August 16
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2020-08-16
Bulletin Contents
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
General Information
- Phone:
- (904)-829-0504
- Fax:
- (904)829-0507
- Email:
- HOLY3GOC@gmail.com
- 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
- 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
- Publish Date:
- 2020-07-05
Hymns of the Day
Resurrectional Apolytikion in the 1st Tone
The stone had been secured with a seal by the Judeans, and a guard of soldiers was watching Your immaculate body. You rose on the third day, O Lord and Savior, granting life unto the world. For this reason were the powers of heaven crying out to You, O Life-giver: Glory to Your resurrection, O Christ; glory to Your kingdom; glory to Your dispensation, only One who loves mankind.
Τοῦ λίθου σφραγισθέντος ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, καὶ στρατιωτῶν φυλασσόντων τὸ ἄχραντόν σου Σῶμα, ἀνέστης τριήμερος Σωτήρ, δωρούμενος τῷ κόσμῳ τὴν ζωήν· διὰ τοῦτο αἱ Δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐβόων σοι ζωοδότα. Δόξα τῇ Ἀναστάσει σου Χριστέ, δόξα τῇ βασιλείᾳ σου, δόξα τῇ οἰκονομίᾳ σου, μόνε φιλάνθρωπε.
Apolytikion for Holy Napkin in the 2nd Tone
We venerate Your immaculate icon, O good Lord, and entreat You to forgive our offences, O Christ our God. By Your own choice you were pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh, to deliver us, whom You created, from our slavery to the foe. Therefore we cry to You with gratitude: You have filled all things with joy, O our Savior, by coming to save the world.
Τὴν ἄχραντον Εἰκόνα σου, προσκυνοῦμεν ἀγαθέ, αἰτούμενοι συγχώρησιν τῶν πταισμάτων ἡμῶν, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός· βουλήσει γὰρ ηὐδόκησας σαρκί, ἀνελθεῖν ἐν τῷ Σταυρῷ, ἵνα ῥύσῃ οὓς ἔπλασας, ἐκ τῆς δουλείας τοῦ ἐχθροῦ· ὅθεν εὐχαρίστως βοῶμέν σοι· Χαρᾶς ἐπλήρωσας τὰ πάντα ὁ Σωτὴρ ἡμῶν, παραγενόμενος εἰς τὸ σῶσαι τὸν κόσμον.
Apolytikion for Afterfeast of the Dormition in the 1st Tone
You gave birth yet preserved your virginity. You fell asleep in death yet did not desert the world, O Theotokos. You were transported to life, as you are Mother of Life and, by virtue of your intercessions, deliver our souls from death.
Ἐν τῇ Γεννήσει, τὴν παρθενίαν ἐφύλαξας. Ἐν τῇ Κοιμήσει, τὸν κόσμον οὐ κατέλιπες Θεοτόκε. Μετέστης πρὸς τὴν ζωήν, Μήτηρ ὑπάρχουσα τῆς ζωῆς, καὶ ταῖς πρεσβείαις ταῖς σαῖς λυτρουμένη, ἐκ θανάτου τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν.
Apolytikion for the Church in the 1st Tone
8th Tone
Blessed are You, O Christ our God; You made wise men of poor fishermen by sending down upon them Your Holy Spirit, and through them You caught the whole world, 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 2nd Tone
The Theotokos is undying in intercession.* Immovable is our hope in her for protection. Neither death nor burial prevailed over her. As she is Mother of Life, she was removed to life by Him, the Lord who lived in her ever-virgin womb.
Τὴν ἐν πρεσβείαις ἀκοίμητον Θεοτόκον, καὶ προστασίαις ἀμετάθετον ἐλπίδα, τάφος καὶ νέκρωσις οὐκ ἐκράτησεν· ὡς γὰρ ζωῆς Μητέρα, πρὸς τὴν ζωὴν μετέστησεν, ὁ μήτραν οἰκήσας ἀειπάρθενον.
Saints and Feasts
August 16
10th Sunday of Matthew
August 16
Timothy of Euripus, founder of the Monastery of Pentele
August 16
Translation of the Image of Our Lord and God and Savior, Jesus Christ
When the fame of our Lord Jesus Christ came to Abgar, the ruler of Edessa, who was suffering from leprosy, Abgar sent a messenger named Ananias, through him asking the Savior to heal him of his disease, while bidding Ananias bring back a depiction of Him. When Ananias came to Jerusalem, and was unable to capture the likeness of our Lord, He, the Knower of hearts, asked for water, and having washed His immaculate and divine face, wiped it dry with a certain cloth, which He gave to Ananias to take to Abgar; the form of the Lord's face had been wondrously printed upon the cloth. As soon as Abgar received the cloth, which is called the Holy Napkin (Mandylion), he reverenced it with joy, and was healed of his leprosy; only his forehead remained afflicted. After the Lord's Death, Resurrection, and Ascension, the Apostle Thaddaeus (see Aug. 21) came to Edessa, and when he had baptized Abgar and all his men, Abgar's remaining leprosy also was healed. Abgar had the holy image of our Savior fixed to a board and placed at the city gate, commanding that all who entered the city reverence it as they passed through. Abgar's grandson, however, returned to the worship of the idols, and the Bishop of Edessa learned of his intention to replace the Holy Napkin with an idol. Since the place where it stood above the city gate was a rounded hollow, he set a burning lamp before the Holy Napkin, put a tile facing it, then bricked up the place and smoothed it over, so that the holy icon made without hands was no longer to be seen, and the ungodly ruler gave no further thought to it.
With the passage of time, the hidden icon was forgotten, until the year 615, when Chosroes II, King of Persia, was assaulting the cities of Asia, and besieged Edessa. The Bishop of Edessa, Eulabius, instructed by a divine revelation, opened the sealed chamber above the city gate and found the Holy Napkin complete and incorrupt, the lamp burning, and the tile bearing upon itself an identical copy of the image that was on the Holy Napkin. The Persians had built a huge fire outside the city wall; when the Bishop approached with the Holy Napkin, a violent wind fell upon the fire, turning it back upon the Persians, who fled in defeat. The Holy Napkin remained in Edessa, even after the Arabs conquered it, until the year 944, when it was brought with honor and triumph to Constantinople in the reign of Romanus I, when Theophylact was Ecumenical Patriarch. The Holy Napkin was enshrined in the Church of the most holy Theotokos called the Pharos. This is the translation that is celebrated today.
August 16
Diomedes the Physician & Martyr of Tarsus
The holy Martyr Diomedes was from Tarsus in Cilicia, a physician who treated bodies with his healing art and souls with his piety. In the days of the Emperor Diocletian, about the year 288, Diomedes left Tarsus and came to Nicaea, where he benefited many both as a physician and as a preacher of the Faith. He was accused to Diocletian, who sent men to fetch him. When they arrived, although finding that he had already given up his soul to the Lord, they cut off his head to take it to the Emperor, and because of their inhumanity were stricken with blindness. When Diocletian saw the Saint's head, he commanded them to take it back and put it on the body in its place; when they had done so, they received their sight again. Saint Diomedes is one of the Holy Unmercenaries.
August 16
Nicodemus the New Martyr of Meteora
August 16
Gerasimus of Cephalonia
Saint Gerasimus was from the Peloponnesus, the son of Demetrius and Kale, of the family of Notaras. He was reared in piety by them and studied the Sacred writings. He left his country and went throughout various lands, and finally came to Cephalonia, where he restored a certain old church and built a convent around it, where it stands to this day at the place called Omala. He finished the course of his life there in asceticism in the year 1570. His sacred relics, which remain incorrupt, are kept there for the sanctification of the faithful.
August 16
Holy Monk Penteles
August 16
Afterfeast of the Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary
August 16
Stamatios the Martyr
August 16
Apostolos the New-Martyr
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Epistle Reading
Prokeimenon. 1st Tone. 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 First Letter to the Corinthians 4:9-16.
Brethren, God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are ill-clad and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as the refuse of the world, the off-scouring of all things. I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me.
Gospel Reading
10th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 17:14-23
At that time, a man came up to Jesus and kneeling before him said, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him." And Jesus answered, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me." And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move hence to yonder place,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. But this kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting." As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day."
Parish News
A Word from Fr. John:
From Homily Number One on the Dormition of the Holy Mother of God, by St. John of Damascus:
“Neither the human tongue nor the mind of the angels that live beyond this universe can give worthy praise to her, through whom it has been granted to us to gaze clearly on the glory of the Lord. What, then? Shall we keep silent, cowering in fear, because we cannot praise her worthily? Not at all!
“... The Apostles saw, we are told, the ranks of angels awaiting your departure from this world of human life. O lovely emigration, which was for you a migration to God! For even if it is granted by God to all who are inspired to serve Him – and it is granted to them all, we believe – still, there is an infinite difference between God’s servants and His mother. What, then, shall we call this mystery concerning you? Death? But even though your holy and blessed soul was separated from your privileged, immaculate body, and your body was committed to burial, as custom demanded, still it did not remain in death, nor was it dissolved in corruption. For she whose virginity remained undamaged in childbirth also kept her body undamaged in her passage through death.... Therefore, I will not call your holy passage from this world a death, but, rather, a falling asleep [Greek koimissis; “dormition” derived from Latin dormire, to fall asleep – Fr. John], a parting, or – more properly speaking – a homecoming. For when you parted from the things of the body, you went to make your dwelling among greater things.
“... Oh, how could Heaven receive one who is called ‘wider than the heavens’ [Πλατυτέρα των Ουρανών, platytera ton ouranon – Fr. John]? How could a grave contain the one who contained God? Yet surely it did receive her, surely it did make room for her; for that body was not ‘wider than heaven’ in any spatial sense.... But in grace, surely, she surpassed the measure of every height and depth; for nothing can be compared with what is divine. O sacred, wonderful, august, and adorable monument! Angels came to venerate it, standing by in much reverence and holy fear...
“Just as if one should store up costly ointment in his clothes or some other place, and later remove it, some trace of the fragrance would remain when the ointment is gone; so now, too, that holy, sacred, and spotless body, full of divine fragrance, that boundless spring of grace, even though it was first placed in the tomb and then taken away again to a better, higher place, still did not leave that tomb without honor: it gave it a share of divine fragrance and grace, and left it as a source of healing and of all good gifts for those who approach it in faith.”
– On the Dormition of Mary: Early Patristic Homilies, translated by Brian Daley; SVS Press (Fr. John highly recommends this book; wonderful Introduction included, and it offers a wealth of homilies by such greats as Sts. Modestos of Jerusalem, Germanos of Constantinople, Andrew of Crete, John of Damascus, and more.)
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 mercy, life, peace, and healing of all parishioners, especially: Mary Spanos and Gail Jones, Chresanthe Lemieux, Zoe Kauttu, Maryann Bolt, James Day, Kostas Lantzounis, Fr. Nikitas and Pres. Mary Theodosion, His Grace Bishop Dimitrios of Xanthos, Margaret, James, Kyriake, Mike and Ingrid (Evangelia) Fotianos, Irene Hastalis, Jane Anderson. Remember also our missionary families: Fr. Stephanos, Pr. Alexandria, Moses & Athan Ritsi serving in Albania; and Michael, Lisa & Liam Colburn.
Liturgical Services: Join us for services at HTGOC: https://www.facebook.com/HolyTrinityGOC/
Parish Council Report:
We understand the void in our parish fellowship, and we are looking forward to being together again. A lot has been accomplished, including managing Covid-19 response at HTGOC, live-streaming services (https://www.facebook.com/HolyTrinityGOC/), receiving on-line donations, and we have re-opened our Church for Divine Services. We continue to follow the pre-scribed guidelines.
The Council will resume discussing our strategic plan that will include church growth and full-time priest initiatives. This will guide our efforts for our faithful, our ministries, our stewardship, our witness and our future.
Treasurer’s Report
Bank Balances (as of July 31, 2020)
Operating account:
$30,513
Mortgage reduction account:
$6.285
Festival account:
$15,849
Mortgage Balance:
($937,031)
Reserves
Maintenance reserve:
$8,609
Full-time Clergy reserve:
$26,435
Profit & Loss (as of Jul 31, ‘20)
Revenue:
$14,539
Expense:
$12,903
Net:
$16,36
Stewardship Report
Although we are still in a period of uncertainty, it is vital for us to keep a positive, Christ-centered approach to our efforts. We ask you to partner and grow in Faith with us. Your stewardship commitment is vital to our efforts. We currently have 66 active Holy Trinity Steward families, with over $99,454 pledged. If you have not done so, please submit your stewardship commitment card. Stewardship payments can be made on-line (http://www.holytrinitygoc.com).
On-Line Giving:
- The Parish Council has added a link “Make a Donation” on our Church’s web page www.HolyTrinityGOC.com for on-line giving.
This is a secure way to give to your Church. Giving categories have been set up to allow giving to specific funds within the Church – for instance, Stewardship, Easter, Memorials, etc. You can give via credit card, Paypal and you also have the ability to set up recurrent giving. Of course, you can also set up recurrent giving through your bank if you wish. Please be sure that a specific notation (ex: stewardship) is included for each transaction.
- We have also added a link for our new “Light a Candle & Say a Prayer” ministry.
This new service allows us to light a candle during our divine services on-line. Your request will be forwarded to the Parish Council in the narthex during the service and they will pray for you and light your candle. Also, if you wish to provide names of loved ones to be prayed for, those will be provided to Fr. John as well.
Giving by Check:
Each time you contribute funds to the parish by check, the notation on the memo line of your check allows us to identify your intentions: Stewardship, Candles, Trays, Memorials, etc.
Weekly Offering:
Sacrificial Offerings - August 9th – Candles $58 Tray $140; Stewardship $585
On-line Offerings – July 2020 - Candles $50
PayPal – July 2020 – Stewardship $1180
2020 Stewardship – “Partner and Grow in Faith with Us”:
A primary goal of Christian Stewardship is spiritual growth. We become Stewards when we believe in God and begin to act on our beliefs. As Orthodox Christians, we acknowledge that every aspect of our life is a gift from Him.
Wednesday Night Adult Bible Study:
The adult Bible Study of the Gospel of John occurs each Wednesday from 8 to 9 PM online through Zoom. The meeting can be accessed by going to https://theColburns.us and clicking on the menu item that says “Online”. You can also see what verses will be studied each Sunday so you can read them ahead of time.
Sunday School News:
Things around the world - and at Holy Trinity - are a bit different these last few months. As different and as difficult as that may be, we are all adapting to the changes brought on by Covid-19. Because we believe that the continued religious education of each of us is important, we have decided that Sunday School will be offered virtually. The first class was scheduled for Wednesday August 12 at 6pm. Class will be conducted from the comfort of each family’s home via a Zoom call. The first session was held with all students and teachers in one session. Future classes will be broken down by age and teacher availability. We look forward to seeing all the students' smiling faces. On your home computer, phone or other device, click on the link at 6 pm and join the Zoom Meeting by entering the passcode. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88271983746?pwd=WjRibDl3bkNpZWM0aExEMkc0OXdjQT09 Meeting ID: 882 7198 3746 Passcode: 381534
Parish Cleaning Day:
Mark your calendar for Parish Cleaning Day
Saturday August 29, 10am-12pm
Still Time to Join the OCMC Virtual Trek 4 Missions 2020:
Do you enjoy strolling through St Augustine’s historic downtown? Walking our beautiful beaches? Track your miles and join the St Augustine Holy Trinity GO Church team to help fund the Orthodox Christian Mission Center’s efforts to recruit, train, and send missionaries into the world. Whether you are a walker, runner, swimmer, cyclist, or you just like to stay active and can track your miles, you can participate! Our Goal is to complete a minimum of 1,200 miles and raise at least $2,000. Through September 14th. Donations can be made through our team page.
For the password or ask questions contact Lisa Colburn at 904-293-86534 or lisa@thecolburns.us
Team page http://ocmc.convio.net/site/TR/Trek4Missions/General?team_id=1080&pg=team&fr_id=1080
October 9th – 10th Greek Fest 2020
The 23rd Annual St. Augustine Greek Festival will be at our Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church! Your Greek favorites – Lamb, Moussaka, Gyro, Dolmathes, Baklava and more – will be available for pick-up and drive-thru on Fri October 9 & Sat October 10. A new Greek Fest website will allow you to reserve your favorite dishes by placing your order online.
If you are interested in volunteering to help plan this year’s festival, please reach out to Mikae Gaetanos <mickgae@aol.com>, Nick Lekas <nslekas@gmail.com> or any Parish Council member. There is a lot of planning that goes into making our festival successful each year and we need everyone to get involved. If you have any ideas or a passion for planning, cooking, fellowship, outreach and community involvement, please join us. www. Stauggreekfest.com
December 6th, 2020 (tentatively) 4-7 p.m., Christmas Open House at St. Photios NationalShrine:
On behalf of Shrine Hierarchal Proistamenos, Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos, you are invited to be part of the Christmas Open House Committee and to add this Shrine event to your calendar. And to consider ways in which you and organizations from your communities can assist in bringing our religious (St. Nicholas Day!) and cultural (Christmas customs!) to witness in 2020. Praying you all remain safe and that you will pray for me as well, Polly Hillier, St Photios
Contact Information:
The parish council has been making phone calls to every parishioner for which we have such contact information. If you have not received a phone call, please call (904 829-0504) or email (holy3goc@gmail.com) the office and give Nelda your phone number – we will happily check in on you. Also, if you know of anyone who doesn’t receive our emails but would like to, please encourage them to let Nelda at holy3goc@gmail.com know their contact information so we can update our records and keep them informed.
Reminder:
The deadline for Church bulletin e-mail articles is before 1 p.m. on Wednesday weekly. If you have a request for a special service (memorial, etc.) please email the church office at holy3goc@gmail.com in advance of requested date with details. Thank you!
WARNING!
If you receive an email asking for money from Fr. Dimitri Leussis concerning Coronavirus, please delete. Do not open or give any contact information! Fr. Dimitri email contacts have been hacked.
HOLY TRINITY GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
WE HAVE RE- OPENED
Orthros 9 a.m. - Divine Liturgy 10 a.m.
Thanks be to God!
Before entering the church, the temperature of each person will be taken by a designated person. If the person’s temperature is above 100.4oF he or she will be kindly asked to return to their home, both for their safety and the safety of others.
We are still required to wear face coverings while we are in the church.
We wish to remind you to let us know if you plan to attend the Divine Liturgy, so that we can keep things running smoothly at the church while signing folks in and taking temperatures.
Therefore, please contact the church office via email - holy3goc@gmail.com - preferably with the subject line "I want to attend" - or by phone at 904 829-0504, and let Nelda know your name, the names of those you plan to attend with, and your phone number. Please let her know by Thursday before 1 p.m. Again, this will help us prepare well and know what to expect, as well as avoid bottlenecks and other kinds of confusion.