Weekly Sunday Bulletin – December 16th 2018
11th Sunday of Luke – December 9, 2018
Saint of the Day
The Holy Forefathers
On the Sunday that occurs on or immediately after the eleventh of this month, we commemorate Christ’s forefathers according to the flesh, both those that came before the Law, and those that lived after the giving of the Law. Special commemoration is made of the Patriarch Abraham, to whom the promise was first given, when God said to him, “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Gen. 22:18). This promise was given some two thousand years before Christ, when Abraham was seventy-five years of age. God called him and commanded him to forsake his country, parents, and kinsmen, and to depart to the land of the Canaanites. When he arrived there, God told him, “I will give this land to thy seed” (Gen. 12:7); for this cause, that land was called the “Promised Land,” which later became the country of the Hebrew people, and which is also called Palestine by the historians. There, after the passage of twenty-four years, Abraham received God’s law concerning circumcision. In the one hundredth year of his life, when Sarah was in her ninetieth year, they became the parents of Isaac. Having lived 175 years altogether, he reposed in peace, a venerable elder full of days.
Parish Council on Duty:
Harry Tangalakis, Marion Koliniatis, Mark Zaden, Bill Ypsilantis,Paul Fountas, Peter Kokkinos, Larry Kirifides
Liturgical Guide
Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Fourth Mode
Τὸ φαιδρὸν τῆς Ἀναστάσεως κήρυγμα…
Having learned the joyful proclamation of the Resurrection from the Angel, and having cast off the ancestral condemnation, the women disciples of the Lord spake to the Apostles exultantly: Death is despoiled and Christ God is risen, granting great mercy to the world.
Apolytikion for 11th Sunday of Luke in the Second Mode
Ἐν πίστει τοὺς Προπάτορας ἐδικαίωσας …
By faith didst Thou justify the Forefathers, when through them Thou didst betroth Thyself aforetime to the Church from among the nations. The Saints boast in glory that from their seed there is a glorious fruit, even she that bare Thee seedlessly. By their prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.
Apolytikion of St. Demetrios in the Third Mode
Μέγαν εύρατο εv τοίς κιvδύvοις …
Greatness has been found in danger. You are champion of the world. A victor who could turn the nations back. You boldly encouraged Nestor to defeat Lyaeus in the arena. Therefore, holy great martyr Demetrios, intercede with Christ our God, to grant us His great mercy.
Seasonal Kontakion in the Third Mode
Ἡ Παρθένος σήμερον…
On this day the Virgin cometh to the cave to give birth to * God the Word ineffably, * Who was before all the ages. * Dance for joy, O earth, on hearing * the gladsome tidings; * with the Angels and the shepherds now glorify Him * Who is willing to be gazed on * as a young Child Who * before the ages is God.
Epistle Reading ~ The Reading is from St. Paul’s Letter to the Colossians 3:4-11
Brethren, when Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. In these you once walked, when you lived in them. But now put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old nature with its practices and have put on the new nature, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all, and in all.
Gospel Reading ~The Reading is from Luke 14:16-24
The Lord said this parable: “A man once gave a great banquet, and invited many; and at the time of the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for all is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I go out and see it; I pray you, have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I must go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported this to his master. Then the householder in anger said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and there is still room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet. For many are called, but few are chosen.'”
Memorial
Vasilios Samaras (40 days) survived by his wife Parthena, daughters Eleni (Argirios) and Roza (John), grandson Vasilios, two brothers, cousins, nieces and nephews.
Peter Mouskos (3 yrs) husband of Artemisia Mouskos.
Trisagion
Dimitri Mouskos (2 yrs) son of Artemisia Mouskos.
Maria Mouskos Alisandratos (11 yrs) daughter of Artemisia Mouskos.
Nicholas Sofianos (2 yrs) survived by his wife Krystalli, his children Panayotis and Joanna, and his grandchildren Nicholas, Demetri, Jonathon, Christina, Alexander, Krystianna and Aristotle.
Penelope Pappas (15 yrs) survived by her son Andrew Pappas and her daughter Betty.
Peter, Dorothy, George, Gus, Sophie Aunts and Uncles of Andrew Pappas
Bill, Norma, Arthur, Norman Relatives of Andrew Pappas
Stewardship
Thank you to all who have pledged their time, talent, and treasure to Saint Demetrios Church.
At this, the end of the year, please check to see if you have fulfilled your financial commitment.
If you have questions, call Kiki at (954) 467-1515 or email kiki@stdemetrios.org
As always, thank you for your generosity! And, don’t forget to write in the memo of your check the intention of your gift; i.e. Pledge 2018, Pledge 2019, etc.
Father Andrew’s FYI
FROM RESENTMENT TO GRATITUDE
(An Excerpt from Henri Nouwen’s book “Spiritual Formation”)
Gratitude is more than an occasional “thanks be to God.” Gratitude is the heart of celebration.
How can we break through the chains of resentment and regret, and free ourselves from the passion that paralyzes us? Resentment has very deep roots in our human condition and is not easily cleared away. But once we confess our resentments within a safe and supportive faith community, we create space for forgiveness and freedom. When this happens, God’s liberating grace is able to make all things new. We learn how to sing a new song and develop a new spirit of thanksgiving in which all of life can be received as a gift.
Spiritual formation is the way by which resentment can slowly be transformed into gratitude. Through the spiritual practice of letting go of jealousy and bitterness and forgiving and affirming others, we can make rivals into friends and competitors into companions on the way to true greatness. Servanthood might sound like a pious idea, but it really asks for the humble recognition that out life is not our own to be defended, but a gift to be shared. All we have has been given to us. Our part is to be grateful and to give thanks…
The movement to gratitude involved the discovery that God is the God of history and that things are quietly and slowly unfolding as they should. My spiritual task is to learn to listen to all that is going on and trust that God’s hand is guiding me. Then, life is no longer a series of interruptions to my schedule and plans, but rather the patient and purposeful way by which God forms and leads me day by day. Gratitude makes the interruption into an invitation, and the occasion of complaint into a moment for contemplation.
To be healed of resentment and move into gratitude requires me to dance – to believe again, even amid my pain, that God will orchestrate and guide my life. The mystery of the dance is that its movements are discovered in taking the steps one by one: some slow, some quick; some smoother, some not. If all steps on the journey are movements of grace, we can be grateful for every moment we have lived, knowing that all is grace.
Gratitude at its deepest level embraces all of life with thanksgiving: the good and the bad, the joyful and the painful, the holy and the not so holy. Jesus calls us to recognize that gladness and sadness are never separate, and that mourning and dancing are part of the same movement. That is why Jesus calls us to be grateful for every moment that we have lived and to claim our unique journey as God’s way to mold our hearts to greater conformity with God’s own.
Gratitude isn’t a simple emotion or an obvious attitude. It is a difficult discipline in which I constantly reclaim my whole past as the concrete way God has led me to this moment and is sending me into the future. It is hard precisely because it challenges me to face my painful moments – experiences of rejection and abandonment, feelings of loss and failure – and gradually to discover in them the pruning hands of God, purifying my heart for deeper love, strong hope, and broader faith.
I am gradually learning that the call to gratitude asks us to say, “Everything is grace.” Whether there is suffering or joy, I can say, “Yes, I want to live this, and I want to discover in this more fully the gift of life.” When our gratitude for the past is only partial, our hope for a new future can never be full. As long as we remain resentful about things that we wish had turned out differently, about mistakes we wish we had not made, part of our heart remains isolated, unable to bear fruit in the new life ahead of us,. In a converted heart, all our past can be gathered up in gratitude, be remembered with joy, and become the source of energy that moves us toward the future.
Let’s not be afraid to look at everything that has brought us to where we are now, receive it with gratitude, and see it in the light of a loving God who guides us day by day.
Announcements
Thank you The Daughters of Penelope would like to express their heartfelt gratitude for everyone’s generous support of their Toys for Tots collection.
Agape Christmas Party and Luncheon Tuesday, December 18 @ 11:00am fun and fellowship at only $8.00 per person.
Vasilopita Sale Get ready for the holidays! Buy your Vasilopita (New Year Bread with good luck coin) @ $10 each, Dec. 16, 23, and 30 in the Kandaras Hall. Sponsored by Philoptochos.
Support the Hellenic Dance Festival Team visit their table in the hall where you will find St. Demetrios Church Christmas ornaments for $10 and “Tsarouhi” Christmas stockings for $20.
Save the Date Back by popular demand, Philoptochos will again sponsor a FEATHER PARTY on Friday, January 11, 2019, in the Kandaras Hall. Doors open at 6:30pm; game time is 7pm. Tickets @ $7/person include 2 game cards. Additional cards are available for $1 each. Ticket proceeds go to FEEDING SOUTH FLORIDA! Bring your family & friends for an evening of fun, fellowship, food, and great prizes. For more information, call Marion Koliniatis @ 305-632-1415.
Bookstore News Now available at the bookstore, 2019 wall calendars featuring angels and angelic visitations. Also come and see the newest books in stock.
Home Care If anyone is looking for a bilingual home health aid, please call Father Andrew.
Philoptochos member drive Consider joining Philoptochos.
Calendar of Events for the Week
Sunday 12/16
9:00am/10:00am Orthros/Divine Liturgy
11:15am Sunday School
12:30pm Greek dance
Monday 12/17
4:15pm-6:00pm Greek Classes A’, B’, G’, D’ & Adult Beginner
6:00pm-8:00pm Advanced Greek class
Tuesday 12/18
11:00am Agape Seniors Christmas Party & Luncheon
Sunday 12/16
9:00am/10:00am Orthros/Divine Liturgy