St. Luke Church
Publish Date: 2024-07-07
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St. Luke Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (413) 525-4551
  • Fax:
  • (413) 525-4552
  • Street Address:

  • 400 Prospect Street

  • East Longmeadow, MA 01028
  • Mailing Address:

  • 400 Prospect Street

  • East Longmeadow, MA 01028


Past Bulletins


Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the First Mode

Although the stone was sealed by the Jews, and the soldiers guarded Your most pure body, You arose on the third day, O Savior, giving life to the world. For this reason, the heavenly powers cried out to you, O Giver of Life: Glory to Your resurrection, O Christ! Glory to Your kingdom! Glory to Your dispensation, only Lover of Mankind!

Apolytikion for Great Martyr Kyriake in the Fourth Mode

O Lord Jesus, unto Thee Thy lamb doth cry with a great voice: O my Bridegroom, Thee I love; and seeking Thee, I now contest, and with Thy baptism am crucified and buried. I suffer for Thy sake, that I may reign with Thee; for Thy sake I die, that I may live in Thee: accept me offered out of longing to Thee as a spotless sacrifice. Lord, save our souls through her intercessions, since Thou art great in mercy.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Second Mode

The protection of Christians unshameable, intercessor to our Holy Maker, unwavering, do not turn from the prayerful cries of those who are in sin; instead, come to us, for you are good; your loving help bring unto us, who are crying in faith to you: Hasten to intercession and speed now to supplication as a protection for all time, Theotokos, for those who honor you.
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Second Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Mark 16:1-8

When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint Jesus. And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?" And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back - it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, He is not here; see the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples and Peter that He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see Him, as He told you." And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Psalm 67.35,26.
God is wonderful among his saints.
Verse: Bless God in the congregations.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 3:23-29; 4:1-5.

Brethren, before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint until faith should be revealed. So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no better than a slave, though he is the owner of all the estate; but he is under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. So with us; when we were children, we were slaves to the elemental spirits of the universe. But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.


Gospel Reading

2nd Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 4:18-23

At that time, as Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left their boat and their father, and followed him. And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.


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Memorial and Trisagion Prayers

Memorial and Trisagion Prayers

07/07/2024

There will not be any Memorial or Trisagion prayers today.


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Parish News

Parish News

07/07/2024

1. Second Sunday of Matthew

2.  We welcome Father Gregory Christakos today!

3.  Taste of Greece Workshops

Spanakopita Workshops will take place on July 8 and 9.  Please see our website for an updated schedule of all workshops.

4.  Knitting will take place on Wednesday, July 17 @ 10: 30 am.

5.  Bible Study will resume in September.

6.  Please do not neglect to pick up a copy of the Strategic Planning document and review it.  Your assistance is most helpful!

7. Thank you to all who contributed to the collection for the World Central Kitchen for the orphaned children of gaza in the amount of $915.  The Parish Council has matched this same amount for a total collection of $1,830. 

8. Philoptochos News 

Summer Campaigns

In July and August, Philoptochos dedicates its attention to meeting the needs of children. We do this by running two campaigns that target the most vulnerable, the needs of infants and elementary school-age children.

The first campaign is called the “I am Loved” onesie campaign. Designed to collect infant clothing apparel and accept monetary donations used to purchase and produce the one-of-a-kind “I am Loved” onesies”. The infant apparel with the supply of the produced “I am Loved” onesies are distributed to the NICU and Continuing Care Units of Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. These donations go directly to support newborns entering the Foster Care System.

The second campaign is the Backpack Giftaway. This campaign allows underprivileged elementary school-age children to arrive at the start of the new school year with all the necessary school supplies packed inside a new backpack. Boland Elementary School in Springfield will be receiving these generously supplied backpacks. 

Whether you support both campaigns or just one, please know that your kindness is very much appreciated, especially to those members of our society most vulnerable, our children.

Donations can be made in several ways; in-person at the church during regular operating hours, mailed to the church with a check payable to St. Luke Philoptochos Society. Please note the campaign you support in your check memo area. 
Additionally, Philoptochos is introducing a NEW method of receiving online credit card payments through our dedicated St. Luke Philoptochos Square Website. 


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Words from the Saints and our Fathers

Words from the Saints

06/30/2024

Our life is like a war, a market, a school, a long sea voyage. In battle, you can’t just take time out; in trade you can’t be idle; in school you can’t be inattentive; and there’s no room for carelessness on a sea voyage. So don’t be last, don’t be inattentive in doing God’s work, but put yourself about and work hard. For you, this is the battlefield, this is the market-place, this is the school. You’ve got the talent; don’t hide it, multiply it. What will you say on the dread day of judgement when you’ve not only failed to multiply your talent, but haven’t even managed to get any interest on it?

Saint Dimitri of Rostov


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Saints and Feasts

July 07

2nd Sunday of Matthew


July 07

Thomas the Righteous of Malea

Saint Thomas, though wealthy in material goods, though illustrious for the military trophies he had won in wars against the barbarians, forsook all that he had that he might gain Christ, and was led by a pillar of fire to Mount Maleon. By divine grace he wrought wonders, cast out demons, gave sight to the blind, caused springs of water to gush forth, healed many, and while in prayer appeared as a pillar of fire. The century in which he lived is not known.


July 07

Kyriake the Great Martyr

Saint Kyriake was the daughter of Christian parents, Dorotheus and Eusebia. She was given her name because she was born on Sunday, the day of the Lord (in Greek, Kyriake). She contested in Nicomedia during the reign of Diocletian, in the year 300. After many bitter torments she was condemned to suffer beheading, but being granted time to pray first, she made her prayer and gave up her holy soul in peace.


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Wisdom of the Fathers

Prayer, fasting, vigil and all other Christian practices, however good they may be in themselves, do not constitute the aim of our Christian life, although they serve as the indispensable means of reaching this end. The true aim of our Christian life consists in the acquisition of the Holy Spirit of God.
St. Seraphim of Sarov
The Acquisition of the Holy Spirit: Chapter 3, The Little Russian Philokalia Vol. 1; Saint Herman of Alaska Brotherhood pg. 79, 19th century

Within the visible world, man is as it were a second world; and the same is true of thought within the intelligible world. For man is the herald of heaven and earth, and of all that is in them; while thought interprets the intellect and sense perception, and all that pertains to them. Without man and thought both the sensible and the intelligible worlds would be inarticulate.
Ilias the Presbyter
Gnomic Anthology IV no. 112, Philokalia Vol. 3 edited by Palmer, Sherrard and Ware; Faber and Faber pg. 61

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