Sunday, December 09, 2018
Conception of the Theotokos by Righteous Anna
Consecration of the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem
Welcome to All Saints.
Rev. Fr. Gabriel Montforte is the guest celebrant today.
Father Peter Jon and his family will be away through December 10th.
Nourishment of the Soul: “The more we become holy like St. Nicholas, the more we love everyone around us without any condition. God enabled him to find many ways to touch people’s lives.” — His Eminence, Metropolitan JOSEPH
Choir and Chanters Appreciation Day: Warmly greet our team of chanters and choir members today as they faithfully serve us week after week. Included in your bulletin is a letter from His Eminence, Metropolitan JOSEPH.
Coffee Hour: Scheduled contributors for today are those with last names beginning Be-F.
Food Pantry: The shelves are well-filled…thanks: Your usual donations are welcome.
Help fill the gift bag with children’s hats, gloves, mittens, and scarves. Bags are in the hallway and in the narthax.
Christmas ‘Giving Tree’ in the social hall. Please support our annual practice of loading the tree with gift cards for Father to distribute to families in our community. Each Sunday, the cards will be removed so they are safely secured. Cards from Walmart, Target, local pharmacies, super markets, and gas stations are good choices.
Receiving the Eucharist: 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. Approach to the cup starts at the front rows; the choir and preschool go first.
Tithes and Pledges for 2019–please submit yours soon. The forms are in both your bulletin at church and your December newsletter which should arrive this week in the mail.
THIS WEEK
The Nativity Fast continues until Christmas Eve.
Tuesday, December 11: Bible Study at Kh. Marilyn’s at 7:00
Wednesday, December 12: Evening Liturgy at 6:00 – St. Herman of Alaska
Thursday, December 13: Bible Study at Becky’s 3:00-5:00
Saturday, December 15: Dee Haney’s Open House for our Ladies 11:00-2:30. Enjoy inspiration, fun, food, and games! Meet at the church at 10:15 if you want to caravan to Mitchell.
Saturday, December 15: Great Vespers at 5:00 with SOYO and O101 at 6:00
Sunday, December 16: Matins at 9:00; Divine Liturgy at 10:00 – St. Lucia (Lilly Blair) arrives during social hour with her crown of candles and tray of sweet treats. Parish Council also meets.
LOOKING AHEAD
…Antiochian Village Summer Camp: Reserve a place for your child now for 2019!
…O101 Topics in Coming Weeks: When We Say God, Part 2, God with Us, Our Ultimate Purpose, Salvation as Participation, Orthodox Worship, A Beautiful Hymn, The Journey Continues,.
…Aunt Ruth’s Toffee for Christmas will be available soon in the bookstore.
…Monthly Crafting Workshop: Everyone is welcome to bring projects, ideas to share, or willingness to learn. Meet in Fellowship Hall. Emily Wood is the coordinator. The Next meeting is January 12th at 3:00
FAMILY NOTES
An Opportunity to Serve: If you are available to help Alice and Marvin with laundry or other tasks, please contact Nina Rogers who is coordinating this benefit for these beloved family members.
Happy Birthday: Zane N(10th); Rhonda W (11th); Andrew H (13th)
Blessed Name Day: Subdeacon Daniel Barrett (Daniel the Stylite – 11th); Lucia Toadere (St. Lucia- 13th); St. Herman of Alaska – 13th – Wyatt Crandall; Aaron Hsu; Martin Guise; Herman Hannan
Memory Eternal: Archpriest Stephen Rhudy (Nov. 12); President George HW Bush (2nd)
Prayer List: Laura (young woman with serious condition/friend of John C.); Sue (elderly woman with cancer diagnosis);Nancy Jones; Bruce; Joanna Zaharako; Impey and Tudorica families; Alice & Marvin; Charles; Vicki; Linda’s sister Dee; Mary Ann; Griggs family; Alexander family; Emilija with child (doing well on bed rest); Kristina (Weber) with child; Sharon Catherine; Lillian Purcell; Eileen; Leanne; Ashlee W; Kh. Kristina; Vivian; Paul; Cathy; Sitto; Elias; Waded; Neva; Bill; Lonnie; Fr. George; Fr. Basil; Iva Lee; Nancy & Shalayna; Ty & Hannah (with child); Seraphima; Lilly’s family; Jennifer D; those suffering in the drug crisis, with fire devastation, with flood damage or hurricane damage in the USA; Those suffering in Syria and the Middle East; safety in public places, in our schools and on our southern border; Metropolitan Paul; Archbishop John; our church and our nation.
Today’s Epistle and Gospel Readings
Prokeimenon: “God is wondrous in His saints.”
Verse: “Bless God in the congregations.” Psalm 67:35,26
Epistle: The Reading is from St. Paul’s Letter the Galatians. (4:22-27)
(For the Conception of the Theotokos by Righteous Anna)
Brethren, Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, the son of the free woman through promise. Now this is an allegory: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written, “Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and shout, you who are not in travail; for the children of the desolate one are many more than the children of her that is married.”
Gospel: The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according 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 hypocrite! 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 Jesus said this, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by Him.
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 become the first-born from the dead. He hath delivered us from the depths of Hades, granting the world the Great Mercy.
Apolytikion of the Conception of the Theotokos by St. Anna – Tone 4
Today have the bonds of barrenness been loosened; God, having heard the prayers of Joachim and Anna, promised them openly that they should give birth, beyond hope, to the Maiden of God, from whom He, the infinite One was to be born, becoming man, commanding the angel to shout to her: Rejoice, O full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Kontakion of the Conception of the Theotokos by St. Anna – Tone 4
All the world doth celebrate * Anna’s conception * on this day with festive joy, * because it came to pass through God; * for by divine grace she hath conceived * her that beyond words conceiveth the Word of God.