August 23
Holy Trinity Church
Publish Date: 2020-08-23
Bulletin Contents
Holy Trinity Church
General Information
- Phone:
- (609) 653-8092
- Fax:
- (609) 653-0375
- Street Address:
- 7004 Ridge Ave
- Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234
- Mailing Address:
- 7004 Ridge Ave
- Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234
Contact Information
Services Schedule
Sunday Services: Orthros 8:15 am.
Divine Liturgy 9:30 am.
Past Bulletins
- Publish Date:
- 2020-08-16
- Publish Date:
- 2020-08-09
- Publish Date:
- 2020-08-02
- Publish Date:
- 2020-07-26
- Publish Date:
- 2020-07-19
- Publish Date:
- 2020-07-12
Hymns of the Day
Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Second Mode
When Thou didst descend unto death, O Life Immortal, then didst Thou slay Hades with the lightning of Thy Divinity. And when Thou didst also raise the dead out of the nethermost depths, all the powers in the Heavens cried out: O Life-giver, Christ our God, glory be to Thee.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Apolytikion for Apodosis of the Dormition in the First Mode
In giving birth, thou didst preserve thy virginity; in thy dormition, thou didst not forsake the world, O Theotokos. Thou wast translated unto life, since thou art the Mother of Life; and by thine intercessions dost thou redeem our souls from death.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Seasonal Kontakion in the Second Mode
Neither the grave nor death could contain the Theotokos, the unshakable hope, ever vigilant in intercession and protection. As Mother of life, He who dwelt in the ever-virginal womb transposed her to life.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Narthex Press
Saints and Feasts
August 23
Apodosis of the Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary
Concerning the Dormition of the Theotokos, this is what the Church has received from ancient times from the tradition of the Fathers. When the time drew nigh that our Savior was well-pleased to take His Mother to Himself, He declared unto her through an Angel that three days hence, He would translate her from this temporal life to eternity and bliss. On hearing this, she went up with haste to the Mount of Olives, where she prayed continuously. Giving thanks to God, she returned to her house and prepared whatever was necessary for her burial. While these things were taking place, clouds caught up the Apostles from the ends of the earth, where each one happened to be preaching, and brought them at once to the house of the Mother of God, who informed them of the cause of their sudden gathering. As a mother, she consoled them in their affliction as was meet, and then raised her hands to Heaven and prayed for the peace of the world. She blessed the Apostles, and, reclining upon her bed with seemliness, gave up her all-holy spirit into the hands of her Son and God.
With reverence and many lights, and chanting burial hymns, the Apostles took up that God-receiving body and brought it to the sepulchre, while the Angels from Heaven chanted with them, and sent forth her who is higher than the Cherubim. But one Jew, moved by malice, audaciously stretched forth his hand upon the bed and immediately received from divine judgment the wages of his audacity. Those daring hands were severed by an invisible blow. But when he repented and asked forgiveness, his hands were restored. When they had reached the place called Gethsemane, they buried there with honor the all-immaculate body of the Theotokos, which was the source of Life. But on the third day after the burial, when they were eating together, and raised up the artos (bread) in Jesus' Name, as was their custom, the Theotokos appeared in the air, saying "Rejoice" to them. From this they learned concerning the bodily translation of the Theotokos into the Heavens.
These things has the Church received from the traditions of the Fathers, who have composed many hymns out of reverence, to the glory of the Mother of our God (see Oct. 3 and 4).
August 23
Our Holy Father Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons
The Holy Hieromartyr Irenaeus was born in Asia Minor about the year 120, and in his youth was a disciple of Saint Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna. Saint Irenaeus was sent to Lyons in Gaul, to be a fellow labourer of Pothinus, Bishop of Lyons (celebrated June 2), who had also been a disciple Saint Polycarp. After the martyrdom of Saint Pothinus, Saint Irenaeus succeeded him as Bishop of Lyons. Besides the assaults of paganism, Irenaeus found himself compelled to do battle with many Gnostic heresies, against which he wrote his greatest work, A Refutation and Overthrow of Knowledge Falsely So Called . He was also a peace-maker within the Church. When Victor, Bishop of Rome, was prepared to excommunicate the Christians of Asia Minor for following a different tradition celebrating Pascha, Irenaeus persuaded him to moderate his zeal, and mediated peace. He made Lyons an illustrious bastion of Orthodoxy and a school of piety, and sealed his confession with martyrdom about the year 202, during the reign of Septimius Severus. He is not to be confused with Saint Irenaeus, Bishop of Sirmium, also celebrated today, who was beheaded and cast into a river in 304 under Diocletian.
August 23
Our Holy Father Kallinikos, Patriarch of Constantinople
August 23
Lupus the Martyr
The Holy Martyr Lupus was a devoted servant of the holy Great Martyr Demetrius, and was present at his martyrdom. Later, when his own labours in confession of the Faith became known to the rulers, Saint Lupus himself was arrested, given over to torture, and finally beheaded for Christ.
August 23
Our Righteous Father Nicholas of Sikelion
August 23
38 Martyrs of Thrace
August 23
Our Holy Father Irenaeus, Bishop of Sirmium
August 23
Haralambos of Kalyviani
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Epistle Reading
Prokeimenon. Second Mode. Psalm 117.14,18.
The Lord is my strength and my song.
Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely.
The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 9:2-12.
Brethren, you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defense to those who would examine me. Do we not have the right to our food and drink? Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a wife, as the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? Do I say this on human authority? Does not the law say the same? For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain." Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of a share in the crop. If we have sown spiritual good among you, is it too much if we reap your material benefits? If others share this rightful claim upon you, do not we still more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.
Gospel Reading
11th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 18:23-35
The Lord said this parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, 'Pay what you owe.' So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' And in anger his lord delivered him to the torturers, till he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."
Wisdom of the Fathers
Wherefore then did He not do this, nor forgive the debt before the account? Desiring to teach him, from how many obligations He is delivering him, that in this way at least he might become more mild towards his fellow servant .... He gave more than he asked, remission and forgiveness of the entire debt.
Homily 61 on Matthew 18, 4th Century
When then you are minded to be revengeful, consider that against yourself are you revengeful, not against another; that you art binding up your own sins, not your neighbors ....
Homily 61 on Matthew 18, 4th Century
PARISH NEWS
PARISH NEWS
A one year memorial will be held today for Maria Bairaktaris, mother of Ilias Bairaktaris. May her memory be eternal.
In the near future we will be providing information about our Sunday school and Greek school programs for September.
The Ocean City Fall Block Party has been canceled.
Our annual Greek Festival has been postponed till June 2021. We will not be having our festival in September.
Our Philoptochos Bid-n-Buy has been postponed till next year.
AUGUST WEEKDAY SERVICES
Please call or email Ginny Kramvis for registering for weekday services. Seating is limited to 20 people. (609-513-2357 or ekramvis@comcast.net)
† Saturday morning, August 29, Divine Liturgy 9:00/10:00 am., Beheading of John the Baptist
UPCOMING EVENTS
September 13: Asbury Park Celebration - Tentative Date
RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION
Holy Communion is offered to those baptized Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves for the reception of the Sacrament by prayer and fasting. Blessed Bread is available for all our visitors at the very end of the Divine Liturgy. Our Sunday School students receive Holy Communion first and then we will approach from the center aisles, starting with the front pews, one pew at a time.
PARISH REOPENING INFORMATION
We are happy to announce that we have received permission to reopen our Church. It will be great to see you all in person after many weeks of physical separation.
We are urging all of us to refrain from being judgmental towards those who are not yet ready or able to attend services. Oftentimes, we do not know the personal situations experienced by our sisters and brothers.
Here are many of the guidelines that we all need to follow during this first phase of reopening.
- Sunday morning Divine Liturgies will take place in the gymnasium and we will only be able to enter through the front door outside of the gym foyer.
- We will not be permitted to go to other parts of the facility, except to use the restroom nearby (one person at a time).
- Only 70 people can register for attendance each Sunday on a first come first served basis. Overflow registrants will be first in line for the following Sunday.
- Each of us will receive an email from “Sign Up Genius” each week. Please be sure to provide all the contact information that is requested.
- While consecutive Sundays will appear on the “Sign Up Genius”, please only register for one Sunday at a time so that we can give everyone a chance to attend.
- Chairs in the gymnasium will be spaced in a safe manner. Please do not move the chairs, nor move around inside the gym to converse with other people.
- Masks must be worn at all times. Please bring a mask from home.
- Upon arrival, each of us will be asked a few general health questions. If we are sick or have been near a sick person, we will not be permitted to attend the Divine Liturgy.
- If someone experience symptoms sometime after the Divine Liturgy, THEY MUST NOTIFY THE CHURCH OFFICE IMMEDIATELY.
- Everyone must sanitize their hands upon arrival.
- We are not lighting individual candles. Two large candles will be lit in front of the altar on behalf of all of us.
- A collection tray will be placed at the pangari, but will not be passed around in Church. Please bring exact change as no change will be handled.
- All cell phones must be turned off completely in order to preserve our wifi connection.
- A few chairs will be set up in the back of the gym for parents with young children.
- For those who do not use email or the internet, I am encouraging them to seek out a family member or fellow parishioner who can register for them. A separate letter in the Greek language will explain this to our seniors.
- We are not permitted to have a coffee hour, nor to socialize with one another after the Services.
WEEK DAY LITURGIES
Week Day Liturgies will be celebrated in the Church and participants can only enter through the front door of the Church.
- We are limited to 20 people at a time for these services. Seating spots will be marked with tape on the pews.
- We are giving preferential consideration to our senior citizens (who may be uneasy about larger crowds) and to those who are celebrating their name days on a given day.
- Attendees must contact Ginny Kramvis two days in advance of the Week Day Liturgy so that we do not go over the 20 person limit (609-513-2357). In addition, a relative or friend can email Ginny at ekramvis@comcast.net.
- All of the other guidelines as described above for Sunday Liturgies, also apply to the Week Day Liturgies.
MEMORIALS
If you are planning a family memorial, please contact the church office far in advance of the date, so that we can properly register your family for church attendance.
REMINDER FOR YOUTH WORKERS AND PARISH COUNCIL
Please complete your background check and two online trainings as soon as possible. Contact Lisa Mitoulis with any questions.
ATTENTION MINISTRY LEADERS
Father George and Lisa will be reaching out to you in the near future in order to plan the upcoming church calendar year.
PARKING
Due to safety regulations, please do not park cars along the curb in front of the church and the community center during church services and other events. Thank you!