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.

Apolytikion of Sun. of St. John Climacus in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone

With the rivers of your tears you made the barren desert bloom; and with your sighs from deep within, you made your labors bear their fruits a hundredfold; and you became a star, illuminating the world by your miracles, O John, our devout father. Intercede with Christ our God, for the salvation of our souls.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

O Champion General, I your City now inscribe to you Triumphant anthems as the tokens of my gratitude, Being rescued from the terrors, O Theotokos. Inasmuch as you have power unassailable, From all kinds of perils free me, so that unto you I may cry aloud: Rejoice, O unwedded Bride.

Saints and Feasts

April 07

Sunday of St. John Climacus

The memory of this Saint is celebrated on March 30, where his biography may be found. He is celebrated today because his book, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, is a sure guide to the ascetic life, written by a great man of prayer experienced in all forms of the monastic polity; it teaches the seeker after salvation how to lay a sound foundation for his struggles, how to detect and war against each of the passions, how to avoid the snares laid by the demons, and how to rise from the rudimental virtues to the heights of Godlike love and humility. It is held in such high esteem that it is universally read in its entirety in monasteries during the Great Fast.

April 07

Martyrs Calliopius and Akylina

The holy Martyr Calliopius was from Perga in Pamphylia, brought up in piety by his godly mother Theocleia. When the persecution of Maximian broke out, Saint Calliopius presented himself of his own accord before the Governor Maximus in Pompeiopolis of Galatia. After he had suffered many torments, his mother visited him in prison and encouraged him in his martyrdom. After this, his thrice-blessed mother, upon learning that he was to be crucified on Holy and Great Thursday, bribed the tyrants to defer it one day, that he might imitate the Lord's Crucifixion on the same day that He suffered it. The holy Martyr Calliopius received the crown of martyrdom on Holy and Great Friday in the year 304, being crucified upside down.

April 07

Tikhon, Pat. of Moscow

Born in 1865 in the region of Pskov, our Father among the Saints Tikhon was tonsured a monk in 1891 and ordained to the priesthood in the same year. In 1897 he was consecrated Bishop of Lublin, and a year later appointed Bishop of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, with his see extending to all of North America from 1900 onwards. He did much to unite the Orthodox Christians of a great many ethnic backgrounds in North America, so that there was indeed one flock under one shepherd. In 1907 he was made Archbishop of Yaroslavl and Rostov, and in 1913, Archbishop of Lithuania.

In 1917, when he was Metropolitan of Moscow, he was elected to be the first Patriarch of Russia in over 200 years, in times that could not have been more difficult. After the Revolution of 1917, the persecution of the Russian Church by the atheist government grew more bold and more fierce with every year. By nature a meek and peace-loving man, Tikhon sought to determine, while giving only to God that which is God's, what could be given to Caesar to preserve peace and avoid the shedding of blood. At his departure on the feast of the Annunciation in 1925, Saint Tikhon made the sign of the Cross thrice, pronouncing the words, "Glory to Thee, O God!" Because of the many unspeakable sufferings he endures as Patriarch, he is honoured as a Confessor.

Note: St. Tikhon's repose was on the Feast of the Annunciation according to the Old Calendar (March 25), but on the New Calendar his repose falls on April 7.

Ecclesiastical Feast

For the 4th Sunday of the Fast, in which we make commemoration of our Righteous Father John the author of the "Ladder (of Divine Ascent)."

Of the Holy Martyrs Kalliopios and Akylina.

Of our Father among the Saints George, Bishop of Mytilene.

Of our Righteous and God-bearing Fathers Gerasimos of Byzantium and Savvas the ascetic of Kalymnos.

Upcoming Church Services

Wednesday, April 10

6:00 pm - Presanctified Liturgy; Potluck following

Friday, April 12

Akathist Hymn

6:00 pm - Salutations to the Theotokos

Saturday, April 13

4:30 pm - Great Vespers w/GOYA

6:00 pm - Q&A w/Fr. Anthony & GOYA

Wednesday, April 17

6:00 pm - Presanctified Liturgy; Potluck following

Saturday, April 20

8:50 & 10 am - Orthros/Liturgy

6:00 pm - Great Vestpers AT NATIVITY

Please follow your Holy Week Bulletin which will be mailed to your homes shortly.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

First Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Matthew 28:16-20

At that time, the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age. Amen."

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 Hebrews 6:13-20.

BRETHREN, when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore to himself, saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Men indeed swear by a greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he interposed with an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God should prove false, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of St. John Climacus
The Reading is from Mark 9:17-31

At that time, a man came to Jesus kneeling and saying: "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit; and wherever it seizes him it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able." And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me." And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, "How long has he had this?" And he said, "From childhood. And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us." And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again." And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, "He is dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting." They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would not have any one know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise."

Wisdom of the Fathers

"You cannot escape shame except by shame."

St. John Climacus

Digging Deeper into the Divine Liturgy

by Fr. Anthony Cook

Part 70

Last time we talked about the relationship of the Holy Spirit with the Father, that He eternally proceeds from the Father as is appropriate for Spirit/Breath/Air/Life, while the Son is eternally Begotten of the Father. It is important that we emphasize here that the Spirit is indeed fully God, co-eternal with the Father - which is why the Creed also affirms here that the Holy Spirit is worshipped and glorified “together with the Father and the Son.” In this way we affirm the full divinity of all three persons of the Holy Trinity.

The specific role attributed to the Holy Spirit is two-fold. He is here affirmed to be the “Giver of Life,” and to be the Divine Person “Who spoke through the prophets.” This makes him the agent of life, the Living Breath of God that made man a “living soul,” as it says in Genesis. And it makes him the active agent of inspiration for the prophets, the one who gave them utterance. We will talk more about this, and about the controversy surrounding this clause of the Creed, next time.

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: Altar Boy

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!

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 inserted flyer and bring the Lenten food item according to the beginning letter of your last name.

Children's Easter Egg Hunt-Saturday

The Ladies of Lydia will host a Children's Easter Egg Hunt this Saturday, April 13, at 11 am, in the Park. If inclement weather, they will have the hunt in the upstairs of the school.

Palm Sunday Fish Dinner

Please make your reservations for our Palm Sunday Fish Dinner on April 21. You can make your reservations online at our website, at the Reservation Table, or by calling the Church office by April 17. Cost: Adults 12 years and up: $15; Children 11 and under: Free.

Benefit Bake Sale

Please see the flyer at the Candle Counter or Literature Rack for our annual Bake Sale to benefit Holy Trinity Monastery in Smiths Creek on Palm Sunday. If you would like to help with this endeavor, please contact Kyriaki Makarounas at 734.752.0575.

Missions Coinboxes - Sunday School

The Sunday School is collecting donations for our Orthodox Missions during Lent. Please encourage your student to participate. Collection due date is Palm Sunday.

Pascha Magiritsa Meal

Early Easter Sunday morning (about 1:45 am), we'll have our Magiritsa Meal. Please make your reservations no later than Wed., April 24, online, at the Reservation Table, or by calling the Church office. Cost: Adults 12 years and up - $15.00; Children 11 and under - Free.

St. George Feastday

We will celebrate the Feastday of St. George on Monday, April 29. Immediately following the Divine Liturgy, we'll have our Festal Luncheon in the Grecian Center. This luncheon is free, but we request that you make reservations no later than Wed., Apr. 24, online, at the Reservation Table, or by calling the Church office, so we'll know approximately how much food to prepare.

Byzantine Chant for Everyone

Our Byzantine Chant on Saturdays is postponed until May 11.

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

Today

Philoptochos

12:15 pm - Sunday School Teachers

3:30 pm - Game/Social Night

Tuesday, April 9

5:30-7:30 pm - Greek School

6:00 pm - Orthodox Life

Saturday, April 13

11 am - Children's Easter Egg Hunt in the Park

Sunday, April 14

Independence Day Parade downtown

Tuesday, April 16

5:30-7:30 pm - Greek School

6:00 pm - Orthodox Life

Coffee Servers

Today: Memorial Luncheon, SERVERS NEEDED

4/14: SERVERS NEEDED

4/21: Palm Sunday Fish Dinner

4/28: PASCHA, No Coffee

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

Stelios Grias - 6 months

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.

Luncheon and coffee hour are given by his children and grandchildren, John & Maria Margaritis and family.

General Information

Contact Information

Services Schedule

Past Bulletins

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Fourth Mode

Apolytikion of Sun. of St. John Climacus in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

Saints and Feasts

Sunday of St. John Climacus

Martyrs Calliopius and Akylina

Tikhon, Pat. of Moscow

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