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St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2020-01-05
Bulletin Contents
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St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • 757-220-0994
  • Street Address:

  • 4900 Mooretown Road

  • Williamsburg, VA 23188


Contact Information






Services Schedule

Sunday Services -- Kuriakh:

Orthros, 8:45 a.m.

Divine Liturgy, 10:00 a.m.

OrqroV, 0845 pm.

Q. Leitourgia, 1000 pm.

 

Weekday Holy Days (as scheduled):

Orthros, 8:45 a.m.

Divine Liturgy, 9:30 a.m.

KaqhmerineV EorteV:

OrqroV, 0845 pm.

Q. Leitourgia, 0930 pm.

 


Past Bulletins


Message from Fr. Gianulis

RESOLUTIONS FOR A BETTER YOU

New Year’s resolutions are a good thing. They can be excellent tools to make us a better person. Having trouble thinking of what to resolve? Here are ten suggestions. In fact, resolving all of the following would be a wonderful way to start and finish the year; a good way to live.

  1. Make your Faith the number one priority for yourself and your children.
  2. Attend Divine Liturgy every Sunday and arrive on time.
  3. Love one another.
  4. Forgive others.
  5. Do good, even random acts of kindness.
  6. Give yourself a second chance.
  7. Read scripture daily.
  8. Observe the fast days of the Church.
  9. Support Orthodox missions and charities more.
  10. Tithe, or at least, increase your stewardship to the Church substantially.

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From the Parish Council

President’s Year-end Report
December 31, 2019

Dear fellow parishioners and to all our friends,

2019 marked a significant turning point for our community. Last January, as many of you know, we received notice from our mortgage holder that they were “calling the note” for our difficulty meeting our repayment obligations to their satisfaction. Thought that could be disputed, they nonetheless decided to pursue foreclosure.

In September, we were informed by Fr. Gianulis that he could no longer continue serving us without being compensated. In fact, we hadn’t paid him in over 6 months when he made that announcement! How could we expect him to continue? Thanks be to God, and with the intervention of His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos, Fr. Gianulis and the Parish Council worked out a mutually beneficial accommodation. He would continue to serve on a part-time basis at about half the salary originally agreed upon.

Our active parishioners were relying on an ever decreasing number of volunteers to take care of the church’s day-to-day needs; and those dedicated volunteers were increasingly frustrated by the lack of support from the general community. In fact, many of our most basic needs were not being addressed. Nevertheless, your Parish Council persevered. The situation with our mortgage holder was the most immediate (and overwhelming) concern. Many discussions ensued from January through November between Parish Council members, attorneys, and several potential benefactors.

In late September it seemed as though a buy-out proposal by two of our parishioners would be accepted by Towne Bank. By the beginning of November we were informed that Towne Bank had accepted that offer and nearly $4 million in debt had been reduced to $2.5 million. These same parishioners very generously donated an additional $250,000 each to further reduce our debt to $2 million. God heard all our prayers and truly granted us a miracle!

“The Friends of St. Demetrios, LLC” now holds our $2 million debt obligation. The agreement they created, and your Parish Council accepted, gives us 24 months to obtain a new mortgage. In practical terms, we have a 2-year bridge loan that requires monthly interest-only payments. We made our first payment at the beginning of December.

While this reprieve is a huge blessing, the clock is ticking and we must begin now the difficult task of obtaining a new mortgage. In order to do this several things must happen. First and foremost, we must have a comprehensive business plan and a budget. It is not enough to show prospective lenders that we are viable. We must demonstrate that we are a good investment! Two years is not a very long time to build a track record that we can “take to the bank.”

As with any budget plan, all revenue and expenses must be carefully planned. Your Parish Council is actively pursuing a number of revenue sources. These sources include, primarily, a re-opening of the Williamsburg Hellenic Center. We convened an ad-hoc committee to make this happen. In the next few days a job ad will be posted and the ad-hoc committee will begin reviewing applications for the job. It’s time to do more with this beautiful facility!

Among our other accomplishments this year were 2 successful Greek Festivals. We also managed to hold twice-monthly fish fry dinners. Experience has shown that while the Greek Festivals provide significant income they are, at the same time, an enormous undertaking. A
small handful of volunteers cannot, and should not, be expected to carry the entire burden year after year.
Finally, we are pleased to report that stewardship revenue was up this past year. Many of you increased your offerings, no doubt because you understood that loosing our church was a very real possibility. A significant number of you made substantial monetary contributions, for which we are especially grateful.

As your Parish Council President, I would like to take this opportunity to present the following tasks to the 2020 Parish Council for the new year:
1.) Hire (and support) a sales and events manager for the Williamsburg Hellenic Center.
2.) Create an ad-hoc committee to create a 5-year business plan along with an annual and 5year budget.
3.) Create an ad-hoc committee for the purpose of raising funds to pay down the $2 million principle owed to The Friends of St. Demetrios, LLC prior to December 31, 2021.
4.) Create an ad-hoc committee to manage church finances; including but not limited to bookkeeping, making deposits, paying bills, handling correspondence and other inquiries.
5.) Recruit additional volunteers to support the building and grounds committee.

In summary, there will be plenty of opportunities for each of you to share your time, talent and treasure as a meaningful response to the immeasurable gifts God has given each of us.

Yours in Service,
Tom Coghill

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Encyclical From His Eminence

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Upcoming Divine Services and Holy Days

SERVICES FOR EPIPHANY

Divine Liturgy and the Blessing of the Water will be offered on both the Eve and the Feastday of Epiphany as follows:

Sunday, the Eve of Epiphany: 

Orthros, 8:45 a.m. Divine Liturgy, 10 a.m. Blessing of the Holy Water, 11:00 a.m.

Epiphany:  

Monday, Orthros, 8:30 a.m., Divine Liturgy of St. Basil, 9:30 a.m. Blessing of the Holy Water, 10:45 a.m.

St. John the Baptist (Old Calendar Christmas)

Tuesday, Jan. 7th. Divine Liturgy, 9:30 a.m.


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Announcements

ORTHODOX STUDY GROUP

Perhaps you made a New Year's resolution to learn more about your Faith. If not, it is a good one. Join us each week:

Our Study Group resumes this Wednesday, January 8th. We will have a guided discussion on the Feast of Epiphany.


VASILOPITA CELEBRATION

The St. Basil Bread will be cut and distributed in the Hellenic Center on Sunday, January 12th, following the Divine Liturgy. The Philoptochos will host a luncheon for the community as well.  Proceeds of this event will go to support St. Basil’s Academy Home for Children in Garrison, NY.


HOUSE BLESSINGS

If you would like your home blessed with the holy water of Epiphany, please phone the church office — 220-0994 — and leave a message. Fr. Gianulis will return your call and coordinate a day and time.


Your Priest is as Close as Your Telephone

...but he is not a mind reader.  If you are sick and hospitalized, or have any other pastoral or sacramental need, do not hesitate to call him.  Fr. Gianulis can always be reached by calling the church phone number, 220-0994.  If he is not in, leave a message and it will be delivered to his cell phone.


Visit us on Facebook

Have you visited us on Facebook? Like us at 

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=saint%20demetrios%20greek%20orthodox%20church%20-%20williamsburg%20va.

Thank you to Presbytera Connie for keeping the page up to date, relevant and interesting. 


GO FUND ME PAGE

We now have a Go Fund Me page for St. Demetrios. Help spread the word on it, share it with friends and boost it if you can.  That can be on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc.  


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Seventh Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:1-10

On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.

Seventh Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 20:1-10

Τῇ δὲ μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ ἔρχεται πρωῒ σκοτίας ἔτι οὔσης εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον, καὶ βλέπει τὸν λίθον ἠρμένον ἐκ τοῦ μνημείου. τρέχει οὖν καὶ ἔρχεται πρὸς Σίμωνα Πέτρον καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἄλλον μαθητὴν ὃν ἐφίλει ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· ἦραν τὸν Κύριον ἐκ τοῦ μνημείου, καὶ οὐκ οἴδαμεν ποῦ ἔθηκαν αὐτόν. ἐξῆλθεν οὖν ὁ Πέτρος καὶ ὁ ἄλλος μαθητὴς καὶ ἤρχοντο εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον. ἔτρεχον δὲ οἱ δύο ὁμοῦ· καὶ ὁ ἄλλος μαθητὴς προέδραμε τάχιον τοῦ Πέτρου καὶ ἦλθε πρῶτος εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον, καὶ παρακύψας βλέπει κείμενα τὰ ὀθόνια, οὐ μέντοι εἰσῆλθεν. ἔρχεται οὖν Σίμων Πέτρος ἀκολουθῶν αὐτῷ, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον καὶ θεωρεῖ τὰ ὀθόνια κείμενα, καὶ τὸ σουδάριον, ὃ ἦν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ, οὐ μετὰ τῶν ὀθονίων κείμενον, ἀλλὰ χωρὶς ἐντετυλιγμένον εἰς ἕνα τόπον. τότε οὖν εἰσῆλθε καὶ ὁ ἄλλος μαθητὴς ὁ ἐλθὼν πρῶτος εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον, καὶ εἶδε καὶ ἐπίστευσεν· οὐδέπω γὰρ ᾔδεισαν τὴν γραφὴν ὅτι δεῖ αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστῆναι. ἀπῆλθον οὖν πάλιν πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς οἱ μαθηταί.


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal Second Tone. Psalm 27.9,1.
O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance.
Verse: To you, O Lord, I have cried, O my God.

The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to Timothy 4:5-8.

TIMOTHY, my son, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry.

For I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Προκείμενον. Plagal Second Tone. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 27.9,1.
Σῶσον, Κύριε τὸν λαὸν σου καὶ εὐλόγησον τὴν κληρονομίαν σου.
Στίχ. Πρὸς σἐ, Κύριε, κεκράξομαι ὁ Θεός μου.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Τιμόθεον β' 4:5-8.

Τέκνον Τιμόθεε, νῆφε ἐν πᾶσιν, κακοπάθησον, ἔργον ποίησον εὐαγγελιστοῦ, τὴν διακονίαν σου πληροφόρησον. Ἐγὼ γὰρ ἤδη σπένδομαι, καὶ ὁ καιρὸς τῆς ἐμῆς ἀναλύσεως ἐφέστηκεν. Τὸν ἀγῶνα τὸν καλὸν ἠγώνισμαι, τὸν δρόμον τετέλεκα, τὴν πίστιν τετήρηκα· λοιπόν, ἀπόκειταί μοι ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης στέφανος, ὃν ἀποδώσει μοι ὁ κύριος ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, ὁ δίκαιος κριτής· οὐ μόνον δὲ ἐμοί, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάσιν τοῖς ἠγαπηκόσιν τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν αὐτοῦ.


Gospel Reading

Sunday before Epiphany
The Reading is from Mark 1:1-8

The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophets, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who shall prepare your way; the voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.' John was baptizing in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

Sunday before Epiphany
Κατὰ Μᾶρκον 1:1-8

᾿Αρχὴ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ. ῾Ως γέγραπται ἐν τοῖς προφήταις, ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω τὸν ἄγγελόν μου πρὸ προσώπου σου, ὃς κατασκευάσει τὴν ὁδόν σου ἔμπροσθέν σου· φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου, εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ, ἐγένετο ᾿Ιωάννης βαπτίζων ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καὶ κηρύσσων βάπτισμα μετανοίας εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν. Καὶ ἐξεπορεύετο πρὸς αὐτὸν πᾶσα ἡ ᾿Ιουδαία χώρα καὶ οἱ ῾Ιεροσολυμῖται, καὶ ἐβαπτίζοντο πάντες ἐν τῷ ᾿Ιορδάνῃ ποταμῷ ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐξομολογούμενοι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν. Ἦν δὲ ὁ ᾿Ιωάννης ἐνδεδυμένος τρίχας καμήλου καὶ ζώνην δερματίνην περὶ τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐσθίων ἀκρίδας καὶ μέλι ἄγριον. Καὶ ἐκήρυσσε λέγων· ἔρχεται ὁ ἰσχυρότερός μου ὀπίσω μου, οὗ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς κύψας λῦσαι τὸν ἱμάντα τῶν ὑποδημάτων αὐτοῦ· ἐγὼ μὲν ἐβάπτισα ὑμᾶς ἐν ὕδατι, αὐτὸς δὲ βαπτίσει ὑμᾶς ἐν Πνεύματι ῾Αγίῳ.


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Saints and Feasts

Baptisma1cp
January 05

Eve of the Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ


January 05

Gregory of Akrita


January 05

The Holy Martyrs Theopemptus and Theonas

When the persecution of Diocletian broke out in 290, Saint Theopemptus, a bishop, was taken for his confession of Christ, and convicted Diocletian to his face for his error and ungodliness. Remaining unhurt after cruel tortures, he was given poison to drink, which had been prepared by a sorcerer named Theonas. Protected by divine grace from this also, he drew Theonas to Christ, and after other torments, was beheaded. Saint Theonas was cast into a pit and buried alive.


January 05

Apollinaria of Egypt


January 05

Righteous Syncletike of Alexandria

Saint Syncletike was from Alexandria in Egypt. She lived eighty-three years in virginity and asceticism, and became the leader and teacher of many nuns. What Saint Anthony the Great was to men, she became to women: a model of mortification of the flesh, of patience in afflictions, and of wise instruction; for this, she is known a "Amma," a title corresponding to "Abba." Towards the end of her long life, she was stricken with an exceedingly painful disease, which she endured with faith and magnanimity. She reposed in the middle of the fourth century. It is said of Saint Syncletike that she was the virgin who hid Saint Athanasius from the Arians for more than a year in the environs of Alexandria, and it is to Saint Athanasius that her life is ascribed (PG 18:1488-1557).


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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone

The women disciples of the Lord, having learned from the Angel the joyous news of the Resurrection and having rejected the ancestral decision, then told the apostles elatedly: Death has been stripped of its power; Christ God has risen, granting to the world His great mercy.
Τὸ φαιδρὸν τῆς Ἀναστάσεως κήρυγμα, ἐκ τοῦ Ἀγγέλου μαθοῦσαι αἱ τοῦ Κυρίου Μαθήτριαι, καὶ τὴν προγονικὴν ἀπόφασιν ἀπορρίψασαι, τοῖς Ἀποστόλοις καυχώμεναι ἔλεγον· Ἐσκύλευται ὁ θάνατος, ἠγέρθη Χριστὸς ὁ Θεός, δωρούμενος τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος.

Apolytikion for Eve of Epiphany in the Fourth Tone

River Jordan was turned back by Elisseus' mantle once, when the fiery man of zeal Elias had been taken up; then were its waters divided hither and thither. The running streams became dry passage unto him, truly as a sign and type of Baptism, whereby we pass to the other side of the shifting stream of this fleeting life. Christ hath appeared in the Jordan River, to sanctify the waters.
Ἀπεστρέφετο ποτέ, ὁ Ἰορδάνης ποταμός, τὴ μηλωτὴ Ἐλισαιέ, ἀναληφθέντος Ἡλιοῦ, καὶ διηρεῖτο τὰ ὕδατα ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν, καὶ γέγονεν αὐτῷ, ξηρὰ ὁδὸς ἡ ὑγρά, εἰς τύπον ἀληθῶς τοῦ Βαπτίσματος, δι' οὗ ἡμεῖς τὴν ῥέουσαν, τοῦ βίου διαπερῶμεν διάβασιν, Χριστὸς ἐφάνη, ἐν Ἰορδάνῃ, ἁγιᾶσαι τὰ ὕδατα.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Tone

In the running waters of the Jordan River, on this day the Lord of all crieth to John: Be not afraid and hesitate not to baptize Me, for I am come to save Adam, the first-formed man.
Ἐν τοῖς ῥείθροις σήμερον τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, γεγονῶς ὁ Κύριος, τῶ Ἰωάννη ἐκβοᾷ. Μὴ δειλιάσης βαπτίσαι με, σῶσαι γὰρ ἥκω, Ἀδὰμ τὸν πρωτόπλαστον.
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Wisdom of the Fathers

It is the sole and peculiar property of the Substance that transcends all, to be able to bestow on men the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and make those that draw near unto It partakers of the divine nature.
St. Cyril of Alexandria
Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke, Homily 10., 4th Century

Repentance is the renewal of baptism and is a contract with God for a fresh start in life.
St. John Climacus
Ladder of Divine Ascent Step 5:On Penitence, Paulist Press pg. 121, 6th century

But this exists in Christ, not as a thing received, nor by communication from another, but as His own, and as belonging to His substance, for He baptizes in the Holy Spirit.
St. Cyril of Alexandria
Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke, Homily 10., 4th Century

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St. Demetrios Parish Calendar

  • St. Demetrios Parish Calender

    January 5 to February 2, 2020

    SUN
    MON
    TUE
    WED
    THU
    FRI
    SAT
    5
    9:00AM Orthros
    10:00AM Divine Liturgy
    11:00AM Water Blessing Service
    6
    EPIPHANY
    8:30AM Orthros
    9:30AM Divine Liturgy
    10:30AM Water Blessing
    7
    St. John the Baptist
    9:30AM Divine Liturgy
    12:00PM HART CLERGY MEETING
    8
    7:00PM Orthodox Study Group
    9
    10
    11
    12
    9:00AM Orthros
    10:00AM Divine Liturgy
    11:30AM Church School
    11:30AM PC Investure
    12:00PM Vasilopita Luncheon
    13
    14
    15
    7:00PM Orthodox Study Group
    16
    6:30PM Parish Council
    7:00PM OCF
    17
    18
    19
    9:00AM Orthros
    10:00AM Divine Liturgy
    11:30AM Church School
    20
    21
    22
    7:00PM Orthodox Study Group
    23
    7:00PM OCF
    24
    25
    26
    9:00AM Orthros
    10:00AM Divine Liturgy
    11:30AM Church School
    27
    28
    29
    7:00PM Orthodox Study Group
    30
    7:00PM OCF
    31
    1
    FEB
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ORTHODOX COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS

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