Sunday, February 19, 2023

  Sunday of the Last Judgment (Meat Fare)

Apostles Archippos, Philemon and Apphias of the Seventy

Thought for Today: “The Fathers tell us, the souls of the dead remember everything that happened here – thoughts, words, desires – and nothing can be forgotten… If a man helped someone or was helped by someone else, this is remembered as is the persons concerned, or if he injured someone, or was injured by someone, all this is remembered. In fact, the soul loses nothing that it did in this world but remembers everything at its exit from the body more clearly and distinctly once freed from the earthliness of the body… Whatever is in a man here is going to leave the earth with him, and is going to be with him there.” + St. Dorotheos of Gaza +

VARIABLE for CHOIR and PARISH

Resurrectional Apolytikion – Tone 3

Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad, for the Lord hath done a mighty act with His own arm. He hath trampled down death by death, and become the first-born from the dead. He hath delivered us from the depths of Hades, granting the world the Great Mercy.

Kontakion for Sunday of Last Judgement – 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.

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.

EPISTLE and GOSPEL READINGS

The Epistle

The Lord is my strength and my song. With chastisement has the Lord chastened me!

 The Reading from the First Epistle of St. Paul 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.

The Gospel

The Reading 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.”

Prayers Requested as the Holy Synod of Antioch convenes on Wednesday the 22nd to decide who our new Metropolitan Archbishop will be.

Earthquake Relief: Please see the attached letter from His Eminence, Metropolitan Antonios.  Earthquake relief funds may be given in cash or check at the church or by credit/debit card through our church website. Thank you for helping to relieve the suffering of our brothers and sisters in Turkey and Syria.

House Blessings: Father Peter Jon continues to bless homes and will contact you in the coming weeks to schedule a date. If you prefer, you may also reach out to him by email.

Congratulation to the Crandall Family: Matt and Gabby are blessed to have a blended family (yours, mine, and ours). On Thursday February 16th Gabby officially adopted Eric, and Laura as her own. Thanks be to God.

THIS WEEK

Parish Council meeting today, Sunday following Divine Liturgy.

Tuesday, February 21: OCF dinner and discussion, 6:30pm, at the Webb’s home.

Wednesday, February 22: Daily Vespers at 6:00 pm; 1 year memorial for Awanda Michael Burge; followed by Orthodoxy 101.

Friday, February 24: OCF Life at 6:00pm; will serve an Akathist to the Theotokos.

Saturday, February 25: Digging into Romans:  Our Saturday morning Bible Study has begun to dig into St. Paul’s letter to the Romans – this is the perfect time to join us as we go deeper into this important epistle, verse by verse.  Howard Webb is leading this study which meets Saturdays 9:00-10:30 at the Webbs home at 3960 E Fenbrook Lane, 47401.  Feel free to come whenever you can for lively discussion and fellowship. Be sure to bring your Bible!

Saturday, February 25:  1-3pm; Birthday celebration forMary Koutrumanes-Barger, a founding member of our All Saints parish. Together with her family, we look forward to celebrating her life.

Saturday, February 25: Great Vespers at 5:00pm; Jr SOYO at 3:30pm; Teen SOYO at 6:00pm.

Sunday, February 26: Matins at 9:00 am, Divine Liturgy at 10:00 am. Forgiveness Sunday.

Sunday, February 25: Forgiveness Vespers at 5:00pm.

FAMILY NEWS

Birthday Celebrations: Dnssa. Marcia Baldwin (21st); Christian Gettelfinger (21st); Averi Vician (22nd); Naomi Ruth Burhoe (24th).

Memory Eternal: David, Ruperto, Caren, Priest Slobodon, Susan.

Prayer List: Michael, Olga, Eileen, Soren, Kathy; Toni;Jan; Don and Dee; those suffering the war of Ukraine; Peace talks; our nation and all nations’ leaders; schools: school children, youth and personnel across the nation; Mat. Raisa; Mary Ann; Emma (Mary Ann’s granddaughter);

Bob & Bonnie Thelen; Wes (infant with brittle bone disorder); Megan (lymphoma); Mark (CHF) and (caregiver) Barbara; Wes’s grandfather;Josiah; Vicki;Vicki’s granddaughter; Arianna; Linda; Steve Crandall; Fr. AthanasiusFr.Gabriel;Jack;Christopher; Nancy; Fr. Jerome Mother Nektaria; Catherine; Wadia; Jayci; Patricia, Marvin, Alice; Kitsa; Apthrodite and Angelos; Kim; Kristy, Dusty, Cari; Betsy, Josh; Allison; Andrew and Isaac (Korea/ military); Leanne; Heather; Nancy; Sharon Catherine; Lexi, Ross and Vivian; Theo; Doug; Jeremy;  Marcia & Deacon; Elias; Waded; Seraphima; Lilly’s family; Jennifer; Christy; Megan; Rhea and John; Stanley; Anna with child (Coran’s friend); Malory with child (Reed’s sister); Megan with child; Paulina with child; Macrina with child, Anne; Allen; Linda; Marilyn; Mary Barger; Norma; Allison and children.

Giving Opportunities:

The Benevolence Fund Thank you to all who generously responded to our plea for the benevolence fund.  Donations may be made to this fund throughout the year, and are mainly used to support families in need of help with rent and utilities payments.

Our In-House Food Pantry needs canned vegetables, meats, tuna, salmon, smoked oysters, sardines, chicken, black and pinto beans, spaghetti sauce and peanut butter.  We have an abundance of pasta.

Coffee Hour Host: Nina Rogers with Parishioners H-R. (Meatfare Sunday)

Next week Host: Rhonda Webb with Parishioners s-z.

Donations to the church are being made online at www.allsaintsbloomington.org and by U.S mail.  Many thanks to all who continue supporting All Saints.