Sunday Schedule:
Orthros: 8:30 a.m.
Divine Liturgy: 9:30 a.m.
Bible Study:
Wednesdays, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
JOIN US FOR COFFEE FELLOWSHIP
We welcome everyone for Coffee Fellowship today, and every Sunday, in the Fellowship Hall following services. If you have children in the Sunday School, please wait for them in Coffee Fellowship. They will be dismissed when their class is completed.
SUNDAY SCHOOL
We are delighted that Sunday School has started this year and that we are able to hold classes in person. We know that there are still some families that have not yet registered this year and we are anxious to have you in class. The teachers have worked hard to put together some wonderful lessons and are excited to teach our children about the faith and share the love of Christ with them.
TIME CHANGE NEXT SUNDAY
Hard to believe, but we will be changing our clocks next Sunday, November 7th from Daylight Savings time to Eastern Standard Time. Don’t forget to move your clocks back one hour or you will arrive for Liturgy very early! (Though that is not a bad thing!)
PARISH ASSEMBLY – NOVEMBER 7
Next week Sunday following services, we will hold the fall Parish Assembly. Please join us for this meeting. We will be serving lunch so we can meet and eat. The meeting should last about 45 minutes to an hour.
PHILOPTOCHOS GENERAL MEETING
Our next Philopotochos General meeting takes place on Saturday, November 13, 2021 at 9:30am. A delicious Brunch will be served. The Outreach for our General Meeting is men’s/women’s crew socks for the homeless. Many thanks.
PHILOPTOCHOS 68TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS TEA FUNDRAISER
You are cordially invited to participate in this year’s Philoptochos 68th Christmas Tea Fundraiser taken place on Sunday, December 5, 2021. All proceeds will benefit our annual ministries, as well as several additional charities impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Let’s share our Christian value in the true spirit of giving by helping others in wake of this unprecedented pandemic. With many thanks to the generosity of our loyal Raffle patrons, three cash gift cards in the amounts of $250, $300, and a grand prize of $500 will be awarded as part of this year’s Fundraiser. One complimentary raffle ticket is included for each $50 donation. The raffle will be drawn after church at noon on Sunday, December 5, 2021. We invite you to tune in to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/TransGOC to watch the drawing in real time! Please contact Ellen Dobi at 978-505-1764 or ekdobi@verizon.net for the form, or give online directly at philoptochos-tea-2021.eventbrite.com.
GOYA APPLE PIE SALES
You can now place your order for the annual GOYA Apple Pie Sale. These delicious apple pies will be available for pick-up on Sunday, November 21 following liturgy. You can order your pies, baked, unbaked, and sugarless. Each homemade pie is just $15. Perfect for Thanksgiving. Please see the GOYAns at the lobby table following services. See the Flyer below.
CHOIR NEEDS YOU
We have a wonderful group who are participating in the choir. We have some who are brand new to choir and some who have sung for many years. Please join us, no experience necessary. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact our director, Stephanie Gulezian, at stephaniegulezian@gmail.com, our organist, Marc Gulezian, at mgulezian22@gmail.com or come up to the loft and follow along with us.
COVID PROTOCOLS FOR CHURCH CONTINUE
As we continue to gather for worship, we ask that you follow the current CDC and state 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. 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.
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.
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: Available
GOYA Apple Pie Sales
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, October 31 FIFTH SUNDAY OF LUKE
†Orthros, 8:30 am
†Liturgy, 9:30 am
12 Year Memorial for George Tzanetakos
Coffee Fellowship following Liturgy
Sunday School Staff Meeting
Wednesday, November 3
Bible Study (online), 10:00 am
Sunday, November 7 SEVENTH SUNDAY OF LUKE
†Orthros, 8:30 am
†Liturgy, 9:30 am
3 Year Memorial for Thomas George Gianacakes
Monthly Trisagion
Coffee Fellowship and light lunch following Liturgy
Parish Assembly following Liturgy
End of Daylight Savings Time
Monday, November 8
Archangels - Liturgy, 9:30 am
Saint Nektarios – Great Vespers at St. George GOC, 6:00 pm
Wednesday, Nobember 10
Bible Study (online), 10:00 am
Parish Council Meeting, 6:30 pm
Thursday, November 11
Veterans Day - Office Closed
Saturday, November 13
Philoptochos General Meeting and Brunch, 9:30 am
TODAY’S PARISH COUNCIL: Costas Tsioulis, Christian Zouzas & Chuck Nestor
UPCOMING EVENTS
November 14
Eighth Sunday of Luke
November 17
Bible Study (online), 10:00 am
November 21
Entrance of the Theotokos
GOYA Apple Pie order pickup
November 25
Thanksgiving
November 28
Thirteenth Sunday of Luke
December 1
Bible Study (online), 10:00 am
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 Second Letter to the Corinthians 11:31-33; 12:1-9.
Brethren, the God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed for ever, knows that I do not lie. At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to seize me, but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped his hands.
I must boast; there is nothing to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven -- whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into Paradise --whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows -- and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. Though if I wish to boast, I shall not be a fool, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me; but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
5th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 16:19-31
The Lord said, "There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazaros, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Lazaros in his bosom. And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Lazaros to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazaros in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.' And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' But Abraham said, 'They have Moses, and the prophets; let them hear them.' And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to them, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'"
Of these holy Apostles, Stachys became the first Bishop of Byzantium, consecrated by the Apostle Andrew. Having shepherded his people for sixteen years, he reposed in the Lord. As for the others, each one shone forth in the episcopal see appointed to him: Apelles, Bishop of Heraclea; Amplias, Bishop of Odyssopolis; Urban, Bishop of Macedonia; Narcissus, Bishop of Athens; and Aristobulus, Bishop of Britain.
These Saints were from Asia (that is, Asia Minor). After the death of their father, their Christ-loving mother Theodota reared them in piety and in all manner of virtue, and had them instructed in every science, especially that of medicine. This became their vocation, and they went about healing every illness and malady, bestowing healing freely on both men and beasts alike; because of this, they are called "Unmercenaries." And thus, having completed the course of their life, they reposed in peace.
These Martyrs contested in Persia about the year 330, in the reign of Sapor (Shapur) II, King of Persia (325-379). Acindynus, Pegasius, and Anempodistus, Persian Christians, confessed Christ before the King, and were put to many torments. Aphthonius and Elpidophoros, drawn to the Faith of Christ through the Martyrs, were beheaded with another 7,000. Saints Acindynus, Pegasius, and Anempodistus were at last burned to death. Two churches were dedicated in their honour in Constantinople. As is often the case in church hymns, there is a play on the meanings of the Saints' names here. Acindynus means "unimperilled"; Pegasius is derived from pegazo--"to gush forth"; Aphthonius is derived from aphthonos-"abundant"; Elpidophoros means "hope-bearing"; Anempodistus means "unhindered." These are all Greek translations of their Persian names.
Saint Acepsimas, a bishop, Saint Joseph, a presbyter, and Saint Aeithalas, a deacon, suffered exceedingly cruel torments and martyrdom during the reign of Sapor II, King of Persia (325-379). See also April 17.
Saint Joannicius was born in Bithynia about the year 740. His father was named Myritrikes and his mother Anastaso When he had reached maturity, he excelled in soldiery and was counted worthy of royal honours for his bravery. He had been brought up an iconoclast, but while yet a soldier, he was converted to Orthodoxy by a certain holy elder. He later forsook all things and departed for Mount Olympus, where he spent the remainder of his life in asceticism. Becoming great in virtue, he reposed in the Lord in the year 834, having lived some ninety-four years. To this Saint is ascribed the brief prayer, "My hope is the Father . . . ."
Saint Galaktion was from Emesa, the son of Cleitophon and Leucippe, pagans who had been instructed in piety by a certain Christian named Onuphrius and received holy Baptism. Saint Episteme, born of unbelieving parents, was baptized before she was wedded to Galaktion. After their marriage they remained in virginity and lived in separate monastic houses. Betrayed as Christians, they suffered martyrdom during the reign of Decius, about the year 250.
Saint Paul was from Thessalonica. He became the secretary of Alexander, Patriarch of Constantinople (see Aug. 30), a deacon, and then the successor of Saint Alexander in about 337. Because of his virtue, his eloquence in teaching, and his zeal for Orthodoxy, the Arians hated and feared him. When the Arian Emperor Constantius, who was in Antioch, learned of Paul's election, he exiled Paul and proclaimed the Arian Eusebius Patriarch. Saint Paul went to Rome, where he found Saint Athanasius the Great also in exile. Provided with letters by Pope Julius, Paul returned to Constantinople, and after the death of Eusebius in 342, ascended again his rightful throne; the Arians meanwhile elected Macedonius, because he rejected the Son's con-substantiality with the Father (and the divinity of the Holy Spirit besides). When Constantius, yet at Antioch, learned of Paul's return, he sent troops to Constantinople to drive Paul out. The Saint returned to Rome, where Saint Athanasius also was again in exile. Constans, Emperor of the West, Constantius' brother, but Orthodox, wrote to Constantius that if Athanasius and Paul were not allowed to return to their sees, he would come with troops to restore them him-self. So Paul again returned to his throne. After the death of Constans, however, Constantius had Paul deposed. Because of the love of the people for Saint Paul, Philip the Prefect, who was sent for him, was compelled to arrest him secretly to avoid a sedition. Paul was banished to Cucusus, on the borders of Cilicia and Armenia; a town through which his most illustrious successor, Saint John Chrysostom would also pass on his way to Comana in his last exile. In Cucusus, about the year 350, as Saint Paul was celebrating the Divine Liturgy in the little house where he was a prisoner, the Arians strangled him with his own omophorion, so much did they fear him even in exile. His holy relics were brought back to Constantinople with honour by the Emperor Theodosius the Great.