Saints and Feasts

February 03

16th Sunday of Matthew

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Third Mode

Let the heavens sing for joy, and let everything on earth be glad. * For with His Arm the Lord has worked power. * He trampled death under foot by means of death; * and He became the firstborn from the dead. * From the maw of Hades He delivered us; * and He granted the world His great mercy.

Apolytikion for Afterfeast of the Presentation in the First Mode

Lady full of grace, rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos, for Christ our God, the Sun of righteousness has risen from you and He illumined those in darkness. And you, righteous Elder, be glad in heart, receiving in your embraces the One who liberates our souls and bestows on us the Resurrection.

Apolytikion for St. Anna (Dec. 9) in the Fourth Mode

Today the bonds of childlessness are loosed; for God hearkened to Joachim and Anna. And though it was beyond hope, He clearly promised them that they should bear a divine child, from whom was born the Uncircumscribable One Himself Who became a mortal, and through an Angel commanded them to cry unto her: Rejoice, thou who art full of grace, the Lord is with thee."

Seasonal Kontakion in the First Mode

Your birth sanctified a Virgin's womb and properly blessed the hands of Symeon. Having now come and saved us O Christ our God, give peace to Your commonwealth in troubled times and strengthen those in authority, whom You love, as only the loving One.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Third Mode. Psalm 46.6,1.
Sing praises to our God, sing praises.
Verse: Clap your hands, all you nations.

The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 6:1-10.

Brethren, working together with him, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, "At the acceptable time I have listened to you, and helped you on the day of salvation." Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We put no obstacle in any one's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors, watching, hunger; by purity, knowledge, forbearance, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

Gospel Reading

16th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 25:14-30

The Lord said this parable: "A man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more. So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.' And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.' He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth." As he said these things he cried out: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

Wisdom of the Fathers

There is an old saying: 'Excesses meet.' Too much fasting and too much eating come to the same end. Keeping too long a vigil brings the same disastrous cost as ... sluggishness... Too much self-denial brings weakness and induces the same condition as carelessness. Often I have seen men who would not be snared by gluttony fall, nevertheless, through immoderate fasting and tumble in weakness into the very urge which they had overcome. Unmeasured vigils and foolish denial of rest overcame those whom sleep could not overcome. Therefore, 'fortified to right and to left in the armor of justice,' as the apostle says (2 Cor. 6:7), life must be lived with due measure and, with discernment for a guide, the road must be traveled between the two kinds of excess so that in the end we may not allow ourselves to be diverted from the pathway of restraint which has been laid down for us nor fall through dangerous carelessness into the urgings of gluttony and self-indulgence.

St. John Cassian

Conferences, Conference Two: On Discernment no. 16; Paulist Press pg. 76, 5th century

Ministry News

A prayerful plea to all members of my loving family to help my niece, Mary Schiller, defray some of the cost of her lung transplant by contributing to a fund set up in her name at:www.gofundme.com/help-mary-gianos-schiller-breathe-a-sigh-of-relief. Contributions can also be given to me in the form of checks payable to Mark Schiller. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Irene Gianos

Church Calendar:

Please contact Fr. Anastasios before March 1 if you would like your home or business blessed.

Look Ahead

February 24: Godparents Sunday

Monday, March 11: Clean Monday (Kathara Deuftera)

Saturdays of Souls: March 2, 9, 16

Trivia Night

On Friday, March 1, we are excited to be hosting our first ever “Trivia Night” which will be one of our core fundraising events for the year. This unique event presents the opportunity to invite friends and family to share in an evening of fun and friendly competition. The evening is based on tables/teams of 8 competing in answering various Trivia questions for a chance to win 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes. We will also be incorporating a Wine Pull/Raffle and 50/50 Raffle to add to the evenings’ festivities. Participants are encouraged to bring their own appetizers/snacks while desserts, coffee, soda and water will be offered at no charge. A cash bar will be available which will include wine and beer. Doors open at 6:30pm. Registration is easy…sign up at http://stannagoc.org/news/trivia-nightto participate in an evening of great fun and laughter to benefit St Anna Greek Orthodox Church Ministries and Operating Fund.

Archdiocese Scholarship and Fellowship programs: Applications are now available by visiting http://www.goarch.org/.For more information, email scholarships@goarch.orgor call 212-774-0283. The deadline for submitting an application for any of these scholarships is May 3, 2019.

Philoptochos News: Today, the National Philoptochos Society promotes the American Heart Association’s “Go RED for Women” campaign in order to raise awareness of the risks and prevention of heart disease, stroke, and other forms of cardiovascular disease.

Did you Know…. Every 34 seconds someone dies from heart disease, America’s No. 1 killer

The cost of treating heart disease could top $1 trillion by 2035

Reduce your risk for heart attack by * Not smoking and avoiding second-hand smoke * Treat high blood pressure * Eat a healthy diet that’s low in saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium (salt) * Get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week * Control your blood sugar if you have diabetes * See your doctor for regular check-ups

Stop by the Philoptochos table during coffee hour for more heart healthy information.

Time to renew your 2019 Philoptochos Membership. Please see a Philoptochos Board member for information and check your email for renewal forms.

2019 Dates:Please mark your calendar with these important 2019 dates. Please see any PC member if you are interested in helping.

March 1 - Trivia night

March 24 - Spring General Assembly

May 18-19 - Bistro

Sept 6-7-8 - OPA

Nov 3 - Fall General Assembly

Nov 16-17 - Eat & Shop

“Called to be Free” (Galatians 5:13): The Freedom of Orthodoxy” Lenten Retreatis offered on Saturday, March 30 at St George Greek Orthodox Church in Ocean, NJ from 10 am – 3pm. Guest Speaker: Fr. Barnabas Powell. Contact: George Moutis: 732-233-7987 or gmoutis@scinj.com.

Fellowship Hour: Please sign up outside the office or contact John Giannouris at (610) 680-7507 or john.giannouris@comcast.netif you are interested in sponsoring Fellowship Hour. Thank you.

Synaxis of The Three Hierarchs: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, & John Chrysostom

Bulletin Inserts

St. Anna Trivia Night

Come one, come all ! Our 1st Annual Trivia Night - bring your family and friends!

Lenten Retreat - March 30

Ocean, NJ

Stewardship

Stewardship is the sharing of the talents and treasures that God has provided for us. An Orthodox Christian Steward is an active participant in the life of the Church. The parish encourages all who accept the Orthodox Faith to become practicing Stewards.

2019 Stewardship Drive: 37 Pledges totaling $67,050 for an average of $1,812 and $29,779 received to date. We also have 7 families who have contributed $2,305 to date but have not submitted a stewardship card. It is important that all families complete a stewardship card to be considered a steward. Current Stewardship List and other stewardship information is posted in bulletin board by water cooler.

We need everyone’s participation to exceed this year’s stewardship pledge target of $170,000. If the remaining 127, 2018 stewards give at the same level as last year we could exceed our budget and reach a record high number of stewards.

…Remember a rich man is not one who has much, but one who gives much

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