S T . J OHN THE B APTIST G REEK O RTHODOX C HURCH
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S PECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST :
A LL T HINGS
Every year on Thanksgiving Day, we give thanks to God for our wonderful life. We rejoice in the fruits of the earth (with or without feathers) gathered around a table of abundance. A good thing indeed! Saint Basil the Great advised us to do this as early as the 4th century:
Giving Thanks to God for All Things
Parish Council Capsule
”When you sit down to eat, pray. When you eat bread, do so thanking Him for being so generous to you. If you drink wine, be mindful of Him who has given it to you for your pleasure and as a relief in sickness. When you dress, thank Him for His kindness in providing you with clothes. When you look at the sky and the beauty of the stars, throw yourself at God’s feet and adore Him who in His wisdom has arranged things in this way. Similarly, when the sun goes down and when it rises, when you are asleep or awake, give thanks to God, who created and arranged all things for your benefit, to have you know, love and praise their Creator.”
Stewardship 2016 IS ON!!
Youth Ministries News
Music Ministry: What is Orthros? (last chapter)
The Life of the Holy Great Martyr Menas of Egypt
Choir News
To give thanks for all the abundance of God’s gifts is a wonderful thing, but the Holy Apostle Paul announces that even more than this is necessary. He calls us to give thanks to God at all times for all things! (Ephesians 5:20). It is easy to understand what “at all times” means, but what are these “all things” that we should be thankful for? In our Church Library we have a very nice collection of big red books called the Menaia. It is a God inspired compendium containing the services for all the Saints from the Church Calendar, for every day of the year. One part of these services, read during the morning service, or Matins, is called the Synaxarion. The Synaxarion includes the lives of the saints celebrated in any particular calendar date. (Continued on page 3)
I NSIDE THIS ISSUE :
C OUNCIL C APSULE Where do we begin? Let’s take a moment to reflect on what blessings have been bestowed upon us these past few weeks. We had a record-breaking year for our little festival, which again proves to be a crown jewel for our community. Amazingly, there were 60 to 100 people taking church tours at any given time. Our guests had the great pleasure to experience our hospitality, food, and traditions. All the while we put forth the effort that has become the norm for our parish to put all of it together. We have discovered, as we do every year, new things that can help make this undertaking even more streamlined. With that being said, I can’t begin to list all of the people who put forth their time, energy, and resources to ensure our festival was success from beginning to end. I kindly ask, as we continue to grow, not just the festival but as a family, to please consider making time to help out in the years to come as the to-do list grows longer and longer and expectations continue to rise. (Continued on page 2)
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C OUNCIL ’ S C APSULE (Continued from page 1)
Along with the festival, we celebrated our 35th anniversary vis-à-vis Taverna Night that also enjoyed a very high turnout. Many thanks to all those who labored to guarantee a memorable evening!
Looking ahead…. Please make time to attend the second and final General Assembly of the year on the 15th of November. This is when we will have our final figures and reports from all of our ministries. We will also have the opportunity to meet our
nominees for the 2016-18 Parish Council and approve our budget for the upcoming year. I hope to see you there! Sincerely, Michael Eftimie
A GELESS W ONDERS
P LEASE
MAKE TIME TO ATTEND THE SECOND AND FINAL
G ENERAL A SSEMBLY OF THE YEAR ON THE
15 TH OF N OVEMBER .
The Ageless Wonders will meet on Monday November 9, 2015 to go to WINSTAR WORLD CASINO. It's been a long time since we've gone as a group.
More details will follow. Hopefully we will have a nice day weather wise. Mark your calendar and let’s go and win! Margaret
Anyone is welcome to join us. We will meet at the church and carpool.
T HE 2015 F ESTIVAL W AS A G REAT S UCCESS ! Congratulations to all parishioners who labored in giving their time and talent to make the 2015 festival a huge success. We broke the record for highest revenue of any festival over the course of the three days, Friday-Sunday. Taverna Night was also highly successful. Organized by Philoptochos with the intent
of its becoming a traditional annual event dedicated to philanthropy, Taverna Night also highlights our parish and its contributions to the community at large. This year we co-celebrated Taverna Night with our 35th Parish Anniversary. More detail will be presented at the General Assembly in November.
At that time we will also present the Planning Committee's recommended strategy and concepts for the continuation of our property and facilities development, to be made possible in large part by festival proceeds. George P. Vittas, P.E. gpv2011@att.net 1 (817) 874-6128
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(Continued from page 1)
Most of the times however, this part of the service is read quite fast and falls a little under noticed in the midst of the chanting that usually happens during Matins. Not really paying attention to what we read (after all we celebrate so many saints every day!) we read mechanically the lives of the saints, that sometimes are concentrated in short phrases like these: “On this day Saint Chariton was thrown into a pit of lime and met his end. On the same day Saint Vasilissa, having fought with the wild beasts and remained unharmed, met her end. The holy Martyr Archontion met his end by starvation. The holy new martyr Poledoros, who bore his witness in New Ephesus in 1794, met his end by hanging.“ This is only part of the Synaxarion for September the 3rd. In just one day we see a saint being dissolved in lime, another one fighting with wild beasts, another starved to death and another hanged; all for the simple thing of being Christians. Shall we continue? If we would actually pay attention to what we read in the Synaxaria, we would cry at every word. Why we don’t do it then? Aren’t the lives of the saints worth more than a simple and unaffected glance-over? Are these trivial things? Is it simple to die by the sword, to be burned alive, to be eaten by lions? But our hearts have grown cold, because we live lives of comfort and plenty and the sufferings of the saints, diluted by time and
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lack of interest, are foreign to us. So let us ask again the question what are the “all things”? Are we supposed to give thanks only for those that give us pleasure and comfort, which make our life easier, what we generally consider to be positive? How about the trials that God allowed these martyrs to go through? Were they to give thanks even for those? Rather than us answering, let us hear the saints speak. Here is how the New Martyrs Joseph and Isaac from Georgia prayed before they were beheaded by the emir of Theodosiopolis: “O Holy King and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, look down upon Thy servants with mercy and receive us as a holy sacrifice. Number us among Thy martyrs and make us worthy of the crown of righteousness, for every good and perfect gift is from above and comes down from Thee, the Father of lights (c.f. James 1:17)!” They actually considered their death “a perfect gift from above”! What else, if not this, is truly giving thanks for all things? Around Thanksgiving Day, my kids always come from school with a nice list of things their class is thankful for. It is an exercise meant to teach them to be thankful, to appreciate what they have. Time and again what they come up with are the obvious things: their parents, their food, their clothing, their house, family, friends, schools, teachers, turkey, gravy, pumpkin pie and the rest of the fixings. Despite the good intent of this exercise, I
think it is not complete, because it gives them a false impression of what truly our relationship of thanksgiving to God should be. Concentrating only on the positive may render God in a Great Provider of things we need and nothing else; a Great Benefactor that is there to respond to our wishes when and how we need them. This is deeply rooted in our consumerist society. I heard an interview on the radio a few years back in which a writer of fortune cookies messages was saying that they had to reinvent the fortune cookies for the American population because we do not like to hear that bad things could happen to us, even if most understand that this type of fortune telling is no real! We just don’t like to hear it. God however is not an entrepreneur fortune teller, and He provides us with what we actually need, not with what the marketing says that we need. We might have a limited material perspective, anchored in our short earthly lives, but He has a heavenly view rooted in the eternity of the human existence. He knows what we need and He gives it abundantly, although it might not fit our plans. Growing in this understanding is the only thing that will move us closer to rightly giving thanks for all things. This is why I choose this year to be thankful for the Holy Martyrs and Confessors of the Faith that teach us an important lesson on properly giving thanks to God. (Continued on page 7)
FOR EVERY GOOD AND PERFECT GIFT IS FROM ABOVE AND COMES DOWN FROM T HEE , THE F ATHER OF LIGHTS ( C . F . J AMES 1:17)
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2016 STEWARDSHIP: BRING THEM TO ME! In a well known parable we see the Apostles bringing to Jesus Christ their concerns about the 5,000 men plus women and children that are with them in the wilderness. His disciples lament that all they have are five loaves and two small fish a boy has offered. Jesus’ response is “Bring them to me.” He then takes the loaves, blesses and breaks them, and feeds 5,000 men plus women and children with abundant leftovers. “ WE
FIND
OURSELVES BY OFFERING OURSELVES .”
A RCHBISHOP A NASTASIOS OF A LBANIA
In a similar way, we also bring what we have to Jesus. We offer bread and wine and it may not seem much, but He returns them to us, in the overabundance of His Grace, as His Own Body and Blood, the Holy Communion. By the bread and the wine, foods that are specific to human nature, we offer our lives to Christ, and, through the Holy Spirit that transforms them, we become the Church, His Body on earth. We give our earthly lives in exchange for life ever-
lasting. What a favorable exchange of gifts! No matter how much we give, He cannot be outdone. Just like the boy who offered the loaves and the fish, if we offer what we have – however great or small our gift – with prayer and humility, God will receive our gifts and multiply them to feed His people, both materially and spiritually.
Christian Stewardship is about becoming good caretakers of all that God has given us. God has given each of us special and unique gifts. He also teaches us all that we have is a loan. He lends everything to us, and reminds us that one day He will ask us to give a detailed accounting of what we have done with these gifts He has given us. The only way to multiply these gifts is by offering them to God through the people around us. Archbishop Anastasios of Albania has noted “we find ourselves by offering ourselves.” Have we learned the blessedness of generously giving to others
out of all we have without worrying? Our vibrant parish is on a continuous and sustained growing pathway. Our children, our youth, our young adults, our seniors, our women and men, our inquirers in the faith, our poor and needy, demand the help of our ministries more than ever. The only way for them to fulfill their mission is through your support. Stewardship is not only about how much you give, although this is important, it is also about how much you are engaged, how much time and talent you invest, ultimately in yourselves. If we give the little we have to our brothers and sisters, God will make us heirs of the Kingdom. By giving from what we have, big or small, we become part of the eternal Kingdom that never suffers neither famine nor thirst. I encourage you all to prayerfully consider your contribution in your 2016 stewardship program and getting fully engaged in the life of you parish. May the Lord richly bless you and your family in all
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S TEWARDSHIP 2015—W RAPPING Well everyone, we did it. Our festival has come and gone, and you all did a fantastic job. When I speak of stewardship, I often talk about giving financially, but stewardship is also giving of ourselves. The time that went into putting our festival on is amazing, from start to finish, and everyone gave a little of themselves to the church. Before we look forward to 2016 I want to say thank you also for continuing to fulfill your stewardship commitments for 2015, we are very close to our
goal, and your giving back to God for ways he has blessed you is wonderful. God is never out done in generosity! Being a member or steward of our church means that you not only believe in God but you also want to be a participant in the life of our Church. Please make sure to, reach out to new faces in the church and let them know they matter to us.
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UP THE YEAR
Stewardship 2015 info as of 10/25/2015: Goal : Pledged:
$304,127 $278,058
Short:
( 26,069)
We are so close to reach our goal!!! Please help us to achieve our goal by fulfilling or exceeding your 2015 commitment! Every little bit counts! May God bless you! Thank you for your support!
Have a blessed Thanksgiving. Your stewardship committee Angela Cline Cecilia Junell
H OW TO BECOME A STEWARD IN 2016? FAQ S How do I become a member of the parish? Membership in the Orthodox Church begins at Baptism (Chrismation for some) and continues throughout our life. We are united with Christ through the sacraments and through our faithful offering of our lives to Christ. We have to distinguish however between voting members and non-voting members. A voting member is over 18 years old and has turned in a signed stewardship commitment card (for time, talent and treasure). The Archdiocese also requires the voting member to remain current through the year on their commit-
ments. Overall true membership in the Body of Christ, involves living daily according to His word and within His Church. Why must I commit to give a specific amount? Knowing the amount of your monetary participation helps our parish plan the activities throughout the year. Your monetary stewardship is kept in the strictest of confidence. What if I cannot fulfill my stewardship commitment? During the course of a year,
people’s circumstances change. Your stewardship is valued because it is made out of your love for God and His Church. Please do not be concerned if you are unable to meet your stewardship commitment – we are glad you are a part of this parish. How do I submit a Stewardship Card? You can find the card in the pews in Church or you can fill one on-line and e-mail it to our church office at stjohndfw@gmail.com. More info here
P LEASE HELP US TO ACHIEVE OUR GOAL BY FULFILLING OR EXCEEDING YOUR 2015 COMMITMENT !
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TOPICS FOR THE 2016 O RATORICAL F ESTIVAL HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED W E WILL HEAR THE ESSAYS FROM OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL KIDS ON F EB .
21.
Once again the youth of our parish distinguished themselves with their participation at Festival. They were everywhere, helping at the gyro booth, the food line, the Children’s Center, the MarketPlace, selling raffle tickets, running the new GOYA photo booth, selling the new GOYA T (designed by GOYA president Maria Tudora) and of course the amazing dance performances. And a special shout-out to Alex Genovezos who donned the evzone costume, becoming Yianni for an afternoon. Festival 2015 was a big success and our youth were a big reason why. Bravo to all! As we return to our class-
rooms, you will see a lot of community service going on. Several classes have written notes to be included in the Union Gospel Mission lunches; other classes have created cards for Veterans; and the Middle School recently served lunch to the women and children of Safe Haven Domestic Violence Shelter. It’s also time for students to bring in canned goods and other ingredients to be included in the annual Thanksgiving Baskets. Moving on to academics, the topics for the 2016 Oratorical Festival have been announced. We will hear the essays from our middle school and high school kids on Feb. 21. Meanwhile, it’s not too early to start
selecting topics. Our teachers will work with their kids and we hope parents will do the same at home. We hope to see our GOYAns sign up for the 2015 Southern Regional Fall Retreat which takes place Nov. 20-22 at Pine Cove in Columbus, TX; as well as register for the annual GOYA Basketball Tournament, which takes Jan. 15-18 in Dallas. See the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese website for details: http:// youth.denver.goarch.org/ events/2015-events/2015southern-region-fall-retreat Looking forward to a fruitful fall. God bless. Harriet Blake Youth Ministries
C HURCH S CHOOL 12/6 --class Church School Families,
12/12 --Advent Retreat
The year is flying by. Thanks to folks already bring items for our Harvest Basket!
12/13 --class, Christmas Pageant
Here are a few upcoming dates on our calendar: 11/1 --class, Please bring a canned fruit or stuffing mix 11/8 --class, Please bring pie filling in a can; pumpkin, cherry, apple… 11/15 --class, Please bring cranberry sauce or drinks (juice or soda) 11/22 --class, Deliver Thanksgiving Baskets 11/29 --No Class due to Thanksgiving Break
12/20 --No Class, Christmas Break 12/27 --No Class, Christmas Break 1/3 – Church School classes resume Thanks to Hope File and Corey Ellis for helping this year in Church School. Your efforts and time are greatly appreciated. Thank you to all of the teachers. Each teacher does volunteer her time each weekend.
If you did not receive a Church School Calendar for the 2015 – 2016 year, please ask your child’s teacher for a copy. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please contact me any time.
Veronica Fisher Church School Coordinator veronicafisherps50@gmail.com
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PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS We have had a wonderful month of October. Joanie Ruppel and her amazing committee of Philoptochos ladies hosted a fabulous Taverna Night. Many, many thanks to all the people that volunteered so much time and energy! Thank you to the folks who organized the Silent Auction, and thank you to the generous donors to the Auction. Folks that sold tickets were amazing. The Raffle was expertly han-
dled and declared a giant success! I cannot even begin to say all the terrific comments I heard about the entertainment! It was a beautiful evening, and a fun time was had by all that attended. Thanks to all the unmentioned jobs and fantabulous volunteers! The St. Irene’s Philoptochos Society was proud to donate a check to the Neonatal ICU of Texas Health Harris Methodist
Hospital HEB. We have many exciting plans coming up for the remainder of this year and into 2016. We welcome new ladies to our church and organization. We look forward to getting to know you and hope you will join us in our activities and fundraising. Veronica Fisher President,
G OYANS , MAKE
GOYA NEWS Fellow Parishioners,
groups.
Our 2015 Greek Food Fest was a HUGE SUCCESS!
Coming up in December, Goyans will be going to various houses to sing Christmas carols, if you would like for us to come sing carols at your house look for the sign-up sheet that will be posted in the next month.
Thank you to all the Goyans and volunteers who either danced, helped run the Goya booth, or helped with the many stations around the church. A special thank you to Gina Poulakos for teaching the dance
G IVING T HANKS
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(Continued from page 3)
So I am thankful for the Holy Martyr Paraskevi because by her loosing the eyes under torture I am able to see more clearly now the crowns of martyrdom prepared for all those that take the heavy yoke of the true faith. I am thankful to The Holy Martyr Lawrence, the Archdeacon, for by having his body burnt on a hot iron grill he taught me that by working the virtues and keeping the fast in our bodies they become a whole burnt sacrifice to Christ. I am thankful to St. Maximus the Confessor because by loosing his
have already begun for the Metropolis Goya basketball tournament. Goyans, make sure to sign up for the basketball tournament held in Dallas this year, it's a fun weekend you will remember for years. Thank You, Alex Shah
Fundraising and preparations
G OD
FOR
A LL T HINGS (C ONT )
tongue he showed us that our mouths should never stop praising the Lord and confessing the Incarnate Truth. I am thankful to the Holy Martyrs Adrian and Natalie of Nicomedia for by having their legs broken on an anvil they showed me the way I should walk to God. I am thankful to St. John of Damascus for by loosing, and then regaining, his right hand he directed us to always do what’s right for the glory of God! I thank the Holy Unmercenary Doctors and Martyrs Cosmas, Damianos and Panteleimonos for they have healed our souls
from the scourge of selfishness and showed us the way of love thorough our neighbor. I thank you, All Holy Martyrs, for being at the foundation of our Church, feeding Her roots from the bountiful ground fertilized with your precious relics. Intercede to God abundantly, we pray to you, that His will be done in our lives, every day, and that we learn to properly give thanks for all things He so generously provides for us unceasingly! Fr. Vasile
SURE TO SIGN UP FOR THE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT HELD IN D ALLAS THIS YEAR
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C HOIR N EWS Each year, on the first Sunday in October (on or after the Feast of St. Romanos the Melodist, the patron saint of church musicians), parishes across the Archdiocese of America celebrate NATIONAL CHURCH MUSIC SUNDAY. This commemoration was inaugurated by His Eminence, Archbishop Iakovos of The hand of St. Ephraim the Syrian, a patron Saint of Church Musicians
T HE S ERVICE
OF
IS A MOST WORTHY PART OF ONE ’ S PREPARATION FOR THE D IVINE L ITURGY .
In honor of National Church Music Sunday this year, Fr. Vasile called the choir and chanters to the front of the church and read a beautiful prayer for them. What a won-
derful way to celebrate this day! Father also asked each of the musicians to speak briefly about their musical background and occupation outside of church. We come from a variety of backgrounds, but we are all united in our service to God and our church. Kirsten Shah, Choir Director
O RTHROS (M ATINS ) E XPLAINED 3 (L AST )
The Exapostilarion and Praises
A TTENDANCE AT O RTHROS
North and South America in 1982, and has been re-affirmed by His Eminence, Archbishop Demetrios of America." (from the National Forum website).
The Exapostilaria are a hymns related to the Eothinon Gospel reading or the celebrated Feast. The name derives from the command of our Lord in sending out the apostles to proclaim the Gospel. Exapostilaria are always chanted in the tone associated with the corresponding Eothina. Eothina nine, ten and eleven are associated with tones five, six and eight, respectively. The Exapostilaria encourages greater attention to praise of the Most Holy Trinity, particularly in the next section of Orthros called “The Praises”. The Praises are verses from psalms 148, 149 and 150. Hymns from the Octoechos or other liturgical books are interspersed. As the Kathismata and Evlogitaria combine to reveal the magnificent blessing of the Resurrection, the Canon (or Katavasia) and Praises likewise combine to both instruct and offer adoration to the Holy Trinity. The praises, particularly, exemplify a sense of the timelessness of True
Worship of God. The praises are concluded with the Doxastikon (the “hymn of glory”, so called as it follows “Glory to the Father…”), typically related to the Eothinon of the day and thus chanted in the appropriate tone, but always concluding with a Troparion to the Virgin (Theotokion).
Liturgy, which begins immediately after the final hymn of Orthros.
As a concluding note, the Sunday/Festal Orthros actually continues beyond the Great Doxology with additional litanies and prayers. These are often quietly offered by the priest and deacon during the chanting of the DoxolIn modern practice, Orthros ends ogy. In this way, the integrity of with the chanting of the Great the service, and its similarity of Doxology and one of two short structure to the other forms of hymns or the Troparion of a par- the service (such as the weekday ticular Feast. In most parishes, the forms) is preserved. Doxology is commonly chanted in the same tone every week (Tone Conclusion Three is a favorite), although it is appointed to chant the Doxology Orthros is the most complex and in the tone of the Eothinon. In the variable service in the Byzantine Great Doxology, the Church Tradition. Attentive participation unites her praise to that of the rewards the worshipper in enAngelic Powers. Unlike the Dox- hanced understanding of Church ology in the West, the Byzantine teachings and deeper spiritual Great Doxology continues with growth in the Image and Likeness various psalm verses leading to a of God. Attendance at Orthros is triumphant chanting of “Holy God, a most worthy part of one’s prepHoly Mighty One, Holy Immortal aration for the Divine Liturgy. One, have mercy on us.” The movement from initial praise of the The end (for now...) Holy Trinity that began with the Trisagion Prayers has progressed Compiled from various sources through various stages of adoramostly here and here tion to a hymn of exaltation. The repentant flock stands joyfully ready to offer the Lord the summit of its worship in the Divine
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OF THE HOLY
Life of St. Menas Menas was an Egyptian by birth and a soldier by profession. As a true Christian, he was not able to witness the abominable sacrificial offerings to the idols and left the army, the town, the people and everything else, and went to a deserted mountain, for it was easier for him to live among the wild beasts than with pagans. One day Menas clairvoyantly discerned a pagan celebration in the town of Cotyaeus. He descended into the town and openly declared his faith in Christ the Living God. He denounced idolatry and paganism as falsehood and darkness. Pyrrhus, eparch of that town, asked Menas who he was and where he was from. The saint replied: ``My fatherland is Egypt, my name is Menas. I was an officer, but witnessing the worship of idols, I renounced your honors. I now come before you all to proclaim my Christ as the true God, that He may proclaim me as His servant in the Heavenly Kingdom.''
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G REAT
MARTYR MENAS OF
E GYPT
church was built over them.
the dead man, saying: "Give glory to God." While he, rising as if from sleep and realizing the exSt. Menas suffered in about the tent of his sufferings at the hands year 304 and went to the Kingof the man who had given him dom of Christ. He was and relodging, praised God, and thankmains a great miracle-worker, ing the person dressed as a miliboth on earth and in heaven. tary officer he made obeissance to Whoever glorifies St. Menas and him. And when the murderer got invokes his help with faith, receives his help. The saint has often up, the saint took the gold from him and gave it to the other sayappeared as a warrior on horseing: "Continue your journey." And back, arriving to help the faithful turning to the murderer he chasor punish the unfaithful. tised him as was fitting and lectured him as well, granting him A Miracle of Saint Menas pardon for the crime. Then he offered a prayer on the man's There was a man once who having behalf, got on his horse and disapgone to pray at the saint's church peared from his sight. was given a place to stay by a certain individual. And because the Apolytikion in the Plagal of man who received him realized the Fourth Tone that the guest was carrying gold on his person, he got up in the With great valour of soul, thou middle of the night and set upon him with a murderous hand. And didst strive in martyrdom, and cutting his body into pieces he put having fought the good fight, O him in a basket, suspended it, and divine Great Martyr Menas, thou waited for morning. And then he from Heaven hast received the gift of miracles; for God hath was filled with anxiety about shown thee to the world as a when and where he might take worker of great signs, and He (the remains) to hide them in made thee our protector and a some remote place. swift help in afflictions and everNow while his mind was preoccu- vigilant defence from harm
pied with these things, Christ's saintly martyr appeared on horseHearing this, Pyrrhus subject- back dressed as a military man and ed St. Menas to severe torbegan to inquire about the tures. They flogged him, stranger who had spent the night scraped him with iron claws, there. And although the murderer burned him with torches, and assured him he knew nothing, the tortured him by various other saint dismounted from his horse, means, and finally beheaded went into the inner part of the him with the sword. They building and bringing down the threw his body into a fire so basket and fixing a fearsome stare that Christians would not be on the murderer, he said: "What is able to retrieve it, but Christhis?" And the man, going into a tians recovered several parts of state of shock from fright, cast his body from the fire neverhimself at the feet of the saint like theless. They reverently bura wretched corpse. The saint then ied those remains, which were reassembled the severed limbs later transferred to Alexandria and, having prayed, he raised up and buried there, where a
Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone As godly-minded athletes and Martyrs who strove for piety, the Church doth honour and glorify this day the godly contests and travails of Menas the prizewinner, noble Victor, brave Vincent, and valiant Stephanie, and lovingly doth cry out and glorify Christ, the Friend of man. Read more about St. Menas on the “Mystagogy� Blog here
O DIVINE G REAT M ARTYR M ENAS , THOU FROM H EAVEN HAST RECEIVED THE GIFT OF MIRACLES
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Out with the old and in with the new! In this period of spiritual regeneration we are also very happy to announce that our website just got a complete overhaul! Built on a modern, mobile and social friendly platform our website will keep you connected with everything that is happening at St. John’s. Please join us at http:// stjohndfw.info for a new level of browsing experience. Enjoy the new graphic interface, simplified menus, news posts, photo galleries and more to come. Share it on your favorite social media, send it to your friends, get the word out!
WE
HAVE RECENTLY SWITCHED TO A NEW C OFFEE HOUR SYSTEM WHERE EVERY FAMILY WILL HOST A COFFEE HOUR PER YEAR .
C ATECHISM C LASSES 2015-2016 ARE A G O !
Our Catechism / faith enrichment classes have already started See us every Sunday after Divine Liturgy in the Church Bridal Room. The program is open for non-Orthodox as well as for Orthodox Christians that want to learn about the Faith. Join us to learn more about the Orthodox Faith and don't forget to bring a friend. Don’t forget our Parish Library is open. See Steven or Serban if you want to borrow a book.
A COLYTE S CHEDULE U SHER S CHEDULE 1st Sunday: Chris Geil / Jeff Younger 2nd Sunday: Michael Eftimie / Jeff Younger 3rd Sunday: Jeremy Ellis / Cecilia Junell 4th Sunday: Angela Cline / Olga Papadopoulou 5th Sunday: Nancy Medvic / Jeremy Forcum
C OFFEE H OUR D UTIES SETUP Arrange pastries/food in a desirable manner on the appropriate tables in the parish hall. You are responsible for making the coffee. Make two pots: one regular, one decaf. Plug in be-
1st Sunday: Jackson Wright, Alex Genovezos, Caleb Ellis, Luca Tudora 2nd Sunday: Dmitri Rodgers, Alex Shah, Chris Eftimie, Joseph Berca, Noah Ellis 3rd Sunday: James Seals, Alex Genovezos, Caleb Ellis, Luca Tudora, Matei Tudora 4th Sunday: Noah Ellis, Alex Shah, Chris Eftimie, Dmitri Rodgers
C OFFEE H OUR H OST
As you probably know already , we have recently switched to a new Coffee hour system where every family will host a coffee hour per year. Please see Olga Papadopoulou
5th Sunday: Matei Tudora, Alex Genovezos, Alex Shah, Luca Tudora
to schedule Your Sunday.
fore going into church. The instructions are in the kitchen.
CLEAN UP
Prepare a tray with sugar, creamer, sugar substitute, mixing straws, a few spoons. Set with trash bucket. Put donation basket out with appropriate sign.
Wash all dishes soiled, including coffee pots. Return sugar tray to kitchen and replenish it. Wash off hall tables and kitchen counters. Thank-You
St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church
November 2015 SUN
MON
TUE
WED
THU
1
2
3
4
5
5th Sunday of Luke Cosmas & Damianos, Theodota David of Evia
Akindinos & Companions Domnia, Domna,& Kiriaki
Church of St George in Lydda Acepsimas of Persia
Ioannikos the Great Nikandros, Bishop of Myra
Galaktion & Episteme of Emesa Hermas of the 70
FRI
SAT
6
7
Paul the Confessor
33 Martyrs of Melitene Lazarus The Wonderworker
8:30 am Orthros 9:30 am Divine Liturgy Catechism Class
8 7th Sunday of Luke Synaxys of the Archangels 8:30 am Orthros 9:30 am Divine Liturgy No Catechism Class
15 8th Sunday of Luke Nativity Lent Begins Gurias & Confessors of Edessa Thomas, Abp. Of Constan.
No Vespers
9
10
Nektarios the Wonderworker Onesiphoros and Porphyrios
Olympas of the 70 Arsenius of Cappadocia
Divine Liturgy 6 am
Vespers 6 pm
16 Mathew The Apostle And Evangelist
11
12
13
14
Menas of Egypt Victor & Stephanie
John The Merciful Of Alexandria Nilus The Ascetic of Sinai
John Chrysostom Damaskinos Of Mount Athos
Philip the Apostle Gregory Palamas of Thessaloniki
Divine Liturgy 6 am
Vespers 6 pm
Divine Liturgy 6 am
Baptism 4 pm Vespers 6 pm
17
18
Gregory the Wonderworker Gennadios I, Pat. of Const.
Plato of Ancyra Martyr Romanus
19 Obadiah The Prophet Barlaam Of Caesarea
Small Paraklesis 6 pm
Divine Liturgy 6 am
20 Forefeast of the Entrance Gregory of Decapolis Vespers 6 pm
8:30 am Orthros 9:30 am Divine Liturgy No Catechism Class Fall General Assembly Vespers 6 pm
22 9th Sunday of Luke Philemon of the70 Cecilia and Companions
23
Amphilochios, Bishop of Iconium Gregory, Bishop of Agrigentum
8:00 am Orthros 9:00 am Divine Liturgy Catechism Class
29 13th. Sunday of Luke Paramonus & 370 Martyrs Nicholas, Abp. of Thessolonica 8:30 am Orthros 9:30 am Divine Liturgy Catechism Class Vespers 6 pm
24
25
26 Thanksgiving
Clement, Pope of Rome Peter, Archbishop Of Alexandria
Katherine The Great Martyr Mercurios The Great Martyr
Alypios Of Adrianopolis, Nicon Metanoete, Stylianos of Paphlagonia
Vespers 6 pm
Divine Liturgy 6 am Akathist of Thanksgiving 6pm
Hours and Divine Liturgy 8 am
27
James of Persia Nathaniel & Pinouphrios
21 Entrance Of the Theotokos The Entrance Of the Theotokos Into the Temple
Orthros 8 am Divine Liturgy 9 am Vespers 5pm Wedding 6:pm
28
Stephen the New Irenarchos & Martyrs at Sebaste
Vespers 5pm
30 Andrew, the First-Called Apostle Froumentios, Abp. Of Abyssina
Strict Fast Wine and oil allowed
Divine Liturgy 6 am
Fish Allowed
S T . J OHN
THE
NONPROFIT
B APTIST
G REEK O RTHODOX C HURCH
303 Cullum Dr. Euless, TX 76040 Tel 817 283-2291 Return Service Requested
Sponsorship for This Month’s Forerunner
W E ’ R E O N T H E W E B AT HTTP:/ / STJOHNDFW. INFO
THE FORERUNNER
Vol. XXXII No. 11 November 2015
The Holy Great Martyr Menas of Egyt November 11, 2015