Agape News July 2009
GREEK FEST PICTURES
PASTORAL MESSAGE Dear Parishioners, The month of June brought us the rebirth of the Greek Cultural Festival on the Church Grounds, and the work of the prior years provided us a reputation that yielded us a fantastic event in combination with the leadership of the chairpersons and the work of the few parishioners that offered their time and talents. It appears as though the festival will yield a profit of approximately $25,000. We also had the 3rd GCF Golf Tournament at TPC Deere Run which profited $3,000. May God Bless all who helped with these events and inspire those that didn t help to offer themselves next year. It is not what has past that excites me most, but what is coming. This year our Feastday celebration will fall on a Saturday, which not only means that our dance will be on Aug. 15th, but that our Church will be full for the Divine Liturgy, since Saturday is not a work day what a blessing!!! We can come together with no excuses!!! Most exciting though are the plans that are now coming together for the Consecration of the Church and our 90th Anniversary. This once in lifetime event will inspire all who attend. We will finally be set aside on Holy ground with the presence of the Saints within the Altar. It is this moment that all of our hard work and the work of those that founded this parish will be realized. Let us not miss the true Consecration by merely participating in it...let us live it!!! In His Service, Rev. Father Jon Boukis Proistamenos
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL The Assumption proudly announces VBS 2009 When: Monday, July 13th - Thursday, July 16th What Time: 9:00 am to 12:30 pm Who: All Sunday School Age Children Cost: $0 - That s Right...it s free!!! Vacation Bible School is dedicated not only to strengthening the knowledge of the Faith through fun activities and building strong bonds of fellowship with other Orthodox Children. This year s theme is Intercession, which will include learning about the Proskomide, making Prosforo, learning a few hymns, lots of projects and amazing stories of the Saints Lives. It is going to be fun, fun, fun!!! Lunch is provided!!! Please call the Church at (309)792-2912 or email to info@assumptionem.org to reserve a spot for your child(ren) prior to Friday July 10th. Attention all Parents - Please contact Fr. Jon if you would like to offer your service to this wonderful ministry (309)792-2912. Contact: Fr. Jon (309)792-2912
RESTAURANT CIRCLE Come experience what everyone s talking about! The Assumption Restaurant Circle will meet each month at a new restaurant with new and different food options. There will be no planned menus, no fixed costs and no obligations - just good food, good fun and great company! 6:30pm on Saturday, July 25 th 4925 Utica Ridge Road Davenport, Iowa All you have to do is RSVP to the Church by July 23 rd so that we can make a reservation and then show up. GOYA & JOY Mount Olympus Trip The trip will be for 2 nights - Thursday, July 30, and Friday, July 31. Details will be coming soon!!! If you are interested, please call Fr. Jon at the Church (792-2912) or email at info@assumptionem.org to be put on the list. Contact: Fr. Jon (309)792-2912
PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS Annual Rummage Sale Friday, August 7 th & Saturday, August 8 th 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Great Items from Over 50 Households! Kids Clothes Home Furnishings Knick Knacks Kitchen Items Seasonal Decor Books Toys and much, much more! Please bring your unwanted treasures (and all your extra shopping bags) to the Sunday School Rooms. Contact: Litsa Gregory (309)755-0164 DONATIONS Thank you to Victor Cherevko for making extensive repairs to the kitchen plumbing. Thank you to Judy Larson and Tom Lingris for their extensive work on the front landscape. Thank you to all who offered their stewardship of time and talent to help at the Festival and Golf event. Especially to Cathy Diakogeorgiou and Mike Weis for their leadership. NEW STEWARDSHIP CARDS RECEIVED Paul and Christine Bagatelas Nick and Daryn Passini MAY GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!!! SACRAMENTS The Handmaiden of God Christine Lawless was received into the Faith on May 3, 2009, through Holy Chrismation. Her sponsor is Karisa Andrianopoulos. The Handmaiden of God Shawna Melchin was received into the Faith on May 31, 2009, through Holy Chrismation. Her sponsor is Dale Melchin. The Handmaiden of God Jenny Tertipes was buried from the Assumption Church on June 5, 2009. The Servants of God Nicholas Kouris and Christine Lawless were united in Holy Marriage on June 27, 2009. The Koumbari are Bill Panouses and Chris Panouses.
PARAKLESIS The Small Paraklesis to the Theotokos is a service in which we offer our prayers to the Blessed Mother of God in which we ask her to pray on our behalf to the Lord. Our supplications are for health, guidance and deliverance from adversity. It is through her prayers that we are saved, for she is closer to the Lord than you or I, and we know through many miracles that her prayers are heard. Please take a moment and prepare a list of those for whom you would like to have prayers offered - bring the list to the Paraklesis and offer your prayers with the whole community. For those who cannot come, know that the Church is open and that prayers are being offered for all of us. Again we pray for mercy, life, health, peace, safety, salvation, visitation, forgiveness and remission of sins of the servants of God
SAINT PARASKEVI Celebrated July 26th Saint Paraskevi was born on a Friday (in Greek, Paraskevi), and was given this name, w h i c h m eans " p r e p a r a t i o n " o r "preparedness" (see Matt. 27:62, Mark 15:42, Luke 23:54, and John 19:31, where 'Friday' is called "the day of the preparation"). From childhood she was instructed in the sacred letters and devoted herself to the study of the divine Scriptures, while leading a monastic life and guiding many to the Faith of Christ. During the reign of the Emperor Antoninus Pius, she was apprehended because she was a Christian and was urged to worship the idols, but she answered with the words of Jeremias: "Let the gods that have not made heaven and the earth perish from off the earth" (Jer. 10:11). Because of this she endured exceedingly painful torments, and was beheaded in the year 140. The faithful pray to her for the healing of eye ailments. DORMITION OF ST. ANNA The Mother of the Theotokos Celebrated July 25 According to tradition, Anna, the ancestor of God, lived for sixtynine years, and her spouse Joachim, for eighty; according to one account, Saint Joachim died two years before Saint Anna. The Theotokos had been orphaned of both her parents already when she was eleven years of age, when she was living in the Temple. Saint Anna is invoked for conceiving children, and for help in difficult childbirth.
SERVICE SCHEDULE July 5 Sunday 4th Sunday of Matthew 9:00 a.m. Orthros 10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy July 8 Wednesday Small Paraklesis (6:00 p.m.) July 12 Sunday 5th Sunday of Matthew 9:00 a.m. Orthros 10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy July 19 Sunday Sunday of the Holy Fathers 9:00 a.m. Orthros 10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy July 26 Sunday 7th Sunday of Matthew 9:00 a.m. Orthros 10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy ΠΡΟΓΡΑΜΜΑ ΙΕΡΩΝ ΑΚΟΛΟΥΘΙΩΝ 5 Ιουλίου Κυριακή Κυριακή Δ του Ματθαίου 9:00 π.μ. Όρθρος 10:00 π.μ. Θεία Λειτουργία 8 Ιουλίου Τετάρτη Μικρή Παράκλησις 6:00 μ.μ. 12 Ιουλίου Κυριακή Κυριακή Ε του Ματθαίου 9:00 π.μ. Όρθρος 10:00 π.μ. Θεία Λειτουργία 19 Ιουλίου Κυριακή Κυριακή των Αγίων Πατέρων (Δ Οίκ. Ζυν.) 9:00 π.μ. Όρθρος 10:00 π.μ. Θεία Λειτουργία 26 Ιουλίου Κυριακή Κυριακή Ζ του Ματθαίου 9:00 π.μ. Όρθρος 10:00 π.μ. Θεία Λειτουργία
J CHURCH. Sunday Monday Tuesday U L 4th Sunday of Matthew Orthros 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am Coffee Hour 5 6 7 It s Greek to Me Tour Y 5th Sunday of Matthew Orthros 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am Coffee Hour 12 13 Vacation Bible School (VBS) 9:00am - 12:30pm 14 Vacation Bible School (VBS) 9:00am - 12:30pm 2 0 0 9 19 Sunday of the Holy Fathers Orthros 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am Coffee Hour + Sacrament 7th Sunday of Matthew Orthros 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am Coffee Hour 26 20 21 27 28
CALENDAR Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 8 9 10 11 Paraklesis Service 6:00pm 15 Vacation Bible School (VBS) 9:00am - 12:30pm 16 Vacation Bible School (VBS) 9:00am - 12:30pm 7:00pm - Parish Council Meeting 17 18 22 23 24 25 It s Greek to Me Church Tour It s Greek to Me Church Tour Restaurant Circle 6:30pm at Café Indigo It s Greek to Me Church Tour 29 Youth Trip to the Wisconsin Dells 30 31 Fasting Symbols Strict Fast Wine and Oil Allowed Fish Allowed Fast Free
DIAKONIA Prosforo Schedule July 5 Dimitra Kotrogiannis July 12 Helen Petaros July 19 Ludmilla Cherevko July 26 Maria Kotrogiannis Coffee Hour July 5 Mike Kandis Family July 12 Petaros Family July 19 Dokolas Family July 26 Not Yet Reserved Sunday Gospel and Epistle Readings July 5 Gospel Matthew 8:5-13 Epistle Galatians 5:22-6:2 July 12 Gospel Matthew 8:28-9:1 Epistle Romans 10:1-10 July 19 Gospel Matthew 5:14-19 Epistle Titus 3:8-15 July 26 Gospel Matthew 9:27-35 Epistle Galatians 3:23-4:5 Parish Council Ushering Teams & Schedule St. Matthew St. Mark St. Luke St. John 9:15 Celia Lubbers Cathy Diakogeorgiou Bill Theofilis 9:40 Victor Cherevko Michael Haney Michael Kandis Deno Kandis 9:55 Diane Lamacki Abraham Chirackal John Stopoulos Georgia Lovejoy July 5 St. John July 12 St. Matthew July 19 St. Mark July 26 St. Luke
ΜΕΓΑΛΟΜΑΡΤΥΣ ΠΑΝΤΕΛΕΗΜΩΝ Ο Άγιος ΠΑΝΤΕΛΕΗΜΩΝ ο Μεγαλομάρτυς και Ιαματικός 27 Ιουλίου Έ ζ ησε σ τ α χ ρ ό νια τ ο υ αυτοκράτορα Διοκλητιανού και καταγόταν απο τη Νικομήδεια. Τον πατέρα του έλεγαν Ευστόργιο και τη μητέρα του, που ήταν ευσεβέστατη χριστιανή, Ευβούλη. Ο Παντελεήμων γρήγορα στερήθηκε τις φροντίδες της μητέρας του, διότι πέθανε πρόωρα. Αλλά ο Θεός τον αξίωσε να διδαχθεί τη χριστιανική πίστη απο ένα διακεκριμένο λειτουργικό της Εκκλησίας, τον Ιερέα Ερμόλαο. Τότε ο Παντελεήμων, είχε τελειώσει τις ιατρικές του σπουδές, κοντά στο φημισμένο γιατρό Ευφρόσυνο. Την επιστήμη του χρησιμοποίησε ιδιαίτερα για τους απόρους ασθενείς και έτρεχε με μοναδική προθυμία στις καλύβες τους, βοηθώντας τους όχι μόνο ιατρικά, αλλά και χρηματικά. Σε κάθε σπίτι που έμπαινε δίδασκε το Ευαγγέλιο και έφερνε σ αυτό πολλές ψυχές. Ήταν ευσπλαγχνικός σε ακρότατο βαθμό για όλους τους πάσχοντες, γι αυτό και ο Θεός του δώρησε το χάρισμα να θεραπεύει ασθενείς με μόνη την προσευχή του. Έτσι θεράπευσε πολλούς, μεταξύ αυτών και ένα τυφλό, που έγινε αφορμή να συλλάβει ο Διοκλητιανός και τον Άγιο. Τον τυφλό τον θανάτωσε διότι πίστεψε στο Χριστό και τον Παντελεήμονα υπέβαλε σε φρικτά βασανιστήρια, ώσπου στο τέλος τον αποκεφάλισε. Ο Παντελεήμων, όμως, ανήκει σ αυτούς, για τους οποίους ο Κύριος είπε: "μακάριοι οι ελεήμονες, ότι αυτοί ελεηθήσονται". Μακάριοι, δηλαδή, είναι, οι ευσπλαγχνικοί που συμπονούν στη δυστυχία του πλησίον, διότι αυτοί θα ελεηθούν απο το Θεό την ημέρα της Κρίσεως.
CONSECRATION The Consecration of our Parish of the Assumption is an event that is not merely celebrated during one service, but spans the Liturgical Cycle of an entire day beginning with Great Vespers on Saturday Evening and continuing through Orthros, the Consecration Service and the first Hierarchical Liturgy. Although the cycle is very rich, it is the Service of the Consecration that for most of us that is truly a once in a lifetime event. Unlike most of the Liturgical Services that are celebrated at the Assumption, the Consecration cannot be celebrated by the Priest the Bishop is the only one who can consecrate a Church (the other services that can only be celebrated by the Bishop are Ordinations and the preparation of Holy Chrism). This is necessary by definition of the ministry of the Bishop, which is to bring unity to Christ s Church. It is through the Episcopacy that the Church is the same no matter where we go, whether it is here in the Quad Cities, Chicago, New York or Athens. The ministry of the Priesthood is to tend to the Parish on behalf of the Bishop and to celebrate the mysteries of the faith. The Consecration Service has 5 main components: 1. The three processions of the Clergy and People around the Temple. 2. The placing and sealing of the Holy Relics into the Altar Table. 3. The Baptizing and Anointing of the Holy Altar Table. 4. The Vesting of the Holy Altar. 5. The Lighting of the Vigil Light on the Holy Altar. It is through the Consecration that the Church building is set aside as a place that is sacred and different from everyplace else in the world. Just as we are entirely changed into a new creation during the mystery of Holy Baptism and sealed with the mark of the Holy Spirit with Holy Chrismation, so is the Temple building completely changed during the this Blessed Event. In the July, August and September issues of the Agape News, I will further explain each of the five parts of the Consecration Service. This event is truly awe inspiring and each time I think about it I become moved and even feel chills. Don t miss out on truly understanding and being a part of this once in a lifetime event!
CONSECRATION THE PROCESSION AROUND THE TEMPLE The Service of the Consecration begins with a procession that circles the Church building 3 times, as it is set aside from all of creation as a Holy space. The Bishop carries the Holy Relics of 3 Saints that are to be sealed into the Altar Table and all the Faithful follow, leaving the Church completely empty. As the procession each time comes to the front of the Church, a table is set up on which the Bishop places the relics and offers prayers. Following the third time around the Church, a dialogue ensues between the Bishop and Satan (taken from Psalm 24) and evil is defeated and the building is unlocked and opened by the Godparents of the community. This is a significant point in the service in that the building is now set aside. The unlocking and opening of the doors is done by the Godparents of the community. The designation of Godparent is one that is unique and special in every way. Just as we are honored to be the Godparent of a child, this honor is one that is not only for the whole community, but is so rare an honor, that one must show their deservedness of it. When I asked His Eminence Metropolitan IAKOVOS to whom this should be bestowed, he told me that it will be not only given to one person, but to all in the community who make a substantial sacrifice as to show their love for Christ s Church. I explored this with Fr. John Kalomas who told me that when he had the Parish of Holy Cross (in Justice, IL) consecrated that 135 people acted as Godparents and that many had made equivalent sacrifices for their departed parents and grandparents and even for their children. IN FUTURE ISSUES: The placing and sealing of the Holy Relics into the Altar Table The Baptizing and Anointing of the Holy Altar Table The Vesting of the Holy Altar The Lighting of the Vigil Light on the Holy Altar.
NAMEDAY CELEBRATION Assumption Nameday Celebration Chicken Dinners Gyro Souvlaki Greek Fries More Saturday, August 15 th 12 Noon till the Music Stops Please join us for a fun-filled day! Free Admission! Silent Auction! Food served all day! Greek Music all Day! Come and celebrate the Feast of the Panagia like you did years ago. The Classic Celebration has returned! Bring your friends and neighbors and enjoy a true Great Feast, a celebration of the Mother of God, the Orthodox Church and her parishioners you, the Body of Christ!
CONSECRATION GRAND BANQUET The Parish of the Assumption requests the honour of your presence at the Grand Banquet on Sunday, the 4th of October, at 6 o clock in the evening as we celebrate the Consecration of our Beloved Parish Donation: $100 for adults $50 for students (up to12 grade) For Stewards of the Assumption, The adult donation will be $80 for the month of August. Donation must be received prior to September 1 and the number of tickets is limited to those listed on the stewardship card. Reservations may be made by calling the Church Office. The number of attendees is limited, so prior to Sept.1, only Stewards may RSVP
Agape News SPONSORS The Agape News is made possible by the generous support of the following parishioners: Fr. Jon, Presbytera Doreece and Vasilia Boukis Fr. Basil Papanikolaou Dr. Steve, Aimee, Nick and Zoe Arvanitis Michael and Nancy Avgenackis Paul and Christine Bagatelas Family George Bagatelas Theodore and Karen Bagatelas Andrew C. Boukis Ken and Packy Boukis Steve and Vaso Boukis and Family Kleo Caras Victor and Judy Cherevko Dr. and Mrs. Costas Constantinou and Family Miltos, Cathy and Harikleia Diakogeorgiou The Family of George and Georgia Eleftheropoulos George and Maria Georgiadis Mary Giovanis Mike and Liz Gorman Litsa Gregory Tom P. Gregory Mike and Helen Haney Susan Holgersson James Jannes Deno and Dr. Ann Kandis Family Mike and Terri Kandis George and Helen Kontos George and Sherry Kontos Jo-Ann Kontos and Joyce Coughlin Helen Kouris Alex, Diane and Jim Lamacki Thomas Lingris and Judy Larson Peter and Sue Lingris Roger, Georgia and Elianna Lovejoy Roger, Celia, Alex and Kristin Lubbers Chris, Susan, Alaina and Melissa Mekus Michael and Roseanne Monn Ninan Family Sakis Padazopoulos Spiro and Carol Pappaspiros Christ and Helen Petaros Scott and Georgia Photiades Jimmy Pliakos Steve and Nancy Pyevich In Memory of Nickolaus Sluz St. Thomas Indian Orthodox Congregation Jim and Kristel Stopoulos Tony and Joan Stopoulos Rick and Maria Krakos Thompson John and Mary Velon Michael and Elizabeth Weis For an annual donation of $25, your name could appear as a supporter of this invaluable ministry. Support is offered for the Ecclesiastical Year (beginning and ending September 1st).
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Assumption Greek Orthodox Church 4900 Kennedy Drive East Moline, Illinois 61244 Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID E. Moline, IL. Permit No. 153