Being Good Stewards of our World, our Church and Each Other 2017 Bulletin.pdf · Being Good...
Transcript of Being Good Stewards of our World, our Church and Each Other 2017 Bulletin.pdf · Being Good...
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Being Good Stewards of our World, our Church and Each Other
VOLUME 26
NUMBER 10
October 2017
Dearest Spiritual Ohana,
The last few months have been a true “wake up”
call for all of us who inhabit the earth. Many tears
have been shed and their has been an immense and
incredible amount of suffering, as recovery from
everything is long, slow and painful!
Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma and
Hurricane Maria left unimaginable
devastation in their paths specifically in
Texas, Florida, the Southern States and
Caribbean Islands. The magnitude 8.0
earthquake in Mexico and continuous
aftershocks brought destruction to that
country’s southern-most part. On top of
all that, the peace of the world is at
stake with the growing disunity and
tension between Nations.
We cannot put the blame on God, Who entrusted
us to be stewards of the earth, each other and all He
has given us. For God has and is and always will
love us! He is a God of Immeasurable Love and
Mercy, unfailingly! What we collectively have done
as human beings is disrupt the natural balance of the
earth through our focus on being “consumers”
rather than “stewards” of it. It is our selfishness and
self-centeredness and lack of love and care that we
find ourselves in the situation we are in. Besides,
we collectively as the world, are relying less and
less on God and are constantly turning away from
Him.
We read in the Gospel of Luke 21:25-26: “And
there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in
the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with
perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring, men’s
hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of
those things which are coming on the earth, for the
powers of the heavens will be shaken.”
“Lord have mercy!” What have we
done?! We have fallen into consuming
the resources of the earth, especially
through our dependence on fossil fuels
and oil. We rely on them to get us from
point “a” to point “b,” through the use
of our vehicles for transportation. Our
phones, gaming devices and gadgets are
replaceable items that are changed
every few years or even sooner! And
guess where the materials of these items
come from? Oil, of course! The main ingredients
of our addictive possessions come from plastics,
which are products of oil. Indeed, we find
ourselves in a physical and spiritual crisis! The
good news is that we can make efforts to reverse the
course of the out-of-control spiral of events and
actions which are taking place. Simple solutions,
but not necessarily easy to carry out, because we
have come to a point that we cannot let go of our
reliance on what we are consuming the earth with
and our constant quest to acquire the latest and the
greatest technology!
(Continued on page 2)
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Our world does not have the choice but to take
drastic measures to reverse the damage already
done. We have to make the move to become, once
again, stewards of the earth rather than consumers
of it. In the physical, tangible world, we have been
steadily depleting the ozone, our protective barrier
in the atmosphere. Our water is becoming more
and more acidic rather than alkaline, making our
water less and less safe to drink and less inhabitable
for the creatures that live in it and for us who rely
on it to sustain life. In our spiritual lives we are
turning away from our reliance in God, and
replacing the need for His Presence with satisfying
our physical needs and pleasures in excess of what
is necessary. To become stewards and caretakers
of the earth and one another we need to make a 180
degree shift, physically and spiritually, making the
movement towards being conscientious, caring,
more selfless and ever more aware of the need for
God’s Presence in our lives.
I found a beautiful quote about our
responsibility and stewardship of the world and one
another:
"Love all God's creation, the whole of it and every
grain of sand. Love every leaf, every ray of God's
light! Love the animals, love the plants, love
everything. If you love everything you will perceive
the divine mystery in things. And once you have
perceived it you will begin to comprehend it
ceaselessly, more and more every day. And you will
at last come to love the whole world with an
abiding universal love. Love the animals: God has
given them the rudiments of thought and untroubled
joy. Do not therefore, trouble it, do not torture
them, do not deprive them of their joy, do not go
a g a i n s t G o d ' s i n t e n t . ”
~Starets Zosima in the novel The Brothers
Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Just as a pebble is cast into the water and
produces “ripples,” let us each make a concerted
effort, in our own special little way, to take care of
one another, protect the environment and earth, and
“commend ourselves and one another and our
whole life to Christ our God.”
With Love in Christ,
+Fr. Alexander
(Continued from page 1)
Shorelines is published Monthly by:
Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox
Cathedral of the Pacific 930 Lunalilo Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96822 Phone : (808) 521-7220
Fax : (808) 523-0429 E-Mail:
[email protected] Parish Web Site:
www.greekorthodoxhawaii.org
Regular Office Hours: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday thru Friday
Rev. Father Alexander M. Leong [email protected]
Church Staff Amanda Jackson - Office Coordinator
[email protected] Erica Jansen - Bookkeeper
2017 Parish Council [email protected]
Maria Naval, President Trish Kiladis, Vice President
Roni Katsikas, Treasurer Christina Dimitrion, Secretary
John Kiladis, Cleopatra Kritikos, Nicholas Kyriakakis,
Dimitri Nicholas & Andrew Tujios.
Sunday School Director Presbytera Nicole Leong
Sunday School Teachers Shawn Chu, Alice Malick, Greg Malick,
Maria Naval, Dimitri Nicholas, &
Katherine Pasieta
Philoptochos Board Anita Akel, President; Anita Higashi, 1st
Vice President; Eres Eddy, 2nd Vice President; Ludmyla Solyar,Treasurer;
Julie Ličina, Recording Secretary; Valentina Varovaya, Corr. Secretary;
Alma Chu, Advisor
Choir-Chanters Orest Saikevych, Music Director
Gregory Malick, Protopsaltis
Parish Ministries Stelio Scordilis, Aloha Youth Choir; T.B.A., Bookstore; Dianna Graves,
Greek Dance Groups; Stelio Scordilis, Greek School; Julie Ličina Web Master;
Anita Higashi, Facebook
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WEEKDAY SERVICES IN OCTOBER
ST. LUKE THE EVANGELIST Wed. 10/18 Orthros/Liturgy 8:30/9:30 am
ST. DEMETRIOS THE GREAT MARTYR Thu. 10/26 Orthros/Liturgy 8:30/9:30 am
MAUI SERVICES Sat. 10/28 Liturgy 10:30 am
Announcements
October Parish Council Teams
10/01 Andy
10/08 Cleo
10/15 Dimitri
10/22 John
10/29 Maria
Please remember in your prayers Dina Giannakopoulos
Paul Kelley
Suzanne Keyser
Julie Licina
Alice Marie Malick
George Missias
John Mitsis
and all those needing our prayers.
LITURGICAL LIFE OF OUR PARISH
Adult Religious Education
“Hot Potatoes Issues”
Led by Dr. Robert Arakaki & Peter Kay
Sundays 12 to 12:45 p.m.
September 24- “Defending the Truthfulness of
Scripture” ~Dr. Robert Arakaki
October 1- “Women’s Ordination and Orthodox
Tradition” ~Dr. Robert Arakaki
October 8- “Orthodox Responses to Atheism”
~Peter Kay
October 15- “Orthodoxy and Ecumenism”
~Dr. Robert Arakaki
————————————————————
T.B.A.- “Understanding the Divine Liturgy” ~Fr.
Alexander Leong
Learn Greek!
Elementary
Thursday 5:30—6:30 PM
Intermediate
Sunday 12:00 –1:00 PM
Advanced
Monday 6:00—8:00 PM
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of
God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
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Share your news! Announcements that you would
like to see in the November
issue of Shorelines should be
submitted to the church office by
October 15th.
Weekly Bulletin announcements
should be submitted by noon on
Thursday for the upcoming
Sunday.
Email:
Call: 521-7220
Or drop by with a copy of your
announcement.
Maui Orthodox Christian
Mission reminds those who
attend services on Maui to visit
www.mauimission.org or call
617-838-7904 to verify services.
or look for other activities that
may be posted.
Our Vision
To be a beacon of Orthodoxy in the Pacific and proclaim the Gospel of Christ to all people in accordance with the Orthodox Faith
Our Mission
To proclaim the Gospel of Christ to all people in accordance with the Orthodox Faith.
To sanctify and minister to the spiritual growth and needs of the faithful through liturgical worship and spiritual programs.
To safeguard and keep the traditions, values, and faith of the Orthodox Church pure and undefiled.
Parish Christmas Card If you wish to be listed on our Parish
Christmas Card, please print your name
below and return to the church office by
December 4th. Please consider including a donation to offset the cost of printing and
postage for the card. MAHALO!
__________________________________________________________________
Please print. Your name will appear as written here.
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Aloha Ss. Constantine & Helen Ohana,
September 17th was the first Sunday School Day. I
took a peek into the classrooms and found that the
rooms were filled with children. What a blessing! I
am thankful for the parents’ support and the
teachers’ dedication.
Here is some information along with coming events
I would like to share: The high school class’ teachers are inviting
young adults to join in the class. (Three young
adults participated in the first lesson. It seemed
both the high school students and the young
adults were interested in the class.) If you are a
young adult, come and check it out!
The Sunday School students are going to sell
baked goods for a charity at the Philoptochos
Rummage Sale on Saturday, October 28.
Please support them! Prior to the Rummage/
Bake Sale, there will be an opportunity for the
youth and their parents to bake some treats with
experienced Philoptochos Ladies on Sunday,
October 22, after the Liturgy. Come and have
fun!
Our Philoptochos Ladies also invite our Sunday
School Families to join in “Making Strides of
Hawaii”, the Breast Cancer Walk, on Saturday,
October 21. If you are interested, please
contact Mrs. Anita Soileau for more details.
I request your continuous prayers for our teachers,
students, parents, me and our entire community
where our children grow with the love of all of their
“uncles” and “aunties.”
If you have any suggestions or questions, please
contact me in person or email me at:
Pres. Nicole, Sunday School Director
2018 Budget
Please email
[email protected] with any suggestions for the budget,
or if you are interested in
being on the committee.
A copy of 2017 budget is posted upstairs.
News from
The Aloha Youth Choir
After a very successful concert at the Greek
Festival, we are pleased to announce that The Aloha Youth Choir will sing the
Divine Liturgy on October 22.
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Social Dimensions of Creation Care
Orthodox theology takes all this a step further and recognizes the natural
creation as inseparable from the identity and destiny of humanity, because
every human action leaves a lasting imprint on the body of the earth. Hu-
man attitudes and behavior toward other people. Ecology is inevitably re-
lated in both its etymology and meaning to economy; our global economy
is simply outgrowing the capacity of our planet to support it. At stake is
not just our ability to live in a sustainable way, but our very survival. Sci-
entists estimate that those most hurt by global warming in years to come
will be those who can least afford it. Therefore, the ecological problem of
pollution is invariably connected to the social problem of poverty; and so
all ecological activity is ultimately measured and properly judged by its
impact and effect upon other people, and especially the poor (see Matthew
25).
On Earth as in Heaven, 139
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Each individual/family is requested to sponsor a coffee hour one Sunday per year.
Sign up on the calendar posted outside the Social Hall or contact Suzanne A. or Frances R.
Instructions/tips for sponsoring a coffee hour are available in a 3-ring binder in a cupboard in the hall.
The Ladies of Philoptochos appreciate
any donations of coffee supplies, including paper supplies to help defray some of the coffee hour expenses.
If you are hesitant to prepare and serve a coffee hour
yourself, consider making a monetary donation.
Please do not bring non-Lenten food including cake & ice cream during fasting periods.
C
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F
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Thank you to our September
Sunday Coffee Hour sponsors!
The Nicholas Family (9/10)
&
The Katsikas Family (9/24)
If you have not hosted a coffee hour this year, please sign up on the calendar posted outside the social hall.
RECYCLE RECYCLE RECYCLE! YES, DANCE GROUP NEEDS YOUR RECYCLABLE DONATIONS! WE ARE GOING TO FDF 2018 IN JANUARY, AND THIS IS ONE OF OUR FUNDRAISERS. SOMEONE SAID TO ME, “DANCE GROUP MUST MAKE A LOT AT GREEK FESTIVAL WITH THE RECYCLABLES!” THE RULE FOR GREEK FESTIVAL IS: NO MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH WILL PROFIT FROM THE FESTIVAL; ALL MONIES GO TO THE CHURCH. THE FDF DANCERS WILL BE PRACTICING AFTER LITURGY. ANY NEW DANCERS WISHING TO JOIN THE DANCE GROUP MUST WAIT UNTIL AFTER FDF IS OVER IN JANUARY. WE TAKE A SMALL BREAK, AND THEN IN
THE SPRING WE START DANCE PRACTICE FOR EVERYONE WHO WISHES TO JOIN AND HAS FILLED OUT A DANCE FORM. WATCH FOR THE SPRING START UP TIME IN THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. THIS IS A PERFORMING GROUP FOR AGES 5 TO ADULT. ANYONE WISHING TO LEARN JUST 3 GREEK DANCES THAT ARE DANCED AT MOST CELEBRATIONS, SEE DIANNA TO SET UP A TIME. SEE DIANNA FOR DANCE FORMS OR ANY QUESTIONS.
Dance Group News
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The Holy Fathers on Prayer
“For what is prayer? Prayer is the raising of the mind and heart to God--for praise and thanksgiving and
beseeching Him for the good things necessary for soul and body. The essence of prayer, then is the mental
ascent to God from the heart. The mind stands in the heart consciously before the face of God and, filled
with proper and necessary reverence, it begins to pour out its heart before Him. This is prayer of the
heart!”
~Bishop Theophan the Recluse - Prayer of the Heart: the duty of those living in the world
“Although prayer is a habitual action for us, it needs preparation. For anyone who knows how to read and
write, what is more usual than reading and writing? Yet if we sit down to read and write we do not do so
suddenly, we first get ourselves into the mood for what we are going to do. This kind of preparation is all
the more necessary before we start to pray, particularly if our occupation immediately beforehand was
very different from prayer.
So, morning or evening, immediately before you begin to repeat your prayers, stand awhile, sit for awhile,
or walk a little and try to steady your mind and turn it away from all worldly activities and objects. After
this, think who He is to whom you turn in prayer, then recollect who you are; who it is who is about to start
this invocation to Him in prayer. Do this in such a way as to awake in your heart a feeling of humility and
reverent awe that your are standing in the presence of God. It is the beginning of prayer, and a good be-
ginning is half the complete task.”
~St. Theophan the Recluse
BROTHER: How ought we to pray before God?
OLD MAN: For the return of sinners, and the finding of the lost, and the bringing near of those who are
afar off, and friendliness towards those who wrong us, and love towards those who persecute us, and a
sorrowful care for those who provoke to wrath; if a man does these things, truly there is repentance in his
mind, and sinners will often live, and their souls be redeemed in life. For the prayer which our Lord deliv-
ered unto us for the need of the body is a word which covereth the whole community, and was not uttered
solely for those who are strangers to the world, and who hold in contempt the pleasures of the body. For he
in whose dwelling the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof are found lacks nothing, even when he
asks not. ~E. A. Wallis Budge, "The Paradise of the Holy Fathers," Seattle, St. Nectarios Press, 1984,
pp. 266-267
We had our first developmental meeting for our prayer group on September 28th. We
discussed our plan and vision for this new ministry. Our first official group meeting
will be on Thursday, October 19th, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Please come and join us
in prayer, as we invoke the All-Holy Spirit to come abide in us and guide us in praying
for ourselves, one another and the world that surrounds us and giving praise to God!