TULSA, OKLAHOMA JANUARY 2015

The Light is published monthly by the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church • P.O. Box 1491 • Tulsa, OK 74101

In any adult conversationabout religion, we often hearpeople make the commentthat the church is losing itsyoung people. I often wonderexactly what people mean bythis statement. It seems to methat people do not usually ex-pect that it will be taken liter-ally, but rather intend to ex-press the conviction that some-how the church has failed toappeal to young people.

The truth of the matter is thatthe church has no young peo-ple to lose. God has entrustedchildren to the care and nur-ture of their parents, and notthe church. St. Paul places theresponsibility for children ex-actly where it belongs when he writes to the Christians inEphesus, "Parents, do not treatyour children in such a way asto make them angry. Instead,raise them with Christian disci-pline and instruction." (6:4).Solomon, in his wisdom, ad-vised us to "Teach a child howhe should live while he is

young, and he will rememberit all of his life." (Proverbs 22:6).

It is not the responsibility ofthe church to decide at whathour your teen must be in. Itis not the priest who tells yourchild what TV program hemay watch. The church doesnot choose the friends yourchildren bring home and playwith at school. If you do notcome to church as a family onSunday, the best and mostenthusiastic Church Schoolteacher is of no use to yourchild. No church can teach achild to pray in a meaningfulway, when that child comesfrom a home that is barren ofprayer and faith in God.

It is not the job of church orschool to give children a senseof values and moral direction.It is the job of the parents towhom they belong. The gift offaith is not acquired in a sixtyminute Church School lessonor a youth program activity.Rather it is the result of careful

nurture, living example, andfaithful living on the part ofconcerned and devoted par-ents. It is true that every daychildren are lost. But it isimportant that we place theblame for this tragedy exactlywhere it belongs!

HAS THE CHURCH LOST ITS YOUNG PEOPLE?

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BestWishesThoughts and continued prayers for:

Dortha McCullen

Chuck Kingsley

Angie Petros

Jim Economou

Regina and CharlesSamuels

STEWARDSHIP MESSAGEOrthodox Christian Stewardship is a way of life,which acknowledges accountability, reverence, andresponsibility before God. A primary goal ofStewardship is to promote spiritual growth andstrengthen faith. Becoming a Steward begins whenwe believe in God, to whom we give our love, loyal-ty and trust and act on those beliefs. As Stewards,we affirm that every aspect of our lives comes as agift from Him. Stewardship calls on the faithful tocheerfully offer back to God a portion of the giftswith which they have been blessed.

An Orthodox Christian Steward is an active partici-pant in the life of the Church. The parish encouragesall who accept the Orthodox Faith to become practic-ing Stewards. Each year the Steward is expected tocarefully review his or her personal circumstancesand make a commitment of time, talent, and treasureto support the Parish and her Ministries, which inturn support the National Ministries of ourArchdiocese, Metropolises, and institutions.

In Oriented Leadership their book on OrthodoxChristian leadership, Williams and McKibben definestewardship as the call of the faithful to share willing-ly the gifts that God has bestowed on them, includ-ing sharing these gifts for God’s work. Stewardship isdevotion and service to God and His Church as per-sons, as families, as a Parish, as a Metropolis, as aNational Church, and as the Church Universal.Stewardship is our active commitment to use ALLour time, talent and treasure for the benefit ofhumankind in grateful acknowledgement of Christ’sredeeming love.

StewardshipStewardship

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House BlessingThose who wish to have the priest come to your home to bless it with Holy Water following

Epiphany on January 6th need to fill out this form and return it to the parish office.

Name

Address

City & Zip Code

Telephone

Check all that apply:

Preferences: ❏ Morning ❏ Afternoon ❏ Evening

❏ Weekend ❏ Monday ❏ Tuesday ❏ Wednesday ❏ Thursday ❏ Friday

You will receive a call to set up an appointment in advance.

JANUARY 2015

MONDAY Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Circumcision of the

Lord Prosf: T Boyaci

2 3 Vespers 5:30 pm

4 Sunday before Epiphany

Prosf: C Christ Altar: 4 Coffee Hour: Philoptochos

5 Paramony of

Theophany Prosf: T Boone

Great Vespers 5:30

6 Holy Epiphany

Prosf: T Boyaci

Bible Study 7 pm

7 Synaxis of John the

Forerunner Prosf: Athena Michalopulos

Orthodoxy 101 7 pm

8

9 10 Vespers 5:30 pm

11 Sunday after Epiphany Prosf: P Mihos Altar: 1 Coffee Hour: Megali Ellas Philoptochos Vasilopeta

12 Parish Council 6 pm

13 Bible Study 7 pm

14 Orthodoxy 101 7 pm

15

16

17 St. Anthony

Prosf: D Pormeala

Vespers 5:30 pm

18 12th Sunday of Luke

Prosf: K Contis (P Mihos) Altar: 2 Coffee Hour: Daughters

19 Philoptochos 7 pm

20 Bible Study 7 pm

21 Orthodoxy 101 7 pm

22 23 24 Vespers 5:30 pm

25 15th Sunday of Luke

Prosf: M Metevelis Altar: 3 Coffee Hour: AHEPA

26 27 Bible Study 7 pm

28 Orthodoxy 101 7 pm

29 30

31 Vespers 5:30 pm

MONDAYSUNDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

Sunday & Weekday Orthros 9 am Sunday & Weekday Divine Liturgy 10 am Holytrinity.ok.goarch.org Sunday School—9:45 am Contact 918 583 2082

GOYA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDTulsa, OklahomaPermit No. 2051

HOLY TRINITYGREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

1222 South Guthrie Ave.P.O. Box 1491Tulsa, OK 74101-1491

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

We appreciate your feedback to the monthly newsletter. For input, ideas, or to advertise within, please contact theparish office at 583-2082 or e-mail Father at wmchrist@cox.net, Deacon Michael at mns555528@yahoo.com orSusan Costakis-Boone at krspykrytr@aol.com. Submission for next month’s issue is the 16th of the month.

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

1222 South Guthrie Ave. • Tulsa, OK 74119 • Phone: (918) 583-2082 • Website: www.holytrinity.ok.goarch.org

Priest: Father William M. ChristDeacon Michael Stevenson

Label Here

PARISH COUNCIL

President: Dean RoilosVice-President: Dr. James KufdakisTreasurer: Greg SorensonSecretary: Paul Mihos

MembersSarah Collier Dr. Michael KarathanosPeggy Mihos John SakelarisRachel WelchDemetrius ZaferesGinger Zaferes

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Greek Festival - Dean Roilos Maintenance - Greg Sorenson

ORGANIZATIONS/ADMINISTRATIVE

A.H.E.P.A. - Dean RoilosDaughters of Penelope - Martha MetevelisMegali Ellas - Pope KingsleyParish Nurse - Sondra Claxton, RN

MINISTRIES

Prison Ministry -Tian BoyaciSunday School -Deacon Michael and

Sarah CollierG.O.Y.A. - Matt Akins, Jenny Stasinopoulos

and Kate StevensonPhiloptochos -Ruth ChiconasChoir -Pope KingsleyGreek School -Renee MichalopolosNCD Spokesperson -Barbra Kingsley MirandaNCD Education -Brian Welch