UPCOMING EVENTS
Dormition Fast: August 1st-14th
Wednesday, Jul 30
Saturday, Aug 2
3:30–4:30pm
5–5:45pm
Sunday, Aug 3
Hours
9:40am
Divine Liturgy: 8th Sunday after Pentecost
10–11:30am
1–2pm | Every Sunday
Tuesday, Aug 5
Wednesday, Aug 6
Festal Liturgy for Transfiguration
9–10:30am
The Dormition Fast begins Friday! This season is wonderful opportunity to learn more about the Theotokos by re-reading a book you already have, or picking up a new one from the bookstore. It’s also a great time to chant some of the Akathist to the Mother of God for your prayer times.
Akathist to the Theotokos Joy of All Who Sorrow
Akathist to the Mother of God Nurturer of Children
Below are some resources for families as well:
Dormition Fast
The Dormition Fast from Many Mercies
Family Fasting Tips for the Dormition Fast from Orthodox Motherhood
Dormition Study (for adults) from Orthodox Mom
The Life of the Theotokos coloring book from Potamitis Publishing
Small Paraklesis to the Mother of God from Orthodox Mom
Theotokos FOCUS Unit from the OCA Department of Education
Printable Dormition Fast Calendar from Many Mercies
Dormition Festal Learning Basket from Charming the Birds from the Trees
The Feast of the Transfiguration
We will be celebrating the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord this coming weekend, on Friday, the 5th and Saturday, the 6th.
Tuesday, Aug 5th: Great Vespers for the Feast 6pm
Wednesday, Aug 6th: Festal Liturgy 9am
The transfiguration of Christ is one of the central events recorded in the gospels. Immediately after the Lord was recognized by His apostles as “the Christ [Messiah], the Son of the Living God,” He told them that “He must go up to Jerusalem and suffer many things . . . and be killed and on the third day be raised” (Mt 16). The announcement of Christ’s approaching passion and death was met with indignation by the disciples. And then, after rebuking them, the Lord took Peter, James, and John “up to a high mountain”—by tradition Mount Tabor—and was “transfigured before them.”
. . . and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became white as snow and behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with Him. And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is well that we are here; if you wish I will make three booths here, one for You and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” He was still speaking when lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My Beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces with awe. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead” (Mt 17.1–92, see also Mk 9.1–9; Lk 9.28–36; 2 Pet 1.16–18).
The Jewish Festival of Booths was a feast of the dwelling of God with men, and the transfiguration of Christ reveals how this dwelling takes place in and through the Messiah, the Son of God in human flesh. There is little doubt that Christ’s transfiguration took place at the time of the Festival of Booths, and that the celebration of the event in the Christian Church became the New Testamental fulfillment of the Old Testamental feast in a way similar to the feasts of Passover and Pentecost.
In the Transfiguration, the apostles see the glory of the Kingdom of God present in majesty in the person of Christ they see that “in Him, indeed, all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,” that “in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Col 1.19, 2.9). They see this before the crucifixion so that in the resurrection they might know Who it is Who has suffered for them, and what it is that this one, Who is God, has prepared for those who love Him. This is what the Church celebrates in the feast of the Transfiguration.
Thou wast transfigured on the mount. O Christ God, revealing Thy glory to Thy disciples as they could bear it. Let Thine everlasting light shine upon us sinners. Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Giver of Light, glory to Thee (Troparion).
On the mountain wast Thou transfigured, O Christ God, and Thy disciples beheld Thy glory as far as they could see it; so that when they would behold Thee crucified, they would understand that Thy suffering was voluntary, and would proclaim to the world that Thou art truly the Radiance of the Father (Kontakion).
Besides the fundamental meaning which the event of the Transfiguration has in the context of the life and mission of Christ, and in addition to the theme of the glory of God which is revealed in all of its divine splendor in the face of the Saviour, the presence of Moses and Elijah is also of great significance for the understanding and celebration of the feast. Many of the hymns refer to these two leading figures of the Old Covenant as do the three scripture readings of Vespers which tell of the manifestation of the glory of God to these holy men of old (Ex 24.12–18; 33.11–34.8; 1 Kg 19.3–16).
Moses and Elijah, according to the liturgical verses, are not only the greatest figures of the Old Testament who now come to worship the Son of God in glory, they also are not merely two of the holy men to whom God has revealed himself in the prefigurative theophanies of the Old Covenant of Israel. These two figures actually stand for the Old Testament itself: Moses for the Law and Elijah for the Prophets. And Christ is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets (Mt 5.17).
They also stand for the living and dead, for Moses died and his burial place is known, while Elijah was taken alive into heaven in order to appear again to announce the time of God’s salvation in Christ the Messiah.
Thus, in appearing with Jesus on the mount of Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah show that the Messiah Saviour is here, and that He is the Son of God to Whom the Father Himself bears witness, the Lord of all creation, of the Old and New Testaments, of the living and the dead. The Transfiguration of Christ in itself is the fulfillment of all of the theophanies and manifestations of God, a fulfillment made perfect and complete in the person of Christ. The Transfiguration of Christ reveals to us our ultimate destiny as Christians, the ultimate destiny of all men and all creation to be transformed and glorified by the majestic splendor of God Himself.
There is little doubt that the feast of the Transfiguration of Christ belonged first to the pre-Easter season of the Church. It was perhaps celebrated on one of the Sundays of Lent, for besides certain historical evidence and the fact that today St Gregory Palamas, the great teacher of the Transfiguration of Christ, is commemorated during Lent, the event itself is one which is definitely connected with the approaching death and resurrection of the Saviour.
. . . for when they would behold Thee crucified, they would understand that Thy suffering was voluntary (Kontakion).
The feast of the Transfiguration is presently celebrated on the sixth of August, probably for some historical reason. The summer celebration of the feast, however, has lent itself very well to the theme of transfiguration. The blessing of grapes, as well as other fruits and vegetables on this day is the most beautiful and adequate sign of the final transfiguration of all things in Christ. It signifies the ultimate flowering and fruitfulness of all creation in the paradise of God’s unending Kingdom of Life where all will he transformed by the glory of the Lord.
Transfiguration of Our Lord (August 5th and 6th)
Transfiguration Icon: The Event and the Process (Part One) from A Reader's Guide to Orthodox Icons
Who's in the Transfiguration Icon? from A Reader's Guide to Orthodox Icons
Transfiguration Festal Learning Basket from Charming the Birds from the Trees
Transfiguration Lesson from Dr. Pat
Transfiguration Resources from St. Kosmas Orthodox Christian Education Association
Transfiguration Resources from Orthodox Education
Transfiguration animation (video) from Enjoy Orthodoxy
Climbing Your Mt. Tabor Transfiguration Study Journal from Family Chotki
This Is My Beloved Son: The Transfiguration of Christ by Andreas Andreopoulos (from Ancient Faith Store)
The Transfiguration of Our Lord children's book from Orthodox Christian Children
Short Video Lesson on the Transfiguration from Orthodox ABCs
Line Drawing of The Transfiguration from the Orthodox Illustration Project (right click image to download)
MEAL TRAINS!
We want to welcome the new additions to both the Fellers family and Pope family by supporting them with meals! Please see below and sign up where you can!
SUMMER CHURCH SCHOOL
St. Tikhon’s 2025 Summer Church School Day will be held on Saturday, August 9 from 10:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. We will be serving liturgy for one of our great North American saints, St Herman of Alaska, at 10am to kick things off.
What: Summer Church School
When: August 9, 10:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Ages: All kids ages 4+ are invited to attend. Anyone 3 years old or younger is also welcome as long as they have a parent accompanying them. You do not need to be Orthodox to attend.
Lunch & snack will be provided
Theme: Thine Own of Thine Own: Nature Summer Church School - we will focus on God’s great gift of creation, our calling to care for creation and to offer it all back to him in thanks.
INQUIRERS CLASS
INQUIRERS CLASS THIS COMING WEEKEND!
For those wanting to join us for our in person Inquirers Class, please fill out the form below!
We’ll be continuing Catechism I, Worship in the Orthodox Church, this Sunday at 1pm after Coffee Hour. We’ll be meeting upstairs in the Nave for classes. If you haven’t signed up in the google classroom, please email Fr Seth for a link: priest@orthodoxchattanooga.com
THIS CLASS IS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED THE INQUIRERS CLASS!
NO Catechism III CLASS THIS WEEKEND
CONFESSION & APT SCHEDULER
If you are looking for a guide to prepare, please use the attached: Preparation for Confession
REXFORD SEMINARY FUND
We will be sending a final check soon, so please send any final donations this week or next!
We as a parish have setup a fund for Dcn John to help pay for his tuition. Our goal is to be able to raise enough for the Rexford family’s last year to cover the cost of their third and final year, as well as any other costs that come up. Anything that the parish sends to SVS towards this goal will be matched by the seminary. If you would like to help in this endeavor, please label any donations as “seminary fund”, and we will make sure it gets there.
You can also donate online by clicking the below button and choosing “Rexford Seminary Fund”