O give thanks unto the LORD,

for He is good;

For His mercy endureth for ever.

- Psalm 135:1

Everyone capable of thanksgiving is capable of salvation and eternal joy.

- Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann

Schedule for this Weekend

The 25th Sunday after Pentecost-Tone 8

Martyr Paramon and 370 Martyrs in Bithynia

Saturday, November 28

Great Vespers 5:00 PM

Confessions may be made after Vespers

Sunday, November 29

Adult Class 9:00 AM

Third Hour Prayers 9:45 AM

Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM

November 21:

The Entrance of the Theotokos

Service Schedule for this Weekend:

Saturday, November 21

Great Vespers 5:00 PM

confessions may be made after Vespers

Sunday, November 22

Adult Catechism 9:00 AM

Third Hour Prayers 9:45 AM

Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM

His Holiness Patriarch

PAVLE of Serbia

September 11, 1914 - November 15, 2009

May His Memory be Eternal!

“None in this noisy era spoke so softly and yet was heard so widely as he. None spoke less and yet said more. None in our delusional age confronted truth with such calmness as he.” - M. Betskovic, Serbian Poet

Schedule for this Weekend:

Saturday, November 14

Great Vespers 5:00 PM

confessions may be made after Vespers

Sunday, November 15

Adult Class 9:00 AM

we'll be reviewing the first half of Archimandrite Meletios Webber's

Bread & Water, Wine & Oil

Third Hour Prayers ~9:45 AM

Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM

This Sunday marks the beginning of the Nativity Fast, our spiritual preparation for Christmas. It is also the Vigil of the Commemoration of our Heavenly Patron, Saint Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist. We'll share a festive coffee hour after Liturgy (observing the parameters of the fast, allowing fish, wine, and oil). If you are able, please bring something to share. And please make every effort to join us for these services.

Experience the wonder of Orthodox Christianity! Come and See!

Holy Matthew, well-pleasing to God, pray for us -

For thou art the sure helper and intercessor for our souls!

A New Issue of The Orthodox Church,

the quarterly publication of the OCA,

is now available online as a PDF

Click here.

November 8, 2009

The 22nd Sunday after Pentecost

Synaxis of Archangel Michael

and the Bodiless Powers

9:00 AM - Adult Class

9:45 AM - Third Hour Prayers

10:00 AM - Divine Liturgy

The Synaxis of the Chief of the Heavenly Hosts, Archangel Michael and the Other Heavenly Bodiless Powers: Archangels Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Selaphiel, Jehudiel, Barachiel, and Jeremiel was established at the beginning of the fourth century at the Council of Laodicea, which met several years before the First Ecumenical Council. The 35th Canon of the Council of Laodicea condemned and denounced as heretical the worship of angels as gods and rulers of the world, but affirmed their proper veneration.

A Feastday was established in November, the ninth month after March (with which the year began in ancient times) since there are Nine Ranks of Angels. The eighth day of the month was chosen for the Synaxis of all the Bodiless Powers of Heaven since the Day of the Dread Last Judgment is called the Eighth Day by the holy Fathers. After the end of this age (characterized by its seven days of Creation) will come the Eighth Day, and then "the Son of Man shall come in His Glory and all the holy Angels with Him" (Mt. 25:31).

Wrong Turns and the Providence of God

Fr. Stephen Freeman, a priest of our diocese who visited with us in Baton Rouge several years ago, has a very helpful post on his blog that should be pondered. Here's an excerpt:

These are some thoughts on the Providence of God and its work in our lives.

I think there is absolutely such a thing as Providence (not that we have much of a clue as to what God’s plan is in our life). Rather Providence is the trust that our lives are in the hand of a good God who is working all things together for our salvation (even when we sin and take a wrong turn). There is a common understanding of Providence, common in our culture, that would tend to see only onehighway for our life [God's plan] and that would argue that wrong decisions can only be corrected by returning to the previous point and starting over. Thus when we take a wrong turn – we must go back and correct it and get back on the previous route.

This reminds me of the GPS unit in my car which occasionally, having run out of “on-the-map” solutions, says, “If possible make a U-turn!”

There is another understanding of Providence, more common in the Eastern Fathers, in which God’s work in our lives is seen as far more creative. There is not one route, but one destination. Thus if we make a wrong turn, God is quite capable of continuing to bring us to union with Him. The problem is not that of a route, but of our heart.

Read it all here.