"Our Mission Statement"
As Giving To Us By Our Lord and Savior
Then the King will say to those on His right hand, "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me."
Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, "Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothed You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?" And the King will answer and say to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, in as much as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me".
Matthew 25: 34-40
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Church Is Not Something You Go To,
It's a Family You Belong To
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From the Office of Father Michael
Venerable Joseph the Hymnographer
Commemorated April 3
Come, let us acclaim the divinely inspired Joseph, the twelve-stringed instrument of the Word, the harmonious harp of grace and lute of heavenly virtues, who lauded and praised the assembly of the saints. And now he is glorified with them.
Troparion Chanted In Tone 2
Your divinely inspired tongue was the pen of a ready scribe, according to the words of David. You sang of the contests of the saints and described the grace they received through their labors. Therefore, we cry to you: “Rejoice, O blessed harp of holy melody!”
Kontakion Chanted In Tone 3
Beloved In Christ,
Saint Joseph the Hymnographer, was born in Sicily in 816 to a pious Christian family. Joseph’s parents, Plotinus and Agatha, moved their family to Peloponnesos to avoid the barbaric Arab invasions of the time. At the age of fifteen Saint Joseph went to Thessalonica and entered the monastery of Latomos. He was known for his piety, work ethic, humbleness, and gained the respect of all the brothers of the monastery.
During the reign of the Emperor Leo the Armenian, Saint Gregory the Dekapolite, visited the monastery and was impressed by the young monk. The Saint took Joseph to Constantinople, and assigned him to the Church of the Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus, during the time of fierce iconoclastic persecution.
Saints Gregory and Joseph fearlessly defended the veneration of the Holy Icons. They preached to the people publicly and visited the homes of the Orthodox Christians, encouraging them to stand strong against the heretics. The Holy Church of Constantinople was in a difficult position because the Emperor and the Patriarch were iconoclast heretics.
The Roman Bishops, that were in communion with the Eastern Church, and Pope Leo III, who was not under the authority of the Byzantine Emperor, was able to offer help to the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox monks chose Saint Joseph, who was unwavering in his faith and an articulate speaker to be the messenger to the Pope. Saint Gregory blessed his travel to Rome to report the plight of the Church of Constantinople, the atrocities and the dangers threatening Orthodoxy.
During his voyage, the Arab brigands, who were loyal to the iconoclasts and who received monies from them, captured Saint Joseph. They took him to the Island of Crete; the iconoclasts locked him in prison for six years. Even though suffering much, Joseph encouraged the other prisoners that were also in peril. By his prayers, an Orthodox Bishop, that was imprisoned with him and who had begun to waver in his faith, was strengthened in spirit and courageously accepted martyrdom.
On Christmas Eve in 820 Saint Joseph saw a vision of Saint Nicholas the Great of Myra, who told him about the death of the iconoclast Leo the Armenian, and the end of the persecution. Saint Nicholas then gave him a paper scroll and said, “Take this scroll and eat it.” On the scroll was written: “Hasten, O Gracious One, and come to our aid if possible and as You will, for You are the Merciful One.” The Saint after reading the scroll, ate it and said, “How sweet are your prophecies to my throat” (Psalms 118/119:103). Saint Nicholas directed Joseph to chant these words. After chanting these psalms the chains, that bound him, fell off and the doors of the prison opened, and he emerged from prison. He was then transported through the air and placed on a road that lead into the Imperial City of Constantinople.
Upon reaching Constantinople, Saint Joseph found that Saint Gregory the Dekapolite had been martyred, leaving behind his disciple John who died soon after. Saint Joseph built a church dedicated to Saint Nicholas and placed the relics of Saints Gregory and John in the church. Joseph also founded a monastery near the church.
Some time later Saint Joseph received a portion of the relics of the Apostle Bartholomew and constructed a church in memory of the Holy Apostle. He honored and respected Saint Bartholomew, and was upset that there wasn’t Canon (Service) glorifying the Apostle. He wanted to embellish the Feast of Saint Bartholomew with hymns, but he did not want to compose them himself.
For forty days Saint Joseph fasted and prayed in preparing for the Feast of the Holy Apostle. On the eve of the Feast, Saint Bartholomew appeared to him in the altar and gave Joseph the Holy Gospel Book to venerate, he then blessed him to write church hymns, “May the right hand of the Almighty God bless you, may your tongue pour forth waters of heavenly wisdom, may your heart be a temple of the Holy Spirit, and may your hymnody delight the entire world.” He then arranged the Canon to the Saint Bartholomew, thus Joseph began to compose hymns and Canons to the Mother of God, the Saints, and in honor of Saint Nicholas, who liberated him from prison.
During the reign of the Emperor Theophilus the iconoclast heresy was revived and again Saint Joseph suffered from the heretics. He was exiled to Chersoneses (an ancient Greek colony founded in the southwestern part of the Crimean Peninsula)for eleven years. The veneration of Holy Icons was restored under the Empress Theodora 842, and Saint Joseph was called and assigns him as keeper of Sacred Vessels (Skevofelax) at the Great Cathedral of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.
Joseph did not fear persecution or threats, he boldly denounced Bardas the brother of the Empress for unlawful cohabitation; the Saint was again sent into exile and returned only after Bardas died in 867.Patriarch Photios restored him to his former position and appointed him Father Confessor for all the clergy of Constantinople.
On Holy Friday in 863, Saint Joseph fell ill, the Lord came to him in a dream, and told him that he would soon be called to Heaven. Being that Saint Joseph was the official overseer of the religious articles in Hagia Sophia, he took an inventory of these articles and sent it to Patriarch Photios. He then prayed deeply for several days, preparing for his death. He prayed for peace for the Church, and that God have mercy on his soul. Having received the Holy Sacraments of the Church, Saint Joseph blessed all who came to him, and joyfully fell asleep in the Lord. The Saints, whom Saint Joseph had worshiped in his hymnology, accompanied his humble soul to Heaven.
In 890, Deacon John of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and the official biography of Saint Joseph, wrote about the power of Saint Joseph’s Canons: “When he began to write verses, then the hearing was taken with a wondrous pleasantness of sound, and the heart was struck by the power of the thought. Those who strive for a life of perfection find a respite here. Writers, having left off with their other versification, from this one treasure-trove, from the writings of Saint Joseph, began to scoop out his treasure for their own songs, or better to say, daily they scoop them out.
And finally, all the people carry it over into their own language, so as to enlighten with song the darkness of night, or staving off sleep, to continue with the vigil until sunrise. If anyone were to peruse the life of a saint of the Church on any given day, they would see the worthiness of Saint Joseph’s hymns and acknowledge his glorious life. Actually, since the lives and deeds of almost every saint are adorned with praises, is not he worthy of immortal glory, who has worthily and exquisitely known how to glorify them? Now let some saints glorify his meekness, and others his wisdom, and others his works, and all together glorify the grace of the Holy Spirit, Who so abundantly and immeasurably has bestow his gifts on him.”
Most of the Canons in the Menaion, the 12 Books, which contain the Services for each day of the month, are Saint Joseph’s work. He also composed many of the hymns in the Parakleteke, the Book containing the Byzantine Church Hymns in the Eight Tones.
We ask Saint Joseph to pray for us.
Have a Blessed Pascha!
Καλο Πασχα!
In His Love,
Father Michael
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Holy Week Services
Saturday, April 8th, Saturday of Lazarus, Divine Liturgy 10:00am; Communion Breakfast, Cleaning and Decorating of Church following Divine Liturgy
Sunday, April 9th, Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday, Children's Easter Egg Hunt, Following Divine Liyurgy
Palm Sunday Evening, Bridegroom Service, 7:00pm
Holy Monday Evening, Bridegroom Service, 7:00pm
Holy Tuesday Evening, Bridegroom Service, 7:00pm
Holy Wednesday Evening, Holy Unction, 7:00pm
Holy Thursday, Divine Liturgy, 9:00am
Holy Thursday, Reading of the Twelve Gospels, 7:00pm
Holy Friday Afternoon, “Apokathelosis”, 2:00pm
Holy Friday Evening, Chanting of the Lamentations, 7:00pm
Holy Saturday Morning, Divine Liturgy, 10:00am
Holy Saturday Night, Pre-Resurrection Service, 11:00pm. Holy Resurrection Service and Divine Liturgy of the Resurrection, 12 Mid-Night
Easter Sunday, Agape Vesper Service, 11:00am
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Save The Dates
Saturday, April 22nd, Great Vesper Service of Saint George, 5:30pm; Feast Day Reception to follow
Sunday, April 23rd, Feast of Saint George the Great Martyr
Sunday, April 30th, Annual Saint George Dinner Dance, “The Chateau”, 5:00pm
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Altar Boy Holy Week Schedule
9:45am, Saturday of Lazarus, Nicholas, Phillip, Wayne and Andreas
9:45am, Palm Sunday Morning, All Altar Boys On Duty
6:45pm, Palm Sunday Evening, Bari, Andrea and Wayne
6:45pm, Holy Monday Evening, Zach and Nicholas
6:45pm, Holy Tuesday Evening, Bari and Kostas
6:45pm, Holy Wednesday Evening, Dean, Nicholas, Kostas and Zach
8:45am, Holy Thursday Morning, Phillip, Wayne and Kostas
6:45pm, Holy Thursday Evening, Dean, Bari, Andreas, Zach and Nicholas
1:45pm, Holy Friday Afternoon, All Altar Boys On Duty
6:45pm, Holy Friday Evening, All Altar Boys On Duty
9:45am, Holy Saturday Morning, Dean, Zach, Bari and Phillip
11:00pm, Holy Saturday Evening, All Altar Boys On Duty
All Altar Boys Are Welcome To Serve At Any and All Service That Are Listed Even If You’re Not Scheduled.
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Prayer List
We ask you to please pray for the health and welfare of the following Brothers and Sisters; Alexandra, Ekaterini, Vasili, Fotini, George, Voula, Spiros, Nicholas, Eleni, Voula, Zoe, Billy, Mary, Helen, Antonea, Nectarios, Leonidas, Katherine, Lukea, Ιωαννα, Katina, Costa, George, Litsa, Penny, Athena, Dean, Paul, Demetra, Victoria, Chrysoula, Konstantina, George, Fr. Theodore, Fr. Joachim.
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*Special Note: Please have your family and friends submit their email addresses to Father Michael at, fathermichaelk@icloud.com, so that they can receive the weekly bulletin directly.