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 30, 2024
First Sunday after Pentecost:
Commemoration of All Saints and Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles
Tone 8 and Eothinon 1
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 All Saints – Tone 4
Thy Church, O Christ God, hath regaled herself in the blood of thy Martyrs, throughout all the world, as in porphyry and purple. Through them she lifteth her voice, crying, Turn with thy compassion to thy people, and grant peace to thy city, and to our souls the Great Mercy.
Apolytikion of the Synaxis of the Apostles – Tone 3
O Holy Apostles, intercede with our merciful God, to grant our souls forgiveness of sins.
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 Saints – Tone 8
To thee, O Lord and Author of all creation, the universe offereth as first-fruits of nature the divinity-bearing Martyrs. Wherefore, by their implorings preserve thou thy Church in perfect safety, for the sake of the Theotokos, O most Merciful One.
Epistle – Hebrews 11:33-40; 12:1-2 (First Sunday and the Sunday of All Saints)
Prokeimenon. Psalm 67.35, 26. God is wonderful among his saints.
Verse. Bless God in the congregations.
BRETHREN, all the saints through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated – of whom the world was not worthy – wandering over deserts and mountains and in dens and caves of the earth.
And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfection of our faith.
Gospel – Matthew 9:36-10:8 (Synaxis of the Holy Apostles)
AT THAT TIME, when Jesus saw the great crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every infirmity. The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his bother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus who is called Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And preach as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying, give without pay.”
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.”
Next week’s homework: Galatians 3:32-4:5 (Great Martyr Kyriaki)
Matthew 4:18-23 (Second Sunday of Matthew)
PLEASE MAKE SURE all cell phones and electronic devices are turned off in church or at home.
JUNE 30, 2024 – FIRST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST: COMMEMORATION OF ALL SAINTS AND SYNAXIS OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES
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, JUNE 30 - We 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!
Corinne and Michael Mallia offer Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of the handmaiden of God Maggy Karam. Memory eternal!
Irene Tashji offers 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!
NEXT SUNDAY, JULY 7 – We will pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God George Abdelnoor, Jr., Dr. Fuad Yousef Dirbas, Jamila Eadeh, Marguerite and Fred Farkouh, Michael Eyd, Nora Hamod, Viola Kazan, George T. Lewis, Georgette Maione, Ferris Samara, Lillian and Leon Hattab, and Baseem and Valentine Trabulsi. 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!
Roberta and Albert Khoury will offer Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of the handmaiden of Gof Georgette Maione. Memory eternal!
Leila and Raymond Trabulsi of Lincoln, RI, will offer Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the souls of their parents, Lillian and Leon Hattab and Baseem and Valentine Trabulsi. Memory eternal!
HOLY BREAD – Donors are welcome for 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, and Rose Zrake (at home).
MEMORY ETERNAL! We are deeply saddened to announce that the servant of God Dr. Issam Arnuk departed this life last Sunday evening. His funeral was from St. Mary’s on Friday. We extend our deepest sympathies to his wife Paula, and to all his children and their spouses, and to his grandchildren. Memory eternal!
SUMMER SEMESTER – Our continuing education class for adults will meet on most Tuesdays of July and August at 7:00 PM. 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.
BACKPACK PROJECT – Teen SOYO will once again sponsor 48 backpacks for underprivileged students in District 20 of the NYC Department of Education in cooperation with FOCUS. We welcome donations of $25/backpack. Our total commitment is $1200. Please make checks payable to St. Mary’s Church with “Backpack” in the memo line. The Teens thank you for supporting their community outreach project!
FAMILY NIGHT –Our next gathering will be on Friday, July 5, at 7:00 PM. All are welcome!
DABKE CLASS – Lynn Rose Salim will organize a Dabke Class on Wednesdays at 7 PM here in our social hall. Contact Lynn at (917) 227-1651 or lynnrose2000@hotmail.com for more information.
AIR CONDITIONING – We will set the A/C at a comfortable temperature, but if you feel the need, please remember to bring a sweater. We cannot adjust the temperature for individual needs.
ESTATE PLANNING – Planning for the future and creating the legacy you wish to leave is one of the most effective ways to ensure a lasting impact and to attest to your spiritual priorities. Making a gift in your will or living trust, known as a bequest, to St. Mary’s Church can guarantee that your legacy endures through generations. Your gift may be a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate or the remainder after all other provisions are specified. Invest in your grandchildren, support Christ’s Church, and bear witness to the faith through your will or estate plan.
PLEASE MAKE SURE all cell phones and electronic devices are turned off in church or at home.
DATES TO REMEMBER
Sunday, June 30 20-Year Memorial – Linda Abdallah
Tuesday, July 2 Summer Class, 7:00 PM
Wednesday, July 3 Dabke Class, 7 PM
Thursday, July 4 Independence Day
Friday, July 5 Family Night, 7-9 PM
Monday, July 8 Parish Council (TBA)
July 22-26 Clergy Symposium at Antiochian Village
All services will be live streamed via twitch.tv/smaoc.
FROM THE FATHERS – “At all times indeed, but especially then when I reflect upon the achievements of the saints, it comes over me to feel despondency concerning my own condition, because we have not even in dreams experienced the things among which those men spent their whole lives, not paying the penalty of sins, but always doing rightly and yet always afflicted.”
- St. John Chrysostom
A Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America