Transfiguration Of Our Savior Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2024-12-15
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Transfiguration Of Our Savior Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • 843-662-5471
  • Street Address:

  • 2990 S. Cashua Drive

  • Florence, SC 29501
  • Mailing Address:

  • 2990 S Cashua Drive

  • Florence, SC 29501


Contact Information



Services Schedule

Sunday Orthros/Matins 8:45am

Sunday Divine Liturgy 10:00am

 


Past Bulletins


11th Sunday of Luke

Message from Fr Kristian Akselberg

11th Sunday of Luke (Luke 14:16-24)

In today’s Gospel parable, the salvation of mankind is likened to a man inviting others to a supper. It is obvious that, among the many different interpretations of the Lord’s parable, the primary reference made here is to that supper that you have all gathered at today, the Mystical Supper of the Divine Eucharist, Holy Communion, which is the centre and summit of our spiritual life, and a revelation of God’s Kingdom here on earth.

So, what is Holy Communion and what does it do? We know that bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ at the Divine Liturgy, but what does this mean?

We can find the answers in the Holy Scriptures. After the Ascension of the Lord, the Apostles gathered in Jerusalem for the first Holy Council in order to answer a debate that was raging in the first Christian communities: namely, whether it was necessary for Gentile converts to Christianity to follow the Old Testament Law (Acts 15). The answer given to the Apostles by the Holy Spirit was that it was not necessary for them to follow the ritual laws of the Old Testament, such as circumcision and not eating certain unclean animals, except for the commandments relating to physical relations, the worship of idols, and the eating of blood.

The reason for this was that these commandments were given first, not to Moses and the Israelites, but to Noah after the Flood, and therefore applied to all of humanity: “Flesh with the blood of life ye shall not eat” (Gen. 9:4). “Ye shall not eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood; everyone that eats it shall be destroyed” (Lev. 7:14). The decision of the Apostles to uphold the commandment forbidding blood was also upheld by the Quinisext Ecumenical Council in the 7th century, which shows that it continues to apply to Christians today: “If, therefore, anyone from now on should attempt to eat the blood of any animal, in any way whatsoever, if he be a clergyman, let him be deposed from office; but if he be a layman let him be excommunicated” (Canon 67)

The reason I mention all these things is because the purpose of this commandment to not eat blood is to show us the meaning and purpose of Holy Communion, that blood is identified with life. This is why the Lord says in the Gospels, “Verily, verily, I say to you, unless ye should eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, ye have no life in yourselves. The one who partaketh of my Flesh and drinketh my Blood hath eternal life; and I will raise him up in the last day” (John 6:53–54).

With the union of the two natures in Christ (the divine and the human), the human nature is divinized and filled with the divine energies. It is this divinized human nature of Christ that we partake of in Holy Communion. When we receive the precious Body of Christ, we become members of his Body — the Body of the Church, in other words — and when we receive the pure Blood of Christ, the Lord imparts his life to us.

As we know, if the blood supply is cut off from any part of our body for a long period of time, it will eventually wither and die, and will need to be amputated. The same is true of the Body of the Church. Without the Blood of the Lord, without Holy Communion, the members of the Church become dead and withered. This is why frequent participation in Holy Communion is so important. Let us not reject the Lord’s invitation and be absent from his supper, because, as we see from today’s parable, he does not accept any excuse.

Of course, there is the question of preparation. As St Paul says, “Our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29), and if we come to Holy Communion without adequate preparation, this fire will consume us rather than enlighten us. But the solution here is not to reduce the number of times we commune, but rather to increase our effort to prepare, through regular prayer, confession, fasting, and, first and foremost, acts of love towards our fellow man. Because when we speak of Holy Communion, we do not only mean communion with God, but also communion with all others who partake, with all the members of the Body of the Church.

This is why the synaxis, the gathering, of the faithful is a prerequisite for the Divine Liturgy to take place, just as forgiveness is a prerequisite to our participation in Holy Communion. This is also why we are not permitted to receive Communion outside of the Divine Liturgy, away from this gathering of the faithful. Our reception of Holy Communion must never be something we do as individuals, it must never be seen as a blessing I receive just for myself. If this is how we think of Communion, then it would be better for us not to partake, because such an individualistic and selfish approach to the Mystery will not withstand that “consuming fire”. Holy Communion is precisely that: communion. Communion and union with God, and communion and union with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

You have received the invitation. The Lord has prepared the table. “Come, for everything is now ready” (Luke 14:17).

Fr Kristian Akselberg


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Third Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Mark 16:9-20

When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. But when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. After this He appeared to the eleven themselves as they sat at table and He upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw Him after He had risen. And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."

So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen.

Third Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Μᾶρκον 16:9-20

Ἀναστὰς ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρωῒ πρώτῃ Σαββάτου ἐφάνη πρῶτον Μαρίᾳ τῇ Μαγδαληνῇ, ἀφ' ἧς ἐκβεβλήκει ἑπτὰ δαιμόνια. Ἐκείνη πορευθεῖσα ἀπήγγειλε τοῖς μετ' αὐτοῦ γενομένοις, πενθοῦσι καὶ κλαίουσι. Κᾀκεῖνοι ἀκούσαντες ὅτι ζῇ καὶ ἐθεάθη ὑπ' αὐτῆς ἠπίστησαν. Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα δυσὶν ἐξ αὐτῶν περιπατοῦσιν ἐφανερώθη ἐν ἑτέρᾳ μορφῇ, πορευομένοις, εἰς ἀγρόν. Κᾀκεῖνοι ἀπελθόντες ἀπήγγειλαν τοῖς λοιποῖς, οὐδὲ ἐκείνοις ἐπίστευσαν. Ὕστερον, ἀνακειμένοις αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἕνδεκα ἐφανερώθη, καὶ ὠνείδισε τὴν ἀπιστίαν αὐτῶν καὶ σκληροκαρδίαν, ὅτι τοῖς θεασαμένοις αὐτὸν ἐγηγερμένον, οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Πορευθέντες εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἅπαντα, κηρύξατε τὸ εὐαγγέλιον πάσῃ τῇ κτίσει. Ὁ πιστεύσας καὶ βαπτισθείς, σωθήσεται, ὁ δὲ ἀπιστήσας, κατακριθήσεται. Σημεῖα δὲ τοῖς πιστεύσασι ταῦτα παρακολουθήσει. Ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου δαιμόνια ἐκβαλοῦσι, γλώσσαις λαλήσουσι καιναῖς, ὄφεις ἀροῦσι, κἂν θανάσιμόν τι πίωσιν, οὐ μὴ αὐτοὺς βλάψει, ἐπὶ ἀῤῥώστους χεῖρας ἐπιθήσουσι, καὶ καλῶς ἕξουσιν. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Κύριος, μετὰ τὸ λαλῆσαι αὐτοῖς, ἀνελήφθη εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἐκεῖνοι δὲ ἐξελθόντες, ἐκήρυξαν πανταχοῦ, τοῦ Κυρίου συνεργοῦντος, καὶ τὸν λόγον βεβαιοῦντος, διὰ τῶν ἐπακολουθούντων σημείων. Ἀμήν.


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Grave Tone. Psalm 115.5,3 (116.15,12).
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
Verse: What shall I render to the Lord for all that he has given me?

The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to Timothy 1:8-18.

TIMOTHY, my son, do not be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel in the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not in virtue of our works but in virtue of his own purpose and the grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus ages ago, and now has manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. For this gospel I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, and therefore I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.

You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, and among them Phygelos and Hermogenes. May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphoros, for he often refreshed me; he was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me eagerly and found me - may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesos.

Προκείμενον. Grave Tone. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 115.5,3 (116.15,12).
Τίμιος ἐναντίον Κυρίου ὁ θάνατος τῶν ὁσίων αὐτοῦ.
Στίχ. Τί ἀνταποδώσωμεν τῷ Κυρίῳ περὶ πάντων, ὧν ἀνταπέδωκεν ἡμῖν;

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Τιμόθεον β' 1:8-18.

Τέκνον Τιμόθεε, μὴ οὖν ἐπαισχυνθῇς τὸ μαρτύριον τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν, μηδὲ ἐμὲ τὸν δέσμιον αὐτοῦ· ἀλλὰ συγκακοπάθησον τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ κατὰ δύναμιν θεοῦ, τοῦ σώσαντος ἡμᾶς καὶ καλέσαντος κλήσει ἁγίᾳ, οὐ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα ἡμῶν, ἀλλὰ κατʼ ἰδίαν πρόθεσιν καὶ χάριν τὴν δοθεῖσαν ἡμῖν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ πρὸ χρόνων αἰωνίων, φανερωθεῖσαν δὲ νῦν διὰ τῆς ἐπιφανείας τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καταργήσαντος μὲν τὸν θάνατον, φωτίσαντος δὲ ζωὴν καὶ ἀφθαρσίαν διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, εἰς ὃ ἐτέθην ἐγὼ κῆρυξ καὶ ἀπόστολος καὶ διδάσκαλος ἐθνῶν. Διʼ ἣν αἰτίαν καὶ ταῦτα πάσχω, ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐπαισχύνομαι· οἶδα γὰρ ᾧ πεπίστευκα, καὶ πέπεισμαι ὅτι δυνατός ἐστιν τὴν παραθήκην μου φυλάξαι εἰς ἐκείνην τὴν ἡμέραν. Ὑποτύπωσιν ἔχε ὑγιαινόντων λόγων ὧν παρʼ ἐμοῦ ἤκουσας, ἐν πίστει καὶ ἀγάπῃ τῇ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. Τὴν καλὴν παραθήκην φύλαξον διὰ πνεύματος ἁγίου τοῦ ἐνοικοῦντος ἐν ἡμῖν. Οἶδας τοῦτο, ὅτι ἀπεστράφησάν με πάντες οἱ ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ, ὧν ἐστιν Φύγελος καὶ Ἑρμογένης. Δῴη ἔλεος ὁ κύριος τῷ Ὀνησιφόρου οἴκῳ· ὅτι πολλάκις με ἀνέψυξεν, καὶ τὴν ἅλυσίν μου οὐκ ἐπαισχύνθη, ἀλλὰ γενόμενος ἐν Ῥώμῃ, σπουδαιότερον ἐζήτησέν με καὶ εὗρεν - δῴη αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος εὑρεῖν ἔλεος παρὰ κυρίου ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ - καὶ ὅσα ἐν Ἐφέσῳ διηκόνησεν, βέλτιον σὺ γινώσκεις.


Gospel Reading

11th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 14:16-24

The Lord said this parable: "A man once gave a great banquet, and invited many; and at the time of the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, 'Come; for all is now ready.' But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I go out and see it; I pray you, have me excused.' And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I must go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.' And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' So the servant came and reported this to his master. Then the householder in anger said to his servant, 'Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame.' And the servant said, 'Sir, what you commanded has been done, and there is still room.' And the master said to the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet. For many are called, but few are chosen.'"

11th Sunday of Luke
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 14:16-24

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τήν παραβολὴν ταύτην· Ἄνθρωπός τις ἐποίησε δεῖπνον μέγα καὶ ἐκάλεσε πολλούς· καὶ ἀπέστειλε τὸν δοῦλον αὐτοῦ τῇ ὥρᾳ τοῦ δείπνου εἰπεῖν τοῖς κεκλημένοις· ἔρχεσθε, ὅτι ἤδη ἕτοιμά ἐστι πάντα. καὶ ἤρξαντο ἀπὸ μιᾶς παραιτεῖσθαι πάντες. ὁ πρῶτος εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἀγρὸν ἠγόρασα, καὶ ἔχω ἀνάγκην ἐξελθεῖν καὶ ἰδεῖν αὐτόν· ἐρωτῶ σε, ἔχε με παρῃτημένον. καὶ ἕτερος εἶπε· ζεύγη βοῶν ἠγόρασα πέντε, καὶ πορεύομαι δοκιμάσαι αὐτά· ἐρωτῶ σε, ἔχε με παρῃτημένον. καὶ ἕτερος εἶπε· γυναῖκα ἔγημα, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο οὐ δύναμαι ἐλθεῖν. καὶ παραγενόμενος ὁ δοῦλος ἐκεῖνος ἀπήγγειλε τῷ κυρίῳ αὐτοῦ ταῦτα. τότε ὀργισθεὶς ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης εἶπε τῷ δούλῳ αὐτοῦ· ἔξελθε ταχέως εἰς τὰς πλατείας καὶ ῥύμας τῆς πόλεως, καὶ τοὺς πτωχοὺς καὶ ἀναπήρους καὶ χωλοὺς καὶ τυφλοὺς εἰσάγαγε ὧδε. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ δοῦλος· κύριε, γέγονεν ὡς ἐπέταξας, καὶ ἔτι τόπος ἐστί. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ κύριος πρὸς τὸν δοῦλον· ἔξελθε εἰς τὰς ὁδοὺς καὶ φραγμοὺς καὶ ἀνάγκασον εἰσελθεῖν, ἵνα γεμισθῇ ὁ οἶκος μου. λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐδεὶς τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐκείνων τῶν κεκλημένων γεύσεταί μου τοῦ δείπνου. Πολλοί γὰρ εἰσιν κλητοί, ὀλίγοι δέ ἐκλεκτοί.


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Saints and Feasts

December 15

11th Sunday of Luke

On the Sunday that occurs on or immediately after the eleventh of this month, we commemorate Christ's forefathers according to the flesh, both those that came before the Law, and those that lived after the giving of the Law.

Special commemoration is made of the Patriarch Abraham, to whom the promise was first given, when God said to him, "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 22:18). This promise was given some two thousand years before Christ, when Abraham was seventy-five years of age. God called him and commanded him to forsake his country, parents, and kinsmen, and to depart to the land of the Canaanites. When he arrived there, God told him, "I will give this land to thy seed" (Gen. 12:7); for this cause, that land was called the "Promised Land," which later became the country of the Hebrew people, and which is also called Palestine by the historians. There, after the passage of twenty-four years, Abraham received God's law concerning circumcision. In the one hundredth year of his life, when Sarah was in her ninetieth year, they became the parents of Isaac. Having lived 175 years altogether, he reposed in peace, a venerable elder full of days.


December 15

Eleutherios the Holy Martyr, Bishop Illyria and his mother Anthia

This Saint had Rome as his homeland. Having been orphaned of his father from childhood, he was taken by his mother Anthia to Anicetus, the Bishop of Rome (some call him Anencletus, or Anacletus), by whom he was instructed in the sacred letters (that is, the divine Scriptures). Though still very young in years, he was made Bishop of Illyricum by reason of his surpassing virtue, and by his teachings he converted many unbelievers to Christ. However, during a most harsh persecution that was raised against the Christians under Hadrian (reigned 117-138), the Saint was arrested by the tyrants. Enduring many torments for Christ, he was finally put to death by two soldiers about the year 126. As for his Christ-loving mother Anthia, while embracing the remains of her son and kissing them with maternal affection, she was also beheaded.


December 15

The Martyr Susannah the Deaconess


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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Fourth Tone

From on high didst Thou descend, O Compassionate One; to burial of three days hast Thou submitted that Thou mightest free us from our passions. O our Life and Resurrection, Lord, glory be to Thee.
Ἐξ ὕψους κατῆλθες ὁ εὔσπλαγχνος, ταφὴν καταδέξω τριήμερον, ἵνα ἡμᾶς ἐλευθερώσῃς τῶν παθῶν. Ἡ ζωὴ καὶ ἡ Ἀνάστασις ἡμῶν, Κύριε δόξα σοι.

Apolytikion for 11th Sun. of Luke in the Second Tone

By faith didst Thou justify the Forefathers, when through them Thou didst betroth Thyself aforetime to the Church from among the nations. The Saints boast in glory that from their seed there is a glorious fruit, even she that bare Thee seedlessly. By their prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.
Ἐν πίστει τοὺς Προπάτορας ἐδικαίωσας, τὴν ἐξ Ἐθνῶν δι' αὐτῶν προμνηστευσάμενος Ἐκκλησίαν. Καυχῶνται ἐν δόξῃ οἱ Ἅγιοι, ὄι ἐκ σπέρματος αὐτῶν, ὑπάρχει καρπός εὐκλεής, ἡ ἀσπόρως τεκοῦσά σε. Ταῖς αὐτῶν ἱκεσίαις, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, σῶσον τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν.

Apolytikion for Hieromartyr Eleutherios and Anthia in the Fourth Tone

Being comely adorned in thy sacred priestly robes and newly drenched with the streams of thy pure and sanctified blood, thou didst soar aloft to stand before thy Master, Christ; hence never cease to intercede for those honouring with faith thy mighty and blessed contest, thou overthrower of Satan, O wise and blessed Eleutherius.
Ἱερέων ποδηρει κατακοσμούμενος, καὶ αἱμάτων τοὶς ῥείθροις ἐπισταζόμενος, τῶ Δεσπότη σου Χριστῷ μάκαρ ἀνέδραμες, Ἐλευθέριε σοφέ, καθαιρέτα τοῦ Σατάν, διὸ μὴ παύση πρεσβεύων, ὑπὲρ τῶν πίστει τιμώντων, τὴν μακαρίαν σου ἄθλησιν.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Third Tone

On this day the Virgin cometh to the cave to give birth to * God the Word ineffably, * Who was before all the ages. * Dance for joy, O earth, on hearing * the gladsome tidings; * with the Angels and the shepherds now glorify Him * Who is willing to be gazed on * as a young Child Who * before the ages is God.
Ἡ Παρθένος σήμερον, τὸν Προαιώνιον Λόγον, ἐν Σπηλαίῳ ἔρχεται, ἀποτεκεῖν ἀπορρήτως. Χόρευε ἡ οἰκουμένη ἀκουτισθεῖσα, δόξασον μετὰ Ἀγγέλων καὶ τῶν Ποιμένων, βουληθέντα ἐποφθῆναι, παιδίον νέον, τὸν πρὸ αἰώνων Θεόν.
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News from the Pews

Prosforo / Narthex Schedule

December 15: 11th Sunday of Luke -- Dorothy Krasias/Jr GOYA

December 22: Sunday Before Nativity -- Effie Kremidas/Dimitri Krasias

December 29: Sunday After Nativity -- Maria Leris/Jimmy & Noemi Tassios


Important Dates/Events

December 22: Special Called General Assembly Meeting. The Parish Council has scheduled a Special General Assembly Meeting.  The meeting will take place after Divine Liturgy in the Hellenic Center.  The meeting is to inform and update our parishioners about progress that has been made regarding the installation of state-of-the-art audio / visual equipment in the Church and Hellenic Center.  This will be a short meeting followed by our annual Sunday School Christmas Program.  Please plan on attending. For more information, please contact Jimmy Tassios or George Kampiziones.

December 22: Annual Sunday School Christmas Program. Immediately following Divine Liturgy

December 27 - December 30: GOYA Winter Youth Rally

January 19, 2025: Vasilopita Luncheon / General Assembly Meeting

Saturday, March 1, 2025: A Night in Greece. Join us Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 6:00PM. Tickets are available for purchase from Costa, Rena or the Church office. Cost per person $125.


Worship Opportunities

December 14: Romanian (Myrtle Beach) - 10AM Divine Liturgy

December 15: 11th Sunday of Luke - 10AM Divine Liturgy

December 21: Romania (Florence) - 10AM Divine Liturgy

December 22: Sunday Before Nativity

Christmas Eve: Vesperal Divine Liturgy 6PM

Christmas Day: 10AM Divine Liturgy

December 26: Synaxis of the Theotokos 10AM Divine Liturgy

December 27: St. Stephen - 10AM Divine Liturgy

December 29: Sunday After Nativity


Christmas Poinsettias

Beautify Our Church this Christmas Season!

We invite you to help beautify our Church during the Christmas Nativity season by donating a Poinsettia in honor or memory of a loved one. Please complete the donation form and return it, along with your donation, to Yianni Krasias. Forms are available in the Narthex. Thank you for your generosity and support in making our Church a beautiful place of worship during this blessed season.


Basketball Schedule

This is the basketball game schedule, if anyone is interested in joining in to see the kids playing.

Greek Orthodox - Kenny Green - Cell 803-651-9080

Sat: 12/14/2024  1:00pm   Calvary

Sat: 1/11/2025    3:00pm at Ebenezer

Sat: 1/25/2025    2:00pm    Central

Sat: 2/1/2025     4:00pm at First Pres.

Sat: 2/8/2025     4:00pm at Southside


Gospel & Epistle Readings

Gospel & Epistle Readings - December 15

Matins Gospel Reading: Mark 16:9-20

Epistle Reading: 2 Timothy 1:8-18

Gospel Reading: Luke 14:16-24


11th Sunday of Luke

The Gospel Reading - 11th Sunday of Luke

Luke 14:16-24 - Wordly Entanglement, Poor Excuses

The Lord said this parable: “A man once gave a great banquet, and invited many; and at the time of the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for all is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I go out and see it; I pray you, have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I must go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported this to his master. Then the householder in anger said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and there is still room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet. For many are called, but few are chosen.’”


A Night in Greece!

SecondAnnual A Night in Greece

Tickets are now available for purchase!

Join us on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at 6 PM. The cost is $125 per person. To get your tickets, please contact Costa, Rena, or Erma.


Payer List

Alexi

Leonid

Krystal G Athens

Angela Averette

George Carros

Voula Carros

Rayne Chaber

Daniel Christopher

James Christopher

Pauline Costas

Alex Courtney

Dean Fafoutis

Georgia Hamberis

Jim & Janny Hinkle

Kris Johnson

Cindy Kokenes

Bob Lachey

Jane Lachey

Jimmy Leris

Joanne Mackey

Joanna Mathes

Connie McEleveen

Helen Mourounas

Pete J Nikolakakos

Roxanne Poulos

Fred Sansbury

Patrick Showalter

Betty Sims

Elaine Smith

Phil Smith

Angelo Stabolitis

David Sinclair

Alan Trusky

John Paul Valenzuela

Alexander Yakimenko


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Wisdom of the Fathers

What was the nature of the invitation? God the Father has prepared in Christ for the inhabitants of earth those gifts which are bestowed upon the world through Him, even the forgiveness of sins, the cleansing away of all defilement, the communion of the Holy Spirit, the glorious adoption of sons, and the kingdom of the heavens.
St. Cyril of Alexandria
Translation courtesy of "The Orthodox New Testament" Volume 1, 4th Century

Come, O faithful, Let us enjoy the Master's hospitality, The banquet of immortality. In the upper chamber with uplifted minds Let us receive the exalted words of the Word Whom we magnify.
Last Ode of the Compline Canon

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