Revelations v2.1 - September 2006

Message From the Editor
 
September marks the beginning of the Orthodox Calendar year. The first of the great Feasts is the birth of the Theotokos.
 

Many of us recently read “The Da Vinci Code”. The story, although entertaining, has created controversy by opposing the divinity of Christ. The story suggests that Christ fathered children with Mary Magdalene. The church, according to Brown, falsely ignores this fact and calls Christ the Son of God and thereby neglects “the sacred feminine”.

 
The story is fun to read and presents many seemingly convincing pieces of evidence that few people can confirm or oppose. Many people will unfortunately read this book and accept Brown’s thesis as truth because of his preamble stating that his story is based on facts. However, what many of these readers don’t realize is the wisdom of the forefathers of the Holy Orthodox Church.

 
One of the basic and most important aspects of Orthodoxy is reverence towards the Holy Mother of God. It is a woman who gave milk to the One who with a breath can shift the rotation of the Earth…who is the Source of Life…who gave birth to the One who cannot be contained…more honourable than the cherubim and more glorious beyond compare than the seraphim… higher than the heavens…and purer than the radiance of the sun… We devote a very large part of worship to the Mother of God and do it with humility and reverence. We end the church calendar with her death and begin it with her birth. It is not merely a prayer towards this particular woman, but rather a devotion towards motherhood in general. As we begin this Orthodox Calendar year with the birth of the Mother of God, I pray that we can all use Brown’s accusations to further our reading, and pay close attention to the words that we are singing, and most importantly, as a way to realize the importance of the Theotokos, the Sacred Feminine.

TS

Young Adults’ Retreat in Boston
 

This year’s NAC Fellowship Young Adults’ Retreat will take place between September 15 and September 17, 2006 at Hellenic College in Brookline, Massachusetts. It’s a great time to make friends from around the continent from various backgrounds and learn from some of the most dynamic speakers of the church. Get all the details here. 

Fall Gathering in Syracuse, NY
 

The Fall Delegates’ Gathering will be hosted by St. Elias Orthodox Church in Syracuse October 28 and October 29, 2006. Accommodations are as follows:
 

Best Western Fairgrounds
670 State Fair Boulevard
Syracuse, NY
13209-1308 US
Phone: 315-484-0044
Fax: 315-484-0045
 

Room rate: $82 including complementary breakfast; deadline to reserve at this rate is Sept. 27, 2006. Book room under St. Elias Orthodox Church or give block #0347.

Parish Life Conference Meeting Minutes
 

This year’s Parish Life Conference was hosted by St. George Church in Richmond Hill, Ontario. Meeting minutes are available.