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 23, 2024

The Great Feast of Pentecost

Today’s Hymns and Readings

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

During the Little Entrance – O Lord, in Thy strength the king shall be glad, and in Thy salvation shall he rejoice exceedingly. The desire of his heart hast Thou granted unto him, and hast not denied him the request of his lips. Thou wentest before him with blessings of goodness, Thou has set upon his head a crown of precious stones. He asked life of Thee, and Thou gavest him length of days unto ages of ages.

Entrance Hymn – Be thou exalted, O Lord, in thy own strength. We will sing and praise thy mighty acts. Save us, O good Comforter, as we sing to Thee: Alleluia.

Apolytikion of Pentecost – Tone 8

Blessed art thou, O Christ our God, who has revealed the fishermen as most wise, having sent upon them the Holy Spirit, and through them thou has fished the universe, O Lover of mankind, glory to thee.

Kontakion of Pentecost – Tone 8

When the high One descended, confusing tongues, he divided the nations. And when he distributed the fiery tongues he called all to one unity. Wherefore, in unison we glorify the most Holy Spirit.

Instead of the Trisagion Hymn, “As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have truly put on Christ. Alleluia.”

Epistle – Acts 2:1-11 (Sunday of Pentecost)

Prokeimenon. Psalm 18.4, 1. Their voice has gone out into all the earth.

Verse. The heavens declare the glory of God.

WHEN THE DAY OF PENTECOST had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. And they were amazed and wondered, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontos and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”

Gospel – John 7:37-52, 8:12 (Sunday of Pentecost)

ON THE LAST DAY OF THE FEAST, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, “If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, ‘Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

When they heard these words, many of the people said, “This is really the prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

The officers then went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this man!” The Pharisees answered them, “Are you led astray, you also? Have any of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, who do not know the law, are accursed.” Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee.”

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Next week’s homework: Hebrews 11:33-40; 12:1-2 (First Sunday and Sunday of All Saints)

Matthew 9:36-10:8 (Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles)

FASTING DISCIPLINE – The week following the Sunday of Pentecost is fast-free.

JUNE 23, 2024 –THE GREAT FEAST OF PENTECOST

TODAY, JUNE 23 - We 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!

George Trisciuzzi offers Prayers of Oblation for the health of the handmaiden of God Anita Eyd. Many years!

Kathy and George Nassoor and Family offer Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of the servant of God Dr. Samir Alexander Zamaria. Memory eternal!

Sandra Coogan offers Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of the servant of God Salvatore Savarese. Memory eternal!

Vicky and Jim Tweel offer Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of the handmaiden of God Adeeba Tweel. Memory eternal!

Diana Zamaria offers 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!

NEXT SUNDAY, JUNE 30 – We will pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Fouad Allawh, William Assatly, Sr., Angela Boojamra, Mae Karram, Maggy Karam, George Massabni, and Helen Sahadi. Memory eternal!

Yvonne Allawh and Family will offer Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of the servant of God Fouad Allawh. 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!

Irene Tashji will offer Prayers of Oblation and a 20-Year Memorial for the repose of the soul of her grandmother, the handmaiden of God Linda Abdallah. A Coffee Hour in her memory will follow the Divine Liturgy. Memory eternal!

HOLY BREAD – Donors are welcome for June, July, and succeeding months. We ask for a donation of $50/week.

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, Anita Eyd, Alice Farkouh, George Khoury, Denise McBride, Alfred Nahas, Wade Saadi, Victoria Sleyman, Jim Thompson (NJ), George Trisciuzzi and Rose Zrake (at home).

EASTERN DIOCESES PARISH LIFE CONFERENCE – Fr. Michael will be away for the Parish Life Conference at the Antiochian Village from Wednesday through Saturday this week.

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.

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.

SUMMER SEMESTER – Our continuing education class for adults will meet on most Tuesdays of July and August at 7:00 PM beginning on July 2. Our text will be Orthodox Christianity, Vol. 5: Sacraments and Other Rites by Metropolitan HILARION (Alfeyev). Please sign up to purchase a copy of the book at the parish bookstore. We will order them at a discount from St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press. If you cannot afford the price of the book, please see Fr. Michael in confidence.

DABKE CLASS – Lynn Rose Salim offers 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. 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

June 26-30 Parish Life Conference @ Antiochian Village

Saturday, June 29 No Great Vespers

PTO Games Festival, 5-9 PM

Tuesday, July 2 Summer Class, 7:00 PM

All services will be live streamed via twitch.tv/smaoc.

FROM THE FATHERS – “We must love Christ; this is necessary for the life of our soul. We also need to love God’s creation: animals, trees, flowers, birds, and above all, the most perfect of God’s creation, man.”

- St. Amphilochios of Patmos

A Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America