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St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2017-02-05
Bulletin Contents
News from the Pews
Saints and Feasts
Wisdom of the Fathers
Message from His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese News
Assembly of Bishops News
Allsaint
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St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (806) 798-1828
  • Fax:
  • (806) 798-1828
  • Street Address:

  • 6001 81st Street

  • Lubbock, TX 79493
  • Mailing Address:

  • 6001 81st Street

  • Lubbock, TX 79493

Contact Information

Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Peter DeFonce


pdefonce@yahoo.com | 1(806)392-3325

Services Schedule

Service Schedule for June:
Saturday 5/27 6:00 p.m.: Great Vespers
(NOTE NEW SUMMER SUNDAY LITURGY TIMES!)
Sunday 5/28 8:20 a.m.: Orthros
                    9:30 a.m.: Divine Liturgy (Sunday of the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council)

Saturday 6/3 9:00 a.m.: Saturday of Souls Divine Liturgy (with Kollyva)
                    6:00 p.m.: Great Vespers
Sunday 6/4 8:20 a.m.: Orthros
                  9:30 a.m.: Divine Liturgy (Pentecost)
Kneeling Vespers immediately following Divine Liturgy
Monday 6/5 8:00 a.m.: Divine Liturgy (Monday of the Holy Spirit)

Saturday 6/10 6:00 p.m.: Great Vespers
Sunday 6/11 8:20 a.m.: Orthros
                    9:30 a.m.: Divine Liturgy (1st Sunday of Matthew, All Saints)
Monday 6/12 Apostles’ Fast begins

Saturday 6/17 6:00 p.m.: Great Vespers
Sunday 6/18 8:20 a.m.: Orthros
                    9:30 a.m.: Divine Liturgy (2nd Sunday of Matthew)

Saturday 6/24 9:00 a.m.: Divine Liturgy (Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist)
Sunday 6/25 8:20 a.m.: Orthros
                    9:30 a.m.: Divine Liturgy (3rd Sunday of Matthew)

Wednesday 6/28 6:00 p.m.: Great Vigil with Artoklasia
Thursday 6/29 8:00 a.m.: Divine Liturgy (Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles’ Fast ends)
Friday 6/30 8:00 a.m.: Divine Liturgy (Feast of the Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles)
Saturday 7/1 6:00 p.m.: Great Vespers
Sunday 7/2 8:20 a.m.: Orthros
                  9:30 a.m.: Divine Liturgy (4th Sunday of Matthew)

Past Bulletins


News from the Pews

February News

02/05/2016

News from the Pews

Please contact Sarah Fountain at your earliest convenience about any announcements, prayer concerns, or activities that you wish to be included in the monthly newsletter. (She will be the first to say that she is not very "in the know!") Her e-mail is listed at the end of New from the Pews.

Fr. Peter will continue performing house blessings until Sunday, February 19.  Please contact him as soon as possible to schedule a time for him to come bless your house.

Tracy and Crystal Edwards invite you to their marriage ceremony at St. Andrew’s Church on Saturday, February 11, 2017 at 1100 a.m. and to the reception following in the church hall.  Please RSVP to 806-544-9506.

There will be Memorial Divine Liturgies on three Soul Saturdays as we enter into Great Lent (2/18, 2/25, 3/4).  Kollyva is needed for each of these services.  Please contact Fr. Peter if you are willing to provide the kollyva.

The parish survey will be mailed out to every household with a mailing address in our parish directory in the next week or so.  Please complete the survey only once as completely and as accurately as possible.  Survey results will be kept anonymous.  All survey results, either online or paper, will need to be submitted by March 1 (the first Wednesday of Great Lent).  If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Fountain (sarah.fountain@huskers.unl.edu) The online version of the survey can be accessed by clicking on the following link:

St. Andrew's Parish Survey 2017

A Note from Fr. Peter Regarding Fasting and Abstinence During Great Lent:

In general, during the Great Fast, Orthodox Christians abstain from all animal products and pleasurable fats (meat, fish, eggs, all dairy products, wine, and olive oil), with more experienced members further abstaining from marital relations, television, secular radio, films, and as far as possible even the internet.  Additionally, we fast by eating significantly less at all mealtimes; we ought not be "full/satiated" at any meal between Mondaymorning and Friday night.  Beyond that, some eat only an early breakfast, and no lunch, or at any rate at least a very modest one.  On the first two days of Lent, and during Great and Holy Week, we further restrict ourselves to the extent of our physical abilities, God helping and guiding us.

 
It is from this latter understanding of "fasting" that we are dispensed on weekends, and on Great Feasts such as the Annunciation; while we abstain from non-fasting foods as on weekdays--except for wine and olive oil, which are permitted on weekends and certain weekday commemorations--we may eat normal amounts at mealtimes, stopping once we are "full" or "satiated."
 
Having taken away so many normally acceptable things, this frees the Orthodox to add back other things to their lives, helping to kindle the refining fire of repentance and the acquisition of humility, including: Scripture study, the reading of the Holy Fathers (especially the monastics), prostrations and the Penitential Prayer of Saint Ephraim of Syria (weekdays only!), unseen acts of charity for which we cannot be thanked, giving alms to the poor, and--perhaps most importantly--receiving the Mystery of Holy Confession.  The overall message: let us fill our time with the things of God.

Services for the month of February: 

Wednesday 2/1 6:00 p.m.: Vigil with Artoklasia
Thursday 2/2 8:00 a.m.: Divine Liturgy (Feast of the Meeting of Our Lord
                                    in the Temple)

Saturday 2/4  6:00 p.m.: Great Vespers
Sunday 2/5    8:50 a.m.: Orthros
                    10:00 a.m.: Divine Liturgy (16th Sunday of Saint Luke: the
                                       Publican and the Pharisee)
                     FAST FREE WEEK 2/5-2/11
Monday 2/6    8:00 a.m.: Divine Liturgy (Feast of Saint Photios)

Tuesday 2/7-Friday 2/10: Metropolis of Denver Clergy Retreat (Fr. Peter
                                       will be out of town)

Saturday 2/11 6:00 p.m.: Great Vespers
Sunday 2/12   8:50 a.m.: Orthros
                     10:00 a.m.: Divine Liturgy (17th Sunday of Saint Luke: the
                                       Prodigal Son)

Saturday, 2/18 9:00 a.m.: Soul Saturday Memorial Liturgy
                      6:00 p.m.: Great Vespers
Sunday 2/19   8:50 a.m.: Orthros
                     10:00 a.m.: Divine Liturgy (Meat Fare Sunday: Judgement
                                       Sunday)

Saturday 2/25 9:00 a.m.: Soul Saturday Memorial Liturgy
                     6:00 p.m.: Great Vespers
Sunday 2/26 
8:50 a.m.: Orthros
                   10:00 a.m.: Divine Liturgy (Cheese Fare Sunday: Forgiveness
                                      Sunday)
                    7:00 p.m., Forgiveness Vespers.

Monday 2/27: 7:00 p.m., Compline, with the Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete.
Tuesday 2/28: 7:00 p.m., Compline, with the Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete.
Wednesday 3/1: 6:00 p.m., Ninth Hour & Presanctified Liturgy, followed by a
                                         parish fasting potluck.
Thursday 3/2: 7:00 p.m., Compline, with the Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete.
Friday 3/3: 7:00 p.m., Compline, with the Akathist Hymn.     
Saturday 3/4 9:00 a.m: Soul Saturday Memorial Liturgy
                    6:00 p.m.: Great Vespers

Sunday 3/5 8:50 a.m.: Orthros
                10:00 a.m.: Divine Liturgy (Sunday of Orthodoxy)

Happy Name Day:

February

 6 February              St. Dorothea                    Doris Kallas

10 February             St. Charalampos              Bobby Yiaras
                                                                    Bobby Alexopoulos                                          

12 February            St. Alexis of Moscow         Alexey Ageev

23 February           Venerable Alexander          Alex Swissler

 

Many Thanks to our Prosphora bakers! 

February 2017

2/2: Meeting of the Lord AMANDA MANKOWSKI
2/5 Sunday MILA PAUL
2/12 Sunday MILA PAUL
2/19 Sunday OLGA KAPOSHKO
2/26 Sunday RODICA GELCA

March 2017

3/5 Sunday MILA PAUL
3/12 Sunday MILA PAUL
3/19 Sunday OLGA KAPOSHKO
3/26 Sunday MILA PAUL

 

COFFEE HOUR TEAMS

February 5: Nadia DeFonce and Brandi Schreiber

February 12: Kathi Hovey and Elene Georgopoulos

February 19: Church Luncheon (Meat Fare Sunday – Last day for meat,
                    meat products, etc.)

February 26: Prudence Kouris and Karen Keck (Cheese Fare Sunday –
                    Last day for dairy, dairy products, or eggs). 

Please send corrections or additions to sarah.fountain@huskers.unl.edu


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Saints and Feasts

Allsaint
February 05

Polyeuktos, Partriarch Of Constantinople

Publphar
February 05

Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee: Triodion Begins Today

The Pharisees were an ancient and outstanding sect among the Jews known for their diligent observance of the outward matters of the Law. Although, according to the word of our Lord, they "did all their works to be seen of men" (Matt. 23:5), and were hypocrites (ibid. 23: 13, 14, 15, etc.), because of the apparent holiness of their lives they were thought by all to be righteous, and separate from others, which is what the name Pharisee means. On the other hand, Publicans, collectors of the royal taxes, committed many injustices and extortions for filthy lucre's sake, and all held them to be sinners and unjust. It was therefore according to common opinion that the Lord Jesus in His parable signified a virtuous person by a Pharisee, and a sinner by a Publican, to teach His disciples the harm of pride and the profit of humble-mindedness.

Since the chief weapon for virtue is humility, and the greatest hindrance to it is pride, the divine Fathers have set these three weeks before the Forty-day Fast as a preparation for the spiritual struggles of virtue. This present week they have called Harbinger, since it declares that the Fast is approaching; and they set humility as the foundation for all our spiritual labors by appointing that the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee be read today, even before the Fast begins, to teach, through the vaunting of the Pharisee, that the foul smoke of self-esteem and the stench of boasting drives away the grace of the Spirit, strips man of all his virtue, and casts him into the pits of Hades; and, through the repentance and contrite prayer of the Publican, that humility confers upon the sinner forgiveness of all his wicked deeds and raises him up to the greatest heights.

All foods are allowed the week that follows this Sunday.

Allsaint
February 05

Antonios the New Martyr of Athens

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Wisdom of the Fathers

It is possible for those who have come back again after repentance to shine with much lustre, and oftentimes more than those who have never fallen at all, I have demonstrated from the divine writings. Thus at least both the publicans and the harlots inherit the kingdom of Heaven, thus many of the last are placed before the first.
St. John Chrysostom
AN EXHORTATION TO THEODORE AFTER HIS FALL, 4th Century

When lately we made mention of the Pharisee and the publican, and hypothetically yoked two chariots out of virtue and vice; we pointed out each truth, how great is the gain of humbleness of mind, and how great the damage of pride.
St. John Chrysostom
CONCERNING LOWLINESS OF MIND., 4th Century

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Message from His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios

Archbishop-demetrios

Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for National Leadership 100 Sunday - October 23, 2016

10/11/2016

http://www.goarch.org/news/leadershipsunday2016
On this Sunday, October 23, the Feast of Saint Iakovos, we give thanks first to God whose love was revealed among us in sending his Son into the world so that we might love through him (I John 4:9), for the love manifested by the benevolent energies of the members of Leadership 100 and to celebrate these manifold acts of love and faithfulness now demonstrated for 32 years by the Leadership 100 Endowment Fund, founded by Archbishop Iakovos of Blessed Memory.

Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for OXI Day - October 28, 2016

10/25/2016

http://www.goarch.org/news/oxiday2016
On October 28, 1940, and in the hard days, months, and years that followed, the cry of “OXI” resonated in the hearts and minds of the people of Greece. They made a choice. They remembered their blessed heritage of freedom and the centuries of hardship when liberty was lost. They chose timeless ideals over temporal threats. They chose courage over fear, faith when the immediate future was unknown, and resolve when asked to willingly acquiesce to a stronger, ruthless power. When many others were submitting to false ideologies and regimes of tyranny, the leaders and people of Greece chose to stand and show to the world the true nature of heroism.

Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for the Feast of the Holy Unmercenaries - November 1, 2016

10/28/2016

http://www.goarch.org/news/holyunmercenaries2016
Each year we are led by our National Ladies Philoptochos Society in support of the philanthropic ministries of our beloved Ecumenical Patriarchate. These ministries are vital to the needs of many, and through programs for orphans and the poor, as well as the Baloukli Hospital and elder center, the love of Christ is being offered through compassionate healing and care. Following the example of our Lord, Christians down through the centuries have offered a witness of this love through service and philanthropy, and the Holy Unmercenaries we commemorate on November 1, Saints Cosmas and Damian, are examples of this sacred work.
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Greek Orthodox Archdiocese News

Logo

Public Schedule of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, Jan. 28-30, 2017

01/27/2017

http://www.goarch.org/news/mediaadvisory01272017-en

Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for the Feast of Three Hierarchs and Greek Letters Day - January 30, 2017

01/26/2017

http://www.goarch.org/news/goa_news.2017-01-26.0087848787
Today, their examples and teaching guide us in living in a changing and challenging world. They show us how faith and service, grounded in our knowledge of God and our trust in His divine wisdom, can help us navigate our lives and the complexity of the world around us while keeping our focus on our relationship with God and His promises of abundant blessings and salvation.

Celebration for Three Hierarchs and the Day of Greek Letters

01/25/2017

http://www.goarch.org/news/threehierachsandgreekletterscelebrationjanuary2017-en
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, through its National Department of Greek Education and the Direct Archdiocesan District Office of Education, organizes a series of events in celebration of the Feast of the Three Hierarchs and the Day of Greek Letters.

First Step for New Youth Protection System

01/24/2017

http://www.goarch.org/news/youthprotectionmtng-01242017
Twenty-two youth and camp workers from across the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America gathered, yesterday Mon., Jan. 23, 2017, to begin three days of intensive youth protection and abuse prevention certification.
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Assembly of Bishops News

OCN Share the Light Sunday is January 15, 2017

01/03/2017

http://assemblyofbishops.org/news/2017/ocn-share-the-light-sunday-is-january-15-2017
The Assembly of Bishops has designated January 15, 2017 as Orthodox Christian Network "Share the Light Sunday". Now more than ever, we need to focus on the next generation of Orthodox leaders. The Orthodox Christian Network (OCN) has decided to take this concern and address it in a real and impactful way. In addition to our strong media ministry presence on multiple platforms, we will spend 2017 focusing on identifying and highlighting thirty Orthodox individuals who exhibit strong leadership and mentor skills in their community and who are under the age of thirty.

2017 News

01/03/2017

http://assemblyofbishops.org/news/2017-news1/

Scout Sunday 2017

01/31/2017

http://assemblyofbishops.org/news/2017/scout-sunday
Scout Sunday is an annual event among all faiths which recognize the good work that is done by Scouts in our religious communities. The observance of Scout Sunday tradition was started years ago to make people in the church aware of Scouting, and to allow Scouts to live out of what is pledged each week.
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