Announcements

WEEKLY WORSHIP

The Transfiguration parish welcomes her faithful to gather for worship. The Parish Council has carefully prepared to receive our faithful for services. Seating is limited based on social distancing protocols and everyone must wear a mask. These protocols have been established to help protect and keep safe all who gather for worship. During the summer months when attendance tends to be a bit lower everything has gone smoothly. We caution those who have underlying conditions to exercise caution in making the decision to participate.

If you would like more information or have any questions about the attending services, do not hesitate to contact the parish office or Fr. Tom by phone or email. You can find the reopening protocol and information on our website. Please share this information with those you know who do not use email or are not on our contact list.

WATCH ONLINE

We continue to live stream services of our parish. The services can be found on the internet by logging on to www.youtube.com/TransGOC or www.facebook.com/transchurch. A weekly list of services can be found on our website www.transchurch.org and on the calendar below.

Recorded services from our parish can be found on www.YouTube.com/transGOC . If you are unable to watch live, you can watch the service at a later time. For those who do not have internet and are Comcast customers, you may be able to watch some services on local cable access television. Please consult your local listings for times.

HELP ONLINE

Many still do not feel comfortable physically attending services, but would still like to light a candle or support the parish. Your continued generosity is greatly appreciated. We encourage your continued use of our secure online giving platform for single or repeating donations, https://transchurch.churchgiving.com. Of course, you are still welcome to mail in a check to make your donation.

1) To light a vigil candle, please contact Pat Mahoney (pmahoney7@comcast.net or 978-436-0998) or the church office (info@transchurch.org or 978-458-4321). Pat will make sure that your vigil candle is lit for you. Donation: $10. As with all donations, you can mail in a check or you can make a donation online.

2) You are able to make your stewardship, offering basket, candle, memorial, special event, or general donations by using our secure website. Your donations help support the ministries of the parish. Although you may not be in the church building, essential ministries of the parish continue.

3) The Parish Council is exploring a more permanent source for live streaming services. We hope to continue this ministry, but to do so will need to invest in some new technology. If you are interested in supporting this ministry financially or participating in the production aspect, please speak with Fr. Tom.

PARISH OFFICE IS REMOTE

Our parish office is currently open remotely Tuesday through Friday from 9 am to 1 pm. If you need to come to the office, please call and set up an appointment. It may take a little longer to provide you with some of the information, but we will strive to do so in a timely fashion.

OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES

We are called as Christians to take care of one another; friends, family, and stranger. If you, or anyone you know is having difficulties because of the COVID-19 crisis, please let us know. We know that there are those who would never think of asking for help while facing financial difficulties. We are here to help, as we are able.

If you wish to help, we welcome your donations. You can send a donation to the church or go online and donate by clicking on the Outreach Donation button and make your one-time, or recurring donation. Large or small, your donation can make a difference. Thank you in advance.

TRANSFIGURATION GOLF TOURNAMENT

The Transfiguration Golf Tournament committee is busy planning another exciting and enjoyable day. As one can imagine, planning this event has become very challenging. The committee is doing all it can to make sure that everyone will enjoy the event.

This event is an important fundraiser for the parish and a great way to share fellowship. We look to the faithful of the parish to become sponsors of the event. There are many levels of giving available, from Tee Sponsor to Major Benefactor. Please visit our website for more information, or download the 2020 golf brochure.

GOYA - RISE AGAINST HUNGER

On Thursday, August 20, Goyans partnered with Rise Against Hunger, a nonprofit organization committed to ending hunger worldwide, to package over 10,000 non-perishable meals. The Goyans are proud to have held the first Rise Against Hunger meal packaging event in New England since the pandemic-induced shutdown. The GOYA extends great thanks to all the parishioners who donated their time, money, or both towards this cause. This event would not have been possible without the support of the entire church. The meals which Goyans packaged will be shipped across the globe to communities in need and support them as they strive for greater prosperity. More information can be found at https://www.riseagainsthunger.org/.

STEPS TO HOME VIRTUAL WALK 2020 - JOIN OUR TEAM!

The Transfiguration Church has once again formed a team to participate in Lowell Transitional Living Center's Steps to Home Virtual Walk 2020. We invite YOU to join us by committing to walk 2.5 miles in your neighborhood, on your preferred trail, or on your treadmill at home between September 4-6, 2020. Funds raised from the event will help to support LTLC's mission to eliminate homelessness in the Greater Lowell area.

All parishioners, family members, and friends are encouraged to join Team Transfiguration! Please visit https://www.firstgiving.com/team/402058 to sign up or to sponsor the team. Donations can also be mailed directly to the church office. For more information, please contact team captain Melanie Pappas at melanie.pappas@gmail.com.

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL YEAR IS AT HAND

The new school year is upon us. Public schools have had to address just how the classroom will work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have determined that virtual classrooms are the safest way to start the year. Others have established a hybrid schedule and still others are attempting to return back in-person.

The Sunday School staff is in the process of determining just what our school year will look like. This is very difficult. One of the key factors is trying to gauge our limited church attendance in relation to student numbers. We are looking at all possibilities.

Normally we start classes the second Sunday of September. This year we are aiming to start the School Year on Sunday, October 4^th. Watch for more information in the coming weeks.

TRANSFIGURATION HOSTS BLOOD DRIVES

Since April, the Transfiguration parish has teamed up with the Red Cross and is hosting blood drives. During the pandemic, the Red Cross has had difficulty finding places to host blood drives because so many facilities are closed, but the need for blood is ongoing.

If you are interested in donating go to redcrossblood.org and put in the church’s zip code, 01854, in the search bar.

CENSUS DEADLINE – SEPTEMBER 30

The deadline for the 2020 US Census is quickly arriving. If you have not yet completed the 2020 Census, it is important that you do so. It takes only a couple of minutes to complete. Go to www.2020census.gov or call 844-330-2020. Multiple languages, including Greek, are available to complete the census. Do your part and complete the census TODAY!

STEWARDSHIP PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ, our God, accept our offerings as You accepted the gifts of Your people throughout the ages. We offer these gifts to Your glory, for the support of the ministries of Your holy Church, for the alleviation of suffering and hunger, and for the proclamation of Your Gospel to the whole world.

Grant us Your blessing, Lord our Savior, that we may always be faithful stewards, continuing to share the gifts you have given us, by the power of Your grace, mercy and love. May Your name be glorified forever. Amen.

Trinity votive candles (To Sponsor a Candle please call the Church Office.)

†Vigil Light at the Side Altar (Icon of the Theotokos): In Loving Memory of Dyanne Mitropoulis

†Vigil Light at the Icon of Christ: In Loving Memory of Deborah Victoria Skrekas and George Skrekas

†Vigil Light at the Theotokos: In Loving Memory of Ioannis "John" Zaralidis from his family

†Vigil Light at the Icon of the Forerunner: In Loving Memory of Angelike Flanagan

†Vigil Light at the Foot of the Holy Cross: In Loving Memory of Richard Mitropoulos

Weekly Calendar

We will be live streaming services through our YouTube channel whenever possible - www.youtube.com/TransGOC Please see the online calendar for the full schedule.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 30 TWELFTH SUNDAY OF MATTHEW
Orthros, 8:30 am
Liturgy, 9:30 am

MONDAY, AUGUST 31
Office closed

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 THIRTEENTH SUNDAY OF MATTHEW
Orthros, 8:30 am
Liturgy, 9:30 am
Monthly Trisagion

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
Labor Day - Office closed

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
10th Annual Golf Tournament

TODAY’S PARISH COUNCIL: Amanda Apostolou, Patricia Mahoney & Bill Arvanites

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Third Mode. Psalm 46.6,1.
Sing praises to our God, sing praises.
Verse: Clap your hands, all you nations.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 15:1-11.

Brethren, I would remind you in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand, by which you are saved, if you hold it fast -- unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Gospel Reading

12th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 19:16-26

At that time, a young man came up to Jesus, kneeling and saying, "Good Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" And he said to him, "Why do you call me good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." He said to him, "Which?" And Jesus said, "You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and You shall love your neighbor as yourself." The young man said to him, "All these I have observed; what do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.

And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Third Mode

Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad, for the Lord has shown the mighty power of his arm. He has trampled down death by death, becoming the first born of the dead. He has delivered us from the depths of hell and has granted to all the world his great mercy.

Apolytikion for Apodosis of the Forerunner in the Second Mode

The remembrance of the just is worthy of praise * but the Lord's testimony is enough for you, O Forerunner; * for it has shown that you are indeed more worthy of honor than the Prophets. * You were found worthy to baptize in the waters the One whom you foretold. * For this, you suffered for the truth * and rejoicing, also announced the good news to those in the realm of death * that God had appeared as man * taking away the sins of the world * and granting to all of us His great mercy.

Apolytikion of the Church

When You were transfigured on the mountain, O Christ our God, You showed Your disciples Your glory as far as they could bear. So now, for us sinners also, let this same eternal light shine forth through the prayers of the Theotokos. O Giver of Light, glory to You.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Mode

By your holy birth O Undefiled, * Joachim and Anna were set free from the reproach of childlessness, * and Adam and Eve from the corruption of death. * Delivered from the guilt of sin, * Your people keep the feast as they sing to You: * The barren woman bears the Mother of God who sustains our life.

Wisdom of the Fathers

The sign that thou lovest God, is this, that thou lovest thy fellow; and if thou hatest thy fellow, thy hatred is towards God. For it is blasphemy if thou prayest before God while thou art wroth. For thy heart also convicts thee, that in vain thou multipliest words: thy conscience rightly judges that in thy prayers thou profitest nought.

St. Ephraim the Syrian

ON ADMONITION AND REPENTANCE.

Wherefore then doth Christ thus reply to him, saying, "There is none good?" Because He came unto Him as a mere man, and one of the common sort, and a Jewish teacher; for this cause then as a man He discourses with him. And indeed in many instances He replies to the secret thoughts of them that come unto Him.

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 63 on Matthew 19, 4th Century

Saints and Feasts

August 30

Alexander, John, and Paul the New, Patriarchs of Constantinople

Saint Alexander was sent to the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea as the delegate of Saint Metrophanes, Bishop of Constantinople (see June 4), to whose throne he succeeded in the year 325. When Arius had deceitfully professed allegiance to the Council of Nicaea, Saint Alexander, knowing his guile, refused to receive him into communion; Arius' powerful partisans threatened that they would use force to bring Arius into the communion of the Church the following day. Saint Alexander prayed fervently that God might spare the Church; and as Arius was in a privy place relieving nature, his bowels gushed forth with an effusion of blood, and the arch-heresiarch died the death of Judas. Saint Alexander was Bishop from 325 until 337, when he was succeeded by Saint Paul the Confessor, who died a martyr's death at the hands of the Arians (see Nov. 6). The Saint John commemorated here appears to be the one who was Patriarch during the years 562-577, surnamed Scholasticus, who is also commemorated on February 21. He was from Antioch, where he had been a lawyer (scholasticus); he was made presbyter, then was sent to Constantinople as representative (apocrisiarius) of the Patriarch of Antioch, and was appointed Patriarch of Constantinople by the Emperor Justinian. Saint Paul was Bishop of Constantinople during the years 687 - 693, in the reign of Emperor Justinian II, and presided over the Quinisext Council in 692.

August 31

The Placing of the Honorable Sash of the Most Holy Theotokos

Although the historical accounts differ somewhat, the Deposition that is celebrated today took place most likely during the reign of Emperor Arcadius (395-408), when the precious Cincture of the Mother of God was brought from Zela of Cappadocia to Constantinople, and placed in the Church of the Theotokos in the section of Chalcopratia.

September 01

Ecclesiastical New Year

For the maintenance of their armed forces, the Roman emperors decreed that their subjects in every district should be taxed every year. This same decree was reissued every fifteen years, since the Roman soldiers were obliged to serve for fifteen years. At the end of each fifteen-year period, an assessment was made of what economic changes had taken place, and a new tax was decreed, which was to be paid over the span of the fifteen years. This imperial decree, which was issued before the season of winter, was named Indictio, that is, Definiton, or Order. This name was adopted by the emperors in Constantinople also. At other times, the latter also used the term Epinemisis, that is, Distribution (Dianome). It is commonly held that Saint Constantine the Great introduced the Indiction decrees in A.D. 312, after he beheld the sign of the Cross in heaven and vanquished Maxentius and was proclaimed Emperor in the West. Some, however (and this seems more likely), ascribe the institution of the Indiction to Augustus Caesar, three years before the birth of Christ. Those who hold this view offer as proof the papal bull issued in A.D. 781 which is dated thus: Anno IV, Indictionis LIII -that is, the fourth year of the fifty-third Indiction. From this, we can deduce the aforementioned year (3 B.C.) by multiplying the fifty-two complete Indictions by the number of years in each (15), and adding the three years of the fifty-third Indiction. There are three types of Indictions: 1) That which was introduced in the West, and which is called Imperial, or Caesarean, or Constantinian, and which begins on the 24th of September; 2) The so-called Papal Indiction, which begins on the 1st of January; and 3) The Constantinopolitan, which was adopted by the Patriarchs of that city after the fall of the Eastern Empire in 1453. This Indiction is indicated in their own hand on the decrees they issue, without the numeration of the fifteen years. This Indiction begins on the 1st of September and is observed with special ceremony in the Church. Since the completion of each year takes place, as it were, with the harvest and gathering of the crops into storehouses, and we begin anew from henceforth the sowing of seed in the earth for the production of future crops, September is considered the beginning of the New Year. The Church also keeps festival this day, beseeching God for fair weather, seasonable rains, and an abundance of the fruits of the earth. The Holy Scriptures (Lev. 23:24-5 and Num. 29:1-2) also testify that the people of Israel celebrated the feast of the Blowing of the Trumpets on this day, offering hymns of thanksgiving. In addition to all the aforesaid, on this feast we also commemorate our Saviour's entry into the synagogue in Nazareth, where He was given the book of the Prophet Esaias to read, and He opened it and found the place where it is written, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for which cause He hath anointed Me..." (Luke 4:16-30).

It should be noted that to the present day, the Church has always celebrated the beginning of the New Year on September 1. This was the custom in Constantinople until its fall in 1453 and in Russia until the reign of Peter I. September 1 is still festively celebrated as the New Year at the Patriarchate of Constantinople; among the Jews also the New Year, although reckoned according to a moveable calendar, usually falls in September. The service of the Menaion for January 1 is for our Lord's Circumcision and for the memorial of Saint Basil the Great, without any mention of its being the beginning of a new year.

September 02

Mammas the Martyr

Saint Mammas was from Gangra of Paphlagonia. He was born in prison, where his parents were suffering for Christ's sake and ended their lives. He was named Mammas because, after he had long remained without speaking, he addressed his foster mother Ammia as "mamma." He contested for Christ about the year 275.

September 03

Anthimus, Bishop of Nicomedea

After the death of the 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia, their Bishop Anthimus fled to a certain village to care for his remaining flock. The Emperor Maximian sent men in search of him. When they found him, he promised to show Anthimus to them, but first took them in as guests, fed them, and only then made himself known to them. Amazed at his kindness, the soldiers promised him to tell Maximian that they had not found him. But Anthimus went willingly with them, and converting them by his admonitions, baptized them on the way. He boldly confessed his Faith before Maximian, and after frightful tortures was beheaded in the year 303 or 304.

September 04

Babylas the Holy Martyr

Saint Babylas was the twelfth Bishop of Antioch, being the successor of Zebinus (or Zebinas); he was beheaded during the reign of Decius, in the year 250, and at his own request was buried in the chains with which he was bound. The Emperor Gallus (reigned 351-354) built a church in his honour at Daphne, a suburb of Antioch, to put an end to the demonic oracles at the nearby temple of Apollo. When Julian the Apostate came in 362 to consult the oracle about his campaign against the Persians, the oracle (that is, the demon within it) remained dumb until at last, answering Julian's many sacrifices and supplications, it told him, "The dead prevent me from speaking." It told Julian to dig up the bones and move them. Julian, then, in the words of Saint John Chrysostom, "leaving all the other dead, moved only that Martyr." He commanded the Christians to take away Saint Babylas' bones, which they did with great solemnity and triumph. When this had been done, a thunderbolt fell from heaven destroying with fire the shrine of Apollo, which Julian did not dare rebuild. Saint John Chrysostom preached a sermon on this within a generation after.

September 05

Holy Prophet Zacharias, Father of the Venerable Forerunner

According to the opinion of many Fathers of the Church, based on an ancient tradition, this is the Zacharias whom, as our Lord said, the Jews slew between the temple and the altar (Matt. 23:35), first, because even after the Virgin Mary gave birth, he continued to refer to her as virgin and number her among the virgins; second, because Zacharias' son John was not found during the slaughter of the Innocents, since the elderly Elizabeth had taken him and carefully hid him while he was yet an infant, in an unnamed place somewhere in the desert, where, according to the Evangelist, "the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel" (Luke 1:80). When the child was not found, his father was slain by Herod's command.

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