Sunday before Christmas

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1 Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church 8306 NC HWY 751 Durham NC News & Announcements December 23, 2018 Sunday before Christmas Ten Martyrs of Crete 12/23/2018 Rememberance of the Founding of the Holy and Great Church of Christ, Hagia Sophia in Constantinople 12/23/2018 Naoum the Illuminator of The Bulgarians 12/23/2018 Paul, Archbishop of Neo-Caesarea 12/23/2018 Nicholas & John the New Martyrs 12/23/2018 Forefeast of the Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ 12/23/2018 NEWCOMERS AND VISITORS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME Sunday Worship Schedule: Matins 9:00 am & Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m. To Our Visitors and Guests We welcome you to worship with us today, whether you are an Orthodox Christian or this is your first visit to an Orthodox Church, we are pleased to have you with us. Although Holy Communion and other Sacraments are offered only to baptized and chrismated (confirmed) Orthodox Christians in good standing with the Church, all are invited to receive the Antidoron (blessed bread) from the priest at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy. The Antidoron is not a sacrament, but it is reminiscent of the agape feast that followed worship in the ancient Christian Church. After the Divine Liturgy this morning please join us in the Church Hall for fellowship and refreshments. Please complete a Visitor s Card before you leave today and drop it in the offering tray, or give it to one of the parishioners after the service, or mail it to the Church Office. 1

2 The Sunday Epistle Reading. Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers. Verse: For you are just in all you have done. The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews (11:9-10; 32-40) BRETHREN, by faith Abraham sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city which has foundation, whose builder and maker is God. And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets - who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated - of whom the world was not worthy - wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us,that apart from us they should not be made perfect. Εὐλογητὸς εἶ, Κύριε, ὁ Θεὸς τῶν Πατέρων ἡμῶν. Στίχ. Ὅτι δίκαιος εἶ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν, οἷς ἐποίησας ἡμῖν. Πρὸς Ἑβραίους τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα (11:9-10, 32-40) Ἀδελφοί, πίστει παρῴκησεν Ἀβραὰμ εἰς τὴν γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ὡς ἀλλοτρίαν, ἐν σκηναῖς κατοικήσας μετὰ Ισαὰκ καὶ Ιακὼβ τῶν συγκληρονόμων τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τῆς αὐτῆς ἐξεδέχετο γὰρ τὴν τοὺς θεμελίους ἔχουσαν πόλιν, ἧς τεχνίτης καὶ δημιουργὸς ὁ Θεός. Καὶ τί ἔτι λέγω; Ἐπιλείψει γάρ με διηγούμενον ὁ χρόνος περὶ Γεδεών, Βαράκ τε καὶ Σαμψὼν καὶ Ιεφθάε, Δαυΐδ τε καὶ Σαμουὴλ καὶ τῶν προφητῶν, οἳ διὰ πίστεως κατηγωνίσαντο βασιλείας, εἰργάσαντο δικαιοσύνην, ἐπέτυχον ἐπαγγελιῶν, ἔφραξαν στόματα λεόντων, ἔσβεσαν δύναμιν πυρός, ἔφυγον στόματα μαχαίρας, ἐνεδυναμώθησαν ἀπὸ ἀσθενείας, ἐγενήθησαν ἰσχυροὶ ἐν πολέμῳ, παρεμβολὰς ἔκλιναν ἀλλοτρίων ἔλαβον γυναῖκες ἐξ ἀναστάσεως τοὺς νεκροὺς αὐτῶν ἄλλοι δὲ ἐτυμπανίσθησαν, οὐ προσδεξάμενοι τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν, ἵνα κρείττονος ἀναστάσεως τύχωσιν ἕτεροι δὲ ἐμπαιγμῶν καὶ μαστίγων πεῖραν ἔλαβον, ἔτι δὲ δεσμῶν καὶ φυλακῆς ἐλιθάσθησαν, ἐπρίσθησαν, ἐπειράσθησαν, ἐν φόνῳ μαχαίρας ἀπέθανον, περιῆλθον ἐν μηλωταῖς, ἐν αἰγείοις δέρμασιν, ὑστερούμενοι, θλιβόμενοι, κακουχούμενοι, ὧν οὐκ ἦν ἄξιος ὁ κόσμος, ἐν ἐρημίαις πλανώμενοι καὶ ὄρεσι καὶ σπηλαίοις καὶ ταῖς ὀπαῖς τῆς γῆς. Καὶ οὗτοι πάντες μαρτυρηθέντες διὰ τῆς πίστεως οὐκ ἐκομίσαντο τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν, τοῦ Θεοῦ περὶ ἡμῶν κρεῖττόν τι προβλεψαμένου, ἵνα μὴ χωρὶς ἡμῶν τελειωθῶσι. 2

3 The Sunday Gospel Reading The Gospel According to Matthew (1:1-25) The book of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, and Aram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa, and Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel, and Salathiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations. Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus. Ἐκ τοῦ Κατὰ Ματθαῖον Εὐαγγελίου τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα (1:1-25) Βίβλος γενέσεως Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, υἱοῦ Δαυῒδ υἱοῦ Αβραάμ. Αβραὰμ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ισαάκ, Ισαὰκ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ιακώβ, Ιακὼβ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ιούδαν καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ, Ιούδας δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Φαρὲς καὶ τὸν Ζαρὰ ἐκ τῆς Θάμαρ, Φαρὲς δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Εσρώμ, Εσρὼμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Αράμ, Αρὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Αμιναδάβ, Αμιναδὰβ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ναασσών, Ναασσὼν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Σαλμών, Σαλμὼν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Βοὸζ ἐκ τῆς Ραχάβ, Βοὸζ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ωβὴδ ἐκ τῆς Ρούθ, Ωβὴδ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ιεσσαί, Ιεσσαὶ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Δαυῒδ τὸν βασιλέα. Δαυῒδ δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐγέννησε τὸν Σολομῶνα ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Οὐρίου, Σολομὼν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ροβοάμ, Ροβοὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Αβιά, Αβιὰ δὲ 3

4 ἐγέννησε τὸν Ασά, Ασὰ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ιωσαφάτ, Ιωσαφὰτ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ιωράμ, Ιωρὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Οζίαν, Οζίας δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ιωάθαμ, Ιωάθαμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Αχαζ, Αχαζ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Εζεκίαν, Εζεκίας δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Μανασσῆ, Μανασσῆς δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Αμών, Αμὼν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ιωσίαν, Ιωσίας δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ιεχονίαν καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος. Μετὰ δὲ τὴν μετοικεσίαν Βαβυλῶνος Ιεχονίας ἐγέννησε τὸν Σαλαθιήλ, Σαλαθιὴλ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ζοροβάβελ, Ζοροβάβελ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Αβιούδ, Αβιοὺδ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ελιακείμ, Ελιακεὶμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Αζώρ, Αζὼρ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Σαδώκ, Σαδὼκ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Αχείμ, Αχεὶμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ελιούδ, Ελιοὺδ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ελεάζαρ, Ελεάζαρ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ματθάν, Ματθὰν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ιακώβ, Ιακὼβ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ιωσὴφ τὸν ἄνδρα Μαρίας, ἐξ ἧς ἐγεννήθη Ιησοῦς ὁ λεγόμενος Χριστός. Πᾶσαι οὖν αἱ γενεαὶ ἀπὸ Αβραὰμ ἕως Δαυῒδ γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες, καὶ ἀπὸ Δαυῒδ ἕως τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος ἕως τοῦ Χριστοῦ γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες. Τοῦ δὲ Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἡ γέννησις οὕτως ἦν. μνηστευθείσης γὰρ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ Μαρίας τῷ Ιωσήφ, πρὶν ἢ συνελθεῖν αὐτοὺς εὑρέθη ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσα ἐκ Πνεύματος Αγίου. Ιωσὴφ δὲ ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς, δίκαιος ὢν καὶ μὴ θέλων αὐτὴν παραδειγματίσαι, ἐβουλήθη λάθρα ἀπολῦσαι αὐτήν. ταῦτα δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐνθυμηθέντος ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος Κυρίου κατ ὄναρ ἐφάνη αὐτῷ λέγων Ιωσὴφ υἱὸς Δαυΐδ, μὴ φοβηθῇς παραλαβεῖν Μαριὰμ τὴν γυναῖκά σου τὸ γὰρ ἐν αὐτῇ γεννηθὲν ἐκ Πνεύματός ἐστιν Αγίου. τέξεται δὲ υἱὸν καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ιησοῦν αὐτὸς γὰρ σώσει τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν. Τοῦτο δὲ ὅλον γέγονεν ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος ἰδοὺ ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξει καὶ τέξεται υἱόν, καὶ καλέσουσι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Εμμανουήλ, ὅ ἐστι μεθερμηνευόμενον μεθ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεός. Διεγερθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ιωσὴφ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕπνου ἐποίησεν ὡς προσέταξεν αὐτῷ ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου καὶ παρέλαβε τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἐγίνωσκεν αὐτὴν ἕως οὗ ἔτεκε τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς τὸν πρωτότοκον, καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ιησοῦν. Today s Coffee Hour is being hosted by the Frangakis Family. December Religious Calendar 24- Monday - Christmas Eve Worship Service- 6:30 pm 27 Thursday - Feast of St. Stephen - 9 am 30 Sunday after the Nativity 9 am 4

5 Saint Barbara Greek orthodox church 8306 NC HWY 751, Durham NC Monday Night Service December 24, 2018 Matins: 6:30 pm Divine Liturgy 7:30 PM , stbarbarachurchnc.org 5

6 8306 NC HWY 751, DURHAM NC stbarbarachurchnc.org 6

7 8307 Message from Metropolitan Alexios My Beloved Ones, As we continue our journey towards Bethlehem, our Church is mindful of the lessons she wishes us to keep in our hearts and minds during our preparation. It is for this reason that this Sunday is ordained as The Sunday of the Forefathers, in which we commemorate those who lived righteously both before the Law and during it, in hopeful expectation of the coming of God s Christ. Special attention is paid to the Patriarch Abraham, who, if we remember from last Sunday s Epistle reading, was blessed by God with a son, even in Abraham and his wife Sarah s old age. This was done to fulfill the Lord s promise to Abraham that, I will bless those who bless you and by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves. (Genesis 12:13) Not only through Isaac s son Jacob did the Twelve Tribes of Israel begin, but in a more mystical sense, Christ s life and ministry were prefigured in all these forefathers and mothers. By Abraham s attempted sacrifice of Isaac, we can see God offering up His Only Son for our sakes. In the betrayal of Jacob s favorite son Joseph by his jealous brothers, Christ s betrayal by Judas is prefigured. After a time, when the Tribes fell into slavery in Egypt the holy Prophet Moses encountered God in the Burning Bush; and just as the bush was never consumed, so too was the womb of the Theotokos able to contain He who is without beginning and without end. There of course, great and courageous women, who were important to God s plan. Had Ruth not chosen to remain steadfast and loyal, and stay with the mother of her deceased husband, she would never have met Boaz, and so could not have been the grandmother of The Great King and Prophet David, who foretold the coming of his ancestor the Messiah in the Psalms. And of course, there is Isaiah, whose prophecy directly stated, Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanu-el. (Isaiah 7:14) As we approach the Nativity, we may find ourselves increasingly busy. Old friends might wish to visit before the holiday, and we are occupied with trying to find the appropriate gifts which may demonstrate the love we have for our family. But the Church is instead here to remind us that the most important thing we need to do is to follow these righteous: follow them in their steadfastness, in their purity, and in their hope in the Lord. How wonderful it is that we can observe the coming of the person who had been waited for thousands of years, since the days of Abraham? We must take great joy and strength in these, our righteous forefathers and in the fulfillment of their hope through the coming Incarnation of our Lord, and ask them to intercede for us, both now, and always. +ALEXIOS Metropolitan of Atlanta Feast of the Holy First Martyr and Archdeacon Stephen Thursday December 27 Matins and Divine Liturgy starting at 9:00 am. 7

8 2018 Stewards through December 16, 2018 Our calendar year 2018 Stewardship Drive continues. At this point we have 155 Stewards or 97% of the 160 goal. Thank you to all who have pledged and contributed. Are you included as a Steward? Please give thoughtful and prayerful consideration to completing and returning your Stewardship Fund form and make your contribution as soon as possible. Also can you please increase your contribution. Stewardship is the primary funding source of our operating obligations and Church s Ministries. Your Church needs your support. THANK YOU. John & Elly Akerly Anna & Phillip D'alessandro Andrew Kuyper Olgha Qaqish Susan Alexander John & Ana Dates Lee & Pauline Kuyper Angelia Quint Alec & Francis Alexiades Gus & Vanessa Demetriades Eudoxia Katherine Livas. Keith & Alexia Rheinhardt Matthew and Vickie Amos Anne Dennos Paul and Melanie Lockett Cati Rosu Alexander & Laurel Arapoglou George & Patricia Dennos Thalia Lyras Al & Christine Safarikas Marina Arvanitis Dobrinka Dimitrova Father Stavroforos Mamaies Peter Saloupas William Athas Betty Bouchlas Dorton Daniel & Hrisavgi Mangum Monica & Sergey Samoilenko Basile & Mary Bakis Elena A. Dufault Johnny & Catherine Mariakakis Matt & Marika Stavrakakis George & Marie Bakis Christine Everhart Dr. Peter & Joan Marinos Bernadette Shepherd Nicholas & Eugenia Balafas Brian & Maria Easton Vasilios Maroulas Epiphany Stephens Effie Barbee Nataliya Federovska Ellene Mashalidis Hon. Ron & Vicky Stephens Lance & Maria Barton Laurice Ferris Panagiotis & Dimitra Mavridis Andrea Stoney Thalia Becak Fitzherbert Family John F. & MaryJon McWhirter William & Jennifer Sullivan Tamar Beridze Daniel Florean Rod & Katharine Meadows Marian Sunas John Biggs & Diana Dobrica Crist & Maria Frangakis John & Dawn Mehalek Senait K Tesfatsion Agape Blackley Peter Gerondelis Nicholas A. Mermigas Rebecca Theophanous Barbara Bonfiglio Socratis & Aliki Gerondelis Hind Muallem Amanda Theosiadis Marilyn Boska George and Amy Glekas David & Courtney Napier Tony Thompson Nick Bourbous Jim & Evy Glekas Billy & Julie Naylor Nolas Olga Thuer Connie Bush Christopher Goodwin Larry & Hope Odzak Donna Trohanis Katherine M Callahan Leonard & Elaine Goodwin Richard Oladipo Suzanne & Naki Tryphonos Katharine Ciarrocca James B. Harr, III Cindy Paliouras Dr. Dimitrios Varelas Manuel & Carole Capsalis Chris Hermanson Jim & Helen Paliouras Georgina Varelas Kurt Candler Paul Kacoyanis John & Dena Paliouras John Varelas Andrew & Cheryl Christakos Ed and Eve Kantner Jr. Nicholas Paliouras Janetis Vassiliades Dr. Arthur Christakos Pamela Kantorrowski Peter & Evelyn Panos Demetra Vlachos Eleni Christakos Mike Karakostantis Yuri & Elena Panov Helen Vurnakes Lia Christakos Antonios & Claire Karamalegos Kleanthis & Angelika Papanikas James & Frances Vurnakes George & Deborah Christie Wendy Katsigianis Matina Papazoglou Alexa Waters Dr. Bessie Chronaki Andrew R. Kaufman Katherine Pappas Shadi & Marija Wehbe Cadee Chronaki Burt & Glenna Keener Dr. Ted & Theky Pappas Preston & Catherine Wilson Chris & Michele Claypoole Andrew & Summer Kinard Kendal Parker Diane Winans Erie Cocolas Renee S. Kleris George Pashales Robert & Roberta Wippich Catherine Constantinou & Wes Platt Paul Klikas Pavlos Pavlidis Grace Witham & Nick Brantley Costa Constantinou Dr. Kenneth & Karen Korach John & Leticia Petropoulos Jonathan & Maria Wood John Constantinou Christi Kleoudis Josh Petropoulos Betsy Xenakis Lou Constantinou Dr. Chris & Demetra Kontos Joseph Podgurski Dino & Kerri Zaferatos Dean Costas & Meg Poe Helen D. Koutouzakis Daniel & Lori Przybyl Christina Zehia Sharan Dababnah Anthony & Evelyn Zehia 8

9 Stewardship Considerations for St. Barbara Father Stavroforos has set a goal of 160 stewardship families for Calendar Year As of now, we have 152 stewards. That s only 8 families short of our goal! Can you help us reach our goal of 160 families? (Note: Stewardship operates on a calendar year not a rolling 12-month cycle) Important Facts About Stewardship $860 Cost to operate St. Barbara per day St. Barbara gets no money from the Archdiocese or Metropolis. In fact, we are assessed approx. $20,0000 /yr to support the Archdiocese $1,100 Average amount we need per steward average stewardship contribution falls $800 Average stewardship contribution As you can see, our about $300 short of what we need. Obviously, not everyone is in a position to give $1,100 per year, so if you are able to give more, we encourage you to do so to help make St. Barbara more financially solvent. 9

10 Get Your Business Noticed ADs in our new Parish Directory can help our business clients expand the scope of their community presence. Our directory will make it easy for new customers to find you and make it that much more likely that they will turn into repeat customers. Our parish directory and adbook is unmatched in the Triangle area. We treat each of our advertisers like family, no matter the size or scope of their business. If you want to make your business known and more visible and reach new customers, create an ad or renew your ad. You Can Help Us Remember our Rich Heritage Our parish directory is a beautiful means of helping us remember the beautiful contributions of those early pioneering families that were integral to the life of our Church. Remembering parents, grandparents, and our forefathers in tribute is a way to reveal and honor the past generation by sharing the faces and memories of those who sacrificed to create a foothold for the practice of the Orthodox faith in Durham. Please consider sponsoring an Ad to Enrich our Directory for future generations. 10

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