Tag Archive for: Stewardship

Weekly Sunday Bulletin-March 13, 2016

/in /by

Forgiveness Sunday

The Holy Fathers have appointed the commemoration of Adam’s exile from the Paradise of delight here, on the eve of the holy Forty-day Fast, demonstrating to us not by simple words, but by actual deeds, how beneficial fasting is for man, and how harmful and destructive are insatiety and the transgressing of the divine commandments. For the first commandment that God gave to man was that of fasting, which the first-fashioned received but did not keep; and not only did they not become gods, as they had imagined, but they lost even that blessed life which they had, and they fell into corruption and death, and transmitted these and innumerable other evils to all of mankind. The God-bearing Fathers set these things before us today, that by bringing to mind what we have fallen from, and what we have suffered because of the insatiety and disobedience of the first-fashioned, we might be diligent to return again to that ancient bliss and glory by means of fasting and obedience to all the divine commands. Taking occasion from today’s Gospel (Matt. 6:14-21) to begin the Fast unencumbered by enmity, we also ask forgiveness this day, first from God, then from one another and all creation.

 

Parish Council on duty:

 

Basil Economou, Michael Fossler, George Georgakakis, Harry Tangalakis, Marion Koliniatis

Weekly Sunday Bulletin-March 6, 2016

/in /by

The last judgment icon _judgment sunday

Judgment Sunday

The foregoing two parables — especially that of the Prodigal Son — have presented to us God’s extreme goodness and love for man. The divine Fathers have appointed today’s feast commemorating Christ’s impartial Second Coming, through which we bring to mind that God is not only the Friend of man, but also the most righteous Judge, Who recompenses to each according to his deeds.

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, 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:              

John Argiropoulos, John Ioannou, Jr., Tony Maiorana, Demetri Rapanos, Mark Zaden, Kathy Ziegler

Weekly Sunday Bulletin-February 28, 2016

/in /by

February 28 –

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

Through today’s parable, 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 — 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 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.

 

Parish Council on Duty:               

Basil Economou,  Michael Fossler, George Georgakakis, Marion Koliniatis,  Harry Tangalakis

Weekly Sunday Bulletin-February 7, 2016

/in /by

Parthenius_Bishop of Lampsacus16th Sunday of Matthew

Parthenius, Bishop of Lampsacus

Saint Parthenius was born in Melitopolis on the Hellespont, the son of a deacon named Christopher. Because of the miracles that he wrought even as a young man, he was ordained a priest and then Bishop of Lampsacus in the days of Saint Constantine the Great, from whom he received great gifts and authority both to overturn the altars of the idols and to raise up a church to the glory of Christ. Working many miracles throughout his life, he reposed in peace an old man and full of days.

 

Parish Council on duty:

John Argiropoulos, Basil Economou, John Ioannou, Jr., Marion Koliniatis, Tony Maiorana,

Demetri Rapanos, Mark Zaden, Kathy Ziegler

 

Weekly Sunday Bulletin-January 24

/in /by

                            Mother Mother Xenia of RomeXenia of Rome

Our righteous Mother Xenia of Rome was of a distinguished family. While her parents were preparing to wed her, she stole away secretly, taking two handmaids with her, and departed for Mylasa of Karia in Asia Minor, and there she completed her life in asceticism. She was ordained deaconess by Paul, her spiritual father, who became Bishop of Mylasa. Although she was originally named Eusebia, to conceal her identity , she took the name Xenia – which means “stranger” in Greek – because of her estrangement from her country.

 

 

 

 

Parish Council on duty:

 John Argiropoulos, John Ioannou, Jr., Tony Maiorana, Anna Merkel, Demetri Rapanos, Mark Zaden, Kathy Ziegler

Weekly Sunday Bulletin-January 17

/in /by

St AnthonyJanuary 17th – Anthony the Great

Saint Anthony, the Father of monks, was born in Egypt in 251 of pious parents who departed this life while he was young. On hearing the words of the Gospel: “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell what thou hast, and give to the poor” (Matt. 19:21), he put it into action. Distributing to the poor all he had, and fleeing from all the turmoil of the world, he departed to the desert. The manifold temptations he endured continually for the span of twenty years are incredible. His ascetic struggles by day and by night, whereby he mortified the uprisings of the passions and attained to the height of dispassion, surpass the bounds of nature; and the report of his deeds of virtue drew such a multitude to follow him that the desert was transformed into a city, while he became, so to speak, the governor, lawgiver, and master-trainer of all the citizens of this newly-formed city.

The cities of the world also enjoyed the fruit of his virtue. When the Christians were being persecuted and put to death under Maximinus in 312, he hastened to their aid and consolation.

When the Church was troubled by the Arians, he went to Alexandria in 335 and struggled against them in behalf of Orthodoxy. During this time, by the grace of his words, he also turned many unbelievers to Christ.

Saint Anthony began his ascetic life outside his village of Coma in Upper Egypt, studying the ways of the ascetics and holy men there, and perfecting himself in the virtues of each until he surpassed them all. Desiring to increase his labors, he departed into the desert, and finding an abandoned fortress in the mountain, he made his dwelling in it, training himself in extreme fasting, unceasing prayer, and fierce conflicts with the demons. Here he remained, as mentioned above, about twenty years. Saint Athanasius the Great, who knew him personally and wrote his life, says that he came forth from that fortress “initiated in the mysteries and filled with the Spirit of God.” Afterwards, because of the press of the faithful, who deprived him of his solitude, he was enlightened by God to journey with certain Bedouins, until he came to a mountain in the desert near the Red Sea, where he passed the remaining part of his life.

Saint Athanasius says of him that “his countenance had a great and wonderful grace. This gift also he had from the Saviour. For if he were present in a great company of monks, and any one who did not know him previously wished to see him, immediately coming forward he passed by the rest, and hurried to Anthony, as though attracted by his appearance. Yet neither in height nor breadth was he conspicuous above others, but in the serenity of his manner and the purity of his soul.” So Passing his life, and becoming an example of virtue and a rule for monastics, he reposed on January 17 in the year 356, having lived altogether some 105 years.

 

Parish Council on Duty:              

Basil Economou, Michael Fossler, George Georgakakis, Marion Koliniatis, Harry Tangalakis

 

Weekly Sunday Bulletin – January 10 – Sunday after Theophany

/in /by

Parish Council on duty:

 John Argiropoulos, John Ioannou, Jr., Tony Maiorana, Anna Merkel, Demetri Rapanos, Mark Zaden, Kathy Ziegler

 

 

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Grave Mode

Κατέλυσας τῷ Σταυρῷ σου τὸν θάνατον…

Thou didst abolish death by Thy Cross; Thou didst open Paradise to the thief; Thou didst transform the myrrh-bearers’ lamentation, and didst bid Thine Apostles to preach that Thou art risen, O Christ God, granting great mercy to the world.

 

Apolytikion for Theophany Afterfeast in the First Mode

Ἐν Ἰορδάνῃ βαπτιζομένου σου Κύριε …

When Thou wast baptized in the Jordan, O Lord, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest; for the voice of the Father bare witness to Thee, calling Thee His beloved Son. And the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the certainty of the word. O Christ our God, Who hast appeared and hast enlightened the world, glory be to Thee.

 

Apolytikion of St. Demetrios in the Third Mode

Μέγαν εύρατο εv τοίς κιvδύvοις…

The world has found in you a great champion in time of peril, as you emerged the victor in routing the barbarians. For as you brought to naught the boasts of Lyaios, imparting courage to Nestor in the stadium, in like manner, holy one, great Martyr Demetrios, invoke Christ God for us, that He may grant us His great mercy.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Mode

Ἐπεφάνης σήμερον τὴ οἰκουμένη …

You appeared to the world today, and Your light, O Lord, has left its mark upon us. With fuller understanding we sing to You: “You came, You were made manifest, the unapproachable light.”

 

Epistle Reading

 

The reading is from St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians 4:7-13.

But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.  Therefore it is said, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth?  He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)  And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,  to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,  until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ;

 

Gospel Reading

 

Sunday after Epiphany

The Reading is from Matthew 4:12-17

 Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee;  and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,  that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:  “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles,  the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.”  From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

 

Memorials

 

Kostas Giannomoros (5yrs) survived by his wife Panayiota and son Panayiotis

 Alexandros Argiropoulos (8yrs) survived by parents John & Monica and siblings Daniella, Kirk & Monique

 

In memory of their beloved son Alexandros, John and Monica Argiropoulos have donated the flowers on the Altar and have sponsored the coffee hour

Weekly Sunday Bulletin – January 3 – Sunday before Theophany

/in /by

Epiphany, or Theophany

TheophanyTheophany, after Easter and Pentecost is the greatest feast of the Orthodox church. It is even greater than the feast of the Nativity of Christ. It commemorates the baptism of our Lord by John in the waters of the Jordan and now more generally, the public manifestation of the incarnate Word to the world.

St. Proclus, the Patriarch of Constantinople puts into the mouth of St. John the Baptist, the following words expressing the faith of holy church in the divinity of Christ: “How dare I stretch forth my hand and place it on the heads of Him who sustains all things? How dare I touch Him before whom the choirs of angels tremble? How dare I approach Him whom the Seraphim dare not come near? Hence with awe they cry: holy, holy, holy, holy,. Truly heaven is filled with your glory and the earth with your wonders: How dare I approach the Unapproachable One before whom tremble the Cherubim and all the heavenly hosts? How dare I baptize the creator of nature? How dare I baptize him to whom the Pure Virgin Mary gave birth and after giving birth remained a virgin? I can only say; You O Lord, are the master…”

Daily Vitamins for Spiritual Growth by Anthony M. Coniaris

Parish Council on duty:

Manny Daskos, Basil Economou, Michael Fossler, George Georgakakis, Marion Koliniatis, Harry Tangalakis

Weekly Sunday Bulletin-December 27-Sunday after the Nativity

/in /by

Stephen_Archdeacon and First MartyrDecember 27- Stephen the Archdeacon & First Martyr

Saint Stephen was a Jew, and, as some say, a disciple of Gamaliel, the teacher of the Law mentioned in Acts 5:34 and 22:3. He was the first of the seven deacons whom the Apostles established in Jerusalem to care for the poor, and to distribute alms to them. Being a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, he performed great signs and wonders. While disputing with the Jews concerning Jesus, and refuting their every contradiction, he was slandered as a blasphemer and was dragged off to the Sanhedrin of the elders. There with boldness he proved from the divine Scriptures the coming of the Just One (Jesus), of Whom they had become the betrayers and murderers, and he reproved their faithless and hardheartedness. And finally, gazing into Heaven and beholding the divine glory, he said: “Lo, I see the Heavens opened and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.” But when they heard this, they stopped up their ears, and with anger cast him out of the city and stoned him, while he was calling out and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then, imitating the long-suffering of the Master, he bent his knees and prayed in a loud voice for them that were stoning him, and he said, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge,” And saying this, he fell asleep (Acts 6, 7), thus becoming the first among the Martyrs of the Church of Christ.

Parish Council on duty:

 John Argiropoulos, John Ioannou, Jr., Tony Maiorana, Anna Merkel, Demetri Rapanos, Mark Zaden, Kathy Ziegler