Newsletter september 2016 web copy by Holy Apostles Orthodox Church

THE MOSAIC

Continued …

This Issue

A Monthly Newsletter of Holy Apostles Orthodox Church

PAGE 2 News & Events PAGE 3 Calendar

PAGE 6 Sophia PAGE 7 Spotlight

PAGE 8 PAGE 4 Practicing the Faith Photos PAGE 5 Liturgics 101

Michael presided at the service . At the end of Vespers a tonsuring was performed on Christopher Chasse a parishioner of Holy Assumption. The tonsuing included special prayers over the candidate, vesting him in a reader’s phelon, the cutting of his hair, and his first public reading as a Reader.

After the Vespers service there was a reception held in honor of the feast and the newly-tonsured Christopher. It was a wonderful time of fellowship. The next morning the Divine Liturgy was served with Archbishop Michael, Father Terry and Father Matthew. As is customary flowers were blessed following the service.

September 2016 The Faithful of Holy Apostles joins with Holy Assumption to Celebrate their Patronal Feast Day of the Dormition On Sunday evening parishioners from Holy Apostles attended the Vespers and the following morning for Divine Liturgy for the feast of the Dormition of our Lady the Theotokos at a neighboring parish, Holy Assumption in Clifton. Holy Apostles has for the past three years joined with Holy Assumption to celebrate its patronal feast. The Vespers service had about 70 people in attendance including parishioners from Holy Resurrection in Wayne.

Thanks to This Month’s Newsletter Sponsor:

Father Matthew served with Father Terry of Holy Assumption , Father Maryon of St. Spyridon’s in Perth Amboy, and Archbishop...

Shook Funeral Home 1

PARISH NEWS Early June was marked by the celebration of the Feast of the Ascension and a dinner party fundraiser at the Olderog’s home. The event raised nearly $1,500 for the parish and was a great time enjoyed by the twenty or so people who attended. Thanks Kai and Anne! The parish council attended the annual Parish Council Conference organized by the Diocese. It was held at Christ the Saviour in Paramus this year. Our catechumen Daniel Craig was received into the Church on the feast of Pentecost. The church was full and everyone celebrated afterwards during coffee hour. For the Feast of Saints Peter Paul Holy Apostles joined one of our sister parishes, Saint John’s in Passaic. And the month of June ended with the celebration of our parish’s patronal feast.

S EPTEMBER 2016 Sun

In August Father was on vacation for part of the month. Fruit was blessed at the feast of the Transfiguration and for the Dormition of the Theotokos our parish joined Holy Assumption for the services. Towards the end of the month the parish participated in the 300th Anniversary Picnic for Saddle Brook where we had a booth and handed out free waters and sponsored the balloon animals.

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu 1

Fri 2

Sat 3 Pet Blessing 10 AM Vespers 5 PM

UPCOMING EVENTS 

Pet Blessing on Saturday the 3rd at 10 AM  Parish Picnic at the Browns on Labor Day starting at 11 AM Nativity of Our Lady: Vespers on Wed. the 7th at 6 PM and Lit urgy on Thurs. at 9 AM  Parish Council Meeting following Vespers on the 7th Elevation of the Cross: Liturgy on Wed. the 14th at 9 AM and Vespers on Tuesday at 6 PM Cleaning Night on Thursday the 22nd at 6 PM  Bible Study begins on the 19th at 6 PM. Six week session on ____  50/50 Drawing on Sunday the 18th during Coffee Hour.  Konevets Quartet Concert on Tuesday October 4th at 7 PM 2

4 5 6 Church School 9:15 AM Divine Liturgy 10 AM Parish Picnic Coffee Hour To Follow At Brown’s Home 11 AM

11 12 Church School 9:15 AM Divine Liturgy 10 AM Coffee Hour To Follow

14 15 Elevation of the Cross

Vespers 6 PM

Liturgy 9 AM

18 19 Church School 9:15 AM Divine Liturgy 10 AM Coffee Hour To Follow Bible Study 50/50 Drawing After 6 PM Liturgy

25 26 Church School 9:15 AM Divine Liturgy 10 AM Coffee Hour To Follow Bible Study 6 PM

Vespers 6 PM Council 7 PM

Nativity of Our Lady

Liturgy 9 AM Vespers 5 PM

Vespers 5 PM

Cleaning Night 6 PM 28

SOPHIA

THE SPOTLIGHT A Monastery Near You

Fighting Vanity One of the monastic communities in our diocese is New Skete. New Skete is comprised of both a community of nuns and monks which are distinct communities but have a symbiotic relationship. New Skete is located in Cambridge, New York and was founded in 1966. Until 1979, the monastery was Eastern rite Catholic when, under the guidance of Fr. Alexander Schmemann and Fr. John Meyendorff, joined the Orthodox Church in America. It is a Stavropegial institution, which means that though it is in the territory of our diocese it is under the care of Metropolitan Tikhon. New Skete is best known for its dog training and breeding. They offer training classes and have written several books on the topic, including: The Art of Raising a Puppy, Divine Canine, and Dogs and Devotion. Like all monasteries New Skete is also a fine place to make a retreat; to get away from the world and renew your spiritual life.

Another monastic community in our diocese is the convent of the Holy Myrrhbearers located

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind. ~ Ecclesiastes 1:14

in Otego, New York. Founded in 1977 this monastery is also stavropegial. Holy Myrrhbearers operates a small bookstore, holds retreats for laypeople, and runs a Zoar farm, a 220 acre farm full of goats, sheep, chickens, and oxen. Like New Skete it is set in a idyllic rural setting, perfect for solitude and reflection. Like all monasteries, Myrrhbearers maintains a rigorous liturgical and sacramental life and like New Skete is an English language monastery.

In Ecclesiastes, King Solomon reminds us of something we often forget when we are blinded by the business and momentary pleasures of our life: most of life is vain. And by vain he means meaningless, or at least petty. Without a higher purpose all of our engagements and activities are petty and vain. What, then, is the purpose which prevents “all the works that are done under the sun” from remaining vain? The purpose of all things is communion with God, who is present in all things and beyond all things, the source of all things and their end. Without such a high and true purpose most things become ends in themselves and upon deeper inspection don’t accomplish much of anything. Most of our activities and efforts are like “grasping for the wind.” Therefore the ‘why’ behind what we do and the ends for which we work matter greatly. It is not just what we do with our life, but for what we live our life. And if things can be vain so can people. “Man is the vainest of all creatures that have their being upon earth” (Homer). The vanity of the world can seep into us and become part of our character. It can move from how we live and act to who we are. Consider this lengthy quote by Saint John of Kronstadt a 19th century Russian saint: “We amuse ourselves with dress, instead of only decently covering our body and protecting it from the injurious action of the elements. We amuse ourselves with our houses and the variety of furniture in them, decorating them richly and exquisitely, instead of merely having a secure and decent roof to protect us. … Finally, we amuse ourselves with our own selves, making idols out of ourselves, before which we bow down, and before which we expect other to bow down. Who can sufficiently describe our enormous vanity, the misery into which we voluntarily throw ourselves? … Woe to us who love the present fleeting life, and neglect the inheritance of the life that follows after the death of our body beyond this carnal veil!”

Another monastery in New York State is the Greek men’s monastery of St. Nektarios. Founded in 1999 and located in Roscoe, New York, this all-Greek-language community maintains a strict liturgical and spiritual life. The monks occupy themselves with a variety of work including gardening, publishing, and providing hospitality to visitors.

Vanity is a misuse of the world around us, our possessions, our relationships, our status, our pleasures, our own abilities. That misuse is vain because it lacks depth and remains on such a shallow and meaningless level that we might step back and ask, “what truly is the point of it all?” Saint John urges us to live deeply for the most good and beautiful things, for things which are eternal. And what is eternal? Virtue. Love. Friendship. God. His Church. The Spiritual Life. These things and such things like them are

the ends of all material things, all things of daily life. Such things give one a sense of purpose and direction in life. In contrast, vanity leaves one feeling empty and despairing. Maybe not at first, but eventually vanity burns off like morning fog and when it does leaves the sense of meaninglessness which sucks all life and energy from us. We can become the very object of our vanity. We can become preoccupied with ourselves and how others see us. We, whether consciously aware of it or not, become the center of our universe and as we see it the center of everybody else's universe as well. So we wander about in life feeding our vanity. Not only do we serve our own vain desires but we often conform ourselves to feed the vanity of others and so rather than respecting them for what is noble in them we only flatter, hoping they will do us the favor in return. Vanity and pride are closely related. Pride has more to do with what we think of ourselves whereas vanity has to do with how we would like others to see us. “But the vain man did not hear him. Vain men never hear anything but praise.” ( Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince ) Such preoccupation with ourselves blinds and deafens us to the truth, to reality. As a result our relationships with others are distorted and inauthentic. We are rendered incapable of truly listening and being heard, because we ‘never hear anything but praise.’ We become isolated and alone like Narcissus from ancient Greek myth. The tale goes that this young hunter from Greece was renowned for his beauty. So beautiful was he that he despised all who loved him. Noticing his extreme pride and vanity the goddess Nemesis lured Narcissus to a lake where, looking at his reflection, Narcissus fell in love with himself. Unable to refrain from gazing at himself, he eventually died. The vice of vanity, like all vices, always kills a part of our souls. Flee then from vanity and pursue the more profound things in life. Resist excess in dress, food, talk, and all possessions. Stop looking in the mirror so much. Stop your preoccupation with your own desires. Stop trying to flatter others and seeking their praise. Examine your life, your priorities and commitments. Ask why you are doing them. And then do all that you do to acquire virtue and the things which are eternal and not a ‘grasping of the wind.’

PRACTICING THE FAITH:

Orthodox World News

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES & SACRAMENTS

Edited by Sub-Deacon Peter Eagler

What are Spiritual Disciplines? To excel in anything in life discipline is required. This is true for athletes, musicians, CEOs, and Christians. Effective discipline is not drudgery. Its deeply rewarding. They way a artist feels when she has completed a work of art or an entrepreneur when his startup is showing signs of success.

Sitka cathedral among Alaska’s top ten “most endangered historic properties”

Discipline works by transference A discipline is something we can do that enables us to do what we haven’t yet been able to do by our own direct effort. Trying is not enough. Don’t try—train. Our training is connecting us with a power much greater than our own — the Holy Spirit. If you can’t break the power of an addiction or some other harmful habit, you might be able to fast from food. If you can get past headaches, grumpiness, and cravings when fasting and learn to be free and joyful when with or without food, then you can apply this to your compulsive behavior.

Historic Saint Michael the Archangel Cathedral here is one of two Diocese of Alaska churches on this year’s “Ten Most Endangered Historic Properties” list compiled by the Alaska Association for Historic Preservation [AAHP]. Also on this year’s list is the Ascension of Our Lord Church, Karluk, AK, which was built in 1888. Located on the far side of Kodiak Island, the Karluk church is considered the state’s oldest extant Orthodox sanctuary.

The other way discipline works is by developing new and healthy habits. Do you think the Olympic Swimmer Michael Phelps or Gymnast Simone Biles—both considered the greatest athletes in their sports ever—achieved greateness without good habits? Having good habits makes automatic what would otherwise take concentrated and laborious effort each and every time. Habits makes success and life easier. And it’s the same in the spiritual life. The spiritual life is too hard without godly habits.

Saint Michael Cathedral was constructed between 1844 and 1848. Saint Innocent Veniaminov designed the structure and built the clock that graces its bell tower. He hired skilled Finnish carpenters to build the cathedral, which was made of spruce logs and ceilings with sailcloth-lined walls for insulation and improved acoustics. The cathedral was the principal physical representation of the Russian cultural influence in the 19th century in North America. From 1840 to 1872, Sitka was the See of the Diocese that governed all of North America, and thereafter it continued as the See of the Diocese of Alaska. The present cathedral is a faithful reconstruction of the original building which burned to the ground on January 2, 1966. Fortunately, over 95% of the original icons, pieces of Orthodox liturgical art and religious objects—including the Sitka Icon of the Mother of God—survived the blaze.

There are two major categories of disciplines: abstinence (self-denial) and engagement. Abstinence makes space for a deeper spiritual life and engagement gives strength to endure the challenges of abstinence. One creates space for godly habits and the other helps us develop those habits. Here are some main disciplines of abstinence and engagement in the Christian life. Solitude: Refraining from interacting with other people in order to be alone with God and be found by him. Silence: Not speaking at specific times or for set durations while focusing on listening instead. Fasting: Going without food or without certain kinds.

Sabbath: Taking a day to refrain from work, to slow down, and create balance in life. Secrecy: Not making our good deeds or qualities known. Submission: Not asserting ourselves or our will. Learning to express our love for God & others by obeying

The Ascension of Our Lord Church, Karluk, AK, was built in 1888.

Study: Learning more about your faith & deepening your understanding of God, His Church, and the World

“Even though the cathedral was rebuilt after the fire in 1966, it is once again being threatened by issues related to water damage that continues to plague the building,” said His Grace, Bishop David of Sitka and Alaska. “Efforts are underway by several organizations in Alaska to put together recent studies by engineers to obtain a good overall picture of what is wrong and what is needed to repair the structure.”

Worship: Praising God’s greatness, goodness, and beauty in words, music, ritual, or silence.

Prayer: Private daily prayer using a prayer book and spontaneous conversation with God. Examine: Paying attention to our inner self, reviewing our deeds and words for the day, examining our motives Charity: Humbly serving others, especially those in need, and the giving away of our material wealth

The AAHP has compiled this annual list since 1991. It is intended to bring public awareness to Alaska’s threatened historic properties. Heightened awareness often leads to increased support for the conservation of endangered historic properties, which are assets important to religious life, tourism, economic development and Alaska’s cultural heritage. The nominations for this program are submitted by individuals and organizations throughout Alaska.

KONEVETS QUARTET IS COMING AGAIN TO HOLY APOSTLES

Save the Date Tuesday October 4th at 7 PM

The list is the first step to participate in the AAHP’s “Ten Most Endangered Grant Program,” which funds hands-on preservation work on endangered properties and serves as seed money to leverage funding from other sources. Properties listed on the 2016 list will be eligible to apply to AAHP for these matching grants, which are made possible through generous donations to the Grant Program from private individuals and organizations which support these preservation efforts.

LITURGICS 101 Sub. Deacon Ben Kalemba

Vespers – Part 7

The Litany of Supplication – The Angel of Peace (Anhela mira) Litany follows: Let us complete our evening prayer to the Lord. Lord have mercy. Help us, save us, have mercy upon us, and keep us, O God, by Your grace. Lord have mercy. That the evening may be perfect, holy, peaceful, and sinless, let us ask the Lord. Grant this, O Lord. An angel of peace, a faithful guide, a guardian of our souls and bodies, let us ask the Lord. Grant this, O Lord. Pardon and remission of our sins and transgressions, let us ask the Lord. Grant this, O Lord. All things that are good and profitable for our souls, and peace for the world, let us ask the Lord. Grant this, O Lord. That we may complete the remaining time of our lives in peace and repentance, let us ask the Lord. Grant this, O Lord. A Christian ending to our lives, painless, blameless, and peaceful, and for a good defense before the judgment seat of Christ, let us ask the Lord. Grant this, O Lord. Remembering our most holy, most pure, most blessed, and glorious Lady, the holy Theotokos and ever virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and each another and our whole life to Christ our God. To You, O Lord. For You are a good God and love mankind, and to You we ascribe glory: to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Peace be unto all. And to your spirit. Let us bow our heads to the Lord. To You, O Lord. O Lord our God, who bowed the heavens and came down for the salvation of the human race, look upon Your servants and upon Your inheritance. For to You, the awesome Judge who loves mankind, have Your servants bowed their heads and bent their necks; not expecting help from men, but hoping in Your mercy and looking for your salvation. Protect them at all times, especially in this present evening and in the coming night, from every enemy, from every adverse work of the devil, from vain thoughts, and from evil memories. Blessed and most glorified be the majesty of Your kingdom: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Next, the choir sings the Apostikha: The Apostikha (stikhiry na stikhovne), like the stikhera at the “O Lord, I cry to you: hear me, O Lord!”, are poetic hymns sung interspersed between verses of selected Psalms. So, for most weekdays and Sundays of the year, the stikhera will be sung in the tone of that week. The exception to this would occur for major feast days and the tone would be specified in the Menaion. For Saturday evening Vespers and the Vespers of feast days, the Psalm verses (from Psalm 93) are: Verse: The Lord is King, He is robed in majesty Verse: For He has established the world so that it shall never be moved! Verse: Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, forevermore. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen For weekday Vespers, the Psalm verses (from Psalm 123) are: Verse: Unto You have I lifted my eyes, unto you who dwell in Heaven. Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hands of their master, as the eyes of a maid, unto the hands of her mistress, so do our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He has compassion on us. Verse: Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, for we have had more than enough of contempt. Too long our soul has been sated with the scorn of those who are at ease, the contempt of the proud. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen (To be continued…) 5

50/50 Raffle $2500 Grand Prize Only 200 Tickets Drawing Will Take Place on Sunday September 18th For Tickets Contact Mary Ann Vislocky at mary_ann_maryn@hotmail.com or 201-945-2099

All proceeds go to support the ministries of Holy Apostles