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This Week's Calendar

Saturday, March 16 - Second Saturday of Souls
OYAA Tournament
9:00 am Orthros
10:00 Divine Liturgy

Sunday, March 17 - Forgiveness Sunday (Cheesefare Sunday)
Click here to view the printed liturgy
OYAA Tournament
8:45 am Orthros
10:00 am Divine Liturgy
11:30 am Church School and Catechism
6:00 pm Vespers of Forgiveness

Monday, March 18 - Clean Monday
6:00 pm Great Compline

Tuesday, March 19
11:00 am Bible Study (Click here to join via Zoom)
12:00 pm Tuesdayr Lunch Group
5:00 pm Youth Greek School Classes
6:00 pm Great Compline
6:30 pm Adult Greek Class (on Zoom)

Wednesday, March 20
6:00 pm Presanctified Liturgy, Soup Supper and Lenten Discussion

Thursday, March 21
6:00 pm Great Compline
6:30 pm Adult Greek Classes (on Zoom)

Friday, March 22
7:00 pm Salutations to the Theotokos

Saturday, March 23 - Third Saturday of Souls
9:00 am Orthros
10:00 Divine Liturgy

Sunday, March 24 - Sunday of Orthodoxy
Click here to view the printed liturgy
8:45 am Orthros
10:00 am Divine Liturgy
6:00 pm COCC Vespers - TRIUMPH of ORTHODOXY with Procession of Icons
St. Lazarus "Ravanica" Serbian Orthodox Cathedral 4575 E. Outer Drive, Detroit 48234

Happening this Week

THE SECOND SATURDAY OF SOULS IS MARCH 16 - Remember your loved ones and offer their names for prayers! Use the attached form to submit names for prayers. Please submit your names only once. Paper copies are available in the narthex.

GREAT LENT BEGINS WITH FORGIVENESS VESPERS ON SUNDAY, MARCH 17 AT 6 PM We'll worship here at Nativity with our sister Parish - Sts. Constantine and Helen.

forgiveness service

BIBLE STUDY WITH FR. NICK ON TUESDAY, March 19 -We hope you can join him at 11 am for lively discussion and stay for food and fellowship (Tuesday Lunch Group) following Bible Study. Join Zoom Meeting, Meeting ID: 833 1117 3595, Passcode: 2vNyh4

Great Lent Opportunities

Welcome to Holy Lent is a complete listing of the services offered during the season of lent. They are available on the candlestand in the narthex or as a bulletin attachment below

Pick up a Journey to Pascha sheet on the candlestand in the narthex with Scripture readings, themes and suggestions for how you can participate in Great and Holy Lent. It is also included as a bulletin attachment below.

SOUP MAKERS NEEDED—for Wednesday evenings following Presanctified Liturgy. Sign up on the bulletin board outside the church office.

Let's read the Psalms together during Great Lent this year—For those new to the practice, the Psalms are divided into Kathisma and each day, each person reads a segment of the Psalms. As a group, we will all read the book of Psalms everyday throughout lent and will go through the book twice. I will send instructions with how they are divided. It’s a great way to pray together and learn the Psalms. The time commitment is about 10-15 mins a day, done at your choice of time and location. If you are interested, please reach out to Harrietta Christodoulos at harriettaz@yahoo.com or 734-718-1017.

READERS NEEDED FOR GREAT COMPLINE DURING LENT If you would like to read for our Great Compline services during Lent contact the Bill Smith for details. Service books are available with the assigned readings if you would like to prepare before the service. Click here to sign up via Sign-up Genius. Click here to learn more about the service of Great Compline.

Taste of Lent Agora Market coming on March 24 - Our ladies will offer delicious homemade Lent friendly food "to go" during coffee hour on Sundays in Lent. Look for the marketplace table in the parish hall following Liturgy.

agora

The Council of Orthodox Christian Churches is sponsoring Lenten Vespers on Sunday Evenings. Services will be held at various locations at 6 pm. A free will offering will be collected and refreshments will be served following the service. Officiated by the St. John Chrysostom Clergy Brotherhood with responses by the Orthodox Choir of Detroit. See bulletin insert below for details

Save the Date

ORATORICAL FESTIVAL: The St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival will be held on Sunday, March 31 at our parish. The festival is a national program where Orthodox youth, grades 7 – 12, present speeches discussing the Greek Orthodox faith and the Church. Youth can earn cash awards at the parish level and scholarship awards if they make it to the Nationals. For more information, visit https://www.goarch.org/oratorical, or contact Jerry Takis or Peggy Collias. Click here to download the informational packet.

THE 22ND ANNUAL GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE IS SUNDAY, APRIL 14 - We are looking for people to represent Nativity by marching in the parade with our new banner.

GREEK PARADE

AHEPA DISTRICT 10 SCHOLARSHIPS - We are excited to announce the opening of the 2024 AHEPA Educational Foundation District #10 Scholarship Application. Please forward the below information as appropriate.

The application will be submitted entirely online.
The application is available through a link at the Educational Foundation's website at www.ad10ef.org.
Applicants can visit the Educational Foundation's website and follow the link to complete the application.
The deadline to complete submission is April 1, 2024.
The Board of Directors of the AHEPA District #10 Educational Foundation look forward to celebrating our Scholarship Recipients at our Awards Banquet on May 19, 2024, at St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Troy, Michigan.

A NOTE OF THANKS - The Christodoulos family extends their deepest thanks to the Nativity of The Virgin Mary Greek Dance Group, Peggy Collias, and all of the volunteers, and our Beloved Nativity family for the beautiful fundraiser held for Panagiotis. We are beyond grateful to you for your continued love and support. You are a light for us during this time and we love you all so much!

Stewardship Information

STEWARDSHIP 2024 - We know that people may have dropped their home phone, moved or had other changes in their household. information We would like to update our member database, so please be sure to complete all of the information on the Stewardship Cards for 2024! Stewardship cards are located on the table in the Narthex.

SUBMIT YOUR STEWARDSHIP COMMITMENT ONLINE - Click here to make your commitment online or to update your information.

GIVE ONLINE IN 2024 Abundant is Nativity's online giving service! You can donate by App (available for Apple or Android devices) by web (link on our web page) by ACH/EFT (Kathy will set it up for you). This program connects directly with our parish data system - so your stewardship gifts are imported directly into your record. Click here to visit our online giving page.

Those in Our Prayers

Nicholas the Bishop, John the Priest, John the Priest, Cassani the Presvytera,Kalliope the Presvytera, Sevi Bertolis, Panayiotis Christodoulos, Mary Christopoulos, Constantin Dumitrescu, Kosta Efthimiou, Tracey Ford, Greg Georvassilis, Zoe Jaimee, Kathy Jenaras, Maria Kalas, Angela Kheir, George & Diane Kotsonas, Panayiota Koutoupa, Gus Kyriakou, Penelope Kyriakoula, Jim Lee, Nick Malamis, Bessie Marcus, Frank Maroudis, Freda Mollasis, Gregory Morakeas, Evelyn Morris, George Mortis, Alexander Nichoff, Marchela Papageorgakis, Stella Papasavva, Nikolia Pappas, Nicholas Pappas, George Peters, Helen Peters, Katerina Peters, Costas Photsios, Penny Poulos, Pam Provgna, Maria Rifat, Helen Sitaras, Vasillios Sotiropoulos, Rick Stanley & Family, Evan Kostonas Stoecklein, Mike & Julia Tate, Jim Tsakos, Evris & Helen Tsaprazis, Pete Tsaprazis, John Vardouniotis, Alexander Varverakis, Jim Vlahakis, Irene Vouharas, Trevor Wilhelmi, Sandy Zembylas, Selina Zembylas-Hernandez, George Zervos, Little Jack and Sofia.

THE CHURCH IS HERE FOR YOU In times of need or times of celebration, there are a number of pastoral situations that warrant contacting Father Nick.

Any Hospital Stay: Illness, Surgery, etc.
Death - Call when a person is dying and at the actual time of death, regardless of the hour!
Substance abuse involving you or a loved one.
Domestic problems of any sort, Marital or children.
When you desire spiritual direction.
Birth of a child, (naming, and 40 day blessing).
When you become engaged and are planning a wedding.

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

You descended from on high, O compassionate One, and consented to a threeday burial, to free us from the passions. O Lord, our life and resurrection, glory to You!

Ἐξ ὕψους κατῆλθες ὁ εὔσπλαγχνος, ταφὴν καταδέξω τριήμερον, ἵνα ἡμᾶς ἐλευθερώσῃς τῶν παθῶν. Ἡ ζωὴ καὶ ἡ Ἀνάστασις ἡμῶν, Κύριε δόξα σοι.

Apolytikion of the Church in the Fourth Mode

Your Nativity, O Theotokos, brought joy to the whole world, for from you dawned the sun of righteousness, Christ our God. Freeing us from the curse, He gave us His blessings. Abolishing death, He granted us eternal life.

H yέννησίς σου, Θεοτόκε, χαρὰν ἐμήνυσε πάσῃ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ· ἐκ σοῦ γὰρ ἀνέτειλεν ὁ ἥλιος τῆς δικαιοσύνης, Χριστὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν· καὶ λύσας τὴν κατάραν, ἔδωκε τὴν εὐλογίαν· καὶ καταργήσας τὸν θάνατον, ἐδωρήσατο ἡμῖν ζωὴν τὴν αἰώνιον

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Second Mode

O guide to wisdom, provider of prudence, disciplinarian of fools, and defender of the poor, fortify and discipline my heart, O Master; You, give me a word, O Word of the Father. For behold, I will not hinder my lips from crying to You: O merciful Lord, have mercy on me who have fallen. (not metered)

Τῆς σοφίας ὁδηγέ, φρονήσεως χορηγέ, τῶν ἀφρόνων παιδευτά, καὶ πτωχῶν ὑπερασπιστά, στήριξον, συνέτισον τὴν καρδίαν μου Δέσποτα. Σὺ δίδου μοι λόγον, ὁ τοῦ Πατρός Λόγος· ἰδοὺ γὰρ τὰ χείλη μου, οὐ μὴ κωλύσω ἐν τῷ κράζειν σοι· Ἐλεῆμον, ἐλέησόν με τὸν παραπεσόντα.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal Fourth Mode. Psalm 75.11,1.
Make your vows to the Lord our God and perform them.
Verse: God is known in Judah; his name is great in Israel.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 13:11-14; 14:1-4.

Brethren, salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed; the night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions. One believes he may eat anything, while the weak man eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats; for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for God is able to make him stand.

Προκείμενον. Plagal Fourth Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 75.11,1.
Εὔξασθε καὶ ἀπόδοτε Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν.
Στίχ. Γνωστὸς ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ ὁ Θεός, ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ μέγα τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς ῾Ρωμαίους 13:11-14, 14:1-4.

Ἀδελφοί, νῦν ἐγγύτερον ἡμῶν ἡ σωτηρία ἢ ὅτε ἐπιστεύσαμεν. Ἡ νὺξ προέκοψεν, ἡ δὲ ἡμέρα ἤγγικεν· ἀποθώμεθα οὖν τὰ ἔργα τοῦ σκότους, καί ἐνδυσώμεθα τὰ ὅπλα τοῦ φωτός. Ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ, εὐσχημόνως περιπατήσωμεν, μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις, μὴ κοίταις καὶ ἀσελγείαις, μὴ ἔριδι καὶ ζήλῳ. Ἀλλʼ ἐνδύσασθε τὸν κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, καὶ τῆς σαρκὸς πρόνοιαν μὴ ποιεῖσθε, εἰς ἐπιθυμίας. Τὸν δὲ ἀσθενοῦντα τῇ πίστει προσλαμβάνεσθε, μὴ εἰς διακρίσεις διαλογισμῶν. Ὃς μὲν πιστεύει φαγεῖν πάντα, ὁ δὲ ἀσθενῶν λάχανα ἐσθίει. Ὁ ἐσθίων τὸν μὴ ἐσθίοντα μὴ ἐξουθενείτω, καὶ ὁ μὴ ἐσθίων τὸν ἐσθίοντα μὴ κρινέτω· ὁ θεὸς γὰρ αὐτὸν προσελάβετο. Σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ κρίνων ἀλλότριον οἰκέτην; Τῷ ἰδίῳ κυρίῳ στήκει ἢ πίπτει. Σταθήσεται δέ· δυνατὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ θεὸς στῆσαι αὐτόν.

Gospel Reading

Forgiveness Sunday
The Reading is from Matthew 6:14-21

The Lord said, "If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

"And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Forgiveness Sunday
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 6:14-21

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος· ᾿Εὰν γὰρ ἀφῆτε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὰ παραπτώματα αὐτῶν, ἀφήσει καὶ ὑμῖν ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀφῆτε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὰ παραπτώματα αὐτῶν, οὐδὲ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ἀφήσει τὰ παραπτώματα ὑμῶν. ῞Οταν δὲ νηστεύητε, μὴ γίνεσθε ὥσπερ οἱ ὑποκριταὶ σκυθρωποί· ἀφανίζουσι γὰρ τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν ὅπως φανῶσι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύοντες· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ἀπέχουσι τὸν μισθὸν αὐτῶν. σὺ δὲ νηστεύων ἄλειψαί σου τὴν κεφαλὴν καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν σου νίψαι,ὅπως μὴ φανῇς τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύων, ἀλλὰ τῷ πατρί σου τῷ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ, καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου ὁ βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ ἀποδώσει σοι ἐν τῷ φανερῷ. Μὴ θησαυρίζετε ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅπου σὴς καὶ βρῶσις ἀφανίζει, καὶ ὅπου κλέπται διορύσσουσι καὶ κλέπτουσι· θησαυρίζετε δὲ ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐν οὐρανῷ, ὅπου οὔτε σὴς οὔτε βρῶσις ἀφανίζει, καὶ ὅπου κλέπται οὐ διορύσσουσιν οὐδὲ κλέπτουσιν· ὅπου γάρ ἐστιν ὁ θησαυρὸς ὑμῶν, ἐκεῖ ἔσται καὶ ἡ καρδία ὑμῶν.

Saints and Feasts

March 17

Forgiveness Sunday

The Holy Fathers have appointed the commemoration of Adam's exile from the Paradise of delight here, on the eve of the holy Forty-day Fast, demonstrating to us not by simple words, but by actual deeds, how beneficial fasting is for man, and how harmful and destructive are insatiety and the transgressing of the divine commandments. For the first commandment that God gave to man was that of fasting, which the first-fashioned received but did not keep; and not only did they not become gods, as they had imagined, but they lost even that blessed life which they had, and they fell into corruption and death, and transmitted these and innumerable other evils to all of mankind. The God-bearing Fathers set these things before us today, that by bringing to mind what we have fallen from, and what we have suffered because of the insatiety and disobedience of the first-fashioned, we might be diligent to return again to that ancient bliss and glory by means of fasting and obedience to all the divine commands. Taking occasion from today's Gospel (Matt. 6:14-21) to begin the Fast unencumbered by enmity, we also ask forgiveness this day, first from God, then from one another and all creation.

March 17

Patrick the Enlightener of Ireland

Saint Patrick, the Apostle of the Irish, was seized from his native Britain by Irish marauders when he was sixteen years old. Though the son of a deacon and a grandson of a priest, it was not until his captivity that he sought out the Lord with his whole heart. In his Confession, the testament he wrote towards the end of his life, he says, "After I came to Ireland - every day I had to tend sheep, and many times a day I prayed - the love of God and His fear came to me more and more, and my faith was strengthened. And my spirit was so moved that in a single day I would say as many as a hundred prayers, and almost as many at night, and this even when I was staying in the woods and on the mountain; and I would rise for prayer before daylight, through snow, through frost, through rain, and I felt no harm." After six years of slavery in Ireland, he was guided by God to make his escape, and afterwards struggled in the monastic life at Auxerre in Gaul, under the guidance of the holy Bishop Germanus. Many years later he was ordained bishop and sent to Ireland once again, about the year 432, to convert the Irish to Christ. His arduous labours bore so much fruit that within seven years, three bishops were sent from Gaul to help him shepherd his flock, "my brethren and sons whom I have baptized in the Lord - so many thousands of people," he says in his Confession. His apostolic work was not accomplished without much "weariness and painfulness," long journeys through difficult country, and many perils; he says his very life was in danger twelve times. When he came to Ireland as its enlightener, it was a pagan country; when he ended his earthly life some thirty years later, about 461, the Faith of Christ was established in every corner.

March 19

Chrysanthos & Daria the Martyrs

Saint Chrysanthus, who was from Alexandria, had been instructed in the Faith of Christ by a certain bishop. His father, who was a senator by rank and a pagan, had him shut up in prison for many days; then, seeing the unchanging disposition of his mind, he commanded that a certain young woman named Daria be brought from Athens. She was a very beautiful and learned maiden, and also an idolater, and Chrysanthus' father wedded him to her so that he might be drawn away from the Faith of Christ because of his love for her. Instead of this however, Chrysanthus drew Daria unto piety, and both of them boldly proclaimed Christ and received the crown of martyrdom in 283, during the reign of Numerian, when they were buried alive in a pit of mire.

March 20

Photini the Samaritan Woman

Saint Photini lived in 1st century Palestine and was the woman that Christ met at Jacob's Well in Samaria as recorded in the Gospel according to John (4:4-26). After her encounter with Christ, she and her whole family were baptized by the Apostles and became evangelists of the early Church. Photini and her children eventually were summoned before the emperor Nero and instructed to renounce their faith in Christ. They refused to do so, accepting rather to suffer various tortures. After many efforts to force her to surrender to idolatry, the emperor ordered that she be thrown down a well. Photini gave up her life in the year 66.

St. Photini is commemorated on three occasions during the year: February 26 (Greek tradition), March 20 (Slavic tradition), and the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman on the 5th Sunday of Pascha.

Wisdom of the Fathers

Spiritual delight is not enjoyment found in things that exists outside the soul.

St. Isaac of Syria

Unknown, 7th century

Do we forgive our neighbors their trespasses? God also forgives us in His mercy. Do we refuse to forgive? God, too, will refuse to forgive us. As we treat our neighbors, so also does God treat us. The forgiveness, then, of your sins or unforgiveness, and hence also your salvation or destruction, depend on you yourself, man. For without forgiveness of sins there is no salvation.

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk

Unknown, 18th century

Bulletin Inserts

2024 Saturday of Souls

THE FIRST SATURDAY OF SOULS IS MARCH 9 - REMEMBER YOUR LOVED ONES - OFFER THEIR NAMES FOR PRAYER! Use this form to submit names for Saturday of Souls. Please submit your names only once.

2024 Journey to Pascha

Great Lent Scriptures and Themes

Welcome to Great Lent

A schedule of services at Nativity for Great Lent and Holy Week.

Stewardship information

Stewardship letter and commitment card. Please be sure to update all information. We are missing contact information for members because they have moved or changed their phone number.

COCC LENTEN VESPERS

The Council of Orthodox Christian Churches is sponsoring Lenten Vespers on Sunday Evenings. Services will be held at various locations at 6 pm. A free will offering will be collected and refreshments will be served following the service. Officiated by the St. John Chrysostom Clergy Brotherhood with responses by the Orthodox Choir of Detroit.

Ushers and Coffee Hour

Please note that we are entering into the Lenten fast - if you are serving coffee hour please choose appropriate food.

General Information

Contact Information

Services Schedule

Past Bulletins