SAINT MARY ORTHODOX CHURCH December 4Th 2016
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SAINT MARY ORTHODOX CHURCH The Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America “The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” (Acts 11:26) 6330 W. 127th St., Palos Heights, IL 60463 Phone : (708) 239-0004, Fax : (708) 221-6449 www.stmaryoc.org ([email protected]) Church Office Hours : Monday - Friday 10:00am-3:00pm St. Mary Parish Clergy th V. Rev. Fr. Mousa Haddad, Pastor December 4 2016 V. Rev. Fr. Malek Rihani Rev. Archdeacon Saed Rihani Subdeacon Matthew Sweis Subdeacon Ameer Tadros Great-martyr Barbara of Syria & Tenth Sunday of Luke Parish Council Abdullah Y. Tadros - Chairman Venerable John of Damascus Rashid Sweis - Vice Chair Jason Haddad - Treasurer Abeer Khouri - Financial Sec. / Sec. Fadi Abu Manneh Magida Abudayyeh Nidal Al-Farah Constantin Kari Bassam Shaheen Luai Sweiss Saleh Tadros Parish Ministries Sunday School - Philip Riske SOYO - Jenna Riadi Fellowship - Sally Sweis Antiochian Women - Magida Abudayyeh Fundraising - Rashid Sweis Humanitarian - Shireen Salman OCLife - Nancy Cannon Fishers of Men - John Eannace Athletics - Nidal Haddad Choir - Michael Rascia Chanters - Khaled Salman and Faris Samawi Webmaster - Sana Sweis Ushers - Jamal Swais, Louis Sweiss Office May Sweis [email protected] Church Hall Rental Call the church office or email our Weekly Schedule of Services Office Administrator Saturday: As Announced -- Great Vespers Sunday: 8:45 a.m. Matins -- 10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. Matins -- 10:30 a.m. Bible Study (Confessions by Appointment) Welcome to St. Mary Orthodox Church! We extend our warmest and heartfelt greetings to you and your family. If this is your first time with us, we pray that you feel at home. After all, we are gathered together in our Father's house. For more information, please see one of the ushers at the end of the service for a “Welcome Packet.” May God bless you and give you many healthy years in His service. Changes in the Liturgy Entrance Hymn O Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ. Save us, O Son of God, who art risen from the dead, who sing to Thee: Alleluia! Troparion of the Resurrection (Tone Seven) Thou didst shatter death by Thy cross; Thou didst open paradise to the thief; Thou didst turn the sadness of the ointment-bearing women into joy, and didst bid Thine apostles proclaim a warning that Thou hast risen, O Christ, granting to the world the great mercy. Troparion of the Holy Great-Martyr Barbara (Tone Four) Let us honor the all-revered Saint Barbara; for she did demolish the gins of the adversary and escaped from them like a bird, by the help of the Cross as with a weapon. Troparion of St. John of Damascus (Tone Three) Ye faithful, come let us honor with songs of praise the comely sounding and sweet-spoken nightingale, who doth adorn and captivate the Church of Christ with his sweet songs: John, the all-wise Damascene, let us honor resplendently, the divine and eloquent, and the chief of hymnographers; who verily was filled to the utmost with every divine and earthly wisdom. Troparion of the Dormition (Tone One) In thy birth giving O Theotokos, thou didst keep and preserve virginity; and in thy falling asleep thou hast not forsaken the world; for thou wast translated into life, being the Mother of Life. Wherefore by thine intercessions, deliver our souls from death. Kontakion of the Fore-feast of the Nativity (Tone Three) Today the Virgin cometh unto the cave to give birth to the Word who was born before all ages, begotten in a manner that defies description. Rejoice, therefore, O universe if thou shouldst hear and glorify with the Angels and the shepherds. Glorify Him who by His will shall become a new-born Babe and who is our God before the ages. 2 Epistle for the Feast of the Holy Great-Martyr Barbara God is wondrous in His saints. Bless God in the congregations. The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians. (3:23-4:5) Brethren, before faith came, we were confined under the Law, kept under restraint until faith should be revealed. So that the Law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no better than a slave, though he is the owner of all the estate; but he is under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. So with us; when we were children, we were slaves to the elemental spirits of the universe. But when the time had fully come, God sent forth His Son, to redeem those who were under the Law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. Gospel for the Tenth Sunday of St. Luke The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke (13:10-17). At that time, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And there was a woman who had had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. And when Jesus saw her, He called her and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your infirmity.” And He laid His hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and she praised God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger, and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” As He said this, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by Him. 3 The Nativity Fast (Advent) begins Tuesday, November 15th and will end December 24th (after Christmas Eve Liturgy). We are to fast from meat and dairy. In order for fasting to be effective, it must be accompanied with prayer and acts of mercy and love. St. John Chrysostom reminds us: “What good is it to fast from meat and dairy, if we devour and eat one another.” Please remember to love and forgive in this special time in which we prepare for the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. Important: Mark your Calendars for Christmas Liturgy Important! Please mark your calendars for the Christmas Liturgy. Matins will begin at 5pm followed by Liturgy at 6pm, Saturday December 24th. How can we truly celebrate Christmas if we skip out on Christmas Liturgy? The Christmas season is a very busy time, & we have plans to be with friends & family. But, we must learn to set our priorities straight, so schedule your gatherings around the Christmas Liturgy. Can you imagine having a birthday party without the birthday boy?! That’s exactly what we do when we don’t attend Christmas Liturgy. Let us begin to change the secularization of Christmas & bring Christ back into the picture by remembering the reason for the season. We look forward to seeing you all at Christmas Liturgy. God bless! Teens to assemble Hygiene Kits for IOCC Relief Projects Donations needed! Parishioners are encouraged to donate the following items for the Hygiene kits. Our aim is to pack 200 kits during the Christmas Retreat. Please consider donating the following, or provide financial donation so we can purchase these items. Keep in mind our Lord's teaching: "When you have done it to these the least of my brethren, you have done it to me." Any questions, please see SOYO Advisors, Milad and Rima Sleiman, Jenna Riadi SOYO President, or Deacon Saed. See list below: Our aim is 200 of each of the following: - one-gallon plastic bag with a zipper closure (Ziploc brand) - hand towel - washcloth - comb - metal nail file or nail clipper - bar of soap (bath size) - toothbrush (NO TOOTHPASTE) - Band-Aids THANK YOU, and God bless you. 4 Honoring your loved ones: Please consider Newborn signing up for one or more Sundays to Maya provide Holy Bread and Coffee hour. Parents: Tarek & Haifa Fakhoury It’s this gift of Holy Bread that we use to pre- pare communion and to share with our parishioners Congratulations! at the end of the service. What better way to honor your loved ones on their birthday, anniversary, graduation or memorial. It takes minimal effort, and it encourages fellowship among our community. Teen SOYO Teen SOYO will have its last Holy Bread and Coffee Hour meeting December 14, 2016 and 12/04: Ghaleb and Rita Sweis & Family take off for winter break and resume January 11, 2017 12/11: Feras and Jackie Salman & Family 12/18: Malek Sweis and Brothers & Families Epistle Reading 12/04: Angela Haddad & Joleat Samawi 12/11: Wajih Haddad & Salena Ibrahim REMINDER In an effort to eliminate distractions, collection baskets will not be passed during the Divine Liturgy.