Sunday, February 19, 2017

Sunday, February 19, 2017

Sunday of the Last Judgment (Meat Fare)

Apostles Archippos, Philemon and Apphias of the Seventy; Venerable-martyr Philothea of Athens;

New Hieromartyr Nikita of Epiros

Visitors, you are always welcome here. Parishioners, we miss you when you are not with us.

Nourishment of the Soul: “Christ loves us in spite of our senseless behavior.  He calls to us and is always ready to respond to our cries for help and guide our fragile steps through all the obstacles that lie in our path.” – Elder Sophrony Sakharov

Notes from the Choir: The choir will approach the chalice, first in line followed by the children in the pre-school class. If you want to sing at Pascha, plan now to practice every Sunday in March.

House Blessings: Please contact Fr. Peter Jon before Great Lent.

 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.

 Orthodoxy 101 on Wednesday, February 22: Dr. John Craton’s topic is ‘Baptism’.

There will be a Basket Collection next Sunday supporting  the Antiochian Women’s Annual Project. The funds raised this year go to strengthen ministries in the Archdiocese such as planning senior housing projects; founding missions; supporting seminarians; encouraging youth ministries;  protecting the unborn; teaching the Faith; caring for the elderly and those in prisons, nursing homes and hospitals; helping to feed, house, and clothe the poor; and inspiring monastic vocations.

Fundraiser Today: Those planning to attend Antiochian Village Summer Camp will favor us with a meal during Social Hour.  Camp fees are due in early March if the $50 discount for each camper is deducted from the $750 fee for two weeks. Please support our youth in this experience that affects their lives in many positive ways.

THIS WEEK

 Wednesday, February 22:  Daily Vespers at 6:00 – O101 follows.

Thursday, February 23: Bible Study at Becky’s home with Kh. Marilyn leading  3-5p.m.

Friday, February 24:  Akathist to the Protection of the Theotokos at 6:00

Saturday, February 25: Great Vespers at 5:00

Sunday, February 26: Matins at 9:00; Divine Liturgy at 10:00 – Collection taken for Ministry Project – Myrrh Bearers meet around noon.

Sunday, February 26 : Forgiveness Vespers at 5:00  pm on Cheese Fare Sunday

 LOOKING AHEAD

 February 26: Women’s Project Collection – “Strengthening the Ministries of Our Church”

February 26: Forgiveness Great Vespers on Sunday evening at 5:00

February 27: Great Lent begins with Services each evening at 6:00 Monday-Friday.

March 5: Sunday of Orthodoxy- Evening Great Vespers at Holy Trinity

March 5: Choir practices begin with Pascha music as the focus.

March 18: OCMC Missionary Nathan Hoppe will offer a retreat on Orthodoxy and Missions.  He will present a slide show and Mission Albania update during coffee hour on Sunday the 19th.

 FAMILY NOTES

Birthday Greetings: Marcia B (21st); Christian G (21st); Averi V (22nd)

Memory Eternal:  Greg; Dennis (12th);  Edgar;  Norma; Florence; Mat. Juliana Schmemann;  Kevin (youngest son of Fr. Nicholas Speier, Santa Barbara), Stephanie

Prayer List: Please keep Hal (following successful surgery) and Alex (continuing issues) in your special prayers.

“For the suffering Christians of Syria, Palestine, Iraq, & all of the Middle East, and for those suffering in Ukraine.” Alex John; Fr. Steven Rudy (cancer); Finley (infant girl child with stroke and spasms); Subdn. Daniel; Fr. Basil; Fr. Philip;  Grant (Leukemia); Chris; Doug & Dorothy Barrett; Eileen; the Tabbals; Mary Ann & Jen; Dee and Don;  Kh.Kristina; Betsy and Hannah; Leslie (paralysis); Jasmine; Deborah & Thomas; James; Becky H; Tom; Annie; Catherine; Janett;  Julian; Kh. Mary Sue Walker; Vicki; Hoppes &  Jesse Brandow (Missionaries); Vivian; Natalie; Senior Saints; Patricia; Nicetas; Barb; Shirley; Metropolitan Paul, Archbishop John; Fr. John Koen; Archpriest George; Adrian; Heather; Susan; Gabriella & Matt; Sara; Shelley; Geni; Emily D; Emma; Nancy; Neal; Bob R;  Leanne; Beth; Lillian; Julie; Roger; Virginia; Marilyn; Eric; Cheryl; Lori; Pam; Debbie; Natasha; Michael & Shelley: Gabriel; Mary; Janet; Kelly; Matushka Raisa; Marty; Charles; Mary; Marvin, Alice; Katie; Ruth; Steve; Romaine; Derek, Claire & Micah; Tim; Sharon; Sherri; Dianna; Michael and Diane; Aaron; Brent; Jennifer; Brigid; Ethan; Lena, Dean; Gayle; Thomas; Amy; Heidi; Gene & Connie, Caleb D; Megan & Colin; Bill & Sandy; Sabrina.

        Today’s Epistle and Gospel Readings

Prokeimenon: “The Lord is my strength and my song.”

Verse: “With chastisement has the LORD chastened me!”  Psalm 117:14, 18

Epistle: The Reading is from St. Paul’s First  Epistle to the Corinthians. (8:8-9:2)     

Brethren, food will not bring us closer to God; for neither if we eat, are we the better, nor if we do not eat, are we the worse.  But take heed lest by any means this authority of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.  For if any one sees you, as someone who has knowledge, reclining at a table in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of the one who is weak be emboldened to eat of the things sacrificed to idols, and through your knowledge the weak brother perishes, for whom Christ died?  And thus, sinning against the brethren, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.  Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will not eat meat forever, lest I cause my brother to stumble.

Am I not an apostle? Am I not free?  Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?  Are not you my work in the Lord?  If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for the seal of my apostleship are you in the Lord.

Gospel: The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (25:31-46)

The Lord said, “When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and He will place the sheep at His right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the King will say to those at His right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed Me, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see Thee hungry and feed Thee, or thirsty and give Thee drink? And when did we see Thee a stranger and welcome Thee, or naked and clothe Thee? And when did we see Thee sick or in prison and visit Thee?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ Then He will say to those at his left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see Thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to Thee?’ Then He will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to Me.’ And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

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 for the Sunday of the Last Judgment – Tone 1

When Thou comest, O God, to earth with glory, and all creatures tremble before Thee, and the river of fire floweth before the Altar, and the books are opened and sins revealed, deliver me then from that unquenchable fire, and make me worthy to stand at Thy right hand, O righteous Judge.