Holy Protection Orthodox Church in Kansas City

No services this weekend (May 22-24)

2009-05-22T14:03:00.000-07:00

Holy Protection will not be having services this weekend, May 22, 23, and 24, so that members of the mission can attend the wedding of Elizabeth Stade, Father Christopher and Matushka Mary's youngest daughter, this Sunday at St. John Chrysostom Russian Orthodox Church, in the St. Louis area.

We'll resume regular services next week.

Great and Holy Saturday morning

2009-04-22T20:21:00.000-07:00

Here are some more personal recollections, this time from the small or "first" Resurrection service. It was a full but not crowded church with light streaming in. Near the end of the reading of the many prophecies is the Song of the Three Holy Youths in the Burning Fiery Furnace. The responses were sung by a children's choir (ages 3 to 12) in front of the Plaschanitsa in alternation with the adult choir. The children were so earnest - very cute and very tender. Later, Father Christopher came swiftly out of the Royal Doors (Beautiful Gates) throwing rose petals. Immediately girls removed all the dark purple and black coverings in the whole church and replaced them with shining white. I took off my black scarf because I had hidden a white one beneath it. Later, people received the Holy Mysteries in front of the Tomb rather than as usual from the ambon near the iconostas. At the end the joyous peal of the Russian bells came in through the windows. In trapeza, although we were still fasting, a few families had their Pascha baskets blessed in anticipation of the midnight service yet to come. ---- A Worley, 22 April 09

Plaschanitsa

2009-04-21T20:25:00.000-07:00

Here are some personal impressions from Great and Holy Friday evening at St. John Chrysostom's in St. Louis. Picture a darkened church, with the entire congregation in dark clothing, holding candles while standing around the plaschanitsa (epitaphion). Everyone is singing the Lamentations together. When we go outside for the procession, suddenly I am transported to Jordanville. It was there last year at our dear Vladyka Metropolitan Laurus' funeral procession that I first heard the bells sounding broken - the funeral peal. That same peal, five days ago now, accompanied us around the church, as we slowly chanted the "Svyati Boge" until we reentered the church, passing under the bier. Following our Savior, we too enter life only through death. ----- A Worley, April 2009

Travel to St. Louis for Pascha

2009-04-17T08:20:00.000-07:00

Our mission will not be having services for Pascha this week, on April 17, 18 and 19, so that members of the mission can attend the Friday evening Plaschanitsa procession, Saturday morning small Resurrection with change of vestments, and the midnight Sunday Paschal procession, Matins and Divine Liturgy at St. John Chrysostom Russian Orthodox Church and/or St. Basil's ROC, both in the St. Louis area.

We pray that everyone has safe travel and a bright Feast of the Lord's Resurrection, and we hope to see you at Holy Protection after Pascha!

"This chosen Day is the first of the Sabbaths
The Queen and Lady
The Feast of feasts and Festival of festivals
Wherein we bless Christ unto the ages."
(Irmos, ode VIII of the Canon of Pascha)

No services this (Thanksgiving) weekend

2008-11-24T07:57:00.000-08:00

Holy Protection will not be having church services this weekend, November 28, 29, and 30, owing to the Thanksgiving Day holiday. We wish everyone a peaceful holiday and safe travels.

We will resume regular services next week.

No services at Holy Protection this weekend

2008-10-20T14:02:00.000-07:00

We will not be having services this coming weekend, September 25-26. Regular services will resume next weekend. We hope to see you then.

Parish Feast Day

2008-10-11T19:57:00.000-07:00

The mission will have Vigil for the Feast of the Holy Protection on Monday night, October 13, at 6 p.m.

Divine Liturgy will start at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, so Hours will be around 9 a.m.

Father Paisius Altschul of St. Mary of Egypt Orthodox Church will be serving for both Vigil and Liturgy. We thank Father Paisius for being with us so that we can have Liturgy on our feast day.

No Serices at Holy Protection This Weekend

2008-08-27T12:01:00.000-07:00

We will not be having services this coming weekend, September 13-14, in the Kansas City area. Regular services will resume next weekend.

Vigil for the Dormition of the Theotokos

2008-08-26T18:36:00.000-07:00

We will have Vigil on this Wednesday evening, the eve of the Feast of the Dormition, at 6PM.

Vespers, Holy Transfiguration

2008-08-17T19:42:00.000-07:00

Vespers for the feast of the Holy Transfiguration will be at 5:00 on Monday August 5/18. Please note that this is one hour earlier than our usual schedule.

Typika for the Feast of the Ascension

2008-06-04T19:57:00.000-07:00

On the Feast of the Ascension, we will have Hours and Typika at 10 a.m. in the chapel.

Services for the Apodosis and Ascension

2008-06-03T17:54:00.000-07:00

We will have the Vespers for the Apodosis of Pascha on Tuesday evening, June 3, at 6 p.m.

For the feast of the Ascension, we will have services on Wednesday evening, starting at 6 p.m.

No service here on Holy Pascha, BUT Divine Liturgy on Bright Saturday

2008-04-22T19:49:00.000-07:00

Our mission will not be having services for Pascha this week, on April 26 and 27, so that members of the mission can attend the Divine Liturgy and other services at other parishes. (It tends to be difficult for small missions to borrow a priest on Pascha...)

However, Father Christopher Stade, our mission's supervising priest, will be here for Divine Liturgy on Bright Saturday, May 3. Hours and Liturgy will begin at 9:00 a.m.

Father Christopher will also serve Vespers on the Friday evening beforehand (May 2) at around 7:30 p.m., the exact time depending on when confessions are finished and the chapel is prepared.

We pray that everyone has safe travel and a joyous Feast of our Lord's Resurrection, and we hope to see you at Holy Protection for Liturgy on Bright Saturday!

Times for the Great Canon on Monday and Tuesday

2008-03-10T09:06:00.000-07:00

On Monday and Tuesday of this week, we will have Compline and the Great Canon of St. Andrew at 5 p.m. in the chapel.

Forgiveness Sunday - The Casting out of Adam from Paradise

2008-03-08T21:39:00.000-08:00

Today (Sunday February 25/March 9) we celebrate the Resurrection, together with the Triodion service of the Expulsion of Adam, i.e., of Man, humankind, and each of us personally from Paradise. The previous three Sundays were devoted to the Publican & Pharisee, then the Prodigal Son, and then the Last Judgement, which was also Meatfare, when we finished up (or froze) all the meat in the house. On Judgement Sunday, we sang the same Katabasia that will be sung each day for the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete during the first week of the Great Lent: "He is my helper and protector, and has become my Salvation . . ."

This past week, Cheesefare, we enjoyed the sun-shaped blini, complete with fish and sour cream. After tomorrow, Maslenitsa, when we finish up all the glorious butter, eggs, cheese and milk, it will truly be a bodily expulsion from paradise on Pure Monday, the first day of the Great Lent.

As usual, it is the evening services that are most instructive. Besides our attendance and prayer at Vigil, there is useful reading available. Probably the best for gaining a Lenten understanding is the introduction in the Lenten Triodion, translated by Mother Mary and Bishop Kallistos (Ware). Father Alexander Schmemann's Great Lent: Journey to Pascha can also be helpful.

RESURRECTION, Tone 8:
By a tree the author of evil mightily cast me down; but, having been uplifted upon the Cross, Thou, O Christ, didst with greater might cast him down, putting him to shame; and Thou didst raise up him who was fallen. (Matins, Ode 6)

Being simple in Thy divine and beginningless nature, Thou didst render Thyself compound by taking on flesh, subsuming it within Thyself, O Word of God; and having suffered as a man, as God Thou didst remain beyond suffering. Wherefore we magnify Thee in two natures, indivisible and unconfused. (Matins, Ode 9)

EXPULSION FROM PARADISE:
O precious Paradise, unsurpassed in beauty, tabernacle built by God, unending gladness and delight, glory of the righteous, joy of the prophets, and dwelling of the saints, with the sound of thy leaves pray to the Maker of all: may He open unto me the gates which I closed by my transgression, and may He count me worthy to partake of the Tree of Life and of the joy which was mine when I dwelt in thee before. (Vespers, Stichos, Tone 6, on Lord I Have Cried)

Adam was driven out of Paradise, because in disobedience he had eaten food; but Moses was granted the vision of God, because he had cleansed the eyes of his soul by fasting. If then we long to dwell in Paradise, let us abstain from all needless food; and if we desire to see God, let us like Moses fast for forty days. With sincerity let us persevere in prayer and intercession; let us still the passions of our soul; let us subdue the rebellious instincts of the flesh. With light step let us set out upon the path to heaven, where the choirs of angels with never-silent voice sing the praises of the undivided Trinity; and there we shall behold the surpassing beauty of the Master. O Son of God, Giver of Life, in Thee we set our hope; count us worthy of a place there with the angelic hosts, at the intercessions of the Mother who bore Thee, O Christ, of the apostles and the martyrs and of all the saints. (Matins,Stichos,Tone 6, on the Praises)

Resurrection, Publican & Pharisee, Meeting of the Lord

2008-02-16T20:57:00.000-08:00

Today, February 4/17, we sing a somewhat rare triple commemoration. Every Sunday celebrates Christ's rising from the dead. In addition,this is the first Sunday of the Lenten Triodion, meditating on Christ's story of the Publican and the Pharisee. We are also in the Afterfeast of the Meeting of the Lord in the Temple, and the sweet simplicity of the Infant Christ, the young Mary and older Joseph, the two young pigeons and the aged Symeon and prophetess Anna, sheds its own soft light.

From the Canons of Matins, Ode IV
RESURRECTION (tone 5)
O Good One, with a tree Thou didst sweeten the bitter waters of Marah, prefiguring Thine all-precious Cross, which doeth away with the taste of sin.
PUBLICAN AND PHARISEE
Though he was rich in virtues, foolish pride brought the Pharisee to poverty; but in the extremity of his need, the Publican was justified through his humility. Let us also gain humility.
MEETING OF THE LORD
Beholding the Word Who is without beginning, the Author of all, borne as a babe in the flesh by the Virgin as on the throne of the cherubim, Symeon marveled and cried out to Him: All things are filled with Thy praise!

Vespers for Meeting of the Lord in the Temple

2008-02-14T05:05:00.000-08:00

Due to work schedule, vespers has been moved to 3:30 PM today.

Telephone back to normal

2008-01-19T15:46:00.000-08:00

We apologize if you called recently and found that the telephone just kept ringing. Unbeknownst to us, a plug had fallen out of the wall, completely disabling the answering machine. The outgoing message giving times and directions is back to normal, as is the capability of leaving a message. S'prazdnikom for both the Nativity in the Flesh of Our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, and the Holy Theophany. If you desire Holy Water, it would be helpful if you would bring a small jar.

No Services on January 5, 6, and 7

2008-01-03T20:54:00.000-08:00

Holy Protection will not be having services this weekend, January 5 and 6, nor for the Feast of the Nativity on January 7, as many of us will be traveling and attending services elsewhere.

Our regular service schedule will resume next weekend.

Feast of Saint Nicholas

2007-12-17T17:18:00.000-08:00

We will have services for the Feast of Saint Nicholas on Tuesday evening, December 18, starting at 6:00 p.m.

Feast of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple

2007-12-02T21:30:00.000-08:00

We will have Vigil at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, December 3, for the Feast of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple.

No Services at Holy Protection This Weekend

2007-10-04T06:25:00.000-07:00

Because people are away this weekend to attend the Russian Orthodox Church Musicians' conference in Seattle, and others will be out of town elsewhere, there will be no services at Holy Protection Orthodox Church this weekend (October 6-7).

Services will resume next weekend.

Father John Whiteford's visit

2007-09-26T20:48:00.000-07:00

It was wonderful to have Father John here to serve the Divine Liturgy, and we are very grateful to him for making the trip from Houston and to Fr. Christopher for blessing it. We were able to have our altar set up behind the iconostas for the first time and to receive the Holy Mysteries.

Fr. John also preached a sermon on the patient and prayerful endurance of Sts. Joachim and Anna, and how God sent, instead of barrenness, a child who was to become the Theotokos. He likewise urged worshippers to pray patiently and to work for a thriving Russian Orthodox presence here in the KC area.

Holy Cross, St. John Chrysostom Symposium

2007-09-26T20:39:00.000-07:00

Greetings with the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross! Also on this day 1600 years ago reposed St. John Chrysostom. Because of the St. John Chrysostom Symposium this weekend in St. Louis, there will be NO SERVICES AT HOLY PROTECTION this Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 29 and 30. There are still openings for people to attend the Symposium. Driving time is about four and a quarter hours. Regular services at Holy Protection will resume in October.

Divine Liturgy on Saturday, September 22

2007-09-09T20:40:00.000-07:00

Father John Whiteford, author of Sola Scriptura and pastor of St. Jonah Orthodox Church near Houston, Texas, will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at Holy Protection Orthodox Church on Saturday morning, September 22. Reader’s Vigil will be sung the evening before (Friday) at 6 p.m. The Divine Liturgy will begin at 9:30 a.m., with confessions and Hours preceding.

We thank Fr. Christopher Stade for his support and blessing for this visit, and we look forward to welcoming Fr. John to the Kansas City area. For more information, please call the mission at (913) 383-8000.