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“THE PROTOMARTYR”
WEEKLY BULLETIN OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH OF ST. STEPHEN
away. Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go
out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to
maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the
word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.
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SERVICES & EVENTS THIS WEEK
Oct. 19, 2014 – 19th Sunday after Pentecost – Tone 2
Holy Prophet Joel
2 Corinthians 11:31-12:9 (Epistle)
The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am
not lying. In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of
the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; but I was let down in a basket
through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands. It is doubtless not
profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: I know a
man in Christ who fourteen years ago – whether in the body I do not know, or
whether out of the body I do not know, God knows – such a one was caught up to the
third heaven. And I know such a man – whether in the body or out of the body I do
not know, God knows – how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible
words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one I will boast; yet of
myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. For though I might desire to boast, I
will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of
me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. And lest I should be exalted above
measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a
messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this
thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to
me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ
may rest upon me.
Luke 8:5-15 (Gospel)
A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it
was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. Some fell on rock; and as
soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. And some fell among
thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. But others fell on good ground,
sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold. When He had said these things He cried,
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Then His disciples asked Him, saying, “What
does this parable mean?” And He said, “To you it has been given to know the
mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that ‘Seeing
they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.’ Now the parable is this: The
seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil
comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be
saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with
joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall
Oct. 18, Saturday
Slavonic Divine Liturgy
Great Vespers
10:00 a.m.
5:00 p.m.
Oct. 19, Sunday
Hours
Divine Liturgy
Church School follows
9:10 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
Oct. 23, Thursday
Seniors at Willow Tree Café
11:00 a.m.
Feeding Homeless at St George
5:00 p.m.
Oct. 24, Friday
Oct. 25, Saturday
Movie Night
Great Vespers
4:00 p.m.
5:00 p.m.
Oct. 26, Sunday
Hours
Divine Liturgy
Church School follows
9:10 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
to all our visitors and guests who have participated in
our celebration of the Divine Liturgy this morning!
While Holy Communion may only be received by
prepared Orthodox Christians, our non-Orthodox
guests are welcome to join us in venerating the Cross
and receiving blessed bread at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy. We
invite all of our guests to join us for our Fellowship Hour and to visit our
Bookstore.
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REMINDERS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
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Last week’s financials unavailable.
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The Senior Group is planning a luncheon on Oct. 23,
2014. Plans are to go to Hollerbach’s Willow Tree
Café for “October Fest”. The menu has an assortment
of sausages, appetizers, sandwiches, salads, desserts, not
to mention the many selections of beer. We plan to meet
there at 11am. Please RSVP by Monday, the 20th so I
can make reservations. You can email me at
ronjfetz@yahoo.com or call 407-831-1512 and leave a
message.
Directions to Willow Tree going North on 17-92 turn right on First Street, go
through one traffic signal, restaurant on right just past the stop sign.
Hollerbach’s Willow Tree Café, 205 East First Street, Sanford, FL 32771
Phone 407-878-4942
If you are coming from I-4, get off at SR 46 exit and go East. Continue
straight at 17-92, go through One traffic signal, Restaurant on right, after stop
sign. Parking lot at the corner of Palmetto and First Street. (Palmetto is first
street past Restaurant) You may also go on their website to check menu,
www.willowtreecafe.com Anyone is welcome to join us, it should be a fun
lunch.
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Movie Night as St. Stephen’s: We will meet on Saturday
October 25th at the church at 4pm, take a break for
Vespers at 5 and be done by 8pm.
We are grateful for all the support, love, and
prayers from our brothers and sisters at St.
Stephen’s over the years, and thank you for
your continued support.
With love in Christ,
Monk James
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The Ephraim Project's monthly pan-Orthodox feeding of the
homeless will take place on Friday, Oct. 24, at St. George Orthodox
Church. The meal is being prepared at First Alliance, but we are
needed to help serve the food. The meal is served at 5:30 p.m., but
please plan to come earlier to help set up. Please see
Anne van den Berg if you would like to help. Anyone is
also welcome to serve other Friday's at 5 pm.
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Ephraim Project needs toiletries to distribute to the homeless.
We are also collecting underwear for men and women as well as
men's work socks. There is a container for donations in the
narthex.
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PRAYER REQUESTS
Please keep Sue Mamula in your prayers. She will be having surgery on Oct. 22nd
for a hysterectomy with her ovaries removed. She has some cysts on her ovaries
requiring surgery and analysis. Please pray that the cysts are benign requiring no
further treatment, and that she recovers well from her surgery. Sue and Mark were
active members of St. Stephen's for seven years prior to their job relocation. Sue and
Mark were choir members, Sue worked with the ladies group on the church
cookbook, and Mark was our parish council warden. Thank you for your prayers for
Sue.
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PRAYERS FOR THE HEALTH & SALVATION OF THOSE IN NEED
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NEWS FROM SS. COSMAS AND DAMIAN COMMUNITY:
It’s that time of year again! The monks are launching our
annual fund raiser to benefit St Francis House, our outreach
to homeless men with HIV/AIDS.
The delicious Terry Lynn nuts, candies, and goodies (often
heart healthy) are available two ways: some as cash and carry
and the rest as advance orders. Both Marilyn and Mary Kay
have catalogs for you to browse and will be happy to take
orders.
Ar.Bp. Nikon, Pr. Alexander Jasiukowicz, Monk James, Stacy (Tonjes), George Russell,
Jennifer Oliver, Mardi (Santos), Lila (Concelman), Ludmilla (Lubov), Deonisy
(Lubov), Fydor (Murphy), Stoyanka Russell, infant Nadia Reese, Leona Vaughn,
Mary Jean Zarick, Gwendolyn Hansen, Lavinia Welch, Martha Serpa, Jason
(Reudelhuber), David Higginbotham, Anatoly Yatjenko, Dee Elser, Betty Kemp, Katya
Belaya.
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PRAYERS FOR THE NEWLY DEPARTED: MEMORY ETERNAL!
Maureen Hickman, Ronald Williams, Joy Atkinson, Silas Hays.
Please let Father know if there is anyone you would like to have prayed for and added to
these lists. Please use these lists in your daily prayers to remember those in need, and
the faithful departed.
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BIRTHDAYS OCT. 19 – OCT. 25
20th
20th
20th
James Cowgill
Alexander Meinhardt
Vladimir Solonari
22nd
22nd
22nd
22nd
25th
25th
Erin Concelman
MaryKay Chester
Julie Dimas
Angela Poupart
Mary Jane Allegro
Dr. Dimitry Palceski
24th
Ronnie & Alison Marsh
ANNIVERSARIES OCT. 19 – OCT. 25
MAY GOD GRANT THEM MANY YEARS!
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Holy Prophet Joel - Celebrated Oct. 19
Joel is second in the line of the minor prophets. St. Joel
was the son of Phanuel, from the tribe of Reuben. He lived
eight hundred years before Christ. Joel prophesied the
misfortunes of the people of Israel, and the Babylonian
Captivity because of the sins they had committed in the
sight of God. He called the people to fasting and the
priests to tearful penitential prayer, that God would have
mercy on them: Sanctify ye a fast … and cry unto the
Lord (Joel 1:14); Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord,
weep between the porch and the altar (Joel 2:17). Joel also foretold the Descent of
the Spirit of God upon the apostles and the pouring out of the grace of the Spirit of
God upon all Christians: Then afterward I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh
(Joel 2:28). He prophesied and described the Dread Judgment of God, and also
prophesied the glory of God's Holy Church.
The Prologue from Ohrid
© Serbian Orthodox Church Diocese of Western America
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Holy Great
Great--martyr Artemius - Celebrated Oct. 20
This glorious saint was an Egyptian by birth and the chief
commander under Emperor Constantine the Great. When the
victorious Cross, surrounded by stars, appeared to Emperor
Constantine, Artemius also saw that Cross, believed in the
Lord Christ and was baptized. Later, during the reign of
Emperor Constantius, this emperor sent him to Greece to
remove the relics of St. Andrew from Patras and St. Luke
from Thebes, and to take them to Constantinople. Commander
Artemius carried this out with joy. After that, Artemius was
appointed as augustalis and imperial prefect in Egypt. He remained in this position
during the reign of Constantius, and for a period of time under Emperor Julian the
Apostate. When the apostate emperor went to war against the Persians, he came
through Antioch and commanded Artemius to come to Antioch with his army.
Artemius came. Then the emperor subjected two Christian priests, Eugenius and
Macarius, to torture. Seeing this, Artemius became greatly disturbed and, facing the
emperor, said: ``Why, O Emperor, why do you inhumanly torture these innocent
and dedicated men of God, and why do you force them to renounce the Orthodox
Faith?'' Artemius continued, prophesying: ``Your death is near.'' The enraged
emperor sent those two honorable priests into exile to Arabia, where they died
shortly thereafter. He then stripped Commander Artemius of his military rank and
ordered him to be flogged and torn asunder. Thoroughly wounded and bloodied,
Artemius was thrown into prison, where the Lord Jesus Christ Himself appeared to
him, and healed and comforted him. Then the emperor commanded that he be
spread out on a stone, and that another heavy stone be placed upon him, so that his
body would be smashed flat as a board. Finally, St. Artemius was beheaded. It was
the year 362. Emperor Julian went out against the Persians and perished
dishonorably, as St. Artemius had foretold.
The Prologue from Ohrid
© Serbian Orthodox Church Diocese of Western America
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Holy Apostle James, Brother of the Lord – Celebrated Oct. 23
James is called the Lord's brother because he was the son of the
righteous Joseph, the betrothed of the Most-holy Theotokos.
When the righteous Joseph was near death, he divided his estate
among his sons, and wanted to leave a portion to the Lord Jesus,
the son of the Most-holy Virgin, but all the other brothers
opposed this, not regarding Jesus as their brother. James greatly
loved Jesus and declared that he would include Jesus in his
share. That is why he is called the Lord's brother. From the
beginning, James was devoted to the Lord Jesus. According to tradition, he traveled
to Egypt with the Most-holy Virgin and Joseph, when Herod sought to slay the
newborn King. Later, as soon as he heard Christ's teaching, James lived by it. It is
said of him that he never ate fat or oil, but lived on just bread and water, and was a
virgin to the end of his life on earth. He often kept vigil at night and prayed to God.
The Lord numbered him among His Seventy Apostles. Following His glorious
Resurrection, the Lord appeared to him especially, as the Apostle Paul testifies (I
Corinthians 15:7). He was Bishop of Jerusalem for thirty years and zealously
governed the Church of God. At the instruction of the Lord, James compiled the
first Liturgy, which seemed very long for later Christians, and St. Basil and St. John
Chrysostom shortened it. He converted many Jews and Greeks to the Christian
Faith, and even the unbelieving Jews were amazed at his righteousness, referring to
him as ``James the Just.'' When Ananias became High Priest, he and other Jewish
elders determined to kill James for being a preacher of Christ. Once, during the feast
of Passover, when many people had gathered in Jerusalem, the elders forced James
to climb onto the roof of the Temple, and tried to make him speak against Christ. He
climbed up and spoke to the people of Christ as the Son of God and the true
Messiah, of His Resurrection and His eternal glory in the heavens. The infuriated
priests and elders pushed him off the roof; he fell and was severely injured, but was
still alive. Then, one man ran up and struck him on the head with a fuller's club with
such force that his brains spilled out. Thus, this most glorious apostle of Christ died
a martyr's death, and went to live eternally in the Kingdom of his Lord. James was
sixty-six years old when he suffered for Christ.
The Prologue from Ohrid
© Serbian Orthodox Church Diocese of Western America
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Give Me a Word: Book Review
In a New York Times opinion piece earlier this year,
Arthur C. Brooks wrote about what constitutes true
happiness. He concluded that our society does us a
disservice by encouraging us to seek luxury and
wealth, to look for physical pleasure with numerous
partners, and to strive for fame or even the fleeting
celebrity of a reality show. These things, he stated, do
not bring happiness.
Brooks offered a simple formula for happiness: rather than
love things and use people, we can love people and use
things. Among his closing words are these: "Of course you are driven to
seek admiration, splendor and physical license...Declaring war on these
destructive impulses is not about asceticism or Puritanism. It is about being
a prudent person who seeks to avoid unnecessary suffering."
Abba Poemen
"There is no greater love to be found than
for somebody to lay down his life for his
neighbor" (Jn 13:15) Abba Poemen taught that
"if someone is being browbeaten and bears it
without paying [his adversary] back, such a
person is laying down his life for his neighbor."
Desert ascetics could overdo it. Abba Sisoes, attempting to conquer the
need for sleep, suspended himself from the precipice of Petra. An angel
promptly detached him and forebade him to do or suggest to anyone else
ever to do such a thing. Over-zealousness is a dangerous temptation.
A glossary, good notes, and a wealth of stories make this book rewarding
for any reader
This weekly bulletin insert complements the curriculum published by the Department of
Christian Education of the Orthodox Church in America. This and many other Christian
Education resources are available at http://dce.oca.
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The phrase "declaring war on these destructive impulses" will strike a chord
with anyone who has read sayings of the desert fathers and mothers—
people who set out deliberately to fight that very war head on. Brooks'
statement that the war is "not about asceticism" reminds us that the desert
dwellers, who were indeed ascetics, are not the only ones called to the
war—it is for all human beings to engage in.
"Give Me a Word: The Alphabetical Sayings of the Desert Fathers" (St.
Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2014) is a collection of sayings (in alphabetical
order according to the Greek alphabet) from desert-dwelling fathers and
mothers. It offers the reader "some impression of the amazing life and
sound teachings of those pioneers who abandoned 'the world' to live with
Christ in the wilderness..." as the translator John Wortley writes in his helpful
introduction.
The sayings offer many insights. One story gives a helpful way of thinking
about a well-known passage, "There is no greater love to be found than for
somebody to lay down his life for his neighbor" (Jn 13:15) Abba Poemen
taught that "if someone is being browbeaten and bears it without paying [his
adversary] back, such a person is laying down his life for his neighbor."
We may not all get the chance to "lay down our lives" literally for another
person, but the forebearance described by Poemen is something we can
practice.
Sometimes desert dwellers didn't know their own power. Amma Sarah, while
out walking, leaped over a stream. A passing stranger laughed at this, and
she, not knowing God's grace had come upon her, said, "Be quiet, you are
going to burst."
When she turned, she saw the stranger's intestines spilling out. She fearfully
prayed, "My Jesus, bring him back to life and I will never say such a thing
again." We really do need to be careful about asking God for things.
Please contact Fr. Daniel Hickman for all pastoral issues, hospital visits,
emergencies, etc. Please keep him abreast of any issues that come up.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Orthodox Church of St. Stephen the Protomartyr
Orthodox Church in America, Diocese of the South
1895 Lake Emma Road, Longwood, FL 32750
Phone: 407-260-6003
Website: www.ststephenoca.com
Mail Address:
Orthodox Church of St Stephen
P.O. Box 950209
Lake Mary, FL 32795
Priest: Fr. Daniel Hickman
Cell Number 407-388-4241
Email: frdaniel@ststephenoca.com
Deacon: Fr. Protodeacon Michael Malanowski
Home Number 386-626-9232
Cell Number
386-848-5301
Email: deacon@ststephenoca.com