Sundays:
9 am - Orthros
10 am - Divine Liturgy
Weekday Services:
Please check the Sacred Services schedule in the bulletin or call the Church office.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Fr. Seraphim Dedes
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Fr. Seraphim Dedes
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Fr. Seraphim Dedes
Saint Mammas was from Gangra of Paphlagonia. He was born in prison, where his parents were suffering for Christ's sake and ended their lives. He was named Mammas because, after he had long remained without speaking, he addressed his foster mother Ammia as "mamma." He contested for Christ about the year 275.
Saint John became Patriarch during the reign of Tiberius, in the year 582, governed the Church for thirteen years and five months, and reposed in peace in 595. It was during this Patriarch's reign, in the year 586, that the title "Ecumenical Patriarch," not used before this, came to be instituted.
After the death of the 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia, their Bishop Anthimus fled to a certain village to care for his remaining flock. The Emperor Maximian sent men in search of him. When they found him, he promised to show Anthimus to them, but first took them in as guests, fed them, and only then made himself known to them. Amazed at his kindness, the soldiers promised him to tell Maximian that they had not found him. But Anthimus went willingly with them, and converting them by his admonitions, baptized them on the way. He boldly confessed his Faith before Maximian, and after frightful tortures was beheaded in the year 303 or 304.
Saint Theoctistus, a monk at the Palestinian lavra of Pharan, embraced a more severe life in the wilderness with his friend Saint Euthymius the Great. They founded a monastery, of which Theoctistus was the abbot. He reposed in deep old age in 451.
Saint Babylas was the twelfth Bishop of Antioch, being the successor of Zebinus (or Zebinas); he was beheaded during the reign of Decius, in the year 250, and at his own request was buried in the chains with which he was bound. The Emperor Gallus (reigned 351-354) built a church in his honour at Daphne, a suburb of Antioch, to put an end to the demonic oracles at the nearby temple of Apollo. When Julian the Apostate came in 362 to consult the oracle about his campaign against the Persians, the oracle (that is, the demon within it) remained dumb until at last, answering Julian's many sacrifices and supplications, it told him, "The dead prevent me from speaking." It told Julian to dig up the bones and move them. Julian, then, in the words of Saint John Chrysostom, "leaving all the other dead, moved only that Martyr." He commanded the Christians to take away Saint Babylas' bones, which they did with great solemnity and triumph. When this had been done, a thunderbolt fell from heaven destroying with fire the shrine of Apollo, which Julian did not dare rebuild. Saint John Chrysostom preached a sermon on this within a generation after.
The Prophet Moses-whose name means "one who draws forth," or "is drawn from," that is, from the water-was the pinnacle of the lovers of wisdom, the supremely wise lawgiver, the most ancient historian of all. He was of the tribe of Levi, the son of Amram and Jochabed (Num. 26:59). He was born in Egypt in the seventeenth century before Christ. While yet a babe of three months, he was placed in a basket made of papyrus and covered with pitch, and cast into the streams of the Nile for fear of Pharaoh's decree to the mid-wives of the Hebrews, that all the male children of the Hebrews be put to death. He was taken up from the river by Pharaoh's daughter, became her adopted son, and was reared and dwelt in the King's palace for forty years. Afterward, when he was some sixty years old, he fled to Madian, where, on Mount Horeb, he saw the vision of the burning bush. Thus he was ordained by God to lead Israel and bring it out of the land of Egypt. He led Israel through the Red Sea as it were dry land and governed the people for forty years. He wrought many signs and wonders, and wrote the first five books of the Old Testament, which are called the Pentateuch. When he reached the land of Moab, he ascended Mount Nabau, on the peak called Phasga, and there, by divine command, he reposed in the sixteenth century before Christ, having lived for some 120 years. The first two Odes of the Old Testament, "Let us sing to the Lord" and "Attend, O heaven, and I will speak," were written by him. Of these hymns, the first was chanted by the shore of the Red Sea as soon as the Israelites had crossed it; the second, in the land of Moab, a few days before his repose. The Holy High Priest Aaron was the elder brother of the Holy Prophet Moses. He was appointed by God to serve as the spokesman of Moses before the people, and also before Pharaoh, in Egypt. Afterwards, in the wilderness, he was called to the ministry of the high priesthood, as narrated in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers in the Old Testament. The name Aaron means "enlightened."
According to the opinion of many Fathers of the Church, based on an ancient tradition, this is the Zacharias whom, as our Lord said, the Jews slew between the temple and the altar (Matt. 23:35), first, because even after the Virgin Mary gave birth, he continued to refer to her as virgin and number her among the virgins; second, because Zacharias' son John was not found during the slaughter of the Innocents, since the elderly Elizabeth had taken him and carefully hid him while he was yet an infant, in an unnamed place somewhere in the desert, where, according to the Evangelist, "the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel" (Luke 1:80). When the child was not found, his father was slain by Herod's command.
The feast today in honour of the Archangel Michael commemorates the great miracle he wrought when he delivered from destruction a church and holy spring named for him. The pagans, moved by malice, sought to destroy the aforesaid church and holy spring by turning the course of two rivers against them. But the Archangel appeared and, by means of the Cross and a great earthquake that shook the entire area, diverted the waters into an underground course. Henceforth, the name of that place changed from Colossae to Chonae, which means "funnels" in Greek.
This holy Martyr was a shepherd in Lycaonia. Born a pagan, named Tarasius, he received holy Baptism and was renamed Sozon. Filled with zeal for the truth, he taught his countrymen to desist from the worship of idols. Once he entered the temple of Artemis in Pompeiopolis of Cilicia, cut off the golden hand of the idol, and breaking it in pieces, distributed it among the poor. When he saw that many were being unjustly punished for the theft, of his own accord he gave himself up to Maximian the Governor. He was beaten with rods until his bones were broken. According to some, he suffered martyrdom in 288; according to others, in 304.
According to the ancient tradition of the Church, the Theotokos was born of barren and aged parents, Joachim and Anna, about the year 16 or 17 before the birth of Christ. Joachim was descended from the royal line of David, of the tribe of Judah. Anna was of the priestly tribe of Levi, a daughter of the priest Matthan and Mary, his wife.
Of the 14th Sunday of Matthew.
Of the Holy Martyr Mammas.
Of our Fathers among the Saints John the Faster and Paul, Patriarchs of Constantinople.
Of our Righteous Father Kosmas, the Hermit.
Friday, September 7
7:00 pm - Vespers AT NATIVITY (Plymouth)
Saturday, September 8
9 & 10 am - Orthros/Liturgy
NO Great Vespers due to wedding
Thursday, September 13
7:00 pm - Vespers AT HOLY CROSS (Farmington Hills)
Friday, September 14
9 & 10 am - Orthros/Liturgy
Saturday, September 15
NO Great Vespers due to wedding
Saturday, September 22
5:00 pm - Great Vespers
Third Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Mark 16:9-20
When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.
After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.
Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they sat at table; and he upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. And he said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."
So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen.
Prokeimenon. Plagal First Mode. Psalm 11.7,1.
You, O Lord, shall keep us and preserve us.
Verse: Save me, O Lord, for the godly man has failed.
The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 1:21-24; 2:1-4.
Brethren, it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has commissioned us; he has put his seal upon us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
But I call God to witness against me - it was to spare you that I refrained from coming to Corinth. Not that we lord it over your faith; we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith. For I made up my mind not to make you another painful visit. For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. For I wrote you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.
14th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 22:2-14
The Lord said this parable, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a marriage feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast; but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, Behold, I have made ready my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves are killed, and everything is ready; come to the marriage feast.' But they made light of it and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the thoroughfares, and invite to the marriage feast as many as you find.' And those servants went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.
But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment; and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.' For many are called, but few are chosen."
by Fr. Anthony Cook
Part 55
We are discussing the clause of the Creed dealing most directly with the Lord's Incarnation, and discussed last week that Christ comes for the salvation of all humankind.
"...(He) came down from heaven and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit...."
This phrase "came down from heaven" is notable because at first glance it implies a certain geography to heaven and earth, that the place where Christ came from is "above" and the earth is "below." We often use these terms as a sort of shorthand, but in reality we know that they are not accurate in a literal sense. God, and His throne, are above us in glory, in power, in the infinite fullness of His existence and reality, but not, as it were, in altitude. Therefore, when we speak of the Lord "coming down from heaven," we are referring to His humility, to His condescension, to His emptying of Himself in love for our sake, not of a literal descent in altitude.
Part 56
We are discussing the clause of the Creed dealing most directly with the Lord's Incarnation, and discussed last week that Christ's descent from heaven to earth as a miraculous act of self-emptying love.
"...(He) ... was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man...."
When we speak of Christ's Incarnation, we are of course referring to the event commemorated in the Feast of the Annunciation, the conception of the Lord in the womb of the Virgin. What is said here is simply a summary of the Scriptural account of the event; in the words of the Archangel Gabriel, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most-High will overshadow you, and for this reason the Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God."
We will speak more of this next week, and consider the mystery that God does not act for our salvation without human cooperation.
From Fr. Anthony - Office Hours
The Church's office hours are 9-5 Monday-Friday, and you can stop by to speak with the office staff any time during those hours. If you have a specifically Church-related question, you should speak with Susan Solo, who is in the office Tuesday, Wednesday, & Friday. If you need to meet with me, however, it's best to call first, as I may already be with another appointment, and am frequently called away to other visitations and appointments. If you prefer, I am happy to arrange a time in advance if you prefer. Please note that I am available for hospital visitations, but hospitals no longer give patient information to clergy. Please call me, or have someone in your family call me, so that I can come to visit you.
Church Etiquette
We ask that the doors of the Narthex be closed and no one enters the Church during the following portions of the service:
Epistle, Gospel, Sermon, Great Entrance, Creed, Consecration, and Lord's Prayer.
Please be respectful of the prayer and attention of those who are in the Church as you enter.
When it is time for Holy Communion, please remain in your pews until the young people of the Sunday school have finished receiving Communion. When they are finished, the Parish Council will usher you forward by row.
Our Students' Feast Days
We wish our students celebrating their Feast Days this month 'Chronia Polla.' May God grant them many years. See the list on the display board in the school hallway!
Greek Fest Kitchen Help Needed
Help is needed to prepare the following items for the Greek Fest: Tzatziki, Spanakopita, Baklava on Wed., Sept. 12 (9:00 am); and Pastitsio and Galatoboureko on Saturday, Sept. 15 (8:00 am).
Greek Fest Bakers Needed
The Philoptochos would like the ladies of the parish to help make cookies & pastries for the Festival. A sign-up sheet is across from the Church office for you to sign-up. Any questions can be directed to Maria Kostaras. Thank you! All cookies & pastries need to be dropped off no later than Friday, September 14 at 4:00 pm.
Greek Festival Volunteer Sheet
Our Greek Fest will be held on Sunday, September 16, from Noon-7:00 pm. Please turn in your volunteer sheet to the Church office so we can plan accordingly. Thank you!
Greek Fest Yard Signs
If you stored your Greek Fest yard sign from last year's Festival, please pick up a sticker at the Church office with the new date. We ask that you take a yard sign, located across from the Church office, and display it in your front yard. Please sign the sign-out form and either return it after the Festival or store at your home until next year. Thank you!
Byzantine Chant for Kids
Our Byzantine Chant for Kids, ages 6 to 12 years of age, continues from 4:30-5:45 pm, every Saturday except Sept. 8 & 15. We are teaching the basics of our traditional Church music and then will chant the Vespers service for that evening. Those older young people who may be interested, should speak with Fr. Anthony to arrange an opportunity for teaching them.
Sunday School
Our Sunday School will start on September 23 - a week after our Greek Festival! A letter and registration form were mailed to your homes. If you did not receive it, please contact the Church office. Please be sure to register your child early. Thank you!
The Rule of Faith - Orthodox Study
Fr. Anthony prepares a weekly presentation on a catechetical topic, and posts an audio recording at theruleoffaith.typepad.com. You can comment there, call, email, or speak with him in person with comments or questions.
FOCUS Detroit Back to School BACKPACK Program Conclusion
We extend our deepest thanks to all who have donated backpacks and school supplies for schoolchildren in need. Most of the backpacks have been returned full, and many have already been delivered to the Ann Visger Elementary School. We ask those who have not yet returned their filled backpacks to do so by the end of this week. Many thanks!
FOCUS Detroit Bags of Food for Needy Schoolchildren - Volunteers and Donations Needed!
Please note the new day and time - the third Thursday of each month!
Please use the link below to get to the sign-up sheet for this monthly event. You will notice that you can now sign-up all the way through May if you'd like. Please remember to list how many from your family will be coming to help out. Our goal is to provide enough supplies for all the bags ourselves!
Please consider donating any of the following: Boxes of individual oatmeal packets - Cereal bowls or small individual cereal boxes - Fruit cups - Individual Cheez-Its or Goldfish bags - Mac & Cheese Cups - Chef Boyardee/Spaghettios pop top cans or cups - Ramen Noodles - Fruit snacks (the kind with real fruit juice and added Vitamin C 100%) - Cereal bars or ganola bars.
Please call Eleni Gikas at 313.300.4903 to let her know what you plan to donate, or if you prefer to make a cash donation. All donated items can be dropped off in the Activity Room. Our next meeting date will be on THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, at 6:00 pm.
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/409044facaa23a0f94-food1
Today
11:30 am - Dance Practice
Monday, September 3
Office Closed
Tuesday, September 4
6:00 pm - Grecian Center
Wednesday, September 5
7:00 pm - Philoptochos
Saturday, September 8
NO Byzantine Chant-Kids due to wedding
Sunday, September 9
11:30 am - Dance Practice
12:00 pm - Organizational Meeting
Wednesday, September 12
9 am-3 pm - Festival Food Prep
TODAY: We NEED Servers
9/9: Connie Dupuis
9/16: No Coffee; GREEK FEST
9/23: Connie Dupuis
Volunteers are needed!
Please sign-up outside the Church office next to the bulletin board.
We need coffee servers during the coffee hour on Sundays. Please consider serving our Lord in this capacity. Thank you!
Andrew Pappas - 7 years
May the Lord our God grant rest to his soul where the righteous repose, in a place where there is no pain, no sorrow, and no suffering, but rather everlasting life.
May his memory be eternal.