wfn.org | Greek Orthodox Archdiocese E-bulletin May 15, 2009

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> GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA
> 8-10 East 79th St. New York, NY 10075-0106
> Tel: (212) 570-3530 Fax: (212) 774-0237
> Web: http://www.goarch.org  - Email: communications@goarch.org

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese E-bulletin May 15, 2009

> Christ is Risen! Christos Anesti!

This is the weekly edition of the GOA E-Bulletin. For more information just click on the links below to go to the topics of interest to you.

If the link does not work from your email, copy the link and paste it into the address bar of your web browser.

RESOURCES FOR PASCHA:  As we continue in our celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, follow the Sundays of the Paschal period with this special website.  The site provides articles, sermons, music, prayers, and much more as we share in the joy of our Risen Lord in the coming weeks.

> http://www.lent.goarch.org/

FEAST OF SAINTS CONSTANTINE AND HELEN: May 21 is the day of the commemoration of the Holy Great Sovereigns Constantine and Helen, Equal to the Apostles.  For information on these saints and why they are commemorated visit the site below.  The site also includes links to the readings, the texts of the hymns for the day, and the icon of Saints Constantine and Helen.

http://www.goarch.org/special/constantineandhelen/index_html

AHEPA SUNDAY ? MAY 17:  Sunnday, May 17 has been designated as a day to recognized the contribution the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA) has and continues to make in promoting Orthodoxy and Hellenism. Read the special encyclical by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios and visit the AHEPA web site to learn more about this organization that promotes civic responsibility, education, and philanthropy.

Encyclical for AHEPA Sunday: http://www.goarch.org/archbishop/demetrios/encyclicals

> AHEPA web site:
> http://www.ahepa.org/

PRISON MINISTRY AWARENESS SUNDAY - MAY 24:  Sunday, May 24 has been designated by the Hierarchs of SCOBA as Prison Ministry Awareness Sunday.  A special encyclical has been issued in recognition of this vital ministry asking all Orthodox parishes to support the work of the Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry and to encourage this work.  You can also visit the OCPM web site and learn more about the work of chaplains, current and future programs, publications, and ways you can support prison ministry.

Encyclical for Prison Ministry Awareness Sunday:
http://www.scoba.us/articles/2647.html

> Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry web site:
> http://www.ocpm-scoba.org/

NEW â??FAITH AND LIFEâ?? RESOURCES AVAILABLE ONLINE: The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has announced the publication of the new â??Faith and Life: Orthodox Christianityâ?? series with the release of two web-based pamphlets on the topics of â??Fastingâ?? and the â??Dating of Easter in the Orthodox Church.â??  A third pamphlet focused on â??Holy Weekâ?? will be available early next week.  These pamphlets and the â??Faith and Lifeâ?? series are available for free.  Intended to be placed in the Narthex, these pamphlets are designed to assist parishesâ?? ministries and outreach and the spiritual life and growth of Orthodox Christians by providing an introduction to a wide range of spiritual, social, and theological issues. In the initial launch of the series, the Archdiocese is publishing the pamphlets as both web pages and as PDF files that can be viewed online or downloaded and printed on legal size paper for distribution.  The resources will also be featured in Bulletin Builder
(http://bulletin.goarch.org).  As additional topics and pamphlets are published, the resource will be available in a format that can be customized by parishes or ordered in a print version for use in display racks.  The variety of formats is intended to assist parishes in providing quality literature on Orthodox Christianity for outreach to the unchurched and for parish educational and catechetical programs.

To access and download the pamphlets, visit the Faith and Life website.  As additional pamphlets are produced they will also be made available at

> http://faith.goarch.org

CERTIFICATES OF PROMOTION AND GRADUATION DIPLOMAS: This year the distribution of the Archdioceseâ??s official certificates of promotion and graduation diplomas to the parish schools is being handled by the Orthodox Marketplace.  Both certificates to pass grades and diplomas for completion of Greek studies bear the signature of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America and include placeholders for administrators. They are being sold in packs of 25 for $25, plus shipping. All orders will receive â??gratisâ?? The Three Hierarchs Award for Excellence, meant to be presented, at the end of the school year, to a graduate student who has exhibited excellence in Greek studies.

Please visit the Orthodox Marketplace at www.orthodoxmarketplace.com to place your order of certificates and diplomas. All orders must be postpaid.

> THIS WEEK FROM THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN NETWORK

Come Receive the Light - The Nationally Syndicated Land Based Radio Program - In this weekâ??s CRTL podcast, Fr. Steven Bigham holds a discussion on a great saint of our church, St. Epiphanius. You will be amazed to learn of the work of this dedicated servant of Christ.  Have you ever heard of his first book Anacoratus (The Well-Anchored Man) or the Panarion (The Medicine Chest)? Also a short segment with Fr. Chris and Rod Dreher on culture and knowability of truth will be available this week .

Internet radio stations The ARK and The Rudder and a treasury of Podcasts on myocn.net - On Harmony of Thunder, Fr. David Smith discusses St. Basil. What was the evolution vs. creationism debate like in the fourth century?  Was there even a debate happening at the time?  You bet there was, and St. Basil the Great put himself right into the middle of it!  Listen to Fr. David Smith discuss the first sermon of St. Basil's Hexaemeron on Harmony of Thunder. On Theologically Thinking, Paula Kirifides will discuss St. Constantine and Helen as the Saint of the Week. A high school English teacher, she was involved with religious education as both a teacher and director for sixteen years. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northern Illinois University. In a new episode of Special Moments in Orthodoxy, Dr. Mamalakis will present a message entitled "Orthodoxy and Psychology - Par t 1". New podcasts of Just Thinking an! d Get Wisdom will also be available this week.

Visit our store! ? OCN has an Amazon Affilliate Store available on the front page of myocn.net. So purchase your Orthodox books and music through this site - a portion of each sale supports OCNâ??s ministry.

OCMC Building Dedication - The Orthodox Christian Mission Center is dedicating their new Archbishop Anastasios and Archbishop Demetrios Missionary Training and Administration Building on Thursday, May 21, 2009. OCN will be covering the event, so watch myocn.net where we will be posting interviews and photos from this exciting dedication.

Special Pascha Appeal Extension! - Our anonymous donor has decided to extend our matching gift appeal till Pentecost! Help OCN continue to provide the best in Orthodox programming online by donating today. EVERY gift COUNTS!

All programs available on Internet Radio, Podcast and On Demand at www.myocn.net.

YOUTH PROTECTION MANUAL AVAILABLE ONLINE: The Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries announces the development of the Youth Protection Manual for Metropolis/Direct Archdiocesan District Camps and Retreats (YPM). The YPM is designed to guide clergy and laity charged with the task of selecting, training, and supervising those who work with young people at camps and retreats. The YPM outlines among other things, definitions of types of abuse, a code of conduct for camp/retreat personnel, guidelines for monitoring and supervision of children and youth, guidelines for appropriate affection, and guidelines for screening and selection of staff and volunteers. To download the manual and other resources visit

http://www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/youth/cyp

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO PARTICIPATE IN ORTHODOX FAMILY STUDY: The Center for Family Care of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese is looking for volunteers to participate in the first national study â??Orthodox Family in America at Home and in Church.â??  This study is a first step towards a better understanding of how our Church ministers to the particular needs of families and how Orthodox families in America organize their everyday lives with regard to living their faith. In brief, this study addresses several broad questions:
How is the family life of parishioners related to their Church life? To what degree is our Church present and helpful in the everyday routines of the families of her faithful? What are major sources of stress in the family lives of our faithful? What are the greatest challenges for the maintaining of Orthodox Christian traditions in their family homes? What types of family oriented programs and activities are presently offered in the individual Greek Orthodox Archdiocese parishes? What do parishioners think about these programs? We need volunteers interested in being a part of this project. There are only two requirements to be eligible for participation: you must be a parishioner of a Greek Orthodox community, and you must have children 18 and under living at home (single parents are equally welcomed to participate as well as intermarried families?where the parentts are  Orthodox/non-Orthodox)

If you are willing to help us by participating in the â??Orthodox Family in Americaâ?? study or if you have any further questions, please send us e-mail at familycare@goarch.org  or call 845-424-8175. You can also, download the form at http://www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/family/orthofamilystudy

DAILY BIBLE READINGS FOR FACEBOOK AND iGoogle: The Department of Internet Ministries has launched an enhancement to its Online Chapel service that will now provide Facebook and iGoogle users access to the daily Bible readings and lives of the saints directly from their customized home pages. Visit the Online Chapel at http://www.goarch.org/chapel  for more information on how to add the new Online Chapel for Facebook and Online Chapel for iGoogle to your home pages

> FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION:

Journey Through Holy Week - the 20-page magazine that follows Christ and the Church through each day of Holy Week, from Saturday of Lazarus to Agape Vespers. The author pinpoints the relevance and meanings of services, hymns and scripture readings. Special features explain icons, traditions, and history. Suitable for ages 10 and up (Item is L183, $2.95 copy; quantity discounts available).

Journey Through Holy Week Teacher Guide - Five lessons for grades 6 through 9, exploring themes from Holy Week, such as hope and joy, preparation, healing and unity, sacrifice and resurrection (Item code L183-1, $9.95 copy). Will begin shipping on March  27.

Traveling on the Ark of Salvation, Volume 1: Feasts of the Theotokos - a new Vacation Church School program for parish use.  The Department will begin shipping this much awaited program on March 15.  The program includes lessons on the Feasts of the Virgin Mary, a daily puppet show, activities and crafts, hymns and specially written songs matching the lesson material.  Order the Master Toolkit ($79.95) with all the materials for the director and teachers, including music and a data disk with the forms, letters, promotional needs.  Supplementary materials are also available, such as student prayer and classroom booklets. And, extras like posters, t-shirts, stickers, and buttons are all available on cafepress.com.

"Enter In": Four DVDs Explore Orthodox Christian Feasts - The Department of Religious Education is excited to announce a major new production. Entitled "Enter In," the resource includes sixteen 15-minute video presentations--over four hours of video?on four DVDs. These presentations explore the mmajor feasts of the Church, and the meaning and purpose of Orthodox Christian worship. Other resources include Discussion Questions, a web site, a Viewer's Companion, and a Teacher's Guide. Full of interviews, music, hymns, icons, and beautiful visuals, this rich resource will both inspire and provoke. Designed for individual, family, or group study, it's the perfect resource for a parish's Great Lent Bible study or adult church school class! Call the Department at 800-566-1088 to order now, or visit

http://goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/religioused/feasts

Save the date for Summer Institute 2009. The Department of Religious Education and the National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians will co-host the 2009 Summer Institute, July 30-August 1, 2009 on the campus of Hellenic College-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, MA. Speakers and worskop leaders: His Grace Bishop Savas of Troas; Rev. Dr. Philip Zymairs; Prof. Despina Prassas; Prof. Bradley Nassif; Prof. Vicki Pappas; Artist Niko Chocheli; Presv. Georget Photos; VCS Creators Barbara Harris, Laura Morton, and Rhonda Webb; Theo Nicolakis. Information about the program, speakers, accomodations and registration information is now available at

http://www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/religioused/si

ONLINE REGISTRATION NOW AVAILABLE FOR IONIAN VILLAGE:  Ionian Village, the travel abroad camping program of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, is now accepting registrations for the summer of 2009. For more information visit

> http://www.ionianvillage.org

OCMC MISSION TEAMS FOR 2009: The Orthodox Christian Mission Center is now accepting applications for 2009 Mission Teams! These teams will travel to nine different countries in Asia, North and Central America, Africa, and Europe. Team Members will perform ministries of healthcare, construction, youth outreach, and teaching.  For more information on these unique opportunities visit

http://www.ocmc.org/programs/teams_search.aspx?SearchBy=Year

2009 NATIONAL ORATORICAL FESTIVAL: The Twenty-sixth annual St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival will be hosted by the Metropolis of Chicago in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota on the weekend of June 12-14, 2009. The Rev. Paul Paris and The Rev. R. Demetrios Andrews host co-chairpersons, and members of the host committee recently met with Presvytera Margaret Orfanakos, Archdiocese Co-chairperson, to discuss the plans for the weekend.

The 2009 Topics and Topic Tips are posted on the Web-site of the Department of Religious Education at

www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/religioused/sjcof

ORTHODOX MARKETPLACE - www.orthodoxmarketplace.com

> --------------------

The official online store of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese

> Free Shipping Offer Extended to 2009

NEW!!! Greek Education Promotional Certificates and Diplomas
on Orthodox Marketplace
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -

This year we have begun distribution of Greek Education certificates through the Orthodox Marketplace. Both promotional certificates to pass grades and diplomas for program completion are being sold in packs of 25 certificates for $25 plus shipping.

With the promotional UPS Ground shipping for orders over $25, you pay only $2 handling for UPS Ground delivery.

http://www.orthodoxmarketplace.com/greek-education-diplomas-pr-19284.html?MM CF_EB_09034

http://www.orthodoxmarketplace.com/greek-education-promotion-certificates-pr -19283.html?MMCF_EB_09034

If you are not comfortable ordering items online, you may download the "order by fax" form:

http://www.orthodoxmarketplace.com/forms/fax.pdf

> Use the following SKUs to place your order:

> GRK-121752 - Promotion Certificates
> GRK-121753 - Diplomas

Three Hierarchs awards requests may also be made via fax or by putting a request in the customer comments portion of the order form on-line.

> ------------------------------------

Due to the positive response, we have decided to continue offering UPS
ground shipping within the US for a $2 handling charge for any orders
that total $25 or more. No coupons are required - be sure to select UPS
Ground as the freight option when checking out.

> New and Upcoming Releases

> -------------------------

We are also pleased to present the Children's Bible Reader - Spanish
Edition, which is available now, as well as a number of academic bible
study resources including the revised Septuaginta, a critical edition of
the Gospel of John according to the Byzantine Tradition and others.

http://www.orthodoxmarketplace.com/-pr-19241.html?MMCF_EB

Soon we will release the new Orthodox Military New Testament, designed
to be small and portable while also including adequate devotional
references for Orthodox Christians who are deployed.

http://www.orthodoxmarketplace.com/-pr-19242.html?MMCF_EB

Ecology Film Series ? Featuring Ecumenical Patriiarch Bartholomew

----------------------------------------------------------------

Documentary producer Jim Becket has released several films that document
the Symposium on Religion, Science and the Environment - a series of
gatherings that follow from a initiative from the Ecumenical Patriarch
to bring together experts from the field of ecological sciences, social
sciences and world religions together to discuss the impact of human
life on the environment and explore our obligations as people of faith
to sustain the created world. Join our waiting lists to be notified when
these products are available for sale.

http://www.orthodoxmarketplace.com/-pr-19273.html?MMCF_EB

SUPPORT THE ARCHDIOCESE WHILE SEARCHING or SHOPPING ON THE WEB:  The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese has partnered with GoodSearch.com, a new search engine that donates half its revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. You use it just as you would any search engine, and it's powered by Yahoo!, so you get great results. To use GoodSearch.com and support the ministries of the Archdiocese, simply go to:

> http://www.goodsearch.com/?charityid=833607

> For online shopping visit

> http://www.goodsearch.com/goodshop.aspx

GAMES ONLINE TO EXPLORE AND LEARN THE ORTHODOX FAITH: The Department of Internet Ministries is pleased to announce an exciting new web site at http://games.goarch.org  where kids and adults of all ages can explore, create, play, learn, discover, and grow in the Orthodox Faith. The site features online games and puzzles in a colorful, engaging environment, all with an Orthodox theme. The games are suitable for kids from ages 5 on up and currently features a coloring book, jigsaw puzzles, a memory game, a word finder, crossword puzzles, and more.

The online games are currently in beta and we encourage feedback so that we can further enhance this new online offering.  Click here to visit: http://games.goarch.org

> Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
> Department of Communications
> 8 East 79th Street, New York, NY 10075
> Tel: (212) 774-0244 ? Fax: (212) 774-0589
> communications@goarch.org