Transfiguration of Our Lord

Transcript

1 Transfiguration of Our Lord Greek Orthodox Church Newsletter Volume 13, Issue 4 April 2010 PATRIARCHAL PROCLAMATION FOR PASCHA B A R T H O L O M E W By the Grace of God, Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch, To all the Faithful of the Church: Grace, mercy, and peace from Christ the Savior Risen in Glory Beloved brothers and sisters, dear children in the Lord, Christ is Risen! Once again, the sacred day of Pascha has dawned in full delight and splendor, dispersing joy, comfort, gladness and assurance of life to all faithful, despite the heavy atmosphere that prevails in our world on account of the multidimensional crisis with all its familiar painful consequences for our daily life. Christ has risen from the tomb as divinely human; and humanity has risen with Him! The tyranny of death belongs to the past. The hopelessness of hades captivity has irrevocably gone. The only powerful Giver of life, having through His Incarnation voluntarily assumed all of the misfortune of our nature and all that it entails, namely death, has already brought death to hades by the lightning of divinity, granting us life and life in abundance. (John 10.10) This abundance of life, which was granted to us by the Risen Lord, is ceaselessly slandered and assaulted by the devil indeed, these actions are the source of his very name although he is now weakened, completely powerless, and entirely ridiculous. The devil slanders Life by means of the hubris that still prevails in the world against God, humanity and the creation. The devil assaults Life by means of the sinful tendency that exists within us like old rust, using this to entrap us either into tangible sin or delusional belief. Hubris is the offspring of that rust, while both comprise the sinister couple responsible for disrupting relationships within ourselves, with others, as well as with God and the whole creation. Accordingly, it is imperative that we purify ourselves of this rust with great attentiveness and carefulness in order that the profuse life-giving light of the Risen Christ may shine in our mind, soul and body, so that it may in turn dispel the darkness of hubris and pour the abundance of life to all the world. This cannot be achieved by philosophy, science, technology, art, or any ideology; it can only be achieved through faith in what God has condescended for us human beings through His Passion, Crucifixion and Burial, descending to the depths of hades and rising from the dead as the divine-human Jesus Christ. It is also expressed in the sacramental life of the Church as well as through laborious and systematic spiritual struggle. The Church, as the Body of Christ, unceasingly and to the ages experiences the miracle of the Resurrection; through its sacred Mysteries, its Theology and its practical teachings, it offers us the possibility of participating in that miracle, of sharing in the victory over death, of becoming children shaped by the light of the Resurrection and truly partakers of divine nature. (2 Peter 1.4), just as in the life of every Saint in the past and present. The thorny weeds of passions growing within the depths of our heart, polluted by the rust of the old self (Eph. 4.22) must definitely be transformed as soon as possible in Christ, through Christ and for the sake of Christ and His living images that surround us namely, our fellow human beings into a bouquet of virtues, holiness, and righteousness. Hence, the sacred hymnographer chants in timely manner: Let us put on the robe of righteousness, which is whiter than snow, and let us rejoice today in the day of the Pascha; for Christ, the sun of righteousness that rises from the dead, has showered upon us the light of incorruption. The white garment of righteousness was given to us symbolically on the day of our Baptism; and we are invited to cleanse it continually through constant repentance, control of desires, patience in life s pain, and relentless effort to fulfill the commandments of God, and especially the supreme commandment of love. In this way, we are able to participate in the cross-bearing self-emptying of Christ, in order that the Paschal gladness, radiant light, and joyful salvation may enter our life and world. We address this from the Phanar, where we experience the suffering of Holy Friday and the light of the Resurrection, as we express to you the affection of the Mother Church, wholeheartedly wishing for all the saving gift and Paschal blessing of the Lord of Life, who rose from the dead. Holy Pascha 2010 Fervent supplicant for all before the Lord + Bartholomew of Constantinople Transfiguration of Our Lord Greek Orthodox Church 414 St. Stephens School Rd, Austin, TX Phone: (512) Fax: (512) Rev. Michael Lambakis, Parish Priest Stuart Yoder - Pres. Brandon Suehs - V.P. Sophia Khan - Sec. Elizabeth George - Treas. Marko Bjeletich Parish Council Michael Glaros Christopher Harris Peter Kangos Steve Levendakes Nick Spiropoulos

2 ΠΑΤΡΙΑΡΧΙΚΗ ΑΠΟ ΕΙΞΙΣ ΕΠΙ Τῼ ΑΓΙῼ ΠΑΣΧΑ + Β Α Ρ Θ Ο Λ Ο Μ Α Ι Ο Σ ΕΛΕῼ ΘΕΟΥ, ΑΡΧΙΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΣ ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΥΠΟΛΕΩΣ - ΝΕΑΣ ΡΩΜΗΣ, ΚΑΙ ΟΙΚΟΥΜΕΝΙΚΟΣ ΠΑΤΡΙΑΡΧΗΣ ΠΑΝΤΙ Τῼ ΠΛΗΡΩΜΑΤΙ ΤΗΣ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑΣ ΧΑΡΙΝ, ΕΙΡΗΝΗΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΛΕΟΣ ΠΑΡΑ ΤΟΥ ΕΝ ΟΞΩΣ ΑΝΑΣΤΑΝΤΟΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ Ἀδελφοὶ καὶ τέκνα ἐν Κυρίῳ ἀγαπητά, Χριστὸς ἀνέστη! Εὐφρόσυνος καὶ φωτεινὴ ἀνέτειλε καὶ πάλιν ἡ ἁγία ἡµέρα τοῦ Πάσχα καὶ σκορπίζει χαράν, παρηγορίαν, ἀγαλλίασιν καὶ βεβαίαν ἐλπίδα ζωῆς εἰς ὅλους τοὺς πιστούς, παρὰ τὴν ἐπικρατοῦσαν ἀνὰ τὸν κόσµον βαρεῖαν ἀτµόσφαιραν ἐξ αἰτίας τῆς πολυδιαστάτου κρίσεως, µὲ ὅλας τὰς γνωστὰς ὀδυνηρὰς ἐπιπτώσεις της εἰς τὸν καθηµερινὸν βίον τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος. Ἀνέστη ἐκ τοῦ Τάφου ὁ Χριστός, ὁ Θεάνθρωπος, καὶ µαζί Του ἀνέστη ὁ ἄνθρωπος! Ἡ καταδυναστεία τοῦ θανάτου ἀποτελεῖ παρελθόν. Ἡ ἀπελπισία τῆς αἰχµαλωσίας τοῦ ᾅδου παρῆλθεν ἀνεπιστρεπτί. Ὁ µόνος Ἰσχυρὸς καὶ Χορηγὸς τῆς ζωῆς, ἀφοῦ ἀνέλαβεν ἐθελουσίως διὰ τῆς Ἐνσαρκώσεώς Του ὅλην τὴν δυστυχίαν τῆς φύσεώς µας καὶ τὸ ἴδιον τὸ κεφάλαιόν της, τὸν θάνατον, ἤδη «τὸν ᾅδην ἐνέκρωσε τῇ ἀστραπῇ τῆς Θεότητος» καὶ ἐχάρισεν εἰς τὸν ἄνθρωπον ζωὴν καὶ «περισσὸν» ζωῆς. Αὐτὴν τὴν περίσσειαν ζωῆς, τὴν ὁποίαν ὁ Ἀναστὰς ἐχάρισεν εἰς ἡµᾶς, δὲν παύει νὰ συκοφαντῇ καὶ νὰ διαβάλῃ πάντοτε µὲ συνέπειαν πρὸς τὸ ὄνοµά του ὁ διάβολος, καίτοι ἀπονευρωµένος πλέον καὶ ἐντελῶς ἀνίσχυρος καὶ καταγέλαστος. Τὴν συκοφαντεῖ µὲ τὴν εἰς τὸν κόσµον ἐπικρατοῦσαν ἀκόµη «ὕβριν», τόσον ἔναντι τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅσον καὶ ἔναντι τοῦ συνανθρώπου καὶ τῆς ὅλης κτίσεως. Τὴν διαβάλλει µὲ τὴν εἰσέτι ὑφισταµένην ἐντὸς ἡµῶν «ἀρχαίαν σκωρίαν» τῆς ἁµαρτητικῆς ροπῆς, τὴν ὁποίαν καταλλήλως πάντοτε ἐκµεταλλεύεται, προσπαθῶν νὰ µᾶς παγιδεύσῃ εἴτε εἰς τὴν ἔµπρακτον ἁµαρτίαν, εἴτε εἰς τὴν περὶ τὴν πίστιν πλάνην. Ἡ «ὕβρις» εἶναι ἀπότοκον τῆς «σκωρίας» ἐκείνης καὶ ἀµφότεραι συναποτελοῦν τὸ ἀπαίσιον ζεῦγος τῶν εὐθυνοµένων διὰ τὴν διατάραξιν τῶν σχέσεών µας πρὸς ἑαυτούς, πρὸς ἀλλήλους, πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν καὶ πρὸς ὅλην τὴν ηµιουργίαν. Εἶναι, κατὰ ταῦτα, ἀδήριτος ἀνάγκη νὰ ἀποκαθάρωµεν τὴν σκωρίαν ἐκείνην µετὰ πάσης προσοχῆς καὶ ἐπιµελείας, ὥστε νὰ λάµψῃ ἄπλετον τὸ ζωοποιὸν φῶς τοῦ Ἀναστάντος Χριστοῦ εἰς τὸν νοῦν, εἰς τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ εἰς τὸ σῶµα µας, νὰ ἀποµακρύνῃ τὸ σκότος τῆς ὕβρεως καὶ νὰ ἐκχυθῇ τὸ «περισσὸν» τῆς ζωῆς εἰς τὸν κόσµον ὅλον. Τοῦτο δὲν δύναται νὰ ἐπιτευχθῇ οὔτε διὰ τῆς φιλοσοφίας, οὔτε διὰ τῆς ἐπιστήµης, οὔτε διὰ τῆς τέχνης, οὔτε διὰ τῆς τεχνικῆς, οὔτε διά τινος ἰδεολογίας, εἰ µὴ µόνον διὰ τῆς πίστεως εἰς τὸν µέχρι Παθῶν καὶ Σταυροῦ καὶ Τάφου καὶ ταµείων τοῦ ᾅδου συγκαταβάντα καὶ ἐκ νεκρῶν Ἀναστάντα Θεάνθρωπον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, ἐκφραζοµένης διὰ µυστηριακῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς ζωῆς καὶ ἐµπόνου καὶ συστηµατικοῦ πνευµατικοῦ ἀγῶνος. Ἡ Ἐκκλησία, ὡς τὸ Σῶµα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ζῇ ἀδιαλείπτως καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τὸ θαῦµα τῆς Ἀναστάσεως, καὶ διὰ τῶν ἁγίων Μυστηρίων της, τῆς Θεολογίας καὶ τῆς πρακτικῆς διδασκαλίας της, µᾶς δίδει τὴν δυνατότητα νὰ µεταλάβωµεν τοῦ θαύµατος, νὰ µετάσχωµεν τῆς νίκης κατὰ τοῦ θανάτου, νὰ γίνωµεν τέκνα φωτόµορφα τῆς Ἀναστάσεως καὶ ἀληθῶς «θείας κοινωνοὶ φύσεως», ὅπως συνέβη καὶ συµβαίνει µὲ ὅλους τοὺς Ἁγίους. Ἡ εἰς τὰ βάθη τῆς καρδίας ἡµῶν φυοµένη κακοβότανος καὶ ἀκανθηρὰ δέσµη τῶν παθῶν, ἡ λιπαινοµένη ἐκ τῆς σκωρίας τοῦ ἐν ἡµῖν «παλαιοῦ ἀνθρώπου», εἶναι ἐπάναγκες νὰ µεταµορφωθῇ τὸ συντοµώτερον ἐν Χριστῷ, διὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ χάριν τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ τῶν περὶ ἡµᾶς ζωντανῶν εἰκόνων Του, δηλ. τῶν συνανθρώπων µας, εἰς ἀνθοδέσµην ἀρετῶν, ἁγιασµοῦ καὶ δικαιοσύνης. Οὕτω, ὁ ἱερὸς ὑµνογράφος ἐπικαίρως ψάλλει: «ικαιοσύνης ἐσθῆτα περιβαλλόµενοι λευκὴν ὑπὲρ χιόνα, τῇ παρούσῃ τοῦ Πάσχα ἡµέρᾳ εὐφρανθῶµεν, ἐν ᾖ ὁ Χριστός, δικαιοσύνης ὡς ἥλιος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν ἀνατείλας, πάντας ἡµᾶς ἀφθαρσίᾳ κατεφαίδρυνεν». Τὸ λευκὸν ἔνδυµα τῆς δικαιοσύνης µᾶς ἐδόθη συµβολικῶς κατὰ τὸ ἅγιον Βάπτισµα καὶ καλούµεθα διὰ τῆς διαρκοῦς µετανοίας, τῶν χαροποιῶν δακρύων, τῆς ἀδιαλείπτου προσευχῆς, τοῦ περιορισµοῦ τῶν ἐπιθυµιῶν, τῆς ὑποµονῆς εἰς τὰ ὀδυνηρὰ τοῦ βίου καὶ τῆς ἀνυποχωρήτου προσπαθείας πρὸς πρακτικὴν ἐφαρµογὴν πασῶν τῶν ἐντολῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ µάλιστα τῆς κεφαλαιώδους ἐντολῆς τῆς ἀγάπης, νὰ τὸ ἀνακαθάρωµεν, µετέχοντες οὕτως εἰς τὴν σταυρικὴν κένωσιν τοῦ Θεανθρώπου, ὥστε νὰ ἔλθῃ ἡ πασχάλιος εὐφροσύνη, τὸ φαιδρὸν ἀναστάσιµον φῶς καὶ ἡ σωτηρία εἰς τὴν ζωὴν µας καὶ εἰς τὸν περὶ ἡµᾶς κόσµον. Ταῦτα ἀπὸ τοῦ πάντοτε ἐν τῇ δοκιµασίᾳ τῆς Μεγάλης Παρασκευῆς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῷ φωτὶ καὶ τῇ χαροποιῷ ἐµπειρίᾳ τῆς Ἀναστάσεως, ὑπάρχοντος Φαναρίου ἑορτίως γράφοντες καὶ τὴν στοργὴν τῆς Μητρὸς Ἐκκλησίας διερµηνεύοντες, εὐχόµεθα ὁλοψύχως πᾶσαν παρὰ τοῦ ἐκ νεκρῶν Ἀναστάντος Ἀρχηγοῦ τῆς Ζωῆς σωτήριον δωρεὰν καὶ πασχάλιον εὐλογίαν. Ἅγιον Πάσχα Ὁ Κωνσταντινουπόλεως διάπυρος πρός Χριστόν Ἀναστάντα εὐχέτης πάντων ὑµῶν Question: Why were all the doors to the Altar left open for 40 days after Pascha? On Great and Holy Friday during the Great Vespers of the Apokathelosis (unnailing or Descent from the Cross) the Altar became the tomb of Christ. When the Resurrection took place we believe the door to the Tomb was thrown open out of sheer joy, not opened like we open a door going from one room to the other. The Icons of the Resurrection bear this out showing The Lord standing on the Doors to Hades broken open and broken keys are on the ground. Since the Altar has become The Lord s tomb we leave the doors open to show that the tomb is empty and Christ is Risen. When the Ascension takes place we go back to normal and begin opening and closing the Altar doors once again. The open doors also show Christ s victory over Hades and that Hades no longer holds the power it did before The Resurrection. Christos Anesti! / Alithos Anesti! - Christ is Risen! / Truly He is Risen! 2

3 Resurrection And He rose from the dead on the third day, according to the Scriptures Christ is risen from the dead! This is the main proclamation of the Christian faith. It forms the heart of the Church s preaching, worship and spiritual life....if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:14) The Scriptural stress that God has raised up Jesus only emphasizes once more than Christ has given His life, that He has laid it down fully, that He has offered it whole and without reservation to God - who then gave it back in His resurrection from the dead. The Orthodox Church believes in Christ s real death and His actual resurrection. Resurrection, however, does not simply mean bodily resuscitation. Neither the Gospel nor the Church teaches that Jesus was lying dead and then was biologically revived and walked around in the same way that He did before He was killed. In a word, the Gospel does not say that the angel moved the stone from the tomb in order to let Jesus out. The angel moved the stone to reveal that Jesus was not there. (Mark 16; Matthew 28) In His resurrection Jesus is in a new and glorious form. He appears in different places immediately. He is difficult to recognize. (Luke 24:16; John 20:14) He eats and drinks to show He is not a ghost. (Luke 24:30, 39) He allows Himself to be touched. (John 20:27, 21:9) And yet He appears in the midst of His disciples, the doors being shut. (John 20:19, 26) And He vanishes out of their sight. (Luke 24:31) Christ indeed is risen, but His resurrected humanity is full of life and divinity. It is humanity in the new form of eternal life of the Kingdom of God. Father Thomas Hopko The video presentation of Pascha: The Resurrection of Christ, a program highlighting Orthodox Christian Pascha, will broadcast on NBC affiliates nationwide this April. The program, produced by Greek Orthodox Telecommunications and sponsored by FAITH: An Endowment for Orthodoxy and Hellenism, highlights Holy and Great Week, focusing on the deeply moving and ancient services that recount the Gospel narrative leading to the Death and Resurrection of Christ. Archbishop Demetrios of America leads a procession of the faithful around the church and outside where, following the reading of the Gospel of the Resurrection, they proclaim the joyous hymn Christ is Risen! The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is working with affiliates nationwide, urging them to broadcast the program within their local area. Broadcast information will be posted as soon as it becomes available from affiliates. Please check your local NBC listing for exact date, time and station. Please contact the Department of Communications if you need assistance. You may also contact the Program Manager locally to request coverage. For more information on coverage please log on to: DVD copies of the program available for pre-sale ($25, plus $6 shipping). To pre-purchase please contact the Department of Communications at or gotel@goarch.org. May his memory be eternal Jerry Benson, Jr. fell asleep in the Lord on March 12, 2010 after a courageous battle with cancer. Jerry was born in Syracuse, New York on October 8, 1956, he graduated in 1975 from Fayetteville-Manlius High School and went on to Duke University on a full athletic scholarship. He graduated Cum Laude, with a B.S. in Psychology while leading the Duke Swim Team as captain. Although never formally educated in the computer sciences, Jerry moved to Chicago to work for the Amdek Corporation during the early stages of the computer industry. That is what Jerry did, he found an interest and mastered every detail. From there he became the President and COO of NEC Technologies. In the late 1990's he moved to Texas to become President and CEO of the VTEL Corporation. At the time of his death, he was a partner in The Orange Group. Jerry's interests were varied and many. He was very involved in numismatics and had an extensive collection of superlative coins especially from the first century of Mint production. He loved and studied astronomy. Jerry was a published writer and had a love for movies. He had a zest for learning, a phenomenal sense of humor. He was fortunate to have traveled all over the world. Jerry's biggest source of love and joy was his cherished family here in Austin; wife Kiki and his children Maria and Jerry. A day spent with them, was a complete day. He had such pride in his extended family and his wonderful friends who gravitated toward his generous spirit and interest and love for life. Memorial contributions may be made to the Maria and Jerry Benson Scholarship Fund as follows: Chase Bank - Routing # Acct # Checks Payable to Kiki Benson, Memo Line - Maria and Jerry Benson Scholarship Fund 3

4 Parish Announcements GOLF ~ Wednesday Morning Bible Study ~ G.O.L.F. will meets on Wednesday Morning from 9:30am to 11:30am. Currently, Fr. Michael is leading us in a study of Making God Real in the Orthodox Christian Home by Anthony M. Conairis. All ladies (with or without kids) are welcome! Our April schedule is as follows: We will have our study on April 14th, 21st and 28th If you cannot attend, but want to be on our list (for articles, ladies night out, etc.) please contact Amity Garwood at amity_garwood@hotmail.com Sunday School News On Great and Holy Friday, April 2, the Lamentations service begins at 7:00pm. We invite all girls in grades 1 5 to serve as Myrrhbearers. The girls must wear entirely white clothing (dresses, stockings, shoes, sweaters and hair ornaments, etc. entirely of WHITE) and meet us in the Hall at 6:30. We'll get the girls organized with baskets of rose petals and put some baby's breath in their hair, and escort them to the service, where they'll process around the Tomb spreading rose petals. This is a very special role for the girls, and I hope that all of them will be able to join us. What a special way to participate in the services, and what a beautiful memory for them to carry throughout their entire lives! Please let me know if your daughter will be able to join us, and if you'd be interested in volunteering to help supervise the girls. Your child s experience and understanding of Christ's Resurrection is profoundly increased when we as parents teach our children about Holy Week and Pascha. You may wish to consider a mini magazine called Journey Through Holy Week available in our parish bookstore, which clearly and briefly discusses what happened during Holy Week in Christ's time and relates that to how we celebrate this in the Church today. Additionally, Phyllis Onest, the education director for the Greek Orthodox Annunciation Cathedral in Akron, Ohio, has put together a booklet on Holy Week & Pascha which is intended to help parents guide their children through this very important week in the Church. I hope you'll find it useful! Sunday School will resume on April 11. Men s Fellowship The March Transfiguration Men s Fellowship lunch will meet on Thursday, April 15 at 11:45 at El Greco Guadalupe & 31st Transfiguration Running Team One more runner is needed for the Transfiguration Running Team for the Hillie Billie Relay race, a 70 mile relay race planned for a Saturday in October. Each runner will complete three legs of the relay, each leg averaging just under 4 miles. Entry fee is $67/runner. If you are interested in joining the team, please contact Allen Wynn at AWynn3816@gmail.com as soon as possible. More information can be found at Prayers for Healing Dolly, Betty, Arlena, Sophie, Archie, Lou, Thomas, Kathy, Suzanne, Pat, Steve, Nina, Phyllis, Kathryn, Panayioti, Anna, Margaret, Sami, Abraham, Mary, George, Susan, Muna, Matthew, Ellen, Gary, Katina, Nelda, Nick, Elaine, Fotini, Malone and family, Tracy, Richard, Lilly, Kimberly, Dion, Jamil, Dimitrios, Lisa 4

5 Philoptochos needs volunteers for Easter Egg Hunt It is time to begin preparing for the children s Easter Egg Hunt! We need a lot of eggs and candy! So, we are asking for donations of individually wrapped candies and the plastic filling-eggs. You can bring your donations to the church office. HOLY WEEK AND PASCHA Holy Thursday - April 1 Dying of the Eggs 10:00 a.m. at Mt. Tabor Hall Holy Friday - April 2 Decorating the Tomb Immediately following the Royal Hours at 9:00a.m. Pascha - April 4 Sponsoring and Passing out of the Ice Cream for the Church Pascha Picnic Pascha Agape Service and Picnic Please join us for Agape Vespers on Sunday, April 4 at 12:00pm. Immediately following will be our annual Agape Picnic. We will be serving roasted lamb with all the trimmings! There will be games, an egg hunt and music. Don t miss out on the celebration! Tickets for the lamb plate: Adults $15.00; Children (under 12) $5.00 There will be free hot dogs available for the children. Anastasi Meal Join us to break the fast immediately following the Resurrection service! This is a pot luck meal, so in addition to your family basket, please bring a dish to share. If you have any questions, please contact Marko Bjeletich at IOCC * DANCE * I OCC * DANCE * I OCC * DANCE * I OCC * DANCE Spring/Summer Dance Lesson Series! Learn to Dance & Help the World! April 18-May 9: Beginning Greek Dance at St. Elias June 6-June 27: Beginning Swing Dance - at Transfiguration August 1-22: Beginning Country/Western Dance - (location TBA) Where: Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church Parish Hall and St. Elias Orthodox Church Parish Hall When: Sunday evenings, 5-6pm How much: $40 donation* for each set of 4 lessons How: Sign up now for one or more of the series by sending in your check to St. Elias (408 E. 11th St., Austin, TX 78701), or you can give your check to Liz Strong in the office. Make checks payable to IOCC. *All proceeds will help the IOCC --International Orthodox Christian Charities-- with its disaster relief and development programs throughout the world! Philoptochos News The Philoptochos ladies of Holy Trinity in Dallas invited our group to join them in a retreat to the Holy Archangels Monastery on March 13. We enjoyed a very rewarding time together there. Then on Sunday, we invited the ladies (and Fr. Conan) to join us for lunch after our Liturgy. It turned out to be a beautiful event! Thank you, ladies of Holy Trinity for including us on your Lenten journey. Recently, one of our church members told us of her wonderful idea. She is renovating her kitchen and remembered Transfiguration! By buying our scrip cards to purchase her appliances at Lowes or Home Depot, Transfiguration will be making 4% of her full purchase! Your garden supplies and home do-it-yourself projects can also benefit our church. Planning to take Mom out for a Mother s Day dinner? Many different restaurants participate in the scrip program! (AND RESTAURANTS GIVE BACK A HIGH PERCENTAGE!...FROM APRIL 10 - MAY 28, RUTH S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE WILL GIVE BACK 11%!) With just a little planning ahead of time, you can really help our church. Various restaurants, home improvement centers, department stores, etc. participate in this program. If you visit the Great Lakes Scrip web site ( you can see how many there are and that some of these stores give a very high percentage to the church. Please take some time to browse their website and see what cards they have. Then just let us know which cards you would like and we can order them for you. These cards make wonderful graduation, birthday, wedding and Mother s Day gifts! *PLEASE STOP BY THE PHILOPTOCHOS TABLE AND GET YOUR CARDS TODAY.* 5

6 ORTHODOX TRADITIONS and CHURCH ETIQUETTE In the Orthodox Church, there are many customs and traditions that are an important part of our worship. Some are cultural and some are pious customs. Some are essential and some are not. From time-to-time, we need to address some of these various etiquette issues to better inform the faithful. LIGHTING CANDLES Lighting candles is an important part of Orthodox worship. We light them as we pray, making an offering to accompany our prayers. Orthodox typically light candles when coming into the Church. There are times, though, when candles should not be lit. It is not proper to light candles during the Epistle and Gospel readings, during the Small or Great Entrances, the sermon and most of the time when the faithful are standing. If in doubt, a church usher is available to guide you. THE IMPORTANCE OF PUNCTUALITY The time to arrive at Church is before the service starts. If you arrive after the Divine Liturgy begins, try to enter the Church quietly and observe what is happening. If the Epistle or Gospel is being read or the Small or Great Entrance is taking place, wait until it is finished to quickly find a seat. If Father is giving the sermon, stay in the back until he has concluded. Try not to interrupt the Liturgy by your entrance. The best way to avoid this situation is to arrive on time. "LET US ATTEND" In some Orthodox cultures, crossing one's legs is taboo and considered to be very disrespectful. In our North American culture, while there are no real taboos, we tend to cross our legs to get comfortable when sitting. Crossing one's legs in church is not permitted, not because it is "wrong," but rather because it is too casual and relaxed for being in church. Remember, sitting in church is a concession, not the normative way of prayer. You surely do not want to get too relaxed and let your minds drift off. In fact, when you do sit in church, you should sit attentively. Keep both feet on the floor, ready to stand at attention, which is what "let us attend" means. EXCESSIVE COSMETICS Women who wear lipstick to church should blot their lips well before venerating an icon, receiving Communion, or kissing the cross or the priest's or bishop's hand. DURING CHURCH SERVICES COMMUNICATE WITH GOD... ONLY Wait until fellowship hour to say "Hi" to friends and family members. It is not appropriate to greet people and have conversations during the services. Talk to God while in church through you prayers, hymns and thanksgiving. He is waiting to hear from you. LEAVING BEFORE DISMISSAL Leaving church before dismissal deprives us of a blessing. Worship has a beginning "Blessed is the Kingdom " and an end "Let us depart in peace " To leave immediately after Communion is to treat the church like a restaurant where we come and go as we please. VENERATING ICONS When you enter the church, it is traditional to venerate the icons. Usually, there are icons at the entrance to the church and many churches have icon stands in the front as well. When venerating (kissing) the icon, please beware that it is improper to kiss an icon on the face. HANDLING THE HOLY BREAD (ANTIDORON) After receiving Holy Communion and at the end of the Divine Liturgy, it is customary to receive a piece of holy bread or antidoron - the bread that was left over after Holy Communion was prepared. While antidoron is not Holy Communion, it is blessed bread, and as such should be eaten carefully so that crumbs do not fall. Both adults and children should always remember to treat and consume the antidoron with respect. ATTIRE: USING GOOD JUDGMENT When attending services, there are those who feel that God will accept us regardless of our attire. Yes, God does accept us as we are, but what are we doing to prepare ourselves for Him? This is why we must take proper care in what we wear. We need not be dressed "fancy" so as to impress others. We need to only be dressed "respectfully" so as to present ourselves to God. Preferably, the women should wear dresses and the men wear suits or semi-formal attire during the summer season. From time to time, medical or other reasons arise which may prohibit the wearing of certain clothing. You should use your good judgment when these situations arise. Speaking with your priest will help also. Receiving Holy Communion When an Orthodox Christian approaches Holy Communion, he or she is consuming the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. It is imperative to consume these gifts with extreme respect and humility. Approaching the chalice in a prayerful manner and with care, as not to drop or spill the Holy Communion is important. No gum, food or any sort of piercings should be in your mouth. Also the safest manner to partake of Communion is to consume as if you were eating a meal. Do not pull away from the spoon to quickly. This can also cause the gifts to fall. Remember to open your mouth so the priest can see what he is doing, then close it on the spoon. Holy Communion is the pinnacle of the Divine Liturgy, and this, we must always remember. WEBSITE: Church Office: office@transfiguration.org 6

7 2010 Stewardship Updated as of 03/14/10 Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Ackerman Mr. & Mrs. Rod Ambrose Dr. & Mrs. Lou Apostolakis Dr. & Mrs. Jacob Angelo Mr. & Mrs. Dan Appling Mr. & Mrs. Bart Arnold Mr. & Mrs. Harry Benas Dn. & Deaconisa George Bithos Mr. & Mrs. Marko Bjeletich Mr. & Mrs. Tom Bowles Ms. Maria G. Burke Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Burks Mr. & Mrs. Michael Burns Mrs. Despina Carter Mr. William Chriss Mrs. Catherine Christ Ms. Marianne Clay Mr. & Mrs. Bill Colovas Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Delvizis Mr. & Mrs. Alex Demetriadis Mr. & Mrs. Joseph DeRossi Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Dow Mrs. Judy Eagle Mr. & Mrs. Michael Ebeling Fr. & Pres. David Eckley Mr. Richard Edgell Mr. & Mrs. Richard Edwards Mr. John Esper Mr. & Mrs. Costas Evgenides Mr. & Mrs. Jason Garwood Mrs. Pat Gatlin Mr. & Mrs. Anthony George Mrs. Calliope George Mr. & Mrs. James George Mr. & Mrs. George Gianakopoulos Mrs. Stella Gianas Mr. Demetri Giannopoulos Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Gimenez Ms. Christina Glarakis Mr. & Mrs. Michael Glaros Mr. & Mrs. Tom Gouris Mr. & Mrs. John Halter Mr. & Mrs. Mark Hammond Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Harris Dr. James Hitt Mrs. Virginia Hobbs Mr. & Mrs. Erwin Hockens Mr. & Mrs. David Horwedel Mr. & Mrs. Lucas Jacomides Mr. Ron Jernigan Mrs. Gwen Elizabeth Jerome Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Jones Mr. & Mrs. Johnny Justice Mr. Ted Kalenterides Ms. Nici Kalogirou Dr. James Kalpaxis Dr. & Mrs. Peter Kangos Mr. & Mrs. George Karides Ms. Elsie Karvelas Ms. Demetra Keah Ms. Vana Kersch Mr. & Mrs. Tahseen Khan Mr. & Mrs. Spyros Kinnas Mr. & Mrs. Myron Klement Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Korioth Mr. Steve Kounelias Mr. & Mrs. Antonio Latto Mr. William Leara Mr. & Mrs. Lee Leatherwood Mr. Steve Levendakes Mr. & Mrs. Archie Meador Mr. & Mrs. Petros Misetzis Ms. Bess Mitchell Mr. & Mrs. Ted Mitchell Mr. & Mrs. Xenophon Nikas Dr. & Mrs. Robert Nolan Mr. & Mrs. Jim Norman Mr. & Mrs. Shawn O Brien Mr. & Mrs. David Omer Mr. & Mrs. Ioannis Ousaklidis Mr. & Mrs. Tom Papadatos Mr. & Mrs. Angelo Papaspiros Ms. Gretchen Papazis Mrs. Sophie Paulos Mr. & Mrs. John Peet Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Peppas Mr. & Mrs. Chris Petropoulos Mr. & Mrs. Denis Phocas Mr. & Mrs. Ken Pon Mr. & Mrs. Peter Price Mr. & Mrs. Jamal Qatato Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Read Mr. & Mrs. Jim Roberts Mr. & Mrs. William Robertson Mr. & Mrs. Theodore Rodis Mr. & Mrs. Mihalis Salmatanis Mr. & Mrs. Ioannis Sasaridis Mr. & Mrs. Shane Sewell Mr. Lance Shannon Mr. & Mrs. Michael Shannon Ms. Pat Shotwell Mr. & Mrs. George Simbles Mr. & Mrs. John Skevofilax Mr. & Mrs. Nicolaos Spiropoulos Mr. & Mrs. Karl Stahlke Mr. & Mrs. Harry Stamatis Ms. Sue Stevens Mr. & Mrs. Michael Strong Mr. & Mrs. Brandon Suehs Miss Michele S. Suehs Mr. & Mrs. Tom Suehs Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Thanos Ms. Debbie Tindle Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Tracey Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Tsihlas Mr. David Walker Mr. & Mrs. Allen Wynn Mr. & Mrs. Sami Yagnam Mr. & Mrs. Stuart Yoder Mr. & Mrs. Elias Zachos Mr. & Mrs. Efstathios Zotis TGOC Pastors Benevolent Fund: The mission of the Church is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all the world. We read in the Gospel of Matthew 25:31-46 the following: "for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. The sheep, who are the righteous chosen for the kingdom, will ask how this could be so. They will ask Jesus when was He hungry or thirsty, a stranger, naked, and in prison. He will answer them by saying, Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to the least of these My brethren, you did it to me. One way we as faithful live out the mission of the Church and the words of Jesus, is to offer assistance to others in times of great need. The Transfiguration Pastors Benevolent Fund (formally the Altar Fund) is a way to help those in need, in a private manner, as not to bring about embarrassment to those seeking help. Please consider making a contribution to the TGOC Benevolent Fund to help those in need. Please contact the church office or see Fr. Michael to make a donation. 7

8 Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church 414 St. Stephens School Road Austin, Texas Non profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Austin, Texas Permit No Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church April Newsletter Schedule of Services Sacrament of Confession Call to schedule Memorial Services Please call the church office to schedule all memorial services and 40 day baby blessings. These services are normally read at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy. Feast Days & Fast Days Holy Thursday - April 1: Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil - 8:00am 12 Gospels Service - 7:00pm Holy Friday - April 2: Royal Hours - 9:00am Descent from the Cross - 3:00pm Lamentations - 7:00pm Holy Saturday - April 3: Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil - 9:00am Orthros - 11:00pm Resurrection - 12:00am The Feast of St. George - April 23 Orthros - 8:00am; Liturgy - 9:00am 8