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 for Forefeast of the Nativity in the Fourth Mode

O Bethlehem, prepare, Eden is opened unto all. And be ready, Ephrata, for the Tree of life has in the grotto blossomed forth from the Virgin. Indeed her womb is shown to be spiritually a Paradise, in which is found the God-planted Tree. And if we eat from it we shall live, and shall not die, as did Adam of old. Christ is born, so that He might raise up the formerly fallen image.

Apolytikion for Sun. before Nativity in the Second Mode

Magnificent are the accomplishments of faith! The holy Three Servants greatly rejoiced, as they stood in the fountain of fire, as if beside the still waters; and the Prophet Daniel appeared to be a shepherd of lions, as if they were sheep. At their entreaties, O Christ God, save our souls.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Third Mode

On this day the Virgin Maid goes to the grotto to give birth to the pre-eternal Word in an ineffable manner. Dance for joy, all the inhabited earth, on hearing. Glorify along with Angels and with the shepherds Him who willed that He appear as a newborn Child, the pre-eternal God.

Saints and Feasts

December 22

Anastasia the Great Martyr

This Saint, who was from Rome, was a most comely, wealthy, and virtuous maiden, the daughter of Praepextatus and Fausta. It was her mother who instructed her in the Faith of Christ. The Saint was joined to a man named Publius Patricius, who was prodigal in life and impious in disposition, but she was widowed after a short time. Henceforth, she went about secretly to the dwellings of the poor and the prisons where the Martyrs of Christ were, and brought them whatever was needed for their daily subsistence. She washed their wounds and loosed them from their fetters, and consoled them in their anguish. Also, because the Saint, through her intercessions, has healed many from the ill effects of spells, potions, poisons, and other harmful substances, she has received the name "Deliverer from Potions." Since the fame of her deeds had spread about, she was arrested by Diocletian's minions, and after enduring many torments she was put to death by fire in the year 290.

December 24

Eugenia the Righteous Nun-martyr of Rome

This Martyr was the daughter of most distinguished and noble parents named Philip and Claudia. Philip, a Prefect of Rome, moved to Alexandria with his family. In Alexandria, Eugenia had the occasion to learn the Christian Faith, in particular when she encountered the Epistles of Saint Paul, the reading of which filled her with compunction and showed her clearly the vanity of the world. Secretly taking two of her servants, Protas and Hyacinth, she departed from Alexandria by night. Disguised as a man, she called herself Eugene while pretending to be a eunuch, and departed with her servants and took up the monastic life in a monastery of men. Her parents mourned for her, but could not find her. After Saint Eugenia had laboured for some time in the monastic life, a certain woman named Melanthia, thinking Eugenia to be a monk, conceived lust and constrained Eugenia to comply with her desire; when Eugenia refused, Melanthia slandered Eugenia to the Prefect as having done insult to her honour. Eugenia was brought before the Prefect, her own father Philip, and revealed to him both that she was innocent of the accusations, and that she was his own daughter. Through this, Philip became a Christian; he was afterwards beheaded at Alexandria. Eugenia was taken back to Rome with Protas and Hyacinth. All three of them ended their life in martyrdom in the years of Commodus, who reigned from 180 to 192.

December 25

The Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

The incomprehensible and inexplicable Nativity of Christ came to pass when Herod the Great was reigning in Judea; the latter was an Ascalonite on his fathers's side and an Idumean on his mother's. He was in every way foreign to the royal line of David; rather, he had received his authority from the Roman emperors, and had ruled tyrannically over the Jewish people for some thirty-three years. The tribe of Judah, which had reigned of old, was deprived of its rights and stripped of all rule and authority. Such was the condition of the Jews when the awaited Messiah was born, and truly thus was fulfilled the prophecy which the Patriarch Jacob had spoken 1,807 years before: "A ruler shall not fail from Judah, nor a prince from his loins, until there come the things stored up for him; and he is the expectation of the nations" (Gen.49:10).

Thus, our Saviour was born in Bethlehem, a city of Judea, whither Joseph had come from Nazareth of Galilee, taking Mary his betrothed, who was great with child, that, according to the decree issued in those days by the Emperor Augustus, they might be registered in the census of those subject to Rome. Therefore, when the time came for the Virgin to give birth, and since because of the great multitude there was no place in the inn, the Virgin's circumstance constrained them to enter a cave which was near Bethlehem. Having as shelter a stable of irrational beasts, she gave birth there, and swaddled the Infant and laid Him in the manger (Luke 2:1-7). From this, the tradition has come down to us that when Christ was born He lay between two animals, an ox and an ass, that the words of the Prophets might be fulfilled: "Between two living creatures shalt Thou be known" (Abbacum 3:2), and "The ox knoweth his owner and the ass his master's crib" (Esaias 1: 3).

But while the earth gave the new-born Saviour such a humble reception, Heaven on high celebrated majestically His world-saving coming. A wondrous star, shining with uncommon brightness and following a strange course, led Magi from the East to Bethlehem to worship the new-born King. Certain shepherds who were in the area of Bethlehem, who kept watch while tending their sheep, were suddenly surrounded by an extraordinary light, and they saw before them an Angel who proclaimed to them the good tidings of the Lord's joyous Nativity. And straightway, together with this Angel, they beheld and heard a whole host of the Heavenly Powers praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men" (Luke 2:8-14).

December 27

Stephen, Archdeacon & First Martyr

Saint Stephen was a Jew, by race, and, as some say, a disciple of Gamaliel, the teacher of the Law mentioned in Acts 5:34 and 22:3. He was the first of the seven deacons whom the Apostles established in Jerusalem to care for the poor, and to distribute alms to them. Being a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, he performed great signs and wonders among the people. While disputing with the Jews concerning Jesus, and wisely refuting their every contradiction, so that no one was able to withstand the wisdom and the spirit whereby he spake, he was slandered as a blasphemer and was dragged off to the Sanhedrin of the elders. There with boldness he proved from the divine Scriptures the coming of the Just One (Jesus), of Whom they had become the betrayers and murderers, and he reproved their faithless and hardheartedness. And finally, gazing into Heaven and beholding the divine glory, he said: "Lo, I see the Heavens opened and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God." But when they heard this, they stopped up their ears, and with anger cast him out of the city and stoned him, while he was calling out and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then, imitating the long-suffering of the Master, he bent his knees and prayed in a loud voice for them that were stoning him, and he said, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge," And saying this, he fell asleep (Acts 6, 7), thus becoming the first among the Martyrs of the Church of Christ.

Ecclesiastical Feast

Of the Sunday before the Nativity of Christ, on which we observe the memory of all those who were well pleasing to God during the period from Adam until Joseph the Betrothed, according to the genealogy as the Evangelist Luke set it forth historically, and likewise of the Prophets and Prophetesses, and especially the Prophet Daniel and the Three Holy Youths.

Of the Holy Great-Martyr Anastasia the Deliverer from Potions, and of the Holy Martyrs Chrysogonos and Theodoti.

The Thyranoixia of the Great Church of God.

Upcoming Church Services

Tuesday, December 24

9:00-11:00 am - Royal Hours of Christmas

6:00-8:00 pm - Vesperal Liturgy of St Basil the Great

Wednesday, December 25

HOLY NATIVITY

8:50 & 10 am - Orthros/Liturgy

Saturday, December 28

NO Great Vespers

Tuesday, December 31

5:30 pm - Vesperal Liturgy for January 1

Saturday, January 4

8:00-10:00 am - Royal Hours of Theophany

Monday, January 6

9 & 10 am - Orthros/Liturgy

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Fifth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Luke 24:13-35

At that time, two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, "What is this conversation which you are holding with each other as you walk?" And they stood still looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?" And he said to them, "What things?" And they said to him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since this happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his body; and they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb, and found it just as the women had said; but him they did not see." And he said to them, "O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He appeared to be going further, but they constrained him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent." So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight. They said to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?" And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven gathered together and those who were with them, who said, "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Daniel 3.26,27.
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers.
Verse: For you are just in all you have done.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 11:9-10; 32-40.

BRETHREN, by faith Abraham sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city which has foundation, whose builder and maker is God.

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets - who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated - of whom the world was not worthy - wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Gospel Reading

Sunday before Nativity
The Reading is from Matthew 1:1-25

The book of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, and Aram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa, and Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel, and Salathiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus.

Wisdom of the Fathers

“The womb of our Immaculate Mother Mary is “wholly untouched, not dug nor sown, from heaven’s dew alone, it brings forth a Savior, and provides mortal men with the Bread of angels and the food of eternal life.”

St. Irenaeus of Lyons

Prayer List / Visitation

Please remember in your prayers the following:

Marianthi Pappas, Virginia Sikavitsas, Lillian Constantakis, John Bass, Nick, Bobbie, & Aleko Tsahtsiris, Bobby Cotton, Vicki Anastasiou, Foula Kotsou, Penelope Kakaris, Koula Stathis, Andrew, Jennifer, Nicholas, Gary, George

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.

Announcements

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.

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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.

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Epistle Reader: Altar Boy

Children's Christmas Play & Luncheon - Today

Our children's Christmas play, "The Light of the World," will be after the Divine Liturgy. There will be a Spaghetti luncheon offered. Cost: Adults $10; Sunday and Greek school students are free.

Monastery Bake Sale - Today

We will hold a Bake Sale to benefit Holy Trinity Monastery in Smiths Creek today in the Grecian Center Parthenon lobby.

Orthodox Life

Orthodox Life has concluded for the year and will resume on Tuesday, January 14.

New Year's Eve Dinner Dance - Dec. 31

You can make your reservations for our New Year's Eve Dinner Dance online at our website (www.stgeorgesouthgate.org), calling the Church office (734.283.8820), or at the Reservation Table. Pick up a flyer with all the info at the Candle Counter.

Vasilopita Luncheon

The Ladies of Philoptochos will host its annual Vasilopita Luncheon on Sunday, January 19, following the Divine Liturgy. Please make your reservations at the Reservation Table, online at our website (www.stgeorgesouthgate.org), or by calling the Church office. Adults 12 years & up: $15; children 11 & under: free.

Philoptochos Thank You!

The Ladies of Philoptochos would like to thank everyone for their generous donations this year and wish all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Offering Envelope Boxes

Those of you who use personal offering envelopes, you can pick up your 2020 box in the hallway of the school on your way to coffee hour. Important: please check your NAME and make sure you picked up the correct box.

If you would like to begin using your own personal box of offering envelopes for 2020, please let Susan know in the Church office.

Coffee Servers

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.

Lost & Found

Looking for something you lost? Check out our Lost & Found box in the coat room at the entrance to the Church.

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 Christmas Eve, December 24th, when we change the cloths to gold in preparation for the Feast of the Lord's Nativity on December 25th. Please plan to come no later than 6 pm to help - thank you!

Upcoming Events

Today

Noon - Monastery Bake Sale

Noon - Children's Christmas Play & Spaghetti Luncheon

Tuesday, December 24

6:15 pm - Altar Group change to gold

Wednesday & Thursday, December 25 & 26

Office Closed

Sunday, December 29

12:15 pm - Seniors Dance Practice

5:00 pm - Graduates' Dinner

Tuesday, December 31

7:30 pm - New Year's Eve Dinner Dance

Wednesday, January 1

Office Closed

Coffee Servers

Servers Today: Children's Christmas Play & Spaghetti Luncheon; no coffee

12/29: SERVERS NEEDED

1/5: SERVERS NEEDED

1/12: SERVERS NEEDED

SERVERS ARE NEEDED

Please sign-up outside the Church office.

Memorial Service

No Memorials today.

General Information

Contact Information

Services Schedule

Past Bulletins