The Feast Day of Our Church ~ A Message from Fr. Robert

Transcription

1 August Phillips Road, Tallahassee, Florida (850) Rev. Fr. Robert J. O Loughlin As we begin August, we are now entering into one of the fasting periods as we are soon to celebrate the Feast Day of our Church, the Dormition of the Theotokos. We, as Orthodox Christians, are to adjust our summer schedules to turn our focus more intently on God. We commemorate and honor our Holy Mother by striving to increase our prayers, almsgiving and good works, and our fasting for this two week period. As St. Ignatius of Antioch writes He who is devout to the Mother of God will certainly never be lost. I know that many people may be on or finishing vacation during this time, but the Church reminds us to never lose focus on what is most important and eternal. We can rest our minds and bodies during our vacations which is necessary but we are also called to learn to rest our souls which happens when we turn towards God. As we will soon celebrate the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, our beloved Mother of God, we know that she lived many years amongst the disciples after the death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ died on the Cross. She provided strength, energy and consolation throughout their adversities in spreading the Gospel. However, her unceasing desire was to leave her earthly body and be reunited with her beloved Son. The Theotokos did not fear death and her desire was that that the Apostles would be present at her departure from this life. All were present except Thomas. He would be taken on the third day after her death, to the tomb where it was found empty. The Theotokos is always there for us and as we will hear in the beautiful hymns of the Paraklesis service, which will be held during the Dormition Fast, as one hymn says: Deliver us All of your servants, from dangers, O Theotokos; After God, we all flee to you, For shelter and covering, As an unshakable wall and our protection. These services provide a time that we remember the names of any people we know who need prayers. These names should be given to me and they will be remembered during these services, asking the Virgin Mary to watch over and protect each and every one of them. May we always ask her for peace and guidance and her intercessory prayers. I pray that the remainder of the summer be blessed and peaceful for all of you! With love in Christ, +Fr. Robert The Feast Day of Our Church ~ A Message from Fr. Robert

2 Page 2 If an emergency or special need should arise, please contact Fr. Rob immediately at Our next ECHO Sundays are August 2nd and September 6th. Please drop off your non-perishable food donations into the bins located in the Hellenic Center and Patmos Hall. Metropolis of Atlanta Clergy-Laity Assembly and Philoptochos Conference, Columbia, South Carolina Congratulations to Mark Belcher and his sponsor Nick Stratis on the Chrismation of Mark on June 21st. Congratulations... Zachary and Lucia Joanos on the 40 Day blessing of Laura Cali on July 26th. Congratulations to Rodney and Viktoriya Kilbourn on the baptism of their child, Lucas on June 15th and to the Godparents, Oleksandr and Ganna Khrystenko. Dear Parishioners, We hope everyone is having a wonderful summer. Staying here this year helped us to get some relaxation and leisurely catch-up with a few things. In addition, we enjoyed our parish being active throughout the season. Our church services celebrated with the choir's participation on every Sunday. God bless them for their dedication and outstanding performances even, at times, when they are only very few. Further, I would like to thank very much our volunteers at the Spaghetti Dinners in June and July. In addition, we appreciate the commitment and hard work of all participants in the preparation of foods for the Greek Food Festival! Virtually every Saturday in the next two months, all parishioners should find opportunities to help with the baking for the festival. Every additional pair of hands makes everybody's part a lot easier. In addition, there is plenty of quality time to be made visiting with the other members and volunteers. We invite every member and friend to join us on Saturdays for a few hours of fun while contributing toward this important ministry of our church. We hope to see you there! Our best wishes to our students and all for a successful School Year! Sincerely, Pete Koikos

3 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT Youth Ministry Registration Youth Ministry Registration Parish Council Meeting 5:30 pm OCF Gathering Choir Practice Choir Practice Choir Practice Great Vespers Feast of the Transfiguration 12 + Paraklesis 6 f Feast Day of the Holy Transfiguration 9:00 am 7 + Paraklesis Great Vespers for the Dormition of the Theotokos Light refreshments to follow Great Vespers 5:00 pm Great Vespers 5:00 pm Dormition of the Theotokos 9:00 am Pangari Schedule for August *Denotes a 9:30 start time 08/02 Fetzko*/Joanos/Perrigan (c) 08/09 Manias*/Branch/Eudy (c) 08/16 Koikos*/Gorb/Manias (c) 08/23 Eudy*/Fetzko/Joanos (c) 08/30 Mathes*/Perrigan/Gorb (c) 09/06 Fetzko*/Joanos/Manias (c) Beheading of St. John the Baptist 9:00 am Great Vespers 5:00 pm Calendar Symbol Key + = Strict Fast = Wine and Oil allowed = Dairy eggs allowed = Father Away Page 3 AUGUST 2015 s = Fish Allowed

4 Page 4 Registration for Church School, GOYA, JOY, OCF, and Greek Dancing will be held following the on: Sunday, August 23rd and August 30th in the Hellenic Center. We look forward to our first GOYA meeting of the new ecclesiastical year. This ministry provides teenagers time for fellowship, growth in faith, and opportunities for outreach. For more information, contact Presvytera Joy at or flrjjk@yahoo.com. GOYAns honoring fathers on Father s Day The OCF (Orthodox Christian Fellowship) is the official collegiate campus ministry program under the Assembly of Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America. The mission of OCF is to support fellowships on college campuses, whose members experience and witness to the Orthodox Christian Church though community life, prayer and service to others and study of the Faith. We look forward to welcoming new and returning students Ecclesiastical Calendars If you would like to Sponsor the 2016 Ecclesiastical Calendar, please call the church office, , as soon as possible. Thank you.

5 Page 5 August 29th *10:00 am start time September 1st 2nd September 9th 10th September 12th Thank you to the 2015 Booth Chairmen: September 17th, 18th, 19th September 26th Dinner Sales Dorothy Downing A La Carte Nick Joanos/Stephanie Joanos White Facilities Jeff Phipps French Fries Alex Drzewiecki Gyro Chris Myers/Koulla Butler Inside Kafenion Jorge Gorb/Lara Ilin Kitchen/Dinners Richard Allen Kitchen Facilitators Pete Koikos Kitchen Souvlaki Johnnie Patronis Deluxe Souvlaki Manny Joanos Ice Cream Joanna Erickson/Becky Pettijohn Outside Taverna Stelios Manias Inside Taverna Jim Garland Pepsi Wagon Sara Hill Pastries Tom Mookas Outside Kafenion Tommy and Amber Kiger T-Shirts/Gifts Stamie Joanos Volunteers Registration Catherine Branch Please note time is subject to change Koulourakia Paximadia Galatoboureko Kourambiedes Baklava Preparations for the festival are at full swing. Please come and assist with the festival cooking which begins at 9 am. Even if all you can give is a small amount of time it is greatly appreciated. Your Parish Council OPEN *9:00 am start time subject to change AHEPA News A meeting is scheduled for Sunday August16th following the in Patmos Hall. It would be nice to see all members back. Keeping with our tradition, we plan to sponsor a Luncheon on Sunday, September13th in observance for the Elevation of the Cross and beginning the new school year. Wishing everyone a wonderful summer. Mike Burmester, President

6 Page 6 Religions for Peace USA interviews Archimandrite Nathanael Symeonides Religions for Peace USA regularly spotlights member communities to be featured in The Interfaith Observer. This month, Suzy Lamoreaux interviews Archimandrite Nathanael Symeonides of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, who represents the Archdiocese on RfPUSA s Executive Council. The Archimandrite was appointed director of the Office of Inter-Orthodox, Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations in September Fr. Nathanael and his department work to spread interest in and knowledge of Church activities and teachings while always respecting the sincerity of the religious convictions and spiritual sensitivities of others. The Archdiocese was in the news recently when Archbishop of America Demetrios walked alongside President Obama and thousands of others in Selma, Alabama to commemorate the 50 th anniversary of the Selma-to-Montgomery march for civil rights. The church s work on conflict resolution, humanitarian aid, and equality were the topics Fr. Nathanael was most eager to share with the interreligious community. Suzy Lamoreaux: The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese has a history of condemning violence as a means of resolving conflict. How does the Archdiocese promote peaceful reconciliation between groups, especially between other religions as well as other Christian denominations? Fr. Nathanael: In order to understand the Orthodox Christian view of war, one must understand the history of Church-State relations in the East. In the Eastern Roman Empire, that is, the Byzantine Empire, Church and State were always separate but equal entities. Therefore, the Church never declared war, promoted violence as a means of resolving conflict, or needed to develop a just war theory. Simultaneously, however, the Church acknowledges that, due to the fallen nature of humanity, there are times when the State enters into violent conflict. What this leads to, therefore, is a Church that prays for and blesses soldiers who engage in conflict while never blessing the conflict itself. It is also important to note that even in those instances when violence is used as a means of defense, the Church always prescribes a period of repentance and spiritual healing for anyone who was forced to enact violence upon a fellow human being. The Archdiocese promotes peaceful reconciliation between groups primarily through dialogue and collaborative efforts. On the one hand, we understand that any intrinsic problem must be surfaced through dialogue in theological terms, confession. The exercise of recognizing those elements that keep us separated can indeed help lead us to reconciliation and forgiveness. On the other hand, engaging in collaborative projects not only helps us engage one another, but, during the reconciliation process, it can help us build stronger and broader communities. Both dialogue and praxis are equally important and must happen simultaneously. Orthodox Christianity does not view itself as a Christian denomination, that is, Orthodoxy is not just one version or brand of Christianity. The Orthodox Church is a community of believers who gather together to form the Eucharistic community, which experiences and joins themselves to Christ in the same way as the early Apostles. While this Eucharistic community is always pointing to something beyond the world as its goal, it never rejects the world. Instead, it is called to pray for the salvation of the world. This, of course, includes all people, irrespective of their creed or lack thereof. Since conflict among people is often rooted in differences in identity, and since religious and faith convictions are a major part of identity, it is essential for people of faith and good will to identify those elements in their traditions that help forge positive relationships. Suzy: One means of resolving conflict is through humanitarianism. Given the Archdiocese s large-scale influence, what is the organization currently doing to provide for those living in despair? Is there a particular area where the Church focuses more of its efforts? Fr. Nathanael: The Orthodox Church initiates its humanitarian relief efforts through prayer to God, who is perceived as the greatest philanthropist and humanitarian for His limitless love for the world. As such, the Orthodox Church includes special petitions for those under persecution and distress in all of its services. On a more practical level, the Archdiocese has on numerous occasions provided material and financial aid to countries and regions adversely affected by natural disasters, war, disease, and other sources of crisis. A few examples in recent history include the Archdiocesan relief efforts for the 2004 tsunami in Thailand and the current humanitarian crisis in Greece. Moreover, in collaboration with our associated agencies, the National Philoptochos Society and International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), the Archdiocese supports onthe-ground efforts both nationally and internationally, including relief efforts in Syria, Jordan, and Palestine. Article taken from the Greek Orthodox Archdioces, Archimandrite Nathanael Symeonides of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Photo: GOAA

7 Page 7 A Light to the World! Have you ever seen a lighthouse? Did you know that in the United States there are over a thousand of them? Some people spend their vacations just visiting these lighthouses on the ocean coasts and on big lakes. Lighthouses are beautiful, but they have a purpose, too! They shine out their bright lights at night so ships won t wreck on the rocks or on the coast. Lighthouses have saved the lives of many, many sailors. Today s Gospel tells about bright lights, too. Jesus told His disciples, You are the light of the world...men do not light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. When we act like good, strong Christians, we are like bright lights, shining out. Sometimes we might be afraid to show our faith to other people. Sometimes we might be afraid to speak out. Sometimes we might be afraid to show that we follow our Lord, Jesus Christ. But today we hear in the Gospel that God wants you to Let your light shine, so others can learn to love God, too! Article from The Children s Word dated July 19, 2015 a weekly bulletin for Orthodox Christian young people. (Vol. 3, Issue 28) Forgetting your lunch Have you ever forgotten your lunch at home or on a trip? Maybe you were thinking about other things, and you just forgot! Today we hear a Gospel lesson that you probably learned when you were very small. It tells about more than 5,000 people who forgot to pack their dinners! You know the one a huge crowd of people had been listening to Jesus speaking all day long. In the evening, they didn t have anything to eat. Our Lord felt sorry for them, and He took a little bit of food and made it into a whole lot of food. Then, it was enough for them all to eat. Many years ago, Saint John Chrysostom wrote a sermon about this crowd of people. He said that we should try to be like them, too! They weren t worrying about food and clothing and things like that. All they wanted was to hear the Lord speak! They followed Him all day long, even until they were very hungry. Sometimes, of course, we do have to take care of things eating, dressing, and so on. But God wants us to think of Him first! In the Liturgy, we hear the words, Let us set aside all the cares of life, that we may receive the King of all. And that is just what that crowd did! Article from The Children s Word dated July 26, 2015 a weekly bulletin for Orthodox Christian young people. (Vol. 3, Issue 29)

8 Holy Mother of God Greek Orthodox Church 1645 Phillips Road Tallahassee, Florida Return Service Requested Holy Mother of God Greek Orthodox Church 1645 Phillips Road Tallahassee, FL Office: Hall: Fr. Rob s Cell: The Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary Celebrated August 15th Website: Addresses: Father Rob: fr.robert@comcast.net Church Secretary: hmog@comcast.net Secretary Hours: Mon./Wed./Fri. 9am-2pm