St. George Orthodox Church of Prescott Sunday, December 18, 2016 Sunday, December 18, 2016—Sunday Before Nativity 8:30AM Orthros Served by Fr

This Week at St. George St. George Orthodox Church of Prescott Sunday, December 18, 2016 Sunday, December 18, 2016—Sunday before Nativity 8:30AM Orthros Served by Fr. Jeffrey Frate 9:30AM Divine Liturgy Tuesday, December 20, 2016 607 W GURLEY STREET, PRESCOTT, AZ 86305 928-777-8750 WWW.PRESCOTTORTHODOX.COM 6:00PM-7:00PM Confessions

Wednesday, December 21, 2016 And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of The Epistle Reading is from St. Paul's Letter 6:30PM Forefeast Vespers with Compline Canon Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and to the Hebrews 11:9-10; 32-40 Friday, December 23, 2016 Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father 9:00AM Royal Hours for the Feast of Nativity BRETHREN, by faith Abraham sojourned in the land of Asa, and Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, and 6:00PM-7:00PM Confessions of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, Saturday, December 24, 2016 Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city which has and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father 9:00AM Matins foundation, whose builder and maker is God. of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, 10:00AM Divine Liturgy for Eve of Nativity and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to 5:00PM Great Vespers for Nativity father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Sunday, December 25, 2016 and Samuel and the prophets - who through faith Babylon. 8:30AM Matins conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received 9:30AM Divine Liturgy for Nativity promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Nativity Fast by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the Please make time during this Nativity fast to come to confession. You can contact Fr. Jeffrey to make an appointment, or accept release, that they might rise again to a better father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and come to one of the scheduled times for confession on either 12/20 or 12/23 from 6:00 to 7:00pm. life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of

Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob Daily Orthros even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Daily Orthros will be served Monday - Thursday at 9am. killed with the sword; they went about in skins of Jesus was born, who is called Christ. sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated - of So all the generations from Abraham to David were Choir Rehearsal whom the world was not worthy - wandering over fourteen generations, and from David to the Choir rehearsal in preparation for Nativity will take place shortly after Liturgy. deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and

earth. from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen

generations. And all these, though well attested by their faith, did

not receive what was promised, since God had Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way.

foreseen something better for us,that apart from us When his mother Mary had been betrothed to

they should not be made perfect. Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband

Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to Gospel Reading is from Matthew 1:1-25 shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he

considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord The book of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of

David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and will save his people from their sins." All this took Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of If you have bulletin announcements, please contact Jill Normandin by Thursday to have your announcement included in the prophet: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Sunday bulletin. Email [email protected] or call 928-533-3977 (email is preferable so no details are missed). son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he St. George Parish Council: Gina Clark, President, George Rizk, Vice President, Kally Key, Treasurer, Lauretta Gioia , Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne a Secretary and Council Members, Ty Freedman, Matt Maxwell, Kenny Scott, Robert Smith, and Raymond Zogob. Jesse the father of David the king. son; and he called his name Jesus.

Sunday before Nativity (December 18) PRAYER LIST On the Sunday that occurs on or immediately after the eighteenth of this month, we celebrate all Kathy, Mary, Dan and Marcia Hill, Valentina Thommen, Fr. Makarios Mwaura and family (Kenya), Amber Brogger & those who from ages past have been well-pleasing to God, beginning from Adam even unto children, Elena Cook, Walt Thayer, Vera Timotijevic, John Walendziak , Cynthia DeLeone, Roman Benyk, Karen Joseph the Betrothed of the Most Holy Theotokos, according to genealogy, as the Evangelist Clark, Vadim, Kristina, Rochelle and Wayne Pedersen, Lisa, Mark and Jeannie Panos, Presvy Jenny Nicolaou Newlin, Luke hath recorded historically (Luke 3:23-38); we also commemorate the Prophets and Ben Banks, Maria Carolina, Bill Kountanis, Michele and McKenzie, and Barbara Wright. Prophetesses, and especially the Prophet Daniel and the Holy Three Children.

For our sons and daughters serving in the U.S. Armed Forces; Jordan Verespe, Don (Spyridon) Hock, Col. Stephen

Close, Matthew Bricker, Matt Meyers, Joseph Peck and Brittany Rushing. Sebastian the Martyr & his Companions And for the departed Rt. Rev. Archimandrite Gabriel Cooke, may his memory be eternal. (December 18)

And the departed Helen Wells, Bob (Timothy) Hunt, John Tupy, Kayla Mueller, Khrystyna Gavryushenko and the newly departed Kathy Hunt. This Saint, who was from the city of Milan, was a member of the Senate as well as a zealot for the Faith of Christ, and had As members of an Orthodox Christian family, we are called upon to pray for each other. converted many to the knowledge of God. When Diocletian and Maximian began a Persecution If you would like us to remember you or your loved one in our prayers, please contact the church office at 928-777- against the Christians, Saint Sebastian was arrested and pierced with sharp arrows, and the 8750 or e-mail the name of your loved one to [email protected] bones of his body were shattered with clubs; and being cut into pieces, he gave up his spirit to God in the year 288. Together with him there were others also who died while enduring various tortures. Their names are Marcellinus and Mark the brethren, Tranquillinus their father, For our Visitors this morning! Nicostratus and his spouse Zoe, Tiburtius, Claudius, Castulus, and Castor. If this is your first visit to an Orthodox Christian liturgy we welcome you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! The Eastern Orthodox Church traces her lineage back to the Day of Pentecost, the birth of the New Testament

Church. We are liturgical in worship, using the liturgies developed in the fourth century and attributed to St. John Ignatius the God-Bearer, Bishop of Antioch (December 20) Chrysostom, and St. Basil the Great, also, the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy attributed to St. Gregory Dialogos, Pope of Rome. Saint Ignatius was a disciple of Saint John the Theologian, and a successor of the Apostles, and Liturgy literally means, "work of the people", and it seems these services are attributed to these three saints because he became the second Bishop of Antioch, after Evodus. He wrote many epistles to the faithful, they were in every sense of the word champions of the people, caring for their flocks with true wisdom and discernment, strengthening them in their confession, and preserving for us the teachings of the holy Apostles. and not afraid to suffer on their behalf, and on behalf of the truth. We are the “Church of the Bible” since it was in the Brought to Rome under Trajan, he was surrendered to lions to be eaten, and so finished the bosom of the Church that the New Testament developed and was given birth. We are hierarchical in structure, visibly course of martyrdom about the year 107. The remnants of his bones were carefully gathered by witnessing to, and manifesting, the reality that the grace of God flows from our one great High Priest and Hierarch, the faithful and brought to Antioch. He is called God-bearer, as one who bare God within himself Jesus Christ, through the communion of hierarchs throughout the world to the entire body of the faithful, even to the and was aflame in heart with love for Him. Therefore, in his Epistle to the Romans (ch. 4), smallest child. The apex of our worship experience is to commune with God in the Body and Blood of Christ. He imploring their love not to attempt to deliver him from his longed-for martyrdom, he said, "I am Himself taught in the Gospel of St. John, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this the wheat of God, and am ground by the teeth of the wild beasts, that I bread he will live forever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh...For my flesh is food may be found to be the pure bread of God." indeed, and my blood is drink indeed." (Jn 6:51,55) In light of this, the Divine Liturgy of the Orthodox Church is essentially Eucharistic, meaning it is offered in thanksgiving to the One Triune God who continuously sends down the Holy Spirit upon us and the bread and wine that we offer, making these humble things, for us the unworthy, the Anastasia the Great Martyr (December 22) precious Body and Blood of Christ. Please note that Holy Communion is reserved for those Orthodox Christians This Saint, who was from Rome, was a most comely, wealthy, and virtuous maiden, the daughter of who have prepared themselves with prayer and fasting to receive the Holy Mysteries. We do invite you to receive Praepextatus and Fausta. It was her mother who instructed her in the Faith of Christ. The Saint was the blessed bread (antidoron) which is offered to all after the dismissal, and please do join us at the conclusion of the joined to a man named Publius Patricius, who was prodigal in life and impious in disposition, but she Divine Service for our fellowship meal in the hall next door. May the Lord richly bless your worship with us in this was widowed after a short time. Henceforth, she went about secretly to the dwellings of the poor and morning’s Divine Liturgy! the prisons where the Martyrs of Christ were, and brought them whatever was needed for their daily subsistence. She washed their wounds and loosed them from their fetters, and consoled them in their RESURRECTIONAL APOLYTIKION IN TONE ONE anguish. Also, because the Saint, through her intercessions, has healed many from the ill effects of While the stone was sealed by the Jews, and the soldiers were guarding Thy most pure body, Thou didst arise on the third spells, potions, poisons, and other harmful substances, she has received the name "Deliverer from day, O Savior, granting life to the world. For which cause the heavenly powers cried aloud unto Thee, O giver of life. Glory Potions." Since the fame of her deeds had spread about, she was arrested by Diocletian's minions, to Thy Resurrection O Christ, glory to Thy kingdom, glory to Thy providence, O Thou Who alone art the lover of mankind. and after enduring many torments she was put to death by fire in the year 290.

FOR THE SUNDAY BEFORE NATIVITY Second Tone. Great are the achievements of faith! In the fountain of flame, as by the waters of rest, the Three Holy Children rejoiced. And the Prophet Daniel proved a shepherd of lions as of sheep. By their prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.

APOLYTIKION OF ST. GEORGE Prayer for Evangelism in Ourselves and in Our Community Liberator of captives, defender of the poor, physician of the sick, and champion of kings, O trophy-bearer, Great Martyr God of truth and love: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Hear our prayer for those who do not know You. That they may come to a George, intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved. saving knowledge of the truth, and that Your Name may be praised among all peoples of the world. Sustain, inspire, and enlighten Your servants who bring them the Gospel. Bring fresh vigor to wavering faith; sustain our faith when it is still fragile. KONTAKION OF PREPARATION FOR NATIVITY Continually renew missionary zeal in ourselves and in the Church, and raise up new missionaries who will follow You to the On this day the Virgin cometh to the cave to give birth to God the Word ineffably, Who was before the ages. Dance for ends of the world. Make us witnesses to Your goodness full of love, full of strength, and full of faith for Your glory and the joy, O earth, on hearing the gladsome tidings; with the Angels and the shepherds now glorify Him Who is willing to be gazed on as a young Child, Who before the ages is God. salvation of the entire world. Through the prayers of all the missionary saints, Have mercy on us and save us. Amen.