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Saturday Evening Vespers: 5:30 pm
Sunday Morning Orthros 8:30 AM
Sunday Morning Divine Liturgy 9:30 AM
Εὐλογητὸς εἶ, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, * ὁ πανσόφους τοὺς ἁλιεῖς ἀναδείξας, * καταπέμψας αὐτοῖς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, * καὶ δι' αὐτῶν τὴν οἰκουμένην σαγηνεύσας,* Φιλάνθρωπε, δόξα σοι.
O blessed are You * O Christ our God * Who by sending down * The Holy Spirit upon them * Made the fishermen wise, and through them * Illumined the world* And to you * The universe is ever drawn * All glory to you O Lord
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First Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Matthew 28:16-20
At that time, the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw Him they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age. Amen."
First Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 28:16-20
Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, οἱ ἕνδεκα μαθηταὶ ἐπορεύθησαν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν, εἰς τὸ Ὄρος, οὗ ἐτάξατο αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς. Καὶ ἰδόντες αὐτόν, προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ· οἱ δὲ ἐδίστασαν. Καὶ προσελθὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ἐλάλησεν αὐτοῖς, λέγων· Ἐδόθη μοι πᾶσα ἐξουσία ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Πορευθέντες οὖν, μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, βαπτίζοντες αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρός, καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, καὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος· διδάσκοντες αὐτοὺς τηρεῖν πάντα ὅσα ἐνετειλάμην ὑμῖν. Καὶ ἰδού, ἐγὼ μεθ' ὑμῶν εἰμι πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας, ἕως τῆς συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος. Ἀμήν.
Prokeimenon. Fourth Tone. Psalm 103.4,1.
Who makes his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire
Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God you are very great.
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 2:2-10.
Brethren, if the message declared by angels was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his own will. For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere, "What is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man, that thou carest for him? Thou didst make him for a little while lower than the angels, thou hast crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet." Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for every one. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering.
Προκείμενον. Fourth Tone. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 103.4,1.
Ὁ ποιῶν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ πνεύματα καὶ τοὺς λειτουργοὺς αὐτοῦ πυρὸς φλόγα.
Στίχ. Εὐλόγει, ἡ ψυχή μου, τὸν Κύριον. Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου, ἐμεγαλύνθης σφόδρα.
τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Ἑβραίους 2:2-10.
Ἀδελφοί, εἰ ὁ δι΄ ἀγγέλων λαληθεὶς λόγος ἐγένετο βέβαιος, καὶ πᾶσα παράβασις καὶ παρακοὴ ἔλαβεν ἔνδικον μισθαποδοσίαν, πῶς ἡμεῖς ἐκφευξόμεθα τηλικαύτης ἀμελήσαντες σωτηρίας; Ἥτις, ἀρχὴν λαβοῦσα λαλεῖσθαι διὰ τοῦ κυρίου, ὑπὸ τῶν ἀκουσάντων εἰς ἡμᾶς ἐβεβαιώθη, συνεπιμαρτυροῦντος τοῦ θεοῦ σημείοις τε καὶ τέρασιν, καὶ ποικίλαις δυνάμεσιν, καὶ πνεύματος ἁγίου μερισμοῖς, κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ θέλησιν. Οὐ γὰρ ἀγγέλοις ὑπέταξεν τὴν οἰκουμένην τὴν μέλλουσαν, περὶ ἧς λαλοῦμεν. Διεμαρτύρατο δέ πού τις λέγων, Τί ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος, ὅτι μιμνήσκῃ αὐτοῦ; Ἢ υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου, ὅτι ἐπισκέπτῃ αὐτόν; Ἠλάττωσας αὐτὸν βραχύ τι παρʼ ἀγγέλους· δόξῃ καὶ τιμῇ ἐστεφάνωσας αὐτόν· πάντα ὑπέταξας ὑποκάτω τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ. Ἐν γὰρ τῷ ὑποτάξαι αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα, οὐδὲν ἀφῆκεν αὐτῷ ἀνυπότακτον. Νῦν δὲ οὔπω ὁρῶμεν αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα ὑποτεταγμένα. Τὸν δὲ βραχύ τι παρʼ ἀγγέλους ἠλαττωμένον βλέπομεν Ἰησοῦν, διὰ τὸ πάθημα τοῦ θανάτου δόξῃ καὶ τιμῇ ἐστεφανωμένον, ὅπως χάριτι θεοῦ ὑπὲρ παντὸς γεύσηται θανάτου. Ἔπρεπεν γὰρ αὐτῷ, διʼ ὃν τὰ πάντα, καὶ διʼ οὗ τὰ πάντα, πολλοὺς υἱοὺς εἰς δόξαν ἀγαγόντα, τὸν ἀρχηγὸν τῆς σωτηρίας αὐτῶν διὰ παθημάτων τελειῶσαι.
7th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 8:41-56
At that time, there came to Jesus a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue; and falling at Jesus' feet he besought him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As he went, the people pressed round him. And a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years and had spent all her living upon physicians and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment; and immediately her flow of blood ceased. And Jesus said, "Who was it that touched me?" When all denied it, Peter and those who were with him said, "Master, the multitudes surround you and press upon you!" But Jesus said, "Some one touched me; for I perceive that power has gone forth from me." And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace." While he was still speaking, a man from the ruler's house came and said, "Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more." But Jesus on hearing this answered him, "Do not fear; only believe, and she shall be well." And when he came to the house, he permitted no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. And all were weeping and bewailing her; but he said, "Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But taking her by the hand he called, saying, "Child, arise." And her spirit returned, and she got up at once; and he directed that something should be given her to eat. And her parents were amazed; but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.
7th Sunday of Luke
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 8:41-56
Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἄνθρωπός τις προσῆλθε τῷ Ἰησοῦ ᾧ ὄνομα ᾿Ιάειρος, καὶ αὐτὸς ἄρχων τῆς συναγωγῆς ὑπῆρχε· καὶ πεσὼν παρὰ τοὺς πόδας τοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦ παρεκάλει αὐτὸν εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ, ὅτι θυγάτηρ μονογενὴς ἦν αὐτῷ ὡς ἐτῶν δώδεκα, καὶ αὕτη ἀπέθνησκεν. ᾿Εν δὲ τῷ ὑπάγειν αὐτὸν οἱ ὄχλοι συνέπνιγον αὐτόν. καὶ γυνὴ οὖσα ἐν ῥύσει αἵματος ἀπὸ ἐτῶν δώδεκα, ἥτις ἰατροῖς προσαναλώσασα ὅλον τὸν βίον οὐκ ἴσχυσεν ὑπ᾿ οὐδενὸς θεραπευθῆναι, προσελθοῦσα ὄπισθεν ἥψατο τοῦ κρασπέδου τοῦ ἱματίου αὐτοῦ, καὶ παραχρῆμα ἔστη ἡ ῥύσις τοῦ αἵματος αὐτῆς. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· τίς ὁ ἁψάμενός μου; ἀρνουμένων δὲ πάντων εἶπεν ὁ Πέτρος καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ· ἐπιστάτα, οἱ ὄχλοι συνέχουσί σε καὶ ἀποθλίβουσι, καὶ λέγεις τίς ὁ ἁψάμενός μου; ὁ δὲ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπεν· ἥψατό μού τις· ἐγὼ γὰρ ἔγνων δύναμιν ἐξελθοῦσαν ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ. ἰδοῦσα δὲ ἡ γυνὴ ὅτι οὐκ ἔλαθε, τρέμουσα ἦλθε καὶ προσπεσοῦσα αὐτῷ δι᾿ ἣν αἰτίαν ἥψατο αὐτοῦ ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτῷ ἐνώπιον παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ ὡς ἰάθη παραχρῆμα. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· θάρσει, θύγατερ, ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέ σε· πορεύου εἰς εἰρήνην.῎Ετι αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος ἔρχεταί τις παρὰ τοῦ ἀρχισυναγώγου λέγων αὐτῷ ὅτι τέθνηκεν ἡ θυγάτηρ σου· μὴ σκύλλε τὸν διδάσκαλον. ὁ δὲ ᾿Ιησοῦς ἀκούσας ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ λέγων· μὴ φοβοῦ· μόνον πίστευε, καὶ σωθήσεται. ἐλθὼν δὲ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν οὐκ ἀφῆκεν εἰσελθεῖν οὐδένα εἰ μὴ Πέτρον καὶ ᾿Ιωάννην καὶ ᾿Ιάκωβον καὶ τὸν πατέρα τῆς παιδὸς καὶ τὴν μητέρα. ἔκλαιον δὲ πάντες καὶ ἐκόπτοντο αὐτήν. ὁ δὲ εἶπε· μὴ κλαίετε· οὐκ ἀπέθανεν, ἀλλὰ καθεύδει. καὶ κατεγέλων αὐτοῦ, εἰδότες ὅτι ἀπέθανεν. αὐτὸς δὲ ἐκβαλὼν ἔξω πάντας καὶ κρατήσας τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῆς ἐφώνησε λέγων· ἡ παῖς, ἐγείρου. καὶ ἐπέστρεψε τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτῆς, καὶ ἀνέστη παραχρῆμα, καὶ διέταξεν αὐτῇ δοθῆναι φαγεῖν. καὶ ἐξέστησαν οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῖς. ὁ δὲ παρήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς μηδενὶ εἰπεῖν τὸ γεγονός.
All the Angels, according to the Apostle Paul, are ministering spirits, - sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation - (Heb. 1:14). God set them as overseers of every nation and people, and guides to that which is profitable (Deut. 32:8); and while one Angel is appointed to oversee each nation as a whole, one is also appointed to protect each Christian individually. He commands them to guard them that hope on Him, that nothing should harm them, neither should any evil draw nigh to their dwelling (Ps. 90:10-12). In the Heavens they always behold the face of God, sending up to Him the thrice-holy hymn and interceding with Him in our behalf, seeing they rejoice over one sinner that repents (Esaias 6:2-3; Matt. 18:10; Luke 15:7). In a word, they have served God in so many ways for our benefit, that the pages of Holy Scripture are filled with the histories thereof. It is for these reasons that the Orthodox Catholic Church, wisely honouring these divine ministers, our protectors and guardians, celebrates today the present Synaxis that is, our coming together in assembly for their common feast to chant their praises, especially for the Archangels Michael and Gabriel, who are mentioned in the Scriptures by name. The name Michael means "Who is like God?" and Gabriel means "God is mighty." The number of Angels is not defined in the divine Scriptures, where Daniel says that thousands of thousands ministered before Him, and ten thousands of ten thousands attended upon Him -(Dan. 7:10). But all of them are divided into nine orders which are called Thrones, Cherubim, Seraphim, Dominions, Powers, Authorities, Principalities, Archangels, and Angels.
8:30AM Orthros
9:30AM Divine Liturgy
10:45AM Special Prayer for Veterans Day
11:00AM Community Thanksgiving Meal and Talent Show (hosted by Daughters of Penelope)
6:30AM Men’s Study Group
5:00PM Paraklesis
6:00PM GOYA Basketball Practice
6:00PM Journey to Fullness Video Catechism Series
St. John Chrysostom
8:30AM Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy
5:30PM Vespers
6:30PM AHEPA Event
8:30AM Orthros
9:30AM Divine Liturgy
11:45AM Philoptochos Meeting
6:00PM Parish Council Meeting
6:30AM Men’s Study Group
5:00PM Paraklesis
6:00PM GOYA Basketball Practice
6:00PM Journey to Fullness Video Catechism Series
6:00PM OVC - REACH Young Adult (ages 21-35) gathering at Holy Trinity Thursday, Nov 19· 18:00–21:00
4:00PM Hal Reserved
Entrance of Theotokos
8:30AM Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy
5:30PM CANCEL TONIGHT-Vespers
6:00PM GOYA Event: Farm Fun
8:30AM Orthros
9:30AM Divine Liturgy
It is up to all of us to make sure the Church and Hall are secure before leaving the premises. There have been a few occasions recently when the first person arriving in the morning has found doors unlocked and or open, lights on, and air conditioning running all night.
We ask that everyone practices good stewardship and care for our community, our church, and hall, with the following:
Please continue to confirm that the Alarm is disarmed before entering the chruch or hall, including hte North Kitchen Door, thank you.
Thank you to the Daughters of Penelope who will be hosting our Community Thanksgiving meal after services, please plan to stay and join us, and show off your talents! Reach out to Martha to sign up for the Talent Show: (918) 798-9485.
Our men's group will meet at 6:30am this Tuesday.
Please join us for Paraklesis this Wednesday at 5pm.
Our Sunday Church School classes will meet this week. Our students and teachers will receive communion thne proceed to their classes.
AHEPA invites you to their fundraiser: Men & Grill Night on Saturday, November 14 at 6:30pm. $15 Donation includes meal; drinks and cigars will be available at an additonal cost. RSVP To Dean Boyaci by 11/7.
Registration for the Metroplis of Denver GOYA Basketball Tournament is open! All GOYAns and coaches, please register as soon as you can, please reach out to Father George if you have any questions or need help getting registered. The Tournament will take place in Dallas, January 15-18, 2027.
We will have GOYA Basektball practice this Wednesday, at 6pm (after Paraklesis). All middle school and high school age students at Holy Trinity are welcome!
Our next GOYA event will be Saturday evening, October 24th. We look forward to getting together for a bonfire and pumpkin carving. More details to come in the next couple of weeks.
A 16-episode video series created by Fr. Barnabas Powell through Ancient Faith Ministries, designed to introduce inquirers to the Orthodox Christian Faith. Though it was made with inquirers in mind, all can benefit from this video series - regardless of whether they have lived their entire lives in the Church or are encountering her for the first time. The goal of this class is to give everyone who takes it an opportunity to journey deeper into the fullness that is the Orthodox Christian Faith.
We'll continue this Wendnesday at 6pm (after Paraklesis). Thanks once again to our Inreach & Outreach Ministry for making this available
Fr. George Parsenios (HCHC ’96)
This Sunday’s Epistle reading opens by referring to the “message declared by angels,” and it is chosen to honor the Archangels Michael and Gabriel and the other heavenly ranks of angels whose feast we celebrate today. The term “angel” in Greek literally means “messenger,” and the angels of God declare many important messages to human beings. The Archangel Gabriel, for instance, visits the parents of John the Baptist and later the Virgin Mary in order to announce the births of John and Jesus in Luke 1. An angel visits Joseph in turn in order to convey the same information. Later, after Jesus is crucified and buried, and the disciples arrive at the empty tomb, an angel explains that Christ is risen from the dead. In these ways and more, angels are messengers who reveal God’s will to human beings. But today’s Epistle reading does not refer to angelic messages in general: it has in mind a particular message. Which one? A tradition had become well-established by the time of Jesus that God did not place the Law directly into the hands of Moses on Mt. Sinai. Rather, God used angels as messengers to deliver the Law to Moses. The Book of Acts (7:53) and the Letter to the Galatians (3:19) both say that the Law was delivered to Moses by angelic mediators. Now, that angelic message—the Law of Moses—was important and it carried grave penalties if it was not followed. Christians, however, did not receive a message that was delivered by angels. Our message was delivered by Christ himself. We did not hear from the King’s messenger. We heard directly from the King. This message, therefore, is even more important and must be taken even more seriously and followed more carefully than the message declared by angels.
Fr. George Parsenios is Professor of New Testament at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. www.hchc.edu
Metropolitan Nektarios of Pentapolis, the “Wonderworker of Aegina,” reposed on this day in 1920. Born Anastasios Kephalas in 1846, as a teenager he moved from his native Selymbria to nearby Constantinople to earn a living. Later settling on Chios, he worked as a schoolteacher before eventually entering a monastery. By forty-three, he was a graduate of the University of Athens and a Metropolitan bishop—seemingly on his way to a promising ecclesiastical career.
Yet the next year, 1891, Nektarios was inexplicably expelled from the Patriarchate of Alexandria. Heartbroken yet unwilling to cause a scandal, he traveled to Greece and worked for years as an itinerant preacher and priest. Then, in 1894, he was unexpectedly appointed Director of the Rizarios Ecclesiastical School in Athens. For the next fifteen years he excelled in this position, spiritually and intellectually forming the future generation of Orthodox clergy. In 1908, he retired to oversee a women’s monastery he had helped establish on Aegina.
A humble, long-suffering, and enormously talented servant of the Church, St. Nektarios was glorified a saint in 1961.
St. Nektarios, c. 1900. Public Domain
Fr. Alexander Veronis (1932-2023)
What does a Church in the Home look like?
It is a home where there are plenty of icons. An icon of Christ should be in a prominent place. This tells every guest that Jesus is Lord of this home and family. By displaying icons, we let others know that our home is a sacred place of faith, love, rest, and renewal.
It is a home where the family prays. It is good to create a prayer corner, an area to gather to pray. A Bible, a children’s Bible, a book of saints, and an Orthodox prayer book help children to share in the readings. Children will forever remember praying together with their parents and siblings.
It is a home where the family speaks positively of the Church. They discuss the good things that happen in church, including the liturgy, sacraments, or an inspiring sermon. Children learn by example to be positive and optimistic about the Church.
It is a home that is hospitable. The Bible says, “Be hospitable to one another” (I Peter 4:9). A family enriches its members by inviting people into their home and offering them Christian hospitality. Most importantly, children learn that their home is open to everyone. There is no limit to showing Christian love to others.
It is a home where the family relates their faith to the surrounding world. “The poor you shall always have with you,” Jesus says (John 12:8). Our cities and neighborhoods have needy adults and children who beg to be loved and accepted. They bless us when we reach out to them in the name of Christ.
It is a home where children learn to be givers. When parents teach their children at an early age to fill their Sunday School offering envelopes, to give a generous portion of their money to charity, and to offer some of their time in service for others, those children grow up as givers.
Remember the church in YOUR home. Make it vibrant in Christ. The children raised in such homes will grow to reflect the presence of Jesus Christ in their lives.
Fr. Alexander Veronis of blessed memory served Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania for 50 years.
This reflection is taken from a longer text found here: https://bit.ly/4BFja4o