Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. First Mode. Psalm 32.22,1.
Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 4:9-16.

Brethren, God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are ill-clad and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as the refuse of the world, the off-scouring of all things. I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me.

Gospel Reading

10th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 17:14-23

At that time, a man came up to Jesus and kneeling before him said, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him." And Jesus answered, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me." And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move hence to yonder place,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. But this kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting." As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day."

Saints and Feasts

August 21

The Holy Apostle Thaddaeus

The Apostle Thaddaeus was from Edessa, a Jew by race. When he came to Jerusalem, he became a disciple of Christ, and after His Ascension he returned to Edessa. There he catechized and baptized Abgar (see Aug. 16). Having preached in Mesopotamia, he ended his life in martyrdom. Though some call him one of the Twelve, whom Matthew calls "Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus" (Matt. 10:3), Eusebius says that he is one of the Seventy: "After [Christ's] Resurrection from the dead, and His ascent into Heaven, Thomas, one of the twelve Apostles, inspired by God, sent Thaddaeus, one of the seventy disciples of Christ, to Edessa as a preacher and evangelist of Christ's teaching" (Eccl. Hist. 1: 13).

August 21

The Holy Martyr Bassa and Her Sons: Theognis, Agapius, and Pistus

The Martyrs were from Edessa of Macedonia. Bassa was the wife of a certain Valerian, a priest of the idols, to whom she bore three sons and raised them in piety. She was betrayed with her sons to the proconsul by her own husband; each of her sons was tormented before her and beheaded. For refusing to worship the idols, she was imprisoned, cast into water and then fire, was stoned, and remaining unharmed, was brought to the temple to worship the idols. Laying hold upon the idol of Zeus, she overturned it and broke it to pieces. After being preserved through further torments, she was beheaded, about the year 290, in the reign of Maximian.

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the First Mode

Τού λίθου σφραγισθέντος υπό τών Ιουδαίων, καί στρατιωτών φυλλασόντων, τό άχραντόν Σου σώμα, ανέστης τριήμερος Σωτήρ, δωρούμενος τώ κόσμω τήν ζωήν. Διά τούτο αι Δυνάμεις τών ουρανών εβόων σοι Ζωοδότα· δόξα τή Αναστάσει σου Χριστέ, δόξα τή βασιλεία σου, δόξα τή οικονομία σου μόνε Φιλάνθρωπε.

Τu lithou sfragisthentos ipo ton Ioudeon, ke stratioton filasonton to ahranton sou soma, anesti triemeros Sotir, doroumenos ton kosmo tin zoin. Dia touto e dinamis ton ouranon evon si Zoodota, doxa ti Anastasi sou Hriste, doxa ti vasilia sou, doxa ti ikonomia sou mone Filanthrope.

Although the stone was sealed by the Jews, and the soldiers guarded Your most pure body, You arose on the third day, O Savior, giving life to the world. For this reason, the heavenly powers cried out to You, O Giver of Life: Glory to Your resurrection, O Christ! Glory to Your kingdom! Glory to Your dispensaAtion, only Lover of mankind!

Apolytikion for Afterfeast of the Dormition in the First Mode

In giving birth, thou didst preserve thy virginity; in thy dormition, thou didst not forsake the world, O Theotokos. Thou wast translated unto life, since thou art the Mother of Life; and by thine intercessions dost thou redeem our souls from death.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Second Mode

Neither the grave nor death could contain the Theotokos, the unshakable hope, ever vigilant in intercession and protection. As Mother of life, He who dwelt in the ever-virginal womb transposed her to life.

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.
We offer Holy Communion in the Orthodox Church only to Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves through the disciplines of our faith. Speak to Fr. Costas for further details.

Thursday ~ 12:00 PM Agape Ovens meal pick up.
Thursday ~ 6:00 PM Philoptochos Board Meeting
St Herman’s Meal Project ~ The Stewardship Committee would like to establish an ongoing meal project for St. Herman’s (bi-monthly or monthly) and is looking for someone to help with scheduling and coordination. If you are interested in donating your time to this initiative or would like to hear more about it, please contact Georgiann Bodle at cgbod@sbcglobal.net or call 216.401.1745.
“Raise the Heat Campaign” ~ through this effort we are fundraising to replace the boiler system in our church. We invite all our parishioners to participate in whatever way they can. See mailing that was sent to your home. Please be generous in your response.
St Paul Prayer Chain ~ If you have a prayer request, email it to: prayerchain@stpaulgoc.org.

Upcoming Events in Our Parish and Beyond

Next Sunday ~ Orthros John 21:14-25 | Epistle Reading 1 Corinthians 9:2-12 | Gospel Matthew 18:23-35.
Next Sunday ~ MNYMOSINA: 9 months for Christos Karas; 1 year for Julie Langos [for Stamatios Langos].
Next Sunday ~ 11:30 AM SPECIAL Parish Assembly. Please make an effort to attend. The agenda is posted on the bulletin board and sent via email with the electronic version of the weekly bulletin.
August 29 ~ Beheading of St John the Baptist | 8:30 AM Orthros; 9:30 AM Liturgy.
August 30 ~ 7:00 PM Family Ministry meeting.
11. September 2 – 5 ~ Kamm’s Corner Greek Festival at the George Varough Cretan Club.
12. September 3 ~ 6:00 PM St Paul Senior Hellenic Dancers perform at Kamm’s Corner Greek Festival.
September 5 ~ Labor Day | Office closed.
September 10 ~ 10:00 AM Pet Blessing by the soccer field.
September 10 ~ 11:00 AM Altar Boy Retreat followed by bowling. All boys 3-12 grades are welcome to participate in this event and to take part in serving in the altar throughout the year.
September 11 ~ Sunday School begins following Holy Communion. All students and teachers to meet in the Teen Room before going to class.
September 11 ~ Parish Fair during coffee hour. Visit the many ministries our parish offers to one and all and see what they have planned for the new ecclesiastical year!
September 11 ~ Philoptochos seeks your assistance to STUFF the BUS with school supplies to benefit the children of John Muir elementary school in Parma.
September 11 ~ Greek School Ayiasmo for all students and teachers following the Parish Fair in the Teen Room.
September 11 ~ 3:30 PM GOYA kickoff at the Popadiuk home. RSVP to goya@stpaulgoc.org.
September 12 ~ GOYA fundraiser at Handel’s Ice Cream in Broadview Heights. Portion of sales will benefit GOYA by showing flyer to be provided shortly.
September 16 – 18 ~ Metropolis Family Camp Weekend in Mercer PA. “One Another” featuring keynote speaker, Mr Alex Krokos, Marriage and Family Therapist, MA, LMFT. Visit https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ej8fi0z0d2746535&oseq=&c=&ch= for more information or to register.
September 17 ~ 8:30 PM St Nicholas Philoptochos presents A Night with Gus Constantellis and Greek Dancing. For details and to purchase tickets, visit: https://square.link/u/BMAgRGba?src=sheet.
September 25 ~ 2:00 PM Collis Lecture “Reimaging Early Greek Art at the Museum of Fine Arts” at the Cleveland Museum of Art. FREE tickets available: https://engage.clevelandart.org/8312/8313.
October 23 ~ Senior Fellowship honors couples celebrating their 50^th anniversary or more who have not previously been honored. If you’re one of those couples, contact Maria Regan.