8th Sunday of Luke. Gurias & Confessors of Edessa; Thomas, Abp. Of Constantinople. Transfiguration of our Lord. Greek Orthodox Church

Sunday Bulletin November 15, 2015 8th Sunday of Luke Gurias & Confessors of Edessa; Thomas, Abp. Of Constantinople Transfiguration of our Lord Greek Orthodox Church 414 St. Stephens School Road Austin, Texas 78746 (512) 329-6363 email - office@transfiguration.org website - www.transfiguration.org Sunday Service Schedule Orthros 8:45am; Divine Liturgy 10am Reverend Fr. Vasileios Flegas, Proistamenos 512-574-1972

Hymns Hymn Κατέλυσας τῷ Σταυρῷ σου τὸν θάνατον, ἠνέῳξας τῷ Λῃστῇ τὸν Παράδεισον, τῶν Μυροφόρων τὸν θρῆνον μετέβαλες, καὶ τοῖς σοῖς Ἀποστόλοις κηρύττειν ἐπέταξας, ὅτι ἀνέστης Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, παρέχων τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος. Katelisas to Stavro Su ton thanaton, ineoxas to listi ton parathison, ton Miroforon ton thrinon metevales, ke tis sis Apostolis kirittin epetaxas, oti anestis Christe o Theos, parehon to kosmo to mega eleos. O Lord by Your sacred Cross You abolished death, and granted unto the thief blessed paradise. The Myrrh bearers ceased lamenting and turned to joy. The apostles did preach the Good News at Your command, that You had risen from the dead O Christ Our God, bestowing mercy upon the world evermore. Hymn for the Martyrs Τὰ θαύματα τῶν Ἁγίων σου Μαρτύρων, τεῖχος ἀκαταμάχητον ἡμῖν δωρησάμενος, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, ταῖς αὐτῶν ἱκεσίαις, βουλὰς Ἐθνῶν διασκέδασον, τῆς Βασιλείας τὰ σκῆπτρα κραταίωσον, ὡς μόνος ἀγαθὸς καὶ φιλάνθρωπος. Since Thou hast given us the miracles of Thy holy Martyrs as an invincible battlement, by their entreaties scatter the counsels of the heathen, O Christ our God, and strengthen the faith of Orthodox Christians, since Thou alone art good and the Friend of man Hymn for the Transfiguration of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Μετεμορθώθης εν τώ όρει Χριστέ ο Θεός, δείξας τοίς Μαθηταίς σου τήν δόξαν σου, καθώς ήδυναντο, Λάμψον καί ημίν τοίς αμαρτωλοίς, τό φώς σου τό αϊδιον, πρεσβείαις τής Θεοτόκου, φωτοδότα δόξα σοι. Metemorfothis en to ori, Christe o Theos, dixas tis mathites Sou tin doxan Sou, kathos idynando Lampson ke imin tis amartolis to fos Sou to aidion, presvies tis Theotokou Fotodota doxa Si. When O Christ our God Thou wast Transfigured on the mountain Thou didst reveal Thy glory to Thy disciples in proportion as they could bear it. Let Thine everlasting light also enlighten us sinners. Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Thou Bestower of light, glory to Thee Kontakion Ὁ καθαρώτατος ναὸς τοῦ Σωτῆρος, ἡ πολυτίμητος παστὰς καὶ Παρθένος, τὸ ἱερὸν θησαύρισμα τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ, σήμερον εἰσάγεται, ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ Κυρίου, τὴν χάριν συνεισάγουσα, τὴν ἐν Πνευματι Θείῳ ἣν ἀνυμνοῦσιν Ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ Αὕτη ὑπάρχει σκηνὴ ἐπουράνιος. The sacred treasury of God's holy glory, the greatly precious bridal chamber and Virgin, the Saviour's most pure temple, free of stain and undefiled, into the House of the Lord on this day is brought forward and bringeth with herself the grace of the Most Divine Spirit; her do God's Angels hymn with songs of praise, for she is truly the heavenly tabernacle

Epistle - St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 2:14-22 B RETHREN, Christ is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Ἀ δελφοί, Χριστός ἐστιν ἡ εἰρήνη ἡμῶν, ὁ ποιήσας τὰ ἀμφότερα ἕν, καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας, τήν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκί αὐτοῦ, τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασιν, καταργήσας ἵνα τοὺς δύο κτίσῃ ἐν ἑαὐτῷ εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον, ποιῶν εἰρήνην, καὶ ἀποκαταλλάξῃ τοὺς ἀμφοτέρους ἐν ἑνὶ σώματι τῷ θεῷ διὰ τοῦ σταυροῦ, ἀποκτείνας τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐλθὼν εὐηγγελίσατο εἰρήνην ὑμῖν τοῖς μακρὰν καὶ τοῖς ἐγγύς ὅτι διʼ αὐτοῦ ἔχομεν τὴν προσαγωγὴν οἱ ἀμφότεροι ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι πρὸς τὸν πατέρα. Ἄρα οὖν οὐκέτι ἐστὲ ξένοι καὶ πάροικοι, ἀλλὰ συμπολῖται τῶν ἁγίων καὶ οἰκεῖοι τοῦ θεοῦ, ἐποικοδομηθέντες ἐπὶ τῷ θεμελίῳ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ προφητῶν, ὄντος ἀκρογωνιαίου αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐν ᾧ πᾶσα οἰκοδομὴ συναρμολογουμένη αὔξει εἰς ναὸν ἅγιον ἐν κυρίῳ, ἐν ᾧ καὶ ὑμεῖς συνοικοδομεῖσθε εἰς κατοικητήριον τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν πνεύματι. Gospel - Luke 10:25-37 t that time, a lawyer stood up to put Jesus to the test, A saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read?" And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." And he said to him, "You have answered right; do this, and you will live." But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion, and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.' Which of these three, do you think, proved neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" He said, "The one who showed mercy on him." And Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." Τ ῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, νομικός τις ἀνέστη ἐκπειράζων αὐτὸν καὶ λέγων διδάσκαλε, τί ποιήσας ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω; ὁ δὲ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν ἐν τῷ νόμῳ τί γέγραπται; πῶς ἀναγινώσκεις; ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν ἀγαπήσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ἰσχύος σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς διανοίας σου, καὶ τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ὀρθῶς ἀπεκρίθης τοῦτο ποίει καὶ ζήσῃ. ὁ δὲ θέλων δικαιοῦν ἑαυτὸν εἶπε πρὸς τὸν Ιησοῦν καὶ τίς ἐστί μου πλησίον; ὑπολαβὼν δὲ ὁ Ιησοῦς εἶπεν ἄνθρωπός τις κατέβαινεν ἀπὸ Ιερουσαλὴμ εἰς Ιεριχώ, καὶ λῃσταῖς περιέπεσεν οἳ καὶ ἐκδύσαντες αὐτὸν καὶ πληγὰς ἐπιθέντες ἀπῆλθον ἀφέντες ἡμιθανῆ τυγχάνοντα. κατὰ συγκυρίαν δὲ ἱερεύς τις κατέβαινεν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ἀντιπαρῆλθεν. ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ Λευΐτης γενόμενος κατὰ τὸν τόπον, ἐλθὼν καὶ ἰδὼν ἀντιπαρῆλθε. Σαμαρείτης δέ τις ὁδεύων ἦλθε κατ αὐτόν, καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ἐσπλαγχνίσθη, καὶ προσελθὼν κατέδησε τὰ τραύματα αὐτοῦ ἐπιχέων ἔλαιον καὶ οἶνον, ἐπιβιβάσας δὲ αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸ ἴδιον κτῆνος ἤγαγεν αὐτὸν εἰς πανδοχεῖον καὶ ἐπεμελήθη αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν αὔριον ἐξελθών, ἐκβαλὼν δύο δηνάρια ἔδωκε τῷ πανδοχεῖ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἐπιμελήθητι αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὅ τι ἂν προσδαπανήσῃς, ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ ἐπανέρχεσθαί με ἀποδώσω σοι. τίς οὖν τούτων τῶν τριῶν πλησίον δοκεῖ σοι γεγονέναι τοῦ ἐμπεσόντος εἰς τοὺς λῃστάς; ὁ δὲ εἶπεν ὁ ποιήσας τὸ ἔλεος μετ αὐτοῦ. εἶπεν οὖν αὐτῷ ὁ Ιησοῦς πορεύου καὶ σὺ ποίει ὁμοίως.

Welcome Visitors! We welcome all new visitors who worshipped with us this morning. We are pleased to have you with us! Please join us next door after service for coffee and fellowship. There is material in the entrance of the church regarding ministries and events of Transfiguration. We hope that you will return often to worship with us and grow in Christ! Receiving Holy Communion The sacrament of Holy Communion is reserved for only baptized and/or Chrismated Orthodox Christians who have properly prepared by fasting, prayer and confession. The Orthodox Church is not in sacramental communion with any other church outside the Orthodox Christian Faith. If you are not Orthodox, you are invited with everyone to receive the Antidoron (blessed bread) at the end of service. If you would like information about the Orthodox Church, please see Fr. Vasileios after services. he is always wrestling in prayer for you (Colossians 4:12) Prayers for those in our Armed Forces SGT Jennifer D. Atkinson, SSG John Atkinson, COL Dave Romine, CPT James Alfaro, SSG Deane Anderson, CPT William Willett, MAJ Timothy Ullman, MAJ Chris Chase, SPC Mindy Keys, SPC Andrew Bentzel, MAJ Scot Thornhill, CPT Christopher Gilbert, CPT. Alexander Stathos, 1st LT Angela Bahlatzis, MIDN 1/C Joseph Barone, SGT Walter Hurbert ( Nikolaos ) Willoughby IV, LCDR Thomas Uhl, Lt. Lance Shannon The Prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective (James 5:16) Prayers for Health Konstantinos, Shelly, Ruthie, Barbara, Samantha, Maria, Efstathia, Tony, Rouba, Sarah, Emily, Kynlee, Wesley, Nick, Nicholas Wyatt, Cameren, Helen, Chrissy, Nancy, MaryAnn, Marian, Tina, Salin, George- Panagiotis, Raphael, Marta, Guadalupe, Caroline, John, Lili, Archie, Kelsey, Eva, Virginia, Makena, Dolly, Afrodite, Alexandros, Lou, Thomas, Greg, Bill, Kathryn, John, Kathy, Nakis, Maggie, Rosemary, Mindy, Pat, Louella, Steve, Clifford, Tina, Cynthia, Chad, Douglas, Mat. Sissy Yerger, Fr. Paul, Katerina, Vasili, Harry, Francis, Petya, Thomas, Romeo, John, John, Brenda, Georgie, Dale, Dale, Anna, Brenda, Carol, Jan, Nick, Damon, Nick, Alex,, John, Fr. Jason and family, Presv. Tiffany, Maria, David, Boyd, Chris, Jennifer, Jay, Dede, Michael, Jason, Ling, Josh, Chrissy, Bradley, Jim, Patricia, Argyre-Lisa, Rick, Milton, Gregg, Aphrodite, Carol, Lisa, Johanna, Candace, Kyle, Nicholas, Alex, Boriska, Judith, Dominique, Stephen, Irenaeus, Alexander, Mike, Lori, Annie, Anesti, Efstathia, Hannah, Papoulas, Anna, James,, Sheila, Kathi, Paul, Marie, Robert (Raphael), Bill, Zlatko, Jelica, Christians of Quaragosh, Brenda Baker, Fred Cantu, Brandon, Raphael, Fr. George, Judi, Marilyn, Bill, Dwiana, Antonela Jared, Malcolm Anthony Francis Ferrao, Jane Catherine Ferrao, Shawn Anthony Ferrao, Nicole Antonette Ferrao, Lanz Nathaniel Lahom Magno, Elyseo, Elenita, Dennis Luke, Austin, Lynne Marie, Betty, Tasia, Stephen, Shandra, Andrew, Gunner, Chelsea, Marie-Louise, Karen, Presbytera Jenny Newlin, Vickie and unborn child, Emilio, Vana, Irini, Rodamia Eleni, John, Chrisanthi, Mary, Michael, Theodoros, Yanni, Chrisanthi, Nikitas, Jonathan, Archpriest George, Hieromonk Paul, Steve, Carl, Ted, Charalambos Stamos,, Zoey, Carol, Gloria, Alex, Nicolette, Simone, Paul, Jacob, Kathy, Rolland Blake, Wayne

PHILOPTOCHOS CHRISTMAS CARDS! This year again, just stop by the Philoptochos table, and for a suggested donation of $25, you can add your name in the beautiful Christmas greeting that we send out to our members and to many more. PHILOPTOCHOS SCRIPT CARDS Script Cards as Christmas Gifts And don t forget gift cards! Your purchases help us raise funds to give to MANY worthy charities! Great Lakes Scrip carries cards from MANY grocery stores, department stores, restaurants, movies, etc. You name it, they carry it! These cards make great gifts for your college students, too! PHILOPTOCHOS Christmas Luncheon We are having our Christmas Lunch on Saturday, December 5, at 11:30am at Brio s Tuscan Grill (10000 Research Blvd, Austin, TX 78759). Come to the Philoptochos table to sign up. Tickets again this year will include salad, meal, dessert, tea and tip. There will also be an optional gift exchange, so bring a gift for $20-$25 if you wish to participate. GOLF (Greek Orthodox Ladies Fellowship) The Greek Orthodox Ladies Fellowship will meet on Tuesday, November 17, at 10am in Mt. Tabor Hall. All ladies are invited to join us for fellowship and discussion of the book Thirty Steps to Heaven: The Ladder of Divine Ascent for All Walks of Life by Vassilios Papavassiliou. Copies are available in our bookstore. ORTHODOXY CLASS Deepening our Orthodox Faith Lord, I believe: help thou mine unbelief (Mark 9:24) This is a great class for everyone including catechumens as it helps us learn, understand, and grow within our faith. Our last Orthodoxy class was moved to this Monday, November 16 at 7pm Men s Study Group The Men s Study Group will meet on Wednesday, November 18 in Mt. Tabor Hall. The group will start with a Lenten potluck dinner and at 7pm they will begin their study. The book they are reading is Surprised by Christ: My Journey from Judaism to Orthodox Christianity by Rev. A. James Bernstein. Copies are available in our bookstore. All TGOC men are invited! Sunday School classes are in session. Please allow the students and their teachers to receive Holy Communion first so that they can get to class.

Bring them to me Jesus Is concerned about the 5,000 men plus women and children that are with him in the wilderness. His disciples tell him that all they have are five loaves and two small fish that a boy has offered. Jesus response is the phrase, Bring them to me. Jesus then takes the loaves, blesses and breaks them, and feeds 5,000 men plus women and children We also bring what we have to Jesus. We offer bread and wine. He returns it to us as His body and blood in Holy Communion. We offer ourselves and we become the Church, His body on earth. No matter how much we give, He cannot be outdone. Just like the boy who offered the loaves and the fish, if we offer what we have however great or small our gift with prayer and humility, God will receive our gifts and multiply them to feed His people. Chris Falkowski, Stewardship Chair and Parish Council Member will be offering us a personal reflection during the announcements as to how he approaches his stewardship to God. Please pick up one of our new 2016 Stewardship Cards found in your pews and in the narthex. Stewardship Sunday this year is Sunday, December 6th. Until then, please prayerfully reflect upon the many blessings God has offered to you and your loved ones, and how you may wish to respond to Him with thanksgiving and faith through your stewardship of time, treasure and talents to His Holy Church.

Consecration in the Early Church In the early years of Christianity the Church was not allowed to exist. For many years the early Christians were persecuted and killed for their faith in Christ. In those days, the Christians met in underground burial places and celebrated the Eucharist on the graves of the martyred Saints, surrounded by iconography, as depicted by the fresco of the Eucharist below. What is most significant is that once the early Church ceased to worship in the catacombs and to offer bloodless sacrifices on the graves of the martyrs, it began to consecrate temples with majestic ceremonies, as Eusebius the historian informs us. The consecration celebration was a great feast then, just like it is today: a spiritual feast that relies on the faith of the people, but also in the living tradition of the Church. On one level, Consecration is certainly linked with the importance that is given by the Church to the Sanctuary, as a liturgical building and house of prayer for the people. On another level, Consecration gives great importance to the person, as a being with soul and personality created for the purpose of sanctification and divinization through union with Christ. For this reason, at the feast of Consecration, we are all asked to participate spiritually and with faith. In faith the consecration, we do merrily, says the hymn. The sanctity of the feast rests on our faith that the temple is the work of Christ and of the Holy Spirit; a work of the Holy Trinity as we believe; as the troparion says, This House was built by the Father. This House was made firm by the Son. This House was renewed by the Holy Spirit, Who enlightens, strengthens, and sanctifies our souls. The temple is of course the house of God, but it is also our house, which brings to us the life and grace of God. Thank You to All Who have Pledged as Godparents! Pledge Today!

WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS Sunday, November 15, 2015 Services for this Week : Monday, November 16 - Matthew the Apostle - Orthros 9am Divine Liturgy 10am Saturday, November 21 - Entrance of the Theotokos - Orthros 9am Divine Liturgy 10am Saturday, November 21 - NO VESPERS at Transfiguration Margaret Maria Hobbie Daughter of Dale James Hobbie and Aikaterini Karvounaki Hobbie 40 days Blessing for: Cassiani Stavrou Daughter of Orestis Stavrou and AnnaMaria Karamolegos And for May God grant them many years!!! Thank you to last week s Coffee Hour Sponsors Athanasiou, Ayers, Bakiris, Bakiris, Bell Thank you to this week s Coffee Hour Sponsors: Ackerman, Allen, Ambrose, Benson, Antoniadis, Apostolakis Next week s Luncheon Sponsors: PHILOPTOCHOS Thank you to last week s ushers: Tom Gouris (PCM) Harry Stamatis, MaryBeth Gradziel Brian Holland Thank you to today's ushers: William Leara (PCM) Dan Appling, Gigi Appling, Nyda Glaros Next week s ushers are: Jim Norman (PCM) Paul Petrogeorge, Argiro Justice, Maria Justice