ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΗ ΚΟΙΝΟΤΗΤΑ ΤΩΝ ΤΑΞΙΑΡΧΩΝ TAXIARCHAE/ARCHANGELS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH 25 Bigelow Avenue, Watertown, MA 02472 ♦ 617.924.8182—Phone ♦ 617.924.4124—Fax Rev. Fr. Athanasios Nenes, Parish Priest 914.479.8096—Cell Phone [email protected]—Email MARCH 22, 2015 — SUNDAY OF ST. JOHN CLIMACUS Sunday, March 22—TODAY! Greek School students will celebrate Greek Independence Day immediately following Divine Liturgy Tuesday, March 24—Greek School—4:00 pm Wednesday, March 25—Annunciation of the Theotokos— Orthros/Divine Liturgy—8:30 am Wednesday, March 25—AHEPA Bowling Thursday, March 26—Greek School—4:00 pm Friday, March 27—AHEPA Drop-In (Atrium) Friday, March 27—Akathist Hymn—7:00 pm Saturday, March 28—Greek School—10:00 am Hymns of the Day Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Fourth O Merciful One, You came from on high, and condescended to Your three day burial to save us from suffering. You are our Life and our Resurrection. Glory to You. Ἐξ ὕψους κατῆλθες ὁ εὔσπλαγχνος, ταφὴν καταδέξω τριήμερον, ἵνα ἡμᾶς ἐλευθερώσῃς τῶν παθῶν. Ἡ ζωὴ καὶ ἡ Ἀνάστασις ἡμῶν, Κύριε δόξα σοι. Apolytikion for Sun. of St. John Climacus in the Plagal Fourth Mode With the rivers of your tears, you have made the barren desert fertile. Through sighs of sorrow from deep within you, your labors have borne fruit a hundred-fold. By your miracles you have become a light, shining upon the world. O John, our Holy Father, pray to Christ our God, to save our souls. Ταίς τών δακρύων σου ροαίς, τής ερήμου τό άγονον εγεώργησας, καί τοίς εκ βάθους στεναγμοίς, εις εκατόν τούς πόνους εκαρποφόρησας, καί γέγονας φωστήρ, τή οικουμένη λάμπων τοίς θαύμασι, Ιωάννη Πατήρ ημών, Όσιε, Πρέσβευε Χριστώ τώ Θεώ, σωθήναι τάς ψυχάς ημών.Seasonal Kontakion in Plagal 4th Mode Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Fourth Mode To you, Theotokos, invincible Defender, having been delivered from peril, I, your city, dedicate the victory festival as a thank offering. In your irresistible might, keep me safe from all trials, that I may call out to you: "Hail, unwedded bride!" Τὴ ὑπερμάχω στρατηγῶ τὰ νικητήρια, ὡς λυτρωθεῖσα τῶν δεινῶν εὐχαριστήρια, ἀναγράφω σοὶ ἡ Πόλις σου Θεοτόκε, Ἀλλ' ὡς ἔχουσα τὸ κράτος ἀπροσμάχητον, ἐκ παντοίων μὲ κινδύνων ἐλευθέρωσον, ἵνα κράζω σοί, Χαῖρε νύμφη ἀνύμφευτε. Sunday of St. John Climacus The memory of this Saint is celebrated on March 30, where his biography may be found. He is celebrated today because his book, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, is a sure guide to the ascetic life, written by a great man of prayer experienced in all forms of the monastic polity; it teaches the seeker after salvation how to lay a sound foundation for his struggles, how to detect and war against each of the passions, how to avoid the snares laid by the demons, and how to rise from the rudimental virtues to the heights of Godlike love and humility. It is held in such high esteem that it is universally read in its entirety in monasteries during the Great Fast. Epistle Reading The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 6:13-20 BRETHREN, when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore to himself, saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Men indeed swear by a greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he interposed with an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God should prove false, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. Πρὸς Ἑβραίους 6:13-20 Ἀδελφοί, τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἐπαγγειλάμενος ὁ θεός, ἐπεὶ κατʼ οὐδενὸς εἶχεν μείζονος ὀμόσαι, ὤμοσεν καθʼ ἑαυτοῦ, λέγων, Ἦ μὴν εὐλογῶν εὐλογήσω σε, καὶ πληθύνων πληθυνῶ σε. Καὶ οὕτως μακροθυμήσας ἐπέτυχεν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας. Ἄνθρωποι μὲν γὰρ κατὰ τοῦ μείζονος ὀμνύουσιν, καὶ πάσης αὐτοῖς ἀντιλογίας πέρας εἰς βεβαίωσιν ὁ ὅρκος. Ἐν ᾧ περισσότερον βουλόμενος ὁ θεὸς ἐπιδεῖξαι τοῖς κληρονόμοις τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τὸ ἀμετάθετον τῆς βουλῆς αὐτοῦ, ἐμεσίτευσεν ὅρκῳ, ἵνα διὰ δύο πραγμάτων ἀμεταθέτων, ἐν οἷς ἀδύνατον ψεύσασθαι θεόν, ἰσχυρὰν παράκλησιν ἔχωμεν οἱ καταφυγόντες κρατῆσαι τῆς προκειμένης ἐλπίδος· ἣν ὡς ἄγκυραν ἔχομεν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀσφαλῆ τε καὶ βεβαίαν, καὶ εἰσερχομένην εἰς τὸ ἐσώτερον τοῦ καταπετάσματος· ὅπου πρόδρομος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν εἰσῆλθεν Ἰησοῦς, κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδὲκ ἀρχιερεὺς γενόμενος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise." Gospel Reading Sunday of St. John Climacus Κατὰ Μᾶρκον 9.17-31 The Reading is from Mark 9:17-31 At that time, a man came to Jesus kneeling and saying: "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit; and wherever it seizes him it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able." And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me." And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, "How long has he had this?" And he said, "From childhood. And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us." And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again." And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, "He is dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting." They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would not have any one know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἄνθρωπός τις προσῆλθε τῷ Ἰησοῦ λέγων, διδάσκαλε, ἤνεγκα τὸν υἱόν μου πρός σε, ἔχοντα πνεῦμα ἄλαλον. καὶ ὅπου ἂν αὐτὸν καταλάβῃ, ῥήσσει αὐτόν, καὶ ἀφρίζει καὶ τρίζει τοὺς ὀδόντας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ξηραίνεται· καὶ εἶπον τοῖς μαθηταῖς σου ἵνα αὐτὸ ἐκβάλωσι, καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσαν. ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς αὐτῷ λέγει· ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος, ἕως πότε πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἔσομαι; ἕως πότε ἀνέξομαι ὑμῶν; φέρετε αὐτὸν πρός με. καὶ ἤνεγκαν αὐτὸν πρὸς αὐτόν. καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν εὐθέως τὸ πνεῦμα ἐσπάραξεν αὐτόν, καὶ πεσὼν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐκυλίετο ἀφρίζων. καὶ ἐπηρώτησε τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ· πόσος χρόνος ἐστὶν ὡς τοῦτο γέγονεν αὐτῷ; ὁ δὲ εἶπε· παιδιόθεν. καὶ πολλάκις αὐτὸν καὶ εἰς πῦρ ἔβαλε καὶ εἰς ὕδατα, ἵνα ἀπολέσῃ αὐτόν· ἀλλ᾿ εἴ τι δύνασαι, βοήθησον ἡμῖν σπλαγχνισθεὶς ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς. ὁ δὲ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ τὸ εἰ δύνασαι πιστεῦσαι, πάντα δυνατὰ τῷ πιστεύοντι. καὶ εὐθέως κράξας ὁ πατὴρ τοῦ παιδίου μετὰ δακρύων ἔλεγε· πιστεύω, κύριε· βοήθει μου τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ. ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ὅτι ἐπισυντρέχει ὄχλος, ἐπετίμησε τῷ πνεύματι τῷ ἀκαθάρτῳ λέγων αὐτῷ· τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἄλαλον καὶ κωφόν, ἐγώ σοι ἐπιτάσσω, ἔξελθε ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ μηκέτι εἰσέλθῃς εἰς αὐτόν. καὶ κράξαν καὶ πολλὰ σπαράξαν αὐτὸν ἐξῆλθε, καὶ ἐγένετο ὡσεὶ νεκρός, ὥστε πολλοὺς λέγειν ὅτι ἀπέθανεν. ὁ δὲ ᾿Ιησοῦς κρατήσας αὐτὸν τῆς χειρὸς ἤγειρεν αὐτόν, καὶ ἀνέστη. Καὶ εἰσελθόντα αὐτὸν εἰς οἶκον οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπηρώτων αὐτὸν κατ᾿ ἰδίαν, ὅτι ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἠδυνήθημεν ἐκβαλεῖν αὐτό. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· τοῦτο τὸ γένος ἐν οὐδενὶ δύναται ἐξελθεῖν εἰ μὴ ἐν προσευχῇ καὶ νηστείᾳ. Καὶ ἐκεῖθεν ἐξελθόντες παρεπορεύοντο διὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν ἵνα τις γνῷ· ἐδίδασκε γὰρ τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς ὅτι ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοται εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων, καὶ ἀποκτενοῦσιν αὐτόν, καὶ ἀποκτανθεὶς τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἀναστήσεται. Journey with us through Great Lent by attending the many church services that are taking place! Take the Almsgiving Challenge This Great Lent, we invite you to an intentional practice of the connection between fasting and almsgiving. In the day on which you fast you will taste nothing but bread and water; and having reckoned up the price of the dishes of that day which you intended to have eaten, you will give it to a widow, or an orphan, or to some person in want, and thus you will exhibit humility of mind, so that he who has received benefit from your humility may fill his own soul, and pray for you to the Lord. If you observe fasting, as I have commanded you, your sacrifice will be acceptable to God, and this fasting will be written down; and the service thus performed is noble, and sacred, and acceptable to the Lord. These things, therefore, shall you thus observe with your children, and all your house, and in observing them you will be blessed; and as many as hear these words and observe them shall be blessed; and whatsoever they ask of the Lord they shall receive. From the Shepherd of Hermas, Book III, a second century early Christian text, considered scriptural by many of the church fathers of the time Join the Almsgiving Challenge on Facebook or visit the Almsgiving Challenge page www.everygoodandperfectgift.org/ for updates on how other readers are putting consume less + give more into practice. Email us at [email protected] with details about how you plan to put the Almsgiving Challenge into practice. We’ll share your experience anonymously with our readers. Lenten Reading All available in our Church Bookstore Holy Week—Easter is a book of the Holy The Akathist Hymn—Profound, devotional poem, which sings praises of the Holy Mother and Ever-Virgin Mary which we chant the first five Friday’s during Lent. Week Services. The Lenten Collection was published at the suggestion of His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios of Boston to help guide in the preparation of Lenten meals. The Lenten Covenant is a devotional Commentary on the Lenten Triodion of the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox Study Bible The Lenten Spring is for all Christians who undertake the yearly journey to the blessed Pascha of our Lord will find inspiration and guidance in these meditations. Great Lent—Journey to Pascha examines the meaning of Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, the Prayer of St Ephraim the Syrian, and other neglected or misunderstood treasures of Lenten worship. Journey Through The Great Fast is a book that can serve as a map for our Great Fast journey. Great Lent Unplugged is an antidote to the human propensity to overdo personal spiritual loftiness. It is a book to put the Lenten journey in perspective,. “Let my prayer rise as incense before You . . . And the lifting up of my hands, as an evening sacrifice.” Lenten Pre-Sanctified Liturgies Inter-parish prayer fellowship on the following dates: Wednesday, March 4, 2015 Annunciation Cathedral Chapel, 162 Goddard Ave., Brookline, MA—6 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, 2015 Taxiarchae/Archangels Church, 25 Bigelow Ave., Watertown, MA—6 p.m. Wednesday, April 1, 2015 St. Catherine Church, 119 Common Street, Braintree, MA—6 p.m. Please note: Wednesdays—February 25 and March 11—services will be held at home parishes at 6:00 p.m. F ollowing the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy on these days, the host community will offer a Lenten dinner for all in attendance. An open discussion over dinner on a Lenten theme will also take place. All are invited to join in prayer on these days—young and old alike. Come and join us as we progress through our journey of Great and Holy Lent. Philoptochos Annual Palm Sunday Bake Sale Sunday, April 5, 2015 Homemade tsourekia, Greek desserts, decorated Easter candles, red eggs and much more! Palm Sunday Taxiarchae Family Luncheon Sunday, April 5, 2015 12:30 p.m. Adults: Complete Fish Dinner—$25 per adult Children Under 12: Pasta Dinner—$10 per child Luncheon will be limited to 300 people. We ask that you please pay in advance. Please call Lin in the church office at 617.924.8182 or email [email protected] to make your reservation. EARLY RESERVATIONS ARE RECOMMENDED! Palm Sunday Family Luncheon Reservation Form Name: ________________________________________________________________ Telephone: ( ) _______________________________________________________ Amount of tickets you are buying: Adults: _____ Children: _____ Please complete and return this form, along with your payment, to: Taxiarchae/Archangels, 25 Bigelow Avenue, Watertown, MA 02472. Please make checks payable to: Taxiarchae Greek Orthodox Church Taxiarchae/Archangels Greek Orthodox Church 25 Bigelow Avenue, Watertown, MA 02472 Saturday of Lazarus April 4, 2015 8:45 am—Orthos 9:45 am—Divine Liturgy Followed by: Breakfast, Weaving Palm Crosses, Church Decorating/Cleaning, Confession All JOY, GOYA, Sunday School, Greek School, young adults and the ENTIRE TAXIARCHAE FAMILY are invited to join us on this day! For more information, please call Lin in the church office at 617.924.8182 Taxiarchae/Archangels Greek Orthodox Church 25 Bigelow Avenue, Watertown, MA 02472 Good Friday Youth Retreat April 10, 2015 Grades 1—High School—10:00 am—4:30 pm Pre-School/Kindergarten—Begins at 1:00 pm RETREAT SCHEDULE 9:00 am—Service of the Royal Hours 10:00 am—Registration 10:30 am—Retreat Program (includes lunch) 3:00-4:30 pm—Apokathelosis Service ALL students should be excused from school on this holy day and participate for the entire day. If you need a letter to be excused from school, please contact Lin in the church office at 617.924.8182. PROSPHORO BAKERS NEEDED! The Holy Prosphoro Bakers S aints Spyridon and Nicodemus were monks in the caves of Kievan Pechersk in the 12th century. They led very strict, ascetic lives. They fulfilled their obedience by baking prosphoro (holy bread used for Communion) for thirty years. They did their work with unceasing prayer and singing of Psalms. Once, while St. Spyridon was tending the oven, his mantle caught fire. The fire was put out and the mantle showed no sign of being burned. We have a continuous need for Prosphoro, especially during the Lenten season. Please consider making a regular offering of this holy bread. If you need a recipe or instructions on how to make prosphoro, please call the church office at 617.924.8182. Thank you! SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION 2015 TAXIARCHAE/ARCHANGELS SCHOLARSHIPS Applications are now available for high school seniors and undergraduate students who will/are attending an accredited four-year college or university. Deadline for applying is May 18, 2015. Stop by the church office to pick up an application. For more information, please call 617.924.8182. 2015-2016 UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE NEW YORK – Applications and instructions for three scholarships administered by the Department of Philanthropy of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America are available for awards to be made for the 2015-2016 academic year. The George & Naouma (Gioule) Gioles Scholarship and the Katina John Malta Scholarship are for undergraduate studies, and the Paleologos Scholarship is awarded for graduate work of a non-theological nature. Each of these scholarships was established through generous gifts from dedicated Greek Orthodox Christians who wanted to provide financial assistance towards the education of young people from our Orthodox Christian community. Applications can be accessed by visiting www.goarch.org (scholarships are listed in the ‘SPOTLIGHT’ section on the homepage). For more information, please email [email protected] or call 212-774-0283. The deadline for submitting an application for any of these scholarships is Monday, April 27, 2015. 2015 AHEPA DISTRICT #8 SCHOLARSHIPS Applications are now available to high school seniors or undergraduate college students who will be or are attending an accredited four year college or university; 24 scholarships will be awarded. Deadline for applying is May 1, 2015. For more information, please call Athanasios Vulgaropulos—781.704.7870. DISCOVER HELLENIC COLLEGE Chrysostom Scholarship New! FOUR-YEAR TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS are now being awarded to senior and junior division, 1st, 2nd , and 3rd place finalists in each category (oratory, essay, and poetry) of the St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival, beginning at the parish level and increasing in amount through the national level. Students must matriculate to Hellenic College from high school and be accepted to take advantage of their scholarship. Please see Hellenic College Terms and Conditions for scholarship amounts and more detailed information at: www.hchc.edu/admissions/scholarships ANNOUNCEMENTS WELCOME TO ALL VISITORS: Please join us for fellowship immediately following the Liturgy in the social hall. For those visiting an Orthodox Church, please be aware that Holy Communion is a sign of unity of faith which is only offered to Baptized or Chrismated Orthodox Christians. However, all present are welcome to partake of the Antidoro (blessed bread) which is distributed at the end of the service. MEMORIALS: Today we offer memorial prayers for Elpiniki Tsacogianis (40 days)). May her memory be eternal! Αιωνία η Mνήμη! GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY: TODAY!!! Our Greek School will celebrate Greek Independence Day immediately following the Divine Liturgy in the Metaxas Hall on Sunday, March 22. Our children have prepared a beautiful program of poems and songs. Please join us in celebrating the birth of our Greek Nation in recognition of the sacrifices made for our independence. PARKING: Help us be a good neighbor. When parking at the Watertown Savings Bank, the ATM needs to be accessible to bank patrons, even on Sunday’s! Please be considerate. 2015 TAXIARCHAE/ARCHANGELS SCHOLARSHIPS: Applications are now available for high school seniors and undergraduate students who will/are attending an accredited four-year college or university as a freshman. Complete applicant requirements are listed in the application. Deadline for applying is May 18, 2015. Stop by the church office to pick up an application. PALM SUNDAY PRE-BAKE SALE: Philoptochos has booked the church kitchen for Monday, March 30 and April 2 to bake cookies and whatever else we decide for the Palm Sunday Bake Sale. More details to come. PALM SUNDAY BAKE SALE: Bakers needed for the Palm Sunday Bake Sale on Sunday, April 5. It is a busy time of year for all of us, but please try to bring something for the bake sale. This is our biggest fundraiser! VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Philoptochos is looking for volunteers for Good Friday morning, April 10, to decorate the Kouvouklion, the church, and anything else that needs to be done to prepare for the Resurrection of our Lord. Please call the church office—617.924.8182—if you can help out. LENTEN FOOD DRIVE: The Sunday School will once again sponsor a food drive during Lent. After Liturgy, as you leave the church, Sunday School children will be at the back doors collecting donations. Please also consider dropping off non-perishable food items to the church office. All donations will go to the Holy Resurrection Bulgarian Orthodox Church in Allston to fill the shelves of their food pantry. Thank you for your help. GRECIAN FESTIVAL 2015: We are looking for a festival chairperson! If you know of someone who would be interested, please call the church office at 617.924.8182. Thank you! SPECIAL FUND: The Metropolis of Boston has established a special fund to help the family of Fr. Matthew Baker with expenses they will face immediately as well as in the long-term. Those wishing to contribute may do so by sending a check to: Metropolis of Boston c/o Fr. Matthew Baker Fund 162 Goddard Avenue Brookline, MA 02445 AHEPA SENIORS DROP-IN CENTER: Please stop by on Friday’s from 10 am-1 pm to play tavli (backgammon) in the Atrium. AHEPA BOWLING: Bowling takes place on Wednesdays. For more information, please call Demetri Tsatsarones through the church office—617.924.8182. Reserve now!!! KOINONIA ANNUAL POST-EASTER BBQ BONANZA NIGHT! Thursday, April 16, 2015 6:30 p.m. Village Smokehouse 1 Harvard Street Brookline, MA $25.00/person Seating is limited, so please reserve your spot now! Please note: cash payment will be night of the event at the door! For planning purposes only, please fill out this form and return it to the church office or call 617.924.8182. Name: ________________________________________________________ Address: _______________________________________________________ Best number to reach you at: ( ) _________________________________ How many tickets? __________ at $25 each Please complete and return to: Taxiarchae/Archangels Greek Orthodox Church 25 Bigelow Avenue Watertown, MA 02472 RSVP by Monday, April 13, 2015 * Evening of Fellowship * Fabulous Food * Come and have a good time! * * Evening of Fellowship * Fabulous Food * Come and have a good time! * * Evening of Fellowship * Fabulous Food * Come and have a good time! * * Evening of Fellowship * Fabulous Food * Come and have a good time! * Holy Week and Pascha Decorations Sunday, April 5—Sunday, April 12, 2015 We are still in need of general flower donations to cover the cost of decorations. Please make your donation today. Thank you! Holy week and pascha decorations donation form Name: ______________________________________________________________________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________________________________________ Phone: ______________________________________________________________________________________ Donation Amount: ____________________________________________________________________________ PLEASE MAIL TO: Taxiarchae/Archangels Greek Orthodox Church 25 Bigelow Avenue Watertown, MA 02472