Saint Sophia Cathedral

Transcription

1 Saint Sophia Cathedral Greek Orthodox Community God s people, serving God s people Weekly Bulletin Sunday, 16 January th Sunday of Luke Very Rev. Father John S. Bakas Rev. Father Bill Tragus

2 CALENDAR OF THE WEEK Sunday, January 16 th Orthros :00am Studies in Faith.....9:15am Memorials :45am Divine Liturgy :00am Monday, January 17 th Saint Anthony the Great Orthros :30am Divine Liturgy :30am Bible Study with Fr. John: Philoptohos Women s Bible Study...10:30am Men s Bible Study..12:30pm Tuesday, January 18 th Adult Evening Bible Study with Fr. John: Bible Studies in the Faith :30pm Wednesday, January 19 th Bible Study with Fr. Bill: Papa Christos..6:30pm Bible Study....7:30pm Saturday, January 22 nd Hellenic Academy - children.. 9:00am Hellenic Academy adults.. 11:30am Please note: the office will be closed on Monday, January 17 th in observance of the Martin Luther King holiday. Coffee Hour will be held in our Fellowship Tent EPISTLE READER Zafiris Tsimahides USHERS Alexandra Guirguis, Dinah Wellington, Shelmadine Wellington Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral 1324 South Normandie Avenue, Los Angeles,

3 DAILY VITAMINS FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH 3

4 MEMORIALS Andrew Lambert (15 years), Marion Maniatakos, Kaneli, Panayioti, Antonia, Eleni, Corrine, Vasiliki, Paraskevoula Doumakes Drulias, George J. Poulos, Sophia Angelos, Efthimios Angelos, Mary Nina Angelos, Angelo Angelos, Constantine Chapralis (40 days), George Chapralis (18 years), Konstantina Tsassis-Louvis, Lola Victoria, Hellen Panayi, Christina Panayi, Pariskavou Panayi, Nicolson Alepou, Efrosini Jordanou, Elena Vlahou ALTAR CANDLES Offered in loving memory of Andrew Lambert, by his parents, Father Peter and Presbytera Sophia Lambert Offered in loving memory of my beloved husband George J. Poulos, my parents, Sophia and Efthemios Angelos, my sister Mary Nina Angelos, and my brother Angelo Angelos by Rena Poulos and family. Offered in loving memory of Marion Maniatakos by Ted Maniatakos PERPETUAL LIGHTS Offered in loving memory Paraskevoula Doumakes Drulias, by her daughters Ann Drulias Caiopoulos and Fotine Drulias O Connor and her grand-daughter, Stephanie Caiopoulos Lubian Offered in loving memory of Elena Vlahou deceased in Athens Greece, by her cousins Maria Woloschinowisch, Georgia Fercredireos, and Roxane Mauroor 4

5 HYMNS OF THE DAY APOLYTIKIA - First Tone Savior, Your tomb was sealed with a stone. Soldiers kept watch over Your sacred body. Yet, You rose on the third day, giving life to the world. Wherefore the powers of heaven cried out, O Giver of Life, glory to Your Resurrection, O Christ; glory to Your Kingdom, glory to Your dispensation who alone are the Loving One. Fourth Tone O first-enthroned of the Apostles, you have come to us without leaving Rome. For us, you wore chains which we venerate in faith, praying, Through your intercessions to God, grant us great mercy. KONTAKIA First Tone Your birth sanctified a Virgin s womb and fittingly blessed the hands of Symeon. You have now come and saved us O Christ, our God. In troubled times, as the only loving One, give peace to your commonwealth and strength to those in civil authority, whom You love. Troparion of Saint Sophia (Holy Wisdom) Blessed are You O Christ our God, Who as all wise the fishermen You showed forth; By sending your Holy Spirit down upon them and through them the universe You drew unto your net. O lover of mankind Glory to You. 5

6 Υμνος Τροπαριον του Ναου, Ηχος πλ δ Ευλογητος ει Χριστε ο Θεος ημων, ο πανσοφους του αλιεις αναδειξας, καταπεμψας αυτοις το Πνευμα το Αγιον, και δι αυτων την οικουμενην σαγηνευσας, φιλανθρωπε, δοξα σοι. 6

7 EPISTLE READING The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Colossians 3:4-11 BRETHREN, when Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. In these you once walked, when you lived in them. But now put them all away; anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old nature with its practices and have put on the new nature, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all, and in all. 7

8 GOSPEL READING The Reading is from Luke 17:12-19 At that time, as Jesus entered a village, He was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices and said: "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." When He saw them He said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus's feet, giving Him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then said Jesus: "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" And He said to him: "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well." 8

9 MINISTRY NEWS PHILOPTOHOS VIP NEWS Thursday, January 27, Prizes and Surprises It s that time of the year when we play our favorite game. Please come and join us at 11:00 AM in the Fellowship Tent for a light lunch. Donation is $10. Following lunch, you can enjoy an afternoon of prizes and surprises with your friends. Reservations are required. Please call Stella Morris, chairman, at (818) or Kiki Pappas at (310) Everyone is welcome. Thursday February 24 - Gene Autry Museum Experience an exciting trip to the Gene Autry Museum of the American West at Griffith Park. We will meet at St Sophia in front of the chapel and the bus will depart promptly at 9:30 a.m. Please be on time. Return time will be about 3 p.m. Donation is $30 per person, which includes, bus transportation, museum entry, and lunch at the Wilson Harding Country Club. Choice of Lunch: 1) Cobb Salad, or 2) Club Sandwich, or 3) Cheeseburger with Fries. Choice of Drinks: Lemonade, Ice Tea or Coffee. Dessert: Ice cream For reservations please call Mary Kezios or Faye Demetriou at Paid reservations are required. Please address your check to: Philoptohos VIP, and indicate on the check your choice of lunch.. You can mail your check to: Mary Kezios, Casanes Avenue, Downey, CA March 19 - Seven Day Mexican Riviera Princess Cruise Please join the VIP s of Philoptohos for a beautiful and fun-loving 7-day Princess Cruise, departing from San Pedro and sailing roundtrip, to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas. The following prices apply, PER PERSON, based on double occupancy and include port taxes and government fees: Inside Cabin $750.52, Ocean View $800.52, Ocean View with balcony $950.52, Mini-Suite with Balcony $ To make a deposit and reserve your space, please call Catherine Erwin at

10 GREEK FOLK DANCE NEWS MINISTRY NEWS (continued) Saturday, January 22, th ANNUAL G L E N D I An Evening for Friends and Families HOSTED BY the St. Sophia Greek Folk Dance Program Saint Steven's Serbian Orthodox Cathedral 1621 West Garvey Avenue, Alhambra, CA With Performances by Kyklonakia, Sinefakia, Keravnos, Kymata, & Fourtouna, and live Greek music Mezedes: 5:30 PM Dinner: 6:30 PM Adults $ & under $ 20 Dancers $ 20 Please RSVP by Thursday, January 20, 2011 Barbara Kappos: (626) st.sophia.folkdance@gmail.com Don t forget to place your tribute pages in our ad book this year 10

11 PHILOPTOHOS NEWS MINISTRY NEWS (continued) GENERAL ASSEMBLY: Our first General Assembly meeting of the new year is set for Sunday, January 23rd after church. We hope everyone will join us, plan to become a MEMBER of Philoptohos and get involved! PHILOPTOHOS OUTREACH: Philoptohos has been helping a very large number of people since January. Many people in our own community are struggling through the economic downturn and with personal issues. We have been helping those who are close to losing their homes, their apartments and their jobs. Meanwhile, families are struggling to put food on the table and buy clothes and school supplies, for their children. Additionally, Philoptohos continues to help those with medical bills, funeral expenses for the poor and still support our own church. The costs are tremendous every month. We feel that many people in our community would like to help those in need, even though they may not be in Philoptohos. Therefore, we are giving you the opportunity to help others. We give families grocery cards, store cards for clothing and gasoline debit cards to help people get to the jobs they have. If you would like to donate toward the purchase of one or more cards, please mail your donation to the church office, with PHILOPTOHOS OUTREACH on the memo line. Please include how many cards of $20 each, you would like us to purchase. We would be very grateful. If you prefer to purchase/donate the gift cards yourself, below is a list of stores with whom we are currently working: FOOD: RALPHS/FOOD 4 LESS, VON S, ALBERTSONS & TRADER JOES CLOTHING: TARGET, WAL-MART, K-MART PHARMACIES: CVS, WALGREENS GASOLINE STATIONS: ANY COMPANY A minimum donation of $20 would help people more than you can imagine. You may remain anonymous if you prefer. This is strictly voluntary on your behalf. Philoptohos also keeps track of many elderly people who are alone and need a helping hand at this time of the year. Your donation could bring real happiness to someone right now. 11

12 MINISTRY NEWS (continued) PHILOPTOHOS NEWS (continued) Please send your monetary donation or gift card to the cathedral, attention: Philoptohos. Our deepest appreciation for any donation you can give. Our sincere thanks to Virginia Noyes, for organizing the gift card donations that were given out to the families in need. Happy New Year to all! With love, Dina Oldknow and the Philoptohos Board of Directors ******************************************* THE JOY OF PARENTING The parenting classes are offered free of charge on Sundays, in the church office, at the conclusion of Holy Communion. All are welcome to attend! January 16, Developing empathy and compassion for others January 23, Technology and the implications on youth January 30, Communication and Connections February 6, Bullying and Aggression part 2 Guest Speaker Stephanie Mihalas, Ph.D., NCSP February 13, Last Session - Self Care This session will end earlier this year & will resume again in October Nikolaos Stefanidis, Ph.D and Barbara Kappos, LCSW ******************************************* PHILANTHROPIA MINISTRY NEWS CANNED GOODS AND USED CLOTHING: Please hold your clothing donations and canned goods for another week. We are hoping to have a container available by next week. Thank you for your patience. ANNUAL APPEAL: Our annual appeal letter was mailed just ten days ago and already your generous donations are pouring in and being received with gratitude and appreciation. 12 Over the holidays, we were able to help several needy families and individuals. Thank you for your love and support May God Bless you all abundantly throughout this New Year and beyond! Father Peter

13 The Herald Newsletter COMMUNITY NEWS To All Stewards If your anniversary/birthday is not already listed in our monthly Herald newsletter and you wish for it to be listed in the appropriate issue for your month, please your information to: Stephanie Caiopoulos Lubian Thank you. ******************************************* Caring Funeral Services In time of need, we suggest you call Terri Harmon ( ) from Caring Funeral Services. He is the owner of many funeral homes and can accommodate us from any location. He has taken time to know our Greek Orthodox traditions and has become a supporter of the Cathedral by sponsoring the yearly calendar, putting an ad in the Festival book and the monthly Herald. He keeps his prices affordable for families, is easy to work with and very respectful. ******************************************* SALOME PLAYING AT THE LUNA PLAYHOUSE Today January 16 th at 7pm, Oscar Wilde s SALOME will be performed at the Luna Playhouse, 3706 San Fernando Road, Glendale ( ). This is a play set in Judea, some twenty years after the birth of Jesus Christ. For online information, please go to or Tickets are $15 each. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY ******************************************* For the creative entrepreneur who has interests in restaurants, café &/or deli type development, there is an excellent large multipurpose space available in the EXTRA STORAGE SPACE building ground floor across the street from our cathedral on Pico at Normandie. Outdoor tables can be put on the new mini plaza corner. The space is for rent. This opportunity is part of the BID (Business Improvement District) program. Should anyone be interested, please call Ted Pastras, our Cathedral Civic Affairs Chairman, for more information. 13

14 Saints of the Month January 17 th Saint Anthony, the Father of monks, was born in Egypt in 251 of pious parents who departed this life while he was yet young. On hearing the words of the Gospel: "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell what thou hast, and give to the poor" (Matt. 19:21), he immediately put it into action. Distributing to the poor all he had, and fleeing from all the turmoil of the world, he departed to the desert. The manifold temptations he endured continually for the span of twenty years are incredible. His ascetic struggles by day and by night, whereby he mortified the uprisings of the passions and attained to the height of dispassion, surpass the bounds of nature; and the report of his deeds of virtue drew such a multitude to follow him that the desert was transformed into a city, while he became, so to speak, the governor, lawgiver, & master-trainer of all the citizens of this newly-formed city. The cities of the world also enjoyed the fruit of his virtue. When the Christians were being persecuted and put to death under Maximinus in 312, he hastened to their aid and consolation. When the Church was troubled by the Arians, he went with zeal to Alexandria in 335 and struggled against them in behalf of Orthodoxy. During this time, by the grace of his words, he also turned many unbelievers to Christ. Saint Anthony began his ascetic life outside his village of Coma in Upper Egypt, studying the ways of the ascetics and holy men there, and perfecting himself in the virtues of each until he surpassed them all. Desiring to increase his labors, he departed into the desert, and finding an abandoned fortress in the mountain, he made his dwelling in it, training himself in extreme fasting, unceasing prayer, and fierce conflicts with the demons. Here he remained, as mentioned above, about twenty years. Saint Athanasius the Great, who knew him personally and wrote his life, says that he came forth from that fortress "initiated in the mysteries and filled with the Spirit of God." Afterwards, because of the press of the faithful, who deprived him of his solitude, he was enlightened by God to journey with certain Bedouins, until he came to a mountain in the desert near the Red Sea, where he passed the remaining part of his life. 14

15 Saint Athanasius says of him that "his countenance had a great and wonderful grace. This gift also he had from the Saviour. For if he were present in a great company of monks, and any one who did not know him previously wished to see him, immediately coming forward he passed by the rest, and hurried to Anthony, as though attracted by his appearance. Yet neither in height nor breadth was he conspicuous above others, but in the serenity of his manner and the purity of his soul." So passing his life, and becoming an example of virtue and a rule for monastics, he reposed on January 17 in the year 356, having lived altogether some 105 years. DIVINE READING: A MUST, TO GROW IN FAITH One of our New Year s Resolutions should be to grow and mature in our Orthodox Christian Faith and draw nearer to Jesus Christ our Lord. One significant way to do this is focused study and divine reading of books and materials that propel us upward. Obviously the Holy Scriptures are a must read to enhance our overall understanding of the faith. We will be recommending books for you to read and also give to friends who may be interested in the Orthodox Church. Before we bring friends to Christ through the Orthodox Faith, we ourselves must know the Faith. We recommended that you read: THIRSTING FOR GOD: In a Land of Shallow Wells by Matthew Gallatin. In addition you will find SURPRISED BY CHRIST, by Fr. James Bernstein of particular interest since he came to Christ from the Jewish Faith and is now an Orthodox Christian priest. Since our bookstore is on hold for the time being, the books are available through AMAZON.COM. Read and Grow!! 15

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