2011 September & October Promise

8/4/2019 2011 September & October Promise

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PAGE 1

THE PROMISE

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

PASTORAL MESSAGE .....................................2

REMINDERS ......................................................3

FREE WILL & FREEDOMIN CHRIST .........6

FIRST CENTURYCHRISTIAN ......................7

THE NEWTESTAMENT ..............................10

THEOLOGY& PRACTICEOF LOVE ..........16

SERVICESFORTHE DORMITION ...............17

HOME MISSIONS ..........................................18

NEWS & NOTES ...........................................19

EASTERSCENES.............................................22

A TASTE ........................................................29

JUNE, JULY& AUGUST CALENDAR.........30

DATES TO REMEMBER

SEPTEMBER 8THNATIVITYOFTHETHEOTOKOS

DIVINE LITURGY9:30AM

SEPTEMEBER 11THPARISHASSEMBLY

SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 1STMETROPOLISOFDETROIT CLERGY-LAITY

OCTOBER 9THLUNCHEONDISCUSSION

OCTOBER 23RDGODPARENT SUNDAY

WORDSOF WISDOM

NOTONLYAREWEINTHISASSEMBLY(INTHE CHURCH),

BUTALSOTHEPROPHETSANDTHEAPOSTLESANDALLTHESAINTS;

ANDWHATISMOSTIMPORTANTOFALL- AMONGUSIS JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF,THE MASTEROFEVERYTHING.

- ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2011


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THE PROMISE

PAGE 2

W

henever people are asked what it is

that they hope for in life? the answers

are varied. People will quickly speak

of boundless happiness, endless riches,ceaseless fame, never-ending youth, unlimited power

and infinite health. In one way or another, such

answers an intense desire for a life without limits.

These response not highlight peoples struggle those

many things (both real and imagined) that seemingly

bind humanitys scope of life, but they reveal a crisis

of faith.

In more ways than one, modern

men and women have developed

an uncanny ability to actuallylimit their life rather than expand

its true potential. Sometimes, it

is out of a misguided attempt at

self-preservation. Sometimes, it is

rooted to the refusal to recognize

a power greater than ones own

self. Sometimes, it is out of sheer

arrogance. And sometimes, it

is the result of the ravages of

life in a cruel, unjust and fallenworld. But no matter the reason

or rationale, there is simply no

disputing the fact that human

beings whether by intent or omission, are exceedingly

adept at restricting the true potential of life.

But perhaps in the greatest irony of all, more and more

modern day men and women increasingly make God

and His Church the scapegoat. Such recriminations,

albeit commonplace, are not only ignorant (in every

sense of the word), but speaks volumes to exactly howfar mankind has moved away from God and is

unfamiliar with His Holy Church. After all, the joy

of being an Orthodox Christian and a member of

the Annunciation Church family is not about making

life restrictive, but coming to the realization that Jesus

lives, He is in our midst and He sets us free.

In Christ we are freed from the slavery of sin. In

Christ, we are freed from the finality of death. In

Christ we are freed from the limitations of our

personal knowledge, weaknesses and experiences. In

Christ, we come alive in God. He is the key that opensa door to a life in Him that is free and transcendent.

A life without limits begins when we appreciate God in

our life and then come alive in Christ.

Perhaps the best evidence of such claims can be found

in the case of the Holy Apostles.Before they realized

that He had risen from the dead, they were captive

to the fear of what might happen next. Before they

accepted the Resurrection of Christ,

their lives were ordinary, limited

and dare we say, forgettable. Anoted theologian once went so

far as to argue that the most

powerful historical proof of the

Resurrection is the resurrected

disciples. He documented how

dull, defeated people at once

became fearless, adventuresome

leaders. Cowards became courageous;

the timid became triumphant;

and the inept did the impossible.In other words, the moment the

risen Christ became the centerof

their life, it became the hallmark

of a new life, ALIFE WITHOUT LIMITS. And the fact of

the matter is that this new and boundless life in Christ

did NOT begin or end with the first Christians. This

reality transcends time and space. This truth is ours

to have and it is ours to share.

Men and women need to stop looking to become god

and start lookingTO God. Only in this way can peopleexperience the full potential and boundless nature of

their life. Only by looking to God, can men and women

discover that the Resurrection of Christ is a historical fact

as well as a transformative contemporary reality. Only

by looking to God, can mankind realize that with Him

nothing is impossible. The sooner the focus of life moves

(Continued on page 4)

PASTORAL MESSAGE

Life

in the

Balance


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PAGE 3

SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER2011

I will turn their mourning into

joy,I will comfort them,

and give them gladness for sorrow.

JEREMIAH 31:13

Make your legacyof love for your parish

ETERNAL,rememberthe Annunciation in

your Will.

SAVE THE DATE

PARISH

ASSEMBLY

Sunday,

September 11th,

2011

WISDOM:

God is a fire that warms and

kindles the heart and inward

parts.

Hence, if we feel in our hearts

the cold which comes from the

devil - for the devil is cold -

let us call on the Lord.

He will come to warm our hearts

with perfect love,

not only for Him

but also for our neighbor,

and the cold of him who hates

the good will

flee before the heat

of His countenance.

St. Seraphim of Sarov

WELCOME

PETER GESS

We are pleased to notethat our very own PeterGess has graciouslyaccepted the invitationto ll a vacancy on the

Parish Council until theParish Council elections in December. Wethank Peter for his dedication and abidingcommitment to serve the Parish.


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THE PROMISE

PAGE 4

THE PASTORAL MESSAGE(Continued from page 2)

away from fear and dependence ones own inner

strength to the limitless life in the Jesus Christ and

the strength that comes from being in His Body (theChurch), the sooner people will find peace. For the

true potential of our life can never be contained when

we make Christ the center of our life. Our life will

never be incomplete when it is centered on the joy of

knowing, loving, following and serving the Lord our

God.

To all those who wish more out of life, we say come

to Church, come alive in Christ. To all those who feel

burdened by fear and worry, we say come to Church,

come alive in Christ. To all those who dream of

things rather than eternity, we say come to Church,

come alive in Christ. To all those insist on their own

way and refuse to bend a knee to God, we say come

to Church and come alive in Christ.

And just to be safe, lets compare human capabilities

versus Gods.Mankind has never found the cure for

death, only more ways to advance it. GOD is without

beginning or end; on top of which He graciously offers

us eternal life in Him. Mankindhas never created atreasure that cannot be stolen, devalued, corrupted or

lost. GODS gifts are free, never-ending and accessible

to all. Mankindhas never been able to answer every

question or catalog everything that there is to know.

Meanwhile, science has not yet begun to unravel all

of GODS handiwork in the human body, nature or

in the cosmos (let alone understand the grandeur of

heaven). With that in mind, is it really so far fetched

to look to God for a limitless life? And when we

start to look inward instead of UPWARDS for a happy

life without limits, let us remind ourselves as faithfulChristians to the immortal words of the Lord in the

Gospel according to John 14:19: Yet a little while, and

the world will see me no more, but you will see me; because I

live, you will live also.

The secular world cannot comprehend the full

potential of life because it has blinded itself with

greed, lust for power, faithlessness and arrogance. But

in the Church we meet

the risen Christ and are

reminded of the fact

that because He lives,

we live. The secular

world can never showthe way to boundless

life because it has fallen

blindly in love with sin

and death. Meanwhile

at the Annunciation we

meet God; and He not

only give us the breath

of life, but He, Himself,

show us the Way.

This does not mean wewill not face sorrow,

setbacks or suffering in

our life. Sadly as long

as we are in the fallen

world, we will confront

evil, be tempted to go

astray and wrestle with

weaknesses. But we are

not prisoners of the world, we can choose to be free

in Christ. We can either decide to spend our days,

wishing for more out of life and appreciate nothing.

Or we can follow Christ every day, and begin to enjoy

a boundless new life in Him.

Once and for all, the truth of the risen Christ does

NOT limit our point of view, let alone our life.

Instead, it gives our life context and frees us from

death. The instruction, dogma and authority of the

Church does NOT limit human potential; it liberates

us from the errors and pitfalls that can impair our

relationship with the living God illumes the path tothe risen Christ. So as we bid farewell to the summer,

let us renew our prayer life, let us renew our worship

of the Lord at the Annunciation and let us renew our

commitment to follow Him. In this way, we can most

assuredly grasp the limitless life in Christ.

Rev. Dr. Nicholas J. Verdaris

Men

andwomenneed to stoplooking to

become godand

startlookingTOGod.


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PAGE 5


HOWTO PLEASETHE LORD

Of the many ways

we can show the

Lord just how

important He is

to us and our life,

perhaps nothing is as

meaningful as when

we come to worship

Him at His House at

the appointed time.

To do this as anexpression of love.

It speaks volumes

about the content of our heart, the fervor of our

faith and the importance of Christ in our life. Just

as when our own children do something we ask

of them, not because they have to but because

it will please us, so too will the Lord be moved by

an ongoing commitment to attend the services at

the Annunciation punctually with ready hearts,

minds and souls. Let us all strive to attend the HolyServices of the Church from the very beginning

and thereby glorify the Lord with our worship as a

Christ-centered church family.

SUNDAY SERVICES

MATINS, 9:00 AMDIVINE LITURGY, 10:00 AM

WISDOMOFTHE FATHERS:

A rich man is NOTone who has much,but one who gives much.For what he gives away...

remains his forever.

- ST JOHNCHRYSOSTOM

ORTHODOX LEADERSHIP

IN A BRAVE NEW WORLDby Fr. Johannes L. Jacobse

Almost thirty years ago Soviet dissident Alexander

Solzhenitsyn delivered an address at Harvard University

that still ranks as one of the most trenchant and inspired

critiques of Western culture ever given. Although some

of the political references are dated, two observations

remain as true today as when they were first spoken. The

first is that the philosophical materialism that shaped

communism and led to the Gulags now operates in the

Western world. The second is that mankind stands at an

anthropological threshold.

What is philosophical materialism? To use Solzhenitsyns

definition, it is the belief that man has no touchstone

other than himself: To such consciousness, man is the touchstone

in judging and evaluating everything on earth . . . we have lost the

concept of a Supreme Complete Entity which used to restrain our

passions and our irresponsibility.

Philosophical materialism has concrete cultural

ramifications. To social utopians, it means that persons

have no enduring valueso society can be forciblyarranged around notions of the common good. To

hedonists, it means that the body is primarily a pleasure

machine. To nihilists, it means that because the death

of the body is also the end of existence, we should exalt

death and violence.

These themes shaped much of the course of the last

century. Solzhenitsyn had firsthand experience of

Marxist social utopianism, but he was not the first to

sound the alarm. Almost a century earlier, Dostoevskyheard the rumblings that would make Russia susceptible

to communist tyranny and warned, Without God,

everything is permitted.

PROPHETSOFTHE WEST

The Democratic West had its own literary prophets,



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THE PROMISE

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BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST

The Annunciation family congratulates Keith& Allison Freeman on the baptism of theirdaughter, AUBREY ELIZABETH FREEMAN, whowas baptized at the Annunciation on JUNE 25TH.Mark & Jana Hunterare the proud godparents.

May the Lord bless our newest servant of theLord, along with all of his family and friends!

eee

The Annunciation family congratulatesCiprian Terlea & Amber Cardinale on

the baptism oftheir son, GIOVANNICARDINALE TERLEA,who was baptized at

the Annunciation onJULY 30TH. Marian & Liliana Dima are theproud godparents.May the Lord blessour newest servantof the Lord, alongwith all of hisfamily and friends!

OUR CONDOLENCES

The Annunciation family notes with deep

sadness the passing of our sister in Christ, ALICEMARIE COBB, the mother of our very own Brad

Cobb,who fell asleep in the Lord.

eee

The Annunciation family notes with deep sadness

the passing of our brother in Christ, JOSEPH

BEAU DICKEY, the son of our very own Joe &

Suzanne Dickey, who fell asleep in the Lord.

eee

The Annunciation family notes with deep sadness

the passing of our brother in Christ, JAMES

GILLASPY, our beloved parishioner and husband of

Cathyrn Gillaspy, who fell asleep in the Lord.

eee

The Annunciation family notes with deep

sadness the passing of our brother in Christ, NALI

KASSEES our beloved parishioner who fell asleep

in the Lord.

eee

Let us keep all of these families in our prayers and

beseech the Lord to offer them His comfort and strength

May Their Memory Be Eternal.

BABY NEWS

We are pleased to announce the birth ofKristina Sophia Vasquez! She was born at

5:54pm on Thursday, June 9, 2011. Shewas 19 1/2 inches long, weighed 7 pounds

3 ounces. To her parents Dimitri & Fofeand grandparents Ray & Lea Ging, we say

Congratulations


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WHATIF...

What if God couldn't take the time to bless

us today because we couldn't take the timeto thank Him yesterday. . .

What if God decided to stop leading ustomorrow because we didn't follow Him

today. . .

What if God didn't walk with us today

because we failed to recognize it as His day. . .

What if we never saw another flower bloom

because we grumbled when God sent the

rain. . .

What if God stopped loving and caring forus because we failed to love and care for

others. . .

What if God took away the Bible tomorrow

because we would not read it today. . .

What if God took away His message becausewe failed to listen to the messenger. . .

What if God didn't send His Only BegottenSon because He wanted us to be prepared to

pay the price for sin. . .

What if the door of the church was closed

because we did not open the door to ourheart. . .

WHATIF GODANSWEREDOURPRAYERS

THEWAYWEANSWER HISCALL

TOSERVICE?

-Author Unknown-

CONGRATULATIONS

The Annunciation family joyously congratulatesNEHAD& ARLENEKASSEESwho were married on June5th. Their union in Christ was sponsored byRanya Kassees

The Annunciation family joyously congratulatesNICHOLAS & KELLEY KOLETTIS who were married

at the Annunciation on June 18th Their union inChrist was sponsored byJames Kolettis

eee

May God grant you many yearsof faith, love & happiness!

YOUTH MINISTRIES ARE LAUNCHING

...GET ON BOARD!

The Annunciations youth ministries are restarting.

JOY (Junior Orthodox Youth): our ministry to the

youngest members of our Church family up to age 9

JUNIOR GOYA: our program geared for those youth too

old for JOY and too young for GOYA! GOYA (Greek

Orthodox Youth of America): our ministry geared

towards those young people in our Church family

ages 13-18. These three vital ministries strive to instill

Orthodox Christian principles and enhance our young

peoples relationship with Christ through their religious

and social life at the Annunciation. These ministries are

guided by the principles of: Faith, Service, Fellowship

& Fun. THE MORE OUR YOUTH PARTICIPATE, AND

THE MORE PARENTSVOLUNTEER - THE BETTER THESE

MINISTRIESFUNCTION.

PLEASEregister for these programs and all

together let us enjoy a dynamic youth ministry

at the Annunciation!


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THE PROMISE

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OUR STEWARDSHIP

Our Stewardship commitment to the Annunciation

is tangible evidence of our love and devotionto God and our integral connection with His

Church. And despite the very difficult times we

currently confronting in this country, each and

every one of us serve an essential role in supporting

the Annunciation in Little Rock and helping to

ensuring its survival. Therefore, we must regularly

and prayerfully search our hearts to find the faithful

measure by which we will personally support the

work of the Lord at the Annunciation in grateful

recognition of His Divine Presence in our life

and as a loving expression of appreciation forthe blessings He has entrusted unto us. Christ

our God will never abandon His Church, but if

His flock does not vigilantly protect the parishes,

some may very well be overrun by the secular

world. All together, let us renew our support of the

Annunciation and continue to manifest the light of

Christ here in Little Rock.

2011

Our friends & neighbors are still talking about

our 2011 Festival!! We are pleased to note that the

Annunciation Church family has received once again

this year received many accolades for our Festival(in spite of the rain). In fact, in two separate and

independent surveys, one conducted by the LITTLE

ROCK FAMILY MAGAZINE and the other by SAVVY KIDS

MAGAZINE, our International Greek Food Festival was

voted by the readers and men and women of Arkansas

as the Second best Festival in the state of Arkansas!!!!

In both cases, only the mammoth and city sponsored

Riverfest took top honors.

We must thank God for entrusting us with such a great

responsibility as our Festival and then enabling us to createa function that so many of our friends and neighbors

in the community appreciate. After all, throughout the

state a host of festivals and events are conducted by a

wide array of cities, towns and organizations - and the

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Little Rock

has one of the most beloved! Considering our size, it

is by every measure a breathtaking achievement! Such

compliments by the general public must not only warm

our hearts, but inspire us as we continue to move the

Festival forward. Encouraged by such praise, our entire

Church family must renew its commitment to this

massive (and beloved) undertaking as well as remind

us all of the great opportunity the Festival provides us

to present our Orthodox Christian faith and wonderful

parish to wider audience within our state.

Thank God for 2011,may He bless us as we prepare for 2012!!!!

2012 FESTIVAL NEWS

In anticipation of next years Festival we are asking

our Church family to help spread the word to any

local non-denominational charity that would liketo be considered for inclusion in the 2012 Festival

and encourage them to please submit a letter to

the Church Office expressing their interest along

with a description or explanation of their work by

November 6th. Charity letters of application will be

collected through out the coming month and must

be received by November 6th. After which we will be

able to decide who our Festival will sponsor 2012.

REMINDER:

ALL CHARITY APPLICATION LETTERSFOR

THE 2012 FESTIVAL

MUSTRECEIVEDBY NOVEMBER 6TH

FOR CONSIDERATION!


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ORTHODOX LEADERSHIP(Continued from page 5)

who, while not steeped in Christianity as deeply as

Solzhenitsyn or Dostoevsky, nevertheless understood theChristian moral tradition and thus were able to discern

the cultural trends that Solzhenitsyn would express so

clearly at Harvard years later.

One such visionary was George Orwell, who foresaw

the tyranny of the social utopianism that follows when

traditional notions of truth and virtue are supplanted,

and confronted it in 1984. Another was Aldous Huxley,

who, in his classic BRAVE NEW WORLD, focused more on

the elevation of pleasure and the senseless preoccupation

with stimulation that would afflict culture once moral

norms shifted. Neil Postman, in his brilliant AMUSING

OURSELVES TO DEATH, pointed out the differences

between the two authors:

What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What

Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for

there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those

who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who

would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and

egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us.

Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance.Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we

would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of

the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy.

As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil

libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose

tyranny failed to take into account mans almost infinite appetite

for distractions. In 1984, Huxley added, people are controlled

by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by

inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we hate will

ruin us. Huxley feared that what we love will ruin us.

As trenchant as Orwells and Huxleys prophecies were,

however, Solzhenitsyns emerges as more compelling

because of his explicit religious appeal. In locating the

cultural calamities in the loss of an awareness of God,

he shows the stance Christiansparticularly those who

understand that current cultural conflicts require more

than a political solutionshould take today.

THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL THRESHOLD

Mankind, said Solzhenitsyn (and here he means

Christendomthe culture that drew from the well of

Judeo-Christian morality), stands on an anthropological

threshold as significant as the shift from the medieval tothe modern period:If the world has not come to its end, it has

approached a major turn in history, equal in importance to the turn

from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. It will exact from us a

spiritual upsurge, we shall have to rise to a new height of vision, to

a new level of life where our physical nature will not be cursed as

in the Middle Ages, but, even more importantly, our spiritual being

will not be trampled upon as in the Modern era.

Anthropology comes from the Greek word anthropos

which means man. In theological terms, anthropology

means what we understand the human person to be. Itencompasses who he is, what he was created for, how he

should comport himselfall the constituents of mans

existence that raise him above the animal, that define

his purpose, that make meaning out of his relationships

Consider Solzhenitsyns exhortation in the questions

facing us today, especially the looming issues concerning

the advancements in medical technology. We have

unlocked some secrets about human life that were

unthinkable just a generation or two ago. Who would

have thought we could map the human genome or grow

organs from a single cell, as it appears may soon be the

case? Who foresaw such advancements as locating and

even correcting fetal abnormalities? Who guessed that

we could extend life expectancy by decades in some cases?

These advancements are front and center for several

reasons. First, they require us to answer foundational

questions about the nature and value of the human

person. These questions have not been answered, at

least in terms that have achieved any kind of culturaconsensus. Secondly, how they are answered will drive

research and development in the future. Frankly, how

we decide these questions will determine what kind of

society we bequeath to our children and grandchildren

These advancements are fraught with ethical difficulty

Is it wrong to test for Downs Syndrome in an unborn child?



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THE PROMISE

PAGE 10

2011Festival

Shines!


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PAGE 11


Special thanks to our master photographer Lyle Glass for

preserving these memories!!!


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THE PROMISE

PAGE 12

SAVETHE DATE!

Parish General Assembly

Sunday, September 11th

eee

Parish General Assembly

Sunday, December 4th

Working together to the Glory of God,let us serve His Church at the Annunciation

with hearts brimming with faith & love.

ANNUNCIATIONGODPARENT SUNDAY -

OCTOBER 23RD

Our Church family is going to pause to remember

our Baptismal/Chrismation vows as well as honor

the Godparents who sponsored our entrance into

the Holy Church on Sunday, October 23rd. On this

special day we will have the blessed opportunity to

renew our dedication to Christ as well as celebrate

our sacred relationship with our Godparents.

If possible,

Godparents and Godchildren shouldattend the Divine Liturgy together,

sit near each other

and then receive Holy Communion

together.

Even if our Godparents are far way or have fallen

asleep in the Lord, in the Risen Christ they will

be with us! So let us all rededicate ourselves to the

Lord and share in His Heavenly Banquet together.

WORDSTOTHE WISE:

It is not the critic who counts;

not the man who points out

how the strong man stumbles,

or

where the doer of deeds could

have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man

who is actually in the arena,

whose face is marred by dust and

sweat and blood,

who strives valiantly;

who errs and comes short again

and again;

because there is not

effort without error and

shortcomings;

but who does actually strive to

do the deed;

who knows the great

enthusiasm,

the great devotion,

who spends himself in a worthy

cause,

who at the best knows in

the end the triumph of high

achievement and who at the

worst,

if he fails,

at least he fails while daring

greatly.

So that his place shall never be

with those cold and timid souls

who know neither victory nor

defeat.

- President Theodore Roosevelt


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PAGE 13



Is it wrong to extract stem cells from embryos? How

far do our obligations to keep people alive really go?These types of questions are highly contentious, as any

student of the culture knows. One thing we know for

certain is that as our knowledge increases, the ethical

questions concerning the nature and value of human

life will become more numerous and complexand the

contention is likely to increase.

The contention has been largely defined in political terms.

Every reader is familiar with the hot-button conflicts

teen sexuality, homosexual marriage, abortion, the Terri

Schiavo dilemmathat have been fought in the publicarena. The political arena will always remain a venue

for moral conflicts, but we sell ourselves short if we

conclude that the political dimension is the arena where

these questions will find their final resolution.

For Solzhenitsyn, spiritual development and self-awareness

work hand-in-handclearly a Christian value self-evident

to any Orthodox Christian. But he also warns that

because Western culture has been sidetracked into

a philosophical materialism that has dimmed mans

spiritual awareness, its future is threatened. The only

way out of the present morass is spiritual renewal.

Solzhenitsyn experienced the ravages of the spiritual

darkening firsthand, particularly during his eight years

in a Soviet prison. There he received the fundamental

insight that would propel his ground breaking work:

The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor

between political partiesbut right through every human heart.

The timing of his Harvard speech couldnt have been

better. His words fell on the ears of a nation that was

already experiencing the wrenching dislocations of

a cataclysmic shift in moral values and social order

from the sexual revolution to riots in its citiesin ways

unprecedented in its history. At the same time, the

wondrousand fearfulunlocking of the deep mysteries

of human nature was moving into full swing. America

had entered a culture war.(Continued on page 14)

WITNESSING LOYALTY,

DEDICATIONAND DEPENDABILITYby Fr. George Morelli

Beloved, it is a loyal thing you do when you render any service

to the brethren, especially to strangers, who have testified to your

love before the church. (3 John 1: 5-6)

Dedication, loyalty and dependability are important

values to impart to children. Our Lord, Himsel

speaking through the angel, told the people of Laodicea

So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor

hot, I will spew you out of my mouth. (Rev 3:16). The

inhabitants of Laodicea lacked fervent commitment

Our Lord counsels them to be zealous. (Rev 3: 19). Notonly are dedication, loyalty and dependability spiritual

virtues but they are regarded as essential in social and

occupational functioning in everyday life as well.

For example, a well known youth program stated goa

of, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), is to put youth on

a path toward a more conscientious, responsible, and

productive society. i It should be noted that the first two

Scouting laws are directly related to this goal as well as

to the topic of this Parenting essay: dedication, loyaltyand dependability:

> A Scout is Trustworthy. A Scout tells the truth

He is honest, and he keeps his promises. People can

depend on him.

> A Scout is Loyal. A Scout is true to his family

friends, Scout leaders, school, and nation.

MODELING:

CHILDREN LEARNBY WATCHING.

Children are especially susceptible to being influenced

by modeling (also known as observational learning

although the effects of modeling occur at all ages

Psychological research has found substantial support

for the influence of modeling in childrens learning and

resultant performance. The work of Gerald Patterson

suggests that pro-social as well as deviant social behavior



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THE PROMISE

PAGE 14


THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL DIMENSION

OFTHE CULTURE WAR

The culture war is fundamentally a conflict about

anthropologyhow we value the human being, how

we ought to define him, the purpose for his existence,

what social arrangements society deems suitable for men

and women, and so forth. And politics emerged as the

prominent battlefield for the conflict.

Complex conflicts tend to drift toward simplification,

and the culture war was no exception. Culturalliberalism and cultural conservatism roughly followed

political lines: Democrats were liberal and Republicans

were conservative. It wasnt a perfect fit, but even a big

suit on a small man still covers his body.

No one has really been comfortable with the

arrangement, except perhaps the activists. Adding to

the discomfort is our characteristically American way

of adjudicating moral conflict. American culture has

no institution of moral judgment. We have no national

Church, no council of legislative elders, and no finalcourt of arbitration that can definitively resolve the

perplexing moral questions that face us. As a result, the

debates and political maneuverings that follow are often

raucous and chaotic affairs.

There is wisdom in this system of apparent chaos,

however. The Founding Fathers, in refusing to establish

a central authority of moral judgment, ensured that

these questions must be addressed by the culture itself,

thereby affirming the precept, politics follows culture, in

ways that inhibit any imposition of a final adjudicationfrom the state.

This precept is also drawn from the Christian tradition.

It is grounded in the notion that the power of the state

draws not only from the consent of the people, but from

a people grounded in the Christian moral tradition.

Solzhenitsyn, again stressing the anthropological

dimension, himself acknowledged this point in the

Harvard address: Yet in the early democracies, as in the American

democracy at the time of its birth, all individual human rights were

granted on the ground that man is Gods creature. That is, freedom

was given to the individual conditionally, in the assumption of his

constant religious responsibility.

The model built by the Founding Fathers is not a perfect

formula, but it does resist the tyranny that Solzhenitsyn

experienced in Soviet Russia. One way is by providing

a fluidity through which reform movements can arise

Take Democrats for Life, for example. Five short years

ago an internal challenge to the hard-line pro-abortion

position held by Democratic Party leadership was

virtually unthinkable. But there it is.

Politics will always play a role in the great moral debates

Its the American way. In taking questions to the culturethen, we need to look past (but not overlook) the political

factors and define more clearly the anthropologica

dimension of the debate. Its a complex topic, so let

restrict our discussion to one important theme: the use

and misuse of the Christian moral vocabulary.

MORAL DECONSTRUCTION

Moral deconstruction can be defined as the systematictake-down and restructuring of the moral assumption

that used to guide our decisions, especially those that

touched on the foundational constituents defining our

self-understanding and value. These would include

decisions about life, death, sexuality, purpose, meaning

sacrifice, and more.

Coming back to our literary prophets, we can see that

cultural deconstruction was what they feared. Orwell

warned against the imposition of tyranny, Huxley

against a mechanization of the body, and Solzhenitsynagainst a moral redefinition of man through which hi

God-given direction towards freedom (ultimately found

in Christ) would be obscured.

Ideas have consequences. How we think determines

how we act. This describes not only the individual but

also the society he inhabits. A society cannot continue to



15/28

PAGE 15


THANK You!!!

With your help, the Annunciation GOYA and youth

ministries conducted another a very successful

rummage sale. It was quite project, but thanks

to everyones generosity, this endeavor not only

strengthened our parishs youth ministries but

all of the donated items that were not able to be

sold were in turn donated to a local chapter of

the Boys & Girls Club. Thanks again to all those

advisors and adults who helped this project

get off the ground again this year: STAR AKEL, TANSA

BISHARA, WAYNE & CLAIR ALLEY, STEPHANIE ALLEY, HELEN HRONAS& JANET MIRON, and to all your young people who

worked so hard for two weeks before and early

on Saturday Morning to make sure that our

Rummage sale was another grand success.

BRAVO!!!


16/28

THE PROMISE

PAGE 16

HAPPYBIRTHDAYto our parishioners celebrating

during the upcoming months!

September 1st . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeremy DigginsSusan Ward

September 2nd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nic Roy

September 3rd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Joseph DickeyOksana Pavilv

September 5th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gabriela Tsoukatos

September 6th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . James Daly

September 7th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stephanie Leake

September 9th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Issa Kassissieh

September 10th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Haitham AlleySeptember 11th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Suzanne Dickey

September 12th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . George PlastirasAnna Marie Plastiras

September 13th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Giovana Cimino

September 14th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Paul Cantrell

September 15th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrew Bell

September 16th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tamara Kassissieh

September 17th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sharon Johnson

September 18th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Fr. NicholasNada Lelovic

September 19th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Richard Zraick

September 21st . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christopher AkelWill Martin

September 22nd . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diane Montgomery

September 23rd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Susan Campbell

September 24th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brian Alley

September 26th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mason Mann

October 3rd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joaquin Tsoukatos

October 5th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alex Paslidis

October 10th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John HenryAthena Pappas

Fofe Vasquez

October 11th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Laura Miron

October 15th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fuad Farah

October 18th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robin Jones

October 21st . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jack WeatherlyOctober 24th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jill Weatherly

October 26th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Aubrey Freeman

October 28th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daniel HunterMaria Moutos

October 30th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nicholas CobbSamuel Moutos

EFELLOWSHIP HOURD

If you or your family would like to commemorate

a special event, honor the memory of a loved

one or would simply like to after a gift to the

Annunciation family... you too can sponsor a

Fellowship Hour!

Please check the Bul letin Boardand sign up today!

OUTREACH COMMITTEEMEET & GREET SCHEDULE

September 4th . . . . . . . . . . . . . Susan McDowell

September 11th . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sharon Johnson

September 18th . . . . . . . Christopher Huckabay

September 25th . . . . . . . . . . . . .Carole Hawkins

October 2nd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jack Weatherly

October 9th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mark Hunter

October 16th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robin Jones

October 23rd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Susan McDowell

October 30th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sharon Johnson


17/28

PAGE 17



function without shared notions of right and wronga

dynamic we call the moral consensus. These ideas and

values function as universals, as ways that a society

organizes itself.

Further, these ideas depend on language, because its

through language that the ideas are passed from one

generation to the next. They shape a story, a cultural

narrative, which references ideas and actions to a larger

body of meaning. Solzhenitsyn, in arguing that the moral

touchstone has shifted from God to man in Western

culture, thereby implies the narrative has shifted as well.

Solzhenitsyn says as much by writing the Gulag series,

which attempted (successfully as it turns out) to destroy

the Marxist cultural narrative by telling the truth about

it, employing the values and ideas of the traditional

narrative Marxist ideas sought to supplant.

In terms of how these concepts enter the culture,

however, Orwell is probably the clearest. IN POLITICS

AND THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, Orwell warned of howthe meanings of words are subverted to stand for ideas

and concepts that are not true to their meaning. The

promises of the socialist utopia sweeping Europe (and

the American intelligentsia) at the time were Orwells

target, but the dynamic remains true today.

In all corners of the culture, words drawn from the moral

tradition are employed to justify actions and behaviors

that the tradition otherwise discourages and often

prohibits. We saw it in the great debates about abortion

and euthanasia in the last few decades. The conflict wasnot only about competing moral values, but also about

the language by which those values were communicated.

Words like freedom, choice, human value, and others

whose meanings were relatively clear when the cultural

consensus was shaped by traditional Christian morality

now served a different function as that consensus

shattered.

This co-opting of the Christian moral lexicon is one

reason for the deep moral confusion in the culture. It

creates a kind of moral schizophrenia in which people

are unsure if right and wrong even exist. Repeat certain

words over and over again, and people will tend to believe

them. If these words have moral power, which is to sayif they derive their authority from the moral tradition

people will tend to believe their new applications are the

tradition.

Thats what Huxley warned against. If man is a

biological machine, and if that machine responds to

pleasure, why not frame the pleasure-inducing activity

in the terminology of a private good? Orwell warned of

the same corruption. If man is machine, why not frame

the attempts at social reorganization in terms of the

common good? All it takes is wrestling common termsfrom their traditional moral contexts and employing

them in ones that justify the dehumanization as progress

Good becomes evil, and evil becomes good. Society has

reconstructed itself in a new moral order.

What makes Solzhenitsyns exhortation so compelling

(and ultimately more valuable) is his conviction that the

crisis is fundamentally one of anthropology. As such

it might also be one of historical inevitability. Perhaps

our progress has forced this dilemma upon us, just as

the Nestorian controversy forced the elucidation of the

two natures of Christ, and the Arian controversy the

elucidation of Christs divinity. The question we as a

society need to answer is: What is Man?

THE RE-CHRISTIANIZATIONOF CULTURE

As awe-inspiring as our technological advancements are

and despite the promise they hold for the alleviation of

human suffering, the application of new technologiestowards the betterment of the human condition in terms

traditionally understood is not assured. The moral crisis

facing American culture, particularly the deconstruction

of cultural forms that managed to safeguard the common

and private good (and sometimes correct its failures), can

easily subvert the knowledge into something grotesque

and ugly while claiming to serve the good.



18/28

THE PROMISE

PAGE 18


Solzhenitsyn warned as much when he said the crisis

can only be resolved if man reawakens to the spiritualdimension of his existence: This ascension will be similar to

climbing onto the next anthropologic stage. No one on earth has any

other way left butupward.

If Orthodox Christians should understand anything,

it is this: Salvation is a concrete, existential encounter

with the living God. Moreover, this Lord gives gifts,

including wisdom, knowledge, insight, and courage

all the elements needed to confront the maelstrom of

confusion in which our culture finds itself, and all meant

to be applied in the work of daily life, whether as mother,

researcher, mechanic, priestwhatever our vocation

may be.

Salvation is not understanding the correct theological

concepts; it is not nostalgia for civilizations past; it is not

formal membership in a long-standing parish; it is not

social activism; it is not morally appropriate behavior;

it is not mastery of the moral vocabulary. Further, it is

not enough to recall the certainty of the past. Nostalgic

impulses, as comforting as they may be (including theOrthodox variants, such as the longings for Hellenistic

Greece or Holy Russia), simply wont meet the challenge.

Orthodox leadership today requires moral clarity and

courage. When Solzhenitsyn delivered his address three

decades ago, he spoke not as a philosopher, but as a

voice crying in the wilderness. He cried out against the

dehumanization of men he experienced in the East and

saw advancing in the West. Only people with moral

clarity and courage could successfully challenge it, he

exhorted. What the world needs is not more philosophers,but moralists.

The exhortation drew from a supreme confidence in

the power of truth. Solzhenitsyn believed that truth is

self-verifying. When the truth is spoken, its veracity is

self-evident to the hearer. This is a profoundly Christian

notion rooted in the teaching of the apostle Paul: When

the Gospel is preached, Christ (who is Truth) is revealed.

Any Orthodox response to the cultural challenge must

first presume a recovery of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

The wisdom of the Fathers, the artistry of the poets

the healings of the miracle workers, the courage of the

martyrs, the knowledge of the scholars, the patience of

the teachers, the foresight of the bishops, the faithfulness

of the priestsall the elements that shaped and forged

the moral tradition that founded Western civilization

and must renew it todaystart with the recovery of

the Gospel. As Jesus said, I am the vine, you are the

branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears

much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing

(John 15:5).

Rev. Johannes L. Jacobse

is the president of the

AMERICAN ORTHODOX

INSTITUTE.

ATTENTIONGOYAns

Please remember that we willneed to set- up for the Halloween

Carnivalon SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29th!

If we all pitch in,

it wont take long!!!


19/28

PAGE 19


LUNCHEON DISCUSSIONSON

OUR FAITH

when: Sunday, October 9where:Annunciation Ballroomfood: Will be provided!

cost: $0.discussion& fellowship: Priceless

you will be the only ingredient needed to

make this a success!

On SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9TH, all invited to partici-

pate in another edition of our Luncheon Discus-

sions on our Faith with Fr. Nicholas.

A QUESTION BOX will be set up for people to

anonymously write down question(s) about any

aspect of our faith, morality, etc. that they have

always wanted to ask and never could find an

opportunity to ask. Then on SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9TH

after the Divine Liturgy we will share a lunch together,

and Father Nicholas will answer the anonymous

questions that were submitted as well as any offthe floor. This will looks to be another enjoyable

opportunity for our Church family to break some

bread together, as well as discover a little bit more

about the Church and faith that is so very dear to

us and our life. Please make plans to join us.

COLLEGE

STUDENTS!

ATTENTION COLLEGE STUDENTS

ANDORPARENTSOFCOLLEGE

STUDENTS, the Annunciation

wants to stay in contact with

YOU! Please provide the

Church Office with mailing

and e-mail information in

order for the Annunciationand the Office of Campus

Ministry to keep the lines of

communication going while far away from home.

NAME: ______________________________

E-MAIL:______________________________

Cell: _______________________________

ADDRESS:____________________________

CITY:____________________STATE:______

ZIP:________

CHECK US OUT

Dont forget our website: WWW.

ORTHODOXCHURCH.COM! It has an

up to date monthly calendar, the

latest edition of THE PROMISE andall sorts of information, you can

even contribute to the Church online!

If you know someone who might be interested in

being a vendor at the 2012 Festival, have them visit

WWW. GREEKFOODFEST.COM - application forms &

information are available


20/28

THE PROMISE

PAGE 20

WITNESSING LOYALTY(Continued from page 13)

is heavily influenced by observing the social exchanges in

the family, as well as the childs temperament, parentaldiscipline style and personality, and the social context of

the family.

Bandura points out the four conditions that must be

present for effective observational learning to take place:

1) ATTENTION TO THE MODEL. The amount and

quality of attention to characteristics of the model such

as: salience (e.g., attractiveness, competence; prestige,

similarity to the observer); the affective valence of the

model, that is to say whether strong or weak emotions

are aroused by it; its functional value and prevalence

as well as the attention characteristics of the observer:

e.g. their perceptual cognitive capability, cognitive set

(thought patterns) and arousal level at the time.

2) RETENTION PROCESSES. The encoding processes

of the observer: their level of or capacity for verbal or

imagery, cognitive organization, their rehearsal and

memory skills.

3) MOTORREPRODUCTIONPROCESSES.The observers

ability to replicate the models behavior: through physical

capability and component sub-skills and observation of

feedback. A child in a wheelchair will not be able to

reproduce the behavior of a high-jumper.

4) MOTIVATIONAL PROCESSES. The external, internal,

hedonistic, social, moral, or religious incentives, or

compelling reasons, that motivate the observer to

perform (or avoid) the models behavior. A little girl can

imagine herself being applauded if she sings like herfavorite pop star.

A child who observes a parent behaving in a dependable

way will be learning dependability themselves. In a

previous paper I noted the importance of behavioral

pinpointing. Behavioral pinpointing has to be done both

in informing the child what appropriate behaviors are

expected and also in reinforcing appropriate behavior

and helping the child

to cognitively un-

derstand the specific

appropriate behaviors

to be performed.

While appearing easy

the next step:

pinpointing behavior

is usually the most

difficult for parents to

learn. The definition

is easy: what is the

child doing or saying,

when, and where.

It is the opposite of

general descriptions.For example, describing a toddlers eating as good

is totally useless. Telling a child You were bad today

is equally meaningless. Words like good, bad, hostile,

considerate . . . , etc. are all abstract words, meaningless

for behavioral management. If a teacher reports back

to you that your son was hostile today. What does this

mean? It could mean anything from the child using

some rude word to a classmate, to picking up a basebal

bat and hitting someone.

Merely telling a child (or anyone, for that matter) to be

more dedicated, loyal and or dependable is ineffective

in communicating and facilitating behavior change. It is

to fall into the abstraction trap. One aid would be for

parents to start out pinpointing their own dependable

behavior. If a parent takes a child to an after school

activity, instead of merely saying for example, Ill take

you to baseball practice this afternoon after school,

they may highlight the consistency and dependability of

their action when they fulfill it: Johnny, you know when

Mommy says she will be there at 3:30 to pick you upshe means it, you know she is true to her word; when she

says something it can be counted on. That is the way all

of us should try to be.

PINPOINT LOYALTY, DEDICATION, DEPENDABLE

BEHAVIOR

In aiding the child to learn loyalty, dedication and


21/28

PAGE 21


responsibility the child should be informed in

behaviorally pinpointed terms exactly what is expected

from him or her. (This is also true for adult interaction

as well. Poor spouses, managers etc. ask others to

try harder or be more detailed or care more;

not realizing these terms are abstractions, having

many different possible interpretations, and are quite

ineffective in communicating and facilitating behavior

change). Certainly, children will have a difficult time

knowing what a parent means if abstract instructions

are given, for example, if the child is told to simply be

more dedicated. A pinpointed instruction delineating

the specific dedication behavior should be given.

For example: Johnny, you said you wanted to take up

martial arts, Mom and I are willing to buy your uniform

and will commit ourselves to take you to all the practices

and events. But your responsibility is to be dedicated andresponsible to attend all these practices and to do the

homework assignments given. This example actually

comes from a family I treated in counseling several years

ago. It was so effective the child would often come into the

family therapy session in his uniform and demonstrate

his martial arts movements for me. I was happy to point

out how pleased I was with his dedication and success.

REINFORCINGTHE PINPOINTED BEHAVIOR

Once again, in a previous paper I pointed out that when

rewarding (or punishing) a child one should specify the

pinpointed behavior and not use abstract, ambiguous

statements. For example, it is so tempting to praise a

child by saying Johnny, you were a good boy today;

or, Sally, Dad and Mom think youre wonderful. An

effective everyday life example I gave was: All behaviors

- good and bad - will increase if followed by a reward.

For example, if a child places their dirty dishes in a sink

(a good behavior) and the parent responds with Mary,

I am proud of you for putting dishes in the sink, thebehavior is reinforced and will increase.

Notice in this example that the behavior of putting the

dishes in the sink is specified. So too, if a child performs

a dependable behavior the behavior performed should

be specified in the social reinforcement given by the

parent. For example: Johnny, you said you would take

out the garbage cans immediately after you came home

from school;you did, great dependable work; Mary

you told your new friend Sally, you would stick up for

her when someone teased her at school; I saw you do

this; that is very loyal of you; Sammy, at the beginning

of this school year you said if we got you a saxophone

you would attend and perform all the assigned practices

Mom and dad are proud of you for keeping your word

and dedication.

ACOUPLEOF PERSONAL EXAMPLES

When I was growing up I lived in the last house on the

edge of a very rural upstate New York village. When I

entered high school, I was asked to take care of an elderly

neighbors horse. This meant getting up in the morning

way before school, biking to the farm, then giving thehorse fresh water, hay and oats. Many mornings were

very cold and it was even more difficult on snowy days

I had to repeat this in the afternoon after school as

well. Once a week I had to clean the barn and groom

the horse. I knew a commitment was a commitment. I

gave my word. I did get a small salary, but even at that

time the pay was not close to the value of the chore I

committed to.

My last two years in high school were dedicated to my

village church. I was blessed to be chief altar boy as wel

as sacristan. My daily and weekly duties entailed setting

out the appropriate vestments for the priest to robe, as

well as the required sacred vessels and altar fixings. I was

expected to be available for all church services to fill in if

one of the other altar boys was missing. (Recall, I lived in

a very small, isolated village. The parish church was just

down the block). I had a key to the Church building and

was expected to make sure it was locked in the evening.

When I think back, quite a responsibility for a teenager.

After being graduated from high school, I went off to theseminary for a life of further dedication to Christ and His

Church.

DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS

Certain external and internal assets facilitate interiorizing

loyalty, dependability and dedication. Among the major



22/28

THE PROMISE

PAGE 22

REGARDINGTHE CHURCH

& TRADITION

WHATARE `OURTRADITIONS?

THEYAREEVERYTHING

THATTHE GOD-MAN CHRIST,

HE HIMSELF,

ANDBYTHE HOLY SPIRIT, GAVETHE

COMMANDMENTTOHOLDANDTOLIVE

ACCORDINGTOTHEN;WHATEVER HEDELIVEREDIN HIS CHURCH,

INWHICH HEDWELLSCONTINUOUSLYWITH

HIS HOLY SPIRIT

(CF. MT. 28:19-29).

`OURTRADITIONS

AREOURWHOLELIFEINGRACEIN GOD,

CHRIST,

ANDTHE HOLY SPIRIT,

THELIFEOFUS CHRISTIANS,WHICHBEGANINTHE CHURCHOF CHRIST,

THROUGHTHE APOSTLES,

BYTHEDESCENTOFTHE HOLY SPIRIT.

ALLOFTHISLIFEOFOURSISNOTFROMUS,

BUTFROMTHE LORD JESUS,

BYTHEGRACEOFTHE HOLY SPIRIT,

OR, MOREPRECISELY,

OURENTIRELIFEISFROMTHE FATHER,

THROUGHTHE SON, ANDINTHE HOLY

SPIRIT.

- Saint Justin Popovich


external factors are: a strong family support andcommunication system whereby youngsters are willing

and open to listen to parental advice; a caring

neighborhood, school and church support system

encouraging and valuing youth involvement; good

parental, adult and peer models. Internal factors include

encouraging achievement, a milieu of pro-social values

[and for the Orthodox Christian family, that would mean

values that are centered on Christ and His teachings],

cognitive and social competency and healthy identity

and self-esteem.

JESUS TEACHING: THE PARABLEOFTHE SOWER

The importance of steadfastness, the spiritual term

that incorporates loyalty, dependability and dedication,

symbolized by the seed that takes root and comes to

fruition, was told to us by Jesus Himself, in the Parable

of the Sower:A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some

seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.

Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil, andimmediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but

when the sun rose they were scorched; and since they had no root

they withered away. Other seeds fell upon thorns, and the thorns

grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought

forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who

has ears, let him hear(Mt 13: 3-9).

Steadfast loyalty and dedication to a task, especially

spiritual tasks, are succinctly summarized by Jesus as

recorded by St. Luke (9: 62): No one who puts his

hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom

of God. In this regard, it should be noted that many

commitments that are made involve giving our word

to others about something about some service we will

perform. In a recent paper I point out that agape comes

under the guise of service to others.



23/28

PAGE 23


2012 PARISH COUNCILELECTION NOTICE

Elections for the Annunciation Parish Council will

be held on SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011. Please note

that candidates and nominating witnesses must be

members in good standing with the Parish for atleast one year immediately preceding the date of

the election and register as candidates in person.

Those men and women who love the Lord, are

active in the life of the Annunciation, and have a

sincere desire to serve Christ and His Church at

the Annunciation and would like to be a candidate

for a seat on the Parish Council must register as

a candidate in person along with a witness by

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20TH, 2011.

Then, in accordance with the Archdiocesan

Uniform Parish Regulations, ALLCANDIDATESare

required to meet with Father Nicholas on Sunday,

NOVEMBER 20TH for a review of expectations and duties

of a Parish Council Memberin order to be eligible to

serve and be placed on the official ballot.

2012 Halloween Carnival!Our GOYAns are looking forward to hosting

another fabulous event that will be fun for ALLages! So make sure to find something fun to

wear and keep

Sunday,October

30that 6:00pm...clear!

See you there!

ExploreThe

OrthodoxChristianFaith

LetsgodeeperintotheWordofth

eLordand

theteachingsoftheChurch!

Wearegoingtocontinuetoe

xploreour

OrthodoxChristianFaithin

thelightof

St.PaulsLettertotheRoma

ns.

All are invited - no previou

s experienceor

expertiserequired,justadesire

togrowinChrist!

WEDNESDAY,September14that6

:30pm

October5that6:

30pm

October19that6

:30pm

November2ndat6:30pm

KITCHEN REMINDER!

Please remember that if any items are usedfrom the Church Kitchen for Fellowship Hour,etc. they need to be cleaned aerwards.

e washing of dishes, utensils, etc. is notincluded in our agreement with the CleaningService.


24/28

THE PROMISE

PAGE 24

SANANTONIO

TRAVELERS!

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memories!

Wemust allmake su

reto givespecialtha

nksto

thoseadultswhoalo

ngwithFr.Nicholas

personally

madethisjoyfulexcursionpo

ssible:WAYNE&CLAI

R

ALLEY,TINAALLEY,K

ATHERINEBURKS,ANNACLIFT

,

EVASARGENTANDPR

ESBYTERAMARIAV

ERDARIS.Our

beautifulparishistru

lyblessedtobeableto

provide

ouryouthwithsuchop

portunitiesthatnoton

lybuild

strongerbonds,butpr

ovidememoriesthatw

illlast

alifetime.Withoutth

efaithfulcommitmen

tofour

entireparish,theCh

ristianintegrity of ou

ryouth

andthesacrificeofpa

rentsandadvisors,suc

hevents

wouldbeimpossible.

Thanksbeto God

for such

opportunities!

WhatdoyoumeantheParishCouncilPresidenthastoleadtheyouthontherollercoaster?

Another

walking tour?Y!

anks KerriI have not beeneating enough...

ese new Pomuniforms are

How muchlonger tillthe boys

graduateGOYA?

Shhhh...


25/28

PAGE 25


With visions ofRummage Salesdancing in his

head...

Somebody

is xin to get a whuppin...

Who is having fun?And who does belong

in this picture???

p p p

p

Looking for CaptainJack Sparrow

Father,I have this idea for

new Altar Boy

vestments...

Who ordered theFilet O Fish?

My name is Bond,James Bond................

NOT!

e further adventures of

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

I love roller coasters

MORE than NY...

Seriously???

Smile,

I have a plan...


26/28

THE PROMISE

PAGE 26


Service to others is one way to begin a life of love. Serving

those who are in real need of help is a way of lovingthem; it is an act of love. Did not Jesus tell us: But not

so with you; rather let the greatest among you become as

the youngest, and the leader as one who serves (Lk 22:

26).

Love as agape is that it is an attitude, a heartfelt intention

and a set of actions that are aimed at the good and

welfare of the other in emulation of the selfless, self-

emptying (kenotic) love Christ Himself had for us. Love

means having truly beneficent care for the welfare of

others in thought word and deed. Steadfastness, that is

to say dependability, is acquiring the spiritual virtue of

carrying out this love to its completion.

FORTITUDE, ONEOFTHE CARDINAL VIRTUES

We remember well St. Pauls reflection on his own life:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race,

I have kept the faith. (2Tm 4:7). Our holy Spiritual

Father St. Barsanuphius informs us how a life of prayeris so necessary to accomplish this end:

Therefore just as gold is fired in a furnace and held by means of

tongs, being beaten into shape by the hammer and thereby being

tested and proving acceptable for a royal diadem, so also a person

who is supported by the prayers of the saints, which is able to and

indeed accomplish a great deal...

Parents and their offspring must add their prayers to the

prayers of the whole church so that all members of the

domestic church can give witness of loyalty to Christ and

of dependability and dedication in all their actions.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always

abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your

labor is not in vain.

(1Cor 15: 58)

UPCOMING EVENTS

> SEPT. 18TH -YOUTH LUNCH, MEETING & FUN

> SEPT. 28TH - OCT. 1 - METROPOLISOF DETROIT

CLERGY/LAITYMEETING

> OCT. 9TH - LUNCHEON DISCUSSIONWITH FATHER

> OCT. 15TH - YOUTH SAVETHE DATE

> OCT. 22ND - RACEFORTHE CURE

> OCT. 23RD - GODPARENT SUNDAY

> OCT. 29TH - SET-UPFOR HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL

> OCT. 30TH - HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL

> NOV. 13TH - SUNDAYSCHOOL OPEN HOUSE

> NOV. 20TH - THANKSGIVING LUNCHEON

What Happens

You Add

Homemade

Cookies

+

The

Philander Smith

Choir

+

Christmas Cheer

+

Our Church

Family?

The Annunciation

Christmas Cookie Party

on December 4th!More details will be announced soon


27/28

PAGE 27


S M T W T F S

5Labor Day

Church Offices are Closed

412th Sunday of Matthew

Matins 9:00am

Divine Liturgy 10:00am

1211Sunday Before ElevationMatins 9:00am


Parish Assembly

18Sunday After Elevation

Matins 9:00am


Youth Lunch & Fun

251st Sunday of Luke

Matins 9:00am


Clergy Meeting in Detroit

19

Stewardship Meeting 6:00 pm

26


7

14Elevation of the Cross

Liturgy 9:30 am

Orthodox Study Class

6:00 pm

21

28


6

Scholarship Foundation Meeting

6:00 pm

13

Parish Council Meeting 6:00 pm

20

27


1

Church EcclesiasticalNew Year

8

Nativity of theTheotokos

Liturgy 9:30 am

15

22

29

Metropolis Clergy-Laity

Meeting in Detroit

2

9

16

23

30

Metropolis Clergy-Laity

Meeting in Detroit

1

1

2

October

Metropolis Clergy-Lai

Meeting in Detroit

ANNUNCIATION GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH1100 NAPA VALLEY DRIVE, LITTLE ROCK, AR 72211REV. DR. NICHOLAS J. VERDARIS, PASTOR

SEPTEMBER 2011


28/28

THE PROMISE

3

1093rd Sunday of Luke

Matins 9:00am


22nd Sunday of Luke

Matins 9:00am


17164th Sunday of LukeMatins 9:00am


236th Sunday of Luke

Matins 9:00am


Godparent Sunday

305th Sunday of Luke

Matins 9:00am


Halloween Carnival

6:00pm

24

31

5


6:00 pm

12

19


6:00 pm

26

Feast of St. Demetrios

Liturgy 9:30 am

2


6:00 pm

4

11

Parish Council Meeting

6:00 pm

18

25

November 1

6

13

20

27

3

7

14

21

28

4

8

15

22

Arkansas Race for the

29Youth Set-Up

for

Halloween Carniva

S M T W T F S

ANNUNCIATION GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH1100 NAPA VALLEY DRIVE, LITTLE ROCK, AR 72211REV. DR. NICHOLAS J. VERDARIS, PASTOR

OCTOBER 2011

2011 September & October Promise

Documents

Transcript of 2011 September & October Promise