The Dove

This morning we gather and see on the horizon a day set aside by our nation, Thanksgiving Day. Some of us may be traveling, others may be welcoming guests and family to our homes. This day has come to mean a myriad of different things for different people. In its simplest form, for many it has become simply a time to enjoy a turkey dinner and prepare for the upcoming holiday. For others, this day has become a time to be with family and friends or watch a favorite sport. And yet for others, this day, like many holidays, is a day in which we long for loved ones who are no longer with us. Many take a few moments to think about or verbalize their thanks for that which they have or experienced during the past year. Isn’t this how we idealize the gathering of the pilgrims on Thanksgiving. They felt so blessed that they had survived and were learning how to thrive in a newly settled land. Historically, we know that this is not exactly what transpired, but it seems comfortable to ideali

 

  We would like to wish all of our cathedral students and young adults a Happy Thanksgiving! We would also like to thank all the students for coming out for our Friendsgiving dinner and the Philoptochos for sponsoring the dinner

  WELCOME TO ALL VISITORS : For those visiting an Orthodox Church for the first time, please be aware that Holy Communion is a sign of unity of faith which is only offered to Baptized or Chrismated Orthodox Christians. All present are welcome, however, to partake of the antidoro (blessed bread) which is distributed at the end of the service. Those interested in learning more about the Orthodox Christian faith, please feel free to see Fr. Tom after the service. This week, to assist you in the Narthex we have at the Pangary : Nick Bouritsas, Jim Tringas; Greeter : Eleni Asimacopoulos; Ushers : Dimitri Zaferacopoulos, Sophia Fountas, Michael Kalambokis, Lula Kiflit. MEMORIAL : The memorial service is offered today for the repose of the souls of James Nikolaides (1 year), William Gianoukos (13 years), Georgia Savvas (30 years), and Nicolaos Savvas (33 Years). Memorial prayers are offered today for the repose of the souls of Christos Nikolaides , Garifalia Nikolaides , Ioannis Niakaros

Upcoming News & Events WELCOME TO ALL VISITORS: For those visiting an Orthodox Church for the first time, please be aware that Holy Communion is a sign of unity of faith which is only offered to Baptized or Chrismated Orthodox Christians. All present are welcome, however, to partake of the antidoro (blessed bread) which is distributed at the end of the service. Those interested in learning more about the Orthodox Christian faith, please feel free to see Fr. Tom after the service. This week, to assist you in the Narthex we have at the Pangary: Nick Bouritsas, John Douros; Greeter: Dimitri Zaferacopoulos; Ushers: Michael Kalambokis, Lula Kiflit, Kamen Madjarov, Chuck Papaslis. HONORING OUR VETERANS: Today, we will honor all those who have served in the Army Forces and those who gave their lives for our country. The patriotic wreath honoring the Veterans is donated by the Ladies Philoptochos. FELLOWSHIP HOUR: Please join us for fellowship immediately following the Divine Liturgy

What is the Church? This is a question that is often asked of me by others, but more importantly, it is a question that I often ask myself. I believe that there are two ways to answer this question. The Church is a building in which believers in Jesus Christ gather. This is the most common way people look understand Church. Historically, believers first gathered in people’s homes as we read in the book of Acts. As the numbers of believers grew and the persecutions of the early Christians subsided, the faithful began gathering in dedicated spaces and over time the Church as we know it today was established and understood as the house of God. The space is sanctified by the grace of the Holy Spirit and becomes a place of joy, a place of celebration, a place of consolation, a place of healing, a place of reconciliation, and a place of worship and prayer. The Church is her people. We can have a building, call it a church, but without the faithful, it is just brick and mortar or wood