Saturday’s Schedule for March 3rd
…Mother Nektaria teaches at the Women’s Retreat 1-4:30.
…Saturday at the beginning of Great Vespers around 4:50, we will pray together the 40-day memorial for the Infant Alexis (Rigsby).
…Following Great Vespers, Mother Nektaria will speak to the parish and guests after a light meal.
…For Details, consult www.allsaintsbloomington.org or your recent e-mail.
Sunday, March 04, 2018
Second Sunday of Great Lent
Commemoration of Gregory Palamas, archbishop of Thessalonica
Venerable Gerasimos of the Jordan; Gregory, bishop of Constantia in Cyprus;
Martyrs Paul and Juliana of Palestine; Daniel the wonderworker, prince of Moscow
Nourishment of the Soul: “There is nothing we can offer to God more precious than good will. But what is good will? To have good will is to experience concern for someone else’s adversities as if they were our own, to give thanks for our neighbor’s prosperity as for our own; to believe that another person’s loss is our own, and also that another’s gain is ours; to love a friend in God, and bear with an enemy out of love, to do to no one what we do not want to suffer ourselves, and to refuse to no one what we rightly want for ourselves; to choose to help a neighbor who is in need not only to the whole extent of our ability, but even beyond our means. What offering is richer, what offering is more substantial than this one? What we are offering to God on the altar of our hearts is the sacrifice of ourselves.” – St. Gregory the Great
We welcome today, Mother Nektaria of St. Paul Skete who will speak about monastic life during fellowship hour. Meet in the nave around noon.
Choir News: If you want to sing at Pascha with the choir, plan now to meet 3 to 4 Sundays in March. The first practice is scheduled for today in the nursery at noon.
The Food for Hungry People Campaign: Pick up a coin box in the hallway, if you want to support the program in this way. Or, make a donation during Great Lent, and the church will send one check after Holy Pascha.
Tonight: St. George in Terre Haute is hosting Lenten Vespers at 5:00. Dn. Joseph Olas is the guest homilist. A fellowship meal follows.
Receiving the Eucharist: 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.
Social Hour: Scheduled contributors this Sunday are those whose last names start with A-Ba; however, since we have a special guest, we encourage more donations!
Also we warmly welcome today a group of teens and sponsors from First Methodist Church.
Women’s Month: During March, women of all ages will be reading the Epistle, passing the collection trays, and serving as ushers.
Important – regarding Fr. Peter Jon’s contact information: As most of you know, Fr. Peter Jon has retired his smart phone in favor of a flip-phone. He can be reached at the same cell phone number and email address that he has used for over a decade. However, please do not assume that he can receive text messages, as his new phone has texting limitations. Fr. Peter Jon wants to make sure your important messages don’t get lost in the texting stratosphere.
THIS WEEK
Monday, March 5: Special Lenten Great Compline Service with Fr. Thomas Langdon, serving.
Tuesday, March 6: OCF meets at the Webb’s home 6:00-8:00.
Wednesday, March 7: Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts 6:00, followed by light meal& teaching
Thursday, March 8: Bible Study at Becky’s 3:00-5:00
Thursday, March 8: Bible Study at the Webb’s home 7:00-8:30
Friday, March 9: Little Compline and Akathist Hymn at 6:00
Saturday, March 10: Great Vespers at 5:00 – Orthodoxy 101 with Dr. John Craton presenting.
Sunday, March 11: Matins at 8:50; Divine Liturgy at 10:00
Sunday Evening, 11: Lenten Vespers at St. Nicholas in Indianapolis at 5pm; Fr. David Wey, presenter*
LOOKING AHEAD
…*Lenten Vespers, sponsored by the Central Indiana Orthodox Presbyter’s Council, will be at a different church each Sunday evening at 5:00 with a fellowship meal provided. This year’s theme is “The Orthodox Christian Family”.
…Women’s Month: In our parish, women of all ages will be reading the Epistle, passing the collection trays, and serving as ushers.
… Bible Study: Gospel of John at the Webb’s home – Thursdays through March 29th – 7:00-8:30 at 3960 E. Fenbrook Lane, Bloomington, IN 47401; 314-313-275; webbrk1@gmail.com.
FAMILY NOTES
Birthday Blessings: Cathy M (4th); Polina M (5th); Alice Marie P (6th)
Name Day Celebration: Nolan A (St. Gregory Palamas – 4th)
Memory Eternal: Alexis (15th); Norman (Marija’s brother-in-law);Victims in Florida school tragedy
Prayer List: Paul; Caden, Dylan,& Maddie; Marvin & Alice; Cathy; Kh. Kristina; Sitto; Elias; Waded; Neva; Bill; Lonnie; Fr. George; Iva Lee; Adrian T; Nancy & Shalayna; Jennifer A’s family; Rigsby family; those suffering in the drug crisis in the USA; Safety in our Schools
Today’s Epistle and Gospel Readings
Prokeimenon: “You, O Lord, shall keep us and preserve us.”
Verse: “Save me, O Lord, for the godly man has failed.” Psalm 11:7,1
Epistle: The Reading is from St. Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews. (1:10-2:3)
“In the beginning, Thou, O Lord, didst found the earth, and the heavens are the work of Thy hands; they will perish, but Thou remainest; they will all grow old like a garment, like a mantle Thou wilt roll them up, and they will be changed. But Thou art the same, and Thy years will never end.” But to what angel has He ever said, “Sit at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies a stool for thy feet”? Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation? Therefore, we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For if the message, declared by angels, was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard Him.
Gospel: The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark. (2:1-12)
At that time, when Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that He was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and He was preaching the Word to them. And they came, bringing to Jesus a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now, some of the scribes were sitting there, reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in His spirit that they thus reasoned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you reason thus in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your pallet and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” – He said to the paralytic – “I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.” And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all. So that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
Divine Liturgy Variables
Resurrectional Apolytikion – Tone 6
When Mary stood at Thy grave, looking for Thy sacred body, angelic powers shone above Thy revered tomb; and the soldiers who were to keep guard became as dead men. Thou led Hades captive and wast not tempted thereby. Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst give life to the world, O Thou, Who art risen from the dead, O Lord, glory to Thee.
Apolytikion for St. Gregory Palamas – Tone 8
O Star of Orthodoxy, support of the Church and its teacher, O comeliness of ascetics, and incontestable champion of those who speak in theology, Gregory the wonder-worker, the pride of Thessalonica and preacher of grace, implore thou constantly for the salvation of our souls.
Kontakion for the Annunciation (and Great Lent) – Tone 8
To thee, the Champion Leader, do I offer thanks of victory, O Theotokos, thou who hast delivered me from terror; but as thou that hast that power invincible, O Theotokos, thou alone can set me free: from all forms of danger free me and deliver me, that I may cry unto thee: Hail, O Bride without Bridegroom.
St. Basil’s Megalynarion (instead of “It is truly meet…”)
All of creation rejoices in thee, O full of grace, the assembly of angels and the race of men. O sanctified temple and spiritual paradise, the glory of virgins, from whom God was incarnate and became a child: our God before the ages. he made thy body into a throne, and thy womb He made more spacious than the heavens. All of creation rejoices in thee, O full of grace, glory to thee!