Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Second Mode

When the angelic powers appeared at Your grave, the soldiers guarding it feared and became as dead. And standing by the sepulcher was Mary who was seeking Your immaculate body. You devastated Hades, not afflicted by it. You went to meet the virgin, and granted eternal life. You resurrected from the dead. O Lord, glory to You.

Ἀγγελικαὶ Δυνάμεις ἐπὶ τὸ μνῆμά σου, καὶ οἱ φυλάσσοντες ἀπενεκρώθησαν, καὶ ἵστατο Μαρία ἐν τῷ τάφῳ, ζητοῦσα τὸ ἄχραντόν σου σῶμα. Ἐσκύλευσας τὸν ᾍδην, μὴ πειρασθεὶς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ, ὑπήντησας τῇ Παρθένῳ, δωρούμενος τὴν ζωήν, ὁ ἀναστὰς ἐκ των νεκρῶν, Κύριε δόξα σοι.

Apolytikion for Martyrs Gouria, Shamuna, and Habib in the Plagal First Mode

Since Thou hast given us the miracles of Thy holy Martyrs as an invincible battlement, by their entreaties, scatter the counsels of the heathen, O Christ our God, and strengthen the faith of Orthodox Christians, since Thou alone art good and the Friend of man.

Τά θαύματα τών Αγίων σου Mαρτύρων, τείχος ακαταμάχητον ημίν δωρησάμενος, Χριστέ ό Θεός, ταίς αυτών ικεσίαις, βουλάς εθνών διασκέδασον, τής βασιλείας τά σκήπτρα κραταίωσον, ως μόνος αγαθός καί φιλάνθρωπος.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Mode

Today, the most pure temple of the Savior, the precious bridal chamber and Virgin, the sacred treasure of God, enters the house of the Lord, bringing the grace of the Divine Spirit. The Angels of God praise her. She is the heavenly tabernacle.

Ο καθαρώτατος ναός τού Σωτήρος, η πολυτίμητος παστάς καί Παρθένος, τό Ιερόν θησαύρισμα τής δόξης τού Θεού, σήμερον εισάγεται, εν τώ οίκω Κυρίου, τήν χάριν συνεισάγουσα, τήν εν Πνευματι θείω, ήν ανυμνούσιν Άγγελοι Θεού, Αύτη υπάρχει σκηνή επουράνιος.

Services and Sacraments

Sunday, November 15, 2020, 8^th Sunday of Luke

PHILOPTOCHOS SUNDAY

THERE WILL BE AN ARTOCLASIA TODAY FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE ST. HELEN PHILOPTOCHOS AND A SPECIAL COLLECTION TRAY FOR THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE.

Memorial:

JOAN KEKER – 6 Months

DECEASED MEMBERS OF ST. HELEN PHILOPTOCHOS

May their memory be eternal!

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 15 – 8^TH 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/2020/11/15/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: Michael, Barbara, Lisa, 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.)

Saints and Feasts

November 15

8th Sunday of Luke

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal Second Mode. Psalm 27.9,1.
O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance.
Verse: To you, O Lord, I have cried, O my God.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 2:4-10.

Brethren, God who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God: not because of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Προκείμενον. Plagal Second Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 27.9,1.
Σῶσον, Κύριε τὸν λαὸν σου καὶ εὐλόγησον τὴν κληρονομίαν σου.
Στίχ. Πρὸς σἐ, Κύριε, κεκράξομαι ὁ Θεός μου.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Ἐφεσίους 2:4-10.

Ἀδελφοί, ὁ θεός, πλούσιος ὢν ἐν ἐλέει, διὰ τὴν πολλὴν ἀγάπην αὐτοῦ ἣν ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς, καὶ ὄντας ἡμᾶς νεκροὺς τοῖς παραπτώμασιν συνεζωοποίησεν τῷ Χριστῷ - χάριτί ἐστε σεσωσμένοι - καὶ συνήγειρεν, καὶ συνεκάθισεν ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ· ἵνα ἐνδείξηται ἐν τοῖς αἰῶσιν τοῖς ἐπερχομένοις τὸν ὑπερβάλλοντα πλοῦτον τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ ἐν χρηστότητι ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ· τῇ γὰρ χάριτί ἐστε σεσῳσμένοι διὰ τῆς πίστεως, καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν· θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον· οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων, ἵνα μή τις καυχήσηται. Αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν ποίημα, κτισθέντες ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἐπὶ ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς, οἷς προητοίμασεν ὁ θεός, ἵνα ἐν αὐτοῖς περιπατήσωμεν.

Gospel Reading

8th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 10:25-37

At that time, a lawyer stood up to put Jesus to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read?" And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." And he said to him, "You have answered right; do this, and you will live."

But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion, and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.' Which of these three, do you think, proved neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" He said, "The one who showed mercy on him." And Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

8th Sunday of Luke
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 10:25-37

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, νομικός τις ἀνέστη ἐκπειράζων αὐτὸν καὶ λέγων· διδάσκαλε, τί ποιήσας ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω; ὁ δὲ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν· ἐν τῷ νόμῳ τί γέγραπται; πῶς ἀναγινώσκεις; ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν· ἀγαπήσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ἰσχύος σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς διανοίας σου, καὶ τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν· εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ· ὀρθῶς ἀπεκρίθης· τοῦτο ποίει καὶ ζήσῃ. ὁ δὲ θέλων δικαιοῦν ἑαυτὸν εἶπε πρὸς τὸν ᾿Ιησοῦν· καὶ τίς ἐστί μου πλησίον; ὑπολαβὼν δὲ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπεν· ἄνθρωπός τις κατέβαινεν ἀπὸ ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ εἰς ῾Ιεριχώ, καὶ λῃσταῖς περιέπεσεν· οἳ καὶ ἐκδύσαντες αὐτὸν καὶ πληγὰς ἐπιθέντες ἀπῆλθον ἀφέντες ἡμιθανῆ τυγχάνοντα. κατὰ συγκυρίαν δὲ ἱερεύς τις κατέβαινεν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ἀντιπαρῆλθεν. ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ Λευΐτης γενόμενος κατὰ τὸν τόπον, ἐλθὼν καὶ ἰδὼν ἀντιπαρῆλθε. Σαμαρείτης δέ τις ὁδεύων ἦλθε κατ᾿ αὐτόν, καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ἐσπλαγχνίσθη, καὶ προσελθὼν κατέδησε τὰ τραύματα αὐτοῦ ἐπιχέων ἔλαιον καὶ οἶνον, ἐπιβιβάσας δὲ αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸ ἴδιον κτῆνος ἤγαγεν αὐτὸν εἰς πανδοχεῖον καὶ ἐπεμελήθη αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν αὔριον ἐξελθών, ἐκβαλὼν δύο δηνάρια ἔδωκε τῷ πανδοχεῖ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἐπιμελήθητι αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὅ τι ἂν προσδαπανήσῃς, ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ ἐπανέρχεσθαί με ἀποδώσω σοι. τίς οὖν τούτων τῶν τριῶν πλησίον δοκεῖ σοι γεγονέναι τοῦ ἐμπεσόντος εἰς τοὺς λῃστάς; ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· ὁ ποιήσας τὸ ἔλεος μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ. εἶπεν οὖν αὐτῷ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· πορεύου καὶ σὺ ποίει ὁμοίως.

Parish News and Updates

UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES:

GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING: Our parish Fall General Assembly meeting will be held TODAY, November 15^th immediately following the Divine Liturgy in the church. For those unable to attend in person, please participate in the meeting via live video-feed on the Sts. Constantine and Helen website at www.stcons.org

PHILOPTOCHOS BAKE SALE: The Philoptochos will be holding a Thanksgiving Bake Sale after church next Sunday, November 22^nd. They will be selling home baked and pre-packaged Greek Sweets for $15/box (10 pieces), and frozen Spanakopita/Spinach Pies (1/2 pan) for $30. To pre-order, contact Carol Bozadzis at 248.471.4369. Sales that day and curb-side pick up are also available.

ADULT BIBLE STUDY: Our Adult Bible Study group will not be meeting this week. We will notify parishioners of the date when Bible Study will resume.

NEWS AND NOTICES

TREE OF LIGHTS: Our 26^th annual Mary Drakos Tree of Lights ceremony will be held on Sunday, December 20^th. If you would like to honor a loved one on the Christmas tree there are forms available in the narthex. Donations and forms can be mailed to the church office, or left in the collection box in the narthex. For more information, contact Diane Plungis at 734.462.1179.

ICONOGRAPHY: We are expecting delivery on some of the iconostasis icons in the next few months! We have reached 87% of our fundraising goal for our Iconography project, but several icons are still available for sponsorship as of 11/15/20:

EVANGELISTS: Matthew ($15,000 sponsorship)
HIERARCHS: St. Gregory the Theologian, 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 in sponsoring an icon, 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.

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 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 are available at the church office during business hours.

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.

Wisdom of the Fathers

The example of the good Samaritan shows that we must not abandon those in whom even the faintest amount of faith is still alive.

St. Ambrose of Milan

Two Books of St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, Concerning Repentance, Chapter 11

But you cannot be a neighbour unless you have compassion on him; for no one can be called a neighbour unless he have healed, not killed, another. But if you wish to be called a neighbour, Christ says to you: "Go and do likewise."