What can an individual faraway from a church do to keep the feasts?

[Nathaniel Woon]

Dear brothers and sisters,

As the Feast of the Presentation of the Theotokos in the temple is tomorrow, I would like some advice. Exactly what can an individual faraway from a church do to keep the feasts? I have the Festal Menaion and the service books - exactly what can a lay person do?

Nathaniel in Malaysia

[Brian Patrick Mitchell]

Is this a trick question?

Rejoice and be glad. Eat and drink with thanksgiving. Be kind and generous and patient with others. Let them see the joy of the feast in you.

And if you have the books, read through festal service and reflect upon its meaning.

In Christ, Dn. Patrick

[Herman Blaydoe]

Dear brothers and sisters,

As the Feast of the Presentation of the Theotokos in the temple is tomorrow, I would like some advice. Exactly what can an individual faraway from a church do to keep the feasts? I have the Festal Menaion and the service books - exactly what can a lay person do?

Nathaniel in Malaysia

If you can get it, I recommend Making God Real in the Orthodox Christian Home by Fr. Anthony Coniaris. It has some very good suggestions and ideas about things that can be done to strengthen the "church in the home".

[Michael Astley]

And if you have the books, read through festal service and reflect upon its meaning.

And if you don't have the books, most of these texts are available online. You can do reader Vespers in your icon corner the night before, and then the typika on the day. Fr John Whiteford's website (http://www.saintjonah.org/services/horologion.htm) is great for this sort of stuff. I'm not sure whether the festal menaion is online but the general menaion (http://www.ccel.org/ccel/anonymous/menaion.html) certainly is. With those two resources alone, you have most of what you need to do the services for the feast. Just use the commons for feasts of the Mother of God from the general menaion.

It's a difficult situation, but you're right to be asking the question, and it's good that you want to observe the feast, even if you are, of course, thirteen days early. :-p

In Christ,
Michael

[Andrew D. Morrell]

I admire your effort to stay the course in a difficult situation, Nathaniel.

In Christ,
Andrew


Dear brothers and sisters,

As the Feast of the Presentation of the Theotokos in the temple is tomorrow, I would like some advice. Exactly what can an individual faraway from a church do to keep the feasts? I have the Festal Menaion and the service books - exactly what can a lay person do?

Nathaniel in Malaysia

[Owen]

If you have high-speed Internet, Holy Trinity Cathedral (GOA) in NYC broadcasts Divine Liturgy on Sundays and major feastdays. Click this link: http://www.goarch.org/chapel/live

[Nathaniel Woon]

Thanks for all the suggestions and information. We have some inquirers who are preparing to be received. At the moment, we are going through 'The Living God'. As we had missed one week, we had two chapters to cover so we did evening prayers and read the Synaxarion explaining the Fest as well as some of the prayers and the readings from the Festal Menaion. There was no pint in doing more as not many other people could join us. I am thankful to be able to ikeep the Great Feats in some small measure. Please keep us here in Malaysia in prayer - that we will have our place to worship soon.