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Holy Trinity Church
Publish Date: 2021-10-24
Bulletin Contents
Gadarene
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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


Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the First Mode

Although the stone was sealed by the Jews, and the soldiers guarded Your most pure body, You arose on the third day, O Savior, giving life to the world. For this reason, the heavenly powers cried out to you, O Giver of Life: Glory to Your resurrection, O Christ! Glory to Your kingdom! Glory to Your dispensation, only Lover of Mankind!

Apolytikion for Great Martyr Arethas in the First Mode

Be Thou entreated for the sake of the sufferings of Thy Saints which they endured for Thee, O Lord, and do Thou heal all our pains, we pray, O Friend of man.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Second Mode

O Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the creator most constant: O despise not the voices of those who have sinned; but be quick, O good one, to come unto our aid, who in faith cry unto thee: Hasten to intercession and speed thou to make supplication, O thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.
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Saints and Feasts

Gadarene
October 24

6th Sunday of Luke


Allsaint
October 24

Arethas the Great Martyr & Syncletiki and her two daughters

These Martyrs contested for piety's sake in the year 524 in Najran, a city of Arabia Felix (present-day Yemen). When Dhu Nuwas, ruler of the Himyarite tribe in south Arabia, and a Judaizer, took power, he sought to blot out Christianity, especially at Najran, a Christian city. Against the counsels of Arethas, chief man of Najran, the city surrendered to Dhu Nuwas, who immediately broke the word he had given and sought to compel the city to renounce Christ. Led by Saint Arethas, hundreds of martyrs, including women, children, and babes, valiantly withstood his threats, and were beheaded and burned. After the men had been slain, all the free-born Christian women of Najran were brought before the tyrant and commanded to abjure Christ or die; yet they rebuked the persecutor with such boldness that he said even the men had not insulted him so contemptuously. So great was their faith that not one woman was found to deny Christ in all Najran, although some of them suffered torments more bitter than most of the men. In alliance with Byzantium, the Ethiopian King Elesbaan liberated Najran from Dhu Nuwas soon after and raised up churches in honour of the Martyrs. Najran became a place of pilgrimage until the rise of Islam a century later. At the end of his life King Elesbaan, who was also called Caleb, retired into solitude as a hermit; he sent his crown to Jerusalem as an offering to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. He also is commemorated on this day as a saint. Saint Arethas' name in Arabic, Harith, means "plowman, tiller," much the same as "George" does in Greek.


Allsaint
October 24

Sebastiane the Martyr


Allsaint
October 24

Maglorious of Sark


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. First Mode. Psalm 32.22,1.
Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.

The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 9:6-11.

Brethren, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work. As it is written, "He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures for ever." He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your resources and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.


Gospel Reading

6th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 8:26-39

At that time, as Jesus arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, there met him a man from the city who had demons; for a long time he had worn no clothes and he lived not in a house but among the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and said with a loud voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech you, do not torment me." For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him; he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters, but he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the desert.) Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them leave. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. When the herdsmen saw what happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country. Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how he who had been possessed with demons was healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them; for they were seized with great fear; so he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but he sent him away, saying, "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.


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Wisdom of the Fathers

For if we, going about on the earth which is familiar and well known to us, being encompassed with a body, when we are journeying in a strange road, know not which way to go unless we have some one to lead us; how should the soul, being rent away from the body, and having gone out from all her accustomed region, know where to walk without one to show her the way?
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 28 on Matthew 8, 4th Century

Some say, 'Why do they [demons] possess people?' I answer those who wish to have this explained that the reason of these things is very deep. Somewhere one of His saints addressed God by saying, 'Your judgments are a vast abyss.' As long as we bear this in mind, we will perhaps not miss the mark.
St. Cyril of Alexandria
Commentary on Luke, Homily 44. (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture; vol 3: Luke, Intervarsity Press)

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PARISH NEWS

PARISH NEWS

Pangari Schedule: Rami Nassar, George Efstatos, Peter Liacopulos & Anthony Panetta.

A one year memorial will be held today for Pavlos Kafetzis, husband of Toula Kafetzis. May his memory be eternal.

Our GOYA Officers will be sworn in today.

Collection Tray:A parish council member will be standing by the side door, by the Saint Nektarios Chapel, with the collection tray.

Today's Coffee Hour will be hosted by the Kafetzis Family in the Fellowship Hall. If you are hosting the coffee hour please make sure that all products are nut free. We have children with severe nut allergies. Thank you!  Please call or email Faten Dib 609-226-2691 or fattouneh@hotmail.com today and offer to sign up for a Sunday to host the coffee hour!

GOYA BASKETBALL: Come support our kids today as they play GOYA basketball in our gym.  4:00 pm Girls and 5:00 pm Boys. Good Luck!

OCTOBER CHURCH SERVICES

October 25, Monday evening, Tuesday, Great Vespers 7:00 pm., St. Demetrios in Wildwood

October 26, Tuesday, Divine Liturgy 9:00/10:00 am., St. Demetrios in Wildwood

October 28, Thursday, Divine Liturgy 9:00/10:00 am., Feast of the Holy Protection

CHURCH REMINDERS

Mask wearing is now optional, but we are strongly encouraging those who are not vaccinated and those who have medical conditions to continue wearing masks.  

We will not be social distancing as we were before.  However, those with special medical situations should contact Ginny, Lisa, or Father George so that they can attend the services safely and with peace of mind.

We will no longer register online for church services.

We should also sanitize our hands upon entering the Church, and we are still not kissing icons or the priest's hand.

If anyone is feeling sick they should stay home in order to protect others.

UPCOMING EVENTS

October 24: JOY Fall Event

October 31: OXI Day Program

November 6: Philoptochos Bid-N-Buy

November 7: IOCC Banquet

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.

PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS
There is a Philoptochos meeting today if Father's reception Room.
 
Philoptochos will continue to sell Shop Rite Gift Cards. Please see attached flyer with information on how to purchase.
 
Our annual Bid-N-Buy will be held on Saturday, November 6th. Please see attached flyer for details. This year we are asking for monetary donations. Let us do the shopping for you! 
Tickets are on sale now! Please contact Roula Michaelidis!
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS
*  All the children will be sitting in the first five pews on the choir side as per usual.
*  Only teachers and parents of young children should be sitting in that section.
*  After Holy Communion, all the children will gather in the Old Coffee Room and then will be escorted by their teachers to the Class Room Area.
*  All children in the Sunday School area will be wearing masks during class, except during snack time.
*  I ask that we all do our best to bring our children to Church and to class on Sundays so that they can enjoy the many blessings provided by our teachers and our beloved Sunday School Program.
Please contact Sarai Taraborrelli (sarai1southrey@gmail.com) if you have any questions. 
We look forward to seeing all the children in Sunday School again!
 
BIBLE STUDY
Bible Study continues on Tuesday, October 26th, via Zoom at 7:00 pm. A link will be sent prior to Bible Study

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.

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!

 

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