PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY: Merriman Road Livonia, Michigan Office: (734)

Transcription

1 AL-NOUR The Light of Christ September 7, 2014 Issue 434 FATHER GEORGE H. SHALHOUB PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY: THE ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX BASILICA OF ST. MARY Merriman Road Livonia, Michigan Office: (734) Sunday Services Confession: 8:30AM Matins: 9:00AM Divine Liturgy: 10:00AM St. Mary s Cultural and Banquet Center (734) And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. Acts 11:26 T Daily Confession by Appointment - Call the Church Office September 7, 2014 Sunday before Exaltation of the Cross The Nativity of the Most-Holy Theotokos (September 8) he Holy Virgin Mary was born of aged parents, Joachim and Anna. Her father was of the lineage of David, and her mother of the lineage of Aaron. Thus, she was of royal birth by her father, and of priestly birth by her mother. In this, she foreshadowed Him Who would be born of her as King and High Priest. Her parents were quite old and had no children. Because of this they were ashamed before men and humble before God. In their humility they prayed to God with tears, to bring them joy in their old age by giving them a child, as He had once given joy to the aged Abraham and his wife Sarah by giving them Isaac. The Almighty and All-seeing God rewarded them with a joy that surpassed all their expectations and all their most beautiful dreams. For He gave them not just a daughter, but the Mother of God. He illumined them not only with temporal joy, but with eternal joy as well. God gave them just one daughter, and she would later give them just one grandson but what a daughter and what a Grandson! Mary, Full of grace, Blessed among women, the Temple of the Holy Spirit, the Altar of the Living God, the Table of the Heavenly Bread, the Ark of God s Holiness, the Tree of the Sweetest Fruit, the Glory of the race of man, the Praise of womanhood, the Fount of virginity and purity this was the daughter given by God to Joachim and Anna. She was born in Nazareth, and at the age of three, was taken to the Temple in Jerusalem. In her young womanhood she returned again to Nazareth, and shortly thereafter heard the Annunciation of the Holy Archangel Gabriel concerning the birth of the Son of God, the Savior of the world, from her mostpure virgin body. From: The Prologue of Ohrid The Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary Fr. George Shalhoub - Pastor Fr. Jim King - Director of Youth & Pastoral Outreach Programs Archdeacon Issa Rizkallah Deacon Dr. Dennis Bojrab Deacon Samer Hanna Salem Samaan - Parish Council Chairman Linda Lawson - Choir Director Stacey Badeen - Church Administrator Christina Stavros - Pastoral Ministries Coordinator Richard Shebib/Sami Azzouz - Ushers Dr. Tom Saba - Young Adults- St. John Divine Irene Saba - Ladies Society President Gloria Sultani - Teen Soyo President Lina Nunu - Arabic School Keith Rowe - Cultural Center General Manager

2 Page 2 THE EPISTLE O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance. To Thee, O Lord, I have cried, O my God. The Reading is from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians Chapter 6:11-18 B rethren, see with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that would compel you to be circumcised and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For even those who receive circumcision do not themselves keep the Law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh. But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. Peace and mercy be upon all, who walk by this rule, upon the Israel of God. Henceforth let no man trouble me; for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen. THE GOSPEL The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. John Chapter 3:13-17 T he Lord said, No one has ascended into heaven but He who descended from heaven, the Son of man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent His Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SAVE THE DATE St. Mary s Annual Grand Banquet Dancing Under the Stars Saturday, November 1, 2014 More information to follow

3 PRAYER CORNER L ord, you are the physician of our souls and body. We pray You grant the following parishioners good health and blessings: Metropolitan PAUL Yazigi, Archbishop Youhanna Ibrahim, George Robert Kaoud, Dr. John Dalack, Zaki Tams, Najla, Fr. John, Rozalin Fakhoury, Pheibi Musallam, Hanaineh Awad, Marwan Qassis, HOLY BREAD OF OBLATION H oly Bread of Oblation is offered by the families, for the month of September, in loving memory of: Jad Alex Harb H oly Bread of Oblation is offered by the families, for the month of September, for the health and well being of: Fouad and Nabiha Kazaleh and their family, Isam and Lily Kazaleh, their children and grandchildren, Upcoming Events for St. Mary Parishioners Sept Ladies Society Fashion Show Sept St. Mary s Golf Outing Nov. 1st - Grand Banquet Experienced Arabic tutor available for in-home tutoring. For more information, please contact Dalia at or kdaya@hotmail.com Page 3 T Thank You he following parishioners and friends of the Basilica of St. Mary have given special donations to the Church in the past few weeks: $100-In loving memory of Jad Alex Harb offered by his wife Rima Harb, $200-For the health and well being of Fouad and Nabiha Kazaleh and family and Isam and Lily Kazaleh, their children and grandchildren. offered by Isam and Lily Kazaleh, $300-For the health and well being newly baptized Makenna Jaclyn Zakaria offered by her grandparents Robert and Rima Zakaria, $500-For the health and well being of newborn Nora Grace and her parents, Drs. Alex and Melissa Shalhoub offered by grandparents Fr. George and Nouhad Shalhoub, $500-In loving memory of John S. Ajlouny and Elias Dabbah offered by Robert and Rima Ajlouny, $1000-For the health and well being of brother Fred Ajlouny and family, sister Samia Ajlouny and family and Suad Ajlouny and family offered by George and Janette Ajlouny, $1000-For the health and well being of newlyweds Dr. George and Michelle Mufarreh, $3000-For the health and well being of newlyweds Said and Jeaneen Farah offered by parents Ray and Rhonda Ajluni, OUR NEW ARRIVALS C ongratulations and best wishes to Drs. Alex and Melissa Shalhoub on the birth of their baby girl, Nora Grace. Proud grandparents are Fr. George and Nouhad Shalhoub and Rosemarie and the late Victor Tomei. May God bless parents, grandparents and child. memorials I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me shall never die. (John 11:25) Oct. 19th - 1 year memorial in loving memory of Evelyn Naser offered by her husband George Naser and family, A Vigil Light is Burning In Loving Devotion or The Health and Well Being F Of: I n Memory Of: Joseph Michael Mouaikel, George Abodeely, Nawal Fakhouri A Very Special Thank You Last week, someone came to the office asking for Fr. George, who was out of town. An envelope was handed to Stacey and the person walked away. The envelope said it was an anonymous donation. A check, in the amount of $12,510.00, was made out to St. Mary s Church. On behalf of everyone here at the Basilica of St. Mary, special thanks and gratitude are given to this very kind and generous person. May God bless them and grant them many years of good health. Fr. George CHURCH SCHOOL BEGINS SEPTEMBER 14TH!

4 Page 4 DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH AND OUTREACH Neither do walls or rich furniture make a home. Millionaires in magnificent mansions may never know a home. But where there are good relationships, where love binds the family together and to God, there happiness is always to be found. For good relationships are heaven anywhere. - Saint Seraphim of Sarov Byzantine Youth Choir ::: COMING SOON ::: Kids & Teenagers (ages 8 18) are invited to audition to participate in a choir that will teach Byzantine Hymnology (Festal Apolytikia) in English, Arabic, and Greek. Choir members will gain a beginning knowledge of the Liturgical Tradition of the Orthodox Church and of Byzantine Musical notation. Please contact Ms. Stavros at the Church for a registration form. Cost is $20 per member. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TBOSM TEEN SOYO OFFICERS ANNOUNCED + WORSHIP (LEITOURGIA) + WITNESS (MARTYRIA) + SERVICE (DIAKONIA) + FELLOWSHIP (KOINONIA) = ULTIMATE GOAL (THEOSIS) To grow in our love for Christ and His Church and to pursue a righteous way of life so that we are continuously and forever united with Him and each other in Him (this is salvation). President: Vice-President: Corresponding Secretary: Recording Secretary: Treasurer: Activities Directors: Ms. Gloria Sultani Mr. Brandon Batarse Ms. Marisa Khamis Ms. Alyssa Abdelnour Ms. Zoe King Mr. Sami Harb and Ms. Sarah Moussa ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CHURCH SCHOOL CO-TEACHER OPENINGS!!! We have four Co-Teacher openings for the TBOSM Church School year (Pre-School, Kindergarten, First and 3/4 Grade). If you are interested in teaching this year, please contact Ms. Stavros at the Church. Thank you to all who have already enlisted in this crucial ministry! Please visit for details about events and activities happening at the Basilica of Saint Mary. If you have any questions regarding Youth and Outreach Events, please contact Fr. Jim or Ms. Christina Stavros at (734)

5 Page 5 visit our website: MERRIMAN ROAD LIVONIA, MICHIGAN Return service requested Dated Material NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID LIVONIA, MI PERMIT NO. 413