Weekend Update 4/3
Here in Orthodox Land, this weekend marks the beginning of Holy Week
All of our sisters and brothers in Western Christianity are celebrating Easter this weekend.
So, we want to wish everyone either a strong end to the Fast or a joyous Feast, even as we have really big news to share.
This is Huge
Aidan Hart is, without a doubt, one of the premier iconographers in the English-speaking world.
He literally wrote the book on the subject of iconography; it’s called Techniques of Icon and Wall Painting.
He oversees the Diploma in Icon and Wall Painting Program for the King’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts in the UK.
He has written dozens of articles about iconography and liturgical art.
He owns his own company, Aidan Hart and Co, Church Furnishers.
He’s the guy who designed the screen behind which King Charles III was anointed during his coronation.
And this guy—this guy—has let us know that we’re not only headed in the right direction with our Temple project, but that we’re also working with just the right people.
Check this out:
In his vision of the Temple, the prophet Ezekiel saw water flowing out 'from under the threshold of the temple toward the east' (Ez 47.1). It began as a trickle, but as it continued into the world it became a mighty river and brought life wherever it flowed. So it can be with our Christian temples. Beautiful and profound liturgical art and hymns are offered not only to the Lord but also serve as a paradigm and life-giving vision to the world. To create beautiful and well-designed churches is not an optional extra, but a requirement for a spiritually healthy life and culture. I therefore encourage all readers to give towards the building and adornment of this splendid new church. Designed by leading international liturgical artists Martin Earle, Seraphim O’Keefe, and Baker Galloway, it promises to be a gem in the USA.
With love in Christ.
Aidan
I mean, boy howdy, you just wouldn’t think it could get any better than that!
But, actually, it can.
This is Even Huge-er
Because on the same weekend that we received that super-encouraging endorsement from Aidan, we also made twelve people catechumens.
That’s something that happens each and every month at St John’s, so it’s easy to forget just what an extraordinary event it really is.
Regular folks—people just like you and me—announce, in public, that they are going to be learning about Holy Orthodoxy and attending the Divine Services and investing themselves in the spiritual disciplines and preparing for their full reception into the Church, right here, with us, at St John the Forerunner, in good ol’ Cedar Park, Texas.
So, while Julia and Aaron and Stefannye and Tye and Jarrod and Jana and Tyler and Karlie and Barrett and Boston and Boone and Banner may not be as well-known or anywhere near as talented as someone like Aidan Hart, they are actually willing to become part of our community and live out their lives amidst and alongside our lives, as we all seek to draw closer to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
And that’s just—well, that’s just amazing.
So, We Have a Lot For Which to Be Thankful
Yeah, the old English teacher in me wrote that heading, but it’s absolutely, positively true.
Not only is a great guy and a total genius like Aidan Hart willing to give us an endorsement (Thank you, Aidan!), but regular folks like those twelve good people who were recently made catechumens are also willing to give us an endorsement that is even more powerful and even more profound (Thank you, Julia, Aaron, Stefannye, Tye, Jarrod, Jana, Tyler, Karlie, Barrett, Boston, Boone, and Banner!).
We hope that you will also be willing to support us—as Aidan so nicely put it—and “give towards the building and adornment of this splendid new church”.
There are lots and lots of ways to do that:
First and foremost, you can download the Akathist for a New Temple and join us in offering that service on a regular basis (PDF/video).
You can convert your regular subscription to a Paid Subscription.
You can buy one of our Come See Something Beautiful sweatshirts.
You can commission an image in the Calming Room of our new temple.
You can make a direct donation to our Building Fund.
And to celebrate how the Kingdom of God brings us all together—famous artists from the UK and ordinary folks from Texas—we’ll put a really funky bow on all this with Sly and The Family Stone.