Brothers and Sisters,
Greetings in the Name of the Lord.
This coming week our clergy and staff will be on retreat at Mo Ranch near Kerrville. That means they won’t be around Wednesday, October 23 through Saturday morning, October 26. The Fall Theological Seminar will meet; the online Bible Study will not, and there won’t be any daily services on those dates. Phone service is often spotty in that part of the Hill Country, but you can also call Mo Ranch if you need to contact one of the clergy or staff. Please keep the group in your prayers, as they will be working for all of us when they are together.
Our Calendar
Fasting Days
Wednesday, October 23 and Friday, October 25
Daily Services
Monday, October 23 and Tuesday, October 24, Orthros 5am and Vespers, 5pm (there will not be any daily services Wednesday through Friday of this week; also, if you wish to attend the daily services, it’s always a good idea to check the day before to make sure the services will be offered).
Fr. Andrew, Seth Hart, and Matthew Groh and many other folks continue to broadcast daily readings from spiritual books online. They are now back to reading “The Ethics of Beauty” by Dr Timothy Patitsas. The schedule is as follows: M-F at 12pm.
In addition to the daily Synaxarion readings posted in the #synaxarion channel on Discord, the online team is now posting daily Bible Readings that will allow you to read through the Bible in a year. These readings are posted in the #bible-365 channel.
Tuesday, October 22
Orthodoxy 101 7pm; you can also access the group on Discord
Parish Council 7pm
Wednesday, October 23
Fall Theological Seminar 7pm; you can also access the group on Discord
Saturday, October 26
St Thomas School 4pm
Great Vespers 6pm
Sunday, October 27
Sunday of The Seven Councils
Orthros 8am
Divine Liturgy 10am
Fellowship Hour
Tuesday, October 29
Orthodoxy 101 7pm; you can also access the group on Discord
Wednesday, October 30
Fall Theological Seminar 7pm; you can also access the group on Discord
St Thomas School
On Saturday, October 26, we will be discussing chapter two of Volume I entitled, “The Age of The Ecumenical Church”. Online access is available on Discord; like to participate online, you still need to sign-up ahead of time. Just send an email to remote.meetings@theforerunner.org by Thursday, October 24, to reserve your spot.
Our Memorial Service
This past Sunday, we prayed for Alexey Egorov, father and father-in-law of parishioners Elena and Ricardo C., who was a member of St, John's, along with Galina, his wife of 63 years. Both were born and spent most of their lives in Russia, until they moved with Elena and her family to Austin in 2010. Elena would drive them to St. John's faithfully to attend services and socialize with friends. Splitting their time between Moscow and Austin, they had the best of both worlds, until Alexey began his six year battle with cancer. He fought it bravely and without complaint, as he did everything. He is buried in a beautiful cemetery in Moscow, where Galina now lives full time, and there is a stone commemorating him in our Memorial Garden. His memorial bio can be found in the email version of the newsletter; please take a few minutes to read about our departed brother in Christ.
Our Fall Theological Seminar
It’s not too late to join The Fall Theological Seminar. We’re reading a book by a Protestant pastor; the book is called Stability, and it’s available in the bookstore. But we’re not only talking about the spiritual advantages—and challenges—of sticking it out in a particular community, we’re also talking with folks in our parish who have done just that. Below is the schedule for the readings and the interviews, but plan now to join us in the parish house at 7pm each Wednesday evening through the start of Nativity Lent--and, while we will have an online option available for those folks who live at a distance, let’s not forget that the conversation is always richer and more meaningful if you are actually present.
Oct 23 Reading Assignment: Chapter 6. Practices of Stability. Guest: Baker G.
Oct 30 Reading Assignment: Chapter 7. Where Do We Stay From Here? p 125-134. Guest: Mary K.
Nov 6 Reading Assignment: Chapter 7. Where Do We Stay From Here? p 134-148. Guests: John and Lindsey B.
Nov 13 Conclusion: The Final Stability
Coming Up
We’re going to be announcing the results of our Three Year Pledge Drive during The Divine Liturgy on Sunday, November 10, so if you have not made a pledge on REALM or spoken with one of the Finance Folks about recording your pledge in a different fashion, please get that taken care of as soon as possible. We’re going to be making that announcement on November 10, because, the following week, Father Andrew will be traveling to the UK to be present in the parish at Folkestone when those good folks transfer the bones of St Eanswythe into the new reliquary that we helped them purchase. Father Andrew will be there to thank our patroness for bringing us this far in our Building Campaign, but he’ll also have time to remember any prayer requests that we send with him, so get your list ready, and be sure and join us on Sunday, November 10, for our exciting news.
It will be here before we know it! The Nativity Fast will begin on Friday, November 15 and run through Wednesday, December 25. This fasting season is divided into two periods:
(A) November 15th through December 19th when the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine, and olive oil) is observed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with a blessing for wine and olive oil (some also permit fish) on Tuesday and Thursday, and for fish, wine, and olive oil on Saturday and Sunday, and
(B) the period of the Forefeast, December 20th through 24th, when the traditional fasting discipline is observed Monday through Friday, with a blessing for wine and olive oil on Saturday and Sunday.
The eve of the feast, December 24th is a strict fast day. December 25th through January 4th is fast-free. Please begin to make your plans now, and, if you need to modify the fast in any way, be sure to get a blessing from one of the priests.
Our Moment of Grace and Courtesy
As we make our way through this particularly intense election cycle, please remember that, while we encourage and enjoy friendly and respectful discussions of political and cultural issues, our parish also has a long-standing policy against the distribution of political literature, cartoons, or paraphernalia. In addition, while we have no control—and desire no control—over the messages that people affix to their vehicles, we ask that, while you are on parish property, you refrain from wearing buttons, stickers, or clothing which promote specific candidates, parties, political organizations, or causes.
Capital Campaign Countdown Column
Whatever is obtained as a result of long and persistent prayer will remain.
-St John Climacus
We are now well into the three year pledge portion of our capital campaign, so please go ahead and record your commitment on REALM. If you questions about how to do that, just contact Arun J. or Father Andrew Wilson. If you have questions about the project itself, please read through the FAQ that is attached to this newsletter, but, to help us get the most out of this historic effort, this week’s Countdown Column is by Kyle D., a member of our parish council:
In my journey through the faith, I have spent considerable time reflecting on what it truly means to be involved in it. Before encountering Holy Orthodoxy, my understanding of Christianity was riddled with confusion. I struggled to bridge the gap between the practical and the spiritual; I found it challenging to reconcile the differences between the modern church and the ancient church. I also believed that the contemplative life was something distant, hidden away in the Orient, far removed from my own experience in the West. However, as I immerse myself in the teachings and practices of Holy Orthodoxy, I am beginning to grasp the profound significance of what it means to “commune with the saints.”
The capital campaign presents an exciting opportunity for us to actively participate in our faith in a meaningful way, all to the glory of the Most Holy Trinity. Initially, I found it difficult to articulate exactly what I was excited about. Then, I recalled the prayer before the Ambon in the Divine Liturgy, which beautifully expresses, “Sanctify those who love the beauty of Thy House!” This prayer resonates deeply with my heart, capturing my enthusiasm and eagerness to engage with all of you, and all the great temple builders before us, in this sacred journey.
Through this project, I sense a deeper connection not only with all of you but also with the saints and the divine presence of the Most Holy Trinity. It is a privilege to unite our efforts in this first phase, working together to create a space that not only honors the glory of our loving Creator but will also invite others to experience most sacred beauty of our Holy Orthodox faith. I'm filled with joy at the chance to contribute to this process, imagining all the future generations who will come to worship in this temple—a true testament to the enduring power of faith and the love of our God that transcends time.
God bless,
Kyle
an unworthy priest
aidan