard Shannon, whose lifelong dream was to see the church built. Together, we can help fulfill his dream and honor his memory. Please help us. You can register for the tournament and/or the Gala Dinner here: https://www.stathanasius.org/2013-golf-tournament/ If you are unable to join us, please consider making a donation to our Building Project in Dn. Howard's memory by going to: https://www.stathanasius.org/donation/?earmark=2013 Golf Tournament Or donations can be mailed to: St. Athanasius Orthodox Church Attn. Golf Tournament P.O. Box 35 Goleta, CA 93116 Thank you and God s blessings, Dr. Scott Speier Fundraising Chair +Dn. Howard Shannon

MUSICAL NOTES To be continued From Sacred Music: Its Nature and Function, published by the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). On Sunday, September 29, 2013 in commemoration of St. Romanos the Melodist, whose feast is on October 1, the St. Athanasius Choir & chanters will receive a blessing on their music ministry, and will host the parish for Coffee Hour. MUSIC: The Sacred, the Profane, & Everything in Between - A Day of Exploration for Adults (Teens also welcome) - Join us on Saturday, October 26, 2013 from 10 a.m.-3:00 p.m. in the fellowship hall as we explore all types of music composition. Learn what inspires composers, and what makes the music of our worship so different from all other music. ALL are welcome: those in music ministry and all others who just love music!

The Book Nook Sweet Song: A story of Saint Romanos the Melodist is a new children s picture book about to be released by Ancient Faith Publishing (formerly Conciliar Press.) Our very own Jane G Meyer is the author and is excited about this new story for children that highlights one of the most beautiful, life-changing miracles that has happened in Christendom. Saint Romanos, after being humiliated by his peers, a young man with no music ability and who was barely literate, was given the gift of song. He went on to become one of the foremost hymn writers of all time and we still sing many of his beautiful lyrics today in our liturgy. And guess what, he s the patron of all church choirs, and Sweet Song is dedicated to our very own choir who blesses us each and every Sunday with their wonderful work! The picture book will be released in Mid-October, shortly after the feast day of Saint Romanos on October 1st. The book is illustrated by Dorrie Papademetriou, who has illustrated several other Orthodox works for children, and the art is beautiful! Look for it in the SAOC Bookstore. Here is an excerpt from the book: When the service ended and the emperor, the patriarch, and all the people had left, Romanos fell on his knees before an icon to pray. Into the night he prayed to the Mother of God he prayed for mercy, for grace, for more and more of Christ s love to fill him, and he prayed for music. How he wanted to praise God with a strong and clear voice, and with words that inspired people deep in their very hearts. His tears tumbled one after another onto the marble floor until he fell into a deep, deep sleep.

Another Year with the Good Shepherd Kate Vander Laan, Catechesis Coordinator & Level III Catechist On September 15 th approximately 30 children from our parish between the ages of 3 and 12 will enter spaces that have been carefully prepared for their religious education and spiritual formation. In these prepared environments they will find materials that meet their developmental needs while communicating the essentials of our faith. The teachers, called catechists will help the children get comfortable in the space and will begin introducing them to the individual materials paying special attention to the interests and needs of each child. Our catechists this year include Genevieve Ferraez (LIII), Joanne Gish (LII), Carla Harris (LI), Jane Meyer (LI), and Kate Vander Laan (LI and LIII). Equally important are those who assist: Corina Berari (LI), Judy Braun (LI), and Kristi King (LII). For a more detailed description of what is happening in each level, read on. In these early weeks the 3-6 year-old children will revisit the model altar where they have learned about several different items found on the altar in the church. The youngest will learn about the chalice and the diskos while the oldest will learn about the iliton, antimens, star cover, and veils. Not only will they come to know the names of these items, but more importantly, they will hear the message again and again that Jesus loves them and offers all of himself to them in the Eucharistic meal. They will have many opportunities to respond to this love in the atrium in song, silence, art, and prayer. Again and again they will hear about the person of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, his Kingdom, and his great love for them whether at the baptism table, before the City of Jerusalem map, beside the model manger, or while holding a mustard seed. They consistently respond to this message with great joy. The 6-9 year olds (1 st -3 rd graders) will begin with a Great Lesson (a Montessori term) called the Fettuccia (Italian for ribbon ). This lesson is a powerful impressionistic experience of the history of the kingdom of God from creation through to Parousia the time when God will be all in all, death will be conquered, and there will be no more sickness or tears. While telling the story of the kingdom the catechist slowly unrolls a ribbon over BLANK feet long. The children, who now have a concept of time, are awed by the vastness of this history. It leaves them with a deep sense of God s divine providence and care. The period of Redemption that they have spent so much time with in Level I is contextualized and the concept of Parousia is introduced, so that as they begin to look to the future, they do so with a clear and powerful sense of hope. In our Level III atrium the year also begins with a Great Lesson. This one is called The Plan of God and takes the history that they learned in LII and emphasizes not only its unity and vastness, but the role of cultures and individual humans. Using the moral awareness and reasoning that emerged in their early years in LII, the 9-12 year-olds (4 th -

6 th graders) explore what their particular role might be in the kingdom how they might participate in God s plan to bring everything into communion with the ever-communing Trinity. While discovering their own prayer life, they ask themselves (and God) what they have to offer and how they are called to participate. They have a deep desire to do real work towards this end and will eagerly look for opportunities to bring their atrium work to bear on the life of the parish, the community, and the world, so keep your eyes out for these enthusiastic young people! What is the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd? You might ask where the Holy Spirit is in all of this. While it is worth mentioning that the Sprit is introduced in LI in the recounting of the annunciation and the meditations on baptism and the gesture of epiclesis, and that the Pentecost Celebration crowns the year in every level, what is most important is that we consider the Holy Spirit to be the primary teacher in the atrium. Our prayer is that we do our work in a way that allows the Spirit to counsel, teach, and mold the hearts of these young believers. Please join us in this prayer! COME AND SEE! Join us for our ANNUAL ATRIUM OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2013 during Coffee Hour The Catechesis (CGS) is an approach to the religious education and spiritual development of children that respects the pre-existent relationship between God and the child, and nurtures its continual maturation. By introducing the children first to the parable of the Good Shepherd, they come to understand that God is a Person Who provides safety, sustenance, and serenity to each and every one of His beloved sheep. This foundation is critical to their development as freely moral people. The roots of CGS lie in the research and experience of Dr. Maria Montessori and those who have continued her work. A trained scientist and medical doctor, Montessori s pioneering experiments in education took place over 100 years ago, yet continue to actively influence pedagogy in the public and private sectors today. Two of the most distinctive elements of her work are hallmarks of the CGS: a) a specifically prepared educational environment that draws out a personal response in the child and b) an exacting skill of observation employed by the adult. These two tools allowed her original students to experience an unprecedented level of academic success. By applying her method to religious education, the creators of CGS opened a door to understanding the spiritual nature of the child, enabling adults to nurture the child s spiritual formation and present information most effectively. To learn more, go to: http://www.stathanasius.org/ministries/ youth-education/catechesis/

Journey to Adulthood: A Teen Program that is not just a place to hang out, but a place to meet and know God! Stephanie Braun, Teacher Grades 9 & 10 The teens in our parish have picked up their pace again and are gearing up for hectic schedules! They are already participating in extracurriculars, and navigating interpersonal relationships, all the while studying for exams and finishing seemingly insane amounts of homework before the next deadline. Some of the students in our parish are excited, ready to tackle another year. Others are disappointed, groaning about losing sleep. Still others are somewhere in the middle glad to be back with friends but not quite ready for long days in a classroom. The school year has begun. And yet, it is not only the start of the school year, but of the Liturgical year, as well. It seems to be another way in which our Father looks out for His children. The teens are getting hectic and busy and can easily be overwhelmed by the year to come, but at this time the teen education program is also picking up. These teens have a steady support group who have come together again to pray for, guide, and love them. While the concept of a person or a small group, acting as a youth director or youth ministry team, is hardly a new one, the program looks a bit different this year. God, in His mercy and providence, has called together a group of 14 people to serve the teens. Recently, Fr. Nicholas, Val Yova, Mary Gish, Rebekah Cash, Terri Speier, Shirley Dillon, Paul Wintz, Michael Easbey, Stephanie Braun, Kristin King, Doug King, Lara Jacobs, Craig Speier, and Kent Fox met to confirm their commitment to the teens of St. Athanasius and to map out what the teen education program will look like this year. There will be three, separate groups this year: 7th and 8th grade, called Rite 13, 9th and 10th grade, called J2A (Journey to Adulthood), and 11th and 12th grade, called YAC (Young Adults of the Church). Each group will be led by one or two teachers, who will lead Sunday morning education sessions, and a social leader, who will plan social events and service projects. There will be a leader in charge of communication, with the families and the parish, and in a couple groups there is a silent partner, who

will make sure the leaders have everything they need to facilitate a meeting. There is an added adventure program, which will offer the students a few opportunities throughout the year to go on short trips anything from a major league baseball game to a kayak and camping trip to enjoy being with each other and to grow in their relationships. The main goal of the entire program is to keep the teens grounded in God, in their faith, and to ultimately support them in becoming active members of the church. Youth group is not just a place to hang out with other Christians, but is a place to meet and know God and then live that out in every aspect of life. All involved are excited and ready to get to it! What a blessing to have so many with hearts for the youth of this parish. We look forward to seeing where God leads this program through this upcoming year. Please pray for the program, for the teens, for the leaders, and for its growth. Journey to Adulthood Leadership Team for 2013-14 Fr. Nicholas Speier Director Grades 7-8 (Rite 13) Mary Gish, Teacher Doug King, Teacher Lara Jacobs, Support and Activities Grades 9-10 (J2A) Stephanie Braun, Teacher Paul Wintz, Teacher Rebekah Cash, Support Terri Speier, Activities Special Activities: Kent Fox, Jordan Schaefer Grades 11-12 (YAC) Craig Speier, Teacher Michael Easbey, Teacher Kirstin King, Support Shirley Dillon, Activities Publicity: Valerie Yova