Happy New Year 2016!

Transcription

1 VOLUME 25 NUMBER 1 January 2016 Published Monthly by: Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Pacific 930 Lunalilo Street, Honolulu, Hawaii Phone : (808) Fax : (808) fralexanderleong@yahoo.com Church Office Secretary s SaintsConstantine-HelenHon@mail.goarch.org Parish Web Site: Regular Office Hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday thru Friday Happy New Year 2016! My Dear Spiritual Ohana, I extend to all of you my best wishes for a Happy but not too happy, Healthy and Fruitful New Year as we ring in 2016! Why do I say not too happy? St. Paisios of Mount Athos says states very beautifully why. He says: I wish you many years but not for them to be too happy, because happiness in the world isn t really so healthy. When a man is too happy in this world, he forgets God and forgets death. So the answer is that we could easily forget God when all is going too well and forget that our lives on this earth are meant to be only temporary. As is with every year, we close out the previous year and have new beginnings with There is a bitter-sweet feeling as we commend 2015 into the past and into history. In 2015, as a faith community, we experienced an array of joyful times, sad times, triumphs, disappointments, health, health challenges, etc. These are all part of life! What spectacular 50th Anniversary Celebrations we had in 2015! I will never forget the special year we celebrated at our Cathedral. I m sure that it will remain a very significant memory in many of our lives. To all our dearly beloved who had many health and physical challenges, it has been an honor to pray with you, to anoint you and be with you (Continued on page 2) 1

2 (Continued from page 1) during those times. I have seen the Glory of God working in your lives, witnessing from time to time, God bringing needed healing, as He wills, to whom He chooses to, often with the help of Panagia s intercessions and prayers. In this 2016 year, it is my continued hope and desire for all of us to grow in our relationship with our Loving God, connecting with Him Who gives us our ultimate purpose and meaning for existing and Who is our Source of Life and Fulfillment. Our relationship with Him ought not to remain static, distant and disconnected, but to be dynamic, ever moving from glory to glory, growing closer and closer to Christ. I have resolved in this 2016 Year to make specific improvements, tweaks and adjustments in attempts to benefit all of you. It is my desire in my ministry to you that we work in synergy with one another toward being involved and invested in the ministries of our faith, that is, to use our God-given gifts and talents to help one another grow together in Christ. I would like us to explore, encounter and perhaps rediscover, especially, the depth and meaning of the Divine Liturgy and various aspects of our worship and faith through sermons, messages and sharing in fellowship. One of my immediate goals, beginning this month, is to change the appointed time of my sermons to be right before Holy Communion so that I can reach and speak to more of you than I have been able to, than when I spoke after the reading of the Holy Gospel. I feel it is very crucial for me, unworthy as I am, to help foster, within each and every one of you, a relationship with God which is very connected and very real. I truly want each of you to know what your purpose and meaning are as being part of the Body of Christ, His Church! I list a few achievable goals for us in 2016: Comprehend the depth and meaning of the Divine Liturgy Youth Groups to be active and for young people to connect Adult Religious Education to continue 10 Point Program with Fr. Alex, start a new series of classes led by Dr. Robert Arakaki (his Biblical Basis Series was exceptional), allow others to teach Altar Boy Recruitment & Training Chant Group Development Ministry Teams & Strategic Planning Implementation With Love & Service in Christ, +Fr. Alexander Rev. Father Alexander Leong Church Staff Shelli Landeryou ~ Office Coordinator Roni Katsikas ~ Interim Bookkeeper 2016 Parish Council Officers to be announced in February Christina Dimitrion, Dr. Michael Dimitrion, Roni Katsikas, Cleopatra Kritikos, Nicholas Kyriakakis, Regina Mass, Maria Naval, Andrew Tujios & Austin Vali. Sunday School Director Presvytera Nicole Leong Sunday School Teachers Alice Malick, Andria Schindler, Maria Naval, Alma Chu, George Kalantzis, Shawn Chu, Dimitri Nicholas, Mindy Scordilis & Jeanie Stavrue Pe ahi Philoptochos Board Alma Chu ~ President Anita Akel ~ Vice President Marina Saikevych ~ Treasurer Alice Malick ~ Recording Secretary Valentina Yarovaya ~ Corr. Secretary Harriett Medes ~ Advisor Choir~Chanters Music Director ~ Orest Saikevych Protopsaltis ~ Gregory Malick Parish Ministries Aloha Youth Choir Stelio Scordilis Bookstore ~ T.B.A. Greek Dance Groups ~ Dianna Graves Greek School ~ Stelio Scordilis Web Master ~ Julie Ličina Facebook ~ Anita Higashi 2

3 LITURGICAL LIFE OF OUR PARISH WEEKDAY SERVICES FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY CIRCUMSISION/ST. BASIL THE GREAT Fri. 1/1 Orthros/Liturgy 8:30/9:30 AM EVE OF THEOPHANY Tue. 1/5 Vesper/Liturgy 9:00 AM THEOPHANY Wed. 1/6 Orthros/Liturgy 8:30/9:30 AM ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST Thu. 1/7 Orthros/Liturgy 8:30/9:30 AM MAUI SERVICES Sat. 1/23 Orthros/Liturgy 9/10 AM ST. GREGORY THE THEOLOGIAN Mon. 1/25 Orthros/Liturgy 8:30/9:30 AM GREAT VESPERS Fri. 1/29 GREAT VESPERS 6:30 PM THREE HOLY HIERARCHS Sat. 1/30 Orthros/Liturgy 8:30/9:30 AM Upcoming Opportunities for Worship & Learning Moms & Tots and Thoughts about Weekly Fellowship We look forward to the implementation of the Moms & Tots Ministry. A suggested book for sharing and fellowship is Making God Real in the Orthodox Christian Home, by Fr. Anthony Coniaris. Fr. Alexander is open to suggestions for topics of fellowship and learning from you as to come to a consensus on beneficial material with dates, days and times of gatherings. Byzantine Chant Fr. Alex is willing to teach Byzantine Chant in small groups or one-on-one. Rather than teaching this rich tradition of the music s theory and the notation (neumes), Father will teach some of the more utilized hymns, responses and model hymns (prosomia). Please call or see Fr. Alex if you are interested and set up dates and times to learn. You may also set up an appointment to meet with him in his office or at your home. Adult Religious Education Sundays Noon to 12:40 p.m., following coffee hour (See weekly bulletin for updates) Fr. Alexander will resume the Ten Point Program for Orthodox Life Series following the Nativity Holiday Season and Epiphany Celebrations concluding the week of January 3rd thru January 10th, The topic for Sunday January 17th, is Slowing Down and Ordering Your Life. Please stay tuned for the topics for Sunday, January 24th and 31st. 3

4 Sunday School News A Happy New Year to All! I hope you all had a blessed, peaceful Nativity Season. Around us, most people put their Christmas trees and decorations away right after Christmas. That means no more cerebrations of His Birth. Then people celebrate on New Year s Eve and return to a regular way of life. Have you ever felt it is too brief and sudden that we stop the celebrations? I came from Japan where people celebrate New Years for a whole week and feel a little sad to witness such a short-term celebration. Well, people celebrate the Christmas Season for several weeks with parties and events before Christmas but not after Christmas. I guess it is just a different custom here. Within the Orthodox Church, the celebration of His Birth still continues after the Feast Day of the Nativity. We do not fast for a little more than a week after Christmas, because we continuously feast in celebrating His Birth. Some traditional Christian families keep their Christmas tree and decorations up until Epiphany which is another one of the major Feast Days of the Lord. It is nice for us Orthodox Christians to end a year and start a new year during the Holy Day Season. Our own family enjoys Vasilopita cake after attending the St. Basil Liturgy every New Year. For sure, our kids like the story of the Vasilopita. Many of you must have special family traditions in celebrating Christmas and the New Year. Those memories and traditions will stay with our children throughout their life. Children learn most from their parents at home, maybe not geometry, biology, chemistry etc., but morality, compassion, hard work, belief, and FAITH. Parents are the primary teacher whom our children follow the most for what they believe. Sunday School is a reinforcement for what parents are teaching at home. The following is from Making God Real In The Orthodox Christian Home. In calling on a family, a pastor asked the wife, Does Christ live here? The wife went back and repeated the question to the husband. He replied, Tell him we go to church every Sunday. The wife replies, But that is not what he asked. His question was, Does Christ live here in our home? Does He? To be honest, I am being a failure in answering yes to the question above. I am often caught up with busy moments, selfish emotions, and tiredness, and missed to live following God s teachings. I am not being a good role model for my own children. I often have to pray to God to help me, St. Porphyrios Prayer, Lord Jesus Christ, give Your light to my children. I entrust them to You. You gave them to me, but I am weak and unable to guide them, so, please, illuminate them. If you cannot answer yes to the question with confidence, you are not alone. I need a lot of guidance since I did not grow up in an Orthodox home. Luckily, there are many resources which guide us, parents, to raise our children as Orthodox Christians. We also can ask a priest or experienced parents and grandparents. I am honestly sorry if I offend any parent asking the question, Does Christ live in your home? I see many beautiful, talented children at our church. I do not want to see that they drop off Church when they become older. I pray they live an Orthodox Christian life as saints and disciples in order to share God s light with others. I appreciate your additional prayers for our children, parents, Sunday School Teachers and Youth Ministry Directors. In Christ, Pres. Nicole, Sunday School Director 4

5 The Theophany of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Excerpts from mystagogy.com About the beginning of our Lord s thirteenth year, John the Forerunner, who was some six months older that Our Savior according to the flesh, and had lived in the wilderness since his childhood, received a command from God and came into the parts of the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance unto the remission of sins. Then our Savior came from Galilee to the Jordan, and sought and received baptism though He was the Master and John was but a servant. Whereupon, there came to pass those marvelous deeds, great and beyond nature: the Heavens were opened, the Spirit descended in the form of a dove upon Him that was being baptized and the voice was heard from the Heavens bearing witness that this was beloved Son of God, now baptized as a man (Matt. 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:1-22). From these events the Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ and the great mystery of the Trinity were demonstrated. It is also from this that the present feast is called Theophany, that is, the divine manifestation, God s appearance among men. On this venerable day the sacred mystery of Christian baptism was inaugurated; henceforth also began the saving preaching of the Kingdom of the Heavens. The Great Sanctification of the Waters The Great Sanctification of the Waters, which is observed on the eve and on the day of Theophany, is a calling to remembrance of the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan by John the Baptist and the sanctification of the waters which was done by Christ at that time. Saint John Chrysostom speaks about this Great Sanctification of the feast of Theophany and says that the sanctified water was kept by the faithful and used for purifications, support, healing, etc. We realize its importance when we recall the words of the prayer which the priest offers at the epiclesis (invocation) of the Holy Spirit and the sanctification of the water:...and make it a source of incorruption, a gift of sanctification, a release from sins, a cure of maladies, an extermination of demons, unreachable to the opposing powers, a plentitude of 5 angelic potency What is particularly important in this case is the repentance and the fasting which is observed on the eve of the Feast. When we receive the sanctified water of the Great Sanctification with contrite spirit and true faith, then it truly becomes a healing means of soul and body and undoing of all opposing powers. The feast of Theophany is an invitation to renewal and return to the Lord of glory, who humbled Himself, though He was God, and became man a true man, sinless, forgiving and merciful, the way, the truth and the life. Let us follow Him on the path of righteousness, along with His all-holy Mother the Theotokos, St. John the Baptist, the holy Apostles and all the Saints.

6 PARISH ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR NEWS Philoptochos News Happy New Year 2016! The Philoptochos ladies had a festive Christmas luncheon that was prepared by Eres Eddy. So, thank you, Eres! Thank you to all the generous donors of $10 Walmart gift cards we were able to give a substantial donation to the Abused Women s Shelter in Leeward graciously delivered by Sophia Turchman. Thank you to Vicki Shiroma, Anita Akel- Soileau, Suzanne Akiona, Frances Rizzo-Lee for making sure our pastries fundraiser went smoothly. Your hard work and efforts do not go unrecognized you are truly treasures. Our next Philoptochos meeting is on Sunday, Jan. 10th at noon. I hope all members will plan to attend and we welcome new members as well. Please come and share your ideas for future fundraisers and also how we can better serve the community here and beyond. You are all so much needed and appreciated! Our sincere condolences go out to the family of Nadia Martinez on her recent passing may her memory be eternal! Please continue to pray for Alice Malick, Julie Licina, Laura Emerson and Suzanne Akiona for good and speedy recovery from their infirmities and prayers also for our elders in the church. God bless you all in the new year! GLENDI Pupus, Dinner, Dessert, Prizes, and Cash Bar. Dance and Bouzouki Performances by Dance Group 6:00 PM-10:00 PM Saturday, January 23, 2016 Chirgotis Social Hall Adults: $25.00 Children (10 and under):$10.00 Presold tickets only. please see: Dianna/Barry Graves. Dancing Lessons With God A wise man once said that unusual travel suggestions are likened to dancing lessons from God. The point of this, I suppose is that we might learn more about life by traveling to unusual places or by traveling in unusual ways. For instance, going to Dance Group News Australia instead of Disney World, or traveling by bus instead of by plane are more likely to be life-enhancing, consciousness-expanding experiences; in short, a dance lesson with God. Another lesson to be taken from this is that moving through life should be more like dancing than simply taking a walk, which means we should try to move gracefully and beautifully as well as joyfully. How should we dance through life? The simplest and most beautiful way to do this is through love. by opening our heart to love and loving those around us, the world is transformed from a dark, cold and dreary place to one of light, warmth and joy. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. John 15:12 Mahalo for Your Support, Dianna Graves Dance Group Ministry Director 6

7 Greek Language In addition to our Sunday classes after Sunday School, we will be having the following classes on Monday Evenings: Elementary classes at 5 pm Advanced Youth Adults 6 to 8 pm January Parish Council Teams 1/03 - Michael Dimitrion 1/10 - Regina Mass 1/17- Nicholas Kyriakakis 1/24- Roni Katsikas 1/31-Tina Dimitrion Scheduling an Event? BEFORE scheduling meetings, parties, or any other event at church social hall, kitchen, or office rooms, PLEASE be sure to clear your event with the Church Office at least 2 weeks in advance. Doing so will ensure that our church facilities are available for all to use, as well as prevent confusion and double-bookings. Please be aware also that there are rental forms to be completed by anyone wishing to use our facilities organization, member or non-member. C O F F E E H O U R Each individual/family is requested to sponsor a coffee hour one Sunday per year. The 2016 Coffee Hour signup calendar is posted outside of the Social Hall. You may sign up directly on the calendar or contact Suzanne A. or Frances R. Instructions/tips for sponsoring a coffee hour can be found in a new 3-ring binder in the Social Hall (in overhead cupboard). The Ladies of Philoptochos appreciate any donations of coffee supplies, including paper supplies to help defray some of the coffee hour expenses. If you are hesitant to prepare and serve a coffee hour yourself, consider making a monetary donation. Friendly Reminder: Please do not bring non-lenten food including cake & ice cream during fasting periods. 7 Thank you to our December Sunday Coffee Hour sponsors! Peter and Harriet Medes Dina Giannakopoulos The Saikevych Family The Graves Family Fr. Alex and Pres. Nicole sponsored Coffee Hour on November 29, 2015.

8 Please remember in your prayers: Helen Anastasopoulos Potts Ted Anastasopoulos Julie Licina Alice Malick Suzanne Keyser Suzanne Akiona & All Those Who need our Prayersv Aloha Youth Choir News The Aloha Choir will be holding our very first SOUP SUNDAY fundraiser on January 31, Please show your love for our youth choir by purchasing a delicious bowl of FRIENDSHIP soup & a roll for $5. Your continued support of the Aloha Choir is much appreciated. SAINTS CONSTANTINE AND HELEN BOOK STORE v Books v Gifts v Items for personal devotions OPEN on Sundays after Church and during Regular Office Hours, Monday-Friday, 9am to 1pm. Future Announcements Don t wait until the last minute to share your news! If there are any announcements that you would like to see in the February bulletin, be sure to let the office know by the deadline, January 15th. This allows for enough time for approval, editing, and preparing the bulletin. Send an (SaintsConstantine-HelenHon@mail.goarch.org), call the office ( ), or drop by with a hard copy of your requested announcement. Gone Electronic Your monthly bulletin Shorelines is now available on our website at Subscribers can choose to read online, download and save, or print a hard copy. We hope to use this service in the future to make notification of upcoming events at Ss. Constantine & Helen and to share important news items To begin receiving your bulletin electronically, simply send an to the Church Office, at: saintsconstantine -helenhon@mail.goarch.org, with Bulletin Electronic Subscription in the subject line. 8