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This Week's Calendar

Sunday, April 28 - Palm Sunday
Click here to view the printed liturgy
8:45 am Orthros
10:00 am Divine Liturgy
11:30 am Church School and Catechism
12:00 pm Plaki Luncheon
7:00 pm Bridegroom Matins

Monday, April 29 - Holy Monday
10:00 am Presanctified Liturgy
7:00 pm Bridegroom Matins

Tuesday, April 30 - Holy Tuesday
10:00 am Presanctified Liturgy
7:00 pm Bridegroom Matins

Wednesday, May 1 - Holy Wednesday
10:00 am Presanctified Liturgy
7:00 pm Holy Unction

Thursday, May 2 - Holy Thursday
6:00 am Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil
6:00 pm Twelve Gospels of the Crucifixion

Friday, May 3 - Holy Friday
9:00 am Holy Hours
12:30 pm SCS Holy Friday Retreat
3:00 pm Vespers of Apokathelosis
7:00 pm Lamentation Service

Saturday, May 4 - Holy Saturday
8:30 am Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil
11:00 PM Matins and Resyrrection: Divine Liturgy of Holy Pascha

Sunday, May 5 - Great and Holy Pascha
11:00 am Agape Service

Parish News and Updates

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. Services this week:

Great Compline on Tuesday, April 23 at 7 pm
Presanctified Liturgy, Soup Supper and Lenten Discussion on Wednesday, April 24 at 6 pm

AGORA MARKET THIS SUNDAY —Pick up fast friendly food to have on hand during Holy Week. On Palm Sunday, our ladies will offer delicious baked goods for your Pascha celebration.

GIFT BASKET FUNDRAISER—be sure to get a raffle ticket for a specially curated gift basket (Valued at $156) featuring delicious olive oil, honey, olives, spices, herbs and other items. Tickets are $5 and available from John Petrou. The winning ticket will be selected at the Palm Sunday Plaki Luncheon.

PASCHA EGGS order your eggs to celebrate Pascha - Order forms are available on the table in the Narthex. Deadline to order eggs is SUNDAY, April 28, 2024.

FLOWERS TO DECORATE FOR PASCHA— Give generously in the coming weeks to help purchase the flowers to decorate the kouvouklion and solea for Holy Week Services.

DO YOU HAVE A 2024 GRAD? We’d like to include the name and photo of our 2024 High School and College Graduates in the upcoming Little Logos. In addition, we will recognize our graduates on June 2, 2024. Please send the following information to church office: Name and school from which the young person is graduating. A photograph would be nice, but not necessary at this time.

DAY OF SERVICE ON LAZARUS SATURDAY Join us for liturgy at 10 am and break your fast with a pancake luncheon. We’ll be folding palm crosses, cleaning up the church and grounds in preparation for Holy Week, setting up for the Plaki Luncheon and our youth will be sending out the Pascha Card.

PALM SUNDAY PLAKI LUNCHEON - on Sunday April 28. Adults $20 and Kids $6. Tickets available at church following services or in the church office until April 25, 2024. Thanks to George's Senate for supporting this event.

PLAKI LUNCHEON

PASCHA IN PROPHESY - HOLY FRIDAY RETREAT - Plan to bring your children to the Holy Friday Retreat on Friday, May 3.

HOLY FRIDAY RETREAT

MYROPHORA (MYRRH BEARERS) FOR HOLY FRIDAY - Attention Parents! We would like to invite your daughter to serve as a Myrrh-bearer (Myrophora) in the Holy Friday evening service. See insert below for details. If you would like your daughter to participate, please call Sophia Zervos at 248.916.6922 or Mary Takis at 734.262.5144, no later than Palm Sunday.

SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ORTHODOX EASTER (as presented by Bill Smith, Pastoral Assistant)

The date of Orthodox Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon of the Vernal Equinox. This was voted upon and approved by the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea in the year 325 AD.
The Orthodox Easter is calculated using the Julian Calendar instead of the Gregorian Calendar. The Julian Calendar was accepted in 46 BC by Julius Caesar as a reform of the earlier Roman calendar which was largely a lunar calendar.
The Gregorian Calendar is the most widely used calendar around the world today. It’s a solar calendar designed to keep years consistent over time. It went into effect in 1582 by Pope Gregory the XIII. This is the calendar the Western churches use to calculate the date of Easter.

SPRING GOURMET SURF AND TURF DINNER sponsored by Nativity Men's Club on Friday, May 10. Tickets available from George Zervos or email the men's club for details.

SPRING DINNER

ANNUAL PARISH RETREAT AND BASKETBALL BANQUET - on Saturday, May 18. More details coming soon!

PARISH RETREAT

STS CONSTANTINE AND HELEN NAME DAY DANCE—all are invited on May 18—cost is $45 for adults and $20 for ages 6-18. See the flyer on the bulletin board for details.

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, 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 First Mode

Let us worship the Word who is unoriginate * with the Father and the Spirit, and from a Virgin was born * for our salvation, O believers, and let us sing His praise. * For in His goodness He was pleased * to ascend the Cross in the flesh, and to undergo death, * and to raise up those who had died, * by His glorious Resurrection.

Τὸν συνάναρχον Λόγον Πατρὶ καὶ Πνεύματι, τὸν ἐκ Παρθένου τεχθέντα εἰς σωτηρίαν ἡμῶν, ἀνυμνήσωμεν πιστοὶ καὶ προσκυνήσωμεν, ὅτι ηὐδόκησε σαρκί, ἀνελθεῖν ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ, καὶ θάνατον ὑπομεῖναι, καὶ ἐγεῖραι τοὺς τεθνεῶτας, ἐν τῇ ἐνδόξῳ Ἀναστάσει αὐτοῦ.

Apolytikion for Sun. of St. Mary of Egypt in the Plagal Fourth Mode

In thee the image was preserved with exactness, O Mother; for taking up thy cross, thou didst follow Christ, and by thy deeds thou didst teach us to overlook the flesh, for it passeth away, but to attend to the soul since it is immortal. Wherefore, O righteous Mary, thy spirit rejoiceth with the Angels.

Ἐν σοὶ Μῆτερ ἀκριβῶς διεσώθη τὸ κατ' εἰκόνα, λαβοῦσα γὰρ τὸν Σταυρόν, ἠκολούθησας τῷ Χριστῷ, καὶ πράττουσα ἐδίδασκες ὑπερορᾶν μὲν σαρκὸς παρέρχεται γάρ, ἐπιμελεῖσθαι δὲ ψυχῆς, πράγματος ἀθανάτου· διὸ καὶ μετὰ Ἀγγέλων συναγάλλεται Ὁσία Μαρία τὸ πνεῦμά σου.

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 Second Mode

O Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the creator most constant: O despise not the voices of those who have sinned; but be quick, O good one, to come unto our aid, who in faith cry unto thee: Hasten to intercession and speed thou to make supplication, O thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.

Προστασία τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀκαταίσχυντε, μεσιτεία πρὸς τὸν Ποιητὴν ἀμετάθετε. Μὴ παρίδῃς ἁμαρτωλῶν δεήσεων φωνάς, ἀλλὰ πρόφθασον, ὡς ἀγαθή, εἰς τὴν βοήθειαν ἡμῶν, τῶν πιστῶς κραυγαζόντων σοι· Τάχυνον εἰς πρεσβείαν, καὶ σπεῦσον εἰς ἱκεσίαν, ἡ προστατεύουσα ἀεί, Θεοτόκε, τῶν τιμώντων σε.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal First Mode. Psalm 11.7,1.
You, O Lord, shall keep us and preserve us.
Verse: Save me, O Lord, for the godly man has failed.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 9:11-14.

BRETHREN, when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the Holy Place, taking not the blood of goats and calves but his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a heifer sanctifies for the purification of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Προκείμενον. Plagal First Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 11.7,1.
Σὺ Κύριε, φυλάξαις ἡμᾶς καὶ διατηρήσαις ἡμᾶς.
Στίχ. Σῶσον με, Κύριε, ὅτι ἐκλέλοιπεν ὅσιος.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Ἑβραίους 9:11-14.

Ἀδελφοί, Χριστὸς δὲ παραγενόμενος ἀρχιερεὺς τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν, διὰ τῆς μείζονος καὶ τελειοτέρας σκηνῆς, οὐ χειροποιήτου, τοῦτʼ ἔστιν, οὐ ταύτης τῆς κτίσεως, οὐδὲ διʼ αἵματος τράγων καὶ μόσχων, διὰ δὲ τοῦ ἰδίου αἵματος εἰσῆλθεν ἐφάπαξ εἰς τὰ ἅγια, αἰωνίαν λύτρωσιν εὑράμενος. Εἰ γὰρ τὸ αἷμα ταύρων καὶ τράγων, καὶ σποδὸς δαμάλεως ῥαντίζουσα τοὺς κεκοινωμένους, ἁγιάζει πρὸς τὴν τῆς σαρκὸς καθαρότητα, πόσῳ μᾶλλον τὸ αἷμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὃς διὰ πνεύματος αἰωνίου ἑαυτὸν προσήνεγκεν ἄμωμον τῷ θεῷ, καθαριεῖ τὴν συνείδησιν ὑμῶν ἀπὸ νεκρῶν ἔργων, εἰς τὸ λατρεύειν θεῷ ζῶντι;

Gospel Reading

Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt
The Reading is from Mark 10:32-45

At that time, Jesus took his twelve disciples, and he began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles; and they will mock him, and spit upon him, and scourge him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise." And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him, and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." And he said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?" And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" And they said to him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared." And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant of James and John. And Jesus called them to him and said to them, "You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt
Κατὰ Μᾶρκον 10:32-45

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, παραλαβάνει ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοὺς δώδεκα μαθητάς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἤρξατο αὐτοῖς λέγειν τὰ μέλλοντα αὐτῷ συμβαίνειν, ὅτι ἰδοὺ ἀναβαίνομεν εἰς ῾Ιεροσόλυμα καὶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδοθήσεται τοῖς ἀρχιερεῦσι καὶ γραμματεῦσι, καὶ κατακρινοῦσιν αὐτὸν θανάτῳ καὶ παραδώσουσιν αὐτὸν τοῖς ἔθνεσι, καὶ ἐμπαίξουσιν αὐτῷ καὶ μαστιγώσουσιν αὐτὸν καὶ ἐμπτύσουσιν αὐτῷ καὶ ἀποκτενοῦσιν αὐτόν, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἀναστήσεται. Καὶ προσπορεύονται αὐτῷ ᾿Ιάκωβος καὶ ᾿Ιωάννης υἱοὶ Ζεβεδαίου λέγοντες· διδάσκαλε, θέλομεν ἵνα ὃ ἐὰν αἰτήσωμεν ποιήσῃς ἡμῖν. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· τί θέλετε ποιῆσαί με ὑμῖν; οἱ δὲ εἶπον αὐτῷ· δὸς ἡμῖν ἵνα εἷς ἐκ δεξιῶν σου καὶ εἷς ἐξ εὐωνύμων σου καθίσωμεν ἐν τῇ δόξῃ σου. ὁ δὲ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· οὐκ οἴδατε τί αἰτεῖσθε. δύνασθε πιεῖν τὸ ποτήριον ὃ ἐγὼ πίνω, καὶ τὸ βάπτισμα ὃ ἐγὼ βαπτίζομαι βαπτισθῆναι; οἱ δὲ εἶπον αὐτῷ· δυνάμεθα. ὁ δὲ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· τὸ μὲν ποτήριον ὃ ἐγὼ πίνω πίεσθε, καὶ τὸ βάπτισμα ὃ ἐγὼ βαπτίζομαι βαπτισθήσεσθε· τὸ δὲ καθίσαι ἐκ δεξιῶν μου καὶ ἐξ εὐωνύμων οὐκ ἔστιν ἐμὸν δοῦναι, ἀλλ᾿ οἷς ἡτοίμασται. Καὶ ἀκούσαντες οἱ δέκα ἤρξαντο ἀγανακτεῖν περὶ ᾿Ιακώβου καὶ ᾿Ιωάννου. ὁ δὲ ᾿Ιησοῦς προσκαλεσάμενος αὐτοὺς λέγει αὐτοῖς· οἴδατε ὅτι οἱ δοκοῦντες ἄρχειν τῶν ἐθνῶν κατακυριεύουσιν αὐτῶν καὶ οἱ μεγάλοι αὐτῶν κατεξουσιάζουσιν αὐτῶν· οὐχ οὕτω δὲ ἔσται ἐν ὑμῖν, ἀλλ᾿ ὃς ἐὰν θέλῃ γενέσθαι μέγας ἐν ὑμῖν, ἔσται ὑμῶν διάκονος, καὶ ὃς ἐὰν θέλῃ ὑμῶν γενέσθαι πρῶτος, ἔσται πάντων δοῦλος· καὶ γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἦλθε διακονηθῆναι, ἀλλὰ διακονῆσαι, καὶ δοῦναι τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ λύτρον ἀντὶ πολλῶν.

Saints and Feasts

April 21

Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt

The memory of this Saint is celebrated on April 1, where her life is recorded. Since the end of the holy Forty Days is drawing nigh, it has been appointed for this day also, so that if we think it hard to practice a little abstinence forty days, we might be roused by the heroism of her who fasted in the wilderness forty-seven years; and also that the great loving-kindness of God, and His readiness to receive the repentant, might be demonstrated in very deed.

April 21

Alexandra the Martyr

Martyr Alexandra, the Empress and wife of Emperor Diocletion, was so impressed by the courage and martyrdom of St George that she became a Christian and fell under the same persecution. She also was condemned to be beheaded but when she arrived at the place of execution she asked to be allowed to sit down. Her request was granted. She sat down and died quietly before the executioners could carry out their task. Her feast day is 21 April.

April 27

Lazarus Saturday

Lazarus and his sisters Martha and Mary, the friends of the Lord Jesus, had given Him hospitality and served Him many times (Luke 10:38-4z; John 12:2-3). They were from Bethany, a village of Judea. This village is situated in the eastern parts by the foothills of the Mount of Olives, about two Roman miles from Jerusalem. When Lazarus - whose name is a Hellenized form of "Eleazar," which means "God has helped," became ill some days before the saving Passion, his sisters had this report taken to our Saviour, Who was then in Galilee. Nonetheless, He tarried yet two more days until Lazarus died; then He said to His disciples, "Let us go into Judea that I might awake My friend who sleepeth." By this, of course, He meant the deep sleep of death. On arriving at Bethany, He consoled the sisters of Lazarus, who was already four days dead. Jesus groaned in spirit and was troubled at the death of His beloved friend. He asked, "Where have ye laid his body?" and He wept over him. When He drew nigh to the tomb, He commanded that they remove the stone, and He lifted up His eyes, and giving thanks to God the Father, He cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth." And he that had been dead four days came forth immediately, bound hand and foot with the grave clothes, and Jesus said to those standing there, "Loose him, and let him go." This is the supernatural wonder wrought by the Saviour that we celebrate on this day.

According to an ancient tradition, it is said that Lazarus was thirty years old when the Lord raised him; then he lived another thirty years on Cyprus and there reposed in the Lord. It is furthermore related that after he was raised from the dead, he never laughed till the end of his life, but that once only, when he saw someone stealing a clay vessel, he smiled and said, "Clay stealing clay." His grave is situated in the city of Kition, having the inscription: "Lazarus the four days dead and friend of Christ." In 890 his sacred relics were transferred to Constantinople by Emperor Leo the Wise, at which time undoubtedly the Emperor composed his stichera for Vespers, "Wishing to behold the tomb of Lazarus . . ."

Wisdom of the Fathers

Before He humbled Himself, only the angels knew him. After He humbled Himself, all human nature knew Him. You see how His humbling of Himself did not make Him have less but produced countless benefits, countless deeds of virtue, and made His glory shine forth with greater brightness? God wants for nothing and has need of nothing. Yet, when He humbled Himself, He produced such great good, increased His household, and extended His kingdom. Why, then, are you afraid that you will become less if you humble yourself?

St. John Chrysostom

On the Incomprehensible Nature of God. 8.46-47. Taken from: Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. Vol: Mark. Intervarsity Press, 2005, p. 143.

But let no man be troubled at the apostles being in such an imperfect state. For not yet was the cross accomplished, not yet the grace of the Spirit given. But if thou wouldest learn their virtue, notice them after these things, and thou wilt see them superior to every passion.

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 65 on Matthew 20, 2,3,4,6. B#54, pp.399-401,403., 4th Century

Bulletin Inserts

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.

Philoptochos Easter Egg and Tsoureki order

General Information

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Services Schedule

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