Rev. Economos Peter J. Thornberg, Proistamenos Metropolis of New Jersey

Transcript

1 St. Sophia/SS. Faith, Hope & Agape Greek Orthodox Church of Valley Forge 900 South Trooper Road Jeffersonville, PA, Tel.: (610) Fax: (610) Sunday Worship: 8:45 am Orthros: 10:00 am Divine Liturgy Office Hours - 9 am to 3 pm Rev. Economos Peter J. Thornberg, Proistamenos frpeterstsophia@verizon.net Metropolis of New Jersey

2 January 11, 2015 Sunday after Epiphany Our righteous Theodosius the Cenobiarch Vitalis of Gaza Afterfeast of the Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ENTRANCE HYMNS Apolytikion for Post-Theophany En Iordhani ( At Your Baptism in the Jordan ) At Your Baptism in the Jordan, O Lord, * worship of the Trinity was revealed, * for the Father's voice bore witness to You, * calling You His 'beloved Son,' * and the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the truth of these words. * O Christ God, Who appeared and enlightened the world, glory to You! Resurrectional Apolytikion Angelike Dinamis ( Angelic Powers ) Angelic Powers were in Your Sepulchre and those who guarded You became as men long dead. And standing there was Mary by Your Tomb seeking Your pure and sacred Body, O You despoiled Hades yet tempted not by him were Y ou. You did meet the Virgin O Life Bestower, O You Who rose from the dead, Glory to You O Lord. Apolytikion for Saint Theodosius Tes ton dhakrion sou roes ( With the rivers of your tears ) With the rivers of your tears you made the barren desert bloom; and with your sighs from deep within, you made your labors bear their fruits a hundredfold; and you became a star, illuminating the world by your miracles, * O O Theodosios our devout father. our devout father. Intercede with Christ our God, for the salvation of our souls. Apolytikion of St. Sophia/Ss. Faith, Hope & Agape Greek Oς ελαία κατά καρπος ανεβλάστησας, έν ταίς ανλαίς του Κυρίου, Σοφία μάρτυς σεμνή, καί προσήγαγες Χριστώ καρπόν η δύτατον, τούς τής νηδύος σου βλαστούς, δί α γώνων εύαγων, Αγάπην τε καί `Ελπίδα σύν τη θεόφρονι Πίστει, μεθων δυσώπει υπέρ πάντων ήμων. English Phonetics for Greek Os elea kata karpos anevlastisas, en tes avles tu Kyriou Sofia martys semni, ke prosigages Christo karpon idytaton, tus tis nidyos su vlastus, di agonon evagon, Agapin te ke Elpida, syn ti theofroni Pisti; meth on dysopi yper pandon imon. English As an olive tree laden with fruit you sprouted forth, in the courtyards of the Lord, Sophia martyr dignified, and you brought to Christ a fruit most sweet, Namely your womb s own sprouts, brought up by instructive deeds: your daughters Faith and Hope, along with God-minded Love; together intercede with God for us all. Seasonal Kontakion Epefanis Simeron ( You appeared today to us ) You appeared today to us * on earth, O Master, * and Your light was signed on us * who cry aloud to You and say * with understanding, O Christ our God: You came and shone forth, O Light unapproachable.

3 Church Beautification Update January 11, 2015 Happy New Year! As we ring in the New Year, let us take the opportunity to reflect on our beautiful St. Sophia Church and all that has been accomplished. Our church is truly a shining beacon of our faith. And we have become a regional landmark as well! We should always remember to give thanks for our beautiful church and how much has been accomplished. Of course, no matter how much has been accomplished, the work to continue our progress goes on. Our new Narthex furnishings have been completed by the world-renowned artisans at S. Kavroulakis Company of Chania, Crete; the same firm that carved our beautiful icon screen and other artifacts. The Narthex furnishings have been shipped from the ancient seaport of Pireaus and with an estimated shipping time of 30 days, we can expect delivery sometime later this month. Some of these items are still available for sponsorship. In order to protect our iconography and artifacts, we have installed a special humidity control system which will help stabilize the humidity levels especially during the winter months. We are considering a proposal for a donor plaque to acknowledge those who have contributed to make our new church and its decoration possible. Our iconographer, Dr. George Kordis may return for a brief visit later this year to decorate the donor plaque and apply a protective varnish to the icons on the icon screen and other items. St. Sophia Church Mortgage The current mortgage balance as of 12/31/2014 is $1,398, EPISTLE READING The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 4:7-13 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. Verse: What shall I render to the Lord for all that he has given me? BRETHREN, grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it is said, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." (in saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Ἀνάγνωσις ἐπιστολῆς Πρὸς Ἐφεσίους 4:7-13 Τίμιος ἐναντίον Κυρίου ὁ θάνατος τῶν ὁσίων αὐτοῦ. Στίχ. Τί ἀνταποδώσωμεν τῷ Κυρίῳ περὶ πάντων, ὧν ἀνταπέδωκεν ἡμῖν; Ἀδελφοί, ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ ἡμῶν ἐδόθη ἡ χάρις κατὰ τὸ μέτρον τῆς δωρεᾶς τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Διὸ λέγει, Ἀναβὰς εἰς ὕψος ᾐχμαλώτευσεν αἰχμαλωσίαν, καὶ ἔδωκεν δόματα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. Τὸ δέ, Ἀνέβη, τί ἐστιν εἰ μὴ ὅτι καὶ κατέβη πρῶτον εἰς τὰ κατώτερα μέρη τῆς γῆς; Ὁ καταβάς, αὐτός ἐστιν καὶ ὁ ἀναβὰς ὑπεράνω πάντων τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἵνα πληρώσῃ τὰ πάντα. Καὶ αὐτὸς ἔδωκεν τοὺς μὲν ἀποστόλους, τοὺς δὲ προφήτας, τοὺς δὲ εὐαγγελιστάς, τοὺς δὲ ποιμένας καὶ διδασκάλους, πρὸς τὸν καταρτισμὸν τῶν ἁγίων, εἰς ἔργον διακονίας, εἰς οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ μέχρι καταντήσωμεν οἱ πάντες εἰς τὴν ἑνότητα τῆς πίστεως καὶ τῆς ἐπιγνώσεως τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ, εἰς ἄνδρα τέλειον, εἰς μέτρον ἡλικίας τοῦ πληρώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ.

4 GOSPEL READING The Reading is from the Gospel of Matthew 4:12-17 At that time, Jesus heard that John had been arrested, He withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth He went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned." From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." ΕVΑΓΓÉΛΙΟΝ Κατὰ Ματθαῖον Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Ιησοῦς ὅτι Ιωάννης παρεδόθη, ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν,καὶ καταλιπὼν τὴν Ναζαρὲτ ἐλθὼν κατῴκησεν εἰς Καπερναοὺμ τὴν παραθαλασσίαν ἐν ὁρίοις Ζαβουλὼν καὶ Νεφθαλείμ,ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ Ησαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος γῆ Ζαβουλὼν καὶ γῆ Νεφθαλείμ,ὁδὸν θαλάσσης, πέραν τοῦ Ιορδάνου,Γαλιλαία τῶν ἐθνῶν,ὁ λαὸς ὁ καθήμενος ἐν σκότειεἶδε φῶς μέγα,καὶ τοῖς καθημένοις ἐν χώρᾳ καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτουφῶς ἀνέτειλεν αὐτοῖς. Απὸ τότε ἤρξατο ὁ Ιησοῦς κηρύσσειν καὶ λέγειν μετανοεῖτε ἤγγικε γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν. Stewardship Update January 11, 2015 Xronia Polla! Happy New Year! As we usher in the new calendar year, now is a wonderful time for renewal and new beginnings. Many make resolutions such as losing weight, eating better, exercising more, etc. But have you considered what the year ahead should hold for your spiritual life? Now is a most appropriate time to consider our many personal blessings from God-- family, friends, a warm home, food on the table, etc. What about your life itself? Stewardship is our way of thanking God for the many blessings He has bestowed upon us. What are you personally doing to show your gratitude to Him for your own blessings? Are you giving back to Him and the Church of your Time, Treasure and Talents? Our parish needs all three from us! Thank you to everyone who has supported our 2014 Stewardship Program. If you have not yet paid up your 2014 Stewardship Pledge, please do so today! Please be sure to indicate 2014 on the memo line of your check to receive proper credit. The 2015 campaign is now underway. We are asking all of our stewards to commit not only of your Treasure, but of your Time and Talent as well. To continue to grow as a parish and provide the programs and support to the Orthodox faithful in the region, we really need everyone s help! Thank you! 2013 (Year End) 2014 (12/31/14) Pledge Unit Goal Pledge $ Goal $200,000 $210,000 Number of Pledges Amount Pledged $210,485 $211,822 Average Pledge $ $ New Stewards 46 23

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6 One in six Americans go hungry each day. Your gift of $1 and one canned good can change that. On Super Bowl Sunday, February 1, our GOYA will take up a special collection to feed the hungry in our community. We will also set up a collection box in the Community Center for canned goods. All canned goods and funds will benefit the Patrician Society of Norristown. Let s turn the biggest weekend in football into a super day of giving!

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8 January 11, 2015 Sunday after Epiphany Our righteous Theodosius the Cenobiarch Vitalis of Gaza Afterfeast of the Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Memorial Service: Today s memorial is being chanted for Constantine Papaioannou (6 months), beloved husband of Doris and father of Kristin Ahmeti (Eron) and Demetrios Papaioannou (Panayota). He also had 5 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. May his memory be eternal. Philoptochos Lumberjack Breakfast Fundraiser: Please join us for a hearty breakfast prepared by the Ladies Philoptochos (see enclosed flyer). Proceeds from this breakfast support the charities of the Ladies Philoptochos Society. GOYA Meeting Today: There will be a GOYA meeting today after the Divine Liturgy Ecclesiastical Calendars: The new calendars are now available for pick up in the back of the Cultural Center. Each calendar is in an envelope addressed to each family (2014 stewards) of our parish. If you cannot find your packet, please speak to Cathy Zarcone or call the Parish Office. PTO Bingo Meeting Re-Scheduled: The PTO Bingo meeting originally scheduled for today has been rescheduled for next Sunday after Divine Liturgy. Coffee Hour Sponsors Needed!: We are in need of coffee hour sponsors for the upcoming weeks. If you are interested in hosting a coffee hour, please put your name on the list at the back of the hall or contact Cathy in the Parish office. CALENDAR FOR THE WEEK Monday, Jan 12 th No Services Tuesday, Jan 13 th or Wed, Jan 14 th Events Thurs, Jan 15 th This Friday, Jan 16 th Week GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS Pastoral Visits - A Request to All Parishioners: If you desire a pastoral visit in case of a hospitalization, or for someone who is homebound, in a nursing facility, or in prison, please have an immediate family member notify the Parish office at so that a visit can be arranged. Movie Tavern Tickets: This is the fabulous movie theater in town that offers first run movies as well as an "in-house" dining experience. The Ladies Philoptochos is selling discounted MOVIE TAVERN movie tickets for $8.50 each. They can be used on any day and even for new releases. For more information, or to purchase tickets, contact Maria or Kathy Tsipras. For showtimes visit SHOP-RITE Register Tapes: Don t forget to save your Shop-Rite register tapes. We can only use receipts from any of the ten Brown s stores located in: Bensalem PA, East Norriton, PA, Fairless Hills PA, Cheltenham, PA and in Philadelphia, PA, on Island Ave., Oregon Ave., 52 nd & Parkside, Haverford Ave., and Ridge Ave. in the Roxborough section. They also have one store in Brooklawn, NJ. The drop off box is located in the lobby of the Cultural Center. Please submit receipts timely, only tapes from within 4 months of the transaction date are accepted. For GIANT shoppers: We have enrolled in their Gift Card Program and the gift cards are on sale during coffee hour. If you are interested, please see Alexis Witt. REDNER S Register Tapes: We are now collecting Redner s Market register tapes. Remember to use your Pump Perks card when making purchases. The drop off box is located in the lobby of the Cultural Center. PTO Family Night Bingo Sat. Feb. 21 st -- The planning of the Family Night Bingo continues to progress. We are now asking for donations from our St. Sophia family: gift cards, movie tickets, sporting events, any unwanted new toys, or even a monetary donation. Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated. Please give donations to (or if you have any questions reach out to Vanessa Papadimitriou, Patty Nazzaro, or Maria Papadimitriou. Thank you for your help! Next meeting is 1/18/15 after Divine Liturgy. In Case of Emergency: If you are having an extreme medical emergency and are in need of an Orthodox priest, please call the Parish office at For that gift you forgot... We still have candy available! SCHEDULE OF UPCOMING SERVICES AND EVENTS TODAY Sun, Jan 18 th Tues, Jan 20 th Sun, Feb 1 st Fri, Feb 13 th Sat, Feb 21 st Vasilopita Sunday/Philoptochos Lumberjack Breakfast Fundraiser PTO Bingo Meeting after Divine Liturgy Adult Bible Study 7:00 pm in the Cultural Center Godparent Sunday/IOCC Souper Bowl Luncheon Fundraiser DVYC GOYA Valentines Dance (details enclosed) PTO Family Night Bingo (details enclosed)