St. George. Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church W. 14th Street, Cleveland OH Sunday before Theophany of Christ

Transcription

1 St. George Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church 2587 W. 14th Street, Cleveland OH Sunday before Theophany of Christ Serving the Orthodox Christian Community of Greater Cleveland

2 St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church V. Rev Father John Ojaimi, Pastor Office: (216) Fax: (216) Cellular: (440) Archdeacon Yarid Sahley Subdeacon Sam Elias Pastor s frjojaimi@msn.com Parish office@stgeorgecleveland.com Sunday December 31, 2017 Tone 5/ Eothinon 8 Sunday before Theophany of Christ, Which Falls on the (Leave-taking) of the Nativity of Christ Venerable Melania the Younger of Rome; Hieromartyr Zotikos of Rome, the friend of orphans; Blessed Theophylact, Archbishop of Ochrid WELCOME TO OUR GUESTS We are glad you are worshiping with us today. There are Service Books in the pews. Orthodox Christians must be prepared for Holy Communion through Confession, Fasting, Prayer and by being at peace with others. Please seek and give forgiveness before receiving Holy Communion. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, please join us for coffee hour in the Parish Hall. t ½Êà The mission of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church Is to serve God and the community by commitment to the Gospel s command to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ through faith, hope, and love. It is a parish of the Self Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. The Orthodox Church follows the faith and practice of the apostles and disciples of Christ handed down by the ancient Christian fathers and twenty centuries of Church tradition. Genuine Christian life nurtures and stimulates our spiritual and moral development. The liturgical life of the Orthodox Church has been developing over the last 2000 years. By taking part in the mysteries of Christ s life, death and resurrection at the liturgical services, the community members are drawn to repentance and the gradual change of their inner selves. To join the community of St. George or to find out more information, please fill out the Guest Book in the Narthex. We hope this day will be spiritually rewarding for you. Fr John will be happy to answer any questions. Join us in the hall after Liturgy for our Coffee Hour and Fellowship.

3 Candles are offered for the Health, Safety & Spiritual Welfare of: Kh. May, Nuha Karsheh, Sahar Akel and Evelyna Abdelnour & their Families Bob Mourad by the Hayek Family Family & Friends by George & Joie Haddad Candles are offered in Beloved Memory of: Eilia Marary by Joseph & Deana Marari Michel Hayek by the Hayek Family My Beloved, Mother Mary, Father Abraham, Brothers Emile and James, Sitteh Zaineh & Uncle Kaiser by Emilie L. Easa Wadia Ameen by his wife Mary & Family Edward Haddad by his wife Edward Fadel by his wife & family for the sick, sufferings, shut-ins, needy, homeless, victims of disasters, war and violence in the whole universe. Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, How can this man give us His flesh to eat? So Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:52-54 With fear of God, faith And love draw near. Come to Church, Jesus loves you, we love you we are waiting for you. UPCOMING DIVINE SERVICES Friday January 05, 2018 Theophany Evening Divine Liturgy and the Blessing of the Water 5:00 pm Sunday January 01, 2018 Matins 9:30 am, Divine am Confessions will be heard on Sundays Morning before Liturgy starts or by appointment. Sign up and take your turn in offering a Coffee Hour. Pick a birthday, memorial, anniversary etc.. or just a day that no one has sponsored.

4 Divine Liturgy Variables on Sunday December 31, 2017 Tone 5/ Eothinon 8; Sunday before Theophany of Christ, Which Falls on the (Leave-taking) of the Nativity of Christ Venerable Melania the Younger of Rome; Hieromartyr Zotikos of Rome, the friend of orphans; Blessed Theophylact, Archbishop of Ochrid

5

6 APOLYTIKION OF SUNDAY AFTER THE NATIVITY IN TONE TWO Proclaim, O Joseph, to David, the grandparent ËË Ë Ëŕʳ ŸƅŕǼ ƌƅ Ë ʛÉƍŕʰƅ ʖËœ É ƙ ʙČŠ É É Ãà ʛÍʷÌ ǼÉ ȆÊŬʨƔ Ê ŕǽ of God, the amazing wonders; for thou hast seen a Virgin great with child; for with the Ŷƈà ª ʙʳČƈ Ëŕŷʛƅ Ëţ Æ Ɯ ƈŕ ƛʨʱŗÉ ʗÉƔͱ ʥÉƊČƗ č ŶÉʺž É Æ shepherds thou didst give glory, with the Magi ÉÉ ÉÍ É Ë ʺƅŕȃà ª ʙÍʳ Ŭ ³Ëʨʳ ʺƅ Ë ¾Ɯ thou didst worship, and by the angel it was ȈƎËÉ ʱŗŕž ʥÉʽÍƅ Ɠ ţã É ÉÉ É É É revealed to thee. Wherefore, plead thou with Í Í Ë ŕʻŭʨſɗê ʟÉƆË Christ God to save our souls. Ë ʶ ʺƅ Ƒƅ ÌʵÉǽÊ Á Í ƌƅƙ Ţʽ É É

7

8 RESERVE THESE DATES ON YOUR CALENDER Friday January 05, 2018 The Theophany 5:00 pm Sunday January 14, 2018 General Assembly in Metropolitan Hall after Liturgy ^ƵŶĚĂLJ &ĞďƌƵĂƌLJ Ϭϰ ϮϬϭϴ zžƶő ĚƵůƚ WƌĞ s ĂůĞŶƟŶĞ Ɛ ĂLJ ŚŽĐŽůĂƚĞ Žǀ ĞƌĞĚ ^ĂůĞ Sunday Feb. 11, 2018 Meat Fare Sunday Celebration Buffet Home made food by our Ladies.

9 Preparation opens the road In order to begin his work, Christ prepares the ground with the preaching of St. John the Baptist. Without preparation, nothing that ought to happen is able to happen, in anything. The same occurs even with the work of Christ. St. John the Forerunner comes and urges men to prepare themselves, because the kingdom of God is approaching: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. He calls them to repentance, and in this way prepares them to receive Christ the Saviour, to listen to his word, and to believe it. If even for the work of Christ certain preparation is needed, how much more is needed for the spiritual work in our own souls? Many Christians seek to spiritually build up their souls, but do this without preparation. They prefer things a bit casual and superficial. And because of this they become tired and are not benefitted. The hour in which you stand in the presence of God either to pray or to confess or whatever else you need to prepare yourself a little: you can read or listen to something, so as to warm, to sweeten, your soul and for you to be humbled a bit, to see yourself, to see your sin, and to repent. Then, you will talk to God differently, will communicate with him differently. God will hear you, differently. So why do we flee this preparation? Because it grieves the old man that we carry around within us. However, if we seriously consider this theme, the road of authentic life in Christ will open. Transcribed talks by Archimandrite Symeon Kragiopoulos From: Holy Hesychasterion The Nativity of Theotokos Publications. THE SYNAXARION On December 31 in the Holy Orthodox Church, we take leave of the Nativity of Christ, and we commemorate our Venerable Mother Melania the Younger of Rome; Hieromartyr Zotikos of Rome, the friend of orphans; and Blessed Theophylact, Archbishop of Ochrid. On the Sunday after the Nativity of Christ, we commemorate the holy and just Ancestors of God: Joseph the Betrothed of the Holy Virgin, our Lady the Theotokos; James the Brother of the Lord and the First Bishop of Jerusalem; and David the Prophet and King. Verses I honor Joseph, the Betrothed of the Virgin, who to be her protector was alone chosen. Thou art a carpenter s son, but also the brother of the Lord that built all with a word, O blest James. What shall I say, seeing that the Lord testifieth, as a man after Mine own heart, I have found David. David committed adultery and murder, yet God forgave him and glorified him above all the kings of Israel. He gave him the great grace to compose the most beautiful penitential prayers (the Psalms) and to prophesy the coming of Christ. Thus, God was not ashamed to take upon Himself flesh from David s seed. God designated Joseph to protect the Most-holy Virgin, and imparted to him great honor in the plan of the salvation of mankind. Although Joseph was of the royal lineage of David, he was a humble carpenter in Nazareth. At the age of 80, Joseph took the Most-holy Virgin from the Temple in Jerusalem and into his home. He entered into rest at the age of 110. The Apostle James is called the Brother of the Lord because he was the son of the righteous Joseph the Betrothed. James greatly loved Jesus and, according to tradition, he traveled to Egypt with the Most-holy Virgin and Joseph, when Herod sought to slay the newborn King. By their holy intercessions, O God, have mercy upon us and save us. Amen.

10 Church Level Total Cost: $ Donnated: $ Balance: $23366 Street Level Church s Hall Level

11 The Teens Group Meets every Sunday after Church In The Teens Room If you re a Teen Join us For fun and Education ANTIOCHIAN WOMEN OF ST. GEORGE St. George s Men s Club Meets every First Sunday of the Month In The Yarid 7:00 pm Join us for Fellowship & Fun We will be having our next Meeting and Bible Study on Monday, Jan.08, :00 p.m. In Yarid Hall at the Church. God willing, see you there! St. George Orthodox Young Adult Ministy Thursday January 11, :30 pm St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church 2587 W.14th St. Cleveland.

12 What is Orthodoxy? First of all, Orthodoxy is right faith in God; it is that mighty power which makes each truly believing Orthodox Christian unwavering on the righteous and pious path of his life. To be Orthodox means to know correctly with the mind, to believe correctly with the heart, and to confess correctly with the lips all that God Himself has revealed to us about Himself, about the world and man, and about the tasks and aims of our life in the teaching on the attaining of our spiritual union with Him and our eternal salvation. Without such right faith, according to the word of the Apostle Paul, it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6). Orthodoxy is not only right faith and a right confession of the fundamental truths and dogmas of the Church of Christ, but also a right and virtuous life, founded on an unshakable law: the fulfilling of God s commandments, the permeating of the heart with humility, meekness and love for one s neighbor, the rendering of help to the needy and unfortunate, and the serving of one s church. The Apostle James teaches: Faith without works is dead (James 2:26). The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, the future Judge of the whole world, promises to reward every man according to his works (Matt. 16:27). The Apostle Paul testifies that every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor (1Cor. 3:8). Here is the Orthodox point of view. Right faith must be expressed in deeds, and deeds must serve as a manifestation of faith. One must be closely united with the other indissolubly, like soul and body. This only, then, is the Orthodox, the correct way leading us to God. Orthodoxy is not only right faith and a life according to faith, but also correct service to God. Our Lord Jesus Christ expressed the essence of the right worship of God in these brief but profound words: God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Only the inspired divine service of the Holy Orthodox Church, which is permeated by prayer, has realized this sacred worship of God in truth. Moreover, Orthodoxy is strict proportionality and correctness in the manifestations of all the powers of soul and body. In Orthodoxy, a proper place is allotted to everything: to the intellect, to the wants and needs of the heart, to the manifestations of man s free will, to labor and prayer, to abstinence and watchfulness, in a word, to everything of which man s life consists.