Church News

PARISH COUNCIL ELECTION: Our Election for the 7 parish council members will take place on December 8th following the Divine Liturgy. Our 9 candidates are the following (in last name alphabetic order): Alexander Barlamas, Joanne Cottage, James E. Gregorakis, John Katras, John Neforos, William Niznik, Sara Portoulas, Angelo Pournaras, and Theo Yakoumas. A thank you to all those who applied, we appreciate your continued commitment to our parish. Absentee ballots will be available Sunday. Looking for an additional election committee member to run the election.

SCHOOLS OFF FOR THE NATIVITY & NEW YEAR:

Sunday School will not be having class on December 29th.
There will be no Greek School on December 18th, 25th, or January 1st.

GOYA POINSETTIA SALE – Support our GOYA and GOYAns by buying beautiful poinsettia for $10. Orders are due on Sunday. Pick up 12/8. Forms are in the Narthex.

PHILOPTOCHOS CHRISTMAS CANDY: Place your Anderson Candy Order with Mary Menis.

ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CARD: Please contact the Church office to be included in the Annual Christmas card for a donation of $10. Due by December 8th.

BYZANTINE MUSICAL ORATORIO-CELEBRATION – Dec 1 @ 6pm: “Come, gather to see a Newborn Babe, the God before time”-A Byzantine Musical Oratorio at the Frick Fine arts Auditorium-Celebration of the Complete Kontakion of the Nativity by Romanos the Melodist. Program by the Byzantine Choir of the Metropolis & Musical Guests

NEW YEAR FAMILY GLENDI - Dec 31: 8pm-1am, Dinner, Dancing, Balloon Drop, Cash Bar, & Sweet Treats. Music by the Filarakia. Tickets from $10-$40. Call the Church.

SAVE THE DATE!!! Greek American Progressive Association (G.A.P.A.) is excited to announce our First Annual Designer Purse Bash on January 26, 2020 at Alexander’s Restaurant. All proceeds will benefit the youth programming at our church. Please contact Angel Barlamas (alexandangel@yahoo.com) or Alexa Bovalino (Asbovalino@gmail.com) with questions.

JOY/HOPE TOY DRIVE CONTINUES – The annual toy drive to benefit the Women’s Shelter in Beaver is ongoing until Dec 8th. The shelter provides assistance with Christmas gifts to over 100 families each year, in addition to their counseling and other services. Gift cards are welcome also, especially for teenagers. You can talk to Nicoletta Elolo or Sara Portoulas, or you can contact Nicoletta at 724-417-5054 or email nicoletta.elolo@gmail.com with any questions, donations towards this cause. Thank you all for your past and present support of this ministry! The toy drive will continue until Dec. 8th.

YOUTH SAFETY WORKERS: Thank you to all who have signed up to be parish Youth Safety workers. This is a three step process. You initially signed up and submitted copies of your Act 33 and Act 34 clearances and a signed affidavit in lieu of fingerprints. This was the first step and was required by the Metropolis of Pittsburgh. The second and third steps are required by the Archdiocese. By now you have received an email requesting a Background Check from Praesidium as well the email: Welcome to Armatus Learn to Protect for the two courses required by the Archdiocese. Please complete the request for the background check and begin taking the courses. Please print out the worksheets prior to beginning the courses as this will help you take notes for the tests. Our goal is to have our parish compliant by the end of 2019. If you have any questions, please contact Jackie Bennis.

HELLENIC DANCERS: Dance practice - 12/4, Little Angels - 6:15 to 6:45. Juniors - 6:45 - 7:30. Seniors - 7:30 to 8:30.

GREEK DANCING FOR NOT SO DUMMIES - Dec 18: From 6-7pm all are welcome to come learn some dances to help you during the festivities of the Nativity and for our New Years Eve Dance!

CHRISTMAS DECORATING: We will be decorating the Church for Christmas following the liturgy (around 11am) on Friday, December 6th. Please contact Sara Portoulas at (412) 974-5120 or sara.shingleton@gmail.com if you are able to help.

ST. NICHOLAS STOCKING PROJECT: In the spirit of giving to others, the Sunday School students will again this year be collecting funds through our St. Nicholas Stocking Project. The stockings will be distributed on Sunday, December 1, 2019—one per family. Start collecting your loose change, dollars or even checks to help the children fill their stockings for the less fortunate. The proceeds from this project will be donated to FOCUS North West Pennsylvania. Please support this worthy cause. This project will begin on Sunday, December 1 and will end on Sunday, January 12, 2020.

SUNDAY SCHOOL CHRISTMAS PROGRAM: The Sunday School children cordially invite our community to attend our annual Christmas program on Sunday, December 22, 2019 following the Divine Liturgy. We hope that you will enjoy our program.

NEED ORTHODOX HOLIDAY GIFTS?

BOOKSTORE: We have some new children’s books.
MONASTERY CRAFT SALE - Dec 15: Please support the sisterhood at the Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery by purchasing their crafts for your holiday gift-giving during the coffee hour.

Worship

REGULAR SUNDAY HOURS: 9am Orthros, 10am Divine Liturgy

As well as these additional services:

12/1 – Annual Ambridge Nativity Fast Holy Unction @ St. Vladimir 6pm
Eve of St. Nicholas: 12/5 – Great Vespers @ St. Nicholas Cathedral, Oakland 7pm
St. Nicholas: 12/6 – Orthros 9am & Divine Liturgy 10am for St. Nicholas
Eve of the Nativity (Christmas Eve): 12/24 – Royal Hours 9:30am
- Vesperal Divine Liturgy 5pm
The Nativity (Christmas): 12/25 – Orthros 9am & Divine Liturgy 10am

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Grave Mode

By means of Your Cross, O Lord, You abolished death. * To the robber You opened Paradise. * The lamentation of the myrrhbearing women You transformed, * and You gave Your Apostles the order to proclaim to all * that You had risen, O Christ our God, * and granted the world Your great mercy.

Κατέλυσας τῷ Σταυρῷ σου τὸν θάνατον, ἠνέῳξας τῷ Λῃστῇ τὸν Παράδεισον, τῶν Μυροφόρων τὸν θρῆνον μετέβαλες, καὶ τοῖς σοῖς Ἀποστόλοις κηρύττειν ἐπέταξας, ὅτι ἀνέστης Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, παρέχων τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος.

Apolytikion for the Church in the 4th Mode

Blessed are You, O Christ our God; Who has shone forth the fishermen to be all wise, by sending upon them the Holy Spirit and through them, You gathered the whole world in Your net, O lover of Mankind, glory to You.

Εύλογητός εἶ Χριστὲ ὁ Θεος ἡμῶν ὁ πανσόφους τοὺς ἁλιεῖς ἁναδείξας καταπέμψας αὐτοῖς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον καὶ δι᾽ αὐτῶν τῆν οἰκουμένην σαγηνεύσας φιλάνθρωπε δόξα Σοι.

Seasonal Kontakion in the 3rd Mode

On this day the Virgin Maid * goes to the grotto to give birth * to the pre-eternal Word * in an ineffable manner. * Dance for joy, all the inhabited earth, on hearing. * Glorify along with Angels and with the shepherds * Him who willed that He appear as * a newborn Child, * the pre-eternal God.

Ἡ Παρθένος σήμερον, τὸν Προαιώνιον Λόγον, ἐν Σπηλαίῳ ἔρχεται, ἀποτεκεῖν ἀπορρήτως. Χόρευε ἡ οἰκουμένη ἀκουτισθεῖσα, δόξασον μετὰ Ἀγγέλων καὶ τῶν Ποιμένων, βουληθέντα ἐποφθῆναι, παιδίον νέον, τὸν πρὸ αἰώνων Θεόν.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Grave Mode. Psalm 28.11,1.
The Lord will give strength to his people.
Verse: Bring to the Lord, O sons of God, bring to the Lord honor and glory.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 2:14-22.

Brethren, Christ is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Προκείμενον. Grave Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 28.11,1.
Κύριος ἰσχὺν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ δώσει.
Στίχ. Ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κυρίῳ υἱοὶ Θεοῦ, ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κυρίῳ δόξαν καὶ τιμήν.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Ἐφεσίους 2:14-22.

Ἀδελφοί, Χριστός ἐστιν ἡ εἰρήνη ἡμῶν, ὁ ποιήσας τὰ ἀμφότερα ἕν, καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας, τήν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκί αὐτοῦ, τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασιν, καταργήσας· ἵνα τοὺς δύο κτίσῃ ἐν ἑαὐτῷ εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον, ποιῶν εἰρήνην, καὶ ἀποκαταλλάξῃ τοὺς ἀμφοτέρους ἐν ἑνὶ σώματι τῷ θεῷ διὰ τοῦ σταυροῦ, ἀποκτείνας τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν αὐτῷ· καὶ ἐλθὼν εὐηγγελίσατο εἰρήνην ὑμῖν τοῖς μακρὰν καὶ τοῖς ἐγγύς· ὅτι διʼ αὐτοῦ ἔχομεν τὴν προσαγωγὴν οἱ ἀμφότεροι ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι πρὸς τὸν πατέρα. Ἄρα οὖν οὐκέτι ἐστὲ ξένοι καὶ πάροικοι, ἀλλὰ συμπολῖται τῶν ἁγίων καὶ οἰκεῖοι τοῦ θεοῦ, ἐποικοδομηθέντες ἐπὶ τῷ θεμελίῳ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ προφητῶν, ὄντος ἀκρογωνιαίου αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐν ᾧ πᾶσα οἰκοδομὴ συναρμολογουμένη αὔξει εἰς ναὸν ἅγιον ἐν κυρίῳ, ἐν ᾧ καὶ ὑμεῖς συνοικοδομεῖσθε εἰς κατοικητήριον τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν πνεύματι.

Gospel Reading

14th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 18:35-43

At that time, as Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging; and hearing a multitude going by, he inquired what this meant. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." And he cried, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" And Jesus stopped, and commanded him to be brought to him; and when he came near, he asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, let me receive my sight." And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

14th Sunday of Luke
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 18:35-43

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ᾿Εγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ ἐγγίζειν αὐτὸν εἰς ῾Ιεριχὼ τυφλός τις ἐκάθητο παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν προσαιτῶν· ἀκούσας δὲ ὄχλου διαπορευομένου ἐπυνθάνετο τί εἴη ταῦτα. ἀπήγγειλαν δὲ αὐτῷ ὅτι ᾿Ιησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖος παρέρχεται. καὶ ἐβόησε λέγων· ᾿Ιησοῦ υἱὲ Δαυΐδ, ἐλέησόν με· καὶ οἱ προάγοντες ἐπετίμων αὐτῷ ἵνα σιωπήσῃ· αὐτὸς δὲ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἔκραζεν· υἱὲ Δαυΐδ, ἐλέησόν με. σταθεὶς δὲ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν ἀχθῆναι πρὸς αὐτόν. ἐγγίσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτὸν λέγων· τί σοι θέλεις ποιήσω; ὁ δὲ εἶπε· Κύριε, ἵνα ἀναβλέψω. καὶ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἀνάβλεψον· ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέ σε. καὶ παραχρῆμα ἀνέβλεψε, καὶ ἠκολούθει αὐτῷ δοξάζων τὸν Θεόν· καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἰδὼν ἔδωκεν αἶνον τῷ Θεῷ.

Saints and Feasts

December 01

Philaret the Merciful of Amnia

Saint Philaret a native of Paphlagonia in Asia Minor, was a virtuous Christian layman who lived in lawful wedlock and raised a family. He was most renowned for his generosity to all in need. With the permission of God, in a short space of time he lost the greater part of his possessions to theft and other misfortunes and was left with nothing but his family, his home, and a little livestock. Yet he continued to give generously to the poor despite the faint-heartedness of his family, who reproached him for giving alms when they were in need themselves; and God, seeing his faith, restored his prosperity to him many times over. He foresaw the day of his death, and reposed in an odour of sanctity in Constantinople in 789.

December 01

14th Sunday of Luke

Wisdom of the Fathers

We may learn from this that when we ask with faith, God does not give something other than what we ask for, but the very same thing. However, when we ask for one thing and receive something else, it is clear that either we did not make a good request or we did not ask with faith.

Blessed Theophylact, Archbishop of Ochrid and Bulgaria

The Explanation of the Gospel of St. Luke, 11th Century

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