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Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2020-11-01
Bulletin Contents
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Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (734) 525-6789
  • Fax:
  • (734) 525-3989
  • Street Address:

  • 36375 Joy Rd.

  • Westland, MI 48185


Contact Information




Services Schedule

Orthos

Sunday & Weekdays: 9:00 a.m.

Divine Liturgy

Sunday: 10:00 a.m. Weekdays: 10:00 a.m.

Vespers

None


Past Bulletins


Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Fourth Mode

When the women Disciples of the Lord had learned from the Angel the joyful message of the Resurrection and had rejected the ancestral decision, they cried aloud to the Apostles triumphantly: Death has been despoiled, Christ God has risen, granting His great mercy to the world.
Τὸ φαιδρὸν τῆς Ἀναστάσεως κήρυγμα, ἐκ τοῦ Ἀγγέλου μαθοῦσαι αἱ τοῦ Κυρίου Μαθήτριαι, καὶ τὴν προγονικὴν ἀπόφασιν ἀπορρίψασαι, τοῖς Ἀποστόλοις καυχώμεναι ἔλεγον· Ἐσκύλευται ὁ θάνατος, ἠγέρθη Χριστὸς ὁ Θεός, δωρούμενος τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος.

Apolytikion for Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian in the Third Mode

O Holy Unmercenaries and wonderworkers, visit our infirmities; freely ye received, freely give to us.
Άγιοι Ανάργυροι καί θαυματουργοί, επισκέψασθε τάς ασθενείας ημών, δωρεάν ελάβετε, δωρεάν δότε ημίν.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Second Mode

O Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the creator most constant: O despise not the voices of those who have sinned; but be quick, O good one, to come unto our aid, who in faith cry unto thee: Hasten to intercession and speed thou to make supplication, O thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.
Προστασία τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀκαταίσχυντε, μεσιτεία πρὸς τὸν Ποιητὴν ἀμετάθετε. Μὴ παρίδῃς ἁμαρτωλῶν δεήσεων φωνάς, ἀλλὰ πρόφθασον, ὡς ἀγαθή, εἰς τὴν βοήθειαν ἡμῶν, τῶν πιστῶς κραυγαζόντων σοι· Τάχυνον εἰς πρεσβείαν, καὶ σπεῦσον εἰς ἱκεσίαν, ἡ προστατεύουσα ἀεί, Θεοτόκε, τῶν τιμώντων σε.
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Services and Sacraments

Sunday, November 1, 2020, 5th Sunday of Luke

FAMILY SUNDAY!!!

Today is Family Sunday!  We have a very special event for children today, our “Fall Fest Fun Walk”, immediately following today’s service.  To keep everybody safe, please follow the directions below when exiting church after the Divine Liturgy:

  • Middle and High School age young people who would like to volunteer to help, please leave church after Holy Communion, and meet Stavros in the Narthex who will give you directions.
  • Families with children who are planning to join the Fun Walk will enter the event through the far-left door in the back of the church.
  • Participants will be allowed down the hall one family at a time and will exit the door near the church office to the parking lot.
  • If you are not participating in the Fun Walk, please exit to the parking lot as directed by ushers.
  • In all cases, please keep your mask on and maintain social distance.

SERVICES THIS WEEK:

Saints Constantine and Helen services are open for parishioners and we encourage those who are not in high-risk categories to attend services.  Parish guidelines regarding capacity limits and safety restrictions are posted on the home page of our church website, https://www.stcons.org

The church building is professionally cleaned, disinfected, and sanitized weekly. 

We strongly encourage those who will not be attending church to participate in services through our website, at  https://www.stcons.org/video-streaming  

Sunday, November 1  – 5TH SUNDAY OF LUKE, Orthros 9:00 am; Divine Liturgy 10:00 am   If you wish to follow along with the text, please use the link listed below:

https://www.agesinitiatives.com/dcs/public/dcs/p/s/2020/11/01/li/gr-en/se.m08.d30.li.pdf

There are no additional services this week.

LIGHT A CANDLE AND SAY A PRAYER:  When you are not able to attend church, you can purchase a candle from our church website (home page or video-streaming page), which Father Teodor will light before the following service or a service that you specify.  Please give specific names, living or deceased, that you would like Father to remember in prayer.  Father will light candles one hour before each service.  For Sunday services, please place candle orders prior to 8:00 am Sunday morning.

PLEASE PRAY FOR: Pat, Christopher, Jonathan, Alexandra, Tracy, Dianna, Lazarus, Henry, Betty, Catherine, Susan, Evelyn, Gregg, Peter, Stella, Ann Marie, Vasilios, Carol, George, Demetri, Steve, Molly, Maria, Elizabeth, Carol, Evans, Katherine, Mike, Connie, Mary, Margaret, Angela, Connie, Bill, Carrie, Vito, Pete, Amalia, Stephanie, Lisa, Bill, Connie, Jacob, Anastasia, Rima, Kylie, Effie, Camryn, Nicholas, and Maria.  (Names may be added by request to the prayer list.) 

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Saints and Feasts

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November 01

5th Sunday of Luke


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Psalm 15.3,8.
Among the saints who are in his land, the Lord has been wondrous.
Verse: I see the Lord before me continually.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 12:27-31; 13:1-8.

Brethren, you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.

Προκείμενον. Fourth Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 15.3,8.
Τοῖς ἁγίοις τοῖς ἐν τῇ γῇ αὐτοῦ ἐθαυμάστωσεν ὁ Κύριος.
Στίχ. Προωρώμην τὸν Κύριον ἐνώπιόν μου διαπαντός.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Κορινθίους α' 12:27-31, 13:1-8.

Ἀδελφοί, ὑμεῖς δέ ἐστε σῶμα Χριστοῦ, καὶ μέλη ἐκ μέρους. Καὶ οὓς μὲν ἔθετο ὁ θεὸς ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ πρῶτον ἀποστόλους, δεύτερον προφήτας, τρίτον διδασκάλους, ἔπειτα δυνάμεις, εἶτα χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων, ἀντιλήψεις, κυβερνήσεις, γένη γλωσσῶν. Μὴ πάντες ἀπόστολοι; Μὴ πάντες προφῆται; Μὴ πάντες διδάσκαλοι; Μὴ πάντες δυνάμεις; Μὴ πάντες χαρίσματα ἔχουσιν ἰαμάτων; Μὴ πάντες γλώσσαις λαλοῦσιν; Μὴ πάντες διερμηνεύουσιν; Ζηλοῦτε δὲ τὰ χαρίσματα τὰ κρείττονα. Καὶ ἔτι καθʼ ὑπερβολὴν ὁδὸν ὑμῖν δείκνυμι. Ἐὰν ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαλῶ καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, γέγονα χαλκὸς ἠχῶν ἢ κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον. Καὶ ἐὰν ἔχω προφητείαν, καὶ εἰδῶ τὰ μυστήρια πάντα καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γνῶσιν, καὶ ἐὰν ἔχω πᾶσαν τὴν πίστιν, ὥστε ὄρη μεθιστάνειν, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐθέν εἰμι. Καὶ ἐὰν ψωμίσω πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντά μου, καὶ ἐὰν παραδῶ τὸ σῶμά μου ἵνα καυθήσωμαι, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐδὲν ὠφελοῦμαι. Ἡ ἀγάπη μακροθυμεῖ, χρηστεύεται· ἡ ἀγάπη οὐ ζηλοῖ· ἡ ἀγάπη οὐ περπερεύεται, οὐ φυσιοῦται, οὐκ ἀσχημονεῖ, οὐ ζητεῖ τὰ ἑαυτῆς, οὐ παροξύνεται, οὐ λογίζεται τὸ κακόν, οὐ χαίρει ἐπὶ τῇ ἀδικίᾳ, συγχαίρει δὲ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, πάντα στέγει, πάντα πιστεύει, πάντα ἐλπίζει, πάντα ὑπομένει. 8 Ἡ ἀγάπη οὐδέποτε ἐκπίπτει· εἴτε δὲ προφητεῖαι, καταργηθήσονται· εἴτε γλῶσσαι, παύσονται· εἴτε γνῶσις, καταργηθήσεται.


Gospel Reading

5th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 16:19-31

The Lord said, "There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazaros, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Lazaros in his bosom. And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Lazaros to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazaros in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.' And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' But Abraham said, 'They have Moses, and the prophets; let them hear them.' And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to them, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'"

5th Sunday of Luke
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 16:19-31

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος· ῎Ανθρωπος δέ τις ἦν πλούσιος, καὶ ἐνεδιδύσκετο πορφύραν καὶ βύσσον εὐφραινόμενος καθ᾿ ἡμέραν λαμπρῶς. πτωχὸς δέ τις ἦν ὀνόματι Λάζαρος, ὃς ἐβέβλητο πρὸς τὸν πυλῶνα αὐτοῦ ἡλκωμένος καὶ ἐπιθυμῶν χορτασθῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν ψιχίων τῶν πιπτόντων ἀπὸ τῆς τραπέζης τοῦ πλουσίου· ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ κύνες ἐρχόμενοι ἀπέλειχον τὰ ἕλκη αὐτοῦ. ἐγένετο δὲ ἀποθανεῖν τὸν πτωχὸν καὶ ἀπενεχθῆναι αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγγέλων εἰς τὸν κόλπον ᾿Αβραάμ· ἀπέθανε δὲ καὶ ὁ πλούσιος καὶ ἐτάφη. καὶ ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ ἐπάρας τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ, ὑπάρχων ἐν βασάνοις, ὁρᾷ τὸν ᾿Αβραὰμ ἀπὸ μακρόθεν καὶ Λάζαρον ἐν τοῖς κόλποις αὐτοῦ. καὶ αὐτὸς φωνήσας εἶπε· πάτερ ᾿Αβραάμ, ἐλέησόν με καὶ πέμψον Λάζαρον ἵνα βάψῃ τὸ ἄκρον τοῦ δακτύλου αὐτοῦ ὕδατος καὶ καταψύξῃ τὴν γλῶσσάν μου, ὅτι ὀδυνῶμαι ἐν τῇ φλογὶ ταύτῃ. εἶπε δὲ ᾿Αβραάμ· τέκνον, μνήσθητι ὅτι ἀπέλαβες σὺ τὰ ἀγαθά σου ἐν τῇ ζωῇ σου, καὶ Λάζαρος ὁμοίως τὰ κακά· νῦν δὲ ὧδε παρακαλεῖται, σὺ δὲ ὀδυνᾶσαι· καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσι τούτοις μεταξὺ ἡμῶν καὶ ὑμῶν χάσμα μέγα ἐστήρικται, ὅπως οἱ θέλοντες διαβῆναι ἔνθεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς μὴ δύνωνται, μηδὲ οἱ ἐκεῖθεν πρὸς ἡμᾶς διαπερῶσιν. εἶπε δέ· ἐρωτῶ οὖν σε, πάτερ, ἵνα πέμψῃς αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ πατρός μου· ἔχω γὰρ πέντε ἀδελφούς· ὅπως διαμαρτύρηται αὐτοῖς, ἵνα μὴ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔλθωσιν εἰς τὸν τόπον τοῦτον τῆς βασάνου. λέγει αὐτῷ ᾿Αβραάμ· ἔχουσι Μωϋσέα καὶ τοὺς προφήτας· ἀκουσάτωσαν αὐτῶν. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· οὐχί, πάτερ ᾿Αβραάμ, ἀλλ᾿ ἐάν τις ἀπὸ νεκρῶν πορευθῇ πρὸς αὐτούς, μετανοήσουσιν. εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ· εἰ Μωϋσέως καὶ τῶν προφητῶν οὐκ ἀκούουσιν, οὐδὲ ἐάν τις ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστῇ πεισθήσονται.


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Parish News and Updates

UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES:

ALL THE BLITZ, SAVE THE GLITZ: Our Reverse Raffle drawing and Zoom event will be held on Sunday, November 8th at 6:30 pm.  If you haven’t yet purchased a raffle ticket, what are you waiting for? This is our church’s biggest fundraiser each year, providing needed funds for our parish ministries and fixed expenses. There are still plenty of chances to win money and prizes and to support the important ministries of our Church. You can buy your ticket on the church website homepage, at www.stcons.org , from any Parish Council member or Fr. Teodor, or at the church office. 

PHILOPTOCHOS SUNDAY: Sunday, November 15th is Philoptochos Sunday.  All members of the St. Helen Philoptochos are encouraged to join us in church that morning.  There will be an Artoclasia and a Memorial service honoring Philoptochos members.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING:  Will be held immediately following the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, November 15th.  For those unable to attend in person, please participate in the meeting via live video-stream.

ADULT BIBLE STUDY: Our Adult Bible Study group will not be meeting this week.

NEWS AND NOTICES

BLOOD DRIVE THANK YOU!  Many thanks to all of our parishioners (and Father Teodor!) who came out to give blood and help save lives at our American Red Cross Blood Drive.  We had 38 donors, and through their participation, gathered enough good units of blood to serve 90 patients in need! We are tentatively planning to host another Blood Drive in February of 2020.  (FYI, A healthy adult can give blood up to 6 times per year.) During this COVID crisis, blood supplies are desperately needed.

GIFT CARDS NEEDED: During our Reverse Raffle event, every 10th number drawn receives a prize!  We are still in need of gift card donations to area restaurants, stores, services, etc. to be used as those prizes.  Please drop gift card donations to Annette’s attention in the church office.

ICONOGRAPHY: We are expecting delivery on some of the iconostasis icons in the next few months!   We have reached 83% of our fundraising goal for our Iconography project, but several icons are still available for sponsorship as of 10/30/20:

  • EVANGELISTS:  Matthew, Luke           ($15,000 sponsorship each)
  • HIERARCHS: St. Gregory the Theologian, St. Athanasios, St. Cyril of Alexandria, St. Gregory of Nyssa, and St. Iakovos (James) ($9,000 sponsorship each)
  • GOLD BEAUTIFICATION MOTIF encircling the Pantokrator (Dome):  $500/ft.

For those who are interested, please talk to Father Teodor or contact the church office for more information.  We are also still in need of general donations of any amount to complete our fundraising on Phase One: East and Dome.

FEED THE NEEDY:  Due to the pandemic, we are unable to pack and deliver food for the “John Koinis Feed the Needy Program” this year.  Instead, the Men’s Club will be providing gift cards to needy Westland and Livonia families so they can purchase groceries for Thanksgiving. Your donations are needed. All of our Sunday School families have received contribution folders in the mail, and donation envelopes for Feed the Needy are available at the Pangari.  We are also in need of volunteers to deliver the gift cards to homes in the Westland and Livonia area, tentatively scheduled for 11/15. If you can help, please contact Mark Chuey at MarkChuey@aol.com

HELLENIC CULTURAL CENTER REOPENING:  At the current time, the State of Michigan is allowing banquet facilities to open for events with reduced capacity. Masks and social distance restrictions are still in place, along with increased precautions in the preparation and serving of food and drink. Although they are not yet keeping regular office hours, if would like to discuss future bookings or other issues with the HCC staff, please contact Victoria at 734.525.3550 or Kathy at 313.303.6350 or kathysmcmullen@yahoo.com

DIVINE LITURGY BOOKS FOR SALE:  Our parish bookstore is offering Divine Liturgy books for sale at cost for those who wish to follow along with the Divine Liturgy service during this time of pandemic. The books will be sold for $20 each.  Parishioners are asked to bring their own book to church and take it home with them when they leave each week. For those not able to attend church at this time, books will also be available at the church office during business hours if you wish to follow along with the service from home.

QUESTIONS FOR FATHER TEODOR: In this unusual year with no regular Sunday School classes, Father Teodor will take a few minutes on Sunday mornings to answer questions from our young people (or adults!) about our faith. Questions  can be submitted online using this link:  https://forms.gle/7ae8mqd6DNSghbQs6

VOLUNTEER USHERS NEEDED: With all the extra COVID procedures necessary for the church (taking temps, usher to seats, communion, bulletins, etc.) we need some extra support in the Narthex.  We need men and women who are healthy, on the younger side, and able to get to church by 9:30 am.  Please contact Annette at the church office, stcons2@gmail.com or 734.525.6789 if you are able to volunteer for a Sunday service.

MEMORIAL SERVICE INFORMATION

Please call the church office to schedule memorials in a timely manner so we can include the information in the bulletin.  On the day of the service, please bring a list of family names you would like Father to remember in prayer. At this time, due to COVID restrictions, koliva that has been prepared for the memorial service cannot be distributed to parishioners, but will be returned to the family to take home.  We are not currently allowed to have coffee hour, or distribute any cookies, paximadia or koulourakia.

Non-Orthodox Visitors Please Note:  Holy Communion is offered to Orthodox Christians who have properly prepared themselves.  Visitors are welcome to receive the Antidoron (Blessed Bread), which is distributed at the end of the Divine Liturgy.

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Wisdom of the Fathers

By these words it is surely shown that in his [the rich man] daily feasting he had frequently sinned by his tongue, seeing that, while burning all over, he demanded to be cooled especially in his tongue. Again, that levity of conduct follows closely upon gluttony sacred authority testifies ... For the most part also edacity leads us even to lechery, because, when the belly is distended by repletion, the stings of lust are excited.
St. Gregory the Dialogist
The Book of Pastoral Rule, Chapter XIX, 6th century

The man who has once chosen pleasure in this life, and has not cured his inconsiderateness by repentance, places the land of the good beyond his own reach; for he has dug against himself the yawning impassable abyss of a necessity that nothing can break through.
St. Gregory of Nyssa

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