Saints Peter & Paul Greek Orthodox Church July 2016

Transcription

1 Saints Peter & Paul Greek Orthodox Church July 2016

2 Saints Peter Paul Greek Orthodox Church 1401 Wagner Road Glenview, Il Phone: (847) Fax: (847) Rev. Father Panagiotis Boznos, Proistamenos Rev. Father Kosmas Kallis, Youth Director/Associate Pastor Fr. Andrew Kearns Dn. Ted Saclarides Sunday &Weekly Services Matins 8:15 am Divine Liturgy 9:30 am Church Office Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 8:30am-4:30pm Fri. 8:30am - 3:00pm Office Administrator: Jeannine McIntyre Office Assistant: Toula Garbis Bookkeeper: Diane Bravos 2016 PARISH COUNCIL Rev. Father Panagiotis Boznos, Proistamenos President: George Nassos Frank Andreou Vice President: Demete Papson Chris Atsaves Rec. Secretary: Keith Anderson George Kirie Corr. Secretary: Christy Gouletas Mary Ann Langas Treasurer: Jim Santos Nicholas Mechales Asst. Treasurer: Louis Pappamichiel Fritz Freidinger Asst. Treasurer: Voula Colburn Michael Carrozza George Burbules Nicole Olds Jim Gottreich Therese Speropoulos Agape Preschool: Renee Tzakis (847) Altar Boys: Deacon Ted Saclarides, Elias Papadakis Athletics: Chris Atsaves Book & Icon Store: Pat Nassos Choir Director: Therese Speropoulos Church School Coordinators: Cynthia Olson Angela Schmidt Louis Pappamichiel Coffee Connection Dr. Helen Theodoropoulos Randa Anderson Doreen DeSent John Colis Coffee Fellowship: Lucy Economos (847) Couples Group: Kristin Ryan PARISH MINISTRIES Divorce Rebuilders: Maria Boyle Dynamis Group: Gail Kachoyeanos Georgia Photopulos Cancer Support Group: Bud Photopulos and Phyllis Perivolidis Greek School: Stella Theoharopoulos (847) Morning Bible Study: Dr. Helen Theodoropoulos OCC: Elizabeth Samartzis Organist: Helen Mariano Outreach: Mary Ann Langas Philoptochos President: Georgia Ryerson PROSPHORA: Calliope Prekezes and Eleni Soukoulis Stewardship: Frank Andreau Ushering: Bo LaMotte and George Kirie Youth Ministries: Rev. Fr. Kosmas Kallis Please telephone the Church office (847) during daytime hours for all spiritual emergencies. For evening emergencies contact Fr. Panagiotis at (630) God bless you always!

3 What is the Church here for? What is the distinctive and unique function of the Church, that which the Church does, and which nobody and nothing else can do? Surely the least incomplete answer is to say: the Church is here to celebrate the Eucharist. The Church is a Eucharistic organism, which becomes truly itself when offering the Divine Liturgy. Metropolitan Kallistos of Diokleia begins his forward to a text on the history of the Divine Liturgy with the above words. But what does he mean by saying that his answer is the least incomplete, or that the Church becomes truly itself when offering the Divine Liturgy? We have to look to the words of our patron, St. Paul, who tells us that Christ is all and in all (Colossians 3.11). As such, Christ cannot be reduced to any one thing. Likewise, His Church has as her mission many aspects of ministry: philanthropy, education, fellowship, spiritual enrichment and growth, just to name a few. Reflecting back on Metropolitan Kallistos statement, we can then understand that while all of these are aspects of the life of the Church, the mission of the Church cannot be reduced to any one of these in and of itself. They are all present within the wider mission of the Church in the world. In this way, no single answer to the rhetorical question Metropolitan Kallistos posed will suffice. And yet if he were to provide a single answer the least incomplete answer would be that the Church s mission is to celebrate the Divine Liturgy. Might I be so bold as to argue semantics with a hierarch and brilliant theologian of the Church, but I would take away the qualifying words least incomplete. The mission of the Church is the Divine Liturgy, and all other aspects of ministry find their origin and fulfillment therein. Within the Divine Liturgy Christ becomes in all through receiving the Holy Eucharist. Each of us who partake of His Body and Blood bear him within our own lives and out into the world. Again as St. Paul says, It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me (Galatians 2.20). It is plain to see that through the Holy Eucharist, we personally realize what God has intended for humanity, that is union with Him. If unity with God is His intention for humanity, then the unity achieved through the Divine Liturgy makes humanity and the Church truly itself as God has intended. What then of the other aspects of the Church s ministry in the world? The celebration of the Divine Liturgy cannot be THE answer if it does not encompass all aspects of the Church s ministry. How then, do they relate to the Divine Liturgy? Take education as an example. The sermon is an act of worship within the Divine Liturgy. Its purpose is to expand upon and teach the eternal and temporal truths found within the scriptures. That is why the traditional place for the sermon is immediately following the scripture readings. Interestingly enough the New Testament scriptures themselves are bound to our celebration of the Divine Liturgy. If we followed a full liturgical cycle and celebrated the Divine Liturgy every day, we would read the entire New Testament, with the exception of the Book of Revelation (which is in itself one exhaustive allegory of the Divine Liturgy within the Kingdom of

4 Heaven). Further confirming the link between the Divine Liturgy and scripture is the fact that each book of the New Testament was written with the intention of being read out loud to the entire congregation during the Divine Liturgy. Therefore, the Divine Liturgy itself is a bible study. What about the ministry of promoting and fostering fellowship and community within the world? Look no further than the kiss of peace. We exchange the words Christ is in our midst He was, is, and will be unto the ages of ages as a liturgical act which bears witness to a community of love. The kiss of peace shows that we are one community but it is the Eucharist itself which makes us so. Immediately following the consecration of the Eucharist in the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil, we pray, And unite us all to one another who become partakers of the one Bread and the Cup in the communion of the one Holy Spirit. The purpose of receiving Holy Communion (one among many) is the union not only of each individual with God, but of all the individuals to each other. There is a real creation of community between the faithful. All fellowship ministries of the Church take their inspiration from this basic fact. Looking at the next prayer of St. Basil s Divine Liturgy we read, Remember, Lord, those who remember the poor preserve marriages in peace and harmony; nurture the infants; instruct the youth; strengthen the aged defend the widows; protect the orphans; liberate the captives; heal the sick Be all things to all, You who know each person, his requests, his household, and his need Do these not sound like the very many ministries of the Church? Each ministry finds the seed of its existence in the common prayer and worship of the Church. Not only that, but each ministry in its own way leads back to the common prayer and worship of the Church. Within Her worship the Church inspires the particular focus and purpose of each of Her resulting ministries. Through these ministries the recipients and beneficiaries of that ministry return to the common prayer and worship to offer their thanks (the word Eucharist meaning giving thanks). All of this goes to say that true participation in the ministries of the Church without true participation in Her worship is not possible. By the same token, participation in Her worship without transmitting Her prayers to action is equally flawed. Remember this when the cares of life seek to draw us away from our worship. We cannot be as Orthodox Christians if we are not in love with worship, if we do not embrace it, if we do not look to it for inspiration in our daily lives. Worship in the Church and worship in your home. Worship surrounded by your family and worship in private. Worship, because that is the distinctive and unique function of the Church. + Fr. Panagiotis

5 What is the position of the Church with respect to the rise of religious fundamentalism, the teachings of the Elder Ephraim and the monasteries he has established? G.K. Especially here in the Metropolis of Chicago there seems to be a polarization which mirrors in spirit the intensity of the polarization of our current political climate (though not analogous to the particular parties or their platforms). Many run to the extremes, either fervently supporting and advocating for the monasteries under the spiritual care of Elder Ephraim, or equally voicing their opposition to them. Yet the majority of the faithful are caught in the middle. A one-page Q&A section does not allow for the appropriate treatment of the intricacies of the conversation surrounding the monasteries established by Elder Ephraim, either the pro or the con sides. As such I will speak more generally about fundamentalist attitudes. This observed polarity, I believe, speaks to the questioners first concern, namely fundamentalism. The Orthodox Church is a Church of moderation. Fast to learn self-control, but do not harm yourself because you totally deprive yourself of food. Give alms to support the poor, but do not turn yourself into a beggar because of your philanthropy. Pray regularly, but do not neglect your family and other worldly responsibilities. Unfortunately, I see less and less moderation in these parties. Many who are opposed to the monasteries see nothing redeeming in them or their ministry in the world. How can it be that there is nothing redeeming in a place which celebrates the Holy Eucharist? This is an extreme, and even fundamental, opposition which on principle does not allow for moderation. On the other hand, many who advocate for the monasteries of Elder Ephraim, find little redeeming in parish life. Again I ask the same question, and follow it with the same statement. How can it be that there is nothing redeeming in a place which celebrates the Holy Eucharist? This is an extreme, and even fundamental, opposition which on principle does not allow for moderation. The truth of the matter is that a rightly inspired, Orthodox understanding of the relationship between monasteries and parishes is one of moderated appreciation. Complete denial of grace in the other is extreme and fundamental. It is not the specific beliefs, which an individual or group holds, that designate it as fundamental. Instead it is the attitude surrounding those beliefs. Here we must make a distinction between two terms: Dogma and Theolegoumena. Dogma being those teaching and beliefs of the Church which are absolutely necessary for salvation, while Theolegoumena are theological statements of personal religious opinion, rather than doctrinal statements. It is my belief that fundamentalism arises when Theolegoumena are treated as Dogma. The teachings of any one person, unless universally agreed upon by the Church and proclaimed as Dogma, do not bear the same weight. Again I will apply this equally to those in fundamental support of Elder Ephraim, and those in fundamental opposition. Unless speaking of the universally recognized Dogma of the Church, the teachings of Elder Ephraim are Theolegoumena which require contemplation and discernment in regards to their consistency with the entirety of Orthodox Theology. Criticisms of his teachings and by extension monasticism in general (it is not a stretch to say that many extend those same criticisms to all monasteries regardless of their affiliation with Elder Ephraim) are also the opinions of the critics alone, and stand no salvific weight without affirmation from the Church as a whole body. When either are accepted as Dogma, fundamentalism is born. As a supplement to this conversation, please read the article titled Healthy and Sick Monasticism by Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou, who himself lived many years of monasticism before being called by the Church to the episcopal office.

6 Parish Council News July 2016 Now that we are fully into the summer season, I hope you are making the most of it and enjoying it. At the Spring Parish Assembly Meeting, two delegates were elected to represent our church at the biennial Archdiocesan Clergy Laity Congress which is being held this year in Nashville, TN, July 3-8, In addition to Fr. Panagiotis and me, John Colis and Christy Gouletas will be at the meeting representing the interests of our stewards and learning more about the future of our church. The Archdiocesan Advisory Committee for Science and Technology has been asked to make a presentation at the Congress on what may be the most critical environmental issue today water. As a member of that committee, I will be one of four members of the committee to discuss this extremely relevant issue, focusing on the scientific perspective. Early last month, the Ministry Council held its first of quarterly meetings to make plans going forward. The objectives of the Ministry Council, which consists of representatives from each of the some 25 ministries at SS Peter & Paul, are communication, organization, and collaboration between the various ministries. This Ministry Council will be working closely with the Strategic Plan Implementation Committee which is moving rapidly to work on the most important goals recommended by our stewards through the opinion survey and confirmed by the ONCD survey. This committee will focus initially on 1) developing a more welcoming parish, 2) provide internal support, and 3) evangelization (education) both inside and outside the parish. I am pleased to report that a new ministry, called the Environmental Ministry, has been formed at SS Peter & Paul, and it had its initial meeting last month to plan an agenda. Members of this ministry include Frank Andreou, Judy Kintonis, Tatania Lehocky, Jimmy Samartzis, and John Vlahakis. The purpose of the ministry is to follow the vision of Patriarch Bartholomew and protect our environment for the future generations. The ministry will identify programs to make our church buildings more environmental as well as educating our members in this area for the benefit of the church, our homes and our community while imbedding the theological aspects of the environment. This is only one of about, now, 26 active ministries at SS Peter & Paul that you should consider joining. Everyone is welcome to participate in one or more ministries so we can grow as a community. Yours in Christ, George P. Nassos Parish Council President

7 SACRAMENTS +Wedding Sacrament Robert and Evangeline (Politis) Morse Sponsor: Emily Lovell GOD S LOVE AND JOY! +Funerals Our Condolences to the families of Athena Canalle, Tina Spiratos, and John Alukos. MAY THEIR MEMORY BE ETERNAL! +40 Day Churching of Mother and Infant Lycourgos, son of Nick and Maria Kanari GOD S BLESSINGS ALWAYS! PARISH NEWS FORMAL DINNER EVENT SS. Peter and Paul is hosting a formal dinner at the Fountain Blue in Des Plaines on November 6th, We are looking for a few individuals to be on the committee and help prepare the event. If you're interested, please contact either Dean Economos (deaneconomos@gmail.com; ) or Alyssa Machinis (alyssa.machinis1@gmail.com; ). Looking forward to hearing from you! DYNAMIS - JULY 7 - GUEST SPEAKER: Dynamis is honored to have as a guest speaker Father Kearns at our July 7th meeting held at 1;00P.M. Please mark your calendars and make plans to attend. He will speak on Military Saints, repeating a a speech on this topic that he delivered during the past Lenten season at evening services. We are most grateful to our member Mel DeFotis for suggesting that we ask Father Kearns to come to a Dynamis meeting. Mel thought that it would to give Dynamis members who might not attend evening services an opportunity to hear what she considered a spiritually moving topic. We are grateful to her and urge all members to let us know if they have any program or trips that they feel would be of interest.. Please plan to attend and join us for a coffee hour after the meeting.

8 AGAPE Orthodox Christian Preschool Do you have a child who is eligible for preschool this fall? AGAPE Preschool is committed to providing an educational experience emphasizing the Orthodox Christian faith in a nurturing environment with a play-based approach to learning. We offer classes for 2, 3, and 4 year old children & enrichment for Kindergarten! All of our programs include Greek language instruction, art, music and cooking along with a strong academic curriculum. For more information, call Renée Tzakis at The Outreach Committee continues working during the summer. There are no vacations from reaching out to those in need! We continue our mission of striving to fulfill Christ s commandment given to us in Matthew 25:35. We are always in need of new members for our committee which meets the third Tuesday of every month (even July and August) at 6:00 pm in the Church library. We also need people to volunteer for individual projects, i.e. soup kitchens, ride sharing, college ministry, etc. Please contact one of us if you are interested and have a great summer!! Christy Gouletas, cgouletas@hotmail.com Mary Ann Langas, malangas@aol.com

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12 Philoptochos News by Milly Pappas CONGRATULATIONS TO THE SS. PETER AND PAUL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS. Alexander Freidinger Recipient of the Nicholas Corolis Engineering and Medical Studies Scholarship. Alex is the son of Cathryn and Friz Freidinger. He graduated from Glenbrook South High School where he was a volleyball and soccer player all four years (a vollyball captain his senior year). He was a Glenbrook Scholar and National Honor Society / Cum Laude. Alex will be attending Kenyon College (Ohio) with a major in Neuroscience. Sam Petrakis Recipient of the Philoptochos Academic Excellence Scholarship. Sam is the son of Peter and Larissa Petrakis. He graduated from New Trier High School where he made the National Honor Roll all four years and was an Illinois Scholar. He was captain of the Night League Basketball Team, and played intramural golf. He played basketball for SS. Peter and Paul Church, the Junior Olympics, and AHEPA. Sam will be attending Indiana University, majoring in Business. The Athie Koulogeorge Panarites Orthodox Religious Scholarships 2016, were awarded to the following youth. The Religious Summer Camp, Ionian Village, Greece. Mary Catherine Batrich, Isabella Abbott, Nicholas Abbott. The Religious Summer Fanari Camp, St. Iakovos Retreat Center, Wisconsin. Eleni Argeros, Alexa Argeros, and Demitra Argeros * * * * * * * * * * * * SAVE THE DATE: METROPOLIS OF CHICAGO PHILOPTOCHOS ANNUAL BENEFIT SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2016 CARLISLE BANQUETS: 435 EAST BUTTERFIELD ROAD, LOMBARD, IL CELEBRATING 85 YEARS OF PHILANTHROPY AND AGAPE - PAST - PRESENT - FUTURE - Donation $50. Checks payable to: SS. Peter and Paul Philoptochos. To be seated with Saints Peter and Paul Philoptochos, please mail your check, by September 1 st to: Peggy Vranas, 6907 North Lockwood Avenue, Skokie, IL Proceeds will benefit: 1. Local Philanthropic Endeavors. 2. St. Iakovos Retreat Center, Wisconsin. 3. Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and Shrine, New York. 4. Aid to Greece and Cyprus.

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17 July 2016 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 FAST DAY 2 +Sacrament +Sacrament 5:00pm Vespers 3 8:15 am Matins 9:30 am Divine Liturgy 4 Office Closed Clergy-Laity Congress 5 12:00pm GOYA Cubs Game 6 FAST DAY 7 1:00pm Dynamis Meeting 8 FAST DAY 6:00pm Faith, Love & Joy 9 10:30am YAL Soup Kitchen +Sacrament 5:00pm Vespers 10 8:15 am Matins 9:30 am Divine Liturgy 2.0 Couples Ravinia 17 8:15 am Matins 9:30 am Divine Liturgy +Sacrament 5:00pm Distillery Tour YAC :00pm Cancer Support Meeting 13 FAST DAY FAST DAY 8:30am Matins 9:30am Divine Liturgy - Prophet Elias 6:30pm Summer Book Club: Screwtape Letters 7:00pm Parish Council Executive Meeting 21 10:00am GOYA Sandwich Making 15 FAST DAY FAST DAY 23 +Sacrament +Sacrament 5:00pm Vespers 24 8:15 am Matins 9:30 am Divine Liturgy 12:00pm GOYA Mini Golf FAST DAY 8:30am Matins 9:30am Divine Liturgy - St. Panteleimon 7:00pm Choir Federation 28 7:00pm Parish Council Meeting 29 FAST DAY Project Mexico 30 +Sacrament 5:00pm Vespers Project Mexico 31 8:15 am Matins 9:30 am Divine Liturgy Project Mexico

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20 1401 Wagner Road Glenview, Illinois Address Service Requested