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

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1 AL-NOUR The Light of Christ September 25, 2011 Issue 290 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 Daily Confession by Appointment - Call the Church Office September 25, 2011 ST. JOHN THE THEOLOGIAN APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST J ohn was the son of Zebedee the fisherman and Salome the daughter of Joseph, the betrothed of the Holy Theotokos. Called by the Lord Jesus, John immediately left his father and his fishermen s nets and, with his brother James, followed Christ. From then on, he was not separated from his Lord until the end. With Peter and James, he was present at the raising of Jairus s daughter and the Transfiguration of the Lord. At the Last supper, he inclined his head on Jesus breast. When all the other apostles had abandoned the crucified Lord, John and the Holy Mother of God remained beneath the Cross. In obedience to the Lord, he was as a son to the Holy Virgin Mary, and carefully served and watched over her until her Dormition. After her Dormition, John took his disciple Prochorus to preach the Gospel in Asia Minor. He lived and labored mostly in Ephesus. By his inspired preaching and miracles he converted many to Christianity and shook paganism to its foundation. The embittered pagans bound him and sent him to Rome, to face Emperor Dometian. Dometian had him tortured and flogged, but neither the bitterest poison he was given to drink, nor the boiling oil into which he was thrown, did him any harm. This terrified the emperor and, thinking him immortal, Dometian sent him into exile to the island of Patmos. There St. john converted many to Christianity by words and miracles, and confirmed well the Church of God. He also wrote his gospel and revelation on Patmos. In the time Emperor Nero, who granted freedom to all prisoners, John returned to Ephesus, where he lived for some time, confirming the work he had begun earlier. He was over one hundred years old when he went to the Lord. When his disciples later opened his grave, they did not find his body. On May 8 of every year, a fine dust, fragrant and healing, rose from his grave. After a long, laborious and fruitful life on earth, this beloved disciple of Christ, a true pillar of the Church, took up his habitation in the joy of His Lord. (Prologue of Ohrid) The Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary Fr. George Shalhoub - Pastor Fr. Jim King - Director of Youth & Pastoral Outreach Programs Deacon Issa Rizkallah Deacon Dr. Dennis Bojrab Robert Harb - Parish Council Chairman Linda Lawson - Choir Director Stacey Badeen - Church Administrator Dianne Farah-Church School Administrator Arwa Ansara-Asst. Church School Administrator Richard Shebib/Sami Azzouz - Ushers George Chalhoub - Young Adults- St. John Divine Dolly Matta - Ladies Society President Anthony Massad - 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. Unto Thee have I cried, O Lord my God. The Reading is from the Second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians Chapter 4:6-15 B rethren, it is the God Who said, Let light shine out of darkness Who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For while we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, I believed, and so I spoke, we too believe, and so we speak, knowing that He Who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into His presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. THE GOSPEL The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke Chapter 5:1-11 A t that time, Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. And He saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon s, Jesus asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when Jesus had finished speaking, He said to Simon, Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. And Simon answered, Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at Thy word I will let down the nets. And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking, they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus knees, saying, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the catch of fish, which they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men. And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.

3 L PRAYER CORNER ord, you are the physician of our souls and body. We pray You grant the following parishioners good health and blessings: Dominic, Nouhad Sayeigh, Sami Shihadeh, Al Ingram, Yvonne Nona, HOLY BREAD OF OBLATION H oly Bread of Oblation is offered for the month of September in loving memory of Hanna S. Ajlouny offered by his wife Suad Ajlouny and family, oly Bread of Oblation is H offered for the month of September in loving memory of Jad Harb offered by Shawqi, Faris and Noura Musallam, H oly Bread of Oblation is offered for his 4 year memorial in loving memory of Jad Harb by his wife Rima Harb and family, Christian Education Our Christian Education Department now has a Facebook page - The Basilica of St. Mary Church School - which will have information related to Sunday School classes, Wednesday Family Nights and the Adult Educational Institute. UPCOMING EVENTS FOR ST. MARY PARISHIONERS Sept. 29th - Senior Heritage Luncheon Sept. 29th - Ladies Society Fashion Show Oct. 2nd - Arabic School begins 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: $750-In loving memory of Sami Mashni offered by Mrs. Bahieh Mashni and family, T Condolences he clergy and parishioners at the Basilica of St. Mary extend their deepest sympathy to parents Mona and Mike Ghanem, siblings Marian, Rima (Robert), Christy, and Justin, uncles George (Evelyn) Naser, John (Nuha) Naser, the late Fuad (Salwa) Naser and the entire family on the passing of their beloved son/ brother/nephew Charlie (Khalil) Jaghab. T he clergy and parishioners at the Basilica of St. Mary extend their deepest sympathy to Samira Ansara, children Antoun (Diana), Sameer (Myrna), Peter (Arwa), Olga, Norma, Suzie, brothers Tawfiq, Albert and Fouad, sisters Suad and Margo and the entire Ansara family on the passing of their beloved husband/father/brother Elias Nakhleh Ansara. May their memories be eternal. OUR NEW ARRIVALS C ongratulations and best wishes to Dimitri and Kathy Elher on the birth of their baby boy, Lucas. Proud grandparents are Eid and Yvette Elher and Hanna and Mahassen Saad. 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) Sept. 25th - 40 day memorial in loving memory of Sami Mashni offered by his mother Bahieh Mashni and family, Sept. 25th - 40 day memorial in loving memory of Rola Kassis offered by the family, Oct. 2nd - 40 day memorial in loving memory of Michael Yousef Abukhader offered by the Abukhader family, Oct. 2nd - 1 year memorial in loving memory of Kamel Azzouz offered by the family, Oct. 9th - 1 year memorial in loving memory of Naim Kawwas offered by the family, A Vigil Light is Burning In Loving Devotion or The Health and Well Being F Of: n Memory Of: Joseph Michael I Mouaikel; George Abodeely; Maxine Koury, Ken Biedron, Sermon On-Line If you missed Fr. George s sermon last Sunday, you can now listen to him or you can see the full Liturgy at click on multimedia and go to videos Last few week s sermons: The Way of the Cross By: Fr. Jim King Who Loves the World? Prepare Like an Athlete By: Fr. Jim King Justice, Mercy and Grace By: Fr. John Finley

4 Page 4 Week of September 25, 2011 Please visit our website for details about all the Basilica of St. Mary events and activities.

5 Page 5 FALL FEMME FASH September 29, 2011 St. Mary s Cultural Center Social Hour - 5:00-7:00pm Dinner - 7:00pm Cost: $50.00 per person For reservations, please contact : Zena Ansara ( ) 4415) - zansara@twmi.rr.com Sahar Qaqish ( ) - saharq734@gmail.com Isabelle Sultani ( ) 1107) - izzygsul@gmail.com visit our website: MERRIMAN ROAD LIVONIA, MICHIGAN Return service requested NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID LIVONIA, MI PERMIT NO. 413 Dated Material