JANUARY 10, 2016 THE SUNDAY AFTER THEOPHANY ST GREGORY OF NYSSA

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1 St. Mark Antiochian Orthodox Church Self-ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, Diocese of the West Sky Park Circle, Irvine CA (949) Church Office Hours: M-F, 9:30 am 4:30 pm Website: Archpriest Michael Laffoon, Priest Patrick Irish Protodeacon George Moubayed, Sub Deacon Athanasius Fakhouri Choir Director Barbara Scholl Chanters: Jacob Bahbah, Theresa Joubran, Mark Ellis, Karim Youssef & Jake Bahbah Church Office Administrator: Lydia Wakileh Teen Advisors: Paula Rodriguez and Dana Chade Sunday Schedule: Orthros (Matins) & Confessions 8:45 a.m. Divine Liturgy 10:00 a.m. JANUARY 10, 2016 THE SUNDAY AFTER THEOPHANY ST GREGORY OF NYSSA

2 REFRAINS OF THE SECOND ANTIPHONS Save us, O Son of God, who was baptized by John in the Jordan, who sing to thee. During the Entrance Troparion of the Theophany of Christ in the First Tone: When Thou, O Lord, wast baptized in the Jordan, worship of the Trinity wast made manifest; for the voice of the Father bare witness to Thee, and called Thee His beloved Son. And the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the truthfulness of His word. O Christ our God, Who hast revealed Thyself and hast enlightened the world, glory to Thee. ENTRANCE HYMN Come let us worship and fall down before Christ. Save us, O Son of God, who art risen from the dead, who sing to thee. Alleluia. HYMNS AFTER THE ENTRANCE Troparion of the Resurrection in the Seventh Tone: Thou didst shatter death by Thy Cross, Thou didst open paradise to the thief; Thou didst turn the sadness of the ointment-bearing women into joy. And didst bid Thine Apostles proclaim a warning, that Thou hast risen O Christ, granting to the world the Great Mercy. Troparion of the Theophany of Christ in the First Tone (Repeat) Troparion to St. Mark in the Fourth Tone: From thy childhood the light of truth enlightened thee, O Mark, and thou didst love the labor of Christ the Savior. Wherefore thou didst follow Peter with zeal and didst serve Paul as a fellow laborer and didst enlighten the world with thy holy Gospel. Kontakion of the Theophany of Christ in the Fourth Tone: Today Thou hast appeared to the universe, O Lord, and Thy light hath been shed upon us, who praise Thee with knowledge, saying, Thou hast come and appeared, O unapproachable Light Prokeimenon: (Psalm 32:22,1) Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us. Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous. The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians. (4:7-13) Brethren, grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ s gift. Therefore it is said, When He ascended on high He led a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men. (In saying, He ascended, what does it mean but that He had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is He who also ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) And

3 His gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Alleluia Verses: (Psalm 88:1,2) I will sing of your mercies, O Lord, forever. For you have said: Mercy shall be built up forever. The reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (4:12-17) At that time, when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulon and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: The land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned. From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand Holy Oblations are offered today by Lydia Wakileh & family for Ibrahim Wakileh and Protodeacon George on their birthdays, by the Bahbah, Wakileh, Turk and Hadshiti families for the soul of their Aunt Antoinette (Bahbah) Abu Joudeh departed this life in Michigan last week 1/3, may her Memory be Eternal, by Esperance Hadshiti and family for the soul of her husband Tony and his brother Fouad Hadshiti, by the Scholl and Dibs family for Steve's birthday, by the Daruty and Wilde families for our wife, mother, and siti Goldie Daruty, on her birthday, and by Fr. Michael and Kh. Donna for Matthew and Sophia Whitacre on the occasion of their wedding anniversary. Today the Antiochian Women of St Mark are serving Zalabieh at Coffee Hour. donation $3 per 5 pieces Please remember in your prayers: Odette Chade, Maha Kureh, Darlyne Dibs, Eleanor Wackeen, Georgette Salameh, Lourice Kishek, Paul and June Anter and the suffering people of Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, Libya, Palestine, Yemen, Ukraine, West Africa, Nepal and all people afflicted with disease and violence.

4 Ushers serving Today: Ghassan Awayjan & Sami Nino Ushers serving Next week: Michael Asaly, Gabriel Attallah Altar boys serving Today: Andrew Khamis, Alex Turk, Jay Skaff, Paul Rodriguez. Altar boys serving next week: James Bahbah, Peter Williams, Nicholas Bahou, Youssef Youssef. Quote from the Saints A greedy appetite for food is terminated by satiety and the pleasure of drinking ends when our thirst is quenched. And so it is with the other things But the possession of virtue, once it is solidly achieved, cannot be measured by time nor limited by satiety. Rather, to those who are its disciples it always appears as something ever new and fresh.. -- St. Gregory of Nyssa Canned Food Drive Low employment and homelessness continue to be significant problems, even in affluent Orange County. In light of this, the ongoing canned food collection of our parish is a small but important way to help. Please try to bring something to go in the collection barrel every week. Good Samaritan Fund Several years ago, St. Mark Church established a fund for assisting those in need, both within our parish and in the general community. From time to time we ask for contributions to the Good Samaritan Fund, and this is one of those times. If you are in need of assistance or you are aware of someone in our parish that needs financial assistance, please speak with Fr. Michael. Church Etiquette Please be on time for services; those arriving late should not approach the Chalice for Communion. To receive Communion, one must be a baptized/chrismated Orthodox Christian who has prepared by prayer, fasting, alms giving, and regular confession. Confessions are heard on Wednesday and Saturday evenings after Great Vespers and during the week by appointment. Men, women, and children: please dress modestly for services. Please remove lip balm or lipstick before receiving Communion or kissing the holy icons, Chalice, or Gospel. If you wish to stand for the entire service, please do so in the back or the aisle so as not to block the view of others who may need to sit. When seated, we should refrain from a posture of relaxation (e.g., crossing legs or arms).

5 Pledges, Tithes, Donations: Giving 10% of one s income is God-pleasing, as are all gifts offered by a pious and cheerful giver with a humble heart. Membership forms, renewed annually, are located in the Hall. Children are welcome! Yet, if they interfere with the prayers of the faithful, we all may need a break. Food and drink (and toys) are not allowed in the Temple. Today Annual Christmas Luncheon of the Antiochian Women of St. Mark at Citrus Cafe. House blessings We are now in House Blessing Season. To schedule a house blessing, please contact Fr Michael by calling the church office, (949) or via at frmlaffoon@yahoo.com When Fr Michael comes to your home, please turn off all televisions and other distractions and prepare a list of the living to be remembered in the prayers As many of you know, we have had a serious roach infestation in our kitchen. Just before Christmas, we hired a professional extermination company to clean and disinfect all the cupboards in our kitchen, hand wash all dishes, pans, pots etc., steam clean the cupboards, clean underneath the freezers, refrigerator and ovens and power wash the floor. They then placed multiple types of baits, dusts, etc. to exterminate any surviving bugs. It is now vital that we minimize anything that would allow roaches to re-establish themselves. Food or food particles cannot be left out in the kitchen. Food spilled on to the floor, especially grease must be cleaned immediately. Sugar and other such items must be kept in sealed containers when not in use. This clean up and extermination was an expensive item. If we exercise proper hygiene, we can avoid this in the future..this Week Tuesday January 12, 6:30 p.m. Last evening Becoming Truly Human session Wednesday January 13, Vespers 6:30 p.m. Thursday January 14, Parish Council 6:30 p.m. Saturday January 16, Becoming Truly Human half-day retreat Next week Sunday January 17, Antiochian Women of St. Mark Monthly meeting after Church in the Teen room Wednesday January 20, Vespers 6:30 p.m.

6 Upcoming Services & Events Saturday January 13, Mark your Calendar for our Church Annual Valentine Day at our beautiful Church Hall, more information to come!! Our annual Anaheim Ducks Hockey game followed by Broomball with St. Luke s and St. Mark s will be held on Sunday, February 21 at 4 pm. The discounted price of $25 per ticket will be booked when a check is received, made payable to "Anaheim Ducks" (box office price is $30). There is a limited block of 200 seats and once they are gone, we can't get more at this price. Contact for St. Mark is Barbara Scholl. Contact for St. Luke Church is Frank Kouri. Your contact has gift certificates in case you'd like to give these as holiday gifts. Broomball will be after the game on the ice at Honda Center at no extra charge and only available to our group. Questions? Call Barbara Scholl at If you see any conflicts, let me know. It will be a fun connection for all! In Christ, Barbara Scholl The Order of St. Ignatius of Antioch Fellowship Dinner Sunday January 31, :30 p.m. Social 6:00 Dinner Bistro Gardens, Studio City Please join Metropolitan Joseph for the Los Angeles area Fellowship Dinner. Tickets are $80 per person. Please contact Concetta Smarius for reservations or information at or at concettasmarius@yahoo.com. All members of the Order are encouraged to attend. Friends and prospective members are welcome. ORANGE COUNTY ORTHODOX YOUNG PROFESSIONALS Check out a list of upcoming meetings and activities. For more information and to get involved, please contact Kyra Pelachik at hi_imkyra@yahoo.com or Charlie Kassaseya at Charlesgk@gmail.com or call For an updated list of events, please visit "IS EVERY THOUGHT YOURS?" St. Paul s Young Adult group is open to all. Our evenings go from 7pm-9pm. For more information contact our young adult director

7 at or visit our website at and January: 26th ; February: 9th & 23rd March 8th & 22nd ; April: 12th & 26th May: 10th & 24th We have begun our 2016 Pledge Drive. In your bulletin you should find a Pledge Card for the New Year. Please fill in and place these cards in the White Box on the table by the bulletin board, so that we can fulfill the 2016 Budget as passed by the parish at our annual meeting. St. Mark 2016 Stewardship Pledge Drive Progress Report Thank you to all of you who have made their 2016 Pledge Commitment to St. Mark. As of January 8, we have 50 pledges for a total of $93,570 pledged. The 2016 Calendars are here. Please pick up one Calendar per family from the table at the hall by the bulletin board. The 55th St. Nicholas Ladies Society Sweetheart Ball Saturday, February 20, 2016, 6pm Pull out your Ball gown and dust off your Tuxedo! Plan on spending a delightful evening with your family and friends at the prestigious Century Plaza Hotel. Join us in supporting our Cathedral as we celebrate our beautiful St. Nicholas Debutantes. Tania Matar will be taking reservations starting on Sunday, November 22, taniamatta@sbcglobal.net or Yours in Christ, Caren Deeb Kouri ;Sweetheart Ball Chairman; BUY SCRIP Our Ladies Guild buys scrip from many and various stores and Restaurants (see list included in this Bulletin) at a 3 to 10% discount. When you buy the scrip, which is accepted just like cash at the issuing store, the Parish benefits. You pay no more for these goods and services and are making a donation to our parish. You can purchase this scrip from Saudi Turk at the coffee hour.

8 Scrip Dear St. Mark Church, The Kroger Family of Stores is committed to bringing hope and help to local communities. We do this through a variety of activities, including charitable giving, sponsorships and the unique Community Rewards Program of Ralphs. We are also committed to carefully protecting our customers' personal information. In order to meet their expectation of privacy, we have adopted a simple policy to never share a customer's personal information. Our privacy policy applies to Community Rewards participation as well. As your neighborhood food retailer, we deeply value our ability to support local organizations like yours. Your supporters (16 households) who shopped at Ralphs between and (Cycle 16, Qtr 1) have contributed to your $ total donation. Your organization will be receiving a Kroger check in this amount within 30 days from If you have any questions, please community.programs@ralphs.com or visit our website at Thank you for your continued support of your local Ralphs store. Don't forget to use your newsletter, website, and events to encourage your supporters to link to your organization. The more your supporters shop with us, the more money your organization will earn! Thank you, Community Rewards Staff Gregory of Nyssa, Commemorated on January 10 Saint Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, was a younger brother of St Basil the Great (January 1). His birth and upbringing came at a time when the Arian disputes were at their height. Having received an excellent education, he was at one time a teacher of rhetoric. In the year 372, he was consecrated by St Basil the Great as bishop of the city of Nyssa in Cappadocia. St Gregory was an ardent advocate for Orthodoxy, and he fought against the Arian heresy with his brother St Basil. Gregory was persecuted by the Arians, by whom he was falsely accused of improper use of church property, and thereby deprived of his See and sent to Ancyra. In the year 381 St Gregory was one of the chief figures of the Second Ecumenical Council, convened at Constantinople against the heresy of Macedonius, who incorrectly taught about the Holy Spirit. At this Council, on the initiative of St Gregory, the Nicean Symbol of Faith (the Creed) was completed.

9 In the year 383, St Gregory of Nyssa participated in a Council at Constantinople, where he preached a sermon on the divinity of the Son and the Holy Spirit. In 386, he was again at Constantinople, and he was asked to speak the funeral oration in memory of the empress Placilla. Again in 394 St Gregory was present in Constantinople at a local Council, convened to resolve church matters in Arabia. St Gregory of Nyssa was a fiery defender of Orthodox dogmas and a zealous teacher of his flock, a kind and compassionate father to his spiritual children, and their intercessor before the courts. He was distinguished by his magnanimity, patience and love of peace. Having reached old age, St Gregory of Nyssa died soon after the Council of Constantinople. Together with his great contemporaries, Sts Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian, St Gregory of Nyssa had a significant influence on the Church life of his time St Gregory left behind many remarkable works of dogmatic character, as well as sermons and discourses. He has been called "the Father of Fathers."

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