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The Orthodox Messenger
Vol. III, No. 8 – Sunday, February 22, 2004
Christ the
Savior Greek Orthodox Church - Presentation of Christ at the
Temple
The
Hellenic Orthodox Mission of Hernando County, Florida
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“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.
FROM PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW’S 2004 GREAT LENT MESSAGE
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Beloved
brethren and children in the Lord,
- At the beginning of the Triodion a
heart searching hymn says: "Life-giver, open up the doors
of repentance for me". The Holy Orthodox Church has
devoted a great deal of the time of the year to our
repentance. Moreover, at every hour and every day she
reminds us of the need to repent. She is fully aware that
repentance is the starting point of spiritual life and
salvation for every person.
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 As the meaning of the Greek word
itself reveals (metanoia), repentance consists of
changing our minds regarding our spiritual stance toward
the world and God. It entails the renunciation of our sins
and the decision to live according to the holy commands of
God. Repentance is primarily, the renewal and change of
our way of thinking
- If we have been giving priority to
the gathering of riches, we should hereafter strive for
the beneficial utilization of financial goods to enhance
public welfare. If we have been trying to primarily
satisfy our own individual needs, we should from now on
attend to the needs of others, starting with the people
close to us, advancing to the greater societal family,
within which we live, and possibly reaching the entire
humanity.
- If the center of our interest has
been to attain success in this life, we should henceforth
expand it beyond this life into the next one. In general,
we will be able to truly repent, when we re-evaluate our
notions and align ourselves with the positions of our Holy
Church, which are ultimately the saving and true teachings
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Furthermore, repentance must be
accompanied by the confession of our sins to a suitable
Confessor and it should be done in total honesty and
humility. God has bestowed His authority upon spiritual
Confessors to bind and to loose sins. Also, continuous
repentance is necessary, as the Holy Fathers of the
Orthodox Church teach. Beloved brothers and sisters in
Christ, let us not say that we have no sins or that we
need not to repent, for then we assume the arrogance of
the Pharisee. We all need to repent, since we are all in
need to better learn the will of God, to love and forgive
more, to have a more enlightened zeal, and a stronger
interest for the spiritual life.
- May the Holy God, through the
intercessions of the Most-Holy Theotokos and of all His
Saints, bless us to traverse the holy period of Lent in
physical health and in soul repentance, and to approach
the Holy Pascha cleansed and restored, so that we can
partake in the joy of the Resurrection during this year
and we can eternally hold steadfastly the resurrected
eternal life. So be it.
+Batholomew, Patriarch of
Constantinople
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Service
hours: Sundays and Feast days: Orthros at 9:30 am;
Divine Liturgy at 10:00 am.
Evening Services as Announced
Saints: The
finding of the Relics of the Martyrs of Eugenion
(+395-408); Limnaios and Bardatos. (5th c.); Athanasios,
Confessor; Martyr Anthousa and her 12 children.
4th SUNDAY OF THE TRIODION - CHEESEFARE SUNDAY
COMMEMORATING THE EXPULSION OF ADAM AND EVE FROM
PARADISE AND FORGIVENESS SUNDAY
Gospel Entrance and Other Hymn Changes
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Dismissal Hymn - 3rd Tone
- (Sing
in Greek before the Entrance) ("Efrainestho ta
Ourania"). Hymnal, 83-84.
- (Sing in English after the
Entrance)"Let all things rejoice"). (Same).
- Dismissal Hymn of the Presentation
of Christ - (Sing)
From the sheet in the pew.
- Kontakion for Forgiveness Sunday
- (Read)
O Master, guide to wisdom, / giver of prudent counsel,
instructor of the unwise, / and champion of the poor, /
make firm my heart, / and grant to it understanding. /
O Word of the Father, / give me words, / for behold, /
I will not stop my lips from crying out to You: / I am
fallen, / in Your compassion / have mercy on me.
Return to Page 26 – “Holy God . . .”
EPISTLE
– Romans 13:11-14:4
(Cheesefare)
rethren,
salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed;
the night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us then cast
off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let
us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in
reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and
licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on
the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh,
to gratify its desires. As for the man who is weak in faith,
welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions. One
believes he may eat anything, while the weak man eats only
vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who abstains,
and let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats;
for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on
the servant of another? It is before his own master that he
stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for God is able to
make him stand.
GOSPEL
– Matthew 6:14-21
(Cheesefare)
he Lord said,
"If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father
also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their
trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your
trespasses. "And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the
hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their
fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have
received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head
and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men
but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who
sees in secret will reward you. "Do not lay up for
yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume
and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for
yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust
consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For
where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
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FOR
THE RECORD:
Saturday of Souls,
February 14, 2004:
Attendance - 18; Candles - $35; Offering - $5; Hospitality -
$11.
Sunday, February 15, 2004:
Attendance - 45; Candles - $85; Offering - $5; Hospitality -
$28; Building Fund - $113. Thank you!”
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THANKS TO FR. GERASIMOS MURPHY who
conducted the Saturday of Souls Divine Liturgy, Feb. 14. We
were pleased to welcome his sister Janice, visiting from
Connecticut.
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“MANY YEARS” TO FR. WILLIAM MATTIS
who is celebrating the 20th Anniversary of his Ordination to
the Priesthood today. Fr. Bill will conduct the Divine Liturgy
today and preach the sermon. We ask God’s blessings upon him
and Presbytera Mary.
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HOSPITALIZED: Oak Hill:
Valentina Dergacheff and Christos Spirou, recovering at home;
Eleni Nicolelis. Let Fr. Stanley know when a family member is
hospitalized!
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P.E.P CLASS: Friday, February 27,
2004 at 2:30 p.m. Our topic will be the Healing of the Blind
Man-2 (John 9:13-34) Join in learning about our Orthodox
Church. Your are welcome! Refresments! Followed by . . .
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1st SALUTATIONS TO THE THEOTOKOS at
4:00 p.m. followed by a Lenten Covered Dish Supper. Please
come, and bring your favorite Lenten Dish!
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PROSFORON BAKERS:
Venice Cosmadelis 2/22; Emily Thomas 2/29; George and Maria
Angeliades 3/7; Fran Mather 3/14; Gloria Vardakis 3/21; Bette
Ferriero 3/25 (Annunciation); Fran Triantafilon 3/28;
Presbytera Emily 4/3 (Saturday of Lazarus); George Nikas 4/4
(Palm Sunday); Patricia Lilore 4/8 (Holy Thursday); Eleni
Nicolelis (Holy Saturday 4/9); Connie Mourgides 4/11 (Pascha);
Betty Roussos 4/18 (Thomas Sunday).
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NOTE: THERE WILL BE
NO SATURDAY OF SOULS LITURGY THIS WEEK!
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THANKS to Ann Prestage for the
donation of a gallon of communion wine!
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MISSION COUNCIL MEETING:
The Council of our church met on Wednesday,
February 18, at 7:00 p.m. at the Fellowship Hall. Some of the
issues discussed and acted upon are the following: By-Laws
– The By-Laws of our church will be presented for
discussion and adoption at the next General Assembly, May 2,
2004; The Church Telephone Directory is being prepared.
All members of the church will be asked to solicit
advertisements for this useful fund-raising project; A
Pre-Holy Week Grounds Clean-Up Saturday will be held on
March 27 – Everyone is asked to help. Sunday Bulletins –
To save money, Stewards and Friends are asked to take only
one bulletin home per household. Please leave all other
bulletins in the pews to be mailed to those not in attendance.
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The Facilities and Grounds Committee
reported that the Dining Hall has been painted on the outside,
with only the trim to be done. Mr. John Saittis has
offered to bush-hog large areas of the property. A number of
dead trees will need to be cut and hauled away, before the
clearing can be done. Outdoor light bulbs need to be
replaced.
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The Fund Raising Committee discussed
the coming Mardi Gras (yesterday), the April 4 Palm Sunday
Fish Dinner and the Easter night “Mageritsa” meal. The soup
will be prepared by Bill Hazivasilis, but parishioners are
asked to donate bread, feta cheese, olives, etc. Call Dora
Halvatzes to donate.
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Parishioners with Email Addresses are
asked to let Dorothy Triantafilon know their email addresses.
Send a message to
doreyt@tampabay.rr.com
with your address.
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The Dino Adamis Easter Food and Easter
Basket delivery will take place on Thursday, April 7.
Donations of Easter candy, and gifts are needed for 52
children. The Planning and Development Committee is
working on several fronts to plan for a potential new church
complex (in anticipation of the sale of our present camp
ground property). Dimi Andoniades has offered his professional
skills for this effort. The “Scope of Work” for the
anticipated visit of the Orthodox Christian Fellowship
students from the University of Illinois was discussed, as
well as how we will express our thanks to the young people.
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After reports on the costs of repairing
the mobile home at the entrance to the property, it
was decided to have it removed. It was voted unanimously to
make an application to the Metropolis that we become a
Parish of the Metropolis. Our contract with the
Hernando County New Residence Guide was renewed and
special ads placed in Hernando Today.
Apologies
to Andrea Cardo,
last week’s sponsor, for the error in her name!
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Bulletin Sponsors: Steve & Connie mourgides
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on our 55th
WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
COME TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY
CHRIST THE SAVIOR
GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
- P.O. BOX 5566
- SPRING HILL, FL 34611
- “A Pan-Orthodox Christian Community”
Adam and
Eve
Expelled From Paradise
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