The Orthodox Messenger
Vol. V, No. 1 – Sunday, January 1, 2006

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

 JANUARY 1, 2006 - A TRIPLE OBSERVANCE!

  TODAY, SUNDAY, JANUARY 1, 2006 is a day when we observe three important commemorations: The Feast of the Circumcision of Christ; the Feast of St. Basil the Great and the Beginning of the Civil New Year. Let’s look at these three observances briefly.

  THE CIRCUMCISION OF JESUS took place according to the practices of the Jewish religion. Every male child was circumcised on the eighth day after birth. It was the essential act that made him a participant in God’s covenant with Abraham, a part of the God’s chosen people. The Kontakion for today says, “You were circumcised on our behalf, loving Master, the fulfillment of the Mosaic Law.” It was a vivid expression of Christ assuming our full human nature so that He could save us through His Church.

ST. BASIL THE GREAT, ARCHBISHOP OF CAESAREA (330-379) and his five brothers and sisters were raised in Christian piety by their parents, and grew to be priests, nuns, and bishops. All became saints of Orthodoxy in the fourth century. Educated in Athens and Constantinople, Basil distinguished himself as a person of intellect and of spiritual accomplishment as a monk. In a time of crisis, he was ordained Bishop of Caesarea, with the task of defending the Orthodox Faith against heretics. Among his accomplishments was that he established the written rules for monasticism, and he formalized the Divine Liturgy for the Church out of several traditions. St. Basil’s liturgy is celebrated ten times each year, including Christmas and Basil’s feast day, January 1^st. Basil created orphanages, hospitals, and homes for the elderly as a practical outreach of brotherly love. Basil was also a great preacher and teacher. He wrote many books against false teachers, a famous book on the Holy Spirit and many commentaries on various books of the Holy Bible, including the six days of Creation. 

  NEW YEAR’S DAY 2006 in our civil calendar also begins this day. It gives us an opportunity to review our life for the past year. For the Orthodox  Christian today is a day to make a spiritual assessment and to affirm what we have done according to God’s will and to repent for what we have done wrong. It is a day to resolve to live more faithfully and fully our Orthodox Christian lives during the coming year 2006. One of the best resolutions that we could make is to resolve to attend Church more fully and to live our lives more fully as Stewards of Time, Talent and Treasure.

A SPECIAL PRIVILEGE FOR US IN TAMPA BAY!

EPIPHANY VISIT OF PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW!

   We in the Tampa Bay area are indeed privileged to be part of the hosting community for the pastoral visit to our area of His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The festivities begin on January 2 and end on January 8.

   You should understand that this event will have world-wide coverage by TV and the print media. Hundreds of people are coming from all over the world and all over the United States to participate in these impressive events.

   Christ the Savior Church should be represented at many of these events. Check the Christ the Savior bus schedules below that will make it possible for you to attend some of these events without the troubles of driving to Tarpon Springs. The organizing committee wants you to attend these events and is making it easy to get there and back. While you can drive, it is not recommended because the  center  of Tarpon  Springs will be closed to traffic on several of the days. Check the bus schedule  on the other side of this sheet to make your participation in this historic event as hassle-free as possible!

   You can greet His All-Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew upon his arrival on Wednesday January 4. Just be on the bus! Or you can drive to St. Nicholas Cathedral in Tarpon Springs for the Doxology at about 5:30 p.m.

   Young people can get bus transportation with their parents, if they wish, to the Celebration of Youth on Thursday morning, January 5 at the Innisbrook Golf Club on Rt. 19. We will be conducting the Divine Liturgy and Lesser Water Blessing here at our Church for everyone else at 10:00 a.m.

   Share in the Clergy / Laity Luncheon the same day from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. at Innisbrook’s Sterling Ballroom. The cost is $75 per person. Hurry up! Seating is limited to 600  persons.

   EPIPHANY DAY! Thurday, January 6. Catch the bus early in the morning for a stress-free drive to Tarpon Springs. You will be on a shuttle to the Cathedral for the Divine Liturgy and for the Greater Blessing of the Waters, and to the Spring Bayou for the traditional diving for the Holy Cross. After this, you can enjoy the Glendi, a beautiful Greek party all day at the Spring Bayou. Tired and want to go home? A shuttle will take you to your bus every twenty minutes until mid-afternoon and every hour after that. Stressless! Inspirational! Enjoyable! Fun!

   That night, THE EPIPHANY PATRIARCHAL CENTENNIAL EPIPIHANY BANQUET in honor of His All-Holiness at the A’La Carte Event Pavilion in Tampa, FL starting at 6:00 p.m. with the Banquet at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $200 per person. You can still get your tickets!

   On Saturday, January 7, feast day of St. John the Baptist, the Services will be held at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church at 2418 Swann Ave, in Tampa with a community luncheon to follow.

That evening, the BIG MARIO FRANGOULIS CONCERT at the University of South Florida Sun Dome! Yes, there is bus service there, too. They are expecting over 10,000 people to attend! You can be one of them. The tickets start at $35. Order yours now at www.ticketmaster.com . 

   The last event is the Sunday Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas Cathedral, followed by a Farewell Luncheon  at the St. Nicholas Cathedral Community Center. Tickets are $75 per person. His All-Holiness will then depart for Constantinople from the St. Petersburg Airport. There are many opportunities to share in this important and historic event! Share in it!

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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

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THE CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST, FEAST OF SAINT BASIL THE GREAT

New Year’s Day 2006

DIVINE LITURGY OF ST. BASIL

GOSPEL ENTRANCE AND OTHER HYMNS

  Antiphon, Hymnal, 18: English – Save us O Son of God, Circumsized in the flesh, we sing to you, Alleluia. Greek – Sos-on emas EE-eh The-ou, oh sarki peree-tmee-thees, psal-on-tah see, Allelouia

Gospel Entrance Dismissal Hymn of the Feast

   Sung in Greek before the Entrance by the Leaders: “Morphen analeeotos. . . ".

Resurrection Dismissal Hymn – 3^rd Tone

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

Dismissal Hymn of the Feast  

   (Read) In essence being God, / most compassionate Master, / You assumed human nature without being changed in Your divinity. / Fulfilling the Law of Your own will / You accepted circumcision in the flesh, / to bring an end to the shadow, / and to remove the passions that cover us. / Glory to Your benevolence, O Lord; / glory to Your compassion; / glory to Your inexpressible condescension, / O Word.

Dismissal Hymn of St. Basil

   Sung in Greek by the Leaders “Ees pasan ten geen . . .”

   (Read) Your voice has gone out through all the earth, / for it accepted your word, / through which you taught the dogmas befitting God, / you expounded on the nature of all that is, / and you arranged the morals of society. / A royal priesthood! / Devout father Basil,  / intercede with Christ our God, / to grant us His great mercy.

Kontakion of the Feast

   Sung in Greek by the Leaders: “O ton olon Kyrios. . .”

  (Read) The Master of the world / and Creator of all things, / the One who is on high / with the Father and the Spirit, / on earth has been circumcised / as an infant just eight days old. / Lord, divine and amazing indeed / are all Your works. You were circumcised on our behalf, loving Master, / the fulfillment of the Mosaic Law.

Turn to pp. 26-27 of the Hymnal, for “Holy God . . . .”

   EPISTLE – Galatians 4:4-7 (St. Basil) + Brethren, see to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fulness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to fulness of life in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of flesh in the circumcision of Christ; and you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

   GOSPEL – Matthew 2:1-20 (The Circumcision) + At that time, the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him. Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom; and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the company they went a day's journey, and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances; and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him. After three days, they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions; and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously." And he said to them, "How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" And they did not understand the saying which he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man.

  In the place of “We have seen the true light” Hymnal 70 Leaders sing “Morphen . . .”

   PROSFORON BAKERS: Gloria Vardakis 1/1/06 (St. Basil – New Year’s Day); Bette Ferierro 1/05 (Fore Feast of Epiphany); George Nikas 1/8; Connie Mourgides 1/15. Presbytera Emily Harakas 1/22; Argiris & Carol Gymnaos 1/29; Fran Triantafilon 2/2 (Presentation of Christ). Helen Nicolelis 2/5. George Nikas, Prosforon chair will be glad to show you how to bake Prosforon. Call 597-1375.

  THE PARISH ELECTIONS have been ratified by the Metropolis. The swearing in of all of the members of the Board, new and old, will be held on Sunday, January 8, following the Divine Liturgy. Following the swearing in, the Council will meet in order to elect its officers for the year 2006. All members of the Parish Council should be in Church on Sunday, January 8 for the administering of the oath of office.

  CHRIST THE SAVIOR EPIPHANY SERVICES: On the day before Epiphany, Thursday, January 5, 2006 we will conduct the Divine Liturgy followed by the Lesser Blessing of the Waters. Plan to attend! At the suggestion of the Metropolis, the Service of the Greater Water Blessing, normally conducted on Epiphany Day, will at Christ the Savior Church be conducted on Sunday, January 8, 2006. Come and be blessed! Take home holy water to bless your home! If you want Fr. Stanley to come to your home to bless it, please call him at 796-2377 to make an appointment.

  CHRISTMAS SERVICES on Sunday, December 25 were attended by 47 people, many of whom were visitors. Among them were the parishioners of the Romanian Orthodox congregation, St. Andrew the Apostle, that worships every other week in our Chapel. Their priest, Fr. Barr, was in Romania for the Feast of the Nativity. It was our joy to have them present at our church for this major feast!

    THE ANNUAL “VASILOPITA” for the benefit of the St. Basil’s Children’s home of our Archdiocese in Garrison, NY will be held on January 15, 2006 with a Pot-Luck Luncheon. Come and receive your Vasilopita – you may win the coin and be blessed for the whole year 2006! All proceeds will be donated to the children of St. Basil’s Academy.

   ST. KATHERINE LADIES SOCIETY MEETING: President Emily Thomas is calling the first meeting of the St. Katherine Ladies Society for Sunday, January 29 following the Divine Liturgy and Coffee Hour. All women Stewards and Friends of Christ the Savior Church are invited to attend.

   OUR PARISH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM (P.E.P.) resumes week after next on January 13, 2006. We will continue our study of the Gospel of John, by learning what the Church Fathers teach us about the 18^th chapter of this important Gospel

   MEN! JOIN IN THE FELLOWSHIP of the Men’s Breakfast Club that meets each Thursday morning for breakfast, fellowship and service. Following the breakfast, as many as wish come to the church to help in the maintenance of our property. For times and place, call Bill Pasisis 688-7465. You’ll like it! 
 

 FIND STRENGTH, INSPIRATION AND GUIDANCE FOR YOUR LIFE IN CHURCH ON SUNDAYS!

CHRIST THE SAVIOR
GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

P.O. BOX 5566

SPRING HILL, FL 34611

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