A Word from Fr. John:

From St. Gregory of Nazianzus, an oration on Christ’s birth and baptism:

“It is this which we are celebrating today, the coming of God to man, that we might go forth, or rather (for this is the more proper expression) that we might go back to God: that, putting off the old man, we might put on the new; and that, as we died in Adam, so we might live in Christ, being born with Christ and crucified with Him and buried with Him and rising with Him.

For I must undergo the beautiful conversion, and as the painful succeeded the more blissful, so must the more blissful come out of the painful. For where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. And if a taste condemned us, how much more does the Passion of Christ justify us? Therefore, let us keep the Feast, not after the manner of a heathen festival, but after a godly sort....”

Special Prayer Requests: 

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  (Phil. 4:6-7)

We pray for the good journeys of traveling faithful during the festal season and for the mercy, life, peace, and healing of all parishioners, especially: His Grace Bishop Dimitrios of Xanthos, Augustina, Margaret, James, Kyriake, Mike and Ingrid (Evangelia) Fotianos, Irene Hastalis, Jim Manos, Chresanthe Lemieux, Jane Anderson, Despina Xynidis, Nicola Lykam’s father-in-law and mother-in-law, Melissa Kauttu’s daughter Zoe, and Rita Latgis (whose husband Nicholas passed away on Wednesday) and her daughter Sophia and their family. Remember also our missionary families, Michael, Lisa & Liam Colburn; and Fr. Stephanos, Pr. Alexandria, Moses & Athan Ritsi, and the people of Albania recovering from the recent earthquakes.

Parish Council Election:

General election for the Parish Council was held on, Sunday, December 15, 2019. The unratified election results for Parish Council are Nick Lekas, Andy Lekos, Polly Hillier and Melisa Coburn.  Respectfully submitted - Parish Elections Committee: Irene Pergeorelis, Joan Manias, Stefanos Kallas

Hostess Schedule:  Carman Gaetanos (904) 540-0367 or carmgaet@gmail.com      

• Today, December 22^nd        
• Coffee Only – Potluck
• December 29^th                    
• Coffee Only – Potluck

Fasting and Celebrating:

From our Archdiocesan website: “The Nativity Fast is one of four main fast periods throughout the ecclesiastical year. Beginning on November 15 and concluding on December 24, the Nativity Fast gives individuals the opportunity to prepare for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and Savior in the Flesh on December 25. By abstaining from certain food and drink, particularly from meat, fish, dairy products, olive oil, and wine, as well as focusing more deeply on prayer and almsgiving, we can find that the primary aim of fasting is to make us conscious of our dependence upon God.” Amen!

Please remember that Dec. 24^th is a day of strict fasting. (In fact, any time you see that there is a Vespers with the Liturgy of St. Basil in the evening, you know it is a strict fasting day. The fasting is part of the pre-festal preparations and celebrations – and you’re preparing for Communion after Vespers, similar to how you prepare for the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy during Lent.)

Adult Bible Study: 

The adult Bible study on the Gospel of John meets every Sunday, unless otherwise announced, in the classroom opposite the men’s room. The class starts 15 minutes after the start of coffee hour, and is led by Michael Colburn. We are using the epic 2003 movie “The Gospel of John” directed by Philip Seville. This movie uses the text of the Gospel of John from the Good News Bible verbatim—no extra words added and none left out. The syllabus and study questions for each week are available at https://thecolburns.us/classes/john. Also check there for any last-minute announcements about the class.

The Importance of Sunday School:

“Let the children come to me, so not to hinder them; for to such belongs the Kingdom of God. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” Mark 10: 14-15    The greatest gift, the most precious inheritance, that we have to give to our children is our Orthodox Faith.  Our Lord continuously taught us in word and deed. These verses from Mark, part of His written word, teaches us that He wants children to come to know Him. When we bring our children regularly to Sunday School we are doing this and we provide them with a gift of knowledge that has lifelong value and significance. Regardless of how old we are, this religious and spiritual education is never finished. We must always strive to grow in Christ. Here are a few things to help each of us develop our spiritual life and help with the spiritual upbringing of children in our parish:  1)Come on time and worship at the Divine Liturgy.  2)Be positive about Church.  3)Invite others to join us in Church on Sunday.  4)Be an example of Christian living.  5)Prepare yourself regularly for Holy Communion. 6)Put Church before every other activity on Sunday. 7)Avoid criticism of others.  Let your love for Our Lord Jesus Christ radiate.  If you have children, register them in our Sunday School Program and bring them to Church on time. Discuss with them what they learned in church and in school. 

St. Photios Greek Orthodox Shrine 2019 Annual Essay Contest:

The St. Photios Foundation. Inc. invites all teenagers, 13-19 years of age to submit a 1,000-word essay to the St. Photios Essay Committee to participate in the annual Essay Contest http://www.stphotios.org/assets/files/Essay%20Contest%20Web.pdf.  There are 21 of saints of the early Church enshrined in the St. Photios Chapel – www.stphotios.org.  How do we, as Orthodox Christians relate to these sacred and historically significant treasures? Essay writers should answer this question thoughtfully and thoroughly. The Committee accepts submissions through January 6, 2020.

Diakonia Retreat:

Join St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church of Daytona Beach at the Diakonia Retreat, February 14^th -17^th, 2020.  Space is very limited.  Registration and monies must be submitted timely.  For more information or to secure your spot, please contact Irene Katra at 386-290-3208 or email Santorini257@aol.com.  If desiring to carpool, please call the Church Office.

Stewardship – A Pattern of Caring:

Giving is a habit that begins with a commitment. Becoming an active steward requires a conscious decision to actively support the needs of the Church. The commitment card we offer to Holy Trinity parish each year encourages us to give regularly. There are extra cards in church, or you can call the church office. 

Contributions - Tracking Your Giving:

• Each time you contribute funds to the parish, the notation on the memo line of your check allows us to identify your intentions:  Stewardship, Candles, Trays, Memorials, etc.  
• If you are setting up contributions through your bank, please be sure that a specific notation (ex: stewardship) is included for each transaction.
• For any cash contributions, please use one of the envelopes in the Narthex so that we can add that amount to your record of donations.

Parishioner Contact Information;

We are auditing our parishioner data base in 2020 to insure correctness.  Please use the attached contact form for your information and return to the office…even if you have not changed your address or email.  Thank you.

OFFICE CLOSED DECEMBER 25 AND 26.