Vesperal Liturgy to St. Ignatius of Antioch tonight, Friday at 6 pm.
Pastoral Christmas Greeting from His Grace Bishop Anthony is printed in
the church bulletin available at All Saints.
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Sunday before the Nativity of Christ (The Genealogy)
Virgin-Martyr Juliana of Nicomedia; Marty Themistokles of Myra in Lycia; Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow and all Russia
Visitors, we are blessed by your joining us in worship and for fellowship.
Let us pray to the Lord: “For the suffering Christians of Syria, Palestine, Iraq, & all of the Middle East, and for those suffering in the Ukraine.”
Nourishment of the Soul:.”Let us celebrate, O Nations, the Pre-feast of Christ’s Nativity! Let us raise our minds on high, in spirit going up to Bethlehem. With the eyes of our soul, let us behold the Virgin as she hastens to the cave to give birth to the Lord and God of all. When Joseph first saw the mighty wonder, he thought that he saw only a human child wrapped in swaddling clothes, but from all that came to pass he discovered the child to be the true God Who grants the world great mercy.” Vesperal hymn.
Chrismation this morning at 9:10: We welcome Max Williams (St. Maximus) into the Church. He is already known and loved by many of you. Many Years, Max!
Boxes for Knitted Caps and Mittens/Gloves will be available throughout the winter to collect your donations for local school children.
Communion: We invite you to receive the Holy Eucharist if you are an Orthodox Christian who has prepared yourself through fasting, prayer, and recent confession. If you are not Orthodox, or are Orthodox but have not prepared, we invite you to receive a piece of the blessed bread in the wooden bowls held by the altar servers at the front of the church. Communion Line: The choir goes first in both lines so members may continue ministering through music during communion. Little Lambs Sunday School follows. The ushers then assist each row from front to back. Those in the overflow behind the choir may follow adjacent rows.
SUNDAY SCHOOL for those in Grades One through 12 meets after Divine Liturgy.
FOOD PANTRY: Thank you for the abundant outpouring ; let’s continue through the season.
GIFT CARDS FOR THE CHRISTMAS TREE: Thank you for your donations.
Caroling in the All Saints Neighborhood: Meet at the church at 3:00. After caroling you will return to the church for a time of fellowship. Familiar carols will be sung to welcome the coming Joy of the Ages.
THIS WEEK
The Nativity Fast continues until Christmas.
Wednesday, December 24: Morning Services start at 9 am with Royal Hours of Christmas and followed by Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil.
Wednesday, December 24: Evening Services of Christmas begin at 9 pm with Orthros (Matins), followed by the Nativity Liturgy near 10:00. A light feast concludes the evening.
Saturday, December 27: Great Vespers at 5:00
Sunday, December 28: Matins at 8:50; Divine Liturgy at 10:00– Myrrh Bearers will NOT meet.
LOOKING AHEAD
Wednesday, December 31: NEW YEAR’S EVE: Evening Liturgy at 6 pm – St. Basil the Great.
Happy Anniversary: Robert and Nina Rogers (26th)
Blessed Name Day: Christopher Stroguiludis (25th)
Happy Birthday: Alex Alexander (21st); Nicholas Alexander (21st); Griffin Finchum (21st); Alexandra Shirley (22nd); Nicholas Shirley (22nd); Amanda Alexander (26th)
Memory Eternal: James (8th); Jane (12th); Wilma (16th); Nicholas (21st); Jolee (10th); Priscilla (15th); Nick (18th)
Prayer List: Dee Haney; Krystal & Jason (hard times & death of child); Heather (Charles’ daughter); Susan; Gabriella & Matt; Zack Hogan; Jordan Bissell; Sara; Metojije; Shelley; Denise; Fr. Moses Berry; Geni; Frank & Becky Hrisomalos; Those with child: Kh. Kristina, Mary, Kathleen and Brooke; Kh. Marilyn; Galina; John; Noah; Emily D; Emma; Kim; Barb; Shirley; Nancy; Neal; Lyuda; Patricia; Bob R; Alex; Nicetas; John; Leanne; Metropolitan Paul, Archbishop John; Kh. Loretta; Beth; Lillian; Julie; Roger; Virginia McCallister; Marilyn; Eric; Cheryl; Lori; Pam; Debbie; Natasha; Ioana; Michael & Shelley: Gabriel; Mary; Doug; Janet; Kelly; Matushka Raisa; John C; Marty; Charles; Fr. John Koen; Archpriests Roman, George & Stephen; Eileen; Mary; Marvin, Alice; Katie; Deborah; Ruth; Steve; Kevin; Romaine; Derek, Claire & Micah; Tim; Preston; Sharon; Sherri; Dianna; Michael and Diane; Aaron; Brent; Jennifer; Brigid; Caleb; Korene; Dennis & Joyce; Ethan; Lena, Dean; Gayle; Thomas; Amy; Heidi; Gene & Connie; Cathi
Today’s Epistle and Gospel Readings
Prokeimenon: “Blessed art Thou, O LORD, the God of our Fathers..”
Verse: “For Thou art just in all that Thou hast done to us!” Daniel 3:26-27
Epistle: The Reading is from Saint Paul’s Epistle to the Hebrews. (11:9-10, 32-40)
BRETHREN, by faith Abraham sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. For he expected a city which has foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God.
And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Sampson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and all the prophets, who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, and turned to flight armies of the aliens. Women received their dead by resurrection, and others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. And others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, being destitute, afflicted, tormented (of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a witness through their faith, did not receive the promise, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
Gospel: The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (1:1-25)
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, and Aram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa, and Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Mattan, and Mattan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, Who is called Christ.
So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ were fourteen generations.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to 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 shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call His Name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and His Name shall be called Emmanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called His Name Jesus.
Divine Liturgy Variables
Resurrectional Apolytikion – Tone 3
Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad; for the Lord hath done a mighty act with His own arm. He hath trampled down death by death, and became the first-born from the dead. He hath delivered us from the depths of Hades, granting the world the Great Mercy.
Apolytikion of the Fore-feast of the Nativity – Tone 4
Be thou ready, O Bethlehem; for Eden hath been opened for all. Prepare, O Ephratha; for the Tree of Life hath blossomed forth in the cave from the Virgin; for her belly did appear as a noetic paradise in which is planted the divine Plant, whereof eating we shall live and not die as Adam. Verily, Christ shall be born, raising the likeness that fell of old.
Apolytikion of the Sunday before the Nativity – Tone 2
Great are the accomplishments of faith; for the three holy youths rejoiced in the fountain of flames as though at waters of rest. and the Prophet Daniel appeared a shepherd to the lions as though they were sheep. Wherefore, by their pleadings, O Christ God, save our souls.
Kontakion of the Preparation of Christ’s Nativity – Tone 3
The Virgin cometh today, to the cave to give birth ,ineffably to bring forth the Word eternal, Therefore, rejoice, O earth, at the message; with the angels and shepherds give glory to Him who shall appear by his own will as a young child; He Who is from eternity, God.