Holy Assumption Monastery Newsletter – June 2019

Holy Assumption Monastery Newsletter – June 2019 1519 Washington St., Calistoga, CA 94515 Phone: 707-942-6244; Email: sisters @ holyassumptionmonaster y .com Website: www.holyassumptionmonastery.com Dear Friends of Holy Assumption Monastery, Christ is risen! Truly He is risen! What a joy to greet each other with these words, to sing them in different languages, to let them burrow deep into our hearts and then to watch them spring back out again. Yet there is a poignancy to these words as we go about our lives in this broken world, with its pains and heartaches. Yes, Christ is risen. But there is still much suffering and death around us. The joy and poignancy are particularly intertwined on Radonitsa (the Day of Rejoicing), which falls on the second Tuesday after Pascha. On Radonitsa, we go out to the cemeteries to sing the Paschal hymns to those in the graves. While we have always sung at the graves of the sisters who preceded us, for the first time, one of our very own sisters – Mother Olga – was there. Every year, more of our friends are in their graves. Then, there are the many people we don’t know – among whom are infants who lived just a few hours or days and paupers whose graves bear only a simple marker with a number. How many tears were shed at those graves (or even more sadly, how many tears HAVEN’T BEEN shed at the forgotten graves)! Yet in this place of death, the cry of Christ is risen bears its greatest power. To sing these words in church is one thing. To sing them in the cemetery is another. The joy of the Resurrection doesn’t paper over death and suffering – it transforms them into the gateway to Life. So, we go to the graves, and we weep and rejoice. And we have no doubt that as we sing to those in their graves, they hear and sing along: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life! with love in Christ, Mother Melania and the community of Holy Assumption Monastery At Mother Olga's grave Visiting all the graves At the Paupers' Field ZOO UPDATE – the Wild Side While not exactly part of the ‘zoo,’ a variety of other critters enjoy hanging around the monastery. So, here, for your viewing enjoyment, are a few of our wild critter friends. Catch me if you can, Hummingbirds are Who is that masked Bee-utiful! you silly cats!!! so fast they’re blurry stranger? even when sitting! OUTING TO GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE, Thursday May 2 Usually, some of the sisters get together to do something special in Bright Week. This year, it was an outing to walk the Golden Gate Bridge. Anyone want to climb to the top? Seagulls like to walk the bridge, too! llllllllll GARAGE SALE, Saturday May 4 When you collect more and more stuff, but have less and less room to put it, what do you do? Have a garage sale! Before: Can we pile more up During: looking for a bargain After: A clean porch, before it falls over? documented for posterity! llllllllll HAVE BOOKSTORE, WILL TRAVEL Ascension Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Oakland, May 17-19 Spot of tea, anyone? A two-fisted Stomper, the Oakland A's honey-stick lover! mascot, is Greek! Who knew?! St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church, Roseville, May 24-26 A nice booth ... Good neighbors And a "Berner." What in the booth next door ... more could you want? Nativity of Christ Greek Orthodox Church, Novato, May 24-26 Ready for business! Booth manager Say cheese! in training June 2019 Schedule for Holy Assumption Monastery Monastery contact info – (707) 942-6244; email – [email protected] Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 5:00pm Vigil 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9:40am Hours/ 8:40am Hours/ Divine Liturgy Divine Liturgy 6:00pm Vigil 5:00pm Vigil Sunday of the Ascension Blind Man 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 9:40am Hours/ 8:40am Hours/ Divine Liturgy Divine Liturgy 6:00pm Vigil Fathers of the 1 st Memorial Saturday Ecumenical Council 5:00pm Vigil 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 9:40am Hours/ 8:40am Hours/ RETREAT Divine Liturgy Divine Liturgy 9am to 3pm followed by 6:00pm Vigil See Flyer for Details Kneeling Vespers Apostle Jude, Brother of 5:00pm Vigil Pentecost the Lord 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 9:40am Hours/ 8:40am Hours/ Divine Liturgy Divine Liturgy 6:00pm Vigil All Saints Day Ss. Peter & Paul 5:00pm Vigil 30 9:40am Hours/ NOTE: Our schedule sometimes changes unexpectedly. Divine Liturgy Please check our website or the recorded message on our All Saints of telephone for last minute changes. North America RETREAT – Saturday June 22 Fr. Edward Henderson and Veronica Ruby will be speaking on In His Image and Likeness: Sanctity of Life Teachings of the Holy Orthodox Church and Reflections on an Orthodox Christian Response for Our Times Please see enclosed flyer for more details Summer Retreat—Saturday June 22, 2019 In His Image and Likeness: Sanctity of Life Teachings of the Holy Orthodox Church and Reflections on an Orthodox Christian Response for Our Times Conducted by Fr. Edward Henderson and Veronica Ruby 9:00 AM—Session 1 10:30 AM—Session 2 12:15 PM Akathist 1 pm Lunch 2pm—Session 3 HOLY ASSUMPTION MONASTERY 1519 Washington St. Calistoga, CA 94515 (707) 942-6244 http://holyassumptionmonastery.com No Fee—donations accepted Call Soon—Space is limited Fr. Edward Henderson is the pastor of St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church in Berkeley, and Veronica Ruby is Coordinator of Orthodox Christians for Life of the San Francisco Bay Area. .

Load more