Christ is risen! Truly, He is risen!

Transcription

1 Christ is risen! Truly, He is risen! Sky Park Circle Irvine, CA Tel: (949) Fax: (949) Website: Very Rev. Father Michael Laffoon, Pastor Residence phone: (949) Rev Fr. Patrick Irish, Attached Rev. Deacon George Moubayed Sub-deacon: Athanasius Fakhouri Choir Director: Barbara Scholl Chanters: Elia Qushair, Theresa Joubran, Dionysius Ingraham, Mark Ellis, and Jacob Bahbah. Church Office Administrator: Lydia Wakileh Youth Director: Juliana Turk PARISH COUNCIL Austin Turk {11} Chairman (949) Randy Dabbah {11} Vice Chairman (949) Kendall Schorr {12} Secretary (714) Theodore Skaff {12} Treasurer (949) Michael Khoury {10} Co Treasurer (714) Ghassan Awayjan {10} Building Committee & Membership (951) Mufid Samara {10} Building Committee (714) Fouad Tarazi {11}Building Fund & Asst. Treas. (949) Paula Rodriguez: {12}Special Events & Stewardship (949) Vera Sidorenko: {10} Web Design (949) [Number in brackets is the member s last year of his or her current term] Church School Director: Eileen Ellis (949) Men s Club President: Mark Ellis: (949) Ladies Guild President: Vera Bahbah (714) Teen SOYO President: Melisa Khoury (714) Pastor s Corner Christ is Risen! At midnight on April 3rd we began this most glorious Paschal season. We should reflect on the great joy that infuses our services during this time. We sing Christ is Risen to open and close all services, and we continue to greet one another with the Paschal greeting for forty days. This is much more than a simple custom. Rather, this is the affirmation of the central belief of the Christian Faith. Christ is risen and has defeated death by death, opening a way to the resurrection for all. The grave is no longer the final word for mankind. Instead, God, in his love, sends his only-begotten Son to die for our sins and to burst the bonds of Hades through his holy Resurrection. This underscores a very important aspect of the Christian Faith: The Church is founded not on a set of principles, or even morals, but on the Person of Jesus Christ. He is the revelation of the Godhead. Jesus did not say I know the way, the truth and the life., but rather I am the Way the Truth, and the Life. (John 14:9). In Christ we have new and eternal life. In Christ we have reconciliation with the Heavenly Father, and have the perspective of the Kingdom of heaven. This is one of the things communicated in our worship. The importance of caring for the poor, loving the neighbor, storing up treasure in heaven: these are the values of the kingdom. The true Christian, because of the resurrection, loves the whole creation. He does not abuse the creation and equally he does not confuse the creation with the Creator. He recognizes that the world is good, but that its goodness is distorted by sin, and needs redemption. The Risen Christ is the Redeemer of Creation and upon his Coming in the final day, Creation will be renewed, without

2 natural disasters or disease, and of course without death. We both live for that Day and are the witnesses of its coming. Our witness is to live out (and even sometimes to speak about) the Crucified and Risen Christ. Let us therefore rejoice in the Resurrection, because in it we are freed from the frustration of life in this fallen world. We know that the world will be renewed and that all that is tragic, evil and wrong will be swept away. At the same time we can partake of the kingdom to come through our life with Christ. As it says in one of the hymns from the Paschal Canon: Come, let us on this famous day of Resurrection participate in the kingdom of Christ, and the new fruit of the Vine which is for divine rejoicing. Praise him; for he God forevermore. Let us adore his third-day resurrection! Fr. Michael A note on fasting during the 40 days of Pascha: It is the universal practice of the Orthodox Church to observe Bright Week (the week immediately following Pascha) as a fast free week. In earlier centuries, the entire 40 days of the Paschal season was fast free. This was changed later and Wednesdays and Fridays after Bright Week were observed as fast days as usual. Several years ago, the Holy Synod of Antioch decided to return to the earlier practice. SPECIAL SERVICES/EVENTS IN APRIL 2010 Thursday Morning April 1: Orthros 9:00 a.m., Holy Thursday Vesperal Divine Liturgy, 10:00 a.m. Thursday evening April 1: Service of the Twelve Passion Gospels, 7:00 p.m. Friday morning April 2: Royal Hours, 9:30 a.m. Friday afternoon April 2: Vespers of the Taking Down of our Lord s Body from the Cross, 3:30 p.m. Friday evening April 2: Service of Lamentations 7:00 p.m. Saturday morning April 3: Holy Saturday Vesperal Divine Liturgy 10:00 a.m. Saturday night April 4: PASCHA Rush, Procession, Orthros and Divine Liturgy 11:00 p.m. Pascha Breakfast following. Sunday April 4: Agape Vespers, 1:00 p.m. Thursday April 8: Bright Thursday Liturgy 6:30 PM Sunday April 11: Thomas Sunday and Easter Egg Hunt Saturday April 24: Vespers, Feast of St. Mark Sunday April 25: Patronal Feast of St. Mark: Orthros 9:00 a.m./hierarchical Divine Liturgy with Bishop Joseph 10:00 a.m. May 2010 Advanced Calendar May 9, Mother s Day May 13, Feast of Ascension May 21, Feast of Sts. Constantine and Helena May 23 Feast of Pentecost May 31 Start of Apostles Fast Bishop Joseph s Schedule April 1, 2010 St. Andrew Church, Riverside, CA Passion Gospel Service April 2, 2010 St. Nicholas Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA Lamentation Service April 3, 2010 St. Matthew Church, Torrance, CA Paschal Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great April 4, 2010 St. Michael Church, Van Nuys, CA Great and Holy Pascha 2

3 April 7, 2010 St. Nicholas Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA Bright Wednesday Hierarchical Divine Liturgy April 10-11, 2010 St. George Church, San Diego, CA Episcopal Visit April 17-18, 2010 St. Raphael Mission, Palm Springs, CA Episcopal Visit April 24-25, 2010 St. Mark Church, Irvine, CA Patronal Feast Day and Orange County Order of St. Ignatius Dinner CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN! WEEKLY SERVICES Wednesday Vespers 6:30 p.m. (during Lent, Pre- Sanctified Liturgy) Saturday Vespers 4:00 p.m. Confessions heard after service. [Note time change] Sunday Orthros 8:45 a.m. Confessions heard from 9:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Sunday Divine Liturgy 10:00 a.m. Selected Saints of the Month April 7 th St George the Confessor For this great virtues, which he acquired through long asceticism, George was chosen and installed as Metropolitan of Mitylene. And this saint governed his flock with zeal and wisdom to old age. But when a persecution arose under Leo V, the Armenian, who destroyed the holy icons, this holy elder was summoned by the Emperor to Constantinople, to the Council of bishops which was summoned, at the Emperor s desire, to put a stop to the veneration of icons. But George not only refused to act according to the Emperor s desire; he, together with some other courageous bishops, stood up in defence of the holy icons. For this he was held in derision by the Emperor and exiled to the region of Cherson, where, in physical pain and every sort of need, he spent the remainder of his earthly life. He died and went to immortal life in about 816. He was a wonderworker both during his life and after his death, through his great righteousness and love for the Lord Jesus. April 18 th The Holy Martyr John the New of Ioannina He was born in Ioannina, the ancient capital of King Pyrrhus. When his poor parents died, the young John went to Constantinople and there continued his trade, for he was a craftsman. The Turks had occupied Constantinople not long before this, and many Christians had, out of fear, denied Christ and accepted Islam. St John had his workshop right in the midst of these men who had become Turks. The more inflamed St. John became with love for Christ, the more outwardly apparent this became to these apostates. He began to dispute with them about the Faith, and to reprimand them for their betrayal of Christ. They dragged him before the judge and falsely accused him of having earlier accepted Islam and having returned to Christianity. For this he was tortured beaten and flogged with iron flails- and then cast into prison. On the second day, which was Easter Day, they brought him out for further torture, and John emerged full of joy and singing: Christ is risen from the dead! He spoke courageously to his torturers, saying: Do what you will to me, and send me as quickly as possible from this transient life into life eternal. I am Christ s servant; I follow Christ, and I die for Christ that I may live with Him! After that, John was bound in chains and taken to the place of burning. Seeing the great flames prepared for him, John ran forward and leapt into them. But his tortures, seeing how he sought death in the fire, pulled him out of it and sentenced him to be beheaded. When they had cut off his head, they threw it and his body into the fire. Later, Christians gathered the ashes and some of his precious and wonderworking relics and buried them in the Great Church in Constantinople. Thus he died a martyr s death and received the glorious wreath of martyrdom on April 18 th, April 24 th 3

4 The Holy Martyr Sabbas Stratelates This famous Sabbas lived in Rome in the time of the Emperor Aurelian, and held a general s rank. He was of a noble Gothic family. He often visited Christians in prison, helping them from his abundance. Through his great purity and fasting, God gave him power over unclean spirits. When he was charged with being a Christian, he stood courageously before the Emperor, cast his officer s belt before him and publicly confessed Christ the Lord. He was tortured in various ways: flogged, flailed with iron rods, burned with tortures, and was seen to be alive and well. His comrades the soldiers, seeing clearly that God was helping Sabbas, accepted the Christian faith, and seventy of them were immediately beheaded at the Emperor s command. Christ the Lord Himself appeared to Sabbas in the prison in great light, and strengthened His martyr. Then Sabbas was condemned to death by drowning. He was thrown into a deep river, where he gave his soul to God in the year 272. And his soul went to the Lord to whom he had remained faithful under many tortures. April 27 th The Holy Apostle Simeon One of the Seventy, he was the son of Cleopas, and Cleopas was the brother of Joseph, the betrothed of the most holy Mother of God. Seeing the miracles of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Simeon was converted and included among the Seventy apostles. With great zeal and courage, he preached the Gospel everywhere in Judea. And when the wicked Jews killed James, the Lord s brother and first bishop of the Church in Jerusalem, throwing him down from the top of the Temple and belaboring him round the head with a stick, then this Simeon, Joseph s nephew, was installed a bishop in Jerusalem. He, as the second Bishop of the Holy City, governed the Church of God with wisdom and strength to a great age. He was more than a hundred years old when he suffered, and his sufferings came about as follows: in the time of the Emperor Trajan there was a double persecution begun in Palestine, against the descendants of David and against Christians. The wicked people condemned Simeon on both counts. St. Simeon endured harsh torture and was finally crucified, as had been the Lord whom he had faithfully served on earth 4 Parish & Organizations News Ladies Guild The ladies meet once every month, their next meeting is on Thursday April 15, 2010, Bible study will be led by Vera Bahbah title Becoming a Women of Purpose all women are invited, try to attend. Easter Bake Sale, and Paschal Breakfast, will be sponsored by the ladies. Ladies Guild President Vera Bahbah Teen SOYO Teens had good time watching a movie on March 12 at the church with teens from St. Barnabas. They also will be having other events like: 1. Saturday March 20th 30 Hour Fast at St. Paul 2. Friday April 2nd Friday Night Vigil from end of service to12am 3. TBD Broomball 4. Officers Meeting 4/11 Juliana Turk Youth Director Men s Club Men s Club meeting was at Ibrahim and Diana Khamis. Father Josiah of Saint Andrews, Riverside had a slide show about his trip to holy sites in Syria and Turkey, which has been enjoyed by all. A group of men from our Men's Club and the Men of St. Luke Church traveled to St. Barbara Monastery on Saturday March 20 for a Work Day. We were joined by men from St. Andrew Church in Riverside. We moved the remnants of a large oak tree that fell in the monastery parking area, ran much of the cut wood through a chipper, cut weeds, and cleaned out some old storage. It was long day, but we still found time to take a few swings on the old tire swing by the creek. The sisterhood was very grateful for our help. Next time, we hope that more men (and women) will join us. Men s Club Secretary Michael Khoury

5 Please note that as of May 2009, the main mode of distribution for this newsletter is via an attachment. If have received this through the US mail and would like to receive it through , please contact the Church Office with your current address. Likewise if you prefer a hard copy, please also contact us. Hall Rentals!! St. Mark has entered into an agreement with a caterer for the use of our church hall. This agreement will greatly benefit our parish financially, but since we expect significantly more hall rentals, it is incumbent on our organizations and parishioners to schedule hall use well in advance. The parish will have first call on hall usage, but once we have committed a date to the caterer we must honor that commitment. Please plan ahead. Bloopers In conjunction with a generous member, the Board acquired an electric chair for use by anyone who would benefit. It is our hope that it will assist individuals and create for them a more comfortable worship experience. Laura Hafez 4/20 Dylan Hagel 4/5 Theresa Joubran 4/1 Juliette Khamis 4/4 Mary Ann Khamis 4/1 Aida Khamis 4/21 Jean Nasrawi 4/26 Jason Nino 4/15 Sammy Nino 4/7 Jeries Qoborsi 4/12 Daniel Qoborsi 2/24 Paul Rodriguez 4/13 Alexander Saadeh 4/17 Michael Saba 4/2 Aaron Scholl 4/11 Jay Skaff 4/8 Sarah Smathers 4/17 Charlie Tarazi 4/7 Carol Tierney 4/24 Stephanie Toubbeh 4/30 Gina Turk 4/26 George & Kristin Chala 4/27 Michael & Rania Debbas 4/9 Maurice & Nadia Karkar 4/17 Robert & Linda Mokbel 4/23 Sam & Adel Munayyer 4/29 Marwan & Hanan Saba 4/29 Mufid & Salam Samara 4/27 Jessica Azzam 4/28 Andrew Azzam 4/17 George Bahbah 4/8 Grace Bahbah 4/8 Julie Bahbah 4/11 Malvina Chala 4/2 Christopher Chala 4/28 Matthew Daruty 4/25 Liana Debbas 4/16 Selim Debbas 4/22 Mary Dibs 4/27 Samar Elsayegh 4/30 Fatin Fakhouri 4/11 Ian Fortuna 4/27 Rita Geronikolaou 4/18 5 The Apostle is a monthly newsletter of St. Mark Antiochian Orthodox Church. Parish Organizations are to submit articles by the 15 th of the month to the Church office ( ) The following members have submitted their regular 2010 in support of our operating budget. Thank you for your prompt response! Please return your pledge forms as soon as possible Pledges Names

6 CHARLES & MARILEE AJALAT SLEIMAN & SEHAM ALDADA PAUL & JUNE ANTER MICHAEL & MAY ASALY GABRIEL & SAMIRA ATALLAH YORGO AWAYJAN GHASSAN & GISELLE AWAYJAN BASIM & AMAL AYOUB ABU RAYA ANAHID AZZOUNI GEORGE & LORRAINE BABA JACOB & VERA BAHBAH ISSA & JULIE BAHBAH JOE & SALWA BAHBAH PHILLIP & TARIZE BAHBAH YOUSEF & RITA BILLEH SAMIR & LUCY BILLEH DENNIS & ZINA BORATYNEC LEO & IRMA CHADE EDWARD & DANA CHADE VLADIMIR & JOANNA CHENDLER RUTH CONN RANDY & MAY DABBAH SUE DABBAH SONIA DAHER NOHA DAHER SCOTT & DIANE DARUTY ALICE DE ABDO EDNA DEEB NICHOLAS DIBS MARY DIBS DARLYNE DIBS JERALD DONOVAN SAMIRA EISSA CHARLOTTE EL-HINN MARK & MEGAN EL-HINN MARK & EILEEN ELLIS SAAD & SAMAR ELSAYEGH OMAR & FATIN FAKHOURI SAMI & WISAM FARRAJ SPIRO & SAMIRA FASHEH KEVIN & SARA FORTUNA ELSA FRECH 6 CONSTANTINE & RITA GERONIKOLAOU MICHAEL & SANDEE GORDON JAMES N. & SANDELLA GOSON JAMES J. & CAROLE JO GOSON KAREEM (KEN) & ADELE HABEEB NICOLAS & NASEEM HADDAD ESPERENCE HADSHITI LAURA HAFEZ NORMAN & WETCKA HAFFTY ROBERT & KRISTINA HAGEL MELAD & WAFA HANNA GEORGE & MARY HANNA HAITHAM & SAHAR HANNA GEORGE & CHARLOTTE HANNA DENNIS INGRAHAM FR. PATRICK & NINA IRISH SHAWKI & DOHA JIRJIS RICHARD & VERA JIRJIS MICHEL & THERESA JOUBRAN MAURICE & NADIA KARKAR WAEL & LOUISA KASHOU LILIAN KASSICIEH BACHIR & HELEN KASSIR IBRAHIM & DIANA KHAMIS VIOLETTE KHAMIS ISA & BARBARA KHAMIS TANIA KHAMIS AIDA KHAMIS JULIETTE KHAMIS MARY KHAMIS ELIAS & HILDA KHAMIS JABRA KHAMIS MITRI KHAMIS MICHAEL KHAMIS MARY-ANN KHAMIS ANTOUNE & MAYSSOUN KHOURY MICHAEL & CHARLOTTE KHOURY ELYAS & NAJAT KHURY OSAMA & RULA KISHEK SIMON & LOURICE KISHEK ANTONE & ITAB KISHEK DIMITRI & KANDY KORT

7 EMILIE LAFFOON FR. MICHAEL & DONNA LAFFOON SAMIR & ROBIN LAKKEES ZIAD & HELEN MAHSHI GLORIA MAMEY NELSON MAMEY OLGA MANNEH MARY MANSOUR NABIL & ANNE MANSOUR NABIL & SUSIE MITRI ROBERT & LINDA MOKBEL MIRA MOUBAYED DN. GEORGE & NAJWA MOUBAYED SAM & ADEL MUNAYYER WALID & DANICE NAJJAR ELIAS & JEAN NASRAWI JAMIL NASSAR ELIZABEH NASSAR DON & DENISE NASSIF JASON NINO TANYA NINO SAMMY & LANA NINO PAUL & SUSAN QAQUNDAH NADER & SUHAIR QOBORSI JACOB QUSHAIR JAMAL & TAMMY QUTAMI ISSAM & BERNADETTE RAMSEY ROBERT & KIMLA RANNEY JOSEPH RICHARDS EMAD & MUNA RIZKALLAH TONY & PAULA RODRIGUEZ CARLOS & RHONDA RODRIGUEZ JERRI ROMLEY NAJIB & HEBA SAADEH YACOUB & GENEVIEVE SABA SIHAM SABA MARWAN & HANAN SABA FARAH & SYLVIA SABA MANUEL & GEORGETTE SALAMEH RAMZI & RANDA SALAMEH MUFID & SALAM SAMARA PAMELA NASSIEF SANBAR 7 JAMAL & HIAM SAYEGH STEVEN & BARBARA SCHOLL ANGELIKA & AUTUMN SCHORR KENDALL & RONDA SCHORR MILAD & MADONA SHAHEEN FOUAD & PATRICIA SHAKER IVAN SIDORENKO YURI & VERA SIDORENKO THEODORE & KATHY SKAFF DON JR & PENNY SKAFF ELIAS & RANIA SLIHEET ROBERT & SARAH SMATHERS ASHRAF SOLIMAN MARY SOPHIEA SHOUKI & MAJIDA SOURI FOUAD & RIMA TARAZI DAVE & BRENDA TAX ANDRE & SHARITA TERZIAN ROGER & CAROL TIERNEY TINA TOMEO GEORGE & MARTHA TOUBBEH JULIANA TURK ANTON & KEITIE TURK AUSTIN & SAEDA TURK ELEANOR WACKEEN CHARLIE WAKILEH IBRAHIM & LYDIA WAKILEH MICHAEL WAKILEH MATTHEW & SOPHIA WHITACRE ROBERT & THEODORA WHITEHEAD PATRICK & SUSAN WILDE ADIB & NABILA ZABANEH Total Pledge Cards: 158 Total Pledged to Date: $ 183,414 The Orthodox Christian greeting of Pascha CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

8 AL-MASSIH QAM! HAKKAN QAM! (Arabic) CHRISTOS ANESTI! ALITHOS ANESTE! (Greek) CHRISTOS A INVIAT! ADEVERAT A INVIAT! (Romanian) CHRISTOS VOSKRESE! VOISTINU VOSKRESE! (Slavonic) SAINT MARK ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH SKY PARK CIRCLE IRVINE, CA ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED 8

9 APRIL 2010 NEWSLETTER TIME RELATED MATERIAL, Please Expedite 9