The News from St. Nektarios
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THE NEWS FROM ST. NEKTARIOS SAINT NEKTARIOS THE WONDERWORKER A SELECTED ANTHOLOGY FROM HIS COLLECTED WRITINGS SELECTED, EDITED AND TRANSLATED BY FR. PETER A. CHAMBERAS nd who, then, is the one who to understand, once again, that A loves the Lord? The nature of only he loves the Lord God who the one who loves the Lord Jesus also observes His commandments. Christ is defined by the Lord Himself: “He who has my Because God loves those who commandments and keeps them, it love Him, it follows that anyone is he who loves me” (John 14:21). who does not love God is not loved Volume 24, Issue 2 by God. This why it is said, In order to show that only such prayerfully, by St. Paul the Apostle, February 2020 a person is pleasing to God and that one, who may have other gifts that his worship is also pleasing to but who does not have love, Inside this Issue God, the Lord continues becomes like an empty individual immediately to also that sounds confirm the “. .one, who may hollow, like a following: “And he “sounding brass or Focus on our have other gifts but 2 who loves Me will a clanging Community be loved by My who does not have cymbal” (1 Cor. Father, and I will love, becomes like an 13:1). The Lord Making Lent Great for love him and empty individual that Himself said about 3 your Family manifest myself to sounds hollow, like a such people him” (John 14:21). “sounding brass or a something very Epiphany 4 clanging cymbal” austere: “I do not In order to show (1 Cor. 13:1). “ know you” (Matt. the magnitude of 25:12). An Allegro Foundation the grace provided inviolate condition Luncheon & 5 by God to those who love the Lord for someone to practice God- Ambassador reception God, listen to the words with which pleasing worship is the essential He expresses Himself, “If anyone love for our Lord and for our Philoptochos 6 loves Me, he will keep my word; neighbor, for “on these two and Father will love him, and we commandments hang all the Law Young at Heart 7 will come to him and make our and the Prophets” (Matt. 22:37-40). home with him” (John 14:23). Archbishop visits 8 Are you, O Christian, already The Lord also gives us a desirous of pleasing God? Then, Financial Matters 9 description of the one who does examine on a daily basis your not love the Lord God: “He who relationship with God and with your Youth Ministries 10-11 does not love me does not keep neighbor. my words” (John 14:24), leaving us Saints of Our Faith 12 OUR MISSION: St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church is dedicated to the continuation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s ministry of salvation through the proclamation and teaching of the Gospel; through Baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and through loving service to God and to mankind. OUR VISION: The community will provide a loving, caring and welcoming environment where all belong and grow in the faith through worship, service, witness, and fellowship. Daily Readings Focus on our community Celebrations, Milestones, Comfort & Support In our prayers John & Helene Antone Pat Baker KB Terry Balou Perry Beleu Christina Bonderer Helen Bondurant Grant Braswell John Bugg Kathryn Colangelo Pam Copsis Bessie Demas Sofia, Elenie & Evniki Dimou Johanna Dresser Edward Theona Gallis Jennifer & Lisa Hambleton John Holevas Robin & Benny Hunt Nikolitsa Kizinopoulos Effie Koinis Elestheria Koutroumani Mary Longshore Catherine Manthos Demitria, Autium, Destiny & Blake Mathys Jack McCullough Melton family Tish Merrill Christina Nixon Athan & Roselyn Pappas Betty Pappas Jimmy Rogers Rogers family The Daily Readings App on your Glen Smithers Cheryl & Brian Sutherland Paul Tuttle Pete & Effie Vellios mobile device is the easiest way to access the day's Bible FOR THOSE IN SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY readings prescribed by the Helene Carras Buddy Craft Jordan James Dunn Krassimire Ivanov Nicholas Kachulis Lectionary of the Greek Orthodox Michael Constantine Mentavlos Zack Millsaps Matthew Millsaps Amanda Moril Church. The Daily Readings App Danielle Zervakos Nickolopoulos Anton Savin also lets you read the lives of the saints or lookup fasting guidelines Congratulations and best wishes for each day right on your device. To Danielle and Daniel Monroe on the baptism of their daughter, Georgia Katherine To Holli and Dimitrios Arethas on the birth of Thea’s brother, John Evangelos Developed by the Greek To Rachel and Nathan Pierce on their Orthodox wedding Orthodox To Conner Higgins on his Chrismation Archdiocese Department of With Sympathy on the passing Internet Ministries, there is no better way to carry the Church's of our beloved brothers and sisters in Christ prescribed Scripture and To the Swanson family on the passing of Maria’s mother, Sylvia Aftonomos in December devotional reading with you at all To the Solomon, Gilbert and Gorman families on the passing of their mother, Madeleine Solomon times. The Daily Readings App To the Korolos and Botros families on the passing of Heather’s father, Dr. Said Botros follows the typicon and lectionary The card below is from Unity of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. In Appreciation Presbyterian Church and was kindly sent Thanks to Diane Gilbert and Copycat for to us at the time Available Platforms: printing the Church Bulletin and of the sanctuary fire. Available Platforms: Newsletter. Apple iOS (iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch) Android [email protected] Windows Phone Amazon Appstore (including Kindle Fire) Go to —https:// www.goarch.org/-/daily-reading-app For Downloadable resources on Lent, visit: https://www.goarch.org/en/lent/resources 2 Making Lent Great for your family reat Lent is like . this incredible year . Fasting is not just about food, but have not mentioned many of the other G banquet feast for our souls to learn, also about healing our souls. It is a 'dishes' available like confession, indulge, and devour. We have a tremendous challenge for us today, but like any forgiveness, almsgiving, reading the spread of services, traditions, rituals, sacrifices we make in faith, God's blessings scriptures, pilgrimages, reading the lives prayers, hymns, and guidelines for that come from it are uncountable. of the Saints, or memorizing scripture or preparing for Christ's resurrection. How can prayers. The banquet is set for us to MAKE A COMMITMENT TO FAMILY PRAYER we make Lent great for our kids and our partake as much as we desire. AT HOME DURING LENT. families? Well, it is as simple, and as Kids are more likely to feel at home at MAKE A COMMITMENT TO A CHURCH challenging, as learning to indulge church if their home feels more like a SCHEDULE DURING LENT. ourselves in the Lenten buffet that God church . Lent is a great time to build your During Lent, the Church offers more offers to nourish our souls. family icon corner, or come together before opportunities for us to come together in Lent is a time that we are invited to change your icon corner in prayer. Lent is a time to prayer. When we make any efforts to re- our lifestyle in preparation for Easter. Like consider coming together as a family before orient our lives towards God, we will be anything else in life, the more we the icons instead of before the television . challenged. The Church knows this and understand what is happening, the more we Consider specifically incorporating the provides opportunities for us to strengthen indulge in the banquet, the more we will Lenten Prayer of Saint Ephraim as a family. ourselves for this effort through prayer. The experience God's healing presence in our [Daily] . when everyone is together, church services are for us to be lives . I will highlight three of the dishes gather at the family icon corner and say the encouraged and strengthened . Decide that families can partake in, as a way of prayer all together. as a family what your church service connecting to the banquet ourselves and schedule will be . Planning in advance O Lord and Master of my life, give me teaching our children to partake. Notice the not the spirit of sloth, that you will go to [Monday Compline], first connection though. The most effective faintheartedness, lust for power, or Wednesday night Pre-Sanctified service, or way to teach our children the joy of the idle talk. (prostration) Friday night Salutations service, . is a But grant me, your servant, the spirit liturgical life of the Church is to embrace it of moderation, humility, patience, commitment towards heavenly rewards of in our own lives. and love. (prostration) peace and healing. Planning ahead what Yes, O Lord and King, grant me to see services you will commit to is a way of MAKE A COMMITMENT ON HOW YOU WILL my own faults and not to judge my setting our family's Lenten journey within FAST DURING LENT. brothers and sisters. For you are blessed to the ages of ages. Amen the life of the parish; right where it belongs. As Orthodox we fast from food to be able to (prostration) fast from sin. And it is our sin that keeps us After each verse, do a full prostration, or The goal or purpose of Lent is not to fast or from experiencing God fully. This bow, in front of the icon of Christ. This is pray. The goal of Lent is to experience God connection between how we eat and how the same prostration the Priest does at the directly. Helping our kids “get more out of we sin is what the Fathers of the Church are beginning of services.