SAINT NEKTARIOS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH SUNDAY MISSAL FOR DECEMBER 20, 2020 View all services online: www.agesinitiatives.com/dcs/snc/dcs/ OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

The First Antiphon 4 Glory to Him for your miracles! Glory to Him for all the The Second Antiphon 5 cures that He works through you. ave us, O Son of God, risen from the dead. . Mode 3. S We sing to You, Alleluia. n this day the Virgin Maid * goes to the grotto to give The Third Antiphon O birth * to the pre-eternal Word * in an ineffable Resurrectional Apolytikion. Mode 3. manner. * Dance for joy, all the inhabited earth, on hearing. et the heavens sing for joy, and let everything on earth * Glorify along with Angels and with the shepherds * Him L be glad. For with His Arm the Lord has worked power. who willed that He appear as * a newborn Child, * the pre- He trampled death under foot by means of death; and He eternal God. became the firstborn from the dead. From the maw of Trisagion Hymn 8 Hades He delivered us; and He granted the world His great The Readings mercy. : Heb. 11:9-10; 32-40. 118 The Small Entrance 7 Brethren, by faith Abraham sojourned in the land of ome, let us worship and bow down before Christ. Save promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and C us, O Son of God, risen from the dead. Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked Hymns After the Small Entrance. forward to the city which has foundations, whose builder Resurrectional Apolytikion. Mode 3. and maker is God. And what more shall I say? For time et the heavens sing for joy, and let everything on earth would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of L be glad. For with His Arm the Lord has worked power. David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith He trampled death under foot by means of death; and He conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, became the firstborn from the dead. From the maw of stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped Hades He delivered us; and He granted the world His great the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, mercy. became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women For the Forefeast. Mode 2. received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, Bethlehem, prepare, Eden is opened unto all. * And refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a O be ready, Ephrata, for the Tree of life * has in the better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and grotto blossomed forth from the Virgin. * Indeed her womb even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they is shown to be spiritually * a Paradise, in which is found the were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were killed with God-planted Tree. * And if we eat from it we shall live, and the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, shall not die, as did Adam of old. * Christ is born, so that He destitute, afflicted, ill-treated—of whom the world was not might raise up * the formerly fallen image. worthy—wandering over deserts and mountains, and in For the Fathers. Mode 2. dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though well agnificent are the accomplishments of faith! The holy attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, M Three Servants greatly rejoiced, as they stood in the since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart fountain of fire, as if beside the still waters; and the Prophet from us they should not be made perfect. Daniel appeared to be a shepherd of lions, as if they were : Mt. 1:1-25. 119 sheep. At their entreaties, O Christ God, save our souls. The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of For St. Nektarios. Mode 2. David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of s we joyfully commemorate the welcome arrival of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of A your sacred Relics, holy Hierarch Nektarios, we call Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and upon the grace of God in you, which sanctifies our bodies Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and and our souls. You alleviate our suffering and you cure the Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Ammin′ illnesses afflicting us. Glory to Christ, who glorified you! adab, and Ammin′adab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Bo′ Seraphim, without corruption you gave birth to God the az by Rahab, and Bo′az the father of Obed by Ruth, and Logos. We magnify you, the true Theotokos. Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the The Lord's Prayer king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Communion Prayers 29 Uri′ah, and Solomon the father of Rehobo′am, and Rehobo′ (Read aloud by the Congregation) am the father of Abi′jah, and Abi′jah the father of Asa, and I believe and confess, Lord, that You are truly the Christ, Asa the father of Jehosh′aphat, and Jehosh′aphat the father the Son of the living God, Who came into the world to save of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzzi′ah, and Uzzi′ah the sinners, of whom I am the first. I also believe that this is truly father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz Your pure Body and that this is truly Your precious Blood. the father of Hezeki′ah, and Hezeki′ah the father of Manas′ Therefore, I pray to You, have mercy upon me, and forgive seh, and Manas′seh the father of Amos, and Amos the father my transgressions, voluntary and involuntary, in word and of Josi′ah, and Josi′ah the father of Jechoni′ah and his deed, known and unknown and make me worthy, without brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. And after condemnation, to partake of Your pure Mysteries for the the deportation to Babylon: Jechoni′ah was the father of forgiveness of sins and for life eternal. Amen. How shall I, Sheal′tiel, and Sheal′tiel the father of Zerub′babel, and Zerub′ who am unworthy, enter into the splendor of Your saints? If babel the father of Abi′ud, and Abi′ud the father of Eli′akim, I dare to enter into the bridal chamber, my clothing will and Eli′akim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of accuse me, since it is not a wedding garment; and being Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father bound up, I shall be cast out by the angels. In Your love, of Eli′ud, and Eli′ud the father of Elea′zar, and Elea′zar the Lord, cleanse my soul and save me. Loving Master, Lord father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob Jesus Christ, my God, let not these Holy Gifts be to my the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus condemnation because of my unworthiness, but for the was born, who is called Christ. So all the generations from cleansing and sanctification of soul and body and the pledge Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from of future life and Kingdom. It is good for me to cling to God David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and to place in Him the hope of my salvation. Receive me and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen today, Son of God, as a partaker of Your mystical supper. I generations. Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this will not reveal your mystery to Your adversaries. Nor will I way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, give You a kiss as did Judas. But as the thief, I confess to before they came together she was found to be with child of You: Lord, Remember me in Your Kingdom. the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man Communion Hymn and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her raise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the quietly. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the P highest. Alleluia. Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of Holy Communion: Orthodox Christians prepared to receive David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is Holy Communion come forward quietly and reverently at the conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, direction of the ushers. and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people Prayers of Thanksgiving after Holy Communion can be from their sins." All this took place to fulfil what the Lord found on pages 40--42. had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive Hymn after Holy Communion and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emman′ e have seen the true light; we have received the uel" (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from W heavenly Spirit; we have found the true faith, sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he worshiping the undivided Trinity, for the Trinity has saved took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne a son; us. and he called his name Jesus. Homily The Great Entrance 12 The Dismissal The Creed 18 Blessed be the name of the Lord, from this time forth and to Hymn to the Theotokos 23 the ages. t is truly right to bless you, Theotokos, ever blessed, most I pure, and Mother of our God. More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the

ST. NEKTARIOS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH Weekly Community Announcements Sunday, December 20, 2020

DECEMBER 20, 2020 HOLIDAY OFFICE HOURS St. Nektarios  Thursday, December 24, Eve  8:15 a.m. Matins  Abbreviated office hours: 10:00 a.m.— 1:00 p.m.  9:15 a.m. Liturgy  Youth Ministry  Friday, December 25, Christmas Day-Nativity of Our Lord  5:30 p.m. O-Life  CLOSED This week’s  Monday, December 28, The Nativity of Our Lord Services & Events  CLOSED  Tuesday, December 22 St. Anastasia Pharmokalytria  Thursday, December 31, New Year’s Eve  8:00 a.m. Matins  Abbreviated office hour: 9:00 a.m.— 1:00 p.m.  9:00 a.m. Liturgy  Friday, January 1, New Year’s Day  Thursday, December 24  CLOSED  8:00 a.m. Great Hours Please note the Sanctuary will be open for services.  5:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Vesperal Divine Liturgy of SUNDAY LITURGICAL GIFTS St. Basil the Great | You may make a financial gift to help defray the cost of the sacramental (Communion available until 8:30 p.m.) |Special Basket wine or the Prosphora that are used for Holy Communion. Please note to benefit Missions & on the memo line of you check “Holy Communion” or “Prosphora.” Philanthropy Ministry You may also donate a bottle or can of pure olive oil which is then  Friday, December 25 Christmas Day blessed at the Shrine of St. Nektarios and is offered in the anointing kits. Nativity of Our Lord For additional information contact the church office 704-708-4669.  8:00 a.m. Matins  9:00 a.m. Liturgy LIGHT A CANDLE IN THE SANCTUARY (Communion available until We invite you to light a virtual candle on the Church website. 11:30 a.m.)  Sunday, December 27 “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, St. Stephen the Protomartyr but will have the light of life.”-John 8:12  8:15 a.m. Matins Upon entering our Orthodox church, we light candles  9:00 a.m. Liturgy representing the light of Christ we carry within us. In faith, we offer prayers of thanksgiving and glory to God. We may also petition for the needs of family and friends. May this virtual candle offer you comfort during your devotional time away from church.

The text for today’s service is available on mobile devices at www.agesinitiatives.com/dcs/ public/dcs.

A Special Message from our Clergy Safety Measures

“Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, goodwill among mankind!” Our clergy, parish council, administrative staff, and liturgical team have been working hard to ensure worship can be offered as steadily and normally as possible, while making every attempt to observe conventional safety measures as well as those prescribed by the Metropolis of Atlanta. We will continue to do so, with appropriate distancing and the requirement for all in attendance to maintain a proper face covering for the duration of services. Once the church has reached capacity, worshipers will be directed to the Spiritual Life Center where the service will be streamed. If that space reaches capacity, or if parishioners so choose, they may stream the service on a personal device from their vehicles in the parking lots. When the sacred moment for Holy Communion arrives, those in attendance will be ushered accordingly, beginning in the church, then from the hall, then from those who have been in their vehicles. His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta has made a special appeal and invitation to those who have been particularly isolated or shut in during these difficult times. If you have been or are unable to attend services, but are able to come to the church, Holy Communion will be made available to you following the Divine Liturgy on both days. Those who are able are encouraged to come into the building to light a candle, if they wish, to offer a prayer, and to receive the Holy Mysteries. However, if necessary, clergy will be able to come out to those who are unable to exit their vehicles, observing all safety precautions. Parish council members will be present to direct you. May the hope and joy of the Feast of the Lord’s Nativity fill your hearts abundantly this season.

In Service to Christ,

Fr. Andreas Houpos Fr. Steve Dalber Fr. Nektarios Karantonis Fr. Paul Tsahakis Dn. Stephen Potter

Will be Open on Sundays for 30 minutes after the Divine Liturgy for Holiday Shopping!