Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church 900 6th Street Sioux City, Iowa 51101 Www.holytrinity.ia.goarch.org Church Office Rev. Fr. Dimitri Tobias, Proistamenos Telephone: 712-255-5559 847-558-9849 Office Fax: 712-255-1837 Fr.dimitri.tobias@gmail.com Parish Council President: Maria Schultz Sunday, December 1, 2013 Today: We Knead You - VASILOPITA SEMINAR following Liturgy Saints and Feasts: 14th Sunday of Luke Nahum the Prophet Philaret the Merciful of Amnia Ananias the Persian Holy Father Theocletus the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Lacedaemonia Our Holy Fathers Ananius and Solochon, Archbishops of Ephesus ABRAHAM S PANTRY: This Week WE ARE ASKING FOR CANNED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES! Please donate! Foods from Abraham s Pantry is distributed to the local Food Pantries to feed the poor. Check the expiration Date!!! Abraham served the best he had. If we would not eat it, why should we expect someone else to risk getting sick? Prosforo offered by: English Epistle Reader: Greek Epistle Reader: Coffee Hour sponsored by: Joan Vlahoulis John Vlahoulis Pete Bovis AHEPA

The First Antiphon (Ps. 102) Verse 1. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Verse 2. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits. Verse 3. The Lord has prepared his throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all. The Second Antiphon (Ps. 145) Verse 1. Praise the Lord, O my soul: while I live I will praise the Lord; while I have any being, I will praise my God. Verse 2. Blessed are those whose helper is the God of Jacob; whose hope is in the Lord their God. Verse 3. The Lord will be king forever: your God, O Zion, will reign throughout all generations. Ἀντiφωνον A' (Ψαλμός. 102) Στίχ. α'. Εὐλόγει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν Κύριον καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐντός μου τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ἅγιον αὐτοῦ. Στίχ. β' Εὐλόγει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν Κύριον καὶ μὴ ἐπιλανθάνου πάσας τὰς ἀνταποδόσεις αὐτοῦ. Στίχ. γ' Κύριος ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἡτοίμασε τὸν θρόνον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ πάντων δεσπόζει. Ἀντiφωνον Β' (Ψαλμός. 145) Στίχ. α' Αἴνει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν Κύριον αἰνέσω Κύριον ἐν τῇ ζωῇ μου, ψαλῶ τῷ Θεῷ μου ἕως ὑπάρχω. Στίχ. β' Μακάριος οὗ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακὼβ βοηθὸς αὐτοῦ, ἡ ἐλπὶς αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν αὐτοῦ. Στίχ. γ' Βασιλεύσει Κύριος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ὁ Θεός σου, Σιών, εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεάν. The Third Antiphon (Ps. 117) Ἀντiφωνον Γ' (Ψαλμός. 117) Verse: This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal of the 2 nd Tone Hymns of the Day Στίχ. Αὓτη ἣ ἣμέρα Κυρίου, ἀγαλλιασώμεθα καί εὐφρανθῶμεν ἐν αὓτη Απολυτίκιον Αναστάσιμον Ήχος πλ. β When the angelic powers appeared at Your tomb and those who guarded You became as though dead, and standing by Your sepulcher was Mary seeking Your pure and sacred body. For You did vanquish Hades and uncorrupted by its touch You came unto the virgin woman, bestowing the gift of life O You who rose from the dead. Lord we give glory to You. Ἀγγελικαὶ Δυνάμεις ἐπὶ τὸ μνῆμά σου, καὶ οἱ φυλάσσοντες ἀπενεκρώθησαν, καὶ ἵστατο Μαρία ἐν τῷ τάφῳ, ζητοῦσα τὸ ἄχραντόν σου σῶμα. Ἐσκύλευσας τὸν ᾍδην, μὴ πειρασθεὶς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ, ὑπήντησας τῇ Παρθένῳ, δωρούμενος τὴν ζωήν, ὁ ἀναστὰς ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, Κύριε δόξα σοι. Apolytikion of the Church in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone O Blessed are You, O Christ our God, Who by sending down the Holy Spirit upon them made the fishermen wise and through them illumined the world and to You the universe was ever drawn all glory to You O Lord. Seasonal Kontakion in the 3 th Tone On this day the Virgin cometh to the cave to give birth to * God the Word ineffably, * Who was before all the ages. * Dance for joy, O earth, on hearing * the gladsome tidings; * with the Angels and the shepherds now glorify Him * Who is willing to be gazed on * as a young Child Who * before the ages is God. Απολυτίκιον τοῦ Ναοῦ Ήχος πλ. δ' Εύλογητός εἶ Χριστὲ ὁ Θεος ἡμῶν ὁ πανσόφους τοὺς ἁλιεῖς ἁναδείξας καταπέμψας αὐτοῖς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον καὶ δι αὐτῶν τῆν οἰκουμένην σαγηνεύσας φιλάνθρωπε δόξα Σοι. Κοντάκιον Ηχος γ Ἡ Παρθένος σήμερον, τὸν Προαιώνιον Λόγον, ἐν Σπηλαίῳ ἔρχεται, ἀποτεκεῖν ἀπορρήτως. Χόρευε ἡ οἰκουμένη ἀκουτισθεῖσα, δόξασον μετὰ Ἀγγέλων καὶ τῶν Ποιμένων, βουληθέντα ἐποφθῆναι, παιδίον νέον, τὸν πρὸ αἰώνων Θεόν.

THE EPISTLE / Ο ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΣ St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 2:4-10 Prokeimenon. Mode Plagal 2. Psalm 27.9,1 O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance. Verse: To you, O Lord, I have cried, O my God. BRETHREN, God who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God: not because of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Πρὸς Ἐφεσίους 2:4-10 Προκείμενον. Ἦχος πλ β. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 27.9,1 Σῶσον, Κύριε τὸν λαὸν σου καὶ εὐλόγησον τὴν κληρονομίαν σου. Στίχ. Πρὸς σἐ, Κύριε, κεκράξομαι ὁ Θεός μου. Ἀδελφοί, ὁ θεός, πλούσιος ὢν ἐν ἐλέει, διὰ τὴν πολλὴν ἀγάπην αὐτοῦ ἣν ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς, καὶ ὄντας ἡμᾶς νεκροὺς τοῖς παραπτώμασιν συνεζωοποίησεν τῷ Χριστῷ - χάριτί ἐστε σεσωσμένοι - καὶ συνήγειρεν, καὶ συνεκάθισεν ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἵνα ἐνδείξηται ἐν τοῖς αἰῶσιν τοῖς ἐπερχομένοις τὸν ὑπερβάλλοντα πλοῦτον τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ ἐν χρηστότητι ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῇ γὰρ χάριτί ἐστε σεσῳσμένοι διὰ τῆς πίστεως, καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων, ἵνα μή τις καυχήσηται. Αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν ποίημα, κτισθέντες ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἐπὶ ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς, οἷς προητοίμασεν ὁ θεός, ἵνα ἐν αὐτοῖς περιπατήσωμεν.

THE HOLY GOSPEL / ΤΟ ΘΕΙΟΝ ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΟΝ The Gospel of Luke 18:35-43 At that time, as Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging; and hearing a multitude going by, he inquired what this meant. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." And he cried, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" And Jesus stopped, and commanded him to be brought to him; and when he came near, he asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, let me receive my sight." And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God. Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 18.35-43 Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, Εγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ ἐγγίζειν αὐτὸν εἰς Ιεριχὼ τυφλός τις ἐκάθητο παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν προσαιτῶν ἀκούσας δὲ ὄχλου διαπορευομένου ἐπυνθάνετο τί εἴη ταῦτα. ἀπήγγειλαν δὲ αὐτῷ ὅτι Ιησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖος παρέρχεται. καὶ ἐβόησε λέγων Ιησοῦ υἱὲ Δαυΐδ, ἐλέησόν με καὶ οἱ προάγοντες ἐπετίμων αὐτῷ ἵνα σιωπήσῃ αὐτὸς δὲ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἔκραζεν υἱὲ Δαυΐδ, ἐλέησόν με. σταθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ιησοῦς ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν ἀχθῆναι πρὸς αὐτόν. ἐγγίσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτὸν λέγων τί σοι θέλεις ποιήσω; ὁ δὲ εἶπε Κύριε, ἵνα ἀναβλέψω. καὶ ὁ Ιησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἀνάβλεψον ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέ σε. καὶ παραχρῆμα ἀνέβλεψε, καὶ ἠκολούθει αὐτῷ δοξάζων τὸν Θεόν καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἰδὼν ἔδωκεν αἶνον τῷ Θεῷ.

Financial condition of Holy Trinity? NOT GOOD!!! In November of 2013 the parish council approved the operating budget for 2014 and presented this budget along with other financial information to the General Assembly on November 10, 2013. The reports outlined our budget, past and present operating results and our current fund balances. There were also graphs showing where our operating dollars come from and how they are used, as well as a graph showing the year in which we run out of money under various scenarios. Treasurers Report: Facts: Our 2014 operating budget, which is based on historical results and future expectations, results in a $16,000 LOSS for the year. There is virtually no discretionary spending in this budget. I.e. Only essential items are included in the budget. During 2013 we lost our single largest donor ($ equivalent to about 6 average families) We were assigned a new priest in 2013 but that did NOT increase our costs. It is physically impossible and unhealthy for the parish to under take any more fundraising activities. We already host two diners, a festival, and a booth at a city music festival. We will run out of money in 6 years if we sustain a $16,000 loss each year. Every Steward needs to INCREASE their commitment by $5 per week to cover the shortfall. Course of Action: Effective immediately, the Parish Council has implemented a spending freeze on all items that are not essential to the activities of the parish and we expect affiliated organizations to do the same. What this means to you is that we will NOT solicit funds for any purchase unless it meets the criteria outlined below. We will, however, focus all of our effort on building our Stewardship program to cover the budgeted shortfall. All purchase requests for items not specifically covered in the operating budget will be required to have the approval of the Parish Council. The Parish Council will use the criteria to the right when considering approval of purchases and we will do everything possible to cut costs for items in the budget. This includes comparing no less than three bids for comparable work, certifying that such work is absolutely necessary and cannot be put off, and researching the work to make sure the right work is done for our church. We welcome all ideas on ways to increase revenue or cut costs. If you have any ideas, questions, or would like more information, please contact Dean Karras @ 712-898-7007. Leave a message if no answer and I will get back to you. Purchase Criteria Checklist: Is the purchase Necessary to maintain the integrity of the building or prevent further damage? Necessary to cure a safety issue? Essential to effectively serve the community? Will the purchase Increase Stewardship? *How? Provide a payback? *How? *How long?

Holy Trinity Sunday School Presents: Saint Nicholas Gift Project Sunday, December 8 th All Sunday School children (Preschool High School) bring a wrapped gift (value between $5 - $10 and labeled Boy or girl with the Grade ) to church on Sunday, December 8th Following communion, church school children will meet in the Fellowship Hall with their teachers for a short group lesson about St. Nicholas Sunday school children will be escorted back up to church to lay their gifts at the icon of St. Nicholas The gifts will be blessed and distributed to area orthodox and civic charities The Children will remain on the solea and sing some Christmas carols with Fr. Dimitri If you are interested in helping with the St. Nicholas Gift Project, please contact Fr. Dimitri

All through the month of December the Tree of Love will be up in the Fellowship Hall. On the tree you will find angels of boys and girls who are in need this Christmas. On the Angels you will find a code. Please write that code on the wrapped gift. We appreciate your generosity this Christmas and all through the year!

Philoptochos Christmas Potluck Lenten Luncheon Sunday, December 8th 2:00 p.m. At the home of Janet Antonopoulos 4534 Perry Way A $5.00 donation for the Theotokos Fund is appreciated. The Ladies Philoptochos will have a Christmas Gift Exchange. If you would like to participate, please bring a $10.00 gift! ANYONE NEEDING A RIDE, PLEASE CONTACT: Mary Baryo or Mary Sharp 490-3555 204-2445 Festival of Trees Giving Tree Trees are available to see from November 25th-December 4th The trees will be auctioned on December 5th starting at 6:30 p.m. The Siouxland Paramedics and Emergency Responders will be the beneficiaries of this auction.

Monday December 2 7:00 pm Parish Council Meeting Upcoming Parish Events Saturday December 7 Tuesday December 3 6:00 pm Byzantine Music Practice 7:00 pm Choir Practice Sunday December 8 9:00 am Sunday Orthros 10:00 am Divine Liturgy Wednesday December 4 10:00 am Divine Liturgy of SS. Barbara & John of Damascus 4:30 pm Greek School 5:30 pm Greek Dance Practice 6:00 pm Youth & Family NIGHT Thursday December 5 10:00 am Divine Liturgy of St. Sabbas the Sanctified 11:00 am Refugee advocacy Group 6:00 pm Paraklisis Service 7:00 pm Blessed Darkness Adult Education Friday December 6 10:00 am Divine Liturgy of St. Nicholas

Calendar of events Holy Trinity GOC December 2013 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 The Tree of 2 Love 7:00 pm Parish Council Meeting 8:30 am Agiasmos Service 9:00 am Sunday Orthros 10:00 am Divine Liturgy 8 Men's Group Monthly Meeting The Tree of Love St. Nicholas Project 9:00 am 10:00 am Divine Liturgy 6:00 pm Esperinos 15 Metropolis Open House The Tree of Love 22 Carolling The Tree of Love Christmas Pageant 9:00 am Sunday Orthros 10:00 am Divine Liturgy 29 The Tree of Love Christmas Break 9:00 am Sunday Orthros 10:00 am Divine Liturgy 3 6:00 pm Byzantine Music Practice 7:00 pm Choir Practice 9 10 6:00 pm Byzantine Music 10:00 am Divine Liturgy of the Practice Conception of the 7:00 pm Choir Practice Theotokos 16 17 10:00 am Divine Liturgy of Prophet Daniel and St. Dionysios 6:00 pm Byzantine Music Practice 7:00 pm Choir Practice 23 24 Christmas Eve 6:00 pm Vesperal Divine Liturgy Eve of the Nativity 30 31 New Year's Eve 4 10:00 am Divine Liturgy of SS. Barbara & John of Damascus 4:30 pm Greek School 5:30 pm Greek Dance Practice 6:00 pm Youth & Family NIGHT 11 4:30 pm Greek School 5:30 pm Greek Dance Practice 6:00 pm GOYA 18 4:30 pm Greek School 5:30 pm Greek Dance Practice 7:00 pm Peter K. Ladeas Cancer Support Group 25 Christmas 10:00 am Divine Liturgy of the Nativity of Jesus Christ 5 10:00 am Divine Liturgy of St. Sabbas the Sanctified 11:00 am Refugee advocacy Group 6:00 pm Paraklisis Service 7:00 pm Blessed Darkness Adult Education 12 10:00 am Divine Liturgy of St. Spyridon 6:00 pm Paraklisis Service 7:00 pm Blessed Darkness Adult Education 19 8:30 am Morning Bible Study 6:00 pm Paraklisis Service 7:00 pm Blessed Darkness Adult Education 26 10:00 am Divine Liturgy of the Synaxis of the Theotokos, the Holy Innocents and King David 6 10:00 am Divine Liturgy of St. Nicholas 7 13 14 20 21 27 28 10:00 am Divine Liturgy of St. Stephen the Protomartyr

We need Coffee Hour Sponsors! Does a loved one have a name day, birthday, anniversary, memorial coming up? Why not honor that loved one by Sponsoring the Coffee Hour in his/her/their honor? Check the Coffee Hour Section of the Website to see open days Church Office Hours: 10:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Tue., Wed. & Thurs. Fr. Dimitri will be in the office more than these times, but for ease of appointments, these are the times the office will be open and staffed.