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, July 21, 2024
Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Tone 3 and Eothinon 4
Righteous Fathers John of Edessa in Mesopotamia and
Simeon of Homs, the Fool-for-Christ
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
Apolytikion of the Resurrection – Tone 3
Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad; for the Lord hath done a mighty act with his own arm. He hath trampled down death and become the First-born from the dead. He hath delivered us from the depth of hades, granting the world the Great Mercy.
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 – Romans 6:18-23 (Fourth Sunday after Pentecost)
Prokeimenon. Psalm 46.6, 1. Sing praises to our God, sing praises.
Verse. Clap your hands, all you nations.
BRETHREN, having been set free from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once yielded your members to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now yield your members to righteousness for sanctification.
When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But then what return did you get from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Gospel – Matthew 8:5-13 (Fourth Sunday of Matthew)
AT THAT TIME, Jesus entered Capernaum, and a centurion came forward to him, beseeching him and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress.” And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion answered him, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who were following him, “Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.” And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; be it done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.
HOLY BREAD – The Arnuk and Spolar Families offer the Holy Bread of Oblation for the months of July and August in loving memory of the servant of God Dr. Issam Arnuk. Memory eternal! Additional donors are welcome for July and succeeding months. We ask for a donation of $50/week.
ANTIDORON – After receiving Holy Communion and at the end of the Divine Liturgy, it is customary to receive a piece of blessed bread or antidoron, the bread that remains after the preparation of the Holy Communion. While antidoron is not Holy Communion, it is blessed, and as such should be eaten carefully so that crumbs do not fall. Both adults and children should always remember to treat and consume the antidoron with respect.
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: Romans 10:1-10 (Fifth Sunday after Pentecost)
Matthew 8:28-9:1 (Fifth Sunday of Matthew)
PLEASE MAKE SURE all cell phones and electronic devices are turned off in church or at home.
JULY 21, 2024 – FORTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
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, JULY 21 - We pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Donald Abraham Ballan, Very Reverend Father Wakeem Dalack, Victor Farkouh, Gloria Saba Galloway, Joseph Imtanios, Josephine A. Khoury, Eissa Makarious Laham, Edmund Nahas, Marguerite Sabah, William Anthony Soued, Laurice Swaya, and George Zrake. Memory eternal!
Patricia Ballan offers Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of the servant of God Donald Abraham Ballan. Memory eternal!
Marc Galloway offers Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of his mother, the handmaiden of God Gloria Saba Galloway. Memory eternal!
Brenda Samman offers Prayers of Oblation for the repose of the soul of her mother, the handmaiden of God Josephine A. Khoury. Memory eternal!
Dr. Firas and Teeba Marsheh offer Prayers of Oblation, the Holy Bread, and a One-Year Memorial for the repose of the soul of the servant of God Fouad Marsheh. Memory eternal!
NEXT SUNDAY, JULY 28 – We will pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God Rosanne Ganim Amodeo, Rose and Dewey Awad, Kenneth Jabara, Khourieh Rose Khoury, Lily Lang, George Sabbagh, Georgette and John Shahood. Memory eternal!
Dianna and Arabella Kitchen will offer Prayers of Oblation and a 40-Day Memorial for the repose of the soul of their husband and father John Kitchen. A Coffee Hour in his memory will follow the Divine Liturgy. Memory eternal!
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, Joseph Khoury, Denise McBride, Alfred Nahas, Wade Saadi, Victoria Sleyman, and Rose Zrake (at home).
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!
DABKE CLASS – Lynn Rose Salim offers 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.
CLERGY SYMPOSIUM – Fr. Michael will attend the Clergy Symposium at the Antiochian Village in Ligonier, PA, from this afternoon through Friday evening. In the event of a pastoral emergency, please call Deacon Farid at (929) 568-7978.
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. Invitations and sponsorship applications will go out this week. Save the date!
SUMMER SEMESTER – There will be no class this week while Fr. Michael is at the Antiochian Village for the Clergy Symposium. We will resume online on Tuesday, July 30, at 7 PM. Please review chapter 3 of the book in anticipation.
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 – How important would it be to have a full-time minister available to our children and young adults. If we can grow our parish endowment enough, it would become possible to make sure there will always be a pastor here, and it would be possible to hire an assistant or a youth pastor. All it takes is for each of us to make a bequest to the Endowment Fund in our wills. It costs us nothing during our lifetime, and it invests in the future of our children and grandchildren.
DATES TO REMEMBER
July 22-26 Clergy Symposium at Antiochian Village
Wednesday, July 24 Dabke Class, 7 PM
Tuesday, July 30 Summer Semester Class, 7 PM, online
August 1-14 Dormition Fast
Tuesday, August 6 Festal Orthros, 9:30 and Divine Liturgy, 10:30 AM
Monday, August 12 Parish Council, 7:00 PM
Wednesday, August 14 Great Vespers @ Kimisis Greek Orthodox Church, 7 PM
Thursday, August 15 Festal Orthros, 9:30 and Divine Liturgy, 10:30 AM
Saturday, September 21 Fall Hafli
Monday, September 30 Saints and Sinners Golf and Tennis Outing
All services will be live streamed via twitch.tv/smaoc.
FROM THE FATHERS – “My child, be patient with your children. What can we do? Of course they are rambunctious, but they cannot be otherwise. In any case, we must be patient. Do not let things pile up in our soul; do not demand details. For by constantly worrying, you will harm your health and that will be worse. Just overlook their shortcomings and increase your prayer, for prayer works miracles. And then miraculously, without exertion, they will become calm and quiet children. Many children were very rambunctious when they were small; afterwards, however, they became wonderful in everything. The rambunctious children are usually smart, too, and they may achieve much.”
- Elder Ephraim of the Holy Mountain
A Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America