SEASON OF ANNOUNCEMENT AND BIRTH OF OUR LORD
The Season of Announcement consists of the following six Sundays which precede the feast of the Birth of our Lord:
The Announcement to Zechariah: First Sunday of Announcement
The Announcement to Mary: Second Sunday of Announcement
The Visitation to Elizabeth: Third Sunday of Announcement
The Birth of John the Baptizer: Fourth Sunday of Announcement
The Revelation to Joseph: Fifth Sunday of Announcement
Genealogy Sunday: Sixth Sunday of Announcement
These Sundays serve as a preparation for the Birth of our Lord and commemorate the events recorded in the New Testament prior to his birth.
This season is the most appropriate time to commemorate the Annunciation of Mary, her visitation to Elizabeth, the birth of John the Baptizer, and the special role of Joseph in the incarnation. By placing, these commemorations before the feast of the Lord’s birth the Church wishes us to prepare for the coming of the Savior and places us in an atmosphere similar to that which preceded his birth.
Mark your Calendars for Mission Sunday
Mission Sunday will be Sunday December 6th in place of Breakfast with Santa. The Men’s and Ladies Societies will be hosting a breakfast for the children of the parish . There will be one liturgy that morning at 10 am for the children to bring wrapped gifts to the altar and then the breakfast will follow. Children will still be able to get a picture with Santa. Any questions please contact the rectory 314-621-0056.
Choir Christmas Concert
Please join us for a Christmas Concert Saturday December 5th at 6:30 pm in church. John LeCuyer and the amazing choir have been working really hard in preparing for this special event. All are invited to listen to the sounds of the season.
There will be cookies and drinks served after the concert in the Cedars Hall.
Subdeacon Candidate’s Corner
An Antiochene, Chalcedon Church? What?
As part of our Sub-deaconate studies we have taken a great interest in the History of the Maronite rite. In our readings we found it interesting to learn that:
“...it becomes apparent that she (the Maronite Church) is firstly an Antiochene Syriac Church, with a special liturgical heritage; secondly, a Chalcedonian Church…” (Excerpt from the Maronite Patriarchal Synod, Bkerke 2008)
I have heard this many times, but what does that mean?
The term Antiochene is used to signify a place, Antioch is a town in northern Syria, now southern Turkey. In Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) is the cave, said to be one of the first birthplaces of Christianity. This cave was where the followers of Jesus were first called Christians. Saint Peter the Apostle was considered the founder and first priest/bishop of Church of Antioch. This is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles (11:25-27).
“ Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.”
Antioch became the center of Christianity after the 70 AD destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans.
The term Chalcedonian is used to signify the Maronite Rites observance of Christian doctrine from 451 AD. Although the Maronite Rite had already begun to take root in what is now Northern Syria due the life teachings of an ascetic monk, St. Maron, the Catholic Church was struggling to understand the nature of Christ. Was Jesus Christ God, Man, of something in between? The Chanceldon Council of 451 AD, set forth the belief that Jesus was both God and man. The Dogmatic definition of the Council of Chalcedon, 451 AD, states that…
“..our Lord Jesus Christ: the same perfect divinity and perfect in humanity, the same truly God and truly man, of a rational soul and a body; consubstantial with the Father as regard his divinity, and the same consubstantial with us as regards his humanity; like us in all respects except for sin; begotten before the ages from the Father…”
Note the similarities of terms to the Apostle Creed we recite today, words like “consubstantial” and “begotten before all ages”.
The Chanceldon Council set the stage for the “Great Schism” between the Catholic and Orthodox churches which came later.
These are the reasons that the Maronite Church continues to look to its past as it identifies the path to its future.
God Bless,
Your Sub-Deaconate Candidates
Ladies Society Christmas Party
The Christmas Party will be Friday December 11th at Bartolino’s Osteria on Hampton at 6:00pm-?? Please contact Teri Elking if you would like to come to the party at fmpleggs@yahoo.com. Tickets are $35.00
All ladies of the parish are invited for a fun night out!
KITCHEN’S Weekly Scoop
We will be
Rolling Grape Leaves Thursday November 19th @ 5pm and Sunday November 22nd @ 10:30am
Rolling Cabbage rolls mondays @ 8:00 am
Making Kibbi aras Tuesdays @ 8:00 am
Serving Wednesday luncheon @ 11 am-2pm
The kitchen will be closed the week of Thanksgiving (Monday November 23rd-Wednesday November 25th)
The Kitchen will re-open Monday November 30th and will be serving Lunch Wednesday December 2nd
The kitchen welcomes all help and are willing to teach if you are interested in learning
Thanksgiving Food Drive
Please continue to bring can goods to the drop box in the church vestibule.
The can goods will be donated to St. Vincent DePaul.
We will be collecting can goods until Sunday November 22nd.
Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on family and the many blessings we have in our lives. Let’s work together as a parish to help those who are less fortunate.
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