The Morning Offering

The Saint Olav of Norway Retreat and Conference Center

Tuesday
January 25, 2011 / January 12, 2011

36^th Week after Pentecost. Tone two.

Afterfeast of the Theophany.
Martyr Tatiana of Rome (226-235).
St. Sava I, first archbishop of Serbia (1235).
Venerable Martinian of White Lake, abbot (1483), and Galacteon, his disciple (1506).
Martyr Mertius of Mauretania (284-305).
Martyr Peter Apselamus of Eleutheropolis in Palestine (309).
Venerable Eupraxia of Tabenna in Egypt (393).
Icons of the Most Holy Theotokos "Akathist" and "The Milk-giver".
Icons of the Most Holy Theotokos "Popskaya".
Virgin Martyr Euthasia.
Venerable Benedict Biscop, abbot of Wearmouth (689-690) (Celtic & British).
Eight Martyrs of Nicaea (Greek).
St. Elias the Wonderworker, of the Paradise (Greek).
St. Theodora of Alexandria, instructress of nuns (5th c.).
Martyr Philotheus of Antioch (ca. 305).

A Word from Abbot Tryphon:

Lower Level of the Retreat Center

I am happy to report that our brotherhood is growing in numbers. However, we are now faced with the fact that we've run out of room, and can no longer house pilgrims, and will have to start turning away prospective new members of our holy brotherhood.

With this in mind, I began working with our architect, Father Deacon James Bryant, and, thanks to his generosity, now have the plans, and blue prints. The Saint Olav of Norway Retreat and Conference Center, will have twelve guest rooms, a large great room, fire place room, kitchen, and rest rooms, on the main floor, with an additional space for forty pilgrims, in the lower portion of the building, where we will be able to house people in two large dorms. As well, we will have three additional monastic cells, three monastic offices, and a large library, capable of housing a seven thousand volume library, all within a monastic enclosure, on the lower level.

I plan, with God's help, and once I have my archbishop's blessing, to begin the process of writing grant proposals, seeking the funds to begin construction of this much needed building.

The architecture will be in keeping with the Norwegian design of the existing monastery, and constructed on our neighboring land,  out of sight, and separate, from the monastic complex itself.

The brotherhood can not continue to grow without this building. Nor can we continue receiving the increasing number of pilgrims who've sought a place away from the fast pace of the everyday world.

Please, if you know of an organization, or a corporation, that you think might be willing to contribute to such a project, let me know. Meanwhile, I am asking for your prayerful support.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

The Saint Olav of Norway Retreat and Conference Center

Scripture Readings for the Day:

Hebrews 12:25-26

Hear the Heavenly Voice

²⁵ See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, ²⁶ whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.”

Hebrews 13:22-25

²² And I appeal to you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words. ²³ Know that our brother Timothy has been set free, with whom I shall see you if he comes shortly.
²⁴ Greet all those who rule over you, and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you.
²⁵ Grace be with you all. Amen.

Mark 10:2-12

² The Pharisees came and asked Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” testing Him.
³ And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?”
⁴ They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her.”
⁵ And Jesus answered and said to them, “Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. ⁶ But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’ ⁷ ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, ⁸ and the two shall become one flesh’; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹ Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”
¹⁰ In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter. ¹¹ So He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. ¹² And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”