Parish Guide to: CHRISTMAS 2014

Transcript

1 Parish Guide to: CHRISTMAS 2014 "Christ is born! Glorify Him! Christ descends from the heavens, welcome Him! Christ is now on earth, O be jubilant! Sing to the Lord, the whole earth, And sing praises to Him with joy, O ye people, For He has been exalted!" SAINT GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH 238 WEST ROCKS ROAD NORWALK, CT PHONE: (203) WEB: sgorthodoxchurch@snet.net

2 ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥΓΕΝΝΑ/CHRISTMAS 2014 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. (Matthew 4:16; Isaiah 9:2) Thus St. Matthew quotes the prophecy of the coming of the Messiah. As the dark winter days concluded the old year and hope stood on the horizon of the new, the Romans celebrated the feast of Sol Invinctus, the Unconquered Sun, with revels and drunkenness, not unlike many modern New Year s celebrations. Upon this dark pagan world the Gospel broke like the dawn in the first century. So it is no surprise that the Church adopted midwinter as the time to celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. In our times, the dreariness of winter darkness is present again in our unmerciful era; thus we need the light of Our Lord to enlighten our hearts and minds. I wish that every one of you would find the Light in his/her personal life and that the New Year of the Lord 2015 may be full of joy and happiness. Οι άνθρωποι που κατοικούσαν στο σκοτάδι είδαν φώς δυνατό (Ματθ. 4:16, Ησ. 9:2) Έτσι ο Ευαγγελιστής Ματθαίος παραθέτει την προφητεία γιά τον ερχομό του Μεσσία. Καθώς οι σκοτεινές χειμωνιάτικες μέρες κατέκλειαν τον παλαιό χρόνο, και ελπίδα ανέτειλε με τον ερχομό του νέου, οι Ρωμαίοι εόρταζαν την εορτή του Sol Invinctus, του Ανικήτου Ηλίου, με ξεφαντώματα και μεθύσια, όπως και σήμερα γιορτάζεται η πρωτοχρονιά. Πάνω σ αυτόν τον σκοτεινό ειδωλολατρικό κόσμο το Ευαγγέλιο έπεσε σαν την αυγή τον πρώτο αιώνα μ.χ. Γι αυτό, λοιπόν, δεν είναι τυχαίο που η Εκκλησία υιοθέτησε την καρδιά του χειμώνα ώς τον χρόνο εορτασμού της Γεννήσεως του Κυρίου μας και Θεού και Σωτήρα Ιησού Χριστού, του Φωτός του Κόσμου. Η ζοφερότητα του χειμωνιάτικου σκότους είναι παρούσα ξανά στην ανέλεη εποχή μας. Χρειαζόμαστε το Φώς του Κυρίου μας να ξαναφωτίσει τις καρδιές και τη διάνοιά μας. Εύχομαι στον καθένα από εσάς να βρείτε το Φώς στην προσωπική σας ζωή και ο νέος χρόνος τουκυρίου, 2004, να είναι γεμάτος από χαρά και ευτυχία. Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year! /Καλά Χριστούγεννα & ευτυχές το Νέο Έτος Fr. Nicholas Dassouras

3 A Shiny Little star Burned bright Full of glowing light Spreading joy to the night Christmas time! A time that fills us with desire And slowly sets our hearts on fire We pray, we love and listen to the choir A jolly Christmas time The Christmas tree stands so tall and so proud Takes a seat on the presents as they become a crowd Looks over the treasured presents like a hovering cloud Everybody loves Christmas time It s decorated merrily with colours and materials of all kinds It created a place of pleasure and joy for our eyes, and our minds And many years of pleasure and memories it always unwinds Christmas Is slowly On its Way To Us

4 Youth Guide to: CHRISTMAS 2014 O MY PEOPLE, HEAR MY TEACHING; LISTEN TO THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH. I WILL OPEN MY MOUTH IN PARABLES; I WILL UTTER THINGS HIDDEN FROM OF OLD; THINGS WE HAVE HEARD AND KNOWN, THINGS OUR FATHERS HAVE TOLD US. WE WILL NOT HIDE THEM FROM THEIR CHILDREN; WE WILL TELL THE NEXT GENERATION THE PRAISEWORTHY DEEDS OF THE LORD, HIS POWER AND THE WONDERS HE HAS DONE. HE DECREED STATUTES FOR JACOB AND ESTABLISHED THE LAW IN ISRAEL, WHICH HE COMMANDED OUR FOREFATHERS TO TEACH THEIR CHILDREN, SO THE NEXT GENERATION WOULD KNOW THEM, EVEN THE CHILDREN YET TO BE BORN AND THEY IN TURN WOULD TELL THEIR CHILDREN. THEN THEY WOULD PUT THEIR TRUST IN GOD AND WOULD NOT FORGET HIS DEEDS BUT WOULD KEEP HIS COMMANDS. PSALM 78:1-7

5 MY DEAR PARENTS, I cannot stress enough how tremendously important and decisive your role is in the Christian formation of your children. You cannot expect them to grow up and be faithful to their Church and Traditions, without, YOU, installing that in their hearts! No one else can do that; not the priest, not the Sunday school teacher, nor anyone else, but only YOU. The others can help you and build upon the foundation that you create but you are the only ones who can build that foundation. Christmas, the feast of the Birth of our Lord, is very much obscured by the commercial spirit and consumerism that characterizes our times; still, it is a great opportunity for everyone to feel the tenderness of the feast and to create in the young hearts moving and devotional experiences. I look forward to celebrating with you and your beloved families, these most heartfelt Feasts. In Christ Born, Fr. Nick Christmas Eve, Wednesday, December :30 PM Christmas Eve Liturgy; an opportunity to receive Christ and celebrate His Birthday for people who are heading out for Christmas Eve parties and may not come to Church on Christmas morning. Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25 7:00 AM Christmas Orthros & at 8:00 Christmas Liturgy (We will finish around 9:30 a.m.) This is the Birth-Day of our Lord. By tradition the service starts very early in the morning and finishes at dawn. It is an amazing experience, to wake up early on Christmas day and from the wintriness and coldness of the day arrive to the sweet warmness of the Christmas Church! Our service is adjusted to our mode of life (not very early, not very late). Christmas Carols: Saturday, Dec. 20 & Sunday, Dec. 21 New Year Carols: Saturday, Dec. 27 & Sunday, Dec. 28 Let your children participate in caroling: an unforgettable and joyful tradition of our heritage. New Year, Thursday, January 1 11:00 AM We cut the Vasilopita! Theophany, Tuesday, January 6 The Great Feast of Lights 9:45 AM Divine Liturgy 11:15 AM Great Blessing of the Waters

6 ΙΕΡΟΣ ΝΑΟΣ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΓΕΩΡΓΙΟΥ, NORWALK, CT ΠΡΟΓΡΑΜΜΑ ΔΩΔΕΚΑΗΜΕΡΟΥ ( ) Σάββατο 20 Δεκεμβρίου: Επίσκεψη στα Κοιμητήρια γιά Τρισάγια, Στο Riverside στις 11:00 π.μ. & στο St. John s στις 12:30 μ.μ. Τετάρτη 24 Δεκεμβρίου: Μ. Ώρες των Χριστουγέννων 8:00 π.μ. Μ. Εσπερινός των Χριστουγέννων Μετά Θ. Λειτουργίας του Μ. Βασιλείου 4:00 5:30 μ.μ. Πέμπτη 25 Δεκεμβρίου: Όρθρος των Χριστουγέννων 7:00 π.μ. Θ. Λειτουργία των Χριστουγέννων 8:00 9:30 π.μ. Τετάρτη 31 Δεκεμβρίου Εσπερινός Εορτής Μ. Βασιλείου 6:00 μ.μ. Πέμπτη 1 Ιανουαρίου: Όρθρος & Λειτουργία Μ. Βασιλείου 8:30 π.μ. Δοξολογία νέου Έτους & κοπή Βασιλόπιτας 11:00 π.μ. Δευτέρα 5 Ιανουαρίου Μεγάλες Ώρες & Μέγας Εσπερινός των Θεοφανείων Αγιασμός των Υδάτων 8:00 π.μ. 10:30 π.μ. Τρίτη 6 Ιανουαρίου: Όρθρος & Θ. Λειτουργία των Θεοφανείων 8:30 π.μ. Μέγας Αγιασμός των Υδάτων 11:00 π.μ. Εσπερινός Εορτής Τιμίου Προδρόμου 6:00 μ.μ. Τετάρτη 7 Ιανουαρίου: Όρθρος & Θ. Λειτουργία 8:30 π.μ. (Σύναξις Τιμίου Προδρόμου) 238 West Rocks Road, Norwalk, CT, * Tel.: (203) , Fax: (203) Web: E mail: sgorthodoxchurch@snet.net

7 SAINT GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH, NORWALK, CT CHRISTMAS PROGRAM ( ) Saturday, December 20 th : Cemetery visits for prayers for the departed At Riverside at 11:00 a.m. & at St. John s at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 24 th : Great Hours of Christmas 8:00 a.m. Great Vespers of Christmas & D. Liturgy of St. Basil the Great 4:00 5:30 p.m. Thursday, December 25 th : Orthros of Christmas 7:00 a.m. Christmas Divine Liturgy 8:00 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, December 31 st : Vespers of the Feast of Saint Basil the Great 6:00 p.m. Thursday, January 1 st : Orthros & D. Liturgy of St. Basil the Great 8:30 a.m. New Year Doxology & Vasilopita Cutting 11:00 a.m. Monday, January 5 th : Great Hours & Great Vespers of Epiphany Blessing of the Waters 8:00 a.m. 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, January 6 th : Orthros & D. Liturgy of Epiphany 8:30 a.m. Great Blessing of Waters 11:00 a.m. Vespers for the Feast of St. John the Baptist 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 7 th : Orthros & D. Liturgy 8:30 a.m. (Feast of St. John the Baptist) 238 West Rocks Road, Norwalk, CT, * Tel.: (203) , Fax: (203) Web: E mail: sgorthodoxchurch@snet.net

8 2014 ΚΑΛΛΑΝΤΑ/CAROLS Το Σάββατο 20 & την Κυριακή 21 Δεκεμβρίου τα παιδιά της κοινότητάς μας θα ψάλλουν τα κάλλαντα των Χριστουγέννων & το Σάββατο 27 & την Κυριακή 28 Δεκεμβρίου θα ψάλλουν τα κάλλαντα της Πρωτοχρονιάς στα σπίτια των μελλών της κοινότητας. Παρακαλούμε ανοίξτε τα σπίτια σας στα παιδιά και την ωραία παράδοση των καλλάντων. Εάν επιθυμείτε να συμμετάσχετε στο ψάλσιμο των καλλάντων, παρακαλούμε επικοινωνήστε με το γραφείο της Εκκλησίας. On Saturday & Sunday, December 20 th, & 21 st, the children of our community will chant the Christmas Carols & on Saturday & Sunday, December 27 th & 28 th, will chant New Year Carols at the homes, of the members, of our community. Please open your homes to our children and the wonderful tradition of Christmas carols. If you would like to participate in the singing, Please contact the office of the Church.

9 The Magi by William Butler Yeats Now as at all times I can see in the mind's eye, In their stiff, painted clothes, the pale unsatisfied ones Appear and disappear in the blue depth of the sky With all their ancient faces like rain-beaten stones, And all their helms of silver hovering side by side, And all their eyes still fixed, hoping to find once more, Being by Calvary's turbulence unsatisfied, The uncontrollable mystery on the bestial floor. Three things go by the name of Christmas. One is a religious festival. This is important and obligatory for Christians; but as it can be of no interest to anyone else, I shall naturally say no more about it here. The second (it has complex historical connections with the first, but we needn t go into them) is a popular holiday, an occasion for merry making and hospitality. If it were my business to have a view on this, I should say that I much approve of merry making. But what I approve of much more is everybody minding his own business. I see no reason why I should volunteer views as to how other people should spend their own money in their own leisure among their own friends. It is highly probable that they want my advice on such matters as little as I want theirs. But the third thing called Christmas is unfortunately everyone s business.

10 I mean of course the commercial racket. The interchange of presents was a very small ingredient in the older English festivity. Mr. Pickwick took a cod with him to Dingley Dell; the reformed Scrooge ordered a turkey for his clerk; lovers sent love gifts; toys and fruit were given to children. But the idea that not only all friends but even all acquaintances should give one another presents, or at least send one another cards, is quite modern and has been forced upon us by the shopkeepers. Neither of these circumstances is in itself a reason for condemning it. I condemn it on the following grounds. It gives on the whole much more pain than pleasure. You have only to stay over Christmas with a family who seriously try to ʹkeepʹ it (in its third, or commercial, aspect) in order to see that the thing is a nightmare. Long before December 25th everyone is worn out physically worn out by weeks of daily struggle in overcrowded shops, mentally worn out by the effort to remember all the right recipients and to think out suitable gifts for them. They are in no trim for merry making; much less (if they should want to) to take part in a religious act. They look far more as if there had been a long illness in the house. Most of it is involuntary. The modern rule is that anyone can force you to give him a present by sending you a quite unprovoked present of his own. It is almost a blackmail. Who has not heard the wail of despair, and indeed of resentment, when, at the last moment, just as everyone hoped that the nuisance was over for one more year, the unwanted gift from Mrs. Busy (whom we hardly remember) flops unwelcomed through the letter box, and back to the dreadful shops one of us has to go? Things are given as presents which no mortal every bought for himself gaudy and useless gadgets, ʹnoveltiesʹ because no one was ever fool enough to make their like before. Have we really no better use for materials and for human skill and time than to spend them on all this rubbish? The nuisance. for after all, during the racket we still have all our ordinary and necessary shopping to do, and the racket trebles the labour of it. We are told that the whole dreary business must go on because it is good for trade. It is in fact merely one annual symptom of that lunatic condition of our country, and indeed of the world, in which everyone lives by persuading everyone else to buy things. I donʹt know the way out. But can it really be my duty to buy and receive masses of junk every winter just to help the shopkeepers? If the worst comes to the worst Iʹd sooner give them money for nothing and write if off as a charity. For nothing? Why, better for nothing than for a nuisance. From What Christmas Means to Me in God in the Dock

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