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Parish Newsletter Holy Resurrectionholy Orthodox Churchorthodox October October 2017 Oxy to Their New Homelands

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Parish Newsletter Holy Resurrectionholy Orthodox Churchorthodox October October 2017 Oxy to Their New Homelands Parish Newsletter Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church ≠ October 2017 P.O. Box 1332 Puyallup, WA 98371 ▪ Phone 253.537.4883 www.orthodoxtacoma.com ▪ V. Rev. John Pierce A Saint Who Links Russia and America: St. John Kochurov, Commemorated October 31 st The Orthodox Church around the world is one. Despite differences in language, music, styles of iconography and so on, the Church professes one faith, celebrates the same liturgies and prays the same prayers. Nowhere is this unity more appar- ent than in the Orthodox faithful who bring Orthodoxy to their new homelands. There are many saints who link the Russian Orthodox Churches in Russia and America, beginning with St. Herman of Alaska in the 18 th and 19 th centuries, and continuing through St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco in the 20 th century. No Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church Church Orthodox Resurrection Holy Box P.O. 1332 WAPuyallup, 98371 doubt there are saints living among us today. The church celebrates the memory of one of these saints, St. John Kochurov, on October 31 st . St. John was born on July 13, 1871 and graduated from the Ryazan Seminary and St. Petersburg Theological Acad- emy. After graduation, marriage, and ordination to the priesthood, St. John came to the United States as a missionary. He was the first priest assigned to St. Vladimir’s Church in Chicago, which later became Holy Trinity Cathedral (completed and consecrated in 1902.) Work on the Cathedral was begun under the su- pervision of St. John, with the bless- ing of St. Tikhon, Bishop of North Kontakion, tone 8 tone Kontakion, grants mercy to all! all! to mercy grants the Martyr’s crown! crown! Martyr’s the Troparion - Tone 1 1 Tone - Troparion in the Orthodox Faith, Faith, Orthodox in the and defended the Faith Faith the defended and America, Patriarch of Moscow, and on the path of salvation, salvation, of path the on cry out in thanksgiving: inthanksgiving: cry out for you nurtured your people people your nurtured for you and great mercy to our souls. souls. toour mercy great and Confessor (one who suffers, but is you brought your soul to God God to soul your brought you Glory to Him who granted you you granted who toHim Glory Glory to Him who through you you through who toHim Glory HYMN of the MONTH MONTH the of HYMN guiding them by word and deed deed and word by them guiding O Hieromartyr John of Chicago, of Chicago, John Hieromartyr O not killed outright,) for the Faith. St. Glory to Him who gave you strength! strength! you gave who toHim Glory even unto the shedding of your blood. blood. your of shedding the evenunto Therefore, we, your spiritual children, children, spiritual your we, Therefore, John was active in the formation of You were revealed to all as a true shepherd shepherd true a as all to revealed Youwere as a well-pleasing sacrifice, O Father John. John. Father O sacrifice, well-pleasing asa many parishes in the Chicago area, Entreat Christ God to grant peace to the world world the to peace togrant God Christ Entreat As you zealously fulfilled your pastoral service, service, pastoral your fulfilled zealously you As in Buffalo, NY, and Hartshorne, Oklahoma. He translated religious texts into English, foreseeing the need for them as the Church grew in A Saint Who Links Russia and America cont’d Our Parish Bookstore - by Susan Noel Reynolds America. He helped organize the first All- As far back as the 1890s both Sts. John and Mystery and Miracle love of God'. American Sobor (Council) in Mayfield, Tikhon saw the need for a multi-national, After hearing Christ say that it is easier for a Thus we make a be- Pennsylvania in 1897, and was chairman of multi-lingual church in the United States. camel to go through the eye of a needle than ginning to inner pu- the church’s Mutual Aid Society. This would combine a respect for the diverse for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of rity, of which external Upon completion of his work in America, St. linguistic, national, cultural backgrounds of God, those around Him asked, 'Then who words and actions are John was transferred to Narva, Estonia in its members with a commitment to a united can be saved?' He responded that 'What is only witnesses. Cut- 1907, and later to St. Catherine’s Cathedral Orthodox Church on the North American impossible for men is possible for God.' We ting off the external in Tsarskoe Selo. This “Tsar’s Village,” continent, and reach out beyond the national must work to our limit of strength to repent, things that witness to located outside St. Petersburg, is near the backgrounds of its immigrant members to the and then depend on God for his mercy. our brokenness is a way to starve the root of our hardness, and find the mysterious gift of Summer Palace and other Imperial Resi- wider, English-speaking society of the Two books that came to me address this dences. On October 31, 1917 the Bolsheviks United States. The example of St. John Ko- repentance, which, as St. Isaac says, is the question. One, The Spiritual World of Isaac door of mercy, opened to those who seek it.' entered Tsarskoe Selo, arrested, and shot St. churov inspires us with the vision of an Or- the Syrian, by Hilarion Alfeyev, is an over- John. He was canonized by the Russian thodox Church in America calling us to fol- In fact, he also says that 'perceiving one's Orthodox Church in 1994. low his example now, in the 21 st century. In Our Parish Come to Sunday Matins! gave a brief homily on the significance of St. The beautiful office of Sunday Matins has Sergius and a meal was served by the Holy resumed in our Parish, beginning at 8:15 a.m. Trinity Wilkeson Committee. Some members Matins opens with prayers and Psalms, then of the parish the Solemn “Six Psalms” are read - the most m a d e their first ancient part of the service – while we stand visit to the build- very still (no venerating icons or lighting i n g “where it candles during the Six Psalms.) We then all be- gan.” chant verses from Psalm 136 “for His Mercy Commit- tee mem- endures forever. Alleluia!” followed by a bers have been hard great censing of the church with hymns about at work on the the Myrrhbearing Women discovering the grounds cutting empty Tomb. This leads up to the Matins over- grown Gospel - one of eleven appointed to be read - bushes. In one about the Resurrection of Christ. The Hymn, instance, a holly that “Having Beheld the Resurrection of Christ,” had established itself behind the washroom is chanted followed by the invocation to the building was cut away, revealing a rotten own sins is more important than performing saints. We then venerate the Gospel Book as roof. A roof repair will be completed before view of St. Isaac's writings, with a section on miracles or having supernatural mystical we settle into the canon – a series of hymns the rains settle in. Holy Trinity Wilkeson repentance. The other, On the Passions and visions.' reflecting the theme of the Sunday. A hymn Committee Meetings are held on the second Repentance, by Antiochian priest Georgy So repentance, being a gift of God, is a mira- to the Theotokos called the Magnificat is sung Sunday of every month, the next one will be Neifakh, looks at the various passions and cle, something we cannot do totally on our (we all stand), followed by the Praises and the October 8 th in room 3, downstairs in the Par- how to struggle against them. This requires own. St; John Chrysostom says this: chanting of the Great Doxology: “Glory to ish House. Everyone is invited! help from God. St. Isaac says it beautifully: 'Everywhere He bids us practice great care in Thee, who has shown forth the Light! Glory 'Rig together my impulses for the ship of our way of life. If you change from inhuman- to God in the highest!” Come to Sunday Slavonic Liturgy repentance, so that in it I may exult as I ity to almsgiving, you have stretched forth Matins! The Divine Liturgy is served in Old Church travel over the world's sea until I reach the the hand that was withered. If you withdraw Slavonic once a month, usually on the second haven of your hope.' He says elsewhere: from theaters and go to church, you have Holy Trinity Wilkeson Committee Saturday. Our next Liturgy will be served at 'Repentance is given to man as grace after cured the lame foot. If you draw back your th th On Sunday, September 24 we enjoyed a 10:00 a.m. on October 14 , the Protection grace. By this door we enter into the mercy eyes from beauty not your own, you have beautiful autumn afternoon at our historic (Pokrov) of the Theotokos, Old Style. A of God. It is by opening a chink in the wall opened them when they were blind. If in- Temple in Wilkeson. Vespers for the Feast of delightful potluck follows Liturgy. Every- of our hardheartedness that 'a small ray of stead of satanical songs, you have learned St. Sergius of2 Radonezh was served, Fr. John body is welcome! - - - continued on page 6 light will break through and fall into our spiritual psalms, being dumb, you have spo- heart.' And, 'In a moment of true repentance, ken. These are the greatest miracles; these th and only in that moment, we begin to feel the Please send November newsletter articles to [email protected] by October 26 are the wonderful signs.' In Our Parish continued News And Notes Parishioners Matthew Means and Laurel dergo the grueling final exam and have his Diocesan Assembly where we left off - on the Epistle of James.
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