Just an FYI for those who have tried to call or email: Our family is fine; fence sections and large branches down around the yard — but, thanks God, all is well.
My cell service is sporadic (even spasmodic), home phone is out of commission.
By your prayers —
O Lord Jesus Christ
As you saved your apostles from perishing in a storm by calming wind and waves on your command, so now keep us safe and sound in this hurricane season. Grant us favorable and benign weather. Protect us from the unpredictable elements of nature. Steer us from storm, flood, fire, illness, injury, disaster and sudden death. Preserve us from all evil and harm for we, though sinful, are nonetheless the work of Your hands. And You together with your Father who has no beginning and Your all holy good and life giving Spirit are our God in whom we live, move, and have being. Now and ever and unto ages and ages. Amen.
Most Holy Theotokos …
Seeing how your holy and powerful maternal intercessions and safe haven for the storm tossed, count us worthy of your prayers during this season of uncertain and threatening weather. Beg your divine human Son to grant us mercy, forgiveness, health, safety and salvation over the coming months. For He is sure to listen to you, His mother, the woman whom all generations call blessed. Amen.
All Holy Prophet Elias …
As the Lord gave you control over droughts and rainfall to prove His power to the wayward and unbelieving, plead with Him to keep stormy weather, heavy rains and destructive winds away from us. Help us with your heavenly intercessions for we know the prayer of a righteous man like you is powerful and effective as God is wondrous in His Saints. Amen.
Holy Father Herman of Alaska …
While you were alive on Earth, your prayers kept your spiritual children safe from tidal surge and forest fire and after your death your heavenly intercessions calmed stormy seas saving Saintly Bishop Innocent from peril. Do not less for us in your fatherly love for your adopted land. Implore your Master to safeguard for us from such dangers too for we know God is wondrous in his Saints. Amen.
Holy St John of San Francisco …
During your earthly sojourn in the Philippines, your prayers kept typhoons at bay from your flock. Brace us living in the land where your wonder working relics rest with your heavenly intercessions as well. Appeal to the Ruler of All for our reprieve from such hazard and menace. For we know God is wondrous in his Saints. Amen.
Thanks to Fr Don Shadid & FWD from Bishop Thomas.
IMAGE: St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church minutes before it was crushed by the collapse of Two World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001.
Courtesy of His Grace, Bishop BASIL, and the Clergy Brotherhood memo of 9/11/2008.
Those who live in the Houston area are invited to join us for Family Nights at St George Orthodox Church beginning tonight, September 10th. We have Daily Vespers at 6:30, followed by Christian Education for all ages. I will be teaching introduction to Orthodoxy (for seekers, catechumens, and others) using The Truth of Our Faith by Elder Cleopa of Romania. [Other classes offered are listed below the image.]
All are welcome!
Here’s a video featuring the Elder:
Adult Education with Dr. Adnan Trabulsi, noted author, translator, and theologian. This class will focus on various aspects of Orthodox Life and Culture.
All are welcome!
Byzantine Music 101 – with Fr. John Salem will cover basic responses to the Liturgical services, and hymns from Vespers, Orthros, and Divine Liturgy.
All are welcome!
Teens – will meet with our Youth Director, Paul Fuller, about issues pertaining specifically to our youth.
Youth & Pre-Teen Education (ages 5-12) – will be learning through games, crafts & song.
Baby Sitting will be provided for children under the age of 5.
Classes will run from September 10th thru December 3rd; no class on November 26th – Thanksgiving Break.
Image Source
Larry Nevell was driving pretty well for a blind man. “Frrrrrrrrp” meant he was too close to danger on his right. “Fudup, fudup, fudup” meant he was straddling the center line. Silence indicated smooth sailing.
He’d had trouble finding the car without drawing attention. The “bwwap, bwwap, bwwap” from the third button in the middle of the key’s remote seemed loud and incessant. The car was over to his left, down about 20 fenders. As planned, he’d left his cane and eye wear in his brief case and pulled his ball cap down over his eyes to avoid being noticed. At first he’d worried that finding the vehicle would pose the greatest challenge. It proved to be only the first of many.
Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen … he let his right hand brush past each auto. He had to be getting close. Tapping the middle button one more time, “bwwap,” proved sufficient. Thank God for remote keys!
He was shaking as he sat behind the wheel. Blind from birth, he’d had lots of experience sitting behind the steering wheel, playing. It would take the fingers of both hands to recount the car batteries he’d drained to listen to the radio. He knew every announcer, every song. He’d even memorized commercials over the past 16 years. Now, on his 21st birthday, he was finally going to take the car for a spin. Scared and excited, he wondered how it might end …
First he drove down to the car wash. It was only one block from his dad’s favorite parking spot. Down the hill, to the left; he drove extremely slowly. If he bumped someone, it would not really matter. Turning left over the small entry road proved no trouble. Besides, from the gentle clicking noise, he knew that he’d engaged the flashing emergency lights.
The entry to the car wash was, as he’d suspected, idiot proof. You’d have thought the designers had the blind in mind during construction: narrow curbing, sensory activated, automated voices, bells and whistles. Dad liked a clean car and Larry knew all the sounds by heart. Having activated the machinery with his dad’s code, Larry sat back and enjoyed the whirring and whooshing amid the flip, flap, and drizzle …
“Ding!” As the car wash ended, Larry was exhausted. Less than thirty minutes into his big tour, he needed some rest. He eased back onto the service road and headed down to the gas station on the right …
This week, a page right out of One Flew Over the Onion Dome …
The Orthodixie Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.
Signed copies of One Flew Over the Onion Dome available from the PayPal buttons in the side margin.
Orthodixie 