St. Luke Church
Publish Date: 2024-08-25
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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 Plagal Fourth Mode

O Merciful One, You came from on high, and condescended to Your three day burial to save us from suffering. You are our Life and our Resurrection. Glory to You.

Apolytikion for Apostle Bartholomew in the Third Mode

O Holy Apostles, intercede to our merciful God, that He may grant our souls forgiveness of sins.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Mode

In your holy birth, Immaculate One, Joachim and Anna were rid of the shame of childlessness; Adam and Eve of the corruption of death. And so your people, free of the guilt of their sins, celebrate crying: "The barren one gives birth to the Theotokos, who nourishes our life."
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Ninth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:19-31

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in His side, I will not believe." Eight days later, His disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then He said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand, and place it in My side; do not be faithless, but believing." Thomas answered Him, "My Lord and My God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you may have life in His name.


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal Fourth Mode. Psalm 75.11,1.
Make your vows to the Lord our God and perform them.
Verse: God is known in Judah; his name is great in Israel.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 3:9-17.

Brethren, we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it. Let each man take care how he builds upon it. For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw - each man's work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If any one destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and that temple you are.


Gospel Reading

9th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 14:22-34

At that time, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. But immediately he spoke to them, saying "Take heart, it is I; have no fear."

And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water." He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?" And when they entered the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.


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Memorial and Trisagion Prayers

Memorial and Trisagion Prayers

08/25/2024

There are no Memorial or Trisagion prayers today


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Parish News

Parish News

08/25/2024

1. 9th Sunday of Matthew

2.  August 29 -- the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist @ 9 am

3. Taste of Greece Workshops

September 24 -- Baklava @ noon 

September 25 -- Baklava @ 10 am

4. Upcoming Events

Youth Pizza Party on Sept. 13 @ 5: 30 - 7: 30 pm

Welcome Back Sunday on Sept. 15!

5. Bible Study will resume in September.  We will be studying the Book of Revelation.

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

7. 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.


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Words from the Saints and our Fathers

Words from the Saints

08/25/2024

If you really want to help, teach virtue through actions.  Because if people attend only to words, they don't go on to deeds; but if you show them the path of virtue through deeds, that will certainly stay with them.

Abba Poemen


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Saints and Feasts

August 25

9th Sunday of Matthew


August 25

Return of the Body of Bartholomew the Glorious Apostle

Concerning the Apostle Bartholomew, see June 11


August 25

Titus the Apostle of the 70

Saint Titus was a Greek by race, and an idolater. But having believed in Christ through the Apostle Paul, he became Paul's disciple and follower and labored with him greatly in the preaching of the Gospel. When Paul ordained him Bishop of Crete, he later wrote to him the Epistle which bears his name. Having shepherded in an apostolic manner the flock that had been entrusted to him, and being full of days, he reposed in peace, some ninety-four years of age.


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Wisdom of the Fathers

The principle and source of the virtues is a good disposition of the will, that is to say, an aspiration for goodness and beauty. God is the source and ground of all supernal goodness. Thus the principle of goodness and beauty is faith or, rather, it is Christ, the rock of faith, who is principle and foundation of all virtues. On this rock we stand and on this foundation we build every good thing (cf. I Cor. 3:11).
St. Gregory of Sinai
On Commandments and Doctrines no. 83, Philokalia Vol. 3 edited by Palmer, Sherrard and Ware; Faber and Faber pg. 228, 14th century

Christ did not command the winds to cease at that time, but Himself stretched forth His hand and took hold of Peter, because here faith was required of him. When we do not do our part, divine (grace) slows and stands still.. . . it was not the wind that did Peter harm; his lack of faith sank him. Where faith is fruitfu, firm and strong, none of the evils that may befall us can do us any harm.
St. John Chrysostom
The Gospel Commentary edited by Hieromonk German Ciuba, 2002, 4th Century

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