2013 June - August Promise

The Promise
June - August 2013

Wisdom:
Be still,
and know that
I am God.
~ PSALM 46:10 ~
Dates to Remember
Feast of the Transfiguration
Divine Liturgy, 9:30am
Inside this Issue

Pastoral Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Our First Priest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 An Invitation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 August Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 A Grand Gala. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Happy Birthday. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 How Are We Saved . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 The Exodus of Christians . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Smile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Parish Assembly Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Cost of Discipleship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Calendars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
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August 6th
Feast of the Dormition

August 15th August 18th
Parish Assembly Elevation of the Holy Cross

September 14th
September 21st & 22nd

Centennial Celebrations
THE PROMISE
e live in interesting times. For one can easily argue that more people are happy to repeat forlorn excuses for all of the things that poison life on earth rather than look for ways to literally and figuratively be on the right side of God. How else can one explain why our society argues how to end poverty, suffering, injustice and violence, but at the same time expressly refuses to accept the fact that the only successful way to overcome such sin-full plagues is through an active faith in Jesus Christ. The world insists on creating programs and policies that do not consider the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked and the sick in terms of the image and likeness of God - but only as fiscal problems that human ingenuity alone can solve. The concept of doing anything as an expression of faith in God is either ignored, mocked or suppressed.
The Pastoral Message

recognize the hungry, the naked, the stranger or even God. Because they are so busy looking to take from God, they fail to see the need to give. Meanwhile, the producers of faith work on growing in Christ, serving Him, and sharing their faith with others. Whenever people are actively striving to draw closer to Christ, they see Gods presence everywhere and His face in the hungry, the naked and strangers. There is simply no disputing the fact that we live in an age in which people are passionately looking to disassociate themselves from God, as much as they do from the Church and His Word. Some out of ignorance and some out of omission, but mostly by intent. Many souls today increasingly consider their faith in terms of a vast menu. They intend to pick what they like about faith in God, while carefully skipping over anything that does not sound delicious or seems to be too filling. As a result, men and women in our society talk about the Church solely in terms of what they get out of it, rather than how they serve God in it. Large numbers of Christians today shop around for the best Church programs, the most interesting activities and friendliest social networks to enjoy, rather than consciously consider the extent to which the Church is the reservoir of Truth and the place that they must give themselves over to Jesus Christ. The fact that following God entails a change of heart and perspective that is not in line with popular culture, does not easily appeal to the masses. And the fact that walking along the path that the Lord has commanded His Church to pave, through repentance, service and evangelism, sounds far more demanding then what (Continued on page 4)
But this growing phenomenon is not developing in a vacuum. Such delusions also come from Christians who have not completely come to terms with their faith, their Church and the Word of the Lord. In other words, many Christians have gradually become consumers of faith, rather than producers of faith. Increasingly, people want to find Christianity ready-made and easy. They want to feel good, have fun and enjoy the gifts of faith in heaping portions, but are far less interested in doing what is necessary to grow as Christians, reap the fruits of the Spirit, let alone generate faith in others. People can quickly rattle off a list of all that Christianity needs to do in order to be better, but always seem to be at a loss when it comes to what are they are personally doing to draw closer to Christ, manifest their faith and share it. Ultimately, the
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consumers
Consumers vs. Producers
of faith do
not
really
June - August 2013
Our Condolences
Make your legacy of love for your parish eternal, remember the Annunciation in your Will.
The Annunciation family notes with sorrow that our sister in Christ, Deanne Franks, the beloved wife of George Franks, fell asleep in the Lord.
The Annunciation family notes with sorrow that our brother in Christ, Ioannis Papaionnou, the beloved brother of our very own Lea Ging, fell asleep in the Lord on April 30th.
If Everyone Had a Father Like You...

If everyone had a father Who was more like you, Thered be more laughing, joy and singing; Fewer people would be blue. Thered be much more understanding; Crime and hate could not prevail. Wed all be so contented, We wouldnt need a jail. If everyone had a father Who was more like you, The whole world would be blessed, Just as I am blessed with you. by Karl Fuchs
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The Annunciation family notes with sorrow that our sister in Christ, Sara Soltan, the beloved mother of our very own Samy Sadaka and mother-in-law Heba, fell asleep in the Lord on April 26th.
May their memory be eternal.
Remember Fathers Day

Sunday, June 16th
THE PROMISE
The Church has never been a bargain, it required Christs self-sacrifice, it cost the blood of martyrs and the sweat of saints. The Orthodox Christian Faith is not an average thirst-quencher to be sipped here and there when convenient. It is an all or nothing opportunity to come alive in Christ that by definition must always be cultivated and shared with the world. It is not a product to be sold in the square to the lowest bidder, something to be borrowed when the chips are down or simply a feel good elixir. Being an Orthodox Christian is a calling of the Lord to be producers of faith not consumers.

(Continued from page 2)
most people are comfortable with. Consumers of faith are looking look for a comfortable and realistic relationship with God. The thought being, leave the Cross to someone else to bear. Producers of Faith are willing to do everything in order to walk in the way of the Lord. Quite frankly, if the Annunciation were to announce that we were giving away 50% off coupons to get into heaven tomorrow, the number of people interested in Orthodox Christianity would only moderately expand (though it would certainly appeal to the modern day bargain shopper, because it implies a cheap deal). Nonetheless, for every interested person there would be ten people who would either complain about the 50% of the deal that they would still owe, or pass on the opportunity altogether on the hope that an even sweeter deal could be found elsewhere. And of course there would be an equally large segment of the population who would sneer at the notion of God, and would arrogantly insist on wallowing in sin rather than be refreshed in the life of Christ. Though a hypothetical exercise, the reality is that nothing is free or cut-rate in Orthodox Christianity. There are no discounts, coupons or sales - ever. Salvation in Christ is not cheap, it comes with a Cross.
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As a result, God calls on us to faithfully attend the Divine services in order to be refreshed and empowered to do His Will. God tells us to pray, listen and obey, not because He needs our attention but in order to recognize His voice, follow His Commands and be able to recognize the Divinely inspired work He has set before us. Furthermore, the Lord instructs us to serve and support His Holy Church not because it is always fun, but because through it we meet Him and are enabled to recognize Him in the hungry, the naked and the strangers around us. Therefore, whenever we do not sincerely commit ourselves to the work of prayer, fail to make the effort to attend the Holy services and do not genuinely support His House we are in very real danger of shirking our Christian duties and becoming blind to the presence of God. The adage is simple, producers of faith work at it; consumers of faith, always window shop. Jesus Christ simply cannot be found by the lowest bidder, in endless arguments or from a comfortable lounge chair. There is certainly a time for fun, there is a time for socialization and there is a time for rest. But if we are not making the time and the effort to grow in our Orthodox Christian faith, we are wasting our time. If we do not know why we need to read the Scriptures at least once a day, how do we expect to ever be able to feed those who hunger and thirst for God? (Continued on page 6)
June - August 2013
Thank You!!!
The Annunciation Church family extends its heartfelt thanks to all those who offered their time and talent to ensure that all of our Paschal holidays at the parish are such a joyous blessing to all. We thank all those who prepare and clean up after Luncheons and who organize the programs; all those who so generously donated towards the purchase of flowers; and Gordon & Martha Tyer who underwrote the 2013 Easter Card. We are a very blessed Church family!
We Need Your Help & Support!

In the midst of the summer season, just a reminder that the Annunciation still needs its members help especially with regards to the Fellowship Hour & Epistle Reading ministries. As a part of our Christian commitment to contribute to the worship of the Church as well as and embrace one another as brothers and sisters in Christ, please consider hosting an upcoming Fellowship Hour (light refreshments are needed, not a banquet). And if God has blessed you with the gift of public speaking (Great Lent & Holy Week always proves that our Church family has many members with such talent), please sign up to serve as a Sunday Epistle Reader. When we are not out of town, let us all please continue to making sure that the Annunciation in Little Rock shines to the glory of God.
Christopher Moutos
This year, our very own Christopher Moutos participated in the 2013 Boston Marathon. We are happy to note that as an outstanding runner, Christopher finished with the top of the pack (thank God for Chris speed and endurance) and was fortunately not harmed in the heinous terrorist attack that followed an hour or two after this picture was taken. We pray for all those killed and injured, thank God for Christophers safety, and congratulate him on completing this historic race!
While we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion. To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian. ~ George Washington (1778) ~
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THE PROMISE

If we do not know why it is necessary to pray to God regularly, how will we ever genuinely welcome a stranger and introduce them to Christ? If we do not know why we need to take our life in the Church seriously, how will we ever be able to assist others to be clothed in the robes of salvation? And if we do not know why we need to take our spiritual health seriously, how can we ever hope to help our friends and neighbors who are sick and imprisoned by sin? Down through the ages the warning has always been crystal clear, even Christians are in danger of looking at their faith in terms of what they have to gain, rather than what they are prepared to give. So if the treasure of faith in the Lord is buried under the pillows of selfsatisfaction, personal comfort and ease, then we are neither a blessing unto others, let alone blessed of the Father. But this is not cause for melancholy or despair... there is still time! There is always hope for Christians! This summer, we need to search our soul and consider just how much of our day is spent looking for God, and how much is spent looking for reasons why everything else is more important. And with the answer in mind, we need to respond accordingly and with an absolute sense of urgency. Our relationship with Christ, our commitment to Him and our life in the Church is in every conceivable way a matter of life and death - our life and death. Now is our time to come alive in faith! Our Orthodox Church has survived wars, invasions, heresy, slavery and apathy not because it had the best programs, the newest technology, the richest congregants or the best social network. It has endured through the Grace of the Holy Spirit, and it has thrived because faithful Orthodox Christians have embraced the work of faith. Every time the faithful have fully committed themselves to the Lord and shared their faith, the Church has shined as Christs beacon of salvation. Orthodox Christianity has never been the
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easiest faith, it has never been the most popular; but it has always been True. Through the Grace of God the Church has always been the means by which sinners have been redeemed and saints empowered; because through it, sinners have sought Gods help and instruction to become saints. If we are not sure how to speak about Christ to others, let us start with our personal prayers to God and a refreshed spirit of repentance. If we are not sure how to invite others to the Annunciation, let us personally attend Church services regularly and punctually. And if we are not sure what Orthodox Christianity has to offer; let us personally read the Scriptures, study the writings of the Fathers, and volunteer our time and talent at the parish. If we want the Holy Church to accomplish more, then we need to pray more; we need to love more; and we need to do more. Beloved, let us seize the moment! We have nothing to fear as long as we do not spend our days shopping for faith, rather than working to produce it.
Rev Dr. Nicholas J. Verdaris
Faith comes by hearing, because when we hear the Holy Scriptures we believe in the teaching of the Holy Spirit. This faith is made perfect by all the things which Christ has ordained; it believes truly, it is devout and it keeps the commandments of Him Who has renewed us. For he who does not believe in accordance with the traditions of the universal church or who through untoward works holds communion with the devil is without faith.
~ St. John of Damascus ~
June - August 2013

Orthodox Christian faith in action. Finally, let us at this time also offer up special prayers of thanks for those VERY special men and women in our parish who have been working in the name of our Festival for many months in advance. We dare not try to list them all lest we overlook even one dedicated soul (thankfully, Our Lord knows each by name). But our parish has been profoundly blessed by a dedicated group of parishioners who have been tirelessly baking, ordering, organizing, setting up and preparing for this Festival for nearly a year in advance!!! Without such a faithful commitment to the Annunciation, our Festival would be utterly impossible thank you!!! With this tremendous endeavor fulfilled to the best of our abilities and to the glory of God, the Annunciation Church family can look ahead with grateful faith.
2013
Thank You, Lord!
With faith and love in the Lord once again our parish placed the outcome of its single greatest fund raiser into HIS hands. And we can safely say that God responded to our humble prayers with abundant blessings. In His Good Will, He not only granted us beautiful weather, but more importantly endowed this parish with people who faithfully serve Christ in ways that is often just short of miraculous. The manifestation of love, commitment and grace is not typical to our modern day society - it only comes from a passionate spirit of love for the Lord and a burning desire to serve the church - and was once again evident at this years Festival! As we all slowly recover from this years monumental mission for the sake of the Annunciation, we must above all thank the Lord our God for providing us with another splendid opportunity to work together as Church family and glorify Him with our labor at the Festival. With Gods grace, we truly put forth our best for sake of the Annunciation and the charities that we sponsored this year. Building on the successes of all our previous Festivals, the Annunciations 2013 Festival has once again been profoundly blessed. To Gus Vratsinas & Ron Harb our Festival co-chairs, along with every member of our Church family who offered vast portions of time and talent by working long and hot hours at the Festival - THANK YOU! Everyone who worked at this years Festival not only pleased the Lord and brought honor to the Annunciation in Little Rock, but served as an inspiring example of the
Praise the Lord! & Bravo!
The Birth of a New Tradition!
Some of the Annunciation Ladies Philoptochos get in the spirit of the Season!
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THE PROMISE
In Memory of the Annunciations First Priest

by Rev. Dr. Nicholas J. Verdaris In commemorating the first priest to shepherd the Annunciation Church in Little Rock during this our Centennial year, let us use the prism of the Parable of the Prodigal Son. After all, it is a tale that everyone knows very well. It is a powerful story of temptation, rebellion, repentance, redemption and service. The characters in the story are especially familiar. In one way or another, people either relate with the Prodigal Son, especially as he makes his way back to the Father, or with the older son who does not seem to appreciate the glory of being ever faithful. And of course, no one has trouble appreciating the father as a vivid image of the Lord our God. The only figures in the story left are the servants. In the parable that we all know and love, it is the servants of the father who faithfully do their masters bidding. They are given the task of finding the best robe and putting it on the returning prodigal son. They are also the ones told to put a ring on the boys finger and shoes on his feet. Then at the direction of the father, they are commanded to prepare a feast to herald the return of the wayward son by killing the fatted lamb. And when the elder son questions the celebration, it is the servants that bring the matter to the father. They do nothing by their own authority, but loyally serve the father of the house as good and faithful servants. As in the parable, our Heavenly Father extends His Divine love and grace unto all His children through
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the administration of the Sacraments by His servants the priests. By His power and command, the servants of the Lord prepare the Mystical Banquet that is the Divine Liturgy. His faithful priests not only share the Good News, but when there is confusion in the masters house, the servants of the Lord bring it before the Father. Christs robe of glory, the ring of Christs forgiveness and the shoes necessary to walk on the path of salvation in Christ are not the possessions of the priesthood - but are humbly administered exactly as He directs by the servants of God, His priests. In such faithful ways, priests for the last 100 years have attended to the Masters House at the Annunciation in Little Rock. They have administered the Sacraments that express the love and forgiveness of the Lord. They have prepared countless Divine Liturgies, so that sinners and saints alike may taste and see the new life in Christ. They have not only testified to the new life in Christ, but in times of worry and strife and before every major decision that has come before this Church family, they have knelt in prayer and lifted up unto our Heavenly Father the struggles and concerns of the congregation. Each of the twenty-four priests who have served this parish since 1913 have a story and a legacy of service to Christ that has directly contributed towards making the Centennial year of the Annunciation a reality. But as the embodiment of the good servants in todays parable and as an apt representative of all the priests that have served this parish, let us briefly recall the life of the Annunciations first priest. Through the perspective of the servants in the parable of the Prodigal Son, let us recall the Annunciations first priest, the Very Reverend Archimandrite Kallinikos Kanellas. (Continued on page 11)
June - August 2013
Pray for the Safety of these Abducted Bishops
His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit Rev. Dr. Nicholas J. Verdaris Anna Clift,President & The Annunciation Parish Council invite you to the Centennial Celebration Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church Little Rock, Arkansas
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of the
Metropolitan Paul of Aleppo
Mar Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim of Aleppo
On April 22nd, while on a humanitarian mission, Metropolitan Paul (Yazigi), Metropolitan of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese Of Aleppo, and Mar Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim of the Syriac Archdiocese of Aleppo, were both abducted by terrorists in a suburb of Aleppo as they were returning from Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) to Aleppo. The deacon who was driving their automobile was shot and killed in the attack. T o date, the bishops have not been released and their condition is unknown. We ask the Annunciation Church family to please add Metropolitan Paul and Archbishop Gregorios to your daily prayers and beseech the Lord to keep safe and strong all of the faithful Christians living throughout that volatile region.
Saturday, September 21 st
Hierarchical Great Vespers & Archpastoral Blessing of the Centennial Memorial Courtyard Reception & Banquet
(tickets ,$40.00 per person)
The Importance of the Scriptures to America:

That Book (The Bible) is the rock on which our Republic stands.
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Sunday, September 22 nd
Matins Archpastoral Divine Liturgy Centennial Fellowship Hour

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~ Andrew Jackson ~
THE PROMISE
Something to Consider:
Roman Catholic Archbishop Chaput of Philadelphia recently said that evil preaches tolerance until it is dominant and then it tries to silence good...reminding our society that blind tolerance is not a Christian virtue. Charity, justice, mercy, prudence, honesty these are Christian virtues. Obviously, in a diverse community, tolerance is an important working principle. But its never an end itself. In fact, tolerating evil of any kind is itself a form of serious evil.
2013 Metropolis of Detroit Clergy-Laity Conference

I am the Way, the Truth and the Life September 26-28, 2013 Cincinnati, Ohio
Delegates from the Annunciation will elected at the August 18th Parish Assembly.
If we dont conform our hearts and actions to the faith we claim to believe, were only fooling ourselves. We live in a culture where our marketers and entertainment media compulsively mislead us about the sustainability of youth; the indignity of old age; the avoidance of suffering; the denial of death; the nature of real beauty; the impermanence of every human love; the oppressiveness of children and family; the silliness of virtue; and the cynicism of religious faith. Its a culture of fantasy, selfishness, sexual confusion and illness that weve brought upon ourselves. And weve done it by misusing the freedom that other - and greater - generations than our own worked for, bled for, and bequeathed to our safe-keeping. What have we done with that freedom? In whose service do we use it now?... What were watching emerge in this country is a new kind of paganism, an atheism with air-conditioning and digital TV . And it is neither tolerant nor morally neutral.Evil talks about tolerance only when its weak. When it gains the upper hand, its vanity always requires the destruction of the good and the innocent, because the example of good and innocent lives is an ongoing witness against it. So it always has been. So it always will be. And America has no special immunity to becoming an enemy of its own founding beliefs about human freedom, human dignity, the limited power of the state, and the sovereignty of God.
Mark Your Calendar!

His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America and His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit are scheduled to visit the Annunciation to celebrate our Centennial
September 21st & 22nd .

Come and join us in thanking God for the Annunciation in Little Rock, Arkansas!
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June - August 2013
Our First Priest

From the outset, in an almost perfect image of the servants in the parable of the Prodigal, nothing is known for certain about Fr. Kallinikos Kannellas prior to the beginning of his service to the Holy Master in the Orthodox Church. There is no record of his childhood, his parents or even exactly where in Greece he was originally from. Neither are there any pictures or portraits of him. In fact while we know that he was born in 1837, neither the month or day of his birth is recorded. Poignantly, the little that is known about this particular servant of the Lord begins and ends with his service to the Heavenly Master. Historys limited account of Fr. Kannellas time on earth is centered only on the ways in which he did the Lords bidding as His priest. Records show that at some point in his early life, Kallinikos Kannellas heard the voice of the Father calling for his services. Consequently he presented himself to the Greek Orthodox Church and offered his entire life to the service of Jesus Christ. He was tonsured a monk and immediately dedicated himself to a life of prayer. Like the dutiful servants in the parable of the Prodigal Son, his initial calling was to bring before the Holy Father all of the worries, concerns and frustrations of Gods children. But it was not long before the Lord and Master of Fr. Kanellas life asked more from this particular servant. In 1880, he was asked to leave his homeland and travel nearly 4000 miles to become a parish priest in Calcutta, India. There he pursued with zeal the tasks of a priest and lovingly administered the sacraments of the Lord unto the faithful. He presented them the Divine Masters gift of forgiveness, the Body & Blood of Christ, as well as the Holy Mysteries of Baptism, Marriage and Last Rites; all as the Lord commanded him. Fr. Kanellas fulfilled these God-given tasks with such dedication that he was very quickly elevated to the rank of Archimandrite the highest rank of the priesthood and eligible for elevation to the Episcopacy.
Unfortunately, of all the attributes this faithful priest enjoyed, good health was not one of them. After six fruitful years in Calcutta, he sorrowfully had to leave the parish in order to be treated for debilitating illness. Making a tenuous recovery in Europe, Fr. Kanellas eagerly sought the opportunity to return to serving the Master. In 1889, Fr. Kanellas crossed the Atlantic to the United States. Upon his arrival to America, he then crossed the country in order to serve the Lord as a priest at the Russian Orthodox Cathedral in San Francisco. Once there, this ever faithful servant was also appointed to run the day to day affairs of the Russian Orthodox diocese in California as well as minister unto the Lords Orthodox children spread throughout the United States. In 1891, he was sent on a cross-country missionary trip so as to help more children to return to their Heavenly Father as well as enable the faithful to make merry in their life in Christ. Traveling from Savannah, Georgia, to the East Coast, the June 6th edition of the New York Sun newspaper not only noted the presence of Fr. Kanellas in New York City for a baptism, but remarked with awe how he had personally transported a baptismal font for the service. The image of a frail priest lugging a baptismal font on the train from one corner of the country to the other in order to please the Lord made quite an impression. (Continued on page 16)
Save the Date

Parish Assembly
Sunday, August 18, 2013
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THE PROMISE Wednesday, August 14th
Holy Services Commemorating the Dormition of the Theotokos & The Transfiguration
Thursday, August 1st
Supplication Service - 6:30pm
Great Vespers for the Dormition 6:30pm
Thursday, August 15th The Feast of the Annunciation

Matins - 9:00am Divine Liturgy - 10:00am
c Fellowship Hour d
If you or your family would like to commemorate a special event, honor the memory of a loved one or would simply like to after a gift to the Annunciation family... you too can sponsor a Fellowship Hour! Please check the Bulletin Board and sign up today!
Monday, August 5th

Great Vespers for the Transfiguration 6:30pm
Tuesday, August 6th Feast of the Transfiguration

Divine Liturgy - 9:30am
2013 Covenant with Christ

Congratulations to those youth in our GOYA & Jr. GOYA ministries who choose to embrace the challenge of the 2013 Covenant with Christ. By fighting the good fight and striving to faithfully attend the prescribed number of services of Lent & Holy Week they have truly honored God. The Annunciation Church family could not be more pleased or inspired by the dedication of our young people. Christopher Akel ~ Kaitlyn Akel ~ Benjamin Alley
Wednesday, August 7th

Friday, August 9th

Monday, August 12th

Bianca Bishara ~ Gabriel Bishara Nicholas Cobb ~ Stephanie Leake Katherine Verdaris ~ Stephanie Verdaris
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June - August 2013

Governor Mike Beebe
With Sam & Janet Alley and Dr. Steven & Anna Clift serving as co-chairs, along with a host of very dedicated parishioners, our parish in accordance with its honorable history and faithful spirit, hosted an extremely successful Centennial Gala & Golf Tournament Celebrating a Century of Service. We are especially pleased to note that these two events were able to raise more than $400,000 to share with Arkansas Childrens Hospital and Community Connections. The glory belongs to God, but the delight is for everyone in our Church family to enjoy. For we must humbly bear in mind that in addition to the wonderful generosity of our parishs amazing Festival, in the last 12 years the Annunciations Taste of the Mediterranean & Golf Tournament alone has generated one million dollars for Little Rock charities!!!!
Many thanks to all in our Church family who made celebrating the Annunciations Century of Service an honor and blessing!
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THE PROMISE
to our parishioners celebrating during the upcoming months!
Happy Birthday
June
July 13th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amanda Zraick July 14th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amy Bailey July 15th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yiannis Paslidis July 16th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amber Alley Chris Alley Rami Alley John Khoury July 17th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Samuel Wilcox July 21st . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Katherine Apostle July 22nd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Star Akel Lisa Gianulis Phoebe Kutait Sundi Scott July 23rd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ayman Matta Marinna Tadros July 25th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike Bailey July 26th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alex Pappas July 27th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lea Ging July 31st . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alex Kassissieh Abby Paslidis
June 4th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tina Alley June 6th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fr. Pierre Delfos Alex Miron June 8th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adrianna Alley Luke Alley June 9th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kristina Vasquez June 10th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nikita Solovyov June 11th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Haitham Fanek Pamela Speed June 12th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Megan Alley Nick Paslidis June 13th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Layne Kaiser David Sargent June 15th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ray Ging June 16th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Simon Ramser June 17th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bethany Townsend June 19th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gus Vratsinas June 21st . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dan Spencer June 22nd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Keith Freeman June 23rd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ben Diggins Alexander Hronas June 27th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrew Harb June 30th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Samantha Townsend
August
August 3rd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alice Pappas August 4th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lara Alley August 5th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gunnar Burks August 6th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lesya Melnyk August 7th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stephanie Alley August 8th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grace Alley August 11th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Edward Onisei George Tadros August 12th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marena Farah August 14th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eva Sargent August 15th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anastasiya Brice Sammy Harb Hayden Huckabay August 17th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wayne Alley (Continued on page 22)
July
July 1st . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Erica Akel July 6th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alexander Haddad Harry Hronas July 10th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zee Fanek Matthew Harb July 11th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stefan Tudoreanu July 12th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael Harb
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June - August 2013
How Are We Saved?

by Fr. Theodore Stylianopoulos Knowing that a man is not justified by works of the Law, but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the Law, because by works of the Law shall no one be justified . . . For through the Law I have died to the Law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me Galatians 2:16-17, 19-20. A large segment of Protestant Christians in the United States are known as Evangelicals. Evangelicals take the Bible seriously. They center their lives on the evangelion (the gospel)--the good news of salvation. They often talk about personal salvation, about how you get saved, and the familiar answer is: Accept Christ as your personal Savior in sincere prayer, ask Him to come into your heart and forgive your sins, and you are saved. You are then put right before God and enjoy a personal relationship with Christ. This event is called justification by faith or more generally salvation by faith, apart from good works. This teaching is based on texts especially from the letters of St. Paul, such as the above (Gal 2:16-20). Many Evangelicals recall the exact date and time of being born again and celebrate it as the foremost event in their lives. We do not judge the sincere convictions of other Christians, lest we be judged, according to the words of the Lord (Mat 7:1). Justification by faith is an authentic teaching of the New Testament. It is also a part of Orthodox teaching because whatever the New Testament teaches as essential, the Orthodox Church teaches as well. The Bible belongs to the Church. Equally, the acts of penitent prayer, asking God for forgiveness, and inviting Christ and the Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts--these acts, too, are indispensable to Orthodox Christian life. But we must ask: is salvation a one-time event in life? What is the role of faith and
works in the mystery of our salvation? What does Jesus say? What does St. Paul say? What do we teach about these issues as Orthodox Christians? Lets take a few examples from the life of Christ. We know that Jesus emphasized faith. To the woman with the issue of blood whom He healed, He said: Your faith has made you well (Mark 5:34). To the blind beggar He met on a street in Jericho and also healed, He said: Your faith has made you well (Mark 10:52). Jesus tied personal faith in Him to the efficacy of healings. But was faith the most critical factor behind these cures? Jesus perceived power had gone forth from him to heal the woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5:30). Sometimes Christ out of compassion healed people without asking for faith (Mark 1:34; 3:5). And so with all the acts of healing, it was above all Christs divine power that cured the sick, the lame, and the blind. The role of faith was significant but secondary to divine grace. God provided the grace, faith received the gift. Jesus connected personal faith in Him to our eternal salvation. He declared: Every one who acknowledges me before people, I also will acknowledge them before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before people, I also will deny them before my father in heaven (Mat 10:32-33). The Gospel of John frequently connects faith in Christ to each persons eternal destiny. We read: For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). And again: I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die (John 11:25-26). Christ further declared to Thomas: Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe (John 20:29). Jesus himself is the supreme example of faith. In the garden of Gethsemane, as He confronted the prospect of death by crucifixion, Christ prayed to God: Not my will, by Thy will be done (Mat 26:39). Without doubt, faith had a primary place in the life and teaching of Jesus. But Jesus also demanded good works to go along with faith. A man came up to Him with a question about eternal salvation. Teacher, he asked, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life? Jesus did not send him away or (Continued on page 24)
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THE PROMISE
Our First Priest

In 1902, the Lords House in Birmingham, Alabama, needed a priest and Fr. Kanellas answered the Masters call. For a significant period of time, this one servant was the only Orthodox Christian Priest in the entire American South. Despite the physical toll and difficulty of travel in those days, he would regularly travel from Alabama to Atlanta, Memphis and everywhere in between. There were no frequent flyer miles to acquire, only the desire of Gods servant to help every prodigal son and daughter understand the joy of the Heavenly Fathers love. Unfortunately, Fr. Kanellas health faltered yet again and he had to abruptly stop his priestly service in the American South in order to again seek out medical treatment. But even as his body continued to fail him, he simply would not refuse His Masters bidding. Within a short while, he returned to the vineyards of the Lord and ministered unto the parishioners of St. Nicholas in Tarpon Springs, Florida. But within a year of going to that particular House of the Lord, he became very ill and had to again step aside from his priestly duties in Florida for the good of that household. In 1913, the good priest moved to Arkansas in the hopes that the thermal springs would cure his ailments and allow him to continue to do the Lords biding by ministering unto a fledgling community of Orthodox Christians in Little Rock. Despite being frail and in the twilight of his service, the work before this ever faithful servant did not become easier. But knowing full well that it was his Masters Will that he guide 17 families from Greece into forming a lasting Orthodox Church in the middle of Arkansas, he remained steadfast in his service to Christ and the Church. Although weak and weary, Fr. Kanellas continued to prepare the Holy Table and the Gifts for the faithful in Little Rock to partake of the Eucharist as well as help to establish a parish that would forever extend the warm embrace of the Heavenly Father. By 1918,
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the eighty year old priest knew that his Lord would soon let him enter into pious rest; so the ever diligent servant sought to prepare the Annunciation in Little Rock to find another priestly servant. (Ultimately, Fr. Arsenios Priakos would replace Fr. Kanellas at the Annunciation, and to this very day, descendants of Fr. Priakos are a part of our Church family.) Meanwhile, Fr. Kanellas continued his service to Christ to the best of his physical abilities. But in the end, he became so sick that the very children of God whom he been called to serve had to themselves rise to the occasion and take care of their very ill priest. Accounts recall how a young Theo Polychron took it upon himself to visit Fr. Kanellas in his sickbed every day and bring the dying priest soup from his caf. By 1921, Fr. Kanellas had given the full measure of his life in service to God. Fittingly, on the day of our Lord, Sunday, March 6, 1921, as Orthodox Christians everywhere attended the Diving Liturgy, Christ our God received the soul of His priest in Little Rock, Arkansas. The faithful servant had completed the tasks given to him by the Divine Master to the best of his
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June - August 2013

abilities and he was welcomed into the eternal joy of the Heavenly Father. Fr. Kanellas was laid to rest at Oakland Fraternal Cemetery in a plot owned by the parish and surrounded by some of the very parishioners he had faithfully served on behalf of Christ for many years. Soon thereafter, the parish erected a beautiful monument at the site in a testament of gratitude to their faithful servant of the Lord. Ninety-two years later, our Church family continues to conscientiously maintain the burial site of Fr. Kallinikos Kanellas in grateful appreciation of Gods good servant. In recalling with deep respect and fondness the first priest of the Annunciation, let also pray for the twenty-four other priests who have served the Lord at the Annunciation in Little Rock, seventeen of whom have gone on to pious rest. Each former priest of the Annunciation, with their own set of strengths and weaknesses are no less faithful servants of God, who helped to make this years Centennial celebrations possible. By giving the full measure of their life to doing the Divine Masters bidding, we praise God.
The Annunciations Servants of the Lord:

Fr. Kallinikos Kanellas U Fr. Arsenios Priakos U Fr. Nicholas Sakellarides U Fr. Spyridon Vasilas U Fr. Kallistratos Glavas U Fr. John Tsapatsaris U Fr. Constantine Vouvounas U Fr. Anastasios Vlamidis U Fr. Napoleon Karambelas U Fr. Damian Zikakis U Fr. Kalliopios Kotsonis U Fr. George Scoulas U Fr. Steven Vlahos Fr. Dan Zeatas U Fr. James Cleondis Fr. George Philipas U Fr. Emanuel Panos U Fr. Alexander Anastasiou U Fr. Jeremiah Monios U Fr. Pierre Delfos Fr. Andrew Clarke Fr. John Angel Fr. Elias Scoulas Fr. Nicholas Verdaris U May his memory be eternal.
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May the memory of Fr. Kallinikos Kanellas and the past priests of the Annunciation be eternal!
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THE PROMISE
Our Past Presidents & Council Members

As we commemorate the Centennial year of the Annunciation, we do well to lift up prayers of thanks for all those brothers and sisters in Christ who served our Church family through the ministry of the Parish Council. We especially lift up in prayer the past Presidents of the Annunciation Parish Council who have gone to pious rest.
(1945 - Present): John Morris ~ Nick Avlos ~ Dr. John Stathakis Theo Stathakis ~ Frank Binioris ~ Charles Kumpuris Theo Polychron ~ Bill Morris ~ Jimmy Hronas James Kumpuris ~ George Hronas
Presidents of the Annunciation Parish Council
May your memory be eternal our brothers, worthy to be deemed happy and ever to be remembered.
At the same time we pause to recognize all those who have faithfully served as President of Annunciation Parish Council and continue to tirelessly labor for Christ at the our beloved parish to this very day: Dr. James Pappas ~ George Plastiras ~ Gus Vratsinas Ron Harb ~ Wayne Alley ~ Alan Heath Haitham Alley ~ Anna Clift
We make a by what we get; we make a by what we give.

- Winston Churchill
living
life
Thank you for your servant heart!
And the world passes away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. ~ 1 John 2:17 ~
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June - August 2013
The Mass Exodus of Christians from the Muslim World

by Raymond Ibrahim
A mass exodus of Christians is currently underway. Millions of Christians are being displaced from one end of the Islamic world to the other. We are reliving the true history of how the Islamic world, much of which prior to the Islamic conquests was almost entirely Christian, came into being. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom recently said: The flight of Christians out of the region is unprecedented and its increasing year by year. In our lifetime alone Christians might disappear altogether from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Egypt. Ongoing reports from the Islamic world certainly support this conclusion: Iraq was the earliest indicator of the fate awaiting Christians once Islamic forces are liberated from the grip of dictators. In 2003, Iraqs Christian population was at least one million. Today fewer than 400,000 remain the result of an anti-Christian campaign that began with the U.S. occupation of Iraq, when countless Christian churches were bombed and countless Christians killed, including by crucifixion and beheading. The 2010 Baghdad church attack, which saw nearly 60 Christian worshippers slaughtered, is the tip of a decade-long iceberg. Now, as the U.S. supports the jihad on Syrias secular president Assad, the same pattern has come to Syria: entire regions and towns where Christians lived for centuries before Islam came into being have now been emptied, as the opposition targets Christians Radical Islamic militant desecrating Church property. for kidnapping, plundering, and beheadings, all in compliance with mosque calls telling the populace that its a sacred duty to drive Christians away. In October 2012 the last Christian in the city of Homswhich had a Christian population of some 80,000 before jihadis camewas murdered. One teenage Syrian girl said: We left because they were trying to kill us because we were Christians. Those who were our neighbors turned against us. At the end, when we ran away, we went through balconies. We did not even dare go out on the street in front of our house.. In Egypt, some 100,000 Christian Copts have fled their homeland soon after the Arab Spring. In September 2012, the Sinais small Christian community was attacked and evicted by Al Qaeda linked Muslims, Reuters reported. But even before that, the Coptic Orthodox Church lamented the repeated incidents of displacement of Copts from their homes, whether by force or threat. Displacements began in Ameriya [62 Christian families evicted], then they stretched to Dahshur [120 Christian families evicted], and today terror and threats have reached the hearts and souls of our Coptic children in Sinai. (Continued on page 20)
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THE PROMISE
The Mass Exodus

(Continued from page 19) Iraq, Syria, and Egypt are part of the Arab world. But even in black African and white European nations with Muslim majorities, Christians are fleeing. In Mali, after a 2012 Islamic coup, as many as 200,000 Christians fled. According to reports, the church in Mali faces being eradicated, especially in the north where rebels want to establish an independent Islamist state and drive Christians out there have been house to house searches for Christians who might be in hiding, churches and other Christian property have been looted or destroyed, and people tortured into revealing any Christian relatives. At least one pastor was beheaded. Even in European Bosnia, Christians are leaving en mass amid mounting discrimination and Islamization. Only 440,000 Catholics remain in the Balkan nation, half the prewar figure. Problems cited are typical:while dozens of mosques were built in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo, no building permissions [permits] were given for Christian churches. Time is running out as there is a worrisome rise in radicalism, said one authority, who further added that the people of Bosnia-Herzegovina were persecuted for centuries after European powers failed to support them in their struggle against the Ottoman Empire.. And so history repeats itself. One can go on and on. > In Ethiopia, after a Christian was accused of desecrating a Koran, thousands of Christians were forced to flee their homes when Muslim extremists set fire to roughly 50 churches and dozens of Christian homes. > In the Ivory Coastwhere Christians have literally
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been crucifiedIslamic rebels massacred hundreds and displaced tens of thousands of Christians. > In Libya, Islamic rebels forced several Christian religious orders, serving the sick and needy in the country since 1921, to flee. To anyone following the plight of Christians under Islamic persecution, none of this is surprising. As I document in my new book, Crucified Again: Exposing Islams New War on Christians, all around the Islamic worldin nations that do not share the same race, language, culture, or economics, in nations that share only IslamChristians are being persecuted into extinction. Such is the true face of extremist Islamic resurgence.
Wisdom of the Fathers:

If you see someone attacked by passions, hate not the brother but the passions attacking him. And when you see someone succumbing to the tyranny of lusts and bad habits, have a still greater compassion for him, lest you suffer a similar temptation since you are changeable and under the influence of changeable matter.
~ St. Symeon the New Theologian ~
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Psalm 150
Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his exceeding greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with timbrel and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that breathes praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!
An Unanswered Prayer:
Smile
June - August 2013
The priests 5 year-old daughter noticed that her father always paused and bowed his head for a moment before starting his sermon. One day, she asked him why. Well, Honey, he began, proud that his daughter was so observant of his messages. Im asking the Lord to help me preach a good sermon. How come He doesnt answer it? she asked.
J J
Did Noah Fish?
A Sunday School teacher asked, Johnny, do you think Noah did a lot of fishing when he was on the Ark? No, replied Johnny. How could he, with just two worms!
Check Us Out!
Dont forget our website: OrthodoxChurch.com! It has an up-to-date monthly calendar, the latest edition of The Promise, Sermons and all sorts of information; you can even contribute to the Church online! Find us on Facebook at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church and Like us! If you know someone who might be interested in being a vendor at the 2014 Festival, have them visit GreekFoodFest.com - application forms and information are available online.
A Blessing!
Congratulations to Jason & Amanda Alley who recently were blessed with a beautiful baby boy they named Elias and then observed the ancient Old & New Testament custom of the Forty Day Blessing. May the Lord bless the Alley family as we herald this great joy.
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THE PROMISE
Happy Birthday
(Continued from page 14) August 19th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . James Anaissie Ibrahim Fahdi Liam Petropoulakos August 21st . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike Alley Jeffrey Chacko August 22nd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christine Lewis August 23rd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brock Martin Nina Sbanotto August 27th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nicole Bell Nick Plastiras August 28th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Moutos Kaye Rutter August 29th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ashley Kassissieh August 31st . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ann Pappas
September 17th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sharon Johnson September 18th . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fr. Nicholas Verdaris Nada Lelovic September 19th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richard Zraick September 21st . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christopher Akel Will Martin September 22nd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sarah Lee September 24th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brian Alley Richard Mercer September 26th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Natalya Brice September 28th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Raeda Alley
Parish General Assembly August 18, 2013

Agenda
I. Call to Order & Opening Prayer II. Presentation & Approval of Minutes from 03/31/13 General Assembly III. Priests Report IV. Parish Council Report
September
September 1st . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeremy Diggins Susan Ward September 2nd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Danyal Kasi September 3rd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joseph Dickey Oksana Pavliv September 6th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . James Daly September 7th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stephanie Leake September 9th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Issa Kassissieh September 10th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Haitham Alley September 11th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Suzanne Dickey September 12th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . George Plastiras Anna Marie Plastiras September 13th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Giovana Cimino September 14th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul Cantrell September 15th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrew Bell Stephen Diggins September 16th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anna Cimino Tamara Kassissieh
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V. Treasurers Report VI. Stewardship Report VII. Sunday School Report VIII. Scholarship Foundation Report IX. Festival & Golf Tournament Report X. Centennial Project Update XI. Old Business XII. New Business A. Election of Metropolis of Detroit Clergy-Laity Delegates B. Future Plans XIII. Adjournment
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June - August 2013
An Honor and a Privilege

In celebrating the glorious Resurrection of our Lord and Savior and commemorating our parishs Centennial, let us gratefully call to mind all of the priests and parishioners of the Annunciation who have gone to pious rest and spiritually join us in crying out: Christ is Risen from dead! and celebrate our parishs milestone. Alive in Christ, let us remember and honor all those Church family members before us whose faith, love and generosity provided us with a sacred place to worship the Lord. After all, we would not be able to praise the Lord at the Annunciation in Little Rock for the 100th time, if previous generations did not fully commit themselves to God at this parish. The Annunciation members who now surround us in the cloud of witnesses, not only celebrate with us but remind us all of our own duty to future generations. The ability of the Annunciation to share and shine the light of the Risen Christ for another 100 years, now depends on us. Our ongoing Stewardship of the Annunciation is the faithful way for us to meaningfully contribute to the work of proclaiming the Good News of Christ and set into motion the next Bicentennial year of the Annunciation. Let us personally help to ensure that His Holy House of the Annunciation in Little Rock is always able to share the Light, Love & Life of the Risen Christ - now, and forever!
OrthodoxChurch.com
For News, Information and Trips Down Memory Lane
As we proceed to commemorate the 100 year legacy of our parish,we have set up several pages on our website to help mark the fantastic occasion. It is under continuous development, but we currently have a historic time line of events, picture pages as well as ways to participate in our Centennial celebrations and commemorations. Take a moment and meander through a host of memories - it will remind us all of where we have been, as well as inspire us as we look forward to the glory of God!
Please remember to submit your
Annunciation Stewardship Card!
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THE PROMISE
How Are We Saved?

(Continued from page 15) correct him. He didnt say: You are asking the wrong question; you need only to believe in me and you will be saved. Rather Jesus said to him: Keep the commandments . . . You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself (Mat 19:16-19). Rather than separate faith and works, Jesus closely united the two as being definitive to Christian life. Thats the undeniable implication of His great discourse we call Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon contains a vast amount of teachings and exhortations Christ expected His followers to learn and live by (Mat. chaps. 5-7). Do not bear false witness . . . Love your enemies . . . Seek first Gods kingdom and His righteousness . . . Judge not, that you be not judged (Mat 5:33, 44; 6:33; 7:1). Jesus set down these teachings as the necessary standards of moral righteousness. At the end of the Sermon on the Mount He denounced the kind of faith that is only lip service. He said those who relied only on faith risked the loss of eternal salvation. He warned: On that day many will call out to me Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy and cast out demons in your name? And then I will declare to them: I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers (Mat 7:21-23). Let us also recall the parable about the Last Judgment (Mat 25:31-46). When Christ comes in His glory with all the angels, He will gather all the nations before Him for universal judgment. Everyone will be divided into two groups--the sheep on the right and the goats on the left--before Christ the King. The ones on the right will be blessed and given the inheritance of the eternal kingdom. The ones on the left will be cursed and sent off to eternal fire. What will make the difference? What will be the criterion of judgment? Works of mercy! Feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and the prisoner. Jesus declared: Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me (Mat 25:40). On another occasion Jesus referred to faith as lifetime work. He urged a crowd not to labor for the food that perishes,
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but for the food which endures to eternal life. They asked: What must we do to be doing the works of God ? He replied: This is the work of God: that you believe in Him whom God has sent (John 6:27-29). The most pleasing work to God is the continuous exercise of faith in Christ as Savior and Lord throughout our lives. Christ promised us a continuous personal communion with Him, a continuous Easter experience, based on love, faith, and the keeping of His commandments. He said:If you love me, you will keep my commandments . . .If a person loves me, He will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him (John 14:15-17, 23). Our new birth is given to us in Baptism according to the words of the Lord: Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5). And if we lose our way, heartfelt prayer, repentance, Holy Confession and Holy Communion provide personal occasions for spiritual renewal throughout our lives. How important for salvation the Eucharist is, we know from the words of Christ: He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day (John 6:54). In these many ways, according to Christ, Orthodox Christians throughout their lives receive salvation and renewal through faith, works, and the sacraments of the Church. Then there is St. Paul. The apostle is known as the foremost advocate of justification by faith. In the above text of Gal 2:16-20, St. Paul seems to say something very different than His Master about faith and works. These words of Paul reflect his conversion by which
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June - August 2013

he left behind the Law of Moses and joined Christ wholeheartedly. Previously the Mosaic Law was the center of his life, but after Damascus Christ became the core of his being. Christ dwelt in St. Paul: It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me (Gal 2:20). From this transformed perspective Paul contrasted and opposed faith and works. He did so categorically: A person is not justified by works of the Law but through faith in Jesus Christ; even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the Law, because by works of the Law shall no one be justified (Gal 2:16). The key to this passage is to see that St. Paul is referring not to ethical works but to works of the Law namely, the Mosaic Law. What are the works of the Mosaic Law? Anyone who studies Galatians carefully will note the apostle is referring to the Jewish religious practices of circumcision, dietary laws, and festivals (Gal 2:2-5, 12; 4:9; 5:1-6, 12; 6:1215). The same reference to works of the Law is also primary in the Letter to the Romans (Rom 3:19-20, 2730). For Paul, such practices were no longer necessary for salvation. Christ had fulfilled their purpose and also terminated them at the same time (Rom 8:4; 10:4). For Paul, to adopt such religious practices as some Gentile Christians were doing, was nothing less that betrayal of the gospel (Gal 1:6-9). He declared: I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is bound to keep the whole Law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the Law; you have fallen away from grace (Gal 5:3-4). St. Paul is not opposing faith to ethical works but to the works of the Law. But what does St. Paul say about ethical works? Do ethical works have a place in salvation? The answer is, most certainly, yes. In the same Letter to the Galatians, Paul uses a striking expression: faith working through love (Gal 5:6). Yes, faith is primary, but faith working through love--loving deeds. Good deeds are inseparable from and essential to the life of faith. Otherwise, according to Paul, those who commit sinful acts and do not repent of them--and he names them: fornication, idolatry, sorcery, selfishness, drunkenness, carousing, and the like--will not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal 5:21; see also 1 Cor 6:911). In other words, those who do such things, including Christians to whom he is writing, will suffer ultimate loss of salvation. Toward the end of Galatians Paul pens the following admonition as well: Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a person sows, that he will also reap . . . Let us not grow weary in doing good (to agathon), for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart . . . Let us do good to all, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith (Gal 6:7, 9-10). We come to Christ as sinners and are justified by faith apart from good works. But once we connect with Christ and enjoy a saving relationship with Him, we ought to honor Him with good works because we love Christ and also because our final judgment will hinge in part on the criterion of good deeds. Paul states: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body (2 Cor 5:10). According to St. Paul, not only loving deeds but also the sacraments of Baptism (Rom 6:1-11) and the Eucharist (1 Cor 10:16-22; 11:23-32) are decisive to salvation. Read carefully Pauls Letter to the Romans, chapters 1-6. Note how often in chapters 1-5 he speaks of faith, the importance of faith, and the blessings that come from faith. But when do all these blessings take place? What is the event at which salvation truly takes hold? Baptism! Thats the answer St. Paul gives in Romans, chapter 6. All of chapter 6 is about Baptism and life after Baptism. For Paul, it is in Baptism that the believer is united with Christ, dies to the power of sin, and receives new life in Christ (6:1-11). Baptized Christians ought to use their bodies no longer as instruments of sin but as weapons of righteousness (6:12-13). Life after Baptism, says Paul, includes the responsibility to live by the standard of teaching which Christians have been taught (6:17). Otherwise, even for Christians, the wages of sin is death (6:23). Paul is clear-cut about the criterion of final judgment: God will render to every person according to his works; to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, God will give eternal life; but for those who . . . obey wickedness, there will be wrath and fury (Rom 2:6-8). Let us sum up the main points. The work of salvation belongs entirely to God. It is God through Christ and the Holy Spirit, who has the divine power to rescue us from the forces of sickness, evil, sin, death, and the devil. It is God through Christ and the Holy Spirit who alone provides justification, forgiveness, and new life to (Continued on page 28)
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THE PROMISE
The Word of the Lord

Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God
To the Glory of God

The Annunciation family thanks those men and women of all ages who labored so long and hard to ensure that this years Pascha celebrations were spiritually uplifting and beautiful.Through the efforts of very dedicated souls, our Church family was able to joyously herald the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior with blessed fervor, splendor and dignity. We must recognize with deep appreciation the dedication of our Flower girls, the Acolytes, Chantors & Readers, Choir, Ushers, Jarrod Russell (our seminarian) and Parish Council members who served so faithfully at our parish throughout Great Lent & Holy Week. In addition, we are all indebted to all those faithful Church members who helped clean, prepare and decorate the whole Church, the Sepulcher & Ballroom on Good Friday; along with those who took care to provide us all with a tasty Lenten luncheon on Holy Friday and prepared the Easter Eggs. Furthermore, we must thank those generous stewards who made additional offerings towards the cost of the beautiful flowers that adorn the Church and underwrote the expense of our annual Easter Card. Finally we are thankful to all of those dedicated souls who helped prepare and clean up our annual Easter Morning Brunch; with special recognition to the entire Alley Family for once again underwriting the expense of the Paschal Brunch. It is truly amazing to see what our Church family, with the grace of the Holy Spirit, is able to accomplish to the glory of God when we work together in faith. Above all, thanks be to God for the faithfulness and dedication that so many in our Church family exhibited by attending the many services of Great Lent & Holy Week. Worshipping the Lord together in the Church not only enriches our own soul, but is the manner and means by which we stand firm with the Risen Lord.
~ 1 John 5:5 ~
Abide in Me
Our personal commitment to the Annunciation determines what kind of parish we will personally maintain and grow to the glory of God in 2013. As the Lords cheerful and faithful givers let us all actively contribute to Gods work in the world through our parish in the midst of our Centennial year. Visit our website: OrthodoxChurch.com to find more information, complete a Stewardship commitment online or contribute directly to the parish via PayPal. We ask everyone who loves the Annunciation to please complete a 2013 Stewardship card and all together help to ensure that in our hundredth year, our parish is able to operate and minister to the glory of God, through our individual commitment of faith, love and stewardship.
Wisdom of the Fathers:

A rich man is not one who has much, but one who gives much. For what he gives away... remains his forever. ~ St John Chrysostom ~
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June - August 2013
The Cost of Discipleship Matthew 8:14-23

by Jarrod Russell This paper addresses following Jesus Christ and the concept that Dr. Charles H. Talbert refers to as the cost of discipleship. Jesus Christ himself outlined the cost of discipleship throughout his earthly ministry. Matthew 8:21-22 presents a perfect example of the cost of discipleship when a disciple tells Jesus he will follow him, but, he says Lord let me first go and bury my father. But Jesus said to him, Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead. (Matt. 8:21-22). Stated differently, Jesus instructs the disciple to follow him unequivocally even to the point of leaving his dead father unburied, at least unburied by this particular disciple. Regardless of time period, the statement that following Jesus means leaving your dead father unburied seems extreme and unnecessarily harsh. But, what does it mean to follow Jesus and what is the potential cost of discipleship? The Greek word translated as follow is . This word is a form of . can be defined as one going in the same way. The word is used 77 times in the Gospels. All but one of those uses is in the context of following Christ. Furthermore, the word is only used once in the New Testament outside of the Gospels. Several of the Church fathers, including St. Augustine, viewed this statement, and other similar statements in the Gospels, as directions to imitate the example of Christ. Put another way, following Jesus requires the follower to imitate Jesus. More recently, some scholars have advanced the idea that the use of means exclusively a fellowship of life and suffering with the Messiah which arises only in the fellowship of His salvation. (emphasis added). But, the Holy Scripture support the earlier view that his was a direction to imitate the example of Christ, and we should be cautious about being so rigid with Scripture that we limit it to one interpretation to the exclusion of other legitimate interpretations. Both interpretations find support in Scripture. This
paper, however, focuses on the idea of meaning an imitation of Christ. Matthew 8:19-22 supports the view of the Church Fathers that Jesus is telling the disciple to follow him by imitating him. In Matthew 8:19-20, the following exchange occurs: And a scribe came up and said to him, Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go. And Jesus said to him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head. When Matthew 8:19-20 and 8:21-22 are read together, you see how Jesus is telling his disciple that following him means to imitate him. Specifically, Jesus tells the first disciple that if he follows him anywhere he goes, he may not have anywhere to lay his head because the son of man has nowhere to lay his head. In more direct terms, the disciple seeks to follow Christ, and Christ responds with an example of how he lives. Either Jesus is being extremely selfish (God forbid) by focusing on his own discomforts in response to a request to follow him or he is telling the first disciple that following him may require the disciple to live like Jesus. Why else would he use an example from his own life in response to a request to become a follower? Then, Jesus tells the second disciple to let the dead bury the dead. In other words, Jesus tells the second disciple to ignore family obligations and duties in favor of following him. These verses can be interpreted together to support the conclusion that Christ is teaching his followers to follow him through imitation of him. (Continued on page 28)
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THE PROMISE
How Are We Saved?

(Continued from page 25) sinners who come to Him with faith. And God provides salvation as a most amazing and unceasing gift to all sincere seekers. From our side, the question is about receiving and using the gift of salvation. The gift is offered, but if we do not receive it, we dont have it, and certainly cannot use it. God offers the gift. We can choose to accept it or reject it. As Orthodox Christians we do not believe in predestination. Jesus said: Whoever wants to come after me, let him take up his cross and follow me (Mark 8:34). The gift and the challenge to follow Jesus through a life of faith and works coincide. The reception of the gift of salvation is not a one-time event but a life-time process. St. Paul employs the verb to save in the past tense (we have been saved, Rom 8:24; Eph 2:5); in the present tense (we are being saved, 1 Cor 1:18; 15:2), and in the future tense (we will be saved, Rom 5:10). He can think even of justification as a future event and part of the final judgment (Rom 2:13, 16). For Paul, Christians are involved in a lifetime covenant with God in which we work, planting and watering, but it is only God who gives the growth (1 Cor 3:7). We are co-workers with God (synergoi Theou, 1 Cor 3:9; 1 Thess 3:2). (Not co-workers under God as some translations would have it). The mystery of salvation is a duet, not a solo. It is a life-time engagement with God. It has ups and downs, twists and turns, with opportunities to grow in the love of God, knowing that we can turn to Him again and again and receive forgiveness and a new birth. When we come to Christ as sinners, we have no works to offer to Him, but only faith and repentance. But once we come to Him and receive the gift of salvation, we enter into a sacred covenant to honor Him with good works. We read in Ephesians: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God . . . [We are] created in Christ Jesus for good works (Eph 2:8-10). The teaching of the New Testament is that Gods grace, our free will, and our faith and good works, are intimately connected. The Holy Spirit energizes in us both faith
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and good works as we thirst for and seek Gods grace. Neither faith nor good works can be presented as merit before God, but only as return gifts in humility, love, and thanksgiving. Let us not forget as well the sober words of James: Faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead . . . Faith is completed by works . . . A person is justified by works and not by faith alone (James 2:17, 22, 24). By free will, faith, and earnest labors, we work together with the grace of God in the awesome gift and mystery of salvation. As St. Paul puts it: Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work His good pleasure (Phil 2:12-13). To God Almighty, together with the Son and the Holy Spirit, be praise and worship forever. Amen.
II Peter 3:8-9
But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
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June - August 2013
The Cost of Discipleship

(Continued from page 27) Another aspect of following Jesus contemplated in these verses is being a disciple of Jesus. This aspect of following Jesus can be discerned from a later section in Matthew where the following exchange takes place: Then Peter said in reply, Lo, we have left everything and followed you. What then shall we have? Jesus said to them, Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my names sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. (Matt. 19:27-29) Thus, Jesus reassures his followers that their efforts will be rewarded in the new world. But, the cost of discipleship may require leaving family and possessions behind. The point here is that following Jesus requires a person to imitate him and to be his disciple. In Matthew 8:1922, Jesus uses two extreme examples to demonstrate the potential high cost of discipleship. These extreme examples are not uniform ways of living for Christ or his followers. Furthermore, these extreme examples are not isolated statements. Later in Matthew, Jesus uses the word when he says, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (Matt. 16:24). Jesus is not telling his followers in these passages that they will necessarily be homeless, that they will always be unable to fulfill their family obligations, or that they will inevitably be crucified. Rather, these are extreme statements demonstrating that following Jesus, imitating the example of Jesus and being his disciple, may require you to put him first in front of everything, including creature comforts, family, and even your own life. To sum it up, following Jesus may very well lead a disciple, in imitation of the one he is following, to put everything, even his or her own life, on the line to serve the Lord.
Jarrod Russell is the Annunciations seminarian who is now beginning his final year at Holy Cross School of Theology.
Great Job!
The Annunciation family congratulates all of the Sunday School students on the completion of their 2012 - 2013 journey. Furthermore, we thank all of our Sunday School teachers and staff for their tireless dedication to this vital ministry; most especially Mrs. Dysle Butts, our very capable Director. Without the contributions of time, talent and love of all of our wonderful teachers and staff, the timeless lessons of the Orthodox Church and beauty of our Orthodox Christian faith would not be able to effectively take root. Also a word of thanks to all the parents who make Church a priority!
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June - August 2013
ANNUNCIATION GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

1100 NAPA VALLEY DRIVE, LITTLE ROCK, AR 72211
Rev. Dr. Nicholas J. Verdaris, Pastor
J une 2013
Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri 1 Sat
Sunday of Samaritan Matins 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am
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Survey of Church History 6:00pm
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Happy Birthday Fr. Delfos!
Sunday of Blind Man Matins 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am
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Survey of Church History 6:00pm
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Fathers of 1st Council
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Happy Fathers Day!
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Sunday of Pentecost
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June - August 2013

J uly 2013
Sunday of All Saints
Sun 30
Mon July 1
Tues 2
Wed 3
Thurs 4
Happy Birthday America! Home of the Free, Land of the Brave.
Fri 5
Sat 6
2nd Sunday of Matthew
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Parish Council Meeting 6:00pm
Sunday of Holy Fathers
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4th Sunday Matthew Matins 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am
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Feast of St. Paraskevi Liturgy 9:30am
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5th Sunday Matthew Matins 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am
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THE PROMISE

A ugust 2013
Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs 1 Fri 2 3 Sat
Supplication Service 6:30pm
6th Sunday of Matthew Matins 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am
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Feast of the Transfiguration Liturgy 9:30am
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Transfiguration Great Vespers Service 6:30pm
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Feast of the Dormition Liturgy 9:30am
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Dormition Great Vespers Service 6:30pm
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8th Sunday of Matthew Matins 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am Parish Assembly
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The Beheading of John the Baptist Liturgy 9:30am
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2013 June - August Promise

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The Promise

June - August 2013

Inside this Issue

Feast of the Dormition

August 15th August 18th

Parish Assembly Elevation of the Holy Cross

September 21st & 22nd

The Pastoral Message

Consumers vs. Producers

June - August 2013

If Everyone Had a Father Like You...

May their memory be eternal.

Remember Fathers Day

The Pastoral Message

June - August 2013

We Need Your Help & Support!

The Pastoral Message

Rev Dr. Nicholas J. Verdaris

~ St. John of Damascus ~

June - August 2013

Praise the Lord! & Bravo!

The Birth of a New Tradition!

In Memory of the Annunciations First Priest

June - August 2013

Pray for the Safety of these Abducted Bishops

Metropolitan Paul of Aleppo

Mar Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim of Aleppo

The Importance of the Scriptures to America:

Matins Archpastoral Divine Liturgy Centennial Fellowship Hour

2013 Metropolis of Detroit Clergy-Laity Conference

Mark Your Calendar!

September 21st & 22nd .

June - August 2013

Our First Priest

Save the Date

THE PROMISE Wednesday, August 14th

Great Vespers for the Dormition 6:30pm

Thursday, August 15th The Feast of the Annunciation

Monday, August 5th

Tuesday, August 6th Feast of the Transfiguration

2013 Covenant with Christ

Wednesday, August 7th

Friday, August 9th

Monday, August 12th

June - August 2013

to our parishioners celebrating during the upcoming months!

June - August 2013

How Are We Saved?

Our First Priest

June - August 2013

The Annunciations Servants of the Lord:

Our Past Presidents & Council Members

Presidents of the Annunciation Parish Council

We make a by what we get; we make a by what we give.

Thank you for your servant heart!

June - August 2013

The Mass Exodus of Christians from the Muslim World

The Mass Exodus

Wisdom of the Fathers:

June - August 2013

Parish General Assembly August 18, 2013

June - August 2013

An Honor and a Privilege

Please remember to submit your