{"id":5605,"date":"2016-11-29T05:00:52","date_gmt":"2016-11-29T10:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/?p=5605"},"modified":"2016-11-29T05:00:52","modified_gmt":"2016-11-29T10:00:52","slug":"st-peter-newsletter-november-29-2016-st-barbara-st-nicholas-pot-luck-st-nicholas-liturgy-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/st-peter-newsletter-november-29-2016-st-barbara-st-nicholas-pot-luck-st-nicholas-liturgy-and-more\/","title":{"rendered":"St. Peter Newsletter November 29, 2016 — St. Barbara, St. Nicholas Pot-luck, St. Nicholas Liturgy, and more…"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tenth Sunday of Luke
\nSt. Barbara<\/h2>\n

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The Holy Great Martyr Barbara lived and suffered during the reign of the emperor Maximian (305-311). Her father, the According to the hagiographies, Barbara, the daughter of a rich pagan named Dioscorus, was carefully guarded by her father who kept her locked up in a tower in order to preserve her from the outside world. Having secretly become a Christian, she rejected an offer of marriage that she received through him.<\/p>\n

Before going on a journey, he commanded that a private bath-house be erected for her use near her dwelling, and during his absence, Barbara had three windows put in it, as a symbol of the Holy Trinity, instead of the two originally intended. When her father returned, she acknowledged herself to be a Christian; upon this he drew his sword to kill her, but her prayers created an opening in the tower wall and she was miraculously transported to a mountain gorge, where two shepherds watched their flocks. Dioscorus, in pursuit of his daughter, was rebuffed by the first shepherd, but the second betrayed her and was turned to stone and his flock changed to locusts.<\/p>\n

Dragged before the prefect of the province, Martinianus, who had her cruelly tortured, Barbara held true to her faith. During the night, the dark prison was bathed in light and new miracles occurred. Every morning her wounds were healed. Torches that were to be used to burn her went out as soon as they came near her. Finally she was condemned to death by beheading. Her father himself carried out the death-sentence. However, as punishment for this, he was struck by lightning on the way home and his body was consumed by flame. Barbara was buried by a Christian, Valentinus, and her tomb became the site of miracles.<\/p>\n

According to the Golden Legend, her martyrdom took place on December 4 “in the reign of emperor Maximianus and Prefect Marcien” (r. 286–305); the year was given as 267 in the French version edited by Father Harry F. Williams of the Anglican Community of the Resurrection (1975).<\/p>\n

Source: Wikipedia<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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Mark you Calendar for the St. Nicholas Pot Luck December 3<\/h2>\n

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Celebrate St. Nicholas Day with a pot luck on Saturday, December 3 starting at 6pm. Sign up to bring a dish in the social hall following Divine Liturgy on Sunday. We are in the Christmas Fasting season so all dishes should be meatless.<\/p>\n

Tina and Doug Kucera will be our speakers. They will talk about Tina’s donation of a kidney to save Doug’s life. We will see a video produced about their journey that has brought them closer to God and each other.<\/p>\n

Please bring an unwrapped toy to the pot luck for needy children in the area. We will donate them to Toys for Tots.<\/em><\/p>\n

St. Nicholas Divine Liturgy on Monday, December 5 at 6:30pm<\/h2>\n

St. Nicholas Diving Liturgy will be held on St. Nicholas Day Eve on Monday, December 5, 2016 at 6:30pm. <\/p>\n

Who Was St. Nicholas?<\/h4>\n

Find out who The Real Santa Claus<\/a> was on the St. Peter website.<\/p>\n

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We’ve Entered the Christmas Fasting Period<\/h2>\n

The Christmas fasting period runs from November 15 to December 24. Guidelines for proper fasting during the Christmas fast can be found on the Antiochian Archdiocese website.<\/a>. Look at the schedule, conform to the fast as you are able, and if you have questions consult Fr. Hans.<\/p>\n

Fasting is important but sometimes circumstances require adjustments to the directions. We are not bound to directions (fasting is voluntary) but we should not use our liberty as an excuse for slackness or negligence either.<\/p>\n

Why fast? It helps us focus on Christ more in our interior lives. As we learn to master our interior life, our exterior life changes for the better too. We fast faithfully and in secret, not judging others, and not holding ourselves up as an example.<\/p>\n

From the Antiochian Archdiocese Website:<\/em><\/p>\n

The Purpose of Fasting<\/strong><\/p>\n

The purpose of fasting is to focus on the things that are above, the Kingdom of God. It is a means of putting on virtue in reality, here and now. Through it we are freed from dependence on worldly things.<\/p>\n