Opportunities for the Week

Transcription

1 St. John Greek Orthodox Church Sterling Heights, Michigan Phone: /Emergency Web site: Parish Priest: Father Nicholas Kyritses February 18 ~ Forgiveness Sunday (Cheesefare) Love and remember your church in your will! Epistle Reading: Romans 13:11-14; 14:1-4 page 134 Gospel Reading: Matthew 6:14-21 page 135 Today at St. John Baptism Anastasia Dora Marselis daughter of Panayiotis and Sara Marselis Opportunities for the Week Monday, February 19 Eastern Orthodox Lent Begins- Grand Compline 6:30pm Basketball Practice for kids of all ages 6:30pm at Joe Dumars Tuesday, February 20 No Greek School / Mid- winter break Wednesday February 21 Pre Sanctified Liturgy 6:30pm Lecture by Christos Strubakos 7:00pm Thursday, February 22 No Greek School / Mid- winter break Friday, February 23 Salutations to the Theotokos 6:30 pm Saturday, February 24 3 rd Saturday of Soul Divine Liturgy 9:30 am Names of your deceased to be commemorated Prosfora (Bread), Nama (Sweet Wine), Colyva, and Olive Oil Hope, Joy and Little Angels at Emagine Macomb 1:30 pm

2 Great Lent The Season of Great Lent is the time of preparation for the feast of the Resurrection of Christ. It is a time of renewed devotion: of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. It is a time of repentance. It is the time when we return to the great commandments of loving God and our neighbors. The Lenten period is not a period of gloominess, but a time of purification and joyfulness. The very first hymns of the very first service of Great Lent set its tone: "Let us begin the Lenten time with delight. Let us fast from passions as we fast from food, taking pleasure in the good words of the Spirit that we may be granted to see the holy passion of Christ our God and his Holy Pascha, spiritually rejoicing." During the Great Lent, we make ready for the resurrection: both Christ's and our own. One way of making ready is by fasting. Fasting is an essential element of Christian life. It should be done in secret, without showing off or accusing others. The goal is purification of our lives and the freeing of our bodies and souls from sin. The fasting rules do not allow meat after Meatfare Sunday and dairy products after Cheesefare Sunday. But we do not fast from foods alone. The Monday Vespers of the First Week say: "This is the true Fast: the casting off of evil, the bridling of the tongue, the cutting off of anger, the cessation of lusts, evil talking, lies and cursing. The stopping of these is the Fast, true and acceptable. We should not be proud with fasting just from food. After all, the devil never eats either! During Lent, we have special services. On the weekdays, the regular Divine Liturgy is not celebrated since it is a service of communion with the Risen Lord. Instead, non-eucharistic services are added to scripture readings and Lenten hymnology. So that we aren't deprived of communion during the week, the Liturgy of the PRE-SANCTIFIED GIFTS is celebrated. This is an ancient Orthodox service, an evening one. It is called "pre-sanctified" because the communion comes from the Sunday before. The faithful who will receive communion usually eat a light Lenten breakfast. The service contains an evening hymn, readings from Genesis and Proverbs, Psalm 141 and litanies of intercession. At this point, the catechumens used to be dismissed. Next, the pre-sanctified gifts are brought to the altar in a solemn, silent, procession. Then follow post-communion hymns. On Friday evening, the AKATHIST HYMN, or the SALUTATIONS to the Virgin Mary, are sung. This ancient hymn had existed before 626 A.D. It was written because of a miracle attributed to the Theotokos. At one time, barbaric troops came and attacked Constantinople. It had lasted a few months, when it became obvious the situation was worsening. Patriarch Sergius with his priests and some officials marched along the walls of Constantinople with an icon of the Theotokos. The miracle came soon after. A great storm with huge tidal waves destroyed most of the enemy's ships and they retreated completely. All the Orthodox Churches in the world chant it, during the 1st 5 Fridays in Lent. It is called the Akathist Hymn because we stand while chanting it. It has 24 stanzas. The 1st 12 explain the mystery of the incarnation. The other 12 explain the results of the incarnation in depth. There are 144 Salutations and for this reason we call it Hairetismoi. The GRAND COMPLINE is a service, which is held after supper, and before we sleep. It's read every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights during lent in most churches. It contains a series of Psalms hymns and prayers asking God for forgiveness for whatever bad we have committed that day. We also ask for protection during the night. Please try to attend these beautiful Lenten services. And let us try to keep in our heart this prayer:

3 Every Sunday 9:00am Orthros ~ 10:00am Divine Liturgy March 10 Goya Lenten Retreat at Saints Constantine and Helen in Westland March 18 Godparents Sunday Parish General Assembly April 20 St. John Reverse Raffle and Dinner at St. John Hall May 19 Metropolis St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival Winter 2018 Orthodox Lecture Series by Christos Strubakos The goal of this series is to gather at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church on Wednesday evenings throughout the period of the Triodion, and following a service, to have a talk followed by a discussion on various aspects of our faith. The schedule and topics are listed below. All are welcome to attend and to participate with questions and insights. We look forward to seeing everybody. Wednesday, January 31: The Triodion: How time is made holy in the Church Wednesday, February 7: Death and Dying in the Orthodox Tradition Wednesday, February 14: Orthodox Worship The daily cycle of prayers and services and what they mean Wednesday, February 21: The Orthodox Spiritual Life Wednesday, February 28: The Divine Liturgy and Holy Communion Wednesday, March 7: How we live our faith not just on Sundays Wednesday, March 14: The Bible in Orthodoxy Wednesday, March 21: Holy Tradition in Orthodoxy Wednesday, March 28: Participating in Holy Week PLEASE TAKE YOUR 2018 OFFERING ENVELOPES. If you do not see your name on an envelope box but would like to have offering envelopes, please contact he church office

4 Flowers needed for the Easter Season 2018 Please return this form to the church office if you are interested in donating flowers. Friday February 23 rd - 1st Salutation Carnations Friday March 2 nd - 2nd Salutation Carnations Friday March 9 th - 3rd Salutation Carnations Sunday March 11th - Veneration of the Holy Cross Daffodils Friday March 16-4th Salutation Carnations Friday March 23 rd - Akathist Hymn Carnations Sunday April 1 st - Palm Sunday Palm Trees Crosses Sunday April 1 st - Palm Sunday - Bay Leaves Thursday - April 5 th - Holy Thursday Wreath for the Crucifix Friday April 6 th - Holy Friday Epitaphios Flowers Sunday April 8 th - Holy Easter Resurrection Wreath Icon: Name Eggs: Name

5 ST. JOHN HALL RENOVATION PROJECT Fellow parishioners, As you may have noticed we are nearing the completion of the construction of our renovated hall. We are so thankful to the tireless efforts of our renovation committee shepherded by Larry Stavrou, Evans Caruso and Gus Kondoleon. A special thank you to all the many volunteers who gave of their time and talent in the demolition and cleaning of the hall during this process (the list of volunteers is too large to document here but you all know who you are and you are appreciated!) We want to thank all of those who have given their time, talent and treasure to date and encourage all of those who have not had the opportunity to give, to please prayerfully consider making an offering today. To date we have received pledges and contributions from the following members of our church: Mr. & Mrs. Nikos & Mika Backos - Donor Mrs. Sophia Borgaonkar - Donor Mr. John Geottes Donor Mr. & Mrs Adoni Kalatzis and Family - Donor Mr. Matthew Vasilakis - Donor Mrs. Vekos Gloria - Donor Mr. & Mrs. John Hanjiantoniou - Donor Mr. & Dr. Michael & Joyce (Patouhas) Aho- Donor Jeffrey Morgan - Donor Perring Family - Donor Miss Elena Vasilakis Donor Mr. & Mrs. Joann and Timothy Welch - Donor Mr. & Mrs. Tom Aitas and Family Friend Mr. & Mrs. Vasilios Baros and Family-Friend Mrs. Diana Chantis Friend Mr. Nino Corsetti Friend Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Giacona - Friend Mr. & Dr. John & Zoy Gilbert Friend Mr. Nick Kasotakis Family Friend Mr. & Mrs. Constantine Manousakakis-Friend Mr. & Mrs. John & Becky Patouhas - Friend J. Gargasoulas & K. Patsarikas Families - Friend Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Theodorou Friend Mr. Gerry Floros Friend Mr & Mrs Aristides & Koula Andreopoulos- Patron Mr. & Mrs. Bill Andreopoulos - Patron Mr. & Mrs. George Balalas and Family- Patron Mr. Constantine Cavis- Patron Mr. & Mrs. Lilian and Gus Demas Patron Mr. & Mrs. George & Kathy Demetriou Patron Dr. & Mrs. Demetri Demetriou & Family- PatronMr. & Mrs. John Papakonstantinou - Patron Dr. & Mrs. Nick Papakonstantinou - Patron Mr. & Mrs. George Collins and Family Patron Mr. & Mrs. Menas (Ted) Georgeson - Patron Mr. & Mrs. Alex Kourtesis and Family Patron Mr. & Mrs. Michael Karamichas - Patron Mr. & Mrs. John Kyritses and Family Patron Rev. Father Nicholas Kyritses Patron Mr. & Mrs. Gregory Marselis - Patron Miss Anne Simopoulos - Patron Mr. & Mrs. Phil Tangalos and Family Patron Mr. & Mrs. Constantinos Tsitsis- Patron Mr. & Mrs. John Polyzois and Family- Patron Mr. & Mrs. Nick Prantzalos and Family - Patron Dr. & Mrs. Andy Kotsis and Family Patron Mrs. Harriet Shafkalis - Patron St. John Senior Citizen s Patron Mr. & Mrs. Daniel & Paulette Szajna & Family - Patron Mr. & Dr. Alex & Maria Aretakis Supporter Mr. & Mrs. Alex & Linda Boosalis Supporter Mr. & Mrs. Bill Caruso and Family-Supporter Mr. & Mrs. Konstantinos C. Marselis -Supporter Mr. & Mrs. John Tangalos and Family - Supporter The Souris Family Visionary Dr. & Mrs. Ted Tangalos and Family Visionary Dr. & Mrs. Steve Kotsonis and Family Visionary St. John Ladies Philoptochos Visionary St. John Youth - Visionary Please select an offering level below and remember that this offering is sincerely requested to be in addition to your current annual Stewardship Offering. Sincerely, St. John s Parish Council Donate today towards the renovation of our Church Hall! Name: phone: Sponsorship Levels $ Donor Up to $500 $ Friend $500 $999 $ Patron $1,000 $2,499 $ Supporter $2,500 $4,999 $ Contributor $5,000 $9,999 $ Benefactor $10,000 $14,999 $ Visionary $15,000 plus WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE ABOVE GROUPS AND PARISHIONERS ABOUT $ 134, WE STILL NEED $66, ALL OUR PARISHIONERS MUST PARTICIPATE IN THIS FUND RAISING

6 M onday November 20 Please remember to register for the season on-line at the Sports-Signup program, which is now available through our website:

7 Saturday, March 10, :30am - 7:00pm All GOYAns are invited to attend this annual Lenten gathering of faith and fellowship. This event is FREE thanks to the generosity of the Friends of the Metropolis and the Sts. Constantine and Helen parish. Workshops will also be available for adults in attendance. Lenten meals will be provided. All participants (youth & chaperones) must register online by February 24,

8 ST. JOHN GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH Let s Go to the Movies!!! HOPE, JOY and Little Angels Please join us for a fun afternoon at Emagine Theatre. We will have the entire theatre to ourselves So bring all your little ones with you! Saturday February 24, 2018 Time: 1:30 PM Place: Emagine Macomb Movie: Peter Rabbit Cost Per Person: $10.00 ** COST INCLUDES MOVIE, POPCORN AND BEVERAGE** ** Please try to RSVP on Signup Genius through Facebook: Hope and Joy, St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Chapter ** Or Contact Irene Kourtesis: Dimetra Mansoor:

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10 GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA 8-10 East 79th St. New York, NY * Tel: (212) Fax: (212) communications@goarch.org Contact: PRESS OFFICE Stavros Papagermanos pressoffice@goarch.org Date: February 13, 2018 IV NEXT BY IONIAN VILLAGE AND LEADERSHIP 100 AN EXCITING NEW MINISTRY FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS NEW YORK IV Next is an exciting new ministry of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America for college students and Young Adults offered by Ionian Village and Leadership 100. Q: I graduated from GOYA, I m in college, I m too old to go to camp, I have to work this summer...what s next for me? A: IV Next is what s next. Working together with and funded by a Leadership 100 grant, IV Next will focus on the influential excursions of the classic Ionian Village program and the future of the participants by providing access to mentors from Leadership 100. Dozens of colleges and universities offer study abroad programs in Greece, and many of the programs of our own diaspora offer similar opportunities. However, IV Next is the only travel-based program for young adults, that has our Greek Orthodox Faith as a core tenet of the program. Only IV Next combines professional development, international travel, and the Orthodox Faith into one all-inclusive program. The twelve-day itinerary includes time at the historic Ionian Village campgrounds, as well as excursions to the cornerstones of the travel program. Throughout the program, participants will engage in discussions about career goals, the financial realities of being a millennial, and how to successfully incorporate our Orthodox Faith into everyday business life. These conversations and sessions will provide not only a more solid understanding of vocation, but also serve as an excellent inter-community networking opportunity. Through a varied schedule that includes churches and monasteries, meetings with political and religious figures, and museums and archaeological sites, IV Next participants will become intimately familiar with all aspects of Greece, her culture and people. Participants of the IV Next program will be selected by filling out an online application and interviewing with a member of the selection committee. Participants will be required to get themselves to JFK for departure to Greece. Full participation and all costs associated with this program (flight to and from Greece, meals, travel, lodging) are subsidized through a generous grant from Leadership 100. Applications for IV Next are due March 1st, To be a part of the conversation and for more information, visit ionianvillage.org/next.

11 SAINT JOHN GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH STERLING HEIGHTS MI 2018 STEWARDSHIP PLEDGE CARD What is Stewardship? Stewardship is the management of the gifts bestowed upon us by God. These gifts are time, talent and treasure. It is through these gifts that bring us closer together as a Church and as a community. What is a Steward? A steward is a member of our St. John community that volunteers their time, talent and treasure. How can I volunteer my time and talent? Our St. John community offers many ministries. We encourage everyone to join and participate in a ministry. How much treasure should I give? This is a personal decision. Every year we should look at our finances and determine how much we should give back to God. These funds are used for the daily operation of the church and for funding our ministries. The economic reality is that our church requires $1,260 per day ($460,000 annually) to operate and we are currently a parish of almost 300 Stewards. To meet our current budget each year we need to average at least $1,560 per Steward annually or $30 per week STEWARDSHIP PLEDGE CARD Name: Spouse Name: Orthodox Christian: Y or N Orthodox Christian: Y or N Date of birth: Date of birth: Home Phone: Home Phone: Cell Phone: Cell Phone: Address: Address: City, State, Zip: City, State, Zip: Child 1: Orthodox Christian: Y or N Cell: DOB: Child 2: Orthodox Christian: Y or N Cell: DOB: Child 3: Orthodox Christian: Y or N Cell: DOB: Child 4: Orthodox Christian: Y or N Cell: DOB: Child 5: Orthodox Christian: Y or N Cell: DOB: IN GRATITUDE FOR GOD S BLESSINGS, I/WE COMMIT TO CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH THE FOLLOWING AMOUNT: $30/week($1,560 yearly) $25/week($1,300 yearly) $20/week(1,040 yearly) /week or /month or /year Credit Card (Visa/Master Card): exp: code: Name: Signature: Date: Visit to register as a Steward or turn this form into our church office Stewards who submitted addresses will receive a link to a Stewardship Update Form which can be completed online for 2018.

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13 Saturday of Souls- February 10 th, 17 th and 24 th DIVINE LITURGY AND MEMORIAL SERVICE AT 9:30AM Soul Saturdays are a series of Saturdays set aside in the liturgical calendar of Eastern and Greek Orthodox Churches for the remembrance of those who have died. These days occur on designated Saturdays before and during the seasons of LENT and EASTER: the first two are observed on the two Saturdays before Lent begins, the third Saturday of Souls coincides with the first Saturday of Lent, and the forth Soul Saturday takes place on the Saturday before PENTECOST, the close of the Easter season. Saturday holds special significance in the religious calendar as the day on which the crucified Jesus lay dead in the tomb before his resurrection. On each Soul Saturday a special service is held where prayers are offered in memory of those who have died and a list of the names of the dead is recited. Participants attending the services prepare kollyva, a dish made of sweetened, boiled wheat kernels, raisins, almonds, and pomegranate seeds that is traditionally associated with funerals and memorial services in Greece and Eastern Europe. In addition to attending religious services, participants often visit the graves of departed family members on Soul Saturdays, to clean and decorate the burial sites. See you all in Church to pray for our beloved ones who have left this temporal world. NAMES TO BE COMMEMORATED

14 St. John Greek Orthodox Church presents REVERSE RAFFLE NIGHT GRAND PRIZE - $3,000 WITH $1,300 ADDITIONAL CASH PRIZES PLUS GREAT GIVEAWAYS!! ONLY 250 TICKETS SOLD! FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018 $150. per ticket includes chance to win and dinner Additional person $50. for dinner $100. per ticket for non attendees 6:30 PM GOURMET DINNER AND OPEN BAR, 7:30 PM RAFFLE FOR RESERVATIONS ONLINE, PLEASE GO TO CONTACT KATHY DEMETRIOU AT OR SEND IN FORM BELOW: NAME: ADDRESS: telephone #: Amt. of check enclosed $ i will not be attending the event, but wish to purchase a ticket** credit card # EXP. DATE: mastercard visa amex **Please make checks payable to St. John greek orthodox church **NEED NOT BE PRESENT TO WIN St. John Greek Orthodox Church Metropolitan Pkwy, Sterling Heights, MI 48312

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