St. George Orthodox Church V. Rev. Father Joseph M. Abud, Pastor 5191 Lennon Road Flint, MI 48507 (810) 732-0720 Protodeacon Michael Bassett Web Site: saintgeorgeflint.org July 24, 2016 5 TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST GREAT MARTYR CHRISTINA OF TYRE Tone 4 5 th Matins Gospel {Luke 24:12-35} Altar Servers: St. George team {Issa Odeh, Captain} Next Week St. Michael team Confessions Matins p.44 Divine Liturgy p.91 Memorial Service 8:30-9:30am 8:50am 10:00am Trisagion p.183 Welcome to St. George! Every Sunday we remember the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The word Liturgy means work of the people which means everyone participates through singing, praying, hearing the teaching, and opening our hearts to allow God s grace to enter. For those who have committed and are members of the Orthodox Faith (through Baptism and/or Chrismation) it also means, if prepared, the reception of Holy Communion. Preparation includes the Sacrament of Confession (7 years and older) within the last 2 months, prayer, being on time for church, being at peace with others, attending the Divine Liturgy regularly, and fasting (no food or drink from midnight the night before). If you are new, just visiting, or have any questions, please introduce yourself to Father Joe. Please know that everyone is invited to venerate the Holy Cross and receive Holy Bread at the end of Liturgy. All are welcome to our Coffee Fellowship in the hall after Liturgy. In the Typika Service, we sing these special hymns, Special Hymns for the Typika Service Kontakion of the Resurrection Tone 4 My Savior and Redeemer has, as God, raised up the mortal men from the grave and from their fetters, and He has broken the gates of Hades, and as Master, has risen on the third day. Kontakion for the Virgin Mary Tone 2 O protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the Creator most constant: O despise not the suppliant voices of those who have sinned, but be thou quick, O good one, to come unto our aid, who in faith cry unto thee. Hasten to intercession, and speed thou to make supplication, thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee. يا شفيعة المسيحيين غير الخازية الوسيطة لدى الخالق غير المرد ودة لا تعرضي عن اصوات طلباتنا نحن الخطا ة بل تداركينا بالمعونة بما انك صالحة نحن الصارخين نحوك بايمان بادري الى الشفاعة واسرعي في الطلبة يا والدة الا له المتشفعة داي ما بمكرميك. Epistle Reading: Romans 10:1-10 {5 th Sunday after Pentecost} Gospel Reading: Matthew 8:28-9:1 {5 th Sunday of Matthew}
Holy Bread Offerings We pray for the servants of God who have fallen asleep in the Lord: Nicola Odeh (+June 15 th, uncle of Giries Odeh), Imad Khouri (+June 16 th, nephew of Salwa Abu-Aitah), and Naela Hayek (+June 23 rd, sister of Issa and cousin to the Hayek Family of Flint). Prayers are offered for our parishioners who are ill, recovering, or in need, especially His servants: Hanna Abuaita, Anaam Abueita, Eman Abufarha, Awni Alatrash, Mariam and Michael Al- Khouri, Naila Banna, Emil Bathish, Vera Farah, Nadera Ghantous, Phyllis Good, Carol Haddad, Roland and Ronald Haddad, Areen Hutchins, Daisy Isaac, John Isaac, Nawal Iseid, Pauline Jehnsen, Amal Koubty, Alfred Nassar, Laura Nassar, Renee Nassif, Aida Raffoul, Elaine Shaheen, Mary Salim, William Sophiea Jr.; Alexa Nassif (daughter-in-law of George and Jeanette) and newborn Alexandra Grace (June 19 th ); Jennifer Habbo (daughter of Jim/Maggie David) and newborn Michael Joseph (July 12 th ); Ariana Olivia Khouri and Elena Elizabeth Rodriguez who were brought into the Orthodox Faith through the Holy Sacraments of Baptism, Chrismation, and the reception of their First Communion. We also pray for those who are with child: Rania AbuAita, Bissan Abufarha, Christina Andoni, Katrin Mitri, and Erica Shamma. Reception of Holy Communion Please remember only ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS who have PREPARED themselves may partake of Holy Communion. If you are physically able, please remain standing during Holy Communion. If you have a special need, please let one of the ushers know so we may assist you. As a reminder, please do not talk in church. We are here to pray and worship God. When people talk and greet each other, we are being rude to God while distracting those who are praying and preparing themselves for HOLY COMMUNION. Please wait until Coffee Fellowship to say hello and visit with one another. In the communion line, the only people who should be talking are those who are asking and receiving forgiveness from one another. فقط للتذكيربطريقة ودية: الرجاء عدم الكلام داخل الكنيسة. نحن هنا للصلاة وتقديم فروضالعبادةM. عندما نتحدثونقدمالتحية للاخرينداخلالكنيسة فنحننساهمفي تقديم اهانة M, ونشتت ا ولي ك الذين يصلون ويهيو ن ا نفسهم لتناول القربان المقدس. يرجىالانتظارحتىالدخولالىصالةالكنيسةعندها يمكنكمتناولالقهوةوالقاءالتحية على الاخرين الاشخاص الوحيدين الذين يسمح لهم بالحديث هم فقط من يسا لون ويقبلونالمسامحةوطلبالمغفرة قبلالتناول. ANNOUNCEMENTS OUT-OF-TOWN Fr. Joe, as Spiritual Advisor, is attending the national meeting of the Antiochian Women at the Village and will be returning, God willing, this evening. Please keep him in your prayers. For emergencies while Fr. Joe is away, please call Fr. Angelo Maggos (Assumption, 810-771-4611) or Fr. Gabriel Bilas (St. Mary Magdalene, 810-750-1401); Fr. Matthew Butrie from St. Nicholas is on vacation.
COFFEE FELLOWSHIP is not hosted today. Please make a donation to help cover our costs Thank You! COFFEE FELLOWSHIP HOSTS Available dates: July 31 st, August 7 th, and 14 th ~ sign-up poster is in the Lounge. Hosting information is in the Lounge and includes: bringing whatever you wish to serve and cleaning up afterwards. St. George provides coffee, cups, cream, and sugar at a charge to the host of $25. For more information, please see Manal Abuaita. During the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Fast (August 1 st -14 th ), no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, or their by-products are to be served. PAN-ORTHODOX VACATION CHURCH SCHOOL (VCS) hosted by St. Mary Magdalene, Fenton August 10 th 13 th 6-8:30pm. More details and registration forms in the Narthex! Volunteers NEEDED, please call Meghan Durand (810-610-3693) to help. LOOKING FOR A CHURCH WHILE ON VACATION? Look no further than www.orthodoxyinamerica.org Click on Church Locator on the menu. It will give you all the Orthodox churches in a given area as well as the service schedule and phone number. Let this website help you attend church as you travel this summer. WEEKLY OFFERINGS Our average weekly offerings need to be $4,722 to meet our 2016 Budget. On July 17 th, our offerings were $2,482 so we were short $2,240 Please keep up with your offerings during the summer months! If you haven t already, please fill out your 2016 Offering Form and support God s work at St. George! COMING EVENTS This Week The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine, olive oil, and their by-products) is observed on Wednesday and Friday. Tuesday North End Soup Kitchen 9am-12:30pm Saturday Great Vespers and Confessions 5pm JULY 24 TH ~ GREAT MARTYR CHRISTINA OF TYRE The Martyr Christina lived during the third century. She was born into a rich family, and her father was governor of Tyre. By the age of 11 the girl was exceptionally beautiful, and many wanted to marry her. Christina s father, however, envisioned that his daughter should become a pagan priestess. To this end he placed her in a special dwelling where he had set up many gold and silver idols, and he commanded his daughter to burn incense before them. Two servants attended Christina. In her solitude, Christina began to wonder who had created this beautiful world. From her room she was delighted by the stars of the heavens and she constantly came back to the thought about the Creator of all the world. She was convinced, that the voiceless and inanimate idols in her room could not create anything, since they themselves were created by human hands. She began to pray to the One God with tears, entreating Him to reveal Himself. Her soul blazed with love for the Unknown God, and she intensified her prayer all the more, and combined it with fasting.
4 One time Christina was visited by an angel, who instructed her in the true faith in Christ, the Savior of the world. The angel called her a bride of Christ and told her about her future suffering. The holy virgin smashed all the idols standing in her room and threw them out the window. In visiting his daughter Christina s father, Urban, asked her where all the idols had disappeared. Christina was silent. Then, having summoned the servants, Urban learned the truth from them. In a rage the father began to slap his daughter s face. At first, the holy virgin remained quiet, but then she told her father about her faith in the One True God, and that she had destroyed the idols with her own hands. Urban gave orders to kill all the servants in attendance upon his daughter, and he gave Christina a fierce beating and threw her in prison. Having learned about what had happened, St Christina s mother came in tears, imploring her to renounce Christ and to return to her ancestral beliefs. But Christina remained unyielding. On another day, Urban brought his daughter to trial and urged her to offer worship to the gods, and to ask forgiveness for her misdeeds. Instead, he saw her firm and steadfast confession of faith in Christ. The torturers tied her to an iron wheel, beneath which they lit a fire. The body of the martyr, turning round on the wheel, was scorched on all sides. They then threw her into prison. An angel of God appeared at night, healing her wounds and strengthening her with food. Her father, seeing her unharmed, gave orders to drown her in the sea. An angel sustained the saint while the stone sank down, and Christina miraculously came out of the water and reappeared before her father. In terror, the torturer imputed this to sorcery and he decided to execute her in the morning. That night he himself suddenly died. Another governor, Dion, was sent in his place. He summoned the holy martyr and also tried to persuade her to renounce Christ, but seeing her unyielding firmness, he again subjected her to cruel tortures. The holy martyr was in prison for a long while. People began to flock to her, and she converted them to the true faith in Christ. Thus about 300 were converted. In place of Dion, a new governor Julian arrived and resumed the torture of the saint. After various torments, Julian gave orders to throw her into a red-hot furnace and lock her in it. After five days they opened the furnace and found the martyr alive and unharmed. Seeing this miracle take place, many believed in Christ the Savior, and the torturers executed St Christina with a sword. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ If you know of a parishioner who has given birth, fallen ill, or admitted to the hospital, please call the church office or let Father Joe know. If you would like to offer Holy Bread (Holy Oblation) in memory of a loved one, for the health or safety of a loved one, or to commemorate a special occasion, you may phone the church office (810-732-0720) by 12 Noon of the Wednesday before. If you are making the Holy Bread, Fr. Joe needs it on Saturday please make arrangements with him. If you do not make the Holy Bread, Fr. Joe will buy it from Balkan Bakery at a cost to you of $35.