Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Narthex Press
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Narthex Press
Third Tone
O Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke, intercede with our merciful God, that He may grant our souls forgiveness of sins
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.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Seventh Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:1-10
On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him." Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying and the napkin, which had been on His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not know the scripture, that He must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.
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 11:9-10; 32-40.
BRETHREN, by faith Abraham sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city which has foundation, whose builder and maker is God.
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 armies 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 tempted, 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.
Sunday before Nativity
The Reading is from Matthew 1:1-25
The book of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, and Aram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.
And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa, and Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel, and Salathiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.
So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus.
TODAY, we are having a 1 Year Memorial for Rockwell Rookey, brother of Ronald, Rodney, and Leah; an 4 Year Trisagion for Rockwell and an 8 Year Trisagion of Helen, parents of Ronald, Rodney, and Leah; a 40 Day Memorial for Louis Dagenais, son of James (+) and Stella (+), borther of Joanna, Kathy, Elaine, and James.
May their memory be eternal!
PLEASE NOTE -- The Schedule of Services for Christmas and Epiphany was emailed and sent via USPS
1. SUNDAY BEFORE THE NATIVITY
2. Christmas Services
Dec. 24 -- Orthros and Divine Liturgy @ 8:30 and 9: 30 am
Christmas Eve @ 6 pm -- Christmas Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great
3. House Blessings -- it's not too early to begin planning for your 2024 House Blessing!
4. Philoptochos News:
Christmas FOOD OUTREACH 2023
If you know of someone or a family in need of support, please see Father or any Philoptochos board member so that we can make this holiday season brighter.
The TREE of Warmth is up!
It is located in the Fellowship Hall and ready for your contributions. With the help of the St. Luke Knitting Club and our creative community, we are collecting NEW knitted, crocheted, or purchased gloves, scarves, mittens, and hats. Please help us provide these necessary items to our neighbors in need while honoring the memory of our beloved parishioner Karen Louis.
Save the Date:
Time for Soup! Philoptochos is happy to bring back and host the Soup Cook-Off.
Please visit the Philoptochos table after Liturgy in the fellowship hall to purchase your tickets, or call the church office to reserve your tickets.
Event Details: With the $10 ticket fee, YOU will get the opportunity to sample the soup-making skills of our contestants! Each contestant will offer samples of their warm, uniquely delicious soup. YOU will then vote for your favorite soup! Once the voting has taken place, YOU will make your way to a beautiful buffet-style luncheon organized by the Ladies Philoptochos Society. The buffet will include a selection of hot and cold food options, including a large batch of Avgolemono soup, a GREEK favorite for all to enjoy.
In addition to purchasing a ticket for the event, YOU may also purchase a $1 raffle ticket or 15 for $10 for a chance to WIN a handcrafted wooden Winter decoration.
On behalf of our Philoptochos, we’d like to thank all of our generous parishioners who purchased gift cards for “Lighthouse Clubhouse”.
This year a total of 84 cards were given to the clubhouse members!
Your generosity made someone less fortunate than you feel special and have a merrier Christmas.
Thank you once again for opening your hearts during this joyous time of year.
With Joy, Peace & Love,
Parris Ochsner
Dorsey Cokkinias
On January 17th, the director, Eileen McKeever of Lighthouse and other staff and members are joining us for Liturgy and to thank us and speak to the congregation.
What shall I say to you; what shall I tell you? I behold a Mother who has brought forth; I see a Child come to this light by birth. The manner of His conception I cannot comprehend.
Saint John Chrysostom "Homily on the Nativity"
This Martyr was the daughter of most distinguished and noble parents named Philip and Claudia. Philip, a Prefect of Rome, moved to Alexandria with his family. In Alexandria, Eugenia had the occasion to learn the Christian Faith, in particular when she encountered the Epistles of Saint Paul, the reading of which filled her with compunction and showed her clearly the vanity of the world. Secretly taking two of her servants, Protas and Hyacinth, she departed from Alexandria by night. Disguised as a man, she called herself Eugene while pretending to be a eunuch, and departed with her servants and took up the monastic life in a monastery of men. Her parents mourned for her, but could not find her. After Saint Eugenia had laboured for some time in the monastic life, a certain woman named Melanthia, thinking Eugenia to be a monk, conceived lust and constrained Eugenia to comply with her desire; when Eugenia refused, Melanthia slandered Eugenia to the Prefect as having done insult to her honour. Eugenia was brought before the Prefect, her own father Philip, and revealed to him both that she was innocent of the accusations, and that she was his own daughter. Through this, Philip became a Christian; he was afterwards beheaded at Alexandria. Eugenia was taken back to Rome with Protas and Hyacinth. All three of them ended their life in martyrdom in the years of Commodus, who reigned from 180 to 192.
On the Sunday that occurs on or immediately after the eighteenth of this month, we celebrate all those who from ages past have been well-pleasing to God, beginning from Adam even unto Joseph the Betrothed of the Most Holy Theotokos, according to genealogy, as the Evangelist Luke hath recorded historically (Luke 3:23-38); we also commemorate the Prophets and Prophetesses, and especially the Prophet Daniel and the Holy Three Children.