Brothers and Sisters,

Greetings in the Name of the Lord.

This coming Saturday, October 12th, 2024, The Burial Society would like to invite everyone to join them in honoring the memory of Schema Nun Elizabeth, who was known as Catherine MacLaughlin when she was a member of our parish. The group will gather at the Nativity of Our Lord Orthodox Monastery in Kemp, Texas, at 11:00 AM, with the memorial service beginning at 11:30 AM. Following the service, there will be a time of fellowship over lunch with Mother Barbara and the resident nuns. Please remember to bring your own meal.

Our Calendar

Fasting Days

Wednesday, October 9 and Friday, October 11

Daily Services

Monday, October 7--Friday, October 11, Orthros 5am and Vespers, 5pm (there will not be any daily vespers on Monday, Oct 7; also, if you wish to attend the daily services, it’s always a good idea to check the day before to make sure the services will be offered).

Fr. Andrew, Seth Hart, and Matthew Groh and many other folks continue to broadcast daily readings from spiritual books online. They are now back to reading “The Ethics of Beauty” by Dr Timothy Patitsas. The schedule is as follows: M-F at 12pm.

Also, our online team will now be reading the Daily Synaxarion on Discord. Just look for this channel: #synaxarion

Tuesday, October 8

Orthodoxy 101 7pm; you can also access the group on Discord

Wednesday, October 9

Fall Theological Seminar 7pm; you can also access the group on Discord

Thursday, October 10

The Bible Study, New Testament Edition 7pm; you can access this group on Discord

Saturday, October 12

St Thomas School 4pm
Great Vespers 6pm

Sunday, October 13

Sunday of The Seven Councils

Orthros 8am
Church School 8:15am
Divine Liturgy 10am
Fellowship Hour

Tuesday, October 15

Orthodoxy 101 7pm; you can also access the group on Discord

Wednesday, October 16

Fall Theological Seminar 7pm; you can also access the group on Discord

Thursday, October 17

The Bible Study, Old Testament Edition 7pm; you can access this group on Discord

St Thomas School

On Saturday, October 12, Benedict H. will be leading the discussion of chapter two of Volume I entitled, “The Age of The Ecumenical Church”. Online access is available on Discord; like to participate online, you still need to sign-up ahead of time. Just send an email to remote.meetings@theforerunner.org by Thursday, October 10, to reserve your spot.

Our Fall Theological Seminar

It’s not too late to join The Fall Theological Seminar. We’re reading a book by a Protestant pastor; the book is called Stability, and it’s available in the bookstore. But we’re not only talking about the spiritual advantages—and challenges—of sticking it out in a particular community, we’re also talking with folks in our parish who have done just that. Below is the schedule for the readings and the interviews, but plan now to join us in the parish house at 7pm each Wednesday evening through the start of Nativity Lent--and, while we will have an online option available for those folks who live at a distance, let’s not forget that the conversation is always richer and more meaningful if you are actually present.

Oct 9 Reading Assignment: Chapter 4. Stability and Place. Guests: Jerry and Maggie B.
Oct 16 Reading Assignment: Chapter 5. Stability and Change. Guests: Chris and Sarah S.
Oct 23 Reading Assignment: Chapter 6. Practices of Stability. Guest: Baker G.
Oct 30 Reading Assignment: Chapter 7. Where Do We Stay From Here? p 125-134. Guest: Mary K.
Nov 6 Reading Assignment: Chapter 7. Where Do We Stay From Here? p 134-148. Guests: John and Lindsey B.
Nov 13 Conclusion: The Final Stability

Coming Up

On Sunday, October 13th, at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, we will be praying for Schema Nun Elizabeth, who spent her final years as a nun at the Nativity Monastery in Kemp. Please take a few minutes to read her memorial bio in the email version of the newsletter, and feel free to join the group of Myrrhbearers who will be driving to the monastery on Saturday, October 12th to pray a graveside service for her.

On Sunday, October 20, we will have our next Safety and Security Rehearsal at the conclusion of The Divine Liturgy. This rehearsal will be for a medical emergency, so we will all simply walk to the Rally Signs at the north and south ends of our parking lots. The ushers will provide us with assistance and directions.

Our Moment of Grace and Courtesy

Please remember not to take food or drinks into the Parish House during Fellowship Hour or at any other time. It’s difficult to keep the building clean and even more difficult to keep bugs out of the building when we eat and drink there, so please do what the sign on the front door of the building says, and Do not bring food and drinks in.

Capital Campaign Countdown Column

Whatever is obtained as a result of long and persistent prayer will remain.

-St John Climacus

We are now well into the three year pledge portion of our capital campaign, so please go ahead and record your commitment on REALM. If you questions about how to do that, just contact Arun J. or Father Andrew Wilson. If you have questions about the project itself, please read through the FAQ that is attached to this newsletter, but, to help us get the most out of this historic effort, this week’s Countdown Column includes some news from Father Aidan about Holiday Shopping:

Of course, it’s that time of year, where you need to get at least ‘something’ for everyone on the list—family members, friends, co-workers—but, this year, thanks to our Capital Campaign and the prayers of St Eanswythe, the whole gift exchange process is going to get a lot easier.

We can set the example for that process by letting our extended family know that, instead of a gift card or an article of clothing that we will just end up returning, we would like them to donate whatever they would normally spend on our gift to the Temple Fund. You can just share the link to Realm with them or get them to send a check, and we will make sure the funds get to the right account.

Then we get let all our cousins and uncles and step family know that, for Christmas, we are going to be donating to the Temple Fund in their honor. To make that happen, all you need to do is stop by Christ the LIghtgiver Bookstore and pick up one of the special Christmas cards the store has put together for that very purpose. Let your cousins and uncles and step family know how much you will be giving, drop the card in the mail, and then donate that amount to the Temple Fund.

And, sure, you’re thinking, that sounds easy, but, seriously, how much money is that actually going to raise?

A lot more than you might think. Besides, as we have pointed out all along, every single donation helps because there are all sorts of on-going expenses with a project that’s this big—permitting fees, tests that have to be run, designs and plans that need to be generated or modified. So the more money we collect, the more money we will have to cover those bills.

And it’s a way to give everyone we know an opportunity to experience the excitement and joy of what we are doing—building a beautiful temple for the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

an unworthy priest

aidan