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St. Luke Church
Publish Date: 2021-03-21
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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 Plagal Fourth Mode

O Merciful One, You came from on high, and condescended to Your three day burial to save us from suffering. You are our Life and our Resurrection. Glory to You.

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."

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

Eighth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:11-18

At that time, Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that He had said these things to her.


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.

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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Did You Know?

Did You Know?

Faith means to have trust in God


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Words from the Saints and our Fathers

Words from our Fathers

Don’t lay the blame for what happens to you on other people. Although we have a tendency to attribute our problems to others, to their wickedness and incompetence, in reality they’re nothing other than tools in God’s hands. Tools he avails himself of to construct our salvation.

Saint Makarios of Egypt


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Memorial and Trisagion Prayers

Memorial and Trisagion Prayers

There are no Memorial or Trisagion prayers today


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Parish News

Parish News

1.  This Sunday is the Sunday of Orthodoxy -- make sure to bring in an icon from home!

2.  March 24 @ 6: 30 pm -- Great Vespers of the Annunciation

     March 25 @ 8:30/9:30 am -- Orthros & Divine Liturgy of the Annunciation

     March 26 @ 9 am -- Presanctified Liturgy

     March 26 @ 6: 30 pm -- Second Salutations

3. This year marks the 200th Anniversary of the Greek War of Independence. Parishes throughout the Archdiocese have been asked to help celebrate this auspicious event in the communities.

Our parish will have a short program on Sunday, March 28 after the Divine Liturgy.

We will be having traditional poems read by different generations within our community, as well as hymns and folk songs that date from the 19th century.

Please join us for this event, and let us also support our parishioners who are taking the time to prepare for this event!

4.  The schedule for Romeos & Juliets is as follows:  March 25, April 22, May 27, June 24, and July 22, at 12 noon.  We will be meeting via Zoom video and Zoom call.  Please contact Father at frpklostri@gmail.com for the Meeting ID and passcode

We will be meeting this Thursday!

5.  2021 Philoptochos Membership Drive - Please send in your generous pledge TODAY.

LET’S NOT KEEP PHILOPTOCHOS A SECRET!

Here is the WHY. WHERE. and HOW…. because of YOUR membership pledge of support it allows our St. Luke Chapter to keep current the Boston Metropolis Philoptochos Contributions.

March 2021- Philoxenia House 

We want to share great news about The Philoxenia House. Under the guidance of His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios, renovations took place during the months of January and February 2021. Major improvements consisted of new electrical work, painting, updated personal bathrooms and the purchase of new blinds throughout the house. The kitchen has a newly installed sink, faucet, and hood vent. All eleven bedrooms have received new linens, towels, and decor pieces.

As of January 2021, The Metropolis of Boston Philoptochos Board voted unanimously to sponsor the kitchen and the living room at The Philoxenia House. The Philoptochos recently purchased new window treatments, lamps, pots and pans, a coffee maker, and toaster along with other useful kitchen items.

The first Philoxenia guests of 2021 arrived on Monday, March 2. The Philoxenia House embraces people from Greece, Cyprus, South Africa, Germany, Brazil, Egypt, Russia, Bulgaria, and Romania faithfully throughout the world and America seeking medical care in Boston. The Metropolis of Boston Philoptochos is humbled to support such a wonderful ministry!

 

Volunteers needed!  

Philoptochos KOULOURIA WORKSHOP

***Saturday, March 27, 2021 at 10 am

Please contact Melissa Kaitis at 413-537-5054 if you are able to attend. All COVID safety protocols and compliance will be followed for all workshops and events leading up to Easter. 

 


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Saints and Feasts

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March 21

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.


Allsaint
March 21

James the Confessor

This Saint took up the monastic life from his youth in the Monastery of Studium, where he became a disciple of Saint Theodore the Studite. Later he became bishop and suffered many afflictions and torments at the hands of the Iconoclasts. Saint Theodore composed a homily in honour of this Saint James (PG 99, 1353-1356).


Allsaint
March 21

Thomas I, Patriarch of Constantinople


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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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