+ Sunday, June 10th 2007 +

2nd Sunday after Holy Pentecost

Tone: 1                                                             +                                        Eothinion: 2

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+ In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +

 

“O glorious Apostles of Christ, You were called by God to be Teachers of the world. You found the Lord and bound yourselves to Him as God’s mediator to all. Intercede with Him that He may grant mercy and peace to our souls. Amen.”

 

Today’s Scripture Readings:

v     Epistle: Romans 2:10-16 – 12:2

v     Holy Gospel: St. Matthew 4:18-23

 

Meditation: “Follow Me”

When Jesus chose the Apostles, He issued a “call” to them. In the Gospel of St. Matthew (4:18-23); we have a record of the call of two sets of brothers: Peter and Andrew; and John and James—all fishermen. Jesus said to them: “Follow me!” And they left their nets and followed Him. Their decision to take up the challenge was the beginning of a tremendous story which they wrote through their ministries by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus had a mission to accomplish and as a man could not do it alone. He needed helpers and went out and found them. He called them in everyday circumstances. God often chooses ordinary people in ordinary conditions. When they respond with their whole heart, He makes them extraordinary by His grace, in order to accomplish His purposes. What a life the Apostles had as God’s conscripts! How many souls they won for the Kingdom! They truly became “fishers of men and women” by the grace of God. Simon, for example, became Peter (the “Rock”), the Apostle and the founding Patriarch of Antioch being the first Bishop and Patron Saint of our Church, an important missionary leader. And later the Patron of the Church of Rome. St. Andrew, who also was a great missionary, became the Patron of the Church of Constantinople according to tradition. St. John was the beloved disciple, the mystical singer of divine love, whose spiritual legacy included the Fourth Gospel and Epistles bearing his name. He was the Patron of the Church of Ephesus and became known as the “Theologian” to later generations.

 

* Announcements *

 

 

v      Every Saturday – Great Vespers at 6:00 p.m.

v      Every Sunday – Matins at 8:45 a.m. & Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.

 

ü      Church School Teachers – Training Course

Beginning on Saturday June 23rd from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm and on every last Saturday of the month, St. Elias Church School will be offering a Teacher Training Course headed by Fr. Ghattas. This course is mandatory for all new teachers, and is recommended for present teachers as well, who can assist in the lessons with their experience and knowledge. If for some reason you would like to teach but cannot commit to the Course or if you have any concerns, please speak with Fr. Ghattas.

 

ü      Registration for the 54th  Annual Parish Life Conference

This year, the 54th Annual Parish Life Conference will be hosted by St. Elias Orthodox Church in Syracuse, New York, on June 28th  – July 1st. Registration forms are available in the Cathedral Office for anybody who is interested in attending.

 

ü      Registration for the 48th Antiochian Archdiocese Convention

The 48th Antiochian Archdiocese Convention will be hosted by St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Montreal, Quebec on July 23rd – July 29th. Registration forms are available in the Cathedral Office for anybody who is interested in attending.

 

ü      Church Beautification

“Blessed are those who love the beauty of Thy House, O Lord”

Our Iconographer may unfortunately be retiring in the near future and we are looking to finish (while we still can) the empty area over the Choir Loft with a beautiful new set of icons. Some icons left for selection are:

 

 

v      The Holy Hymnographers & Antiochian Saints (For Example: St. Andrew of Crete, St. Joseph of Damascus, St. Isaac the Syrian, St. Symeon the Stylite, Sts. Peter & Paul holding the Church of Antioch in their hands, Sts. Sergios & Bachos the Unmercenary Healers. OR any other Orthodox Saint you would like to honor and have depicted on the walls of our Cathedral.

 

 

If you are interested in donating any icons, please contact Fr. Ghattas in the office or speak to him after the Divine Liturgy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ü      Antiochian Women – New Executives

The Antiochian Women of our parish have recently held their bi-annual elections and we would like to congratulate the following new executives and wish them all the best in their service to the Church. God bless you!

 

 

The Antiochian Women will be resuming their monthly meetings in September with a very busy and exciting schedule of meetings, social events, travel as well as their regular fundraisers. Have a wonderful and safe summer. Looking forward to many new members with new ideas and fellowship in the fall.

 

ü      Lebanese Festival 2007 – Letter to Parishioners

The festival committee has sent you a letter announcing the festival and requesting donations, new volunteer sign up and sponsorship for this year's festival.  Please note that due to mail delay, we have extended the due dates for donations, volunteer sign up and sponsorship until June 20, 2007. We hope that this date will be more convenient for you and thank you in advance for your support. (Yolanda Hanna & George Hanna)

 

ü      Fellowship of St. John the Divine

Weekly Meeting every Tuesday from 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. SHARP! Please be on time. A Bible Study/Religious Discussion will take place in the Church School Building (1st Floor). Please give us your email address if you are not receiving our weekly online newsletter. Bible Bowl: Team Study & Practice Meeting on Thursday June 14th 2007 at 7:00 p.m.

 

ü      Teen SOYO

Next meeting on Wednesday June 20th  2007 from 7:30 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. SHARP! in the Church School Building. Please be on time.  Please give us your email address if you are not receiving our online newsletter. Bible Bowl: Team Study & Practice Meeting on Thursday June 14th 2007 at 7:00 p.m.

 

 

 

+ St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral +

(2975 Riverside Drive – Ottawa)

Cathedral Office: 700 Ridgewood Ave

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1V 6N1

Telephone: (613) 738-2222, Fax: (613) 737-4392

Email: info@steliascathedral.com, Website: www.steliascathedral.com

The Rt. Rev. Bishop ALEXANDER

Bishop of Ottawa, Eastern Canada and Upstate New York

 

The Very Rev. Father Ghattas Hajal – Dean

Rev. Father Mark Arsenios Wyatt – Assistant Priest

The Very Rev. Father Daniel Matheson – Emeritus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Explanation of the Nicene Creed – Part 1

(Taken from: Orthodox Faith - Volume 1 - Doctrine)

 

The Nicene Creed should be called the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed since it was formally drawn up at the first ecumenical council in Nicea (325) and at the second ecumenical council in Constantinople (381).

 

The word creed comes from the Latin credo which means "I believe." In the Orthodox Church the creed is usually called The Symbol of Faith which means literally the "bringing together" and the "expression" or "confession" of the faith.

 

In the early Church there were many different forms of the Christian confession of faith; many different "creeds." These creeds were always used originally in relation to baptism. Before being baptized a person had to state what he believed. The earliest Christian creed was probably the simple confession of faith that Jesus is the Christ, i.e., the Messiah; and that the Christ is Lord. By publicly confessing this belief, the person could be baptized into Christ, dying and rising with Him into the New Life of the Kingdom of God in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. As time passed different places had different creedal statements, all professing the identical faith, yet using different forms and expressions, with different degrees of detail and emphasis. These creedal forms usually became more detailed and elaborate in those areas where questions about the faith had arisen and heresies had developed.

 

In the fourth century a great controversy developed in Christendom about the nature of the Son of God (also called in the Scripture the Word or Logos). Some said that the Son of God is a creature like everything else made by God. Others contended that the Son of God is eternal, divine, and uncreated. Many Councils met and made many statements of faith about the nature of the Son of God. The controversy raged throughout the entire Christian world.

 

It was the definition of the council which the Emperor Constantine called in the city of Nicea in the year 325 which was ultimately accepted by the Orthodox Church as the proper Symbol of Faith. This council is now called the first ecumenical council, and this is what it said:

 

We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages. Light of Light; true God of true God; begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man. And He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried. And the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; whose Kingdom shall have no end.

 

Following the controversy about the Son of God, the Divine Word, and essentially connected with it, was the dispute about the Holy Spirit. The following definition of the Council in Constantinople in 381, which has come to be known as the second ecumenical council was added to the Nicene statement:

 

And [we believe] in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets. In one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

 

This whole Symbol of Faith was ultimately adopted throughout the entire Church. It was put into the first person form "I believe" and used for the formal and official confession of faith made by a person (or his sponsor-godparent) at his baptism. It is also used as the formal statement of faith by a non-Orthodox Christian entering the communion of the Orthodox Church. In the same way the creed became part of the life of Orthodox Christians and an essential element of the Divine Liturgy of the Orthodox Church at which each person formally and officially accepts and renews his baptism and membership in the Church. Thus, the Symbol of Faith is the only part of the liturgy (repeated in another form just before Holy Communion) which is in the first person. All other songs and prayers of the liturgy are plural, beginning with "we". Only the creedal statement begins with "I." This, as we shall see, is because faith is first personal, and only then corporate and communal.

 

To be an Orthodox Christian is to affirm the Orthodox Christian faith -- not merely the words, but the essential meaning of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan symbol of faith. It means as well to affirm all that this statement implies, and all that has been expressly developed from it and built upon it in the history of the Orthodox Church over the centuries down to the present day.