Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Grave Mode

By means of Your Cross, O Lord, You abolished death. * To the robber You opened Paradise. * The lamentation of the myrrhbearing women You transformed, * and You gave Your Apostles the order to proclaim to all * that You had risen, O Christ our God, * and granted the world Your great mercy.

Κατέλυσας τῷ Σταυρῷ σου τὸν θάνατον, ἠνέῳξας τῷ Λῃστῇ τὸν Παράδεισον, τῶν Μυροφόρων τὸν θρῆνον μετέβαλες, καὶ τοῖς σοῖς Ἀποστόλοις κηρύττειν ἐπέταξας, ὅτι ἀνέστης Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, παρέχων τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος.

Apolytikion for Afterfeast of the Entry of the Theotokos in the Fourth Mode

Today is the prelude of God's good will and the heralding of the salvation of mankind. In the temple of God, the Virgin is presented openly, and she proclaimeth Christ unto all. To her, then, with a great voice let us cry aloud: Rejoice, O thou fulfilment of the Creator's dispensation.

Σήμερον τής ευδοκίας Θεού τό προοίμιον, καί τής τών ανθρώπων σωτηρίας η προκήρυξις, Εν Ναώ τού Θεού τρανώς η Παρθένος δείκνυται, καί τόν Χριστόν τοίς πάσι προκαταγγέλλεται, Αυτή καί ημείς μεγαλοφώνως βοήσωμεν, Χαίρε τής οικονομίας τού Κτίστου η εκπλήρωσις.

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 22, 2020, 9^th Sunday of Luke

Memorials:

VASILIKI GOUTZOURIS (ZORBAS) – 40 Days

ALEXANDER SEBASTIAN – 40 Days

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 22 – 9^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/2020/11/22/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: Harry, 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 22

Kallistos Xanthopoulos, Patriarch of Constantinople

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Grave Mode. Psalm 28.11,1.
The Lord will give strength to his people.
Verse: Bring to the Lord, O sons of God, bring to the Lord honor and glory.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 2:14-22.

Brethren, Christ is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Προκείμενον. Grave Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 28.11,1.
Κύριος ἰσχὺν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ δώσει.
Στίχ. Ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κυρίῳ υἱοὶ Θεοῦ, ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κυρίῳ δόξαν καὶ τιμήν.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Ἐφεσίους 2:14-22.

Ἀδελφοί, Χριστός ἐστιν ἡ εἰρήνη ἡμῶν, ὁ ποιήσας τὰ ἀμφότερα ἕν, καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας, τήν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκί αὐτοῦ, τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασιν, καταργήσας· ἵνα τοὺς δύο κτίσῃ ἐν ἑαὐτῷ εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον, ποιῶν εἰρήνην, καὶ ἀποκαταλλάξῃ τοὺς ἀμφοτέρους ἐν ἑνὶ σώματι τῷ θεῷ διὰ τοῦ σταυροῦ, ἀποκτείνας τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν αὐτῷ· καὶ ἐλθὼν εὐηγγελίσατο εἰρήνην ὑμῖν τοῖς μακρὰν καὶ τοῖς ἐγγύς· ὅτι διʼ αὐτοῦ ἔχομεν τὴν προσαγωγὴν οἱ ἀμφότεροι ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι πρὸς τὸν πατέρα. Ἄρα οὖν οὐκέτι ἐστὲ ξένοι καὶ πάροικοι, ἀλλὰ συμπολῖται τῶν ἁγίων καὶ οἰκεῖοι τοῦ θεοῦ, ἐποικοδομηθέντες ἐπὶ τῷ θεμελίῳ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ προφητῶν, ὄντος ἀκρογωνιαίου αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐν ᾧ πᾶσα οἰκοδομὴ συναρμολογουμένη αὔξει εἰς ναὸν ἅγιον ἐν κυρίῳ, ἐν ᾧ καὶ ὑμεῖς συνοικοδομεῖσθε εἰς κατοικητήριον τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν πνεύματι.

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.

Parish News and Updates

UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES:

PHILOPTOCHOS BAKE SALE: The Philoptochos Thanksgiving Bake Sale is TODAY, Sunday, November 22^ndafter church. 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. Curb-side pick up is also available outside the church office doors.

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.

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

PARISH CHRISTMAS CARD: Our parishioners have provided generous support to the church when needed this year and will have several upcoming opportunities to make a donation during the Nativity season. Because of this, the decision has been made to not collect donations for the parish Christmas card. We will include the names of all those who have completed a Sts. Constantine and Helen pledge card for 2020 in this year’s Christmas card.

If you did not complete a pledge card for this year but would like to be included in the Christmas Card, it’s not too late! Please complete a 2020 Pledge card – any donations you have already made to the church this year will be credited toward your pledge amount. Pledge cards are available on the Pangari or in the church office; or contact the church office and we can send (email or “snail” mail) to form to you. Must be completed by December 10^th.

SHARING OUR WARMTH: On our next Family Sunday, December 6^th, please bring in a donation of new, warm, adult Men’s or Women’s socks to be donated to the Community Housing Network “Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness” (PATH) program. We will also have a "Warming Tree" up in the Narthex for the month of December to collect gloves, hats and scarves for all ages to be distributed to area families in need. Collections will be accepted through Christmas.

FEED THE NEEDY: This week our Men’s Club distributed gift cards to the Heartland Marketplace to more than 110 needy Westland and Livonia families, insuring they would have groceries for their Thanksgiving dinner. Thanks to all who contributed money to support this annual effort. Over the past 9 years, the Men’s Club has served more than 1000 families with this program.

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

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.

A NOTE OF THANKS

Our parishioners donated more than 90 lbs of Halloween candy, collected on Family Sunday, November 1^st, that was shipped to Operation Gratitude. Here is an excerpt from their thank you to our parish.

“…Thank you for your generous donation of candy. With the help of grateful Americans like you, we collect and deliver up to 500,000 pounds of candy each year.

The candy you collected brings joy and a great morale boost to Deployed Troops serving overseas, while reminding them that we appreciate their courage, commitment, and sacrifice. Your generosity allows American forces to build goodwill around the world when they share treats with local children. Your candy donation also helps unite and strengthen communities here at home. First Responders get to know the citizens they serve and protect at local candy delivery events, and they share the candy with local youth as part of their community-building efforts…

Thank you again for taking action with Operation Gratitude. Every single piece of candy we receive furthers our mission, and the recipients of your generosity will remember that it’s not just candy...it’s the start of a conversation, a reminder of the unwavering support of the American people, and a way to bring people together both at home and abroad. That’s a big impact from a little candy!

With Warm Regards and Semper Fidelis,
Kevin M. Schmiegel
Lieutenant Colonel, USMC (Ret.)
Chief Executive Officer

DID YOU KNOW: THE NATIVITY FAST (Nov. 15 – Dec. 24)

November 15 marks forty days until Christmas and in the Greek Orthodox Church, the Nativity Fast begins on that day!

The 40-day fasting period otherwise known as Christmas Lent is when the Greek Orthodox Church gives the faithful periods of fasting and reflection in order to refocus on the spiritual life, to challenge them and to help them make adjustments, as they experience the Holy Nativity of our Lord and Saviour in a real and meaningful way.

The Nativity Fast is like the fast of Easter Lent, but not quite as strict

The Nativity Fast is one of four main fast periods throughout the ecclesiastical year. Beginning on November 15 and concluding on December 24, the Nativity Fast gives individuals the opportunity to prepare for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and Savior in the Flesh on December 25.

This is the time in the Orthodox Church where attention is drawn to the great mystery of the Incarnation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, as we await his coming in anticipation of the great joy of His birth on Christmas Day. For preparation, the Church asks the faithful to focus more deeply on prayer and almsgiving, as well as participate in a fast by abstaining from certain food and drink, particularly from meat, fish, dairy products, olive oil, and wine.

From the 20th of December on it is a strict fast with wine and oil allowed only on Saturday and Sunday.

After the Christmas Eve service in Greece, it is tradition to come home from church and to break the fast by enjoying a lavish meal with family and friends.

Happy and Blessed Nativity Fast to all.

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

I cannot be silent about the story of Hesychius the Horebite. He passed his life in complete negligence, without paying the least attention to his soul. Then he became extremely ill, and for an hour he left his body.

St. John Climacus

Ladder of Divine Ascent. Step 6: On Remembrance of Death, 6th Century

And when he came to himself, he begged us all to leave him immediately. And he built up the door of his cell, and he stayed in it for twelve years without ever uttering a word to anyone, and without eating anything but bread and water.