DIVINE LITURGY
Sundays 10am
OFFICE HOURS
Monday-Friday, 10am - 3pm
Sixth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Luke 24:36-53
At that time, having risen from the dead, Jesus went up and stood among His disciples and said to them, "Peace be with you." But they were startled and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit. And He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; handle Me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have." And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, He said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" They gave Him a piece of broiled fish [and some honeycomb], and He took it and ate before them. Then He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about Me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled." Then He opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name in all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." Then He led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up His hands, He blessed them. While He blessed them, He parted from them, and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the Temple blessing God.
Prokeimenon. 6th 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 First Letter to the Corinthians 6:12-20.
Brethren, "all things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything. "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food" -- and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two shall become one flesh." But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body and in your spirit which belong to God.
Sunday of the Prodigal Son
The Reading is from Luke 15:11-32
The Lord said this parable: "There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.' And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his belly with the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.' And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to make merry. Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.' But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, 'Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"
Through the parable of today's Gospel, our Saviour has set forth three things for us: the condition of the sinner, the rule of repentance, and the greatness of God's compassion. The divine Fathers have put this reading the week after the parable of the Publican and Pharisee so that, seeing in the person of the Prodigal Son our own wretched condition -- inasmuch as we are sunken in sin, far from God and His Mysteries -- we might at last come to our senses and make haste to return to Him by repentance during these holy days of the Fast.
Furthermore, those who have wrought many great iniquities, and have persisted in them for a long time, oftentimes fall into despair, thinking that there can no longer be any forgiveness for them; and so being without hope, they fall every day into the same and even worse iniquities. Therefore, the divine Fathers, that they might root out the passion of despair from the hearts of such people, and rouse them to the deeds of virtue, have set the present parable at the forecourts of the Fast, to show them the surpassing goodness of God's compassion, and to teach them that there is no sin -- no matter how great it may be -- that can overcome at any time His love for man.
Calendar updates: holycrossgo.org/calendar
TODAY
Sunday, March 3
THIS WEEK
Friday, March 8
07:00 pm | Paraklesis
Saturday, March 9
10:00 am | Saturday of Souls Liturgy & Memorials
UPCOMING
Sunday, March 10 (Meatfare)
UKRAINE RELIEF FUND
Click here to help.
FLOWERS
If you are interested in donating to purchase flowers to decorate an icon for a feast day, or to decorate the church for Pascha, please contact Debbie George or the Church Office or look for donation box on the pangari.
PROSPHORA
Interested in sponsoring prosphora? Please contact the Church Office.
ICONS IN THE ALTAR
If you brought icons to be blessed in the altar, please retrieve them after 40 days.
WORSHIP
Please download the Daily Readings App Lite (free download) for the daily Gospel & Epistle readings.
LIVESTREAM SERVICES
STEWARDSHIP PLEDGE
Please continue to support our Chuch via your Stewardship pledge and donations. Please mail your checks directly to the church or donate online by clicking on the "GIVE" button on our website. Visit the Stewardship webpage to fill out your annual pledge card and/or to pay your stewardship.
VIGIL CANDLES
If you would like us to light a vigil candle for you, please call the Church Office or email office@holycrossgo.org with your name(s) and Fr. Alex will light a vigil candle for you and say a prayer.
SHOP AT ACE HARDWARE? 5% minus tax = (!)
Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church or #214538. 5% line discount off everyday pricing in the store Ace Rewards as well as 6% Tax Exempt will come off automatically. 2% Ace Rewards
SHOP AT KROGER?
Register your card in a few steps. Each May the registration needs to be renewed,
so if you were part of the program last year and haven't renewed, please do so. Go to:
www.krogercommunityrewards.com
Holy Cross' ID # 83567
GOYA invites you to a pancake breakfast in honor of Vena Thanos. All donations will go to the Iconography Project in her memory.
FOCUS Detroit invites everyone to a fundraiser concert on Sunday, March 3, at 4:30p at the Assumption Church in St. Clair Shores.
Join us Sunday, March 10 for a Makaronatha Meal.
GOYAns, make sure you register for this annual event.
Save the date for the Philoptochos Salad Luncheon on May 11th.
Join us today.
Ukraine Relief Fund
Please continue to pray for the health and healing of the following friends
Metropolitan Nicholas
Fr. John Koen
If you would like to add your name or a loved one's to the prayer list, please email the office. Thank you!
INVITATION TO JOIN HOLY CROSS PHILOPTOCHOS
All women 18 years old and over are encouraged to join our Holy Cross Philoptochos. New and returning members are welcome! The 2024 Philoptochos Stewardship Form is attached.
COFFEE HOUR
NEXT MEETING
NOTICE FOR ALTAR BOYS & PARENTS
Being an Altar Server is a GREAT RESPONSIBILITY AND COMMITMENT to the Lord. Please BE ON TIME (arrive at least 15 minutes prior to any Church Service).
SUMMER SCHEDULE IS OPEN.
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Registration was due September 1. Please register if you have not done so.
Teams |
|
Team A |
Team B |
Mateo Pesaros (Cpt) | Stavros Fekaris (Cpt) |
James Drake | Louis Foster |
Cristo Stilianos | Nikolas Greulich |
Stelios Stilianos | Stephen Mihos |
Panagiotis Stilianos | Nikolas Thanos |
Schedule |
|
Team A |
Team B |
2023 |
|
SEP 17 | SEP 24 |
OCT 1, 15, 29 | OCT 8, 22 |
NOV 12, 26 | NOV 5, 19 |
DEC 10, 24* | DEC 3, 17, 31* |
2024 |
|
JAN 7, 21 | JAN 14, 28 |
FEB 4, 18 | FEB 11, 25 |
MAR 3, 17, 31 | MAR 10, 24 |
APR 14, 28 | APR 7, 21 |
MAY 12, 26 | MAY 5*, 19 |
JUN 9, 23 | JUN 2, 16 |
* all teams can serve
OUR THANKS
To those who in lieu of flowers gave monetary
contributions to Holy Cross Church in memory of :
MARION GINOPOLIS
James Heos
M/M George Liadis
M/M Ed Power
Anastasia Spanos
M/M Evans Lucas
M/M Peter Angelas
Angela Cosma
M/M Heller
Elaine Ioanou
Steve Economy
Drs. Pamela Georgeson and Mark Decco
DEMETRIUS KOURTAKIS
Elaine Kourtakis
GEORGE L. LIADIS
Susan Armstrong
M/M James Heller
M/M Ed Power
The Kukunas Family
The Makricostas Family
M/M George Liadis
M/M Andrew Bittinger
M/M Gus Zervos
M/M Tom Casoglos
Elaine Ioanou
James Portman
M/M Doug Garber
M/M Steve Fekaris
Anna Zervos
M/M George Katsias
Patty Spanos
George Matheos
M/M Todd Barnaby
Anastasia Spanos
Bonnie Sitaras
Maria Faskianos
M/M Van Kyriakopoulos
Dr./M Marcus Zervos
Margarita Shukla
M/M Anthony Barr
Drs. Pamela Georgeson and Mark Decco
EVANGELINE LINDER
M/M George Katsias
DR. PANAYOTIS PESAROS
M/M Andrew Bittinger
M/M Tom Casoglos
M/M Steve Fekaris
M/M Gonzales
M/M James Heller
Julie Hiotaky
Elaine Ioanou
M/M George Katsias
Denise Liberty
M/M Evans Lucas
The Voutsinas Family
Dr./M Marcus Zervos
M/M Todd Barnaby
M/M Michael Blough
Hountalas Family
M/M Ed Power
Anastasia Spanos
Aspacia Spanos
Bonnie Sitaras
M/M McDonald
The Theodore Family
M/M Dr. Angelo Zervos
M/M Peter Angelas
M/M Lou Chalogianis
M/M Bill Williams
M/M Doug Garber
The Holy Cross Philoptochos
Margarita Shukla
M/M Van Kyriakopoulos
Penny Gehan
M/M Anthony Barr
Mary Zervos
Diana Voutsinas
Drs. Pamela Georgeson and Mark Decco
VENA THANOS
M/M Morris
M/M George Katsias
DAVID F. YEZBACK
M/M Lucas
Hountalas Family
M/M Morris
Basil Stavropoulos
M/M George Katsias
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* Donations received after January 1st *
MAY THEIR MEMORY BE ETERNAL
If you would like to offer a donation in support of our Church ministries, please follow this link on our website: