Twenty-Eighth Sunday after Pentecost Conception of the Theotokos by Righteous Anna Consecration of the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem

Transcription

1 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2018 Twenty-Eighth Sunday after Pentecost Conception of the Theotokos by Righteous Anna Consecration of the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem Tone 3 Eothinon 6 // SAINT ELIAS ORTHODOX CHURCH 408 E. 11 STREET AUSTIN, TX (512) TH WELCOME to all our visitors worshipping with us! Please be sure to sign the Guest Book or fill out a Visitor s Card and drop it in the collection plate (or give it to a greeter). Please be our guest downstairs in the Fellowship Hall for coffee and refreshments after the service this morning. We look forward to meeting you and welcoming you personally to Saint Elias. We re glad you re here!

2 ST ELIAS ORTHODOX CHURCH A Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America and the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America METROPOLITAN JOSEPH, PRIMATE BISHOP BASIL, BISHOP OF WICHITA Parish Office: The Parish Office is located at: Research Blvd, Ste. A110 Austin, TX Church Office Phone: (512) Church Hall Phone: (512) Office Hours: Tuesday Friday 10:00 AM 4:00 PM Church & Clergy addresses: Office: office@sainteliaschurch.org Very Rev. Fr. David Barr, Pastor frdavidbarr@gmail.com Rev. Fr. Raphael Daly, Assistant Pastor synaxis@gmail.com Very Rev. Fr. Traian Buican tbuican@yahoo.com Reverend Archdeacon Niketas Sanders niketas@yahoo.com Reverend Deacon Gregory Farman gregfarman@gmail.com Reverend Deacon Elisha Long rlongsummer@gmail.com Parish Council: Officers: Mark Cherry, Chairman Philip Gunter, Vice Chairman Adam Wall, Treasurer Imad Zaccak, Secretary Members: Nesreen Khoury David Jabour James Mercier Michael Friends Alexandre Rourk Sam Ibrahim Organizational Representatives: Choir: Bill Attal Church School: Dn. Elisha Long OYA: Adam Wall Ladies Guild: Danielle Wolf Check out our parish website: Sacraments: Baptism, Matrimony, Adult Initiation Contact the Church Office and set up an appointment with the Pastor to discuss the arrangements for these sacraments. Pastoral Care of the Sick Please call the Parish Office with names of the sick and hospitalized of the parish so they can receive proper pastoral care. Offering the Holy Bread Sign up to offer Holy Bread by calling the Church Office. Become a Member of St. Elias We would love to have you be a part of our community! Please talk to the Pastor or call the Church Office to get an information packet on becoming a member of the parish. Times for Confession: Confessions are heard before Vespers on Saturday evenings, and by appointment during the week. One of the priests will be available in the church starting at 5:00 PM prior to Vespers. You may also call the church office or one of the priests to set up an appointment for confession. To indicate your desire to go to Confession, come to the front right pew and wait for the priest.

3 THE DIVINE LITURGY OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM 8:30 AM Liturgy: Congregational Singing We will use the blue-covered Congregational Liturgy books found in the pews this morning for the 8:30 AM Divine Liturgy. Check the Early Liturgy supplement for music for the Troparia of the day. 10:30 AM Liturgy: St. Elias Choir The Divine Liturgy may be found in the white Visitor s Liturgy books. When we reach the point in the service for Antiphons and hymns, the ones for today's service are listed below and on the next page. 1st Antiphon It is good to give praise unto the Lord, and to chant unto Thy name, O Most High. Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Saviour, save us. To proclaim in the morning Thy mercy, and Thy truth by night. Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Saviour, save us. Upright is the Lord our God, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Saviour, save us. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Saviour, save us. 2nd Antiphon The Lord is King, He is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength and He hath girt Himself. O Son of God who art risen from the dead, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia! For He established the world which shall not be shaken. O Son of God who art risen from the dead, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia! Holiness becometh Thy house, O Lord, unto length of days. O Son of God who art risen from the dead, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia! Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. and Only-begotten Son 3rd Antiphon Troparion of the Resurrection (Tone 3) The Daily Hymns Troparion of the Resurrection (Tone 3) Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad; for the Lord hath done a mighty act with his own arm. He hath trampled down death by death and become the Firstborn from the dead. He hath delivered us from the depths of hades, granting the world great mercy.

4 Troparion of the Conception (Tone 4) Today the bonds of childlessness are loosed; for God hearkened to Joachim and Anna. And though it was beyond hope, He clearly promised them that they should bear a divine child, from whom was born the Uncircumscribable One Himself Who became a mortal, and through an Angel commanded them to cry unto her: Rejoice, thou who art full of grace; the Lord is with thee.. Troparion of the Prophet Elias (Tone 4) The incarnate Angel and the Prophets summit and boast, the forerunner of the second coming of Christ our God, Elias the glorious, from above sent down his grace upon Elisha; he doth cast out sickness and doth also cleanse lepers; and unto all that honour him, he poureth forth streams of cures. Kontakion for the Conception (Tone 3) All the world doth celebrate Anna s conception on this day with festive joy, because it came to pass through God; for by divine grace she hath conceived her that beyond words conceiveth the Word of God. Prokeimenon in Tone 4 (from Psalm 67) Wondrous is God in His saints, even the God of Israel. In congregations bless ye God, the Lord from the well-springs of Israel. The Reading is from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Galatians 4:22-27 rethren, Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and one by a free B woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, the son of the free woman through promise. Now this is an allegory: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written, Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and shout, you who are not in travail; for the children of the desolate one are many more than the children of her that is married. Alleluia Verses in Tone 1 (from Psalm 19) The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord, and he is their defender in a time of affliction. And the Lord shall help them and shall deliver them, and He will rescue them from sinners and will save them because they hoped in Him.

5 The Holy Gospel St. Luke 13:10-17 t that time, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the A sabbath. And there was a woman who had had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her, Woman, you are freed from your infirmity. And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and she praised God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, said to the people, There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed and not on the sabbath day. Then the Lord answered him, You hypocrite! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger, and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? As Jesus said this, all his adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him. Sermon: Father David Barr Today s Commemorations Prayers are requested for those on the St. Elias Prayer List: Elaine Jabour, Jawad Ghanayem, Rachel Esler, Nader Jaber, Martha Dent, Adele Homsieh, Marie Khoury as well as Emily, Yekaterina, and Yvonne Debs Prayers are requested for our catechumens: Micah and Emerald Boggs, Luke Cain, Joshua Demerin, Timothy Fleisher, Paul Nichols, Brandon and Trestae Jones, Donna Kindred, Shawn Kirkpatrick, Luke Kubena, Jessica Nillson, Raul, Ali and Simon Scully, and Pamela Montalvo and Alex Goins. Prayers are requested by Bishop BASIL for Metropolitan Paul of Aleppo, Syria, and the Syrian Orthodox Archbishop Youhanna (John), also from Aleppo, Metropolitan Saba and the clergy and people of our sister diocese of Bosra-Hauran, Bishop Alexander, Khouriya Olga Atty, Khouriya Elizabeth Bethoney, Father Daniel Griffith, Father Michael & Khouriya Angelina Keiser, Father John & Khouriya Cheryl Morris, Archdeacon George & Shamassy Linda Palmer, Father Richard Petranek, Michael Purpura, Father Stephen & Khouriya Joan Walinski, Father Mark Wallace, and Khouriya Jody Williams. Departed remembered from the Parish Dyptichs: for the repose of Jake M. Mecey ( 12/10/1958) and Albert Jabour ( 12/13/1954). These names come from the parish dyptichs the record of those who have been buried from St. Elias. May their memory be eternal.

6 At the Divine Liturgy during the Great Entrance, we normally commemorate only Orthodox Christians by name among the living and departed since this is the Church praying for the Church. Non-Orthodox are remembered liturgically in prayers at Vespers and other intercessory services of the Church. On Receiving Holy Communion in the Orthodox Church: Only Orthodox Christians who are prepared through prayer, fasting, and a recent sacramental confession should approach the Chalice for the Eucharist. The Orthodox Church does not practice open communion and has no intercommunion with other churches (non-orthodox). If you have any questions concerning this, please talk to one of the priests before taking communion. And Remember to receive Holy Communion, one should be present at the Divine Liturgy no later than the time for the Epistle and Gospel readings. We feed both our minds and our hearts as part of the Orthodox Christian life. To feast on the Lord without listening to his words is disrespectful. Announcements for Sunday, December 9 Our Greeters this morning are Mark Cherry (8:30) and James Mercier (10:30). Thank you for this important ministry of hospitality. Next week s greeters are Michael Friends (8:30) and Imad Zaccak (10:30) Thank you for this important ministry of hospitality. Coffee Hour Schedule December 2: A-C * December 9: D-I * December 16: J-Q* December 23: R-Z* December 30: Everyone brings *Advent Fast Mark your calendars for your week and participate in this ministry of fellowship in our parish. And remember, help clean up afterwards on your Sunday St. Nicholas Day Celebration Today we have our annual St. Nicholas Celebration after each Liturgy, complete with the Church School children singing, some fresh baked treats, and a visit from Santa! 2019 Calenders Have Arrived Be sure to pick up your church calendar for the new year!

7 What is the difference? Sunday Adult Ed Class Fr. Daniel is offering a series of classes at 10:15AM in which we will try to investigate the issues that have separated Christians over the centuries. This Sunday the topic of Fr Daniel s class will be Martin Luther. We will have a guest speaker, Brandon Jones who is a graduate of a Lutheran seminary. The Advent Fast Has Begun The Advent Fast, sometimes called the Little Lent in the Orthodox Church, begins on November 15 and continues through Christmas Eve, December 24. We break the fast after the celebration of the Divine Liturgy of the Nativity of Christ. Advent offers us a time of preparation for our Lord s birth. In the midst of all the commercialism, hustle and bustle, and emotional roller-coaster of the Christmas season, we need the Advent Fast more than ever. Advent should be more than just a fast, it should also be a time of intensified prayer and scripture reading as well as a quiet time of preparation. There is plenty of time to party after the feast! Keeping the Advent Fast: Wednesdays and Fridays are strict fast days as usual (abstain from meat, meat products, dairy products, eggs, fish, wine and alcohol, and olive oil). On other days of the week we are permitted fish, wine and olive oil through December 20. Starting on December 20, the discipline of the fast if stricter for the final days of the fast. During this period, no fish is to be eaten and wine (all alcohol) and olive oil are permitted only on Saturdays and Sundays. Honor Bishop Basil Support Diocesan Missions Every year we have the opportunity to celebrate the feast of St. Basil the Great and honor our own Bishop BASIL by donating to the Bishop BASIL Missions Endowment Fund of our Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America. The Missions Endowment campaign started in 1975 and in 1992 when Bishop BASIL was consecrated the fund was established in his honor to augment financial support for our missionary efforts. Our missionary efforts have changed as our needs have changed. There is a committee now working on a proposal for a traveling priest to pastor some small geographically isolated parishes in our diocese. The income from the endowment could help subsidize this program, enabling this priest to provide spiritual leadership and care to those with no other Orthodox options nearby. Contribute by January 31, 2019

8 Catechism Classes 2018/2019 Saturday Afternoons before Great Vespers Each year, St. Elias holds a series of Catechism Classes. These classes are geared for all those interested in learning more about the Orthodox Church, for those interested in becoming Orthodox, and for our own members who may never have gone through a series of catechism classes. The classes are held on Saturday afternoons in the Parish Library, starting on September 8 at 4:00 PM (before Great Vespers come to the class, stay for Vespers!). Session Date* Topic** 1 9/8 Sources of Doctrine 2 9/29 Nicene Creed - Part I I believe in One God 3 10/6 Nicene Creed - Part II Who is Jesus Christ? 4 10/20 Nicene Creed Part III The Holy Trinity 5 11/3 An Orthodox Approach to the Bible 6 11/17 Mariology and Hagiology 7 12/1 Sacraments & Worship 8 12/15 Theology in Iconography 9 1/12 Spirituality and Prayer 10 1/26 Preparing to Receive the Mysteries Confession and Entrance into the Church *Dates are subject to change. **Topics may be adjusted as needed for the specific class. This class would also be great for anyone (teens, young adults, adults, etc.) who would like to learn more about the Orthodox Church and its beliefs.

9 Church School Teaching Calendar September 9/9 Introduction 9/16 I believe... 9/23 Medfest 9/30 in One God, the Father Almighty... October 10/7 Maker of Heaven and Earth... 10/14 and of all things visible and invisible. 10/21 And in One Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God 10/28 the Only-Begotten, Begotten of the Father before all worlds November 11/4 Light of Light, Very God of Very God 11/11 Begotten, not made; of One essence with the Father 11/18 Thanksgiving 11/25 by Whom all things were made December 12/2 Who for us men and our Salvation 12/9 came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was made man 12/16 And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried 12/23 Winter Break 12/30 Winter Break January 1/06 Theophany 1/13 And the third day He rose again, 1/20 according to the Scriptures 1/27 And ascended into heaven, February 2/03 and sitteth at the right hand of the Father; 2/10 And He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead 2/17 Whose kingdom shall have no end (Publican and Pharisee Sunday) 2/24 And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, and Giver of Life March 3/03 Who proceedeth from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified. 3/10 Who spake by the Prophets; (Forgiveness Sunday) 3/17 Spring Break 3/24 And I believe in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. 3/31 I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. April 4/07 I look for the Resurrection of the dead, 4/14 And the Life of the age to come. Amen. 4/21 Palm Sunday 4/28 Pascha

10 North Campus Building Project Update! Number of Pledges Received: 39 Amount Committed by 12/31/2018: $88,505 Amount Committed over next 5 years: $340,705 Project Cost: $1,900,000 Please support our growth and turn in your pledge by December 23, 2018 Commitments Received From: Alberado, Frank & Kathryn Attal, Bill Bakhaya, Ezzat & Ghada Barr, Fr. David & Kh. Luanne Bennett, Bob & Janet Cherry, Mark & Mollie Daly, Fr. Daniel & Kh. Elfriede Daly, John Daly, Fr. Raphael & Kh. Zohreh Estrada, Manuel Farman, Dcn. Gregory & Sh. Geri Friends, Michael & Victoria Deyeaux Ghebremicael, Abraham & Desire Griffin, Gary & Irene Gunter, Phillip & Jan Hessney, Brenda Ibrahim, Oussama & Rita Jacob, Arthur Khouri, Yvonne Khoury, Nesreen Kim, Sam Long, Dcn. Elisha & Sh. Selina Lukyanova, Vira Mercier, James & Luda With your completed pledge form you can add your leaf to our growing tree! Nikolova-Houston, Tatiana Noguess, Tanner & Joy Rourk, Sasha & Caitlin Rudawski, Stephan & Patricia Sanders, Ardcn. Niketas & Sh. Laura Sayegh, Emil & Rania Schele, Elaine Shannon, Michael & Teresa Smith, Natalia & Rick Tesfasion, Mahari & Miraf Thornton, Joseph Wall, Adam & Chelsea Wolf, Steve & Danielle Zaccak, Imad Eritrean Community Fundraiser

11 2019 Archdiocese Convention Grand Rapids, Michigan For the lowest price you will ever pay, you can buy your 2019 Antiochian Convention Event Package (formerly ticket book) for just $199. This special offer is good for one day only, the Feast of St. Nicholas, Dec. 6th. It will be your entry to the River Walk Party-Street Fair on Thursday, the Antiochian Spotlight From Broadway to Grand Rapids and Grand Hafli on Friday, and Saturday s LIGHT THE NIGHT Gala. (Also included in the teen package is the Teen Dance on Wednesday.) Purchase all of this for only $199 for adults and teens December 6th ONLY. The Event Package for children 5-12 years old is only $79 on Dec. 6th. All prices go up the next day, so don't miss this wonderful St. Nicholas gift to you. Grand Rapids: You'll Love It Here! Christmas Caroling Event Want to bring a little Christmas cheer to someone special? A neighbor, a parent, a shut in? St. Elias Carolers will bring some cheer to a person of your choosing on December 15 between 2pm-4pm. Here s how it will work. 1. Choose a household in Pflugerville or Round Rock (St. Elias parishioner or non-parishioner) 2. Donate a minimum of $25 for the carolers to give a special singing Christmas present to those you ve designated. (All proceeds go towards the 2 nd campus fund.) 3. Get your caroling requests in early to Natalia Smith - a maximum of 8 households can be visited in the Pflugerville Round Rock area for this first caroling venture. To be a part of this special caroling troupe, contact Natalia and let her know you would like to join in. All parishioners of any age are welcome, as long as you are an energetic singer. Once the households and route are determined, all carolers will be notified of when and where to meet to participate in this outreach of Christmas joy and song.

12 This Week at St. Elias Saturday, December 15 Sunday, December 16 5:45 PM 9th Hour 6:00 PM Vespers. Sunday of the Holy Forefathers 8:10 AM 3 rd & 6 th Hours 8:30 AM Divine Liturgy 10:30 AM Divine Liturgy Looking Ahead Monday, December 24 Christmas Eve 5:30 PM Orthros for the Nativity 6:30 PM Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom for the Nativity of Christ