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Every New Year countless resolutions are sworn into completion: I want to be more fit, I want to lose weight, I want to quit smoking, I want to speak Spanish, and so on. Most of these ambitious dreams, however, remain just that, dreams left behind together with the prepaid fee for the gym program that never happened. I, for one, have always enjoyed taking the challenge of learning a new language and so I’ve been trying to learn proper Greek for a while but, somehow, the mastering of this tongue continues to elude me, despite my best efforts. I even prayed for it with no success, well, it was mostly my fault. See, many years ago, before my ordination, I visited the Holy Mountain Athos and I was gifted there an icon of St. Ephraim. Being named Vasile, after St. Basil the Great, I knew the touching story of St. Basil conversing in Greek with Saint Ephraim the Syrian who spoke Syriac at his turn and I always wondered how they completely understood each other in the Spirit. I was even more amazed when St. Basil blessed St. Ephraim
Lost in New Year Resolutions
Parish Council Capsule
Stewardship 2019
Youth Ministries News
Philoptochos News
Homily: St. John's Submission To the Will of God
The Ashes of St. John the Baptist
The explanation of the Icon of Theophany
The Great Blessing of the Waters
January-February Calendar
(Continued on page 2)
I NSIDE THIS ISSUE :
C OUNCIL C APSULE Brothers & Sisters in Christ, I hope everyone has had a wonderful Christmas & a happy new year. I would like to thank each member of the 2018 Parish Council for their service and commitment to our community. Please also join me in welcoming our newly elected members, Chrysanthi Andromalos, Michael Eftimie, Aristoteles Gonzalez-Karas, Michael Murray, & George Vittas. Some returning for back to back service, some new faces to the council, and a couple council veterans. We are excited to kick off the 2019 year with this excellent group. We will be getting together within the next month to organize ourselves for the 2019 year at our Parish Council Retreat. Here we will establish our committees and set goals for the new year. I want to thank everyone for their participation in our Fall general assembly. We had a great turn out and very good updates on the many aspects of our parish life. It seems our shed progress is coming along with bricking. We hope to see this completed very soon. Thank you to (Continued on page 2)
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all everyone that came out to clear the main hallways of the parish hall and move items over to the new shed. We must continue to maintain our campus for the safety, security, and sustainability of our parish. Once the shed is
WE
WOULD LIKE TO THANK EACH MEMBER OF THE 2018 P ARISH C OUNCIL FOR THEIR SERVICE AND COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND WELCOME THE 2019 P ARISH C OUNCIL
complete, we will need to organize and move all festival related items to the shed from the old church.
luncheon, we will cheer on our GOYANs at the metropolis basketball tournament in Dallas, and we will continue to be here to serve our community.
In the mean time we are excited to celebrate St. John the Baptist as the name sake of our church at our names day
God Bless, Michael Poriotis
A GELESS W ONDERS Happy New Year everyone!! Hope your Christmas and New Year celebrations were wonderful. The Ageless Wonders will meet on Monday January 21st at 11 am for a Potluck luncheon at the church hall. At this first meeting we
collect our $10 per person dues and discuss our plans for the year. I will be calling everyone as we get closer to our date with more details. Keep Monday, February 11th.open as our meeting date in February, plans will be forthcoming.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to our Christmas gift cards, they were a huge success as always. Looking forward to seeing everyone in the New Year. Margaret
L OST IN N EW Y EAR R ESOLUTIONS (C ONT )
St. Ephraim the Syrian
(Continued from page1) and, upon his blessing, he actually started immediately to speak Greek. So, upon my return, I put the new icon in my prayer corner and prayed to St. Ephraim to help me learn Greek. As I started learning the alphabet and some words, with the loving help of a few wonderful people around me, at some point I was able to read the Greek inscription on my icon, now a few years old, and, to my surprise, I discovered that I was praying to the wrong
saint! The icon I received was not of St. Ephraim the Syrian, but of St. Ephraim the Newly revealed of Nea Makri… I guess getting lost in translation is a real thing. Embarrassing story aside, learning a language requires not just memorization and dedication, it also requires a certain level of immersion and this is where I think I fell short. Immersion means to be completely under the surface of a liquid. Language immersion puts you as well in a place that doesn’t give you a
chance to go back to what you know and are familiar with, like English. Once immersed you have to do everything in the new idiom you are trying to learn. At the beginning, simple things became suddenly painstakingly difficult and nothing can be taken for granted. In such an environment one is led to become more attentive, the senses are sharpening and unprompted connections start forming. Soon enough though, the difficult becomes gradually simpler,
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the unfamiliar becomes ordinary and communication just happens. What was gibberish some time ago now is coherent conversation and most desired understanding. In a way, learning to speak God’s language, to really understand our faith, takes a similar process. Since we perform infant baptism, faith is a complete blur to begin with. Is something that our parents and God parents surround us lovingly with, but is something that does not yet makes sense. It sounds good, it tastes good, it smells good, but we don’t really get it. Then, as we grow and we go more to Church, to Sunday School, we observe our parents, we start getting it bit by bit, until, without realizing it, we find ourselves fluent, living our faith with understanding. What helps the most in this process of divine language absorption is that everything around us: the churches, the icons, the Scriptures, the sermons, the psaltic music, the vestments, the incense, the Holy Communion, all speak the same language. They all may communicate it in a different way, but they understand each other perfectly, like St. Basil and St. Ephraim. They all speak profoundly the same Mother’s tongue and the Mother is the Church. Immersed in the Liturgical space of the Church, one looses communication with the created and learns, in
time, with perseverance and patience, to communicate with the Uncreated. “Unceasingly pray” says the Apostle Paul ; prayer is the language of God. We can pray in English, Greek, Russian, Romanian, we can worship God in hymnology or in the colors of the icons, at the end they are all attempts to communicate with Him. Each one is a different (imperfect) form of reveling to us Who God is, and, together, they start a coherent conversation that can take place only here, where this full immersion happens. Dissociating them, or taking them out of the context of the Body of Christ, will generate huge gaps in understanding. Take the icon out of the Church’s space, put it in a museum, and it losses meaning. The people who come to see it admire the form, but fail to understand its meaning, fail to see Christ glorified in the midst of the Saints. Put the icon of Christ back in the Church and the koinonia, the Communion of the people of God is revealed. Take the Byzantine melody out of the psaltiri, chant it in a concert hall and it will convey an ancient heritage to the audience, maybe a strange oriental vibe, but it will fail to make known the angelic choir that unceasingly praises God together with the people during Divine Liturgy. Take even the Gospel and try to convey the Good Tidings to everyone, and you will soon realize that many will misunderstand it,
many will criticize it and many will even try to change it. The language spoken inside the Church is not very well understood by the people outside. This is nothing new however, Christ, God Himself experienced this, and continued preaching and healing the people of Israel who rejected Him. The hope remains, that, even with this gap in understanding, some will hear the message and will decide to come in and agree to be immersed for a full understanding. Interestingly enough, the Greek word for immersion is actually baptism, “so, there you go”. This is why the Orthodox Church’s missionary motto was always “come and see”. We have no marketing, we offer no easy scenario of salvation in Christ, we promise no mansions, only an open invitation to come in. Once you’re in the Church, everything here points to Christ in a way that is not superficial, is not just lip talk, but real life. What is missing from the language of the secular world, with all its theories, and sciences and logic, is the ascetical dimension of a life lived in Christ. The conversation we have with God inside the Church is not just empty theorizing, but is leading us to a better understanding of Him so that we could be transformed in His Image. This is what askesis is, training, preparation for a total transformation. How about that as a New Year resolution?
St. Ephraim the New
THE CHURCHES , THE ICONS , THE S CRIPTURES , THE SERMONS , THE PSALTIC MUSIC , THE VESTMENTS , THE INCENSE , THE H OLY C OMMUNION , ALL SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE .
St. Basil the Great
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A LL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH G OD – S TEWARDSHIP 2019
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Life in a parish resembles very much the life in a family. As we gather together around the Holy table of the Eucharist, we bring to mind our own dinner table where everyone gathers to share a meal and the company of others dear to us. Just like in a family, the life in a parish can be rewarding and also challenging at times. In a family we trust each other, and pull closer and, together, we can go through anything. This requires faith in each other. In a parish it requires faith in God and, through Him, faith in the people that are part of our spiritual family. But this is not an easy task to accomplish. In the Gospel of Mark (9:22 NKJV), we read that, when the disciples couldn’t help him, a father brought his epileptic son to Jesus in desperation, saying, “...if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus replies to the father’s lack of faith, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” The father’s response is a prayer we can pray every day: “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” Faith is our trust in God. Faith is our trust that He watches over us and has a plan for us: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV). The life of a Christian parish, in these days of great change, has a certain level of uncertainty, just like our lives have.
Living with this uncertainty of daily life requires faith. Of course, for some uncertainty also invites doubt. But doubt does not indicate a lack of faith. Doubt is a part of our journey of faith. Doubt instills humility. Doubt should motivate us to learn and to grow. In spite of his doubt, the Apostle Thomas remained open to the truth of the Resurrection. When he saw the Risen Christ, he immediately believed and became a great apostle of the faith. His doubt led him to a greater faith. Stewardship of our faith in Jesus Christ calls us to be active and do those things that strengthen the faith that lies within us. Stewardship of our faith calls us to live our faith through actions, seeing Jesus Christ in others, acting in His love. Jesus tells us, “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35 NKJV). There is no better way to share our faith than to see Jesus Christ in others and to love and care for them. The Church offers us opportunities to exercise this type of faith by actively participating in the life of our parish. We have to answer the call of faith and stewardship and act upon the gifts we have so generously received from God. Our great example is Mary, the Theotokos, the Mother of our Lord. When Archangel
Gabriel came to her at the Annunciation, tradition and hymnology hold that all creation awaited her response. In faith and obedience to the will of God, Mary chose to act, not to worry, and she replied to the angel, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be according to your word” (Luke 1:38 NKJV). Mary‘s faithful and active reply allowed for God’s incarnation and the salvation of the entire world. You can be as well part of this wonderful work of redemption by giving a similar answer to God’s call of faith: “Behold, I am Your servant, Lord, I am here willing to help. Show me what to do.” Your parish needs you, your presence, your participation, your friendship. We are all one family and united in faith we can accomplish everything. “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9:22) When we believe, stewardship follows. By stewardship we understand faith in action; action motivated by humble gratitude to God for his blessings in our life. As the St. John says: “…these things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31 NKJV).
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A GOOD START FOR OUR 2019 S TEWARDSHIP As we begin this new year, we want to thank all of St John the Baptist parishioner’s for a very productive 2018 in many aspects. Our parishioners responded to our Stewardship message to serve our fellow parishioners and the wider community through participating in St. John’s ministries. It is no surprise that we have seen and received a greater number of Stewardship participation and many parishioners that offered more of their treasure through their own increased personal pledges to St. John’s church mission. St. John the Baptist is so grateful for so many of its parishioners reflecting on their blessings and increasing their stewardship offerings year after year.
For 2019, St. John the Baptist provides each parishioner with an Annual Pledge Card to enlist your time, talents and treasures. Stewardship covers the Operating Costs for St. John the Baptist Church, aids in eliminating our Mortgage Payment and offers participation in St. John’s 32 ministries.
*Stewardship is caring for the needs of others. *Stewardship is offering one's self to God as He offered Himself to us. *Stewardship is what a person does after saying "I believe..." as proof of that belief. (Williams and McKibben in Oriented Leadership)
The Stewardship Committee is grateful to each of you for responding to our calls to increasingly offer your personal time, talent and treasures for His church and purpose. With great promise, we look forward to an even brighter future, which prayerfully includes plans for an upgraded community center, and we reflect and give back to God what He has so graciously bestowed on each of us and our families.
If you have not submitted your 2019 Stewardship card, please pick-up a card in the Narthex or from the back of the church pew, go on-line, or call the church office, and submit it as soon as possible. Here is to a very Happy Healthy 2019! Stewardship Chair – Chrysanthi Andromalos
Q&A ON S TEWARDSHIP 2019 How do I become a member of ship in the Body of Christ, the parish? involves living daily according to His word. Membership in the Orthodox Church begins at Baptism/ Why must I commit to give Chrismation and continues a specific amount? throughout our life. We are Knowing the amount of your united with Christ through the monetary participation helps sacraments and through our our parish plan the activities faithful offering of our lives to throughout the year. Your Christ. In a parish we distinmonetary stewardship is kept guish between voting members in the strictest of confidence. and non-voting members. A voting member is over 18 years What if I cannot fulfill my stewardship commitment? old and has turned in a signed pledge card (for time, talent During the course of a year, and treasure). The Archdiocese also requires the voting member people’s circumstances change. Your stewardship is to remain current on their valued because it is made out commitments. True member-
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.
Grow with us in Christ!
T HE B IBLE E NCOURAGES
TITHING WHICH IS THE FIRST 10% OF OUR TREASURE AND PROMISES AN ABUNDANCE OF HEAVENLY BLESSINGS
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H OMILY : S T . J OHN ' S S UBMISSION T O By St. Nikolay Velimirovic "Your will be done, on earth as in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). Blessed be John the Baptist, for he fulfilled the Good News before the arrival of the Good News! St. John the Baptist in the Wilderness
W HOSE
VOICE IS THAT ? F ROM WHOM EVEN THE CENTURIES TREMBLE ? A HUNGRY LION ! N O, N O - A MAN OF FAITH .
The Head of St. John the Baptist
Going into the wilderness, he gave himself up completely to the will of God, both body and soul. The will of God was carried out in his body on earth as well as in the heaven of his soul. Neither hunger nor wild beasts did harm his body throughout the many years that he spent in the wilderness. Neither was his soul harmed by despair because of loneliness, nor pride because of heavenly visions. He did not seek from man either bread or knowledge. God granted him everything that was necessary for him because he gave himself up completely to the will of God. Neither did he direct his footsteps in the wilderness nor away from the wilderness. An invisible rudder from on high steered his life. For when it was necessary for him to depart the wilderness and go out to meet the Lord, it is said: "The Word of God came to John" (Luke 3:2). As an innocent youth, in this manner John spoke simply about his communication with the powers of heaven: "And I did not know Him [Christ] but the One Who sent me to baptize with water told me, `On whomever you see the Spirit come down and
THE
remain, He is the One Who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' Now I have seen and testified that He is the Son of God" (John 1: 33-34). How tenderly and simply he speaks about heavenly things! How he is as awesome as a lion when he speaks out against the injustice of men, against Herod and Herodias! The lamb and the lion dwell in him together. Heaven is as close to him as a mother is to her child. The will of God is as accessible and clear to him as the angels in heaven. O Lord, Most-wise, direct the lives of us sinners in the wilderness of this life according to Your will as You directed the life of St. John the Baptist. To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.
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Tell me, are you a man? What is your name? Will you ever want to speak with someone? Voice, voice, voice, I am the voice; but the Word of God, He is, To the children of Israel, I was sent to cry out: Repent, O people, behold, He comes, Bring forth good fruit, each according to your strength. Behold, behold He comes; O Wonder of Wonders, In the midst of the water, from heaven, a hidden fire! Behold, the Lamb of God, among the wolves, walks; Wolves, your lupine temper, in the water, cleanse! Thirty years of silence and fasting,
HYMN OF PRAISE: SAINT JOHN THE FORERUNNER AND BAPTIST
Of your body, what remains; except your voice?
Thirty years of fasting and silence!
Which proclaims the news: Behold, God comes to us!
This, not even the mountain beasts can endure.
Your withered body, a reed; that Herod broke
The lion alleviates his hunger with the music of roaring,
But the voice continues, continues; no one to silence it.
And the tree rustles when the wind approaches
Whose voice is that? From whom even the centuries tremble?
And, you do not rustle neither roar nor moan, Neither your lament nor your song through the wilderness echoed!
Your withered body is but a shadow of your voice,
A hungry lion! No, No - a man of faith.
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A F EW N OTES ON THE ICON OF T HEOPHANY (J ANUARY 6) The icons are also known as theology in colors, because the Orthodox icons are the expression of the living Faith of the Orthodox Faith. The Ssaints depicted, their movements, their vestments, colors etc. are all telling the same story of Salvation. The Icon of Theophany makes no exception as it is full of theology that may escape to the eye of a casual observer. Find below a few notes on the meaning of this beautiful icon. **At the top the Holy Spirit is descending upon Jesus as a dove, the Holy Spirit is depicted in a Mandorla. “In this manner, The Father, using His own pre-eternal and consubstantial and subracelestial Spirit as His finger, crying out and point from heaven, openly declared and proclaimed to all that the one then being baptized by John in the Jordan was His beloved Son, while at the same time manifesting His unity with Him.” (St. Gregory Palamas, Homily 60.15). St. John Chrysostom also emphasizes that the Gospels state the Heavens were opened, the Spirit descends upon us so that we can ascend with Christ and the Spirit to the Father in Heaven. For the first time since the fall of mankind, the Heavens were opened to us. **The angels on the right side are waiting to attend and dress him after the baptism is over. **John the Baptist, while baptizing Jesus is usually
turned away or looking at the Spirit descending upon Christ. This signifies that Theophany is about elevating Jesus Christ. If this were an Olympic race, it would be as if the Old Testament (John the Baptist and all before him) were passing the baton to the New Testament (Jesus Christ and all of the saints). **There is an axe near John the Baptist, which reflects his warning that our lives must bear the fruit of the Spirit or else we will be removed. We cannot get comfortable or spiritually lazy. **Jesus is not submerged in the water, for creation was baptized in Him, not vice versa. **Lastly, the strange little creatures riding fish at the bottom represent the Jordan River and the Sea, both flee-
ing at the sight of something much bigger and greater than themselves entering the water. As the Psalms say: Psalm 73:14 –Thou did establish the sea by Thy might, Thou did break the heads of the dragons in the water. Psalm 76:15 – The waters saw Thee, O God, the waters saw Thee and were afraid; the abysses were troubled. Psalm 113:3 – The sea beheld and fled, [the River] Jordan turned back.
The Holy Theophany
T HOU DID ESTABLISH THE SEA BY T HY MIGHT , T HOU DID BREAK THE HEADS OF THE DRAGONS IN THE WATER .
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S T . J OHN ’ S O RATORICAL F ESTIVAL WILL BE F EB . 10.
Bravo to our church school kids for a marvelous Christmas Pageant! We had a record turnout for the Advent retreat the Saturday before and the rehearsals resulted in a great production. The children had a terrific interactive session with Father Vasile who showed them the details of the Nativity icon. We are so thankful to choir director Kirsten Shah who directed the program. Many thanks, too, to our teachers, Allison MedvicReimer, Hope File, Theresa Alexander, Melissa Barnes, Athena Russo for their help preparing the kids and coordinating costumes. Kudos also go out to Tera Bogdos for her beautiful costumes and to Mike and Nick Morton for having their crew set up the barn and manger set. Church school director Veronica Fisher prepared a yummy lunch for all who attended the Advent retreat on Saturday. The 2019 GOYA Basketball Tournament takes place Jan. 18-21 at Fieldhouse USA in
Frisco. The kids will stay at the Renaissance Hotel (formerly the InterContinental) in Dallas. The event is the largest Orthodox gathering of any kind in Denver's Metropolis and offers an atmosphere of Christian fellowship and friendly competition for hundreds of GOYAns, family, and friends. See website (https:// youth.denver.goarch.org/ basketball) for details. Youth Ministries will hold its annual Loukoumades Fundraiser on Feb. 3. This will coincide with Godparents Sunday. Please encourage your child’s godparents to attend if they live in the area. St. John’s Oratorical Festival will be Feb. 10. The Metropolis round will be April 7-8 hosted by St. Spyridon in Loveland, Co. The National round will be June 7-9, hosted by the Parish of Archangel Michael in Port Washington, NY (Long Island). We would love to see essays by all kids in the Middle and High School classes. And of course, if
your students would like to present to the parish, that would be great. We will have coaches available to help them work on their topics and presentation. See topics below. Philoptochos Scholarship. We have seven high school seniors this year: Penelopi Yiantsou, Elizabeth File, Luca Tudora, Sophia Manos, Nichols Henry, Sydney Georgulas and Katerina Genovazos. The scholarship application will be available the first week in February. We will announce the winner May 5 prior to the graduation luncheon. We have one college grad - John Molhoek. If there are others, please let us know. 2019 St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival Topics Junior Division (Grades 7–9) Martyrs of the Church and some of the early monastics are both described as “athletes.” What does it mean to be an athlete for Christ? (Continued on page 9)
C HURCH S CHOOL Hello Church School Families: Our Church School year is off to a great start. We welcomed two new teachers to 3rd and 4th Grade; Melissa Barnes and Athena Russo. They have been doing an awesome job and are enjoying being a part of our Church School team. We are getting ready for November and December. Here are some upcoming dates to keep in mind; our Bread Basket Food Drive. Is already underway. We do-
nate these items to our local food bank. In December we will have our Advent Retreat and Christmas Pageant. 10/28—Thanksgiving Baskets; Please bring a canned fruit or stuffing mix 11/4 –Thanksgiving Baskets -please bring pie filling in a can; make Veteran’s Day cards for next week. 11/11—Veterans Day 11/11 –Thanksgiving Baskets; Please bring cranberry sauce or soft drinks 11/18 --Deliver Thanksgiving Baskets
11/25 --No Class due to Thanksgiving Break 12/15 --Advent Retreat 12/16 --Christmas Pageant 12/23 --No Class, Christmas Break 12/30-- No Class, Christmas Break 2/3 – Godparents Day Our Christmas Pageant will be on Dec. 16th. More details will be coming soon. There are many ways for the children to be involved! Veronica Fisher Church School Coordinator
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PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS Ladies of the St. Irene Philoptochos and Parish Members, The Poinsettias project was another great success for the Nativity Season, many thanks to all those that have participated. We had a lovely Philoptochos/Ageless Wonders Christmas Dinner at Texas Star. It is always fun to visit with folks and hear how they have been doing. Our Angel Tree project was a great success once again this year. Thank you to Allison and Zachary Reimer for taking charge of this project. With your help and generosity, we were able to help several families this Christmas Season.
Our next Sandwich Making evening will be on Wednesday, January 2nd, following the Paraklesis service. We will have our Vasilopita Auction on Sunday, January 6th. We will be hosting this year’s Auction with Vasilopita loaves made by our own families. All proceeds benefit St. Basil Academy, in Garrison, NY. We will send details soon regarding our Baking Day, but we will be inviting anyone who enjoys baking bread to join us and to help us personalize our Vasilopita loaves for auction this year. So, if you enjoy baking, fellowship and a way to help raise money to benefit St. Basil Academy, we will look forward to working with you. In Februay, on Sunday the 10th, we will be hosting our yummy Dessert Auction.
Come and join us for Brunch and stay for a lively Auction and win a delicious dessert. Details will be available soon. As I said in my General Assembly report, it is through the partnership with our parishioners, that this Philoptochos Chapter has been able to be a reliable and comforting friend to the poor in spirit, the poor in health and those with financial struggles. We deeply appreciate your support. I pray that all our remaining projects for this Ecclesiastical year will be as successful as those we have completed. Hand in hand, may we continue to live our Mission of being friends to the poor. Veronica Fisher President, St. Irene Philoptochos
Y OUTH M INISTRIES R EPORT (C ONT ) (Continued from page 8)
On January 30th, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Three Hierarchs: St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory the Theologian, and St. John Chrysostom. Select one of these Church Fathers and discuss his contribution to the Church. Discuss the significance of water in the Church – Baptism, Theophany, holy water, etc. – and what this suggests about our responsibility for the natural world. Discus the new commandment of John 13:34: “Love one another, even as I have loved you…” What does it mean to love one another as Christ loved
us? In 1 Timothy 6:10, St. Paul writes, “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” How should Orthodox Christians relate to money and wealth? Senior Division (Grades 10–12) Many of the Church’s services employ objects from the natural world (such as wheat, wine, oil, or water) in order to confer a blessing upon the faithful. Why does the Church do this, and what does this suggest about our responsibility for the natural world? From ancient Greece to the present, politicians have aligned themselves with religious concepts and constituencies. How is an Orthodox Christian to discern
whether today’s politicians do this out of genuine piety or in order to manipulate the electorate? The hymns of the Church contain the whole of its theology. Pick one hymn from the Lenten or Holy Week period and describe how it speaks to you personally. Describe how science and technology should always be at the service of humanity and, ultimately, of God, in harmony with His purposes. In view of St. Paul’s exhortation in Colossians 3:16, “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom,” discuss the importance of being biblically literate today. God bless and Happy New Year! Harriet Blake
THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR PARISHIONERS , THAT THIS P HILOPTOCHOS C HAPTER HAS BEEN ABLE TO BE A RELIABLE AND COMFORTING FRIEND TO THE POOR T HANK YOU !!
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In the hall of St. John the Baptist of the San Lorenzo (Saint Lawrence) Cathedral in Genoa Italy, one can admire an impressive marble altar that contains the ashes of St. John the Baptist and Forerunner of the Lord. The Beheading of St. John the Baptist
But perhaps not everyone knows what happened to the Baptist's body after his beheading by the king Herod. His headless remains were pre-
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people know as Santa. The ashes remained there, undisturbed for 405 centuries. During the first Crusade (1096-1099), while returning from the siege of Antioch, the Genoese, led by Gugielmo EmbrĂaco, went to Myra to look for the relics of San Nicola, city of which he was bishop in the fourth century. When they arrived on the spot they
kneeling citizens of the city, led by the bishop. At the end of the 1200s the Confraternita di San Giovanni Battista was created, which had the task of bringing the relics to the pier in the event of a storm at sea. In the 'Memories of Genoa' of Schiaffino (17th century) are recorded all the many occasions in which, thanks to the ashes, the waves were dominated
T HE
HOLY REMAINS OF S T . J OHN THE B APTIST WERE DESECRATED , BURNED AND THE ASHES DISPERSED DURING EMPEROR J ULIAN THE A POSTATE (361
-363)
The Burning of the Bones of St. John the Baptist (England, c.1360 - 1380)
served and venerated at Sebaste in Samaria where many miracles had occurred at his tomb. Because of this, under the emperor Julian the Apostate (361-363), they were desecrated, burned and the ashes dispersed. The Tradition says that a monk picked them up and took them to his convent. The story of his head and its findings remains to be told on another occasion The Ashes would later be translated in a convent of Myra, a Lycian city, in 540. This is the home town of the Holy Hierarch and Wonderworker Nicholas, that most
learned that they had been preceded by the people from Bari and the Venetians (this is a story for another time). However, they went ahead and dug under the high altar and found other more important remains: the ashes of St. John the Baptist. The ashes arrived in Genoa on May 6, 1099, after three months of travel. This episode is also represented in the painting by Francesco Solimena (1657-1747), where we can see the solemn landing of the ashes that are awaited by the
and the wind calmed, thus saving many ships anchored in port or arriving. We can well say that a big part of the public life of this city had been closely linked, or perhaps still is, to this relic. In 1899 a coin was minted to commemorate the eighth centenary of the arrival of the ashes to the city. For the occasion numerous events and celebrations were organized both religious and civil, even sporting. Another commemorative medal was minted in 1999, in the ninth centenary of the translation of the ashes. (Continued on page 11)
V OLUME XXXVI
T HE A SHES
OF
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S T . J OHN
(Continued from page 10)
As we said before, in the hall of San Giovanni Battista of the Treasury of the Cathedral , we can also admire the following treasures made to preserve the ashes of the saint: the Ark of Barbarossa, the Reli-
quary of the Ashes and the Processional Ark. The Ark of Barbarossa is called as such because it is said to have been donated by this emperor. Rectangular in shape with a double sloping lid, it is a work of French goldsmithery. The Reliquary of the Ashes is a box intended for the rite of the veneration of ashes. It is a 16th century artifact. The cover bears an inscription informing that
THE
P AGE 11
B APTIST (C ONT .)
in 1576 Archbishop Pallavicini collected the ashes and deposited them in this reliquary. Finally, the Processional Ark: it was executed in the XVth century by Ligurian goldsmiths and is mad of gilded silver. It is a case in the shape of a Gothic cathedral supported at the corners by crouching lions. It is decorated with motifs from the History of the Ashhes and the Life of St. John the Baptist. In the four corners, there are the patron saints of the city: St. George, San St. Lawrence, St. John the Baptist and St. Matthew. The work was commissioned by the Doge to carry the ashes of the saint in a procession. The procession takes place every year, June 24th, as indeed in every city or country in the world whose patron saint is St. John the Baptist. A few small frag-
ments of these ashes are also present in our Church in a silver filigree reliquary, issued in 1884 by the His Eminence Salvatore Magnasco, Archbishop of Genoa (see the pictures). The relics are taken out in procession in our Church for all the Feasts of St. John the Baptist. Through the prayer of the Forerunner, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us! Info found mostly here
The processional Ark of the Ashes of Saint John the Forerunner in Genoa, Italy
The authentication document of the relics of St. John the Baptist in our Church
V OLUME XXXVI
N UMBER 01
P AGE 12
T HE G REAT B LESSING
The Blessing of Waters
THROUGH CONSUMPTION AND SPRINKLING ’, WE BELIEVE THAT ‘ WE ARE SANCTIFIED AND PURIFIED
What is the Blessing of the Waters, and what’s the difference between the Great and the Small? The Great as compared to the Small? The Blessing of the Waters belongs to the category of ‘sacramental rites’. We call services ‘sacramental’ when Divine Grace is imparted through them, invisibly, through perceptible gestures and signs. Such services were not instituted by Christ, however, nor are they necessary to salvation, as are the sacraments themselves. As regards the number seven, there is no mention of this in the Church Fathers. They consider any and every form of ritual which is performed by canonical celebrants for the sanctification and salvation of the faithful to be a Sacrament. Every holy action and ritual in the Church is a sacrament and every sacrament is great, as is the mystery of the Church itself, because every sacramental act in the theanthropic organism of the Church is in an organic and vital relationship with the central mystery of the Church, Christ the God/Man. ‘The Great Blessing of the Waters’ is the name we give the service which is celebrated twice a year (5 and 6 January) in commemoration of the baptism of Christ in the River Jordan. The Small Blessing of the Waters is usually held in churches on the 1st of each month and at various other public events (the foundation of a house, the opening of a
OF THE
W ATERS
shop, the inauguration of public works and so on). It’s a mistake to think that the blessing on the eve of Theophany is the Small Blessing and that of the day itself is the Great. The service of the Great Blessing of the Waters is held on both these days.
later addition and was introduced to depict the Lord’s baptism in the Jordan in a more graphic manner.
The sanctification prayer at the Great Blessing (‘Make it a source of incorruption, a gift for sanctification, a redemption for sins, a remedy for maladies, a In the Early Christian Church, ruination for demons, unapthe blessing of the water at proachable to the adverse powers, Theophany was for the bapreplete with angelic power, so tism of the catechumens, after that all who drink and receive it the faithful had drawn off a may have it for the purification portion as a blessing. This is of their souls and bodies, for the clear from the hymn we sing healing of sufferings, for the at the baptism service and at sanctification of homes and for the Divine Liturgy on the all appropriate benefit’), makes feast of Theophany: ‘As many it clear that ‘through consumpas have been baptized in Chris..’ tion and sprinkling’, we believe that ‘we are sanctified and puriThe celebration of the Great fied of our sins’. It protects us Blessing of the Waters on the from the attacks of the devil, eve of Theophany is relatively heals our sicknesses and recent, in order to serve the grants us health. With it we needs of the faithful. It’s also sanctify our houses, and all linked to the custom of animal and plant life. It’s appriests visiting the houses of propriate and beneficial for their parishioners to sprinkle every occasion. Through the holy water on the eve of the Grace of the Holy Spirit, it feast. acts upon all things animate, The sanctification of the waand even inanimate, transters is effected through the forming and sanctifying them. prayer: ‘You are great, Lord…’ It cleanses and sanctifies His and the blessing by the right faithful servants and the hand of the celebrant (bishop whole of nature. or priest) and the prayer: According to folk tradition, ‘Therefore, merciful King, be holy water expels the evil present now through the descent of your Holy Spirit, and sanctify spirits. This is because it’s considered to be their worst this water’. It’s also a mistake nightmare, since it combines to believe that the sanctification occurs at the moment the the purifying power of water with the divine power of the Precious Cross is submerged in the water and we sing the Cross, which has been subdismissal hymn of the feast: merged in it. ‘When you were baptized in the Jordan, Lord…’. The submersion of the Cross is a Found here
T HE F ORERUNNER
P AGE 13 G LADSOME L IGHT D IALOGUES
The Gladsome Light Dialogues will resume soon in 2019 with inspiring new series. Gladsome Light Dialogues are an Adult Education Ministry that takes Wednesday nights after the Paraklesis service. It is an interactive dialogues on Orthodoxy applied to our practical life.
PARISH W EBSITE AND S OCIAL MEDIA
Please join us at http:// stjohndfw.info for the latest news and information about your parish. We are also present on Facebook https:// www.facebook.com/ stjohndfw/ and Tweeter https://twitter.com/stjohndfw. If you like something share it on your favorite social media, send it to your friends and family, get the word out!
We are welcoming suggestions on themes to be discussed during our meetings. For any questions contact Fr. Vasile.
C ATECHISM 2017-2018
Our Catechism / Faith Enrichment class has started in September. The class welcomes inquirers in the Orthodox Faith as well as Orthodox Christians that would like to deepen their knowledge of our wonderful faith. Classes are held every Sunday (with exceptions) after Divine Liturgy. Contact Fr. Vasile for more information.
A COLYTES U SHER S CHEDULE To Be Announced
All Boys over the age of 9 are welcome to join the altar boys ranks. A lot of the training is done “on the job� but we also hold a training session each year. Recommended attire: black pants, white long sleeve shirt and black dress shoes . Please arrive at least 15 minutes before the beginning of liturgy. Ideally you should arrive no latter than9:15 am.
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 Cristina Korzun to schedule Your Sunday.
Contact Dn. George Genovezos if you are interested.
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-
fore going into church. The instructions are in the kitchen. Prepare a tray with sugar, creamer, sugar substitute, mixing straws, a few spoons. Set with trash bucket. Put donation basket out with appropriate sign.
CLEAN UP Wash all dishes soiled, including coffee pots. Return sugar tray to kitchen and replenish it. Wash off hall tables and kitchen counters. Thank-You
A LL B OYS OVER THE AGE OF 9 ARE WELCOME TO JOIN THE ALTAR BOYS RANKS .
St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church January 2019 SUN
MON
TUE
WED
THU
1
2
3
FRI
SAT
4
5
Synaxis of the 70 Apostles Theoctistos the Righteous
Eve of Theophany Theopemptos & Theonas
Fasting Symbols New Year’s Day St. Basil the Great Circumcision of Christ
Strict Fast Wine/oil allowed
Pope Sylvester Kosmas Pat. Of Constantinople
Prophet Malachi Martyr Gordios of Caesarea
Fast Free Orthros 8am Divine Liturgy 9am
Dairy Allowed
Vespers 5pm
Fish Allowed
6 Holy Theophany
7 Synaxis of John the Baptist
8:30 am Orthros 9:30 am Divine Liturgy
8
9
10
11
12
George the Chozebite Dominica the Righteous
Martyr Polyeuctos Eustratios the Wonderworker
Gregory of Nyssa Dometian, Bishop of Melitene
Theodosios the Cenobiarch Vitalis of Gaza
Martyr Tatiana Martyr Mertios Orthros 7am Divine Liturgy 8am Vespers 5pm
Paraklesis 6 pm
13 Sunday After Theophany Hermylos & Stratonikos Maximos the Righteous
14
15
16
17
18
19
Apodosis of Theophany Fathers Slain at Sinai & Raitho
Paul of Thebes John The Cave Dweller
Veneration of the Chains of the Apostle Peter Makarios Kalogeras of Patmos
Anthony the Great Anthony of Beroea
Athanasios & Cyril, Patriarchs of Alexandria Xenia the Martyr
Makarios the Great of Egypt Mark of Ephesus
Vespers 6 pm
Divine Liturgy 6am
22
23
24
25
26
Timothy of the 70 Martyr Anastasios the Persian
Hieromartyr Clement of Ancyra Martyr Agathangelos
Xenia, Deaconess of Rome Hieromartyr Babylas
Gregory the Theologian Archbishop of Constantinople
Xenophon & his Companions Symeon the Elder
Divine Liturgy 6am
Vespers 5pm
8:30 am Orthros 9:30 am Divine Liturgy Catechism
20
21
12th. Sunday of Luke
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Euthymios the Great Zacharias the New Martyr of Patra
Maximos the Confessor Martyr Neophytos
8:30 am Orthros 9:30 am Divine Liturgy Catechism Class
27
Paraklesis 6 pm
28
29
30
31
15th. Sunday of Luke Three Hierarchs Translation of the Relic of John Chrysostom Peter The Righteous of Egypt 8:30 am Orthros 9:30 am Divine Liturgy Catechism Class
Ephraim the Syrian Isaac the Syrian
Translation Of the Relics of Ignatius the Godbearer Laurence of the Kiev Caves
Thee Hierarchs Hippolytos of Rome
Vigil 6pm
Divine Liturgy 6am
Unmercenaries, Cyrus & John Martyrs Theodote, Theoctiste& Eudoxia
Vespers 5pm
St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church February 2019 SUN
MON
TUE
WED
THU
FRI 1
SAT 2 Presentation of our Lord
Fasting Symbols Strict Fast Wine/oil allowed
Forefeast of the Presentation
Gabriel the New Martyr
Fast Free
Tryphon the Martyr Vespers 6pm
Orthros 8am Divine Liturgy 9am Vespers 5pm
Dairy Allowed Fish Allowed
3 16th. Sunday of Mathew Symeon & Anna the Prophetess Stamatios, John, & Nicholas
4
5
6
7
8
9
Isidore of Pelusium Nicholas the Confessor
Agatha the Martyr Polyeuktos, Pat. Constan.
Photios, Pat. Constantinople Bucolos, Bishop of Smyrna
Parthenios, Bp. Of Lampsakos Luke the Righteous
Theodore the General Zechariah the Prophet
Leavetaking of Presentation Nicephoros of Antioch
8:30 am Orthros 9:30 am Divine Liturgy Catechism Class
10
Paraklesis 6 pm
Vespers 5pm
11
12
13
14
15
16
Vlassios, Martyr of Sebaste Theodora the Empress
Meletios, Bp. Of Antioch Antonius, Abp. Of Constan.
Martinianos the Righteous Aquilla & Priscilla The Apostles
Auxentius of the Mountain Cyril, Enlightener of the Slavs Theodore the Tyro
Onesimus of the 70 Anthimus the Elder of Chios
Pamphilos & Companions Flavianos, Pat. Of Constantinople
Sunday of the Canaanite Haralambos the Martyr Anastasios, Pat. Of Jerusalem Catechism Class
Paraklesis 6 pm
17
Vespers 5pm
18
19
20
21
22
23
Leo, Pope of Rome Agapetus theConfessor
Philemon, Archippos of the 70 Philothea Martyr of Athens
Leo, Bishop of Catania Agathon, Pope of Rome
Timothy the Righteous John III, Pat. Of Constan.
Relics Of Martyrs in Eugenios Thalassius and Baradatus
Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna Proterios, Abp. Of Alexandria
Sunday Of the Publican and Pharisee Triodion Begins Theodore the Tyro Mariamne, sister of Philip 8:30 am Orthros 9:30 am Divine Liturgy Catechism Class
Vespers 5pm Paraklesis 6 pm
24
25
26
27
28
1
Saturday of Souls
Sunday of the Prodigal Son First & Second Finding of Head of John the Baptist Erasimos of the Kiev Caves 8:30 am Orthros 9:30 am Divine Liturgy Catechism Class
2
Tarasios, Pat. Of Constantinople Reginos, Bp. Of Skopelos
Porphyrios, Bishop of Gaza Photini The Samaritan & sisters
Prokopios the Confessor Raphael Of Brooklyn Paraklesis 6 pm
Basil the Confessor Kyranna of Thessaloniki
Martyr Eudociat he Samaritan
Hesychius the Martyr Orthros 8am Divine Liturgy and Memorial Service 9am Vespers 5pm
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January-February 2019
THE FORERUNNER
Vol. XXXVI No. 01
The Holy Theophany of our Lord January 6, 2019