Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Second Mode

When You descended unto death, O Lord who yourself are immortal Life, then did You mortify Hades by the lightning flash of Your Divinity. Also when You raised the dead from the netherworld, all the Powers of the heavens were crying out: O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory be to You.

Apolytikion of Forefeast of the Annunciation in the Fourth Tone

Today is the prelude of the joy of the universe, and it incites us to sing the forefestal hymns. For behold, Gabriel is coming, and he will say to the Virgin: Rejoice, Maiden full of grace; the Lord is with you.

Apolytikion of Sun. of St. Gregory Palamas in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone

Beacon of Orthodox belief, the strong support of the Church and her teacher inspired by God, you are the ornament of monks, the unassailable champion of theologians, O Gregory the Wonder-worker and the boast of Thessalonica, the messenger of grace. Forever earnestly entreat for the salvation of our souls.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Mode

The Archangel spoke to you, * O Theotokos, * and the Holy Spirit came * on you and thus you did conceive * the Father's Son, who is one in throne * and one in essence. * Through you, thus, was Adam recalled.

Saints and Feasts

March 24

Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas

This divine Father, who was from Asia Minor, was from childhood reared in the royal court of Constantinople, where he was instructed in both religious and secular wisdom. Later, while still a youth, he left the imperial court and struggled in asceticism on Mount Athos, and in the Skete at Beroea. He spent some time in Thessalonica being treated for an illness that came from his harsh manner of life. He was present in Constantinople at the Council that was convened in 1341 against Barlaam of Calabria, and at the Council of 1347 against Acindynus, who was of like mind with Barlaam; Barlaam and Acindynus claimed that the grace of God is created. At both these Councils, the Saint contended courageously for the true dogmas of the Church of Christ, teaching in particular that divine grace is not created, but is the uncreated energies of God which are poured forth throughout creation: otherwise it would be impossible, if grace were created, for man to have genuine communion with the uncreated God. In 1347 he was appointed Metropolitan of Thessalonica. He tended his flock in an apostolic manner for some twelve years, and wrote many books and treatises on the most exalted doctrines of our Faith; and having lived for a total of sixty-three years, he reposed in the Lord in 1359.

His holy relics are kept in the Cathedral of Thessalonica. A full service was composed for his feast day by the Patriarch Philotheus in 1368, when it was established that his feast be celebrated on this day. Since works without right faith avail nothing, we set Orthodoxy of faith as the foundation of all that we accomplish during the Fast, by celebrating the Triumph of Orthodoxy the Sunday before, and the great defender of the teachings of the holy Fathers today.

March 25

Annunciation of the Theotokos

Six months after John the Forerunner's conception, the Archangel Gabriel was sent by God to Nazareth, a town of Galilee, unto Mary the Virgin, who had come forth from the Temple a mature maiden (see Nov. 21). According to the tradition handed down by the Fathers, she had been betrothed to Joseph four months. On coming to Joseph's house, the Archangel declared: "Rejoice, thou Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." After some consideration, and turmoil of soul, and fear because of this greeting, the Virgin, when she had finally obtained full assurance concerning God's unsearchable condescension and the ineffable dispensation that was to take place through her, and believing that all things are possible to the Most High, answered in humility: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." And at this, the Holy Spirit came upon her, and the power of the Most High overshadowed her all-blameless womb, and the Son and Word of God, Who existed before the ages, was conceived past speech and understanding, and became flesh in her immaculate body (Luke 1:26-38).

Bearing in her womb the Uncontainable One, the blessed Virgin went with haste from Nazareth to the hill country of Judea, where Zacharias had his dwelling; for she desired to find Elizabeth her kinswoman and rejoice together with her, because, as she had learned from the Archangel, Elizabeth had conceived in her old age. Furthermore, she wished to tell her of the great things that the Mighty One had been well-pleased to bring to pass in her, and she greeted Elizabeth and drew nigh to her. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, she felt her six-month-old babe, Saint John the Baptist, prophesied of the dawning of the spiritual Sun. Immediately, the aged Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and recognized her as the Mother of her Lord, and with a great voice blessed her and the Fruit that she held within herself. The Virgin also, moved by a supernatural rejoicing in the spirit, glorified her God and Savior, saying: "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour," and the rest, as the divine Luke hath recorded (1:39-55)

March 28

Hilarion the New

Saint Hilarion took up the monastic life from his youth and lived in seclusion. Later, as Abbot of the Monastery of Pelecete in Asia Minor (believed to be in Bithynia, not far from Triglia), he suffered much from the Iconoclasts, and reposed in the year 754.

March 29

Mark, Bishop of Arethusa

Saint Mark was Bishop of Arethusa in Syria. In the days of Saint Constantine the Great, Saint Mark, moved with divine zeal, destroyed a temple of the idols and raised up a church in its stead. When Julian the Apostate reigned, in 361, as the pagans were now able to avenge the destruction of their temple, Saint Mark, giving way to wrath, hid himself; but when he saw that others were being taken on his account, he gave himself up. Having no regard to his old age, they stripped him and beat his whole body, cast him into filthy sewers, and pulling him out, had children prick him with their iron writing-pens. Then they put him into a basket, smeared him with honey and a kind of relish of pickled fish, and hung him up under the burning sun to be devoured by bees and wasps. But because he bore this so nobly, his enemies repented, and unloosed him.

March 29

Martyr Cyril the Deacon and Those with him

Saint Cyril was a deacon from Heliopolis in Phoenicia. During the reign of the Emperor Constantius, son of Saint Constantine, he had also broken the idols in pieces. When Julian came to power, Saint Cyril was seized by the idolaters and his belly was ripped open. The other holy Martyrs celebrated today, martyred in Gaza and Ascalon during the reign of Julian, were men of priestly rank and consecrated virgins; they were disemboweled, filled with barley, and set before swine to be eaten. The account of all the above Saints is given in Book III, ch. 3, of Theodoret of Cyrrhus' "Ecclesiastical History."

March 29

The Holy Martyrs Jonas and Barachesius

As for the holy Martyrs Jonas and Barachesius, they were monks from Persia who lived in the reign of Sapor II, King of Persia from 325 to 379. These Saints found nine Christians in prison suffering for their faith, and comforted them, encouraging them to stand fast till the end, which they did, and received the crown of martyrdom. Because of this, Saints Jonas and Barachesius also were seized, and commanded to worship the fire, the sun, and the water. When they refused, Jonas, among other tortures, had his hands and feet cut off, was crushed in a device that broke his bones, and was sawn asunder. Barachesius was dragged naked over thorns, his whole body was pierced with sharp reeds and then broken in the same device employed upon Jonas, and when boiling pitch was poured down his throat, he gave up his soul into the hands of God.

March 30

John Climacus the Righteous, author of The Divine Ladder of Ascent

This Saint gave himself over to the ascetical life from his early youth. Experienced both in the solitary life of the hermit and in the communal life of cenobitic monasticism, he was appointed Abbot of the Monastery at Mount Sinai and wrote a book containing thirty homilies on virtue. Each homily deals with one virtue, and progressing from those that deal with holy and righteous activity (praxis) unto those that deal with divine vision (theoria), they raise a man up as though by means of steps unto the height of Heaven. For this cause his work is called "The Ladder of Divine Ascent." The day he was made Abbot of Sinai, the Prophet Moses was seen giving commands to those who served at table. Saint John reposed in 603, at eighty years of age. See also the Fourth Sunday of the Fast.

Ecclesiastical Feast

For the 2nd Sunday of the Fast, in which we make commemoration of our Father among the Saints Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica.

Forefeast of the Annunciation to the All-Holy Theotokos.

Of our Righteous Father Artemon, Bishop of Seleucia in Pisidia.

Upcoming Church Services

Today

7:00 pm - Great Vespers AT ANNUNCIATION CATHEDRAL

Monday, March 25

9 & 10 am - Orthros/Liturgy

Wednesday, March 27

6:00 pm - Presanctified Liturgy; Potluck following

Friday, March 29

6:00 pm - Salutations to the Theotokos

Saturday, March 30

5:00 pm - Great Vespers

Wednesday, April 3

6:00 pm - Presanctified Liturgy; Potluck following

Friday, April 5

6:00 pm - Salutations to the Theotokos

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Tenth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 21:1-14

At that time, being raised from the dead, Jesus revealed himself to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat; but that night they caught nothing. Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any fish?" They answered him, "No." He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, for the quantity of fish. The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his clothes, for he was stripped for work, and sprang into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.

When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught." So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Second Mode. Psalm 117.14,18.
The Lord is my strength and my song.
Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 1:10-14; 2:1-3.

"IN THE BEGINNING, Thou, Lord, didst found the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of thy hands; they will perish, but thou remainest; they will all grow old like a garment, like a mantle thou wilt roll them up, and they will be changed. But thou art the same, and thy years will never end." But to what angel has he ever said, "Sit at my right hand, till I make thy enemies a stool for thy feet?" Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation?

Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For if the message declared by angels was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas
The Reading is from Mark 2:1-12

At that time, Jesus entered Capernaum and it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven." Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, "Why does this man speak thus? It is a blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question thus in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your pallet and walk? But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins"-he said to the paralytic-"I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home." And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"

Wisdom of the Fathers

"The person that is struggling to the best of his abilities, who has no desire to live a disorderly life, but who – in the course of the struggle for faith and life – falls and rises again and again, God will never abandon. And if he has the slightest will not to grieve God, he will go to Paradise with his shoes on. The Benevolent God will, surprisingly, push him into Paradise. God will ensure that He takes him at his best, in repentance. He may have to struggle all his life, but God will not abandon him; He will take him at the best possible time."

- St. Paisios the Athonite

Digging Deeper into the Divine Liturgy

by Fr. Anthony Cook

Part 68

We continue the Creed with the third clause, the confession of faith, of trust, "in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, Who spoke through the Prophets."

We call the Holy Spirit Lord, as we also call the Son Lord, as a way of affirming the unity and consubstantiality of both with the Father, the One Who Is, the Most-High God Who revealed Himself to the people of Israel on Mount Sinai. In this, the Creed is simply following the form of the second clause dealing with the Son. For both the Son and the Spirit, the Creed 1) calls each Lord, 2) describes the relationship of each to the Father. , and 3) describes the role of each within the Creation. In the case of the Son, it does this in order, while for the Holy Spirit, these elements are mixed together. But it is important to note that the two clauses, although their content and length are very different, are still doing the same job, in the same way - it is worthwhile to compare the two clauses and find these three elements. You can find the Creed on page 18 of the pew book.

Announcements

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.

Epistle Reader Today: Katerina Tsipras, 4th Grade

Presanctified Liturgies - Wednesdays

Please join us for our Presanctified Liturgies each Wednesday from 6:00-7:30 pm, with a Lenten Potluck dinner following. See the flyer to your left and bring the Lenten food item according to the beginning letter of your last name.

Spring General Assembly

Our Spring General Assembly will be held next Sunday, March 31. To participate, you must have paid your 2018 stewardship of $300 for families and $200 for seniors in full. A light luncheon will be served to those in attendance.

Rose City Summer Camp

Registration is open for summer camp (www.gomdsc.org). Camp Fee: $425. First-time campers will receive a $325 scholarship from the parish. If the fees for first-time or continuing campers create a burden for the family, additional scholarship funds will be available - in such cases, please see Fr. Anthony. First time campers should contact the Church office if participating.

Children's Easter Egg Hunt

The Ladies of Lydia will host a Children's Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 13, at 11 am (note the date change), in the Park. If inclement weather, they will have the hunt in the upstairs of the school. Make sure you mark your calendars and bring your children out!

Missions Coinboxes - Sunday School

The Sunday School is collecting donations for our Orthodox Missions during Lent. Your student can pick up a coinbox today from their teacher if they would like to participate. Collection due date is Palm Sunday.

Byzantine Chant for Everyone

We are offering basic instruction in our traditional Church music for anyone interested (ages 6 through 90) on Saturdays. We meet from 4:00 till 5:45 each Saturday evening, beginning with a basic introduction to Byzantine music, and then we will chant the Vespers service for that evening. We hope to see you all there!

Memorial Coffee Hour & Light Luncheons

A friendly reminder to please schedule all Memorials with the Church office at least 2 weeks in advance. If you will have a memorial light luncheon, please contact the Grecian Center as soon as you have a date.

Literature Rack

Information comes in frequently from other churches hosting events as well as scholarship information. Check it out weekly!

Coffee Servers Needed

Please sign-up outside the Church office next to the bulletin board to help serve Coffee on Sunday mornings during Coffee Hour.

Our Website: stgeorgesouthgate.org

We have a live calendar, video and audio recordings of sermons, services, and other events, and an archive of the last two months' Sunday bulletin. You can also reserve and pay for your seat to any upcoming lunch or dinner.

Email Info: stgeorgesouthgate@gmail.com

If you would like our weekly bulletin emailed to you, or to receive any other pertinent information from the Church, please call or e-mail us your information.

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, APRIL 18, at 6:00 pm.

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/409044facaa23a0f94-food1

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, March 26

5:30-7:30 pm - Greek School Indep. Day Celebration in Grecian Center

6:00 pm - Orthodox Life

7:00 pm - Deaconess

Saturday, March 30

4:00-5:45 pm - Byzantine Chant for Everyone

Sunday, March 31

Spring General Assembly

Tuesday, April 2

NO Greek School

6:00 pm - Orthodox Life

Saturday, April 6

4:00-5:45 pm - Byzantine Chant for Everyone

Coffee Servers

Today: SERVERS NEEDED

3/31: General Assembly

4/7: Memorial Luncheon, SERVERS NEEDED

Volunteers are needed for 2019!

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!

Memorial Service

No Memorials today.

General Information

Contact Information

Services Schedule

Past Bulletins

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Second Mode

Apolytikion of Forefeast of the Annunciation in the Fourth Tone

Apolytikion of Sun. of St. Gregory Palamas in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Mode

Saints and Feasts

Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas

Annunciation of the Theotokos

Hilarion the New

Mark, Bishop of Arethusa

Martyr Cyril the Deacon and Those with him

The Holy Martyrs Jonas and Barachesius

John Climacus the Righteous, author of The Divine Ladder of Ascent

Ecclesiastical Feast

Upcoming Church Services

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Epistle Reading

Gospel Reading

Wisdom of the Fathers

Digging Deeper into the Divine Liturgy

Announcements

Upcoming Events

Coffee Servers

Memorial Service