Publish-header
Dormition of the Virgin Mary Church
Publish Date: 2019-06-30
Bulletin Contents
Weekly Events
Saints and Feasts
Gospel and Epistle Readings
This Sunday is celebrated
Wisdom of the Fathers
30_12apost
Organization Icon
Dormition of the Virgin Mary Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (617) 625-2222
  • Fax:
  • (617) 628-4529
  • Street Address:

  • 29 Central Street

  • Somerville, MA 02143

Past Bulletins


Weekly Events

WEEKDAY SERVICES

Monday, July 1—Sts. Cosmas & Damian—

Orthros at 8:00 a.m. & Div. Liturgy at 9:00 a.m.

_________________________ 

  PARISHIONER OF THE YEAR LUNCHEON 

 On Sunday, Fr. Anthony and the Parish Council would like to congratulate our Parishioner of the Year 2019, Mrs. Maria

Nassiopoulos.  Mrs. Maria Nassiopoulos will be honored with a luncheon on June 30, 2019 immediately after Church services. Participation will be $10.00 per person.

  ___________________________

SUMMER RETREAT—SAVE THE DATES

 Summer Day Camp

  Loving Mother

             Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church Summer Retreat for our youth, ages 4 to 10, on Monday, August 5, 2019 through and including, Friday, August 9, 2019. 

     Check out our website at www.dormitionchurch.org for additional details regarding the daily programs for each day or pick up a program at the Pangari.      

  Please speak to Father Anthony for the specific time and details.  Father is organizing the retreat along with some assistance from GOYA and the PTO.  Exciting activities are planned for your children.

  The price per child is $50 in total for all the days.  A maximum cost per family is $100.00. 

Thanks to generous donors, we have funds available for parents who may need assistance with the fee. 

_________________________

 FESTIVAL

           Once again our festival is fast approaching.  Before you know it, the festival weekend of September 6, 7 and 8th will be upon us.  So, now is the time to think how are we going to help our church.  

           We can help in many ways! We all know the drill by now.   We can either help during the week of the festival by skewering kabobs, cutting vegetables or by putting the final touches together that will help this year's festival be another success.  

Most help will be needed during the 3 day weekend in various areas!  

We can also help by donating items from the festival item list or by putting an ad in our festival ad book, as soon as possible. A 20% discount is offered on ads placed prior to 7/31/19. Anything you decide to do will be greatly appreciated and beneficial. Please let us know by calling the church office, so we can mark you down. As always, thank you in advance.   If you have any questions, please ask Diane Karavitis or call her at 1-508-574-9862. 

 _____________________________

DONATIONS NEEDED FOR THE ALTAR FUND

2 Icons— Starting September the New Ecclesiastical Year, the theme of our Community will be “Welcoming Stranger’s and Children.”  We will place two (2) new Icons on the sides of the Narthex arch.    The Icon of Hospitality of Abraham and the Icon of Christ and the Children.  Fr. Anthony is looking for Donors for each Icon. The icons are $1500.00 each. 

Video Camera—Fr. Anthony is looking for a donor to a video camera for recording and broadcasting Church Services and Annual Church events.  The video camera cost is $3000.00.

 

BACK TO TOP

Saints and Feasts

30_12apost
June 30

Synaxis of the Twelve Holy Apostles

The names of the Twelve Apostles are these: Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew, the First-called; James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, who was also the Evangelist and Theologian; Philip, and Bartholomew (see also June 11); Thomas, and Matthew the publican, who was also called Levi and was an Evangelist; James the son of Alphaeus, and Jude (also called Lebbaeus, and surnamed Thaddaeus), the brother of James, the Brother of God; Simon the Cananite ("the Zealot"), and Matthias, who was elected to fill the place of Judas the traitor (see Aug. 9).

30_12apost
June 30

Synaxis of the Twelve Holy Apostles

The names of the Twelve Apostles are these: Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew, the First-called; James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, who was also the Evangelist and Theologian; Philip, and Bartholomew (see also June 11); Thomas, and Matthew the publican, who was also called Levi and was an Evangelist; James the son of Alphaeus, and Jude (also called Lebbaeus, and surnamed Thaddaeus), the brother of James, the Brother of God; Simon the Cananite ("the Zealot"), and Matthias, who was elected to fill the place of Judas the traitor (see Aug. 9).

BACK TO TOP

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal Fourth Mode. Psalm 18.4,1.
Their voice has gone out into all the earth.
Verse: The heavens declare the glory of God.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 4:9-16.

Brethren, God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are ill-clad and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as the refuse of the world, the off-scouring of all things. I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me.

Προκείμενον. Plagal Fourth Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 18.4,1.
Εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ἐξῆλθεν ὁ φθόγγος αὐτῶν.
Στίχ. Οἱ οὐρανοὶ διηγοῦνται δόξαν Θεοῦ.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Κορινθίους α' 4:9-16.

Ἀδελφοί, ὁ θεὸς ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἐσχάτους ἀπέδειξεν ὡς ἐπιθανατίους· ὅτι θέατρον ἐγενήθημεν τῷ κόσμῳ, καὶ ἀγγέλοις, καὶ ἀνθρώποις. Ἡμεῖς μωροὶ διὰ Χριστόν, ὑμεῖς δὲ φρόνιμοι ἐν Χριστῷ· ἡμεῖς ἀσθενεῖς, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἰσχυροί· ὑμεῖς ἔνδοξοι, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἄτιμοι. Ἄχρι τῆς ἄρτι ὥρας καὶ πεινῶμεν, καὶ διψῶμεν, καὶ γυμνητεύομεν, καὶ κολαφιζόμεθα, καὶ ἀστατοῦμεν, καὶ κοπιῶμεν ἐργαζόμενοι ταῖς ἰδίαις χερσίν· λοιδορούμενοι εὐλογοῦμεν· διωκόμενοι ἀνεχόμεθα· βλασφημούμενοι παρακαλοῦμεν· ὡς περικαθάρματα τοῦ κόσμου ἐγενήθημεν, πάντων περίψημα ἕως ἄρτι. Οὐκ ἐντρέπων ὑμᾶς γράφω ταῦτα, ἀλλʼ ὡς τέκνα μου ἀγαπητὰ νουθετῶ. Ἐὰν γὰρ μυρίους παιδαγωγοὺς ἔχητε ἐν Χριστῷ, ἀλλʼ οὐ πολλοὺς πατέρας· ἐν γὰρ Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ἐγὼ ὑμᾶς ἐγέννησα. Παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς, μιμηταί μου γίνεσθε.

Gospel Reading

Synaxis of the Twelve Holy Apostles
The Reading is from Matthew 9:36, 10:1-8

At that time, when Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every infirmity. The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaios, and Thaddaios; Simon the Cananaean. and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And preach as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying, give without pay."

Synaxis of the Twelve Holy Apostles
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 9:36, 10:1-8

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ᾿Ιδὼν δὲ τοὺς ὄχλους ἐσπλαγχνίσθη περὶ αὐτῶν, ὅτι ἦσαν ἐκλελυμένοι καὶ ἐρριμμένοι ὡς πρόβατα μὴ ἔχοντα ποιμένα. τότε λέγει τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ· ὁ μὲν θερισμὸς πολύς, οἱ δὲ ἐργάται ὀλίγοι. δεήθητε οὖν τοῦ κυρίου τοῦ θερισμοῦ ὅπως ἐκβάλῃ ἐργάτας εἰς τὸν θερισμὸν αὐτοῦ. Καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος τοὺς δώδεκα μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν πνευμάτων ἀκαθάρτων ὥστε ἐκβάλλειν αὐτὰ καὶ θεραπεύειν πᾶσαν νόσον καὶ πᾶσαν μαλακίαν. Τῶν δὲ δώδεκα ἀποστόλων τὰ ὀνόματά εἰσι ταῦτα· πρῶτος Σίμων ὁ λεγόμενος Πέτρος καὶ ᾿Ανδρέας ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ, ᾿Ιάκωβος ὁ τοῦ Ζεβεδαίου καὶ ᾿Ιωάννης ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ, Φίλιππος καὶ Βαρθολομαῖος, Θωμᾶς καὶ Ματθαῖος ὁ τελώνης, ᾿Ιάκωβος ὁ τοῦ ᾿Αλφαίου καὶ Λεββαῖος ὁ ἐπικληθεὶς Θαδδαῖος, Σίμων ὁ Κανανίτης καὶ ᾿Ιούδας ὁ ᾿Ισκαριώτης ὁ καὶ παραδοὺς αὐτόν. Τούτους τοὺς δώδεκα ἀπέστειλεν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς παραγγείλας αὐτοῖς λέγων· εἰς ὁδὸν ἐθνῶν μὴ ἀπέλθητε καὶ εἰς πόλιν Σαμαρειτῶν μὴ εἰσέλθητε· πορεύεσθε δὲ μᾶλλον πρὸς τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἀπολωλότα οἴκου ᾿Ισραήλ. πορευόμενοι δὲ κηρύσσετε λέγοντες ὅτι ἤγγικεν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν. ἀσθενοῦντας θεραπεύετε, λεπροὺς καθαρίζετε, νεκροὺς ἐγείρετε, δαιμόνια ἐκβάλλετε· δωρεὰν ἐλάβετε, δωρεὰν δότε.

BACK TO TOP

This Sunday is celebrated

Last Week’s Sermon

 Dear brothers and sisters in Christ

In last week’s Gospel we read that Christ is asking his disciples to follow him. He is also asking them to choose him over other things including family members. From the first look we can say something is wrong.

Why would he do this? Why would he wont us to be separated from others especially from our loved ones? Why should we chose Him over our brothers and sisters. The answer to these questions is simple and also very complex. It is easy because Christ is God and He is our Creator. It is complex because different people understand different things in our society when we say God or Creator.

More importantly we need to know what is the relationship that God offers back to us when we put Him first in our lives. God does not demand our love as an insecure parent. God asks for our love because he has Loved us first.

The Father has loved us by giving His only begotten son for us and the Son has loved us by embracing death for us and returning Life to us.  

Christ is asking his disciples to choose him not because He needs them but because we have no life without Him. Like everything else when we bring our lives us a gift to Christ, He blesses it multiplies it like the five loaves in the desert and returns it beck to us.

It is the Creator that gives meaning to the creation. Separate from him we lose meaning or create a small meaning that at the end does not matter. Dear Brothers and sisters when we lose sight of God, when we loose the great meaning of life everything around us changes. We may gain the whole world but we lose our life. We can not serve two masters. Christ wants us to serve the master that blesses and multiplies instead of the master that takes away and leaves us empty.

Many people lose their lives by giving it to the world and they never get it back. People even lose family and friends because of the demands of the world. But when we leave everything for God He blesses us, gives deeper meaning to our lives, blesses all that we have given and returns all to us because he created all for us in the first place. 

 Κήρυγμα της περασμένης Εβδομάδας

 Αγαπητοί αδελφοί και αδελφές εν Χριστώ

Στο Ευαγγέλιο  της περασμένης εβδομάδας διαβάσαμε  ότι ο Χριστός ζητά από τους μαθητές του να τον ακολουθήσουν. Τους ζητά επίσης  να τον επιλέξουν πάνω από  άλλα πράγματα, συμπεριλαμβανομένων και των μελών της οικογένειας. Με την πρώτη ματιά μπορούμε να πούμε ότι κάτι είναι λάθος.  Γιατί να το κάνει αυτό; Γιατί να θελήσει να είμαστε χωρισμένοι από τους άλλους, ειδικά από τους αγαπημένους μας; Γιατί να τον επιλέξουμε πάνω από τους αδελφούς και τις αδελφές μας. Η απάντηση στις ερωτήσεις αυτές είναι απλή αλλά και πολύ περίπλοκη.

Είναι απλή γιατί ο Χριστός είναι Θεός και αυτός είναι ο Δημιουργός μας. Είναι πολύπλοκη επειδή διάφοροι άνθρωποι καταλαβαίνουν διαφορετικά πράγματα στην κοινωνία μας όταν λέμε Θεός ή Δημιουργός.

Το πιο σημαντικό είναι να γνωρίζουμε ποια είναι η σχέση που μας προσφέρει ο Θεός όταν τον τοποθετούμε πρώτο στη ζωή μας. Ο Θεός δεν απαιτεί από εμάς την αγάπη μας σαν ένας ανασφαλής γονιός.

Ο Θεός ζητά την αγάπη μας επειδή μας έχει αγαπήσει πρώτα. Ο Πατέρας μας αγάπησε δίνοντάς μας το μοναδικό του γιο  και ο Υιός  μας αγάπησε αγκαλιάζοντας το θάνατο για μας και επιστρέφοντας τη ζωή σε μας.

Ο Χριστός ζητά από τους μαθητές του  να τον επιλέξουν όχι γιατί τους χρειάζεται, αλλά επειδή δεν έχουμε ζωή  χωρίς αυτόν. Όπως όλα τα άλλα, όταν προσφέρουμε τη ζωή μας σαν δώρο στον Χριστό, Αυτός το ευλογεί και το πολλαπλασιάζει σαν τα πέντε καρβέλια ψωμιού στην έρημο και μας το επιστρέφει. Είναι ο Δημιουργός που δίνει νόημα στη δημιουργία.

Χωριστά από αυτόν, χάνουμε το νόημα ή δημιουργούμε ένα μικρό νόημα που στο τέλος δεν έχει σημασία. Αγαπητοί αδελφοί και αδελφές, όταν χάσουμε την όραση του Θεού, όταν χάνουμε το μεγάλο νόημα της ζωής, τα πάντα γύρω μας αλλάζουν. Μπορούμε να κερδίσουμε ολόκληρο τον κόσμο αλλά χάνουμε τη ζωή μας. Δεν μπορούμε να υπηρετήσουμε δύο πλοιάρχους. Ο Χριστός θέλει να υπηρετούμε τον κύριο που ευλογεί και πολλαπλασιάζει αντί του κυρίου που μας απομακρύνει και μας αφήνει κενό.

Πολλοί άνθρωποι χάνουν τη ζωή τους δίνοντάς τους στον κόσμο και δεν το ξαναγίνουν ποτέ. Οι άνθρωποι χάνουν ακόμη οικογένεια και φίλους λόγω των απαιτήσεων του κόσμου. Αλλά όταν αφήνουμε τα πάντα για τον Θεό, μας ευλογεί, δίνει βαθύτερο νόημα στις ζωές μας, ευλογεί όλα όσα έχουμε δώσει και μας επιστρέφει όλα, γιατί δημιούργησε όλα για μας πρώτα απ 'όλα.  

BACK TO TOP

Wisdom of the Fathers

He puts an end to the woman's fear ... He sets her right, in respect of her thinking to be hid ... He exhibits her faith to all, so as to provoke the rest also to emulation ...
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 31 on Matthew 9, 4th Century

BACK TO TOP