2010 May Pages

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THE PROMISE

P AGE 1

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

A Message f rom Our Pastor.....................2

Our F estival...............................................3

News & Notes...........................................5

Thank Y ou Note......................................6

Nice t o Puppies?......................................7

The F olded Napkin.................................8

Oratorical F estival ...................................9

Marriage & Parenting.............................10

Loving t he Beauty of His House...........12

Stewardship Thoughts...........................16

Birthdays................................................23

May Calendar.......................................24

MAY 2010

SOMETHING TO THINK

ABOUT:

“… there is no end to wisdom's journey.

Wisdom ascends even till this:

until she unites with God

him who

follows

after

her.”

- St Isaac the Syrian

DATES TO REMEMBER:

MAY 9

MOTHER ’S D AY

MAY 13

ASCENSION THURSDAY

DIVINE LITURGY 9:30 AM

MAY 14

TASTE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN

MAY 16

SUNDAY SCHOOL GRADUATION & LUNCHEON

MAY 17

GREEK FEST GOLF CLASSIC

MAY 21 - 23INTERNATIONALGREEK FOOD FESTIVAL

Liturgy f or PentecostSUNDAY , 9:30 AM

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In the midst of the Paschal season, let us be mindful

of what this time means for us now and for the rest of

our life. For Pascha is NOT the occasion for guesses or

assumptions. This is NOT the period for theories or

conjecture. Pascha marks the moment for us to renew

our duty as harbingers of the risen Christ and come

alive in Him.

Granted, skeptics, cynics and egotists will mock us.

But that must not deter us

from our mission or our

attempts to share this joy

with them. We must not

underestimate or underplay

the profound significanceof God manifesting Himself

in Jesus Christ - for us or

our world. As a people

who believe in the Risen

Lord there is no ambiguity,

our salvation has come,

our hope is real, our faith is

true, our future is secure in

the risen Christ. No person,

worry, social mores, temptation,

or pessimism must robfaithful Orthodox Christians

of the significance of Pascha,

or the gift of new and eternal

life in Christ.

We must confirm aloud now more so than ever that

Jesus IS the Son of God! He IS alive! And He offers

us all the gift of life in Him. The joy and truth of

Pascha is limitless and supersedes an annual calendar,

but it is important for us to renew a steadfast commitment to the Risen Christ so that we may come alive in

Christ throughout the year.

Coming alive in the risen Christ means we find the

wherewithal to love, when it might be easier to hate.

It means we access the courage to evangelize, when it

might be easier to be silent. Coming alive in the risen

Christ means we acquire the strength to follow Him,

when it might be simpler to do nothing.

THE PROMISE

P AGE 2

PASTORAL MESSAGE

Let there be no doubt, the Annunciation Church family

is NOT a collection of dreamers or fools. Neither are we

optimists for optimism’s sake. We are Orthodox

Christians! Our Lord has risen from the dead! He ISthe living God! And He mercifully shares with us, life

in Him.

Pascha is not a time to simply remember an ancient

story. It is the time for us to rediscover the Risen Christ.

The One who feeds the hungry,

comforts the bereaved, heals

the wounded and raises the

dead. Pascha does not serve

as an opportunity for us to

fulfill a primeval urge tosurround ourselves with family

and friends in order to revel

in ‘happy thoughts’. It is the

time of year to rediscover the

Risen Christ. The One that

binds people together in His

love, His Grace and His peace.

Pascha is not an simple occasion

for us to proclaim a cheerfulphilosophy or promote a special

path to a earthly happiness. It

is the time to rediscover the

Risen Christ. The One who

is the foundation of veritable

joy, the essence of truth and the source of eternal life.

The light and life of the Paschal season does not flow

from something innate within us or because we wish it

to be so. Pascha enables to shake off the slumber of

mundane life and truly rediscover the fact that Jesus

Christ lives, and He share life in Him with us. This

time of year reminds us in no uncertain terms that we

worship and serve the Risen Christ. This holy season

prompts us to realize that our life has meaning, our

confidence is rational, our courage is justifiable, our

strength is sound and our hope is well-founded.

(Continued o n p age 4 )

ALIVE

IN THE

RISEN CHRIST

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THE PROMISE

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As we prepare this parish-wide herculean effort, everyone

in our Church family is urged to get involved in thisdynamic and powerful ministry tool! With YOUR HELP,

our Church is going to have another outstanding

International Greek Food Festival!!

As we all know, this grand project is a critical component

in the financial wellbeing of our parish. The proceeds of

our annual Festival help ensure that our parish is able to

share the Good News of Christ by helping to meet some

of the financial obligations necessary for continued growth.

By VOLUNTEERING AT THE FESTIVAL we e nsure t hat t he

ministrieso f

t he

A nnunciation

a re

never

s tunted

b y

a lack o f f unds. And because our Church is always mindful

of the broader community which we endeavor to minister

to, every year through the grace of God we highlight the

work of local non-denominational charities and share a

portion of our bounty from the Festival with them.

In addition to the ANNUNCIATION SCHOLARSHIP

FOUNDATION, this year we as a parish have selected the

following charities to support and increase the awareness

of their good works:

A RKANSAS F OOD BANK

LOVE TRUTH CARE MINISTRIES

CENTERS FOR Y OUTH & F AMILY

EASTER SEALS

HARMONY HEALTH CLINIC

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

Y OUTH HOME

In order to make our Festival an even greater success,

our Church family is asked to consider the following:

1) Make a contribution of any amount towards lowering

the costs of any of our booths.

2) HELP SPREAD THE WORD!!! We all have to do our

part in making sure that all of the Little Rock area

knows that our Festival will take place soon, rain or

shine. YOU are our best source of promotion!!!

3) IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO VOLUNTEER AND GET

INVOLVED. If you have any free time during the day or

night please contact a chairperson or help pack pastries for

sale.

Let us ALL help the Church prepare for this massive

undertaking! Our Festival works best, whenWE WORK

TOGETHER. For more information or questions please

see Raouf Kassissieh or Tina Alley

MAY 21 - 23, 2010

THE TIME FOR THEANNUNCIATION CHURCH FAMILY

TO SHINE!

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THE PROMISE

P AGE 4

PASTORAL MESSAGE

(Continued f rom p age 2 )

It is the resurrection of Jesus Christ that makes

forgiveness real and our optimism genuine. It is the

resurrection of Jesus Christ that assures us victory

over sin and evil. It is the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

that gives us life in Him that never ends. Thus Pascha

is the time for us to set aside past failures and fears so

that with repentance and faith, we may come alive in

the risen Christ

To all those that are struggling to approach God, have

no fear. Jesus Christ forgives, as much as He lives;

embrace the new life in Him. To all those who’s body

is ailing, trust in the Lord. Jesus Christ heals as much

as He lives; welcome the new life in Him that makes

us complete. To all those who have been sorely affected

by the failing economy or struggling to turn a new leaf,

do not despair. Jesus Christ cares as much as He

lives; He will never abandon those who are alive in

Him. To all who fear what the future will bring, have

faith in God. Jesus Christ lives and therefore our outlook is eternally secure.

Pascha is NOT a routine anniversary or an ancient

holiday. Pascha is NOT centered on an outside chance

or distant pipe dream. Pascha is the time for us to

receive into our hearts the risen Lord and come alive

in Christ. By living in the resurrection of Christ now

and throughout the year, we will not only discover the

love of God, but His presence in all of our days and

nights. By living in the resurrection of Christ now and

throughout the year, our families will be renewed, ourcircumstances will be transformed and our struggles

will be overcome. The new life in Christ is real, it is

holy, it is the reason why Pascha is a gift that knows no

bounds and will never end.

It is with that in mind that we must be humbled by the

fact that God in His love and mercy, has chosen US

to be heralds of the Resurrection of His Only

Begotten Son and partake of the new and eternal life in

Christ. Therefore, neither our new life in Him nor our

inexhaustible joy can ever be hidden.

Alive in the Risen Christ, we must manifest His Good

News throughout the year. Alive in the Risen Christ, we

must share His Good News throughout the year. Alive

in the Risen Christ, we must live His Good News

throughout the year. We may not be welcomed in the

public square, and we will certainly not be warmly

received in many social circles. But we need not be

deterred, disappointed or disenchanted. Pascha is the

time of our life! Our life in Christ! We must not wait for

another time or season. We cannot look to defer theresponsibility or postpone the joy for a single minute

This is our time. Let us remain alive in the risen Christ!

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

Rev. Dr. Nicholas J. Verdaris

“Pascha

is the time for us

to receive into our hearts

the risen Lordand come alive

in Christ.

By living in the Resurrection of

Christ

now and throughout the year,

we will not only discover the love

of God,but His presence in A LL of

our days and nights.”

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Christ IS Risen!

Truly He IS Risen!

SHINE ON SUNDAY

Sunday is the Lord’s Day! We must not allow the

stress, distractions and temptations of life to interfere

with our punctual and faithful attendance of the

Liturgy. If the Lord our God is not a top priority NOW , when will He be? Because o ur t ime i s p recious a nd l ife

is a ll t oo s hort, let us all redouble our efforts to gather

at the Church at 10:00am at the latest in order to wor-

ship Him. Let us attend the Divine Liturgy together on

Sunday as if it were our first or last.

SUNDAY SERVICES:

MATINS, 9:00AM /DIVINE LITURGY, 10:00AM

OUR LENTEN CHARITY

PROJECT

- THE ORTHODOX ORPHANAGE

IN GUATEMALA

We are pleased to note that the Annunciation in

Little Rock Church family during Lent & Holy Week

single-handedly raised $7,000. to help address some

of the financial needs of the children at the Hogar

Rafael Ayau Orthodox Orphanage in Guatemala. In

the midst of a national financial crisis, our Church

family actually gave more to this cause this year than

last year! What a great blessing it is when our Church

family embraces the calling to grow as Orthodox

Christians, and strives to please the Lord with a generous spirit. Thanks be to our Risen Lord for a

showing us the way by which to honor His love and

sacrifice!

GOYA COVENANT WITH

CHRIST

We were most pleased to

congratulate all those

youth in our GOYA

ministry who choose

to participate in

the “2010 Covenant

With Christ”,

fought the good

fight, and faith-

fully attended

the prescribed

of services of

Lent & Holy Week. We could

not be more

pleased or inspired

by the dedication of

our young people in

happily proclaiming:

Christ is Risen! Truly He isRisen!

K a it ly n A kel - Ben ja min A lley - Jonat ha n A lley - Bianca Bishara - Ha rley Burks - Zee

Fa nek - A lex Ha rb - Kerri Mout os - Grace

Rut t er - Ja mes Rut t er - K at herine Verda ris

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2010 FOOD FESTIVAL

F ESTIVAL CHAIRS . . . . . . . . . . . . Raouf Kassissieh

Tina Alley

A DVERTISING /MEDIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tina Alley

B ANKING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Raouf Kassissieh

BOOKSTORE . . . . . . . . . . . Christopher Huckabay

CHICKEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Philip Miron

COFFEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eva Sargent

COKE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Haitham Alley

DRIVE-THRU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wayne Alley

ENTERTAINMENT . . . . . . . . Peter & Jennifer Gess

GROCERY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pete Vratsinas

GROUNDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Haitham Alley

G YROS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adam Khamis

ICE CREAM /HOT DOGS . . GOYA/Stephanie Alley

K ABOBS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Randy Akel

L AMB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brock Martin

LOGISTICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike Harb

MIDDLE E ASTERN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clair Alley

P ASTITSO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dean Moutos

P ASTRIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anna Clift

Pat Diggins

PROGRAM BOOK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike Bailey

V ENDORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joyce Harb

V OLUNTEERS /CHARITIES. . . . . . Stephanie Wilcox

A NOTE OF THANKS!

To The Parish Family of the Church of the Annunciation:

Christ is Risen!

It was truly a pleasure to serve and pray with you all this Great and Holy Week.This was my first year since starting the seminary that I was not at my home parish. Yet with open arms and smiling faces you all made me feel as though I were home. From the bottom of my heart I thank you for such an incredible and blessed experience that I will always carry within me.

Arkansas, the Natural State, is known for its diamonds and like these

diamonds, your parish is the gem that I will know Arkansas by. I thank you for all of the work you have done and continue to do. And I ask that you pray for me, for your parish family is and will always be in my prayers.

May God continue to bless and guide your community under the spiritual leadership and compassion of your priest,Fr. Nicholas.

Eternally grateful,

Samuel Johnson

(The Seminarian who visited us for

Holy Week)

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SHOULDN’T WE BE NICE TO

PUPPIES?by Wesley J. Smith

So what's the difference between animal welfare and

animal rights? Animal welfare acknowledges that

humans have unique dignity and value. In direct

contrast, animal rights denigrates human exceptionalism

as "speciesist," that is, discrimination against animals.

Animal welfare acknowledges that we may benefit

from animal husbandry, but that in so doing, we have

the important duty to treat animals humanely and

never abuse them or cause them gratuitous suffering. Animal rights believers claim that it is immoral to

domesticate animals for any purpose, meaning we

should not eat meat, wear leather, conduct animal

research, and for some, even own dogs. In other

words, the ultimate goals of animal welfare and animal

rights are in direct conflict: The former seeks to

improve our use of animals, the latter, to end it altogether.

In this sense, animal rights is actually a subversive

ideology—for some, a quasi religion—that believes

humans and animals have equivalent moral value. In1989, Ingrid Newkirk, the head of the People for the

Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) stated the

matter very clearly and succinctly in Vogue: "Animal

Liberationists do not separate out the human animal,

so there is no rational basis for saying that a human

being has special rights. A rat is a pig is a dog is a boy.

They are all mammals."

If being human is irrelevant to moral value, as animal

rightists contend, upon what attributes do rightistsbelieve that moral value should be assigned? The

movement is not monolithic in this regard. Some, like

Rutgers law professor Gary Francione, contend that

"sentience" brings with it a "right" not to be property.

Others, like Peter Singer—not a pure animal rightist—

assert that moral value should be based on an

individual possessing sufficient cognitive capacities to

be considered a "person," a status enjoyed by some

animals in his view, but not by some people. Perhaps

the most common approach to endowing equivalent

moral value between humans and animals is the

capacity to suffer.

Regardless of the approach, to the animal rights true

believer, what is done to an animal should be judged as

if the same action were done to a human being. Hence,animal rightists believe cattle ranching to be as odious

as slavery and research on lab rats an equivalent evil to

Mengele's experiments in the camps.

PETA explicitly pitched that nihilistic message for two

years in its infamous Holocaust on Your Plate

Campaign that juxtaposed historic photographs of the

Shoah next to depictions of animals, for example

deceased, emaciated inmates presented adjacent to a

photo of dead pigs. The text stated in part:

Like the Jews murdered in concentration camps,

animals are terrorized when they are housed in huge

filthy warehouses and rounded up for shipment to

slaughter. The leather sofa and handbag are the moral

equivalent of the lampshades made from the skins of

people killed in the death camps.

(Continued o n p age 18)

SAVE THE DATE!!!

T HE 2010 A NNUNCIATION

GOYA

CHRIST E NCOUNTER R ETREAT

OCTOBER 2, 2010- from morning till night!!!

THE JOY & JR . GOYA MINI-R ETREAT will

take place on Friday, October 1st.

SAVE THE DATE!!!

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THE PROMISE

P AGE 8

THE CHRIST OF THE FOLDED

NAPKIN

by Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon

Using the narrative third-person, the evangelist John

describes his arrival with Peter at the tomb of Jesus:

"So they both ran together, and the other disciple out-

ran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he, stoop-

ing down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying; yet

he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following

him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen

cloths lying, and the kerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded

together in a place by itself."

Several questions about this kerchief thrust themselves

forward: How was it that the two apostles observed and

commented on this item? What does their observa-

tion tell us about the apostles? What did they con-

clude from the fact that the kerchief was folded?

Finally, what should we surmise from that fact?

With respect to the first question -- How was it that the

two apostles observed and commented on this item? -

- it is easy to imagine the thing as part of a police

report. Let us picture a detective asking them to

describe their discovery of the scene with all the details

they can remember.

"Well, officer," says John, "I arrived first at the tomb,

but I did not enter. However, I did stoop down and

noticed the linen burial cloths lying there. When Mr.

Barjonah arrived, he went into the chamber ahead of me. He's the one that remarked on the kerchief. It was

not lying with the linen burial cloths but was folded

together in a separate place by itself."

"I see," says the officer, "the kerchief was folded. You

are certain of this?"

"Yes," answers John, "the folded kerchief struck both of


FESTIVAL SPONSORSHIP

In order to make our annual

Food Festival an even greater

success, our Church family is

asked to consider making a

contribution o f a ny a mount

towards lowering the costs of

our booths. There is a sign-up

board in the Fellowship Hall

listing the ingredients used in our Festival and their

general costs. Every dollar donated towards any of

these items makes the Festival one dollar more suc-

cessful and helps ensures the continued growth of our

parish and the wonderful charities we are sponsoring

this year. Furthermore, please keep in mind that EVERYONE IS INVITED TO ATTEND A FESTIVAL

MEETING ON SUNDAY, MAY 2ND. There is a lot of

work to be done, a lot of love to share and our whole

Church family is needed to move this most blessed

endeavor forward to new heights!

PACK YOUR BAGS!

Attention GOYA & Jr. GOYA members and the

families we are planning a fun filled excursion toBra nson, MO, June 11-12t h. We will depart from

the Church on Thursday, June 10th in the morning

and head out to explore Branson and later that evening

attend the Acrobats of China & New Shanghai Circus

Show. On Friday, June 11th we will spend the day

enjoying all that Silver Dollar City has to offer. On

Saturday, June 12th on way back to Little Rock we are

going to tour a huge wild animal reserve just outside of

Eureka Springs. The bus, hotel and tickets to all the

events are all included for $120. Registration for this trip

is now open, but please hurry space will be limited ! So

check your calendar and lets plan on having a great

time together with our Church. EVERYTHING IS DUE

SUNDAY, MAY 16TH!

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2010 ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

ORATORICAL FESTIVAL

With our very own Jarrod Russell serving as Chairman and Medina Fugate working behind the scenes, the Annunciation in Little Rock

presented another wonderful Oratorical Festival. An Archdiocesan

program inspired by one of our Church’s most gifted orators, our

young people emulated St. John well and spoke beautifully on on

our Orthodox Christian faith. Listening to our youth present their

sincere and enthusiastic speeches about the Orthodox Christian

values that we all hold dear, was a breath of fresh air perfectly in

keeping with the joyous Paschal season. We congratulate KAITLYN

AKEL &OKSANA PAVLIV (from the Junior Division) YAZAN FANEK &

HALLIE RAMSER (from Senior Division) who were selected as the

representatives of their respective divisions.

Yazan Fanek

Hallie Ramser

Kaitlyn Akel

Oksana Pavliv

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MARRIAGE & PARENTING

IN THE DOMESTIC CHURCH

by Fr. George Morelli

You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly

Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48).

Some who are called to salvation through the vocation

of marriage may consider it inferior to the monastic

life. In part this attitude is shaped by descriptions that

compare the monastic vocation to angelic life, partic-

ularly the abstinence from sexual relations. "Moreover

the renunciation of the monk…includes not only these but in accordance with the strictest teaching of

Jesus all sexual relations or emotion arising there-

from." The monastic idea of chastity is a life like that

of the angels"

Focus:

Depa rt ure from "t he world" Ma rried or

Monast ic?

Marriage was considered to be a secondary vocationby spiritual writers of both East and West following St.

Paul's instruction to the Corinthians, "So that he who

marries his betrothed does well; and he who refrains

from marriage will do better" (1 Cor 7:38).

The description arises from the central focus of

monastic life: the voluntary renunciation of "worldly"

preoccupations. Before St. John Chrysostom matured

into the great pastor he became, he too recommended

monastic over married life. He wrote to his friend

Theodore who was contemplating leaving monasti-cism, " …it is no longer possible for thee to observe the

right conditions of marriage. For if he who has been

attached to a heavenly bridegroom deserts him…"

Focus:

Perfect ion in Christ : In Ha rmony w it h His

Teaching s in t he World

Later on, however, St. John's attitude changed. After

more experience and greater contact with godly people,

especially the holy widow Oympias, we see a new recog-

nition in St. John's writings that marriage is also an

esteemed path to salvation.

In a letter to Olympias about the raising of children St.

John wrote: "Bring him up in the chastening and admo-

nition of the Lord. Never deem it an unnecessary thing

that he should be a diligent hearer of the divine

Scriptures. For there the first thing he hears will be this,

'Honor thy father and thy mother;' so that this makes

for thee. Never say, this is the business of monks. Am I

making a monk of him? No. There is no need he

should become a monk".

The Golden-Mouthed saint understood why Olympias was able to lead a holy life in Christ, while in the world.

He wrote, "But you know how to dwell in great and

populous cities as if they were uninhabited, spending

the whole of your time in quietness and rest, and treading

worldly ambitions under foot…the perfect trainin

which renders you insensible to any terror at the hands

of any one, the power of standing on a rock in the midst

of mighty billows of tribulation, and sailing in a calm

with a favorable breeze when the sea is raging around

you."

Standing up to the afflictions and tribulations of the

world produces virtue. St. John continued, "For such is

the nature of affliction—when it lays hold of a brave and

noble soul, this is what it is wont to effect. And as the

fire makes the piece of gold, when it is applied to it, of

better proof: so also affliction when it visits golden

characters renders them purer and more proven.

Wherefore also Paul said 'affliction worketh patience

and patience probation…More than that, we rejoice in

our sufferings, knowing that suffering producesendurance, and endurance produces character, and

character produces hope…" (Rm 5:3-4)

Perfect ion:

Ha rmony w it h Christ Cont inued

Clearly St. John came to the point of view that whether

a person is married or a monastic, both paths can lead


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P AGE 11

THE ANNUNCIATION

BOOKSTORE IS OPEN!

The Parish bookstore is

open during the Fellowshiphour every Sunday after the

Divine Liturgy or by special

appointment.

W E ARE A ONE STOP SOURCE FOR ANY OF YOUR CHURCH

RELATED NEEDS. We can special order icons for specific

saints, events, or feast days. We can help with finding

assistance in preparing kolyva for Memorial services or

in obtaining wedding crowns or baptismal items. We

can also help to find and order specific books or

Orthodox related gift items. Please refer any questions or

needs to Christopher Huckabay at 501-563-8726 or at

[email protected].

A VERY SPECIALINVITATION

TO THEANNUNCIATION

CHURCH FAMILY

On SUNDAY, MAY 16TH

immediately following the Divine Liturgy,

in the Cultural Center

A Luncheon Honoring our Graduating Sunday School Seniors!

Perfect Attendance Awards and

Class Promotion Certificates

Teacher Recognition and Appreciation!HOMERUN FUN!

Annunciation GOYA & Jr.

GOYA lets g o t o a n

Arkansas Travelers Baseball

Game!!!

WHEN: Sunday, June 27

WHERE: Dickey-

Stephens Park, NLR

The "Club Car" Private

Picnic A rea

TIME: 5:00 PM

DINNER: All-You-Can-Eat Buffet: Hamburgers,Hot Dogs, Baked Beans, Chips, Popcorn, and

Drinks

PRICE: $10.00

(Which includes your ticket into the game)

SIGN-UP IS A MUST: See Jana Hunter

during the Fellowship Hour starting April

11th!

FESTIVAL PASTRY PACKING

We need our Church

family to help package

the pastries for the

Festival! Please double

check in a dvance, but

the work of packaging

our pastries for sale at

the Festival will take place

May 3 t hrough 13th,MONDAY - THURSDAY

FROM 6:00 - 8:00PM.

We are quickly heading

into the homestretch and the fact of the matter is

that the more parishioners that will help pack the pas-

tries, the sweeter it is for our entire parish.

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Loving The Beauty of HIS House

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THE FOLDED NAPKIN


us as rather odd. Arriving at the tomb, we presumed

that Jesus' body had been stolen. We did not credit

the report of the women in our company who were

all worked up, talking about angels and resurrection

and the like. Their words seemed to us like idle tales,

and we did not believe them. These sisters of ours,

you see, had just experienced the trauma of Jesus'

death late last week, so we thought them hysterical

when they found the tomb empty.

"When Mr. Barjonah and I arrived there, our first

impression of the scene suggested a grave robbery.

That folded kerchief, however, was an inconsistent

detail. Neither of us could imagine grave robbers

stopping to fold that kerchief. This detail got us

thinking."

Perhaps it should get us thinking, too. That kerchief,

not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in

a place by itself, was a point of first-hand eyewitness

testimony. It puzzled Peter and John, challenging their supposition that the grave had been robbed.

John recorded this item for the same reason he

included so many other details of that week, namely:

"And he who has seen has testified, and his testimo-

ny is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth."

Down through the centuries, no matter what conclu-

sion a someone reached about Jesus' burial chamber,

that folded kerchief has begged for an explanation:

Who folded it, and why?

We who accept the testimony of those first female

witnesses know exactly who folded the kerchief. We

see Him lying dead in the tomb, and then we picture

His body coming to a new and completely victorious

life.

That instant of the Resurrection of Jesus was the

most decisive moment in the history of the world. It

was the event of deepest importance for every human

being who ever lived. It was the supreme kairos. The

Law and the Prophets were fulfilled in that moment,

and the existence of the human race took on an utter-ly new meaning.

What, however, was the first thing Jesus did when the

Resurrection life came surging into His body? The

simplest and plainest thing imaginable: He reached up

pulled the kerchief from His face, folded it, and set it

aside, as though it had been a napkin used at breakfast

Those sacred hands, from which every grace would

flow into the Church until the end of the world, were

first employed to fold a kerchief.

The universal Christ, the eternal Word in whom al

things subsist, was still the same Jesus, to whom an act

of elementary neatness came naturally. He sponta-

neously did what He would likely have done in any

case, much as another man might unconsciously

scratch his ear, or yet another look around for a stick

to whack the weeds with as he walked along.

The risen Lord was the same Jesus His friends had

always known. He had just returned from the realm of

hell, where He trampled down death by death. He was

on the point of going forth as a giant to run His course

He was about to begin appearing to His disciples, pro-

viding them with many infallible proofs, being seen by

them during forty days, and speaking of the things per

taining to the kingdom of God. Nonetheless, He was

still the same person, whose instinctive habits remained

identical. First, He took a moment to fold the kerchie

He had used, and only then did He stride out to

change the direction of history and transform the lives

of human beings.

REMEBER

FATHER’S DAY

JUNE 20, 2010

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(Continued f rom p age 10)

to holiness. He wrote, "I shall therefore quote youexamples from the saints of the ancient times. How

many, who had wives to keep and children to bring up,

were inferior in no respect…But would you know why

it was? It was for his hospitality, for his contempt of

riches, for his chastened conduct. For what, tell me, is

the duty of a philosopher [one committed to Christ]?

Is it not to despise both riches and glory? Is it not to

be above both envy and every other passion?"

He also warned all his readers, "Do not imagine that the monk alone stands in need of these lessons from

Scripture. Of all others, the children just about to

enter into the world specially need them"

A practica l exa mple

Would St. John feel at home in our world 1700 years

later? Most likely he would – and this does not speak

well of us. It does, however, make his teachings all the

more relevant. In his letter to Olympias, St. Johnspoke of the "court," by which he meant the ruling

courts of Emperors and Empresses and their legates.

We could replace the reference today with govern-

ment leaders such as legislators or judges, or even

business and cultural leaders. Most important, we can

still apply the moral imperatives to the relationships

we have with others. St. John wrote,

“Thus the more distinguished he is in the present life,

so much the more he stands in need of this education.If he passes his life in courts, there are many

Heathens, and philosophers, and persons puffed up

with the glory of this life. It is like a place full of

dropsical people. Such in some sort is the court. All

are, as it were, puffed up, and in a state of inflammation.

There is then every need of much discipline of this

sort to those that are to mix in the present world,

because such an one has a stronger temptation to sin

than the other. And if you have a mind to understand it,

he will further be a more useful person even in the

world itself. For all will have a reverence for him from

these words, when they see him in the fire without being

burnt, and not desirous of power. But power he will

then obtain, when he least desires it, and will be a stillhigher object of respect to the king; for it is not possible

that such a character should be hid.

Amongst a number of healthy persons, indeed,

healthy man will not be noticed; but when there is one

healthy man amongst a number of sick, the report will

quickly spread and reach the king's ears, and he will

make him ruler over many nations. Knowing then these

things, “bring up your children in the chastening and

admonition of the Lord."

Desert in t he Cit y

St. John gives us a monastic ethos while living in the

world – a desert in the city so to speak. It's a model we

see practiced elsewhere. St. Paul, for example, was

directed to venture into cities, "(R)ise and enter the city

and you will be told what you are to do" (Acts 9:6). In

fact, in early Christianity, the first Churches were home

churches, and although not properly a "Eucharisticassembly", it certainly is the center of sanctification of a

man and woman in blessed married and their children.

A prayer that is read for the couple during the wedding

service affirms the inherent importance and dignity of

Christian parenting. "Unite them in one mind and one

flesh, and grant unto them fair children for education in

the faith and fear ..." the prayer reads. This prayer

reveals that the vocation of marriage and parenthood

must be Christ-centered and thus marriage and parent-

ing is God-ordained.

Ma rria g e a nd The Domest ic Church:

A Ladder of Div ine A scent in t he World

If the writings of St. John Chrysostom reveal that the

ethos of the married and monastic vocations are similar


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OUR STEWARDSHIP

As we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and

Savior, let us continue to remember the House

that the Lord has entrusted unto us - the

Annunciation in Little Rock. Through our

prayers, our presence, our generosity and our

service to the Church, together we can lift up theResurrected Light of Christ before the world.

These are indeed challenging times, but inspired

by the love that the Lord shows us every day, let

us generously contribute to the well being of

Christ’s Church here in Little Rock with our

faithful Stewardship.

We thank all those who faithfully submitted their

2010 Stewardship Card and hope that those who

have not yet done so, will please respond back soon.

With everyone’s Stewardship commitment to the

Annunciation we can truly help our corner of the

world “COME & SEE” Christ in action at our parish.

With every Church family member joyously sharing

their time, talent and treasure with Christ at the

Annunciation, we a ll c an honor t he L ord a nd k eep

the d oors o f H is H ouse o pen u nto t he w orld.

THOUGHTS

ON ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN

STEWARDSHIP

"For man, the earthly life, life in the body, serves only

as a preparation for eternal life, which will begin after

the death of the body. Therefore we must avail our-

selves without delay of the present life as a prepara-

tion for the other life; and as we chiefly work during

week-days for the earthly life, we must work on

Sundays and other holidays wholly for the Lord God,

devoting them to attendance at Divine service, to

reading the Word of God, to pious meditation, to

edifying conversations, good works, and especially to

works of mercy. Those sin grievously who neglect thematter of their spiritual education for eternal life in

the world above. How can we forget our final

destination? How is it possible to be so ungrateful to

the Creator, Who created us after His own image and

likeness, incorruptible, and for union with Himself;

Who redeemed us by His Cross, and opened to us

the gates of the Kingdom of Heaven? How can many

of us become like the beasts that perish? Let us lift up

our hearts!"

- ST. JOHN OF K RONSTA DT

FESTIVAL LITURGY

ON MAY 23RD,

THE SUNDAY OF THE F ESTIVAL,

THE DIV INE LITURGY W ILL BE

CELEBR ATED AT 9:30 A M.

PLEASE NOTE

THAT THIS IS ALSO

THE GREAT F EAST OF PENTECOST

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in that both offer opportunities for sanctification, wecan look to monasticism for guidelines on how to

apply personal discipline in the world. St. John

Climacus' "The Ladder of Divine Ascent" is considered

one of the classics of Orthodox spiritual teaching.

Unknown to many however, is that St. John was asked

by married couples how they could apply his teachings

if they were not monks. He responded,

Some people living carelessly in the world put a ques-

tion to me: "How can we who are married and living

amid public cares aspire to the monastic life?" I

answered: "Do whatever good you may. Speak evil of

no one. Rob no one. Tell no lie. Despise no one and

carry no hate. Do not separate yourself from the

church assemblies. Show compassion to the needy.

Do not cause scandal to anyone. Stay away from the

bed of another, and be satisfied with what your own

wives can provide you. If you do all this you will not

be far from the kingdom of heaven.

In the introduction to the book Metropolitan Kallistospointed out that people do not necessarily ascend the

steps in order. The ladder is not to be taken literally;

but sets "a standard and model for the whole Church."

In our case, we can see the book as a guide to living a

Godly life in the domestic churches – the families who

live in the world.

The F i v e Element s of Godliness Lov e

St. John Climacus ("Of the Ladder") structured his

instruction as a ladder that he called the "divine

ascent." They are steps that, if practiced, can lead us to

God. The pinnacle of the ascent is love. Love is what

fills life with meaning because, as the Holy Scriptures

teach us, "God is love" ( 1 John 4:8). When we strive

for love, we strive for God, and we become aware of

how God "fills all in all"

St. John used the image of a ray of light to describe God.

The ray (God) makes all things, light: mercy encircling

the ray, and a disk that represents love's unceasingness

which appears as a "single radiance and a single splen-

dor." In a sense we emulate or replicate this divine activ-

ity "insofar as is humanly possible." We are not God, butthe creation is such that even human actions find some

congruence with the divine activity of God. One example

is child bearing. A man and woman joined in blessed

marriage become "one flesh" out of which a new person

is created.

This example of creative love continues after the birth

of the child. The parents are commissioned to bring the

child into "Godliness" as the prayers of the marriage

service exhort. This should also extend from the family

– the domestic church – to all people to whom they

come in contact, thereby fulfilling the commandment of

Christ that we should love our neighbor as ourselves.

This is accomplished through kenosis (self-sacrifice,

emptying oneself) for the good and welfare of others.

Pray er

Another primary element is prayer. "Prayer is by nature

a dialog and a union of man with God…Its effect is tohold the whole world together." Our Lord and Savior

Jesus Christ taught us to pray. He told his disciples

"Our Father, who art in heaven…" Jesus also told his

disciples that, "Whatever you ask in my name, I will do

it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son" (John

14:13).

Prayer is a critical block in the foundation of the domes-

tic church. Reflect on the words of Christ: Every one

then who hears these words of mine and does them will

be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock"

(Matthew 7:24). Prayer holds a family together. Prayer

unifies people with God.

A daily cycle of prayers can be performed including

morning prayer, mealtime prayers, evening prayer,

reading of the epistle and gospel of the day, as well as

spiritual reading. Of course, all these practices are the


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NICE TO PUPPIES


Such odious comparisons between animal husbandry and the worst of human evils isn't viewed as hyperbole

or metaphor by animal rights true believers. Indeed,

the belief that using animals is akin to the Holocaust

has led some activists to engage in terrorism against

medical researchers, food producers, mink farmers,

and others, who have been subjected to death threats,

vandalism, bombings, and identity theft, among other

crimes. In the United Kingdom, animal activists even

robbed the grave of a farm family's grandmother to

coerce it out of raising guinea pigs for use in research.

Hyper emotional advocacy by animal rights cam-

paigners also seeks to mask the tremendous benefit

we receive from the proper and humane use of animals.

Decades of attacks, for example, have confused

millions of Americans about the importance of ani-

mal research. But this is an undeniable fact: If you

have received any of the many sophisticated medical

treatments developed in the last 50 years, you directly

benefited from experiments performed on animals,

without which your treatments could never have beendeveloped.

The movement's explicit anti humanism that is at the

core of animal rights advocacy—again, as distinguished

from animal welfare—is perhaps its greatest threat to

Judeo/Christian culture. Remember, animal rights

ideology denies the unique dignity of human life—an

essential value of Christianity. One would think that

such misanthrope would protect believers from

falling prey to animal rights propaganda. Alarmingly,

in promoting my new book, A Rat is a Pig is a Dog isa Boy: The Human Cost of the Animal Rights

Movement, I have been told by self described

Christians that the sanctity of life ethic includes

animals as well as people, and that the practice of true

Christianity requires vegetarianism.

But this has no Biblical basis. After Christ's birth,

Joseph and Mary sacrificed a dove as required by

Jewish law. Lamb was undoubtedly served at the Last

Supper—it was, after all, the Passover feast.—and the

risen Christ served and ate fish to his disciples after His

resurrection. During His earthly ministry, Jesus never

complained about animal sacrifice and rode triumphantly

into Jerusalem on a colt—a type of instrumental use of animals viewed as wholly immoral by animal rights

activists. In his "take no thought of what ye shall eat"

discourse, he assured the crowds that while God is

aware of the fall of each sparrow, every hair on their

heads was counted, and moreover, that we are worth

much more than many sparrows. One could go on and on.

Of course, Christian thought and human empathy

requires Christians to treat animals compassionately.

Unfortunately, many believers' love for animals hasenticed them into accepting animal rights. But Christ

didn't die for tigers, elephants, or squirrels. He died for

human beings.

If this crucial distinction is ever lost, the spine of

Judeo/Christian moral philosophy and Christian faith

will be broken with incalculable consequences. After

all, if we come to think of ourselves as just another

animal in the forest, that is how we will act.

WORDS OF WISDOM

“ Consider that your soul is an image. Before

daubing on the true color of the Spirit, erase the

bad habits which have become implanted in

you, whether it be swearing, lying, uttering

insults, foul language, or any other of the

disreputable things you are in the habit of doing.

Erase the habit, that you may not come back to

it after baptism. The bath takes away the sins,but you must correct the habit, so that after the

pigments have been daubed on and the royal

image shines forth, you may never thereafter

blot it out or cause wounds or scars on the beauty

which God has given you.”

- St. John Chrysostom

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"overflow" of sharing in the Eucharistic banquet onSunday and Feast Days of the local parish. They have

their origin to early Christian practice, "…they devoted

themselves to the breaking of bread…and they sold

their possessions and goods and distributed them to

all, as any had need" (Acts 2: 42,45).

Work

Work too is an indispensable to creating the domesticchurch. We at least know about two works of the

Holy Trinity. One is the active relationship of love

that the three Persons of the Holy Trinity have among

themselves. Another is the individual work of each

Person of the Trinity – what we call in theological

terms the Divine Economy.

For example, the Father creates and upholds the

creation. The work of the Son is to mediate the

Father to the believer, and the believer to the Father

– a work accomplished through His divine incarnation.He reveals the Father during his sojourn on earth

where he worked as a carpenter in Nazareth (c.f.

Matthew 13:55), preaching in the synagogues and

countryside (c.f. Luke 4: 14-15), and finally through

his passion, crucifixion, and resurrection. The work

of the Holy Spirit is to rest on the Son, "For in Him

all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell…"

(Colossians 1: 19).

The domestic church also must be engaged in work.

The work of running a household – the cooking,

cleaning, study, employment, etc. – must in some

measure emulate the work of the Holy Trinity, which

means it must be done in love. But love flows forth

only where God is, and one must pray to come into

the presence of God.

Here too St. John offered invaluable practical counsel,

"Pray in all simplicity. The publican and the prodigal

son were reconciled to God by a single utterance…

heartfelt thanksgiving should have first place in our

book of prayer."

Silence

Silence is considered a jewel of the spiritual life but one

difficult to achieve in the domestic church often because

of the press of schedules and responsibilities.

Nevertheless silence must be cultivated. St. John taught

that, "The lover of silence draws close to God. He talks

to him in secret and God enlightens him."

The good saint links lack of silence to vainglory and

passing judgment on others. We measure people and

events from our own prideful viewpoint instead of

listening to God who told us: "Judge not, that you be not

judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will

be judged, and the measure you give will be the

measure you get" (Matthew 7: 1-2). By holding our

tongues, we can listen to what God tells us. So how do

we achieve silence in our world of sensory overload and

the unrelenting demands on our time? When I counsel

families I frequently tell them they must start making

recreation a priority. They often respond with aquizzical stare. Not until I explain what recreation is for

do they begin to comprehend why recreation is

necessary.

Look at the word, I tell them. The term "recreation"

means to "re-create" — to make new. Parents in particular

must renew their relationship in order for the family to

be healthy. Think of the flight attendant when she gives

the safety instructions to the passengers. "Parents traveling

with young children should put on their masks before

putting on their child's." Why? Because if the parent isnot healthy, the child cannot be cared for. We all need

re-creation. We all need time out from the outer and

inner distractions. I instruct family members to "set time

each day to be in silence. Say a simple prayer, become

aware of the presence of God, and let go of even this

and stare off as if focusing on nothing around you."

These practices are favored by monastics and others

schooled in the discipline of silence. I have discovered

(Continued o n p age 2 1)

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If you are passionate about Golf and want to help

the Annunciation along with a super charity like

Easter Seals, consider participating in the 2010

GREEKFEST GOLF CLASSIC ON MAY 17TH! It is a

fantastic time that does great things for a player’s

body and soul. In these troubled financial times,our participation and sponsorship are needed now

more than ever!

In a ddition, mark your calendars for Friday, May

14th, and the TASTE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN

BASH! This is going to be a “tasty” evening that you will not want to miss. This annual event is not only delicious and fun, but it also goes a long way towardshelping support the work of Easter Seals and the ministries

of the Annunciation. Buy your tickets TODAY!

Both s ilent a nd l ive a uction i tems a re needed f or

the T aste o f t he M editerranean! Besides items/

opportunities that can be donated from our businesses

or work place we would welcome all sorts of other

donations as well. We c an't d o i t w ithout y ou !

Please see Eva Sargent for donation agreement

contracts or more information. Let's make this

year's event better than ever!

OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHIES

The Annunciation Church family notes with deep

sadness the passing of DONNA RAE SCHMELZER, a

the mother of Dana Blackwell who fell asleep in the

Lord on April 16th.

As our heavenly Father receives the soul of this His

servant, let us continue to pray that all those who

mourn will be comforted by the bountiful love of

our Savior.

“May her memory be eternal!”

The Annunciation Church family notes with deep

sadness the passing of THOMAS WEATHERLY, the

brother of Jack Weatherly who passed away in

Mississippi after a long illness on April 24th.

As our heavenly Father receives the soul of this Hisservant, let us continue to pray that all those who

mourn will be comforted by the bountiful love of

our Savior.

“May his memory be eternal!”

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that these simple instructions are sufficient for the

blessed members of the domestic church in today's

society.

St Isaac the Syrian wrote, " … there is no end to

wisdom's journey. Wisdom ascends even till this:

until she unites with God him who follows after her.

And this is the sight that the insights of wisdom have

no limit: that wisdom is God himself." St. Peter

taught, "Let not yours be the outward adorning … but let it be the hidden person of the heart with the

imperishable jewel of a gentle and quiet spirit, which

in God's sight is very precious" (1 Peter 3:3-4).

Hospit a lit y

At first it might seem strange to consider hospitality a

step in the Divine Ascent. Remember however, the

example of Abraham. Genesis recounts the visit of the Lord to Abraham and the hospitality accorded to

the visitors: "And the Lord appeared to him by the

oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the

heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and

behold, three men stood in front of him. When he

saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them,

and bowed himself to the earth, and said, "My lord, if

I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your

servant" (Genesis 18: 1—33). In Orthodox iconogra-

phy this is depicted as the "Hospitality of Abraham."

This sharing comes from the sharing that God shows

us. God shared his only begotten Son with us, "Christ

Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did

not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant,

being born in the likeness of men" (Philipians 2: 5-7).

Is it surprising then St. Paul would instructed us to,

"Welcome one another, therefore, as Christ has

welcomed you, for the glory of God" (Romans 15:7).

St. John of the Ladder affirmed the directive "When

people visit you, offer them what they need for body

and spirit. If they happen to be wiser than we are, then

let our own silence reveal our wisdom." St. Paul told the

Ephesians be hospitable "…with all lowliness and

meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in

love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the

bond of peace" (Ephesians 4: 2-3).

In this spirit St. John reminded his readers that when

serving others be sure to avoid self-centeredness as

"vainglory induces pride." With this in mind we — thelittle church in the home — can exercise hospitality,

giving to others motivated by the love of Christ. Family

members can keep in mind St. Paul's words, "Wha

have you that you did not receive? If then you received

it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift" (1

Corinthians 4:7)?

In hospitality, let not the poor be forgotten. Our Lord

told us: "But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the

maimed, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed

because they cannot repay you" (Luke 14: 13-14). How

we can accomplish this can be the subject of a family

spiritual discussion and project.

For example, several years ago during Thanksgiving

season I was completing a family counseling session and

asked, "How are you going to spend Thanksgiving?

With other members of your family"? "Oh no", they

(Continued o n p age 2 2)

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(Continued f rom p age 2 1)

answered. "We go to our local soup kitchen and cook

and serve the homeless."

Here in San Diego, I know of families that show the

same hospitality serving the Project Mexico mission

that helps the poorest of the poor. Such is the

hospitality of God. "He who receives you receives

me, and he who receives me receives him who sent

me" (Matthew 10: 40).

God t he Source of Ma rit a l Grace

In its Divine Ascent all the members of the domestic

church can meditate on the words of Isaiah the

Prophet: "I am the Lord your God, who teaches you

to profit, who leads you in the way you should go"

(Isaiah 48:17). The family has to be the source of

"newness of life" in Christ, and not conformed to the

world. Once again the teaching of St. Paul, "Do not

be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is

the will of God, what is good and acceptable and per-

fect" (Romans 12:12).

This commitment to have an Orthodox Christian

household is enlivened by the grace of baptism. As

we joyfully sing in the Paschal Season: "For as many

of you as were baptized into Christ have put on

Christ" (Gal 3: 27). As is read in the epistle of the

Orthodox Marriage Service: "For this reason a man

shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his

wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mys-

tery is a profound one, and I am saying that it refers

to Christ and the church". (Eph 5: 31-32). A blessed

marriage is also enlivened by a special grace prayed

for in the marital service: that "Thou [God] be

present here [in the marriage] with Thine invisible

protection."

The Pa rish Church:

The Cha nnel of Sa nct if icat ion,

t he Ladder t o Sa lv at ion

The family as the domestic church cannot foreclose on

its obligation to be Christ-centered. Parents cannot

assign their obligation to others, be it the parish priest,

teachers, or youth workers. Christ must be present in

the home from marriage, conception, birth, growth

until all fall sleep unto the Lord in the hope of eternal

salvation.

Furthermore, the family cannot be Christ-centered

unless it is also actively connected to the local parishcommunity. Christ meets us in the Church. He feeds us

with His heavenly and immortal Mysteries so that our

paths may be straight, our lives guarded, and our steps

firm in all we do especially in the domestic church.

Father, I desire that they also, whom thou hast given

me, may be with me where I am, to behold my glory

which thou hast given me in thy love for me before

the foundation of the world (John 17: 24).

DON’T

GIVE GOD INSTRUCTIONS...

JUST REPORT FOR DUTY !

8/9/2019 2010 May Pages


Happy Birthdayto our parishioners

celebrating during the month of

May!May 1st . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Julie Blackwell

May 3rd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Harley Burks

May 7th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kaitlyn Akel

Lauren Bailey

May 11th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alex Harb

May 13th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bobby Bishara

May 14th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Hawkins

May 15th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ian Ramser

May 19th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Erin Kaiser

May 20th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elias Bishara

May 29th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrew Cora

Anna Cora

May 30th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ken Haycook

FELLOWSHIP HOUR

W WE NEEDEED SPONSORSPONSORS FOROR

THEHE COMINGOMING SUMMERUMMER MONTHSONTHS !!!!!!

If you or your family would like to commemorate

a special event, honor the memory of a loved one

or would simply like to offer a gift to the Annunciation family. . . you t oo can sponsor a

Fellowship Hour!

PLEASE CHECK THE BULLETIN

BOARD AND SIGN UP TODAY!

THE PROMISE

P AGE 23

OUTREACH COMMITTEE

MEET & GREET SCHEDULE

May 2nd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robin JonesMay 9th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sharon Johnson

May 16th . . . . . . . . . . Christopher Huckabay

May 23rd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carole Hawkins

May 30th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeannie Newton

June 6th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rick Newton

June 13th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jack Weatherly

June 20th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mark Hunter

June 27th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robin Jones

DIDYOUKNOW?

You can always readthe current issue of The Promise online

at the Annunciation’s website!

orthodoxchurch.com/parish/promise

8/9/2019 2010 May Pages


Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fr i Sa t

1

2Sunday of the SamaritanMatins 9:00 am

Divine Liturgy 10:00 am

Festival Meeting

3

Festival Pastry Packing

6:00—8:00pm

4


6:00—8:00pm

5

Festival Pastry

Packing

6:00—8:00pm

6

Festival Pastry

Packing

6:00—8:00pm

7 8

9Sunday of the Blind ManMatins 9:00 am


Happy Mother’s Day!!!

10


6:00—8:00pm

11

Parish Council Meeting

6:00pm


6:00—8:00pm

12

Festival Pastry

Packing

6:00—8:00pm

13Feast of Ascension

Liturgy 9:30am

Festival Pastry

Packing

6:00—8:00pm

14

2010

Taste of the

Mediterranean

15

16Sunday of the Fathers

Matins 9:00 am


Sunday School Graduation &

Scholarship Luncheon

172010 Greek Food Fest

Golf Classic

18 19 20 21

2010

International Greek

Food Festival

22

2010

International

Greek Food Fest

23

Sunday of PentecostDivine Liturgy 9:30 am

2010

International Greek Food

Festival

24 25 26 27 28 29

30Sunday of All SaintsMatins 9:00 am


31

Memorial Day

June 1 2 3 4 5

ANNUNCIATION GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH1100 NAPA VALLEY DRIVE, LITTLE ROCK, AR 72211

REV. DR. NICHOLAS J. VERDARIS, PASTOR

MAY 2010

THE PROMISE

Documents

2010 May Pages