Matins
9:00 am
Liturgy
10:00 am
Other Parish Info
Directions: from Boston - take Rte 95 into NH, bear left on Rte 16 in Portsmouth, get off at Exit 8E for downtown Dover and turn left at the second light on Locust St. (follow public library sign). Go past the church on your left and turn left into the public library parking.
Father's Office Hours: M,T,W,& Fr 10:00am - 4pm
Secretary Office Hours: Mon-Fri 9:30am - 12:30pm
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Fr. Seraphim Dedes
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Greek Standard Text
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Narthex Press
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Greek Standard Text
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Narthex Press
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Greek Standard Text
Please pray for our brothers and sisters: James, Elizabeth, Tom, Kostas, William, Alexandra, Rita, John, Mikaela, Connor, James, Peter, Vasili, Sophia, Rachel, Nicole, Christine, Michael, Irina, Abigail, Shirley, Bridie, Christopher, Malina, Andrew, Vera, Erin, Paula, Milton, Galini, Yevgeniy, Alexey, Nadia, Vasiliki, Diane, Deborah, Phillip, Jim, Jave, Demetrios, Kathy, Elaina, Panagiota, Conan, John, Jo Anne, Bill, James, Colleen, Barbara, Theophana, Paul, Tasso, Roula, Thomas, Jim, Prescott, Sze, Prudence, Brittany, Dionysios, Konstantinos, Evangelia, Nikolaos, Penny, Taki, Maki, Andre, Pavlos, Stephanie, Phyllis, Ed, Bettyann, George, Althea, Sofia, Irina, Ava Maria, Maria, Jennifer.
If you or a loved one is going through a difficult time and would like the community to pray for you, please call the office and request to be added on the prayer list. We will list the first names only in the weekly bulletin for six months, or until you ask to be removed from the list. I will also make a special mention of the Orthodox names at the Proskomede.
Saint Anthony, the Father of monks, was born in Egypt in 251 of pious parents who departed this life while he was yet young. On hearing the words of the Gospel: "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell what thou hast, and give to the poor" (Matt. 19:21), he immediately put it into action. Distributing to the poor all he had, and fleeing from all the turmoil of the world, he departed to the desert. The manifold temptations he endured continually for the span of twenty years are incredible. His ascetic struggles by day and by night, whereby he mortified the uprisings of the passions and attained to the height of dispassion, surpass the bounds of nature; and the report of his deeds of virtue drew such a multitude to follow him that the desert was transformed into a city, while he became, so to speak, the governor, lawgiver, and master-trainer of all the citizens of this newly-formed city.
The cities of the world also enjoyed the fruit of his virtue. When the Christians were being persecuted and put to death under Maximinus in 312, he hastened to their aid and consolation. When the Church was troubled by the Arians, he went with zeal to Alexandria in 335 and struggled against them in behalf of Orthodoxy. During this time, by the grace of his words, he also turned many unbelievers to Christ.
Saint Anthony began his ascetic life outside his village of Coma in Upper Egypt, studying the ways of the ascetics and holy men there, and perfecting himself in the virtues of each until he surpassed them all. Desiring to increase his labors, he departed into the desert, and finding an abandoned fortress in the mountain, he made his dwelling in it, training himself in extreme fasting, unceasing prayer, and fierce conflicts with the demons. Here he remained, as mentioned above, about twenty years. Saint Athanasius the Great, who knew him personally and wrote his life, says that he came forth from that fortress "initiated in the mysteries and filled with the Spirit of God." Afterwards, because of the press of the faithful, who deprived him of his solitude, he was enlightened by God to journey with certain Bedouins, until he came to a mountain in the desert near the Red Sea, where he passed the remaining part of his life.
Saint Athanasius says of him that "his countenance had a great and wonderful grace. This gift also he had from the Saviour. For if he were present in a great company of monks, and any one who did not know him previously wished to see him, immediately coming forward he passed by the rest, and hurried to Anthony, as though attracted by his appearance. Yet neither in height nor breadth was he conspicuous above others, but in the serenity of his manner and the purity of his soul." So Passing his life, and becoming an example of virtue and a rule for monastics, he reposed on January 17 in the year 356, having lived altogether some 105 years.
Prokeimenon. First Tone. Psalm 32.22,1.
Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 4:7-13.
BRETHREN, grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it is said, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." (in saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
Προκείμενον. First Tone. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 32.22,1.
Γένοιτο, Κύριε, τὸ ἔλεός σου ἐφ' ἡμᾶς.
Στίχ. Ἀγαλλιᾶσθε δίκαιοι ἐν Κυρίῳ
τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Ἐφεσίους 4:7-13.
Ἀδελφοί, ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ ἡμῶν ἐδόθη ἡ χάρις κατὰ τὸ μέτρον τῆς δωρεᾶς τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Διὸ λέγει, Ἀναβὰς εἰς ὕψος ᾐχμαλώτευσεν αἰχμαλωσίαν, καὶ ἔδωκεν δόματα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. Τὸ δέ, Ἀνέβη, τί ἐστιν εἰ μὴ ὅτι καὶ κατέβη πρῶτον εἰς τὰ κατώτερα μέρη τῆς γῆς; Ὁ καταβάς, αὐτός ἐστιν καὶ ὁ ἀναβὰς ὑπεράνω πάντων τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἵνα πληρώσῃ τὰ πάντα. Καὶ αὐτὸς ἔδωκεν τοὺς μὲν ἀποστόλους, τοὺς δὲ προφήτας, τοὺς δὲ εὐαγγελιστάς, τοὺς δὲ ποιμένας καὶ διδασκάλους, πρὸς τὸν καταρτισμὸν τῶν ἁγίων, εἰς ἔργον διακονίας, εἰς οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ· μέχρι καταντήσωμεν οἱ πάντες εἰς τὴν ἑνότητα τῆς πίστεως καὶ τῆς ἐπιγνώσεως τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ, εἰς ἄνδρα τέλειον, εἰς μέτρον ἡλικίας τοῦ πληρώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ.
Sunday after Epiphany
The Reading is from Matthew 4:12-17
At that time, when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned." From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Sunday after Epiphany
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 4:12-17
Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ὅτι ᾿Ιωάννης παρεδόθη, ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν, καὶ καταλιπὼν τὴν Ναζαρὲτ ἐλθὼν κατῴκησεν εἰς Καπερναοὺμ τὴν παραθαλασσίαν ἐν ὁρίοις Ζαβουλὼν καὶ Νεφθαλείμ, ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ ῾Ησαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος· γῆ Ζαβουλὼν καὶ γῆ Νεφθαλείμ, ὁδὸν θαλάσσης, πέραν τοῦ ᾿Ιορδάνου, Γαλιλαία τῶν ἐθνῶν, ὁ λαὸς ὁ καθήμενος ἐν σκότειεἶδε φῶς μέγα, καὶ τοῖς καθημένοις ἐν χώρᾳ καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτουφῶς ἀνέτειλεν αὐτοῖς. ᾿Απὸ τότε ἤρξατο ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς κηρύσσειν καὶ λέγειν· μετανοεῖτε· ἤγγικε γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.
Vasilopita Sunday: Please join us downstairs for coffee hour and the Vasilopita ceremony. As always, the funds collected today will be sent to St. Basil’s Academy to help resident children. A special Vasilopita will be shared by those who want to make a donation over $20, and the “winner” will be entrusted with keeping the vertical blessing Cross until March 22nd, the Sunday of the Cross. Many thanks to Georgette Kostis & Bea Morris for organizing this event, as well to all those who donated a Vasilopita.
No Church Services this week:
Orthodox Life & Bible Study: Monday, January 13th at 10 am. Everyone is welcome to attend. We will be reading: In the Heart of the Desert: The Spirituality of the Desert Fathers and Mothers (Treasures of the World's Religions) by John Chryssavgis.
House Blessings: The Feast of the Holy Theophany is the traditional season for house blessings. If you would like your house blessed, please call church office (742-7667) to schedule an appointment.
2020 OFFERING ENVELOPES AVAILABLE IN NARTHEX
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Congratulations Parish Council 2020
George Coussoule President
Michael Frudakis Vice President
Abby Karoutas Secretary
Vula Lalas Treasurer
Althea Coussoule Zach Des Roches Paul Karoutas James Kottaridis Rosanne O'Hearne Robin Schumaker Dexter Tarbox
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Vasilopita Sunday, January 12th
The Alkistis Ladies Society will be coordinating Vasilopita Sunday to benefit St. Basil’s Academy for Children.
The story of the Vasilopita tradition and Custom of the Greek Orthodox Church can be found in the flyer section of this bulletin.
Vasilopita Sunday
10:00AM Orthodox Life & Bible Study
Toby Operation
Lee Congregational Church Visit
Office Closed
Clergy Brotherhood Mtg & Vasilopita
6:30PM GOYA Movie Night
10:00AM Orthodox Life & Bible Study
Jennie Economos Knight 40 day memorial
9:30AM Liturgy - Presentation of the Lord
12:00PM GOYA Mtg.
10:00AM Orthodox Life & Bible Study
Triodion Begins
Stewardship Form for 2020
The story of the Vasilopita tradition and Custom of the Greek Orthodox Church.