Fr. Alex s Message: The Hunt

Transcription

1 Fr. Alex s Message: The Hunt I was hunting for presents. It was Christmastime, I was 10 years old, and this was a serious mission. The first point of attack was always the attic; in my family's old and massive sea captain's house, this space was surprisingly small and was jam-packed with boxes and bags, Christmas lights and Easter baskets, abandoned lamps and some "vintage" clothing better left forgotten. Because it was dark, creaky and isolated from the rest of the house, it was a bit scary, and I didn't venture up here often. But it was worth it this time of year. I had been pleading and nagging my parents, not to mention Santa, for a boat-load of Star Wars toys, and the big day was approaching. The hunt could not be denied; the smell of victory was in the air; the mother-load was at hand. It was vital to be quiet as possible, so that I wouldn't be discovered; I quickly set about moving boxes from here to there, searching out every dark corner that looked hopeful, studying plastic bags to see if they had that "Yes, I am concealing vast amounts of Christmas presents" look. Failure but then, I came across a worn, tattered goldpainted carton, not much bigger than a shoe box. No Star Wars insignia, too small to hold a light saber, but I was drawn in. There was something familiar and sweet about it. In fact, it was the most familiar and sweet of all a small creche (Nativity model) that had belonged to my grandparents, "Memere and Pepere" in their native French-Canadian tongue. They had each been gone, now, for a few years, and this special pearl from their supply of Christmas decorations had made its way into my mother's hands. It must have been 50 or so years old; the painted plastic Magi were worn, now, and a few of the lambs and donkeys were missing tails. I turned it over to the bottom not knowing how I knew but still knowing and searched for the familiar knob. I began to wind. When I let go, instant magic. "Silent Night" filled the cramped space with sweet music; though the motor labored with age, the delicate melody filled me with real joy. Gold, green and blue stars made their way purposefully around the Child. His tiny arms reached toward his adoring, holy Mother. The miniature shepherd boys peaked over the wicker cradle to look upon the King of Kings. All was calm and quiet. And then tears came why, I don t know. Something about the scene hit me; a host of Cont. on Pg. 2 DEC JAN 2016 Table of Contents Liturgical Schedule 2 Stewardship 3 Youth 4, 5 Photos 6 Calendar 7 Community/ Outreach 8 Education/ News 9 Sponsors 10, 11 Saint Philip Church 500 West Hollis St. Nashua, NH P: facebook.com/ StPhilipNashua instagram.com/ stphilipnashuanh

2 LITURGICAL SCHEDULE Schedule Sundays Divine Dec. 6: 10th Sunday of Luke 13: 11th Sunday of Luke 20: Sunday before the Nativity 27: Sunday after the Nativity Jan. 3: Sunday before Epiphany 10: Sunday after Epiphany 17: 12th Sunday of Luke 24: 14th Sunday of Luke 31: 15th Sunday of Luke Weekday Services Dec. 24: Eve of the Nativity. Vesperal Liturgy, 6 pm (Reception) 25: Nativity of the Lord. Orthros & Divine Liturgy, 9 am Jan. 1: Circ./St. Basil. Orthros & Divine Liturgy, 9 am 5: Eve of Epiphany. Vesperal Liturgy & Agiasmo, 6 pm 6: Epiphany. Orthros, Divine Liturgy, & Agiasmo, 9 am 7: St. John the Baptist. Orthros & Divine Liturgy, 9 am Parish Council Pledge We look forward to the prayerful confirmation of our 2016 Parish Council in December. Congratulations to them! Voices of Faith Our parishioners of all ages are always invited to read the Epistle during Sunday Divine Liturgy. Contact Fr. Alex to reserve your special date. Dec. 6: Elena Barker 13: Phoebe Chetsas 20: Lori Pitsas 27: Dorothy Pitarys Jan. 3: Devany Pitsas 10: Christina Juris 17: Evmorfia Alton 24: Bette Gioffre 31: Dorothy Pitarys The Hunt (continued) gentle memories swept in, and I was somewhere else: a Christmas from another time. I was there, somehow, in the parlor of my grandparents' simple, cozy home. The windows were frosted with ice. The darkened room was only illumined by the Sears & Roebuck artificial tree and the glowing starlight of this tiny treasure. The radiators sputtered steam and clanked away. My chin was planted on the table before the creche, entranced by the tiny Babe, and I couldn't take my eyes away. Then I felt, again, the gentle hand on my shoulder a little hug from Memere and a piece of candy softly pressed into my hand. At that moment, I missed my grandparents more than I had ever missed them before. I hadn't felt this way in a long time. I sat there on the floor for a while, not knowing quite what to do. Finally, I gently placed the creche back in its box, re-sealed the tape as best as possible, and placed it where I had found it to await our annual family Christmas decorating party. I put everything else back, too, and quietly came down the steep stairs of the attic. I could wait for my presents, now. They didn't matter so much anymore. I felt warm; I felt protected; I felt the love of my grandparents in my heart. Christmas was bigger than my little present hunt. On that day, around 35 years ago, I was hunting for one thing and found something else. I pray the same happens to us all this year that we find, or rediscover, the true joy of Christmas, His Nativity. Wishing you a beautiful Christmas and inspired New Year, Fr. Alex Christmas Wisdom For they said, is was a shame to quarrel upon Christmas Day. And so it was! God love it, so it was! Charles Dickens "It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air. W. T. Ellis Pastoral Visits this Holiday Season,,, I was hunting for one thing and found something else. To arrange a visit for a loved one, or yourself, as we approach Christmas and Epiphany, please contact Fr. Alex anytime. During this heartwarming season, it is especially important to bring the Church to those who can t come. Come and See 2

3 STEWARDSHIP Online Giving: Faithful Direct Stewardship, Every Member & More Have you had a chance to visit our website lately? We have broken new ground in 2015 and have implemented a secure and simple way to give to our church online. If you have any difficulty using it, please contact the Church Office. We pray that this new tool will help our parish strivings bear fruit. The respective giving pages are as follows: Stewardship Every Member Capital Campaign General Donations (Christmas, festival, etc.) St. Philip Greek Orthodox Church 500 West Hollis St. Nashua, NH Phone: P (603) ; ; F Web: (603) stphilipnh.org Rev. Fr. Alex Chetsas: fralex@stphilipnh.org Office Staff: Cheryl Petren Cheryl & Sophie Petren Theoharis: office@stphilipnh.org Office Hours: M - F, 10 am - 3 pm Online Delivery Help Us Reach of Come You & See We Are have you receiving been making weekly an s effort and to other introduce electronic delivery communications of Come from & See St. Philip? for some If not, time. we online Help may us not conserve have an needed updated resources for at you Saint and/or Philip, your and family. contact Please the help office us stay today close to to authorize you by online contacting delivery. the Thank office you with for your your . participation! Thanks! Stewardship Sunday, December 6 We are hopeful that you have received the recently mailed 2016 Stewardship campaign package, including your family s Commitment Card and that you are planning to join us on the 6th for Stewardship Sunday! Following Divine Liturgy and our guest speaker, our committee looks forward to saying thank you to all our Stewards with a special Fellowship Hour. We appreciate the generosity you have shown over the years. Our Saint Philip parish is a special place, precious to us all. With this in mind, we do ask you to complete your 2015 commitment as soon as possible. Contact the Church Office with any questions. Likewise, please take a moment to reflect on your planned commitment for 2016 time, talent and treasure. And if you can take the next step of increasing your giving over last year, it will have a huge impact on our parish. Let s all strive to give more of our resources, time, talent, effort and creativity in the new year! Remember, please come on the 6th with your 2016 Commitment Card filled out so we can all offer our collective commitments in unison at the end of Divine Liturgy. Thank you! Every Member Campaign Dome & Towers Update We are now in full swing with our efforts to raise money for the restoration of the dome and towers. As you may recall, we are trying to raise $50-75,000 for this project and are hopeful to be in a position to get this work completed early in We can not complete this without the help of each and every one of us. What a great way to make a huge impression on our beautiful church by helping with this restoration project. Remember, all donations made in December are tax deductible for Every Member materials are available in the Narthex, or you can learn more and give online: stewardship/every_member.php. Come and See 3

4 YOUTH Don t let anyone look down on you because you are young Sunday School Heather Cloutier Hello Sunday School Families! I would like to thank you for all the wonderful donations for the Thanksgiving baskets and the clothes for the Inpatient Mental Health Unit at SNHMC. I would also like to thank Alexa Darbe for preparing the Bingo sheets and the ornament craft that the children decorated on November 15. December 6 is the Feast Day for Saint Nicholas. We will have a special lesson given by Lori Pitsis. The children will leave their shoes out in the hall and receive treats from Saint Nicholas. December 13 is our Nativity presentation, "Lessons and Carols. Special thanks to Dan Gioffre for volunteering to direct the presentation. There are many people who volunteered their talent, such as our staff, parents, the Choir, Cheryl Petren, David Lavoie, and a host of parishioners. Thank you so much for all your efforts! On December 20, our children will be spreading some Christmas cheer by heading over to AHEPA Manor. The children will be delivering ornaments that they made and singing Christmas carols. The trip will take place after Communion and during our usual class time. We need parent volunteers to drive; if your child is still in a safety seat, you will need to transport your child. Those children that do not wish to participate should remain in Divine Liturgy with their parents. We will be bringing the children back to the hall during Fellowship Hour. Finally, please save these dates: Dec. 27: Break (Family Worship/No Classes) Jan. 3: Classes Resume Feb. 7: Godparents Sunday The Sunday School Staff wishes everyone a Blessed Nativity and Happy New Year! Young Adult Gathering, Dec. 6 Our young adults are warmly invited to the Arfanakis home (221 Fox Hollow Drive, Hudson, NH) for discussion and holiday cheer, beginning at 7:30 pm. RSVP: eabarker143@gmail.com. GOYA Paige Zacharakis, Outreach Co-Chair Hello GOYAns and all Saint Philip parishioners! GOYA has had many exciting events already this holiday season and has more planned! On November 15, GOYA went to Market Basket for our annual shopping trip for Thanksgiving supplies after Liturgy! We were very successful with collecting all of the goods that we needed for the baskets. Thank you to all who donated food and/or financial help. The following Sunday, November 22, GOYA assembled the Thanksgiving baskets, with help from our JOY friends. Also on this day, GOYA assisted Father Alex with a pet blessing after Liturgy. Now that Thanksgiving has passed, we will be busy getting ready for the holidays. And our next big event is the GOYA Christmas/New Year s Party on Sunday, December 27. We will gather at the Philipon home, 5-8 pm. All GOYAns and parents are welcome to join us for holiday cheer and reflection on our efforts in GOYA is open to 7-12 grade Orthodox Christians, and we are ALWAYS welcoming new GOYAns. Contact Advisor Marisa Donati (marisapdonati@gmail.com) or me (aphilipon1@gmail.com) for more information or to get involved. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our GOYAns and their families! Hellenic Dance Troupe Hellenic Dance Troupe is available to girls and boys 10 years old to 18 years old. Our practice sessions will begin in January the 10th and 24th, following Sunday School and end in May after the Greek Food Festival performance. We will celebrate Hellenic culture by learning and performing folk dances from several regions throughout Greece. When possible we will perform at public and private events with the culminating performance being the Food Fest. A calendar of practice dates will be distributed to all dancers on the 10th, and we are looking forward to another great year together! For further details, contact Maria Donati: Come and See 4

5 YOUTH...but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in faith and in purity. Timothy 4:12 JOY Scavenger Hunt Jan. 17 Mission: Possible! It s time for something special for our JOY children (grades 3-6) and what better way to start the new year than learning more about our Church sanctuary while having lots of fun? On the 17th, after Sunday School and having a quick bite at Fellowship Hour, please join us in the Church for Mission: Possible! Younger siblings are more than welcome to come too. Gift bags for all! Contact Brandy Chetsas for details or to help out: abchetsas@hotmail.com. Basketball Is Back! Boys and girls, 12-18, are invited to join their friends for practice on select Sundays, 6:30-8 pm (see the Calendar on Pg. 7 for dates). Contact Coach T.C. Liakos for details: tcliakos@comcast.net. Oratorical Festival 2016 #Shareorthodoxy! Many of our younger families may not have heard of the Saint John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival, which is a program of our Archdiocese carried out each year within every Metropolis. It offers 7-12th graders an engaging opportunity to learn more about their faith and share Orthodoxy by delivering thoughtful homilies to their young colleagues and entire parish families! Scholarship prizes range from $2,500 - $30,000! This year s theme is all about witness: #Shareorthodoxy To join our parish team and learn about the theme, contact Fr. Alex by Jan. 3. Winter Camp at MBC Time to Register! Each summer, a growing number of our children are discovering the wonder of our Metropolis camping program. They return with a renewed spiritual life and a desire to put what they ve learned into practice in our parish. But the experience doesn t end in August. Winter Camp keeps the flame alive during the colder months. Family Camp (Parents & children of all ages) dates are TBA, but GOYA Camp (ages 12-18) dates have been announced and registration is now open: Feb Register today, and bless your children with a truly spiritual gift: Saintly Lives: Saint Modestos (Dec. 16) Born in 292 in Sebastia, St. Modestos was raised as a pagan in the imperial court, following the murder and martyrdom of his Christian parents. As a teenager, though, a spiritual awakening occurred. He learned of his parents faith and martyrdom and that he had actually been baptized a Christian before their execution. A Christian goldsmith began to mentor him, but the man s jealous sons sold him into slavery in Egypt. After converting his master s family and ultimately gaining his freedom, he made a pilgrimage to Mt. Sinai and was ordained a priest at a local monastery. He quickly became known for his devotion and loving nature. After years of service to the Church, he was selected Patriarch of Jerusalem. It was during these latter years that his long-time appreciation for all of God s creation intensified and blossomed. He had a particular affection for animals, seeing them as sublime, mysterious gifts from God. Often he would bless livestock, praying for their health and productivity and giving thanks for all Creation. Getting Practical: In November, our parish held a Saint Modestos Pet Blessing event, and Fr. Alex has copies of the blessing prayer we used (one of several that survive from Saint Modestos) to share with you. Feel free to ask for one, and then take it home to read over your pet(s) on the 16 th or any time you like. Come and See 5

6 Saint Modestos Pet Blessing His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios Visit Sunday School & Outreach Come and See 6

7 December 2015 & January 2016 Limited Overview Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednes- Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 10th Sunday of Luke - Sunday School - Stew. Sunday Event - Y. Adult Holiday Gathering, 7:30 pm DEC Stewardship, 6:30 pm Health/Wellness Ministry, 10 am Greek School: 4, 5 & 6 pm Seniors Outing to Holiday Pops, 8 pm 12 11th Sunday of Luke - Sunday School Lessons & Carols - Basketball, 6:30 pm Compassionate Friends Grief Support Group, 6:30 Health/Wellness Ministry, 10 am 16 Greek School: 4, 5 & 6 pm 17 Soup Kitchen, 4 pm Sunday before 20 the Nativity - Sunday School Outreach Trip to AHEPA Manor - Basketball, 6:30 pm Health/Wellness Ministry, 10 am Greek School: 4, 5 & 6 pm Eve of the Nativity of the Lord Vesperal Liturgy, 6 pm (Reception) Nativity of the Lord Sunday after the Nativity - Sunday School Family Worship - GOYA Christymas/ N. Year s Party, 5 pm Health/Wellness Ministry, 10 am JAN 1 Circ. of the Lord/St. Basil 2 Sunday before 3 Epiphany - Sunday School - Oratorical Festival Confirmations Due - Basketball, 6:30 pm 4 Eve of Epiphany Vesperal Liturgy & Agiasmo, 6 pm 5 Epiphany Liturgy & Agiasmo, 10 am 6 Greek School: 4, 5 & 6 pm St. John the Baptist Sunday after 10 Epiphany - Sunday School - Parish Vasilopita Celebration - Dance Troupe - Basketball, 6:30 pm 11 Stewardship, 6:30 pm 12 Sponsoring Fellowship Hour Sponsoring is a beautiful way to remember a loved one or mark a family anniversary. Contact Nick Kallan: loonboy@comcast.net; Thanks to our November sponsors: 1: The Mikedis Family 8: The Pervanas Family, 29: The Valeras Family Come and See 7

8 COMMUNITY/Outreach Nashua Symphony Orchestra Holiday Seniors Outing Dec. 12! Outreach Snapshot GOYA In Action On Nov. 15 and 22, our GOYAns cheerfully helped with the Thanksgiving Basket Drive, remembering the needs of others. We are proud of them all! Holiday Outreach A Christmas Hymn Reminding Us of the Reason for the Season "O my child, child of sweetness, How is it that I hold You, Almighty? And how that I feed You, Who gives bread to all men? How is it that I swaddle You, Who with the clouds encompass the whole earth We hope our seniors are looking forward to a truly lovely night with the Nashua Symphony Orchestra and New World Chorale, at the Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm St., Nashua, NH). The event begins at 8 pm, with the holiday pops program to feature holiday favorites for the whole family. This will be an excellent way to gear up for Christmas and get us all in the holiday spirit! The event is completely sold out. Our parish has purchased a block of several rows, so we will all be sitting together. For help with a ride, please contact Fr. Alex by Thursday, Dec. 10. Otherwise, plan to meet our group at our seats within the center. We hope this joyous event will build even more friendship among our seniors! Among the moving services for the Nativity of the Lord, the hymn above (drawn from the Orthros of the Nativity) stands out as one of the most emotionally powerful elements. It is written from the perspective of the Theotokos, as she contemplates the mystery of the divine birth. It reveals her amazement, her sense of humility. Amid the many errands, parties and distractions of the season, may we take the time to rediscover the reason for the season rediscover our own amazement and humility before the Christ! The Outreach Committee offers warm thanks for all the support of our Thanksgiving Basket Drive in November we produced 26 full Thanksgiving dinners for local families and veterans in need. Now, we hope you will respond with equal generosity and thoughtfulness to the Christmas Wish List Project, which is well underway! Sign up to help local families by purchasing Christmas presents. Signing up is easy just see Stephanie Norris in the hall on Sundays or contact her during the week: norrisx2@yahoo.com. Sign up closes on Dec. 13. Stay Connected MINISTRIES/PROGRAMS ADULT/GENERAL Chanting Theodore Persakis Choir George Karakantas Every Member Doug Philipon Food Festival Jamie Pappas Health/Wellness Katherine Richo Orthodox Life Frank Edelblut Parish Council Jorge Panteli Outreach Committee Stephanie Norris Stewardship Ministry Joe Pappo Welcome Committee Greg Danas Women s Prayer/Bible Paula Kouletsis YOUTH Altar Service Daniel Gioffre Family Night Brandy Chetsas GOYA Marisa Donati Greek School George Kitsis Hellenic Dance Troupe Maria Donati JOY Brandy Chetsas PC Mentoring Program Fr. Alex Chetsas Sunday School Heather Cloutier RELATED ORGANIZATIONS Agape Ladies Society Dorothy Pitarys AHEPA Nick Kallan Elpis Ladies Society Maria Donati Pan-Macedonians Charles Paskaley Come and See 8

9 EDUCATION/NEWS Agape News Merry Christmas to everyone and a Happy New Year! Our Holiday Pops outing is Dec. 12. We hope many of our members will be attending. The concert begins at 8 pm at the Keefe Center for the Arts. On Dec. 17, we will serve at the Nashua Soup Kitchen. Please join us in service to those in need, beginning at 4 pm. We will host the Vasilopita Celebration on Jan. 10. Please offer a loaf (see below for details). Agape Favorites makes a great Christmas gift! Pick up a few copies for stocking stuffers or as hostess gifts. See an Agape member for your copy. AHEPA Flag Project Remembering Those Who Have Passed As a community service during the week of March 25, AHEPA Chapter #35 wishes to honor all those who have passed before us by placing a Greek flag on their graves (of those you wish to honor) in the Nashua area. The cost of each flag is only $20; a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Wounded Warriors Project. The order deadline is March 10. Please see the flyer in the Narthex for details, or visit the Events page of the Saint Philip website today: events/. Orthodox Life: Looking to 2016 We are most grateful to Dr. Bruce Beck for offering us his thoughtful presentation on Nov. 18, in honor of our parish feast day. Looking ahead to the new year, a late January/February series will soon be announced, as well as news on a possible Lenten parish retreat. More to follow soon, and thank you for participating in Orthodox Life in 2015! Women s Prayer Group & Bible Study Join us for our coming gatherings, 6:30 pm at Saint Philip: Jan. 14: "Holy Water, Living Water" Jan. 28: "St. Mary of Egypt" Contact Paula Kouletsis for details or to learn more about our beautiful ministry at Saint Philip: boston1020@jetmail7.com. Health & Wellness Ministry: To Your Health! Each year as the holidays approach, we vow to be more organized and to balance our time and tasks. As a stress reliever during this holiday season, we will offer Qi Gong (pronounced "chi gong") exercise sessions (approx. 40 min.) each Wednesday in December, starting at 10 am, in addition to our usual offerings of the Blood Pressure Clinic and Therapeutic Chair Massage. We hope these calming, gentle exercise movements help sustain your day and help you savor the spirit of Christmas. And speaking of this beautiful season, many of us may wish to revisit and enjoy the familiar stories by Charles Dickens, each one offering us pause and perspective. We leave you with one of his amazing quotes... "Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many not on your past misfortunes of which all men have some." Vasilopita Celebration Jan. 10 Agape will once again sponsor our parish Vasilopita Celebration. On the 10th, at the close of Liturgy, Fr. Alex will lead us in the Vasilopita Service, and then several of our parish leaders will be invited to come forth and receive a piece on behalf of their ministry or program committee members and those they serve. This is always an uplifting event. Don t miss it! Contact Sia Juris if you would like to offer a Vasilopita on this special day for our parish: This resource offers Orthodox Christian programming, featuring stories of faith, interviews, and more: Come and See 9

10 We thank our sponsors for their support! Stellos Family Investment Properties of Nashua, New Hampshire Proud Stewards of St. Philip Greek Orthodox Church Come and See 10

11 Come and See 11

12 Wisdom of Saint Basil The bread in your cupboard belongs to the hungry; the coat hanging unused in your closet to the one who needs it. Sunday Altar Flowers Pervanas Family, Nov. 8 (In loving memory of Margarita Pervanas) Eftimiou Family, Nov. 15 (In loving memory of Tina Bastas) Lilian Papadopoulos, Nov. 22 Feast Day Flowers Agape (Iconostasion) Joan Anastasiou (Narthex) Philip George (Solea) Pappo Family (Processional) Saint Basil the Great, Jan. 1 Funerals With the saints give rest, O Christ, to the souls of Your Servants. Sophia Cox Nov. 20 Spiro Pitarys Nov. 23 Memorials Tina Bastas, 40 days Nov. 1 Margarita Pervanas, 2 yrs Nov.. 8 Panayiotes Limperis, 5 yrs Nov. 22 Demetrios (40 days) & Vasiliki (2 yrs) Economopoulos Nov. 29