The Orthodox Messenger

Vol. VII, No. 24 – Sunday, May 25, 2008

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

Website: http://orthodoxhernandocountyfl.org

       A STORY OF RESURRECTION FAITH

The story is told about a village in a communist dominated country several decades ago. The regional head of the Party arranged for all of the villagers to attend a lecture on the principles of Atheistic Marxism on a particular day – the Sunday before Ascension Day on the Orthodox Church calendar.

     Dutifully, every man, woman and child of the village gathered to hear the speech. In the audience was the elderly Priest of the village’s only surviving Orthodox church.

     For almost an hour and a half, the speech droned on about the glories of communism and especially about the atheistic principles that were at the foundations of so-called “scientific materialism.”

     The people listened to the leader in silence. When the talk at last was over, the speaker invited the villagers to ask questions or to make comments. There was an awkward silence for many minutes. No one wanted to say anything, for to do anything but praise and agree with the speaker surely would mean some kind of reprisal, some kind of punishment.

     After a period of embarrassing silence in the crowd of villagers, the elderly village Priest indicated that he wanted to say something. When the speaker saw that it was the Priest, he warned him sternly that he could only speak for a maximum of five minutes.

     “Yes, yes,” said the Priest. “I will not speak for five minutes. I will not speak even for one minute,” he said humbly.

     Taking his place in front of the assembled villagers, he said in a loud and strong voice that contrasted with his frail appearance, “Christ is risen!”

     To the chagrin of the speaker and the other Party officials in attendance, a huge, loud, and piercing response rang out from the crowd, “Truly, He is risen!”

     The old Priest returned silently to his place.

     Just as silently, the speaker with his retinue, descended from the speaker’s platform and left the village, overcome by the simple declaration of faith of the villagers.

     It is worth reflecting on this story to try to fathom the power of the declaration of faith in the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As St. Peter says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3). We can never give up that rock of faith in exchange for the earthly, passing and distorted values of this fallen world.

5th SUNDAY AFTER PASCHA – SUNDAY OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN

GOSPEL ENTRANCE AND OTHER HYMNS

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Dismissal Hymn  for Pascha

Sung in Greek before the Entrance ("Christos Aneste…").

Priest’s Entrance Hymn: In the congregations bless God, the Lord who springs out of Israel. Priest & People: Save us o Son of God who did rise from the dead, we sing to You, Alleluia.

Dismissal Hymn – 4th  Tone

   (Sing in English after the Entrance)“When the tidings . . . ”). Hymnal,  84-85.

Dismissal Hymn of Mid-Pentecost (Sung) in Greek by the Leader “Mesousis tis eortes”

   (Read) In the midst of this Feast, / O Savior, / give to my thirsty soul / the water of true worship to drink./ For you called out to all, saying, / Whosoever is thirsty, / let him come to me and drink. / Wherefore, / O Christ our God, / Fountain of life, / glory to You.

Dismissal Hymn of the Finding: (Read) Truly, from the earth arose / the head of the Foreunner, / bequeathing to believers incorruptible rays  of healing, / gathering the crowed of angels from above / and calling below the races of humanity / to address their voices in unison / in glory to Christ God.

Dismissal Hymn of the Presentation of Christ (Sing) From the sheet in the pew.

Kontakion for Pascha

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

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

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

   EPISTLE – 2 Corinthians 4:6-15 (Third Finding) Brethren, 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 believed, 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 (Samaritan Woman) At 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."

Changes Later In the Divine Liturgy

In the place of “Truly it is proper. . .” (p. 54)  The Leaders (Sing) “O Angelos eboa. . . Efrainou, agallou. . .” (Read): The angel declared to the one full of grace, O pure Virgin, Hail, and again I say Hail. 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 true light; (Sing) “Christos Anesti,”  Christ is Risen

  FOR THE RECORD: Sunday, May 11, 2008. Candles $73; Visitors’ Donations $27; Telephone Book ad $100; Stewardship $460; Attendance 44.  Sunday, May 18, 2008.   Candles  $68; Visitors’ Donations $31; Coffee Hour  $22; Stewardship $660; Greeting Cards & Diakonia Magazine $10.30; Bulletin $50; Attendance 42. Thanks! 

    MEMORIAL DAY TRISAGION: Today, Christ the Savior Church will offer a Trisagion Service for the rest of the souls of all those who died in the defense of our country. May their memories be eternal!

     MAY COFFEE HOUR HOSTS: May 18 – Harriet Pasisis; May 25 Emily Thomas & Harriet Pasisis.

     BATISM: The son of Nicole Underwood and Lance Perez was baptized on Saturday, May 3 at Christ the Savior Church. Sponsor was Elaine Underwood. He received the Christian name of Jordan Fredrick. Congratulations! We pray “Many Years!”

   PARISH COUNCIL CANDLE STAND ASSIGNMENTS: May 25 – Curtis & Emily Thomas; June 1- George Maniates, Bill Pasisis; June 8 – Achilles Thomas & Venice Cosmadelis; June 15 – George Angeliadis & Bill Pasisis; June 22 – Argiris & Carol Gymnaos; June 29 – Helene Arvanitis & Venice Cosmadelis.

   PROSFORON BAKING RESUMES: Argiri & Carol Gymnaos 6/1; George Nikas 6/8; Diane Covington6/15; Stacy Underwood Humbert 6/22; Presbytera Emily Harakas 6/9; Betty Ferriero 7/6; Venice Cosmadelis 7/13. Thanks!

  FREE PRINTER INK: We have a supply of printer ink to give away! If you own an Epson printer of the following types C70, C80, C80N,  C80WN, C82,  C82WN, CX5100, CX5200, CX5300, or CX5400, contact Fr. Stanley 796-2377.

   SYMPATHY: We extend sympathy to Edward and Gloria Zahka on the passing of  Gloria’s brother-in-law, Thomas Barakat, late husband of Gloria’s sister Nora, in California. Eternal Memory! We also convey our deep sympathy to Sam and Janice Jabbour on the passing on May 14 of Janice’s brother Andrew Rawan of Worcester, MA. Eternal memory! Both the Zahkas’ and Jabbours are presently in Massachusetts.

   HOSPITALIZED: We have been informed that Edward Zahka was admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital. Your prayers are requested. We pray for rapid recovery!

   TWELVE ORTHODOX STUDY BIBLES have been ordered. Six persons have signed up for copies of the Bible which includes the Septuagint Old Testament (official text of the Orthodox Church) and the New Testament, with study guides. You can obtain a copy at $40 a volume, (normally $50 plus postage and handling). Speak to Fr. Stanley.

  DAWN CENTER: Debbie Andrews, Executive Director of the Dawn Center, which our church through the St. Katherine Ladies Society supports, wrote them recently in part: “Thank you very much for your donation of Mother’s Day Baskets for the women of the Dawn Center. They appreciate everything that is donated for them while they are in this difficult time of their lives. Mother’s Day can be an especially emotional day. Thank you again and thanks for believing in what we do here.”

COME TO CHURCH DURING THE SUMMER – THERE ARE NO VACATIONS FROM OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD!

CHRIST THE SAVIOR

GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

P.O. BOX 5566

SPRING HILL, FL 34611