December 2025

Greetings to all!

Now that we are in the Nativity Fast, I pray it is going well for everyone. We should always remember that this fast is not only about food, but about putting away all evil and sin in our lives, preparing our hearts for the birth of Christ, and drawing closer to Him. When we keep this in mind, we can pass through the Fast remembering that it is the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour that we will be celebrating. Let us not become so caught up in the trappings of the season that we forget the true reason for our fasting.

Christ tells us that He was born to suffer, die, and rise again, to save us from hell and eternal torment and to open for us the path to the heavenly Kingdom. During this Fast, we should pause and reflect on our life, the judgment to come, eternity, and what answer we will give to God for how we have lived. He is the Word Who became flesh—the eternal Son of God, co-eternal with the Father and the Holy Spirit—Who took on our humanity, becoming incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary. We proclaim and remember this every time we recite the Creed in our personal prayers and in the Divine Liturgy. This wondrous, awesome, and saving mystery humbles us, reminding us of the immeasurable love of our Good God, who came to earth to show us the path to His Kingdom.

Shortly after the Nativity, we will welcome a new civil year, a time when many make resolutions. But we should not wait until then. Let us resolve now, during the Nativity Fast, to pray more, read Holy Scripture more, and live as Christ calls us to live—humbly and obediently, as His servants. Let us also take time to make peace with everyone and to forgive those who have hurt or offended us.

If we do this, then as we continue through the Fast, we will be able to contemplate all that God has done for mankind and for each of us personally. And so, with peaceful and thankful hearts, we will be prepared to joyfully welcome the Christ-Child into the world and to begin the New Year in peace.

May we all have a blessed Fast.

Fr. Mikel

What is the proper Orthodox Church Dress Code?

1) Men should not wear hats, bandanas, shorts, sleeveless shirts, or casual footwear like flipflops.

2) Women should not wear miniskirts, spandex-tight clothing, low-cut or revealing tops (unless covered with a sweater or other garment), or casual footwear like flipflops.

3) Children should be given a little more flexibility but should still wear “church clothes” so that they know they are somewhere that is special and holy.

4) Everyone should refrain from clothing that is immodest, ostentatious, a fashion-statement, or otherwise distracting from the prayerful and sacred space of the Lord’s House. Clothing or bodily adornments with images, symbols, or writing should not be worn or at least covered up, so that the holy icons and Word of God do not have to compete with the logo of our favorite sport team, the name of a music band, or the slogan of our political party.