AL-NOUR The Light of Christ November 27, 2016 Issue 549 PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY: THE ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX BASILICA OF ST. MARY 18100 Merriman Road Livonia, Michigan 48152 www.saintmarylivonia.com Office: (734)-422-0010 Sunday Services Confession: 8:30AM Matins: 9:00AM Divine Liturgy: 10:00AM St. Mary s Cultural and Banquet Center (734) 421-9220 And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. Acts 11:26 Daily Confession by Appointment - Call the Church Office November 27, 2016 The Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called November 30 A ndrew, the son of Jonah and brother of Peter, was born in Bethsaida and was a fisherman by trade. At first he was a disciple of St. John the Baptist, but when St. John pointed to the Lord Jesus, saying, Behold the Lamb of God! (John 1:36), Andrew left his first teacher and followed Christ. Then, Andrew brought his brother Peter to the Lord. Following the descent of the Holy Spirit, it fell by lot to the first apostle of Christ, St. Andrew, to preach the Gospel in Byzantium and Thrace, then in the lands along the Danube and in Russia around the Black Sea, and finally in Epirus, Greece and the Peloponnese, where he suffered. In Byzantium, he appointed St. Stachys as its first bishop; in Kiev, he planted a Cross on a high place and prophesied a bright Christian future for the Russian people; throughout Thrace, Epirus, Greece and the Peloponnese, he converted multitudes of people to the Faith and ordained bishops and priests for them. In the city of Patras, he performed many miracles in the name of Christ, and won many over to the Lord. Among the new faithful were the brother and wife of the Proconsul Aegeates. Angered at this, Aegeates subjected St. Andrew to torture and then crucified him. While the apostle of Christ was still alive on the cross, he gave beneficial instructions to the Christians who had gathered around. The people wanted to take him down from the cross but he refused to let them. Then the apostle prayed to God and an extraordinary light encompassed him. This brilliant illumination lasted for half an hour, and when it disappeared, the apostle gave up his holy soul to God. Thus, the First-called Apostle, the first of the Twelve Great Apostles to know the Lord and follow Him, finished his earthly course. St. Andrew suffered for his Lord in the year 62. His relics were taken to Constantinople; his head was later taken to Rome, and one hand was taken to Moscow. The Prologue of Ohrid The Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary Fr. George Shalhoub - Pastor Fr. Jim King - Director of Youth & Pastoral Outreach Programs Archdeacon Issa Rizkallah 313-690-2030 Deacon Dr. Dennis Bojrab Deacon Samer Hanna Nidal Fakhoury - Parish Council Chairman Linda Lawson - Choir Director Stacey Badeen - Church Administrator Sonya Kassis - Parish Ministries Coordinator Haitham Fakhouri - Communications Richard Shebib/Sami Azzouz - Ushers Dr. Tom Saba - Young Adults- St. John Divine Nancy Ghannam- Ladies Society President Nicole Rumman & Natalie Samaan Teen Soyo Co-Presidents Lina Nunu - Arabic School Keith Rowe - Cultural Center General Manager 734-421-9220
Page 2 THE EPISTLE O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance. Unto Thee, O Lord, will I cry, O my God! The Reading is from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians Chapter 2:4-10 B rethren, God, being rich in mercy, through His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead through the trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are saved), and raised us up together with Him, and made us to sit together with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the coming ages He would show the exceeding riches of His grace, in kindness toward us, in Christ Jesus. For by grace you are saved through faith, and that is not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. THE GOSPEL The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke Chapter 18:18-27 A t that time, a man came testing Jesus and asking, Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said to him, Why do you call Me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery. Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not bear false witness. Honor your father and mother. And the man said, All these I have observed from my youth. And when Jesus heard it, he said to him, One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me. But when the man heard this he became sad, for he was very rich. Jesus, seeing him sad, said, How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. Those who heard it said, Then who can be saved? Jesus said, What is impossible with men is possible with God.
Page 3 The Basilica of Saint Mary Parish Ministries Updates Bishop Visits, Teens Serve and Ladies Host Dinner Bishop ANTOUN, Bishop of Miami and the Southeast and Archdeacon David Nimer from Florida, joined us for Divine Liturgy and our annual Thanksgiving Dinner hosted by the Ladies Society. We also had the pleasure of hos ng Sister Rufina Baldak from Jerusalem. The Thanksgiving Dinner was another great event organized by the Ladies Society. In addi on, Teen SOYO members traveled all over the city of Detroit performing various acts of service to those in need. Please visit www.saintmarylivonia.com for details about events and ac vi es happening at the Basilica of Saint Mary. If you have any ques ons regarding Youth and Outreach Events, please contact Fr. Jim or Sonya Kassis at (734) 422-0010.
Page 4 PRAYER CORNER L ord, You are the physician of our souls and body. We pray You grant the following parishioners good health and blessings: Metropolitan PAUL Yazigi, Archbishop Youhanna Ibrahim, Mera Harb, Sahar, baby Henry, baby Grace, baby Mary Bardakjian, Delaini Walrich, Lucas Tams, Marie Abouassaly, Jani Dickey, George Mourani, Issam and Terese Fadel, Linda, Ann and Eli Ansara, HOLY BREAD OF OBLATION H oly Bread of Oblation is offered by the families, for the month of November,in loving memory of: Abdelnour Abdelnour Albert Abdelnour Clair Harb Janine Kashou Khalil Khalife Evelyn Naser Hanna Odeh Musa Rabah Anthony Zarou H oly Bread of Oblation is offered by the families, for the month of November, for the health and well being of: Nabeeh and Hilda Beshara Brandon, Danielle, & Maxwell Dr. Mathew Beshara Olgha Kakish Suzanne Karibian Julie Kashou Mike Simone Deanna van Gestal Fall Clean-Up Due to our enormous grounds, another fall clean-up has been scheduled for Saturday, December 10th from 10am-1pm. T Thank You he following parishioners and friends of the Basilica of St. Mary have given special donations to the Church in the past few weeks: $50-For the health and well being of newly churched Julia Chihadeh offered by parents Feras and Boushra Chihadeh, $1000-In loving memory of Ziadeh Farhat offered by his wife Jeanette Farhat, $4000-In loving memory of Wedad Ajluni offered by family and friends, OUR NEW ARRIVALS C ongratulations and best wishes to Henry and Nicole Sakhleh on the birth of their baby boy Henry Habib Sakhleh, III. Proud grandparents are Henry and Diane Sakhleh and Dan and Terry Lavake and Judy and Mike Harris. May God bless parents, grandparents and child. Condolences T he clergy and parishioners at the Basilica of St. Mary extend their deepest sympathy to wife Nabiha Kazaleh, children Isam (Lily) Kazaleh, Wisam (George) Sirdenis, Frank (Sherry) Kazaleh, Sylvia Kazaleh, the 8 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren, siblings Munir (Ingrid) Kazaleh, Susie Atalla, Johny (Nawal) Kazaleh, Marianne (Anwar) Khoury, Nabil (Elaine) Kazaleh and the entire Kazaleh family on the passing of Fouad Kazaleh,. May his memory be eternal. memorials I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me shall never die. (John 11:25) Nov. 27th - 40 day memorial in loving memory of Wedad Ajluni offered by the family, Dec. 4th - 6 month memorial in loving memory of Abdelnour Abdelnour offered by his wife Naiimeh Abdelnour and family, Dec. 4th - 1 year memorial in loving memory of Rose Heidmous and 2 year memorial in loving memory of Mildred Heidmous offered by the family, A Vigil Light is Burning In Loving Devotion or The Health and Well Being Of: F Major Timothy Lawson, Virginia Dass, Felicia Weir, Jenine Brown, I n Memory Of: Joseph Michael Mouaikel, George Abodeely, Nawal Fakhouri, Condolences T he clergy and parishioners at the Basilica of St. Mary extend their deepest sympathy to wife Dolores Bsharah, children Michael (Marcie) Bsharah, Susan Bsharah, Mary Katherine Bsharah, Larry (Liz) Bsharah, the 5 grandchildren, siblings Alfred (Harriett) Bsharah, Georgia Lee (Michael) Howard, and the entire Bsharah family. May his memory be eternal. Thank You We wish to thank George Naser for sponsoring our annual Teen Soyo Thanksgiving Dinner for the seniors, veterans and the orphanage. His generosity is in loving memory of his wife Evelyn Naser. May you and your family be blessed with continued good health.
Page 5 visit our website: www.saintmarylivonia.com 18100 MERRIMAN ROAD LIVONIA, MICHIGAN 48152 Return service requested Dated Material NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID LIVONIA, MI PERMIT NO. 413 T FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY he Basilica of St. Mary is looking for donations of turkeys, canned goods or non perishable food to help the needy. Please call the church office @734-422-0010 for additional information. This Thanksgiving Season, we are so thankful to God and for all the blessings that He has given us. If you wish to help a family in need, kindly include a $25 check per family, in your weekly envelope, payable to St. Mary s, earmarked Food for the Needy. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CHRISTMAS PLANTS n order to decorate our Church with Poinsettias for the Christmas Season, we kindly ask that you respond by I completing the form below and enclose it in your weekly giving envelopes or by placing it in the collection basket on Sunday. Name: Amount: In memory of: Health and well being of: