Newsletter

PO Box 1025, Bonners Ferry, ID 83805
V. Rev. Fr. Gregory Horton – Pastor

Home:208-267-0897; Church:208-267-3693

NATIVITY OF CHRIST-2011

Dear Beloved Friends and Loved Ones:

Shall we already call it another year??? It is amazing how the years go by…and how full they are! As we prepare for the awesome Nativity of Christ, let me share some Horton Family and parish news.

NATALIA (age 10) is in Fifth Grade at Mount Hall Elementary School near the Canadian border. She is a very bubbly and outgoing little girl who loves to laugh. KARLA (age 14) has now moved into Grade 7 at the middle school and is excelling in her class work. Now she has begun playing basketball and is quite the little athlete. QUIRA (age 16) is a Junior at the local high school and if it wasn’t for math (which she wishes didn’t exist), all would be perfect in her teenage world. She made the Honor Choir this year and truly loves to sing. BENJAMIN (age 18) is preparing to graduate from Bonners Ferry High School and is still maintaining a straight A average…it looks like he will share the office of Valedictorian at the end of the year. He is the president of the student council, sings in the honor choir, runs track…I’ll stop now. He has applications in at some heavy duty schools and we will miss him when he takes off in the fall. SEBASTIAN graduated from the University of Hawaii at Hilo in May with a degree in political science. Since then, he has moved back home and works at the local hospital as a CNA in order to pay off his student loans...it is impressive how hard he is working and how much progress he is making on becoming debt free. MAXIMOS moved from Spokane to Western Pennsylvania this year, where he spent several months living with Khouria Cindy’s family and working there. He then moved to Bakersfield, California in the late summer and is selling Direct TV (or working for either their parent company or daughter company…I can never remember). TATIANA and her husband JED make their home in Uniontown, Washington with little grandson Tristan Michael (one and a half years old). Tatiana is taking a course or two in preparation for nursing school and Jed is steadily impressing the bosses at his job. The baby has learned this neat little sign language and can “sign” such ideas as “please”, “thank you”, “more”, “enough”, and “goodbye”. I’m trying to think of an appropriate sign for “grandpa rocks” and am open to suggestions. As for my beloved Matushka CINDY, there are not enough words to express how much she gives to this family, her work and our parish community. Her work at the hospital lab keeps her pretty busy and this year she completed an online laboratory management program from Michigan State University with flying colors. Currently, she is playing flute in no less than five or six different groups/venues while trying to prepare for Christmas. That seems to be the Horton way. Sometimes, we even get to spend some time together! Then there are the animals that round out the family…our donkey, sheep, four goats (we lost three last winter), two cats and two dogs (we gained one this winter). Life is certainly interesting for us.

Pastoral and personal life for me exceeds expectations! Let me start with some great news: Since the beginning of 2011, we have brought seven catechumens into the Orthodox Church and currently we have 13 more seriously studying to become Orthodox Christians. People always ask me how many people we have and “officially” we have 78 members in 37 families plus the 13 catechumens. There always seems to be more than that, however, with our constant flow of visitors and seekers. Out little parish has become a hub of sorts and we find that reality exciting and blessed. I’ll include a little parish newsletter section elsewhere for those interested, but here I want to share our joy at having the new church building consecrated this past May by His Grace, Bishop JOSEPH of Los Angeles (He is now Archbishop by the way). It was a weekend to remember with about 13 priests coming for the consecration of our church and Holy Table. I still don’t know how all of those people fit into our little country chapel…by the Grace of God only! It has also been my joy to do some retreats this year out in the Seattle area and also to serve as Secretary/Treasurer of the Boundary County Ministerial Association. I get to meet so many great people from this area by working in this ministry.

We pray you are living a peaceful life during these difficult and turbulent times. Our hope is that we all stay close to Christ and the Holy Church not only in order to weather the various storms but to find meaning through it all. From our little sanctuary in North Idaho to the warmth of your home, we proclaim the ancient, meaningful and joyful message of “Christ is Born! Glorify Him!”

In the Newborn Christ’s Holy Love,
Fr. Gregory, Khouria Cindy and Family

Holy Myrrhbearers Newsletter…Nativity, 2011

1)    Since our last newsletter, which seems so long ago, several beloved friends, members and benefactors have fallen asleep in the Lord…may their memory be eternal!!! Among them are: Nina Bergoltseva, whose body now lies in the Moran Prairie Cemetery on the South Hill in Spokane; Milic Milojevic, a dear friend and supporter who reposed on January 1; Maria Beresev, mother of Luda Casey, who reposed shortly after Pascha and is now buried in our parish cemetery; and Gloria Gray, mother of Diane Blakely, who also rests in our parish cemetery. We also remember others who have reposed this past year: Steve Plell, who was related to the Kupcow Family of the Spokane Valley…the family requests your fervent prayers for Steve; Subdeacon John Schroms’s father, two of Fr. Gregory’s uncles that reposed within a day of one another; Margaret Basaraba’s father and Ingrid Olaru’s mother…and all of our departed loved ones…may our merciful Lord, Jesus Christ, remember them all in his Heavenly Kingdom!

2)    Many blessed years to little Mela (Milica), daughter of Kelsey Gatto, granddaughter of Tracy Van Woerkom and great granddaughter of Diane Blakely…she was born on Oct.20th at 6:32am, weighing in at 8lbs/14oz and 20” long.

3)    It is a joy to report that all of our planned projects for this past year…Wood Ceiling, Tile and Wood Flooring, Iconostasis, Holy Table, Cross for Dome of the Church, Exterior Painting, Fence and Shrubs for Cemetery, etc…have been completed. We would especially like to send out an enormous thank you to Raphael and Marina Schor for their dedicated labor and craftsmanship in building the lovely iconostasis for the church…may God grant them many years! A second thank you goes to Fr. David and Khouria Heather Sommer for their incredible donation of the Platytera (She Who is More Spacious than the Heavens) icon that was hand painted by Khouria herself. This icon will soon be applied to the east wall at the High Place of the church.

4)    We can now turn our attention to filling the iconostasis with icons. They will be prepared by the sisters in Goldendale, WA, who have already begun the work on the icons of Christ and the Theotokos. We are still in need of donors for the following icons ($2500 each…the cost can be shared among several families, if desired): St. John the Baptist, St. Joseph of Arimathea, St. Nicholas of Myra, Protomartyr Stephen, Blessed Sarah the Just-the wife of Abraham, St. Phanourios and the Holy Hieromartyr Cyprian. In addition, Archangel Michael and Archangel Gabriel ($700 each); at least ten (but maybe twelve) Apostles ($650 each)…including Apostles Peter, Paul, Andrew, James of Zebedee, John, Matthew, James, Thomas, Philip, Simon, Nathanael (Bartholomew), and Jude Thaddaeus; The Large Mystical Supper ($5,500.00) and the Annunciation on the Royal Doors ($2000-$1000 for each door). Thanks to everyone for considering helping out with a particular favorite icon!

5)    We are also now ready to begin the preliminary planning for the building of the parish hall. A floor plan has been approved by the parish and was sent to Fr. David Sommer who will provide a full set of drawings…may it be blessed. He may also be in a position to do the actual building when we are ready…Glory to God!

6)    We are pleased to announce that our parish is selling wooden coffins (pine or a wood of your choice) for $500 each (pine)…plus shipping for orders outside of the area.  They come in two different styles…the traditional “shaped” style and the simple large rectangular style.  This price is the lowest that we have seen…all proceeds (after material costs) will be used for the development of the parish cemetery.  Please contact Fr. Gregory at 208-304-3673 (cell) or abounagregory@mybluelight.com for details.

7)    WISH LIST (Thank you to all who have donated to our previous wish lists!!!): Outdoor Processional Candles, Baptismal Font, Small Icons ($35 each): Constantine & Helen, Joseph the Betrothed, Samaritan Woman, Circumcision of Christ, Mid-Pentecost, Veneration of the Holy Cross, All Saints, Pharisee & Publican, Zacchaeus the Publican, Canaanite Woman, Theodore the Soldier, 1st Ecumenical Council, Church New Year (40 Women Martyrs), Forefathers of Christ, 7th Ecumenical Council, 4th Ecumenical Council, Holy 70 Apostles, Holy 12 Apostles

8)    Enclosed is our annual Nativity offering envelope…if you’d like to donate towards anything listed above, please return the little envelope…we appreciate your generosity!