Sunday Bulletin - February 15/28, 2010: Sunday of St Gregory Palamas
Tone: V
Saints: Holy Apostle Onesimus
Epistle: Hebrews 1:10-2:3; Hebrews 7:26-8:2
Gospel: Mark 2:1-12; John 10:9-16
Sunday Hymnography: http://www.saintjonah.org/lit/lit_lent2.htm
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DATES TO REMEMBER:
Next Weekend:
*Commemoration of the Departed*
Saturday, March 6:
8:40am - Hours
9:00am - Liturgy
*Veneration of the Cross*
Saturday, March 6:
6:30pm - Vigil
Sunday, March 7:
8:30am – Baptism
9:40am – Hours
10:00am – Liturgy
3rd Week of Great Lent:
Wednesday, March 3:
6:30pm - Liturgy of Pre-sanctified Gifts
Friday, March 5:
7:00am - Liturgy of Pre-sanctified Gifts
Church Cleaning: Saturday, March 6th at 1:00pm. We will be cleaning the church in preparation for Bishop George’s visit. Four or five volunteers needed. Please let Fr Mark know if you can help.
Confessions: Please avail yourself of the Mystery of Confession. Fr Mark hears confessions on Saturday evenings, Sunday mornings, and by appointment.
Choir Practices: Preparation for Bishop George – Feb 28, March 7 (with other practices on Saturdays and during the week as noted)
Coffee Hour Rota: Feb 28 – Wilson; March 7 – Baird; March 14 – Potluck (Bishop George’s visit); March 21 – Bursac; March 28 – Potluck Fish Meal (for Palm Sunday)
Lenten Meals after Liturgy of Pre-sanctified Gifts: Feb 24 – Wilson; March 3 – Mancuso; March 10 – Baird; March 16 – volunteer needed; March 24 - volunteer needed
Adult Sunday School: Sunday, February 28th at 12:30pm (after Liturgy). The topic will be Hierarchical divine services.
Children’s Sunday School: March 7, 21
Next Parish Council Meeting: Sunday, March 7th at 12:30pm (after Liturgy)
Upcoming Dates:
March 13-14: Visitation of Bishop George
March 28: Palm Sunday
March 27 – April 4: Holy Week
April 2: Great & Holy Friday
April 4: PASCHA
Church Calendar: http://www.stelizabeth.net/?q=node/423
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CHURCH NEEDS:
Special Collection: The collection at the veneration of the Cross after Liturgy is for Bishop George’s visit to our parish March 13th and 14th. Our goal is to collect $450.00 by February 28th ($391.00 has been collected, $59.00 left to go). Please be generous.
Haiti Collection: For those wishing to continue donating to our churches in Haiti, please contact Fr Mark (600-0001 or frmark@stelizabeth.net).
Liturgical Needs: Extra-virgin olive oil; Large and small candles from the Unexpected Joy; charcoal and incense
Household Needs: Sugar packets (and sugar substitute packets), non-dairy creamer, stirring straws, paper or Styrofoam bowls
Lenten Meals after Liturgy of Pre-sanctified Gifts: Please sign up to bring a Lenten meal after a Wednesday evening Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified Gifts. The dates that volunteers are needed: March 16th (a Tuesday) and 24th. The sign-up sheet is on the refrigerator.
Coffee Hour Rota Responsibilities: If you are on the Rota, please remember that the responsibilities include cleaning up. The clean up check list is on the refrigerator in the Coffee Hour area.
Your Tithes: Please remember to keep your tithes and donations to the church consistent.
Building Fund: Please remember to contribute the Building Fund on a regular basis.
Tax Returns: Please consider contributing a portion of your tax return to the Building Fund.
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PRAYER LIST:
Metropolitan Hilarion & bishops of ROCOR; Bishop George & the brotherhood of Holy Cross Monastery; Archimandrite Maximos & brotherhood of Holy Cross Monastery; Archimandrite Nazarios & brotherhood of Ascension Monastery; Archimandrite Joachim & the brotherhood of St Mary of Egypt Monastery; Fr Christopher & faithful in Uganda; Fr Jean & Fr Gregoire & the faithful in Haiti; Fr Demetrius & family; Igor; Svetlana; Dusan; Rdr. Quartus; Jovanka; Maximos; Martha; Jonathan; Amelia & family; Katherine & family; Nicholas; Gabriel; Tatiana; Cyril & Natalia & the child Elizabeth; Michael & Elizabeth; Soja; Galyna; Olga; Apolinaria; Matushka Anastasia; Andrey & family; Perpetua; Nicholas & Olga & the child Anna; Methodius & Faith; Valentina; Joshua & family; Svetozar & family; Mother Andrea; Soterios; Maria; Jonah; Frevronia; Nikola; Adrian & Catherine; Marina; Najla; Raja
Special Requests: For the health of Nikola (brother of Milos Bursac); Frevronia (mother of Dan Popoff); Jonah (the brother of Rdr. Quartus); Victor (father of Olga Altman and Natalia Gregoire)
Newly Departed: Gregory; Virginia
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The Liturgy of St Basil the Great: Selections from the Priest’s Secret Prayers
On the Sundays of Great Lent, the Liturgy that is celebrated is that of St Basil the Great. In the course of the Liturgy, there are many wonderful prayers that the priest says “mystically” or quietly in the altar. These prayers are wonderful articulations of Orthodox theology and I have selected a section of the Anaphora Prayers to share with you. – Fr Mark +
"With these blessed hosts, O Master, Lover of mankind, we sinners also cry aloud and say: Holy art Thou in truth, and Most holy, and there is no measure to the majesty of Thy holiness; and venerable art Thou in all Thy works, for in righteousness and true judgment hast Thou ordered all things for us; for, having created man, taking him from the dust of the earth, and fashioned him according to Thine image, O God, Thou didst place him in a paradise of delight, promising him life immortal, and the enjoyment of eternal good things in keeping Thy commandments; but when he disobeyed Thee, the true God, Who had created him, and was led astray by the deception of the serpent, and become mortal through his own transgression, Thou didst expel him, in Thy righteous judgment, O God, from paradise into this world, and didst return him to the earth from whence he was taken, providing for him the salvation of regeneration, in Thy Christ Himself; for Thou didst not turn Thyself away unto the end from Thy creature whom Thou hadst made, O Good One, neither didst Thou forget the work of Thy hands, but Thou didst visit him in many ways, for the sake of the tender compassion of Thy mercy; Thou didst send prophets, Thou didst perform mighty deeds by the saints, who in every generation were well-pleasing unto Thee; Thou didst speak to us by the mouths of Thy servants the prophets, proclaiming beforehand to us the salvation which was to come; Thou didst give the Law as a help; Thou didst appoint guardian angels. And when the fullness of time was come, Thou didst speak to us by Thy Son Himself, by Whom also thou madest the ages, Who, being the Brightness of Thy glory, and the Express Image of Thy person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, thought it not robbery to be equal to Thee, the God and Father; but though He was God before the ages, yet He appeared on earth and dwelt among men; and was incarnate of a holy Virgin, did empty Himself, taking on the form of a servant, being conformed to the body of our lowliness, that He might make us conformable to the image of His glory; for as by man sin entered into the world, and by sin death, so it pleased Thine Only-begotten, Who is in the bosom of Thee, the God and Father, to be born of a woman, the holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary; to be born under the law, to condemn sin in His flesh, that they who were dead in Adam might be made alive in Thy Christ; and become a dweller in this world, giving saving commandments, releasing us from the delusions of idols, He brought us unto knowledge of Thee, the true God and Father, having acquired us for Himself a peculiar people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation; and having purified us with water, and having sanctified us by the Holy Spirit, He gave Himself a ransom to death, by which we were held, sold under sin; and having descended through the Cross into hades, that He might fill all things with Himself, He loosed the pains of death; and arose on the third day, and making a way for all flesh through the resurrection from the dead, because it was not possible for the Author of Life to be held by corruption, He Who became the First-fruits of the dead, the First-born from the dead, that He might be Himself all things, the first in all things; and having ascended into heaven, He sat down at the right hand of Thy majesty on high, Who also shall come to render unto every man according to his works. And He hath left with us as memorials of His saving Passion these things which we have offered according to His commandments; for when he was about to go forth to His voluntary and ever-memorable and life-giving death, in the night in which He gave Himself for the life of the world, taking bread in His holy and most pure hands, showing it to Thee, God and Father, giving thanks, blessing it, sanctifying it, breaking it, He gave it to His holy disciples and apostles, saying: Take, eat: this is My Body, which is broken for you for the remission of sins. Likewise also taking the cup of the fruit of the vine, having mingled it, given thanks, blessed it, and sanctified it, He gave it to His holy disciples and apostles, saying: Drink of it, all of you: this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you and for many, for the remission of sins."
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Pearls from The Lenten Triodion – Sunday Evening Vespers (Sunday of St Gregory Palamas)
“As we start upon the third week of the Fast, O ye faithful, let us glorify the Holy Trinity, and joyfully pass through the time that still remains. Causing passions of the flesh to wither from our souls, let us gather divine flowers, weaving garlands for the queen of days (Pascha), that with crowns upon our heads we may sing in praise of Christ the Victor.”
-from Sunday Vespers
“Throwing off from my unruly mind the bridle of the Father, I have lived with bestial thoughts of sin, and in my misery like to Prodigal I have wasted my life. Forsaking the food that gives strength to man’s heart, I have fed upon the pleasure that gives passing satisfaction. Yet, good Father, shut not against me the door of Thy compassionate love, but opening it wide receive me as the Prodigal Son and save me.”
-from Sunday Vespers
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Поиски Царства Небесного
Ищите же прежде царствия Божия и правды Его, и это все приложатся вам. Как искать, во-первых, царствия Божия? Следующим образом: положим, ты хочешь идти или ехать, плыть куда либо по какой либо житейской, временной нужде, - помолись прежде Господу, чтобы Он исправил пути сердца твоего, а потом и предстоящий телесный путь, или чтобы направил путь жизни твоей по заповедям Своим, и желай того всем сердцем, и чаще возобновляй свою молитву об этом. Господь, видя искреннее твое желание и старание ходить по заповедям Его, - исправит мало-по-малу все пути твои.
Далее, например, если хочешь сделать в комнате чистый воздух, или идешь прогуливаться на свежем воздухе, вспомни о чистом и нечистом сердце. Многие из нас охотники до освежения комнатного воздуха (и это прекрасно) или до прогулки на свежем воздухе, но не подумают о необходимости чистоты духа или сердца (духовного воздуха, дыхания жизни) и, живя в свежем воздухе, позволяют себе нечистые помыслы, нечистые движения сердца, или даже сквернословие и самое сквернодейство плотскоее.
Если ищещь света вещественного, - вспомни о свете духовном, который необходим для души и без которого она остается во мраке страстей, во мраке духовной смерти. Я свет пришел в мир, говорит Господь, чтобы всякий верующий в Меня не оставался во тьме.
Если видишь свирепство и слышишь завывание бури или читаешь о кораблекрушениях, вспомни о буре страстей человеческих, поднимающих ежедневный вой и смятение в сердцах человеческих и подвергающих крушению корабль души, или корабль общества человеческого, и моли усердно Господа, да укротит Он бурю грехов, как некогда укротил словом бурю на море, и да искоренит из сердец наших страсти наши и восстановит тишину всегдашнюю.
Если ощущаешь чувство голода или жажды, и хочешь есть или пить, вспомни о гладе или жажде души (она жаждет правды, оправдания во Иисусе Христа, освящения), которых если не удовлетворишь, душа твоя может умереть с голода, подавленная страстями, обессиленная, измученная, и удовлетворяя телесный голод, прежде всего не забывай утолять духовный голод беседой с Богом (молитвой), чистосердечным покаянием в грехах, чтением Евангелия, особенно же причащением божественных Таин тела и крови Христовой.
Если любишь щеголять платьем, или когда одевашеь одежду, вспоминай о нетленной одежде правды, в которую должна быть облечена душа наша, или о Христе Иисусе, Который есть духовное одеяние наше, как сказано: Все вы, во Христа крестившиеся, во Христа облеклись. Страсть к щегольству весьма часто совершенно вытесняет из сердца самую мысль о нетленном одеянии души и всю жизнь обращает в суетную заботу об изяществе в одежде.
Если ты ученик, студент какого либо учебного заведения, или чиновник какого либо ведомства, офицер какой либо из военных частей, или технолог, живописец, скульптор, фабрикант, мастеровой какого либо цеха, - помни, что первая наука каждого из вас – быть истинным христианином, искренно веровать в Бога триипостасного, беседовать с Богом каждый день в молитве, участвовать в Богослужении, соблюдать уставы и постановления Церкви, и до дела, и за делом, и после дела носить в сердце имя Иисусово, ибо Он есть свет, сила, святыня наша, помощь наша.
Из дневника св. прав. Иоанна Кронштадтского
«Моя жизнь во Христе»