Pre-Lenten Retreat with Fr. John Oliver of Murfreesboro, Tennessee: Friday, February 21 at 7:00 pm and Saturday, February 22 at noon, following a Divine Liturgy for the Saturday of the Souls. Fr. John will be speaking to us on the topic of his upcoming book: The Nourishing Dark: Dealing with Difficult Emotions in the Light of Christ. There is no charge, and lunch will be provided on Saturday. Please feel free to invite friends and family.
Sunday of the Last Judgment (Meat Fare)
Hieromartyr Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna; Venerable Gorgonia, sister of Gregory the Theologian; Venerable Zebinas, Polychronios, Moses and Damian near Cyrrhus in Syria; Venerable Damian of Esphigmenou monastery on Mount Athos
You are always welcome here at All Saints.
Nourishment for the Soul: “If you’re resolute in living in purity and banish idle thoughts and make the resolve that ‘I will not do this until I die,’ then the idle thoughts will depart, and they will assault you less.” – Elder Paisius of Sihla
Orthodoxy 102 follows Daily Vespers on Wednesday.
Pre-Lenten Spiritual Retreat: We have been blessed by Fr. John Oliver this weekend as he joined us and shared with us during the retreat to help prepare us for Holy Lent as well as day-to-day struggles.
How to Discuss Politics: Howard Webb will present The Topic: Law and Grace – The Function of Law. All are invited to his home for this discussion at 7:00 this evening, February 23rd.
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 with the choir and preschool going first.
Myrrh Bearers meet today after Divine Liturgy.
THIS WEEK
Monday, February 24: Compline & Fellowship at the Haneys’ home at 7:00
Wednesday, February 26: Daily Vespers at 6:00; Orthodoxy 102 follows.
Thursday, February 27: Bible Study at Becky’s home 3:00 – 5:00
Thursday, February 27: OCF Dinner and Discussion at the Webbs’ home at 6:00
Friday, February 28: The Akathist for the Protection of the Theotokos at 6:00
Saturday, February 29: Great Vespers at 5:00; SOYO 6:00 – 8:00
Sunday, March 1: Matins at 9:00; Divine Liturgy at 10:00 – Forgiveness (Cheese Fare) Sunday
Monday, March 2: Great Lent begins with services each evening.
LOOKING AHEAD
- March is Women’s Month: Women in the church read the Epistle and usher. Please see Rhonda if you would like to participate.
- March 1: Cheesefare/Forgiveness Sunday – Myrrh Bearers hold their annual fundraiser meal to support their ministry. Forgiveness Vespers is at 5:00.
- March 2: Great Lent begins with the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete.
- March 8: Sunday of Orthodoxy – Daylight Savings begins.
- May 1-3 : Holy Dormition Monastery Pilgrimage to Rives Junction, Michigan: Rhonda is the contact person. Your response is needed to secure housing at the monastery on a busy weekend.
Divine Liturgy Variables for Choir and Parish
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.
Kontakion for the Sunday of Last Judgment – Tone 1
When Thou comest, O God, to earth with glory, and all creatures tremble before Thee, and the river of fire floweth before the Altar, and the books are opened and sins revealed, deliver me then from that unquenchable fire, and make me worthy to stand at Thy right hand, O righteous Judge.
Today’s Epistle and Gospel Readings
Epistle: The Reading is from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. (8:8-9:2)
Brethren, food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. Only take care, lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if any one sees you—a man of knowledge—at table in an idol’s temple, might he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak man is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother’s falling, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall. Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
Gospel: The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (25:31-46)
(For Sunday of the Last Judgment)
The Lord said, “When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and He will place the sheep at His right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the King will say to those at His right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed Me, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see Thee hungry and feed Thee, or thirsty and give Thee drink? And when did we see Thee a stranger and welcome Thee, or naked and clothe Thee? And when did we see Thee sick or in prison and visit Thee?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ Then He will say to those at his left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see Thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to Thee?’ Then He will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to Me.’ And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
FAMILY NEWS
- House Blessings: If you have not received a call or email from Fr. Peter Jon or Fr. Seraphim, Contact Them! House blessings are rapidly coming to an end as Great Lent approaches.
- Coffee Hour: Parishioners whose last names begin with R-Z will serve and clean today.
- The Pantry is still well-supplied: Thanks for your donations. Just a note: both parishioners and people from the Bloomington community are invited to visit the pantry as needed.
Birthday Greetings: Chris S (27th); Mezy A(28th); Mary B (28th) Memory Eternal: Lois; Fr. Patrick Kinder (14th); Darlene; Lotfy
Prayer List: Kim; Dusty; Betsy; Allison; Robin; Doris Finchum; Mary Ann; Vicki; Mat. Raisa; Kaylie and infant Oliver; Rebekah with child; Amanda Hermione with child; Nikki with child; Isaac in Air Force; Fr. Marc; Kh.Vanessa & Anthony Kinder; Fr. George; Fr. Basil & Kh. Cana; Judith Ann; George; Dee; Catherine (not in this parish); Michael & Olga; Eileen; Leanne; Heather;Nancy; Sharon Catherine; Alice & Marvin; Kh. Kristina; Bonnie; Emma; Patricia; Mary & Robert;Shirley; Rose; Lexi, Ross & Vivian; Theo; Doug Barrett;Jeremy; Charles; Grayson; Cleo; Marcia & Deacon; Nick;Bruce; Joanna & Demetrios;Ashlee W; Paul; Cathy; Sitto; Elias; Waded; Neva; Bill; Lonnie; Nancy & Shalayna; Seraphima; Lilly’s family; Jennifer & Regina; those suffering in the drug crisis, with fire devastation, flood damage, and earthquake damage; those suffering in the Middle East; our nation.