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Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2021-02-21
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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.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Mode

Let us flee from the boasting of the Pharisee and learn through our own sighs of sorrow the humility of the Publican. Let us cry out to the Savior, "Have mercy on us, for through You alone are we reconciled."
Φαρισαίου φύγωμεν ὑψηγορίαν, καὶ Τελώνου μάθωμεν, τὸ ταπεινὸν ἐν στεναγμοῖς, πρὸς τὸν Σωτῆρα κραυγάζοντες· Ἵλαθι μόνε ἡμῖν εὐδιάλλακτε.
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Services and Sacraments

Sunday, February 21, 2021,  Sunday of Publican and Pharisee  -- Triodion Begins Today

40 Day Blessing:  ZOE BETA, Parents:  Gloria and Pano Beta   Congratulations!

Memorials: THOMAS PETCOU – 1 Year    May his memory be eternal!

Father’s sermon today will be based on the following text from 1 Corinthians 13:1-8

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails. 

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, February 21st - SUNDAY OF THE PUBLICAN AND PHARISEE  - Orthros 8:45 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/2021/02/21/li/gr-en/se.m08.d30.li.pdf

Friday, February 26, 2021      PARAKLESIS SERVICE  6:30 pm

Saints Constantine and Helen, Westland

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:  Sylvia, Angello, 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, Connie, Jacob, Anastasia, Rima, Kylie, Effie, Nicholas, and Maria. (Names may be added by request. Please contact the church office)

 

 

 

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Saints and Feasts

Publphar
February 21

Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee: Triodion Begins Today

The Pharisees were an ancient and outstanding sect among the Jews known for their diligent observance of the outward matters of the Law. Although, according to the word of our Lord, they "did all their works to be seen of men" (Matt. 23:5), and were hypocrites (ibid. 23: 13, 14, 15, etc.), because of the apparent holiness of their lives they were thought by all to be righteous, and separate from others, which is what the name Pharisee means. On the other hand, Publicans, collectors of the royal taxes, committed many injustices and extortions for filthy lucre's sake, and all held them to be sinners and unjust. It was therefore according to common opinion that the Lord Jesus in His parable signified a virtuous person by a Pharisee, and a sinner by a Publican, to teach His disciples the harm of pride and the profit of humble-mindedness.

Since the chief weapon for virtue is humility, and the greatest hindrance to it is pride, the divine Fathers have set these three weeks before the Forty-day Fast as a preparation for the spiritual struggles of virtue. This present week they have called Harbinger, since it declares that the Fast is approaching; and they set humility as the foundation for all our spiritual labors by appointing that the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee be read today, even before the Fast begins, to teach, through the vaunting of the Pharisee, that the foul smoke of self-esteem and the stench of boasting drives away the grace of the Spirit, strips man of all his virtue, and casts him into the pits of Hades; and, through the repentance and contrite prayer of the Publican, that humility confers upon the sinner forgiveness of all his wicked deeds and raises him up to the greatest heights.

All foods are allowed the week that follows this Sunday.


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Psalm 103.24,1.
O Lord, how manifold are your works. You have made all things in wisdom.
Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul.

The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to Timothy 3:10-15.

TIMOTHY, my son, you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions, my sufferings, what befell me at Antioch, at lconion, and at Lystra, what persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceivers and deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Προκείμενον. Fourth Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 103.24,1.
Ὡς ἐμεγαλύνθη τὰ ἔργα σου Κύριε, πάντα ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐποίησας.
Στίχ. Εὐλόγει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν Κύριον.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Τιμόθεον β' 3:10-15.

Τέκνον Τιμόθεε, παρηκολούθηκάς μου τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ, τῇ ἀγωγῇ, τῇ προθέσει, τῇ πίστει, τῇ μακροθυμίᾳ, τῇ ἀγάπῃ, τῇ ὑπομονῇ, τοῖς διωγμοῖς, τοῖς παθήμασιν, οἷά μοι ἐγένετο ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ, ἐν Ἰκονίῳ, ἐν Λύστροις, οἵους διωγμοὺς ὑπήνεγκα· καὶ ἐκ πάντων με ἐρρύσατο ὁ κύριος. Καὶ πάντες δὲ οἱ θέλοντες εὐσεβῶς ζῇν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ διωχθήσονται. Πονηροὶ δὲ ἄνθρωποι καὶ γόητες προκόψουσιν ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον, πλανῶντες καὶ πλανώμενοι. Σὺ δὲ μένε ἐν οἷς ἔμαθες καὶ ἐπιστώθης, εἰδὼς παρὰ τίνος ἔμαθες, καὶ ὅτι ἀπὸ βρέφους τὰ ἱερὰ γράμματα οἶδας, τὰ δυνάμενά σε σοφίσαι εἰς σωτηρίαν διὰ πίστεως τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.


Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee: Triodion Begins Today
The Reading is from Luke 18:10-14

The Lord said this parable, "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee: Triodion Begins Today
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 18:10-14

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τήν παραβολὴν ταύτην· Ἄνθρωποι δύο ἀνέβησαν εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν προσεύξασθαι, ὁ εἷς Φαρισαῖος καὶ ὁ ἕτερος τελώνης. ὁ Φαρισαῖος σταθεὶς πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ταῦτα προσηύχετο· ὁ Θεός, εὐχαριστῶ σοι ὅτι οὐκ εἰμὶ ὥσπερ οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἅρπαγες, ἄδικοι, μοιχοί, ἢ καὶ ὡς οὗτος ὁ τελώνης· νηστεύω δὶς τοῦ σαββάτου, ἀποδεκατῶ πάντα ὅσα κτῶμαι. καὶ ὁ τελώνης μακρόθεν ἑστὼς οὐκ ἤθελεν οὐδὲ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐπᾶραι, ἀλλ᾿ ἔτυπτεν εἰς τὸ στῆθος αὐτοῦ λέγων· ὁ Θεός, ἱλάσθητί μοι τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ. λέγω ὑμῖν, κατέβη οὗτος δεδικαιωμένος εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἢ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος· ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ὑψῶν ἑαυτὸν ταπεινωθήσεται, ὁ δὲ ταπεινῶν ἑαυτὸν ὑψωθήσεται.


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Parish News and Updates

UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES:

AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE: Please sign up to give blood.  There is a critical need in Michigan for blood right now, and as an added incentive, all who donate will be given a $5 Amazon Gift card as a special “thank you”!  On Thursday February 25th, from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, we will be hosting another American Red Cross blood drive in the Hellenic Cultural Center. To schedule an appointment, please log onto RedCrossBlood.org (our sponsor code: stcons) or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) today. If you need any help making an appointment, you can contact Caryl Lowes at 734.751.3683 for assistance.

SUNDAY SCHOOL ZOOMS: MARK YOUR CALENDARS!  Listed below are upcoming Zoom meeting times for each grade level:

  • SENIOR DISCUSSION – GRADES 10 – 12:  Sunday, 2/28/21; 1:00 pm
  • GRADES 8 – 9:  Monday, 3/1/21; 7:00 pm
  • GRADES 5 – 7:  Wednesday, 3/3/21; 7:00 pm
  • GRADES 2 – 4:  Monday, 3/8/21; 5:30 pm
  • GRADES PRE-K – 1:  Thursday, 3/11/21; 6:30 pm

ZOOM LINK is: https://zoom.us/j/7345256789, Meeting ID: 734 525 6789  If you have trouble connecting, or are in need of more information, contact: stcons2@gmail.com  Whether you are physically attending church right now or not, please make every effort, especially during this Lenten period to involve your children in church activities!

FRIDAY FISH FRYS: Our first Friday Fish Fry was a hit!  On FRIDAY, February 26th, the Hellenic Cultural Center will be serving fish and chips dinners for CARRY-OUT ONLY. Chicken tenders and Calamari are also available. Pick up will be between 4:00 and 7:00 each Friday. Place advance orders by phone to the church office, 734.525.6789 or on the Hellenic Cultural Center website. Order forms are also available at the Pangari or church office. Please support this effort and help us get business going at the HCC!

NAMES FOR PARAKLESIS SERVICE: There will be a Paraklesis service held Friday, February 26 at 6:30 pm. Please submit the names of the living that you would like remembered in prayer for health, forgiveness, and salvation to the church office at stcons2@gmail.com  Please include the word “Names” in the subject line.  There are also prayer sheets available at the Pangari

PHILOPTOCHOS LENTEN LUNCHEON AND MARKETPLACE:  DRIVE-THRU AND CARRY-OUT our traditional Lenten foods!  On Sunday, March 14th, and on Monday March 15th, the start of our Lenten period, our St. Helen Philoptochos will be holding a Lenten “Marketplace”, selling full Lenten meal trays (PRE-ORDER ONLY by Monday, March 8th), and traditional Lenten foods.  Sale will be held after church services on both days, for drive-thru and carry out.  To place an order, to if you have any questions, contact Carol at: 248.471.4369

ORATORICAL FESTIVAL:  The St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival provides Greek Orthodox youth, grades 7 – 12, the opportunity to write a paper and give a speech about their faith.  Due to COVID precautions, speeches will be videotaped in the church, without an audience, March 19 - 25, 2021.  Please notify the church office by March 1st, if your young person would like to participate, and we will schedule an appointment time. This is a great opportunity for young people to apply our faith to current issues, and to gain confidence in speaking in public.

ADULT BIBLE STUDY:  Our Adult Bible Study group will meet on Tuesday evening, February 23th at 7:00 pm on the Zoom platform. We will continue study of the Book of Ruth. All adults are welcome to join.  Zoom link is: https://zoom.us/j/7345256789, Meeting ID: 734 525 6789  If you have trouble connecting, or are in need of more information, contact: stcons2@gmail.com

NEWS AND NOTICES:

AHEPA COVID RELIEF:  Thanks to the AHEPA Omega Chapter 371 for their continued support of our parish! The Omega Chapter has provided $13,650 in COVID relief funds to Michigan GOA churches, along with an additional $1,500 to each church in their area to be used for family support during this pandemic. The Chapter is now planning a second round of COVID relief funding of $1,000 per parish to Michigan GOA churches facing continuing financial challenges. We appreciate your support!

ICONOGRAPHY:  We are still seeking sponsorship for the following icons: St Matthew, St. Gregory the Theologian, St. Cyril of Alexandria, St. Gregory of Nyssa, and St. Iakovos (James). We are also in need of general donations of any amount to complete our fundraising on Phase One: East and Dome. For those who are interested in sponsoring an icon, please talk to Father Teodor or contact the church office for more information. We are about 92% to completion of our fundraising goal!

STEWARDSHIP PLEDGES:  All parishioners must complete a Stewardship Pledge form each year to be considered a “member in good standing” at an Orthodox Church. You may mail your form in, or bring your form when you attend church. This year, if it is more convenient, you may also complete your 2021 Stewardship Pledge online at the St Constantine and Helen church website, at https://www.stcons.org/stewardship 

REMEMBER THE CHURCH IN YOUR WILL: You’ve supported the church your whole life, remembering us in your estate plan will help the church when you’re gone.  Consult your estate planner or contact the Church office for information.  We are grateful to our parishioners who have left bequests to the church in the last few years: Thomas Goffas, Irene Barbas, Anthony Keros, Kris Merikas, John and Alice Koinis, Joan Keker, Katherine Socol, Ted and Demetra Monolidis, Zoe Kokenakes, Peter and Eileen Lekas. Their loving legacy made a big difference!  May their memory be eternal!

INCLEMENT WEATHER: During inclement weather and other times when there is nobody in the church office, phone messages and emails to the church are checked periodically during the day and responded to as soon as possible.  In an emergency, please contact Fr. Teodor directly on his cell at 248.330.3177.

QUESTIONS FOR FATHER TEODOR: In this unusual year with no regular Sunday School classes, Father 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

HELLENIC CULTURAL CENTER BOOKING:  The Hellenic Cultural Center is now booking events for 2021 and beyond!  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 helleniccc@gmail.com

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

It is possible for those who have come back again after repentance to shine with much lustre, and oftentimes more than those who have never fallen at all, I have demonstrated from the divine writings. Thus at least both the publicans and the harlots inherit the kingdom of Heaven, thus many of the last are placed before the first.
St. John Chrysostom
AN EXHORTATION TO THEODORE AFTER HIS FALL, 4th Century

When lately we made mention of the Pharisee and the publican, and hypothetically yoked two chariots out of virtue and vice; we pointed out each truth, how great is the gain of humbleness of mind, and how great the damage of pride.
St. John Chrysostom
CONCERNING LOWLINESS OF MIND., 4th Century

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