Tuesday Night Vespers Cancelled.

Glory to Jesus Christ!
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I am very sad to announce that we must cancel this evenings (January 31st) Vespers and Study.
Fr Christopher has caught the flu that has been running through our family. Our children are indeed our joy and so it is that we must share everything with one another!

Please pray for Fr Christopher, Nikolai and Elijah particularly since they seem to have been the worst hit.

It is our prayer that by tommorrow morning all will be well. This has been the case with the other children. Thus, Wednesday evening's Vesperal Liturgy in celebration of the Feast of the Meeting will go ahead as planned with a pot luck meal to follow (I will bring the cinnamon buns then, Josina)

We thank you for your prayers and ask that you would tell everyone you think may have been planning to attend of these turn of events.

Thank you,

Kimberly

Services Jan 29-Feb 4, 2006

Monday January 30th
7:00 am (Morning)
Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Three Hierarchs

Tuesday January 31st
6:30 pm
Vespers and study

Wednesday Febuary 1st
7:00 pm
Vesperal Liturgy celebrating the Feast of the Meeting of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in the Temple
Coffee and goodies to follow

All of these services will be held at St Mark's Chapel at UBC.

Please read the scripture readings for each of the Feasts prior to coming as part of your rule of preparation. For the Feast of the Three Hierarchs the Epistle is from Hebrews 13:7-16 and the Gospel is according to the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew 5:14-19.

For the Feast of the Meeting of Our Lord in the Temple the Epistle is again from the Letter to the Hebrews 7:7-17 and the Gospel is according to the Holy Apostle and Evangelsit Luke 2:22-40

Please join us!

Acts of Love!

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10

Just an update regarding helping the friends of our community, Sam & Andrea, with packing for their move. Glory to God! Many have been able to come to their aid tomorrow morning (January 28th). If you would like to join in this good work of love and service please be at Apartment #3 1006 West 12th Ave (the South West corner of Oak and 12th) at 9:00 AM. All should be accomplished by 10:00 AM!

May God bless, protect and keep Sam, Andrea & their unborn child through the challanging time of moving!

Joyous News & Upcoming Events!

Glory to Jesus Christ!
We give thanks to God for the gift of our first catechumen! Josina Xenia entered the catechumenate on Tuesday evening prior to Vespers. After singing Many Years we retired to the "cave" for coffee, fellowship and discussion about traversing the Orthodox Way.

May God grant Josina Xenia many years, health and salvation and bring her into the fullness of Christ's Holy Church! Please hold her up in your prayers that God would give her strength and that His Holy Angels would protect her!

This coming week is packed full of events for our growing community. Divine Liturgy will be celebrated for the Feast of the Three Hierarchs this Monday January 30th at 7:00 AM. Vespers and study will be held on Tuesday evening at 6:30 PM and Vesperal Liturgy celebrating the Feast of the Meeting of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in the Temple will be held at 7:00 PM on Wednesday evening, February 1st.

All of these services will be held at St Mark's Chapel at UBC.

Please read the scripture readings for each of the Feasts prior to coming as part of your rule of preparation. For the Feast of the Three Hierarchs the Epistle is from Hebrews and the Gospel is according to the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew .

For the Feast of the Meeting of Our Lord in the Temple the Epistle is again from the Letter to the Hebrews and the Gospel is according to the Holy Apostle and Evangelsit Luke.

Please join us if you can.

This Saturday, January 28th, we hope to assist friends of the community (Sam and Andrea) in packing for their move to Kelowna. Yes, we will help people move away, but only once! If you are moving to the community we will help you move again and again and again, as long as you STAY!

One last note. Please know that we need to do all that we can to support the wonderful people (Sarah, Kimberley and maybe even Josina) who are going to Mexico in March for Project Mexico!

Please keep posted about their goings-on!

May God richly bless you in this worthy endevour!

Holy Father Maximus Pray For Us!!

Alas we must cancel tomorrow's (Saturday January 21st the Feast of St Maximus the Confessor) Divine Liturgy ! Read about the life of this amazing Father of the Church. He is certainly a patron of those who study! May our Holy Father among the Saints, Maximus the Confessor, pray to Christ our God to have mercy on us and our humble community.

Vespers will be held on Tuesday at 6:30 PM (every Tuesday). Our next Divine Liturgy will be held on Monday January 30th at 7:00 AM for the Feast of the Three Hierarchs: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom.

All services continue to be held at St Mark's Chapel at UBC.

Nikolai's Finger

Thank you to everyone who was at Vespers last evening. I really enjoyed the discussion--I haven't been in a class room in a long time and it was great to have my mind challenged in very different ways.
When we arrived home after Vespers, I went to check on Niko and his crushed finger. I had to turn on the light because I couldn't see his injury. Well, I couldn't see his injury because there was no injury to be seen! His finger looked great: no blood, no bruising, no swelling! God is merciful. Thank you all so much for your prayers.
Presvytera Kimberly

Tuesday Night Vespers at 6:30 PM

All are welcome to come as we pray the ancient prayers of the Church. Fellowship will follow in "Plato's Cave." Vespers begins at 6:30 PM at St Mark's Chapel.

This week: Daily Vespers on Tuesday Night & Divine Liturgy on Saturday Morning!

Just a joyful reminder of our up coming services.

Vespers will be held tomorrow night (Tuesday) at 6:30. This is a weekly event and will be followed by an informal yet informative discussion relating to our life in Christ.

This Saturday we will be serving Divine Liturgy at 9:00 AM.

Both services will be held at St Mark's Chapel
All are welcome to attend.

Your servant in Christ,
the priest Christopher

House Blessings

It is customary for the priest to bless the homes of the faithful during the season of Theophany. Please contact Fr Christopher this week to set up a time (by phone 604-309-6871 or email frchrisrb-at-shaw.ca) if you wish to have him come to bless your apartment, house or student residence. It is through the blessing of our homes with holy water that we are able to renew our life in Christ that has been given us through the holy waters of baptism!

To prepare your home or residence for blessing please do the following:
First, please ensure that all stereos, computers, tvs or other possible distractions are turned off and that lights are turned on in all of the rooms that are to be blessed.
Second, an icon or a cross, a lighted candle, a clearly printed list of the names of family members (both living and departed) for whom prayers are to be offered and holy water (some will be provided if you have none from this year's Feast) should all be placed on a table in a central place in your home or residence.
Third, all family members should be home to gather around the icon and be ready to particpate in the rite of blessing the home (having friends present is a blessing as well).


May God bless you richly with the joy of the season!

Your servant in Christ,
the priest Christopher

The Great Blessing of Waters at Spanish Banks

Thank you everyone for coming to the First Annual Great Blessing of Waters. It was a wonderful morning. We gathered at the Spanish Banks and the waters of the Pacific Ocean were blessed.
Here are some beautiful pictures of the service. I recommend viewing the slideshow (click "view pictures" then "view slideshow").
Thank you everyone who came and to those who were with us in spirit! The fellowship afterwards enjoying a "cup of Joe" was very enjoyable.
Your servant in Christ,
the priest Christopher

The Great Blessing of Water

We will celebrate the Rite of the Great Blessing of the Water at 9:00 am tomorrow morning(Saturday January 7th) at Spanish Banks.

We will ask God to sanctify the water of the Pacific Ocean on the beaches of the Burrard Inlet. Today 80,000 of the faithful assembled while his all holiness Bartholomew, Patriarch of Constantanople, blessed the waters of the Atlantic Ocean from the Florida side of the Gulf of Mexico.
Come and be part of the Holy Cross Community's first annual Theophany Blessing of the Waters.

Father Chris will also bless fresh water for the faithful to take home.

Please meet at Spanish Banks for 9:00 AM.

There is a lot of parking close to the beach. We will all gather at the anchor located near the last (most western) parking lot.

This service is about 25 minutes.

Anyone cold enough and willing enough can plan on going for coffee and breakfasty things immediatley following the service....suggestions for locale are encouraged!

Please bring bottles or jars if you can and dress accordingly!

Please let Fr Chris know if you need a ride.

Divine Liturgy for the Feast of Theophany at 7:00 AM

Tomorrow (Friday January 6th), we will be celebrating the Divine Liturgy for the Feast of Theophany in the Chapel at St Mark's College UBC at 7:00 am.

All are welcome to come. The service will be somewhat abridged so as to allow for students and faculty (and their children) to get to class on time.

Those who can not attend please hold us up in your prayers!

May everyone have a blessed and holy Feast!

Vespers on the Forefeast of Theophany!

Glory to Jesus Christ!

"I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, thankful for your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. " (Phillipians 1:3-5)

We held our first service this evening at UBC! It was a blessed beginning with friends coming from Victoria and Langley to share in our joy and to enjoy fellowship and discussion after Vespers. Thank you to all who came and to all who held us up in your prayers!