Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Second Mode. Psalm 117.14,18.
The Lord is my strength and my song.
Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 9:2-12.

Brethren, you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defense to those who would examine me. Do we not have the right to our food and drink? Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a wife, as the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? Do I say this on human authority? Does not the law say the same? For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain." Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of a share in the crop. If we have sown spiritual good among you, is it too much if we reap your material benefits? If others share this rightful claim upon you, do not we still more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.

Gospel Reading

11th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 18:23-35

The Lord said this parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, 'Pay what you owe.' So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' And in anger his lord delivered him to the torturers, till he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."

Saints and Feasts

August 28

Job of Pochaev

Saint Job of Pochaev was born about 1551 in southwest Galicia of a pious Orthodox family. In his tenth year the Saint departed for the Ugornitsky Monastery of our Saviour in the Carpathian Mountains. Tonsured after two years, he was ordained hieromonk about 1580. Renowned for his meekness and humility, Job was invited by the great zealot for Holy Orthodoxy in the Carpatho-Russia, Prince Constantine Ostrozhky, to be Abbot of the Monastery of the Cross in Dubno. In his zeal for the preservation and propagation of the Orthodox Faith, and to counteract the propaganda of the Uniates, he printed and widely disseminated Orthodox spiritual and liturgical books. About 1600 he removed to the Mountain of Pochaev where at insistence of the brethren, he became Abbot of the Monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos, which he enlarged and made to flourish. Through his labours, a large printing works was founded at Pochaev and greatly assisted in the nurture of the Orthodox faithful in that region. His monastery became the center of the Orthodox Church in western Ukraine. The Saint reposed, having taken the schema with the name of John, in 1651, at the advanced age of one hundred.

August 28

Moses the Black of Scete

Saint Moses, who is also called Moses the Black, was a slave, but because of his evil life, his master cast him out, and he became a ruthless thief, dissolute in all his ways. Later, however, coming to repentance, he converted, and took up the monastic life under Saint Isidore of Scete. He gave himself over to prayer and the mortification of the carnal mind with such diligence that he later became a priest of exemplary virtue. He was revered by all for his lofty ascetical life and for his great humility. Once the Fathers in Scete asked Moses to come to an assembly to judge the fault of a certain brother, but he refused. When they insisted, he took a basket which had a hole in it, filled it with sand, and carried it on his shoulders. When the Fathers saw him coming they asked him what the basket might mean. He answered, "My sins run out behind me, and I do not see them, and I am come this day to judge failings which are not mine." When a barbarian tribe was coming to Scete, Moses, conscious that he himself had slain other men when he was a thief, awaited them and was willingly slain by them with six other monks, at the end of the fourth century. He was a contemporary of Saint Arsenius the Great (see May 8).

August 28

Synaxis of the Kiev Cave Fathers

On this day, we celebrate the Synaxis of the Kiev Cave Fathers who were laid to rest in the Far Caves of Saint Theodosius in Kiev (see also Sept. 22-28).

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Second Mode

Ότε κατήλθες πρός τόν θάνατον, η ζωή η αθάνατος, τότε τόν Άδην ενέκρωσας, τή αστραπή τής Θεότητος· ότε δέ καί τούς τεθνεώτας, εκ τών καταχθονίων ανέστησας, πάσαι αι Δυνάμεις τών επουρανίων εκραύγαζον· Ζωοδότα Χριστέ ο Θεός ημών δόξα Σοι.

Όte katilthes pros ton thanaton, I zoe athanatos, tote ton Adin enekrosas, ti astrapi tis Theotitos. Ote de ke tous tethneotas ek ton katakthonion anestisas, pase e Dinamis ton epuranion ekravgazon. Zoodota Christe o Theos imon doxa Si.

When You descended unto death, O Life Immortal, You rendered to Hades a mortal blow by the lightning of Your divinity, and when from the depths of darkness You also raised the dead, all the heavenly powers cried out: O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory to You.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Mode

In your holy birth, Immaculate One, Joachim and Anna were rid of the shame of childlessness; Adam and Eve of the corruption of death. And so your people, free of the guilt of their sins, celebrate crying: “The barren one gives birth to the Theotokos, who nourishes our 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.

Today ~ MNYMOSINA: 9 months for Christos Karas; 1 year for Julie Langos [for Stamatios Langos].
Today ~ Coffee Social hosted by the Langos family.
Today ~ 11:30 AM SPECIAL Parish Assembly during the coffee hour. It will very brief, dealing with only two items. The agenda is posted on the bulletin board and was sent via email and included in the electronic version of the weekly bulletin.
Monday ~ Beheading of St John the Baptist | 8:30 AM Orthros; 9:30 AM Liturgy.
Tuesday ~ 7:00 PM Family Ministry meeting.
5. Friday – September 5 ~ Kamm’s Corner Greek Festival at the George Varough Cretan Club.
6. Saturday ~ 6:00 PM St Paul Senior Hellenic Dancers perform at Kamm’s Corner Greek Festival.
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.
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 Matthew 28:16-20 | Epistle Reading 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 | Gospel Matthew 19:16-26.
Next Sunday ~ 6:00 PM Hellenic Preservation Society Greek Garden Sculptures invites you to meet the sculptor, Nicholas Fairplay. Donations being raised to complete the project hpsneo.org.
September 5 ~ Labor Day | Office closed.
September 6 ~ 7:00 PM Home Committee meeting.
September 8 ~ Nativity of the Theotokos | 8:30 AM Orthros; 9:30 AM Liturgy.
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 ~ Oath of office will be administered to GOYAn officers.
September 11 ~ 40-day churching for the son of Despina and Brian Yurik.
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 in Lorain presents A Night with Gus Constantellis and Greek Dancing. For details and to purchase tickets, visit: https://square.link/u/BMAgRGba?src=sheet.
September 20 ~ 10:00 AM Women’s Book Study with Elaine Poulos continues via ZOOM. Please register at https://tinyurl.com/WomenStudySTP to receive link.
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.