May 2013¨1645 Phillips Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32308 ¨ (850) 878-0747 ¨ Rev. Fr. Robert J. O’Loughlin¨ http://www.hmog.org

An Opportunity to Grow Closer to Christ ~ A Message from Fr. Robert

As we have just celebrated the feast of Palm Sunday, we know the joy of

this feast is short lived. As we enter into Holy Week we can decide to look to accompanying Christ throughout His Passion, Death, and Resurrec-

tion. For doing this, we can live a new, different, better, more Christ-centered life. It is a time for us to think about Christ voluntarily going to the Cross. There are many services scheduled and each service is rich in

content and directs the mind, heart and soul to Jesus. Our souls need attention throughout our lives and Holy Week is a time to contemplate the condition of our soul. As we journey through the holiest of weeks,

Christ will remind us clearly of the path every Christian is called to fol-low. On Holy Thursday at the Last Supper, we see Christ as a servant

when He washes the feet of His disciples. Living as a Christian should entail serving one another and it is through such humble service to others that we can joyously discover the meaning and purpose of life.

On Holy Thursday evening in the Garden of Gethsemane, we see Christ who gives up His

own will, in order to fulfill the will of His Father. Living as a Christian involves not only learning what the will of God actually is, but struggling throughout life to lay aside our own desires in order to fulfill God’s plan. During the Passion of Christ, we witness Him

willingly accepting whippings, beatings, a crown of thorns, and ultimate death by crucifix-ion, all for the salvation of the world. Living as a Christian means that we also learn to

sacrifice our time, and treasures for others as we live our lives for other people, putting

their well-being before our own.

On the Cross on Holy Friday, we witness Christ who looks down upon those who are cru-cifying Him, and is able to say, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

Living as a Christian implies living with mercy and forgiveness at the center of our lives. A follower of Christ cannot hold a grudge, or remain bitter, or allow hatred to linger. Holy Week is a week of serious prayer and a movement toward the joy of Pascha. Being im-

mersed in Holy Week can open our hearts and minds to the experience of Christ. The im-portance we attach to Holy Week is critical in our continued growth as Christians. With

the arrival of Holy Week, we have the opportunity to think about our lives and the degree of faithfulness to Christ. It is an opportunity for the mind, heart and soul to draw closer to God. May we commit ourselves to Christ this week and going forward.

Wishing you and your families a blessed Pascha (Kali Anastasi!),

Fr. Robert

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Our next ECHO Sundays are May 12th

and June 2nd. Please drop off your non-

perishable food donations into the bins

located in Patmos Hall.

If an emergency or special need should arise, please contact

Fr. Rob immediately at 850-559-8184.

Dear Parishioners,

By the time you read this massage, we will have completed the Great Lenten Season and be well into the Holy Week. For Orthodox Christians, this is the very special time of the year. During my earlier years in Greece, I remember that the schools and businesses used to close for families and friends to commemorate together the last days of Jesus’ life on earth and celebrate His Resurrection. For us here, it is a real blessing that we can cele-brate our religious holidays and traditions in this Church. Holy Mother of God is a beautiful house of worship. Your love, dedication and continuous sup-port toward our church community makes this pe-riod of devotion to our Savior truly a memorable journey. Thanks to all in our community who have assisted in the preparations during Great Lent and Holy Week. It is with everyone’s participation that allows us to gather as Church members to experi-

ence the Orthodox traditions. Looking ahead, May will be another busy month as all Sundays will be taken by special events and holidays. For this rea-son, our General Assembly will be held June 9th. Kali Anastasi and HAPPY EASTER! Yours in Christ

Pete Koikos

Next Spaghetti

Dinners:

June 7th

July 12th

General Assembly Meeting Sunday, June 9, 2013

Holy Mother of God

Monthly Community Outreach Tuesday, May 14th from

11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

If you want to make a difference and help fight

hunger, join us for our monthly outreach in serving

others at America’s Second Harvest warehouse facil-

ity which supports numerous agencies in the Big

Bend Area.

If you are interested in assisting in this effort for a

half hour, one hour, or two, or have any questions,

please contact: Fr. Rob @850-559-8184 or Presv. Joy @850-320-1101

If you have high school/college

graduates, please call the

church office so the graduates

can be listed in the Reflections.

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Presanctified Liturgy followed by Lenten covered dish

Salutations to the Theotokos Service Metropolitan Methodios of Boston

participating in interfaith prayer service for the Boston Marathon

bombing victims.

A few High School GOYAns

stuffing eggs for children’s

Easter Egg Hunt.

OCF end of the year gathering

Lazarus Saturday Pancake

Breakfast and Palm folding and

the celebration of Palm Sunday

Page 5 SATURDAY OF LAZARUS

An interlude between Great Lent and Holy Week, the Church names this day the “Saturday of Lazarus” in remembrance of the resurrec-

tion of Lazarus told in the Gospel of John (11:1-45) and its promise of universal resurrection for all men. The Church connects this

celebration, by anticipation, with the Entrance of Christ into Jerusalem.

PALM SUNDAY

Palm Sunday celebrates the glorious and brilliant feast of the Entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem (John 12:1-18). Zechariah had prophe-

sied the entrance of the Messiah into Jerusalem, saying: “Rejoice greatly ... O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, the King comes unto

Thee; he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass”, Zech. 9:9. The contemporary

Jews associated this prophecy with the expected Messiah. This action of Christ testifies to His nature as Messiah, but with the definite

declaration that His Kingdom was not of this world. The main road leading to Jerusalem was covered with palm trees. The multitudes,

with palm branches in their hands, spread their cloaks on the road as a show of respect, crying out “Hosanna to the Son of David.

Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord.” A custom of distributing branches of palms to the people in the Church prevails to

this day.

During the remainder of Holy Week, the Church advances its liturgical life by about twelve hours, celebrating morning services the

night before, and evening services in the morning. On Palm Sunday evening, the Church celebrates the Orthros (Matins) of Holy Mon-

day, in the first of four “Bridegroom Services.” Christ is called the “Bridegroom” because in His Passion, He gives His life for His

Bride, the people of God, the Church, just as a husband will sacrifice everything for his wife and family. From Holy Monday to Holy

Wednesday, some parishes will celebrate the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts in the morning. This very ancient Divine Liturgy is a Vespers Service,

with the Holy Communion given from the sanctified gifts from the Liturgy on the previous Sunday. This Liturgy is very solemn, and reflects the gran-

deur and simplicity of the early Church. In the Orthros of Holy Monday, the Church remembers the blessed and noble Joseph and the fig tree which was

cursed and withered by the Lord. In the Orthros of Holy Tuesday, celebrated Holy Monday evening, the Church remembers the parable of the Ten Vir-

gins (Matthew 25:1-13), who were waiting for the arrival of the Bridegroom at a wedding feast. In the Orthros of Holy Wednesday, the Church re-

members the anointing of Christ with myrrh by the woman in the house of Simon, the leper, in Bethany. This woman demonstrated her repentance and

her warm faith toward our Lord. On this evening we hear the beautiful “Hymn of Kassiane, which is a hymnological reflection on the repentance of this

woman.

HOLY WEDNESDAY

The Sacrament of Holy Unction takes place on Holy Wednesday. The Sacrament is for the healing of body and soul. In Orthodox thought, healing is

connected to repentance, confession, and the remission of sins by the Lord. Holy Unction is the for cleansing sins and renewing the body and the spirit

of the faithful. Holy Unction is one of the seven Sacraments of the Church, and it has its origin in the practice of the early Church as recorded in the

Epistle of James (5:14-15). At the end of the service, the priest anoints the people with Holy Oil. In the Orthros of Holy Thursday, the Church re-

members the washing of the disciples’ feet, the institution of the Holy Eucharist, the Prayer of Christ at the Last Supper as recorded in the Gospel of

John, and the betrayal.” Some parishes will not celebrate this service, and replace it with the Sacrament of Holy Unction.

HOLY THURSDAY

In the morning, the Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is celebrated. At this Divine Liturgy, the Church commemorates the institution of the

Holy Eucharist by the Lord at His Last Supper with His disciples. Here, Christ presented bread and wine as His body and blood, which form the core of

the new covenant between God and His people, the Church. In the evening, in the Orthros of Holy Friday, the Church recalls the Passion of the Lord,

from His betrayal by Judas Iscariot, His agony and arrest at Gethsemane, His trial by Jewish religious leaders and Roman authorities, His beatings and

mocking, and crucifixion and death on the Cross. This service is long, with twelve readings from the Gospels recounting the events, but its content is

dramatic and moving. After the reading of the fifth Gospel comes the procession with the icon of the Crucified Christ around the church.

HOLY OR “GOOD” FRIDAY

In the morning, the four “Royal Hours” are read. These services consist of hymns, psalms, and readings from the Old and New Testaments, all related

prophetically and ethically to the Person of Christ. Usually in mid-afternoon, Great Vespers is chanted. During this service, we hear the story of the

Crucifixion, but with attention paid to the death of Christ, the work of Joseph of Arimathea to secure the body of Christ from Pilate, His removal from

the cross, and His burial. At one point in the reading, the Body of Christ is removed the cross, wrapped in a white cloth and is brought into the sanctu-

ary. Following the reading, the priest carries the icon of the Epitaphios through the church and places it in the Sephuchre (the kouvouklion), which has

been decorated with flowers.

GOOD FRIDAY EVENING - THE LAMENTATIONS

On Holy Friday evening, we sing the Orthros of Holy Saturday, consisting of psalms, hymns and readings, dealing with the death of Christ. During the

Orthros, the congregation will join in chanting the Lamentations, hymns of praise to the Lord and relating His ultimate triumph over death. During this

service the Epitaphios icon is carried in procession around the church. In some parishes the entire flower-bedecked Sepulcher, symbolizing the Tomb, is

carried in the procession.

GREAT HOLY SATURDAY MORNING

On Holy Saturday morning, the Vesperal Divine Liturgy is celebrated. In this Liturgy, the Resurrection of Christ is celebrated and the triumph over

death is proclaimed in the hymns and the readings from the Old and New Testament. There is a strong theme of baptism in this liturgy, because in the

ancient Church, the catechumens would be baptized in this evening vigil of Pascha.

At midnight Saturday, the life-giving Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is celebrated. Before midnight, the Odes of Lamentation of the

previous day are repeated. The Orthros of the Resurrection begins in complete darkness. The priest takes light from the vigil light and gives it to the

faithful, who are holding candles. The priest sings, “Come, receive light from the unwaning light, and glorify Christ, who arose from the dead.” Just a

short while later, the priest reads the resurrection story from the Gospel of Mark (16:1-8) and leads the congregation in singing the Resurrection Hymn,

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs bestowing life.” Following, the Orthros service continues and leads

into the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.

THE AGAPE VESPERS

At some point on Sunday afternoon the faithful gather once more for Great Vespers, With lighted candles they sing, “Christ is risen. ” The people greet

one another with the salutation, “Christ is Risen”, which is answered, “Truly He is Risen”. In the Great Vespers, the Gospel according to John (20:19-

25) is read in various languages, proclaiming the Good News of Resurrection all over the universe without discrimination. The fruit of faith in the Res-

urrection of the Lord is love in His Name; therefore, this day is called “Sunday of Agape.”

For the next forty days, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Resurrection of Christ.

Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

Page 6

For May 2013 email: hmogphil@comcast.net

Visit us on Facebook at Holy Mother of God

Christos Anesti, Alithos Anesti!

May 17th, 2013 Philoptochos End of Year Party (Open to anyone in our church community who would like to attend)

Place: George & Louie's, Thomasville GA

Time: 6:30 pm

Please join us for a "Dutch Treat" meal, great fellowship and a celebration of this past year's achievements!! As we

look forward to our summer break, we are looking forward to beginning anew in September. If you are not a

member now, consider joining us as we work together to help those in need. We look forward to seeing you!

With all of our National, Metropolis and local

charitable commitments having been met, we were also happy to award 5 of our GOYA mem-bers with one-half tuition to attend St. Ste-

phen's Camp at the Diakonia Center, knowing they will enjoy a spiritually uplifting experience

as well as have a lot of fun on their summer ad-

venture.

SUMMER BREAK: Even though we will be tak-

ing our normal summer break, our Philoptochos chapter will still be ready to help should the oc-casion arise. We are looking forward to another

successful year working together starting in September and hope you will be joining us again

or for the very first time. It is a very rewarding

experience in many ways.

Don't forget to visit us on FaceBook and check out the pictures from our events!

Hopefully, next year you will be seeing your pic-

ture there!!!

Don’t forget to tell your friends and neighbors —— Fun for the Whole Family

"My Big Fat Gyro Night - An Evening at the Taverna"

May 10, 2013

4:00 pm – 9:00 pm

For Your Enjoyment: Live music with The Keith Taylor Band

Page 7

Schedule of Services for Holy Week and Easter

April 28- Palm Sunday: Orthros 9:30 a.m. and Liturgy 10:30 a.m. Luncheon to follow.

Palm Sunday Evening, Bridegroom Service: 6:00 p.m.

April 29 – Holy Monday: Pre-Sanctified Liturgy, 9:00 a.m.; Bridegroom Service 6:00 p.m.

April 30 – Holy Tuesday: Pre-Sanctified Liturgy, 9:00 a.m.;

Bridegroom Evening Service 6:00 p.m.

May 1 – Holy Wednesday: Pre-Sanctified Liturgy, 9:00 a.m.;

Holy Unction, 5:00 p.m.

May 2 – Holy Thursday: Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, 9:00 a.m.;

Holy Passion Service, 7:00 p.m.

May 3 – Holy Friday: Royal Hours, 9:00 a.m.; Vespers - Taking Down from the Cross (Apocathelosis), 3:00 p.m.;

Lamentations Service, 7:00 p.m.

May 4 – Holy and Great Saturday: Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, 9:00 a.m.;

Resurrectional Service, 11:00 p.m.

May 5 – Holy and Great Pascha/Easter: Agape Service, 11:00 a.m.

Luncheon to follow.

Pascha/Easter Glendi

Luncheon Following the

Agape Service

Easter Egg Hunt for children

Adults $15.00 Children & Students $7.00

EASTER EGG DYE

Easter Egg Dye can be pur-

chased for $2.25/package at the

Pangari. Anyone Interested in offer-

ing the traditional red-dyed Easter

Eggs for the Anastasi and Agape Sun-

day, please bring them to church Sat-

urday and place them in the bas-

ket located outside.

Thank you.

Holy Mother of God Greek Orthodox Church 1645 Phillips Road Tallahassee, Florida 32308

Return Service Requested

Renewal Friday: Theotokos of the

Life-giving Spring

Celebrated

May 10th

Holy Mother of God Greek Orthodox Church

1645 Phillips Road Tallahassee, FL 32308

Office: 850-878-0747 Hall: 850-877-2501

Fr. Rob’s Cell:

850-559-8184

Website: www.hmog.org

Email Addresses:

Father Rob: fr.robert@comcast.net

Church Secretary: hmog@comcast.net

Secretary Hours: Mon./Wed./Fri. 9am-2pm