Announcements

SUNDAY SCHOOL TODAY, APRIL 11

Children in Group A will attend class after communion.

LENTEN WORSHIP

We welcome our faithful on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for special Lenten services. On Mondays we will gather for Compline service at 6:30pm. On Wednesdays we will gather for Pre-sanctified Liturgy at 6 pm, and on Fridays we offer the Salutations service at 6:30 pm. Please consult the parish calendar for days and times. This year make a special effort to participate in at least one of each of these services during this Great Lent. During these challenging times the calm of worship will help us deal the anxiety, loneliness, and despair that has filled our lives. All services will be live-streamed on www.YouTube.com/transgoc.

CHECK OUT OUR INSERTS AND FLYERS

Weekly, in the section following the announcements you will find inserts and flyers about special events and ministries. Please make sure to check out this section.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

The Parish Council has scheduled the Spring Parish Assembly for Sunday, April 11 following services. As we did last fall, you will be able to attend in person or virtually. The agenda and more information has been mailed out. If you are only able to attend virtually, you can register using this link https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMrfuGgqzsuEtI8HBJdpCX_iXLz5KasW5BI.

THE THREE-LEGGED STOOL

How are you doing with your three-legged stool? Often, the image of a three-legged stool is used to help us understand three important aspects of Great Lent, prayer, works of charity, and fasting. Just as each leg of the stool is equally important and provides stability, these three ‘spiritual legs’ provide stability for our spiritual well-being. Too often our sole focus during Great Lent is fasting, but fasting without the works of charity and prayer, is a diet. All three of these are important and require our attention and use.
Especially during this time, it is important for us to find comfort and solace. We are longing for our Lord’s loving embrace and these three spiritual tools open our hearts to Christ.

SCHOLARSHIP

Scholarship applications are available on-line (transchurch.org) for graduating high school seniors planning on attending college in the fall. For further questions contact Pat Mahoney (pmahoney7@comcast.net) or 978-436-0998. The deadline for applications is May 1^st.

PHILOPTOCHOS SPECIAL LENTEN PROJECT

The three aspects of Great Lent are prayer, fasting, and works of charity. We pray that you will join the Philoptochos Society in our charity project this year.

Since we have not been able to provide monthly meals to the House of Hope since the start of the pandemic, we would like to provide them with some of the items that they need at this time: New/gently used children’s clothing, size 2T through 14/16; Size 6 diapers; and Baby wipes.

Or if you prefer, you may purchase an snacks and other items from their Amazon wish list or donate an Amazon gift card.

Please bring your donations to church during scheduled services on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, or Sundays through Sunday, April 25th.

Please email Cindy Rios at cerios331@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Thank you for your support!

SEEKING AGAPE SERVICE READERS

On Easter Sunday, May 2, we celebrate the Agape Vesper Service. During this service we offer the Gospel reading in as many languages as possible. This reminds us that the proclamation of Christ’s resurrection was made throughout the whole world. If you read a language other than Greek and English and would like to participate at the service by reading the Gospel, please speak with Fr. Tom. We welcome your participation.

PARISH OFFICE HOURS

Our parish office is currently open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 2 pm. Generally, the office is open in person. On Wednesday, it is open remotely. Even though we are open in person, if you need to come to the office, for your safety, please call and set up an appointment.

WATCH SERVICES ONLINE

We continue to live stream services through YouTube at www.youtube.come/transgoc. A weekly listing of services can be found on our website www.transchurch.org and listed on the calendar found in this bulletin.

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, 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.

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

†Vigil Light at the Side Altar (Icon of the Theotokos): In Memory of those who have died during the pandemic and for the health of those recovering. - Chuck and Amelia Karayianis

†Vigil Light at the Side Altar (Icon of the Theotokos) 2nd: In loving memory of Sophia Karamanolis on the 10 year anniversary – Demetrios Karamonlis

†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 John C. Anton

†Vigil Light at the Foot of the Holy Cross: Heavenly Father we thank you for the blessings †Irene and Demetrios Manelas

Weekly Inserts

Parish Assembly

Parish Assembly April 2021

Great Lent and Holy Week

Great Lent and Holy Week 2021

Grecian Food Fest - Drive Thru

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.

Friday, April 9
Salutations Service, 6:30 pm

Sunday, April 11 SUNDAY OF ST. JOHN CLIMACUS
†Orthros, 8:30 am
†Liturgy, 9:30 am
40 Day Memorial for Marina Cote
Parish Assembly

Monday, April 12
Compline, 6:30 pm

Wednesday, April 14
Bible Study (online), 10:00 am
Pre-Sanctified Liturgy, 6:00 pm

Friday, April 16
Akathist Hymn, 6:30

Sunday, April 18 SUNDAY OF ST. MARY OF EGYPT
†Orthros, 8:30 am
†Liturgy, 9:30 am
1 Year Memorial for Efstratios Gavriil
1 Year Memorial for Anthi Gavrill

Monday, April 19
Compline, 6:30

Wednesday, April 21
Bible Study (online), 10:00 am
Pre-Sanctified Liturgy, 6:00 pm

TODAY’S PARISH COUNCIL: Patricia Mahoney, Bill Arvanites & John Dristilaris

UPCOMING EVENTS

April 24
Saturday of Lazuras
†Orthros, 8:30 am
†Liturgy, 9:30 am

April 25
Palm Sunday
†Orthros, 8:30 am
†Liturgy, 9:30 am
Bridegroom Service, 6:30 pm

April 26
Holy Monday
Bridegroom Service, 6:30pm

April 27
Holy Tuesday
Bridegroom Service (Hymn of Kassiani), 6:30pm

April 28
Holy Wednesday
Holy Unction Service, 3:00pm (Children Encouraged to Attend)
Bridegroom Service & Anointing with Holy Unction, 6:30pm

April 29
Holy Thursday
Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil, 9:30am
Service of the Holy Passion (The 12 Gospels), 6:30pm

April 30
Holy Friday
Service of the Royal Hours, 9:00am
Apokathilosis Service (Burial Service), 3:00pm
Lamentations, 6:30pm

May 1
Holy Saturday
Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil, 9:30am (Children Encouraged to Attend)
Paschal Vigil, 11:15pm

Sunday, May 2
PASCHA
Resurrection Service, Orthros, and Divine Liturgy, 12:00am
Agape Vespers, 11:30am

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 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.

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."

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 Sun. of St. John Climacus in the Plagal Fourth Mode

The barren wilderness thou didst make fertile with the streams of thy tears and by thy deep sighing thou hast given fruit through thy struggles a hundred-fold. Accordingly, thou hast become a star for the universe, sparkling with miracles. Therefore, O righteous Father John, intercede with Christ God to save our souls.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

Victorious Lady, mighty champion, defending us, we, your servants, now inscribe to you this hymn of thanks, for you rescued us from suff'ring and tribulation. Theotokos, with your power that can never fail, keep us safe from ev'ry danger our whole life long, that we may cry to you: Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.

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

Saints and Feasts

April 11

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.

April 12

Basil the Confessor, Bishop of Parium

This Saint lived during the time of the Iconoclasts, and because of his exceptional and virtuous life became Bishop of Parium. He suffered many hardships, afflictions, and persecutions from the heretics his whole life long, and finally reposed in peace.

April 13

Martin the Confessor, Pope of Rome

Saint Martin was born in Tuscany. He had been the papal delegate at Constantinople; upon the death of Pope Theodore, Saint Martin was elected his successor. At this time the Emperor Constans II, also known as Constantine Pogonatus (reigned 641-668), was seeking support of his confession of faith called the Typos, which espoused the Monothelite heresy, that is, that there is only one will and energy in the Incarnate Son of God. But the newly-consecrated Pope not only did not accept the Typos, but convened the Lateran Council of 649 (attended by 105 of his bishops, and Saint Maximus the Confessor, who was then in Rome), which anathematized the Typos and the Monothelite heresy. Because of this Saint Martin was seized by an imperial force in 653 and brought to Constantinople, where he was charged with sending money to the Saracens and conspiring with them, and blaspheming against the most holy Mother of God. Though innocent of these accusations, he was exiled to Cherson on the Black Sea, where, after many sufferings and privations, he received the crown of his courageous confession in the year 655.

April 14

Aristarchus, Pudens, Trophimus the Apostles of the 70

Saint Aristarchus is mentioned in the Epistle to the Colossians (4:10), and also in the Epistle to Philemon (v. 24). By his ascetical manner of life, this Saint proved to be another Saint John the Baptist. He became Bishop of Apamea in Syria, and brought many to the Faith of Christ. Saints Pudens and Trophimus are mentioned in II Timothy 4:20-21. Also, Acts 21:29 mentions that Trophimus was from Ephesus. According to sources that Saint Dorotheus of Tyre (celebrated on June 5) found written in Latin in Rome, these Apostles were beheaded in Rome during the reign of Nero (54-68).

April 15

Crescens the Martyr

This Martyr was from Myra of Lycia, born of an illustrious family. Of his own accord he went amidst the idolaters and admonished them to leave off their futile religion and worship the only true God, Who is worshipped by the Christians; for this he was arrested. When asked by the ruler what his name and lineage were, the Saint would answer only that he was a Christian; counseled to offer sacrifice to the idols, he refused. For this, he was hung up and beaten, was scraped, and then was cast into fire, in which he gave up his holy soul into the hands of God, though not even the hair of his head was harmed by the flames.

April 16

Agape, Chionia, and Irene, the Holy Martyrs

When the Emperor Diocletian was at Aquileia, he learned that these Saints were Christians, and had them brought before him. Because they would not deny Christ, he had them imprisoned, and when he went into Macedonia, he committed them to Dulcitius the Prefect, who, however, lost his understanding and became incapable of doing them any harm. Diocletian then gave Count Sisinius charge over them. He had Saints Agape and Chionia burned; he ordered that Saint Irene be put in a brothel, but by the providence of God this was not accomplished, and she was shot with an arrow. These holy sisters suffered martyrdom in Thessalonica in the year 295.

April 17

Symeon the Holy Martyr and Bishop of Persia

This Martyr was Bishop of the royal cities Seleucia and Ctesiphon in Persia. As the number of Christians increased in Persia, building churches and appointing clergy, the Magi, guardians of the Persian religion, and the Jews, who also envied them, accused Symeon to Sapor II, King of Persia, saying that Symeon was a friend of the Roman Emperor and his spy. Then began Sapor's persecution of the Christians of Persia, about the year 343. The Magi together with the Jews destroyed the churches. Saint Symeon was brought before Sapor, and, refusing to worship the sun, was imprisoned. On Holy and Great Friday of that year, Saint Symeon was brought out of prison with a hundred others, bishops, priests, and deacons. As each was taken to be slain, Saint Symeon exhorted him to be of good courage; he was slain last of all. It is said that 1,150 Martyrs were slain; an innumerable multitude of Christians were slain throughout Persia during this persecution, among them Saints Acepsimas, Joseph, and Aethalas (see Nov. 3).

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