Holy Trinity Orthodox Church

Transcription

1 Holy Trinity Orthodox Church 1812 Watt St., Little Rock, AR V. Rev. Fr. Joseph Bittle, Pastor August 13, 2017 Leave-Taking of Feast of the Transfiguration

2 Preparing to Worship the Thrice-Holy God Upon Entering the Church I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy; and in thy fear I will worship toward thy holy temple. (Ps. 5:7) A Prayer before Holy Communion O Sovereign Lord Jesus Christ, our God, who alone hast authority to forgive men their sins: overlook in thy goodness and love for mankind all my offences whether committed with knowledge or in ignorance; and make me worthy to receive without condemnation thy divine, glorious, spotless, and life-giving Mysteries, not for punishment, nor for an increase of sins, but for purification and sanctification and as a pledge of the life and the kingdom to come, as a protection and help, and for the destruction of enemies, and for the blotting out of my many transgressions. For thou art a God of mercy and compassion and love for mankind, and to thee we send up glory, to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Amen. (St. John of Damascus) NEWCOMERS A warm welcome to all those worshiping with us at Holy Trinity! Please join us for coffee after the service; we look forward to getting to know you. About receiving Holy Communion: The Orthodox Church understands the Eucharist, or Lord s Supper, to be among other things the paramount expression of Christian unity. Since participation in the Eucharist expresses a formal unity with all the dogma and practice and discipline of the Orthodox Church, non-orthodox guests do not receive Holy Communion. Orthodox communicants are reminded that we approach the Chalice with due preparation including recent Confession, keeping the appointed fasts of the Church, and appropriate prayers of preparation for the reception of Holy Communion and thanksgiving after.

3 DIVINE LITURGY of ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM Variable Hymns and Readings FIRST ANTIPHON (Verses for Transfiguration) Vs. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God. Refrain: Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us. Vs. Who settest fast the mountains by His strength. Vs. Who coverest Thyself with light as with a garment. Vs. The mountains shall rejoice at the presence of the Lord. Glory to the... Now and Ever... SECOND ANTIPHON (Verses for Transfiguration) Vs. His foundations are in the holy mountains. Refrain: O Son of God, who wast transfigured on Mount Tabor, save us who sing to Thee. Alleluia. Vs. The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than the dwellings of Jacob. Vs. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Vs. A man will say: Mother Zion, and That man was born in her. Glory to the... Now and ever... Only begotten Son...

4 Vs. THIRD ANTIPHON Of Thy mercies, O Lord, will I sing forever. Refrain (Transfiguration Troparion): Thou wast transfigured on the Mount, O Christ our God, revealing Thy glory to Thy Disciples as far as they could bear it. Let Thine everlasting light shine upon us sinners. Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Giver of light, glory to Thee. Vs. Vs. Vs. Of Thy mercies, O Lord, will I sing forever. The heavens shall confess Thy wonders, O Lord. Blessed are the people that knoweth jubilation. AT LITTLE ENTRANCE Entrance Hymn (Eisodikon of Transfiguration adjusted for Sunday) For with Thee is the fountain of life, and in Thy light shall we see light. O Son of God, Who art risen from the dead, save us who sing to Thee. Alleluia. Troparion for Resurrection (Tone 1) While the stone was sealed by the Jews, and the soldiers were guarding Thy most pure body, Thou didst arise on the third day, O Savior, granting life to the world. For which cause the heavenly powers cried aloud unto Thee, O giver of life. Glory to Thy Resurrection O Christ, glory to Thy kingdom, glory to Thy providence, O Thou Who alone art the lover of mankind. Troparion for Transfiguration (Tone 7) Thou wast transfigured on the Mount, O Christ our God, revealing Thy glory to Thy Disciples as far as they could bear it. Let Thine everlasting light shine upon us sinners. Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Giver of light, glory to Thee.

5 Troparion for Pentecost, patronal feast of the parish (Tone 8) Blessed art Thou, O Christ our God, who hast revealed the fisherman as most wise, by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit; through them Thou didst draw the world into Thy net. O Lover of Man, glory to Thee! Kontakion for Transfiguration (Tone 7) Thou wast transfigured on the mount, and Thy Disciples, in so far as they were able, beheld Thy glory, O Christ our God; so that, when they should see Thee crucified, they would remember that all Thy suffering was voluntary, and could declare to all the world that Thou art truly the effulgent Splendor of the Father. EPISTLE: First Corinthians 4:9-16 (10 th Sun. after Pentecost) Brethren, God has exhibited us Apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are ill clad and buffeted and homeless; and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as the refuse of the world, the off scouring of all things. I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the Gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me. GOSPEL: St. Matthew 17:14-23 (10 th Sun. of Matthew) At that time, a man came up to Jesus and kneeling before Him said, Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to Thy disciples, and they could not heal him. And Jesus answered, O faithless and perverse

6 generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me. And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, Why could we not cast it out? Jesus said to them, Because you have no faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. This kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting. As they were traveling together through Galilee, Jesus said to them, The Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and He will rise on the third day. Megalynarion for Leave-Taking of Transfiguration (Tone 4) Magnify, O my soul, the Lord Who wast transfigured on Mount Tabor. Thy birth-giving, O Theotokos, has been shown free of corruption; for God did come forth from thy womb putting on flesh; and on earth did He appear, and walked among men. Wherefore, thee do we all magnify. Koinonikon (Tone 8) We shall walk, O Lord, in the light of the glory of Thy countenance; and in Thy Name shall we rejoice forever. Alleluia. Instead of We have seen the true light : Troparion for Transfiguration (Tone 7) Thou wast transfigured on the Mount, O Christ our God, revealing Thy glory to Thy Disciples as far as they could bear it. Let Thine everlasting light shine upon us sinners. Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Giver of light, glory to Thee.

7 Dormition Blessing of Flowers and Fragrant Herbage Tradition speaks of the Apostles returning to the tomb of Mary, finding it empty of her body, but with flowers present where her body once lay. Thus, flowers are seen as symbols of the purity of the Theotokos and the saving presence of her Son by whose power she was received into the heavenly precincts. As a reminder of this event, flowers are brought to the Church at Dormition and blessed. These are then taken home and dried, one custom being to add the dried petals to the home censer for use at times of particular family strife or illness. It is also customary to bring other fragrant herbs for blessing, especially those herbs traditionally understood to be beneficial for health and healing. But inasmuch as most of us no longer use herbs in this manner, we may bring small household plants for blessing, these having the medicinal quality of keeping up our spirits as they beautify our homes.

8 THIS WEEK Last day Dormition Fast is Monday. Return to Wed. and Fri. fasting for the rest of the week. Monday, August 14 Prophet Micah; New-martyr Simeon of Trebizond; translation of the relics of Venerable Theodosios of the Kiev Caves 6:00 pm Vesperal Divine Liturgy w/ Lamentation of Theotokos & Blessing of Fragrant Herbage Tuesday, August 15 DORMITION OF THE THEOTOKOS Wednesday, August 16 Commemoration of the Icon Not-Made-by-Hands of our Lord in Edessa. Martyrs Diomedes the physician of Tarsus in Cilicia and Alkiviades; Venerable Gerasimos the New Ascetic of Kephallenia; Timothy, bishop of Epiros 6:00 pm Vespers Thursday, August 17 Venerable Myron of Kyzikos, Eutychios, Eutychian, and Kassiane; Martyrs Thyrsos, Cyprian and Juliana; Venerable Alypios the iconographer of the Kiev Caves; Theodoretos of Solovky, enlightener of the Lapps 7:00 pm Parish Council Friday, August 18 Martyrs Floros and Lauros of Illyria; Venerable Sophronios of St. Anne Skete on Athos; Venerable Barnabas and Christopher of Mt. Mela; New-martyr Demetrios; Venerable Arsenios the New of Paros Saturday, August 19 Martyr Andrew the General ('Stratelates'); Venerable Theophanes of Docheiariou monastery on Athos 6:00 pm Great Vespers 6:45 pm Confessions Sunday, August 20 LORD S DAY - Prophet Samuel; Martyrs Heliodoros of Persia and Photeini of Blachernae 9:00 am Orthros 10:00 am Divine Liturgy w/ Blessing of Student for New School Year 11:30 am Coffee Hour