Volume 18, Issue 4 April, 2018Page 2 Volume 18, Issue 4 April, 2018 A Message from Father Peter Life...

Volume 18, Issue 4 April, 2018


A Message from Father Peter

Life after Great Lent

Now that we have completed our Lenten Journey and embrace the feast of Pascha, one may ask:

“What is Life after Great Lent?” We have embraced and embarked on a period of spiritual renewal,

fasting, prayer and studying of scripture more intensely during this season than any other season.

Does it end with our celebration and proclamation that Christ is Risen!? Where have our efforts led us

and how are we to live a Lenten life in the days of the Resurrection?

I have often felt a strangeness after Pascha. I have a feeling that I am at a loss of time. I am filled with

joy and gladness in the celebration of the Resurrection, but there is a longing for time spent in prayer

and fasting. It is like tasting something for the first time and then not being able to have it again. The

memory is real, new and fresh, but I have moved on. How do I keep the efforts of my spiritual discipline alive and new in the days

of feasting in the celebration that I have prepared for, the Feast of Feast Holy Pascha? More importantly I need to understand how

my Lenten disciplines have brought me to a new spiritual reality and has brought change into my life.

When the season of Great Lent began with the service of Forgiveness it seemed like the journey was long. As the days turned into

weeks, I began to feel like the time was not enough. I needed more time to do the spiritual disciplines I challenged myself with.

However, I began to realize that that is precisely what I needed to reclaim this lent: to understand that every moment is filled with

the presence of God, and nothing that I can do can undo that reality. What I needed was to accept His presence in my life and not

busy myself with activities but to be still, to let go and let God be. This year brought this home in a unique way, the weather. I

do not remember when I had to cancel so many services due to the weather. They were services that I prepared for and waited

in anticipation, and now I had to let go of the expectation of what I wanted and what God was offering me. Again, I was not in

control. A lesson to be learned.

Now that the journey has come to an end, I must now understand that something has changed in me. I come truly to a

commencement an ending of the old and the beginning of the new. I am given the feast of the Resurrection to fuel this new

beginning. To look at the time and growth that God has allowed me to have and apply it into the new life I am given in the

Resurrection of Christ. It is in this season that the Church teaches us not only the power of the Resurrection, that death is now

abolished and Life reigns, but she will teach me how my Lenten lessons are to be understood in the weeks of Pascha. The

Gospels will focus on the doubts of Thomas, the fear of the Myrhbearing women, and the many healings that Christ has

performed. It is now my time to take my Lenten journey into action and witness. Great Lent gave me the time to reclaim, the

Resurrection gives me the time to proclaim.

I ask you to take time and reflect that there is Life after Great Lent for you. A renewed life that you also have reclaimed for you

to proclaim the new life you now live in the resurrection of Christ. May we together walk on that road to Damascus and feel the

burning in our hearts that allows us to proclaim: Christ is Risen!

Fr. Peter


Please save the dates for the following:

View the master MOG calendar at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bxdc3POE6-QCZ0VlRXZnaFdzWEU/view

Services, Feasts & Special Events:

4/1/2018 Church School @ 9:00 AM

Palm Sunday: Entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem

Divine Liturgy @ 10:00 AM

Palm Sunday: Entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem

4/2/2018 Matins @ 6:30 PM

Great & Holy Monday Bridegroom Matins

4/3/2018 Matins @ 6:30 PM

Great & Holy Tuesday

4/4/2018 Holy Unction @ 6:30 PM

Great & Holy Wednesday Holy Unction

4/5/2018 Vesperal Liturgy @ 9:00 AM

Great & Holy Thursday

Passion Gospels @ 6:30 PM

4/6/2018 Decorate Tomb @ 10:30 AM

Great & Holy Friday

Burial Service @ 3:00 PM

Lamentations @ 6:30 PM

4/7/2018 Divine Liturgy @ 9:00 AM

Great & Holy Saturday

Nocturne @ 11:30 PM

Matins @ 12:00 AM

Paschal Liturgy @ 1:00 AM

HOLY PASCHA:

The Resurrection of Our Lord

4/8/2018 Agape Service @ 12:00 PM

Agape Service (Paschal Vespers)

Parish Picnic @ 1:00 PM

At Home of Fr. Peter & Matuska Jeanne

Bring Favorite Dish for Pascha

HOLY WEEK

4/9/2018 Divine Liturgy @ 9:30 AM

Bright Monday

4/14/2018 Vespers @ 5:00 PM

Potluck Bring Favorite Dish

4/15/2018 Sunday School @ 9:00 AM


Antipascha: St Thomas Sunday

4/20/2018 Vespers @ 5:00 PM

Adult Bible Study @ 6:00 PM


4/21/2018 Vespers @ 5:00 PM




Sunday of the Holy Myrrhbearing Women

Dr. Hinshaw Guest Speaker

4/28/2018 Vespers @ 5:00 PM




Sunday of the Paralytic

5/1/2018 Parish Council Meeting @ 6:30 PM

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bxdc3POE6-QCZ0VlRXZnaFdzWEU/view


CLASSICALRUSSIANSTORY TIME(In Russian)

Once a month on Saturdays at 3:30PM(see dates)We will be reading classics in Russian. Each reading will focus on a particular Christian virtue (kindness, love, gratefulness, obedience). The goal is to help develop children’s appreciation for the beautiful language and re-introduce them to some of the most famous Russian stories, poems and fairy tales. We will also be expanding vocabulary and learning new words. We will finish our session with coloring and / or writing in Russian (depending on the age).

Adult / parent supervision is required. Simple snacks and beverages will be provided at the end of the class.

Age: 5-8 years old

Dates: January 27February 24

March 24April 21May 26

Time: 3:30-4:15PM

Location: Mother of God Church

904 Cherry Hill Rd Princeton, NJ 08540

Story Time isconducted in RUSSIAN only

QUESTIONS?Contact Lana

[email protected]

646-752-1741


The Sisterhood of Saints Mary and Martha March Meeting

In March, the Sisterhood decided to once again send relief packages to the Benedict family in

Thailand, who are still in hiding from the authorities because of their illegal status. If you do not

know, the Benedicts fled from Pakistan in 2009 because the authorities found out that they were

Christians. Christianity is illegal in the Muslim country of Pakistan, punishable by death. They had

passports so they were able to get on a boat which was the nearest and quickest way out of the

country. That boat took them and many others to Thailand. With little money they found themselves

on the steps of a church in Bangkok. The church hooked them up with Life Raft International, a

Christian organization which helps refugees. LRI found them a family who would sponsor them for

$400 a month for a family of 5. They were among the lucky ones. They were able

to get a one room apartment but had no work. The children could not attend school,

so they were homeschooled. Dr. Benedict could not practice medicine. But they were

happy to be alive and thanked Jesus every day for their blessings. Fast forward eight

years, the Benedicts’ passports have expired, their visas ran out and they are now

illegal aliens. The law in Thailand states that illegals need to obtain refugee status

before they are allowed to leave the country, so the Benedicts were put on a list,

waiting for their names to come up. They have been on the list for more than four

years. If they are found out by the authorities, they will be arrested. The prisons are

overcrowded with refugees now. People are dying in these cells. Babies are being

born in these cells. They have very little food, no showers, no plumbing. This is a

desperate situation. If anyone is interested in helping, you can go to LRI’s website at

www.liferaftinternational.com and donate. If you would like to donate to the

Benedicts directly, mention that in the comments. And please pray. Thank you.

Our activity for March was watching the movie “Risen” based on our Lord’s Crucifixion and Resurrection. It is told through the eyes

of a non-believer, Clavius ( Joseph Fiennes), a Roman military tribune, and his aid, Lucius (Tom Felton of “Harry Potter”). They are

tasked with solving the mystery of what happened to Jesus in the weeks following the crucifixion in order to disprove the rumors

of the risen Messiah and prevent an uprising in Jerusalem. An interesting perspective on this life changing event.

Photos by Julie Stell

http://www.liferaftinternational.com


Shop at Amazon, Help MOGMother of God has signed up with Amazon.com’s Associates program allowing us to receive a minimum of 4%

commission off every Amazon order placed through this link. Funds will go towards our capital campaign. For more info,

visit http://mogoca.org/amazon.html.

House Keeping When the weather permits, we will begin planting flowers on the Church property. If you are interested in participating, please let

Ana Benavides know. Thank you.

Books for SaleWe have books for sale on the table near the side entrance of the church.

Arm in ArmMother of God continues to support this program with food donations placed in the collection bin at the side entrance of the Church. Please, as you are shopping, think of those in our community that are in need and bring your offering to the Church. The name of the Crisis Ministry of Mercer County has changed names to Arm in Arm, however, the mission remains the same. Thank you for your support for this program.

Events & Other Announcements

RemindersDr. Hinshaw will be a guest speaker at MOG on Sunday, April 22.

New Sign for the Church

The Parish Council has authorized to contract

for a new sign for the church. We are in the

process of getting estimates and designs. We

are asking for donations to cover the cost -

aprox. $6500. Please see a PC member or Fr.

Peter if you have questions or concerns.

https://www.amazon.com/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=motofgodortch-20

http://mogoca.org/amazon.html


NEW JERSEYCOUNCIL OF CHURCHES

ISSUES & ACTION 2018

Opioids:

The Next Step

Saturday, April 21, 2018; 8:30 – 2:00Trinity Cathedral

801 West State Street, Trenton, NJFor directions to Trinity Cathedral, click here

Keynote Speaker:Daniel B. Hinshaw, M.D.Emeritus Professor of SurgeryUniversity of Michigan School of Medicine

Workshops will include:

· Funding and Legal Issues Related to Prevention and Treatment, Roseanne Scotti, Director, NJ Drug Policy Alliance

· Holistic Approaches to Treatment, Jim O’Brien, Commissioned Minister for Addiction Issues, UCC

· The Spiritual Dimension of Addiction, Daniel B. Hinshaw, M.D., Emeritus Professor of Surgery, University of Michigan School of Medicine

To register, simply reply to this email

$15* in advance (payment can be made at the door)$20* on day of conference

*includes morning coffee/bagels and lunchAdvance payment can be made by check payable to:

NJCC, P.O. Box 10371, Trenton, NJ [email protected] or call 609-577-9787 for more information

mailto:office%40njcouncilofchurches.org?subject=


Photos by: Gabrielle Dragan

Deacon Simon Menya from Uganda Visits MOG3/25/18


Orthodox Christian Stewardship: What do Jesus, the Bible, and the Church Fathers Say about Tithing and Giving to God?

by John G. Panagiotou

“Where your treasure is there will your heart be also.”1 These words of Jesus have resonated within the hearts of people for two

thousand years. What was Jesus talking about? What do Jesus, the Bible, and the Church Fathers have to say about tithing and giving

to God?

The Scriptures have no less than 2,350 verses having to do with money and money management. Jesus speaks about money and

money management more than any other topic including heaven, hell, salvation etc. The topic is very important for the Christian life.

In an often misquoted verse, St. Paul the Apostle writes, “the love of money is the root of all evil”.2 St. Paul teaches that our Lord

realizes that we have needs to meet in order to live and to carry out His work. God is, however, a jealous God and demands our full

commitment with nothing else taking precedence over His Lordship in our lives. That is why the Apostle Paul warns his first century

Greek congregation that the love of money is evil.

All that we have is on loan from God. It is all gift. What we do with our time, talent, and treasures will have to be given account of on

the last day. This was the great sin of disobedience by Adam in the Garden of Eden. He abused his gift of stewardship. King Solomon

who was the richest and wisest man of all time, expressed his feeling of the emptiness of materialism apart from God when he said,

“vanity of vanities, it is all a bubble that bursts”.

In the book of Genesis, the mysterious paradigmatic priest of priests Melchizedek appears to perform one task alone: to collect

the tithe from Abraham and to thus confer a blessing upon him on behalf of the Lord.3 This clearly shows that Abraham in his

righteousness before God gave of his first fruits (his best fruits) unto the Lord and in turn was blessed. This is precisely what God is

calling us to do. We as believers are each called upon to give sacrificially of our best resources first and God will take care of the rest

as He did with Father Abraham.

As individuals, when we become burdened with a mindset of materialism (i.e. non-stewardship focused giving) we become slaves

to our wealth instead of our wealth becoming our servants for the promotion of God’s Kingdom. This clearly is not the way that

God intended it to be. Inevitably, we squanderer the gifts of our resources. Then a multitude of other problems emerge namely the

bondage of debt. For truly, as the Preacher teaches in Ecclesiastes and Proverbs, “the borrower is a slave to the lender”.4

All of these principles not only apply to the individual Christian, but to the life of a congregation as well. Jesus is clear in the New

Testament when He says that He would build and grow the Church and that the task at hand for believers is to make disciples who

are followers of Jesus amongst the nations. That is what the core culture of a parish and diocese should be all about. That is what the

ultimate focus of any and all monetary collections should be about. As the late great Russian theologian Georges Florovsky would

write on the matter:

The primary task of the historical Church is the proclamation of another world “to come.” The Church bears witness to the New

Life, disclosed and revealed in Christ Jesus, the Lord and Saviour. This it does both by word and deed. The true proclamation of the

Gospel would be precisely the practice of this New Life: to show faith by deeds (cf. Matt. 5:16). The Church is more than a company of

preachers, or a teaching society, or a missionary board. It has not only to invite people, but also to introduce them into this New Life,

to which it bears witness.

It is a missionary body indeed, and its mission field is the whole world. But the aim of its missionary activity is not merely to convey to

people certain convictions or ideas, not even to impose on then a definite discipline or a rule of life, but first of all to introduce them


into the New Reality, to convert them, to bring them through their faith and repentance to Christ Himself, that they should be born

anew in Him and into Him by water and the Spirit. Thus the ministry of the Word is completed in the ministry of the Sacraments.5

If you want to know the spiritual state and strength of a church, just look at its stewardship report. Invariably, it tells it all because

what people do with their money speaks volumes. We make disciples by giving people Jesus through preaching, teaching, the

sacramental life, the liturgical life and outreach ministries. It is to this end that our giving should be focused. If the ekklesia will do its

job, Jesus has promised to be faithful and do His. Sacrificial giving for the Christian is not an option, but a joyful obligation. St. John

Chrysostom in the 4th century speaks of this joyful obligation in his book On Wealth and Poverty when he writes that the Christian

owns nothing because God owns everything.6

The ecclesial ministry in its essence is not about buildings, budgets, and bodies. The model that we ought to follow is that the Church

should be viewed first and foremost as the family of God, not just as another corporation or business. When that happens, the Bible

tells us that inevitably God’s presence and blessing can be seen manifest in the local eucharistic community because its focus is on

Jesus the Author of our salvation. It is then when we see the fullness of the Faith express itself, not only in the transformation of the

elements into the Body and Blood of Christ, but when the celebrant and those worshipers present are transfigured into the Body of

Christ as well.

With these things in mind, proper Christian stewardship for individuals and congregations should include the following four

principles: 1) the glorification of God should be the focus; 2) giving should be sacrificial; 3) giving should be of the best of the first

fruits of one’s resources; and 4) debt has no place in this paradigm.

If you would incorporate these four principles of economics into your lives and the life of your congregation, the Lord has promised

to do mighty, mighty works in your life and in the lives of all around you. A proper understanding of stewardship is not a luxury in our

private life as a Christian and in our collective life as the Ekklesia. For us to be be truly “called out from the world” as the word ekklesia

connotes, is to take up the mantle and responsibility of stewardship and all that it entails.

ENDNOTES1 Matthew 6:21, 2 1st Timothy 6:10, 3 Genesis 14:18-20, 4 Proverbs 22:7, 5 Florovsky, Georges, “The Church: Her Nature and Task” appeared in volume 1 of the Universal Church in God’s Design (S.C.M. Press, 1948). 6 Chrysostom, Saint John, On Wealth and Poverty [trans.] (Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1984).

We still have more to raise to receive the matching gift amount from the

special donors. We need to raise $50,000 by August 2, 2018. Please prayerful

consider a contribution. We look forward to the time when Mother of God is

debt-free; this is a generous offer and a blessed step in that journey.

With Faith & Love, Financial Strategic Committee

Deacon John, John Dragan, Terry Filippini and Stacey Gleeson

(Contact: Stacey L. Gleeson at [email protected])

Mother of God Orthodox Church Matching Gift Challenge

mailto:sgleeson70%40gmail.com?subject=


SPECIAL MATCHING GIFT CHALLENGE Mother of God Orthodox Church is working towards reducing our mortgage debt. We wanted you to be the first to hear about this extraordinary matching gift challenge to support this effort.

We are blessed to have special donors who will donate $50,000 when donations reach $50,000 in the next 6 months. When you give to Mother of God Orthodox Church by August 2, 2018, your donation will go TWICE as far to support us in reducing our mortgage debt. Our goal for this campaign is to reach even higher. We are seeking to raise $100,000. With the match it will be a total of $150,000.

Your gift of $1,000 Twice as much $2,000

Your Name ____________________________________________________

Your email _____________________________________________________

Your Total Commitment Amount ___________________________________

Installments Over 6 Months ________ Yes _________No (1 payment)

Please give before August 2, 2018, so we can receive the matching gift. Checks to be made out to Mother of God Orthodox Church and note in memo “Matching Gift Challenge”.

For questions, please contact Stacey L. Gleeson at [email protected]

CAN BECOME

mailto:sgleeson70%40gmail.com?subject=


Pascha with Godot by Matthew Brian Blake

I apologize for any hint of irreverence Mr. Beckett, but you were wrong.

There is no waiting for God on this Easter night

as we return, after circlingthree times in the April air,

to the church that is no longer a church, but a garden teeming with daffodil,

dahlia, and forsythia filling the space with spring and songs

of glory from mouths running over with Christ is Risen, Christ is Risen.

Mr. Beckett, see how hundreds of candles give life to the icons,

their faces reflecting the heaven that is here because Christ

has conquered the tomb. The Church is a garden,

the moment a feast,there is enough for all

to eat Christ and drink Christis Risen, He is Risen indeed.


Easter Sunday: The Holy Pascha

A little before midnight on the Blessed Sabbath, the Nocturne service is chanted. The celebrant

goes to the tomb and removes the winding-sheet. He carries it through the royal doors and

places it on the altar table where it remains for forty days until the day of Ascension.

At midnight the Easter procession begins. The people leave the church building singing:

The angels in heaven, O Christ our Savior, sing of Thy resurrection. Make us on earth also

worthy to hymn Thee with a pure heart.

The procession circles the church building and returns to the closed doors of the front of

the church. This procession of the Christians on Easter night recalls the original baptismal

procession from the darkness and death of this world to the light and the life of the Kingdom

of God. It is the procession of the holy passover, from death unto life, from earth unto heaven,

from this age to the age to come which will never end.

Before the closed doors of the church building, the resurrection of Christ is announced. Sometimes the Gospel is read which tells

of the empty tomb. The celebrant intones the blessing to the “holy, consubstantial, life-creating and undivided Trinity.” The Easter

troparion is sung for the first time, together with the verses of Psalm 68 which will begin all of the Church services during the Easter

season.

Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered; let those who hate him flee from before his face!

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life (Troparion).

This is the day which the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!

The people re-enter the church building and continue the service of Easter Matins which is entirely sung.

The canon hymns of Christ’s resurrection, ascribed to Saint John of Damascus, are chanted

with the troparion of the feast as the constantly recurring refrain. The building is decorated

with flowers and lights. The vestments are the bright robes of the resurrection. The Easter

icon stands in the center of the church showing Christ destroying the gates of hell and freeing

Adam and Eve from the captivity of death. It is the image of the Victor “trampling down death

by his own death.” There is the continual singing and censing of the icons and the people, with

the constant proclamation of the celebrant: Christ is risen! The faithful continually respond:

Indeed, He is risen!

It is the day of resurrection! Let us be illumined for the feast! Pascha! The Pascha of the Lord!

From death unto life, and from earth unto heaven has Christ our God led us! Singing the song

of victory: Christ is risen from the dead! (First Ode of the Easter Canon).

Following the canon, the paschal verses are sung, and at the conclusion of the Easter Matins,

the Easter Hours are also sung. In general, nothing is simply read in the Church services of Easter: everything is fully sung with the

joyful melodies of the feast.


At the end of the Hours, before the Divine Liturgy, the celebrant solemnly proclaims the famous Paschal Sermon of Saint John

Chrysostom. This sermon is an invitation to all of the faithful to forget their sins and to join fully in the feast of the resurrection

of Christ. Taken literally, the sermon is the formal invitation offered to all members of the Church to come and to receive Holy

Communion, partaking of Christ, the Passover Lamb, whose table is now being set in the midst of the Church. In some parishes the

sermon is literally obeyed, and all of the faithful receive the eucharistic gifts of the Passover Supper of Easter night.

The Easter Divine Liturgy begins immediately with the singing once more of the festal troparion with the verses of Psalm 68. Special

psalm verses also comprise the antiphons of the liturgy, through which the faithful praise and glorify the salvation of God:

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Sing of his name, give glory to His praise.

Let all the earth worship Thee and praise Thee! Let it praise Thy name, O most High!

That we may know Thy way upon the earth and Thy salvation among all nations.

Let the people thank Thee, O God! Let all the people give thanks to Thee.

The troparion is repeated over and over again. The baptismal line from Galatians replaces the Thrice-Holy Hymn. The epistle reading is the

first nine verses of the Book of Acts. The gospel reading is the first seventeen verses of the Gospel of Saint John. The proclamation of the

Word of God takes the faithful back again to the beginning and announces God’s creation and re-creation of the world through the living

Word of God, his Son Jesus Christ.

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God . . . all things were made through Him . . . In Him was life

and the life was the light of men. . . .

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth . . . we have beheld His glory, glory of the only-begotten Son of the

Father, and from His fullness have we all received grace upon grace (Jn 1.1–17).

The Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom continues, crowned in holy communion with the Passover Lamb at his banquet table in God’s

Kingdom. Again, and again, the troparion of the Resurrection is sung while the faithful partake of Him “Who was dead and is alive again”

(Rev 2.8).

In the Orthodox Church the feast of Easter is officially called Pascha, the word which means the Passover. It is the new Passover of the new

and everlasting covenant foretold by the prophets of old. It is the eternal Passover from death to life and from earth to heaven. It is the Day

of the Lord proclaimed by God’s holy prophets, “the day which the Lord has made” for His judgment over all creation, the day of His final

and everlasting victory. It is the Day of the Kingdom of God, the day “which has no night” for “its light is the Lamb” (Rev 21.22–25).

The celebration of Easter in the Orthodox Church, therefore, is once again not merely an historical reenactment of the event of Christ’s

Resurrection as narrated in the gospels. It is not a dramatic representation of the first Easter morning. There is no “sunrise service” since

the Easter Matins and the Divine Liturgy are celebrated together in the first dark hours of the first day of the week in order to give men the

experience of the “new creation” of the world, and to allow them to enter mystically into the New Jerusalem which shines eternally with the

glorious light of Christ, overcoming the perpetual night of evil and destroying the darkness of this mortal and sinful world:

Shine! Shine! O New Jerusalem! The glory of the Lord has shone upon you! Exult and be glad O Zion! Be radiant O Pure Theotokos, in the

Resurrection of your Son!

This is one of the main Easter hymns in the Orthodox Church. It is inspired by Isaiah’s prophecy and the final chapters of the Book of

Revelation, for it is exactly tile New Creation, the New Jerusalem, the Heavenly City, the Kingdom of God, the Day of the Lord, the Marriage

Feast of the Lamb with His Bride which is celebrated and realized and experienced in the Holy Spirit on the Holy Night of Easter in the

Orthodox Church.Volume 11 worship www.oca.com


News for the Mind and Soul – Wisdom of Our Church Fathers

The Church of Christ

1. Brothers and Sisters! The all-merciful God desires happiness for us both in this life and in the life to come. To this end He

established His Holy Church, so that she might cleanse us from sin, sanctify us, reconcile us with Him and give us a heavenly

blessing. The embrace of the Church is always open to us. Let us all hasten there more quickly, we whose consciences are

burdened. Let us hasten, and the Church will lift the weight of our burdens, give us boldness before God, and fill our hearts

with happiness and blessedness. (St. Nectarius of Aegina, The Path to Happiness, 1).

2. The Church of Christ is One, Holy, Universal and Apostolic. She is herself a single spiritual body, whose head is Christ, and who

has the one Holy Spirit abiding in her. The local parts of the Church are members of a single body of the Universal Church, and

they, like branches of a single tree, are nourished by one and the same sap from a single root. She is called holy because she is

sanctified by the holy word, deeds, sacrifice and suffering of her founder, Jesus Christ, to which end He came in order to save

human beings and lead them to holiness. The Church is called universal because she is not confined by place, not by time,

nor by nation nor language. She communicates with all humanity. The Orthodox Church is called apostolic because the spirit,

teaching, and labors of the Apostles of Christ are entirely preserved in her. (St. Nicholas of Serbia, Catechesis)

3. We know and are convinced that falling away from the Church, whether into schism, heresy, or sectarianism, is complete

perdition and spiritual death. For us there is no Christianity outside of the Church. If Christ established the Church, and the

Church is His Body, then to be cut off from His Body is to die. (St. Hilarion Troitsky, On Life in the Church)

4. One should not seek among others the truth that can be easily gotten from the Church. For in her, as in a rich treasury, the

apostles have placed all that pertains to truth, so that everyone can drink this beverage of life. She is the door of life.

(St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies, III.4)

5. The Church is holy, although there are sinners within her. Those who sin, but who cleanse themselves with true repentance,

do not keep the Church from being holy. But unrepentant sinners are cut off, whether visibly by Church authority, or invisible

by the judgement of God, from the body of the Church. And so in this regard the Church remains holy. (St. Philaret of Moscow,

Catechesis)

6. When are we living in Christ? When we live according to His Gospel and His Church. For He Himself, and not only His Gospel, is

in the Church with all of His perfections and virtues. The Church is the eternally living Body of the God-man Christ. In her we

find the medium of the holy mysteries. In her we find the means of holy good deeds. Our Lord Jesus Christ abides inseparable

from the Church in this world. He abides with each member of the Church throughout all ages. He has His entire self for us in

the Church, and continually gives Himself to us entirely, so that we might be enabled to live in this world as He lived.

(St. Justin Popovich, Explanation of I John, 4:9, 17)


StewardshipInspiring a deeper understanding of true giving April 2018

The joy of sacri-ficial giving is

love. In spite of tri-als, love emerges as the factor in an indi-vidual’s happiness. It is the light that distinguishes those people who become good stewards of their time, talent and treasure from others. It is the joy of sacri-ficial giving.

In short, Moses thought it was a wonderful idea. He knew that someone needed to do something like that, but he just wasn’t the one to get the job done, he felt quite sure.

Suddenly, however, the impetuous flow of his excuses was halted by a simple question. “What do you have in your hand, Moses?” As the story runs, he held only his shepherd’s rod. And some very remarkable things happened as he put it to use. But we who herd no sheep, nor carry a shepherd’s crook, must not escape the fact that Moses’ rod was only representative of some-thing much deeper.

For Moses held the present moment in his hand.

That present moment included, in the first place, his life and his ability. He did not have Aaron’s ability; Aaron did

As he moved nearer to see how this could be, a voice spoke to him, stop-ping him in his tracks.

We know the old man as Moses. And we know that the voice was telling him to go back to Egypt. He had escaped from Egypt forty years before. Al-though he had been the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter, he had become an outlaw at forty years of age. This had happened because he had defended one of his own people - an Israelite. Now he was told to go back and expose him-self to the punishment he had escaped. But, more, he was told to try to lead his people into the desert to find the same freedom that he had found.

The danger and the task appalled him. He began, “Who am I, Lord, to do this kind of thing?” And what followed in that conversation sounds amazingly familiar. “Surely you are talking to the wrong fellow! ... The people won’t re-spond to my leadership ... The opposi-tion will be too stubborn and too smart to let me get away with it ... This is a wonderful idea, but the time isn’t right for it ... All this will take money, and you know how desperately poor our people are ... You need an orator who can sweep the people off their feet, a super-salesman who can wrap Pharaoh around his finger, but I can only stum-ble and stammer.”

1

What is in thy hand? An old man stood on a mountainside. He was a shepherd, and held in his hand his shepherd’s staff. He stood, watch-

ing a bush that seemed to be on fire, yet did not burn up.

Continued on page 4...


2

We need not give up the pleasures

and luxuries of this life. God does not call us to be ascetics, but he does call us to a right sense of pro-portion in adminis-tering our substance. The question is: “If I have this for myself, then what should I do for God?” This is the question into which the whole matter of stewardship resolves itself.

During the early eighteenth cen-tury, a notable French botanist named Bernard de Jussieu was

inspired by the Bible’s mention some 75 times of the native “cedars of Lebanon,” to bring one back to his own country. He traveled by ship, and picked up a cedar seedling without difficulty. However, bad weather delayed the return of his ship. The captain limited every passen-ger to a glass of water per day.

Now, what would most people do? Certainly no one would blame him for simply discarding his tiny cedar for lack of fresh water. However, de Jus-sieu felt such a responsibility for the seedling that he gave it some of his own water ration each day. He planted it in the royal gardens in Paris, where it lived for a century.

Are we given such a choice in our daily lives? It’s rarely so obvious, but

Pastor John’s musing...God does expect us to sacrifice our own comfort to help others. Money given to victims of natural disasters is money we can’t spend in our favorite restaurant. Time spent delivering Thanksgiving baskets is time we can’t spend on our vacations. Even using a talent such as singing in the choir means that we can’t sleep in Sunday mornings.

But God and our own hearts tell us that our sacrifice is worth it. I think Bernard de Jussieu had the same feeling of sat-isfaction as he watched his cedar grow that present-day Christian stewards have when they see or hear about the results of their giving. Like seedlings, our gifts may be small at first, but can grow into something wonderful.

Today, we hear a great deal about the importance of a savings plan or an investment portfolio in or-

der to provide for our secure future.Yet not as much is written or spoken

about the importance of establishing a personal giving plan so that others can have a secure present. Evangelist Billy Graham said: “God has given us two hands – one to receive with and other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding, we are channels made for sharing.”

The truth is that all of us have the power to make a differ-ence. Often all it takes is a plan of action. The prophet Isaiah wrote: “The scoundrel’s meth-ods are wicked, he makes up evil schemes to destroy the poor with lies, even when the plea of the needy is just. But the noble can make noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands.” (Isaiah 32:7–8). Have you established your giving plan?

Make a Difference!Action Plan Needed


3

Name ______________________________________

Test Your Understanding of Stewardship (January 2004)

Copyright www.chrissealey.com (For the answer sheet, contact Chris Sealey at [email protected])

Across

Down

3. a Roman currency often associated withstewardship (Understanding the Spiritualityof True Stewardship pg. 102).

5. at his home the woman anointed Jesus'feet.

7. the first female steward.8. human love (Understanding the Spirituality

of True Stewardship pg 44).9. the first steward.

11. stewardship frees us from this sin.15. first person to offer a non-flesh offering.16. It is more blessed to _ _ _ _ than to receive

(Acts 20:35).17. an unfaithful steward is guilty of this sin

(Malachi 3:8).18. God requires of us the _ _ _ _ _ fruits.

1. 10% of our increase.2. patient, kind, not jealous.4. made of soft stone and held the oil that

anointed Jesus' feet.6. often confused with

stewardship(Understanding the Spiritualityof True Stewardship pg. 133).

10. Paul wrote a book on their generosity.12. a manager of God's property.13. he made the first recorded animal offering.14. Godly love (go to www.chrissealey.com).19. a by-product of creation.

1 2

3 4 5

6 7

8

9

10

11 12 13

14

15 16

17

18 19

Stewardship Crossword

Across3. A Roman currency often associated with stewardship.5. At his home the woman anointed Jesus’ feet.7. First female steward.8. Human love.9. First steward.11. Stewardship frees us from this sin.15. First person to offer a non-flesh offering.16. It is more blessed to _____ than to receive (Acts 20:35).17. An unfaithful steward is guilty of this sin (Mal 3:8).18. God requires of us the ______ fruits.

Down1. 10% of our increase.2. Patient, kind, not jealous.4. Made of soft stone and held the oil that anointed Jesus’ feet.6. Often confused with stewardship.10. Paul wrote a book on their generosity.12. A manager of God’s property.13. He made the first recorded animal offering.14. Godly love.19. By-product of creation.


Copyright © Parish Publishing, LLCMay not be reproduced without permission.

888-320-5576 www.parishpublishing.org4

“God has given us two hands – one to receive with and other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding, we are channels made for sharing.”

Continued from page 1

What is in Thy Hand?...not have Moses’ ability. Aaron could not take Moses’ place. Aaron could not do anything other than be himself. But it was the self and ability which he was that God needed, and his people needed. And this constituted his call from God, that he was uniquely himself, and none other, and that he had his eyes opened to a real and living need - the same call that comes to us in the twenty-first cen-tury. The mere possession of your life and your ability, set in a framework of need, is God’s holy call to you to use that life and ability for God.

Holding the present moment in his hand, Moses held there his age and ex-perience. The years had lengthened — forty of them in youth and maturity spent in the experience and training of Egypt’s court; and then forty years of self-disci-pline, hardening, and toughening out in whatever high purpose God might reveal to him. For whatever our age, be it eight or eighty, we hold a reserve of experi-ence that can find its fulfillment only in useful employment. And its highest fulfillment comes only in dedicated re-sponse to God’s call.

Crossword Answers

Across3. Talent5. Simon7. Eve8. Phileo9. Adam11. Covetousness15. Cain16. Give17. Robbery18. First

Down1. Tithe2. Love4. Alabaster6. Philanthropy10. Corinthians12. Steward13. Abel14. Agape19. Time


Thank you for supporting our church! We are accepting pledges for 2018! For questions, please contact Terry Filippini at [email protected] or (908) 231-1960.

++ Consider making your stewardship payments through your online banking.

2018 Stewardship Update

2018 pledged total: $ 110,905 (13% increase over 2017 pledged)

Actual received as of February 28: $ 19,730 (18% of pledged total)

Stewardship by pledged members $ 18,905

Stewardship by friends of MOG $ 825

2018 budgeted expenses: $148,341

2018 Stewardship Pledges

Stewardship Pledges

mailto:tfilippini%40verizon.net?subject=


Prayer Requests“…and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

James 5:16, NKJV:

Commemoration of the Living Servants of God:

O Lord Jesus Christ our God, Who for the sake of Your eternal mercy and loving kindness became man, and suffered

crucifixion and death for the salvation of all; Who rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand

of the Father, where You hear the prayers of all who call upon You humbly and with their whole heart: incline Your ear to

us, and hearken to the prayer which your unworthy servants offer as a spiritual sacrifice for all Your people.

Have mercy, O Lord, upon:Terry Filippini Dorothy Marsh, Mary Reiling's sister Larry Samano (Connie & Bob Abodeely's son-in-law) Sarah Thomas Perkins, Margery's stepdaughter Olga Mezina, friend of Lana Maria Rolleri (Joe Elchak's daughter) and her daughters, Carson & Addison

May we join you in pray for all of those on your mind; all of those in your prayers, and all of those in your heart. Lord Have Mercy.

Please send the names of those you would like included in the prayer requests list in the coming year to [email protected]. Also let her know when those on the list have recovered (Praise be to God).

COMMEMORATION OF THE DEPARTED

MEMORY ETERNAL

Daily Bible Readings

For a listing and links to the daily scripture readings go to http://oca.org/readings. Bookmark this site for daily readings for

every day of the year!

mailto:ladyofleesure%40yahoo.com?subject=

http://oca.org/readings


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Please Pray for the Mother of God Joy of All Who SorrowOrthodox Church as we move forward.

May God’s Will Be Done In All Things!

Volume 18, Issue 4 April, 2018Page 2 Volume 18, Issue 4 April, 2018 A Message from Father Peter Life...

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Transcript of Volume 18, Issue 4 April, 2018Page 2 Volume 18, Issue 4 April, 2018 A Message from Father Peter Life...