300 West Street, Dedham, Massachusetts ;

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1 Saint John of Damascus Orthodox Church A parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph, Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of all North America His Grace Bishop John, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Worcester 300 West Street, Dedham, Massachusetts ; Pastoral Staff: Archpriest John K. Teebagy, Pastor pastor@stjohnd.org Rev. Deacon Christos Hatzopoulos Mark Haddad, Choir Director Anthony Hamwey, Chanter Office Hours: Monday Thursday: 9 am 2 pm Church Office: churchoffice@stjohnd.org Bulletin Deadline: Wednesday at 2 pm Regular Sunday Services: Confessions: 8:40 am - 9:40 am; Matins: 9 am Divine Liturgy: 10 am ST. JOHN OF DAMASCUS MISSION STATEMENT We worship and glorify God, by loving and caring for each other, providing a safe, thriving and life-long home, from which we spread the teaching and good works of our Orthodox Christian Faith. Being God s stewards, we celebrate our faith by: participating fully in the sacramental and liturgical life of the church. responding to the needs of all by living the message of the Gospel through outreach to each other and to the community at large. fostering our God-given talents as stewards to strengthen God's church. Welcome one another, therefore, as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. (Romans 15:7) A NOTE TO OUR VISITORS WELCOME! We are glad to have you worshipping with us today. We hope that you will complete one of our visitor cards and will introduce yourself to Fr. John after the service. Please also join us for coffee following the Liturgy. Since the Orthodox Church understands Communion to be a sign of our unity of faith, only Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves through prayer, fasting and periodic confession are permitted to participate in Holy Communion. All present, however, are welcome to partake of the blessed bread and receive a blessing at the end of liturgy.

2 31 December 2017 The Leave-taking of the Nativity of Christ and the Sunday before Theophany Entrance Hymn: Out of the womb, before the morning star have I begotten thee: The Lord hath sworn and will not repent: thou art a priest forever, after the order of Melchizidech. O Son of God, who wast risen from the dead, save us who sing to thee. Alleluia. After the Little Entrance: Troparion of the Resurrection Tone 5: Let us believers praise and worship the Word; coeternal 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. Troparion of the Nativity - Tone 4: Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, hath given rise to the light of knowledge in the world for they that worshipped the stars did learn therefrom to worship thee, O Sun of Justice, and to know that from the east of the Highest thou didst come O Lord, glory to thee. Troparion of the Sunday after Christmas - Tone 2: Proclaim, O Joseph, to David, the grandparent of God, the amazing wonders; for thou hast seen a Virgin great with child; for with the shepherds thou didst give glory, with the Magi thou didst worship, and by the angel it was revealed to thee. Wherefore, plead thou with Christ God to save our souls. Troparion of St. John of Damascus Tone 8: Thou hast shown thyself, O God-inspired John, as a guide to the Orthodox Faith, a teacher of true worship and purity, O star of the universe and companion of monastics, O wise one. Through thy light thou hast enlightened all, O harp of the Spirit. Therefore intercede with Christ God to save our souls. Kontakion of the Nativity - Tone 3: Today the virgin giveth birth to the Transcendent in essence; the earth offereth the cave to the unapproachable One; the angels with the shepherds glorify him; and the Magi with the star travel on their way; for a new child hath been born for our sakes, God before the ages.

3 Prokeimenon: O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance To you, O Lord, have I cried, O my God EPISTLE: The reading is from Saint Paul's Second Letter to Timothy (Chapter 4:5-8) TIMOTHY, my son, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK (Chapter 1:1-8) The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, "Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way; the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. + The Offerings Holy Bread + Trisagion Prayers of Mercy are offered in beloved memory of Takla Calabro (1 yr.) by The Calabro Family Memory Eternal And the rest of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

4 DONATION(S) TO THE CHURCH: Rosemary Sabby in beloved memory of Takla Calabro; she is forever in my heart Carol Rae Bradford wishing all of my family and friends a healthy and happy 2018 Carolyn Nashawaty and family in beloved memory of Souheil Massabni DONATION(S) TO THE CHURCH SCHOOL: Rosemary, Jihad and Shadia in beloved memory of Takla Calabro Announcements Reminder Please remember to contact Fr. John at your earliest convenience if you or a loved one has a pastoral need. Thank you. Next Week Trisagion Prayers of Mercy will be offered in beloved memory of Joseph Kurker (40 day) and Olivia Waishek (40 day). Both families will host the coffee hour to which all are invited. Epiphany Please see the flyer about the joint service in Worcester to bless the waters. Choir The next rehearsal is Sunday, January 9 am. Please see Mark Haddad with any questions. New members are always welcome! Scholarship The Syrian Lebanese Women s Club of Boston invites young women of Syrian or Lebanese descent who live in the greater Boston area to apply for their annual scholarship. Applications, which are due by March 1, can be obtained by ing St. John s church office (churchoffice@stjohnd.org). Looking for a spiritual home? If you would like more information about joining the parish, please contact Fr. John. You are most welcome! Altar Servers: John Najjar, Dean of Altar Servers. Serving this week: St. Matthew Team. From the Fathers The pious confession of the believer is that, with a view to our salvation the Creator of all thigs incorporated with Himself a rational soul and a sensible body from the all-holy Mary, evervirgin, by an undefiled conception, without conversion, and was made man in nature, but separate from wickedness: the same was perfect God, and the same was perfect man; the same was in nature at once perfect God and man. St. Hippolytus of Rome

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