Tag Archive for: Prayer

Weekly Sunday Bulletin – Judgement Sunday (Meatfare)

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Judgement Sunday

“It is the aim of the holy Fathers, through bringing to mind that fearful day, to rouse us from the slumber of carelessness unto the work of virtue, and to move us to love and compassion for our brethren. Besides this, even as on the coming Sunday of Cheese-fare we commemorate Adam’s exile from the Paradise of delight — which exile is the beginning of life as we know it now — it is clear that today’s is reckoned the last of all feasts, because on the last day of judgment, truly, everything of this world will come to an end.”

 

Parish Council on Duty:

Manny Daskos, George Georgakakis, Michael Haralambis, John Ioannou Jr., Delcho Ogorelkoff, Demetrios Rapanos, Kevin Ryan, Kathy Ziegler

Here is the study guide for this weeks adult class taught by Joseph Olas

Liturgical – Judgement Sunday (Meatfare)

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Apolytikion Ήχος Βαρίς – 7th

Κατέλυσας τώ Σταυρώ σου…
O Lord by Your sacred Cross You abolished death, and granted unto the thief blessed paradise. The Myrrh bearers ceased lamenting and turned to joy. The apostles did preach the Good News at Your command, that You had risen from the dead O Christ Our God, bestowing Your mercy upon the world evermore.

Apolytikion of St. Demetrios

Μέγαν εύρατο έν τοίς κινδύνοις…
The world found in you a great champion in dangers a victor who could turn the nations back! As you restrained Levi in the arena, you also inspired Nestor to courage! Therefore, holy, great martyr, Demetrios, entreat Christ God to grant us great mercy!

Kontakion

Όταν έλθης ο Θεός…
O God, when You come upon the earth in glory, the whole world will tremble. A river of fire will bring all before Your Judgment Seat and the books will be opened, and everything in secret will become public. At that time, deliver me from the fire which never dies, and enable me to stand by Your right hand, O Judge most Just.

 

Memorial

Alexander Paraskis (40days) survived by Alexandra and George Nichols and grandchildren Tassia and Mark Brunt and Christopher and Raffaella Nichols and great grandchildren Natalia, Konstantinos, Maximos and Mason.

Trisagia

Mike Monezis (8yrs) beloved husband and father of Betty and Mona Monezis

Meatfare Sunday

Today is called “Meat-Fare” because during the week following it a limited fasting-abstention from meat is prescribed by the Church. This prescription is to be understood in the light of what has been said above the meaning preparation. The Church begins now to “adjust” us to the great effort which she will expect from us seven days later. She gradually takes us into that effort-knowing our frailty, foreseeing our spiritual weakness.

On the eve of that day (Meat-Fare Saturday), the Church invites us to a universal commemoration of all those who have “fallen asleep in the hope of resurrection and life eternal.” This is indeed the Church’s great day of prayer for her departed members. To understand the meaning of this connection between Lent and the prayer for the dead, one must remember that Christianity is the religion of love. Christ left with his disciples not a doctrine of individual salvation but a new commandment “that they love one another,” and He added: “By this shall all know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Love is thus the foundation, the very life of the Church which is, in the words of St. Ignatius of Antioch, the “unity of faith and love.” Sin is always absence of love, and therefore separation, isolation, war of all against all. The new life given by Christ and conveyed to us by the Church is, first of all , a life of reconciliation, of “gathering into oneness of those who were dispersed,” the restoration of love broken by sin. But how can we begin our return to God and our reconciliation with Him if in ourselves we do not return to the unique new commandment of love? Praying for the dead is an essential expression of the Church as love. We ask God to remember those whom we remember and we remember them because we love them. Praying for them we meet them in Christ who is Love and who, because He is Love, overcomes death which is the ultimate victory of separation and lovelessness. In Christ there is no difference between living and dead because all are alive in Him. He is the Life and that Life is the light of man. Loving Christ, we love all those who are in Him; loving those who are in Him, we love Christ: this is the law of the Church and the obvious rationale for her of prayer for the dead. It is truly our love in Christ that keeps them alive because it keeps them “in Christ” and how wrong, how hopelessly wrong for the dead to a juridical doctrine of “merits” and “compensation” or simply reject it as useless. The great Vigil for the Dead of Meatfare Saturday serves as a pattern for all other commemorations of the departed and it is repeated on the second, third and fourth Saturdays of Lent.
(if you want more… please read GREAT LENT- Journey to Pascha by Alexander Schmemann.)

Scripture Readings

Epistle Reading

St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians 8:8-13; 9:1-2

Brethren, food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. Only take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if any one sees you, a man of knowledge, at table in an idol’s temple, might he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak man is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother’s falling, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall.
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

Gospel Reading

Matthew 25:31-46
Judgment Sunday (Meatfare Sunday)

The Lord said, “When the Son of man comes in his glory and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.’ And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Announcements – Judgement Sunday (Meatfare)

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Calling All Pictures!!

We will be launching a new and improved website. If you have any pictures you would like to submit please email them to office@stdemetrios.org. Do we have any from the St. Demetrios Christmas Gala or New Year’s Eve dance or our Festival?

Choir

We are looking for faithful members to give their time, talent and voices to join our choir, under the leadership of Patricia Zeiler, to give praise and honor in song to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. You do not have to have a perfect voice—All you need is a love for Christ and a desire to honor Him with all you heart, mind and voice. Please contact the church office at 954-467-1515. The Choir will be having rehersals Saturday 9th, 16th, & 23rd.

Save the Date April 7, 2013

Nia vardalos will be coming to St. Demetrios. For more information visit st.demetrios.org

Clergy Education Fund (Papouli)

The Philoptochos is starting to collect money to help the education of our future priests. It is suggested that we give $10 per person or $20 per family.

St. Demetrios Oratorical Festival

St. Demetrios will be holding its Oratorical Festival on March 17th. For more information please visit our website.

AHEPA National Scholarship Application – MARCH 31 Deadline

Scholarship Application

AHEPA District #2 Scholarship Application

Prayer – Compassion, Acceptance and Hope

Joseph Olas
March 10, 2013

Book Reference
With Open Hands
By Henri J. M. Nouwen

Opening thoughts and basis for discussion

Thy will be done! 

Are we open to God’s will in our prayer? 

Do we treat God like Santa Claus? Is prayer a wish list? 

How frightening is it, in the midst of our very busy way of life, to pray with true dependence on God: “Even when it seems that things are not going my way, I know that they are going [God’s] way and that in the end, your way is the best way for me”? 

In peace let us pray to the Lord. 

For the peace of God and the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord. 

For peace in the whole world, for the stability of the holy churches of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord. 

For this holy house and for those who enter it with faith, reverence, and the fear of God, let us pray to the Lord. 

For our Archbishop, the honorable presbyters, the deacons in the service of Christ, and all the clergy and laity, let us pray to the Lord. 

For our country, the president, and all those in public service, let us pray to the Lord. 

For this parish and city, for every city and town, and for the faithful who live in them, let us pray to the Lord. 

For favorable weather, an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and temperate seasons, let us pray to the Lord. 

For travelers by land, sea, and air, for the sick, the suffering, the captives, and for their salvation, let us pray to the Lord. 

For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and distress, let us pray to the Lord. 

Help us, save us, have mercy upon us, and protect us, O God, by Your grace. 

Lord Have Mercy!

Do you really see the link between our prayer and God and then between our prayer and other people? How have you seen this in your own life? Isn’t it difficult to accept that our God is also the God of people we don’t like, consider adversaries, or have lifestyles or attitudes repulsive to our own values? What does it mean to say that the God to whom I pray is also the God of everybody else? What implications does this have on my own thinking and attitude toward others?

To view this class visit our Adult Education Video Page

Weekly Sunday Bulletin – 17th Sunday of Luke

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Sunday of the Prodigal Son

Our purpose, O people, is to know the power of God’s goodness, for when the prodigal abandoned his sin he hastened to the refuge of his Father. That Good One embraced him and welcomed him. He killed the fatted calf and celebrated with heavenly joy. Let us learn from this example to offer thanks to the Father who loves all people, and to the Victim, the Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Saviour of our souls.

Parish Council on Duty:

Peter Angelakos, John Argiropoulos, Anna Merkel, Medon Michaelides, Chris Nichols, Peter Synoyannis, Eleni Varvoutis

Here is the study guide for this weeks adult class taught by Fr. Chris

Liturgical – 17th Sunday of Luke

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Apolytikion Ήχος Πλ. B – 6th

Άγγελικαί δυνάμεις…
Eternal with the Father and the Spirit is the Word, Who of a Virgin was begotten for our salvation. As the faithful we both praise and worship Him, for in the flesh, did He consent to ascend unto the Cross, and death did He endure and He raised unto life the dead through His all glorious resurrection.

Apolytikion of St. Demetrios

Μέγαν εύρατο έν τοίς κινδύνοις…
The world found in you a great champion in dangers a victor who could turn the nations back! As you restrained Levi in the arena, you also inspired Nestor to courage! Therefore, holy, great martyr, Demetrios, entreat Christ God to grant us great mercy!

Kontakion

Της πατρώας δόξης σου…
O Father, foolishly I ran away from Your glory and, in sin, squandered the riches You gave me. Wherefore, I cry out to You with the voice of the Prodigal, “ I have sinned before You, Compassionate Father. Receive me in repentance and take me as one of Your hired servants.”

 

Memorial

Dimitrios Giannopoulos (3mts) survived by his wife Kyriaki, daughter Rita, son-in-law Platon Bakatselos, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren

Angeliki Gogonis (10yrs) survived by her sons Tom, George, Nick and Philip and their families

Trisagia

Speros Vlahos (14yrs) survived by daughter Mantha Mehallis and grandson Spero (Rocio)

Irene Georgitson (21yrs), Constantine (Gus) Makris (19 yrs), Patricia G Makris (16yrs) in loving memory from Evangeline, Katina, Barbara Makris and Jacob C Hollander

Kalimorphe Neztek (19yrs) survived by her sons Gus and John and daughter-in-law Kiki

Sunday of Prodigal Son

Through the parable of today’s Gospel, our Saviour has set forth three things for us: the condition of the sinner, the rule of repentance, and the greatness of God’s compassion. The divine Fathers have put this reading the week after the parable of the Publican and Pharisee so that, seeing in the person of the Prodigal Son our own wretched condition — inasmuch as we are sunken in sin, far from God and His Mysteries — we might at last come to our senses and make haste to return to Him by repentance during these holy days of the Fast.

Furthermore, those who have wrought many great iniquities, and have persisted in them for a long time, oftentimes fall into despair, thinking that there can no longer be any forgiveness for them; and so being without hope, they fall every day into the same and even worse iniquities. Therefore, the divine Fathers, that they might root out the passion of despair from the hearts of such people, and rouse them to the deeds of virtue, have set the present parable at the forecourts of the Fast, to show them the surpassing goodness of God’s compassion, and to teach them that there is no sin — no matter how great it may be — that can overcome at any time His love for man.

Saturday of all Souls
Dedicated to all those who have departed in Christ

We are all familiar with the words “Heaven” and “Hell”. According to the teachings of Christianity, all those who live by the Commandments of our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will one day receive the blessings of everlasting life in Heaven. Those who do not live by the Commandments of the Lord will be condemned to the eternal fires of Hell (read St. John Gospel Ch. 5, vs24030 and Matthew 25). This truth is the very foundation of human Christian behavior. There will be reward for good and punishment for evil. When we break the law of the land, we are punished for our misdeeds? The Bible tells us that there is a Heaven and a Hell. According to the Bible and Holy Tradition, however, many of us fail to realize that no one enters into one of these places immediately after death. All those who pass from this world enter what the Church calls between state. Ii is here that one will receive a portion of his reward or his punishment. This is called general judgement. When Christ will come again to judge the living and the dead ( as we recited the Nicene Creed) then the final judgement is pronounced by Almighty God.

Since all souls are now in this state awaiting the final judgment day, the Church on earth offers prayers for those who have left this earth. This is the reason why we have Memorial Services in our Church so that we may have the opportunity to pray for those who are awaiting final judgement. The members of the congregation participate in the Memorial Service at which time prayers are offered for the departed. Those who are in this between state hear our prayers and are comforted by our petitions. Prayer unites us all with those who have departed from this temporary life on earth. Many of our fellow Christians who have lived and died since the coming of Christ have no one to pray for them or to offer Memorial Services for them while awaiting the final judgement day. The Church has also set three Saturday services (before and during Lent and before Pentecost) for the remembrance of all those who have served Christ but for various reasons are perhaps unknown to us. Just as our country offers prayers for the unknown soldiers, so too does the Church of Christ. We also offer prayers for our loved ones who have passed on. The reading of the names is an important part of the Memorial Service. Each of the faithful writes the first names of off all those in their family (or friends and relatives) who have died. These names are then given to the Priest, who reads them during the Memorial Service saying as follows: “For the ever-memorable servant of God(name) for his repose, tranquility and blessed memory, let us pray to the Lord” (and other prayers (Lives if the Saints and Major Feast Days by Rev. Fr. George Poulos) Those who wish to offer memorial services other than the 40days, 1 yr., 3yrs are encouraged to have the service done in conjunction with the various Saturday of Souls. (Please pick up the forms in the narthex and south narthex).

Scripture Readings

Epistle Reading

St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians 6:12-20

Brethren, “all things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be enslaved by anything. “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food” — and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two shall become one flesh.” But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body and in your spirit which belong to God.

Gospel Reading

Luke 15:11-32
The Prodigal Son

The Lord said this parable: “There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.’ And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to make merry. Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'”

Announcements – 17th Sunday of Luke

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Missionaries from OCMC

Stephanos and Alexandria will be giving a presentation about their future mission work in the country of Albania. Stephanos and Alexandria will share stories about the rebirth of the Orthodox Faith in the country of Albania. They also will share the future works that they will be doing. These works will include: helping to reestablish the religious life of the Orthodox Church; preparation and education of students at the University of Tirana; education at the Protagonist Elementary School and bringing more of the Albanian people into the Orthodox Church.

Calling All Pictures!!

We will be launching a new and improved website. If you have any pictures you would like to submit please email them to office@stdemetrios.org. Do we have any from the St. Demetrios Christmas Gala or New Year’s Eve dance or our Festival?

Choir

We are looking for faithful members to give their time, talent and voices to join our choir, under the leadership of Patricia Zeiler, to give praise and honor in song to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. You do not have to have a perfect voice—All you need is a love for Christ and a desire to honor Him with all you heart, mind and voice. Please contact the church office at 954-467-1515.  The Choir will be having rehersals Saturday 9th, 16th, & 23rd.

Save the Date April 7, 2013

Nia vardalos will be coming to St. Demetrios. For more information visit st.demetrios.org

Clergy Education Fund (Papouli)

The Philoptochos is starting to collect money to help the education of our future priests. It is suggested that we give $10 per person or $20 per family.

St. Demetrios Oratorical Festival

St. Demetrios will be holding its Oratorical Festival on March 17th. For more information please visit our website.

Join us on Facebook

We are pleased to announce that St. Demetrios is on Facebook. Please like our page!

St. Stephen’s Summer Camp 2013 is approaching!

Applications are now being accepted online for our five week summer camp program. Returning and new counselors must complete online application. Registration for campers will be opening March 1st.

Prayer – Silence, Letting Go, Acceptance, and Hope

Fr. Christopher Metropulos
March 3, 2013

Book Reference
With Open Hands
By Henri J. M. Nouwen

Opening thoughts and basis for discussion

Write down 5 things you would like to pray for…

The essence of prayer is about the passionate landscape of the interior life, about the deep and forgotten art of tending the soul and transforming the mind and the heart.

How do you pray with closed folded hands or open hands..both are needed?

What is found in prayer: silence, letting go, acceptance, hope, compassion and even criticism

Closed Hands

Prayer demands a relationship in which you allow someone other than yourself to enter into the very center of your person.  When we do pray we often cling to a sorry past asking God to free us from it.  We are however holding that past with closed hands and thus we cannot release it so God can heal the wound.

We can feel bitter because people weren’t grateful for something we gave them: you still feel jealous of those who are better paid than you; you still want to take revenge on someone who didn’t respect you; you are still disappointed that you’ve received no letter, still angry because someone didn’t smile at you.  You can sit there wallowing in all that old sourness as if you couldn’t do without them, as if, in giving them up, you would lose your very self. As long as you seek retaliation, you cling to your own past.

Open Hands

Not by force or violence. Listen to the words the angel spoke to Zechariah, Mary, the Shepherds and the women at the tomb: “Don’t be afraid”. Don’t be afraid of the One who wants to enter your most intimate space and invite you to let go to what you are clinging to so anxiously.

Everytime we surrender on issue we are dealing with our hands begin to open. It takes patience until your hands fully open and it takes time. The key is the trust you have for God.

A prayer for opening of the hands and to begin to pray.

I am so afraid to open my clenched fists!

Who will I be when I have nothing left to hold on to?

Who will I be when I stand before you with empty hands?

Please help me to gradually open my hands and to discover

that I am not what I own, but what you want to give me.

And what you want to give me is love

unconditional, everlasting love. Amen

 

What about silence? Is it important for our prayer?

Yes but it can cause us to squirm and be uncomfortable. It will yield big dividends if you have the strength and the courage. We live though in a world of businesses and noise. So what can I do to find that place of silence?

Finding a place of silence is almost impossible as the world is filled with good sounds and disturbing and rather soul shaking noise that lead to a Godly life. We humans need good sounds to heal our souls. We are not wired physically or spiritually for loud noise. When we shut out the daily racket, a new inner noise can be heard. (See the movie Bruce Almighty and watch the scenes where Jim Carrey the star is answering the prayers of the people when he plays God sitting at his computer).

 

Letter to God

Dear God,

Speak gently in my silence.

When the loud outer noises of my surroundings and the loud inner voices of my fears

keep pulling me away from you,

help me to trust that you are still there

even when I am unable to hear you.

Give me ears to listen to your small, soft voice: saying:

“Come to me, you who are overburdened, and I will give you rest..

for I am gentle and humble of heart.”

Let that loving voice be my guide.

Amen.

 

Ask yourself this question, Why do I avoid prayer and silence in my life?

Prayer is sometimes opposite to what we see and do in life.  We have our hands clenched ready for fight.  We feel that if we don’t stick up for ourselves no one will.  Rather than have our hands out as Christ did to have someone put the nails in we close our fists to protect ourselves.  This is a natural reaction when dealing with people.  We do not however have to have this approach when praying to God.  This does not allow God to work His miracles in our lives.    `

You really become a person only when you are capable of standing open to all the gifts which are prepared for you.  Being kind and giving to others although tiring is really the best way to lead a Christian life. Blessed are those who give with out remembering and those who receive without forgetting.

 

Dear God,

I so much want to be in control.

I want to be the master of my own destiny.

Still I know that you are saying:

“Let me take you by the hand and lead you.

Accept my love

and trust that where I will bring you,

the deepest desires of your heart will be fulfilled.”

Lord, open my hands to receive your gift of love.

Amen.

To view this class visit our Adult Education Video Page