PARISH VOICES

As we enter August, our Orthodox Church invites us into a special time of preparation for one of the most beloved feasts of our liturgical year, the Dormition of the Theotokos on August 15th. To help us prepare spiritually for this celebration, the Church asks us to follow traditional fasting guidelines and be especially intentional in our prayer and charitable works while focusing our hearts and minds on the example of the Theotokos.

My friends in the Midwest are experiencing thick, smoky air from the Canadian wildfires. For those of us in the Pacific Northwest, that heaviness is all too familiar. It starts with one small spark and suddenly thousands of acres are scorched, homes are displaced, and the sky is filled with haze. As I've watched the fires unfold back in my home state, I've found myself reflecting on how quickly things spiral out of control in our relationships and within communities. Misunder

St. Mary Magdalene is commemorated July 22 I'm blessed to call St. Mary Magdalene my patron saint. Called Equal to the Apostles, St. Mary Magdalene is known for suffering great torment, experiencing the healing and salvation of Christ, and dedicating her life to supporting Jesus' ministry and message. I'm sure I'm not the only person to feel both a special kinship to her patron saint and to wonder what she was like in life. Certain things about her life—universal human things

"God loves us beyond comprehension and we cannot diminish God's love for us." - St. Peter This quote is attributed to St. Peter. Many sources listed it but also noted that it is not from the Bible. Perhaps Peter spoke these words. Nonetheless, this is simple and strong language about God's love for us that summarizes a lot of what is in the Bible. No matter how far we have fallen or how distant our minds may be from Him, He is still loving us, ready to embrace us.

In my previous reflection, I shared about a walk I took with my son five years ago. On that walk, I thought about four things that we can delight in amidst our walk with God, our Father. I'll conclude with my final two thoughts here. Around a hundred years ago, my grandfather was visiting the big city. It was quite a different sight from their country farm as he walked hand in hand with his grandson let go of his hand, dashed into traffic, and was killed. I thought of this

Jesus intentionally chose and invited these twelve Apostles to follow Him and they faithfully walked side by side with Christ during his earthly ministry. He chose simple, ordinary men to enlighten and change the course of the world. Indeed, they did. These followers of Christ left their familiar routine to follow the King of the Universe! The twelve Holy Apostles left their comfortable life to learn from the Master. Through the grace and power of the Holy Spirit, they spre

In my last article I spoke about the Church and how it is a place of love where we experience family and the comforts of home. That is the hope of every church community that they exhibit a welcoming, warm place for visitors and members alike. In this community of believers, called the Church, it is also a place where our Christian pathway is experienced and strengthened. It is a place where we can strive for our humility and grow in love for all people...

When my son was born, Fr. Tom told me, "All children come with a PhD, a Parental Healing Doctorate. Your son will be your teacher." I was reminded again of this while waiting with my son about six years ago. I had misjudged a car repair appointment, and we had hours to wait, not minutes. I decided we'd go for a walk and run some errands to fill the time. Walking hand in hand with my five-year-old son brought me reflections on my walk with my heavenly Father...

Remember some of the games we played as kids, games like dodge ball, catch, football, tag, you're it, you got cooties, hide and seek? Yelling screaming, laughing and crying were all experienced in those games. When the game got out of hand we called each other names. Remember calling or being called the nerd, geek, stupid, freak, etc.? In the midst of all the name calling, all the hurt and fun of the games there was one universal accepted reality in that kid culture that ever

Pentecost marks the moment when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles, empowering them to spread the Gospel. "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me." (John 15:26) The Spirit of God, eternally existing with the Father and the Son, became a guiding force, filling the disciples with divine inspiration. This moment was not simply about receiving knowledg