Our middle and high school youth are invited to participate in a lenten retreat at the Marin Headlands on March 29-31. Please see the attachment for more information. If you want to register your child, please do so at https://www.goholycross.org/Files/Files/Lenten%20Retreat%202024%20fillable%20web.pdf. I would also ask that you please let Fr. Seraphim or me know that your child will be attending AND whether or not you can assist with driving to and or from the retreat.
Apokreatiko Glendi (Annunciation Church, Sacramento)
2024 St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival (information for our 7-12 grade families)
Our Parish St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival will be held on Sunday, March 17, 2024, and we invite the participation of all 7th to 12th graders.
General information and instructions on registration are included below.
Step1: Review topics
Topics (Tips and Resources)
Step 2: Register to participate by 1/30 at https://sforatorical.net/for-speakers/
Information you will need to include for the registration
Parish Name: St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church
Parish Address: 1001 Stone Canyon Drive, Roseville, CA 95661
Parish Priest: Fr. Christopher Flesoras
Parish Chairperson: Angeliki Rosenberg
Email of Parish Chairperson:
Step 3: Prepare Speech
Step 4: Submit Speech to the chairperson by February 25th
Step 5: Mentoring and Practice will be coordinated.
Parish Festival: March 17th
May it be blessed!
Angeliki Rosenberg, 2024 Oratorical Festival Chair
An accredited course on the foundations of Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Hellenic College will offer an “Introduction to Orthodoxy” course from January 13-May 13. It is an online/synchronous 3-credit course that Fr. Christopher will be privileged to teach. This is a global course, meaning students, young or older, from all over the world are invited to register for college credit or audit the class. The class will meet on Tuesdays from 3:30 - 5:50 PM (PST). The course overview is as follows:
"This course introduces students to Orthodox Christianity by surveying Orthodox theology, liturgy, the sacraments and rituals, art and culture, the veneration of saints, asceticism and monasticism, prayer, and spirituality. In addition to course readings, students will follow the daily Scripture readings and feasts and create/build upon daily devotions. The course is at once a study and practice of Orthodox Christianity: “A theologian is one who truly prays, and one who prays is truly a theologian” (Saint Evagrius).”
For more information, please visit: https://enrollment.hchc.edu/religion-3017
Archepiscopal Encyclical on the Feast of Christmas
Prot. No. 350/2023
Archepiscopal Encyclical on the Feast of Christmas
December 25, 2023
Thus says the Lord: a rod shall come forth out of the root of Jesse, and a blossom shall rise from that root.
(Prophecy of Isaiah 11:1)
Beloved sisters and brothers in Christ,
Christ is Born! Let us glorify Him!
Although He comes to us in humility, in swaddling clothes and in poverty, He is the powerful Rod of the Root of Jesse. In assuming our human nature from his Most Holy Mother the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, He bears all the suffering and sin of humanity across all the ages. What strength in this Rod! What glory in His powerful love for every creature!
He also comes as a blossom of inner and truthful beauty, to restore our human nature to its original shining loveliness. The Prophet Isaiah says elsewhere, “He had no beauty nor glory...” (53:2), but such was the humility that bowed down the Son of God to become the Son of Man. The flower of His virtues, His sinless life, His sacrificial love, is a bloom that will never fade. The root of His human nature is his Holy Mother, who
Unto the Most Reverend and Right Reverend Hierarchs, Pious Priests and Deacons, Monks and Nuns, Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils, Honorable Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Members of Leadership 100, Day and Afternoon Schools, Philoptochos Societies, Youth, Greek Orthodox Organizations, and entirety of the Christ-
loving Plenitude of the Sacred Archdiocese of America:
bore him in a cave in Bethlehem of Judea. But from this root out of dry and virginal ground, there arose the first fruits of them that slept (I Corinthians 15:20)! For the Lord was born in cave in order to arise from another cave. He was wrapped as an infant in swaddling clothes in order to proclaim His own Resurrection by leaving behind the grave-linens set aside in the tomb (John 20:5). And He was laid in a manger — used to feed the mute beasts of burden — so that we might be fed with His Holy Body and Precious Blood and proclaim Him risen from the dead.
Therefore, my beloved Christians, let us receive this Rod of glory and Blossom of beauty with gratitude and honor. Through his Holy Mother, His human nature is our human nature, and there is nothing that He cannot make whole and pure. Let us worship Him with all our hearts, and minds, and souls.
Christ is Born! Let us glorify Him!
† ELPIDOPHOROS Archbishop of America
Patriarchal Encyclical for Christmas
Prot. No. 828
Patriarchal Encyclical for Christmas
+ BA R T H O L O M E W
By God’s Mercy, Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch to All the Plenitude of the Church Grace, Mercy, and Peace from the Saviour Christ Born in Bethlehem
Most honorable brother hierarchs, Beloved children in the Lord,
With the grace of God, we are once again this year celebrating in chant, hymn, and spiritual song the Nativity according to the flesh of the pre-eternal Son and Word of God, namely the manifestation of the mystery of God and humankind. According to St. Nicholas Cabasilas, what occurs in the Divine Liturgy is “the mystagogy of the Lord’s incarnation,” while its introductory acclamation “Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” is evidence “that it is through the Lord’s incarnation that people first learned that God is three persons.”1 The same saintly Father proclaims that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was the first and only to demonstrate the authentic and perfect human being, concerning His ethos, life, and everything else.”2
The assumption of human nature in the person of the Son and Word of God, along with the opening of the way of human deification through grace, add unsurpassable value to humankind. Forgetting this truth leads to the diminishment of respect for the human person. The denial of the supreme destiny of human beings does not only liberate them, but also leads to diverse reductions and divisions. Without being conscious of their divine origin and their hope for eternity, humans struggle to remain human and are unable to handle the contradictions of the “human condition.”
The Christian perception of human existence provides a solution to problems created by violence, war, and injustice in our world. Respect for the human person, peace, and justice are gifts from God; however, establishing the peace that comes from Christ demands the participation and cooperation of human beings. The Christian view on the struggle for peace lies in the words of Christ our Savior, who proclaims peace, addressing His disciples with the greeting “Peace be with you” and encouraging us to love our enemies.3 The revelation in Christ is called the “gospel of peace.”4
This means that, for us Christians, the way to peace is through peace and that non- violence, dialogue, love, forgiveness, and reconciliation have priority before other forms of resolving differences. The theology of peace is clearly described in the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s document For the Life of the World: Toward a Social Ethos of the Orthodox Church (2020):
“Nothing is more contrary to God’s will for His creatures fashioned in His image and likeness than violence one against another . . . We may justly say that violence is sin par excellence. It is the perfect contradiction of our created nature and our supernatural vocation to seek union in love with God and our neighbour. . . Peace is a real revelation of the still deeper reality of creation as God intends it and as God fashioned it in his eternal counsels.”5
Peace cannot be taken for granted; it is not self-evident. It is an obligation, an achievement, and an incessant struggle to preserve it. There are no automatic solutions or permanent recipes. In the face of ongoing threats to peace, we need to have vigilance and willingness to resolve problems through dialogue. The great heroes of politics are the champions of peace. As for us, we continue to underline the peacemaking role of religion. This is during a time when religions are criticized for nurturing fanaticism and violence “in the name of God” instead of being forces of peace, solidarity, and reconciliation. However, this indicates an alienation of religious faith and not an integral part of it. Genuine faith in God is the harshest critic of religious fanaticism. Religions are the natural allies of all human beings who strive for peace, justice, and the preservation of creation from human destruction.
This year, the world honours the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (December 10, 1948), constituting a summary of fundamental humanitarian ideals and values, “the shared standard, to which all peoples and all nations should aim.” Human rights, whose central point of focus includes the protection of human dignity with its individual, social, cultural, economic, and ecological conditions, are only understood in their original dynamics if they are acknowledged as the basis and criterion of global peace, associating it with freedom and justice. In this sense, the future of human rights and peace is also linked to the contribution of religions in the matter of respecting them and making them a reality.
With these thoughts and festive sentiments, in full conviction that the life of the Church in itself comprises resistance against inhumanity, wherever such inhumanity arises, we invite all of you to the good fight of constructing a culture of peace and solidarity, where people will see in the face of their fellow human beings a brother or sister and a friend, rather than a threat and enemy. Moreover, we remind you all, dear brother Hierarchs and children, that Christmas is a time of self-consciousness and thanksgiving, of the revelation of the difference between the God-man and “man-god,” of the realization of the “great miracle” of freedom in Christ and of the healing of the “great wound” of alienation from God. Finally, we kneel respectfully before Mary, the Mother of God, who bears in her arms the incarnate Word, and we convey to you the blessing of the Mother Holy Great Church of Christ, wishing you an auspicious, healthy, fruitful, peaceful, and joyous new year of the Lord’s favour.
Christmas 2023 + Bartholomew of Constantinople Your fervent supplicant of all before God
1 On the Divine Liturgy XII, PG 150.392D.
2 On the Life of Christ VI, PG 150.680C.
3 Cf. Mt. 5:44
4 Eph. 6:44
5 §42,43and44.
SCAM ALERT (PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO TEXT FROM "FR. CHRISTOPHER" REQUESTING FUNDS)
Unfortunately, someone is again texting individuals using the name, “Fr. Christopher Flesoras,” and soliciting financial assistance. Fr. Christopher has not, nor would he ever, solicit funds through texting or ask for gift cards. His number has also not changed to area code “914” or “562.”
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact the Church Office, at 916.772.9372.
"To everything, there is a season..." A word in anticiapation of our Fall General Assembly (this Sunday)
“To everything, there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:2 A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; 3 A time to kill, And a time to heal…”
As we read in Ecclesiastes, there are seasons, each with particular qualities and unique responsibilities. We have entered a profound and blessed new season at our parish, truly different from those in years past. This season is one that was and has been being prayed for since the inception of our community all those many years ago. By the Grace of God, through the intercessions of St. Anna, and on account of the dedicated stewardship of so many - clergy and laity alike - we are now a parish firmly rooted in Roseville.
Beginning in the 1990s, our faithful gathered in homes and later rented space in a local church and then in an office complex for worship. In the early 2000s, we built upon our campus, constructing Founders’ Hall, which accommodated more people for worship and provided us with office space and classrooms. It served us well for many years, but this was not the desired end.
Our founders longed for our community to have a permanent dwelling place dedicated solely to the patron saints of marriage and family, Ss. Joachim and Anna, a place where the Orthodox faithful could one day come and worship. For these individuals, it would become their spiritual home. For those who had yet to discover the beauty of Orthodoxy, it would be a “light upon the hill,” a local landmark, a place of beauty and hospitality. Thanks be to God, we’ve entered this season.
This blessed season, though, has its challenges or, more appropriately, its responsibilities. I underscored responsibility because, with our community's physical maturation, namely the building of the new Shrine Church, our clergy and laity must take up a seemingly new mantle of spiritual responsibility. Thanks to God, the number of people who attend our parish has grown significantly. The opportunities to worship, study, fellowship, and serve have also increased. The responsibility to fund the construction of the Shrine, sustain an increased budget, and support, if not lead, many of our ministries must now be ours. We must steward our spiritual home together, maintaining our ministries and paying down our mortgage to the glory of God.
After Divine Services on Sunday, my brother clergy, the Parish Council, and I invite you to join us for our Fall General Assembly. We will gather for a parish potluck and then begin discussing our responsibilities as clergy and laity. What might seem overwhelming is, in all honesty, simply humbling when we consider how God and our faithful have synergistically worked up to this point to advance the Gospel in our region. I trust that together, we will prayerfully fund our ministries through stewardship AND pay down the debt for our Shrine.
Please review the proposed agenda and other relevant documentation found on our website (the link is provided below). Come with grateful hearts and prayerful dispositions to best learn how you, too, can share in the responsibilities of this season, responsibilities that we are meant to bear together and to God’s glory. I look forward to praying Great Vespers with you on Saturday and Orthros and Liturgy on Sunday morning.
Most Resp.,
+Fr. Christopher
Parish Council Election Information & Candidate Form
Each of us, as baptized Orthodox Christians, is invited into a deeper relationship with Christ through the local parish, which is the fullness of the Church. We offer ourselves uniquely to the Lord and His Holy Church by prayerfully participating in Divine Services, studying His Word (and our Faith), and sharing His love by supporting parish, Metropolis, and Archdiocesan ministries. Whether clergy or laity, young or older, each of us needs to commit ourselves to Christ fully, and we do so through our active stewardship in the Parish.
The parish is administered by the clergy, who are assisted by members of the laity. Therefore, faithful men and women are invited to share in the sacred work of the Church through their participation in the Council. Members of the Parish Council do not serve for social reasons or status in the Church; instead, it is a means to express their devotion to Christ and His Church humbly.
In accordance with the 2019 Regulations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, all candidates seeking election to serve on the Parish Council must attend a PARISH COUNCIL SEMINAR organized by the local Parish Council and under the leadership of the Parish Priest. The purpose of the Seminar is to prepare candidates for the Parish Council and make them aware of the sacred responsibilities expected of a Council member. A PARISH COUNCIL SEMINAR will be held on Wednesday, December 6, at 6:30 PM and Thursday, December 14, at 6 PM in the Church Hall. All potential Parish Council members, including those seeking re-election, must attend ONE of the two seminars to be placed on the election ballot.
On Sunday, December 17, at the close of services, those running for the Parish Council will be introduced, and elections to the Parish Council will be held. To be placed on the ballot, candidates must complete the PETITION FOR CANDIDACY form (attached) and return it to the Church by Thursday, December 14 (formsmayalsobeemailedtooffice@saintanna.org. If a petition has not been submitted by this date, the person will be ineligible to run for Parish Council.
For more information about this opportunity to serve our Lord and His Holy Church, don't hesitate to get in touch with Father Christopher at frchris@saintanna.org or 916-772-9372. May our Lord, through the intercessions of Saint Anna, keep all of our parish leadership in His care.
Schedule of Services, Studies, Youth Groups, and other dates of interest (through 12/9)
The weeks ahead will be extremely busy for us as a parish. Below is a listing of services, studies, youth events, and a few other items of interest through December 9. A blessed continuation of the Nativity Fast!
Services:
11/29 Akastist Service, 6 PM
11/30 Orthros & the Divine Liturgy, 8 AM (Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle)
12/2 Great Vespers, 5 PM
12/3 Orthros & the Divine Liturgy, 8 AM
12/4 Orthros & the Divine Liturgy, 8 AM (Feast of St. Barbara, the Great Martyr)
12/5 Orthros & the Divine Liturgy, 8 AM (Feast of St. Sava)
12/6 Orthros & the Divine Liturgy, 8 AM (Feast of St. Nicholas of Myra)
Akathist Service, 6 PM
12/8 Orthros & the Divine Liturgy (Feast of the Conception of the Theotokos by Saint Anna, 6 PM)
12/9 Great Vespers, 5 PM
Studies & Chant Practice:
11/27 Early Church Reading Group, 6 PM (a link is on the website)
11/28 Old Testament Bible Study, 11 AM -12:30 PM (Founders’ Hall)
“Come and See” Orthodox Christian Catechism, 7 PM (Founders’ Hall)
11/29 Byzantine Chant Practice, 6:30 PM
12/5 Old Testament Bible Study, 11 AM -12:30 PM (Founders’ Hall)
“Come and See” Orthodox Christian Catechism, 7 PM (Founders’ Hall)
12/6 Byzantine Chant Practice, 6:30 PM
Youth:
11/27 Junior High School Youth Group, 6:30 (meal and activities) RSVP to Nick Pasco, nrpasco@gmail.com or 916-917-6824
12/4 High School Youth Group, 6:30 (meal and activities) RSVP to Nick Pasco, nrpasco@gmail.com or 916-917-6824
A few other items of interest:
12/2
The Tommy Apostolos Fund Shopping Spree for Roseville City School children begins at 5:30AM (Kohl’s on Fairway). For more information and to volunteer, https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4ba4ae22abf8c25-tommy3
Prayer Shawl Ministry, 11 AM - 12:30 PM (Founders’ Hall). Please join us for prayerful fellowship as we knit and crochet prayer shawls that will be blessed and gifted to those needing healing. All skill levels are welcome! For mor information, please contact Angelilki (rosenberg369@msn.com), Stella (stellasideris@yahoo.com) and Vassie (kyritv2@gmail.com)
12/3
Parish Potluck and the Fall General Assembly (after services). Please bring an item to enjoy after service (items can be placed in the kitchen prior to services). An Agenda, Minutes from the last meeting, and reports are found at https://www.saintanna.org/parish-news-1/2023/11/27/fall-general-assembly
12/9
Christmas Concert, 7 PM, hosted at Ss. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church, Rocklin (Proceeds benefit St. Vincent de Paul)
12/15
Campfire Carols: Please join us for singing, doing holiday crafts, eating tasty treats and pizza, sipping hot cocoa, and more. We ask you to dress in your warmest Christmas pajamas and bring your gloves, scarves, and blankets. For more comfortable seating, we encourage families to bring their own outdoor chairs. To assist with the evening, https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0F4FABA62CA4FA7-46127722-2ndannual
12/16
Traditional Christmas Carols will be performed by the award-winning John Adams Academy choir, Virtus, at 6 PM. Coffee, hot chocolate, and treats for our parishioners and guests will be provided. A free-will offering will be taken at the end of the performance to help raise funds for the choir program.