SUNDAY OF FORGIVENESS (CHEESEFARE SUNDAY)

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1 The Twenty Martyrs beheaded on February 15, 2015, on the Libyan seacoast receive their crowns of victory from Christ E. 116 th Street Fishers, Indiana (317) V. Rev. Father Nabil L. Hanna, Pastor (317) Rev. James A. Childs, Deacon (317) Rev. Joseph S. Olas, Deacon (317) A Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest His Eminence Metropolitan JOSEPH, Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of all North America His Grace Bishop ANTHONY, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Toledo TONE 4 FEBRUARY 18, 2018 EOTHINON 4 SUNDAY OF FORGIVENESS (CHEESEFARE SUNDAY) LEO THE GREAT, POPE OF ROME AGAPITOS THE CONFESSOR, BISHOP OF SYNNADA IN PHRYGIA VENERABLE COLMAN, BISHOP OF LINDISFARNE

2 L I T U RGY VA R I AT I O N S THIRD ANTIPHON: TROPARION OF THE RESURRECTION (TONE 4) Having learned the joyful message of the Resurrection from the angel, the women disciples of the Lord cast from them their parental condemnation and proudly broke the news to the Disciples, saying: Death hath been spoiled; Christ God is risen, granting the world Great Mercy. APOLYTIKIA AFTER THE ENTRANCE Having learned the joyful message. Troparion of the Resurrection (Tone 4) Schedule of Regular Weekly Services Sundays: Matins, 8:50 AM Divine Liturgy, 10 AM Wednesdays: Vespers, 6:30 PM Saturdays: Great Vespers, 5 PM Confession: See Calendar for Feast Days and Other Weekday Services Scheduled Order for Holy Communion Members of the Orthodox Church age seven and above must prepare for Holy Communion with a recent confession, prayer, fasting from all food and drink from midnight (unless medical condition preclude it), being in church before the Epistle and Gospel readings, and being at peace with everyone. CHILDREN going to church school and their teachers should come down the center aisle first. (Small children may need to be assisted by their parents.) ALL OTHERS should wait until an usher dismisses your row from the center aisle. Then return to your place by a side aisle for the prayers of thanksgiving and the final blessing and dismissal. Please let choir members pass when they come down for Communion. After Saturday Vespers During Sunday Matins Or by Appointment Remember to turn cell phones off! A Warm Welcome to Our Guests We are glad you are worshipping with us. Please note that participation in Holy Communion is limited to members of the Orthodox Church in good standing, who have prepared with prayer, fasting and confession. For all others: though we cannot share Communion with you since it is an expression of membership and full unity in faith you are welcome to come forward after the dismissal, receive a blessing and partake of the blessed bread (from the large bowls). Please also sign our guest book, and introduce yourself to Fr. Nabil during the coffee hour. You may inquire with him how you can become a member.

3 Liberator of captives, Defender of the poor, the Physician of the sick and the Champion of kings, O Trophy-bearer, Great-martyr O Thou Who guidest to wisdom and givest understanding and intelligence, Instructor of the ignorant and Helper of the poor, strengthen my heart, and grant it Troparion of St. George (Tone 4; Byzantine) George, intercede with Christ our God that our souls be saved. Kontakion of Forgiveness Sunday (Tone 6) understanding, O Master. Give me word, O Word of the Father, for I shall not refrain my lips from crying to Thee, O merciful One: Have mercy upon me who am fallen. THE SCRIPTURE LESSONS Prokeimenon (Psalm 46.7, 2 LXX; Tone 3) Sing praises to our God, sing praises. Sing praises to our King, sing praises. Verse: O clap your hands, all ye nations. St. Paul s Letter to the Romans ( ; Forgiveness Sunday) BRETHREN, salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed; the night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions. One believes he may eat anything, while the weak man eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats; for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Master is able to make him stand. Gospel according to St. Matthew ( ; Forgiveness Sunday) THE LORD SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES: If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father Who is in secret;

4 and your Father Who sees in secret will reward you. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. HOLY OBLATIONS AND PRAYER REQUESTS By the Church School, for the health of all the parishioners of St. George, and in memory of all the founders, parents and grandparents. By Salim and Paula Najjar, for the health of Michael Koroneos, Alexander Azar II and George Nimri. By Elias Doug Fadel, for the health of George Freije on his 70 th birthday. A sign-up sheet for baking and offering the prosphora (altar bread) is posted on the bulletin board, next to the elevator. You can also contact Thelma Hoover at (317) CHURCH SCHOOL CLASSES REFLECT ON ANNUAL CONFERENCE THEME "They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers." (Acts 2:42) To help the children think more deeply about this verse, they are doing creative art, writing and photography projects. We re getting them started during church school time, but they will need to finish their projects at home and bring them back next Sunday, so we can submit them to be judged at the Midwest Diocese level. نص صالت الس ح ر والقد اس اإللهي بالعربي لمصلحة المهاجرين الجدد من الشرق األوسط من ضمننا نقوم بتوفير بعض النسخ من نص صالت الس ح ر والقداس اإللهي لليوم باللغة العربية. وهي متاحه عند المدخل قرب موقع شراء الشموع. LENT IS HERE! Since Monday, we ve been easing into Lent by eliminating meat but continuing to eat fish and dairy products. We begin the Great Fast proper by eliminating cheese (i.e., dairy products and eggs) and fish as well after the service of Forgiveness Vespers tonight.

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6 Summary of LENTEN SERVICES 2018 In Addition to the regular, weekly services: Saturday Vespers and Confession, 5 p.m. Sunday Matins: 8:50 a.m. Sunday Divine Liturgy: 10 a.m. Lent starts with Forgiveness We start Lent at 7 p.m. Sunday, February 18. We celebrate the rite of mutual forgiveness as we start the journey to the Resurrection. Mondays On Mondays in Lent we will serve Great Compline at 7 p.m. The first week of Lent, Great Compline is served on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday nights with portions of the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete. Wednesdays Join us at 6:30 p.m. for the Presanctified Liturgy. Bring one Lenten item to share for a pitch-in after Liturgy, so we can break bread together after fasting from all food and drink at least from noon. You are also invited to stay for a short movie clip and discussion. We ll have you out by 8:45. Fridays Little Compline with the Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos at 7 p.m. This will be preceded by a Lenten Supper at 6 p.m. prepared by one of our organizations or families. On the first Friday, Feb. 23, Dr. George Kordis, our Master Iconographer, will speak after the service about our iconography and share what s planned for the remaining panels. On Friday, March 9, we will be at Holy Trinity (3500 W. 106 th Street, Carmel) for Dinner at 6 pm and Service at 7 pm, for our annual concelebration and retreat weekend. Sunday Evenings Vespers will be held at 5 p.m. at a different church each week (see the calendar for location). The First Saturday, Feb. 24 On the first Saturday of Lent, we serve the Liturgy in commemoration of St. Theodore and the miracle of the boiled wheat, including a memorial for All Souls: Matins 9 a.m./liturgy and Memorial at 10:00 a.m. You are invited to bring koliva and a list of the names of your departed to be remembered. The First Sunday, Feb. 25 We will host the Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers, HERE at 5 p.m. His Grace Bishop Gregory of Nyssa (Carpatho-Russian) will preside and deliver the guest homily. He is the overseer of the OCF Campus Ministry for the Assembly of Orthodox Bishops in America. A dinner reception will follow. If you can t resist a cheeseburger, you re not going to make a very good martyr! Fr. Apostolos Hill

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8 By the Grace of God John X Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Antioch To my Brothers, the Hierarchs and Shepherds of the Holy Church of Antioch, My Spiritual Children throughout the Apostolic See, My Brethren and beloved Spiritual Children: It gives me a great pleasure as we are on the threshold of these holy days; I add my voice to the voices of your hearts. I also pray for the peace of the world and for the welfare of all men. We are entering into this blessed season. We offer our prayer for those who have departed from us and offer our intercessions to our Lord and Creator to bless our lives by His holy name. Lent is the queen of virtues. This is what we pray in the Orthros of the Meat Fare Sunday; we invite the faithful to receive Lent as queen over our souls, leading them to the shores of salvation: Let us go before, O brethren and cleanse ourselves for the queen of virtues; for behold she hath come bringing to us a fortune of good deeds; quenching the uprisings of passion and reconciling the wicked to the Master. Let us welcome her, therefore, shouting to Christ God, O thou who rose from the dead, keep us uncondemned, who glorify thee, O thou who alone art sinless. (Doxastikon of the Praises) Lent is a means to surrender the hardness of the body to God s abundant mercies. Through fasting, passions are extricated from the soul, so we may experience the warmth of love. Lent is the queen of virtues in as much as we eradicate the evils from our souls and wash them with pure waters of repentance, so we may bring peace and love to others. Love is the summit of all treasures. Fasting is a true expression of love, and the best tool that enables us to remove the passions of animosity and pride, and sharpen the soul with charity and giving, and wash it with repentance and humility, so that the light of the resurrection of Christ may transfigure in it. The season of Great Lent is a journey of reconciliation with the Creator, with yourself, and with the other as well; it is a journey of forgiveness. Today, the human person in the world seeks reconciliation and forgiveness. The Holy Church seeks repentance as reconciliation with the Creator, and forgiveness with our fellow men; it is an oblation of giving thanks and glory to the Lord of the heavens, who will be pleased to see us as real brothers in humanity. The Great Lent is the baptismal font which leads us to resurrection with Christ; this journey begins with the Pre-Lenten period, in the humility of the Publican and in the return of the Prodigal Son, as a symbol of man s return to the heavenly bosom. Lent is abstinence from food so we may feed the poor

9 and the needy. Fasting focuses on the realm of the soul, represented in the holy icon as the image of the divine glory. The soul seeks the grace divine without which she cannot enter the bridal-chamber of the Master. She can bypass all difficulties by the power of the Cross, climbing the ladder of virtues by the tears of her repentance, and focusing on the haven of the divine mercy. True fasting prepares the inner being of the soul, so the Lord may reside in its innermost depth and move forward, fastened on her Master who destroyed death and bestowed the shining robe of the resurrection on her. We have come during these blessed days while the East is under the burden of its own cross. We have come while the world is seeking lost peace and is confused in much fear. We have come while we are drowned in the concerns of life and existential despair. However, all that will not prevent us from penetrating our predicaments and from falling down before God, so He may grant us peace, consolation, and heavenly joy. It is about time that the Golgotha of the East be buried under the footstep of the resurrection. Since the dawn of history, our region has paid the blood and souls of its children as a ransom of war and destruction. We call on all peoples of this region and in all countries to meet together and reject anti-religious Takfirism, which is condemned by words and by culture, and keep the inner unity. We, as Christians, have been and continue to be indigenous elements of this region and of our social structures to which we belong; we have a basic role in building bridges of interaction with the other and together carry the burdens of all. We pray for peace in Syria, and for the stability of Lebanon; we pray for Iraq and Egypt, Palestine and Jordan, and for the whole world. We pray that peace will triumph over aggression, and that peace will reach into people s hearts, as conferences are being held for that purpose. As Christians, we are rooted in the East, in the land where Christ was born and whose face will not disappear. The face of Christ is rooted in His birthplace: Palestine. The status and destiny of Jerusalem will not be subject to politics, as it continues to be the goal of all people, especially Christians and Muslims. Again, we must focus on the status of the two Archbishops of the city of Aleppo, which is reduced as an example of oppression against human beings in this part of the world. Their kidnapping has become a product and an issue in the midst of the market of interests. The two Archbishops Paul and Youhanna were kidnapped in April 2013, and we continue waiting with all those of goodwill, until their file is resolved. What is painful and saddening is that kind of international ignoring or pretending of inability of resolve this issue, in the utmost silence of the world community towards their issue summarizing that of all those who are kidnapped. We pray for them: for all kidnapped, sufferers, martyrs, and those who are forced to leave their homes, as a result of war, terrorism, religious Takfirism. We represent this genuine continuation of the East, its being and long history. From the East, our Antiochian children immigrated to all countries in the world, carrying their Gospel and their Church, against all odds. In the East, we stand immovable despite all circumstances, with nostalgia for the remains of our fathers, and the memories of our childhood. In the East, we have been fed our love to our homeland with milk from the breasts of our mothers. Nothing will separate us from our land, for in her we dedicate our hearts and beings. I appeal to you in God s peace and love, asking Him to bestow His mercies on your hearts and fill your being with His heavenly joy; for He is blessed forever. Amen. Issued from our Patriarchal Headquarters, Damascus, February 11th, 2018

10 Forgiveness Sunday: A Word on Forgiveness Bp. THOMAS (Joseph) & Peter Schweitzer In her enduring wisdom and love for mankind, the Church provides us with a period of preparation before we enter Great Lent. We have passed through the Sundays of Zacchaeus, the Publican and the Pharisee, the Last Judgment, and now finally with today - the Sunday which commemorates the expulsion of Adam from Paradise. In each of these preparatory Sundays, forgiveness is at the heart of the Gospel message. In his great zeal to meet the Lord, Zacchaeus confessed his sins and repented by giving back four-fold his ill-gotten gains. The publican asks for forgiveness through his heartfelt have mercy upon me, a sinner. The Sunday of the Last Judgment reminds us that Christ will judge us according to the extent that we were merciful and forgiving of others. Finally, Forgiveness Sunday recalls Adam s sin and more importantly, his unwillingness to ask for forgiveness. Reflecting upon this ancestral sin, Abba Dorotheos writes: Again, after his fall, God gave him an occasion to repent and to receive mercy, but he kept his stiff neck held high. He came to him and said Adam, Where are you? instead of saying What glory you have left and what dishonor you have arrived at? After that, He asked him Why did you sin? Why did you transgress the commandment? By asking these questions, He wanted to give him the opportunity to say, Forgive me. However, he did not ask for forgiveness. There was no humility, there was no repentance, but indeed the opposite. (Practical Teaching on the Christian Life) The ability to ask for forgiveness and to forgive others is at the heart of the spiritual life. There can be no spiritual growth without these two components. In Saint Matthew s Gospel, the Lord tells His disciples, For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you (Matthew 7:2). Great Lent is a period of grace given to us to demonstrate in concrete actions and words our forgiveness of others who have wronged us. Our father among the saints, the righteous John of Krondstadt, is quoted as saying: Imagine, picture the multitude of your sins and imagine how tolerant of them is the Master of your life, while you are unwilling to forgive your neighbor even the smallest offense. Moan and bewail your foolishness, and that obstruction within you will vanish like smoke, you will think more clearly, your heart will grow calm, and through this you will learn goodness, as if not you yourself had heard the reproaches and indignities, but some other person entirely, or a shadow of yourself. (Lessons on a Life of Grace) Pride is at the root of our unwillingness to forgive. We may protest by saying that our unwillingness to forgive is justified in some way but the appeal to justice is a two-edged sword. As Saint Paul writes to the Romans, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). It is much more profitable spiritually for us to appeal to mercy. If we are able to overlook the sins of others and show mercy, mercy will be shown to us as well. Just as pride is the root of hard-heartedness, humility is the key to forgiveness. Abba Anthony said, I saw the snares that the enemy spreads out over the world, and I said groaning, What can get through from such snares? Then I heard a voice saying to me, Humility. Our first task during Great Lent and every day of our lives is found in the Gospel: Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift (Matthew 5:23-24). If we seek the Lord s forgiveness, we must forgive our brothers and sisters from our heart. This is the task and the opportunity of Great Lent. A blessed fast to you all.

11 FOOD FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE As we fast, we always need to remember the poor. Please take a Food for Hungry People offering box from the narthex, and make it a practice to put something into it as you sit down for every meal. Please Join Us for Fellowship after the Liturgy The ushers will hand you the announcements bulletin as you exit via the north (side) doors of the nave, following the dismissal and verbal announcements. FROM THE SYNAXARION The Holy Fathers have appointed the commemoration of Adam's exile from the Paradise of delight here, on the eve of the holy Forty-day Fast, demonstrating to us not by simple words, but by actual deeds, how beneficial fasting is for man, and how harmful and destructive are insatiety and the transgressing of the divine commandments. For the first commandment that God gave to man was that of fasting, which the first-fashioned received but did not keep; and not only did they not become gods, as they had imagined, but they lost even that blessed life which they had, and they fell into corruption and death, and transmitted these and innumerable other evils to all of mankind. The God-bearing Fathers set these things before us today, that by bringing to mind what we have fallen from, and what we have suffered because of the insatiety and disobedience of the first-fashioned, we might be diligent to return again to that ancient bliss and glory by means of fasting and obedience to all the divine commands. Taking occasion from today's Gospel (Matt. 6:14-21) to begin the Fast unencumbered by enmity, we also ask forgiveness this day, first from God, then from one another and all creation.

12 PARISH PRAYER LIST Please include in your daily prayers the following those struggling with acute illness and those newly departed this life from our parishioners and those for whom they have requested our prayers. (Names are kept for 40 days, the date indicated after the name, and may be renewed upon request of the patient/family.) LIVING Metropolitan Paul and Archbishop John Fr. Andrew (our former Assistant Pastor) and Kh. Bonnie Harmon Michael Matly, 3/30 Elias Al Tawil, Carmel Health, 3/28 Robert Abraham, 3/27 Alexander Fadi Khoury, 3/25 Timothy Ott, 3/6 Amal Khazal, 3/6 Nicholas Rick Gann, 2/25 George Nimri, 2/23 Anthony Khal, 2/23 Dennis Roberts, Jason s father, 3/23 Michael Koroneos, Tom s brother, 3/21 Donna Byers, friend of Kathleen Everhart, 3/21 Cleo, friend of Martha Sleder, 3/10 Irina, Anna Phillips mother, 3/6 Thomas Ward, John's brother, 2/29 Linda Burkett, 2/20 The injured and bereaved in the Florida school shooting All those suffering from illness, violence or want throughout the world DEPARTED Popadia Raina, widow of Fr. Boris at St. Stephen Church, 3/26 George J. R. Karrip, son-in-law of Eva Ozman, 3/26 Nawal Bannourah, cousin of Riyad, Imad and Nihad, 3/21 Raouf Hanna, 2/24 The victims of violence at the school in Florida and throughout the world ST. GEORGE PARISH CALENDAR Sun. 18 Mon. 19 Tue. 20 Wed. 21 Thu. 22 Fri. 23 Sat. 24 February 2018 Forgiveness/Cheesefare Sunday Matins, 8:50 am Choir practice, 9 am Divine Liturgy, 10 am Church School classes Charity Ministry meeting Pan-Orthodox Choir practice, 3 pm Ice Cream Social, 6 pm Forgiveness Vespers Beginning of Lent, 7 pm First Full Day of Lent Great Compline with section of the Great Canon, 7 pm Great Compline with section of the Great Canon, 7 pm Presanctified Liturgy, 6:30 pm Pitch-in Dinner Spiritual Discussion on Becoming Truly Human Great Compline with section of the Great Canon, 7 pm Lenten Supper, 6 pm Little Compline with Akathist Hymn, 7 pm Iconography presentation by Dr. George Kordis Commemoration of St. Theodore and the Miracle of the Boiled Wheat Matins, 9 am Divine Liturgy and Memorial Service, 10 am Great Vespers and confessions, 5 pm See the full calendar and the latest additions and updates at