St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2024-11-17
Bulletin Contents
Hymns of the Day
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Wisdom of the Fathers
Saints and Feasts
Upcoming Schedule
Pastor's Ponderings
Memorials & Celebrations

Organization Icon
St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (978) 685-4052
  • Street Address:

  • 8 Lowell Street

  • Lawrence, MA 01840-1416
  • Mailing Address:

  • PO Box 10

  • Methuen, MA 01844

Contact Information

Father Ephraim Hastings
Pastor

[email protected] | 617-519-3966

Services Schedule

5 PM Saturdays - Vespers

9 AM Sundays - Orthros

10 AM Sundays - Divine Liturgy

Sunday School (Sept-May) following Holy Communion

Past Bulletins


Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone

Having learned the joyful proclamation of the Resurrection from the Angel, and having cast off the ancestral condemnation, the women disciples of the Lord spake to the Apostles exultantly: Death is despoiled and Christ God is risen, granting great mercy to the world.

ان تلميذات الرب تعلمن من الملاك كرز القيامة البهج وطرحن القضية الجدّية وخاطبن الرسل مفتخرات وقائلات : قد سبي الموت وقام المسيح الاله مانحاً العالم الرحمة العظمى.

Apolytikion for Gregory the Wonderworker in the Eighth Tone

By vigilance in prayer, and continuance in the working of wonders, thou didst acquire thine achievements as a surname; wherefore, intercede with Christ our God, O Father Gregory, to enlighten our souls, lest we sleep in sin unto death.

أيها الأب غريغوريوس لقد نلت لقبك بتقويماتك لتيقظك في الصلوات ومواعظك على صنع العجائب فتشفع إلى المسيح الإله أن ينير نفوسنا لئلا ننام في الخطايا إلى الموت.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Tone

Today, the most pure temple of the Savior, the precious bridal chamber and Virgin, the sacred treasure of God, enters the house of the Lord, bringing the grace of the Divine Spirit. The Angels of God praise her. She is the heavenly tabernacle.
BACK TO TOP

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Tone. Psalm 103.24,1.
O Lord, how manifold are your works. You have made all things in wisdom.
Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 2:16-20.

Brethren, knowing that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were found to be sinners, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

البروكيمنون. Fourth Tone. مزمور 103:1، 24.
ما أعظم أعمالك يا رب صنعتها كلها بالحكمة
Verse: باركي يا نفسي الرب

فصل من رسالة بولس الاولى الى غلاطية 2: 16-20.

يَُّا إِخْوَة، نَعْلَمُ أَنَّ الإِنْسَانَ لاَ يَتَبَرَّرُ بِأَعْمَالِ النَّامُوسِ، بَلْ بِإِيمَانِ يَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ، آمَنَّا نَحْنُ أَيْضاً بِيَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ، لِنَتَبَرَّرَ بِإِيمَانِ يَسُوعَ لاَ بِأَعْمَالِ النَّامُوسِ. لأَنَّهُ بِأَعْمَالِ النَّامُوسِ لاَ يَتَبَرَّرُ جَسَدٌ مَا. فَإِنْ كُنَّا وَنَحْنُ طَالِبُونَ أَنْ نَتَبَرَّرَ فِي الْمَسِيحِ نُوجَدُ نَحْنُ أَنْفُسُنَا أَيْضاً خُطَاةً، أَفَالْمَسِيحُ خَادِمٌ لِلْخَطِيَّةِ؟ حَاشَا! فَإِنِّي إِنْ كُنْتُ أَبْنِي أَيْضاً هَذَا الَّذِي قَدْ هَدَمْتُهُ، فَإِنِّي أُظْهِرُ نَفْسِي مُتَعَدِّياً. لأَنِّي مُتُّ بِالنَّامُوسِ لِلنَّامُوسِ لأَحْيَا لِلَّهِ.مَعَ الْمَسِيحِ صُلِبْتُ، فَأَحْيَا لاَ أَنَا بَلِ الْمَسِيحُ يَحْيَا فِيَّ. فَمَا أَحْيَاهُ الآنَ فِي الْجَسَدِ فَإِنَّمَا أَحْيَاهُ فِي الإِيمَانِ، إِيمَانِ ابْنِ اللهِ، الَّذِي أَحَبَّنِي وَأَسْلَمَ نَفْسَهُ لأَجْلِي.

Gospel Reading

9th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 12:16-21

The Lord said this parable: "The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' And he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." As he said these things, he cried out: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

9th Sunday of Luke
لوقا 12: 16-21

16 قال الرب هذا المثل : ((إِنْسَانٌ غَنِيٌّ أَخْصَبَتْ كُورَتُهُ ، 17فَفَكَّرَ فِي نَفْسِهِ قَائِلاً: مَاذَا أَعْمَلُ ، لأَنْ لَيْسَ لِي مَوْضِعٌ أَجْمَعُ فِيهِ أَثْمَارِي؟ 18وَقَالَ: أَعْمَلُ هَذَا: أَهْدِمُ مَخَازِنِي وَأَبْنِي أَعْظَمَ ، وَأَجْمَعُ هُنَاكَ جَمِيعَ غَلاَّتِي وَخَيْرَاتِي ، 19وَأَقُولُ لِنَفْسِي: يَا نَفْسُ لَكِ خَيْرَاتٌ كَثِيرَةٌ ، مَوْضُوعَةٌ لِسِنِينَ كَثِيرَةٍ. اِسْتَرِيحِي وَكُلِي وَاشْرَبِي وَافْرَحِي! 20فَقَالَ لَهُ اللهُ: يَا غَبِيُّ ! هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةَ تُطْلَبُ نَفْسُكَ مِنْكَ ، فَهَذِهِ الَّتِي أَعْدَدْتَهَا لِمَنْ تَكُونُ؟ 21هَكَذَا الَّذِي يَكْنِزُ لِنَفْسِهِ وَلَيْسَ هُوَ غَنِيّاً لِلَّهِ ولما قال هذا نادى من له أذنان للسمع فليسمع)).

 

 

BACK TO TOP

Wisdom of the Fathers

I cannot be silent about the story of Hesychius the Horebite. He passed his life in complete negligence, without paying the least attention to his soul. Then he became extremely ill, and for an hour he left his body.
St. John Climacus
Ladder of Divine Ascent. Step 6: On Remembrance of Death, 6th Century

And when he came to himself, he begged us all to leave him immediately. And he built up the door of his cell, and he stayed in it for twelve years without ever uttering a word to anyone, and without eating anything but bread and water.
St. John Climacus
Ladder of Divine Ascent. Step 6: On Remembrance of Death, 6th Century

But when he was about to die, we broke open the door and went in, and after many questions this alone was all we heard from him: 'Forgive me! No one who has acquired the remembrance of death will ever be able to sin.'
St. John Climacus
Ladder of Divine Ascent. Step 6: On Remembrance of Death, 6th Century

BACK TO TOP

Saints and Feasts

November 17

Gregory the Wonderworker & Bishop of Neo-Caesarea

Saint Gregory was born in Neocaesarea of Pontus to parents who were not Christians. He studied in Athens, in Alexandria, in Beirut, and finally for five years in Caesarea of Palestine under Origen, by whom he was also instructed in the Faith of Christ. Then, in the year 240, he became bishop of his own city, wherein he found only seventeen Christians. By the time the Saint reposed about the year 265, there were only seventeen unbelievers left there. Virtually the whole duration of his episcopacy was a time of continual, marvellous wonders worked by him. Because of this, he received the surname "Wonderworker"; even the enemies of the truth called him a second Moses (see Saint Basil the Great's On the Holy Spirit, ch. 29).

November 21

The Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple

According to the tradition of the Church, the Theotokos was brought to the Temple at three years of age, where she was consecrated to God and spent her days until she was fourteen or fifteen years old; and then, as a mature maiden, by the common counsel of the priests (since her parents had reposed some three years before), she was betrothed to Joseph.

November 22

Holy Martyr Cecilia and those with her

Saint Cecilia was of an illustrious Roman family. On being betrothed to Valerian, she drew him to the Faith of Christ, and he in turn drew his own brother Tiburtius to the same. They contested in martyrdom during the reign of Diocletian, in the year 288.

BACK TO TOP

Upcoming Schedule

Wednsday, November 20

6pm Divine Liturgy - Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple

Satuday, November 23

5pm Vespers

Sunday, November 24

9am Othros

10am Divine Litrugy

Sunday School

11:30am Memorial Prayers

BACK TO TOP

Pastor's Ponderings

If you look back in this bulletin at the "Wisdom of the Fathers" section you will read the words of St. John Climacus about mediating on death. In the Gospel today our Lord reminds us of the fleeting nature of life and the brief time we have on this earth. To think to ourselves that one day, perhaps today, we will die is not morbid or depressing, but clarfies and gives focus to our true mission, calling in life...to love God and our neighbor. It is a call to be quick to forgive so as to be ready to come into the presence of the Lord as judge of the living and the dead. May we be found ready to meet our Maker today and at every moment of our brief sojourn on this earth. Glory to God! Fr. Ephraim 

BACK TO TOP

Memorials & Celebrations

Next Sunday we will offer Memorial Prayers for Mary Gazar, sister of Naime. May her memory be eternal!

 

Bishop Thomas of our Archdiocese wrote a couple of years ago these words of encouragement as we look to the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ:

As we enter the season of the Nativity Fast, we prepare our lives through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving in anticipation of the incarnation of Christ. The Apostle and Evangelist John writes in his gospel, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (Jn. 1:14) The reception of the divine Word into our lives, in an ever-greater fullness, is the focus of our entire lives – beholding His glory, grace, and truth. I pray that you will join me in being intentional with this year’s Nativity Fast rather than prematurely celebrating the birth of Christ with an unprepared heart. What joy we will experience when we arrive at the Feast of the Nativity having prepared our minds, hearts, and bodies for the coming of the Lord!

Nativity Fast began November 15.

BACK TO TOP