Friday, July 28, 2006

Saplings!

Go to saplings, and see the new event!

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Quote of the day

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

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

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!!!

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

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")

Monday, July 24, 2006

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!

Sunday, July 23, 2006

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.

Saturday, July 22, 2006

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!

Friday, July 21, 2006

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.

Thursday, July 20, 2006

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.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

"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?)

Monday, July 17, 2006

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.

Monday, July 10, 2006

Joshua sends greetings to his Canadian friends

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.

Saturday, July 08, 2006

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.

Monday, July 03, 2006

Submitted for your edification...

Welcome Home, Dan!!

What is a Po-mo?

A po-mo is a "post-modern".

Emergent Church services (at least the one I attended in Calgary) feature coffee-shop style seating, coloured lights, candles, locally created music and visual arts, "Eucharist" at the end of every service (serve yourself) and interactive sermons. It is really an honest attempt to "fix" the modern church.

What I most appreciated was the attempt at creating community; we were encouraged to turn to each other for support, not only attending Bible study together but also hanging out, going to movies, etc. I know it sounds forced (why would you need to encourage community?) but a lot of people who go to church together never bother with each other outside of that place.

When I discovered Orthodoxy, suddenly the need to fix the Church evaporated since it was never broken, and I hope that current po-mos will discover this amazing secret too!

Saturday, July 01, 2006

exponential hospitality

Who here is with me in thanking Kurt and Victoria for their hospitality?

Thank you for opening your home to us on Friday.

Thank you for allowing us to share our lives with each other.