A N N U N C I a T I O N Youth Update 313 TOKAY AVENUE
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MAY EVENTS May 2nd Dyeing of Eggs May 3rd Holy Friday Youth Retreat May 5th PASCHA May 9th Golden Circle May10th MOMS After Church May 17th TNT May 23rd A.R.E. THE RESURRECTION INSIDE THIS OF OUR LORD, GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST ISSUE: May 5 Letter from GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH Fr. Jon OF THE Liturgical Calendar A N N U N C I A T I O N Youth Update 313 TOKAY AVENUE Philoptochos P.O. BOX 578128 News MODESTO, CA 95357 May- parish website: Namedays www.goannunciation.org PARISH E-MAIL: PARISH TELEPHONE: [email protected] (209) 522-7694 Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation 313 Tokay Avenue, Modesto, CA 95350 P.O. Box 578128, Modesto, CA 95357 Weekly Services Office: 209-522-7694 Fax: 209-522-3926 Email: [email protected] Office Hours: Monday-Friday 10:00 a.m.– 5:00 p.m. Saturday Website: www.goannunciation.org Facebook: www.facebook/goannunciation Great Vespers 5:00 p.m. REV. FR. JON MAGOULIAS PARISH PRIEST Sunday Divine Services ANNUNCIATION PARISH COUNCIL 9:00 a.m. MITCHEAL WORD– PRESIDENT KEVIN MOORE JEFF BROWN– VICE PRESIDENT NICK PALLIOS MANOLI RODARAKIS– TREASURER STEVE PALLIOS MARY GAVRILIS– SECRETARY GEORGE SIMVOULAKIS CHRIS CHRISTIE JR. NICK STAVRIANOUDAKIS NICK FAKLIS STAMATIS TSATSARONIS TONY GAVRILIS ELENI VENIERAKIS MICHAEL J. KORDAZAKIS PARISH ORGANIZATIONS ALTAR BOYS GREEK FOOD FESTIVAL MOTHERS OF ORTHODOX MANOLI RODARAKIS JEFF BROWN MINORS DIANE HILLAS CHANTER GREEK SCHOOL SUPERVISOR ANDONIOS TSIRELAS DESPINA RODARAKIS PARISH BOOKSTORE LINDA FOSTINIS CHOIR DIRECTOR G.O.Y.A. PRESIDENT Parish MARKELLA TSATSARONIS MARILENA CONSTANTINOU PARISH WEBSITE Organizations: SPYRIDON BOWREN CHURCH SCHOOL SUPERVISOR H.O.P.E. PRESIDENT Please submit PEGGY MORAITIS ALEXIA MASON PHILOPTOCHOS SOCIETY PRESIDENT your articles, DANCE GROUP PARENTS J.O.Y. PRESIDENT HELEN KATOTAKIS photos and ALIKI ALEXANDER ANDONIA ALEXANDER information by TOTS ‘N’ TODDLERS DYNAMIS CHOIR Y.A.L. COORDINATOR the 15th of LAURA PETRULAKIS DENNA TSATSARONIS CATHERINE JAUREGUY each month for COMMUNITY PROGRAMS inclusion in A.H.E.P.A DAUGHTERS OF PENELOPE SISTERHOOD ELEFTHERIA the next STAMUS COCOLES TINA GIANOPOLOS ARGIE THYMAKIS month’s APOGONI TIS KRITIS LEFKA OREE bulletin. SOPHIA THYMAKIS MICHAEL J. KORDAZAKIS Thank you! OFFICE PERSONNEL Carol Dunn, I.E. Jaureguy & Malina Kokologiannakis Please remember your church in your will! Our young adults cordially and joyfully invite our Parish Family to attend the Resurrection Meal Following the Midnight Liturgy of Pascha in the Very Rev. Emmanuel Papageorge Cultural Center A free will offering will be accepted to support our Young Adult Ministry : Reverend Protopresbyter Jon Magoulias May 2013 Dearly beloved in the Lord: Christ is Risen! The three words comprise the message of the Apostles! These three words are the foundation of our Christian Faith! These three words are the Church! Christ is Risen, the doxology offered by the martyred saints of the Church as they gave their lives confessing the name of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Christ is Risen is the hope and expectation of all those who struggle and exhaust themselves to do God’s Will in the world. The one thing that gives assurance to the righteous and that their cause is just is believing that Christ is Risen! Reverend Protopresbyter Christ is Risen, the greeting of all the faithful who celebrate the new Passover from Jon Magoulias today until the Ascension; the Feast of feasts and the Celebration of celebrations, first and foremost above all the feastdays of the Church. Christ is Risen, the triumphant hymn of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ; the hymn that we sing today and echoes throughout all creation: Christ is Risen from the dead and by His death He has trampled down death and to those in the tombs does He grant life! The hymn of the Resurrection, known by all young and old, is unique and distinct. In the rich hymnology of the Orthodox Church, no other hymn is sung with the music of Christ is Risen! In the same manner, the Resurrection of Christ is the Wonder of wonders, and as such, the Resurrection is set apart from other feastdays of the Church. “...and you shall be witnesses to Me in St. Paul, in the entire 15th chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians, is heavenly Jerusalem, inspired and writes about the Resurrection of our Lord and the resurrection of the dead. The and in all Judea and Resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantees that the dead will rise. “...Christ died...He was buried, Samaria, and to the He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” Holy Scripture directs its end of the earth.” message to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The mystery of God’s divine plan for mankind and the miracles in which He reveals Himself to us are verified in the Holy Gospel and (Acts 1:8) confirmed in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we no longer speak of the dead, but of those who have fallen asleep in the hope of awakening to new life. St. Paul offers his testimony to the Resurrection with complete and unwavering faith by saying: “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep…” If our faith in Jesus Christ is only for this life and our death is the absolute end, then he again states: “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied.” The Resurrection of Jesus Christ, however, is the vision of the Prophets, the sermon of the Apostles, the Faith of the Church, and the message of the Holy Gospel, the joy of the Saints, and the hope of the Righteous, the strength of the Martyrs and the patience of the holy ones, the anticipation of the living and the expectation of those who have fallen asleep. Dearly beloved in the Lord - Christ is Risen! With much love in the Resurrected Christ, Rev. Protopresbyter Jon Magoulias PARISH PRIEST P A S C H A 2013 The Resurrection of our Lord and Savior the Resurrection.” Jesus Christ constitutes the basis and foundation St. Paul writes in his Epistle to the of our faith, as well as, our spiritual life. When Hebrews: “Strive for peace with all men, and reading the writings of St. Paul, the herald of the for the holiness…” (Heb. 12:14). It is a divine Resurrection, we realize the true spiritual peace that is not obtained or gained apart from dimensions of the Resurrection. St. Paul’s entire virtue and sanctification. Peace and holiness life was spent proclaiming the Resurrection. The proceed with each other to purify and cleanse spiritual gifts of God’s love emanated from the the heart. In this way, peace becomes empty tomb. The Resurrection announced the permanent for all people. In addition, the triumph of faith, the annulment of death, the Psalmist writes: “Too long have I had my erasing of sin, the new life in Christ. dwelling among those who hate peace. I am At that time, the Risen Lord brought three for peace” (Psalm 119:6-7). priceless gifts not only to His disciples, but to the All those who accept the Risen Christ as faithful of every age. These gifts are: peace, joy, their Lord and God will receive peace in their and forgiveness. He offers the peace of God hearts. The natural result of peace will bring joy that is superior to all understanding, the peace to the believer. Prior to the Resurrection the that protects our hearts and our senses. The disciples of the Lord were afraid and Risen Lord bestows forgiveness, remission, traumatized. When the Risen Lord came into reconciliation, and fellowship with God. their midst He offered them the salutation of Forgiveness has risen from the tomb preaches peace as recorded by the Evangelist, “Then the St. John Chrysostom. disciples were glad when they saw the “Peace be unto you” is the greeting of our Lord” (John 20:20). When the disciples saw the Risen Lord to the disciples who were hiding and Risen Lord they received the gift of joy, a gift afraid “for fear of the Jews.” Do not allow that would strengthen them throughout their anything to disturb the gift of heavenly peace trials and tribulations. offered in the Resurrection. Do not let fear The third gift that perhaps should be influence you and cause you to lose this divine understood as the first gift is that of forgiveness, gift of peace. Allow the peace of the Risen the forgiveness that comes from the empty Christ to enter your souls and it will become an tomb. The Resurrection bestows on us the unshakeable fortress that will withstand any remission of sins and reconciliation with our obstacle in life. heavenly Father. Let no one mourn that he has The divine peace that is a gift of the fallen again and again; for forgiveness has Resurrection is not false, or deceiving, or risen from the grave (St. John Chrysostom). hypocritical. It is an internal peace impregnable Truly, forgiveness is the first gift because and unassailable by situations that may strive to without forgiveness, peace and joy cannot exist. disrupt it. It is a peace that is experienced with How can the soul be peaceful and joyful if there more than those around us, it is a contentment is a feeling of guilt? It is the forgiveness of God and peace in God and oneself! The saints, along that has risen from the grave lifting the weight with all sincere Christians motivated to live with of sin as if it has wings to release it from the peace from above, are renewed by the grace bondage.