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St. Nicholas Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2020-05-03
Bulletin Contents
Weekly Update
Hymns of the Day
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Wisdom of the Fathers
Saints and Feasts
Maura
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St. Nicholas Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • 434-973-2500
  • Street Address:

  • 7581 Rockfish Gap Turnpike

  • Charlottesville, VA 22906
  • Mailing Address:

  • PO Box 6981

  • Charlottesville, VA 22906

Past Bulletins


Weekly Update

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CHRIST IS RISEN!  INDEED HE IS RISEN!

If you have not already done so, please take the time to read His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholmew's Paschal Message.  Please also go here to read the Paschal Letter from the Permanent Conference of Ukrainian Orthodox Bishops Beyond the Borders of Ukraine.

St. Nicholas Virtual Coffee Hour!

The parish has implemented a "virtual coffee hour" from 12-2pm on Sundays. This provides an opportunity for parishioners to interact and share with one another. Please pray the Typika service at home (text on the website, hymns and readings for the week in this bulletin), then join your parish family for fellowship!

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83353869223

Meeting ID: 833 5386 9223

Charitable Works Service Group Gift

May 5th has been designated as “GivingTuesday”, an international day of giving in response to the COVID-19 crisis, and it is an opportunity for us to give locally as well. The Charitable Works Service Group is making a $250 donation on behalf of St. Nicholas parish to the Blue Ridge Food Bank, which serves a broad geographic area here in the Shenandoah Valley.  Given the great need for food at this time, the work of food banks has become indispensable and financial support is critical at this time. May the Lord continue to bless this very worthy ministry and all those who offer it.

Opportunities to Serve Your Neighbor!

As we celebrate the Lord's Resurrection, we must continue to remember the critical importance of loving our neighbor (Mt 22:34-40), as the Lord commanded us to do ( "my neighbor is my salvation").  Love is demonstrated both in prayer and deed.  Please remember your neighbors in this time of acute need. Here are some specific ways to help:

  • Virginia hospitals across the state are experiencing a severe shortage of blood, and the UVA Medical Center is encouraging healthy and eligible individuals to contact the American Red Cross to make an appointment to donate.  Our Archbishop Daniel and our seminarians have already done so!

  • Grace Grocery, our neighborhood food pantry at Crozet United Methodist Church, has several volunteer opportunities including set up, client help and clean up for food distributions, unloading food from truck, computer assistant, which are listed on the website. They provide training for first time volunteers. You can ask to be placed on their volunteer email list. Email: foodpantry@crozetunitedmethodist.org Phone: 434-823-4420

  • Please also keep an eye on Support Charlottesville, which is a hub for opportunities to give (and receive) material support.  This is a very good way to stay informed, get involved and help your neighbors in need.

  • The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank needs healthy volunteers to assist them at multiple locations, as well as in-kind and monetary donations (even more critical as the needs increase). Our Bishops, seminarians and Consistory staff have all been involved in similar work to address food insecurity in New Jersey -- let us emulate their example, and get involved.

  • Charlottesville Community Cares has published a resource guide with information on how to receive financial assistance, request for grocery/prescription delivery, COVID-19 hotline, emergency shelter, and Region Ten Emergency Services Hotline. Join the network: bit.ly/cvillecare2020. Donate: congregatecville.com. Email: cvillecares@gmail.com.
  • Consider making masks for one of the following insitutions:
    • Sentara Rockingham Memorial Hospital: 540-689-8545 rmh_rmhvol@sentara.com
    • Augusta Health Hospital: 540-332-5174 ahfoundation@augustahealth.com
    • UVA Hospital: 434-924-5251 volunteerservices@virginia.edu

UOL Essay Contest

Reminder: Applications for the 2020 Ukrainian Orthodox League Essay Contest is 2 May. This is a great opportunity for the youth of the parish. Application and additional information here.

Weekly Sermons from Father

During this period of curtailment of the parish's ability to gather in worship, audio sermons, written meditations and other resources will be posted regularly to the parish website ['Updates from Father Charles' link on the homepage]. Weekly bulletins and email communications will continue. Please use these resources to remain connected to your parish family.

Continued Pandemic Restrictions

A reminder that restrictions remain in place by order of the Governor of Virgina. All parishioners are reminded to observe Virginia state directives regarding non-essential travel and assembly -- these restrictions are critical to broader efforts to stem the tide of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is an act of basic Christian charity, mercy and compassion to be observant of these restrictions, for the safety of all of our neighbors and brethren in Christ.

2020 Budget and Board Proposals

Please see the letter to the parish, sent this week, from the Parish Board Chair summarizing the comments received on the proposed 2020 budget.

Stewardship Reminder

Despite the current (temporary) modification to the parish's schedule of services, meetings, and events, all parishioners are reminded of the pledges they have made as part of their stewardship commitment of time, talent and treasure. Some parishioners may encounter financial hardship during this time of crisis, and we can only give as we are able. That said, the parish must continue to meet its budgetary obligations and operating expenses.  Please continue sending your contributions by to the church via US Mail:

St. Nicholas Orthodox Church

PO Box 6981

Charlottesville, VA 22906

Special Intentions, Needs and Requests

A reminder to contact Father directly (fr.charles@mailbox.org | 443-204-4542) with any special prayer requests, intentions or concerns/needs, and he will make sure these are addressed.

Recent Prayer Requests

+All who have reposed in the Lord this week due to the pandemic

+Daniel Sr. (repose)

Nicholas (newly-illumined)

Karen (healing)

Alice (healing)

Beverly (healing)

Josephine & Daniel Jr. (health)

Theo (recovery)

Heidi (illness)

Elizabeth (illness)

Lisa and Daniel (illness)

All of those struggling financially during the pandemic, and for those whoe basic necessities are out of reach

All medical personnel, first responders and others ministering to the sick, and those rendering vital services to their neighbors

All those in high-risk populations during this pandemic

 

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Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion of Great and Holy Pascha in the 5th Tone

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life.

Resurrectional Troparion in the 2nd Tone

When You descended to death, O Life Immortal, You destroyed hell with the splendor of Your Godhead. And when from the depths You raised the dead, all the powers of heaven cried out: “O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory to You!”

Apolytikion for Holy Myrrhbearers Sunday in the 2nd Tone

The noble Joseph, taking Thine immaculate Body down from the Tree, and having wrapped It in pure linen and spices, laid It for burial in a new tomb. But on the third day Thou didst arise, O Lord, granting great mercy to the world.

Apolytikion for Holy Myrrhbearers Sunday in the 2nd Tone

Unto the myrrh-bearing women did the Angel cry out as he stood by the grave: Myrrh oils are meet for the dead, but Christ hath proved to be a stranger to corruption. But cry out: The Lord is risen, granting great mercy to the world.

Seasonal Kontakion in the 8th Tone

Though You went down into the tomb, You destroyed Hades' power, and You rose the victor, Christ God, saying to the myrrh-bearing women, "Hail!" and granting peace to Your disciples, You who raise up the fallen.
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Fourth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Luke 24:1-12

On the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women went to the tomb, taking the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of man must be delivered in to the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise." And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the apostles; but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.

But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home wondering at what had happened.

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. 2nd Tone. Psalm 117.14,18.
The Lord is my strength and my song.
Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely.

The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 6:1-7.

In those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, "it is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochoros, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaos, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women
The Reading is from Mark 15:43-47; 16:1-8

At that time, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. And Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. And he bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud, and laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.

And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?" And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you." And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

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Wisdom of the Fathers

They [the women] had followed Him ministering to Him, and were present even unto the time of the dangers. Wherefore also they saw all; how He cried, how He gave up the ghost, how the rocks were rent, and all the rest.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 88 on Matthew 27, 4th Century

The second [Sunday after Pascha] is dedicated to the women who visited the tomb of Christ, hoping to anoint his body with myrrh, but they found an empty tomb instead. In many ways, this reflects the content of every Sunday and every Divine Liturgy: we come to church to celebrate the sacrifice of Christ, which takes place on the altar, a symbol of the tomb of Christ. Our testimony, every time, is that the tomb is empty, a reflection of the revelation to the Myrrh bearers.
Rev. Dr. Andreas Andreopoulos
Gazing on God: Trinity, Church and Salvation in Orthodox Thought and Iconography. Cambridge: James Clarke & Co., 2013, 55-56.

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Saints and Feasts

Maura
May 03

The Holy Martyrs Timothy and Maura

The holy Martyrs Timothy and Maura were husband and wife. Timothy was from Penapeis in the Thebaid, a reader in the Church, and had been married to Maura only twenty days when he was betrayed to Arian, the Governor of the Thebaid, as a teacher of the Christians. Arian commanded Timothy to surrender his sacred books, which he refused to do, comparing it to a father's giving up his children to death. For this answer, heated iron spits were thrust through his ears. As he was being put to other tortures, Arian summoned Maura, hoping that she would persuade her husband to worship the idols, but she confessed herself a Christian. The hair of her head was pulled out, her fingers were cut off, then she was lowered into a cauldron of boiling water, but remained unharmed. Finally husband and wife were crucified facing each other, and after nine days, received their martyric end, during the reign of Diocletian (284-305).

Allsaint
May 03

Peter the Wonderworker

Allsaint
May 03

Xenia of Kalamata the Great Martyr

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