Holy Trinity Orthodox Church

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1 Holy Trinity Orthodox Church 1812 Watt St., Little Rock, AR V. Rev. Fr. Joseph Bittle, Pastor Theotokos, Multiplier of Wheat August 20, 2017 After-feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos Prophet Samuel Eleventh Sunday of Matthew

2 Preparing to Worship the Thrice-Holy God Upon Entering the Church I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy; and in thy fear I will worship toward thy holy temple. (Ps. 5:7) A Prayer before Holy Communion O Sovereign Lord Jesus Christ, our God, who alone hast authority to forgive men their sins: overlook in thy goodness and love for mankind all my offences whether committed with knowledge or in ignorance; and make me worthy to receive without condemnation thy divine, glorious, spotless, and life-giving Mysteries, not for punishment, nor for an increase of sins, but for purification and sanctification and as a pledge of the life and the kingdom to come, as a protection and help, and for the destruction of enemies, and for the blotting out of my many transgressions. For thou art a God of mercy and compassion and love for mankind, and to thee we send up glory, to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Amen. (St. John of Damascus) NEWCOMERS A warm welcome to all those worshiping with us at Holy Trinity! Please join us for coffee after the service; we look forward to getting to know you. About receiving Holy Communion: The Orthodox Church understands the Eucharist, or Lord s Supper, to be among other things the paramount expression of Christian unity. Since participation in the Eucharist expresses a formal unity with all the dogma and practice and discipline of the Orthodox Church, non-orthodox guests do not receive Holy Communion. Orthodox communicants are reminded that we approach the Chalice with due preparation including recent Confession, keeping the appointed fasts of the Church, and appropriate prayers of preparation for the reception of Holy Communion and thanksgiving after.

3 DIVINE LITURGY of ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM Variable Hymns and Readings FIRST ANTIPHON (Verses for Dormition) Verse: Shout with jubilation unto the Lord all the earth; chant unto His name, give glory in praise of Him. Refrain: Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us. Verse: O give thanks unto the Lord and call upon His name; Declare His works among the nations. Verse: In the city of our God, in His holy mountain. Verse: And His place hath been made in peace, and His dwelling in Zion. Glory to the... Now and Ever... SECOND ANTIPHON (Verses for Dormition) Verse: The Lord loveth the gates of Zion More than all the dwellings of Jacob. Refrain: O Son of God, who art Risen from the dead, save us who sing to Thee. Alleluia. Verse: Glorious things are spoken of thee, O City of God. Verse: God hath laid her foundations unto eternity We have thought, O God, of Thy mercy in the midst of Thy people. Verse: The Most High hath hallowed His tabernacle. Glory to the... Now and ever... Only begotten Son...

4 THIRD ANTIPHON (Verses for Dormition) Verse: Ready is my heart, O God, ready is my heart; I will sing and chant in my glory. Refrain - Dormition Troparion (Tone 1): In thy birth-giving, O Theotokos, thou didst keep and preserve virginity; and in thy falling-asleep thou hast not forsaken the world; for thou wast translated into life, being the Mother of Life. Wherefore, by thine intercessions, deliver our souls from death. Verse: What shall I render unto the Lord For all that He hath rendered unto me? Verse: I will take the cup of salvation, And I will call upon the name of the Lord. AT LITTLE ENTRANCE Troparion for Resurrection (Tone 2) When Thou didst submit Thyself unto death, O Thou deathless and immortal One, then Thou didst destroy hell with Thy Godly power. And when Thou didst raise the dead from beneath the earth, all the powers of Heaven did cry aloud unto Thee: O Christ, Thou giver of life, glory to Thee. Troparion for Dormition (Tone 1) In thy birth-giving, O Theotokos, thou didst keep and preserve virginity; and in thy falling-asleep thou hast not forsaken the world; for thou wast translated into life, being the Mother of Life. Wherefore, by thine intercessions, deliver our souls from death.

5 Troparion for Pentecost, patronal feast of the parish (Tone 8) Blessed art Thou, O Christ our God, who hast revealed the fisherman as most wise, by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit; through them Thou didst draw the world into Thy net. O Lover of Man, glory to Thee! Kontakion for Dormition (Tone 2) Verily, the Theotokos, who is ever watchful in intercessions, and whose prayers are never rejected, neither tomb nor death could control. But being the Mother of Life, He Who dwelt in her ever-virgin womb did translate her to life. EPISTLE: First Corinthians 9:2-12 (11 th Sun. after Pentecost) Brethren, you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defense to those who would examine me. Do we not have the right to our food and drink? Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a wife, as the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? Do I say this on human authority? Does not the law say the same? For it is written in the Law of Moses, You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain. Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of a share in the crop. If we have sown spiritual good among you, is it too much if we reap your material benefits? If others share this rightful claim upon you, do not we still more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the Gospel of Christ.

6 GOSPEL: St. Matthew 18:23-35 (11 th Sun. of Matthew) The Lord spoke this parable: The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything. And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, Pay what you owe. So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, Have patience with me, and I will pay you. He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you? And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also My heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.

7 WISE WORDS "Grumbling is caused by misery and it can be put aside by doxology (giving praise). Grumbling begets grumbling and doxology begets doxology. When someone doesn tgrumble over a problem troubling him, but rather praises God, then the devil gets frustrated and goes off to someone else who grumbles, in order to cause everything to go even worse for him. You see, the more one grumbles, the more one falls into ruin. Sometimes the devil deceives us and makes us unable to be pleased with anything; however, one can celebrate all things in a spiritual manner, with doxology, and secure God s constant blessing." ~ St. Paisios of Mt. Athos Sin, to one who loves God, is nothing other than an arrow from the enemy in battle. A true Christian is a warrior fighting his way through the regiments of the unseen enemy to his heavenly homeland, according to the words of the Apostle: Our homeland is in heaven (cf. Phil. 3:20). About warriors he says: Our warfare is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers (cf. Eph. 6:12)." ~ St. Herman of Alaska

8 THIS WEEK Wednesday and Friday fasting. Church Office Closed Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Monday, August 21 Apostle Thaddeus of the Seventy; Martyrs Bassa, Theognios, Agapios, and Pistos of Edessa; Venerable Abraham of Smolensk and his disciple, Venerable Ephraim Tuesday, August 22 Martyr Agathonikos of Nicomedia and those with him 7:00 pm Parish Council Wednesday, August 23 Martyr Loupos; Hieromartyr Irenaios, bishop of Lyons; Venerable Nicholas and Dionysios of Olympos ** No Wednesday Vespers this Week ** Thursday, August 24 Friday, August 25 Saturday, August 26 Hieromartyr Eutychos, disciple of John the Theologian; New hieromartyr Cosmas Aitolos, equal-to-the-apostles and evangelizer of southern Albania; Dionysios the wonder-worker, bishop of Zakynthos; Venerable Gerasimos of Kephallenia; translation of the relics of Peter the wonder-worker, metropolitan of Moscow Apostles Titos of the Seventy and Bartholomew Martyrs Adrian and Natalia of Nicomedia; Venerable Joasaph; Venerable Adrian of Ondrutsov 6:00 pm Great Vespers 6:45 pm Confessions Sunday, August 27 LORD S DAY - Venerable Pimen the Great and Osios; Martyr Anthusa; Newly revealed Martyr Phanourios of Rhodes; Caesarios, bishop of Arles; Venerable-confessor Hosios, bishop of Cordoba 9:00 am Orthros 10:00 am Divine Liturgy 11:30 am Coffee Hour