Saint Spyridon Greek Orthodox Cathedral Sunday, December 11, 2016
St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Cathedral Church Office 508-791-7326 Mon.-Fri.: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. www.spyridoncathedral.org Reverend Doctor Dimitrios Moraitis Dean Reverend Father Dean N. Paleologos Dean Emeritus Reverend Deacon Andrew Giourelis Georgia Parafestas -Parish Council President Email - frdimitri@spyridoncathedral.org Metropolis of Boston WELCOME Welcome to the Saint Spyridon Cathedral in Worcester, Massachusetts. We are honored that you have chosen to worship with us today. It is our hope that your visit here will bring you many blessings from God. Please be sure to tell us if you are visiting or if you are new to our community. Our Church Family worships the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and every Sunday, the Lord s Day, we commemorate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our mission is to live the Holy Gospel in accordance with the Orthodox Faith; towards sanctification through God s grace in worship, the Divine Liturgy and the Sacraments: glorifying God through all joys and struggles; and as a Church Community, in Christian love, we seek to do His will so that through His mercy, we may attain His Kingdom. We are blessed to have the slippers of St. Spyridon, which are located in the narthex of the Church, please be sure to venerate them. We pray you have a blessed day and that you visit with us again soon. Also, please remember that one must be an Orthodox Christian in order to receive Holy Communion. If you would like to embrace the Orthodox Faith, please see Father Dimitrios Moraitis. May God Bless you! December 11, 2016 11th Sunday of St. Luke Memorials Nicholas Souflas-1 year Stavroula Souflas 3 years Coffee Hour Coffee hour is sponsored in loving memory of Nicholas Souflas and Stavroula Souflas by their family. Coffee hour is sponsored by Nick Bazoukas in honor of his name day St. Spyridon Icon The icon of St. Spyridon is donated by Elias and Nina Karamboulas Office Closed The church office is closed on Monday, Dec. 12 to commemorate our patron St. Spyridon SUNDAY SERVICES Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:45am WEEKDAY SERVICES Sunday, December 11th Vespers for St. Spyridon 7:00pm Metropolitan Methodios will be officiating thevespers. Monday, December 12th St. Spyridon Orthros 8:45am Divine Liturgy 9:30am Parish Council Elections Today in the Tonna Room Altar Flowers Barabara Douka-Efstathiou is sponsoring Altar flowers for December for her Name Day. Saints of the Day Daniel the Stylite of Constantinople Luke the New Stylite of Chalcedon Leontios the Righteous of Monemvasia Δανιήλ ὁ Στυλίτης Λουκᾶς ὁ Στυλίτης Λεόντιος ὁ Μονεμβασιώτης Happy Name Day Savas, Nikolaos, Nicholas, Nicolleta, STEWARDSHIP SUNDAY TODAY Please don t forget to stop by the designated tables to pick up your Stewardship packets today. The calendar is included in the Stewardship packet.
Entrance Hymns Apolytikion From on high didst Thou descend, O Compassionate One; to burial of three days hast Thou submitted that Thou mightest free us from our passions. O our Life and Resurrection, Lord, glory be to Thee. Ἐξ ὕψους κατῆλθες ὁ εὔσπλαγχνος, ταφὴν καταδέξω τριήμερον, ἵνα ἡμᾶς ἐλευθερώσῃς τῶν παθῶν. Ἡ ζωὴ καὶ ἡ Ἀνάστασις ἡμῶν, Κύριε δόξα σοι. You justified the forefathers in faith, and through them betrothed yourself, aforetime, to the Church taken from out of the Gentiles. The saints boast in glory. For from their seed, there exists a noble crop, who is she who without seed has given You birth. By their intercessions, O Christ our God, save our souls. For The Memorials Keep Thy servants in remembrance, O Lord, since Thou art good; and do Thou forgive every sin in this life; for no man is without sin, except for Thee Who art able to grant rest even unto him who has departed hence. Saint Spyridon Father, God-bearer, Spyridon, you were proven a champion and Wonder Worker of the First Ecumenical Council. You spoke to the girl in the grave and turned the serpent to gold. And, when chanting your prayers, most sacred One, angels ministered with you. Glory to Him who glorified you; glory to Him who crowned you; glory to Him who, through you, works healing for all. Kontakion On this day the Virgin cometh to the cave to give birth to * God the Word ineffably, * Who was before all the ages. * Dance for joy, O earth, on hearing * the gladsome tidings; * with the Angels and the shepherds now glorify Him * Who is willing to be gazed on * as a young Child Who * before the ages is God. Ἐν πίστει τοὺς Προπάτορας ἐδικαίωσας, τὴν ἐξ Ἐθνῶν δι' αὐτῶν προμνηστευσάμενος Ἐκκλησίαν. Καυχῶνται ἐν δόξῃ οἱ Ἅγιοι, ὄι ἐκ σπέρματος αὐτῶν, ὑπάρχει καρπός εὐκλεής, ἡ ἀσπόρως τεκοῦσά σε. Ταῖς αὐτῶν ἱκεσίαις, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, σῶσον τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν. Απολυτίκιον του Αγίου Σπυρίδωνος Της Συνόδου της πρώτης ανεδείχθης υπέρμαχος, και θαυματουργός Θεοφόρε, Σπυρίδων Πατήρ ημών, διο νεκρά συ εν τάφω προσφωνείς, και όφιν εις χρυσούν μετέβαλες, και εν τω μέλπειν τας αγίας σου ευχάς, Αγγέλους εσκες συλλειτουργούντας σοι Ιερώτατε, Δοξα τω σε δοξάσαντι, δόξα τω σε στεφανώσαντι, δόξα τω ενεργούντι διά σου πάσιν ιάματα. Κοντακιον Ἡ Παρθένος σήμερον, τὸν Προαιώνιον Λόγον, ἐν Σπηλαίῳ ἔρχεται, ἀποτεκεῖν ἀπορρήτως. Χόρευε ἡ οἰκουμένη ἀκουτισθεῖσα, δόξασον μετὰ Ἀγγέλων καὶ τῶν Ποιμένων, βουληθέντα ἐποφθῆναι, παιδίον νέον, τὸν πρὸ αἰώνων Θεόν.
Ο ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΣ Πρὸς Κολοσσαεῖς 3:4-11 Εὐλογητὸς εἶ, Κύριε, ὁ Θεὸς τῶν Πατέρων ἡμῶν. Στίχ. Ὅτι δίκαιος εἶ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν, οἷς ἐποίησας ἡμῖν. Ἀδελφοί, ὅταν ὁ Χριστὸς φανερωθῇ, ἡ ζωὴ ἡμῶν, τότε καὶ ὑμεῖς σὺν αὐτῷ φανερωθήσεσθε ἐν δόξῃ. Νεκρώσατε οὖν τὰ μέλη ὑμῶν τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, πορνείαν, ἀκαθαρσίαν, πάθος, ἐπιθυμίαν κακήν, καὶ τὴν πλεονεξίαν, ἥτις ἐστὶν εἰδωλολατρεία, διʼ ἃ ἔρχεται ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς ἀπειθείας Ἐν οἷς καὶ ὑμεῖς περιεπατήσατέ ποτε, ὅτε ἐζῆτε ἐν αὐτοῖς. Νυνὶ δὲ ἀπόθεσθε καὶ ὑμεῖς τὰ πάντα, ὀργήν, θυμόν, κακίαν, βλασφημίαν, αἰσχρολογίαν ἐκ τοῦ στόματος ὑμῶν μὴ ψεύδεσθε εἰς ἀλλήλους, ἀπεκδυσάμενοι τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον σὺν ταῖς πράξεσιν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐνδυσάμενοι τὸν νέον, τὸν ἀνακαινούμενον εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν κατʼ εἰκόνα τοῦ κτίσαντος αὐτόν ὅπου οὐκ ἔνι Ἕλλην καὶ Ἰουδαῖος, περιτομὴ καὶ ἀκροβυστία, βάρβαρος, Σκύθης, δοῦλος, ἐλεύθερος ἀλλὰ τὰ πάντα καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν Χριστός. ΤΗΕ EPISTLE St. Paul's Letter to the Colossians 3:4-11 Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers. Verse: For you are just in all you have done. BRETHREN, when Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. In these you once walked, when you lived in them. But now put them all away; anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old nature with its practices and have put on the new nature, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all, and in all.
ΤΟ ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΟΝ Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 14:16-24 Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τήν παραβολὴν ταύτην Ἄνθρωπός τις ἐποίησε δεῖπνον μέγα καὶ ἐκάλεσε πολλούς καὶ ἀπέστειλε τὸν δοῦλον αὐτοῦ τῇ ὥρᾳ τοῦ δείπνου εἰπεῖν τοῖς κεκλημένοις ἔρχεσθε, ὅτι ἤδη ἕτοιμά ἐστι πάντα. καὶ ἤρξαντο ἀπὸ μιᾶς παραιτεῖσθαι πάντες. ὁ πρῶτος εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἀγρὸν ἠγόρασα, καὶ ἔχω ἀνάγκην ἐξελθεῖν καὶ ἰδεῖν αὐτόν ἐρωτῶ σε, ἔχε με παρῃτημένον. καὶ ἕτερος εἶπε ζεύγη βοῶν ἠγόρασα πέντε, καὶ πορεύομαι δοκιμάσαι αὐτά ἐρωτῶ σε, ἔχε με παρῃτημένον. καὶ ἕτερος εἶπε γυναῖκα ἔγημα, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο οὐ δύναμαι ἐλθεῖν. καὶ παραγενόμενος ὁ δοῦλος ἐκεῖνος ἀπήγγειλε τῷ κυρίῳ αὐτοῦ ταῦτα. τότε ὀργισθεὶς ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης εἶπε τῷ δούλῳ αὐτοῦ ἔξελθε ταχέως εἰς τὰς πλατείας καὶ ῥύμας τῆς πόλεως, καὶ τοὺς πτωχοὺς καὶ ἀναπήρους καὶ χωλοὺς καὶ τυφλοὺς εἰσάγαγε ὧδε. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ δοῦλος κύριε, γέγονεν ὡς ἐπέταξας, καὶ ἔτι τόπος ἐστί. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ κύριος πρὸς τὸν δοῦλον ἔξελθε εἰς τὰς ὁδοὺς καὶ φραγμοὺς καὶ ἀνάγκασον εἰσελθεῖν, ἵνα γεμισθῇ ὁ οἶκος μου. λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐδεὶς τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐκείνων τῶν κεκλημένων γεύσεταί μου τοῦ δείπνου. Πολλοί γὰρ εἰσιν κλητοί, ὀλίγοι δέ ἐκλεκτοί. THE HOLY GOSPEL 11th Sunday of Luke The Gospel according to Luke 14:16-24 The Lord said this parable: "A man once gave a great banquet, and invited many; and at the time of the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, 'Come; for all is now ready.' But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I go out and see it; I pray you, have me excused.' And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I must go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.' And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' So the servant came and reported this to his master. Then the householder in anger said to his servant, 'Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame.' And the servant said, 'Sir, what you commanded has been done, and there is still room.' And the master said to the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet. For many are called, but few are chosen.'" Fasting / Νηστεία The Christmas Fast continues. Please abstain from meat and dairy until December 24th. Fish and oil are allowed.
GOYA GOYA will meet in the Cotsidas Cultural Center on Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 6:30pm. PHILOPTOCHOS The Philoptochos Society will be prepping dough for Vasilopita on Tuesday, December 13 at 4:30pm and baking on Wednesday, December 14 at 7:00am. Please pick up your order on Wednesday, December 14 or Sunday, December 18, 2016. Please see flier in this bulletin. PARISH COUNCIL Elections The Parish Council Elections for the 2017-2019 term will be held on Sunday, December 11, 2016 in the Tonna room. This year 5 Parish Council members are to be elected for a term of 3 years. GREEK SCHOOL Please note there will be NO Greek School on Monday, December 12, 2016 to commemorative our patron Saint, St. Spyridon. DAUGHTERS OF PENELOPE The Daughters of Penelope will be having their Christmas Party on Monday, December 12, 2016 at 5:30pm at Park Grill & Spirits 257 Park Ave, Worcester. Please see flier in this bulletin. Things all Church Members Should Think About Many folks want to serve God, But only as advisers. It is easier to preach ten sermons Than it is to live one. HOLY TRINITY St. Spyridon Greek Ladies Philoptochos Society will be hosting a luncheon on Thursday, December 15th at Holy Trinity. It's not too late to support Holy Trinity through the United Way. The deadline to submit 2017 Pledges is December 30th. You can donate online at unitedwaycm.org; click "Donate", and in the comments/questions window, write "designate to Holy Trinity Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Worcester, MA". Or, you can call Doreen Thornburg @ United Way, (508)757-5631, ext. 210. Also, check to see if your employer has a matching gift program. Little Angels 2016-2017 Tuesday afternoons 2:30 to 4:00 December 20th, January 3rd & 17th, February 7th & 21st, March, 7th & 21st, April 4th & 18th, May 2nd & 16th, June 6th SUNDAY SCHOOL The Sunday School Christmas Pageant has been rescheduled to Sunday, December 18, 2016 immediately following Divine Liturgy. COED BASKETBALL 5TH-8TH Co Ed Basketball (5th-8th) is seeking players. The main goal is to teach and enhance fundamental basketball skills as well as encourage team building. Practices will be open to 5th 8th graders. Please contact the office if interested..
Stewardship Sunday is Today. You may pick up your Stewardship packet in the Narthex or in the Main Hall at the conclusion of today s services. The 2017 church calendar will be included.
There is a slight change regarding the Philoptochos Vasilopita Fundraiser. Dough prep will be on Tuesday, December 13th @4:30pm and baking will be on Wednesday, December 14th @ 7:00am due to a scheduling conflict. Orders may be picked up between 2:30pm to 4:45pm that day or on Sunday, December 18th, 2016.
Saturday, December 17, 2016 12:30pm The Feeding Ministry is commencing with a Luncheon to be served to the Poor and Needy on Saturday, December 17, 2016 at 12:30pm in the St. Spyridon Cotsidas Cultural Center. This month s meal is donated by Savas Fotiadis and his family, proprietors of The Manor Restaurant and served by members of the Philoptochos and parish volunteers. The Feeding Ministry will be scheduled one Saturday a month in conjunction with the Council of Eastern Orthodox Churches of Central Massachusetts and the Food Pantry. If you would like to volunteer please speak with Fr. Dimitri or contact Maria Kassos. Thank you for participating in the Lord s Work.
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STEWARDSHIP SUNDAY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016 On Sunday, December 11th, we will be celebrating Stewardship Sunday. Please be sure to be present for the Liturgy, as a wonderful sermon will be preached and stewardship packets will be distributed, which will include the 2017 Church Calendar.
2016 Stewardship Report * GOAL Week 2016 Total 614 pledges received Stewardship Budget 49 $279,161.00 $454 average/pledge $330.000.00 * GOAL amount includes the 2016 Stewardship Budget Receipts of $330,000.00. Funds reflect all monies received in 2016 We suggest you budget your Stewardship contribution as you do your monthly home expenses Our Cathedral must meet the Financial needs of its ministries and annual operating budget by way of its Christian Stewardship Program. It is each and everyone's responsibility to accept honor and support your role as a Contributing Steward. Please pledge your Required Stewardship Contribution now, if you have not done so. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.