let’s put christ back in christmas! · 2014. 12. 3. · ô the book of christmas on the sunday...
TRANSCRIPT
1
I N S I D E T H I S
I S S U E :
What’s the
Big Deal
2
December
Calendar
3
Stewardship
Page
4
December Ser-
vice Schedule 5
The book of
Christmas
8
December
Saints
9
Community
News
10
The Trophybearer D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4
C H U R C H
S T A F F
Parish Priest/Editor:
Fr. Christodoulos
Margellos
Parish Council Presi-
dent: Mary Rankin
Philoptochos Presi-
dent: Susan Matos
Sunday School Direc-
tor: Dn Paul Speed
Caretaker: Jason
Leon
LET’S PUT CHRIST BACK IN CHRISTMAS!
How many of us remember celebrating our birthdays? We can look at pictures and
videos of ourselves when we were young to remember and see who was there, how
much fun we had, and of course, the presents we received. As toddlers, we all received
the same gifts such as clothes and toys that a child might like. Then, as we grew older,
our birthdays turned into a shopper’s nightmare. I can remember growing up and my
mother asking: “What do you want for your birthday this year?” And, of course, I would
want the latest toy/game or the coolest clothes that were popular at the time.
When it came time to blow out the candles and open the presents, what I asked for
and what I received were almost the same thing. Maybe the color of the shirt was not to
my liking, but the brand name that I wanted was there. The toy or game might not have
been exactly what I asked for, but needless to say I still got that toy. Now, an important
question needs to be asked. What birthday did you celebrate, and while enjoying that
special occasion, did you not receive one gift? What party have you gone to where eve-
ryone is opening gifts on your birthday and at your party? Has this happened? Do you
know if it has ever happened to a friend or relative of yours? I would think not. Then
why does this happen to Christ, our Lord? On December 25th, we will come together
and celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; yet we are the ones who
open all the gifts. We are the ones running around the malls for more than 24 days – es-
pecially the last couple of days before Christmas – trying to find that special gift that
everyone is hoping for. What has happened to the Feast of Christmas? Have we all for-
gotten the real message of what took place in that cave almost 2,000 years ago?
We must remember that the greatest gift was given to us on that day. Christ came
into the world as an infant. And through Him, we would receive the greatest gift of all…
our salvation. He constantly gave when He walked on this Earth. He ultimately gave
Himself up for the salvation of the world, and instead here we are asking each other what
we want for Christmas. Since it is the birth of Christ that we are celebrating and tradi-
tionally we give gifts to the person whose birthday it is; what gift can we present to
Christ, since He has everything, all creation? What can we possibly give Him? The an-
swer is YOU! That’s 100% of YOU!
Give your love for family, neighbor, whoever! Give your love for your Church, for
your fellow parishioners. OUR LOVE is the greatest gift any of us can offer Him, not
only on Christmas Day, but every day we are blessed with. It is OK to continue giving
gifts to others on Christmas Day, but remember that the greatest gift of all is your love.
Love is free! It does not cost a thing.
Fr. Christodoulos
Sun
M
on
Tu
e
Wed
Th
u
Fri
Sat
1
Ro
ck Is
lan
d
Ort
hro
s: 8
:00
a.m
.
Div
ine
Lit
urg
y: 9
:00
a.m
.
2
East
Mo
line
Ort
hro
s: 8
:00
a.m
.
Div
ine
Lit
urg
y: 9
:00
a.m
.
3
East
Mo
line
Ort
hro
s: 8
:00
a.m
.
Div
ine
Lit
urg
y: 9
:00
a.m
.
JOY
5:3
0-7
:00
p.m
.
Re
ligio
us
Ed: 7
:00
p.m
.
4
St. B
arb
ara
& S
t. J
oh
n o
f
Dam
ascu
s
Ro
ck Is
lan
d
Ort
hro
s: 8
:00
a.m
.
Div
ine
Lit
urg
y: 9
:00
a.m
.
5
Sain
t Sa
vvas
th
e S
ancti
fie
d
Ro
ck Is
lan
d
Ort
hro
s: 8
:00
a.m
.
Div
ine
Lit
urg
y: 9
:00
a.m
.
6
Sain
t N
ich
ola
s th
e W
on
-
de
rwo
rke
r
Ro
ck Is
lan
d
Ort
hro
s: 8
:30
a.m
.
Div
ine
Lit
urg
y: 9
:30
a.m
.
7
10
th S
un
day
of
Luke
Ort
hro
s: 8
:30
a.m
.
Div
ine
Lit
urg
y: 1
0:0
0 a
.m.
Sun
day
Sch
oo
l
8
East
Mo
line
Ort
hro
s: 8
:00
a.m
.
Div
ine
Lit
urg
y: 9
:00
a.m
.
Ph
ilop
toch
os
Bak
ing
Day
9
C
on
cep
tio
n o
f th
e Th
e-
oto
kos
East
Mo
line
Ort
hro
s: 8
:00
a.m
.
Div
ine
Lit
urg
y: 9
:00
a.m
.
Ph
ilop
toch
os
pac
kin
g d
ay
10
Ro
ck Is
lan
d
Ort
hro
s: 8
:00
a.m
.
Div
ine
Lit
urg
y: 9
:00
a.m
.
GO
YA
MEE
TIN
G
11
Ro
ck Is
lan
d
Ort
hro
s: 8
:00
a.m
.
Div
ine
Lit
urg
y: 9
:00
a.m
.
12
Sain
t Sp
yrid
on
th
e W
on
-
de
rwo
rke
r
Ro
ck Is
lan
d
Ort
hro
s: 8
:00
a.m
.
Div
ine
Lit
urg
y: 9
:00
a.m
.
13
Ro
ck Is
lan
d
Ort
hro
s: 8
:30
a.m
.
Div
ine
Lit
urg
y: 9
:30
a.m
.
14
11th
Su
nd
ay
of
Luke
Ort
hro
s: 8
:30
a.m
.
Div
ine
Litu
rgy:
10
:00
a.m
.
Sun
da
y Sc
ho
ol
Ph
ilop
toch
os
Ch
rist
mas
Pa
rty
15
Ro
ck Is
lan
d
Ort
hro
s: 8
:00
a.m
.
Div
ine
Lit
urg
y: 9
:00
a.m
.
16
East
Mo
line
Ort
hro
s: 8
:00
a.m
.
Div
ine
Lit
urg
y: 9
:00
a.m
.
17
Sain
t D
ion
ysio
s &
th
e
Pro
ph
et
Dan
iel
Ro
ck Is
lan
d
Ort
hro
s: 8
:00
a.m
.
Div
ine
Lit
urg
y: 9
:00
a.m
.
18
East
Mo
line
Ort
hro
s: 8
:00
a.m
.
Div
ine
Lit
urg
y: 9
:00
a.m
.
19
Ro
ck Is
lan
d
Ort
hro
s: 8
:00
a.m
.
Div
ine
Lit
urg
y: 9
:00
a.m
.
20
East
Mo
line
Ort
hro
s: 8
:30
a.m
.
Div
ine
Lit
urg
y: 9
:30
a.m
.
21
Sun
da
y b
efo
re t
he
Nati
vity
Ort
hro
s: 8
:30
a.m
.
Div
ine
Litu
rgy:
10
:00
a.m
.
Sun
da
y Sc
ho
ol C
hri
stm
as
Pro
gram
GO
YA
CH
RIS
TMA
S C
AR
OLI
NG
22
Sain
t A
nas
tasi
a th
e G
reat
Mar
tyr
Ro
ck Is
lan
d
Ort
hro
s: 8
:00
a.m
.
Div
ine
Lit
urg
y: 9
:00
a.m
.
23
East
Mo
line
Ort
hro
s: 8
:00
a.m
.
Div
ine
Lit
urg
y: 9
:00
a.m
.
24
Eve
of
the
Nati
vity
Ro
yal H
ou
rs:
3:00
p.m
.
Ves
po
ral D
ivin
e
Litu
rgy:
4:3
0 p
.m. W
ith
Mem
o-
25
Nati
vity
of
ou
r Lo
rd
Ort
hro
s: 8
:30
a.m
.
Div
ine
Lit
urg
y: 1
0:0
0 a
.m.
CH
RIS
T IS
BO
RN
!
GLO
RIF
Y H
IM!
26
27
28
Sun
day
aft
er
the
Nati
vity
Ort
hro
s: 8
:30
a.m
.
Div
ine
Lit
urg
y: 1
0:0
0 a
.m.
29
30
31
Gre
at V
esp
ers
for
Sain
t
Bas
il th
e G
reat
Ve
spe
rs: 6
:00
p.m
.
Dece
mbe
r 20
14
4
5
DECEMBER 2014 SERVICE SCHEDULE
Monday, December 1st St. George, Rock Island Orthros: 8:00 a.m.
Divine Liturgy: 9:00 a.m.
Tuesday, December 2nd Assumption, East Moline Orthros: 8:00 a.m.
Divine Liturgy: 9:00 a.m.
Wednesday, December 3rd Assumption, East Moline Orthros: 8:00 a.m.
Divine Liturgy: 9:00 a.m.
Thursday, December 4th St. George, Rock Island Orthros: 8:00 a.m.
Saint Barbara & Saint John of Damascus Divine Liturgy: 9:00 a.m.
Friday, December 5th St. George, Rock Island Orthros: 8:00 a.m.
Saint Savvas the Sanctified Divine Liturgy: 9:00 a.m.
Saturday, December 6th St. George, Rock Island Orthros: 8:30 a.m.
Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Divine Liturgy: 9:30 a.m.
Sunday, December 7th 10th Sunday of Luke Orthros: 8:30 a.m.
Divine Liturgy: 10:00 a.m.
Monday, December 8th Assumption, East Moline Orthros: 8:00 a.m.
Divine Liturgy: 9:00 a.m.
Tuesday, December 9th Assumption, East Moline Orthros: 8:00 a.m.
Conception of the Theotokos Divine Liturgy: 9:00 a.m.
Wednesday, December 10th St. George, Rock Island Orthros: 8:00 a.m.
Divine Liturgy: 9:00 a.m.
Thursday, December 11th St. George, Rock Island Orthros: 8:00 a.m.
Divine Liturgy: 9:00 a.m.
Friday, December 12th St. George, Rock Island Orthros: 8:00 a.m.
Saint Spyridon the Wonderworker Divine Liturgy: 9:00 a.m.
Saturday, December 13th St. George, Rock Island Orthros: 8:30 a.m.
Divine Liturgy: 9:30 a.m.
Sunday, December 14th 11th Sunday of Luke Orthros: 8:30 a.m.
Divine Liturgy: 10:00 a.m.
Monday, December 15th St. George, Rock Island Orthros: 8:00 a.m.
Divine Liturgy: 9:00 a.m.
Tuesday, December 16th Assumption, East Moline Orthros: 8:00 a.m.
Divine Liturgy: 9:00 a.m.
Wednesday, December 17th St. George, Rock Island Orthros: 8:00 a.m.
Saint Dionysios & the Prophet Daniel Divine Liturgy: 9:00 a.m.
Thursday, December 18th Assumption, East Moline Orthros: 8:30 a.m.
Divine Liturgy: 9:30 a.m.
Continued on Page 7
6
December 2014 Parish Council Sunday Duty List
On Sunday, December 7th, 2014 members on duty: (Harry S. Coin, Steve Eckert), Mary Rankin, Mary Kay Eckert.
On Sunday, December 14th, 2014 members on duty: (Angela Spurgetis), Joe Burmeister, Gus Pappas.
On Sunday, December 21st, 2014 members on duty: (Harry G. Coin, Brad Crosson), Tom Bakeris, Mike Patramanis.
On Sunday, December 28th, 2014 members on duty: (Mary Rankin, Mary Kay Eckert), Harry S. Coin, Steve Eckert.
Coffee Hour Hosts for December 2014
On Sunday, December 7th, 2014 Coffee hour will be hosted by: Chris & Nikki Lebessi & Georgia Kalomas.
On Sunday, December 14th, 2014 Coffee hour will be hosted by: Mike & Vickie Patramanis.
On Sunday, December 21st, 2014 Coffee hour will be hosted by: Martha & Marge Stratton.
On Sunday, December 28th, 2014 Coffee hour will be hosted by: Volunteers Needed!
On Sunday, January 4th, 2015 Coffee hour will be hosted by: Diane Whitehead & Elaine Burmeister.
READERS FOR DECEMBER 2014
On Sunday, December 7th, 2014: Alexa Florence
On Sunday December 14th, 2014: Bill Johnson
On Sunday, December 21st, 2014: Michael Pyevich.
On Sunday, December 28th, 2014: Mary Rankin.
On Sunday, January 4th, 2015: Angela Spurgetis
On Sunday, January 11th, 2015: Ethan Kirkpatrick.
On Sunday, January 18th, 2015: Kay Coin
ALTAR BOY SERVICE SCHEDULE FOR DECEMBER 2014
On Sunday, December 7th, 2014: Team 2 Nikolas Jacobs, Alek Jacobs, John T. Jones, John Mott, Michael Pyevich, Ben
Florence, Peter Matos, Ian Matos.
On Sunday, December 14th, 2014: Team 1 Gabriel Florence, Ethan Kirkpatrick, Charlie Cudworth, Andrew Leon,
George Elias, Zach Elias, Gabriel Elias, Tomas Elias.
On Sunday, December 21st, 2014: Team 1 Gabriel Florence, Ethan Kirkpatrick, Charlie Cudworth, Andrew Leon,
George Elias, Zach Elias, Gabriel Elias, Tomas Elias.
On Sunday, December 28th, 2014: Team 2 Nikolas Jacobs, Alek Jacobs, John T. Jones, John Mott, Michael Pyevich, Ben
Florence, Peter Matos, Ian Matos.
On Sunday, January 4th, 2015: Team 1 Gabriel Florence, Ethan Kirkpatrick, Charlie Cudworth, Andrew Leon, George Eli-
as, Zach Elias, Gabriel Elias, Tomas Elias.
7
Friday, December 19th St. George, Rock Island Orthros: 8:00 a.m.
Divine Liturgy
Sunday, December 21st Sunday before the Nativity Orthros: 8:30 a.m.
Divine Liturgy: 10:00 a.m.
Monday, December 22nd St. George, Rock Island Orthros: 8:00 a.m.
Saint Anastasia the Great Martyr Divine Liturgy: 9:00 a.m.
Tuesday, December 23rd Assumption, East Moline Orthros: 8:00 a.m.
Divine Liturgy: 9:00 a.m.
Wednesday, December 24th Royal Hours 3:00 p.m.
Eve of the Nativity 4:30 p.m.
Vesporal Divine Liturgy with Memorial
Thursday, December 25th Nativity of our Lord God & Savior Jesus Christ Orthros: 8:30 a.m.
CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM! Divine Liturgy: 10:00 a.m.
Sunday, December 28th Sunday after the Nativity Orthros: 8:30 a.m.
Divine Liturgy: 10:00 a.m.
Wednesday, December 31st Great Vespers for Saint Basil the Great Great Vespers: 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, January 1st Circumcision of our Lord Orthros: 8:30 a.m.
Saint Basil the Great Divine Liturgy: 9:30 a.m.
Saturday, January 3rd Great Vespers Great Vespers: 5:00 p.m.
Sunday January 4th Sunday before Epiphany Orthros: 8:30 a.m.
Divine Liturgy: 10:00 a.m.
PRAYERS FOR OUR SHUT INS FOR CHRISTMAS I have been approached by some who would like to have a section set aside within our bulletin to notify
our parishioners of those in our community who are sick or in need of prayers once every quarter. If you know
of somebody who should be on this list please contact Fr. Christodoulos at the church office. 309-786-8163
God Bless!
Ted Bagatelas Katherine Karoules
Helen Spurgetis Elaine Froumis
Steve Spurgetis Dianne Elaine Boardman
Janice Smirles Mary Gianulis
Judy Pappas Anne Allen
8
The Book of Christmas
On the Sunday before Christmas we read the genealogy of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ
which details the lineage of our Lord from the great patriarch Abraham to his descendent Joseph the Betrothed.
The Gospel reading is taken from the very first verses of the first chapter of the Book of Matthew. When we
open the New Testament and turn to the first page of the text, these verses from Matthew open our eyes to the
Good News when the Evangelist writes, “The book of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son
of Abraham.”
We often think of Christmas as the beginning of a book—the start of a story. For the Orthodox Church,
however, the Old Testament and the New Testament constitute one book. For the Orthodox Christian, the Old
Testament and the New Testament tell one story. Indeed, the Incarnation according to the flesh of Jesus
Christ—the Word of God who was in the beginning with God—is the fulcrum about which the entire history
of humanity pivots. In the beginning God created the world and fashioned man out of the earth. When humani-
ty went astray, through His Divine Economy, He planned the salvation of the world. All that happens in the
Old Testament, from the moment Adam and Eve were expelled from paradise to the revolt of the Maccabees,
points forward to the moment a small child was born in Bethlehem. Similarly, all that happened after the mo-
ment the angels cried, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” looks back to
that same moment when the Word took flesh and dwelt amongst us.
The saints commemorated in the weeks preceding Christmas present a similar image. When we look at
the feast days for the month of December we see the names of the great prophets of Israel who lived in the
centuries before the birth of Christ—prophets such as Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai and the prophet-
ess Hannah. The entire prophetic witness is one of hope—hope that God would not forsake His people—and
the Birth of Christ was the visible manifestation of that hope. The entire Old Testament narrative is a story
about people searching for God so that they might be rescued from adversity. Noah sought salvation from the
flood, Moses looked for a way that his people could escape bondage, and many others looked for deliverance
from a variety of occupying forces—from the Assyrians to the Romans. The pious and holy among them knew
that God would not forsake them. The righteous among them never lost hope. The ones who believed had their
promise fulfilled in a cave in the smallest of towns of Judah. The Book of Christmas does not begin with the
first verses of the Gospel of Matthew but rather with the first verses of Genesis. The Book of Christmas begins
with humanity going astray and ends with Christ setting us back on the right path. The Book of Christmas be-
gins with Adam shattering the image entrusted to him and ends with Christ restoring that image. The Book of
Christmas begins with a flood of sin and ends with Christ piloting the ark of salvation. The Book of Christmas
begins with mankind bringing about death and ends with Christ bestowing life. The Book of Christmas is in-
deed a long story. The first verse of the first chapter of Matthew tells us as much. Christmas is not simply
about the events written in the first paragraphs of the Gospel narrative, it is about the story of all of humanity.
This Christmas, when we gather with our families in our homes it would be helpful if we pondered how long
and great a story it is. The Book of Christmas is the story of hope. It is the story of salvation. It is the story of
life.
By Fr. Demetrios Tonias & taken for goarch.org
9
Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker: This Saint lived dur-
ing the reign of Saint Constantine the Great, and reposed in 330, As a
young man, he desired to espouse the solitary life. He made a pilgrim-
age to the holy city Jerusalem, where he found a place to withdraw to
devote himself to prayer. It was made known to him, however, that this
was not the will of God for him, but that he should return to his home-
land to be a cause of salvation for many. He returned to Myra, and was
ordained bishop. He became known for his abundant mercy, providing
for the poor and needy, and delivering those who had been unjustly ac-
cused. No less was he known for his zeal for the truth. He was present
at the First Ecumenical Council of the 318 Fathers at Nicaea in 325; up-
on hearing the blasphemies that Arius brazenly uttered against the Son
of God, Saint Nicholas struck him on the face. Since the canons of the
Church forbid the clergy to strike any man at all, his fellow bishops
were in perplexity what disciplinary action was to be taken against this
hierarch whom all revered. In the night our Lord Jesus Christ and our Lady Theotokos appeared to certain of
the bishops, informing them that no action was to be taken against him, since he had acted not out of passion,
but extreme love and piety. The Dismissal Hymn for holy hierarchs, The truth of things hath revealed thee to
thy flock ... was written originally for Saint Nicholas. He is the patron of all travellers, and of sea-farers in par-
ticular; he is one of the best known and best loved Saints of all time.
Saint Spyridon the Wonderworker of Trymithous: Spyridon, the God-
bearing Father of the Church, the great defender of Corfu and the boast of all the Orthodox, had
Cyprus as his homeland. He was simple in manner and humble of heart, and was a shepherd of
sheep. When he was joined to a wife, he begat of her a daughter whom they named Irene. After
his wife's departure from this life, he was appointed Bishop of Trimythus, and thus he became
also a shepherd of rational sheep. When the First Ecumenical Council was assembled in Nicaea,
he also was present, and by means of his most simple words stopped the mouths of the Arians
who were wise in their own conceit. By the divine grace which dwelt in him, he wrought such
great wonders that he received the surname 'Wonderworker." So it is that, having tended his
flock piously and in a manner pleasing to God, he reposed in the Lord about the year 350, leav-
ing to his country his sacred relics as a consolation and source of healing for the faithful.
About the middle of the seventh century, because of the incursions made by the barbari-
ans at that time, his sacred relics were taken to Constantinople, where they remained, being hon-
oured by the emperors themselves. But before the fall of Constantinople, which took place on
May 29, 1453, a certain priest named George Kalokhairetes, the parish priest of the church where the Saint's sacred relics, as well as
those of Saint Theodora the Empress, were kept, took them away on account of the impending peril. Travelling by way of Serbia, he
came as far as Arta in Epirus, a region in Western Greece opposite to the isle of Corfu. From there, while the misfortunes of the
Christian people were increasing with every day, he passed over to Corfu about the year 1460. The relics of Saint Theodora were
given to the people of Corfu; but those of Saint Spyridon remain to this day, according to the rights of inheritance, the most precious
treasure of the priest's own descendants, and they continue to be a staff for the faithful in Orthodoxy, and a supernatural wonder for
those that behold him; for even after the passage of 1,500 years, they have remained incorrupt, and even the flexibility of his flesh
has been preserved. Truly wondrous is God in His Saints! (Ps. 67:3 5)
10
CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM!: On behalf of Fr. Christodoulos & the Parish Council we want to wish everyone a
Very Merry Christmas and may the blessings of our Lord be with you all!
40 DAY LITURGY: Is continuing all the way through Christmas. See enclosed Service Schedule for list of times and loca-
tions of all the services. Also on Christmas Eve we will be having a Special Memorial Service for all the names of the dead
that have been submitted for prayers. May God Bless you during this Nativity Season.
PHILOPTOCHOS CHRISTMAS PARTY: Will be held on Sunday, December 14th at 12:30 p.m. The Event will be held
this year at the Home of Alexa Florence. The cost is $20 and reservations can be made with Kay Coin 309-786-0240. Please
join us for this wonderful event put on every year by our Ladies Philoptochos.
METROPOLIS OPEN HOUSE: Will be held this year on Sunday, December 14th at the Metropolis of Chicago. Everyone
is invited to attend. Fr. Christodoulos will be going and coming back the same day. So anyone interested in joinin Fr. Chris-
todoulos please let him know by contacting the office. He has 3 seats available.
PHILOPTOCHOS BAKLAVA BAKING & PACKAGING DAYS: Our St. George Ladies Philoptochos will be doing the
Baklava baking on Monday, December 8th starting at 9:00 a.m. Then on Tuesday, December 9th they will be packaging all the
Baklava beginning at 9:00 a.m. Anyone who can stop by and help will be greatly appreciated.
PARISH COUNCIL MEETING: Will be on Tuesday, December 9th at 7:00 p.m. in the Green room.
NEW COFFEE HOUR SIGN UP: To make it easier for everyone. Coffee hour hosting will now be available for signing
up. A Calendar will be in the office following Liturgy every week to allow everyone a chance to sign up. Be sure to sign up
early so each family gets the date they want. This also affords some families who have not had an opportunity to be involved
in the past to grab a date. Please take the time to sign up and continue our great fellowship following Liturgy every Sunday.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: Will be off for the Month of December. We will start again in January.
SAINT GEORGE YOUTH NIGHTS: JOY: The next JOY meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 3rd from 5:30
p.m. until 7:00 p.m. We have a wonderful activity planed and will provide snacks for the kids. Please join us for this wonder-
ful ministry of the church. JOY is for children between the ages of 5-11. GOYA: Will be on Wednesday, December 10th
from 6:00—8:00 p.m. We are having it one week earlier then normal due to the High school finals schedule. We will meet at
the church and begin with a small prayer service, then have some snacks and a good discussion and activity. Please come and
Join us for our Youth Ministry nights.
GOYA SERVICE PROJECT: COLLECTING WINTER ITEMS FOR THOSE LESS FORTUNATE: During our
GOYA meeting this past week, the Kids expressed the want to do something for those in need. It came to my attention this
week that Kings Harvest Ministry is in need of winter items to give out to the homeless. With winter setting in early this year
it caught many people off guard and ill prepared to handle the cold. King’s Harvest said they are in dire need to men’s gloves
as for now they have none and given their last pair away this week. They are also taking slightly used or new men’s, women’s
and children’s gloves, scarfs, hats, coats and boots. Anything at all is greatly appreciated. We will have a box set up out in
the hallway by the shopping cart the collects food. Please find it within your hearts to donate what you can.
YOUTH CHRISTMAS CAROLING: Out parish youth once again this year will be going Christmas Caroling to all of our
Shut-Ins and anyone else who requests them to come stop by their homes. We will be leaving following services on Sunday,
December 21st. We ask all our kids to bring some small gifts to give to the shut-ins. Afterwards we will have lunch together
to celebrate a great day of singing and fellowship. Please join us to continue this worth while ministry.
THE NUTCRACKER AT THE ADLER: One of our newest Parishoners Sophia Myers is in the Quad Cities Ballet Compa-
ny and will be performing the Nutcracker at the Adler Theater on December 13th & 14th. Times are 1:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. on
Saturday and 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. Come out an support our fellow Orthodox Christians.
HOSPITAL VISITS: If you or a family member are in the hospital, please call the office. Ever since the change in the pri-
vacy laws, hospitals are reluctant to call churches. Please call us so that we can avoid missing our parishioners in their time of
need.
Community News
11
BOOKSTORE NEWS FOR DECEMBER
“Man cannot live by bread alone.” In addition to the popular mealtime prayer cube offered in the bookstore,
we are now happy to include the friendship prayer cube. These wooden cubes give you six quick prayers for
mealtime or for those we love – roll the dice or choose an appropriate prayer for your needs.
My Orthodox Prayer Book is always available for a thoughtful gift for a friend or family member or your-
self. It is a small book, full of short, simple prayers for every occasion.
Christmas cards, trinkets, and many other books are also available.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Please help me to listen to my friends and treat them with
respect.
WHEN WE COME RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION
There is a special cup which holds the wine that becomes the blood of Christ. We call it the chalice,the cup of salvation. When we kneel during the liturgy,
we pray with the priest that God the Holy Spirit may change the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus. This means that when we come to receive Holy
Communion, Jesus comes to live in us.
What should we do to prepare to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus? We should pray. We should have love in our hearts for all people. We should ask
forgiveness from God and from our parents, brothers, and sisters. Also from anyone we may have hurt. On the morning before going to the Divine Liturgy to receive
Communion we do not eat or drink anything if our health allows, just as one would not spoil his appetite by eating before a special meal, so we sharpen our spiritual
appetite for Christ through such fasting. But we must never allow an overemphasis on fasting to become a wall separating us from Christ Who wishes to come to us in
every liturgy.
When we come before the priest for Holy Communion, our hands should not be in our pockets, but at our sides. We make the sign of the cross, tell the
priest our baptismal name, hold the Communion cloth carefully under our chin, and open our mouth wide. We do not slurp from the spoon, nor should our teeth scrape
on the spoon. After receiving Communion we wipe our lips carefully with the Communion cloth (not on our hand or shirtsleeve), make the sign of the cross, and hand
the Communion cloth to the next person.
We are always careful that we do not allow Communion to fall from the communion spoon or from our lips onto our clothing or to the floor. For this rea-
son we move very slowly toward the chalice and the communion spoon, and we do not pull our head away quickly after receiving. We are careful not to bump the
chalice or the hand of the priest. After receiving Communion, we do not chew gum (or spit), because when we dispose of our gum it may contain particles of Holy
Communion.
Once we have received Communion, we must remember that we have become one with Christ and with all those who received Communion with us. The
same Christ now lives in all of us. We are all living icons of Jesus. It is by loving one another that we love Jesus. After receiving Communion our bodies become holy
chalices. God has come to live in us. His blood now flows through our veins.
Jesus wants to use our hands, which have now become His hands, to help those in need. When we receive Communion, we become members of Christ’s
Body, the Church. This means that Jesus has no eyes but our eyes, no feet but our feet to do His work in the world today. What kind, thoughtful act will you do for
Jesus today.
Portions taken from Let’s Take a Walk Through Our Orthodox Church, and Introducing the Orthodox Church by Anthony M. Coniaris
12
St. George Greek Orthodox Church
2930 31st Ave
Rock Island, IL 61201
Phone: 309-786-8163
Fax: 309-786-8188
Priest Email: [email protected]
Office Email: [email protected]
www.stgeorgeri.il.goarch.org/
The Nativity of our Lord God and Savior Jesus
Christ: The incomprehensible and inexplicable Nativity of Christ came to pass when Herod the
Great was reigning in Judea; the latter was an Ascalonite on his fathers's side and an Idumean on his moth-
er's. He was in every way foreign to the royal line of David; rather, he had received his authority from the
Roman emperors, and had ruled tyrannically over the Jewish people for some thirty-three years. The tribe
of Judah, which had reigned of old, was deprived of its rights and stripped of all rule and authority. Such
was the condition of the Jews when the awaited Messiah was born, and truly thus was fulfilled the prophe-
cy which the Patriarch Jacob had spoken 1,807 years before: "A ruler shall not fail from Judah, nor a prince
from his loins, until there come the things stored up for him; and he is the expectation of the na-
tions" (Gen.49:10).
Thus, our Saviour was born in Bethlehem, a city of Judea, whither Joseph had come from Naza-
reth of Galilee, taking Mary his betrothed, who was great with child, that, according to the decree issued in
those days by the Emperor Augustus, they might be registered in the census of those subject to Rome.
Therefore, when the time came for the Virgin to give birth, and since because of the great multitude there
was no place in the inn, the Virgin's circumstace constrained them to enter a cave which was near Bethle-
hem. Having as shelter a stable of irrational beasts, she gave birth there, and swaddled the Infant and laid Him in the manger (Luke 2:1-7). From this, the
tradition has come down to us that when Christ was born He lay between two animals, an ox and an ass, that the words of the Prophets might be fulfilled:
"Between two living creatures shalt Thou be known" (Abbacum 3:2), and "The ox knoweth his owner and the ass his master's crib" (Esaias 1: 3).
But while the earth gave the new-born Saviour such a humble reception, Heaven on high celebrated majestically His world-saving coming. A
wondrous star, shining with uncommon brightness and following a strange course, led Magi from the East to Bethlehem to worship the new-born King.
Certain shepherds who were in the area of Bethlehem, who kept watch while tending their sheep, were suddenly surrounded by an extraordinary light,
and they saw before them an Angel who proclaimed to them the good tidings of the Lord's joyous Nativity. And straightway, together with this Angel, they
beheld and heard a whole host of the Heavenly Powers praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards
men" (Luke 2:8-14).