April 21, 2014

Your Nativity, O Christ our God, has shone to the world the Light of wisdom! For by it, those who worshipped the stars, were taught by a star to adore You, the Sun of Righteousness, and to know You, the

Orient from on High. O Lord, glory to You!

Holy Nativity of the Lord

Christ is Risen!! www.OrthodoxChristians.org

Christ   is   Risen!   Truly   He   is   Risen!   Greetings   on   the   Monday   of  Bright  Week.  Our  pan-­‐Orthodox  Holy  Week   journey   and  Paschal  celebration   was   a   time   of   great   joy.   To   all   the   following,   thank  you:   Altar   servers,   choir   members,   chanters/cantors,   kitchen  workers  and  meal  providers,  set  up  and  clean  up  crews,  children  coordinators,   those   that   provided   flowers,   candles,   and   various  paschal   items,   vigil   readers,   parish   council   members,   baptismal  assistants,   those  that  decorated  St.  George  so  beautifully   for  the  week  and  everyone  that  attended  the  services.  The  giving  of  time,  talent  and  treasure  of  so  many  people  never  ceases  to  amaze  me.  Together,  when  we  dwell   in  love  and  unity,  we  participate  in  the  resurrected   life  of  Christ   in  the  Kingdom  of  God.  As  we  continue  to   celebrate   Great   and   Holy   Pascha,   I   encourage   everyone   to  maintain  or  even   increase   their   level  of  dedication  and  devotion  to   God.   For   us,   Lent   is   a   lifestyle   and   the   deep   joy   of   Pascha   is  something  we  experience  daily.    

CHRIST  IS  RISEN!  TRULY  HE  IS  RISEN!    

With  love  and  pastoral  blessings,  fr.  Jason    

Christ is risen from the dead,

trampling down death by death,

and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!

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Feast Day Celebrations this Week at St George Greek Orthodox Church

Divine Liturgy for St. George, Wednesday, 10:00

Troparion — Tone 4

You were bound for good deeds, O martyr of Christ: George; / by faith you conquered the torturer’s godlessness. / You were offered as a sacrifice pleasing to God; / thus you received the crown of victory. / Through your intercessions, forgiveness of sins is granted to all.

Kontakion — Tone 4

God raised you as his own gardener, O George, / for you have gathered for yourself the sheaves of virtue. / Having sown in tears, you now reap with joy; / you shed your blood in combat and won Christ as your crown. / Through your intercessions, forgiveness of sins is granted to all.

Divine Liturgy for the Life Giving Spring of the Mother of God, Friday, 10:00

There once was a beautiful church in Constantinople dedicated to the Mother of God, which had been built in the fifth century by the holy Emperor Leo the Great (January 20) in the Seven Towers district.

Before becoming emperor, Leo was walking in a wooded area where he met a blind man who was thirsty and asked Leo to help him find water. Though he agreed to search for water, he was unable to find any. Suddenly, he heard a voice telling him that there was water nearby. He looked again, but still could not find the water. Then he heard the voice saying “Emperor Leo, go into the deepest part of the woods, and you will find water there. Take some of the cloudy water in your hands and give it to the blind man to drink.Then take the clay and put it on his eyes. Then you shall know who I am.” Leo obeyed these instructions, and the blind man regained his sight. Later, St Leo became emperor, just as the Theotokos had prophesied.

Leo built a church over the site at his own expense, and the water continued to work miraculous cures. Therefore, it was called “The Life-Giving Spring.”

After the Fall of Constantinople in 1453, the church was torn down by the Moslems, and the stones were used to build a mosque. Only a small chapel remained at the site of the church. Twenty-five steps led down into the chapel, which had a window in the roof to let the light in. The holy Spring was still there, surrounded by a railing.

After the Greek Revolution in 1821, even this little chapel was destroyed and the Spring was buried under the rubble. Christians later obtained permission to rebuild the chapel, and work began in July of 1833. While workmen were clearing the ground, they uncovered the foundations of the earlier church. The Sultan allowed them to build not just a chapel, but a new and beautiful church on the foundations of the old one.

Construction began on September 14, 1833, and was completed on December 30, 1834. Patriarch Constantine II consecrated the church on February 2, 1835, dedicating it to the Most Holy Theotokos.

The Turks desecrated and destroyed the church again on September 6, 1955. A smaller church now stands on the site, and the waters of the Life-Giving Spring continue to work miracles.

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Please keep our Catechumens in your

prayers –

Travis, Jennifer, Jack, Jane, and Murray Henley

Kevin & Mara Alexander

David Rockett

Dane, Elizabeth, Aubré, and Jude Shillings

Services this Week:

Wednesday – Divine Liturgy for St. George

9:00 Orthos, 10:00 Liturgy

Friday – Divine Liturgy for the Life-Giving Spring of the

Theotokos

9:00 Orthos, 10:00 Divine Liturgy

Saturday – Great Vespers, Foster’s House, 5:00

Sunday – Divine Liturgy, St. Barksdale, 10:00

”

This Friday, April 25th, 5:30- Everyone decides

to leave.

Holy Nativity’s First Adult’s Only Night Out!

John & Stephanie have planned a

cookout/bonfire/hayride weather permitting.

Please bring a side item: Baked Beans, Coleslaw,

Location: The May’s Place – Going south on Mansfield Rd from Bert Kouns Ind’l Loop, Turn Right (west) on Colquitt Rd. Go 2.2 miles to Chandler Rd. Gate will be open on right (north side). Follow dirt road (way back) to house. If you get lost call Fr. Jason at 455-4219

Choir Notes Thank you to all that participated in singing during

Holy Week & Pascha. It was a lot of hard work and it was beautiful!

Holy Nativity would l ike to thank you by taking you all to eat this coming Monday,

6:00, Taco Mania.

No Practice this week.

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Save the Date: June 2-6

* Volunteers Needed!!

For the kids…

Children’s Bible Reader Online The Children’s Bible Reader brings to life the stories of the

Bible and makes them accessible to children! Kids can access color pages, games & bible stories

Visit the site at: http://cbr.goarch.org/

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Bright Week Blues?

Indeed many experience this especially in a culture that is not 'Orthodox' like America. What to do?

The 7 days of Bright Week are to be seen as one day, a continuous Paschal celebration. This should be a time of renewal for all, not just the newly illumined for whom the name 'Bright Week' also

'White Week' came. It is a time for the faithful to bear spiritual fruit and generate new virtues for our own illumination as well.

If you're experiencing a post-Paschal slump after the heightened joys of yesterday: find a service to attend, seek friends to celebrate

with, pray, consider what you've learned during Lent and how you will move forward with it, etc. And know that others' are likely

feeling similarly. Most of all remember and SING,

Christ is Risen!!!

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Christ is Risen! A few notes for Bright Week and the Paschal season.

• We greet one another during the entire Paschal season (which lasts 40 days) with the words: “Christ is risen!” and the response to the greeting is: “Indeed, He

is risen!”

• During Bright Week, the Holy Doors and the Deacons’ doors of the iconostasis remain open symbolizing the empty tomb of our Master and Savior: Christ is

risen!

• During Bright Week, our prayers in church and at home are sung and not read as we sing all week the feast of the risen Christ: Christ is risen!

• During Bright Week, our morning and evening prayers are replaced by the singing of the short service of the Hours of Pascha (see below): Christ is risen!

• During Bright Week, we do not read from the psalter at home or in church for the prophecies have been fulfilled: Christ is risen!

• During Bright Week, there is no fasting as we are at feast with the Bridegroom who processes forth from the tomb: Christ is risen!

• During the entire Paschal season there is no prostrating or kneeling permitted in church or at home for we stand with the resurrected Christ: Christ is risen!

• During the Paschal season we begin all of our prayers at home and in church by singing the troparion of Pascha: “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down

death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!”

• During the Paschal season and extending to Pentecost, we do not pray “O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth…” for the Comforter comes on

Pentecost. Christ is risen!

• And most important of all: “A Pascha worthy of all honor has dawned for us. Pascha! Let us embrace each other joyously!…This is the day of resurrection. Let us be illumined by the feast. Let us embrace each other. Let us call ‘Brother’ even those who hate us, and forgive all by the resurrection, and so let us cry: Christ is

risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!” “And unto us He has given eternal life. Let us worship His

resurrection on the third day!”

Holy Nativity of the Lord Mission Rev. Fr. Jason Foster, Pastor Visit or contact us at: 5940 Barksdale Blvd, Bossier City (Barksdale Federal Credit Union) Email: Shreveportjf@aol.com, 318-455-4219

This Saturday, April 26- Paintball, Off Limits Paintball, 10am, Cost $40, go to http://www.offlimitspaintball.com/Index.htm for more directions and additional

info. *Note that parent permission forms must be printed off of the website

and signed! Please let me know if your student plans to go so that we can make a

reservation. Due to limited space in my vehicle, I won't be able to provide

transportation. – Thomas Armstrong 771-1032

Many years to the newly Illumined & Chrismated: Reggie, Donna, Amanda, Josh, Matthew Greening & Genevieve Cohen