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 Afterfeast of the Holy Cross in the First Mode

Save, O Lord, Thy people and bless Thine inheritance; grant Thou unto the faithful victory over adversaries. And by the power of Thy Cross do Thou preserve Thy commonwealth.

Σώσον Κύριε τόν λαόν σου καί ευλόγησον τήν κληρονομίαν σου, νίκας τοίς Βασιλεύσι κατά βαρβάρων δωρούμενος καί τό σόν φυλάττων διά τού Σταυρού σου πολίτευμα.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Mode

Lifted up on the Cross by Your free will, Christ God, grant mercies to the new commonwealth that bears Your name. Gladden our faithful rulers by Your power, giving them victories over their adversaries. May Your alliance be for them a weapon for peace, an invincible standard.

Ο υψωθείς εν τώ Σταυρώ εκουσίως, τή επωνύμω σου καινή πολιτεία, τούς οικτιρμούς σου δώρησαι, Χριστέ ο Θεός, Εύφρανον εν τή δυνάμει σου, τούς πιστούς Βασιλείς ημών, νίκας χορηγών αυτοίς, κατά τών πολεμίων, τήν συμμαχίαν έχοιεν τήν σήν, όπλον ειρήνης, αήττητον τρόπαιον.

Services and Sacraments

Sunday, September 19, 2021 Sunday After Holy Cross

MEMORIAL: YVONNE SIKORA – 5 Years

Coffee Hour Sponsor

May her memory be eternal!

COFFEE WILL BE SERVED FOLLOWING THE TODAY’S SERVICE IN THE MULTI-PURPOSE AREA OUTSIDE THE CHURCH OFFICE (NOT IN THE HELLENIC CULTURAL CENTER).

SERVICES THIS WEEK

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, September 19th - SUNDAY AFTER HOLY CROSS – 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/2021/09/19/li/gr-en/se.m08.d30.li.pdf

No additional services this week.

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Effective September 1, 2021: As we began the Ecclesiastical Year and with the rise in COVID infections due to the Delta variant increasing throughout the Metropolis, we STRONGLY RECOMMEND:
1. Parishioners wear masks indoors

2. All church school students wear masks during church and church-related events when indoors

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 be lit 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:

Bill, Georgene, Janet, Annette, Ryan, Patricia, Juliana, John, Lou, Paul, Zacharias, Connie, Vanessa (Vasiliki), Jake, Maegan, Irene, Michael, Barbara, Lisa, Pat, Christopher, Jonathan, Alexandra, Tracy, Dianna, Lazarus, Betty, Catherine, Susan, Evelyn, Gregg, Peter, Stella, Ann Marie, Vasilios, Carol, George, Demetri, Steve, Molly, Maria, Elizabeth, Evans, Katherine, Mike, Mary, Margaret, Angela, Connie, Bill, Carrie, Vito, Pete, Amalia, Stephanie, Lisa, Jacob, Anastasia, Rima, Kylie, Effie, Nicholas, and Maria.

Names may be added to the prayer list by request. If you would like to add someone to the prayer list, or if someone should be removed from the list, please contact the church office at stcons2@gmail.com

Saints and Feasts

September 19

Theodore of Tarsus, Archbishop of Canterbury

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 Letter to the Galatians 2:16-20.

Brethren, knowing that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were found to be sinners, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

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 Γαλάτας 2:16-20.

Ἀδελφοί, εἰδότες ὅτι οὐ δικαιοῦται ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ἔργων νόμου, ἐὰν μὴ διὰ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ἡμεῖς εἰς Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐπιστεύσαμεν, ἵνα δικαιωθῶμεν ἐκ πίστεως Χριστοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων νόμου· διότι οὐ δικαιωθήσεται ἐξ ἔργων νόμου πᾶσα σάρξ. Εἰ δέ, ζητοῦντες δικαιωθῆναι ἐν Χριστῷ, εὑρέθημεν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἁμαρτωλοί, ἆρα Χριστὸς ἁμαρτίας διάκονος; Μὴ γένοιτο. Εἰ γὰρ ἃ κατέλυσα, ταῦτα πάλιν οἰκοδομῶ, παραβάτην ἐμαυτὸν συνίστημι. Ἐγὼ γὰρ διὰ νόμου νόμῳ ἀπέθανον, ἵνα θεῷ ζήσω. Χριστῷ συνεσταύρωμαι· ζῶ δέ, οὐκέτι ἐγώ, ζῇ δὲ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χριστός· ὃ δὲ νῦν ζῶ ἐν σαρκί, ἐν πίστει ζῶ τῇ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ, τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντός με καὶ παραδόντος ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ.

Gospel Reading

Sunday after Holy Cross
The Reading is from Mark 8:34-38; 9:1

The Lord said: "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."

Sunday after Holy Cross
Κατὰ Μᾶρκον 8:34-38, 9:1

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος· Εἴ τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἐλθεῖν, ἀπαρνησάσθω ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀκολουθείτω μοι. ὃς γὰρ ἂν θέλῃ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ σῶσαι, ἀπολέσει αὐτήν· ὃς δ᾿ ἂν ἀπολέσῃ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ καὶ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, οὗτος σώσει αὐτήν. τί γὰρ ὠφελήσει ἄνθρωπον ἐὰν κερδήσῃ τὸν κόσμον ὅλον, καὶ ζημιωθῇ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ; ἢ τί δώσει ἄνθρωπος ἀντάλλαγμα τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ; ὃς γὰρ ἐὰν ἐπαισχυνθῇ με καὶ τοὺς ἐμοὺς λόγους ἐν τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ τῇ μοιχαλίδι καὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ, καὶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπαισχυνθήσεται αὐτὸν ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἐν τῇ δόξῃ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ μετὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων τῶν ἁγίων. Καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι εἰσί τινες τῶν ὧδε ἑστηκότων, οἵτινες οὐ μὴ γεύσωνται θανάτου ἕως ἂν ἴδωσι τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐληλυθυῖαν ἐν δυνάμει.

Parish News and Updates

EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

REGISTER FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL! Our Sunday School program began on September 12^th, but it’s not too late to register your young person, ages 4 – 18 in either Sunday School, or Senior Discussion groups. Registration table will be set up outside the church office during Sunday service. You may also continue to register your children, ages 4 – 18, online at: https://forms.gle/4KzidE8L32BoPFGJ9 Please plan to involve your children in our Sunday School program!

GOYA UPCOMING EVENTS: There will be a GOYA Elections meeting for teens next Sunday, September 26^th, right after church, in the boardroom. Please submit any nominations (for President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary) to Cathy Brylinski at cbrylins@gmail.com; or bring names to the meeting.

On Saturday, October 9^th at 9:00 am, there will be a GOYA community service activity sponsored by AHEPA. The group will get together and assemble hygiene kits for the homeless through Orthodox Detroit Outreach.

ADULT BIBLE STUDY: Our Adult Bible Study will begin meeting on Tuesday evenings, starting THIS Tuesday, September 21^st. We are planning to continue meeting virtually on the ZOOM platform. ZOOM LINK is: https://zoom.us/j/7345256789, Meeting ID: 734 525 6789 All adults are welcome to join – our group is a fantastic mix of people who are just beginning their Bible Study journey, and those that have a deep knowledge of scripture. If you would like to stay informed about Bible Study activity, contact the church office at 734.525.6789.

TLC - SAVE THE DATE! Our first TLC luncheon of the year will be held at noon on Thursday, October 14^th at the Hellenic Cultural Center. More information and full TLC schedule to come soon!

PHILOPTOCHOS DOLMATHES, DRINKS, AND DISCOVERY! If you’ve been thinking about getting involved in the St. Helen Philoptochos, our ladies philanthropic organization, this event is for you! On Saturday, October 2^nd 11:30 am – 3:00 pm, we will gather at the Hellenic Cultural Center to make Herbal Rice Dolmathes, sip a glass of wine, and provide information about Philoptochos for those who are interested. Purpose is to bring in new ideas and support for our Philoptochos chapter. RSVP: Carol, 248-471-4369 by September 20, 2021.

FAMILY TALENT SHOW: Take your turn in the spotlight on Sunday, October 3^rd! Our Choir will be hosting a family talent show in the Hellenic Cultural Center that evening, with pizza, salad, and a lot of fun! The Choir, our VCS Children’s Choir, and individual parishioners, Young and old, will perform music and a variety of acts. If you would like to participate, contact Maritsa Kalasz at 734.516.8548 or madiaskalasz@gmail.com..

COLLEGE CONNECTION: Our Mom’s Group will be sending out “College Connection” care packages to all of our college students, undergraduate and graduate, living home or away. Please submit names, current address, email address to Cathy Brylinski at cbrylins@gmail.com by September 26^th. If your young person has graduated or is no longer attending college, or would prefer not to receive a package, please let us know so we can remove them from the list.

FALL FESTIVAL! Save the date for our annual Family Fall Festival, to be held on Friday, October 29^th. This is a fantastic, fun event for kids and adults, with costumes, lots of games, and some new surprises! For more information, or if you’d like to volunteer to help, contact Maria Haviland atmariahaviland@gmail.com, Tracy Monolidis at TracyM522@gmail.com, or Anastasia Sakakini at greekstacey@gmail.com

GREEK SCHOOL: If you are interested in enrolling your child in the Three Hierarchs Greek School classes, a joint ministry with Nativity of the Virgin Mary Church in Plymouth. you can fill out the registration online https://form.123formbuilder.com/5657958/greek-school-registration-2021-22 Children’s classes (all levels) will be held o Tuesdays 6:00 – 7:30 pm at the Nativity Education Center. Adult classes will be online only on the ZOOM platform, Wednesdays, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm. For questions, e-mail Anna Liakou-Hentnik at nativity_greek_school_school@yahoo.com

HOLY UNCTION SERVICES: Our sister churches will join with Sts. Constantine and Helen to offer Holy Unction services on a rotating schedule once a month. Adults and children will be anointed with Holy oil for physical health, well-being and forgiveness. Scheduled Holy Unction service dates are:

HOLY CROSS, FARMINGTON: October 20^th, 2021 and January 19^th, 2022
STS. CONSTANTINE AND HELEN, WESTLAND: November 17^th, 2021 and February 16^th, 2022
NATIVITY OF THE VIRGIN MARY, PLYMOUTH: December 15^th, 2021 and March 2^nd, 2022

NEWS AND NOTICES

ICONOGRAPHY – WE CAN MEET THE CHALLENGE! Saints Constantine and Helen has received a $25,000 Challenge Match grant from the AHEPA Omega Detroit Chapter 371! At this time, all icons for Phase One of our Iconography project have received sponsorship commitments, but we are still in need of general donations of any amount to complete our project fundraising. All donations the church receives, up to $25,000 will be matched dollar for dollar by AHEPA. These donations provide support for Icon installation, travel, and other associated project fees. Help us meet the AHEPA Iconography challenge with a donation of any amount, today. Please put “Iconography Match” on the memo line of your contribution check.

ST CONS GREEK FESTIVAL COMMITTEE: Our indoor Greek Festival planning committee are working hard to put together a fantastic event in February of 2022! If you are interested in helping to plan and organize the Saints Constantine and Helen GREEKFEST 2022, please contact Mark Chuey at markchuey@aol.com

MEMORIAL SERVICES: Koliva that has been prepared for memorial services can now be distributed to parishioners at the end of service. We are also again able to accept Coffee Hour Sponsors, for those having a memorial or other special day in church. Requested sponsorship donation is $150, and the HCC will set up a table with cloth and coffee, etc. for your family. Paximadia and koulourakia may also be distributed at the coffee hour. Please call the church office to schedule memorials and coffee hour sponsorships 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.

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.

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS: During this time with reduced church office hours, if you need to get into the building or visit the office, please call first to be sure that the building is open. Phone messages and emails will be monitored, so please leave a message, and we will get back with you as soon as possible. As always, if there is an urgent need or emergency, please call Fr. Teodor on his cell at 248.330.3177.

GREECE WILDFIRE RELIEF FUND: As you are most likely aware, Greece is currently being ravaged by wildfires. The Archdiocese has set up a fund to provide aid. If you would like to make a donation, there is a link below. To date, our church has raised over $2,000 thanks to our parishioners’ generosity.
GOARCH donation page:
https://www.goarch.org/greecefiresdonate
Youtube video:
https://youtu.be/MlN-5lmFJK0
GoFundMe donation page:
https://gofund.me/291b0813

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

And see how He also makes His discourse unexceptionable: not saying at all, "whether you will, or no, you must suffer this," but how? "If any man will come after me."

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 55 on Matthew 16, 1. B#54, p.339., 4th Century

"I force not, I compel not, but each one I make lord of his own choice; wherefore also I say, 'If any man will.' For to good things do I call you, not to things evil, or burdensome; not to punishment and vengeance, that I should have to compel.