HIS EMINENCE, ARCHBISHOP ALEXANDER OF TOLEDO: RECTOR REV. FR. GREGORY BRUNER: DEAN (779) 875-1084 | [email protected]

738 GLENWOOD ROAD. ROSSFORD, OHIO 43460 | HTTP://WWW.STGEORGEROSSFORD.ORG December 22, 2019

27th Sunday after - Tone 2 Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ The Holy Fathers Greatmartyr Anastasia

From the Fathers...

“Give yourself with trust into God’s hands and ask His help, so that He will strengthen you in your struggle. God knows how much each one can bear and allows temptations according to the measure of our strength. Remember that after temptation comes spiritual joy, and that the Lord protects them that endure temptations and suffering for the sake of His love.”

- St. Nektarios of Aegina

The Word of God, upborne on the shoulders of the cherubim,/ goes to Welcome Visitors! dwell in a womb without blemish./ Though without passions, He is bound fast to the flesh;/ He comes on earth as a man, born of the tribe of We are delighted to have visitors worship with us, and Judah./ A cave becomes the palace of the King of all;/ the fiery throne is replaced by a manger,/ where the Virgin Mary lays Him as a babe,/ for we pray that you will be blessed through your He comes to restore the first-created man,// as He is well-pleased so to participation with us. In the Orthodox Church, the do. reception of Holy Communion is a mark of membership in the Church. Only those who have been united to the O Word of God without beginning,/ the Virgin lays You in a manger of dumb beasts./ You choose to begin Your life in the flesh / in a manner Orthodox Church through Baptism or Chrismation, and beyond understanding./ You have come to loose me from the fetters of have prepared themselves through regular Confession, evil/ with which the envious serpent bound me./ O Lover of mankind, prayer and are permitted to partake of Holy You are wrapped in swaddling clothes,/ tearing to pieces the bonds of Communion. We encourage visitors to participate in our my countless sins./ Therefore I joyfully praise and worship your holy prayers and hymns and to join us in venerating the Cross birth,// for You came to set me free.

and receiving blessed bread at the conclusion of the The memory of the Ancestors has been manifested to the ends of the . Literature about the Orthodox faith and world,/ truly filling it with light/ and making known the dawning of this parish can be found in the vestibule. Please feel free grace./ For Christ shined forth from afar, brighter than the sun,/ the to ask questions before or after the service, as well as join leading rank of stars shining with Him;/ and the divine-human birth was revealed to take place in Bethlehem./ Therefore with faith let us all us in the Parish Hall for refreshments and fellowship gather at this birth,// rejoicing in chorus and singing the pre-festal after the Liturgy. praise! (Stichera of Lord I Call, Tone 6) A PARISH OF THE BULGARIAN DIOCESE OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH IN AMERICA TODAY’S WORSHIP - HYMNS & SCRIPTURE READINGS Resurrection in Tone 2 Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit When Thou didst descend to death, O Life immortal,/ Thou didst slay hell with the splendor of Forefathers of Christ in Tone 1 Thy Godhead./ And when from the depths Thou Rejoice, O Bethlehem! Prepare yourself, O Ephratha!/ didst raise the dead,/ all the powers of heaven cried The Lamb is on her way to give birth to the Chief out:// “O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory to Shepherd she carries in her womb./ The God-bearing Thee!” Forefathers will rejoice, beholding Him,/ and with the shepherds, they will glorify the Virgin nursing Him. Forefeast of Nativity Troparion in Tone 4 Prepare, O Bethlehem, for Eden has been opened to Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. all!/ Adorn thyself, O Ephratha, for the Tree of Life blossoms forth from the Virgin in the cave!/ Her Forefeast of Nativity Kontakion in Tone 3 womb is a spiritual paradise planted with the Divine Today the Virgin comes to the cave/ to give birth to the Fruit;/ if we eat of it, we shall live forever and not Eternal Word./ Hear the glad tidings and rejoice, O die like Adam.// Christ comes to restore the image universe!/ Glorify with the Angels and the shepherds/ which He made in the beginning. the Eternal God, Who is willing to appear as a little child! Holy Fathers Troparion in Tone 2 Great are the accomplishments of faith,/ for the three Holy Youths rejoice in the fountain of flames as though in the waters of rest;/ and the Prophet Daniel appeared/ a shepherd to the lions as though they were sheep.// So by their prayers, O Christ God, save our souls!

Epistle: Hebrews 11:9-10, 17-23, 32-40

By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command.

And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented – of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.

And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

EMERGENCY SICK CALLS ARE ALWAYS AVA I L A B L E ! CALL FR. GREGORY: (779) 875-1084 THIS WEEK AND TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING Sunday, December 22nd Gospel: Matthew 1:1-25 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, Greatmartyr Anastasia the Son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, Hebrews 11:9-10, 17-23, 32-40, Matthew 1:1-25 and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Monday, December 23rd Ram. Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot Holy Ten Martyrs of Crete David the king. 2 Timothy 2:20-26, Mark 10:46-52 David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife Tuesday, December 24th of Uriah. Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot 5:00 PM Great Vespers with Old Testament Readings Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa. Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Eve of the Nativity of Christ Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. Uzziah Nun-Martyr Eugenia of Rome and those with her begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. Hebrews 1:1-12, Luke 2:1-20 Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah. Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon. Wednesday, December 25th 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot The Nativity of Christ Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel begot Adoration of the Magi: Melchior, Caspar, & Balthasar Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. Azor Commemoration of the Shepherds begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. Galatians 4:4-7, Matthew 2:1-12 Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of Thursday, December 26th whom was born Jesus who is called Christ. Second Day of the Feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are Hieromartyr Euthymius, Bishop of Sardis fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until Hebrews 2:11-18, Matthew 2:13-23 the Christ are fourteen generations.

Friday, December 27th Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His Third Day of the Feast of the Nativity mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came Holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Titus 1:15-2:10, Acts 6:8-7:1-5, 47-60 Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to Mark 12:1-12, Matthew 21:33-42 make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. Saturday, December 28th But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of 5:00 PM Great Vespers the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of Afterfeast of the Nativity David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will 1 Timothy 6:11-16, Ephesians 1:16-23 bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He Matthew 12:15-21, Luke 17:3-10 will save His people from their sins.”

Sunday, December 29th So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the Sunday after Nativity virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call Holy Righteous Ones: Joseph the Betrothed, David the His name Immanuel, which is translated, ‘God with us.’”

King, and James the Brother of the Lord Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the 14,000 Holy Innocents slain by Herod at Bethlehem Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not Galatians 1:11-19, Matthew 2:13-23 know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.

HAVE A QUESTION OR NEED TO CHAT? CALL OR EMAIL FR. GREGORY. THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST

The Feast of the Nativity of Christ is one of the most joyful days of the Orthodox Church. It ranks next to the greatest holiday, the Resurrection of Christ. The Feast of the Birth of Christ is also known as the "Incarnation of Christ." This means that Jesus became a man and came into the world to save us. We also refer to this joyous feast as Christmas.

The icon of the Nativity tells the story of Christ's birth from the Scriptures. It also shows that all creation is taking part in Christ's birth. The angels give thanks with their song; the heavens give the star; the Wise Men give their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The poor, humble shepherds give their praise and amazement; the earth gives the cave, and humanity gives the Virgin.

The Icon of the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is an example of a scenic icon or one in which many scenes are included in one icon. It actually covers a length of time from the announcement of the angels to the shepherds to the arrival of the three magi that occurred many weeks later when the Christ child was found in a house rather than a stable cave.

THE ICON OF THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST TELLS THE REST OF THE STORY... THE ICON TELLS THE STORY...

At the center of the icon is the Theotokos, In the cave are an ox and donkey, details Christ is seen wrapped in swaddling shown larger than any of the other figures, not mentioned by the Gospels, but which clothes. This not only represents His total reclining on a mat, and looking not at her are an invariable feature of every icon of submission to the human flesh, but also newborn Son, but rather with love and the Nativity; the scene is included to show foreshadows His death and resurrection. compassion towards her spouse, St Joseph the fulfillment of the words of the prophet The backdrop for the manger is a dark the Betrothed, seeing his affliction and Isaiah, “the ox knows his Owner, and the cave, reminding us of the cave in which He bewilderment over this most strange and donkey his Master's crib, but Israel does will be buried. divine birth. not know Me, and the people has not regarded Me” (Isaiah 1:3).

The women are midwives, and their Joseph is conversing with Satan, disguised The tree is the "Jesse Tree". Prophecy said presence indicates that Jesus was born in as an old shepherd. The posture of St that a shoot will sprout from the stump of the normal way and would have needed Joseph is one of doubt and inner trouble, Jesse (the father of King David): "A shoot washing, as a regular human baby would. for he wondered if it might be possible that shall sprout from the stump (tree) of Jesse the conception and birth were not by some and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The secret human union; Satan is shown in spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him” profile, for we never look evil directly in (Isaiah 11:1-2) the face.

Bringing gold, frankincense and myrrh, the three magi were led by the star to the manger. Angels announce the good news to the shepherds. The fact that Jewish shepherds and heathen magi were among the first to worship our Lord shows us the universality of this great event, meant for the salvation of all mankind.

CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM! ARCHPASTORAL MESSAGE OF HIS EMINENCE, ARCHBISHOP ALEXANDER

CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM! Christ is Born and the Wise Men Worship Orthodox Hymnography The of the Nativity of Christ One of the ways we celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ is to sing the Ode 1: Christ is born, glorify Him; Troparion of the Feast. The words of the Christ is from heaven, receive Him! hymn describe Jesus Christ as the light of Christ is on earth, be lifted up. Sing to the world, the Sun of Righteousness and the Lord all the earth and praise Him the Orient from on high. The hymn also with joy all people, for He has been refers to the wise men from the East who glorified! followed a star to find this newborn King.

Ode 3: To the Son, Who before all Depictions and descriptions of the wise time, was born immortal of the Father men differ. They are sometimes called and in these latter days became Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, but have incarnate without seed of the Virgin. also been given other names. In Western Let us cry out to Christ our God: art they are often shown riding camels, presumably to indicate that they Thou who hast raised our horn; holy come from the East, but in icons they ride horses, a way of showing that are Thou, O Lord! they wanted to get to the Savior as quickly as possible. Swift horses can certainly maintain a different pace from that of plodding camels, though the Ode 4: Rod of the stem of Jesse and ride was arduous no matter what animals they rode. flower that budded from a virgin, O

most lauded Christ! From the While in many representations all three men look to be approximately the mountain covered with darkness art same age, icons show one as distinctly older than the other two, Thou come, made flesh from her that emphasizing that the urgent work of seeking salvation is for people of all knew no wedlock. O God not formed ages, just as it is for people of every background and origin. from matter, glory to Thy might, O

Lord! One word that is used by most traditions to identify the three travelers is

"magi." This word brings to mind images of men who watched the stars Ode 6: The sea-monster cast out closely and tried to derive wisdom from them, or who "worshipped the Jonah unharmed as it had received stars," as the Troparion states. him, like a babe from the womb. And

when the Word came to dwell in the The wise men are not the only ones to whom this word is applied. In Acts 8: virgin and was made flesh, He came 9-24 we meet a "magus" (the singular of "magi") named Simon, who says of forth preserving her incorrupt, for He himself that he is "something great." He is popular and is listened to because Himself was not subject to decay and he has amazed the people with magic. But Simon's response to the truly He kept His mother free from harm! great things he sees the apostles doing is all wrong. He hopes to buy the power they have, so that "anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Ode 8: The furnace moist with dew Holy Spirit." Peter rebukes him and urges him to repent. was the image of a wonder beyond

nature, for it did not burn the children The magi who come to worship Jesus in the cave are quite different. They whom it had received! Just as the Fire are ready to humble themselves before this Child. They are willing to be of the Godhead consumed not the "taught by a star to adore" Him, as the Troparion puts it, not seeking to virgin’s womb when it entered there. share His power but just to offer Him gifts. They are ready to accept what So, let us raise the song: let the whole God is showing them by means of a star that is different from all the stars creation bless the Lord and exalt Him they have studied so attentively. above all forever!

In his poem "Journey of the Magi" T.S. Eliot writes that the men returned to Ode 9: I behold a strange, most their kingdom homes but were "no longer at ease here, in the old glorious mystery! Heaven - the cave! dispensation, With an alien people clutching their gods." The magis' lives The cherubic throne - the Virgin! The were changed, and perhaps they would never again be comfortable. God had manger - the place where Christ lay, shown them something entirely new in the stars, and the only possible the uncontainable God Whom we response was the one we sing in the Troparion: "O Lord, glory to Thee." magnify in song! MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! PARISH LIFE: NEWS AND EVENTS Merry Christmas! Christ is Born! Glorify Him! Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas! We are so grateful to be a part of We are praying for… this wonderful parish family. We wish you all a peaceful and blessed Nativity of Christ. Health and Well-Being: -Fr. Gregory, Mat. Ksenia, Matthias, Thaddeus & Ileana Bruner Anthony, Maria, Tanya, Melissa, Kelly, Lawrence, Mary, Brian, Karen, Christmas Flowers Sandy, Panka, George, Cheryl, Barb, Christmas flowers can be sponsored in honor of the living or as a memorial and the kidnapped hierarchs for the deceased. Poinsettias will be available. Forms are available in the Metropolitan Boulos and Archbishop narthex. There are limited number of plants available. Donations will be Yohanna of Aleppo; and those being taken on a first come first served basis. Return the form to Stan Pentsos, any persecuted for their faith in the parish council member, or place it in the collection basket on Sundays. The Middle East. names of those honored or memorialized will be published at a later date. Catechumens: House Blessing Sign Up Tyson, Jessica, Marilla, Harry, Tim, Starting next weekend, we will have forms to sign up for house blessings Laura, Ethan, Naomi, Olivia, Daniel, beginning in early January! This is a wonderful opportunity to have your Phoebe, Ezekiel, and Jachin. home blessed, and to sit down with Fr. Gregory to get to know each other better.

Potluck Lunch We will have a potluck lunch on Sunday, January 5th to celebrate the baptism and chrismation of Tyson, Jessica, Marilla, and Harry. Please join us! Sanctuary Lamp The sanctuary lamp is lit today by Confession Available Mary Gresko for the health of the Fr. Gregory is available to hear confessions after Vespers and by family. appointment. The is a great time to come to confession. Just a reminder, confession and communion are Diocesan Bylaw requirements to maintain full voting membership in the parish.

Pan-Orthodox Events There will be Pan-Orthodox Vespers on Saturday, January 4th at 6:00pm at St. George (Woodley) and Pan-Orthodox Game Night on Sunday, January 19th at St. George (Woodley). Celebrations

Birthdays: Stefan Dunoski (12/28)

Name’s Days: Rachael Olmstead (12/22) Steve Timofeev (12/27) Stefan Dunoski (12/27)

CONTACT FR. GREGORY TO ADD AN ANNOUNCEMENT OR NAMES FOR THE PRAYER LIST.