Sunday of Thomas NEWCOMERS AND VISITORS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME! Sunday Worship Schedule: Matins 9:00 am & Divine Liturgy 10:00 am

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1 Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church 8306 NC HWY 751, Durham NC News & Announcements May 8, 2016 Sunday of Thomas John the Apostle, Evangelist, & Theologian Synaxis of the Holy Powder (or manna) which emitted from the tomb of Saint John the Theologian Arsenios the Great Emelia, mother of St. Basil the Great NEWCOMERS AND VISITORS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME! Sunday Worship Schedule: Matins 9:00 am & Divine Liturgy 10:00 am To Our Visitors and Guests We welcome you to worship with us today, whether you are an Orthodox Christian or this is your first visit to an Orthodox Church, we are pleased to have you with us. Although Holy Communion and other Sacraments are offered only to baptized and chrismated (confirmed) Orthodox Christians in good standing with the Church, all are invited to receive the Antidoron (blessed bread) from the priest at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy. The Antidoron is not a sacrament, but it is reminiscent of the agape feast that followed worship in the ancient Christian Church. After the Divine Liturgy this morning please join us in the Church hall for fellowship and refreshments. Please complete a Visitor's Card before you leave today and drop it in the offering tray, or give it to one of the parishioners after the service, or mail it to the church Office. St. John's First Universal Letter 1:1-7 Happy Mother's Day Today's Readings: THAT WHICH WAS from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life - the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us - that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing this that our joy may be complete.

2 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth; but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. Ἰωάννου α' 1:1-7 Ὃ ἦν ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς, ὃ ἀκηκόαμεν, ὃ ἑωράκαμεν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν, ὃ ἐθεασάμεθα, καὶ αἱ χεῖρες ἡμῶν ἐψηλάφησαν περὶ τοῦ λόγου τῆς ζωῆς. Καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἐφανερώθη, καὶ ἑωράκαμεν, καὶ μαρτυροῦμεν, καὶ ἀπαγγέλλομεν ὑμῖν τὴν ζωὴν τὴν αἰώνιον, ἥτις ἦν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα, καὶ ἐφανερώθη ἡμῖν. Ὃ ἑωράκαμεν καὶ ἀκηκόαμεν, ἀπαγγέλλομεν ὑμῖν, ἵνα καὶ ὑμεῖς κοινωνίαν ἔχητε μεθʼ ἡμῶν καὶ ἡ κοινωνία δὲ ἡ ἡμετέρα μετὰ τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ μετὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ ταῦτα γράφομεν ὑμῖν, ἵνα ἡ χαρὰ ἡμῶν ᾖ πεπληρωμένη. Καὶ ἔστιν αὕτη ἡ ἀγγελία ἣν ἀκηκόαμεν ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀναγγέλλομεν ὑμῖν, ὅτι ὁ θεὸς φῶς ἐστίν, καὶ σκοτία ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδεμία. Ἐὰν εἴπωμεν ὅτι κοινωνίαν ἔχομεν μετʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν τῷ σκότει περιπατῶμεν, ψευδόμεθα, καὶ οὐ ποιοῦμεν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐὰν δὲ ἐν τῷ φωτὶ περιπατῶμεν, ὡς αὐτός ἐστιν ἐν τῷ φωτί, κοινωνίαν ἔχομεν μετʼ ἀλλήλων, καὶ τὸ αἷμα Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ καθαρίζει ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης ἁμαρτίας. The Gospel according to John 20:19-31 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them: "Peace be with you." When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them: "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him: "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them: "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in His side, I will not believe." Eight days later, His disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said: "Peace be with you." Then He said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." Thomas answered Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to Him: "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 20:19-31 Οὔσης οὖν ὀψίας τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ τῇ μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων, καὶ τῶν θυρῶν κεκλεισμένων ὅπου ἦσαν οἱ μαθηταὶ συνηγμένοι διὰ τὸν φόβον τῶν Ιουδαίων, ἦλθεν ὁ Ιησοῦς καὶ ἔστη εἰς τὸ μέσον, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς εἰρήνη ὑμῖν. καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἔδειξεν αὐτοῖς τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ. ἐχάρησαν οὖν οἱ μαθηταὶ ἰδόντες τὸν Κύριον. εἶπεν οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ιησοῦς πάλιν εἰρήνη ὑμῖν. καθὼς ἀπέσταλκέ με ὁ πατήρ, κἀγὼ πέμπω ὑμᾶς. καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἐνεφύσησε καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς λάβετε Πνεῦμα Αγιον ἄν τινων ἀφῆτε τὰς ἁμαρτίας, ἀφίενται αὐτοῖς, ἄν τινων κρατῆτε, κεκράτηνται. Θωμᾶς δὲ εἷς ἐκ τῶν δώδεκα, ὁ λεγόμενος Δίδυμος, οὐκ ἦν μετ αὐτῶν ὅτε ἦλθεν ὁ Ιησοῦς. ἔλεγον οὖν αὐτῷ οἱ ἄλλοι μαθηταί ἑωράκαμεν τὸν Κύριον. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ἐὰν μὴ ἴδω ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων, καὶ βάλω τὸν δάκτυλόν μου εἰς τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων, καὶ βάλω τὴν χεῖρά μου εἰς τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ, οὐ μὴ πιστεύσω. Καὶ μεθ ἡμέρας ὀκτὼ πάλιν ἦσαν ἔσω οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ Θωμᾶς μετ αὐτῶν. ἔρχεται ὁ Ιησοῦς τῶν θυρῶν κεκλεισμένων, καὶ ἔστη εἰς τὸ μέσον καὶ εἶπεν εἰρήνη ὑμῖν. εἶτα λέγει τῷ Θωμᾷ φέρε τὸν δάκτυλόν σου ὧδε καὶ ἴδε τὰς χεῖράς μου, καὶ φέρε τὴν χεῖρά σου καὶ βάλε εἰς τὴν πλευράν μου, καὶ μὴ γίνου ἄπιστος, ἀλλὰ πιστός. καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Θωμᾶς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ Κύριός μου καὶ ὁ Θεός μου. λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ιησοῦς ὅτι ἑώρακάς με, πεπίστευκας μακάριοι οἱ μὴ ἰδόντες καὶ πιστεύσαντες. Πολλὰ μὲν οὖν καὶ ἄλλα σημεῖα ἐποίησεν ὁ Ιησοῦς ἐνώπιον τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ, ἃ οὐκ ἔστι γεγραμμένα ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τούτῳ ταῦτα δὲ γέγραπται ἵνα πιστεύσητε ὅτι Ιησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἵνα πιστεύοντες ζωὴν ἔχητε ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ.

3 Today's Event: FUNDRAISING PROJECTS TO DATE: 2015 February 7 June 6-7 July 18 September 12 September 26 October 3 November 6 November December 6 December 12 Gyro Day Greek Festival Gyro Feast Yard Sale Fashion Show Chicken Dinners To-go Evening of Music Joint Philoptochos/PC Fundraiser Saint Barbara Celebration Banquet Holiday Greek Pastries January 16 Evening of Music January 30 Spaghetti Event February 20 Gyro Event June 4-5 Greek Festival July 23 Gyro Event October 1 Chicken Event September 24 Evening of Jazz 2016 ATTENTION SAINT BARBARA PARISH! Celebrate with your Church Family yournext special occasion! Consider sponsoring a coffee hour in the social hall after Liturgy on Sundays to commemorate a birthday, graduation, nameday, anniversary, or even for the pleasure of just hosting for your Parish. Signing up is easy...just place your name on the 'signup coffee hour' sheet located on the table in the hallway nearest the social hall. For details or questions, contact Helen Paliouras at: or elenipali@att.net

4 Worship Service Schedule for May of Easter Agape Service - 11:00 am 8 - Sunday of Thomas - 9:00 am Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women - 9:00 am Feast of Saints Constantine and Helen on Saturday - 9:00 am 22 - Sunday of the Paralytic - 9:00 am Sunday of the Samaritan Woman - 9:00 am - Youth Dance Practice Schedule: The St. Barbara Greek Dance Troupe has completed 6 practices and has 6 remaining in order to prepare for this year s festival. Practices are immediately following church on Sundays. The remaining schedule is as follows: May 8, 15, 22 and 29 (May 29 contingent on everyone s availability due to the holiday weekend) Please make every effort to attend the remaining practices and block your calendars for the festival on June 4 and 5. If you have any questions please contact Alexia and Keith Rheinhardt at keithalexia@gmail.com or Philoptochos News and Updates: May Wednesday 4: Board Meeting 7pm Saturday 14: Blanket Making 1-3 Sunday 15/22: General Membership Meeting (*depends on last day of Sunday School*) Sunday * : Sunday School Award and Recognition Day* June Saturday 18: Blanket Making 1-3 Dues: for the current year are $30.00, checks should be made payable to St. Barbara

5 Philoptochos. WE NEED YOU as a STEWARD! Our Saint Barbara Church needs each and every family to join our Stewardship Program. Our goal is to have 150 Pledged Families in the Stewardship Program. As of April 24th we have 80 Pledged Families in our Stewardship Program. Please help us Reach our Goal.

6 Our much-anticipated Greek Festival, June 4 & 5, is fast approaching. This annual event is not only a valuable source of funds to support St. Barbara, it also offers the opportunity to showcase our beautiful Church and our Orthodox Christian faith. We need everyone s help to make this event a success! Please sign up at the Festival Volunteer Table at the upcoming coffee hours following the Divine Liturgy. Helpers are needed in the following areas: Tues., May 31: Food prep Wed., June 1: Food prep Thur., June 2: Food prep; set up vendor areas Fri., June 3: Sat., June 4 & Sun., June 5: Set up tables, chairs, and grills Monitor parking, serve as cashiers, clean tables, and work the grill, baklava sundae, and Taverna areas. If you will not be available to help during the Festival, please consider donating (by check) to cover some of our expenses such as: $30 for a case of pita bread, $60 for a bucket of feta cheese, $80 for a pail of olives, $300 for 100 street signs to help advertise our Festival, $300 for covering the cost of printing the RAFFLE tickets $1,300 for covering the rental cost of the Dance Floor. Finally, please consider buying or selling raffle tickets to support St. Barbara! One ticket costs $5, and for a book of 5 tickets you pay only $20. RAFFLE prizes are $1,000, $500, and $250, and will be awarded Sunday evening at the Festival. Please see Pete Marinos for raffle tickets. Let us all show our support for St. Barbara! The Festival Committee

7 2016 Saint Barbara Stewards who have completed Stewardship Cards Susan Alexander Emmy Anlyan William Anlyan Alexander & Laurel Arapoglou Nick & Jeannie Balafas Lance & Maria (Marinos) Barton Agape Blackley Barbara Bonfiglio Nick Bourbous Spence (Niko) Brantley John Bush K. Marie Callahan Sophie Carr Gordon & Sophia Caudle Andrew & Cheryl Christakos Arthur Christakos Eleni Christakos Lia Christakos George & Erie Cocolas Costa Constantinou Lou Constantinou Anne Dennos George, Patt, Michael Dennos Betty Dorton Elena Dufault Demetri & Katina Economedes Laurie Ferris Crist & Maria Frangakis Gabriel Frangakis Stephan & Jennifer Frangakis Jim & Evy Glekas Len & Elaine Goodwin Kevin & Pamela (Goodwin) Hoke Ed & Eve Kantner Mike & Agatha Karakostantis Burt & Glenna Keener Andrew & Summer Kinard Ken & Karen Korach Terry Kougoulos Helen Koutouzakis Catherine Lewis Elizabeth Livanos Thalea Lyras Father Stavroforos Mamaies Johnny & Catherine Mariakakis Pete & Joan Marinos Panayiotis & Dimitra Mavroidis Larry & Hope Odzak Cindy Paliouras Jim & Helen Paliouras John & Dena Paliouras Peter & Evelyn Panos Yuri & Elena Panov Matina Papazoglou Irene Pappas & Ben Rudnick Ted & Theky Pappas George J Pashales Keith & Alexia Rheinhardt Daniel & Lori Przybyl Iryna Dimitriy Skudar Mattheos N. & Marika K. Stavrakakis Ron, Vicky & Epiphany Stephens Marian Sunas Dr Rebecca Theophanous Tony Thompson Olga Thuer Donna Trohanis Tryphon & Suzanne Tryphonos Dimitrios Varelas Georgina Varelas John Peter Varelas Demetra Vlachos Helen Vurnakes James & Frances Vurnakes Alexa Waters Diane Winans Grace Witham Dino & Kerri Zaferatos Christina Zehia Tony & Evelyn Zehia Total Dollars Pledged to Date: $99,145 Total Families Pledged to Date: 80 Average per Family: $1,239 Thank you to all Parishioners who have submitted their 2016 Stewardship Cards. Please check the above list to confirm your name is listed. For those of you, who have not turned in your Stewardship Card; please do so promptly by submitting the card in the Collection tray or by mailing it to the attention of the Treasurer. The Stewardship Cards assist us for planning our MINISTRIES and our FINANCIAL Commitments! As of April 24, 2016

8 A Guide to Parents and Moms Your children will always be sufficiently wealthy if they receive for you a good upbringing that is able to order moral life and behavior. Thus, strive not to make them rich, but rather to make them pious masters of their passions, rich in virtues. Teach them not to think up illusory needs, reckoning their worth according to worldly standards. Children who are submissive and faithful to God in their obedience to His law will have an abundant source of happiness, even in this temporal life. A poor man with Christian morals inspires respect and love from others. The youth to whom you give a good upbringing will not only enjoy general respect, they will also become dearer to you yourselves. Your attachment to them will not be a natural attraction - it will be fruit of his virtue. For this during your old age, you will in turn receive from them the services of their filial love They will be your support. For just as those who do not revere the Lord also have contempt for their own parents, those who revere God, the Father of all men, will have every respect for those who gave them life.