St. Sophia/SS. Faith, Hope & Agape Greek Orthodox Church of Valley Forge 900 South Trooper Road Jeffersonville, PA, 19403 Tel.: (610) 650-8960 Fax: (610) 650-8961 www.saintsophiachurch.org email: stsophia@verizon.net 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
December 7, 2014 10 th Sunday of Luke Ambrose, Bishop of Milan Athenodoros the Martyr of Mesopotamia Righteous Father Gerasimus, Ascetic of Euboia ENTRANCE HYMNS Resurrectional Apolytikion - Tou Lithou Sfrayisthentos ( The Stone Had Been Sealed ) The Jews had sealed the stone that was set before Your Tomb and around Your Grave soldiers guarded Your Pure and Sacred Body, yet Savior You arose the third day and granted to the world Your gift of Life. For this do the powers of Heaven acclaim You the Life bestower. Glory to Your Resurrection and glory to Your Kingdom. Glory to Your dispensation, O only Friend of man. 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 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. 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. Seasonal Kontakion I Parthenos simeron to proeonion Loghon ( On this day the Virgin cometh ) On this day the Virgin Maid * goes to the grotto to give birth * to the pre-eternal Word * in an ineffable manner. * Dance for joy, all the inhabited earth, on hearing. * Glorify along with Angels and with the shepherds * Him who willed that He appear as * a newborn Child, * the pre-eternal God.
Building Committee Update December 7, 2014 Now that the Christmas season is here, it is another 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 are being carved by the world-renowned artisans at S. Kavroulakis Company of Chania, Crete; the same firm that carved our beautiful icon screen and other artifacts. They expect to complete their work in the next several weeks. The Narthex furnishings will be shipped from the ancient seaport of Piraeus and with an estimated shipping time of 30 days, we can expect delivery sometime by late January or early February, 2015. Some of these items are still available for sponsorship. In order to protect our iconography and artifacts, we are installing a special humidity control system which will help stabilize the humidity levels especially during the winter months. On the chart below you can see the progress on our mortgage. If you still have an outstanding balance on your building pledge or can make a new pledge, please pay the amounts due to help your church reduce its debts. St. Sophia Church Mortgage The current mortgage balance as of 11/28/2014 is $1,419,301.69 EPISTLE READING The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 5:8-19 Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us. Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is a shame even to speak of the things that they do in secret; but when anything is exposed by the light it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it is said, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light." Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart. Ἀνάγνωσις ἐπιστολῆς Πρὸς Ἐφεσίους 5:8-19 Γένοιτο, Κύριε, τὸ ἔλεός σου ἐφ' ἡμᾶς. Στίχ. Ἀγαλλιᾶσθε δίκαιοι ἐν Κυρίῳ Ἀδελφοί, ὡς τέκνα φωτὸς περιπατεῖτε - ὁ γὰρ καρπὸς τοῦ πνεύματος ἐν πάσῃ ἀγαθωσύνῃ καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ ἀληθείᾳ - δοκιμάζοντες τί ἐστιν εὐάρεστον τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ μὴ συγκοινωνεῖτε τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς ἀκάρποις τοῦ σκότους, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ἐλέγχετε τὰ γὰρ κρυφῆ γινόμενα ὑπʼ αὐτῶν αἰσχρόν ἐστιν καὶ λέγειν. Τὰ δὲ πάντα ἐλεγχόμενα ὑπὸ τοῦ φωτὸς φανεροῦται πᾶν γὰρ τὸ φανερούμενον φῶς ἐστίν. Διὸ λέγει, Ἔγειρε ὁ καθεύδων καὶ ἀνάστα ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, καὶ ἐπιφαύσει σοι ὁ Χριστός. Βλέπετε οὖν πῶς ἀκριβῶς περιπατεῖτε, μὴ ὡς ἄσοφοι, ἀλλʼ ὡς σοφοί, ἐξαγοραζόμενοι τὸν καιρόν, ὅτι αἱ ἡμέραι πονηραί εἰσιν. Διὰ τοῦτο μὴ γίνεσθε ἄφρονες, ἀλλὰ συνιέντες τί τὸ θέλημα τοῦ κυρίου. Καὶ μὴ μεθύσκεσθε οἴνῳ, ἐν ᾧ ἐστὶν ἀσωτία, ἀλλὰ πληροῦσθε ἐν πνεύματι, λαλοῦντες ἑαυτοῖς ψαλμοῖς καὶ ὕμνοις καὶ ᾠδαῖς πνευματικαῖς, ᾄδοντες καὶ ψάλλοντες ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑμῶν τῷ κυρίῳ.
GOSPEL READING The Reading is from the Gospel of Luke 13:10-17 At that time, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your infirmity." And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and she praised God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, said to the people, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and not on the sabbath day." Then the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?" As he said this, all his adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him. ΕVΑΓΓÉΛΙΟΝ Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 13.10-17 Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, Ην δὲ διδάσκων ἐν μιᾷ τῶν συναγωγῶν ἐν τοῖς σάββασι. καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ ἦν πνεῦμα ἔχουσα ἀσθενείας ἔτη δέκα καὶ ὀκτώ, καὶ ἦν συγκύπτουσα καὶ μὴ δυναμένη ἀνακῦψαι εἰς τὸ παντελές.ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτὴν ὁ Ιησοῦς προσεφώνησε καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ γύναι, ἀπολέλυσαι τῆς ἀσθενείας σου καὶ ἐπέθηκεν αὐτῇ τὰς χεῖρας καὶ παραχρῆμα ἀνωρθώθη καὶ ἐδόξαζε τὸν Θεόν. ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ ἀρχισυνάγωγος, ἀγανακτῶν ὅτι τῷ σαββάτῳ ἐθεράπευσεν ὁ Ιησοῦς, ἔλεγε τῷ ὄχλῳ ἓξ ἡμέραι εἰσὶν ἐν αἷς δεῖ ἐργάζεσθαι ἐν ταύταις οὖν ἐρχόμενοι θεραπεύεσθε, καὶ μὴ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου. ἀπεκρίθη οὖν αὐτῷ ὁ Κύριος καὶ εἶπεν ὑποκριτά, ἕκαστος ὑμῶν τῷ σαββάτῳ οὐ λύει τὸν βοῦν αὐτοῦ ἢ τὸν ὄνον ἀπὸ τῆς φάτνης καὶ ἀπαγαγὼν ποτίζει; ταύτην δέ, θυγατέρα Αβραὰμ οὖσαν, ἣν ἔδησεν ὁ σατανᾶς ἰδοὺ δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ ἔτη, οὐκ ἔδει λυθῆναι ἀπὸ τοῦ δεσμοῦ τούτου τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου; καὶ ταῦτα λέγοντος αὐτοῦ κατῃσχύνοντο πάντες οἱ ἀντικείμενοι αὐτῷ, καὶ πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος ἔχαιρεν ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἐνδόξοις τοῖς γινομένοις ὑπ αὐτοῦ. Stewardship Update December 7, 2014 We are now in the pre-nativity fasting period. In just a few weeks we will be celebrating God s greatest gift to the world His only Son. It is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of this time of year. But in between shopping, holiday parties and Christmas preparations, isn t it most appropriate to carve out time to consider our many personal blessings from God-- family, friends, a warm home, food on the table? 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! We are a very active parish. With so much going on, we really need all of our Stewards to contribute their time, talents and treasure, to help this community serve Christ and the Orthodox faithful in the region. Thank you to everyone who has supported our 2014 Stewardship Program. We are striving to reach 240 total Stewards for the year. If you have not yet returned your 2014 Pledge Card, please do so today! Pledge Cards are available at the Pangari. We still need to hear from some of our regulars! The 2015 campaign will be starting shortly so it is imperative that we are able to finalize our stewardship roles for this year. Thank you! 2013 (Year End) 2014 (11/28/14) Pledge Unit Goal 230 240 Pledge $ Goal $200,000 $210,000 Number of Pledges 223 201 Amount Pledged $210,485 $206,301 Average Pledge $943.88 $1026.37 New Stewards 46 22
December 7, 2014 10 th Sunday of Luke Ambrose, Bishop of Milan Athenodoros the Martyr of Mesopotamia Righteous Father Gerasimus, Ascetic of Euboia Xronia Polla to Fr. Nicholas Rafael and to all others named Nicholas, Nikolaos, Nikos, Nikoletta, and Nikolina for their feast day yesterday! Memorial Service: Today s memorial service is being chanted for the many loved ones of Vasilios and Sofia Tatsis (from both the Tsipras and Tatsis families) who have passed away. May their memory be eternal. Coffee Hour: Thank you to Mr. & Mrs. Tony and Joanne Dimitriadis for sponsoring today s coffee hour. SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS PARISH COUNCIL ELECTIONS TODAY DON T FORGET TO VOTE! VOTING ENDS AT 3 PM. ********************************************** GROCERY AND PREPARED FOOD ITEMS FOR SALE IN THE CULTURAL CENTER DURING COFFEE HOUR Moussaka: $20.00 a tray Pastitsio $20.00 a tray Feta Cheese $24.00 (8 lb. bucket) Pita Bread $2.00/pkg. Fillo Dough $2.50 (#7 or #10) Fish $30.00 a tray Taramosalata $5.00 a jar Spanakopita $30.00 a tray Galatoboureko $20.00 a tray Christmas Pageant Rehearsal Today: Rehearsal for our Christmas pageant will take place in the church at 12:15 pm TODAY and also on December 14 th and December 21 st. All children involved with the pageant should be in attendance. GOYA Meeting TODAY after Divine Liturgy: There will be a brief GOYA meeting today after the Divine Liturgy In the classroom next to the office. We will then put up the Christmas tree and decorations in the hall as well as assembling the Nativity set in front of the church. Decoration of church and cultural center: All Parishioners are invited! Help our GOYAns decorate the parish's Christmas tree and assembling the Nativity set i9n front of the church. It would be great to have everyone help so that the work is made easier. CALENDAR FOR THE WEEK Monday, Dec 8 th Tuesday, Dec 9 th Wed, Dec 10 th Thurs, Dec 11 th Friday, Dec 12 th SCHEDULE OF UPCOMING EVENTS Sat, Feb 21 st GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS 10:00 am-12 noon Senior Parea 10:00 am Divine Liturgy - Feast of St. Spyridon the Wonderworker PTO Family Night Bingo (see attached flyer). Philoptochos Candle Sale: Looking for a candle that burns for 100 hours? Then search no more. The Ladies Philoptochos is selling candles in 16 oz. mason, 3.5 oz. mini mason and assorted gift packs. They also make great gifts! There are limited quantities of each scent. Please stop by the Philoptochos table on Sundays after church to purchase your candles!
Laurel House Donations: Again this year Philoptochos has chosen The Laurel House to sponsor during the Christmas season. Of course, any donation is greatly appreciated. For donation suggestions, please refer to the Laurel House Wish List enclosed.. The deadline is Sunday, December 21 st to drop off your donations in the designated box in the Cultural Center lobby. Thank you for all your generous donations. For more information about the Laurel House, please visit www.laurel-house.org. If you have any questions, just ask Maria or Kathy Tsipras at 610-539-5413. THE CANDY IS COMING THE CANDY IS COMING! Philoptochos will be selling Gertrude Hawk candy for Christmas beginning Sunday, December 14 after church during coffee hour. We have limited quantities, so make sure you stop by and get your treats before they are all gone. 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 www.movietavern.com. 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. 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. 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 610-650-8960. REMINDER: Today is the deadline to be included in the community Christmas Card and to donate poinsettias. If you have not yet done so, please fill out a form today! forms can be found at the Pangari or in the Parish office. Any information or announcements for the Sunday bulletin must be received by 3pm on the Wednesday prior to publication. Please e-mail information to elaine.stsophia@verizon.net. Thank you. Elaine Piligian Still looking for those perfect Christmas cards? We have a limited supply of Christmas cards designed by Dr. George Kordis, featuring some of his iconography. The cost is $15.00 for 10 beautiful cards. For information or to see and purchase cards, see Cathy Zarcone in the Parish Office,