Contents

The Orthodox Messenger

Vol. II, No. 20 – Sunday, May 25, 2003

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

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

The Hellenic Orthodox Mission Website: http://orthodoxhernandocountyfl.org/

DO YOU BELONG TO THE CHURCH?
by Rev. Andrew Demotses, Pastor, St. Vasilios Church, Peabody, MA

(Adapted from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Website)

 

everal weeks ago, I saw a parishioner whom I had not seen in a very long time. After exchanging the pleasantries with him, I told him how sorry I was to learn of his decision to leave the church along with his family. "But Father," he protested, "I haven't left the church." I explained to him, however, that I had not seen him or his family in church for a very long time. His children no longer sang in the Jr. Choir or participated in youth activities. Neither he nor his wife had worked in the festival or attended a meeting of a parish organization. They had not even made a contribution to the church in recent years. Is it any wonder that I thought they had left? What is it that he would do, if he quit, that he had not already done?

   That is why many of you who read this bulletin do not belong to the church. You are not a part of it at all. You have decided to become nothing more than a simple entry on our large mailing list.

   Someone once calculated that if we lived for 70 years, we would spend three years in the classroom, eight years in amusements, six years eating, five years in an automobile, four years in idle conversation and three years ill or convalescing. But in an average life of 70 years, we would spend much less than one year for God, even if we spend 90 minutes a week in church and 10 minutes a day in prayer.

   Most of us, however, spend far less time than that in prayer and worship. Looking at life from this point of view gives us an opportunity to ask ourselves two pointed questions -- Am I truly a Christian? Do I really belong to the Church?

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

5th SUNDAY OF PASCHA – THE SAMARITAN WOMAN

GOSPEL ENTRANCE AND OTHER HYMNS

Dismissal Hymn for Pascha

   Sung in Greek before the Entrance (“Christos Anesti... )

   Sung in English after the Entrance - “Christ is risen .. . “

Dismissal Hymn of the 4th Tone

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

Dismissal Hymn of Mid-Pentecost

   (Read) O Lord, / midway through the feast, / give drink to my thirsty soul / from the waters of the true faith. / For to all, You the Savior cried aloud. / “Let whoever is thirsty come to Me and drink.” As the fountain of life, / O Christ our God, / glory to You.

Dismissal Hymn of St. Nicholas

   (Sing in English) “An Example of the Faith” Hymnal 110-111.

Kontakion for Pascha

   (Sung) by the Leaders in Greek (“Ei kai en tafo”)

   (Read) Even though You descended into the grave, / 0 immortal One, / You destroyed the power of Hades; / and You arose as victor, I 0 Christ our God, I saying to the myrrh-bearing women, / “Hail!” / and to Your Apostles granting peace; / You also grant resurrection to the fallen.

Return to a page 26 for “Holy God” and for the Epistle and Gospel Readings

CHANGES LATER IN THE DIVINE LITURGY

In the place of “Truly it is proper . . .” (p. 54)

   The Leaders (Sing) “O Angelos eboa  . . . Efrenou Aghalou”

   Translation: “Rejoice and be glad, O gate of the divine Light; for Jesus who disappeared in the tomb has risen with greater radiance than the sun, illuminating all believers, O Lady favored of God .”

In the place of the Communion Hymn (Praise Him . . .)

   (Sing) “Soma Christou”... Body of Christ... Hymnal, p. 104

In the place of “We have seen the light” (Sing) “Christos Anesti,” Christ is Risen.

EPISTLE (The Third Finding) – 2 Corinthians 4:6-15

RETHREN, it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For while we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.  So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, "I believed, and so I spoke," we too believe, and so we speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.  For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

GOSPEL - John 4:5-42

T THAT  TIME, Jesus came to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and so Jesus, wearied as he was with his journey, sat down beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep; where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, and his sons, and his cattle?" Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw." Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here." The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, 'I have no husband'; for you have had five husbands, and he whom you now have is not your husband; this you said truly." The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain; and you say that Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." The woman said to him, "I know that the Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ); when he comes, he will show us all things." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he." Just then his disciples came. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but none said, "What do you wish?" or, "Why are you talking with her?" So the woman left her water jar, and went away into the city and said to the people, "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?" They went out of the city and were coming to him. Meanwhile the disciples besought him, saying "Rabbi, eat." But he said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know." So the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought him food?" Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see how the fields are already white for harvest. He who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor." Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's testimony. "He told me all that I ever did." So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard ourselves, and we know that this is indeed Christ the Savior of the world."

   FOR THE RECORD: Sunday, May 18: Attendance - 33; Candles - $43; Offering Tray - $73.45; Bookstore-Library -$123. Thank you to all for your generous support!

   ALICE L. MARTY: A Trisagion Memorial Service will be offered today on the One Year Anniversary of the passing of Alice L. Marty. Mr. Gus Marty invites all of the parishioners, following Church services today, to a light luncheon in the Fellowship Hall, offered in his wife’s memory. May her memory be eternal!

   THE DAWN CENTER for Abused Women, the philanthropic project of our Mission, was the recipient of the many boxes and bags of items of bed linens, blankets, baby items, personal items and hand-painted bags that were donated by our parishioners, Chair person Bette Ferriero, reports. These donations were received with extreme delight and appreciation by the staff of the Dawn Center. Many thanks to all for their generosity and for the talents of those who painted the bags under Bette’s direction.

   HOSPITALIZED: Oak Hill Hospital: Gerry Levandis, now at home. We pray for a rapid recovery! Please inform the Priest when a family member is hospitalized. Not all hospitals inform the clergy of parishioners’ admissions.

   COFFEE HOUR SPONSORS: Two persons each week select the date they want to sponsor and they write in their names on the COFFEE HOUR SIGN UP SHEET in the Fellowship Hall. Sundays are open for June. Please sign up!

   SUMMER TIME (1) means that people travel North. But summertime is not a time to miss Church! Whether you are up North, or continue to stay in our beautiful Florida, come to Church on Sundays and feast days. God doesn’t forget you! You shouldn’t forget God!

   SUMMER TIME (2) is a good time to read a book about your Orthodox Christian Faith! Our Library offers you many choices for religious and spiritual reading. Stop by the Library today and pick up a book to read. You will learn and grow!

   Memorial Day: Tomorrow, May 26 is Memorial Day, in which we remember those who gave their lives for our freedom. At 10:30 a.m., a Trisagion will be offered at Grace Memorial Gardens on Rt. 19 at the Orthodox section. At Noon, a Trisagion will be offered at Brooksville Cemetery at the grave of Dino Adamis. Please attend!

   THE MEN’S BREAKFAST CLUB meets Thursdays for a social gathering. All men are invited to participate. For details of time and place, call Bill Pasisis at 688-7465.

SPONSOR AN ISSUE OF THE ORTHODOX MESSENGER: See Connie Mourgies today, or call her at 686-0589. Only $20. Thank you!

   THE PARISH EDUCATION PROGRAM (P.E.P.) continues this week on Friday, May 23, 2:00 p.m. We will be studying more of the 6th chapter of the Gospel of John.

   PROSFORON BAKING: George Nikas 5/25; Fran Triantafilon 6/1; Presbytera Emily Harakas 6/5 (Ascension); Connie Mourgides 6/8; Venice Cosmadelis 6/15 (Pentecost Sunday); Fran Mather 6/22; Helen Nicolelis 6/29. Thanks to all!

   junE Birthdays: Charlotte Rodrigez 6/2; Spiro Lemonedes 6/7; Alex Noyes 6/8; Presbytera Mary Liadis 6/6; Dee Nikas 6/13; Costa Hronis 6/15; Bill Fondulas 6/17; Barbara Chigos 6/17; Dorothy Triantafilon 6/25.

   ANNIVERSARIES: John & Jennie Kotsifakis 6/20; Ed & Gloria Zahka 6/14 (Their 50th!) Congratulations! Blessing Prayers will be offered next Sunday, June 1 for all those celebrating Birthdays and Anniversaries.

                                                         Come To Church!

HELLENIC ORTHODOX MISSION

OF HERNANDO COUNTY

P.O. BOX 5566

SPRING HILL, FL 34611

“A Pan-Orthodox Christian Community”

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