THE CANON ST. NICHOLAS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH. Volume 45 Issue 1

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1 ST. NICHOLAS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH January 2017 Volume 45 Issue 1 THE CANON My Dear Spiritual Children, Until we all attain mature manhood, the the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:13 Facing the problems in Corinth, St. Paul learned that there were divisions in the Church causing dissension, envy and jealously, he wrote them his first epistle in which he said that he could not address them as mature Christians. You are babes in Christ he said. You haven t been developing into Christian maturity. Consequently I have fed you with milk, not solid food, because you are not ready for stronger food. While there exist among you envying, strife, and divisions, are you not immature? To be mature in Christ, then means in its negative aspect to put away childish things: selfcenteredness, insistence on having one s own way, anger, blaming others, envy, jealously. To be a mature Christian in its positive aspect means to become more and more like Christ. Merely growing up is not enough. We are to grow up into something that is perfectly mature, and that for us Christians, is Christ. Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect, said Christ. The person who is mature in Christ is not the person who goes through life expecting to receive love, like the child, but the person who gives love; who produces love by loving. The person who is mature in Christ is the person who understands, who forgives, who accepts responsibility for his failures, who disciplines himself, who is humble, realizing that there is much he does not know and can never know. St. Paul singles out love as the most important ingredient of maturity when he writes to the Colossians: Above all put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. It is when we allow Christ to come and live in us that we can achieve this kind of Godly maturity. Only He can give us the power to incarnate His love and maturity in our lives. The greatest power in the world is the power to grow. Look at the tiny acorn! For man this means not just physical growth. It means to channel this power to grow so that we may grow as Jesus in His Human Nature grew: in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. It means to grow mentally, physically, spiritually, socially and emotionally. It means to grow by God s grace from the image of God, in which were have been created, into the likeness of God (Continued on page 3)

2 11 January 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat St. Nicolas Dance December 3, 2016 INCOME STATEMENT 1 St. Basil the Great 2 3 AHEPA 6:30 PM 4 5 Mikros Ayiasmos Vespera/Liturgy 9:30 am 6 Epiphany Orthros 9:30 am 10:15 am 7 St. John the Baptist Orthros 9:30 am 10:15 am INCOME Ticket Sales $ Bar $ Donations $ \ PHIL0PTOCHOS 7:00 PM 11 PARISH COUNCIL 7:00 PM Auction $ /50 $ GROSS PROFIT $ Vasilopita Dinner Martin Luther King Day OFFICE CLOSED 17 AHEPA 7 PM 18 Breakfast with Father 19 Night with Father 7:00 pm EXPENSES Food and Desserts $ Supplies $ Music $ Helper ( Kids Room) $ Decorations $ Bar $ TOTAL EXPENSES $ NET INCOME $

3 3 Philoptochos VASILOPITA DINNER Sunday, January 15, 2017 Roast Beef Dinner With all the trimmings $15 Kids Meal $6 (Continued from page 1) which is Jesus. Through baptism we are born into the life of God. Now that we are born, we must grow in that life. Such growth to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, can occur after baptism only through a dynamic personal relationship with Christ whereby He lives in us and we in Him. The Essence of maturity is Jesus Christ, the most mature Man who ever lived. Happy and healthy New Year to you and your families. As you begin a New Year, WALK A NEW LIFE IN CHRIST. In Christ s Love, + Fr. Michael Cutting of the Vasilopita Proceeds to St. Basil s Academy Please call the church office by January 10th to make your reservations [Community É NEWS] Seniors: The date of the first Senior meeting for the New Year will be announced. Listen for it. Memorials: A one year Memorial Service will be held for Athanasia Vardous on January 8 th. A one year Memorial Service will be held for Demetria Christo on January 8 th. Office : The Office will be closed on Monday January 16 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Sympathy: Our deepest sympathy to Mrs. Loula Rafalidis, George and Connie upon the death of their husband and father George Rafalidis Sr. who fell asleep in the Lord in December 2016 in Canton, OH. May God rest his soul and give peace and comfort to his family. Stewardship Packet: Your 2017 Stewardship Packets are ready for you to pick up here at the Church. Please make sure that your 2017 Pledge Card are filled out, signed and returned to the Office by January 14, Thank you: The Spero Bountogianis Family would like to extend their thanks and appreciation to all who contributed and helped with their father s 10 year memorial service. Wednesday, January 18 Thursday, January PM

4 Q: My friend said that there is one sin that cannot be forgiven, and that sin to sin against the Holy Spirit. What is this sin? A: Your friend was telling you about Jesus words concerning the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit as recorded in the 12 th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. The words were uttered in the context of charges against Jesus by his enemies, the Pharisees, that when Jesus healed, He did so through the demonic powers. Jesus easily refutes their charge as contradictory and irrational. But He goes on to point out the basic contract between good and evil and that a person has to belong and be loyal to either one or the other. He says in verse 30, He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters. It is in this context that Jesus speaks about the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit which cannot be forgiven. Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. (Matthew 12:31-32) The two themes of commitment and forgiveness give you the key to understanding the meaning of these hard-sounding words. The blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is to reject the work of God in our lives. It is not just a chance phrase that Jesus is talking about. To blaspheme against the Holy Spirit is to work and speak actively against God s saving redeeming mission. It is to refuse to accept the salvation and forgiveness which God offers. It is a conscious rejection of God. Now you can understand why the sin against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven either in this age or in the age to come. As long as there is no repentance, no change of life, no acknowledgement of sin, no acceptance of God s constantly offered grace, there can be no forgiveness. It is the only sin which cannot be forgiven as long as it remains, it literally precludes forgiveness, however, no matter what else evil we do, if we belong to God somehow, we can come to the point of repentance. If we genuinely and truly repent all sins can be forgiven. BLESSINGS OF THE WATER HOLY WATER Q: Which of the two Holy Water (Ayiasmi) do we save, and do we drink? A: There are varying traditions about the water blessing services conducted in our Churches on January 5 and January 6. Since for the Orthodox this feast celebrates the baptism of our Lord in the Jordan River, it uses the blessing of water prominently as part of the observance of the day. Two water blessings services are conducted, one on the day preceding the feast, January 5, and on e on the day of the feast itself January 6 In order to distinguish them, the former is sometimes called the Mikro Ayiasomos - Lesser Water blessing service, and the one conducted on the feast (Continued on page 5) We have received the great treasure of Orthodoxy Christianity, and we are not supposed to hide our treasure, but rather to share it with others. One way Orthodox Christians share their faith is to go on foreign missions to foreign countries where we teach people about our faith and help them to build churches, orphanages, schools, hospitals and more. These missions can be for a few weeks and sometimes for years. We can also be missionaries here in our own church, our school, our work and every place we go to in our daily lives. And it doesn t mean that we talk about our faith all the time. It means that we live according to what Jesus taught, and set a Christian example to people in our lives. 9 Don t be afraid or force yourselves to do something that is difficult to you. God has blessed you with many gifts. He will put people in your path. And if you let Him, He will use you in the ways you never imagined to share your faith. Our duty, as we read in the First Epistle of Peter, is to always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls us to account for the hope and faith that is in us. You can say this prayer to ask God to help you to serve Him: O Lord Jesus, I put my life in you hands. Use me in whatever way you see fit. Use the talents with which you have blessed me. I will always give to the glory for my accomplishments to you, the source of all my blessings. In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus says, Freely you have received. Freely give. We have all received many gifts from God abilities, special talents, material comforts. As Orthodox Christians it is our responsibility to offer them back to god for his purposes. And if we do, then we can expect that when the time comes for the Master to return He will say to us Well done good and faithful servant.

5 5 Freely You Have Received. Freely Give. (Matthew 10:8) This time of year we often hear people around the church talking about stewardship and we generally understand this to mean making our offering to help support the church. There is a lot of talk about the treasures and talents we have received and the importance of giving back to God. One of the greatest treasures we he received is our Orthodox Christian Faith and Tradition that guides our worship and our entire life. In the parable of the talents, the master gives parts of his treasure to three of his servants and goes away on a long trip. Upon his return, he asks each of his servants to account for what they have done with their part of his treasure. To those who took the treasure and multiplied it, the master said, Well done good and faithful servant. At the end of the parable, Jesus says, from everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required, and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded (Luke 12:48) (Continued from page 4) day itself is called Mega Ayiasmo. Greater Water Blessing Service. This becomes the source of confusion. For, you see, both services are exactly the same. Holy water is used in many different ways in the life of the Church. It can be used for drinking or for sprinkling, and is often kept with our icons at home throughout the year and used when necessary throughout the year, but it is the same water. (The grace and power of the Water does not change, the same water can be used for the above mentioned needs- Only the Name changes because they were done on different days.) It is the same blessed water with two different names. Because January 5 is a fasting day (to prepare us to celebrate the great feast of the Epiphany), tradition developed that people would go to church without breakfast, and following the service, would drink the Holy Water. On the next day, the priest or the parishioners themselves would sprinkle their homes with the Holy Water. Some priest and laypeople began to think that this distinction was very significant and soon spoke about the holy water from the two services as if they were totally different things, and soon so-called rules developed which have absolutely NO BASIS in the Liturgical realities or in the CANON LAWS OF THE CHURCH. There is nothing wrong with the custom of preparing to drink holy water on January 5 and having our homes sprinkled with the Holy Water on January 6, but to make serious distinctions and create guilt feelings about, which one is to be drunk and which one is to be sprinkled and which is to be saved, is not necessary or appropriate. The important thing is to focus on Christ and the meaning and the significance of His baptism and for our lives and salvation. The holy water is a sanctification of ourselves and our homes and places of business. Let us thank God for this blessing but let us not turn it into something complicated and confusing. Both the services are the same; their holy water is the same; the purpose of the Holy Water is the same in both services: As we read in the prayers: that all who draw from it and partake of it may have it for the cleansing of their soul and body, for the healings of their passions, for the sanctification of their dwellings, and for every purpose that is expedient. Consequently, you can save any and all holy water at your home inconostasis

6 7 Vasilopita St. Basil s Bread One of the most beautiful and inspiring traditions and customs of the Greek Orthodox Church is the observance of the Vasilopita. It is this annual family observance, together with many other traditions of our Church, which joins our Orthodox Faith and heritage with the history of the Christian religion itself. The word Vasilopita is a compound Greek word which means the sweet bread of Basil. Background: This age old tradition commenced in the fourth century, when Saint Basil the Great, who was a bishop, wanted to distribute money to the poor in his Diocese. He commissioned some women to bake sweetened bread, in which he arranged to place gold coins. Thus the families in cutting the bread to nourish themselves were pleasantly surprised to find coins. The Annual Home Observance This original event which happened in Cappadocia of Caesarea in the last half of the fourth century is very much alive in our Orthodox homes each year the 1 st of January. According to tradition, special sweet bread (in some areas of Greece, it takes the form of a cake) is prepared both in the Orthodox homes and in the Church community which is called Vasilopita. Sweets are added to the bread which symbolizes the sweetness and joy of life everlasting. It also symbolized the hope that the New Year will be filled with the sweetness of life, liberty, heath, and happiness for all who participate in the Vasilopita Observance. When the Vasilopita is prepared, a coin is usually added to the ingredients. When the bread is cut and the observance begins, the individual who receives that portion of the Pita which contains the coin is consider blessed. This tradition adds joy to the celebration at the beginning of the New Year, which everyone hope will bring joy to all. Many Orthodox Christians enjoy the Vasilopita at home with their loved ones during the New Year celebration. The head of the family cuts the pieces of pita for all members of the family. Since St. Basil loved the poor people, a special piece is cut for the unfortunate of the world, which symbolizes our concern for the poor people of all nations. Kalanta New Year s Carols Along with the feast of St. Basil, is the observance of the civil New Year. These two observances are commemorated with the singing of the Kalanata (carol-type song) which speak both of the New year and the great bishop, St. Basil. The Kalanta are part of the Vasilopita Cutting in each home on New Year s St. Basil Day. The words stress the joy and excitement of the New Year which brings new opportunities, the love of Christ, His miraculous Birth, His Baptism, and the compassion of the pious St. Basil who brought so much joy and happiness to the world. They ask St. Basil to stay a while at their home, to partake of their meal and fellowship, and to grant them good cheer. Who was St. Basil? During the fourth century, one of the greatest Fathers of the Christian Church appeared on the spiritual horizon of the Orthodox Faith. His name was Basil and he was Bishop of Caesarea, Cappadocia (Asia Minor). He was born four years after the First Ecumenical Council held in the year 325 A.D. Saint Basil was one of the three Cappadocian Fathers of the Church (the others were Gregory of Nazianzus, his best friend, and his brother, Gregory of Nyssa). Saint Basil was the first person in human history to establish an orphanage for little children. He also founded the first Christian hospital in the world. His fame as a Holy Man spread like wildfire throughout the Byzantine world. He was considered one of the wisest and compassionate clergymen in the entire history of the Church. His feast Day is observed on January 1 st, the date of his death. The Church, therefore, in respect for his many contributions to the Church and to mankind in general, combined the joy and happiness of the New Year with the glory of the birth of Christ, and the Epiphany into what is known in the Orthodox Church as the Vasilopita Observance. The Vasilopita is a joyous observance, and it is a custom which should not be neglected by Greek Orthodox Christians in the Western world. It should be retained annually in the home and in the parish. It is a wonderful way to begin each New Year which God has given to the world. If you have been holding the observance in you home, please continue to do so. If you have not, hopefully this information has explained to you how to do it. We urge you to begin this year and make it a family gathering every year on the Feast of St. Basil the Great/ New Year s Day January 1.