Weekly Services
(Please note schedule subject to change. Please call church office to confirm times.)
Sunday Services: Orthros 8:15 am; Divine Liturgy 9:15 am. Followed by Sunday School and Fellowship Hour in our Community Center.
Weekly Feastday / Major Saint Day Liturgies: 9 am Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy.
Our Lord had spoken to His disciples many times not only concerning His Passion, Cross, and Death, but also concerning the coming persecutions and afflictions that they themselves would endure. Since all these evils were near at hand, but the enjoyment of good things which they hoped to receive in their stead was yet to come, our Savior desired to give them full assurance, evidently and openly, concerning that glory which is prepared for those who endure to the end. Therefore, fulfilling that which He had promised shortly before, that "there be some standing here which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in His Kingdom" (Matt. 16:28), He took His three foremost disciples and ascended Mount Tabor, where He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as the light. Suddenly, together with this dread and marvelous effulgence of light, there appeared those pinnacles of the Prophets, Moses and Elias, who spoke with the Lord Jesus concerning His saving Passion which was about to take place. Standing before Him as reverent servants, they showed that He is the Lord of both the living and the dead, for Moses came forth from Hades, having died many centuries before, and Elias, as it were from heaven, whither he had been taken up while yet alive. After a little while a radiant cloud overshadowed them and out of the cloud they heard that same voice which had been heard at the Jordan at the Baptism of Christ, testifying to the Divinity of Jesus and saying: "This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well-pleased; hear ye Him" (Matt. 17: 5).
Such are the marvels, truly worthy of God, celebrated in this present feast, which is an image and prefiguring of the future state of the righteous, whose splendor the Lord spoke of, saying: "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun" (Matt. 13:43). It is because of this that the Kontakion of this Feast is said daily (when there is not a great feast) in the Service of the Typica in perpetual commemoration of the glory that will be the lot of the Saints. According to tradition, the Lord's Transfiguration came to pass forty days before His Crucifixion; this is why the Transfiguration is celebrated forty days before the Exaltation of the Cross.
7th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 15:1-7
Brethren, we who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves; let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to edify him. For Christ did not please himself; but, as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached thee fell on me." For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome one another, therefore, as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
7th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 9:27-35
At that time, as Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, "Have mercy on us, Son of David." When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to him, "Yes, Lord." Then he touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith be it done to you." And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly charged them, "See that no one knows it." But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.
As they were going away, behold, a dumb demoniac was brought to him. And when the demon had been cast out, the dumb man spoke; and the crowds marveled, saying, "Never was anything like this seen in Israel." But the Pharisees said, "He casts out demons by the prince of demons."
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.
United Way’s Tools 4 School Backpack program: Please drop your completed backpacks off at the church by this Sunday August 4.
Parishioners, if you have a St Anna access key card and have not received the alarm instructions and codes yet, please contact Jorge Ferreira via email at jorge.ferreira@jacobs.com for further instruction.
Church Calendar:
Paraklesis for the Dormition of the Theotokos, 7 pm:
Wednesday, August 7
Thursday, August 8
Friday , August 9
Monday, August 12
Tuesday, August 13
Monday, August 5: Great Vespers of Transfiguration, 7 pm
Tuesday, August 6: Transfiguration Feastday, 9 am Orthros, Liturgy, and Blessing of Grapes
Wednesday, August 14: Great Vespers of Dormition, Holmdel Church, 7 pm
Thursday, August 15: Dormition of Virgin Mary, St. Anna, 9 am , Orthor followed by LIturgy
2019 Very Important Dates: Sept 6-7-8 -OPA Nov 3 -Fall General Assembly Nov 16-17 -Eat & Shop
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Volunteers
We always welcome volunteers who can dedicate the time and effort to help with the ministries, events, cleaning, etc. Please let us know if you are interested in volunteering for 2019-2020
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: We currently have 131 Pledges totaling $144,164 for an average of $1,100 and $101,758 received to date. We also have 13 families who have contributed $7,255 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 60, 2018 stewards give at the same level as last year we could exceed our budget and reach a record high number of stewards.
If you have not done so already, we ask that you prayerfully consider your stewardship commitment and submit a 2019 pledge card as soon as you can. You can check to see if you are on the Stewards List attached to this bulletin.
…Remember a rich man is not one who has much, but one who gives much