With the beginning of the Lenten Triodion this week, we look forward to the Springtime it announces, both literally, but also the ‘Springtime of our hearts’; the renewal of the Lenten journey. But finding ourselves still firmly in Winter as we enter this month of February, we find the parish has had no lack of energy, despite the temptation of lethargy wintertime may bring. Below are some ‘midwinter updates’ on all that has been going on.

Jan. 8 – After the joyful Theophany visit of our hierarch, Bp. Michael, we celebrated a full church and a festive banquet for our annual Christmas Social and Talent Show. Photos of the event can be found here.

Jan. 15 – We celebrated as we received Christopher into the catechumenate. Father has been meeting with Chris on Saturday evenings, and has also been counseling a number of others by email and in meetings; hopefully these conversations will yield fruit to the Glory of God. Following the Liturgy, the new Parish Council took their oaths of office and were blessed to serve for 2012. Photos can be found here.

Jan. 29 – Fr. John & Peggy attended the annual Fr. Schmemann Memorial Lecture at St. Vladimir’s Seminary in Crestwood. The speaker, Dr. Margaret Barker, spoke on the historical and theological issues of her research into ‘Temple Theology’. The event was attended both by Orthodox and non-Orthodox alike, and the evening was marked by heartfelt and profound conversation. More about Dr. Barker’s talk can be found here.

Additionally, the new February calendar can be found on our Schedule page, which also features updated Readers’ and Coffee Hour schedules.

On January 5 and 6, 2012, St. Andrew Church in Dix Hills was blessed with a visit from His Grace Bishop Michael, for the feast of Holy Theophany. The visit begin on Thursday evening with the festal Great Vespers and Great Blessing of Water, and continued into Friday with the Divine Liturgy and a festive meal. His Grace concelebrated the services with Archpriest John Klingel, rector, and a good contingent of parishioners who admirably made the effort to take off work and school to participate in the feast.

(Photos of the blessing can be seen here.)

The feeling of festal joy was palpable as the hymns of Theophany were sung in the candlelit church; as His Grace blessed the temple and parish hall; and as the parishioners prayerfully greeted their archpastor and drank deeply of the newly-blessed waters. All appreciated the time Vladyka spent with the parish, manifesting the episcopal ministry through his prayer, teaching, encouragement, and fellowship, and especially on this, the Great Feast of Theophany.

Christ is Baptized! In the Jordan!

We look forward to the archpastoral visit of our diocesan hierarch, His Grace, Bishop Michael, to celebrate the feast of Theophany at our parish.

His Grace will join us at Vespers at St. Andrew’s tomorrow (Thursday January 5) at 7:00 PM, which will be followed by the Great Blessing of Water. His Grace will then concelebrate the Divine Liturgy with Fr. John Friday January 6, at 9:30 AM. A festal agape will follow.

Please make every effort to join us for this Great Feast, and for the honor of celebrating it with our bishop.

It is with great sadness that we announce that our longtime and beloved parishioner, +Peter Filak, reposed in Our Lord early in the morning on Christmas Day, December 25.

(He is pictured above, at left, celebrating Pascha in 2008 with John Rusinak and Fred Fetkowitz.)

Peter had been in declining health particularly these past two weeks, struggling under the burden of heart failure. His loving wife, Andrea, was by his side aiding him throughout. He will be remembered as a devoted part of our parish family, serving for years in the Choir and on the Parish Council, helping take care of our finances, and also as President of the parish. He was always careful, rigorous, and kind; Fr. John noted that despite serving for so many years, through sometimes contentious issues, Peter always remained dignified, gentlemanly, and never raised his voice, saying what needed to be said gently and persuasively. In recognition of his long and devoted service to our parish of St. Andrew, he was awarded a gramota (citation) this past July by His Grace, our Bishop Michael.

With Andrea, he is survived by his brother, John; his daughters, Anastasia and Stephanie; his sons-in-law, Jeremy and Robert; and two grandchildren, Genevieve, and Robert.

The funeral arrangements are as follows:

• Wake – Clayton’s Funeral Home
  Tuesday, December 27: 7PM – 9PM.
  Wednesday, December 28: 2PM – 4:30PM, 7PM – 9PM.
   
• Panikhida (Memorial) – Clayton’s Funeral Home
  Wednesday, December 28, 8:00 PM.
   
• Funeral – St. Andrew Church
  Thursday, December 29, at 10:00 AM
   
• Burial – to follow, at Calverton National Cemetery.

May the memory of the servant of God, the newly-departed +Peter, be eternal!

We greet you warmly in the joy of the Great Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ! Reprinted below is the archpastoral message of His Grace, Bishop Michael, on the occasion of this feast day.

Dearly Beloved Members of our Diocesan Family:

“And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.” (Luke 2:8-9)

One night when the world was very dark, God hung out a brilliant new comforting Star. One night when the world was very lonely, He gave it His Only-Begotten Son. It had been a drab world and a dull night for those shepherds as they stood on a hunch-backed hill watching their flocks. Then all at once, like someone ripping the paper off a package, the sky opened and choiring angels burst into song. The glory of God was about them and the light, like a golden finger, pointed down to a cave in the outskirts of a little town called Bethlehem.

God gets around in the unlikeliest of places. Here was this hole in the hillside, a temporary stable for animals, an emergency shelter for passing shepherds … now the birthplace of the Savior of the world! Mary the Virgin and Joseph the betrothed and the Lord Jesus made it so. He wanted to be born in that unlikely and unfitting place to show us how great His love for us really is!

Did you ever notice that everyone who clustered in the glory of that first Christmas had to leave something to get there? Joseph and the Theotokos had to leave their cottage in Nazareth that to them was ‘home sweet home’. The Son of God Himself had to leave the angelic hosts and the courts of heaven. The shepherds had to leave their sheep in the bleak unguarded hills. And, the Magi had to leave country and family and friends.

It has been that way ever since. If we want to come close to Christ on the Feast of His Nativity, we must leave something behind. Most often it is simply sin. Many times it is the world and all its trappings and busy-ness. Sometimes it is even our self. But anything that is true and noble, just and pure, lovely and of good report (Phil. 4:8) is welcome at His manger, and His hand is raised to bless it.

Let us come in and be welcomed and feel at home. Yes, come let us adore Him! With prayerful best wishes that all the joys of this Nativity Season will be yours, I remain

With love in the Infant Messiah,

+Michael

Bishop of New York and the
Diocese of New York & New Jersey

Today marks the 28th anniversary of the repose of the +Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann, one of the great theological writers of our times. Fr. Alexander, known the world over through his powerful books, including For the Life of the World, was a major figure in the Orthodox Church in America’s receiving independence (autocephaly) in 1977. You can read more about his life on the website of St. Vladimir’s Seminary, where for years he served as dean. Read more here. Additionally, you can see a special CBS aired following Fr. Alexander’s death in 1983, called “For Our Times: The Spirit of St. Vladimir’s” by clicking here.

May the memory of the ever-venerable Protopresbyter Alexander be eternal!

The Sisterhood of Saints Martha & Mary held their Annual bake sale and holiday boutique yesterday from 10 am to 4 pm. A beautiful sign announcing the event graced our front lawn and folks from the neighborhood came by throughout the day. The assortment of offerings was complete: baked goods, Nativity ornaments, religious art, jewelry, handmade scarves, decorated plants. The sale will continue today through the conclusion of coffee hour. Thanks to all the parishioners who came by yesterday to support this event and your continued support today would be appreciated. Of course, we are very grateful to our Sisterhood for all the work done in preparing for and conducting this very successful event. Thanks as well to Madeline Andruk for the decorations she put up in the Church.

Photos (graciously provided by Mark) of the event may be viewed here.

We extend our prayers and heartfelt joy to Chris & Elvira Holfester, who were wed at St. Andrew’s this past Sunday. May Our Lord preserve them for Many Years! Photos of the wedding may be viewed here – thanks to Mark Guyer.

His Grace, the Right Reverend Michael, Bishop of New York, and the Diocese of New York and New Jersey, sends the following letter to the faithful among his diocese, on this, the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Beloved in the Lord,
Christ is in our midst!

It is hard to believe that today is the 10th Anniversary of the tragic events that have come to be known simply by two numbers – 9/11. This date commemorates one of the darkest days in American history, alongside that of Pearl Harbor. It recalls the immeasurable loss of thousands of innocent lives at the hands of terrorist attacks and the many fallen heroes who tried to save them. It marks the first time in more than a century that anyone living in the lower 48 states could recall an invasion on American soil by a foreign power. It was indeed a day that will live in infamy.

The immense suffering caused by this tragedy has raised questions within groaning minds and broken hearts, seeking to make some sense of the horrific event. These questions echo the cries of the Psalmist and of our crucified Savior who said, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” (Psalm 21: 1, LXX; Matthew 27:46). No doubt this verse sums up what so many Americans felt, and still feel, in the face of such incredible barbarism: where was God when this happened?

But this passage of Scripture is not just a declaration of despair and abandonment; it is also an utterance tempered by faith and hope. For the Psalm ends with an affirmation of faith in the compassionate presence of God: “For the Lord did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; He did not hide His face from me, but heard me when I cried to Him” (Psalm 21:24, LXX). And, in the strength and peace that comes from above, the Psalmist goes on proclaiming in hope, “All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; and all the families of the nations shall worship before Him” (Psalm 21:27, LXX).

Centuries later, the cry of Christ upon the Cross was, to be sure, a manifestation of the terrible suffering He endured as He bore the indescribable burden of our sin. But His plea also makes plain the fact that through the Son of God’s act of sacrificial suffering, the limitless power of God’s love was revealed – a power of love that was stronger than death, proven by the Lord’s glorious Resurrection. The answer to our question is simply, God was in the same place on 9/11 that He was on Good Friday – standing over the shattered gates of Hell; trampling down death by death. For in His power, in His love, death is not the hopeless end of the story – there is the victory and the joy of the Resurrection.

Thus it is that our Christian response to the devastating tragedy of 9/11 must be grounded in our faith in the Crucified and Risen Lord. Our answer to this adversity must be revealed in words of comfort and deeds of service. Our yearnings to understand this horrible moment in history and to cope meaningfully with it must find rest in the saving presence, the unfailing promises, and the loving actions of our merciful God.

This anniversary calls upon us to never forget the stern warning of Scripture, which came to pass for so many on September 11, 2001, that death comes “as a thief in the night” (I Thessalonians 5: 2). This sober remembrance should remind us to “take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is” (Mark 13:33). It should encourage us to live our lives in such a way that when we close our eyes to this world for the last time, we will indeed open them to find ourselves in the loving embrace of the loving Lord who died for our salvation.

This occasion also calls upon us to remember those who lost their lives ten years ago – not just with fond thoughts but with the power of prayer. Scripture tells us: “For if (we) were not looking for the resurrection of those fallen, it would have been utterly foolish to pray for the departed. But since (we are) looking to the reward of splendor laid up for those who repose in godliness, it is a holy and godly purpose to pray for them” (II Maccabees 12:44-45). So many within the communities served by this Diocese lost loved ones that day. The Scriptures call upon us to reach, in love, across the boundary of death, and pray that God will pour out His mercies upon those who were taken from us so suddenly.

Finally, this anniversary calls us to continue to care for the needs of the family members who lost their loved ones. The parents, the children, the spouses of the departed remain the living victims of this tragedy. Whatever they require – from spiritual counseling to material support – we must help provide for their needs, salve the wounds of their hearts, and offer them faith, hope, and love in our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ amidst their doubts, their fears, and their despair. He offers the ultimate promise: “I am the Resurrection and the Life; he who believes in Me, though he may die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). Our task is to make that promise present in the lives of those who lost loved ones on that dark day.

As we pause to mark this anniversary with solemnity, let us show the world by our faith in Him – our faith, put into action – that “neither death nor life … nor things present, nor things to come … nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

With my humble prayers, my archpastoral blessing, and my sincere love, I remain Devotedly yours in His service,

+MICHAEL
Bishop of New York and the
Diocese of New York and New Jersey

His Eminence, the Most Reverend Dmitri, 87, retired Archbishop of Dallas and the Diocese of the South, fell asleep in the Lord at his home Sunday morning, August 28, 2011. More information is available at the OCA website. May the memory of the newly-departed Archbishop Dmitri be eternal!