We meet for divine worship every Sunday morning starting with Orthros (Matins) 8:30, Divine Liturgy 9:30-11AM, followed by a fellowship hour in our community center. All are invited!
Please see Community Calendar for a complete listing of all weekday feast-days and worship services.
Monday, January 6, 2020
The Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
Synaxis of John the Holy Glorious Prophet, Baptist, & Forerunner
Friday, January 10, 2020
Sunday after Epiphany, January 12, 2020
About the beginning of our Lord's thirtieth year, John the Forerunner, who was some six months older than Our Saviour according to the flesh, and had lived in the wilderness since his childhood, received a command from God and came into the parts of the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance unto the remission of sins. Then our Saviour also came from Galilee to the Jordan, and sought and received baptism though He was the Master and John was but a servant. Whereupon, there came to pass those marvellous deeds, great and beyond nature: the Heavens were opened, the Spirit descended in the form of a dove upon Him that was being baptized and the voice was heard from the Heavens hearing witness that this was the beloved Son of God, now baptized as a man (Matt. 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:1-22). From these events the Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ and the great mystery of the Trinity were demonstrated. It is also from this that the present feast is called "Theophany," that is, the divine manifestation, God's appearance among men. On this venerable day the sacred mystery of Christian baptism was inaugurated; henceforth also began the saving preaching of the Kingdom of the Heavens.
Today we celebrate the Synaxis in honour of the most sacred Forerunner, since he ministered at the Mystery of the Divine Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rest from labour. Fish allowed.
Prokeimenon. Plagal Second Mode. Psalm 27.9,1.
O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance.
Verse: To you, O Lord, I have cried, O my God.
The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to Timothy 4:5-8.
TIMOTHY, my son, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry.
For I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
Προκείμενον. Plagal Second Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 27.9,1.
Σῶσον, Κύριε τὸν λαὸν σου καὶ εὐλόγησον τὴν κληρονομίαν σου.
Στίχ. Πρὸς σἐ, Κύριε, κεκράξομαι ὁ Θεός μου.
τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Τιμόθεον β' 4:5-8.
Τέκνον Τιμόθεε, νῆφε ἐν πᾶσιν, κακοπάθησον, ἔργον ποίησον εὐαγγελιστοῦ, τὴν διακονίαν σου πληροφόρησον. Ἐγὼ γὰρ ἤδη σπένδομαι, καὶ ὁ καιρὸς τῆς ἐμῆς ἀναλύσεως ἐφέστηκεν. Τὸν ἀγῶνα τὸν καλὸν ἠγώνισμαι, τὸν δρόμον τετέλεκα, τὴν πίστιν τετήρηκα· λοιπόν, ἀπόκειταί μοι ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης στέφανος, ὃν ἀποδώσει μοι ὁ κύριος ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, ὁ δίκαιος κριτής· οὐ μόνον δὲ ἐμοί, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάσιν τοῖς ἠγαπηκόσιν τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν αὐτοῦ.
Sunday before Epiphany
The Reading is from Mark 1:1-8
The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophets, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who shall prepare your way; the voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.' John was baptizing in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
Sunday before Epiphany
Κατὰ Μᾶρκον 1:1-8
᾿Αρχὴ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ. ῾Ως γέγραπται ἐν τοῖς προφήταις, ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω τὸν ἄγγελόν μου πρὸ προσώπου σου, ὃς κατασκευάσει τὴν ὁδόν σου ἔμπροσθέν σου· φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου, εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ, ἐγένετο ᾿Ιωάννης βαπτίζων ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καὶ κηρύσσων βάπτισμα μετανοίας εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν. Καὶ ἐξεπορεύετο πρὸς αὐτὸν πᾶσα ἡ ᾿Ιουδαία χώρα καὶ οἱ ῾Ιεροσολυμῖται, καὶ ἐβαπτίζοντο πάντες ἐν τῷ ᾿Ιορδάνῃ ποταμῷ ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐξομολογούμενοι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν. Ἦν δὲ ὁ ᾿Ιωάννης ἐνδεδυμένος τρίχας καμήλου καὶ ζώνην δερματίνην περὶ τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐσθίων ἀκρίδας καὶ μέλι ἄγριον. Καὶ ἐκήρυσσε λέγων· ἔρχεται ὁ ἰσχυρότερός μου ὀπίσω μου, οὗ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς κύψας λῦσαι τὸν ἱμάντα τῶν ὑποδημάτων αὐτοῦ· ἐγὼ μὲν ἐβάπτισα ὑμᾶς ἐν ὕδατι, αὐτὸς δὲ βαπτίσει ὑμᾶς ἐν Πνεύματι ῾Αγίῳ.
One of the most joyous and traditional family celebrations is the cutting of the Vasilopita on New Year's Day! The Ladies Philoptochos is selling beautiful gold Vasilopita coin with the image of St. Basil the Great. Each coin is $15.00 and packaged in a presentation case that includes a full-color insert with a Vasilopita recipe, as well as the story and tradition of the Vasilopita. The coins will be available during the Kalosorisma/Coffee Hour.
Celebrations, Milestones, Gratitude, Comfort & Support
Pastoral care: If you or someone you know is sick, homebound elderly, or scheduled for surgery, please call the church office to let us know so Fr. John can make a pastoral visit, or to add someone to the prayer list.
Let us pray to the Lord for health and salvation: Suffering and persecuted Christians in the Middle East and the non-Christian world, Athena, Stephen, Tom, Sandra, Susan, George, Betty, Antonios, Anthony, Debora, Despina, Nikolaos, George, Yiannis, Eugene, Mary, Maria, Noel, Pavlos, Vincent, Alexandros, Constantino, Dionysios, Elizabeth.
Names will be kept on this list for approximately three months. Please resubmit Names if needed. Fr. John will include the submitted names at the Psokomide “Offering of Gifts” during the first part of the liturgy when he prepares the mystical gifts of bread & wine. Please lift these names to the Lord in your personal prayer life also.
Prayer for healing: Heavenly Father, physician of our souls and bodies, who have sent our Lord to heal every sickness. Visit and heal us. Grant patience in this sickness, the strength of body and spirit, and recovery of health. Lord, You have taught us to pray for each other that we may be healed. We pray that You heal, guide, and protect your servant (s) (pray by name for those who are sick) and grant them the gift of complete health. You are the source of healing, and to You, we give glory, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen
Χρόνια πολλα! Happy birthday! God grant you many years! To those celebrating this week: Eleni Kytzidis, Kathryn Limberakis, Stella Nanz, Panayiotis Papanikolaou, Andrew Prousi, Alexandros Tsikoudis, Melissa Charocopos, Gregory Costa, Areti Karasavas, Margo Konugres, Fotis Malitas, Haralambos Matraszek, Theofanis Skarvelis, Marissa Barletta, Douglas Heinze, Anthony Malamas, Constandina Christidhis, Mary Gilliland, Markos Mavrakis, Ella Petronis, Anthony Poulos, Giorgo Koulouris, Susan Lagakos, Christina Staurinos, Despina Twyman, George Wrigley, Angela Kambouris, Dimitri Romano, Joann Samios.
Our deepest sympathy:
May their memory be eternal
Monday, January 13, 2020
Sunday, January 26, 2020
Opportunities to serve through the Orthodox Christian Mission Center
HAVE YOU CONSIDERED SAVING A LIFE TODAY?
My name is Andrea Thomas Merrick, and I am an Annunciation parishioner.
My husband, Alan Gnessin, was diagnosed at age 16 with Type 1 Diabetes. Back then, treatment was much different than today. Now, there are insulin pens, different types of insulin, pumps, meters that test your blood without pricking your fingertips and many other medical advances. He followed the rules, watched what he ate, and lived his life. But, these things don’t stop the progression of this chronic, incurable disease.
Today, Alan has Stage IV Kidney Disease and needs a kidney transplant. This is a daunting milestone. His quality of life has greatly diminished. His kidneys are failing with each passing day. He continues to live the best life that he can but, without a kidney transplant, he will not be able to continue. That is just the inevitably sad fact for all of us who care so much for him.
There are two ways of obtaining a kidney. The first is from a deceased donor, which means you are put on the List and wait your turn until a matching kidney becomes available. You must receive dialysis while you wait what could be 5 or more years if you are lucky.
Alternatively, there are living kidney donors. Having a living kidney donor has better outcomes than a cadaver donor. It also avoids having to wait years on the List for a match and means that the recipient need not spend endless time on dialysis. This is a true gift.
On behalf of Alan, I am reaching out to you and asking for your help. Would you be willing to be tested to see if you are a compatible donor? Would you be willing to share Alan’s story and ask others? I am hoping that among family, friends, acquaintances and new connections, there is someone out there who can help save a life. Please know that Alan’s immediate family are not suitable donor candidates, hence this outreach. (Alan has Type O blood, so a direct donor needs to be Type O (+ or -).
If you want to learn more about how the process works to be evaluated as a kidney donor, please go to www.donorsforalan.com. If you prefer speaking directly and confidentially with the transplant program, please feel free to reach out to our transplant coordinator at Jefferson at livingdonor@jefferson.edu or at 1-888-855-6649. You can download and complete the Living Donor Medical Assessment and Referral Form at https://hospitals.jefferson.edu/content/dam/health/PDFs/departments/Kidney-Transplant/Living-Donor-Kidney-Transplant-Form.pdf and e-mail it to livingdonor@jefferson.edu if you are interested in being considered as a living kidney donor. This form is the initial screening form.
We are so grateful for your interest, your questions, your help, and your friendship during this very difficult time.
Thank you all for listening to Alan’s story and considering his situation.
Andrea Thomas Merrick, Alan’s wife.
For questions and more information, please contact Fr. John at 215-6350316