Sunday of the Prodigal Son

Leo, Bishop of Catania in Sicily; Venerable Vissarion the Great of Egypt; Agathon, Pope of Rome

Thought for Today: “As rain raises the seed, so the church service strengthens the soul in virtue.” + St. Ephraim the Syrian

Parish council meets today at 12:15.

Collections of warm mittens, gloves, hats and scarves ENDS TODAY. Thank you, Cathy, for heading up this ministry to local children and warmest appreciation to all who donated.

House Blessings: Father Peter Jon will continue to bless homes in the coming days and weeks. He will contact you to schedule a house blessing, but you may also choose to email him directly to request a particular date.

Today during Coffee Hour: All Saints Teen SOYO is sponsoring a brunch to raise funds for the people of Ethiopia.  After a brief presentation on some of the urgent needs of Ethiopian communities, parishioners and friends will be invited to a varied and abundant breakfast where donations will be accepted and, soon after, distributed on our behalf by the Orthodox Christian Missions Center (OCMC) to Ethiopians in need.

Saturday of Souls Liturgy is next Saturday: Please send your lists of the departed to Fr. Peter Jon by Thursday, February 24th at 5pm. List departed family members and friends by groupings of Orthodox and Non-Orthodox so they may be prayed for at the designated times. Father’s first prayers are during the prothesis before the liturgy begins.

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.

Myrrh Bearers Plans for Coffee Hour: Each week we will list the host  and parishioners for the current Sunday and the following Sunday by using alphabet letters of participants’ last names: First Sunday A-B; Second Sunday C-G; Third Sunday H-R; Fourth Sunday S-Z; Fifth Sunday All Pitch-in.

Next Week (Sunday, February 27): Host – Webb family with Parishioners S-Z

THIS WEEK

Wednesday, February 23: Daily Vespers at 6:00 –  Ask Abouna  and Orthodoxy 101:

Dr. Craton’s topic is “Apologetics.”

Friday, February 25:  Akathist for the Protection of the Theotokos (OCLife) at 6:00

Saturday, February 26:  Saturday of Souls Divine Liturgy at 9:00

Saturday, February 26: Great Vespers at 5:00; Jr. SOYO at 4:00; Sr. SOYO at 6:00

Sunday, February 27: Matins at 9:00; Divine Liturgy at 10:00 – Meatfare Sunday is the last day to eat meat in preparation for the Lenten Journey ahead.

LOOKING AHEAD

March 6: Cheesefare Sunday and Forgiveness Vespers

March 7:  Great Lent Begins with the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete.

March 19: OCLife Retreat at St George with Frederica Mathewes-Green as the speaker

March 21: — ONE NIGHT ONLY , March 21st at 7 pm. AMC 11 –  Man Of God: The Life of Saint Nectarios of Aegina . https://www.antiochian.org/regulararticle/1146 

EPISTLE and GOSPEL READINGS

The Reading is from St. Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians.  (6:12-20)

 (For Sunday of the Prodigal Son)

Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.

Brethren, all things are lawful for me, but not all things are expedient. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the authority of anything. Foods are for the belly, and the belly for foods; but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body; and God both raised up the Lord, and will also raise us up through His power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take away the members of Christ, and make them members of a harlot? God forbid! Or, do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For, “The two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication! Every sin that a person commits is outside the body, but whoever commits fornication sins against his own body. Or, do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have received from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (15:11-32)

(For Sunday of the Prodigal Son)

                The Lord spoke this parable: “There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that falls to me.’ And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to make merry. Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

DIVINE LITURGY VARIABLES for CHOIR and PARISH

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 Progdigal Son – Tone 3

Foolishly I sprang away * from Thy great fatherly glory, * and dispersed in wicked deeds * the riches that Thou didst give me. * With the Prodigal I therefore * cry unto Thee now: * I have sinned against Thee, O compassionate Father. * But receive me in repentance; * make me as one of * Thy hired servants, O Lord.

FAMILY NEWS

Birthday Celebrations: Marcia B (21st); Christian G (21st); Averi V (22nd); Naomi B (24th)

Memory Eternal: Bobby; Fr. James Roselli

Prayer List: Mat. Raisa Strelnizki: Bell Trace Bell Trace Circle, Assisted Living Apartment

Mary Ann G: 725 Bell Trace Circle – Rehab Room 122, 47408

Emma, Mary Ann’s granddaughter; Linda; Steve Crandall; Adrian and Marah Polit; Megan after her pre-term baby’s death;  Fr. Athanasius Wilson; Jack;Christopher; refugees  and immigrants; our nation and nation’s leaders at all levels of government; schools: school children, youth and personnel across the nation; Nancy Jones; April; Don; Vicki; Fr. Jerome; Catherine; Awanda  Michael; Anastasia with child; Bonnie Thelen; Wadia; Jayci; Dee, Patricia, Marvin, Alice; Michael; Olga; Eileen; Soren; Kitsa; Apthrodite and Angelos; Kim; Dusty, Cari; Betsy, Josh; Allison;  Andrew and Isaac (Korea/military); Leanne; Heather; Nancy; Sharon Catherine; Emma; Lexi, Ross and Vivian; Theo; Doug; Jeremy; Marcia & Deacon; Elias; Waded; Seraphima; Lilly’s family; Jennifer; Christy

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.