St. Stephen Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2023-03-26
Bulletin Contents
Climicus
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St. Stephen Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (707)235-0316
  • Street Address:

  • 11055 Hirschfeld Way

  • Rancho Cordova, CA 95670


Contact Information




Services Schedule

 

Saturday

Vespers: 3:00 pm

Sunday

Matins: 8:30 am

Liturgy: 10:00 am


Past Bulletins


Saints and Feasts

Climicus
March 26

Sunday of St. John Climacus

The memory of this Saint is celebrated on March 30, where his biography may be found. He is celebrated today because his book, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, is a sure guide to the ascetic life, written by a great man of prayer experienced in all forms of the monastic polity; it teaches the seeker after salvation how to lay a sound foundation for his struggles, how to detect and war against each of the passions, how to avoid the snares laid by the demons, and how to rise from the rudimental virtues to the heights of Godlike love and humility. It is held in such high esteem that it is universally read in its entirety in monasteries during the Great Fast.


Allsaint
March 26

Pouplios the Martyr, Bishop of Athens


Allsaint
March 26

Removal of the relics of Nicephoros, Patriarch of Constantinople

The main feast day of this Saint is June 2. The translation of his holy relics took place in 846, when Saint Methodius (see June 14) was Ecumenical Patriarch.


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Eighth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:11-18

At that time, Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb, and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus has lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni," which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, "Do not touch Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God." Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and she told them that He had said these things to her.

Eighth Orthros Gospel
يوحنا 20: 11-18

11في ذلك الزمان َكَانَتْ مريم وَاقِفَةً عِنْدَ الْقَبْرِ خَارِجاً تَبْكِي. وَفِيمَا هِيَ تَبْكِي انْحَنَتْ إِلَى الْقَبْرِ، 12فَنَظَرَتْ مَلاَكَيْنِ بِثِيَابٍ بِيضٍ جَالِسَيْنِ وَاحِداً عِنْدَ الرَّأْسِ وَالآخَرَ عِنْدَ الرِّجْلَيْنِ، حَيْثُ كَانَ جَسَدُ يَسُوعَ مَوْضُوعاً. 13فَقَالاَ لَهَا: ((يَا امْرَأَةُ، لِمَاذَا تَبْكِينَ؟)) قَالَتْ لَهُمَا: ((إِنَّهُمْ أَخَذُوا سَيِّدِي، وَلَسْتُ أَعْلَمُ أَيْنَ وَضَعُوهُ!)). 14وَلَمَّا قَالَتْ هَذَا الْتَفَتَتْ إِلَى الْوَرَاءِ، فَنَظَرَتْ يَسُوعَ وَاقِفاً، وَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ يَسُوعُ. 15قَالَ لَهَا يَسُوعُ: ((يَا امْرَأَةُ، لِمَاذَا تَبْكِينَ؟ مَنْ تَطْلُبِينَ؟)) فَظَنَّتْ تِلْكَ أَنَّهُ الْبُسْتَانِيُّ، فَقَالَتْ لَهُ: ((يَا سَيِّدُ إِنْ كُنْتَ أَنْتَ قَدْ حَمَلْتَهُ فَقُلْ لِي أَيْنَ وَضَعْتَهُ، وَأَنَا آخُذُهُ)). 16قَالَ لَهَا يَسُوعُ: ((يَا مَرْيَمُ)) فَالْتَفَتَتْ تِلْكَ وَقَالَتْ لَهُ: ((رَبُّونِي!)) الَّذِي تَفْسِيرُهُ: يَا مُعَلِّمُ. 17قَالَ لَهَا يَسُوعُ: ((لاَ تَلْمِسِينِي لأَنِّي لَمْ أَصْعَدْ بَعْدُ إِلَى أَبِي. وَلَكِنِ اذْهَبِي إِلَى إِخْوَتِي وَقُولِي لَهُمْ: إِنِّي أَصْعَدُ إِلَى أَبِي وَأَبِيكُمْ وَإِلَهِي وَإِلَهِكُمْ)).18فَجَاءَتْ مَرْيَمُ الْمَجْدَلِيَّةُ وَأَخْبَرَتِ التَّلاَمِيذَ أَنَّهَا رَأَتِ الرَّبَّ، وَأَنَّهُ قَالَ لَهَا هَذَا. 

 

 


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. 8th Tone. Psalm 75.11,1.
Make your vows to the Lord our God and perform them.
Verse: God is known in Judah; his name is great in Israel.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 6:13-20.

BRETHREN, when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore to himself, saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Men indeed swear by a greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he interposed with an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God should prove false, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

البروكيمنون. 8th Tone. مزمور 75: 11، 1.
أنذِروا وأوفُوا للرّبِّ إلهِكُم
Verse: الله معروف في يهوذا واسمه عظيم في إسرائيل

فصل من رسالة بولس الى العبرانيين 6: 13-20.

يَُّا إِخْوَة، لَمَّا وَعَدَ اللهُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِذْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ أَعْظَمُ يُقْسِمُ بِهِ، أَقْسَمَ بِنَفْسِهِ، قَائِلاً: ((إِنِّي لأُبَارِكَنَّكَ بَرَكَةً وَأُكَثِّرَنَّكَ تَكْثِيراً)). وَهَكَذَا إِذْ تَأَنَّى نَالَ الْمَوْعِدَ. فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ يُقْسِمُونَ بِالأَعْظَمِ، وَنِهَايَةُ كُلِّ مُشَاجَرَةٍ عِنْدَهُمْ لأَجْلِ التَّثْبِيتِ هِيَ الْقَسَمُ. فَلِذَلِكَ إِذْ أَرَادَ اللهُ أَنْ يُظْهِرَ أَكْثَرَ كَثِيراً لِوَرَثَةِ الْمَوْعِدِ عَدَمَ تَغَيُّرِ قَضَائِهِ، تَوَسَّطَ بِقَسَمٍ، حَتَّى بِأَمْرَيْنِ عَدِيمَيِ التَّغَيُّرِ، لاَ يُمْكِنُ أَنَّ اللهَ يَكْذِبُ فِيهِمَا، تَكُونُ لَنَا تَعْزِيَةٌ قَوِيَّةٌ، نَحْنُ الَّذِينَ الْتَجَأْنَا لِنُمْسِكَ بِالرَّجَاءِ الْمَوْضُوعِ أَمَامَنَا، الَّذِي هُوَ لَنَا كَمِرْسَاةٍ لِلنَّفْسِ مُؤْتَمَنَةٍ وَثَابِتَةٍ، تَدْخُلُ إِلَى مَا دَاخِلَ الْحِجَابِ، حَيْثُ دَخَلَ يَسُوعُ كَسَابِقٍ لأَجْلِنَا، صَائِراً عَلَى رُتْبَةِ مَلْكِي صَادَقَ، رَئِيسَ كَهَنَةٍ إِلَى الأَبَدِ.


Gospel Reading

Sunday of St. John Climacus
The Reading is from Mark 9:17-31

At that time, a man came to Jesus kneeling and saying: "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit; and wherever it seizes him it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able." And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me." And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, "How long has he had this?" And he said, "From childhood. And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us." And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again." And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, "He is dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting." They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would not have any one know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise."

Sunday of St. John Climacus
مرقس 9: 17-31

17في ذلك الزمان دنا إلى يسوع انسان وسجد له قائلاً : ((يَا مُعَلِّمُ، قَدْ قَدَّمْتُ إِلَيْكَ ابْنِي بِهِ رُوحٌ أَخْرَسُ، 18وَحَيْثُمَا أَدْرَكَهُ يُمَزِّقْهُ فَيُزْبِدُ وَيَصِرُّ بِأَسْنَانِهِ وَيَيْبَسُ. فَقُلْتُ لِتَلاَمِيذِكَ أَنْ يُخْرِجُوهُ فَلَمْ يَقْدِرُوا)). 19فأَجَابَ وَقَالَ لَهُمْ: ((أَيُّهَا الْجِيلُ غَيْرُ الْمُؤْمِنِ، إِلَى مَتَى أَكُونُ مَعَكُمْ؟ إِلَى مَتَى أَحْتَمِلُكُمْ؟ قَدِّمُوهُ إِلَيَّ!)). 20فَقَدَّمُوهُ إِلَيْهِ. فَلَمَّا رَآهُ لِلْوَقْتِ صَرَعَهُ الرُّوحُ، فَوَقَعَ عَلَى الأَرْضِ يَتَمَرَّغُ وَيُزْبِدُ. 21فَسَأَلَ أَبَاهُ: ((كَمْ مِنَ الزَّمَانِ مُنْذُ أَصَابَهُ هَذَا؟)) فَقَالَ: ((مُنْذُ صِبَاهُ. 22وَكَثِيراً مَا أَلْقَاهُ فِي النَّارِ وَفِي الْمَاءِ لِيُهْلِكَهُ. لَكِنْ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَسْتَطِيعُ شَيْئاً فَتَحَنَّنْ عَلَيْنَا وَأَعِنَّا)). 23فَقَالَ لَهُ يَسُوعُ: ((إِنْ كُنْتَ تَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ. كُلُّ شَيْءٍ مُسْتَطَاعٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ)).24فَلِلْوَقْتِ صَرَخَ أَبُو الْوَلَدِ بِدُمُوعٍ وَقَالَ: ((أُومِنُ يَا سَيِّدُ، فَأَعِنْ عَدَمَ إِيمَانِي)). 25فَلَمَّا رَأَى يَسُوعُ أَنَّ الْجَمْعَ يَتَرَاكَضُونَ، انْتَهَرَ الرُّوحَ النَّجِسَ قَائِلاً لَهُ: ((أَيُّهَا الرُّوحُ الأَخْرَسُ الأَصَمُّ، أَنَا آمُرُكَ: اخْرُجْ مِنْهُ وَلاَ تَدْخُلْهُ أَيْضاً!)) 26فَصَرَخَ وَصَرَعَهُ شَدِيداً وَخَرَجَ فَصَارَ كَمَيْتٍ، حَتَّى قَالَ كَثِيرُونَ: ((إِنَّهُ مَاتَ!)). 27فَأَمْسَكَهُ يَسُوعُ بِيَدِهِ وَأَقَامَهُ، فَقَامَ. 28وَلَمَّا دَخَلَ بَيْتاً سَأَلَهُ تَلاَمِيذُهُ عَلَى انْفِرَادٍ: ((لِمَاذَا لَمْ نَقْدِرْ نَحْنُ أَنْ نُخْرِجَهُ؟)) 29فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: ((هَذَا الْجِنْسُ لاَ يُمْكِنُ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ بِشَيْءٍ إلاَّ بِالصَّلاَةِ وَالصَّوْمِ)).30وَخَرَجُوا مِنْ هُنَاكَ وَاجْتَازُوا الْجَلِيلَ، وَلَمْ يُرِدْ أَنْ يَعْلَمَ أَحَدٌ، 31لأَنَّهُ كَانَ يُعَلِّمُ تَلاَمِيذَهُ وَيَقُولُ لَهُمْ: ((إِنَّ ابْنَ الإِنْسَانِ يُسَلَّمُ إِلَى أَيْدِي النَّاسِ فَيَقْتُلُونَهُ. وَبَعْدَ أَنْ يُقْتَلَ يَقُومُ فِي الْيَوْمِ الثَّالِثِ)).

 

 

 

 


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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the 8th Tone

From on high didst Thou descend, O Compassionate One; to burial of three days hast Thou submitted that Thou mightest free us from our passions. O our Life and Resurrection, Lord, glory be to Thee.

انحدرت من العلوّ ايها المتحنن وقبلت الدفن ذا الثلاثة الايام لكي تعتقنا من الآلام فيا حياتنا وقيامتنا يارب المجد لك.

Apolytikion for Sun. of St. John Climacus in the 8th Tone

With the streams of thy tears, thou didst cultivate the barrenness of the desert; and by thy sighings from the depths,thou didst bear fruit a hundredfold in labours; and thou becamest a luminary, shining with miracles upon the world, O John our righteous Father. Intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.

للبرية غير المثمرة بمجاري دموعك أمرعت، وبالتنهدات التي من الأعماق أثمرت بأتعابك إلى مئة ضعف، فصرت كوكباً للمسكونة متلألئاً، ياأبانا البار يوحنا، فتشفع إلى المسيح الاله أن يخلص نفوسنا.

Apolytikion of St Stephen in the 1st Tone

For the struggles you endured for Christ God, a royal diadem crowns your head, O First Champion of Martyrs. For you refuted the folly of the Jews and beheld your Savior on the right of the Father. Ever beseech Him, therefore, for our souls.

Seasonal Kontakion in the 8th Tone

To you, Theotokos, invincible Defender, having been delivered from peril, I, your city, dedicate the victory festival as a thank offering. In your irresistible might, keep me safe from all trials, that I may call out to you: "Hail, unwedded bride!"
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Wisdom of the Fathers

Seest thou how He now proceeds to lay beforehand in them the foundation of His doctrine about fasting? ... See, at any rate, how many blessings spring from them both. For he that is praying as he ought, and fasting, hath not many wants, and he that hath not many wants, cannot be covetous; ...
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 57 on Matthew 17,4,5. B#54, pp.355,356., 4th Century

... he that is not covetous, will be also more disposed for almsgiving. He that fasts is light, and winged, and prays with wakefulness, and quenches his wicked lusts, and propitiates God, and humbles his soul when lifted up. Therefore even the apostles were almost always fasting.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 57 on Matthew 17,4,5. B#54, pp.355,356., 4th Century

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Announcements

After Liturgy on Lazarus Saturday we will have a potluck lunch. Please bring a fasting dish you can share. After lunch we will be making Holy bread and palm crosses. Our last activity for the day will be an egg hunt. Please bring one dozen filled eggs for EACH one of your children. April 9th, Palm Sunday, we will not have Sunday school. We should be in church for service.

A reminder for all those who would like to be flower girls for Holy Friday, please let me know. The girls should wear modest clothing. White dresses with long sleeves or sweaters and a white headscarf. Hope to see you all there!

If you would like to order woven Palm branches, please contact Linda Sweis as soon as possible: 916-995-2233.

 

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Support St. Stephens

It is our hope that you will support our church so that we can continue to support our community, with the Good Lord’s blessings. Please note that no amount of help is too small, as every bit helps. We thank you in advance and may our Lord keep you in His care.

 Mail Check to: 

 St. Stephen Orthodox Church

 PO Box 292343

 Sacramento, CA 95829 

    

 

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Forms & Flyers

    Calendar

    Calendar

    Church Service Schedule


    Fundraiser

    Fundraiser

    If you would like to place an ad in the Ad Book for our Annual Festival please contact Sandy Sweis: 916-208-5587.


    Fundraiser

    Fundraiser

    Save the Date: Our Annual Festival is Back!


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