Holy Apostles Orthodox Christian Church

E-Tidings

June 2009


+ PENTECOST, FEAST OF THE HOLY TRINITY – June 7th

The Feast of Holy Pentecost is celebrated each year on the fiftieth day after the Great and Holy Feast of Pascha and ten days after the Feast of the Ascension of Christ. The Feast is always celebrated on a Sunday.

The Feast commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles on the day of Pentecost, a feast of the Jewish tradition. It also celebrates the establishment of the Church through the preaching of the Apostles and the baptism of the thousands who on that day believed in the Gospel message of salvation through Jesus Christ. The Feast is also seen as the culmination of the revelation of the Holy Trinity.

The story of Pentecost is found in the book of The Acts of the Apostles. In Chapter two we are told that the Apostles of our Lord were gathered together in one place. Suddenly, a sound came from heaven like a rushing wind, filling the entire house where they were sitting. Then, tongues of fire appeared, and one sat upon each one of Apostles. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as directed by the Spirit (Acts 2:1-4).

This miraculous event occurred on the Jewish Feast of Pentecost, celebrated by the Jews on the fiftieth day after the Passover as the culmination of the Feast of Weeks (Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:10). The Feast of Weeks began on the third day after the Passover with the presentation of the first harvest sheaves to God, and it concluded on Pentecost with the offering of two loaves of unleavened bread, representing the first products of the harvest (Leviticus 23:17-20; Deuteronomy 16:9-10).

Since the Jewish Feast of Pentecost was a great pilgrimage feast, many people from throughout the Roman Empire were gathered in Jerusalem on this day. When the people in Jerusalem heard the sound, they came together and heard their own languages being spoken by the Apostles (Acts 2:5-6). The people were amazed, knowing that some of those speaking were Galileans, and not men who would normally speak many different languages. They wondered what this meant, and some even thought the Apostles were drunk (Acts 2:7-13).

Peter, hearing these remarks, stood up and addressed the crowd. He preached to the people regarding the Old Testament prophecies about the coming of the Holy Spirit. He spoke about Jesus Christ and His death and glorious Resurrection. Great conviction fell upon the people, and they asked the Apostles, “What shall we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38-39). The Bible records that on that day about three thousand were baptized. Following, the book of Acts states that the newly baptized continued daily to hear the teaching of the Apostles, as the early Christians met together for fellowship, the breaking of bread, and for prayer. Many wonderful signs and miracles were done through the Apostles, and the Lord added to the Church daily those who were being saved (Acts 2:42-47).



Photo: Icon of Pentecost

+ Holy Apostles Peter and Paul – June 29th

The divinely-blessed Peter was from Bethsaida of Galilee. He was the son of Jonas and the brother of Andrew the First-called. He was a fisherman by trade, unlearned and poor, and was called Simon; later he was renamed Peter by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Who looked at him and said, “Thou art Simon the son of Jonas; thou shalt be called Cephas (which is by interpretation, Peter)” (John 1:42). On being raised by the Lord to the dignity of an Apostle and becoming inseparable from Him as His zealous disciple, he followed Him from the beginning of His preaching of salvation up until the very Passion, when, in the court of Caiaphas the high priest, he denied Him thrice because of his fear of the Jews and of the danger at hand. But again, after many bitter tears, he received complete forgiveness of his transgression. After the Resurrection of Christ and the descent of the Holy Spirit, he preached in Judea, Antioch, and certain parts of Asia, and finally came to Rome, where he was crucified upside down by Nero, and thus he ascended to the eternal habitations about the year 66 or 68, leaving two Catholic (General) Epistles to the Church of Christ.

Paul, the chosen vessel of Christ, the glory of the Church, the Apostle of the Nations and teacher of the whole world, was a Jew by race, of the tribe of Benjamin, having Tarsus as his homeland. He was a Roman citizen, fluent in the Greek language, an expert in knowledge of the Law, a Pharisee, born of a Pharisee, and a disciple of Gamaliel, a Pharisee and notable teacher of the Law in Jerusalem. For this cause, from the beginning, Paul was a most fervent zealot for the traditions of the Jews and a great persecutor of the Church of Christ; at that time, his name was Saul (Acts 22:3-4). In his great passion of rage and fury against the disciples of the Lord, he went to Damascus bearing letters of introduction from the high priest. His intention was to bring the disciples of Christ back to Jerusalem in bonds. As he was approaching Damascus, about midday there suddenly shone upon him a light from Heaven. Falling on the earth, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?” And he asked, “Who art Thou, Lord?” And the Lord said, “I am Jesus Whom thou persecutest; it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” And that heavenly voice and brilliance made him tremble, and he was blinded for a time. He was led by the hand into the city, and on account of a divine revelation to the Apostle Ananias (see Oct. 1), he was baptized by him, and both his bodily and spiritual eyes were opened to the knowledge of the Sun of Righteousness. And straightway- O wondrous transformation! - beyond all expectation, he spoke with boldness in the synagogues, proclaiming that “Christ is the Son of God” (Acts 9:1-21).

As for his zeal in preaching the Gospel after these things had come to pass, as for his unabating labors and afflictions of diverse kinds, the wounds, the prisons, the bonds, the beatings, the stonings, the shipwrecks, the journeys, the perils on land, on sea, in cities, in wildernesses, the continual vigils, the daily fasting, the hunger, the thirst, the nakedness, and all those other things that he endured for the Name of Christ, and which he underwent before nations and kings and the Israelites, and above all, his care for all the churches, his fiery longing for the salvation of all, whereby he became all things to all men, that he might save them all if possible, and because of which, with his heart aflame, he continuously traveled throughout all parts, visiting them all, and like a bird of heaven flying from Asia and Europe, the West and East, neither staying nor abiding in any one place - all these things are related incident by incident in the Book of the Acts, and as he himself tells them in his Epistles. His Epistles, being fourteen in number, are explained in 250 homilies by the divine Chrysostom and make manifest the loftiness of his thoughts, the abundance of the revelations made to him, the wisdom given to him from God, wherewith he brings together in a wondrous manner the Old with the New Testaments, and expounds the mysteries thereof which had been concealed under types; he confirms the doctrines of the Faith, expounds the ethical teaching of the Gospel, and demonstrates with exactness the duties incumbent upon every rank, age, and order of man. In all these things his teaching proved to be a spiritual trumpet, and his speech was seen to be more radiant than the sun, and by these means he clearly sounded forth the word of truth and illumined the ends of the world. Having completed the work of his ministry, he likewise ended his life in martyrdom when he was beheaded in Rome during the reign of Nero, at the same time, some say, when Peter was crucified.



Photo: The Holy Glorious and All-Praised Leader of the Apostles, Peter and Paul

+ Orthodox Tribute to Famed Priest Aptly Makes the Case that Diversity Covers more than Race and Sexuality

From the Minneapolis Post By Michael J. Bonafield | Wednesday, May 6, 2009

A dear friend and former colleague in California once remarked acerbically that “San Diego County is about 4,100 square miles wide and half an inch deep.” His point in context was that most residents of the place had no idea of the area’s history — and likely would have cared less, anyway.

One suspects the same holds true for most people in the Twin Cities.

Oh, sure, we all know (vaguely) about the flour barons and the milling empire that arose on the banks of the Mississippi, and something of the heyday of the huge steam locomotives that powered commerce in the metro area. But the deep history and remarkable cultural diversity of the area probably remain a mystery to most of us.

For example, not many people know that Minneapolis produced a saint — Alexis Toth, a priest of the Russian Orthodox Church who originally was sent here in the late 19th century from a province of the Austro-Hungarian Empire that today is part of the Slovak Republic.

The story is complicated, as befits the part of the world from which Toth hailed. He wasn’t even an Orthodox priest when he arrived here, but, rather, the pastor of a congregation of several hundred souls who were Greek Catholics, or Uniates, an Eastern branch of Catholicism in communion with Rome.

Father Alexis presented his credentials, as protocol dictated, to Roman Catholic Archbishop John Ireland in St. Paul. The legendary Ireland was a larger-than-life cleric who ruled the diocese with an iron hand. The meeting between the meek Toth and the leonine Ireland was not the archbishop’s finest hour. Toth was promptly shown the door after a dressing down by Ireland, who a) viewed the polyglot-tongued Uniates as antithetical to his determination to Americanize the Catholic church, and b) was irate that Toth was married, a dispensation granted by Rome to Eastern-rite clergy notwithstanding.

Hurt and angry at what had transpired, Toth’s congregation prevailed on him to petition the Imperial Russian Consulate in San Francisco for help, which was forthcoming. Father Alexis traveled to the Coast, no mean feat in those days, for a meeting with Bishop Vladimir, who subsequently came to Minneapolis to receive Toth and his 361 parishioners into the Russian Orthodox Church.

It was the first in a long list of conversions that eventually included various Eastern-rite parishes as far east as Pennsylvania. Through Toth’s efforts, more than 20,000 Carpatho-Russians and Galicians were embraced by the Orthodox Church. Moreover, the church has documented miracles over the years that it attributes to the intercession of Toth, who died on May 7, 1909.

To mark the centennial of Toth’s repose, St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral in northeast Minneapolis will celebrate his life with a lecture and a special program on May 7th that includes Metropolitan Jonah of North America and Canada and Archbishop Job of the Diocese of the Midwest.

“When the Russian Orthodox Church accepted the Greek Catholics in Minneapolis, freely and generously and without demands, because it was the right thing to do, the church took a very big risk,” said Archpriest Andrew Morbey, the cathedral’s dean. “It was willing to reach out, to bless particular customs and practices, to integrate and celebrate cultural diversity and traditions to the greater glory of God and his church. It did this in Alaska, in Korea and China and Japan — and here in America, starting in Minneapolis!”

Say diversity these days and you are understood to be speaking almost exclusively in terms of race or sexuality. That’s too bad, for diversity is an exceptionally large, vibrant and multifaceted tapestry; among its more dazzling threads are the various creeds that Americans profess.

Full disclosure: I am a convert to Orthodoxy and a communicant of St. Mary’s. Our large and diverse parish is composed of people whose heritage includes Irish, Italian, Greek, Scottish, Ukrainian, Slovakian, Slovenian, Russian, Canadian, Polish, Ethiopian and Armenian. I’ve even met an Orthodox Jew at the cathedral. My heritage is French. Viva la diversité.



Photo: The Holy Alexis Toth


+ St. Elijah in Oklahoma City to Conduct pan-Orthodox effort to reveal Orthodoxy

Oklahoma City has been chosen to be the first out of six cities for a major pan-orthodox effort to bring the Orthodox Faith to America. The massive pan-Orthodox evangelistic effort will take place during May and June, 2009. Over the next several weeks the Greater Oklahoma City Area will be saturated with the message of “Discover Orthodoxy.” The advertising will culminate in a Special Two-Day Pan-Orthodox Event held at St. Elijah on Friday and Saturday, June 19th and 20th.

For more information please go to: Discover Orthodoxy


+ Development Committee Presents Master Site Plan Recommendation

The parish Development Committee made its initial recommendation to the Parish Council at the May council meeting. The committee presented a report on activities to date, a recommendation for facility and property development, an outline for consideration for how the parish should proceed and a draft drawing of the proposed site plan. Council members had several questions about the plan and asked the committee to attend the June meeting as a follow-up. At the June meeting the committee is to provide the council with a recommendation for the architect/engineering firm to be used for the completion of a comprehensive site plan and to answer any additional questions the council may have regarding the committee’s report.

To view the committee’s report please follow the following link (May take a moment to load): Development Report


+ Mid-Pentecost Event Held in Dallas

The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America gathered in Dallas, Texas May 11th through 14th to honor His Eminence, Archbishop Dmitri who recently retired as the ruling hierarch of the Diocese of the South. The four-day event included a meeting of the Diocesan Council and a meeting of the Holy Synod of Bishops. Great Vespers was celebrated on May 12th before the Holy Synod hosted His Eminence to a celebratory private dinner. On Wednesday, May 13th, the entire Synod of the Orthodox Church in America concelebrated the Divine Liturgy at St. Seraphim Cathedral on the Feast of Mid-Pentecost with clergy and laity from across the diocese in attendance. A meal hosted by the Cathedral faithful followed the Liturgy. The gathering following the Liturgy was blessed to have Metropolitan Isaiah of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in attendance to honor Archbishop Dmitri. On Thursday, May 14th, the clergy of the Dallas deanery met at St Seraphim Cathedral to elect a new dean (Our own past parish priest Fr. Seraphim Hipsh was elected Dean. AXIOS!). The Holy Apostles parish was well represented at the event with Father Ambrose and Family, Amanda Hamm, Walker and Diana Hanson, Connie and Andrew Johnson, George Michalopulos, Amanda and Gideon Seaman, Steven Tolbert, and the Yates family in attendance.



Photo: Metropolitan JONAH and OCA Hierarchs with Archbishop DMITRI
Photo: The Clergy and Faithful at the Mid-Pentecost Liturgy
Photo: Metropolitan ISAIAH (GOAA) and Metropolitan JONAH chat following the Divine Liturgy

+ Mid-Pentecost Event in Dallas - A visitors perspective by Gideon Seaman

On Tuesday afternoon, my wife and I left Tulsa, Oklahoma for our four and a half hour pilgrimage to Dallas, Texas. We were anxious to see the celebratory Divine Liturgy honoring the now retired Archbishop Dmitri. Coming from a traditional Anglican background, we were excited to attend this rare gathering of Archbishops and priests. In attendance to this Liturgy were Metropolitan Jonah, Archbishop Dmitri, Archbishop Nathaniel, Archbishop Job, Archbishop Seraphim, Bishop Nikon, Bishop Tikhon, and Bishop Benjamin. Although we arrived too late for the Vespers service on Tuesday, we did get a chance to meet a number of the Bishops while we talked with friends in the hotel lobby.

The next day, we took a short drive from our hotel to the cathedral. The cathedral itself was beautiful. Supported by tall arches, a golden onion dome crowned the top of the church, which proudly held high the Cross of Christ. Dominating the interior space was a large golden candelabra suspended from the circular domed ceiling. The dome itself was covered with icons of theophanies of Christ, while all around were icons of saints catching the sun with their golden halos.

The Liturgy was magnificent—the choirs angelic, the bishops regal, the ceremonies reverent. The whole nave was filled with love and joy, spilling out of the doors into the quiet street. When it came time for Metropolitan Jonah to give his homily, I was not disappointed. Speaking of what the Orthodox Christian faith truly is, he gave Archbishop Dmitri as an appropriate example. Archbishop Dmitri spent nearly his entire life serving the Church, planting missions, translating liturgical documents, and faithfully guiding his flock to deeper knowledge and love of God.

This trip for me was a glimpse into the leadership of the OCA. I had ample opportunity to personally speak with both Archbishop Dmitri and Metropolitan Jonah, along with Bishop Benjamin and Archbishop Nathaniel. The most important thing that I came away with from our all-too-short trip was the fraternal love amongst the clergy. They actually love God and each other! When speaking with these holy men, there was no pretense, no façade—they are who they are. They do not try to be bishops—they are bishops!

Driving home, my wife and I were sad to leave, but incredibly excited to have experienced such a wonderful occasion. Although Archbishop Dmitri is now retired, we have holy and devout men who follow in his footsteps. Under the leadership of men like Metropolitan Jonah and Archbishop Dmitri, I am confident that the Orthodox Church in America will continue to draw people from all backgrounds to be the living example of Christ’s Church. Many years to them all!



+ Metropolitan Jonah Attends Building Dedication

During two days of festivities in St. Augustine Florida on May 21st and 22nd, Metropolitan Jonah participated in the dedication of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center’s new Archbishop Anastasios and Archbishop Demetrios Missionary Training and Administration Building.

The new building was named in honor of Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durres, and All Albania and Archbishop Demetrios of America (GOAA), who led the ceremonies. The Aghiasmos (Holy Blessing) service was held under a tent at the entrance of the new building with intense rain throughout the festivities. Archbishop Demetrios presided over the service along with Archbishop Anastasios and Metropolitan Jonah.

About 300 people attended the blessing ceremony under a strong downpour. Those in attendance were hierarchs of SCOBA (Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas) or their representatives, from all Orthodox jurisdictions in America, the board of directors and staff of OCMC, missionaries and Mission Team members, benefactors and donors to the successful capital campaign which provided funding for the project, and Orthodox clergy and laity from throughout the country.



Photo: Metropolitan Jonah at the OCMC Building Dedication

+ Pentecost Potluck Luncheon

Please join Holy Apostles on Sunday, June 7th for the commemoration of Pentecost. Hours begin at 9:10am followed by Divine Liturgy at 9:30am. A potluck meal will follow Divine Liturgy. Judith (Mary) Dunbar will have a sign-up sheet at the community building for needed items.



+ Happy Trails

Although only with us a few short months, we want to wish the best for our dear friends Gideon and Amanda Seaman as they move to Chico, California to be closer to family and their childhood home. It has been a pleasure to have them with us as they began their journey into the discovery of Orthodoxy. We will miss them while praying that God will grant them many years of happiness.


Photo: Many Years Dear Friends

We also want to wish the best to Laura (Mary of Egypt) Hattle who is moving to North Carolina where her mother and father reside. George and Elizabeth Hattle have been visitors to our parish on many occasions and are dear friends of Holy Apostles. Laura and her family were original members of the parish and Laura served as choir director during the early years of the parish. We pray for her happiness and long life.


Photo: Laura and Kayla (Elizabeth)

+ Mission Vespers to be Held in Claremore

A vespers service will be held at the home of Matthew and Rachel Floyd on Sunday evening, June 14th. Anyone who can make it to the service is invited to attend. The Floyd’s address is 609 W 18th St South, Claremore, OK.

Please find a map to the Floyd’s home at: Google Map


+ Podcasts Now on Web Site

The Holy Apostles web site now offers podcasting of weekly Gospel readings and homilies. Many thanks to our web master Andrew Johnson for making this technology available.

Please follow this link for podcasts: Homily Podcasts


+ Important Dates in June

* Special Services: Vespers with St. Tikhon’s Seminary Choir, 6:30pm, Monday, June 1st. Hours and Divine Liturgy with St. Tikhon’s Seminary Choir, 9:10am, Tuesday, June 2nd. Hours and Divine Liturgy, Holy Spirit, 9:10am, Monday, June 8th. Hours and Divine Liturgy, Peter and Paul, 9:10am, Monday, June 29th. Hours and Divine Liturgy, Synaxis of the Twelve Holy Apostles, 9:10am, Tuesday, June 30th.
* Home School COOP - Tuesdays at 9:30am
* Choir Practice – Wednesdays following Daily Vespers
* Inquires Class – Wednesdays following Daily Vespers
* Book Review – Fridays 6:30pm at the Community Building
* Please Note – Church School classes have ended until the Fall


+ June Feast Days and Commemorations

June 7: Pentecost - Feast of the Holy Trinity; June 8: The Holy Spirit; June 11: Holy Apostles Bartholomew and Barnabas; June 15: Beginning of Apostles Fast; June 19: Holy Apostle Jude, Brother of the Lord; June 24: Nativity of St. John the Baptist; June 29: Holy Apostles Peter and Paul; June 30: Synaxis of the Twelve Holy Apostles.



+ Men’s Group Luncheons

All men of the parish are invited to break bread together at a monthly luncheon. Be looking for a monthly email notice from George Michalopulos for the next event. To be added to the email notice list please contact George at (918) 557-7380.



+ Woman’s Group Meeting

On Tuesday, May 26th, the Orthodox woman’s group met at the home of Megan Ivanova. The group discussed summer plans and worked to finalize ideas for a retreat. The group also studied portions of the book “Beginning to Pray” by Anthony Bloom. The woman’s group is coordinated by Sandy Bryant. For more information about the group please contact Sandy at (918) 376-2882.



+ Men’s Pilgrimage to West Virginia Monastery Being Planned

A summertime men’s pilgrimage to the Hermitage of the Holy Cross in Wayne, West Virginia is being planned. The journey is being considered for July 17th through 20th for adult men ages 18 and older. Travel costs for the trip are being evaluated and will be shared equally by those who make the trip. For more information or to reserve your space, please contact Mike McClendon via email at 2oilburner@gmail.com or by phone at (918) 691-1392.


You can visit the hermitage web site at: Hermitage of the Holy Cross


Photo: Hermitage of the Holy Cross during Pilgrimage Week 2008

+ Word of the Month: “NESTORIANISM”

Nestorianism is a Christological heresy which originated in the Church in the 5th century out of an attempt to rationally explain and understand the incarnation of the divine Logos, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity as the man Jesus Christ. Nestorianism teaches that the human and divine essences of Christ are separate and that there are two persons, the man Jesus Christ and the divine Logos, which dwelt in the man. Thus, Nestorians reject such terminology as “God suffered” or “God was crucified”, because they believe that the man Jesus Christ suffered. Likewise, they reject the term Theotokos (Giver of birth to God) for the Virgin Mary, using instead the term Christotokos (giver of birth to Christ) or Anthropotokos (giver of birth to a man).

The fiercest opposition to Nestorianism came from St Cyril of Alexandria, a theologian from the Alexandrian school. In a series of epistles and letters to Nestorius, Emperor Theodore II, and Empress Eudoxia, St Cyril outlined the Orthodox teaching and accused Nestorius of heresy. St Cyril then wrote to Pope Celestine of Rome about the teaching of Nestorius. In 430, Pope Celestine called a council at Rome, which condemned Nestorius and called for him to be deposed. Pope Celestine sent copies of the council’s decision to St Cyril of Alexandria, who also called a council in Alexandria in 430. At this council, St Cyril issued his famous 12 anathemas against Nestorius.

OrthodoxWiki Link


+ Father Ambrose Regular Office Hours

Father Ambrose is now be available at the church for confession or counseling throughout the week. The office hours are Tuesdays, 10:30am – 2:00pm; Thursdays, 7:30am – 9:30am; and Fridays, 10:00am – 1:00pm. As always, Father Ambrose is available by appointment at (918) 638-9854.



+ June Reader’s Schedule

The schedule for Reader’s has been published for June. Please find the schedule at the following link: June Reader’s Schedule


+ June Server Schedule

The schedule for the Altar Servers has been published for June. Please find the schedule at the following link: June Altar Server’s Schedule


+ Bookstore

Please remember that you can utilize the mission’s Bookstore to order icons, incense, prayer ropes, jewelry, and other Orthodox items. Also, if you have a particular selection you feel the Bookstore should carry please bring it to Amanda Hamm’s attention. The Bookstore will do its best to stock those items which aid in pointing you to a more deep and rich spiritual life in Christ.



+ “Come Receive the Light”

The Orthodox syndicated radio program “Come Receive the Light” has been airing in Tulsa since November 2004. The half-hour program, based in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, aires on KCFO Christian Talk Radio 970AM each Sunday at 9:30am. When possible please consider listening to this informative and interesting broadcast centering on the Orthodox Church.

For more information and podcast programs please visit: Come Receive the Light


+ New Parish Directory Coming Soon

The new 2008-2009 Parish Directory will be available during the second week of June. The directory will contain family names, phone numbers, addresses, email addresses and the Christian names of parish members. Please see George Michalopulos for a copy of the directory.



+ New Divine Liturgy Booklet

Final work continues to update our parish Divine Liturgy booklet to match the translations used in the service. The booklet is in the final draft stage and is awaiting approval to go to the printer.



+ Parish Financial Report

Many thanks to everyone who has so generously supported Holy Apostles. The monthly parish financial reports are being posted on the bulletin board in the Community Building. Anyone with questions about parish finances can contact parish Treasurer Phil Dunbar or Father Ambrose.


If you would like to contribute information or photos to the E-Tidings newsletter please send information to John Sames at etidings@holyapostlesorthodox.org. Submissions should be received by the 20th of each month.