S A I N T G E O R G E G R E E K O R T H O D O X C H U R C H C H U R C H S T A F F The Trophybearer Parish Priest: Fr. Michael Constantinides Parish Council President: Mary Rankin Philoptochos President: Susan Matos Sunday School Director: Deacon Paul Speed Caretaker: Jason Leon I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : September 2 Calendar President s 3 Corner Community 5 News Stewardship 6 Update V O L U M E 5 I S S U E 8 PASTORAL MESSAGE A U G U S T 2 0 1 5 Having been invigorated by the restful period of the summer season, a season that is full of feasts, fasts and many opportunities to grow in the image and likeness of God, we approach the beginning of the Ecclesiastical year full of enthusiasm and great expectation. We look at the world in a different light and we are excited to get back to our routines. Yet this period of rest also has the possibility of making us lose our focus. We see this in other periods of our lives as well. Many of us who make our New Years resolutions in January, see them flounder by April. Goodness knows that I fail at keeping my own resolutions from time to time. We all do. Today I ask you to make a resolution with me now, one that with work we fulfil, and will indeed bring us closer to God. This resolution is to rededicate your life to God. By offering your entire self, (your life, your talents and your treasures), you will be filled with the blessings of God and see before you endless possibilities. Join us as we continue the process of re-dedication. And most especially join us as we commit ourselves, each other, and our whole life to Christ our God every Sunday at the and every day of our lives. Greek Fest News Lives of the Saints 8-9 10 Fr. Michael Constantinides Parish Priest
September 2015 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 Beginning of the Ecclesiastical Year 2 9:30 a.m. Orthodox 3 4 5 9:00 a.m. Koulourakia making +Sacrament 7:00 p.m. Orthodox 6 14th Sunday of Matthew 8:30a.m. Orthros 10:00 a.m. Labor Day Office Closed Rock Island Parade 7 8 Nativity of the Theotokos 8:30 a.m. Orthros followed by the 9 9:30 a.m. Orthodox 10 11 9:00 a.m. Karithopita making 12 7:00 p.m. Parish Council Meeting 7:00 p.m. Orthodox 13 Sunday before the Elevation of the Cross 8:30a.m. Orthros 10:00 a.m. Sunday School Class begin with an Agiasmos Service 14 The Universal Exaltation of the Holy Cross Strict 8:30 a.m. Orthros followed by the Karithopita syruping following the Divine Liturgy 15 16 Packaging Baklava and Karithopita 17 18 Greek Fest 3:00p.m. 11:00 p.m. Greek Fest 11:00a.m. 11:00 p.m. 19 Festival set up and preparation all Week! 20 Sunday after the Elevation of the Cross 8:30a.m. Orthros 10:00 a.m. Sunday School Class following Holy Communion 21 22 23 9:30 a.m. Orthodox 7:00 p.m. Orthodox 24 9:30 a.m. Senior Outing to the Hoover Presidential Library 25 26 Falling Asleep of Saint John the Theologian 8:30 a.m. Orthros followed by the 27 1st Sunday of Luke 8:30a.m. Orthros 10:00 a.m. Sunday School Class following Holy Communion 28 29 30 9:30 a.m. Orthodox 7:00 p.m. Orthodox
V O L U M E 5 I S S U E 8 g{x VÉâÇv Ä VÉÇÇxvà ÉÇ P A G E 3 Dear Parishioners, As the Ecclesiastical New Year begins, our Saint George family is also experiencing new beginnings. First of all, Father Michael celebrated his second Divine Liturgy with the parish on Sunday, August 23, and once again his lovely family, Presbytera Maria, son Nicholas, and daughter Loukia, joined us from the Chicago area. We pray for a successful sale of their home in Tinley Park, so the family can be together in the Quad Cities in the near future! The festival committee is hard at work for our eleventh festival to be held September 18 and 19. Our greatest need is for workers who are able to devote the whole weekend or perhaps a five-hour stretch to help out in the kitchen or serving lines. An early commitment to this can help reduce our labor expenses! Please follow the contact information on the volunteer flyer mailed last week. Sunday School begins Sunday, September 13. Classes are held immediately following communion and last for 45 minutes. Parents, please bring your children and teens to church and encourage them to stay for the entire class session. The Restoration Committee met on Monday, August 17, and continues to look into possible projects the committee will undertake. Father Michael remarked that he was impressed with the passion the committee members display for their church. Under the enthusiastic direction of Kay Coin and Nancy Avgenackis, the Senior Outings continue to be a hit. On Thursday, September 24, the next jaunt will be to the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch, IA, followed by lunch at the I-80 Truck stop at Walcott where those who wish can view the I- 80 Trucking Museum. October s adventure will be on Thursday, October 22 to the Mississippi River Eco-Tourism Center in Camanche, IA.. The group will depart from the church at 12:30 p.m., eat lunch at the Candlelight Inn in Clinton and then board the boats in Comanche at 4 p.m. for the Eco-Tour. Finally, we continue to have a need for coffee hour volunteers for the following Sundays: Aug. 30, September 20, October 18 and 25, November 22, and December 13, 20 and 27. Please call the office or sign up on the chart by the office if you are able to help out on one of these Sundays. Yours in Christ, Mary Rankin Mary Rankin Parish Council President Serving on the Council is an honor! If anyone is interested in serving please see Mary Rankin or Father Michael
P A G E 4 T H E T R O P H Y B E A R E R Epistle Readers Sunday, September 6, 2015 14th Sunday of Matthew Michael Pyevich Sunday, September 20, 2015 Sunday after the Cross Ethan Kirpatrick Sunday, September 13, 2015 Sunday before the Cross Angela Spurgetis Sunday September 27, 2015 Mary Rankin Parish Council Sunday Duty Sunday, September 6, 2015 Mary Rankin, Joe Burmeister, Gus Pappas Sunday, September 13, 2015 Brad Crosson, Mike Patramanis Sunday, September 20, 2015 Steve Eckert, Mary Rankin, Mary Kay Eckhert O Lord, open my lips and my mouth shall show forth your praise! Anyone interested in being an epistle reader should contact the church office! Sunday, September 27, 2015 Mary Rankin, Joe Burmeister, Gus Pappas In the event of an emergency, Father Michael can be reached at 708-214- 2371. Coffee Hour Hosts for September 2015 Sunday, September 6, 2015 hosted by: Sunday, September 13, 2015 hosted by: Sunday, September 27, 2015 hosted by: Angela Perantinos in memory of her Husband Demos. Kay Coin and family 80th Birthday Celebration Sunday, September 20, 2015 hosted by: Open Steve Spargetis family for his 40 day memorial Fellowship and fun!
V O L U M E 5 I S S U E 8 SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS Our Sunday School classes will begin on Sunday September 13th with an Agiasmos following the. Sunday school begins following communion and last for about 45 minutes. It is important to bring your children so they can learn about our faith. PARISH COUNCIL MEETING Will be on Tuesday, September 8, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. in the Green room. VASILIKO (BASIL) WANTED We are in need of Vasiliko plants for the celebration of the Litany of the Holy Cross, which will take place this year only on Monday, September 14 th, the Feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross. If you can be of assistance, please bring them to the church on Sunday September 13, 2015. ST. GEORGE BOOK- STORE STAVRO LOGO, THE CROSS, THE WORD The bookstore is currently closed for inventory in its current location. Items are available at your request, however. Please see Nancy (N) Coin, Fr. Michael, or Community News Mary Rankin for assistance. We will be open again following the festival. Thank you for your patience. FESTIVAL VOLUNTEERS NEEDED As the festival is quickly approaching us, we are making our annual drive to gather volunteers for this year s Greek fest. We cannot be successful without your help. You can sign up for being a volunteer either with Mary Rankin or you can simply go to our websit e a t www.stgeorgeri.il.goarch.org and register online. Please help make our Greek fest the best one yet. KOLYVA FOR MEMORIALS As many of us know in order to have a memorial in the Orthodox Church we need to have Koliva. Because of this we have started offering to make Koliva for anyone who needs to have one and either does not have time or does not know how to make them. We will charge $100.00 for a tray and it will be ready for Sundays. Families are welcome to help with the making of the Koliva as well. For more information on ordering Koliva, contact the church office. HOSPITAL VISITS If you or a family member are in the hospital, please call the office. Ever since the change in the privacy laws, hospitals are reluctant to call churches. Please call us so that we can avoid missing our parishioners in their time of need. ALTAR BOY NEWS Calling all young men of the Parish from the ages of 7 and up. You are all invited and encouraged to serve as Altar Boys in the Holy Altar. It is both an honor and a blessing to serve the Lord in such a special way. ORTHODOX STUDY FORUM Come and join us as we look into the inner meaning of the Scriptural texts and see how they apply with the teachings of the Fathers, the Tradition of the Church and with our lives today. Join us also as we examine the traditions of the Church and compare them with what our parents taught us. We meet every Wednesday Morning at 9:30 a.m. and Wednesday evening beginning on September 2, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. so bring your Bibles, your questions and your friends as we begin our Orthodox. P A G E 5 FESTIVAL PASTRY TENT DATES TO REMEMBER The following dates are penciled in for pastry baking and packaging: Koulourakia Saturday, 9/5/15, 9:00 a.m. Karithopita - Friday, 9/11/15, 9:00 a.m. Karithopita, syrup Monday, 9/14/15 (time open) Packaging baklava and karithopita Wednesday, 9/16/15 If you are available, please confirm with Nancy (N) Coin, 764-7497, or ncoin1@mchsi.com. Please help us. Nancy (N) Coin, Festival Pastry Chairman Our Saint George Parish Community
P A G E 6 Stewardship Corner T H E T R O P H Y B E A R E R
V O L U M E 5 I S S U E 8 P A G E 7 Parish Happenings
P A G E 8 T H E T R O P H Y B E A R E R Parish Happenings
V O L U M E 5 I S S U E 8 P A G E 9 Parish Happenings
P A G E 1 0 T H E T R O P H Y B E A R E R The Conception of Saint John the Baptist (September 23) The Conception of Saint John the Baptist The Conception of the Venerable Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, John: The holy Prophet Malachi prophesied that before the Messiah s birth His Forerunner would appear, and would indicate His coming. The Jews therefore in awaiting the Messiah also awaited the appearance of His Forerunner. In a city of the hills of Judea in the land of Palestine lived the righteous priest St Zachariah and his wife St Elizabeth, zealously observing the commandments of the Lord. The couple, however, had a misfortune: they remained childless in their old age, and they prayed unceasingly to God to grant them a child. Once, when St Zachariah took his turn as priest at the Temple of Jerusalem, he went into the Sanctuary to offer incense. Going behind the veil of the Sanctuary, he beheld an angel of God standing at the right side of the altar of incense. St Zachariah was astonished and halted in fear, but the angel said to him, Fear not, Zachariah, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. But Zachariah did not believe the words of the heavenly messenger, and then the angel said to him, I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you the good news. Behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things come to pass, because you did n o t b e l i e v e m y words... Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zachariah and they were astonished that he had not come out from the Sanctuary after so long a time. And when he did come out, he was supposed to pronounce a blessing upon the people, but could not do so because he had been struck speechless. When Zachariah explained by gestures that he was unable to speak, the people then understood that he had experienced a vision. The prophecy of the Archangel was fulfilled, and Righteous Elizabeth was delivered from her barrenness, and gave birth to John, the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord. Let us fast the fasting which is acceptable and agreeable to God. True fasting is alienation from all evil, control of tongue, avoidance of wrath, and the estrangement from sinful desires, slander, lie and perjury. St. Basil the Great
V O L U M E 5 I S S U E 8 P A G E 1 1 Saint Chariton the Confessor (September 28) Saint Chariton the Confessor suffered at Iconium during one of the persecutions against Christians under the emperor Aurelian. The grace-bearing example of the holy Protomartyr Thekla (September 24) encouraged him in his confessor s deed. She being a native of his city, whose memory he in particular deeply venerated. St Chariton bravely denounced the pagan gods and staunchly confessed faith in the One True God, Christ the Savior. The holy Confessor underwent fierce tortures but, through the Providence of God, he remained alive. When the persecution abated, the saint was set free from prison and he dedicated all his life to the service of the Lord. Journeying to Jerusalem on pilgrimage to the holy places, he fell into the hands of robbers. They tied him up and threw him in a cave, intending to kill him later, and they hastened away on business. The saint prayed fervently in expectation of death. He gave thanks to God and entreated him to do with him according to His will. At this time a snake crawled into the cave and began to drink wine from a vessel setting there, poisoning it with its deadly venom. Returning to the cave, the robbers drank the poisoned wine and they all perished. St Chariton gave thanks to God and began his ascetic struggles at the place of his miraculous rescue. He distributed the plundered gold of the robbers to the poor, and in the robbers cave he built a church, around which in time there formed a monastery, the renowned Pharan Lavra in Palestine. St Chariton compiled a strict rule for his monastery. Yearning for solitude, the monk went farther into the desert, but there also he did not reject those who sought his spiritual guidance, and he founded two more monasteries: the Jericho and the Souka, named the Old Lavra. At the end of his life, St Chariton struggled in a cave on a hill near the Souka monastery, but he did not cease to provide guidance for all three of the monasteries he founded. According to Tradition, St Chariton compiled the office of taking monastic vows. St Chariton the Confessor died in extreme old age and was buried, in accord with his last wishes, in the Pharan monastery in the church, built on the site of the robbers cave. Saint Chariton the Confessor
St. George Greek Orthodox Church 2930 31st Ave Rock Island, IL 61201 Phone: 309-786-8163 Fax: 309-786-8188 Priest Email: frmike99@aol.com www.stgeorgeri.il.goarch.org/ How old is your Religion? If you are a Lutheran, your religion was founded by Martin Luther, an ex-monk of the Catholic Church in 1522. If you belong to the Church of England (Anglican Church), your religion was founded by King Henry VIII in the year 1534 because the Pope of Rome would not grant him a divorce with the right to remarry. If you are a Presbyterian, your religion was founded by John Knox in Scotland in 1580. If you are a Protestant Episcopalian, your religion is an offshoot of the Church of England, founded by Samuel Senbwy in the American Colonies in the 17th century. If you are a Congregationalist, your religion was originated by Robert Brown in Holland in 1582. If you are a Roman Catholic, your Church shared the same rich Apostolic and doctrinal heritage as the Orthodox Church for the first 1,000 years of its history, since during the first millennium they were one and the same Church. In 1054, the Pope of Rome broke away from the other four Apostolic Patriarchates, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem, by tampering with the original Creed, considering himself to be the supreme leader of all Christians, and to be infallible. Thus your Church is 942 years old. If you are a Methodist, your religion was founded by John and Charles Wesley in England in 1774. If you are a Unitarian, Theophilus Lindley founded your Church in London in the year 1774. If you are a Mormon (Latter Day Saints), your religion was started by Joseph Smith in New York in the year 1829. If you are a Baptist, you owe your doctrine to John Smyth, who launched it in Amsterdam in 1606. If you are of the Dutch Reformed Church, you recognize Michelis Jones as founder because he originated your religion in New York in the year 1628. If you worship with the Salvation Army, your religious group began with William Booth in London in the year 1885. If you are a Christian Scientist, you look to 1879 as the year in which your religion was born, and to Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy as its founder. If you belong to one of the religious organizations known as "Church of the Nazarene", "Pentecostal Church", "Holiness Church", "Assemblies of God" or "Jehovah's Witnesses" your religion is one of the hundreds of new groups founded by men within the last 100 years. IF YOU ARE AN ORTHODOX CHRIS- TIAN, your religion was founded in the year 33 by Jesus Christ the Son of God. It has not changed since that time.