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.
Concerning the Dormition of the Theotokos, this is what the Church has received from ancient times from the tradition of the Fathers. When the time drew nigh that our Savior was well-pleased to take His Mother to Himself, He declared unto her through an Angel that three days hence, He would translate her from this temporal life to eternity and bliss. On hearing this, she went up with haste to the Mount of Olives, where she prayed continuously. Giving thanks to God, she returned to her house and prepared whatever was necessary for her burial. While these things were taking place, clouds caught up the Apostles from the ends of the earth, where each one happened to be preaching, and brought them at once to the house of the Mother of God, who informed them of the cause of their sudden gathering. As a mother, she consoled them in their affliction as was meet, and then raised her hands to Heaven and prayed for the peace of the world. She blessed the Apostles, and, reclining upon her bed with seemliness, gave up her all-holy spirit into the hands of her Son and God.
With reverence and many lights, and chanting burial hymns, the Apostles took up that God-receiving body and brought it to the sepulchre, while the Angels from Heaven chanted with them, and sent forth her who is higher than the Cherubim. But one Jew, moved by malice, audaciously stretched forth his hand upon the bed and immediately received from divine judgment the wages of his audacity. Those daring hands were severed by an invisible blow. But when he repented and asked forgiveness, his hands were restored. When they had reached the place called Gethsemane, they buried there with honor the all-immaculate body of the Theotokos, which was the source of Life. But on the third day after the burial, when they were eating together, and raised up the artos (bread) in Jesus' Name, as was their custom, the Theotokos appeared in the air, saying "Rejoice" to them. From this they learned concerning the bodily translation of the Theotokos into the Heavens.
These things has the Church received from the traditions of the Fathers, who have composed many hymns out of reverence, to the glory of the Mother of our God (see Oct. 3 and 4).
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 First Letter to the Corinthians 1:10-17.
Brethren, I appeal to you by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren. What I mean is that each one of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispos and Gaius; lest any one should say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
8th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 14:14-22
At that time, Jesus saw a great throng; and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves." Jesus said, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." They said to him, "We have only five loaves here and two fish." And he said, "Bring them here to me." Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.
Church Calendar:
Paraklesis for the Dormition of the Theotokos, 7 pm:
Monday, August 12
Tuesday, August 13
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
OPA FOOD PREPARATION = "In the Kitchen with Costa"
Saturday, August 17 & Saturday, August 24 - 9 am
Come and make pastitsio and moussaka for the Festival! Let Costa know if you wil be there at ctsatsos@comcast.net
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.
SAVE THE 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
Get the latest updates on how you can help make our OPA Festival successful!
archdiocese encyclical
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