General Information
- Phone:
- (281)554-7223
- Email:
- office@stjohnclearlake.org
- Street Address:
- 202 North Walnut Street
- Webster, TX 77598
Contact Information
Services Schedule
Saturday Vespers: 6:00pm Sunday: Orthros at 9am with the Divine Liturgy following Weeknight Services (according to calendar): Vespers 5:30pm, Divine Liturgy 6:30pm (Times are approximate)
Past Bulletins
- Publish Date:
- 2018-09-16
- Publish Date:
- 2018-09-09
- Publish Date:
- 2018-09-02
- Publish Date:
- 2018-08-26
- Publish Date:
- 2018-08-19
- Publish Date:
- 2018-08-12
Announcements
* Please join us after the Liturgy for coffee hour in the Parish Home. This week’s coffee hour is sponsored by Team Orange. Thank You!
* DOP will have their next meeting on Sunday, Sep 30th. Please make plans to attend.
* The Fall General Assembly will be held on Sunday November 11, after liturgy, exact time to be announced at a later date. Please reschedule any and all meetings or events.
* AHEPA will sponsor coffee hour for OXI Day on October 28th.
* Weddings, Baptisms, Memorials, Christenings—please send a note to the office at least one month in advance to reserve the date. Thank you.
* Pack of pita bread for $1- below purchase price. See Maria Simeon.
* Chanter's Workshop! If you have an interest in chanting, please contact the office - office@stjohnclearlake.org
In Our Prayers
Abigail Robertson, Alice Marinos, Colette Quinn, Eugenia (Dimitri’s cousin), Eleni Safos (Maria's cousin), Gherghina, Vish, Mihaela and Dorin, Robert and Keng (friends of Andreea D.), Evangelia Mourtakos, Kathi and Niko Parris (Phyllis’s daughter and grandson), Nuvia Murillo (Irma’s sister/Athena’s Aunt), Juliana and Nicole (Creighton's mother and daughter).
The servant of God Costas Hatzisavvas (Cali & Rety’s father). May his memory be eternal.
Ministries
Coffee Hour
The Coffee Hour program continues to be very successful! This program ensures that we have coffee and after-Liturgy refreshments, not only for our Parishioners, but also as hospitality to our guests. The Coffee Hour can be the very important first contact for new members to our community, as well as an important fellowship time for all of our existing members.
With this program, everyone who is a member gets the experience of hosting a Coffee Hour without the burden of doing it alone. It also provides a forum for the group of members each week to coordinate, work together and get to know one another better. It really can be a lot of fun!
Help support our coffee hour by adding your name to one of the teams listed below. Teams are called upon every 8 weeks or so, and each team member only has to bring one or two items. Email the office to add your name.
Parishioners, please allow only coffee hour team members to park in the driveway so they can have easier unloading access.
Yellow: Ashley, L. Rigas, A. & K. Tambourides
Orange: Gazis, Marinos, Sokol, Suniga
Purple: Agler, Loveless, McFalls, Richards, Savage
Green: Metaxas, Saphos, Zachariades
White: Lyashman, Partlow, Ely, Mourtakos
Red: Gazaw, Padilla, Hammock, M. Tambourides, Zacharias
Blue: Patelis, Rapos, Simeon, Yunakov
Pink: Craioveanu, Quinn, Tsougarakis
Sep 23: Orange
Sep 30: Purple
Oct 7: Green
Oct 14: White
Oct 21: Red
Oct 28: AHEPA
Parish Council Nominations
How can you use your talents to help our church grow and to help others grow in their faith?
With the spiritual leadership and guidance of Father Florin, the Parish Council implements and administers the programs, policies and affairs of the parish. The Council consists of Father Florin as spiritual leader, and 9 members, in good standing, elected by our parish stewards.
Parish Council members along with Fr. Florin are engaged in the parish's day to day functioning. Among their duties are to oversee: Property maintenance, financial management, long range planning, educational programs and fellowship activities of the parish.
The Parish Council also convenes meetings of the Parish Assembly to which all stewards are called to attend.
Please remember, when making a nomination and/or running for Parish Council, the importance of the by-laws and responsibilities of a Parish Council member. A Parish Council member will need to attend Church, work in the Narthex, attend meetings, help out on events sponsored by the Parish Council, and abide to the Parish By-laws and the Uniform Parish Regulations. To be a good council member requires a lot of time, work, enthusiasm, and interest. This could also be the most spiritually rewarding volunteer position you will ever hold with the parish.
If you would like to have your name placed in nomination and meet the criteria for service, please contact Fr. Florin or Eric Richards for more information.
Introduction to Orthodoxy Class
Introduction to Orthodoxy classes are underway. We have 7 students registered!
The course is broken into 8 weekly sessions of approximately 2 hours each. The seminars are open to catechumens and anyone who wishes to learn more about the Holy Orthodox Church.
Session 1: Introductions-Why are you here? Video: Mt. Athos
Session 2: Topics - The Creed; The Holy Trinity; The Bible; Salvation.
Session 3: Topics - The Church Building; The Sacraments; Daily Prayers
Session 4: Video: The Patriarch. Topics - The Church Year; The Divine Liturgy; Introduction to Church History
Session 5: Topics - Church History (The early church); The Ecumenical Councils; The Great Schism; The Crusades
Session 6: Topics - Developments in East and West; Orthodoxy in America; Persectuion in the Modern Church
Session 7: Topics - Spirituality; The Beatitudes; The Great Virtue of Love; Prayer, Fasting & Almsgiving
Session 8: Topics - Sexuality; Marriage and Family; Sickness, Suffering & Death; The Kingdom of Heaven; Holy Week
For more information, see Michael or Angela Loveless
Sunday Church School
Sunday School will be held immediately following communion. We invite all youth present from Pre-K to senior high to join us. We have fellowship and activities to help our youngest members grow as Orthodox Christians. As always, we can always use snacks and volunteers to help with the classes. Please see Mary Maxson to drop off snacks and supplies.
Church School Registration Forms are available in the Narthex and online.
Narthex Rotation Schedule
We are looking for volunteers to help with this Ministry. This is first contact with parishioners and/or guests visiting us for the first time. You do not need to be on Parish Council to volunteer for this ministry. A smile and gentle demeanor goes a long way in welcoming a newcomer to our church. Please contact the office to volunteer.
Sep 23 Demetrios Mourtakos
Sep 30 Michael Savage, Ross Leo
Oct 7 Bill Gazis, Maria Simeon
Oct 14 Maria Simeon, Georgios Rigas
Oct 21 Bill Gazis, Maria Simeon
Oct 28 Bill Gazis
Nov 4 Eric Richards
Nov 11 Demetrios Mourtakos, Eric Richards
Prosforo
Of the many ways of supporting our Church, there are few which stand out as uniquely personal offerings of faith. The offering of Prosforo bread for the Divine Liturgy is one of them. We are thankful to the handful of ladies who have faithfully fulfilled this responsibility over the years and we invite more of our faithful - especially young families with children - to make this a part of their lives as well. Want to be added to our Prosforo list? Please see Maria Simeon.
Please make sure that Prosforo is in church before the start of the Orthros service on Sunday. Please write the date (or put a sticker with the date) on the plastic bags with the Prosforo. That way the oldest will be used first. Thank you for your help.
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Sep 23 McFalls Family Sep 30 Maria Simeon Oct 7 Zaneta Rapos Oct 14 Andriana T Oct 21 Ellie Ashley Oct 28 Soula Koumbias Nov 4 Metaxas Family Nov 11 Maria Saphos |
Nov 18 Cleopatra Nelson Nov 25 Helen Gazaw Dec 2 Evangelia Gazis Dec 9 Kika Tampouridou Dec 16 McFalls Family Dec 23 Maria Simeon Dec 30 Zaneta Rapos |
Bookstore/Gift Shop
This Weeks Featured Icon
Large Diptych: Christ and Mother of God. Each of the two icons is 3-1/2" X X5"; folds with two hinges.
Dimensions: 7x5 inches when open. See Colette at the coffee hour!
Greek School
Our Adult and Children's classes are underway. We are excited to have 8 adults and 8 children in our classes!
Adult classes meet on Wednesday's in the Parish Home at 7:00pm. Children's classes meet Saturday mornings in the Sunday school wing of the church at 10:00am.
It's not too late to sign up for classes (Late registration fees apply). Registration forms are available in the Narthex and on our website: http://stjohnclearlake.org/ministries/greek-language-school
We are very excited to offer Greek Language classes to our parishioners and the surrounding community!
Church Calendar
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Church Calendar
September 23 to October 8, 2018
Sunday, September 231st Sunday of Luke
9:00AM Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy
11:30AM Coffee: Team Orange
12:00PM Intro to Orthodoxy Class
1:00PM Asteria Dance practice
Monday, September 24The Commemoration of the Miracle of the Theotokos Myrtidiotissis in Kythyra
Tuesday, September 25Euphrosyne of Alexandria
5:30PM Falling asleep of St. John the Theologian
Wednesday, September 26The Falling Asleep of St. John the Evangelist and Theologian
7:00PM Adult Greek Language Class
Thursday, September 27Callistratus the Martyr & his 49 Companions
Friday, September 28Chariton the Confessor
Saturday, September 29Cyriacus the Hermit of Palestine
10:00AM Children's Greek School
6:00PM Vespers
Sunday, September 302nd Sunday of Luke
9:00AM Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy
11:30AM Coffee: Team Purple
11:45AM DOP Meeting
1:00PM Asteria Dance Practice
Monday, October 1Ananias, Apostle of the 70
Tuesday, October 2The Holy Hieromartyr Cyprian and the Virgin Martyr Justina
Wednesday, October 3Dionysios the Areopagite
7:00PM Adult Greek Language Class
Thursday, October 4Hierotheus, Bishop of Athens
Friday, October 5Charitina the Martyr
Saturday, October 6The Holy and Glorious Apostle Thomas
10:00AM Children's Greek School
6:00PM Vespers
Sunday, October 73rd Sunday of Luke
9:00AM Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy
11:30AM Coffee: Team Green
12:00PM Intro to Orthodoxy Class
1:00PM Asteria Dance Practice
Monday, October 8Pelagia the Righteous
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Matins Gospel Reading
Sixth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Luke 24:36-53
At that time, Jesus, having risen from the dead, stood in the midst of his disciples and said to them, "Peace to you." But they were startled and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit. And he said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in your hearts? See my hands and feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have." And when he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them.
Then he said to them, "These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled. Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high."
Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and they returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.
Sixth Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 24:36-53
Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ἔστη ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· εἰρήνη ὑμῖν. πτοηθέντες δὲ καὶ ἔμφοβοι γενόμενοι ἐδόκουν πνεῦμα θεωρεῖν. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· τί τεταραγμένοι ἐστέ, καὶ διατί διαλογισμοὶ ἀναβαίνουσιν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν; ἴδετε τὰς χεῖράς μου καὶ τοὺς πόδας μου, ὅτι αὐτὸς ἐγώ εἰμι· ψηλαφήσατέ με καὶ ἴδετε, ὅτι πνεῦμα σάρκα καὶ ὀστέα οὐκ ἔχει καθὼς ἐμὲ θεωρεῖτε ἔχοντα. καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἐπέδειξεν αὐτοῖς τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τοὺς πόδας. ἔτι δὲ ἀπιστούντων αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τῆς χαρᾶς καὶ θαυμαζόντων εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ἔχετέ τι βρώσιμον ἐνθάδε; οἱ δὲ ἐπέδωκαν αὐτῷ ἰχθύος ὀπτοῦ μέρος καὶ ἀπὸ μελισσίου κηρίου, καὶ λαβὼν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν ἔφαγεν. εἶπε δὲ αὐτοῖς· οὗτοι οἱ λόγοι οὓς ἐλάλησα πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἔτι ὢν σὺν ὑμῖν, ὅτι δεῖ πληρωθῆναι πάντα τὰ γεγραμμένα ἐν τῷ νόμῳ Μωϋσέως καὶ προφήταις καὶ ψαλμοῖς περὶ ἐμοῦ. τότε διήνοιξεν αὐτῶν τὸν νοῦν τοῦ συνιέναι τὰς γραφάς, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὅτι οὕτω γέγραπται καὶ οὕτως ἔδει παθεῖν τὸν Χριστὸν καὶ ἀναστῆναι ἐκ νεκρῶν τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ, καὶ κηρυχθῆναι ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ μετάνοιαν καὶ ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, ἀρξάμενον ἀπὸ ῾Ιερουσαλήμ. ὑμεῖς δέ ἐστε μάρτυρες τούτων. καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ πατρός μου ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς· ὑμεῖς δὲ καθίσατε ἐν τῇ πόλει ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ἕως οὗ ἐνδύσησθε δύναμιν ἐξ ὕψους.
᾿Εξήγαγε δὲ αὐτοὺς ἔξω ἕως εἰς Βηθανίαν, καὶ ἐπάρας τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ εὐλόγησεν αὐτούς. καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ εὐλογεῖν αὐτὸν αὐτοὺς διέστη ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν καὶ ἀνεφέρετο εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν. καὶ αὐτοὶ προσκυνήσαντες αὐτὸν ὑπέστρεψαν εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ μετὰ χαρᾶς μεγάλης, καὶ ἦσαν διὰ παντὸς ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ αἰνοῦντες καὶ εὐλογοῦντες τὸν Θεόν. ἀμήν.
Epistle Reading
Prokeimenon. Grave Mode. Psalm 63.11,1.
The righteous shall rejoice in the Lord.
Verse: Oh God, hear my cry.
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 4:22-27.
Brethren, Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, the son of the free woman through promise. Now this is an allegory: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written, "Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and shout, you who are not in travail; for the children of the desolate one are many more than the children of her that is married."
Προκείμενον. Grave Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 63.11,1.
Εὐφρανθήσεται δίκαιος ἐν Κυρίῳ.
Στίχ. Εἰσάκουσον, ὁ Θεός, τῆς φωνῆς μου.
τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Γαλάτας 4:22-27.
Ἀδελφοί, Ἀβραὰμ δύο υἱοὺς ἔσχεν· ἕνα ἐκ τῆς παιδίσκης, καὶ ἕνα ἐκ τῆς ἐλευθέρας. Ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν ἐκ τῆς παιδίσκης κατὰ σάρκα γεγέννηται, ὁ δὲ ἐκ τῆς ἐλευθέρας διὰ τῆς ἐπαγγελίας. Ἅτινά ἐστιν ἀλληγορούμενα· αὗται γάρ εἰσιν δύο διαθῆκαι· μία μὲν ἀπὸ ὄρους Σινᾶ, εἰς δουλείαν γεννῶσα, ἥτις ἐστὶν Ἅγαρ. Τὸ γὰρ Ἅγαρ Σινᾶ ὄρος ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ Ἀραβίᾳ, συστοιχεῖ δὲ τῇ νῦν Ἱερουσαλήμ, δουλεύει δὲ μετὰ τῶν τέκνων αὐτῆς. Ἡ δὲ ἄνω Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐλευθέρα ἐστίν, ἥτις ἐστὶν μήτηρ πάντων ἡμῶν· γέγραπται γάρ, Εὐφράνθητι, στεῖρα, ἡ οὐ τίκτουσα· ῥῆξον καὶ βόησον, ἡ οὐκ ὠδίνουσα· ὅτι πολλὰ τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐρήμου μᾶλλον ἢ τῆς ἐχούσης τὸν ἄνδρα.
Gospel Reading
1st Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 5:1-11
At that time, as Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, he saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets." And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking, they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." For he was astonished, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men." And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
1st Sunday of Luke
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 5:1-11
Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἑστὼς ὁ Ἰησοῦς παρὰ τὴν λίμνην Γεννησαρέτ, καὶ εἶδε δύο πλοῖα ἑστῶτα παρὰ τὴν λίμνην· οἱ δὲ ἁλιεῖς ἀποβάντες ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν ἀπέπλυναν τὰ δίκτυα. ἐμβὰς δὲ εἰς ἓν τῶν πλοίων, ὃ ἦν τοῦ Σίμωνος, ἠρώτησεν αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἐπαναγαγεῖν ὀλίγον· καὶ καθίσας ἐδίδασκεν ἐκ τοῦ πλοίου τοὺς ὄχλους. ὡς δὲ ἐπαύσατο λαλῶν, εἶπε πρὸς τὸν Σίμωνα· ἐπανάγαγε εἰς τὸ βάθος καὶ χαλάσατε τὰ δίκτυα ὑμῶν εἰς ἄγραν. καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Σίμων εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἐπιστάτα, δι᾿ ὅλης τῆς νυκτὸς κοπιάσαντες οὐδὲν ἐλάβομεν· ἐπὶ δὲ τῷ ῥήματί σου χαλάσω τὸ δίκτυον. καὶ τοῦτο ποιήσαντες συνέκλεισαν πλῆθος ἰχθύων πολύ· διερρήγνυτο δὲ τὸ δίκτυον αὐτῶν. καὶ κατένευσαν τοῖς μετόχοις τοῖς ἐν τῷ ἑτέρῳ πλοίῳ τοῦ ἐλθόντας συλλαβέσθαι αὐτοῖς· καὶ ἦλθον καὶ ἔπλησαν ἀμφότερα τὰ πλοῖα, ὥστε βυθίζεσθαι αὐτά. ἰδὼν δὲ Σίμων Πέτρος προσέπεσε τοῖς γόνασιν ᾿Ιησοῦ λέγων· ἔξελθε ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ, ὅτι ἀνὴρ ἁμαρτωλός εἰμι, Κύριε· θάμβος γὰρ περιέσχεν αὐτὸν καὶ πάντας τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ ἐπὶ τῇ ἄγρᾳ τῶν ἰχθύων ᾗ συνέλαβον, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ᾿Ιάκωβον καὶ ᾿Ιωάννην, υἱοὺς Ζεβεδαίου, οἳ ἦσαν κοινωνοὶ τῷ Σίμωνι. καὶ εἶπε πρὸς τὸν Σίμωνα ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· μὴ φοβοῦ· ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν ἀνθρώπους ἔσῃ ζωγρῶν. καὶ καταγαγόντες τὰ πλοῖα ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, ἀφέντες ἅπαντα ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ.