ANNUNCIATION GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL AND THE CHAPEL OF SAINT THEODORE

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1 ANNUNCIATION GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL AND THE CHAPEL OF SAINT THEODORE WEEKLY BULLETIN 7220 Granby Street, Norfolk, VA Phone: Fax: Web: Very Rev. Archimandrite, Ambrose Bitziadis-Bowers, Dean Rev. Protopresbyter Constantine Rogakos, Priest Today is: Sunday, November 3, th Sunday of Luke Acepsimas, Joseph and Aethalas of Persia

2 ALTAR SERVERS John Clare, Michael Clare, Joseph Manning, Landon Clay, Matthew Clare, Alexander Wise, Demetrios Cain, Dimitrios Papadopoulos, Emilios Chrysostomides, Nickolas Webb, Michael Wise, Angelo Chrysostomides MEMORIAL SERVICES Amal Nassar One Year Memorial EPISTLE READER Joey Manning LITURGICAL SCHEDULE Friday, November 8 Saturday, November 9 Synaxis of the Archangels Orthros 8:30 am D. Liturgy 9:30 am Chapel St. Nectarios the Wonderworker Orthros 8:30 am D. Liturgy 9:30 am Chapel TODAY Philoptochos members will pass today s second tray which goes to support the National Ladies Philoptochos Ecumenical Patriarchate Fund, bringing both material and spiritual comfort to the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ who know Constantinople as their home. UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS ORTHODOX LIFE - ADULT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION : Due to the trip to Israel will meet again on Tuesday, November 12, at 6:30 pm, in the Bible Study room. The theme for this semester is The History of Ancient Christianity from the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles to 1054, the time of the Great Schism. Father Ambrose will be out of the country from November 3-November 11. For all the spiritual needs of the Cathedral please contact Fr. Constantine Rogakos at the office. GOLDEN YEARS: Will meet on this Tuesday, November 5, in the Social Hall, at 11:00 pm.

3 NEW WEBSITE: The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral unveiled our new website this past week. If you haven t had a chance to check it out please do, A fresh new look, updated calendar and pictures and even make Stewardship Contributions online now! HWC: The Christmas Bake Sale order forms are now available! Please see today s insert. We will still be baking on Wednesdays at 9am in preparation for the bake sale in December. AGORA STORE: The Agora Store, sponsored by the Philoptochos Society of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, is opened every Sunday, following the Divine Liturgy, for all of your edible needs. Proceeds of the store support the needy and indigent people of the Tidewater Area. GOYA: Please support our annual GOYA Tournament and Fellowship Weekend by purchasing an ad in the program. TODAY IS THE LAST DAY! Look for the insert in today's bulletin. There will be a table set up in the Social Hall. And, thank you for your continued support for our youth! ANNUNCIATION HELLENIC DANCERS (Grades 9-12): We are planning ahead for the 2013 Christmas Card. Please submit completed forms to the office or at the table in the social hall. HOPE/JOY: Many thanks to all who helped to make this year s Harvest Festival a great success! This thanks goes to all the families who volunteered during the event and who contributed guessing jars, candy, prizes raffle prizes and cupcakes. The Trunk N Treat was a great success. Thank you to all who decorated your trunks and had the children come trick or treating there. Their goodie bags were overflowing. There are bales of hay available if anyone would like one. Next on our calendar is the Sunday Chat on November 17 th. We are looking for at least two families to sign up to bring a snack or drinks. We ask that parents drop off their children and attend the General Assembly Meeting. Your children will be returned to you at the end of the meeting. CULTURAL COMMITTEE: Saturday December 14 at 7:00 pm. Christmas Concert by the Us Army Doctrine Band at Regent University Virginia Beach, VA. For your free tickets please contact Chris Bachas or Jane Williams Deadline November first. PHILOPTOCHOS: November s meeting will be held Saturday the 23 rd at 11:30 A.M. at the Providence Grill in Virginia Beach. A representative from the Salvation Army will be our guest speaker as we kick off our Stuff the Stocking campaign. Please RSVP to Effie Michaels ( ) if you will be attending.

4 THE EPISTLE READING 2nd Corinthians 11:31-33; 12:1-9 Brethren, the God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed for ever, knows that I do not lie. At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to seize me, but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped his hands. I must boast; there is nothing to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven-whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into Paradise-whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows-and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. Though if I wish to boast, I shall not be a fool, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me; but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

5 Ο ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΣ Πρός Κορινθίους Δευτέρας Ἐπιστολῆς Παῦλου 11:31-33; 12:1-9 Ἀδελφοί, ὁ Θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ οἶδεν, ὁ ὢν εὐλογητὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, ὅτι οὐ ψεύδομαι. ἐν Δαμασκῷ ὁ ἐθνάρχης Ἀρέτα τοῦ βασιλέως ἐφρούρει τὴν Δαμασκηνῶν πόλιν πιάσαι με θέλων, καὶ διὰ θυρίδος ἐν σαργάνῃ ἐχαλάσθην διὰ τοῦ τείχους καὶ ἐξέφυγον τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ. Καυχᾶσθαι δὴ οὐ συμφέρει μοι ἐλεύσομαι γὰρ εἰς ὀπτασίας καὶ ἀποκαλύψεις Κυρίου. Οἶδα ἄνθρωπον ἐν Χριστῷ πρὸ ἐτῶν δεκατεσσάρων εἴτε ἐν σώματι οὐκ οἶδα εἴτε ἐκτὸς τοῦ σώματος οὐκ οἶδα, ὁ Θεὸς οἶδεν ἁρπαγέντα τὸν τοιοῦτον ἕως τρίτου οὐρανοῦ. καὶ οἶδα τὸν τοιοῦτον ἄνθρωπον εἴτε ἐν σώματι εἴτε ἐκτὸς τοῦ σώματος οὐκ οἶδα, ὁ Θεὸς οἶδεν ὅτι ἡρπάγη εἰς τὸν παράδεισον καὶ ἤκουσεν ἄρρητα ῥήματα, ἃ οὐκ ἐξὸν ἀνθρώπῳ λαλῆσαι. ὑπὲρ τοῦ τοιούτου καυχήσομαι, ὑπὲρ δὲ ἐμαυτοῦ οὐ καυχήσομαι εἰ μὴ ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μου. ἐὰν γὰρ θελήσω καυχήσασθαι, οὐκ ἔσομαι ἄφρων ἀλήθειαν γὰρ ἐρῶ φείδομαι δὲ μή τις εἰς ἐμὲ λογίσηται ὑπὲρ ὃ βλέπει με ἢ ἀκούει τι ἐξ ἐμοῦ. Καὶ τῇ ὑπερβολῇ τῶν ἀποκαλύψεων ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι, ἐδόθη μοι σκόλοψ τῇ σαρκί, ἄγγελος σατᾶν, ἵνα με κολαφίζῃ ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι. ὑπὲρ τούτου τρὶς τὸν Κύριον παρεκάλεσα, ἵνα ἀποστῇ ἀπ' ἐμοῦ καὶ εἴρηκέ μοι ἀρκεῖ σοι ἡ χάρις μου ἡ γὰρ δύναμίς μου ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελειοῦται. ἥδιστα οὖν μᾶλλον καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μου, ἵνα ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπ' ἐμὲ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ.

6 THE GOSPEL READING 5th Sunday of Luke Luke 16:19-31 The Lord said, "There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazaros, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Lazaros in his bosom. And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Lazaros to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazaros in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.' And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' But Abraham said, 'They have Moses, and the prophets; let them hear them.' And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to them, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'"

7 ΤΟ ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΟΝ Πέμπτη Κυριακή τοῦ Λουκά Ἐκ τοῦ κατά Λουκάν 16:19-31 Εἴπεν ὁ Κύριος, ἄνθρωπος δέ τις ἦν πλούσιος, καὶ ἐνεδιδύσκετο πορφύραν καὶ βύσσον εὐφραινόμενος καθ' ἡμέραν λαμπρῶς. πτωχὸς δέ τις ἦν ὀνόματι Λάζαρος, ὃς ἐβέβλητο πρὸς τὸν πυλῶνα αὐτοῦ ἡλκωμένος καὶ ἐπιθυμῶν χορτασθῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν ψιχίων τῶν πιπτόντων ἀπὸ τῆς τραπέζης τοῦ πλουσίου ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ κύνες ἐρχόμενοι ἐπέλειχον τὰ ἕλκη αὐτοῦ. ἐγένετο δὲ ἀποθανεῖν τὸν πτωχὸν καὶ ἀπενεχθῆναι αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγγέλων εἰς τὸν κόλπον Ἀβραάμ ἀπέθανε δὲ καὶ ὁ πλούσιος καὶ ἐτάφη. καὶ ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ ἐπάρας τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ, ὑπάρχων ἐν βασάνοις, ὁρᾷ Ἀβραὰμ ἀπὸ μακρόθεν καὶ Λάζαρον ἐν τοῖς κόλποις αὐτοῦ. καὶ αὐτὸς φωνήσας εἶπε πάτερ Ἀβραάμ, ἐλέησόν με καὶ πέμψον Λάζαρον ἵνα βάψῃ τὸ ἄκρον τοῦ δακτύλου αὐτοῦ ὕδατος καὶ καταψύξῃ τὴν γλῶσσάν μου, ὅτι ὀδυνῶμαι ἐν τῇ φλογὶ ταύτῃ. εἶπε δὲ Ἀβραάμ τέκνον, μνήσθητι ὅτι ἀπέλαβες σὺ τὰ ἀγαθά σου ἐν τῇ ζωῇ σου, καὶ Λάζαρος ὁμοίως τὰ κακά νῦν δὲ ὧδε παρακαλεῖται, σὺ δὲ ὀδυνᾶσαι καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσι τούτοις μεταξὺ ἡμῶν καὶ ὑμῶν χάσμα μέγα ἐστήρικται, ὅπως οἱ θέλοντες διαβῆναι ἔνθεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς μὴ δύνωνται, μηδὲ οἱ ἐκεῖθεν πρὸς ἡμᾶς διαπερῶσιν. εἶπε δέ ἐρωτῶ οὖν σε, πάτερ, ἵνα πέμψῃς αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ πατρός μου ἔχω γὰρ πέντε ἀδελφούς ὅπως διαμαρτύρηται αὐτοῖς, ἵνα μὴ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔλθωσιν εἰς τὸν τόπον τοῦτον τῆς βασάνου. λέγει αὐτῷ Ἀβραάμ ἔχουσι Μωϋσέα καὶ τοὺς προφήτας ἀκουσάτωσαν αὐτῶν. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν οὐχί, πάτερ Ἀβραάμ, ἀλλ' ἐάν τις ἀπὸ νεκρῶν πορευθῇ πρὸς αὐτοὺς, μετανοήσουσιν. εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ εἰ Μωϋσέως καὶ τῶν προφητῶν οὐκ ἀκούουσιν, οὐδὲ ἐάν τις ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστῇ πεισθήσονται.

8 SAINTS AND FEASTS COMMEMORATED Saint Nectarios the Wonder Worker November 9 Saint Nektarius was born in Selyvria of Thrace on October 1, After putting himself through school in Constantinople with much hard labour, he became a monk on Chios in 1876, receiving the monastic name of Lazarus; because of his virtue, a year later he was ordained deacon, receiving the new name of Nektarius. Under the patronage of Patriarch Sophronius of Alexandria, Nektarius went to Athens to study in 1882; completing his theological studies in 1885, he went to Alexandria, where Patriarch Sophronius ordained him priest on March 23, 1886 in the Cathedral of Saint Sabbas, and in August of the same year, in the Church of Saint Nicholas in Cairo, made him Archimandrite. On January 15, 1889, in the same Church of Saint Nicholas, Nektarius was consecrated Metropolitan of the Pentapolis in eastern Libya, which was under the jurisdiction of Alexandria. Although Nektarius' swift ascent through the degrees of ecclesiastical office did not affect his modesty and childlike innocence, it aroused the envy of lesser men, who convinced the elderly Sophronius that Nektarius had it in his heart to become Patriarch. Since the people loved Nektarius, the Patriarch was troubled by the slanders. On May 3, 1890, Sophronius relieved Metropolitan Nektarius of his duties; in July of the same year, he commanded Nektarius to leave Egypt. Without seeking to avenge or even to defend himself, the innocent Metropolitan left for Athens, where he found that accusations of immorality had arrived before him. Because his good name had been soiled, he was unable to find a position worthy of a bishop, and in February of 1891 accepted the position of provincial preacher in Euboia; then, in 1894, he was appointed dean of the Rizarios Ecclesiastical School in Athens. Through his eloquent sermons his unwearying labors to educate fitting men for the priesthood. At the request of certain pious women, in 1904 he began the building of his convent of the Holy Trinity on the island of Aegina while yet dean of the Rizarios School; finding later that his presence there was needed, he took up his residence on Aegina in 1908, where he spent the last years of his life He became the protector of all Aegina, through his prayers delivering the island from drought, healing the sick, and casting out demons.

9 WISDOM FROM THE CHURCH FATHERS By these words it is surely shown that in his [the rich man] daily feasting he had frequently sinned by his tongue, seeing that, while burning all over, he demanded to be cooled especially in his tongue. Again, that levity of conduct follows closely upon gluttony sacred authority testifies... For the most part also edacity leads us even to lechery, because, when the belly is distended by repletion, the stings of lust are excited. St. Gregory the Dialogist, The Book of Pastoral Rule, Chapter XIX 6th century APOLYTIKION of this Sunday When You descended to death, O Immortal Life, then, the light of Your divinity destroyed Hades. When You raised the dead from the depths of darkness, all the heavenly powers cried out, "Glory to You our Christ, the Giver of Life." Ὅτε κατῆλθες πρὸς τὸν θάνατον, ἡ Ζωὴ ἡ ἀθάνατος, τότε τὸν ᾅδην ἐνέκρωσας τῇ ἀστραπῇ τῆς Θεότητος, ὅτε δὲ καὶ τοὺς τεθνεῶτας ἐκ τῶν καταχθονίων ἀνέστησας, πᾶσαι αἱ Δυνάμεις τῶν ἐπουρανίων ἐκραύγαζον Ζωοδότα Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν δόξα σοι. KONTAKION of this Sunday O Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the creator most constant: O despise not the voices of those who have sinned; but be quick, O good one, to come unto our aid, who in faith cry unto you: Hasten to intercession and speed you to make supplication, O you who did ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor you. Προστασία τῶν Χριστιανῶν άκαταίσχυντε, μεσιτεία, πρός τόν Ποιητήν ἀμετάθετε, μή παρίδης, ἀμαρτωλῶν δεήσεων φωνάς, ἀλλά πρόφθασον, ὡς ἀγαθή εἰς τήν βοήθειαν ἡμῶν, τῶν πιστῶς κραυγαζόντων σοι. Τάχυνον εἰς πρεσβείαν, καί σπεύσον εἰς ἰκεσίαν, ἡ προστατεύουσα ἀεί, Θεοτόκε τῶν τιμώντων σε.

10 SPIRITUAL REFLECTIONS The Rich Man and Lazarus So it was that the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abrahams bosom. The rich man dies and was buried". Christ's account of the parable of the rich man and Lazarus should raise in each one of us thoughts regarding our way of life and of eternal life after death. A basic teaching in today's Parable is the fact that life after death is an "echo" of the current one, which should be a time of self correction and preparation for eternal life. This parable portrays two very different types of people. The one representing material goods is the cold hearted, uncompassionate materialist. The other, poverty, pain and bad luck. Both are tried in this present life with different means. Inbounding riches and material goods, with a long and healthy life is provided to one. And to the second: poverty, pain and misery. Two very different trials from which God awaits human's reaction. To the rich man was given everything, but so that he could also give and share the gifts and mercy that God had granted him with those less fortunate than himself, to lighten the pain, and bring some joy to the misery of those that suffered near him. God gave him many riches to see how he would manage these blessings. God waited to see in the person of the rich man an almsgiver and helper, a man with love and compassion for the poor. And so as to help the rich man to do these goods works of philanthropy, he sent Lazarus to live at the steps of the rich man. Lazarus life was a drama, truly a tragedy. Near the gates of the rich man's mansion, Lazarus moved his sickly and wounded body, searching for crusts to eat from the rubbish that had been thrown out by the rich man's servants. The rich man however was not moved by the plight of the poor man Lazarus, neither was his conscience troubled, even though he saw his sore filled person daily in front of him at the steps of his house, with his only companions the dogs that would lick his sores. Laying all his faith on his riches and his health which had been granted to him by God, the Rich man believed in the permanence of this life. He forgot that this present life is fleeting, that it is a preparation for the future life, which is eternal. The rich man in today's parable, with his way of life and indifference to everyone apart from himself did little to benefit his soul for after his death. Christ does not condemn him for the wealth he possessed, but because he simply paid no attention to Lazarus - thus forgetting the great commandment to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18). Lazarus on the other had hand, is seen as a gallant and victorious victor. Even though he suffered, he never once raise his voice to criticize or curse anyone, hoping with faith in the mercy of God. Christ then tells us that

11 the "beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried." The one was carried by the angels; the other was buried. Now we even notice that the rich man died after Lazarus. God, in His great mercy, took Lazarus early so that he would not continue to suffer through the hardheartedness of those around him, but He also allowed the Rich man time: time to repent, time to change his way of life. Unfortunately, like what happens with many people today, this time which God grants us to return to Him is wasted on our own egotistically pleasures. Many of us, just like the rich man have as our motto :"Drink, eat and dance for tomorrow we die". Too many people, like the rich man spend huge amounts of money to satisfy their own selfish desire at the expense of great numbers of Lazarus. After both Lazarus and the rich man died however, we see the scene of the afterlife. Here the conditions have changed. The rich man, according to his way of life on earth and his hard heartedness and lack of compassion for his fellow man places himself in Hades. There he suffers. In paradise, we see Lazarus who rejoices with the Patriarch Abraham. But why have the terms changed? Of course, neither the riches of the rich man placed him in Hades nor the poverty of Lazarus placed in him paradise. What mattered was the position that each person takes to his wealth or poverty. Abraham was extremely rich but he was also a great almsgiver. Job lost everything, his family and his wealth but never grumbled against God or his fellow man. But even in Hades the rich man's attitude does not change, he does not seem at all repentant. In fact, he hints that he himself had not been properly warned. He tries to justify himself by accusing God of being unfair; "If I had been sufficiently warned, if I had known that this place would be the goal of my worldly life, I would have avoided it. But now at least, Father Abraham, let my brothers be warned." There is no mention in the parable of God refusing to show mercy to someone who now regrets his old attitude towards Lazarus and condemns his own selfishness: there is simply no trace of such regret or repentance in the rich man. "But Abraham said to the rich man, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'" God wishes all people to be "persuaded" to repentance. The repentance He desires is neither the result of submitting to outside authority, nor the result of the shock that a miraculous sign such as the raising of a person from the dead might cause. But the repentance which God desires must be the result of an inner persuasion, the fruit of a long and inevitable working of the Holy Spirit on our soul - because, in spiritual life, everything must come from the Holy Spirit. It is for this reason that St. Paul writes that: "...the goodness of God leads you to repentance" (Rom 2:4).

12 We extend to you a warm and heartfelt Orthodox Christian welcome. Our Greek Orthodox Cathedral is dedicated to imitating the love and faithfulness of Jesus Christ by sharing the gospel with our words and living it with our lives. It exists to lead the faithful to the worship of the Holy Trinity according to the Faith and Tradition of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Our witnessing to our Faith is accomplished through the Sacramental life of the Church, its values and traditions, stewardship, fellowship, service, and Christian education. Published by: Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral 7220 Granby Street, Norfolk, VA Contact Information: Elizabeth Miller Tel: Fax: churchadmin@agoc.hrcoxmail.com