FR PAUL & PRESBYTERA go on an extended road trip vacation this week. They will be gone the next two Sundays (Sept 19 & 26). They will return on Sept 30. Fr Paul will be back to serve the Divine Liturgy for the Protection of the Theotokos on Friday, Oct 1, at 630 am. We will be served by Fr John Schroedel and Fr Thaddeus Nielsen on the Sundays Fr Paul & Presbytera are away on vacation.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION at St Herman’s is offered to all ages. A class for adults is offered by Fr Paul. This is for inquirers, catechumens, and faithful, in short, for all who are interested. This year, we will reflect on the Gospel of Jesus Christ under the title, ‘Dust to Dust.’ Class will be offered on Wednesday evening following Vespers. Our first class will be on Wed, Oct 6: Vespers at 7, class from around 745 – 845 pm. Our intention is to record the class and upload the recording to our St Herman’s YouTube channel to allow those unable to attend in person to follow the class. We may also record the classes on Zoom.

We also will be offering a FAMILY HOUR for all of us to gather together as a Church family. We will be following together the curriculum offered online, entitled ‘Tending the Garden of Our Hearts. Weekly Meditations for Orthodox Christian Families.’ The link to this site is:  https://tending-the-garden.com/virtualsundayschool/ We will gather together in person for the first time on Saturday, Oct 2, at 4 pm, here at the Church. Great Vespers will follow at 5 pm. We plan not to meet every Saturday. How often we get together we’ll determine after Fr Paul& Presbytera return from their vacation.

MEOCCA CATECHISM. Intro to Orthodox Christianity Catechism Course, the MEOCCA sponsored, 12-week, Fall 2021 cooperative catechism course, begins on Tuesday, September 14, from 7-9 pm. The course is open to all: those interested in learning more about Orthodox Christianity, inquirers, catechumens, and current Orthodox Christians as well! Classes will be held in-person at St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 1111 Summit Ave, St. Paul, and virtually via Zoom. Register online at https://forms.gle/zVV9mLbp7BJkUbqL9 or www.meocca.org.  Feel free to join for an individual session as well!

THE THIRD QUARTER ends in September. Our charity for this quarter is Holy Dormition Monastery. Our Fourth Quarter charity will be FOCUS MN.

SUPPORT OUR SEMINARIANS is the annual drive of the Diocese in September to collect donations toward the expenses incurred by those attending our seminaries.

REGISTRATION FOR MEOCCA Family Camp, Oct 8-10, is now open. Retreat Master is Anthony Michaels of the Antiochian Archdiocese. He will reflect on the end times under the title: “And He Shall Come Again!” Informational articles online including Q & A, sample schedule, description of the weekend, packing list, etc., at www.stmaryscamp.com and select Family Camp.  Registration will end September 28 at 4:30 PM.  If you have questions, feel free to contact us at camp@stmaryscamp.com. Remember, you don’t have to bring kids to Family Camp!  All are welcome as part of our Twin Cities Orthodox Family!

He that eats Me, even he shall live by Me (Jn 6.57)

Thus speaks Christ the LORD, the Life and Source of Life. A tree feeds on the earth, air and light. If a tree does not feed on the earth, the air and the light, will it be able to grow and live? What does an infant at its mother’s breast feed on, except its mother? If it does not feed on its mother, will it grow and live? So it is that our soul will not grow or live, if it does not feed on Christ, the Living and Immortal One. The words here are not about life in general, by which nature lives, nor about the stunted life by which pagans live, but rather about the special, divine and eternal life—a life full and joyful. On Christ gives this life to me, and it comes only to those who feed on Christ. Each man is as great as the food he feeds on, and each man is as alive as the food he feeds on. The words here are not about bodily food, for only man’s body—not man’s soul—is fed by bodily food. Men differ both in physical growth and physical life, but these differences are totally insignificant. However, the difference in spiritual growth and life among men is enormous. While some men, by the growth of their souls, barely raise themselves above the earth, others raise themselves to the heavens. The difference between Herod and John the Baptist is no less than the difference between a king and an angel. While the former drags his body and soul through the earth and wickedly defends his throne on earth, the latter stands his body on a rock in the wilderness, and is raised in soul to the heavens among the angels.

O my brethren, let us lift up our souls to the heavens, where Christ the LORD sits on the throne of eternal glory, and let us feed and nourish our soul and heart with Him, the pure and almighty Life. Only then will we be made worthy to be His fellow heirs in the Kingdom of Heaven.

St Nicolai Velimirovic, Prologue of Ohrid vol II, pp. 299-300