SUNDAY OF ST. JOHN CLIMACUS APRIL 14th, 2013 Sts. Raphael, Nicholas and Irene Greek Orthodox Church Rev. Fr. Barnabas Powell, Proistamenos Jimmy Smith, Psaltis 3074 Bethelview Road Cumming GA 30040 (770) 781-5250 cell (770) 861-3544 www.stsrni.org We are an intentional Orthodox Christian Community for North Georgia!
WORSHIP First Gospel/Tone Fourth We are so very glad you have joined us today, and we pray you will be inspired and encouraged by your time with us. The Orthodox worship service is an ancient and timeless expression of how people have loved, served and worshipped God for many centuries, but it may be a bit of a different experience for you. Please feel free to use a service book or not and simply allow the words of the service to wash over you. The central act of our worship culminates in people receiving communion. This is a very special time for us all and we have some specific beliefs about our communion together. This is why we never impose this service on those who are not prepared or are not baptized Orthodox. This service may raise questions in your mind. Please feel free to ask Fr. Barnabas or Fr. Paul anything you wish after the service. At the end of the service EVERYONE is invited to come forward and receive a portion of the blessed bread from Fr. Barnabas. No one should leave church hungry! Know you are welcome and we are glad you are here. May God bless you and your family. Apolytikion in honor of Sts. Raphael, Nicholas & Irene Having contended on Lesvos for the sake of Christ God, you have sanctified the island since the discovery of your sacred relics, O blessed ones; wherefore we honor you, O Godbearing Raphael, together with Nicholas and virgin Irene, as our divine protectors and intercessors with the Lord. Schedule for the Week April 17th, Wednesday - 6:30 p.m. Pre-sanctified Liturgy April 19th, Friday - 7 p.m. Akathist Hymn April 20th, Saturday - 5 p.m. Great Vespers Parish Council On Duty Today - Paul Ray, Chris Foxhall, Quay Farr Ushering Ministry - GOYA Welcoming Ministry - Trissie Farr ACOLYTES Zachery Bethune, James Blane, Nathan Frazier, Nicholas Pryles, Tommy Roberts, Luke Sulyma, Mike Trainor, Thomas Miller and Christos Zourzoukis SENIOR ACOLYTES Dean Pryles, Mike Manos STS. RNI YOUTH CHOIR Tabitha Bethune, Jessica Catapano, Maria Hagen, Christina Pryles & Laramie Smith
TODAY WE REMEMBER SUNDAY OF ST. JOHN CLIMACUS Reading: The memory of this Saint is celebrated on March 30, where his biography may be found. He is celebrated today because his book, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, is a sure guide to the ascetic life, written by a great man of prayer experienced in all forms of the monastic polity; it teaches the seeker after salvation how to lay a sound foundation for his struggles, how to detect and war against each of the passions, how to avoid the snares laid by the demons, and how to rise from the rudimental virtues to the heights of Godlike love and humility. It is held in such high esteem that it is universally read in its entirety in monasteries during the Great Fast. Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone: When the women Disciples of the Lord had learned from the Angel the joyful message of the Resurrection and had rejected the ancestral decision, they cried aloud to the Apostles triumphantly: Death has been despoiled, Christ God has risen, granting His great mercy to the world. Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone: To you, Theotokos, invincible Defender, having been delivered from peril, I, your city, dedicate the victory festival as a thank offering. In your irresistible might, keep me safe from all trials, that I may call out to you: "Hail, unwedded bride!" We Also Remember Aristarchus, Pudens, Trophimus the Apostles of the 70 Thomas the Martyr of Alexandria Please pray for those faithful who are currently in need of our most fervent intercessions: Andrew, Angie, Bill, Bill, Carrie, Demetra, Dina, Donna, Elaine, Elizabeth, Christina, George, Gus, Heidi, Igli, James, Jerry, Joe, Maria, Michael, Oni, Paul, Peter, Staikoula, Taki, Tara, Violeta, John & Sheila Consos, Archie Lytle, Katherine & Sam Yalanzon Visitors Welcome Dina Sarandis resides at The Oaks on Post Road and welcomes visits from fellow parishioners. John & Sheila Consos are now residing in Dunwoody 4355 Georgetown Sq., Unit 442 and would enjoy phone calls (770/232-5147) &/or visits. If you know of someone who would like a visit, please contact Helen McCart at 678-947-4771 or the Church Office.
Epistle Reading The Reading is from St. Paul s Letter to the Hebrews 6:13-20 The Reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to Timothy 3:10-15 Prokeimenon. Grave Mode. Psalm 28.11,1 The Lord will give strength to his people. Verse: Bring to the Lord, O sons of God, bring to the Lord honor and glory. BRETHREN, when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore to himself, saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Men indeed swear by a greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he interposed with an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God should prove false, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. Α Ω Ἀδελφοί, τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἐπαγγειλάμενος ὁ θεός, ἐπεὶ κατʼ οὐδενὸς εἶχεν μείζονος ὀμόσαι, ὤμοσεν καθʼ ἑαυτοῦ, λέγων, Ἦ μὴν εὐλογῶν εὐλογήσω σε, καὶ πληθύνων πληθυνῶ σε. Καὶ οὕτως μακροθυμήσας ἐπέτυχεν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας. Ἄνθρωποι μὲν γὰρ κατὰ τοῦ μείζονος ὀμνύουσιν, καὶ πάσης αὐτοῖς ἀντιλογίας πέρας εἰς βεβαίωσιν ὁ ὅρκος. Ἐν ᾧ περισσότερον βουλόμενος ὁ θεὸς ἐπιδεῖξαι τοῖς κληρονόμοις τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τὸ ἀμετάθετον τῆς βουλῆς αὐτοῦ, ἐμεσίτευσεν ὅρκῳ, ἵνα διὰ δύο πραγμάτων ἀμεταθέτων, ἐν οἷς ἀδύνατον ψεύσασθαι θεόν, ἰσχυρὰν παράκλησιν ἔχωμεν οἱ καταφυγόντες κρατῆσαι τῆς προκειμένης ἐλπίδος ἣν ὡς ἄγκυραν ἔχομεν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀσφαλῆ τε καὶ βεβαίαν, καὶ εἰσερχομένην εἰς τὸ ἐσώτερον τοῦ καταπετάσματος ὅπου πρόδρομος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν εἰσῆλθεν Ἰησοῦς, κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδὲκ ἀρχιερεὺς γενόμενος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.
Gospel Reading The Reading is from Mark 9:17-31 At that time, a man came to Jesus kneeling and saying: "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit; and wherever it seizes him it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able." And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me." And they brought the boy to him; and when the sp irit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, "How long has he had this?" And he said, "From childhood. And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us." And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again." And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, "He is dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting." They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would not have any one know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise." Α Ω Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἄνθρωπός τις προσῆλθε τῷ Ἰησοῦ λέγων, διδάσκαλε, ἤνεγκα τὸν υἱόν μου πρός σε, ἔχοντα πνεῦμα ἄλαλον. καὶ ὅπου ἂν αὐτὸν καταλάβῃ, ῥήσσει αὐτόν, καὶ ἀφρίζει καὶ τρίζει τοὺς ὀδόντας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ξηραίνεται καὶ εἶπον τοῖς μαθηταῖς σου ἵνα αὐτὸ ἐκβάλωσι, καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσαν. ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς αὐτῷ λέγει ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος, ἕως πότε πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἔσομαι; ἕως πότε ἀνέξομαι ὑμῶν; φέρετε αὐτὸν πρός με. καὶ ἤνεγκαν αὐτὸν πρὸς αὐτόν. καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν εὐθέως τὸ πνεῦμα ἐσπάραξεν αὐτόν, καὶ πεσὼν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐκυλίετο ἀφρίζων. καὶ ἐπηρώτησε τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ πόσος χρόνος ἐστὶν ὡς τοῦτο γέγονεν αὐτῷ; ὁ δὲ εἶπε παιδιόθεν. καὶ πολλάκις αὐτὸν καὶ εἰς πῦρ ἔβαλε καὶ εἰς ὕδατα, ἵνα ἀπολέσῃ αὐτόν ἀλλ εἴ τι δύνασαι, βοήθησον ἡμῖν σπλαγχνισθεὶς ἐφ ἡμᾶς. ὁ δὲ Ιησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ τὸ εἰ δύνασαι πιστεῦσαι, πάντα δυνατὰ τῷ πιστεύοντι. καὶ εὐθέως κράξας ὁ πατὴρ τοῦ παιδίου μετὰ δακρύων ἔλεγε πιστεύω, κύριε βοήθει μου τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ. ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Ιησοῦς ὅτι ἐπισυντρέχει ὄχλος, ἐπετίμησε τῷ πνεύματι τῷ ἀκαθάρτῳ λέγων αὐτῷ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἄλαλον καὶ κωφόν, ἐγώ σοι ἐπιτάσσω, ἔξελθε ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ μηκέτι εἰσέλθῃς εἰς αὐτόν. καὶ κράξαν καὶ πολλὰ σπαράξαν αὐτὸν ἐξῆλθε, καὶ ἐγένετο ὡσεὶ νεκρός, ὥστε πολλοὺς λέγειν ὅτι ἀπέθανεν. ὁ δὲ Ιησοῦς κρατήσας αὐτὸν τῆς χειρὸς ἤγειρεν αὐτόν, καὶ ἀνέστη. Καὶ εἰσελθόντα αὐτὸν εἰς οἶκον οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπηρώτων αὐτὸν κατ ἰδίαν, ὅτι ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἠδυνήθημεν ἐκβαλεῖν αὐτό. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς τοῦτο τὸ γένος ἐν οὐδενὶ δύναται ἐξελθεῖν εἰ μὴ ἐν προσευχῇ καὶ νηστείᾳ. Καὶ ἐκεῖθεν ἐξελθόντες παρεπορεύοντο διὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν ἵνα τις γνῷ ἐδίδασκε γὰρ τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς ὅτι ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοται εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων, καὶ ἀποκτενοῦσιν αὐτόν, καὶ ἀποκτανθεὶς τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἀναστήσεται.
ANNOUNCEMENTS Wisdom from the Fathers" The truly blessed are not the ones who can work miracles or see angels; the truly blessed are the ones who can see their own sins. St. Anthony the Great BIBLE STUDY CLASSES Wednesday, April 17th - 10 a.m. Great Lent Conversation on Holy Week Wednesday, April 17th - following 6:30 p.m. Pre-Sanctified Liturgy A Step-by-Step Look at the Divine Liturgy Thursday, April 18th - 6:30 p.m. Great Lent Conversation on Holy Week Father Barnabas will be available to hear confession every Wednesday either before or after Vespers and by appointment. Please call or email the church office to request a time to meet with Father and avail yourself to this healing divine mystery of the Church. Please call the Church office for more information (770) 781-5250. SCHEDULE OF SERVICES FOR LENT & PASCHA APRIL 14 th, Sunday of St. John Climacus 8:45 a.m. Orthros/10 a.m. Divine Liturgy 17th, Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Pre-sanctified Liturgy 19 th, Friday 7 p.m. Akathist to the Theotokos 21st, Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt 8:45 a.m. Orthros/10 a.m. Divine Liturgy
SCHEDULE OF SERVICES FOR LENT & PASCHA APRIL 24th, Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Pre-sanctified Liturgy 26th, Friday 6 p.m. Vespers at Holy Transfiguration Church, Marietta 27th, Saturday - Saturday of Lazarus Service will be at the Holy Transfiguration Church, Marietta 8:30 a.m. Orthros/9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy of St. Basil Followed by making of palm crosses & breakfast together @ Sts. RNI 5 p.m. Great Vespers @ Sts. RNI 28th, Palm Sunday 8:45 am. Orthros/10 a.m. Divine Liturgy 7 p.m. Matins of the Bridegroom #1 29th, Holy Monday 8 a.m. Pre-Sanctified Liturgy 7 p.m. Matins of the Bridegroom #2 30th, Holy Tuesday 8 a.m. Pre-Sanctified Liturgy 7 p.m. Matins of the Bridegroom #3 MAY 1st, Holy Wednesday 8 a.m. Pre-Sanctified Liturgy 3 p.m. Holy Unction 7 p.m. Holy Unction 2nd, Holy Thursday 8 a.m. Divine Liturgy of St. Basil 7 p.m. Service of the Twelve Gospels and Procession of the Holy Cross 3rd, Holy & Great Friday 9 a.m. The Royal Hours 3 p.m. Service of the Descent from the Cross 7 p.m. Service of Lamentations and Procession of Epitaphion 4th-5th, Holy & Great Saturday 9 a.m. Divine Liturgy of St. Basil 11 p.m. Matins of the Resurrection 12 Midnight Resurrection Service/Resurrection Divine Liturgy
ANNOUNCEMENTS May 5th, Great and Holy Pascha 12 Noon Agape Vespers Parish-wide Easter egg hunt and Parish Picnic 7th, Bright Tuesday - Sts. Raphael, Nicholas & Irene Feast Day 5 p.m. Hierarchical Great Vespers Lamb Dinner Celebration follows PALM SUNDAY FISH LUNCHEON Sunday, April 28th Tickets Available Today Adults $10 - Children 5-12 $5 - Children 4 & Under Free See Stamatia Hagen 770-315-4530 or Sophia Bethune (h) 470-239-3623 PASCHA PICNIC - EASTER SUNDAY, MAY 5th 11 a.m. Easter Egg Hunt 12 noon Agape Service 1 p.m. Potluck Lunch - Each family brings a dish (or 2) to share RSVP to Sophia Bethune (h) 470-239-3623 ANNUAL METROPOLIS PASCHA AGAPE PICNIC Saturday, May 11th 11 a.m. Agape Service followed by the Panegyri Diakonia Retreat Center
ANNOUNCEMENTS Sunday School Sunday School students will be dismissed after receiving the Eucharist. (6th grade through high school will meet together in the Youth Room.) The Pascha Passports have been distributed. "Stamps" for attendance will be given out in Sunday School. For all other services (Akathists, Great Complines, and Pre-Sanctifed Liturgy...), the stamps will be on the table in the narthex. Help your child remember to bring their Passport to every service. Please help Sunday School support Project Mexico this year. To learn more about the orphans and home building trips that need our support, visit http://www.projectmexico.org/. In the bookstore, we have some great resources to help educate our children about Great Lent and Holy Week! Coloring books that include posters and stickers (with both Greek and English texts) are available for $9 each. Pascha baskets with Pascha Activity coloring books are available for $25. Visit the bookstore for educational resources this Great Lent! Only 2 more Sundays of Sunday School left! Any questions or concerns, or for more information, contact Lisa Boston at 770-826-1212 or myakunda@yahoo.com GOYA Luminary Fund Raiser Help us light the way for the procession on Holy Friday. Make a donation to GOYA for a luminary in memory of your loved one(s). Forms are available in the Narthex. Contact Suzi Pryles @ 770-851-9339 or suzi@bloominpatios.com
ANNOUNCEMENTS PHILOPTOCHOS 2013 Membership Drive has begun. ALL are welcome to join. Philoptochos is not just a ladies organization anymore! EASTER GOODIES Philoptochos is taking orders for 9x12 tray of pastichio for $25/tray. Delivery will be by Sunday, April 28th (Palm Sunday) Contact Helen McCart - 678-947-4771 or filatra3@comcast.net Tsoureki (Easter Bread) orders are also being taken. $10/loaf Delivery will be by Sunday, April 28th (Palm Sunday) Contact Sophia Bethune at (h) 470-239-3623or (c) 508-494-3757 BOOK CLUB Please join us after Saturday Vespers for Food, Fellowship, and Good Conversation! Saturday, April 20th Please bring a dish to share for our covered dish supper. For more information, contact Lisa Boston @ myakunda.com or Donna Smith @ missmagnoliasmoxie@gmail.com Sts. RNI Choir Practice Today - SUNDAY - Immediately following Divine Liturgy in the Chapel Contact Marie Chapman for more information. 770-205-7220 or mommystargater@comcast.net IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES Saturday, April 20th - Sts. RNI Parish hosting the Metropolis District Level Oratorial Festival
ANNOUNCEMENTS FELLOWSHIP HOUR Our 2012-2013 Fellowship Hour Donation Campaign has begun. A suggested donation of $25/family helps cover the cost of the weekly Fellowship Hour. Checks should be made payable to Sts. RNI G.O. Church with Fellowship on the memo line. We hope you have enjoyed the refreshments provided over the past year and will continue to support the Fellowship Committee s efforts to serve you each Sunday. 2012-13 Donors Jim & Angie Andropoulos Anthony & Mary Birozes Kosta & Carolyn Bozzuto Grace Chihlas John & Beth Doulgerakis Mariya & Gregory Dunkel Keith & Mary Druffner Chris & Liz Foxhall Jean Gwaltney, Harriet Howell Eleni Jordan Vasilios Kaloudis Jim Kanellos Dennis & Ginny Kostulakos Leon & Frances Lopez Florence & Archie Lytle Bill & Margaret Manos Riley & Elizabeth Marvos Mary & Bill Milam Athena & Matt Miller Nik Moissiades Patricia Morris Nick & Teddie Panos Gus Pappas Fr. Barnabas & Pres. Connie Powell Vic & Suzi Pryles Gigi & Paul Ray Kathy & Taka Shoji Nikolaos & Eva Thrasivoulou Ed & Anne Trainor Arthur Tsiropoulos Sharon Tyre Thank you all for your support of this Ministry. Sts. RNI Bookstore News Your purchases through Amazon helps us raise money! We have a new e-store on Amazon for the Sts. RNI Bookstore. This is an Amazon webstore that we put items into categories like books, cds, jewelry, food, etc. and we get paid 10% on all sales through our store. If someone from the church wants to buy something on Amazon, they need to click through our link for us to get credit. Also, if anyone wants a book, cd, etc., not on our list, they need to let us know & we can add it to the site. Use the link: http://astore.amazon.com/stsrapnicireo-20 For more information or to add items, contact Aftan Romanczak at aromanczak@hotmail.com
To date the 85 families below have returned Stewardship Commitment Cards for 2013. Nicholas & Varvara Alexiou Jim & Angie Andropoulos Sarante & Julie Athenson Richard & Sophia Bethune Anthony & Mary Birozes Renee Birozes Katherine Blanos Joseph & Barbara Bonelli-Selwa Jordan & Lisa Boston Helen Bouboulis Kosta & Carolyn Bozzuto Sean & Maria Carney David & Marie Chapman Grace Chihlas Julie Chokos John & Sheila Consos Dan & Alyssa Douglas John & Beth Doulgerakis Quay & Trissie Farr Chris & Liz Foxhall Valerie Galanis Robert & Jennifer Guano Harald & Stamatia Hagen Christine Hatcher Harriet Howell Mark & Jennie Johnson Eleni Jordan Vasilios & Mary Kaloudis James Kanellos Maria Kardomateas Theodoros & Aphrodite Kazazakis-Levendakis Dennis & Ginny Kostulakos Leon & Francis Lopez Archie & Florence Lytle Connie Machoudy Harry & Tina Maheras Bill & Margaret Manos Emanuel Manos Bill & Audrey Marianes Al & Helen McCart John & Becky Melts Bill & Mary Milam Matt & Athena Miller Nikolaos Moissiadis Patricia Morris Peter & Jamie Nunn Nicolas & Teddie Panos Constantinos & Evelyn Pantazopoulos Lazaros & Christina Papadopoulos Gregory Pappas Gus Pappas John & Evon Patrick Sts. RNI Philoptochos Gus Plakiotis Ioanna Plakiotis Mihai & Heidi Popa Father & Presvytera Powell Pam Powers Vic & Suzi Pryles Paul & Gigi Ray Marina Raymond David & Mary Roberts Athan & Cheri Romanczak Andrew & Lorez Roussey Dina Sarandis Taka & Kathy Shoji Eric & Donna Smith Eugenia Smith Estelle Sofikitis George & Anna Sofikitis Dennis & Laura Sparks Koko & Carol Tadros Steven & Thalia Thompson Ed & Anne Trainor Brian & Jennifer Tubbs Sharon Tyre Greg Tzevelekos George Tzortzinakis Plutarch & Tina Vamvakias Rusty & Christine Waldron Tim & Diane Walters Steve & Smara Wolff Sam & Katherine Yalanzon George & Thalia Zazanis-Bruno John & Mildred Zourzoukis