Pastor’s Column

Implications of Holy Communion
by Fr. Vladimir Berzonsky

“The precious and most holy Body of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ is given unto me, the unworthy priest (N) for the remission of my sins, and unto life everlasting.” (Prayer during Divine Liturgy)

Note the passive voice [is given to N] deacon, laity, and to himself, because all comes from the Lord Jesus Christ, as in some of the back walls of churches where it is Christ Himself communing the apostles. This format is expressed in all sacraments. For example, in the prayers of forgiveness and absolution of holy Confession, it is not the priest but Christ through the hands and voice of the priest who forgives sins.

“Of Your Mystical Supper…” Mystical, meaning the mystery of how transcending time and space we are transported not so much to the original Last Supper (many western Christians feel it to be only in memory of the Meal) but forward and into the Kingdom of heaven. Christ spent so much of His effort on earth announcing the Kingdom, expressing what it is and the requirements for entry, the conditions and obligations incumbent upon all who are called, so that they might be elected. From the Cherubic hymn where we “lay aside all earthly care” to the command to “Lift up your hearts,” to the fellowship of love for one another the way the Three Persons of Trinity love – all that is understood by Holy Communion. Yes, indeed with Christ in His Body and Blood – but in Him and through Him all who share His Being, those in heaven and those on earth. Far from a one-on-one relationship. Sobornost is the common expression that explains and defines what the meaning of Eucharist is.

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The Apostle, February 2012 Newsletter

House blessings are traditionally done between Epiphany and the start of Great Lent.  If you would like Fr. Michael to bless your home or business, please fill out the Home Blessing Request included in this bulletin, and return it to the box in the Church Hall labeled “Home Blessing” Fr. Michael will respond to your request via email of telephone to confirm your home blessing appointment.  Great Lent begins on February 27th.

The home blessings will last about 40 minutes per home. When Fr. Michael arrives, all televisions, stereos, and radios should be turned off. If there is an icon corner in the home, the prayers will take place there, if not, an icon and a lit candle should be set up on a suitable table. A list of all those living in the home and others you would like to be included in the prayers should also be placed on the table.

April 7, 2012: AYUDA Dental Clinic for Homeless at the Boys & Girls Club of Anaheim, Beach & Lincoln. Volunteer Dentists will be providing full dental services for 100 children, dental cleaning & fluoride service for 500 children and adults. The Anaheim Lions Club will be providing breakfast for 1,500 attendees. AYUDA Inc. is a 501.c.3 nonprofit corporation that provides full dental services to at risk and under-served children. For info about AYUDA, please contact Dr. Mokbel, rgmokbel@yahoo.com. Services are provided at no charge from Dentists, faculty and students of the U.S.C. Dental School, while local sponsors provide funding for necessary dental supplies. AYUDA has asked St. Mark to provide $1,500 for reimbursable supplies for the clinic. Donations should be made to St. Mark, ATTN: AYUDA.
Thanks and God bless.

SUNDAY OF CANAANITE WOMAN
COMMEMORATION OF THE RECOVERY OF THE SACRED RELICS OF THE HOLY HIEROMARTYR IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH

The reading from Saint Paul’s Second Letter Corinthians (6:16- 18,7:1)
Brethren, you are a temple of the living God, even as God has said, “I will dwell in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” “Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean; then I will receive you, and I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

Having therefore these promises, O beloved ones, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Alleluia verses (Psalm 94:1, 2) Tone 8: Come, let us rejoice in the Lord; Let us shout in jubilation to God our Savior.  Let us come into His presence in thanksgiving.

The Reading from the Gospel according to St. Matthew (15:21-28)
At that time, Jesus went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon.  And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon.”  But Jesus did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying after us.” Jesus answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”  But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.”  And Jesus answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”  She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed at that very hour.
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Sunday Bulletin - January 29, 2011

Listen to a sermon delivered January 8 2012.
If you have multimedia player installed, simply click on the link below and it will play automatically.

January 8, 2012

Please watch a wonderful 60 Minutes broadcast of their visit to the Orthodox monastic community of Mount Athos in Greece. It was originally broadcast on April 24, 2011 and repeated on Christmas day.

Thanks to Nader Qoborsi for sharing this link.

Fr Michael

Here is the calendar of upcoming FOCUS Orange County efforts. Please support this local Orthodox Christian charity!

·       Jan 12; FOCUS OC 2012 Fundraising Planning Meeting 7pm@ FOCUS OC in Westminster
All are welcome that would like to help raise funds in 2012 please come.

·       Jan 19; FOCUS OC Monthly Ministry Team Meeting, 7pm @ FOCUS OC in Westminster
All are welcome that would help FOCUS in one of the ministry areas; career counseling, food bank team, food delivery team, prayer team, grant & administration team, and warehouse operations

·       Jan 22; FOCUS OC Health Kit Assembly (see attached list) @ St. Mark

·       Jan 29; St. Mark Feeding at Valencia Inn
We need your help preparing some food at home, and helping out in the kitchen from noon to 4pm.  A local Girl Scout Troop will be providing volunteers for the evening meal.   We need 4-5 families to prepare rice at home.

·       Apr 7; AYUDA Dental Clinic for Homeless at the Boys & Girls Club of Anaheim, Beach & Lincoln.  Volunteer Dentists will be providing full dental services for 100 children, dental cleaning & fluoride service for 500 children and adults.  The Boys & Girls Club will be providing breakfast for 1,500 attendees.  AYUDA Inc. is a 501.c.3 nonprofit corporation that provides full dental services to at risk and underserved children.  Services are provided at no charge from Dentists, faculty and students of the U.S.C. Dental School, while local sponsors provide funding for necessary dental  supplies.  AYUDA has asked St. Mark to provide $1,500 for reimbursable supplies for the clinic.  Donations should be made to St. Mark, ATTN:  AYUDA.

Thanks and God bless,
Roger and Carol Tierney

Happy New Year! Thanks, again, to those who have made their 2012 Pledge Commitment to St. Mark. As of December 29th, we have achieved 60% of our goal. This represents 84 pledges from our goal of 180 total pledges. We only need 40% more pledges to come in to reach our goal! If you haven’t made your pledge commitment yet then please take a few minutes today to fill out and return your pledge form (extra forms are next to our pledge box in the Hall or download and print form online - link below).

A message from your Stewardship Committee:
Life that is truly life belongs to those who are unselfish givers. Giving is an indicator of your unselfishness and an outward litmus test of the inner condition of your heart. “You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” (2 Corinthians 9:11)

You contributions should come in four (4) ways:

1. Completion of payment of your 2011 Stewardship Pledge to St. Mark Church.
2. Payment of your 2012 Archdiocese/Diocese Dues of $130.0 per family, to be included as a part of your 2012 Stewardship Pledge to St. Mark Church.
3. Pledging and payment of your 2012 Stewardship Pledge to St. Mark Church.  The 2012 Pledge and Census Cards are now available for your use.
4. Pledging of your time and talents to St. Mark Church and participating in the committees and organizations established at St. Mark Church.   We need your time, talents and participation.

Print 2012 Pledge Card:

2012 Pledge Card

JANUARY 1, 2012
FEAST OF BASIL THE GREAT, CIRCUMCISION OF OUR LORD

The reading from Saint Paul’s Epistle to the Colossians (2:8-12)
Brethren, see to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to fullness of life in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of flesh in the circumcision of Christ; and you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

Alleluia Verses (Psalms 79:1, 36:30) Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel.  The mouth of the righteous will meditate wisdom.

The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke (2:20-21, 40-52) 
At that time, the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover.

And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom; and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the company they went a day’s journey, and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances; and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions; and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.”  And he said to them, “How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” And they did not understand the saying which he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.

And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man.
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Saint of the Day
Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesaria

St Basil was born in the year 330 at Caesarea, the administrative center of Cappadocia. He was of illustrious lineage, famed for its eminence and wealth, and zealous for the Christian Faith. The saint’s grandfather and grandmother on his father’s side had to hide in the forests of Pontus for seven years during the persecution under Diocletian.

St Basil’s mother St Emilia was the daughter of a martyr. St Basil’s father was also named Basil. He was a lawyer and renowned rhetorician, and lived at Caesarea.

Ten children were born to the elder Basil and Emilia: five sons and five daughters. Five of them were later numbered among the saints: Basil the Great; Macrina (July 19) was an exemplar of ascetic life, and exerted strong influence on the life and character of St Basil the Great; Gregory, afterwards Bishop of Nyssa (January 10); Peter, Bishop of Sebaste (January 9); and Theosebia, a deaconess (January 10).

While still unbaptized, he spent fifteen years in Athens, where he studied philosophy, rhetoric, astronomy and all the other secular sciences of that time. His colleagues there were Gregory the Theologian and Julian, later the apostate emperor. In his mature years he was baptized in the Jordan River along with Ebulios, his former teacher. He served as Bishop of Caesaria in Cappdocia for almost ten years and completed his earthly life fifty years after his birth.

St Basil was a great defender of Orthodoxy, a great light of moral purity, a religious zealot, a great theological mind, and a great builder and pillar of the Church of God. His Divine Liturgy is celebrated ten Times during the year, including the Sunday of Lent, and of course on his name day, January 1.

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Sunday Bulletin - January 1, 2012

St Basil was born in the year 330 at Caesarea, the administrative center of Cappadocia. He was of illustrious lineage, famed for its eminence and wealth, and zealous for the Christian Faith. The saint’s grandfather and grandmother on his father’s side had to hide in the forests of Pontus for seven years during the persecution under Diocletian.

St Basil’s mother St Emilia was the daughter of a martyr. On the Greek calendar, she is commemorated on May 30. St Basil’s father was also named Basil. He was a lawyer and renowned rhetorician, and lived at Caesarea.

Ten children were born to the elder Basil and Emilia: five sons and five daughters. Five of them were later numbered among the saints: Basil the Great; Macrina (July 19) was an exemplar of ascetic life, and exerted strong influence on the life and character of St Basil the Great; Gregory, afterwards Bishop of Nyssa (January 10); Peter, Bishop of Sebaste (January 9); and Theosebia, a deaconess (January 10).

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