First Sunday of Great Lent (Sunday of Orthodoxy)
& The Holy and Great Forty Martyrs of Sebastia
**Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great**
Daylight saving is time Sunday, March 9th: Remember to move your clocks ahead one hour!
Thought for Today: “When thoughts are choking me like so many thorns, I enter the church, the hospital of souls. The beauty of the icons delights my vision like a verdant meadow, and without my noticing it stirs my soul to praise God.” – St. John of Damascus
Resurrectional Apolytikion – Tone 4
Having learned the joyful message of the Resurrection from the angel the women disciples of the Lord cast from them their parental condemnation. And proudly broke the news to the Disciples, saying: Death hath been spoiled; Christ God is risen, granting the world Great Mercy.
Apolytikion of the First Sunday of Great Lent – Tone 2
Thy pure image do we venerate, O good One, asking forgiveness of our sins, O Christ our God; for by Thine own will Thou didst ascend the Cross in Thy body, to save Thy creatures from the bondage of the enemy. Wherefore, with thankfulness we cry aloud to thee: Thou hast verily filled all with joy, since Thou didst come, O our Savior, to save the world.
Apolytikion for the Forty Martyrs of Sebastia – Tone 1
Be Thou entreated for the sake of the sufferings of Thy Saints which they endured for Thee, O Lord, and do Thou heal all our pains, we pray, O Lover of mankind.
Kontakion for Sundays in Great Lent – Tone 8
To thee, the Champion Leader, do I offer thanks of victory, O Theotokos, thou who hast delivered me from terror; but as thou that hast that power invincible, O Theotokos, thou alone can set me free: from all forms of danger free me and deliver me, that I may cry unto thee: Hail, O Bride without Bridegroom.
EPISTLE and GOSPEL READINGS
The Epistle
Thou, O Lord, will preserve us and keep us from this generation.
Save me, O Lord, for the godly man hath disappeared.
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews. (12:1-10)
Brethren, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely; and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus: the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith, Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him Who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation which addresses you as sons? “My son: do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage when you are punished by Him; for the Lord disciplines him whom He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers to discipline us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father?
The Gospel
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. John. (1:43-51)
At that time, Jesus decided to go to Galilee. And He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, “We have found Him of Whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” Nathanael said to Jesus, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God! Thou art the King of Israel!” Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.”
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.
House Blessings: Father Peter Jon has either blessed — or is scheduled to bless — the homes of all who have requested a house blessing. So, if you have not had your house blessed, or scheduled a blessing, and you would like to do so, please reach out to Father Peter ASAP to get on his schedule. He does not want to inadvertently overlook anyone.
Confession: Every Orthodox Christian, age 7 and up, should come for confession during the season of repentance — Great Lent. There are six weeks of Lent, followed by Holy Week. The sixth week of Lent is when those preparing for Baptism and Chrismation will make their lifetime confessions – this is the time I have reserved for them. During Holy Week there are 18 services, much Paschal preparation, and very little time for anything else. Therefore, I am asking everyone to come for confession during the first five weeks of Great Lent. I will be available to hear confessions for ONE HOUR prior to services on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and by appointment throughout the week. Please email or text me to reserve your spot. Thank you. – Fr Peter Jon
Please note: There was a misprint on the “Mark Your Calendars!” sheet in the hallway. Tuesday Presanctified Liturgies will be served at 9:00 am during Great Lent (not 6pm as previously printed).
This Week
Today, Sunday: Choir will practice, 12:30 to 1:30 pm; Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers at 5:00 pm, St. George in Fishers.
Monday, March 10: 3rd Hour Prayers at 9:00 am.
Tuesday, March 11: Presanctified Liturgy at 9:00 am.
Wednesday, March 12: Presanctified Liturgy at 6:00 pm; teaching and Soup Supper.
Thursday, March 13: 6th Hour Prayers at 12:00 noon.
Friday, March 14: Presanctified Liturgy at 9:00 am; Akathist to the Theotokos with Compline at 6:00 pm.
Saturday, March 15: Bible Study, 9:00 am at the Webb’s home; Great Vespers at 5:00 pm, Ask Abouna to follow. Jr. and Teen SOYO at 6:30 pm.
Sunday, March 16: Matins at 9:00 am, Divine Liturgy at 10:00 am; Sunday Lenten Vespers, 5:00 pm at St. Barnabas; homilist Father Dragan Petrovic.
Family News:
Name Day Celebration: Kevin Perez, Martyr Aglaius of Sebaste (10th); Thomas Walker, Gregory the Dialogist; Daniel Mullis, St. Simeon the New Theologian.
Birthday Celebration: Thomas Walker (9th); Ryan Shanahan (12th); Grace Schuck (13th); Jonathon Garrison (15th).
Prayer List: Kh. Parasheva; Hal (rehab); Scott (terminal heart condition) and his wife Jackie; Jim and Lisa; Tammera; Taylor;Durlin family; Fr. Athanasius; Fr. Jerome; Fr. Basil; Fr. Matthew; Marvin; Nectaria;Shu-Mei,Charlie;Shirley; Jim;Jan; Don and Dee; those suffering the effect of Hurricanes; those suffering the war in Ukraine, and the Middle East; Peace talks; our nation and all nations’ leaders; those suffering the effect of wild fires in California; schools: children, youth and personnel across the nation; Mary Ann; Emma; Bob & Bonnie Thelen; Josiah; Jack; Christopher; Wadia; Jayci; Patricia; Kitsa; Apthrodite; Kim; Kristy; Vicki;Kenzie; Dusty; Cari; Betsy; Josh; Allison; Dn. Lawrence, Marcia; Missy; Andrew; Isaac; Leanne; Heather; Nancy; Sharon Catherine; Neumann Seraphim; Michael, Olga, Eileen, Soren, Kathy; Lexi, Ross, Vivian; Theo; Jeremy; Elias; Waded; Seraphima; Lilly’s family; Jennifer; Christy; John; Stanley; Macrina with child; Anna and child born to her; Allen; Linda; Allison and children; Kip; Hermione with child, Erica with child; Taylor with child; Penny with child; Dixxe with child; Megan with child; Evan; Catherine with child; Victoria with child; Whitney and children; Domnica; Mary.
Memory Eternal: Archbishop Anastasios; Archimandrite Ambrose; Theodore; Mike; Donald; child Houston; Debbie.
March is Women’s Month
“Throughout March, we are encouraged to highlight the vital role of women in the life of the Church. Women serve in many capacities—on parish councils, in church schools, in choirs, through fundraising, and by ministering to those in need within and beyond their parish communities. This month provides a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate their dedication and service. This month, in addition to the many other ways they serve our community, women will serve as Epistle Readers, Ushers and will hold the bowls for the antidoron (blessed bread).”
Lenten Wednesday Meals: Please see the sign-up sheet on the door to the fellowship hall. Thank you in advance for your contributions to this blessed time of breaking bread together!
Cleaning Up (important); As we continue to enjoy and celebrate growth as a parish family, I am finding almost every week that people (adults and children) are leaving their plates, food, drinks, etc. on tables in the fellowship hall, in the pavilion, in the nursery and on the playground. During the week, dishes are often being left in the sink. Since we do not have a full-time cleaning staff, the priest, pastoral assistant or church secretary are often left to clean up the kitchen, the building and the grounds. From this day forth, let us please committ to leaving the LORD’s house and grounds in better condition than we found them and take responsibility to clean up after any mess left by our children. This is a holy calling. Thank you. – Fr Peter Jon
All Saints’ Sunday Meal:
Today, Sunday: 2nd Sunday Host Coffman – Holland; Lead Hostess Elizabeth Carter.
Next week: 3rd Sunday Host Hostetler – Rogers; Lead Hostess Nina Rogers.
Giving Opportunities:
Food Pantry: Thank you for the generous support.Our in-houseFood Pantry is available to parish members as well as families and individuals in the community of Bloomington. Donations of nonperishable items of pasta, marinara sauce, peanut butter, canned chicken and Tuna, canned vegetables, canned fruit and soups are always a great blessing.
Mission Donations: We send monthly support to two missionary units in Albania, the Hoppe family and Hannah Valentine. We welcome and encourage you to contribute to their ongoing support.
Benevolence Fund: Donations may be made to this fund throughout the year and are mainly used to support families in need of help with rent and utilities payments.
Donations to the church are being made online at www.allsaintsbloomington.org and by U.S mail. Many thanks to all who continue supporting All Saints.