Weekly Sunday Bulletin – Apostle Andrew

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Apostle AndrewNovember 30, 2014

Let us praise the namesake of bravery, the divinely eloquent and first to be called of the Disciples of Christ, the kinsman of Peter. As he called out to him in days of old, so now he calls to us, “Come, we have found Him for whom we yearned.”

Kontakion of Apostle Andrew the 1st Called in the Second Tone

Parish Council on duty:

John Ioannou, Jr., John Argiropoulos, Andreas Ioannou, Marion Koliniatis, Anna Merkel, Demetri Rapanos, Kathy Ziegler

Matthew 14:1-14

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The Gospel of Matthew

Session 40 – 11/30/2014

Fr. John Codis

18:1-14

The Essence of Christian Discipleship

 

Seven qualities can mark the personal relationship of the Christian. They are: humility, responsibility, self-renunciation, individual care, discipline, fellowship, and spirit of forgiveness.

Unless you turn

Christ warns the disciples that they are going in the completely wrong way by asking “who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” This indicates that the disciples had no idea what the Kingdom of Heaven was. Christ said, “Unless you turn.” Focus yourself on forgetting selfish ambitions and a life of service not power.

Become as little children

There are many characteristics in a child which mark the man of the kingdom: the power to wonder, the power to forgive, the innocence, and only to do.

There are three great qualities which make a child the symbol of those who are citizens in the Kingdom.

  1. Humility
  2. Dependence
  3. Trust

“A child’s humility is the pattern of the Christian’s behavior to his fellow man, and the child dependence and trust are the pattern of the Christians attitude towards God, the Father.”

A terrible responsibility

There is nothing more terrible than to destroy someone’s innocence. If we are called to be “as little children,” to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and we destroy others innocence a great weight is laid upon us. It is better to have a large millstone hung around our necks and be drowned in the open sea.

This responsibility is given to us not to teach another to sin!

Yes there is sin within the world. “It is inevitable to avoid temptations in a world which sin has entered; but that does not lessen the responsibility of the man who is the cause of a stumbling-block being placed in the way of a younger person or of a beginner in the faith.”

It is therefore our responsibility to remove the stumbling-blocks never to place them in another’s way.

“In every child there are infinite possibilities for good or ill. It is the supreme responsibility of the parent, of the teacher, of the Christian Church, to see that his dynamic possibilities for good are realized. To stifle them, to leave them untapped, to twist them into evil powers, is sin.”

God’s Love

  1. Individual
  2. Patient
  3. Seeking
  4. Rejoicing
  5. Protecting

Christ will always go after us no matter how far we stray from the path. His love is forever and will always find us.

Pope Francis will visit Ecumenical Patriarchate and meet with His-All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

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Contact: PRESS OFFICE
Stavros Papagermanos
pressoffice@goarch.org

Date: Nov. 20, 2014

POPE FRANCIS WILL VISIT ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE AND MEET
WITH HIS-ALL HOLINESS ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW

NEW YORK— His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will welcome Pope Francis to the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople on November 29 and 30, 2014.  Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew extended the invitation to the Pope during His Holiness’ inaugural Mass in March 2013.

Pope Francis is scheduled to attend a Doxology at 4:00 p.m. (UTC/GMT + 2 hours) on November 29, on the eve of the Feast of St. Andrew, after which he will meet privately with the Ecumenical Patriarch. The following morning, Nov. 30 at   9:30 a.m. (UTC/GMT + 2 hours) Pope Francis will attend the Divine Liturgy in honor of the Feast day of St. Andrew. Following the Divine Liturgy, the two spiritual leaders will sign a Common Declaration.

His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios has been invited to attend this historic occasion. He will be accompanied by a large number of Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, distinguished faithful from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and the Archdiocesan Byzantine Choir.

This visit follows a tradition established by Pope Francis’ predecessors, Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, to visit the Ecumenical Patriarchate for the Thronal Feast of St. Andrew, the first-called of the Apostles and founder of the Church of Constantinople.

Both church services will be broadcast by the Vatican’s live broadcast services and through the official Vatican website at  http://en.radiovaticana.va/live-rv.  Fr. John Chryssavgis will oversee the Press Office for the Ecumenical Patriarchate while Fr. Chris Metropulos will serve as one of six language commentators to analyze the live worldwide broadcast from the Vatican.

For more information on the visit please log onto www.patriarchate.org.

Weekly Sunday Bulletin – 9th Sunday of Luke

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St. KatherineNovember 23, 2014

O friends of martyrs, now divinely raise up a renewed chorus, praising the all-wise Katherine. For, she proclaimed Christ in the arena, trampled on the serpent, and spat upon the knowledge of the orators.

Kontakion in the Second Tone

St. Katherine– November 25
Parish Council on Duty:

George Georgakakis, Manny Daskos, Eleni Varvoutis, Michael Haralambis, Michael Fossler, Juanita Antley

Matthew 17:9-27

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Adult Christian Education

Rev. Christopher T. Metropulos

Matthew 17:9-27

November 23, 2014

pgs.’ 49-50

 

  1. The Descent from the Mountain and healing of the Demonic Child
  2. Takes place after Transfiguration on Mt. Tabor. It is good for us to be here.
  3. Request of the Demoniac’s father.
  4. Jesus’s response to the father’s lack of faith- its meaning for him and us.
  5. Disciples lack of faith- not being able to perform the miracle.
  6. Faith of a mustard seed.
  7. Jesus Suffering- the imminent delivery of Christ to be crucified.
  8. Jesus pays the Temple Tax.
  9. Does not your Teacher pay the temple tax?
  10. From whom do the kings of the earth receive custom or poll tax- from their sons or from others? From others. Then the sons are free.

Shoe Box of Hope

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PLEASE HELP OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL YOUTH FILL SOME SHOEBOXES FOR THE FORT LAUDERDALE

CHILDREN’S HOME SOCIETY.

 

The Children’s Home Society is a 100-year-old local organization that provides temporary shelter for children and helps to arrange foster situations and adoptions. It is dedicated to ending the suffering of local children.

Each Sunday from Oct 12, 2014 until November 20th 2014 we ask each child to bring items to fill a decorated shoe box. Children and adults can contribute items or a filled shoebox. If you fill a box, the box should NOT BE CLOSED OR SEALED because the organization needs to have access to the items.

Please give your box to the Sunday school office or teacher.

 

SUGGESTIONS: Coloring books, games, dolls, car toys, books, activity projects, bibs, girls’ accessories stuffed animals, puzzles, etc….

The age groups are newborns to 18 year olds

 Wish Lists

Clothing/shoes

New clothing and shoes for infants, toddlers, youth, teens

Personal hygiene supplies

Bars of soap

Body wash

Shampoo/conditioner

Lotion

Hair brushes/combs

Hair dryers, curling irons and flatirons

Nail kits

Make-up Kits (for all ethnicities)

Hair Products (for all ethnicities)

Toothbrushes

Toothpaste

Deodorant

Babies and children

Diapers (all sizes, including premie) Arts- and crafts kits

Coloring books Remote-control cars

Handheld video games (rated E) Video games (rated E)

Dolls (for all ethnicities) Books (age-appropriate)

Baby wipes Bottles

Baby wash Baby shampoo

Lotion Bibs

Baby Builders books/DVD sets Mobiles

Blankets Leap frog

Crib mirrors Bike helmets and knee pads

Teens

Tickets/admission passes (theme parks, movie theaters, etc.) Sports equipment

Gift cards (Local mall, Target, Best Buy, Old Navy, Walmart, iTunes, etc.) Photo albums/frames

Handheld CD players/MP3 players/iPod shuffles•Digital cameras Books (age-appropriate)

Popular CDs and DVDs (no parental advisory) Fashion Jewlery/Watches

Matthew 16:24-17:1-8

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The Gospel of Matthew

Session 38 – 11/16/2014

Sampson Kasapakis

16:24-17:1-8

 

Bible Passage:

16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. 28 “Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

17:1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us [a] make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, behold, a cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. 7 But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” 8 When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

What it means to take up our Cross:

  • Today and every day are called to deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow a life towards Christ.
  • When we look at the literal definition of denying oneself, it is defined as a refrain from satisfying one’s desires and needs.
  • One of the early Church Fathers, Caesarea of Arles, says, “Just as we are lost through loving ourselves, so we are found by denying ourselves.”
  • Looking at the Greek text, the words that are used for taking up our cross are “ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ.” Aράτω can mean to take up or away, but what is more interesting is that it is similar to the Hebrew word nasa’ which means to expiate sin, remove sin.

The Meaning of the Transfiguration of our Lord:

  • It was a lesson for the disciples about who Jesus was.
  • The Transfiguration occurred to show the true authority of Jesus Christ.
  • It confirmed that the Kingdom of the Messiah would be characterized by glory.
  • It is the key to understanding the Cross of Jesus and His commitment to it.

Weekly Sunday Bulletin – Apostle Matthew

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Apostle MatthewNovember 16, 2014

When thou didst cast away the publican’s balance and wast united to the yoke of uprightness, then didst thou prove a merchant of great excellence, one that gathered in the wealth of the wisdom of Heaven; for this cause, the word of truth thou didst herald, O Matthew, and didst arouse the souls of sluggish men by signifying the dread day of reckoning.

Kontakion of Apostle and Evangelist Matthew in the Fourth Tone

Parish Council on duty:
John Ioannou, Jr., John Argiropoulos, Andreas Ioannou, Marion Koliniatis, Anna Merkel, Demetri Rapanos, Kathy Ziegler

White Dream

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Who:  All are invited

What:  White Dream Gala

Where:  THE WESTIN BEACH RESORT & SPA. 321 N. FT. LAUDERDALE BEACH BLVD. (ROUTE A1A) FORT LAUDERDALE, FL 33304 • 954-467-1111

When: 6:30-10:30pm; 12.12.14

 

A FESTIVE HOLIDAY CELEBRATION BENEFITING ST DEMETRIOS MINISTRIES
CO-CHAIRS HELEN CARTIER + ANDREAS IOANNOU + ELENI VARVOUTIS
FOR TICKETS CALL ELENI: 954.895.5076
$75 per guest

 

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