Transcript PARISH BULLETIN - Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral

Sunday, February 14, 2016 - Sunday of the Canaanite
This Morning’s Readings
St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 6:16-18; 7:1
BRETHREN, you are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will
live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they
shall be my people. Therefore come out from them, and be separate
from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean; then I will
welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons
and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."
Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from
every defilement of body and spirit, and make holiness perfect in the
fear of God.
The Gospel according to Matthew 15:21-28
At that time, Jesus went to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a
Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried, "Have mercy on
me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon."
But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him,
saying, "Send her away, for she is crying after us." He answered, "I was sent
only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But she came and knelt
before him, saying, "Lord, help me." And he answered, "It is not fair to take
the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." She said, "Yes, Lord, yet
even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." Then
Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as
you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly.
This Morning’s Hymns
When the tidings of the resurrection from the
glorious angel was proclaimed unto the
women disciples and our ancestral sentence
also had been abolished to the Apostles with
boasting did they proclaim that death is
vanquished ever more and Christ our God has
risen from the dead and granted to the world
His great mercy.
Τὸ φαιδρὸν τῆς Ἀναστάσεως κήρυγμα, ἐκ τοῦ
Ἀγγέλου μαθοῦσαι αἱ τοῦ Κυρίου Μαθήτριαι,
καὶ τὴν προγονικὴν ἀπόφασιν ἀπορρίψασαι,
τοῖς Ἀποστόλοις καυχώμεναι ἔλεγον·
Ἐσκύλευται ὁ θάνατος, ἠγέρθη Χριστὸς ὁ
Θεός, δωρούμενος τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος.
Thou didst prove to be a citizen of the desert,
an angel in the flesh, and a wonderworker, O
Auxentius, our God-bearing Father. By
fasting, vigil, and prayer thou didst obtain
heavenly gifts, and thou healest the sick and
the souls of them that have recourse to thee
with faith. Glory to Him that hath given thee
strength. Glory to Him that hath crowned
thee. Glory to Him that worketh healings for
all through thee.
Τής ερήμου πολίτης, καί εν σώματι Άγγελος,
καί θαυματουργός ανεδείχθης, θεοφόρε
Πατήρ ημών Αυξέντιε, νηστεία, αγρυπνία,
προσευχή, ουράνια χαρίσματα λαβών,
θεραπεύεις τούς νοσούντας, καί τάς ψυχάς
τών πίστει προστρεχόντων σοι, Δόξα τώ
δεδωκότι σοι ισχύν, δόξα τώ σέ
στεφανώσαντι, δόξα τώ ενεργούντι διά σού
πάσιν ιάματα.
Most blessed art You, O Christ our God, who
by sending down the Holy Spirit upon them,
made the fishermen wise and through them,
illumined the world; and to You the Universe
was ever drawn, O Lord, glory to you.
Eὐλογητός εἶ Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός ἡμῶν ὁ
πανσόφους τοὺς ἁλιεῖς ἀναδείξας
καταπέμψας αὐτοῖς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον καὶ
δι᾽ αὐτῶν τήν οἰκουμένην σαγηνεύσας
φιλάνθρωπε, δόξα Σοι.
A protection of Christians unshamable,
Intercessor to our Holy Maker unwavering,
reject not the prayerful cries of those who are
in sin; instead come to us for you are good,
your loving help bring unto us who are crying
in faith to you; hasten to intercede and speed
now to supplicate as a protection for all time,
Theotokos, for those who honor you.
Προστασία τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀκαταίσχυντε,
μεσιτεία πρὸς τὸν Ποιητὴν ἀμετάθετε. Μὴ
παρίδῃς ἁμαρτωλῶν δεήσεων φωνάς, ἀλλὰ
πρόφθασον, ὡς ἀγαθή, εἰς τὴν βοήθειαν
ἡμῶν, τῶν πιστῶς κραυγαζόντων σοι·
Τάχυνον εἰς πρεσβείαν, καὶ σπεῦσον εἰς
ἱκεσίαν, ἡ προστατεύουσα ἀεί, Θεοτόκε, τῶν
τιμώντων σε.
For the prayerful recitation of the Nicene Creed
please consult the laminated cards located in the pew.
Announcements
WELCOME!
We welcome you to Holy Trinity and pray that you will be blessed this morning! Please know that
Holy Communion in the Orthodox faith is reserved for those of our members who have prepared
themselves to receive the Holy Gifts. If you are not an Orthodox Christian we invite you to receive
the Bread of Fellowship which Fr. Apostolos will distribute at the end of the service.
PHILOPTOCHOS WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS IN 2016
As mentioned in our mission statement, the Philoptochos is the philanthropic arm of the
parish. We are committed to aiding the poor, the destitute, the hungry, the aged, the sick, the
unemployed, the orphaned, the imprisoned, the widowed, the handicapped and the victims of
disasters. Our next meeting is Thursday, March 3 at 7pm. Meetings end with dessert and
visiting with friends, so please join us. Call Alex Anagnopoulos at 602-738-6053 with any
questions.
PARISH BIBLE STUDY SCHEDULE
In light of Fr. Apostolos' many Metropolis-related travel requirements through the month of
February, please note that the weekly Bible Study will recommence on Wednesday, March 9,
and will run through Wednesday, April 20. Please mark your calendars for this study and make
plans to attend!
DAUGHTERS OF PENELOPE PICNIC
Come to a “Family Panigiri” on Saturday, March 12, 3pm-8pm. Fun for the whole family! Bring
your blankets and join us on the field. Some seating will also be available. Traditional kite flying
before Lent begins, dodgeball tourney, basketball, bouncing jumper, Tavli, and Greek dancing
after dinner. $15 adults, $10 for children. Includes pasta dinner, salad, loukoumades, make
your own sundae! For tickets call Connie Panagiotakopoulos at 602-931-5737.
ST. NECTARIOS BOOKSTORE NEWS
The St. Nectarios Bookstore would like to share our NEW EMAIL with you [email protected]. We are beginning our Lenten preparations with a “Special Sale”
during February. The Bookstore is open after Divine Liturgy every Sunday or by appointment
with Patsy Harris. She can be reached at the new email address or by calling 480-239-5270.
ARIZONA HELLENIC FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS
The Arizona Hellenic Foundation has several scholarships available to high school seniors and
college students. For an application and eligibility requirements, please visit their website at
Azhellenic.org.
This Week at Holy Trinity Cathedral
Sunday 2/14
SUNDAY OF THE CANAANITE
8am - Orthros
9:30am - Divine Liturgy
No Sunday School
FDF
Monday 2/15
PRESIDENT’S DAY
No HTA
FDF
Tuesday 2/16
7pm - A Year of the Lord:
Liturgical Bible Study (Chapel)
Wednesday 2/17
ST. THEODORE
8am - Orthros
9am - Divine Liturgy
5pm - Greek School (Ed Bldg)
6pm - Paraklesis
7pm - Choir practice
8pm - OCF (ASU)
Thursday 2/18
6pm - Parish Council meeting
Friday 2/19
5pm - Greek School (Ed Bldg)
6pm - Greek Cultural School (Ed
Bldg)
Saturday 2/20
Jr/Sr GOYA - Movie & Bonfire
(HTC)
Sunday 2/21
SUNDAY OF THE PUBLICAN &
PHARISEE
8am - Orthros
9:30am - Hierarchical Divine
Liturgy
Memorial for Leadership 100
and George Kokalis
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral
1973 E. Maryland Avenue, Phoenix AZ 85016 Office: 602.264. 7863
Holy Trinity website: www.holytrinityphx.org
Email: [email protected]
Rev. Economos Apostolos Hill, Proistamenos: [email protected]
Lynn Graham, Administrative Assistant: [email protected]
Parish Council Officers:
Pete Choukalas-President, Connie Contes-Vice-President,
Tiffani Bichekas-Secretary, Dina Anagnopoulos-Treasurer
Ορεκτικό
St. Valentine’s Day
An appetizer before the main course
February 14th, 2016
Claudius II, also known as Claudius Gothicus or Claudius the Cruel, enjoyed a brief tenure as Emperor of
Rome from 268 to 270 AD. He was a warrior-potentate so devoted to military expansion that he forbade
young men of military service age from marrying, intent on pressing them into service in the Roman
Legions. St. Valentine was a humble priest by whose pious prayers many were being converted to the
Christian faith at a time when doing so was still very dangerous.
In one account, the blind daughter of a Roman judge names Asterius was healed by the intercessions of
St. Valentine. The judge and his entire household of 44 responded to this miracle by smashing their
many idols and embracing the Christian faith. When news of this and other similar conversions fell upon
Claudius' ears he had St. Valentine imprisoned and even here the saint continued his ministry, secretly
marrying young Christian couples despite Claudius' edict. And when St. Valentine at last attempted to
persuade the Emperor himself to leave off his pagan folly and to accept baptism Claudius ordered his
speedy execution.
The saint was beaten to death with clubs and beheaded by the Flaminian Gate on February 14, 269 AD.
And in recognition of the saint's gallantry in the face of an Emperor's wrath it is important for us to
remember today's greeting-card holiday as Saint Valentine's Day. To be sure, today represents to most
merely another commercial opportunity to ply ourselves with sweets and to enjoy romantic dinners.
Precious few today know about the "back-story" of the day and the uniquely Christian origins of
February 14th. So how might we seize this opportunity to Christianize an otherwise secular occasion?
As St. John neared the end of his long and illustrious life of Apostolic ministry, his spiritual children
pressed him to leave words of encouragement (in addition to the Gospel and the account of the
Revelation he had authored). And in the three small Epistles St. John wrote he selected the theme "God
is Love," not the God has Love since "love" itself does not and cannot exist apart from God. And more
specifically, St. John wrote that "God is Agape," the highest form of love only available as a fruit of the
Holy Spirit and certainly not as a mere physical or emotional response.
The Love depicted by St. John and for which St. Valentine willingly surrendered his life transcends all
other loves, filial, familial, or romantic. This love is the type described by St. John; "Behold what manner
of love the Father has given unto us, that we should be called the sons of God." (1 John 3:1) It was in
support of Agape that St. Valentine undertook the hazard of wedding young Christian couples in secret.
And though scarce mention is made of his sacrifice in the blizzard of heart-shaped chocolates, stuffed
animals, roses, and greeting cards, we as inheritors of St. Valentine's martyrdom are honor-bound to
remember and to exemplify the Agape-love of God! As we celebrate this annual greeting-card "holiday,"
let us remember to exchange the greeting "Happy Saint Valentine's Day," and share the story of his
heroic martyrdom.
Fr. Apostolos
Save the date!
February 27th at 11:00 am
Please join us for a fun afternoon “Tea Party”
Hosted by Philoptochos
FireSky Resort
4925 North Scottsdale Road
Reservations required and seating is limited.
Our last tea sold out quickly, so please don’t wait.
$36 per person due by February 20th and tickets may be purchased
during Coffee Hour in the Community Center.
For more information call Connie Venetis at 602-702-3365,
Patty Davis at 480-703-4713 or Georgana Frieh at 602-300-0016.