May Phillips Road, Tallahassee, Florida (850) Rev. Fr. Robert J. O Loughlin

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1 May Phillips Road, Tallahassee, Florida (850) Rev. Fr. Robert J. O Loughlin Christ is risen! Χριστος aνεστη! Khristos voskrese! El Messieh kahm! Hristos a inviat! Christos t'ensah em' muhtan! Kristos haryav ee merelotz! Helisituosi fuhuole! Christus ist erstanden! Khristus zmartwyckwstal! Cristo ha resucitado! Kristo amefufukka The farther we go into the Paschal season, the less we may greet each other with Christ is Risen with the same enthusiasm as we might have on Pascha or throughout Bright Week. The main problem for us may be remembering in our hearts what the implication of the Resurrection for us is. We may lose some of our thirst for what Christ has offered to us. In the Gospel reading of the Samaritan woman, Jesus needed water to quench His physical thirst and she needed living water to quench her spiritual thirst. In His short conversation with her, Jesus points out that she is living an unfocused and deceiving life. Christ is showing and enlightening us about how we are to live and what the Resurrection means. There was an openness in the Samaritan woman s soul, because as God revealed Himself to her, slowly, there was awakened in her a great thirst, and a great honesty. Our life is full of many moments, when God tries to reach out and touch us. Many of these moments we have missed, sometimes because we have other things to do, other priorities. At times, we may cut off our conversation with God as we may not say our prayers very often, or we may not come to Church as often as we should. These are all parts of the conversation with God. God awakened the Samaritan woman and in her thirst, she saved her soul. He cleansed the unclean life that she was leading because He touched her with the idea of water, living water, and the woman begins to pursue after this idea. She pursued and she became enlightened. She started to understand because the conversation continued. The living water that Christ talks about is the Holy Spirit that God brings to a person. God wants to shed grace upon us abundantly, yet we often don t complete our conversation with Him. We may not even know what it is that He wants to give us. Because we can be so burdened with the cares, and distractions of our every day life. When we allow Christ to speak with us, He reveals Himself as we live our lives and we can receive this living water that quenches our thirst. It is only possible if we continually participate. That s why saying our prayers consistently, keeping the fast consistently, coming to the services consistently can quench our thirst. We may watch more television or spend more time on the computer and phones than we pray. We may read things that are either unholy or useless, rather than the Scriptures. We may say that we don't have time for this and not know what we have missed in not conversing with God. The Samaritan woman came to the well without any spiritual purpose; she came, as she came daily, to fetch water and she met Christ. Each of us may meet Christ at any turn in our lives, if our hearts are turned in the right direction, we will be prepared to receive a message, to listen and prepared to ask questions. And this is what the Samaritan woman teaches all of us: be open at every moment of our lives while we are busy with the simplest things. We can receive His Word, be illumined by His Light and receive it in the depths of our souls so that people can witness it in the world. Fr. Robert

2 Page 2 If an emergency or special need should arise, please contact Fr. Rob immediately at May Their Memory Be Eternal On Monday, April 3rd, Erasmia Mihalisn beloved wife of Angelo; mother of Athena (Bob) Gill and grandmother of Alexa (Adam) Bayer fell asleep in the Lord. Our love and deepest sympathy are with her family. May her memory be eternal! On April 26th, Moris Vajagich, fell asleep in the Lord and is survived by his loving wife Milka and daughter Vera (Lynn David). Funeral to be held in Illinois on May 1st. May his memory be eternal. Our next ECHO Sundays are May 7th and June 4th. Please drop off your non-perishable food donations into the bins located in the Hellenic Center and Patmos Hall. If you have high school/college graduates, please call the church office so the graduates can be listed in the Reflections. When: Sunday May 7 th (coffee hour) Let s share our cultures! Bring your favorite baked goods, pastries, etc., to accompany coffee during coffee hour. Please drop off your item in the Hellenic Center prior to coming into Church. Join us for our... Holy Mother of God Parish Gathering Friday, May 12th 6:00pm-9:00ish In the Hellenic Center Seafood Boil - Cajun Shrimp, Crawfish, corn on the cob, new red potatoes, salad, Garlic bread, sweet tea Music, Fun, Fellowship Adults - $10.00 Age 11 through college Student -$5.00 Children 10 and under Free Beer/Wine $2.00 cash bar

3 7 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT Orthros 9:30 a.m. & Divine Liturgy 10:30 a.m. Church School International Coffee Hour ECHO Sunday 14 Mother s Day Orthros 9:30 a.m. & Divine Liturgy 10:30 a.m. Church School 21 Orthros 9:30 a.m. & Divine Liturgy 10:30 a.m. Church School Graduation Parish Council Meeting 5:30 p.m Choir Practice Choir Practice Choir Practice 3 Catechetical Class Newcomers/Inquirers 10 f 17 Catechetical Class Newcomers/Inquirers Catechetical Class Newcomers/Inquirers 4 Philoptochos End of year dinner Georgio s Restaurant 6:00 pm Parish Gathering Seafood Boil 6:00-9:00 ish Great Vespers 5:00 pm Great Vespers 5:00 pm Page f 28 Orthros 9:30 a.m. & Divine Liturgy 10:30 a.m. 29 Memorial Day Office Closed Catechetical Class Newcomers/Inquirers 25 Holy Ascension Divine Liturgy 9:00 am Pangari Schedule for May *Denotes a 9:15 am, **10:15am & Coffee (c) start time 5/07 - SJoanos*/Atayants**/Mathes(c) 5/14 - Catsimpiris*/Poulos**/NJoanos (c) 5/21 - Kanelidis*/Mathes**/Gavalas (c) 5/28 - Gavalas*/Atayants**/Kanelidis (c) 6/04 - SJoanos*/Catsimpiris**/Poulos (c) Calendar Symbol Key + = Strict Fast = Wine and Oil allowed = Dairy & eggs allowed = Father Away MAY 2017 s = Fish Allowed

4 Page 4 Lazarus Saturday, Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Pascha Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday Bridegroom Service Holy Wednesday - Holy Unction Holy Thursday - Passion Service Holy Friday - Adorning the Kouvoukion Myrrh-bearing girls Holy Friday evening - Lamentations and Procession

5 Page 5 Holy Saturday Morning Resurrection Service- Christ is Risen! Christos Anesti! Agape Vespers - Followed by Pascha Glendi Divine Liturgy following Resurrection Service

6 Page 6 For May 2017 A Special Thank You to our outgoing President Olibia Drzewiecki and To all of our members and friends who have worked so hard this past year in all of our endeavors you are GREATLY appreciated! It is always a pleasure to work with women who find joy in the good that we are able to accomplish each year in helping those in need here in our own community in Tallahassee, in our Metropolis, our Archdiocese and throughout the world! Many thanks to everyone who helped with our Gyro Feast. We appreciate all the long hours and hard work our volunteers gave and for our patrons who helped make it a success! End of Year Get Together Dutch Treat Thursday May 4, 2017 Georgio s Fine Food & Spirits 2971 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida RSVP Connie Mathes (229) by May 2nd Holy Ascension The Lord Jesus passed forty days on earth after His Resurrection from the dead, appearing continually in various places to His disciples, with whom He also spoke, ate, and drank, thereby further demonstrating His Resurrection. On this Thursday, the fortieth day after Pascha, He appeared again in Jerusalem. After He had first spoken to the disciples about many things, He gave them His last commandment, that is, that they go forth and proclaim His Name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. But He also commanded them that for the present, they were not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait there together until they receive power from on high, when the Holy Spirit would come upon them. Saying these things, He led them to the Mount of Olives, and raising His hands, He blessed them; and saying again the words of the Father's blessing, He was parted from them and taken up. Immediately a cloud of light, a proof of His majesty, received Him. Sitting thereon as though on a royal chariot, He was taken up into Heaven, and after a short time was concealed from the sight of the disciples, who remained where they were with their eyes fixed on Him. At this point, two Angels in the form of men in white raiment appeared to them and said, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into Heaven? This same Jesus, Who is taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into Heaven" (Acts 1:11). These words, in a complete and concise manner, declare what is taught in the Symbol of Faith concerning the Son and Word of God. Therefore, having so fulfilled all His dispensation for us, our Lord Jesus Christ ascended in glory into Heaven, and sat at the right hand of God the Father. As for His sacred disciples, they returned from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem, rejoicing because Christ had promised to send them the Holy Spirit. It should be noted that the Mount of Olives is a Sabbath's day journey from Jerusalem, that is, the distance a Jew was permitted to walk on the day of the Sabbath. Ecumenius writes, "A Sabbath day's journey is one mile in length, as Clement says in his fifth Stromatis; it is two thousand cubits, as the Interpretation of the Acts states." They draw this conclusion from the fact that, while they were in the wilderness, the Israelites of old kept within this distance from the Holy Tabernacle, whither they walked on the Sabbath day to worship God Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

7 Page 7 Donor Easter Lilies in memory of loved ones In Memorandum Tamara & Bart Aitken Anna Alexopoulos & Matt Farrar Petru & Simona Andrei Nina Biadulina The Drzewiecki Family Justin Edge & Jennifer Lowery & Michael Angela & Carl Enis Janet T. Gavalas Vicky, Michael, Janet, Nicholas & Elleni Gavalas Angelica Grigorian Irina Grigoryan Emanuel & Laura Joanos Stamie Joanos Corinne A. LaPointe George & Connie Mathes Helen Nolas Billy & Julie Nolas Fr. Robert, Presv. Joy, Jaclyn, & Krista O Loughlin Dianne & Glen Perrigan - Nicholas Aaron Aitken - Ioanna Dinou, Alexandros Alexopoulos, Theofania Voyagis, Nicholas Voyagis, Barbara Higdon - All our loved ones who are no longer with us - Alexander, Ivan, Joseph, Alexander, Julia, Elisabeth, Sergiy, Paul, Vladimir, Michael & Anna - Apostolos & Angela Coumanis - Michael Lowery - Jerry Enis - Nic Gavalas - Dionisios & Elleni Dimopoulos, Nicholas G. Gavalas - Stepan, - Stepan, Igor, Gohar, Ella, Nona, Valentina, Eleonora, Alexander, Vladimir, Maria, Sergey, Dzamilia - Mike, Popi & Steve Joanos - Mike & Kalliopi Joanos, Eva Kypreos, Steve Joanos Eugenia Christie - Mike, Sadie, Samuel, Anna, Michael Samuel, Lyell, Eilleen, Richard, Margaret, Helen, David & Katherine - Sophie & Louie Mathes, Mary Kennedy Pierce - Demetrios B. Nolas - Demetrios, Hrisavgi, Vasilies, Sultama, Demosthenes, Stergios, Jerry, Rogers, Leonard, David, Maureen, Mary, Stergios, David, Leonard, Merle, & Oscar - Charles O Loughlin and Mary O Loughlin - Joyce Sneider & William Perrigan, Sr. Holy Mother of God Church School Graduation Grow in Grace and Knowledge of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ 2 Peter 3:19 Sunday, May 21st Presentation of Certificates to students of all grades Please join us after Liturgy and the presentation of certificates in the Hellenic Center For hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream and fellowship

8 Holy Mother of God Greek Orthodox Church 1645 Phillips Road Tallahassee, Florida Return Service Requested Holy Mother of God Greek Orthodox Church 1645 Phillips Road Tallahassee, FL Office: Hall: Fr. Rob s Cell: Holy Ascension Celebrated May 25th Website: Addresses: Father Rob: fr.robert@comcast.net Church Secretary: hmog@comcast.net Secretary Hours: Mon./Wed./Fri. 9am-2pm