St. Luke Church
Publish Date: 2026-08-23
Bulletin Contents
Hymns of the Day
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Memorial and Trisagion Prayers
Parish News
Did You Know?
Words from the Saints and our Fathers
Saints and Feasts
Wisdom of the Fathers
Diakonia Newsletter

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St. Luke Church

General Information

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

  • 400 Prospect Street

  • East Longmeadow, MA 01028
  • Mailing Address:

  • PO Box 381

  • East Longmeadow, MA 01028

Past Bulletins


Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Third Mode

Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad, for the Lord by His Might, has created a Dominion. He has conquered death by death, and become the first-born of the dead. He has delivered us from the depths of Hades, and has granted the world great mercy.

Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Narthex Press


Apolytikion for Apodosis of the Dormition in the First Mode

In birth, you preserved your virginity; in death, you did not abandon the world, O Theotokos. As mother of life, you departed to the source of life, delivering our souls from death by your intercessions.

Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Narthex Press


Seasonal Kontakion in the Second Mode

Neither the grave nor death could contain the Theotokos, the unshakable hope, ever vigilant in intercession and protection. As Mother of life, He who dwelt in the ever-virginal womb transposed her to life.

Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Narthex Press




Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

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."

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Third Mode. Psalm 46.6,1.
Sing praises to our God, sing praises.
Verse: Clap your hands, all you nations.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 15:1-11.

Brethren, I would remind you in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand, by which you are saved, if you hold it fast -- unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Gospel Reading

12th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 19:16-26

At that time, a young man came up to Jesus, kneeling and saying, "Good Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" And he said to him, "Why do you call me good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." He said to him, "Which?" And Jesus said, "You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and You shall love your neighbor as yourself." The young man said to him, "All these I have observed; what do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.

And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."



Memorial and Trisagion Prayers

Memorial and Trisagion Prayers

08/23/2026

Today, we have a 40 Day Memorial chanted for Sarah T. Lefakis, wife of Trifon(+), mother of Nick and August(+). 

Additionally, we have a 30 Year Memorial chanted for August Lefakis, brother of Nick, son of Sarah(+) and Trifon(+), and a 34 Year Memorial for Trifon, father of Nick, husband of Sarah(+) and father of August(+).

We also have an 80 Year Memorial chanted for Nikolaos Theofiles and a 41 Year Memorial for Sappho, parents of Sarah(+) and grandparents of Nick and August(+), and for Evangelos and Ekaterina Lefakis, grandparents of Nick and August(+) and parents of Trifon(+).

A 50 Year Memorial will be chanted for John Katseoris, husband of Mary Katseoris(+), father of Ann Heropoulos(+), Violette Poulopoulos(+), Lorraine Ahladas, and Anita Themistos.

We are having a 9 Day Trisagion for Lila Groussis, mother of Katerina (Gregory) and grandmother of Fotini.

May their memory be eternal!

 

 




Parish News

Parish News

08/23/2026

We welcome you to worship with us today.  Whether you are an Orthodox Christian or this is your first visit to an Orthodox Church, we are pleased to have you with us.  Holy Communion is offered to and received only by baptized and chrismated Orthodox Christians who have spiritually prepared to receive the Eucharist. All are invited to receive the blessed bread at the end of Liturgy and may ask for a special blessing. God bless you!

For the spiritual comfort and peace of all, please silence your cell phones.  Thank you!

 

1. PARISH ANNOUNCEMENTS

We have a dedicated social media account. If you take a picture at a Service or Parish Event that you would like to share on social media, please send it to [email protected]

LITURGICAL SCHEDULE:

Today - 12th Sunday of Matthew

Beheading of Saint John the Baptist -Divine Liturgy on August 29 @ 9 am (FAST DAY)

BIBLE STUDY: resumes September 22 with the Gospel of John.

GREEK DANCING LESSONS FOR CHILDREN

We have a volunteer who is willing to teach Greek dancing to young children, kindergarten age and above. Please call the office at (413) 525-4551 to have your name put on a list if interested.  Our dance groups have provided a wonderful experience for those involved, and we'd like to give our newest group the same opportunity!

HALL RENTAL MINISTRY - We are in the process of finding a person who would like to volunteer to head our rental ministry. If you have an interest in this opportunity and would like to find out more about the position, please call the church office at (413) 525-4551.

50th ANNIVERSARY GALA INFORMATION

50th Anniversary Gala Update

We’ve received many inquiries about tickets for our 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner Dance. Final preparations for the reservation and ticket mailing are now underway, and information will be arriving in your mailbox soon.

We look forward to celebrating this special milestone with our St. Luke’s family and friends!

A message from our Parish Council president...

It will be here before you know it!!

Fall is such a busy time here at St. Luke's. The Ecclesiastical year begins, and with that many of our ministries that have taken a well-deserved break will be gearing up to get back into the swing of things. So take a look below at some events coming up.

September 11, 12, & 13 - St. George's Glendi

September 20 - St. Luke's Anniversary Jubilee Picnic

October 16 & 17 - St. Luke's Taste of Greece

October 18 & November 1 - Philoptochos Artoclasia

November 7 - St. Luke's 50th Anniversary Dinner Dance

                   8 - Veterans Day Soup Cook-Off

                 14 - Grateful & Gathering Day of Scrapbooking @ St. Luke's

                 15 - St. Luke's General Assembly

                 22 - St. Luke's Harvest Dinner

 

2. PHILOPTOCHOS MINISTRY

Philoptochos Announcements

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. 

Join Us for a Day of Scrapbooking! 

We’re excited to announce a Day of Scrapbooking benefiting the St. Luke Philoptochos Society on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at St. Luke Greek Orthodox Church, 400 Prospect St., East Longmeadow, MA 01028.

This fun-filled “Grateful & Gathering” crop-tastic event begins at 9:00 AM and will feature beginner and advanced classes, make-n-takes, raffles, a paper buffet, swap table, Creative Memories, snacks and beverages, lunch and/or dinner, and plenty of surprises throughout the day!

Three sessions are available:

  • 9 AM–3 PM: $40, includes lunch
  • 3 PM–9 PM: $40, includes dinner
  • 9 AM–9 PM: $75, includes lunch & dinner

Help Us Create Fun Raffle Baskets!

As a way to increase the proceeds from this fundraiser and support the important work of St. Luke Philoptochos, our group will be creating fun, creative themed raffle baskets for participants to purchase chances to win.

We are asking for your help with donations! We are looking for:

  •  New or gently used baskets and attractive containers
  •  New or gently used items that can be incorporated into themed baskets
  •  Gift certificates or gift cards
  •  Specialty items, home goods, beauty products, kitchen items, seasonal items, and other fun treasures
  •  Anything you think would make a great addition to a creative raffle basket

And if you’re out tag-sale shopping, please keep an eye out for baskets! You may find the perfect basket for us at a great price.

We will begin collecting donations the first week of September and continue through the end of October, giving us plenty of time to create some fabulous baskets for our November event.

Every donation, large or small, will help us turn this fun day into an even greater fundraiser for St. Luke Philoptochos and the individuals and families we serve.

Please save the date, spread the word, and help us make this event a huge success! 

3. TASTE OF GREECE

Stephanie and Joanna, co-chairs of the Taste of Greece, recently sent out an email requesting fellow parishioners to join the TOG committee.  They would like to thank the two parishioners who have stepped up to be on the committee and help supervise various areas in need of help. 

Next Workshop: 

Tuesday, August 25th @ 10:00 a.m. - Large bread

Spanakopita Advanced Sales:  Trays of Spanakopita will be available for $45/tray prior to the Taste of Greece. Trays must be paid for and picked up prior to the event. The price will be $50/tray the days of the event and following.

POINT APP: Please refresh yourself with the POINT app.  We will be utilizing the system for future workshops and sign-ups for the Taste of Greece event. Directions on its use and a refresher will be planned in the next few weeks.

 

4. LOAVES & FISHES MINISTRY

Each month, the St. Luke Loaves & Fishes ministry prepares a meal that feeds 150-200 people at the Springfield Community Soup Kitchen. By putting our faith into action, our parishioners contribute in the practical way to live out our religious principles, such as the call to "love your neighbor as yourself" and to "feed the hungry" (Matthew 25:35).

Loaves & Fishes Community Soup Kitchen has provided prepared meals to people who are disadvantaged in Greater Springfield on a daily basis since it began in 1980. Lunch and supper are available seven days a week. Loaves & Fishes is a life sustaining service and essential to the health of people in need. Providing meals is not only a way to prevent malnutrition and improve health, but also a way to connect people to other essential services.

Our St. Luke parishioners donate monthly meals for approximately 150-200 guests to the soup kitchen during the third week of each month. The meals are delivered the third Friday of each month by parishioner Bill Sakel to the soup kitchen at the South Congregational Church in Springfield. 

Please take advantage of participating in this meaningful ministry. Also, a recipe book is available with suggestions for meals that feed a crowd. The recipe book will be in the Parish Hall on the easel where the signup board is, for all to use.

Springfield Rescue Mission: If you are interested in providing a dinner meal for the New Life Rehabilitation Program, please reach out to Julie at (413) 732-0808 ext. 220.

5. STEWARDSHIP

Theme: “Rise Up and Build” — Building up the body of Christ.

Stewardship packets have been sent out. If you haven't done so yet, please fill out the requested information and return it to the church in the enclosed envelope. Also, please let this be a reminder to fulfill any remaining 2025 pledges.

St. Luke’s parish runs on a financial stewardship giving basis and our church is here for us to meet all of our sacramental needs every day of every month of the year.






Words from the Saints and our Fathers

Words from the Saints

08/23/2026

Do evil to nobody nor keep any evil in your heart against anyone.  Do not belittle a wrong-doer; do not be influenced by one who does wrong to his neighbor.  Do not slander anybody but say: "God knows each one."  Do not agree with one who slanders; neither rejoice with him in his slandering nor hate him who slanders his neighbor -- and this is "judge not that you be not judged" (Luke 6.37).

Saint Moses the Black

 

 




Saints and Feasts

August 23

12th Sunday of Matthew

August 23

Apodosis of the Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary

Concerning the Dormition of the Theotokos, this is what the Church has received from ancient times from the tradition of the Fathers. When the time drew nigh that our Savior was well-pleased to take His Mother to Himself, He declared unto her through an Angel that three days hence, He would translate her from this temporal life to eternity and bliss. On hearing this, she went up with haste to the Mount of Olives, where she prayed continuously. Giving thanks to God, she returned to her house and prepared whatever was necessary for her burial. While these things were taking place, clouds caught up the Apostles from the ends of the earth, where each one happened to be preaching, and brought them at once to the house of the Mother of God, who informed them of the cause of their sudden gathering. As a mother, she consoled them in their affliction as was meet, and then raised her hands to Heaven and prayed for the peace of the world. She blessed the Apostles, and, reclining upon her bed with seemliness, gave up her all-holy spirit into the hands of her Son and God.

With reverence and many lights, and chanting burial hymns, the Apostles took up that God-receiving body and brought it to the sepulchre, while the Angels from Heaven chanted with them, and sent forth her who is higher than the Cherubim. But one Jew, moved by malice, audaciously stretched forth his hand upon the bed and immediately received from divine judgment the wages of his audacity. Those daring hands were severed by an invisible blow. But when he repented and asked forgiveness, his hands were restored. When they had reached the place called Gethsemane, they buried there with honor the all-immaculate body of the Theotokos, which was the source of Life. But on the third day after the burial, when they were eating together, and raised up the artos (bread) in Jesus' Name, as was their custom, the Theotokos appeared in the air, saying "Rejoice" to them. From this they learned concerning the bodily translation of the Theotokos into the Heavens.

These things has the Church received from the traditions of the Fathers, who have composed many hymns out of reverence, to the glory of the Mother of our God (see Oct. 3 and 4).

August 23

Our Holy Father Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons

The Holy Hieromartyr Irenaeus was born in Asia Minor about the year 120, and in his youth was a disciple of Saint Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna. Saint Irenaeus was sent to Lyons in Gaul, to be a fellow labourer of Pothinus, Bishop of Lyons (celebrated June 2), who had also been a disciple of Saint Polycarp. After the martyrdom of Saint Pothinus, Saint Irenaeus succeeded him as Bishop of Lyons. Besides the assaults of paganism, Irenaeus found himself compelled to do battle with many Gnostic heresies, against which he wrote his greatest work, A Refutation and Overthrow of Knowledge Falsely So Called . He was also a peace-maker within the Church. When Victor, Bishop of Rome, was prepared to excommunicate the Christians of Asia Minor for following a different tradition celebrating Pascha, Irenaeus persuaded him to moderate his zeal, and mediated peace. He made Lyons an illustrious bastion of Orthodoxy and a school of piety, and sealed his confession with martyrdom about the year 202, during the reign of Septimius Severus. He is not to be confused with Saint Irenaeus, Bishop of Sirmium, also celebrated today, who was beheaded and cast into a river in 304 under Diocletian.



Wisdom of the Fathers

Rise from love of the world and love of pleasure. Put care aside, strip your mind, refuse your body. Prayer, after all, is a turning away from the world, visible and invisible. What have I in heaven? Nothing except simply to cling always to You in undistracted prayer. Wealth pleases some, glory others, possessions others, but what I want is to cling to God and to put the hopes of my dispassion in Him (cf. Ps. 72:25, 28).
St. John Climacus
Ladder of Divine Ascent, Step 28: On Prayer; Paulist Press pg. 277, 6th century

Spiritual delight is not enjoyment found in things that exists outside the soul.
St. Isaac of Syria
Unknown, 7th century



Diakonia Newsletter

Diakonia Newsletter

Read the latest Diakonia Newsletter for this Sunday

https://bulletinbuilder.org/diakonia-newsletter/2026-08-23?source=bulletin_web

August 23, 2026

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