Saint Gregory the Theologian
Publish Date: 2024-10-06
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

Beloved Parishioners and Friends:

I hope this note finds you well. Like me, I'm sure you and your family are very troubled by the devastating news surrounding Hurricane Helene and, of course, the greater Middle East. Please keep both these situations in your prayers, and we'll offer a special community prayer about these issues on Sunday. 

This Sunday is the first Sunday of the month, so we invite all our Sunday School students and teachers to sit up front for Divine Liturgy. I’ll offer a special youth homily before Holy Communion, focusing on Saint Mark and his lion “avatar.” During Fellowship Hour, I’ll also be meeting with any men interested in the Men’s Bible Study and Fellowship Ministry. Please join me in the library.

The Philoptochos Membership Drive continues this weekend (until December) and the Veterans Day Drive also kicks off this Sunday. Please make sure to affirm your membership in the weeks to come, and thank you in advance for supporting local veterans through your monetary and gift-card donations.

Also, don’t forget that the Saint Gregory Golf Tournament is coming our way Oct 10th. See the details within the eBulletin. If we all play, sponsor or otherwise support this will be another successful tournament in the books.

And read on within your eBulletin for a host of other updates on Saint Gregory happenings, from the HOPE/JOY Prayerful Pumpkin Carving on Oct. 20th to the Saint Modestos Pet Blessing on Oct. 26th.

Hoping to see you this weekend,

Fr. Alex 

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Sunday Notes

ALTAR SERVERS: Team Archangel Gabriel: Eliot Hess, Leland Hess and Linus LaFond (Asst. Cap). Mario Salzillo, Cap. 

MYRRHBEARERS: Cap., Eleni LaFond.
Oct. 6th: Isabella Cara Donna
13th: Nomiki Steeves
20th: Krista Johnson
27th: Audrey Sweten

EPISTLE:
Oct. 6: Kathy Kalogeras.
Oct. 13th: Ana Drugas.

HOMILY: "Meeting Saint Mark."

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. 

FELLOWSHIP HOUR: All are welcome to join us following Divine Liturgy. This month and beyond, Fellowship Hour sponsors are welcome and needed. Please sign up in the hall this weekend or use our new SignUpGenius link. 

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

Fourth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Luke 24:1-12

On the first day of the week at early dawn, the women went to the tomb, taking spices, which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how He told you, while He was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise." And they remembered His words and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the Apostles; but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home wondering at what had happened.

Epistle Reading

15th Sunday after Pentecost
The Reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 4:6-15

Brethren, it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For while we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, "I believed, and so I spoke," we too believe, and so we speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

Gospel Reading

3rd Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 7:11-16

At that time, Jesus went to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a large crowd from the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep." And he came and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, arise." And the dead man sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all; and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and "God has visited his people!"

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Saints and Feasts

October 06

3rd Sunday of Luke

October 06

The Holy and Glorious Apostle Thomas

The name Thomas means, "twin." He was one of the Twelve, a Galilean by birth. Sophroneus (not the famous Patriarch of Jerusalem [7th Century, celebrated March 11], but a friend of Jerome's), quoted also by Jerome, says that Saint Thomas preached to the Parthians, Pesians, Medes, Hyrcanians, Bactrians, and neighbouring nations. According to Heracleon, the Apostle died a natural death; according to other accounts, he was martyred at Meliapur His tomb was known by Saint John Chrysostom to be at Edessa in Syria, to which city his holy relics may have been translated from India in the fourth century.

October 06

Eroteis the Martyr of Cappadocia

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Wisdom of the Fathers

He who truly wishes to believe in God must be lifted above himself, his mind, and even the whole world. For this reason, the value of faith is considered higher than the value of man. It is even higher than the value of the whole world. Therefore, the reward of faith should be higher than all of man's possessions along with the glories of this world. The reward of faith is God.
Fr. Matthew the Poor
Orthodox Prayer Life: The Interior Way, p. 74, 20th century

That dead man was being buried, and many friends were conducting him to his tomb. But there meets him Christ, the Life and Resurrection, for He is the destroyer of death and of corruption; He it is "in Whom we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28); He it is Who has restored the nature of man to that which it originally was; and has set free our death-fraught flesh from the bonds of death.
St. Cyril of Alexandria
Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke, Homily 36.42, p. 153., 5th Century

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Ministries, Programs & Parish Updates

SERVICES FOR SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6TH, THIRD SUNDAY OF LUKE
We look forward to worshipping with you at Saint Gregory: 
Orthros, 8:30 am
Divine Liturgy, 9:30 am
Each week, Sunday School classes begin immediately after Holy Communion. All are warmly invited to join us for refreshments and fellowhip after Divine Liturgy. 

STREAMING DETAILS/MEDIA CONNECTIONS FOR THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6TH
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"  

MEN’S BIBLE STUDY & FELLOWSHIP MEETING THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6TH
All interested men of our parish are warmly invited to join Fr. Alex during Fellowship Hour. We will make plans for our first fall gatherings and discuss what kind of material that would be of interest. Meantime, please contact Fr. Alex to indicate your interest or with questions.

PHILOPTOCHOS UDPATES
***The Philoptochos Membership Drive will continue through December. All are invited to join! Membership in itself is a form of philanthropy, and there is no minimum number of meetings to attend.

***The annual Veterans Day Drive will begin this Sunday, October 6th. Monetary or gift-card donations will be accepted through Nov. 10th and will be delivered to the Mansfield Office of Veterans Services that week. Thank you for your support of this important outreach effort. 

***Our next Philoptochos meeting is Sunday, October 20th, following Sunday School. Join us in the Parish Library for planning, reflection and friendship. 

SAINT GREGORY GOLF TOURNAMENT, OCTOBER 10TH
For a fun and dynamic change of pace, our 2024 tournament will be held at Top Golf in Canton, MA. The tournament page—along with registration and sponsorship information—is now available. Please join us next week for this important fundraiser and community event. 

HOPE/JOY PRAYERFUL PUMPKIN CARVING, OCTOBER 20TH
Our HOPE/JOY children (grades K - 5) are warmly invited to this seasonal event, featuring faith, fun and a pizza lunch. We'll gather in the hall after Sunday School or outside, weather permitting. More details to come soon, and please contact Fr. Alex to confirm or with questions. 

GOYA BRUNCH AND CORN MAZE, OCT. 20TH
After Sunday School, all GOYAns are invited to brunch at the Christo home followed by fun at Flint Farm corn maze. More details to follow, and contact Mr. Christo with questions or to confirm: [email protected].

SAINT MODESTOS PET BLESSING, OCT. 26TH
Join us at Saint Gregory for our fourth annual pet-blessing event, dedicated to Saint Modestos, who was well-known for blessing cattle and celebrating the glory of God’s creation. The brief blessing service will begin at join at 11 am, and Fr. Alex will continue to bless pets—furry, feathery and even scaly—until 12 pm. Refreshments, pet portraits by a professional photographer and friendship are on the agenda.

ORTHODOXY 101 REFLECTIONS AND READING ASSIGNMENTS
Last Sunday, we had a wonderful group for Orthodoxy 101 in the Nave. Fr. Alex offered a tour of the church, focusing on iconography and architecture. As a follow up, participants are asked to read pgs. 111 -118 of our book. And follow up with Father with any questions. Our next meeting will be on Oct. 20, and the readings for the day’s session will soon be announced. Contact Fr. Alex if you need a copy of Introducing the Orthodox Church. 

WISDOM OF THE SAINTS
“The blood [of Christ] is the salvation of our souls. By it, the soul is washed, is beautiful, and is inflamed! This blood causes our understanding to be more bright than fire and our soul more beaming than gold. This blood was poured forth and opened heaven.” —Saint John Chrysostom, Homily XLVI.3 on the Gospel of John

 ONLINE GIVING TRANSITION THIS FALL
Our parish is in the process of moving our online giving platform from Vanco to Servant Keeper, which will offer our Stewards improved services and benefits. While the Vanco platform is still available until the end of the month, we encourage our parishioners to begin utilizing the new Servant Keeper option, which is now activated and available. Please see the flyer in the Narthex for guidance in using the new platform, along with the helpful documents in the "Coming Events" section of this eBulletin. For a personal tutorial, parishioners are also welcome to contact Steve Drugas or visit with visit with him this Sunday during Fellowship Hour.

FALL BOOKSTORE RECOMMENDATIONS
Our Saint Gregory Bookstore has some wonderful new offerings for the fall. Read all about them here, and visit the bookstore this Sunday.

KOLIVA PREPARATION
At any given time of the year, our faithful will seek help in the preparation of Koliva for memorials. Fellow parishioner Gina Drugas is now offering this service, with a cost of $100 per Koliva plate. Please contact Gina to learn more and make arrangements: [email protected] 

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. & Thur., 9 am - 1 pm. Wed., 1 - 4 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: Monday, Wednesday, & Thursdays: 1 - 3 pm; Fridays 7 am - 11 am. Gina is also available remotely via email or phone on Tuesdays, 8 am - 2 pm. Contact Gina: [email protected]; 508.337.9986.

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Calendar: Next Two Weeks

  • Saint Gregory Parish Calendar

    October 6 to October 20, 2024

    Sunday, October 6

    8:30AM Orthros

    9:30AM Divine Liturgy

    10:30AM Sunday School

    11:30AM Men's Bible Study Mtg

    11:30AM Philoptochos Veterans Drive

    Tuesday, October 8

    6:30PM Parish Council

    Thursday, October 10

    6:00PM St. Gregory Golf Classic

    Sunday, October 13

    8:30AM Orthros

    9:30AM Divine Liturgy

    10:30AM Sunday School

    11:30AM Philoptochos Veterans Drive

    Sunday, October 20

    8:30AM Orthros

    9:30AM Divine Liturgy

    10:30AM Sunday School

    11:30AM Philoptochos Mtg

    11:30AM Philoptochos Veterans Drive

    11:30AM Orthodoxy 101

    11:30AM Prayerful Pumpkin Carving

    12:00PM GOYA Brunch/Corn Maze outing

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Coming Events & News

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Archdiocese News

Archbishop Elpidophoros of America Issues Statement on Hurricane Helene

09/30/2024

https://www.goarch.org/-/he-helene?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

Today, September 30, 2024, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America issued a statement regarding Hurricane Helene and those affected by the disaster.


Opening Address at the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA in Atlanta, GA

09/30/2024

https://www.goarch.org/-/his-eminence-archbishop-elpidophoros-of-america-opening-address-assembly-of-canonical-orthodox-bishops-of-the-usa?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

First and foremost, I want to greet you with a spirit of gratitude for your presence in this Assembly of Bishops, and note – for the record – that we all miss our First Vice-Chairman, His Eminence Metropolitan Saba and we are praying for his good health. It was a last minute decision for him to take care of himself and I know that he wishes he were here. Our supplications and best wishes  go with him.


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