The Book of Beginnings and After

[berekaloho]

Dear beloved brother Deacon Shamasha Paul in Yashua,Berek Alaha. I am an Oriental Orthodox Christian with a deep spiritual connection with the COE and was even contacted by His grace Mar AwaRoyel who got my e-mail adress from a COE priest in Austrailia from the COE forum they have-had there as there are no new posts being recieved.I wrote of my deep love for the COE and that I have a deep calling to become a monk in the COE.His grace was so kind and loving that he contacted me telling me he felt Maryah had truely guided me to the Holy Church of the East to which I firmly agree.He told me there were plans to build a monastery of the COE in the next couple of years and that I was very welcome to be a part of this which is a tremendous blessing.In the meanwhile I strive to live a monastic life fully as possible while still in the world and pray all the hours and offices of prayer according to the Syrian Orthodox typicon as well as other prayer and daily study of the Holy Scriptures through good English Peshitta translations and the writinings of the Church Fathers and Saints of the Syrian-Assyrian Church.I want to pray the offices according to the COE and ordered from Gorgius Maclean's translation of the East Syrian Offices of prayer but the way it is set up it is not user friendly and is abbreviated and also set up for liturgical-communial prayer and not user friendly for private devotion.A brother from the group recomended the Book of Before and After which I noticed was compiled by a priest of the Chaldean Rite Catholic church who I know to be that faction of the COE that went under Rome but still follows the typicon and praxis of the COE.Are you familiar with this prayer book as I have orfered it and is it close to the standard one used by the COE.?In Yashua,Deacon Michael.P:S-There isnt a parish of the COE here in Minneapolis-St.Paul so I have been attending the Syrian Malankara Mission as well as the Maronite church as this is th closest I can come in my area.Please pray for me and answer my question if you get time my beloved brother in our Moran Yashua Msheekha.,In our Moran and ?Alaha,Deacon Michael.

[berekaloho]

Beloved brother Lars in Yashua, I recieved today the copy of the Book of Before and after and it is quite beautiful.It is said to be written for individual prayer and devotional use but is still set up for certain prayers to be prayed by the priest,deacon,congregation,ect.I'm an ordained Orthodox deacon but was wondering is it permissable for one when praying the services alone to pray the prayers designated for the priests.Plus it doesnt exsplain how to calculated whether it is week 1 or 2,ect.I really would like to start praying the hours accoding to the COE-East Syrian trad. as I have been praying the offices of the west syrian-Syrian Orthodox-Syrian Malankra Orthodox trad which is also so very beautyful.I would love to try the offices of prayer according to the COE but will need help with clarifying a few questions like I asked.In Yashua,Deacon Michael.