Sunday Services: Orthros-8:45 a.m. Divine Liturgy-10:00 a.m. Sunday School after Distribution of Holy Communion. Holy Day Services As announced in weekly bulletins.
Ushers:
7/10- Chris Cora & T J Hare
7/17-Michael Fowler & Michaele Glisson
7/24- Brian Farr & L. Papadimitriou
7/31- Chuck Odom & C.Zouboukos
Altar Servers:
7/10 -Erynn Sturgon & Christopher & Alex Shepis
7/17- Erynn Sturgon & Stephanos & Nicholas Mangafakis
7/24-Erynn Sturgon & W.Glisson C,Fowler & Hutson Hontzas
7/31- Erunn Sturgon & Christopher & Alrx Shepis
(Please note that if any altar servers are in church and see that none of the assigned alltar servers are here you are of course asked to serve in the altar).
Epistle Reader: 7/3 Presvitera Bonnie Koufopoulos
7//10 Erynn Sturgon
7/17- Carl Boshert
7/24- Adam Farr
7/31-Stephanos Mangafakis
Prosphoro:
7/10 - Betta Miller
7/17 - D.Papadimitriou
7/24 -
7/31 -
To sign up to bake prosphoro click on this link. https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/266988023009644063/false#/invitation
Orthros starts at: 9:00 a.m. (Note no Orthros this Sunday)
Liturgy Starts at 10:00 a.m,
Coffee Hour: Fresh brewed coffee and snacks
Please Note: If you cannot join us the Liturgy will be recorded "live and in color" and available for viewing on our facebook page, see links below. If you cannot attend and still want to light a candle, or make an offering. Please use any of the links below. Our Facebook page click on the link below:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/269685419794311/ or go to our church web page
www.holytrinitysaintjohnjackson.org and click on the link
We are grateful to those who have contributed and continue to contribute their donations through the mail or by the two secure on-line options both of which can be found on our web page. The light a candle say a prayer link below or the Donate Button on the bottom of the home page https://holy-trinity-st-john-the-theologian-greek-orthodox-church-jac.square.site
Our July Birthday Celebrations: John Polles-July 3rd, Gayland Cox-July 4th, Christo Burnham-July 5th, McKenna Fowler-July 7th, Presbytera Bonnie-July 8th, Nickolas Fowler-July 12th, Stamati Polles-July 13th, William Moxey-July 15th, Stephanos Manganfakis-July 15th, Jerry Kountouris-July 21st, Malissa Zouboukos-July 26th, Gebre Menfes Kidus-July 26th, Janet Ingram Grillis-July 28th,Emma Papadimitriou-July 28th, Alexis Ann Kountouris-July 29th, Michael Fowler-July 30th
Our Holy Trinity-St. John the Theologian Prayer List:
"Remember Lord, those whom each of us calls prayerfully to mind" Presbytera Bonne Koufopoulos-after her shoulder surgery,Stella Grivas (Father Andrew's mother in Dunnsville VA), Andrea & Kevin Brown (Father Andrew's sister and brother in law in New Hampshire), Chuck Odom, Nicholas & Dianna Psaris, John Botes, Chris Grillis, Lambryne Angelo, Malissa and Pat Zouboukos have asked that we pray for their friend Bill Hardin and their friend and neighbor Bill Spence, Paula Fowler, Victoria Lepsa (Cristina Nica's mother in Romania), Tatianna Koufopoulos Quick of Phoenix Arizona, Maria Costas, Dot Pavlou,
Saint Anthony, who was born in the province of Chernigov, was tonsured in the Monastery of Esphigmenou on the Holy Mountain, Athos, from whence he was sent by his abbot to Kiev to plant the monastic life in 1013, two years before the death of Saint Vladimir, Great Prince of Kiev. Dwelling at first as a hermit, the Saint gradually drew to himself others wishing to emulate his way of life. When the number of the brethren grew, a wooden church in honour of the Dormition of the Theotokos was built, thus laying the foundation of what was to become the renowned Kiev Caves Lavra. Refusing the abbotship, Saint Anthony entrusted this to his disciples, first to the blessed Barlaam, then to Saint Theodosius (See May 3), and his whole life struggled as a cave-dwelling hermit. He reposed in peace in 1073 at the age of ninety.
In 451, during the reign of the Sovereigns Marcian and Pulcheria, the Fourth Ecumenical Council was convoked in Chalcedon against Eutyches and those of like mind with him. After much debate, the Fathers who were the defenders of Orthodoxy, being 630 in number, agreed among themselves and with those who were of contrary mind, to write their respective definitions of faith in separate books, and to ask God to confirm the truth in this matter. When they had prepared these texts, they placed the two tomes in the case that held Saint Euphemia's relics, sealed it, and departed. After three days of night-long supplications, they opened the reliquary in the presence of the Emperor, and found the tome of the heretics under the feet of the Martyr, and that of the Orthodox in her right hand. (For her life, see Sept. 16.)
Saint Olga, renowned for her wisdom and sobriety, in her youth became the wife of Igor, Great Prince of Kiev, who ruled during the tenth century. After her husband's death, she herself ruled capably, and was finally moved to accept the Faith of Christ. She traveled to Constantinople to receive Holy Baptism. The Emperor, seeing her outward beauty and inward greatness, asked her to marry him. She said she could not do this before she was baptized; she furthermore asked him to be her Godfather at the font, which he agreed to do. After she was baptized (receiving the name of Helen), the Emperor repeated his proposal of marriage. She answered that now he was her father, through holy Baptism, and that not even among the heathen was it heard of a man marrying his daughter. Gracefully accepting to be outwitted by her, he sent her back to her land with priests and sacred texts and holy icons. Although her son Svyatoslav remained a pagan, she planted the seed of faith in her grandson Vladimir (see July 15). She reposed in peace in 969.
Grandson of Saint Olga, Saint Vladimir ascended the throne of Kiev in 980. Though a zealous idolater, he was illumined by the grace of God, accepted the Christian Faith, and completely changed his ways. He was baptized in Cherson in 988, receiving the name Basil; he came forth from the font not only healed of a blindness lately afflicting him, but also from being passionate and warlike, he became meek, peaceable, and exceedingly godly. Whereas his grandmother had refused marriage with the Emperor in Constantinople (see July 11), he married Anna, sister of the Emperors Basil and Constantine, and was accompanied home by priests from Constantinople. Diligently seeking to spread Christianity throughout his realm like a new Constantine, he destroyed the idols (having the chief diety Perun scourged and then cast into the Dnieper River), and summoned all his subjects to Holy Baptism. He reposed in peace in 1015.
Fourth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Luke 24:1-12
On the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women went to the tomb, taking the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of man must be delivered in to the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise." And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the apostles; but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.
But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home wondering at what had happened.
Prokeimenon. Third Tone. Psalm 46.6,1.
Sing praises to our God, sing praises.
Verse: Clap your hands, all you nations.
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 6:18-23.
Brethren, having been set free from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once yielded your members to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now yield your members to righteousness for sanctification.
When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But then what return did you get from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
4th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 8:5-13
At that time, as Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, beseeching him and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress." And he said to him, "I will come and heal him." But the centurion answered him, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth." And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; be it done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed at that very moment.
The Lord’s signs and wonders certainly prove Him to be what He claimed to be: The Son of God! The healing of the Centurian’s servant, which we read this Sunday, is not intended just to demonstrate the Lord’s power to heal. The healing of the centurion’s servant contains several short lessons that characterize the life in Christ. Christians who hear this small section of the Gospel –that’s us- must pay close attention to the way in which these instructions may be applied to their own lives.
The basic elements of the story are few. First, the centurion, a Roman commander of 100 soldiers, has complete confidence that Jesus is able to heal his servant. Second, the Lord expresses willingness to go to the centurion’s house, which in the eyes of the Jews would make Him unclean. Third, the centurion declares himself unworthy of such a visit and displaying great humility, declines. Fourth, the centurion reveals profound faith in Jesus: “Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.” At this Jesus marvels, as He declares that He has not found such great faith in Israel; (one other time He marveled, it was at the unbelief of the people of His hometown Nazareth). A final element: Jesus declares that those chosen to be the children of the kingdom would be cast out and replaced by others. After this, He tells the centurion to go his way and that his servant is healed.
St. Ambrose sees the healing by the Lord’s word alone as proof of His equality with the Father. He says: “as the Father spoke the Son made, so too, the Father works and the Son speaks”. And St. Basil the Great emphasizes that it was the Savior’s word and NOT His presence that healed the sick man.
The centurion is a striking figure. When he meets Jesus in Capernaum, he is a man already possessed of a deep faith in Jesus’ power to heal, even by a word. How the centurion came to his faith is NOT explained by St. Matthew, but we have other details in St. Luke’s account of the same miracle. It should be recalled at this point that although the synoptic Gospels – Matthew, Mark and Luke – sometimes differ in detail when reporting the same incident, those differences do not diminish their authenticity. In St. Matthew’s gospel he simply relates what went on between Jesus and the centurion. St. Luke tells us details that immediately took place before, such as how the centurion sent his Jewish friends to plead his case. “I did not even think myself worthy to come to you”, he says. The centurion’s frequent contact with the Jews must have given him some familiarity with their faith; perhaps he experienced the holiness of their worship -worship of the one true God- and maybe he was even aware of their messianic expectations. It’s unlikely that Jesus and His work among the people could have escaped his attention. His own faith -forcefully portrayed in just a few words- may have arisen from a strong sense that Jesus was the very one awaited by the nation he had come to love.
Another detail from St. Luke’s account tells us that the man’s Jewish friends – identified as elders – considered him worthy of Jesus’ good favor (although they are impressed by something other than his faith) saying: “the one for whom He should do this was deserving, for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue”. In other words, he held an important position, and was a big donor to their synagogue, and so they brought his plea to Jesus.
However, the things that really matter – the centurion’s humility, faith, and concern for another – seem NOT to have made much of an impression on them. It’s not difficult to see the similarity between the mindset of those religious leaders and that of some of our own people. And not a few priests/bishops have heard requests on behalf of others who were deemed worthy just because they had position, authority or money.
Clearly, when the centurion speaks to Jesus of his position and rank, he’s not boasting. Quite the contrary. “I am a man placed under authority.” That is the key expression. He derives his authority from another and applies it in the line of duty. St. John Chrysostom describes the implications: “’I am a man placed under authority’(the centurion says): that is, You are God, and I man; I under authority, but You not under authority. If I, therefore, being a man, and under authority, can do so much; far more He, both as God and as not under authority”. The same saint is certain that this Roman Gentile, unlike his Jewish friends, suspects Jesus’ divine dignity – recognizes that He is the Son of God (not the last Roman centurion to realize this).
The Christ preached by the Apostles was the Christ who gave Himself out of love for mankind. He is the One who receives all who come to Him in faith and humility, i.e. those who love Him. He is NOT moved to respond to our petitions because of some supposed worthiness on our part. Our accomplishments, position, wealth, and fame do NOT commend us to Him. Neither does our belonging to a particular race or nation, and neither does membership in His Church, IF we make NO effort to live in accordance with His will, IF we have NO faith or humility, IF we think of ourselves as deserving His salvation, or IF we think only of ourselves and never earnestly desire the well-being of others.
This is the Christ that the apostles and disciples proclaimed as they undertook their great missionary work after having been filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This is the same Christ our Church proclaims today, so let’s pay close attention to the faith and humility of the centurion. And to his approach. One of the great communion prayers that our church gives us as we approach Christ bears the same words as the humble centurion: ‘I know, O Lord my God, that I am not worthy that you should enter under the roof of the house of my soul.” But recognizing the Lord and His goodness we say, “but since You in Your love desire to dwell in me I take courage and approach.” Let us then take courage and approach and taste and see that the Lord is good! +
Based on a homily by Archbishop Dmitri Royster found in ‘The Miracles of Christ’. St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press. Crestwood (NY), 1999
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