THE WINTER HOURS BEGAN
Orthros at 8:30 a.m. and Div. Liturgy at 10 a.m.
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WEEKDAY SERVICES
Wednesday, September 25th—PARAKLESIS to the Most Holy Theotokos at 6 p.m.
Thursday, September 26 — FALLING ASLEEP OF ST. JOHN THE THEOLOGIAN—Orthros at 8:30 a.m. & Div. Liturgy at 9:30
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SUNDAY SCHOOL STARTED
Our Sunday School started. Please do not forget to register your children. If you would like to help with Sunday School, please call the Church office or contact Eleni Raschi at eleniraschi@gmail.com.
GREEK SCHOOL STARTED
Our Greek School started this Wednesday, September 18th. Please do not forget to register your children for an exciting new school year, with a great group of wonderful teachers, a reintroduced curriculum, and a language culture and religious program. Call the office at 617-625-2222.
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ATTENTION (2nd Notice)
The deadline for our next KOINOTIS is Tuesday, September 24, 2019. Please send in your articles, photos & flyers. The Koinotis will be mailed out before the end of the week.
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Bible Study—Every Wednesday, a bible study group will be meeting with Fr. Anthony at 10—11 a.m. and at 7—8:30 p.m.
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ATTENTION— Every second Sunday of the month, instead of a Sermon Fr. Anthony will have “Questions and Answers”. Any questions relating to the scriptural reading and personal spiritual life.
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DONATIONS NEEDED FOR THE ALTAR FUND
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.
* Thank you to Stefanos Boulas, Lizza Sterianos, Christos Karavitis & George Baris for their partial donations towards the Video Camera. We still need $2470.00 to reach our goal.
This saint was known for the many miracles he worked and for his apostolic zeal in shepherding the flock of Sinope. He contested for the Faith during the reign of the Emperor Trajan, in the year 102, when he was burned to death in a bath-house. A homily in his honour was composed by Saint John Chrysostom. The translation of his holy relics is celebrated on July 23.
Prokeimenon. Plagal First Mode. Psalm 11.7,1.
You, O Lord, shall keep us and preserve us.
Verse: Save me, O Lord, for the godly man has failed.
The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 1:21-24; 2:1-4.
Brethren, it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has commissioned us; he has put his seal upon us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
But I call God to witness against me - it was to spare you that I refrained from coming to Corinth. Not that we lord it over your faith; we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith. For I made up my mind not to make you another painful visit. For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. For I wrote you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.
Προκείμενον. Plagal First Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 11.7,1.
Σὺ Κύριε, φυλάξαις ἡμᾶς καὶ διατηρήσαις ἡμᾶς.
Στίχ. Σῶσον με, Κύριε, ὅτι ἐκλέλοιπεν ὅσιος.
τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Κορινθίους β' 1:21-24, 2:1-4.
Ἀδελφοί, ὁ βεβαιῶν ἡμᾶς σὺν ὑμῖν εἰς Χριστόν, καὶ χρίσας ἡμᾶς, θεός, ὁ καὶ σφραγισάμενος ἡμᾶς, καὶ δοὺς τὸν ἀρραβῶνα τοῦ πνεύματος ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν. Ἐγὼ δὲ μάρτυρα τὸν θεὸν ἐπικαλοῦμαι ἐπὶ τὴν ἐμὴν ψυχήν, ὅτι φειδόμενος ὑμῶν οὐκέτι ἦλθον εἰς Κόρινθον. Οὐχ ὅτι κυριεύομεν ὑμῶν τῆς πίστεως, ἀλλὰ συνεργοί ἐσμεν τῆς χαρᾶς ὑμῶν· τῇ γὰρ πίστει ἑστήκατε. Ἔκρινα δὲ ἐμαυτῷ τοῦτο, τὸ μὴ πάλιν ἐν λύπῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐλθεῖν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐγὼ λυπῶ ὑμᾶς, καὶ τίς ἐστιν ὁ εὐφραίνων με, εἰ μὴ ὁ λυπούμενος ἐξ ἐμοῦ; Καὶ ἔγραψα ὑμῖν τοῦτο αὐτό, ἵνα μὴ ἐλθὼν λύπην ἔχω ἀφʼ ὧν ἔδει με χαίρειν, πεποιθὼς ἐπὶ πάντας ὑμᾶς, ὅτι ἡ ἐμὴ χαρὰ πάντων ὑμῶν ἐστίν. Ἐκ γὰρ πολλῆς θλίψεως καὶ συνοχῆς καρδίας ἔγραψα ὑμῖν διὰ πολλῶν δακρύων, οὐχ ἵνα λυπηθῆτε, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀγάπην ἵνα γνῶτε ἣν ἔχω περισσοτέρως εἰς ὑμᾶς.
1st Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 5:1-11
At that time, as Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, he saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets." And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking, they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." For he was astonished, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men." And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
1st Sunday of Luke
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 5:1-11
Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἑστὼς ὁ Ἰησοῦς παρὰ τὴν λίμνην Γεννησαρέτ, καὶ εἶδε δύο πλοῖα ἑστῶτα παρὰ τὴν λίμνην· οἱ δὲ ἁλιεῖς ἀποβάντες ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν ἀπέπλυναν τὰ δίκτυα. ἐμβὰς δὲ εἰς ἓν τῶν πλοίων, ὃ ἦν τοῦ Σίμωνος, ἠρώτησεν αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἐπαναγαγεῖν ὀλίγον· καὶ καθίσας ἐδίδασκεν ἐκ τοῦ πλοίου τοὺς ὄχλους. ὡς δὲ ἐπαύσατο λαλῶν, εἶπε πρὸς τὸν Σίμωνα· ἐπανάγαγε εἰς τὸ βάθος καὶ χαλάσατε τὰ δίκτυα ὑμῶν εἰς ἄγραν. καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Σίμων εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἐπιστάτα, δι᾿ ὅλης τῆς νυκτὸς κοπιάσαντες οὐδὲν ἐλάβομεν· ἐπὶ δὲ τῷ ῥήματί σου χαλάσω τὸ δίκτυον. καὶ τοῦτο ποιήσαντες συνέκλεισαν πλῆθος ἰχθύων πολύ· διερρήγνυτο δὲ τὸ δίκτυον αὐτῶν. καὶ κατένευσαν τοῖς μετόχοις τοῖς ἐν τῷ ἑτέρῳ πλοίῳ τοῦ ἐλθόντας συλλαβέσθαι αὐτοῖς· καὶ ἦλθον καὶ ἔπλησαν ἀμφότερα τὰ πλοῖα, ὥστε βυθίζεσθαι αὐτά. ἰδὼν δὲ Σίμων Πέτρος προσέπεσε τοῖς γόνασιν ᾿Ιησοῦ λέγων· ἔξελθε ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ, ὅτι ἀνὴρ ἁμαρτωλός εἰμι, Κύριε· θάμβος γὰρ περιέσχεν αὐτὸν καὶ πάντας τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ ἐπὶ τῇ ἄγρᾳ τῶν ἰχθύων ᾗ συνέλαβον, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ᾿Ιάκωβον καὶ ᾿Ιωάννην, υἱοὺς Ζεβεδαίου, οἳ ἦσαν κοινωνοὶ τῷ Σίμωνι. καὶ εἶπε πρὸς τὸν Σίμωνα ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· μὴ φοβοῦ· ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν ἀνθρώπους ἔσῃ ζωγρῶν. καὶ καταγαγόντες τὰ πλοῖα ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, ἀφέντες ἅπαντα ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ.
This Week’s Sermon
Fishers of men
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ
Today’s Gospel is speaking to us about something very contemporary. Many Churches in this country and in the world are worried that they may close their doors very soon.
We also are always concerned that the younger generation our children and grand children do not come to Church with us anymore.
Christ came to this world to find all the lost sheep of Israel. In today’s Gospel he tells his disciples that they can go deep into the sea and throw their nets when they had just come out empty handed.
The central message here is that they do not believe it was possible. After they discover that they have caught so many fish instead of thanking him they tell him to go away from them.
This dear brothers and sisters is the problem of the modern churches. We rely on our ability and we fail. And when we fail we think it is because what we try to do was impossible instead of correcting our attitude.
Today we learn that what is impossible for us is what God does on a daily basis. God is in the business of changing people’s hearts and bringing them to Himself. We Christians are called to be God’s coworkers in the process of the salvation of the world. If we want to be His disciples we need to change our attitude. If we want to bring others to “our” Church we need to make sure to become His disciples first. By bringing others to our Church we are bringing people to Christ and if we are not his disciples our labor is in vain.
So let us make a commitment today that every day from now on is going to be a day of opportunity, a day of coming closer to Christ. Let us also remember that we are not here for ourselves only but for others who are seeking for him. Let us all become fishers of men for Him. And when they come let us embrace them and thank God for them now and forever.
Amen
Κήρυγμα αυτής της εβδομάδας
Αλιείς των ανδρών
Αγαπητοί αδελφοί και αδελφές εν Χριστώ
Το σημερινό Ευαγγέλιο μας μιλάει για κάτι πολύ σύγχρονο. Πολλές Εκκλησίες σε αυτή τη χώρα και στον κόσμο ανησυχούν ότι μπορεί να κλείσουν τις πόρτες τους πολύ σύντομα.
Ανησυχούμε επίσης ότι η νεαρή γενιά, τα παιδιά και τα εγγόνια μας δεν έρχονται πλέον στην Εκκλησία μαζί μας.
Ο Χριστός ήρθε σε αυτόν τον κόσμο για να βρει όλα τα χαμένα πρόβατα του Ισραήλ. Στο σημερινό Ευαγγέλιο, λέει στους μαθητές του, ότι μπορούν να μπουν βαθιά στη θάλασσα και να ρίξουν τα δίχτυα τους λίγη ώρα αφού βγήκαν με άδεια χέρια.
Το κεντρικό μήνυμα εδώ είναι ότι δεν πιστεύουν ότι αυτό είναι δυνατόν. Αφού ανακαλύψουν ότι έχουν πιάσει τόσα πολλά ψάρια αντί να τον ευχαριστήσουν, του λένε να φύγει μακριά τους.
Αυτό, αγαπητοί αδελφοί και αδελφές, είναι το πρόβλημα των σύγχρονων εκκλησιών. Βασιζόμαστε στην ικανότητά μας και αποτυγχάνουμε. Και όταν αποτύχουμε, νομίζουμε ότι αυτό οφείλεται στο ότι αυτό που προσπαθούμε να κάνουμε είναι αδύνατο αντί να διορθώσουμε τη στάση μας.
Σήμερα μαθαίνουμε ότι αυτό που είναι αδύνατο για εμάς είναι αυτό που κάνει ο Θεός σε καθημερινή βάση. Ο Θεός ασχολείται με το να αλλάξει τις καρδιές των ανθρώπων και να τους φέρει κοντά Του. Εμείς οι Χριστιανοί καλούμαστε να γίνουμε συνεργάτες του Θεού στη διαδικασία της σωτηρίας του κόσμου.
Αν θέλουμε να είμαστε μαθητές Του, πρέπει να αλλάξουμε τη στάση μας. Εάν θέλουμε να φέρουμε άλλους στην «Εκκλησία μας», πρέπει πρώτα να γίνουμε μαθητές Του. Φέρνοντας άλλους στην Εκκλησία μας φέρνουμε ανθρώπους στον Χριστό και αν δεν είμαστε μαθητές του, η δουλειά μας είναι μάταιη.
Ας δεσμευτούμε λοιπόν σήμερα ότι κάθε ημέρα από τώρα και στο εξής θα είναι μια ημέρα ευκαιρίας, μια ημέρα που μας φέρνει πιο κοντά στον Χριστό. Ας θυμηθούμε επίσης ότι δεν είμαστε εδώ μόνο για τους εαυτούς μας, αλλά και για τους άλλους που το αναζητούν. Ας γίνουμε όλοι ψαράδες ανθρώπων γι 'Αυτόν. Και όταν έρχονται ας τους αγκαλιάσουμε και ας ευχαριστήσουμε το Θεό για αυτούς τώρα και για πάντα.
Αμήν