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 Plagal Second Mode

O Master, Prudence, Guide of Wisdom, Instruction to the foolish and Defender of the poor, strengthen my heart and grant it discernment. Give me words, Word of the Father, for behold, I shall not keep my lips from crying out to You, "O Merciful One, have mercy on me who has fallen."

Τῆς σοφίας ὁδηγέ, φρονήσεως χορηγέ, τῶν ἀφρόνων παιδευτά, καὶ πτωχῶν ὑπερασπιστά, στήριξον, συνέτισον τὴν καρδίαν μου Δέσποτα. Σὺ δίδου μοι λόγον, ὁ τοῦ Πατρός Λόγος· ἰδοὺ γὰρ τὰ χείλη μου, οὐ μὴ κωλύσω ἐν τῷ κράζειν σοι· Ἐλεῆμον, ἐλέησόν με τὸν παραπεσόντα.

Services and Sacraments

February 26, 2023 – FORGIVENESS SUNDAY

Memorials:

THOMAS PETER MELLOS – 40 Days

Coffee Hour Sponsor

ZAHAROULA DEJARLD – 40 Days

LAZAROS J. VOSTITSANON – 40 Days

JAMES P. ROUSONELOS – 1 Year

May their memory be eternal!

SERVICES THIS WEEK:

Sunday, February 26 – VESPERS OF FORGIVENESS, 6:00 pm

Nativity of the Virgin Mary Church, Plymouth

Monday, February 27 – GREAT COMPLINE SERVICE, 10:00 am

Wednesday, March 1 – PRESANCTIFIED LITURGY, 5:30 pm

Service will be followed by a lecture on the lives of St. Iakovos, St. Spyridon, St. Athanasios; and a Lenten Pot Luck supper hosted by the St. Cons Choir in the Hellenic Cultural Center.

Friday, March 3 – SALUTATIONS TO THE THEOTOKOS, 6:00 pm

Saturday, March 4 – 3^RD SATURDAY OF SOULS, Orthros, 8:45, Divine Liturgy, 10:00 am

Services at Saints Constantine and Helen Church

Please Pray For: Fotini, Niki, Angelo the Priest, George, Irene, Matthew, Maria, Tom, Stefanos, Leonidas, Gus, Connie, Maria, Brenda, Panagiota, Nicholas, Vicki, Susan, Tom, Suzanne, Tom, Thomas, Jim, Panagioti, Gloria, Evans, Phyllis, Marti, Marty, Janet, John, Paul, Zacharias, Vanessa (Vasiliki), Jake, Maegan, Irene, Lisa, Pat, Jonathan, Alexandra, Tracy, Dianna, Betty, Catherine, Susan, Evelyn, Gregg, Peter, Angela, Bill, Carrie, Vito, Pete, Amalia, Stephanie, Lisa, Anastasia, Kylie, Effie, Nicholas, and Maria.

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

Saints and Feasts

February 26

Forgiveness Sunday

The Holy Fathers have appointed the commemoration of Adam's exile from the Paradise of delight here, on the eve of the holy Forty-day Fast, demonstrating to us not by simple words, but by actual deeds, how beneficial fasting is for man, and how harmful and destructive are insatiety and the transgressing of the divine commandments. For the first commandment that God gave to man was that of fasting, which the first-fashioned received but did not keep; and not only did they not become gods, as they had imagined, but they lost even that blessed life which they had, and they fell into corruption and death, and transmitted these and innumerable other evils to all of mankind. The God-bearing Fathers set these things before us today, that by bringing to mind what we have fallen from, and what we have suffered because of the insatiety and disobedience of the first-fashioned, we might be diligent to return again to that ancient bliss and glory by means of fasting and obedience to all the divine commands. Taking occasion from today's Gospel (Matt. 6:14-21) to begin the Fast unencumbered by enmity, we also ask forgiveness this day, first from God, then from one another and all creation.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal Fourth Mode. Psalm 75.11,1.
Make your vows to the Lord our God and perform them.
Verse: God is known in Judah; his name is great in Israel.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 13:11-14; 14:1-4.

Brethren, salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed; the night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions. One believes he may eat anything, while the weak man eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats; for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for God is able to make him stand.

Προκείμενον. Plagal Fourth Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 75.11,1.
Εὔξασθε καὶ ἀπόδοτε Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν.
Στίχ. Γνωστὸς ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ ὁ Θεός, ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ μέγα τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς ῾Ρωμαίους 13:11-14, 14:1-4.

Ἀδελφοί, νῦν ἐγγύτερον ἡμῶν ἡ σωτηρία ἢ ὅτε ἐπιστεύσαμεν. Ἡ νὺξ προέκοψεν, ἡ δὲ ἡμέρα ἤγγικεν· ἀποθώμεθα οὖν τὰ ἔργα τοῦ σκότους, καί ἐνδυσώμεθα τὰ ὅπλα τοῦ φωτός. Ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ, εὐσχημόνως περιπατήσωμεν, μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις, μὴ κοίταις καὶ ἀσελγείαις, μὴ ἔριδι καὶ ζήλῳ. Ἀλλʼ ἐνδύσασθε τὸν κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, καὶ τῆς σαρκὸς πρόνοιαν μὴ ποιεῖσθε, εἰς ἐπιθυμίας. Τὸν δὲ ἀσθενοῦντα τῇ πίστει προσλαμβάνεσθε, μὴ εἰς διακρίσεις διαλογισμῶν. Ὃς μὲν πιστεύει φαγεῖν πάντα, ὁ δὲ ἀσθενῶν λάχανα ἐσθίει. Ὁ ἐσθίων τὸν μὴ ἐσθίοντα μὴ ἐξουθενείτω, καὶ ὁ μὴ ἐσθίων τὸν ἐσθίοντα μὴ κρινέτω· ὁ θεὸς γὰρ αὐτὸν προσελάβετο. Σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ κρίνων ἀλλότριον οἰκέτην; Τῷ ἰδίῳ κυρίῳ στήκει ἢ πίπτει. Σταθήσεται δέ· δυνατὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ θεὸς στῆσαι αὐτόν.

Gospel Reading

Forgiveness Sunday
The Reading is from Matthew 6:14-21

The Lord said, "If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

"And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Forgiveness Sunday
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 6:14-21

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος· ᾿Εὰν γὰρ ἀφῆτε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὰ παραπτώματα αὐτῶν, ἀφήσει καὶ ὑμῖν ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀφῆτε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὰ παραπτώματα αὐτῶν, οὐδὲ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ἀφήσει τὰ παραπτώματα ὑμῶν. ῞Οταν δὲ νηστεύητε, μὴ γίνεσθε ὥσπερ οἱ ὑποκριταὶ σκυθρωποί· ἀφανίζουσι γὰρ τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν ὅπως φανῶσι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύοντες· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ἀπέχουσι τὸν μισθὸν αὐτῶν. σὺ δὲ νηστεύων ἄλειψαί σου τὴν κεφαλὴν καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν σου νίψαι,ὅπως μὴ φανῇς τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύων, ἀλλὰ τῷ πατρί σου τῷ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ, καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου ὁ βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ ἀποδώσει σοι ἐν τῷ φανερῷ. Μὴ θησαυρίζετε ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅπου σὴς καὶ βρῶσις ἀφανίζει, καὶ ὅπου κλέπται διορύσσουσι καὶ κλέπτουσι· θησαυρίζετε δὲ ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐν οὐρανῷ, ὅπου οὔτε σὴς οὔτε βρῶσις ἀφανίζει, καὶ ὅπου κλέπται οὐ διορύσσουσιν οὐδὲ κλέπτουσιν· ὅπου γάρ ἐστιν ὁ θησαυρὸς ὑμῶν, ἐκεῖ ἔσται καὶ ἡ καρδία ὑμῶν.

Parish News and Updates

EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES:

GREAT COMPLINE CANCELLED/KOULOUMA RESCHEDULED TO MARCH 5: Due to recent and upcoming predicted weather conditions and ongoing power outages, our Koulouma Lenten Luncheon has been rescheduled for Sunday, March 5^th, following the Divine Liturgy service. (The Great Compline service, originally scheduled for Monday, February 27^th has been cancelled.)

In addition to the delicious luncheon, there will be a variety of Lenten foods prepared by our Philoptochos members for sale to take home. Tickets will be on sale after church today and are available at the door next week.

The Oratorical Festival has been rescheduled to Sunday, March 12, following the Divine Liturgy service.

PRAY WITH US: All are welcome! Beginning February 28^th at 10:00 am, please gather with us each Tuesday morning throughout Lent, as we pray the Akathist honoring one of the Saints featured in our newly installed Iconography. The Akathist will be prayed together in a small group. We will also pray for those on our parish’s prayer list. Please arrive on time and allow approx. 45 minutes for the prayer gathering each week.

SATURDAY OF SOULS: Saturday March 4^th is the final designated Saturday of Souls, where we commemorate our deceased family members. Please attend the Divine Liturgy and bring koliva if you are able. If you cannot come and would like the name of your departed to be commemorated, fill the sheet included in today’s bulletin and give it to Father or leave it in the church office. If you have already submitted names, you DO NOT need to submit again.

FORGIVENESS VESPERS Nativity of the Virgin Mary invites Sts. Constantine and Helen parishioners to join them this evening, Sunday, February 26, for VESPERS OF FORGIVENESS service at 6:00 pm.

SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY: Next Sunday, March 5, is the Sunday of Orthodoxy. Please bring your icons to hold during the procession of icons. All children should also bring an icon from home and will participate in the procession of the icons during the service.

EASTER BASKET COLLECTIONS: Next Sunday, our HOPE and JOY children will be collecting money to pay for Easter Baskets that they are assembling for low income children. FOCUS Detroit will distribute the baskets to students in their Detroit Elementary school initiative. Please make checks payable to Saints Constantine and Helen, and put HOPE and JOY Baskets in the memo line.

ORATORICAL FESTIVAL: The St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival will be held on Sunday, March 12th at our parish. The festival is a national program where Orthodox youth, grades 7 – 12, present speeches discussing the Greek Orthodox faith and the Church. Parishioners are encouraged to stay after the Divine Liturgy service and listen to our young people make their presentations.

PRESANCTIFIED LITURGY/ICONOGRAPHY LECTURES: Each Wednesday evening during Lent, following the 6:00 pm Presanctified Liturgy service, Father Teodor and guest presenters will discuss our new iconography and it’s symbolism. The schedule is as follows:

March 1 – Lives of St. Iakovos, St. Spyridon, St. Athanasios
March 8 – Lives of St. Gregory the Theologian, St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory of Nissa
March 15 – Lives of St. John Chrysostom, St. Cyril of Alexandria
March 22 – Special presentation by David Conrad Director, Ecumenical & Interfaith Relations, Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit, The Center of the Earth: The Church of the Holy Sepulcher
March 29 – The life of St. Nektarios

Both the service and the lecture will be available via live video-feed on the parish website, stcons.org, if you are unable to attend in person.

LENTEN SEAFOOD BUFFET: Each Friday evening through April 7^th, the HCC will be serving a delicious Lenten Seafood Buffet Supper from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm. They will also offer carry out fish and chips dinners for those who would prefer not to dine in. Please invite your friends and neighbors to join you for supper, no reservations are required. Parish volunteers are still needed to work the door for some Fridays. If you can help, contact the church office.

NEWS AND NOTICES:

SPANAKOPITA AND PASTITSIO TRAYS FOR SALE: Today is the final day that we will sell frozen (never thawed) unbaked pans of Spanakopita ($30) and Pastitsio ($40) from our GreekFest! Each tray yields 15 large pieces. Trays can be purchased at the coffee hour.

MEMORIAL SERVICES: Please call the church office to schedule all memorials and coffee hour sponsorships at least two weeks in advance. On the day of the service, please bring a list of family names you would like Father to remember in prayer. Coffee Hour sponsorship is not required, however the church is grateful to those who wish to make a sponsorship donation of $150, and the HCC will set up a table with cloth and coffee, etc. for your family.

Services and Sacraments

Funeral: 2/21/23 JUDY MARIE TYRRELL

May her memory be eternal!

Wisdom of the Fathers

Spiritual delight is not enjoyment found in things that exists outside the soul.

St. Isaac of Syria

Unknown, 7th century

Do we forgive our neighbors their trespasses? God also forgives us in His mercy. Do we refuse to forgive? God, too, will refuse to forgive us. As we treat our neighbors, so also does God treat us. The forgiveness, then, of your sins or unforgiveness, and hence also your salvation or destruction, depend on you yourself, man. For without forgiveness of sins there is no salvation.

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk

Unknown, 18th century

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