THE ORATOR ST. DEMETRIOS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
MESSAGE FROM FR. NICHOLAS Do you love me? Feed my sheep.
Presiding Priest: Fr. Nicholas Hadzellis Cell: 617.530.0885
In the last chapter of the Gospel of St. John, Jesus asks this simple question of Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me …?” (Jn 21:15).
Parish Assistant:
Do you love me? It is not a difficult question. Even in our own lives, He asks us this same question, “Do you love me?” Jesus asked this question of Peter three times as a way of receiving Peter back as one of His disciples after he denied knowing Jesus at the crucifixion (Jn 18:15). Jesus and Peter are reconciled by his confession of love.
Fax: 817.626.5073
Peter responds each time in the affirmative, he says, “Lord, you know all things, You know that I love you” (Jn 21:17). Much like in our own baptismal service, we are asked “Do you join Christ?,” (three times) and “Have you joined Christ” (three times). The candidate for Baptism or the God Parent will affirm three times, “I do,” and “I have.” We pledge ourselves to Christ. We confess our love for Him.
Matt Lee, Treasurer
In like manner we are reconciled with Christ when we confess Him as our Lord and our God. We too are called disciples. As His disciples, He will never leave us and will continue to care for us, feed us, bless us and show us His Mercy. As we continue to dedicate our lives to Him, He continues to lead us to the kingdom. Christ says “Follow Me” (Jn 21:19). From the gospel to our very own lives Christ asks us if we love Him. But do we recognize the commitment we make when we answer that question? If we keep reading the Gospel, we recognize there is a command after each response. Do you love me, then “feed my lambs” (Jn 21:15), “tend my sheep” (Jn 21:16), “feed my sheep,” (Jn 21:17). How should we understand this? When we attend the Divine Liturgy, many of us seek this same reconciliation, and we seek to be fed. We experience it by hearing the Word of His Holy Gospel, through the homily of the priest, through the prayers and petitions and through the reception of His sacred body and precious blood. We will sing praises to Him, offer up by thanks and gratitude for His grace and mercy. We all seek to be spiritually fed. We each have spiritual needs, and we lift them up to Him and He satisfies them.
Samia Shiber Office: 817.626.5578
Parish Council Members Elias Shiber, President John Sempeles, V. President
Georgia Sparto, Secretary Magda Fleming Marina Katzianis Lisa Kelly Terry Kouris Artemis Moon Elaine Reidl George Vardakis
Office email: admin@stdemetrios.net Orator: Orator.stdemetrios@gmail.com Web: www.stdemetrios.net Parish Office Hours: Tuesday - Friday 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
It is easy to think of ourselves as the sheep, and we desire and need to be spiritually fed, and have those needs met by the church. Indeed we should be. But one day of seven is hardly enough (roughly 14% of your week). The remaining time is influenced by the news, TV, talk radio and social media. We should be feeding ourselves as well, especially in today’s modern age with the book store, internet, libraries, and access to Ancient Faith Radio and Orthodox Christian Network. There is a lot of Orthodox spiritual food waiting to be consumed. We have to be eager and take the initiative to learn more about Jesus Christ, our Church and our salvation. It is true we are His sheep, but Jesus Christ also calls us into discipleship. We are to submit to Him, learn from Him, call on Him and follow Him, as did the disciples of the Gospel. But as His disciples, we are to lead, teach and raise up new disciples. According to the Gospel of St. Matthew, Jesus instructs His disciples to “go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…”(Matt 28:19). We are already a part of the Church that is called to meet the needs of the world, the needs of our neighbor. Do you love me? Feed my sheep. So how do we feed His sheep? One might think that it is the job of the clergy, the missionary, and the soup kitchen workers to feed the sheep. And it is. But it’s also all of our jobs. This includes the parents, the godparents, the chanters, the parish council, the person sitting in the pew etc. It’s the job of those who have joined Christ. One way we feed His sheep is by offering hospitality to strangers and charity to the poor. This may be in our home, at the shelter, even during fellowship hour. But perhaps there is another way of how we can spiritually feed the sheep and lead others to Christ. Another way, is by our own example. As we take matters of salvation seriously, others will take notice. Saint Seraphim of Sarov said, “Acquire the Spirit of peace, and thousands around you will be saved.” We receive God’s grace in Baptism and Chrismation in particular, and we are called to bear good fruit. When we do, that grace is multiplied. When the grace is multiplied, it becomes a greater witness than what we can possibly say. So how do we bear good fruit? The easy answer is participating in the sacraments, especially Holy Communion and Holy Confession. Additionally, Father Stephen Freeman writes “This is a question particularly about the small things of the day. Do we pray? Do we begin the day by crossing ourselves before our feet ever hit the floor? When tempted to grumble do we refrain and give thanks instead? Do we condemn others, even when we could have been silent? Do we forgive when we could have nursed a grudge?” It comes down to the choices we make, how we choose to live and respond to those around us. How we intend to invest the grace already given to us. Father Stephen continues “there is grace for each of these things and thousands more. We are able, because God has made us able. Grace that is put to use in our lives produces dividends of grace. St. Seraphim did not ecome what he was through a momentary gift, but through a lifetime of ascesis (ascetic work, ie fasting, prayer, acts of charity) and “reinvesting” the grace given him.” When we reinvest the grace that God has given us, we are able to feed the sheep around us, our children, our God Children, the people next to us in the pew, the neighbor, the co-worker and the stranger. We are empowered to lead them to salvation that is found in Jesus Christ. This year we are introducing a new theme to tie in our ministries at St. Demetrios. Our theme is “Lead Me.” You will find that we introduced this theme in our stewardswhip ministry for 2016. But also, we will incorporate the theme through our Sunday Church School, Adult Education, sermons and articles in
the Orator. We are all called to be leaders as we follow Christ. You may not know it, or intend it, but you are leading someone right now. We have to be intentional. As part of our Sunday Church School curriculum, we have include pre-communion prayers in the pews. One side is for the elementary school aged children, the other is side is for the middle school aged children. There are also pre-communion prayer in the back of the Green Hymnal books for high school aged children and adults. Please take the time to prepare for Holy Communion. We are also starting a three week adult Bible study class beginning October 14 at 6:30pm. This series we will discuss the Parables of Jesus. Please take these opportunites to expand upon your spiritual lives and grow closer to Jesus Christ, as He leads us closer to His Kingdom. Additionally there will be two Church Community “Lead Me Retreat�, to include Adult and Children activities. The First will be September 26th, the second will be schedule during lent in 2016. In our spiritual journey it is not enough to maintain our current posture, but rather, we are to grow and build each other up in Christ.
SERVICE TO OUR CHURCH Date
Parish Council Ushers
Orthros
Readers
September 6
Matt Lee
Phil Hieger-Chanter
Greek-Stathis Michaelides
George Vardakis
Open - Reader
English-Lexi Vardakis
Georgia Sparto
Phil Hieger-Chanter
Greek-Morfoula Mouzakis
Artemis Moon
Open - Reader
English-Grace Beasley
Elaine Reidl
Ken George- Chanter
Greek-Tony Xenios
Magda Fleming
Open - Reader
English-Katherine Kallinikos
Lisa Kelly
Phil Hieger -Chanter
Greek-Cathy Xydas
Terry Kouris
Open - Reader
English-Issa Shiber
September 13 September 20 September 27
If you would like to be a St. Demetrios Usher, please speak to a Parish Council Member. If you would like to be a Reader (Youth and Adult), please see Cathy Xydas or Ali Winters.
PLEASE VOLUNTEER TO BE AN ORTHROS READER OR CHANTER - see Ellyn Ponton or Phil Hieger
FELLOWSHIP HOUR Date
Hosts
September 6 September 13 September 20 September 27
Coula Panagopoulos Parish Council Open Open
Witnessing the love of Christ to our parishioners and guests alike, Fellowship Coffee Hour is a ministry that generously provides care and kindness by building up our community through refreshments after the Divine Liturgy on Sundays. Contact Leeann Hieger(817.295.3704 / 817.556.1963 or mritech56@yahoo.com) or Artemis Moon (817.800.6407 or moonartemisk@sbcglobal.net) to host the next Fellowship Hour.
The sign-up sheet is on the wall opposite the doors to the fellowship hall.
Many thanks go out to all of you that have taken your turn to make the Fellowship hour a success. You can say, Fellowship Hour is your second communion, as we come together after the Divine Liturgy as the body of Christ to care for one another and spend time with each other. Some great occasions to Host a Fellowship Hour are: Anniversary Baby Blessing Birthday
Memorial Name Day
In effort to make hosting Fellowship Hour easier, please consider a suggested Fellowship Hour List of items to serve: -Bagels (sliced and halved) -Loaves of Specialty Bread (sliced) -Donuts (halved) -Coffee Cake (sliced) -Cookies/Cupcakes
-Cakes (sliced) -Butter/Margarine -Peanut Butter/Cream Cheese -Fruit/Juice -Cheese and Crackers
Additionally, if you are unable to Host, you may still sponsor a Fellowship Hour by making a donation. As part of your contribution and responsibility, please plan on cleaning up at the end of coffee hour. Thank you
ORTHODOX TRADITIONS The Nativity of the Mother God - September 8 The church honors the Virgin Mary on the day of her birth, for it was through her that God became man. Mary's parents, Joachim and Anna, who had been married for twenty years, had no children. One day an angel appeared in a separate vision to each of them, announcing that they would have a daughter whom they should dedicate to God. Her nativity is celebrated with a Divine Liturgy and hymns composed in her honor. FEAST SERVICE: Orthors 8:00am Divine Liturgy 9:00am September 8th The Exaltation of the Holy Cross - September 14 The Exaltation of the Holy Cross is one of the most revered observances in all of Orthodoxy. In 325 A.D., after the persecutions against the Christians had just ended, Christians were free to express their religious feelings and to adorn their places of worship with symbols of the faith, such as the cross. The church has established September 14 as a day of fasting equal to that of Good Friday, as a reminder that Christ died on the cross; many parishioners take communion that day. The Gospel reading at the Divine Liturgy describes the Crucifixion of Christ. After the service, each parishioner receives a basil sprig. FEAST DAY SERVICES: Great Vespers 6:00pm September 13 Orthros 8:00am Divine Liturgy 9:00am September 14th
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church
STEWARDSHIP The Divine Liturgy, and especially the Anaphora (the offering) are filled with hymns and prayers that speak directly to thanksgiving and gratitude, from which spring our tithes and offerings. … [T]hanksgiving (Greek eucharistia) reveals the essence of Christian faith. As Fr. Alexander Schmemann said in his final sermon, “Everyone capable of thanksgiving is capable of salvation and eternal joy,” for Christians find their fundamental calling in thanksgiving… [A]ny life not built upon the foundation of gratitude to God is not authentic Christian life. Thanksgiving to God proves that we are truly alive: “The dead do not praise the Lord, / Nor any who go down into silence” (Ps. 115:17). We rightly call the Divine Liturgy “the Eucharist” (thanksgiving), for thanksgiving is the sign of the spiritual life, and the Eucharist keeps us alive. From Let Us Attend: A Journey Through the Orthodox Divine Liturgy, by Fr. Lawrence Farley, Chapter 13, The Anaphora (the offering). For more information on stewardship and tithing visit: www.Everygoodandperfectgift.org Please consider this stewardship pledge chart to aid you in your planning for 2016 Stewardship Pledge.
Our Ministries are Growing and we need you support! Please consider supporting our ministries directly by making a restricted contriubution: Altar Fund: Priest Discretionary Fund for those in need and special projects Daily Bread: a ministry supporting Tarrant Area Food Bank, One Harvest Food Ministries and the Samaritian House. All gifts will help provide food supplies to assist those who are in need. Friends of the Festival: Will assist in the preparations of the Greek Festival Greek Language and Culture School: Youth and Adult ministry teaching the Hellenic Language and Culture OCF: College Ministry Peace Beyond Understanding: Visitation and Prayer ministry for those who are sick. Sunday Church School: Youth Enrichment program YAM: Young Adult Ministries ages 21-35 Youth Ministries: Hope and Joy (Elementary Aged) GOYA (Middle and High School Age) Please see Fr. Nicholas if you would like to make an additional Special Offering
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church
ALPHA OMEGA Pease join us on Tuesday, September 8th at 11:30 a.m. at Tex's Star Grill
6101 Rufe Snow Dr, Watauga, TX 76148
Looking forward to seeing you there!!!…..Mary Galanis PHILOPTOCHOS ST. BARBARA CHAPTER Please join us for our kick-off meeting, Saturday, September 19th beginning at 10:00am. At St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church YOUTH MINISTRIES
ATTENTION ALL GOYA Our next GOYA meeting is scheduled for September 6th. Thank you to the GOYAns who helped volunteer and paint our Sunday school classrooms! . . . Katherine Kallinikos
HOPE & JOY Ministries September 20th Games with Fr. Nicholas during Fellowship Hour
Stranger Danger Saturday October 24 10:00am- 2:00pm Fort Worth Northside Crime Prevention with Kid’s ID System
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church
SUNDAY CHURCH SCHOOL SUNDAY CHURCH SCHOOL BEGINS SEPTEMBER 13th!! Don’t miss out on a year filled with fun, learning, and growth!
“He who is able to pray correctly, even if he is the poorest of all people, is essentially the richest. And he who does not have proper prayer, is the poorest of all, even if he sits on a royal throne.”-St. John Chrysostom As Orthodox Christians, we pray to give thanks, seek forgiveness, ask for help, renew and grow our souls, and ultimately, because Christ asks us to pray. God intends for us to live our lives as a continuous prayer, and to pray without ceasing. This will help us grow our relationship with God. This years’ Sunday Church School theme is “Lead Me.”Children must be led by example and by doing. They are led to eat the right things, led to do well in school, led to have proper manners, and led to achieve in sports and the arts. Much in the same way, children must be led in the life of the church and led in the life of Christ. Thus, they must be led in daily prayer. This Sunday Church School year, we will be focused on expanding religious education at home. We hope to provide ways to successfully make this happen. Prayer is such a crucial part in our Orthodox lives. One way we are going to be doing so, is by providing a monthly prayer. Our hope is for you to participate in daily prayer with your child in order to begin fostering spiritual growth. September's Prayer of the Month: The Jesus Prayer "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner." This prayer is essential to our spiritual growth. It makes us humble and helps us focus our mind exclusively on God. Eventually, this is to be prayed repeatedly, in longer increments of time, with the end goal being the discipline of our souls.
CHURCH COMMUNITY RETREAT SAVE THE DATE “LEAD ME RETREAT” September 26, 2015 Feast of St. John the Evangelist 9:00am Teaching Liturgy Followed by lunch and Church Family Retreat Everyone is invited to participate! RSVP to Fr. Nicholas by September 20, 2015.
MENS PAREA SAVE THE DATE Saturday, October 17th Hitting the Mark! Cinnamon Creek Archery RSVP to Fr. Nicholas if you are interested
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church
BOOKSTORE Start the New Ecclesiastical Year off right with a new book from our St. Demetrios Book Store Orthodox Study Bibles are now available! Orthodox Daily Prayer Books are now available FESTIVAL NEWS 2015 Festival Needs The 2015 Greek Festival is around the corner and we need your help! Planning is complete and it is time to start the preparations. There are several ways in which you can help. These include:
Help cook and bake. The calendar is directly below. It shows when each item will be prepared. Come as often as you can to lend a hand in making our legendary food and desserts! Volunteer for one or more shifts during the Festival itself in your favorite booth. See John Semples to sign up. Many spots are already filled. Friends of the Festival Donations o General cash donations o Cash donations for a specific Festival item o Ingredient and item donations o Booth Sponsorship (individual and business) o Purchase an ad in the Festival Guide Book (individual and business)
Businesses that donate will receive a link on the Festival website.
Festival Baking Schedule for September MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Thursday, September 10 (9:00am) Tyropita
Sunday, September 20 (After Liturgy) Spanakopita
Tuesday, September 15 (9:00am) Koulourakia
Monday, September 21 (9:00am) Spanakopita
Wednesday, September 16 (9:00am) Koulourakia
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church
Orthodox Christian Mission Center: News from the Mission Field Today on August 26, 2015, before dawn at around 4 o’clock in the morning, in order not to confront the residents of Dhermi in Himara, the Orthodox church of St. Athanasius was secretly and insidiously destroyed by construction inspection forces which were brought from other areas of the country. It was dejecting and offensive to see the Holy Gospel, the Icons and the sacred objects buried under the rubble. This act reminds us of the desecration at St. Mary's Church in Permet, where the holy objects were thrown into a garbage truck. This action is a flagrant violation of the Law no. 10057, 22.01.2009, "On ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Albania and the Orthodox Church of Albania", Article 21 / 1,2 according to which "Buildings and facilities which serve for religious ceremonies and services are considered sacred by the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania. The intervention of the state authorities is prohibited, except in cases of urgency when it is required pursuant to an order of prosecution, a judicial or executive title, or in case of threat of an imminent danger. 2. The inviolability of public space is guaranteed by the State. The State protects religious objects and religious areas, in accordance with the Law. "The intervention was made without prior official or informal notification and the clergy were ignored. The hierarchical representatives, Protopresbyter Fr. Pandeli Mitru, Fr. Efthim Bixhili and Fr. Athanasius Kareem demanded an explanation by local authorities. From the beginning, those who had planned the destruction of this holy place were contradictory, megalomaniac and inconsistent throughout their statements, claims,
and actions. They stated that the church was an illegal construction recently built. However, the church was erected by the faithful at the dawn of Democracy (over 20 years ago), in the same place where the old church had been destroyed by the Communist Regime. They said that it was a monument of culture but this is not true. They stated that it was not under the possession of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania, but documents prove the opposite. They stated that the concrete layer was laid at the walls of the historic old church and then it was flattened etc. This event is a violation of the universal right of belief and secularism promulgated at the Constitution of the State, which privately undertakes the demolition of an object of religion to establish another one by undertaking initiatives and commitments that do not belong or comprise with the internal religious issues. Such irresponsible and reckless actions endanger religious harmony in the country bringing up conflicts among religions and religious communities. This action occurs at a time when the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania, along with the community of Saint Egidios and the Catholic Church in Albania, are preparing an event in September in early to organize a great interreligious activity "Peace is Always Possible." This is a historic event for Albania. It will be attended by 500 delegates from 30 different religious communities from all over the world. Such actions undertaken against the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania are in opposition to the spirit of the event and provoke and distort the image of our country and its people.
Internation Orthodox Christian Charities: News and Information IOCC ASSISTS SYRIAN FAMILIES ESCAPING BLOODSHED IN IDLIB As the security and humanitarian situation in Idlib, Syria, continues to deteriorate following escalated fighting this past spring, IOCC and church partner in Syria, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East (GOPA), is providing emergency medical assistance, hygiene kits, and personal care items to displaced Idlib families who have fled to the Syrian port city of Lattakia. According to staff on the ground, approximately 300 of the nearly 5,000 displaced people fleeing Idlib arrived in Lattakia with injuries, many related to flying shrapnel. Some of them arrived alone knowing nothing about the rest of their families, while others managed to get out with their families intact. "I escaped with all of my 14 family members," said Fadi, a displaced Idlib resident. "We barely fit in the small car which was our only transportation. Many cars around us crashed as they tried to flee, because they were shot by a sniper while trying to escape the city." Rami, who also fled Idlib, said he and his 9-year-old daughter made it out through the city's sewage channels to avoid snipers. They walked all night to reach safety, but he now faces new fears for his family. "My daughter is in complete shock from what she witnessed, and I can't stop thinking about my parents who are still trapped in Idlib." IOCC/GOPA is helping traumatized parents like Rami through counseling that will equip them and their children with the coping skills they need to deal with such difficult experiences. In addition to those families who fled to Lattakia, IOCC/ GOPA rapid action teams are on the ground responding to the needs of other families arriving to the cities of Hamah and Jableh with relief such as shelter, bedding, clothing, and hygiene kits
Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry “ The Meal� By: James (Seraphim) Blackstock
attending catechism classes and are excited to learn
Every Year our ministry caters in a meal to the men
about our Holy Orthodox Faith. The food, however, is
at Tomoka Correctional Institution in Daytona Beach. It
the least important thing that happens at the meal.
usually coincides with the Feasts of Pascha or The
There is something very special that happens when we
Nativity but due to circumstances beyond our control
share a meal in the context of meeting as the Church.
this year, it had to be delayed until August 12th. The
There is a bond that is created that serves to place the
menu this year consisted of Italian Subs with macaroni
focus of our get togethers on the ontological
salad and chips and soft drinks and for desert, Apple
relationship that we, as Orthodox, have with Christ. Our
Pie and Pecan Pie with Whipped Cream of course!.
whole life, after all, is a meal, One that is served to us by
There were a total of 13 of us this year who attended.
Christ Himself. So, how does this relate to The Church?
Due to changed rules in the prison, some men were not
We Orthodox draw no distinction between the Body
permitted to attend the feast. Unfortunately, if a man
of Christ in heaven and those on earth, viewing both
has a call out for the doctor or even for a legitimate
parts of the Church as inseparable and in continuous
work detail, these absences still count against their
worship together of God. Orthodox worship therefore
attendance record in our weekly meetings and they
expresses this unity of earth and heaven in every
become disqualified to attend the Feast. There is a
possible way so that the earthly worshippers are
total of 20 men in our group and we know how
continually reminded through all their senses of the
disappointed the men were who were not allowed to
heavenly state of the Church. The particular methods
come. All of the men in our group are currently
for doing this are very far from arbitrary but have been
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church passed down from the earliest periods in Christian
regarding Tradition as something beneath Scripture or
history. Orthodox worship, in keeping with the earliest
parallel to Scripture, Orthodox Christians consider
traditions of Christian worship, involves eating as part of
Scripture the culmination and supreme expression of
services probably more than any other denomination.
the church's divinely communicated Tradition. Councils
Besides the bread and wine in the Eucharist, bread,
and creeds recognized as authoritative are interpreted
wine, wheat, fruits and other foods are eaten at a
only as defining and more fully explicating the orthodox
number of special services. Of course, within the prison
faith handed to the apostles, without adding to it. “The
walls ,there are no services of the kind that we
Church, (according to a historic statement by the late
experience in an Orthodox Church,. The prisons many
G. Florovsky), “is first of all is a worshipping community.
times will not permit candles, or wine, or incense,
Worship comes first, doctrine and discipline second. The
something I hope will change as the Orthodox make a
lex Orandi has a privileged priority in the life of the
more concerted effort to be present in our country’s
Christian Church. The lex Credendi depends on the
prisons “but we have the meal!” In these meals that we
devotional experience and vision of the Church.” These
serve to the men in prison, they start to appreciate that
men, although not able to attend a real liturgy, come
they are truly a part of The Body of Christ. They come to
to experience our meal and fellowship as the natural
realize that they are in fellowship with not only us but
consequence of the liturgical, i.e. eucharistic,
with the very saints of heaven that we tell them so
communion experience of the Church. The men inside,
much about. They begin to have a new appreciation
do not always fully understand the Theology of our
for real prayer.
Church, but they do have a pretty good understanding
In our Divine liturgy, we are reminded of the need to
of the importance of relationships in The Body of Christ.
reach unity in faith as well as in prayer. Rather than
Daily Bread For this month and next month, both events will be on the same day. Volunteers have the option to sign up for either one the same day. Contact Magda Fleming in advance to set up which event you wish to participate in. Saturday, September 19th 9AM-10AM St. Demetrios One Harvest* *For One Harvest, we will need to be at the St. Demetrios Hall by 8:30am to prepare, and one volunteer will need to go to the distribution center (300 Belmont Street, Saginaw) by 7:30am to pick up the kits. Please contact Magda Fleming (901.292.9546, mag2868@gmail.com) if you want to volunteer for the One Harvest events. Saturday, September 19th 9AM-12PM Tarrant County Food Bank Sorting** **Next available Food Bank date is October 24th. Please contact Magda Fleming (901.292.9546, mag2868@gmail.com) if you are interested in volunteering for any Food Bank events. On Food Bank days we will meet at St. Demetrios parking lot and leave for the Food Bank by 8:30am. Thursday October 1st 4:30PM-6PM St. Demetrios Supper Club Samaritan House 929 Hemphill St. Fort Worth TX 76194 Please contact Megan Hieger at 817.556.1964 or megan.hieger@kellerisd.net to pariticate.
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church
CHALLENGE QUESTIONS 1. The word Orthodox means a. Christian b. Correct action c. People of God d. True belief 2. The name "Jesus" means a. God is salvation b. Messiah c. Lord d. King
3. a. b. c. d.
A parable is A letter from one of the Apostles A book of the New Testament A simple story with a moral A commandment from God
4. Alpha and Omega are used in the Book of Revelations to symbolize a. The eternity of heaven b. The Beast c. The people of God d. The eternal Father, God Almighty
5. The English word "laity" (or Lay people) comes from the Greek work "laos. This Greek word means a. Unordained b. People of God c. Unprofessional d. Unimportant
6. a. b. c. d.
Who can perform a baptism? Bishop only Bishop and priest only Bishop, priest, or deacon only Any baptized Christian
7. The Beatitudes are a. A prayer read during the Great Entrance of the Divine Liturgy b. Words of Christ on the cross c. Sections from the Nicene Creed d. Blessings taught by Christ at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount
8. The creed we read during the Liturgy in the Orthodox Church is a. The Apostle's Creed b. Sts. Peter and Paul Creed c. The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed d. The Arian Creed
9. True or False. We fast because we are commanded to do so by Christ; fasting starves the body to feed the soul and brings us closer to God.
10. When in the ancient Roman empire did Christianity become legal? a. 215 b. 313 c. 787 d. 1054
1.d 2. a 3. c 4. d 5. b 6. d 7. d 8. c 9. true 10. b
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church
Burn the Mortgage Challenge Dear St. Demetrios Family, Two years ago, we joined together to launch our St. Demetrios Burn the Mortgage campaign. We have come so far!!!! We have paid $127,000 with the help of our generous matching donor and 40 families! Join us TODAY! I invite you to be a part of this monumental undertaking. Please prayerfully consider making a fruitful contribution toward our Burn the Mortgage campaign. Let's watch this mortgage go up in flames! Together in Christ, Fr. Nicholas
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church
COMMUNITY NEWS Congratulations to Katie and Joel Pool on the birth of their daughter Elyse Rose Friday August 28, 2015 Να σας ζησει Congratulations to Maria and Derek Johnson on the birth of their son Jacob Benjamin, Monday August 31, 2015. Babies and Mommies are all great! Να σας ζησει
COMMUNITY IN PICTURES Festival Cooking Has Begun . . .
Thank you to all our volunteers!
September 2015 Sunday
Monday
6 7:45am Orthros 9am Divine Liturgy 10:30am GOYA Meeting
7 Labor Day
13 Sunday before Holy Cross 7:45am Orthros 9am Divine Liturgy 10:30am Stewardship Sun. & Ministry Fair 10:30am Church School 11:30am Greek Dance Practice 11:30am Festival Meeting 6pm Great Vespers 20 7:45am Orthros 8:45am Blessing: Kaity & John Sempeles 9am Divine Liturgy 10:30am Church School 11am Festival Baking: Spanakopita 11:30am Greek Dance Practice 11:30am Hope/Joy Activity 27 7:45am Orthros 9am Divine Liturgy 11:00am Greek Dance Practice Dallas Greek Festival
14 Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Tuesday
Wednesday
1 Beginning of the Ecclesiastical Year 8am Orthros 9am Divine Liturgy 7pm Parish Council Meeting 8 11:30Alpha Omega Tex’s Star Grill 7pm AHEPA Meeting
2
15
16 9am Festival Baking Koulourakia
9am Festival Baking Koulourakia
9
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
3 5pm Supper Club at Samaritan House
4
5
10 9am Festival Baking Tyropita
11
12
17
18
19 10am Philoptochos
24
25 Dallas Greek Festival
26 9am Teaching Liturgy: Feast of the Falling Asleep of John the Evangelist 10:30am - 4pm Retreat: Lead Me
8am Orthros 9am Divine Liturgy
21 9am Festival Baking Spanakopita
22 6pm Ladies Parea Shaw’s
23
4:30pm Greek School
Dallas Greek Festival 28 4:30pm Greek School
29
30
Strict Fast Fish allowed
Dairy, Eggs, and Fish allowed
Wine and Oil allowed
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church
Sunday Readings for September 2015 Sept. 6
14th Sunday of Matthew
Epistle: Hebrews 2:2-10 Gospel: Matthew 22:2-14
Sept. 13 Sept. 20
Sunday before Holy
Epistle: Galatians 6:11-18
Cross
Gospel: John 3:13-17
Sunday after Holy Cross
Epistle: Galatians 2:16-20 Gospel: Mark 8:34-38; 9:1
Sept. 27
1st Sunday of Luke
Epistle: II Corinthians 6:16-18; 7:1 Gospel: Luke 5:1-11
THE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF ST. DEMETRIOS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH THE FIRST GREEK ORTHODOX PARISH IN TEXAS
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church 2020 NW 21st St. Fort Worth, Texas 76164 www.stdemetrios.net