Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory now and forever! The Hymn of the Church: Save, O Lord, save your people and bless Your inheritance. Give victory to those who battle evil and protect us all by Your holy cross.

Σῶζνλ, Κύξηε, ηὸλ ιαόλ ζνπ, θαὶ εὐιόγεζνλ ηὴλ θιεξνλνκίαλ ζνπ, λίθαο ηνῖο Βαζηιεῦζη θαηὰ βαξβάξσλ δσξνύκελνο, θαὶ ηὸ ζὸλ θπιάηησλ δηὰ ηνῦ Σηαπξνῦ ζνπ πνιίηεπκα.

To our Visitors and Guests: We extend a warm welcome to all worshiping with us today. While Holy Communion, the Eucharist, is reserved for Orthodox Christians, non-Orthodox Christians may receive the blessed bread (antidoron) offered at the conclusion of the service. Please join us for the Fellowship Hour and Adult Discussion Group following the Divine Liturgy. Father John will be glad to meet with you and answer any questions you may have.

HOLY CROSS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

The Epistle Reading is from St. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians 4:4-7

BRETHREN, when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son then also an heir of God through Christ.

Ἀδειθνί, ὅηε ἦιζελ ηὸ πιήξσκα ηνῦ ρξόλνπ, ἐμαπέζηεηιελ ὁ ζεὸο ηὸλ πἱὸλ αὐηνῦ, γελόκελνλ ἐθ γπλαηθόο, γελόκελνλ ὑπὸ λόκνλ, ἵλα ηνὺο ὑπὸ λόκνλ ἐμαγνξάζῃ, ἵλα ηὴλ πἱνζεζίαλ ἀπνιάβσκελ. Ὅηη δέ ἐζηε πἱνί, ἐμαπέζηεηιελ ὁ ζεὸο ηὸ πλεῦκα ηνῦ πἱνῦ αὐηνῦ εἰο ηὰο θαξδίαο ὑκῶλ, θξᾶδνλ, Ἀββᾶ, ὁ παηήξ. Ὥζηε νὐθέηη εἶ δνῦινο, ἀιιʼ πἱόο· εἰ δὲ πἱόο, θαὶ θιεξνλόκνο ζενῦ δηὰ ρξηζηνῦ.

Matthew 2:1-12

Gospel Reading

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him." When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet: 'And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.'" Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared; and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him." When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

The Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus

Τνῦ δὲ ᾿Ιεζνῦ γελλεζέληνο ἐλ Βεζιεὲκ ηῆο ᾿Ινπδαίαο ἐλ ἡκέξαηο ῾Ηξῴδνπ ηνῦ βαζηιέσο, ἰδνὺ κάγνη ἀπὸ ἀλαηνιῶλ παξεγέλνλην εἰο ῾Ιεξνζόιπκαιέγνληεο· πνῦ ἐζηηλ ὁ ηερζεὶο βαζηιεὺο ηῶλ ᾿Ινπδαίσλ; εἴδνκελ γὰξ αὐηνῦ ηὸλ ἀζηέξα ἐλ ηῇ ἀλαηνιῇ θαὶ ἤιζνκελ π ξ ν ζ θ π λ ῆ ζ α η αὐηῷ.᾿Αθνύζαο δὲ ῾Ηξῴδεο ὁ βαζηιεὺο ἐηαξάρζε θαὶ πᾶζα ῾Ιεξνζόιπκα κεη᾿ αὐηνῦ,θαὶ ζπλαγαγὼλ πάληαο ηνὺο ἀξρηεξεῖο θαὶ γξακκαηεῖο ηνῦ ιανῦ ἐππλζάλεην παξ᾿ αὐηῶλ πνῦ ὁ Χξηζηὸο γελλᾶηαη.νἱ δὲ εἶπνλ αὐηῷ· ἐλ Βεζιεὲκ ηῆο ᾿Ινπδαίαο· νὕησ γὰξ γέγξαπηαη δηὰ ηνῦ πξνθήηνπ· θαὶ ζὺ Βεζιεέκ, γῆ ᾿Ινύδα,νὐδακῶο ἐιαρίζηε εἶ ἐλ ηνῖο ἡγεκόζηλ ᾿Ινύδα·ἐθ ζνῦ γὰξ ἐμειεύζεηαη ἡγνύκελνο,ὅζηηο πνηκαλεῖ ηὸλ ιαόλ κνπ ηὸλ ᾿Ιζξαήι. Τόηε ῾Ηξῴδεο ιάζξα θαιέζαο ηνὺο κάγνπο ἠθξίβσζε παξ᾿ αὐηῶλ ηὸλ ρξόλνλ ηνῦ θαηλνκέλνπ ἀζηέξνο,θαὶ πέκςαο αὐηνὺο εἰο Βεζιεὲκ εἶπε· πνξεπζέληεο ἀθξηβῶο ἐμεηάζαηε πεξὶ ηνῦ παηδίνπ, ἐπὰλ δὲ εὕξεηε, ἀπαγγείιαηέ κνη, ὅπσο θἀγὼ ἐιζὼλ πξνζθπλήζσ αὐηῷ.νἱ δὲ ἀθνύζαληεο ηνῦ βαζηιέσο ἐπνξεύζεζαλ· θαὶ ἰδνὺ ὁ ἀζηὴξ ὃλ εἶδνλ ἐλ ηῇ ἀλαηνιῇ πξνῆγελ αὐηνύο, ἕσο ἐιζὼλ ἔζηε ἐπάλσ νὗ ἦλ ηὸ παηδίνλ·ἰδόληεο δὲ ηὸλ ἀζηέξα ἐράξεζαλ ραξὰλ κεγάιελ ζθόδξα,θαὶ ἐιζόληεο εἰο ηὴλ νἰθίαλ εἶδνλ ηὸ παηδίνλ κεηὰ Μαξίαο ηῆο κεηξὸο αὐηνῦ, θαὶ πεζόληεο πξνζεθύλεζαλ αὐηῷ, θαὶ ἀλνίμαληεο ηνὺο ζεζαπξν ὺο αὐηῶλ πξνζήλεγθαλ αὐηῷ δῶξα, ρξπζὸλ θαὶ ιίβαλνλ θαὶ ζκύξλαλ·θαὶ ρξεκαηηζζέληεο θαη᾿ ὄλαξ κὴ ἀλαθάκςαη πξὸο ῾Ηξῴδελ, δη᾿ ἄιιεο ὁδνῦ ἀλερώξεζαλ εἰο ηὴλ ρώξαλ αὐηῶλ.

HOLY CROSS

Weekly Announcements: PRAYER REQUEST: Zoe Dermatas, Fr. Dan Suciu, Jay Johnson, Winifred Veltri (If you wish to be placed on or removed from the prayer request, please contact Father John.)

GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH 859 First Street; Macon, Georgia 31201 478.745.0160 www.holycross.ga.goarch.org 478.621.0744 (fax) [email protected]

Very Rev. John W. Stefero [email protected]

PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE: Many thanks to those who served on the Parish Council. Coming off the Parish Council are Lee Hornbaker, George Saratsiotis, Natalia Saratsiotis, and Chrissy Zdrakas. Congratulations to the newly elected Parish Council members. Those members are Alexander Alex, Kathye Patras, George Saratsiotis, and Strat Zaloumes.

770.693.8694 (home) 678.637.4425 (cell)

Bulletin for the week of December 25, 2011 Usher on Duty: Natalia Saratsiotis Epistle Reader: Pete Tsamolias / Betty Cantrell

CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM! Saints Commemorated Today: The Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; the Adoration of the Magi: Melchior, Gaspar, & Balthasar; the Commemoration of the Shepherds in Bethlehem who were watching their flocks and came to see the Lord. Apolytikion for the Nativity of Christ (Pages 198 & 199 in Hymnal): Your birth, O Christ our God, shines forth on all the world with the light of knowledge. For at Your birth, those who had adored the stars were taught by a star to worship You, the Sun of Justice, and to know You, the Dawn from on high. O Lord, glory to You. Kontakion for the Nativity of Christ (Pages 244 & 245 in Hymnal): Today the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent One, and the earth presents a cave to the Unapproachable One. Angels with shepherds give Him glory; wise men follow a star as they journey to Him who is God from all ages, yet for our sake is born as a little child. The Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ: The incomprehensible and inexplicable Nativity of Christ came to pass when Herod the Great was reigning in Judea; the latter was an Ascalonite on his father's side and an Idumean on his mother's. He was in every way foreign to the royal line of David; rather, he had received his authority from the Roman emperors, and had ruled tyrannically over the Jewish people for some thirty-three years. The tribe of Judah, which had reigned of old, was deprived of its rights and stripped of all rule and authority. Such was the condition of the Jews when the awaited Messiah was born, and truly thus was fulfilled the prophecy which the Patriarch Jacob had spoken 1,807 years before: "A ruler shall not fail from Judah, nor a prince from his loins, until there come the things stored

up for him; and he nations" (Gen.49:10).

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Thus, our Savior was born in Bethlehem, a city of Judea, whither Joseph had come from Nazareth of Galilee, taking Mary his betrothed, who was great with child, that, according to the decree issued in those days by the Emperor Augustus, they might be registered in the census of those subject to Rome. Therefore, when the time came for the Virgin to give birth, and since because of the great multitude there was no place in the inn, the Virgin's circumstance constrained them to enter a cave which was near Bethlehem. Having as shelter a stable of irrational beasts, she gave birth there, and swaddled the Infant and laid Him in the manger (Luke 2:1-7). From this, the tradition has come down to us that when Christ was born He lay between two animals, an ox and an ass, that the words of the Prophets might be fulfilled: "Between two living creatures shalt Thou be known" (Habakkuk 3:2), and "The ox knows his owner and the ass his master's crib" (Isaiah 1: 3). But while the earth gave the new-born Savior such a humble reception, Heaven on high celebrated majestically His world-saving coming. A wondrous star, shining with uncommon brightness and following a strange course, led Magi from the East to Bethlehem to worship the new-born King. Certain shepherds who were in the area of Bethlehem, who kept watch while tending their sheep, were suddenly surrounded by an extraordinary light, and they saw before them an Angel who proclaimed to them the good tidings of the Lord's joyous Nativity. And straightway, together with this Angel, they beheld and heard a whole host of the Heavenly Powers praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men" (Luke 2:8-14).

CUTTING OF THE VASILOPITA, sponsored by the Ladies of Philoptochos, will be held Sunday, January 15th. All proceeds will benefit the Academy of Saint Basil. HOUSE BLESSING: If you would like to have your house blessed for the new year, please complete the form inserted in your quarterly bulletin. You can either give your form to Father John, place it in the collection tray, or mail it to Holy Cross (Attn: Father John). Extra forms are located in the Parish House and in the Narthex. 2012 CALENDARS: Calendars are located in the Parish House. Please take a complimentary calendar. Also, many thanks to Hart’s Mortuary for sponsoring the calendars. Thank you to Presbytera Denise, who, so kindly, provided the refreshments today. Everyone is welcome to join us next door. Many thanks to Chrissy & Tom Zdrakas for donating this bulletin for the health of Winifred Veltri and for her 95th Birthday!

IMPORTANT DATES TO KNOW: TODAY

12.25 1.01

1.08

*Orthros 6pm / Divine Liturgy 7pm Merry Christmas/Καλά Χριστούγεννα *No Service Today Happy New Year *Orthros 9:30 / Divine Liturgy 10:30 Usher: Lee Hornbaker Coffee Hour: Emily Dermatas Readers: George C / Richard S Church School & Bible Study *Orthros 9:30 / Divine Liturgy 10:30 Usher: George Saratsiotis Coffee Hour: Georgia Karras Readers: George S / Ann Marie Z Church School & Bible Study

UPCOMING CELEBRATIONS: 12.25 *Cristina Lekas (N) *Chrissy Holland (N) *Chrissy Zdrakas (N) *Christine Nicholas (N) *Christine Cassimus (N) *Sam Ray (B) 12.26 *John Cacavias (B) 12.27 *Stephanie Ollikainen (N) 12.31 *Susan Sanders (B) *Melanie Moye (N) 1.01 *Bessie Andros (N) *Carter Zoumberis (N) *Betty Cantrell (N) *David-Lee Bradford (N) THANK YOU! Fr. John and Presbytera Denise want to sincerely thank everyone for their kindness and generosity to them during this Nativity season. May each of you be blessed with a joyous Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year!

The Gifts of the Magi: The coming of the Wise Men bears witness to the fact that Jesus has come as King and Lord for all people, and not only the Jews. In the persons of the three Persian kings the Church sees all the peoples of the earth and all the kingdoms of men. The gifts of the Magi are of particular significance. The gift of gold is taken as the sign that Jesus is the King of Israel, of the entire universe, and of the kingdom of God to come. The gift of frankincense is taken by the liturgy to signify the fact that Jesus is God, since incense is for worship, and only God may be worshiped. And the gift of myrrh is for the Lord Jesus who has come to die as the perfect sacrifice for the people. For the dead were anointed with myrrh, as Jesus Himself was anointed, according to the Scriptures, at the time of His death (John 19:39-40). In the gifts of the Magi, therefore, are contained all the mysteries of Christ's coming. They point to the purpose of His appearance on earth. He is the royal king, the Son of David, whose kingdom will have no end. He is the victim, the Lamb of God, who by His death takes away the sins of the world. And He is God Himself, the divine Son of the Father: "Light of Light, true God of true God; begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven..." as the Nicene Creed declares. - Taken from The Winter Pascha by Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko