Many Years to Fr. Alexis & parishioners of St. Barnabas Mission!

pics of the new chapel in Courtenay-Comox!

baby James says thank-you (and that you can see the shower on victoria's flickr account, just click the picture)

Baby Shower for James Parson!

Thanks to everyone who came to the baby shower for little James today. It was great fun! Congratulations again to Stacey and Joe (and big brother Joshua)!

WELCOME JAMES!!!

Stacey gave birth to a boy this morning!!

Welcome to the world James David Michael!!

Please keep Joe, Stacey, Joshua and little James in your prayers.

God grant you many years Muryn!

My God-daughter (that still sounds so weird!) was baptized into Orthodoxy 2 years ago tomorrow.

God grant you many years Muryn!

Hockey Night in the BC Deanery!

"Nah nah nah nah naah naaah..."

We beat those four year olds with sticks and we're proud of it!

Go Goads!

20th Anniversary of Father's Ordination!

click picture to see large version,

click here to see slide show.

Deanery pics

I didn't get many pics at the deanery, but you can find a few at my flickr account here.

yet another fine sunday

It saddens me to have to write this...

FREE to a good home:

2 Male Neutered Cats with all shots up to date. 1 orange med-hair cat almost 3 years old. 1 Gray & White Long haired cat 3.5 years old. They are great with kids and other animals, very friendly, and good moucers. They need to have access to inside and outside. Take one or take both. Call Gabe or Amy (in Chilliwack) at 604-795-4223 or email lanteigne (at) shaw (dot) ca.

~sigh~

The only reason we are looking to do this is becasue with the weather getting cold, and them unable to come inside at our new house, we are worrying about them freezing to death. So if someone has a house or barn that they could go in and out of at their leisure, that would be ideal for them. They are great kitties!

This is us last Christmas (Amy is holding Weazley and Gabe is holding HoJu - Homer Junior).

one fine sunday...

All is well at twenty weeks!

Just a little visual update on how our pregancy is going... Thanks to everyone for all your prayers!

And congratulations to Fr Justin and Mat. Sarah on the baptism of their exquisite little Jensina, and love to Rhiannon and Greg who must be roughly at the same stage as we are (perhaps a little farther along?)

With love and prayers to our St Herman's family,

Cheryl+Matthew (+ the Kumquat)

Cocktail, anyone?

This photo is from the latest ladies get-together. It was a cocktail party at Amy's house celebrating her birthday and Muryn's birthday. I feel weird speaking in the third person.

So, when is the next get-together ladies? Do we have to wait until Christmastime? When can we get together in November?

BC Deanery Meeting

The first public Annual General Meeting of the BC Deanery (OCA) will be held on Saturday, October 28th, from 10am to 3pm at Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church, 75 E 43rd Avenue, Vancouver (in BC, of course!). Full details can be found in the poster below (click on the image to download a full-sized PDF version of the poster), redistribution of which is encouraged!

Our new little wonder...

(...click the photo to see the whole event on flikr)

I wonder who it could be...?

Someone we know celebrates their birthday today. But I promised I would not say who. So, here is a clue... this is the birthday person's patron saint:

The Holy Great Martyr Marina was born in Asia Minor, in the city of Antioch of Pisidia (southern Asia Minor), into the family of a pagan priest. In infancy she lost her mother, and her father gave her into the care of a nursemaid, who raised Marina in the Orthodox Faith. Upon learning that his daughter had become a Christian, the father angrily disowned her. During the time of the persecution against Christians under the emperor Diocletian (284-305), when she was fifteen years old, St Marina was arrested and locked up in prison. With firm trust in the will of God and His help, the young prisoner prepared for her impending fate.

The governor Olymbrios, charmed with the beautiful girl, tried to persuade her to renounce the Christian Faith and become his wife. But the saint, unswayed, refused his offers. The vexed governor gave the holy martyr over to torture. Having beaten her fiercely, they fastened the saint with nails to a board and tore at her body with tridents. The governor himself, unable to bear the horror of these tortures, hid his face in his hands. But the holy martyr remained unyielding. Thrown for the night into prison, she was granted heavenly aid and healed of her wounds. They stripped her and tied her to a tree, then burned the martyr with fire. Barely alive, the martyr prayed: "Lord, You have granted me to go through fire for Your Name, grant me also to go through the water of holy Baptism."

Hearing the word "water", the governor gave orders to drown the saint in a large cauldron. The martyr besought the Lord that this manner of execution should become for her holy Baptism. When they plunged her into the water, there suddenly shone a light, and a snow-white dove came down from Heaven, bearing in its beak a golden crown. The fetters put upon St Marina came apart by themselves. The martyr stood up in the fount of Baptism glorifying the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. St Marina emerged from the fount completely healed, without any trace of burns. Amazed at this miracle, the people glorified the True God, and many came to believe. This brought the governor into a rage, and he gave orders to kill anyone who might confess the Name of Christ. 15,000 Christians perished there, and the holy Martyr Marina was beheaded. The sufferings of the Great Martyr Marina were described by an eyewitness of the event, named Theotimos.

Up until the taking of Constantinople by Western crusaders in the year 1204, the relics of the Great Martyr Marina were in the Panteponteia monastery. According to other sources, they were located in Antioch until the year 908 and from there transferred to Italy. Now they are in Athens, in a church dedicated to the holy Virgin Martyr. Her venerable hand was transferred to Mount Athos, to the Batopedi monastery.

Happy birthday special seret person whom I love! God grant you many years!

Alisha.

These are pictures of my beautiful soon-to-be baby cousin Alisha.

My Aunt Alex and Uncle Sharon are in the process of adopting her from Bombay, in India and are running into endless amounts of red tape. Please pray for her and them.

She turned a year old today. The orphanage had to shave her for hygenic reasons (they don't have the time to wash and dry all the children's hair). Isn't she beautiful?

Our Jesse

I just had to share this picture with all of you. I took this picture at the kids market, a couple of days before he took off. You are loved and missed, Q.

Beauty... and coffeehouses... will save the world...

Fr. John sent around a note, agog at this beautiful Orthodox coffeehouse in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It's called Agia Sophia, after the church whose worship was so lovely it saved the Slavs. And this place even has an available Russian Samovar room for tea, books of good theology laying about, and other good food and drink.

Jensina is a week old

 
I know I'm little biased, but is she not perfection? 

Meet Jensina Marie

To settle the dispute over spelling and pronunciation (although this will probably not be the last time Jensina will have to deal with this question), we are overjoyed to finally be able to present to you Jensina (pronounced Yen-SEE-na) Marie, born at 7:19pm on Wednesday, August 30th. "Jensina" is a Scandanavian feminine form of "John" - after St. John the Theologian.

Jensina was the lightest of Matushka Sarah's newborns, weighing in at a "tiny" 8 lbs, 3 oz, but took the longest to come out, with labour starting at 3pm on August 29th. Despite the long labour, Matushka Sarah is doing well - thank you all for your prayers! - after the most peaceful labour and delivery we have ever had. Technology has its uses...

The boys are very excited - they started jumping up and down, shouting out "We have a sister! We have a sister!" when they heard the news - and have welcomed her into the family with great enthusiasm. As soon as we brought her home, Simon, following in a Hewlett family tradition, brought some toys and gave them to Jensina (Justin did the same when we brought Simon home):


We are looking forward to introducing Jensina in person after the forty days. Glory to God! And thank you for your prayers.

It's a girl!

Welcome to the world, Jansina Marie! (hopefully I spelled that right.) Both mother and daughter are very healthy and doing well.

Glory to God in the highest!!

Jensina Marie Hewlett

Glory To God!

Today, at 7 p.m. the Hewlett family welcomed little baby girl Jensina Marie (pronounced YEN-sina, meaning John in Norwegian) into this world. Matushka Sarah is officially un-pregnant!

Father Justin and Matushka thank everyone for all our prayers. (He sounds so happy!)

Glory To God!

uhhh...

Maria and Jordie's wedding

Yesterday, Maria Daphnis married Jordan Tyson at the Serbian Cultural Center in Burnaby.
Here, Maria's Dad walks her down the aisle.

This is the Orthodox portion of the ceremony.

Maria chats with Amy, Muryn, and Melissa during the reception.

God grant you many years Maria and Jordie!

A new thing

Matthew and I are two separate people, and consequently we have two separate blogs. However, we have become a part of something in which we are so entangledly mutually complicit, blessed, responsible, involved, affected, rejoiced, changed, excited and bewildered... that we've decided to start a blog together so we can share it with you.

Go check it out.

(Consider this our formal announcement)

With love,

Cheryl and Matthew

Good News!

Do you remember that movie "Kindergarten Cop" with Arnold Schwatshisname? Remeber the scene where he has a headache and some little kid says "maybe it's a tumor?" and he says (in that great accented voice) "It's not a tumor". The way he says it, it sounds like "too-mah". It's not a too-mah.

Well, that is what my Doctor said to me today. It's not a tumor. Yay! I don't have a tumor on my brain. Such good words to hear! Thank you all for your prayers - they worked!

Father Lawrence' Name's Day.

Would someone please bid dear Fr. Lawrence a happy belated name's day on our (Matthew and Cheryl) behalf? I'd appreciated that a great deal. And make sure you give him a good hug from us. Thanks.

this sunday

kurt just wanted to announce a 'pre-hockey soccer game' happening on the green this sunday after lunch. yeah, I know. I don't know what that means either. but the sign is funny, eh?

Goodbye Party for Phil and Biss

For everyone interested, we will be hosting a goodbye party for Phil and Biss at our place in Aldergrove on Monday August 21, starting at 6:00. Please R.S.V.P. if possible (although we won't throw you out at the door if you don't). So here are the details:

When: Monday August 21 at 6:00
Where: 25692 30A Ave, Aldergrove (directions below).
Why: Because we love Phil and Biss (we will have a large stock of tissues).

Hope you can make it!

-Dan

Directions from Hwy 1:
take the 264th exit South. Turn left on Fraser Hwy. Take your first right (265A). First left (30A). Our house is #26592 (on the right).

So...it's actually happening. We really are moving this time (being married to Phil, one never knows...).
This results in a number of things:
1) a VERY messy house
2) the need for a scale to weigh things we're shipping or taking as extra baggage on the plane...anyone want to lend us one?
3) last goodbye's and final visits. BOOK US NOW! We'd love to see as many people as we can, but are getting quite booked. Feel free to come to the Goodbye Party the boys and Alanna are planning on the 21st.
4) a garage sale this saturday, as mentioned below (we won't be there...). Feel free to come take our stuff.

We're going to miss you all so much!
~biss

Happy Saint Herman's Day!!

Yes, that is today!

At 7 pm we will have Great Vespers with a litya. Bring some juice and cookies along so we can be a bit festive at this feast of the glorification of our patron Saint.

We have a second parish patronal day, the feast of Saint Herman's repose on Dec. 13th. At that time, we will do an akathist to Saint Herman.

Some of you may have heard from Fr. Lawrence about Fr. Michael Oleksa, the guest speaker at the recent Archdiocesan clergy synaxis. Fr. Michael told a great many interesting things about his own experiences with Alaskan culture, as well as about the history of the Orthodox church and saints in Alaska. During one of his talks he was mentioning that Saint Herman is best known among the native Alaskans as an advocate and defender, as well as a wonderworker (mostly after his death-- only two miracles are attested in his lifetime.) Yet his akathist mostly speaks only of his exemplary monastic life.

During this talk, our Bishop Seraphim came over to Fr. Lawrence and asked if he would prepare a revised version of the akathist. As it happens, Fr. Lawrence was at that moment making notes on Fr. Michael's talk with that very intent. This akathist is now complete, but will not be published and go into public use until Bishop Seraphim is able to review and approve the final form. The new service incorporates phrases taken directly from the Life of St. Herman and other primary documents, such as letters written by those who knew the saint personally. Footnotes at the end of the service booklet will provide the textual references. (I believe Vladika asked Fr. Lawrence to do this task because previously Fr. Lawrence had done similar work regarding St. Arseny, in that case I think on the stichs for the vigil service.)

Moving Sale!!

Biss and Phil are having a Moving (don't cry) Sale Extravaganza this Saturday, August 12th, 2006 from 8:00am to 1:00pm.

Don't miss out! Everything must go!

They live in Langley. Their actual address can be found in the Saint Herman's Directory. You could also call them and ask, or let them know you're wondering, and they'll get back to you.

Low low prices on everything from the kitchen sink to moist towelettes!

sorry....

some were confused by my last post.
here is the link to the women's retreat happening in february w/fmgreen.

Shave and a Hairshirt II: Razorection

DSC00866
Originally uploaded by pasivirta.

Saints, Sinners and Angels

Hi All,

My show is up at Vancouver Public Library Central Branch. Come out to the "Meet the artist"

Saturday August 12 3:30 pm

Especially you models. Would love to photograph you beside your portraits.
All paintings & prints are up on my web: www.geocities.com/judyng_art

Judy

Prayer Request Update

I got a call from my doctor's office this morning. My blood results are back and they are NORMAL! Yay! This makes waiting until August 30th to have my cat scan a little more bearable now. So they are pretty sure there is nothing wrong with me now, but I will still have the cat scan to make sure.

Thank you for your prayers. And please keep praying. I'm, not totally out of the woods yet. If you can also pray that my cat scan date gets moved up. That would be great. There's nothing like being told you are in an urgent case of emergency, and then having to wait a month for the tests.

Apartments?

The time is fast approaching when students must return to their studies. Certain students, the kind who live on Vancouver Island, need places to stay in September. Okay, I'll admit it, these 'students' are Simon (my brother) and me. And yes, we need some apartment hunting help due to the fact that there is an ocean seperating us from yonder city.
Here are the requirements:

1. Something cheap! We are 'starving artists'.
2. Has to double as an art studio (non-carpeted floors, natural light)
3. Walking distance to Emily Carr ('walking distance' in the de Bree family does mean more than just 10 minutes)
4. Something older and with character would be a plus. We like hardwood floors and basin sinks too.

If anyone has any leads please let me know. (josina(at)interchange.ubc.ca) We would really really appreciate the help, otherwise we might have to commandeer someone's living room floor for a few days/weeks/months (just kidding).

Shave and a Hairshirt

"By confusing the existing with the nonexistent, the ritualistic religious outlook was extended to ordinary objects and customs of everyday life as well: everything native and Russian seemed Orthodox and everything alien was heretical and "heathen". Russians wore beards, and the beard became an essential symbol of being Orthodox, while the clean-shaven face was a sign of belonging to the Latin heresy. The council of the Hundred Chapters forbade the celebration of funeral services for those without beards, as well as the offering of communion bread or candles on his behalf; he should be counted with the unbelievers."
(quoted by Fr Schmemann in "The Historical Road of Eastern Orthodoxy")

update over at ....

Photos of Kai and Theresia's BBQ

More pictures of BBQ...

Phiss and Bill

So. Sadly. we must face the truth.

they are leaving.

however, we can and will send them off with a sweet-lovin' par-tay, as St. Herman's only can do.

It will be after the Dormition,

we will do it in Aldergrove at the house of many, just off 264 and Fraser Highway, where the BBQ will be in full effect, as will the fridge.


however, when is best? tuesday night after liturgy? or sunday afternoon-evening the 20th? I think sunday would be best because it is a weekend, and many people are already near church, so we can just wander to aldergrove around 4pm, and the evening will go until the ones usually last to leave are still there. thats Phil. always last to leave.

Or...any other suggestions? talk amongst yourselves, Gabe will post an update next week.

Progress

I just wanted to announce some shred of good news. I have just completed, printed and stapled my last paper for my Masters of Library and Information Science. Two years of my life for this degree are over. I still do not have a job or a place to live in Ottawa, where I want to go, but at least I can now say: it is over. I have done all the work for my MLIS degree and only have to show up to class two more times and I am done. Next week I am packing my house… (The 5th time I am packing in three years mind you).

Wanted to say also that I really appreciate all of you – without St. Herman’s I would not be orthodox today – in so many ways my life would be so dramatically different!

Speaking of this, when someone asked me in Ottawa how first came to the church, I realized my answer was faintly humorous: why did I go to St. Herman’s the first two times? Because I could not get a ride to my Anglican Church and Shannon Parker invited me along to St. Herman’s with her! : ) it seems that God uses many ways to get us on the journey we need to be on…

Prayer Request

Can I make a prayer request without really saying what it is for?

I received some alraming news from my Doctor yesterday. I might have something wrong with me. I have had some blood work done, and there are more tests set up for this week. Until we know if I have this thing, or not, I would really apreciate your prayers.

I'll keep you posted on my physical condition. My mental condition is a little worried and strained for the time being.

Thank you.

- Amy

Saplings!

Go to saplings, and see the new event!

Quote of the day

"Dan, I'm calling the chancellor of the OCA. Do you mind turning down homestarrunner a little bit?"
--Jesse Butler

Kai & Theresia's bbq this saturday!

Just a quick reminder that Kai & Theresia are hosting a bbq at their lovely home in pastoral Ryder Lake at 2pm. You need not bring anything except a lawn-chair or blanket to sit on. Come one, come all! Post here if you are in need of directions.

"I suggest converts (though this work is by no means limited to them) when I speak of Florovsky’s vision, because we too often waste our time becoming more Orthodox than our bishops, more Russian than the Tsar (to use one example), or just surrounded with the oddities of Orthodoxy. This doesn’t save our souls or anything else of use. I do not mean to generalize - most converts probably don’t fit this mold - but I know it’s a temptation. Mostly, it is easy as a convert to simply think of Orthodoxy as this great, unspoiled repository of the faith that we may now swim in and leave behind our trouble Western pasts. That is nonsense. It’s not an accurate view of Orthodox history or self-understanding, but a caricature. There is a vast repository, accessible by prayer, worship and study - a repository that is largely missing in the West. But accessing that repository is for the sake of salvation, both of ourselves and the world, and must be engaged, sometimes even in a critical fashion, in order to bring it into the present world and to engage the whole of who we are. That, too, is part of Florovsky’s vision."

these are just some parts of a fascinating article by Fr. Stephen Freeman over at pontifications, (if you're interested)
btw: I looked for Florovsky on Amazon. Sadly for us, his works are largely out of print now, and the used ones are going for as much as $1500!!!

on our 14th anniversary

"For Christians, the reason why it is ordinarily assumed that a marriage will go on 'til death do us part' has been that this advanced lesson in Charity which marriage opens into is a long, a difficult one, and the life span that my spouse and I are allowed will certainly not be nearly long enough to finish the lesson... I will have as much as I can do to learn this advanced lesson well with one other person; a harem will only confuse my efforts."
~Thomas Howard ("Hallowed be this House")

Tanzania

Hey Y'all, Stacy called from Tanzania and wanted me to tell everyone that she is well, and asks for prayers for the people there. she is surprised by the reality of people living in mud huts. poverty unmatched, and spiritual tranquility unmatched too. I wonder if they are related. hmmm...


anyways. she seemed to be very much enjoying her time, being humbled and being able to share some catechetical insights.

So, Hi From Tanzania!

Camping in paradisum

I have booked a campsite at the Pender Harbour Resort ( penderharbourresort.com ) for August 18 and 19 while I attend the Pender Harbour Chamber Music Festival. I'm just letting you all know in case someone(s) wanted to go camping that weekend and also perhaps attend the festival. (You don't have to attend all 5 concerts. One of them is free.) I thought if people did want to come, they may then take a trip to the monastery Sunday morning. Pender Harbour is roughly 1 hour from the ferry.

The campsite includes access to showers and BBQ (this is good because I don't know if I can light a campfire if I was put to it--but I can sure barbeque!). The cost is $25 per night. Let me know if anyone is interested.

Mat. Sarah's baby shower

Hey ladies,

I'm hosting a baby shower for Mat. Sarah on Friday July 28th, 6:00 pm. Address is in the directory.

This 'll be her last chance to party before baby # 3 comes along! Consequently, I decided have a no toddler/baby rule for that night, but if you're really stuck for babysitting, it's ok to bring them along.

Please rsvp a comment here on the blog or email me at peterjudyjoshua@hotmail.com.

Thanks,
Judy

one last chance

Well, dear friends, it is at last that time for me. I'm officially leaving my waitressing job at the Swiss Chalet in Surrey. Which means, you all have one last chance to see me walk around in a ridiculous blue shirt saying things like "would you like to upgrade to the white meat for 99cents extra?"
So, if you feel like chicken tonight (or tomorrow night) and you'd like to help make my last two shifts at the restaurant more fun and memorable, please feel free to stop by after vespers tonight or tomorrow evening, between 5:30 and 10. Strawberry cheescake is on promotion right now.
We're at 9666 King George Hwy. Come one, come all!

Pictures from my Europe/Mount Athos Trip

For anyone interested, you can view photos and comments about my trip to Mount Athos here.

Prayers Please

One of my old co-workers from Real Estate died today. He was a wonderful man, a great freind and a fabulous father. Can people please pray for his family. His name is Ian and his wife is Cathy and his boys are Brandon and Matthew.

Thanks.

The Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States

I happened upon this goldmine during one afternoon of scouring the internet for some suitable sunday school resources. I've mentioned it to a couple people who wanted the link, so here it is. It's a treasure. So incredibly thorough. I spoke with Fr. about using it, and he assured me that at this level, we are in agreeance with the Copts. They don't hold with any of the Ecumenical councils past the 4th, but other than that, it's fine. Phil actually told me a fascinating story as to why the Copts have become so proficient in educating themselves in regards to their faith; in a condensed version: the Presbyterian missionaries to Egypt forced them to give an answer for what they believed. Much to our benefit, the Coptic church in the US have put all of their resources on their website, free for download and personal or church use.

"Outsourcing" prayers and liturgies?

From Saturday's Vancouver Sun:

Catholic churches in Canada are so short of priests they "outsource" hundreds of requests for special masses to priests abroad, especially to India.

Not too many people know about it, but the practice has been going on quietly for decades, says Dean Hoge, co-author of the recently released book International Priests in America.

The novel form of outsourcing eases the burden on the dwindling number of Catholic priests here, and it helps impoverished priests abroad who receive a donation of up to $10 or $15, compared to the 40 rupees, worth about $1 or so, they would get for a similar request in India. . . .

Catholics can request priests to celebrate a mass for a particular cause, perhaps remembering a loved one, asking for help, or giving thanks. For a donation of about $15, the parishioner can have the intention announced on a website or in a church bulletin on a particular date or, for slightly less, he can forego choosing a date and publication. If there are too few priests to carry out the requests within a reasonable time, a bishop may send them off overseas. . . .

The idea of paying a priest to say a mass seems a little odd, but in the early days of the church, it was a priest's only income, said Powers. . . .

Rev. Paul Thelakkat, a Cochin-based spokesman for the Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church, told reporters: "The prayer is heartfelt, and every prayer is treated as the same whether it is paid for in dollars, euros or in rupees."

To ensure the ritual is done in a sacred manner, priests are restricted to one mass a day.

I want to say that this is just silly, but for all I know there is a legitimate explanation for this practise that would pass muster by Orthodox standards. Can anyone here illuminate this?

Meanwhile, Lark News has its own take on this sort of thing. :)

I'm confused now. When is my Name's Day?

Happy Name's Day to me. Again.

Wait. WHAT?!?

Allow me to boggle your brain:
1) My patron saint is the New Martyr Grand Duchess Elisabeth of Russia (formerly of Germany, hence the S).
2) She died on the 5/18 of July.
3) Okay, like that's not confusing enough: "the 5/18 July."
4) It's July 18 today. New Calendar (Right? I'm starting to doubt myself).
5) The Old Calendar is 13 daysbehind us, so it would technically be July 5th for them.
6) Oh, I'm so confused.
7) So I was thinking that according to the New Calendar my Name's Day would be on the 5th. But if today's only the 5th on the Old Calendar, then is it the 18th on the New Calendar? And are the saints celebrated by the whole Church at the same time regardless of the "debatable calendar date?
8) Christmas is celebrated on December 25th. We both say that, Old and New. But the Olds say that the 25th of December occurs 13 days (sun and moon rotations) (give or take?) later than when the News say it is. But it's both the same date: December 25th, at least nominally.
9) Which leads me back to my original confusion. Why the 5/18 July? Why not one date and leave it at that?
10) The OCA website says my Name's Day is July 5th. The Saint Barnabas Mission calendar (published by Saint Tikhon's) says it's today. But either way, shouldn't it be only one date?
11) And if she died on July 5th (New) wouldn't that be June 22 (Old)?

Can anyone else wrap their mind around this?


Disclaimer:
Don't worry. I'm not fretting over this. Until it's solved, I get two Name's Days, which is all right with me. But my head feels a little swirly today. I'm glad this isn't a pertinent theological or spiritual issue.

Also, I have no clue how to spell cala/ende/ar, despite being told over and over again, with clues how to remember it, so please have mercy on me.

Thanks,
Elisabeth the 5th. (or 18th?)


(or 22nd?)

This is Kailen. He belongs to one of my oldest friend's Kerry and her husband Scott. Kerry and I met at church camp when we were 11, and have remained very close friends. Vic, Amy, and Debbie might remember meeting Kerry at my home one night. She is a teacher at a girl's school.

Kailen was born two weeks ago, and had an operation on his heart right away. He will need to have one or two more heart operations to switch some arteries and do some special things to his aorta, once he is a little stronger. He will be eating through a feeding tube until after his operations to conserve his energy. He has been on and off the ventilator since he was born.

Scott and Kerry would appreciate our prayers so much. The hospital has said it would be good for Kaelen to be at home now for a few weeks, and so his parents are learning about all the special skills they will need to take good care of him. I told them I would pray and also ask for your prayers too.

Joshua sends greetings to his Canadian friends

A word from Joshua

camp photos now up!!!

(just click on the photo...)

I'm literate...just not overly computer literate

Dave's post below is much more important than this...so read it first.

I somehow deleted all the bottom stuff off my blog template. So I lost a bunch of blog links and all my archives. My home laptop had a mini meltdown the other day when I was trying to add a blog link and somehow the bottom never made it back on. Can any computer people fix this?

George, The unbearably affectionate Cat

Once again, I am offering up my wonderful cat, for a brief period, or if that doesn't suit you, you may have him on a more permanent basis as long as I may visit him.

He is adorable, and very affectionate. he still has claws, and has not destroyed anything, save a few styrofoam cups, and is well potty trained.

back in the saddle....

It's been a week of catchup in the parish for Fr. Lawrence.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the good wishes on our June vacation and the warm welcome back. It was a bit of a working vacation on the weekends-- Father was asked to preach at the monastery at Gibsons, and he had some dean-type things to do at the island parishes-- but it was nice to visit with folks in all three locations, as well as at St. Innocent's. Fr. Alexis and Elizabeth kindly put us up for a bit, and we got to see how the chapel is coming along-- check it out on their website.

Weekdays, we relaxed and did some touristy things around the Sunshine Coast and east Vancouver Island. Perhaps my favorite was this.

Special thanks are due to Fr. Justin for holding the fort. He has been working triple duty for the last month, doing services for both St. Herman's and St. John of Shanghai, as well as working through the busiest time of the year in his teaching job. Please pray for him and his family this Sunday as they leave direct from camp to drive to Calgary.

Both our priests will be in Calgary next week for the Archdiocesan Clergy Synaxis; therefore there will be no service in Langley on Wednesday and none in Vancouver on Thursday.

Submitted for your edification...

Welcome Home, Dan!!