Church News. Volume 19 Issue 1 January ll right, just breathe.

Transcription

1 H o l y T r i n i t y G r e e k O r t h o d o x C h u r c h Volume 19 Issue 1 January 2019 Church News ll right, just breathe. The Holidays are over. Everyone can relax and stay warm. We hope everyone in the community had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Winter is fully upon us. Let s keep warm and keep praying that we will have a priest and community that will grow. We had a successful General Assembly. The minutes will be published in a future edition of Light of Life. Our thanks go out to Rosemary Goranites for the beautiful seasonal floral arrangements she has been contributing decorations which grace the tables at our Church hall. Not to be outdone, Peter Goranites has contributed a beautiful wall painting which hangs in the ladies room. Viewing for males can be arranged by appointment. continued on pg. 3 Church News... 1 St. Basil... 5 New Year s Resolutions... 6 St. Anthony... 8 Table of Contents Stewardship Memorials Hierarchs Calendar Remember you can see Bulletin on line at holytrinity.me.goarch.org under Resources, then Current Newletter

2 Council Members President John Kroger...(207) Vice President Treasurer Michael Pelletier...(207) Assistant Treasurer Secretary Stella Gammaitoni...(207) John Carson...(207) Jack Clifford...(207) John Kesaris...(207) Tom Goodwin...(207) Peter Goranites...(207) Dina Medouris...(207) Jaye Mendros-Goulet...(207) Roger Park...(207) Jim Simones...(207) Committees Food for fellowhip time after church January If you wish to host a memorial or sponsor food for after church fellowship please sign up. Bulletin of the Parish of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church January Hogan Road P. O. Box 1344 Lewiston, Maine Phone & Fax (207) Building & Addition: John Stass, Mike Pelletier Cemetery: Michael Pelletier Education: Chris Sirois Festival: Ray Goulet Finance & Endowment: Dorothy Moskovis, Mike Pelletier. Hellenic Heritage: Georgia Chomas Interior: John Rozos Maintenance: Jim Simones, Harry Simones, Stella Gammaitoni Parish Historical Society: John Kesaris Spiritual Enrichment: Ann Robinson Stewardship: Ann Robinson Librarian: Tom Goodwin Ladies Society: Melissa Landry Choir Directors: John Rozos, Chris Gianopoulos Sunday School Director: Stella Gammaitoni Readers: George Simones, David LeGloahec, John Rozos, Jaye Goulet Acolyte Guides: Roger Park, John Zimbis Book Store Manger: George Simones Visitation Committee: Margery Mars ( ) & Christine Sirois ( ) Other Members: Ann Pelletier, Dotty Moskovis, George Simones, Rosemary Goranites, Deserée Tanquay, and John Rozos. Photographers: David Le Gloahec Writers: David LeGloahec Margery Mars Dotty Brenda Starr Moskovis Light of Life is the monthly publication of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Lewiston, Maine under the Metropolis of Boston of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. It is intended for the communication and edification of the community of and its friends. Publication created using: Adobe InDesign CS-5, Adobe Photoshop C.S.5, Art Explosion 750,000, Macromedia Freehand 9.0, IconGraphics Byzantine ClipArt on an Apple imac. fonts used: Palatino, Papyrus & Optima. See us on the web at holytrinity.me.goarch.org

3 Church News continued from pg.1 We give thanks to God, for all good things that come from Him. We give thanks for the great recuperations of Christos Gianopoulos after recent heart surgery. Also give thanks for Jimmy Simones following a double knee replacement. It proves, You can t keep good men down! January 2019 In the news in late December two of our parishioners were recognized in the Sun Journal newspaper: Above:Roger Park moderates the GA in December. Below: The Kroger twins dance in the Nutcracker John Karahalios was mentioned in an article about his niece who was a winner of $20, on the TV game show «Millionaire». Othniel Kroger was pictured in the paper s Mystery Photo Contest as a performer in «A Nutcracker Christmas» at the Gendron Franco Center by The Dance Center earlier in the month. Take a look at the pictures from that performance. continued on pg. 3 Got Church News? Send your text, your pictures, your inspirations, whatever it is, send it to: HTrinnews@gwi.net 3

4 Church News continued from pg.3 On December 30 Mike Pelletier was recognized for his retirement both from his professional engineering career of 40+ years and 30+ years (off and on) on the Parish Council. John Rozos spoke and invited Mike to cut the first piece of a decorated cake baked in his honor. Looking forward to a trip to Ireland in March is Christine Sirois. She ll be there in time to celebrate an authentic St. Patrick s Day. 4

5 ur holy father among the Saints, St Basil, flourished during the reign of Emperor Valens in 364. He spoke out for the orthodox faith in front of him and judged him because he had accepted the erroneous beliefs of Arianism and was maltreating and fighting savagely and ferociously the churches of the orthodox. St. Basil s father was from the Black Sea and his mother from Cappadocia (from a place called Karamania). In speech and learning he surpassed not only the learned men of his time but also the ancient philosophers since, having studied all kinds of knowledge, he defeated and conquered them in all. Moreover, he practiced philosophy and through it he rose to the theory of beings (i.e. in his understanding of things) wherefrom he ascended the throne of prelacy. January 2019 St Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesaria January 1 When he became bishop he gave many battles for the orthodox faith and with the firmness and courage of his conviction he amazed prefect Modestus. With the orthodox sermons that he wrote he refuted the convictions of the heretics and arranged the order of morals. He taught the ascetic philosophy, he made plain the theory of beings and to cut a long story short he departed to the Lord, after he had guided the logical flock of Christ to salvation through every virtue. St. Basil the Great was tall in appearance, spare and fleshless. His face was dark-skinned in colour, although it was blended with paleness as well. He had a long nose, round eyebrows and the skin over his eyebrows was furrowed. He looked like a man in meditation and watching over himself. His face was wrinkled with a few furrows. He had long cheeks and his temples were hirsute with hairs that were turned round. He seemed to have his hair somewhat cut. He had quite a long beard with mixed hairs, i.e. black together with white ones. 5

6 Of New Year s Resolutions some wrote: What can be said in New Year rhymes, That s not been said a thousand times? The new years come, the old years go, We know we dream, we dream we know. We rise up laughing with the light, We lie down weeping with the night. We hug the world until it stings, We curse it then and sigh for wings. We live, we love, we woo, we wed, We wreathe our brides, we sheet our dead. For last year s words belong to last year s language and next year s words await another voice. T.S. Eliot Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account. Oscar Wilde An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves. Bill Vaughan We laugh, we weep, we hope, we fear, And that s the burden of the year. Ella Wheeler Wilcox, The Year (1910) Old year you must not die; You came to us so readily, You lived with us so steadily, Old year you shall not die. Alfred, Lord Tennyson, The Death of the Old Year (1842) 6

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9 January 2019 aint Anthony was born in the year 251 AD in Egypt of very pious parents. His education was limited, however he attended church with his parents and intensely observed the services, wanting to enrich his spiritual growth. St Anthony the Great January 17 His parents died when he was 18 years old. He lived with his sister and took care of family affairs. One day when he attended the liturgy, he heard the words that Jesus had said to a wealthy young man, If wilt be perfect, go sell all that thou hast and give it to the poor and come follow me... He was so impressed by these words that he decided to do as Christ had told the young man. He sold off his plots of farmland, gave the money to the poor and entrusted his sister to a Christian home for virgins for at this time there were no monasteries. Those who wanted to meditate would build cells a short distance from the city and live there. This is what Anthony did. In the area lived an old hermit. Anthony followed his example by praying, meditating and fasting in order to overcome the many temptations that are common to young men. He drilled himself by remaining awake days at a time, eating once a day, sometimes once every two days and sleeping on the ground. The philosophy behind his actions was that young men should torture their bodies as much as possible so that their resistance to physical and spiritual sickness would be higher. The years passed. To further his spiritual struggle, at the age of 35 he departed for the desert where he found a derelict fortress in cont d on pg. 10 9

10 St. Anthony from pg.9 which he barricaded himself. Completely isolated, but for a good Christian who bought him food every six months or so, he pursued with greater severity his ascetic way of life, constantly battling Satan s temptations. As the years passed many men came to him, expressing the desire to follow his example by living the life of a hermit and undergoing spiritual struggles. He taught his brothers to prefer their love for Christ over everything else. Even though Saint Anthony lacked education, his words were full 10 of faith and divine wisdom. His reputation and ascetic figure added a heavenly charm to his teachings. In time this became the first monastery, established in 305 AD. It is for this reason that Saint Anthony is generally known as the Father of Monasticism. From this one brotherhood many more sprouted throughout the known world. Rules were soon established which were to be followed by all hermit monks. During the time of the persecutions under Emperor cont d on pg. 11

11 January 2019 St. Anthony from pg.10 Maximianos, Anthony and several other monks traveled to Alexandria to encourage and comfort the many suffering Christians. In 325 AD, Anthony Dollars $12, $12, $11, $11, $10, $10, $9, $9, $8, $8, $7, $7, $6, $6, Stewardship 2018 Weekly Income Bar Graph Graph of Weekly Income as of December 30 Running Average throughout the year was at or slightly above our budget On 12/30/18 took in $ needed $ Christmas Offerings and his monks helped defeat $5, $5, $4, Holy Week Ladies Soceity the Arian heretics at the First $4, $3, $3, $2, Ecumenical Council in Nicaea. $2, $1, $1, $ Many miracles are attributed to this religious father. His fame reached even Constantinople. Constantine the Great and one of his sons would write letters to Saint Anthony asking for his blessing and advice. Saint Anthony died in 356 AD at the age of 105. He instructed two of his monks to bury him secretly. This they did, and his resting place is still unknown. 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% $- 12/22/17 01/22/18 02/22/18 03/22/18 04/22/18 05/22/18 06/22/18 07/22/18 08/22/18 09/22/18 10/22/18 11/22/18 12/22/18 Sunday - date of income Weekly Amount received Weekly Financial Requirements - with Part Mme Priest Running Average of Weekly Income Yearly Budget 52weeks x $ = $96, Stewardship 2018 Budgeted $96,512 Stewardship Collected as of December 30, 2018 $102, Percent to Goal Collected 106.7% ($ in the black) Dec 30 by Christina Dedoussis from Voice in the Wilderness newsletter of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia; Parish of St George, South Brisbane 20% 10% 0% For the last 12 months The collection met the weekly budget 19/50 times As shown by the graph above. 11

12 M E M O R I A L S Theodore & Elizabeth Kleros Ervin & Virginia Pelletier May their memories be eternal May their memories be eternal Mary Samson James & Mary Goranites May her memory be eternal May their memories be eternal John Margarones Lewis Kesaris May his memory be eternal May his memory be eternal Anthe James May her memory be eternal Steve & Loretta Karvelas May their memories be eternal 12 Georgia Taxiarchis May her memory be eternal Nicholas & Evridice Merkouris May their memories be eternal

13 January 2019 M E M O R I A L S Spero & Jennie Vlacheas May their memories be eternal Mary Vlacheas May her memory be eternal Michel Prouchinsky May his memory be eternal Sophia Amfilio May her memory be eternal John & Viola Margarones May their memories be eternal Chirstopher & Ethel Markos May their memories be eternal Aliki Karagiannes May her memory be eternal Peter & Thelxy Nichols May their memories be eternal Bessie Hildreth May her memory be eternal Spiro & Antigone Bournakel May their memories be eternal Amfilo... 12/2019 S. & A Bournakel... 12/2019 Goranites...Perpetual Hildreth...Perpetual James...Perpetual Memorials If you wish to have a memorial in the bulletin, please see D. LeGloahec or to:htrinnews@gwi.net. Listed below is the name and the last bulletin. Karagiannes... 12/2018 Karvelas... 6/2019 Kesaris...Perpetual Kleros...Perpetual Margarones...Perpetual Merkouis... Perpetual Pelletier... Perpetual Samson... Perpetual Taxiarchis... Perpetual Vlacheas (2)...6/

14 his common feast of these three teachers was instituted a little before the year 1100, during the reign of the Emperor Alexis I Comnenus, because of a dispute and strife that arose among the notable and virtuous men of that time. Some of them preferred Basil, while others preferred Gregory, and yet others preferred John Chrysostom, quarreling among themselves over which of the three was the greatest. Furthermore, each party, in order to distinguish itself from the others, assumed the name of its preferred Saint; hence, they called themselves Basilians, Gregorians, or Johannites. Desiring to bring an end to the contention, the three Saints appeared together to the saintly John Mavropous, a monk who had been ordained Bishop of Euchaita, a city of Asia Minor, they revealed to him that the glory they have at the throne of God is equal, and told him to compose a common service for the three of them, which he did with great skill and beauty. Saint John of Euchaita (celebrated Oct. 5) is also the composer of the Canon to the Guardian Angel, the Protector of a Man s Life. In his old age, he retired from his episcopal see and again took up the monastic life in a monastery in Constantinople. He reposed during the reign of the aforementioned Emperor Alexis Comnenus ( ). Synaxis of The Three Hierarchs: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, & John Chrysostom January 30 14

15 January January 2019 Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Theophany of our Lord Orthros 9:00 AM Liturgy 10:00 AM General Assembly 13 Sunday after the Ephiphany Orthros 9:00 AM Liturgy 10:00 AM Men s Breakfast 6:30 AM th Sunday of Luke Orthros 9:00 AM Liturgy 10:00 AM 27 Parish Council 6:30 PM th Sunday of Luke Orthros 9:00 AM Liturgy 10:00 AM Memorials Cost in the Bulletin 2 Months...$ Year...$ Perpetual (No Expiration)..$ If you need Koliva (wheat) for a memorial, please contact the Ladies Society who will prepare it. There is no cost. 15

16 From: P.O. Box Hogan Road Lewiston, ME To: 16