Sunday, March 25th, 2018 Annunciation of the Theotokos

Transcript

1 Epistle Reading St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 2:11-18 BRETHREN, he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have all one origin. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, "I will proclaim thy name to my brethren, in the midst of the congregation I will praise thee." And again, "I will put my trust in him." And again, "Here am I, and the children God has given me. Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage. For surely it is not with angels that he is concerned but with the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted. Greek Orthodox Church of Greater Salt Lake Orthodoxy3@gmail.com Sunday, March 25th, 2018 Annunciation of the Theotokos Epistle Reading Πρὸς Ἑβραίους 2:11-18 τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα είναι απο Ἀδελφοί, ὁ ἁγιάζων καὶ οἱ ἁγιαζόμενοι, ἐξ ἑνὸς πάντες διʼ ἣν αἰτίαν οὐκ ἐπαισχύνεται ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοὺς καλεῖν, λέγων, Ἀπαγγελῶ τὸ ὄνομά σου τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου, ἐν μέσῳ ἐκκλησίας ὑμνήσω σε. Καὶ πάλιν, Ἐγὼ ἔσομαι πεποιθὼς ἐπʼ αὐτῷ. Καὶ πάλιν, Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ καὶ τὰ παιδία ἅ μοι ἔδωκεν ὁ θεός. Ἐπεὶ οὖν τὰ παιδία κεκοινώνηκεν σαρκός καὶ αἵματος, καὶ αὐτὸς παραπλησίως μετέσχεν τῶν αὐτῶν, ἵνα διὰ τοῦ θανάτου καταργήσῃ τὸν τὸ κράτος ἔχοντα τοῦ θανάτου, τοῦτʼ ἔστιν τὸν διάβολον, καὶ ἀπαλλάξῃ τούτους, ὅσοι φόβῳ θανάτου διὰ παντὸς τοῦ ζῇν ἔνοχοι ἦσαν δουλείας. Οὐ γὰρ δήπου ἀγγέλων ἐπιλαμβάνεται, ἀλλὰ σπέρματος Ἀβραὰμ ἐπιλαμβάνεται. Ὅθεν ὤφειλεν κατὰ πάντα τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ὁμοιωθῆναι, ἵνα ἐλεήμων γένηται καὶ πιστὸς ἀρχιερεὺς τὰ πρὸς τὸν θεόν, εἰς τὸ ἱλάσκεσθαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας τοῦ λαοῦ. Ἐν ᾧ γὰρ πέπονθεν αὐτὸς πειρασθείς, δύναται τοῖς πειραζομένοις βοηθῆσαι. V. Rev. Archimandrite George Nikas, Cathedral Dean Cell: gnikas@mail.com Rev. Protopresbyter Mario Giannopoulos, Parish Priest Cell: frmtg@yahoo.com Rev. Protopresbyter George Politis (retired) CATHEDRAL OFFICE HOURS: Monday Friday 9AM 5PM Holy Trinity Cathedral: 279 S. 300 W. SLC, UT 84101, Prophet Elias Church: 5335 Highland Dr. Holladay, UT 84117,

2 Gospel Reading The Gospel According to Luke 1:24-38 In those days, Elizabeth the wife of Zacharias conceived and for five months she hid herself, saying, "Thus the Lord had done to me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men." In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you! Blessed are you among women!" But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible." And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. Gospel Reading Ἐκ τοῦ Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 1:24-38 Εὐαγγελίου τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις συνέλαβεν Ελισάβετ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ, καὶ περιέκρυβεν ἑαυτὴν μῆνας πέντε, λέγουσα ὅτι οὕτω μοι πεποίηκεν ὁ Κύριος ἐν ἡμέραις αἷς ἐπεῖδεν ἀφελεῖν τὸ ὄνειδός μου ἐν ἀνθρώποις. Εν δὲ τῷ μηνὶ τῷ ἕκτῳ ἀπεστάλη ὁ ἄγγελος Γαβριὴλ ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς πόλιν τῆς Γαλιλαίας, ᾗ ὄνομα Ναζαρέτ,πρὸς παρθένον μεμνηστευμένην ἀνδρί, ᾧ ὄνομα Ιωσήφ, ἐξ οἴκου Δαυΐδ, καὶ τὸ ὄνομα τῆς παρθένου Μαριάμ. καὶ εἰσελθὼν ὁ ἄγγελος πρὸς αὐτὴν εἶπε χαῖρε, κεχαριτωμένη ὁ Κύριος μετὰ σοῦ εὐλογημένη σὺ ἐν γυναιξίν. ἡ δὲ ἰδοῦσα διεταράχθη ἐπὶ τῷ λόγῳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ διελογίζετο ποταπὸς εἴη ὁ ἀσπασμὸς οὗτος. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος αὐτῇ μὴ φοβοῦ, Μαριάμ εὗρες γὰρ χάριν παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ. καὶ ἰδοὺ συλλήψῃ ἐν γαστρὶ καὶ τέξῃ υἱόν, καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ιησοῦν. οὗτος ἔσται μέγας καὶ υἱὸς ὑψίστου κληθήσεται, καὶ δώσει αὐτῷ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τὸν θρόνον Δαυῒδ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ βασιλεύσει ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον Ιακὼβ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, καὶ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔσται τέλος. εἶπε δὲ Μαριὰμ πρὸς τὸν ἄγγελον πῶς ἔσται μοι τοῦτο, ἐπεὶ ἄνδρα οὐ γινώσκω; καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ ἄγγελος εἶπεν αὐτῇ Πνεῦμα Αγιον ἐπελεύσεται ἐπὶ σὲ καὶ δύναμις ὑψίστου ἐπισκιάσει σοι διὸ καὶ τὸ γεννώμενον ἅγιον κληθήσεται υἱὸς Θεοῦ. καὶ ἰδοὺ Ελισάβετ ἡ συγγενής σου καὶ αὐτὴ συνειληφυῖα υἱὸν ἐν γήρει αὐτῆς, καὶ οὗτος μὴν ἕκτος ἐστὶν αὐτῇ τῇ καλουμένῃ στείρᾳ ὅτι οὐκ ἀδυνατήσει παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ πᾶν ῥῆμα. εἶπε δὲ Μαριάμ ἰδοὺ ἡ δούλη Κυρίου γένοιτό μοι κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου. καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἀπ αὐτῆς ὁ ἄγγελος. Sunday Services at both churches Orthros 9:00 am Divine Liturgy 10:00 am CHANGE IN POLICY: SCHEDULING SACRAMENTS Effective immediately, please call Fr. George or Fr. Mario , and NOT the Church Office to schedule a Baptism, Wedding or Funeral. Your attention to this matter and cooperation is most appreciated! Scheduling Memorials Please contact the church office to schedule a memorial or orthodoxy3@gmail.com Include the baptismal names for the memorials Prayer List Cindi, Stella, Steve, Stephanie, Karri, Mary, Constance, Alexandra, Angelo, Eleni, Paul, Christian, Angie, Margie, Larry and Nicholas UPCOMING EVENTS April 12 th (Thursday) Young at Heart Luncheon 12:00 pm Holy Trinity April 14 th (Saturday) Young Adults Paschalino Glendi 7:00 pm Holy Trinity Job Position Available There is a part time position available for a Maintenance Assistant for Prophet Elias Church and the LaFrance Apartments. Candidates must be flexible with their working hours. Qualified candidates must be able to handle all basic maintenance issues with both facilities. Main duties include cleaning and repair. Send a brief resume to conniegoc@gmail.com or contact Connie Yengich at PHILOPTOCHOS Philoptochos will be selling Koulouria at both churches today and Palm Sunday; $6.00 a dozen Philoptochos will be making and selling Loukoumathes at both churches on Palm Sunday; $5.00

3 SPECIAL OFFERINGS FOR GREAT LENT AND HOLY WEEK The following special items are needed to decorate the Church during this Lenten Season and to provide for the Liturgical needs of the various Holy Services. The total cost for all of these special items at both churches is over $6, Your generous donations will assist the Church greatly in underwriting the cost of these needed items and will provide for a most beautiful Church during this special time of the year. Kindly make checks payable to: Greek Orthodox Church of Greater Salt Lake (memo: Easter Donation) Flowers to decorate the Icon of Panayia for the 5 Salutation Fridays Flowers for the Third Sunday of Lent: Veneration of the Holy Cross Palms to be distributed on Palm Sunday Palm trees to be placed inside the Church for Palm Sunday Flowers to decorate the Icon of the Bridegroom (Nymphios) Olive Oil for Holy Unction Service Eggs, Red dye Flowers for the Base of the Crucifixion Cross for Holy Thursday Flowers for the Wreath of the Crucifixion Cross for Holy Thursday Candles for the Crucifixion Cross (3 sets of 3) for Holy Thursday Candles for the 12 Gospel Readings for Holy Thursday Gardenias to be placed on top of the Epitaphios Flowers to decorate the Kouvouklion (Epitaphios) Bay leaves for Holy Saturday morning Flowers for the wreath of the Resurrection Banner Flowers to decorate the Icon of the Resurrection Resurrection Candles for the Clergy Dozens of Lily plants to decorate the Church for Pascha & Bright Week Come, receive the light from the unwaning light, and glorify Christ, Who has risen from the dead. (Holy Resurrection Service)

4 My Beloved Spiritual Children, TODAY our beloved Community joins Greek Orthodox Christians all over the world as we celebrate the most glorious and dual Feast of the Annunciation of the Theotokos and Greek Independence Day. March 25 th is truly a special day in which our minds and hearts are drawn to these two significant events of Divine Providence that have ushered in hope and salvation for us in both a spiritual and physical manner. It is with tremendous joy that the Virgin Mary hears the divinely spoken words of the Archangel Gabriel announcing to her the profound message from on high, And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end. (Luke 1:31-33) These glad tidings of joy and highest honor are received with the utmost purity and humility by Mary, who by being the chosen vessel of God, thus establishes herself as our new common Mother, taking the place of the ancient Eve. For unlike Eve, she yielded to the divine will, thereby exchanging the ancient disobedience of Eve with her divinely inspired response, Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word. (Luke 1:38) It was indeed right that she was chosen, perfectly suited to the great task, having been raised in the very precincts of holiness, fed by the Holy Angels of God, immersed in His commandments from her early youth. Now, standing before the Archangel of God as a pure and undefiled Virgin; for in giving birth she was a Virgin, and after birth, she remained a pure and undefiled Virgin, as the prophetic words of the ancient prophet declared: This gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter by it, because the LORD God of Israel has entered by it; therefore, it shall be shut. (Ezk. 44:2) Therefore, as was declared to her, we also lift up our voices and say Rejoice! Rejoice exceedingly, Lady full of grace, for the God before all ages, only begotten Son of the Father, took up His abode in your flesh, that you might bring forth the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6), a fitting vessel and throne for Him, having yourself descended from a royal line; bearing in the flesh He who would set at liberty (Rom. 8:20-21; Gal. 5:1,13) those held in bondage to sin and death. It was on this great festal occasion of the Annunciation of the Theotokos in 1821, a feast where the freedom from oppression of death and the hope of new life is brightly hymned, that the ever-memorable events of the struggles for the independence of the Hellenic peoples against the 400 years-long Turkish domination commenced. In the luminous glow of this great feast Metropolitan Germanos of Patras blessed the new flag of the nascent Greek Nation, prayers and supplications were offered to the Living God, and the protection of the Panagia was invoked for this great work of freedom. Let us recall their struggle, let us honor their sacrifice, let us offer heartfelt thanks to our gracious Lord for these acts of Divine Providence, and hymns to His Most Holy Mother, the ever-blessed Theotokos, the constant and fervent intercessor of every Orthodox Christian from age to age. My beloved, as we continue our spiritual warfare and arduous Journey during this Holy and Great Lent, let each one of us look towards her, whom we call the hope of the Christian race. For in her example we see the model of holiness, with the perfection of every virtue, lived in long-suffering, with a heart completely dedicated to Almighty God. In her Annunciation we see hope realized and the pain and suffering of the world alleviated may her assent to the Divine Will also be found within each one of us as we strive towards the Feast of Feasts, the celebration of new life, our Lord s Pascha, where the liberty celebrated today has its fulfillment. Τό μέγα θαῦμα τοῦ Εὐαγγελισμοῦ τῆς Ὑπεραγίας Θεοτόκου, τό Ἀρχαγγελικόν οὐράνιον μήνυμα, μεγαλοπρεπῶς ἑορτάζει καί πάλιν ἡ Ἁγία ἡμῶν Μήτηρ Ἐκκλησία καί ἄπειρα Χαῖρε ἀπευθύνει πρός τήν Ἁγνήν Παρθένον τῆς Ναζαρέτ, μέσα εἰς τά σπλάγχνα τῆς ὁποίας συνετελέσθη τό μεγαλύτερον μυστήριον ὅλων τῶν αἰώνων καί ὅλων τῶν ἐποχῶν. Ἡ Παναγία Παρθένος γίνεται κλίμαξ καί πύλη, δι ἧς κατέβει ὁ Θεός ἐπί τῆς γῆς, γίνεται μητρόθεος, διότι ἀξιώθηκε νά γεννήσῃ τόν ἀχώρητον, τόν Ἕνα τῆς Τριάδος Υἱόν τοῦ Θεοῦ καί Σωτῆρα παντός τοῦ κόσμου. Εἶναι ἡ ἐκλεκτή τοῦ Θεοῦ καί Πατρός, ὡς ἐκπρόσωπος τοῦ ἀνθρωπίνου γένους, ἡ ἑὐλογημένη ἐν γυναιξί, ὅπως τήν ἀπεκάλεσε ὁ Μέγας Ἀρχάγγελος Γαβριήλ, διά νά φέρῃ εἰς τόν ταλαίπωρον κόσμον τόν Ἐμμανουήλ, τόν μεγάλης βουλῆς ἄγγελον, τόν ἄρχοντα τῆς εἰρήνης, πού εἶχε τόσην ἀνάγκην ἡ ἀνθρωπότης. Ἡ Ὑπεραγία Θεοτόκος ὑπέταξε τόν ἑαυτόν της εἰς τό θεῖον θέλημα ὅταν εἶπε μέ ἄκραν ταπείνωσιν: Ἰδού ἡ δούλη Κυρίου, γένοιτό μοι κατά τό ρῆμα σου. Ἄς ὑποτάξωμε καί ἡμεῖς τό θέλημά μας εἰς τό θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὥστε νά ἔχωμεν τήν εὐλογίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς τήν ζωήν μας. Δι ἡμᾶς τούς Ἕλληνας ἡ σημερινή ἑορτή τοῦ Εὐαγγελισμοῦ ἔχει ἰδιαιτέραν σημασίαν, διότι κατά τήν ἡμέραν αὐτήν τό Ἑλληνικόν Ἔθνος μέ τήν πίστιν καί τήν ἀνδρείαν τῶν ἡρωϊκῶν ἡμῶν προγόνων κατώρθωσε νά ἀποτινάξῃ τόν ζυγόν τῆς δουλείας καί χαρίσῃ τό μεγάλο δῶρο τῆς ἐλευθερίας, τήν ὁποίαν ὁ Θεός ἔδωσε είς κάθε ἄνθρωπον. Καί δικαίως δοξολογίας ἀναπέμπομεν πρός τόν Παντοδύναμον Θεόν ἡμῶν ἐπί τῇ Ἐθνικῇ ἑορτῇ, διά τήν ἀπελευθέρωσιν τοῦ γένους ἡμῶν, δεόμενοι καί ὑπέρ ἀναπαύσεως τῶν ψυχῶν τῶν ἡρωϊκῶς ἀγωνισαμένων καί ἐνδόξως πεσόντων πατέρων καί ἀδελφῶν ἡμῶν. Praying that His loving kindness cascade over our very being and that He will strengthen us as we continue on our Lenten Journey toward Pascha, I Remain, With Love in Christ, Archimandrite George Nikas Cathedral Dean

5 YOUTH & YOUNG ADULT MINISTRIES SATURDAY OF LAZARUS Lambs, Hope & Joy Retreat PROPHET ELIAS Saturday, March 31 st Pre-K through 6 th Grade Orthros 9:00 am/divine Liturgy 10:00 am 11:00 am 11:30 am Communion Breakfast 11:30 am 2:30 pm Retreat 2:45 pm Parents Pick-up GOYANS are invited to attend the Divine Liturgy, serve in the Altar and volunteer at the retreat. Parents can stay and help make Crosses for Palm Sunday! Congratulations! Congratulations to our Parish Representatives who participated in the Metropolis St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival held at Saint Anna Greek Orthodox Church in Cottonwood Heights, Utah, March 9 th -11 th. John Nikols took Second Place and a $500 scholarship in the Junior Division and Peter Souvall received Honorable Mention in the Senior Division. We re very proud of both of you!

6 SAVE THE DATES OPA Camp Vacation Church School June 18-22, 2018 July 16-20, :00 am - 3:00 pm 9:00 am 1:00 pm Ages Pre-school-14 Ages K-6 th Prophet Elias GOC Prophet Elias GOC 2018 G.S.L Basketball Camp June 25 th 28 th AM Session Camp 9:00 am 12:00 pm (Boys and Girls 3 rd -6 th grade) *finishing-2 nd going into 3 rd grade PM Session Camp 1:00 pm 4:00 pm (Boys and Girls 7 th -12 th grade) 1:00 pm 4:00 pm Prophet Elias GOC PRINCESS SUPERHERO PARTY! Where: Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church (small gym) When: Saturday, April 21 st 1:00-3:00 pm $15 per child includes hair/make-up, games, light refreshments and a visit from a Princess and a Superhero All proceeds go to the OPA Greek Dance group as they travel to Disneyland to perform in October. (Kids wearing their favorite Princess or Superhero costume is encouraged) HOLY FRIDAY EVENING PROCESSION Anyone interested in helping carry the Kouvouklion (Epitaphio) on Holy Friday Evening (April 6 th ) please call the Church Office, Fr. George or Fr. Mario. Thank You! AGAPE VESPERS GOSPEL READERS Anyone interested in reading the Gospel in a foreign language other than Greek or English at Agape Vespers, Sunday, April 8 th at 12 Noon at Prophet Elias G.O. Church please see Dean Athens. The Young at Heart will have their Easter Luncheon on Thursday April 12 th, at noon in the Hellenic Memorial. Roasted leg of lamb is on the menu. We hope to see you all there. KALO PASCHA!! SAVE THE DATE MINOS 100 YEAR CELEBRATION WEEKEND JUNE 1-3, 2018 Sponsored by: Minos, Daughters of Minos, and Minotavros Friday June 1 st, Welcome Night Saturday June 2 nd, Glendi Sunday June 3 rd, 2018 Barbecue Making Plans to Attend Camp Emmanuel Registration for Camp Emmanuel is now open! Early Bird Deadline is March 31 st. Camp Emmanuel offers two, one-week sessions each summer: one Junior Session and one Senior Session. The Junior session is for young people ages years, and the Senior Session for ages years. Junior Session campers must turn eleven years old prior to October 1, Likewise, fourteen-year-old campers who will be fifteen years of age prior to October 1, 2017, are considered eligible to participate in the Senior session of Camp Emmanuel Dates have been set for Camp Emmanuel 2018! Senior Session: June 10 th 16 th Junior Session: June 17 th 23 rd Online Camper Registration and payment must be completed by 11:59 p.m. MDT, on April 30 th. The Youth Essay, Medical Form, Insurance Information, and Agreement and Waiver must be received by May 5 at the Metropolis Office for the registration to be complete. Substitutions cannot be accommodated for cancelled registrations, and registrations cannot be accepted after April 30 th. Click on the link below for details and to register. Any questions contact Denise Nikols