SAINT HERMAN ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH. The Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ December 25, 2016

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1 THIS WEEK S SERVICES December 25 January 1 Sat. Dec. 31 Sun. Jan. 1 9:00am: Orthros Sun. Jan. 1 10:00am: Divine CHRISTIAN EDUCATION FAMILY NIGHTS On break until January 10. PARISH ANNOUNCEMENTS WELCOME to all who are visiting with us today! We hope you will feel at home here and, if you do not already have a church home, will consider becoming a part of the Saint Herman Church community. NEW JANUARY CALENDAR Please note that the service times for Sunday January 15 have changed. Please replace your January calendar with the new calendar inserted here. THERE IS NO FASTING FROM DEC. 25 JAN. 4. Jan. 5 is a strict fast day in preparation for the feast of Theophany. ADOPT-A-FAMILY FOR CHRISTMAS This year our parish is adopting Fr. Christopher and Mat. Mary Sara s family for Christmas. They will be moving to Tennessee in January, so please refrain from buying large, cumbersome gifts. Please take a tag from the tree in the narthex to buy a gift for one of the Stantons. They celebrate Nativity on the Old Calendar (January 7), so all presents need to be brought to church no later than January 1. Cash donations in lieu of presents can be given to Presbytera Anastasia or Subdeacon Peter Kamilos. SUITCASES NEEDED FOR THE STANTONS If you have an old suitcase that you might never use again, but could make a one way trip to Tennessee, then please consider donating it to the Stantons. They need 11 suitcases for their move. ANNUAL PARISH MEETING WILL BE JANUARY 29. We will elect parish council officers, review the parish budget, and discuss the establishment of a new Site Committee. PURPOSE, VISION, MISSION WORKSHOP Feb. 3-5, 2017 with Fr.. All parishioners are invited. SAINT HERMAN ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America Diocese of Los Angeles and the West PRIMATE and DIOCESAN HIERARCH His Eminence, the Most Reverend Metropolitan JOSEPH Contact Information 6988 N. En Dove Road Wasilla, Alaska Pastor s Phone: (907) priest@sainthermanwasilla.org PASTOR Rev. Fr. Matthew Howell DEACON Rev. Dn. Thomas Ross The Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ December 25, 2016 A NOTE REGARDING HOLY COMMUNION Welcome! In the Orthodox Church, reception of the Holy Eucharist is reserved for baptized, chrismated Orthodox Christians who have prepared by prayer, fasting and a recent confession. If you are visiting from a non- Orthodox church or otherwise are not prepared to commune today, you are welcome to receive some of the unconsecrated, blessed bread which the acolytes are holding. We pray for all to be united in the Body and Blood of Christ! If you would like to learn how you can enter into communion with the Orthodox Church, please speak with our clergy.

2 THE EPISTLE V Let all the earth worship Thee, and sing to Thee. Shout with joy to God, all the earth. The reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians. (4:4-7) Brethren, when the time had fully come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, to redeem those who were under the Law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba! Father! Therefore, you are no longer a slave but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. THE GOSPEL The reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (2:1-12) Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East, and have come to worship Him. When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet: And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, are by no means least among the rulers of Judea; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern My people Israel. Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared; and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found Him bring me word, that I too may come and worship Him. When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. SAINTS AND FEASTS OF THE DAY The Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ A GOOD WORD VITAMINS FOR THE SOUL "When you see poor homes, or live in such, bring to your memory the cave and the manger in which your Lord was born as man." -- St. Theophan the Recluse "The heart is refined, spiritual and heavenly by nature. Guard it. Do not overburden it; do not make it earthly; be temperate to the utmost in food and drink, and in bodily pleasures in general. The heart is the temple of God. If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy I Cor. 3:17." -- St. John of Kronstadt "We have to overcome sentimentalism in our prayer if we want to experience its healing power." -- Metropolitan JOSEPH "Prayer is a branch (of the tree) of meekness, and freedom from anger. Prayer is an expression of joy and thankfulness. Prayer is a remedy against sorrow and depression." -- St. Nilus of Sinai "If you want to feel Jesus coming into your life, into this world, through the Incarnation, through Christmas, pray as much as you can; not with your emotions, not with your sentiments, but with your whole being." -- His Eminence, Metropolitan JOSEPH "Let us become like Christ, since Christ became like us. Let us become gods because of Him, since He for us became man. He took upon Himself a low degree that He might give us a higher one. He became poor, that in His poverty we might become rich." -- St. Gregory of Nazianzus "When we take our hidden sins to Confession, and admit each of them before God, our Lord removes these passions, little by little, so that the Light of Christ may enter in. We begin to see things as they really are. We see God in everything and everyone, and we give thanks to our Maker that He has so generously blessed us." -- His Eminence, Metropolitan JOSEPH "It is much better to think that our death will come sooner than the end of the world, rather than that the end of the world will come before our death." -- St. Seraphim of Sarov "We don t reject God s banquet. We don t reject God s invitation. We don t reject God s loving-kindness. So let us open our hearts and our minds during these holy days to receive Him as He comes to bring peace and joy and every good thing into the world." -- His Eminence, Metropolitan JOSEPH

3 Monthly Calendar Page 1 of 2 1 Circumcision of the Lord St. Basil the Great SAINT HERMAN OF ALASKA ORTHODOX CHURCH 6988 N En Dove Rd - Wasilla, AK Reverend Matthew Howell, Pastor (907) JANUARY 2017 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday THEOPHANY OF THE LORD 10:00am: Royal Hours 6:00pm: Vesperal with the Great Blessing of the Water 9:00am: Matins 10:00am: Divine : fish, wine, and oil allowed 7 Synaxis of the Baptist followed by outdoor blessing of the water Fr. Matthew on vacation January :30pm Reader (No Confession) St. Anthony the Great St. Maximus the Confessor 9:30am Orthros and Typika with no communion 6:30pm Reader (No Confession) Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg Three Holy Hierarchs 31 Feb 1 Feb 2 Feb 3 MEETING OF THE LORD Feb 4 Annual Parish Meeting following coffee hour 6:00pm: Orthros 6:45pm: Divine Topic: Purpose, Vision, Mission All are invited. See bulletin for times and details.

4 Monthly Calendar Page 1 of 2 SAINT HERMAN OF ALASKA ORTHODOX CHURCH 6988 N En Dove Rd - Wasilla, AK Reverend Matthew Howell, Pastor (907) FEBRUARY 2017 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Jan 29 Jan 30 Jan Three Holy MEETING OF THE Hierarchs LORD Annual Parish Meeting following coffee hour 6:00pm: Orthros 6:45pm: Divine Topic: Purpose, Vision, Mission All are invited. See bulletin for times and details. 5 Publican and Pharisee Fr. Matthew to Diocesan Clergy Symposium in Alhambra, California Feb Prodigal Son Sunday of the Last Judgment :00am Matins Meatfare Sunday : dairy, fish, : dairy, fish, : dairy, fish, : dairy, fish, : dairy, fish, 26 Forgiveness Sunday 27 : dairy, fish, 28 Mar 1 Mar 2 Mar 3 Mar 4 9:00am Matins Cheesefare Sunday : dairy, fish, Compline with Canon of St. Andrew (Part 1) Compline with Canon of St. Andrew (Part 2) 6:30pm: Presanctified followed by Soup Supper Compline with Canon of St. Andrew (Part 4) 6:30pm: Little Compline with the Akathist Hymn (Part 1) : wine & oil

https://teensoyo.org/shop Purchase Grace Shining Forth Paul Jabara, Chairman, Department of Sacred Music V.

Purpura, Chairman, Department of Youth and Parish Ministries Yours in Christ, t is always a great joy to hear

This music CD, sung by the Teens of SOYO, the Youth Movement of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese

Orthodox Church, and the people of the Church.

May the Grace of the Living God shine upon you as you hear these beautiful hymns that have emanated from the

5 Purchase Grace Shining Forth Paul Jabara, Chairman, Department of Sacred Music V. Rev. Dr. Joseph F. Purpura, Chairman, Department of Youth and Parish Ministries Yours in Christ, t is always a great joy to hear the beautiful music that proceeds from the mouths of our young people as they praise and glorify God. This music CD, sung by the Teens of SOYO, the Youth Movement of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, is oﬀered as a testament of the love our young people have for Jesus Christ, His Holy Orthodox Church, and the people of the Church. It is also an oﬀering of thanksgiving to God for all the blessings He has bestowed upon us. May the Grace of the Living God shine upon you as you hear these beautiful hymns that have emanated from the Orthodox Church in North America, some of which are recorded for the very ﬁrst time on this CD. I Beautiful Orthodox Hymns sung by our Orthodox Christian Teens New Release Electronic files of this page are available at: Dear Father, Please print this in your bulletin

WITH THE BLESSING OF HIS EMINENCE, METROPOLITAN JOSEPH 2017 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ORTHODOX YOUNG ADULT WINTER RETREAT BIG BEAR LAKE CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE CENTER I 575 PRAIRIE LN.

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WITH THE BLESSING OF HIS EMINENCE, METROPOLITAN JOSEPH THE YOUNG ADULT

Orthodox Christians in a Pro-Life walk at the upcoming West Coast Walk

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Francisco, CA 2017 Walk for Life Admission and visit to the relics of

7 WITH THE BLESSING OF HIS EMINENCE, METROPOLITAN JOSEPH THE YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY PRESENTS AN ORTHODOX WALK Jan I San Francisco, CA Join Orthodox Christians in a Pro-Life walk at the upcoming West Coast Walk for Life in San Francisco, CA. COST: 75 ALL AGES WELCOME Price Includes: Bus ride to/from Riverside, CA to San Francisco, CA Two Night Stay at Holy Trinity Cathedral in San Francisco, CA 2017 Walk for Life Admission and visit to the relics of Saint John Maximovitch For more info and to register, please visit Register by December 21, 2016

SAINT HERMAN ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH. Zacchaeus Sunday. January 22, 2017

SAINT HERMAN ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH. Zacchaeus Sunday. January 22, 2017 THIS WEEK S SERVICES January 22 January 29 Mon. Jan. 23 9:30am: Akathist to the Mother of God, Nurturer of Children, followed by knitting & coffee fellowship 10:00am-noon Tue. Jan. 24 Sat. Jan. 28 (confessions