Publish-header
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2019-12-08
Bulletin Contents
Bowedwoman
Organization Icon
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (904)-829-0504
  • Fax:
  • (904)829-0507
  • Street Address:

  • 2940 CR-214

  • St. Augustine, FL 32084-2718


Contact Information




Services Schedule

Sunday Orthros 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am    Fr. John Hays, Interim Priest


Past Bulletins


Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal 4th Tone

You descended from on high, O compassionate One, and condescended to be buried for three days, so that from the passions You might set us free. Our life and resurrection, O Lord, glory be to You. Ἐξ ὕψους κατῆλθες ὁ εὔσπλαγχνος, ταφὴν κατεδέξω τριήμερον, ἵνα ἡμᾶς ἐλευθερώσῃς τῶν παθῶν. Ἡ ζωὴ καὶ ἡ Ἀνάστασις ἡμῶν, Κύριε δόξα σοι.

Seasonal Kontakion in the 3rd Tone

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 ἀποῤῥήτως. Χόρευε ἡ οἰκουμένη ἀκουτισθεῖσα, δόξασον μετὰ Ἀγγέλων καὶ τῶν Ποιμένων, βουληθέντα ἐποφθῆναι, Παιδίον νέον, τὸν πρὸ αἰώνων Θεόν.
BACK TO TOP

Saints and Feasts

Bowedwoman
December 08

10th Sunday of Luke


Anna2
December 08

Forefeast of the Conception by St. Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos


Patapios
December 08

Patapius the Righteous of Thebes

This Saint was from the Thebaid of Egypt and struggled many years in the wilderness. He departed for Constantinople, and having performed many miracles and healings, he reposed in peace in a mountain cave on the Gulf of Corinth, where his holy relics are found incorrupt to the present day.


Allsaint
December 08

Apollo, Tychikos, Sosthenes, Cephas, Epaphroditos, Caesar, & Onesiphoros, Apostles of the 70


BACK TO TOP

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal 4th Tone. Psalm 75.11,1.
Make your vows to the Lord our God and perform them.
Verse: God is known in Judah; his name is great in Israel.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 4:1-7.

Brethren, I, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.


Gospel Reading

10th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 13:10-17

At that time, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your infirmity." And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and she praised God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, said to the people, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and not on the sabbath day." Then the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?" As he said this, all his adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.


BACK TO TOP

Parish News

A Word from Fr. John:

Fr. Alexander Schmemann of blessed memory, on “Children and Church.” A good challenge and reminder for us all...

 

“As a general rule, children like attending Church, and this instinctive attraction to and interest in Church services is the foundation on which we must build our religious education. When parents worry that children will get tired because services are long and are sorry for them, they usually subconsciously express their concern not for their children but for themselves. Children penetrate more easily than do adults into the world of ritual, of liturgical symbolism.... The experience of Holiness, the sense of encounter with Someone Who is beyond daily life, that mysterium tremendum that is at the root of all religion and is the core of our services is more accessible to our children than it is to us. ‘Except ye become as little children’....

 

Church attendance should be complemented from the earliest days of childhood by the home atmosphere, which precedes and prolongs the mood of the Church. Let us take Sunday morning. How can a child sense the holiness of that morning and of that which he will see in Church if the home is full of the blare of radio and TV, the parents are smoking and reading the papers, and there reigns a generally profane atmosphere? Church attendance should be preceded by a sense of being gathered in, a quiet, a certain solemnity. The lighting of vigil lights before the icons, the reading of the Scripture lessons, clean and fresh clothes, the festively tidied-up rooms – so frequently parents do not realize how all these things shape the religious consciousness of the child, make an imprint which no later tribulations will ever efface. On the eve and on the day of Sundays and Church feasts, during Lent, on the days when we prepare ourselves for Confession and Communion, the home must reflect the Church, must be illuminated by the light that we bring back from worship.”

 

Special Prayer Requests: 

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  (Phil. 4:6-7)

 

We pray for the good journeys of traveling faithful during the festal season and for the mercy, life, peace, and healing of all parishioners, especially: His Grace Bishop Dimitrios of Xanthos, Augustina, Margaret, James, Kyriake, Mike and Ingrid (Evangelia) Fotianos, Irene Hastalis, Jim Manos, Chresanthe Lemieux, Jane Anderson, Despina Xynidis, and Nicola Lykam’s father-in-law and mother-in-law with health issues. Remember also our missionary families, Michael, Lisa & Liam Colburn; and Fr. Stephanos, Pr. Alexandria, Moses & Athan Ritsi, and the people of Albania recovering from the recent earthquakes.

 

Parish Council Election:

General election for the Parish Council will be held Sunday, December 15, 2019 after Liturgy.  Four new parish council members will be elected.  Only 2019 Pledging Stewards are eligible to vote.  If you are unable to vote in person on the 15th, you may request a mail-in ballot by calling the church office at 904-829-0504 or by email at holy3goc@gmail.com.  Mail-in, or brought to Church office ballots must be received by Friday, December 13th, 2019 in order to be counted on Sunday, December 15, 2019.  A ballot box will be available.  Respectfully submitted - Parish Elections Committee: Irene Pergeorelis, Joan Manias, Stefanos Kallas

 

Fasting and Celebrating:

From our Archdiocesan website: “The Nativity Fast is one of four main fast periods throughout the ecclesiastical year. Beginning on November 15 and concluding on December 24, the Nativity Fast gives individuals the opportunity to prepare for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and Savior in the Flesh on December 25. By abstaining from certain food and drink, particularly from meat, fish, dairy products, olive oil, and wine, as well as focusing more deeply on prayer and almsgiving, we can find that the primary aim of fasting is to make us conscious of our dependence upon God.” Amen!

 

Here is the service schedule for the Feast of the Nativity in the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ (“Christmas”):

  • Tuesday, Dec. 24th: Royal Hours at 9 a.m.
  • Tuesday, Dec. 24th: Vesperal Liturgy (Vespers with Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great) at 6 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Dec. 25th: Orthros at 8:30 a.m., Divine Liturgy at 9:30 a.m.

 

Please remember that Dec. 24th is a day of strict fasting. (In fact, any time you see that there is a Vespers with the Liturgy of St. Basil in the evening, you know it is a strict fasting day. The fasting is part of the pre-festal preparations and celebrations – and you’re preparing for Communion after Vespers, similar to how you prepare for the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy during Lent.)

 

Adult Bible Study: 

The adult Bible study on the Gospel of John meets every Sunday, unless otherwise announced, in the classroom opposite the men’s room. The class starts 15 minutes after the start of coffee hour, and is led by Michael Colburn. We are using the epic 2003 movie “The Gospel of John” directed by Philip Seville. This movie uses the text of the Gospel of John from the Good News Bible verbatim—no extra words added and none left out. The syllabus and study questions for each week are available at https://thecolburns.us/classes/john. Also check there for any last-minute announcements about the class.

 

Hostess Schedule:  Carman Gaetanos (904) 540-0367 or carmgaet@gmail.com      

  • Today, December 8th           Toula Zotos and Kristina Wilkes
  • December 15th                     Sunday School Pageant/Christmas covered dish Luncheon
  • December 22nd                    Coffee Only – Potluck
  • December 29th                     Coffee Only – Potluck

 

Memorials: 

Forty-Day Memorials are offered today, December 8th for the sister (Patricia Leppard) and aunt (Evangelia Kokkinos-Gosse) of Georges Boyazis.  May their memories be eternal.

           

Koliva for Memorials: 

Koliva is an offering of boiled wheat in commemoration of the departed. It symbolizes the resurrection of the dead on the day of the Second Coming of the Lord. As St. Paul said, "What you sow does not come to life unless it dies"(I Corinthians 15:36); and as St. John put it, "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit" (John 12:24). Koliva is made for Saturdays of the Souls and memorials (40th day after death; 3rd, 6th, 9th month; annually). Contact Faye Peterson, pete9839@comcast.net or Angela Lekos, angelmou1@att.net if you need Koliva prepared (there is a charge of $100).

 

Philoptochos News:

  • Somebody Cares St. Augustine and the St. Johns County School District Homeless Student Task Force is having a winter coat drive.  There are over 500 homeless students and unaccompanied youth who do not have winter clothing.  They need winter coats, sweatshirt jackets, lightweight jackets, new socks and new underwear.  Items should not have logos for alcohol or tobacco companies and may be new or used in good condition.  The Philoptochos will be collecting your donations this Sunday, December 1, 2019 after Divine Liturgy.  
  • Philoptochos will host the coffee hour on December 15, 2019.  We will be providing a potluck and do a cookie swap like we did last year.  Drinks, coffee etc. will be provided by us.  This will be in conjunction with the kids Sunday School Christmas Pageant.

 

2019 Christmas Card:

  • The 2019 Christmas card is available for you to sign after Liturgy December 8th. The cost is $15, if paying by check, please make out to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church and indicating in memo “Christmas Card”.

 

St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine Christmas Open House:

One and all are invited to a Christmas Open House today, Sunday, December 8, from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at the St. Photios Shrine. Guests will be able to tour the Shrine and its exhibits and the ornate chapel on the premises, as well as meet newly-assigned Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos, the official representative of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America under whose jurisdiction the Shrine falls.  Refreshments will be served.

 

St. Photios Greek Orthodox Shrine 2019 Annual Essay Contest:

The St. Photios Foundation. Inc. invites all teenagers, 13-19 years of age to submit a 1,000-word essay to the St. Photios Essay Committee to participate in the annual Essay Contest http://www.stphotios.org/assets/files/Essay%20Contest%20Web.pdf.  There are 21 of saints of the early Church enshrined in the St. Photios Chapel – www.stphotios.orgHow do we, as Orthodox Christians relate to these sacred and historically significant treasures? Essay writers should answer this question thoughtfully and thoroughly. The Committee accepts submissions through January 6, 2020.

 

Diakonia Retreat:

Join St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church of Daytona Beach at the Diakonia Retreat, February 14th -17th, 2020.  Space is very limited.  Registration and monies must be submitted timely.  For more information or to secure your spot, please contact Irene Katra at 386-290-3208 or email Santorini257@aol.com.  If desiring to carpool, please call the Church Office.

 

Sunday School:

Holy Trinity's Annual Sunday School Christmas presentation will be Sunday, December 15th following Liturgy.  The children will be practicing the next two weeks during Sunday School hours so we encourage you all to be there.  Sunday School takes place directly following Holy Communion.

 

Stewardship – A Pattern of Caring:

Giving is a habit that begins with a commitment. Becoming an active steward requires a conscious decision to actively support the needs of the Church. The commitment card we offer to Holy Trinity parish each year encourages us to give regularly. There are extra cards in church, or you can call the church office. 

 

Weekly Offering: 

Sacrificial Offerings - Weekly Offering: Dec. 1st - Candles $85; Tray $455; Stewardship $1,118

 

Contributions - Tracking Your Giving:

  • Each time you contribute funds to the parish, the notation on the memo line of your check allows us to identify your intentions:  Stewardship, Candles, Trays, Memorials, etc.  
  • If you are setting up contributions through your bank, please be sure that a specific notation (ex: stewardship) is included for each transaction.
  • For any cash contributions, please use one of the envelopes in the Narthex so that we can add that amount to your record of donations.

 

Is your email address or your US mail address changing?

Please, notify the church office!  holy3goc@gmail.com

BACK TO TOP