The Messenger April 2020 _______________________________________________________________________
St. Thomas Orthodox Church 1100 Jones St. - PO Box 1042 – Sioux City, Iowa 51102 (712) 258-7166 – info@stthomassiouxcity.org www.stthomassiouxcity.org
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Our Mission St. Thomas Orthodox Church is a community of Christians who proclaim the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as handed down by the Apostles. We are committed to bringing the Light of Christ to all of Siouxland in thought, word, and deed. At St. Thomas Orthodox Church, you will find Holy Orthodoxy—ancient and alive. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Weekly Schedule Orthros and Divine Liturgy Sundays at 9:00 a.m. Vespers Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. Great Vespers Saturdays at 6:00 p.m. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Birthdays April 1 Esther McDaniels 12 Ron Carlson 12 Frank Brienzo 21 Michael Antonovich
22 Marilyn Hagberg 28 Julie Kinnamon 29 Jack Stevens
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As I write this, I do not know whether we will be celebrating the Feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ together in church or separately in our homes. Nevertheless, we will celebrate it and, perhaps, in these troubled times, it is more important now than ever to hear and understand these words from St. John Chrysostom: If anyone is devout and a lover of God, let him enjoy this beautiful and radiant festival. If anyone is a wise servant, let him, rejoicing, enter into the joy of his Lord. If anyone has wearied himself in fasting, let him now receive his recompense. If anyone has labored from the first hour, let him today receive his just reward. If anyone has come at the third hour, with thanksgiving let him keep the feast. If anyone has arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no misgivings; for he shall suffer no loss. If anyone has delayed until the ninth hour, let him draw near without hesitation. If anyone has arrived even at the eleventh hour, let him not fear on account of his delay. For the Master is gracious and receives the last, even as the first; he gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour, just as to him who has labored from the first. He has mercy upon the last and cares for the first; to the one he gives, and to the other he is gracious. He both honors the work and praises the intention. Enter all of you, therefore, into the joy of our Lord, and, whether first or last, receive your reward. O rich and poor, one with another, dance for joy! O you ascetics and you negligent, celebrate the day! You that have fasted and you that have disregarded the fast, rejoice today! The table is rich-laden; feast royally, all of you! The calf is fatted; let no one go forth hungry! Let all partake of the feast of faith. Let all receive the riches of goodness. Let no one lament his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed. Let no one mourn his transgressions, for pardon has dawned from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Saviour's death has set us free. He that was taken by death has annihilated it! He descended into Hades and took Hades captive! He embittered it when it tasted his flesh! And anticipating this Isaiah exclaimed, "Hades was embittered when it encountered thee in the lower regions." It was embittered, for it was abolished! It was embittered, for it was mocked! It was embittered, for it was purged! It was embittered, for it was despoiled! It was embittered, for it was bound in chains! It took a body and, face to face, met God! It took earth and encountered heaven! It took what it saw but crumbled before what it had not seen! "O death, where is thy sting? O Hades, where is thy victory?" Christ is risen, and you are overthrown! Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen! Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice! Christ is risen, and life reigns! Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in a tomb! For Christ, being raised from the dead, has become the First-fruits of them that slept. To him be glory and might unto ages of ages. Amen. —Fr. Peter
Parish Council Parish Council Records for the years 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, are incomplete and we’re trying to find the missing documents. People who have these records won’t provide them so we’re asking for your help. We need: 1. Agendas, 2. Minutes, 3. Treasurer Reports, and any other documents that should be part of the permanent record. Please e-mail whatever you have to petesteg@gmail.com, or put hard copies in my mailbox in the Council room. The Council very much appreciates your prompt attention to this. Thank You. Pete Steggerda, Treasurer __________________________________________________________________________________
Finances Our obligations continue even though we cannot meet publicly. We’ve cut back or canceled services we don’t need while the Church is shut (trash pick-up, etc). We do much of the Church’s record keeping on Churchtrac. Please consider using this for your weekly giving; the link is on our web-site. Or you can mail your checks to the Church. ___________________________________________________________________________________
“The Father is, at one and the same moment, the loving parent who has given us ‘our daily bread’, and also the Almighty Pantocrator, the cosmic Lord who has left us creatures of flesh and blood standing awed, as it were, in a vast universe, blinking with our minds over the vast complexity of it all.” Fr. John A. McGuckin 4
He is Risen!
Figure 1: He is Risen!
In Memoriam Remembering those who reposed during the month of April John Bestos, (infant son) Melhaus, Nick Bashara, Thomas Melham, Ness Melham, Alma Butrous, Sultana Ellis, Eva (Mrs. John) David, Wolf Headid, Catherine Ferris Abdallah, Alma Samore, Athena Gebran, Rose Abdouch, Joseph Abdouch, Elias Melham, Cecil Mulneaux, Marie David, Elizabeth Skaff, George Stevens, Mary Shkurensky, Louise Hanna, Gary Peterson, Beatrice Abdouch, Orval Dawdy, Sophie Skaff, Roger Wickenhagen, Barbara Skaff, Gerald Melham, Viona Headid, Josephine Saltzman.
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Ladies Club March was Ladies Month, and on three Sundays we had opportunity to read the Epistle during Divine Liturgy; then protective measures were put into place and we could no longer gather for worship. We were also unable to have our pre-sanctified meals after the pre-sanctified services. Hopefully things will be back to normal soon and we will be able to have social events again. If so, our April meeting will be at Red Lobster on April 7 at 6:30 pm. We will sponsor the remodel of the Nina’s mothers room when it is possible to do so. God is our strength and guide and we do all through Him. May He bless us and keep us in His care. ___________________________________________________________________________________
Sunday School We had Sunday School once during March. We spent the time talking about Lent and ways to participate. We also made cards to send to some of the oldest members in our Parish. ___________________________________________________________________________________
SOYO We had a virtual meeting via Zoom on March 20. We spoke about ways we can use this time away from “normal� life to become stronger in our faith. We have some challenges for the teens to participate in and they will share these on the Instagram or Facebook pages. There are no plans for further events until we no longer have to practice social distancing.
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The Order of St. Ignatius Supports College Conference SOYO Leadership Training Camping Scholarship Program
Understanding what your gifts fund through The Order of St. Ignatius of Antioch is important but the better question is why we do it. Be a part of the why.
What
Why
Clergy Retired Clergy Housing Allowance Married Seminarian Assistance Clergy Symposium & Convention Assistance
$315,155 $270,000 $4,500 $40,655
Archdiocese Youth Summer Camp Scholarships Youth Ministry SOYO Special Olympics SOYO Leadership & Youth Worker Training Christian Education College Conference
$391,970 $190,000 $120,000 $8,000 $18,974 $39,996 $15,000
Archdiocese Development & Growth Missions & Evangelism
$254,988 $129,996
Parish Development / Mission Grants Internet Ministry
$24,996 $99,996
Other Grants Balamand Theological Academy
$85,000 $10,000
Syrian Relief
$55,000
So our children can pray, sing, laugh and even cry with one another as they grow stronger in their Orthodox Faith and closer to our Lord … together. - Summer Camp Scholarships
To help build the foundation and provide the essential tools of knowledge, relationships and memories that help our children remain steadfast in their Orthodox faith. - SOYO Leadership & Youth Worker Training & Youth Ministry
To make sure orphaned children feel loved and safe, and promise them that everything is going to be alright and that they are not alone. - Project Mexico
To provide guidance, reassurance and compassion, to unwed mothers who choose life rather than abortion. - Treehouse Ministries
To help give comfort and financial assurance to our retired clergy and their families. But even more, express our gratitude to our spiritual leader and friend who’s been with us during all of our times of joy and sorrow. Retired Clergy Housing Allowance
To help plant the seeds of Orthodoxy throughout North America revealing the “True Faith” and ensuring the Church’s growth for generations - Department of Missions & Evangelism
Figures represent part of the actual expenses for Fiscal Year 2018
The Order Of St. Ignatius Of Antioch
P.O. Box 5238 Englewood, NJ
07631-5238
Email: theorder@antiochian.org
Peter Steggerda, Ambassador 712 737-7092 petesteg@gmail.com
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Meditation Taken Away In today’s gospel reading (Matthew 21:18-43), our Lord was preparing His disciples for the end of His ministry. Looking the religious leaders straight in the eye, He asked them, “What will (the owner) do to those vinedressers?” They all responded, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably” (Matt. 21:40-42).Little did these religious people realize that they had just judged themselves. The Lord’s clear teaching was that these Jewish people had received centuries of spiritual advantages, instruction, liturgy, wisdom, and prophets and preachers---they still rejected the Messiah. Our Lord responded to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected / Has become the chief cornerstone. / This was the Lord’s doing, / and it is marvelous in our eyes’? Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it” (Matt. 21: 42-43). Indeed, the Gentiles changed the world by preaching the Gospel after the Jewish nation rejected Christ. If the Lord didn’t stop the Kingdom from being removed from His own kinsmen, do we really think He will stop another unfaithful nation from losing the same message? TODAY: Let us be people that produce fruit for the vineyard owner and give Him the harvest He rightly expects from those who claim with their mouths to love Him and His Church. To do less is to risk losing the Kingdom to those who will appreciate and cherish it. Live the faith or lose it. This is the solemn declaration of the Lord to us on this day. Fr. Barnabas Powell __________________________________________________________________________________
“No one can have God as Father who does not have the Church as mother.” St. Cyprian of Carthage AD 249
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OLD TESTAMENT
DAY 109
Mk 6:1–29
Ps 51
Pr 11:1–5
Mk 6:30–56
Ps 52; 53
Pr 11:6–10
Mk 7:1–23
Ps 54:1–12
Pr 11:11–15
Mk 7:24–37
Ps 54:13–24
Pr 11:16–20
Mk 8:1–21
Ps 55
Pr 11:21–25
Mk 8:22—9:1
Ps 56
Pr 11:26–30
Mk 9:2–29
Ps 57
Pr 12:1–5
Mk 9:30–50
Ps 58
Pr 12:6–10
Mk 10:1–31
Ps 59
Pr 12:11–15
Mk 10:32–52
Ps 60
Pr 12:16–20
Mk 11:1–19
Dt 23—25
DAY 136 DAY 137
Pr 10:28–33
Dt 20—22
DAY 134 DAY 135
Ps 50:11–21
Dt 17—19
DAY 132 DAY 133
Mk 5:21–43
Dt 14—16
DAY 130 DAY 131
Pr 10:23–27
Dt 11—13
DAY 128 DAY 129
Ps 50:1–10
Dt 8—10
DAY 126 DAY 127
Mk 5:1–20
Dt 5—7
DAY 124 DAY 125
Pr 10:17–22
Dt 3; 4
DAY 122 DAY 123
Ps 49:16–23
Dt 1; 2
DAY 120 DAY 121
Mk 4:21–41
Nm 34—36
DAY 118 DAY 119
Pr 10:12–16
Nm 32; 33
DAY 116 DAY 117
Ps 49:1–15
Nm 30; 31
DAY 114 DAY 115
NEW TESTAMENT
Nm 27:12—29:39
DAY 112 DAY 113
PROVERBS
Nm 25:1—27:11
DAY 110 DAY 111
PSALMS
Dt 26:1—28:14
The Orthodox Study Bible: Two-Year Reading Plan
Page 5 of 26
OLD TESTAMENT
DAY 138 DAY 139
DAY 166
Pr 13:6–10
Mk 13:1–23
Ps 65
Pr 13:11–15
Mk 13:24–37
Ps 66
Pr 13:16–21
Mk 14:1–31
Ps 67:1–20
Pr 13:22–27
Mk 14:32–52
Ps 67:21–36
Pr 14:1–5
Mk 14:53–72
Ps 68:1–20
Pr 14:6–10
Mk 15:1–20
Ps 68:21–37
Pr 14:11–15
Mk 15:21–47
Ps 69
Pr 14:16–20
Mk 16
Ps 70:1–13
Pr 14:21–25
Lk 1:1–25
Ps 70:14–24
Pr 14:26–30
Lk 1:26–56
Ps 71
Pr 14:31–36
Lk 1:57–80
Ps 72:1–14
Pr 15:1–5
Lk 2:1–24
Jos 23; 24
DAY 164 DAY 165
Ps 64
Jos 21—22
DAY 162 DAY 163
Mk 12:28–44
Jos 18—20
DAY 160 DAY 161
Pr 13:1–5
Jos 15—17
DAY 158 DAY 159
Ps 63
Jos 12—14
DAY 156 DAY 157
Mk 12:1–27
Jos 10; 11
DAY 154 DAY 155
Pr 12:26–31
Jos 7—9
DAY 152 DAY 153
Ps 62
Jos 4—6
DAY 150 DAY 151
Mk 11:20–33
Jos 1—3
DAY 148 DAY 149
Pr 12:21–25
Dt 33; 34
DAY 146 DAY 147
Ps 61
Dt 32
DAY 144 DAY 145
NEW TESTAMENT
Dt 30; 31
DAY 142 DAY 143
PROVERBS
Dt 28:15—29:28
DAY 140 DAY 141
PSALMS
Jdg 1; 2
The Orthodox Study Bible: Two-Year Reading Plan
Page 6 of 26