On the Horizon: Great Lent
The very first announcement of Lent is made the Sunday on which the Gospel lesson about Zacchaeus (Lk. 19:1–10) is read. It is the story of a man who was too short to see Jesus but who desired so much to see Him that he climbed up a tree. Jesus responded to his desire and went to his house. Thus the theme of this first announcement is desire. Man follows his desire. One can even say that man is desire, and this fundamental psychological truth about human nature is acknowledged by the Gospel: “Where your treasure is,” says Christ, “there shall your heart be.” A strong desire overcomes the natural limitations of man; when he passionately desires something he does things of which “normally” he is incapable. Being “short,” he overcomes and transcends himself. The only question, therefore, is whether we desire the right things, whether the power of desire in us is aimed at the right goal, or whether—in the words of the existentialist atheist, Jean Paul Sartre—man is a “useless passion.”
Zacchaeus desired the “right thing”; he wanted to see and approach Christ. He is the first symbol of repentance, for repentance begins as the rediscovery of the deep nature of all desire: the desire for God and His righteousness, for the true life. Zacchaeus is “short” —petty, sinful and limited—yet his his desire overcomes all this. It “forces” Christ’s attention; it bring Christ to his home. Such, then, is the first announcement, the first invitation: ours is to desire that which is deepest and truest in ourselves, to acknowledge the thirst and hunger for the Absolute which is in us whether we know it or not, and which, when we deviate from it and turn our desires away, makes us indeed a “useless passion.” And if we desire deeply enough, strongly enough, Christ will respond.
Archpriest Alexander Schmemann
Great Lent, pp 17–18
There will be no Tuesday Vespers this week as we will have Great Vespers on Wednesday, February 1st at 6:00 p.m. Divine Liturgy will be on Thursday, February 2nd at 9:30 a.m. followed by a potluck.
00001
Out church women will be going country line dancing at The Grand on Friday, February 3rd, from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. There is a $7 entrance fee. See the email updates for the link to sign-up. Please contact Elizabeth Clause for more details.
00002
Our annual all-parish meeting will be held on Sunday, February 5th, during Fellowship Hour. Additionally, we will have the election of corporate Trustees pursuant to Title 27, Section 101 of the Delaware State Code. Postings will be on the doors for the minimum 10 days required before our annual meeting. The Trustees to be voted on are:
- Brian Burns (Fr. Silouan)
- Richard Peck (Sbdn. Basil)
- Susan Skomorucha
Please download and review the meeting packet before Sunday. This will help speed up the meeting and save paper. There will be a limited number of paper copies of the packet at the meeting.
00003
We will have a talent show and dinner on February 18th, at 5:00 p.m. Vespers will be moved up to 4:00 p.m. An email was sent out to the parish on January 17th. Please sign-up if you will be there. See Dan Peck with any questions.
| Date | 3rd Hour | 6th Hour | Epistle |
| Feb 5 | Altschul | Skomorucha | Wales |
| Feb 12 | Stultz | D'Orazio | Carey |
| Feb 19 | Vojacsek | Altschul | Peck |
| Date | Coffee Hour | Service Duty | Church Cleaners |
| Jan 29 | Clause / Whalen / Mordasov / Jones | Hojnicki / Najemy | D. Peck / O. Long / S. Crozier |
| Feb 5 | E. Peck / J. Peck / Tice / D. Peck | Telep / Baldychev | Koehler / Long |
| Feb 12 | Riley / Hojnicki / Flynn / Reed | Bunitsky / Morjana | Clause / Whalen |
| Feb 19 | Long Sisters / J. Burns / Beazley / Veres / Hill | Riley / Riley | Skomorucha / Ashton / Stultz |
| Date | Servers |
| Feb 5 | Mordasov / Sullivan |
| Feb 12 | Burns / Crozier |
| Feb 19 | Jones / Mordasov |
| Feb 26 | Ricks / Sullivan |
| Mar 5 | Burns / Jones |
| Mar 12 | Crozier / Mordasov |
| Mar 19 | Jones / Ricks |
| Mar 26 | Mordasov / Sullivan |
20 Jan 2023 at 8:36pm
5 Jan 2023 at 7:43am
This Week's Schedule
02/05/23
† No Church Open Time This Week †
Wednesday, February 1st
Great Vespers with Litya & Anointing
at 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 2nd
Meeting of the Lord
Hours
at 9:10 a.m.
Divine Liturgy & Potluck
at 9:30 a.m.
Saturday, February 4th
Choir Rehearsal
at 3:30 p.m.
Great Vespers
at 5:00 p.m.
followed by
Confessions
Sunday, February 5th
Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee
Hours
at 8:40 a.m.
Divine Liturgy
at 9:00 a.m.
followed by
Fellowship
followed by
Annual All-Parish Meeting
Important Dates
02/26/23
Sunday, February 19th
Meatfare Sunday
Sunday, February 26th
Cheesfare Sunday / Forgiveness Vespers
