My first Divine Liturgy experience.

[fisharmor]

btw, do you not have other parishes in your area you can attend when your priest is gone? There are a number scattered about my area-enough to represent all the orthodox in the world, I think-Russian, Greek, etc, etc. When mine is closed, I attend the Romanian church. Not as nice, but it works.

Hm, every time our priest is gone we have a fill-in priest. I don't know the logistics.
We actually have parishioners who bounce between a couple different churches, including one reader. I keep thinking that we need to go to some of the others in the area - particularly the Greek ones, so I can learn the music - but we've been stuck to this one like flypaper ever since we got there.

[heavenlyboy34]

Hm, every time our priest is gone we have a fill-in priest. I don't know the logistics.
We actually have parishioners who bounce between a couple different churches, including one reader. I keep thinking that we need to go to some of the others in the area - particularly the Greek ones, so I can learn the music - but we've been stuck to this one like flypaper ever since we got there.

You don't have pan-Orthodox Vespers in your area? I guess it's a regional thing. Pretty interesting-during Lent, each Sunday each parish in town picks a Sunday to "host" that day. My parish typically does Sunday of Orthodoxy. It's neat because you typically meet people during coffee hour you otherwise wouldn't.

[TER]

You don't have pan-Orthodox Vespers in your area? I guess it's a regional thing. Pretty interesting-during Lent, each Sunday each parish in town picks a Sunday to "host" that day. My parish typically does Sunday of Orthodoxy. It's neat because you typically meet people during coffee hour you otherwise wouldn't.

That is awesome to hear! It sounds like Orthodoxy is growing in the heartland.

I believe Orthodoxy in this nation was planted in Alaska, grew up in the large coastal metropolises, and will mature in the heartland. It is very reassuring that this is taking place.

Glory to God for all things!

[heavenlyboy34]

That is awesome to hear! It sounds like Orthodoxy is growing in the heartland.

I believe Orthodoxy in this nation was planted in Alaska, grew up in the large coastal metropolises, and will mature in the heartland. It is very reassuring that this is taking place.

Glory to God for all things!

Indeed! St Herman of Alaska, IIRC. Glory to God, indeed! Слава Богу!

[RJB]

You don't have pan-Orthodox Vespers in your area? I guess it's a regional thing. Pretty interesting-during Lent, each Sunday each parish in town picks a Sunday to "host" that day. My parish typically does Sunday of Orthodoxy. It's neat because you typically meet people during coffee hour you otherwise wouldn't.

We have three Churches in my area (Greek, ROCOR, and Carpatho-Russian.). We mix a lot. After Liturgy, I went to a Pascha party that had people from all three. Although we haven't had mixed services for some unknown reason.

It's funny. I usually love family gatherings, but Pascha My wife and I prefer hanging out with other Orthodox. Lamb never tastes better than after a Lenten fast.

[RJB]

Really it was your first? Wow! A Pascha service was my introduction to Orthodoxy.

We did not have service on Tuesday because our priest is technically retired and he had a teaching obligation. But I have been singing every other day this week.

Christ is risen! Indeed he is risen!

. I haven't been to one either. My priest is older and doesn't have the stamina. Next year I will definitely go to one of the other Churches. I gave some of my friends from those parishes permission to hold me to it.

[fisharmor]

. I haven't been to one either. My priest is older and doesn't have the stamina. Next year I will definitely go to one of the other Churches. I gave some of my friends from those parishes permission to hold me to it.

Oh, goodness, guys! Next year get to Virginia, and I'll put you both up, and I'll take you to Pascha!
This year we had 54 people packed into our little country chapel, and most of them were singing at the top of their lungs. It was like thunder!
CHRIST IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD, TRAMPLING DOWN DEATH BY DEATH, AND UPON THOSE IN THE TOMBS BESTOWING LIFE!

My 8yo stayed up through the whole thing - not like she had a choice! But even though she can't talk and had two seizures during the liturgy, she still, like always, knew when we were getting close to communion and got physically excited, even though it was 2 in the morning.

[TER]

Oh, goodness, guys! Next year get to Virginia, and I'll put you both up, and I'll take you to Pascha!
This year we had 54 people packed into our little country chapel, and most of them were singing at the top of their lungs. It was like thunder!
CHRIST IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD, TRAMPLING DOWN DEATH BY DEATH, AND UPON THOSE IN THE TOMBS BESTOWING LIFE!

My 8yo stayed up through the whole thing - not like she had a choice! But even though she can't talk and had two seizures during the liturgy, she still, like always, knew when we were getting close to communion and got physically excited, even though it was 2 in the morning.

To echo what fisharmor wrote, the Paschal Divine Liturgy is the simply an exhilarating experience.

In the first centuries, it was this Divine Liturgy whereby the Christian catechumens first partook of the Holy Eucharist after intense fasting during the preceding Lent. They would be baptized in the middle of the service. That is why we sing the hymn "as many that have been baptized in Christ have put on Christ" during the service. Some of the most dearest spiritual experiences in my own life have taken place during this beautiful service.

[TER]

Here is a short video by Rick Stevens about his experience of Pascha celebration in Greece

[TER]

The Holy Eucharist is given by the Lord “in remembrance of me” (1 Cor. 11:25). First of all, in sensu realissimo, the Eucharist is the power of the Incarnation, the realized and abiding Divine-humanity, including all the faithful: “we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread” (10:17). The Divine Eucharist is the abiding of Christ in the world, His connection with the world, despite the ascension: “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matt. 28:20) by the Holy Spirit, sent by Him into the world from the Father: “and I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever…I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you” (John 14:16, 18).


Communion with the body and blood is therefore not yet all that the Eucharist signifies as the divine “It is finished” (John 19:30), as the sacrificial and abiding Incarnation. It is the sacrament of sacraments, the foundation of all the sacraments, and its accomplishing power is the Pentecost, the coming into the world of the Holy Spirit, who “shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you“ (14:26). “In remembrance of me [anamnesin]” and “to bring…to your remembrance [hypomnesei]” are closely connected, which is expressed in the fact that the “breaking of the bread” appears in the life of the Church only after the Pentecost, as the accomplishment of Divine humanity.


Thus, originally, in the apostolic age, the Divine Eucharist as the basis of all the sacraments was exclusively that which it is as the realization of the body of the Church as the body of Christ. Its essential character was not hierarchical but koinonic. That is, its character was one of sobornost, but this character was replaced as early as the second century by hierarchism, which, of course, did not completely eliminate it, but was capable of obscuring it. How this happened has to be explained by church history.”

(Sergius Bulgakov, The Bride of the Lamb, pp. 286-287).

[heavenlyboy34]

The Holy Eucharist is given by the Lord “in remembrance of me” (1 Cor. 11:25). First of all, in sensu realissimo, the Eucharist is the power of the Incarnation, the realized and abiding Divine-humanity, including all the faithful: “we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread” (10:17). The Divine Eucharist is the abiding of Christ in the world, His connection with the world, despite the ascension: “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matt. 28:20) by the Holy Spirit, sent by Him into the world from the Father: “and I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever…I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you” (John 14:16, 18).


Communion with the body and blood is therefore not yet all that the Eucharist signifies as the divine “It is finished” (John 19:30), as the sacrificial and abiding Incarnation. It is the sacrament of sacraments, the foundation of all the sacraments, and its accomplishing power is the Pentecost, the coming into the world of the Holy Spirit, who “shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you“ (14:26). “In remembrance of me [anamnesin]” and “to bring…to your remembrance [hypomnesei]” are closely connected, which is expressed in the fact that the “breaking of the bread” appears in the life of the Church only after the Pentecost, as the accomplishment of Divine humanity.


Thus, originally, in the apostolic age, the Divine Eucharist as the basis of all the sacraments was exclusively that which it is as the realization of the body of the Church as the body of Christ. Its essential character was not hierarchical but koinonic. That is, its character was one of sobornost, but this character was replaced as early as the second century by hierarchism, which, of course, did not completely eliminate it, but was capable of obscuring it. How this happened has to be explained by church history.”

(Sergius Bulgakov, The Bride of the Lamb, pp. 286-287).

Is this Bulgakov related to the legendary Mikhail Bulgakov, author of "The Master And Margarita"? (which, if you haven't read it, you must! It's not like the Brothers Karamazov, but the "novel within a novel" plot line in particular is something I think can be appreciated from an orthodox POV, even though it isn't really Orthodox)

[TER]

Is this Bulgakov related to the legendary Mikhail Bulgakov, author of "The Master And Margarita"? (which, if you haven't read it, you must! It's not like the Brothers Karamazov, but the "novel within a novel" plot line in particular is something I think can be appreciated from an orthodox POV, even though it isn't really Orthodox)

Not sure if they are related. I believe Mikhail Bulgakov's father was a priest.

Funny you mention the book "The Master and Margarita" as I just read it only a couple of months ago. Very interesting book! Like an adult version of Alice in Wonderland!

I would recommend to you the book I just finished called "Laurus". It is an outstanding book. I highly recommend it!

[heavenlyboy34]

Toady's homily: Epistle Acts 9:32-42 Gospel John 5:1-15 fourth Sunday of Pascha Sunday of the Paralytic
Appearance of the sign of the precious cross in the heavens above Jerusalem(351 AD), Martyr Akakios the centurion at Byzantium; John of Beverly, Bishop of York, Preist Alexis Toth of Wilkes-Barre, conessor and defender of Orthodoxy in America

My godmother informed me today she will no longer be coming to our parish. :'(

[heavenlyboy34]

Homily from 2 weeks ago-
last week-
Blessed Pentacost everyone! Not sure if every jurisdiction of Orthodoxy does them, but we did the kneeling prayers. I really like these.

Pretty neat-we're blessed to have some of the Holy Fire with us from Jerusalem nao. We're proud that our choir director graduates high skool this month. Many years!

[heavenlyboy34]

Sorry I've neglected this for so long. Kurwa. Anyhoo, my voice is well enough I'm back to choir work nao. Fr Chris was doing a wedding, so Greg did the homily toady.

11th sunday after Pentecost and Eleventh Sunday of Matthew. After-feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos. Prophet Samuel; Martyr Photeini of Blachernae; Martyrs Heliodoros and Dosai of Persia

Gospel: Epistle: Matthew 18:3-35 Corinthians 9:2-12

[heavenlyboy34]

Dang, fell behind again.
Well, tonite I went to Fr Chris' ongoing class on Divine Liturgy, which was interesting. Then I went to Greg's class on "discipleship: leadership for warrior saints". Next week chant class is supposed to start again.

8/27
epistle: I Corinthians 15:1-11 Gospel Matthew 19:16-26
homily:

[heavenlyboy34]

Last week Bishop John presided over liturgy.
Epistle-Corinthians 16:13-24 Gospel Matthew 21:33-42

This week
Most of the choir was gone, so I took over all of the bass/baritone parts. Jack K. dropped in to "help" a little, but he's more of a chanter and can't sing choral music worth a damn. Kept throwing me off. :P

[heavenlyboy34]

[heavenlyboy34]

Proto-martyr Thekla, equal to the apostles and first Sunday of Luke
Venerable Silouan of Athos Commemoration of the wonder working icon of the Theotokos of the Myrtle Tree; New-martyr Ahmed; Venerable Nicander of Pskov; the Synaxis of all saints of Alaska

Nice Day. My voice was relaxed-the chanting is helping. Practiced holding ison when I wasn't busy with baritone stuff. I'm liking chant because it's a different way to internalize scripture and theology. Venerated the of St Thekkla.

Gospel:Luke 5:1-11 Epistle Timothy 3:10-15

[heavenlyboy34]

Last week's homily is up nao- I'll have this week's up when available.

This week:
16th Sunday after Pentacost and second sunday of Luke apostle Ananias of the seventy, first bishop of Damascas and Righteous father Romanos the Melodist Martyr Domninos of Thessalonica; Venerable John Koukouzelis and Gregory the Domestikos of the Great Lavra on Athos Venerable Sabbas of Vishshera in Russia

Epistle-Corinthians 6:16-7:1 Gospel Luke 6:31-36

My godmama brought me a neat card she got from the monastery. She says she asked the monks to pray for me. <3

[heavenlyboy34]

1/14
Leave-taking of and Sunday after Theophany of Christ; Holy fathers slain at Sinai and Raithy; Virgin-martyr Agnes; Venerable Theodoulos, son of Neilos the Wise of Sinai; Nina, equal-to-the Apostles and enlightener of Georgia; Sabbas, first archbishop of Serbia
Epistle-Ephesians 14:7-13 Gospel Matthew 4:12-17
Good homily on the Biblical view of the relationship between man and wife. <3

[heavenlyboy34]

This week's homily is up
1/21-32nd Sunday after Pentecost and 15th Sunday of Luke; Venerable Meximos the Confessor; Martyr Neophytos of Nicea; Venerable Zodimas, Bishop of Syracuse in Sicily; Venerable Maximos the Greek of Russia
Epistle Timothy 4:9-15 Gospel Luke 19:1-10

Learned how to say my name in Arabic. Pretty happy because I'm getting better at holding ison, so perhaps I'll have a chance to chant during liturgy some day soon. I would enjoy learning the chant literature as a supplement to scripture and other readings.

[fisharmor]

There is a show on Amazon Prime titled simply Sophia which was done for Russian television, about Princess Sofia, Last heir of Byzantium who married into Russian nobility in the 1470 s. I was reminded of it just now because when they are visited by papal legates they refer to them as beardless priests. :-)

Since we are on the Julian cycle last weekend was Theophany. I did not know until this year that theophany in the ancient church was equal as a festival to Christmas and Pascha. This is when holy water is blessed. Ira previous priest made a small portion and we all got little vials. This year was our first year with Vladyka and he filled the baptismal font twice. We were all encouraged to go home with gallon jugs or more.

[heavenlyboy34]

QUITE A WEEK!! Saturday was young adults' retreat to St Anthony's monastery. One of the most interesting and beautiful experiences I've ever had. Probably my favorite part was when we were exploring some of the churches. The place had really nice accoustics, so a girl-IDR who-asked Fr Chris to sing something. So he and Greg chanted and I held ison and we filled the church with joyous noise.

BTW, eating like a monk is good for a day, but I don't suggest making it a lifestyle for most people. (especially during the Lenten fast)

toady: gospel-Mark 2:1-12 Epistle Hebrews 1:10-2:3

Second Sunday of Lent
Commemoration of Gregory Palamas, archbishop of Thessalonica
Venerable Gerasimos of the Jordan; Gregory, bishop of Constantia in Cyprus;
Martyrs Paul and Juliana of Palestine; Daniel the wonderworker, prince of Moscow

[heavenlyboy34]

@fisharmor hope you're making your way through Lent well! <3 It's SO BUSY this year!

[fisharmor]

@fisharmor hope you're making your way through Lent well! <3 It's SO BUSY this year!

It's our first year of seriously attempting the fast. The only exceptions I'm making are oil (who can cook for a family of 5 without even oil?) and occasional fish, and that only because of my cholesterol.
We got a Lidl in town recently and those cunning ******s put the bakery right up next to the entrance, so as you're coming in you're bombarded with that smell.
I went in last night mouth watering, intent on getting a bready treat for just my oldest and me (since nobody else eats gluten) and was immediately reminded that everything in the case has dairy in it.

This is hard. Harder than I thought. I wish I could say I have new respect for vegans, but every time I think about it I think, WTF would you do this to yourself for, other than holy reasons? I'm looking forward to Pascha first for Pascha's sake, but the close runner-up reason is having solid poop again.

Only a little longer than a month left...

[heavenlyboy34]

It's our first year of seriously attempting the fast. The only exceptions I'm making are oil (who can cook for a family of 5 without even oil?) and occasional fish, and that only because of my cholesterol.
We got a Lidl in town recently and those cunning ******s put the bakery right up next to the entrance, so as you're coming in you're bombarded with that smell.
I went in last night mouth watering, intent on getting a bready treat for just my oldest and me (since nobody else eats gluten) and was immediately reminded that everything in the case has dairy in it.

This is hard. Harder than I thought. I wish I could say I have new respect for vegans, but every time I think about it I think, WTF would you do this to yourself for, other than holy reasons? I'm looking forward to Pascha first for Pascha's sake, but the close runner-up reason is having solid poop again.

Only a little longer than a month left...

I am impress! I couldn't go full vegan this Lent because I don't know what to replace my eggs with. I was able to give up beef and poultry easily, though. I rarely ate it anyway, being primarily pescatarian in nature.

[fisharmor]

I went to visit my brother-in-law Fr Nicholas and his family in Philadelphia this weekend, and of course went to liturgy at his parish, Sts Peter and Paul Albanian Orthodox.
Our home parish choir has a bunch of people who can't read music well, and some others who can and aren't great singers, but we make up for it in preparation... his choir has some great singers who can read music, and the director passes out the Troparion music directly before we're singing it and we just sight read it. So since I can sight read, I get on just fine with them whenever I visit.

His sermon tied together the Sundays of Lent so far. The first Sunday of Lent is the Triumph of Orthodoxy, commemorating the end of the iconoclast controversy, and the final agreement that the icons are staying from now on. The point of that Sunday is to remember that the theology of icons is that Christ is true man, and was incarnate. By veneration of physical objects, we remember and meditate on the incarnation.

The second Sunday of Lent is the Sunday of St Gregory Palamas, who showed that through physical actions - fasting and prayer - we can become participants in God's glory.

The third Sunday of Lent is the veneration of the Cross, where we remember that physical object by which Christ effected his redemption, but also to remember our part is to live out our faith.

This last Sunday, the fourth Sunday, was dedicated to St John Climacus, the author of the Ladder of Divine Ascent. Fr Nicholas' sermon was pointing out that our Lenten experience so far has been to remind us that we are on this ladder, but that the icon depicts people at ALL stages of ascent being dragged down by demons. We need always to remember that no matter how far we get up the ladder, we always have farther to go, and can always be pulled down.




On the drive back home to Virginia, I was telling my wife (who had child issues and couldn't hear the sermon) what it was about, and at that point I realized that there is a reason why Orthodox sermons don't go on and on and on and on for 45 minutes like so many others I've sat through in my former life. We are surrounded by teaching aids, and our year is organized pretty strictly to teach the faith, in its fullness. Teaching happens throughout the entire service, not just the sermon, and takes the form of imagery as well as word. There isn't just no need to go on for such a length - it's to a certain extent not even possible, not without harping on something that has already been said or done multiple times already.

A few months ago my BiL let slip to me that his preaching (which I consider stellar) doesn't take him hours of preparation - in fact, at the moment where he let it slip, he demonstrated that he could produce a ten minute sermon for any particular Sunday within seconds if required. All he needed to do is know where he was in the year.

This is how I know I'm in the right place - it's the Church, big-C, where there are bigger things going on, and external forces to help us work out our salvation.

[RJB]

We are surrounded by teaching aids, and our year is organized pretty strictly to teach the faith, in its fullness. Teaching happens throughout the entire service, not just the sermon, and takes the form of imagery as well as word. There isn't just no need to go on for such a length - it's to a certain extent not even possible, not without harping on something that has already been said or done multiple times already.

When the Bible Answer Man converted to Orthodoxy, a militant evangelical went to the vigil before Pascha to confront him. He didn't confront Hank, but he wrote an (unintentionally) funny critique of the Orthodox service. One of his complaints was that there was lots of Bible verses being chanted, but no sermons on what they meant. This struck me as hilarious. Here was a Sola Scriptura guy complaining that the Bible alone wasn't enough.

[heavenlyboy34]

When the Bible Answer Man converted to Orthodoxy, a militant evangelical went to the vigil before Pascha to confront him. He didn't confront Hank, but he wrote an (unintentionally) funny critique of the service. One of his complaints was that there was lots of Bible verses being chanted, but no sermons on what they meant. This struck me as hilarious. Here was a Sola Scriptura guy complaining that the Bible alone wasn't enough.

LOLOL Good thing he didn't go to an Orthros service too. His head would've exploded.