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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

14-10-12
29 . 1421

WEEKLY MAGAZINE

THE WORD OF GOD

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

DATE 14-10-12
YEAR 29TH NUMBER 1421
WEB PAGE: WWW.PROPHETELIAS.ORG.AU
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EMAIL: PROPHETELIAS@ESC.NET.AU

(.3, 8-15) 14 2012

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SUNDAY OF THE HOLY FATHERS (.3, 8-15) 14 October 2012
When our Church commemorates the Holy Fathers of the Ecumenical
Councils, we hear read in our Holy Temples a portion of the Apostle Pauls
third letter to his disciple Titus. This is done because in the advice that he
addressed to Titus he clearly shows the way that all Christians should
behave. At different times there emerged people who wandered away from
the Christian path that the Apostles laid, and so the Ecumenical Councils
were convened with the aim of brining the transgressors to their senses and
strengthening the Orthodox.
The faithful, my brethren they should be certain of the things that they
believe in and they should also put them into practice in their daily lives.
The Apostle Titus carried out his pastoral service willingly, with fervent faith
and absolute devotion, so Paul calls him his brother. He was a worthy coworker of the Gospel and had the rank of high priest. And so, Paul
recognising the living Christian example of Titus decided that it would be
easy for people to believe what he said because he was not a man of words
only but a man of actions.
He instructs Titus to tell the faithful that the things that he says to them are
not just ideas and empty words, but a lived reality. For this reason these
words have certainty and they should listen to them without objection.
Everything must be clear so that no doubts can arise. If we must be clear
about every aspect of our lives, then it must be doubly true on matters of
faith in the True God. ...this is a faithful saying, and these things I want you
to affirm constantly. In these words we see that faith and certainty are two

separate things. However when the faithful person is able to bring these
things together- no matter how separate they may seem- then he has in his
disposition a great treasure. He has a complete picture of the Orthodox
Christian faith. Faith is the letter, and certainty is the signature and seal.
When a person believes all of the things that you say regarding the true
Christian faith, and this faith is accompanied by analogous works and
behaviours, then we have a complete follower of Christ. We say for
example, that God is present everywhere and sees everything, He not only
sees my actions, but reads my thoughts as well, just as He saw Nathaniel
under the fig tree and saw that his heart was without cunning, He sees me
as well. Despite this I continuously fill my mind with disgusting and cunning
thoughts, I work towards my own gain, I take advantage of the weak, I
desire material wealth, and I do all of these things in front of Gods eyes.
The majority of these thoughts and actions I can keep secret from other
people out of embarrassment and fear. What about God then Who sees all
of these disgusting things that I do?

How then do I make such

compromises? The answer is simple, this situation clearly show just how
little faith I really have. Faith tells me that God sees me, but faithlessness
clouds my mind and I carry on as though He cannot see. In this way we sin
every day in Gods sight, and due to the darkness of sin we think that God
does not see us.
In todays apostolic reading we hear Paul say that the faithful have to
support and carry out good works, since these are the things that they
desire and these confirm their belief in the true faith. Our actions are the
proof of our faith.

If our actions and behaviours in our daily lives and

interactions with our fellow man are filled with the Spirit of God, then we
have proof that our faith is true and it is guiding us to the salvation of our

soul. However if our actions are filled with a cunning spirit, then we have
proof that we are faithless, or at the very least, our little faith is little.
Truly we bless all of those Christian heroes of our faith who had faith and
certainty in their faith to carry out philanthropic and God pleasing actions.
We bless them because they sensed the constant presence of God in their
minds and in their hearts, and they carried out their spiritual struggle and
won the blessed life of immortality. Many men and women, of the Old and
New Testament showed themselves to be giants of faith in the True God.
Abraham showed this faith because despite of his old age and that Sarah
was barren it would seem that there was no chance that he would be able
to bring a child into the world, As he lifted the knife to sacrifice Isaac, as
God had commanded him, it seem that nothing would save him from
childlessness. And yet none of these attacks on his senses could reduce
his steely and steadfast faith in Gods words that promised him: for in Isaac
your seed shall be called. (Gen. 21, 12) Brethren compared to Abraham
and all of those believed and lived according to their faith, we are small. Do
you see how we are fooled by our senses and become slaves to our
passions and worldly attachments? Today let us celebrate the Holy Fathers
of our Church, since they are worthy, but above all let us take the decision
to be like them.

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2012.

News from our Commjunity-Parish

Our Schools

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Again the gates of our Greek school have opened wide to receive students for
the last school-term of 2012. We welcome the children and pray that the Lord
may help them to continue zealously their study of the immortal Greek language.

Church Services
This coming Thursday 18th October Day of the Glorious Apostle and Evangelist
St Luke, Matins and Divine Liturgy, 8 am 10 am approx..
This coming Saturday 20th October Day of St Gerasimos of Kefallinia, St
Artemios and St Matrona, Matins and Divine Liturgy, 8 am 10 am.
Saturday evening, Vespers, 5.30 pm 6.30 pm.

28 OCTOBER 1940 DOXOLOGY SERVICE - SUNDAY 28 OCTOBER 2012

This year, the 28th October celebrations including the official Doxology Service
fall on the actual day of the anniversary. After Divine Liturgy, the Doxology for our
National Anniversary (28 October 1940) will take place in our Church.

All

students are required to assemble in the Community Hall at the rear of the
church at 9.30am. Students who do not wish to dress up in national costumes
are to come dressed in blue and white clothing.
Some time prior to the end of the Divine Liturgy, the students of our Greek
School, holding flags and dressed in our national colours of blue and white or in
the national costumes of our Community-Parish, will come into church,
accompanied by the teaching staff.

At about 11.00am, following the Divine

Liturgy, a short Doxology service will be held to commemorate this special

occasion.
Afterwards, there will be a luncheon for everyone in our Community Hall. Whilst
the luncheon is taking place, the Greek School students will recite poems and
songs and our Dance Group will perform to commemorate this special day.
It is our patriotic duty to urge our children to come and take part in our National
Day celebrations. Our National Day celebrations will remind the children not only

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of the victories of our Fatherland but also and above all, the victories against the
occupiers for freedom for all nations and of the individual.
Our Greek National Day celebrations have a universal character.

We arent

celebrating territorial freedom but the ideal of the freedom of man. The words
Death or Freedom send a message to all peoples that death is preferable to
slavery. If the people of the world had this message in their hearts, we would not
have wars and territorial claims.

Every nation would confine itself to its

boundaries and would try to cultivate friendships and trust with all other nations
and not live under uncertainty with hand on trigger.
Today, more than at any other age, it is necessary for our children and grand
children to learn that we are celebrating the freedom not only of Greece, but the
freedom of all nations on the earth. Let us also tell them that the ideal of freedom
cannot succeed without sacrifice and much struggle. We come to commemorate
those fighters who struggled and fell in the field of battle. We come every year to
tell them that we have not forgotten them. That we recognize their struggle and
their superhuman sacrifices. We also reassure them that, now that they are at
rest, their heroic blood has not been wasted.
With these thoughts, we can preserve the spirit of freedom in the hearts of our
children and future generations. This day is an opportunity to show by our living
presence that we are not slaves. Also, to show practically to our children, that we
are not ungrateful, unthankful and enslaved but grateful, thankful and free.
Parents are advised that this event is a compulsory part of the school curriculum
and all students are expected to attend and participate in the Doxology Service.
Your active participation as well as your children's on this important day in our
spiritual and national calendar is very important. We ask that parents bring their
children along and help them to dress up in the communitys national costumes
prior to their entry into the church. Members of the School Committee as well as

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teaching staff will be there to assist parents and coordinate the dressing up of the
students into the communitys costumes.

28th October 1940

Every year, as these historic days for the freedom of our Fatherland approach,
we are filled with feelings of patriotism. Our thoughts focus on the honourable
witness of the patriotic feeling of Greeks around the globe: every Greek, that is,
who does not allow the place where he lives to change his faith in God and his
love for his mother Greece. Alas for those Greeks who sell their religious and
national consciousness, who have forgotten history, who heed not the sacrifices
of our heroic ancestors. Woe to the peoples who do not hear the ceaseless
knock of our indebtedness for unity of mind and soul; who do not hear the
insistent witness of history for the necessity of peace and love amongst peoples.
Our Church continues through the centuries to hold fast the lit beacon of struggle
which is first and foremost the beacon of freedom and martyrdom. The Church
raises it now in our tumultuous days, empowering and enlightening mankind in
our wretched and nightmarish darkness. That which we celebrate every year is
mankinds yearning for freedom. This is the message which as free Greeks, like
the swallows which herald spring, like proud champions of freedom, we are
obliged to pass on to the next generation. On Sunday 28th October, the Doxology
for the National Anniversary of 1940 44 will be held in our Church. Afterwards,
we shall repair to our Community Hall where the students of our Greek school will
recite poems and speeches and perform Greek dances. This is an opportunity to
show practically, parents, grandparents and children, that, though the years pass,
no-one and nothing can extinguish the flame of freedom. Please would students
come dressed in our national colours or the national costumes provided by our
Community-Parish. Your lively and enthusiastic presence, the flag-bedecked
Church, the Greek flag itself, our national dress, together with the National

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Anthem, patriotic poems and songs, create a beautiful atmosphere, which the
children will remember forever. We look forward to you joining us.

Meeing of the Executive Committee

Last Monday evening, the regular monthly meeting of the Executive Committee
was held in our Museum. The topics which were discussed were:
1. Meeting of the Committee of the Annual Festival, Monday 22nd October
2. School celebration of 28th October
3. Annual General Meeting, Sunday 4th November
4. The Forty-Day Church Services from 14th November
5. Festival of St Nikolaos, 5th 6th December
6. Publication of calendars 2013
7. School exams, 2nd December
8. Christmas function, Sunday 23rd December
9. New Years Eve Dance, 31st December
10.

Norwood Annual Festival 9th March 2013

11.

Glenelg Festival

Also sorted were various details of the functions and the upkeep of our blessed
Community-Parish. Please would you note the above dates so we can come
together for these functions.

Bible Study
Last Wednesday, we had the opportunity to discuss the God-Man Lord as
presented in Holy Scripture. This Wenesday, we shall study the God-Man nature
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 7pm - 8pm.

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.

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Even people who have already donated continue to offer whatever they have in
surplus and we thank them especially.

Update of Addresses
Every ten years approximately, we update the record of addresses of our blessed
parisioners. The period of ten years incurs significant change. Please would you
complete the form at the front counter of our Church, with name, address and
telephone numbers. This is a big help for the priest in the organizing of the
Agiamos of your homes. Please return the forms by 9th December 2012. Thank
you for your cooperation.

Annual General Meeting of the Philoptohos

On Sunday 21ST October at 3 pm, the Annual General Meeting of our Philoptohos
will take place in our Community Centre Hall. Would all ladies who can spare a
few hours to help their fellow-man please join the Committee of our Philoptohos.
Many hands make light work. The Church appeals to all ladies in our Parish to
take part and allow those heroines who have been serving our Parish faithfully for
the last almost fifty years to take a little rest.
Those who do not know what the important role of the Philoptohos entails, come
and learn more at this meeting next Sunday 21ST October. The members of the
Philoptohos who offer wholeheartedly their services are the first to taste the
sweet fruits of their labour. If you have not yet become a member, come and try.
We look forward to welcoming you.