Sunday, September 30, 2007

Sept. 30th message from Fr. Lawrence & weekly bulletin

I have taken all your hugs, prayers & good wishes to Fr. Lawrence today. Tomorrow the doctor will tell us what level of activity he can return to in the weeks ahead. Meanwhile, for anyone who was not able to be at church today, here is the message read out by Dn. Kurt after liturgy today-- Mat. Donna


My dearly beloved brothers and sisters in Christ:

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Events of the last month have given me lots of time for reflection, and I would like to share some of these reflections each Sunday as a way of keeping in touch during my time of medical exile.

I have discovered, for example, that many thoughts go through one's head while lying on a gurney waiting to be taken in for eye surgery. The first thought that went through my head was, "Help! I'm trapped in an episode of /Grey's Anatomy /and I can't get out!" The second (and more enduring) thought was, "Now I know what Zech. 2:8 means." Well, actually, the numerical citation eluded me. But there was no mistaking the words of the Scripture: "He who touches you, says the Lord of Hosts, touches the apple of My eye."

In its historical context, this refers to God's care for the city of Jerusalem, newly-restored after the Babylonian captivity. In its mystical context, it refers to His care for the Church, the heavenly Jerusalem, the People of God. God declares that, just as a man jealously guards the apple (or
pupil) of his eye, so God guards and protects His people. Lying there on that gurney, waiting for nice people to stick sharp instruments into the apple of my eye, I had a renewed appreciation of God's care for us.
I felt very jealous about the apple of my eye. It was comforting (in
retrospect) to know that the Lord regards us in the same way. He loves us, cherishes us, jealously guards and protects us from all harm. He who would harm us harms the apple of His eye.

This is an important lesson, even for those who are not lying on hospital gurneys. All that we now have and enjoy will eventually fade: health, riches, sight, even life itself. Yet our true life remains untouched by the relentless parade of years. The outer man, St. Paul reminds us, is decaying, but the inner man, touched and transformed by Christ, is being renewed day by day. In this saving renewal, all is preserved by God's power, and will be restored to us in the Kingdom of God. Death, darkness and disaster cannot harm us, for we have a mighty Protector: the Lord of Hosts. He protects us from all harm, and he who would touch us touches the apple of His eye.

Your loving papa and fellow-servant,

Fr. Lawrence

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Notes from the bulletin Sept 30:

Services this week:

Wed. Oct. 3—Vespers

Sat. Oct. 6—Vespers

Sun. Oct 7—Liturgy w. blessing of THANKSGIVING HARVEST

Please bring your harvest bounty (on Saturday night or early before liturgy) to decorate the temple and be blessed with holy water.
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October newsletter & calendar now available in the narthex.
To find the newsletter info online, click on the first link in the sidebar column on this page.

To have an item included in a future bulletin, please contact
Rhiannon G 604-726-0619 myotherleft@gmail.com
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Fr. Lawrence Farley, rector, is currently on sick leave.
For all inquiries at this time, please contact

Dn. Kurt Jordan, 604-824-1214 kurtedwardjordan@gmail.com

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