The Orthodox Messenger

Vol. VI, No. 33– Sunday, August 19, 2007

Christ the Savior Greek Orthodox Church - Presentation of Christ at the Temple

The Hellenic Orthodox Mission of Hernando County, Florida – “A Pan-Orthodox Christian Community”

Ecumenical Patriarchate + Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America + Metropolis of Atlanta

 Website: http://orthodoxhernandocountyfl.org     

Fr. Stanley S. Harakas, Th.D., D.D. (352) 796-2377; Cell (352) 263-3005; Email:Rharakas@aol.com

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What’s Special About Christ the Savior Orthodox Church?-10

WHY Are  Christ the Savior Members of Different National Backgrounds?

     This is a good question, because in the experience of most Orthodox Christian people being Orthodox and belonging to a particular traditionally Orthodox national traditions is a common reality. This is so because traditionally, the Orthodox Church has sought to reflect the language and culture of its people in each nation. For example, all the Orthodox Christians in Greece are mainly organized in the “Orthodox Church of Greece.” Similarly we speak of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, the Albanian Orthodox Church, the Romanian Orthodox Church, and the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, and so on. Newer churches also follow this tradition. We have the Orthodox Churches of Uganda, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, and so on.

     Here in the United States, we have duplicated that pattern so that we have the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, the Antiochian, the Carpathian, Ukrainian, Romanian, Serbian, Bulgarian Orthodox jurisdictions, and so on. When these groups of Orthodox Churches were established their deep ties with their mother-lands led them to come together not only as Orthodox parishes, but also as social meeting places for people of their own nationalities. This is not bad in itself because it reflected shared traditions, language, culture and liturgical practices. But usually, this limited contact with people of other backgrounds and tended to focus on the ethnic aspects rather than on a living experience of the Orthodox Christian Faith.

    In recent years here in the United States, some parishes in each of these various ethnic jurisdictions began to be more open to people of different backgrounds in large part because marriages between persons of different backgrounds and because of converts that did not share in the traditional Orthodox national church backgrounds.

    Christ the Savior Church was preceded by small worshipping congregation which grew out of the Liturgical life of  the Olympic Village Orthodox Youth Camp after it closed. From the beginning it was made up of people of different ethnic and cultural heritages. So we were from the start, as they say, “Pan-Orthodox.” This included people of Greek, Russian, Romanian, Arabic and Albanian background, but increasingly, people of Italian, English, German, Scotch-Irish and other ethnic traditions, through conversion to the Orthodox Church. Thus, we now represent in the United States the “One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church” of the Orthodox world. And there is room for more! So, we are a Pan- Orthodox Church, properly reflecting the whole of Orthodox Christianity!

        Service Hours: Sundays and Feast Days: Orthros at 9:30 am; Divine Liturgy at 10:00 am

Evening Services as Announced

12^TH SUNDAY OF MATTHEW – SUNDAY AFTER THE DORMITION

GOSPEL ENTRANCE AND OTHER HYMNS

   Dismissal Hymn of the Feast  “En te Gennesei”  (Sung in Greek before the Entrance by the leaders)

Dismissal Hymn of the Resurrection - 3rd  Tone

   (Sing in English after the Entrance)"Let all things rejoice"). Hymnal,  83-84.

   Dismissal Hymn of the Feast

(Read) In giving birth / you retained your virginity, / and in Dormition / you did not forsake the world, / O Theotokos. / You were translated unto life, / being the Mother of Life. / And thus by virtue of your intercessions / you deliver our souls from death.

(Sing) Dismissal Hymn of the Presentation of Christ (See paper in the pews)

   Kontakion of the Dormition of the Theotokos (Aug. 15)

      Sung in Greek by the Leader “Ten en Presveies”

      (Read) The Theotokos who is sleepless in intercession / and the immovable hope of protection / could not be contained by the tomb and death. / For as the Mother of Life, / she was transferred to life by Him / who dwelt  in the ever-virgin womb.

                        Return to p. 26 of the Hymnal, to sing “Holy God . . . .”

   EPISTLE –1st Corinthians 15:1-11 (12^th Matthew) + BRETHREN, I would remind you in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand, by which you are saved, if you hold it fast - unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

   GOSPEL –Matthew 19:16-26 (12^th Matthew) + At that time, a young man came up to Jesus, kneeling and saying, "Good Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" And he said to him, "Why do you call me good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." He said to him, "Which?" And Jesus said, "You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and You shall love your neighbor as yourself." The young man said to him, "All these I have observed; what do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions. And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

    TRISAGION: A one year Trisagion is being offered today by Pat Panopoulos   for the rest of the soul of  her late husband Mike Panopoulos. May his memory be eternal!

    NAME DAY BLESSINGS TODAY for those celebrating in August. We pray for the intercessions of your patron saints, good health and “Many Years!”

    CHRISMATION TODAY: David and Diane Covington will be received into the Orthodox Church through the Holy Sacrament of Chrismation. David will maintain the name of the Holy Prophet and King David, and Diane will receive the name of the New Testament Saint Lydia the seller of purple goods as described in the New Testament book of Acts. Sponsoring David will be Curtis Thomas and sponsoring Diane will be Emily Thomas. Following the Divine Liturgy you are invited to congratulate the newly chrismated David and Diane Lydia at the narthex entrance area. Congratulations and Many Years!

    FOR THE RECORD: August 6, Transfiguration -Candles $9; August 10, Supplicatory Service -$23; August 12 – Candles $34; Visitors’ Contributions $172;  Stewardship $300; Building Fund $91. Free Will Coffee Hour Basket $15; Hall Rental $35; Hat Purchase $10. Attendance 44. We are grateful to all who support Christ the Savior Mission.

    PROSFORON BAKERS: Venice Cosmadelis 8/19; Anet Jones 8/26. We will pause the schedule for Prosforon Bakers because we have a goodly amount of Prosfora now in the freezer, especially after the Prosfora breads made last Monday! See below!

  KIDS’ CAMP -2 held this past Monday, August 13, was a wonderful success! About fifteen children participated in the program. The children made about eight Prosfora Breads all with excellent seals. We used one of them for the Divine Liturgy of the Dormition on Wednesday and the rest will be used on future Sundays. The children played games and made beautiful religious craft projects. You will see in the Parish Hall today, some of their work, hanging from the fans. Many thanks to Emily Thomas, President of St. Katherine Ladies Society for organizing this beautiful day. Many thanks also to the parents, grand-parents, Ladies Society members and others for being there and assisting in all the projects. Look for a gallery of photographs in next Sunday’s bulletin. All in attendance, especially the children, had a fantastic day of prayer, fun, fellowship and education!

    COFFEE HOUR SPONSORS: August Sponsors: 8/19 Venice Cosmadelis and Nancy Kastelan; 8/26 Gloria Vardakis and Helen Vangel. A free will offering can be made to defray costs. Sign up to be a September sponsor.

TODAY’S BULLETIN SPONSORS: Dr. Marios & Ourania Stephanides

iN Memory of Our Sister Maria Zoumberos Chandler