The Meeting Of Our Lord In The Temple

The origins of this Great Feast of the liturgical year are recorded in Luke 2:22-40. It is a celebration that actually commemorates two important events. First of all, we celebrate on this day Christ being brought into the Temple in Jerusalem to be dedicated. At the same time, we also commemorate the Theotokos coming to the Temple to be purified according to the Jewish rite prescribed in Leviticus 12. Incidentally, the tradition of new mothers returning to the church on the fortieth day after the birth of a child in order to be ‘purified’ has its origins here. It is not that the act of giving birth is seen as defiling, nor the act of procreation itself. The purification ordered in Leviticus is for a different reason altogether. It has to do with the scriptural significance of blood and other procreative fluids.
These represent life itself and, therefore, the presence of God. It is for this reason that according to the kosher dietary law, for example, blood cannot be consumed, and that an animal must be slaughtered in such a way that all its blood is drained out. The blood, the life, is proper only to God, and man may not partake of it. Nor may he (she) come into contact with it lightly. It is for this reason only that we have the prayers of purification: so that one who has come into contact with the lifeblood that is proper to God, and who has done so while being a sinful mortal (as are we all at all times), may be restored to a right relationship with God.
The reasoning behind this ethos is difficult for the modern mind to understand, especially if that mind has not become a scriptural mind. This explanation of the secondary aspect of the feast is by no means comprehensive. It is entirely appropriate to ask question about this and any other matters of our faith and practices that are not entirely understood. The feast will be celebrated with Great Vespers at 6 pm Wednesday and Divine Liturgy at 8:45 am Thursday.

Why Are There No Other Special Services This Month?

This month’s church calendar may appear rather bare. There are two reasons for this. The first is that aside from the Feast of the Meeting, relatively few ecclesiastical celebrations are prescribed during the month of February that call for Divine Liturgy to be celebrated. The liturgical calendar followed by most parishes of the Orthodox Church in America, for example, includes only two: the Saturday of Meatfare (Feb. 25) and the feast of St. Raphael, Bishop of Brooklyn (Feb. 27). Why aren’t we having Liturgy on at least these two days, then?
The answer is the impending birth of our first child (whose sex remains unknown), due Feb. 23. Things may be a bit hectic at the rectory around this time. Certainly, Popadija Elizabeth will be out of commission for a little while after the delivery. I myself have no idea how functional I’ll be during that first week or so. Popadija and I are counting on your patience during this period of transition. Saturday Vespers and Sunday Liturgy will go on, and our hope is to be ready for the more fervent liturgical life of the Lenten season, which will soon be upon us. The Feast of the Meeting will be the last, regular Divine Liturgy served on a weekday until after Pascha. God willing, we will be ready for those first Memorial Saturday and Presanctified Liturgies in early March, but this may not be the case. One day at a time.
Glory to God that through this life-changing passage, we will come to a greater appreciation for the struggles that many of you, the faithful of St. Michael’s, grapple with regularly, or have experienced in the past. And recalling your own experience, once again, have patience and pray for us.

Fr. Barnabas and Popadija Elizabeth

Bible Study

Beginning this month, the parish Bible Study class, “Genesis According to the Fathers,” will be moved to Wednesday evenings at approximately 6:45. It will be preceded by an Akathist service at 6 pm. Feel free to come to only one or the other if you cannot attend both the class and the service. We’ll try this schedule for a time and adapt it as needed. The first section of the class will end with the beginning of Great Lent and the Wednesday celebration of the Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified Gifts. We’ll start up again after Pascha. No commitment is required that one must attend every class, so feel free to drop in only once in a while if you can’t always make it. When we meet again on Friday the 3rd, we’ll pick up with Genesis 2:17. All you need to bring are your Bible and a desire to understand it.

Newsletter Available Online

Our parish website, www.orthodoxpueblo.org, is up and running. The website will be a valuable resource in terms of outreach. A presentation given at the last All American Council, in Toronto, showed that a growing number of converts to Orthodox Christianity are first finding out about the Church through the internet. The website also has the potential to lead to some real savings in terms of the printing and postage costs of The Messenger. You may now opt out of receiving a hard copy of the newsletter, and instead sign up on the website to receive a monthly reminder in your email when each new issue is posted. Simply go to www.orthodoxpueblo.org, click on “Newsletter,” and fill out the brief form. Current production costs of the bulletin amount to roughly $70 per month, so if you have internet access and an email account, consider this new option.

Think Pink

When Father returns to the altar after holding out the cross for veneration at the end of Divine Liturgy, he has to wipe the pink stains from his knuckles before he touches anything else. He also has to wipe it from the body of our Lord on the cross. Those who volunteer to clean the church have to wipe this same pink stain from the icons. What is this pink plague? Lipstick. If you wear lipstick, that’s fine, but don’t put it on everything in the church. Be courteous and daub off your lipstick before kissing things like the cross, the icons or the hand of a priest. Remember, it’s also kind of gross for the next person in line.

Featured Bookstore Item

This month’s featured item is a two-installment, “new classic” of Orthodox literature: Father Arseny 1893-1973: Priest, Prisoner, Spiritual Father, and Father Arseny: A Cloud of Witnesses. These remarkable books tell the story of a priest who not only lived through some of the worst horrors of the Soviet gulags, but actually managed to be a shining witness for Christ in the midst of them all. Each chapter is an inspiring, stand alone, vignette. While this format lends itself to reading one chapter a day, you honestly may not be able to put the book down until you have finished it. These books can be purchased together or separately. If you were inspired by the first book but haven’t yet read the second, now is the time. Two of each book are in the bookstore. They are priced at $16 and $15 respectively.

Thanks to all who participated for a successful annual meeting!

Fellowship Breakfast

The Fellowship Breakfast was a joy for all involved. Four parishioners joined Father and Popadija at The Pantry. We discussed a couple of theological issues, but mostly just enjoyed one another’s company before heading off to work. We’ll do this again at 7:35 on Thursday, Feb. 16. Same place. Absolutely everyone is invited.

House Blessings

A reminder that it’s time to have your home blessed. Please be sure to make your appointment with Father. The sooner you call, the better. Please warn Father if you have cats.

Making Announcements in Church

We’ve gotten into the bad habit of shouting out announcements at the end of Divine Liturgy, most of which come as surprises to Father. This can lead to a disorderly atmosphere. Effective immediately, please notify Father of any announcements before the beginning of the Liturgy. This includes items as simple as birthdays, name days and anniversaries. This way, Father will not be surprised, and announcement time will not be a free-for-all. If you are unable to notify Father ahead of time, please save your announcement until coffee hour. Correspondingly, Father is looking for a volunteer to provide an “Announcement Ministry.” This will amount to keeping track of all birthdays, name days, anniversaries, etc., and notifying Father ahead of time when there is a “Many Years” to be sung. This is an overlooked but very important “ministry.” Anyone interested in being the keeper of the dates, please speak with Father.

Panikhida for Eugene Mironoff

This month marks the sixth anniversary of the repose of Eugene Mironoff. A panikhida will be served on Feb. 11th. Weather permitting, it will take place at the cemetery in Beulah. A more specific announcement will be forthcoming.

Matushka/Popadija

One example of Orthodox cultural diversity are the different titles for clergy wives. The Russian term is ‘Matushka,’ the Serbs say ‘Popadija,’ the Greeks ‘Presvytera’ and the Arabs ‘Khouria.’ All are equally valid. Use whichever term is most comfortable for you.

Church Consecration

It was truly a joy to join with His Grace, Bishop Basil of Wichita, a dozen clergy and over a hundred faithful (including our own Philip and Katrina Orton) in the consecration of the newly-built Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Santa Fe, NM. Holy Trinity parish began only 10 years ago when an Episcopalian priest and a handful of his former congregation came home to holy Orthodoxy. Now as an Orthodox priest, Fr. John Bethancourt shepherds a flock of nearly 100 faithful, most of them converts to the faith. Holy Trinity is an example to St. Michael’s. Let us go and do likewise.

Wedding

On the afternoon of Sunday, Feb. 12, a wedding is to be celebrated at St. Michael’s. Ms. Tatiana Floka, a native of Chisinau, Moldavia, will be wed to Mr. Prudence Cosyleon of Pueblo.

Windows

The installation of new windows continues, but several more need to be sponsored. Please speak with Father or John Kuzmiak if you would like to sponsor a window, whether on your own or in conjunction with someone else. The cost of a window is $800, which includes a plaque bearing the name of the one in whose memory the window is donated.

Catching Monkeys With Greed

Do you know how they catch live monkeys in the jungle? Jars are hung in the trees, each jar having a long, narrow neck, and inside the jar a small red rubber ball. A monkey finds a jar, and out of curiosity he reaches his hand into the jar and grasps the ball. But when he tries to pull his fist out, it won't come. The monkey desperately wants to get loose but is not willing to let go of the red ball, so he becomes a captive for life.
-Anonymous

Reader Schedule

Sat 2/4 Vespers & Sun 2/5 Liturgy: Zachariah, Pavel
Sat 2/11 Vespers & Sun 2/12 Liturgy: John
Sat 2/18 Vespers & Sun 2/19 Liturgy: Zachariah
Sat 2/25 Vespers & Sun 2/26 Liturgy: Tom

Please remember to sign up for church cleaning and for coffee hour

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