Sunday Morning Orthros/Matins 8:15am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am; Saturday Great Vespers 5:00pm (October thru May); Weekday Services (see Online Calendar, Sunday Bulletin & Monthly Newsletter); Confession (by appointment).
After the death of the 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia, their Bishop Anthimus fled to a certain village to care for his remaining flock. The Emperor Maximian sent men in search of him. When they found him, he promised to show Anthimus to them, but first took them in as guests, fed them, and only then made himself known to them. Amazed at his kindness, the soldiers promised him to tell Maximian that they had not found him. But Anthimus went willingly with them, and converting them by his admonitions, baptized them on the way. He boldly confessed his Faith before Maximian, and after frightful tortures was beheaded in the year 303 or 304.
Saint Theoctistus, a monk at the Palestinian lavra of Pharan, embraced a more severe life in the wilderness with his friend Saint Euthymius the Great. They founded a monastery, of which Theoctistus was the abbot. He reposed in deep old age in 451.
Second Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Mark 16:1-8
When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint Jesus. And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?" And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back, for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you." And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to any one, for they were afraid.
Prokeimenon. 4th Mode. Psalm 103.24,1.
O Lord, how manifold are your works. You have made all things in wisdom.
Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul.
The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 16:13-24.
Brethren, be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. Now, brethren, you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints; I urge you to be subject to such men and to every fellow worker and laborer. I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicos, because they have made up for your absence; for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such men. The churches of Asia send greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. All the brethren send greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. If any one has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
13th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 21:33-42
The Lord said this parable, "There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country. When the season of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to get his fruit; and the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first; and they did the same to them. Afterward he sent his son to them, saying 'They will respect my son.' But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, 'This is the heir; come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.' And they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" They said to him, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons." Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures: 'The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?'"
Ten Commandments of Love (8-27-2017)
See Coniaris “Love is the Great Command” (Homilies from an Orthodox Pulpit, pp.113-116)
Millions of people watch the news including CNN which stands for Cable News Network. It was the first news network on cable television. Do any of the young people here today know who founded CNN? How about the older people? CNN was founded by Ted Turner. Quite famous for many things, a lot of people don’t know that he is an avowed atheist and he created his own version of the Ten Commandments, which he called the Ted Commandments. He did this on purpose to displace the original Ten Commandments given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. He said the originals were too old and out of date.
A lot of Christians might scoff at Ted Turner’s stance towards the biblical commandments. But we should ask ourselves, can I name the Ten Commandments? And secondly, do I follow the Ten Commandments? Jesus addresses the issue today in the Gospel passage from the Twelfth Sunday of Matthew (19-16-26). When the rich young ruler approaches Jesus and asks him, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” (v.16), Jesus replies, if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” (v.17). The young ruler replies, “Which ones?”
At this point we could infer that the young man either does not know the commandments or he is applying some sort of reductionism looking for the bare minimum required. How does Jesus reply? Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ 19‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Here Jesus quoted five of the Ten Commandments plus “love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18). And by doing so, our Lord is not negating the other five but rather endorsing all ten and by extension the whole of the Law. This is important for everyone to remember because we live in an age where many people cannot name the Ten Commandments or they might think of them as the Ten Suggestions. Still others, think of them as part of the Old Testament and an expression of the angry, mean, controlling God that authored them. However, this contrast between an angry, distant Father God of the OT and the sweet, loving Jesus of the NT is a false dichotomy. They are one and the same God.
The thinking that the Ten Commandments are meant to control us is a distortion. If we look closely, the commandments are an expression of love. On one hand, the love of a God who made us and who knows how we work and want us to have live. On the other hand, the love that we humans are supposed to show to each other. And thirdly, the love that we humans are to share with our Creator. The Ten Commandments are the definition of love. They establish its boundaries. The Ten Commandments make love concrete and tangible.
Let’s look at the Ten Commandments as God revealed them to Moses that are recorded in Exodus 20:2-17. And see how love is expressed in them.
10. 17"You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's."
In conclusion, Let us remember that the Ten Commandments are the foundation of God’s love for us, our love for God and how we can love our neighbor as ourselves. Let us also remember that we may never perfectly fulfill the commandments of God’s love. We live in a fallen world but Jesus gives us hope in the closing verse of today’s Gospel. 26But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
ST. GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
REV. FR. RICHARD DEMETRIUS ANDREWS, PRESBYTER
September 3, 2017 13th SUNDAY OF MATTHEW
TODAY’S EVENTS: Serve-a-Meal at FOCUS MN 4pm.
Epistle Reader: Stephen Kanavati Prosfora:anonymous
Fellowship: Kalley & Mark Johnson Head Usher: Joe Weiser
Monday 09-04 Labor Day – office closed, Greek dance practice 12:00PM
Friday 09-08 ORTHROS (8am) & DIVINE LITURGY- NATIVITY OF THEOTOKOS 9:00AM
Taste of Greece at St. Mary’s GOC (through Sept 10) 12:00PM
Saturday 09-10 Romanian Festival at St. Mary Romanian in St. Paul (through Sept 10) 12:00PM
Sunday 09-10 ORTHROS (8:15am) &DIVINELITURGY- SUNDAY BEFORE HOLY CROSS 9:30AM
Youth Ministry meeting 12:00PM
Acolyte training 12:00PM
Serve-a-Meal at FOCUS MN 4:00PM
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Baptized into Christ: Leonardo Crowther, son of Samantha Crowther, on August 27th. Godparent is Nouna Alice Kappos. Also on August 27th:: Artemis and Anna Sitorengo, daughters of Sophia Christoforides & Andreas Sitorengo. Godparents are Elena Condos and Marina Luger. Congratulations to all!
Vespers Cancelled: there will be no vespers service at 6pm on Thursday, September 7 as listed on calendar.
Youth Ministry Meeting: next Sunday, September 10th after liturgy. All parents and anyone interested are invited to discuss issues relating to youth activities and Sunday School. We will also do some planning.
A Taste of Greece: Minneapolis Greek Festival at St. Mary’s GOC Friday and Saturday, September 8 and 9, noon-10pm and Sunday, September 10th, noon-6pm. For more information, call St. Mary’s at 612.825.9595.
Think About It: Be a persecutor of yourself; then your foes (inc. demons) shall be driven away from you. St. Isaac the Syrian (+700)
St. Paul Classic Bike Tour: will take place next Sunday, September 10, from 8am to noon. No parking allowed on the north side of Summit Avenue – cars parked in posted no parking zones will be tagged and towed.
Philoptochos Elections: Sunday, September 10th, elections for board Members and officers in the conference room after liturgy. Please plan to attend this important meeting. You will be able to vote if you have paid your fair share offering. Currently there are 25 paid members, so check with treasurer Tina Sageotis denaki26@msn.com to confirm if you’re a paid member. $21 per member goes to National & Metropolis office.
Intro to Orthodoxy: a 12-week class on the basics of Eastern Orthodox Christianity will be held this Fall on Tuesday evenings 7-9pm beginning September 12th. The class is open to everyone, especially inquirers and those interested in converting to Orthodoxy. Classes are held at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Saint Paul, MN. See insert for details; register online atwww.meocca.org.
Sunday School Begins: on September 17th. Registration is available on the church website or on paper by speaking to Nathaniel Kostick. Please support our generous teachers by involving your children in classes.
Calling all college students! The University of Minnesota Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) will meet 6:30pm on Thursday September 7th at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Dinkytown. If you are a student at the U of M, or any other college in the Twin Cities area, we would love for you to join us! To learn more about OCF, please visit us on Facebook (facebook.com/UMN.OCF). Contact Mark Mikhail (mikha017@umn.edu) or Nicholas Gulachek (gulac004@umn.edu) to be added to email list or for more info.
Patristic Wisdom: Do not confuse a human person with the wickedness that may rest in him/her. The wickedness may be incidental, a misfortune, a sickness, an illusion of the devil. But his/her very being still retains the image of God. St. John of Kronstadt (+1908)
Parish Picnic: On Sunday September 17th after liturgy here on the church grounds rain or shine. Games for kids and fellowship for adults and food for everyone. Contact a parish council member to help.
LOMCP Fundraising Gala: Sunday, September 17, 4-7pm on the terrace of the Stillwater Public Library, 224 3rd Street N, Stillwater. Tickets for the Lyn Olson Medical Crisis Program Annual Fundraising Gala are on sale for $30 after liturgy (from Fr. Rick or in the bookstore) or at www.lomcp.com. See insert for more information. This year’s theme is donor appreciation. Because of your never-ending support, LOMCP provided many individuals and their families assistance this year for major medical crises in their lives. Thank you!
Youth News: GOYA youth night will be Saturday, September 16 at 7pm at St. George. Please contact Nathaniel if you would like to receive email notifications about our youth events or to update your contact info.
Wisdom from the Church Fathers: What is the spiritual battle? Well, the soul is a garden divided into two parts. On half are planted thorny bushes, and on the other half, flowers. We also have a water pump with two taps and two channels. The one guides water to the thorns and the other to the flowers. We always have the choice to open one or the other tap. If one leaves the thorns without water, they dry up. Water the flowers and they blossom. St. Porphyrios the Kapsokalyvite (+1991)
Armenian Festival: at St. Sahag Armenian Church, 203 N.Howell, St. Paul on Saturday, September 16 from 11am-7pm. Come celebrate with traditional food, dance and crafts!
Misissippi River Cruise: Join members of Hellenic American Legion Post 129 on a spectacular early autumn leaf cruise. A coach departs St. Mary’s GOC at 10am Saturday, Sept 23, for the landing. Enjoy a Greco-Roman buffet lunch aboard the “Spirit of the Water.” Cost is $20-25, payment and reservation form due Sept 1. See insert and posting in social hall or contact Don Forchas at aforchas@yahoo.com or 651 484-5778 for details.
Lebanese Festival: at St. Maron Catholic Church, 602 University Ave. NE, Minneapolis on Saturday, September 23 1-8pm and Sunday, September 24, 11am-6pm. Fun for all ages; free admission, plus food, games, live music and dance. See posting in social hall or visit www.stmaron.com for more info.
Support Taste of Northeast: at St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral, Sept 29-30, 2017. Consider being a Business Sponsor, Personal Sponsor, or Marketplace Vendor. For more information, including forms and deadlines, contact Lynn Bjornnes at 651.492.5390 or fordfam21@comcast.net.
Church Fathers Speak: I have seen learned men who were truly humble, and they became wiser than the wise. St. Mark the Ascetic (+5th cent.)
Prosopon Iconography Workshop: October 1-7, 2017 at St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral in northeast Minneapolis. For details on “St. Andrei Rublev, Basic & Advanced Workshop”, see brochure posted in social hall or contact Marilyn Johnson at 612.378.0606 or mjohnson@umn.edu.
Welcome Visitors Thank you for joining with us in prayer and fellowship. The worship of the Orthodox Church is deeply rooted in and very similar to that of the early Christian Church. Unique sensory stimuli and mystery are elements that go back even to the liturgy of the Jewish temple. Everything in an Orthodox Christian church communicates the majestic presence of God the Holy Trinity with His Saints. It is literally heaven on earth. It is a sad consequence of the divisions in Christianity that we cannot extend a general invitation to receive Holy Communion. Visitors are invited to receive the blessed bread (antithoron) at the conclusion of the liturgy. We pray and work for the reconciliation and unity of all Christians. If you are interested in learning more about Orthodoxy, please contact Fr. Rick at fatherrick@stgeorgegoc.org. We are proud of our Greek heritage but one does not have to be of Greek descent, nor speak Greek to be a Greek Orthodox Christian.
Note to Orthodox about Holy Communion: Receiving the Body and Blood of Christ is one of the most Holy experiences for a Christian in order to be granted the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life. We are never worthy to partake of Divine Nature. Yet, it is essential that we prepare ourselves for this sacred Communion by constant prayer, reading the Scriptures, regular fasting and periodic Confession. At a minimum, we should fast all morning before Communion, arrive at the beginning of Liturgy, and come for Confession at least once a year. In addition, we should not have separated ourselves from the Church through serious sin. Otherwise, please refrain from Communion to avoid “judgment…not discerning the Lord’s body” (1Cor. 11:29). Contact Fr. Rick for pastoral guidance.
Glad Tidings deadline: The 10th of each month. Glad Tidings email: gladtidings@stgeorgegoc.org Sunday Bulletin Deadline: Wednesday Noon each week. Email: office@stgeorgegoc.org
Liturgy Guide 09-03-2017
Fall 2017 schedule of classes at St. George GOC. sponsored by MEOCCA
September 17, in support of the Lyn Olson Medical Crisis Program
Flyer and registration form for September 23 event