WEEKDAY SERVICES
Friday, July 26th—ST. PARASKEVI -Orthros at 8:00 a.m. & Div. Liturgy at 9:00 a.m.
Saturday, July 27th—ST PANTELEIMON -Orthros at 10:00 a.m. & Div. Liturgy at 11:00 a.m.
Thursday, August 1st & Friday, August 2nd—PARAKLESIS to the most Holy Theotokos will be at 7 p.m.
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MEMORIAL SERVICES
On Sunday, a 5 year memorial service will be offered for the repose of the soul of Efthymios Nassiopoulos, a 2 year memorial service will be offered for the repose of the soul of Olympia Stratis, and a 18 year memorial service for the repose of the soul of Konstantinos Stratis.
The coffee hour today will be kindly sponsored by the Nassiopoulos & Milas families.
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Visit to the Holy Monastery of Panagia Parigoritissa
Our trip to the Holy Monastery of Panagia Parigoritissa in Quebec, Canada, will take place some time in October. Day and time to be announced. For more information contact the church office.
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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. Therefore 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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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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Mark your calendars: On Sunday August 11th, and ever second Sunday of the month, instead of a Sermon Fr. Anthony will have “Questions and Answers”.
Any questions relating to the Gospel reading, scriptural reading and personal spiritual life.
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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.
These Apostles of the Seventy are mentioned in Acts 6:5. Saint Prochoros became Bishop of Nicomedia and reposed in peace. Saint Nicanor was stoned to death in Jerusalem. Saint Timon became Bishop of Bostra in Arabia and ended his life in martyrdom by fire at the hands of the pagans. Saint Parmenas died in peace in Jerusalem.
Saint Irene, who was from Cappadocia, flourished in the ninth century. Because of her great beauty and virtue, she was brought to Constantinople as a prospective bride for the young Emperor Michael (842-867); however, as Saint Joannicius the Great foretold, it was God's will that she assume the monastic habit instead. She shone forth in great ascetical labours, and suffered many attacks from the demons; while yet a novice, she attained to the practice of Saint Arsenius the Great, of praying the whole night long with arms stretched out towards Heaven (see May 8). God showed forth great signs and wonders in her, and she became the Abbess of the Convent of Chrysovalantou. She was granted the gift of clairvoyance and knew the thoughts of all that came to her. She appeared in a vision to the king and rebuked him for unjustly imprisoning a nobleman who had been falsely accused. Through a sailor from Patmos to whom he had appeared, Saint John the Evangelist sent her fragrant and wondrous apples from Paradise. She reposed at the age of 103, still retaining the youthful beauty of her countenance. After her repose, marvelous healings beyond number have been wrought by her to the present day.
6th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 12:6-14
Brethren, having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; he who teaches, in his teaching; he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who contributes, in liberality; he who gives aid, with zeal; he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
6th Sunday of Matthew
Πρὸς ῾Ρωμαίους 12:6-14
Ἀδελφοί, ἔχοντες δὲ χαρίσματα κατὰ τὴν χάριν τὴν δοθεῖσαν ἡμῖν διάφορα, εἴτε προφητείαν, κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν τῆς πίστεως· εἴτε διακονίαν, ἐν τῇ διακονίᾳ· εἴτε ὁ διδάσκων, ἐν τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ· εἴτε ὁ παρακαλῶν, ἐν τῇ παρακλήσει· ὁ μεταδιδούς, ἐν ἁπλότητι· ὁ προϊστάμενος, ἐν σπουδῇ· ὁ ἐλεῶν, ἐν ἱλαρότητι. Ἡ ἀγάπη ἀνυπόκριτος. Ἀποστυγοῦντες τὸ πονηρόν, κολλώμενοι τῷ ἀγαθῷ. Τῇ φιλαδελφίᾳ εἰς ἀλλήλους φιλόστοργοι· τῇ τιμῇ ἀλλήλους προηγούμενοι· τῇ σπουδῇ μὴ ὀκνηροί· τῷ πνεύματι ζέοντες· τῷ κυρίῳ δουλεύοντες· τῇ ἐλπίδι χαίροντες· τῇ θλίψει ὑπομένοντες· τῇ προσευχῇ προσκαρτεροῦντες· ταῖς χρείαις τῶν ἁγίων κοινωνοῦντες· τὴν φιλοξενίαν διώκοντες. Εὐλογεῖτε τοὺς διώκοντας ὑμᾶς· εὐλογεῖτε, καὶ μὴ καταρᾶσθε.
6th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 9:1-8
At that time, getting into a boat Jesus crossed over and came to his own city. And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on his bed; and when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven." And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming." But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say 'Rise and walk?' But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" he then said to the paralytic -- "Rise, take up your bed and go home." And he rose and went home. When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
6th Sunday of Matthew
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 9:1-8
Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἐμβὰς εἰς πλοῖον διεπέρασε καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν πόλιν. Καὶ ἰδοὺ προσέφερον αὐτῷ παραλυτικὸν ἐπὶ κλίνης βεβλημένον· καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς τὴν πίστιν αὐτῶν εἶπε τῷ παραλυτικῷ· θάρσει, τέκνον· ἀφέωνταί σοι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι σου. καὶ ἰδού τινες τῶν γραμματέων εἶπον ἐν ἑαυτοῖς· οὗτος βλασφημεῖ. καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς τὰς ἐνθυμήσεις αὐτῶν εἶπεν· ἵνα τί ὑμεῖς ἐνθυμεῖσθε πονηρὰ ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν; τί γάρ ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν, ἀφέωνταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι, ἢ εἰπεῖν, ἔγειρε καὶ περιπάτει; ἵνα δὲ εἰδῆτε ὅτι ἐξουσίαν ἔχει ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας - τότε λέγει τῷ παραλυτικῷ· ἐγερθεὶς ἆρόν σου τὴν κλίνην καὶ ὕπαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου. καὶ ἐγερθεὶς ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ. ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ ὄχλοι ἐθαύμασαν καὶ ἐδόξασαν τὸν Θεὸν τὸν δόντα ἐξουσίαν τοιαύτην τοῖς ἀνθρώποις.
Last Week’s Sermon
“The Demoniak”
Dear Brothers and sisters in Christ
In today’s Gospel reading we find Jesus going out of Israel. We remember that He said that He had come for the lost sheep of Israel first. But how blessed we are that he did not limit his visit with Israel but he also came out of Israel and visited us. About other nations he said that he has other sheep that are not of this fold. We are blessed because he counted us also as his sheep and later he sent his disciples to bring all the nations to his fold.
In today’s Gospel we see a condition that shows where the other nations where when he came. We have a demoniac who lived in the graveyard and did not wear any cloths and then we have people who preferred their pigs and demons over true God. They asked him to leave. They preferred to be alone like the demoniac was alone in the graveyards. The demoniac shows us that when we do not have God with us we are alone and we have no life with us.
We also see that when God visits people they have two choices to follow him or to tell him go away. God always gives us this opportunity to follow him but in this case only the one who had demons and was cleansed desired to follow him. Sometimes we who think are righteous are the ones who denies God and those who we think are sinners are the ones who desire from their heart to follow him.
Another wonderful lesson we learn from today’s Gospel is that it is our obligation to bring God to others. The demoniac desired to follow Jesus but Jesus stopped him. Jesus said to him that it is better if he goes and tells his family and friends what had happened to him. So to sum up the lesson that we learn today from this Gospel we can say the we are blessed that Christ came not only for the lost sheep of Israel but also for us who were alone and possessed by demons. Also that he came not for those who think they are fine but those who know that they are separated from God.
We learn that sometimes we chose unimportant things over God in our lives and that instead we need to ask him if we can become his disciples. At last when we become his disciples it is not only for our own sake but we also have to share the message of his Love with our friends and family.
Amen.
Κήρυγμα της περασμένης Εβδομάδας
“Ο Δαιμονιακός”
Αγαπητοί αδελφοί και αδελφές εν Χριστώ
Στην σημερινή ανάγνωση του Ευαγγελίου βρίσκουμε τον Ιησού να εξέρχεται από το Ισραήλ. Θυμόμαστε ότι είπε ότι είχε έρθει πρώτα για τα χαμένα πρόβατα του Ισραήλ. Αλλά είμαστε τόσο ευλογημένοι που δεν περιορίστηκε η επίσκεψή του στο Ισραήλ αλλά ήρθε από το Ισραήλ και μας επισκέφθηκε.
Σχετικά με άλλα έθνη είπε ότι έχει και άλλα πρόβατα που δεν ανήκουν όμως σε αυτό το ποιμνίο. Είμαστε ευλογημένοι επειδή μας μέτρησε ως τα πρόβατά του και αργότερα έστειλε τους μαθητές του να φέρουν όλα τα έθνη στο ποιμνίο του. Στο σημερινό Ευαγγέλιο βλέπουμε μια κατάσταση που δείχνει πού βρισκόντουσαν τα άλλα έθνη όταν ήρθε Αυτός. Έχουμε έναν δαιμονισμένο που ζούσε στο νεκροταφείο και δεν φορούσε ρούχα και έπειτα έχουμε ανθρώπους που προτιμούσαν τους χοίρους και τους δαίμονες πάνω από τον αληθινό Θεό.
Του ζήτησαν να φύγει. Προτίμησαν να είναι μόνοι τους, όπως ο δαιμονισμένος ήταν μόνος στα νεκροταφεία. Ο δαιμονισμένος μας δείχνει ότι όταν δεν έχουμε μαζί μας τον Θεό είμαστε μόνοι και δεν έχουμε ζωή μέσα μας.
Βλέπουμε επίσης ότι όταν ο Θεός επισκέπτεται ανθρώπους, αυτοί έχουν δύο επιλογές. Είτε να τον ακολουθήσουν είτε να του πουν να φύγει μακριά. Ο Θεός μας δίνει πάντα την ευκαιρία να τον ακολουθήσουμε, αλλά σε αυτή την περίπτωση μόνον αυτός που είχε δαίμονες και καθαρίστηκε επιθυμεί να τον ακολουθήσει.
Μερικές φορές αυτοί που πιστεύουν ότι είναι ενάρετοι είναι εκείνοι που αρνούνται τον Θεό και αυτοί που πιστεύουν ότι είναι αμαρτωλοί είναι εκείνοι που επιθυμούν από την καρδιά τους να τον ακολουθήσουν. Ένα άλλο υπέροχο μάθημα που διδασκόμαστε από το σημερινό Ευαγγέλιο είναι ότι είναι υποχρέωσή μας να φέρουμε τον Θεό σε άλλους.
Ο δαιμονισμένος επιθυμούσε να ακολουθήσει τον Ιησού, αλλά ο Ιησούς τον σταμάτησε. Ο Ιησούς του είπε ότι είναι καλύτερο να πάει και να πει στην οικογένεια και τους φίλους του τι είχε συμβεί σε αυτόν. Για να συνοψίσουμε το δίδαγμα που παίρνουμε σήμερα από αυτό το Ευαγγέλιο μπορούμε να πούμε ότι είμαστε ευλογημένοι που ο Χριστός δεν ήρθε μόνο για τα χαμένα πρόβατα του Ισραήλ αλλά και για εμάς που ήμασταν μόνοι και κατεχόμασταν από δαίμονες.
Επίσης, ότι δεν ήρθε για εκείνους που πιστεύουν ότι είναι εντάξει, αλλά για εκείνους που ξέρουν ότι είναι χωριστά από τον Θεό. Μαθαίνουμε ότι μερικές φορές επιλέξαμε ασήμαντα πράγματα πάνω από τον Θεό στη ζωή μας και ότι αντ 'αυτού πρέπει να τον ρωτήσουμε αν μπορούμε να γίνουμε μαθητές του.
Τελικά, όταν γίνουμε μαθητές του, δεν είναι μόνο για δικό μας καλό, αλλά πρέπει επίσης να μοιραστούμε το μήνυμα της Αγάπης Του με τους φίλους και την οικογένειά μας.
Αμήν.