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October 2016 ¨1645 Phillips Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32308 ¨ (850) 878-0747 ¨ Rev. Fr. Robert J. O’Loughlin¨ http://www.hmog.org
Preparing Ourselves to Hear God’s Voice ~ A Message from Fr. Robert
One of the things that God tells us is that we are to hear His Word. Sometimes we may be listen-
ing but not truly hearing. At times we may think why does God not hear us, but it is more like why
do we not hear God? Communication on our part is essential. In the Old Testament there is the
story about the Tower of Babel. The work stopped because there was a breakdown in communica-
tion. The people wanted to be greater than God in trying to build a tower to reach heaven. So God
gave the people various languages. This caused a breakdown in communication because they
could no longer understand one another. And as a result the work came to a halt. How are we to listen for God’s voice? Some people may not want to listen at times. God wants to
speak to us but our minds can be closed, our hearts may be hardened, we are unwilling to listen,
we just don’t want to hear what God has to say to us. A couple of common reasons in having a
closed mind first includes pride. This is when we think we can do it on our own and handle it by ourselves. We know it
all and can fix it. All of these are of pride and can keep us from hearing God. The sin of pride can convince us to want
only our own way. Our self-centeredness that lacks humility limits us in opening our minds and hearts to God and to
others. The second reason can be bitterness which whenever we get hurt we can remain bitter and may stop listening. We can
build walls around us and not let God soften our hearts and we may not move on from our bitterness. A third reason
may be a lack of understanding that God wants to speak to us and we don’t know of its importance. We were created to
get to know God and our knowledge of God needs to seep into our minds and hearts through faith and repentance in the
life of the Church. God wants our attention to talk to us and to communicate with us. We just need to listen. However, we may listen at
times but forget too easily! The Air Force did a study and found that we forget 90-95% of everything we hear within 72
hours. For some of us it doesn’t even take that long. But if we write something down or reflect on what we are listening
to we can retain it much longer. We are to study and meditate on the Word of God, and we are to put it into practice. In
James’ Epistle it says (1:22): “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” Our minds may be crowded with other
thoughts and can be preoccupied. We’re distracted and concerned with daily living, worries, plans, goals, bills, all
kinds of things. As a result, we can lose our focus and question why our children may not be interested in Church as
they may not hear the Word of God enough. We may make sure all their homework assignments are done and want them
to graduate with good grades. However, we do not pay enough attention to their religious education and neglect to in-
corporate Scripture readings and getting to know the stories in the bible and the lives of the saints. This is one of the
most important parts of their education and all of our continued education.
We need to continually incorporate the importance of reading Scriptures and opening our ears and minds to hear God
speaking to us. The devil tries to keep us away from the Bible because he knows it is a major weapon against him. So
we must strive to be diligent and we will receive and hear God in our hearts and it will bear much fruit to us and others
around us. God is always willing to talk with us. We need to be receptive to His voice in being ready to listen.
~Fr. Robert
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Our next ECHO Sundays are
October 2nd and November
6th. Please drop off your non-
perishable food donations into the bins locat-
ed in the Hellenic Center and Patmos Hall.
If an emergency or special need should arise, please contact Fr. Rob immedi-
ately at 850-559-8184.
1. Call to Order – Catherine Branch
2. Opening Prayer - Father Rob
3. Agenda Review and Adoption - All
4. Priest's Comments - Father Rob
5. President's Comments – Catherine Branch
6. Minutes from Two Previous General Assemblies – Michael Eudy
7. Treasurer's Reports - Glen Perrigan a. Current Year Financial Report - for information b. 2016 Budget - for approval
8. Nominations & Appointments:
a. Nominations for Parish Council - 5 Seats
Available
b. Selection of Election Committee 9. Closing Prayer and Adjournment
Orthodoxy on Tap brings individu-als together interested in sharing discussion about topics in our world and Church today. Most im-portantly, Orthodoxy on Tap is a gathering of young adults (post college-35ish) who come together
in fellowship. If any questions, please contact Fr. Rob or Presv. Joy @ 850-878-0747.
Date: October 13th
Location: Salt Water Restaurant 1926 Capital Circle NE
Time: 6:00-7:30 pm
Holy Mother of God Greek Orthodox Church General Assembly
Sunday - October 16, 2016 Following Divine Liturgy
Proposed Agenda
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OCTOBER
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October 9th - Youth Sunday
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Outing to Wild Adventures
Fr. Rob blessed the classrooms, students and teachers and ice-cream and fellow-
ship was enjoyed as we began the new ecclesiastical year.
On Saturday, October 8th, there will be a JOY (Junior Orthodox Youth) meeting from
3:00pm-4:30pm in Patmos Hall. This will include discussion, activities, snacks and fellowship.
Fr. Rob and Presv. Joy look forward to seeing everyone. If you have any questions, please contact Presv. Joy at [email protected] or (850)320-1101.
The OCF (Orthodox Christian Fellowship) is the official collegiate
campus ministry program under the Assembly of Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America. The mission of OCF is to support
fellowships on college campuses, whose members experience the Orthodox Christian tradition and fellowship. We look forward to the
October meeting.
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The Holy Great Martyr Demetrius the Myrrh-streamer - Feast Day - October 26 Saint Demetrius was a Thessalonian, a most pious son of pious and noble parents, and a teacher of the Faith of Christ. When Maximian first came to Thessalonica in 290, he raised the Saint to the rank of Duke of Thessaly. But when it was discovered that the Saint was a Christian, he was arrested and kept bound in a bath-house. While the games were under way in the city, Maximian was a spectator there. A certain friend of his, a barbarian who was a notable wrestler, Lyaeus by name, waxing haughty because of the height and strength of his body, boasted in the stadium and challenged the citi-zens to a contest with him. All that fought with him were defeated. Seeing this, a cer-tain youth named Nestor, aquaintance of Demetrius', came to the Saint in the bath-house and asked his blessing to fight Lyaeus single-handed. Receiving this blessing and sealing himself with the sign of the precious Cross, he presented himself in the stadium, and said, "O God of Demetrius, help me!" and straightway he engaged Lyae-us in combat and smote him with a mortal blow to the heart, leaving the former boaster lifeless upon the earth. Maximian was sorely grieved over this, and when he learned who was the cause of this defeat, he com-manded straightway and Demetrius was pierced with lances while he was yet in the bath-house, As for Nes-tor, Maximian commanded that he be slain with his own sword.
James (Iakovos) the Apostle, brother of Our Lord - Feast Day - October 23 According to some, this Saint was a son of Joseph the Betrothed, born of the wife that the latter had before he was betrothed to the Ever-virgin. Hence he was the brother of the Lord, Who was also thought to be the son of Joseph (Matt. 13: 55). But some say that he was a nephew of Jo-seph, and the son of his brother Cleopas, who was also called Alphaeus and Mary his wife, who was the first cousin of the Theotokos. But even according to this genealogy, he was still called, according to the idiom of the Scriptures, the Lord's brother because of their kinship. This Iakovos is called the Less (Mark 15:4) by the Evangelists to distinguish him from Iakovos, the son of Zebedee, who was called the Great. He became the first Bishop of Jerusalem, elevat-ed to this episcopal rank by the Apostles, according to Eusebius (Eccl. Hist., Book II: 23), and was called Obliah, that is, the Just, because of his great holiness and righteousness. Having as-cended the crest of the Temple on the day of the Passover at the prompting of all, he bore testi-mony from there concerning his belief in Jesus, and he proclaimed with a great voice that Jesus sits at the right hand of the great power of God and shall come again upon the clouds of heaven. On hearing this testi-mony, many of those present cried, "Hosanna to the Son of David." But the Scribes and Pharisees cried, "So, even the just one hath been led astray," and at the command of Ananias the high priest, the Apostle was cast down headlong from thence, then was stoned, and while he prayed for his slayers, his head was crushed by the wooden club wielded by a certain scribe. The first of the Catholic (General) Epistles written to the Jews in the Diaspora who believed in Christ was written by this Iakovos.
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Please note: Baking dates and times are subject to change.
Paximadia - October 5th
Kourambiedes - October 8th
Galatoboureko - October 15th
Rice Pudding - October 19th
2016 Greek Festival Oct. 21st & 22nd
Baking Dates 9:00 am start time
Our sincere appreciation to all who have come and helped in last two months. There is a lot more baking to be done over the next three weeks. Please come out and volun-teer any time you can give in the making of our famous pastries. We hope to see you at our next baking! OPA!
If you are able to assist with the 2016 Greek Festival, please let Catherine Branch
know what days you can help after liturgy. Any and all help during the week and during the days
of the festival is also needed. Please let Catherine know your availability at your earliest conven-
ience so she can make note.
TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY - Sampler boxes made up – Need a lot of help with pastries and outside set up
beginning at 9:30 am
THURSDAY – Setting up booths and stocking supplies, all vendors setting up
FRIDAY – Give your day to your church festival – 9am until 10 pm
SATURDAY - Give your day to your church festival – 9am until 10 pm
NEW this year - our very own Greek Festival App. Search Tallahassee Greek Festival in Apple or
Google Play stores. It provides information about the event as well as how to pre-order on-line
dinners and pastry sampler boxes starting October 1, 2016.
October 2016
Email: [email protected]
Visit us also On Facebook @
Holy Mother of God Philoptochos Society of Tallahassee, Florida
Next Meeting: October 6th in the Patmos Hall Conf. Room 6:00 pm
Save the date November 3
Janet Davis owner of
Hilly Fields Florists and Gifts @ 2475 Apalachee Pkwy., Tallahassee
Has saved this date to help us make our own individual Fall Arrangements Bring your favorite vase or a wreath to make a Fall arrangement or centerpiece. Please call Olibia Drzewiecki @
850-877-7604 for more information and to reserve your spot no later than Wednesday, October 26th!
Philoptochos Fanouropita Sunday Oct 9th
We would like to invite anyone who would like to bake and donate a Fanouropita (Cake for Lost Things) to
do so. The proceeds from Fanouropita Sunday are for our youth in our Metropolis, so all who are interested
will be able to attend youth activities held within our Holy Metropolis of Atlanta.
If you would like to make one and/or need a recipe, please call Elaine Mathewes @850-2511
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Spirituality Excerpts from an article by Rev. Thomas Fitzgerald
The Orthodox Church proclaims the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the Greek language, the word for Gospel is Evan-gelion which means literally "the good news." The good news of Orthodox Christianity is a proclamation of God's unbounded and sacrificial love for man kind, as well as the revelation of the true destiny of the human person. Re-flecting on the joyous message of the Gospel, Saint Gregory of Nyssa wrote in the fourth century: The good news is that man is no longer an outcast nor expelled from God's Kingdom; but that he is again a son, again God's sub-ject. Orthodoxy believes that the supreme treasure which God wishes to share with us is His own life. Our faith begins with the affirmation that God has acted in history to permit us to participate in His love and His goodness, to be citizens of His Kingdom. This conviction is expressed so beautifully in the prayer of the Liturgy which says: "You have not ceased to do all things until You brought us to heaven and granted us the Kingdom to come." THEOSIS The fundamental vocation and goal of each and every person is to share in the life of God. We have been created by God to live in fellowship with Him. The descent of God in the Person of Jesus Christ has made possible the hu-man ascent to the Father through the work of the Holy Spirit. Orthodoxy believes that each Christian is involved in a movement toward God which is known as theosis or deification. Theosis describes the spiritual pilgrimage in which each person becomes ever more perfect, ever more holy, ever more united with God. It is not a static relationship, nor does it take place only after death. On the contrary, theosis is a movement of love toward God which begins for each Christian with the rites of Baptism and which continues throughout this life, as well as the life which is to come. Salvation means liberation from sin, death, and evil. Re-demption means our repossession by God. In Orthodoxy, both salvation and redemption are within the context of theosis. This rich vision of Christian life was expressed well by Saint Peter when he wrote in the early pages of his second Epistle that we are called "to become partakers of the Divine nature." It was also affirmed by Saint Basil the Great when he described man as the creature who has received the order to become a god. THE HOLY SPIRIT The ever-deepening union of each Christian with God is not a magical or automatic process. While Christ has de-stroyed the powers of sin, death, and evil once and for all, this victory must be appropriated by each person in co-operation with the Holy Spirit. Each person is called to join with the lifegiving and liberating Spirit" in realizing the fulness of human life in communion with the Father. The Holy Spirit is the agent of deification whose task it is to incorporate us into the life of the Holy Trinity. However, the Spirit always recognizes our human freedom and invites our active cooperation in perfecting the "image and likeness of God" with which each of us is created. THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE CHURCH The reality of theosis not only bears witness to the love of God who wishes to share Him self with us but also ex-presses a very positive view of the human person. Orthodoxy believes that each person has an intrinsic value and importance in virtue of his or her unique relationship to God. The human person is never seen as being totally de-praved. The "image of God" which can be distorted by sin, can never be eradicated. Through the life of the Church, there is always the opportunity for fulfillment. When the Sacraments are administered, they are always offered to the individual by name. This action not only reminds us of the dignity of each person but also emphasiz-es the responsibility each person has for his or her relationship to God. While Orthodoxy recognizes the value of the person, it does not believe that we are meant to be isolated or self-sufficient. Each person is called to be an important member of the Church. Orthodoxy believes that one cannot be a Christian without being a part of the Church. The process of theosis takes place with the context of a believing community. To be united with God within the midst of the Church does not mean that our unique personalities are destroyed. We are not engulfed by an impersonal force or power. As with all love which is true and valuable, God's love for each of us respects our personhood. His love is not one which destroys. God's love is one which reveals, elevates, and perfects our true selves. By entering into the life of God, we become the persons we are meant to be.
Holy Mother of God Greek Orthodox Church
1645 Phillips Road Tallahassee, Florida 32308
Return Service Requested
Luke the Evangelist
Celebrated
October 18
Holy Mother of God Greek Orthodox Church
1645 Phillips Road Tallahassee, FL 32308
Office: 850-878-0747 Hall: 850-877-2501
Fr. Rob’s Cell: 850-559-8184
Website: www.hmog.org
Email Addresses:
Father Rob: [email protected]
Church Secretary: [email protected]
Secretary Hours: Mon./Wed./Fri. 9am-2pm
