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St. Luke Church
Publish Date: 2024-03-24
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St. Luke Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (413) 525-4551
  • Fax:
  • (413) 525-4552
  • Street Address:

  • 400 Prospect Street

  • East Longmeadow, MA 01028
  • Mailing Address:

  • 400 Prospect Street

  • East Longmeadow, MA 01028


Past Bulletins


Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the First Mode

Although the stone was sealed by the Jews, and the soldiers guarded Your most pure body, You arose on the third day, O Savior, giving life to the world. For this reason, the heavenly powers cried out to you, O Giver of Life: Glory to Your resurrection, O Christ! Glory to Your kingdom! Glory to Your dispensation, only Lover of Mankind!

Apolytikion for Sun. of Orthodoxy in the Second Mode

O Christ our God, begging forgiveness of our sins, we venerate Your Pure Image, O Good One. Of your own will you condescended to ascend upon the Cross in the flesh and deliver those You created from the bondage of the enemy. Wherefore, thankfully, we cry out, "When You came to save the world, Your filled all things with joy, O Our Savior."

Dismissal Hymns for Saint Luke and Saint Nicholas in the Third Mode

Third Tone

O Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke, intercede with our merciful God, that He may grant our souls forgiveness of sins

Fourth Tone

A model of faith and the image of gentleness, the example of your life has shown you forth to your sheep-fold to be a master of temperance. You obtained thus through being lowly, gifts from on high, and riches through poverty. Nicholas, our father and priest of priests, intercede with Christ our God that He may save our souls.

 

 

 

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

To you, Theotokos, invincible Defender, having been delivered from peril, I, your city, dedicate the victory festival as a thank offering. In your irresistible might, keep me safe from all trials, that I may call out to you: "Hail, unwedded bride!"
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Ninth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:19-31

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in His side, I will not believe." Eight days later, His disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then He said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand, and place it in My side; do not be faithless, but believing." Thomas answered Him, "My Lord and My God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you may have life in His name.


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Daniel 3.26,27.
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers.
Verse: For you are just in all you have done.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 11:24-26, 32-40.

Brethren, by faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered abuse suffered for the Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he looked to the reward.

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets -- who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign enemies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated -- of whom the world was not worthy -- wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.


Gospel Reading

Sunday of Orthodoxy
The Reading is from John 1:43-51

At that time, Jesus decided to go to Galilee. And he found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael, and he said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these." And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man."


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Memorial and Trisagion Prayers

Memorial and Trisagion Prayers

03/17/2024

There are no Memorial or Trisagion prayers today


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Parish News

Parish News

03/24/2024

1. Sunday of Orthodoxy

Schedule of Services was emailed out and is also on our website

2.  Saint Luke will be hosting the Presanctified Liturgy on Wednesday at 6: 30 pm; Lenten meal to follow, please consider contributing!

3. Philoptochos News 

Philoptochos News:
 
Membership Drive 2024

Don't forget to pledge your support today! Extra forms available in the fellowship hall!

WE invite each of you to help champion the call to philanthropic duties on all three levels of the Philoptochos ministry; National, Boston Metropolis, and our very own St. Luke Chapter. WE recognize our collective impact makes a difference! 

 

The Philoptochos Easter Mailer will be arriving shortly

 

Please review all the giving opportunities available to you and your family leading up to Pascha. These giving opportunities include your gift of time not only to the Philoptochos ministry but also to the St. Luke community at large.

 

Together with your family, we encourage you to embrace the traditions established within our church by bringing your children with you to the baking workshops, Epitaphios decorating, or committing to dyeing a dozen or two of the red eggs needed for Holy Saturday. Together let’s pass these Pascha traditions to every generation to come!

 

Save the Dates!

 

Philoptochos Easter Baking Workshops

 

Cookies: Wednesday,  April 3, 2024 at 10am Lunch will be provided

 

Breads: Friday, April 26, 2024 at 10am Lunch will be provided 

 

Save the date! 
 
Sunday, April 7, 2024 our St. Luke Chapter will host an enhanced Lenten Coffee Hour following Divine Liturgy 
 
WHY? On the Third Sunday of Lent, observing the Veneration of the Holy Cross, Philoptochos chapters sponsor a Lenten Event, following the Divine Liturgy, with proceeds dedicated to operating expenses of the Hellenic College Holy Cross School of Theology. 
 
Something NEW!
 
The Philoptochos ministry has created its first POP-UP artisan shopping opportunity located in the fellowship hall. The items being sold are handmade and created by the talented Bess Zaharis! All sales generated are going to the Philoptochos Scholarship Fund as our ministry is in the process of laying the groundwork to establish NEW Scholarship opportunities for the Oratorical Festival finalists proceeding to the Metropolis level and National Finals. Furthermore, we hope to create a special scholarship to honor the legacy of our beloved Father Elias Velonis. 

Thank you for your continued support!

 


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Words from the Saints and our Fathers

Words from our Fathers

03/24/2024

SYNODIKON OF THE SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY

As the Prophets beheld, 
As the Apostles taught, 
As the Church received, 
As the Teachers dogmatized,
As the Universe agreed,
As Grace illumined,
As the Truth revealed,
As falsehood passed away,
As Wisdom presented,
As Christ awarded,

Thus we declare,
Thus we assert,
Thus we proclaim Christ our true God
and honor His saints,

In words,
In writings,
In thoughts,
In sacrifices,
In churches,
In holy icons.

On the one hand, worshipping and reverencing Christ as God and Lord.
And on the other hand, honoring and venerating His Saints as true servants of the same Lord.

This is the Faith of the Apostles.
This is the Faith of the Fathers.
This is the Faith of the Orthodox.
This is the Faith which has established the Universe.


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Saints and Feasts

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March 24

Sunday of Orthodoxy

For more than one hundred years the Church of Christ was troubled by the persecution of the Iconoclasts of evil belief, beginning in the reign of Leo the Isaurian (717-741) and ending in the reign of Theophilus (829-842). After Theophilus's death, his widow the Empress Theodora (celebrated Feb. 11), together with the Patriarch Methodius (June 14), established Orthodoxy anew. This ever-memorable Queen venerated the icon of the Mother of God in the presence of the Patriarch Methodius and the other confessors and righteous men, and openly cried out these holy words: "If anyone does not offer relative worship to the holy icons, not adoring them as though they were gods, but venerating them out of love as images of the archetype, let him be anathema." Then with common prayer and fasting during the whole first week of the Forty-day Fast, she asked God's forgiveness for her husband. After this, on the first Sunday of the Fast, she and her son, Michael the Emperor, made a procession with all the clergy and people and restored the holy icons, and again adorned the Church of Christ with them. This is the holy deed that all we the Orthodox commemorate today, and we call this radiant and venerable day the Sunday of Orthodoxy, that is, the triumph of true doctrine over heresy.


Annunciation
March 24

Forefeast of the Annunciation of the Theotokos


Allsaint
March 24

Righteous Artemon, Bishop of Seleucia


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Wisdom of the Fathers

Peter, when after so many miracles and such high doctrine he confessed that, "Thou art the Son of God" (Matt. xvi. 16), is called "blessed," as having received the revelation from the Father;
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 21 on John 1, 1. B#58, pp. 72, 73, 4th Century

... while Nathanael, though he said the very same thing before seeing or hearing either miracles or doctrine, had no such word addressed to him, but as though he had not said so much as he ought to have said, is brought to things greater still.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 21 on John 1, 1. B#58, pp. 72, 73, 4th Century

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