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, September 17, 2023
Sunday after the Elevation of the Holy Cross
Tone 6 and Eothinon 4
Martyrs Sophia and Her Daughters Faith, Love, and Hope
Today’s Hymns and Readings
Apolytikion of the Resurrection – Tone 6
When Mary stood at thy grave looking for thy sacred body, angelic powers shone above thy revered tomb, and the soldiers who were to keep guard became as dead men. Thou led hades captive and wast not tempted thereby. Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst give life to the world; O thou that art risen from the dead! O Lord, glory to thee.
Apolytikion of the Holy Cross – Tone 1
O Lord, save thy people and bless thine inheritance, granting our believing kings victory over the Barbarians, and by the power of thy Cross preserving thy commonwealth.
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 Holy Cross – Tone 4
Do thou, who of thine own good will wast elevated upon the Cross, bestow thy bounties upon the new people, which is called by thy Name, O Christ our God; make glad with thy might our believing kings, granting them victory over their adversaries. May thine aid be a panoply of peace, a trophy invincible.
Epistle – Galatians 2:16-20 (The Sunday after the Elevation of the Precious Cross)
Prokeimenon. Psalm 103.24, 1. O Lord, how magnificent are your works. You have made all things in wisdom.
Verse. Bless the Lord, O my soul.
BRETHREN, you know that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were found to be sinners, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Gospel – Mark 8:34-9:1 (The Sunday after the Elevation of the Precious Cross)
THE LORD SAID, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Kingdom of God come with power.”
Next week’s homework: II Timothy 3:10-15 (Protomartyr Thekla)
Luke 5:1-11 (First Sunday of Luke)
HOLY BREAD – Roland Salloum and Wanda Salloum offer the Holy Bread of Oblation for the month of September for the repose of the soul of their brother, the servant of God Oscar Salloum and all the departed members of the Salloum Family. Memory eternal! Additional donors are welcome for September and succeeding months. We ask for a donation of $50/week.
FASTING DISCIPLINE FOR SEPTEMBER – We observe the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine, olive oil, and their by-products) on Wednesdays and Fridays.
FLOWERS FOR THE HOLY CROSS – Donors are welcome for the procession with the precious and life-giving Cross. Please make your check payable to St. Mary’s Church with “flowers” in the memo line.
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.”
PLEASE MAKE SURE all cell phones and electronic devices are turned off in church or at home.
SEPTEMBER 17, 2023 – SUNDAY AFTER THE ELEVATION OF THE HOLY CROSS
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.
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, SEPTEMBER 17 - We pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Elizabeth Ganim Cohen, George Fauty, Victor Hamaty, Katherine and Wilfred Jabara, Alexander Orfaly, Wajieha Sabbagh, and Edward M. Traboulsi. Memory eternal!
Brenda Samman offers Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of her husband, former Parish Council Chair Sam Samman. Memory eternal
NEXT SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 – We will pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Lorraine Assatly, Victoria F. Dib, Ghassan Fattouh, Avjon Golam and Dimitry Golam, George Haddad, Werda Hadad, Emileen Hanna, Stephen Paul James, Eleanor Kalesh, Alexander Khoury, George K. Moore, Addie, Mary Alice, Alfred Nahas, Edmund Nahas, Adrienne Poulakakos, Barbara Salamy, Very Rev. Fr. Paul W.S. Schneirla, Shirley Schneirla, William Sutfin Schneirla, Jr., and Donald O. Page. Memory eternal!
Alice Carolyn Furer will offer Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of the handmaiden of God Victoria Fiane Dib. Memory eternal!
Rafat Kaba will offer Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of the servant of God George Kadour. Memory eternal!
Dr. Shadi Badin and Mrs. Oula Sayig will offer Prayers of Oblation and a 40-Day Memorial for the repose of the soul of Oula’s father, Nafez Sayegh who departed this life in Syria. Memory eternal!
Our Parish Family will offer Prayers of Oblation and a 10-Year Memorial for the repose of the soul of our former and long-time pastor, V. Rev. Fr. Paul W.S. Schneirla. Memory eternal!
FOR THE INFIRM - Please remember our ailing brethren in your daily intercessions, especially, Khalil Eid (Hamilton Park), Nicholas Massab (Norwegian), Rouda Abboud, Rose Abdallah, Yvonne Allawh, Diana Finger, Robert Forcina, George Khoury, Denise McBride, Alfred Nahas, Wade Saadi, Victoria Sleyman, Claudette Teen, Jim Thompson (NJ), George Trisciuzzi, and Rose Zrake (at home).
SAINTS AND SINNERS GOLF AND TENNIS OUTING – The annual Saints and Sinners Golf and Tennis Outing will take place tomorrow, September 18. This year we are honoring Sam Kaiami with the Lifetime Achievement Award and Marie Louise Tashji with the Victor Samra, Jr. Memorial Award. May God grant us seasonable weather!
LADIES OF ST. MARY’S - The Ladies of St. Mary’s will have their first meeting of the new ecclesiastical year on Sunday, September 24, after Divine Liturgy. All ladies welcome and invited to attend!
OUR TIME FELLOWSHIP – Our “senior” fellowship, “Our Time,” will meet on Wednesday, September 27, from 1-3 PM. Please see Marilyn Tulaney for more information.
CHURCH SCHOOL – Please allow the Church School students, teachers, and assistants to receive Holy Communion first so that they can go to their classes in a timely fashion. Please see Lorraine Deeb to enroll your students ages 4 through 18.
TEEN RETREAT – On Saturday, October 7, our Teen SOYO will host a Teen Retreat at St. Vladimir’s Seminary in Yonkers, NY, on behalf of the Eastern Dioceses. Please see Teen Advisors Dianna Kitchen, Angela Athineos, or Amanda Regnier
ON-LINE GIVING – St. Mary's Church now accepts donations online. Just visit https://smaoc.squarespace.com/donate and pay securely by credit card, debit card, or checking account. There is an option to indicate gifts made in honor of or in remembrance of someone.
ESTATE PLANNING – Why should I include St. Mary’s Church in my will or estate plan? In order to assure that my children and grandchildren will have a place to worship God, to baptize their children, to get married, to bury their dead, and to share the fellowship of fellow Christians – no matter what economic conditions there may be in the future!
DATES TO REMEMBER
Monday, September 18 Saints and Sinners Golf and Tennis Outing
Saturday, September 23 Great Vespers, 5:00 PM
Sunday, September 24 Ladies of St. Mary’s Meeting
William Bittar Baptism, 1:30 PM
Wednesday, September 27 “Our Time” Senior Fellowship, 1-3 PM
Saturday, October 7 Teen Retreat @ St. Vladimir’s Seminary
Monday, October 9 Parish Council, 7:00 PM
All services will be live streamed via twitch.tv/smaoc.
FROM THE FATHERS – “Christ is the Bread of Life; let us therefore lay aside our care about other bread. The God who gives us the Body and Blood of his Son for food and drink will likewise give us our natural bread. He who clothes our soul in Christ will likewise clothe our body. He who condescends to dwell in us will not deprive us of a perishable dwelling.”
- St. John of Kronstadt
A Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America