St. George Orthodox Church V. Rev. Father M. Abud, Pastor 5191 Lennon Road • Flint, MI 48507 • (810) 732-0720 Protodeacon Bassett Web Site: saintgeorgeflint.org January 15, 2017

29RD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST VENERABLE AND JOHN THE HUT-DWELLER

Tone 5 8th Matins Gospel {John 20:11-18} Altar Servers: EVERYONE {Shane Gantos, captain} 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. We believe Holy Communion to be a sign that in Christ we have all things in common, share an identical faith, and are united fully to the Orthodox Church. Anyone interested in learning more about our faith are encouraged to speak with one of our clergy. Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves through prayer, fasting (no food or drink from midnight the night before), the Sacrament of Confession (7 years and older) within the last 2 months, being at peace with others, and attending the Divine Liturgy regularly. Please know everyone is invited to venerate the Holy Cross, receive Holy Bread at the end of Liturgy, and all are welcome to Coffee Fellowship in the hall.

In the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom {The Golden-Mouth}, we sing these special hymns: Third Antiphon (during the Little Entrance) Troparion of the Resurrection—Tone 5 Let us believers praise and worship the Word, coeternal with the Father and the Spirit, born of the Virgin for our salvation; for He took pleasure in ascending the cross in the flesh, to suffer death, and to raise the dead by His glorious resurrection. Hymns after the Entrance with the Gospel Troparion of the Resurrection—Tone 5 (same as above) ِﻟﻨُﺴﺒِّ ْﺢ ُﻧﺤﻦ َﺍﻟﻤﺆﻣﻨﻴﻦ ْﻭﻧﺴﺠﺪ ﻟﻠﻜﻠﻤﺔ. ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺎﻭﻱ ِﻟﻶﺏ ﻭﺍﻟﺮﻭﺡِ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻷﺯﻟﻴﱠ ِﺔ ِﻭﻋﺪﻡ ﺍﻻﺑﺘﺪﺍء. ِﺍﻟﻤﻮﻟﻮﺩ ﻣﻦ ِﺍﻟﻌﺬﺭﺍء ِﻟﺨﻼﺻﻨﺎ. ﻷﻧَﻪُ ُﺳ ﱠﺮ ﻭﺍﺭﺗﻀﻰ ِﺑﺎﻟﺠﺴﺪ ﺃﻥ َﻳﻌﻠﻮ ﻋﻠﻰ ِﺍﻟﺼﻠﻴﺐ. ِﻭﻳﺤﺘﻤ َﻞ َﺍﻟﻤﻮﺕ ﻭﻳُ َﻨﻬﺾ ﺍﻟﻤﻮﺗﻰ َﺑﻘﻴﺎﻣﺘِ ِﻪ ﺍﻟﻤﺠﻴﺪﺓ. Troparion for St. Paul of Thebes—Tone 8 The barren wilderness thou didst make fertile with the streams of thy tears; and by thy deep sighing thou hast given fruit through thy struggles a hundredfold. Accordingly, thou hast become a star for the universe, sparkling with miracles. Therefore, O righteous Father Paul, intercede with Christ God to save our souls. ِﻟﻠﺒﺮﻳﺔ ِﻏﻴﺮ ُﺍﻟﻤ ِﺜﻤ َﺮﺓِ ﺑ ِﻤﺠﺎﺭﻱ ﺩُ ِﻣﻮﻋ َﻚ َﺃﻣﺮ َﻋﺖ. ﻭﺑﺎﻟﺘَﻨَ ُﻬ ِﺪﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ِﻣ َﻦ ْﺍﻷﻋ ِﻤﺎﻕ ﺃﺛ ْ َﻤ ْﺮ َﺕ ﺑﺄﺗ ْﻌَﺎﺑِ َﻚ ﺇﻟﻰ ِﻣﺎﺋﺔ ِﺿ ْﻌ ٍﻒ. ﻓ َ ِﺼ ْﺮ َﺕ ْ ْ ْﻛﻮ َﻛ ﺒﺎً ِﻟ ﻠ َﻤ ْﺴ ﻜﻮﻧ َ ِﺔ ُﻣ ﺘ َ َ ﻸ ِﻟ ﺌﺎً ﺑﺎﻟﻌ َﺠﺎﺋ ِ ِﺐ ﻳﺎ ﺃﺑﺎﻧﺎ ﱠﺍﻟﺒﺎﺭ ﺑﻮﻟ ُﺲ. ﻓ َﺘ َ َﺸ ﻔ ﱠ ْﻊ ﺇﻟﻰ َﺍﻟﻤ ﺴﻴﺢِ ِﺍﻹﻟﻪ ْﺃﻥ ﻳُ َﺨ ِﻠّ َﺺ ﻧ ُﻔُ َﻮﺳﻨﺎ. Troparion for St. John the Hut-Dweller—Tone 4 Since thou hadst with fervor longed after the Lord from thy youth, thou leftest the world with its delights and nobly didst strive in valiant ascetic deeds. Thou didst pitch thy hut before the gates of thy parents; thou didst break the demons’ snares, O all-blessed Father. And therefore, as is meet, hath Christ God glorified thee, O John. ﻟَﻘَ ْﺪ َﺻﺒَ ْﻮ َﺕ ﺇﻟﻰ ﱠﺍﻟﺮ ِّﺏ ﺑِ َﺤﺮﺍﺭﺓٍ ﻣﻨﺬُ ﱡﺍﻟﻄ ِﻔﻮﻟﺔ، ﻓَﻐﺎﺩَ ْﺭ َﺕ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻟَ َﻢ ﻭﻣﺎ ِﻓﻴﻪ ِﻣ َﻦ ﺍ ُﻟﻤ ْﻄ ِﺮﺑﺎﺕ. ْﻭﺍﻣﺘَ ْﺰ َﺕ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻨﱡ ْﺴ ِﻚ، ﻭﻧَ َﺼ ْﺒ َﺖ َﺍﻟﻜﻮﺥ ِﺑﺈﺯﺍء ِﺃﺑﻮﺍﺏ ﻭﺍﻟﺪَ ْﻳ َﻚ، ﻓَ َﻬﺪَ ْﻣ َﺖ َﻣ ِﻜﺎﻣ َﻦ ﱠﺍﻟﺸﻴﺎﻁﻴﻦ، ﻳﺎ َﻳﻮﺣﻨﺎ ِﺍﻟﻜﺎﻣ َﻞ ِﺍﻟﻐ ْﺒ َﻄ ﺔ. ِﻟﺬَ َﻟﻚ َﻣ ﱠﺠﺪَ َﻙ َﺍﻟﻤ ُﺴﻴﺢ َﻋ ِﻦ ْﺍﺳﺘِ ْﺤﻘﺎﻕ. Troparion for St. George—Tone 4 As deliverer of captives and defender of the poor, healer of the infirm, champion of kings: Victorious Great Martyr George, intercede with Christ our God, for our souls’ salvation. ﺑﻤﺎ ﺃﻧﻚ ﻟﻠﻤﺄﺳﻮﺭﻳﻦ ﻣﺤﺮﺭ ﻭﻣﻌﺘﻖ، ﻭﻟﻠﻔﻘﺮﺍء ﻭﺍﻟﻤﺴﺎﻛﻴﻦ ﻋﺎﺿﺪ ﻭﻧﺎﺻﺮ، ﻭﻟﻠﻤﺮﺿﻰ ﻁﺒﻴﺐ ﻭﺷﺎﻑ، ﻭﻋﻦ ﺍﻟﻤﺆﻣﻨﻴﻦ ﻣﻜﺎﻓﺢ ﻭﻣﺤﺎﺭﺏ، ﺃﻳﻬﺎ ﺍﻟﻌﻈﻴﻢ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺸﻬﺪﺍء ﺟﺎﻭﺭﺟﻴﻮﺱ ﺍﻟﻼﺑﺲ ﺍﻟﻈﻔﺮ، ﺗﺸﻔﻊ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﻴﺢ ﺍﻹﻟﻪ ﻓﻲ ﺧﻼﺹ ﻧﻔﻮﺳﻨﺎ. Kontakion for the Meeting of Christ in the Temple—Tone 1 Thou sanctified a virgin womb by Thy birth and rightly blessed the hands of Simeon. Thou hast come, O Christ our God, and on this day hast saved us! Give peace and strength to the Orthodox people whom Thou has loved, O only lover of mankind. ﻳﺎ ﻣﻦ ِﺑﻤﻮﻟﺪ َﻙ ﺃﻳﻬﺎ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﻴﺢ ﺍﻹﻟﻪ ﻟﻠﻤﺴﺘﻮﺩﻉ ﺍﻟﺒﺘﻮﻟﻲ ﻗﺪﱠﺳﺖ، ِﻭﻟﻴَﺪَﻱ ﺳﻤﻌﺎﻥ ﻛﻤﺎ ﻻﻕ ﺑﺎﺭﻛﺖ، ﻭﻟﻨﺎ ﺍﻵﻥ َﺃﺩﺭﻛﺖ ﻭﺧﻠﺼﺖ، ﺍﺣﻔﻆ ﺭﻋﻴﺘﻚ ﺑﺴﻼﻡ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺤﺮﻭﺏ، ﻭﺃﻳﺪ ﺍﻟﺬﻳﻦ ﺃﺣﺒﺒﺘﻬﻢ، ﺑﻤﺎ ﺃﻧﻚ ﻭﺣﺪﻙ ﱞﻣﺤﺐ ﻟﻠﺒﺸﺮ.

Epistle Reading: Colossians 3:4-11 {29th Sunday after Pentecost} Gospel Reading: Luke 17:12-19{12th Sunday of St. Luke}

Holy Bread Offerings  We also pray for the servant of God who has fallen asleep in the Lord: Saida Alqazaha (+December 19th, mother of Nasri) and Mary Shammas (+December 20th, aunt of Susan Shaheen).  Prayers are offered for our parishioners who are ill, recovering, or in need, especially His servants: Metropolitan Paul and Archbishop John who are in captivity, Sahar Abdallah, Androlla Abu Aita, Hanna Abuaita, Muna Abuaita, Eman Abufarha, Wadia Albaba, Nayfeh Alsahouri, Ceasar and Naila Banna, Areen Bathish, Vera Farah, Mariam Ghanim (Manal’s mother), Phyllis Good, Carol Haddad, Roland & Ronald Haddad, John , Nawal Iseid, Sally Joseph, Laura Nassar, Renee Nassif, Laura Nichols (former secretary), Aida Raffoul, Elaine Shaheen, Mary Salim, Nassim Salomon (Janet’s brother), Martha Shahin, Michael Silpoch, William Sophiea Jr.; Christina Andoni and newborn Joshua (December 6th); Rania AbuAita and newborn Romanos (December 30th).  We also pray for those who are with child: Crystal Abu-Aitah (daughter-in-law of Jiries and Sharon), Walaa Alqassis, Andrea Ferris, and Amal Miltenberger (daughter of Nasri and Carol Haddad). Communion Hymn (for the Lord’s Day) (Refrain) Praise the Lord from the heavens. Praise Him in the highest. (Verse) Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His hosts! (Refrain) (Verse) Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all you shining stars! (Refrain) (Verse) Praise Him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! (Refrain) Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. 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, let one of the ushers know so we may assist you.

ANNOUNCEMENTS SPECIAL COFFEE FELLOWSHIP MEAL is hosted by our Parish Council.

COFFEE FELLOWSHIP HOSTS Available dates: January 22nd and 29th ~ 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.

4TH ANNUAL PAN‐ORTHODOX WINTER DINNER (SEE FLIER IN LOUNGE!) THIS Thursday, January 19th All proceeds support the Dormition Monastery in Rives Junction, MI. Alexander (bishop of St. and St. Nicholas) is our guest speaker. We begin with Vespers sung by the at 5:30pm. Social Hour with Displays and Gift Shop from the Monastery, along with visiting with the nuns is at 6:15pm. Dinner and Presentations begin at 7pm with the Benediction at 8:30pm. The cost is $35 for Adults and $25 for Students. For more information and to make your reservations, please see Protodeacon Michael TODAY.

WEEKLY OFFERINGS Our average weekly offerings need to be $4,710 to meet our 2017 Budget. On January 8th, our offerings were $2,553, so we were short $2,157  God bless our Church School students who offered $198 in December! If you haven’t already, please fill out your 2017 Offering Form and support God’s work at St. George!

MATINS Our parish celebrates Resurrectional Matins on Sunday mornings at 8:50am before the beginning of the Divine Liturgy in Arabic and English. Make it a point to come as often as you can to this beautiful service which "sings" the resurrection of Christ into our lives. If you cannot come on a regular basis, start by committing to both Saturday Vespers (5pm) and Matins on a once a month basis. As always, when we make an effort, God will bless it!

COMING EVENTS This Week The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine, olive oil, and their by-products) is observed Wednesday and Friday. Monday English Bible Study: Gospel of St. Mark 3-5pm Tuesday Pan-Orthodox Book Club at St. George 6-8pm Wednesday Arabic/English Bible Study: Gospel of St. Mark 12:30-2pm SOYO Wednesday 6-8pm Thursday Pan-Orthodox Dormition Monastery Dinner (Great Vespers-5:30pm) Saturday Great Vespers and Confessions 5pm

JANUARY 15TH ~ VENERABLE PAUL OF THEBES Paul of Thebes was born in Egypt around 227 in the Thebaid of Egypt. Left orphaned, he suffered many things from a greedy relative over his inheritance. During the persecution against Christians under the emperor Decius (249-251), Saint Paul learned of his brother- in-law’s insidious plan to deliver him into the hands of the persecutors, so he fled the city and fled into the wilderness. Settling into a mountain cave, Saint Paul dwelt there for ninety- one years, praying incessantly to God both day and night. He sustained himself on dates and bread, which a raven brought him, and he clothed himself with palm leaves. Saint (January 17), who also lived as an ascetic in the Thebaid desert, had a revelation from God concerning Saint Paul. Saint Anthony thought there was no other desert dweller such as he. Then God said to him, “Anthony, there is a servant of God more excellent than you, and you should go and see him.” Anthony went into the desert and came to Saint Paul’s cave. Falling to the ground before the entrance to the cave, he asked to be admitted. The Elders introduced themselves, and then embraced one another. They conversed through the night, and Saint Anthony revealed how he had been led there by God. Saint Paul disclosed to Saint Anthony that for sixty years a bird had brought him half a loaf of bread each day. Now the Lord had sent a double portion in honor of Saint Paul’s visit. The next morning, Saint Paul spoke to Anthony of his approaching death, and instructed him to bury him. He also asked Saint Anthony to return to his monastery and bring back the cloak he had received from Saint Athanasius. He did not really need a garment, but wished to depart from his body while Saint Anthony was absent. As he was returning with the cloak, Saint Anthony beheld the soul of Saint Paul surrounded by angels, prophets, and apostles, shining like the sun and ascending to God. He entered the cave and found Abba Paul on his knees with his arms outstretched. Saint Anthony mourned for him, and wrapped him in the cloak. He wondered how he would bury the body, for he had not remembered to bring a shovel. Two lions came running from the wilderness and dug a grave with their claws. Saint Anthony buried the holy Elder, took his garment of palm leaves, then he returned to his own monastery. Saint Anthony kept this garb as a precious inheritance, and wore it only twice a year, on Pascha and Pentecost. Saint Paul of Thebes died in the year 341, when he was 113 years old. He did not establish a single monastery, but soon after his end there were many imitators of his life, and they filled the desert with monasteries. Saint Paul is honored as the first desert-dweller and . In the twelfth century, Saint Paul’s relics* were transferred to Constantinople and placed in the Peribleptos monastery of the Mother of God, on orders of the emperor Manuel (1143- 1180). Later, they were taken to Venice, and finally to Hungary, at Ofa. There is also a holy relic in Rome. Saint Paul of Thebes, whose Life was written by Saint Jerome, is not to be confused with Saint Paul the Simple (October 4). *The definition of a relic is: a part of a deceased holy person's body or belongings kept as an object of reverence. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 REGULAR OFFICE HOURS Our secretary, Kelly Dotson, works on Mondays (8:30am-4:30pm), Tuesdays and Wednesdays (12:30pm-4:30pm), and Fridays (8:30am-4:30pm). The Office is closed on Thursdays. Kelly can be reached at the church office 810-732-0720 or [email protected].