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St. John the Theologian Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2018-10-07
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St. John the Theologian Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (281)554-7223
  • 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


Announcements

* Please join us after the Liturgy for coffee hour in the Parish Home. This week’s coffee hour is sponsored by Team Green. Thank You!

* AHEPA men’s chapter will have our monthly meeting Sunday Oct 7 after church.  Pending items are the AHEPA sponsored Oct 28 OXI day luncheon and preparations for the upcoming Valentine’s dinner/dance on Feb 23, 2019.  We welcome new members.  Join the fun.

GOYA Fall Retreat—Registration opens tomorrow! www.youth.denver.goarch.org/ to register.

* Weddings, Baptisms, Memorials, Christenings—please send a note to the office at least one month in advance to reserve the date. Thank you.

* Life Events - Please inform Fr. Florin so appropriate prayer and visitation may be scheduled.

* Mandatory Asteria Dance Practice today after church.

It’s a Girl! Congratulations to Michael and Monica Savage, proud Grandparents to Elliot Jeanne Savage born on October 3rd. Granddaughter and mom are well.

 In Our Prayers

Shelia (Michael Savage's sister), Robert Finch, 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.

 

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Ministries

GOYA FALL RETREAT

The 2018 Southern Fall Retreat will be held November 2-4 at the Lake Tomahawk Retreat Center in Livingston, Texas. Youth, ages 11 - 18 years, are invited to retreat away from the pressures and the hustle of every day life. 

The registration fee for this event is $125 per participant. Registration is open from October 5 through October 26, 2018.

Register at the following link: https://youth.denver.goarch.org/regional-retreats

GOYA FallRetreat

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

Oct 7: Green
Oct 14: White
Oct 21: Red
Oct 28: AHEPA

 

Parish Council Nominations

parish council

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.

AHEPA CHAPTER #518

AHEPA Chapter 518

AHEPA men’s chapter will have our monthly meeting Sunday Oct 7 after church.  Pending items are the AHEPA sponsored Oct 28 OXI day luncheon and preparations for the upcoming Valentine’s dinner/dance on Feb 23, 2019.  We welcome new members.  Join the fun.

 

Introduction to Orthodoxy Class

Classes resume this Sunday

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. Upcoming sessions:

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

Sunday School will begin immediately after communion. We invite all youth from Pre-K to Senior high to join us. We provide fellowship and activities to grow as Orthodox Christians. Come join us and come help us help the future of St. John’s. 

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.

Oct 7       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.

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

Last Supper

Mystical Supper (Last Supper)

Icon print, mounted on wood. 12 X 5.75 inches

See Colette at the coffee hour!   

 

 

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Greek School

Timeforgreekschool31

Our Adult and Children's classes are underway. We are excited to have 9 adults and 10 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

Greek Language classes are open to parishioners and individuals from the surrounding community!

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2018 Stewardship

Download our 2018 Stewardship Commitment card  

 As of September 28, 2018 we have 70 Pledging Families

Many Years!

 

To be a voting member, a stewardship card must be filled out every year. Stewardship helps defray the costs of keeping our doors open, thus spreading the word of Christian Orthodoxy throughout the Bay Area. Please support our parish by filling out a Stewardship card.

 

For your convenience, stewardship donations may be made securely online. All major credit/debit cards are accepted.

DONATE

Whatever you do, work at it with All Your Heart as working for the Lord, not for men.  ~Colossians 2:23

2018 Stewardship Thermometer Graph

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Church Calendar

  • Church Calendar

    October 7 to October 22, 2018

    Sunday, October 7

    3rd Sunday of Luke

    9:00AM Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy

    11:30AM Coffee: Team Green

    12:00PM Intro to Orthodoxy Class

    12:00PM AHEPA Meeting

    1:00PM Asteria Dance Practice

    Monday, October 8

    Pelagia the Righteous

    Tuesday, October 9

    James the Apostle, son of Alphaeus

    Wednesday, October 10

    Eulampius & Eulampia the Martyrs

    7:00PM Adult Greek Language Class

    Thursday, October 11

    Philip the Apostle of the 70, one of the 7 Deacons

    Friday, October 12

    Probus, Andronicus, & Tarachus, Martyrs of Tarsus

    6:00PM Asteria Dance Practice

    Saturday, October 13

    Carpus, Papylus, Agathodorus, & Agathonica, the Martyrs of Pergamus

    10:00AM Children's Greek School

    6:00PM Vespers

    Sunday, October 14

    Sunday of the 7th Ecumenical Council

    9:00AM Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy

    11:30AM Coffee: Team White

    12:00PM Intro to Orthodoxy Class

    Monday, October 15

    Lucian the Martyr of Antioch

    Tuesday, October 16

    Longinus the Centurion

    Wednesday, October 17

    Hosea the Prophet

    7:00PM Adult Greek Language Class

    Thursday, October 18

    Luke the Evangelist

    7:00PM Parish Council Meeting

    Friday, October 19

    Joel the Prophet

    Saturday, October 20

    Artemius the Great Martyr of Antioch

    10:00AM Children's Greek School

    6:00PM Vespers

    Sunday, October 21

    6th Sunday of Luke

    9:00AM Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy

    11:30AM Coffee: Team Red

    12:00PM Intro to Orthodoxy Class

    Monday, October 22

    Abercius, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Wonderworker of Hierapolis

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Eighth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:11-18

At that time, Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that He had said these things to her.

Eighth Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 20:11-18

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, Μαρία δὲ εἱστήκει πρὸς τῷ μνημείῳ κλαίουσα ἔξω. ὡς οὖν ἔκλαιε, παρέκυψεν εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον καὶ θεωρεῖ δύο ἀγγέλους ἐν λευκοῖς καθεζομένους, ἕνα πρὸς τῇ κεφαλῇ καὶ ἕνα πρὸς τοῖς ποσίν, ὅπου ἔκειτο τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦ. καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῇ ἐκεῖνοι· γύναι, τί κλαίεις; λέγει αὐτοῖς· ὅτι ἦραν τὸν Κύριόν μου, καὶ οὐκ οἶδα ποῦ ἔθηκαν αὐτόν. καὶ ταῦτα εἰποῦσα ἐστράφη εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω, καὶ θεωρεῖ τὸν ᾿Ιησοῦν ἑστῶτα, καὶ οὐκ ᾔδει ὅτι ᾿Ιησοῦς ἐστι. λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· γύναι, τί κλαίεις; τίνα ζητεῖς; ἐκείνη δοκοῦσα ὅτι ὁ κηπουρός ἐστι, λέγει αὐτῷ· κύριε, εἰ σὺ ἐβάστασας αὐτόν, εἰπέ μοι ποῦ ἔθηκας αὐτόν, κἀγὼ αὐτὸν ἀρῶ. λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· Μαρία. στραφεῖσα ἐκείνη λέγει αὐτῷ· ῥαββουνί, ὃ λέγεται, διδάσκαλε. λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· μή μου ἅπτου· οὔπω γὰρ ἀναβέβηκα πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου· πορεύου δὲ πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου καὶ εἰπὲ αὐτοῖς· ἀναβαίνω πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου καὶ πατέρα ὑμῶν, καὶ Θεόν μου καὶ Θεὸν ὑμῶν. ἔρχεται Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ ἀπαγγέλλουσα τοῖς μαθηταῖς ὅτι ἑώρακε τὸν Κύριον, καὶ ταῦτα εἶπεν αὐτῇ.


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. 2nd Mode. 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 Second Letter to the Corinthians 11:31-33; 12:1-9.

Brethren, the God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed for ever, knows that I do not lie. At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to seize me, but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped his hands.

I must boast; there is nothing to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven -- whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into Paradise --whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows -- and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. Though if I wish to boast, I shall not be a fool, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me; but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Προκείμενον. 2nd Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 117.14,18.
Ἰσχύς μου καὶ ὕμνησίς μου ὁ Κύριος.
Στίχ. Παιδεύων ἐπαίδευσέ με ὁ Κύριος.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Κορινθίους β' 11:31-33, 12:1-9.

Ἀδελφοί, Ὁ θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ οἶδεν, ὁ ὢν εὐλογητὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, ὅτι οὐ ψεύδομαι. Ἐν Δαμασκῷ ὁ ἐθνάρχης Ἀρέτα τοῦ βασιλέως ἐφρούρει τὴν Δαμασκηνῶν πόλιν, πιάσαι με θέλων· καὶ διὰ θυρίδος ἐν σαργάνῃ ἐχαλάσθην διὰ τοῦ τείχους καὶ ἐξέφυγον τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ. Καυχᾶσθαι δὴ οὐ συμφέρει μοι· ἐλεύσομαι γὰρ εἰς ὀπτασίας καὶ ἀποκαλύψεις κυρίου. Οἶδα ἄνθρωπον ἐν Χριστῷ πρὸ ἐτῶν δεκατεσσάρων - εἴτε ἐν σώματι οὐκ οἶδα· εἴτε ἐκτὸς τοῦ σώματος οὐκ οἶδα· ὁ θεὸς οἶδεν - ἁρπαγέντα τὸν τοιοῦτον ἕως τρίτου οὐρανοῦ. Καὶ οἶδα τὸν τοιοῦτον ἄνθρωπον - εἴτε ἐν σώματι, εἴτε ἐκτὸς τοῦ σώματος, οὐκ οἶδα· ὁ θεὸς οἶδεν - ὅτι ἡρπάγη εἰς τὸν παράδεισον, καὶ ἤκουσεν ἄρρητα ῥήματα, ἃ οὐκ ἐξὸν ἀνθρώπῳ λαλῆσαι. Ὑπὲρ τοῦ τοιούτου καυχήσομαι· ὑπὲρ δὲ ἐμαυτοῦ οὐ καυχήσομαι, εἰ μὴ ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μου·  ἐὰν γὰρ θελήσω καυχήσασθαι, οὐκ ἔσομαι ἄφρων· ἀλήθειαν γὰρ ἐρῶ· φείδομαι δέ, μή τις εἰς ἐμὲ λογίσηται ὑπὲρ ὃ βλέπει με, ἢ ἀκούει τι ἐξ ἐμοῦ. Καὶ τῇ ὑπερβολῇ τῶν ἀποκαλύψεων ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι, ἐδόθη μοι σκόλοψ τῇ σαρκί, ἄγγελος Σατᾶν, ἵνα με κολαφίζῃ, ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι. Ὑπὲρ τούτου τρὶς τὸν κύριον παρεκάλεσα ἵνα ἀποστῇ ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ. Καὶ εἴρηκέν μοι, Ἀρκεῖ σοι ἡ χάρις μου· ἡ γὰρ δύναμίς μου ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελειοῦται. Ἥδιστα οὖν μᾶλλον καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μου, ἵνα ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπʼ ἐμὲ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ.


Gospel Reading

3rd Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 7:11-16

At that time, Jesus went to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a large crowd from the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep." And he came and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, arise." And the dead man sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all; and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and "God has visited his people!"

3rd Sunday of Luke
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 7:11-16

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἐπορεύετο εἰς πόλιν καλουμένην Ναΐν· καὶ συνεπορεύοντο αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἱκανοὶ καὶ ὄχλος πολύς. ὡς δὲ ἤγγισε τῇ πύλῃ τῆς πόλεως, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐξεκομίζετο τεθνηκὼς υἱὸς μονογενὴς τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ αὕτη ἦν χήρα, καὶ ὄχλος τῆς πόλεως ἱκανὸς ἦν σὺν αὐτῇ. καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὴν ὁ Κύριος ἐσπλαγχνίσθη ἐπ᾿ αὐτῇ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· μὴ κλαῖε· καὶ προσελθὼν ἥψατο τῆς σοροῦ, οἱ δὲ βαστάζοντες ἔστησαν, καὶ εἶπε· νεανίσκε, σοὶ λέγω, ἐγέρθητι. καὶ ἀνεκάθισεν ὁ νεκρὸς καὶ ἤρξατο λαλεῖν, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὸν τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ. ἔλαβε δὲ φόβος πάντας καὶ ἐδόξαζον τὸν Θεόν, λέγοντες ὅτι προφήτης μέγας ἐγήγερται ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ ὅτι ἐπεσκέψατο ὁ Θεὸς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ.


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