Sunday of the Prodigal Son. Divine Liturgy

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1 2016 St. George Church Staff and Organizations February 28, 2016 Tone 6 / Eothinon 6 Pastor The Very Rev. Anthony G. Sabbagh Assistant Pastor Rev. Joseph Landino Deacon Thomas Underwood Sub-Deacon Peter Attar Altar Boy Captain Anthony Youwakim Administrative Committee The Very Rev. Anthony G. Sabbagh, Chairman Elias Gharzouzi, Vice Chairman Albert Bitar, Treasurer George Nassoor, Secretary Rehab Tabchi Robert Mimari Nasser Sabbagh Dave Davis Office Administrator Donna Becker Custodian Adnan Sabbagh Building/Planning The Very Rev. Anthony G. Sabbagh, Pastor Rev. Joseph Landino, Ass t. Pastor Dave Davis, Chair George Nassoor, Co-Chair Choir Gail Ortner, Director Naida Abraham, Treasurer Members: Khouria Minerva Sabbagh Khouria Mary Landino Christina Attar Jouhayna Al-Amm Wayne Burke David T. Davis George Nassoor Vilma Abraham Delores Edwards Helena Yurconic Amjed Khalil Chanters Hoida Moussa Marwan Sabbagh Antoun Saba Hanna Sayegh Ladies Altar Society Lamia Younes, President Gina Mamari, Vice President Fay Moses, Treasurer Hind Azar, Corresponding Secretary Reem Tannous, Recording Secretary Children s Relief Fund Khouria Minerva Sabbagh Sunday School Ebtisam Moussa, Director Teachers: Khouria Mary Landino Abe Assad Sharon Barber Christina Attar Hope Sabbagh Rita Mamari Assistants Maggie Abboud Jaklin Sabbagh Teen SOYO The Very Rev. Anthony G. Sabbagh, Pastor Rev. Joseph Landino, Spiritual Advisor Khouria Mary Landino, Head Lay Advisor Khalil Yacoub, Reem Haddad, Ass t. Lay Advisors Jessica Youwakim, Junior Advisor Sabrina Barhoum, President Ashly Chteh, Vice President Jonathan Saliby, Treasurer Meriam Deeb, Recording Secretary Jack Yacoub, Corresponding Secretary Jayson Saleet, Media Secretary The Fellowship of St. John the Divine Sawsan Khalouf, Chair Kh. Mary Landino,Co-Chair Ghazal Stity, Treasurer Amjad Khalil Homeless Dinner Ministry Naife Khalouf, Coordinator Members of Teen SOYO St. George Bookstore Kh. Mary Landino, Chair Kh. Minerva Sabbagh, Treasurer Rehab Tabchi Website Elie Jabbour George Issa Charitable Ministries Pastoral Discretionary Fund The Very Rev. Anthony G. Sabbagh Albert Bitar Newcomer & Refugee Committee Marwan Sabbagh George Khalouf Nasser Sabbagh Sunday of the Prodigal Son Today we commemorate: Venerable Basil the Confessor, companion of Prokopios of Decapolis; Hieromartyr Proterios, archbishop of Alexandria; Righteous Kyra and Marana of Beroea in Syria; Apostles Nymphas and Euvoulos; New-martyr Kyranna of Thessalonica THE EPISTLE (For Sunday of the Prodigal Son) Divine Liturgy Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous. The Reading from the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. (6:12-20) Brethren, all things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything. Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food; but God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, The two shall become one flesh. But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him. Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God s.

2 THE GOSPEL (For Sunday of the Prodigal Son) The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (15:11-32) The Lord spoke this parable: There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the share of property that falls to me. And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, How many of my father s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants. And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son. But the father said to his servants, Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to make merry. Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound. But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf! And he said to him, Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found. Holy Bread The Holy Bread is sponsored by: The Sallit Family in loving memory of Zakieh Nimeh (40-Day Memorial) The Salloum Family in loving memory of Elias G. Salloum (40-Day Memorial) Aminee Barber & Family Andru Alkhal & Family in loving memory of George Barber Sr. Children, Grandchildren & Great-grandchildren in loving memory of Angelina Dergham (9-Day Memorial)

3 The Holy Bread is offered before the Altar of God by Father Anthony for the living servants of God: Metropolitan Joseph; Bishop Nicholas; Fr. Anthony, Kh. Minerva and Hope Sabbagh and Aida; Fr. Joseph Allen; Kh. Nadia Khouli and Family; Nicklas, Sawsan, George, Nebal, Helen Khouli; Naela and Family; Norven and Family; Delores Edwards; Albert, Georgette, Grace, Christel and Erik Chehoud; The Salloum Family; The Sallit Family; Basmeh Mamari Barber and Family; Aminee Barber and Family; Andru Al Khal and Family; Georgette Barber Al Khal and Family; Mary Barber John and Family; Aziz Barber and Family; Anthony and Kyle Barber; The Dergham Family; George, Naim, Eli, John Dergham and their Families; George, Najwa, Dani, Raubi and Rouni Awad; Habib, Nadia, John, Sally and Christopher Habib; Ken, Maggie, Nicholas, Nathan, Alex Abboud; Labiby and Michelle Joseph; Sami, Leila, Danny, Diane and Linda Maalouf and their families; Zahira Azar; George, Hiyam, Simon, Melissa, Resam Tabchi; Neph; Rehab, Leo and Naomi Martin; Mazhar Hanna; Rahmeh Tabchi and Family; George and Mary Makdesi; Zakieh Hanna; Afifeh Skaf; Naife Khalouf; Nour Atiyeh; The Saba Family; George Saba and Family; Faisal and Nadia Daher; Bashar Hanna and Family; Rahmeh Hanna, children and grandchildren; Lawahiz Assad; Abe, John and Kate Assad; Mary Assad; Joshua Assad Pavlick; George Assad; Mona, Wail, Heather, Mitchell, Mallory, Abeer, Elyssa and Eyanna; Albert, Shadia, Christian and Michael Bitar; Layal, Samantha, Alfred and Rita Hanna; Afeef and Naify Hanna; Georges Bitar and family; for the departed servants of God: Patriarch Elias, Patriarch Hazim; Metropolitan Philip; Fr. George Khouli; Nicola, Halon Khouli; Zahieh Hanna; Elie Ajouz; George Nehme; George Hanna; Ibrahim, Fadi, Zakieh; Odette Chehoud; Zakieh Nimeh; Angelina Dergham; Elias G. Salloum; Tannous, Watfa, Barbar Chahoud; Georges and Azize Salloum; Aziz Barber; George Barber Sr.; George Barber Jr.; John Ray Assad; Sameer Assad; Abe Azar; Amin AlKhal; Dergham AlKhal; Mamdouh AlKhal; Badrieh Barber; Suhail and Aziz Barber; Mtanios, Daas, Abdallah, Khalil, Steven; Youssef, Mary, Elias, Halon, Montaha; Aouni Tannous; Albert A. Restum; Youssef Azar; Abraham and Jouhara Azar; Fred, Zak Azar; Milia Hazim; Brahim, Resmeh, Nawal, Janet, Mtanios, Milia, Maria Hanna; Sulieman and Hanna Tabchi; Steven Makdesi; Georges, Tony Hanna; Zaki Skaf; Elias and Danny Khalouf, Youssef Atiyeh; Elias Saba; Jamileh Abboud; Hanna Daher; Georges Daher; Wajih Hanna; Elias and Raid Khouly; Azeezee Khaley; Antonios and Nadeema Hanna; Michael and Badih Bitar; Alfred Hanna; Bassam, Khalil and Nizha Bitar. Memorial Service A Memorial Service is held for the rest of the souls of the servants of God: Zakieh Nimeh Elias G. Salloum George Barber Sr. Angelina Dergham May the Lord grant rest to His servants and remember thim in His kingdom, now and forever. Coffee Hour Sponsor We thank the following for sponsoring today s Coffee Hour. Please join us after Divine Liturgy The Sallit Family The Salloum Family

4 Special donations to the Church We acknowledge families and friends who have honored dear ones with monety gifts given in the spirit of loving kindness. $ Fr. Anthony and Kh. Minerva Sabbagh to the Church for good health and safe travel for Hope Sabbagh and distant cousin Aida as they travel to/from Greece to help with Syrian refugees; please pray for the refugees, Hope and Aida; for the health and safety of volunteers helping with refugees; for the good health of Fr. Joseph Allen. $ Kh. Nadia Khouli to the Church for the good health of Nicklas, Sawsan, George, Nebal, Helen Khouli; Naela and Family; Norven and Family; in loving memory of Fr. George Khouli, Nicola, Halon Khouli; Zahieh Hanna. $ Delores Edwards to the Church for the good health of Fr. Joseph Allen. $ The Chehoud Family to the Church in loving memory of Elie Ajouz; George Nehme; George Hanna; Ibrahim, Fadi, Zakieh; Odette Chehoud; for the good health of Albert, Georgette, Grace, Christel and Erik Chehoud. $ The Salloum Family to the Church in loving memory of Elias G. Salloum; Tannous, Watfa, Barbar Chahoud; Georges and Azize Salloum. $ Basmeh Mamari Barber to the Church in loving memory of Aziz Barber; for the good health of Basmeh Mamari Barber and Family. $ Aminee Barber to the Church in loving memory of George Barber Sr., George Barber Jr.; John Ray Assad; Sameer Assad; Abe Azar (Michigan); Amin AlKhal; Dergham AlKhal; Mamdouh AlKhal; Badrieh Barber, Suhail and Aziz Barber. $ Aminee Barber to the Church for the good health of Aminee Barber and Family; Georgette Barber AlKhal and Family; Mary Barber John and Family; Aziz Barber and Family; Anthony and Kyle Barber. $ George, Naim, Eli and John Dergham and their families to the Ladies Altar Society in loving memory of Angelina Dergham. $ George and Najwa Awad to the Church for the good health of Dani; Raubi and Rouni Awad; in loving memory of Mtanios, Daas, Abdallah, Khalil, Steven. $ Habib and Nadia Habib to the Church for the good health of John, Sally, Christopher; in loving memory of Youssef, Mary, Elias, Halon, Montaha. $ Ken and Maggie Abboud to Sunday School in loving memory of our dear friend and brother, Aouni Tannous; for the good health of Ken, Maggie, Nicholas, Nathan, Alex Abboud. $ Labiby and Michelle Joseph to the Church in loving memory of Albert A. Restum, son of the late Mary and Albert Restum and nephew of Esau Josph. He passed away in California. May he rest in peace. $ Labiby and Michelle Joseph to the Church in loving memory of Elie Ajouz, husband of our friend Josephine. He passed away in Beirut, Lebanon. May his memory be eternal. $ Sami and Leila Maalouf to the Church in loving memory of Youssef Azar (2 year memorial); Abraham and Jouhara Azar; Fred, Zak Azar; Milia Hazim; for the good health of Sami and Leila Maalouf; Danny, Diane, Linda and their families.; Zahira Azar. $ George and Hiyam Tabchi to the Church for the good health of Simon, Melissa, Resam Tabchi; Neph; Rehab, Leo and Naomi Martin; Mazhar Hanna; Rahmeh Tabchi and Family; in loving memory of Fr. George; Brahim, Resmeh, Nawal, Janet, Mtanios, Milia, Maria Hanna; Sulieman and Hanna Tabchi. $ George and Mary Makdesi to the Church in loving memory of Steven Makdesi. $ Zakieh Hanna to the Church in loving memory of Georges, Tony Hanna; Barhoum, Wahiba Moussa. $ Afifeh Skaf to the Church in loving memory of Zaki Skaf. $ Naife Khalouf to the Church in loving memory of Elias and Danny Khalouf; Youssef Atiyeh; for the good health of Nour Atiyeh. $ The Saba Family to the Church in loving memory of Elias Saba. $ George Saba and Family to the Church in loving memory of Elias Saba. $ Faisal and Nadia Daher to Syrian Orphanages in loving memory of Jamileh Abboud; Hanna Daher; Georges Daher; for the good health of Faisal and Nadia Daher. $ Bashar Hanna to the Church in loving memory of Wajih Hanna, Elias and Raid Khouly, Azeezee Khaley, Antonios and Nadeema Hanna; for the good health of Bashar Hanna and Family; Rahmeh Hanna, children and grandchildren.

5 $ Abe Assad and Mary Assad to Church School for the good health of the Assad Families; Lawahiz, Abe, John, Kate Assad, Mary Assad; Joshua Assad Pavlick; George Assad; in loving memory of John Ray and Sameer Assad. $ Layal Hanna and Family to the Church in loving memory of Alfred Hanna; for the good health of Layal, Samantha, Alfred and Rita Hanna. $ Afeef and Naify Hanna to the Church in loving memory of Alfred Hanna. $ The Bitar Family to the Church in loving memory of Michel and Badih Bitar; for the good health of Mona, Wail, Heather, Mitchell, Mallory, Abeer, Elyssa and Eyanna; Albert, Shadia, Christian, and Michael Bitar. $ Georges Bitar and family to the Church in loving memory of Bassam, Khalil and Nizha Bitar; Elias Saba. Treasurer s Report Funds needed per week $6,192 Income: week of Feb. 21 $1, Second collection for 264 Syrian refugees Thought for the Day It is through the virtue of humility that we attain spiritual gifts. Humility is the acknowledgement that God has saved us, forgiven us and desires that we should do the same. God does not force us to do so, we must be willing. If we are not willing to be humble, the world will humiliate us. The humble person cannot be humiliated, for humiliation is nothing but a blow to our pride. The one who has no pride escapes such suffering. His Eminence, Metropolitan JOSEPH If we dare to call ourselves Orthodox Christians, if we are bold enough to utter even a single prayer to God, then we must first examine ourselves and see if we are truly humble. We must carefully inspect our relationships at home, at work and in the parish. Where we see conflict, we know that we still lack humility. The perfectly humble man or woman has no such animosities towards his or her brethren. His Eminence, Metropolitan JOSEPH Next Sunday, March 6 Sunday, March 6, noon Falafal & Shawarma Lunch Shawarma $6 Fundraiser: Hungry Children Falafal $5 Sponsored by the Ladies Altar Society. Fries $2 See ad on next page. Beverage $1 Sunday, March 20, 1 pm Ladies Altar Society Lunch at Alladin Restaurant St. George Ladies Altar Society members will be going out for lunch at Aladdin Restaurant, 651 Union Blvd., Allentown on Sunday, March 20 at 1 p.m. We invite all ladies to join us that day. The price of the lunch will be $15 (includes tip/tax). If you are interested in attending this Lenten Lunch, please contact Fay Moses at (610) Payment of $15 is due with your reservation. Please RSVP to Fay by Thursday, March 17. We hope to see you there! Every Saturdays. 6 pm Weekly Adult Bible Study Join us for weekly Adult Bible Study held on Saturdays at 6 pm (following Vespers at 5 pm) Church Calendar Meatfare Sunday March 6 Lazarus Saturday April 23 Cheesefare Sunday March 13 Palm Sunday April 24 Lent begins March 14 Easter May 1 Sunday of Orthodoxy March 20 Heritage Festival June 23-26

6 Sunday, March 6, noon Falafal & Shawarma Lunch Fundraiser Benefits Hungry Children Here and Abroad Sponsored by the Ladies Altar Society Antiochian Women Project Hungry Children at Home and Abroad Millions of children go hungry each day as a result of poverty, war and displacement. This year the Antiochian Women are tasked with raising money to help feed hungry children here in North America and elsewhere in the world. Every dollar is important; every person can make a real difference in alleviating the suffering of a starving child. $1,000 donation from Steve Younes to the Ladies Altar Society for the Antiochian Women Project Hungry Children at Home and Abroad Given in honor and for the good health of the members and leaders of the Ladies Altar Society of St. George Church, whose selfless and tireless efforts, commitment and dedication to serving our community continue to touch and impact countless members of lives in untold and immeasurable ways. May God continue to bless them immensely and grant them many years. Steve Younes Danny E. Khalouf Scholarship Memorial Banquet April 3, pm Dinner Buffet served at 4 p.m. The Palace 623 Hanover Ave., Allentown, PA Donation: $65 Keynote Speaker: Richard T. Sniscak Superintendent, Parkland School Dist. Dieruff High School graduate 1980 Pictures For tickets or more information (610) Applications available until March 4 for Danny Khalouf Scholarship The Danny Elias Khalouf Memorial Scholarship was established in memory of Danny Khalouf, a 1994 Dieruff High School graduate. Scholarship applicatiions are available at Dieruff High School. Deadline is March 4, 2016.

7 Visit our Bookstore today! See our Orthodox resources to teach, strengthen and encourage you and those you love. Many items in our Bookstore would make a wonderful gift. Arabic prayer books Bibles DVD s Music Children s items Jewelry Soaps and lotions Variety of honey and jam Religious incense Books New book: Service of the Small Paraklesis to the Most Holy Theotokos Sunday of Orthodoxy Pan-Orthodox Vespers to be held on March 20 at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral As an expression of love and unity, the Orthodox Christians of the Lehigh Valley will gather for a Pan-Orthodox Vespers service marking the Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy on Sunday, March 20, 4 p.m. at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 1607 Union Blvd., Bethlehem. Our speaker will be the V. Rev. Archpriest Anthony Perkins. Fr. Anthony Perkins is the rector of St. Mary Protection of the Holy Theotokos Ukrainian Orthodox Parish, Allentown and Associate Academic Dean, Vocations Director, and Professor of Spirituality at St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Seminary (South Bound Brook, NJ). Choir practice for the service will be held Mar. 6 at 2pm at the same church. All singers are welcome! Sunday of Orthodoxy Schedule Vespers (begins at 4 p.m.) Presentation by Fr. Anthony: The Triumph of Orthodoxy: Icons as the Antidote to Iconoclastic Secularism Lenten Potluck Dinner in the parish hall (please bring a dish to share) Bone Marrow transplant needed Amjed George Awad, a 26-year-old college engineering student from Zwatini, Syria, needs a life-saving bone marrow transplant of the spine. Your prayers and financial donation toward his medical expenses will help his chance of survival. St. George Church has established a special fund for Amjed. Will you help with a donation? Please make your check payable to St. George Church, memo: Amjed Awad, and mail it to St. George Church. Thank you for your consideration. Handicap parking policy at the church Friendly Reminder We have limited handicapped parking and we have many in our congregation who need the handicapped parking spaces to be available when they come for church. Please DO NOT park in the handicapped spaces if you do not need to. When you have people who abuse the handicapped parking spaces, that makes it very hard for others who need it, especially during these winter months. You need a handicapped placard for your car in order to use the spaces. Cars that do not have a handicapped placard displayed will be ticketed with a warning and/or citation Thank you for your cooperation.

8 His Eminence The Most Reverend Metropolitan JOSEPH Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of All North America The Antiochian Women Project 2016 Feeding Hungry Children Greetings and Blessings in the Name of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ! This year the Antiochian Women are tasked with raising money to help feed hungry children here in our country and elsewhere in the world. This project will leverage the hard work and determination of our Antiochian Women to address one of the most pressing global tragedies, one which is exacerbated by war and poverty, and which is felt most acutely by children. This is a task that the Antiochian Women gladly have accepted. The care of children -- especially poor and hungry children -- motivates us to immediate action! The enormity of this task seems overwhelming. However, our task is not to eradicate hunger; our task is to feed hungry children. As St. Paul reminds us, when faced with such an enormous task, we must not grow weary of doing good. (2 Thess. 3:13), and we remember that when the Apostles went out into the whole world, they did not work alone, because the Lord worked with them, and confirmed their message by accompanying it with miracles. (Mark 16:20) Feeding the poor was (and is) a central concern for the Church even from the earliest days. In reading the Book of Acts (6:1ff), we know that the office of Deacon was specifically created by the Apostles for overseeing the distribution of food among the orphans and widows of the Church. We also know that the Apostles believed that caring for the poor went hand-in-hand with preaching the Good News of salvation. St. Paul writes: James and Cephas and John, esteemed as pillars (of the Church), gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go unto the Gentiles, and they unto the circumcised -- they only asked that we should be mindful of the poor, the very thing of which I also was eager to do. (Gal 2:9-10) Asking all of you to give your utmost support to this project, and praying that it will be greatly blessed, I remain Your Father in Christ, ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN ARCHDIOCESE OF NORTH AMERICA +JOSEPH Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of all North America

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10 Within the Church We wish each parishioner and friend of St. George Church a Happy Birthday or Anniversary. May God s blessings shine down upon them throughout the coming year. Keep the Church Office informed of birthdays, anniversaries and special events. Call (610) Happy Birthday 3/1 Fairouz Awad 3/4 Lawahiz Assad Najwa Azar helen Davis Jouhayna Al-Amm Sofia Hanna John Metri Chris Hadid Ashley Abraham Alex Younes Farouk Mrich 3/5 James Alotta 3/2 Charbel Doumat nicholas Pizzino 3/3 Sadeer Makhoul Dalal Salibi 3/4 Brian Wehbey Parish Life Conference to be held at Antiochian Village The 2016 Diocese of Charleston and Diocese of New York Parish Life Conference will be hosted by St. Mary Church (Johnstown, PA) and St. Michael Church (Greensburg, PA), and will be held at the Antiochian Village. Dates are Wednesday to Sunday, June 29-July 3, $2,500 scholarship available The 2016 Francis Maria Scholarship application is now available online at www. antiochian.org/scholarships. This scholarship is available to members of parishes in the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese who will be in one of their first three years of undergraduate college studies full time in the fall following their application. This application is available through our church office.

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