SUNDAY OF ST. JOHN CLIMACUS MARCH 30TH 2014

Transcription

1 SUNDAY OF ST. JOHN CLIMACUS MARCH 30TH 2014 Sts. Raphael, Nicholas and Irene Greek Orthodox Church Rev. Fr. Barnabas Powell, Proistamenos Jimmy Smith, Psaltis 3074 Bethelview Road Cumming GA (770) cell (770) We are an intentional Orthodox Christian Community for North Georgia!

2 WORSHIP Seventh Eothinon/Tone Grave We are so very glad you have joined us today, and we pray you will be inspired and encouraged by your time with us. The Orthodox worship service is an ancient and timeless expression of how people have loved, served and worshipped God for many centuries, but it may be a bit of a different experience for you. Please feel free to use a service book or not and simply allow the words of the service to wash over you. The central act of our worship culminates in people receiving communion. This is a very special time for us all and we have some specific beliefs about our communion together. This is why we never impose this service on those who are not prepared or are not baptized Orthodox. This service may raise questions in your mind. Please feel free to ask Fr. Barnabas or Fr. Paul anything you wish after the service. At the end of the service EVERYONE is invited to come forward and receive a portion of the blessed bread from Fr. Barnabas. No one should leave church hungry! Know you are welcome and we are glad you are here. May God bless you and your family. Apolytikion in honor of Sts. Raphael, Nicholas & Irene Having contended on Lesvos for the sake of Christ God, you have sanctified the island since the discovery of your sacred relics, O blessed ones; wherefore we honor you, O Godbearing Raphael, together with Nicholas and virgin Irene, as our divine protectors and intercessors with the Lord. Schedule for the Week Tuesday, April 1st - 10 a.m. Small Agiasmo (Blessing of the Water) Wednesday, April 2nd - 10 a.m. Scripture Study 6:30 p.m. Presanctified Liturgy A light Lenten supper will be available following the Presanctified Liturgy prepared by Mary Milam & Maria. Please plan to stay. Friday, April 4th - 7 p.m. Salutations to the Theotokos-Akathist Hymn Saturday, April 5th - 5 p.m. Great Vespers Parish Council On Duty Today - Costa Bozzuto & David Chapman Ushering Ministry - PC/Parishioners Welcoming Ministry - Tina Maheras Fellowship Ministry - Evon Patrick ACOLYTES Jacob Atkins, Zachery Bethune, Mike & Peter Jordanopolos, Thomas Miller, Evan & Mitchell Roussey, Mike Trainor, Alex & Niko Tzevelekos and Christos Zourzoukis SENIOR ACOLYTES Mike Manos, Dean Pryles

3 TODAY WE REMEMBER Sunday of St. John Climacus Reading: The memory of this Saint is celebrated on March 30, where his biography may be found. He is celebrated today because his book, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, is a sure guide to the ascetic life, written by a great man of prayer experienced in all forms of the monastic polity; it teaches the seeker after salvation how to lay a sound foundation for his struggles, how to detect and war against each of the passions, how to avoid the snares laid by the demons, and how to rise from the rudimental virtues to the heights of Godlike love and humility. It is held in such high esteem that it is universally read in its entirety in monasteries during the Great Fast. Apolytikion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone: With the rivers of your tears, you have made the barren desert fertile. Through sighs of sorrow from deep within you, your labors have borne fruit a hundred-fold. By your miracles you have become a light, shining upon the world. O John, our Holy Father, pray to Christ our God, to save our souls. Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone: Truly the Lord has set you in the sky of abstinence, as a fixed star giving light to the ends of the world, O John, our teacher and Father. We Also Remember John Climacus the Righteous, author of The Divine Ladder of Ascent Sosthenes Apollos, Cephas, Caesar, & Epaphroditos, the Apostles of the 70 Zacharias the New Martyr Please pray for those faithful who are currently in need of our most fervent intercessions: Andrew, Angie, Bill, Bill, Brent, Carrie, Demetra, Diane, Dina, Donna, Ela, Elaine, Elizabeth, Christina, George, Gus, Heidi, Igli, James, Jamie, Jerry, Joe, Maria, Michael, Nicky, Oni, Patsy, Paul, Peter, Taki, Tara, Violeta, John & Sheila Consos, Katherine & Sam Yalanzon Father Barnabas is available to hear confession every Wednesday either before or after Vespers and by appointment. Please call or the church office to request a time to meet with Father and avail yourself to this healing divine mystery of the Church. Father Paul is available on Sunday during Orthros to hear confession, but no later than 9:20 a.m. Please phone the church office to make an appointment. Please call the Church office for more information (770)

4 EPISTLE Reading The Reading is from St. Paul s Letter to the Hebrews 6:13-20 Prokeimenon. Grave Mode. Psalm 28.11,1 The Lord will give strength to his people. Verse: Bring to the Lord, O sons of God, bring to the Lord honor and glory. BRETHREN, when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore to himself, saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Men indeed swear by a greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he interposed with an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God should prove false, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. ΑΩ Ἀδελφοί, τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἐπαγγειλάμενος ὁ θεός, ἐπεὶ κατʼ οὐδενὸς εἶχεν μείζονος ὀμόσαι, ὤμοσεν καθʼ ἑαυτοῦ, λέγων, Ἦ μὴν εὐλογῶν εὐλογήσω σε, καὶ πληθύνων πληθυνῶ σε. Καὶ οὕτως μακροθυμήσας ἐπέτυχεν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας. Ἄνθρωποι μὲν γὰρ κατὰ τοῦ μείζονος ὀμνύουσιν, καὶ πάσης αὐτοῖς ἀντιλογίας πέρας εἰς βεβαίωσιν ὁ ὅρκος. Ἐν ᾧ περισσότερον βουλόμενος ὁ θεὸς ἐπιδεῖξαι τοῖς κληρονόμοις τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τὸ ἀμετάθετον τῆς βουλῆς αὐτοῦ, ἐμεσίτευσεν ὅρκῳ, ἵνα διὰ δύο πραγμάτων ἀμεταθέτων, ἐν οἷς ἀδύνατον ψεύσασθαι θεόν, ἰσχυρὰν παράκλησιν ἔχωμεν οἱ καταφυγόντες κρατῆσαι τῆς προκειμένης ἐλπίδος ἣν ὡς ἄγκυραν ἔχομεν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀσφαλῆ τε καὶ βεβαίαν, καὶ εἰσερχομένην εἰς τὸ ἐσώτερον τοῦ καταπετάσματος ὅπου πρόδρομος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν εἰσῆλθεν Ἰησοῦς, κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδὲκ ἀρχιερεὺς γενόμενος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.

5 GOSPEL READING The Reading is from Mark 9:17-31 At that time, a man came to Jesus kneeling and saying: "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit; and wherever it seizes him it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able." And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me." And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, "How long has he had this?" And he said, "From childhood. And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us." And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again." And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, "He is dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting." They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would not have any one know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise." ΑΩ

6 UPCOMING SERVICES/EVENTS TODAY, March 30th Tuesday, April 1st 8:45 a.m. Orthros 10 a.m. Divine Liturgy 10 a.m. Small Agiasmo 11 a.m. Philoptochos Baking Wednesday, April 2nd 10 a.m. Scripture Study 6:30 p.m. Presanctified Liturgy with Divine Unction A light Lenten community supper will be available following the Presanctified Liturgy. Thursday, April 3rd Friday, April 4th Saturday, April 5th Sunday, April 6th Monday, April 7th 6:30 p.m. Philoptochos Board Meeting 10 a.m. Philoptochos Baking 7 p.m. Salutations to the Theotokos Akathist Hymn 5 p.m. Great Vespers 8:45 a.m. Orthros 10 a.m. Divine Liturgy 7 p.m. Compline Service Wednesday, April 9th 10 a.m. Scripture Study 6:30 p.m. Presanctified Liturgy A light Lenten community supper will be available following the Presanctified Liturgy. Thursday, April 10th Friday, April 11th 10 a.m. Philoptochos Baking 10 a.m. Philoptochos Baking - Orders ready for pick up. Saturday, April 12th - Saturday of Lazarus 8:00 Orthros 9:30 Divine Liturgy Followed by Pancake Breakfast & Palm folding. 5 p.m. Great Vespers Sunday, April 13th - Palm Sunday 8:30 a.m. Orthros 10 a.m. Divine Liturgy Palm Sunday Fish Luncheon SAVE THE DATE: Sunday, April 13th, Palm Sunday Fish Luncheon; Sunday, April 20th, Easter Egg Hunt following the Agape Service; Tuesday, April 22nd, Sts. RNI Name Day Celebration.

7 HOLY WEEK THROUGH NAME DAY SERVICES Palm Sunday, April 13th Orthros/Divine Liturgy 8:30 am Palm Sunday Luncheon Matins of the Bridegroom #1 7:00 pm Holy Monday, April 14th Presanctified Liturgy 8:00 am Matins of the Bridegroom #2 7:00 pm Holy Tuesday, April 15th Presanctified Liturgy 8:00 am Matins of the Bridegroom #3 7:00 pm Holy Wednesday, April 16th Presanctified Liturgy 8:00 am Holy Unction 3:00 pm Matins of the Bridegroom #4 7:00 pm (Holy Unction will be offered at the End of Matins) Holy Thursday, April 17th Holy & Great Friday, April 18th Divine Liturgy of St. Basil Service of the Twelve Gospels & Procession of the Holy Cross Reading of the Royal Hours Service of the Descent from the Cross Service of the Lamentations & Procession of Epitaphion 8:00 am 7:00 pm 9:00 am 3:00 pm 7:00 pm Holy & Great Saturday, April 19th-20th Divine Liturgy of St. Basil 9:00 am Matins of the Resurrection 11:00 pm Resurrection Service/ Midnight Resurrection Divine Liturgy followed by distribution of red Easter eggs Great & Holy Easter, April 20th Vespers of the Feast of Love (Agape) 11:00 am followed by Egg Hunt & Parish Potluck Bright Tuesday, April 22nd- Sts. Raphael, Nicholas & Irene Feast Day Orthros 8:00 am Divine Liturgy 9:30 am Great Vespers 5:00 pm Lamb Dinner Celebration follows

8 COMMUNITY FUND RAISING PALM SUNDAY FISH DINNER April 13th following the Divine Liturgy Baked Fish, Greek Potatoes or Rice, Sauteed Vegetables, Salad, Beverage & Dessert Adults: $10 - Children Under 12: $3 See a Parish Council Member for Tickets OWN A PIECE OF THE PARISH LIFE CENTER The Parish Council fundraiser to complete renovations is underway. For $75/square foot, you could own a piece of our NEW Parish Life Center. Buy one or more for yourself, your children, your Godchildren, Yiayia or Papou. See a Parish Council Member for more information. KROGER COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM Kroger is now offering a Community Rewards Program in our area to help bring funds to organizations simply by their membership registering their Kroger Plus card online and then shopping. Each time you use your Kroger Plus card a donation is made to our Church and the Church will receive a reward check on a quarterly basis. Register your Kroger Plus Card online at Krogercommunityrewards.com Be sure to have your Kroger Plus card handy and register your card with: Eastern Orthodox Community of Northern GA, Inc as your organization of choice. That s all there is to it! The more you shop at Kroger using your Kroger Plus Card the more donations Kroger will make to our Church account. Sts. RNI is officially registered as a 501(C)(3) under the name of Eastern Orthodox Community of Northern GA, Inc.

9 CHILDREN & YOUTH EDUCATION Church School September 8th THROUGH May 18, 2014 A focus on Sacraments and Feasts; Scripture and Bible Stories; Saints and Orthodox Spirituality in communion with our teachers and our children. Church School has Begun! Registration forms are in the Narthex. Pre-K through High School Students need to sign up. SAVE THE DATE - Vacation Church School June 9 through June 13, 9 a.m. to Noon for children ages 5 (must be 5 by June 9th) through 5th grade If you would like to volunteer to help or have any questions, please contact Stamatia Hagen at mamma2maria@gmail.com GREEK SCHOOL Contact Smara Wolff for information on Greek School - smara.wolff@gmail.com or Spring Semester Classes have begun. 1st Grade Classes held on: Monday - 6:p.m. 2nd Grade Class held on: Monday - 6:45-7:45 p.m. Spring Semester Classes will began January 23rd, 2014 and run through May Registration forms are in the Narthex.

10 PHILOPTOCHOS Philoptochos is the philanthropic arm of the church, reaching out to those in need of assistance locally, within the Metropolis and nationally Membership Drive has begun. It is time to renew your membership or join Philoptochos for the first time. Membership Forms are available in the Narthex. PASCHA BAKE SALE Orders for 9x12 trays of baklava, galatoboureko, pastichio, spanakopita and tiropita for $25/tray are being taken by Philoptochos. Also available are kourimbiedas and koulourakia at $6/dozen and tsoureki at $10/loaf. Please see Helen McCart or Marie Chapman to place an order. Baking Schedule at the Blue House 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 1st 10 a.m. Friday, April 4th 10 a.m. Thursday, April 10th 10 a.m. Friday, April 11th Come and help if you are available. Orders will be available for pick up beginning on Friday, April 11th. May 3rd Yard Sale The Ladies Philoptochos, in conjunction with the Parish Council, will be holding a Yard Sale on Saturday, May 3rd, on the church property. Please collect any gently used or new items that you wish to donate to the church to sell and bring them to the church the week of April 28th. We will also have a food concession and a pastry sale. Volunteers will be needed to help with set up, sales and clean up. Please save the date and join in this church-wide fundraiser.

11 ANNOUNCEMENTS WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY - Wednesday Bible Study has resumed. We meet each Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the Library. We are currently studying Hebrews. Please bring your Bibles and a note pad. Prosforo Baking - Prosforo Baking will be on Tuesday, April 29th, beginning at 9 a.m. in the Blue House. All who would like to come and help are welcome. Contact Stamatia Hagen at mamma2maria@gmail.com PROJECT COMFORT - If you enjoy crocheting or knitting (or would like to learn), please contact Emily Christie at singcookwrite@gmail.com or Emily has started a ministry to make baby blankets & shawls for newborns & sick or shut-ins or for someone who just may need some comfort & a warm hug. Project Comfort meets the first Monday of each month at 10 a.m. at Emily s home Mistybrooke Court, Alpharetta FELLOWSHIP MINISTRY Our Fellowship Hour Donation Campaign has begun. A suggested donation of $25/family helps cover the cost of the weekly Fellowship Hour. Checks should be made payable to Sts. RNI G.O. Church with Fellowship on the memo line. We hope you have enjoyed the refreshments provided over the past year and will continue to support the Fellowship Committee s efforts to serve you each Sunday. Thank you for your support of this Ministry.

12 ANNOUNCEMENTS Sts. RNI Bookstore News Your purchases through Amazon helps us raise money! We have a new e-store on Amazon for the Sts. RNI Bookstore. This is an Amazon webstore that we put items into categories like books, cds, jewelry, food, etc. and we get paid 10% on all sales through our store. If someone from the church wants to buy something on Amazon, they need to click through our link for us to get credit. Also, if anyone wants a book, cd, etc., not on our list, they need to let us know & we can add it to the site. Use the link: For more information or to add items, contact Aftan Romanczak at aromanczak@hotmail.com Visitors Welcome Dina Sarandis resides at The Oaks on Post Road and welcomes visits from fellow parishioners. Dina says THANK YOU to those who have visited her and wants you to know that she has really enjoyed the company. She looks forward to more visitors. John & Sheila Consos are now residing in Dunwoody 4355 Georgetown Sq., Unit 442 and would enjoy phone calls (770/ ) &/or visits. Sam & Katherine Yalanzon Rivermont Parkway, Alpharetta (after 1 p.m.) If you know of someone who would like a visit, please contact Helen McCart at or the Church Office. If you don t see someone for a while, please pick up the phone & make a call and let them know that they are missed. If you don t have time for visiting, a phone call or card would also be appreciated.

13 ANNOUNCEMENTS EASTER EGG HUNT - Sunday, April 20th Bring your Easter basket for our annual Easter Egg Hunt after the Agape service on Easter Sunday, April 20th. Each participating child needs to bring 12 plastic eggs filled with a treat to the church on the day of the hunt. Please do not put chocolate in the eggs as it tends to melt. A box will be in the Narthex to put the eggs in before the service. If you would like to volunteer to help with the hunt, contact Marina Raymond at mcraymond1@gmail.com. LENTEN FOOD DRIVE Hunger knows no season. Our Loaves & Fishes food collection barrel in the Narthex is empty. Please bring canned goods and non-perishable food items to fill our food barrel that we may share our blessings with those less fortunate.

14 CHURCH AND ALTAR WISH LIST Holy Water Font Hot Water Dispenser Anointing Brush $700 for Communion - $350 $40 Two Altar Candle Elevation of the Four Portable Holders - $1,000/pair Holy Cross Tray Icon Stands $600 $550 each Sprin- kling Brush - $100 Altar One 5x7 - $300 Two 2x3 - $100 each Rugs Also needed, a donation of a used Windows 7 desktop computer, monitor, keyboard, mouse and MicroSoft Office license for the church office. If you would like to donate towards the purchase of any of these items, please contact John Patrick, Parish Council President.

15 4th Quarter Financial Status 2013 October 2013 November 2013 December st Quarter Financial Status 2014 Parish Monthly Income/Expense Analysis January 2014 February Greek Fest Xfer (External) $21, $0 $0 $0 $0 $10, Op Acct External Income Subtotal $33, $11, $34, $15, $16, $23, Op Acct & B&L (mortgage) Net $8, $(11,823.72) $10, $(6,257.70) $(5, $3, Op Acct & B&L (mortgage) External Income Op Acct & B&L (mortgage) External Expenses /28/2014 $11, $11, $34, $15, $16, $12, $25, $23, $24, $21, $21, $19,801.85

16 To date the 71 families below have returned Stewardship Commitment Cards for James & Angeline Andropoulos George & Maria Andros Sarante & Julie Athenson Anthony & Mary Birozes Renee Birozes Jordan & Lisa Boston David & Michelle Boyd Kosta & Carolyn Bozzuto Lenny Brown David & Marie Chapman Grace Chihlas Julie Chokos Giles & Emily Christie Connie Condos John & Sheila Consos Keith & Mary Druffner Gregory & Mariya Dunkel Quay & Trissie Farr Chris & Elizabeth Foxhall Robert & Jennifer Guano Harald & Stamatia Hagen Allison Hammond Mark & Jennie Johnson Eleni Jordan Panagiotis & Melanie Jordanopoulos Vasilis & Mary Kaloudis Aphrodite Levendakis-Kazazakis David & Lynne Lucher Archie & Florence Lytle Tina Maheras Wade & Andrea Mancil William & Margaret Manos Bill & Audrey Marianes Riley & Ann Marvos George Matthews Al & Helen McCart Johnny Melts Bill & Mary Milam Matthew & Athena Miller Nikolaos Moissiadis Patricia Morris Nicolas & Teddie Panos Constantinos & Evelyn Pantazopoulos Lazaros & Christina Papadopoulous Gregory Pappas Gus Pappas John & Evon Patrick Michele Perry Mihai & Heidi Popa Fr. Barnabas & Presvytera Connie Powell Pam Powers Vic & Suzi Pryles Marina Raymond Donna Sagnelli Mary Samaltanos Taka & Kathy Shoji Jimmy Smith Estelle Sofikitis Koko & Carol Tadros Steven & Thalia Thompson Ed & Anne Trainor Nick & Eva Thrasivoulou Brian & Jennifer Tubbs Greg Tzevelekos/Evie Atkinson Rusty & Christine Waldron Diane Walters Steven & Smara Wolff Plutarch & Tina Vamvakias Len Vanerstrom Jacob & Katherine Wilson Sam & Katherine Yalanzon 2014 Parish Council John Patrick, President; Harald Hagen, Vice President; Kosta Bozzuto, Secretary; Chris Foxhall, Treasurer David Chapman, Marie Chapman, Quay Farr, Bill Manos, Johnny Melts, Greg Pappas, Plutarch Vamvakias