FROM THE DESK OF THE PRIEST-IN-CHARGE

Dear friends in Christ,

A famous 20th Century author named Ernest Hemingway wrote a book entitled A MOVABLE FEAST. It is interesting and worth reading. However, it does imply that there may be such a thing as an immovable feast. In fact the Christian church since the time of the apostles has been observing both moveable and immovable feasts. Each type of feast impacts the way we worship and the theme of the bible lessons we read.

An immovable feast is one that is set on a calendar date. For example, Christmas which is celebrated on December 25 is an immovable feast. Likewise the Feast of the Epiphany which falls of January 6 (12 days after Christmas) is immovable. Christmas is important not only for the observance of Jesus' birth but also as the key to the start of each new church year. The four Sundays before Christmas make up the season of Advent. Depending on what day of the week December 25 falls on Advent can have as little as 22 days or as many as 28. The primary moveable feast is Easter. Easter is always on a Sunday but can be as early as March 22 or as late as April 25. Since Easter is a movable feast it affects most of the church year. If Easter is early then Ash Wednesday is as early as February. Pentecost the season in which we are now can be very long (26 weeks) or relatively short (22 weeks) The goal of this structure is to insure that we as a community of believers hear the word of God as expressed in the bible to the fullest extent possible. During the various seasons teachings of the church are stressed--the spread of the gospel in Epiphany, the need for repentance during Lent, the joy of resurrection at Easter and the teaching of the spirit filled church during Pentecost. During the three year cycle of the church year all of the gospels and epistles are read as well as the psalms. Just for your information all saints’ days are immovable feasts--St, Patrick -- March 17, St. Francis -- October 4. All Saints Day and the Feast of the Transfiguration are major immovable feast days and observed in a special manner.

Peace, GJK