Just a few things:

1. No Great Vespers this Saturday. Divine Liturgy this Sunday. Confessions and the reading of the Hours is at 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.

2. Those wishing to have their homes blessed by Fr. Evan please be advised that I will be starting to bless homes starting January 24th.

3. Devoted to You Street Ministries. Last year Holy Cross made a donation of bottled water and granola bars to the Devoted to You Street Ministries. On Feb. 11, at the Bethel Community Church they will be having a fundraising supper. Tickets are $20.00 a person. We have set aside 8 tickets for the event. Please see Sylvia Kitzul if you are interested in going. It would be awe some if we could get more than 8 of our parish out for this. It is a wonderful cause and worth supporting. It will be a pasta supper. They are having entertainment as well.

4. Holy Cross 10th Anniversary. Holy Cross is going to be 10 years old! We will be celebrating this awesome occasion on Sept. 30th, 2012. On February 21, 2012 at the Kitzul residence at 7:00 p.m. we will be having our first organizational meeting regarding the 10th anniversary. Not going to lie folks, we need your help. This can’t just be done by the executive. We will need input and assistance from everyone.

5. 2012 Cerebral Palsy Bike Race. Once again, our very own Alexander Ptashnik will be cycling in the CP stationary bike race on March 10, 2012 at the Wellness Institute at Seven Oaks Hospital. Alexander will be accepting pledges and pledges $10.00 or more will get a tax receipt. Alexander did awesome last year and I am sure will do fantastic this year. Go Alex Go. I am just excited to hear about which media personality he will become BFFs with this year.

6. A student was sitting in his religion class. He decided to ask the priest who was teaching the class a question. “If God forgives everyone, why didn’t He forgive the Devil for his sins?” The rest of the class sat in hushed silence as they awaited the answer from the priest. The student who asked the question did not think that the priest would be able to come up with an answer.

Without batting an eye, the priest responded, “God never forgave the Devil for his sins because the Devil never asked to be forgiven.”

The Devil is the “Father of Pride”. He fell because he thought the world was all about him. And when he fell, he was incapable of recognizing the his sin was totally his fault, and his alone. Adding to his great sin, he then refused to acknowledge any cuplability fo his actions. We read in Holy Scripture “Pride goes before destruction” (Proverbs 16).

All serious sins contain pride at their core. Pride warps the conscience and allows us to set ourselves as demi-gods. Pride allows us to center all things on ourselves. We begin to think that we are the center of the universe and all that is done, or said, is relative to our particular well being and comfort. Pride forgets everyone else and we begin to think that, in this complicated cosmos, only we matter. That is why, even when we think we are pious or holy, we must continually guard against thinking that it is through our own efforts that we are so, and give all glory to God alone for this great gift. God is the center of the universe. To think that He is not and that we are the reason the sun rises and sets, is the great sin of pride and the beginning of our own personal fall.

10. “Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector.
11. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘O God, I thank you that I’m not like other people-thieves, dishonest people, adulterers, or even this tax collector.
12. I fast twice a week, and I give a tenth of my entire income.’
13. “But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even look up to heaven. Instead, he continued to beat his chest and said, ‘O God, be merciful to me, the sinner that I am!’
14. I tell you, this man, rather than the other, went down to his home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the person who humbles himself will be exalted.”

This Sunday marks the beginning of the Lenten Triodion. The starting point of our journey to Holy Pascha is overcoming pride. When Christ taught about the Kingdom of Heaven He did not leave any grey areas. He was pretty clear in what He wanted to get across. We have a choice. We call fall victim to our pride and think that everything is great, that we are pious and holy, that we don’t have to work at anything regarding our salvation or we can realize that God is truly the source of all and that all glory must go to Him. The reality is that the sun will rise and set whether we are here or not.

As we begin this journey towards Holy Pascha it is my hope and prayer that we all learn, as ludicrous as it may seem, that as individuals, we are not the center of the universe (even though about 20 kms outside of Winnipeg, heading east is the geographical center of Canada).

This week’s question:
What did Peter say to Simon the sorcerer as he tried to buy the Holy Spirit?

Answer to last week’s question:
Who saw Peter and John laying hands on people and asked if he could buy this ability to give the Spirit? Simon

See you in church,

Fr. Evan

Just a few things:

1. Great Vespers this Saturday at 5:00 p.m. Divine Liturgy this Sunday. Confessions and the reading of the Hours is at 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.

2. As you can see by the calendar on the bulletin, Holy Cross is now back to its regular schedule of weekly services. I am excited about it. I hope you are too.

3. Those wishing to have their homes blessed by Fr. Evan please be advised that I will be starting to bless homes starting January 24th.

4. Devoted to You Street Ministries. Last year Holy Cross made a donation of bottled water and granola bars to the Devoted to You Street Ministries. On Feb. 11, at the Bethel Community Church they will be having a fundraising supper. Tickets are $20.00 a person. We have set aside 8 tickets for the event. Please see Sylvia Kitzul if you are interested in going. It would be awe some if we could get more than 8 of our parish out for this. It is a wonderful cause and worth supporting. It will be a pasta supper. They are having entertainment as well.

5. Holy Cross 10th Anniversary. Holy Cross is going to be 10 years old! Sigh… where does the time go? Seems like only yesterday that Fr. Andrew started having his inquirers class in that Catholic church in the Osborn Village and now it is ten years later. Time flies. Through countless moves. Four different priests. Through ups and downs Holy Cross keeps on going. We will be celebrating this awesome occasion on Sept. 30th, 2012. On February 21, 2012 at the Kitzul residence at 7:00 p.m. we will be having our first organizational meeting regarding the 10th anniversary. Not going to lie folks, we need your help. This can’t just be done by the executive. We will need input and assistance from everyone.

5. In December 1994 syndicated columnist Bob greene told the inspiring story of Rob Mouw.

Rob played on the soccer team in his senior year at Wheaton Christian High School. In the final seconds of a big game against favored Waubonsie Valley, with his team behind by one goal, Rob was bribbling the ball in front of him, running at full speed toward the opponent’s goal. Just before he shot the ball, though, he caught sight of the scoreboard. The clock read 00:00. But like any good athlete, Rob shot the all anyway, and it went in for a goal. The referee signaled that the goal counted, and the game finished in a tie.

The Wheaton fans cheered. The Waubonsie Valley fans cried that time had run out.

Rob had a choice to make. He could say nothing and avoid a loss. After all, it was the referee’s job to decide the calls, not his. Or Rob could do what was right.

Rob asked the referee whether the official time was kept on the scoreboard or the referee’s stopwatch. The referee said the scoreboard time was official and then ran off the field. Rob went to his coaches and explained that just before his kick, he had seen zeros on the scoreboard clock. Since he hadn’t heard a whistle, he kept playing. But his goal was late, and he didn’t think it should count.

His coaches agreed, and so they went over to the opposing coaches, explained what had happened and conceded victory to Waubonsie Valley.

Bob Greene ended his article with this quote from Rob Mouw: “Every time in your life you have an opportunity to do right, you should be thankful. For a person to know what right is, and then not do it – would be a sin. To have won the game – I mean, really, who cares? Doing the right thing is more important. It lets you have peace.”

So why the story about Rob Mouw and his soccer game? The epistle reading this Sunday is from I Timothy 4:9-15. One verse in particular stands out for me. 12. Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for other believers in your speech, behavior, love, faithfulness, and purity.

I am not arrogant enough to tell people how to raise their kids. No, let me correct that. I am horribly arrogant but I do know my limitations. So I am going to let the saints make a few suggestions.

“The primary lesson for life must be implanted in the soul from the earliest age. The primary lesson for children is to know the eternal God, the One Who gives everlasting life.” St. Clement

“It is good to teach, if he who teaches also acts with good example.” St. Ignatius.

If we want children to grow up to be examples of good speech, behaviour, love, faithfulness and purity two things must happen.

1. We have to be good examples ourselves. It is easy to talk the talk, but kids need to see the adults walk the walk. I have learnt very quickly that kids are sponges and absorb things.

2. If we want to instill good qualities in our children one of the primary places that can happen is in our churches. But that can only happen if the children are there.

I know there is no guarantee that a child who is brought to church will grow up to be moral and upright. But I do believe that a parish that makes a child coming to know God’s never ending love one of its main priorities is fulfilling Christ’s commandment to let the children come to Him. Evangelization doesn’t necessarily mean going out and preaching in the world. Doesn’t mean mission work to non-Orthodox. It means evangelizing our own faithful. It means making the knowledge of the eternal God, the One Who gives everlasting life, a primary mission within that child’s home, that child’s church.

Like I said, I am not arrogant enough to tell a person how to raise their kids. But I think the saints lay out pretty clearly the responsibilities the parents and the Church have. The question I have for you is, “Are we living up to our responsibilities? Are we giving them the opportunity to learn what is right? What is true?”

This week’s question:
Who saw Peter and John laying hands on people and asked if he could buy this ability to give the Spirit?

Answer to last week’s question:
What kind of prayer, according to James’ letter, will make a sick person better? The prayer offered in faith.

See you in church,

Fr. Evan

Just a few things:

1. Great Vespers this Saturday at 5:00 p.m. Divine Liturgy this Sunday. Confessions and the reading of the Hours is at 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.

2. Upcoming schedule of services:
January 15 – Divine Liturgy – 10:00 a.m.
January 18 – Theophany, Great Blessing of Water – 6:30 p.m.
January 29 – Divine Liturgy – 10:00 a.m.

Those wishing to have their homes blessed by Fr. Evan please be advised that I will be starting to bless homes starting January 24th.

3. Metropolitan’s Levee. January 15th. Holy Trinity Cathedral. 4:00 p.m. moleben. 5:00 reception. All are invited.

4. Our deepest condolences to Subdeacon Dennis and his family on the falling asleep in the Lord of his father. May his memory be eternal.

5. In the 1996 summer Olympics in Atlanta, the U.S. women’s softball team lost only one game, and it was a game they should have won. Here’s why.

In the fifth inning, with the score tied 0-0, U.S. player Dani Tyler clubbed a home run over the fence. She took her home run trot around the bases, and when she reached home, amid the excitement and congratulations and high-fives from her teammates, she failed to tag home plate. When she reached the dugout, the opposing team of Australians tagged home, and the umpire at first base agreed that she had stepped right over the plate.

Tyler returned to third base, where she was stranded. The score remained 0-0 until the end of regulation play.

The U.S. scored a run in the top half of the tenth inning. Then in the bottom of the inning, one strike away from defeat, an Australian player hit a two-run homer to with the game for the Australians. The loss was an emotional blow to the American team and especially to Dani Tyler. “I just can’t believe I missed it, ” she said after the game. “I didn’t know anything about it until I was in the dugout.”

This Sunday’s epistle lesson is from St. Paul’s second letter to Timothy. 4:5-8. Verse 7 is probably the one many of us have heard at one point or another. 7. I have fought the good fight. I have completed the race. I have kept the faith.

It is easy for us to feel that if we have started well, the job is done. Many of my home rennovation projects are a testament to that. I actually have a tool belt. It has two things in it. Band-aids and the business card of my local contractor.

We tend to believe that if we knock the ball over the fence the rest will take care of itself. It is the same in our spiritual lives. We always start out with good intentions. “I am going to attend bible study.” “I am going to attend Great Vespers.” “I am going to make sure my kids are there every Sunday for church school.” “I am going to make confession a regular part of my spiritual life.” “I am going to fast more, pray more, tithe more, etc.” “I am going to take a position on the executive.” We start out strong, but as time goes on we realize that it is not a spiritual sprint. It is a marathon.

There is a reason St. Paul uses the phrase “I have fought the good fight”. It is because it is just that: a fight. It is a constant struggle. Satan will through every distraction, every obstacle possible in our way and the biggest one will be our ego. Our delusional belief that if we start out with the best of intentions, then the job is complete. God does not want just good intentions. Good intentions are worthless without the good works, without the actual commitment. God bless you all in your race.

This week’s question:
What kind of prayer, according to James’ letter, will make a sick person better?

Answer to last week’s question:
What were the three gifts the Wise Men gave to Jesus? Gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

See you in church,

Fr. Evan

Just a reminder about this weekend’s services:

January 6th – Great Compline with Litiya – 9:00 p.m.

January 7th – Nativity of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ – 10:00 a.m.

January 8th – No Divine Liturgy as Fr. Evan is in Fort Frances

On behalf of Matushka Lisa and Sanchira, I would like to wish all of you a happy and blessed Nativity.  To the parish of Holy Cross, I thank you for the continued love, support, patience (lots and lots of patience) that you continue to show me.  Serving this parish has been and continues to be a true blessing.

To all of you that read this email bulletin, visit Holy Cross, support us, pray for us, I thank you and pray that our loving God will continue to bless each and every one of you.

Thy Nativity, O Christ our God,  hath shined upon the world the light of knowledge;for thereby, they that worshipped the stars were taught by a star to worship Thee, the Sun of Righteousness, and to know Thee, the Dayspring from on high.

O Lord, glory be to Thee.

Christ is born!!!!

Fr. Evan

Just a few things:

1. No Great Vespers this Saturday. Divine Liturgy this Sunday. Confessions and the reading of the Hours is at 9:30 a.m.

2. Christmas Hampers. Thank you to everyone who donated towards our two Christmas hampers. The two families that received them were very appreciative. God bless them and God bless you all for your generosity.

3. Upcoming schedule of services:
January 6 – Great Compline – 10:00 p.m.
January 7 – Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Divine Liturgy – 10:00 a.m.
January 15 – Divine Liturgy – 10:00 a.m.
January 18 – Theophany, Great Blessing of Water – 6:30 p.m.
January 29 – Divine Liturgy – 10:00 a.m.

Those wishing to have their homes blessed by Fr. Evan please be advised that I will be starting to bless homes starting January 24th.

4. I was wondering what I was going to write about in this week’s bulletin. So I thought, “I don’t want to talk about the commercialism. I don’t want to talk anymore about Santa vs. St. Nicholas. I don’t want to talk about the big mob fight in the Mall of America on Boxing Day. (talk about living up to the moniker)” So I thought, that now that we are past all of the stuff of the 25th and 26th, maybe this would be a good time to remind us all of what we are getting ready for. So, I would like to share with you one of my favorite Ukrainian Christmas Carols, translated of course.

There Was Great Rejoicing

There was great rejoicing on that Christmas morning
O’er the manger, softly glowing the bright star was shining.

Christ was born in glory, of the Virgin Mary
Let us humbly like the shephers, kneel in adoration.

Angels softly singing, glory praise proclaiming.
From the heavens to the manger, praising our Lord and Saviour.

O great Lord God above, O Christ, infant Love.
Give us our needs daily measure, You are our only treasure.

I miss Christmas carolling. When I was younger, living in the booming metropolis of Yorkton, our church youth group would go out and visit the parishoners. Going out and sharing the joy of the newly born Christ-child. Singing about how salvation has come into the world. Best memory I had was going to the house of a parishoner, knocking on the door and asking them if we could come in and sing for them. The people there welcomed us in. We sang our carols. My sister did the traditional greeting in Ukrainian. She was so awesome at. If we go carolling we still make her do it. Heh heh heh. The people then said, “We didn’t understand a word you sang, but we really appreciated that you came.” Turns out the parishoner whom we had come to carol for had passed away and the people we did carol for had bought the house. Note to those that go out and carol: Make sure the list of people you are visiting is current.

That is the difference between Orthodoxy and the rest of the Christian world. You see it at Holy Pascha as well. There is this period of preparation. And then when the joyous celebration comes, it isn’t done on that day. The joy carries over. The happiness continues. You often see the slogan, “Keep Christmas in your heart all year long.” The joy of the event does not end when the tree is taken down. It continues from the Nativity, through the Circumcision of the Lord, through Theophany, to the Meeting of the Lord, to the Annunciation, to Holy Pascha and then this cycle of joy takes on an even greater dimension.

Some people find it hard to explain what is so appealing about Holy Orthodoxy. For me, and hopefully for others, it comes down to this:
constant joy.

Holy Orthodoxy is constant joy. There was great rejoicing on that Christmas morning!

On behalf of myself, Matushka Lisa, and Sanchira, we want to wish our Holy Cross family and all of you who read this horribly written email bulletin a very blessed and joyous 2012. It is my hope and prayer that for all of you the great rejoicing never ends.

This week’s question:
What were the three gifts the Wise Men gave to Jesus?

Answer to last week’s question:
Who said, to whom, “Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord?” The Angel, to the shepherds

See you in church,

Fr. Evan

Just a few things:

1. Great Vespers 5:00 p.m. this Saturday. Divine Liturgy this Sunday. Confessions and the reading of the Hours is at 9:30 a.m.

2. Christmas Dainties Platters. Thank you to everyone who donated baking, got orders, assembled the trays. I even did my part. Did I bake? Heavens no, but my wife got me to turn on the ovens. Now some of you may think, “Father, that is not that big of a deal.” But think for a moment, no turning on of the oven… nothing gets baked. So yes, the success of the dainty platters was in my hands. It was an awesome responsibility but I stepped up and handled the heat in the kitchen. Get it? If you can’t stand the heat get out…of…the… Look, this is some funny stuff.

We sold 37 platters and raised $1110.00. Thanks again to everyone who had a part to play. A big shoutout to our fundraising committee who between our perogy sales and Christmas dainty platters we have raised well over $4000 for the mission. As Sylvia Kitzul keeps reminding me, we are the little parish that could.

3. Christmas Hampers. Holy Cross will be collecting items for two Christmas hampers. Sylvia Kitzul will be sending out an email listing the items needed for the hampers. Those wishing to donate money towards the purchase of items may do so as well. All items will need to be at Holy Cross by December 18th. The hampers will be assembled and delivered on that date.

4. Fr. Evan was on vacation from December 3 to December 13. Did everyone will play nice with one another while I was gone? I missed you all.

5. This coming Monday will be December 19th. On this day we will commemorate St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. In the world of today, we Orthodox face a bit of challenge regarding the guy dressed in red and white, big beard and the belly that jiggles like a bowlful of jelly and our revered St. Nicholas. We, as Orthodox, know who the real “St. Nick” is. A bishop of the fourth century, a wonder-working ascetic and generous philanthropist. He is a man to be admired, imitated and to be called upon in our hours of need. The tradition of St. Nicholas as a patron saint of children and secret gift-giver goes back to three bags of gold he is said to have thrown into the window of a poor father, whose daughters were in need of dowries.

Sadly, in the materialistic culture we live in, the image of St. Nicholas has become distorted. This saintly man has been transformed into a figure that encourages greed and gluttony, all under the pretense that he is somehow doing good by making us feel good about being consumed about getting that perfect gift for someone or how our Christmas will be miserable if we don’t get the gift we truly want. If we get the person we love the perfect gift then all the mistakes we made, the harsh words, the times we never said, “I love you. You are a blessing in my life”, all will be forgiven because somehow, magically, that gift will give us a clean slate, a new start.

St. Nicholas is commemorated not only on December 19th, but on every Thursday of the year, sharing this day of commemoration with the Apostles. That is how high the Orthodox Church reveres St. Nicholas. We have placed him alongside the Apostles. No other saint shares this weekly honour. His troparion is a weekly reminder that we are called to share our goods with others in need: “Because of your lowliness heaven was opened to you; because of your povertry riches were granted to you.”

St. Nicholas was able to give so abundantly of himself not because he was magical. Not because he had an army of elves working all year round for him. Not because he had a magical sleigh and eight tiny reindeer that could pull it. St. Nicholas was able to give so abundanlty because he ascetically denied himself.

That is what we lose sight of during this holiday season and there are some that may think it is wrong to have a lenten period during this time of excess.

If you are looking for the perfect gift to give someone this year, give yourself. Give your love, give your compassion, give your patience, give that to the person you love and care about. You know what? Give all that to someone you don’t particularily care for. Give the message of Christ’s love to the world around you by giving yourself to the world around you. That will require sacrifice and denial not just for one day of the year, but for every day of your life and yet in the life of St. Nicholas we see the reward for selfless denial.

The rest of the world can have jolly old St. Nick. I will take St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

This week’s question:
Who said, to whom, “Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord?”

Answer to last week’s question:
When the disciples argued about which of them was the greatest whom did Jesus stand beside him as he taught his disciples about true greatness? A child.

Just a few things:

1.  Great Vespers  5:00 p.m. this Saturday.  Divine Liturgy this Sunday.  Confessions and the reading of the Hours is at 9:30 a.m.  Please remember that the Annual General Meeting of our parish is right after Divine Liturgy.  RIGHT AFTER!  It will not be a long meeting because:

Just a few things:

1.  Great Vespers  5:00 p.m. this Saturday.  Divine Liturgy this Sunday.  Confessions and the reading of the Hours is at 9:30 a.m.

2.  Christmas Dainties Platters. Orders need to be in by November 15th.  We deliver the platters on December 3rd and 4th. That is right.  We will deliver them to you.  That is the personal service you get from Holy Cross.  We bring the goodness to you.  You will get your dainties and for no extra charge, our delivery people will sing a Christmas carol or two for you.  Now tell me, where in the city will find a better deal than that?  I defy you to come up with something better.  You want to know how popular this offer is?  Not to brag or anything but we are up to 2784 platter orders.  That is right.  What is that Sylvia?  I may have inflated the numbers a bit?  Are you sure?  Hmmm.  I better go back and check my figures.

Just a few things:

1.  Great Vespers  5:00 p.m. this Saturday.  Divine Liturgy this Sunday.  Confessions and the reading of the Hours is at 9:30 a.m.

2.  12th Annual Halleluja Night. October 31, 2011. Location: All Saints Ukr. Orthodox Church. 15 Day Street. 6:00—8:30 p.m. Cost: Children — $5.00. Please bring a donation of candy for the children.  Please let Fr. Evan know ias soon as possible if you are planning to attend so we can plan accordingly for the meal.