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Assumption of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2021-11-21
Bulletin Contents
Vmentrnc
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Assumption of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • 7179193382
  • Street Address:

  • 801 Montecito Drive

  • San Angelo, TX 76903


Contact Information




Services Schedule

Sundays
9 AM Orthros Prayer Service
10 AM Divine Liturgy Communion Service

Wednesdays except during Summer and Holiday Breaks
7 PM Bible Study or Discussion Group

 


Past Bulletins


Calendar & Announcements

Announcements 

We will have services for St. Katherine's day on Thanksgiving morning 9/10 for Orthros/Liturgy.  Consider giving thanks by attending liturgy and receiving the Eucharist!

The Nativity season is upon us!

  • The pre-Christmas fast is ongoing now. The fast will end after the Liturgy for Christmas. (The Christmas fast is the same every year, November 15 through December 24.)
  • Please schedule your pre-Christmas Confession with Fr. Mark soon. Don't wait until the last minute.

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DONATIONS

We still need about $7,000 to finish paying off the new HVAC system. Thank you to everyone who has donated so far.
 
If you haven't donated yet, please consider making at least a small donation. Every bit helps.
 
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PARISH  GENERAL  ASSEMBLY

Sunday, December 5: Please attend the General Assembly

Please consider doing the Biblical tithe of 10% of your income, your time, and your talent.

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PARISH  COUNCIL

Last week's Parish Council meeting was rescheduled to today, following Coffee Hour.

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UPCOMING  SPECIAL  SERVICES

  • Thursday, November 25, Thanksgiving Day and St. Katherine the Great Martyr Day. What better way to give thanks than to go receive the Holy Communion, the Eucharist. The word Eucharist is sometimes translated as "Thanksgiving." So come to church Thanksgiving morning! 9:00 am Orthros, 9:45 am Liturgy
  • Monday, December 6, St. Nicholas Day. Yes, this is THE St. Nicholas! 9:00 am Orthros, 9:45 am Liturgy
  • Sunday, December 12, Peter the Aleute Day and Spyridon the Wonderworker Day. 9:00 am Orthros, 10:00 am Liturgy
  • Monday, December 13, St. Herman of Alaska Day and St. Lucia Day. 9:00 am Orthros, 9:45 am Liturgy
  • Friday, December 24, Christmas Eve:
    • Royal hours for Christmas at 9:00 am
    • Vesperal Divine Liturgy at 7:00 pm for the feast of Christmas
      * No services on Christmas Day (Saturday) nor the Day After Christmas (Sunday, December 26).
      * We hope to have a priest who works at the Metropolis office come in to serve once or twice during December and January, details forthcoming.

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WAYS  YOU  CAN  HELP

  • We always need prosforo bakers. If you'd like to sign up, see Fr. Mark.

  • We need people to help bring food to coffee hour. If you don't want to sponsor the entire meal, you could team up with someone, or just volunteer to bring one dish. There is a sign-up sheet in the kitchen.

  • We are looking for volunteers to read the Epistle on Sundays. You could read aloud or chant it, whichever you prefer. If you don't know how to chant it, we can teach you. See Father or John Choate.

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Saints for the Week: See the write-ups we have down below in this bulletin. The saints' stories are very interesting and helpful to us.

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Other Announcements:

  • Send your prayer requests to Fr. Mark. Also send your requests for visits to the sick and the hospitalized. These days, hospitals do not release patient information or call the priest, so you need to let Father know yourself.

  • When you travel, find an Orthodox parish and go to church! They are easy to find online. Why should we visit other parishes when we go on vacation? Because God doesn't take a break from us, so we shouldn't take a break from Him!
  • Whenever we cannot attend church services, we should still find a way to worship God.
    • You can pray these Morning Prayers during that time. The morning prayers are good way to start every day.
    • Here are some Evening Prayers. "A day hemmed in prayer rarely comes unravelled."  

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COFFEE  HOUR

Please join us for Coffee Hour. Take the initiative to stay, meet, and talk with one another, so we can build strong bonds of friendship and community. 

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SPECIAL  OCCASIONS 

Nameday:
For St. Katherine: Seraphina Katerina Bartl, Kathy Baughman, Katia Lichtenstein
Birthday: none
Anniversary: none
Memorial: none


** As always, see the parish website for any changes and updates. **

 

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

The Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple
The Reading is from Luke 1:39-49, 56

In those days, Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."

And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name." And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her home.


Epistle Reading

The Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple
The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 9:1-7

BRETHREN, the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary. For a tent was prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence; it is called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain stood a tent called the Holy of Holies, having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, which contained a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. These preparations having thus been made, the priests go continually into the outer tent, performing their ritual duties; but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood which he offers for himself and for the errors of the people.


Gospel Reading

The Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple
The Reading is from Luke 10:38-42, 11:27-28

At that time, Jesus entered a village; and a woman called Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve you alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her." As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked!" But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"


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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the 5th Tone

To the Word, coeternal with the Father and the Spirit, born of the Virgin for our salvation, let us, the faithful, give praise and worship. For he willed to be lifted up on the cross in the flesh, to endure death and raise the dead by his glorious resurrection.

Apolytikion for Entry of the Theotokos in the 4th Tone

Today is the prelude of God's generosity, the herald of the coming of salvation for all mankind. In the temple of God the Virgin is revealed to all, her presence foretelling the coming of Christ. With all our hearts let us, therefore, cry out to her: Rejoice, O Fulfillment of the Creator's plan.

Seasonal Kontakion in the 4th Tone

Behold the temple of the Savior, his precious bridal chamber. Behold the virginal and sacred vessel of God's glory. Today she enters into the house of the Lord, bearing within her the grace of the Holy Spirit. For this, the angels exclaim: She is indeed the heavenly tabernacle.
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Saints and Feasts

Vmentrnc
November 21

The Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple

According to the tradition of the Church, the Theotokos was brought to the Temple at three years of age, where she was consecrated to God and spent her days until she was fourteen or fifteen years old; and then, as a mature maiden, by the common counsel of the priests (since her parents had reposed some three years before), she was betrothed to Joseph.


Allsaint
November 22

Monday of the 10th Week


Allsaint
November 22

Anthimos, President of Crete


Allsaint
November 22

Kallistos Xanthopoulos, Patriarch of Constantinople


Allsaint
November 22

Archippus the Apostle, Philemon the Apostle & his wife, Apphia, Onesimos the Disciple of Paul

Philemon, who was from Colossae, a city of Phrygia, was a man both wealthy and noble; Apphia was his wife. Archippus became Bishop of the Church in Colossae. All three were disciples of the Apostle Paul. Onesimus, who was formerly an unbeliever and slave of Philemon, stole certain of his vessels and fled to Rome. However, on finding him there, the Apostle Paul guided him onto the path of virtue and the knowledge of the truth, and sent him back to his master Philemon, to whom he wrote an epistle (this is one of the fourteen epistles of Saint Paul). In this epistle, Paul commended Onesimus to his master and reconciled the two. Onesimus was later made a bishop; in Greece he is honoured as the patron Saint of the imprisoned. All these Saints received their end by martyrdom, when they were stoned to death by the idolaters. Saint Onesimus is also commemorated on February 15.


Allsaint
November 22

Holy Martyr Cecilia and those with her

Saint Cecilia was of an illustrious Roman family. On being betrothed to Valerian, she drew him to the Faith of Christ, and he in turn drew his own brother Tiburtius to the same. They contested in martyrdom during the reign of Diocletian, in the year 288.


Presentation
November 22

Afterfeast of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple


Amphilochios
November 23

Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium

Saint Amphilochius, who was born in Cappadocia, shone forth in asceticism and divine knowledge even from his youth. He was consecrated Bishop of Iconium in 341, he struggled courageously against the blasphemies of Eunomius, Macedonius the enemy of the Holy Spirit, and the followers of Arius. He was present at the Second Ecumenical Council of the 150 Fathers, which took place in Constantinople, convoked during the reign of Theodosius the Great in the year 381. In 383 Amphilochius wished to persuade the Emperor Theodosius to forbid the Arians from gathering in Constantinople and to commit the churches to the Orthodox, but the Emperor was reluctant to do such a thing. The next time that Amphilochius entered the palace, he addressed Theodosius with proper honour, but slighted his young son Arcadius in his presence. Theodosius was indignant, and said the dishonour shown to his son was equally an insult to himself. To this Saint Amphilochius answered that as he would not suffer an insult to his son, so he ought to believe that God is wroth with those who blaspheme His Only-begotten. Saint Theodosius understood and admired Amphilochius' ingenious device, and he issued the desired edict in September of the same year. Saint Amphilochius, having reached deep old age, reposed in peace about the year 395. Saint Basil the Great wrote many letters to Saint Amphilochius, his friend and Fellow champion of the Faith, and at his request wrote his treatise On the Holy Spirit, which besides demonstrating the divinity of the Holy Spirit and His equality with the Father and the Son, defends the Church's unwritten ancient traditions, such as making the sign of the Cross, turning towards the East in prayer, no kneeling on Sunday, and so forth.


Allsaint
November 23

Gregory, Bishop of Agrigentum

Saint Gregory, the son of pious parents named Chariton and Theodora, was born in Agrigentum, a city of Sicily, and was great in virtue from his childhood. He was baptized, brought up, and tonsured reader by Bishop Potamion during the reign of Justinian II, in the seventh century. At the age of eighteen he made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, where he was ordained deacon by Macarius, Bishop of Jerusalem. He traveled to Constantinople, and then to Rome where he was consecrated Bishop of his native Agrigentum. As Bishop of Agrigentum he worked many miracles and shone brilliantly in virtue, but also suffered many great temptation; from the priests Sabine and Crescentius, who so envied him that they slandered him to the Pope as a fornicator and had him cast into prison for two and a half years. In the end, however, he vindicated himself by casting the demon out of the woman who had falsely accused him of committing sin with her. Saint Gregory reposed in peace in deep old age.


Allsaint
November 24

Our Holy Father Clement, Pope of Rome

Saint Clement was instructed in the Faith of Christ by the Apostle Peter. He became Bishop of Rome in the year 91, the third after the death of the Apostles. He died as a martyr about the year 100 during the reign of Trajan.


Allsaint
November 24

Peter, Archbishop of Alexandria

Saint Peter illustriously occupied the throne of Alexandria for twelve years, and, as Eusebius says, "was a divine example of a bishop on account of the excellence of his life and his study of the sacred Scriptures" (see Eusebius, Eccl. Hist., Book VII, 3 2; Book VIII 11, 13; and Book IX, 6). He excommunicated Arius for his sympathy with the Meletian schism. When Arius learned that Saint Peter had been imprisoned, he sent many priests and deacons to him, asking that he receive him back into the communion of the Church before his martyrdom. When the ambassadors of Arius, who had not, like Saint Peter, perceived the ruin he would engender, were astonished at the vehemence with which Saint Peter refused to receive Arius again, he revealed to them a dread vision he had seen, in which the Master Christ had appeared to him as a child wearing a garment torn from head to foot. When Saint Peter asked the Lord who rent His garment, the Lord answered that it was Arius, and that he must not be received back into communion. The holy hieromartyr Peter was beheaded during the reign of Maximinus in the year 312; he is called the "Seal of the Martyrs," because he was the last Bishop of Alexandria to suffer martyrdom under the pagan Emperors. His successors to the throne of Alexandria, Saints Alexander and Athanasius the Great, brought to final victory the battle against Arius' heresy which Saint Peter had begun.


Katherin
November 25

Catherine the Great Martyr of Alexandria

Saint Catherine, who was from Alexandria, was the daughter of Constas (or Cestus). She was an exceedingly beautiful maiden, most chaste, and illustrious in wealth, lineage, and learning. By her steadfast understanding, she utterly vanquished the passionate and unbridled soul of Maximinus, the tyrant of Alexandria; and by her eloquence, she stopped the mouths of the so-called philosophers who had been gathered to dispute with her. She was crowned with the crown of martyrdom in the year 305. Her holy relics were taken by Angels to the holy mountain of Sinai, where they were discovered many years later; the famous monastery of Saint Catherine was originally dedicated to the Holy Transfiguration of the Lord and the Burning Bush, but later was dedicated to Saint Catherine. According to the ancient usage, Saints Catherine and Mercurius were celebrated on the 24th of this month, whereas the holy Hieromartyrs Clement of Rome and Peter of Alexandria were celebrated on the 25th. The dates of the feasts of these Saints were interchanged at the request of the Church and Monastery of Mount Sinai, so that the festival of Saint Catherine, their patron, might be celebrated more festively together with the Apodosis of the Feast of the Entry of the Theotokos. The Slavic Churches, however, commemorate these Saints on their original dates.


25_catherine4
November 25

Apodosis of the Presentation of the Theotokos into the Temple


Mercurios
November 25

Mercurius the Great Martyr of Caesarea in Cappadocia

Saint Mercurius came from Cappadocia, and was the son of Gordian, a Scythian. A young man, and a soldier of high rank, he refused to offer sacrifice to the idols, and after torments was beheaded during the reign of Valerian (253-260).


Allsaint
November 26

Alypius the Stylite of Adrianopolis

Saint Alypius was from Adrianople of Bithynia; having lived upon a pillar for fifty-three years, he reposed about the year 607, at the age of one hundred.


Nikonrepentye
November 26

Nikon

Saint Nikon, the son of a certain noble, was from Armenia. Forsaking his parents and homeland, he passed throughout the parts of the East, crying to all men, "Repent ye," because of which he received this name. Finally, he came to Lacedaemonia of the Peloponnesus, where he built a church in honour of Christ our Saviour. After having dwelt there many years in solitude, and having converted many from paganism, he departed to the Lord about the end of the ninth century.


Presentation
November 24

Afterfeast of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple


Styliano
November 26

Stylianos the Monk of Paphlagonia

St. Stylianos was from Paphlagonia living in the latter 6th century and early 7th century. He loved the Lord Jesus Christ with his whole heart and lived in strict asceticism. When he fell asleep in the Lord, his face shone like the sun and an angel appeared to take his soul to Glory. His prayers have worked many miracles, both during his earthly life and since. He is of special help to children who are ill and to childless couples. He is known as a protector of orphans.


Allsaint
November 26

Akakios of Sinai who is mentioned in The Ladder


Allsaint
November 26

Innocent of Irkutsk


Allsaint
November 27

James the Great Martyr of Persia

This Saint was from the city of Bythlaba and was of noble birth; he was the closest and most honoured friend of Isdiger (or Yazdegerd) I, King of Persia (reigned 399-420). Though a Christian from his youth, James renounced Christ because he was allured by the King's friendship and flatteries. When his mother and his wife learned of this, they declared to him by letter that they would have nothing more to do with him, since he had preferred a glory that is temporal to the love of Christ. Wounded in soul by these words and coming to himself, the Saint wept over his error, and repudiated the worship of the idols. Therefore, becoming exceedingly wroth, the King - this was Bahram (or Varahran) V (reigned 421-438), Isdiger's son and successor - condemned him to a most bitter death, the likes of which not even a brute beast was ever condemned to: that is, his body was dismembered at every joint of his arms and legs. And so, when he had been cut asunder limb by limb to his very hips and shoulders, the courageous Martyr was finally beheaded, in the year 421.


Allsaint
November 27

Gregory of Sinai and his disciple Gerasimos


18_lukewriting
November 28

13th Sunday of Luke


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Wisdom of the Fathers

What Mary might well have said to Martha, the Lord, anticipating her, replied that she had left everything to sit at the Lord's feet, and bless God all day long. You see, her sitting was for love's sake.
St. Makarios the Great
Homily XII, 4th Century

But that God's word may be made clearer, listen to this. If any one loves Jesus, and attends to Him in earnest, and not in a casual way, but in love abides by Him, God is already devising to make some return to that soul for its love, although the man does not know what he is to receive or what portion God is about to give to the soul.
St. Makarios the Great
Homily XII, 4th Century

For this reason the Lord, who knew what He gave her, said, Mary has chosen the good part. But after a time the things which Martha had done so eagerly in the way of service brought her to that gift of grace. She too received divine power in her soul.
St. Makarios the Great
Homily XII, 4th Century

Receptacle of great graces ... she only is the frontier between created and uncreated nature, and there is no man that shall come to God except he be truly illumined through her ... It was through the Theotokos alone that the Lord came to us.
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century

There came to pass in the womb not a union only, but further, a formation, and that thing formed from the Power of the Most High and the all-holy virginal womb was the incarnate Word of God.
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century

How indeed could that body suffer corruption and turn to earth? ... The 'ark of holiness' (Ps. 131:8) is resurrected, after the prophetic ode, together with Christ ... by her ascension ... uniting those on high with those below ...
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century

... and these words entering into her heart were made a soul to her soul and a spirit to her spirit, and a divine power was filled into her heart. Where that power shall lodge, it cannot but abide permanently, as a possession not to be taken away.
St. Makarios the Great
Homily XII, 4th Century

Thus she exalted those under her through herself, and, showing while on earth obedience to things heavenly rather than things earthly, she partook of more excellent deserts and of superior power.
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century

In this manner she was in the beginning 'a little lower than the angels' (Ps. 8:6), as it is said, referring to her mortality, yet this only served to magnify her pre-eminence as regards all creatures ...
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century

When Mary loved Him, and sat at His feet, the gift that was added to her was no casual gift; He gave her a certain hidden virtue from His own substance. The very words which God spoke in peace to Mary were so many spirits, and a power; ...
St. Makarios the Great
Homily XII, 4th Century

The death of the Theotokos was also life-bearing, translating her into a celestial and immortal life ... Its commemoration not merely renews the memory of the wondrous deeds of the Mother of God, but also adds thereto the strange gathering at her all-sacred burial of all the sacred apostles conveyed from every nation ...
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century

Thus the Word of God took up His dwelling in the Theotokos in an inexpressable manner and proceeded from her, bearing flesh ... This is the encomium which transcends nature and the surpassingly glorious glory of the Ever-Virgin ... she was also rightly glorified and exalted together with Him ...
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century

A most mystical economy of courtship came to pass as regards the Virgin, a strange greeting surpassing speech which the Archangel, descended from above, addressed to her, and disclosures and salutations from God which overturn the condemnation of Eve and Adam and remedy the curse laid on them, transforming it into a blessing ...
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century

She alone in her body, glorified by God, now enjoys the celestial realm together with her Son. For earth and grave and death did not hold forever her life-originating and God-receiving body - the dwelling more favored than Heaven and the Heaven of heavens ...
St. Gregory Palamas
Homily on the Dormition., 14th Century

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