INSIDE THIS ISSUE Fr. Nick s Net

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1 News & Events INSIDE THIS ISSUE Fr. Nick s Net Pg. 2 News & Events Pg. 3 Area Events Pg. 5 Area Events (cont d) Pg. 6 HOLY TRINITY GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH STEUBENVILLE, OHIO NOVEMBER, 2018 VOLUME X ISSUE 10 Special Report on Pgs. the Russian Schism 7&8 A Good Word Pgs. 9&10 ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS ISSUE: November Calendar 2019 Stewardship Card Gyro Sale Flyer and Order Form GOYA B-ball Tournament Sponsorship Form Poinsetta Order Form Christmas Card Donation Form THE MISSION OF THE HOLY TRINITY GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF STEUBENVILLE, OHIO, IS TO BE DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST BY SHARING THE JOY OF THE ORTHODOX FAITH THROUGH LOVE, COMPASSION AND CHARITY FOR ALL. 1 The Net January /August 2015

2 Fr. Nick s Net The Net is the Monthly Newsletter of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church PARISH INFORMATION PARISH PRIEST: FR. NICHOLAS M. HALKIAS PHONE: (740) HOME: (724) FRNICK@HOLYTRINITYSTB.ORG ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: PATRICIE ALLEN OFFICE@HOLYTRINITYSTB.ORG PARISH ADDRESS: 300 SOUTH FOURTH STREET P.O. BOX 788 STEUBENVILLE, OH PHONE: (740) FAX: (740) OFFICE@HOLYTRINITYSTB.ORG WEB: Holy Trinity Church is a parish of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Pittsburgh (pittsburgh.goarch.org) and Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America ( under the Spiritual Jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople ( Tony Mougianis Nick Riley Pete Caleodis Rikki Kamarados Don Kronstein Joanne McCraley Marianne Balakos Nick Demitras Maria Matzorkis PARISH MINISTRIES PARISH COUNCIL President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Asst. Treasurer Asst. Treasurer George Berris Rana Mahfood Don Richardson Philoptochos... Rikki Kamarados Religious Education... Stewardship... GOYA... Rikki Kamarados JOY... Maria Matzorkis HOPE... Maria Matzorkis Choir... Pete Caleodis Library / Bookstore... Louise Kronstein Senior Citizens... Barbara Lee Maragos Chian Society... John Kamarados Pan-Icarian Brotherhood... Stacey Kotsanis AHEPA... Tommy Kotsanis 2 The Net November 2018 November, 2018 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, The church in schism is a terrible thing. There have been many schisms in the church over its year history. It happens due to many reasons: war, heresy, doctrinal and dogmatic debates, canonical violations, disagreements over council decisions, etc. It is sad to hear that we are on the brink of yet another schism in the church. The church of Russia, the Moscow Patriarchate specifically, is breaking ties canonically with the Patriarchate of Constantinople. During that time period, no bishop or priest under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate will be allowed to commemorate, in the Liturgy, any bishop who is under the Patriarchate of Constantinople. In addition, depending on how strictly Moscow enforces this, no Orthodox Christian under Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople will be able to receive communion in a parish that is under Patriarch Kyrill of Moscow. That seems pretty serious, and it is. This is no small thing that is threatening the church right now. That must mean that there is a really serious problem that needs to be faced. Has there been a dispute over theological understanding? Was there a new and possibly dangerous interpretation of the Bible that recently emerged? Did they discover a heresy about our Lord that must be addressed? None of these are the reason. I guess that is a good thing. No, the reason we are seeing a schism between Moscow and Constantinople is because of ego, power and church geographical and political gain. I am not going to try and interpret who is correct here, because there are mistakes and pride on all sides of this. I am only going to make sure everyone is aware that this isn t the end of the world. The best part about the ecclesiology (church order) of the Orthodox church is that it doesn t place supreme authority on any single individual in the church. I know that, for some, that is a stumbling block. After all, Peter was chief of the apostles, so Jesus must have placed him in that position. But Jesus didn t expect Peter s authority to be condescending to the other apostles. Rather he used it to establish an order among the apostles. It wasn t to take away each apostle s authority, but to create an order among them so that there wouldn t be arguments over power. Unfortunately, it didn t stop the apostles from fighting among themselves over who was the greatest apostle; and throughout our history, it hasn t prevented those with political ambitions from seeking higher power within the church. This is exactly what is going on in the church today. People are seeking political gain, and they are using the church of Ukraine to get it. Again, I am not claiming one side is right and the other is wrong. Both could have handled things differently. This issue of The Net is simply trying to give the information as unbiased as possible (a difficult thing to do nowadays), so that we can pray for all of our leaders throughout the world. The conversations between these churches will continue, and we will, God willing, see an end to this soon. So today, as we lament the terrible reality of schism, we must pray more fervently, as our Liturgy states, for the peace of the whole world, the stability of the holy churches of God, and for the unity of them all, let us pray to the Lord. Lord have mercy! God bless you all!

3 News & Events WORSHIP SCHEDULE Sunday Worship... November Our fall schedule for Sunday worship: Orthros begins at 9:00 A.M. and Liturgy begins at 10:00 A.M. Wednesday Paraklesis Services... November Paraklesis Services will be offered every Wednesday evening at 6:00 P.M. unless otherwise stated. NOVEMBER These are the services for the month of November. Please check your schedules and plan to attend. Wednesday, November 7 6:00 P.M. Paraklesis to St. Nektarios Thursday, November 8... Holy Archangels 8:30 A.M. Orthros & Liturgy Martins Ferry, OH Monday, November St. John the Merciful 8:30 A.M. Orthros 9:30 A.M. Liturgy Wednesday, November 21.. Entrance of the Theotokos 8:30 A.M. Orthros 9:30 A.M. Liturgy 6:00 P.M. Akathist of Thanksgiving Friday, November St. Andrew 8:30 A.M. Orthros 9:30 A.M. Liturgy HAPPY BIRTHDAY The following people will be celebrating their birthdays in the month of November: Susan Vogagis Magdalene Crisante Peter Panagis Nicole Zorne Michael Vitellas Nicholas Petrides Hannah Cebula Grace Kourpas George Sandonas Valarie Caras NOVEMBER Irene Harrington Pete Petrides Kevin Young Michelle Collaros Christopher Hart Jackie Hart Dimitrios Collaros Anita Entinger Lanae Collaros If your name was not listed and you had a birthday during this month, please contact the office and we will be happy to place it on our roster for next year. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION BIBLE STUDY... November 7 & 28 The Bible Study normally meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month at 10:00 A.M. Please check the weekly bulletins for any changes. We will be continuing the study of Isaiah. THEOLOGY ON TAP & OPA... November 8 Theology on Tap is our Men s and Women s (OPA) study group. The meeting will take place on November 8. Please pay attention to any calls announcing the location on the Notify-Now system. You don t need to be Orthodox to come! Do you know anyone interested in Orthodox Christianity? Contact Fr. Nick to learn how to have an introduction to Orthodoxy in your home! Invite your friends, and show them the faith of our ancestors! PARISH GROUPS PHILOPTOCHOS... November 1 The Philoptochos Ladies will be having their anniversary dinner on Thursday, November 1, at 6:30 P.M, here at Holy Trinity. CHOIR... November 5 Choir rehearsals will be held on the first Monday of each month at 5:00 P.M. (changes will be made through the Notify-Now System). Anyone interested in joining the Choir is welcome to do so. Please contact Pete Caleodis if you are interested in joining. Thank you. PARISH COUNCIL... November 12 Parish Council meetings are normally held the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7:00 P.M. at the church unless otherwise stated. This month, the Parish council meeting will be held on Monday, November 12 at 7:00 P.M. because of the Metropolis Clergy Retreat. AHEPA... November 20 The AHEPA Society will now have their meetings scheduled through our Notify-Now system. The next meeting will take place on Tuesday, November 20 at Naples Restaurant, Steubenville, OH. GREEK SCHOOL Anyone interested in learning written or conversational Modern Greek, please contact the church office so that the secretary can write your name on the sign-up list. 3 The Net November 2018

4 News & Events CHIAN FALL MEETING The Chian Society will be having their fall meeting on Saturday, November 10, at 6:00 P.M. at Wyngate Assisted Living Facility, 100 Wyngate Way, Weirton, WV (just past Weirton Medical Center). Food will be provided. Please RSVP to Pete Caleodis at or Rikki Kamarados at , so table arrangements can be made PARISH COUNCIL NOMINATIONS The following are the final nominees for the Parish Council: Anthony Mougianis Michael Riley Steve Pahides Joann McCraley These are the remaining deadlines for the upcoming elections: November 10 November 11 4 The Net November 2018 Last day for absentee ballots to be received by Election Committee Election Day--End of Liturgy till 1:00 P.M. YOUTH SUNDAY It will be Youth Sunday on November 11. We do encourage our youth to lead the various tasks of our Sunday worship and also the responsibilities of those who work hard for our parish on a weekly basis. GOYA THANKSGIVING BASKETS The GOYANs are collecting canned goods and monetary donations from now until November 12 for the making of the Salvation Army Thanksgiving baskets. Donations can be placed in the social room. Please give monetary donations to Vasile Matzorkis, GOYA treasurer, or Rikki Kamarados, advisor. Please see any GOYAN with any questions. Thank you for your generosity in our annual food drive. PARISH DISASTER WORKSHOP IOCC Orthodox Home front helps parishes prepare for regional emergencies, disasters, and parish critical incidents and more. This workshop will be held on Sunday, November 11 from 2:30-5:30 P.M. at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (985 Providence Blvd, Pittsburgh, Pa 15237). Register FREE online by November 8 to GYRO SALE Philoptochos will be holding their next gyro fund raiser on Tuesday, November 13 from 10 A.M. to 1 P.M. This event is open to the public. Gyros are $7.00 each, and chicken gyros are $8.00 each. There will be a $.25 up charge for extra tzatziki sauce. Koulourakia (twist cookies) are $6.00 a dozen. Please join us for this event. METROPOLIS CLERGY FALL RETREAT The Metropolis Clergy Fall Retreat will be on November 13 - November 15 in New Haven, Pa. Father Nick will be attending this retreat. If you need to speak to him, please contact the office; and the secretary will make sure that he gets your message and will have him contact you as soon as possible. If it is an emergency, she will contact the most available clergy to assist you. GOYA FALL RETREAT AT CAMP NAZARETH The Metropolis of Pittsburgh presents the 2018 GOYA Fall Retreat Trusting in God on Friday, November 16 to Sunday, November 18, held at Camp Nazareth in Mercer, PA. Look forward to a weekend of helpful reminders of where to turn when things get tough. Keynote speaker, Mr. Jason Catanese, director and creator of Camp Catanese. Registration fee $175.00: register at Y2am.pittsburgh.goarch.org/retreats. HOLY TRINITY AT THE NUTCRACKER VILLAGE Holy Trinity will have a chalet at the Nutcracker Village this year. We are looking for volunteers. Please sign up for a four-hour shift (there will be one threehour shift on Dec. 8.) there will Two people per shift. Signup sheets are in the office or see Rikki. SEPTEMBER FINANCIALS September weekly income $ September weekly expense $

5 Area Events 5 The Net November 2018

6 Area Events (cont d) 6 The Net November 2018

7 Special Report on the Schism between Russia and Constantinople THE ORTHODOX SCHISM AND THE SPIRITUAL LIMITS OF POLITICS October 19, 2018 Nikos Konstandaras A SERIOUS RIFT IN THE CHURCH COULD HAVE BIG CONSEQUENCES IN UKRAINE, RUSSIA AND GREECE. Russia s effort to keep Ukraine under its thumb prompted a revolution in 2014 and a war that has claimed more than 10,000 lives. It also prompted, on Monday, what may be one of the most serious splits in Christendom since the Great Schism between Rome and Constantinople in 1054 and the Protestant Reformation 500 years ago. This new crisis has deep historical roots, and could shape religious and secular ties among many countries for years to come. Here s what happened: The Church of Russia announced this week that it was breaking ties with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, which has primacy in Orthodoxy and which has decided to give autonomy to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. This decision stems directly from Moscow s annexation of Crimea and its support for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine, although Ukrainians had long been unhappy about their church remaining subordinate to Russia s, as it had been since This year, their president, Parliament and religious leaders petitioned the leader of the Constantinople Patriarchate, Bartholomew, to grant their church independence or autocephaly, as it is known in the church. These developments will have serious implications within Ukraine. Its mostly Orthodox population is divided among three main churches; the newly independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate would gain influence and most likely seek to take over houses of worship and other property from the church under Moscow s jurisdiction, which, until now, was the largest in Ukraine and the only one recognized by other churches. This will further strain relations between Ukraine and Russia. Also, the break in relations between Moscow and the Ecumenical Patriarchate could weaken the latter if other Orthodox churches follow Russia in rejecting Constantinople s primacy. The shock waves would affect relations between churches that find themselves on either side of the divide, forcing them, too, to sever ties. The churches of Poland, Serbia and Antioch (Syria) have already come out on Russia s side. The Church of Greece could also be shaken, as a number of Greek clergymen may support Moscow against Bartholomew. Russian claims to leadership of the Orthodox Christians have appealed to many since Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453 and the patriarchs became subordinate to Muslim sultans. Furthermore, the Ecumenical Patriarchate s dialogue with other faiths, including the Roman Catholic Church, is deeply unpopular with hard-line Orthodox priests and monks. Many monks in northern Greece s self-governing monastic community of Mount Athos regarded as the jewel in the Ecumenical Patriarchate s crown have pro-russian tendencies. President Vladimir Putin has emphasized his nation s interest in Athos, and has visited it twice. One of Athos s 20 monasteries, Agios Panteleimon, is home to some 60 Ukrainian and Russian monks, with a Russian abbot. There was no immediate response from Mount Athos following the break in ties between Moscow and Constantinople, but having to choose sides would be a problem for many monks. A representative of the Moscow church has said that Russian pilgrims to Mount Athos will not be able to receive communion there. Greece and Russia, traditional friends, have already found themselves at odds on the political level, with Athens expelling Russian diplomats in July for trying to influence public opinion against an agreement with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia under which Greece s small neighbor would be renamed Northern Macedonia. The Macedonian Orthodox Church, which broke away from the Church of Serbia in 1967 and is not in communion with any church, has appealed to Constantinople for independent status as the Archdiocese of Ohrid. The outcome of the appeal could depend on whether the agreement between Greece and Macedonia regarding the name is ratified by both countries. This, in turn, could complicate things further 7 The Net November 2018

8 Special Report (cont d) with Russia and other churches opposed to Ohrid s autonomy. As in most schisms in Christianity s history, this one is determined as much by realpolitik and national interests as by dogma. Canonical issues can determine political behavior, while politics often dictate church developments. The Ecumenical Patriarchate is asserting its ancient right to grant autonomy to churches and to judge issues of church law. Constantinople was established by the Emperor Constantine in 330 and, as the New Rome, it came just after Rome in seniority. The schism in 1054 left Constantinople the primary church in the East. It is these rights of primacy that the Ecumenical Patriarchate is determined to defend, despite its very reduced circumstances following the city s fall to the Ottomans and the withering of its own flock in Turkey. Russia wants to project its leadership of the Orthodox world as the Third Rome, a role it took upon itself after breaking away from Constantinople in 1448, when its leadership disagreed with efforts to unite East and West Christendom. After 1453, many Orthodox, including the Greeks, looked to Russia for salvation from the Turks. But today Ukraine is forging a separate identity after centuries of Russian domination, strengthening ties with the European Union and the United States. Ukraine s president, Petro Poroshenko, greeted the Ecumenical Patriarchate s announcement of its decision on Oct. 11 with fighting words. This is the collapse of Moscow s centuries-old claims for global domination as the Third Rome, he said. The independence of our church is part of our pro-european and pro-ukrainian policies that we have been consistently pursuing. On Oct. 12, Russia s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, charged that the Ecumenical Patriarchate s decision was a provocation backed by the United States. On the same day, Mr. Putin discussed the issue at his Security Council. Patriarch Kirill, the leader of the Church of Russia, is a close ally of Mr. Putin s and has taken a hard line on Ukraine for years. On Monday, the governing body of the Russian Church, the Holy Synod, decided to break off relations with Constantinople. Metropolitan Hilarion, head of the Russian church s external relations, stressed that Moscow would not abide by any decisions taken by the Ecumenical Patriarchate regarding the Ukrainian Church. All these decisions are unlawful and canonically void, he said. The Russian Orthodox Church does not recognize these decisions and will not follow them. He called on the Ecumenical Patriarchate to change its decision. This is unlikely, as Bartholomew has long seen the Russian church as trying to undermine his authority. Patriarch Kirill stayed away from a Holy and Great Council hosted by Bartholomew on Crete in 2016, a meeting of all Orthodox church leaders aimed at promoting unity, which had been 55 years in the making. The patriarchs of Bulgaria, Georgia and Antioch also did not attend. Turkey, which has enjoyed good ties lately with both Russia and Ukraine, has stayed out of the issue so far. As for the United States, it has stressed its support for both Ukraine and Bartholomew. The United States respects the ability of Ukraine s Orthodox religious leaders and followers to pursue autocephaly according to their beliefs, said a State Department spokeswoman, Heather Nauert, in September. We respect the ecumenical patriarch as a voice of religious tolerance and interfaith dialogue. Bartholomew needs American support. He is considered the spiritual head of the world s Orthodox Christians and first among equals of the 14 church leaders. Also, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America falls under Constantinople s direct jurisdiction. Losing the Church of Russia, and any that might follow its lead, would be a serious blow to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. In church time, 1721 is not so long ago that s when Peter the Great abolished the Russian patriarchate, appointing a Holy Synod instead. Nor is 1918, when several decades of persecution of Russian, Ukrainian and other Christians began. The feeling at the Patriarchate, in a run-down part of Istanbul, is that things must be done correctly and when the time is right. In nearly 2,000 years, the Church of Constantinople has seen several empires rise and fall, but has remained standing chiefly by defending its historical role and responsibility, despite the temporal cost. -Taken from: opinion/konstandaras-orthodox-church-russia-ukraine.html 8 The Net November 2018

9 A Good Word (pg. 1) 9 The Net November 2018

10 A Good Word (pg. 2) 10 The Net November 2018

11 The NET-Minders The Parish of Holy Trinity would like to thank the following benefactors for making this Monthly Newsletter possible: YOUR AD HERE In Loving Memory Of Nicholas Mougianis 11 The Net November 2018

12 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church P.O. Box South Fourth Street Steubenville, OH NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID STEUBENVILLE, OH PERMIT NO. 83 Submissions for THE NET are to be submitted by the 20 th of each month About the Icon on the Cover STS. PETER & PAUL According to the Epistle to the Galatians chapter 2, Peter had traveled to Antioch and there was a dispute between him and Paul. The Epistle does not exactly say if this happened after the Council of Jerusalem or before it, but the incident is mentioned in Paul's letter as his next subject after describing a meeting in Jerusalem which some scholars consider to be the council. An alternative time, which many believe to be better suited to the facts of the incident, is that it took place long before the Jerusalem Council, perhaps shortly after Paul's famine visit of Acts 11. This conclusion makes more sense of Peter's apparent change of heart. Galatians 2:11 13 says: When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. To Paul's dismay, the rest of the Jewish Christians in Antioch sided with Peter, including Paul's long-time associate Barnabas: The rest of the Jews joined in this charade and even Barnabas was drawn into the hypocrisy. The Acts of the Apostles relates a fallout between Paul and Barnabas soon after the Council of Jerusalem, but gives the reason as the fitness of John Mark to join Paul's mission (Acts 15:36 40). Acts also describes the time when Peter went to the house of a gentile. Acts 11:1 3 says: The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him and said, You went into the house of the uncircumcised and ate with them. " This is described as having happened before the death of King Herod (Agrippa) in 44 AD, and thus years before the Council of Jerusalem (dated c. 50). -Taken from