With God in your life you are not exempt from the complexities of life, but you will have the foundation to withstand

Transcription

1 The Word And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth John 1:14 When I was a young child, I went to Church because my parents took me. When I was a bit older, through my teenage years, I went to Church to be with my older brothers in the altar. In college, I could not articulate why I went to Church, and shortly thereafter upon this realization I challenged myself to discover why I went to Church. I knew that Church felt right, and it was an established habit in my life. Yet, without the forms of household expectation or service in the altar it was all too slippery a slope to continue to base my commitment to Church on a feeling without ever edifying that feeling with understanding. My journey to understanding took recognizable form through the following: Continued participation in Church services Individual prayer Conversation with the parish priest Reading materials provided by the parish priest Attending classes at the local parish Pilgrimage to other Orthodox Christian experiences. Why Church? With trusted guidance, I began to understand why I went to Church because I needed God in my life and I still need Him today The world that we live in, and the many relationships that comprise it, is complicated. Each of us has been given a set of resources when we come into the world: an experience of family, talents, perhaps even treasures. Not everyone is given the same, yet with what we are given we begin our lives and attempt to navigate complexities to the best of our abilities. Some seemingly do this quite easily, while others struggle. Sometimes understood as unfair, the experience of life provides much beauty, and many challenges taking different forms in different lives. Regardless, there is one constant at some point in time, despite the resources that you have been given in life or your socioeconomic positioning or social status you will encounter complexities in your life that you will not be able to navigate alone. In some challenges we may be assisted by our relationships to others. To be available to others in their struggles is an experience of beauty, and to be helped in our struggles is a blessing. However, there will also be experiences in life that cannot be addressed through the willingness of our peers, as they are limited, just like you. There is one Answer; another Constant, Who has no limitations and is always willing to help us if we ask God. With God in your life you are not exempt from the complexities of life, but you will have the foundation to withstand them. Perhaps you have not yet encountered a difficulty in life that you could not address on your own, or with your peers? Many in our society may believe such a thing, as we do live in a land of abundance. Yet, we must recognize that the certainty of our life s end is beyond our control, and what lies beyond death we have no control over. After this life is the next, and in the next life we will either experience something very good or very bad and it will last for all of eternity. With God, we hope in the very good the Kingdom of Heaven, where there is no pain, suffering or sorrow In the Kingdom we share in the life and energies of God Himself, and in this experience there will be a bliss that even our imaginations cannot begin to fathom. July/August 2014 Without God there is only abyss: a void of goodness, where isolation and darkness will eternally consume. I know that I need God in my life I need Him in order to navigate this life, and I need Him in order to get into the Kingdom of Heaven I still go to Church each Sunday and attempt to live as a responsible steward of the resources that He has entrusted to me because I know that it is through His Church that He makes Himself available to me. Furthermore, as a priest of His Church I go to Church so that I may convey this same reality to God s other children. Why do I go to Church? Because I need God Why do you? Why don t you? Pentecost Glendi Fr. Luke We had a beautiful experience at Nativity in celebration of the Great Feast Day of Pentecost Beginning with the liturgical services of Great Vespers, and the we also enjoyed fellowship together on the Nativity campus at our first Pentecost Glendi Special thanks to Loukas Papathanasiou and Mary-Anne Spyridis for taking on leadership of this event All those who attended enjoyed the Hellenic Spirit through music, cuisine, dancing and all around fellowship-fun Let us look forward to the continual experience of liturgy outside of the on the Nativity campus

2 July/August Services & Readings Date/Time July 1 July 6 July 13 July 20 July 26 July 27 Aug 3 Aug 6 Aug 10 9 th Sunday of Matthew Aug 15 Service Sts. Cosmas & Damien 4 th Sunday of Matthew The Holy Fathers 6 th Sunday of Matthew St. Paraskevi of Rome 7 th Sunday of Matthew St. Panteleimon 8 th Sunday of Matthew Transfiguration Dormition of the Theotokos Epistle Corinth. 12:27-13:8 Romans 6:18-23 Titus 3:8-15 James 5:10-20 Galatians 3:23-4:5 II Timothy 2:1-10 Gospel Matthew 10:1, 5--8 Matthew 8:5-13 Matthew 5:14-19 Matthew 9:1-8 Mark 5:24-34 Matthew 9:27-35 I Corinthians 1:10-17 Matthew 14:14-22 II Peter 1:10-19 I Corinthians 3:9-17 Philippians 2:5-11 Matthew 17:1-9 Matthew 14:22-34 Luke 10:38-42; 11: The Word Monthly Newsletter published by Nativity of Christ Greek Orthodox Church 1110 Highland Drive Novato, CA Phone: (415) Fax: (415) ncchurch@pacbell. net Fr. Luke Palumbis, Pastor frluke@nativityofchrist.org July/August 2014 Aug 17 Aug th Sunday of Matthew 11 th Sunday of Matthew I Corinthians 4:9-16 Matthew 17:14-23 I Corinthians 9:2-12 Matthew 18:23-35 Aug th Sunday of Matthew Hebrews 9:1-7 Matthew 19:16-26 KEEP THEM IN YOUR PRAYERS Please use this list to pray for members of our parish who are sick or in need of God s care. Fr. James Adams Alexandra Edrich George Fotinos Victor Gavallos James Kolyvas Katherine Pantazes Katia Zoe Antonis Fr. Constantine Efstathiu Fr. Haralambos Fox Mary Georgeson Connie Martigopoulos Nancy Slenkin From time to time, we may remove names that have been on the list for awhile. If you feel a name should remain on the list, or if you would like a new name placed on the list, please contact the church office. In this Issue: Message from Father...1 Services & Readings...2 Keep Them in Your Prayers...2 Parish Activities & Ministries Stewardship...4 Parish Council News...5 July Calendar...6 August Calendar...7 Basketball Camp Greek School...5, 10 Sacraments & Rites...11 Stewardship Insert...center 2

3 Parish Activities & Ministries Philoptochos Coffee Hour A big thank you to the Filenathes, who have generously offered to host coffee hour during the month of July and August. If anyone would like to host a coffee hour during September or a Memorial during the summer please contact Debbie Kokalis at Scholarship Recipients Congratulations to our three scholarship recipients: Nicholas and Katherine Daifotis and Nicole Gavallos We all send you good wishes and much success. Philoptochos Activity Philoptochos delivered a dinner for 50 people to a women s shelter in May. A big thank you goes to Stassie Sideris and Floretta Burrows for shopping and delivering the food. Book Drive What a huge success. Over 6 boxes of books were delivered to local schools in San Rafael. A big thank you goes to Dina Camamis for organizing this event. Thank you to everyone who brought in books; the children will love them. If you have any ideas for supporting a charity or a cause please let us know how we can help you organize the event. Many hands make light work. Festival This year the Philotopchos was in charge of the deli. Big thank you goes to Debbie Kokalis for organizing the event and volunteers. July/August Birthdays The following members have birthdays coming up in July and August: Nancy Slenkin (7/7), Sophia Stathis (7/12), Irene Meehan (7/14), Stella Soter (7/16), Katherine Pantazes (7/18), Ephimia Morphew (7/19), Kathy Marshall (7/24), Pres. Kay Efstathiu (7/26), Tina Gavallos (7/30), Spiro Stratigos (7/30), John Stockton (8/1), Kay Simon (8/6), Nick Tzafopoulos (8/6) and Maria Pappas (8/15). Gyros Booth Marin County Fair Please sign up (at nius.com/go/30e0548aaa92aa64- marin3/ ) and come help represent our parish community at Marin s biggest annual event. We serve over 3,000 gyros over a 5 day period so you know we need many hands to help out. Call your friends within and outside our parish community and line up a crew for one of the shifts. It s fun and you get free admission to the fair (it s $17 for adults this year) as well as delicious food. Let Effie Fourakis ( ) or Kim Daifotis ( ) know if you have any questions or difficulties with the Signup Genius. Partial and swing shifts are also helpful, especially during the lunch and dinner rushes. Youth Education Corner Podcasts and Broadcasts Christ is in our Midst He is and always shall be Although we are on a break for a couple of months from formal Sunday School, we can still learn about our beautiful faith. Come worship together at church and experience the Liturgy with your Nativity family. If travel plans take you to another city, consider attending an Orthodox church while on vacation. 3 Also, take a look at these great websites for learning more with your children about the Bible and about our Orthodox faith. From the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese, check out Let Us Attend: Sunday s Gospel for Children at Each podcast can be quickly downloaded to your smartphone, ipad or computer, or streamed directly from the site and features an audio recording of the Gospel plus a few reflection questions on the message of the Gospel Reading to inspire thoughtful conversation about the message of the readings. There s a printable version as well. It s a great way to learn together as a family Another useful website is the Orthodox Christian Network, myocn.net. This site is full of Podcasts and Broadcasts of everything from church history, to sermons, to parenting as Orthodox Christians, to contemporary issues from an Orthodox perspective. Part of this ministry is also the Ancient Faith Radio, where you can listen 24/7 to discussions on Orthodoxy and Orthodox Christian music and hymns. Sunday School teachers have started to plan for the fall, and we anticipate the first day of Sunday School to be on September 7, so mark your calendars Glendi Thanks From Maryanne Spyridis Thank you to everyone who attended and supported the Glendi for Holy Pentecost. It was a huge success Everyone had a great time Sincere thanks and appreciation goes out to the following: Father Luke for his spiritual guidance; Spiro Stratigos for his leadership, guidance and support; Loukas Papanastasiou for being the chairperson of the event; Yanni Gotzsis who assisted with the wine and beer; George Kolybakos & family, who provided the catering for the event, served and cleaned up; and to Pat Destein, who was a dilligent volunteer for setup and clean-up. Looking forward to another Glendi soon

4 Parish Activities & Ministries Additional Graduates The names of additional Graduates have been brought to our attention. We offer them our sincere congratulations and best wishes and, above all, our prayers for a life and future pleasing to God in every way. Evan Meehan BA - Communications/Public Relations California State- University Sacramento George Papadakis BS - Business Administration University of Caliornia - Berkeley Marin Greek Festival July 2014 Dear Fellow Parishioners, This year's festival was a wonderful event. We were fortunate to have great warm weather, very few operational issues and, as always, incredible food. We would like to thank all of you who volunteered to make it all happen because it would not be possible without you While hundreds of volunteers are necessary to staff the event, there are some volunteers who step up to take charge of particular aspects of the festival. These volunteers not only work during the festival, but also spend countless hours in planning and preparing for the event. A special thank you goes to you. Your help and support are truly appreciated Marin Greek Festival Committee Mike Madias & Ed Keller 2014 Stewardship Campaign 2014 Stewardship Update June 23, 2014 Number of Commitment Cards Received 202 Total Amount Committed $173,981 Budgeted Goal $206,961 Stewardship Commitments Received between 5/26/17 and 6/23/14 Hontalas, Georgena Picras, Beatrice Simos, Ted & Sophia Thank You We thank those listed above, as well as the others previously listed, for their response to the 2014 Stewardship Campaign. 4

5 Parish Activities & Ministries Parish Council Notes Now We Know What it Took to Invent the Yellow Pages After months of wonder if there would ever be a new church directory, we are looking forward to distributing the booklets at July coffee hours. Final proofing has occurred and the documents should be received from Ohio near the end of June. Please remember there is one copy allocated per family listed in the directory. A positive perspective of this episode is that NCC now has a CD from which new directories can be compiled. Decades of Growth Create Many Hours of Maintenance Please do not hug our trees too much, as some of them are in need of removal. Several of the large trees located on various areas of our property are in jeopardy of surrendering to the forces of nature. If you have expertise or associates with knowledge regarding the downing and disposal of substantial trees, please contact the church office. Discussion has also begun regarding the renovation of the church patio to make it a more viable place for events during the many pleasant days and nights our Marin climate provides. Concrete needs to be redone and landscaping is shouting out for attention. Should you wish to be involved either financially or physically with this effort, please leave a message for George Kokalis at the Nativity of Christ Office. Presenting our Best Face to the World The next time you are carefully making the turn onto or off of Gavallos Drive (it is on the AAA map), take a glance at the landscaping improvement, which was recently completed around the church sign on Highland Drive. This upgrade to our property and the neighborhood is the result of a generous donation by one of our fine parishioners. Gyro Time By July 2nd, you probably will have had at least 5 weeks since your last gyro or the opportunity to assemble one for sale. The Marin County Fair provides all members of the NCC community with an opportunity to work together for both the financial advancement of our church, as well as the continued success of a highly positive cultural dance experience for our youth. Sign-ups are taking place now for a variety of shifts from July 2-6. No experience needed, just a positive attitude preferred. See page 10 for more information on Greek School 5

6 NATIVITY OF CHRIST C H U R C H C A L E N D A R SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY July 1 2 Holy Apostles Peter & Paul Synaxis of the Twelve Holy Apostles Sts.Cosmas & Damien Bible Study following 3 4 Independence Day Marin County Fair - Gyro Booth July JULY th Sunday of Matthew Sunday of the Holy Fathers 14 Clergy-Laity Congress - Philadelphia, PA July Fr. Luke - Vacation July Fr. Luke - Vacation July th Sunday of Matthew Bible Study 10:00 am St. Paraskevi of Rome Chian Society Picnic 27 7 th Sunday of Matthew Wedding 3:00 pm Bible Study 10:00 am 30 Nativity of Christ Basketball Clinic Grades K - 2 Co-ed 9:00 am - 12:00 pm July Aug. 1 2 V Fast of the Dormition of the Theotokos August :00 pm 6

7 A semi-annual reflection BE WISE AS MAGI Nativity of Christ Recognition + Commitment + Offering June 2014 Why Good Stewardship? What is Orthodox Christian Stewardship? 2 Honoring God s Grace Have You Thought About? 2 Beauty in God s House 3 Do I Know Why? A bell sounds a call to attention It is not by accident that the Nativity signage announcing the experience of Orthodoxy to our local region contains a bell With great excitement we call to attention our family and friends, to the experience of Jesus Christ to the experience of the Nativity of Christ Greek Orthodox Christian Church Daily Wisdom From the Fathers Daily Prayers The Apolytikion of the Nativity of Christ Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, hath shined the light of knowledge upon the world; for thereby they that worshipped the stars were instructed by a star to worship Thee, the Sun of Righteousness, and to know Thee, the Dayspring from on high. O Lord, glory be to Thee. Insert 1

8 What is Orthodox Christian Stewardship? Orthodox Christian Stewardship is a way of life, which acknowledges accountability, reverence, and responsibility before God. A primary goal of Stewardship is to promote spiritual growth and strengthen faith. Becoming a Steward begins when we believe in God, to whom we give our love, loyalty and trust and act on those beliefs. As Stewards, we affirm that every aspect of our lives comes as a gift from Him. Stewardship calls on the faithful to cheerfully offer back to God a portion of the gifts with which they have been blessed. An Orthodox Christian Steward is an active participant in the life of the Church. The parish encourages all who accept the Orthodox Faith to become practicing Stewards. Each year the Steward is expected to carefully review his or her personal circumstances and make a commitment of time, talent, and treasure to support the Parish and her Ministries, which in turn support the National Ministries of our Archdiocese, Metropolises, and institutions. Excerpt taken from the Department of Stewardship Outreach & Evangelism Supporting Parish Ministries Honoring God s Grace All that we experience is a gift from God. Ponder for a moment the grandeur of creation: the awesome and relentless power of the seas, the steadfastness of the mountains, and in between, the chorus of life that cries out in each chapter of existence. This beautiful pallet and the myriad of talents painted in our lives God has given and we have received The Nativity Bell Tower, a witness of God s presence in Ignacio Valley There is no suitable payment for God s grace, we may only honor it by caring for what He has given, and offer back a minority portion to Him, Who has initially entrusted these things to us. When we sacrificially offer stewardship to the Church, we honor God and all of His creation. 2 Insert 2

9 The sweetest thing in all my life has been the longing to find the place where all the beauty came from. ~ C.S. Lewis Beauty in God s House Christian author, C.S. Lewis reflects upon the journey of Christian pilgrimage, relating it to the longing to find the source of beauty. As Christians we understand the reality that all things good come from God. The intrigue toward goodness is often motivated by beauty, and there is no greater beauty than the experience of God Himself. Through the Church we are invited to experience God, therefore, not only witnessing but literally experiencing eternal beauty through the Church s life and prayers. In appreciation of this invitation and experience, we are given the responsibility of maintaining and enhancing the beauty of this sacred environment the church sanctuary itself. Thank you to the stewards who have generously made offerings to Nativity, from humble beginnings to today, so that we may offer God a beautiful space through which He joins us to His Beauty and Goodness. *Pictured above is the new sterling silver, handcrafted chalice set offered to Nativity by faithful stewards. Insert 3 3

10 Do I Know Why? The Orthodox Christian Church is a worshipping church. We find our true identity in our association with God Whom we are completely and ultimately dependent upon Through the liturgical life of the Church, we offer thanks to God and receive Him as Healing and Sanctification into our lives. Orthod0x Christian? What Today? Early Christians identified themselves to one another through the sign of the fish. How do you identify yourself as a Christian today? Through a sign? Through a label? Through a lifestyle? God provides the substance and result of our worship experience. We are responsible through stewardship to provide the most appropriate environment through which He may work This environment for which we are responsible is comprised of our understanding of God, our relationship to Him, our relationships between one another, and the physical setting itself. By being the best steward that you can be you enhance the environment through which God makes Himself available to our truest needs. Be wise as Magi Be the best steward that you can be Gathering It is absolutely important that Christians gather It is said that no Christian exists in isolation. Who do you gather with? How do those gatherings support your identity as a child of God? Insert 4

11 Join The Magi Today Hundreds of households, thousands of souls, are blessed to be served by the Nativity of Christ Greek Orthodox Christian Church. Many of the households served by Nativity are still yet to articulate their Magi Journey by returning a completed 2014 Be Wise as Magi Commitment Card to the Nativity office. If for whatever reason you have not yet returned a completed commitment card, you are invited to complete the card below and return it to the Nativity office today. May our Lord recognize our Christian pilgrimage as wise * figures from May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nsert 5

12 Riches are not forbidden, but the pride of them is. Saint John Chrysostom 4 th Century Saint Nektarios 20 th Century A Christian must be courteous to all. His words and deeds should breathe with the grace of the Holy Spirit, which abides in his soul, so that in this way he might glorify the name of God. Wisdom From the Church Fathers Saint Gregory of Nyssa 4 th Century He is not wise to me who is wise in words only, but he who is wise in deeds. Absolutely nothing will help us if we are not lenient toward the weaknesses of men and forgive them. For how can we hope that God will forgive us if we do not forgive others? Saint Nikolai Velimirovich 20 th Century Insert 6

13 Daily Prayers Morning Prayer As I Rise from sleep, I thank you, o holy trinity, for through your great goodness and patience you were not angry with me, an idler and sinner, nor have you destroyed me with my iniquities, but have shown your usual love for mankind; and when I was prostrate in despair, you raised me up to keep the morning watch and glorify your power. And now enlighten my mind s eye, and open my mouth that I may meditate on your words, and understand your commandments, and do your will, and hymn you in heartfelt confession, and sing praises to your all-holy name: of the father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, now and forever, and unto to the ages of ages. Amen. Saint Basil the Great Evening prayer O lord our god, if during this day I have sinned, whether in word or deed or thought, forgive me all, for you are good and love mankind. Grant me peaceful and undisturbed sleep, and deliver me from all influence and temptation of the evil one. Raise me up again in proper time that I may glorify you; for you are blessed: with your onlybegotten son and your allholy spirit: now and forever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Before A meal O Christ god, bless the food and drink of your servants, for you are holy, always, now and forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. After a meal The rich are destitute and starving, but those that seek the lord, shall not lack any good thing. 4 th Century But for prayer and psalmody, as for many other things, there is no time that is not fitting Insert 7

14 Be Wise As Magi God deemed the Magi as wise due to the three-fold process they embarked upon I. They recognized God, and their need for Him. II. III. They committed to a journey that would bring them to God. They made offering to God through gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The example of Christian Stewardship offered by the Magi is applicable to each and every one of us in relation to our own journey toward salvation. Do you choose wisdom? Through your own Recognition, Commitment & Offering may our Lord receive your best stewardship, and deem you as wise In articulation of your Magi journey toward wisdom, complete the included 2014 Be Wise As Magi Commitment Card and return it to the church office today Be wise as Magi Become a Nativity Steward today The Gifts of the Magi Matthew 2:10,11 Nativity of Christ Greek Orthodox Christian Church 1110 Highland Drive Novato, California [Recipient] Insert 8

15 NATIVITY OF CHRIST C H U R C H C A L E N D A R AUGUST SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY th Sunday of Matthew 9 h Sunday of Matthew 10 th Sunday of Matthew :00 pm 6:00 pm Bible Study following Transfiguration of Christ Nativity of Christ Basketball Clinic Grades 3-5 Co-ed 9:00 am - 12:00 pm August 4-7 Bible Study following Parish Council Meeting 7:30 pm Bible Study 10:00 am 6:00 pm 6:00 pm Great Vespers 6:00 pm 1 Supplication Service 6:00 pm Fast of the Dormition of the Theotokos August 1-14 Supplication Service 6:00 pm The Dormition of the Most Holy Theookos St. Gerasimos Baptism 12:00 noon th Sunday of Matthew Bible Study 10:00 am th Sunday of Matthew Sept. 1 Labor Day New Church Year 2 Bible Study 10:00 am

16 Scott Morgan s Nativity Basketball Clinic learning virtue through the sport... send in your registration today co-ed Week 1: July (K - 2nd grade) Week 2: August 4-7 (3rd - 5th grade) 9-12 AM free-will offering T-Shirt Included at the Nativity Gym...lead by Novato basketball leader, Scott Morgan and complimented by the teaching of Father Luke, our youth will have the opportunity to learn virtue through the development of athletic skills limited reservations each week, preferred registration offered to Nativity youth with May registrations. 8

17 Scott Morgan s Nativity Basketball Clinic learning virtue through the sport... send in your registration today Camper Name Grade ( ) Grade ( ) Grade ( ) Parent Name(s) Parent Address Phone # Emergency Contact Ph # Is your family members of Nativity of Christ Greek Orthodox Church? Week 1 Registration, July (Grades K-2 in ) Week 2 Registration, August 4-8 (Grades 3-5 in ) (please check which week you are registering for) Parent Signature * in the spirit of Christian Stewardship, all registrations are via free-will offering, please offer what you can. 9

18 See page 5 for Greek School Registration Form 10

19 Sacraments and Rites 40-Day Blessings May Oliver Sexauer, son of Nichola & Alison Sexauer. June 1 -- Alexander O Farrell, son of Rania O Farrell. Baptisms June 7 -- Emmett Aristomenis Knoles, son of Aris & Kaylea Knoles. Sponsor was Katherine Curd. Sophia Neilia Seelhoff, daughter of Neil Seelhoff and Garefalia Economopoulos. Sponsors were Joseph Dabit and Marjaneh Maroufi. June Kenai Marcellus (Matthew) Hall, son of Patrick Hall and Corinna Williamson-Moore. Sponsors were Robert and Evie Smith. June Guy Allen (Joseph) Doers. Sponsors were Robert Smith and Pat Destein. June Ishita Sood. Sponsor was Tea Visnic. As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Wedding June Litsa Lambrakos and Jonas Bjorck, koumbaroi were Manos Papamichalopoulos and Maria Fotiadi. You have set on their heads crowns of precious stones. Memorials June 1 -- Marcos Perivolaris June George & Lilly Pappas June John Ivantcho May their memory be eternal. Condolences Our sincerest condolences to the family of Mary Fife, who reposed last week in Santa Rosa. May her memory be eternal. The Dormition of the Theotokos August 15, is the feast day of the Falling Asleep of the Virgin Mary. Our Panagia, the Mother of God and recognized as the greatest of all the saints, has and will continue to help us through her intercessions to her Son and our Lord. The Church has prescribed a 14-day preparation period before her great feast day. Beginning August 1, each weekday we will celebrate the Paraklesis Service, alternating mornings and evenings so that all the faithful may have an opportunity to attend. In the context of the Paraklesis Service, individuals may be prayed for by name please submit to the church office a list of typed, or clearly printed names, so that these individuals may be prayed for in the context of the service. O Theotokos, in giving birth you remained a virgin; in falling asleep you did not forsake the world. You have passed to life being the Mother of Life. Through your intercessions, save our souls from death. Dismissal Hymn of the Dormition Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord Blessing of Vineyards August 6, is the feast day of the Transfiguration of Our Lord. Within our tradition, grapes are offered and blessed at the end of the Divine Liturgy - connected to this blessing is the experience of blessing vineyards Vintners would seek the blessing of the Church for their crops and in return would offer back the best of their vineyard when appropriately prepared as wine to be offered as Holy Communion. In the spirit of this tradition, if you have a local vineyard that you would like blessed, please contact the church office so that arrangements may be made following the Transfiguration feast day. If we have true love with sympathy and patient labor, we shall not go about scrutinizing our neighbor s shortcomings. From St. Dorotheos of Gaza (Discourses and Sayings) 11

20 Transfiguration of Christ August 6 You were transfigured on the mountain, O Christ our God, showing to Your disciples Your glory as each one could endure. Shine forth on us, who are sinners all, Your light everlasting. Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Giver of Light, glory to you. Apolotykion