Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Grave Mode. Psalm 63.11,1.
The righteous shall rejoice in the Lord.
Verse: Oh God, hear my cry.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 4:22-27.

Brethren, Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, the son of the free woman through promise. Now this is an allegory: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written, "Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and shout, you who are not in travail; for the children of the desolate one are many more than the children of her that is married."

Gospel Reading

10th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 13:10-17

At that time, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your infirmity." And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and she praised God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, said to the people, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and not on the sabbath day." Then the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?" As he said this, all his adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.

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 Conception of the Theotokos in the Fourth Mode

Today the bonds of childlessness are broken. For hearing the prayers of Joachim and Anne, God promised that against all hope they would give birth to the Maiden of God. He, the Uncircumscribed, would be born of her, when He would become man, and by the Angel's example, He commands us to call to her: "Rejoice, Maiden full of the grace, the Lord is with you."

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Mode

Today the world rejoices in the conception of Anna, wrought by God. For she bore the One who beyond comprehension conceived the Logos.

Saints and Feasts

December 09

10th Sunday of Luke

December 09

The Conception by St. Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos

According to the ancient tradition of the Church, since Saint Anna, the Ancestor of God, was barren, she and her husband Joachim remained without children until old age. Therefore, sorrowing over their childlessness, they besought God with a promise that, if He were to grant them the fruit of the womb, they would offer their offspring to Him as a gift. And God, hearkening to their supplication, informed them through an Angel concerning the birth of the Virgin. And thus, through God's promise, Anna conceived according to the laws of nature, and was deemed worthy to become the mother of the Mother of our Lord (see also Sept. 8).

December 09

The Consecration of the Church of the Resurrection (Holy Sepulchre) in the Holy City of Jerusalem

The majestic Church of the Resurrection, built by Saint Constantine the Great and his mother Helen, was consecrated in the year 336. In the year 614, this edifice was destroyed by the Persians, who set fire to it. Modestus, the Abbot of the Monastery of Saint Theodosius, and later Patriarch of Jerusalem, rebuilt the church in 626 and had it reconsecrated. In 637, Jerusalem fell to the Moslems; however, the holy shrines were left intact. But in 934, on the Sunday of Pascha, the Saracens set fire to part of this church. Again in 969, the Moslems set fire to the dome of the church, plundered all the sacred objects that were found therein, and surrendered John IV, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, to the flames. In 1010, the Moslems, under Hakim the Mad, Caliph of Egypt, destroyed the church to its foundations, but in 1028, by the mediation of Emperor Romanus III Argyrus of Constantinople, the church began to be rebuilt on a more modest scale. This third edifice was completed and reconsecrated in 1048. In 1099, the crusaders took Jerusalem and ruled there for eighty-eight years, and during this time they made certain changes in the structure, which, for the most part, has remained unaltered ever since (See also Sept. 13).

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: 1 year for Niko Kokkas; 5 years for Annie Gianakis; TRISAGIA: for Constantine and Mary Vourliotis.
Today ~ Coffee & Conversation with Jonathan and Kristina Tartara following Holy Communion.
Today ~ Election of Parish Council members during coffee social. To be eligible to vote, you must have paid your 2017 pledge in full and completed a pledge card for the present year, 2018.
Today ONLY ~ Coat Drive sponsored by Philoptochos. Bring a new or gently used coat to church and place it on the stage in the hall. It will be given to St. Mary of Egypt to distribute to those in need.
Today ~ Loukoumades sale sponsored by Greek School.
Today ~Philopotochos Bake sale.
Today ~ 4:00 p.m. Pan-Orthodox Nativity Concert hosted by our parish.
Tuesday ~ 6:00 p.m. Philoptochos Christmas Dinner. By reservation only.
Monday ~ 5:30 p.m. Greek School.
Tuesday ~ 6:30 p.m. GOYA basketball practice at St. Michael’s on Mill Road.
Wednesday ~ feast of St. Spyridon; 8:30 a.m. Orthros; 9:30 a.m. Liturgy.
Thursday ~ 6:30 p.m. Parish Council monthly meeting and Christmas celebration.
Thursday ~ 7:00 p.m. Bible Study with Frank Chirakos. Everyone welcome!
Thank you to all who completed and returned their 2019 Stewardship commitment card last Sunday. If you have not done so yet, please complete and return it to the church office at your earliest convenience. With much gratitude, the Stewardship Committee.
You have all received in the mail the package of information for the Final Phase, of the PAVE THE WAY. Please review and respond generously to this project. We thank you for your generosity!

Upcoming Events in Our Parish – Respond Early

Next Sunday ~ Epistle Reading, Colossians 3:4-11; Gospel, Luke 14:16-24.
Next Sunday ~ Christmas programs offered by Sunday School and Greek School following Liturgy.
December 24 ~ Christmas Eve; 10:00 a.m. Royal Hours of Christmas; 5:00 p.m. Vesperal Liturgy; Office closed.
December 25 ~ Holy Nativity; 8:15 a.m. Orthros; 9:30 a.m. Liturgy; Office closed.
January 1 ~ St. Basil; 8:30 a.m. Orthros; 9:30 a.m. Liturgy; Office closed.
January 4 ~ 10:00 a.m. Royal Hours of Epiphany.
January 5 ~ Eve of Theophany; 8:15 a.m. Orthros; 9:30 a.m. Vesperal Liturgy with blessing of water; 6:30 p.m. Great Vespers.
January 6 ~ Theophany; Vasilopita Sunday; Swearing in of Parish Council members followed by election of officers; GOYA meeting; Dance practice for Beginner and Junior dancers; Greek Corner meets at noon.
January 7 ~ John the Glorious Prophet, Baptist & Forerunner; 8:30 a.m. Orthros; 9:30 a.m. Liturgy.
January 8 ~ House blessings begin. Use the form in The Messenger, our website, or call the church office to add your name to the list. Father Costas will call to confirm appointment time.
May 4 – 15, 2019 ~ Father Costas leads Pilgrimage to Italy. Contact him for more information. Final deadline to sign up has been extended to the end of January.

Events in the Greater Cleveland Area and Beyond…

December 29 ~ 7:00 p.m. HPS Ball at Lago, East Bank on W10^th St in Cleveland. Contact Linda Glynias at 216.469.2663 for more information and tickets.
December 31 ~ 8:30 p.m. Laugh in 2019 with Basile! New Year’s Eve Show at St. Nicholas in Lorain. For reservations or additional information, email hilariousgreek@gmail.com.
January 3 – 6 ~ Pancretan Youth Conference hosted by the Cretan youth of Akron and Cleveland. Contact Michael Zanoudakis for more information at 440.785.6198.