The Messenger
A Quarterly Publication of St. Thomas Orthodox Church Winter 2014
In this Issue
Pastor’s Message 2
Chairman's Message 3
St. Thomas Happenings 4
In our Diocese . . . 8
In our Archdiocese . . . 9
Spiritual Insights 10
Quarterly Calendar 11
Hymn of the Nativity of Christ
Today is born of the Virgin Him Who
holdest all creation in the hollow of His
hand.
He Whose essence is untouchable is
wrapped in swaddling clothes as a babe.
The God Who from of old established
the heavens lieth in a manger.
St. Thomas Orthodox Church PO Box 1042 • 1100 Jones St • Sioux City, IA 51102
(712) 258-7166 • [email protected]
www.stthomassiouxcity.org
“I commend you all to the grace of Our
Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ.
With this staff I shall live with you and die
with you, in order that we may all achieve
the life that is true Life, Jesus Christ, to
Whom be glory with His Father without
beginning, and His all-holy, good and life-
creating Spirit, now and ever, and unto
ages of ages. Amen. “
-Enthronement Speech
METROPOLITAN JOSEPH
The Messenger Page 2
Pastor’s Message by Fr. Lucas Rice This winter marks the end of another busy and blessed year. As a parish we witnessed some excellent things throughout 2014. We maintained our regular worship schedule of at least three services a week, benefited from a number of social activities (including SOYO, Ladies Club, and the Fall Men’s Group). Most notably, we greatly expanded our religious education with our joint venture with Holy Trinity and the continued observance of our monthly Catechesis.
Having recapped this year, I would like to take just few words to layout the scope of this news-letter. This newsletter is intended to help everyone keep their finger on the pulse of parish life. Many times, either through health, work, or personal obligations, we are not able to participate as much in parish life as we would like. This newsletter is a way to help you know what’s going on even if you can’t see it for yourself. It serves as bigger, more robust form of that former sec-tion in the bulletin: “What’s Going on at St. Thomas.” Secondarily, it will also serve as an informational stop-gap to catch those tidbits notables that oftentimes fall through the cracks. It is simply human nature—we can read things online, in the bulletin—we can hear them through the grapevine—and still forget. The newsletter, with its pictures, artwork, and musings should hopefully prove a slightly more permanent medium to communicate the events, concerns, and triumphs of life as an Orthodox Christian in Sioux City. Finally, this newsletter is about building connections. It is very easy to feel disconnected from broader Orthodoxy from the diocese, archdiocese, and beyond. Sadder still, we can feel discon-nected from other parishioners for a multitude of reasons. This newsletter presents an excellent way to communicate how God is working through his bride, the Orthodox Church. All you have to do is read. It is my hope that this newsletter finds a comfortable spot on the lampstands and coffee tables of every person associated with St. Thomas Church. Blessings,
Fr. Lucas Rice
The Messenger
Page 3
Chairman’s Message
by George Stickney, Sr.
My Brothers and Sisters in Christ
The winter holiday season is here, which brings about the question, what happened to the rest
of the year? The Annual Dinner is history. I want to thank everyone that work so hard on the
Annual Dinner it made it one of the most successful we ever had! The joint Six Week Study
Event with Holy Trinity went so well, I am looking forward to the spring session. Seriously
where does time go?
We started our countdown to our centennial In 2016, Nick Corey consented to be our chairman.
For this to be successful we are going to need everyone's help and participation.
Nick has already raised $2000 towards the Centennial this is just beginning.
Finally stewardship! Your statements for giving for 2014 are in the mail. We need everyone to
reevaluate their financial situation and give as much as you can in 2015.
Your pledge is very much appreciated.
Your servant in Christ
George Stickney Sr.
2014 Parish Council Chairman
The Messenger
Page 4
Following vespers on December 6, our children performed the annual Sunday School play
with a Wild-west theme. Our youth worked hard acting and singing through this holiday
festivity. Games and refreshments followed the play and a good time was had by all!
The Wild West Christmas Play
St. Thomas Happenings
The Messenger
Page 5
Our Nativity Retreat was a great success and was well attended by both Sioux City parishes
and members of Holy Transfiguration Church in Sioux Falls. Fr. Dimitri Tobias of Holy
Trinity Church started our Retreat with a presentation connecting the themes of marriage
and martyrdom in icons. Next, Fr. Lucas offered a reflection on the icon of Christ’s Descent
in Hades. Fr. Sava Leida of Holy Transfiguration, then gave a talk on the icon of the
Mystical Supper. Finally, Kh. Erin Kimmet offered the keynote speech which explained the
connection between icons and the incarnation. After the presentations, our parishes joined
together in worship for a daily vespers service followed by a time of refreshments and
fellowship. The evening was capped off with an informal discussion about upcoming
renovations / completions of our iconographic work.
Nativity Retreat
The Messenger
Page 6
Our Icons Are Now Complete!
The Messenger
Page 7
St. Thomas Stewards
The following people have donated to ministry of St. Thomas Church. If your name was uninten-
tionally omitted, please contact Fr. Lucas and your name will appear in the next newsletter.
Jerry and Pat Abdo
ArDcn. James and Sh. Jane Ameen
Chris and Cheryl Ameen
Donna Anotonvich
Michael and Lisa Antonovich
Leo and Liz Bitsos
Carol Border-Stone
Ed and De Bottei
Ryan Border
Ron and Vicki Carlson
Nick and Carol Corey
Larry Corey
Patrick and Cathy Corey
Ron Counter
Fred and Linda Courey
Tina Finch
Mae Hanna
Phil Hanna
Mark Hanna
Vi Headid
Milo Headid
Fr. Dennis Hefner
Mike Jacobs
Gen Johnson
Kevin and Jane Kirwan
Julie Kinnaman
Paul and Barbara Lammers
Anne Mari Langlois
Dean Lockwood
Mark Lockwood
Michelle and Todd Mechling
Don Miller
Jim and Theresa Muhe
Jim and Brenda Nelson
Don and Lorraine Nimmer
Yvonnie Pape
Fr. Lucas and Kh. Nicole Rice
Josh and Tanya Simpson
Dick and Sue Stevens
Gerry Stevens
Jeff and Nicole Stevens
Josh Stevens
Judy Stevens
Stacia Stevenson
John and Angela Stibbs
Erica Stickney
George Jr. and Elisa Stickney
George Sr. and Suzanne Stickney
Paul Thibodeau
Dorwin Tompkins
Maria Tudor
Ashley VanWaart
Jim and Jessica Vaughn
Manoj and Sneha Virippil
Victor Voloshen
Stan and Debbie Wisnieski
Ag Yanney
Denny and Karen Yanney
The Messenger Page 8
In Our Diocese 1. Winter Camp (aka WAMP)
Winter camp will take place January 16th-19th at Camp
St. Raphael (YABOY!) in Wagoner, OK. Our speaker will
be Bishop Basil. If you are interested in attending, please
see Fr. Lucas. If you have questions, please contact our
Diocesan Youth Director Erin Ghata
2. Clergy Brotherhood Retreat
The clergy of our diocese hold their annual Clergy Brotherhood Retreat at the Spiritual Life Cen-
ter in Wichita, KS during the Afterfeast of the Meeting of the Lord in the Temple, Tuesday-
Friday, February 3rd-6th, 2015. Since February 27th, 2015 will mark the centenary of the repose
of the patron saint of our St Raphael Clergy Brotherhood, tbe brotherhood will inaugurate the
centennial year at our retreat which will focus on his Life, Ministry and Legacy .
The Messenger Page 9
In Our Archdiocese 1. Metropolitan JOSEPH enthroned
On Sat. Dec. 6, the Patriarch of Antioch and All
of the East, JOHN X of Damascus, Syria, en-
throned Metropolitan JOSEPH as new head of
the Antiochian Orthodox Church in North
America at that Church’s national St. Nicholas
Cathedral in Brooklyn, New York.
2. Important Events in December
In addition to the sacred commemoration of our
Lord’s nativity, the Archdiocese also calls to mind
two special days of dedication: the second Sunday in
December is Choir and Chanter Appreciation Day. On the third Sunday of December, our Arch-
diocese recognizes the special and vitally important work of the Order of St. Ignatius.
3. Patriarch at U.N. Building
During his trip to the United States, Patriarch
JOHN X, met with a group of politicians and
diplomats at the United Nations Headquar-
ters where he later held a press conference.
His Beatitude stressed that the only solution
to the crisis in Syria is one of negotiations
and peace, not of bombs and war, saying
“The Syrian people ask for peace and welfare
for themselves and for everyone on earth.”
He continued by saying that “as a Christian
leader, I can also speak on behalf of the Is-
lamic leaders in Syria in that we all reject ex-
tremism. In Greater Syria we have been co-
existing for hundred of years.” He also re-
layed in his various meetings that with regard to humanitarian relief the Orthodox Church is help-
ing everyone, regardless of sect or religion.
-Source: Antiochian.org
The Messenger Page 10
Spiritual Insights
“The Sunday of the Holy Forefathers”
Excerpted from Winter Pascha by Fr. Thomas Hopko
Two Sundays before the celebration of Christmas, the Orthodox Church rejoices in the festival of
the Holy Forefathers of the Old Covenant, including those who came before the giving of the
Law. The foretold the coming of the Messiah and are redeemed by his saving Pascha. Together
with the Canon of the Nativity of Christ, the following hymns are sung at the services of the day.
Let us offer praise to the fathers
Who shone forth before and during the Law;
With righteous minds they served the Lord and Master
Who shone forth from the Virgin,
And now they delight in the unending Light.
Let us honor Adam, the first-formed man and forefather of us all,
Who was honored by the hands of the creator.
He rests in the heavenly mansions with all the elect.
. . .
With his whole mouth, tongue and heart,
The wondrous Enoch hoped that in the Spirit
He might call with godly mind upon God, the Master of all.
Having lived on earth in a well-pleasing manner,
He has been taken up in glory.
Let us hear the divine words of those who cry aloud,
Telling of the coming of Christ.
For behold, He is born in a cave of an unwedded Maiden,
And his awesome birth is foretold to the Wise Men
By the suddenly appearing star.
There is a great difference between existing and living. Many people exist. Very few really live.
Only those who seek God have life. Only those who delight in His commandments and rejoice
in accomplishing His will pass beyond mere existence and actually find life. "Seek God, and
your soul shall live" (Ps 69:32, LXX). This is the cry of the psalmist David who is especially
hymned on this Sunday and on the Sunday after Christmas. His exhortation is in perfect harmo-
ny with the words of God given to Moses in His revelation of the divine Law.
See I have set before you this day life and good,
death and evil. If you obey the commandments
of the Lord your God, which I command you
this day, by walking in His ways, and by keep-
ing His commandments and His statutes and
His ordinances, then you shall live and multi-
ply, and the Lord your God will bless you in
the land which you are entering to take posses-
sion of it. But if your heart turns away, and
you will not hear, but are drawn away to wor-
ship other gods and serve them, I declare to you
this day, that you shall perish; you shall not
live long in the land which you are going over
the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven
and earth to witness against you this day, that
I have set before you life and death, blessing
and curse; therefore choose life, that you and
your descendants may live, loving the Lord
your God, obeying His voice, and cleaving to
Him; for that means life to you and length of
days, that you may dwell in the land which the
Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to
Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them. (Deut 30:15-
20)
The holy forefathers and mothers, together with all their descendants, have chosen life. They find
it in God's Messiah, Jesus Christ, who is Life itself, God's incarnate Word. The celebration of the
Winter Pascha is a celebration of Life in God's Word. For "Christ who is our life" has already ap-
peared (Col 3:4). We have "beheld His glory" (Jn 1:14). Now that glory is hidden in the "form of a
slave" (Phil 2:7), but it will be revealed at the end of the ages in power for those who "have loved
His appearing" and "live in Him" (2 Tim 4:8; Col 2:6).
You shone as heaven's lights upon the earth
Enkindling the light of piety.
You called forth the choir of all creation
As you sang to the Master who saves all from temptation,
"Bless Him, O children! Exalt Him, O priests!
Praise Christ, all people, throughout all the ages!"
The Messenger Page 11
January 2015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2
3 10am
Memorial for Jackie Larsen
6:30pm Great Vespers
4
9am Matins
10am
Divine Liturgy
5
7am Royal Hours
6:30pm
Vesperal Divine Liturgy with
Blessing of Water
6 10am
Divine Liturgy
11:30am Out-of-Doors
Blessing of Water
6:30pm Ladies Club Mtg
7
6:30pm Vespers
8
6:30pm Parish Council
meeting
9 10
6:30pm Great Vespers
11
9am Matins
10am
Divine Liturgy
12 13 14
6:30pm Vespers
15 16 17
9am Divine Liturgy -
St. Anthony
6:30pm Great Vespers
18 9am Matins
10am Divine Liturgy
Coffee and Catechesis
Bob Jackson Memorial
19 20 21
6:30pm Vespers
22 23 24
6:30pm Great Vespers
25
9am Matins
10am
Divine Liturgy
26 27 28
6:30pm Vespers
29
6:30pm
Divine Liturgy -
Three Hierarchs
30 31
6:30pm Great Vespers
February 2015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
9am Matins
10am
Divine Liturgy
2 3 4
6:30pm Vespers
5 6 7
6:30pm Great Vespers
8
9am Matins
10am
Divine Liturgy
9 10 11
6:30pm Vespers
12
6:30pm
Parish Council Meeting
13 14
9am Divine Liturgy - Soul Saturday
6:30pm Great Vespers
15
CHEESFARE
9am Matins
10am Divine Liturgy
Coffee and Catechesis
16 17 18
6:30pm Vespers
19 20 21
6:30pm Great Vespers
22
LENT BEGINS
9am Matins
10am Divine Liturgy
11:30am Forgiveness
Vespers
23
6:30pm Great Canon of
St. Andrew
24
6:30pm Great Canon of
St. Andrew
25
6:30pm Presanctified
Liturgy
26
6:30pm Great Canon of
St. Andrew
27
6:30pm Akathist
28
6:30pm Great Vespers
March 2015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 9am
Matins
10am Divine Liturgy
6:00pm Vespers - Sunday
of Orthodoxy
2
6:30pm
Great Compline
3 4
6:30pm Presanctified
Liturgy
5 6
6:30pm Akathist
7
6:30pm Great Vespers
8 DAYLIGHT
SAVINGS TIME
9am Matins
10am Divine Liturgy
9
6:30pm
Great Compline
10 11
6:30pm Presanctified
Liturgy
12
6:30pm
Parish Council Meeting
13
6:30pm Akathist
14
6:30pm Great Vespers
15
9am Matins
10am Divine Liturgy
Coffee and Catechesis
16
6:30pm
Great Compline
17 18
6:30pm Presanctified
Liturgy
19 20
6:30pm Akathist
21
6:30pm Great Vespers
22
9am Matins
10am
Divine Liturgy
23
6:30pm
Great Compline
24 25
6:30pm Presanctified
Liturgy
26 27
6:30pm Akathist
28
6:30pm Great Vespers
29
9am Matins
10am
Divine Liturgy
30
6:30pm
Great Compline
31