MESSENGER THE. A New Year A Clean Soul Confession in the Orthodox Church. Newsletter of All Holy Spirit Greek Orthodox Church.

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1 THE MESSENGER Newsletter of All Holy Spirit Greek Orthodox Church January 2017 A New Year A Clean Soul Confession in the Orthodox Church The gift of God's forgiveness is received through private prayer, worship, the disciplines of prayer and fasting, penitential services and above all through the sacrament of Holy Confession. The value of Holy Confession is twofold. First, through this sacramental act of the ordained priest and the Christian believer we have the assurance of divine forgiveness, according to the words of Christ (John 20:23). Secondly, Holy Confession provides the opportunity to talk about one's deep concerns, to receive counsel and to be encouraged toward spiritual growth, all of which are universally recognized as extremely beneficial to personal life. Holy Confession is appropriate whenever an Orthodox Christian feels the need for it. It is also a part of our total spiritual preparation during the fast periods leading up to the great feasts of Easter, Christmas, the Falling Asleep of the Theotokos and the Feast of Twelve Apostles. However, Holy Confession is especially necessary: When a serious sin has been committed; When a habitual sin has overwhelmed a Christian, or When a Christian has stopped growing spiritually and needs a reexamination of priorities. We confess our sins to God and the power of forgiveness is God's. However, the gift of God's forgiveness, although assured, is not magical. It does not automatically spare us from spiritual struggle - the continual vigilance against evil and the unceasing warfare against sin. Holy Confession will bear fruits in the Spirit only when the believer hates evil, utterly rejects sin and patiently cultivates positive habits of the life in Christ. "So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ Jesus. Do not yield your members to sin as instruments of wicked ness, but yield yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life" (Romans 6:11, 13) How can one prepare for Holy Confession? Preparation for Holy Confession is a prayerful examination of feelings, thoughts, words, acts, attitudes, habits, values, priorities, goals, direction and way of life. This prayerful selfexamination includes not only the personal religious life, but also family relationships, social activities, job conduct, business dealings, political commitments and even recreational pursuits, because our entire existence should be lived in under the light of the Holy Spirit is not to condemn ourselves, but to affirm our true selves in Christ who has given us access to God's mercy and forgiveness and who has taught us to live for God's glory. (Continued on page 2) January

2 Pray and think over your confession for several days. Ask God to help you perceive your sins and to make a thorough confession of them. Sometime before the sacrament of Holy Confession, offer selected prayers from, Psalm 51, or the following prayer of repentance or those suggested by the priest. Prayer of Repentance O Lord my God, I confess that I have sinned against You in thought, word and deed. I have also omitted to do what Your holy law requires of me. But now with repentance and contrition I turn again to Your love and mercy. I entreat You to forgive me all my transgression and to cleanse me from all my sins. Lord, fill my heart with the light of Your truth. Strengthen my will by Your grace. Teach me both to desire and to do only what pleases You. Amen. The Story of St. Mary of Egypt She began her life as a young woman who followed the passions of the body, running away from her parents at age twelve for Alexandria. There she lived as a harlot for seventeen years, refusing money from the men that she copulated with, instead living by begging and spinning flax. One day, however, she met a group of young men heading toward the sea to sail to Jerusalem for the veneration of the Holy Cross. Mary went along for the ride, seducing the men as they traveled for the fun of it. But when the group reached Jerusalem and actually went towards the church, Mary was prohibited from entering by an unseen force. After three such attempts, she remained outside on the church patio, where she looked up and saw an icon of the Theotokos. She began to weep and prayed with all her might that the Theotokos might allow her to see the True Cross; afterwards, she promised, she would renounce her worldly desires and go wherever the Theotokos may lead her. After this heart-felt conversion at the doors of the church, she fled into the desert to live as an ascetic. She survived for years on only three loaves of bread and thereafter on scarce herbs of the land. For another seventeen years, Mary was tormented by "wild beasts mad desires and passions." After these years of temptation, however, she overcame the passions and was led by the Theotokos in all things. Following 47 years in solitude, she met the priest St. Zosima in the desert, who pleaded with her to tell him of her life. She recounted her story with great humility while also demonstrating her gift of clairvoyance; she knew who Zosima was and his life story despite never having met him before. Finally, she asked Zosima to meet her again the following year at sunset on Holy Thursday by the banks of the Jordan. Zosima did exactly this, though he began to doubt his experience as the sun began to go that night. Then Mary appeared on the opposite side of the Jordan; crossing herself, she miraculously walked across the water and met Zosima. When he attempted to bow, she rebuked him, saying that as a priest he was far superior, and furthermore, he was holding the Holy Mysteries. Mary then received communion and walked back across the Jordan after giving Zosima instructions about his monastery and that he should return to where they first met exactly a year later. When he did so, he found Mary's body with a message written on the sand asking him for burial and revealing that she had died immediately after receiving the Holy Mysteries the year before (and thus had been miraculously transported to the spot where she now lay). So Zosima, amazed, began to dig, but soon tired; then a lion approached and began to help him, that is, after Zosima had recovered from his fear of the creature. Thus St. Mary of Egypt was buried. Zosima returned to the monastery, told all he had seen, and improved the faults of the monks and abbot there. He died at almost a hundred years old in the same monastery. Office Hours: Monday Friday: 10am 5pm Phone: PARISH INFOMATION Address: 9012 Q Street, Omaha, NE Website: Church: AHSoffice@allholyspirit.com Fr. Alexander Lukashonok: FrAlexander@allholyspirit.com Services: Each Sunday Morning Prayers 8:45 am Divine Liturgy 9:30 am 2 All Holy Spirit Greek Orthodox Church

3 Parish News Thank you Thank you to the following people who provided the following for the month of December: Prosphora Aphrodite Petrihos, Helen Elfering, Helen Lazanas and Gust Rakes Altar Flowers Laki and Joanne Sgourakis, Clark and Annie Gorder, Ted & Helen Lazanas Food for Fellowship Hour Nick & Aphrodite Petrihos, The Thornton Family, Dave & Lisa Rakes and Family, Mike and Niki Moravec Social Hour Hosts Despina Foster, Shelly Petrow, Debbie Birge, Mike and Nikki Moravec Artoklasia Aphrodite Petrihos for St. Nicholas, Deb and Jordan McDonnell for Christmas Eve The Sgourakis Family for St. Basil The Make Ready, O Bethlehem CD is available for purchase from the St. Herman of Alaska Bookstore for only $18. Limited number of copies! Purchase yours today!! 2017 Parish Council Thank you to the following people who donated poinsettias in Memory of Loved Ones! Joe Carter Chris and Nadine Saklar Gust and Joan Rakes Angie Brown Sam and Betty Tsichlis Joanne and Laki Sgourakis Nick Bitzes Deb and Jim McDonnell Mike and Sandi Kriha George Poullos Teddy Petrow Elisas and Demetra Eliopoulos The Bitsos Family Bill and Cindy Lambert Adam and Sandy Karavas George Poulos Congratulations to, our 2017 Parish Council Memebers, Dora Bitzos, Chris Hogemeyer, Mike Kriha, David Rakes, John Sgourakis and Peter Wilger and newly elected members, George Rakes, Brian Zachariae and Andy Karavas. Their 3 year term begins in January. Thank you also to those parishioners who ran; John Treantos, Jim McDonnell, Joe Carter, John Pavalis. Thank You!!! All Holy Spirit would like to thank John Treantos who is leaving the Council after serving for 3 years. Although this term was only 3 years, John served two 3 year terms when our church was getting it s start and was instrumental in our transition from St. John s. Thank you, John! Thank you also to John Birge who is leaving the Council after 6 years and serving as President his entire time on the Council. In his time on the Council, John has kept both the Council and Parish focused on the task at hand. From working to help us find a new priest to re-zoning and selling our property. Thank you, John! January

4 Parish News Congratulations! A Double Baptism of Cousins!! Congratulations...to John and Pota Nesiba on the baptism of their daughter, Elleni Irene, on December 27!! Congratulations also to Godmother, Chrissy Hoffman!..to Adam and Chrissy Hoffman on the baptism of their son, Theodore John, on December 27!! Congratulations also to Godmother, Pota Nesiba! Congratulations to Grandparent s, George and Angie Rakes and Great-Grand Parents, John and Chris Vidalis! 4 All Holy Spirit Greek Orthodox Church

5 Parish News For additional information, contact Rena Thornton, ! Can t make the Chili Feed? Donations kindly accepted!! January

6 Parish News Outreach Thank you so much to ALL of our parishioners for their generous donations to the Paralyzed Veteran family that we helped during the Christmas Holiday. With very short notice, we collected enough funds to purchase a much needed bed for his apartment, a bookcase, and had enough money to purchase individual gifts for all of his children. Thank you to Bill and Cindy Lambert for handling all the purchasing; and Bill Lambert and Jim McDonnell for delivering. May God Bless us all to continue His work throughout the New Year. Wishing everyone a Healthy and Joyous New Year. Dora Bitsos Outreach Committee Chair Philoptochos Upcoming Events: January Meeting, Tuesday, January 10, 7:00pm, at the Church Vasilopita Auction, Sunday, January 15 Philoptochos will be auctioning off beautiful, delicious, Vasilopitas following Liturgy on Sunday, January 15! Please join us for this fun event which benefits St. Basil s Academy!! AHEPA On Friday, February 24. AHEPA will have a limited menu serving Walleye, Salmon, Fish & Chips, Fish Tacos, and Fried Shrimp. We will feature our new Papa E's Southern Fried Chicken. Mark your calendar for all the Fish Fry's Fridays: March 3, March 10, March 17, March 24, March 31 and April 7. Next AHEPA Meeting. Saturday, January 14 9:00am 6 All Holy Spirit Greek Orthodox Church

7 Parish News Sunday School Mark your Calendar!! Sunday, February 5, Sunday School Black American History Presentation Sunday, February 26, Sunday School Oratorical Festival Youth TakeOver Sunday Children s Choir Sunday, February 5 Sunday, March 5 Please have children at church by 9:00! St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival The St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival will take place Sunday, February 26, following Liturgy. The Archdiocese has released topics for the Festival. Please visit the website for topics and other information. religioused/sjcof The Sunday School Children s performance of, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Sunday, December 18, 2016 January

8 Parish News Spiro Moustakes Honored for Service During World War II 72 Years after the end of World War II, Spiro Moustakes was presented with copies of his Army medals by Governor Pete Ricketts and Congressman Brad Ashford. Spiro served as an Army Medic during the war, working in a hospital in Mourmelon, France, with the 326th Airborne Medical Company, which had lost 30 percent of their members in the Battle of the Bulge. Spiro also participated in a relief convoy to Bastonge, Belgium, to aid soldiers who had been surrounded by German forces. After Germany surrendered, he visited the Eagle s Nest, Hitler s mountain retreat at Berchtesgaden. The medals presented to Spiro were: Good Conduct Medal Presidential Unit Citation American Campaign Medal European, African, Middle Eastern Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Army of Occupation Medal with German Clasp Honorable Service Lapel Button for WWII Glider Badge All Holy Spirit would like to than Spiro, and all Veterans for their service and sacrifice for our Country. For a more detailed story of Spiro s involvement in WWII, see Omaha World Hearld article: article_1c7947e3-a7e9-50d8-aca9-769b7e7a7f89.html To Watch You Tube videos of the presentation, visit the following Facebook page. You will have to scroll to December 1, All Holy Spirit Greek Orthodox Church

9 Parish News The Great Blessing of the Water The Great Blessing of Water is held on the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany and on the day itself, following the Divine Liturgy. The Blessing not only remembers the event of Our Lord's baptism and the revelation of the Holy Trinity but also expresses Orthodoxy's belief that creation is sanctified through Christ. The Blessing affirms that humanity and the created world, of which we are a part, were created to be filled with the sanctifying presence of God. After the solemn blessing, the Holy Water is distributed to the faithful and is used to bless homes during the Epiphany season. When the faithful drink the "Epiphany Water," we are reminded of our own baptism. When the Church blesses an individual, or object, or event with the water, we are affirming that those baptized, their surroundings, and their responsibilities are sanctified through Christ and brought into the Kingdom of the Father through the Spirit. See Calendar on page 15 for services of Epiphany. If You would like to take Holy Water home with you please bring your own bottle or jar. Preparing for a House Blessing The yearly blessing of homes at the Feast of the Theophany touches our daily lives with the sanctifying waters of the Jordan in which Our Lord was baptized. In blessing a home, the Church asks God to drive away every evil influence from our home and those who live in it, and to renew with extra vigor the influence of the Holy Spirit in our domestic lives. The Church Fathers speak of the home as a small church, and just as we must chase away the influences of the Evil One from our parishes and parish families, so too must we do so - at least annually - in our domestic family. In preparing for a house blessing, the following should be noted: A QUIET AND HOLY ENVIRONMENT: Turn off the television and radio before the priest arrives. Assemble all the family and friends in the home around the icon corner, or at an icon prepared for the occasion. Take the phone off the hook. PREPARE THE TABLE: For the house blessing, the priest will require the following: - a table covered with a clear white cloth - an icon with a candle in front of it - a censer, with incense and charcoal - matches - a small, clean bowl that will not be used for any future purpose (i.e. just for holy water) - a sprig of basil or cedar CLEAR A PATH: Clear away objects and furniture to allow a clear path for the priest to walk as he moves throughout the house at the sprinkling of the holy water. Secure pets away from the area. If it is dark, turn on the lights throughout the house, and make sure all doors - including closets - are open or ajar. FOOD AND DRINK: It is not necessary to provide food and drink for the priest at a house blessing. Often, if the priest is blessing many homes, it is better to save hospitality for another occasion, and to make special arrangements with the priest in advance of his visit. The faithful are reminded that the priest endeavors to the best of his ability to keep the fast days of the Church, and the support of the priest by the faithful in this regard is much appreciated. Contact Father Alexander, to schedule a time to have your home blessed. January

10 Parish News Evangelism What does it mean to be "truly human"? Can a living person somehow be less than "truly human"? Starting on Thursday night, January 12, our parish will have the opportunity to view, and then discuss such questions through the lens of a new Orthodox film entitled, "Becoming Truly Human." It is part of what the evangelism committee is offering in order to make All Holy Spirit a more effective evangelistic community. As the movie unfolds, we will watch a discussion between a group of what are termed "nones" - that is, people who when asked about their religious affiliation check the box labeled "none of the above. In the last decade the number of nones in our country has risen dramatically. As you will see, many of the nones consider themselves spiritual and many have been in religious communities earlier in their lives. Our discussions after watching the movie segments will mainly focus on answering the question of how do we become a parish that is more effectively able to communicate the gospel with people (including the nones) in our society? In other words, what are people who are not currently in a church, or are dissatisfied with their present church home, really longing for in life? And, perhaps along the way, we will also be asking ourselves if we have certain kinds of needs that we are hoping that All Holy Spirit can help us with in our Orthodox lives. We don t expect everyone to become evangelists in our parish, but we all can play a role in creating an environment that is successfully bringing new people into a relationship with the Holy Trinity through the Orthodox faith. Please consider spending these few hours with your fellow parishioners exploring and thinking about how our parish can become a more welcoming and loving group of Christians! Each Becoming Truly Human class will run three consecutive weeknights. In January, we will meet on Thursdays (the 12th, 19th, and 26th), and in February we will meet on Wednesday nights (the 8th,15th, and 22nd). Class times will begin at 6:30 with some light refreshments and conversation, and conclude with discussion of the movie by 8PM. You will be able to sign up for the class after Liturgy on January 8th, via replying to an invitation, or simply by calling the parish office. We look forward to spending these winter nights in warm conversation with all of you! Clark Gorder-Evangelism Committee Chair Inreach The In Reach Committee was formed to help our parishioners in their time of need. This could be for many different circumstances. If you know of someone who could use a helping hand, please contact Maria Knowles at or Father Alexander. 10 All Holy Spirit Greek Orthodox Church

11 Parish News Stewardship Alexandra Bakke Chris & Carole Bakke Nicholas Bakke William Bakke John & Elaine Berger Zach & Kelli Berger John & Debbie Birge Nick Bitzes Michael Bouzis Angie Brown Joe & Litsa Carter Abbie Chader Karen Chader Joel & Esther Cloeter Tom & Brenda Denich John & Hillary Detisch Mary Dounias David & Hellen Elfering Katie Elfering Sarah Elfering Elias & Demetra Eliopoulos Despina Foster Lauren Foster Thank you to our 2017 Stewards! Clark & Annie Gorder Jeff Johannesmeyer Tammy Johnson Tesfaye Kinde &Vordabos Gerbrehiwet Trey & Tammy Honke Steve & Mariana Hurst Adam & Sandy Karavas Andy & Debbie Karavas Bob & Maria Knowles Tesfaye & Yordanos Kinde Mike & Sandi Kriha Katherine Krug Robert & Maria Laws Ted & Helen Lazanas Jim & Deb McDonnell Jon & Liz Mehuron Mary Mitchell Mike & Nikki Moravec Ashley Olson Linda Olson Joe & Kiki Papke John & Laura Pavalis Nick & Aphrodite Petrihos Anna Petrow Helen Petrow Nick & Shelly Petrow Sophia Petrow Theodora Petrow George & Jody Poullos George Poulos George Pserros George & Angie Rakes Gust & Joan Rakes Chris & Nadine Saklar John & Michelle Sgourakis Laki & Joanne Sgourakis Julie Smith Sam & Betty Tsichlis Evan Vasiliades John & Ann Vasiliades Andy Vassios Fr. Elias & Pres. Rose Warren Pete & Stephanie Wilger It s not too late to turn your Stewardship Card in! Additional cards are available in the Church Office. Choir Members of the choir; Andy Vassios, Peter Wilger, Stephanie Wilger, Andrea Wilger and Alyssa Wilger; Father Alexander and parishioners; Debbie Birge, Stella Boulos and Niko Boulos, entertained residents Christmas Caroling on December 28, at the Heritage of Legacy Assisted Living Center... January

12 Metropolis News Reverend Clergy, Monastics, and Faithful Members of the Holy Metropolis of Denver Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Denver CHRISTMAS 2016 And when they had opened their treasure, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh MATTHEW 2:11 As we approach the great feastday of the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: our minds go to the Magi who traveled from the East in order to worship Him. Having seen the revelation in the heavens of the birth of the Lord: their gifts revealed His identity and His purpose for coming to the earth. Today: however: in almost all public displays of our Lord's entrance into the world, it appears that His arrival has lost its meaning. Nevertheless, the gifts of the Magi clearly tell us the purpose of God entering into His creation as the new Adam: a perfect body and soul united with His divinity. He was presented with gold: frankincense: and myrrh. The gold tells us that He is the eternal King of His coming Kingdom. The frankincense, or incense: tells us that He is the enteral Priest of the Church He established here on earth. The myrrh is a powerful reminder that He offered Himself up for the life of the world, being anointed with the myrrh for His three-day burial. As we contemplate on our loving God Who humbled Himself in such a way to bring humanity back to Him and to His everlasting Kingdom: we pause with extreme joy: and humble thanksgiving: to glorify His all-holy and majestic name, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit May our blessed God richly grant His abiding love to you celebrating His humble arrival and to all people of good will. A blessed and joyful Christmas to you! With paternal blessings and love, + Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver Metropolis Clergy-Laity Assembly The Denver Metropolis Clergy Laity Assembly will be held May 2 May 7 in Denver, Colorado; hosted by St. Catherine Parish. With the Assembly so close, members of All Holy Spirit are tentatively planning to attend. Please consider accompanying a group to Denver. The Clergy-Laity Assembly of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Denver meets one year prior to the biennial Clergy- Laity Congress of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America so that any necessary resolutions or recommendations can be forwarded to the Congress for consideration. The Assembly deals with matters affecting the life and growth of the parishes within the Metropolis. These include the spiritual well-being of the faithful, uniform governance of parishes, educational programs, financial systems, philanthropic concerns, and the organization and effectiveness of parishes. The Local Assembly also submits proposals and recommendations regarding the national church to the Archdiocese for submission to the next Congress. The Metropolis Philoptochos Biennial Convention and the Church Music Federation Convention occur simultaneously. 12 All Holy Spirit Greek Orthodox Church

13 Russian Christmas Russian Christmas January 7 In the days of the Soviet Union, Christmas was not celebrated very much. New Year was made into the important time. Following the revolution in 1917, Christmas was banned as a religious holiday in 1929 and Christmas Trees were banned until 1935 when they turned into 'New Year' Trees! If people did want to celebrate Christmas, they had to do it in secret just in their families. After the Soviet Union in 1991, people were free to celebrate Christmas again. But it's still a quieter and smaller holiday in Russia after the big New Year celebrations. The New Year is the big time for spending lots of money and eating and drinking lots. Christmas is much more religious and private. New Year is also when 'Grandfather Frost' (known in Russian as 'Ded Moroz' or Дед Мороз) brings presents to children. He is always accompanied by his Granddaughter (Snegurochka). On New Year's eve children hold hands, make a circle around the Christmas tree and call for Snegurochka or Ded Moroz. When they appear the star and other lights on the Christmas tree light up! Ded Moroz carries a big magic staff. The traditional greeting for Happy New Year is 'S Novym Godom'. Christmas in Russia is normally celebrated on January 7th (only a few Catholics might celebrate it on the 25th December). The date is different because the Russian Orthodox church uses the old 'Julian' calendar for religious celebration days. The Orthodox Church also celebrates Advent. But it has fixed dates, starting on 28th November and going to the 6th January, so it's 40 days long. The official Christmas and New holidays in Russia last from December 31st to January 10th. In Russian Happy/Merry Christmas is 's rah-zh-dee-st-vohm' (C рождеством!) or 's-schah-st-lee-vah-vah rah-zh dee-stvah' (Счастливого рождества!). Happy/Merry Christmas in lots more languages. Some people fast (don't eat anything) on Christmas Eve, until the first star has appeared in the sky. People then eat 'sochivo' or 'kutia' a porridge made from wheat or rice served with honey, poppy seeds, fruit (especially berries and dried fruit like raisins), chopped walnuts or sometimes even fruit jellies! Kutia is sometimes eaten from one common bowl, this symbolizes unity. In the past, some families like to throw a spoonful of sochivo up on the ceiling. If it stuck to the ceiling, some people thought it meant they would have good luck and would have a good harvest! Other popular Christmas Eve foods include, beetroot soup (borsch) or vegan potluck (solyanka) served with individual vegetable pies (often made with cabbage, potato, or mushroom); sauerkraut, porridge dishes such as buckwheat with fried onions and fried mushrooms, salads often made from vegetables like gherkins, mushrooms or tomatoes, and also potato or other root vegetable salads. The meal often consists of 12 dishes, representing the 12 disciples of Jesus. 'Vzvar' (meaning 'boil-up') is often served at the end of the meal. It's a sweet drink made from dried fruit and honey boiled in water. Vzvar is traditionally at the birth of a child, so at Christmas it symbolizes the birth of the baby Jesus. Following the meal, prayers might be said and people then go to the midnight Church services. They often don't wash the dishes until they get home from Church - sometimes not until 4.00am or 5.00am! The main meal on Christmas day is often more of a feast with dishes like roast pork & goose, Pirog and Pelmeni (meat dumplings). Dessert is often things like fruit pies, gingerbread and honeybread cookies (called Pryaniki) and fresh and dried fruit and more nuts. There are Russian Christmas cookies called Kozulya which are made in the shape of a sheep, goat or deer. In some areas, children will go carol singing round the homes of friends and family and to wish people a happy new year. They are normally rewarded with cookies, sweets and money. January

14 Usher & Special Liturgy Schedules If you are unable to usher on your assigned Sunday please find a replacement within your group or contact the Church Office. January 1/1 Dora & Paul Bitsos, Mike & Niki Moravec 1/8 Chris Hoegemeyer, Mike Bouzis, Nick & Shelly Petrow 1/15 Andy Karavas, Bill & Cindy Lambert, Linda Olson 1/22 Mike & Sandi Kriha, George Poullos, Paul Bitsos February 2/5 Brian & Sheila Zachariae, Elias & Demetra Eliopoulos 2/12 George & Angie Rakes, Mike Bouzis, Joe Carter 2/19 Paul & Dora Bitsos, Bill & Sandy Lambert 2/26 Chris Hoegemeyer, George Poullos, Paul Bitsos, Mike McDonnell 1/29 John Sgourakis, Mike & Nikki Moravec, Ashley Olson Vesperal Divine Liturgy and Divine Liturgy of the Saints Schedule Services of Epiphany Royal Hours Thursday, January 5 7:00am Small Blessing of the Waters Vesperal Divine Liturgy Thursday, January 5 7:00pm Saint Anthony Divine Liturgy Monday, January 16 7:00pm Saint Gregory Divine Liturgy Wednesday, January 25 9:30am Saint Isaac the Syrian Vesperal Divine Liturgy Friday, January 27 7:00pm The Three Hierarchs Monday, January 30 9:00am Epiphany Friday, January 6 9:00am Matins 10:00am Divine Liturgy 14 All Holy Spirit Greek Orthodox Church

15 January 2017 Calendar Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 9:00 Matins 10:00 Divine Liturgy St. Basil the Great 8:45 Matins 9:30 Divine Liturgy :00 Adult Education Understanding Epipany 7:00am Royal Hours 7:00 Vesperal Divine Liturgy with Small Blessing of Waters 9:00 Matins 10:00 Divine Liturgy with Great Blessing of Waters Epiphany 9:30 Russian Christmas 5:30 Vespers AHS Family Christmas Party Following :30 Parish Council 7:00 Philoptochos 6:30 Becoming Truly Human 9:00 AHEPA Meeting 5:30 Vespers 8:45 Matins 9:30 Divine Liturgy :00 Vesperal Divine Liturgy 7:00 Choir Practice 6:30 Becoming Truly Human 5:30 Vespers Vasilopita Auction St. Anthony 8:45 Matins 9:30 Divine Liturgy :30 Divine Liturgy St. Gregory 6:30 Becoming Truly Human 7:00 Vesperal Divine Liturgy St. Isaac the Syrian 5:30 Vespers 8:45 Matins 9:30 Divine Liturgy :00 Three Hierarchs Happy New Year 2017 January

16 All Holy Spirit Greek Orthodox Church 9012 Q Street Omaha, NE (402) office NON-PROFIT organization U.S. Postage PAID Permit No Omaha, NE What s Inside A New Year, A Clean Soul Confession in the Orthodox Church. 1 The Story of St. Mary of Egypt.. 2 Parish News Metropolis News Russian Christmas. 13 Usher and Special Liturgy Schedule January Calendar All Holy Spirit Greek Orthodox Church