Hellenic Orthodox Mission

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As Hierarchs of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas, we address you in the love of Jesus Christ on the occasion of the Feast of the Sunday of Orthodoxy, a day when we specifically celebrate the restoration of the use of icons in our worship. The significance of this day, however, does not rest solely on icons, but also in the celebration of the fullness of our Orthodox Christian faith and its triumph over forces that have sought to diminish its power and integrity. On this day, in every Orthodox Church throughout our country and our world, the affirmation of this faith as recorded by the Seventh Ecumenical Council is proclaimed triumphantly and with one voice: This is the faith of the Apostles! This is the faith of the Fathers! This is the faith of the Orthodox! This is the faith, which has established the universe!

Our Orthodox faith is the Apostolic faith. Its power and truth rests upon the living testimony of the Apostles who were called by Christ to see His miracles firsthand, to hear His words of truth and wisdom, and to give witness to the wonders of His glory. After His Resurrection, Christ commissioned the Apostles to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Mt. 28:19). So great was their fervor for this sacred endeavor that they could not remain silent in the face of persecution or even death, but were inspired to speak of what they had seen and heard (Acts 4:20).

Our Orthodox faith is the faith of the Fathers of the Church. The Fathers were pinnacles of learning, education, and human understanding--figures of towering spiritual and intellectual abilities, who used the tools of prayer and philosophy to expound upon the essential truths of the Christian faith. With their shining examples of brilliance, we proclaim on this Sunday of Orthodoxy that our faith is one of profound spiritual and intellectual sophistication.
Our Orthodox faith is universal, for the Good News of salvation extends to all humanity. The Apostles themselves confirmed that to the nations also God has granted repentance unto life (Acts 11:18). The Creator of the universe offers to every person, each being created in His likeness and image, abundant mercy that leads to eternal life. This Orthodox faith has been proclaimed by the Church down through the centuries. Today, as faithful clergy and lay people, members of the Body of Christ who are guided by the Holy Spirit in our Apostolic witness, we offer to our contemporary world the rich heritage of this faith in ways that nurture, enrich, and refresh lives,families, and communities. The healing power of our united Christian witness is especially crucial for our modern age, which is plagued by attitudes of racism and bigotry, assaulted by increased threats of war and terror, and challenged by environmental degradation and poverty. Before these and other ills, we offer the saving truth and compassionate service of our holy, apostolic, and universal faith.

As Hierarchs of the Orthodox Churches in the Americas, we pray that the light of the unadulterated truth of our Orthodox Christian faith shine before all people of this land, so that all may know the transforming presence and the infinite mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord. May our Lenten journey towards His glorious Resurrection grant you continued spiritual fortification and strength; may we continue to grow in the apostolic fervor and witness of our Orthodox faith; and may the peace and grace of the Holy Trinity dwell among us now and for all eternity.

+Archbishop DEMETRIOS, Chairman Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
+Metropolitan HERMAN Orthodox Church in America

+Metropolitan PHILIP, Vice Chairman
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of

+Metropolitan JOSEPH Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Church
+Metropolitan NICHOLAS of Amissos, American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese in the USA

North America +Archbishop NICOLAE Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in America and Canada
+Metropolitan CHRISTOPHER, Secretary Serbian Orthodox Church in the USA and Canada +Metropolitan CONSTANTINE Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA +Bishop ILIA of Philomelion Albanian Orthodox Diocese

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

GOSPEL ENTRANCE HYMNS

Dismissal Hymn of the Sunday of Orthodoxy (Before the Gospel Entrance)

(Read) We venerate Your immaculate icon, / O Good Lord, / entreating for forgiveness of our offences, / O Christ our God. / By Your own choice / You willingly ascended the Cross in the flesh, / to deliver those whom you had fashioned / from their slavery to the foe. / Therefore with thanksgiving we cry to You: / O our Savior, / You have filled all things with joy, / by coming to save the world.

(Read) To You, the Champion Leader, / do I, Your City, / ascribe thank-offerings of victory, / for you, O Mother of God, have delivered me from terrors; / but as you have invincible power, / free me from every kind of danger, / so that to you, I may cry: / Hail, O Bride unwedded.

rethren, by faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered abuse suffered for the Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he looked to the reward. 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 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.

he next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. And he found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathaniel, and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathaniel said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathaniel coming to him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” Nathaniel said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathaniel answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.”

PROSFORON BAKING: Connie Mourgides 3/16; Venice Cosmadelis 3/23; Fran Mather 3/25 (Feast of the Annunciation); George Nikas 3/30; Fran Triantafilon 4/6; Bette Ferriero 4/13; Helen Nicolelis 4/24 (Holy Thursday); Presbytera Emily (Holy Saturday) 4/26; Gloria Vardakis (Pascha) 4/27. Remember to include family names, both living and deceased.

CLEAN-UP DAY! Note change of date! Saturday, March 22 at 10:00 a.m. We will rake leaves, prepare flower beds, clean the bathrooms and both halls. Good exercise and fun. Lunch provided! Come!

THE “MAGNA GRAECA” EXHIBITION at the Tampa Museum of Art. Our Mission is sponsoring a day-trip by bus to visit the exhibit on Thursday, March 27. Sign up in the Fellowship Hall. Cost is $15 for the Bus & Admission $6 per person. Lunch is on your own.

SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY: A Pan-Orthodox Vesper Service will be held this evening Sunday, March 16, at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Tarpon Springs at 6:30 p.m. Fr. Harakas will be preaching. To car-pool, speak to Mission Council President, Connie Mourgides for details. Also, another Pan-Orthodox Vesper Service is being held this evening at Archangel Michael Church in Lecanto, at 6:30 p.m.

SIGN UP TO SPONSOR A COFFEE HOUR! Coffee Hour Sponsors provide the cake, sweets and fruit. The “Sign-up Sheet” is in the Parish Hall.

“T HE PERFECT PERSON does not only try to avoid evil. Nor does he do good for fear of punishment; still less in order to qualify for the hope of a promised reward. The perfect person does good through love.” Clement of Alexandria, Miscellenies, 4, 22, 135.