Sunday, February 7, 2021,  Sunday of the Canaanite

GODPARENTS’ SUNDAY – HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Chocolate hearts have been provided by the Corden family in loving memory of their mother, Maria Nicky Corden (12 Years). May her memory be eternal!

Services this Week

Saints Constantine and Helen services are open for parishioners and we encourage those who are not in high-risk categories to attend services.  Parish guidelines regarding capacity limits and safety restrictions are posted on the home page of our church website, https://www.stcons.org

The church building is professionally cleaned, disinfected, and sanitized weekly. 

We strongly encourage those who will not be attending church to participate in services through our website, at  https://www.stcons.org/video-streaming  

Sunday, February 14^th - 14^TH SUNDAY OF THE CANAANITE - Orthros 9:00 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am   If you wish to follow along with the text, please use the link listed below:https://www.agesinitiatives.com/dcs/public/dcs/p/s/2021/02/14/li/gr-en/se.m08.d30.li.pdf

No additional services this week

LIGHT A CANDLE AND SAY A PRAYER:  When you are not able to attend church, you can purchase a candle from our church website (home page or video-streaming page), which Father Teodor will light before the following service or a service that you specify.  Please give specific names, living or deceased, that you would like Father to remember in prayer.  Father will light candles one hour before each service.  For Sunday services, please place candle orders prior to 8:00 am Sunday morning.

Please Pray For:  Sylvia, Angello, Michael, Barbara, Lisa, Pat, Christopher, Jonathan, Alexandra, Tracy, Dianna, Lazarus, Henry, Betty, Catherine, Susan, Evelyn, Gregg, Peter, Stella, Ann Marie, Vasilios, Carol, George, Demetri, Steve, Molly, Maria, Elizabeth, Carol, Evans, Katherine, Mike, Connie, Mary, Margaret, Angela, Connie, Bill, Carrie, Vito, Pete, Amalia, Stephanie, Lisa, Connie, Jacob, Anastasia, Rima, Kylie, Effie, Nicholas, and Maria. (Names may be added by request. Please contact the church office)

UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES:

PHILOPTOCHOS ZOOM MEETING: Will be held onFriday, February 19^th at 2:00 pm in the afternoon to discuss our next Fundraiser Project. All Philoptochos members please join us! Zoom link is: https://zoom.us/j/7345256789, Meeting ID: 734 525 6789  If you have trouble connecting, or are in need of more information, contact: stcons2@gmail.com

ADULT BIBLE STUDY:  Our Adult Bible Study group will meet on Tuesday evening, February 16^th at 7:00 pm on the Zoom platform. We will begin study of the Book of Ruth. All adults are welcome to join.  Zoom link is: https://zoom.us/j/7345256789, Meeting ID: 734 525 6789  If you have trouble connecting, or are in need of more information, contact: stcons2@gmail.com

FRIDAY FISH FRYS: Beginning THIS FRIDAY February 19^th, the Hellenic Cultural Center will be serving fish and chips dinners for CARRY-OUT ONLY. Chicken tenders and Calamari are also available. Pick up will be between 4:00 and 7:00 each Friday. Place advance orders by phone to the church office, 734.525.6789 or on the church website. Please support this effort and help us get some business going at the HCC!

AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE: There is an urgent need in Michigan for blood right now, and as an added incentive, all who donate will be given a $5 Amazon Gift card as a special “thank you”!  On Thursday February 25^th, from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, we will be hosting another American Red Cross blood drive in the Hellenic Cultural Center. To schedule an appointment, please log onto RedCrossBlood.org (our sponsor code: stcons) or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) today.

DRIVE-THRU LENTEN LUNCHEONS:  Our traditional Koulouma, where we all enjoy a Lenten Meal and the beginning of Lent will be different this year. Since we cannot meet together for lunch after Church, Philoptochos will prepare full Lenten Meal containers (PRE-ORDER) and also our usual delicious Marketplace items. On Sunday, March 14^th, and on Monday March 15^th, the start of our Lenten period, sale will be held after church services on both days, for drive-thru and carry out.

ORATORICAL FESTIVAL:  The St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival provides Greek Orthodox youth, grades 7 – 12, the opportunity to write a paper and give a speech about their faith.  Due to COVID precautions, speeches will be videotaped in the church, without an audience, March 19 - 25, 2021.  Please notify the church office by March 1^st, if your young person would like to participate, and we will schedule an appointment time. This is a great opportunity for young people to apply our faith to current issues, and to gain confidence in speaking in public.

SUNDAY SCHOOL ACTIVITIES: During the months of March, April, and May – as we lead up to Pascha - our Sunday School team will be increasing Zoom learning sessions, at home activities, and other opportunities in and out of church to build our children’s involvement in Orthodox life. Whether you are physically attending church right now or not, please make every effort during this Lenten period to involve your children in church activities!

NEWS AND NOTICES

MANY THANKS!  We appreciate Maria and Jeff Haviland’s gift of love (and time!) in renovating our church office.  We love our friendly, bright new space!

ICONOGRAPHY:  We are still seeking sponsorship for the following icons: St Matthew, St. Gregory the Theologian, St. Cyril of Alexandria, St. Gregory of Nyssa, and St. Iakovos (James). We are also in need of general donations of any amount to complete our fundraising on Phase One: East and Dome. For those who are interested in sponsoring an icon, please talk to Father Teodor or contact the church office for more information. We are about 92% to completion of our fundraising goal!

STEWARDSHIP PLEDGES:  All parishioners must complete a Stewardship Pledge form each year to be considered a “member in good standing” at an Orthodox Church. You may mail your form in, or bring your form when you attend church. This year, if it is more convenient, you may also complete your 2021 Stewardship Pledge online at the St Constantine and Helen church website, at https://www.stcons.org/stewardship 

REMEMBER THE CHURCH IN YOUR WILL: You’ve supported the church your whole life, remembering us in your estate plan will help the church when you’re gone.  Consult your estate planner or contact the Church office for information. 

We are grateful to our parishioners who have left bequests to the church in the last few years: Thomas Goffas, Irene Barbas, Anthony Keros, Kris Merikas, John and Alice Koinis, Joan Keker, Katherine Socol, Ted and Demetra Monolidis, Zoe Kokenakes, Peter and Eileen Lekas. Their loving legacy made a big difference!  May their memory be eternal!

QUESTIONS FOR FATHER TEODOR: In this unusual year with no regular Sunday School classes, Father will take a few minutes on Sunday mornings to answer questions from our young people (or adults!) about our faith. Questions can be submitted online using this link:  https://forms.gle/7ae8mqd6DNSghbQs6

HELLENIC CULTURAL CENTER BOOKING:  Although they are not yet keeping regular office hours, if would like to discuss future bookings or other issues with the HCC staff, please contact Victoria at 734.525.3550 or Kathy at 313.303.6350 or helleniccc@gmail.com

Memorial Service Information

Please call the church office to schedule memorials in a timely manner so we can include the information in the bulletin.  On the day of the service, please bring a list of family names you would like Father to remember in prayer. At this time, due to COVID restrictions, koliva that has been prepared for the memorial service cannot be distributed to parishioners, but will be returned to the family to take home.  We are not currently allowed to have coffee hour, or distribute any cookies, paximadia or koulourakia.

DID YOU KNOW? GODPARENTING 101

It is a known practice in the Orthodox Church that every person, child or adult, should have a Godparent (sponsor) at the time that they enter into the faith through Holy Baptism and Chrismation. To be a Godparent is at the same time a great honor and a tremendous responsibility. God asks each Godparent to assist in leading souls along the narrow path which leads to the Kingdom of Heaven. For this reason the role of the Godparent is not to be minimized or trivialized. It is in fact a role that is holy and needs to be taken seriously.

The task of steering a child along the narrow path, and bringing them up according to the law of God is perhaps the greatest of all things in life. St. Theophan the Recluse says that there is no holier act. What better thing can we offer our children than to lead them to our Lord and teach them to imitate Him in their life.

What are some other things that are expected of the Godparent?

1. A faithful Godparent will make the effort to maintain close contact with their Godchild, building up their relationship. The main focus, however, is the progress of the child in the knowledge and practice of the Christian life. He should at all times model a Christ-like example. For this reason it is important that the Godparent stay on top of their own spiritual life. The Godparent should pray, fast, read from Holy Scripture, and participate in the sacramental life of the Church. As they grow and mature in the faith, they will in turn be able to offer more and more to their Godchild who has been entrusted to them. To neglect their own spiritual life is ultimately to neglect the spiritual life of their Godchild.

2. Godparents are encouraged to call to remembrance the sacred and joyous moment of Baptism, which may be done by participating in "Godparents' Sunday", a National Observance by the Greek Orthodox Church in America.

3. Appropriate gift-giving honoring the occasion of the Godchild's nameday, birthday or baptism day, could include such things as icons, a Bible, and religious books that will be helpful in building up the spiritual life of the child. These are the most important, but it is not wrong to give other things as well that the child would enjoy and make use of.

4. Most of all, the greatest duty of the Godparent is to pray fervently for their Godchild that God will always watch over them and guide them throughout his/her life.

Non-Orthodox Visitors Please Note:  Holy Communion is offered to Orthodox Christians who have properly prepared themselves.  Visitors are welcome to receive the Antidoron (Blessed Bread), which is distributed at the end of the Divine Liturgy.