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 16, 2024
Sunday of the After-Feast of the Ascension
Tone 6 and Eothinon 10
Commemoration of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council
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 Ascension – Tone 4
Thou hast ascended in glory, O Christ our God, and gladdened thy Disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit, having become confident of the blessing. Verily, thou art the Son of God, and Deliverer of the world.
Apolytikion of the Holy Fathers – Tone 8
Thou, O Christ, art our God of exceeding praise who didst establish our holy Fathers as luminous stars upon earth, and through them didst guide us unto the true Faith, O most merciful One, glory to thee.
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 Ascension – Tone 6
When thou didst fulfill thy dispensation for our sakes, uniting the terrestrials with the celestials, thou didst ascend in glory, O Christ our God, inseparable in space, but constant without separation, and crying unto thy beloved, I am with you, and no one shall be against you.
Epistle – Acts 20:16-18, 28-36 (Sunday of the Holy Fathers of Nicea)
Prokeimenon. Hymn of the Three Children. Daniel 3.26-27. Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers.
Verse. For you are just in all you have done.
IN THOSE DAYS, Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.
And from Miletos he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church. And when they came to him, he said to them:
“Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God which he obtained with the blood of his own Son. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore, be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by so toiling one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
And when he had spoken thus, he knelt down and prayed with them all.
Gospel – John 17:1-13 (Sunday of the Holy Fathers of Nicea)
AT THAT TIME, Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify thy Son that the Son may glorify thee, since thou has given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom thou has given him. And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. I glorified thee on earth, having accomplished the work which thou gavest me to do; and now, Father, glorify thou me in thy own presence with the glory which I had with thee before the world was made.
“I have manifested thy name to the men whom thou gavest me out of the world; thine they were, and thou gavest them to me, and they have kept thy word. Now they know that everything that thou hast given me is from thee; for I have given them the words which thou gavest me, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from thee; and they have believed that thou didst send me. I am praying for them; I am not praying for the world but for those whom thou hast given me, for they are thine; all mine are thine, and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name, which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in thy name, which thou hast given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.”
Next week’s homework: Acts 2:1-11 (Holy Pentecost)
John 7:37-52; 8:12 (Holy Pentecost)
JUNE 16, 2024 –SUNDAY OF THE AFTER-FEAST OF THE ASCENSION
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, JUNE 16 - We pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Linda Abdallah, Alice, Wadiha and Edward Baloutine, Mabel Bittar, Nancy Davis, Kathleen Halloran, Mary and Phillip Hanna, Rose and George Samman, Olga and Albert G. Wardi. Memory eternal!
Razan Alkhoury Maalouf offers Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of her cousin, the servant of God Ziad Alkhoury. Memory eternal!
Diane Zamaria and Family offer Prayers of Oblation and the Holy Bread for the health of their family and friends and for the suffering people of the Middle East. Many years!
NEXT SUNDAY, JUNE 23 – We will pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Florence Lewis Dibbs, Claudette Hadad, Margarete Haddad, Gloria Jabara, Lorraine Lewis, Lydia Lewis, Salvatore Savarese, Marie Sayegh, Margaret Soued, and Adeeba Tweel. Memory eternal!
Vicky and Jim Tweel will offer Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of the handmaiden of God Adeeba Tweel. Memory eternal!
Diana Zamaria will offer Prayers of Oblation, the Holy Bread, and a One-Year Memorial for the repose of the soul of her beloved husband, Dr. Samir Alexander Zamaria. A Coffee Hour in his memory will follow the Divine Liturgy. Memory eternal!
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.”
MEMORY ETERNAL! We are deeply saddened to announce that the servant of God John Kitchen departed this life in the hope of the Resurrection on Wednesday. As of this writing funeral details are not available. We extend our deepest sympathies to his wife Dianna Russo Kitchen and his daughter Arabella, and we will commemorate John for the full 40 days. Memory eternal!
FASTING DISCIPLINE – We will fast on Wednesday and Friday this week. There is also no kneeling until Holy Pentecost on June 23.
FOR THE INFIRM - Please remember our ailing brethren in your daily intercessions, especially, Nicholas Massab (Norwegian), Howard Samara (Upper East Side Rehab), Rouda Abboud, Yvonne Allawh, Patti DeLuca, Alice Farkouh, George Khoury, Denise McBride, Alfred Nahas, Wade Saadi, Victoria Sleyman, Jim Thompson (NJ), George Trisciuzzi and Rose Zrake (at home).
FAMILY NIGHT – Family Night will take place this Friday, June 21, from 7 to 9 PM. This week will also include the Midnight Run organized by Deacon Farid.
LADIES OF ST. MARY’S DINNER – The Ladies of St. Mary’s will hold their annual “closing dinner” next Thursday, June 20, at 6:30 at Hunter’s Steak House. Please contact Ladies President Sandra Arida for more information.
SAINTS AND SINNERS GOLF AND TENNIS OUTING – The next edition of the Saints and Sinners Golf and Tennis Outing will take place on Monday, September 30, at the Hempstead Country Club. This year we will honor Dr. John and Denise Alexander with the parish’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and we will remember Yvonne and Albert Absey with the Victor Samra, Jr. Memorial Award. Mark your calendar, and details will appear early this summer.
DABKE CLASS – Lynn Salim will organize a Dabke Class on Wednesdays at 7 PM here in our social hall. Contact Lynn directly at (917) 227-1651 or lynnrose2000@hotmail.com for more information.
GAMES FESTIVAL – The St. Mary’s Church School and PTO announce the return of the very popular Games Festival on Saturday, June 29, from 5 to 9 PM in our social hall. We need more volunteers in order to make this event another success. Please see the flyer in this bulletin, or contact Lara Rustom Laham for more information.
PLEASE MAKE SURE all cell phones and electronic devices are turned off in church or at home.
DATES TO REMEMBER
Sunday, June 16 Church School Graduation
Wednesday, June 19 “Our Time” Adult Fellowship Pizza Party, 1-3 PM
Thursday, June 20 Ladies Closing Dinner @ Hunter’s, 6:30 PM
Friday, June 21 Family Night and Midnight Run, 7-9 PM
Saturday, June 22 Rhapsody Players Concert
Sunday, June 23 Holy Pentecost
Saturday, June 29 PTO Games Festival, 5-9 PM
June 26-30 Parish Life Conference @ Antiochian Village
All services will be live streamed via twitch.tv/smaoc.
A Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America