Sunday of Orthodoxy Icon Procession

We will be doing a procession with icons at liturgy this coming Sunday March 4th, the Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy.

You may bring icons from home to carry if you wish. The picture below shows the correct way to carry the icons in procession. Please be sure your children are able to do this without dropping the icons. Before and after the procession they should also be handled reverently. There are not many spaces to place them in the windows at church, and they should not be piled on the floor, so a member of the family may have to slip back into the hall or your car to place them in a safe spot before we continue on with liturgy and communion.

I did see one interesting pictue online from Russia or Ukraine, but could not find it again to post here. It showed some littler children with small  cardboard print icons on a string around their neck. This might be an option for those with smaller children, but if so, after the procession do see that these also are treated reverently and put away so that children do not play with them.  

Meanwhile, the service schedule for the rest of this opening week of Lent are to be found in the post just below this one. 

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First Week of Lent Services

March calendar will be at church this weekend. Please note the FIRST WEEK services:

* please remember all foods EXCEPT meat are permitted at tomorrow's lunch for the last time until Pascha

Lent begins with FORGIVENESS VESPERS after lunch tomorrow, Sunday Feb. 26th




* please SIGN UP to bring foods for the Lenten meals after PreSanctified liturgies.
   Lenten foods include Seafood & Shellfish, but NO meat, dairy, eggs or fish. A sheet with fasting rule details is available at church.


First week of Lent evening services-- 7 pm

• Monday Feb. 27-- Canon of St. Andrew
• Tuesday Feb. 28-- Canon of St. Andrew

• Wed. Feb. 29-- PreSanctified Liturgy & Lenten meal

• Thurs. Mar. 1-- NO service

• Fri. Mar. 2 -- PreSanctified Liturgy & Lenten meal

Clothed in humility and repentance

We are approaching one of the most beautiful and challenging days of the Church Year-- the Sunday of Forgiveness. 

Immediately after lunch this Sunday Feb. 26th, we will return to the church to do the service of vespers with the rite of mutual forgiveness. If you have not experienced this service before, I can tell you it is a little like the exchange of the Peace-- but on overdrive!

There are some practical logistics to note. If you have any mobility issues, please don't worry about making the prostrations 'correctly'; like everything in the Orthodox faith, the outward forms are meant to reflect inward reality, and the inward reality takes priority. If you are out of breath after a few prostrations, don't push yourself too hard.

Of particular note is the issue of clothing, which you may not have thought about. Our parish does not have, and hopes never to have, anything resembling a 'dress code'. All are welcome in this holy temple and community, regardless of their appearance.

However, it is important that we dress modestly so as not to disrespect the reverent atmosphere of the liturgy or to cause distress or stumbling to our fellow worshippers. In the Lenten services we perform prostrations to the ground, and this needs to be taken into account when dressing for church. Hemlines at knee length may be perfectly modest while standing in the service, but some styles may ride up when making a prostration, or even sometimes when making a poklon (bow from the waist) while venerating the icons. Get a friend or family to help you make sure your outfit can handle these positions. (I have also found that skirts that are -too- long can be very awkward when trying to get up again from a prostration, so for practical reasons I tend to prefer a mid-calf length).

The same goes for gaps between the shirt and belt of the pants-- they may be unremarkable when standing, but bowing or prostrating can create an unbecoming gap that is inappropriate on men and women alike. To avoid this, be sure your shirt tail tucks in securely.

I'm afraid I may have left it too late to suggest you 'practice up' on your prostrations beforehand...so, I will just warn you that if you are a touch out of shape like me, your legs will definitely know it in the couple of days after the service! :-)

Prayers for Fr. John and Family

It is with great sorrow that we announce Father John's mother, Adelaide, died yesterday after a long struggle. She was a delightful woman and a real joy to her family.

Please remember Father John and Mat. Anna Bingham and their family in your prayers.

Baby Steenburgh Food Roster/Food Roster Philosophy...

Hi Everyone!

Samuel Steenburgh has arrived home with his parents from hospital, and we would like to provide them about 10-14 days worth of suppers to help them get on their feet and give them one less thing to deal with during this intense adjustment phase.

a few small requests,  no avocados, not too sugary and not too greasy (is that even possible?)

How do you get signed up for this fabulous food frenzy? please go to the St. Hermans Facebook group (its a closed group if you aren't already in Matushka will let you in if you knock first) and comment on the post there regarding this subject. I don't want two separate lists, and that one started first.

I know Dan and Lisa and Samuel are grateful for our support.


David P
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In other news, someone brought up a good point that these food rosters and anything like this where we support each other through new and challenging times shouldn't be only for those of us with new babies, I think we should all feel free to post requests for support in times of need on the blog or on Facebook or wherever. I think often it does happen for situations like moving or sometimes illness etc, but it doesn't hurt to remind us all once in a while.