December & January Schedule of Services
Sunday, December 6th10thSunday of Luke (St. Nicholas the Wonderworker)
Luke 13:10-17 / Heb. 13:17-21
9:30 AM Orthros (Matins)
10:15 AM Divine Liturgy
Coffee Hour: Nicholas & Chrysoula Kontoes
Saturday, Dec. 19th5:30 PM Vespers & Hours for the Forefeast of the Nativity
Sunday, December 20thSunday before Nativity (Christmas Service)
Matt. 1:1-25 / Heb. 11:9-10, 32-40
9:30 AM Orthros (Matins)
10:15 AM Divine Liturgy followed by a Sunday School Christmas Presentation & Christmas Party
Memorial Luncheon: Fr. Anastasios & Laura Mosconas
Saturday, Dec. 26th5:30 PM Great Vespers
Sunday, December 27thGreat Holidays for the Holy Nativity and Jesus Circumcision
Matt. 2:13-23 / Gal. 1:11-19
9:30 AM Orthros (Matins)
10:15 AM Divine Liturgy
Coffee Hour: Van and Dolly Gokas
Saturday, January 9th5:30 PM Great Vespers for the Holy Theophany and the
Hours for the Holy Feast
Sunday, January 10, 2010 Epiphany
Eph 4:7-13; Matt 3:13-17 & 4:12-17
9:30 AM Orthros (Matins)
10:15 AM Divine Liturgy followed by the Blessing of the Water
(Please bring your water bottle from last year if you have it and any other additional water bottles you would like to have filled.)
Coffee Hour: ? (Please call Laura if you are available)
Saturday, January 23rd5:30 PM Great Vespers for the Three Hierarchs (Our Parish Annual feast) and the Blessing of the five loaves
The parish of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Concord, NH will join us in that celebration. An agape meal will follow.
Sunday, January 24thSunday of the Publican and Pharisee: Triodion Begins Today
Gal 5:22- 6:2; Matt 25:1-13
9:30 AM Orthros (Matins)
10:15 AM Divine Liturgy
Coffee Hour: ? (Please call Laura if you are available)
Christmas Reflections:
“ He who measures the heaven with the span of his hand lies in a manger a span’s breadth, He whose cupped hands contain the sea is born in a cave; His glory fills the heavens and the manger is filled with his splendor…” St. Ephraim the Syrian.
The simplicity of the story of Christ’s birth reveals the depth of God’s love and the mystery of His action in our life. As we celebrate Christmas this year, once again Mary and Joseph, the shepherds and wise men, the angels and animals direct our attention to the Lord Jesus. He who is truly the “Way, the Truth and the Life” (John 14:1) reveals Himself in the humble circumstances of a cave in Bethlehem.
The story of the Birth of Christ is a vivid reminder of the depth of God’s love for us. The infinite God mysteriously accepted the limitations of our humanity. Many years before the Beatitudes were taught and many years before His Glorious Resurrection, Christ revealed God’s love simply by entering into our life and by sharing in all that is truly human. St Basil the Great reminds us of this saying: “Every act and every word of the Savior is a guide for holiness and virtue. For this reason he became human, so that in images he may depict both holiness and virtue for us…. For this reason he bears a body so that imitate His Life.” (Ascetic Principles book)
The story of Christ’s birth speaks to us about the mysterious ways of God. For centuries, the Ancient Israelites had expected the Messiah. The prophets, especially Isaiah and Jeremiah, called the people to readiness and openness to God’s action. Their message provided the people with indication about the coming Messiah. Yet, when “the fullness of time had come” (Gal 4:4), the Messiah did not arrive as a conquering hero in a golden chariot with pride and splendor. He was not robed in expensive clothing. When the Messiah finally arrived, He came first as a baby; he was born to a young girl who was not formerly married. The event occurred in the simple village of Bethlehem. He was sheltered in a place reserved for animals because the inn was full. In a simple way “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of Grace and Truth…” (John 1:14) This is the mysterious way of God.
The story of the Birth of Christ is usually clouded by the commercialism of the season. The stores tempt us for weeks to buy this thing or buy that thing. A lot of people like to speak about the “holiday season” rather than of “Christmas”. Many schools have forbidden the remembrance of Christ’s birth in the classroom. Yes, throughout our society many fail to remember that the coming of Christ is truly at the heart of Christmas celebrations.
We have noticed as every year goes by, we see fewer truly Christmas oriented programs and less Christmas music is heard. Santa Claus has taken over and people have become absorbed in the exchange of Christmas gifts. It seems in this commercial world to substitute Christmas with “Santa Claus Day”.
What we can do?
Let us celebrate the joy of Christ’s coming; let us share the love of God with others, especially with the poor and less fortunate among us. We can be sensitive to those who cannot easily celebrate because of a loss in their lives. Let us be the ambassadors of Christ who share His care and philanthropy. Let us seek the Lord with an open Heart by finding opportunities for prayer and meditation, reading the scriptures related to Christ’s coming, by participating in the Divine Liturgy and receiving Holy Communion with Reverence for God, Faith and Love.
To Christ our Lord be Glory now and ever and onto the ages of ages. Amen.
+ Anastasios
Contacting Fr. Anastasios
If you need to speak to Father Anastasios for any matter or to discuss any situation
or for confession, please call him @ 508-753-1101 or email to schedule a time on Saturdays.
Christmas Party
On Sunday, December 20th the children of St. Vasilios will celebrate the holiday with a small presentation for the parishioners after the Liturgy. Following the service there will be a party downstairs in the Church Hall. Santa will be there!
Christmas Decor
Please bring a poinsettia to Church in December to decorate the altar area. Our Church will look festive and beautiful.
Donations of Nonperishable Items and Supplies
This holiday season our Church has decided to focus on helping two local charities in need of our support. The first organization is the Newport Food Pantry. We will place a cardboard box downstairs in the Church Hall in which donations of nonperishable items (canned goods, boxes) can be placed. These items will be delivered to the Newport Food Pantry the week prior to Christmas. The second organization is the Turning Points Network (formerly known as Women’s Supportive Services). Newport and Claremont share a 16-bed emergency shelter that services our local families. Here is their shelter wish list: paper goods (paper towels, toilet paper, napkins), child and environmentally-friendly cleaning supplies, toiletries (shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste, soap, deodorant, hair brushes, combs), dish detergent, diapers and wipes, movie or recreation center passes, gas, phone and food cards. We will place a second box in the Church Hall for these donations. Thank-you for your generosity during this holiday season!
Theophany
On Sunday, January 10th we will celebrate the blessing of the water. If you still have your Holy Water bottle from last year please bring it for a refill. If you have other bottles you would like filled please bring them as well. The Church has a limited supply of water bottles available for a small donation.
Thank You!
The parishioners of St. Vasilios would like to express their thanks to Dino Vlahakis for the donation of batteries for our sound system. Your generosity is appreciated.
Inclement Weather
Now that we are entering the winter months it is important that everyone call the Church answering machine for Church service updates. In case of snowy conditions the answering machine will be updated by 8:30 AM on Sundays. Since Fr. Anastasios arrives in Newport on Saturdays there is a good chance that the machine will be updated prior to the weekend of services. When in doubt, please call. Also, it is fine to call Laura at (603) 863-1384 for updates.
Church Bulletin Sponsorship
If anyone is interested in sponsoring the bulletin as part of your stewardship pledge please see Laura. Donations of paper, printing costs, and stamps would be most helpful. It is greatly appreciated!
Prayer List
Please use this list to pray for members of our community who are sick or in need of God’s care.
Bessie PapageorgeJohn CoronisLillian GokasEvelyn Saggiotes
If you feel a name should remain on the list, or if you would like a new name placed on the list
Please contact Fr. Anastasios.
New Year’s Eve Party 2010
We are pleased to announce that our Parish will celebrate the ringing in of the New Year on Thursday, December 31st from 9:00 PM until 1:00 AM at the Mountain Edge Resort and Spa at Sunapee, located on 1380 Route 103 in Newbury, NH 03255. This is the same location that we enjoyed our Fall Dinner in October. There will be a live DJ with Greek music and a lot of Greek dancing! There will be an assortment of delicious hot and cold appetizers to include vegetable crudités, cheese/fruit/crackers, chicken fingers with dipping sauces, shrimp platters, chicken wings, and desserts. At midnight a sparkling wine (or sparkling cider) toast will be made while the ball drops in Times Square via TV. The cost per person is $25.00 and includes all of the above. There are only 85 tickets available so please make your reservation soon by contacting Laura Mosconas at 863-1384 or Jennifer Souliotis at 863-2294.
Ladies Auxiliary Raffle
Enclosed in this bulletin please find a flier with information about our exciting Christmas raffle. Thank you to Aliki Souliotis, Chrysoula Kontoes, Jennifer Souliotis, Sandra Tselepidakis, Sofia Katsanos, Alice Dantos, Evangeline Gokas, and Laura Mosconas for donating items for the raffle. Also, thank you to Jaclyn Goddette, a sophomore at NewportMiddleHigh School, for designing the flier for our raffle. Due to space, only five of the ten prizes were showcased with a photo on the flier. But, all of the prizes can be viewed on our Church website at stvasilios.nh.goarch.org
We hope our parishioners, family and friends will support us in raising funds for church improvements. Prizes will be drawn during our Christmas party on December 20th. All of our prizes will be on display in the Church Hall during the month of December and extra raffle tickets are available in the Church Hall. If you have any questions please see Jennifer or Laura.
Sacraments
Due to the expenses that the Church is incurring during Sacraments (weddings, baptisms, etc.) the Parish Council has set up s fee of $500 for non-members and $300 for members. If the person requiring the sacrament is living a financial hardship, please speak with Fr. Anastasios or a member of the Parish Council. Please note that sacraments will be scheduled only during the weekends when we have Liturgy and a three month notification is necessary. May the Lord bless you all.
Check out these websites!
Fr. Anastasios has suggested that all parishioners who have access to the internet to please surf the following sites:
Stewardship Update
The holiday season is fast approaching. In the spirit of the season, a time of thanksgiving, gift giving, and good will, kindly consider a gift to St. Vasilios of your time, talents, and treasure in thanksgiving for all God’s blessings.
Listed below are parishioners who have made a pledge as of November 26, 2009.
Thank you for your commitment to St. Vasilios Church.
Linda Kelly BrownGus & Barbara TampasisFotios Tampasis
Nickos TampasisDemoulas FoundationJackie Miller
Dolly GokasVan GokasLee Lantas
Arnold JohnsonGeorge, Efrosini & Vaya MakrisKonstadinos & Marcy Makris
Travis & Laura Mosconas-HodgdonKostas & Sofia KatsanosFr. Anastasios & Presb. Nissrine
Athanasios & Sarah KatsanosAngelo & Stella NestorFrank & Stacy Souliotis
Solon & Marge KanakisGeorge & Jennifer SouliotisAl & Bessie Juris
George SouliotisAristotel SouliotisJohn and Anna Souliotis
John and Katie GioldassisDino VlahakisSpiro Gokas
Andrew ManghisEvangelia DavisDr. Charles Saggiotes
Evelyn SaggiotesAlex & Lorraine MillerPhidias & Alice Dantos
Kostantinos & Zoi DimakisSmaragda DimakisDimitri Dimakis
George & Aliki SouliotisDimitri & Sandra TselepidakisVasilios & Barbara Georgitsis
Dimitrios & Lina NikasNicholas & Helen StamosKosta & Aleka Nastos
Tassos NastosGeorge & Effie PanagakisJohn & Mary Rassias
Lillian GokasCharles GokasNick & Chrysoula Kontoes
Mr. & Mrs. Andrew AndrewsAnastasia KoloniasWilliam Miles & Helene Rassias-Miles
Bessie PapageorgeMrs. Lorraine Coronis
Sound System Update
As of September 1st we made our second payment of $839.00 and were left with a balance of $589.03. We hoped to raise that amount by November, but raised $66.00 through the collection tray. That leaves us with a balance of $523.03. We will continue to collect a second tray during the first service of each month until we raise the balance for this project. Parishioners who would like to support this project may also send in their checks, but be sure to reference in the memo line: sound system. Your generosity is very much appreciated. We thank all the donors for this project. May the Lord reward you all. Amen.
2009 Candle/Tray Collections
For your information, as part of our 2009 bulletins, the Board would like all of our Parishioners to be informed of the monthly collections for candles and trays. For the month of October $40.00 collected for candles and $105.00 was collected for trays. In November $155.00 was collected for candles and $111.00 was collected for trays.
Prayer to St. Nicholas
From the Apolytikion in the 4th Tone
The truth of things has revealed you to your flock as a rule of faith, an icon of meekness, and a teacher of temperance; for this cause, you have achieved the heights by humility, riches by poverty. O Father and Hierarch Nicholas, intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.
2010 Church Calendars
The new calendars for 2010 are available in our Church narthex. Donations will be kindly accepted.
Ladies Auxiliary Christmas Outing
The Ladies Auxiliary of St. Vasilios Church will be gathering for a holiday dinner at the Common Man Restaurant in Claremont, NH, on Friday, December 18th. Anyone interested in attending should meet at the Church parking lot at 5 PM. We will car pool to Claremont. If you are interested in attending please call Jennifer Souliotis (863-2294) or Laura Mosconas (863-1384) so we can plan. We hope to see you for a fun and festive evening!
Needy Local Children
As part of a Sunday School lesson on giving to others, twelve needy children from the Newport area were selected as recipients of a gift from our Parish. Each of the twelve children requested an item such as pants, diapers, T-shirts, arts and crafts, socks, pajamas, puzzles, etc. Sandra Tselepidakis has graciously offered to do all of the shopping for these twelve children. On Sunday, December 6th, she will bring the items to Church and our Sunday School children will package and tag the gifts which will later be delivered to the local drop-off site. If anyone is willing to donate towards the total cost of these items (approximately $100.00) please see Sandra or Laura. Thank you for your kindness.
Christmas Gifts for our Parish Children
This year Fr. Anastasios would like to present each child of our Parish with a small icon during the Christmas Party on December 20th. If anyone is interested in sponsoring these icons please see Jennifer or Laura. Thank you!
Prayer to the Theotokos
taken from My Orthodox Prayer Book
O spotless, undefiled, unstained, chaste and pure Virgin, Lady and Bride of God!
Through your wondrous birthgiving you have united God the Word with humanity; you have brought together our fallen nature and the things of heaven.
You are the hope of the hopeless, the help of the assaulted, the ready protection of those who hasten to you, the refuge of all Christians.
Do not despise me, a sinner, having wholly defiled myself with unclean thoughts, words, and deeds; and having become through an indolent will a slave to life’s evil pleasures.
But as the Mother of the loving God, show loving mercy to me, a sinner and prodigal, and accept this prayer fro, my impure lips.
In your maternal boldness, entreat your Son, our Master and Lord, to open to me the depths of His loving kindness; to overlook my countless transgressions; to lead me to repentance and to make me a worthy keeper of His commandments.
Since you are merciful, compassionate and loving, be my constant companion.
In this life be my fervent champion and helper, repulsing the assaults of my adversaries and leading me to salvation.
At the time of my death, embrace my soul and drive far away from me the dark figures of the evil demons.
And in the awesome day of judgment, deliver me from eternal punishment and make me an heir to your Son’s unspeakable glory.
May I be worthy of this glory, my Lady, all-holy Theotokos, through your intercession and help, and by the grace and love of your only-begotten Son, the Lord and God, and our Savior Jesus Christ, to whom belong all glory, honor and worship, together with His Father who is without beginning, and his all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and forever. Amen.