THE CHAMPION. Monthly Newsletter of St. Demetrios Orthodox Church. Centering the Season on Christ

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1 DECEMBER 2012 VOLUME 13 THE CHAMPION Monthly Newsletter of St. Demetrios Orthodox Church Centering the Season on Christ The story of the birth of Christ and its true significance is often clouded by the commercialism of the season. There is a very frenzied pace to these days which can so easily depersonalize us and dampen the true joy of the season. The stores tempt us for weeks on end to buy this thing or buy that thing. Many schools have forbidden the remembrance of Christ s birth in the classroom. Yes, throughout our society, many fail to remember that the coming of Christ is truly at the heart of the Christmas celebrations. What can we do? Let us remember that the season celebrates the love of God revealed in the coming of Christ. For those with faith, the colored lights, the green trees, the wreaths and the flowers are the symbols of the joy of Christmas. Let us celebrate the joy of Christ s coming! Let us share the love of God with others. Christ has come to bear witness to the Father s love for us. We too can share this love with others, especially with the poor and less fortunate among us. We can be sensitive to those who cannot easily celebrate because of a loss in their lives. Let us be the ambassadors of God who share His care and philanthropy. Let us seek the Lord with an open heart as the shepherds and wise men did. This means that we find opportunities for prayer and meditation, for reading the scriptures related to Christ s coming. This means that we can make Christmas a special day by participating in the Divine Liturgy and by receiving Holy Communion with reverence for God, with faith and with love. To Christ Our Lord be glory, now and forever, and unto the ages of ages, Amen! UPCOMING COFFEE HOSTS Dec. 2 nd - Mike & Lana Jocic GENERAL ASSEMBLY Dec. 9 th - George & Mike Nicholas Dec. 16 th - Jim & Gretchen Telios BALLOTS CAST Dec. 23 rd - Parish Council Dec. 30 th - Jim & Jean Zarifis Jan. 6 th - Strajko &Mina Zekanovic If the time is not convenient for you to serve, PLEASE contact another person on the above list to exchange dates. Christ is born! Glorify Him! Christ comes from heaven; meet Him. Christ is on earth exalt Him. O you earth, sing to the Lord. O your nations, praise Him in joy for He has been glorified.

2 How good and pleasant it is when God s people live together in community! ~Psalm 133:1 Father Joseph will give a Christmas homily on Sunday December 23 rd, during g the normal liturgy at 3:00 pm. We hope to see everyone there! Church Christmas Card 2012 We are accepting donations for the church Christmas card. Please get donations to Jean Zarifis as soon as possible. Thanks! Where and When Please join our community for Divine Liturgy every Sunday at 3:00 p.m. Our Proistamenos (Parish Priest) is Father Joseph Mirowski. We are located at: 613 W. 4th Street Waterloo, IA Christmas Family 2012 We have had a wonderful response to our Christmas family adoption. There are still a few items available to purchase for our family in need. A reminder to PLEASE RETURN WRAPPED GIFTS to the church no later than Sunday, December 16 th. If you would prefer to donate money, we will be purchasing a Hy-Vee gift card so they may purchase food for a Christmas feast. Please donate funds to a parish council member or mail to: Jean Zarifis, attn.: Christmas Family, 1945 Audubon Drive, Waterloo If you are interested in going to the school to deliver our gifts, please contact Amber Gilles at or amberyintar@yahoo.com. Thank you for your generous support this Christmas! Church Stewardship 2012/ Stewardship pledge forms went out in last month s bulletin. Please fill these out and return to a parish council member. If you need an additional pledge form, please let one of us know and we will get it to you. If you still need to complete your pledge for 2012, please bring to church in the next few weeks. Thank you for your commitment! Christian Stewardship Is... learning how to be a responsible and concerned caretaker of Christ s Church; it is learning how to enjoy Church life and be happy in Church work, for in Her dwells the fullness of the Spirit of God. our active commitment to use all our time, talent and treasure for the benefit of humankind in grateful acknowledgment of Christ s redeeming love. caring for the needs of others. offering one s self to God as He offered Himself to us. what a person does after saying I believe, as proof of that belief. devotion and service to God and His Church as persons, as families, as parish, as diocese/metropolis, as national Church and as Church universal. If you have news you want included in the bulletin, please contact Amber Gilles via to amberyintar@yahoo.com or by phone at Thanks! Ω There will be a PARISH COUNCIL meeting Sunday Dec. 9 th following Divine Liturgy in the church hall.

3 Daily Bible Readings: Dec. For the Orthodox, the Bible is the book of the Church, written by and for those who believe in God and constitute His people Father Matusiak 12/1: Epistle: Galatians 3:8-12 Gospel: Luke 12: /2: Matins: Luke 24:1-12 Epistle: Ephesians 5:8-19 Gospel: Luke 18: /3: Epistle: 1 st Timothy 5:1-10 Gospel: Luke 20: /4: Matins: Matthew 25:1-13 Epistle: Galatians 3:23-29; 4:1-5 Gospel: Mark 5: /5: Matins: Luke 6:17-23 Epistle: Galatians 5:22-26; 6:1-2 Gospel: Matthew 11: /6: Matins: John 10:1-9 Epistle: Hebrews 13:17-21 Gospel: Luke 6: /7: Epistle: 2 nd Timothy 1:1-2; 8-18 Gospel: Luke 21:37-38, 22:1-8 12/8: Epistle: Galatians 5:22-26; 6:1-2 Gospel: Luke 13: /9: Matins: Luke 24:13-35 Epistle: Galatians 4:22-27 Gospel: Luke 13: /10: Epistle: 2 nd Timothy 2:20-26 Gospel: Mark 8: /11: Epistle: 2 nd Timothy 3:16-17; 4:1-4 Gospel: Mark 8: /12: Matins: John 10:1-9 Epistle: Ephesians 5:8-19 Gospel: John 10: /13: Epistle: Titus 1:5-14 Gospel: Mark 9: /16: Matins: Luke 24:36-53 Epistle: Colossians 3:4-11 Gospel: Luke 14:16-24; Matthew 22:14 12/17: Epistle: Hebrews 11:33-40; 12:1-2 Gospel: Luke 11:47-54; 12:1 12/18: Epistle: Hebrews 4:1-13 Gospel: Mark 10: /19: Epistle: Hebrews 5:11-14; 6:1-8 Gospel: Mark 10: /20: Epistle: Hebrews 10:32-38 Gospel: Mark 9: /21: Epistle: Hebrews 7:18-25 Gospel: Mark 10: /22: Epistle: Galatians 3:8-12 Gospel: Luke 13: /23: Matins: John 20:1-10 Epistle: Hebrews 11:9-10; Gospel: Matthew 1: /24: Epistle: Hebrews 1:1-12 Gospel: Luke 2: /25: Matins: Matthew 1:18-25 Epistle: Galatians 4:4-7 Gospel: Matthew 2: /26: Epistle: Hebrews 2:11-18 Gospel: Matthew 2: /27: Epistle: Acts 6:8-15; 7:1-5, Gospel: Matthew 21: /28: Epistle: Hebrews 11:8-16 Gospel: Mark 12:1-12 Stephen, Archdeacon & First Martyr December 27 th, 2012 Saint Stephen was a Jew, by race, and, as some say, a disciple of Gamaliel, the teacher of the Law mentioned in Acts 5:34 and 22:3. He was the first of the seven deacons whom the Apostles established in Jerusalem to care for the poor, and to distribute alms to them. Being a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, he performed great signs and wonders among the people. While disputing with the Jews concerning Jesus, and wisely refuting their every contradiction, so that no one was able to withstand the wisdom and the spirit whereby he spake, he was slandered as a blasphemer and was dragged off to the Sanhedrin of the elders. There with boldness he proved from the divine Scriptures the coming of the Just One (Jesus), of Whom they had become the betrayers and murderers, and he reproved their faithless and hardheartedness. And finally, gazing into Heaven and beholding the divine glory, he said: "Lo, I see the Heavens opened and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God." But when they heard this, they stopped up their ears, and with anger cast him out of the city and stoned him, while he was calling out and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then, imitating the long-suffering of the Master, he bent his knees and prayed in a loud voice for them that were stoning him, and he said, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge," And saying this, he fell asleep (Acts 6, 7), thus becoming the first among the Martyrs of the Church of Christ. 12/14: Epistle: Titus 1:15-16; 2:1-10 Gospel: Mark 9: /15: Epistle: 2 nd Timothy 1:8-18 Gospel: Mark 2:23-28; 3:1-5 12/29: Epistle: 1 st Timothy 6:11-16 Gospel: Matthew 12: /30: Matins: John 20:11-18 Epistle: Galatians 1:11-19 Gospel: Matthew 2: /31: Epistle: Hebrews 11:17-31 Gospel: Mark 12:13-17 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.. ~ Psalm 119:105

4 Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord What shall we offer You, O Christ, Who for our sakes has appeared on earth as man? (Vespers of the Feast) To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils of the Greek Orthodox Communities, the Distinguished Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Day, Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in America Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, From December 16, 2011 When we hear and contemplate the beautiful story of our Lord s Nativity, our hearts are filled with tremendous joy. In this marvelous event of God becoming man, He revealed His great love for us and the divine plan to restore our communion with Him. Through His Incarnation, Christ offered Himself for our total renewal and completed this gift of grace in the Cross and Resurrection. Through His birth, our Lord entered into our humanity, giving us a deeper understanding of our relationship with our Creator and offering us a greater experience of life and being. The Son of God who became human being for our sakes, the One in our midst who knows our pains and struggles, offers to each of us life and peace. The Feast of the Nativity is a celebration of all that Christ has offered and continues to offer to us. It is also a Feast that challenges us with the question, What shall we offer Him? In the Holy Gospel, this question was answered by those who participate by their presence in the glorious Nativity. The Virgin Mary offered herself in obedience to God s will, conceiving and carrying Jesus in her womb and giving birth to Him (Luke 1:26-38). Joseph followed the commandment of the Lord and provided for the Theotokos and the Christ child (Matthew 1:24-25). In response to the announcement of the angels and upon seeing the infant, the shepherds offered a witness of the wonderful things they had seen and heard (Luke 2:8-20). Following the star in the East, the wise men came to Jesus offering Him their worship and their gifts (Matthew 2:1-12). These offerings to Christ show us how we should celebrate this great Feast and how we should offer to Him. In response to His love we are called to give ourselves completely to Christ, our heart, mind, body and soul. With the words of the Theotokos we express our obedience and our complete faith in Him saying, Let it be to me according to Your word (Luke 1:38). In seeing the magnitude of what God has done for humankind, we come to Christ in haste, just as the shepherds, and we go out into the world glorifying and praising God for all that we hear and see. As the wise men came and offered in great joy, we never cease to worship Him and to offer our gifts for His glory and always in the service of His eternal kingdom. On this Feast of the Nativity of our Lord, may we seriously consider the question What shall we offer Him? In our worship and fellowship on this Feast, let us prayerfully examine our lives and seek the guidance of our Lord in our response to such a question. May you and your families have a blessed and joyful Nativity, filled with the love of God and the true life which He offers to us. And may the Incarnate God grant to all the dawning New Year 2012 filled with health and blessings. With paternal love in Christ, DEMETRIOS Archbishop of America For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government ent will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ~Isaiah 9:6

5 St. Demetrios Monthly Newsletter Please read: E ec ve January 2013 we are going to change the way we deliver the church monthly newsle er. Church newsle er will be available online, via , or in print upon your request and at the church. If you would like to receive the monthly newsle er from St. Demetrios Church, please Þll in the appropriate informa on and submit this form by January 10th, The Newsle er will be sent to you by post mail or each month based on your preference. Please Þll out the form below. I would like to receive monthly newsle er: Via (go to sec on 1) By regular mail (go to sec on 2) At the church O the website (h p:// demetrios.ia.goarch.org/) Sec on 1 Your name: Your address: Under no circumstances does St. Demetrios divulge an individual s e mail address to a third party. We may use your e mail address for the following types of e mail messages: a monthly reminder when a new issue of monthly newsle er is posted on the website and occasional updates about church events. Sec on 2 Your name: Your address: City, Zip, State: Drop this form at the church or mail it to: St. Demetrios, 613 W. Fourth Street, Waterloo, IA 50702