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Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2022-12-25
Bulletin Contents
Nativity
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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: 8am     Liturgy: 9am

Weekday Services: (unless otherwise noted)

Orthros: 8am     Liturgy: 9am


Past Bulletins


Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion for Holy Nativity in the Fourth Mode

Your birth, O Christ our God, shines forth on all the world with the light of knowledge. For at Your birth, those who had adored the stars were taught by a star to worship You, to worship You, the Sun of Justice, and to know You, the Dawn from on high. O Lord, glory to You.
Η Γέννησις σου Χριστέ ο Θεός ημων, ανέτειλε τω κόσμω το φως το της γνώσεως, εν αύτη γαρ οι τοις άστροις λατρεύοντες, υπό αστέρος εδιδάσκοντο, σε προσκυνείν τον Ήλιον της δικαιοσύνης, και σε γινώσκειν εξ ύψους Ανατολής. Κύριε δόξα σοι.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Third Mode

Today the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent One, and the earth presents a cave to the Unapproachable One. Angels with shepherds give him glory; wise men follow a star as they journey to him who is God from all ages, yet for our sake is born as a little child.
Η Παρθένος σήμερον, τον υπερούσιον τίκτει, και η γη τό σπήλαιον, τω απροσίτω προσάγει. Αγγελοι, μετά Ποιμένων δοξολογούσι. Μάγοι δε μετά αστέρος οδοιπορούσι, δι ημας γαρ εγεννήθη, Παιδίον νέον, ο προ αιώνων Θεός.
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Saints and Feasts

Nativity
December 25

The Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

The incomprehensible and inexplicable Nativity of Christ came to pass when Herod the Great was reigning in Judea; the latter was an Ascalonite on his fathers's side and an Idumean on his mother's. He was in every way foreign to the royal line of David; rather, he had received his authority from the Roman emperors, and had ruled tyrannically over the Jewish people for some thirty-three years. The tribe of Judah, which had reigned of old, was deprived of its rights and stripped of all rule and authority. Such was the condition of the Jews when the awaited Messiah was born, and truly thus was fulfilled the prophecy which the Patriarch Jacob had spoken 1,807 years before: "A ruler shall not fail from Judah, nor a prince from his loins, until there come the things stored up for him; and he is the expectation of the nations" (Gen.49:10).

Thus, our Saviour was born in Bethlehem, a city of Judea, whither Joseph had come from Nazareth of Galilee, taking Mary his betrothed, who was great with child, that, according to the decree issued in those days by the Emperor Augustus, they might be registered in the census of those subject to Rome. Therefore, when the time came for the Virgin to give birth, and since because of the great multitude there was no place in the inn, the Virgin's circumstance constrained them to enter a cave which was near Bethlehem. Having as shelter a stable of irrational beasts, she gave birth there, and swaddled the Infant and laid Him in the manger (Luke 2:1-7). From this, the tradition has come down to us that when Christ was born He lay between two animals, an ox and an ass, that the words of the Prophets might be fulfilled: "Between two living creatures shalt Thou be known" (Abbacum 3:2), and "The ox knoweth his owner and the ass his master's crib" (Esaias 1: 3).

But while the earth gave the new-born Saviour such a humble reception, Heaven on high celebrated majestically His world-saving coming. A wondrous star, shining with uncommon brightness and following a strange course, led Magi from the East to Bethlehem to worship the new-born King. Certain shepherds who were in the area of Bethlehem, who kept watch while tending their sheep, were suddenly surrounded by an extraordinary light, and they saw before them an Angel who proclaimed to them the good tidings of the Lord's joyous Nativity. And straightway, together with this Angel, they beheld and heard a whole host of the Heavenly Powers praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men" (Luke 2:8-14).


Magi
December 25

The Adoration of the Magi: Melchior, Gaspar, & Balthasar


25_nativity4
December 25

The Commemoration of the Shepherds in Bethlehem who were watching their flocks and came to see the Lord


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Announcements

Christmas services 2022:

 

Friday (12/23) 8AM – Orthros and Great Hours (no Holy Communion offered at this service)

Saturday (12/24) 6 PM - Orthros, Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

Sunday (12/25) 8AM – Orthros and Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great

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Father Paul wishes to invite any interested young man, from the age of 8 through high school to contact him directly if he desires to serve in the Altar for this coming year. Parents should let Fr. Paul or the church office know about signing up their interested son for this special ministry. Serving at the Altar is indeed a great blessing and it belongs to those who are serious in their commitment.

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Parishioner Mary Harris is interested in starting a supportive homeschooling group for Orthodox Christian homeschooling families. If you homeschool your children or are considering homeschooling, please feel welcome to reach out to Mary at m.catherineharris@gmail.com.

 

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VANCO Payments 

Hardly anyone carries cash today, but we ALL have credit cards!
Conveniently located in the Narthex is a Kiosk that is programmed and
user friendly for you to contribute to Trays, Candles, Stewardship,
Sunday School, Greek School & Dance as well as simply donating using your
credit card!


Apps make life so much easier! With GivePlus Church, you can use your smartphone to give anytime, anywhere right from the palm of your hand!!!!
You can also make recurring payments as well!! It is as easy as 1-2-3
1. Simply download the app for FREE
2. Find Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church
3. Give!

Ask any Parish Council Member for assistance or if you have any questions!

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal First Mode. Psalm 65.4,1.
Let all the earth worship you, and sing praises to you.
Verse: Shout with joy to God, all the earth.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 4:4-7.

BRETHREN, when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son then also an heir of God through Christ.


Gospel Reading

The Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ
The Reading is from Matthew 2:1-12

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him." When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet: 'And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.'"

Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared; and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him." When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.


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Wisdom of the Fathers

The Lord has given us a sign 'as deep as Sheol and as high as heaven', such as we should not have dared to hope for. How could we have expected to see a Virgin with Child, and to see in this Child a 'God with us' (Isaiah 7: 11 & 14) Who would descend into the depths of the earth to seek for the lost sheep, meaning the creature He had fashioned, and then ascend again to present to His Father humanity thus regained?
Irenaeus of Lyons
Against Heresies, III, 19.3 (SC 211, p. 380), 130-208

His love for me brought low His greatness. He made Himself like me so that I might receive Him. He made Himself like me so that I might be clothed in Him. I had no fear when I saw Him, for He is mercy for me. He took my nature so that I might understand Him, my face, so that I should not turn away from Him.
42 hymns discovered in 1905 in a Syriac Manuscript.
Odes of Solomon 7 (The Odes and Psalms of Solomon R. Harris adn A. Mingana II, pp. 240-1). Written in Greek for the Christian communities of Syria., Early 2nd Century

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Weekly Calendar

 

 Sunday December 25

Holy Nativity

Orthros 8:00am  Divine Liturgy 9:00am

Family Worship Sunday

Parish Council Coffee Hour 

 

Tuesday December 27

GOYA Christmas Dance

 

Wednesday December 28

Kali Parea 11am

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Weekly Bulletin Flyer Inserts

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