July 2016 - Assumption Greek Orthodox Church

Transcription

From Glory to Glory
The monthly newsletter of the
Assumption Greek Orthodox Church
Fr. Joseph Strzelecki
Fr. Anastasios Theodoropoulos
July 2016
1755 Des Peres Road
Town & Country, MO 63131-1405
Phone: 314-966-2255
Kitchen: 314-966-6720
Web Site: www.assumptiongoc.org
Office: Diakonissa Kristen Vogt
Email: office@assumptiongoc.org
Bookkeeper: Diane Sieckmann
Email: diane@assumptiongoc.org
Email: Anastasios@assumptiongoc.org
Upcoming Events in July
July 1
Saints Cosmas & Damian
The Unmercenaries
July 11
Great Martyr Euphemia
July 15
Sts Julitta and Kyrikos the Martyrs
July 17
Sunday of the Holy Martyrs
Great Martyr Marina
July 20
Prophet Elias
July 25
Repose of St. Anna
July 26
Righteous Paraskeve
July 27
Great Martyr Panteleimon
Holy, Glorious Prophet Elijah
Commemorated on July 20
The Holy Prophet Elijah is one of the greatest of the prophets and the first
dedicated to virginity in the Old Testament. He was born in Tishba of Gilead into
the Levite tribe 900 years before the Incarnation of the Word of God.
St Epiphanius of Cyprus gives the following account about the birth of the
Prophet Elijah: “When Elijah was born, his father Sobach saw in a vision angels
of God around him. They swaddled him with fire and fed him with flames.” The
name Elijah (the Lord’s strength) given to the infant defined his whole life. From
the years of his youth he dedicated himself to the One God, settled in the
wilderness and spent his whole life in strict fasting, meditation and prayer. Called
to prophetic service, which put him in conflict with the Israelite king Ahab, the
prophet became a fiery zealot of true faith and piety.
During this time the Israelite nation had fallen away from the faith of their
Fathers, they abandoned the One God and worshipped pagan idols, the worship
of which was introduced by the impious king Jereboam. Jezebel, the wife of king
Ahab, was devoted to idol worship. She persuaded her husband to build a temple
to the pagan god Baal, which led many Israelites away from the worship of the
true God. Beholding the ruin of his nation, the Prophet Elijah began to denounce
King Ahab for impiety, and exhorted him to repent and turn to the God of Israel.
The king would not listen to him. The Prophet Elijah then declared to him, that as
punishment there would be neither rain nor dew upon the ground, and the
drought would cease only by his prayer. Indeed, the word of Elijah was a torch
(Eccles. 48: 1) The heavens were closed for three and a half years, and there was
drought and famine throughout all the land.
During this time of tribulation, the Lord sent him to a cave beyond the Jordan. There he was miraculously fed by ravens. When the stream Horath dried up,
the Lord sent the Prophet Elijah to Sarephta to a poor widow, a Sidonian Gentile
who suffered together with her children, awaiting death by starvation. At the request of the prophet, she prepared him a bread with the last measure of flour and
the remainder of the oil. Through the prayer of the Prophet Elijah, flour and oil
were not depleted in the home of the widow for the duration of the famine. By
the power of his prayer the prophet also performed another miracle: he raised the
dead son of the widow.
After the end of three years of drought the Merciful Lord sent the prophet to
appear before King Ahab, and promised to send rain upon the earth. The Prophet
Elijah told the king to order all of Israel to gather upon Mount Carmel, and also
the priests of Baal. When the nation had gathered, the Prophet Elijah proposed
that two sacrificial altars be built: one for the priests of Baal, and the other for the
Prophet Elijah who served the True God.
The Prophet Elijah told them to call on their gods to consume the sacrificial
animals with fire, and he would call on his. Whichever was first to send fire on
[Continued on Page 2]
2016 Parish Council
Scott Thompson, President
Greg Simos, Vice President
Elefteria Marcou, Secretary
Gus Harris, Treasurer
Dean Bellos
Pam Martin
Despina M. Bellos
Dr. Farid Sadaka
Daniel Gantner
Dr. Tom Stamos
Dr. James Hoekel
Tonis Zafiropoulos
Greg Kanteres
Jim Zoumbas
Carol Marshall
Adult Orthodox Christians (18 years & older):
Diane Sieckmann
Acolytes:
Alban Mosher, John Nicholas
Bible Study:
Fr. Daniel Morton
Bookstore:
Dr. Joseph Steinger, Diakonissa Kristen Vogt
Cantors:
Steve Bellos
Choir:
Stephanie Saunders
Church Tours
Janice Hazeltine
Festival:
Greg Simos, Art Liyeos
Friday Luncheon:
Art Liyeos
Greek School
Rena Pelican
GOYA (9th -12th Grade):
Flora Dimitirou, Diane Sieckmann
Greek Dancers
Kyklos: Dean Bellos
Armonia: Stella Afentoullis
Ta Paidakia: Aliki Malek
Greeters:
Eleni Murphy, Mary Pitliangas
JOY (4 years - 4th Grade)
Dr. Deborah Cosmopoulos
Jr. GOYA (5th - 8th Grades)
Alki Lappas Case
Kafenio
Art Liyeos
Orthodox Faith & Life:
Dr. Farid Sadaka
Philoptochos:
Elefteria Marcou, President
Premarital Classes
Susan Cassimatis
Prison Ministries:
Bill Goranitis
Stewardship:
Michael Afentoullis
Sunday School:
Diane Sieckmann
Vacation Church School (VCS)
Anna Sadaka
Women’s Bookstudy:
Presvytera Laura Morton
Young Adult Ministry (18-30 yrs):
Fr. Anastasios & Presvytera Elizabeth
Young Married Couples:
Fr. Anastaisos & Presvytera Elizabeth
[Continued from Page 1]
the sacrifice would be acknowledged as the true God. The prophets of Baal
called out to their idol from morning till evening, but the heavens were silent.
Towards evening the holy Prophet Elijah built his sacrificial altar from twelve
stones, the number of the tribes of Israel. He placed the sacrifice upon the
wood, gave orders to dig a ditch around the altar and commanded that the
sacrifice and the wood be soaked with water. When the ditch had filled with
water, the prophet turned to God in prayer. Through the prayer of the prophet
fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, and even
the water. The people fell down to the ground, crying out: “Truly, the Lord is
God!” Then the Prophet Elijah had all the pagan-priests of Baal put to death,
and he began to pray for rain. Through his prayer the heavens opened and an
abundant rain fell, soaking the parched earth.
King Ahab acknowledged his error and repented of his sins, but his wife
Jezebel threatened to kill the prophet of God. The Prophet Elijah fled into the
Kingdom of Judea and, grieving over his failure to eradicate idol worship, he
asked God to let him die. An angel of the Lord came before him, strengthened
him with food and commanded him to go upon a long journey. The Prophet
Elijah traveled for forty days and nights and, having arrived at Mount Horeb,
he settled in a cave.
The Lord told him that the next day Elijah would stand in His
presence. There was a strong wind that crushed the rocks of the mountain, then
an earthquake, and a fire, but the Lord was not in them. The Lord was in “a
gentle breeze” (3 Kings 19: 12). He revealed to the prophet, that He would
preserve seven thousand faithful servants who had not worshipped Baal.
Later, the Lord commanded Elijah to anoint Elisha into prophetic service.
Because of his fiery zeal for the Glory of God the Prophet Elijah was taken up
alive into Heaven in a fiery chariot. The Prophet Elisha received Elijah’s mantle, and a double portion of his prophetic spirit.
According to the Tradition of Holy Church, the Prophet Elijah will be the
Forerunner of the Dread Second Coming of Christ. He will proclaim the truth
of Christ, urge all to repentance, and will be slain by the Antichrist. This will
be a sign of the end of the world.
The life of the holy Prophet Elijah is recorded in the Old Testament books
(3 Kings; 4 Kings; Sirach/Ecclesiastes 48: 1-15; 1 Maccabees 2: 58). At the
time of the Transfiguration, the Prophet Elijah conversed with the Savior upon
Mount Tabor (Mt. 17: 3; Mark 9: 4; Luke. 9: 30).
Orthodox Christians of all times, and in all places, have venerated the
Prophet Elijah for centuries. The first church in Russia, built at Kiev under
Prince Igor, was named for the Prophet Elijah. After her Baptism St Olga (July
14) built a temple of the holy Prophet Elijah in her native region, at the village
of Vibuta.
In iconography the Prophet Elijah is depicted ascending to Heaven in a
fiery chariot, surrounded with flames, and harnessed to four winged horses. We
pray to him for deliverance from drought, and to ask for seasonable weather.
http://oca.org/saints/lives/2016/07/20/102060-holy-glorious-prophet-elijah
And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he
may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and,
behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
2 Kings 6:17
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Announcing: A new Ministry
AGAPE Parish Family Nights
Who: All members of our Assumption Parish Family are invited
What: Great Vespers, Dinner, Spiritual Discussion, and Games
Where: The Church Hall
When: Saturday August 20, October 15, and December 10
Why:
It is becoming increasingly clear to all of us that the modern world requires more and more of our free
time, time that we once readily gave to our church, to our families, to ourselves. Our lives have been hijacked
by
increasing commitments to work, school, sports, and activates. Because of this we are at risk, both individually
and as a community. We walk a fine line between having enough events to foster relationships for us and for
our children, and overburdening ourselves with too many commitments.
With this new ministry we are hoping to address both problems. AGAPI Parish nights will be both fun and
spiritually profitable allowing us to learn and grow together as a community. However, unlike other ministries
of the Church AGAPE Parish Family Nights is a ministry that caters to our entire parish family at the same
time. This means that we don’t have to give up the precious limited family time we have together. So please set
aside a few Saturday evenings, give something new a try and bring the whole family!
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1755 Des Peres Road, Town & Country, Missouri 63131-1405 Tel.: (314) 966-2255
Web: www.assumptiongoc.org E-mail: office@assumptiongoc.org
June 1, 2016
Rebuilding after September 11
Beloved in the Lord,
There is no need for me to discuss the many ways our lives changed after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
It was a day of unspeakable tragedy, and unfortunately continues to be the defining moment of the new millennium even as
we approach the closing of 15 years since the event. While the world watched and mourned as the Twin Towers collapsed,
many took refuge in their local places of worship where they offered thanks to God and supplicated him for their continued
safety, and offered memorials for those who had senselessly lost their lives. Many of us came to the church to find a sense
of normalcy. Many came to look for peace, for hope, for assurances of God’s presence in the way that only “our” Church
can provide.
However, not everyone was able to find peace in their Church, specifically, the parishioners of St. Nicholas Greek
Orthodox Church that sat in the shadow of the World Trade Center. This humble parish, which stood out among the skyscrapers since the early 1920s was destroyed by the collapse of the towers that infamous morning. While we took shelter in
the Church that we call home and called on God to heal the world, they watched in horror as their house of worship was
consumed by the destructive forces that brought down the towers.
The parishioners of St. Nicholas have experienced a great loss, but as of late have been tasked with something even
greater, to build an Orthodox Monument to what is arguably the greatest tragedy of our lives. A small community has been
given the opportunity to show the entire world the resilience of the Orthodox Church in the face of tragedy. They are not
tasked with simply building a new church, they are building a monument to the glory of the Living God with the entire
world watching.
The deeper reality of this situation however, is that it is not only the responsibility of the parishioners of St. Nicholas
to bear this burden. As fellow Orthodox Christians, we know ourselves to be part of the singular body of Christ that we call
the Church. There is no “our” Church, and “their” Church, only THE Church. When one part of the body suffers, all parts
suffer. This means that we also bear the burden of rebuilding this church, but likewise have an opportunity to participate
with them in raising up a church from the ashes. In this continuing Paschal season, there is no need for me to remind you
that rising from death to life is what Christians do best. Throughout the year, and until the project of rebuilding St. Nicholas is completed, our parish and all parishes in the Archdiocese have been asked to join the parishioners of St. Nicholas in
building what will be a worldwide landmark. Let us make sure our parish is listed among the donors of this Orthodox Monument. If you would like to contribute, please send your check payable to the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church and in
the memo line “St. Nicholas Shrine.”
Yours in Christ,
Parish Priest
Associate Parish Priest
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Scott Thompson
Parish Council President
Congratulations
to our Father of the Year and Man of the Year
presented on Father’s Day, June 19, 2016
Father of the Year
2016
Alexander
Hiblovic
Man of the Year
2016
Athanasios
Deros
“Men are often called intelligent wrongly. Intelligent men are not those who are erudite in the sayings and books of the
wise men of old, but those who have an intelligent soul and can discriminate between good and evil. They avoid what
is sinful and harms the soul; and with deep gratitude to God they resolutely adhere by dint of practice to what is good
and benefits the soul. These men alone should truly be called intelligent.”
+ St. Anthony the Great, “On the Character of Men and on the Virtuous Life: One Hundred and Seventy Texts,”
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Happy Birthday to Fr.
Joseph
on July 2nd.
&
Happy Anniversary to
Fr. Joseph and
Presvytera Ranae
on July 12th.
Pan-Orthodox
Family Picnic
We would like to offer our sincere thanks to everyone
who worked so hard to make this year's festival another great
one!
Without the dedication and enthusiasm of our volunteers,
the Festival would be possible. It is wonderful to see so many
parishioners working together for the good of our Church.
Our festival is more than a fundraiser. It is a way to share
our heritage and faith with the community. It helps us develop
bonds with each other and to work as one.
Again, thank you to everyone; those who prepared the
food throughout the year, those who coordinated the many
areas of the festival, those who worked in the kitchen
tirelessly for more than the 4 days of the festival, all working
together with the common goal of a successful festival.
Και του χρόνου!
wholesome family fun, games,
and fellowship.
Sunday, July 24th
1pm till the fun ends
Saints. Mary and Abraam Coptic Church,
1843 Ross Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63143
The Festival Committee
The newly organized Orthodox Christian Meetup of
greater St. Louis will be hosting the first of its kind in
many years.
Indoor and outdoor venues will be open
You can follow or join Orthodox Christian Meetup St.
Louis on Facebook as well.
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The Church is our liturgical family. St. Paul says to
the Corinthians: “When one suffers, the whole body suffers. You (the Church) are the Body of Christ!” (1 Cor.
12:26-27). You should not leave this body!
Even if it’s during summer vacation, our place is to be
in Divine Liturgy. The Divine Liturgy is the ‘work of the
people’ and therefore when someone is missing the work is
not complete! Our priorities are often ill advised and incorrect.
Sports, school, career, so-called ‘family functions’ all
replace the Divine Liturgy throughout the year, and when it
comes time for vacation, Divine Liturgy makes its way to
the lowest point in the priority pole -- if it wasn’t there already.
We are all sponges in the presence of Jesus Christ,
through His Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. We are
products of His Church.
We are a result of the work and sacrifice of the Saints.
We are the continuation of this ministry and faith!
As parents, it is our responsibility to expose our children to our precious Orthodox Faith but exposure is not
enough.
Our children will also be soaking up our attitude towards our faith and Church.
If our opinion of the church is that it’s only a ‘place to
congregate socially’ and something that we can take vacation from, our children will grow up with the same mindset.
This summer, SOAK UP JESUS, AS THE SON. I’m
not saying don’t enjoy the time with family, enjoy them
and thank God for blessing your with this precious time
together.
I’m not saying you will be in church every waking
second of the summer, but I am asking you to make it the
foundation on which your summer is planned.
Church attendance should be constant, meaningful and
prayerful whether we are at our home parish or an Orthodox Christian parish where we are vacationing (see
www.assemblyofbishops.org to find canonical Orthodox
Christian parishes throughout the United States).
Surround yourself with the beauty that is the Orthodox
Church! Be a part of the Body of Christ’s Church and grow
in the Church as part of your parish family! Be in the presence of Christ and His Church and soak up the SON!
This Summer Soak Up the Sun of the Son
by Fr. Demetrios Kazakis
It’s a play on words, but I’m not
playing around. As a priest, there is
nothing more depressing than seeing
the joyous faces of our youth in Church
one week, and then NOT seeing them
the next simply because Sunday school
has ended for the school year. There is
no such thing as a ‘vacation’ from Church!
There is the old adage, “Children are like sponges; they
soak everything up!” This is true! What is a sponge? A real
sponge is a multi-cellular organism with pores and channels,
so when it’s dried, any liquid or dry material will be
naturally soaked up into its crevices.
A sponge will forever maintain the elements of that with
which it first comes into contact. If our children are spongelike, they will soak up the first thing they are exposed to, and
it will remain with them for the rest of their existence.
Can we look at our children and be satisfied with that
which they have been ‘soaking up?’ What have they been
exposed to? What is the first thing with which they may have
come into contact?
We are products of our own environment. Our main
environment should be our Church!
Like the sponge, we must soak up Jesus Christ and His
Church to our full capacity! Our entire lives should be
immersed into the Church and we will maintain its elements,
properties and fragrances.
When we are surrounded by the beauty and love of
Christ, we will be changed and affected for the better! There
is a danger when people want their Church only when it’s to
their convenience.
This inconsistency is a detriment to our faith and our
growth towards Christ. The Church is constant and will last
forever – but just because the Church is always available to
us, does not mean that we should stroll in haphazardly.
Summer vacation, for example, may be a time of rest
and relaxation, but does not mean that we take a ‘vacation’
from our faith and prayer life in the Church.
Vacation means the action of leaving something which
preoccupies. Does church preoccupy you?
Is it something that causes stress? Our faith cannot stop
or ‘take a break!’
Imagine if God took a break from answering our prayers
and blessing us! Imagine if the Holy Spirit took a vacation
from carrying out God’s will. Where would we be?
Why do we come to church in the first place? People
say, ‘I come because I was baptized in this church.’ ‘I come
to church because I like seeing people.’ ‘I come to church
because I have nothing better to do,’ etc.
There are many misguided reasons for coming to
church. The correct reason we come to church is because the
Church is the Body of Christ!
________________________________________________
Fr. Kazakis is the presiding priest at St. Nicholas Church in
West Babylon, N.Y. Join Us This Summer and Soak Up the
For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me
my petition which I asked of Him. Therefore I also
have lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives he shall
be lent to the LORD.” So they worshiped the LORD
there.
1 Samuel 1:27-28
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Congratulations to our
AHEPA 2016 Scholarship Recipients!
Orthodox Young Professionals
Conference
The awards were given out this past Sunday, June 12,
at the AHEPA 53 Apartments. The St. Louis AHEPA
chapters have given out over 200 Scholarships since 1950,
and they continued that tradition by awarding 14 more
scholarships, four of which went to Assumption Greek
Orthodox Church graduating seniors, pictured below from
left to right:
Vassilius C. Kolios
Eleni Tambassis
Katherine Murphy
Niko Stamos
New Orleans
A weekend of spiritual growth and fellowship with
like-minded individuals
Aug 18-21, 2016
Keynote
Speaker
Archdeacon
Saed Rihani
Congratulations to everyone honored.
Applications for both Chapter and District level
scholarships can generally be picked up in February from
the Church offices or online.
Workshop Speaker
Jacob Saylor
With his Eminence
Metropolitan Joseph
For more information or register on line at
www.oypc2016.com
Help Needed
Household assistance needed Wednesdays and
Thursdays, and possibly one more day a week for an
older woman. The ability to speak Greek would be
helpful. For more information, please contact the Church
office at 314-966-2255.
College Addresses
In an effort to keep in touch with, and minister to,
our college students, we ask anyone with a son or
daughter in college to contact the Church office with the
address, phone, and email.
From the Parish Council
No building changes or any alterations may be
made in our facility without the Parish Council’s
approval. This includes fixtures and decorations
throughout the Church grounds.
The Parish Council asks all parents to please keep
their children off the stage in the Church hall and away
from the curtain. This will help prevent injuries to our
children and to the Church facility.
Picture compliments of Katia Tambassis.
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T
Jr. Olympics 2016
8 young parishioners proudly represented our
beloved Assumption Greek Orthodox Church at the
35th Annual Metropolis of Chicago Jr. Olympics in
Palos Hills, IL over the Memorial Day weekend. The
athletes received a total of 12 medals (7 gold, 5 silver) in the team and individual events of ping pong,
chess and swimming. They also created countless
memories with fellow Orthodox Christians from the
region. This year’s participants were:
Demetrios Case
Nicolas Case
Argini Lappas
Angelo Malek
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Elsa Case
Luka Kolios
Demetrios Lappas
George Tambassis
New Iconography
Other Needs
Additional Icons are needed to complete the final
phase of the Church iconography. The choir loft balcony
wall will have
Purple Cover for Lectern
150.00
2 Angels $4,000.00 each
Holy Water Blessing Cross
1) Maggie Zografakis, in memory of her parents
2) Eleftherios and Aleka Karagiannis in memory
Vasiliki G. Kolivaki
2 Votive Stands
$1,800.00 each
12 Busts $3,500.00 each
Priest’s Liturgical Book
Liturgy of St. Basil the Great
$35.00
1. St. Alexander Nevsky, in Memory of Danny Taylor
by John Surgant
2. St. David of Trebizond, in memory of Adamantia and
James Menas, by John Surgant
3. TBD by John Surgant
4. TBD by John Surgant
5. TBD -Anonymous 9. Donor needed
6 TBD -Anonymous 10. Donor needed
7. Donor needed
11. Donor needed
8. Donor needed
12. Donor needed
Please call the Church Office at 314-966-2255 if you
would like to donate any of these items.
Please coordinate your request with Fr. Joseph and
314-966-2255.
St. Agne
St. Anthimos of Chios
St. Argyrios
St. Athanasios of Parios
St. Barlaam
St. Dimas, the Good Thief
St. Ephraim the Syrian
St. Ioasaph
St. Isaac the Syrian
St. John the Faster
St. Justin Popovich
St. Justinian the Great
St. Longinos, the Centurion
St. Makarios of Corinth
St. Mark of Ephesus
St. Methodia of Kimolos
St. Mercurios
St. Moses the Ethiopian
St. Nicodemos of Mt. Athos
St. Nifon of Constantia
St. Nikephoros of Chios
St. Photios the Great
St. Porphyrios of Kapsokalivia
St. Prokla, the Wife of Pontus Pilate
St. Ruth
St. Savvas the New
St. Telemachos
St. Theodore the Studite
Flags
The winter and spring took a
toll on our flags. New flags have
been ordered and will be installed
soon.
If you would like to donate
the one of our flags, please call
the Church office at 314-966-225.
The costs are as follows:
United States Flag
$65.65
Missouri Flag
$97.65
Flag of Greece
$103.65
Flag of the Ecumenical
Patriarchate.
$286.65
All donations are greatly
appreciated.
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Births
Memorials : Memory Eternal
Congratulations to Joe and Caroline Carollo on the
adoption of their infant son, Anthony Ryan, who was born
on May 31, 2016. The happy grandparents are Gene and
Georgia Kokenis.
June 5
40-day Kassiani Mellos
1-year Vasiliki Pappas
3-year George Pappas
June 12 1-year John Bozikis
11-year Erifili Hatzidakis
68-year Efstathios Hatzidakis
10-year Vasili (Bill) Leon
48-year Maria Leon
46-year Marigo Leon
65-year Stavros Leon
June 26 40-day Eugenia Pantazo
10-year Vasilios Pantazo
2-year Haralambor Pelekanou
2-year Eleni Balakos
July 3
1-year Marika Kriqi
Hierarchs of the Russian Church Abroad
July 10
40-day Agni Karagiannis
July 17
5-year Gregory Pappas
July 24
40-day James (Demetrios) Beys
Baptisms
Many years to Evelyn Eleni Coleman, daughter of
Nicholas and Stephanie Coleman. She was baptized on
June 4, 2016. The Godmother is Nicole Balkenbusch.
Funerals
Memory Eternal to:
Panagiotis Kariagnnis, brother of Tim (Stella) Karagiannis,
reposed on May 20, 2016 in Toronto, Canada.
John M. Surgant Sr., husband of the late Evangeline A.
(Angie) Surgant, reposed on May 24, 2016. The funeral
was held at St. Basil the Great Orthodox Church on Friday,
May 27. Internment is at St. Matthews Cemetery.
In Our Prayers:
Nora Bangert
Tom Dubis
Seraphima Henderson
Jean Kotakis
Michael Labis
Elizabeth Despina Tsaoussis
Chris & Despina Zeris
Agni M. Karagiannis (Tzianos), wife of Harry G.
Karagiannis, reposed on May 30, 2016. The funeral was
held at Assumption on Thursday, June 2. Internment is at
St. Matthews Cemetery.
James Beys, husband of Eleftheria Beys, reposed Saturday,
June 11, 2016. The funeral was held at Assumption on
Wednesday, June 15. Internment at St. Matthew’s
Cemetery.
Kenneth Marshall, brother of Patrick (Carol) Marshall,
reposed on Monday, June 13, 2016. The funeral mass was
held at St. James the Greater Catholic Church on Thursday,
June 16.
Important
Please inform either Fr. Joseph or Fr. Anastasios
immediately when you or any member of your family is
sick or hospitalized, so that appropriate prayer and
visitation may be scheduled.
Hospitals do not notify clergy of patients, even if you
list yourself as a Church member.
Donald Humphrey, father of James (Maria) Humphrey,
reposed on June 17, 2016. The funeral was held in Troy,
MO on June 20, 2016.
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Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) Corner:
"
The Orthodox Mission Team of St. Louis works to nurture an awareness within our local churches of the need
to evangelize, catechize, and support missionary efforts and programs globally."
Laying a Foundation: 2016 OCMC Mission Team to Mexico
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1503/26373620165_fd67e6348e.jpg>
The 2016 OCMC Mission Team to Mexico visited Orthodox communities in San Esteban and Pisaflores. These islands of Orthodoxy were established nearly 40 years ago. Teams from the United States have been visiting regularly in
recent years to offer catechism and support as they continue their journey in the Faith.
OCMC recently sent its fourth mission team of 2016 to San Esteban, Mexico, to support the faithful by offering simple catechism and the life-giving services of the Church. OCA Archpriest Antonio Perdomo of Pharr, TX, led the team of
seven: Fr. David Moga (WI), Sbdn. Basil Almy (KS), Art Dossey (CA), Susie Almy (KS), Hannah Valentine (IA), and
Fernando Arango (FL). This Pan-Orthodox group soon melded together in the warmth of shared vision and experience. I
know without my team I would not have mastered the art of "shower in a bucket" or sleeping on wooden planks! It was
made easy by the bright eyes and smiles of the children and their parents; never have I shaken so many hands nor met such
polite, friendly people.
San Esteban lies tucked away in the green mountains of the state of Hidalgo, not exactly the first place one might
look for the Orthodox Faith. Mexico is known for its history of Roman Catholicism, brought to its shores by the Spanish in
the 1500's. Indeed, the influence Catholicism has had in the Mexican culture reveals itself through streetside shrines for the
Virgin and small statues of Christ in public buses. When meeting with Archbishop Alejo of the OCA in Mexico City, I
was amazed to hear that people in San Esteban had been under the OCA for over forty years. And yet, as His Grace continued the story, the need for our team’s work grew clear. Though these people would answer the question, “What kind of
Christian are you?” with the response, “Orthodox,” they had little knowledge of the Church, her history, traditions, and
creed. Remote as the town is, any priest wishing to visit the faithful faces a considerable challenge. Until recent years, a
bridgeless river forced visiting priests to brave small boats in order to cross. And unless the priest had his own car, he
would travel by foot or atop the swaying gait of a burro. The priest serving them, Fr. Serafim, now finds himself in this
position. Not owning a car, he has traveled as he can to visit the faithful in San Esteban and nearby villages with Orthodox
Christian communities. Well-loved by the people, Fr. Serafim awaits the completion of a permanent home for himself
within the village. Our team’s goal was simple enough: to lay a foundation for the faithful so that when Fr. Serafim’s residence is finished, he has something upon which to build.
We reached San Esteban on Monday night of the trip, and remained through Friday morning. Our team offered activities for the children each morning related to the Cross, the Resurrection, and the Ascension. Working with varying abilities
to speak the Spanish language, each member of our team embraced the children with the love of Christ in words as well as
in action. The church’s walls rang with children’s voices as they colored their images of the Cross, and the courtyard just
outside the church echoed with laughter as they learned how to throw frisbees. In the evenings, Fr. Antonio, Fr. David, and
Fr. Serafim led the Service of Thanksgiving or Vespers. The pews filled with the smallest of babes and the grayest of
grandmothers. I could see their love for God reflected in their eyes; at no moment was this more evident than when all
lined up to receive the Eucharist on Thursday morning.
Only so much can be done in three days. And yet, God is not limited by time as we are, so the effects of our humble
work go beyond what we saw. Through the generous support of friends and family, each team member had the opportunity
to spend a week of this Great Lent in a special kind of self-denial and servitude. Now I ask for your continued prayers for
our brothers and sisters in Christ who live in Mexico, that together one day we might all stand in the Light of our resurrected Lord in Paradise.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------As always, please feel free to contact Didi Kafka at 618-920-9838, if you have any questions, would like to be part of the
Mission Team St. Louis, or if you would like to help our missionaries. Thank you for your continued support!
12
There are so many great saints to celebrate in July. One of the newest saints
of the Church is St. Paisios of Mt. Athos who was just
canonized on January 13, 2015. He was baptized by
St. Arsenios in Farasa, Cappadocia. where he was
born. He spent his entire life serving other people,
both before and after becoming a monk. After serving
in the military and making sure that his sisters were
married, St. Paisios entered a monastery. Later,
people flocked to Elder Paisios to get his advice and
learn from his spiritual wisdom. One of the greatest
lessons he taught was to work extremely hard at not
judging other people. We celebrate St. Paisios on July 12th..
Word Find courtesy of The Children’s W ord, Sunday, July 12, 2015, Volume 3, issue 27.
13
The Assumption Greek Orthodox Church
Ladies Philoptochos Society
Invites all Adults to a Spiritual Weekend Retreat at
THE ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM MONASTERY
IN PLEASANT PRAIRIE, WISCONSIN
October 21-23
Meet at Church at 11:30 am on Friday October 21
for departure at 1:00 pm and
returning to the Church Sunday Evening
Cost: $70.00 includes transportation to and
from monastery, lodging & meal at the
Monastery.
For further details, please contact
the Church office at (314) 966-2255.
Payment needed by August 31, 2016
to hold reservations
Ladies: Longer dress or skirt, no sleeveless shirts, no slacks, jeans or shorts
Men: Long pants and long sleeved-shirts are the appropriate attire. No Jeans please.
What to Bring: Toiletries and other person items. Please bring spending money for meals and snacks
or the bus trip or purchases at the Monastery
Summer Women’s Bookstudy
Book discussion and pot luck luncheon
The book for the summer reading is
An Extraordinary Peace
St. Seraphim, Flame of Sarov by Archimandrite Lazarus Moore
This book is available from Archangel Bookstore at 10% off of the $19.95 price.
Thank you Theodore and Photini.
There are also copies available at Amazon.
More Information to follow.
14
Cash, Checks and
Credit Cards accepted:
Master Card,
VISA, Discover,
American Express
15
Hellenic Culture Camp
Sponsored by:
Registration Form
Greek Cooking
History
Geography
Mythology
Greek Dancing
Language
Volleyball
Basketball
Soccer
Watersidle
Inflatables
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: July 7
Child’s Name___________________________________
Address________________________________________
City___________________________________________
State_____________
Zip Code___________________
Email__________________________________________
Home Phone____________________________________
Cell Phone_____________________________________
Amount Enclosed____________________Ck#________
Grade Fall of 2016_______________________________
St. Nicholas Family Life Center
2nd - 8th grade
July 19 - 21
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Monday - Thursday
Friday July 22nd
9:00 am to Noon
At Vetta Sports Manchester
$100 for one child
$90 for second child
$80 for third child
(Scholarships Available)
Circle T-Shirt Size
Youth Small
Adult Small
Youth Medium
Adult Medium
Youth Large
Adult Large
I agree to be legally bound that individual participants in
the program do so at their own risk. I hereby release St.
Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and Weschester Tennis
and Sports LCC, DBA Vetta Sports, its officers, agents,
employees and volunteers from all claim liability, loss of
service and cause of action of any kind of personal injury
and property damage arising in anyway out of said
participation.
Signature of Parent:
_______________________________________________
Please mail form to:
Vetta Sports Manchester
Hellenic Youth Camp
150 Enchanted Parkway
Manchester, MO63021
Any questions? Contact:
Barbara Corrigan: btcstl@yahool.com
Julie Dwyer: 636-391-1227 ext 101 or jdwyer@vettasports.com
16
1755 DES PERES ROAD
Kitchen Phone:
314-966-6720
Web Site:
assumptiongoc.org
Email:
office@assumptiongoc.org
(Just north of Des Peres 14 Cine)
FRIDAY LUNCHEONS
11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Cash, Checks and
Credit Cards accepted:
Master Card,
VISA, Discover,
American Express
July 2016
Menu subject to change
NO LUNCHEON JULY 1st
Have a Safe and Healthy 4th of July Weekend
July 8
July 15
Chicken Santorini with Mushrooms. . . .$8.00
Baked Fish with Spinach & Rice . . . . . .$7.00
Pastitsio (ground beef, macaroni casserole). . . . . . .$6.00
Shish-Ke-Bobs over Rice with Tomato & Onion . . . $8.00
Baked Fish with Mixed Vegetables. . . . . . . . . $7.00
Gyro Sandwich...........................................….....$5.00
(seasoned beef and lamb served on pita bread
with tomatoes, onions and tzatziki sauce)
Chicken Avgolemono Soup..Sm. $3.00 Lg. $5.00
2 Dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves)……….....2 for $3.00
Spanakopita (spinach pita)……………............$3.00
Tyropita (cheese pita)…………………..$3.00
Greek Salad with olive oil dressing.....................$5.00
Gyro Sandwich........................…..............…….........$5.00
Lentil Soup..Sm. $3.00 Lg. $5.00
Dessert……….$3.00
(Baklava, Galatobouriko, Kataifi, or Walnut Cake,
Cheesecake)
Cheesecake)
July 22
July 29
Shrimp Saganaki over Rice . . . . . . . .$9.00
Baked Fish with Mixed Vegetables . . . . . . . . . . . . .7.00
Pork Chop with Mashed Potatoes & Gravy . . . . . . .$8.00
Baked Fish with Corn Medley . . . . . . . . . . . $7.00
Gyro Sandwich........................…..............…….........$5.00
Gyro Sandwich........................…..............…….........$5.00
Lobster Bisque..Sm. $3.00 Lg. $5.00
Chicken Noodle Soup..Sm. $3.00 Lg. $5.00
Cheesecake)
Cheesecake)
17
18
Church Office Closed
11 Great Martyr
Euphemia
10
8:30 am Orthros
9:45 am Divine Liturgy
Anna
9:00 am Orthros
8:30 am Orthros
8:30 am Orthros
31
Pan-Orthodox Picnic at
Saints Mary & Abraam
Coptic Church
25 Repose of Saint
24
6:30 Great Vespers
Paraskeve
9:00 am Orthros
2:00 pm Kafenio
9:00 am Orthros
Panteleimon
27 Great Martyr
26 Righteous Martyr
2:00 pm Kafenio
6:30 pm Vespers
20 Prophet Elias
Vacation Church School
2:00 pm Kafenio
8:30am Orthros
9:45am Divine Liturgy
19
6:30 pm Vespers
13
9:00 am Orthros
9
5:00 pm Great Vespers
Sat
29
28
11:00 am Friday Luncheon
22
8:30 am Orthros
21
7:45 am Orthros
15
30
5:00pm Great Vespers
23
16
8
NO Friday Luncheon
9:00 am Orthros
Kosmas & Damianos
1 Holy Unmercenaries 2
Fri
12
14
8:30 am Orthros
7
Thu
2:00 pm Kafenio
6
Wed
6:30 pm Vespers
5
Tue
Fathers - Great Martyr
Marina
17 Sunday of the Holy 18
7:45 am Orthros
4 Independence Day
8:30 am Orthros
Mon
3
Sun
July 2016
1755 Des Peres Road
Town and Country, MO 63131-1405
NONPROFIT ORG
U.S. Postage
PAID
St. Louis, MO
Permit No. 4628
Address Service Requested
From the Orthodox Study Bible
Galatians 3: 26-29
26
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.* 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have
put on Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for
you are all one in Christ Jesus.* 29And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heir according to
promise.
3:26, 27 Paul directly relates saving faith (v 26) and being baptized, connecting them as the most intimate of friends. Verse 27 is the ancient
hymn perhaps already being sung at Christian baptisms during the procession of the newly regenerated into the assembly - and sung at every
Orthodox baptismal service to this day.
3:28, 29 We share one human nature in Christ. Therefore, valuing people based on opinions and ethnicity (neither Jew nor Greek), pride and
social status (neither slave nor free), or gender (neither male nor female) has no place in the Church. All are one in nature, and so all are equal in
dignity.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Of the Bible. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
For Consideration
Concerning kindness, St. Nilus of Mt. Sinai writes: "My son, always strive to be simple and kind. Do not have one
thing in your heart and another thing on your tongue for this is a ruse and a lie. Be truthful and not false for falsehood
is of the evil one. Do not return evil for evil but if someone does you evil, forgive him so that God may also forgive
you. If you are tormented by the remembrance of evil thoughts, pray to God for that brother [the evil doer] with your
entire soul and the remembrance of evil thoughts will flee from you." It is told how a young man decided to serve a
very eccentric old man so that God would forgive him of his sins. He endured twelve years in this most difficult service and presented himself to God. A great spiritual man saw the soul of the young man in Paradise as he was praying
to God for the evil old man: "Lord, as You had mercy on me because of him, have mercy on him according to Your
great goodness and because of me Your servant." After forty days this eccentric old man died and, again, that spiritual
man saw the soul of that old man reposing in the Kingdom of Heaven. What a most beautiful and miraculous kindness
of this patient youth in truth, miraculous!
The Prologue from Ochrid: Lives of the Saints and Homilies for Every Day in the Year, vol. 2 by Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic. Translated by Mother Maria.
Lazarica Press, Birmingham, 1985.
19

July 2016 - Assumption Greek Orthodox Church

Transcription

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