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St. John Chrysostom Greek Orthodox Church Of Nashville
Publish Date: 2018-12-30
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Xmas
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St. John Chrysostom Greek Orthodox Church Of Nashville

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (615) 957-2975
  • Street Address:

  • 4602 Indiana Avenue

  • Nashville, TN 37209
  • Mailing Address:

  • P.O. Box 90162

  • Nashville, TN 37209


Contact Information



Services Schedule

Saturday, Great Vespers 5:30 PM

Sunday Matins/Orthros 8:30 AM

Sunday Divine Liturgy 10 AM

Wednesday Paraklesis, and all weekday evening services, 6 PM


Past Bulletins


Announcements

THIS WEEKEND...

SATURDAY

  • Great Vespers, 5:30 PM 
  • Confession by appointment before/after Vespers 

SUNDAY

  • Matins, 8:30 AM 
  • The Divine Liturgy, 10 AM 

Regarding Trapeza

Hello St. John,

Trapeza is going to be done a bit differently this year. We will try this new way for a few months and see if it works well. Please email me any time with ideas, suggestions, complaints, or to volunteer for something specific. 
 
Here is how we will do it: 
1. Every week, every one who is able should bring a little something for trapeza. So we aren't being assigned a week anymore, we just bring food as we are able. If you can't bring food, consider helping set up or clean before or after trapeza.
2. Coffee still needs to be made before church and the modular still needs to be clean before we all leave. There will be laminated checklists that we can check off the needed items as we do them. This will require a bit of first-come-first-serve, taking initiative. For example, if I get to church and see that coffee hasn't been made yet, I will make it. There will be instructions on the checklist when needed. When I am ready to leave after my family has eaten, I will choose to check off one or two of the items on the cleanup checklist before we go. For example, I can have Flannery clean the bathroom while I gather loose plates and load them in the dishwasher. Someone else might wipe off the tables, help put food away, or clean the coffee pot. So things will be more fluid. And things getting done will depend on all of us.
3. We will have a theme for trapeza each week just for fun. Feel free to bring anything you can, the theme is just for inspiration if you need it. Please email me if you have a particular theme you'd like to see. 
4. There will be a Google Sheet link in the bulletin so you can tell others what you are bringing and see what is needed, and what the theme is. You can also volunteer for something on the sheet like "I will set up coffee this week." Here is an example of the sheet, feel free to go in and practice putting in info: 
 
I understand this is all different, and it may take us a while to try it out and get the hang of it. If it doesn't work, we will go back to the old ways! The problem is that the old way seems to bring a lot of stress so we hope things will be more joyful in the future.
 
Cleaning the church... we have enough people to clean the church three times a month. Ideally we'd have enough to clean the church once a month, with nobody having to clean every month. So volunteers are needed! Email me if you can help.
 
Love in Christ,
Naomi Spaulding

 


Policy regarding Confession and visitations...

* A Reminder: It has been our long-standing policy and practice that during Confession, House-calls, and Visitations, Father requires that a third adult to be present while still maintaining the appropriate privacy during Confession.  It is also our policy that during Confession we are not asked to reveal details of a personal or private nature.  It is possible to discuss issues that we may be struggling with, but the real intent is to try and identify the motivating factors that cause us to err, and then to seek reconciliation. This may also involve the recomendation to seek appropriate professional help.

If you would simply like to meet with Father for a visit outside of confession, a preffered place would be a local coffee shop :-)

For more information on the Sacrament of Confession, please see:  https://www.goarch.org/-/preparation-for-holy-confession


TITHES AND STEWARDSHIP

Thank you to each parishioner who has made a financial commitment to Stewardship, or is increasing their offering towards fulll Stewardship.  (*Stewardship is offering a tithe, or a tenth of our income to the Church.)

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.  Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have enough room for it."  Malachi 3:10


DIACONIA, WHICH IS OUR MINISTRY...

Emergency Preparedness

    • Candice Zamora will be coordinating our Emergency Preparedness service.  Please contact her for more information. 
    • We are also looking for someone to find training to be First Responders in the event of an emergency.

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Weekly Calendar

  • Parish Calendar

    December 30, 2018 to January 13, 2019

    DECEMBER

    Sunday, December 30

    8:30AM Matins (Orthros)

    10:00AM Divine Liturgy

    JANUARY

    Wednesday, January 2

    6:00PM Paraklesis

    Saturday, January 5

    4:00PM Choir (Kliros) Practice

    5:30PM Vespers (Hesperinos)

    Sunday, January 6

    The Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

    8:30AM Matins (Orthros)

    10:00AM Divine Liturgy

    Wednesday, January 9

    6:00PM Paraklesis

    Saturday, January 12

    4:00PM Choir (Kliros) Practice

    5:30PM Vespers (Hesperinos)

    Sunday, January 13

    8:30AM Matins (Orthros)

    10:00AM Divine Liturgy

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Sunday after Nativity
The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 1:11-19

Brethren, I would have you know that the gospel which was preached by me is not man's gospel. For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it; and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother.


Gospel Reading

Sunday after Nativity
The Reading is from Matthew 2:13-23

When the wise men departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." And he rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt have I called my son."

Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was in a furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they were no more." But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead." And he rose and took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaos reigned over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. And he went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazarene."


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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Sixth Tone

Angelic powers were above Thy tomb, and they that guarded Thee became as dead. And Mary stood by the grave seeking Thine immaculate Body. Thou hast despoiled Hades and wast not tried thereby. Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst grant us life. O Thou Who didst arise from the dead, Lord, glory be to Thee.

Apolytikion for Afterfeast of the Nativity in the Fourth Tone

Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, hath shined the light of knowledge upon the world; for thereby they that worshipped the stars were instructed by a star to worship Thee, the Sun of Righteousness, and to know Thee, the Dayspring from on high. O Lord, glory be to Thee.

Apolytikion for Sun. after Nativity in the Second Tone

O Joseph, proclaim the wonders to David, the ancestor of God. Thou hast seen a Virgin great with child; thou hast given glory with the shepherds; thou hast worshipped with the Magi; and thou hast been instructed through an Angel. Entreat Christ God to save our souls.

Apolytikion for St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople in the Eighth Tone

Grace like a flame shining forth from thy mouth has illumined the universe, and disclosed to the world treasures of poverty and shown us the height of humility. And as by thine own words thou teachest us, Father John Chrysostom, so intercede with the Word, Christ our God, to save our souls.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Third Tone

On this day the Virgin beareth the Transcendent in essence; * to the Unapproachable, * the earth doth offer a small cave; * Angels join in choir with shepherds * in giving glory; * with a star the Magi travel upon their journey; * for our sakes is born a young Child, * He that existed * before the ages as God.
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Prayer Request

Prayers for Health and Salvation

Ray, Melissa, Sam, and Loa, Katie K., Timothy S., Michael and Nancy Pittman, Debbra Ickes, John and Barbara Kelly, John and Linda Marchetti, Cerrito

*Please send Father a note with any names that you would like to have included in this prayer list. 

 


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Saints and Feasts

Xmas
December 30

Afterfeast of the Nativity


Nativity
December 30

Sunday after Nativity

On the Sunday that falls on or immediately after the twenty-sixth of this month, we make commemoration of Saints Joseph, the Betrothed of the Virgin; David, the Prophet and King; and James, the Brother of God. When there is no Sunday within this period, we celebrate this commemoration on the 26th.

Saint Joseph (whose name means "one who increases") was the son of Jacob, and the son-in-law - and hence, as it were, the son - of Eli (who was also called Eliakim or Joachim), who was the father of Mary the Virgin (Matt. 1:16; Luke 3:23). He was of the tribe of Judah, of the family of David, an inhabitant of Nazareth, a carpenter by Trade, and advanced in age when, by God's good will, he was betrothed to the Virgin, that he might minister to the great mystery of God's dispensation in the flesh by protecting her, providing for her, and being known as her husband so that she, being a virgin, would not suffer reproach when she was found to be with child. Joseph had been married before his betrothal to our Lady; they who are called Jesus' "brethren and sisters" (Matt. 13:55-56) are the children of Joseph by his first marriage. From Scripture, we know that Saint Joseph lived at least until the Twelfth year after the birth of Christ (Luke 2:41-52); according to the tradition of the Fathers, he reposed before the beginning of the public ministry of Christ.

The child of God and ancestor of God, David, the great Prophet after Moses, sprang from the tribe of Judah. He was the son of Jesse, and was born in Bethlehem (whence it is called the City of David), in the year 1085 before Christ. While yet a youth, at the command of God he was anointed secretly by the Prophet Samuel to be the second King of the Israelites, while Saul - who had already been deprived of divine grace - was yet living. In the thirtieth year of his life, when Saul had been slain in battle, David was raised to the dignity of King, first, by his own tribe, and then by all the Israelite people, and he reigned for forty years. Having lived seventy years, he reposed in 1015 before Christ, having proclaimed beforehand that his son Solomon was to be the successor to the throne.

The sacred history has recorded not only the grace of the Spirit that dwelt in him from his youth, his heroic exploits in war, and his great piety towards God, but also his transgressions and failings as a man. Yet his repentance was greater than his transgresssions, and his love for God fervent and exemplary; so highly did God honour this man, that when his son Solomon sinned, the Lord told him that He would not rend the kingdom in his lifetime "for David thy father's sake" (III Kings 12:12). Of The Kings of Israel, Jesus the Son of Sirach testifies, "All, except David and Hezekias and Josias, were defective" (Ecclus. 49:4). The name David means "beloved."

His melodious Psalter is the foundation of all the services of the Church; there is not one service that is not filled with Psalms and psalmic verses. It was the means whereby old Israel praised God, and was used by the Apostles and the Lord Himself. It is so imbued with the spirit of prayer that the monastic fathers of all ages have used it as their trainer and teacher for their inner life of converse with God. Besides eloquently portraying every state and emotion of the soul before her Maker, the Psalter is filled with prophecies of the coming of Christ. It foretells His Incarnation, "He bowed the heavens and came down" (Psalm 17:9), His Baptism in the Jordan, "The waters saw Thee, O God, The waters saw Thee and were afraid" (76:15), His Crucifixion in its details, "They have pierced My hands and My feet .... They have parted My garments amongst themselves, and for My vesture have they cast lots" (21:16, 18). "For My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink" (68:26), His descent into Hades, "For Thou wilt not abandon My soul in Hades, nor wilt Thou suffer Thy Holy One to see corruption" (15:10) and Resurrection, "Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered" (67:1). His Ascension, "God is gone up in jubilation" (46:5), and so forth.

As for James, the Brother of God, see October 23.


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Message from Archbishop Demetrios

Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for the Feast of Saint Basil and the New Year 2019

12/27/2018

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, As we offer thanksgiving to God at the inception of the new year and with a vision for the marvelous works He will accomplish through us for His honor and glory, we also are mindful of the promise we have affirmed throughout this past year: All Things are Possible to the One Who Believes in Christ. This was the theme for our 44th Biennial Clergy Laity Congress in Boston last July, and it continues to be the inspiration for dynamic work throughout our Holy Archdiocese.
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