Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church

Honor your father and mother, and You shall love your neighbor as yourself." The young man said to him, "All these I have observed; what do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions. And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." SAVE THIS IMPORTANT DATE: Our Saint Nicholas Church will be turning 90 Years old this year and we are going to celebrate in a big way! Saint Nicholas 90 th Anniversary Dinner Dance is on Sunday, September 24 th, 2017 at Tuscany Falls in Mokena. The cost will be $125 per adult, and $25 for children 3 to 12 years of age. Children under 3 are free. The ticket includes hors d'oeuvres, a four hour open bar, a full four-course meal, music, dancing and other surprises. WE NEED YOUR HELP: We are searching for volunteers to bring their creativity to the table. The only way we can make the 90 th Anniversary event memorable and successful is with the help of everyone. We are also searching for old photos and memories to share with everyone. If you have any photos could you please email them to George Danos at gpd81@comcast.net. Or bring them into church and we can scan them. If you would like to contribute your talents to this event please call Dorothy Mezilson Pavlick @ 708-203-6402. SILENT AUCTION ITEMS NEEDED: We are looking for monetary donations and donations of high end items that can be auctioned for the silent auction for our 90 th Anniversary Dinner Dance. If you wish to donate please call Zoe Skopec at 708-642-4350. GREEK SCHOOL REGISTRATION: It has come yet again. The time to register our kids for Greek School. Please see the registration forms in the bulletin for more information. Classes will begin on the Monday following Labor Day. THE MIDWEST HELLENIC DANCE FESTIVAL: Is presented by the Metropolis of Chicago, is being held here at St. Nicholas on October 6 through 8. The Festival will feature Greek Dance Workshops, taught by experienced instructors, for teens and adults ages 13 and up and also for young people ages 9 to 12. Among the activities the Festival will include exhibition dance performances and a dinner. Sign up and reservations open on Thursday, June 1st. You may contact MidwestHDF@gmail.com or call 708-945-6095 or 708-385-2311 for more information. http://www.mhdf.il.goarch.org/ YOUR COOPERATION IS NEEDED: We remind our faithful that the Divine Liturgy begins at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday. Please be prompt and on time! Please turn off cell phones before entering church. No conversation should take place during worship. During the reading of the Gospel people in the narthex should not be purchasing or lighting candles but standing reverently and listen to the reading. If possible avoid using center aisle during high points of Divine Liturgy. Lipstick and lip-gloss should be removed before kissing icons, receiving Holy Communion and kissing the hand of the priest. When receiving antidoron, please use both hands and do not allow the crumbs to fall to the floor. Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Very Reverend Archimandrite Christodoulos Margellos frchristos@gmail.com 10301 S Kolmar Ave. Oak Lawn, IL 60453 (708)-636-5460 www.stnicholasil.org

Sunday, August 27 th, 2017 12 th Sunday of Matthew Holy Martyr Phanourios Readings: Epistle: Ephesians 6: 10-17 Gospel: Matthew 19: 16-26 Epistle Reader: Daniel Biesiada Back to School Picnic and Coffee Hour sponsored by the Sunday School and the family of Toula Kleros in her loving memory follows the Divine Liturgy in the Dr. Mary Dochios Kamberos Community Center Father Christodoulos is on vacation today and through August 30th. We warmly welcome Father Christos Mihalopopulos who will be celebrating the Divine Liturgy with us today. Greekfests Saint Iakovos, Valparaiso, IN 40 Day Blessing Georgios, son of Peter and Constantina Pangiotaros Memorial Demetra (Toula) Kleros 40 Days May her Memory be Eternal THIS WEEK AT SAINT NICHOLAS Monday, August 28 th, 2017 11:00 a.m. Preparation of Food for Feed the Hungry Tuesday, August 29 th, 2017 8:30 a.m. Philoptochos will meet to go feed the Hungry at Annunciation Cathedral in downtown Chicago Wednesday, August 30 th, 2017 Greek School Open House Friday, September 1 st, 2017 Church Office Closed HOLY LAND PILGRAMAGE: We are now only 2 months away from our Holy Land Pilgrimage in November. This is truly a once in a life time experience and I Strongly recommend that if you are considering it. Take the leap and join. We are currently collecting deposits and the total cost f the trip will be around $3,100. That includes air fare, hotel and breakfast & dinner everyday. For those planning on going. Please See Fr. Christodoulos YOUTH WORKERS WANTED: Our youth programs here at Saint Nicholas are run by some wonderful volunteers who week in and week out do an excellent job. We are currently in need of a GOYA advisor and could use some more parents to help during the year. We are also in need of an Athletic Director. We are also in need of some coaches for team sports at the junior Olympics. Without parishioner support, especially our youth s parents, we cannot continue our various programs. Please offer your time and talent. If you are interested in helping in any capacity for our youth programs please contact Fr. Christodoulos at the Church Office. ἐν ᾧ καὶ ἑστήκατε, δι' οὗ καὶ σῴζεσθε, τίνι λόγῳ εὐηγγελισάµην ὑµῖν εἰ κατέχετε, ἐκτὸς εἰ µὴ εἰκῇ ἐπιστεύσατε. Παρέδωκα γὰρ ὑµῖν ἐν πρώτοις, ὃ καὶ παρέλαβον, ὅτι Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁµαρτιῶν ἡµῶν κατὰ τὰς γραφάς καὶ ὅτι ἐτάφη, καὶ ὅτι ἐγήγερται τῇ τρίτῃ ἡµέρᾳ κατὰ τὰς Γραφάς καὶ ὅτι ὤφθη Κηφᾷ, εἶτα τοῖς δώδεκα ἔπειτα ὤφθη ἐπάνω πεντακοσίοις ἀδελφοῖς ἐφάπαξ, ἐξ ὧν οἱ πλείονες µένουσιν ἕως ἄρτι, τινὲς δὲ καὶ ἐκοιµήθησαν ἔπειτα ὤφθη Ἰακώβῳ, εἶτα τοῖς ἀποστόλοις πᾶσιν ἔσχατον δὲ πάντων ὡσπερεὶ τῷ ἐκτρώµατι ὤφθη κἀµοί. 'Εγὼ γάρ εἰµι ὁ ἐλάχιστος τῶν ἀποστόλων, ὃς οὔκ εἰµι ἱκανὸς καλεῖσθαι ἀπόστολος, διότι ἐδίωξα τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι δὲ Θεοῦ εἰµι ὅ εἰµι καὶ ἡ χάρις αὐτοῦ ἡ εἰς ἐµὲ οὐ κενὴ ἐγενήθη, ἀλλὰ περισσότερον αὐτῶν πάντων ἐκοπίασα οὐκ ἐγὼ δὲ ἀλλ ἡ χάρις τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ σὺν ἐµοί. Εἴτε οὖν ἐγὼ εἴτε ἐκεῖνοι, οὕτως κηρύσσοµεν καὶ οὕτως ἐπιστεύσατε. The reading is from Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 15: 1-11 Brethren, I would remind you in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand, by which you are saved, if you hold it fast - unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. Ἐκ τοῦ Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 19: 16-26 Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, νεανίσκος τις προσῆλθε τῷ Ἰησοῦ γονυπετῶν αὐτῷ καὶ λέγων Διδάσκαλε ἀγαθέ, τί ἀγαθὸν ποιήσω ἵνα ἔχω ζωὴν αἰώνιον; ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Τί µε λέγεις ἀγαθόν; οὐδεὶς ἀγαθὸς εἰ µὴ εἷς ὁ Θεὸς. εἰ δὲ θέλεις εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ζωὴν, τήρησον τὰς ἐντολάς. λέγει αὐτῷ Ποίας; ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπε Τὸ οὐ φονεύσεις, οὐ µοιχεύσεις, οὐ κλέψεις, οὐ ψευδοµαρτυρήσεις, τίµα τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν µητέρα, καί, ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν. λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ νεανίσκος Πάντα ταῦτα ἐφυλαξάµην ἐκ νεότητός µου τί ἔτι ὑστερῶ; ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς Εἰ θέλεις τέλειος εἶναι, ὕπαγε πώλησόν σου τὰ ὑπάρχοντα καὶ δὸς πτωχοῖς, καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν οὐρανῷ, καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει µοι. ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ νεανίσκος τὸν λόγον ἀπῆλθε λυπούµενος ἦν γὰρ ἔχων κτήµατα πολλά. Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπε τοῖς µαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ Ἀµὴν λέγω ὑµῖν ὅτι δυσκόλως πλούσιος εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν. πάλιν δὲ λέγω ὑµῖν, εὐκοπώτερόν ἐστι κάµηλον διὰ τρυπήµατος ῥαφίδος διελθεῖν ἢ πλούσιον εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰσελθεῖν. ἀκούσαντες δὲ οἱ µαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἐξεπλήσσοντο σφόδρα λέγοντες Τίς ἄρα δύναται σωθῆναι; ἐµβλέψας δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Παρὰ ἀνθρώποις τοῦτο ἀδύνατόν ἐστι, παρὰ δὲ Θεῷ πάντα δυνατά ἐστι. The Gospel According to Matthew 19: 16-26 At that time, a young man came up to Jesus, kneeling and saying, "Good Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" And he said to him, "Why do you call me good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." He said to him, "Which?" And Jesus said, "You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness,

Resurrectional Apolytikion Ἦχος γ Εὐφραινέσθω τὰ οὐράνια, ἀγαλλιάσθω τὰ ἐπίγεια, ὅτι ἐποίησε κράτος, ἐν βραχίονι αὐτοῦ, ὁ Κύριος, ἐπάτησε τῷ θανάτῳ τὸν θάνατον, πρωτότοκος τῶν νεκρῶν ἐγένετο, ἐκ κοιλίας ᾅδου ἐρρύσατο ἡµᾶς, καὶ παρέσχε τῷ κόσµῳ τὸ µέγα ἔλεος. Third Mode Let the heavens sing for joy, and let everything on earth be glad. For with His Arm the Lord has worked power. He trampled death under foot by means of death; and He became the firstborn from the dead. From the maw of Hades He delivered us; and He granted the world His great mercy. Apolytikion of the Saint Ἦχος δ Ὡς ἄστρον ἀνέτειλας, τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ Χριστοῦ, καὶ πάντας κατηύγασας, φανερωθεὶς θαυμαστῶς, Φανούριε ἔνδοξε ὅθεν τοῖς εὔφημοῦσι, τὴν σὴν ἄθλησιν Μάρτυς, νέμεις τῶν σῶν θαυμάτων, τῆν σωτήριον χάριν, πρεσβεύων τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὑπὲρ τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν. Fourth Mode A heavenly song of praise is brightly sung on the earth; * the hosts of the Angels keep an earthly festival now in splendor and radiant joy; * from on high, they praise with hymns the suff'rings and struggles; * and below, the Church doth laud the heavenly glory * thou foundest by thy contests and pains, O glorious Phanurius. Hymn of Saint Nicholas Patron of our Parish Ἠχος δ Κανόνα πίστεως καί εικόνα πραότητος, εγκρατείας Διδάσκαλον, ανέδειξέ σε τή ποίμνη σου, η τών πραγμάτων αλήθεια, διά τούτο εκτήσω τή ταπεινώσει τά υψηλά, τή πτωχεία τά πλούσια, Πάτερ Ιεράρχα Νικόλαε, πρέσβευε Χριστώ τώ Θεώ, σωθήναι τάς ψυχάς ημών. Fourth Mode A model of faith and the image of gentleness, the example of your life has shown you forth to your sheep-fold to be a master of temperance. You obtained thus through being lowly, gifts from on high, and riches through poverty. Nicholas, our father and priest of priests, intercede with Christ our God that He may save our souls. Memorial Hymn Μνήσθητι, Κύριε, ὡς ἀγαθὸς τῶν δούλων σου, καὶ ὅσα ἐν βίῳ ἥμαρτον, συγχώρησον οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἀναμάρτητος, εἰμὴ σὺ ὁ δυνάμενος, καὶ τοῖς μεταστᾶσι δοῦναι τήν ἀνάπαυσιν. Kontakion Ἦχος δ Ἰωακεὶµ καὶ Ἄννα ὀνειδισµοῦ ἀτεκνίας, καὶ Ἀδὰµ καὶ Εὔα, ἐκ τῆς φθορᾶς τοῦ θανάτου, ἠλευθερώθησαν, Ἄχραντε, ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ γεννήσει σου αὐτὴν ἑορτάζει καὶ ὁ λαός σου, ἐνοχῆς τῶν πταισµάτων, λυτρωθεὶς ἐν τῷ κράζειν σοι Ἡ στεῖρα τίκτει τὴν Θεοτόκον, καὶ τροφὸν τῆς ζωῆς ἡµῶν. Fourth Mode Both Joachim and Anna from their sterility's stigma, and Adam and Eve from their mortality's ruin have been set free, O immaculate Maid, by your holy nativity. For this do your people hold celebration, redeemed from the guilt of transgression as they cry to you, "The barren one bears the Theotokos, the nourisher of our Life." Πρὸς Κορινθίους Αʹ Ἐπιστολῆς Παύλου 15:1-11 Ἀδελφοί, γνωρίζω ὑµῖν τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον ὃ εὐηγγελισάµην ὑµῖν, ὃ καὶ παρελάβετε, NO LONGER A HUMBLE CARPENTER: Let s not forget who Jesus is right now. He isn t a baby in a manger anymore; He s no longer a humble carpenter; He s not the forlorn image you might see on a crucifix. Jesus Christ is the person Stephen saw enthroned in heaven; He s the One who met Saul in a blinding blaze of light and stopped him in his tracks. Jesus is the Lord who appeared in overwhelming visions to the Old Testament prophets; He s the One whose face shone like the sun in John s vision. He is nothing less than the King of kings and the Lord of lords, and He lays claim to you and to me and to every dimension of our lives. Not only that, but this exalted Jesus promises that He will one day return to earth with power and great glory to judge the living and the dead. Revelation 1:7 says, Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen. STEWARDSHIP REMINDER: We are at the end of the month of August and still many members have failed to make a Stewardship Pledge or to be current with their pledge payments. Please, support the ministries of our Churchl. Include God and His Church in your budget and plans. He includes you in His! Please be active stewards and pay your Stewardship commitment in a timely and manageable manner. Thank You! THE NEW ECCLESIASTICAL YEAR: September is the beginning of a new calendar for all Orthodox Christians. For many centuries the beginning of the civil calendar was the month of September. September heralds the new cycle of feasts and fasts which commemorate the Incarnation or Birth of Jesus Christ. The cycle of days and weeks has as its theme the Life of Christ. It repeats it each year for each generation. He lives! No wonder that in many of the greetings used by Orthodox Christians the present tense is used: Christ is born, Christ is amongst us. He is and will be. Christ is risen! The calendar of saints is also repeated yearly. They share their lives with us, these people who in their own Christian way walked with God. The Church asks us to begin the journey which will take us through the cycle of the Orthodox Liturgical or Church year. To take time for growing, living, loving and sharing in the image of Christ and toward Christ. So let us take this opportunity of New Beginnings to give our lives to Christ and to His Church. SUPER SUNDAY SIGN-UPS: We have dedicated the next 3 Sundays for youth sign-ups, in an effort to get as many children as possible in our programs. Sign ups for Greek School, Sunday School, Youth groups and Athletics will take place on Sundays, August 27 th, September 4 rd & 10 th. Please make every effort and be sure to sign your children up. COMMUNION ANNOUNCEMENT: While we pray and work for the reconciliation and unity of all the world's Christians, the reality remains that there is still no intercommunion between our Orthodox Churches and the Churches of the West. This means that only baptized, chrismated and observant Orthodox faithful receive Communion in our churches. At the same time, we warmly welcome all non- Orthodox to join us in prayer and celebration, and humbly offer to all present the Antidoro bread of fellowship at the end of the service. We offer this important symbol 'instead of the Gifts', in the words of the Apostle Paul, 'Till we all come to the unity of the Faith' (Eph. 4.13).

PLEASE don t leave your weekly bulletin in the pew. Take it home with you and share the message and announcements, written here, with your family and friends. Thank You!