SUNDAY BULLETIN AND WEEKLY NEWS

Transcript

1 ANNUNCIATION GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL Norfolk, VA Rev. Presbyter George Bessinas, M.Div., Dean Rev. Protopresbyter Constantine Rogakos, Ph. D., Associate SUNDAY BULLETIN AND WEEKLY NEWS Sunday Before Holy Theophany Sunday, January 4, 2015

2 Sunday, January 4, 2015 Orthros (Matins): Divine Liturgy (of St. John Chrysostom) 8:45 AM 10:00 AM On January 4, the Synaxis of the Holy and glorious 70 Apostles; the devout St. Theoktistos, the Abbot of Koukouma in Sicily, reposed in peace; the Holy 6 Martyrs reposed in peace; the commemoration of the Holy Martyrs Zosimas the Monk and Athanasios the Notary; the commemoration of the devout Apollinaria the Senator; The commemoration of the Holy Martyrs Chrysanthos and Ephimia, who was close to the Holy Martyr Akakios; The holy New- Martyr Onuphrios, who witnessed on Chios in the year Resurrectional APOLYTIKION Mode 1 Let us worship the Word who is unoriginate with the Father and the Spirit, and from a Virgin was born for our salvation, O believers, and let us sing His praise. For in His goodness He was pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh, and to undergo death, and to raise up those who had died, by His glorious Resurrection. APOLYTIKION for the Forefeast of Theophany O Zabublon, prepare, and be ready, Nephthalim. Jordan River, hold your course, and exultantly receive the Master who is coming to be baptized. Adam leap for joy with Eve the Foremother. No longer hide yourselves, as once in Paradise; for having seen you naked He has appeared to clothe you in your former vesture. The Christ has appeared, wishing to renew the entire creation. APOLYTIKION of the Annunciation Today is the beginning of our salvation, The revelation of the eternal mystery! The Son of God becomes the Son of the Virgin. As Gabriel announces the coming of Grace. Together with him let us cry to the Theotokos: Rejoice, O Full of Grace, The Lord is with You! KONTAKION (Forefeast of the Holy Theophany) To the flowing streams today of River Jordan comes the Lord and cries aloud to John the Baptist, and He says, "Be not afraid to baptize me now; for I have come to save Adam, the firstformed man."

3 EPISTLE READING St. Paul's Second Letter to Timothy 4:5-8 Prokeimenon: O Lord, save Your people, and bless Your inheritance; and shepherd them, and raise them up forever. Mode 2. Psalm 27 (28) TIMOTHY, my son, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. Ο ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΣ Πρὸς Τιμόθεον β' 4:5-8 Τέκνον Τιμόθεε, νῆφε ἐν πᾶσιν, κακοπάθησον, ἔργον ποίησον εὐαγγελιστοῦ, τὴν διακονίαν σου πληροφόρησον. Ἐγὼ γὰρ ἤδη σπένδομαι, καὶ ὁ καιρὸς τῆς ἐμῆς ἀναλύσεως ἐφέστηκεν. Τὸν ἀγῶνα τὸν καλὸν ἠγώνισμαι, τὸν δρόμον τετέλεκα, τὴν πίστιν τετήρηκα λοιπόν, ἀπόκειταί μοι ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης στέφανος, ὃν ἀποδώσει μοι ὁ κύριος ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, ὁ δίκαιος κριτής οὐ μόνον δὲ ἐμοί, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάσιν τοῖς ἠγαπηκόσιν τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν αὐτοῦ.

4 THE GOSPEL READING Gospel of Mark 1:1-8 The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who shall prepare your way; the voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.' John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." ΤΟ ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΟΝ Κατὰ Μᾶρκον Αρχὴ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ως γέγραπται ἐν τοῖς προφήταις, ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω τὸν ἄγγελόν μου πρὸ προσώπου σου, ὃς κατασκευάσει τὴν ὁδόν σου ἔμπροσθέν σου φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου, εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ,ἐγένετο Ιωάννης βαπτίζων ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καὶ κηρύσσων βάπτισμα μετανοίας εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν. Καὶ ἐξεπορεύετο πρὸς αὐτὸν πᾶσα ἡ Ιουδαία χώρα καὶ οἱ Ιεροσολυμῖται, καὶ ἐβαπτίζοντο πάντες ἐν τῷ Ιορδάνῃ ποταμῷ ὑπ αὐτοῦ ἐξομολογούμενοι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν. Ἦν δὲ ὁ Ιωάννης ἐνδεδυμένος τρίχας καμήλου καὶ ζώνην δερματίνην περὶ τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐσθίων ἀκρίδας καὶ μέλι ἄγριον. Καὶ ἐκήρυσσε λέγων ἔρχεται ὁ ἰσχυρότερός μου ὀπίσω μου, οὗ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς κύψας λῦσαι τὸν ἱμάντα τῶν ὑποδημάτων αὐτοῦ ἐγὼ μὲν ἐβάπτισα ὑμᾶς ἐν ὕδατι, αὐτὸς δὲ βαπτίσει ὑμᾶς ἐν Πνεύματι Αγίῳ.

5 ALTAR BOYS Christopher Bessinas, Nicholas Sarris, Christopher Sarris, Nicholas Neskis, Costas Delidakis, Phillip Malamatos, Michael Rea, Eletherios Mendrinos, Alex Mendrinos, Nicholas Araboglu EPISTLE READER Sotiria Bessinas WORSHIP SERVICES FOR THIS WEEK See Last Page for Schedule Small Paraklesis Thursday, January 8, 6:30pm Chapel TODAY Coffee Fellowship Hour will be held in the Hellenic Center UPCOMING EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS GOLDEN YEARS: No seniors this Tuesday. We will meet next Tuesday, January 13 at 10:30am. BIBLE STUDY FELLOWSHIP: No Bible Study this Tuesday. We will meet again on Tuesday, January 13 at 6:30pm. The St. Maria of Paris Outreach Committee thanks all team captains and their team members for their sustained efforts in providing meals to those in need during Your willingness to continue your efforts throughout 2015 is greatly appreciated. Greg Dragas' team will be hosting the January 8 dinner. PHILOPTOCHOS: Happy New Year to all of our Annunciation parishioners! We look forward to seeing you at our Annual Vasilopita Luncheon next Sunday after Divine Liturgy. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children. Proceeds benefit our St. Basil s Academy in New York. Please see Effie Michaels to pay your 2015 membership dues. Need-based scholarship applications are due no later than January 22 nd. VARIETY SHOW January 31: Tickets are going fast! Get yours today from Jane Williams, Heather Karangelen, Chris Bachas or any Cultural Committee member! Please see flyer for more information. HOPE/JOY: Our next Hope/Joy meeting will be on January 18 th at Williams Farms Recreation Center in Virginia Beach. We will be swimming and learning about Baptism. The cost of this event will be the entry fee to the recreation center. We will then go to dinner at the Dawg House. HWC: Scholarship applications are now available online ( under Hellenic Woman s Club) and on table by the bookstore. Please return them by March 13, 2015 to the Cathedral Office.

6 JOIN US FOR OUR ANNUAL VASILOPITA LUNCHEON Sunday, January 11 th After the Divine Liturgy Hellenic Center Hosted by Philoptochos All Proceeds Support Saint Basil s Academy One of the most beautiful and inspiring traditions and customs of the Greek Orthodox Church is the observance of Vasilopita. It is this annual family observance, together with many other traditions of our Church, which joins our Orthodox Faith and heritage with the history of the Christian religion itself. Saint Basil Academy

7 Update One day, a person complained to his Priest that the Church and Christianity is one continual "give, give, give." To which the Priest replied, "Thank you very much for the finest definition of C h r i s t i a n i t y I h a v e e v e r heard. You're right, Christianity is all about a constant "give, give, give." God giving His only Son to the world to show His unconditional love. His Son Jesus giving His life on the Cross to forgive our sins and destroy death. Then the Lord's Disciples giving all they had to make sure God's Good News of love was preached to all people everywhere. They not only gave away their homes and businesses, but even gave up their lives as martyrs in gratitude to God! It is by offering our blessings back to God that He will be able to continue His forgiving, healing, liberating, empowering, transfiguring, loving ministry through the Church. For God, Infinite though He be, has chosen to work through us, through our gifts, to continue His saving work in the world today. We are pleased to report that because of your giving, our Cathedral, through 4:30 p.m. on December 31, 2014, has set a new stewardship record of $380, This exceeds our budget by $12, and exceeds the 2013 stewardship contributions by $5, We expect that the 2014 stewardship contributions of $380, may increase as we continue to receive contributions postmarked on or before December 31, 2014 which will be reported for Thank you for your stewardship contributions! We did not reach our goal of $400,000 but as a parish, we are making progress towards that goal. Why is $400,000 important as a goal? We will answer that next week.

8 Back by Popular Demand! 3 The Annunciation Cathedral s Variety Show Join the Cultural Committee for a fun-filled evening! VARIETY DINNER SHOW featuring Members of the Annunciation Cathedral 6 p.m. Sat., January 31, 2015 Advance Tickets: $20 adult; $15 student Tickets at Door: $25 (if seating remains; seating capped at 350 & usually sells out) Price includes: dinner and wine or soft drink. Seating is first come, first served unless you purchase a table of 8 or 10. Buy your tickets today!!! You DON T want to miss this show! For tickets and information, call Jane Williams at , Chris Bachas at , Heather Karangelen at or any Cultural Committee member.

9 Byzantine Chant Workshop Is that Arabic?! Which line is the music????! Come and learnt o sing the hymns of our Church! Everyone is welcome! All Ages! No experience required, Just bring your voice! Weekly starting on January 12th From 7:15-8:15 PM St. Theodore the Commander Chapel Those who sing pray twice! CALL THOMAS MANUEL FOR QUESTIONS OR TO RSVP THOMAS@ANNUNCIATIONVA.ORG

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11 LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR HOLY THEOPHANY Sunday, Jan. 4 Monday, Jan. 5 Tuesday, Jan. 6 Wednesday, Jan. 7 Sunday, Jan. 11 Sunday before Holy Theophany Orthros & Divine Liturgy - 8:45am-11:30am, Cathedral Holy Theophany Eve (morning) The Great Hours of Holy Theophany, Divine Liturgy and the Great Blessing of the Waters (Agiasmos) 8:30am-11:30am Chapel Holy Theophany Orthros, Divine Liturgy, and the Great Blessing of the Waters- 8:30am-11:30am, Cathedral Saint John the Baptist Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:30am-10:30am, Chapel Sunday after Holy Theophany Orthros and Divine Liturgy 8:45am - 11:30am. Followed by the Vasilopita Celebration SAVE THE DATE STEWARDSHIP SUNDAY 2015 JANUARY 18, 2015 SPECIAL RECEPTION AFTER CHURCH IN THE HELLENIC CENTER THE FEAST OF THE THREE HIERARCHS AND THE CELEBRATION OF THE HELLENIC LETTERS SUNDAY, JANUARY 25, 2015 RECEPTION TO FOLLOW

12 WELCOME Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral Chapel of St. Theodore the Commander We extend to you a warm and heartfelt Orthodox Christian welcome. Our Cathedral is dedicated to imitating the love and faithfulness of Jesus Christ by sharing the Gospel with our words and living it with our lives. It exists to lead the faithful to the worship of the Holy Trinity according to the Faith and Tradition of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. We live and witness our faith by the grace of God through our participation in the sacramental life of the Church, Her holy tradition and stewardship, fellowship, service and Christian education. Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral 7220 Granby Street, Norfolk, VA Tel: Fax: elizabeth@annunciationva.org Web: Visit our website for updated news and information