Download - 2008 December Promise
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THE PROMISE
PAGE 1
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
AMessage from our Pastor.....................2Holiday Services.......................................3News & Notes...........................................5Our IOCC Project....................................6A Christmas Sermon................................7Fighting For Christ at Christmas..............8Carnival Scenes.......................................10NewMexico Travelers...........................12JOY Scenes.............................................17Kids Page................................................18A Christmas Carol.................................19December Calendar...............................20
DECEMBER 2008
GoddidnottellustofollowHimbecauseHeneededourhelp,butbecauseHeknewthatlovingHimwouldmakeuswhole.St. Irenaeus
DATES TO REMEMBER:
DECEMBER
7PARISH ASSEMBLYDECEMBER 21PARISH CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON & PROGRAM
GOYA CHRISTMAS PARTYDECEMBER 24CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT SERVICE6:30PM
DECEMBER 25FEAST OF THE NATIVITY LITURGY 9:30AMDECEMBER 31DIVINE LITURGY OF ST. BASIL
FOR THE NEW YEAR 6:30PMJANUARY 4PHILOPTOCHOS VASILOPITA
GOYA BB TOURNAMENT FEE DUE!
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These are tumultuous days. A host of fears and anxietiescontinue to seep deeper into the American psyche:
rollercoaster stock markets, bailouts, terrorism, job lossesand home foreclosures. Despite the joyful season ofChristmas that we are in, these issues are creating anundercurrent of palatable despair. Indeed there is noquestion that these issues are cause for genuine concern,the problems that confront us are very real, but as faithful
Christian men and women we can no more turn a blindeye to these serious matters than turn a deaf ear to thecalm, still voice of our Lord and our God. For the fact ofthe matter is that in spite of the trepidation that swirls allaround us, and despite the
thunderous roar of uncertainty,before His Holy Altar, we hearthe soothing voice of Godechoing from the Scripturesand telling us: Do not beafraid. For I, the Lord God
am with you.
These are notthe words of apolitician or an accountant.But this is the promise of aloving God who knows every
hair on our head, and is notindifferent towards us or ourplight. The Word of the Lordtelling His children do not beafraid has girded Christiansfor for over 2000 years, and it is this very pledge that has
comforted men and women of God since the beginningof the Old Testament. The Lord assuring mankind notto be afraid is a hallmark of His Divine Revelation andhas never been taken lightly. At all times and in all places,it has been received by people of faith as a clarion call to
not only trust Him, but whole heartedly embrace Hiseverlasting love and His strength
Now, no less than ever, the words of the Lord (do not beafraid) must be kept close to our heart and echo in ourthoughts if we are to aptly face the challenges that layahead; let alone honestly respond to God's invitation to
life in Him! It is therefore perhaps not by coincidencethat the phrase do not be afraidoccurs 365 times in theHoly Bible (once for every day of the year). This makes
THE PROMISE
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PASTORAL MESSAGE
it even more obvious that our good and gracious Lord iskeenly aware of the power of fear to limit our goodness inthe course of our life. After all, it is fear that kills hopes anddreams, just as it is fear itself that withers the flower of faith.It is fear - both real and imagined - that more often than not
prevents people from truly trusting God. In fact, our fearsare the single greatest obstacle to growing in Christ andaccomplishing the things He intends for us and His planfor the salvation of the world. Being afraid of what mightbe expected of us, not wanting to take risks, and beingshackled by the uncertainty generated by sin and evil, has
led people throughout the ages to instead invent convenientgods and create false religions.
The fact of the matter is that forus to allow fear to paralyze usand become our constant
companion, is to hand over controlof our life to it. Allowing ourfears to direct our ways and soleinform our perspective, givesthem the power to drive us awayfrom Christ. Fear will shadow us
for as long as we draw breath,this is the sad reality of living in a
world full sin and evil; but wecannot allow it to destroy us orour faith. As someone once said,Fear is a darkroom, where negatives
are developed! To which theChurch responds in no uncertain terms that the light ofChrist alone, has the power to destroy all of the negatives.
Do we fear what our future holds? Do we fear that things
are beyond our control? Do we fear the machinations ofthe financial markets? Or do we fear the scheming of Al
Qaeda?
Are we afraid of disappointing others? Are we afraid ofbeing rejected? Are we afraid of being alone? Or are we
afraid of death?
These are all natural emotions in a fallen world! But wecannot allow them to become the masters of our life, andin the process have such trepidations deny us eternal life.
(Continued on Page 4)
WHAT
DO WE
REALLY
WANT TO DO
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PASTORS MESSAGE(Continued From Page 2)Fear is a genuine feeling; but so is the fact thatGod is withus!The Lord telling us Do not be afraid are scattered
throughout the Scriptures as 'stars' are sprinkled through-out the night sky, but these words shine only because theyare based on the truth that God is with us. In the wordsof the great prophet Isaiah, the only cure for the fever offear is the promise of the Living God who says: Do notbe afraid, I AM with you. And then as if His words werenot enough, God sent us Jesus Christ and established HisChurch - the very fulfillment of His Word.
In Christ and His Church, no matter what storms mayrage around us, we share in His love and life, and we are
thereby able to overcome any fear that intends to drownus. In Christ and His Church, come what may, we are notcrippled by fear but are made complete in Him. Indeedone could easily argue that our Orthodox Christian faithcan be surmised in one simple sentence - Do not beafraid! God love us, Christ is with us!
So as we face a new and particularly uncertain year, let
alone the remaining days of our life on earth, may thewords of Lord: Do not be afraid, for I am with you andthe reality of Jesus Christ strengthen us, support us,
embolden us and comfort us. For the only way to meetand endure all of the problems that we face is with thefaith in the Lord! The only way to balance our concerns is
by an abiding relationship with God! The only real antidote tofear is the life of Christ that His Holy Church provides. Inthe Holy Trinity, we find the Truth that alone can for-tify our sorely tested spirit. In the Lord God, we attain theconfidence needed to meet the new day. In His Church,
we behold His promises fulfilled. As St. Paul to theRomans 8:14-18: For all who are led by the Spirit of Godare sons and daughters of God. For you did not receive
the spirit of slavery in order to fear, but you have receivedthe spirit of adoption by Him who we cry out, "Abba!Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spiritthat we are children of God, and if children, then heirs,
heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if we indeed suf-fer with Him, we will be glorified with Him.
Brothers and sisters in Christ God has indeed visited Hispeople, Be not afraid, God is with us!
Rev. Dr. Nicholas J. Verdaris
FOR THOSE WHO LOVE THE
BEAUTY OF HIS HOUSE
Pending the approval of
M e t r o p o l i t a n
Nicholas the
Annunciation wi
be able to continue to
enhance the beauty
of this His Church
with the purchas
of two Cross icons
to be installed with-
in the two blank
panels at the back
of the Sanctuary asone exits the Church. It is with great joy that we are
pleased to announce that these two icons have been
donated by Gordon and Martha Tyer! Our entire
Church family owe the Tyers a great debt of gratitude
for their faithful generosity above and beyond the call of
duty!
Thank You Gordon & Martha!!!
Iconographers example of the
icons that would be installed
Father Nicholas,The Parish Council,
The Annunciation Staff,and ALL of the Ministries of the
Annunciation
Wish you and yoursa Most Blessed Christmasand a Happy New Year!
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OUR STEWARDSHIPWithout the faithful dedication of the members of the
Annunciation Church family manifesting the light of
Christ in word, thought and deed, our parish would
be lost. Our goal for 2008 is $320,000 thus far ourChurch has received $190,000. We thank all those
who faithfully submitted their 2008 Stewardship Card
and hope that those who have not yet done so, will
choose to respond to the Church soon. Our annual
Stewardship commitment is tangible evidence of our
love and devotion to God and His Church, and the
fact of the matter is that each and every one of us is an
integral part of Gods plan for the Annunciation in
Little Rock. With every Church family member joy-
ously sharing a portion of their time, talent and treas-
ure with Christ at the Annunciation, we will certainlyaccomplish much to the glory of God.
Let us commit ourselves and our whole lifeto Christ our God
Please remember to submit your 2009Stewardship Commitment on Sunday,
December 21st!
UPCOMING GOYA PLANS
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7TH - after Sunday Schoolwe need to stay and help decorate the Church Hal l forChristmasduring the Parish Assembly.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21ST - Our annual ChristmasParty. Check your email for more details.
JANUARY 4TH - The travel fee for the 2009Basketball Tournament in Albuquerque, NM is dueJANUARY 15-19TH - The annualBasketballTournamentin Albuquerque , NM.
ANNUNCIATION CHRISTMAS
LUNCHEON & PROGRAM
The Annunciation will be hosting its annual Christmas
Luncheon on December 21st immediately followingthe Divine Liturgy. You & yours are warmly invited!!!
During this very special luncheon our Sunday Schoo
students will also be presenting the annual Christmas
Program - you will not want to
miss it. Rumor has it that
a very jolly fellow may
even pop in for a
visit. Please join
us!!!
Lets
Have A
Merry
Christmas
Together at
the Annunciation!
SERVICES FOR THE
FEAST OF EPIPHANY AND
ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST
EVE OF EPIPHANY:Monday, January 5th -
9:30am
EPIPHANY:Tuesday, January 6th
9:30am
FEAST OF ST. JOHN:Wednesday, January 7th
- 9:30am
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A NEW YEARS PRAYER:
Let this be a year that moves us
one step closer to each other.
Let this be a year that brings us
understanding in our hearts.
Let this be a year that fills us
with a yearning, burning feeling
for peace with one another
and a oneness, Lord, with You!
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CHRISTMAS MORNING
SERMONby St. John Chrysostom
BEHOLD a new and wondrous mystery. My ears
resound to the Shepherd's song, piping no soft
melody, but chanting full forth a heavenly hymn. The
Angels sing. The Archangels blend their voice in har-
mony. The Cherubim hymn their joyful praise. The
Seraphim exalt His glory. All join to praise this holy
feast, beholding the Godhead here on earth, and man
in heaven. He Who is above, now for our redemption
dwells here below; and he that was lowly is by divine
mercy raised.
Bethlehem this day resembles heaven; hearing from
the stars the singing of angelic voices; and in place of
the sun, enfolds within itself on every side, the Sun of
justice. And ask not how: for where God wills, the
order of nature yields. For He willed, He had the
power, He descended, He redeemed; all things yield-
ed in obedience to God. This day He Who is, is
Born; and He Who is, becomes what He was not. For
when He was God, He became man; yet not depart-
ing from the Godhead that is His. Nor yet by any loss
of divinity became He man, nor through increase
became He God from man; but being the Word He
became flesh, His nature, because of impassability,
remaining unchanged.
And so the kings have come, and they have seen the
heavenly King that has come upon the earth, not
bringing with Him Angels, nor Archangels, nor
Thrones, nor Dominations, nor Powers, nor
Principalities, but, treading a new and solitary path,
He has come forth from a spotless womb.
Since this heavenly birth cannot be described, neither
does His coming amongst us in these days permit of
too curious scrutiny. Though I know that a Virgin this
day gave birth, and I believe that God was begotten
before all time, yet the manner of this generation I
have learned to venerate in silence and I accept that
this is not to be probed too curiously with wordy
speech. For with God we look not for the order of
nature, but rest our faith in the power of Him who
works.
What shall I say to you; what shall I tell you? I behold a
Mother who has brought forth; I see a Child come to
this light by birth. The manner of His conception I can-not comprehend.
Nature here rested, while the Will of God labored. O
ineffable grace! The Only Begotten, Who is before all
ages, Who cannot be touched or be perceived, Who is
simple, without body, has now put on my body, that is
visible and liable to corruption. For what reason? That
coming amongst us he may teach us, and teaching, lead
us by the hand to the things that men cannot see. For
since men believe that the eyes are more trustworthy
than the ears, they doubt of that which they do not see,and so He has deigned to show Himself in bodily pres-
ence, that He may remove all doubt.
Christ, finding the holy body and soul of the Virgin,
builds for Himself a living temple, and as He had willed,
formed there a man from the Virgin; and, putting Him
on, this day came forth; unashamed of the lowliness of
our nature'. For it was to Him no lowering to put on
what He Himself had made. Let that handiwork be for-
ever glorified, which became the cloak of its own
Creator. For as in the first creation of flesh, man could
not be made before the clay had come into His hand, so
neither could this corruptible body be glorified, until it
had first become the garment of its Maker.
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FIGHTING FOR CHRIST AT
CHRISTMAS -
COMBATING SECULARISMFr. George Morelli
Orthodox Christian parents (and all Christian parents)
are approaching the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord,
God and Savior, Jesus Christ. You would never know
this however, by watching secular media. Most in the
media see Santa and shopping as the start and end of
Christmas, now renamed as the bland and non-descript
"Holiday Season" (will it still remain a Holiday when
the Holy Day of Christmas is finally forgotten?).
Think back when poems like Clement C. Moore's "AVisit from St. Nicholas" (we know it as "Twas the Night
Before Christmas") was part of the cultural mainstream.
Today political correctness prohibits any mention of
the poem because of its implicit religious tone.
Consider just the first few verses: Twas the night
before Christmas, when all through the house, Not a
creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings
were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St.
Nicholas soon would be there. The children were nes-
tled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums
danced in their heads. Two sins against politically
correct dogma are already committed in these opening
lines. The first is the mention of the word "Christmas,"
and the second is the word "Saint." "Sugar-plums" passes
muster of course.
Sound extreme? It shouldn't. Poll children under fourteen
and see how many of them know the Christmas standards
like "Joy to the World" or "O Little Town of
Bethlehem." You will find that most don't know them
at all. They will, however, be able to sing "Rudolph the
Red Nosed Reindeer," "Jingle Bells," maybe even
"Sleigh Ride" with no problem at all. There is nothing
inherently wrong with these songs, but Christmas is
more than innocuous fun -- or so we once believed.
A "HOLIDAY" QUIZParents, take this quiz and then give it to your children:
1.) What are you thinking about, what are the "Holidayvisions" dancing in your head?
2) What are you really looking forward to as the"Holidays" are approaching?
My experience as a parish priest is that most answers
from our children would be: the toys, gadgets or clothes
they want to receive. Most adults would answer the fam-
ily meal and getting together with relatives and closefriends.
In the secular world the answers above merit an "A+." If
life has no religious dimension, if God is not a part of
personal life, then He will be abstracted from the cul-
ture as well. What then is left, except the accumulation
of more things? From a Christian perspective however
the answers merit an "F." Remember the words of
Christ: "For where your treasure is, there will your heart
be also," (Matthew. 6: 21). These words of Christ were
actually part of the "Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus expounded on what the Kingdom of God
required. "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on
earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves
break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and
where thieves do not break in and steal," (Matthew 6
19-20). How far we have strayed from the teachings of
Our Lord on His Kingdom!
THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN DOMESTIC CHURCHIn Orthodox teaching, all commitment to Christ must
begin in the home. All teaching about what is the
essence of the Kingdom of God, must begin in the
home. Thus, if the handing over of Tradition begins in
the home, so does the breaking with the past that leads
to the home becomes secularized. In Orthodox
Christianity, the home is called the domestic church,
correctly implying that all Christian teaching is first cul-
tivated in the home, and then in the parish community
The conception of the domestic church arises fromhome churches of early Christianity. As Christians were
no longer welcome in the Jewish temple, they brought
vestiges of synagogue worship into their homes along
with the early prayers of the church and the Eucharist
(the structure of this early worship is still evident in the
Orthodox Divine Liturgy today). St. Paul talked about
these home churches in his epistle to the Romans,
when he said: "Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow
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SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHEDULE
DEC. 21ST Christmas Program (Pre-School - 5th Grade will rehearse in the Ballroom; classes in
session for 6th - 12th Grade)
DEC. 22ND Christmas Break BeginsJAN. 4TH Classes Resume; there will be a Staff Meeting
immediately following class in the 4th-5th
grade classroom
OUTREACH COMMITTEEMEET & GREET SCHEDULE
December 7th . . . . . . . . . . . . Jack Weatherly
December 14th . . . . . . . . . . . . Jarrod Russell
December 21st . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike Rutter
December 28th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amy Bailey
January 4th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robin Jones
January 11th . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sharon Johnson
January 18th . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carole Hawkins
January 25th . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeannie Newton
FELLOWSHIP HOUR
NOV. 2ND NED & JOEALLEYNOV. 9TH NAIM & GHADAHADDADNOV. 16TH DUKE & JAMES NIX hosted a luncheon
in honor and memory of beloved
wife and mother, SARA NIXNOV. 23RD THEWILCOX FAMILYsponsored the
Thanksgiving Luncheon
NOV. 30TH ANNUNCIATION CHURCH FAMILY
WWE NEEDEED SPONSORSPONSORSFOROR THEHE COMINGOMING MONTHSONTHS !!!!!!
If you or your family would like to commemorate
a special event, honor the memory of a loved one
or would simply like to offer a gift to the
Annunciation family. . . you too can sponsor aFellowship Hour!
PLEASE CHECK THE BULLETINBOARD AND SIGN UP TODAY!
THEE PROMISEOMISE : JANN .20092009Please note that articles and information forthe January 2009 edition of
The Promise areduenolaterthanDecember10th!This bulletin is the primarymeans of communicationwithinourChurchfamily:
TTOGETHERGETHER ,, WEEMAKEAKE ITT SHINESHINE !!!!!!
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THE PROMISE
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ACarnivalofFUN!
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THE PROMISE
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THANK YOU!!!
The Annunciation Church
family extends its heart-
felt thanks to all those
who offered their time
and talent to ensure thatour annual Thanksgiving
Luncheon and Stewardship
Presentation was a won-
derful event. The abiding
manifestation of Christian
love, faithfulness and creativity always make such nice
gatherings possible. As a Church family we must also
take this opportunity to offer our profound thanks to
the Wilcox family, who in their love for the
Annunciation graciously donated the dinner so thatthe proceeds of this event may further the ministries
of this parish. United in Christ, we all give thanks to
God as His faithful servants.
HOUSE BLESSINGS!
If you would like your home to be blessed for the New
Year... this announcement is for you!As is the tradition
of the Church following the feast of Theophany,
Orthodox Christians may ask to have their homesblessed by the priest with holy water. BeginningDecember 7th and endingDecember 28th, a sign-upsheet will be posted in
Gabriel Hall for all those in
a Church family who would
like to have their home
blessed the New Year.PLEASE HELP MAKE THISENORMOUS UNDERTAKINGORDERLY BY REGISTERINGDURING THE MONTH OFDECEMBER. All those whokindly register their name by
December 28th will then be
contacted by Father Nicholas
after the feast of Epiphany
to make arrangements for a
blessing.
ATTENTION
NEW MEXICO
TRAVELERS
Please note that the final fee
for all those registered to
attend the 2009 Basketball
Tournament will be $250.
The fee includes hotel rooms for four nights, airfare
and all of our ground transportation needs. A check
made payable to the Annunciation GOYA is due nolater than Sunday, January 4th .
We shall be taking off with Southwest Airlines #898
on Thursday, January 15th @ 3:25pm and returning
on Southwest Airlines # 194 on Monday, January, 19
@ 9:40pm. Travelers, you will be getting specific
details shortly - stay tuned.
Finally, The Tournaments charity will be to support
victims of domestic violence. They are asking eachparticipant to bring a $5 or $10 gift card fromWalmart, Target or Kmart. The gift cards will becollected at Registration and presented at the Awards
Banquet to the Director of S.A.F.E. House. Learn
more about S.A.F.E. House at www.safehousenm.org.
THE ANNUNCIATIONBOOKSTORE
Looking to learn more about your OrthodoxChristian faith?
Check out the Annunciation Bookstore!
Shopping for that perfect and unique gift for
someone special?
Check out the Annunciation Bookstore!
Are you looking for a beautiful icon to adorn your
home or prayer corner?
Check out the Annunciation Bookstore!
The Annunciation Bookstore -It Has Something For Everyone!
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THE PROMISE
PAGE 13
FIGHTING FOR CHRIST
AT CHRISTMAS(Continued From Page 8)
workers in Christ Jesus ... greet also the church in their
house" (Romans 16: 3-5). To the Corinthians he wrote:
"The churches of Asia send greetings. Aquila and
Prisca together with the church in their house, send you
hearty greetings in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 16:19).
After the Roman persecution of Christians was lifted
and Christianity ceased being an outlaw religion with
Constantine's Edict of Milan in 311, Christians were
able to build their own churches. Nevertheless, the cen-
trality of family as the center of church life was main-tained. Even today the leaders of the domestic church
are the husband and wife, mother and father. The
words of Christ as recorded by St. Matthew (18:20):
"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there
am I in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20), are espe-
cially relevant to His presence in the domestic church.
Husbands and wives are uniquely suited and equipped
for domestic ministry. The inherent dignity and impor-
tance of the Christian parenting is revealed through a
prayer read by the priest in the Orthodox wedding servicewhen a couple is first married: "Unite them in one mind
and one flesh, and grant unto them fair children for edu-
cation in the faith and fear ..." This prayer embodies the
Christ-centered parental vocation and reveals the theo-
logical underpinnings of the domestic church.
PARENTS ARE THE LEADERS AND TEACHERS IN THEDOMESTIC CHURCH
Previously I wrote that ideally, a true Orthodox
Christian domestic church in our day should look like(but is not limited to) something like this: Jesus Christ
is at the center or hub. Husbands, and wives, as such,
and as fathers and mothers, should be the leaders of
the "church at home" in Christ's name. They should
bless one another and their children, bless the food
which is partaken, give thanksgiving for all that God has
provided (house, furnishings, etc.), thank God for
health and talents, and lead by the sanctity of their con-
duct as well as their words.
We nurture the spiritual vitality of the domestic church
in several ways. For example, parents can remember
the Feasts of the Church with prayers, and the recitation
of troparia and kontakia (special hymns used in the
Orthodox Church that explain the significance of the feast),
as well as the Epistle and Gospel readings of the day.
Daily scripture can be read and discussed. Daily
prayers, at least at morning and evening should be part
of the domestic church activities. All family members
should take part in these prayers and readings.
Following the Sign of Cross made by the father and/or
mother, each family member may take a turn reading a
line from the prayers, scripture or reading texts of the
day. The leaders of the domestic church should also be
theologians and educators of themselves and their chil-
dren imparting knowledge and practice.
THE FEAST OF THE NATIVITYThe Nativity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
How many know the full theological meaning of the
Nativity Feast? If we don't, we become susceptible the
secularizing energy (fed by a commercial spirit) of the
culture. Put another way, one of the most powerful
things we can do for our families to counter the slide
into the spiritual wasteland of the commercial culture is
to deepen our understanding about the Nativity ofChrist. Parents must teach themselves first, and then
they can teach their children.
It starts way back in Genesis. Adam and Eve were
made in God's image and called to be like Him. They
start out in Paradise with the potential of full union with
God but still experienced testing. They failed the test by
the sin of pride. They are cast out of paradise into the
world and are disordered -- inclined to sin and destined
for death. We are the offspring of Adam and partake of
these same maladies.God responded to this deep existential catastrophe in
many ways -- all leading to the Incarnation of His Son.
A signature event was the calling of Abraham (then
called Abraam) our of a land riddled with paganism
and polytheism. God made a covenant with Abraham
that made him the leader of God's people -- the people
of the First Covenant (Genesis 17) -- and the "father of
many nations."
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EXPLORE THE ORTHODOX
CHRISTIAN FAITH!
Sometimes we dont know when and where to ask
questions and thus we weaken our own ability to
better testify to the faith that we hold and that we
ourselves sometimes struggle to grasp. The solu-
tion? Orthodox Study Class!We will be meetingagain this month with our own Fr. Nicholas in
order to further explore our Orthodox Christian
Faith in light of the Gospel according to Matthew.
We will use the Gospel as the cornerstone of our
study, but questions and discussions will not be lim-
ited, they will be as broad as YOUwant. Anyone &Everyone are invited to attend - no previousexperience or expertise is necessary!WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3RD
AT 6:30PMThrough study and
discussion,together
we can expandour faith!
2009 ANNUNCIATION PARISHCOUNCIL ELECTION NOTICE
Elections for a position on
the Annunciation ParishCouncil will be held onSUNDAY, DECEMBER 7,2008. Please note that withfour positions on the
Parish Council available
and only four candi-
dates running, the Parish
Council election will simply take place during the
Parish Assembly on December 7th. We thank
Haitham Alley, Ron Harb, Rick Newton and EvaSargent for their continuing service.
SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION
BOARD ELECTIONS
The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church
Scholarship Foundation will conduct an election for
its Board of Trustees on Sunday, December 7, 2008
(the same day as the Parish Council elections). There
are five open positions, and each Board memberserves a two-year term. In order to serve on the
Board, you must be a member in good standing of the
Annunciation. If you have any questions about the
Scholarship Foundation, please see George Plastiras,
current president of the Board. Thank you for
considering service on the Scholarship Foundation
Board of Trustees.
THERE IS STILL TIME!
Help support the ministries of the Annunciation as well
as share your Christmas love with your Church family
by including your family name in the
ANNUNCIATION COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS CARD.For $15.00 you can sup-
port the work of the
parish and spread some
love. Sign up now, and
you can rest assured that
everyone in our Church
family receives your loving
Christmas wishes.
For further details and /or to register your name,
see Anna Clift or Eva
Sargent.
WORDS OF WISDOM:
"'There is not peace on earth,' I said
'For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men"
"Then pealed the bells more loud and deep
'God is not dead, nor doth He sleep,
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.'"
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FIGHTING FOR CHRIST AT
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As the people grew in number and over the course of
centuries various prophets emerged, among themIsaiah, who said that God would send a Messiah (a
deliverer and king): Therefore the Lord himself will
give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive
and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanu-el. He
shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse
the evil and choose the good (Isaiah 7: 14-15). The
prophet described Immanu-el: "For to us a child is
born, to us a son is given; and the government will be
upon his shoulder, and his name will be called
"Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting
Father, Prince of Peace." Of the increase of his gov-
ernment and of peace there will be no end, upon the
throne of David, and over his kingdom, to establish it,
and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and for evermore. The zeal of the
Lord of hosts will do this(Isaiah 9: 6-7).
The Prophet Jeremiah added: Behold, the days are
coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a
righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal
wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the
land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell
securely. And this is the name by which he will be called:
"The Lord is our righteousness" (Jeremiah 23: 5-6).
The prophet Micah told us the Messiah would be born
in Bethlehem: "But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who
are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall
come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose origin is from of old, from ancient days"
(Michah 5:2).
King and Prophet David, in his beautiful Psalm 72 fore-
told of kings bringing Jesus gifts: "Give the king thy justice,
O God, and thy righteousness to the royal son! ... may the
kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts! (Psalm 72:1,10).
When Jesus was born, He took on our flesh but
remained God thereby enabling us to partake of His
nature. In his second epistle St. Peter (1: 2-4) wrote:
"May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the
knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine
power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and
godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us
to his own glory and excellence, by which he has grant-
ed to us his precious and very great promises, that
through these you may escape from the corruption that
is in the world because of passion, and become partakers
of the divine nature."
The whole life of Jesus, His teachings, the Last Supper,
Calvary, His Death and the Resurrection is tied to this.
Parents, the leaders, and teachers of the domestic
church have to work with their children to make these
connections between feasts such as the Nativity, all the
other feasts of the Church.
SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONSPractical suggestions are always useful. EasternChristians are well aware that the Advent Season starts
on 15 November (about two weeks longer than Western
Christianity). Religious Western Christians have a beautiful
Advent practice: the Advent Calendar. This tradition
has and can be modified for the longer Eastern pre-
Nativity Season. One such Orthodox publication to help
in developing an Eastern Advent Calendar is by Speier
and Finley (2005). Many domestic church families will
find this book helpful in constructing an Eastern
Christian Advent Calendar. An alternative and fun project
for some families would be to modify an already existing
religious Western Advent Calendar themselves, with
added quotes, from the Old and New Testament
Scriptures such as the ones above, augmented with relevant
sections of the Nativity icon. An excellent comprehen-
sive list of general Advent resources can be accessed at:
www.goarch.org or www.antiochian.org
Family prayer time and discussion of the passages is a
beautiful way to prepare for Christ's birth. The meaning
of the gifts of given by the Magi (prophesied by Micah)
and the giving and receiving of gifts today could be one
topic addressed in the Domestic Church.
The quotes from the Church Fathers on the Feast of the
Nativity (and the other feasts of the Church), may be
especially helpful. Some parents may need a refresher
course in making such connections themselves. Ask the
religious instruction school staff or the teachers in your
parish community, or even your parish priest any questions
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FIGHTING FOR CHRIST AT
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you may have. They may also be a wonderful source
for other discussion topics or projects.
Discussing within the domestic church how to keep
the spirit of Christmas alive throughout the year would
also be in order. Ask the children how to put into
practice the often quoted phrase: "it is better to give
than receive". This spirit goes completely against the
self-centered and materialistic culture we live in. It will
probably be an uphill battle but always point to Christ
as our model.
When gifts are received, tie this into being thankful andgiving glory to God for all things. In this guise children
can also be taught how to share what they have been
given. Sharing can start first among family members
and then extended to others.
THE JOY OF CHRISTMASIn no way do I want to take away the joy of Christmas,
especially for children. The cheer and glee on the
faces of children, when they first look at the Christmas
tree and the presents is so precious. The words of OurLord who so loved children, comes to mind: Then
children were brought to him that he might lay his
hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the
people; but Jesus said, "Let the children come to me,
and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the king-
dom of heaven." And he laid his hands on them and
went away"(Matthew 19: 13-15). The important thing
is to Christify all things. Keep Christ in Christmas. It
adds to the joy.
THE MY-WAY SECULAR HOLIDAYUnfortunately, as aggressive secularism takes hold in
the culture, families leave off the important spiritual
dimensions of family life. There are to be no mention
of Christ, no blessings or prayer, worship, praise or
thanksgiving. Names are changed ("Holiday Season"
for example) to purposely eradicated the holiness of
ancient Holy Days like Christmas from the cultural
memory.
I wonder how many secularists know that the United
States has an official legal holiday called "Christmas."
(U.S. Code TITLE 5 > PART III > Subpart E > CHAPTER
61 > SUBCHAPTER I > 6103 [http://www4.law.cor-
nell.edu/uscode/5/6103.html]). I fear a spate of apoplexy
may break among secularist if they realized it. They
would try to change Christmas to the Winter Solstice orsome such neo-pagan celebration. Ever notice how neo-
pagan terminology is perfectly fine for public use but ref-
erences to anything Christian is met with vituperation?
The evil one is alive and well.
A COURAGEOUS CHRISTIAN RESPONSENot too many years ago any public display of commitment
to Christ was considered to be spiritually inappropriate
Reticence was prescribed and any behavior short of it
was seen as hypocritical and pharisaical. This practicewas based Christ's indictment of the Pharisees: "Woe to
you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like
whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful,
but within they are full of dead men's bones and all
uncleanness"(Matthew 23: 27).
Our Holy Spiritual Father St. Peter of Damaskos
warned: Approval and gratitude, however, are due not
to the man who receives the gifts but to Him who
bestows them. ... Should such a person thank the Giver,
he does so in the same way as the Pharisee in theGospel, and ways to himself, 'I thank Thee, O God that
I am not like other men' (Luke 18: 11). The Evangelist
-- or, rather, God, who know men's hearts -- was right to
say that he spoke "to himself," for the Pharisee was not
speaking to God .. God knew his self-applauding soul...
(Philokalia, III).
Today, publicly acknowledging being a follower of
Christ is considered socially and politically despicable.
While martyrdom in today's society is not physical, to
witness Christ is to suffer psychological and social torture. True Christians are assailed, laughed at, mocked,
reviled, verbally defied, and the brunt of scatological
humor.
The root of the word "witness" is from the Greek word
martaria. Thus to be a modern martyr for Christ is sim-
ply to declare oneself to be His follower and stand up
for His teaching.
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Giddy-UpJOY!
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A PAGE FOR KIDS...
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FIGHTING FOR CHRIST ATCHRISTMAS(Continued From Page 16)How do we witness for Christ? We can put a Nativity
Scene on lawns or windows, as to be able to be seen bypassersby. We could wear a Christ-birth centered pin on
our clothes. When someone greets us with "Happy
Holidays" we could answer: "Indeed Christ is Born - Glorify
Him (the standard greeting in Orthodox countries). We
could start out a meeting with others with a similar state-
ment: Have a glorious Feast of Christ's-birth some may not
know the meaning of the word 'Nativity' -- 'Christ's birth' is
a phrase that should be understood by all). Children could
be greeted with a phrase like: "Happy birthday Jesus."
Finally, let's bring back "Merry Christmas!"
During a meal with family, friends, or acquaintances,
one can say I would like to say prayer or blessing (this
can be done throughout the year). Among non-
Christians, or un-Churched people a simple statement
can be very powerful: "I would just like to call to mind
the birth of my Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ --
blessings to all." Among those who are committed
Christians, of course, recall of one of the scriptural passages
referring to Our Lord's birth can be recited and a more
direct prayer can be prayed.
A personal rule of life I have adopted during this
Nativity season is that I let no secular greeting by any-
one go unanswered. My responses to secular greetings
are given in charity but I too want to witness to Our
Lord's Birth: CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM!
A CHRISTMAS CAROL EXPLAINED
Ever wonder what in the world
do leaping lords, French hens
swimming swans, and especially
the partridge who won't comeout of the pear tree have to do
with Christmas? Well, the beloved
Twelve Days of Christmas carol
in fact has an interesting history
and a powerful hidden Christian message.
From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England
were not permitted to practice their faith openly. As a
result someone during that era wrote this carol as a way
to teach the principles of the Christian faith. Each elemen
in the carol has a code word for a religious reality, thateven a child could learn, remember and love.
> THE PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE was Jesus Christ.> TWO TURTLEDOVES were the Old and NewTestaments.
> THREE FRENCH HENS stood for faith, hope and love.> THE FOUR CALLING BIRDS were the four gospels ofMatthew, Mark, Luke & John.
> THE FIVE GOLDEN RINGS recalled the Torah or Law,the first five books of the Old Testament.
> THE SIX GEESE A-LAYING stood for the six days ofcreation.> SEVEN SWANS A-SWIMMING represented the sevenfoldgifts of the Holy Spirit:
Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation,Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
> THE EIGHT MAIDS A-MILKING were the eight beatitudes.> NINE LADIES DANCING were the nine fruits of theHoly Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness,
Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
> THE TEN LORDS A-LEAPING were the ten commandments.> THE ELEVEN PIPERS PIPING stood for the eleven faithfuldisciples.> THE TWELVE DRUMMERS DRUMMING symbolized thetwelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.
So the next time you sing this carol or hear it performed
you now know r o t s