Sunday, March 4, 2018 Matins, 9:00 am :: Divine Liturgy, 10:00 am 2 nd Sunday of Lent St. Gregory Palamas

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1 Sunday, March 4, 2018 Matins, 9:00 am :: Divine Liturgy, 10:00 am 2 nd Sunday of Lent St. Gregory Palamas Pastor: Father Andrew Kishler Parish Council officers: Parish Council members: Chair, Michael Kasap Vice Chair, Matthew Rowan Secretary, Lynette Forsa Treasurer, Anysia Medawar Genie Sanders Jennifer Harshman Leo Kapetaneas

2 Today s holy bread and coffee hour: Ladies of St. George Epistle reader: Nicole Wiltse Next week s holy bread and coffee hour: Ron and Dottie Malooley Hymns of the Day, immediately after the Small Entrance: Troparion of the Resurrection (Tone 6): When Mary stood at Thy grave, looking for Thy sacred body, angelic powers shone above Thy revered tomb; and the soldiers who were to keep guard became as dead men. Thou led Hades captive and wast not tempted thereby. Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst give life to the world, O Thou, Who art risen from the dead, O Lord, glory to Thee. Troparion 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. Troparion for St. George the Great-Martyr (Tone 4): Since thou art a liberator and deliverer of captives, a help and succour of the poor and needy, a healing physician of the sick, a contender and fighter for kings, O great among martyrs, the victory-clad George: Intercede with Christ God for the salvation of our souls. Kontakion to the Theotokos (Tone 8): To thee, the Champion Leader, I thy servant ascribe thank-offerings of victory! For thou hast delivered me from terrors, O Theotokos. But as thou hast that power which is invincible, from all dangers set me free, that I may cry out unto thee: Hail, O Bride without bridegroom! THE EPISTLE O Lord, Thou wilt preserve us and keep us from this generation. Save me, O Lord, for the godly man hath disappeared. The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews (1:10-2:3) 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. THE GOSPEL The Reading 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! Hymn to the Theotokos for Great Lent (sung in Arabic): All of creation rejoices in thee, O Full of Grace: the assembly of angels and the race of man. O Sanctified Temple and Spiritual Paradise, the Glory of Virgins, from whom God was incarnate and became a child, our God before the ages! He made thy body into a throne and thy womb he made more spacious than the heavens. All of creation rejoices in thee, O Full of Grace; Glory to Thee! 3

4 Announcements and Upcoming Events For a full calendar of events and services at St. George, see our website, Today: Children s Church school, downstairs immediately after Holy Communion. This week: Wednesday, March 7: Third Presanctified Liturgy, 6pm. Friday, March 9: Third Akathist to the Theotokos, 6pm. Saturday, March 10: Vespers, 6pm. Next Sunday, March 11: Sunday of the Holy Cross. Matins, 9am; Divine Liturgy, 10am. The procession with the Holy Cross will take place at the end. Remember during this holy season to give generously to our Archdiocese Food for Hungry People program, supporting orphans, war refugees, and others in need throughout Syria and the Middle East. You may give online at or write a check to St. George Church, marked Food for Hungry People in the memo line. Thank you all who assisted with this past week s Prayers for the Valley service! We hosted clergy and parishioners from about 8 or 9 other local churches (Roman Catholic, mainline Protestant, Evangelical, and Pentecostal). Thank you to all of our members for your wonderful hospitality! Our neighbor Spring Valley United Church of Christ plans to host a Living Last Supper on Sunday, March 18, at 2pm. This is dramatized play, based on the Lord s Last Supper with his Apostles. Offerings will go the local food pantries. The 2018 Holy Bread and Coffee Hour list is downstairs by the food tables. Please take a look at when your family appears on the list, and make any necessary corrections. St. George Church 100 th Anniversary: In 2018, our church turns 100 years old! Bishop Anthony plans to visit us the weekend of November 2-4, 2018 to help us celebrate. Special thanks to Beverly Malooley for organizing and planning this event! See also the announcement on page 6. Do you have an announcement for the bulletin? Please contact Fr. Andrew no later than Friday each week for inclusion in the Sunday bulletin. 4

5 Sunday Volunteer Schedule Holy Bread/Coffee Hour Epistle Reader TODAY Ladies of St. George Nicole Wiltse Sunday, March 11 Ron/Dottie Malooley Christina Kapetaneas Sunday, March 18 Bill/Mary Miller The Ladies of St. George Sunday, March 25 Michael Kasap The Ladies of St. George Sunday, April 1 Palm Sunday Sunday, April 8 Pascha Sunday Richard/Bette Malooley Bob Abraham George Forsa Mark Kerasotes Sunday, April 15 Medawar/Sanders Wayne Sanders Regarding HOLY BREAD, you are welcome to bake your own, or use the bread provided by the church (donations of any amount are appreciated). On your Sunday, please also provide to Father Andrew a list of names (living and departed) for prayers during the Liturgy. COFFEE HOUR may be as simple or elaborate as you want. While CLEAN UP is primarily the responsibility of those who provide coffee hour, all of us should help by bussing our own tables and cleaning up as we are able! * SHADED DATES indicate fasting. No meat should be served on these dates. 5

6 From Beverly Malooley: March Birthdays and Anniversaries May God grant you many years! (Please let Father know if we are missing anyone!) March 4 Ron Ford March 14 Bill Miller March 19 Isaac Kishler March 23 Anne Abraham March 26 Nan McNatt March 27 Opal McNatt March 30 Christopher Baran St. George Church of Spring Valley 100 Years ~ Each week we will provide 100 year celebration updates, reminders, and request for information! This week s requests: 1. Pictures of former priests: These pictures do not have to be just of the priest, but also "action" shots, such as a priest performing a wedding, baptism, etc. Provide me the original, which I will return once I copy it, or scan and Year Gala Dinner / Need Reservation Save the Date: Saturday, November 3 - $100 per person. Seating is limited; reserve now to guarantee a place! Tables seat 10. Include complete list of names in your reservation. Make checks payable to "St. George 100 Year." Year Celebration Luncheon / Need Reservation Save the Date: Sunday, November 4 Complimentary/no charge. Although it s free, I still need your reservation for this as well. All parishioners, friends, and alumni including children attending Divine Liturgy are invited. Please indicate # of children in your reservation. All reservations can be directed with "100 Year" in the subject line and send to bmalooley@comast.net. 4. Make checks payable to "St. George 100 Year" and send to: Beverly Malooley, 14 Westminster Drive, Spring Valley, IL

7 On the Second Sunday of the Fast, we make remembrance of our father among the saints, Gregory Palamas, archbishop of Thessalonica. This divine father was born in Asia and was brought up from infancy in the royal palace of Constantinople. When he was of age, Gregory left the palace and gave himself to asceticism on Mount Athos. He eventually moved to Thessalonica to seek cure for the diseases he contracted because of his asceticism and piety. In 1349, he was elevated to the episcopacy, tending to his people in an Apostolic fashion for 13 years. He is glorified as an ascetic, a theologian, a hierarch and a miracle-worker, who forsook a prominent, secular lifestyle to take up his cross and follow Christ. The Most-Holy Theotokos, St. John the Theologian, St. Demetrius, St. Anthony the Great, St. John Chrysostom and angels of God appeared to him at different times. Through his intercessions, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy upon us. Amen. You should venerate not only the icon of Christ, but also the similitude of His cross. For the cross is Christ's great sign and trophy of victory over the devil and all his hostile hosts; for this reason they tremble and flee when they see the figuration of the cross. This figure, even prior to the crucifixion, was greatly glorified by the prophets and wrought great wonders; and when He who was hung upon it, our Lord Jesus Christ, comes again to judge the living and the dead, this His great and terrible sign will precede Him, full of power and glory (cf. Mt 24.30). So glorify the cross now, so that you may boldly look upon it then and be glorified with it. And you should venerate icons of the saints, for the saints have been crucified with the Lord; and you should make the sign of the cross upon your person before doing so, bringing to mind their communion in the sufferings of Christ. In the same way you should venerate their holy shrines and any relic of their bones; for God's grace is not sundered from these things, even as the divinity was not sundered from Christ's venerable body at the time of His life-quickening death. 7 ~ St. Gregory Palamas, On Holy Icons

8 Daily Bible Readings March 4-10 Sunday, March 4 St. Gregory Palamas Hebrews 1:10-2:3 / Mark 2:1-12 Monday, March 5 St. Mark the Ascetic Isaiah 8:13-9:7 / Genesis 6:9-22 / Proverbs 8:1-21 Tuesday, March 6 42 Martyrs of Amorion in Phrygia Isaiah 9:9-10:4 / Genesis 7:1-5 / Proverbs 8:32-9:11 Wednesday, March 7 Martyred Bishops of Cherson Isaiah 10:12-20 / Genesis 7:6-9 / Proverbs 9:12-18 Thursday, March 8 Theophylact the Confessor, Bishop of Nicomedia Isaiah 11:10-12:2 / Genesis 7:11-8:3 / Proverbs 10:1-22 Friday, March 9 40 Martyrs of Sebastia Hebrews 12:1-10 / Matthew 20:1-16 Saturday, March 10 Martyr Quadratus and his companions Hebrews 10:32-38 / Mark 2:14-17 Videos of sermons and Feast Day services are available on our website, Follow St. George Orthodox Church of Spring Valley on Facebook for daily Bible readings and lives of the saints. Please be aware that photographs and videos from our church appear on our website and Facebook page. Please feel free to let us know if you would prefer not to have your pictures online. 8