Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Second Mode. Psalm 117.14,18.
The Lord is my strength and my song.
Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 5:1-10.

BRETHREN, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us. While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man -- though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we are now justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

Gospel Reading

3rd Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 6:22-33

The Lord said, "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear? For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well."

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Second Mode

Ότε κατήλθες πρός τόν θάνατον, η ζωή η αθάνατος, τότε τόν Άδην ενέκρωσας, τή αστραπή τής Θεότητος· ότε δέ καί τούς τεθνεώτας, εκ τών καταχθονίων ανέστησας, πάσαι αι Δυνάμεις τών επουρανίων εκραύγαζον· Ζωοδότα Χριστέ ο Θεός ημών δόξα Σοι.

Όte katilthes pros ton thanaton, I zoe athanatos, tote ton Adin enekrosas, ti astrapi tis Theotitos. Ote de ke tous tethneotas ek ton katakthonion anestisas, pase e Dinamis ton epuranion ekravgazon. Zoodota Christe o Theos imon doxa Si.

When You descended to the realm of death You as life immortal rendered to Hades a mortal blow by Your all radiant divinity. And when You from infernal depths and the darkness below did raise the dead all the hosts of heaven’s powers did proclaim and cry out O life giving Christ and our God we give glory.

Hymn of Church in the First Mode

Ethnon se kirika ke fostira trismegiston, / Athineon didaskalon ekoumenis aglaisma, / efrosinos gereromen / tous agonas timomen ke tas vasanous thia Christon, / to septon sou martirion, / Agie Pavle Apostole, / presveve Christo to Theo, / sothine tas psichas imon.

O preacher to the gentiles and thrice grandest shining star, / the Athenians’ teacher and the universe’s ornament, / we joyously honor you. / We pay homage to the struggles that you had/for the sake of Christ, / and your dignified martyrdom, / Holy and glorious Apostle Paul, / intercede with Christ our God, / entreating Him to save our souls.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Second Mode

A protection of Christians unshameable, / intercessor to our Holy Maker, unwavering, / reject not / the prayerful cries of those who are in sin. / Instead,/ come to us for you are good; / Your loving help bring unto us / who are crying in faith to you: / Hasten to intercede/ and speed now to supplicate, / as a protection for all time, / Theotokos, for those who honor you.

Saints and Feasts

June 25

The Righteous Martyr Febronia

This Martyr practiced the ascetic discipline in Nisibis of Mesopotamia; she was of such great beauty that the report of her came to the persecutor Selenus, and every attempt was made to make her deny Christ. After many horrible tortures, she was cruelly dismembered by the executioners, then beheaded, in the year 310 (or, according to some, in 302, during the reign of Diocletian).

June 25

Dionysius & Dometios the Righteous of Mount Athos

June 25

Orentios, Pharmakios, Eros, Phirmos, Phirminos, Kyriakos, and Longinos the Martyrs and Brothers

June 25

Methodius of Nevritos

June 25

Prokopios the New Martyr

Welcome

This Weeks Announcements

We extend greetings and a warm welcome to all visitors worshipping with us today. Please fill out a“visitor information card” located in the narthex and hand to one of the greeters. Following the Liturgy, please join us in our social hall for the coffee social.
Holy Communion in our Church is offered only to Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves through the disciplines of our faith. Speak to Fr. Costas for further details.

We kindly ask everyone to Please silence cell phones and pagers while in Church

Today ~ MNYMOSINO: 40 days for Anna Elliott Karadimas; 40 days for Janet Paros.
Today ~ Dance practice for all dancers.
Today ~ and for the next three weeks, our children will be attending Camp Nazareth for the Summer Camp Program. We wish them a spiritually uplifting experience. Our parish offers a partial scholarship towards their registration fee. Schedule for the upcoming weeks. June 25 – July 1 (JOY children grades 5 – 7); July 2 – 8 (GOYAns grades 8 – 9); July 9 – 15 (GOYAns grades 10 – 12).
Monday - Tuesday ~ Festival baking resumesthis week as we make keftethes.
Monday - Friday ~ 9:00 a.m. Vacation Church School. Registration available through our website.
Tuesday – Wednesday ~ 12:00 p.m. Dance practice for Beginners and Juniors following VCS.
Wednesday ~ 7:00 p.m. Great Vespers for the feast of our Church with Metropolitan SAVAS. Refreshments will follow.
Thursday ~ Feast of Apostles Peter and Paul with Metropolitan SAVAS; 8:30 a.m. Orthros; 9:30 a.m. Liturgy. Luncheon offered by St. Paul Ladies Philoptochos – please purchase your tickets in advance ($15 adults, $8 children 10 and under).
Thursday ~ 6:00 p.m. Dance practice for Senior Dancers.
Friday ~ Feast of the Holy 12 Apostles; 8:30 a.m. Orthros; 9:30 a.m. Liturgy.
Friday ~ 3:00 p.m. HOPE / JOY pool party at the Markakis home. RSVP to mlmarkakis@gmail.com.
Stewardship ~ Thank you to all those who completed and returned their 2017 Stewardship card.

Upcoming Events in Our Parish – Respond Early

Next Sunday ~Epistle Reading, Hebrews 10:1-10; Gospel, Matthew 8:28 – 34; 9:1.
Next Sunday ~ Dance practice for all groups.
July 3 – 4 ~ in observance of Independence Day the office will be closed.
July 12 ~ 7:00 p.m. Monthly Parish Council meeting.
July 20 – 23 ~ St. Paul Grecian Festival. There are many ways to support our Festival:

sponsorship artwork for our ad book is due June 26
volunteer to work in one of the many areas throughout the Festival ~ sign-up during the coffee social by seeing Nicholas Bodle or through our website: http://www.stpaulgoc.org/festival/volunteer.
make a monetary donation
bring your family and friends to enjoy our delicious foods, etc.

Details are available on our website: www.stpaulgoc.org/festival.

Events in the Greater Cleveland Area and Beyond…

Thursday ~ 7:00 p.m. Orthodoxy on Tap with Metropolitan SAVAS at the Melt and Grilled on Rockside Road in Independence OH.
August 16 – 19 ~ OCF Summer Leadership Institute designed specifically for Orthodox college students at St. Iakovos Retreat Center in Kansasville WI. Register at www.ocf.net.
ZOE Women’s Center Medical Committee is looking for volunteers (Receptionist, Nurse, Sonographer, Fund Raiser, Medical Assistant, Physician’s Assistant, etc.) to offer services to women in distress due to unplanned pregnancies. Contact Despina at despina@mavrakisfamily.com.