Nestor the Martyr of Thessaloniki
As mentioned in the account concerning Saint Demetrius (October 26), this Saint contested during the reign of Maximian, in the year 290.
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
As mentioned in the account concerning Saint Demetrius (October 26), this Saint contested during the reign of Maximian, in the year 290.
The Feast of the Protection commemorates the appearance of the most holy Theotokos in the Church of Blachernae in Constantinople in the tenth century, as recorded in the life of Saint Andrew the Fool for Christ's sake. While the multitudes of the faithful were gathered in church, Epiphanius, the friend of Saint Andrew, through the Saint's prayers, beheld the Virgin Mary above the faithful and spreading out her veil over them, signifying her unceasing protection of all Christians. Because of this we keep a yearly feast of gratitude, imploring our Lady never to cease sheltering us in her mighty prayers.
In the Greek tradition, this feast is celebrated on October 28, while in the Slavic tradition, this feast is celebrated on October 1.
Saint Steven passed his life in ascetical discipline in the Monastery of Saint Sabbas, from whence also he received the name Sabbaite. He was consecrated bishop and reposed about the year 790, bequeathing to the Church a number of melismatic troparia.
Saint Anastasia, who was young in age and lived in a convent, was seized by the impious. Confessing Christ openly and with boldness and enduring manifold torments, she was beheaded in the year 256, during the reign of Valerian.
Our Righteous Father Abramius, born in Edessa in Mesopotamia in 296, took up the monastic life and brought many pagans to Christ. Mary, his niece, upon the death of her parents, joined Abramius at his hermitage and under his guidance advanced swiftly in the love of God. Through the wiles of the evil one, however, she fell into sin, and falling from them into despair, she left her uncle and became a harlot. When he learned where his niece was, Abramius put on the clothes of a man of the world and went to visit her in disguise. Through his exhortations, Mary returned to her first hope in the mercy of God, was rescued from the life of harlotry, and ended her life in great holiness. He himself reposed in the year 366. Saints Abramius and Mary were friends of Saint Ephraim the Syrian, and it was he who wrote their account.
These Saints were from Aegae in Cilicia, brought up in piety by their parents. Zenobius was a physician, and healed many freely by the power of God; because of his virtue he was consecrated Bishop of Aegae. With his sister he was taken by Lysias the Governor, and after many tortures they were beheaded, about the year 290, during the reign of Diocletian.
Of these holy Apostles, Stachys became the first Bishop of Byzantium, consecrated by the Apostle Andrew. Having shepherded his people for sixteen years, he reposed in the Lord. As for the others, each one shone forth in the episcopal see appointed to him: Apelles, Bishop of Heraclea; Amplias, Bishop of Odyssopolis; Urban, Bishop of Macedonia; Narcissus, Bishop of Athens; and Aristobulus, Bishop of Britain.
These Martyrs contested in Persia about the year 330, in the reign of Sapor (Shapur) II, King of Persia (325-379). Acindynus, Pegasius, and Anempodistus, Persian Christians, confessed Christ before the King, and were put to many torments. Aphthonius and Elpidophoros, drawn to the Faith of Christ through the Martyrs, were beheaded with another 7,000. Saints Acindynus, Pegasius, and Anempodistus were at last burned to death. Two churches were dedicated in their honour in Constantinople. As is often the case in church hymns, there is a play on the meanings of the Saints' names here. Acindynus means "unimperilled"; Pegasius is derived from pegazo--"to gush forth"; Aphthonius is derived from aphthonos-"abundant"; Elpidophoros means "hope-bearing"; Anempodistus means "unhindered." These are all Greek translations of their Persian names.
Of the 7th Sunday of Luke.
Of the Holy Martyr Nestor, and of our Father among the Saints Kyriakos, Archbishop of Constantinople.
Saturday, November 2
5:00 pm - Great Vespers (Hope/Joy)
Saturday, November 9
5:00 pm - Great Vespers
Saturday, November 16
5:00 pm - Great Vespers (GOYA)
Saturday, November 23
5:00 pm - Great Vespers (OPA)
Saturday, November 30
NO Great Vespers
Eighth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:11-18
At that time, Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that He had said these things to her.
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 Second Letter to the Corinthians 11:31-33; 12:1-9.
Brethren, the God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed for ever, knows that I do not lie. At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to seize me, but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped his hands.
I must boast; there is nothing to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven -- whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into Paradise --whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows -- and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. Though if I wish to boast, I shall not be a fool, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me; but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
7th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 8:41-56
At that time, there came to Jesus a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue; and falling at Jesus' feet he besought him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As he went, the people pressed round him. And a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years and had spent all her living upon physicians and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment; and immediately her flow of blood ceased. And Jesus said, "Who was it that touched me?" When all denied it, Peter and those who were with him said, "Master, the multitudes surround you and press upon you!" But Jesus said, "Some one touched me; for I perceive that power has gone forth from me." And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace." While he was still speaking, a man from the ruler's house came and said, "Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more." But Jesus on hearing this answered him, "Do not fear; only believe, and she shall be well." And when he came to the house, he permitted no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. And all were weeping and bewailing her; but he said, "Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But taking her by the hand he called, saying, "Child, arise." And her spirit returned, and she got up at once; and he directed that something should be given her to eat. And her parents were amazed; but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.
Please remember in your prayers the following:
Marianthi Pappas, Virginia Sikavitsas, Andrew, Lillian Constantakis, John Bass, Anastasia Handrinos, Nick, Bobbie, & Aleko Tsahtsiris, Bobby Cotton, Jennifer, Nicholas
If you would like the Church to pray for you, please contact the Church office to add your name, of the names of your loved ones, to the Prayer List. If you are willing to serve in the visitation ministry of the Church, calling or visiting those who are shut in at home or sick in the hospitals or nursing homes, please contact the Church office.
Please note that Fr. Anthony is available for hospital visitations, but hospitals no longer give patient information to clergy. Please call Fr. Anthony, or have someone in your family call him, so that he can come to visit you.
From Fr. Anthony
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 general Church-related question, you should speak with Susan Solo, who is in the office Tuesday, Wednesday, and 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.
_______________________________________________________________
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 members of the Parish Council come to your pew to usher you forward by row. In this way, we can ensure that our approaching of the Sacred Mysteries will be accomplished in an appropriate and orderly manner.
_______________________________________________________________
Epistle Reader: Altar Boy
Greek School Oxi Day
The Greek School will have its Oxi Day Presentation on Tuesday, October 29, in the Apollo hall.
Orthodox Life
There will be no Orthodox Life Bible study this Tuesday, October 29, due to the Greek School Oxi Day Presentation. It will resume on Tuesday, November 5.
HOPE/JOY Vespers, Pizza & Bedtime Story - Nov. 2
This Saturday, November 2, at 5:00 pm, we will do a shorter Vespers for the HOPE/JOY children and their parents, after which we will have pizza together and Fr. Anthony will read a bedtime story to the children. The kids are invited to come to church in their pajamas, if they wish. We will start at 5:00 pm and should wrap up no later than 6:30 pm.
Daylight Saving Time Ends
Daylight Saving Time ends early next Sunday morning. Be sure to move your clocks back one hour late Saturday night!
Saint George Outreach - Nov. 17
On Sunday, November 17, at 12:15 pm, we will again be preparing 100 meals for the hungry and homelss of Downriver. We need many volunteers to help, so please plan to stay and lend a hand making sandwiches and packing lunch bags. We will provide all the ingredients.
We are also collecting hand warmers and warm blankets (twin size) to hand out to the homeless.
Monetary donations are appreciated to help offset the cost of food. Please see Eleni Dionyssopoulos if you have any questions.
Feather Party - Nov. 21
Our St. George Ladies Philoptochos will host its annual Feather Party on Thursday, November 21, beginning at 7:00 pm (doors open at 6:00 pm) in the Grecian Center Parthenon hall. Entry fee: $5. See the flyer on the candle counter for more information. Tickets available beginning next week.
Sponsor(s) needed for turkeys and prize donor(s). Contact Georgia Stahl.
Feather Party sponsors: please give your checks to Mary Frosinos, Fran Kontos, Julie Colovos, Georgia Stahl or the Church office.
Children's Christmas Play
This year's Christimas play, "The Light of the World," will be held on Sun., Dec. 22. Practices start today through Sun., Dec. 15, weekly, from 12:30-1:15 pm; with dress rehearsal on Sat., Dec. 21. There will be no practice Thanksgiving weekend.
Veterans Appreciation Dinner
Our parish will host an appreciation dinner on Veteran's Day, November 11, at 6:00 pm, in the Grecian Center. The Veterans from VFW Post #9283, American Legion #478 (next door to us) and Veterans from our parish will be our guests. Come and enjoy dinner and show your appreciation to those who have served and protected our country and freedoms. Cost: Adults 12 & up: $15.00; 11 & under: Free. Members of St. George who are Veterans - please give your name to the office ASAP. There is no charge for Veterans and their spouse/guest who are St. George members. Please make your reservations online at our website (stgeorgesouthgate.org), at the Reservation Table, or by calling the Church office (734.283.8820) no later than Mon., Nov. 4.
Roommate Wanted
A parishioner is looking for a female roommate to share her 2 bedroom apartment in Wyandotte on Biddle overlooking the water. If interested, please contact Fr Anthony.
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.
Amazon Smile
The Church receives a small donation for any purchases made through Amazon's charity program, Amazon Smile. Choose St. George Church as your designated charity when you shop online at www.smile.amazon.com.
Altar Group
We ask the young people of the parish to come and help with the many tasks involved during the Divine Liturgy each Sunday. The young men, as always, will help Father Anthony inside the altar, and we are asking the young women to serve in the Narthex and throughout the Church, to welcome parishioners and visitors, to manage the candles, and to otherwise assist the parish council.
On particular dates, when we need to change the cloth covers for the icon stands and the altar, we ask the young people to come early, at 9:30 am, in order to change the cloths prior to the beginning of the Divine Liturgy. The next day for this will be November 17, when we change the cloths to blue in preparation for the Feast of the Entrance of the Mother of God into the Temple. Please save the date and plan to come early - thank you!
Organ Donation Request
As you may be aware, the downstairs organ used by the Choir ceased to function during Holy Week, and has proved to be irreparable. We have found and purchased a replacement, and would welcome any donations to cover the cost of this new organ. It was $2545. If you are interested in making this donation, please speak with Fr. Anthony.
Church Beautification
This past summer we began a new push to beautify the Church. We have a number of items that will be replaced, for which we already have prospective donors, but we plan to purchase altar cloth sets in several colors to allow us to adorn the Church appropriately for every liturgical season. Depending on the period of the Church year, the Holy Table and other Church furniture are to be covered in red, blue, white, green, gold, or purple cloths. We now are missing only green and white cloths to have all the colors we need.
A complete set of altar cloths includes the large cloth to cover the Holy Table inside the altar, a smaller cloth for the Gospel, the set of cloths for the chalice and paten, include the Aer, the four cloths for the icon stands (proskynitaria) at the front of the Church, and then two cloths for the proskynitaria in the Narthex, with two small covers for the children's icons in the Narthex.
The costs for the new sets vary, depending on whether the brocade cloth being used uses real metal threads or not. For beauty and durability, we have purchased velvet cloths in blue and burgundy, and real metal brocade for the gold and purple altar cloth sets. The white and silver set we are planning to purchase will also use a real metal brocade, while the great will be an all cloth brocade. The cost for a complete altar cloth set in real metal brocade is $3,045, while the cost for a complete altar cloth set in normal brocade is $2,435.
Therefore we need the following donations:
Green normal brocade complete altar cloth set: $2,435
White/silver real metal brocade complete altar cloth set: $3,045
If you are interested in donating either of these items, please contact the Church office or speak with Fr. Anthony. If you would like to see the fabric swatches we have selected for each color, please speak with Fr. Anthony.
Today
12:15 pm - Sunday School Teachers
12:15 pm - Juniors Dance Practice
Monday, October 28
7:00 pm - Choir Practice
Tuesday, October 29
5:30-7:30 pm - Greek School Oxi Day Presentation
7:00 pm - Special PC Meeting
NO Orthodox Life
Saturday, November 2
5:00-6:30 pm - Pizza & Bedtime Story w/Fr. Anthony (Hope/Joy)
Sunday, November 3
12:15 pm - Philoptochos
Servers Today: SERVERS NEEDED
11/3: Elaine M., Dina G., Karen A.
11/10: Memorial Luncheon; SERVERS NEEDED
11/17: SERVERS NEEDED
SERVERS ARE NEEDED
Please sign-up outside the Church office.
Panagiota Bass - 1 year
May the Lord our God grant rest to her soul where the righteous repose, in a place where there is no pain, no sorrow, and no suffering, but rather everlasting life.
May her memory be eternal.
The coffee is offered by the family.