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Weekly for January 8th 2012 CUTTING THE VASILOPITA As is the tradition of our church today we will cut the Vasililopita during the coffee hour in honor of Saint Basil and the welcoming of the New Year. ARTOCLASIA Today's "Breaking of the Bread" service is for Vasilios the son of Peter and Margaret Dedes. This service is to honor his namesake Saint Basil, and to ask for his petitions to our Lord for ahealthy, and prosperous year for the entire family. This service also asks the Lord for the peace andwelfare of all-who join in and are present in church. SAINT BASIL ACADEMY TRAY Saint Basil Academy in Garrison N.Y. is the only place our orphaned,homeless and troubled family children can come and have a home. They depend entirely on thegenerosity of the Greek Orthodox Churches in American to survive. We pass a tray only once a year forthem counting on your compassion for them. We will not pass the tray, but rather leave it at the back ofthe church so that if you wish to make out a check you may do so. Either way, cash or check please be generous. The Philoptochos is sponsoring this fund drive. HOME BLESSINGS We celebrated the Theophany service on Friday and Father Chris is now blessing homes. If you wish him to come to your home let him know and we will make a time most convenient for you. BIBLE STUDY Our ongoing bible study will be held tomorrow Monday 9th 6:30p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend. HOLY WATER Holy water is available near the chanter's stand and you may help yourself to as much as you want. Various icon bottles are available at the candle stand, or in the icon store and you may purchase whatever size you wish. Remember also that when Father blesses your home that water is Holy water that you may keep for the year. STEWARDSHIP Please fill out your pledge card soon so that we have an account of funds available for the New Year. The operating fund of the church depends mostly on you the faithful by your contribution and as always we ask you to be as generous as you can. If you can please be a "Steward 1000" member by pledging $20 per week, or $1,000 for the year in whatever way you wish to contribute. Your faithfulness in all things is essential to being and Orthodox Christian. MEN'S MINISTRY A meeting of the executive board will meet this coming Saturday January 14th at9:30a.m. Everyone is welcome to join this meeting especially if you have any ideas that will benefit our parish. STAINED GLASS WINDOWS Two more windows need to be donated to complete the stained glasswindows. The donation is $3,000 for each window and if you can please see Fr. Chris. SCHOLARSHIPS The Panhellenic society has available scholarships for those entering college thisyear. See Father for a copy of the requirements. COFFEE HOUR Thanks to Laura Veros for preparing and taking care of most of the cost for the NewYear's Eve meal and thanks to the others who brought a dish and helped cleaning up. This is another indication of good Stewardship to the community.
HOLY CROSS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH MIDDLETOWN, NEW YORK
Web site: holycrossgreekorthodoxchurch.com-e-mail:Holycgoc@aol.com
Father Chris and the Parish council
Wish all our Stewards and friends of the Church a blessed Christmas
and a blessed, hopeful and prosperous . : NewYear 2012
DIVINE LITURGY-NEW YEARS EVE
On December 31 we will celebrate the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil at 7p.m. then a meal will be offered as a New Years Eve get together. As in past years we do not stay until midnight but leave a short time after the meal so that we may spend the rest of the evening at home. Laura Veros is coordinating the meal.
BIBLE STUDY
Our ongoing bible study will be held tomorrow Monday 26th, at 6:30pm. Everyone is welcome to attend.
GOYA TRIP
Our youth group will be taking a trip to Madison Square Garden in New York City to see a Christmas show on Tuesday December 27th.
COFFEE HOUR Thanks to the Sunday school teachers for sponsoring last week's coffee hour.
HOLY CROSS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH DEC. 18th 2011BIBLE STUDY Our ongoing bible study will be held tomorrow Monday 19th, at 6:30pm. Everyone is welcome to attend. SUNDAY SCHOOL PLAY Today we will present the annual Sunday school Christmas play immediately after the Divine Liturgy. Please sing the Christmas carols along with the children. . CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICE Because Christmas day falls on Sunday the Divine Liturgy service will be celebrated that day at 9:30a.m. instead of the usual Christmas Eve service. Please remember no services will be held on Christmas Eve, but on the morning of Christmas Day the 25th at 9:30a.m. STEWARDSHIP Pledge cards have been distributed to some and the rest have been mailed to your homes, and we ask you to be as generous to the church as you can be. Remember that only $20 per week will make you a "Steward 1000" donor giving you the opportunity to contribute in a very meaningful way. Of course, not everyone can afford this amount, however we ask you also to be a generous donor with whatever you can offer. We always pray that our good God bless all our faithful Stewards, and may He multiple back to you many times over. STAINED GLASS WINDOWS Three more windows need donors to complete the seven in the church, if anyone wishes to make the contribution the donation is $3,000. Of course, we thank the four other donors adorning our beloved Holy Cross all to the Glory of God. Please see Father Chris with your offer. GOYA TRIP Our youth group will be taking a trip to Madison Square Garden in New York City to see a Christmas show on Tuesday December 27th. NEW YEARS EVE On December 31 we will celebrate the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil at 7p.m. then a meal will be offered as a New Years Eve get together. As in past years we do not stay until midnight but leave a short time after the meal so that we may spend the rest of the evening at home. Laura Veros is coordinating the meal. COFFEE HOUR Thanks to Dimitra Yiapis for sponsoring last week's coffee hour. CHRISTMAS DAY COFFEE HOUR The Parish council and Men's ministry will sponsor coffee hour on this day. SCHOLARSHIP The Panhellenic Scholarship Foundation is offering awards to 40 students that pursuing undergraduate studies. Grants of $10,000 each will be awarded to 20 students of financial need, and $2,500 each to 20 merit award students. Copies of details will be given to those interested. Call the church office or see Father Chris. .
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OCTOBER 2011
Dear Faithful,
I call you faithful because without the faithful our church building the place where we worship would not be standing. I call you faithful because without your faith there would be no Priest at this Holy Cross community to lead us in prayer. I call you faithful because as Baptized Christians you participate in the fullness of the Church by coming to worship regularly and on time and you live the Sacraments, I call you faithful because you love God and His people, and now your faithfulness is required all the more because of the situation in our homeland the American Nation. We at war again, the economy is in trouble, nature appears more violent, and many Americans are out of work.
Many have asked how could these things happen to us? Why would God allow it? Therefore to answer these questions we must truly question our faithfulness to Him. As a nation we know that we have stretched our so called liberties to the breaking point. We need to ask ourselves if the following fits within our faith and Christian teachings. Did we not allow and still do permit the wanton destruction of the unborn? Did we not abandon prayer and the mention of God in our schools? Did we not question in our courts whether the Ten Commandments are allowed in public places while at the same time allow pedophiles the freedom to circulate their filth throughout web-sites in the name of freedom of expression? Do we not consider as normal pornography in our homes in magazines and television where not only we flirt with temptation but where our precious children have easy access? Even before these social declines we were in heavy debate whether we should clone human beings as a social storehouse of body parts. Have we truly been faithful as a Nation or have we been going astray feeling almighty within ourselves, and trusting only ourselves? This is a good time for us to truly examine ourselves, ourselves as a Nation and as individuals. We need to ask ourselves if we are pseudo Christians or are we truly faithful. Are we true to our Christian teaching, or do we truly think ourselves as "good" simply because we do not do the bad things others do?
Lets us give ourselves a true evaluation of our own hearts and ask if we love wealth, self, so called liberties contrary to our beliefs more than our faith. Let us ask if we love these more than we love God. It is good time to examine our beliefs and, where we see it lacking and if so strengthen, nourish, and embrace it. Do away with all the things we know hinder our faith and in this way we will put our total trust in God Almighty and understand better His ways. Let us as a nation restore our Orthodox values by putting our total trust in God, and to do this by being individually faithful to Him. It is a good time for us to renew ourselves and to bring back that peace and prosperity that the Almighty has granted us these many years. God Bless you and God Bless America.
Yours in the Lord,
Fr. Chris
September 2011 Dear Faithful, With September already upon us we have this quick sense of urgency because summer is over and many things that need to be done are ahead. Schools open, the pool will be covered soon, winter clothes need to be taken from the closets and it feels like a new beginning. Indeed September is a new beginning because we switch gears and in doing that new opportunities are at hand. Here we have the opportunity to say (and mean it) to come to church every Sunday for we lost so much of our life by being distant from God. The odd thing is that we knew something was missing, and here we were on vacation expecting everything to be perfect. Yet, nothing is perfect but the closeness to God. Aha is that what it really is? The answer is yes. September is a month of renewed opportunity. The opportunity to make sure my child does not miss a single Sunday of worship even if he or she pleads with you that they have Sunday practice, or band, or swimming or whatever activity a school hold on Sunday. This is your opportunity to impress your child that the first priority of life is closeness to God. God first then everything else second, even as important that something else is. Here I speak not only for the children, but for adults also. Why is it that so many of us make Sunday worship an option? This to me is a mystery since many of us say the words of loving God, being faithful, or being a good person yet, our actions do not reflect the words. Yes! September is your opportunity to come closer to God if you really want to. Do not be like those who reject Him completely or partially, but be like the true Orthodox Christian you ought to be. Let September be your new beginning. Yours faithfully in the Lord, Father Chris
JULY/AUGUST 2011
Dear Faithful,
There are times when everything seems to be going wrong in our lives, and no wonder with all the news and events that we are bombarded with in the media broadcasting floods, volcano eruptions, tornados, etc. and it is often depressing and scary. It appears our American (and world) society is seeking fulfillment, but cannot find it. In the name of justice the world seeks equality by destroying fetuses to lessen the population growth otherwise there will not be enough space for us, and that would take away our equality. In the name of justice the world seeks same sex marriage and is instead of looking at this as an abomination to human dignity and malfunction of the human condition it is actually flaunted. The Gospels tell us these things would happen and it is happening now. What next can the world do to make us feel fulfilled? Ah! There is talk of allowing our parents and older folks to commit suicide, and not only that we will also assist them. Of course, this sound reasonable to the world since they are really in the way taking away our leisure time.
Is it no wonder we often feel as we do? However, many of us don't quite know why. One of the problems with our society is that we seem to put too much trust in our politicians or party affiliations believing that they will make things better, and when they try to with immoral laws we think things are better but never are . In the name of justice they do not want us to speak of God, so take away prayer in public places and talk about God out of school books etc., since it appears the world has a better way.
There is in my opinion a direct correlation between the dwindling of church attendance and so called world justice. It appears we are losing our faith, love and trust in God and this is not pleasing to Him. It is an avalanche of evil raining upon us with the feeling of helplessness.
It is time we return to God with our trust in Him and bring our American society back to its senses. Yes, each of us individually have the God given power to make a difference. Let us not be beguiled by the sweet sounding solutions of politicians who are themselves beguiled by party values, refusing to stand by what their faith teaches because of fear in what the world would think of them. As it is said: Know your faith and the truth and the truth will set you free.
Your in the Lord, Fr. Chris
APRIL 2011
PRIEST'S MESSAGE XPISTOS ANESTI - CHRIST IS RISEN! We are again approaching the most marvelous of all events the world has ever known. The Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. No other significant drama of all time is as vital to we humans as God Himself becoming a man, placing Himself upon the Cross and on the third day rising from the tomb and ascending into heaven. Jesus restores us from earth to heaven and He Himself is that bridge. Rejoice as you have never rejoiced before for Christ is Risen.
St. Paul when writing to the Christians in Ephesus says to them that they must "put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lust, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds'" is the day to the comprehension of the Resurrection. It is the way towards understanding the true meaning when we say that we are to Rejoice, for Christ is risen.
We may ask ourselves as an Orthodox Christian how am I to find this Grace of understanding? Paul again gives the answer in Ephesians when he says we must no longer live as the heathens do, in the futility of their minds; they are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of the heart....
Therefore, put away falsehood; let everyone speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good or edifying, as fits the occasion, that it may impart grace to those who hear.
Remember dear fellow Christians, we were bought with a price, and it was paid for by Christ Himself. As your Priest I pray that this Easter be for you the most illuminating and blessed, and that you come to receive the light of Christ in your hearts. Yours in the. Resurrected Lord,
Fr. Chris
March 2011
PRIEST'S MESSAGE
Dear Faithful,
This year the entire month of March is dedicated to Lent which is in part a Spiritual Journey toward Holy Week and Pascha. It is a time of reflection of God's wonders and our dependence on Him. Lent is further a restoration of our true humanity and purpose of life that should be as God-like as it could be. For this reason, I encourage all of you to fast to the best of your ability and if practical for you with the entire family.
We wish to remind you also of Lenten Services that are celebrated on Monday (Compline Service), Wednesdays (Pre-Sanctified Divine Liturgy), Fridays (Salutations to the Theotokos) and other Holy Days. Set time aside to attend some or all of these services as an enhancement towards this Lental preparation. Lent for us Orthodox is not primarily considered a Sacrifice or the giving up of anything, but rather a restoration of soul and body through fasting and prayer. Our Lord can want only what is good for us. He could not bring us any harm or injury, and therefore, He prescribes for us a formula of self discipline. Fasting and prayer according to the guidelines of the Church are therefore medicines of the soul, mind and body.
This Lent and coming Holy Week offers us the opportunity of uplift our Christian life and spirituality by embarking on this Lenten journey. Through our own weakness, God gives us strength. Through our shortcoming, God gives us character. Through our sins, God gives us Grace if our hope is in Him.
May our Lord bless all of you this Lenten season.
Paternally yours in our Lord.
Father Chris
Orthodoxy
PRIEST'S MESSAGE
Dear Faithful,
With this message I would like to speak about our Orthodox faith and impart to you the true meaning of "Church" its authority and foundation on earth. Each Christian denomination shares in some basic truths, yet there are differences and these differences stem mostly (if not always) from segments of the church teaching a new doctrine causing a break off from the body of Christ "The Church".
For over one thousand years the Church has been one. A living and growing entity in the world struggling towards a likeness of God and therefore salvation of our souls. The Church itself is perfect and does not err, but the human factor does. That is why we struggle, because often we do not agree, and always the enemies of the church would try to confuse and confound the faithful. Hence if we do not stay together in one mind, one heart and one belief in Christ then we break away and either leave the faith or create another church. Christ came into the world and established one Church, not two or more, and that Church was anointed with fire on the of Pentecost. Two pillars of the church had been established from the beginning and they are the Holy Gospels and Holy Tradition. The Orthodox Church has never strayed from this structure of "Church". Today unfortunately many of our Christian brothers and sisters have throughout the past 700 years wandered into error by either creating new and strange teachings without the wholeness of the church, or they have completely abandoned Holy Tradition altogether and stand on one foot, the Gospels. Orthodoxy holds steadfastly to the truth of faith and Church because it holds close and dear to its heartbeat the faith of the Apostles and those (The Church) who follow in their teachings. We should know these things not in pride, but humility. If we are the custodians of God's truth on earth then we bear the greater responsibility to the world and to the Church. We do not boast of these things nor put down the other, but rather live in Christ through His Church. Yours faithfully in Christ, Father Chris
The Trinity
PRIEST'S MESSAGE
Dear Faithful,
One of the great mysteries of the Orthodox faith is the Holy Trinity. It is called a mystery because it goes beyond human comprehension to say we believe in one God, yet there are three persons in the Godhead. Although it is a mystery much is revealed to us in the Bible, and teachings of the Church. Some of the Saints of the church have given some analogies trying to explain the oneness of God.
Saint Basil of the 4th century explains it this way. He used a brick to define it as one, yet it is made up of three elements. He said that the brick is made of clay, water and heat. Although there are three elements together they are one inseparable unit, and that is the brick.
Saint Patrick described the Trinity by using the Shamrock, the three leaf clover saying that the leaf is one yet it has three cloves, each distinguishable from the other yet one in union. One of my favorite analogies of the Holy Trinity is by a Saint who describes the Sun as one. The sun gives light, heat and energy, yet it is one sun, with three elements inseparable yet distinct.
The Holy Trinity is One God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit in perfect harmony with each other. There is no supremacy in the Trinity, for all three are equal in essence. Yet they are distinct one from the other. The Old Testament makes many references of the Trinity and in the New Testament Jesus speaks of His Father and the Holy Spirit, and of Himself as one, yet each having a roll in our human history. The Father is the Almighty Creator of all things. The Son is the Savior of the human race, and the Holy Spirit is the Guardian of the Holy Church that was founded by the blood of Christ.
The Trinity is one, inseparable because the Three Persons of the Godhead are in complete cooperation with each other. For instance at Creation the Son and the Holy Spirit was there also in complete harmony. When Jesus the Son became a man in order to save the human race from bondage the Father and the Holy Spirit were there, for Jesus said: "If you see me you see the Father", and now in the age of the Church the Father and the Son are in the Holy Spirit guiding and directing the Church. The Holy Trinity that is revealed to us by the Gospels and by Christ Himself is known to us yet remains a mystery in essence.
We the Orthodox faithful proclaim the One God in Three persons Father, Son and Holy Spirit the Holy Trinity.
Faithfully yours in Christ,
Father Chris
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Weekly for January 15th 2012 MEMORIAL SERVICE: Today's annual memorial service is for Salim, Rafiq and Margaret the father, uncle and aunt of Jacob Tawil. May their souls forever dwell in God's Kingdom. SAINT BASIL ACADEMY TRAY: We left the collection tray for Saint Basil Academy out this week for those who have not contributed yet and wish to do so. It will not be passed but put at the back of the church after church dismissal. Check or cash are acceptable. HOME BLESSINGS: We celebrated the Theophany service last week and Father Chris is now blessing homes. If you wish for him to come to your home, let him know and we will make a time most convenient for you. BIBLE STUDY: Our ongoing bible study will be held tomorrow, Monday 16th, at 6:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend. HOLY WATER: Holy water is available near the chanter's stand and you may help yourself to as much as you want. Various icon bottles are available at the candle stand, or in the icon store and you may purchase whatever size you wish. Remember also that when Father blesses your home that water is Holy water that you may keep for the year. BUILD A BEAR: Our GOYA is sponsoring a " Build a Bear" project where they will build stuffed bears for Ronald McDonald children. This is a very heatwarming event especially when you see the faces of the children who receive them. This will take place on Friday January 27 at the Crystal Run Mall and bears are built by your sponsorship. The donation is $30.00 and if you wish to sponsor a bear please see Laura Kalogiannis or call the church office. STEWARDSHIP: Please fill out your pledge card soon so that we may have an account of funds available for the New Year. The operating fund of the church depends mostly on you, the faithful, by your contribution and as always we ask that you be as generous as you can. If you can please be a "Steward 1000" member by pledging $20.00 per week, or $1000.00 for the year in whatever you wish to contribute weekly, monthly or all at once. Your faithfulness in all things is essential to being a noble and honorary Orthodox Christian. MARTIN LUTHER KING: The Saint John Lutheran Church on Mount Hope Road will conduct a service this afternoon at 4p.m. honoring Martin Luther King. This is sponsored by the Middletown Clergy Association and if you wish to attend, please come. STAINED GLASS WINDOWS: Two more windows need to be donated to complete the stained glass windows. The donation is $3,000.00 for each window and if you can, please see Fr. Chris. COFFEE HOUR: Thanks to Despina Kessler for hosting last week's coffee hour.
Our Saviour is Born! December 2011 PRIEST'S MESSAGE A Joyous and Blessed Christmas to all. God indeed has already blessed us by His coming into the world. The drama of Christmas, the Birth of Christ is best described in the Bible in the book of Luke, Chapters 1 and 2. I urge you to take the ten minutes to read this wonderful story filled with excitement in that there is a dialogue between heaven and earth. Angels descend and ascend from heaven and speak to simple shepherds in the fields. Kings from far off places seek to find this wonder revealed to them, while another king fears the loss of status and strives to destroy the child. All this while, Mary the Mother of Jesus "kept all these things pondering them in her heart." (Luke 2:19). Many believe that this is an ancient tale of 2,000 years ago and that it has little relevance for us today. Many still believe that the Gospels are closed and that the only truth can be found in them. However, I dare say that the Gospels are still being written and that the Gospel is the story of each and every one of us. How do I mean this? What I mean to say is that the shepherds and kings were very much a part of that drama of God becoming man, and yet this drama never ends, because we too are caught up in it. We cannot escape it. We either accept or reject Christ as the living God and Savior of our lives. What was revealed to the shepherds by the angels is revealed to us by the writings of the Bible and the Church. We cannot step aside and say that all the characters of the Bible are separate from us for we also are part of the same continuing story. God becomes a man so that we can become sons and daughters of God. This is the truth of the Christmas story that Jesus is born for each and every one of us and for those who are yet to be born. We, as the shepherds are to rejoice for He reveals
Himself to us as He did to those in the fields. May our incarnate Christ bless you and may you, and may you, as Mary, wonder and ponder these things in your heart. Yours in our Lord, Father Chris
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The photos, on this page and the following, are a true testament to the love of the church and the Orthodox Faith, and the sacrifices made because of it. The gold dome, the doors and inspiring mosaic as well as the icons are all donated by those that love God and the Orthodox Christian Faith.
YOU'RE INVITED!
To: A Grand Banquet
GIVEN BY: Jesus Christ
WHERE: Holy Cross Orthodox Church
WHEN: Every Sunday morning at 9:30 am
DRESS: Neat and clean
PS : Bring a friend
Wow! You're invited to a Grand Banquet! The banquet of all banquets. The Mystical and Divine Liturgy! So, are you going? I know I am.
Very often, we decline invitations given by friends or sometimes even by relatives, because we feel that we may not know anyone there or we just don't feel like going. That is understandable, but this invitation is one which we cannot afford to decline. Why? Well, Christ is expecting you to join Him at His Mystical Supper and invites you to eat and drink with Him. There are many prayers and concepts in the Divine Liturgy which lead up to this important event which we often remain indifferent to, not understanding their meaning and significance. Because of our lack of knowledge this becomes the obstacle to our full appreciation and understanding of the Divine Liturgy and may be what leads us to decline Christ's invitation.
You may say, how can I attend the Divine Liturgy when I don't understand what is going on? This is a legitimate response but one which will help you to grow spiritually and understand the liturgy better. So, the "CHALLENGE" is how to help. You take this first step in accepting the above invitation and I will promise, through our LOGOS Bulletin, a monthly explanation whose purpose will be to explain and help you understand the meaning and significance behind the mystery of the Divine Liturgy. This coupled with a sincere prayer on your part asking God for patience and enlightenment in understanding the Divine Liturgy, will be adequate and most worthy response to our Lord's invitation.
ENJOY THE BANQUET!!!
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