St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, McKinney, Texas Electronic Newsletter February 21 / March 6, 2011 Sunday of the Forgiveness (Cheesefare)

Brothers and sisters, we are seven weeks away from the Feast of Feasts, Holy Pascha. On that Bright day, we will celebrate our entrance into the joy of our Lord, accorded to us by the abundant grace of our "Good God Who loves mankind" by His Incarnation, Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven. The reception of this grace lies at the foundation of our spiritual life.

But we cannot receive this grace unless we recognize our need for it, unless we see our infirmity and cry out to the Lord with fasting and tears. And so this time of Lent is given to us so that we might make an extra effort to repent and return to the Lord.

Runners who are trying to build strength practice interval training: slow, moderate runs punctuated by short bursts of maximal effort. Great Lent is, as it were, the interval training of our spiritual life — and the first week is our chance to get a good start.

The Holy Church appoints a special service for every day of this week. The Great Canon of St. Andrew is a beautiful and compunctionate service which uses numerous examples from the Holy Scriptures to help move our souls to repentance. For the sake of your soul, please make an effort to attend.

Also, now would be an excellent time to check our calendar of services for Holy Week and Pascha, and arrange your schedule so that you can attend as many of the Holy Week and Pascha services as possible.


Announcements

Sunday, March 6th is Forgiveness Sunday. After Trapeza on this day we will serve Lenten Vespers with the Rite of Forgiveness. As our Lord himself tells us very clearly, He will not forgive us unless we forgive one another. Please, therefore, mark your calendars now so that you can attend this important service and we can all ask forgiveness of one another for all wherein we may have caused offense.
 


Our new facility brings with it many new maintenance and upkeep tasks. Matushka Marina and Reader David Hawthorne need volunteers to help get all the work done.If you can give a few hours of our time to help care for God's house, please contact Matushka Marina, Reader David or Deacon Nicholas and we'll tell you how you can help.

We have updated our list of things our parish needs. If you or somebody you know wish to supply one of these items, please contact us.
 


Prayer Requests

For the Health and Salvation.

  • Kateryna (Kayla) Bayda.
  • Alexander (Yuliya Guzman's father)
  • David and Elizabeth Ash.
  • Priests Jean and Grégoire and all the faithful and suffering of Haiti

For a more complete listing, please see our parish prayer list. Anyone can make requests


Schedule of Divine Services in the Coming week

Saturday, 3/5.

  • Confession, 4pm.
  • Vigil, 5pm.

Sunday, 3/6

  • Divine Liturgy, 10am
  • Forgiveness Vespers, 12:45pm

Monday, 3/7

  • Compline with the Great Canon of St. Andrew, 7:30pm

Tuesday, 3/8

  • Compline with the Great Canon of St. Andrew, 7:30pm

Wednesday, 3/9

  • Compline with the Great Canon of St. Andrew, 7:00pm

Thursday, 3/10

  • Compline with the Great Canon of St. Andrew, 7:00pm

Friday, 3/11

  • Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, 9:00am
  • Small Compline with the Akathist Hymn, 7:00pm

Saturday, 3/12.

  • Confession, 4pm.
  • Vigil, 5pm.

Sunday, 3/13

  • Divine Liturgy, 10am
  • Church School, 12:45pm
  • Pan-Orthodox Vespers, 6:00pm at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

 

Our ongoing calendar of services is posted here, including entries for the remainder of Great Lent:

Our "Redeeming the Time" blog usually has at least several posts a week – http://www.orthodox.net/redeemingthetime.


Fasting in the Coming week

Throughout Great Lent, we abstain from all animal products, wine and oil on weekdays. Wine and Oil are allowed on weekends. Fish is allowed on Palm Sunday and on the Feast of the Annunciation.


Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *