Gospel and Epistle Readings

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 Titus 3:8-15.

Titus, my son, the saying is sure. I desire you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to apply themselves to good deeds; these are excellent and profitable to men. But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels over the law, for they are unprofitable and futile. As for a man who is factious, after admonishing him once or twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is perverted and sinful; he is self-condemned.

When I send Artemas or Tychicos to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. And let our people learn to apply themselves to good deeds, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not to be unfruitful.

All who are with me send greeting to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the 7th Ecumenical Council
The Reading is from Luke 8:5-15

The Lord said this parable: "A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the path, and was trodden under foot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew, and yielded a hundredfold." And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience." As he said these things, he cried out "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Third Mode

Ευραινέσθω τά ουράνια, αγαλλιάσθω τά επίγεια, ότι εποίησε κράτος εν βραχίονι αυτού ο Κύριος· επάτησε τώ θανάτω τόν θάνατον· πρωτότοκος τών νεκρών εγένετο, εκ κοιλίας Άδου ερρύσατο ημάς, καί παρέσχε τώ κόσμω τό μέγα έλεος.

Εfrenestho ta ourania, agaliasto ta epigia, oti epiise kratos, en vrahioni aftou o Kirios, epatise to thanato ton thanaton, prototokos ton nekron egeneto, ek kilias adou erisato imas, ke paresche to kosmo to mega eleos.

Let all the things above in heaven rejoice and let all things below on earth be glad. With all the might and strength of His arm an eternal deed the Lord did perform. Beneath His feet He has trampled down death by death, and first born of the dead has He become. From the womb of Hades has He delivered us, and to all the world has granted His great redeeming mercy.

Apolytikion for Sun. of the 7th Ecumenical Council in the Plagal Fourth Mode

Supremely blessed are You, O Christ our God. You established the holy Fathers upon the earth as beacons, and through them You have guided us all to the true Faith, O greatly merciful One, glory be to You.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Second Mode

A protection of Christians unshameable, / intercessor to our Holy Maker, unwavering, / reject not / the prayerful cries of those who are in sin. / Instead, / come to us for you are good; / Your loving help bring unto us / who are crying in faith to you: / Hasten to intercede/ and speed now to supplicate, / as a protection for all time, / Theotokos, for those who honor you.

Saints and Feasts

October 14

Sunday of the 7th Ecumenical Council

On the Sunday that falls on or immediately after the eleventh of this month, we chant the Service to the 350 holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, which gathered in Nicaea in 787 under the holy Patriarch Tarasius and during the reign of the Empress Irene and her son, Constantine Porphyrogenitus, to refute the Iconoclast heresy, which had received imperial support beginning with the Edict issued in 726 by Emperor Leo the Isaurian. Many of the holy Fathers who condemned Iconoclasm at this holy Council later died as Confessors and Martyrs for the holy Icons during the second assult of Iconoclasm in the ninth century, especially during the reigns of Leo the Armenian and Theophilus.

October 14

Nazarius, Gervasius, Protasius, & Celsus of Milan

The holy Martyrs all contested for piety's sake in Milan; after the passage of much time their holy relics were discovered and given honourable burial by Saint Ambrose.

October 14

Righteous Paraskeve of Serbia

Saint Paraskeve was born in Thrace in the eleventh century. In her youth she went to Constaninople, and thence journeyed to the Holy Land in pursuit of the ascetical life. After struggling for many years in the wilderness of the Jordan, she was moved by God to return to her homeland. She continued her monastic labours there for a few more years, and then reposed in peace.

October 14

Cosmas the Hagiopolite

Saint Cosmas was from the Holy City, Jerusalem, and was a contemporary and peer of Saint John of Damascus (Dec. 4), with whom also he was reared when, because of his orphanhood he was adopted by Sergius, Saint John's father, and with whom he had the same instructor. About the year 743, he was elected Bishop of Maiuma, a coastal city of Palestine, aforetime under the jurisdiction of Gaza, with the name Port Gaza. During the reign of Saint Constantine the Great, it became a separate township and at that time was renamed Constantia, after Constantine, the son of the Emperor (see Sozomen, Eccl. Hist., V:3). Cosmas became an excellent hymnographer, from whence he is called "the Composer and Melodist," Among his many compositions are the Canon of the Cross (Sept. 14) and the Canon for the Nativity of Christ, "Christ is born, give ye glory."

Welcome

This Weeks Announcements

We extend greetings and a warm welcome to all visitors worshipping with us today. Please fill out a“visitor information card” located in the narthex and hand to one of the greeters. Following the Liturgy, please join us in our social hall for the coffee social.
Holy Communion in our Church is offered only to Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves through the disciplines of our faith. Speak to Fr. Costas for further details.

We kindly ask everyone to Please silence cell phones and pagers while in Church

Today ~ MNYMOSINO: 40 days for Helga (Eleni) Almaliotis; 1 year for Bessie Hourmouzis; for Maria Koulioufas; for Demetrios Koulioufas; TRISAGIA: for Aristides and Ioannis Almaliotis; for Marinos and Marina Hourmouzis; for Mersene Conomea.
Today ~ Adult Catechism with Elaine Poulos and Coffee & Conversation with Jonathan and Kristina Tartara following Holy Communion.
Today ~We extend a warm welcome to all the board members of the National Sisterhood of Presbyteres who had their meetings in town, and who are worshiping with us today.
Today ~ Coffee Social hosted by Sunday School.
Today ~ GOYA meeting following Sunday School.
Today ~ 3:00 p.m. HOPE / JOY Family Fun Day at Luther Farms (5150 Alger Road in Richfield). Adults (13+) $5 / children (5-12) $3 / 4 and under free. Meet under big tent at the Farm.
Monday ~ 5:30 p.m. Greek School.
Tuesday ~ 10:00 a.m. Women’s Study Group with Elaine Poulos will NOT be held this week.
Thursday ~ 10:00 a.m. Afghan workshop in Teen Room. FREE instruction, yarn, and patterns available. Open to all.
Thursday ~ 7:00 p.m. Bible Study with Frank Chirakos and Fr. Costas. All are welcome.
You have all received in the mail the package of information for the Final Phase, of the PAVE THE WAY. Please review and respond.
We are in need of a Church Organist. If you are able, or you know of someone, please call the office.

Upcoming Events in Our Parish – Respond Early

Next Sunday ~ Epistle Reading, Galatians 2:16-20; Gospel, Luke 8:5-15.
Next Sunday ~ Philoptochos Loukoumades sale during coffee social. Dance practice for all groups following Sunday School.
October 23 ~ 6:00 p.m. Family Ministry meeting.
October 25 ~ 2:00 p.m. Senior Fellowship Kafenio with movie “Mama Mia! Here We Go Again.”
November 4 ~ 1:00 p.m. Watch Party in Hellenic Center. Come watch the Cleveland Browns battle the Kansas City Chiefs. Bring your favorite snack or appetizer to share as we watch the game on the big screen. Pizza provided. FREE – RSVP required: 440.237.8998 or stpaulgoc.org.
November 5 ~ 5:30 p.m. Philoptochos Baking Class will be making Baklava with Kathy Nikolaou. $25.00 participation fee. Register during coffee social or through our website.
November 17 ~ 9:00 a.m. Renewed Day by Day ~ Enlivening our Marriage Commitment with Fr. Alexander Goussetis at Annunciation Akron. RSVP at www.stpaulgoc.org. $25/couple.
November 30 ~ 7:00 p.m. St Paul Night at the Cleveland Monsters Hockey game featuring intermission performance by our Junior dancers. Tickets $12 each can be purchased on our website, from Eleni Johnson, or any of the Junior instructors by October 21^st.
May 4 – 15, 2019 ~ Father Costas leads Pilgrimage to Italy. Contact him for more information.

Events in the Greater Cleveland Area and Beyond…

Friday – Next Sunday ~ Fall Choir Workshop at Annunciation Akron with special guest director Kevin Lawrence from North Carolina. Free and open to all. RSVP to Georgia Stathopoulos by October 1^st 330.864.8258 georgiastathopoulos@yahoo.com.
Saturday ~ 8:00 p.m. Ikarian Glendi at Annunciation Akron featuring Stigma with violi by Peter Karnavas. Tickets $20, children 10 and under free. Appetizer buffet included, cash bar available.
October 25 ~ 6:00 p.m. Eastern Orthodox Women’s Guild Annual Gala Affair at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Parma. See Evangeline Bozikis (216.447.9824) for tickets $15 adults / $7.50 children 6-12 / children under 6 free.
October 25 ~ 7:00 p.m. Great Vespers at St. Demetrios Rocky River.
October 26 ~ feast of St. Demetrios held at St. Demetrios Rocky River; 8:30 a.m. Orthros; 9:30 a.m. Liturgy followed by luncheon.
October 27 ~ 9:30 a.m. BeeTreat led by Steve Christoforou and the Beetreat team for students in 6^th – 12^th grade, parents, and youth workers at Annunciation Akron. Register at y2am.org/beetreats. Orthodoxy on Tap will follow at 7:30 p.m. for young adults 18 – 35 at Nuevo Modern Mexican Restaurant on Mill St in Akron.
October 28 ~ 2:30 p.m. Community Meal offered by our parish at St. Albert’s on Wallings Rd. Offer your assistance by signing up today at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0949aaac2daa8-satg.
November 5 ~ 6:30 p.m. St Herman House FOCUS Cleveland presents Everybody Knows Somebody...the Addict at Your Door at Annunciation Cleveland. $30/person. For more information, call 216.961.3806.