What is Orthodox Christianity? (4) Salvation as Union and Communion with God
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September 2021
March 2020
What is Orthodox Christianity? (4)
Salvation as Union and Communion with God
We have all experienced at some point in life the tormenting fire of being disconnected within us and from the
people around us; feeling that even the creation is working against us, and that even God has forgotten us. According to
Orthodox Christianity, that would be the experience of hell. As Metropolitan Kallistos Ware likes to say: “Hell is a point
not in space but in the soul”.
If hell is the experience being completely disconnected within us, from the people and the creation of God, and even from
God, salvation or heaven for Orthodox Christians is a complete union and communion within us, with everyone,
everything, and with God Himself.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Only begotten Son and Word of God through Whom “all things were made” (John 1:3)
became human, became part of the creation to bring us and everything that “was made through Him” (John 1:3) into
communion with God the Father in the Holy Spirit. He did not only become part of the creation, he did not only become
human, but he became one with us even in our physical and spiritual death. When dying on the cross, “Jesus cried out
with a loud voice saying, ‘Eli, Eli lama sbachthani?’ that is ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’” (Matthew
27:46) He fully and completely became one with us. At that moment, while starting to experience physical death (the
separation of the soul from the body), He also experienced the much worse and painful spiritual death (the separation of
the entire being from God). Speaking about that moment in the life of the Lord, Metropolitan Kalllistos Ware says:
“Totally, unreservedly, He identifies Himself with all man’s anguish and alienation. He assumed it into Himself, and by
assuming it He healed it. There was no other way He could heal it, except by making it His own.” (Metropolitan Kallistos
Ware, The Orthodox Way)
We all know and feel that, as we say in one of the hymns of the church, each of us is “an image of God’s ineffable
glory, though I bear the scars of sin”. We all know and feel that we are “wounded images of God”, struggling with
spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical ailments that we need to be healed of so that we could be more at peace and in
communion with ourselves, with the world around us, and with God. The eternal Son and Word of God came to identify
Himself with us, make His own our ailments and suffering, know our struggle and alienation Himself so that He could
heal us. As people rightly say: the best counsellors are those who experienced the struggle themselves.
The entire revelation of God in the Bible is about this desire of God to be within us and to identify Himself with
us, as He declares: “I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be my people” (Leviticus 26:12) repeated in
Ezekiel 37:26, 27, 2 Corinthians 6:16, and Revelation 21:3 where we see Christ, the Lamb of God who gave His life
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What is Orthodox Christianity? (4)
for His beloved bride, humanity, becoming one in
marriage with the New Jerusalem, the holy humanity
who gave a loving and steadfast answer to God’s love.
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church is under the Starting from the revelation of God in the Bible, the
Omophorion of His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas Christians of the early church understood that God has
of the Metropolis of Detroit. The mission of Holy "become what we are, that He might bring us to be
Trinity is to proclaim the Good News of Salvation even what He is Himself", as St. Irenaeus (130-202
through the Orthodox Christian Faith for the glory of
AD) would say, or that “God was made man that we
God. We are a community of believers who journey
might be made god”, as St. Athanasius of Alexandria
towards our Lord Jesus Christ and one another through
our WORSHIP, FELLOWSHIP, SPIRITUAL would say in the early 300s. This process of salvation
GROWTH, WITNESS, and SERVICE. We invite all or union and communion with God is called in the
people to join us on this journey toward the Kingdom Orthodox Church “deification” and, as we could see
of Heaven. in this month’s article and as St. Athanasius says, it is
possible for us to “be made god” because “God was
REV. FATHER COSMIN SICOE made man” and because, as St. John the Evangelist
cell: 260-409-1534 says: “We love Him because He first loved us” (John
email: Fr.cosminsicoe@yahoo.com 1:19). But about how we could be purified of ourselves
Father’s Office Hours: so that we could get into a deeper and deeper loving
Wednesday 9 AM - 1 PM
relationship with God, we will start talking, God
www.holytrinityfortwayne.org
willing, in next month’s article.
CHURCH MINISTRY
Choir Directors: Eva White and Rick Hanson Yours in Christ,
Cantors: Rick Hanson & Greg Doublas Fr. Cosmin
Sunday School Director: Maria Rios
Altar Servers: Jerry White, Ben Ryman & Chris
Ioannou
GOYA: Christina York
Triada Dancers: Stella Skembos
Philoptochos President: Jackie Mangas
Holy Trinity Church Financial Update
PARISH COUNCIL
President: Drew Swift
Vice President: Chris Rongos Jul-21
Treasurer: Nina Baker
Secretary: Jackie Mangas Income $17,922.64
Members: Fr. Cosmin Sicoe, Frank Makridakis, Expenses $67,437.41
Chris Naselaris, Gus Panagopoulos, Alex
Makridakis, Edison Byzyka, Maria Field, Jackie Net Income ($49,514.77)
Mangas, Eddie York 2021 Year to Date
Stewardship: Fr. Cosmin Sicoe, Edison Byzyka,
Drew Swift, Lynn Hanson Income $269,116.21
Building: Frank Makridakis & Chris Naselaris Expenses $264,540.12
Administrative Assistant: Kate Stanfield Net Income $4,576.09
OUR EMAIL ADDRESS:
holytrinitygreekorthodox@gmail.com
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IT HAPPENED LAST MONTH
By the Grace of God, we served another meal downtown on Friday,
August 13th. Many thanks to all those who prepared and served the
food!
The left side room
adjacent to the Holy
Altar was fully
remodeled: the walls were
repainted, the carpet was
replaced with marble tiles
matching the floor in the
Holy Altar and on the
solea, wall and base
cabinets with counter tops
and ceramic tile backsplash
were installed. Many
thanks to the stewards of the church who gave back to the Lord the time, talent, and treasure for the completion of
this project!
Many thanks to all the stewards of the church who gave back to the Lord the
time, and the talent for the success of the drive through Fish Fry on
Friday, August 20th! God bless you!
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UPCOMING SERVICES AND EVENTS IN SEPTEMBER
Wednesday, September 1st – The Church New Year Thursday, September 16th
6:00 pm – Akathist in Praise of God’s Creation and 10:00 am – Women’s Agape
Bible Study Friday, September 17th
Thursday, September 2nd 10:00 am – Men’s Club
10:00 am – Women’s Agape 4:00–7:00 pm – Drive Through Fish Fry
Sunday, September 5th – 11th Sunday of Matthew Sunday, September 19th – Sunday after the
8:45 am - Matins Exaltation of the Holy Cross
10:00 am - Holy Liturgy 8:45 am - Matins
Agape - Team 5 10:00 am - Holy Liturgy
Tuesday, September 7th Sunday School
10:00 am - Men's Club Agape - Team 7
6:30 pm - Vesperal Holy Liturgy at St. Nicholas Tuesday, September 21st
Church for: 10:00 am – Men’s Club
Wednesday, September 8th - Nativity of the 6:30 pm – Parish Council Meeting
Theotokos Wednesday, September 22nd
6:00 pm – Akathist in Praise of God’s Creation and 6:00 pm – Akathist in Praise of God’s Creation and
Bible Study Bible Study
Friday, September 10th Thursday, September 23rd – Saturday, September
10:00 am – Men’s Club 25th
7:00 pm – Meal Downtown Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Detroit Virtual Clergy
Sunday, September 12th – Sunday before the Laity Congress
Exaltation of the Holy Cross Friday, September 24th
8:45 am - Matins 10:00 am – Men’s Club
10:00 am - Holy Liturgy Sunday, September 26th – Falling Asleep of St. John
Beginning of Sunday School Year the Theologian
Agape - Team 6 8:45 am - Matins
Tuesday, September 14th – Exaltation of the Holy 10:00 am - Holy Liturgy
Cross Sunday School
10:00 am – Holy Liturgy 3 Year Memorial Service for George and Anastasia
11:30 am – Men’s Club Katsis
5:15 pm – Philoptochos Social Time Agape by Katsis Family
6:00 pm – Philoptochos General Meeting Tuesday, September 28th
Wednesday, September 15th 10:00 am – Men’s Club
6:00 pm – Akathist in Praise of God’s Creation and Wednesday, September 29th
Bible Study 6:00 pm – Akathist in Praise of God’s Creation and
Bible Study
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STEWARDSHIP REPORT
By Thursday, August 25th, we had 133 families who gave back to the Lord of the time, talent, and treasure given
to them by the Lord. Many thanks to all the stewards of the church who offered back to the Lord the time and the
talent needed for the liturgical, educational, charitable, fundraising, and administrative ministries of our church!
Many thanks to all the stewards of the church who, by August 25th, all together gave back to the Lord $133,708.38.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Because of the rising COVID-19 numbers in Allen County, and following the CDC guidelines, we highly recommend
social distancing and wearing a mask or face covering while inside the church. Thank you very much!
Because of the rising COVID-19 numbers and the projected increase in positive cases, it was decided to cancel this
year’s Greek Ball. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have created!
Our Sunday School Year will start on Sunday, September 12th. Registration forms are in the Narthex of the
church. Please fill-in the registration form(s) for your children and give it to Maria Rios or one of the Sunday School
teachers.
With the goal of improving our music ministry, we are planning on organizing a Music Ministry Retreat with guest
facilitator Photini Downie Robinson, an accomplished Byzantine music teacher and member of the Cappella Romana
Byzantine Music Ensemble. The retreat would take place at our church on the weekend of October 29th – 31st. Please
let Fr. Cosmin know if you want to participate in this retreat!
Save the date: November 14th, 2021 – The Celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the
building of our church. In preparation for the Anniversary Celebration, we are looking
for photos from the early years. We especially need pictures of events and activities
from 1995 - 2014. If you're willing to loan us your photos, please be sure to put them in
an envelope with your name, so they may be returned to you. Pictures can be given to
Maria Field or Jackie Mangas. Thank you!
We are planning on having a Drive Through Fish Fry on Friday, September 17th from
4:00 to 7:00 pm.
A donation box was installed in the narthex of our church for
donations for the iconography project. If you can, please donate using
the donation envelopes on the side of the box. We could also donate
online by clicking the “Iconography Donate” button on the home page of the website of the church.
Thank you very much!
Save the date: November 6th, 2021 – 18th Biennial Children’s Medical Fund
Luncheon, Indianapolis, IN.
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