St. Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church

Serving Emmaus and the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania

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You are here: Home / Archives for St. Paul Emmaus

Christmas 2019 and Theophany 2020 Schedule

November 29, 2019 By St. Paul Emmaus

annunciation-nativity-meeting

December 25 is the feast of the Nativity According to the Flesh of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ! We will celebrate the feast at the following services:

Tuesday, Dec. 24 – Christmas Eve
8am Royal Hours of the Nativity
9:30am Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great

Wednesday, Dec. 25 – Christmas
8am – Festal Matins
9am – Festal Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

Notes on the Feast
Although the Festal Divine Liturgy is what most of us think of as the “primary” service for this feast, it is the other services that really contain the wealth of our Holy Church’s teaching about the Nativity of our Lord and its significance. If you have never attended these other services, please take the opportunity to do so this year. They are among the most beautiful services of the festal cycle.

If you would like to read more about this great feast, click here.

The Outdoor Water Blessing for Theophany at Little Lehigh Creek in Emmaus
The Outdoor Water Blessing for Theophany at Little Lehigh Creek in Emmaus

Theophany is the feast of the Baptism of Jesus Christ, when He began His public ministry by being baptized by St. John the Forerunner (John the Baptist) in the Jordan River. This act not only introduced Him to the world, but also made Christian baptism possible (by His blessing of the waters) and made plain the three Persons of the Holy Trinity—the Father speaking from the heavens, the Son being baptized and the Holy Spirit descending on the Son in the form of a dove. Theophany means “the appearance of God” and refers to this revelation of the Holy Trinity.

As part of the celebrations of this great feast—which is second in rank only to Pascha (Easter) and thus more important than Christmas!—holy water is blessed for use throughout the year, especially for the blessing of all parishioners’ homes.

Following is the schedule of services for Theophany 2020:

Friday, Jan. 3
8:30am – Royal Hours of Theophany

Sunday, Jan. 5 – Paramon (Eve) of Theophany
8am – Matins of the Eve of Theophany
9am – Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom with the Great Blessing of Water (bring your holy water bottles!)
12pm- Outdoor Blessing of Water at the Emmaus Wildlands Conservancy (3701 Orchid Pl., Emmaus, PA 18049)
5pm – Great Vespers for Theophany (with Litia and Artoklasia)

Please note that the eve of Holy Theophany (January 5) is appointed to be kept as a strict fast day—no meat, poultry, fish with backbones, dairy, wine or oil are to be consumed.

Monday, Jan. 6 – The Feast of Theophany
8am – Festal Matins for Theophany
9am – Festal Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great for Theophany with the Great Blessing of Water (bring your holy water bottles!)

To read more about Holy Theophany, click here.

Filed Under: Featured, News & Events, Services

Exploring Orthodox Christianity: Advent Unit

November 20, 2019 By St. Paul Emmaus

EXPLORING ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY is a six-week experience for anyone interested in understanding better the faith, teachings, history, worship and practices of the Orthodox Christian Church. This Advent Unit (Saturdays Nov. 10 – Dec. 22) is complemented by a Lent Unit held in the Spring.

This evening program begins with 5pm Vespers on Saturday night, followed by a common potluck fasting meal (roughly 6pm, no meat or dairy, please) and a short presentation and discussion. One or more church members will give the presentation(s) and moderate the discussion. Each evening’s program should wrap up by 7-7:30pm.

This program is recommended for all interested (including Orthodox Christians, non-Christians or non-Orthodox Christians) and is also part of the standard preparation for formally enrolled catechumens of the parish (those who have made a commitment to become Orthodox Christians).

TOPIC SCHEDULE FOR ADVENT 2019
(subject to adjustment as needed):

November 16 – Church History Orientation
Overview
Ecumenical Councils
Historical sources
Also: Clergy & hierarchy

November 23 – Prayer in the Orthodox Tradition
Prayer in the Orthodox tradition (Personal and Corporate)

November 30 – Sacraments (Holy Mysteries) I
What are the Holy Mysteries?
Baptism
Chrismation
Eucharist

December 7 – Sacraments (Holy Mysteries) II
Marriage
Holy Unction
Holy Orders
Confession (Penance)

December 14 – Feasts and Fasts
The Church Year
Overview of Major Feasts
Overview of Major Fasts
Why fast?

December 21 – Other Topics
The Theotokos & Other Saints
Prayer with the saints
Stewardship / Ministry
Tradition / Scripture

Filed Under: Education, Featured, News & Events Tagged With: education, Exploring Orthodox Christianity

St. Paul’s Hosts Orthodox Conference on Author J. R. R. Tolkien

October 2, 2019 By St. Paul Emmaus

On Sept. 27-28, 2019, in conjunction with the St. Basil Center for Orthodox Thought and Culture and the Amon Sûl Podcast, St. Paul’s hosted DoxaMoot: The Orthodox Christian Tolkien Conference, featuring lectures from pastor Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick, as well as novelist Dcn. Nicholas Kotar, Prof. Alfred Siewers, parishioner Prof. Cyril Gary Jenkins, and author Michael Haldas.

Over 70 people gathered from 11 US states and the Canadian province of Ontario to listen to spiritually edifying talks, to gather for prayer and meals, and to engage in discussion about how Orthodox Christians read the popular fantasy author’s Middle-earth works and find applicability in a way compatible with Orthodox spiritual life.

The dates for the next DoxaMoot are April 24-25, 2020, also to be hosted at St. Paul’s.

Filed Under: Education, Featured, News & Events Tagged With: Alfred Siewers, Cyril Jenkins, DoxaMoot, education, Michael Haldas

Fr. George Goodge, Son of St. Paul’s, Ordained to Holy Priesthood

July 17, 2019 By St. Paul Emmaus

On Saturday, July 6, 2019, the Rev. Dcn. George (Marshall) Goodge, a son of St. Paul’s, was ordained by His Grace Bishop Thomas to the holy priesthood, sponsored by the Very Rev. Archpriests George Alberts and Andrew Stephen Damick, joined by the V. Rev. Archpriest Joel Gillam, as well as many of the faithful of St. Paul’s, family and friends of the new priest, and seminary classmates.

On the same day, his wife Mara and newborn son John were churched. On the following day, July 7, Fr. George served his first Divine Liturgy at St. Paul’s.

Fr. George was raised in St. Paul’s, having attended from an early age, and is a 2017 graduate of St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary and has been assigned to the pastorate of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in New Hartford (Utica), New York.

May God grant him, Kh. Mara, baby John, and all their family many years! Axios!

(Many more photos can be viewed on the St. Paul’s Facebook page.)

Filed Under: Featured, News & Events Tagged With: Bishop Thomas, Fr. George Goodge, ordination

Christ is risen! The Paschal Sermon of St. John Chrysostom

April 28, 2019 By St. Paul Emmaus

holy-fire

The Paschal Sermon of St. John Chrysostom

If any man be devout and love God, let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast.
If any man be a wise servant, let him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord.
If any have labored long in fasting, let him now receive his recompense.

If any have wrought from the first hour, let him today receive his just reward.
If any have come at the third hour, let him with thankfulness keep the feast.
If any have arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no misgivings; because he shall in no wise be deprived therefore.
If any have delayed until the ninth hour, let him draw near, fearing nothing.
If any have tarried even until the eleventh hour, let him, also, be not alarmed at his tardiness; for the Lord, who is jealous of his honor, will accept the last even as the first; he gives rest unto him who comes at the eleventh hour, even as unto him who has wrought from the first hour.

And he shows mercy upon the last, and cares for the first; and to the one he gives, and upon the other he bestows gifts.
And he both accepts the deeds, and welcomes the intention, and honors the acts and praises the offering.
Wherefore, enter you all into the joy of your Lord; and receive your reward, both the first, and likewise the second.

You rich and poor together, hold high festival.
You sober and you heedless, honor the day.
Rejoice today, both you who have fasted and you who have disregarded the fast.
The table is full-laden; feast ye all sumptuously.
The calf is fatted; let no one go hungry away.
Enjoy ye all the feast of faith: Receive ye all the riches of loving-kindness.

Let no one bewail his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed.
Let no one weep for his iniquities, for pardon has shown forth from the grave.
Let no one fear death, for the Savior’s death has set us free.
He that was held prisoner of it has annihilated it. By descending into Hell, He made Hell captive.

He embittered it when it tasted of His flesh. And Isaiah, foretelling this, did cry:
Hell, said he, was embittered, when it encountered Thee in the lower regions.
It was embittered, for it was abolished.
It was embittered, for it was mocked.
It was embittered, for it was slain.
It was embittered, for it was overthrown.
It was embittered, for it was fettered in chains.
It took a body, and met God face to face.
It took earth, and encountered Heaven.
It took that which was seen, and fell upon the unseen.

O Death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory?
Christ is risen, and you are overthrown!
Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen!
Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is risen, and life reigns!
Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave!
For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages. Amen.

Filed Under: News & Events, Wisdom Tagged With: John Chrysostom, Pascha

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St. Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church

Planting the Seeds of Orthodoxy,
Cultivating Christian Community

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610.965.2298

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156 E. Main St.
Emmaus, PA 18049

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