Announcements

JOIN US FOR COFFEE FELLOWSHIP

Today’s Fellowship is offered by the family of Dyanne Mitropoulis on the occasion of her 3 year memorial. Everyone is welcome to join the Fellowship Hour following services for coffee and conversation! We encourage social distancing during coffee fellowship and encourage everyone to continue to act in responsible a manner to ensure the health and safety of all.

DONATIONS FOR HURRICANE IDA and FLOOD RELIEF

This past week Hurricane Ida crashed into the Gulf Coast and caused tremendous damage and left over a million people without electricity. Just prior to that flash floods washed through Tennessee and now this week in the Northeast. These recent natural disasters have caused great hardship on countless people. The IOCC is activating their national emergency team. Your donations to the IOCC will assist in providing emergency assistance. You can make your donation in the narthex and we will send one check from the parish or you can make your donation directly to the IOCC at iocc.org.

SUNDAY SCHOOL TO RESUME SEPTEMBER 19

We are pleased to announce that in-person Sunday School classes will begin on Sunday, September 19. The teachers and staff are excited to begin the new year and to help our young people explore and grow in the faith. Masks will be required in the classroom by staff and students. More information about protocols for the classroom and events for our first day back will be sent soon.

WELCOME BACK SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 19

Annually our parish celebrates the start of the new academic year and the resumption of choir with a ‘Welcome Back Sunday’ held on the first day of classes. Unfortunately, last year, due to COVID, we could not hold this annual gathering. In light of the past 18 months, ‘Welcome Back Sunday’ has never had such a significant meaning. Mark your calendar and make plans to join us for worship and special events on the 19^th. Please note: we will continue to follow CDC guidelines for the health and safety of our faithful.

CHOIR TO RESUME IN FALL

The Choir needs you! We thank our wonderful chanters, Patty, Melanie and Mia, for covering for us during these difficult COVID times. Thankfully, with vaccinations in place, we are looking to start up the choir again in the fall.

We know there are many faithful who sing along during the Liturgy, join us in the choir even if you have never sung in a choir before, and add your voice to our worship. We are in desperate need of voices! Please join us, no experience necessary. OUR NEXT REHEARSAL WILL BE ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 12th FOLLOWING LITURGY. Bring friends, family, children, and whoever you think would like to sing! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact our director, Stephanie Gulezian, at stephaniegulezian@gmail.com or our organist, Marc Gulezian, at mgulezian22@gmail.com.

PHILOPTOCHOS

Please join us for our first scheduled Philoptochos General Meeting on September 15, 2021 in the church hall downstairs. Light refreshments will be served at 6:30pm. Business meeting will begin at 7:00pm. Our Outreach for this month is children’s chapter books for grades 2, 3 and 4 to benefit our Literacy Program. Your generosity is much appreciated. Hope to see you there!

COVID PROTOCOLS FOR CHURCH CONTINUE

Especially now with the uptick in COVID cases, as we continue to gather for worship we ask that you follow the CDC guidelines. Those who are vaccinated, masks are optional. Those who are not fully vaccinated are strongly encouraged to continue mask usage to help protect themselves and others, especially our children. Children 2 years and older are strongly encouraged to wear masks. Through the summer we will continue with pew spacing. You are welcome to seat yourself as you enter the church. As you move around the facility, please keep social distancing in mind.

We are excited to welcome you back for worship as you feel comfortable. We are also excited to begin reinstalling many of our ministries and events. Please offer your assistance as we begin the process of ramping up our calendar.

GRECIAN FOOD FESTIVAL – DRIVE THRU – October 16

After having great success with our ‘Grecian Food Festival – Drive Thru’ event in June, we have scheduled another ‘Drive-Thru Festival’ for October 16. The committee has already begun preparations. Details on volunteering, donating, and purchasing will be coming soon.

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.

REGULAR OFFICE HOURS TO RESUME

The regular Church Office hours will resume this week. The office will be closed Labor Day. Regular hours will be Monday – Friday, 9 am to 2 pm starting Tuesday, September 7.

WATCH SERVICES ONLINE

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

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 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: Available

†Vigil Light at the Foot of the Holy Cross: In Loving Memory of Dyanne Mitropoulis’ 3^rd anniversary

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, September 5 ELEVENTH SUNDAY OF MATTHEW
†Orthros, 8:30 am
†Liturgy, 9:30 am
Monthly Trisagion
Coffee Fellowship following Liturgy

Monday, September 6
Labor Day – Office Closed

Wednesday, September 8 NATIVITY OF THE THEOTOKOS
†Liturgy, 9:30 am
Parish Council Meeting, 6:30 pm

Sunday, September 12 SUNDAY BEFORE HOLY CROSS
†Orthros, 8:30 am
†Liturgy, 9:30 am
Coffee Fellowship following Liturgy
Choir Rehearsal following Liturgy

Tuesday, September 14 FEAST OF THE HOLY CROSS
†Orthros, 8:30 am
†Liturgy, 9:30 am

Friday, September 17
St. Sophia and her daughters – Liturgy in Chapel, 9:30 am

Saturday, September 18
11^th Annual Golf Tournament

TODAY’S PARISH COUNCIL: Chuck Nestor, Costas Tsioulis & Christian Zouzas

UPCOMING EVENTS

September 19
Sunday After Holy Cross
3 Year Memorial for Angelike Flannagan
First Day of Sunday School

September 22
Bible Study (online), 10:00 am

September 26
Falling Asleep of St. John the Theologian
3 Year Memorial for George Skrekas
27 Year Memorial for Deborah Skrekas

September 29
Bible Study (online), 10:00 am

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Second Mode. Psalm 117.14,18.
The Lord is my strength and my song.
Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 9:2-12.

Brethren, you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defense to those who would examine me. Do we not have the right to our food and drink? Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a wife, as the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? Do I say this on human authority? Does not the law say the same? For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain." Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of a share in the crop. If we have sown spiritual good among you, is it too much if we reap your material benefits? If others share this rightful claim upon you, do not we still more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.

Gospel Reading

11th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 18:23-35

The Lord said this parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, 'Pay what you owe.' So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' And in anger his lord delivered him to the torturers, till he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Second Mode

When you descended into death, Life immortal, you vanquished the pow'r of hell by your resplendent divinity and when you raised the dead from the depths of darkness, all the heavenly powers cried out triumphantly: O giver of life, Christ our God, glory to you.

Apolytikion for Zacharias the Prophet in the Fourth Mode

In the vesture of a priest, according to the Law of God, thou didst offer unto Him well-pleasing whole-burnt offerings, as it befitted a priest, O wise Zacharias. Thou wast a shining light, a seer of mysteries, bearing in thyself clearly the signs of grace; and in God's temple, O wise Prophet of Christ God, thou wast slain with the sword. Hence, with the Forerunner, make entreaty that our souls find salvation.

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

Your holy birth delivered Joachim and Anna from the reproach of childlessness, and liberated Adam and Eve from death's corruption, O Pure One. Thus freed from the stain of sin, we your people honor your birth, crying out to you: A woman thought barren brings forth the Theotokos who nourishes Christ our Life.

Wisdom of the Fathers

Wherefore then did He not do this, nor forgive the debt before the account? Desiring to teach him, from how many obligations He is delivering him, that in this way at least he might become more mild towards his fellow servant .... He gave more than he asked, remission and forgiveness of the entire debt.

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 61 on Matthew 18, 4th Century

When then you are minded to be revengeful, consider that against yourself are you revengeful, not against another; that you art binding up your own sins, not your neighbors ....

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 61 on Matthew 18, 4th Century

Saints and Feasts

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.

September 06

The Commemoration of the Miracle Wrought by Archangel Michael in Colossae (Chonae)

The feast today in honour of the Archangel Michael commemorates the great miracle he wrought when he delivered from destruction a church and holy spring named for him. The pagans, moved by malice, sought to destroy the aforesaid church and holy spring by turning the course of two rivers against them. But the Archangel appeared and, by means of the Cross and a great earthquake that shook the entire area, diverted the waters into an underground course. Henceforth, the name of that place changed from Colossae to Chonae, which means "funnels" in Greek.

September 07

Sozon the Martyr

This holy Martyr was a shepherd in Lycaonia. Born a pagan, named Tarasius, he received holy Baptism and was renamed Sozon. Filled with zeal for the truth, he taught his countrymen to desist from the worship of idols. Once he entered the temple of Artemis in Pompeiopolis of Cilicia, cut off the golden hand of the idol, and breaking it in pieces, distributed it among the poor. When he saw that many were being unjustly punished for the theft, of his own accord he gave himself up to Maximian the Governor. He was beaten with rods until his bones were broken. According to some, he suffered martyrdom in 288; according to others, in 304.

September 08

The Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary

According to the ancient tradition of the Church, the Theotokos was born of barren and aged parents, Joachim and Anna, about the year 16 or 17 before the birth of Christ. Joachim was descended from the royal line of David, of the tribe of Judah. Anna was of the priestly tribe of Levi, a daughter of the priest Matthan and Mary, his wife.

September 09

The Holy & Righteous Ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna

Today, the day following the Nativity of the most holy Theotokos, we celebrate the synaxis of Saints Joachim and Anna, honouring them as her parents.

September 10

Menodora, Metrodora, & Nymphodora the Martyrs

These Martyrs, sisters according to the flesh, were from Bithynia. They lived in virginity on a mountain near the Pythian hot springs of Bithynia, devoting themselves to asceticism and prayer. Betrayed to the local governor, Fronto, they were subjected to frightful tortures, and so gave up their holy souls into the hands of God. They contested for the Faith during the reign of Maximian, in the year 304.

September 11

Theodora of Alexandria

This saint lived in the fifth century. Out of remorse for the adultery that she committed with another man, she fled from her husband's house, renamed herself Theodore, clothed herself as a man, and pretending to be a eunuch, entered a monastery of men. Her identity as a woman was discovered only after her death.

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