TODAY: February 23, 2014 Judgment Sunday

Sunday of Meatfare St. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna

St. Proterios, Archbishop of Alexandria

SERVICE SCHEDULE: Orthros 9:00AM Divine Liturgy 10:00AM Sunday School 10:00AM

Epistle: I Corinthians 8:8-13; 9:1-2 Page 132 Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46 Page 133 MEMORIALS: Mary Kanas ~ 2 Year PROSFORON OFFERERS: Litsa Anestos & Maria Grigorakakis EPISTLE READER: Panos Tzinoudis ALTAR BOY TEAM: St. Chrysostom NARTHEX DUTY TEAM: Group 2 TODAY’S FELLOWSHIP IS OFFERED BY: Daughters of Penelope

Volume 16 - THE SUNDAY BULLETIN - Issue8

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

808 North Broom Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19806

Telephone: (302) 654-4446, Fax: (302) 654-4204

CHURCH EMAIL: greekorth@holytrinitywilmington.org

Church Office Hours: Monday ~ Friday - 9:00am - 4:30pm

Rev. Fr. Christos Christofidis, Proistamenos

Rev. Nicholas Rafael II, Associate Pastor

HOLY COMMUNION REMINDER

THIS WEEK AT HOLY TRINITY

Tuesday, February 25 NO Girls & Boys Basketball Practice (will resume on Tuesday, March 11th) NO 6:30pm Women’s Bible Study (will resume next Tuesday, March 4th) 6pm Daughters of Penelope (off site @ Bare Essentials) Wednesday, February 26 12:30pm Adult Bible Study 6pm Choir Practice Thursday, February 27 6pm Dance Practice Friday, February 28 11am Orthodoxy 101 5pm Greek School Saturday, March 1 2nd Saturday of Souls 9am Orthros 10am Divine Liturgy 6:30pm Greek School Community Dance Sunday, March 2 Sunday of Cheesefare 9am Orthros 10am Divine Liturgy 1pm Forgiveness Service

This Sunday is called "Meat-fare" because during the week following it a

limited fasting-abstention from meat-is prescribed by the Church. The

Church begins now to 'adjust' us to the great effort which she will expect

from us seven days later. She gradually take us into that effort-knowing our

frailty, foreseeing our spiritual weakness.

The Saturday before Meat-Fare Sunday the Church invites us to pray for all

who have fallen asleep in the hope of resurrection and life eternal. To

understand the meaning of this connection between Great Lent and the

prayer for the dead, one must remember that Christianity is the religion of

LOVE. Christ left with His disciples not a doctrine of individual salvation

but a new commandment" that they love one another," and He added:"by

this they will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." This

is exactly what is meant by the theological statement "we are saved as

individuals in the Church." Love is therefore the foundation, the very life of

the Church which is, in the words of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, the "unity of

faith and love," Sin is always absence of love, and therefore separation,

isolation, war of all against all.

On the Saturday of Souls we ask God to remember those whom we

remember and we remember them because we love them. The following

question naturally arises. If we claim that we love our departed relatives and

friends how come we are absent from these prayer services? This past

Saturday there were only ten souls inside the church. Perhaps more will

come next Saturday or even the one after. We need to understand that it is

truly our love in Christ that keeps them alive because it keeps them in Christ.

The theme of love is the center of Meat Fare Sunday also. When Christ

comes to judge us what will be the criterion of His judgment? The parable

answers: LOVE, not a mere humanitarian concern for abstract justice for the

anonymous 'poor,' but concrete and personal love for the human person, that

God makes me encounter in my life. For this reason Saint Paul says that

"anything done outside of Christ is demonic." Anything done-charity-

without love, is demonic-for God is love.

Fr. Christos’ Message

(Fr. Christos’ Message Continued…)

We need to contemplate of these thoughts exactly the moment the call is

made "Let us love one another that with one mind we may confess, Father,

Son and Holy Spirit, one in essence and undivided." Saint James the

Apostle explains this emphatically in his epistle "What does it profit, my

brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith

save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one

of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do

not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?

Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. You believe that

there is one God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one in essence and

undivided). You do well. Even the demons believe and tremble! But do you

want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? For as the

body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” James

2:14-17, 19, 20, 26. In other words, the correct creed-faith- and the correct

ethical life-works-must be evident in our Christian walk in order to be

called righteous. Saint Maximus the Confessor builds upon the Apostles

words with the following statement "Do not say you are the temple of the

Lord, writes Jeremiah; nor should you say that faith alone in our Lord, can

save you, for this is impossible unless you acquire love for Him through

your works. As for faith by itself,' the devils also believe and tremble."

Philokalia, Vol.II,P.56.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, the Sunday of the Last Judgment is about

Christian Stewardship in its fullest. The Lord Jesus is asking of us to give

of our time, talent and money to the least of His brethren in a very personal

way. The Lord raises the concept of stewardship to its proper theological

level, " Assuredly I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of

these, you did it to me". Love God and your neighbor is as vital for life

eternal as is food, water, and air for sustaining life on earth. Let us then

minister to one another by 'water and the spirit'.

In the name of Jesus

Father Christos

THIS SATURDAY-GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY! ...

GREAT LENT OF PASCHA AND RESURRECTION

Our Lenten season will begin on Monday, March 3. As we enter into this

season of self-denial and renewal, we also think about the Lily—the flower

that we most associate with spring-time. By the Saturday evening,

Resurrection Service, lilies are beautifying our entire Church with their royal

display and fragrance.

Flowers are seen in wreaths for special services: the icon of the Theotokos

is adorned for five Friday evening services of the Salutations, beginning

March 7. On April 13, Palm Sunday evening, a wreath will surround the

icon of our Lord (wreath of the Nymphios). Along with flowers on Holy

Thursday evening, a wreath of red carnations will adorn the Holy Cross.

The lilies will be placed for the Resurrection Service on April 19 and for

Holy Pascha on April 20.

If interested, please make a selection from the following:

Wreaths (5) for the Theotokos at the Service of Salutations: ($40 each):

March 7

March 14

March 21

March 28

April 4

Daffodils for the Veneration of the Cross ($100): March 23

Wreath for Palm Sunday Evening ($40): April 13

Wreath for Holy Cross ($60): Holy Thursday, April 18

Purple mums at base of Cross ($30): Holy Thursday, April 18

Arrangements (2) at Altar Doors ($100): Holy Saturday

Resurrection Service,

April 19 and Holy Pascha, April 20

Lilies $20 each

NOTE:

The Altar Guild will have the

ICON Booth OPEN TODAY,

February 23rd.

Stop by and see the many gifts we have available

for your special occasion!

Serving in February ...

Epistle Readers:

February 2 ~ Stephen Constantinou

February 9 ~ Jamie Kostas

February 16 ~ Yanni Kaliakin

February 23 ~ Panos Tzinoudis

Narthex Duty:

February 2 ~ Group 1

February 9 ~ Group 2

February 16 ~ Group 1

February 23 ~ Group 2

Coffee Hours:

February 2 ~ Philoptochos Luncheon

February 9 ~ Parish Council

February 16~ NO COFFEE HOUR

GOYA Tournament

February 23 ~ Daughters of Penelope

If you or your family would like to sponsor a coffee hour, please call the

church office to arrange it.

If you would like to be added to the list of Prosforon Offerers, please call Loula at the number listed below, or, if at any time you wish to offer the Prosforon without being added to the list, please feel free to bring it in on any Sunday that you wish.

Prosforon Offerers for February

February 2 Katina Galanakis Vasiliki Kromedas February 9 Demetra Lempesis Vickie Karakasidis February 16 Eugenia Zerefos Niki Karaoglanis February 23 Litsa Anestos Maria Grigorakakis If you cannot meet your scheduled date

please contact Loula Kapordelis @ 354-5383

ST. BASIL TEAM

Steven Constantinou, Captain

(302) 925-0209

Theodore Fessaras Constantinos Fournaris

Nicholas Gianelos

Larry Kirifides

Niko Marinis

ST. CHRYSOSTOM TEAM

Panagiotis Tzinoudis, Captain

(610) 459-9019

Chris Coulaloglou

Lazarus Kirifides

Constantine Krikelis

Yianni Zerefos

Markos Zerefos

Holy Trinity Altar Boys 2013-2014

Rev. Fr. Christos Christofidis, Pastor & Rev. Fr. Nick Rafael II, Associate Pastor

When you are scheduled to serve you should be in the Altar Area ready to serve by 9:45AM. The latest you can come into the Altar Area is 10:15AM. Please wear appropriate attire– long pants, shirt, tie, black or brown shoes (NO SHORTS OR GYM SHOES ALLOWED). Your hair must be combed, teeth brushed, and hands washed. When you enter the Altar Area, please have your robe blessed by the priest and then put it on. During the service, please remember that people are watching you. Please do not talk unnecessarily or make unnecessary movements. Listen directly to your Captain, or the priest. Please follow the service with the book provided in the Altar area. When you leave, please hang up your robe in the Altar Boy Closet. If you have any questions, first speak with the Captain. If you need further information, please speak with the Priest.

February 2 & 16 February 9 & 23

"FATHER CHRISTOS' WISH LIST"

From time to time Father Christos will request donations for liturgical items. These requests/donations will help enhance the beauty of the Church Services and also help the Priests serve you better.

Father Christos requests communion wine donations. The only two wines that he uses are, "Keo Saint John Commandaria" from Cyprus or as a second choice, "Manischewitz Concord Grape". If you cannot find the Keo wine in liquor stores the parish office can order it for you. The Manischewitz is sold widely in various size bottles. In the near future a request for donations to buy liturgical books will appear. If any Parishioner wants to make general monetary donations towards the purchase of these books you may begin to do so immediately by mail or in person at the Church office. Thank you. Father Christos.

Festival Preparation underway…

Thanks to the many parishioners who have come out and given

their time and talents in the preparation of the Dolmades for the

Greek Festival, we have completed this task with 166 trays (that

is approx 30,000 Dolmades!!) OPA!! We will start Mousaka

next ~ If you have a few hours to spare come on in and help us

out! We work usually Monday-Friday from 9am to early

afternoon, but we are willing to work at night but you need to

come and sign up for evening shifts before we commit to that.

Days vary so please call the church office to find out what days

we will be working. (654-4446) No experience necessary - we

will teach you all you need to know!!

!!WE NEED YOUR HELP!!