reminder

If you have donation-in-kind receipts to submit for St. Herman's please bring them by next Sunday.

January 2nd.

Christmas Service Times Reminder!

Fri. Dec. 24 6PM Christmas Eve Vigil

Sat. Dec. 25 9 AM Christmas Liturgy NO meal after and NO Saturday vespers in the evening

Sun. Dec. 26 10 AM Liturgy-- NO Matins preceding, Lunch as usual after.

Fr. Lawrence will be leaving immediately after Sunday liturgy for vacation.

Wed. Dec. 29  7 pm Deacon's vespers
and New Year's Day Sat. Jan 1st, 6:30 pm Deacon's vespers

Fr. Lawrence will return for Jan. 2nd Sunday Matins & Liturgy

Christmas Cards

Thank you to those of you who ordered Christmas cards and participated in this Youth Fundraising Initiative.

From the sale of the cards we were able to collect $125.00 to donate to the upcoming Youth Retreat in February.

Thanks again!

Post-Christmas Liturgy Breakfast

Hi all!

The Gascoignes would like to extend an invitation to all our St. Herman's family for a Christmas breakfast at our house after liturgy on Christmas Day.

We did this last year and it was a jolly event, and a lovely way to spend those hours before your pre-Christmas dinner nap time. We'll have the wood fire burning, the music playing, the bacon in the oven, and the eggs in the pan. It would be lovely if people could bring a few things to share, but the best thing to share is your presence.

Hope to see you all there!

Love Gascoignes

Holiday Fundraiser Initiative

I would like to help the youth group raise funds for their Winter Retreat by selling Christmas cards to the parish.

Cards would be ordered in advance and available for pick-up or distribution on Sunday December 19.

The price for individual cards is $3.50 or 5 for $15.00 (excluding the oversized card). $2.50 from the sale of each card will be donated back to the church for youth events, such as the Winter Retreat. The remaining funds will cover the cost of materials and time.

There are 6 styles to choose from. All cards are made with paper obtained from an environmentally sustainable paper mill and prices include envelopes. Photos can be mounted on red or green cardstock for an additional 25c/card (or $1.00 flat fee for groups of 5).

Many thanks for your participation in this fundraising initiative. Please feel free to speak to me directly if you wish to place an order or email us before Friday December 17.

Love in Christ, Peter & Macrina Hall

radiantgalaxy@shaw.ca

Book Request

Posted on behalf of Fr. John/Hannah Pryadko

Father John Bingham is collecting used Orthodox books for one of his parishioners who owns a used book store. The man and his wife are going through a rough spell financially; the wife recently hit a moose while driving and their car was totaled. Insurance did not cover the damage and in addition to that, the wife had to stop working to undergo surgery and will be off for recovery and rehabilitation.

The book store business is slow. Father John is hoping that as well as making Orthodox reading material available to the public through the book store, the proceeds will help to provide a bit of additional income to this struggling couple.

If anyone has any used Orthodox books that they are no longer reading or using as reference, or second copies of good Orthodox books that they would like to donate, please give them to Hannah Pryadko to send to Father John. They will be sent out the first or second week of December. Thanks so much.

Hannah

Event Reminders this week

**update-- December calendars and Christmas Tree blessing leaflet will be available in church this weekend. Bulletin next weekend.  


Sunday Nov. 28th-- 2 pm baby shower to welcome baby Meredith at Ana W's

Wednesday Dec. 1st-- 7 pm Bp. Irenee is with us for vespers & coffee time. Please bring some finger food!

Episcopal Visit December 1st

Vladika Irenee will be with us for 

Wednesday vespers at 7 PM 

on December 1st. 

If you can be with us for the service that evening, 

please bring some Lenten snacks 

for a brief informal coffee time afterward. 

Women's Annual Advent Quiet Day

11 am  till 5 pm on 

Saturday, December 4 

at Theresia's 

Address and directions will be posted at church.

Bring something  Advent-friendly  and tasty to share. 

Welcome Baby Bishop on the Eve of Advent!

WELCOME to the newest St. Hermanite, little Meredith Jean, who arrived this past week. Ladies please remember that there will be a baby shower at Ana W's at the end of the month, Sun. Nov. 28th after church. See details here. 

Meanwhile, this Sunday is the last day before Advent-- time to use up all your non-fasting food!

Details are found on your liturgical calendar at home and in the November bulletin available in the church narthex.

Memory Eternal

... to our much valued sister in Christ and long time parish member

 Edith Lorraine Gavriel,

 who fell asleep in the Lord this morning. 

   Her funeral will be 

at St. Herman's

Tues. Nov. 9.  

Viewing at 9.30 am, 

funeral at 10.00 am, 

interment in Langley following.  

FALL BACK THIS COMING WEEKEND!!

Don't forget to turn your clock back an hour on

Saturday night, November 6th 

(unless you don't really want the extra hour of sleep that night, of course!)

SPECIAL Wed. Oct. 27th NO VESPERS-- TWU event Fr. John Behr

PLEASE NOTE: for this date only, Oct. 27th, our Wednesday daily vespers will be CANCELLED to enable us to attend this free event with St. Vlad's professor Fr. John Behr at Trinity Western University.  Fr. John has agreed to spend a little time with us afterward, likely at the Dublin Crossing-- details to be confirmed on the day. 

Map & Directions to TWU

The Very Rev. John Behr, Professor of Patristics, St. Vladimir’s Seminary in New York 

WED. OCT. 27^TH AT 7:30 P.M. 

IN THE NW AUDITORIUM AT TRINITY WESTERN UNIVERSITY

 SPONSORED BY THE CANADA RESEARCH CHAIR IN INTERPRETATION, RELIGION AND CULTURE

AND BY THE RELIGIOUS STUDIES DEPARTMENT AT TWU.

“Orthodox Christianity as Paideia: Faith, Reason, and Culture in the Early Church.”

Fr. John Behr is the Dean of St Vladimir’s Seminary and Professor of Patristics, teaching courses in patristics, dogmatics and scriptural exegesis at the seminary, and also at Fordham University, where he is the Distinguished Lecturer in Patristics. Fr. John hails from England, though his family background is Russian and German - and clerical on both sides.

After completing his first degree in Philosophy in London in 1987, Fr. John spent a year studying in Greece. He finished an M.Phil. in Eastern Christian Studies at Oxford University, under Bishop Kallistos (Ware), who subsequently supervised his doctoral work, which was examined by Fr. Andrew Louth and Rowan Williams, now Archbishop of Canterbury. While working on his doctorate, he was invited to be a Visiting Lecturer at St Vladimir’s Seminary in 1993, where he has been a permanent faculty member since 1995, tenured in 2000, and ordained in 2001. Before becoming Dean in 2007, he served as the editor of St Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly, and he still edits the Popular Patristics Series for SVS Press.

His early work was on issues of asceticism and anthropology, focusing on St. Irenaeus of Lyons and Clement of Alexandria. After spending almost a decade in the second century, Fr John began the publication of a series on the Formation of Christian Theology, and has now reached the fifth and sixth centuries. He has recently completed an edition and translation of, and introduction to, the remaining texts of Diodore of Tarsus and Theodore of Mopsuestia. He has also published a synthetic presentation of the theology of the early centuries, focused on the mystery of Christ.

Fr. Behr is the author of the following books which will be available for purchase at the lecture:

• The Mystery of Christ: Life in Death (Crestwood, NY: SVS Press, 2006). 186 pp.
• The Nicene Faith, vol. 2 of The Formation of Christian Theology (Crestwood, NY: SVS Press, 2004). 2 vols in paper; single hardcover volume 580 pp.
• The Way to Nicaea, vol. 1 of The Formation of Christian Theology (Crestwood: SVS Press, 2001). 261 pp

Baby Bishop

Just a reminder to the parish women about the baby shower for Robyn & Ryan's wee one

When: Sunday, November 28th
Time: 2:00pm
Where: Ana Wright's house
What: please bring something edible to share - remember it will be the Advent fast.

Also - I am collecting money for a stroller so if you are so inclined you are welcome to give your stoller donation to me any Sunday between now and November 21st.

Thanks!

Re: The Allegations against Abp. Seraphim

By now most of you have heard that our Archbishop is under investigation by the Winnipeg police. He is on a leave of absence, which was announced on OCA.org. That announcement is also quoted by Bishop Irenee in a newly posted letter,which can be read via this link:

http://archdiocese.ca/news/2010/20101006-Leave-of-absence.htm

Some of you were present at vespers on Wednesday when we prayed about this matter, along with various other requests for particular needs, as we do every vespers. At that time, Fr. Lawrence gave a brief message prepared by him with help from Dn. Kurt and Dn. Greg. Several people have since asked for a copy, so it is now being posted here. You will find that Fr. Justin has also posted a helpful message on the St. John's blog.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
No doubt most of you will have heard about the allegations made about our Archbishop in the media. Regarding this situation, I would like to say the following:
1. The first thing to remember is that Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever. He is the true head of our Church, not Archbishop Seraphim or Fr. Lawrence or anyone else. As such, we continually look to Him for support. As the Scripture says, the joy of the Lord is our strength.
2. The archdiocese is currently in the capable and loving hands of Vladika Irenee, who has been given the task of being the Administrator of the Archdiocese for the present time. He has been at our church, and we have already experienced his pastoral care. 
3. The clergy of the Archdiocese, to the best of my knowledge, do not know anything beyond what they have read in the media and on the official OCA website. We found out about this situation when everyone else did.
4. The Archbishop has not been charged yet with anything. Certain allegations have been made, but to date, no charges have been laid.
5. The Church is cooperating with the police, and is also conducting its own investigation, as mandated in its Policies, Standards and Procedures on Sexual Misconduct. 
6. The early date of the alleged offence has no moral significance for the question one way or the other--the passage of time in itself does not lessen any offence.
7. The sacramental acts done by any cleric are not dependent upon his moral state--any baptisms or ordinations done by the Archbishop will remain valid regardless.
8. The proper response to the situation is prayer for all concerned, not speculation.
It is tempting to cope with the situation by talking endlessly about anticipated or feared outcomes.
The hardest thing is to simply wait and pray. But we must not let either any love for our Archbishop on the one hand, or any sense of moral indignation regarding the alleged offence on the other, dislodge us from our posture of prayer. We do not know the events of the past, or the outcomes of the future. All we know is that we are all in the hands of God.

All my love in the Lord,
Fr. Lawrence

Thanksgiving next weekend-- please bring your harvest baskets for blessing!

Sorry this announcement got missed yesterday! 

Sun. Oct 10th—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.

Via: OnlineSchools.org

Baby Shower for Baby Bishop

On Sunday, November 28th the church women will gather at Ana Wright's house at 2:00pm for a baby shower for the newest little Bishop. Robyn is due at at the end of October/beginning of November so by then the wee one will have arrived.

Robyn has advised that she and Ryan need a stroller. So if you would like to contribute towards the stroller please let me know. I'm away from church for the next 2 weeks but after that I will collect money for and then buy the stroller.

Feel free to do your own gift as well!

Feel free to bring some snacky foods for us all to share while we ooh and ahh over the baby!

I am part of a large family

SHORT NOTICE-- VISIT OF RELICS OF ST. VLADIMIR TO VANCOUVER!

Archdiocese of Canada BC Clergy have just received the following URGENT last minute notice about this historic event from Abp. Seraphim.

Please see the info on the archdiocesan website: 

http://archdiocese.ca/  


(nb. the Holy Resurrection website says the service will be held at Saturdy vespers and at Sunday liturgy, but I gather from HE's message that perhaps there was some sort of delay, and now there will be a service held Sunday evening at 6 pm. I am also told that Fr. Michael hopes to have English as well as Slavonic used in the service.)  --- Mat. Donna 


-----------------------------------------------------
Dear Brothers,

I am writing to tell you that the Relics of the Holy Prince Vladimir of Kyiv are in Holy Resurrection Sobor this week-end. An Akathist will be served there Sunday evening at 1800 hrs. You are all welcome.

I am sorry for short notice. We could not tell until the last minute when and how the Relics would come from the Kyiv Caves, and we had to devise our agenda at the last minute.

Love in Christ,
+Seraphim

ordinations

full album here

full album HERE!

Christie's Goodbye Party!!!!

Hey everyone!

Don't forget that Christie's goodbye party is THIS FRIDAY at the Gascoigne residence. That's 9642 139th St in Surrey. She's away to Winnipeg indefinitely at the end of this month a deserves a proper send -off: so y'all turn up ok?

The festivities begin at 4-ish. I will provide calories in the form of flourless cake (Christie is gluten intolerant) and a few other snacks and drinks, but we'll appreciate any other contributions to the table.

Also, don't forget this is a FORMAL occasion-- which means it will be MUCH more fun if people turn up dressed the nines for a cocktail party. We won't turn anyone away for being underdressed of course, but we may have other "decorations" to utilize if your attire appears to need it. Trust me, it'll be terrific fun.

Looking forward to a stellar night. Contact Rhiannon if you have any questions about what you can bring!

Thanks!

Gascoignes

Hierarchical Liturgy EARLY this Sunday Sept. 12th!

Vladika Seraphim will be with us to visit on Sunday, and one of our readers will be ordained to the subdiaconate. (I don't know if he wants a fuss made, so I am not posting his name just now. :-)

There will be NO matins, and instead we will formally greet the bishop upon his arrival at 9:30 AM  

It would be wise to arrive well -before- 9:30 if you can. Also, please remember to bring a little extra food as these visits always draw attendance from beyond the parish. As a monk of course Vladika does not eat meat, so cheese, eggs and fish will not go amiss. Plenty of green veggies are also good for his health.

Marriage Encounter

Dear brothers and sisters,

On Sunday September 26^th a couple from Marriage Encounter will be visiting St. Herman’s to give us a presentation during coffee hour, regarding Marriage Encounter Weekends.

Marriage Encounter offers Christian married couples a unique tool to help grow communication in their marriages, in a private setting, during Marriage Encounter’s planned retreat weekends.

Marriage Encounter is a program which was founded by the Roman Catholic Church, however, it has been adapted and used by Orthodox and Protestant Denominations as well.  The closest Orthodox Marriage Encounter is in California, thus this Marriage Encounter will be presented by the Roman Catholic Church.  As the message in any Christian Marriage Encounter is the same as the Orthodox Marriage Encounter, namely growing communication and love in marriages, while recognizing Christ as the focal point in the Christian marriage, the upcoming Catholic Marriage Encounter will undoubtedly be useful to the married couples in our community.

I deeply encourage all of the married couples in our community to attend a marriage encounter weekend, as Marriage Encounter is a program designed for GOOD Marriages, to help good marriages grow stronger by encouraging communication and mutual love in Christ.

Please plan on hearing the upcoming presentation on Sunday September 26^th. If you wish to look into Marriage Encounter in advance, their website is www.wwme.org

Your servant in Christ,

Dn. Gregory

Women's Night - Sit 'n' Stich

There has been talk about starting up monthly women's nights, now that the summer is over and most people are back from their holidays. Because we are already hosting youth group in September, I would like to offer to host a women's night Chez Hall on Friday October 29th. We can make parking and car-pooling arrangements since our area isn't particularly favorable when it comes to parking!


Also, I was thinking of canvasing the community to see if anyone was likewise interested in putting together a regular Sit 'n' Stich. Imagine if you will, a cozy room with comfy chairs, fire roaring in the corner, steaming cups of tea and coffee and hot chocolate grouped on a coffee table, and mountains of yarn and fabric creations gracing the laps of a small collection of individuals who have gathere for a common interest: creating with their hands something not only functional, but beautiful! This kind of get-together would provide a neat opportunity for getting to know people with whom we might not otherwise socialize. Since there are a LOT of knitters and crocheters and quilters and other crafty gals in our ever growing community, this would be a great excuse to get together semi-regularly... not to mention get those projects done!!

For those who don't have specific projects in mind, there is also the possibility of gathering a collection of hand-made scarves, hats and mitts to contribute to the Diakonia, and keep warm the bodies of those who will suffer in the cold and wet this coming winter.

September events

Here are the September events from the newsletter-- hard copy available at church this weekend. Also, don't forget to update your info in the draft copy of the directory in the narthex. 

                      

Wed.  Sept 8  7 pm.  Nativity of the Theotokos

                               Vesperal Liturgy  Fish allowed at meal after

                          

Sun. Sept. 12   9:30 am     Greeting of Bishop

                        10:00 am Hierarchical Liturgy

Tues. Sept. 14  7 pm Vesperal Liturgy & Lenten Meal

Fri. Sept. 17     7 pm Farewell for Christie G at Gascoignes’

================================================= 

Fasting this month

Regular Wed & Fri fasts:  NO meat, fish, dairy or eggs

 except:

Wed. Sept. 8th Nativity of the Theotokos Fish permitted

Fri. Sept. 24th Holy New Martyrs of Alaska fish permitted.

*NB  Tues.  Sept. 14th Holy Cross Day is a strictly Lenten fast.  Please remember to bring NO meat, fish, dairy or eggs to the post-liturgy meal that evening.

 =================================================

A visit from our Archpastor

Sunday Sept.12th 10 AM

Hierarchical Liturgy served by

Archbishop Seraphim

Please arrive EARLY so that we may greet  our Vladyka

 ============================================

 Youth plans 2010-2011

First meeting of the New Church Year will be at the Halls’ in Langley on Fri. Sept. 24th 7 pm.

The traditional Pumpkin Patch outing will take place on Sun. Oct. 24th.

A Winter Youth Retreat is being planned for February. More info coming!

  

    

Prayers

As some of you may be aware, last week a young girl (15) from the Lower Mainland was reported to have jumped out of her mother's moving vehicle after an argument with her and died from a head injury caused on impact of her fall.

A friend at work knows the family well and has given me their names that our church and wider community might remember them in prayer. The family's name is Delesalle, and the mother (who is likely particularly distressed at this time) is named Patricia. They have two other children.

The funeral for the young girl was today.

Thank you,
macrina

Reminder-- fast day on Sunday August 29th Beheading of John the Baptist

The Beheading of St John the Baptist, a Feast day established by the Church, is also a strict fast day because of the grief of Christians at the violent death of the saint. In some Orthodox cultures pious people will not eat food from a flat plate, use a knife, or eat food that is round in shape on this day. 


Please remember to bring only strictly lenten food to church this Sunday-- no meat, fish, eggs or dairy. 

The Orthodox Church magazine online

The spring/summer issue 2010 includes an article by Fr. Richard Rene, formerly of our parish and now rector of St. Aidan's Cranbrook.

(see full resolution photos HERE)

Christopher update, and thanks

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dear brothers and sisters;
Macrina Lewis has passed on her deepest gratitude to all of you at St Herman's, for the card and generousity her family received.
Her husband Christopher is done with his three (!) surgeries on his leg and is mending- he's nearing the end of a very fragile 10-day resting time following the final surgery.

From one of Macrina's emails:
"...But I did get loud and clear that this was a VERY complex break, with bits and pieces 2.5" away from where they should have been. And [the doctor's] impression on opening it all up was that he's rarely seen an injury like that. The upshot of his brief report was that the knee is now "mechanically sound" and that his part went smoothly. He also reiterated that it will be 12 weeks of non-weight-bearing, with some exercising of the knee after about 3-4 weeks."

Please keep them in your prayers, and thanks for your love.

-Mark Basil
(PS given it's after sunset... Blessed Feast Day to you all!)

August 9th Our Patron Saint's Day!

Edit 2015. St. Herman's Day falls on a Sunday this year. Here is some material about St. Herman:

Read the Life of Saint Herman


Listen to Alaskan singing in Yup'ik

-- the Tropar of Saint Herman of Alaska! 

Transfiguration Vesperal Liturgy & blessing of grapes tonight!

....with the Blessing of Grapes and other summer fruit harvest, so please remember to bring these with you! 

Fast from noon in preparation for receiving communion tonight.

Also fish will be permitted at the festal meal afterward, as we celebrate the Transfiguration of Our Lord tonight on the eve of the Feast.

Painters needed

reposting to bring this to the top-- not sure if anyone has volunteered yet? MatD

Painters Needed

I am looking for painters to help paint the church's exterior this saturday and the next friday+saturday.

We will start at 8am on saturday. Please contact me if you are available (604-727-1014).

Johann

dwong[at]ecuad.ca

Hey look, I'm on Spruce Island!

This is neat. Hi folks! I know this sounds a little sad, but I figured it can't really hurt. I'm hoping to move back to Langley from Burnaby this September, so I thought I'd send out a shout: if there's anybody who happens to know of a two-bedroom home for rent at a fairly low price in Langley or east Surrey, or of a good job opening in town, please let me know! My lovely roommate-to-be and I are on the prowl. (Well, only I am on the prowl for a job. She has a job. We're on the prowl for a home.)

Many thanks!
Erin

Painters Needed

I am looking for painters to help paint the church's exterior this saturday and the next friday+saturday.

We will start at 8am on saturday. Please contact me if you are available (604-727-1014).

Johann

dwong[at]ecuad.ca

AUGUST EVENTS at St. Herman's

Apologies for not having the bulletin printed in time for Sunday. What with the assembly (and having to wait for Fr. Lawrence's report to go in the bulletin), the bulletin was completed but not printed. It will be available at Wednesday vespers. Meanwhile, here is a reminder that the next special event is the Vesperal Liturgy on the Eve of Transfiguration  7 pm this Thursday Aug 5th. FISH permitted at the meal afterward. Here are the upcoming August special events & fasting rules:   

AUGUST SPECIAL EVENTS

Thurs. August 5  7 pm.  Eve of Transfiguration

                         Vesperal Liturgy,  Blessing of Grapes

                           Fish allowed at meal after

Sun. August 15    Dormition Liturgy w Blessing of Flowers

Sun. August 22    Bingham Farewell after Liturgy                             

Fasting this month

Dormition fast runs August 1– August 14.

 NO meat, fish, dairy or eggs except that

fish is permitted for:

Aug. 6th   Transfiguration

Aug. 9th   St. Herman

Aug 13th   St. Tikhon

No fast on Dormition Sunday Aug. 15th, after which 

regular Wed/Fri fasting applies again.

**Special note on Feast of Beheading of John the Baptist:

Sunday August 29th Like Holy Cross Day, this feast is also a strictly Lenten fast. As it falls on a Sunday, please remember to bring NO meat, fish, dairy or eggs to the post-liturgy meal that Sunday.

 

Finally, a big thank-you to the Lerches for hosting another wonderful BBQ. Rumour has it that next year we may hold vespers right there on the mountain!

See you at church, and may your fast be blessed.