Guest House and Bell Tower

The Monastery begins fundraising drive

As anyone knows who has attempted to spend time in our monastery, we’ve been limited to one small cabin, with two beds, for accommodations. As this cabin is within the enclosure of the monastery, it has been off limits to women who’ve desired to spend time with their husbands, in retreat. We are now, with God’s help, going to correct this shortcoming.

These design drawings, by architect James Bryant, my godson and a deacon in the Antiochian Archdiocese, show the proposed Saint Seraphim of Sarov Retreat Center, as well as the Bell Tower and sacristy additions for our monastery church.

The retreat center will have eight single-bed guest rooms, and two dorm rooms, each accommodating 6 bunk beds. The building will allow us to accommodate 32 people. Additionally, it will house four bathrooms, four showers, and a reception area.

I ask for your prayers, that this next project will be blessed by God to see fruition.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

You may click on the photos to enlarge.

Wednesday October 12, 2016 / September 29, 2016
17th Week after Pentecost. Tone seven.
Fast. Food with Oil

Venerable Cyriacus the Hermit of Palestine (556).
New Hieromartyr John, archbishop of Riga in Latvia (1934).
Martyrs Dada, Gabdelas, and Casdoe (Casdoa) of Persia (4th c.).
Venerable Theophanes the Merciful of Gaza.
Uncovering of the relics of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco the Wonderworker (ROCOR)
Holy Martyr Gudelia of Persia (4th c.).
Venerable Cyprian, abbot, of Ustiug (Vologda) (1276).
The Eighty Holy Martyrs of Byzantium (4th c.).
Martyrs Tryphon, Trophimus, and Dorymedon, and 150 Martyrs m Palestine (Greek).
Translation of the relics of Venerable Neophytus the Recluse of Cyprus (1214) (Greek).
St. Auxentius the Wonderworker (Greek).
New Monk-martyr Malachias of Rhodes (1500).
St. Onuphrius the Wonderworker of Garesja, Georgia (18th c.).

Scripture Readings

Ephesians 3:8-21

Purpose of the Mystery

8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;[b] 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. 13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

Appreciation of the Mystery

14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,[c] 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Luke 5:33-39

Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting

33 Then they said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?”

34 And He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.”

36 Then He spoke a parable to them: “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved. 39 And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.’”