First Sunday of Great Lent (Sunday of Orthodoxy)
Theophylact the Confessor, bishop of Nicomedia; Apostle Hermas of the Seventy
There will be a procession of icons today so we invite you to bring yours from home.
You are always welcome here at All Saints.
Nourishment for the Soul: “Love is the only thing that can bind together God and His creation and bring about social harmony.” – St. Thalassios, the Libyan
Sunday of Orthodoxy Special Collection: Today we will take a donation to support scholarships for seminarians preparing for the priesthood. Checks should be payable to All Saints. We will send one check with all collections tallied.
This evening, Sunday of Orthodoxy Evening Vespers is at 5:00 at Holy Trinity in Carmel. A light fellowship meal will follow the service.
THIS WEEK
Monday, March 9: Compline & Fellowship at the Haneys’ home in Mitchell at 7:00.
Tuesday, March 10: Bible Study at Kh. Marilyn’s home at 7:00
Tuesday, March 10: Men’s Fellowship at the Church at 7:00
Wednesday, March 11: Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts at 6:00; O102 meets afterward with alight meal being served. Fr. Peter Jon’s topic is “Confession.”
Thursday, March 12: Bible Study at Becky’s home at 3:00
Thursday, March 12: OCF Dinner and Discussion at the Webbs’ home at 6:00
Friday, March 13: The Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos at 6:00
Saturday, March 14: Great Vespers at 5:00; SOYO 6:00 – 8:00
Sunday, March 8: Matins at 9:00; Divine Liturgy at 10:00
LOOKING AHEAD
- March is Women’s Month: Women in the church participate by reading the Epistle, ushering, passing the offering trays, and chanting choir verses during Divine Liturgy.
- Calendar update: The Feast of Annunciation will be celebrated on March 25th with an Evening Liturgy replacing the Presanctified Liturgy as previously scheduled. There is no service on March 24th.
- May 1-3 : Holy Dormition Monastery Pilgrimage to Rives Junction, Michigan: Rhonda is the contact person. Your response is needed to secure housing at the monastery on a busy weekend.
Today’s Epistle and Gospel Readings
Epistle: The Reading is from St. Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews. (11:24-26, 32-40).
Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers. For Thou art just in all that Thou hast done for us.
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.”
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 with the choir and preschool going first.
Divine Liturgy Variables for Choir and Parish
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. Wherefore, with thankfulness we cry aloud to thee: Thou hast verily filled all with joy, since Thou didst come, O our Savior, to save the world.
Kontakion for Sundays of 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 Liturgy – The 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.
FAMILY NEWS
Coffee Hour: Parishioners whose names begin with A-B will donate and serve today.
We will observe fasting guidelines during all meals.
The Pantry is still well-supplied. A few jars of peanut butter and some paper goods could be added.
Birthday Greetings: Johanna Grace H (11th); Anna Amber S (13th)
Name Day Blessings: Dan M (Simeon, the New Theologian – 12th)
Memory Eternal: Beverly; Lois; DL; Julia; James
Prayer List: Kim; Dusty; Betsy; Allison; Robin; Doris Finchum; Mary Ann; Vicki; Mat. Raisa; Kaylie and infant Oliver; Rebekah with child; Amanda Hermione with child; Nikki with child; Isaac in Air Force; Fr. Marc; Kh.Vanessa & Anthony Kinder; Fr. George; Fr. Basil & Kh. Cana; Judith Ann; George; Dee; Catherine (not in this parish); Michael & Olga; Eileen; Leanne; Heather;Nancy; Sharon Catherine; Alice & Marvin; Kh. Kristina; Bonnie; Emma; Patricia; Mary & Robert;Shirley; Rose; Lexi, Ross & Vivian; Theo; Doug Barrett;Jeremy; Charles; Grayson; Cleo; Marcia & Deacon; Nick;Bruce; Joanna & Demetrios;Ashlee W; Paul; Cathy; Sitto; Elias; Waded; Neva; Bill; Lonnie; Nancy & Shalayna; Seraphima; Lilly’s family; Jennifer & Regina; those suffering in the drug crisis, with fire devastation, flood damage, and earthquake damage; those suffering in the Middle East; our nation.
Confession of Faith on Sunday of Orthodoxy
(Join in reciting the following with the clergy near 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.