St. George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral

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2 St. George Orthodox Cathedral Bulletin - June 27, Published Weekly St. George Orthodox Cathedral, 30 Anna Street, Worcester, MA St. George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral His Eminence Metropolitan JOSEPH, Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of all North America His Grace, Bishop JOHN, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Worcester and New England Rev. Fr. Milad Selim, Dean Rev. Fr. Seraphim Solof, Assistant Pastor Rev. Dn. Anthony Payne We are happy to welcome visitors to the Orthodox Church. We are blessed by your presence. Because the Orthodox Church understands communion to be the union of its membership, only those Orthodox Christians who have prepared properly should approach the chalice for communion. Those who belong to other communions, but would like to come into the Orthodox Church, should speak to one of our clergy to begin preparation. Thank you for your respect and understanding. Office 30 Anna Street Worcester, MA Telephone: (508) Fax: (508) office@stgeorgeworcester.org Web page: Pastor s Contact fr.milad.selim@gmail.com Hall Rental Information The Hall at St. George: TONE: 4 EOTHINON: 5 VESPERS: 5 PM CHURCH SCHOOL: 9 AM MATINS: 9 AM CONFESSION: DIVINE LITURGY: 9:15-9:45 AM 10 AM Sunday July 1, 2018 All boys are eligible to serve during the summer months. Come to the Altar NO LATER than 10:00AM for the start of Liturgy and see Dr. Wood. Please dress appropriately including dress shoes and tie.

3 The Reading from the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. (12:27-13:8) Brethren, you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the Church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (8:28-9:1) At that time, when Jesus came to the country of the Gergesenes, two demoniacs met Him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. And behold, they cried out, What have we to do to Thee, O Son of God? Art Thou come here to torment us before the time? Now a herd of many swine was feeding at some distance from them. And the demons begged Him, If Thou castest us out, send us away into the herd of swine. And He said to them, Go. So they came out and went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and perished in the waters. The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, and what had happened to the demoniacs. And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they begged Him to leave their neighborhood. And getting into a boat He crossed over and came to His own city. RESURRECTIONAL APOLYTIKION IN TONE FOUR Having learned the joyful message of the Resurrection from the angel the women disciples of the Lord cast from them their parental condemnation. And proudly broke the news to the Disciples, saying: Death hath been spoiled; Christ God is risen, granting the world Great Mercy. APOLYTIKION OF SS. COSMAS AND DAMIAN IN TONE EIGHT O ye silver-hating, wonderworking saints, Cosmas and Damian, visit our sicknesses. Freely ye received, freely give unto us. KONTAKION IN TONE TWO O protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the Creator most constant, O despise not the suppliant voices of those who have sinned; but be thou quick, O good one, to come unto our aid, who in faith cry unto thee: Hasten to intercession, and speed thou to make supplication, thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.

4 Announcements Men s Club: Our next meeting will take place on Thursday, June 28th, 2018 immediately after the Vesperal Divine Liturgy at 6PM. This liturgy is to celebrate the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. We invite all of our men to attend this Liturgy, which will be followed with a reflection by Fr. Milad on the feast and its relation to our role as men. Antiochian Village Camp: It s Summer Camp Just for adults! Adult Camp is for anyone who wants to come spend a weekend in the beautiful natural setting of the Antiochian Village Camp growing in our Faith. Campers will get to enjoy fellowship with each other, daily services, Christian Education, afternoon programs, arts & crafts and more! Register for our Antiochian Village Camp today! Campers must be 21 or older. Camp will begin Friday, September 14th and will end on the following Monday, September 17th, 2018! For more information or to register, visit avcamp.org The Syrian Brotherhood Orthodox Society: Will hold a meeting of new and former members during coffee hour after Liturgy, Sunday, July 1st, in the conference/board room. Please join us! If you are unable to attend the meeting, but would like to be a member, please contact Lorice Swydan, , lorices@yahoo.com or Tim Samara for further information. The organization's purpose is religious and charitable, to further the aims of the church, while giving assistance to all needy individuals. New and former members are encouraged to join the organization at this time! Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) Registration is now open MobilePack Event: Be sure to mark your calendar for August 4th, for our 4th Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) MobilePack Event! Our goal is to raise $22,000, register 500 volunteers and pack 100,000 meals. To donate and register, please visit our website stgeorgeworcester.org Paint Nite: Come join the fun! Thursday July 12 th, 2018 from 7PM to 9PM at the church $35/ per person (pay at the door). Cash is accepted, or make checks out to FMSC (Memo line: Mobile Pack # MI)! All proceeds go to FMSC! PRE-REGISTRATION IS PREFERRED. To preregister, call or the Cathedral Office. (508) / stgeorgeworc@gmail.com. BYOB AND SNACKS! FMSC 4TH ANNUAL CALENDAR RAFFLE: Our Calendar Raffle will take place the entire month of July. Tickets are $5 each or 5 tickets for $20! Winners will have the opportunity to win again as their names are re-entered. To purchase your tickets, please see a member of our team during coffee hour or contact the Cathedral Office at Come on in and shop at the St. Nicholas Gift Shop Great Gifts for all occasions, Baptism, Birthday, Name Day, Graduation, Engagement and much more at great prices!!! Please stop by and see us. Credit/Debit cards accepted. Gift Certificates available.

5 Spartan race and our Spiritual journey By: Fr. Milad Selim A few weeks ago, Khouria Nichole and I participated in a growing competition called A Spartan Race. The event included a number of challenging and dangerous obstacles. The obstacles consisted of jumping over various size walls, climbing ropes, running through a muddy and slippery terrain for over five miles, crawling under barbed wire, jumping over fire and many other obstacles, 23 to be exact. The day was cold and rainy, challenging to say the least. The safest way to run this course was to keep both eyes on the ground before every step to make sure that we did not fall over the slippery rocks and the numerous tree roots. As we were running, Nichole shouted, Can you imagine running through here in the dark? Of course, my exhausted brain shifted to a potential sermon topic. Running, fear, exhaustion, challenges, course, goal and ultimate relief and joy. The above precisely illustrates our spiritual journey towards the Kingdom of God. Think about it like this. We begin our journey at the moment of our baptism, surrounded by people who love and support us. The moment we put on Christ, the devil begins to craftily place obstacles in our path. As we pursue this challenging path, some of us will abandon it and turn to other, perhaps more appealing paths, while others will embrace the course along with its challenges and achieve perfect holiness. In his letter to Timothy, St Paul joyfully proclaims, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing (2 Timothy 4:7-8). Our spiritual life, my beloved in the Lord, is in fact challenging. It is very easy for one to give up. We often fall and then we are encouraged by the Church and those around us to get up and keep going. We each run this course at a difference pace. Some are fit, others are out of shape. Like exercising, using the correct training methods and being consistent will benefit and prepare us for this life-long journey. The Church gives us a liturgical calendar that is meant to uplift us when we are down. We move from one Feast to the next, and from one fasting period into another. This is not meant to make us resent our spiritual path, but to make it attainable. Keep in mind, some of the challenges and temptations we encounter may shake our faith. Some of the greatest Saints of our Church were tempted and fell into temptations, but ultimately repented and received crowns of righteousness. Jesus Himself was tempted, several times. At the beginning of His ministry, after being baptized by John in the Jordan and fasting for 40 days and nights, He was tempted by the devil. When the devil was defeated, he left Jesus until an opportune time (Luke 4:13). This opportune time came before His Crucifixion. Christ asked His Father to take the cup (cross) away from Him if it was according to His will (Luke 22:42). He was also tempted while on the Cross by the those crucified with Him and by the soldiers and bystanders, though He never fell into sin. Similarly, we are constantly being tempted to step down from our crosses and to abandon them. Those heavy crosses are given to us by God as an aid and not as a punishment. They are meant to challenge, stretch and uplift us so that we can realize our true humanity. He knows how heavy they can be at times, He carried one Himself. But let us remember that joy has come into this world through the Cross. Jesus will not sit back and watch us carry our crosses alone. If we are faithful to them and are mindful of them, we will soon realize that He s carrying those crosses with us.

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7 PRAYERS OF OBLATION IN LOVING MEMORY OF: - Tom Maloof, Love, Carol & Paul Swydan - Cousin Ronald Dill, from Akron, Ohio. He passed away on Thursday, June 21, 2018 From Carol & Paul Swydan and all the Abdelmaseh Family - Nicholas, Nora & Joseph Romley & Alice Demas from Margaret Gammal - Our beloved great aunt, Evelyn Boosahda Ayoub, (after whom we named our daughter), with lots of love, Sonny, Amanda & Evelyn Mia Khoshaba - Ronald Dill, Donald Dill and Jennifer Lindberg from Mary Ellen Swydan PRAYERS OF OBLATION FOR THE HEALTH OF: - Nancy Maloof and Family, Love, Carol & Paul Swydan - Shirley M. George from m/m Philip J. George - Christian Samara, on his birthday, from Sitoo and Jiddo - Mike and Penny Wood and all of our Kansas Wood family from Patricia, George, Lynn, Matthew & Andrew Wood - Lorice Swydan, Carol and Paul Swydan, Patricia and Philip George. Thank you for your help on our recent journey from Mary Ellen Swydan Sponsor Coffee Hour If you would like to sponsor coffee hour, we have some Sundays available! To sponsor our coffee hour, please contact the Cathedral Office at (508) or us, stgeorgeworc@gmail.com to make your reservation! Any questions will be answered by the Office Manager. New Office Hours: Our office hours have changed. If you would like to reach us, please be sure to call or stop by between the hours of 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM Monday - Thursday. We are closed on Fridays. Be sure to meet our new Office Administrator, Hailey. All Stewardship related questions will be forwarded to our bookkeeper, Jaime.

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9 Thursday July 12, 2018 Craft Night Come Join the Fun! We are painting wooden signs! 7-9 pm $35 per person Pay at the door Cash or check made out to FMSC Memo line Mobile Pack # MI Pre-Registration is preferred It helps us to have the correct supplies To register contact the Cathedral office Phone (508) or Location St. George Orthodox Cathedral 30 Anna Street Worcester, MA BYOB and SNACKS All proceeds go to : FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN # MI August 4, 2018 Many, many thanks to our sponsor

10 St. George Orthodox Cathedral MobilePack Event We are raising $22,000 to pack 100,000 meals for starving children in 70 countries and we encourage you and your family to join us in this life-altering event. Children as young as 5 years of age are welcomed to volunteer. Your participation will help change the world, one meal at a time! 500 VOLUNTEERS Our 4th Year! 100,000 MEALS The only location to host this event in the entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts 1VERY SPECIAL DAY DONATE Donate and register to volunteer at stgeorgeworcester.org or mail a check to Feed My Starving Children Attn: MobilePack # MI rd Avenue NW, Coon Rapids, MN Checks should be payable to FMSC, memo line MobilePack # MI. Follow us on Facebook at St. George Orthodox Cathedral MobilePack St. George Orthodox Cathedral August 4, Anna St., Worcester, MA 01604

11 ORTHODOX YOUNG PROFESSIONALS CONFERENCE Hosted by: Young Adult Ministry of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America AUGUST 16-19, 2018 ~ DENVER, CO 4 day, 3 night conference for Orthodox Christian Young Adults, by Orthodox Christian Young Adults. Speakers include Fr. Milad Selim, Katrina Bitar and Protodeacon Peter Danilchick. Evening events include: Thursday Night Mixer at the Viewhouse, Friday Night Dinner & DJ at the Trading Post Backyard at Red Rock Amphitheater and Saturday Night Dinner and Dancing at the Curtis Hotel.

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13 Orthodox Christian Witness Program: Spiritual Pilgrimage Fall 2018-Spring 2019 Antiochian Orthodox Christian Diocese of Worcester and New England Purpose This program and journey is an opportunity for anyone interested to learn, to reflect, and to be transformed through the Orthodox Christian Faith in preparation for various ministries. Goals This spiritual pilgrimage is an interdisciplinary approach to create a cadre of leaders in the church. It is aimed to empower and equip Orthodox Christians to nourish and share the faith in 21 st century by: Offering frameworks and models of encountering God. Offering frameworks and tools in order to enhance and facilitate inner spiritual growth. Using Orthodox Christian theology and contemporary perspectives to encounter God. Gaining insights and methods to witness and to share the faith. Enhancing leadership skills in order to contribute effectively in parish ministry and to the world at large. UNITS 1. The Sacraments and the Liturgy 2. Growing in Christ - Healthy Attachments and Detachments 3. Parables and the Scripture 4. Christian Hospitality - True Self and the Inner Kingdom 5. Relationships within the Body of Christ 6. Walking the Walk - Mentorship 7. The Life of the Spirit - What is God doing in our Lives 8. Free Will and Christian Choice Participants Clergy, chaplains, laity, counselors, therapists, physicians, parents, and Christian educators. Program Requirements Two years (4 semesters, 8 units total) with one Round Table Unit and one Practicum Unit each semester. Certificate of Completion Granted to participants completing the entire program. Registration Fee Suggested $100 per each unit (includes materials and refreshments; lunch/dinner are not included). Program Interdisciplinary Leadership Team Bishop John of Worcester and New England, D. Min. in Pastoral Care, Antiochian House of Study Instructor of Priestly Formation and Pastoral Care. Archpriest Antony Hughes, M.Div., Pastor St. Mary Orthodox Church Cambridge MA, prison Chaplain, post graduate studies in Counseling and Pastoral Care, Internal Family System (IFS) Level 1. Ioana Popa MD, Psychiatrist, Certified Internal Family System IFS Therapist, Level 1,2,3, Life and Organizational Leadership Coach, Counselor Hellenic College Holy Cross, Brookline MA, pursuing a Master in Theological Studies. Richard J. Robbat Ph.D. Curriculum & Instruction, Superintendent of Schools, Teacher, Antiochian Archdiocese Departments of Lay Ministry and Stewardship. Sebastien Falardeau, PhD candidate in Theology, Chaplain Franciscan Children s Hospital, Master in Theology, Master in Practical Theology (Spiritual Care), Internal Family System (IFS) Level 1. Upcoming Dates - Semester I, Fall 2018 Round Table Unit 1: Thursdays 7pm-9pm Sept. 13, 20, 27; Oct 4, 11, 18, 25; Nov. 1, 15, 29. Practicum Unit 2: Saturdays 9:30am-5:30pm Oct. 20, Nov. 17, Dec 1. For questions please at popalifecoach@gmail.com or call at See Pamphlet for more details and for Registration Form

14 SAVE THE DATE Monday October 1, 2018 Charles M. Dowd Memorial Golf Tournament Parish Dinner after Golf EVERYONE is welcomed! Celebrating Our 28th Anniversary October 2018