Pastor’s Message:
Do Not be conformed to this world,
Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Rom 12:2
Dearly beloved sons and daughters in
This was the theme of our Diocesan and Archdiocesan Conventions for this year. The Diocesan Parish life Conference was held in San Francisco between June 27 and July 3, 2005, and the Archdiocesan Convention was held in
In reality this is the theme that makes Christianity distinguished from its very beginning.
All conventioneers, at San Francisco enjoyed every moment of the San Francisco Conference because of the comments, of the Keynote speakers’ and the daily preachers who excelled in explaining this subject. Christians must realize that this is the essential call from the heart of Jesus Christ with which He stared His first mission by saying “repent”; for in repentance, man is forgiven, henceforth becomes a new creation in Christ Jesus; not CONFORMED to this world, but TRANSFORMED and TRANSFIGURED to present himself a living sacrifice Holy and acceptable unto God.
يقول الكتاب المقدس : إني أناشدكم أيها الإخوة بحنان الله أن تُـقرِّبوا أنفسكم ذبيحة حية مقدسة مرضية عند الله ، فهذة هي عبادتكم الروحية ولا تتشبهوا بهذه الدنيا بل تحولوا بتجدد عقولكم لتتبينوا ما هي مشيئة الله أي لتعرفوا ما هو صالح وما هو مرضي وما هو كامل" روميه 12:2
Dear reader: It is befitting, as a follower of
I never allow myself to judge others, but it is the responsibility that
To you my little children listen to what
Let your eyes be clear. Do not conform to fashion if fashion dishonors you. Your body is a living Temple of the Holy Spirit. Your honor reflects your faith and proves your dignity. It expresses your character and magnifies your tradition. Therefore glorify God with your bodies and as Saint Paul says in Ephesiens 8: 7- 10 “Therefore do not be partakers with the sons of disobedience for you were once darkness, but now you are LIGHT in the Lord. Walk as children of the light. Finding out what is acceptable unto the Lord.”
B ishopJoseph’s
“Thoughts for the day”
Bishop
to all the clergy of this Diocese and asks that we share it with the parish.
A Deacon can teach, a Deacon can preach, a Deacon can be a leader, a Deacon can be a defender of the faith, a Deacon can be a writer, a Deacon can be a prophet, a Deacon can be a Saint, a Deacon can be a cause for people to change their life style, and a Deacon can be an inspiration to his family and to others. So I urge all of you to be Holy Deacons, above every selfishness, above every grudge, and above every bad desire and all passion.
The office of the Deacon is not just to intone the Ektenias, but to touch people’s lives, bring them to holiness, encourage them, transfigure them, and remind them of their salvation. This is the way I see that your ministry has to be. This is what I mean by saying that your ministry is no less than my ministry.
Why am I telling you these two pieces of history? Because the people and everyone will honor your office with respect because of your obedience to the teaching and to Almighty God. Therefore, the more you are the icon of our Lord and holiness comes out in your actions, in your behaviors, in your words, in your relationships at home and everywhere, the more you will earn respect and honor from everyone.
I remember the days of my Holy Diaconate in Greece in the 70s. You cannot imagine how much joy, peace, and good memories I have, and I do not exaggerate when I say that I still feel myself as a Deacon because the grace is the same, but the title and the function are different.
Needless to say, I expect all of us to know what the diaconate means. It is a Holy office, it is a Holy diakonia (i.e.) we have to do our service with fear of God, love, faith, obedience, faithfulness, prayerfulness, honesty and without preconditions or complaints, but rather with joy. Your ministry is no less than my ministry.
Catechism # 2 By Father
8. How shall we know the things which we are to believe?
We shall know the things we are to believe by means of our one, holy catholic and apostolic church, through which God speaks to us.
God speaks to us through church tradition, the holy church fathers, scripture, the ecumenical councils, our bishops and priests and by our hearts in union with all that is mentioned above. If we should ever be tempted to believe something contradictory to what God has spoken to us through the church, such as not believing in the resurrection of Christ or that woman may be ordained to the priesthood we know that we are being deceived by worldly thought or that we are being deluded by the evil one.
9. Where do we find the chief truths of the Church?
We find the chief truths of the Church in the Creed we recite during Divine Liturgy.
We use the word chief because the creed does not contain all the truths which by scripture, tradition and practice the church believes in. The sacraments would be a good example of a gift to us by God as a truth we believe in.
No. 2
God and His Perfections
10. What is God?
God is a spirit infinitely perfect.
Everything in the world of our senses is material. Things material have limitations. They only extend so far. They can be divided and subdivided. They can be changed in form, broken down or built up. God is changeless, limitless, all perfect, a spirit, the creator of all that is material and thus imperfect.
11. Had God a beginning?
God had no beginning, He always was, is now and always will be Created things like the universe, solar system, earth and even us human beings, have a beginning. The so called “big-bang” theory of the creation of the universe implies a beginning. For example if all matter eventually collapses and begins again a cycle of explosion, that matter had to be created and the cycle had to have a beginning. God on the other hand is the source of all that exists and its beginning. Infinite, limitless, beginningless , and endless existence is of the essence of what God is.
12. Where is God?
God is everywhere.
We with our senses cannot conceive of something without a boundary. God has no boundaries. All creation, all created existence has boundaries. God is uncreated, without boundaries: He is everywhere.
13. If God is everywhere why can we not see him?
God is pure spirit.
Spirit is a reality beyond our senses: seeing, feeling, smelling, tasting, and hearing. God can choose by His energies to allow us to “see” Him. It is not actually Him we see but His energy.
14. Does God see us?
God sees everything we say or do, and He watches over us.
He watches over us by maintaining our existence, our lives on earth and in the hereafter. Our very breathing depends on Him. He watches what we do so he can reward us with eternal union with him or punish us by loss of Him.
15. Does God know all things?
God knows all things. He knows our desires, thoughts, hearts and what we say and do, in private and in public.
God who is all powerful, could destroy us instantly, just as He did Sodom and Gomorrah. Are we doing anything to merit instant annihilation? Surely we do not merit life. Life whether one moment or many years is God’s gift to us out of His eternal love. Would God keep us as His friend if He by His wisdom saw all we think, say or do?
16. Can God do all things?
God can do all things. He is infinite, nothing is impossible for Him to do.
We only see the results of what God has done in our realm of existence. Nothing can stop God from creating other universes or existences beyond our most creative and intelligent imaginations. At times we may ask “If God can do all things why doesn’t He eliminate tragedies, such as war and sickness”? The answer in part is that He created a world that operates by the laws of nature (which He created). By learning and using these laws we may share in his creative act, by freely choosing to make things better and more perfect. If God did all, what would be left for us to do? Remember we have no “right” to our life and existence, it is God’s gift to us, surely we have no right to tell God what kind of life we should have also.
17. Is God holy, just and merciful?
Just as God is infinitely perfect, He is all holy, all just and all merciful.
Holy means good, surely He is Good because He has our own good and welfare in mind, when He created us and wants us to choose good so we may be with Him in heaven. Justice means to give what is due. Strictly speaking: Are we due anything? The answer is no. All, we have, as we said before is a gift of love from Him. Furthermore, human justice is different from divine justice. Elder Paisios elaborates on this: “Christians abide by the law of divine justice whereas the unfaithful ones by the law of human justice ….Our Lord was the first one to apply divine justice. …when He was suffering He patiently and silently endured everything, …He did not seek help from human justice, but instead, He justified His persecutors and prayed to His Father to forgive them. ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.’ (Lk 23:34) God’s justice aims at man himself and hopes that the [e.g.] greedy person return to
Sunday of the parish graduates
2005
On Sunday June 26, 2005 Father
The graduates lined up in the Vestibule and entered the Church on “Pump and Circumstance” music. They took their places on the first pews, College grads to the right and High School to the Left.
Father
Rami Nabil Barghout, after that, addressed the graduates, (speech on the next page) after which the Chairman of the Parish Council Jeries Al Raheb together with Laurice El Khauli, the Sunday school Superintendent gave each of the graduates A Book of “My Daily Orthodox Prayers” by Father Coniares as a token of love.
Father
This year’s graduates were the following young men and women:
College Graduates
Olga B. Khoury Art Institute of San Diego
Marline
High school Graduates
Rami
When I was asked to speak here today my initial response was surprised. However, the more I thought about it the more I felt honored by the privilege to share this time with you.
To the college graduates, this is your time to shine. Now is also the time where your decisions and their consequences come with greater responsibility and risk. And so it is up to you to create and follow your own syllabus. But before you start, I would like to share with you few tips to guide you as you begin the next a most exciting chapter of your lives, as someone that was in your shoes not too long ago.
I would say the first thing to do now is to set your self some goals. The reason I say this is because now you will no longer have a professor to grade so that you may grade your own progress, but now you must be able to determine for yourself where you are where you want to be. And with a list of goals to follow you will have your own map to the destination that you wish to arrive at. But when you first generate a list of goals that you wish to accomplish, make sure to give yourself a deadline. And challenge yourself to meet your deadlines, because tomorrow comes sooner than you think. As an example the first two items on my list after I graduated were; 1. Get a job. And 2. Get a job I like, and I couldn’t believe it, two weeks after I wrote my own list I got my first job, and a few months later I got the job I love.
2nd Don’t be discouraged if you don’t meet your goals right away. Think positive. If you think that you can’t you won’t. Remember how you got where you are today. Think about how hard and long you studied, late in library with the endless cups of coffee, and the group projects that would have never been completed if it weren’t for you carrying your group members on your back. You did not give up then so you certainly should not give up now. And I’ll testify to not getting called back for every job I have applied for. And tell you it’s not easy and you should not expect it to be.
The next piece of advice as you enter the professional workforce is to prepare yourself to
learn more than you ever did before. You will enter a fast pace dynamic environment that changes everyday and challenges you to be a creative thinker and valuable resource. Of course you will not be expected to know everything at first but you should learn to deal with ambiguous and vague directions. So do your homework. Study the problems that present themselves to you and carefully analyze them for the best solution.
This next bit of advice comes from my own personal experience with how I spent my time in college, and it’s directed to those high school graduates especially w hile you may be curious or nervous of what college life is like some of you can just look towards your older siblings and ask them. College, no matter what you plan to study is a chance to change who you are now, and develop into the person you want to be.
And your best chance for doing that is by first challenging yourselves and second to be confident in yourself. For example do not be afraid to take on any projects. A leader is one who takes ownership of a project, ensuring its success despite of all the problems that arise along the way. Remember that as a leader you will have to work the hardest but you will also learn the most. Not only will you become an expert at what you’re doing, but also you will learn more about your own character. You will see the results of your dedication and optimism. And I know you are all capable of being leaders. So you should not let the opinions of others influence you or inhibit you from becoming successful. If you do, you will never realize your full potential. Finally, when you are a leader, you get more than just the credit of a job well done but same sense of accomplishment as you felt on the day you crossed that stage and got your diploma and heard that administrator announcing your name. Again congratulations and May God bless you all.
The Exaltation of the Holy Cross
(Also Known as the Elevation of the Cross)
September 14
The purpose of this section is to provide several lessons, beginning around the time of the feast- Exaltation of the Holy Cross, concerning the Cross as an important symbol of our Christian faith.
The three modules look at the accounts of
It is hoped that you will gain a deeper understanding of our reverence for the Cross and what it means to “take up one’s cross”. In addition, it is hoped that the words expressed by St. Anthanasius “in the Cross there is healing” will help you understand how this terrible instrument of death was transformed into a powerful symbol of hope, healing and life eternal.
Session 1 – Elevation of the Holy Cross
The feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross is celebrated to commemorate the discovery of the true Cross. During the Divine Liturgy, the Cross is carried in a procession borne aloft on a tray of flowers while in some traditions it is the herb basil which surrounds the cross on a tray. At the end of the service, the blessed flowers or the springs of basil are distributed to the faithful. According to tradition,
Session II – The Orthodox Cross
The Cross is the most prominent of all Christian symbols. It is symbolic of the crucifixion of
The Orthodox Cross is distinctive, especially in that it includes the lower bar or foot rest set at a diagonal. There are several historical explanations for this. Beginning in the ninth century, crucifixes began to have the additional foot board in the shape of a horizontal bar in addition to the earlier form which had an upright bar and a single cross bar. This lower bar provided a place for
The first Byzantine Crosses had the added foot board placed horizontally but successive Orthodox Crosses put the lower bar at a sharp diagonal. This change took place between the tenth and the eleventh centuries.
One explanation of the symbolism of the Orthodox Cross is that it serves as a graphic rebuke to those who held the opinion that
Another religious interpretation is that the right side of the foot board points up to indicate the weighing down of disbelievers. The uplifted right side also indicates that on the second advent of
Still another interpretation of the slanting foot board is that it symbolizes the part played by the two thieves who were crucified with
The extra cross bar at the top of the Orthodox Cross represents the inscription board nailed above
One explanation sometimes given in Russian Orthodox literature is that Orthodox Cross is a replica of the Cross planted by the Apostle Andrew when he looked northward over the mountains of the Caucasus and predicted that a great church would arise.
The Orthodox Cross, with its added inscription bar at the top and the added slanting foot board bar below, more fully symbolizes the crucifixion than the commoner simple Cross which has only one upright bar and only one crossbar.
Is lord of all
He is the First and Last, the Beginning and the End!
He is the keeper of Creation and the Creator of all!
He is the Architect of the universe and
The Manager of all times.
He always was, He always is, and He always will be...
Unmoved, Unchanged, Undefeated, and never Undone!
He was bruised and brought healing!
He was pierced and eased pain!
He was persecuted and brought freedom!
He was dead and brought life!
He is Risen and brings power!
He reigns and brings Peace!
The world can't understand him,
The armies can't defeat Him,
The schools can't explain Him, and
The leaders can't ignore Him.
The Pharisees couldn't confuse Him, and
The people couldn't hold Him!
Nero couldn't crush Him,
The New Age can't replace Him, and
Donahue can't explain Him away!
He is light, love, longevity, and Lord.
He is goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, and God.
He is Holy, Righteous, mighty, powerful, and pure.
His ways are right,
His word is eternal.
Kid’s Corner: A CHILD’S INNOCENCE
Twinkies and Root Beer
A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of Root Beer and he started his journey.
When he had gone about three blocks, he met an elderly man. The man was sitting in the park just feeding some pigeons.
The boy sat down next to him and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the man looked hungry, so he offered him a Twinkie.
The man gratefully accepted it and smiled at boy. His smile was so pleasant that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a root beer.
Again, the man smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.
As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the man, and gave him a hug. The man gave him his biggest smile ever.
When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?
"He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? God's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"
Meanwhile, the elderly man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home. His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face and he asked," Dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?"
He replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." However, before his son responded, he added," You know, he's much younger than I expected."
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Embrace all equally!
~author unknown~
Announcements
The Children’s Saturday Club
will open this fall on September 24 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will be run by:
Supervised by Father
Please register your children’s names on the announcement board for the Children’s Saturday Club as soon as possible.
At the Children’s Saturday Club , your children will:
1 Study the word of God and hymnology
2 Learn Arabic Language
3 Prepare for the Christmas Pageant
4 Participate in arts and crafts
We need families to be committed to bring their children to attend this club.
1001 Nights Party
2) St. George Church cordially invites you to its Annual “ ” on Saturday, September 10, 2005 at 7:30 p.m. at the Hilton Hotel on 901 Camino Del Rio South – Mission Valley, CA 92108. Featuring Issam Arabou & D.J.
Special Thanks to :
Ayman and
Births
Baptisms for the month of July
(Baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit)
Weddings
(O Lord Our God Crown Them With Glory and With Honor )
We congratulate our spiritual children on their wedding and wish them a blessed, successful and prosperous Matrimonial Life.
Deaths & Condolences
“He who believes in Me, though he dies he shall live”
We extend our heartfelt condolences to all members of their families.
May the Lord wipe away all tears from their eyes.
A 40 day memorial service for the late
Memorial Fund of the Late
The total donations in lieu of flowers to the Memorial Fund of the Late Nabil Barghout totaled over $10,000.00. Many thanks and blessings to the donors.
Contents of this issue
Pastor’s Message Page 1
Bishop
Catechism 2 4
Sunday of the Graduates 6
Rami Barghout’s Speech to the Graduates 7
Exaltation of the Holy Cross 8
Welcome 9
Kid’s Corner 11
Announcements 13
Birthdays 15
St.
4175 Poplar Street
San Diego, CA 92105
