Outdoor Liturgy

We are so blessed to have such an amazing parish at All Saints of Alaska Orthodox Church.

On July 12th we celebrated the Divine Liturgy outside at a local park with a picnic fellowship time afterwards. It was a beautiful day and we all had a good time.

Our God loving priest, Fr John Hainsworth, explaining to us on how he prepares the Holy Gifts.

Our God serving Deacons and subdeacons who are willing to serve God and the parish.

Our beautiful singing Choir who work hard to bring beauty to our prayers.

Our God fearing parishioners.

Blessed Bread for after the Eucharist.

PICNIC TIME!

GOOD TIMES!

Good Friends!

Good Conversations!

Great Smiles!

Great Families!

Great Kids!

NING.COM

you should all check this link out, its a byzantine music social network hosted by Ning.com which is a place that allows people to build their own social networks.

Byzantine Music

Open House

Hello Church Friends,

we are going to host an open house starting the first tuesday of June, one week after we have moved in to our new place which is in Esquimalt. I know we just moved, but this place just won't do for a soon to be crawling baby.

Anyways, I used to host a weekly open house when I lived in Langley, and we would sit and discuss just about anything, often church related topics, but really anything was fair game, so come on over for some tasty treats (which you will contribute to in whatever way you see fit) and drinks (also)

we will start at 7pm and then say evening prayers around 10pm to kick everyone out but it will be weekly and totally a free for all.
please come though, because we want someone to come and hang out with us. I will try to find a consistent place to catch seafood and then we can eat it at that time, but also bring a snack or drink to share so we don't have to feed and water the masses. not that we will be holding any masses, but you get the idea.

It is on the corner of Lampson ave, right hand side looking towards the water, I will post more specifically soon, but I wanted to make sure you all knew to come and had ample warning.

tonight and next week don't work because we are moving, which is too bad.


See you soon!


David, Laurenn and Zeke.

Georgie Gascoigne

From Auntie Magdalene:

Well, I'm sorry to say, Georgie's back in the hospital. Rhiannon and Greg took her to LMH yesterday because her jaundice was not improving. Her bilirubin levels were seemingly going up, not down, and there is some concern now about the function of her liver and gallbladder.
They admitted her last night and put her under the warming glow of phototherapy. This morning they drew a great deal of blood (at which point Rhiannon and Greg decided they needed a trip to Wired Monk) and are running a multitude of labs. The doctor however is encouraged by her weight-gain and feeding/pooping functions, and is going to allow them to be discharged this evening to go to Pascha. Whether or not Rhiannon makes it with Georgie will depend on several things, chief among them the lab results. They will probably have to take her back to LMH tomorrow morning.

On top of Georgie's difficulties, Theo seems to have come down with something. He's congested, had some trouble breathing over night, is very sleepy and has no appetite. It looks to be somewhat of a rough Pascha for the whole family.

Please continue to keep them all in your prayers.
I will post news when I hear more.

Georgina

Hi All,

Georgina Gascoigne was born this week, pray for her and her family, she will have to have an operation for her umbilical hernia, it is not overly serious, they are at home awaiting the surgery but she's so new and its still a little nervewracking for her parents, Greg and Rhiannon. They had a thorough checkup at Children's Hospital in Vancouver, and everything else is fine.

in other news, we can't wait to see our Island Family after a week away.

Clan Pasivirta

Car for Sale

Hello all. I have a 1998 Corolla for sale. It is in really good shape, although it has a fair bit of mileage (295,000). Please let me know if you are interested or know someone who might be. I haven't finalized a price yet, but it will likely be a fair bit lower than what I've seen them listed for.

If you are interested, please call me (this is better than e-mail) at (604) 825-8165.

thanks,
Dan



This post if from Spruce Island, Dan is an old roommate of mine. If anyone needs a reliable used car at a price that is going to benefit you, please let me know and I will talk to him.

David

February's BABA Night

We had our February Baba's Night at Mira's home where we participated in our first ever Lenten Loaf Exchange!

We also made mushroom & spinach phyllo dough triangles, soup, and a few lenten patties.

I want to thank Mira for hosting this month's Baba Night and all the women who participated and help make all this wonderful food some of which will go towards the St Hermione's Outreach.

Here are the recipes of the different Lenten Loaves or Patties.

Here are Mira, Tasha & Charmaine working hard.

Red Lentil and Millet Burgers (Thanks to Susan)

1/3 cup red lentils
1/2 cup millet
1 Tbsp canola oil
2 cups finely chopped scallions/onions
1/2 lb grated carrots (about 1 3/4 cups)
1 Tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce (substitute hoisin sauce)
1 Tbsp ketchup
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted & ground to coarse powder (I use ground almonds)
1 3/4 cup bread crumbs (I used oatbran, ground almonds & breadcrumbs)
salt

1. Bring red lentils & 1 1/4 cups water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until the lentils are tender, 10 - 15 minutes. (Their colour will turn pale and they will break easily when pressed between two fingers.)Remove from heat. With a slotted spoon remove the lentils from the pan, pressing out as much water as possible.
2. Bring millet and 1 cup of water to a boil in a separate pan. Reduce heat and simmer, covered until all water is absorbed and millet is tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add the scallions/onions and cook for a few minutes or until they are wilted. Add carrots, oyster or hoisin sauce and ketchup. Cook, uncovered for about 5 minutes to blend the flavors, stirring often.
4. Mix lentils, millet and skillet contents. Use a hand-held blender or food processor to form smooth mix.
5. Add ground sesame seeds & 1 cup of bread crumbs. Season to taste with salt.
6. Mix with a large spoon or really get in there with your hands until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
7. Form into 3 inch patties or little finger-sized nuggets and coat with bread crumbs or ground almonds. They are delicate but should hold together. It is easier if you can let the mix sit in the fridge to get cool before you form the patties.
8. I bake my patties on a lightly greased pan at 375F until they are done, about 10-15 minutes on each side. They come out best if I use my pizza stone. Then I do not need any oil. Gentle turning these guys. You can broil for 5 - 7 minutes each side 3 to 5 inches from the heat. Or you can saute in oil over medium heat for a few minutes each side.

Patties - Legume - - Chickpea and Pumpkin Burgers ( Thanks to Tasha)

600 grams / 1.3 pounds chickpeas, soaked, well drained (use 2 x 300 grams / 10.5 ounces cans if no soaked chickpeas available)
400 grams / 14 ounces pumpkin, cooked, drained, mashed
1 onion, finely diced
100 grams / 3.5 ounces red capsicum, seeded, finely diced
1 tablespoon tahini
2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon coriander
2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/2 cup chopped chives

Place chickpeas in a food processor and process until they resemble large breadcrumbs (avoid over processing so you can enjoy the taste and crunch). Place processed chickpeas in a bowl with vegetables, tahini and herbs. Mix well, then work the mixture together with your hands until it begins to stick together. Shape into burgers and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cooking.
Lightly oil a frying pan and heat until very hot, cook burgers on both sides until brown.

Mira's Lentil Loaf 2009 (Thanks to Mira)

1/2 cup nuts (I used mix)
2 TB oil for sauteing veggies
1 1/2 cups cooked veggies (I used asparagus, carrots, cauliflower & broccoli)
2 cups cooked lentils
1 cup cooked rice
1/4 - 1/2 cup rice milk
1 heaping TB flaxseed meal (you can grind flax seeds in coffee grinder)
salt & pepper (maybe 1/2 tsp each?)

Pre heat oven to 350F.
Grind nuts into a course meal (I use a coffee grinder).
Saute veggies in oil until soft; mash with fork.
Add veggies and nuts to other ingredients in a bowl.
Mash everything together adding the rice milk, until you have a liquid to soft moist texture.
Bake until cooked through, about 45 minutes.

Almond Flaxseed Burgers (Thanks to Mandy)

2-3 Cloves Garlic
1 cup Almonds
1/2 cup Ground Flaxseed
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbsp Coconut Oil, Hemp Oil, or Olive Oil (or a blend)
Sea Salt to taste
A bit of red pepper (optional)

Blend everything together in a food processor.
Form patties by hand.
If they are too crumbly add a bit of water.

This is a raw vegan recipe it doesn't need to be cooked. If you would like them warm bake them at 300F till they are at the heat you desire.




Esau's Lil' Lenten Lentil Loaf (Thanks to Charmaine)

3 cups cooked, drained Red Lentils
5 cups cooked, peeled rough mashed Yams
1/4 cup fresh grated Ginger
2 tsp Cinnamon
3/4 cup Orange Juice
1/2 cup Oat bran
3 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Coconut Flakes
1/2 chopped Pecans, plus garnish

Mash everything except the pecans together with a fork. Add more orange juice if it feels too dry. Then stir in pecans. Pour into 8'x8' square pan and bake at 350F for 45-50 minutes. This is a loaf in the looses sense of the term. Serve with warm coconut milk or drizzle with orange juice and honey.

For any type of Lenten Loaf I would suggest checking out The Magical Loaf Studio where you can create your own Loaf (that's where I created mine). The Magical Loaf Studio is a creation of the Vegan Lunch Box which is a great place for vegan recipes!

Communique

Tonight and Thursday night
Canon of St Andrew of Crete @ 8pm
Wednesday night
Pre-sanctified Liturgy @ 5:30pm (PLEASE remember to bring food for the meal following)
Wednesday night
Bible Study: The Parables of Jesus (a lenten lecture series during the meals following the pre-sanctified liturgies)
Sunday night
Orthodoxy Sunday Vespers with procession with icons @ 6pm at the Greek Orthodox Church

Have a joyful week!

Schedule stuff

Forgiveness Vespers starts at 5pm on Sunday March 1st

Daylight savings happens NEXT SUNDAY March 8th.

whoohoo!

Ezekiel Frank Veli Pasivirta

P1050763
Originally uploaded by pasivirta

Is looking forward to meeting you all! There are more pictures up on flickr so click the pic if you want to see more. And I think it will move on its own if you click play. flickr hosts little videos now too.

Ezekiel Frank Veli Pasivirta

Ezekiel Frank Veli Pasivirta
Originally uploaded by pasivirta

Here he is!

Welcome Ezekiel!

David said he'd post here, but I suspect he's rather busy with his new, 9 pound, 51 cm baby boy, Ezekiel Frank Veli Passivirta.

Whooo Hooo! Congrats to Laurenn, hope it was an easy, smooth delivery and that Dave isn't in too bad shape!

Post pictures, quick!

David's questions

I can only talk about the first one, and only from my own point of view and opinions. Yes, we are meant to be quiet in church.

The prayers after communion are supposed to be said (and heard) with the same reverence we give to the liturgy - we're thanking God for the gifts He's (he's?) given us, unworthy though we are. I dunno about you, but I can't really be thankful and concentrate on the prayers when I can barely hear them because everybody is chattering (please realize that I know I'm one of the chatterers a lot of the time. My monitor right now has a mirror over it and I'm talking to myself as much as everybody reading this.)

When we talk during service, we distract others from concentrating on the service, on the words and meanings and prayers that are being offered - on our behalf! - to God. So yes, it behooves us to shut up. Besides, I often get the feeling if God decided to answer back, we wouldn't hear Him (him?) for all the noise!

Grump grump grump. I'm being a bad tempered baba.

Lenten Recipe

Okay, yes, very stereotypical, but what the hey - it's almost Lent and I'm feeling about as Lenten as if it were the day after Pascha, so maybe this will help get me thinking about Lent instead of chocolate.

This is an incredibly easy and quick recipe, and I make it often for church functions - notably the icon workshop.

I don't know what it's called.

1 large can diced tomatoes.
1 or 2 cans black beans.
1 or 2 cans creamed corn (and yes, creamed corn is Lenten - they use cornstarch, not cream - that's why it's called "cream-style" corn.)

cumin seed - a little bit.
1 bay leaf.

Get a pot. Open the cans and put in the pot. Add the cumin seed and the bay leaf. Heat. Cut up some Italian loaf or French bread or a baguette or sourdough bread. Make a salad. Eat when the soup is hot.

See - easy.

Questions...

All Right,
I have some questions, and I seem to think I know the answers, but I want to hear from a few sources, maybe a deacon or two and whichever other liturgical authorities are out there...



I have two questions, maybe three:

1) are we meant to be quiet in the church? I mean, I was always taught that we were meant to be quiet while in the church, and do our chatting outside, but we seem to talk more and more inside the church during the veneration of the cross. and I do it too, I am not pointing fingers and anyone but the royal 'we'.

2) I was once told that liturgically it was not really the right thing to do to venerate the icon on the analogion right before communion, but I don't remember who told met that, and it seems as though it happens on a rather sporadic basis, so, what are we meant to do?

and and one more

3) kissing the robes of the priest, I know that is sort of a tradition, but isn't it meant to happen during the great entrance and
not the little entrance?

These are small details that won't make or break our life as a church, but I wonder about them quite often.

David



ps, no baby yet. trust me, you'll know. if fact, maybe this blog will be the first place I post...

Translation of the Relics of St Ignatius

Writing this, I am alive, but my desire is for death. My love is crucified; there is in me no burning desire, only the living waters which speak in me, saying in me, Come to the Father. I take no pleasure in the food of corruption, nor in the pleasures of this life.

I desire the bread of God, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, of the seed of David; and the drink I long for is His blood, which is incorruptible love.

St Ignatius the Godbearer
Ad Romanus

Deaconation...

P1030291.JPG
Originally uploaded by pasivirta

Hi All,

Just a quick schedule posting.


Below is the schedule of services while His Eminence, our Archbishop SERAPHIM, is with us. Please note that there is NO Liturgy tomorrow (Friday) as was initially announced:

SATURDAY, Jan 31st, 10am: Full Hierarchical Liturgy with ORDINATION OF SUBDEACON ACHILLEAS KASAPI TO THE HOLY DIACONATE - Also present will be Fathers Lawrence Farley, Charles Baxter, Peter, Kosta Kaltsidis, and Deacons Kevin Miller and Kurt Jordan. Feast to follow.

SATURDAY, Jan 31st, 6pm: Great Vespers

SUNDAY, Feb 01st, 10am: Hierarchical Liturgy

MONDAY, Feb 02nd, 10am: Hierarchical Liturgy with Metropolitan Soterios and Archbishop Seraphim at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Presentation of the Lord

SATURDAY, February 07th, 6pm: Great Vespers

SUNDAY, February 08th, 10am: Hierarchical Liturgy; followed by our Annual General Meeting

Theophany in Victoria...

http://www.timescolonist.com/Life/Blessing+waters+ancient+rite/1154708/story.html