Sunday Schedule:
Orthros: 8:30 a.m.
Divine Liturgy: 9:30 a.m.
Bible Study:
Wednesdays, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES CONTINUE
Today is the last day of the Sunday School class rotation. A new schedule will be going out soon. Please watch your email for the updated schedule.
NEW MEMBERS ELECTED TO PARISH COUNCIL
We congratulate the six candidates who were elected to the Parish Council last Sunday. John Dristiliaris, Marc Gulezian, Patricia Mahoney, Carl Maib, Constantine Tsioulis, and Christian Zouzas will serve a two-year term. They will join the remaining six members of the Council for the coming year.
CHRISTMAS SERVICES THIS WEEK
Please join us for Christmas services on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. Check the calendar below for services and times. Note that there will be Holy Communion at the service on Christmas Eve night. If you plan to receive, please properly prepare. Also note that Christmas day services will start one half hour later than normal to accommodate those who traditionally open gifts on Christmas morning.
MAINTENANCE HELP WANTED
Recently Jimmy Demetri ‘retired’ as our church maintenance manager and we thank him for his time and talent in keeping our church building operating smoothly. Thank you, Jimmy, and Congratulations! Please contact Marc Gulezian (978-649-3387) if you have interest in helping the church with its maintenance needs. We are looking to organize a group of people to be on the Maintenance Crew to coordinate service with vendors and would appreciate hearing from you! Thanks in advance!
WEEKLY WORSHIP
Recently there is an uptick in COVID-19 cases in the Lowell area. The Transfiguration parish has carefully prepared to receive her faithful for services and continues to welcome you to participate in person. Even with the increase in cases we believe we are well prepared and have put into place protocols that will help keep all healthy. We continue to use social distancing protocols that keep seating limited. We ask that you follow the direction of the ushers. Everyone must wear a mask. These protocols have been established to help protect and keep safe all who gather for worship. But please, if you think you have been exposed to someone with COVID or you have underlying health conditions, please stay home and stay safe.
If you are hesitant to attend in person on Sundays, maybe a weekday service when scheduled would be a good option.
If you would like more information or have any questions about 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.
PARISH OFFICE IS REMOTE
Our parish office is currently open but is primarily remote Monday through Friday from 9 am to 2 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.
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, Christmas offering, weekly basket offering, 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.
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. The next and last blood drive of the year at Transfiguration is Thursday, December 31st. Please sign up online to donate.
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 my departed family - Betty Balamotis
†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 our beloved father and grandfather, Angelo P. Eliopoulos. Gone for twenty years but always in our hearts. Nano, Peter, Caroline and Angelo
†Vigil Light at the Foot of the Holy Cross: In Loving Memory of John, Irene and Mark Gkolias
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, DECEMBER 20 SUNDAY BEFORE NATIVITY
Orthros, 8:30 am
Liturgy, 9:30 am
Sunday School Group 3
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24
Christmas Eve - Vesperal Liturgy, 6:00 pm
Holy Communion will be offered during the service
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25
Orthros, 9:00 am
Christmas Day Liturgy, 10:00 am
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27 SUNDAY AFTER NATIVITY
Orthros, 8:30 am
Liturgy, 9:30 am
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31
New Year's Eve
Red Cross Blood Drive
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1
St Basil & Circumcision of Our Lord – Liturgy, 10:00 am
New Year’s Day
SUNDAY, JANUARY 3 SUNDAY BEFORE THEOPANY
Orthros, 8:30 am
Liturgy, 9:30 am
Monthly Trisagion
Parish Council Oath of Office
TUESDAY, JANUARY 5
Epiphany Eve - Vesperal Liturgy, 6:00 pm
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6
Epiphany – Liturgy & Agiasmos, 9:30 am
THURSDAY, JANUARY 7
St John – Liturgy, 9:30 am
TODAY’S PARISH COUNCIL: Bill Arvanites, Amanda Apostolou & Patricia Mahoney
Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Daniel 3.26,27.
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers.
Verse: For you are just in all you have done.
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 11:9-10; 32-40.
BRETHREN, by faith Abraham sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city which has foundation, whose builder and maker is God.
And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets - who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated - of whom the world was not worthy - wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
Sunday before Nativity
The Reading is from Matthew 1:1-25
The book of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, and Aram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.
And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa, and Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel, and Salathiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.
So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus.
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.
On the Sunday that occurs on or immediately after the eighteenth of this month, we celebrate all those who from ages past have been well-pleasing to God, beginning from Adam even unto Joseph the Betrothed of the Most Holy Theotokos, according to genealogy, as the Evangelist Luke hath recorded historically (Luke 3:23-38); we also commemorate the Prophets and Prophetesses, and especially the Prophet Daniel and the Holy Three Children.
Saint Juliana, who was from Nicomedia, lived during the years of Maximian and was the daughter of wealthy parents. They were pagans, but she was secretly a Christian. Without consulting her, her parents betrothed her to an idolater named Eleusius, who was a member of the Senate. She, not wishing to marry him, told him that unless he became eparch, she would not marry him. When he had obtained this position, she told him that unless he renounced the religion of the idols and became a Christian, she would have nothing to do with him. Eleusius then told Juliana's father of this. He attempted to turn her from the Faith of Christ, but when he saw that she could not change her constancy, he gave her up to the Eparch, Eleusius her betrothed, to be tried according to the law. When he could not persuade her to do his will, he subjected her to the most inhuman tortures and after imprisoning her, cast her into a furnace. But by the grace of God, the furnace was marvellousy quenched. Seeing this, some five hundred men and one hundred and thirty women believed in Christ and were beheaded for His sake. After further torments, she was beheaded, in the year 299.
This Saint, who was from Rome, was a most comely, wealthy, and virtuous maiden, the daughter of Praepextatus and Fausta. It was her mother who instructed her in the Faith of Christ. The Saint was joined to a man named Publius Patricius, who was prodigal in life and impious in disposition, but she was widowed after a short time. Henceforth, she went about secretly to the dwellings of the poor and the prisons where the Martyrs of Christ were, and brought them whatever was needed for their daily subsistence. She washed their wounds and loosed them from their fetters, and consoled them in their anguish. Also, because the Saint, through her intercessions, has healed many from the ill effects of spells, potions, poisons, and other harmful substances, she has received the name "Deliverer from Potions." Since the fame of her deeds had spread about, she was arrested by Diocletian's minions, and after enduring many torments she was put to death by fire in the year 290.
These Saints, who were all from Crete, contested for piety's sake during the reign of Decius, in the year 250. Theodulus, Saturninus, Euporus, Gelasius, and Eunician were from Gortynia, the capital; Zoticus was from Knossos; Agathopus, from the port city of Panormus; Basilides, from Cydonia; Evarestus and Pompey, from Heraklion. Haled before the Governor as Christians, they were subjected to torments for thirty days, being scourged, racked, dragged upon the ground through dung heaps, stoned, spit upon. They were questioned again, but their costancy roused the Governor to greater fury. After subjecting them to torments more bitter still, he had them beheaded.
This Martyr was the daughter of most distinguished and noble parents named Philip and Claudia. Philip, a Prefect of Rome, moved to Alexandria with his family. In Alexandria, Eugenia had the occasion to learn the Christian Faith, in particular when she encountered the Epistles of Saint Paul, the reading of which filled her with compunction and showed her clearly the vanity of the world. Secretly taking two of her servants, Protas and Hyacinth, she departed from Alexandria by night. Disguised as a man, she called herself Eugene while pretending to be a eunuch, and departed with her servants and took up the monastic life in a monastery of men. Her parents mourned for her, but could not find her. After Saint Eugenia had laboured for some time in the monastic life, a certain woman named Melanthia, thinking Eugenia to be a monk, conceived lust and constrained Eugenia to comply with her desire; when Eugenia refused, Melanthia slandered Eugenia to the Prefect as having done insult to her honour. Eugenia was brought before the Prefect, her own father Philip, and revealed to him both that she was innocent of the accusations, and that she was his own daughter. Through this, Philip became a Christian; he was afterwards beheaded at Alexandria. Eugenia was taken back to Rome with Protas and Hyacinth. All three of them ended their life in martyrdom in the years of Commodus, who reigned from 180 to 192.
The incomprehensible and inexplicable Nativity of Christ came to pass when Herod the Great was reigning in Judea; the latter was an Ascalonite on his fathers's side and an Idumean on his mother's. He was in every way foreign to the royal line of David; rather, he had received his authority from the Roman emperors, and had ruled tyrannically over the Jewish people for some thirty-three years. The tribe of Judah, which had reigned of old, was deprived of its rights and stripped of all rule and authority. Such was the condition of the Jews when the awaited Messiah was born, and truly thus was fulfilled the prophecy which the Patriarch Jacob had spoken 1,807 years before: "A ruler shall not fail from Judah, nor a prince from his loins, until there come the things stored up for him; and he is the expectation of the nations" (Gen.49:10).
Thus, our Saviour was born in Bethlehem, a city of Judea, whither Joseph had come from Nazareth of Galilee, taking Mary his betrothed, who was great with child, that, according to the decree issued in those days by the Emperor Augustus, they might be registered in the census of those subject to Rome. Therefore, when the time came for the Virgin to give birth, and since because of the great multitude there was no place in the inn, the Virgin's circumstance constrained them to enter a cave which was near Bethlehem. Having as shelter a stable of irrational beasts, she gave birth there, and swaddled the Infant and laid Him in the manger (Luke 2:1-7). From this, the tradition has come down to us that when Christ was born He lay between two animals, an ox and an ass, that the words of the Prophets might be fulfilled: "Between two living creatures shalt Thou be known" (Abbacum 3:2), and "The ox knoweth his owner and the ass his master's crib" (Esaias 1: 3).
But while the earth gave the new-born Saviour such a humble reception, Heaven on high celebrated majestically His world-saving coming. A wondrous star, shining with uncommon brightness and following a strange course, led Magi from the East to Bethlehem to worship the new-born King. Certain shepherds who were in the area of Bethlehem, who kept watch while tending their sheep, were suddenly surrounded by an extraordinary light, and they saw before them an Angel who proclaimed to them the good tidings of the Lord's joyous Nativity. And straightway, together with this Angel, they beheld and heard a whole host of the Heavenly Powers praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men" (Luke 2:8-14).
This Synaxis - which is to say, our coming together to glorify the Theotokos - is celebrated especially in her honour because she gave birth supernaturally to the Son and Word Of God, and thus became the instrument of the salvation of mankind.