The Celebration of the Feast of Nativity is on the Eve of Nativity
Tuesday January 6, 2009.
May His Blessings Be with Us all. Amen.
Spiritual Care Volunteer Training Program
The Department of Spiritual Care at Kaiser Permanente Irvine Medical Center is offering a Spiritual Care Volunteer Training Program that may be of special interest to you. Starting Tuesday January 13, Kaiser Permanente is providing a FREE 40-hour training program (held for 12 Tuesdays) To reserve a seat, call (949) 932-6241. Click Here for more details.
The Altar of St. Moses the Black
As many of you know, we now have three altars in our sancturary; St. Marina, St. Joseph and St. Moses. We though we would highlight each of their lives. The above link will take you to the webiste for St. Antony where you find lots of beautiful examples of St. Moses' life, his lessons, his virtues and his struggles. As we welcome him to our church, Let Us Get to Know Him.
The Feast of the Cross
(17th of Tut on the Coptic Calendar which is September 27, 2008)
“Christian life is a cross. It is practically a journey to Golgotha. And Christianity without a cross is really not Christianity at all. Those who have received their good things on earth will have no share in the Kingdom of God, as the story of the rich man and Lazarus explains to us (Luke 16:25) . We say this with regards to both individuals as well as groups and churches also. For Christianity is a participation in the sufferings of Christ. Saint Paul said, ‘that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death’ (Philippians 3:10). St. Paul also said about this participation in the sufferings, ‘I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me’ (Galatians 2:20). So, if you want to live with Christ, you must die with Christ on the Cross.”
An excerpt from His Holiness Pope Shenouda's March 17th, 2008 Sermon
The Orthodox Church readings are divided in Two Categories:
The readings during the days of the week are dedicated to the saint of the day, and the readings on Sunday are focused on God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
The Coptic Calendar has 13 months, not twelve. Twelve months are 30 days long, and the 13th month is 5 days (or 6 days during a leap year). The focus of our liturgical readings are passed down to us by the Holy Fathers of our church and are measured out in the following way;
1. Starting with the Coptic New Year Sept. 11 (Tut 1) until some time in early December (Hatour 30) our focus is on God the Father. From early December (Kiahk 1) to the date of the Holy Orthodox Pentecost our focus is on God the Son. From after the Pentecost to mid/late August the focus is on God the Holy Spirit. And the last 5 – 6 days ( the 13th Coptic month Nasi) our focus is on the second coming, Are You Prepared for the Second Coming?
