Sunday, February 7, 2016
After-Feast of the Presentation of Christ
Parthenios, Bishop of Lampsakos; Venerable Luke of Hellas; New-Martyr George of Crete
We warmly welcome you to All Saints
in the Name of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ!
Nourishment of the Soul: “Whoever says that it is impossible to be saved with a wife and children is a deceiver. Abraham had a wife and children and three hundred and eighteen servants, and also much gold and silver, and he was called the friend of God! Many servants of the Church have been saved, and many lovers of the desert; many aristocrats, and many soldiers; many craftsmen, and many farm laborers. Be devout towards God and loving towards men, and you will be saved.” –St. Niphon
His Grace Bp ANTHONY: Our beloved bishop expressed his immense joy worshipping with us on Monday. He said that while he should probably feel tired, he actually felt refreshed from his visit. This is a testament to the welcoming love he felt from our community. I would like to thank everyone who attended and helped to welcome our dear hierarch, and especially those who set up, cleaned up and served in the name of Christ.
House Blessings: Visit the sign-up sheet in the hallway. If no time fits your schedule, email Father Peter Jon. Make sure also that he has your current home address and phone number. There about 3 weeks left of the house blessing season before the Triodion.
Pledge forms for 2016. Have we received your pledge form? You may also tell Marcia if your pledge remains the same as last year. Pledge forms are in the narthex.
Please Note: Bible Study at Kh. Marilyn’s home is cancelled in February. Instead there will be a Gathering (in the Gazebo) of the ladies on February 16th.
Birthday Blessings: Jad L (8th); Deb D (12th); Jan G (13th)
Name Day Remembrance: Rachel L (St. Emmelia – 8th); Marcia B (St. Priscilla – 13th)
Memory Eternal: Marilyn (16th); Doris H; Peg R (18th); Jake (3rd)
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.
Valentine’s Day: SOYO campers with their parents will sponsor a fundraiser social hour to help off-set camp expenses so the Early Bird camp fees of $700 each can be paid before March 1st. After that time the fee is $750. Please show your support of our youth with your donation. The kids come back from Antiochian Village Camp energized in the faith.
THIS WEEK
Wednesday, February 10: Daily Vespers at 6:00–Orthodoxy 101 follows.
Thursday, February 11: Bedford-Mitchell Fellowship at the Haneys – 10:00 – Noon
Friday, February 12: SOYO at 6:00
Saturday, February 13: Great Vespers at 5:00
Sunday, February 14: Matins at 9:00; Divine Liturgy at 10:00 – Valentine’s Day SOYO fundraiser social hour
LOOKING AHEAD
- February 14: SOYO sponsored social hour to raise funds for camp.
- February 16: Gathering of the ladies for food and fun at 6:00
- March 6 & March 13: Myrrh Bearers will prepare fundraiser meals on Meatfare and Cheesefare Sundays to raise funds for Metropolitan JOSEPH’s Antiochian Women’s Project — Hungry Children at Home and Abroad’. This project is different from ‘Feed the Hungry People during Great Lent. (More details will follow as March draws near.)
Let us pray to the Lord: “For the suffering Christians of Syria, Palestine, Iraq, & all of the Middle East, and for those suffering in the Ukraine.”
Prayer List: Archpriest Athanasius; Deborah; Amal; Iva.; John G; James; Alex John; Jason; Steve D; Dee; Becky H.; Alexis T. ;Tom; Jake; Annie; Catherine; Janett; Jill; Kh. Kristina; Angie; Julian; Kh. Mary Sue Walker; Vicki; Hoppes in Albania, Jesse Brandow in Guatemala (OCMC Missionaries); Vivian; Natalie; Senior Saints; Patricia; Dee H; Nicetas; Barb; Shirley; Metropolitan Paul, Archbishop John; Kh. Loretta; Fr. John Koen; Archpriests George & Stephen; Adrian; Heather; Susan; Gabriella & Matt; Sara; Shelley; Geni; Those with child: Ashley, Rachel B, Jessica with twins.; Emily D; Emma; Kim; Nancy; Neal; Lyuda; Bob R; Leanne; Beth; Lillian; Julie; Roger; Virginia; Marilyn; Eric; Cheryl; Lori; Pam; Debbie; Natasha; Michael & Shelley: Gabriel; Mary; Doug; Janet; Kelly; Matushka Raisa; John C; Marty; Charles; Eileen; Mary; Marvin, Alice; Katie; Deborah; Ruth; Steve; Kevin; Romaine; Derek, Claire & Micah; Tim; Preston; Sharon; Sherri; Dianna; Michael and Diane; Aaron; Brent; Jennifer; Brigid; Caleb; Dennis & Joyce; Ethan; Lena, Dean; Gayle; Thomas; Amy; Heidi; Gene & Connie
Today’s Epistle and Gospel Readings
Prokeimenon: “The Lord will give strength unto His people.”
Verse: “Bring unto the Lord, ye sons of God; bring unto the Lord glory and honor!”
Psalm 28:11,1
Epistle: The Reading is from St. Paul’s Second Epistle to the Corinthians. (6:1-10)
Brethren: since we are fellow workers, we entreat you also not to receive the grace of God in vain (for He says, “At an acceptable season I hearkened unto thee, and in a day of salvation I helped thee”; behold, now is “the acceptable season”; behold, now is “the day of salvation”), giving no occasion of stumbling in anything, that the ministry is not blamed, but in everything commending ourselves, as ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in vigils, in fasts, in purity, in knowledge, in longsuffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned, in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; a poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing and yet possessing all things.
Gospel: The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (25:14-30)
The Lord spoke this parable: A man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more. So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying: “Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.” His master said to him, “Well done, good an faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.” And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying: “Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.” He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying: “Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not show, and gathering where you did not winnow; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.” But his master answered him, “You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.” As Jesus said these things, He cried out: “He who has ears to hear, let him here!”
Divine Liturgy Variables
Second Antiphon: Save us, O Son of God, Who wast borne in the arms of righteous Simeon…
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.
Apolytikion of the Presentation of Christ – Tone 1
Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos, full of grace, for from thee arose the Sun of Justice, Christ our God, lighting those who are in darkness. Rejoice and be glad, O righteous elder, carrying in thine arms the Deliverer of our souls, Who granteth us Resurrection
Kontakion of the Presentation of Christ – Tone 1
Thou, O Christ God, Who by Thy Birth, didst sanctify the Virgin’s womb, and, as is meet, didst bless Simeon’s arms, and didst also come to save us; preserve Thy fold in wars, and confirm them whom Thou didst love, for Thou alone art the Lover of mankind.