FOR VISITORS

Welcome home! Please feel free to take a visitors packet home with you before you leave today

Please let either a greeter or a parish council members know if this is your first time at Saints Constantine and Helen so that we can make you feel more at home.

At the end of the service, come and introduce yourself to Father Jason, and receive a piece of "antidoro" (blessed bread). Also, join us for coffee hour after Liturgy!

Remember, the Church is everyone's home whether we are longtime members of the parish, or if we are stepping into the Church for the first time. Everyone one of is responsible for showing hospitality to those who we do not know.

CHURCH ETIQUETTE

Let everything we do be done in an orderly way (1st Corinthians 14:40)

The best way to show love to God is to be respectful to others. Make every effort to be in church before the Divine Liturgy begins, and to remain quiet and respectful throughout the entire service.

Appropriate clothing should be worn, hands should be prayerfully at our sides or folded, not in our pockets, or laid on the tops, or sides of the pews; there should be no food or drink in the Church (no gum chewing!) unless it's Holy Communion or food that has been blessed and distributed by a clergyman; when seated, legs should not be crossed. Remember that socializing is for coffee hour and should not take place in the narthex. Limit talking and moving around, and try not to create a distraction for yourself or for others. Please clean up after yourself, and do not leave bulletins or bread crumbs behind you once the service has come to a conclusion.

FOR MEMBERS

"I was a stranger and you welcomed me." (Matthew 25:35)

Welcome everyone (both visitors and longtime members) with a smile. If it's someone's first time visiting Saints Constantine and Helen, help them find a seat, and to understand the service

Appropriate clothing should be worn, hands should be prayerfully at our sides or folded, not in our pockets, or laid on the tops, or sides of the pews; there should be no food or drink in the Church (no gum chewing!) unless it's Holy Communion or food that has been blessed and distributed by a clergyman; when seated, legs should not be crossed. Remember that socializing is for coffee hour and should not take place in the narthex. Limit talking and moving around, and try not to create a distraction for yourself or for others.

Please clean up after yourself. Do not leave bulletins, tissues, or bread crumbs behind you once the service has come to a conclusion.

PARTICIPATING IN THE DIVINE LITURGY

Please make every effort to be on time and to participate in the Divine Liturgy. Remember, the Liturgy is meant to be a work of all people!

Ask Fr. Jason or one of our chanters and volunteering to help the psalms or the epistle! The Great Doxology can be found on page 1 in the "Green Book." The hymns for the day can also be found in the bulletin.

Also, remember that the hymn for Saints Constantine and Helen and the Nicene Creed can now be found on the inside covers of the green and red service books!

CHILDREN IN CHURCH

The presence of children in the worship is essential to a healthy Church! Why else would our Lord say “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)

Here are some insights that we all might find helpful:

• Help your children see what is taking place in the service the service and explain to them what is happening. Don’t be afraid to sit up front!

• If your child asks a question that you might not know the answer to, ask Fr. Jason or a Sunday School teacher! It can be a good learning opportunity for the rest of the children.

• It’s ok to correct your child’s behavior if they misbehave. At the same time, don’t resent them for being children. Even adults struggle to pay attention in Church!  

• It’s ok to bring your children into the narthex or cry-room if you feel that it’s necessary.

• Lead by example! Bring your children Church on a regular basis, and to establish a routine of prayer at home.

• If children may not comfortable receiving the sacraments, it’s our responsibility as parents to show them by our example. This means preparing for and receiving the sacraments ourselves. Why would they feel comfortable doing something that we don’t?

• We must all show support, love, and patience to one another, especially to struggling mothers. This includes those of us who have already raised children, those who might not have children. This especially includes fathers! Honor your wife, and fulfill your role in training up your children in the way that they should go!  (cf. 1 Peter 3:7; Prov 22:6)

HOLY COMMUNION

"With the fear of God, with faith, and with love, draw near."- Divine Liturgy

Here are some things to prayfully consider before approaching the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ:

1.) The frequent reception of Holy Communion is encouraged! This means however that we must all frequently prepare to receive Holy Communion. If you have not been to Church for a while, consider this an opportunity to restart your life in Christ, and to speak with your priest about receiving the sacraments of the Church. Never be afraid or discouraged to come and speak to Father Jason before receiving Holy Communion! 

2.) We receive Holy Communion when we become members in good standing of the Orthodox Church. This takes places through after we receive the sacraments of Baptism, Chrismation in a canonical jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church. If you would like to become an Orthodox Christian, Please see Father Jason!

3.) Our goal is to become closer to God by living a life of Holiness! Something to reflect on before and after we consume the Body and Blood of our Lord is whether or not we are living our lives in peace and love as God wants us to.

4.) It is neccesary to fast prior to receiving Holy Communion. Generally speaking, we should abstain from food or drink prior to receiving the the Body and Blood of our Lord unless it is medically neccesary. If you have any questions, please speak to Fr. Jason.

5.) CAUTION! Please approach the chalice carefully! Never do anything that could potentially spill the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ from the Chalice!!!

6.) When receiving Communion, please close your mouth in a natural manner as you would when feeding yourself with a spoon. Please also ensure that the red cloth is placed under your chin. 

8.) Women, please blot or remove lipstick prior to receiving Holy Communion.

PASTORAL VISITATIONS

Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. (James 5:13-15)

Please call the Church Office or call Father Jason’s emergency cell phone number to let him know what your pastoral needs are you can also ask your family members, a social worker, or a Hospital Chaplain to notify the Church so that they can inform Father Jason that you are in need of pastoral care.

For additional resources about Holy Communion, Confession, or any other pastoral concern please see Father Jason or visit our Church website http://orthodoxcheyenne.org/

CONFESSION

A young monk said to the great ascetic Abba Sisoes: “Abba, what should I do? I fell.” The elder answered: “Get up!” The monk said: “I got up and I fell again!” The elder replied: “Get up again!” But the young monk asked: “For how long should I get up when I fall?” “Until your death,” answered Abba Sisoes.—Sayings of the Desert Fathers

Confession is necessary for our personal healing, and for the repentance and forgiveness of sins. It’s also a vital element of our Lord’s Commission to us as Orthodox Christians for the life and growth of the Church.

Never be afraid to speak to Fr. Jason in order to make the necessary arrangements for the sacrament of confession. You can call during the week, or just get a hold of him after Liturgy!

St. Macrina's Academy

Classes will resume once again at the begin after September 23rd!!! Stay posted for more information!!!

Don’t forget to pick up a copy of our weekly youth bulletin in the Narthex!!!

Please remember that all youth ministries (i. e. Sunday School, GOYA, Greek Dance, Altar Boys, and all other volunteers) are encouraged to attend our meeting on September 23rd before the beginning of classes.

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GREEK DANCE

A special thanks goes out to everyone who is participating in both of our Greek dance troupes this year! It's very encouraging to see our young people and our volunteers working hard once again for our Greek Festival!!!

We have many things to thankful to God for:

• Nancy Tsandes for baking this week's prosforo
• Lucis Klinkner & Sophia Lambousis for hosting fellowship
• Marie Pitt for being todays Greeter

King Soopers Gift Cards

We have received over $1300.00 from our King Soopers Gift Card participation program!

Thank you to everyone who has participated and shopped at King Soopers or have purchased gas at Loaf & Jug with their gift cards. 

For those who not aware of the fundraiser and would like to know more or how to receive a gift card to King Soopers, please call or email the church office.

The card is free to anyone who wants to participate.

Amazon Smile

“Amazon Smile” is another good way to contribute to Saints Constantine and Helen every time you purchase something on their website! To learn more, log on to https://smile.amazon.com/. Make sure that you choose “Hellenic Orthodox Church of Sts Constantine and Helen” as your charity.

Directory Update

Progress is forthcoming with regards to our Church Directory project so that participants can review and approve their proofs of information prior to publishing. For any questions, please contact Dawn Hatanelas or Julie Lehman.  

Greek Festival

Thank you for helping with the week's festival preparations. Please see our detailed calendar for more information.

Greek Dancers

A special thanks goes out to everyone who is participating in both of our Greek dance troupes this year! Please take note of the following rehearsal times:

Little Athenians: Dress Rehearsal—Thursday at 5:30

Senior Dance Troupe: Dress Rehearsal—Thursday at 6:30pm

Community Announcements

Saints Constantine & Helen is now accepting requests for community announcements (i.e. birthday/anniversary parties, graduations, etc.) to be posted via email. Please submit all future requests through Charlie Radich at c.radich@bresnan.net.

Philoptochos 

Philoptochos welcomes the participation of every woman in our Parish.  We meet on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in our Fellowship Hall.  Our mission is to help the Poor, the Destitute, the Hungry, the Elderly, the Sick, the Unemployed, the Orphaned, the imprisoned, the Widowed, the Disabled, and Victims of Disaster throughout the World. 

Excerpts from Family Life by Elder Paisios the Athonite

Children and the spiritual life

Geronta, if a mother gives holy water to her child and he spits it out, what should she do?

—She should pray for her child. Maybe the way in which she gives the holy water to her child causes a reaction. For the child to be on the path of God the parents must also live right spiritually. Some parents who are religious strive to help their children to become good, not because they are concerned for the salvation of their souls, but because they what to have good children. In other words, they are more worried about what people will say about their child instead of whether they might go to hell. So how can God help? The aim is not for children to go to church through compulsion, but to love the church; not to do good through compulsion, but to feel the need to do good. The holy lives of parents instruct the souls of their children and they naturally follow. In this way they grow up piously, with health of both soul and body and without spiritual injuries. If parents force their children out of fear of God, He helps and the child is benefited. If, however, they do it out of egoism, then God does not help. Children are often troubled because of their parent’s pride.

—Geronta, some mothers ask us what prayer should a child of three or four years old do?

—You should tell them: “You are the mother; see how much your child can handle.” They shouldn’t give them a rule.

—Geronta, what if the little children get tired when their parents bring them here for vigils? 

—During Orthros they should let them out a little to relax, and during Divine Liturgy bring them back into the church.

Without forcing their children mothers must teach them to pray. Villagers in Cappadocia* intensely lived the ascetic tradition. They would take their children to hermitages, do prostrations and pray with tears, and in this way, the children learned how to pray. Chetes [8] would sometimes go by night to rob them; and when passing the chapels they would hear crying and stop in surprise. “OK, what’s going on?” they would say. “During the day they are all smiles and at night they cry?” They couldn’t understand what was going on.

Miracles happen through the prayers of small children. Whatever they ask of God He gives them because they are guileless and He hears their pure prayer. I remember one time our parents had gone out into the field and had left me in the house with my two younger siblings. The sky suddenly darkened and a torrential rainstorm began. “What will our parents do now?,” we said. “How will they get back home?” The two little ones began crying. “Come here,” I told them, “we will ask Christ to stop the rain.” The three of us knelt down before the family’s icons and prayed. In just a few minutes the rain stopped.

Parents must use discernment to help their children draw near to Christ from their early years, and from their childhood to live the joy on high—spiritual joy. When they start school they should learn, little by little, to read spiritual books to help themselves live spiritually. In this way they will become little angels, and their prayers will have greater boldness before God. Such children are spiritual heads of the home. The lives of saints especially help small children in their spiritual lives. As a small boy I found a little book of the lives of saints which they had back in those days. I went out into the forest to read and pray. I was flying with joy. From the age of ten to sixteen, when the Greek-Italian war began, I lived the spiritual life without restraint. Childhood joys are pure; they leave an imprint on a person that greatly affects him when he grows up. If children live spiritually they will live joyfully in this life, and in the next they will rejoice eternally with Christ.