December 22, 2019

Forefeast of and Sunday before the Nativity of Christ

Sunday of the Genealogy

Hebrews 11:9-10, 17-23,32-40: Reading from Hebrews we hear the Apostle tell us of the faith of Abra­ham and other saints of ancient times who endured hardships and death and yet still did great things because of their faith.

Matthew 1:1-25: In the Gospel we hear the genealogy of Jesus Christ, and of how Joseph was visited by an angel of God who told him of the child that Mary bore in her womb.

Troparion of the Resurrection: When thou, O immortal Life, didst humble thyself unto death, then didst thou destroy death by the brightness of thy Godhead; and when thou didst raise the bowels of the earth, then all the heavenly powers exclaimed, O Christ, thou art the Giver of life! Glory to thee, O our God!

Troparion of the Forefeast: Be thou ready, Bethlehem, Eden hath opened unto all. Ephratha, prepare thyself, for now, behold, the Tree of life hath blossomed forth in the cave of the holy Virgin. Her womb hath proved a true spiritual Paradise, wherein the divine and saving Tree is found, and as we eat thereof we shall all live, and shall not die as did Adam. Verily, Christ shall be born, raising the likeness that fell of old.

Troparion of Sunday before the Nativity: Great are the accomplishments of faith; for the three holy youths rejoiced in the fountain of flames as though at waters of rest. And the Prophet Daniel appeared a shepherd to the lions as though they were sheep. Wherefore, by their pleadings, O Christ God, have mercy upon us.

Troparion of the Chains of St. Peter: O Holy Apostle, Peter, thou dost preside over the Apostles by the precious chains which thou didst bear. We venerate them with faith and beseech thee that by thine intercessions we be granted the great mercy.

Kontakion Preparatory for Nativity: Today the Virgin comes unto the cave to give birth in an ineffable manner to the Word before the ages. Rejoice, therefore, O universe, when you hear, and glorify with the angels and the shepherds him who shall appear by his own will as a new babe, being God before the ages.

CALENDAR

Sunday, December 22 (Sunday before the Nativity of our Lord)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

Monday, December 23

Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, December 24

7:00 a.m. — Royal Hours

10:00 p.m. — Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy

Wednesday, December 25 (The Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ)

[NO
SERVICES] [NO FASTING THROUGH JANUARY 4^TH]

Thursday, December 26 (Synaxis of the Theotokos)

6:30 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Friday, December 27 (Protomartyr Stephen)

Saturday, December 28

5:45 p.m. — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers

Sunday, December 29 (Sunday after the Nativity)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Katools for the Divine Liturgy this morning.

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

December 22 Katool Stewart/Meadows

December 24 (Tues. p.m.) Schelver Kh. Be’Be’/Cheryl/Sarah Anne/Lamia

(Feast of the Nativity of our Lord)

December 29 Morris Pigott/Dabit/Strain/Lavric

December 31 (Tues. p.m.) Meadows (Artoklasia Bread) NO MEAL

(Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord and Feastday of St. Basil the Great)

January 5 Jones Baker/D. Root/Dansereau

January 6 (Mon. a.m.) Meadows Christina Katool

(Feast of Theophany)

January 12 Davis POT LUCK MEAL

Set-up: Katool/Davis/Algood/Baba

January 15 (Wed. p.m.) D. Root Rola Karam

(Feast of the Veneration of the Chains of St. Peter)

January 19 Karam Schelver/Karam/Pacurari

January 26 Brock Habeeb/Jones/Turner

Schedule for Epistle Readers – Page numbers refer to the Apostolos (book of the Epistles) located on the front pew. Please be sure to use this book when you read.

Reader Reading Page#

December 22 Mildred Morris Heb. 11:9-10, 32-40 348

December 24 (Tues. p.m.) Walt Wood Gal. 4:4-7 351

December 29 Sh. Charlotte Algood Gal. 1:11-19 188

January 5 Warren Strain II Tim. 4:5-8 354

January 6 (Mon. a.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7 361

January 12 Mildred Morris Eph. 4:7-13 364

January 15 (Wed. p.m.) Brenda Baker Acts 12:1-11 50

January 19 Sam Habeeb Col. 3:4-11 233

January 26 Walt Wood I Tim. 4:9-15 252

Please be reminded that the Sacristy/Vestry which is adjacent to and behind the altar in our church is considered by the Orthodox Church to be part of the Sanctuary (Altar area) and should not be entered without the blessing of the priest for a specific purpose. If you need to speak with a member of the clergy while they are in the Sanctuary, please ask them to come to you in the nave.

Continue to pray for Metropolitan Paul (who is also the brother of our Patriarch) and the Syriac Archbishop John of Aleppo who were abducted while on a humanitarian mission in Syria.

Please be reminded of the following:

Be very careful with the Blessed Bread when you take it after communion. Because this bread has been blessed, we should take care not to let crumbs fall on the floor. Parents, especially, please help your children to choose a small piece and treat it carefully.

Also, at the end of the liturgy, maintain a prayerful disposition during the veneration of the cross as the prayers of thanksgiving after communion are still underway. Please exchange your greetings with each other in the Fellowship Hall during Coffee Hour.

Please remember the following in your prayers: Steve, Sheryl Chamblee; Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Sam and Lamia Dabit; Mary Greene (Lee and Kh. Sharon’s sister); Lynda Costas; Fr. Nicholas, Kh. Jan and Angelina Speier; David Morris and his family; Vernie Meadows, Fr. James and Kh. Sharon and their family; Dn. Noah and Sh. Beth Ann (Baker) Pappas, the Reader Basil and Brenda and all of the Baker family; Chris and Rebecca Dansereau and their daughters; Fr. Leo and Kh. Be’Be’ and their family; Emad and Natalia Alaeetawi and their family.

Please remember Fr. Joseph and Kh. Joanna Bittle, and their daughter Abigail, in your prayers.

Farewell and Many Years in the near future to Dorin and Carolina Lavric and their children! Dorin is being transferred to Atlanta with his job and the family will be moving shortly. We will miss them greatly and send them with our love and prayers and our hopes to see them again in the future. We also congratulate them on the news that an additional member to their family will be arriving in late May!

Calendar Items:

* The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month. However, they will meet on the third Thursday in July (only).

* The Ladies of St. Peter meet at 10:00 a.m. on the second Saturday of the month to pray the Akathist to the Mother of God, Nurturer of Children.

* The Ladies of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the last Tuesday of the month.

* Our celebration of the Nativity of our Lord will begin with Royal Hours on Tuesday morning, December 24th, beginning at 7:00 a.m. Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy will take place that evening, beginning at 10:00 p.m.

* We will celebrate the Circumcision of our Lord and the Feastday of St. Basil the Great with Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia on Tuesday evening, December 31st, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

* The Feast of Theophany will be celebrated with Royal Hours on Friday, January 3rd, beginning at 7:00 a.m. We will have Divine Liturgy (only) on Monday morning, January 6th, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

* The annual Blessing of the Water at the Ross Barnett Reservoir will be held on the afternoon of Sunday, January 12th, beginning at 4:00 p.m. beside the Cock of the Walk restaurant. All are invited to stay for a meal together at the restaurant afterwards.

* Stewpot Dates: February 22nd and August 22nd.

The meal for the Nativity Feast is being provided by the Church and the Feast Committee. The menu will include appetizers, ham, breakfast casseroles, fruit and desserts. A basket for donations to help cover the cost of the meal will be available. We are asking that every adult present help in some way with clean-up, so that the committee can get home at the same time as the rest of us.

The Parish Council is aware of problems with the water pressure in the bathrooms and is seeking solutions with the city and a plumbing company. We appreciate your forbearance.

Anyone wishing to contribute to Sunnybrook Children’s Home can find information on options available on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall. Please let Dn. Terry know right away if you’d like to participate.

Fasting Discipline for December

During the Fast of the Nativity (November 15-December 24) the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed each day of the week. There will be no fasting of any kind from December 25th through January 4th.

Major Commemorations for December

December 25 The Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

December 26 Synaxis of the Theotokos

December 27 Protomartyr Stephen

Unsupervised children in the Kitchen: For health and safety concerns children are not to be allowed in the kitchen unless accompanied by a parent. Please get ice for your children and do NOT allow them to use the icemaker themselves.

If severe weather is in the area please check our website or facebook page for information on services. If it is ever necessary to cancel any of our services due to severe weather conditions, this will be posted on those sites.

For Parents: Children in the nursery during Coffee Hour MUST be supervised just as they are on the playground. This room is used for Sunday School each week. Children who are unsupervised create disarray and use materials set aside for the teaching of Christian Education. This creates extra work for the Sunday School teachers who have to come in and set the room in order before class or who find supplies depleted unexpectedly. A parent must be in the room with their children at all times. Please help us with this! — Fr. John

ead of ManHead of Maonasteries

Quotable: “The one who has reached the peaks of spiritual living is no longer preoccupied with external activity, but with contemplation. Even so, he exerts an influence on the development of the world by an attraction and a power which touch his neighbors, that they might become as he is, by the same fulfillment of the commandments, by the same virtuous work. He imitates God who, although unchangeable, doesn’t stop the dynamism of creation by that unchangeability; but by an unceasing impulse and attraction exerted on it, He sustains it, giving it as an ideal goal His supreme perfection, which for that very reason is unchangeable. The person who has reached the peak of perfection exerts an influence and attraction on his neighbors, which makes them strive to reach the ideal goal. Because the very highest of the virtues which the spiritual man struggles for is love. In love there is knowledge too. Now the love of God can’t be separated from the love of people.”

Dumitru Staniloae, Orthodox Spirituality

Worship: Sunday, December 29, 2019 (Sunday after the Nativity of our Lord)

Scripture: Galatians 1:11-19; Matthew 2:13-23

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Sh. Charlotte Algood

Prosphora: Morris

Coffee Hour: Pigott/Dabit/Strain/Lavric