81st Street and Ridge Boulevard Website: www.smaoc.org
Brooklyn, NY 11209 Church Office: (718) 238-8008
Email: churchsecretary@smaoc.org Rectory: (718) 745-8481
His Eminence Metropolitan SABA
Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of all North America
Very Rev. Fr. Michael Ellias, Pastor Rev. Deacon Farid Farkouh
Email: pastor@smaoc.org farkouhfarid@gmail.com
Sunday, June 18, 2023
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 receive the blessing and partake of the blessed bread at the dismissal. Please introduce yourself to our pastor during the coffee hour and ask him about membership in the Orthodox Church.
Today’s Hymns and Readings
Apolytikion 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.
Apolytikion 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 – At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, a reader will read the Post-Communion Prayers of Thanksgiving. Please reverently hear these prayers before beginning to “chat.”
HOLY BREAD – Donors are welcome for June and succeeding months. We ask for a donation of $50/week.
APOSTLES FAST – Each year the “Apostles Fast” or the “Fast of Saints Peter and Paul” extends from the Monday following All Saints Sunday (June 12 this year) until the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul (June 29). Let’s use this short fast to pray for missions and missionaries at home and abroad who are striving to carry out Jesus’ Great Commission.
PLEASE MAKE SURE all cell phones and electronic devices are turned off in church or at home.
JUNE 18, 2023 – SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Mission Statement - The mission of St. Mary’s Antiochian Orthodox Church of Brooklyn, NY, is to love and worship God through participation in the liturgical life of the Church, and to live and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We carry out this mission through education, outreach, fellowship, and works of mercy with love for each other, our neighbors, and our diverse world.
SUNDAY, JUNE 18 - We pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God George and Rose Samman, Albert G. Wardi and Olga Wardi, and Wadia Zain. Memory eternal!
Lara Rostom Allaham offers Prayers of Oblation and a 9-day Memorial for the repose of the soul of her grandfather, the servant of God Abdullah Rostom, who departed this life in Syria. Memory eternal!
NEXT SUNDAY, JUNE 25 – We will pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Linda Abdallah, William Assatly Sr., Alice, Edward and Wadiha Baloutine, Mabel Bittar, Angela Boojamra, Nancy Davis, Florence Lewis Dibbs, Jamila Eadeh, Lorraine Lewis, Margarete Haddad, Phillip and Mary Hanna, Gloria Jabara, Maggy Karam, Mae Karram, George Massabni, Helen Sahadi, Salvatore Savarese, Marie Sayegh, Margaret Soued, and Adeeba Taweel. Memory eternal!
Corinne and Michael Mallia will offer Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of the handmaiden of God Maggy Karam. Memory eternal!
The Defede and Mayrose Families will offer Prayers of Oblation and a 40-Day Memorial for the repose of the soul of the handmaiden of God Joanne Defede. A Coffee Hour in her memory will follow the Divine Liturgy. Memory eternal!
FOR THE INFIRM - Please remember our ailing brethren in your daily intercessions, especially, Rose Abdallah (NYU Lutheran), Khalil Eid (Hamilton Park), George Khoury (Hamilton Park), Nicholas Massab (Norwegian), Rouda Abboud, Yvonne Allawh, Diana Finger, Robert Forcina, Denise McBride, Alfred Nahas, Wade Saadi, Victoria Sleyman, Claudette Teen, Jim Thompson (NJ), George Trisciuzzi, Dr. Samir Zamaria (MD) and Rose Zrake (at home).
CONTINUING EDUCTION – Our “summer semester” of adult and continuing education will meet on Wednesday, June 21, at 7:00 PM. We will use the book Orthodox Christianity, Vol. 5: Sacraments and Other Rites as our text. Please see Lorraine Deeb at the parish bookstore to order a copy. If you cannot afford the cost, please see Fr. Michael in confidence.
CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS – Several of our campers heading to the Antiochian Village Camp this summer could use a little scholarship assistance. If you are able to help with a contribution, please make your check payable to St. Mary’s Church with “Camp Scholarship” in the memo line. Fr. Michael will deposit any contributions in the Pastor’s Discretionary Fund and distribute the scholarships in confidence. Donors will receive an acknowledgement and receipt for tax purposes.
SENIOR FELLOWSHIP – “Our Time,” the fellowship group at St. Mary’s for those over 50, will meet for the last time until September on Wednesday, June 21, from 1-3 PM. The group will continue to host pickleball on Tuesdays from 7-9 PM and tentatively on Thursdays if there is sufficient interest. Share your thoughts and ideas with Marilyn Tulaney at (718) 208-3616.
SAINTS AND SINNERS GOLF AND TENNIS OUTING – The invitations for this year’s Saints and Sinners Golf and Tennis Outing on Monday, September 18, at the Hempstead Golf and Country Club will go out soon. This year we will honor Samer Kaiami with our Lifetime Achievement Award, and we will remember Marie Louise Tashji with the Victor J. Samra, Jr. Memorial Award. The deadline for the journal will be August 31. Please see Daria Mayrose for more information.
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.
EASTERN DIOCESES PARISH LIFE CONFERENCE – The parish of St. Moses the Black of Pittsburgh, PA, will host this year’s Parish Life Conference at the beautiful Antiochian Village Conference and Retreat Center in Ligonier, PA, from June 28-July 2. Information and registration are now open on-line at www.antiochianevents.com.
ESTATE PLANNING – Have I included St. Mary’s Church in my will or estate plan? Bequests to the Endowment Fund will have a major impact on St. Mary’s Church in the future.
PLEASE MAKE SURE all cell phones and electronic devices are turned off in church or at home.
DATES TO REMEMBER
Wednesday, June 21 “Our Time” Adult Fellowship, 1-3 PM
Adult Education, 7:00 PM
Saturday, June 24 Great Vespers, 5:00 PM
June 28 - July 2 Parish Life Conference @ Antiochian Village
Sunday, July 2 Albishara Baptism, 3 PM
July 23 – 30 Archdiocese Convention in Phoenix, AZ
All services will be live streamed via twitch.tv/smaoc.
FROM THE FATHERS – “And when your enemy falls into your hands, do not consider how you can pay him back and let him feel the sharp edge of your tongue before sending him packing; consider rather how you can heal him and restore him to a better frame of mind. Continue to make every effort by both word and deed until your gentleness has overcome his aggressiveness. Nothing has more power than gentleness. As someone has said, ‘A soft word will break bones.’ And what is harder than bone? Well then, even if someone is as hard and inflexible as that, he will be conquered if you treat him gently. There is another saying, ‘A soft answer turns away wrath.’ It is obvious therefore that whether your enemy continues to rage or whether he is reconciled depends much more on you than on him. For it rests with us, not with those who are angry, either to destroy their anger or to inflame it.”
- St. John Chrysostom
A Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America