Rev. Economos Peter J. Thornberg, Proistamenos

June 21, 2015 3 rd Sunday of Matthew Father s Day Julian the Martyr of Tarsus Terentios, Bishop of Iconium ENTRANCE HYMNS Resurrectional Apolytikion - Ote Katilthes ( When Thou Descended ) When You descended to the Realm of Death, You, the Life that is deathless, then did You Hades lifeless rend with the Lightning of Divineness. And when You did raise up those dead from deep within the earth, Then did all the powers that are in the Heavens above cry out, O Lifegiving Christ, You Who are our God, Glory to You. 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 Prostasia ton Christianon ( O unfailing protection of Christians ) O unfailing protection of Christians, and our faithful advocate before the Creator: though we are sinners, do not ignore our entreaty; but in your goodness, grant your timely help to us who appeal to you in faith. Quickly make intercession; on our behalf make speedy supplication, O Theotokos, for you always protect those who honor you.

Church Mortgage and Beautification Update June 21, 2015 We are pleased to let you know that we recently negotiated a lower mortgage rate, which will allow us to put more money into the principal payment and help speed up the payoff of our mortgage. We are also continuing the process of beautifying the church. God bless the recent anonymous donor for the Bishop s throne. In addition, a non-parishioner has donated $17,000 to sponsor the candle stands! God bless so many stewards and friends who have taken great interest in the beautification of His house!! Many sponsorships are still available for both iconography and the furnishings. Please check out the exhibit next door in the Fr. John A. Limberakis Cultural Center. As you ve probably noticed, we have new Narthex furnishings. They were 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. This beautiful furniture now greets everyone who enters our church! Some of these items are still available for sponsorship. We have installed a donor plaque to acknowledge those who have contributed to make our new church and its decoration possible. You can see the framework in the Narthex. Please note that the white color is the primer. 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. A draft of the names that will be listed on the donor plaque has been posted in the Fr. John A. Limberakis Cultural Center. Please double check your name and listing to make sure it is accurate. If you have questions or concerns, please see any Parish Council member. St. Sophia Church Mortgage Mortgage balance as of 5/28/15 is $1,354,577.03. We recently negotiated a lower rate with QNB Bank, which will lower our payment by $1,000/month. EPISTLE READING The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 5:1-10 The Lord is my strength and my song. Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely. BRETHREN, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us. While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man -- though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we are now justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. Ἀνάγνωσις ἐπιστολῆς Πρὸς Ρωμαίους 5:1-10 Ἰσχύς μου καὶ ὕμνησίς μου ὁ Κύριος. Στίχ. Παιδεύων ἐπαίδευσέ με ὁ Κύριος. Ἀδελφοί, δικαιωθέντες οὖν ἐκ πίστεως, εἰρήνην ἔχομεν πρὸς τὸν θεὸν διὰ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, διʼ οὗ καὶ τὴν προσαγωγὴν ἐσχήκαμεν τῇ πίστει εἰς τὴν χάριν ταύτην ἐν ᾗ ἑστήκαμεν, καὶ καυχώμεθα ἐπʼ ἐλπίδι τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ. Οὐ μόνον δέ, ἀλλὰ καὶ καυχώμεθα ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν, εἰδότες ὅτι ἡ θλῖψις ὑπομονὴν κατεργάζεται, ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ δοκιμήν, ἡ δὲ δοκιμὴ ἐλπίδα ἡ δὲ ἐλπὶς οὐ καταισχύνει, ὅτι ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ ἐκκέχυται ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν διὰ πνεύματος ἁγίου τοῦ δοθέντος ἡμῖν. Ἔτι γὰρ Χριστός, ὄντων ἡμῶν ἀσθενῶν, κατὰ καιρὸν ὑπὲρ ἀσεβῶν ἀπέθανεν. Μόλις γὰρ ὑπὲρ δικαίου τις ἀποθανεῖται ὑπὲρ γὰρ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ τάχα τις καὶ τολμᾷ ἀποθανεῖν. Συνίστησιν δὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀγάπην εἰς ἡμᾶς ὁ θεός, ὅτι ἔτι ἁμαρτωλῶν ὄντων ἡμῶν Χριστὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀπέθανεν. Πολλῷ οὖν μᾶλλον, δικαιωθέντες νῦν ἐν τῷ αἵματι αὐτοῦ, σωθησόμεθα διʼ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς. Εἰ γὰρ ἐχθροὶ ὄντες κατηλλάγημεν τῷ θεῷ διὰ τοῦ θανάτου τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, πολλῷ μᾶλλον καταλλαγέντες σωθησόμεθα ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ.

GOSPEL READING The Reading is from the Gospel of Matthew 6:22-33 The Lord said, "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear? For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well." ΕVΑΓΓÉΛΙΟΝ Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 6:22-33 Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος Ο λύχνος τοῦ σώματός ἐστιν ὁ ὀφθαλμός ἐὰν οὖν ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ἁπλοῦς ᾖ, ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου φωτεινόν ἔσται ἐὰν δὲ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου πονηρὸς ᾖ, ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου σκοτεινὸν ἔσται. εἰ οὖν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἐν σοὶ σκότος ἐστί, τὸ σκότος πόσον; Οὐδεὶς δύναται δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν ἢ γὰρ τὸν ἕνα μισήσει καὶ τὸν ἕτερον ἀγαπήσει, ἢ ἑνὸς ἀνθέξεται καὶ τοῦ ἑτέρου καταφρονήσει. οὐ δύνασθε Θεῷ δουλεύειν καὶ μαμωνᾷ. Διὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑμῖν, μὴ μεριμνᾶτε τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν τί φάγητε καὶ τί πίητε, μηδὲ τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν τί ἐνδύσησθε οὐχὶ ἡ ψυχὴ πλεῖόν ἐστι τῆς τροφῆς καὶ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ἐνδύματος; ἐμβλέψατε εἰς τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ὅτι οὐ σπείρουσιν οὐδὲ θερίζουσιν οὐδὲ συνάγουσιν εἰς ἀποθήκας, καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος τρέφει αὐτά οὐχ ὑμεῖς μᾶλλον διαφέρετε αὐτῶν; τίς δὲ ἐξ ὑμῶν μεριμνῶν δύναται προσθεῖναι ἐπὶ τὴν ἡλικίαν αὐτοῦ πῆχυν ἕνα; καὶ περὶ ἐνδύματος τί μεριμνᾶτε; καταμάθετε τὰ κρίνα τοῦ ἀγροῦ πῶς αὐξάνει οὐ κοπιᾷ οὐδὲ νήθει λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐδὲ Σολομὼν ἐν πάσῃ τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ περιεβάλετο ὡς ἓν τούτων. Εἰ δὲ τὸν χόρτον τοῦ ἀγροῦ, σήμερον ὄντα καὶ αὔριον εἰς κλίβανον βαλλόμενον, ὁ Θεὸς οὕτως ἀμφιέννυσιν, οὐ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὑμᾶς, ὀλιγόπιστοι; μὴ οὖν μεριμνήσητε λέγοντες, τί φάγωμεν ἢ τί πίωμεν ἢ τί περιβαλώμεθα; πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα τὰ ἔθνη ἐπιζητεῖ οἶδε γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος ὅτι χρῄζετε τούτων ἁπάντων. ζητεῖτε δὲ πρῶτον τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ, καὶ ταῦτα πάντα προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν. Stewardship Update June 21, 2015 Did you know that our ministries continue throughout the summer? When in town, please join us for Divine Liturgy on Sundays. With the new summer hours (Liturgy at 9:30 am), you can worship with us, enjoy coffee hour and fellowship and still have lots of time to enjoy summer activities with family and friends. Although we all like to take vacations, let s please be sure to keep Christ in our summer schedule. After all, we would not want God to take a vacation from us! Worshipping together helps to refresh all of us spiritually each week as we prepare to face the earthly demands of the following week. God is calling each and every one of us! Are you listening?? Orthodox Christian Stewardship is our way of thanking God for the many blessings He has bestowed upon us. To be considered good stewards of our parish and the faith, we must give back in gratitude to Him by giving of our time, talent and treasure. Our Parish and His Ministries need all three from each of us! What are you personally doing to show your gratitude to Him for your own blessings? How are you giving to Him to support His ministries here on Earth? Our 2015 Stewardship Program is off to a great start. If you have not yet returned your Pledge Card please do so today. As a busy parish, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved by giving of our time and talents to support His work. Actively participating is not only spiritually rewarding it can be really fun too! God Bless You for your support of His Work and our parish! 2014 (Year End) 2015 (06/1915) Pledge Unit Goal 240 240 Number of Pledges 215 182 Pledge $ Goal $210,000 $210,000 Amount Pledged $209,857 $196,502 Average Pledge $976.08 $1,079 New Stewards 23 8

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS (continued) SHOP-RITE or 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. 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 iladelphia, 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. 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. Movie Tavern Tickets: This is the fabulous movie theater in town that offers first run movies as well as an "inhouse" 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 show times visit www.movietavern.com. 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.

June 21, 2015 3 rd Sunday of Matthew Father s Day Julian the Martyr of Tarsus Terentios, Bishop of Iconium SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS Coffee Sponsor: Thank you to Eleni Evangelopoulos for sponsoring coffee hour today. Festival Lawn Signs: If you took a lawn sign before the Spring festival, please make sure to return it to the Cultural Center so that it can be recycled for our Fall Festival. Red Cross Blood Drive a Success! Thank you to all those who came and donated blood during last week s blood drive. Twenty five units of blood were collected! SCHEDULE OF UPCOMING SERVICES AND EVENTS Mon., June 22 nd Sun., June 28 th Mon., June 29 th 6:30 pm Festival Wrap-Up Meeting AHEPA Meeting in Flex Room after Divine Liturgy 10:00 am Divine Liturgy Synaxis of the Holy Apostles GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS Greek School Registration: The Greek school 2015-16 registration form is available at the Pangari or on our website. For questions regarding the program, please contact Erietta Fotiadis at 484-716-6059 or eriettafotiadis@gmail.com AFTER September 10 th. For questions regarding registration, please contact Roula Matsiras at 484-744-9374 or rmatsiras@hotmail.com, or Christine Bailey at 610-256-1087 or christinebailey@outlook.com. Please complete form and return along with your payment to St. Sophia Parish Office by August 30, 2015.