(SEE BELOW FOR HOUSEBLESSINGS)

EVENTS IN FEBRUARY

Saturday, February 15th=    Saturday of the Dead        Divine liturgy: 9:00 a.m.

Monday, February 10th—Sunday 16th>>>      Meat-fare Week =   Last week to eat meat before Lent

Sunday, February 16th    Youth Religious Education after the Divine Liturgy: Church Hall

Saturday, February 17th—Sunday 23nd>>>>>Cheese-fare Week=Last week to eat diary before Lent

Sunday, February 23rd    Forgiveness Vespers after Divine Liturgy

Great Vespers and Ceremony: 11:30 a.m. Ice cream Social=   After the Divine Liturgy

Monday. February 24th     Great Fast Begins

 

 

 

 

House Blessings after Theophany
The Church teaches that we do not have two separate lives–a secular one and a spiritual one–but one human life, and that all of it must be holy. We must not be Christians for just a few hours on Saturday and Sunday, spending the rest of our life godlessly, that is to say, without God. The person who has united with Christ in the sacrament of baptism cannot be a part-time Christian, but must be faithful to Christ every-where and at all times–in church, at work, at home, in rela-tionships with other Christians, and in those with non-Christians–we must be faithful to Christ in the fullness of our life.
The Holy Church teaches us that a temple is not only a building in which we worship, but that we are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16); that the Body of Christ is not only that of which we partake at the Divine Liturgy, but that we are the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27). And just as the Gifts of the Eucharist are treated with reverence and kept in sancti-fied vessels in the altar, so should every Christian’s life be full of reverence and sanctity not only during a church ser-vice, but likewise outside the walls of the temple. A Chris-tian’s home must become a small temple, work–labor for the glory of God, and family–a small Church.
The Church helps her children strive for holiness in their lives and brings sanctification to every Christian home–a small temple. The Church blesses the very foundation of a home in the same way that it blesses the foundation of a church, it blesses a new Christian home in the same way that it blesses a new temple, and yearly, after the blessing of a parish temple with the water of Theophany, the Church brings this holy water into the homes of the faithful. The prayers for the blessing of a temple are different from those for the blessing of a home, because the function of a home is different from that of a temple, but the sanctifying action of the Holy Spirit is one. And just as in the baptism of our Lord all of creation is washed clean and sanctified, every year after the feast of the Baptism of the Lord (January 19, according to the secular calendar) Christians sanctify themselves and their homes with the water of Theophany.
The Church teaches us to sanctify everything: dwellings, places of work, all our pursuits, and the fruits of our la-bor. And just as a temple and sacred vessels, once sanctified and set aside for sacred use, can no longer be used for any-thing profane, in the same way a Christian washed in the baptismal waters, and his home, and all his works can no longer be the dwelling of sin and the works of satan, but only and always–the temple of the Holy Spirit and the fulfillment of the will of our Heavenly Father. This is why the Church blesses everything that can be found in a Christian home; and if something is not worthy of being blessed, then there should not be a place for it in the home of a Christian.

 

 

Normal Divine Liturgy times have resumed. Saturdays: Vespers Liturgy 3:15pm, Sundays: Divine Liturgy 10am, Compline Wed 8:30pm

This is wonderful news as Fr. Christopher will be resuming his place at the altar after a lengthy illness. God Grant Him Many Years!!!

 

Please consult bulletin or calendar for most updated dates and times. HOLY DAYS  5:30pm or 7pm Vespers day before and Liturgy day of. These will alternate for ease of attendance due to work or family scheduling in order to attend at least on of the Holy Days of Obligation services.

 

For confessions and baptismal or marriage preparation, if you and wait to contact Fr. Christopher at the rectory 570-343-6092

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