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Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2019-06-16
Bulletin Contents
Pentecost
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Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (732) 255-5525
  • Fax:
  • (732) 255-8180
  • Street Address:

  • 2200 Church Road

  • Toms River, NJ 08753


Contact Information




Services Schedule

Sunday Services:

Orthros: 8 am     Liturgy: 9:30 am

Weekday Services: (unless otherwise noted)

Orthros: 8 am     Liturgy: 9 am


Past Bulletins


Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion of Pentecost in the Plagal Fourth Mode

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. Ευλογητός ει, Χριστέ ο Θεός ημών, ο πανσόφους τους αλιείς αναδείξας, καταπέμψας αύτοις το Πνεύμα το άγιον, και δι αυτών την οικουμένη σαγηνεύσας, φιλάνθρωπε, δόξα σοι!

Kontakion of Pentecost / Κοντάκιον in the Plagal Fourth Mode

When He came down and confused the tongues of men, the Most High divided the nations. But in sending forth parted tongues of flame He called all mankind to unity that with one accord we might glorify His all Holy Spirit. Κοντάκιον Ότε καταβάς τας γλώσσας συνέχεε, διεμέριζεν έθνη ο Ύψιστος. Ότε του πυρός τας γλώσσας διένειμεν, εις ενότητα πάντας εκάλεσε και συμφώνως δοξάζομεν το πανάγιον Πνεύμα.
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Saints and Feasts

Pentecost
June 16

Holy Pentecost

After the Saviour's Ascension into the Heavens, the eleven Apostles and the rest of His disciples, the God-loving women who followed after Him from the beginning, His Mother, the most holy Virgin Mary, and His brethren-all together about 120 souls returned from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem. Entering into the house where they gathered, they went into the upper room, and there they persevered in prayer and supplication, awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit, as their Divine Teacher had promised them. In the meanwhile, they chose Matthias, who was elected to take the place of Judas among the Apostles.

Thus, on this day, the seventh Sunday of Pascha, the tenth day after the Ascension and the fiftieth day after Pascha, at the third hour of the day from the rising of the sun, there suddenly came a sound from Heaven, as when a mighty wind blows, and it filled the whole house where the Apostles and the rest with them were gathered. Immediately after the sound, there appeared tongues of fire that divided and rested upon the head of each one. Filled with the Spirit, all those present began speaking not in their native tongue, but in other tongues and dialects, as the Holy Spirit instructed them.

The multitudes that had come together from various places for the feast, most of whom were Jews by race and religion, were called Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and so forth, according to the places where they dwelt. Though they spoke many different tongues, they were present in Jerusalem by divine dispensation. When they heard that sound that came down from Heaven to the place where the disciples of Christ were gathered, all ran together to learn what had taken place. But they were confounded when they came and heard the Apostles speaking in their own tongues. Marvelling at this, they said one to another, "Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?" But others, because of their foolishness and excess of evil, mocked the wonder and said that the Apostles were drunken.

Then Peter stood up with the eleven, and raising his voice, spoke to all the people, proving that that which had taken place was not drunkenness, but the fulfilment of God's promise that had been spoken by the Prophet Joel: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that I shall pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy" (Joel 2:28), and he preached Jesus of Nazareth unto them, proving in many ways that He is Christ the Lord, Whom the Jews crucified but God raised from the dead. On hearing Peter's teaching, many were smitten with compunction and received the word. Thus, they were baptized, and on that day about three thousand souls were added to the Faith of Christ.

Such, therefore, are the reasons for today's feast: the coming of the All-holy Spirit into the world, the completion of the Lord Jesus Christ's promise, and the fulfilment of the hope of the sacred disciples, which we celebrate today. This is the final feast of the great mystery and dispensation of God's incarnation. On this last, and great, and saving day of Pentecost, the Apostles of the Saviour, who were unlearned fishermen, made wise now of a sudden by the Holy Spirit, clearly and with divine authority spoke the heavenly doctrines. They became heralds of the truth and teachers of the whole world. On this day they were ordained and began their apostleship, of which the salvation of those three thousand souls in one day was the comely and marvellous first fruit.

Some erroneously hold that Pentecost is the "birthday of the Church." But this is not true, for the teaching of the holy Fathers is that the Church existed before all other things. In the second vision of The Shepherd of Hermas we read: "Now brethren, a revelation was made unto me in my sleep by a youth of exceeding fair form, who said to me, 'Whom thinkest thou the aged woman, from whom thou receivedst the book, to be?' I say, 'The Sibyl.' 'Thou art wrong,' saith he, 'she is not.' 'Who then is she?' I say. 'The Church,' saith he. I said unto him, 'Wherefore then is she aged?' 'Because,' saith he, 'she was created before all things; therefore is she aged, and for her sake the world was framed."' Saint Gregory the Theologian also speaks of "the Church of Christ ... both before Christ and after Christ" (PG 35:1108-9). Saint Epiphanius of Cyprus writes, "The Catholic Church, which exists from the ages, is revealed most clearly in the incarnate advent of Christ" (PG 42:640). Saint John Damascene observes, "The Holy Catholic Church of God, therefore, is the assembly of the holy Fathers, Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Evangelists, and Martyrs who have been from the very beginning, to whom were added all the nations who believed with one accord" (PG 96, 1357c). According to Saint Gregory the Theologian, "The Prophets established the Church, the Apostles conjoined it, and the Evangelists set it in order" (PG 35, 589 A). The Church existed from the creation of the Angels, for the Angels came into existence before the creation of the world, and they have always been members of the Church. Saint Clement, Bishop of Rome, says in his second epistle to the Corinthians, the Church "was created before the sun and moon"; and a little further on, "The Church existeth not now for the first time, but hath been from the beginning" (II Cor. 14).

That which came to pass at Pentecost, then, was the ordination of the Apostles, the commencement of the apostolic preaching to the nations, and the inauguration of the priesthood of the new Israel. Saint Cyril of Alexandria says that "Our Lord Jesus Christ herein ordained the instructors and teachers of the world and the stewards of His divine Mysteries ... showing together with the dignity of Apostleship, the incomparable glory of the authority given them ... Revealing them to be splendid with the great dignity of the Apostleship and showing them forth as both stewards and priests of the divine altars . . . they became fit to initiate others through the enlightening guidance of the Holy Spirit" (PG 74, 708-712). Saint Gregory Palamas says, "Now, therefore ... the Holy Spirit descended ... showing the Disciples to be supernal luminaries ... and the distributed grace of the Divine Spirit came through the ordination of the Apostles upon their successors" (Homily 24, 10). And Saint Sophronius, Bishop of Jerusalem, writes, "After the visitation of the Comforter, the Apostles became high priests" (PG 87, 3981B). Therefore, together with the baptism of the Holy Spirit which came upon them who were present in the upper chamber, which the Lord had foretold as recorded in the Acts, "ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence" (Acts 1:5), the Apostles were also appointed and raised to the high priestly rank, according to Saint John Chrysostom (PG 60, 21). On this day commenced the celebration of the Holy Eucharist by which we become "partakers of the Divine Nature" (II Peter 1:4). For before Pentecost, it is said of the Apostles and disciples only that they abode in "prayer and supplication" (Acts 1:14); it is only after the coming of the Holy Spirit that they persevered in the "breaking of bread,"that is, the communion of the Holy Mysteries-"and in prayer" (Acts 2:42).

The feast of holy Pentecost, therefore, determined the beginning of the priesthood of grace, not the beginning of the Church. Henceforth, the Apostles proclaimed the good tidings "in country and town," preaching and baptizing and appointing shepherds, imparting the priesthood to them whom they judged were worthy to minister, as Saint Clement writes in his first Epistle to the Corinthians (I Cor. 42).

All foods allowed during the week following Pentecost.


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Announcements

 

Internet Broadcasting is available every week to view Liturgy

by logging onto the Church website, Stbarbaranj.org,

and clicking on the Live Services tab at the top of the page.

 Please help contribute towards our Live Internet Broadcast. This ministry provides a live broadcast of all Liturgical Services from Saint Barbara. In order to continue the broadcast we must pay our server $1,000 per year. To contribute, please go to our church website,Stbarbaranj.org click on the Live Broadcast tab and follow the donations link.

Your donations are greatly appreciated!
 ______________________________________________________________________ 

DONATIONS FOR SAINT BARBARA FOOD PANTRY

 can be left on the Pantry Table located in the Office Lobby.

 

 Saint Barbara Parish Athletic Center

Billboard Advertising

see flyer for details 

 

Philoptochos "End of Year" Dinner

 Tuesday, June 18th 6pm

 Saint Barbara Annual Golf Outing

Wednesday, June 19, 2019

see flyer for details

Annual Greek Festival

Sept 27th - 29th

                                                                                                                                                                                     

GOYA ShopRite Gift Card Fundraiser

Purchase Gift Cards & ShopRite will donate 5% to Saint Barbara GOYA

Dollar 4 Dollar ~ Pay $50 get $50 Gift Card; Pay $100 get $100 Gift Card .........

To Place an Order:  Call or Text Helen Stavropoulos, 732 278-1168 or

Stop by the GOYA Table on Sunday to Purchase or Pick-Up Order

                                                                                 

Metropolis of New Jersey Twitter Accout:  #GOMetropolisNJ

 

FOLLOW THE MATINS (OTHROS) SERVICES  Parishioners wishing to follow the Matins (Orthros) service in English and in Greek, please go to the following website and download the service: www.agesinitiatives.com  Feel Free to bring them to services with you.

   

DONATIONS REQUESTED:

ROOF:  Thanks to your generosity we have completed the roofing portion over the offices.  We kindly ask to continue on raising funds for the Hall roof replacement.  Remaining amout to accomplish this is $40,000.00.

 

Mark Your Calendars!

Jun. 19th:                  Annual Golf Outing

Sept.27th-29th:          Festival

 

 

 

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Daniel 3.26,27.
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers.
Verse: For you are just in all you have done.

The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 20:16-18, 28-36.

IN THOSE DAYS, Paul had decided to sail past Ephesos, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. And from Miletos he sent to Ephesos and called to him the elders of the church. And when they came to him, he said to them: "Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God which he obtained with the blood of his own Son. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by so toiling one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, 'it is more blessed to give than to receive.' " And when he had spoken thus, he knelt down and prayed with them all.


Gospel Reading

Fathers of the 1st Council
The Reading is from John 17:1-13

At that time, Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work which you gave me to do; and now, Father, you glorify me in your own presence with the glory which I had with you before the world was made.

"I have manifested your name to the men whom you gave me out of the world; yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you; for I have given them the words which you gave me, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you did send me. I am praying for them; I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are mine; all mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves."


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Stewardship & Donations

 Stewardship can be paid monthly via PayPal through our church website, www.stbarbaranj.org 

 

 

Please return your 2019 pledge cards as soon as possible!

 

2019 Donations Update

 

Week Ending                          5~26~2019                             YTD __

Candlles                                                                                  $      29,417.92

Church Tray                                                                           $      26,510.94

  

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Wisdom of the Fathers

For there is One God, and One Mediator between God and Man, the Man Christ Jesus. For He still pleads even now as Man for my salvation; ...
St. Gregory the Theologian
4th Theological Oration, 4th Century

... for He continues to wear the Body which He assumed, until He make me God by the power of His Incarnation; although He is no longer known after the flesh -- I mean, the passions of the flesh, the same, except sin, as ours.
St. Gregory the Theologian
4th Theological Oration, 4th Century

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Weekly Calendar

 

 

 

Sunday, June 16th

Coffee Hour is hosted by AHEPA/DOP

 

Monday, June 17th

“Liturgy of the Holy Trinity”

Orthos 8am   Liturgy 9am

Last Day of GOYA Dance:  7pm

Calendar Mtg:  7pm

 

Tuesday, June 18th

AHEPA Family “End of Year” Mtg:  7pm

Philoptochos “End of Year:  Dinner

 

Wednesday, June 19th

Kali Parea:  11am

Annual Golf Outing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Weekly Bulletin Flyer Inserts

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