Fr. Donat Augusta Message

THIS SUNDAY, November 18, 2018 Orthros 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am. Ninth Sunday of Luke.

REFLECTION: This Wednesday, November 21 is the Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple. In the Orthodox Church the Virgin Mary is glorified as “the temple that is to hold God,” consecrated by the Spirit to be the “dwelling place of the Almighty.” She enters the Holy of Holies to become herself the “Holy of Holies,” the one in whom Christ is formed, thereby making her, and everyone who is one with her in faith, the “abode of heaven.” We are all created to be living temples of God. Jesus Christ, the Son, Word, and Image of God, is physically and spiritually formed in the body of Mary so that He might be formed in us as well (Galatians 4:19). This is the meaning of Christmas, which is the meaning of life itself. Christ in us and we in Christ, God with us and we with God.

On the Feast of the Entrance of Mary into the temple the canon of the Nativity of Christ is first sung at the festal vigil. “Christ is born; glorify Him! Christ comes from heaven; go to meet Him! Christ is on earth; be exalted! Sing to the Lord all the earth! And praise Him in gladness, O people, For He has been glorified.” This is the present festival. The coming of God to man that we might go back to God.

GREETER COVERAGE SCHEDULE: Parish Council member Arven Saunders is scheduled to open the church and to be the Greeter this Sunday 11/18. Future Greeter Schedule: 11/25 Penny; 12/2 Nikos; 12/9 Greg; 12/16 Mike; 12/23 Mike; 12/24 Christmas Eve -volunteer needed; 12/30 Spyros.

Email to Fr. Don: FrDonatAugusta@mail.goarch.org.

Email to St. Basil Church can be sent to: office@stbasil.ct.goarch.org. Your questions or comments can be sent to this email and will be forwarded to the parish priesst or the parish council members for a response.

Visit our St. Basil parish website: www.stbasil.ct.goarch.org. You will find many interesting links. Especially visit the "Orthodox Marketplace" where you will find an excellent selection of icons, books, and gift ideas for birthdays and holidays. Also, you can link to our Parish Facebook page.

On Facebook do a search for: "Saint Basil Greek Orthodox Church." You will find lots of information about parish activities, photos, and updates on the Greek Cultural Fair. Thanks to Arven Saunders for his work on the parish Facebook site and the parish Website.

ST. BASIL CHURCH CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES

ST. BASIL CALENDAR

ST. BASIL COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS CARD. Notices have gone out in the mail to all parishioners requesting your participation by contributing a gift of $20 to have your family names added to the Christmas Greeting Card. Your donation will pay for the cards and mailing and the ramainder of the donation will support St. Basil. You can give your Community Christmas Card donation at the Candle Desk on Sunday or send it to the church by mail.
ST. BASIL HOLIDAY BAKE SALE. Friday Dec. 14, Saturday Dec. 15, and Sunday Dec. 16. 10am to 4pm each day. Koulourakia, Kourambiedes, Melomakarona, Baklave, Cheese and Spinach Pies, Holiday Trays. All made especially for you by our ladies of Philoptohos. Please support!
ST. BASIL NEW YEAR'S EVE DIVINE LITURGY and DINNER-DANCE NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATION AT ST. BASIL PARISH HALL. Divine Liturgy at 9:00 pm. New Year's Eve Celebration starting at 10:00 pm. Put this on your calendar and plan to attend. More details to follow.

ST. BASIL GREEK SCHOOL WEEKLY CLASSES are being held in the Community Hall. GREEK SCHOOL classes are held weekly on Saturdays at 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM. Greek dancing instructions are part of the curriculum. If you have any questions about the Greek School, call: Athena Condos at 203-387-9504 or by emailing Athena at: athenacondos250@hotmail.com.

You may add church events/announcements by sending email to: FrDonatAugusta@mail.goarch.org.

2018 STEWARDSHIP

STEWARDSHIP 2018 OFFERING

Please support St. Basil today by sending in your 2018 STEWARDSHIP and use this 2018 Stewardship Form. .................. WEEKLY OFFERING: Please consider the needs of St. Basil by sending in the mail a "Regular Offering" to: St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church P.O. Box 9356 New Haven, CT 06533.

St. Basil Interior

Some photos of the interior of our new church. Iconastasis. Icon of the Last Supper that is above the Royal Doors.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal Fourth Mode. Psalm 75.11,1.
Make your vows to the Lord our God and perform them.
Verse: God is known in Judah; his name is great in Israel.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 4:1-7.

Brethren, I, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.

Προκείμενον. Plagal Fourth Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 75.11,1.
Εὔξασθε καὶ ἀπόδοτε Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν.
Στίχ. Γνωστὸς ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ ὁ Θεός, ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ μέγα τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Ἐφεσίους 4:1-7.

Ἀδελφοί, παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς ἐγώ, ὁ δέσμιος ἐν κυρίῳ, ἀξίως περιπατῆσαι τῆς κλήσεως ἧς ἐκλήθητε, μετὰ πάσης ταπεινοφροσύνης καὶ πρᾳότητος, μετὰ μακροθυμίας, ἀνεχόμενοι ἀλλήλων ἐν ἀγάπῃ, σπουδάζοντες τηρεῖν τὴν ἑνότητα τοῦ πνεύματος ἐν τῷ συνδέσμῳ τῆς εἰρήνης. Ἓν σῶμα καὶ ἓν πνεῦμα, καθὼς καὶ ἐκλήθητε ἐν μιᾷ ἐλπίδι τῆς κλήσεως ὑμῶν· εἷς κύριος, μία πίστις, ἓν βάπτισμα, εἷς θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ πάντων, ὁ ἐπὶ πάντων, καὶ διὰ πάντων, καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν ἡμῖν. Ἑνὶ δὲ ἑκάστῳ ἡμῶν ἐδόθη ἡ χάρις κατὰ τὸ μέτρον τῆς δωρεᾶς τοῦ Χριστοῦ.

Gospel Reading

9th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 12:16-21

The Lord said this parable: "The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' And he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." As he said these things, he cried out: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

9th Sunday of Luke
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 12:16-21

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τήν παραβολὴν ταύτην· Ἀνθρώπου τινὸς πλουσίου εὐφόρησεν ἡ χώρα· καὶ διελογίζετο ἐν ἑαυτῷ λέγων· τί ποιήσω, ὅτι οὐκ ἔχω ποῦ συνάξω τοὺς καρπούς μου; καὶ εἶπε· τοῦτο ποιήσω· καθελῶ μου τὰς ἀποθήκας καὶ μείζονας οἰκοδομήσω, καὶ συνάξω ἐκεῖ πάντα τὰ γενήματά μου καὶ τὰ ἀγαθά μου, καὶ ἐρῶ τῇ ψυχῇ μου· ψυχή, ἔχεις πολλὰ ἀγαθὰ κείμενα εἰς ἔτη πολλά· ἀναπαύου, φάγε, πίε, εὐφραίνου. εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Θεός· ἄφρον, ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ τὴν ψυχήν σου ἀπαιτοῦσιν ἀπὸ σοῦ· ἃ δὲ ἡτοίμασας τίνι ἔσται; οὕτως ὁ θησαυρίζων ἑαυτῷ, καὶ μὴ εἰς Θεὸν πλουτῶν.

Saints and Feasts

November 18

9th Sunday of Luke

November 19

Obadiah the Prophet

The Divine Scriptures do not tell us with any certainty when the Prophet Obadiah lived nor what was his homeland. Thus, some say that he is that Obadiah who was Ahab's steward, who, because of Jezebel's wrath, hid one hundred prophets in a cave and fed them with bread and water (III Kings 18:4), and that he later became a disciple of Elias the Prophet about 903 B.C. But others surmise from the words of the same prophetical book that he is somewhat later than Joel (celebrated on Oct. 19). He is also called Obdiu, or Abdiu, or Obadiah; his name means "servant of God." His book of prophecy, which consists of only one chapter, is ranked fourth among the minor Prophets.

November 21

The Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple

According to the tradition of the Church, the Theotokos was brought to the Temple at three years of age, where she was consecrated to God and spent her days until she was fourteen or fifteen years old; and then, as a mature maiden, by the common counsel of the priests (since her parents had reposed some three years before), she was betrothed to Joseph.

Wisdom of the Fathers

It is only when in the darkness of this world we discern that Christ has already "filled all things with Himself" that these things, whatever they may be, are revealed and given to us full of meaning and beauty. A Christian is one who, wherever he looks, finds Christ and rejoices in Him.

Fr. Alexander Schmemann

For the Life of the World, p. 113, 20th century

ST. BASIL GREEK SCHOOL

ST. BASIL GREEK SCHOOL WEEKLY CLASSES is now in session weekly on Saturdays in the Community Hall at 10:00am to 11:30am. Greek dancing instructions are part of the curriculum. If you have any questions about the Greek School, call: Athena Condos at 203-387-9504 or by emailing Athena at: athenacondos250@hotmail.com.

Message from His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios

Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for Thanksgiving Day - November 22, 2018

11/16/2018

We give thanks to God on this blessed day as we do and should on every day for His gift of life. This is a day to reflect on the many aspects and experiences of our lives for which we are grateful; but at the foundation of all of this is life we have been given by God and our gratitude to Him for what He has done for us. As we offer all honor and glory, we praise the name of God with a song, and we magnify Him with thanksgiving (Psalm 69:30).

https://www.goarch.org/-/encyclical-of-archbishop-demetrios-for-thanksgiving-day-november-22-2018

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