Saturday 19 August / 6 August
11th Sunday after Pentecost
6:00 PM Vigil
Sunday 20 August / 7 August
10:00 AM Divine Liturgy
Saturday 26 August / 13 August
12th Sunday after Pentecost
6:00 PM Vigil
Sunday 27 August / 14 August
10:00 AM Divine Liturgy
Please confirm the schedule on our website for short term changes
Tenth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 21:1-14
At that time, being raised from the dead, Jesus revealed himself to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat; but that night they caught nothing. Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any fish?" They answered him, "No." He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, for the quantity of fish. The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his clothes, for he was stripped for work, and sprang into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.
When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught." So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Prokeimenon. 1st Tone. Psalm 32.22,1.
Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.
The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 4:9-16.
Brethren, God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are ill-clad and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as the refuse of the world, the off-scouring of all things. I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me.
10th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 17:14-23
At that time, a man came up to Jesus and kneeling before him said, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him." And Jesus answered, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me." And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move hence to yonder place,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. But this kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting." As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day."
New books arrived in our bookstore - as always our bookstore is an honor system. Please put the money for your purchase in the first drawer and mark on the sheet what you bought. If you want to pay book purchases with your credit card please see Fr. Anthony
Bookstore
Our bookstore moved! We moved the bookstore in a more spacious space. It is now located at the entrance vestibule of the house (side entrance of the house). Please check it out. Many items that were sorta hidden before are now on display. For your extra time at the beach bring a good spiritual book to read!
Deacon
God willing we will have one of our own to be ordained to the holy diaconate at our feast day in September. To prepare for that we had to purchase deacon vestments for him. Church vestments as other items in church are not only beautifying the services for the Glory of God, they are are necessity. The cost for 5 sets in the different liturgical colors runs around $2,250. We ordered them from a convent in Belarus which actuallly reduced the cost significantly. For the amount we spent you most of the time only get one or two vestment sets if you order from suppliers in this country. Please help us to raise some funds to be able to pay for those new vestments.
Great Feast of Holy Transfiguration
On Saturday, 8/19 we celebrate the Great Feast of Holy Transfiguration. Traditional Apples and Grapes are blessed at that feast. We will have the blessing of fruit after the Divine Liturgy on Saturday morning (9 AM).
July 2017
Income: $1,791
Expenses: $1,103
Difference: $688
YearToDate Difference: -$3,808
We are raising funds for our biggest projects in the near future:
To easily contribute to these fundraisers please go to our website ss-sergius-herman-valaam.org
In your charity please remember us to your ability and help this small community.
As you can see we are all over the year still in the red. Reason for this are the two points mentioned under announcement: the new deacon vestments and the unexpected high repair cost for the a/c. We need your help to recover those cost, mainly by your regular tithing to the church and secondly through extra contributions if you are able to. Tithing is a Christian duty and gives back to God what is righly His. It is a scriptual and with that a truely Orthodox principle. In short tithing means that we are giving the 10th of our income back to God., which is actually considered the minimum. It is absolutley fair, because if we have a little income we will give less, if we have more we will give more. God bless everyone who already follows this command, and helps us to keep this church functioning.
If you want to read more about tithing in the Orthodox Church please follow here: http://fatherjohn.blogspot.com/2017/01/stump-priest-tithing.html
Sick:
Hieromonk Timothy, Priest Joseph, Alexander, Valery, Philip, Eric, Suzanna, Matushka Anna and her newborn child Irene, Luoba, Katherine, Kevin, Demetra, Judy (non-orthodox), Pat (non-orthodox), Heather (non-orthodox), Catherine, Mary, Hannah (non-orthodox), Irene (non-orthodox), Krista, George, Vera, Juliana, Seraphim, Novice Moses, Matushka Joanna, Maximus
In time of distress:
Hieromonk Alexander (Frizzell), Silouan, Amy, Pani Ami
New Reposed:
If you have prayer requests you would like announced, please e-mail rector@ss-sergius-herman-valaam.org
On Monday August, 14, we begin on the two weeks Dormition Fast:
A word why we fast for Dormition:
St. Symeon of Thessaloniki, “The fast in August was established in honor of the Mother of God the Word; who, foreknowing her repose, ascetically labored and fasted for us as always, although she was holy and immaculate, and had no need for fasting. Thus, she especially prayed for us in preparation for being transported from this life to the future life, when her blessed soul would be united through the Divine Spirit with her Son. Therefore, we also should fast and praise her, emulating her life, urging her thereby to pray for us. Some, by the way, say that this fast was instituted on the occasion of two feasts — the Transfiguration and the Dormition. I also consider it necessary to remember these two feasts — one which gives us light, and the other which is merciful to us and intercedes for us.”
Saturday is a fish, wine and oil day.
Sunday is a wine and oil day.
All other days are normal fast days.