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GREEK ORTHODOX COMMUNITY & PARISH

OF PROPHET ELIAS NORWOOD & EASTERN

SUBURBS INC.

87 BEULAH RD. NORWOOD SA 5067 P.O. BOX 277, KENT TOWN SA 5071
ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO THE HON. SECRETARY

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: 8362 4139 . 8431 7789 . 0412 710 037

28-10-12
29 . 1423

WEEKLY MAGAZINE

THE WORD OF GOD

PHONES: 8362 4139 H. 8431 7789 M. 0412 710 037

DATE 28-10-12
YEAR 29TH NUMBER 1423
WEB PAGE: WWW.PROPHETELIAS.ORG.AU
ONLINE MAGAZINE & RADIO PROGRAM: WWW.PROPHETELIAS.BLOGSPOT.COM
EMAIL: PROPHETELIAS@ESC.NET.AU

(. 2, 16-20) 28 2012

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7th SUNDAY OF LUKE (Gal. 2, 16-20) 28th October 2012

In todays apostolic reading we heard the Apostle Paul talk about two
different lives, he talks about his life and Christs life. Some people would
say that this is obvious, since each person lives their own life and as each
person is different so are their lives. However when Paul is referring to his
own life, he is also talking about the lives of all people. When he is talking
about Christs life things are entirely different, he is talking about a life
without comparison, a life that is different to our own. It is these two lives
that we will compare.
What are the lives of men, or, our own worldly lives like?

If we look

carefully, especially in our era, we notice that more often than not man is
suffering.

He is beset by melancholy and despair, of course this is

punctuated by a limited moments of joy and laughter, but unfortunately

within the many years of sadness these few moments of joy are lost. Our
life is like the clear blue sky, and when storm clouds gather we run to take
shelter. Black clouds and thunderstorms cover the sunshine of our joy and
turn our soul into a place of wilderness, calamity and isolation. Feelings of
melancholy and anxiety that stem from the many aspirations failures of our
lives are more intense in this day and age. We are overcome by anxiety
and our lives become a continuous run. Why do we run? We run to find joy.
We cant stand the rain and darkness of life, and we are looking for shelter.
The mix of sadness and feelings of disappointment are intense; I think is my
jobs fault and I want to change it. I think that it is the fault of other people

and so I chose withdrawal. I think is my wifes fault and I want to change

her. I think that is the governments fault and I struggle for change . Then
finally its my fault and I commit suicide. Oh brethren, the more we proceed
and are distanced from Christ, the more that hopelessness fills our souls.
The continuous failures, the financial troubles, the illnesses, deaths, the
never ending pressures, turn the man into an abandoned shipwreck in the
middle of the ocean. Thats why we hear many times what to do with this
life? I want to die. I cant take it anymore. I prefer death. This is the life of a
person that lives away from the light of God.
It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me the Apostle Paul tells us
today. A life called I doesnt exist anymore. It has tortured me enough for
too many years. I have chased joy, and satisfaction, I thought that if I were
to banish Christianity, I would be the happiest man, said the Apostle Paul.
Brethren do you see the deceit? Can you see the trap of a life without
Christ? Do not forget that Paul was an educated man, with good upbringing
and a comfortable life. He had human glories. In other words a todays man
would wish to be like Saul and would think that he lived a good life.
When the Apostle Paul saw the life of Christ, when he noticed that above
and beyond every worldly glory, and riches and enjoyment, there is eternal
joy and happiness, then he changed. He stopped living the worldly life. He
stopped living for himself and started living exclusively for Christ. When he
lived for Christ, he could see his infirmities, his struggles, the hatred, and
the different kinds of hardships and deprivation as a balsam and blessing
from God. From the spiritual heights of his life in Christ he could see the
dead body of his ego, and was happy.
Brethren which life do we prefer? If we prefer the worldly life, then what a
pity! We are baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus! We have buried our

fallen and sinful ego in the blessed water of the crucible and we betray all
the promises we made to God. We have undressed the death of the
temporary life and put on Christ and eternal joy and blessing, and then we
change? Pauls statement It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me
is difficult for any man to understand, and so for this reason we will explain
it simply. We observe that many so-called Orthodox Christians want to live
double lives. For example we say that we love Christ and we like the
Christian life, but we live our worldly life and holding on to our mistakes and
our everyday falls.
Paul sees this double life as an unacceptable compromise. In his epistle to
the Church of the Galatians, he is saying that when a Christian advances in
the healthy and eternal life in Christ, he will never return back to the
infectious and temporary life. Perhaps for the people of the material world,
the life of the spirit is inconceivable. Maybe for the people focused on the
temporary life, the ascent to divine summits seems to be an insane idea.
Maybe for the people who left God, the apostolic It is no longer I who live,
but Christ lives in me sounds like a fairy-tale. For Paul and those who want
to imitate him, it became a way of life. Brethren, how do we respond?

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9 2012.

News from our Commjunity-Parish

Death-Funeral
Last Sunday evening, Basil Micholos of St Panteleimonos-Pierria passed
away at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, aged 81 years. His funeral took place
in our Church yesterday, Saturday 27th October. The burial was at
Centennial Park and the coffee of comfort was offered at our Community
Hall. The Priest, President, Executive Committee and Philoptohos extend
their sincere condolences to the widow, children and family of the departed
and pray they may have strength and comfort from above. Warm thanks to
those who donated to the Church in memory of the departed. More details
in the next Newsletter.

Church Services

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Tomorrow Monday Day of St Anastasia of Rome, Matins and Divine Liturgy

with artoklasia, 8 am 10 am approx.

This coming Thursday 1st November Day of the Holy and Miracle-working
Unmercenaries, Matins and Divine Liturgy and Agiasmos for the month of
November. After the service, the ladies of the Philoptohos will offer
morning-tea free-of-charge in the Hall.

Vigil
This Friday 2nd November, Vigil, 9 pm. The Vigil comprises Mikro
Apodeipno, the 24 verses of the Akathistos Hymn, Great Vespers, Prayer in
the Narthex, blessing of loaves, homily and Matins and Divine Liturgy,
concluding with blessing of the table around 1 am. This is a spiritual
opportunity for those who humbly desire to feel the living presence of God
within them.

Vespers
This coming Saturday evening, Vespers, 5.30 pm 6.15 pm.

Annual General Meeting of the Philoptohos

Last Sunday 21st October at 3 pm, the Annual General Meeting of our
Philoptohos was held in our Community Centre. There was a report on
some 100 functions organized by members of the Philoptohos in
cooperation with the members of the Executive Committee. It has been a
very blessed year, during which our Philoptohos has donated about $60
000 to various philanthropic causes in Australia, Greece and Madagascar.
On behalf of the Parish, Fr Stavros thanked the indefatigable volunteers
from the bottom of his heart for their sacrificial love in action.

Meeting of the Organizing Committee for the Norwood Greek Festival 2012
The first meeting of the Committee organizing the next Greek Festival was
held last Monday 22nd October in our Community Centre.

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Bible Study
Last Wednesday, we had the opportunity to discuss Two actions and Two
wills of Christ. This Wednesday, we shall study Church as the Kingdom of
Christ. Discussions are in English, with Greek as required. The studies are
suitable for all, especially those who have not attended catechism. Groups
meet in the rooms of our Community Centre every Wednesday evening 7
pm 8 pm.

Festival of the Great and Glorious Archangels

With the help of the Most Gracious God, Thursday 8th November this year
marks 53 years since the first Divine Liturgy of our blessed CommunityParish. Our Festival at Prophet Elias is well-known throughout Adelaide.
The program is as follows:

Wednesday 7th November Eve of the Holy Archangels, Great Vespers, 6

pm. Thursday 8th November Day of the Holy Archangels and all the Holy
and Bodiless Powers, Matins and Episcopal Divine Liturgy with artoklasia
and procession of the Holy Icon of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel
around the Church, 8am 11am. His Grace Bishop Nikandros of Doryleon
will officiate and give the sermon. Afterwards, in our Community Hall, His
Grace will bless the lunch prepared by the Executive Committee and
Philoptohos. As usual,there will be no entrance-ticket; a basket of love will
circulate for your contribution. We look forward to seeing you there.

Festival of St Nicholas
The year is passing and the Festival of St Nicholas is nearly upon us.
Prophet Elias is the only Church of our Holy Archdiocese in South Australia
to celebrate this festival annually with Great Vespers, anoixantaria, Holy
Unction and Vigil. The program is as follows:

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Wednesday evening 5th December, Great Vespers with anoixantaria,

artoklasia and homily, 7 pm 8.30 pm. Holy Unction, 8.45 pm 9.45 pm,
followed by Vigil with teaching on the life and work of St Nicholas.

Thursday 6th December Day of St Nicholas, Matins and Divine Liturgy with
artoklasia, homily and procession of the holy icon of the Saint around the
church grounds, 8 am 11 am. Afterwards, delicious lunch of fish, salad
and skordalia in our Community Centre. St Nicholas was truly a man of
faith, meekness, self-control, humility and integrity. The apolytikio of St
Nicholas is one of the most beautiful hymns of praise to a human. All his life
was evidence of his sainthood. As soon as he heard the heretic Arius
blaspheme the deity of Christ during the first Ecumenical Council, he
slapped him in front of everybody present, in front of the Emperor and many
distinguished people. He slapped him because he could not bear the sound
of the lie. His gesture was indicative of the high Orthodox courage of the
saint. Surely, if St Nicholas was among us today, he would slap in the same
manner and even more boldly, all those who falsify the truth. St Nicholas
was also a deeply humble man: out or humility, he hid to avoid being made
Bishop. Thus he would chastise upstarts today: schismatics, heretics and
Protestants who dare to behave with the authority of an Orthodox Bishop.
Today, we can only ask St Nicholas to correct the unwise as he did so long
ago and bring the love of God amongst us.

Donations for the Air-conditioning system

Donations for the air-conditioning system continue to come and we thank
everyone for their various amounts and those who promise to pay little by
little. The members of the Executive Committee take heart from your
financial support of the needs of our Parish.

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