January 22, 2017 15th Sunday of Luke Timothy the Apostle of the 70 The Righteous Martyr Anastasius of Persia Joseph the Sanctified ENTRANCE HYMNS Resurrectional Apolytikion Angelike Dhynamis ( 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 the Apostle Timothy Christotita ekdhidhachthis ( Having learned kindness ) Having learned kindness, and being always steady and sober, vested with a good conscience as befits a priest, you drew out from the Chosen Vessel the secrets of God. And having kept the faith, you have finished the fair race, O Hieromartyr Timothy. Intercede with Christ our God, entreating Him to save our souls. Apolytikion for Holymartyr Anastasios the Persian O Martis sou ( Your martyr, O Lord ) Your Martyr, O Lord, was worthily awarded by You * the crown of incorruption, in that he contested for You our immortal God. * Since he possessed Your power, he defeated the tyrants, * dashing the demons' powerless displays of defiance. * O Christ God, at his fervent entreaties, save 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 Love and Hope, along with God-minded Faith; together intercede with God for us all. Seasonal Kontakion O mitran parthenikin ( the virginal womb ) You sanctified the virginal womb by Your birth, O Lord, and blessed the hands of Symeon fittingly, O Christ God; and even now You came and saved us. Now, give peace to our Nation in time of war, and empower our Leaders, so loved by You, the only one who loves humanity.
EPISTLE READING The Reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to Timothy 4:9-15 O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance. Verse: To you, O Lord, I have cried, O my God. TIMOTHY, my son, the saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things. Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Till I come, attend to the public reading of scripture, to preaching, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophetic utterance when the council of elders laid their hands upon you. Practice these duties, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress. Ἀνάγνωσις ἐπιστολῆς Πρὸς Τιμόθεον α' 4:9-15 Σῶσον, Κύριε τὸν λαὸν σου καὶ εὐλόγησον τὴν κληρονομίαν σου. Στίχ. Πρὸς σἐ, Κύριε, κεκράξομαι ὁ Θεός μου. Τέκνον Τιμόθεε, πιστὸς ὁ λόγος καὶ πάσης ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος. Εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ κοπιῶμεν καὶ ὀνειδιζόμεθα, ὅτι ἠλπίκαμεν ἐπὶ θεῷ ζῶντι, ὅς ἐστιν σωτὴρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων, μάλιστα πιστῶν. Παράγγελλε ταῦτα καὶ δίδασκε. Μηδείς σου τῆς νεότητος καταφρονείτω, ἀλλὰ τύπος γίνου τῶν πιστῶν ἐν λόγῳ, ἐν ἀναστροφῇ, ἐν ἀγάπῃ, ἐν πνεύματι, ἐν πίστει, ἐν ἁγνείᾳ. Ἕως ἔρχομαι, πρόσεχε τῇ ἀναγνώσει, τῇ παρακλήσει, τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ. Μὴ ἀμέλει τοῦ ἐν σοὶ χαρίσματος, ὃ ἐδόθη σοι διὰ προφητείας μετὰ ἐπιθέσεως τῶν χειρῶν τοῦ πρεσβυτερίου. Ταῦτα μελέτα, ἐν τούτοις ἴσθι, ἵνα σου ἡ προκοπὴ φανερὰ ᾖ ἐν πᾶσιν.
GOSPEL READING The Reading is from the Gospel according to Luke 19:1-10 At that time, Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man named Zacchaios; he was a chief collector, and rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaios, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today." So he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it they all murmured, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." And Zacchaios stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost." EVΑΓΓÉΛΙΟΝ Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 19:1-10 Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, διήρχετο τὴν Ιεριχώ καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ ὀνόματι καλούμενος Ζακχαῖος, καὶ αὐτὸς ἦν ἀρχιτελώνης, καὶ οὗτος ἦν πλούσιος, καὶ ἐζήτει ἰδεῖν τὸν Ιησοῦν τίς ἐστι, καὶ οὐκ ἠδύνατο ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄχλου, ὅτι τῇ ἡλικίᾳ μικρὸς ἦν. καὶ προδραμὼν ἔμπροσθεν ἀνέβη ἐπὶ συκομορέαν, ἵνα ἴδῃ αὐτόν, ὅτι ἐκείνης ἤμελλε διέρχεσθαι. καὶ ὡς ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον, ἀναβλέψας ὁ Ιησοῦς εἶδεν αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν Ζακχαῖε, σπεύσας κατάβηθι σήμερον γὰρ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου δεῖ με μεῖναι. καὶ σπεύσας κατέβη, καὶ ὑπεδέξατο αὐτὸν χαίρων. καὶ ἰδόντες πάντες διεγόγγυζον λέγοντες ὅτι παρὰ ἁμαρτωλῷ ἀνδρὶ εἰσῆλθε καταλῦσαι. σταθεὶς δὲ Ζακχαῖος εἶπε πρὸς τὸν Κύριον ἰδοὺ τὰ ἡμίση τῶν ὑπαρχόντων μου, Κύριε, δίδωμι τοῖς πτωχοῖς, καὶ εἴ τινός τι ἐσυκοφάντησα, ἀποδίδωμι τετραπλοῦν. εἶπε δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Ιησοῦς ὅτι σήμερον σωτηρία τῷ οἴκῳ τούτῳ ἐγένετο, καθότι καὶ αὐτὸς υἱὸς Αβραάμ ἐστιν. ἦλθε γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ζητῆσαι καὶ σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλός. Blessing of the Homes at Theophany If you wish to have your homes and/or businesses blessed by Fr. Peter, please call the Parish Office to schedule a visitation. Before the Priest Comes to Bless the House Be prepared (this is a serious sacrament.) Make sure ALL the lights in the house have been turned on, as Epiphany is known as the Feast of Lights. Make sure all radios, stereos, TVs, etc. are turned off. Have a table where a bowl of water (2/3 to 3/4 full enough to sprinkle the home with some left over if you wish) with an icon, a lit candle, and a list of names, living and deceased, of those you wish to commemorate, may be placed. When the priest begins to sprinkle the rooms, lead him to the rooms that you wish blessed. This procession should include all who are able to walk. Children who are very young may need to be carried (nursing mothers are exempted if the feeding needs to take place immediately.) Afterwards, return to the place you started (where the table, icon, etc., are) for the closing prayer and blessing.
January 22, 2017 15th Sunday of Luke Timothy the Apostle of the 70 The Righteous Martyr Anastasius of Persia Joseph the Sanctified St. Nicholas Shrine Vigil Candle: Thank you to Elias and Donna Christou for sponsoring today s vigil candle. Anyone wishing to sponsor a vigil candle should sign up at the Pangari. (Each vigil candle lasts one week). Each week a new vigil candle is placed next to the icon of St. Nicholas until the construction of St. Nicholas Shrine has been completed. The asking donation is $10. Memorial Service: Today s memorial is being chanted for Mr. Constantinos Tsokas (1 year), beloved husband of Vasiliki and father of Constantinos and Nicole. May his memory be eternal. Coffee Hour: Thank you to the Tsokas family for sponsoring coffee hour today in memory of Constantinos Tsokas. TODAY is Stewardship Appreciation Sunday: The 2017 Stewardship campaign is now under way. Please check your mail at home for your 2017 Stewardship letter and Pledge Card. Today marks the first Stewardship Sunday of 2017. 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! We truly appreciate all of the support from our many stewards and friends. Please join us after Divine Liturgy today for a complimentary thank you breakfast sponsored by the Parish Council. Parish Council Update: Last Sunday, after the Affirmation of Office (Swearing-In Ceremony), the Parish Council met to elect the Officers for the coming year. The following Parish Council members were elected for office: Alexander Nikas, President; John Pogas, Vice-President; George Coutavas, Treasurer; and Cathy Zarcone, Secretary. House Blessings: If you wish to have your homes and/or businesses blessed by Fr. Peter, please call the Parish office to schedule a visitation. Senior Citizen Ministry: St. Sophia s Senior Parea will meet on Thursday, January 26 th in the Cultural Center from 10am to 12 noon. Save the Date! On April 30, 2017, the PTO will be hosting our annual BINGO Party after church. Parents, we are in need of gift cards, cash donations and new toys. Please see Kristen Shuler, Cathy Cox or Joanna Kalathas if you have something to donate. We appreciate your help.
Girl Scout Cookie Sale: It s that time of year again to help support local Girl Scouts of our parish by purchasing delicious Girl Scout cookies! Girl Scouts of our parish will be selling cookies in the Cultural Center following Divine Liturgy starting Sunday, Jan. 22 nd through Sunday, Mar. 12 th. If you have a daughter(s) that are Girl Scouts and would like to sign up for a cookie booth, please contact Pres. Katherine at pkstfamily@verizon.net or see her after church with your first & second choices. 2017 Ecclesiastical Calendars: In an effort to save the Parish resources, 2017 Church calendars are available for pickup on the table outside of the Parish office on a first come, first serve basis. We respectfully request that each stewarding family take only 1 calendar per household. Thank you! The 2017-2018 Hellenic University Club of Philadelphia Scholarships are being offered to students of Greek descent or those pursuing studies in Greek disciplines, Classics, Archaeology, and Ancient History/Greek Studies. The eligibility rules and descriptions of the undergraduate scholarships and graduate scholarships for law, dental, medical and other disciplines are available on the web site; applications can be downloaded and/or completed electronically. Click on the following link to reach the website: www.hucphiladelphia.org. The application and all supporting documents must be received by Monday, April 3, 2017. PanHellenic Scholarships: The PanHellenic Scholarship Foundation s scholarship awards are available to undergraduate students of Hellenic descent from all 50 United States. The Foundation provides recognition and financial assistance to deserving college students. If you or your child are interesting in applying, please check out their website at http://www.panhellenicscholarships.org. The 2016-17 Scholarship Application is now available. Please carefully read the Qualification Criteria, Requirements and Guidelines before you apply. Also review the Frequently Asked Questions, which will address many of your inquiries. The application submission deadline is January 31, 2017. All applicants will be notified of their results by April 30, 2017. 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. 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.
Representative Needed: The Federation of Hellenic-American Societies of Philadelphia and the Greater Delaware Valley is the umbrella organization of over 45 Hellenic-American associations, representing over thousands of individuals in the Greek community. St. Sophia is looking for someone to act as our representative at the Federation meetings and then report back to our Parish Council (either in writing or in person) regarding the activities of the Federation. The meetings take place every 2 months or so; they rotate their meetings at the different churches in the area. If you are interested in being St. Sophia s representative or if you would like more information, please speak to Fr. Peter. 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 610-650-8960 so that a visit can be arranged. Bulletin Announcements: Any church organization requesting that their announcement or flyer be placed in the bulletin must submit their material by 12 noon Wednesday for the upcoming Sunday s bulletin. Please e-mail information to elaine.stsophia@verizon.net. Thank you. Elaine Piligian In Case of Emergency: If you are having an extreme medical emergency ONLY and are in need of an Orthodox priest, please call the Parish office at 610-650-8960.