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, October 20, 2024
Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
Tone 8 and Eothinon 6
Great Martyr Artemius at Antioch
Today’s Hymns and Readings
Apolytikion of the Resurrection – Tone 8
O Compassionate One, thou didst descend from the heights; thou didst submit to the three-day burial, that thou mightest deliver us from passion. Thou art our Life and our Resurrection, O Lord, glory to thee.
Apolytikion of the Great Martyr Artemius – Tone 4
Thy Martyr, O Lord, in his courageous contest for Thee received as the prize the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our immortal God. For since he possessed Thy strength, he cast down the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons’ strengthless presumption. O Christ God, by his prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful.
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 – II Corinthians 6:16-7:1 (Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost)
Prokeimenon. Make your vows to the Lord our God and perform them.
Verse. God is known in Judah; his name is great in Israel.
BRETHREN, we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, and make holiness perfect in the fear of God.
Gospel – Luke 8:26-39 (Sixth Sunday of Luke)
AT THAT TIME, Jesus arrived at the country of the Gad’arenes, which is opposite Galilee. And as he stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons; for a long time, he had worn no clothes, and he lived not in a house but among the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and said with a loud voice, “What have I to do with you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech you, do not torment me.” For Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. [For many a time it had seized him; he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters, but he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.] Jesus then asked him “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. And they begged Jesus not to command them to depart into the abyss.
Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; and they begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them leave. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.
When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country. Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how he who had been possessed with demons was healed. Then all of the people of the surrounding country of the Gad’arenes asked Jesus to depart from them; for they were seized with great fear; so he got into a boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with Jesus; but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your home, and declare all that God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming through the whole city all that Jesus had done for him.
Next week’s homework: II Corinthians 9:6-11 (18th Sunday after Pentecost)
Luke 8:41-56 (Seventh Sunday of Luke)
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.”
OCTOBER 20, 2024 – SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
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.
TODAY, OCTOBER 20 - We pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Mary Fauty, Sophie Fauty, Angel Folsey, Henry Hadad, Sr., George P. James, Joseph Khouri, Anne, Samia, Fareed, Hazel, and George Khoury, Marie Khoury, Annette Lattof, John Martin, Temam Kotite Samra, Edith and Mitchell A. Tadross, and George Wardi. Memory eternal!
George Trisciuzzi offers Prayers of Oblation for the servant of God Frédéric Lallonder-Molenac, of Pau, France. Memory eternal!
NEXT SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27 – We will pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Matilda Couri Boutross, Aleer Couri, Elena Paris, Najla Sahadi, Susan Texeira, and Lorraine Zraick. Memory eternal!
The Family of Lorraine Zraick will offer Prayers of Oblation for the repose of her soul. A Coffee Hour in her memory will follow the Divine Liturgy. Memory eternal!
The Family of Wajeeha Kaba will offer Prayers of Oblation and a One-Year Memorial for the repose of her soul. 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, Diana Finger (Meadowbrook, Freeport), Rouda Abboud, Isla Albishara, Yvonne Allawh, Patti DeLuca, Anita Eyd, Alice Farkouh, George Khoury, Joseph Khouri, Denise McBride, Alfred Nahas, Wade Saadi, Victoria Sleyman, and Rose Zrake (at home).
COFFEE HOUR – In the absence of a sponsor for today’s Coffee Hour, the Parish Council will place a basket on the table for our free will offerings.
FASTING DISCIPLINE FOR OCTOBER – We observe the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine, olive oil, and their by-products) on Wednesdays and Fridays.
LADIES OF ST. MARY’S - The Ladies of St. Mary’s will meet today immediately after Divine Liturgy. All ladies are welcome and urged to attend as we plan our beautiful holiday season.
PARISH COUNCIL – The Parish Council will meet tomorrow, October 21, at 7 PM.
OUR TIME – Our senior fellowship, “Our Time,” will meet on Wednesday, October 23, from 1-3 PM. The fellowship also sponsors pickleball on Tuesday and Thursday from 7-9 PM. Everyone is welcome!
HURRICANE AND LEBANON RELIEF – In response to the appeals of Metropolitan SABA we continue to receive offerings in support of our churches and people who sustained losses during the recent hurricanes and in support of the suffering people of Lebanon. Please make checks payable to St. Mary’s Church with “hurricane” or “Lebanon” in the memo line.
HARVEST LUNCHEON - The Parish Council invites the parish family to the Fall Harvest Luncheon on Sunday November 10 in the church hall following Divine Liturgy. Volunteers are needed to donate either completed theme-based gift baskets or items that can be used to assemble gift baskets for the raffles. Anybody who wishes to donate or donate towards the raffles please see Lorraine Deeb. Nahla Bittar is once again organizing the menu donations, so anyone wishing to contribute a tray, or donate toward any item on the simple preset menu should see Nahla.
FALL BIBLE STUDY – We continue our Bible Study at 7 PM on Wednesdays. We will study the Gospel of Luke. We will use the Orthodox Study Bible which is available from our parish bookstore. Please see Lorraine Deeb to obtain a copy. For remote access use the Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81008521083?pwd=QUEyZm8wdmc4aUxTdTdOMzVPN2lRUT09.
THEOLOGICAL OFFERING – Our October pledge envelopes included a green envelope marked “Theological Offering.” This account is one of the three mandatory “trays” we collect each year for the Antiochian Archdiocese and supports our seminaries in North America. Our minimum contribution as a parish is $500. Our faithful can either drop their envelope in the collection tray on Sundays or return it to the church office. If you are not receiving pledge envelopes, please inform the church office so that we can add you to our list of supporters. Thank you for your generous support of our seminaries.
PLEASE MAKE SURE all cell phones and electronic devices are turned off in church or at home.
DATES TO REMEMBER
Monday, October 21 Parish Council, 7 PM
Wednesday, October 23 “Our Time” Adult Fellowship, 1-3 PM
Bible Study, 7 PM
Friday, October 25 Family Night, 7-9 PM
Saturday, October 26 Great Vespers, 5 PM
All services will be live streamed via twitch.tv/smaoc.
FROM THE FATHERS – “Let us maintain an attentiveness which keeps our body in permanent tension. Thanks to this tension, even when we sleep, we can bear in mind the aim of our life. Prayer can penetrate as far as what psychologists call the subconscious. A true ascetic keeps control over what happens in himself at all times, even during sleep. If bad thoughts arise, he gets up and prays. Thus, little by little, our conscience will illuminate everything we do in daily life.”
- Archimandrite Sophrony of Essex