Sunday, March 24, 2019
Second Sunday of Great Lent
Commemoration of Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica
Venerable Zachariah the recluse and Artemon, bishop of Seleucia;
New-hieromartyr Parthenios, Patriarch of Constantinople
**Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great**
Welcome to All Saints!
Lenten Nourishment: “It seems that from my childhood I had a great desire to help those suffering, especially those whose souls are in pain…We must rise from the mournful earth to Heaven and rejoice with the angels over the salvation of a single saved soul, over a single cup of cold water given in the Name of the Lord.”
St. Elizabeth, the New Martyr
This evening, Lenten Great Vespers will be at Ss. Constantine & Elena at 5:00.
Coffee Hour: Scheduled contributors and cleaners for today are those with last names beginning H-P.
Food Pantry: Please remember the third leg of the spiritual stool (acts of charity), and generously give to our food pantry to help feed those in need. Many families continue to be blessed weekly by your donations! Take an occasional peak in Marcia’s office to see what’s needed.
Seminarian Offering: A heartfelt “Thank You!” to all who answered the call of our beloved Metropolitan JOSEPH last Sunday to provide for the needs of our seminarians and future clergy of this archdiocese. $433 was given to ease the burden of seminary families.
The Annunciation: The Festal Liturgy will take place at 10am, tomorrow on Monday, March 25th. Fish, wine and oil are permitted to celebrate this great feast in the midst of the Great Fast.
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.
THIS WEEK
During Great Lent, we will observe the fast during meal and snack times.
Monday, March 25: Festal Liturgy of the Great Feast of the Annunciation at 10:00
Wednesday, March 27: Presanctified Liturgy at 6:00, followed by a light meal and teaching
Thursday, March 28: Afternoon Bible Study at Becky’s home at 3:00
Friday, March 29: Akathist Hymn at 6:00
Saturday, March 30: Great Vespers at 5:00 – SOYO at 6:00
Sunday, March 31: Matins at 8:50; Divine Liturgy at 10:00 – Myrrh Bearers meet.
5pm Lenten Vespers at – St. John the Forerunner in Indianapolis
Today’s Epistle and Gospel Readings
Epistle: The Reading is from St. Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews. (1:10-2:3)
“In the beginning, Thou, O Lord, didst found the earth, and the heavens are the work of Thy hands; they will perish, but Thou remainest; they will all grow old like a garment, like a mantle Thou wilt roll them up, and they will be changed. But Thou art the same, and Thy years will never end.” But to what angel has He ever said, “Sit at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies a stool for thy feet”? Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation? Therefore, we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For if the message, declared by angels, was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard Him.
Gospel: The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark. (2:1-12)
At that time, when Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that He was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and He was preaching the Word to them. And they came, bringing to Jesus a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now, some of the scribes were sitting there, reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in His spirit that they thus reasoned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you reason thus in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your pallet and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” – He said to the paralytic – “I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.” And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all. So that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
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.
Apolytikion for St. Gregory Palamas – Tone 8
O Star of Orthodoxy, support of the Church and its teacher, O comeliness of ascetics, and incontestable champion of those who speak in theology, Gregory the wonder-worker, the pride of Thessalonica and preacher of grace, implore thou constantly for the salvation of 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.
DURING GREAT LENT
- Wednesday’s Presanctified Liturgy is a beautifully ancient form of Great Vespers with communion to strengthen us for the fast. An edifying teaching with soup supper will follow each week — a cherished time of fellowship for many in our community. Refrain from eating or drinking after lunchtime in preparation for Holy Communion.
- The Akathist to the Holy Theotokos will be chanted each Friday.
- Each Sunday Evening Lenten Vespers will be at a different church at 5:00. [April 7th – St. George , Indy; April 14th – All Saints]
FAMILY NOTES
Prayer List: Hannah, Ty, & baby 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.
Blessed Name Day: Nolan Arnold (St. Gregory Palamas – 24th); Gabriella Crandall (Archangel Gabriel – 26th); Gabe Stant (Archangel Gabriel – 26th)
Memory Eternal: Justin (22); Agnes (February 28th); Maggie (March 13th)
Happy Birthday: Tristan R (26th); Matthew C (26th); Nina R (29th); Darryl J (29th)