Sunday, February 25, 2018
First Sunday of Great Lent (Sunday of Orthodoxy)
Tarasios the confessor, archbishop of Constantinople; Hieromartyr Reginos, bishop of Skopelos;
Hieromartyr Markellos, bishop of Apamea in Syria; Martyr Alexander of Markianopolis
**Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great**
Nourishment of the Soul: “Bringing one soul close to God by repentance is much better, in the eyes of God, than all other offerings, for there is nothing in the world better for God than the human soul, for everything in the world will perish except the soul because it is eternal.” – St. John Climacus
Myrrh Bearers meet today around noon.
Lest we forget that Almsgiving is part of the Lenten Fast: The Food for Hungry People Campaign has begun. Pick up a coin box in the hallway, if you want to support the program in this way. Or, make a donation during Great Lent, and the church will send one check after Holy Pascha.
This morning on the Sunday of Orthodoxy, we encourage you and especially the children to bring an icon to carry during the procession.
Tonight: St. George in Fishers is hosting the Sunday of Orthodoxy Lenten Vespers at 5:00. Bishop Gregory is the guest homilist. A fellowship meal follows.
MYRRH BEARERS’ LENTEN RETREAT with MOTHER NEKTARIA of ST. PAUL SKETE*
Saturday March 3
• 1:00 – 5:00 – Women’s Retreat with Mother Nektaria.
• 5:00 – Great Vespers followed by a Lenten meal – All are welcome.
• 6:30 – Mother Nektaria will speak to the entire All Saints Community.
Sunday March 4
• 12:00 – 1:00 – Mother Nektaria will speak about the monastic life
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.
Social Hour: Scheduled contributors this Sunday are those whose last names start with I-Z; however you may contribute whenever you find it convenient. The Lenten Fast will be observed.
THIS WEEK
Wednesday, February 28: Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts 6:00, followed by light meal- teaching
Thursday, March 1: Bible Study at Becky’s 3:00-5:00
Thursday, March 1: Bible Study at the Webb’s home7:00-8:30
Friday, March 2: Little Compline and Akathist Hymn at 6:00
Saturday, March 3-4th: Mother Nektaria is our special guest*
Saturday, March 3: Great Vespers at 5:00 – Orthodoxy 101 with Mother Nektaria presenting.
Sunday, March 4: Matins at 8:50; Divine Liturgy at 10:00 (We will have guests from First Methodist Church.)
Sunday Evening, 4: Lenten Vespers at St. George in Terre Haute at 5pm; Dn. Joseph Olas, presenter*
LOOKING AHEAD
…*Lenten Vespers, sponsored by the Central Indiana Orthodox Presbyter’s Council, will be at a different church each Sunday evening at 5:00 with a fellowship meal provided. This year’s theme is “The Orthodox Christian Family”.
…Women’s Month: In our parish, women of all ages will be reading the Epistle, passing the collection trays, and serving as ushers.
…Choir News: If you want to sing at Pascha with the choir, plan now to meet 3 to 4 Sundays in March.
… Bible Study: Gospel of John at the Webb’s home – Thursdays through March 29th – 7:00-8:30 at 3960 E. Fenbrook Lane, Bloomington, IN 47401; 314-313-275; webbrk1@gmail.com.
FAMILY NOTES
Birthday Blessings: Christopher S (27th); Mezy A (28th); Mary B (28th); Adrian P (28th); Nina G (March 1st); Deacon Lawrence (3rd)
Name Day Celebration: St. Photeini on Feb. 26th – Mezy Alexander; Lilly Blair; Hannah Gillquist; Shirley Richardson;
Memory Eternal: Alexis (15th); Norman (Marija’s brother-in-law);Victims in Florida school tragedy
Prayer List: Paul; Caden, Dylan,& Maddie; Marvin & Alice; Cathy; Kh. Kristina; Sitto; Elias; Waded; Neva; Bill; Lonnie; Fr. George; Iva Lee; Adrian T; Nancy & Shalayna; Jennifer A’s family; Rigsby family; those suffering in the drug crisis in the USA
Today’s Epistle and Gospel Readings
Prokeimenon: “Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers.”
Verse: “For Thou art just in all that Thou hast done for us.” Daniel 3:26,27
Epistle: The Reading is from St. Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews. (11:24-26, 32-40)
Brethren, by faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets; who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, and put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
Gospel: The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. John. (1:43-51)
At that time, Jesus decided to go to Galilee. And He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, “We have found Him of Whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” Nathanael said to Jesus, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God! Thou art the King of Israel!” Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.”
Divine Liturgy Variables
(Words my vary from those printed here.)
Resurrectional Apolytikion – Tone 5
Let us believers praise and worship the Word; co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit, born of the Virgin for our salvation. For, He took pleasure in ascending the Cross in the flesh to suffer death; and to raise the dead by His glorious Resurrection.
Apolytikion of the First Sunday of Great Lent – Tone 2
Thy pure image do we venerate, O good One, asking forgiveness of our sins, O Christ our God; for by Thine own will Thou didst ascend the Cross in Thy body, to save Thy creatures from the bondage of the enemy. Thou hast verily filled all with joy, since Thou didst come, O our Savior, to save the world.
Kontakion for the Annunciation (and Great Lent) – 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.
St. Basil’s Megalynarion (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.
Confession of Faith on Sunday of Orthodoxy
As the prophets beheld, as the Apostles have taught,…as the Church has received…as the teachers have dogmatized,…as the Universe has agreed,…as Grace has shown forth,… as Truth has revealed,…as falsehood has been dissolved,…as Wisdom has presented, …as Christ awarded,…thus we declare,…thus we assert,…thus we preach Christ our true God, and honor as Saints in words, in writings, in thoughts, in sacrifices, in churches, in Holy Icons; on the one hand worshipping and reverencing Christ as God and Lord; and on the other hand honoring as true servants of the same Lord of all and accordingly offering them veneration.
(LOUDER) This is the Faith of the Apostles, this is the Faith of the Fathers, this is the Faith of the Orthodox, this is the Faith which has established the Universe.