Sts. Peter & Paul Boulder

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1 Sts. Peter & Paul Boulder Weekly Bulletin Week of March 25, 2018 Wednesday, March 28 Presanctified Liturgy 6 pm Lenten Dinner 7:30 pm Saturday, March 31 The Annunciation of the Theotokos Service Schedule & Parish Activities Feast of Lazarus Orthros Divine Liturgy Pancake Breakfast 8 am 9 am 10:30am Saturday, March 31 Great Vespers 5 pm Contact Info Sts. Peter & Paul Greek Orthodox Church 5640 Jay Rd. Boulder, CO Office: Rev. Fr. Jordan Brown frjordanbrown@gmail.com Recurring Services Orthros 8:30 am Divine Liturgy 9:30 am Great Vespers 5 pm Confession by appt. Welcome to Our Parish! Ushers Myrrhbearers Choir Epistle Reader Hosts & Volunteers Matt Melonakis Alexandra, Elizabeth, Sophie, Cassie Demetra, Georgia Georgia The mission of Sts. Peter & Paul is to be a beacon of Orthodox Christian spirituality in the greater Boulder area. We strive together to live our Orthodox Christian Faith by having a devoted prayer life, through fasting and almsgiving, and through regular participation in the services and sacraments of the Holy Orthodox Church. Have an Announcement? Please contact Aaron Wall: awall609@yahoo.com; (720) Deadline is every Wed. before Divine Liturgy.

2 Homily on the Annunciation By St. Luke, Archbishop of Crimea The Annunciation of the Theotokos, which we celebrate today with joy and love, along with awe before the majesty of this event, called the "capital" of our salvation. Nine months after the Annunciation the second of the important events took place, the Birth according to the flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ. The pinnacle and completion of our salvation was the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ after His horrible death on the Cross. Not just once but many times have holy angels been manifested. Six months before the Annunciation of the All Holy Virgin Mary the Archangel Gabriel was sent to the priest Zechariah, who was serving in the Temple, to announce that from him would be born the greatest among men, the Forerunner of the Lord, John. And today this same Archangel brings the joyful message to the Most Holy and Immaculate Virgin Mary, who lived in a humble and poor home of the carpenter Joseph. The dialogue of the Panagia is so holy and majestic that I dare not describe it in my own words, but I must repeat the words of the Gospel. When the Archangel entered the room, he said: "Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women." She was terrified by these words, and she considered such a greeting troubling, and the angel went on to say: "Do not be afraid, Mariam, for you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end." How will this be, Mariam asked the angel, since I am a virgin? The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For with God nothing is impossible. I am the Lord s servant, Mariam answered. May your word to me be fulfilled. Then the angel left her. (Lk. 1:26-38). In previous years I have told you many things about this most unique dialogue in the history of the world. But now I will stand on the words of the Archangel: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God." No one ever, since the creation of the world and even until its end, has been born nor will be born in a way that is similar to that of the God-man Jesus Christ. No one has ever been born without a man. No one was ever born or will be born by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has never dwelt in anyone with such comprehensive thoroughness as He did with His indwelling of the All Holy Virgin Mary. The power of the Highest has never encompassed anyone, and the maternal bowels of no woman has ever been sanctified with such completeness and power, as the bowels of the Most Holy Virgin Mary. Hold deep within your heart what I tell you about the complete unity of the Spirit of God and the human essence of Mary. The soul and spirit of man have their beginning in the Spirit of God. The second chapter of the Old Testament, records how God created the first man, Adam, "from the dust of the earth and breathed into his face the breath of life" (Gen. 2:7). Only the spirit of man can commune with the Spirit of God, since it comes from Him, just as in nature there is real communication between related things. The possibility of true communion with God was taught by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who said: "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them" (Jn 14:23). Even the Apostle Paul with some surprise asks the Christians of Corinth: "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (1 Cor. 3:16). From the lives of the saints we know what authentic communion with God is, which the saints of God had in their lives. We know that they were dwelling-places of the Spirit of God. Yet even this deep communion with God cannot be compared to that blessed state, which even exceeds the state of angels and archangels, in which the Most Holy Virgin Mary was found after the coming of the Holy Spirit. This the unfortunate heretic Nestorius was unable, or better, he did not want to understand, since he claimed that the Most Holy Theotokos gave birth to a common man Jesus Christ, who was later united with God, which is why the Most Holy Virgin Mary he named Christotokos and not Theotokos.

3 Homily on the Annunciation By St. Luke, Archbishop of Crimea If, even minimally, Nestorius was correct, then our Lord Jesus Christ would not have been the Son of God and the God-man, but merely one of the many great saints, who are called true temples and dwelling-places of the Father and the Son for their endless love of God and the perfect application in their lives of the commandments of Christ. As you can see, Nestorius was rightly anathematized by the Third Ecumenical Synod. At this point I can complete my encomiastic words in honor of this great feast of the Annunciation of the Theotokos. But I do not want to overlook those words of the Archangel Gabriel, which enter within every pure heart: "Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you." All of you, who are united in soul with me, tell me, is there a higher and purer joy than this, that gives a feeling that the Lord is with us! That He loves us, and because we keep His commandments, He will come with His Unoriginate Father to dwell with us! May our Lord and God Jesus Christ make us worthy of this highest happiness and joy, through the intercessions of the Most Holy and Immaculate Virgin Mary. Amen. Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos. The Courageous Reply of the Monks of Mega Spelaion In 1827 (In Honor of Greek Independence Day) By Metropolitan Amvrosios of Kalavryta In the year 1827, the nation of Greece was in the throes of a revolution which could only have two outcomes: freedom or the death of all in an eternal and unique example of self-sacrifice. When the blood-thirsty Imbrahim Pasha of Egypt had again conquered Peloponnesos, leaving only ashes and ruins, he turned his attention to the treasures of the Great Cave [Mega Spelaion], the only part of Peloponnesos not subjugated. He marched against the Monastery, a natural fortress, which was guarded by five hundred armed revolutionaries and one hundred young monks. Imbrahim Pasha sent a letter on June 21, 1827; asking the Abbot to surrender. On June 22, the Abbot and monks of Mega Spelaion responded with the following letter: Most sublime leader of the Ottoman forces, Hail. We have received your letter and have read it. We know that you are in the plain of Kalavryta for many days and have all the means to wage war. It is impossible for us to submit, because we have vowed on our Faith to become free or to die fighting, and as long as we exist we cannot break this sacred vow to our fatherland. However, we advise you to go wage war somewhere else. If you come here to war against us and you conquer us, the evil thing is not great, for you have only defeated clergy. But if you should be defeated by us, which is our sure hope in our impregnable position with the help of God, it will be to your shame, and the Hellenes will take heart and hound you everywhere. Such is our advice, and you, as a wise man, do what is to your advantage. We have letters as well from the parliament and the Marshal Theodore Kolokotronis stating that if needed they will send us much aid, soldiers and supplies, and that either we will be freed quickly or die according to our sacred vow for the fatherland. Damascene, Abbot and the other priests and monks with me. Divine power, however, animated and encouraged the six hundred defenders of the Monastery against the more than ten thousand well-armed foe. After an epic battle on June 24, 1827, the enemy troops retreated, while the unharmed defenders with all those who had sought refuge there chanted hymns and praises to the saving Champion Leader, the Mother of God, who humbled the foe and raised the trophy of victory.

4 Events & Announcements Welcome Fr. Thomas Lynch! We welcome to our parish Father Thomas Lynch. Father Thomas serves the St John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church located in Pueblo, Colorado. Feast of the Annunciation Today, we celebrate the Great Feast of the Annunciation. The Feast of the Annunciation falls on the same day of Greek Independence. On March 25th, the Archangel Gabriel announced the Good News, Evangelismos, to the Virgin Mary that she would give birth to God. The Panayia responded with humility, Here is your servant. Let it be to me according to your word. In the person of the Virgin Mary, the Lord found the willing virgin to cooperate with His Divine Plan. The Greek people suffered under the Ottoman Turks for 400 years. The Great Feast of the Annunciation gave encouragement and hope to the suffering Greeks. Please join us on Sunday, March 25th. There will be a special luncheon and program in celebration of the Annunciation and Greek Independence. Philoptochos Cookie Baskets - Order Deadline Today!!! Please be sure to order your Philoptochos cookie baskets today! Baskets include a variety of Mediterranean specialty pastries. Minimum Donation of $20.00 per basket. Order forms are located in the Narthex. Church Cleaning We need your help! We are looking for a few parishioners to help clean the church after Sunday services and during the week. One hour can make a huge difference. If you are able to help, please see Presbytera Kedrann. Holy Week Flowers Donations for the Holy Week Flowers can be made in the special basket in the Narthex (next to the icon of Sts Peter Paul). Thank you Pre-sanctified Liturgy and Lenten Dinner Fellowship Wed. March 28, 6 pm Please join us for our final Evening Pre-sanctified Liturgy followed by a Lenten Dinner Fellowship. Hosted by the Parish Council Pascha Eggs Needed We will be preparing the red Pascha eggs for the Anastasi - Resurrection Service on Holy Thursday, April 5th, immediately following the 8 am Divine Liturgy. Sts Peter Paul will need about 200 eggs. There is a sign up for eggs in the parish hall. If you are able, please bring your donated eggs (raw) to church on the weekend of Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday (March 31, April 1), and place them in the refrigerator. Pamela Torrance will be coordinating the dying of eggs on Holy Thursday. Lazarus Saturday Community Event - March 31, 2018 Divine Liturgy 9 am / 10:30 am Pancake Breakfast Join your Sts. Peter Paul family for this fun-filled event! Learn how to fold the palm crosses for Palm Sunday. Help decorate the church for Holy Week and Pascha. Please contact Bruce Geerdes, Sunday School Director with any questions. Bible Study Resumes Wednesday, April Pan-Orthodox Front Range Women s Retreat Journeying towards the Kingdom: a retreat for women, by women The Metropolis of Denver 2018 Women s Retreat will be held at Holy Apostles Orthodox Christian Church in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The event will take place from Friday, April 20, 2018, until Sunday, April 22, Women over the age of 18 years are invited to attend. The retreat is supported by the Holy Apostles Ladies Philoptochos of Cheyenne. Spread the word and register today! Lodging information and pertinent details are available on the registration page: womens-retreat Philoptochos Bookstore Need a Holy Week/Pascha Service book, red egg dye, Pascha greeting card, icon, or gift for someone special? Many items in stock and special orders are always an option. Stop by the Bookstore today or Sharon Dzilvelis at sharon_dzilvelis@yahoo.com

5 Events & Announcements 2018 PASCHA COOKIE BASKET FUNDRAISER Sponsored by and benefits the many philanthropic projects of the Philoptochos Society of Sts. Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church Cookie Basket includes a variety of Mediterranean specialty pastries Minimum Donation of $20.00 per basket Please order on or before Sunday, March 25, 2018 Please pick up your basket(s) on Saturday, March 31, 2018 from 11AM to 12:00PM Mail (or return on Sunday) the order form below along with your check made payable to Philoptochos: Pascha Cookie Basket Fundraiser Philoptochos Society Sts. Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church 5640 Jay Road Boulder, CO Pascha Cookie Basket Fundraiser Order Form Name: Address: City/State/Zip: Telephone: Address: # of Cookie $20.00 each = $ Total Paid: Check # or Cash $