Nativity Fast & Schedule: the Journey to the Cave & Tomb

The Nativity Fast Starts Today (Nov 15th)
The Journey to the Winter Pascha (the Nativity of our Lord and Theophany) starts on Nov 15th through to Dec 24th.  Nativity closely parallels the Pascha season due to the key connection between the Incarnation and the Cross & Resurrection.     One of the first parallels the 40 day fast starting today.  

Fasting is about returning to living as if God exists!   Fasts in the Old Testament were always a call to for Israel to return to its Covenant with God.  This had physical, spiritual and social implications.  Fasting from food and espousing a nice appearance was a sign of repentance and return from pleasing ourselves.  Also the people were called to intense prayer both personal and corporate.   Finally, the people of Israel were called to return to their commitment of living a life where oppression and corruption were removed and the weak (the poor) were looked after.    Almsgiving is much more than a few quarters on a street corner, but rather radical hospitality anywhere we see need. 
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Isaiah 58
Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
    and break every yoke?
 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter--
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
    and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
    you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

As you live out this Nativity Fast, please find a a few suggestions of how to live out the fast:

1. Try to re-learn how to eat.  Eat healthy and simply, make large meals with leftovers to reduce your cooking time and make your eating intentional with human connection and prayer.   Learn to be thankful to God for the blessings he provided.   Note; Nativity fast is lighter then Great Lent, vegan during the week but fish and alcohol allowed on weekends; Dec 24 is a strict fast (no food if you can).  
2. Learn to redeem your time.  One suggestion is reducing Social Media and Media in general. Please find an article by one of our former parishioners with some more thoughts on this subject.  
3. Pray as community: We have services on Mondays, Wednesdays in addition to Sundays, plus most Saturdays.  
4. Pray personally: our bishop has challenged us to pray for peace in our broken world.  Please click here to read more. 
5. Practice Hospitality & Alms-giving: Who is lonely, who is experiencing something unexpected and unfair.  Reach out to those people in your life.  Also consider some sort of charity project for your family.  

Schedule is Out for November & Dec
Please find the calendars for November and December attached below.  

stsilouan_novdec_calendar.pdf
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The highlight of this next week is the Vespers on Wednesday Nov 20st at 7pm  and Liturgy at 9am on Nov 21st for the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple.  Come join us for this joyous feast. 

Announcements

• This Sunday, our parish will formally receive Mena into the community. This rite will take place at the beginning of the Divine Liturgy (10am) - please be on time to pray for Mena, as well as to receive him.
  
• Sunday, December 1st, we will be holing a very important and brief 'Town Hall Meeting' after our agape meal. During this meeting we will be discussing financials and other related incorporation issues, as well as providing each ministry a few moments to update the parish.
  
• Saturday, December 7th @ 4:30pm, all are invited to our annual St. Nicholas day celebration - we hope to make this tradition an especially beautiful event not only for kids but for everyone. Come let us gather together in the splendor and beauty of the season of our Lord's humble birth. If you would like to help out in any way, please contact Yulia!
  

 
Please continue to pray for those suffering in our community from illness and loneliness.  
It's a great opportunity to reach out to someone you haven't seen in a while!