December 14th

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Sunday of the Forefathers (ancestors) of Christ

Martyrs Thyrsos, Leukios and Kallinikos of Apollonia;

Martyrs Philemon, Apollonios, Hypatios and Arrianos of Alexandria

Visitors, we are blessed by your joining us in worship.

 St. Lucia (Molly A.) visits today, crowned with candles

and offering sweet buns during coffee hour.

Let us pray to the Lord: “For the suffering Christians of Syria, Palestine, Iraq, & all of the Middle East, and for those suffering in the Ukraine.”

Nourishment of the Soul: “I ask you to try something. If someone grieves you, or dishonors you, or takes something of yours, then pray like this: ‘Lord, we are all your creatures. Pity your servants, and turn them to repentance,’  and then you will perceptibly bear grace in your soul. Induce your heart to love your enemies, and the Lord, seeing your good will, shall help you in all things, and will Himself show you experience. But whoever thinks evil of his enemies does not have love for God and has not known God.” — St. Silouan the Athonite

Vicki Gans’ Homemade Toffee. Contact her at 812-679-8197 to place orders for Christmas.

 Boxes for Knitted Caps and Mittens/Gloves will be available throughout the winter to collect your donations for local school children.

Communion: We invite you to receive the Holy Eucharist if you are an Orthodox Christian who has prepared yourself through fasting, prayer, and recent confession.  If you are not Orthodox, or are Orthodox but have not prepared, we invite you to receive a piece of the blessed bread in the wooden bowls held by the altar servers at the front of the church. Communion Line: The choir goes first in both lines so members may continue ministering through music during communion. Little Lambs Sunday School follows. The ushers then assist each row from front to back.  Those in the overflow behind the choir may follow adjacent rows.

Sunday School for those in Grades One through 12 meets after Divine Liturgy.

 FOOD PANTRY: Thank you for the abundant outpouring of goods for the pantry.

 GIFT CARDS FOR THE CHRISTMAS TREE: Again this year, we will decorate the small Christmas tree in the social hall with gift cards.  These cards have provided a smile and sigh of relief for many in past years.

THIS WEEK

The Nativity Fast continues until Christmas.

Wednesday, December 17:  Daily Vespers at 6:00 – Orthodoxy 101 – “Orthodoxy as a Pilgrimage” with Dn. Seraphim Moslener presenting.

Friday, December 19: Evening Liturgy at 6:00 – St. Ignatius of Antioch

Saturday, December 20: Great Vespers at 5:00

Sunday, December 21: Matins at 8:50; Divine Liturgy at 10:00 – Caroling in the neighborhood from 3-5.

LOOKING AHEAD

  • Wednesday, December 24: Morning Services start at 9 am with Royal Hours of Christmas and followed by Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil.
  • Wednesday, December 24: Evening Services of Christmas begin at 9 pm with Orthros and followed by the Nativity Liturgy. A light feast concludes the evening.
  • Saturday and Sunday, December 27 and 28: services at usual time with Myrrh Bearers on Sunday.
  • Wednesday, December 31: NEW YEAR’S EVE: Evening Liturgy at 6 pm – St. Basil the Great.

Blessed Name Day: Subdn. Daniel Barrett (17th – Prophet Daniel); Daniel Rigsby (17th – Prophet Daniel); Vanden Leininger (20th – St. Ignatius); Lucia Toadere (14th)

Happy Birthday: John Griggs (17th); Fr. Peter Jon (18th); Laura Crandall (20th)

Memory Eternal: James (8th); Jane (12th); Wilma (16th); Nicholas (21st)

 Prayer List: Nick with terminal cancer and his wife Linda, friends of Darryl and Nancy;  Krystal & Jason (hard times & death of child); Heather (Charles’ daughter); Susan; Gabriella & Matt; Zack Hogan; Jordan Bissell; Sara; Metojije; Shelley; Denise; Fr. Moses Berry; Geni; Frank & Becky Hrisomalos; Those with child: Kh. Kristina, Mary, Kathleen; Kh. Marilyn; Galina; John; Noah; Emily D; Emma; Kim; Barb; Shirley; Nancy; Neal; Lyuda; Patricia; Bob R; Alex; Nicetas; John; Leanne; Metropolitan Paul, Archbishop John; Kh. Loretta; Beth; Lillian; Julie; Roger; Virginia McCallister; Marilyn; Eric; Cheryl; Lori; Pam; Debbie; Natasha; Ioana; Michael & Shelley:  Gabriel; Mary; Doug; Janet; Kelly; Matushka Raisa; John C; Marty; Charles; Fr. John Koen; Archpriests Roman, George & Stephen; Eileen; Mary; Marvin, Alice; Katie; Deborah; Ruth; Steve; Kevin; Romaine; Derek, Claire & Micah; Tim; Preston; Sharon; Sherri; Dianna; Michael and Diane; Aaron; Brent; Jennifer; Brigid; Caleb; Korene; Dennis & Joyce; Ethan; Lena, Dean; Gayle; Thomas; Amy; Heidi; Gene & Connie; Cathi

Today’s Epistle and Gospel Readings

 Prokeimenon: “Blessed art Thou, O LORD, the God of our Fathers..”

Verse: “For Thou art just in all that Thou hast done to us!” Daniel 3:26-27

Epistle: The Reading is from Saint Paul’s Epistle to the Colossians. (3:4-11)

 BRETHREN, when Christ, Who is our life, appears, then you will also appear with Him in Glory.  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idol worship; for the sake of such things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience; wherein you also once walked, when you lived in these things.  But now you also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, and filthy language out of your mouths.  Do not lie to one another, having put off the old man with his works; and having put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of his Creator, where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond, or free; but Christ is all, and in all.

             

Gospel: The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (14:16-24)

The Lord spoke this parable: “A man once gave a great banquet, and invited many; and at the time of the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for all is now ready.’ But, one by one, they all began to make excuses.  The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it; I pray you, have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported this to his master  Then the householder in anger said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’  And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.  For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

 

Divine Liturgy Variables

 

Resurrectional Apolytikion – Tone 2

When Thou didst submit Thyself unto death, O Thou deathless and Immortal One, then Thou didst destroy hell with Thy Godly power.  And when Thou didst raise the dead from beneath the earth, all the powers of Heaven did cry aloud unto Thee; O Christ Thou giver of life, glory to Thee.

 

Kontakion of the Preparation of Christ’s Nativity – Tone 3

The Virgin cometh today, to the cave to give birth ,ineffably to bring forth the Word eternal, Therefore, rejoice, O earth,  at the message; with the angels and shepherds give glory to Him who shall appear by his own will as a young child; He Who is from eternity, God.