Announcements Archive

Saturday, July 05, 2008

Secret Places

Fr. Stephen Freeman explores the secret place of the Most High God.

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Society and the Soul

Guarding the sense of taste and the tongue with help from St. Nicodemus.

Democracy

On this Independence Day weekend, Frederica is thankful for democracy but is it a one size fits all in the world?

The Holy Trinity

Fr. Tom addresses the most important question of all time - “Who do you say that I am?”

Hospitality, Prayer and Summer Peaches

Learn to pray as you prepare for guests!

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Driving To Heaven

What if we valued the beauty of our Temples more than the beauty of our cars?

Hiermonk Damascene Thanks All For Their Prayers

Good news from California as the evacuation of the monasteries has been lifted. Both St. Herman’s Monastery in Platina and St. Xenia Skete in Wildwood are now safe. Hiermonk Damascene thanks all for their prayers in this letter.

July 1, 2008

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Words cannot express the depth of our gratitude for all of you who have been praying for us during our evacuation from the St. Herman Monastery. Glory be to God, we were able to return to the monastery yesterday, where we celebrated a Moleben of Thanksgiving.

The whole monastery, as well as our office two miles away, was untouched by the fire. However, three “sketes” on the other (south) side of our ridge were scorched. These “sketes” are actually sites for the celebration of the Divine services outdoors, and were created during the time of Hieromonk Seraphim of blessed memory. The “sketes” that are damaged are: Transfiguration Skete, St. Elias Skete, and “Mount Athos.”

Most of the back side of the ridge directly above our monastery is totally burnt, from the fire break down into the Beegum Gorge. Also, sections of the mountains on the other side of the gorge are burnt. Along the south side of the road which leads beyond our monastery up Beegum Gorge, the manzanita bushes and trees are scorched along the bottom, but not totally burnt. The east side of the road leading up to the monastery from Highway 36 is partially burnt as well.

None of the burned areas are visible from the monastery itself. The cells further away from the monastery, including Hieromonk Seraphim’s cell and the cells toward the top of the ridge, are all fine.

People in the town of Platina have told us today that it’s a miracle that our monastery was not destroyed in the fire. As the locals know, the fire had been headed right for our monastery last Monday and Tuesday. On Tuesday morning, winds were expected to blow the fire northeastward, over our ridge. If that had happened, the monastery, as the closest human dwelling to the top of the ridge, would have been quickly devoured by the flames. The threat was so real that the fire crew was clearing out areas around the monastery buildings, so that if the fire swept through the monastery there would be a greater chance that the buildings would not be totally destroyed. Glory be to God, the fire never got that far.

Firefighters whom we talked to yesterday said that most of burned up areas that we saw along the top of our ridge were not caused by controlled fires intended to stop the advance of the wildfires, but instead by the wildfires themselves. They said that flames from the wildfires were shooting up thirty feet in the air near the top of our ridge. Since the winds did not blow the fires to the top of the ridge as quickly as they had anticipated, the fire crew had time to create a good fire break. It was this fire break that prevented the fire from going over the top of Noble Ridge.

God had mercy on us, through the prayers of the faithful from all over the world. It was not only the monastery that was spared. Since the fire did not rapidly spread over the top of the ridge as it was originally expected to do, dwellings further down the north side of the ridge were also spared, including those in the town of Platina.

Driving up to the monastery on Highway 36 yesterday, I saw huge areas, spanning several miles, that had been burned up in the fire. It was not for nothing that so many people were evacuated. When one sees these burned up areas, including the charcoal-gray back side of our ridge, and then when one walks around the monastery, with green trees and grasses all around, one really feels that the Grace of God overshadowed the monastery and protected it. Our Lord heard the supplications poured out from so many hearts throughout the world.

In giving thanks to God and to the faithful who prayed for us, we also wish to express our profound gratitude to the fire crews who have sacrificed themselves to protect the lives and homes of so many people in northern California during this past week, and who continue their heroic labor as fires continue to rage in many areas. The fire crew in Platina told us that they would do everything possible to save our monastery, and they truly fulfilled that promise.

St. Xenia Skete in Wildwood is still on voluntary evacuation. I spoke with Nun Dorothea today (Tuesday). She said that the firefighters still have to do a controlled burn ("back burn") near the town of Wildwood about three miles north of the skete. The controlled burn will be done in order to stop the advance of the Telephone Fire that is close to Wildwood. Although such controlled burns are usually successful, sometimes the fire gets out of control. Therefore, the forest rangers are advising that people remain evacuated until the controlled burn is finished. The nuns will stay in Redding until they hear that the burn is successful and that the voluntary evacuation notice has been lifted. Hopefully the controlled burn will happen today, and the nuns will be able to return home tomorrow, on the feast of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco.

The forest rangers told Mother Dorothea that both Platina and Wildwood should remain on alert, since the fires in the area are still not fully under control. Besides the Telephone Fire north of Wildwood, the western end of the Noble Fire, between Platina and Wildwood, is still burning. The ability of the firefighters to contain these fires will depend on the weather over the next several days. We ask you continue to pray for us, especially for the nuns of St. Xenia Skete.

Thanking You again for intercessions on our behalf before our merciful Lord,
In Christ,
Hieromonk Damascene

Calvin Forum Moderator Becomes Orthodox

On the currrent Illumined Heart, Kevin interviews Robert Meyering, the former moderator of the Calvin Forum, now Orthodox Christian. 

Saturday, June 28, 2008

New Podcast - Voices from St Vladimir’s Seminary

Voices From St Vladimir’s Seminary with Archpriest Chad Hatfield has now launched!

Conversations with leaders and students on Orthodox issues and spiritual life.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

IOCC Responds To Midwest Flooding

Hear an interview from on the scene in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and learn what IOCC is doing to assess the need and bring humanitarian aid.