Sunday, April 7, 2019
Fourth Sunday of Great Lent
Commemoration of John Climacus, Author of “The Ladder”
Martyr Kalliopios of Cilicia; Venerable George, Bishop of Mitylene;
Repose of Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and Enlightener of North America
Welcome to All Saints!
Lenten Nourishment: “A holy soul cares for his neighbors, either close at hand or far away. He cares where the homeless will spend the night, how the hungry will be fed, with what the naked will be clothed. He cares and he prays for the salvation of his neighbors.” -St. Nicholas Velimirovich
We welcome today Fr. Isaac Gillette and Khouria Beth. Father Peter Jon and his family have been attending a conference at the Village in Pennsylvania and will return early this week.
This evening, Lenten Great Vespers will be at St. George in Fishers at 5:00.
Coffee Hour: Scheduled contributors and cleaners for today are those with last names beginning A-B.
Food Pantry: Many families continue to be blessed weekly by your donations! Take an occasional peak in Marcia’s office to see what’s needed. Paper goods would be appreciated.
Meal Relief for the Arthurs: As Elizabeth continues to recover, please leave meatless donations in the church refrigerator, labeled and if possible in non-return containers. There is a sign-up sheet in the hall.
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. Approach to the cup starts at the front rows; the choir and preschool go first.
Texting the Priest: Fr. Peter has requested that, in lieu of texting, parishioners email him at frpeterjon@allsaintsbloomington.org. All are welcome to call him on his cell phone and, if he is not immediately available, to leave a voicemail. If there is a life-and-death emergency, please call and text.
THIS WEEK
Tuesday, April 9: Bible Study at Kh. Marilyn’s home at 7:00
Wednesday, April 10: Presanctified Liturgy at 6:00, followed by a light meal with teaching
Thursday, April 11: Afternoon Bible Study at Becky’s home at 3:00
Friday, April 12: Akathist Hymn at 6:00
Saturday, April 13: Parish Workday at 10:00; Great Vespers at 5:00 SOYO at 6:00
Sunday, April 14: Matins at 8:50; Divine Liturgy at 10:00; We will host Lenten Vespers, starting at 5:00 and followed by a homily by Fr. Lucas Christensen and a light meal.
Today’s Epistle and Gospel Readings
Epistle: The Reading is from St. Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews. (6:13-20)
Brethren, when God made a promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater by whom to swear, He swore by Himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Men indeed swear by one greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of His purpose, He interposed with an oath. So that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God should prove false, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
Gospel: The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark. (9:17-31)
At that time, a man came to Jesus, kneeling down and saying unto him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit. And wherever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked Thy Disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” And Jesus answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to Me.” And they brought the boy to Him; and when the spirit saw Jesus, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, “How long has he had this?” And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if Thou canst do anything, have pity on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again.” And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when Jesus had entered the house, His Disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And Jesus said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting.” They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And Jesus would not have anyone know it; for He was teaching His Disciples, saying to them, “The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and after He is killed, He will rise on the third day.”
Divine Liturgy Variables for Choir and Parish
Resurrectional Apolytikion – Tone 4
Having learned the joyful message of the Resurrection from the angel, the women disciples of the Lord cast from them their parental condemnation. And proudly broke the news to the Disciples, saying: Death hath been spoiled; Christ God is risen, granting the world Great Mercy.
Apolytikion of St. John Climacus – Tone 8
The barren wilderness thou didst make fertile with the streams of thy tears; and by thy deep sighing thou hast given fruit through thy struggles a hundredfold. Accordingly, thou hast become a star for the universe, sparkling with miracles. Therefore, O righteous Father John Climacus, intercede with Christ God to save our souls.
Kontakion for Sundays in Great Lent (and the Akathist to the Theotokos) – 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.
Megalynarion – St. Basil”s Liturgy (instead of It is Truly Meet…)
In thee rejoiceth, O full of grace, all creation: the angelic hosts, and the race of men, O hallowed Temple and noetic paradise, glory of Virgins, of whom God was incarnate and became a little child, even our God Who is before all the ages; for He made thy womb a throne, and thy body He made more spacious than the heavens. In thee rejoiceth, O full of grace, all creation; and it glorifieth thee.
FAMILY NOTES
Prayer List: Elizabeth; Patricia;Hannah, Ty, & tiny infant Alice; Mary & Robert;Shirley; Rose; Lexi; Theo; Heather; Doug Barrett;Amber Smith;Jeremy P; Charles; Vicki; Alice & Marvin Grayson; Laura Sue and Elmo; Nancy; Nick;Bruce; Joanna Zaharako; Dee; Mary Ann;Alexanders; Emilija and her newborn daughter; Kristina (Weber) and newborn son;; Sharon Catherine; Lillian Purcell; Eileen; Leanne; Ashlee W; Kh. Kristina; Vivian; Paul; Cathy; Sitto; Elias; Waded; Neva; Bill; Lonnie; Fr. George; Fr. Basil; Iva Lee; Nancy & Shalayna; Seraphima; Lilly’s family; Jennifer & Regina; those suffering in the drug crisis, with fire devastation, with flood damage in the USA; those suffering in Syria and the Middle East; safety in public places, in our schools and on our southern border; Metropolitan Paul; Archbishop John; our church and our nation.
Memory Eternal: Agnes (February 28th); Maggie (March 13th)
Anniversary Blessings: Lucia & Aurelian (9th)