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

Please remember that registration forms must be turned in for all youth ministries. If you have not received a packet of information either in person or in the mail, please contact the Church office.

Sunday School

Thank you for attending last week's agiasmo kick off! This week we will continue to learn about the Divine Liturgy! Parents, we need your participation to make Sunday School a success. Please speak with either Fr. Jason or one of our teachers about how you can help our program.

GOYA

Join us today for a meeting following Liturgy as we discuss important plans for the Fall.

All young people who are old enough to participate in Metropolis and Archdiocese ministries (ages 11-18) are welcome to participate. Join us on the last Sunday of every month after Liturgy.

The mission and goal of GOYA ministry is to lead our young people into experiencing the Holy Orthodox Faith. By developing a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and becoming active sacramental members of the living Church, our young people will be equipped with tools necessary to assist them in their journey toward salvation.

We have many things to thankful to God for:

• Helen Costopoulos for baking this week's prosforo
• The Blooding family for hosting fellowship
• Marianne Bouris 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

Gust and Dawn will be available today to update directory information and to take photos for those who have not yet had their photos taken for the parish directory. 

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 

Please join us on Tuesday, October 9th in our fellowship Hall for our Monthly meeting.

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. 

Commiting to Religious Education

What Families Can Do

When we talk about religious education in the home, what are we talking about? Is it parents sitting their children down at home for an hour a week of explanations of the Holy Trinity or memorizing the Twelve Major Feasts of the Orthodox Church? What is religious education in the home anyway?

First, religious education in the home is a set of priorities about religion in life. To say it plainly, it's parents who make their religion a part of their lives, who assign religion a high priority in their lives. It's saying by their actions that attending Liturgy Sunday morning is more important than sleeping late. It's saying by their actions that love of God is important, that forgiveness is important, that worship is important, that the Church is important, that what the Church teaches is important - important enough to be given number-one priority!

Second, religious education in the home is living religion. It's keeping fasts and feasts. It's taking part in the sacramental life of the Church as a family. It's learning more about one's faith - not just the children but the adults as well. It's struggling with temptation. It's [experiencing] conflict with family members followed by forgiveness; it's loving that eventually wins over anger; it's sharing when sharing is hard. It's a family moving toward God together. It's life that has God at its center. It's icons on the walls and grace before meals. It's Bible stories at bedtime for young children, and prayers before bedtime. It's explanations of upcoming feasts and fasts at the dinner table; it's heart-to-heart talks about sex and love and life. It's attending weekday Church services during Lent as a family; it's where the emphasis lies on family celebrations of Christmas. It may be a puppet show about St. Nicholas, making an Advent wreath, or celebrating a "re-birthday" party in honor of a family member's baptism. It's taking Communion together and preparing for Communion together. It's nature walks in spring to see how God renews the face of the earth. It's nature walks in the autumn to enjoy the fruits of God's works. It's facing the hard parts of life together - failure, disappointment, death - with trust in God and faith in each other.

What is religious education in the home? It's learning to live as Christians. It's not always easy - we bring our shortcomings as well as our strengths to the task. It takes time and effort and love. There are lapses, setbacks, resistance, short tempers. There is joy, success, celebration.

Is it worth it? What is eternal life worth? What is living a life in Christian community worth? There was a man who found a pearl of great price; he sold everything he had to possess that pearl. There were twelve men to whom an unknown man coming out of the wilderness said, "Follow me." They followed. You and your family can follow, too.

Excerpted from "What Families Can Do", Newsletter of the Department of Christian Education, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, November 1977, Vol. 8, No. 2, p. 6. John Boojamra, editor.