15. THE GREAT ANAPHORA (5-16-2004; 2-24-2019)

   Who has had enough snow and cold this winter? Today we were hit with another snowstorm including wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour. This winter started slow but now it’s in overdrive with record snowfall for the month of February. When will God lift this winter weather or when will God raise us up out this winter mess? This question is a good segue to the next topic in our sermon series on Worship and the Divine Liturgy—the Anaphora.

   Anaphora is a little known, seldom used Greek word that literally means “bring back or return” but also means “elevation” or “lifting up”. Most liturgical scholars say the Anaphora is the pinnacle of the liturgy and its name comes from the actual lifting up of the gifts of bread and wine when the priest says “Ta sa ek ton son…We offer to You these gifts...” One could also say that it is the returning of the gifts to God, from whom they came.

   Three weeks ago, we talked about the Completion Litany, Proskomide Prayer and the Creed. The Anaphora begins immediately afterwards with the priest’s exclamation, “Let us stand aright, let us stand with awe; let us be attentive that we may present the holy offering in peace.” The faithful respond, “An offering of peace, a sacrifice of praise.” The priest then blesses the gifts and then the faithful saying, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” The faithful respond: “And with your spirit.” The priest then raises his arms and looking heavenward, exclaims: “Let us lift up our hearts.” The faithful respond: “We lift them up to you.” The priest says: “Let us give thanks to the Lord.” The faithful give the final response: “It is proper and right.” It is a beautiful and inspiring dialogue as we are made to feel that we ourselves are being lifted heavenward. The words in the first prayer of the Anaphora certainly confirm this:

The Holy Anaphora of St. John Chrysostom

“It is proper and right to sing to You, bless You, praise You, thank You and worship You in all places of Your dominion; for You are God ineffable, beyond comprehension, invisible, beyond understanding, existing forever and always the same; You and Your only begotten Son and Your Holy Spirit. You brought us into being out of nothing and when we fell, You raised us up again. You did not cease doing everything until You led us to heaven and granted us Your kingdom to come. For all these things we thank You and Your only begotten Son and Your Holy Spirit; for all things that we know and do not know, for blessings seen and unseen that have been bestowed upon us. We also thank You for this liturgy which You are pleased to accept from our hands even though You are surrounded by thousands of Archangels and tens of thousands of Angels, by the Cherubim and Seraphim, six-winged, many-eyed, soaring with their wings...”

The Holy Anaphora of St. Basil the Great

        Master, Lord, God, worshipful Father almighty, it is truly just and right to the majesty of Your holiness to praise You, to hymn You, to bless You, to worship You, to give thanks to You, to glorify You, the only true God, and to offer to You this our spiritual worship with a contrite heart and a humble spirit.  For You have given us to know Your truth.  Who is worthy to praise Your mighty acts? Or to make known all Your praises?  Or tell of all Your wonderful deeds at all times?  Master of all things, Lord of heaven and earth and of every creature visible and invisible, incomprehensible, beyond words, unchangeable. You are the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the great God and Savior of our hope, the image of Your goodness, the true seal of revealing in Himself You, the Father. He is the living Word, the true God, eternal wisdom, life, sanctification, power, and the true light. Through Him the Holy Spirit was manifested, the spirit of truth the gift of Sonship, the pledge of our future inheritance, the first fruits of eternal blessings, the life giving power, the source of sanctification through whom every rational and spiritual creature is made capable of worshipping You and giving You eternal glorification, for all things are subject to You.  For You are praised by the angels, archangels, thrones, dominions, principalities, authorities, powers, and many-eyed Cherubim.  Round about You stand the Seraphim, one with six wings and the other with six wings; with two they cover their faces; with two they cover their feet; with two they fly, crying out to one another with unceasing voices and ever resounding praises:

   The prayer concludes with the priest exclaiming, “Singing the victory hymn, proclaiming, crying out and saying:” People continue with the hymn, “Holy, holy, holy! Lord Sabbaoth, heaven and earth are filled with your glory! Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” This is taken directly from the Prophet Isaiah’s heavenly vision of the Lord in His glory (Is.6:2-4) and also found in the Revelation to John the Evangelist (Rev.4:8). If it wasn’t evident before, it’s plainly obvious now that we the faithful are joining with the angels in the heavenly worship of God the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

   Again, the Great Eucharistic priestly prayer of St. John Chrysostom confirms this:

“Together with these blessed powers, merciful Master, we also proclaim and say: You are holy and most holy, You and Your only begotten Son and Your Holy Spirit. You are holy and most holy, and sublime is Your glory. You so loved Your world that You gave Your only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. He came and fulfilled the divine plan for us. On the night when He was delivered up or rather, when He gave Himself up for the life of the world, He took bread in His holy, pure and blameless hands, gave thanks, blessed, sanctified, broke and gave it to His holy disciples and apostles saying...”

   This is a quick summary of God’s divine plan for people and the world that He created out of His abundant and overflowing love. However, the same prayer in the Liturgy of St. Basil lays out the whole plan in great detail and full glory. Due to time constraint, please listen carefully as today’s sermon will conclude at the end of the prayer.

The Eucharist Prayer of St. Basil

   Together with these blessed powers, loving Master we sinners also cry out and say: Truly You are holy and most-holy, and there are no bounds to the majesty of Your holiness. You are holy in all Your works, for with righteousness and true judgment You have ordered all things for us. For having made man by taking dust from the earth, and having honored him with Your own image, O God, You placed him in a garden of delight, promising him eternal life and the enjoyment of everlasting blessings in the observance of Your commandments. But when he disobeyed You, the true God who had created him, and was led astray by the deception of the serpent becoming subject to death through his own transgressions, You O God, in Your righteous judgment, expelled him from paradise into this world, returning him the earth from which he was taken, yet providing for him the salvation of regeneration in Your Christ. For You did not forever reject Your creature whom You made, O Good One, nor did You forget the work of Your hands, but because of Your tender compassion, You visited him in various ways: You sent forth prophets; You performed mighty works by Your saints who in every generation have pleased You. You spoke to us by the mouth of Your servants the prophets, announcing to us the salvation which was to come; You gave us the law to help us; You appointed angels as guardians. And when the fullness of time had come, You spoke to us through Your Son Himself, through whom You created the ages. He, being the splendor of Your glory and the image of Your being, upholding all things by the word of His power, thought it not robbery to be equal with You, God and Father.  But, being God before all ages, He appeared on earth and lived with humankind. Becoming incarnate from a holy Virgin, He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, conforming to the body of our lowliness, that He might change us in the likeness of the image of His glory. For, since through man sin came into the world and through sin death, it pleased Your only-begotten Son, (who is in Your bosom, God and Father, born of a woman, the holy Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary) born under the law, to condemn sin in His flesh, so that those who died in Adam may be brought to life in Him, Your Christ. He lived in this world and gave us precepts of salvation. Releasing us from the delusions of idolatry, He guided us to the sure knowledge of You, the true God and Father.  He acquired us for Himself, as His chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. Having cleansed us by water and sanctified us with the Holy Spirit, He gave Himself as ransom to death in which we were held captive, sold under sin.  Descending into Hades through the cross, that He might fill all things with Himself, He loosed the bonds of death. He rose on the third day, having opened a path for all flesh to resurrection from the dead, since it was not possible that the Author of life would be dominated by corruption. So, He became the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep, the first-born of the dead, that He might be Himself the first in all things.  Ascending into heaven, He sat at the right hand of Your majesty on high and He will come to render to each according to His works. As memorials of His saving passion, He has left us these gifts which we have set forth before You according to His commands.  For when He was about to go forth to His voluntary, ever-memorable and life-giving death, on the night on which He was delivered up for the life of the world, He took bread in His holy and pure hands, and presenting it to You, God and Father, and offering thanks, blessing, sanctifying, and breaking it: Amen!

ST. GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

 Rev. Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews, Presbyter

1111 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105, (651) 222-6220, www.stgeorgegoc.org

March 3, 2019                                                                                      JUDGMENT SUNDAY

TODAY’S EVENTS: Youth Oratorical Festival 11am; Children’s dance practice 12:15pm.

Epistle Reader: Stephen Kanavati                                     Prosfora: anonymous

Fellowship: Athanasios & Panorea Contolatis                    Greeters: Bill Clemons, Yodahe Gamada

Monday       03-04     Catechism Class “Sacraments I-Baptism, Chrismation, Confession, Unction”          7:00PM

Wednesday 03-06     Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) at University of St. Thomas                           5:00PM

Thursday     03-07     Office closed through March 11

Friday          03-08     Biblical Symposium at St. Elizabeth Orthodox Church in St. Paul (and Sat. March 9^th)

Saturday     03-09     VESPERS                                                                                                            5:00PM

Sunday        03-10     ORTHROS (8:15am) &DIVINE LITURGY – CHEESEFARE SUNDAY                          9:30AM

                                   Luncheon for Missions hosted by Philoptochos                                                  11:30AM

                                  Children’s dance practice                                                                                12:15PM

                                   Forgiveness Vespers                                                                                           7:00PM

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Lent Approaches: today is Meatfare when we start fasting from meat products to prepare for the start of Great and Holy Lent on March 11^th. Start planning now how you will intensify worship, prayer, fasting & almsgiving.

Cheesefare Luncheon: following Divine Liturgy next Sunday, March 10^th, hosted by Philoptochos. Proceeds will benefit Support-a-Mission Priest.

Lenten Lectures- Wednesday theme is Christian Italy in which Fr. Rick shares images, memories and history from his recent trip including Venice, Florence, Sienna, Pisa & Rome. Friday’s theme is Patrology and Patristics: Church Fathers in Orthodoxy with various speakers covering the Apostolic Fathers of the 1^st cent (Fr. Thaddeus Wojcik), Cappadocians of the 4^th cent (Fr. Andrew Morbey), Greek Fathers (Fr. George Dokos) and the Syriac/Desert Fathers (Fr. Paul Wesche). Each preceded by Presanctified Liturgy & Lenten meal.

Think About It: Do not forget prayer—it is the life of the soul.             St. Nikon of Optina (+1931)

2019 Lenten Meal Sign-up Sheet: please sign up in the social hall to host the 7:30pm community meals individually or with a group on Wednesdays (March 13, 20, 27 and April 3, 10) and Fridays (March 15, 22, 29, April 5, 12) during Great Lent. Potluck meals are scheduled for Lazaros Saturday and Holy Friday. Thank you!

Fresh Phyllo - Philoptochos is taking orders for FRESH phyllo following liturgy today and March 10. It will be ready for pick up March 24. Forms will be available on-line and at church. If you have any questions, please contact Presbytera Jane at janedono1@gmail.com. Make your holiday baking easy with FRESH PHYLLO!!

Office Closed: this Thursday-Friday March 7-8, while Julie is on vacation. Will reopen on Tuesday, March 12. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Learn Greek Dancing: The Greek school will be teaching kids Greek folk dancing after Sunday liturgies at 12:15pm in the social hall. The dance practices are in preparation for the Greek Independence Day program on Sunday, March 24 and the Festival of Nations (May 2-5) Please contact Angela or Stella for more information.

MEOCCA Choir Rehearsal for Sunday Lenten Vespers on Tuesday, March 5, 7pm at St. Panteleimon Russian Orthodox Church, 2210 Franklin Ave SE, Mpls. New singers welcome! We will also be forming a MEOCCA Chanters Group this year. Contact MEOCCA Choir Director Mark Wesche at mark.wesche@gmail.com

Girls Day-Treat: An Orthodox Lenten Retreat for Girls grades 8 – 12 aims to help them grow into womanhood through the teachings of the Church. Twelve Holy Apostles Church in Duluth hosts this day of prayer, learning and fellowship on Saturday, March 9! Please register and see more details at www.12holyapostles.org!

Church Fathers Speak: Just like writing requires preparation including calming and quieting ourselves. Prayer also demands preparation and even more especially if transitioning from some other activity.          St. Theophan the Recluse (+1894)

Philoxenia House Needs Your Help: Holy Anargyroi Church in Rochester will be opening a third Philoxenia House in Rochester to provide lodging for those in need while receiving medical care. Visit Targetregistry to donate items needed for the new house. thank you! https://tinyurl.com/y4ckko5c

Missions & Benevolence- All are invited to join our Missions & Benevolence ministry to help determine and plan the philanthropic endeavors of our Church. Our first quarterly meeting will be held Thursday March 14^th at 7pm. We will have a year in review and discussions about new and continuing projects. Please join us!

New Sunday Social Hour Coordinator: Thank you to Rita Kanavati for assuming this important task! Please contact Rita at ritakanavati@comcast.net if your family or group would like to host a Sunday Social Hour.

Wisdom from the Fathers: A continuously happy care-free life can produce extremely unhappy consequences. Misfortune and suffering are allowed so that we might learn prudence, patience and humility. In times of plenty we forget ourselves, but in times of sorrow we become more attentive to our salvation.    St. Ambrose of Optina (+1891)

Exterior Restoration- Brick, block and tuckpointing have been completed. Cost of project is $118,647. We have raised over $78,305 from our parishioners and friends. Please join us in this important work. Thank you!

Stewardship 2019: Theme is “All things are possible to the one who believes in Christ” (Mark 9:23). 63 pledges have been received averaging $1,817, total $114,495. Three things to do: 1) pray for God’s inspiration and guidance, 2) plan-budget stewardship first, 3) give generously and sacrificially, at least three percent (3%) of gross yearly income. We thank you for supporting the ministries of our parish!

Lenten Retreat: our 14^th annual St. Gregory Palamas Festival of Light Lenten Retreat will be March 22-24 with Fr. Moses Berry speaking on African Americans and Orthodox Christianity. Fr. Moses will share his life journey into Orthodoxy (Friday evening), Christian History in Africa (Saturday morning) and the African American Experience & Orthodoxy (Sat. afternoon). Potluck lunch on Sat. followed by Vespers.

Patristic Wisdom: If only you knew what great a blessing comes from the Divine Liturgy, then you would collect even the dust from the floor of the church to wash your faces with it.  St. Gabriel the Confessor of Georgia (+1995)

2020 Basketball Tourney: will be hosted by our parish here in Saint Paul, MN on February 7-8-9, 2020. The parish council approved at February meeting and planning committee is formed. The last time we hosted was 2012. For more info or to volunteer, contact tournament co-chairs Milam Paraschou and Dan Simon.

Choir Practices: on the third Sunday of each month after Divine Liturgy. Also, in preparation for Lent and holy Week- March 12^th 6:30 pm, March 18^th 7:00pm, March 26^th, April 2^nd, April 9^th – 6:30 pm, April 15^th 7:00pm.

New Office Hours: effective February 4, the church office will be open Tuesday-Friday, 9am to 5pm  and closed on Mondays for a three-month trial period. Give feedback to Fr. Rick or a parish council member.

Biblical Symposium: The 2019 Symposium of the Orthodox Center for the Advancement of Biblical Studies (OCABS), will be held March 8-9, 2019, at St. Elizabeth Orthodox Church, in St. Paul. The keynote speaker is Dr. Robert Miller, Ordinary Professor of Old Testament, School of Theology and Religious Studies at the Catholic University of America. A special episode of the Bible as Literature will be recorded live at the symposium. For program details, see flyer in social hall. To register, please visit ephesusschool.org.

FOCUS MN Update: Volunteers opportunities at new home 550 Rice Street in St. Paul: team leader and workers to renovate kitchen and food shelf area- contact Vera at 651-324-2705 or vsproctor@gmail.com. On Mondays, Thursdays & Saturdays 10am – 2pm volunteer to unpack and sort donations, clean, make minor repairs and more. Contact Kathy Schtowchan, 651-343-4183 or k.schtowchan@comcast.net.

Join an IOCC Homebuild Team!  In response to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, one-week projects are scheduled in Florida and Houston between March and August 2019. The only cost is a $100 participation fee and getting to the respective city. Participants arrive on Monday afternoon and depart on Saturday morning; IOCC covers all costs on the ground (room, board, and local transportation). To see project dates and locations, visit https://iocc.org/take-action/join-action-team/home-build-volunteers. Contact Dan Christopulos DChristopulos@iocc.org with questions.

St. Mary’s Lenten Retreat: Friday and Saturday, March 15-16, 2019. This year’s theme is “Talking in Circles: The Orthodox Understanding of Scripture,” led by Fr. John Kostas. See flyer in social hall for details.

Festival of Nations (FON) May 2-5: For over 85 years, the Festival of Nations has inspired people throughout the region to discover more about our world and embrace the rich cultural diversity brought to us by immigrants from around the globe. The St. George community has been involved from the beginning. This event is a fun way to celebrate a culture that many parishioners share, and the proceeds benefit our church and its ministries. Please join us by volunteering at the Greek Café. We need volunteers for all shifts and roles such as food prep, server, clean up, move-in /setup and breakdown/move-out. Use the Sign Up Genius website at the following link to sign up to volunteer: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4CA5AD2BABFF2-festival4 or contact Tom Lampros. This year’s FON dates, May 2-5, the week after Pascha, avoid Easter and Mother’s Day, so we are expecting good crowds. Learn more about the FON at their website: http://www.festivalofnations.com.

Metropolis Clergy Laity: The St. George and St. Mary Church communities will co-host in the Twin Cities September 25-29, 2019. Alexis Bighley will co-chair. Hotel is Hyatt Regency in Bloomington.

Youth Ministry Updates: youth & family events scheduled for March 23^rd, April 20 & 26, and May 11. Next organizational planning meeting will be Wed. Feb.27^th 6:30pm, then Mon. March 25^th 7pm, & Wed. May 15^th.

Bible Study: meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month from 1:30-3pm in the conference room at church. RSVP or questions to Kathy Ryan 651-292-9948 or Kathy.aeiou@gmail.com. All are welcome!

Youth Minister Position Open: applications are now being accepted for this part time position. To apply, email a resume, cover letter and two references to Fr. Rick at fatherrick@stgeorgegoc.org.

Roselawn Cemetery Lots: 2019 prices are: $6,120 for a Monument Lot (2 graves); $3,825 for a Flat Lot A (2 graves); $2,167.50 for a Flat Lot B (1 grave). Single graves have limited availability. Contact church today!

2018-2019 Sunday School Staff: our religious education program is led by director Miss Aida Abebe working with our current teachers: Lerah McCullough (PreK), Carol Alexis (K-1), Lama Ghazi (2-3), Stephen Kanavati (4-5-6), Anastasia Mastrogiorgis (7-9) and Nick Kanavati & Vicky Paraschou (10-12). Please support Aida and the teachers by frequently bringing your children to liturgy and Sunday school.

New Youth Advisors: Several youth advisors have volunteered for various age groups to organize events and work with parents and children to increase participation. GOYA Anastasia Mastrogiorgis and Phyllis Kapetanakis will lead junior high and high school (7-12 grades). JOY Maria Paraschou and Katherine Cabieses will lead elementary ages (K-6 grades). HOPE: Lerah McCullough and Joanna Tzenis will lead preschool ages.

Things Sound Different- yes, that’s right, the Sunday liturgy is sounding a bit different the last few months. That’s because the choir is using minor mode from the Cherubic Hymn through the Epiklesis/Consecration. Although this is new to our community, it is not innovative or novel in the Tradition. Many Greek Orthodox churches throughout the United States and the world do this. Minor mode conveys a mystical and penitential quality that is so important to our Orthodox Christian phronema (mindset). Fr. Rick has encouraged this addition to the choir’s repertoire for many years. Recently, they accepted the challenge and are working hard to execute it better each and every Sunday. Please support them and seek to understand what minor mode is all about.

Photos Updated! Through December 2018 on parish website www.stgeorgegoc.shutterfly.com.

Videos Updated: check our parish YouTube channel to see videos for 2018 Lenten lectures and Lenten retreat. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmLF0t0U6p0ZEBTuGwqFLoQ . Other videos include 75th Anniversary, Introduction to Orthodox Christianity, Holy Land pilgrimage, and previous lectures and retreats.

Sermons Updated: and posted on our website through Februay 3, 2019. More to come, including children’s sermons in 2018. http://stgeorgegoc.org/pastors-corner/fr-ricks-sermons/

Vespers! Start off your Saturday evening on the right foot with Great Vespers service at 5pm. It has beautiful hymns about the Resurrection and the Saints of the day, petitions, prayers and readings but only takes 45 minutes to complete. It is an excellent preparation for Sunday Divine Liturgy.

Let Us Commit Ourselves and one Another: We cannot neglect the task of practical preparation to enhance our liturgical participation. Commitment to God and His family (the Church) requires advance planning and sacrifice. It behooves all of us to take seriously our Orthodox Christian Faith by participating the Sunday Divine Liturgy and weekday Lenten services. Let us commit ourselves and one another and our life to Christ our God!

Rise and Shine! Orthros is the sunrise service in the Orthodox Church but probably one of the most neglected. Every individual and family should make an effort to participate periodically. At least, plan to arrive at the beginning of Divine Liturgy. Like Vespers, Orthros has many profound hymns about Jesus' Resurrection and the Saints or Feast of the Day along with petitions, prayers and readings. Orthros begins Sunday morning 8:15am.

Clapping in Church? “Often have I thought to make a rule which should prevent all applauding, and persuade you to listen with silence and becoming orderliness…let us even now establish this rule, that no hearer be permitted to applaud in the midst of any person's discourse, but if he will needs admire, let him admire in silence…Nothing so becomes a Church as silence and good order. Noise belongs to theatres, and baths, and public processions, and marketplaces: but where doctrines are the subject of teaching, there should be stillness, and quiet, and calm reflection, and a haven of much repose. These things I beseech and entreat: for I go about in quest of ways by which I shall be enabled to profit your souls. And no small way I take this to be: it will profit not you only, but us also.”          St. John Chrysostom, Homily XXX on the Acts of the Apostles

Welcome Visitors Thank you for joining with us in prayer and fellowship. The worship of the Orthodox Church is deeply rooted in and very similar to that of the early Christian Church. Unique sensory stimuli and mystery are elements that go back even to the liturgy of the Jewish temple. Everything in an Orthodox Christian church communicates the majestic presence of God the Holy Trinity with His Saints. It is literally heaven on earth. It is a sad consequence of the divisions in Christianity that we cannot extend a general invitation to receive Holy Communion. Visitors are invited to receive the blessed bread (antithoron) at the conclusion of the liturgy. We pray and work for the reconciliation and unity of all Christians. If you are interested in learning more about Orthodoxy, please contact Fr. Rick at fatherrick@stgeorgegoc.org. We are proud of our Greek heritage, but one does not have to be of Greek descent, nor speak Greek to be a Greek Orthodox Christian.

Note to Orthodox about Holy Communion: Receiving the Body and Blood of Christ is one of the most Holy experiences for a Christian in order to be granted the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life. We are never worthy to partake of Divine Nature. Yet, it is essential that we prepare ourselves for this sacred Communion by constant prayer, reading the Scriptures, regular fasting and periodic Confession. At a minimum, we should fast all morning before Communion, arrive at the beginning of Liturgy, and come for Confession at least once a year. In addition, we should not have separated ourselves from the Church through serious sin. Otherwise, please refrain from Communion to avoid “judgment…not discerning the Lord’s body” (1Cor. 11:29). Contact Fr. Rick for pastoral guidance.

Glad Tidings deadline: The 10th of each month. Glad Tidings email: gladtidings@stgeorgegoc.org  Sunday Bulletin Deadline: Wednesday Noon each week.  Email: office@stgeorgegoc.org