Sundays:
Orthros - 8:30 a.m.
Divine Liturgy - 9:30 a.m.
Weekdays:
Evening Vespers - 6:00 p.m.
ALL new items are ALWAYS on top of the bulletin.
There are several inserts at the end of this bulletin, please scroll to the end when done reading and look at all the inserts.There is more info on those inserts thruout the bulletin.
If you don't YOU will miss out.
In Christ,
editor, Demetris <-- Click here to send your questions via email to editor@ourparish.us
Or See me after church, I'll help you!
General Announcements:
California Department of Public Health (CDPH) lifted mask mandate for vaccinated individual on February 15, 2022.
Only unvaccinated individuals to mask in indoor public settings.
This Sunday will be a Youth Group Fundraising luncheon.
Please join us in the hall after church and support our wonderful Youth Program by donating a suggested $5 per plate for a delicious Pancake Breakfast!
Year-End contribution letters were mailed Saturday 01/29/2022.
Please contact Osama Dawood if you have any questions or if your letter did not arrive by 02/15/2022
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PLEASE NOTE:
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There is a catechumen meeting every other Sunday starting Feb. 27. immediately after Sunday services.
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Job Opening - Parish Secretary
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FEBRUARY IS PHILOPTOCHOS MEMBERSHIP DRIVE
The Philoptochos Society, is the charitable arm of the Orthodox Church. Every February we have a membership drive and we ask a minimum of $40 per person. Please consider becoming a member and through your generous donation help those around us in need. Your donations can be made in any form: cash or check (please give to a Philoptochos Board Member), PayPal, credit card (see Stewardshipt section below for PayPal or CC) or Venmo (click on link below).
Thank you in advance for your generosity!
You may also donate via cash or check by either giving it to a Philopotochos Board Member or by mailing a check made out to
St George Philoptochos
7727 Davin Park Drive
Bakersfield, 93308
Scan on your phone or click here
https://venmo.com/u/SGPhiloptochos-Bakersfield
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One time showing of "Man of God"
At the Regal Theaters
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If you DO, you can help your parish by assigning St. George as your charity and Amazon will donate to St. George with each purchase you make at NO cost to you!
Here's how.... (if you don't understand or need help, email (click/tap) --> Demetri
Support St. George by using the Amazon Smile program when shopping on Amazon.
You still get the same Amazon selection, and the same Amazon prices.
Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchase price to our parish at ZERO COST TO YOU.
Thank you for your support of our parish!
God Bless you and keep you!
Here's how to shop AmazonSmile:
1. Visit smile.amazon.com
2. Sign in with your Amazon.com credentials
3. Choose a charitable organization to receive donations, or search for the charity of your choice
(if you wish to donate to our parish, search "st george bakersfield" exactly like that without the quotes).
4. Select your charity
4. Start shopping!
5. Add a bookmark for smile.amazon.com to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile.
You MUST shop at smile.amazon.com not the amazon.com, same site, but does not give to St. George, the smile.amazon.com has been setup specificaly for donating to your charity, same site, same selection, same prices.
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"Every Christian, without exception, ought to dwell always in prayer."
- St. Gregory Palamas
Prayer is a human need.
We’re all searching to fill the void left by a God-denying culture like the one we live in. And we look in so many different places. But nothing can fill that void like Christ.
And where do we meet Him?
In prayer.
The Challenge
For so many of us, we want to mature in our prayer lives, and we know faith can only be grown if we pray. But we don’t know where to begin.
The Solution
The Encounter: The Common Discipline of the Fellowship of St. Philip the Evangelist is a comprehensive initiative that will help you not only grow in your personal daily prayer discipline, but also, will connect you to a fellowship of other Christians that are praying with you daily.
Participating is easy
1. Choose how you want to participate in The Encounter.
Are you a digital person? Download our free app to your favorite device. Just type in Faithtree Resources in the Apple or Google App Stores or click one of the buttons below to download The Encounter. Prefer to hold a physical prayer book in your hand? It's coming soon! You'll find them in just a few weeks on our website: Faithtree.org.
2. Commit to praying the 3 short prayer sessions each day.
Each session is less than ten minutes, many less than five. The impact on your calendar is small, but the benefit of daily prayer is extraordinary.
3. Explore!
The Encounter app has a variety of other resources to help you grow in prayer. With a growing library of prayers for specific occasions, short articles to help you understand more about prayer, hymns of the Church to help you focus, and opportunities to pray for every Orthodox jurisdiction, our parishes, hierarchs, clergy and more, you will never weary of drawing closer to the living God through prayer!
Without prayer, our spirit shrivels, our hope fades, and our joy diminishes. With prayer, our soul quickens, our vision clarifies, and our Christian life is fulfilled.
Join the fellowship of believers who use The Encounter to pray the beautiful prayers of the Church every day.
Let us pray to the Lord!
Part 3: The Relationship Project is starting. Here are the dates:
Get excited, Summer Camp is Back!!
More info in flyer at the end of this bulletin.
---Sign up to host a Sunday lunch! See sign up list in the hall bulletin board.
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2022 STEWARDSHIP THEME
OUR CHURCH OUR SPIRITUAL HOME
You may have been brought to the Orthodox Church on your 40th day, or the Orthodox Church may have been the destination of your spiritual journey. For both, the Church is a spiritual home to which we may always return. We are stewards of the Gospel and the stewards of our parish. We see our church, not as it is, but as it could be. We offer our treasure and ourselves sacrificially, so that, as members of the Body of Christ, we may reach our full potential in Him.
We are brothers and sisters in Christ – a family.
If you have not yet fulfilled your stewardship commitment you can easily give online using your credit card. There are two ways to donate; using your PayPal Account or your Debit/Credit Card:
Using a PayPal account:
Note: If you don’t have a PayPal account you’ll need to open one.
How to open a PayPal account
Using a credit card:
For both methods you’ll receive an email confirmation after you donate.
See links below.
Make donation via PayPal <-- Use paypal; (CC or PayPal) to make a donation.
Click here, to download the 2022 Commitment Card.
Please fill it out and return to the church office or mail it, address at bottom of buletin.
Or you may fill it out the form online and sumbit it online. ---> ONLINE FORM
You may also download here the flyer to read all about stewardship according to the Bible.
Stewardship@ourparish.us
Sunday School classes are going.
For more info or to register contact Stavro at pa@ourparish.us
BIBLE READING
Congratulations to our 2022 Parish Council members.
Next Parish Council meeting is 2/24/22 at 7:00pm at the back office.
Social Media & website
Follow and join us on Facebook
St George Greek Orthodox Church of Bakersfield
St George Christian Outreach Facebook Page
St George Greek Orthodox Church of Bakersfield YouTube channel
Leave your mark!
Consider naming St. George Church as a beneficiary on your life insurance policy. It's a great legacy gift to your parish and very easy to do...just ask your provider for the change beneficiary form and complete and return to them. The legal name for the church is Hellenic Community St. George Church Tax ID #95-3575365 God bless you.
Click here to read how you can leave a lasting legacy to your parish.
Church Beautification and Capital Improvements. Click here for the 2021 update.
Text Notifications
If you would like to be part of our system, please provide your phone number to the church secreatary at Secretary@ourparish.us.
This service will only be used to notify parishioners of any changes to service times or to provide information on events or occurences that affect the entire parish. We see this as being used infrequently but feel that we need to an effective way to communicate important information quickly.
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Secretary hours: (subject to change w/o notice)
Tues - Thurs 9-2
Please call the office for updated hours.
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Prayers for Thanksgiving-Healing and Help:
Please add to your daily prayers
Orthodox: Ernie, Bert, George, Abram, Vickie, Elaina, Maher, Nabel, Magdy, Daniel, Natalia and family, Nickolas, Irene, Pamela, Virginia, Paraskevi, Michael, Dimitris Mary, Margarita, Jennifer, Nikolas, Pamela
Non-Orthodox: Judith, Nayeli and David, Peggy
For the rest of the soul of our departed:
Orthodox: Nicolas, Louise, George, George, Sooad, George, Leonid, Nikos, Vivian, John, Mary, Louise, Nektarios, Nicholas, Elephtheria, Kyriakos, Candess.
Elaine: 1/2, 2/6, 3/13, 4/17, 5/22, 6/26, 7/31, 9/4, 10/9, 11/13, 12/18
Joyce: 1/9, 2/13, 3/20, 4/24, 5/29, 7/3, 8/7, 9/11, 10/16, 11/20, 12/25
Mary: 1/16, 2/20, 3/27, 5/1, 6/5, 7/10, 8/14, 9/18, 10/23, 11/27
Basema: 1/23, 2/27, 4/3, 5/8, 6/12, 7/17, 8/21, 9/25, 10/30, 12/4
Olympia: 1/30, 3/6, 4/10, 5/15, 6/19, 7/24, 8/28, 10/2, 11/6, 12/11
Thank you!
Father Jim would like the Prosphoro brought to the church Sunday morning between 7:30 AM
and no later than 8:30 AM.
We are looking for more people to make the blessed bread.
Please approach Father if interested.
If you want to learn more about how to make Prosphora, you can visit our Prosphoro site
Thank you.
FEBRUARY
ANNIVERSARIES
2/3 Gregory & Mary Fotis
2/3 Cody & Fotini Stevens
2/19 Will & Alexandra Shackleford
BIRTHDAYS
2/1 Lucas Jennings
2/4 Osama Dawood
2/14 Dimitrios Demestihas
2/16 George Demestihas II
2/16 Father Joseph Chaffee
2/17 Teddy Chaffee
2/20 Eleas Exarchoulakos
2/21 Robert Niz
2/22 Alison Yanney
2/23 Basema Madain
2/24 Helen Protopapas
If your Anniversary or Birthday is not listed and would like to be added or if it's incorrect, please contact Presbytera directly or send her an email at secretary@ourparish.us
PLEASE NOTE: All bulletin announcements must be received each week by 6:00 pm Wednesday to be included in the Sunday bulletin for that week.
Please send email with your request or suggestion to editor@ourparish.us
TEMPORARLY THE CALENDAR WILL NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE BULLETIN WHILE WE ARE UPDATING. WE WILL KEEP YOU POSTED.
Prokeimenon. Second Tone. Psalm 117.14,18.
The Lord is my strength and my song.
Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely.
The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 6:12-20.
Brethren, "all things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything. "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food" -- and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two shall become one flesh." But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body and in your spirit which belong to God.
Προκείμενον. Second Tone. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 117.14,18.
Ἰσχύς μου καὶ ὕμνησίς μου ὁ Κύριος.
Στίχ. Παιδεύων ἐπαίδευσέ με ὁ Κύριος.
τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Κορινθίους α' 6:12-20.
Ἀδελφοί, πάντα μοι ἔξεστιν, ἀλλʼ οὐ πάντα συμφέρει· πάντα μοι ἔξεστιν, ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐγὼ ἐξουσιασθήσομαι ὑπό τινος. Τὰ βρώματα τῇ κοιλίᾳ, καὶ ἡ κοιλία τοῖς βρώμασιν· ὁ δὲ θεὸς καὶ ταύτην καὶ ταῦτα καταργήσει. Τὸ δὲ σῶμα οὐ τῇ πορνείᾳ, ἀλλὰ τῷ κυρίῳ, καὶ ὁ κύριος τῷ σώματι· ὁ δὲ θεὸς καὶ τὸν κύριον ἤγειρεν καὶ ἡμᾶς ἐξεγερεῖ διὰ τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ. Οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι τὰ σώματα ὑμῶν μέλη Χριστοῦ ἐστιν; Ἄρας οὖν τὰ μέλη τοῦ Χριστοῦ ποιήσω πόρνης μέλη; Μὴ γένοιτο. Οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ὁ κολλώμενος τῇ πόρνῃ ἓν σῶμά ἐστιν; Ἔσονται γάρ, φησίν, οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν. Ὁ δὲ κολλώμενος τῷ κυρίῳ ἓν πνεῦμά ἐστιν. Φεύγετε τὴν πορνείαν. Πᾶν ἁμάρτημα ὃ ἐὰν ποιήσῃ ἄνθρωπος ἐκτὸς τοῦ σώματός ἐστιν· ὁ δὲ πορνεύων εἰς τὸ ἴδιον σῶμα ἁμαρτάνει. Ἢ οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι τὸ σῶμα ὑμῶν ναὸς τοῦ ἐν ὑμῖν ἁγίου πνεύματός ἐστιν, οὗ ἔχετε ἀπὸ θεοῦ; Καὶ οὐκ ἐστὲ ἑαυτῶν, ἠγοράσθητε γὰρ τιμῆς· δοξάσατε δὴ τὸν θεὸν ἐν τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν, καὶ ἐν τῷ πνεύματι ὑμῶν, ἅτινά ἐστιν τοῦ θεοῦ.
البروكيمنون. Second Tone. مزمور 117: 14، 18.
الرب قوتي وتسبيحتي
Verse: أدباُ أدّبني الرب
فصل من رسالة بولس الاولى الى اهل كورنثس 6: 12-20.
يَُّا إِخْوَة، كُلُّ الأَشْيَاءِ تَحِلُّ لِي لَكِنْ لَيْسَ كُلُّ الأَشْيَاءِ تُوافِقُ. كُلُّ الأَشْيَاءِ تَحِلُّ لِي لَكِنْ لاَ يَتَسَلَّطُ عَلَيَّ شَيْءٌ. اَلأَطْعِمَةُ لِلْجَوْفِ وَالْجَوْفُ لِلأَطْعِمَةِ وَاللهُ سَيُبِيدُ هَذَا وَتِلْكَ. وَلَكِنَّ الْجَسَدَ لَيْسَ لِلزِّنَا بَلْ لِلرَّبِّ وَالرَّبُّ لِلْجَسَدِ. وَاللَّهُ قَدْ أَقَامَ الرَّبَّ وَسَيُقِيمُنَا نَحْنُ أَيْضاً بِقُوَّتِهِ. أَلَسْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ أَجْسَادَكُمْ هِيَ أَعْضَاءُ الْمَسِيحِ؟ أَفَآخُذُ أَعْضَاءَ الْمَسِيحِ وَأَجْعَلُهَا أَعْضَاءَ زَانِيَةٍ؟ حَاشَا! أَمْ لَسْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ مَنِ الْتَصَقَ بِزَانِيَةٍ هُوَ جَسَدٌ وَاحِدٌ لأَنَّهُ يَقُولُ: ((يَكُونُ الاثْنَانِ جَسَداً وَاحِداً)). وَأَمَّا مَنِ الْتَصَقَ بِالرَّبِّ فَهُوَ رُوحٌ وَاحِدٌ. اُهْرُبُوا مِنَ الزِّنَا. كُلُّ خَطِيَّةٍ يَفْعَلُهَا الإِنْسَانُ هِيَ خَارِجَةٌ عَنِ الْجَسَدِ لَكِنَّ الَّذِي يَزْنِي يُخْطِئُ إِلَى جَسَدِهِ. أَمْ لَسْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ جَسَدَكُمْ هُوَ هَيْكَلٌ لِلرُّوحِ الْقُدُسِ الَّذِي فِيكُمُ الَّذِي لَكُمْ مِنَ اللهِ وَأَنَّكُمْ لَسْتُمْ لأَنْفُسِكُمْ؟ لأَنَّكُمْ قَدِ اشْتُرِيتُمْ بِثَمَنٍ. فَمَجِّدُوا اللهَ فِي أَجْسَادِكُمْ وَفِي أَرْوَاحِكُمُ الَّتِي هِيَ لِلَّهِ.
Sunday of the Prodigal Son
The Reading is from Luke 15:11-32
The Lord said this parable: "There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.' And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his belly with the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.' And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to make merry. Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.' But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, 'Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"
Sunday of the Prodigal Son
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 15:11-32
Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τήν παραβολὴν ταύτην· Ἄνθρωπός τις εἶχε δύο υἱούς. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ νεώτερος αὐτῶν τῷ πατρί· πάτερ, δός μοι τὸ ἐπιβάλλον μέρος τῆς οὐσίας. καὶ διεῖλεν αὐτοῖς τὸν βίον. καὶ μετ᾿ οὐ πολλὰς ἡμέρας συναγαγὼν ἅπαντα ὁ νεώτερος υἱὸς ἀπεδήμησεν εἰς χώραν μακράν, καὶ ἐκεῖ διεσκόρπισε τὴν οὐσίαν αὐτοῦ ζῶν ἀσώτως. δαπανήσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ πάντα ἐγένετο λιμὸς ἰσχυρὸς κατὰ τὴν χώραν ἐκείνην, καὶ αὐτὸς ἤρξατο ὑστερεῖσθαι. καὶ πορευθεὶς ἐκολλήθη ἑνὶ τῶν πολιτῶν τῆς χώρας ἐκείνης, καὶ ἔπεμψεν αὐτὸν εἰς τοὺς ἀγροὺς αὐτοῦ βόσκειν χοίρους. καὶ ἐπεθύμει γεμίσαι τὴν κοιλίαν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν κερατίων ὧν ἤσθιον οἱ χοῖροι, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐδίδου αὐτῷ. εἰς ἑαυτὸν δὲ ἐλθὼν εἶπε· πόσοι μίσθιοι τοῦ πατρός μου περισσεύουσιν ἄρτων, ἐγὼ δὲ λιμῷ ἀπόλλυμαι! ἀναστὰς πορεύσομαι πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου καὶ ἐρῶ αὐτῷ· πάτερ, ἥμαρτον εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ ἐνώπιόν σου. οὐκέτι εἰμὶ ἄξιος κληθῆναι υἱός σου· ποίησόν με ὡς ἕνα τῶν μισθίων σου. καὶ ἀναστὰς ἦλθε πρὸς τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ. ἔτι δὲ αὐτοῦ μακρὰν ἀπέχοντος εἶδεν αὐτὸν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐσπλαγχνίσθη, καὶ δραμὼν ἐπέπεσεν ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ καὶ κατεφίλησεν αὐτόν. εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ υἱός· πάτερ, ἥμαρτον εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ ἐνώπιόν σου, καὶ οὐκέτι εἰμὶ ἄξιος κληθῆναι υἱός σου. εἶπε δὲ ὁ πατὴρ πρὸς τοὺς δούλους αὐτοῦ· ἐξενέγκατε τὴν στολὴν τὴν πρώτην καὶ ἐνδύσατε αὐτόν, καὶ δότε δακτύλιον εἰς τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ὑποδήματα εἰς τοὺς πόδας, καὶ ἐνέγκαντες τὸν μόσχον τὸν σιτευτὸν θύσατε, καὶ φαγόντες εὐφρανθῶμεν, ὅτι οὗτος ὁ υἱός μου νεκρὸς ἦν καὶ ἀνέζησε, καὶ ἀπολωλὼς ἦν καὶ εὑρέθη. καὶ ἤρξαντο εὐφραίνεσθαι. ῏Ην δὲ ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ὁ πρεσβύτερος ἐν ἀγρῷ· καὶ ὡς ἐρχόμενος ἤγγισε τῇ οἰκίᾳ, ἤκουσε συμφωνίας καὶ χορῶν, καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος ἕνα τῶν παίδων ἐπυνθάνετο τί εἴη ταῦτα. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἥκει καὶ ἔθυσεν ὁ πατήρ σου τὸν μόσχον τὸν σιτευτόν, ὅτι ὑγιαίνοντα αὐτὸν ἀπέλαβεν. ὠργίσθη δὲ καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν εἰσελθεῖν. ὁ οὖν πατὴρ αὐτοῦ ἐξελθὼν παρεκάλει αὐτόν. ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπε τῷ πατρί· ἰδοὺ τοσαῦτα ἔτη δουλεύω σοι καὶ οὐδέποτε ἐντολήν σου παρῆλθον, καὶ ἐμοὶ οὐδέποτε ἔδωκας ἔριφον ἵνα μετὰ τῶν φίλων μου εὐφρανθῶ· ὅτε δὲ ὁ υἱός σου οὗτος, ὁ καταφαγών σου τὸν βίον μετὰ πορνῶν, ἦλθεν, ἔθυσας αὐτῷ τὸν μόσχον τὸν σιτευτόν. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· τέκνον, σὺ πάντοτε μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ εἶ, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐμὰ σά ἐστιν· εὐφρανθῆναι δὲ καὶ χαρῆναι ἔδει, ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφός σου οὗτος νεκρὸς ἦν καὶ ἀνέζησε, καὶ ἀπολωλὼς ἦν καὶ εὑρέθη.
11 قَالَ الرب هذا المثل : ((إِنْسَانٌ كَانَ لَهُ ابْنَانِ. 12فَقَالَ أَصْغَرُهُمَا لأَبِيهِ: يَا أَبِي أَعْطِنِي الْقِسْمَ الَّذِي يُصِيبُنِي مِنَ الْمَالِ. فَقَسَمَ لَهُمَا مَعِيشَتَهُ. 13وَبَعْدَ أَيَّامٍ لَيْسَتْ بِكَثِيرَةٍ جَمَعَ الاِبْنُ الأَصْغَرُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَسَافَرَ إِلَى كُورَةٍ بَعِيدَةٍ ، وَهُنَاكَ بَذَّرَ مَالَهُ بِعَيْشٍ مُسْرِفٍ. 14فَلَمَّا أَنْفَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ ، حَدَثَ جُوعٌ شَدِيدٌ فِي تِلْكَ الْكُورَةِ ، فَابْتَدَأَ يَحْتَاجُ. 15فَمَضَى وَالْتَصَقَ بِوَاحِدٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ تِلْكَ الْكُورَةِ ، فَأَرْسَلَهُ إِلَى حُقُولِهِ لِيَرْعَى خَنَازِيرَ. 16وَكَانَ يَشْتَهِي أَنْ يَمْلَأَ بَطْنَهُ مِنَ الْخُرْنُوبِ الَّذِي كَانَتِ الْخَنَازِيرُ تَأْكُلُهُ ، فَلَمْ يُعْطِهِ أَحَدٌ. 17فَرَجَعَ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ وَقَالَ: كَمْ مِنْ أَجِيرٍ لأَبِي يَفْضُلُ عَنْهُ الْخُبْزُ وَأَنَا أَهْلِكُ جُوعاً! 18أَقُومُ وَأَذْهَبُ إِلَى أَبِي وَأَقُولُ لَهُ: يَا أَبِي ، أَخْطَأْتُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَقُدَّامَكَ،19وَلَسْتُ مُسْتَحِقّاً بَعْدُ أَنْ أُدْعَى لَكَ ابْناً. اِجْعَلْنِي كَأَحَدِ أَجْرَاكَ. 20فَقَامَ وَجَاءَ إِلَى أَبِيهِ. وَإِذْ كَانَ لَمْ يَزَلْ بَعِيداً رَآهُ أَبُوهُ ، فَتَحَنَّنَ وَرَكَضَ وَوَقَعَ عَلَى عُنُقِهِ وَقَبَّلَهُ. 21فَقَالَ لَهُ الاِبْنُ: يَا أَبِي ، أَخْطَأْتُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَقُدَّامَكَ ، وَلَسْتُ مُسْتَحِقّاً بَعْدُ أَنْ أُدْعَى لَكَ ابْناً. 22فَقَالَ الأَبُ لِعَبِيدِهِ: أَخْرِجُوا الْحُلَّةَ الأُولَى وَأَلْبِسُوهُ ، وَاجْعَلُوا خَاتَماً فِي يَدِهِ ، وَحِذَاءً فِي رِجْلَيْهِ،23وَقَدِّمُوا الْعِجْلَ الْمُسَمَّنَ وَاذْبَحُوهُ فَنَأْكُلَ وَنَفْرَحَ، 24لأَنَّ ابْنِي هَذَا كَانَ مَيِّتاً فَعَاشَ ، وَكَانَ ضَالاًّ فَوُجِدَ. فَابْتَدَأُوا يَفْرَحُونَ. 25وَكَانَ ابْنُهُ الأَكْبَرُ فِي الْحَقْلِ. فَلَمَّا جَاءَ وَقَرُبَ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ ، سَمِعَ صَوْتَ آلاَتِ طَرَبٍ وَرَقْصاً،26فَدَعَا وَاحِداً مِنَ الْغِلْمَانِ وَسَأَلَهُ: مَا عَسَى أَنْ يَكُونَ هَذَا؟ 27فَقَالَ لَهُ: أَخُوكَ جَاءَ فَذَبَحَ أَبُوكَ الْعِجْلَ الْمُسَمَّنَ ، لأَنَّهُ قَبِلَهُ سَالِماً. 28فَغَضِبَ وَلَمْ يُرِدْ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ. فَخَرَجَ أَبُوهُ يَطْلُبُ إِلَيْهِ. 29فَأَجَابَ وَقَالَلأَبِيهِ: هَا أَنَا أَخْدِمُكَ سِنِينَ هَذَا عَدَدُهَا ، وَقَطُّ لَمْ أَتَجَاوَزْ وَصِيَّتَكَ ، وَجَدْياً لَمْ تُعْطِنِي قَطُّ لأَفْرَحَ مَعَ أَصْدِقَائِي. 30وَلَكِنْ لَمَّا جَاءَ ابْنُكَ هَذَا الَّذِي أَكَلَ مَعِيشَتَكَ مَعَ الزَّوَانِي ، ذَبَحْتَ لَهُ الْعِجْلَ الْمُسَمَّنَ! 31فَقَالَ لَهُ: يَا بُنَيَّ أَنْتَ مَعِي فِي كُلِّ حِينٍ ، وَكُلُّ مَا لِي فَهُوَ لَكَ. 32وَلَكِنْ كَانَ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ نَفْرَحَ وَنُسَرَّ ، لأَنَّ أَخَاكَ هَذَا كَانَ مَيِّتاً فَعَاشَ ، وَكَانَ ضَالاًّ فَوُجِدَ)).
عندما انحدرت إلى الموت ايها الحياة الذي لايموت ، حينئذ أمتّ الجحيم ببرق لاهوتك، وعندما أقمت الاموات من تحت الثرى صرخ نحوك جميع القوات السماويين : ايها المسيح الاله المعطي الحياة المجد لك.
FOR CAMPERS AGES: 8 years old (or entering 3rd grade in Fall 2021) until 18 years old (or will be graduating High School in Spring 2021).
Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of Love January 27 - Fun & Adventure February 10 - Growth & Spirituality February 24 - Dreams