St. Theodore the General December 2010 Monthly Newsletter

Transcript

1 St. Theodore the General December 2010 Monthly Newsletter The Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ December 25 Newsletter Online! The Saint Theodore Monthly Newsletter is going on-line! Please visit to our website to see it!

2 St. Theodore THE GENERAL Saint Theodore Greek Orthodox Church 7101 Cipriano Rd. Lanham, Md Fax: Rev. Patrick Viscuso Church Office Hours Monday through Friday, 10:00 am -2:00pm Juliana Moniodis, Church Secretary 2010 PARISH COUNCIL MEMBERS Officers: President..John Maroulis Vice President. Nicholas Michaelides Treasurer Pantelis Zairis Secretary Nora Presti Members: Patrick Curtis George Kollaros Paul Moniodis Anthony Quebral PHILOPTOCHOS President Maria Curtis Vice President Stella Higgs Treasurer Maria Kapsalis Secretary. Elaine Michaelides Advisor.. Angie Alexion ORGANIZATIONS Sunday School Christina Villano Greek School.. Nora Presti PTO Nora Presti

3 Ta Nea (The News) at St. Theodore s Philoptochos The ladies of Philoptochos would like to thank each and everyone who participated in the two luncheons and bake sale held in October. There are several charitable obligations to be met in December and the funds raised from the luncheons and bake sale will certainly be put to good use. The ladies will be having a brief, informal meeting after services on December 5th and all ladies are cordially invited to attend. Please do not forget to sign up for the annual Christmas Card and also sign up for a poinsettia donation...thank you so much as always for your generous support. Fall Festival On October 29, we had our first organized event of the school year with the second annual Hellen-o-Ween (think Hellenic +'o-ween ) celebration! Kids of all ages enjoyed an evening of games, crafts, and of course food! Special thanks to our assistant volunteers George Zoto and George Zaki who joined us from the U of Maryland. Christmas Program The school s holiday program will take place on Sunday, December 19th after church services. Following the program, we will have refreshments and if we re lucky a visit from Santa himself! Hope to see you there! Christmas Services On Friday, December 24, beginning at 9:00 am we will celebrate Orthros, Great Hours, Great Vespers, and the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great. On Friday, December 24 at 7:30 p.m. we will celebrate Orthros and the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. No services on Saturday, December 25. Christmas Offering Envelopes We have enclosed a Christmas Offering Envelope for your Christmas offering. Please make checks payable to St. Theodore Greek Orthodox Church. Making Arrangements for Sacraments & Home Blessings Please call the Church Office, or directly to the parish president, Mr. John Maroulis, to schedule Weddings and Baptisms at least 3 months in advance, and for Artoclasies, Trisagia, Memorial Services as well as home blessings at least 2 weeks in advance. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated. Stewardship If you have not already done so, please submit your pledge card indicating your membership amount. The financial level at which you arrive should be a spiritual expression of gratitude and love to God for all you have received. Newsletter Submissions If you would like to submit any articles, pictures, or news for our monthly newsletter, please submit them to the church office by the 20 th of the Month.

4 Poinsettia Sale Join the St. Theodore Community as we decorate and beautify the church in celebration of the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. YOU MAY DONATE A 6 POINSETTIA PLANT IN MEMORY OF OR FOR THE HEALTH OF A LOVED ONE PREPAID ORDERS ONLY Deadline: December 12 Minimum Donation - $20.00 How many Total Amount $ Donated by: phone number In Memory of For the Health of All Names will be commemorated during the Consecration of the Holy Gifts. You may take your poinsettia home after Christmas Eve service.

5 Saint Theodore 2010 Annual Community Christmas Card Dear members and friends of St. Theodore Greek Orthodox Church: Again, the time has come for the Church to prepare its annual Christmas card. It is an opportunity for you to spread the cheer and joy of our Lord s Birth and support the Church. The front of the card is adorned with a beautiful Byzantine icon that commemorates the joyous event. Inside appear the names of those who wish to participate in sending holiday greetings. The card will be sent to everyone on our Church mailing list. If you wish that your name be included on the card, please complete, detach and mail the bottom portion of this mailing with your minimum donation of $25.00 made out to St. Theodore Greek Orthodox Church by Sunday, December 5th. Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men! «Δόξα εν ςψίζηοιρ Θεώ, και επί Γήρ ειπήνη, εν ανθπώποιρ εςδοκία» Εηήζια Χριζηοσγεννιάηικη Κοινοηική Κάρηα Αγίοσ Θεοδώροσ Αγαπεηά κέιε θαη θίινη ηνπ Αγίνπ Θενδώξνπ: Ήξζε ν θαηξόο γηα ηελ Εθθιεζία καο λα εηνηκάζεη ηελ εηήζηα Χξηζηνπγελληάηηθε θάξηα. Είλαη επθαηξία γηα ζαο λα δηαδώζεηε ηελ ραξά ηεο γέλλεζεο ηνπ Χξηζηνύ θαη λα ππνζηεξίμεηε ηελ Εθθιεζία καο. Σν εμσηεξηθό ηεο θάξηαο ζα είλαη ζηνιηζκέλν κε κία σξαία βπδαληηλή εηθόλα πνπ αληηπξνζσπεύεη ηελ αγία κέξα. ην εζσηεξηθό ζα γξαθηνύλ ηα νλόκαηα όισλ πνπ ζέιεζαλ λα ζηείινπλ ενξηαζηηθέο επρέο. Αλ ζέιεηε λα πεξηιακβάλνπκε ην όλνκα ζαο ζηελ θάξηα, ζπκπιεξώζηε θαη ηαρπδξνκείζηε ην απόθνκκα ηνπ γξάκκαηνο καδί κε ηελ δσξεά ζαο γηα ηνπιάρηζηνλ $25.00 γξακκέλε ζην όλνκα ηεο εθθιεζίαο, St. Theodore Greek Orthodox Church πξηλ ηηο 5 Δεθεκβξίνπ Annual Christmas Card Saint Theodore Greek Orthodox Church, 7101 Cipriano Road, Lanham, MD (Print clearly as you wish your name to appear in card/γξάςηε θαζαξά όπσο ζέιεηε λα θαίλεηε ζηελ θάξηα) Name/Όλνκα: Address/Δηεύζπλζε: $25.00

6 Calendar for December 2010 Sunday Services 5 Matins 9:00am, Divine Liturgy 10:00am 12 Matins 9:00am, Divine Liturgy 10:00am 19 Matins 9:00am, Divine Liturgy 10:00am Entry into the Temple 26 Matins 9:00am, Divine Liturgy 10:00am Special Feastdays 4 Great Martyr Barbara 6 St. Nicholas the Wonderworker 9 Conception of the Theotokos by St. Anna 12 St. Spyridon 24 Matins, Great Hours, Great Vespers, and the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great 9:00 am Matins and the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom 7:30 pm 25 Nativity of Christ (No services) 26 Synaxis Holy Theotokos Safeway s escrip program is a *FREE*, *easy* way for you to support St. Theodore s school programs! St. Theodore s member# Contact the church office or Nora Presti for more information. Every purchase counts, so sign up today! Το escrip ηοσ προγράμμαηος Safeway είλαη έλαο ΔΩΡΕΑΝ ηξόπνο γηα ζαο λα ππνζηεξίμεηε ηα ζρνιηθα πξνγξάκκαηα ηνπ Αγίνπ Θενδώξνπ!Μέινο ηνπ Αγίνπ Θενδώξνπ# Καιέζηε ην γξαθείν ηεο εθιεζζίαο ζην ή ηε Νόξα Πξέζηε γηα πεξηζζόηεξεο πιεξνθνξίεο. Κάθε αγορά μετράει, γι αυτό εγγραυείτε σήμερα!

7 Saints of December Barbara the Great Martyr December 4 Saint Barbara lived during the reign of Maximian. She was the daughter of an idolater named Dioscorus. When Barbara came of age, she was enlightened in her pure heart and secretly believed in the Holy Trinity. About this time Dioscorus began building a bathhouse; before it was finished he was required to go away to attend to certain matters, and in his absence Barbara directed the workmen to build a third window in addition to the two her father had commanded. She also inscribed the sign of the Cross with her finger upon the marble of the bath-house, leaving the saving sign cut as deeply into the marble as if it had been done with an iron too. When Dioscorus returned, he asked why the third window had been added; Barbara began to declare to him the mystery of the Trinity. Because she refused to renounce her faith, Dioscorus tortured Barbara inhumanely, and after subjecting her to many sufferings he beheaded her with his own hands, in the year 290. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra December 6 This Saint lived during the reign of Saint Constantine the Great, and reposed in 330, As a young man, he desired to espouse the solitary life. He made a pilgrimage to the holy city Jerusalem, where he found a place to withdraw to devote himself to prayer. It was made known to him, however, that this was not the will of God for him, but that he should return to his homeland to be a cause of salvation for many. He returned to Myra, and was ordained bishop. He became known for his abundant mercy, providing for the poor and needy, and delivering those who had been unjustly accused. No less was he known for his zeal for the truth. He was present at the First Ecumenical Council of the 318 Fathers at Nicaea in 325; upon hearing the blasphemies that Arius brazenly uttered against the Son of God, Saint Nicholas struck him on the face. Since the canons of the Church forbid the clergy to strike any man at all, his fellow bishops were in perplexity what disciplinary action was to be taken against this hierarch whom all revered. In the night our Lord Jesus Christ and our Lady Theotokos appeared to certain of the bishops, informing them that no action was to be taken against him, since he had acted not out of passion, but extreme love and piety. The Conception by St. Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos December 9 According to the ancient tradition of the Church, since Saint Anna, the Ancestor of God, was barren, she and her husband Joachim remained without children until old age. Therefore, sorrowing over their childlessness, they besought God with a promise that, if He were to grant them the fruit of the womb, they would offer their offspring to Him as a gift. And God, hearkening to their supplication, informed them through an Angel concerning the birth of the Virgin. And thus, through God's promise, Anna conceived according to the laws of nature, and was deemed worthy to become the mother of the Mother of our Lord. Spyridon the Wonderworker of Trymithous December 12 Spyridon, the God-bearing Father of the Church, the great defender of the faith. He was simple in manner and humble of heart, and was a shepherd of sheep. When he was joined to a wife, he begat of her a daughter whom they named Irene. After his wife's departure from this life, he was appointed Bishop of Trimythus, and thus he became also a shepherd of rational sheep. When the First Ecumenical Council was assembled in Nicaea, he also was present, and by means of his most simple words stopped the mouths of the Arians who were wise in their own conceit. By the divine grace which dwelt in him, he wrought such great wonders that he received the surname 'Wonderworker." The relics of Saint Spyridon remain to this day, and they continue to be a staff for the faithful in Orthodoxy, and a supernatural wonder; for even after the passage of 1,500 years, they have remained incorrupt, and even the flexibility of his flesh has been preserved. Truly wondrous is God in His Saints! (Ps. 67:3 5)