Prosphora Baker – We are still looking for one more dedicated individual who would like to help bake the Church Bread – we will train!

Do you enjoy photography and working with websites? We’re looking for a volunteer to help maintain our church’s online photo gallery by gathering photos, uploading them to the website, and creating galleries of church events and activities. If you’re interested in helping share our church community’s special moments, contact our webmaster, Nicholas Tamraz, at webmaster@stmarymagdalenechurch.org

Thanksgiving Dinner – Our communities’ annual Thanksgiving Dinner will be on Sunday Nov. 8th following the Divine Liturgy. We have traditionally chosen the final Sunday prior to the Nativity Fast. I will not be present, but Fr. Ian will be subbing for me. Please sign up in the Hall so we know what to expect! We only have one day to make this happen!

 Sing with the Choir – You are invited to sing (with the Choir and Choir Director) The Troparion and Kontakion for St. Mary Magdalene, as well as the Creed and the Our Father.

The Parish Council has voted to enlarge the use of the hall by removing the wall between the parish hall and the utility classroom/ child center. This will help achieve the needed space in the hall to accommodate our rapid growth.

 Flowers – Please sign up on the bulletin board to provide flowers in the church, especially for Church feast days. Contact Diane Holmes for questions etc. Thank you so much!

 

 A River vs a Tidal Wave

A river is a foreseen body of water. A river does not change its course rapidly and its contents are very predictable. Bear Creek for example has a load of shopping carts that can seem likely! J Rivers can be peaceful and pleasant and great places to catch some fish or take a nap next to. A tidal wave is a whole different force of nature all together! One never knows what is in a tidal wave! Maybe a shopping cart from Bear Creek! The Orthodox Church worldwide is experiencing a tidal wave style growth. When a tidal wave hits our community it will bring us what it will. We have a full gambit of people. Some are here to seek Christ, some are here to just check us out, and some are here to argue with us. We need to be patient with everyone – perhaps less so with those who just want to argue! We are in this as a community and we need to respond as a community.

We have a fantastic group of inquirers and catechumens! Unfortunately, my observation of us dealing with the tidal wave is not that of a community. We act very much as a group of individuals who happen to attend church at the same place.  This is completely alien to the history and experience of the Orthodox Church. I am encouraging, and asking, for us to come together as a community and never look at our inquirers and catechumens as “those people who want to become Orthodox.” There journey in the faith is to remind us of our own repentance and continuous education in the Church. Often times, most, or many, of the Православный ( Pravoslavnyy) do not attend coffee hour. I am sorry if I offend anyone, but I generally do not find this acceptable. If we offer coffee hour and depend of everyone participating, then that is what should be happening. If coffee hour is not important, by all means, we do not have to have it! We cannot say we want coffee hour and then most of the time never attend!

Everything should be done as a community for the betterment of the community. Christianity is not, nor has it ever been an individualistic approach. Please attend coffee hour, engage our inquirers and catechumens. I am also asking the inquirers and catechumens to do more listening and less talking and arguing. The Pravoslavnyy and the catechumens need each other!   

 

Help with noise and distraction – If your child is crying and or having a meltdown – please take your child to the narthex or the church hall so as to minimize noise and distraction. As our community continues to grow this will become more and more necessary.

 

Contact Archpriest Lawrence Gaudreau (Fr. Lawrence)

Call or text – 719-357-1211

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