SAINT JAMES ORTHODOX CHURCH

Transcription

1 SAINT JAMES ORTHODOX CHURCH 195 N. Main Street Milpitas, Ca Matins 8:00 a.m. Liturgy 10:30 a.m. The Very Reverend Fr. Jiris Hanna (408) Fr. Dcn. Joseph Kawar (408) Sunday December 21 (12/8), th Sunday after Pentecost St. Patapius - تقدمة عيد حبل القديسة حنة. وتذكار أبينا البار باطابيوس األحد الثامن والعشرون بعد العنصرة Matins (Eothina VI): Luke 24:36 53 Epistle: Colossians 1:12 18 Gospel: Luke 13:10 17 Services This Week Tuesday 12/16 at 10am Prophet Habakkuk and Prophet Zephaniah Wednesday 12/17 at 10am Great-martyr Barbara and Martyr Juliana, at Heliopolis in Syria, and St. John Damascene Thursday 12/18 at 10am St. Sabbas the Sanctified Friday 12/19 at 7pm St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, archbishop of Myra in Lycia Great-martyr Barbara Wednesday 12/17 (12/4) According to tradition, St. Barbara was the daughter of the pagan Dioscurus. On discovering that she became a Christian, her father tried to kill her, but she was miraculously transported out of his reach. Dioscurus denounced her to the authorities. Despite being tortured, she refused to denounce her faith. Her father killed her and was immediately struck by lightning and reduced to ashes. As a result of her father's fate, St. Barbara's prayers are especially sought as protection against thunderstorms and fire, and by an extension of this idea she became the patron saint of gunners, miners and firefighters. In the Middle East, the feast of this occasion is marked with a Burbara pudding made from shelled wheat. Some people believe this is in remembrance of a time she was locked up in a storeroom and only had these ingredients available to eat. This is a great aromatic and filling dish for winter.

2 Singing the praises of the Trinity, you followed God by enduring suffering; you renounced the multitude of idols, O holy martyr Barbara. In your struggles, you were not frightened by the threats of your torturers, but cried out in a loud voice: "I worship the Trinity in one God-head." ايتها الشريفة بربارة الالبسة الجهاد. اذ قد تبعت المسيح بحسن عبادة للثالوث. اطرحت المعبودات الوثنية واذ جاهدت في وسط المشهد لم تجزعي من تهديدات المغتصبين هاتفة يا ذات العزم الثابت بصوت جهير. اني اعبد ثالوثا بالهوت واحد Friday 12/19 (12/6) St. Nicholas the Wonderworker You revealed yourself, O saint, in Myra as a priest, For you fulfilled the Gospel of Christ By giving up your soul for your people, And saving the innocent from death. Therefore you are blessed as one become wise in the grace of God. قد ظهرت كاهنا في ميرا ايها القديس. ألنك لما اتممت انجيل المسيح ايها البار وضعت نفسك عن شعبك. وخلصت االبرياء من الموت. فلذلك تقدست بما انك مسار عظيم لنعمة هللا Nativity Fast Confessions Nativity Fasting November 28 January 6 Fish, Wine, and Oil allowed on all Saturdays and Sundays Wine and Oil allowed on all Tuesdays and Thursdays Fathers Giris is available for pre-nativity Confessions. As essential preparation of our hearts, minds, and souls for the beloved feast of Christ s mystical Birth, we fulfill our duty to confess at least four times a year during the seasonal fasts of Nativity, Pascha, Apostles, and the Dormition. The therapeutic reality of Confession is the more often the better. Let s clean out the stall of our crowded hearts that there may be room to receive Christ. Gift Wrapping Volunteering All Ages Are Welcome 1 Spot Available We have only one open spot left for our upcoming volunteering event to wrap Christmas Gifts at the Family Giving Tree warehouse in Milpitas on Monday December 22 nd from 12pm to 2pm. Fun event for all ages. Please call Heba Khoury (714) to sign-up. Strict Fast (No Oil or Wine Allowed) on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays Fasting is more relaxed on certain days with major feasts. Will be announced every week. Please talk to the priest if you cannot fast for health reasons or for other reasons. Fish is allowed this Thursday 12/18 Oil is allowed this Wednesday 12/17 & Friday 12/19 Have a Blessed Fast! Are you up-to-date with your 2014 pledge? It is almost end of 2014! Time flies, and with the busy Christmas season we tend to forget our dues to our church. If your 2014 pledge is falling behind, this is the time to make it up-to-date and get tax breaks Please talk to the treasurer Samer Aboujudom for any questions about your pledges.

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4 2015 Board of Trustees Nominations Nominations for 2015 Board of Trustees have started. If you are interested in joining the church board in 2015 please talk to Nomination Committee members: Yousef Hanna or Samer Aboujudom before December 21 st The board will evaluate each candidate per the church by-laws. Thank you in advance for your help and support to your church. Looking For The Perfect Christmas Gift? For $1 a day Needy Families Fund Box The season of alms-giving is here already. Please keep the many less fortunate and needy families in mind and help in making a difference in their Christmas season this year. While you celebrate with full tables of food and drinks and new clothes and presents, many families can hardly put bread on the table. Our fund box for the poor and needy families is available at the church entrance. Funds are distributed confidentially and privately by Fr. Giris to needy families. Please help bring a smile and joy to so many hearts. You made a difference with many families in the past few months, please don t stop the giving. Thank you in advance. Scrip For Your Christmas Shopping You Can Sponsor an Orphan Child from St. Basil Orphanage. Please see attached flier for details and information. HEY KIDS 12 & Under Be Good!!! SANTA is Coming to Town He will ring his bell and give out Christmas Presents. Bring your camera and take a picture with Santa! And don t forget to bring your parents with you!!! Using Scrip gift cards is a great way to benefit your church without spending an extra dollar! It is a very convenient way too for your Christmas shopping. Please stop by the Scrip table on Sundays, or call Lilian (408) to see how you can help. Complete list of Scrip vendors is attached within this bulletin . Happy Birthdays Ola Madanat 12/15 Anstas Kafeety 12/15 Chris Aboujudom 12/16 Christopher Swaiss 12/16 Tamer Ajrab 12/19 Samiha Samawi 12/20 Anestasia Khoury 12/21 Ebba Khoury 12/21 Marcella Khoury 12/21 عقبال المئة سنة!!! sjoc@earthlink.net or call (408) for your bulletin personal announcements, comments, or feedback.

5 ST S PETER AND PAUL MISSIONS MINISTRY Throughout this Christmas season, please consider sponsoring a child for the year by sending a continuous monthly gift or a onetime gift! Please send your donation to the St. Basil Orphanage Fund through check or online at The St. Basil Orphanage Fund is the only source of income for this well-run Orthodox orphanage in India. $1 a day for food or $30 a month. A monthly contribution of $30 goes a long way. The Gift that Gives Back CHRISTMAS 2014 Stumped on present ideas this year? Consider sponsoring a child! You ll receive a profile of one of our children and know, as always, 100% of your gift goes to the children, thanks to the dedication of our volunteers. Sign up today at: and click Sponsor a Child St. Basil Orphanage Fund 6430 Bose Lane San Jose, CA Merry Christmas!

6 About Burbara Eid el Burbara, celebrated on December 17 (12/4), is a very popular holiday in the Middle East. This holiday refers to Saint Barbara who disguised herself in different characters in order to escape the Romans who were persecuting her. She used to hide in wheat fields. That s why we eat this wheat dessert at Saint Barbara s Day. Ingredients: (20 servings) 1 lb crushed peeled (shelled) wheat 1 lb raisins 1 lb dried apricots 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons fennel 2 teaspoons anise 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon of cloves Crushed walnuts Almonds (peeled, halved, soaked in hot water) 20 tablespoons sugar (optional according to taste) Pomegranate seeds Making Burbara Directions: Wash wheat and soak overnight. Drain, place in a pot and cover it with cold water to 1 or 2 inches above wheat. Boil water until wheat is tender. Then add the spices and sugar. Wash raisins, dice apricots and add to the boiling mix. Boil for another 10 minutes. Serve hot with almonds and crushed walnuts; top with semi-sweet pomegranate seeds. كل عام وأنتم بخير St. James Upcoming Events Sunday School Kids Christmas Show St. James Sunday School kids will wish you a Merry Christmas when performing a beautiful show and Christmas chanting. This Sunday 12/21/ Christmas Gift Wrapping St. James Orthodox Church annual volunteering at a warehouse to wrap gifts given to the poor and needy. Fun event all ages are welcome Maximum 12 people only! 1210 California Circle, Milpitas, CA Please contact Heba Khoury (714) to sign-up Monday 12/22/14 from 12pm 2pm Nativity Potluck Dinner In celebration of the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Tuesday 1/6/14

7 St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Friday 12/19 (12/ 6) by Metropolitan Augoustinos Kantiotis of Florina "Some say: At that time! You make us crazy with this. We constantly hear at that time, at that time, at that time [a miracle occurred]. These are not correct, however. It was not only back then that miracles occurred. The power of Christ remains inexhaustible; yesterday and today and tomorrow, and until the close of the age, until the setting of the sun and the rivers cease to flow and the stars cease to shine in the heavens, the power of Christ and of His Saints will work wonders. Do you want an example? From I was in Kozani, the capital of Western Macedonia. Those were terrible days for our nation. The rebels seized over 300 people from Kozani, innocent people, and they locked them in prison in Kozani, where they were awaiting their fate. There was great agony throughout the city. The morning of December 6th was the day on which Kozani celebrates St. Nicholas as their patron in their beautiful and historic church of St. Nicholas, Kozani. It was a feast day therefore in Kozani, but the Christians however were so saddened and worried, that that day tears were running from their eyes. Then I was a preacher of the city, and so I ascended the ambo [the elevated walkway in front of the Iconostasis], and moved by sacred emotion, I said the following few words: Today St. Nicholas of Kozani celebrates. Today St. Nicholas is in mourning and weeps, for innocent men are in the prisons. As those glorious soldiers were in the prisons and were saved by Nicholas, thus today also, in the prison of Kozani there are these innocent men. Continuing, in danger of my life, I called out dramatically to the rebels, towards the Captain Marko Vafeiadi, who ruled the region during that time and was an untamed terror. I told them: In the name of the Nazarene, in the name of the righteous one, in the name of humanity, you must, on this holy day of St. Nicholas, free these innocent men. Thus I spoke. And though I was addressing hard hearts, through these the Saint appeased the most relentless characters. As the sun melts wax, thus his intervention melted the hearts of those men. The same evening, before the sun set, the 300 people of Kozani were freed and on the streets of Kozani! And no wonder why the miracle with the three soldiers is especially moving. He saved the three soldiers when he was in Lycia bodily, he saved the three in Constantinople when he was in heaven, and he saved 300 people of Kozani in our days PRIDE Arrogance, or pride, is so destructive that from the heights of the virtues, it casts one down to the abyss of passions and vices. - St. Macarius

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