St.Anna's Conception of the Mother of God
“Be glad, O barren woman who does not bear; break forth and cry out, you who are not in travail, for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married woman,” says the Lord. (Isaiah 54:1)
On December 9, the Church commemorates the conception of the Virgin Mary. This is another story that is nowhere recorded in the Old or New Testaments, but it was known to the early Christians, and it is also to be found in the Gospel of James.
Mary’s mother, Anna, was barren, but God heard her prayer and gave her a daughter in the person of Mary, whom Anna vowed to dedicate completely to God. The birth of significant people by barren women is a miracle we encounter several times in the Scriptures. Isaac, the son of Abraham, was conceived by the barren Sarah (Gen 18; 20); the Prophet Samuel was conceived by the barren Hannah (1 Kg. [1 Sam.]), and John the Baptist was conceived by the barren Elizabeth (Luke 1).
This serves as a reminder of our own spiritual barrenness and, notwithstanding this sterility in virtue, the possibility of yielding the fruits of repentance, however late it is. The barren women of the Bible put their trust in God and prayed fervently with faith and hope. So too should we not despair of our own lack of spiritual fruit, but rather pray all the more ardently that God may help us nurture the seed of repentance. Just as the holiest of men and women came forth from barren wombs, so can the greatest fruit of repentance spring forth from a single mustard seed (Matt 13:32).
With but one talent of grace, we can increase in virtue and holiness, if we turn to God in faith and repentance. The barren Sarah became the mother of many nations; the barren Anna became the mother of the woman who would give birth to the salvation of the human race; and all who lack virtue can become holy. Even the greatest sinner can become the greatest saint.
Vassilios Papavassiliou, Meditations for Advent: Preparing for Christ’s Birth, pp. 45-47.
Weekday Vespers is on Tuesday, December 10th at 6:00 p.m. We have a weekday Divine Liturgy on Wednesday morning (December 11th) at 9:00 a.m. (Hours at 8:40 AM), and this Friday, December 13th we will sing the Akathist Hymn for the Nativity of Christ at 6:00 p.m.
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The December Youth Group meeting is Saturday, December 14th at 2:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Please note that there is only one Youth Group meeting this month.
We have several Nativity Fast giving opportunities - Please help donate to Eastside HUB See the list near the containers in the hallway to the Fellowship Hall. Donations can be made online or in the basket for the Veteran’s grocery gift cards. Donations to the Good Samaritan Fund always are welcome and needed. On Sunday, December 15th, Church School children will be soliciting for donations to help provide livestock to families in poverty here in the US and around the globe.
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As always, fasting seasons are a good time to catch up on confession and get back in the habit if it has dropped off. (Per our bishop and guidelines confession should be on a regular basis, more or less monthly.) Father is available after all Vespers services and the Akathist services as well. He is also available by appointment before those services or at other times during the week.
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Please help and join one of our primary volunteer teams: Fellowship Hour, Cleaning, and Service Duty (Candle Room / Usher). Sign-up sheets are on the display case across from the restrooms, outside the fellowship hall.
Note: It will be assumed everyone is staying on their current teams - new sign-ups will be added to the current teams or extra teams will be added if we have enough volunteers. See Juliana Peck or Madrecita Emilia if you desire to make changes.
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We have an opening for Treasurer and a general Council Member. Each position is for a 3-year term. Serving on the council requires one to be in good standing as defined by our by-laws as well as a blessing from Father. Please see Fr. Dn. James or Ruth Kendall to nominate yourself or another (best to ask Father before nominating another as well.)
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We will have Church School and Foundations Class (Catechism) at 11:30 a.m. Please allow teachers and children to go first in the fellowship meal line.
All are welcome to Foundations Class. Catechumens should be striving to attend every class. Our high-school aged students are strongly encouraged to attend as well. Download The Orthodox Way of Life class text book if you have not already.
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Those who partake in communion should line up on the sides, next to the windows. Those in line on the choir side will commune from either chalice (Dn. James or Fr. Silouan). Those on the confession side will go strictly to that side’s chalice (Dn. Nicholas). There are a few who will come up the middle aisle due to age or health related reasons. No one else should. We are aiming to keep the middle aisle free as the “exit.”
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Father Silouan uses an opt-in email service to send out his communications (such as the Weekend Update) to the parish. This is a different service than the parish Listserv.
To sign up, click on “The Latest” in the menu above. Then click on "Email Signup" which is the first item in the drop-down menu.
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Don’t forget you can give tithes and offerings online, including designated funds. There are two ways to do this. First, you can use the green "Give" button on Father Silouan's "Weekend Update" emails. Second, you can use the menu on this page. Click on "The Latest," then click on "Church Connect." Finally click on the blue "Give Online" button.
Date | Matins | Epistle | |
Dec 15 | Skomorucha | Bergwall | |
Dec 22 | Plumley | Wales | |
Dec 29 | Skomorucha | Stultz |
Date | Coffee Hour | Service Duty | Church Cleaners |
Dec 8 |
Em. Peck / Jac. Peck/ Tice / David P. / Jul. Peck / A. Herninko |
Telep / Baldychev |
D. Peck / Long Sisters / Crozier |
Dec 15 |
Riley / Hojnicki / Neal / Roberts / Flynn / Reed |
Bunitsky / Morjana | Clause / Whalen |
Dec 22 |
Long / Hill / Stoyanova / Kiflemariam |
Riley / Riley | Skomorucha / Plummer |
Dec 29 |
M. Tsegay / B. Gabriel / Didonato / Plumley / Plummer |
Stultz / Najemy | S. Peck |
Date | Servers |
Dec 15 | Davis / Moses |
Dec 22 | Burns / Davis |
Dec 29 | Dorsey / Moses |
Jan 5 | Bergwall / Burns |
Jan 12 | Davis / Dorsey |
Jan 19 | Bergwall - Moses |
Jan 26 | Burns - Dorsey |
9 Dec 2024 at 6:34am
8 Dec 2024 at 6:35am
7 Dec 2024 at 5:29am
25 Nov 2024 at 5:17am
This Week's Schedule
Tuesday, December 10th
Weekday Vespers
at 6:00 p.m.
Men's Group
at 6:45 p.m.
Wednesday, December 11th
Hours
at 8:40 a.m.
Weekday Divine Liturgy
at 9:00 a.m.
Thursday, December 12th
Parish Council
at 6:30 p.m.
Friday, December 13th
Akathist for the Nativity of Our Lord
at 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 14th
Youth Group
at 2:30 p.m.
†††
Great Vespers
at 5:00 p.m.
followed by
Confessions
Sunday, December 15th
Matins
at 8:00 a.m.
Divine Liturgy
at 9:00 a.m.
followed by
Fellowship
followed by
Church School
and
Foundations Class
†††
Faith, Hope and Love Caroling
at 3:00 p.m.
Important Dates
Wednesday, December 25th
Great Feast: Nativity of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ