NATIVITY SERVICES - Wednesday, January 6th, at 6:30 PM

We will celebrate a Solemn Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ according to the ancient Christian (Julian) Calendar on Wednesday evening, January 6th at 6:30 PM,

At

HOLY CROSS ORTHODOX CHURCH

A Western Rite parish of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia

7545 Main Street

Ralston, Nebraska 68127

www.holycrossomaha.net

(402) 573-6558

A Christmas party in the parish hall will follow the Liturgy. 

Already celebrated Christmas? Christmas is the best time of the year! Who can get enough of Christmas? Come and celebrate the birth of Christ without commercialism. Wise men still seek Him. Christ is born. Glorify Him! Merry Christmas!

Visitors are always welcome. We are a faithful and friendly congregation, and we have a place for you!

JOY TO THE WORLD!

Although Holy Cross parish observes the ancient Christian calendar, the Julian Calendar, and will be celebrating the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on January 7th, I want to greet all of my readers who are celebrating the Nativity of Christ today with the words, Christ is born. Glorify Him! Merry Christmas!

Sadly, Christmas Services had to be cancelled across Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa last night because of the unexpected winter storm that struck the midlands. There is good news though. Vast numbers of Orthodox Christians all across the world will gather to celebrate the birth of Christ on January 7th.

Whether or not you have celebrated Christmas today, you are invited to worship with us.  Christmas is the Good News that God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son for our salvation. Who can get enough of Christmas joy?  I know that I cannot. It is the most wonderful time of the year!

This Sunday is the Third Sunday in Advent - Rose Sunday - at Holy Cross Orthodox Church. Christian Education is at 8:45 AM, followed by Matins at 9:15 AM, with the Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist at 10:00 AM. Fellowship and refreshments follow the Liturgy.

A Solemn celebration of the Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist (The Divine Liturgy or Holy Mass) for the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will be celebrated on Wednesday evening, January 6th, at 6:30 PM. A Christmas party will follow in the parish hall. Everyone is always welcome!

May God grant you every grace and blessing,

Fr. Victor+

HOLY CROSS ORTHODOX CHURCH

7545 Main Street

Ralston, Nebraska 68127

www.holycrossomaha.net

(402) 573-6558

TONIGHT'S FESTIVAL HAS BEEN CANCELLED

A Festival of Lessons and Carols scheduled for Thursday evening, December 24, has been cancelled due to the winter storm. We are planning to reschedule the Festival and I will keep the readers of Fr. Novak's Blog informed. Stay safe and warm. May God grant you every grace and blessing. 

A FESTIVAL OF LESSONS AND CAROLS, Thursday, December 24, at 7:00 PM

A Festival of 

Lessons and Carols

Thursday Evening, December 24, at 7:00 PM

at

HOLY CROSS

ORTHODOX CHURCH

7545 Main Street

Ralston, Nebraska 68127

www.holycrossomaha.net

(402) 573-6558

“Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God” - Isaiah 40:3

“When the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” - Galatians 4:4-5 

A Festival of Lessons and Carols is a beautiful English tradition that was first held in the Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge in December 1918, just after the end of the First World War. 

It quickly spread throughout the English speaking world and was first broadcast over the radio in 1928. Sometime in the early 1930s the BBC began broadcasting the Festival on its overseas programs. Since 1963 it has been filmed periodically for television.

We want to thank the Schola Cantorum of Holy Cross Orthodox Church under the direction of Victoria H. for their hard work in preparing for this Festival. 

Everyone is invited to stand and join in singing the Processional Hymn and the Carols. You may sit during the reading of the Lessons with the exception of the final Lesson. Please stand for the reading from the Gospel according to St. John.

Refreshments in our parish hall will follow the Festival of Lessons and Carols. The public is warmly invited to attend. Visitors are always welcome.

We wish everyone a spiritually profitable Advent, and a blessed and merry Christmas.

ORDER OF SERVICE

ORGAN PRELUDE

Victoria H., Organist

PROCESSIONAL HYMN: Once In David’s Royal City

OPENING PRAYER: Fr. Victor Novak

CAROL: O Little Town of Bethlehem

FIRST LESSON: Genesis 3:8-15, 17-19

CAROL: Break Forth, O Beauteous Heav’nly Light

SECOND LESSON: Genesis 22:15-18

CAROL: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

THIRD LESSON: Isaiah 9:2, 6-7

CAROL: Silent Night

FOURTH LESSON: Isaiah 11:1-4, 6-9

CAROL: It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

FIFTH LESSON: St. Luke 1:26-35, 38

CAROL: Sing of Mary

SIXTH LESSON: St. Luke 2:1, 3-7

CAROL: What Child Is This?

SEVENTH LESSON: St. Luke 2:8-16

CAROL: The First Nowell

EIGHTH LESSON: St. Matthew 2:1-12

CAROL: We Three Kings

OFFERING: Fr. Victor Novak

NINETH LESSON: St. John 1:1-14 (STAND)

CAROL: O Come All Ye Faithful

BLESSING: Fr. Victor Novak

Thank you for joining us for this Festival of Lessons and Carols. Everyone is invited to remain for Refreshments in our parish hall.

JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!

HOLY CROSS UPDATE

Dear friends in Christ,

This Update contains a lot of important information. Please read it over carefully. Thank you!

CHURCH DECORATING

Sunday, December 20

We will be putting up a Christmas tree and decorating the church and parish hall this Sunday during fellowship and refreshment time after Services. This is always a joyful time at Holy Cross parish. A big thank you to Subdeacon Michael and Tari C. who generously provide the church with a Christmas tree and evergreen hangings each year. Everyone is invited to bring poinsettias this Sunday to decorate the church. Let us make the House of God beautiful for this Holy Season!

FESTIVAL OF LESSONS AND CAROLS

Thursday evening, December 24, at 7:00 PM

We will have an Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols on Thursday evening, December 24th, at 7:00 PM. This will be the first time that we have kept this beautiful English tradition at Holy Cross parish and I am very excited about it. Everyone loves to hear the Christmas story from the Holy Scriptures and to sing Christmas carols, so I am sure that the Festival of Lessons and Carols will become an annual favorite. 

The lessons begin in Genesis 3, the first prophecy promising a Redeemer that God gave man immediately after the fall, and continues with Messianic prophecies from the Old Testament, and then the Christmas story as told in the Gospel according to Sts. Matthew, Luke and John. The lessons or readings from Holy Scripture alternate with Christmas carols such as O Little Town of Bethlehem, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Silent Night, What Child is This?, O Come All Ye Faithful, and more, for a total of nine lessons and ten carols.

There is no sermon preached in this Festival because none is needed. The lessons and carols proclaim the Message of Christmas clearly and joyfully. If you have family or friends who wonder about the real meaning of Christmas you will want to bring them to this Festival of Lessons and Carols. They will be blessed, inspired, and will have a wonderful time.

After the Festival we will have refreshments in our parish hall. Members of our church family are asked to bring holiday refreshments to share. Visitors are our guests and do not have to bring a thing. This will be a joyful evening and everyone will leave knowing that Jesus is the reason for the Advent and Christmas seasons and will understand the true meaning of Christmas, so please be sure to invite family and friends. O Come All Ye Faithful!

PARISH FOOD BINS

A big thank you to everyone who contributed to our parish food bins and to Paul N. who delivered our most recent donation of food to the Open Door Mission. By the grace of God we were able to contribute another 374 pounds of much needed food to feed those most in need. Our food bins are now empty, but the needs are great. I would like us to be able to make one more delivery of food to the Open Door Mission before the end of the year and we have only two Sundays remaining in 2015. As we look forward to time with family and friends and to joyful dinners, let us not forget those who struggle to feed themselves and their children. Let us redouble our efforts, increase our giving of food, and refill our parish food bins so another delivery can be made before the year ends. Thank you!

YEAR END GIVING

Everyone receives gifts at Christmas time, but the One whose Birth we are celebrating is often forgotten. We are coming to the end of the year and this is a wonderful time to make a special offering to Holy Cross parish. Donations to churches are tax deductible so instead of giving your money in taxes why not make a special offering to Holy Cross parish so that we may more effectively advance the Work of Christ’s Church. Thank you!

ADULT CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

Our parish librarian, Ben J., has begun a new series of Christian Ed classes on the theme of Advent and Christmas. This is his third Advent season teaching on this topic, and I look forward to it every year. Ben is a life-long Christian with a Master Degree in history. Believe me, you will learn a lot in this class and will be edified as well. Class begins on Sunday morning at 8:45 AM. I hope to see you there!

WEDNESDAY SERVICES

No Services on December 23 and 30

The Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist will not be celebrated on Wednesday, December 23, or Wednesday, December 30. The Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist will be celebrated on Wednesday, January 6th, at 6:30 PM for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Our regular Wednesday midday Mass will resume on Wednesday, January13, at 12:10 PM. 

THE WONDERWORKER

Have you read the Advent issue of The Wonderworker? The Wonderworker is the official publication of the ROCOR Western Rite Orthodox Communities. You can download it for free from the ROCOR Western Rite Facebook page, the Holy Cross Parish Facebook page, or from the ROCOR Western Rite website. I hope that you will take time to read it so you can keep up with what is happening in the ROCOR Western Rite Communities.

CHRISTMAS

Christmas isn't a birthday party, - it is a Mass. Let us keep Christ in Christmas and the Mass in Christmas. Christmas without Mass is not Christmas. We will celebrate a Solemn Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist, a Solemn Mass, for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ - Christmas - on Wednesday evening, January 6th (Christmas Eve according to the ancient Christian Calendar), at 6:30 PM. After Mass, a celebration will follow in the parish hall. By being on the Old Calendar we are blessed to be able to celebrate Christmas without commercialism, and to focus on the reason for the season and the true meaning of Christmas. All Christians in Great Britain and the American Colonies used the Old Calendar until the year 1752. When we united with the ancient Orthodox Church we returned to the ancient Calendar of our forefathers. Please be sure to invite family and friends to our Christmas Mass on Wednesday evening, January 6th, at 6:30 PM. Joy to the World!

SUNDAY SERVICES

Christian Education is at 8:45 AM, followed by Matins (Morning Prayer) at 9:15 AM, with the Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist at 10:00 AM. Fellowship and refreshments follow Services in our parish hall. The Orthodox Church welcomes you. We are a faithful, friendly and active parish, and we have a place for you. I hope to see you on Sunday!

May God grant you every grace and blessing in this Advent Season,

Father+

Fr. Victor Novak

Rector

HOLY CROSS ORTHODOX CHURCH

7545 Main Street

Ralston, Nebraska 68127

www.holycrossomaha.net

(402) 573-6558

ADVENT I - HOLY CROSS UPDATE

Dear friends in Christ,

Sunday, December 13, is a big day in the life of our Church. It is the Feast Day of St. Andrew the Apostle and the First Sunday in Advent. St. Andrew's Day is the beginning of the new Church Year. 

When you come to church on Sunday you will immediately notice some seasonal changes. The liturgical colour will change from the green that we have been using through the long Trinity-tide  to royal purple as we prepare for the coming of the King of Kings. 

We will be beginning a new adult Christian Education class on Sunday. Our parish librarian will be teaching on the themes of Advent and Christmas. This class begins at 8:45 AM, and you will not want to miss it! 

Matins (Morning Prayer) follows Christian Ed at 9:15 AM. With Advent season there will be a beautiful new Canticle and a new Office Hymn. The Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist follows Matins at 10:00 AM. The Advent Hymns and Propers will prepare our hearts for the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (Christmas Day). Our Processional Hymn will be a great favorite at Holy Cross parish that dates back well over a thousand years: O Come, O Come Emmanuel. The Holy Eucharist is the greatest gift that Christ could give us. Jesus Himself said, Take, eat, this is My Body, and drink ye all of this, for this is My Blood. 

This Sunday marks the beginning of a new Church year. If you have not been coming regularly to church or have not been going to church at all, Advent is a time for new beginnings. If you have not been living a serious Christian life, Advent is a time for deeper conversion. If you have left the Church, Advent is a time to return home and start again. If you have been living a serious Christian life, Advent is a time for you to grow ever closer to our Lord who gave Himself for our salvation. Jesus is the reason for the Advent and Christmas seasons. Come and be blessed. The Orthodox Christian Church welcomes you!

Please remember those who are struggling to feed themselves or their family and bring a food donation for our parish food bins with you on Sunday. Thank you!

At Holy Cross parish we always seem to be behind the times. Why do we refuse to change with society? G. K. Chesterton put it very well when he said, "[True] Christianity is always out of fashion because it is always sane; and all fashions are mild insanities... The Church always seems to be behind the times, when it is really beyond the times; it is waiting till the last fad shall have seen its last summer. It keeps the key of a permanent virtue." Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever, and so is His Body the Church. The Orthodox Church was established by Jesus Christ Himself in AD 33. It is the Body of which He is the Head, and His Church is ever the same, proclaiming an unchanging message to an ever changing world. Do not settle for a substitute. Insist on the original. The Orthodox Church welcomes you! 

Sunday Christian Ed is at 8:45 AM, followed by Matins at 9:15, and the Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist at 10:00 AM, with fellowship and refreshments after the Liturgy. We are a faithful and friendly congregation and we have a place for you. See you on Sunday!

blessings,

Father+

V. Rev. Victor Novak

Rector

HOLY CROSS ORTHODOX CHURCH

7545 Main Street

Ralston, Nebraska 68127

www.holycrossomaha.net

(402) 573-6558

HOLY CROSS UPDATE - November 13, 2015

Dear friends in Christ,

The weather is turning colder. That means that many people will have to choose between paying for heat and buying food. The needs of the Open Door Mission greatly increase with the coming of winter. Let's do all that we can to help them to feed those most in need. If you have ever been cold and hungry or very short on money you know what it feels like. Please bring a donation of food with you on Sunday for our parish food bins. Let's fill them up so this much needed food can be taken to the Open Door Mission. Thank you!

In the Gospels, our Lord Jesus Christ repeatedly teaches the importance of feeding the hungry and visiting the prisoner. At Holy Cross parish we have long supported three area homeless shelters: the Open Door Mission, and the Francis and Siena House shelters, but we are now also in the process of launching a ministry to the incarcerated. We are working in conjunction with the national Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM). I am very excited about this new parish ministry. Please keep it in your prayers.

We often decry what is going on in our society, and rightly so as post-Christian America has embraced what has been aptly described as the culture of death. But cursing the darkness will not change anything. We must take the light of Christ to our society. How? America will only be changed when men's hearts change, and hearts can only be changed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We will not change our culture, our society, our country, by going to church. We will only change them by being the Church and doing the Work of the Church. Christ calls each of us to be pullers at the oars, not mere riders in the boat. Let us each roll up our sleeves and invest our time, talent and treasure in advancing the Great Commission that Christ has given His Church.

Next week we will celebrate the Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist on Monday, November 16th and on Wednesday, November 18th. 

The Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist will be celebrated at 12:10 PM, on Monday, November 16th, for ALL SOULS DAY. Holy Mass will begin at 12:10 PM and will conclude about 12:50 PM. Please plan to attend this Liturgy if at all possible. On ALL SOULS DAY we remember family and friends who have entered eternity, express our faith that they are alive and our love for them, and pray for the repose of their souls. It is an act of faith, hope and charity to pray for the dead.

The Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist will be celebrated at 12:10 PM, on Wednesday as usual. 

Everyone has the opportunity participate in the Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist and to receive the Blessed Sacrament of Holy Communion three times this coming week (Sunday, Monday and Wednesday). The Holy Eucharist is the centre and summit of our spirituality as Orthodox Catholics. As St. Augustine of Hippo said, "God in His omnipotence could not give more, in His wisdom He knew not how to give more, in His riches He had not more to give, than the Holy Eucharist." Jesus says to us, "Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will refresh you." Let us go unto the altar of God. "O Taste and see that the Lord is good" (Ps. 34:8).

Mark your calendars for Thursday evening, December 24th, the Thursday after the Second Sunday in Advent. At 7:00 PM we will have a beautiful Advent Service of Lessons and Carols. This will be the first time that we have kept this wonderful English Advent tradition. The Service consists of nine Scripture lessons and nine carols. Our Schola Cantorum will lead us in the caroling, but the entire congregation will join in the singing. There will be refreshments and fellowship after the Service. Please be sure to invite family and friends. Everyone will enjoy and be blessed by this beautiful English tradition, and will hear the Good News that Jesus is the Reason for the Season!

Sunday Christian Education is at 8:45 AM, followed by Matins at 9:15 AM, with the Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist at 10:00 AM. Fellowship and refreshments will follow the Liturgy. The adult Christian Education class is studying the Gospel according to St. John the Divine. 

We are an unchanging Church with an unchanging and unchangeable message to an ever changing world. Jesus Christ is the Truth Revealed and Orthodox Christianity is the Truth Lived. Holy Cross parish a faithful and friendly congregation, and we have a place for you. The Orthodox Church welcomes you. I hope to see you on Sunday!

blessings,

Father+

V. Rev. Victor Novak

Rector

HOLY CROSS ORTHODOX CHURCH

7545 Main Street

Ralston, Nebraska 68127

www.holycrossomaha.net

(402) 573-6558