Welcome to our Parish

Welcome to St. John Chrysostome Greek Orthodox Church

We are a thriving community of 65 families, working to share the Orthodox Faith with the South Florida area. We try to balance our lives with both corporate and personal prayer, philanthropic works to our greater community and common meals together. Our goal is the progression towards the kingdom of God in this life, in loving our fellow man and seeing Christ in the person sitting next to us.

We are pleased that you have joined us today for worship. To receive Communion in the Orthodox Church, one must be Baptized and/or Chrismated in the Orthodox Faith. The Orthodox Church understands Holy Communion as the sign of unity. If you are interested in learning more about the Orthodox Faith, please contact Father Andrew. Whether you are an Orthodox Christian or not, please come forward at the dismissal to receive the blessed bread which is offered to everyone as you leave. May Christ's blessings be with all of you.

My Beloved Ones,

Χριστὸς ἀνέστη! Ἀληθῶς ἀνέστη!
Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

I give thanks to our Lord, for having allowed us to celebrate Mid-Pentecost this week, as we continue to observe our Lord’s Resurrection, while looking ahead to His Ascension, and the coming of the Holy Spirit. This week’s Gospel offers a unique glimpse, as our Lord shares the reality of the Holy Spirit with the Samaritan Woman.

For us to understand the importance of this event, we must first know the difference between Jews and Samaritans during Christ’s ministry. Each group thought about and worshipped God in different ways. Jews, of course, worshipped Him in the Temple, but Samaritans worshipped Him on Mount Gerizrim. It is for this reason, and many others, that the Jews and Samaritans considered each other an anathema. This is why the Parable of the Good Samaritan makes such a strong point; Jesus uses the Levite and the Priest, as examples of Jewish people who fail to demonstrate God’s mercy to the wounded man. Instead, it is an enemy of this individual, who shows us how to act towards our brothers and sisters in need.

Jesus demonstrates this openness personally, when, sitting alone at midday near a Samaritan well, he greets a passing woman, by asking her for a drink. Knowing only that He is a Jewish stranger, she answers, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” (John 4:9) Jesus responds with a beautiful figure of speech, that He is the living water, and “…whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14)

Now, thinking as a person, she asks, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.” (John 4:15). He reveals His knowledge of her life as a sinner, but speaks His Word to her compassionately, “The hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:21; 23-24).

Here we have a woman, who, like the Myrrh Bearers and so many saints throughout the ages, believes in our Lord, and testifies to the Truth of the Divine Law, rather than the earthly Law. She returns to her home, and to her village, enthusiastically preaching His Gospel. The people were so moved and amazed, that they forget about her sinful life, and instead came to Him. Here we are shown yet another group of people, strangers and outcasts, who are brought together as one by the Word of God.

I hope and pray that this message serves as an example that we as believers, also have an obligation to share the Good News with others; and not only our non-Orthodox brothers and sisters, but even our Orthodox friends who need understanding and support as well. I greet you once again with Χριστὸς ἀνέστη! wishing you all health, peace and safety, during the happiest time of our Ecclesiastical year!

+ALEXIOS

Metropolitan of Atlanta

***THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU ! TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN SENDING IN YOUR STEWARDSHIP, CANDLE MONEY AND DONATIONS BY REGULAR MAIL AND THROUGH THE DONATION BUTTONS ON OUR WEBSITE. YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT IS SINCERELY APPRECIATED AND VERY MUCH NEEDED, ESPECIALLY AT THIS TIME OF THE PANDEMIC CRISES. I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MUCH I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING ALL OF YOU AGAIN IN WORSHIP. YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT, MORAL AND FINANCIAL CONTINUES TO LIFT US UP, DESPITE THIS TRIALS CREATED BY THIS PANDEMIC. THANK YOU, AGAIN!

***IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO DO THAT YET, PLEASE TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO COMPLETE YOU STWARDSHIP PLEDGE, SUNDAY TRAY OFFEREINGS AND CANDLE MONEY TO THE CHURCH.

AN UPDATED STEWARDSHIP LIST IS INCLUDED BELOW. IN ORDER TO SEE YOUR NAME ON THE LIST OF STEWARDS, YOU MUST HAVE COMPLETED A STEWARDSHIP PLEDGE CARD AND WE MUST HAVE RECEIVED IT AT THE CHURCH TO INCLUDE YOU NAME ON THE LIST. WE THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR COOPERATION AND GENEROSITY. BASED ON OUR MOST CURRENT INFORMATION (FRIDAY, MAY 1st). THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE ARE PLEDGED STEWARDS OF SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM CHURCH:

STEWARDSHIP 2020

Alexandrou, Anna & Lazarus

Bakas, Pericles & Panagiota (Toula)

Bourlas, Manuel

Coury, Katherine

Dionisopoulos, Nick & Athanasia (Mimi)

Fitzer, Pamela (Tseklenis) & Peter

Ioannides, Nina Marie

Laskaris, John & Joanna

Lefco, Evelyn & Michael

King, Stephanie

Kokenos, Pericles

Denise Koltis & Sotiri Dushas

Koumas, Chrysanthe

Kuzemka, Nick & Carole

Lena, Joanne

Loizos, Helen

Mahalares, Father Andrew

Malliaroudakis, George & Doria

Manos, George

Menexis, Michael and Doris

Mihaltse, William & Diana

Monsma, Joel & Constance

Moulis, Peter & Helene

Moulis, Stephanie

Nakos, Peter & Anastasia (Annie)

Neamonitis, Nicholas & Thomae

Nickas, Aristides (Steve) & Barbara

Papadopoulos, Demetrios & Vie

Pappaconstantinou, Cynthia

Pappas, Steve & Rose Marie (Posie)

Pantazopoulos, Anthony & Katherine

Parasco, Odessefs & Mary

Petrides, Pat (Kyriaki)

Reams, Bill & Jodie

Siggelakis, Nikitas and Leona

Tambakis, John and JoAnn

Theodorakis, Marika

Tzellas, Chris

Wilshire, Maria & Alfred

Zafiropoulos, Despina (Debbie)

Zaimes, George & Dena

Saints and Feasts

May 17

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman

One of the most ancient cities of the Promised Land was Shechem, also called Sikima, located at the foot of Mount Gerazim. There the Israelites had heard the blessings in the days of Moses and Jesus of Navi. Near to this town, Jacob, who had come from Mesopotamia in the nineteenth century before Christ, bought a piece of land where there was a well. This well, preserved even until the time of Christ, was known as Jacob's Well. Later, before he died in Egypt, he left that piece of land as a special inheritance to his son Joseph (Gen. 49:22). This town, before it was taken into possession by Samaria, was also the leading city of the kingdom of the ten tribes. In the time of the Romans it was called Neapolis, and at present Nablus. It was the first city in Canaan visited by the Patriarch Abraham. Here also, Jesus of Navi (Joshua) addressed the tribes of Israel for the last time. Almost three hundred years later, all Israel assembled there to make Roboam (Rehoboam) king.

When our Lord Jesus Christ, then, came at midday to this city, which is also called Sychar (John 4:5), He was wearied from the journey and the heat, and He sat down at this well. After a little while the Samaritan woman mentioned in today's Gospel passage came to draw water. As she conversed at some length with the Lord and heard from Him secret things concerning herself, she believed in Him; through her many other Samaritans also believed.

Concerning the Samaritans we know the following: In the year 721 before Christ, Salmanasar (Shalmaneser), King of the Assyrians, took the ten tribes of the kingdom of Israel into captivity, and relocated all these people to Babylon and the land of the Medes. From there he gathered various nations and sent them to Samaria. These nations had been idolaters from before. Although they were later instructed in the Jewish faith and believed in the one God, they worshipped the idols also. Furthermore, they accepted only the Pentateuch of Moses, and rejected the other books of Holy Scripture. Nonetheless, they thought themselves to be descendants of Abraham and Jacob. Therefore, the pious Jews named these Judaizing and idolatrous peoples Samaritans, since they lived in Samaria, the former leading city of the Israelites, as well as in the other towns thereabout. The Jews rejected them as heathen and foreigners, and had no communion with them at all, as the Samaritan woman observed, "the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans" (John 4:9). Therefore, the name Samaritan is used derisively many times in the Gospel narrations. After the Ascension of the Lord, and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the woman of Samaria was baptized by the holy Apostles and became a great preacher and Martyr of Christ; she was called Photine, and her feast is kept on February 26.

May 17

The New Martyrs of Batak, Bulgaria

May 17

Nicholas the Younger who was martyred in Metsovo, Epirus

Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion of Great and Holy Pascha in the Plagal First Mode

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life.

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Fourth Mode

When the women Disciples of the Lord had learned from the Angel the joyful message of the Resurrection and had rejected the ancestral decision, they cried aloud to the Apostles triumphantly: Death has been despoiled, Christ God has risen, granting His great mercy to the world.

Apolytikion for Mid-Pentecost in the Plagal Fourth Mode

At Mid-feast give Thou my thirsty soul to drink of the waters of piety; for Thou, O Saviour, didst cry out to all: Whosoever is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Wherefore, O Well-spring of life, Christ our God, glory be to Thee.

Apolytikion for the Church in the First Mode

St. John Chrysostom, Patron Saint of the Church - Apolytikion.
The grace that from your mouth shone forth like a torch illumined the universe. It deposited in the world the treasures of the absence of avarice. It showed us the height that is attained by humility. Now you instruct us by your words, Father John Chrysostom. Intercede with Christ God, the Word Himself, entreating Him to save our souls.

Ἡ τοῦ στόματός σου καθάπερ πυρσὸς ἐκλάμψασα χάρις, τὴν οἰκουμένην ἐφώτισεν, ἀφιλαργυρίας τῶ κόσμω θησαυροὺς ἐναπέθετο, τὸ ὕψος ἡμῖν τῆς ταπεινοφροσύνης ὑπέδειξεν. Ἀλλὰ σοὶς λόγοις παιδεύων, Πάτερ, Ἰωάννη Χρυσόστομε, πρέσβευετῶ Λόγῳ Χριστῷ τῶ Θεῷ, σωθῆναι τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

Though You went down into the tomb, You destroyed Hades' power, and You rose the victor, Christ God, saying to the myrrh-bearing women, "Hail!" and granting peace to Your disciples, You who raise up the fallen.

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.

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Psalm 103.24,1.
O Lord, how manifold are your works. You have made all things in wisdom.
Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul.

The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 11:19-30.

In those days, those apostles who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to none except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number that believed turned to the Lord. News of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad; and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose; for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a large company was added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church, and taught a large company of people; and in Antioch the disciples were for the first time called Christians. Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabos stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world; and this took place in the days of Claudius. And the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brethren who lived in Judea, and they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
The Reading is from John 4:5-42

At that time, Jesus came to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and so Jesus, wearied as he was with his journey, sat down beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.

There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep; where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, and his sons, and his cattle?" Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw."

Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here." The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, 'I have no husband'; for you have had five husbands, and he whom you now have is not your husband; this you said truly." The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain; and you say that Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." The woman said to him, "I know that the Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ); when he comes, he will show us all things." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he."

Just then his disciples came. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but none said, "What do you wish?" or, "Why are you talking with her?" So the woman left her water jar, and went away into the city and said to the people, "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?" They went out of the city and were coming to him.

Meanwhile the disciples besought him, saying "Rabbi, eat." But he said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know." So the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought him food?" Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see how the fields are already white for harvest. He who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."

Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's testimony. "He told me all that I ever did." So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard ourselves, and we know that this is indeed Christ the Savior of the world."

Wisdom of the Fathers

The example of the good Samaritan shows that we must not abandon those in whom even the faintest amount of faith is still alive.

St. Ambrose of Milan

Two Books of St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, Concerning Repentance, Chapter 11

He shows that she is worthy to hear and not to be overlooked, and then He reveals Himself. For she, as soon as she had learnt who He was, would straightway hearken and attend to Him; ...

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 31 on John 3, 4th Century

Here is love! Here is teaching! Here is acquiescence! Here is a model! ... Those who love they also serve. If you want to find out how great your love is towards God, then measure your obedience to the will of God, and you will immediately learn.

Bishop Nicolai Velimirovic

Prolog, 7 Sept., B #80, 706.

St John's Prayer Circle

Please pray for our brothers and sisters in our Community and their families, and all those who are in need of our prayers.

Cynthia, Evangelos, Katherine (Dr. Mary's mother) Harry, Mirsini, Peter, Helen, Eleni, Becky, Mary D’Jay, Presbytera Helen, Fr. Constantine, Fr. Demetri Tsigas (Melbourne Priest), SAVAS, Kosta, Demetrios, Mary, Evangelia, Kyriakos (Charley), Danny, Peter, Kay, Linda, Chris, Bill & Diana, Tom and Family, Nick K, Maggie, Helen, Gena Mildner, Joanna, Constantina, Mimi, Virginia, Apostolos, Sophie, Joshua, Despina, Thomas, Jan, Aristides, Lucas, Baby Paul, Leona, Mary, Toula, Eleni, Phylitsa, George Edward, Efrosini, George, Stella, Phyllis, Irene, Georgia, Marcia, Sheila and Maureen, Laura, Sophia.

Liturgical Services

ALL SUNDAY SERVICES 9– 11:15 AM

MAY SCHEDULE OF SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES

Sun. May 17th, Sunday of the Samaritan Woman, Orthros & Divine Liturgy, 9-11:30AM

Thur. May 21st, Sts. Constantine & Helen, Orthros & Divine Liturgy, 9-11:30AM

Sun. May 24th, Sunday of the Blind Man, Orthros & Divine Liturgy, 9-11:30AM

Thur. May 28th, ASCENSION THURSDAY, Orthros & Divine Liturgy, 9-11:30AM

Sun. May 31st Sunday, of Memorial Day Weekend, Orthros & Divine Liturgy, 9-11:30AM

( Hopefully, our first Sunday back in the church with participation by a limited number of our parishioners)

Your Parish Council President, Connie Monsma, your PC Treasurer Peter Nakos and Father Andrew will meet via Zoom on Tuesday the 19th to discuss our return to worship with parishioners present and the instructions from the Metropolitan as to how we are to implement it.

KOUVOUKLION UPDATE

The new Kouvouklion arrived mid March. Unfortunately no one really has had an opportunity to see it given the pandemic crises. We sincerely thank the donors for their kindness snd generosity.

ALSO, as a result of the initial request, I received three other donations and will be purchasing a few more ecclesiastival items for the church such as a Sacrament Table with two new candle holders for it; an Icon Stand and a gospel stand, just to mention a few of the items. I will also be looking at three or four Chalice Cover sets.

Most of the donations are not to be publicized, but we might be able to do a "in memory of" in one of our upcoming bulletins.

Stewardship

Stewardship is our response to God’s grace and moves us from grace to gratitude. Just as we love because God first loved us (John 4:14), we give because God first gave to us. The question of the Psalmist “What shall I give to the Lord in return for all His benefits towards me?” (Ps 116:2), is answered in every liturgy when the celebrant calls us to “offer ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.”

As Orthodox Christians, we see the world as God’s gift, as a sacrament of God’s presence and a means of communion with Him. And so we are able to offer the world back to God in thanksgiving as we say in every Divine Liturgy “Thine own of Thine own we offer to thee…”

In II Corinthians 9:7 we read “Each person should give what he/she has decided in his/her heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” Consider your weekly expenditures on entertainment, coffee, etc. Keep in mind that the expenses of the Church increase every year. In order to grow our ministries and meet our expenses, stewardship contributions must also increase each year.

If you haven't yet completed your 2019 Pledge yet, please make every effort to do so before we bigne the task of encouraging you to make your pledge for 2020 and remind you to complete your pledge form and begin the fulfillment of the pledge you make (i.e. paying it all at one time or quarterly, monthly or weekly thoughout the coming the year).

You must have completed a Stewardship form and submitted it to be considered a Steward of Saint John's.

Please complete your Stewardship form for 2020

General Information

Contact Information

Services Schedule

Past Bulletins

Welcome to our Parish

Saints and Feasts

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman

The New Martyrs of Batak, Bulgaria

Nicholas the Younger who was martyred in Metsovo, Epirus

Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion of Great and Holy Pascha in the Plagal First Mode

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Fourth Mode

Apolytikion for Mid-Pentecost in the Plagal Fourth Mode

Apolytikion for the Church in the First Mode

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Epistle Reading

Gospel Reading

Wisdom of the Fathers

St John's Prayer Circle

Liturgical Services

Stewardship