The Orthodox Messenger
Vol. IV, No. 51 – Sunday, December 18, 2005

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

13460 Olympic Village Lane, Brooksville, FL -  (352) 796-8482

Website: http://orthodoxhernandocountyfl.org

Fr. Stanley S. Harakas,  Th.D. D.D., (352) 688-2382; Cell (352) 263-3005; Fax (352) 688-9846; Email: Rharakas@aol.com

THE CHRISTMAS – HOLIDAY WARS!

o tell you the truth, I am a bit bemused by the controversy about whether the stores selling gifts at this time of the year should be saying to us in posters, newspaper and TV ads, “Merry Christmas” or “Seasons Greetings” or “Holiday Greetings!”

   About ten years ago, I was struck dumbfounded when I learned that Japan, a mainly Confucionist / Buddist / Shinto country, with only a tiny percentage of Christians, had a great “Christmas Season,” in which everybody gave gifts, without any sense of religious betrayal greeting each other with “Merry Christmas.” Only God knows what they meant by it, since they didn’t believe in the birth of Jesus Christ as the Son of God! The Japanese still buy gifts for one another wishing everybody “Merry Christmas!”

   So what is happening this December in the USA, admittedly one of the most Christian countries in the western world? A powerful and consuming debate that is pitting secularists and religious people in a culture war about how commercial enterprises will present the buying frenzy of each December: Merry Christmas or Seasons Greetings?

   Bemusing, to be sure, is the sudden discovery of some of the stores that it is somehow offensive to non-Christians to see and hear “Merry Christmas” in the stores, in which people are buying Christmas presents, so as to keep the merchants in the black for the whole year! As if they couldn’t also say, “Happy Hunnakah,” or “Joyous Eid,” “Happy Kwanza,”or “whatever!”

   Also bemusing is the sudden change of mind by many Christian clergy who for years have complained about the “commercialization of Christmas.” The whirlwind of spending and buying outweighs by far the remembrance of the greatest gift of all: the Heavenly Father’s gift of His own Son to humanity for the salvation of the world. Long lost in the tinsel, decorated trees egg-nog, wreaths and ribbons, red-nosed reindeer and lighted lawn figures is the celebration of the Incarnation of the Son of God through the Theotokos for the world’s salvation. Almost completely forgotten is the truth that Christmas is about -as we say it in Greek, “Christougenna”–the birth of Christ.

   Yes, of course, the culture war between those who want to restore “Merry Christmas” to our public, civic, commercial public square, and those, who in a mistaken concern of political correctness (or more likely, a hatred of anything Christian) probably needs to be fought. But even if “Merry Christmas” wins out, the victory will be a false one, and an illusion that something of true significance has been gained.

              O Christ, our God, what do You think about all of this fuss and furor?

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

Evening Services as Announced

SUNDAY BEFORE THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST

GOSPEL ENTRANCE AND OTHER HYMNS

Dismissal Hymn of the Resurrection - 1st  Tone

   (Sing in Greek before the Entrance) ("Tou lithou sfragisthenos"). Hymnal,  80-81.

   (Sing in English after the Entrance) ("The stone was sealed"). (Same)

Dismissal Hymn of the Sunday Before the Nativity of Christ

   (Read) Magnificent are Faith’s accomplishments! / The three holy youths exultingly stood in the fountain of fire / as if beside the still waters of rest. / And Daniel the Prophet / was shown to be a shepherd of lions. At their entreaty, / O Christ God, / save our souls.

Pre-Nativity Kontakion “E Parthenos Semeron”  (Sung in English by Leaders)

   (Text) Today the Virgin cometh / to the cave to give birth / in an ineffable manner / to the Word before all ages. / Therefore, rejoice O universe, / when thou hearest, / Glorify, with the Angels and the shepherds, / Him who shall appear as a new Babe; / appear as God before the Ages.

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

EPISTLE – Hebrews 11:9-10, 32-40 (Sunday Before Nativity)

rethren, by faith Abraham sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city which has foundation, whose builder and maker is God. And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets - who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated - of whom the world was not worthy - wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us,that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

GOSPEL – Matthew 1:1-25 (Sunday Before Nativity)

he book of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa, and Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.  Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus.

  FOR THE RECORD: December 11, 2005 Attendance 50; Stewardship $682; Candles  $138; Building Fund $500 from Pagona Moussouris, Athens, Greece, $50 Feenie & Bette Ferriero. Fund Raising: Community Christmas Card - $1,198; -Shrimp Luncheon $658.

  DID YOU SEND IN YOUR STEWARDSHIP CARDS FOR 2006? Your support is urgently needed. Please send in your cards today. If you have misplaced your cards, see or call Bill Pasisis, Stewardship

   PROSFORON BAKERS: Argiris & Carol Gymnaos 12/18; Fran Triantafilon 12/24 (Saturday before Christmas); Helen Nicolelis 12/25 (Christmas); Gloria Vardakis 1/1/06 (St. Basil – New Year’s Day); Bette Ferriero 1/05 (Fore Feast of Epiphany); George Nikas 1/6; Connie Mourgides; 1/15 Presbytera Emily Harakas 1/22. Prosforon Chairman, George Nikas.

   GULF SHRIMP LUNCHEON Co-chairs, Bette Ferriero and Dora Halvatzes thank and are grateful to all that helped in any and every way for the Shrimp Dinner. Special thanks to Captains John & Judy Saittis for the donation of the shrimp and to John and Jennie Kotsifakis of Yanni’s Restaurant in Homosassa for the food preparation. We earned $658.

CHRISTMAS SERVICES AT CHRIST THE SAVIOR CHURCH

       Friday, Dec. 23 -    10:00 am – Service of the Nativity Hours

       Saturday, Dec. 24    9:30 am – Orthros; 10:00 am Divine Liturgy

                                     5:00 pm – Great Vespers of the Nativity of Christ

                                                   Carol Sing

       Sunday, Dec. 25 -    9:30 am – Orthros; 10:00 am Divine Liturgy of St. Basil

                                                   Carol Sing

KEEP CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS – COME TO CHURCH CHRISTMAS MORNING!

NO P.E.P. SESSIONS FRIDAY DEC. 23 OR FRIDAY DEC. 30.

  CONFESSIONS: Wednesday, December 21 in the Chapel, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

  RECENT HOSPITALIZATIONS: Brooksville Regional: Pota Alexopoulos, Eleni Roussos; Bayonet Point: Charles Aftosmes. We pray for a rapid recovery.

   ?WILLIAM ELISAVITES: Christ the Savior Steward, Bill Elisavites passed away Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2005. As of this writing funeral arrangements have not been made. We extend sympathy to Fran and to the members of his Detroit family and to all in our parish who know and loved him. May his memory be eternal.

COME TO CHURCH!

CHRIST THE SAVIOR

GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

P.O. BOX 5566

SPRING HILL, FL 34611

MAY YOU AND YOURS HAVE A BLESSED AND HOLY CHRISTMAS! 

COME TO CHURCH CHRISTMAS EVE, SATURDAY, DEC. 24 & SUNDAY, DEC. 25.

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