St. John of Shanghai Orthodox Church

This Sunday, as you know, is the great feast of Pentecost. Pentecost is, of course, the birthday of the Church, and is the liturgical birthday of St. John of Shanghai Orthodox Mission – it was on Pentecost Sunday, 2007, that we celebrated our very first Divine Liturgy in our current location. In memory of that, I’ve dug out an old photo album of that momentous event (pictures by Gregory Gascoigne):

St John's First Liturgy (Pentecost 2007)

We have grown in many ways since then!

Following our celebration of the Divine Liturgy at Pentecost, the posture of penitence, kneeling – which we have avoided throughout the joyous celebration of Pascha – is restored to us in the “Kneeling Vespers” service. We generally celebrate this service right after we finish our Agape Feast, following the Divine Liturgy.

Just a quick reminder that we will be celebrating the Mid-Feast of Pentecost tomorrow (Tuesday, May 17th) with a Vesperal Liturgy at 7:00pm. Come fasting from about noon on if you are intending to receive communion. See you there!

Christ is risen!

Sadly, however, I am sick – not terribly, but enough that I need some time to rest and recover – so it looks like we will have to wait until next year to do liturgy on Bright Saturday morning.

Love in Christ,

Fr. Justin.

Just a quick reminder: We will be celebrating Vesperal Liturgy tonight for the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, one of the twelve great feasts of the church. Because of the emphasis on Christ being the light of the world in righteous Simeon’s prophecy (“a light to enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of Your people, Israel”), it is traditional, at this feast, to bring any candles that you will be using in your prayer corner at home to be blessed. (For more detail on this, please see Fr. Stephen’s excellent post here.)

Also, as is usual with any Vesperal Liturgy, those intending to receive communion at the service tonight are reminded to fast from about noon on, in preparation.

Love in Christ,

Fr. Justin.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Christ is born! Let us glorify Him!

As we end the twelve days of Christmas, we will be celebrating the Feast of Theophany (Epiphany in the West). As the feast falls on a workday, we will continue with our practice of celebrating the feast in the evening preceding the actual feast with a Vesperal Liturgy. (Liturgically, the evening is the start of the day.) In the absence of our beloved Fr. Justin, we will join the community of St. Herman of Alaska in Langley for this service. Here are the details:

Vesperal Liturgy: 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 5th, 2010

Address: St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church, 7221 – 198B Street, Langley, BC, V2Y 1R9.

For those of you who are planning to drive, could you please let me know whether you have room in your car for additional passengers? There are a few individuals who do not have rides yet.

If you plan to take Holy Communion on Wednesday evening, please fast from food and drink (if you are able) in the afternoon before Communion. (Those who are sick, pregnant, nursing, or qualify as young children are exempt from fasting.) Lastly, the Lesser Blessing of Water will take place on Wednesday evening. If you wish to bring home some Holy Water, please bring a water container.

See you on Wednesday evening.

In Christ,
Dn. Peter