Spiritual Growth by Father Jason

Transcription

1 The monthly newsletter of Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church Great Lent 2015 Inside this issue: Growing up Lent 1 Spiritual Growth 1 Pastoral Care 2 Good News! 3 Stewardship 4-5 Philoptochos News 6 The Spiritual Meaning of the Greek Revolution 7 Things to remember... Our parish Lenten retreat takes place after Liturgy on Saturday February 28th. Fr. Jason will be offering Lenten reflections and presenting topics on Great Lent after services on Mondays and Wednesdays. Remember to take a look at our Lenten Planner and Holy Week Guide Book for Giving to those in need is vital for our spiritual growth. Don t forget about our Food Pantry bin that is located in the fellowship hall. St. Macrina s Academy will offering plenty of opportunities for education and fun during Great Lent and Holy Week! Remember our cultural events taking place this March on the 3rd and 22nd! Growing up Lent by Father Jason The routine for every major feast day is more or less the same: 1.) Prepare to fast 2.) Fast 3.) Pray 4.) Go to Church 5.) Pray some more 6.) Feast! 7. Repeat the following year This sounds pretty good when we think about it. We ll probably even look good when we do it. However, everything that we do, must not only be accomplished with salvation in mind, but as a result of the conversion of the heart. When we do this, our actions will not be routine, but caught up in the momentum of God s salvific plan for the world in Jesus Christ. It s nice that God gave us life. It s even better that He has The materialistic worldview that saturates almost every aspect of our culture makes growing up lent a little bit difficult. We know that we should strive for the spiritual realignment that Great Lent offers. But, we should remember that every aspect of our lives is related to one another. Like the nature of God, the elements that make us who we are such as the body, heart, soul, spirit, etc. are distinct but never separate. It s because we are made in the image and likeness of God, and given prayer as a gift that enables us to have a relationship with Him. For example, we pray so that Spiritual Growth by Father Jason our souls will be lifted up to God who looks after our spiritual and material needs. But remember, prayer is not a contemplative exercise. We pray with our physical bodies, and we do so with every tool at our disposal that the Church provides us with. Because we re out of order, why else would we need to fast and abstain from certain activities that force us into habitual and even compulsive routines of behavior? When we participate in the life of the Church, our faculties can once again be put back in order by God, making spiritual growth possible. given us new life. As we live our lives with His blessings in mind, this means that we are given every opportunity for our imperfections, and every shortcoming to be perfected by Jesus Christ. But, opportunity implies work; work implies responsibility; and responsibility demands obedience so that we can be enriched, nourished, and saved by the one who truly is perfect, and has defeated all that is wrong with the world sin death, and corruption. What we re talking about is spiritual growth. Spiritual growth is an evolving life in the Spirit that demands that we lay aside our nominal routines whether we believe them to be religious or not, and every other aspect of our lives that has habitually lead us away from God must be cast aside in order for to experience God authentically. As we prepare for Pascha this year, let s make it a point to grow up Lent! But the Body has many parts the Body of Christ. If this is the case, then our spiritual health as individuals is also conditioned by that of others. When it comes to our prayer lives, the question is not only why pray? But, why pray as an Orthodox Christian? The beautiful thing about our litany of litanies, prayers, and various hymns that make up our prayer tradition is that it reminds us that we are not saved alone. If we are saved together, it also means that we struggle, must struggle in prayer together. Continued on page 7

2 Office Hours Pastoral Visits Fr. Jason s Office Hours are back to the normal time: Mon Thurs (9am 4pm) Father Jason can be reached on his cell phone (219) in the event of a pastoral emergency. Please call the church for all other matters. If you would like to speak with Fr. Jason during the week, please call and set up an appointment. Remember: Fr. Jason has set aside Tuesdays to meet with parishioners at the Church. On Tuesdays, parishioners can receive the sacrament of confession, be anointed, or ask questions about the Orthodox faith, or just come and chat! I didn t want to bother the Priest is never a valid excuse for not calling the priest for a pastoral emergency! Did you ever think that it might bother the priest when you don t call? He s waiting for you to call him!!! Pastoral visits are vital to those of us in times of need, and to the overall well being of the parish. Please call the Church Office or call Fr. Jason s emergency cell phone number and let him know! You can also ask your family members, a social worker, or your Hospital s Chaplain services to notify the Church so that they can inform Fr Jason that you are in need of pastoral care. Sit down for a little chat sometime! Follow us online! We must support one another in every way possible. If you know of someone who is in need of pastoral care, please encourage them or their designated caregiver to call the Church office or Fr. Jason s emergency cell phone number. The Sacrament of Confession Confession is a necessary for our personal healing, and for the repentance and forgiveness of sins. It s also a vital element of our Lord s Commission to us as Orthodox Christians for the life and growth of the Church. Home Visits Do you or anyone else know of someone who needs a home visit due to health reasons, or just because they need someone to talk to? Please call Fr. Jason or ask our Ladies Philoptochos in order to schedule a Home visit. 2

3 Good News at Saints Constantine & Helen Great Lent We will be soon entering holy & Great Lent on Monday February 23rd which is called Clean Monday. May this Great Lent be for us you a holy one that we will be given to our Lord during these days of fasting, prayer, and loving one another. What better ay to do so than to attend our weekly services and educational opportunities that will be provided for us in the coming weeks and months. Also remember to take a look at our Lenten Plan for 2015 as well as the Holy Guide book. With God s help, may we all have a rewarding Great Lent! Parish Council With new officers sworn in, our Parish Council is off to a good start for President Bill Apostolou has already attended the Pastors Presidents meeting in January with Fr. Jason and council member Jim Messer where they attended seminars on Stewardship, and the Archdiocese assessment system. More information will be put together for our metropolis clergy, parish council presidents, and other lay representatives at our Metropolis at this year s metropolis Clergy- Laity assembly in Houston. We also look forward to our upcoming General Assembly on Sunday March 15th. Remember, while notifications are always sent out ten days in advance, if we would like to add anything to the agenda, we can always do so by contacting our parish council prior to March 5th. Parish Life Congratulations to Jenni and Michael Jackson along with Christiane and Ed Pier. Both couples were crowned in January! Father Jason would like to extend his gratitude to everyone who invited him to their homes during the Theophany season. Please remember that it s appropriate to bless homes at any time of the year. All you have to do is call! Great Lent is a time for personal growth. With personal growth comes growth as a parish family. Be mindful that God is blessing us with the opportunity to welcome those who are seeking salvation. Thank God for this and take a moment to welcome those who have recently been attending Constantine and Helen. Saint Macrina s Academy A special thanks goes out to everyone who participated in the FTO meeting on Sunday February 22nd. Please be aware of the following events that are taking place for our Sunday School and Youth programs. We will need our teachers, families, and volunteers to work together for the following activities: February 28: Lenten Kickoff with confessions March 1st The Sunday of Orthodoxy Icon Procession Mar 15th The Sunday of the Holy Cross March 22: Artoklasia (Singing"Ti ipermaho" for Church) March 24: Vespers & Artoklasia March 25: Annunciation Apr 5th The Palm Sunday Procession April 10: Holy Friday Retreat April 12: Agape Easter Egg Hunt May 30: Pentecost Retreat August 1-5 or 8-12: Vacation Church School 3

4 The Numbers are Coming in 52 families (82 stewards) have pledged $40, for This leaves us $60, short of our goal of $100, in stewardship for this year. The life and ministries of Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church depends on God. However, we need to cooperate with Him in order for His purpose in our lives to be fulfilled here in Cheyenne, and throughout the world. If you have not yet pledged for 2015, please take the time to prayerfully do so. Your Stewardship Committee Thank God for all of His Blessings and for our Stewards at Saints Constantine and Helen! PETER ANADIOTIS BILL & PRYDE ANDREWS ANTHONY & BARBARA ANDRIKOPOULOS MARIANNE BOURIS NICK ANEST BILL & IDA MAE APOSTOLOU GEORGE ARGERIS AARON & CHRISTINA BLOODING CHRISTOS & JANET CONSTANTINIDES JOHN CONTOS STELLA CONTOS TIMOTHY & EVAMARIE COTTON FR JASON & PRESB TIFFANY DICKEY GEORGE & ALICE DUBROWSKI MOUSA & AIDA FINO JIM & ESTELLE HAEFELE TOM & JONI HARLAN JAMES KINKADE KAREN KITHAS PETE & BECKY KITHAS TOM & JONI HARLAN WILLIAM & SUSIE HARRISON FR PETER & PRESB DINA HARRISON MR. JAMES D. HUNTER JENNIE M. JOANNIDES CHRISTINE KRIN MABLE DARLENE KRIN PAUL & PATRICIA LAFKAS DION LAMBOUSIS JOHN & SOPHIA LAMBOUSIS THEODOROS & PANGIOTA (NORA) MAKRIS DR. A.J. MEARES JOANNE MEARES PATRICIA MEARES ANASTASIA (SUSIE) MESSER JIM MESSER MARY MESSER JASON MILLER & PAULA PANAGOULEAS MASON & VALERIE MITCHELL MARK & MARIE PACHARES NICK & LINDA PANOPOULOS IRENE PANOS ANDREW & THEONI PAPPAS STEPHAN & KAY PAPPAS TAKE & JAMIE PULLOS CHARLIE & BETH RADICH MARK & TENA SLIZESKI FR. DEAN TALAGAN TOULA THEOS JEREMY & ALLISON TROY KOSTA & NANCY TSANDES NICK ZAHARAS STEVE & KELLY ZAHARAS BILLIE & CHARLIE ZUMO Current as of 2/23/15 4

5 Stewardship Ministries at Saints Constantine and Helen It s time to prayerfully discern how we will do our part in cooperating with God in our lives, in order for us to help carry out the mission and purpose of Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church of Cheyenne Wyoming: to strive for our own salvation, but the salvation of every person in Jesus Christ as a parish family. When we speak of stewardship and family we must also consider the stewardship of family. Most often, we stress the importance of stewardship of the great gifts of God s material world, but which of God s gifts is greater than family? When we speak of family, we speak not only of love, and support, but of struggle. Every family struggles. Is every family perfect? Is every family strong at all times? Look to the scriptures, and the lives of the saints, we will see that strength is perfected only in weakness, and a dependence on God and of those who are seeking salvation. As we approach this coming year as a parish family, let us cooperate with the one who has created us, and saved us so that we may pursue salvation together. Let us hold onto this vision of our salvation in Jesus Christ. Remember, without vision, the people will perish (Proverbs 29:18) Remember our Food Pantry! Philoptochos Book Store The Philoptochos Bookstore has received a nice donation of used books from Christine Krin. They will be made available on a table in the Fellowship Hall. Please Stop, Browse and Take some home! Thank you to Christine for passing the books on to us! ONCD Our Metropolis Committee on Growth and Evangelism gave a presentation at our recent clergy syndesmos in Denver on February 12th. Because of the participation of parishes such as ours, we can look forward to working together with our Committee on Growth and Evangelism as we continue to assess and improve our Church Health. At Saints Constantine & Helen, our parish health team will meet in the near future and looks forward to continuing to work with the rest of our parish to improve our parish health. Lenten Retreat Join Fathers Jason, Paul, and Father Mark Haas for a Lenten Retreat on February 28th after the Saturday of the Souls Schedule: 9:30am Divine Liturgy 11:00am Introduction to Great Lent (5-10 minutes break) 11:30am The Services of Great Lent (5-10 minutes break) 12:00am Spiritual Growth (5-10 minutes break) 12:30pm Questions and Answers Sharing our Culture The Greeks invented culture! It s only natural that we should teach people about how our own culture has influenced everyone else s! Join us as we once again share our culture with the Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce on March 3rd at 5:00PM. Father Jason will give a presentation on the influence of Hellenism and Greek Culture at 5:15pm. A special thanks goes out to everyone who is helping with this presentation. If you would like to help with preparations, please contact Father Jason or Ida Mae Apostolou. 5

6 THREE HIERARCHS PHILOPTOCHOS SOCIETY NEWSLETTER JAN MARCH 2015 by Ida Mae Apostolou Mission Statement The Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society, Inc., is the duly accredited women's philanthropic society of the Greek Orthodox. Philoptochos fulfills its mission to help the poor, the destitute, the hungry, the aged, the sick, the unemployed, the orphaned, the imprisoned, the widowed, those with disabilities and the victims of disasters through its National and Metropolis Boards and its 27,000 members and 500 chapters, nationwide diocese of America. We deeply appreciate our Parish members continued support of our Orthodox institutions and national charities. We meet on the Second Tuesday of the months Oct-May, in the Church Hall at 6:30 pm. Philoptochos Society is a ladies society open to every Orthodox woman. If you would like to become a member, please contact one of our officers*. ANDRIKOPOULOS, ANGIE APOSTOLOU, IDA MAE* BARKER, ANNA BLOODING, ALEXIS CONTOS, STELLA* DUDASH, HELEN GAUS, SHARON HARRISON, DINA KRIN, CHRISTINE LAMBOUSIS, SOFIA MEARES, JOANNE MESSER, SUSIE PANOPOULOS, LINDA PAPPAS, CHRISTINE TSANDES, NANCY* ZAHARAS, KELLY ZUMO, BILLIE* ANDRIKOPOULOS, KATERINA APOSTOLOU, KATIE BLOODING, CHRISTINE BOURIS, MARIANNE* COSTOPOULOS, HELEN ELIOPOULOS, ANGIE HARRISON, AMALIA* KALOKATHIS, CARLENE KRIN, DARLENE LEHMAN, JULIE MESSER, MARY PACHARES, MARIE PANOS, IRENE TRASK, ANGELA ZAHARAS, FAY ZUMO, ANN ZUMO, CHARLIE (ASSOCIATE) SAINT NICHOLAS SHRINE us rebuild Saint Nicholas for all future generations, and for the many millions of people who will visit every year the new World Trade Center, the National September 11th Memorial Museum and our National Shrine, the only house of worship that was destroyed at Ground Zero. For information on how you, as a member or friend of Philoptochos, can support the Saint Nicholas National Shrine at Ground Zero with a donation, please contact Billie Zumo. Our Society made a contribution to this beautiful Shrine. Two members from our BAKING Philoptochos members invite everyone in baking Koulourakia for Fellowship and for our Festival. Please watch for dates and times to be announced. The first date has been set for February 20 th at 9:00am. Please remember, you can come at any time during the day, as we will need assistance mixing, rolling, baking, bagging, and doing dishes. There is a spot for everyone! Please join us. 6 JANUARY We made Vasilopita, and served it on January 11 th. This event provides a major source of funding for St. Basils Academy in New York. The monies that were collected were sent, along with a donation from our Chapter, to St. Basils. Also, Christine and Darlene Krin, new members, baked a beautiful Vasilopita with a Kennedy Silver Half Dollar, and raffled it off during our Name Day Luncheon. It was won by Morgan Pachares. We celebrated our Name Day Luncheon on January 25 th with a wonderful spaghetti and meatball meal. We had a great turnout. Thank you all for your generosity. FEBRUARY Go Red for Women s the American Heart Association s national call to increase awareness and help prevent heart disease, the number one killer of American women. February 9th was Go Red Sunday and are our Philoptochos sisters across the country joined the movement and wear red, the color of our hearts, when attending Church services. We also collected items for Valentine Baskets and were able to make 11. Raffle tickets were sold and the winner s names are posted on the bulletin board! Congratulations! We appreciate everyone who supported this and for our collection for the American Heart Association. MARCH On March 3rd at 5:00 the Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce will be visiting our Church. Their theme is Cultural Diversity in Cheyenne. They expect approximately members. Our Christina Blooding will be displaying some of her art work, and if anyone has any Greek items they would like to put on display or assist in decorating the Church on the 3 rd, please bring them to the office. We would like to leave the decorations up until the celebration of Greek Independence on March 22 nd. We also need refreshments on the 3 rd. If you would like to bring something and help serve, please contact Ida Mae. Please join us for our next meeting on March 10th, at 6:30pm in the Church Hall. APRIL April is a very busy month for us and we have a lot planned. We invite everyone to come and assist us. We will be dying eggs for our Easter breads and for the Pascha dinner. We will be baking bread on April 3 rd, and selling them on Palm Sunday (5 th ). We will also be serving a Plaki luncheon on Palm Sunday. We will be decorating the Church on Friday, and assisting the Parish Council as needed. Virginia is taking donations for Holy Week flowers, so if you would like to make a contribution, please see Virginia. NOTE: Church Women United is planning a Fellowship Luncheon on May 1 st at the First Christian Church. They are in need of sisters to step forward to fill vacancies so they can continue their ministry. If you are interested, please contact Deanna Sommers at

7 Spiritual Growth (continued) Who and what isn t covered in the prayers of the Orthodox Church? We pray for people who we love and hate, and for those who are Orthodox and non-orthodox. We also pray for every element of creation Technically, we even pray for the IRS! God s plan for the salvation of the world demands the sanctity of those whom He has made in His image, and the prayers of those who are struggling for salvation. This is why we were created! Nothing and no one is excluded from the life that Christ offers to the world. This is why our spiritual pallet will never be complete unless we contribute to His salvific plan. Prayer is the means of ultimately sustain ourselves and others. This The Spiritual Meaning of the Greek Revolution Below are passages, either written or oral, showing the deep spiritual and ideological meaning of the Greek Revolution. In light of the many persecutions in in which more and more Christians are finding themselves, Greek Independence Day should serve as a reminder of how God intervenes in human history for the benefit of all. May we continue to struggle to lives in accordance with the responsibility that comes with freedom in Jesus Christ. Don t forget to join us on March 22nd for a luncheon in honor of Greek Independence Day, and on March 25th On the eve of the declaration for a national revolution against the Turks at Holy Lavra Monastery, Asimakis Zaimis said the following: "Nothing remains but the immediate proclamation of Revolution. Nothing separates us and there is no dispute. Let us rest tonight, and tomorrow in the church, after having received the Undefiled Mysteries, let us all pray, according to the Doxology of Saint Alexios and the Panagia, is why we must pray, pray obediently, and worship in Spirit and in Truth. This is what it means to lift ourselves up to God for our benefit and the benefit of others. To live in accordance of the momentum of the orthodoxy that he is providing for us in our lives. What now? Here are some practical tips 1. Pray Daily and Pray without ceasing! Have a regular rule of life that includes morning and evening prayer. Pray before, after, and in between too! 2. Worship and Participation in the Sacraments Let us attend and participate in the Divine Liturgy receiving Holy Communion regularly as possible. Just remember, regular participation means that we should be regularly prepared. that they may help us in the unequal struggle which we are undertaking. This hour tomorrow let us meet herein, that we may arrange the Struggle." The commander heroine Laskarina Bouboulina told the politicians: "I lost my husband. Blessed be God! My eldest son fell with his weapon in his hands. Blessed be God! My second and only son, 14 years old, fought with the Greeks and eventually found a glorious death. Blessed be God! Under the sign of the Cross my blood will also flow. Blessed be God! We will conquer or die with the living, but we will have the consolation that in the world we did not leave behind the Greeks in slavery." And Photis Kontoglou, in his book Suffering Romiosini, wrote: "The Greek Revolution is the most spiritual revolution to ever occur in the world. It is sanctified. The slavery which pushed the Greeks to rise up against the Turk was not only about the deprivation and evils against the body, but, above all, the tyrant wanted to ruin their Faith, bothering them with their religious debts, changing their Faith and slaughtering and hanging them, because they did not deny their Faith Prayer, fasting, confession, and forgiving one another is how we prepare ourselves. 3. Honoring the Liturgical Life of the Church Our experience of Church life isn t limited to Sundays. Follow the seasons of the year and participate in both the fasts and feasts of the Church. 5. Slow Down! If we tell ourselves and others that we don t have time for [fill in the blank] it probably means that our priorities are causing stress in our lives. 6. Be Watchful Christ is with us at all times. If we are mindful of this we will become more aware of ourselves, our surroundings, and our actions. 7. Tame the Passions Our shortcomings and pitfalls often become habitual. When this happens, we may not even know that they exist. We might also believe that we are doing the right to become Mohammadens. For them Faith and Homeland became one and the same thing, and the free-dom they longed for was not only the freedom all revolution-aries long for, but it was the freedom to preserve their sa-cred Faith, with which they hoped to save their souls. Be-cause for them, though near to the body which has many needs and with its suffering requires maintanence, there also existed a soul, which Christ said is worth more than the body..." TRIP TO GREECE At our first meeting we had an attendance of 17 interested travelers. The trip will begin approx. June 8th with a two week stay in Greece. A land tour of important sites in Greece as well as a 4-5 day cruise of the Greek islands was discussed. We are in the process of determining costs before final decisions are made. Our next meeting will be Monday, March 9th at 6:00. All are welcome to attend. If you have questions, call Kosta or Nancy at thing as we sin. With God s help, we can refocus our thoughts and emotions so that we can put good back into the situations that we find ourselves in. 9. Fellowship Healthy fellowship with other Orthodox Christians for support and inspiration can take place in the Church or throughout our daily lives as we interact with one another. 10. Read the Scriptures and Holy Fathers God is real, and so is the salvation that He offers us! We should know how this God is present in the life of the world, and in the lives of those who have attained holiness. 11. The Jesus Prayer It never hurts to ask for the mercy of Jesus Christ on a regular basis: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy on me a sinner! May we seek his blessings, love and mercy this Lenten season! FESTIVAL NEWS The Cheyenne Greek Festival will be held on Friday, September 18th from 4:00-10:00 and Saturday, September 19 th from 11:00-8:00. The contracts have been signed and all that is needed now is everyone's help to volunteer for baking and helping in the Festival booths. Times for baking will be forthcoming in the near future. We need everyone's help so we can have another successful Festival to he support Saints Constantine and Helen. Everyone has expressed their enthusiasm for another enjoyable Festival and we hope all will be able to participate.

8 Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church founded West 27th Street Cheyenne, Wyoming (307) NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 148 CHEYENNE, WY Return Service Requested Address Label... His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Denver Rev. Father Jason Dickey Proistamenos Our Parish Council President Bill Apostolou (307) Vice President Stella Contos (307) Treasurer Linda Panopoulos (307) Secretary Nancy Tsandes (307) Assist. Treasurer George Costopoulos (307) Katerina Andrikopoulos (307) Jim Messer (307) Mousa Fino (307) Christina Blooding (307) Saints Constantine and Helen is the spiritual home for Orthodox Christians of Cheyenne Wyoming whose mission and purpose is not only to strive for salvation in Jesus Christ, but for all who seek the truth. In doing so, we preserve not only the evan-gelical nature of the Church, but the pure and undefiled faith as it has been handed down to the apostles by the Lord himself who commands us all to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey all that I have com-manded. - Matthew 28:18 Whether you are looking for a spiritual home, or you are currently a parishioner of Saints Constantine and Helen, join us for worship. If you have any questions about the Orthodox Faith, our ministries, or upcoming events, please feel free to contact us. Sunday: Worship Schedule Orthros (Matins) 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am Weekday Services: Divine Liturgy 9:30am (please see our monthly calendar for our scheduled feastdays!)