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1 SAINT KATHERINE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH 5965 N. Wickham Road, Melbourne, Florida Church Phone: (321) fax (321) Church hall: (321) website: FATHER DEMETRI TSIGAS cell phone: Orthros: 8:45 AM Divine Liturgy: 10:00 AM Fellowship Hour: Noon Father s office hours: Tues, Wed & Thurs. Noon - 3 pm Church office hours: Mon. through Fri. 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. / Sat. closed & Sun. closed during Liturgy ~ VISION & MISSION STATEMENT ~ Our Vision (dream) is to be a growing, loving, united Orthodox Christian family open to all. Our Mission (job) is to grow our faith in Christ through love and respect, with humility and forgiveness. Sunday, SEPTEMBER 20, th Morning Gospel - Grave Mode SUNDAY AFTER THE ELEVATION OF THE HOLY CROSS Great Martyr Eustathios, his wife Theopisti & their sons, Agapios & Theopistos Hypatios the Bishop & Andrew the Presbyter, Confessors Martin Pope of Rome, Maximos & those with them Martyrs Artemidoros and Thales Meletios, Bishop of Cyprus John the Egyptian, the great Confessor New Martyr Hilarion the Cretan (1804) ~ Welcome to Our Guests ~ We are delighted that you are with us today. Please keep in mind that according to the Holy Canons and teachings of the Orthodox Church, you must be a baptized and chrismated member of the Orthodox faith in good standing in order to receive Holy Communion. You are welcome to receive a portion of the blessed bread (antidoron) distributed at the end of the Divine Liturgy. Please join us for coffee hour following services.

2 Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom Τοῦ Σταυρού - Ἦχος A - p. 180 Σῶσον, Κύριε, τὸν λαόν σου, καὶ εὐλόγησον τὴν κληρονομίαν σου, νίκας τοῖς βασιλεῦσι κατὰ βαρβάρων δωρούμενος, καὶ τὸ σὸν φυλάττων διὰ τοῦ Σταυροῦ σου πολίτευμα. Ἀπολυτίκιον Ἀναστάσιμον Ήχος Βαρύς - σ Κατέλυσας τῷ Σταυρῷ σου τὸν θάνατον ἠνέῳξας τῷ Λῃστῇ τὸν Παράδεισον τῶν Μυροφόρων τὸν θρῆνον μετέβαλες καὶ τοῖς σοῖς Ἀποστόλοις κηρύττειν ἐπέταξας ὅτι ἀνέστης Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, παρέχων τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος. Resurrectional Apolytikion - Grave Mode - p By Your cross, O Lord, You destroyed death; to the thief You opened paradise. The myrrhbearers sorrow You transformed into joy, and You sent Your apostles forth to proclaim that You had risen from the dead, Christ our God, bestowing on all the world Your great mercy. For the Cross 1st Mode - p. 181 Save, O Lord, save Your people, and bless Your inheritance, give victory to those who battle evil and protect us all by Your Holy Cross. Ἀπολυτίκιον τής Άγίας Αικατερίνης - Ήχος Πλ. Α Τήν πανεύφημον νύμφην Χριστού υμνήσωμεν * Αικατερίναν τήν θείαν καί πολιούχον Σινά * τήν βοήθειαν ημών καί αντίληψιν ότι εφίμωσε λαμπρώς * τούς κομψούς τών ασεβών * τού Πνεύματος τή δυνάμει καί ως Μάρτυς Κυρίου στεφθείσα * αιτείται πάσι τό μέγα έλεος. Apolytikion of St. Katherine - Plagal 1st Mode The all-blessed bride of Christ let us extol in song * Katerina the divine and protector of Sinai * our assistance and unfailing firm support; * for she did muzzle brilliantly * the ungodly clever men by the power of the Spirit. And now as a crowned Martyr * the great mercy she pleads for all of us. Κοντάκιον - Ήχος Δ - σ Ὁ ὑψωθεὶς ἐν τῷ Σταυρῷ ἑκουσίως, τῇ ἐπωνύμῳ σου καινῇ πολιτείᾳ, τοὺς οἰκτιρμούς σου δώρησαι, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός εὔφρανον ἐν 2

3 τῇ δυνάμει σου τοὺς πιστοὺς βασιλεῖς ἡμῶν, νίκας χορηγῶν αὐτοῖς κατὰ τῶν πολεμίων. Τὴν συμμαχίαν ἔχοιεν τὴν σήν, ὅπλον εἰρήνης, ἀήττητον τρόπαιον. Kontakion - 4th Mode - p Bestow Your mercies on the people called by Your name, Christ God, who freely let Yourself be raised on the cross. To all who battle evil give joy in Your pow r, by gracing them with vict ry over every foe, for having You as their ally they possess a weapon of peace, an invincible trophy of vict ry. The Reading is from St. Paul s First Letter to the Galatians 2:16-20 BRETHREN, you know that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were found to be sinners, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. The Reading is from The Gospel of Mark 8:34-9:1 The Lord said: "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power." Please pray for our: Spiritual Leaders: Patriarch Bartholomew; Archbishop Demetrios; Metropolitan Alexios; & Fr. Demetri Civil Leaders: President Barack Obama, US Congress & Supreme Court; Governor Rick Scott; all our civil authorities and our armed forces. Parish Leadership: Parish Council & Philoptochos members, Chanters & Choir, 3

4 Sunday & Greek School teachers and students, our Youth Group leaders and children. Those who are sick, awaiting surgery, recovering from surgery, in need of prayers and/or shut in: Pauline Porch, Sophia Tenreiro, Alexandra Diamond, Peter Katsoulas, Mae Charos, Joyce Ninos, Theresa Sempepos, Peter & Dorothy Pappademetriou, Nicholas, Gus Drivas, Bill & Ellen Werner, Olga, Despina Kalimnios, Ashley, Elias Corpas, Nazieh & Yvonne Yacoub, Savannah & Zander Kelly, Vada Ganakos, Mirsini Sirounis, Katherine, Don, Penny, Princeton, Suzanne Orosz, Faye Nicholas, Gerry & Chris, Veton, Mark, Ayad Saad & family, JoAnne Macheras, John Cominos, Van Katehakis, Lisa Waddell, Michael Donohue, Angela DeCosta, Marlaine Manus, Ann Prieston, Anna, Kris Stamatis, Anastasia, Kyriaki, Renee, Olga Taran, George & Sue Kanazeh, Joseph, Jay & John Paul Figari, Matina, Gabriel & Markos Pongpipat, George, Mirek, James Burkhardt, Maria, Mary Katsenes, Lisa, Sylvia Demopoulos, Alexandra, Joyce Stavrakis, Taylor Pappas, Mike Niscia, Pam Hogan, Despina, Rosemary George, Connie Ortolani, Maria Brewster, Maria, Iakovos, Efstratia, Sarah Wells, Jan & Mary, James Petersen, Denis Frawley, David Buckles, James Pappas, Bill Kokotis, Lori, Debbi Walker, George Demopoulos, Ann Figari. For those expecting: For those with new babies: Spyros & Sarah Nomikos Those serving in the Military: Joseph Abadiotakis, Jr., Elias Panayiotis Maldonado, Nicholas Tsamoutales, Yanni Tshontikidis, Harold David Ballard, Samuel Joseph III, Nicholas Cannaverde, Travis Hunter, Ethan Macheras, Matthew Ryan Stinnett, James Christian Figari. For peace in the Middle East and the protection of Christians in Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Sudan & predominantly Muslim lands. For the protection and freedom of the kidnapped Metropolitan Boulos Yazigi and Archbishop Yohanna Ibrahim, both of Aleppo, Syria. Those preparing for Marriage: Sotiria Tutzarakis & Matthew Stinnett, Nicolas Melitas & Julie Noble, Alexis Zavitsanos & Kraig Tharp. College Students: Arianna Bendlin, Telly Galanopoulos, Tony Galanopoulos, Alyssa Giglio, Sade Jelani, Jamila Jelani, Alyssa Karas, Marianthi Karas, Peter Karas, Kimberley Koines, Dana Marie Koines, Jennifer Loso, Esther Muradov, Tommy Panouses, Ashley P. Buckles, Catherine Psarakis, Kathleen Rogers, George Saad, Noha Saliba, Catie Sergis, Costas Stathis, Alex Stathis, Mary Jane Tutzarakis, Elizabeth Gaherty, Brandon Arena, Melanie Niarhos, Ronnie Rickard, Jessica Saad, Andrew Loso. (If you know of anyone that should be added to this list, please call the Church office.) 4

5 ~ TODAY ~ ~ Memorial Service ~ William Werner, III - 2 yrs 2nd Tray Today is for Diakonia Center Bake Sale & Yard Sale Items will be available after services today ~ Upcoming Liturgies & Events ~ Wed., Sept. 23rd - Fall Book Study/Catechism Class 7 pm-8:30 pm see Pages 6 & 7 for more info. Fri., Sept. 25th - 6:30 PM - Hierarchical Great Vespers of St. John the Divine AT St. John the Divine, Jacksonville Sat., Sept. 26th - Here at our Church - Falling Asleep of St. John the Theologian - Orthros 9 am Divine Liturgy 10 am Sat., Sept. 26th - AT St. John the Divine, Jacksonville, Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, followed by a light breakfast - 9 AM Name Day Banquet at St. John the Divine, Call For ticket information. Sun., Sept Metropolitan Alexios and missionaries to Albania Dn. Stephanos & Alexandria Ritsi will be with us! Tues., Oct 6th - Thomas the Apostle - Orthros 9 am Divine Liturgy 10 am Thu., Oct. 8 - Bring Your Bible to School Day Fri., Oct. 23rd - James the Apostle - Orthros 9 am Divine Liturgy 10 am Mon., Oct. 26th - St. Demetrios - Orthros 9 am Divine Liturgy 10 am HOME HEALTH AID NEEDED: A parishioner is in need of someone to come to her home to provide assistance for about 10 hours a week. If you are interested, available or know someone who is, please call Diana Kontorakis at Please turn your cell phones & pagers off or on vibrate before entering Church 5

6 WELCOME TO THE ORTHODOX CHURCH: An Introduction to Eastern Christianity A Fall Book Study/Catechism Class This Fall, beginning on Wednesday, September 2nd, we will be offering a book study/catechism in our Community Center. We will be using the new book by (Matushka) Frederica Mathewes- Greene entitled, WELCOME TO THE ORTHODOX CHURCH: An Introduction to Eastern Christianity. You can buy the book from our bookstore for $20. (The ebook is available for less than $8 from Christianbook.com) Our study will begin at 7 PM and end at 8:30 PM. We will be meeting in our Community Center (and going into church when appropriate). Here s what others are saying about the book: This excellent book is most valuable because it is more like a friend than a book. It's the voice you hope to hear beside you in church, murmuring explanations and encouragement as you make your journey. I highly recommend it. -Rev. Dr. Christopher Metropulos, Executive Director, Orthodox Christian Network, MyOCN.net With exhilarating clarity, Frederica Mathewes-Green introduces the profound mystery at the heart of the Orthodox Christian faith, which is also our common inheritance: it is a way of life to be encountered and performed; it is not reducible to a range of propositions to be considered. With great charm and with characteristic wit and humor, she prepares the way for those who arrive at an Orthodox church for services, letting them know what to expect, what to watch for, how to lean in letting them know how best to open their hearts to this worship that is both ancient and ever new. Scott Cairns This book is entertaining, enlightening and appropriate for all ages. If you are interested in attending, call friends and family members first, then call the Church Office to let us know how many people plan to attend. BYO Lenten treats. 6

7 Date Assigned Reading September 2 September 9 September 16 September 23 September 30 October 7 October 14 October 21 October 28 November 4 November 11 November 18 Ch. 1 & 2 Enter His Gates & The House of God Ch. 3 & 4 So Great a Cloud & Upon this Rock Ch. 5 & 6 A Sacrifice of Praise & Partakers of Divine Nature Ch. 7 & 8 Christ and Him Crucified & Image of the Invisible Ch. 9 & 10 Your Body is a Temple & Into the Sanctuary Ch. 11 & 12 Reconciling the World & Not Counting Trespasses Ch. 13 & 14 The Lord is King & Lord Have Mercy Ch. 15 & 16 Awake Sleeper & Time for the Lord to Act Ch. 17 & 18 Choose this Day & Where 2 or 3 are Gathered Ch. 19 & 20 When you Fast & Each Person is Tempted Ch. 21 & 22 Make Disciples Baptizing Them & Great Mystery Ch. 23 & 24 Built His House Upon a Rock & Fallen Asleep 7

8 SUNDAY SCHOOL REPORT FOR AUGUST 30 ~ Vision Statement ~ To be a community of engaged and educated young Orthodox Christians. ~ Mission Statement ~ To encourage and foster spiritual growth of young people in our Orthodox Faith. Preschool Coop Catherine Couluris We started our lesson practicing how to make the sign of the cross. The children each received their own 7 Days of Creation book to take home. We talked about how God created the heavens and earth, the plants and animals, man and woman in His own image and how on the seventh day, God rested. The children received flower buckets to color and take home to grow plants. The also had fun creating an Adam and Eve scene with stickers. We ended our lesson with all the children making the sign of the cross. Attendance: 7 Kindergarten & First Grade Donna Thomson In Sunday school class we discussed Gods love for us and how he wants us to teach others how to come to know and love God. Our grandparents taught our parents to love God and obey His law ( The Ten Commandments ). Our parents teach us the same thing today. And one day they realized they will have the responsibility of teaching their own children about God, His love, and living The Ten Commandments. The children also talked about how they were special and what made them special. One child didn't think there was anything too special about them self - until we started talking about sharing, caring, helping others in need, being a good friend, even being a good listener... All of a sudden that child realized that they were actually very special! That little spark ignited and we found ourselves deep in conversation of all the things that made us special. We ended the day with Simon Says. I see I will have to change into sweat pants and tennis shoes for that game from now on, as "Simon" kept us very active today! Attendance: 9 2nd & 3rd Grade Jonna Myatt This time we discussed how during chrismation we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. So...What does that mean? Who is He? How do we know He is real? We cannot see Him or touch Him. I love doing object lessons with the kids. This time to demonstrate the Holy Spirit working like the wind, we used a blow dryer! We could not see the air, but we knew the air was blowing, because our hair was flying around! The same is true of the Holy Spirit. We know He is real and working within us, because He will build into our lives love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23) We also made pinwheels and made them spin with our blow dryer:) Kids laughed a lot and worked together so nicely. Attendance: 7 8

9 4th & 5th Grade Daphne Courey & Anastasia Theodorou Another blessed Sunday with the children. Our lesson today was, Children are a Gift from God. The children acknowledged how they are all a gift from God to their parents and family. They shared how they felt when new brothers and sisters were born into their families and how they felt when the new babies were born. We read about the birth and life of John the Baptist and discussed how the babies name was chosen and why John was called, the Baptist. We discussed how all children are a gift from God no matter how they come into the family and that every child is loved because they are a special gift from God. The kids also colored the icon pages for, The Elevation of the Holy Cross, and discussed how Emperor Constantine and Empress Heleni discovered the Holy Cross of Christ, how they knew it was Jesus cross and how they new where to search. They each received a piece of fresh Basil to smell and taste. The students were engaged and enjoyed our classes today. Attendance: 11 6th to 8th Grade - Presvytera Eleni & Connie Sakellaropoulos This week our students took the lead and became teachers for the class. First Emanuel Paterakis taught a lesson on The Meaning of the Lord s Prayer. Under his direction, students worked in groups to create worksheets to help one another both define and interpret the Lord s Prayer. Then Jonathan Tsigas led the class in a discussion and review of Church Etiquette. The class truly enjoyed the peer-to-peer format and learned from both our student teachers and one another in the process! At our next class, our third student teacher will be Savannah Kelley who will lead Our Spiritual Heritage which will also be an introduction to the Sacraments Attendance: 10 Orthodox Life/High School: Costas Triantafyllidis, Warren Baker & William Orosz We continued our study of the History of Orthodox Christianity by covering the impact of Alexander the Great s campaigns and dissemination of Greek culture prior to the spread of Christianity. Alexander created an empire from Macedonia to Greece, Asia Minor, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq), Persia (modern day Iran) and as far as India. Alexander with his campaigns brought the Hellenistic culture, the Greek language, mathematics, architecture, science, government, etc. God s message of salvation and the emergence of Christianity came in the world soon after the cultures of the world were united to share a common written language and a common way of thinking. We also covered apostle Paul s missionary journeys and the spread of the Gospel in the known world and be understood by all the people. Attendance: 12 Students & 1 guest 9

10 Protocol 172/15 September 20, 2015 Commemoration of the Asia Minor Catastrophe To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils of the Greek Orthodox Communities, the Distinguished Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Day, Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in America Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, We are confronted on a daily basis with the tragedy of conflict in our world, the struggles and suffering of refugees, and the violence and death associated with terrorism and genocide. We see and hear reports of the tremendous challenges faced by people who are being expelled from their homes and countries, who are seeking basic provisions and security, and who are in need of hope and comfort. As Greek Orthodox Christians, we are very aware of these challenges, and we are called in the love of God to respond to these great needs. We also offer our prayers and support in our remembrance of the great tragedies that have befallen our forbearers. This month marks the anniversary of two periods of intense persecution, suffering, and loss of life and property by Greeks in Asia Minor. This month is the sixtieth anniversary of the riots in Constantinople in 1955 which resulted in the damage, destruction, and looting of thousands of Greek businesses and homes and scores of churches, monasteries and schools. People were killed or injured, cemeteries were desecrated, and crosses were vandalized. Almost every Greek Orthodox Church property was targeted, including the Patriarchal cemetery and Balukli, where sepulchers and vaults were violated. This orchestrated act of violence and terrorism caused great injury to the Greek people in Constantinople and surrounding areas, and resulted in tens of thousands of Greeks leaving Turkey. 10

11 The Greek refugees from the pogrom of 1955 were among the millions who died or left Turkey during the first half of the twentieth century, many being forcefully expelled during the Asia Minor Catastrophe of In September of that year the Greeks of Smyrna were brutally attacked, and their homes, businesses, and churches burned. Thousands fled, with many perishing due to limited means of escape. Just as we are seeing today many refugees and victims of conflict, so then ancestral lands were stolen, homes and livelihoods were destroyed, and security, freedom, and well-being were lost. In remembrance of the victims of these great tragedies, I ask the parishes of our Holy Archdiocese to conduct memorial services on Sunday, September 20. Let us also remember in solemnity the struggles and sufferings of millions of Greek refugees, recognizing the impact these events have had on Greece, Cyprus, and communities around the world. I also ask that you offer prayers for the millions of refugees who are experiencing great loss and threats today. Our forbearers found strength and hope through their faith and in their resiliency in the face of death. As we have known suffering within our communities and our heritage, we can share in their suffering; and as we have found comfort and hope in Christ, we can share comfort and hope with those who have lost so much. With paternal love in Him, DEMETRIOS Archbishop of America FROM THE CHANCELLOR S DESK Today, I kindly ask you to consider this parable about hidden needs. A nurse asked the doctor treating a patient, Should I replace the bandage on his ankle? It looks well enough to be removed now. The physician replied, Yes, give him a new bandage. He doesn t really need it there, but I want him to come back, so I can check up on something else about him. Without the bandage he won t return. Many times patients are brought to the doctor by members of their family for some hidden reason because the patient will not come for the true reason. This is done to avoid unnecessary rebellion or anxiety. It is important that the trouble be ascertained and the cure administered. 11

12 People sometimes come into our midst for some selfish reason, but whatever brings them to us can lead to a good result. When they meet us at church, many ask the question, Why did this happen to me? Defeats sometimes set the stage for victory. Those who suffer great sorrow may become equipped to give understanding, love and help to others. The alcoholic may be more willing to receive assistance from one who suffered the same failing. My brothers and sisters in Christ, thousands of good deeds are performed daily in patterns that circumvent the barriers of human pride. Each of us may ask, What hidden blessings has God in store today? Challenging difficulties can cause us to build character and faith or give us opportunity to serve others in Christ's spirit. This is the message the Apostle James was teaching when he offered, My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4) Amen! Faithfully yours, +Fr. George Tsahakis Chancellor S PIRITUAL VITAMINS Years ago, when I was a police office, I was doing police work in a small,north Georgia town where I was also going to college to get my undergraduate degree. One afternoon I was sent to a local business in this small town to take a report on a robbery. Seems like someone just walked in, picked up the cash register, and walked out. Seemed straightforward enough. So I took the report and left and continued my shift. Well, about 30 minutes after I took the report, the chief of police called me to meet him at the station. He needed to speak to me. When I got to the station, he asked if I had any problems taking the report, and I said no, everything went fine. He could tell I was confused so he explained. The business owner was a lifelong resident of this small, rural, town and he had called the chief, whom he knew personally, to complain about me. Apparently I wasn t a hometown boy and this man didn t feel comfortable speaking to someone who was a stranger to the hometown! I was an outsider to him! Of course I understood immediately. As a lifelong Southerner, I know how we viewed folks who weren t from around here. And I have had to explain to not a few friends from up North that when they were asked Excuse me darlin but I don t believe I know your daddy. Who are your people? the person with the sincere smile on her face and the heavy Southern accent wasn t being po- 12

13 lite. She was letting everyone else around know that you weren t to be trusted. You were a stranger! Seems like every culture has that same suspicion. Look at Mark 7:24-30: At that time, Jesus went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house, and would not have any one know it; yet he could not be hid. But immediately a woman, whose little daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, Let the children first be fed, for it is not right to take the children s bread and throw it to the dogs. But she answered him, Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children s crumbs. And he said to her, For this saying you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter. And she went home, and found the child lying in bed, and the demon gone. The Lord came to His world at a time when the culture of the people was clearly defined as to who was in and who was out. And the lady the Lord dealt with in this passage was certainly out. She was a Gentile and a woman, so, according to the culture of Jesus day she was not to be touched, not to be spoken to, or even acknowledged. She was, in Greek, xeni a stranger. So why did the Lord speak to her this way? It seems both rude and cruel, especially in light of her natural mother s love for her little girl. But, as usual, there is a reason. You see, we humans make excuses for our cultural ways. So, Jesus gives us an object lesson in the ugliness of treating someone, anyone, as an outsider unworthy of our attention and help. And this precious lady gives us a powerful lesson in humility and love. She cared nothing for her own ego. Her only concern was for her child. Christ sees this precious woman s heart and heals her little girl! Today, is the ugliness of prejudice lurking in your excuses about your life, your parish, or your community? Is the darkness of us vs. them clouding your heart and blinding you to the truth that we are all created in God s image to be in His likeness? Perhaps it s time to be like the xeni and dismiss our egos and fear and embrace whosoever will be a part of our life in Christ. That s what it means to be Orthodox on Purpose. P.S. With the growth of so many who are unchurched in America, we have to wonder why they are opting out of church worship. Perhaps they haven t found what they were looking for. There may be people like this right around your parish. Would it be helpful to you if you had a teaching tool to introduce them to the Orthodox Faith? Help me build this tool by going to JourneytoFullness.com! Fr. Barnabas is the parish priest at Sts. Raphael, Nicholas, and Irene Greek Orthodox Church in Cumming, Georgia. He is also the host of Faith on Ancient Faith Radio and author of the Faith podcast. To recieve Fr. Barnabas's devotional s daily, subscribe through: 13

14 JOURNEY of MARRIAGE Workshops Journey of Marriage (Pre-Marital Seminar) IMPORTANT: All couples marrying in the Metropolis must attend a Metropolis-sponsored Journey of Marriage seminar prior to their wedding. The couple will present their certificate of completion to their parish priest after the seminar. September 19 - Atlanta, GA September 20 - New Orleans, LA September 26 - Naples, FL October 3 - Charlotte, NC October 17 - Daytona, FL October 31- Tarpon Springs, FL November 14 - Charleston, SC To see the full list of seminars through 2016, and to register, please visit: ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN NETWORK You can support our ministry with only 10 cents a day! 100 percent of your donation goes to ministry, not to overhead. For the cost of a cup of coffee each month, you can help OCN comfort, inspire, and inform people around the world. Click to find out how. LINK: CRTL: Does Salvation Come from Faith, Works, or Grace? Do you want to be in heaven? Why wait? Fr. Theodore Stylianopoulos, Professor of New Testament (emeritus) at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and Fr. Chris speak about salvation and how we can experience heaven here on earth. Is it by faith or by works? Listen to this enlightening conversation on what salvation is when grace is added to the equation. LINK: myocn.net/does-salvation-come-from-faith-works-or-grace/ Learn About St. Matthew - PISTEVO - the Art of Belief Series Inspired by the documentary, PISTEVO, OCN is featuring iconography and the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Please join us in raising awareness of iconography as a window into heaven and finding and fostering one s faith. Click above to learn about the icon of St. Matthew! LINK: 14

15 Join Us Live Every Wednesday! Are you looking for a Bible study about the ancient Christian Church, but can t find a location in your city? NOW you can join in with Father Athanasios C Haros, just as if you were in the room, to "The Church of the Holy Apostles: A Bible Study on the Book of Acts." The Orthodox Christian Network is proud to present this LIVE STREAM Bible Study on the Book of Acts, from Florence, SC. Join every Wednesday at 7 p.m. EST! LINK: The Meaning of Basil at the Elevation of the Holy Cross Today is the day we celebrate the Elevation of the Holy Cross. Every year, the faithful bring basil to the church, or are given basil at the service on this holy day. Do you know why? Blogger Joanne Cain shares the story of this feast, and the basil, and shares memories of growing basil. LINK: Support OCN When You Shop! Shop on Amazon, buy anything you need, and support OCN at no additional cost to you! Click above to enter Amazon through our portal, and Amazon will donate a portion of the proceeds to OCN each time you make a purchase. Thank you for your support! LINK: 15

16 Hosting Fellowship Hour This is a wonderful opportunity to extend our Christian hospitality with one another and any guests or visitors who attend our services. Duties: Set up the two coffee pots in hall Provide a simple snack, Clean up If any parishioners, families, group of families, koumbari or friends would like to host a fellowship hour following Sunday Liturgy please contact : Church office Or - admin@saint-katherine.org Available dates: Sept. 27, Oct 4, 11 & 25 During fasting periods, store bought cookies w/o egg or dairy products are: Nabisco Classics (oatmeal raisin, cinnamon swirls) Nabisco Social Tea Biscuits, Oreos. P HILOPTOCHOS STEWARDSHIP M EMBERSHIP DUES If you have not paid your dues yet, please see either Betty Kitsopoulos, Tresa Roman or Despina Echevarria to pay your dues. They are $30. per person. $15 goes to National & $7 goes to Metropolis. Men can be Associate members. Check our website for updated Liturgies & Events 16

17 Syrian Refugees Flee War to Face Water Crisis September 4, 2015 Baltimore, MD (IOCC) International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) is working to protect the health and well-being of more than 4,300 of vulnerable Syrian refugees with improved access to safe water at two informal settlements in Lebanon. At El Rahmeh, a northern Lebanon settlement of 350 Syrian refugee families, IOCC drilled water wells and installed pumps, storage tanks, and pipelines to channel clean water to communal kitchens, showers and latrines constructed by IOCC. The newly installed sewer line serves the sanitation needs of both the camp and the neighboring community of 1,500 Lebanese residents. In Lebanon's Bekaa valley, around 450 Syrian families living at the Bar Elias refugee settlement also have access to safe water from communal water storage tanks as well as a newly constructed sanitation system that carries waste away from their homes to large capacity septic tanks. Each day, thousands of Syrian refugees living in Lebanon's informal settlements face a growing risk of getting sick each time they take a drink of water. Contracting an illness from poor quality water sources increases sharply during hot summer months when the heat creates an ideal breeding ground for waterborne diseases. The threat is especially deadly to children, who make up half of the 1.2 million refugees living in Lebanon. "Lebanon is stretched to its limits with the addition of more than one million Syrian refugees now living here," stated Ruba Khoury, IOCC Country Representative for Lebanon. "In the absence of official camps, refugees have settled in more than 1,000 host communities throughout the country. The increase in refugee numbers has overburdened national water and wastewater systems. Without access to safe water or sewage systems, the refugees are continuously confronted with diseases related to poor hygiene. IOCC's efforts to bring safe water and sanitation to the refugees in these two settlements has improved their quality of life, and eased some of the burden on the country's infrastructure." Muhal, a 28-year-old refugee from the Syrian city of Qusayr, stands under a scorching summer sun as she fills several plastic water buckets from a cluster of large storage tanks. She doesn't mind the heat as long as she has access to clean water close to her tent. "It has improved our condition a great deal," said the former nurse. "Before we got the tanks, we had to walk several miles to collect water, and it wasn't even safe to drink." "We desperately needed water," added Abdu, 33, a Syrian refugee from Homs and father of four children ages 18 months to 12 years. "Now water is still precious to us, but we know it is safe." A team of IOCC hygiene educators regularly monitor the water supply to make sure it is safe, and provide hygiene promotion sessions where refugee mothers and children learn how to prevent disease by keeping their surroundings clean and properly washing their hands, food, and laundry. The new water and sanitation system installation, implemented with support from ACT Alliance partner, Norwegian Church Aid, is part of a larger ongoing effort by IOCC to improve living conditions for Syria's refugee families. Since 2012, IOCC has provided humanitarian relief to 3.1 million Syrian people displaced in their own country or living as refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Armenia, Greece, and Serbia. Go to to learn more or donate to Syrian Refugee Relief. 17

18 Philoptochos will be collecting items again for Baby Kits to send to IOCC. Please see the list below and if you can donate please bring them to Church on Sundays. There will be a box in the Community center for you to place them. DIAPERS HAVE ALREADY BEEN DONATED. Two T-shirts or undershirts (no onesies)** needed Two washcloths Two gowns or sleepers*** needed most Two diaper pins OUR GOAL IS TO SEND AT LEAST 40 BABY KITS One sweater or sweatshirt (Can be hand knitted or crocheted)** needed Two receiving blankets (one can be a hand knitted or crocheted baby blanket) Items must be new and under 12 months in size. You can now share our website with your family and friends and have them buy their cookbooks directly from our website. We are now set up with PayPal for cookbook purchases and eventually stewardship and donations! If anyone is planning to do a memorial service and need to have Koliva made, please call Jim Manus at and he will make the arrangements. 18

19 Approaching to Receive Holy Communion & Antidoron The distribution of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ is perhaps the holiest moment in the Divine Liturgy. For Holy Communion and Antidoron, we should approach in an orderly, pious and respectful manner. Ushers will guide the congregation to approach row by row from front to back. Please follow the direction of the ushers. We encourage Sunday School children, teachers and their families to sit in the first few rows at the front left of the nave so that they can see what is happening in the service and get to Sunday School quickly. Priest Office Hours Fr. Demetri has designated Noon - 3 PM, Tuesday through Thursday as his office hours. If you want to meet with him (during office hours or any other time), please call his cell phone ( ) to make an appointment. Note that Father is often needed elsewhere even during these designated times. Call and schedule an appointment so that you are not disappointed. MISS AMERICA 2015 IS A GREEK ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN! On Sunday, September 13, the twenty-one year old Miss Georgia, Vasiliki Betty Cantrell took up the crown and title of Miss America 2016 in the competition s 95th anniversary held at Atlantic City s Boardwalk Hall. Cantrell, who impressed the judges with her vocal performance, is involved in numerous artistic and charitable activities, several among them involving her Greek Orthodox faith. Cantrell s name Vasiliki fittingly means royalty and was given to her in honor of her Greek grandmother. Also of German descent, she celebrates her Greek heritage as part of a Greek dance troupe. More importantly, she is an avid music student and performer and among her many activities is Byzantine chanting in both Greek and English at her Holy Cross Greek Orthodox parish in Macon, GA. The new Miss America also puts her faith into action, having held several leadership positions, including her work as facilitator and distributor of canned goods to local food banks on behalf of her Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church where she also teaches Sunday School. 19

20 STEWARDSHIP PRAYER In the name of Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen. Lord Jesus Christ our God, accept our offerings as You have accepted the gifts of Your people throughout the ages. We offer these gifts to Your glory, for the support of the ministries of Your Holy Church, for the alleviation of suffering and hunger, and for the proclamation of Your Gospel to the whole world. Grant us Your blessing, Lord our Savior, that we may always be faithful stewards, continuing to share the gifts you have given us, by the power of Your grace, mercy and love. May Your name be glorified forever. Amen STEWARDSHIP 144 Stewards Pledging $137,285. Paid to date $92, Friends of St. Katherine have paid $15,592. [For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:34 THE JESUS PRAYER Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, Υἱέ Θεοῦ, ἐλέησόν με τὸν ἁμαρτωλόν. (τὴν ἁμαρτωλόν if prayed by a female) Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.