Publish-header
Dormition of the Virgin Mary Church
Publish Date: 2019-07-14
Bulletin Contents
Weekly Events
Saints and Feasts
Gospel and Epistle Readings
This Sunday is celebrated
Wisdom of the Fathers
Hlyfthrs
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

Thursday, July 11th - ST. EYPHEMIA THE GREAT MARTYR - 

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

Thursday, July 17th—ST. MARINA - Orthros at 8:00 a.m. & Div. Liturgy at 9:00 a.m.

Saturday, July 20th—ST. ELIAS THE PROPHET - Orthros at 8:00 a.m. & Div. Liturgy at 9:00 a.m.

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There will be a Potluck coffee hour this Sunday, July14th and next Sunday July 21st.

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Attention: During the summer months, if the coffee hours are not sponsored by families for a memorial service, we will be looking for volunteers to bring in pastries, fruits or whatever you desire.  There if you see "POTLUCK" listed for coffee hour in the bulletin, to make it easier for us to plan, it would be deeply appreciated if you can kindly inform the office, that you will be bringing something. 

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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. 

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 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. 

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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.

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Dear Parishioners, please inform the Church office at 617625-2222 if a relative or friend is hospitalized or bedridden at home so Fr. Anthony can visit them.  If it’s an emergency please call Fr. Anthony at 978-223-8224.

 THE DORMITION FAMILY TABLE

  Our Dormition Family Table will take place every 1st Wednesday of the month.  The next one will be served on Wednesday, August 7, 2019 from 4 p.m.—6 p.m.  We are looking for volunteers to help cook and serve.  Cooking starts at 2:00 p.m. 

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Saints and Feasts

Hlyfthrs
July 14

Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the 4th Ecumenical Council

On the Sunday that falls from the 13th to the 19th of the present month, we chant the Service to the 630 Holy and God-bearing Fathers who came together for the 4th Ecumenical Council who assembled in Chalcedon in 451, to condemn Eutyches, who taught that there was only one nature, the divine, in Christ after the Incarnation, and Dioscorus, Patriarch of Alexandria, who illegally received Eutyches back into communion and deposed Saint Flavian, Patriarch of Constantinople, who had excommunicated Eutyches.

In the Slavic tradition, on this Sunday, the Fathers of the first six Ecumenical Councils are all commemorated.

Allsaint
July 14

Aquila the Apostle among the 70

Saint Aquila, who was from Pontus of Asia Minor, was a Jew by race and a tent-maker by trade. In the year 52 he and his wife Priscilla were in Corinth when Saint Paul first came there. They gave him hospitality, and the Apostle remained with them for many days, himself working at the same trade as they (Acts 18:2-3). And having believed in Christ through Paul, they followed him from that time on, working together with him and suffering perils with him for the sake of the preaching of the Gospel, as he himself testifies concerning them in his Epistle to the Romans, saying: "Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my helpers in Christ Jesus: who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the nations" (Rom. 16:3-4). When and where they reposed is unknown.

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal Second Mode. Psalm 31.11,1.
Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous.
Verse: Blessed are they whose transgressions have been forgiven.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to Titus 3:8-15.

Titus, my son, the saying is sure. I desire you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to apply themselves to good deeds; these are excellent and profitable to men. But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels over the law, for they are unprofitable and futile. As for a man who is factious, after admonishing him once or twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is perverted and sinful; he is self-condemned.

When I send Artemas or Tychicos to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. And let our people learn to apply themselves to good deeds, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not to be unfruitful.

All who are with me send greeting to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

Προκείμενον. Plagal Second Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 31.11,1.
Εὐφράνθητι ἐπὶ Κύριον, καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε δίκαιοι.
Στίχ. Μακάριοι, ὧν ἀφέθησαν αἱ ἀνομίαι.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Τίτον 3:8-15.

Πιστὸς ὁ λόγος, καὶ περὶ τούτων βούλομαί σε διαβεβαιοῦσθαι, ἵνα φροντίζωσιν καλῶν ἔργων προΐστασθαι οἱ πεπιστευκότες θεῷ. ταῦτά ἐστιν καλὰ καὶ ὠφέλιμα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις · μωρὰς δὲ ζητήσεις καὶ γενεαλογίας καὶ ἔριν καὶ μάχας νομικὰς περιΐστασο, εἰσὶν γὰρ ἀνωφελεῖς καὶ μάταιοι. αιῥετικὸν ἄνθρωπον μετὰ μίαν καὶ δευτέραν νουθεσίαν παραιτοῦ, εἰδὼς ὅτι ἐξέστραπται ὁ τοιοῦτος καὶ ἁμαρτάνει, ὢν αὐτοκατάκριτος. Ὅταν πέμψω Ἀρτεμᾶν πρὸς σὲ ἢ Τυχικόν, σπούδασον ἐλθεῖν πρός με εἰς Νικόπολιν, ἐκεῖ γὰρ κέκρικα παραχειμάσαι. Ζηνᾶν τὸν νομικὸν καὶ Ἀπολλῶν σπουδαίως πρόπεμψον, ἵνα μηδὲν αὐτοῖς λείπῃ. μανθανέτωσαν δὲ καὶ οἱ ἡμέτεροι καλῶν ἔργων προΐστασθαι εἰς τὰς ἀναγκαίας χρείας, ἵνα μὴ ὦσιν ἄκαρποι. Ἀσπάζονταί σε οἱ μετ ᾽ἐμοῦ πάντες. Ἄσπασαι τοὺς φιλοῦντας ἡμᾶς ἐν πίστει. ἡ χάρις μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the 4th Ecumenical Council
The Reading is from Matthew 5:14-19

The Lord said to his disciples, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the 4th Ecumenical Council
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 5:14-19

Εἶπεν ὁ Κὐριος τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ μαθηταῖς· ῾Υμεῖς ἐστε τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου. οὐ δύναται πόλις κρυβῆναι ἐπάνω ὄρους κειμένη· οὐδὲ καίουσι λύχνον καὶ τιθέασι αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τὸν μόδιον, ἀλλ᾿ ἐπὶ τὴν λυχνίαν, καὶ λάμπει πᾶσι τοῖς ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ. οὕτω λαμψάτω τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὅπως ἴδωσιν ὑμῶν τὰ καλὰ ἔργα καὶ δοξάσωσι τὸν πατέρα ὑμῶν τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Μὴ νομίσητε ὅτι ἦλθον καταλῦσαι τὸν νόμον ἢ τοὺς προφήτας· οὐκ ἦλθον καταλῦσαι, ἀλλὰ πληρῶσαι. ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν, ἕως ἂν παρέλθῃ ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ, ἰῶτα ἓν ἢ μία κεραία οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου ἕως ἂν πάντα γένηται. ὃς ἐὰν οὖν λύσῃ μίαν τῶν ἐντολῶν τούτων τῶν ἐλαχίστων καὶ διδάξῃ οὕτω τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, ἐλάχιστος κληθήσεται ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν· ὃς δ᾿ ἂν ποιήσῃ καὶ διδάξῃ, οὗτος μέγας κληθήσεται ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν.

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This Sunday is celebrated

Last Week’s Sermon

 “Faith as Trust”

  Dear Brothers and sisters in Christ

            In last week’s Gospel we read about faith. In the modern religious culture we know that believing can be a very shallow emotion. Sometimes we believe in God as if God were a person living upstairs but had no real meaning or impact in our lives.  

 Sometimes the difference between these two ways of life is very small. Sometimes we who believe in God remember God only when we need something. We all are immersed in the world. Sometimes, even believers live their lives full of cares and anxiety.

 Today Christ is telling us that our faith must be more than emotional reality or mental conviction but a deep trust. The Greek word for faith explains it well. The word πιστεύω communicates a deep relational trust. 

 This is like a trust between a child and a loving mother. This trust is like the love between a bride and a groom. In order to communicate this basic but deep relationship, Christ reflects on our basic but essential needs. He also emphasizes how natural it is for God to take care of us.

 In another place he says that God knows better what we need than we know ourselves. Here he compares the satisfaction of our needs to receiving light. When our eyes are open and able to receive light we feel like we are totally surrounded by light. He tells his disciples that God will take care of their food, drink and clothing in the same way.

 As long as we keep the door of our hearts open for God we will be like fish in the water surrounded with God’s presence.In other occasions he reminds them that God has taken care of them 40 years in the desert. That God has saved them from their enemies. What is most important and amazing is that when Christ speaks about the relationship between God and humanity he does not talk about it as a distant historical reality.

 He speaks to them about God’s care for their forefathers, but he also shows them on daily basis that no one gets turned away. He heals all, he cleanses all, he forgives all who come to him, he feeds them he comforts them and if necessary he even resurrects their loved ones calling them out of the graves. Dear brothers and sisters our God is a living God.

 Our God is an always present God. Our God is a God that knows our needs better than we do and he fulfils them even before we ask for it. Our God is the only God and he has loved us before we have loved him.     Amen  

  Κήρυγμα της περασμένης Εβδομάδας

Αγαπητοί αδελφοί και αδελφές εν Χριστώ

            Στο περασμένο Ευαγγέλιο διαβάσαμε για την πίστη. Στη σύγχρονη θρησκευτική κουλτούρα γνωρίζουμε ότι η πίστη μπορεί να είναι ένα πολύ ρηχό συναίσθημα. Μερικές φορές πιστεύουμε στο Θεό σαν να ήταν Αυτός ένα πρόσωπο που ζει ψηλά επάνω, χωρίς να έχει κανένα πραγματικό νόημα ή αντίκτυπο στη ζωή μας.

 Μερικές φορές η διαφορά  μεταξύ αυτών των δύο τρόπων ζωής είναι πολύ μικρή.   Μερικές φορές όσοι πιστεύουμε στον Θεό τον θυμόμαστε μόνο όταν χρειαζόμαστε κάτι. Όλοι είμαστε βυθισμένοι στον κόσμο. Μερικές φορές, ακόμη και οι πιστοί ζουν τη ζωή τους γεμάτη φροντίδες και άγχος.

 Σήμερα ο Χριστός μας λέει ότι η πίστη μας πρέπει να είναι κάτι περισσότερο από μία συναισθηματική πραγματικότητα ή μία πνευματική πεποίθηση. Πρέπει να είναι μια βαθιά εμπιστοσύνη.

 Η ελληνική λέξη για την πίστη την εξηγεί καλά. Η λέξη πιστεύω σημαίνει μία βαθιά σχεσιακή εμπιστοσύνη. Είναι σαν την εμπιστοσύνη μεταξύ ενός παιδιού και μιας  μητέρας που αγαπά. Αυτή η εμπιστοσύνη είναι σαν την αγάπη μεταξύ μιας νύφης και ενός γαμπρού. Για να μας επικοινωνήσει αυτή τη βασική αλλά βαθιά σχέση, ο Χριστός αντικατοπτρίζει τις βασικές αλλά ουσιαστικές μας ανάγκες.

 Τονίζει επίσης πόσο φυσικό είναι για τον Θεό να μας φροντίζει. Σε ένα άλλο σημείο  λέει ότι ο Θεός ξέρει καλύτερα τι χρειαζόμαστε από ό, τι γνωρίζουμε εμείς οι ιδιοι για τον εαυτό μας. Εδώ συγκρίνει την ικανοποίηση των αναγκών μας με το πώς προσλαμβάνουμε το  φως.

   Όταν τα μάτια μας είναι ανοιχτά και μπορούν να λάβουν φως, αισθανόμαστε ότι είμαστε εντελώς περιτριγυρισμένοι από το φως. Λέει στους μαθητές του ότι ο Θεός θα φροντίσει με τον ίδιο τρόπο τα τρόφιμα, τα ποτά και τα ρούχα τους.

   Όσο διατηρούμε την πόρτα της καρδιάς μας ανοικτή για το Θεό, θα είμαστε σαν ψάρι στο νερό που περιβάλλεται από την παρουσία του Θεού. Σε άλλες περιπτώσεις τους υπενθυμίζει ότι ο Θεός τους έχει φροντίσει  σαράντα χρόνια στην έρημο. Ότι ο Θεός τους έχει σώσει από τους εχθρούς τους. Το πιο σημαντικό και εκπληκτικό είναι ότι όταν ο Χριστός μιλάει για τη σχέση του Θεού με την ανθρωπότητα δεν μιλάει για αυτό ως μια μακρινή ιστορική πραγματικότητα.

   Μιλάει σε αυτούς για τη φροντίδα του Θεού για τους προπάτορές τους, αλλά τους δείχνει επίσης σε καθημερινή βάση ότι κανείς δεν απορρίπτεται.

 Θεραπεύει όλους, καθαρίζει όλους, συγχωρεί όσους έρχονται σ 'αυτόν, τους τροφοδοτεί, τους παρηγορεί και, αν χρειαστεί, ανασταίνει  ακόμη και τους αγαπημένους τους καλώντας τους από τους τάφους.

  Αγαπητοί αδελφοί και αδελφές ο Θεός μας είναι ένας ζωντανός Θεός. Ο Θεός μας είναι ένας Θεός πάντα παρών. Ο Θεός μας είναι ένας Θεός που ξέρει τις ανάγκες μας καλύτερα από εμάς και τις εκπληρώνει ακόμη και πριν το ζητήσουμε. Ο Θεός μας είναι ο μόνος Θεός και μας έχει αγαπήσει προτού τον αγαπήσουμε.  Αμήν 

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Wisdom of the Fathers

Since he who cannot teach himself, yet attempts to set others right, will have many to ridicule him. Or rather such a one will have no power to teach at all, his actions uttering their voice against him.
St. John Chrysostom
Homilies 15 and 16 on Matthew 5, 4th Century

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