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The Andrew News

St. Andrew Orthodox Church - Riverside, CA

Dear Parishioners, As we launch out into this first week of Great Lent we find our systems shocked and we find that the daily routine and rhythm of life is not at all easy to break. Here is the counsel of the Lord as we find it in the Matins of the 1st day of Great Lent: ―Let us joyfully begin the all-hallowed season of abstinence; and let us shine with the bright radiance of the holy commandments of Christ our God, with the brightness of love and the splendor of prayer, with the purity of holiness and the strength of good courage. So, clothed in raiment of light, let us hasten to the Holy Resurrection on the third day, that shines upon the world with the glory of eternal life." There are two important attitudes that we must have at this time according to this text, and that we must maintain throughout the whole of Lent. These two dispositions Volume 18 Issue 2 & 3 are: 1. A spirit of joy. 2. A courageous resolve to spiritually struggle. February/March 2009 1. "Let us joyfully begin..." Remember my dear ones that Lent is a great gift from Published Monthly God to us! It is an immense honor to keep the Lent, to make spiritual progress towards the Lord and His Kingdom, and to receive so much grace as we do St. Andrew Orthodox Church of during the fast. And remember that this is all so that Riverside is a parish of the Self-ruled Antiochian Orthodox we can authentically and properly embrace and rejoice Christian Archdiocese of North in our Savior's Resurrection from the dead on the America, Diocese of the West, Third Day! Above all this Lent try to fast, to serve, to the See of the Right Reverend deny yourself, to pray, to go to church, with joy and , Bishop of not with sourness. Los Angeles and the West.

2. Let us seek the strength of good courage. We need Saturdays: resolve. Without resolve no one is able to enter into Great Vespers, 5:30 p.m. the Kingdom of God. Our Savior teaches us that "the Sundays: kingdom of God suffers violence and the violent take Matins, 9 a.m. Divine Liturgy, 10 a.m. it by force." Here violence means self-violence - Feast Days: meaning not that we hurt ourselves but that we do Liturgy, 6 p.m. violence against our self-centered will and our On Eve of Feast compulsion to always seek our own good instead of Church School follows God's glory and the good of our neighbor. In order to The Divine Liturgy benefit from Lent and to truly change as a person each For additional services and events, and for the latest of us needs courage and resolve to continue Lent until updates, check the end, until Pascha itself. If we do the Lord will www.saintandrew.net raise us with Himself. O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, meddling, 4700 Canyon Crest Drive So as we begin...and as our bodies begin to protest...I lust of power, and idle talk. But give Riverside, CA 92507 rather the spirit of chastity, humility, (951) 369-0309 encourage you all to rejoice in the fast, and to patience and love to Thy servant. Yea, approach it with good courage! O Lord and King, grant me to see my own sins and not to judge my brother; V. Rev. Josiah Trenham, pastor With much love for you all, for Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen. Submit articles to the editor at Fr Josiah Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian [email protected] Volume 18 Issue 2 & 3 Page 2

TIPS FOR GREAT LENT By Kh. Krista West St. George Orthodox Church, Portland, Oregon The following are small tips on preparing for or participating in Lent. Wishing you all “Good Lent!” and praying that we all come to the Cross and Resurrection with much prayer and joy. Kh. Krista

Tip #1 You Can't Have it All! to school or work). Adults may want to put in for time off on Great and Holy Friday. Lent can be a big time commitment—there are three to five extra services each week, not to mention the daily services Tip #2 Get Me to the Church on Time! during Holy Week. It's a daunting challenge, especially for Well, I'm not always the best example of getting to church families and individuals with already-busy schedules. But, on time, but there are some things that work well. Getting Lent only comes once a year and we want to make the most kids dressed and out the door seems to be a big challenge of it so we can experience its positive effect on our lives for many of us and I've found that keeping some clothes throughout the rest of the year. In this spirit, it is helpful to and one pair of shoes as ―church only‖ helps. Also, while I prepare for Lent by taking the rest of our lives down a do think it's important that children learn to dress up for notch so that we can take our church attendance and prayer church, sometimes the rules need to be relaxed a little life up a notch. during the more frequent services of Lent. If your children Start by looking over your and your family's schedule and are coming from school, they may need to attend services eliminate things that are not absolutely necessary. This is in jeans or more casual clothes. While our attire should the biggie—you just cannot have your kids in every sport glorify God, it should not keep us from His house. And I or special activity AND experience Lent in a meaningful strongly recommend keeping one CD of liturgical chant way as a family. This can sound a little harsh, but a great music in the car—this will soothe even the most harried part of Lent is putting the rest of our lives on the back trip to church and ensure that everyone arrives in a burner, so that we can really concentrate on our spiritual prayerful frame of mind. lives. And in the big picture, Lent is only six Speaking of arriving on time, Lent is a good time weeks. A few weeks before Lent begins, I look to remind everyone that Communion should over all of our schedules and make any necessary never be partaken of without proper preparation. changes. We take a break from swim team and I The ―gold standard‖ of preparation in the don't sign up to teach any knitting classes. We Orthodox Church is to attend Great Vespers on discuss ahead of time any events that might put Saturday evening, read the Pre-Communion extra pressure or stress on our family and set our Prayers (pg. 204 of the red service book) on schedules accordingly. Saturday night or Sunday morning, and then Set a goal of which services you want to attend— attend Orthros and Liturgy. Now, I recognize this is really important for families. For those that this preparation is not feasible for everyone, with young children, you may want to simply add but we need to give thought and make sure that the Akathist service on Friday nights since it's the we are preparing in some way. We don't want to shortest in length. For those with school-age just show up before Communion and receive, children, I recommend adding the Wednesday because in the eyes of the Church, this is night Pre-Sanctified Liturgy since it has a much ―partaking unto condemnation‖ and can be very different tone and feel than a Sunday Divine bad for our souls. Liturgy and it presents to children that not every Liturgy So, what are some ways we can prepare? The bare has the same feel—an important concept. minimum requirement for receiving Communion is that No matter which services you decide to partake of during you arrive for Divine Liturgy at the beginning, or at the Lent, this is also the time to schedule for Holy Week. This very least, before the reading of the Holy Gospel. If you year it is Sunday, April 12th through Pascha on Sunday, arrive after the Gospel, we're always happy to see you, but April 19th. Holy Thursday is the most important day of the do not receive and do not let your children receive. year for Orthodox Christians to receive Communion, so If you've got the bare minimum covered and want to move children will want to plan to miss school for the morning up a ―step‖ in preparation, you can start coming a little (the Liturgy's early on this morning and is followed by a earlier for Orthros. This is a particularly beautiful and pancake breakfast so everyone can eat before they head off Volume 18 Issue 2 & 3 Page 3 prayerful service with many of the hymns providing If your children are school-age, try and provide a small glimpses into the lives of the or expounding on our amount of ―quiet time‖, for reading or play or just theology. Either in addition to or in place of Orthros, read unwinding, before you come to church. It will help them the Pre-Communion Prayers before coming to church. transition from their busy day at school to the quietness of They're not long and they are very meaningful prayers. If church. you've got a drive to church, someone can read them in the For adults, this same idea of a little quiet-time can be just car. Once you've got this as part of your preparation, then as beneficial. If you can manage to sit for 10 or 15 minutes the final step is to add attendance at Great Vespers. Please before coming to church, great; if you're coming straight keep in mind that these ―steps‖ in preparation are part of from work, then turn off the CD player and drive in silence our life-long journey as Orthodox Christians. You may be as a way to prepare yourself. If your day has been crazy years at one step before being ready to move to the next and you've felt frazzled and traffic was horrible, then once and that's OK; the important thing is that you're moving you get to church, step into the narthex, light a candle, and forward, not backward! take a deep breath. Let the peace and prayer of the church For those of you with young children that are concerned wash over you. When I'm feeling particularly stressed or about your children getting bored or noisy if they're in harried, I try to walk in the church and think of all the church for too long: When my girls were toddlers, I, too, prayers of all the people who have prayed here. It's an was very concerned about this. However, one Sunday I awesome and humbling thought and helps me get my had to be at church at 9am and I noticed that my girls did perspective back in place. much better than usual. Church takes a different set of rules for little children (sit still, whisper, etc.) and they need Tip #4 The Family that forgives together, time to transition to the ―rules‖ of church behavior. If you stays together! can, I highly recommend coming to church 30 minutes Years ago, a nun told me to teach my children to say earlier than you normally do (during Lent is a good time to ―Forgive me‖ instead of ―I'm sorry‖ since forgiveness practice this) and spend the first 15 minutes or so walking requires a response from the other person. We begin Lent around the church with your child. Light a candle (or two with the Forgiveness Vespers in which every person or three if necessary!), show them the icons, walk around present asks everyone else their forgiveness. This is a the church, and let them settle in. If a child comes into wonderful way to start Lent as a family and a very church prior to Divine Liturgy when the quieter hymns of powerful tool in teaching our children about our Orthros are going on, it's a signal that it's ―church time‖. responsibility towards others and our need for God's And, the best way to help reinforce positive church merciful forgiveness. During Lent, try to ask each person behavior is to bring your child every week. Practicing in your family ―Forgive me‖ before bed or before receiving whispering and sitting still gets easier the more you do it. Communion. Tip #3 Boy, It's Quiet in Here! If you have someone for whom it is very hard to extend Lenten services, particularly the weekday services, tend to forgiveness, remember that forgiveness is about you, not be more contemplative and quiet in their nature with less them. In our journey to ever-closer union with God, we chanting to ―cover‖ the noise of busy toddlers or want to remove any roadblocks and sometimes, these rambunctious preschoolers. Evening services can be roadblocks can be the hardness of our own hearts towards especially difficult because children are tired. So don't others. In the Orthodox Church, we do not believe that you worry if your child makes a little noise or needs to wander ―forgive and forget‖ as if the words erase the deed, but in the narthex and venerate the icons during a service—it's rather we believe that forgiveness of others is a type of OK. Most children respond instinctively to the quieter feel release for the sin in our lives—by forgiving someone else, of these services and attending an evening Liturgy can be a we recognize our own shortcomings and how others might wonderful way to end the day as a family. You'll all be a need to forgive us. Forgiveness is a type of re-boot for our little more tired than usual, but there is a real peace that souls—turning them back to God. comes after a Lenten service. Tip #5 What Is THIS on my Plate? And for those mothers tailing their busy toddlers in the By this point in Lent, if you've decided to partake of the narthex, concentrate on the beauty of the icons and the discipline of fasting, then you're probably getting a little chant and don't worry that you're not ―in‖ the service—you tired of lentils or split pea soup! Fasting is not for the faint are just as much a part of the service as you walk with your of heart, but I think it is a discipline sorely needed in our child as if you were in the front row or singing in the choir. gluttonous times. To simplify fasting, choose five or six Volume 18 Issue 2 & 3 Page 4 recipes everyone likes fairly well and then make them in culminating in the Lamentations on rotation each week. Remember—the whole point of fasting Friday Evening which leads directly is to be thinking less of food, not more, and for moms, into the Resurrection Liturgy on Holy especially, this includes the planning aspect of cooking and Saturday. Attending services during feeding our families. Learning to do with less is an Holy Week feels like a journey and by excellent lesson for our children and one they will take the time we reach Pascha, our joy is with them into their adult lives. Yes, it's boring, but think even deeper and richer because we've of all the character you're building! One lovely little travelled so far together. So, don't get custom is to give your children a sweet after every service left behind! they attend with the words, ―Lent is sweet.‖ Tip #7 Hey Kids—Khouriya wants you to It's good to remember that fasting, like all of our lives as Orthodox Christians, is a journey and some years we move stay up really late! a little farther along than other years. Try and fast as you Now, here I have to be honest—it disappoints me every are able—for some, this means just going without meat and year at St. George to see how poorly our midnight Pascha for others, it may be the complete fast. For families with service is attended by children. I'm not trying to give a small children, I recommend letting the children (and guilt trip, but this is THE most important service of the nursing and pregnant mothers) eat whatever they need to entire year, of the entire church, and, ultimately, of our during the day and then sharing one meat-and-dairy-free entire lives and yet I rarely see children at it. Yes, it meal together as a family. This allows everyone in the requires some planning and you may need to tote along a family to participate in the fast, but in a way that is not pillow or a blanket, but it is vital that you bring your detrimental to young children's health. families to Pascha night. Even if you don't make a single Lenten service, plan on being there Holy Saturday at 11pm. A great idea we can borrow from our monastic brothers and It's the unusual child who isn't raring to go when they sisters is the idea of what at my house we call ―monastery figure out they get to stay up really late and walk around lunch‖: set out a tray with bowls of fasting finger-foods church in the dark with a candle. Plus, the festive potluck like nuts, dried fruit, bread, crackers, etc. and let everyone afterwards is great fun as everyone brings their favorite partake as much or as little as they like. This is common meat or dairy-laden dishes to break the fast together. The practice in monasteries as these kind of foods are left out in experience of Lent culminating in Pascha also shows our the kitchen for anyone who needs a little sustenance. They children the beautiful rhythm of fasting and feasting that is don't sit ―down‖ to a meal, but anyone who needs food for part of our lives as Orthodox Christians. Attending the fuel can obtain it. This is particularly great for yearly Resurrection service on Holy Saturday creates Wednesdays with Pre-Sanctified Liturgy in the evening if wonderful memories as a family and shows our children the the parents are trying to fast, but the children need to eat. beauty and glory of our Faith. Tip #6 You Mean There are Services These are just a few tips and as you embark upon your own EVERY night?! family's Lenten journey, I know you will grow closer to each other and to our loving and merciful Lord. May He Yep, during Holy Week there are bless you in your efforts and give you all strength and joy services every night, but if you've in our upcoming Fast. Good Fast! never experienced Holy Week as a family, you should definitely give it a try—it's like nothing you've ever done as a family before. Those with young children might decide to attend nightly from Holy Thursday onwards and those with school-age children should consider attending every evening. Holy Thursday morning is the most important day of the year to receive communion, especially for children, and so you will want to plan in advance for your child to miss school on that morning. During Holy Week, the services build in their intensity, starting with the quieter Bridegroom Matins early in the week and Volume 18 Issue 2 & 3 Page 5

Lenten Schedule of Services- 2009 Note: Saturday Great Vespers (5:30pm) and Sunday morning Orthros (9am) and Divine Liturgy (10am) do not change during Great Lent.

MARCH Sunday 22nd, 9am 3rd Sunday of Great Lent – Veneration of the Precious Cross First Week of Great Lent: CLEAN WEEK Sunday 1st, 7pm Forgiveness Vespers Fourth Week of Great Lent Monday 2nd, 7pm Great Compline with the Canon of St. Monday 23rd, 7pm Great Compline Andrew Tuesday 24th, 4pm Lenten Vespers Tuesday 3rd, 4pm Lenten Vespers Wed. 25th, 6pm Vesperal Liturgy for the Annunciation Wed. 4th, 6pm Presanctified Liturgy & Family Night of the Meal/Class (afternoon fast) Thursday 26th 5pm Lenten Vespers and Great Compline th Thursday 5 , 5pm Lenten Vespers & Great Compline Friday 27th, 7pm Akathist to the Mary- 4th Stasis with the Canon of St. Andrew Saturday 28th, 8am St. Liturgy – w/ Friday 6th, 7pm Akathist to the Virgin Mary Kollyva for Departed Souls Saturday 7th, 8am St. John Chrysostom Liturgy Sunday 29th, 9am 4th Sunday of Great Lent – St. John Sunday 8th, 9am Sunday of Orthodoxy – of the Ladder with the Holy Icons Pan-Orthodox Sunday of Orthodoxy Services Sunday Morning @ St. APRIL Nicholas Cathedral in Los Angeles Fifth Week of Great Lent th Sunday 8 , 7pm Great Vespers for 40 Holy Martyrs Monday 30th, 7pm Great Compline st Second Week of Great Lent Tuesday 31 4pm Lenten Vespers st Monday 9th- 7pm Presanctified Liturgy for 40 Holy Wed. 1 ,7pm Little Compline w/ Great Canon of Martyrs (Katalysis for Wine and Oil) Repentance & Life of St. Mary of Egypt nd Tuesday, 10th 4pm Lenten Vespers Thursday 2 , 6pm Presanctified Liturgy & Family Nt. th Meal/Class (afternoon fast) Wed. 11 6pm Presanctified Liturgy & Family Night rd, Meal/Class (afternoon fast)-St. Andrew hosts Holy Friday 3 7pm Akathist Hymn to the Virgin Mary - Prophet Elias Church Complete th Thursday 12th 5pm Lenten Vespers & Great Compline Saturday 4 , 8am St. John Chrysostom Liturgy h th Friday 13th, 7pm Akathist to the Virgin Mary @ Holy Sunday 5 , 9am 5 Sunday of Great Lent – St. Mary Prophet Elias of Egypt-Diocesan Womens’ Retreat April 3 - 5 Sunday 15th, 9am 2nd Sunday of Great Lent – St. Sixth Week of Great Lent Gregory Palamas Monday 6th, 7pm Great Compline Third Week of Great Lent Tuesday 7th, 4pm Lenten Vespers th Monday 16th, 7pm Great Compline Wed. 8 , 6pm Presanctified Liturgy & Family Nt. Tuesday, 17th 4pm Lenten Vespers Meal/Class (afternoon fast) th Wed. 18th 7pm Presanctified Liturgy @ St. Elias- San Thursday, 9 , 5pm Lenten Vespers and Great Compline th Bernardino (afternoon fast)-Holy Prophet Elias Friday 10 , 7pm Little Compline with the Canon of St. Church hosts St. Andrew Church Lazarus th Thursday 19th 5pm Lenten Vespers & Great Compline Saturday 11 , 8am Liturgy for St. Lazarus the Righteous th Friday 20th, 7pm Akathist to the Virgin Mary- 3rd Stasis Sunday 12 , 9am Palm Sunday – Children’s Saturday 21st, 8am St. John Chrysostom Liturgy – w/ Procession w/ Palms Kolyva for Departed Souls - 11am Women’s HOLY WEEK AND PASCHA SCHEDULES Annunciation Tea TO BE PUBLISHED SEPARATELY Volume 18 Issue 2 & 3 Page 6

St. Andrew Community News...

On Sunday, January 25, 2009 St. Andrew Parish was blessed with a visit from the Myrrh- streaming Iveron Icon of the Theotokos, brought to us by Reader Nectarios of the OCA Church in Hawaii, in whose home the icon began streaming beginning the summer of 2007. The visit was previously advertised in other Orthodox parishes all over the southland, which brought dozens of visitors filling our church to standing room only. Following the Divine Liturgy, the icon was brought into the church in a procession then set Look at the bottom of the gold frame. It is dripping with the fragrant myrrh droplets. on the icon stand in the center of the church. Father Josiah then led the congregation in an Akathist prayer and we all had a chance to witness and venerate this beautiful miracle after which Father anointed all with the oil that continued to stream even as we watched. The whole church smelled with an aroma of gardenia. Beside the droplets that we see, there is a box in the bottom of the frame where the myrrh is collecting. The icon was officially recognized by Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco as miraculous and given an Archpastoral blessing to travel to Southern California. To read a first person account of how the miracle unfolded go to: www.orthodoxhawaii.org/icons.html

If you look closely, you can see the myrrh dripping on the red gown. Volume 18 Issue 2 & 3 Page 7

On Sunday, January 11, 2009 the annual general meeting was held at St. Andrew. After opening prayer by His Grace Bishop Basil, Father Josiah chaired the meeting giving his state of the parish report and committee chairs gave their reports. Mr. Saba Saba reported the good news that the construction of our new Temple was to begin within a month. Election of new council members were held from among six nominees: Mr. Saba Saba, Subdeacon Anderson, Mr. Claypool, Dr. Tamela Yelland, Dr. Ron Dulos and Mr. Gordon Trendt. The votes were tallied and the following people were elected/appointed for a 3-year term. Dr. Ron Dulos, elected Mr. Saba Saba, elected Mr. Gordon Trendt, appointed

Churching of Anysia Bussey on Sunday, January 11, 2009 On February 13, 2009 the Trenham family welcomed their newest addition. Olivia Leigh Trenham made her entrance into the world at 5:45 am, weighing in at 6 lbs, 4 oz, and measuring 19‖ long.

MORE BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS: On the afternoon of January 13, 2009 at 2pm Zoe Milkie was taken in for an Urgent/Emergent C-Section. She was 32 1/7 weeks. The Milkies are very happy to announce the arrival of: Gwendolyn Celeste Milkie 4 lbs. 9 oz, 17” and Charlotte Patricia Milkie 4 lbs. 7 oz, 18.5”. Mom and twins are now home with Daddy, Dr. Ed Milkie, and big sister, Genevieve (after a long stay at the hospital). All are healthy and happy, thank God.

And on February 10, 2009 Lauren Simpson gave birth to a bouncing 8 lb. baby boy, measuring 20‖ long. Mom and Baby are well and healthy along with Daddy Jason and big sister and brother, Hannah and James.

And Photos will be published as soon as they are available to the publisher of this Newsletter! St. Andrew Orthodox Church

4700 Canyon Crest Drive Riverside, CA 92507