Sunday, June 18, 2017
Second Sunday after Pentecost
Tone 1 and Eothinon 2
Martyrs Leontios, Hypatios and Theodoulos at Tripoli in Phoenicia
We are pleased to welcome you to worship with us today. Please note that only Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves with prayer, fasting and a recent confession may approach to receive Holy Communion. Everyone is welcome to reverence the cross and to partake of the blessed bread at the dismissal. Please introduce yourself to our pastor, and ask him about membership in the Orthodox Church.
Today’s Hymns and Readings
Troparion of the Resurrection – Tone 1
The stone being sealed by the Jews, and thy pure body being guarded by the soldiers, thou didst rise on the third day, O Saviour, granting life to the world. Wherefore, the heavenly powers acclaimed thee, O Giver of life, crying, glory to thy Resurrection, O Christ! Glory to thy kingdom! Glory to thy gracious providence, O thou only Lover of mankind.
Troparion of the Nativity of the Theotokos – Tone 4
Thy nativity, O Theotokos, hath proclaimed joy to the whole universe. For from thee did shine forth the Sun of justice, Christ our God, annulling the curse, and bestowing the blessing, abolishing death and granting us life everlasting.
Kontakion of the Theotokos – Tone 2
O undisputed intercessor of Christians, the mediatrix unrejected by the Creator, turn not away from the voice of our petitions, though we be sinners. Come to us in time, who cry to thee in faith, with assistance; for thou art good. Hasten to us with intercessions, O Theotokos, who dost ever intercede for those who honour thee.
Epistle – Romans 2:10-16 (Second Sunday after Pentecost)
Prokeimenon. Psalm 32.22, 1. Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Verse. Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous.
BRETHREN, glory and honor and peace for every one who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality.
All who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. When Gentiles who have not the law do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or perhaps excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
Gospel – Matthew 4:18-23 (Second Sunday after Pentecost)
AT THAT TIME, as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.
Next week’s homework: Romans 5:1-10 (Third Sunday after Pentecost)
Matthew 6:22-33 (Third Sunday of Matthew)
POST-COMMUNION PRAYERS – As the faithful approach to reverence the cross, receive a blessing and a piece of antidoron (holy bread) at the dismissal, a reader will read the Post-Communion Prayers of Thanksgiving. Please greet each other quietly as we reverently hear these prayers.
HOLY BREAD – Josette and John Generale will offer the Holy Bread in June for the good health of Nancy Davis and Malakie Zogob. Many years! Linda and George Salamy have also made a donation through the rest of the year. Many years!
TODAY’S USHERS – Members of the Parish Council will serve as ushers. Please allow the Church School students, teachers and volunteers to receive Holy Communion first so that they can proceed to their classes and begin in a timely fashion. The ushers will assist us in proceeding row by row so that we can distribute Holy Communion “decently and in order.”
PLEASE MAKE SURE all cell phones and pagers are turned off in church.
JUNE 18, 2017 – THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
TODAY, JUNE 18 - We pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Fouad Allawh, Edward and Wadiha Baloutine, Adahlia and Atina David, Susan Paula Dib, Florence Lewis Dibbs, Rose Elkas, Kathleen Halloran, Michael Haje, Joseph G. Mashamesh, John and Nicholas Massabni, George Metry, Lillian Sadaka, Adama Salamy, George and Rose Samman, Thomas and Najla Shohfi, Evelyn Shoucair, Albert G. and Olga Wardi. Memory eternal!
Hiam Sukkarieh offers Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the souls of her beloved husband Bassam and her mother-in-law Ratiba. Memory eternal!
George Trisciuzzi offers Prayers of Oblation for the health of himself, Sebastian Rothhammer, and Elena Gallo, of Lugano, Italy. Many years!
The Family of Yvonne Najjar offers Prayers of Oblation and a 40-Day Memorial for the repose of her soul. A Coffee Hour in her memory will follow the Divine Liturgy. Memory eternal!
Brian Halloran offers Prayers of Oblation and a One-Year Memorial for the repose of the soul of his beloved wife Kathleen Halloran. A Coffee Hour in her memory will follow the Divine Liturgy. Memory eternal!
NEXT SUNDAY, JUNE 25 – We pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Linda Abdallah, Victor Arida, William Assatly Sr., Mabel Bittar, Angela Boojamra, Basil and Janelle Couri, Margarete Hadad, James Haddad, Mary and Phillip Hanna, Gloria Jabara, Mae Karram, Maggy Karam, Farid Khoury, Lorraine Lewis, Lydia Lewis, John Massabni, Victor Merhige, Salvatore Savarese, Marie Sayegh, Margaret Soued, George and Victoria Tadross, and Adeeba Tweel. Memory eternal!
FOR THE INFIRM – Please remember our ailing brethren in your daily intercessions, especially, Nancy Davis, Edward Hanna, and Charles Salloum (Norwegian), Lorraine Diahy, and Khalil Eid, (Hamilton Park), Helen Sahadi (Brandywine, Watchung, NJ), Susan Hadad, Louise Hamwi, Malak Karkenny, George Khoury, Jr., Victor Khoury, Alfred Nahas, Renee Najjar, Elena Paris, Louis Savarese, Marie Tashji, Claudette Teen, Jim Thompson (NJ), Malakie Zogob, and Rose Zrake (at home). If a member of your family is in the hospital or recuperating at home, please call the church office and let us know as soon as possible.
FASTING DISCIPLINE – The Fast of the Apostles continues until June 29 during which we abstain from meat, poultry, cheese, eggs, dairy, fish, wine, olive oil and their by-products on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays fish, wine, and olive oil are permitted.
2017 EASTERN DIOCESES PARISH LIFE CONFERENCE – St. George Church of Little Falls, NJ, will host the 66th Dioceses of Charleston and New York Parish Life Conference from Wednesday, June 28 through Sunday, July 2 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Morristown, NJ. For online event registration, or to reserve a room, please visit www.antiochianevents.com/ny.html.
OCMC – Our June pledge envelopes included a yellow envelope for the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC). Please support global Orthodox mission efforts with your contributions.
EPISTLE READERS – We want everyone to participate. If you are interested in reading the epistle, please see Fr. Michael.
ORGANIZATION MEETINGS – The Young Adult Fellowship will meet today following the Divine Liturgy. Please see Diana Kaiami for more information.
PROJECT MEXICO - The Fellowship of Saint John the Divine, Parent Teacher Organization, and Young Adult Fellowship will jointly host a six-month fundraiser for Saint Innocent Orphanage at Project Mexico. From June through August 2017, we will collect boxes of items from the attached list to send to Saint Innocent Orphanage. A case of each item will cost between $18 and $48 from the Dollar Tree or 99 Cent Store. Checks payable to The Fellowship of Saint John the Divine are welcome before 15 July 2017. Please bring the box to church any Sunday through August 2017 and leave on the table in the narthex. We will culminate our fundraiser with a Fall Harvest Luncheon on Sunday 12 November 2017. All proceeds raised from the sale of raffle tickets and free will donations that day will be sent to Saint Innocent Orphanage to provide a meal to the boys and staff on Christmas Day.
SAINTS AND SINNERS GOLF OUTING – Save the date, Thursday, September 21, for our largest and most important fundraiser of the year! This year our beloved Evelyn Shamoun will receive the parish’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and both Elaine and Edward Ateyeh will be honored with the Victor J. Samra, Jr. Memorial Award. Watch the bulletin for more details.
SUMMER PLEDGES – As many members take their vacations, we ask everyone to maintain their pledge payments as the summer months tend to be a little lean.
PARISH WEBSITE – Did you know that we post the weekly bulletin on the web? Simply go to www.smaoc.squarespace.com/bulletin, and view the bulletin at home. Also, find us on Facebook.
DATES TO REMEMBER
Wednesday, June 21 Bible Study, 7:00 PM
Saturday, June 24 Rhapsody Players
Sunday, June 25 James Elkhoury Baptism, 12:30 PM
June 28-July 2 Parish Life Conference, Morristown, NJ
We are pleased to welcome you to worship with us today. Please note that only Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves with prayer, fasting and a recent confession may approach to receive Holy Communion. Everyone is welcome to reverence the cross and to partake of the blessed bread at the dismissal. Please introduce yourself to our pastor, and ask him about membership in the Orthodox Church.
FROM THE FATHERS – “Hold fast to the blessed and joyful sorrow of holy compunction and do not cease laboring for it until it lifts you high above the things of the world to present you, a cleansed offering, to Christ.”
St. John Climacus