Sts. Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2020-04-19
Bulletin Contents
Anastasi
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Sts. Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (301) 663-0663
  • Fax:
  • (301) 663-6855
  • Street Address:

  • 920 West 7th Street

  • Frederick, MD 21701


Contact Information






Past Bulletins


Welcome

 

Christ is Risen!  Truly He is Risen!

 

We hope to resume Divine Services this week at Sts. Peter & Paul. Please refer to our website calendar for scheduled services.

 

I pray that our Lord continues to guide and comfort you during these very challenging times.

 

Should the need arise for a pastoral visit during this time, please call the church office to make arrangements.

 

 

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Saints and Feasts

Anastasi
April 19

Great and Holy Pascha

Mary Magdalene, and the other women who were present at the burial of our Saviour on Friday evening, returned from Golgotha to the city and prepared fragrant spices and myrrh, so that they might anoint the body of Jesus. On the morrow, because of the law which forbids work on the day of the Sabbath, they rested for the whole day. But at early dawn on the Sunday that followed, almost thirty-six hours since the death of the Life-giving Redeemer, they came to the sepulchre with the spices to anoint His body. While they were considering the difficulty of rolling away the stone from the door of the sepulchre, there was a fearful earthquake; and an Angel, whose countenance shone like lightning and whose garment was white as snow, rolled away the stone and sat upon it. The guards that were there became as dead from fear and took to flight. The women, however, went into the sepulchre, but did not find the Lord's body. Instead, they saw two other Angels in the form of youths clothed in white, who told them that the Saviour was risen, and they sent forth the women, who ran to proclaim to the disciples these gladsome tidings. Then Peter and John arrived, having learned from Mary Magdalene what had come to pass, and when they entered the tomb, they found only the winding sheets. Therefore, they returned again to the city with joy, as heralds now of the supernatural Resurrection of Christ, Who in truth was seen alive by the disciples on this day on five occasions.

Our Lord, then, was crucified, died, and was buried on Friday, before the setting of the sun, which was the first of His "three days" in the grave; observing the mystical Sabbath, that "seventh day" in which it is said that the Lord "rested from all His works" (Gen. 2:2-3), He passed all of Saturday in the grave; and He arose "while it was yet dark, very early in the morning" on Sunday, the third day, which, according to the Hebrew reckoning, began after sunset on Saturday.

As we celebrate today this joyous Resurrection, we greet and embrace one another in Christ, thereby demonstrating our Saviour's victory over death and corruption, and the destruction of our ancient enmity with God, and His reconciliation toward us, and our inheritance of life everlasting. The feast itself is called Pascha, which is derived from the Hebrew word which means "passover"; because Christ, Who suffered and arose, has made us to pass over from the curse of Adam and slavery to the devil and death unto our primal freedom and blessedness. In addition, this day of this particular week, which is the first of all the rest, is dedicated to the honour of the Lord; in honour and remembrance of the Resurrection, the Apostles transferred to this day the rest from labour that was formerly assigned to the Sabbath of the ancient Law.

All foods allowed during Renewal Week.


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Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion for Great and Holy Pascha in the Plagal First Mode

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life.
Χριστός ἀνέστη ἐκ νεκρῶν, θανάτῳ θάνατον πατήσας, καί τοῖς ἐν τοῖς μνήμασι ζωήν χαρισάμενος.

Hypakoe of Great and Holy Pascha in the Fourth Mode

When they who were with Mary came, anticipating the dawn, and found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre, they heard from the Angel: Why seek ye among the dead, as though He were mortal man, Him Who abideth in everlasting light? Behold the grave-clothes. Go quickly and proclaim to the world that the Lord is risen, and hath put death to death. For He is the Son of God, Who saveth the race of men.
Προλαβοῦσαι τὸν ὄρθρον αἱ περὶ Μαριάμ, καὶ εὑροῦσαι τὸν λίθον ἀποκυλισθέντα τοῦ μνήματος, ἤκουον ἐκ τοῦ Ἀγγέλου. Τὸν ἐν φωτὶ ἀϊδίῳ ὑπάρχοντα, μετὰ νεκρῶν τί ζητεῖτε ὡς ἄνθρωπον; βλέπετε τὰ ἐντάφια σπάργανα, δράμετε, καὶ τῷ κόσμῳ κηρύξατε, ὡς ἡγέρθη ὁ Κύριος, θανατώσας τὸν θάνατον· ὅτι ὑπάρχει Θεοῦ Υἱός, τοῦ σῴζοντος τὸ γένος τῶν ἀνθρώπων.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

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.
Εἰ καὶ ἐν τάφῳ κατῆλθες ἀθάνατε, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ᾍδου καθεῖλες τὴν δύναμιν, καὶ ἀνέστης ὡς νικητής, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, γυναιξὶ Μυροφόροις φθεγξάμενος. Χαίρετε, καὶ τοῖς σοῖς Ἀποστόλοις εἰρήνην δωρούμενος ὁ τοῖς πεσοῦσι παρέχων ἀνάστασιν.
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Great and Holy Pascha
The Reading is from Acts of the Apostles 1:1-8

In the first book, O Theophilos, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. To them he presented himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me, for John baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom of lsrael?" He said to them, "it is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth."

Great and Holy Pascha
Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων 1:1-8

Τὸν μὲν πρῶτον λόγον ἐποιησάμην περὶ πάντων, ὦ Θεόφιλε, ὧν ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς ποιεῖν τε καὶ διδάσκειν, ἄχρι ἧς ἡμέρας, ἐντειλάμενος τοῖς ἀποστόλοις διὰ πνεύματος ἁγίου οὓς ἐξελέξατο, ἀνελήφθη· οἷς καὶ παρέστησεν ἑαυτὸν ζῶντα μετὰ τὸ παθεῖν αὐτὸν ἐν πολλοῖς τεκμηρίοις, διʼ ἡμερῶν τεσσαράκοντα ὀπτανόμενος αὐτοῖς, καὶ λέγων τὰ περὶ τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ θεοῦ. Καὶ συναλιζόμενος παρήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων μὴ χωρίζεσθαι, ἀλλὰ περιμένειν τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ πατρός, Ἣν ἠκούσατέ μου· ὅτι Ἰωάννης μὲν ἐβάπτισεν ὕδατι, ὑμεῖς δὲ βαπτισθήσεσθε ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ οὐ μετὰ πολλὰς ταύτας ἡμέρας. Οἱ μὲν οὖν συνελθόντες ἐπηρώτων αὐτὸν λέγοντες, Κύριε, εἰ ἐν τῷ χρόνῳ τούτῳ ἀποκαθιστάνεις τὴν βασιλείαν τῷ Ἰσραήλ; Εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς, Οὐχ ὑμῶν ἐστιν γνῶναι χρόνους ἢ καιροὺς οὓς ὁ πατὴρ ἔθετο ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ. Ἀλλὰ λήψεσθε δύναμιν, ἐπελθόντος τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς· καὶ ἔσεσθέ μοι μάρτυρες ἔν τε Ἱερουσαλήμ, καὶ ἐν πάσῃ τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ καὶ Σαμαρείᾳ, καὶ ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς.


Gospel Reading

Great and Holy Pascha
The Reading is from John 1:1-17

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light.

The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. (John bore witness to him, and cried, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, for he was before me.'") And from his fullness have we all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Great and Holy Pascha
Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 1:1-17

Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος, καὶ ὁ Λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν, καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος. Οὗτος ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. Πάντα δι᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἓν ὃ γέγονεν. Ἐν αὐτῷ ζωὴ ἦν, καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἦν τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Καὶ τὸ φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει, καὶ ἡ σκοτία αὐτὸ οὐ κατέλαβεν. 

Ἐγένετο ἄνθρωπος ἀπεσταλμένος παρὰ Θεοῦ, ὄνομα αὐτῷ Ἰωάννης· οὗτος ἦλθεν εἰς μαρτυρίαν, ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός, ἵνα πάντες πιστεύσωσι δι᾽ αὐτοῦ. Οὐκ ἦν ἐκεῖνος τὸ φῶς, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός. Ἧν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινόν, ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον. Ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἦν, καὶ ὁ κόσμος δι᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ ὁ κόσμος αὐτὸν οὐκ ἔγνω. Εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθε, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον.  Ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτόν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα Θεοῦ γενέσθαι, τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, οἳ οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων, οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκός, οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρός, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ Θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν. 

Καὶ ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ πατρός, πλήρης χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας. Ἰωάννης μαρτυρεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ κέκραγε λέγων· Οὗτος ἦν ὃν εἶπον, ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν. Καὶ ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἐλάβομεν, καὶ χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος· ὅτι ὁ νόμος διὰ Μωϋσέως ἐδόθη, ἡ χάρις καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐγένετο.


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Parish Calendar

  • Parish Liturgical Services & Activities

    April 19 to May 3, 2020

    Sunday, April 19

    12:00PM (Live Stream) Agape Service

    Monday, April 20

    Church office closed - Bright Monday

    Tuesday, April 21

    5:00PM Bible Study (Online)

    Thursday, April 23

    9:00AM (Live Stream) Orthros/Divine Liturgy George the Great Martyr and Triumphant

    5:00PM Bible Study (Online)

    Friday, April 24

    9:00AM (Live Stream) Orthros/Divine Liturgy Theotokos of the Life-giving Spring

    Saturday, April 25

    9:00AM (Cancelled) Orthros/Divine Liturgy Mark the Apostle and Evangelist

    3:00PM Hopy/Joy Gathering (online)

    5:00PM (Cancelled) Great Vespers

    Sunday, April 26

    8:30AM (Cancelled) Orthros/Divine Liturgy

    11:30AM (Cancelled) Mission of Mercy Packed Lunches

    1:00PM Sunday School (Online)

    Tuesday, April 28

    5:00PM Bible Study

    Thursday, April 30

    5:00PM Bible Study

    Saturday, May 2

    2:00PM Catechism Class (online)

    5:00PM (Live Stream) Great Vespers

    6:00PM (Cancelled)Three Hierarchs Bookclub Gathering

    Sunday, May 3

    8:30AM (Live Stream) Orthros/Divine Liturgy

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Parish Ministries

Parish Council: George Lountos (President), Chrisoula Evans (Vice President), Bruce Flanders (Treasurer), Denise Beauclair (Secretary), Spiros Trivizas, Sue Manos, Elizabeth A. Kostas-Polston.

Greek School:  Dr. George Lountos (Principal). Email: gtlountos@gmail.com or cell: 404-375-3180.

HOPE & JOY Ministry:  Mrs. Christina Summers (Coordinator). Email: Mrs.Summers@aol.com

GOYA:  Mrs. Jenifer Zeglin (Coordinator) Email: jzeglin4@gmail.com

Religious Education:  Mrs. Despina Horst (Interim Principal).  Email: horst7213@aol.com. Lessons begin after Holy Communion. We encourage our youth to participate in Sunday School, to learn and live the life of our Holy Orthodox Faith.

Kali Parea: This ministry is for adults 50 years and older. Come and join us! Contact Mrs. Bess Koutras, email: kikikoutras@yahoo.com or cell: 240-409-1431.

St. Eugenia Ladies Philoptochos: – Mrs. Maria Moungelis Bedard, President. All in the Parish are encouraged to be members of the Philoptochos Society. Contact Maria if interested in joining. Email ladies@sainteugeniaphiloptochos.net

Fellowship Ministry: Ms. Sue Manos coordinates Sunday Coffee Hour hosts. Please contact the Church Office if you're interested in hosting a Coffee Hour.

The Three Hierarchs Book Club: The book club meets monthly to discuss the book of the month. Please contact Fr. George if you're interested in joining. frgeorgemastakas@gmail.com

Hospital Ministry: Should you or a loved one need hospital or long term care, Fr. George would like to visit. Please be advised that Frederick Memorial Hospital (and most facilities) will not automatically notify Fr. George upon admission, but only when requested by the patient or caregiver.

Three Hierarchs Bookstore: Eleni Trivizas, Manager. The bookstore is located in the Social Hall and offers books, icons, censers, votives, and other spiritually edifying material. Anyone interested in volunteering to staff the bookstore on Sundays should reach out to Eleni or the Church office.

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Announcements

The Parish Council has been closely monitoring our parish affairs and has already applied for a loan through the CARES Act in order to offset the loss of income incurred by the Covid-19 crisis. We have received notice that we have been approved and awaiting for the funds to be deposited.

The current economic environment has instilled a great sense of insecurity in the lives of many, including our church. The parish council has has been very active in its planning to ensure our parish continues to meet its financial obligations. We implore those who are able, to continue to make their normal financial contributions (stewardship, Pascha offering, collection tray, candles) in order sustain the church. Together, we will overcome this crisis.

Due to the current Covid-19 crisis, the Parish Council along with the Festival Chair (Mr. Nicholas Carras) have decided to move our festival to the fall (September 9-13). If Maryland state directives permit, we have laid the groundwork for a smaller scale spring/early summer fundraiser. 

Efforts are being made to maintain our ministries and keep our parishioners engaged in parish life. Ministry leaders are working with technology to connect with parishioners. Sunday School, Greek School, and Hope/Joy are adapting their curriculum to integrate with web conferencing. Our Bible Study group has already met online, and plans to meet regularly to study scripture please fill out the form online if you are interested: Click here. Please reach out to ministry leaders if you're interested in participating in the Youth Online Ministries.

As the threat of COVID-19 continues, the church office will remain closed for visits, but will be operating remotely in order to keep parish affairs in order. Please call the church office if you need assistance. 

St. Eugenia Ladies Philoptochos 2020 Membership drive. Please consider becoming a member or associate member of this wonderful ministry.  Please see the attached letter from the President and the membership form or go directly to https://www.sainteugeniaphiloptochos.net/join-us

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