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St. Nicholas Church
Publish Date: 2021-12-12
Bulletin Contents
Forefathers
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St. Nicholas Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (361) 883-9843
  • Street Address:

  • 502 S. Chaparral Street

  • Corpus Christi, TX 78401
  • Mailing Address:

  • PO Box 343

  • Corpus Christi, TX 78403-0343


Contact Information



Services Schedule

Sunday Services:

     Orthros:  8:50 am.

     Divine Liturgy 10:00 a.m.

Weekday Holy Day / Saturday Services:

     Orthros:  8:30 a.m

     Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m.

Paraklesis Services:

     See Church Calendar

Great Vespers:

     Saturday evenings -  6:00 p.m.


Past Bulletins


Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

You descended from on high, O compassionate One, and condescended to be buried for three days, so that from the passions You might set us free. Our life and resurrection, O Lord, glory be to You.
Ἐξ ὕψους κατῆλθες ὁ εὔσπλαγχνος, ταφὴν καταδέξω τριήμερον, ἵνα ἡμᾶς ἐλευθερώσῃς τῶν παθῶν. Ἡ ζωὴ καὶ ἡ Ἀνάστασις ἡμῶν, Κύριε δόξα σοι.

Apolytikion for 11th Sun. of Luke in the Second Mode

By faith didst Thou justify the Forefathers, when through them Thou didst betroth Thyself aforetime to the Church from among the nations. The Saints boast in glory that from their seed there is a glorious fruit, even she that bare Thee seedlessly. By their prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.
Ἐν πίστει τοὺς Προπάτορας ἐδικαίωσας, τὴν ἐξ Ἐθνῶν δι' αὐτῶν προμνηστευσάμενος Ἐκκλησίαν. Καυχῶνται ἐν δόξῃ οἱ Ἅγιοι, ὄι ἐκ σπέρματος αὐτῶν, ὑπάρχει καρπός εὐκλεής, ἡ ἀσπόρως τεκοῦσά σε. Ταῖς αὐτῶν ἱκεσίαις, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, σῶσον τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν.

Apolytikion for Spyridon the Wonderworker in the First Mode

Thou wast shown forth as a champion of the First Council and a wonderworker, O Spyridon, our God-bearing Father. Wherefore, thou didst speak unto one dead in the grave, and didst change a serpent to gold. And while chanting thy holy prayers, thou hadst Angels serving with thee, O most sacred one. Glory to Him that hath glorified thee. Glory to Him that hath crowned thee. Glory to Him that worketh healings for all through thee.
Τῆς Συνόδου τῆς πρώτης ἀνεδείχθης ὑπέρμαχος, καὶ θαυματουργὸς θεοφόρε, Σπυρίδων Πατὴρ ἠιμῶν, διὸ νεκρὰ σὺ ἐν τάφῳ προσφωνεῖς, καὶ ὄφιν εἷς χρυσοῦν μετέβαλες, καὶ ἐν τῷ μέλπειν τὰς ἁγίας σου εὐχάς, Ἀγγέλους ἔσχες συλλειτουργούντάς σοὶ Ἱερώτατε, Δόξα τῶ σὲ δοξάσαντι, δόξα τῶ σὲ στεφανώσαντι, δόξα τῶ ἐνεργοῦντι διὰ σοῦ πάσιν ἰάματα.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Third Mode

On this day the Virgin cometh to the cave to give birth to * God the Word ineffably, * Who was before all the ages. * Dance for joy, O earth, on hearing * the gladsome tidings; * with the Angels and the shepherds now glorify Him * Who is willing to be gazed on * as a young Child Who * before the ages is God.
Ἡ Παρθένος σήμερον, τὸν Προαιώνιον Λόγον, ἐν Σπηλαίῳ ἔρχεται, ἀποτεκεῖν ἀπορρήτως. Χόρευε ἡ οἰκουμένη ἀκουτισθεῖσα, δόξασον μετὰ Ἀγγέλων καὶ τῶν Ποιμένων, βουληθέντα ἐποφθῆναι, παιδίον νέον, τὸν πρὸ αἰώνων Θεόν.
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Saints and Feasts

Forefathers
December 12

11th Sunday of Luke

On the Sunday that occurs on or immediately after the eleventh of this month, we commemorate Christ's forefathers according to the flesh, both those that came before the Law, and those that lived after the giving of the Law.

Special commemoration is made of the Patriarch Abraham, to whom the promise was first given, when God said to him, "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 22:18). This promise was given some two thousand years before Christ, when Abraham was seventy-five years of age. God called him and commanded him to forsake his country, parents, and kinsmen, and to depart to the land of the Canaanites. When he arrived there, God told him, "I will give this land to thy seed" (Gen. 12:7); for this cause, that land was called the "Promised Land," which later became the country of the Hebrew people, and which is also called Palestine by the historians. There, after the passage of twenty-four years, Abraham received God's law concerning circumcision. In the one hundredth year of his life, when Sarah was in her ninetieth year, they became the parents of Isaac. Having lived 175 years altogether, he reposed in peace, a venerable elder full of days.


Spyridon
December 12

Spyridon the Wonderworker of Trymithous

Spyridon, the God-bearing Father of the Church, the great defender of Corfu and the boast of all the Orthodox, had Cyprus as his homeland. He was simple in manner and humble of heart, and was a shepherd of sheep. When he was joined to a wife, he begat of her a daughter whom they named Irene. After his wife's departure from this life, he was appointed Bishop of Trimythus, and thus he became also a shepherd of rational sheep. When the First Ecumenical Council was assembled in Nicaea, he also was present, and by means of his most simple words stopped the mouths of the Arians who were wise in their own conceit. By the divine grace which dwelt in him, he wrought such great wonders that he received the surname 'Wonderworker." So it is that, having tended his flock piously and in a manner pleasing to God, he reposed in the Lord about the year 350, leaving to his country his sacred relics as a consolation and source of healing for the faithful.

About the middle of the seventh century, because of the incursions made by the barbarians at that time, his sacred relics were taken to Constantinople, where they remained, being honoured by the emperors themselves. But before the fall of Constantinople, which took place on May 29, 1453, a certain priest named George Kalokhairetes, the parish priest of the church where the Saint's sacred relics, as well as those of Saint Theodora the Empress, were kept, took them away on account of the impending peril. Travelling by way of Serbia, he came as far as Arta in Epirus, a region in Western Greece opposite to the isle of Corfu. From there, while the misfortunes of the Christian people were increasing with every day, he passed over to Corfu about the year 1460. The relics of Saint Theodora were given to the people of Corfu; but those of Saint Spyridon remain to this day, according to the rights of inheritance, the most precious treasure of the priest's own descendants, and they continue to be a staff for the faithful in Orthodoxy, and a supernatural wonder for those that behold him; for even after the passage of 1,500 years, they have remained incorrupt, and even the flexibility of his flesh has been preserved. Truly wondrous is God in His Saints! (Ps. 67:3 5)


Allsaint
December 12

Holy New Martyr Peter the Aleut

The holy New Martyr Peter suffered martyrdom in San Francisco at the time that California belonged to Spain. An Aleut from Alaska, he and his companions were captured in California by the Spaniards. When he refused to abandon Orthodoxy to accept Latinism, which they wished to force upon him, the Spaniards submitted him to a martyrdom like that suffered by Saint James the Persian, cutting him apart joint by joint. He died from loss of blood in steadfast confession of the Faith in 1815.


Allsaint
December 12

John (or Joachim), Bishop of Zichni


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Weekly Announcements

Memorial Service

12/12/2021

Today's Memorial for Pavlo-Aleko PahosMay his memory be eternal!


Services This Week

12/12/2021

Sunday, December 12th, 11th Sunday of Luke
Orthros             8:50 A.M. 
Divine Liturgy 10:00 A.M.
 
Saturday, December 18th, Saturday before Nativity
Great Vespers 5:00 P.M.
 
Sunday, December 19th, Sunday before Nativity
Orthros             8:50 A.M. 
Divine Liturgy 10:00 A.M.


Saint Nicholas Day Dinner and Parish Council Elections

12/12/2021

Today, December 12th, the Parish Council will host the Saint Nicholas Day Dinner.  Parish Council Elections will be held concurrently where three positions will be voted upon.


Catechism School Activities

12/12/2021

Today, December 12th, the Catechism Class Students will exchange gifts and purchase tickets to watch “Christmas Carol” at Harbor Playhouse.  On December 19th, the Catechism Class will present a Christmas program immediately following the Divine Liturgy.   


Christmas Bake Sale

12/12/2021

The Philoptochos Christmas Bake Sale will be held on Friday, December 17th from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.  To place an order please see a Philoptochos member.  


Community Christmas Party

12/12/2021

On Sunday, December 19, the parish will have a Potluck Dinner to celebrate the coming Feast of the Nativity.  Everyone is asked to bring their favorite Christmas dish remembering the ongoing Fast of the Nativity.


Fast of the Nativity

12/12/2021

The Nativity Fast had begun  and is a period of abstinence and penance practiced by the Eastern Orthodox,  in preparation for the Nativity of Christ.  The fast is a more relaxed fast with fish, oil and wine allowed until December 10th. 


Welcome to our Guests

12/12/2021

Father John and the members of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church offer warm greetings to all our guests. We are happy to have you worshiping with us and we hope that you will make this your spiritual home in the future. You are invited to receive blessed bread (antidoron) which will be given out at the end of today’s services. 


Church Etiquette

12/12/2021

Please be reminded that out of respect for what goes on during the Divine Liturgy, there are certain time when not to enter the Nave. These times are: 1) between the readings of the Epistle and Gospel; 2) when the priest censes the icons and the congregation; and 3) whenever the priest faces the congregation to bless them.  When entering the Nave, please enter by the side aisles and not by the middle isle.  Stanchions will be placed by the Narthex door in order to prevent anyone from entering the Nave at inappropriate time. When the Parish Council Members ask that no one enter at a particular time, please heed their request.  It is disruptive to the other worshipers when someone enters the Nave at an inappropriate time.  Everyone’s cooperation is appreciated.


Respectful Worship Environment

12/12/2021

The worship experience is enhanced by having your children participate. Please help them learn proper behavior and reverence while in the Church. Teach them to cross themselves, venerate the Icons, & respond prayerfully “Lord have mercy.” If they become too loud, please take them to the Narthex for a brief stay and return as soon as they have calmed. More Church etiquette may be found at http://stnicholasgoc.net/our-parish/church-etiquette.


Please silence all cell phone, tablets and all other electronic devices before entering church.  We understand that in this electronic/digital age, some people will use their device to read along with parts of the Divine Liturgy.  However, please check your setting when you come to church and keep your devices on silent or vibrate inside the church.  Please do not answer your phone while inside the church.  Please do whatever you can do to minimize distracting others with the light coming from your phone or your pop-up notifications and alerts or with blue-tooth devices on your ear.


Recitation of the Lord's Prayer

12/12/2021

Please remember that everyone has the opportunity to say the Lord’s Prayer in their first language. The order of languages is: Greek, English, Spanish, Russian, Romanian, and Arabic.


Holy Communion

12/12/2021

The Holy Communion of the Orthodox is the Holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.  It is with awe and love that we approach the Divine Mysteries.  Therefore, the Communion of the Orthodox is reserved only for those baptized and chrismated Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves by prayer and fasting, as prescribed by the Canons of the Holy Church.  Women, in respect of our Lord, please remove lipstick before you approach to receive, in order that no oils contact the Holy Spoon or the Holy Chalice.


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Third Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Mark 16:9-20

When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.

Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they sat at table; and he upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. And he said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."

So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen.

Third Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Μᾶρκον 16:9-20

᾿Αναστὰς δὲ πρωῒ πρώτῃ σαββάτου ἐφάνη πρῶτον Μαρίᾳ τῇ Μαγδαληνῇ, ἀφ᾿ ἧς ἐκβεβλήκει ἑπτὰ δαιμόνια. ἐκείνη πορευθεῖσα ἀπήγγειλε τοῖς μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ γενομένοις, πενθοῦσι καὶ κλαίουσι. κἀκεῖνοι ἀκούσαντες ὅτι ζῇ καὶ ἐθεάθη ὑπ᾿ αὐτῆς, ἠπίστησαν. Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα δυσὶν ἐξ αὐτῶν περιπατοῦσιν ἐφανερώθη ἐν ἑτέρᾳ μορφῇ, πορευομένοις εἰς ἀγρόν. κἀκεῖνοι ἀπελθόντες ἀπήγγειλαν τοῖς λοιποῖς· οὐδὲ ἐκείνοις ἐπίστευσαν. ῞Υστερον ἀνακειμένοις αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἕνδεκα ἐφανερώθη, καὶ ὠνείδισε τὴν ἀπιστίαν αὐτῶν καὶ σκληροκαρδίαν, ὅτι τοῖς θεασαμένοις αὐτὸν ἐγηγερμένον οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· πορευθέντες εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἅπαντα κηρύξατε τὸ εὐαγγέλιον πάσῃ τῇ κτίσει. ὁ πιστεύσας καὶ βαπτισθεὶς σωθήσεται, ὁ δὲ ἀπιστήσας κατακριθήσεται. σημεῖα δὲ τοῖς πιστεύσασι ταῦτα παρακολουθήσει· ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου δαιμόνια ἐκβαλοῦσι· γλώσσαις λαλήσουσι καιναῖς· ὄφεις ἀροῦσι· κἂν θανάσιμόν τι πίωσιν, οὐ μὴ αὐτοὺς βλάψει· ἐπὶ ἀρρώστους χεῖρας ἐπιθήσουσι, καὶ καλῶς ἕξουσιν. ῾Ο μὲν οὖν Κύριος μετὰ τὸ λαλῆσαι αὐτοῖς ἀνελήφθη εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ. ἐκεῖνοι δὲ ἐξελθόντες ἐκήρυξαν πανταχοῦ, τοῦ Κυρίου συνεργοῦντος καὶ τὸν λόγον βεβαιοῦντος διὰ τῶν ἐπακολουθούντων σημείων. ἀμήν.


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Grave Mode. Psalm 149.5,1.
The saints shall rejoice in glory.
Verse: Sing to the Lord a new song.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 5:8-19.

Brethren, walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is a shame even to speak of the things that they do in secret; but when anything is exposed by the light it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it is said, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light." Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart.

Προκείμενον. Grave Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 149.5,1.
Καυχήσονται ὅσιοι ἐν δόξῃ
Στίχ. Ἄσατε τῷ Κυρίῳ ᾆσμα καινόν.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Ἐφεσίους 5:8-19.

Ἀδελφοί, ὡς τέκνα φωτὸς περιπατεῖτε - ὁ γὰρ καρπὸς τοῦ πνεύματος ἐν πάσῃ ἀγαθωσύνῃ καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ ἀληθείᾳ - δοκιμάζοντες τί ἐστιν εὐάρεστον τῷ κυρίῳ· καὶ μὴ συγκοινωνεῖτε τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς ἀκάρποις τοῦ σκότους, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ἐλέγχετε· τὰ γὰρ κρυφῆ γινόμενα ὑπʼ αὐτῶν αἰσχρόν ἐστιν καὶ λέγειν. Τὰ δὲ πάντα ἐλεγχόμενα ὑπὸ τοῦ φωτὸς φανεροῦται· πᾶν γὰρ τὸ φανερούμενον φῶς ἐστίν. Διὸ λέγει, Ἔγειρε ὁ καθεύδων καὶ ἀνάστα ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, καὶ ἐπιφαύσει σοι ὁ Χριστός. Βλέπετε οὖν πῶς ἀκριβῶς περιπατεῖτε, μὴ ὡς ἄσοφοι, ἀλλʼ ὡς σοφοί, ἐξαγοραζόμενοι τὸν καιρόν, ὅτι αἱ ἡμέραι πονηραί εἰσιν. Διὰ τοῦτο μὴ γίνεσθε ἄφρονες, ἀλλὰ συνιέντες τί τὸ θέλημα τοῦ κυρίου. Καὶ μὴ μεθύσκεσθε οἴνῳ, ἐν ᾧ ἐστὶν ἀσωτία, ἀλλὰ πληροῦσθε ἐν πνεύματι, λαλοῦντες ἑαυτοῖς ψαλμοῖς καὶ ὕμνοις καὶ ᾠδαῖς πνευματικαῖς, ᾄδοντες καὶ ψάλλοντες ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑμῶν τῷ κυρίῳ.


Gospel Reading

11th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 14:16-24

The Lord said this parable: "A man once gave a great banquet, and invited many; and at the time of the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, 'Come; for all is now ready.' But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I go out and see it; I pray you, have me excused.' And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I must go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.' And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' So the servant came and reported this to his master. Then the householder in anger said to his servant, 'Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame.' And the servant said, 'Sir, what you commanded has been done, and there is still room.' And the master said to the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet. For many are called, but few are chosen.'"

11th Sunday of Luke
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 14:16-24

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τήν παραβολὴν ταύτην· Ἄνθρωπός τις ἐποίησε δεῖπνον μέγα καὶ ἐκάλεσε πολλούς· καὶ ἀπέστειλε τὸν δοῦλον αὐτοῦ τῇ ὥρᾳ τοῦ δείπνου εἰπεῖν τοῖς κεκλημένοις· ἔρχεσθε, ὅτι ἤδη ἕτοιμά ἐστι πάντα. καὶ ἤρξαντο ἀπὸ μιᾶς παραιτεῖσθαι πάντες. ὁ πρῶτος εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἀγρὸν ἠγόρασα, καὶ ἔχω ἀνάγκην ἐξελθεῖν καὶ ἰδεῖν αὐτόν· ἐρωτῶ σε, ἔχε με παρῃτημένον. καὶ ἕτερος εἶπε· ζεύγη βοῶν ἠγόρασα πέντε, καὶ πορεύομαι δοκιμάσαι αὐτά· ἐρωτῶ σε, ἔχε με παρῃτημένον. καὶ ἕτερος εἶπε· γυναῖκα ἔγημα, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο οὐ δύναμαι ἐλθεῖν. καὶ παραγενόμενος ὁ δοῦλος ἐκεῖνος ἀπήγγειλε τῷ κυρίῳ αὐτοῦ ταῦτα. τότε ὀργισθεὶς ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης εἶπε τῷ δούλῳ αὐτοῦ· ἔξελθε ταχέως εἰς τὰς πλατείας καὶ ῥύμας τῆς πόλεως, καὶ τοὺς πτωχοὺς καὶ ἀναπήρους καὶ χωλοὺς καὶ τυφλοὺς εἰσάγαγε ὧδε. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ δοῦλος· κύριε, γέγονεν ὡς ἐπέταξας, καὶ ἔτι τόπος ἐστί. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ κύριος πρὸς τὸν δοῦλον· ἔξελθε εἰς τὰς ὁδοὺς καὶ φραγμοὺς καὶ ἀνάγκασον εἰσελθεῖν, ἵνα γεμισθῇ ὁ οἶκος μου. λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐδεὶς τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐκείνων τῶν κεκλημένων γεύσεταί μου τοῦ δείπνου. Πολλοί γὰρ εἰσιν κλητοί, ὀλίγοι δέ ἐκλεκτοί.


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Wisdom of the Fathers

This parable ... proclaims beforehand both the casting out of the Jews, and the calling of the Gentiles; and it indicates together with this also the strictness of the life required, and how great the punishment appointed for the careless ....
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 69 on Matthew 22, 4th Century

And when were they bidden? By all the prophets; by John again; for unto Christ he would pass all on, saying, "He must increase, I must decrease;" by the Son Himself again, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you;" and again, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink."
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 69 on Matthew 22, 4th Century

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