ПАНТЕЛЕИМОНСКИЙ ЛИСТОК
PARISH NEWSLETTER

~Number 125, May 2013 ~

ХРИСТOС ВOСКРЕСЕ!

Christ is Risen!

Father James and the Parish Council greet all parishioners and friends of our parish in this season of the joyous celebration of the saving Resurrection of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ.

CHURCH LIFE: PASCHAL EPISTLE OF METROPOLITAN HILARION

Paschal Epistle of His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad
Your Eminences, fellow hierarchs, God-loving monks and nuns, priests and deacons, beloved in the Lord brothers and sisters!
CHRIST IS RISEN!
A wondrous energy lies hidden in these words and penetrates the whole soul: CHRIST IS RISEN!

How joyous are these words for the soul of a Christian! Can more festive words than these be found in the entire human language? These joyous words were first uttered by the Angel to the Myrrhbearers who had come to the life-bearing Tomb. With our mind’s eye we see Christ Resurrected and hear His sweetest words to the Myrrhbearers: REJOICE! (Matthew 23:9), and hear how the Resurrected Lover of Mankind directs the same joyful greeting to us: Rejoice!

With Paschal jubilation I greet all of you with this radiant world-saving triumph of Christ's Resurrection! Rejoice, and again I say, rejoice! May each one of you, partaking of the joy today of Christ’s Church, overcome the sorrows and crosses you bear in life? overcome the despondency due to personal sinfulness, and the temptations and scandals which surround us, that with a breath of festive compunction we and those around us might partake of the multifaceted mercies and blessings of this all-good and radiant celebration!. For the Feast of Pascha is not just another ordinary festival or proclamation of resurrection? it is not a mere promise of life eternal for people? rather, it is the triumph and victory over all grief and anguish, over all sorrow and sadness of this earthly life.

May this Paschal joy, this triumph of life reign throughout our Russian Church Abroad, in each parish, in each monastery, in each family, so that "the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3), spoken of by the Apostle, may be visible within our church life. And may whatever transpires among us be peaceful, amicable, cordial, and according to the precepts of the Church!

As St. John of Kronstadt expresses in his writings: "May our joy of the Resurrection be rational, deep, holy, and dynamic. May it move us to greater love of the Resurrected One, to a life of holiness and mutual love." Amen.

With Paschal joy in the Resurrected Christ and asking your prayers,
+HILARION
Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York
First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad.

Пасхальное послание Высокопреосвященнейшего Илариона, митрополита Восточно-Американского, Первоиерарха Русской Зарубежной Церкви
Преосвященныесобратья-архипастыри, боголюбивыеинокииинокини, дорогиеоГосподеотцы, братьяисестры!
ХРИСТОС ВОСКРЕСЕ!

Какая-то дивная сила таится в этих словах и проникает всю душу, ХРИСТОС ВОСКРЕСЕ!
Какие радостные для христианской души слова! И есть ли в человеческом языке более радостные слова, чем эти слова. Ангельский язык первый произнес эти всерадостные слова, когда мироносицам, пришедшим к живоносному гробу, была возвещена сия великая радость. Ныне мы видим Воскресшего Христа мысленным своим взором и, как мироносицы, слышим Его сладчайшие слова "РАДУЙТЕСЬ" (Мф. 23:9), слышим, как Воскресший Человеколюбец и нас приветствует тем же радостным приветствием: "Радуйтесь"!

С чувством пасхального ликования приветствую всех вас с пресветлым и мироспасительным торжеством Воскресения Христова! Радуйтесь, и еще скажу: радуйтесь! Пусть каждый, приобщаясь к нынешней радости Христовой Церкви, начнет преодолевать скорби и тяжести жизненного креста, а также и уныние, бываемое от собственной греховности, соблазнов и искушений, одним вздохом праздничного умиления привлекая к себе и другим многоразличные милости и благословения сего доброго и светлого торжества! Ибо праздник Пасхи – не просто очередное празднование или проповедь о воскресении, не обещание лишь вечной жизни людям, а торжество и победа над всяким горем и тоской, над всякой скорбью и печалью этой земной жизни.

Пусть эта пасхальная радость, это торжество жизни воцарится во всей Русской Зарубежной Церкви, в каждом ее приходе, в каждом монастыре, в каждой семье, чтобы в нашей внутрицерковной жизни все видели то "единство духа в союзе мира" (Еф. 4:2), о котором пишет Апостол, чтобы везде у нас было мирно, дружно, сердечно и церковно!

"Дабудетжерадостьнашаовоскресенииразумна, глубока, святаидеятельна, как пишет праведный Иоанн Кронштадтский. ДаподвизаетонаинасклюбвиВоскресшего, ксвятойжизниивзаимнойлюбви". Аминь.

С пасхальной радостью о Христе Воскресшем и просьбой о молитвах,
+ИЛАРИОН
МитрополитВосточно-АмериканскийиНью-Йоркский
ПервоиерархРусскойЗарубежнойЦеркви.
Пасха 2013 г.

CHURCH LIFE: PASCHAL EPISTLE OF PATRIARCH KIRILL

Paschal Message of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill to the Archpastors, Pastors, Deacons, Monastics, and all the Faithful Children of the Russian Orthodox Church
 Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! (1 Cor. 1:57)

Beloved in the Lord Right Reverend archpastors, reverend presbyters and deacons, God-loving monks and nuns, dear brothers and sisters!
On this great and radiant day, I congratulate you from the depths of my heart on the Lord’s Pascha and greet each of you with these ancient and holy words: CHRIST IS RISEN!

It is in these words, with which people throughout the ages have greeted each other during the bright days of Pascha, and by which they have testified to the world of the truth of an event occurring two thousand years ago, that there is to be found a great inner power. They contain the tidings of victory and a call to joy, the desire for peace, and the hope and comfort of every human person.

He who was born of the Most Pure Virgin Mary, He who suffered greatly and without blame, He who was crucified and died on a cross between two thieves, He was the first among people to rise from the dead. "He hath been raised, as He said He would be" (Matthew 28:6). The tomb is empty. There remain in it only the swaddling clothes in which His body was wrapped. The myrrh-bearing women came to the place of the Lord’s burial "very early in the morning … at the rising of the sun" (Mark 16:2) and did not find Jesus there, for neither the stone that blocked the entrance into the cave, nor the guard who kept watch by it, nor even death itself could withstand the great power of the Living God. "Hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure" (Isaiah 5:14), exultant Hades had been ready to engulf its most powerful enemy, yet instead froze in fear, for it had been illumined by the light of the Godhead. Christ has vanquished corruption and destroyed death.

Through the first man, who disobeyed the Maker and fell away from the Fount of eternal life, evil came into the world and sin reigned over people. Christ, "the last Adam" (1 Cor. 15:45), has vanquished death of the spirit, death of the soul, and death of the body. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive," St. Paul tells us (1 Cor. 15:22). All that we have lost in the first Adam, we have acquired anew in Christ. The Lord’s Pascha is truly the "great gift of divine economy" (St. Theodore the Studite).

Having overcome the human person’s alienation from his Maker, the Savior has granted to us the possibility of being united with Him. As St. John Damascene says, through the Cross of Christ we have been "granted resurrection … The gates of paradise have been opened to us, our nature now sits at the right hand of God and we have become the children of God and His heirs" (An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, Book 4). We are all called upon to be worthy of this gift.

The Son of God, in assuming our nature, has become like us in all things apart from sin. Through his earthly life and sufferings on the Cross, He has shown us an example of the greatest humility and obedience to the Heavenly Father, an example of struggle against temptations and allurements, and through His Resurrection He has destroyed the fetters of sin and granted to us the power and means to vanquish evil. It is in this struggle that one grows spiritually and becomes a morally free person.

We live at a time when freedom is often taken to mean moral chaos. Many sincerely believe that only power and riches, health and physical strength, bring liberation ? and, in competing in service to the idols of this world, they often fail in that which is most important, in the attainment of the true goal of life. The Savior, Who has risen from the tomb and granted to us freedom, has revealed to us this goal of knowing the Truth (see: John 8:32) and of life with God.

In destroying bodily death, Christ has promised eternal life ? not as an infinite continuation of the earthly path, but as the transformation of all human nature, when the body will acquire a new character. It is in the Lord’s Resurrection that the foreshadowing of our future resurrection is mysteriously revealed. In the coming Kingdom of Heaven, where there will be neither death, nor illness, nor parting, and not even time, "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes" (Rev. 21:4), and joy will be never-ending and love eternal. The Lord’s victory over death gives us steadfast hope that, in following Him at His Second and Glorious Coming, we will rise again to a new life – life in unceasing communion with God.

Let us then share the joy in our risen Saviour with all those who are in need of attention and care: with the sick, the elderly, those who suffer or who are despondent, those who languish in places of confinement, and those people who are without means or a roof over their heads. And, in becoming like the witnesses to the Resurrection – the holy apostles – let us with faith and boldness proclaim to those near and far the good news that Christ has truly risen!
Amen.

Пасхальное послание Святейшего Патриарха Кирилла архипастырям, пастырям, диаконам, монашествующим и всем верным чадам Русской Православной Церкви
БлагодарениеБогу, даровавшемунампобеду
ГосподомнашимИисусомХристом!
(1 Кор. 15:57)

ВозлюбленныеоГосподеПреосвященныеархипастыри, всечестныепресвитерыидиаконы, боголюбивыеинокииинокини, дорогиебратьяисестры!
В сей великий и светозарный день сердечно поздравляю всех вас с Пасхой Господней и приветствую каждого древними и святыми словами: ХРИСТОС ВОСКРЕСЕ!

Именно в этих словах, которыми люди на протяжении веков встречают друг друга в светлые пасхальные дни и которыми свидетельствуют миру об истинности события, произошедшего два тысячелетия назад, содержится огромная внутренняя сила. В них ? и весть о победе, и призыв к радости, и пожелание мира, и надежда и утешение для каждого человека.

Тот, Кто был рожден Пречистой Девой Марией, Тот, Кто тяжело и безвинно страдал, был распят и умер на кресте посреди двух разбойников, Тот первым из всех людей восстал из мертвых. "Он воскрес, как сказал" (Мф. 28:6). Гробница пуста. В ней остались лишь пелены, в которые было завернуто Его тело. Жены-мироносицы, придя к месту погребения Господа "весьма рано… при восходе солнца" (Мк. 16:2), не нашли там Иисуса, ибо ни камень, закрывавший вход в пещеру, ни охранявшая ее стража, ни даже сама смерть не смогли противостать великой силе Бога Живаго. "Преисподняя расширилась и без меры раскрыла пасть свою" (Ис. 5:14), ликующий ад уже приготовился поглотить своего самого могучего врага, но вместо этого замер от ужаса, ибо озарился светом Божества. Христос уничтожил тление и разрушил смерть.

Через первого человека, который ослушался Создателя и отпал от Источника вечной жизни, в мир вошло зло, и грех стал царствовать среди людей. Христос же ? "последний Адам" (1 Кор. 15:45) ? победил смерть духовную, душевную и телесную. "Как в Адаме все умирают, так во Христе все оживут", ? свидетельствует апостол Павел (1 Кор. 15:22). Все потерянное нами в первом Адаме мы вновь получили во Христе. Пасха Господня ? это поистине величайший дар Божиего домостроительства (преп. Феодор Студит).

Преодолев отчуждение человека от Творца, Спаситель даровал нам возможность соединиться с Ним. По словам преподобного Иоанна Дамаскина, Крестом Христовым нам "даровано воскресение... открыты врата рая, естество наше воссело одесную Бога, и мы соделались чадами Божиими и наследниками" (Точное изложение православной веры. Кн. 4). Все мы призваны стать достойными этого дара.

Сын Божий, восприняв нашу природу, уподобился нам во всем, кроме греха. Своей земной жизнью и крестными страданиями Он показал пример величайшего смирения и послушания Небесному Отцу, пример борьбы с искушениями и соблазнами, а Своим Воскресением разрушил оковы греха и дал нам силы и средства побеждать зло. Именно в такой борьбе человек растет духовно и становится нравственно свободной личностью.

Мы живем в то время, когда свобода нередко трактуется как вседозволенность. Многие искренне полагают, что лишь власть и богатство, здоровье и физическая сила способны принести освобождение, и, соревнуясь в служении кумирам века сего, зачастую проигрывают в главном, в достижении подлинной цели бытия. Восставший от гроба Спаситель, даровав нам свободу, открыл эту цель, которая состоит в познании Истины (см. Ин. 8:32) и в жизни с Богом.

Уничтожив телесную смерть, Христос обещал вечную жизнь, но не как бесконечное продолжение земного пути, а как преображение всего человеческого существа, когда само тело обретает новые свойства. В Воскресении Господа тáинственно явлен прообраз и нашего будущего воскресения. В грядущем Царствии Небесном, где не будет ни смерти, ни болезни, ни разлуки, ни даже времени, "отрет Бог всякую слезу с очей" (Откр. 21:4), и радость будет нескончаемой, а любовь ? вечной. Победа Господа над смертью дает всем нам непоколебимую надежду, что и мы вслед за Ним во Второе славное пришествие Его воскреснем для новой жизни ? жизни в непрестанном общении с Богом.

Разделим же радость о Воскресшем Спасителе нашем со всеми, кто нуждается во внимании и заботе: с больными, пожилыми, страждущими, унывающими, томящимися в темницах, лишенными средств и крова людьми. И, уподобившись свидетелям Воскресения ? святым апостолам, с верой и дерзновением будем возвещать ближним и дальним благую весть о том, что воистину воскрес Христос!
Аминь.

PARISH NEWS: MARCH – MAY 2013

Our last newsletter was issued on 31 March 2013, the final Sunday of that month, and a great deal has happened since then.  With the weekend of 30-31 March included we have had 28 services, many of them special services that we have the opportunity to experience only during Great Lent. 

There have also been three baptisms, all of them infants.  Two were on Saturday 6 April, the eve of the Great Feast of the Annunciation.  That morning Benjamin lo Campo, the son of Mario Lo Campo and Diana Tommasello, was baptised.  The Lo Campo family is from Sydney, and Father James presided at Mario and Diana’s wedding in Croydon last year.  Benjamin’s sponsors at baptism were his grandparents, Maria Lo Campo and Beatrice Tommasello. 

In the afternoon, Alexander Kfoury was baptised.  Alexander is the infant son of Andrew and Cindy-Anne Kfoury, and the grandson of Nicolas and Sophia Kfoury.  Alexander’s sponsors at baptism were his older brother, Christopher, and Alyssa Lanning. 
The third was on the afternoon of Thursday 25 April 2013, when Daniel Day, the infant son of Mark and Elena Day, was baptised.  Daniel’s sponsor at baptism was his maternal grandmother, Rimma Nagikh.  May God bless his newly-baptised servants Benjamin, Alexander and Daniel, grant them and their parents and godparents many years!

Other notable events in parish life over the past month or so were the fish BBQ prepared by our Ladies’ Auxiliary after Divine Liturgy on Sunday 7 April, the Great Feast of the Annunciation; a well-attended General Service of Anointing on the evening of Sunday 21 April; services on the first four evenings of Holy Week with the singing of the beautiful troparia «Се жених» and «Егда славнии ученицы» and the exapostilarion «Чертог Твой»; and – of course – the Paschal services. 

As has become customary, a number of people gathered at church at 11.00am on the morning of Pascha itself.  Great Vespers and the Ninth Hour were sung, Paschal baskets were blessed, and many remained at church to share a cup of tea and festive food.  This service is particularly popular with families with young children who find it hard to be present at the midnight service.  It also ensures that the church is open on the morning of Pascha, and that Paschal Vespers, a light and joyful service usually served in the evening, is not unknown in our parish.

During Great Lent Father James joined the clergy at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Strathfield for the General Service of Anointing.  A number of our parishioners also attended this service.  Father James visited Strathfield again on Bright Monday, the second day of Pascha, joining the Cathedral community in celebrating the name-day of the senior priest there, Archpriest George Lapardin.

PARISH LIFE: PARISH COUNCIL NEWS

Parish Council has met on two occasions since the last newsletter, Tuesday 9 April and Wednesday 15 May 2013.  At the April meeting the Parish Council discussed the provision of information to the new Australian Charities and Not for Profit Commission (ACNC), established by the Australian Government in 2012 to better regulate the charitable and not-for-profit sector.  Registration of the parish with the ACNC was automatic as the parish has an Australian Business Number.  As a very small organisation, the parish is obliged at this stage to provide the ACNC only with details of its directors – that is, the members of the Parish Council.  In addition to hearing the usual reports on parish life and finances, the Parish Council also discussed guidelines for cash-handling at the candle-desk, the instruction and supervision of altar-servers, and a range of maintenance tasks.

At the May meeting the Parish Council considered detailed reports on the financial position of the parish Ladies’ Auxiliary and the now-finalised 2013 Parish Risk Assessment and Treatment Plan.  As sufficient funds were available to the Ladies’ Auxiliary, a decision was made to order a further set of vestments for altar-servers, with white the preferred colour.  Other matters discussed included the usual end-of-financial-year audit, preparations for the feast of Saint Panteleimon on 9 August and our Annual General Meeting in September, and various issues relating to formal parish membership.  The Parish Council is due to meet next on Tuesday 18 June 2013.

PARISH LIFE: A READER TO BE TONSURED

Regular worshippers will know that for the past twelve months – following Reader Christopher Dowling’s return to Canberra – Paul Douriaguine has taken responsibility for reading the Apostol at Divine Liturgy.  In view of his commitment to this role, arrangements have been made with Metropolitan Hilarion for Paul’s formal tonsure as a reader (чтец).  Although Vladyka will be in Australia during July this year his time will be limited, and it will not be possible for him to visit our parish.  Vladyka has therefore proposed that Paul’s tonsure take place at Croydon on the day of commemoration of All Saints of Russia, falling this year on Sunday 14 July 2013.  As this is a Sunday on which we will not have a service at Gosford, our parishioners and friends are encouraged to visit the Croydon parish to pray and wish Paul well as he takes this important step.  This day is the patronal feast of the Croydon parish, and also an opportunity to join and encourage our many friends there.  Please mark this day in your diaries!

CHURCH LIFE: FEASTS OF SAINT NICHOLAS

On Wednesday 22 May 2013 it will be the day of commemoration of the Translation of the Relics of Saint Nicholas from Myra in Lycia to Bari in Italy.  This is the patronal feast-day of two parishes in New South Wales: the parish of Saint Nicholas in Fairfield, and our neighbouring parish of Saint Nicholas in Wallsend, Newcastle. 

At Fairfield All-night Vigil will begin at 6.00pm on Tuesday 21 May and Divine Liturgy will begin at 9.00am on Wednesday 22 May 2013.  Father James is planning to be present at these services, the Fairfield parish being the place where he served as a deacon and was ordained to the priesthood.  Parishioners and friends from Gosford and Hornsby who are able to do so are encouraged to join Archpriest Nikita Chemodakov, the Dean of New South Wales, and his parishioners on this day.  The church is at 13-15 Barbara Street, Fairfield. 

Because of the small size of the Wallsend parish, and with Metropolitan Hilarion’s blessing, there will be no services in Wallsend on 21-22 May.  Instead, All-night Vigil will be served at 6.00pm on Saturday 25 May, and Divine Liturgy at 9.00am on Sunday 26 May 2013.  After Divine Liturgy on Sunday there will be a moleben to Saint Nicholas with a procession around the church, followed by a festive lunch to which all are invited. Parishioners and friends from Gosford and Hornsby are also encouraged to travel to Wallsend, the most isolated of our New South Wales parishes.  Wallsend is only 88 kilometres and one hour’s drive from West Gosford, or 114 kilometres and one hour and ten minutes from Berowra!

PARISH LIFE: 2013 PARISH MEMBERSHIP

All parish members are once again reminded to renew their membership for 2013. Membership is granted from January to December each year.  Copies of the membership form are available from the candle desk at church.  New members are also welcome!  All members – whether continuing or new – are reminded that members must, as a minimum, confess and receive Holy Communion once each year.  Those confessing and receiving Holy Communion other than in our parish – during a visit to one of our monasteries, or on a pilgrimage abroad, for example – should ensure that Father James is aware of these arrangements.  This is because without participation in the sacramental life of the church – the true life that we have in Christ – formal membership is invalid.

PARISH LIFE: COLLECTIONS DURING GREAT LENT

Parishioners and friends will be aware that we took up two mandatory collections during Great Lent.  These were the Diocesan collection for the Holy Trinity Seminary on Sunday 31 March, and the Diocesan collection for the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem on Lazarus Saturday, 27 April 2013.  In addition to a plate collection on Lazarus Saturday, we also dedicated our customary Lenten “money box” collection to the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission.  Our collection for Jordanville raised $337.00, and our collection for the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission has raised – with four money boxes still to be returned and counted – $1005.50.

PARISH LIFE: WINTER 2013 SCHEDULE OF SERVICES

It is expected that the Winter 2013 Schedule of Services will be available in church as of the weekend of 18-19 May 2013, and on the parish website and Facebook page soon afterwards.  For those receiving this newsletter by post, a copy will be included.  Covering the months of June, July and August, the schedule will include services for the Great Feast of the Ascension of the Lord («Вознесение») on Wednesday-Thursday 12-13 June; the celebration of our parish feast-day of Saint Panteleimon on Friday-Saturday 9-10 August; and services for the Great Feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God («Успение») on Tuesday-Wednesday 27-28 August.  This year, services for the Transfiguration of the Lord («Преображеине») on 18-19 August will be in Wallsend.

PARISH LIFE: RISK MANAGEMENT AND CHILD SAFETY

For the past twelve months or so, the Parish Council has been working on a risk assessment and treatment plan.  Initially requested by the Diocesan authorities, this plan received a new impetus when the September 2012 Annual General Meeting of our parish passed a “Safety, Security and Stability” policy, recognising that these three things – safety, security and stability – were beneficial in parish life.  Work on the plan continued in the first half of 2013, with the finished plan tabled at the May 2013 Parish Council meeting and forwarded to the Diocesan Office on 16 May 2013.

The plan requires the Parish Council to attend as a matter of priority to those risks in parish life deemed unacceptable.  These risks – which thankfully, are few – have to do with the safety of children at play, clear procedures in the event of an emergency, the reduction of fire hazards, and participation in parish life.  As the plan has been developed, a great deal has been done along the way to reduce risks to our safety, security and stability.  Anyone wishing to have a copy of the plan, or with questions or suggestions, should see Father James or Rick Golovin.

An important aspect of risk management is compliance with the legal requirements for child safety that apply in New South Wales.  Father James and the parish Child Safety Contact Persons, Paul Douriaguine and Kate Waters, expect to be speaking to parishioners – including our children and young people – more - about this soon.