Sunday of Orthodoxy March 5, 2017

Sunday, March 05, 2017

First Sunday of Great Lent (Sunday of Orthodoxy)

Hieromartyr Konon of Isauria; Martyrs Archelaos and his 152 companions in Egypt;

New-martyr John the Bulgarian

**Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great**

 Visitors, you are always welcome here. Parishioners, we miss you when you are not with us.

 Nourishment of the Soul: “When giving, give magnanimously with a look of kindness on your face, and give more than what is asked of you.” – St. Isaac the Syrian

Notes from the Choir: The choir will approach the chalice, first in line followed by the children in the pre-school class. If you want to sing at Pascha, plan now to practice every Sunday in March and one in April.

Food for Hungry Program: During Great Lent, we are encouraged to donate to this fund (enclosed letter). Coin Boxes are available in the hallway. Make checks payable to All Saints, and we will send one check after Holy Pascha.

O101 on Wednesday, March 8th: Fr. Peter Jon will present on “What happened to the 70 Apostles?”

Coffee Hour Foods: Contributors this Sunday are those whose last names start with A -B. Fasting foods are served during Great Lent.

A  Bookmark from the Antiochian Women is in your bulletin today, and a letter to explain its use as a tool of help and comfort in our lives. All people in attendance are welcome to one or several.

March is Women’s Month, so today Linda will read the Epistle, and  Lucia, Jennifer and April will usher. Please see the sign-up sheet in the hallway if you can volunteer. Next week has no one signed up! Spring Break needs to be covered.

 There will be a procession with icons near the end of today’s service. The Clergy and Altar servers are followed by Children with icons, the Choir and then the parishioners and those in attendance.

Tonight: Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Carmel

THIS WEEK

 Wednesday, March 8:  Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts at 6:00 – O101 follows.

Thursday, March 9: Bible Study at Becky’s home with Kh. Marilyn leading  3-5p.m.

Friday March 10:  Akathist Hymn to the Mother of God at 6:00

Saturday, March 11: Great Vespers at 5:00 – Clocks spring forward one hour during the night

Sunday, March 12: Matins at 9:00; Divine Liturgy at 10:00 (Parish Council today instead of the 19th) – Choir Practice following Divine Liturgy

Sunday, March 12: Lenten Great Vespers at 5:00 pm  (Place to be announced next week.)

LOOKING AHEAD

 March 5,12,19,26 & April 2: The choir will practice Pascha music  and Lenten music.

March 18: OCMC Missionary Nathan Hoppe will offer a retreat on Orthodoxy and Missions.  He will present a slide show and Mission Albania update during coffee hour on Sunday the 19th.

FAMILY NOTES

Birthday Greetings: Polina M (5th); Alice P (6th); Rachel L (11th)

Memory Eternal:  Edgar;  Norma; Florence; Mat. Juliana Schmemann;  Kevin Speier, Stephanie; Kristina (Feb.28th)

Prayer List: Hal  and Alex John ; “For the suffering Christians of Syria, Palestine, Iraq, & all of the Middle East, and for those suffering in Ukraine.”; Fr. Steven Rudy (cancer); Finley (infant girl child with stroke and spasms-Improved); Subdn. Daniel (back to work); Fr. Basil; Fr. Philip;  Grant (Leukemia); Chris; Doug & Dorothy Barrett; Eileen; the Tabbals; Mary Ann & Jen; Dee and Don;  Kh.Kristina; Betsy and Hannah; Leslie (paralysis); Jasmine; Deborah & Thomas; James; Becky H; Tom; Annie; Catherine; Janett;  Julian; Kh. Mary Sue Walker; Vicki; Hoppes &  Jesse Brandow (Missionaries); Vivian; Natalie; Senior Saints; Patricia; Nicetas; Barb; Shirley; Metropolitan Paul, Archbishop John; Fr. John Koen; Archpriest George; Adrian; Heather; Susan; Gabriella & Matt; Sara; Shelley; Geni; Emily D; Emma; Nancy; Neal; Bob R;  Leanne; Beth; Lillian; Julie; Roger; Virginia; Marilyn; Eric; Cheryl; Lori; Pam; Debbie; Natasha; Michael & Shelley: Gabriel; Mary; Janet; Kelly; Matushka Raisa; Marty; Charles; Mary; Marvin, Alice; Katie; Ruth; Steve; Romaine; Derek, Claire & Micah; Tim; Sharon; Sherri; Dianna; Michael and Diane; Aaron; Brent; Jennifer; Brigid; Ethan; Lena, Dean; Gayle; Thomas; Amy; Heidi; Gene & Connie, Caleb D; Megan & Colin; Bill & Sandy; Sabrina.

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.

 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 from the Epistle of St. Paul 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 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

(Choir versions may differ somewhat.)

Resurrectional Apolytikion – Tone 4

Having learned the joyful message of the Resurrection from the angel, the women disciples of the Lord cast from them their parental condemnation. And proudly broke the news to the Disciples, saying: Death hath been spoiled; Christ God is risen, granting the world Great Mercy.

Kontakion for 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.

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.

Megalynarion

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

(Join in reciting with the clergy at the end of the service)

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.