Categories
MGOCSM Sports

Weekly Announcements – 01/22/2017

  1. MGOCSM Faith Study Series – will be held this Friday, January 27 at 6pm at church. For this month we will be discussing on the topic of how to discern the will of God in our journey in life. All MGOCSM members are requested to attend.
  1. Basketball Tournament Meeting – The next Sunday, January 29th after Sunday school there will be a STYL basketball tournament meeting. All youth are requested to attend this meeting.
  1. Visiting St. Bernard’s Roman Catholic Church – We will be visiting St. Bernard’s RC church next Sunday the 29th at 3pm. We will gather at the Church first by 2:30pm and go together as a group.
  1. Newborn Baby Boy – Kindly join us in congratulating Mr. Bills and Nancy Varghese on their newborn baby boy David Varghese. Let us keep the newborn and his family in our prayers.
  1. Back to college – Many of you are heading back to college this week and next week. Make sure you are on top of your work right from the beginning so it won’t pile up. The greatest medicine against procrastination and Laziness is discipline. Having a set routine for yourself- setting time apart to prayer, to study, to play, to do chores.
Categories
Clergys Corner

As we remember Dr. King and his contributions…

As we celebrate today Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I wish to share an article regarding the involvement of Archbishop Iakovos of the Greek Orthodox Church with Dr. King in support of the civil rights movement.

http://usa.greekreporter.com/2017/01/16/archbishop-iakovos-why-i-supported-martin-luther-king-in-selma/

Here is the link to last year’s “Be the Bee” episode : “When Right Isn’t Easy” in lieu of 50th Anniversary of the Marches at Selma.

God Bless!

Categories
FOCUS MGOCSM MMVS

Weekly Announcements – 01/15/2017

  1. MMVS Meeting – There will be meeting today after refreshments. All MMVS are requested to attend.
  1. Altar Servers Meeting – Will be held today after Sunday school. We will have a special class on Hesychasm, dealing with intrusive thoughts and the practice of the Jesus Prayer. After the session we will plan to have fellowship lunch at a restaurant nearby. All Altar Servers are requested to attend.  Please find some pictures from the fellowship lunch below.
  1. FOCUS Meeting – Will be held this Friday, January 20th at 7pm at the Residence of Mr. Cheriyan Abraham. All FOCUS members are requested to attend. A friendly reminder to bring you Shehimo Books and Beginning to Pray books.
  1. General Body Meeting – will be held on Sunday, January 22nd. All eligible members are requested to attend.
  1. MGOCSM Faith Study Series – This month’s will be held on Friday, January 27 at 6pm at church. For this month we will be discussing on the topic of How to Discern the Will of God in our journey in life. All MGOCSM members are requested to attend.
  1. MGOCSM Education Series – The MGOCSM is hosting a 4-part education Series on the Holy Qurbana. It will be taught by Aju Achen on the first Sundays of February, March, April and May. The first of these series is on Sunday, February 5th from 2-3:30 at St Basil Franklin Square. The fee is $20 for all four classes and a registration link will be made available in the coming weeks. If you are interested or have questions regarding this event, please contact one of youth members.
  1. New Jersey Leadership Camp – The camp will be held this July and in the hopes of fundraising for this camp, the committee has released 2017 calendars which will be available for purchase for $10. The calendar contains important information regarding saints as well as weekly bible readings. If you would like to purchase one, please see Julia Mathew and Manoj Varghese.
  1. Family Conference 2017 – will be held from July 12-15th (Wednesday-Saturday) at Kalahari Resorts at Poconos Manor in Pennsylvania. Discounted rates will be given till end of this month. To register go online to www.fyconf.org.
  1. New Born Baby Girl – Kindly join me in congratulating Mr. Linu and Remya Panicker on their new born baby girl, Evelyn Lizbeth Panicker. Let us keep the newborn and the family in our prayers.

Categories
Uncategorized

Divine Liturgy Cancelled on 01/08/17

Due to inclement weather conditions, St. Thomas Malankara Orthodox Church will not be having Divine Liturgy on Sunday, January 8th, 2017. We wish everyone safe travels during this time. Thank You!

Categories
FOCUS MGOCSM Sunday School

Weekly Announcements – 1/1/17

  1. Annual STYL Talent Show  – We had our Annual STYL Talent Show this past Friday. Special thanks to the coordinators and participants. Danniya Samuel and Emily George.
  1. Sunday School Anniversary – Today right before Kaimuthu, We will have our parish Sunday School Anniversary. It will be a short 10-15 min program.
  1. Feast of Baptism of Our Lord  – This Thursday Evening (the 5th), we will be celebrating the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord. Evening prayer will begin at 6:30pm. Nicholovos Thirumeni will be celebrating. Kindly make arrangements to attend.
    • Those will be preparing to receive Holy Qurbana make sure you come prepared- through bodily fast- that would include food and drink unless you have a medical condition advised by your physician (at least by 1pm).
  1. Schedule For the Year – Valiachen and I have been working on a schedule for the year with all the feast days and important days.
  1. Combined Orthodox Christmas Program – Flyer: Sunday, January, 8th, 2017 at 4pm Glen Oaks High School.
  1. FOCUS Meeting – For the month of January will be held on Friday, January 20th at 7pm at the Residence of Mr. Cheriyan Abraham. All FOCUS members are requested to attend. A friendly reminder to bring you Sheehimo Books and Beginning to Pray books.
  1. MGOCSM Faith Study Series – for the month of January will be held on Friday, January 27 at 6pm at church. All MGOCSM members are requested to attend.
  1. Altar Servers Meeting – will be held January 15th after Sunday school. We will have a special class on Hesychasm and the practice of the Jesus Prayer. After that we will have fellowship lunch and all Altar Servers are requested to attend.
  1. Bernard’s Roman Catholic Church – visited us a few months back. They have invited us over now to visit their church. We have arranged for Sunday, January 29th Sunday at 3pm. It will be important for us to pay a visit back and spent time with their community as they were so gracious to come and spend time with us.
  1. Holy Transfiguration Retreat Center –  A friendly reminder that collections are still ongoing.
  1. Confession – Those who would like to do confession kindly inform either of the Achens at your earliest convenience.
  2. 2016 Year In Review – Please see the video montage of 2016, from many of the events we’ve done over the year.

Categories
FOCUS MGOCSM Sunday School

Weekly Announcements – 12/25/16

  1. Christmas Carolers – Special thanks to the Christmas Carolers who spent their time and energy to go around to visit the houses.
  1. Christmas Service Song Practice – Special thanks for all who attended the Christmas song practice. We had it this past Wednesday and Thursday evening. Also, special thanks to the altar servers who came early yesterday to go over the service.
  1. Christmas Service English Books – Special Thanks to the youth for making arrangements for the English Copies of the Service. Many of the youth pitched in to ensure that parts of the service were done in English. Thank you all for your generosity.
  1. Annual Talent Show – Will be held this Friday, December 30th at 6:00pm. If you have not signed up kindly reach out to either Danniya Samuel or Emily George.
  1. New Year’s Day Service –  next Sunday is New Year’s and Morning Prayer will begin at our usual time 8:15am. We will have Evening prayer as usual at 6:30pm on New Year’s Eve.
  1. Sunday School Anniversary – The Sunday School Anniversary will be held next Sunday right before Kaimuthu. All Sunday school students and teachers are requested to attend.
  1. Parish Elections 2017 – Last Sunday we had our Parish Elections for 2017. The results will be posted and officially announced next week.
  1. Feast of Baptism of Our Lord – Thursday evening, January 5th, we will be having celebrating the feast of the Baptism of our Lord. Evening prayer will begin at 6:30pm. Nicholovos Thirumeni will be leading the service. All are requested to attend.

 

Categories
MGOCSM Sunday School

Weekly Announcements – 12/18/16

  1. Annual Talent Show – The annual talent show will be held on Friday, December 30th at 6:00pm.
  1. Faith Study Series – MGOCSM will be having its monthly faith study series on Friday, December 23rd at 6pm.  We will discussing about the role of marriage and monasticism in the Orthodox Church.  All MGOCSM members are requested to attend.
  1. Christmas Service Song Practice – will be held this Wednesday, 21st and Thursday 22nd evening at 7pm. All members are welcome to join.
  1. Christmas Schedule – Special Christmas Evening prayer will be held on December 24th at 6:30pm. Christmas Service on Christmas Day, the 25th will begin at 7am.
  1. Danaha Perunal – On Thursday evening, January 5th,   we will be celebrating the feast of the Baptism of our Lord. Nicholovos Thirumeni will be leading the service. Evening prayer will begin at 6:30pm. All are requested to attend.
  1. Sunday School Arts & Crafts – Special thanks to MGCOSM members for doing Christmas Arts & Crafts with the Sunday School Students

Categories
MGOCSM

Weekly Announcements – 12/11/16

  1. General Body Meeting will be next Sunday the 18th to the elect the new Governing body members for the year 2017. All eligible members who are 21 and above are requested to attend.
  1. Christmas Service Song Practice will be held on Wednesday, 21st and Thursday 22nd evening at 7pm.
  1. Christmas Schedule – Special Christmas Evening prayer will be held on December 24th at 6:30pm. Christmas Service on Christmas day will begin at 7am.
  1. MGOCSM will be having their monthly faith study series on Friday, December 23rd. All MGOCSM are request to attend.
  1. Annual Talent Show – The annual talent show will be held on Friday, December 30th at 6:00pm.
Categories
Resource

Shehimo Recordings

St. Paul, the apostle, exhorts: “Be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord…” Ephesians 5:19

The YouTube channel of the Liturgical Resource Development, A ministry of the South-West Diocese of America, can be assessed in the link provided below. The Recordings of the Shehimo Prayers sung in English are uploaded onto this channel.

Shehimo Prayers in English

The Shehimo prayers and other assorted liturgical hymns sung in Malayalam by Rev. Fr. P.M. Cheriyan can be accessed on the St. Mary’s Orthodox Church, Houston, Texas, YouTube Channel in the link provided below.

Shehimo Prayers in Malayalam

Categories
Clergys Corner

The Feast of the Nativity of our Lord

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Glory be to Jesus Christ!

The birth of our Lord fundamentally provides us with the hope that God has not forsaken us. In spite of human frailties and the widespread of evil around the world, God has not given up on us. The cost of saving humanity did not come cheap. It took God to become human, live among us and die in order to offer His life to us. The results of the disaster which took place in the Garden of Eden were removed through His incarnation. Where death and sin infiltrated the human race, God intervened and saved us from sin and corruption. We have now access to the life in the Holy Trinity through the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Hence, the joy of this season is not simply confined to giving and receiving material gifts, but above all, it is celebrating the joy of receive the gift of deification; the grace to grow towards the likeness of God. I ask you, which gift can be more valuable than this? In the words of St. Athanasius of Alexandria, “God became man (human) so that man will become like God.” The One God, who revealed Himself to the prophets of the Old Testament, has now “taken flesh” and has revealed the fullness of God’s glory through His incarnation. He has united heaven and earth through Him and in Him. We find the meaning and purpose of our lives in His incarnation! This, my friends, is true joy.

It is easy to get caught up in the paraphernalia of the holiday season with decorations, gift shopping, sending out Christmas cards, and everything else that comes with it. In the midst of all this, let us not forget “to open” and live out the gift of deification which was granted to us on the day of our baptism. Along with celebrating our Lord’s birth, we celebrate our new birth in Christ. We celebrate the hope we have in Christ, the experience of eternal life!

During this Lenten season, let us make room in our hearts for the grace of God to enter in us by getting rid of all hatred, malice and anger. As God has not given up on us, let us not give up in our spiritual walk towards Christ and His Kingdom. Let us become the propagators of peace where it has depleted. Let us renew our minds and steadfastly work towards cultivating virtues. Let us season our conversations and interactions with one another with love and compassion. Let us become the light which guides the world out of darkness to His Kingdom.

May the blessing and peace of the incarnate Lord and savior Jesus Christ be upon you all!

with prayers,
Fr. Abraham (Abey) George

incarnation