Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church

LISTENING TOUR WITH HIS EMINENCE METROPOLITAN NATHAN- AEL: On Thursday, August 16 th beginning at 6:00 p.m. with a Meet & Greet followed by a Town Hall Style Meeting from 7:00-9:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity to meet our new metropolitan as well as ask him questions. We hope you will be able to join us. You can register at https://midwesttour.squarespace.com No registration is necessary to attend. PARISH CALENDAR MEETING: On Thursday, August 9 th following the Great Paraklesis service we will be asking all of our parish ministries leaders to join us to set up the calendar for 2018-2019. We are working to be able to compile everything we are doing so that we can have a comprehensive calendar for when ministries are looking to add dates. If you are involved in running ministry make every effort on being there. GREEK SCHOOL REGISTRATION: It has come yet again. The time to register our kids for Greek School. Please see the registration forms and fliers which are enclosed for more information. Classes will begin on the Wednesday following Labor Day. SAVE THE DATE: Join us on Sunday, November 4 th, 2018 as St. Nicholas will host the South Side Premiere of a new film by Director/Actor/Producer Robert Krantz. This must see faith-based family film, "Faith, Hope and Love" stars Dancing With the Stars Peta Murgatroyd, Michael Richards, Corbin Bernsen, Ed Asner, and more. Mark your calendars now, and make sure to be there for a memorable and fun event. FUTURE PILGRIMAGE TO CONSTANTINOPLE AND ASIA MINOR OR RUSSIA: As last year we were able to have such a successful Holy Land Pilgrimage and to continue to offer our parishioners an opportunity to see the cradle of where Orthodoxy spread from. We are considering to a trip to Constantinople and follow the footsteps of the Apostle Paul through Asia Minor and Greece. Right now Fr. Christodoulos is just seeing if people are interested. So if this is something you would like to get more information on please see Fr. Christodoulos. Thank you and God Bless! PARISH COUNCIL ELECTIONS: Once again this year our Church will be electing a new Parish Council members for 2019-2020 term. It s not too early to start thinking about serving on the Parish Council. Half the seats will be open for election. If you want to see improvements and changes in our church, you need to get involved. Sitting on the sideline doesn t help your team win. You need to get into the game and work as a team to be victorious. A candidate must be a member in good standing for at least one year immediately preceding the date of the election. COMMUNION ANNOUNCEMENT: While we pray and work for the reconciliation and unity of all the world's Christians, the reality remains that there is still no intercommunion between our Orthodox Churches and the Churches of the West. This means that only baptized, chrismated and observant Orthodox faithful receive Communion in our churches. At the same time, we warmly welcome all non- Orthodox to join us in prayer and celebration, and humbly offer to all present the Antidoro bread of fellowship at the end of the service. We offer this important symbol 'instead of the Gifts', in the words of the Apostle Paul, 'Till we all come to the unity of the Faith' (Eph. 4.13). Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Very Reverend Archimandrite Christodoulos Margellos frchristos@gmail.com 10301 S Kolmar Ave. Oak Lawn, IL 60453 (708)-636-5460 www.stnicholasil.org

Sunday, August 5 th, 2018 10 th Sunday of Matthew Saint Eusignios the Martyr of Antioch Our Righteous Father Eugene of Aitola Readings: Epistle: 1 Corinthians 4: 9-16 Gospel: Matthew 17: 14-23 Epistle Reader: Elaine Besbekos Coffee Fellowship Hour immediately follows the Church Service and is sponsored today by our Saint Nicholas Ladies Philoptochos in the Dr. Mary Dochios-Kamberos Center. Today a special Tray for the victims of the fires in Greece will be passed 40 day blessing of Olivia daughter of James & Megan Antonopoulos THIS WEEK AT SAINT NICHOLAS Sunday, August 5 th, 2018 7:00 p.m. Great Vespers for the Transfiguration of our Lord At Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Harvard, IL Monday, August 6 th, 2018 Transfiguration of our Lord Fast Day 8:30 a.m. Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy with blessing of the Grapers 6:00 p.m. Youth Advisors meeting Tuesday, August 7 th, 2018 Fast Day Wednesday, August 8 th, 2018 Strict Fast Day 6:00 p.m. Small Paraklesis Thursday, August 9 th, 2018 Fast Day 6:00 p.m. Great Paraklesis 7:00 p.m. Parish Calendar Meeting Friday, August 10 th, 2018 6:00 p.m. Small Paraklesis A THANK YOU FOR ALL WHO ORGANIZED AND ATTENDED OUR ANNUAL GOLF OUTING: We wanted to express our sincere thanks to everyone who helped organize and attended our Annual Golf outing and dinner. It was a wonderful time. We had some great weather and even better fellowship. I look forward to it again next year. YOUTH ADVISORS MEETING: Tomorrow Monday, August 6 th, at 6:00 p.m. in the library. We are still in need of more people to help organize and coordinate our youth programs for the 2018-2019 year. We will be changing up the way our youth programs will be running and moving away from youth night and going toward Family Night. We need Family Night advisors, Athletic director, Altar Boy Supervisor, Sunday school teachers, as well as coaches for Jr. Olympics. So please join us at this meeting and help lead our youth forward. If you are interested or know someone who is please contact Fr. Christodoulos at the church office. God Bless! ἐὰν γὰρ µυρίους παιδαγωγοὺς ἔχητε ἐν Χριστῷ, ἀλλ' οὐ πολλοὺς πατέρας ἐν γὰρ Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ διὰ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ἐγὼ ὑµᾶς ἐγέννησα. Παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑµᾶς, µιµηταί µου γίνεσθε. The reading is from Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians Brethren, God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are ill-clad and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as the refuse of the world, the off-scouring of all things. I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me. Ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ Ματθαῖον ἁγίου Εὐαγγελίου τὸ ἀνάγνωσµα Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἄνθρωπός τις προσῆλθεν τῷ Ἰησοῦ, γονυπετῶν αὐτὸν καὶ λέγων Κύριε, ἐλέησόν µου τὸν υἱόν, ὅτι σεληνιάζεται καὶ κακῶς πάσχει πολλάκις γὰρ πίπτει εἰς τὸ πῦρ καὶ πολλάκις εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ. καὶ προσήνεγκα αὐτὸν τοῖς µαθηταῖς σου, καὶ οὐκ ἠδυνήθησαν αὐτὸν θεραπεῦσαι. ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν Ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος καὶ διεστραµµένη! ἕως πότε ἔσοµαι µεθ' ὑµῶν; ἕως πότε ἀνέξοµαι ὑµῶν; φέρετέ µοι αὐτὸν ὧδε. καὶ ἐπετίµησεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ τὸ δαιµόνιον καὶ ἐθεραπεύθη ὁ παῖς ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐκείνης. Τότε προσελθόντες οἱ µαθηταὶ τῷ Ἰησοῦ κατ' ἰδίαν εἶπον Διατί ἡµεῖς οὐκ ἠδυνήθηµεν ἐκβαλεῖν αὐτό; ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Διὰ τὴν ἀπιστίαν ὑµῶν. ἀµὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑµῖν, ἐὰν ἔχητε πίστιν ὡς κόκκον σινάπεως, ἐρεῖτε τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ, µετάβηθι ἐντεῦθεν ἐκεῖ, καὶ µεταβήσεται καὶ οὐδὲν ἀδυνατήσει ὑµῖν. τοῦτο δὲ τὸ γένος οὐκ ἐκπορεύεται εἰ µὴ ἐν προσευχῇ καὶ νηστείᾳ. Ἀναστρεφοµένων δὲ αὐτῶν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς Μέλλει ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοσθαι εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων καὶ ἀποκτενοῦσιν αὐτόν, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡµέρᾳ ἐγερθήσεται. The reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew At that time, a man came up to Him and kneeling before Him said, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not heal him." And Jesus answered, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me." And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move hence to yonder place,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. But this kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting." As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day." PLEASE NOTE: If you are moving or have moved, gotten married or divorced, please make sure the church office has your name, new address and phone information. This will assist us in keeping printing and mailing costs down, as well as getting the proper material and information to you.

Resurrectional Apolytikon Ἠχος α Τοῦ λίθου σφραγισθέντος ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, καὶ στρατιωτῶν φυλασσόντων τὸ ἄχραντόν σου Σῶµα, ἀνέστης τριήµερος Σωτήρ, δωρούµενος τῷ κόσµῳ τὴν ζωήν διὰ τοῦτο αἱ Δυνάµεις τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐβόων σοι ζωοδότα. Δόξα τῇ Ἀναστάσει σου Χριστέ, δόξα τῇ βασιλείᾳ σου, δόξα τῇ οἰκονοµίᾳ σου, µόνε φιλάνθρωπε. First Mode When the stone was sealed by the Jews and the soldiers were guarding Thine immaculate body, Thou didst arise on the third day, O Savior, granting life unto the world. For which cause the powers of heaven cried out to Thee, O Life giver: Glory to Thy resurrection, O Christ. Glory to Thy Kingdom. Glory to Thy dispensation, O only Friend of man. Hymn of the Fore feast of the Transfiguration Ἠχος δ Χριστοῦ τὴν Μεταµόρφωσιν προϋπαντήσωµεν, φαιδρῶς πανηγυρίζοντες τὰ προεόρτια, πιστοὶ καὶ βοήσωµεν Ἤγγικεν ἡ ἡµέρα τῆς ἐνθέου εὐφροσύνης, ἄνεισιν εἰς τὸ ὄρος τὸ Θαβὼρ ὁ Δεσπότης, τῆς Θεότητος αὐτοῦ ἀπαστράψαι τὴν ὡραιότητα. Fourth Mode O Faithful, prepare for the Transfiguration of Christ, * and joyously celebrate as we observe on this day * the Forefeast, and cry aloud: * Coming is the day of the divine exultation. * The Master is ascending the holy mountain of Tabor, * in order to shine with the beauty of His divinity. Hymn of Saint Nicholas Patron Saint of our Parish Ἠχος δ Κανόνα πίστεως καί εικόνα πραότητος, εγκρατείας Διδάσκαλον, ανέδειξέ σε τή ποίμνη σου, η τών πραγμάτων αλήθεια, διά τούτο εκτήσω τή ταπεινώσει τά υψηλά, τή πτωχεία τά πλούσια, Πάτερ Ιεράρχα Νικόλαε, πρέσβευε Χριστώ τώ Θεώ, σωθήναι τάς ψυχάς ημών. Fourth Mode The Truth of things hath revealed thee to thy flock as a rule of faith, an icon of meekness, and a teacher of temperance; for this cause thou hast achieved the heights by humility, riches by poverty. O father and Hierarch Nicholas, intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved. Kontakion Ἦχος δ Ἐν τῇ θείᾳ σήµερον Μεταµορφώσει, ἡ βροτεία ἅπασα, φύσις προλάµπει θεϊκῶς, ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ κραυγάζουσα Μεταµορφοῦται Χριστός, σῴζων ἅπαντας. Fourth Mode All of mortal nature now divinely shineth on this day with the divine Transfiguration ere the time; and in great gladness, she crieth out: Christ is transfigured, and saveth the race of man. Πρὸς Κορινθίους Αʹ Ἐπιστολῆς Παύλου τὸ ἀνάγνωσµα Ἀδελφοί, ὁ Θεὸς ἡµᾶς τοὺς Ἀποστόλους ἐσχάτους ἀπέδειξεν ὡς ἐπιθανατίους, ὅτι θέατρον ἐγενήθηµεν τῷ κόσµῳ καὶ ἀγγέλοις καὶ ἀνθρώποις. Ἡµεῖς µωροὶ διὰ Χριστόν, ὑµεῖς δὲ φρόνιµοι ἐν Χριστῷ ἡµεῖς ἀσθενεῖς, ὑµεῖς δὲ ἰσχυροί ὑµεῖς ἔνδοξοι, ἡµεῖς δὲ ἄτιµοι. Ἄχρι τῆς ἄρτι ὥρας καὶ πεινῶµεν καὶ διψῶµεν καὶ γυµνητεύοµεν καὶ κολαφιζόµεθα καὶ ἀστατοῦµεν καὶ κοπιῶµεν ἐργαζόµενοι ταῖς ἰδίαις χερσίν λοιδορούµενοι εὐλογοῦµεν, διωκόµενοι ἀνεχόµεθα, δυσφηµούµενοι παρακαλοῦµεν ὡς περικαθάρµατα τοῦ κόσµου ἐγενήθηµεν, πάντων περίψηµα, ἕως ἄρτι. Οὐκ ἐντρέπων ὑµᾶς γράφω ταῦτα, ἀλλ' ὡς τέκνα µου ἀγαπητὰ νουθετῶ. SPECIAL TRAY TODAY: As mentioned last week the Archbishop has asked all parishes to pass a special tray today. A SPIRITUAL HIGHLIGHT OF THE SUMMER SEASON: Is the Church s observance of the magnificent Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord. Jesus spoke to His apostles several times about His coming suffering and death. To prepare them for that event, He took Peter, James and John to a mount to see Him in all the glory of His divinity. When they would see Him in the crucifixion, they were to keep in mind His transfiguration. As Jesus prayed on that mountain, the amazing transformation took place. His face became as bright as the sun, His clothing became brilliant as light. Christ was transfigured; His divinity revealed through His humanity. Two Old Testament figures appeared with the Lord. One of them was Moses, the one who received the Ten Commandments from God. The other figure was the great Prophet Elijah (Elias) who lived over 800 years before Christ, who foretold much concerning the Messiah, and who was taken into heaven in a chariot of fire. This Feast reminds us of our calling as believers in Christ. Are we not to be transfigured during the course of our life? Come and follow Me, Jesus once said. Again, He bid us: Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven STEWARDSHIP NOTE: Our readiness for sharing has not kept pace with our skill at acquiring. Many of us have been blessed by God not only this last year but for our entire lives. However, we have failed to share that blessing with our Church of Saint Nicholas. Many seem to think that giving the minimum offering to the Church is OK. Others feel that giving nothing is even better. Take a moment and think about this. What if God gave you and your family the minimum of His Grace or maybe didn t send any blessings down upon you at all? What would your life be like? We strongly urge all our parishioners to review what they have acquired in life and what they are giving to God s Church. Hopefully they are in the proper proportion. If you have not submitted your 2018 pledge please do so TODAY! If you have pledged, please make sure that your pledge is current and if possible, increase your pledge amount. Remember it is only through your support that our parish can grow and minister to the needs of the faithful. PARAKLESIS SERVICE: The Orthodox Church has observed the 15 days of August preceding the Feast of the Koimisis of the Virgin Mary as a period of special prayer. The Paraklesis Service, from the Greek word parakalo, meaning to ask or request, is chanted during this time. During this service we ask the Mother of God for her blessing and consolation. We pray for her love, guidance and protection. We ask for her intercessions in time of sickness and danger, and we thank her for her care and prayers on our behalf. Make an effort to try and attend at least one of these beautiful services. Paraklesis Service books are available for purchase in the bookstore. ATTENTION PARISHIONERS: Before making any firm plans for baptisms, weddings, funerals, or memorial services, please check with Fr. Christodoulos to see if dates and times are permissible. Also, please refrain from scheduling a baby, bridal shower or any other type of party celebration during a Fasting period.