Contents

 

 ? ? ? ? ? ?

HELP CHOOSE A NAME

FOR OUR WEEKLY BULLETIN

Vol. I, No. 3 – Sunday, February 3, 2002

 

Eastern Orthodox Church of Hernando County

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

Meeting at St. Nicholas Chapel, 13460 Olympic Village Lane, Brooksville, FL -  (352) 796-8482

 

THE PRESENTATION OF CHRIST

  Yesterday, February 2, our Church remembered an early event in the life of Christ, when He was a forty day old infant. The name of the feast is “The Presentation of Christ.” The Gospel of Luke (2:22-40) tells how Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem, to fulfill the requirements of the Jewish law. Since the Old Testament expected that the Messiah was to be a first-born son, the presenting of the child was a way of re-affirming the expectation of the coming of the redeemer of Israel.

  Symeon, a “righteous and devout” old man who had been fervently waiting for the coming of the Messiah, had been guided by the Holy Spirit to meet the infant Jesus in the Temple. "It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ" (Luke 2:26).  When the meeting took place, Symeon took “the child Jesus” in his arms and exclaimed, “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the

Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32).

  For the Church, the feast of the Presentation of Christ declares that He is the awaited Savior. But this event shows, further, that Jesus Christ was to be the Savior of the whole world. His coming is for “all peoples,” both Jews and Gentiles.

  What should our personal response be as Orthodox Christians to this feast? One of the Vesper hymns tells us: “Come, let us also welcome Christ and receive him with divine songs of praise, whose salvation Symeon saw of whom David speaks. He it is who spoke through the Prophets, who is incarnate for our sakes, and speaks in the law. Him let us worship!”

  So the feast of the Presentation of Christ at the Temple is an invitation to conscious and committed faith in Christ, the Savior of the world. Just as Symeon received Christ in his arms, we are called to “also welcome Christ” into all aspects and dimensions of our existence. Why? Because Jesus Christ “is incarnate for our sakes.” He has become our guide to true life. He is above all other things and values. Therefore, “Him let us worship!”

Service Hours: Sundays and Feast days: Orthros at 9:30 a.m.; Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.

 

15TH Sunday of Matthew – 2nd Tone

Sunday After the Presentation

Saints: Holy and Just Symeon; Holy Martyr Abraham (+347); the Prophetess Anna (+868); Nicholas, Stamatios, and John, Neomartyrs of Spestai (1822)

 

EPISTLE READING – 2 Corinthians  1:21-2:4

  But it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has commissioned us; he has put his seal upon us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.  But I call God to witness against me -- it was to spare you that I refrained from coming to Corinth. Not that we lord it over your faith; we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.  For I made up my mind not to make you another painful visit. For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. For I wrote you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.

 

GOSPEL READING – Matthew 22:35-46

And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, to test him. "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets."  Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, saying, "What do you think of the Christ? Whose son is he?" They said to him, "The son of David." He said to them, "How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying,   `The Lord said to my Lord,   Sit at my right hand,   till I put thy enemies under thy feet'? If David thus calls him Lord, how is he his son?" And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did any one dare to ask him any more questions.

 

GOSPEL ENTRANCE HYMNS

  Dismissal Hymn – 2nd Tone Divine Liturgy Hymnal, p. 81-82

(Sing in Greek (“Ote katelthes pros ton thanaton”) before the Gospel Entrance and in English after the Entrance (“When you descended to the realm . . . )

  Hymn of St. John Chrysostom

 (Read) Hail, O grace-filled one, / Virgin and Mother of God, / from you has arisen

the Sun of Justice, Christ our God, / enlightening those who stand in darkness. / You too, O just Elder Symeon, / rejoice for you carried in your arms / the Redeemer of our souls, / who grants us resurrection.

  (Sing in English) Hymn of St. Nicholas - Divine Liturgy Hymnal, p. 110-111

"An example of the Faith and a life of humility. . ."

  (Read) The Kontakion - Your birth sanctified a Virgin's womb / and fittingly blessed the hands of Symeon. / You have now come and saved us, O Christ, our God. / In troubled times / as the only loving One, / give peace to your nation/ and strength to those in civil authority, / whom You love.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

A DIOCESE LEADERSHIP MEETING for the Tampa Bay Conference will be held on Saturday, February 9 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. His Grace, Bishop Alexios will preside. Parish Council members will receive Registration Forms from President Connie Mourgides. This is our first Tampa Bay Conference event and we should be well represented.

 

OLYMPIC VILLAGE FOUNDATION MEMBERS' MEETING - Saturday, February 16, 2002 at 10:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Plan to attend this informative meeting. (Note Time Change!)

 

HOW TO CONTACT FR. STANLEY: Church Office Hours are Fridays from 2 to 4 p.m. Church Office phone - (352) 796-8482. Leave a message if there is no answer. Fr. Stanley's home phone is (352) 688-2382. Call in the afternoons and evenings (Emergencies - anytime). Or, e-mail: Rharakas@aol.com.

 

HAVE YOU SENT YOUR ENTRY TO NAME OUR WEEKLY PARISH BULLETIN? The deadline is Sunday, February 17, 2002. The prize will be awarded in Church on Sunday, February 24, 2002. The winner will be chosen by the Parish Council. Enter the contest by writing your suggestion on plain paper with your name, address, phone number and Email Address. Mail it to Eastern Orthodox Church of Hernando County, P.O. Box 5566, Spring Hill, FL 34611.

 

A STEWARD, according to the Bible is one who manages his or her affairs in a way that serves the purposes of the Lord. It is a way of living our Orthodox Faith.

 

SIX PROSFORON BAKERS HAVE VOLUNTEERED! Prosforon Bread is the bread with the seal in it that is used for Holy Communion and for the Antidoron bread distributed after the Divine Liturgy. Volunteers will take turns baking. See or call (597-1375) George Nikas, Prosforon Coordinator. A meeting will be held shortly to provide guidance and assistance to the Prosforon Bakers. Please join them

 

PARISH OUTREACH Contacts were made this past week with the Hernando Today and Hernando Times to carry stories about our “Eastern Orthodox Church of Hernando County” in their Saturday Religion columns. Look for these announcements.

 

HOSPITALIZED this past week was Harriet Pasisis at Bayonet Point, New Port Richey.  We pray for her rapid recovery. Always let Fr. Stanley know when a family member is hospitalized or is ill at home.

 

TODAY, THE FIRST SUNDAY OF FEBRUARY we will have a "Dialogue Sermon." Parishioners ask Fr. Stanley questions that they have about our Orthodox Faith and answers will be given. Do you have a question ready?

 

FROM ST. MAXIMOS THE CONFESSOR: “Just as the thought of fire does not warm the body, so faith without love does not actualize the light of spiritual knowledge of the soul.”

  

EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH

OF HERNANDO COUNTY

P.O. BOX 5566

SPRING HILL, FL 34611

• Bulletins
• Contact
• Directions
• Education
• Events
• Fr. Harakas
• Links
• Newspaper
• Photos