Saint Gregory the Theologian
Publish Date: 2025-09-14
Bulletin Contents
A Word from Father Alex
Sunday Notes
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Saints and Feasts
Wisdom of the Fathers
Ministries, Programs & Parish Updates
Calendar: Next Two Weeks
Coming Events & News
Metropolis of Boston News
Archdiocese News

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Saint Gregory the Theologian

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (508)337-9986
  • Fax:
  • (508)337-9987
  • Street Address:

  • 1007 West Street

  • Mansfield, MA 02048
  • Mailing Address:

  • PO Box 293

  • Mansfield, MA 02048

Services Schedule

Sunday & Weekday Services
Orthros/Matins: 8:30 am
Divine Liturgy: 9:30 am

Youth Religious Education Ministry is currently offered Sundays in person and remotely following Holy Communion. Please see weekly updates from our ministry leaders for updates on each class. All are welcome to join us for Fellowship Hour after Divine Liturgy. 

Past Bulletins


A Word from Father Alex

Fellow Parishioners and Friends:

I am very much looking forward to the start of Sunday School classes this Sunday. Fr. Manny will offer our children a youth homily after the Gospel (remember to come nice and early!), and then our children will participate in the Elevation of the Cross service. After Holy Communion, our children and their teachers will head to classes and embark on a new year of learning and spiritual growth.

During Fellowship Hour, I’m excited to celebrate Philoptochos at the open house. Come say hello, learn about membership and check out what our Philoptochos sisters have in store for 2025-26.

If you happen to have some lovely basil in your garden, please let me know. I need lots for this Sunday's service. 

Finally, assuming we have good weather this Sunday (we were rained out last weekend), we’ll have volleyball/badminton net set up, soccer balls, footballs, frisbees and other goodies set up outside for our children—and parents!

A blessed Feast of the Cross to us and see you soon,

Fr. Alex

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Sunday Notes

TODAY'S ALTAR SERVERS: All servers welcome.
Parish Altar Team Members
Altar Team Archangel Michael: Matthew Cromack, AJ Georgilas (Asst. Cap.) and Matthew Georgilas
Altar Team Archangel Gabriel: Eliot Hess, Leland Hess, Linus LaFond (Asst. Cap.) and Mark Saad
Cap., Mario Salzillo

TODAY'S MYRRHBEARER: Carla Saad.
Caps., Elena Salzillo and Sydney LaFond. 
Schedule: 
Sep. 21st: Elena Salzillo

TODAY'S EPISTLE: John Chani.

HOMILY: "Making Our Cross."

FELLOWSHIP HOUR: Following Divine Liturgy, please join us in the downstairs hall for refreshments and fellowship.This month and beyond, Fellowship Hour sponsors are welcome and needed. Please sign up in the hall this weekend or use our SignUpGenius link. 

ALTAR FLOWERS: Please consider sponsoring altar flowers for a coming Sunday. The donation for flower sponsorships is $75. Please contact Gina in the church office to learn more or sponsor. 

KOLIVA PREPARATION: Parishioners often ask for help in preparing Koliva and may contact Gina Drugas to order a plate for a memorial ($100 per Koliva).

WORSHIPPING FROM HOME: STREAMING AND INTERNET MINISTRY:

ACCESS SERVICES VIA FACEBOOK:
St. Gregory the Theologian Greek Orthodox Church | Facebook

ACCESS SERVICES VIA YOU TUBE:
St. Gregory The Theologian Live - YouTube

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

The Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Giving Cross
The Reading is from John 12:28-36

The Lord said, "Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." The crowd standing by heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out: and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." He said this to show by what death he was to die. The crowd answered him, "We have heard from the law that the Christ remains for ever. How can you say that the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?" Jesus said to them, "The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, lest the darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he goes. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light."

Epistle Reading

The Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Giving Cross
The Reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 1:18-24

Brethren, the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will thwart." Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Gospel Reading

The Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Giving Cross
The Reading is from John 19:6-11, 13-20, 25-28, 30

At that time, when the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no crime in him." The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he has made himself the Son of God."

When Pilate heard these words, he was the more afraid; he entered the praetorium again and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave no answer. Pilate therefore said to him, "You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?" Jesus answered him, "You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore he who delivered me to you has the greater sin." When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called the Pavement, and in Hebrew, Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, "Behold your King!" They cried out, "Away with him, away with him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar." Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross; it read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek.

But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. Then when Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished"; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

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Saints and Feasts

September 14

The Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Giving Cross

Saint Helen, the mother of Saint Constantine the Great, when she was already advanced in years, undertook, in her great piety, the hardships of a journey to Jerusalem in search of the cross, about the year 325. A temple to Aphrodite had been raised up by the Emperor Hadrian upon Golgotha, to defile and cover with oblivion the place where the saving Passion had been suffered. The venerable Helen had the statue of Aphrodite destroyed, and the earth removed, revealing the Tomb of our Lord, and three crosses. Of these, it was believed that one must be that of our Lord, the other two of the thieves crucified with Him; but Saint Helen was at a loss which one might be the Wood of our salvation. At the inspiration of Saint Macarius, Archbishop of Jerusalem, a lady of Jerusalem, who was already at the point of death from a certain disease, was brought to touch the crosses, and as soon as she came near to the Cross of our Lord, she was made perfectly whole. Consequently, the precious Cross was lifted on high by Archbishop Macarius of Jerusalem; as he stood on the ambo, and when the people beheld it, they cried out, "Lord have mercy." It should be noted that after its discovery, a portion of the venerable Cross was taken to Constantinople as a blessing. The rest was left in Jerusalem in the magnificent church built by Saint Helen, until the year 614. At that time, the Persians plundered Palestine and took the Cross to their own country (see Jan. 22, Saint Anastasius the Persian). Late, in the year 628, Emperor Heraclius set out on a military campaign, retrieved the Cross, and after bringing it to Constantinople, himself escorted it back to Jerusalem, where he restored it to its place.

Rest from labour. A Fast is observed today, whatever day of the week it may be.

September 14

The Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Giving Cross

Saint Helen, the mother of Saint Constantine the Great, when she was already advanced in years, undertook, in her great piety, the hardships of a journey to Jerusalem in search of the cross, about the year 325. A temple to Aphrodite had been raised up by the Emperor Hadrian upon Golgotha, to defile and cover with oblivion the place where the saving Passion had been suffered. The venerable Helen had the statue of Aphrodite destroyed, and the earth removed, revealing the Tomb of our Lord, and three crosses. Of these, it was believed that one must be that of our Lord, the other two of the thieves crucified with Him; but Saint Helen was at a loss which one might be the Wood of our salvation. At the inspiration of Saint Macarius, Archbishop of Jerusalem, a lady of Jerusalem, who was already at the point of death from a certain disease, was brought to touch the crosses, and as soon as she came near to the Cross of our Lord, she was made perfectly whole. Consequently, the precious Cross was lifted on high by Archbishop Macarius of Jerusalem; as he stood on the ambo, and when the people beheld it, they cried out, "Lord have mercy." It should be noted that after its discovery, a portion of the venerable Cross was taken to Constantinople as a blessing. The rest was left in Jerusalem in the magnificent church built by Saint Helen, until the year 614. At that time, the Persians plundered Palestine and took the Cross to their own country (see Jan. 22, Saint Anastasius the Persian). Late, in the year 628, Emperor Heraclius set out on a military campaign, retrieved the Cross, and after bringing it to Constantinople, himself escorted it back to Jerusalem, where he restored it to its place.

Rest from labour. A Fast is observed today, whatever day of the week it may be.

September 14

Commemoration of the 6th Ecumenical Council

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Wisdom of the Fathers

A MARVELOUS thing is longsuffering; it places the soul as in a quiet harbor, fleeing it from tossings and evil spirits. And this everywhere Christ hath taught us, but especially now, when He is judged, and dragged, and led about ....
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 84 on John 18 and Homily 85 on John 19, 4th Century

But why was it that Pilate made the enquiry not in their presence, but apart, having gone into the judgment hall? He suspected something great respecting Him.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 84 on John 18 and Homily 85 on John 19, 4th Century

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Ministries, Programs & Parish Updates

SERVICES FOR SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 14TH, THE ELEVATION OF THE CROSS
We look forward to worshipping with you at Saint Gregory: 
Orthros, 8:30 AM
Divine Liturgy, 9:30 AM

STREAMING DETAILS/MEDIA FOR THIS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH

Access Services via You Tube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgvnXFV6xK1Nhm8ID84jFNg

Access services and join our community on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/saintgregorythetheologian

Join our community on Instagram:
@saintgregorythetheologian

SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES BEGIN, THIS SUNDAY
Welcome to another year of Sunday School! Today, please have your children sit up front during Divine Liturgy, and they will enjoy a special youth homily offered by Fr. Manny. After Holy Communion and the Holy Cross blessing service, they can head up to their classrooms as usual. Please register your children as soon as possible. This helps us plan and welcome our children properly for another great year of Sunday School.

PHILOPTOCHOS OPEN HOUSE, THIS SUNDAY
Following Sunday School today, stop by the Philoptochos open house in and around the library. Learn about membership, coming events and share a treat with our members.

OUTDOOR GAMES & ACTIVITIES, THIS SUNDAY
As we received much-needed rain last Sunday, our children did not have an opportunity to use any of our new outdoor games and sporting equipment. After Sunday School, our children—and parents—are invited to try their hand at badminton, soccer, frisbee or anything they like. Parents, please note this will not be an activity supervised by our youth leaders.     

MEN’S BIBLE STUDY & FELLOWSHIP, SEP. 16TH
Join us for dinner, a special blessing from the Feast of the Cross service, study and friendship on the 16th, beginning at 6:30 pm. Please bring Christ in the Psalms, if you have it, and come prepared to share and reflect on a chapter or entry that has meaning for you. Contact Fr. Alex with questions and to confirm.

METROPOLIS CLERGY LAITY, OCTOBER 4TH
Our local clergy laity will take place on the 20th at Saint Demetrios Church in Weston, MA. In addition to our parish delegates, all ministry/program leaders and interested parishioners are invited to join us observer participants. Please contact Fr. Alex or Steve Drugas to learn more and obtain the registration link. Registration donation is $30 per person.

SAINT GREGORY GOLF TOURNAMENT, OCTOBER 9TH
As last year, our tournament will be held at Top Golf in Canton, MA. The tournament web page—along with registration and sponsorship information—is now available and has been emailed to our parish family. Please save the date and plan to join us.

HOPE/JOY STUFFED ANIMAL OUTREACH, OCTOBER 19TH
We are planning a special day for our HOPE/JOY (K – 5th grade) for the 19th, just after Sunday School. Our boys and girls will enjoy lunch and have fun making cards for friends staying at nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities and who otherwise find it difficult to come to Saint Gregory. The cards will be attached to beautiful stuffed animals and delivered locally before Thanksgiving. A flyer and more details will follow, but please save the date!

BLESSING THE NEW YEAR
September 1st marked the beginning of the new ecclesiastical year, a time of gratitude and reflection—a time to offer the first fruits of our spiritual lives to the Lord. May it be a year of grace and redemption for all: 
“Creator of the universe, setting times and seasons by Your sole authority, bless the cycle of the year of Your grace, O Lord, guarding our rulers and Your nation in peace, at the intercession of the Theotokos, and save us.”  --Apolytikion of the New Ecclesiastical Year

GIVING LIFE TO OUR PARISH LIBRARY
Throughout the summer, one of our loving parishioners has been working diligently to revitalize our library area with Fr. Alex. The goal will be to have this area newly organized, cleaned and ordered according to subject area (prayer, pastoral theology, history, etc.) and author. Our hope is to make this area usable, inviting and helpful. We will keep you updated on progress and still need a librarian to manage borrowing and the ongoing maintenance of this beautiful space. Please contact Father if interested.

STEWARDSHIP CHECK IN: “YOUR OWN OF YOUR OWN”
Our Stewardship Ministry leaders kindly ask us all to consider our 2025 commitment to Saint Gregory. If you have already committed and begun to offer your time, talent and treasure, we are of course grateful for your attention and generosity. If you have not yet completed your commitment form, we hope and pray you will in the weeks to come. Visit the Stewardship pages of our parish website to learn more about Stewardship and to access our 2025 materials, from an explanation of our ministry goals to convenient online giving options.

FELLOWSHIP HOUR SIGN-UP RESOURCES
All parishioners are invited to host Fellowship Hour on a coming Sunday. In addition to the sign-up poster in the hall, we can now easily learn more and sign up online. Fellowship Hour is a beloved, significant tradition at our parish that speaks to Christian fellowship and hospitality. Thanks in advance for your support, and contact Fellowship Hour Chair Brian Kaufman with any questions: [email protected]

RIDES TO CHURCH
George Dimitriou, our Driving Ministry chair, would be happy to help you or a loved one make it to Saint Gregory for worship and events. Contact George directly: [email protected]; 781.769.2085.

LOST & FOUND
When parishioners find items about the church, they leave them with the church office. You will find a mail tray labled for lost and found. If you have misplaced a small item, or found one, please stop by the office.

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS
Fr. Alex: Tue., 9 am - 1 pm; Wed., 1 - 4 pm; Thur., 9 am - 1 pm.; or by appointment when convenient for our parishioners. Please note that on occasion, Fr. Alex may be seeing to a pastoral situation, visiting with another parishioner, attending a Metropolis event, or otherwise engaged in Church life during office hours.

Church Secretary Gina Drugas: 
Tue. & Thur: 9 am - 11 am; Wed: 9am 12 pm; and Friday: 9 am - 1pm. Contact Gina: [email protected]; 508.337.9986.

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Calendar: Next Two Weeks

  • Saint Gregory Parish Calendar

    September 14 to September 28, 2025

    Sunday, September 14

    8:30AM Orthros

    9:30AM Divine Liturgy

    11:00AM Sunday School begins

    11:30AM Philoptochos Open House

    Tuesday, September 16

    6:30PM Men's Bible Study & Fellowship

    Sunday, September 21

    8:30AM Orthros

    9:30AM Divine Liturgy

    10:45AM Sunday School

    Sunday, September 28

    8:30AM Orthros

    9:30AM Divine Liturgy

    10:45AM Sunday School

    11:15AM Knitting Ministry

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Coming Events & News

    Golf Tournament: Oct. 9th

    Golf Tournament: Oct. 9th

    This year's tournament will once again be at Canton's Top Golf. Sponsorships and golfers are welcome, and please save the date.

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Archdiocese News

Cosmic worship, cosmic witness: Orthodox Vespers for the Preservation of Creation

08/31/2025

https://www.goarch.org/-/vespers-preservation-creation?redirect=%2Fnews%2Frecent-news%2F-%2Fasset_publisher%2Fgt9jYZFyZyFT%2Frss%3F_com_liferay_asset_publisher_web_portlet_AssetPublisherPortlet_INSTANCE_gt9jYZFyZyFT_currentURL%3D%252Fnews%252Frecent-news%26_com_liferay_asset_publisher_web_portlet_AssetPublisherPortlet_INSTANCE_gt9jYZFyZyFT_portletAjaxable%3Dtrue

More than thirty-five years ago, in one of his final acts as head of the Private Patriarchal Office before assuming the Ecumenical Throne himself, then-Metropolitan Bartholomew of Chalcedon commissioned the renowned hymnographer, Fr. Gerasimos Mikrayannanitis (since canonized as St. Gerasimos of Mt. Athos), to compose a special vesperal service for September 1st. Known formally as the Office of Vespers for the Preservation of Creation, this service wonderfully exemplifies the cosmic character and essential continuity of Orthodox worship and witness as participation in the ongoing incarnation in space and time of the eternal Logos of God, the divine-human person of Jesus Christ at the very heart of our faith. 


After hurricanes, GOARCH aided Florida parishioners hit hardest

09/08/2025

https://www.goarch.org/-/hurricane-aid?redirect=%2Fnews%2Frecent-news%2F-%2Fasset_publisher%2Fgt9jYZFyZyFT%2Frss%3F_com_liferay_asset_publisher_web_portlet_AssetPublisherPortlet_INSTANCE_gt9jYZFyZyFT_currentURL%3D%252Fnews%252Frecent-news%26_com_liferay_asset_publisher_web_portlet_AssetPublisherPortlet_INSTANCE_gt9jYZFyZyFT_portletAjaxable%3Dtrue

In the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America launched a wide-reaching relief initiative to support parishioners and parishes impacted by the storms.


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