Tuesday, Jan. 5 - 6 p.m. Blessing of Water in the Church
Wednesday, Jan. 6 - 6:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Sunday, Jan. 10 - 4:00 p.m. Blessing of Water at Old Trace Park, Ross Barnett Reservoir -
Directions
We invite you to join us for all these services.
For more information call 601 924-2441.
On January 6 Orthodox celebrate the Baptism of the Lord in the Jordan River (Mark 1:9-11 and parallels). His descent into it and rising from it show us in advance His Death and Resurrection. The voice of the Father calls Him His beloved Son, and the Holy Spirit descends on Him in the form of a dove, so the event is also a revelation of the Holy Trinity.
In celebration of this we bless a basin of water in the Church and plunge a Cross into it as an image of Our Lord's descent into the water. We drink some of this water and in the days ahead the priest visits each member's home and sprinkles the water as a sign of the renewal of the world by the Lord's descent into it.
The following Sunday all the local Orthodox Churches gather at the Ross Barnett Reservoir for an outdoor blessing. The Reservoir is part of the Pearl River, so we are asking the Lord's blessing on the whole Pearl River Valley and indeed the whole world. During this service we throw a Cross into the water and swimmers retrieve it.
This Icon of Christ "Ruler of All" was painted by
Fr. Andrew Tregubov of Claremont, NH, who has done most of our large icons. Eight feet in diameter, it was painted on canvas and installed on our 16-foot high ceiling by local wallcovering craftsmen Gary Atchley and Tim Irwin. The icon is quite striking and reminds us that Christ is reigning in the heavens and on earth.
Our annual St. Nicholas party has been a favorite of children and adults for many years. Since St. Nicholas Day fell on a Sunday this year, it was held after the Divine Liturgy and Coffee Hour. Janice Dietrich related several stories of St. Nicholas' life and wondrous works. Tony Varner led a spirited game of Trivia related to Scripture and the Faith. Subdeacon John Wood led in singing O kto, kto, a Carpatho-Russian folk song about St. Nicholas, which some of our members were able to sing in Russian. St. Nick himself made a surprise appearance with candy canes. The children had left their shoes outside, and discovered that St. Nick had placed chocolate gold coins in them!
More Pictures (These pictures by Mark Robinson begin with several shots of the blessing of our new icon of Christ Pantocrator before it was affixed to the ceiling of our Temple.)
More about St. Nicholas
Baptism of Baby Constantin
August 16, 2009
Our newest member received the sacred mysteries of Baptism, Chrismation, and Holy Communion.
We had a wonderful blessed Holy Week and Pascha. Services were well attended; we baptized three fine little boys, and in spite of rainy weather we were able to make outdoor Processions on Palm Sunday and Holy Friday. It was too rainy for an outdoor procession Pascha night, but we had a beautiful and joyous service inside. A special joy was hosting the other two Jackson area Orthodox congregations this year for Agape Vespers and Feast Sunday afternoon. This is the 22nd year we have done this service together.
Pascha Midnight At this service all lights are put out as we experience the darkness of the Tomb. Then we hear:
Come receive the light from the unwaning light,
and glorify Christ, Who is risen from the dead. We light our candles from the light brought from the altar, singing
Thy Resurrection O Christ Our Saviour
The Angels in Heaven Sing;
Enable us on earth
To glorify Thee in purity of heart.
Then we hear the Resurrection Gospel from St. Mark, the proclamation, Christ is Risen! in many languages, and continue with the brightly lighted and festive Matins and Divine Liturgy. Then we go to the dining food for feasting and fellowship.
"More Holy Saturday" and Pascha Midnight pictures by Steve and Christina Long; other pictures by Melinda Haddad.
Join Us for Holy Week
April 11-19, 2009
The Orthodox Holy Week and Pascha services set before us a rich feast of Christian experience that no seeker of God should miss. The four Gospels devote more space to the week before our Lord's death than all the rest of His life and teaching. Beginning with the Raising of Lazarus, the Orthodox services give us each day scriptures, hymns, and liturgical actions that enable us experience these saving events as realities in our time. Make plans to join us for these.
Holy Friday Evening, 2008
Procession with the Epitaphios (image of the shroud of the Lord)
through the Clinton cemetery next to the Church
First of Resurrection Murals Installed
April 14, 2009
This mural of the Appearance of the Lord at the Sea of Tiberias (St. John 21:1-14) was installed on the right front wall of our Temple. The mural is 12 feet wide and 8 feet high. It was painted on canvas by Fr. Andrew Tregubov of Claremont, NH, and affixed to the wall by Mr. Gary Atchley, a local wallcovering professional.
It is given in memory of Joseph Bassam Khalaf, Holy Resurrection member who fell asleep in the Lord April 17, 2008. May his memory be eternal!
Since our Temple is called Holy Resurrection, the right side of the Temple will have murals of the Resurrection events, beginning at the back
with the women at the Tomb and St. Mary Magdalene with the Lord in the Garden (St. John 20:11 ff), then Sts Peter and John at the Tomb (St. John 20:3 ff),
the meal at Emmaus (St. Luke 24:13 ff), and ending with this one in front.
Let us fast with a fast pleasing to the Lord. This is the true fast: the casting off of evil, the bridling of the tongue, the cutting off of anger, the cessation of lusts, evil talking, lies and cursing. The stopping of these is the fast true and acceptable. --Monday Vespers of the First Week
O Lord and Master of my life
Take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power and idle talk.
But grant rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Thy servant.
Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own transgressions and not to judge my brother,
For blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen.
Sunday of Orthodoxy
March 8
Orthodox Christians celebrate the first Sunday of Great Lent as the Sunday of Orthodoxy, remembering the restoration of the Holy Icons to the Churches on this Sunday in A.D. 843, after they were suppressed about 90 years by heretical Byzantine emperors.
Other Churches participating include St. Peter's Church in Madison and Holy Resurrection. The picture at right is of the the iconostas at St. George's.
The service will begin at 6 p.m. The public is invited to this service and fellowship afterwards.
We had a wonderful time here February 17-19 with Fr. Jacob Myers and his wife, Matushka Rebecca, from St. John the Wonderworker Church in Atlanta. Recordings of his first two talks can be heard here (unfortunately the third talk did not record properly).
