HTGOC YOUTH

"Spiritual Renewal" nights at HTGOC!

2012-02-28T18:05:00.002-08:00

Wednesday nights during Great Lent are "Spiritual Renewal" nights at HTGOC!

Come prepared to receive Holy Communion at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts at 6pm.

Stay for a soup supper and spiritual discussion with Fr Vasili following the Liturgy.

We will be covering a wide-array of topics on Great Lent, Spiritual Growth, and Orthodox Theology.

Get Into Great Lent! Spiritual Renewal Nights - Wednesdays @ 6pm! See you there!!!

Metropolitan Gerasimos 2012 Letter on Lent

2012-02-27T12:50:00.003-08:00

Dearly Beloved,
As we embark on the journey of Great Lent, it is good and edifying to pause and reflect on the true significance the spiritual endeavor that lies before us. The Church's hymnography is a trustworthy guide, steering us away from all caricatures of Lent, reminding us of the full scope of our pilgrimage. Great Lent is a time of retreat to help us confirm our life to Christ. Great and Holy Lent is designed to be a period of transformation for us – yes, a time of struggle, but a joyful struggle to become more Christ-like in all that we think, in all that we do, and in all that we say.

Let us keep the Fast not only refraining from food. All too often we focus almost exclusively on what we eat and do not eat. This is important, but it is only part of our task. As Saint Basil the Great wrote, "Fasting is the strength-training of the godly....It is clear that fasting would not only teach self-control in relation to all kinds of foods, but also how to entirely escape and get rid of covetousness, greed, and all kind of evil." (Sermon 2 On Fasting).

Let us keep the Fast...by becoming strangers to all bodily passions. A fundamental concept in understanding Orthodox Christian spiritual life is passions. These are natural things necessary for life that have mutated and taken control of our lives. We must eat in order to live, but when our life is dominated by food we succumb to the passion of gluttony. Money is a necessity but when our life is centered on the acquisition of wealth, we are controlled by the passion of avarice. Humans need to love and be loved, but often times that love is deformed and we become slaves to the passion of lust. Lent is a time to practice self-control in order to tame these passions that have enslaved us to unhealthy cravings and disorient our life.

During this period of Great Lent, let us examine the essential values that guide us in our actions. Let us reorient our lives so that they are guided by God and His love rather than passionate desires; let us desire nothing more fervently than God and His love. Great Lent is a time of liberation, when we free ourselves from the shackles of things and desires, pursuing single-mindedly a deeper union with God and a more authentic reflection of God's love. Lent is a time to rejoice that, through self-discipline, we have grown closer to God and have become a more perfect image of God's compassion, mercy and love. As such, regardless of the struggle, this is a time of joy and hope. Embrace it as such and the joy of the Resurrection will fill the very depths of your existence.

Liberating ourselves from the slavery to passions of the flesh frees us to love God. Without the distractions of the passions, we can be more attentive to our relationship with God. Without destructive passionate goals, our lives are free to be guided by Christ's command to love God and our neighbor. This is the true meaning of μετανοια (repentance): a reorientation of our lives. And so the Church instructs us that a pure fast includes attentiveness in prayer and works of mercy to the poor.

Let these simple insights guide us during the coming 40 days. Be aware not only of ourselves but of others. Let us be attentive in all aspects of our life not only to our own needs but to the needs of others. Let this be a time when we not only curtail that which impedes us but when we develop the things that make us more Christ-like.

With these few thoughts I invite you to embark joyfully on the journey of the Great and Holy Lent. Do not be burdened by the discipline, but be renewed by the opportunity to grow into deeper communion with God. The discipline is neither easy nor always pleasant, but the results will bring joy to you and those around you. May this be a time of profound spiritual joy for you, your community, your family, and your loved ones. Our hope is in the Lord who never fails!

With Love in Christ,

+ G E R A S I M O S

Metropolitan of San Francisco

Visions of forgiveness

2012-02-21T20:17:00.000-08:00

We often think of the Sundays of the Triodion independently from one to the next according to wonderful and appropriate themes: humility in the Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee; return from exile in the Publican of the Prodigal Son; the last judgment in the Parable of the Last Judgment; and forgiveness itself from Christ’s Sermon on the Mount. Notice that three of these are parables, essentially extended metaphors that are meant to help us understand how God works. The parables are rich stories that allow for many possible avenues of reflection.

What happens when we connect all the stories to the final teaching moment in this coming Gospel reading, the Sunday of Forgiveness? Is forgiveness the key to understanding all of these? Does forgiveness in various dimensions become the “clue” to understanding our preparation for Great Lent?

In order to be forgiven, one must first become humble. The Publican measured himself against God’s standards, where as the Pharisee compared himself to other men. The Publican went home justified, meaning “right with God,” in other words, he had restored his relationship with God.

The Prodigal asked his father directly to forgive him. The overwhelming love of the Father, not only forgave, but restored the son, even though the Father had every right not to. A loving God is waiting for us to return to him and will forgive us. Without a loving Father, the Parable loses its point.

The Parable of the Last Judgment though shows that the Father doesn’t always forgive. Notice how in this story, despite the plea from the latter group, the Father didn’t relent and still sent them to a place of eternal punishment.

In the teaching of Jesus about forgiveness, the key clause is “if.” There is a condition placed upon us to receive forgiveness. Asking for forgiveness for ourselves is not enough. We must forgive others. We cannot expect God to forgive us if we do not forgive others.

These visions are about the individual and the interpersonal or social dimensions of forgiveness and the connections between them. These visions of forgiveness are not only about asking to be forgiven ourselves, but about forgiving others. It is not just about looking ourselves in the mirror and seeing ourselves for who we really are, but about recognizing how we look at others. It’s easy to look to the heavens and ask for forgiveness. It’s far more difficult to go to someone directly, have an honest discussion, and seek and give forgiveness.

Anton C. Vrame, Ph.D.
Director

Teen Snowboard/ Ski Trip January 28th, 2012

2012-01-19T21:13:00.000-08:00

On January 28th the St. Johns Youth Group is going to Alyeska to going snowboarding/ Skiing and have invited all out high schoolers to attend. They are buying a group of tickets and need to know by Sunday if anyone is going from HTGOC. Michelle and I are already committing to going I need to know who else from our high schoolers want to go.

The cost is $36 per youth and we cover half the cost of lift tickets ($18 each) and provide all transportation too and from the church. kids will be responsible for rentals and gear and lunch. please RSVP by sunday if you plan on going. if you plan on going we will be meeting at church at 9:00 and leaving HTGOC around 9:30am. let em know if you can make it so we can reserve tickets at the group rate.

Super Bowl Party

2012-01-13T07:59:00.001-08:00

This year super bowl sunday is February 5th, 2012. Two weeks after the sledding trip. This year the Varlamos family is hosting the party. Everyone is invited to come and bring food to pass. The youth will be providing drinks. I hope everyone one can make and watch the 49ers beat the Brancos.

We are also asking everyone to bring cans of food to church that day for our annual Souper Bowel food drive to help restock the St. Irenes food bank.

See you there.

Juniors Sledding Trip 1/22/2012

2012-01-08T16:04:00.000-08:00

On sunday 1/22/2012 after church we will be meeting up at Service for our annual sledding day. The youth group will be providing hot chocolate and marshmallows. If you have any questions contact Craig at baxter.craig@gmail.com.

Nativity Thoughts

2011-12-25T09:27:00.001-08:00

I, too, will proclaim the greatness of this day: the Immaterial become incarnate, the Word is made flesh, the invisible makes itself seen, the intangible can be touched, the timeless has a beginning, the Son of God becomes the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, always the same, yesterday, today and forever. . . This is the solemnity we are celebrating today: the arrival of God among us, so that we might go to God, or more precisely, return to Him. . . Revere the Nativity which releases you from the chains of evil. Honor this tiny Bethlehem which restores Paradise to you. Venerate this crib; because of it you who were deprived of meaning (logos) are fed by the divine Meaning, the divine Logos Himself.

St. Gregory the Theologian

CHRISTMAS ENCYCLICAL 2011

2011-12-23T17:42:00.001-08:00

"That we may receive the King of all..."

Dearly Beloved,

At virtually every Divine Liturgy, we hear these words from the Cherubic Hymn. With the Christmas Season and the glorious celebration of the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ upon us, this short phrase becomes even more meaningful. Christ comes to us a newborn child and we receive Him as Immanuel, "God with us" (Matthew 1:23). Christ appears to us in the darkness of a cave and a manger and we receive Him as the Messiah, the Savior of God's people. Christ is surrounded humbly by shepherds and magi, donkeys and oxen, and we receive him as the King of Kings. Christ is held in the arms of His loving and tender Mother and, like her, we receive Him in our hearts. What more do we need? What earthly gift could possibly match this gift from our Heavenly Father?

For weeks already, the commercials and advertisements have attempted to convince us that if only we were to purchase their product, our Christmas gift would excite the imagination, move hearts, or even prove our love for one another. We can easily be swayed by the desire for the "perfect gift" and spend beyond our means. But the most beautifully wrapped present or the most expensive toy or bauble cannot come anywhere close to the gift that the Most High God has given to us – the gift of His Son. In the face of His gift, all earthly gifts wither to insignificance. Indeed, many of us, the day after Christmas, will head to the stores and malls to return and exchange that “perfect gift” for something else.

In the Feast of Christmas, we celebrate the arrival of Christ, the gift of Christ to us. We cannot return or exchange this gift. We can only receive this gift. And like any precious gift that we have received, we want to show it off to others; we want to share it with others. We share the gift of Christ with others through our actions as members of His Church: first by worshiping the King of All in our churches on this Festival so that we may receive Him in Holy Communion, the gift of Himself to us; and second, by giving to others, donating to church and charity, and opening our homes to family and friends.

We celebrate this Festival at a time of concern and uncertainty. Unrest in the Middle East and the European debt crisis fill the news. Daily we hear and read of the hardships caused by foreclosures and unemployment. We see protest movements over economic and social inequality. Our political discourse has never seemed more discouraging. Yet, as Christians, we are still of good cheer. As the prophet Isaiah said, "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder, and His name will be called ‘Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’" (Isaiah 9:6). In this Nativity Season and the Feast of Theophany to come, we proclaim that the one described by the prophets has come to all the world: Jesus Christ, born of Mary in Bethlehem, the Son of God.

May the gift that comes from above this year, the gift of the Coming of the Son of God, be received from us with abiding love.

With Love in our Newborn King,

+ G E R A S I M O S

Metropolitan of San Francisco

THANKSGIVING ENCYCLICAL 2011

2011-11-17T08:27:00.001-08:00

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

“Oh give thanks to the Lord for He is good!”
Psalm 136:1

In many of our parishes today, these words are sung during the distribution of the Holy Eucharist. They and the entire Psalm from which they come remind us that the very source of every good thing comes from our heavenly Father. On this blessed Thanksgiving holiday, our first action should be to give thanks to the most High God, for He is good!

We have all been taught the origins of Thanksgiving. These first courageous settlers of the Plymouth colony in Massachusetts in 1621 bowed their heads in thanks and celebrated their first anniversary in the New World. At the heart of this celebration was the story of their survival through that harsh first year. Their harvest festival reminded them that their survival was a gift from God Himself. Most of us are far removed from that level of survival. But we have a story to share at our Thanksgiving table, too. There is a lovely little custom of everyone at the table sharing what he or she is grateful for, and each person tells a story of being blessed by God. It was not always so, for our forebears have a story as well. They encountered many harsh realities as they established their lives in the New World. Yet, they never lost their sense of thanks for everything that God had provided. Their story also needs to be told, especially to a new generation who may not understand that the blessings they enjoy today came through hard work, perseverance, patience, and sacrifice. Amid the many stories that will be told at your holiday table this year, include their story as well.

And as we look out our windows, remember that there are many among us who have not shared so bountifully even though they too may have sacrificed and worked hard. They are in our cities and towns. They are the unemployed, the working poor, and the homeless. Their Thanksgiving holiday may be at a soup kitchen, a local shelter, or not at all. They may be far away in distant lands, serving in the military. Their stories should also be told and, through acts of kindness and philanthropy, we can extend a blessing to them by providing "the things which are needed" (James 2:16).

Dearly beloved, let us give thanks to the Lord each day of our lives for all His blessings, but most especially on this Thanksgiving Day.

With Love in Christ,

+ G E R A S I M O S
Metropolitan of San Francisco

Neon Bowling with St. Johns 11-5-2011

2011-10-28T13:41:00.001-07:00

St. Johns Youth Group has invited our teens to go bowling on November 5th. This acitivty will be open to all our teens. We will meet at HTGOC at 7:30pm and head to Eagle River. Bowling ends at 10:30pm and we will stop for a treat on the way home. Youth group will provide transportation to and from the event and teens will be dropped off at Home between 11:00pm and 11:30pm. RSVP if possible and if you have any questions please feel free to ask. Hope to see you there.

OXI Day

2011-10-28T09:47:00.000-07:00

Protocol Number 194/11

October 28, 2011

OXI Day

To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils of the Greek Orthodox Communities, the Distinguished Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Day, Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in America

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The remembrance of October 28, 1940 through our annual observance of OXI Day is our excellent opportunity to honor the courage of those who stood firm in the face of tyranny and to cherish the freedom that we have inherited due to their great sacrifice. This is a day of memorial for the people of Greece who were unwilling to defile the liberty gained by earlier generations by cowering under the threats of totalitarian regimes. The response of “NO” to the demands of tyrants and their destructive agendas was a true and exemplary act of courage for all humanity. This is also a day of gratitude and thanksgiving. In calling to mind the great sacrifices of that era, our hearts are grateful for what has been offered for the sake of freedom, self-determination, and truth. Our response continues to be an annual offering of memorial and praise to our fathers and mothers and of thanksgiving for the blessings of our heritage which brings joy and peace to our lives.

In this spirit of remembrance and gratitude we must also recognize that OXI Day presents a great challenge. Certainly, this is a challenge to greater levels of civic engagement and awareness so that we are able to offer what is good and just in our communities and nation. It is also a challenge to protect and nurture a responsible and mature understanding of freedom which does not use liberty as an opportunity for engaging in carnal activities, but as an opportunity for serving one another in love (Galatians 5:13).

The challenge of OXI Day calls every person to stand firm for truth in the face of tyranny, to identify evil even when we are powerless, to be courageous in the midst of oppression, and to champion justice and confront violence with hearts and minds of peace. The response of “NO” on October 28, 1940 revealed an unwillingness to sacrifice ideals for the sake of convenience and deny a heritage of freedom and democracy to avoid hardship. It was a firm denouncement of evil agendas which were fueling machines of power with the destruction of human life and communities. Further, the Greeks of OXI gave an example of courage and hope that inspires us to know what makes us free and to offer these assurances to all of humanity.

We do this when we remember OXI day and accept its challenge. When we stand firm on the witness of our heritage, grounded in the truth of our faith in God, we will be able to confront evil with a boldness that reveals the One who has defeated sin and death and offers assurance of life. As people of faith, who do not have a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (II Timothy 1:7) in the service of God and humankind, we will be able to annunciate a resounding “NO” to any person or force seeking to destroy life and well-being or to abolish liberty for the sake of domination. In accepting this challenge, we will continue to champion the needs of those who do not have the freedom or are not allowed the rights that foster a quality of life and security befitting all human beings.

On this OXI Day, I encourage all of the faithful throughout America, all who are the beneficiaries of this heritage of freedom and courage and of great faith and sacrifice, to remember the courageous deeds of our past and to accept the challenge of this day for our future. In faith and truth and in the strength of God, may we stand firm as witnesses of the love that overcomes evil, the justice that affirms what is good, and the peace that gives us hope in any condition of life from now to eternity.

With paternal love in Christ,

†DEMETRIOS

Archbishop of America

Reflection: September 11

2011-09-08T14:07:00.001-07:00

Fr. James Kordaris

This month we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross. Every September for the rest of our lives, we will remember the horrible events of September 11. And yet, as Orthodox Christians, we will also remember that three days later, the Church raises up before us the Cross of Christ.

How provident that the commemoration of this horrible tragedy will always be followed by the commemoration of the great victory of the Cross. We are reminded that what was once a symbol of horrible death has become, through the death and resurrection of Christ, a symbol of the love of God, hope that is greater than the darkest despair, and a symbol of power. As Orthodox Christians, we can't think of the Cross without thinking of the Resurrection. Evil and suffering appear to win at first, but then comes the Resurrection.

There have been and will be many memorial services and dedications as we mark the passing of the years. Several years ago, in a program held at ground zero, they spent over two hours reading the names of those who were lost. 2,801 names of real people --- with families & friends left behind.

It brought home, in real terms, just how many lives have been changed forever by this tragedy.

But there is a difference between commemorating with respect, and trivializing an event that destroyed so many lives and changed forever the way we see the world. It is important to remember how we felt in order to learn from it and to grow.

Yet in this day of hundreds of television channels filling the air for 24 hours, and every newspaper and magazine trying to find a new angle on the story, we commercialize and trivialize the tragedy. As an example, on the one-year anniversary, was it helpful to listen as Larry King interviewed Cher to get her personal views on September 11?
In the wake of the September 11 tragedy, and now the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, we have all found ourselves in the position of ministering to friends, relatives, co-workers and even strangers. Your ministry is where you are. You don't have to be a priest to have a ministry. God places you in situations in which He will use you. Just pray that His Holy Spirit will guide you. Don't worry about what you will say. Take the "YOU" out of it and let God work through you.

Often our ministry is simply a ministry of presence. We can just be present for those in need, as a silent symbol of God's presence and love.
The lessons of September 11 seemed at first to be about the mystery of evil, but it is really a lesson about our need for each other.
In the big picture, none of us will ever forget the images of courageous firefighters and police, all of whom lost friends and colleagues, or the hundreds of people attending to others or standing patiently in line to donate blood. The initial effect of this tragedy was to unite us. But after a while, much of the good will seemed to wear off.

In the memory of this horrible tragedy, we can still find the seeds of hope. If any good can come out of that terrible event, maybe it will be a lasting change in the way in which we live our lives.

The words of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address were read on the one-year anniversary of September 11, and the words seemed as though they could have been written for that day?

"It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain?"
As we remember, we are reminded that life is short. We are called to recommit our lives to God as they were on the day of our baptism. We are called to be ministers in all that we do, and to treat one another with love and kindness; not just for a day or two, but for the rest of our lives.

And if we do, as one woman who lost her husband that day wrote, "We will rise from the ashes stronger than anyone could ever imagine."

Youth Movie Night 9/17/2011

2011-08-30T16:06:00.000-07:00

Attention all youth! Join us for a day and evening of movies.

The Juniors are invited to meet at the Church at 3:00 pm. to watch a movie (TBD).

After the movie we will be attending vespers, families are encouraged to join us.

After Vespers the youth group will be providing a meal for those who attend then we will be taking the teens to the theatre to see a movie (TBD).

Tickets and movies will be covered by the youth group. If you have any questions please contact Craig.

Big Thanks

2011-08-25T08:27:00.000-07:00

The youth group wants to extended a big thanks to HTGOC and all the people who attended the Greek Festival. With your support we raised almost $2,000 to help support the youth ministry program at the Church. Thanks you.

The Bible: Our Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth

2011-08-22T14:37:00.000-07:00

By Eva Kokinos

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” – Psalm 118:105

If we want to something right and in the most efficient way, it is so very important to make sure we have the best instructions. Think of all the things that come with instructions. Before you assemble a bookshelf, you have to read the instructions to understand the parts and tools. When you are traveling to a new destination, you will follow directions or you G.P.S. so you can avoid getting lost and delaying your travel. So when we are navigating our path in life, are we using the most valuable instructions at our fingertips? Burlap to Cashmere, a contemporary Christian musical group, wrote a song entitled “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.” This is a fitting title for the Holy Scriptures. We understand that the Bible gives us the Word of God, the Good News of the Gospel, and much more. But the Holy Scriptures also offer us the best “directions” on how to build a strong Christian life and character. It is the ideal road map so that we can arrive at the ultimate destination… salvation. Here are some of the instructions you can find in the Holy Bible about loving God, loving each other, and much more:

On the Value of Honesty… “Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.” – Proverbs 12:19

On Using Your Talents… “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:14-17

On Avoiding Temptation… “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” – Galatians 5:16

On Forgiveness… “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’” – Matthew 18:21-22

On Serving Others… “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” – 1 Peter 4:10

On Having Compassion… ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’” – Matthew 25:34-41

On Having Patience… “The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.” – Ecclesiastes 7:8

On Purity… “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” – Matthew 5:8

On Friendship… “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” – John 15:12-14

Eva Kokinos serves as the Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries for the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Detroit. She received her Masters of Theological Studies from Holy Cross School of Theology in 2003. To contact Eva, email her at youth@detroit.goarch.org.

Alone With God (taken from The Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries)

2011-08-11T13:02:00.000-07:00

By Fr. Mark A. Leondis
A 12:00 Noon staff meeting; writing the weekly and monthly bulletins; watching one of our youth's soccer game at 2:00PM; 7:00 Bible study and snack; driving a youth or two home afterwards. Does this sound familiar? Do you find yourself at times running like a "chicken with its head cut off"? If you do, you're not crazy… you are a Youth Worker.
Many times, we get so caught up in our hectic day-to-day schedules that we don't find time for ourselves, and more importantly, our personal growth: reading the Bible, a prayer rule and time "alone with God".
A famous theologian once said, "I have so much to do today, I must spend two to three hours this morning with God in order to get all accomplished." Finding time to ourselves and God is often quite difficult, but most necessary. It is only when we learn to discipline our own lives with prayer that we can begin to minister to others.
Henri Nouwen states in his book The Way of the Heart, "There is always one more phone call, one more letter, one more visit, and one more party. Together, these form an insurmountable pile of activities". If we look at the life of Jesus, we see that before he began his public ministry, he spent forty days and nights in the desert, praying and fasting continuously. He realized the great task that was to begin, and faced it appropriately.

If we begin each day in prayer and solitude, then our lives will proceed Christ-centered. Let us all look to Christ as our example in ministry, facing each new day on our knees in prayer, looking deeper into our own minds, hearts and souls, for our spiritual food. For only in Christ, will we find true peace!

"Prayer refreshes and enlivens the soul, as outer air refreshes the body. When we pray we feel stronger and fresher, as we feel physically and spiritually stronger and fresher when we walk in the fresh air" (St. John of Kronstadt)

TIPS

1) Set up a schedule!
2) Take some time "Alone with God"
3) Read the Holy Scriptures!
4) Listen to God!

Festival Work Party August 6th.

2011-08-01T13:33:00.000-07:00

Festival is quickly approaching and there will be a crew of people up at the Church every night between now and the August 19th. Everyone is encouraged to show up if they can and help out between now and then.

On Saturday August 6th, the youth group will be sponsering a work party at the Church. Everyone is invited to come out and help out. The youth will be providing lunch following Divine Liturgy and Fr. Vasili's installation. There is plenty of work to be done to get ready for festival and everyone is welcome to join us.

If you have any question please feel free to contact Craig.

Last Reminder for Camp

2011-07-29T14:09:00.000-07:00

This is a finale reminder that registration for camp is due monday. If your teen is interested in attending please filled out registration and submit payment no later than monday 8/1/11. Make sure to let Craig know your teen is going to camp so we can make transportation arangements. Thank you.

Understanding the Virgin Mary, the Theotokos

2011-07-28T17:20:00.000-07:00

Beginning August 1, with the Dormition fast, our attention as Christian Orthodox turns to the Virgin Mary, the Theotokos and the commemoration of her falling asleep. The story of Mary’s death comes to us through Holy Tradition, that is, through the life of the Church, the writings of Fathers and liturgical commemorations. By the late sixth century, the date for the remembrance of her death appears to settle at August 15, but about a millennium later a historian records that Emperor Maurice (ruled from 582-602) fixed that date for the Empire and Church.

Let’s look briefly at what we believe about her as Orthodox Christians:

Mary in Scripture

In some Christian communities, Mary is an insignificant figure. This is surprising since she is present at so many moments in the Bible. In an Encyclical for the Dormition last year, a Greek Orthodox Metropolitan reminded his readers of many of these: “Orthodox Christians see Mary’s essential role in the story of our salvation contained within the Scriptures. We see her prefigurement in the Old Testament as the ladder in Jacob’s dream (Genesis 28:10-19) and in the young woman who will give birth to Emmanuel (Isaiah 7:14)…. We see her throughout the birth and childhood of Christ. We also see her presence in the life and ministry of her Son and the first days of the Church, for example, her presence at the Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-12), at the foot of the Cross (John 19:25-26), and among the Disciples following the Ascension (Acts 1:14).”

Theotokos

The Third Ecumenical Council (Ephesus, 431) resolved the Nestorian controversy. Nestorius (c. 381-452), who was Archbishop of Constantinople, in an attempt to clarify his understanding of the identity of Christ and in the ongoing debates about the relationship between Christ’s humanity and divinity, had argued poetically that there were “two sons” meaning the divine Son of God and human Son of Man. As a result, he felt the title “Theotokos” was foolish and preferred “Christotokos,” and even stated he could not accept the idea of a three month old baby as God. The Council in Ephesus condemned these teachings, anathematized Nestorius, and accepted the teachings of Cyril of Alexandria, that Jesus was one person and that Mary should be called “Theotokos.” The issue over the identity of Christ would not be resolved finally until the Fourth Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon (451), which gave the Christian Church the formula of Christ being one person, two natures.
Dormition (Koimesis) or Assumption?

There are many Orthodox Churches in the English speaking world that are called the “Assumption of Mary,” while in Greek their name is the “Koimesis (Dormition or Falling Asleep) of Mary.” This apparent discrepancy points to the question of what we believe about the question of her bodily assumption into heaven upon her death.

You probably know the story of Mary’s death. Mary, who lives near Jerusalem, receives news from an angel that her death is imminent. The twelve Apostles miraculously arrive at her deathbed from around the known world. Upon her death, the Apostles bury her near Gethsemane. They keep watch at her tomb for three days then realize that her body and soul have gone to Paradise, thus leading to the teaching that she was spared “corruption” (that is decomposition), was translated to glory, and was assumed into heaven.

There are some variations to the story as well. Some versions state that Thomas the Apostle (the same “Doubting Thomas” from the Resurrection of Christ) was not present at the death and funeral of Mary, but wishes to go to her grave and mourn a few days later. He goes there with the Apostles and the tomb is found to be empty. Some versions of the story mention a Jewish person attempting to interrupt the funeral procession and losing the use of his hands. In some versions, an angel cuts off the hands of this person. (Interestingly, icons of the Dormition for private use frequently include this event, while icons for liturgical or ecclesial use usually do not.)

The Orthodox Church has no dogma or doctrine regarding the matter, but many Orthodox Christians hold to the idea that Mary was assumed bodily into heaven. The language of the feast is vague, referring always to her “falling asleep,” her “transfer,” her “change of state,” or her “change of dwelling.” In the hymns for the Feast, we hear similar phrases. For example: “Open wide the gates (of heaven) and receive above the world the Mother of the everlasting Light” or, “Christ translates her, as His own mother, into a dwelling far better and more divine, the Holy of Holies.”

Orthodox teaching on the matter is different from Roman Catholic teaching. The Roman Catholic Church proclaimed in 1950 that Mary was assumed body and soul into heaven. Pope Pius XII declared this infallibly as dogma for the Roman Catholic Church.
(The book, On the Dormition of Mary: Early Patristic Homilies, Translated and Introduction by Brian Daley (St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1998) was very helpful to this post.)

Anton C. Vrame, Ph.D.

Director

Department of Religious Education

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

St. Johns teen Camp Update

2011-07-17T20:17:00.001-07:00

Just a reminder for any of the teens interested in attending camp you will need to submit registration by the end of the month. After you submit registration please let me know so we can make arrangements for transportation too and from camp. Any teens who qualify for camp scholarships who attend will receive the scholarship in the form of a reimbursement check after camp is over. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Click Here for a link to the Camps Website
Click Here for a link to Camp Registration

Garage Sale 6/25/2011

2011-06-16T13:58:00.001-07:00

On Saturday June 25th the HTGOC Youth Group will be having its annual Garage Sale to help support youth programs through the end of the year, including St. John's Summer Camp. Anyone who is interested in volunteering to help at the Garage Sale is invited to come to the Church at 8:00 a.m. Coffee and Doughnuts will be available. Any teens wishing to attend camp who actively participated in the Garage Sale will qualify for a financial scholarship to attend camp. We have already received tons of gracious donations from members of the community and we are still willing to take items to sale between now and the date of the Garage Sale. So come on out ready to sell and tell your friends about it. We have lots of good stuff and are expecting more. If you have any questions contact Craig (baxter.craig@gmail.com)

Note: Teens who do not participate in the Garage Sale but who would like to attend camp and qualify for the scholarships can do so by providing 5 hours of community service or participate in eight hours of festival prep that is documented and confirmed by a parent.

St. Johns Summer Camp

2011-06-13T15:48:00.000-07:00

The teens will be going back to St. Johns Summer Camp this year. The dates for camp are August 7th - 12th. The registration form and the deposit of $50 is due by July 31, 2011. This year parent will be required to submit all registration and payments to St. Johns. Camp Scholarships will be available once the youth groups holds it annual garage sale. The amount the camp scholarship will cover is TBA and will effected by the amount raised by the garage sale. Any teens or their parents who participate in the garage sale will qualify for a camp scholarship. Teens who are unable to participate in the garage sale can still qualify to recieve a camp scholarship by providing five hours of community service in the community which is documented an confirmed by their parents. A date for the garage sale has yet to be determined and scholarships will be paid to the parents of teens who attened after camp is over.

Click Here for a link to the Camps Website
Click Here for a link to Camp Registration

Like last year all transportation to and from Anchorage, will be provided by the youth group. if you have any questions please feel free to contact Craig at baxter.craig@gmail.com.

Excerpt from the Life of St. John the Almsgiver

2011-05-26T09:53:00.000-07:00

While there was a crowd of refugees in the city one of the strangers, noticing John’s remarkable sympathy, determined to test the blessed man (John the Almsgiver, patriarch of Alexandria, 610–619). So he put on old clothes and approached him as he was on his way to visit the sick in the hospitals (for he did this two or three times a week) and said to him, “Have mercy on me for I have been a prisoner of war.”

John said to his purse-bearer, “Give him six nomismata.” After the man had received these he went off, changed his clothes, met John again in another street, and falling at his feet said, “Have pity on me for I am in want.” The Patriarch again said to his purse-bearer, “Give him six nomismata.” As he went away the purse-bearer whispered in the Patriarch’s ear, “By your prayers, master, this same man has had alms from you twice over!” But the Patriarch pretended not to understand. Soon the man came again for the third time to ask for money and the attendant, carrying the gold, nudged the Patriarch to let him know that it was the same man, whereupon the truly merciful and beloved of God said, “Give him twelve nomismata, for perchance it is my Christ and He is here to test me.”

Leontius, Life of St. John the Almsgiver

(taken from Pres. Candace Shefe's Ortho Thought of the Day)

Feast of the Ascension

2011-05-19T16:44:00.000-07:00

This year the Church celebrates the Ascension of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on June 2nd. Instead of posting my thoughts or another story I thought I would provide the link to the Archdiocese explination of the Ascension and the meaning behind the Chruch iconography of the event. I think it is well worht the read. You can find the article by click the link

Feast of the Ascention of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ from the GOA

2011 Patriarchal Proclamation for Pascha

2011-05-06T13:31:00.000-07:00

+ B A R T H O L O M E W

By the Mercy of God

Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch

To the Plenitude of the Church Grace, Peace and Mercy

From the Savior Christ Risen in Glory

Beloved children in the Lord,Once again, in a spirit of joy and peace, we address you with the delightful and hopeful greeting: “Christ is Risen!”

The occurrences and events of our time may not seem to justify the exultation of our greeting. The natural destruction caused by seismic tremors and oceanic swells, together with the lurking devastation from possible nuclear explosion, as well as the human sacrifices resulting from military conflict and terrorist action, reveal our world to be in horrible torment and anguish from the pressure of the natural and spiritual forces of evil.

Nevertheless, the Resurrection of Christ is indeed real and grants to faithful Christians the certainty – and to all humanity the possibility – of transcending the adverse consequences of natural calamity and spiritual perversity.

Nature rebels when the arrogant human mind endeavors to tame its boundless forces endowed by the Creator it its seemingly insignificant and inactive elements. In considering from a spiritual perspective the grievous natural phenomena that plague our planet repeatedly and successively in recent times, we appreciate and acknowledge the belief that these are inseparable from the spiritual and ethical deviation of humanity. The signs of this deviation – such as greed, avarice, and an insatiable desire for material wealth, alongside an indifference toward the poverty endured by so many as a result of the imbalanced affluence of the few – may not be clearly related to the natural occurrences in the eyes of scientists. Yet, for someone examining the matter spiritually, sin disturbs the harmony of spiritual and natural relations alike. For, there is a mystical connection between moral and natural evil; if we wish to be liberated from the latter, we must reject the former.

Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ, the new Adam and God, constitutes the model for the beneficial influence of a saint on the natural world. For Christ healed physical and spiritual illness, granting comfort and healing to all people, while at the same time bringing calm and peace to stormy seas, multiplying five loaves of bread to feed the five thousand, thereby combining the reconciliation of spiritual and natural harmony. If we want to exert a positive impact on the current negative natural and political conditions of our world, then we have no other alternative than faith in the Risen Christ and fulfillment of his saving commandments.

Christ has risen and given new life to the perfect ethos of humankind, which had darkened this ethos. Christ became the first-born and pioneer of the regeneration of the world and the whole of creation. The message of the Resurrection is not empty of meaning for the quality of human life and the balanced function of nature. As we completely and profoundly experience the Resurrection of Christ in the depth our heart, our existence shall favorably impact upon all humanity and the natural world. The natural sciences may not yet fully have underlined the relationship between the regeneration of humanity and the renewal of creation, but the experience of the saints – which should be the aim our own experience – confirms the experientially proven fact that, indeed, a person reborn in Christ restores the harmony of the natural world disturbed by sin. In Christ, the saint can move mountains for the good of the world, while the sinful person, who opposes the ways of God, can shake the earth and raise destructive waves.

Let us approach the sanctity of the Risen Christ in order, through His grace, to calm the natural and moral waves that trouble our world today.

May the grace of our Risen Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, beloved children in the Lord. Amen.

Holy Pascha 2011

+ Bartholomew of Constantinople

Fervent supplicant for all

before the Risen Christ

Paschal Encyclical 2011 from + Bishop Gerasimos of San Francisco

2011-04-26T08:41:00.000-07:00

April 14, 2011

Dearly Beloved,

“Why do you seek the living among the dead?”(Luke 24:5), the angel asked the Myrrh-bearing women. These faithful followers of Christ had come to the tomb to complete the Jewish burial rituals for the dead. They expected to find the battered body of their crucified Master. Instead, they met an angel with news beyond comprehension and an empty tomb to prove it. The Son of God has triumphed. The Life-Giver is more powerful than death. The grave could not contain the uncontainable God.

In his Kontakion for the Resurrection, Saint Romanos the Melodist wrote, “The Lord has been raised. He has smashed the bronze gates of Hell and crushed its iron bars.” In two short sentences, we proclaim the central message of our faith. In the Resurrection of our Lord, the power of death has been made forever powerless, and the gates of salvation have been opened for us. Our destiny is not the tomb, but communion with the living God. As Saint Epiphanios of Cyprus writes about Christ’s triumph over death, “Christ raises Adam and Eve from their tombs and says to them, ‘Arise! For I did not fashion you to be held in Hades as a captive. Arise from the dead for I am the life of the dead!’” The Resurrection of Christ heralds the Resurrection of all who believe in the Most High God.

Our celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection is that much more joyous, that much sweeter, in the knowledge that all Christians celebrate together this year. Despite the many other differences between us, the belief that unifies all Christians is proclaimed in unison on this day.

Dear brothers and sisters, what can we make of this? In our cynical age, when people of faith are ridiculed rather than respected, we continue to offer an incredulous message, yet one that the world longs to receive. Even Saint Paul knew of this when he wrote, “we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (I Corinthians 1:23-24). Our message on this Feast of Feasts is that the love of God triumphs over the hatred of humanity. As the prophet Isaiah proclaimed about the Messiah, the Christ,“He was despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3). And yet, He still loves us, forgives us and “gives His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Our Lord endured the cruelty and hatred embodied in the Cross and He defeated them “so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4).

Tonight, we hold lit candles in our hands reminding us that the Light Who is the Risen Christ has triumphed over darkness. Even in the middle of the night, a single candle can be seen from great distances. But gathered together in congregations of faith, we have hundreds or thousands of lights brightly shining. In their unity they become a beacon of faith and a guide for those who seek to find the love of God in our Orthodox Christian communities, no matter how far they are from us. So as our Lord taught us, “let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

The first witnesses of the Resurrection were not believed. Peter and the other disciples had to see the empty tomb for themselves. The Gospels report that lies were spread about the Resurrection. Throughout the centuries, people have scoffed at the Christian message of the Resurrection. Yet, we believe. We have the testimony of the Apostles, the Saints and the Martyrs, who offered their entire lives to proclaiming the Resurrected Christ. As we read in the First Epistle of John,“that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3). We have the life of the Church that offers healing and hope because the Resurrection offers a foretaste of the Kingdom of God. In the Church the mission of Christ continues through our ministry to the world. The Truth of the Gospel has triumphed.

With Love in the Risen Lord,
+ G E R A S I M O S
Metropolitan of San Francisco

KRISTOS ANESTI!!!

2011-04-24T08:53:00.000-07:00

CHRIST IS RISEN!!! HAPPY PASCA EVERYONE

It is the day of resurrection ! Let us be illumined for the feast! Pascha! The Pascha of the Lord! From death unto life, and from earth unto heaven has Christ our God led us! Singing the song of victory: Christ is risen from the dead! (First Ode of the Easter Canon)

A Prayer of St. Nikolai Velimirovic

2011-04-20T12:13:00.000-07:00

“Bless my enemies, O Lord…”

Bless my enemies, O Lord.

Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Enemies have driven me into Your embrace more than friends have.

Friends have bound me to earth, enemies have loosed me from earth and have demolished all my aspirations in the world.

Enemies have made me a stranger in worldly realms and an extraneous inhabitant of the world.

Just as a hunted animal finds safer shelter than an unhunted animal does,

so have I, persecuted by enemies, found the safest sanctuary,

having ensconced myself beneath Your tabernacle, where neither friends nor enemies can slay my soul.

Bless my enemies, O Lord.

Even I bless them and do not curse them.

They, rather than I, have confessed my sins before the world.
They have punished me, whenever I have hesitated to punish myself
They have tormented me, whenever I have tried to flee torments.
They have scolded me, whenever I have flattered myself
They have spat upon me, whenever I have filled myself with arrogance.
Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.
Whenever I have made myself wise, they have called me foolish.
Whenever I have made myself mighty, they have mocked me as though I were a dwarf.
Whenever I have wanted to lead people, they have shoved me into the background.
Whenever I have rushed to enrich myself, they have prevented me with an iron hand.
Whenever I thought that I would sleep peacefully, they have wakened me from sleep.
Whenever I have tried to build a home for a long and tranquil life, they have demolished it and driven me out.
Truly, enemies have cut me loose from the world and have stretched out my hands to the hem of Your garment.

Bless my enemies, O Lord.

Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Bless them and multiply them; multiply them and make them even more bitterly against me:
so that my fleeing to You may have no return;
so that all hope in men may be scattered like cobwebs;
so that absolute serenity may begin to reign in my soul;
so that my heart may become the grave of my two evil twins: arrogance and anger;
so that I might amass all my treasure in heaven;
ah, so that I may for once be freed from self-deception, which has entangled me in the dreadful web of illusory life.

Enemies have taught me to know what hardly anyone knows,

that a person has no enemies in the world except himself.

One hates his enemies only when he fails to realize that they are not enemies, but cruel friends.

It is truly difficult for me to say who has done me more good and who has done me more evil in the world: friends or enemies.

Therefore bless, O Lord, both my friends and my enemies.

A slave curses enemies, for he does not understand.

But a son blesses them, for he understands.

For a son knows that his enemies cannot touch his life.

Therefore he freely steps among them and prays to God for them.

Bless my enemies, O Lord.

Even I bless them and do not curse them.

St. Nikolai Velimirovic, was a twentieth century Serbian Orthodox bishop who opposed Nazism and was eventually taken to Dachau and suffered there for the Christian faith. Later he was released and continued his Christian witness until the Lord called him to Himself.

Re Cap Palm Sunday Prep

2011-04-17T20:27:00.001-07:00

Thanks for everyone who came out to clean the church and get it ready for Holy Week and Pascha. Special thanks to Paul Coolie who brought all the stuff to decorate Ukrainian Eggs.

2011 Holy Week Services

2011-04-15T09:38:00.003-07:00

PALM SUNDAY 6:30 PM

HOLY MONDAY 6:30 PM

HOLY TUESDAY 6:30 PM

HOLY WEDNESDAY 6:30 PM Holy Unction service

HOLY THURSDAY 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy (the commemoration of the Institution of the Mystical Supper and our Lord’s betrayal); 6:30 PM Passion Gospel readings, the nailing of our Lord to the cross/veneration of His Passion

HOLY FRIDAY 9:00 AM Royal Hours; 3:00 PM Un-nailing service/Christ’s entombment; 6:30 PM Lamentations service, outdoor procession with Epitaphios

HOLY SATURDAY 9:00 AM Orthros/Divine Liturgy; 11:00 PM Resurrection services begin.

HOLY PASCHA 12:00 AM Anastasi service, Divine Liturgy of Pascha followed by festive buffet for the faithful; 3:00 PM Agape Vespers followed by Paschal meal.

Calling All Garage Sale Items

2011-04-14T14:09:00.000-07:00

The youth group is gearing up for its annual garage sale to raise funds for summer acitivities. We are asking for your gently used items that you don't need or want that can be sold at garage sale including, kitchenware, furnature, clothing, games, and electronics. If you have any items you wish to dontate please contact Craig at baxter.craig@gmail.com and drop them off in the youth room on the third floor. This fundraiser brings in between $500 and $1000 annually for the youth. Thank you for your support.

Lazarus Saturday Retreat

2011-04-14T14:04:00.000-07:00

On 4/16/2010 we will be gathering after the mornin Liturgy on Lazarus Saturday to prep the Church for Palm Sunday and Pascha as well as have some fun. Join us for palm cross folding, ukrainian egg dying and spring cleaning. Between the service and the activities their will be a meal provided by the youth group. This activity is open to all ages.

Prosfora Baking Has been rescheduled

2011-03-26T01:21:00.000-07:00

Quick note from Lois:

Lynne (who usually leads this activity) is ill with a respiratory ailment. For that reason, the event has been postponed—it will likely take place next weekend or the one after. We’ll let you know.

Thanks!

First Festival Baking Session 3/25-3/27

2011-03-20T11:00:00.001-07:00

Calling all Friends, YOUTH and Parishioners of Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church!

Our first baking session for the 2011 Greek Festival begins THIS WEEKEND: March 25-27:

Spanakopites and Tiropites

Friday 3/25 5pm -8pm
Saturday 3/26 10am - 5pm
Sunday 3/27 12pm - 5pm

Please contact Illiya illiya@gci.net OR 229-0711 if you are able to help. Don`t assume I know you are coming. If you are not on the list below, I don`t know you`re coming.

THIS SAT: YOUTH PROSFORA BAKING SESSION 3/26

2011-03-20T10:58:00.001-07:00

St. Irene Philoptochos invites our young people to come out to church this coming Saturday at 10AM to prepare loaves of prosfora. Kids--your parents may already be planning to be here to help with festival baking, so plan to join them for another worthy cause. See you then!

The Life of Saint Patrick

2011-03-17T09:46:00.000-07:00

SAINT PATRICK, called the Apostle of Ireland, was born about the year 389, of Roman and

British parentage. Blessed Martin of Tours is said to have been among his kin. But although

he is usually accounted as British, the place of this birth is unknown. When Patrick was a lad

he was taken prisoner by slavers and carried to Ireland, whence he escaped after six years.

Meanwhile he learned to serve God well, for whilst attending the flock of his master he

would rise before the light, in snow and frost and rain, to make his prayers.

HAVING been finally raised to the priesthood, Saint Germanus of Auxierre consecrated

him bishop, and sent him back to Ireland, in succession to Saint Palladius, the first Christian

missionary, who, after twelve months of labor there, had gone to Scotland and then died.

Patrick travelled to every part of Ireland, converting many of the people and their chiefs by

his preaching and example. And everywhere his preaching of the Word was confirmed by

wonders and signs following. He washed many of the Irish folk in the laver of regeneration,

ordained many bishops and clerks, and decreed rules for virgins and for widows living in

continency. And he established Armagh as the primatial See of all Ireland.

BESIDES that which came upon him daily, the care of all the churches of Ireland, he never

suffered his spirit to weary in constant prayer. It was said that it was his custom to repeat

daily the whole Book of Psalms, together with certain other hymns and prayers, and that he

took his short rest lying of a bare stone. He was a great practicer of lowliness, and after the

pattern of the Apostle, always continued to work with his own hands. At last he fell asleep

in the Lord in extreme old age, according to some authorities about the year 461, glorious

both in word and deed. His body was translated to the Cathedral of Down in Ulster in

1185. From the website: www.WesternOrthodox.

THE LORICA OF ST. PATRICK

I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the

Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession

of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.

I arise today through the strength of Christ with His Baptism,

through the strength of His Crucifixion with His Burial

through the strength of His Resurrection with His Ascension,

through the strength of His descent for the Judgment of Doom.

I arise today through the strength of the love of Cherubim

in obedience of Angels, in the service of the Archangels,

in hope of resurrection to meet with reward,

in prayers of Patriarchs, in predictions of Prophets,

in preachings of Apostles, in faiths of Confessors,

in innocence of Holy Virgins, in deeds of righteous men.

I arise today, through the strength of Heaven:

light of Sun, brilliance of Moon, splendor of Fire,

speed of Lightning, swiftness of Wind, depth of Sea,

stability of Earth, firmness of Rock.

I arise today, through God's strength to pilot me:

God's might to uphold me, God's wisdom to guide me,

God's eye to look before me, God's ear to hear me,

God's word to speak for me, God's hand to guard me,

God's way to lie before me, God's shield to protect me,

God's host to secure me:

against snares of devils, against temptations of vices,

against inclinations of nature, against everyone who

shall wish me ill, afar and near, alone and in a crowd.

I summon today all these powers between me (and these evils):

against every cruel and merciless power that may oppose

my body and my soul,

against incantations of false prophets,

against black laws of heathenry,

against false laws of heretics, against craft of idolatry,

against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,

against every knowledge that endangers man's body and soul.

Christ to protect me today

against poison, against burning, against drowning,

against wounding, so that there may come abundance of reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me,

Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right,

Christ on my left, Christ in breadth, Christ in length,

Christ in height, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the

Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the

Oneness of the Creator of creation.

Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of the Lord.

Salvation is of Christ. May Thy Salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.

I have hurled myself into the hands of the all-powerful God

Who rules as Lord everywhere. St. Patrick of Ireland

The struggle upon which we are engaged is full of hardships,

full of dangers,

for it is the struggle of man against himself.

St. Patrick of Ireland

Snow Boarding Update

2011-03-13T18:04:00.000-07:00

Next Saturday 3-19-2011 we will be taking the teens (13 and older) up to Hilltop for snowboarding and skiing. Meet Craig at the Hilltop parking lot at 11 a.m. We will be getting half day lift tickets and the teen will be able to enjoy the snow from noon to 5p.m. Lift ticket cost will be covered by the youth group funds. Teens and parents will be responsible for renting equipment and supplying lunch. Parents are asked to please stay to sign any necessary releases for their kid.

Pick up will be at 5:15 at the drop off point in the parking lot. See you their.

Are you Saved?

2011-02-28T13:21:00.000-08:00

I have recently been thinking a lot about this question that is often asked by evangelicals. When I was a Lutheran my response was always “Yes, I am saved”. I then would be asked when I was saved, to which I would respond, “2,000 years ago I was saved when Christ was crucified on the Cross”. These two questions are fundamental to all Protestants, because in most protestant theology one can be certain that they are saved and have their ticket to Haven. As a convert to Orthodoxy the question of salvation was a stumbling block that took me more than three years to fully appreciate.

The common Orthodox Response to the questions “Are you Saved?” and “When where you saved?” is as follows. I WAS SAVED when Christ died on the cross, I AM BEING SAVED through my daily life in Christ, and I live in the hope that I WILL BE SAVE on the judgment day. For us Orthodox, salvation is not a onetime event or a status we post on Face Book. There is no concept of once saved always saved. We have no ticket that guarantees entry into heaven.

Instead we know that Christ died on the Cross to save all men from the consequences of sin, death and corruption. Christ blood atoned for the sins of all mankind. God tore up the hand writing against us and the gates of hell and death have been flung open. Christ, the new Adam of the renewed Creation, restored the image of God in each and every one of us.

We are also being saved and daily try to walk in the path of faith and live in communion with Christ so that we might work out our salvation through constant refining. Through our faithful lives we slowly attain the likeness of God growing closer and closer to him and become more and more like Christ.

Salvation is best understood in the context of a dynamic and living relationship. It is through our relationship with God, with the Church, other Orthodox and the world that we work on our salvation. Salvation is not a journey we take alone, but one we take in communion with others and Christ commands us time and time again to love God, others and our enemy’s. He also warms us that those who don’t have no life in him and we must stay vigilant that we don’t fall away from the grace of God. Just as we can live a life in Christ, we can also stray from that life.

The process of being saved is a symbiotic relationship by which we cooperate with the freely given grace of God. As a result we can also freely turn our backs on God whenever we want and do each time we sin, but we can also cooperate with the grace of each time we participate in his life renewing sacraments and extend his love to others.

Does this mean that we believed we are saved by our good deeds? No. We are saved by grace, through faith just as the scriptures teach. But faith is not just a belief or a status of knowledge. We Orthodox do not believe that Christ was Son of God like someone might believe that Lincoln was a president. Faith is not just a belief, but a way of life and our deeds are not the means by which we are saved, but they are the fruit of faith which is nurtured and grown by grace.

We also live in the hope that one day we will be saved. Since faith is dynamic and alive, since it is something we work out and struggle to live, since we can at any time turn our back on God or come to his table we have no guarantee that we will be saved in the end. The Scriptures speak to the fact that those with faith be counted among the sheep on the last day and we know that if we have faith we will be saved as well. We know the part of the journey we are on, but we do not know how it ends, just as we do not know what will happen next year, next week or tomorrow. As Orthodox we understand that we should always be on watch and guard our hearts against sin so that we might not fall away from or turn our backs on God. We should always strive to love God and love others, we should always seek and offer forgiveness, we should always live out or faith as if today is our last.

Have you ever thought about how people often talk about the death of “none believers”. Without fail at every funeral words of comfort are offered to the “believing” family members to let them know that you can never judge the deceased persons heart because they may have made a mends with God in the end, but the same does not hold true when a “believer” dies. We think that they automatically made it inot heaven because while on earth they told us they had faith or appeared to have faith.

In Orthodoxy we do not judge the “non-believer” or the “believer” when they are alive or dead. We also do not judge the Orthodox or the non-Orthodox and we do not pass judgment on ourselves. The final judgment and determination of if one will experience heaven or hell after this life is left to God, not to mankind. And if we find ourselves in heaven at the end it will only be through the grace of God that we are there and not through any merit of our own. So we live in the hope that we and the ones we love will be counted among God’s flock.

We can also find comfort in this; God became man and out of his love he sacrificed himself on the cross for all of us. He came down from heaven and through his grace he entered into a dynamic life giving relationship with us. Each time we screw up and fall short he freely forgives those who seek it. As we live out our life in Christ, He guides us and loves us. In the end we can have faith that God is both loving and just. God will judge each of us according to that grace we can rest easy knowing that in the end we will all end up were we need to be.

So the answer to the question is as follows:

I was saved by Christ
I am in the process of being saved through my life in Him
I live in the hope that I will not fall away and in the end be counted among the faithful

Teen Snow Board Trip March 19th

2011-02-14T22:47:00.000-08:00

Calling all Teens!!!

On March 19th we will meet up at the church around 11:00 a.m. and head up to Hilltop for the day to go snowboarding and skiing. This event is open to all those age 13 and older. The youth group will be paying for lift tickets for the day and the kids are responsible for food and gear. Hilltop has rentals available for those who don't own equipment. If you have any questions please feel free to e-mail craig at baxter.craig@gmail.com. See you on the slops.

The Importance of Love

2011-02-14T21:21:00.000-08:00

The Life Saint Valentine

Thou hast become like the Apostles in their states, a successor to their throne, finding indeed the intelligential ladder, O thou God-inspired. Therefore, thou hast followed the Word of God in righteousness, and striven unto blood for the Faith. O Martyr among Priests, Saint Valentine, intercede with Christ God to save our souls

Today at work we had a dessert raffle of Valentines Day. Our social committee had purchased or got people to donate candies, cookies, chocolates and stuffed toys for us to win. After having their number pumped out of the sacred clear jar, a coworker of mine announced that she was glad she won because her husband refuses to celebrate Valentines Days. Another coworker spoke up and asked if her husband was one of those people who believes that Valentines day is a conspiracy holiday developed by Hallmark and Sees Candy to see cards and candy. Everyone else chuckled, but you know deep down inside they where all thinking it's probably true.

Michelle and I don't really celebrate Valentines day. Not because we think there is a big conspiracy to sell me cards and candy, but because we feel that we don't need a day set aside out of the year to remind us to tell each other we love the other. It also probably has a little to do with time and money as well. Who has time on a monday night to get dressed up and go out. We don't and we don't even have kids yet. No we set aside lots of days through out the year to celebrate our love.

In the West our modern tradition of Valentines day is a hybrid holiday that blends a Christian Feast day with the Roman Festival that honors the goddess Juno. During this Roman festival young men and women would draw names out of a pot and then be partners for the rest of the festival. This would sometime result in the couple getting married and Juno was commonly refered to as the goddess of marriage. The festival of Juno occurred on February 14th. As more and more Romans became Christians old Roman holidays where often replaced by the feasts of important saints. In the West the festival of Juno was replaced by the Feast of Saint Valentine, who was know for performing marriages and is know as the pattron saint of marraige. A seemless transition.

However it is important to note that while Valentines day in the Western Churches replaced the festival of Juno, this is not so in the Eastern Church. To this day the Orthodox Church celebrates the Feast of St. Valentine on July 6th, not February 14th. The feast of St. Valentine does not replace the festival of Juno. Instead the Feast of Saint Valentine is a day in which the Church commemorates the life of a Saint who loved his fellow man and loved God above everything else. Roman and Pagan rites are not apart the feast of Saint Valentine in the east.

Saint Valentine was an Orthodox priest who lived in Rome during the rule of Emperor Claudius II around approximately 270 C.E. During this time it was illegal to be a Christian in the Roman Empire and the Church's sacrament s where often done in secret to protect its members. Being a Christian publicly would often result in torture, death and martyrdom. At this time Valentine became famous for three things.

First, since the Christian sacrament of marriage was illegal to perform Valentine would sneak couples into the catacombs at night a perform the services for the couples.

Second, Saint Valentine would provide aid those being persecuted by the Emperor when they where arrested he would visit them in prison to minister the sacraments and care for them.

The third thing he is know for is sharing of the faith with those who his enemies. When the Emperor found out that Saint Valentine was marrying couples in secret, aiding Christians and visiting them in prison to administer the sacraments he had him arrested. The the Emperor sent his trusted General Asterius to get Valentine to make sacrifice to the Emperor and Roman gods. Valentine refused. Valentine then healed General Asterius daughter's blindness through his prayers to God. As a result of this healing the General and his entire household were baptized into the faith.

This sent the Emperor into a rage and he had the General and his household arrested and put to death. Valentine then tried to convert the Emperor who would have nothing of it. He ordered that Valentine be beat to death with stones and clubs, but when his soldiers where unable to kill him he had him behead. After his martyrdom Saint Valentine was buried outside of Rome near the Flaminian Gate.

So what can we learn from the life of Saint Valentine?

Nothing is more important than love. Just as Valentine loved those in the Church we too should love those in the Church with humility. Just as Valentine loved those who persecuted him we too should extend to our enemies our love to by offering them a hand of forgiveness and compassion. Just as Valentine loved God we too should open our hearts to him that we might enter into a relationship with the Creator of Life.

Saint Valentine points us towards love, a love that points to God and a hope in the resurrection.

Baptism

2011-02-09T20:57:00.000-08:00

This Saturday (2/12/2011) at 2pm Collin, a friend of Craig, is getting his daughter baptized at the church. All the youth, families and members of HTGOC are invited to join them for the service and celebration. The Baxter's will be providing a meal after the service and everyone if invited to stay.

A Big Thanks

2011-02-08T09:06:00.000-08:00

St Irenes wants to thank all the kids who participated in the IOCC Souper Bowl food drive we collected about 200 units of food for the their food shelf. This will be used to help feed families in need of assistance in the community. Once again thank you for all your support and remember you can always bring in food for St. Irene's. +

Last Chance

2011-02-04T09:07:00.000-08:00

Our 2nd annual participation in IOCC's Souper Bowl food drive is drawing to an end. There are still prizes available for the youth who participate in and bring in non perishable foods for St. Irene's. Please bring you food items to the church and leave them under the tables where coffee hour is served and make sure you check in your food items with Craig or Greg.

Super Bowl Sunday 2/6/2010

2011-01-30T21:43:00.000-08:00

The Cooley family is hosting a Superbowl Sunday get together at their home after church next Sunday. Everyone is invited and asked to bring a snack to share.

Sledding Trip 1/30/2011

2011-01-30T13:27:00.000-08:00

On 1/30/2011 we will be going sledding at Service High School after coffee hour. Bring your gear, a sled and a friend. The youth group will be providing hot chocolate for all those who come.