Pastor s Corner What makes Thanksgiving So Orthodox?

Transcription

1 Dec. 2017, Jan. Feb 2018 Vol. 22, No. 2 St. George Orthodox Cathedral Charleston, WV Pastor s Corner What makes Thanksgiving So Orthodox? By Rev. Fr. Christopher Eid There is no feast that seems more American than Thanksgiving. Many of us Orthodox also recognize this holiday in some sort of way. Usually we say that it is a day in which they remember that the Pilgrims landed in this country. Of course, the they that we use in such a sentence refers to any of the non- Orthodox Americans that we live with. And yet, this is real chance for us it may be one of the few American things that we can truly make Orthodox. We will never be able to totally interpret the secular things of America in an Orthodox way. But here on Thanksgiving Day is exactly where it should be done. This is so because if you think about and are especially aware of the words and feeling of our Divine Liturgy, there is nothing more Orthodox than giving thanks or thanksgiving. It is, therefore, on Thanksgiving Day that we have a chance to help America look deeper into itself by looking at this typical American holiday of Thanksgiving from an Orthodox point of view. We know that to be Orthodox, if we really know about Orthodoxy, implies that deeper look. But what is meant by looking deeper? To begin with, if we as Americans, both Orthodox and non-orthodox, fail to see the greater lesson of what Thanksgiving means, if it is just the remembering of an historical event, it will remain only a memory and not something that we call a Holiday, or better yet, a Holy Day. This is so because just the memory is not enough. Memory may be helpful, but it does not guarantee holiness. Why do we say Holy Day? When we answer this question, we will have taken that deeper look. Surely those that landed in America understood why the day was holy. They were not only celebrating their historic landing as holy, as we do today in this shallow way; they looked deeper and when they did, they gave thanks together in a real communion with each other and with God for all the bountiful gifts with which they were blessed. Perhaps they understood, even better than we do, what it means when we sing in our Liturgy: for the abundance of the fruits of the earth and for peaceful times. That s it! That s the deeper look; men standing together before God in thankfulness. Men bound by common problems. Men bound by common goals. Orthodoxy, therefore, has the great opportunity to be able to dissect the word Thanksgiving, to show this fullness. In fact, we are constantly showing what it really means at every Liturgy, for it is here that thanksgiving is not only a memory, not only a day; it is a state or a position that we are in. What is that state which is holy? It is a standing together no, it begins earlier it begins with the procession of each of us from the bed of our homes to the place where we will stand, to be together, even as those pilgrims were, to give thanks. The height of this thanksgiving is when we offer up the gifts of bread and wine Thine own of Thine own, we offer unto thee, in behalf of all and for all while we are offered life in return from God Can we take America back to that original meaning, to that deeper look? The pilgrims had it, but we have preserved it! Perhaps now we can say we instead of they to show that Thanksgiving is not only for non- Orthodox. Certainly, it is at the Divine Liturgy where we should begin this Day of Thanksgiving. The above article was written by the Very Rev. Fr. Joseph Allen and appeared in many magazines, blogs and websites. With the above mentioned spirit of Thanksgiving, over one hundred and twenty parishioners adults and children of Saint George Cathedral gathered at the sanctuary for Thanksgiving Akathist service. After the service we all proceeded to the Lower Level banquet-hall to break bread and partake of what the ladies of The Family-Night have prepared for all of us and all that others brought to share with one another. The food was great, including dessert, coffee, soft drinks and water. We all ate multiple servings and enjoyed each other s company. In Thanksgiving we come to be called a Church. In Thanksgiving we offer our bread and tithing to the Lord. In Thanksgiving we offer our prayers to the Lord that He blesses all of us as one and part of His body. Glory be to God for all things. May He always bless us as one family worshiping and giving thanks for all that He gives us all the time Amen. Happy New year: may the new year bring you good health, happiness and may you keep Christ in your heart in all you do.

2 2 The St. George Grapevine Vol. 22, No. 2 Dec 2017, Jan Feb 2018 The Perfect Christmas Gift The Solution of the Divine Dilemma By Subdeacon George M. Damous The Divine Dilemma, as explained by St. Athanasius, is the progressive destruction of the human race which was occurring due to the entrance of death caused by the corruption of mankind. Why did one sin cause man to disappear? Because this was the penalty that God had forewarned for transgressing His commandment. Unfortunately when sin began it continued to progress, not stopping at any one kind of evil, but continually devising new kinds of sins. The law of death, from the Transgression, prevailed upon mankind. What then was God to do? Was He to let His creation be devoured by corruption and disappear? God, being Good, would not abandon His creation. Therefore, was God to demand repentance from us for our transgression? Unfortunately, this would not be enough. Repentance would have been sufficient for a simple case of transgression, but we had declined due to corruption. A process had begun which needed to be stopped. Who could bring us back to the grace of God through re-creation? The answer could only be the Word of God who created all things out of nothingness. The Word of God entered into the world, although He truly was never far from it since no part of creation had ever been without Him Who fills all things that are. The Word of God entered the world in a new way by lowering Himself to our level in His love and revealing Himself to us. The Son of God did not become St. George Orthodox Cathedral P.O. Box 2044 Charleston, WV A parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America Pastor: Fr. Christopher Eid Editor: Maryann Skaff Design: Rita Damous Kee Produced by The Fellowship of St. George, to promote activities and events about and for parishioners of St. George Orthodox Cathedral. We only list events as they are reported to us by organization reporters. We reserve the right to edit copy for space. Contact your church organization reporter for news or send your comments to The Grapevine, c/o St. George Orthodox Cathedral, Attn. Editor or ritakee@aol.com. The St. George Grapevine is published every three months and is mailed during the first week of the month. embodied merely to appear to us for He could have accomplished that in a more majestic manner. Instead, He took on our body directly from a spotless and uncorrupted virgin, without the use of a human father, resulting in a pure body, untainted by man. Therefore, by taking a body like our own, because our bodies were liable to the corruption of death, the Creator surrendered His body to death in place of all and offered it to the Father. The Word of God, being immortal and unable to die, took on a body capable of death; and by that body belonging to the Word Who is above all, dying became a sufficient exchange for all, while remaining incorruptible. This incorruptibility could only be accomplished due to the indwelling of the Son of God, thereby putting an end to corruption for us all by the grace of the resurrection. Therefore, through this union of the Immortal Son of God with our human nature, all men became clothed with incorruption in the promise of the resurrection. For the solidarity of mankind is such that, by the virtue of the Word s indwelling in a single human body, the corruption which goes with death has lost its power over all. St. Athanasius gives the following example: When a great king enters a large city and dwells in one of its houses; and because of his dwelling in that single house, the whole city is honored, and enemies and robbers cease to molest it. This is how it is with the King of all. He has come into our country and dwelt in one body amidst many, and in consequence the designs of the enemy of mankind have been foiled and the corruption of death, which had formerly held us in its power, has simply ceased to be. St. Athanasius goes on to say, by man death has gained its power over men; by the Word made Man, death has been destroyed and life raised up anew. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. Just as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive (I Corinthians 15:21). The Perfect Gift for everyone could only be given by He Who is Perfect. Let us give thanks unto the Lord for this gift. Through the birth of the Christ child our salvation is made possible. Christ Is Born! Glorify Him! The Troparion Of The Nativity Of Our Lord (Tone 4) Thy Nativity, 0 Christ our God, hath given rise to the light of knowledge in the world; for they that worshipped the stars did learn therefrom to worship Thee, 0 Sun of justice, and to know that from the east of the Highest Thou didst come, 0 Lord, glory to Thee. The Kontakion Of The Nativity (Tone 3) Today the Virgin giveth birth to the Transcendent in essence; the earth offereth the cave to the unapproachable One; the angels with the shepherds glorify Him; and the Magi with the star travel on their way; for a new child hath been born for our sakes, God before the ages. Kids Corner Q & A Q. Did people in the Bible have Christmas? A. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ. Many years after Jesus was born, Christians decided to celebrate His birth. They chose December 25 as the day to observe it. December 25 is probably not the exact day Jesus was born, but that s not important. What is important is that we remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus,our Savior, not that we get presents, get time off from school, or get to eat a lot of sweets. Key verse: Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, Where is this newborn king of the Jews? (Matthew, 2:1-2) (From 801 Questions Kids Ask About God)

3 Vol. 22, No. 2 Dec 2017, Jan Feb 2018 The St. George Grapevine 3 St. Simeon The Righteous Simeon was one of the seventy scholars who came to Alexandria to translate The Holy SCRIPTURES into Greek. The completed work was called The Septuagint, and is the version of the OLD TESTAMENT used by the Orthodox Church. St. Simeon was translating a book of the Prophet Isaiah, and read the words: Behold, a virgin shall conceive in the womb, and shall bring forth a Son (Is. 7:14). He thought that virgin was inaccurate, and he wanted to correct the text to read woman. At that moment and angel appeared to him and held back his hand saying, You shall see these words fulfilled. You shall not die until you behold Christ the Lord born of pure and spotless Virgin. Tradition says he died at the great age of 360. Forty days after the birth of Jesus, Mary and Joseph presented Him to the Temple in thanksgiving to God. And to offer a sacrifice, according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtle doves or pigeons. Luke 2:24. St. Simeon was in the Temple and took Him in his arms and blessed God and said: Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel. Luke 2: On February 2, we celebrate this Feast day and recite St. Simeon s prayer at every Vesper service. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Antiochian Women (Ladies Guild) The Ladies Guild would like to thank everyone from teens to seniors who worked before, during and after the annual dinner to make it a wonderful success! And a special thanks to Chairman Mary Dooley and her committees, because without their commitment and workers, we could not have served over 2100 counting the carry out and dining room. When we all come together good things happen. Our annual Christmas gettogether will be December 10 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at Charleston Tennis Club. You will be contacted with details soon. We hope all the ladies of St. George will continue to work together and step up and keep the ladies guild strong since we are the backbone of St. George. Please come to our next meeting on Monday, Dec. 3, so we can continue our service to St. George. Have a blessed Feast of the Nativity and a healthy and happy new year. Please be generous in your Christmas card donations. This is our annual project for the national Antiochian Women s project each year. Gridiron Trivia: 1. How wide apart are the goalposts? 2. What do they call the player who s in front of the punter but behind the line of scrimmage? 3. What does a referee throw when calling a penalty after he s already thrown his flag? 4. How is it possible for a team to finish a game with 4 points? 5. How many yards must a kickoff travel before the kicking team can touch the ball? 6. True or False: a team is penalized 15 yards if it appears on the field late before the opening kickoff? Deadline for the next Grapevine issue Mar., April, May is Feb. 1, Place articles in box outside Church office or ritakee@aol.com Come to the Congregation So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. II Corinthians,9:7 For where two or more are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them. ( Matthew,18:20) We should be proud of our Cathedral that our ancestors built for us and our children. Please be generous in making your pledge for 2018 to ensure Orthodoxy in Charleston continues into the future. Yesterday is history. Today is God s gift. Tomorrow is God s secret. See you at the congregation meeting in January where you can find out what the organizations have done and their plans for 2018 as well as our financial status for If you would like to serve on the parish council, please submit your name to the office. Some Definitions of Christmas Christmas is the LIGHT that burns eternally. It is a glow that warms the hearts of people wherever the message of peace on earth to men of goodwill is believed. Christmas is Peace in a world where people have been alienated from each other by hatred and jealousy. Christmas is LOVE that flows from one heart to another. Christmas is JOY of brotherhood, of giving, of sharing, of lifting, of caring, and being what Christ wants us to be. Christmas is FORGIVENESS, the time for fresh beginnings, a time to right the wrongs of yesterday. Christmas is GIVING to those who cannot give to us. It is visiting the neglected, lifting the fallen, giving hope to the hopeless, assuring victory to the defeated, living the spirit of good will to all mankind. Christmas is SURRENDER of one s life to Christ in renewed dedication, making Christ the Lord of our lives.

4 4 The St. George Grapevine Vol. 22, No. 2 Dec 2017, Jan Feb 2018 St. Ignatius As the tree is known by its fruits, so they who claim to belong to Christ are known by their actions: for this work of ours does not consist in just making professions, but in a faith that is both practical and lasting. (St. Ignatius of Antioch) Members of the Order of St. Ignatius will participate in the Liturgy by reading the Epistle, passing the tray and ushering the communion lines during the month of December. Anyone interested in the work of the Order or desiring to join, please contact a member of the Order. Xmas: An abbreviation of the word Christmas. The letter X is the Greek letter Chi, the first letter of Christ s name written in the Greek alphabet. CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM! Be heart healthy: Happy Valentine s Day, Feb. 14. YULETIDE Just a little more patience, Just a little more cheer. A little more laughter For children to hear. A mound of forgiveness A little less speed, And more of remembering Our fellow man s need. Just a little more living. Just a little more love; These are the things The season s made of! Irma Ross Souper Bowl Sunday: remember to bring a canned good and make a donation to Teen SOYO to help the needy in our community. Watch the bulletin for details.

5 Vol. 22, No. 2 Dec 2017, Jan Feb 2018 The St. George Grapevine 5 Church School News By Layla Michael I hope everyone is preparing to have a wonderful Christmas celebration, and a Happy New Year! The Holiday season is a great time to spend some time with our children. Ask them about what they have been learning in Church School so far, and let them know that we look forward to seeing them all again after the New Year. Church school break will be starting after the annual Christmas play, which is scheduled for December 10, We will be starting back on January the 7th at 9:45 am. We should all make a New Year s resolution to make sure to attend more frequently to Church School and to have our children to School every Sunday! We will be starting preparation for the creative arts festival when we arrive back to School on January 7, Please encourage your children to participate in every event, so that we may have a good representation for our Cathedral. This year s theme comes from the book of Acts 2:42 and is the following: CALENDAR December 2017 Weekly Schedule Check the weekly bulletin for updates, changes or cancellations. Wednesday, 6:30 pm - Daily Vespers, Family Night & Book Club Thurs.: 7:30 pm - Choir Rehearsal Sat.: 5:00 pm - Great Vespers/Confessions Sun.: 9:15 am Junior Choir; 9:45 am Church School; 9:30 am Matins; 10:30 am Divine Liturgy December 3: 12:00 pm Teen SOYO after Divine Liturgy 4: 7:00 pm Ladies Guild 5: 7:00 pm Parish Council 6: 6:00 pm Hierarchical Divine Liturgy w/bp. THOMAS, Family Night 9: 10:00 am Christmas Program Rehearsal 10: 12:00 pm Church School Christmas Program 13: 6:30 pm Paraklesis & Family Night 15: 7:00 pm GSG Christmas Party 17: 6:30 pm St. Ignatius Christmas Dinner 20: 6:30 pm Paraklesis & Family Night 22: 9:00 am Royal Hours of the Nativity 24: 9:30 am Matins; 10:30 am Divine Liturgy; 9:00 pm Matins for the Feast of the Nativity; 10:00 pm Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Nativity of Christ They continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:42) There will be a creative arts workshop held in February with lunch provided after Liturgy so that each child will have a chance to turn in an entry for the festival. The date will be announced at a later date. Please note the Church school now communicates with the reminder APP... Which is available for Iphone and Android...If you are not getting reminder messages from the church school, and would like to, please text the message@ stgeorge to the number I would like to thank Greg and Rheana Jones for volunteering their time helping out with church school and our high school boys basketball team. Thank you and God Grant ALL of our Teachers, Parents, and Children many healthy and happy years. Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa : Christmas Day Office closed 30: 9:30 am Manna Meal prep 31: 10:30 am Hierarchical Divine Liturgy with Bp. THOMAS; 7:00 pm New Year s Party January 1: New Year s Day Office closed 2: 7:00 pm Parish Council 5: 9:00 am Royal Hours of the Theophany; 6:00 pm Festal Matins of Theophany; 7:00 pm Festal Divine Liturgy of Theophany with Great Blessing of the Waters 6: Theophany 8: 7:00 pm Ladies Guild 16: 6:30 pm Foundation Board 21: 12:00 pm Annual Congregation 27: 9:30 am Manna Meal prep 30: 7:00 pm Fellowship of St. George January 2018 Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Senior Fellowship Seniors traded canned goods for a chance to make a deal after dinner at our last get-together on Nov. 14. Several were invited to play Let s Make A Deal with play money and pictures of cars and furniture or a zonk, but three lucky contestants got to play for gift cards in the big deal of the day. The audience participated in advising the contestants to keep the money or go for the boxes, so everyone got involved. As chairman of the Senior Fellowship committee, I would like to thank my committee for a great job this year in the planning and preparation of our get-togethers. If old man winter permits, we may get together in February. If not, it will be in May. Happy holidays and a healthy new year to all our seniors and parishioners of St. George. Answers to Gridiron: feet 6 inches 2. The up back. 3. His hat 4. 2 safeties yards 6. True. February 2018 Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa February 5: 7:00 pm Ladies Guild 6: 7:00 pm Parish Council 11: Meatfare Sunday 18: Cheesefare Sunday 19: Lent begins; 6:30 pm Great Compline 21: 6:30 pm Presanctified Divine Liturgy & Lenten pot luck 23: 6:30 pm Akathist Service 24: 9:30 pm Manna Meal prep 25: 6:00 pm Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers & Lenten pot luck 26: 6:30 pm Great Compline 27: 6:30 pm Foundation Board ; 7:00 pm Fellowship of St. George 28: 6:30 pm Presanctified Divine Liturgy & Lenten pot luck

6 6 The St. George Grapevine Vol. 22, No. 2 Dec 2017, Jan Feb 2018 Joy To The World Word Search (Find Capitalized words only) G A Y R E V E T E L O P L A N D N A T U R E E R O A H E R U L E S O N E R N E L I S I H F O R P I D I L G H L Q U I S A E W M O H E R K I N G R S O O H T E C E J A B E N N R E E R A G D O J R O D L R O W N R A T Y E I E N A U I R A T O E D T R E E S I N C B A L N A S U R N A R E A R E E N M A K E S O N O V O V E V O L S I H W I N G A H E R U S H E E T O T E T R Y T O H C K O O R H A N L E T E A R T H U D E E V O R P R O E N T N G E T U M O O R M I H A 1. JOY; 2. TO THE WORLD; 3. LET EARTH; 4.RECEIVE; 5. HER KING. 6. LET EVERY. 7. HEART 8. PREPARE 9. HIM ROOM 10. AND HEAVEN 11. AND NATURE 12. SING. 13. HE RULES 14. the WORLD. 15 with TRUTH 16 and GRACE 17 and MAKES 18. THE NA- TIONS 19 PROVE 20 the GLORIES 21 OF HIS 22 RIGHTEOUSNESS. 23 AND WONDERS 24 of HIS LOVE. New Year s Eve Party St George Conference Center Ballroom 7 pm to 1 am Sun. Dec. 31, 2017 American and Arabic Dancing Nominal price for bucket of ice, cups & soft drinks Casual Attire Party Favors Admission: Bring a Hot or Cold Appetizer RSVP: Diana Shdeed Ring in 2018 with Family and Friends St. George Orthodox Cathedral P.O. Box 2044 Charleston, WV Non-Profit Org. U. S. POSTAGE P a i d Charleston, WV Permit No ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED