"The proof of holiness is not to make miracles, but to love others as oneself, moreover, to believe truths about God, and to think better things of one's neighbors than of oneself. For true power is in love, not in the showing of miracles .... It is not miracles, but charity alone that indicates true servants of God."
-St Gregory the Great

Services and Events this week:
Tonight (Wed.) 6pm - Akathist to St. Nicholas, followed by Catechism Class
Friday, 7:15am - 1st Hour and Men's Meeting
Friday, 5:30pm - Service for Life at Hope Medical (Abortion) Center
Saturday, 5:45 - 9th Hour; 6pm - Great Vespers;  7pm - Young Adults gathering at Cosse residence (see below)
Sunday services as usual
 
Announcements
-Orthodoxy 101: Our new catechism class continues on Wednesdays.  All are welcome!

-Prayers for Life at Hope Medical Group: in conjunction with 40 Days for Life, a prayer and fasting campaign to stop abortion, we will be holding a prayer service outside the location of the local abortion provider this Friday, October 1 at 5:30pm.  The campaign lasts from September 22 - October 31. There are many other opportunities to participate; stay tuned for additional times when St. Nicholas and/or St. George will be involved, or visit the 40 Days for Life website to sign up: www.40daysforlife.com.

-Young Adults Gathering: This Saturday evening following Great Vespers, there will be an Orthodox young adults fellowship gathering at the home of Chris and Stacy Cosse. 

-Ladies' Meeting: the next meeting will take place on Sunday, October 3.

-Parish Council Meeting: the next meeting will be on Sunday, October 10.

-THE 2010 PILGRIMAGE to the shrine church of Our Lady of Walsingham/Mesquite, TX will be held on Saturday, October 16th. Schedule posted at on the evening  church; more details to follow.
-Fellowship Potluck at the Stallers' home on Saturday, October 16, following Great Vespers.  This will also be our opportunity to say goodbye to the Stallers as they prepare to move.

-THE 2010 DOWAMA FALL GATHERING & RETREAT will be hosted at St Elijah/Oklahoma City, OK on Friday and Saturday, October 22nd & 23rd (ending in the afternoon).  Featured speaker will be KHOURIYA SUSAN WALLACE of St Andrew/Oklahoma City, OK. 

-Parish Retreat: Mark your calendar for a retreat at St. Nicholas on Saturday, November 13.  Our guest speaker will be Mother Nektaria from St. Paul's Skete in Grand Junction, TN.  Other details TBA.

-His Grace, Bishop Basil, returned safely from his visit with the Ecumenical Patriarch at the Phanar in Istanbul, and has provided some communiques regarding that visit, which I am attaching.  His Grace writes:

BY YOUR HOLY PRAYERS, the Chair of the Episcopal Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Hierarchs of North & Central America ARCHBISHOP DEMETRIOS (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America), the Second Vice Chair ARCHBISHOP JUSTINIAN of Naro-Fominsk (Russian Orthodox Church in the USA), the Treasurer ARCHBISHOP ANTONY of Ierapolis (Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA) and I (who serve as the EA's Secretary) have all returned from Istanbul where earlier this week (Tuesday, 21 September) we were graciously received at the Patriarchal Headquarters in the Phanar by His All Holiness ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW I.  While in Istanbul I stayed at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sultanahmet, right next to Hagia Sophia and Hagia Ireni (site of the 2nd Ecumenical Council in A.D. 381).