He is risen from the dead!

But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.

He is not here; for He is Risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is Risen from the dead..."

Matthews 28:5-8

Dearly Beloved in Christ,

 Every Divine Liturgy we existentially manifest the Body of Christ, His Church, by proclaiming our faith in Jesus' Resurrection through our recitation of the Nicene-Constantinoplian Creed, "... And He rose on the third day, according to the Scriptures." 

 In doing so, we identify ourselves with our Lord Jesus Christ as our "Great Rabbi (Teacher)" who instructs us, as He did His Holy Disciples and Apostles, as they journeyed with Him (they being doubt-ridden) after the crucifixion on the Road to Emaeus, 

 "Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself."  (Luke 24:13-35; esp. 25-27); see further:

 "Then He (Jesus) said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”  Luke 24:44

 Energized by this saving faith, every Pascha (Easter: i.e. Christian Passover) we joyfully proclaim that Christ is Risen from the Dead:

Christ is Risen, Truly He is Risen!  ... Χριστος Ανέστη, ΑληθωςΑνεστη!

 Αs Orthodox Christians of True Worship, our belief in the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ defines us (1 Cor 15:14-16), it is our bedrock; for without His Resurrection, we are nothing. Our Lord's Resurrection from the dead, together with the three (3) miraculous New Testament Resurrection miracles performed by Jesus during His earthly ministry, bear witness of the faith we continue to hold dear:

 NT:  see Raising of the Little Girl (Mark 5:41, Luke 8:54); Raising of the Widow's Son (Luke 7:11-17); and the Raising of Lazarus (John 11:43)

 The Old Testament also bears abundant witness to the Resurrection:

 OT: : see Raising of the widow's son by the Prophet Elijah (1 Kings 17:8-24); Prophecy of the Valley of Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37); Rescue of Jonah in the belly of the Sea Beast (Book of Jonah); and the Rescue of the Three Youths in the Fiery Furnace (Book of Daniel, Chapter 3)

 These Resurrection miracles confirm the promises of our Lord, which are revealed and described throughout the Holy Scriptures, that are destined to unfold at the time of Jesus' awesome and glorious 2nd Coming:

 "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 

in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. 

For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 

So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, 

then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: 

“Death is swallowed up in victory.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-54

   "Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”  Revelations 21:1-4

 Beloved ones, recently I met with a parishioner prior to their death who acknowledged that they were dying, yet I am happy to report that they courageously and joyfully remained steadfast in their faith in the Resurrection.  

 As we recited together the following words from Psalm 23, an inexplicable joy welled-up in our hearts, together with a peace that surpasses all human understanding (Philippians 4:6-7):

 "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever."  Psalm 23

 Jesus is the "Good Shepherd" who leads us through the "Valley of the Shadow of Death"; for He has already defeated sin, death and the devil.

 Beloved, as we are about to celebrate Pascha together, or perhaps have already celebrated the Resurrection, depending upon the timing of when we are reading this April issue of Holy Trinity's Monthly Bulletin, let us join together in prayer and visitation with those who are dying, or grieving, or suffering, or feeling overwhelmed, or who have been overcome by loneliness, or who are enslaved to the passions and cares of this life, by reminding, encouraging and blessing them with the hope of the Resurrection, which is Christ Himself!

 "‘This is the faith of the Apostles, this is the faith of the Fathers, this is the faith of the Orthodox, this is the faith which has established the universe." - Sunday of Orthodoxy

 In God's abiding love,

Fr. Philemon

Presiding Priest

^*67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”   ⁶⁸ But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹ Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” John 6:67-69 (NKJV)

   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

April 9, 2023

Palm Sunday

Epistle:     Philippians 4:4-9 Page 145

Gospel: John 12:1-18 Page 146

NARTHEX DUTY TEAM:  Group 1

TODAY’S FELLOWSHIP IS OFFERED BY: The Philoptochos Hosts the Palm Sunday Luncheon

THIS WEEK AT HOLY TRINITY:

Sunday, April 9

Palm Sunday

9:00am Orthros / 10am Divine Liturgy

Philoptochos will pass a tray for the Epitaphio Flowers

No Sunday School/ Family Worship

Monday, April 10 to Saturday, April 15

Please refer to the Holy Week Schedule

Sunday, April 16

Holy Pascha

Christos Anesti ~ Alithos Anesti!

11:00am ~ Agape Vespers Service

No Sunday School/ Family Worship

To follow the service via the GOA Digital Chant Stand

type in the link below and click the date of the service.

https://dcs.goarch.org/goa/dcs/dcs.html

Welcome   

The Holy Trinity Family welcomes all visitors. We hope that you enjoyed the Divine Service of the Church of the Book of Acts. You participated in the most ancient Christian Service written by Saint John Chrysostomos- the Golden Mouth. The Sacrament of Holy Communion is distributed ONLY to those Baptized and/or Chrismated Orthodox Christians who have prepared according to our Sacred Tradition. We invite everyone to come forward at the end of the Divine Liturgy to receive the blessed bread. If you have any questions about the Orthodox Church or would like to discover how to join this Ancient Christian Faith please see the priest after the service or call the church office for an appointment 302-654-4446. We thank you and may the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and yours abundantly always.  

Hymns for Sunday 

Ἀπολυτίκιον. Ἦχος αʹ.

Τὴν κοινὴν Ἀνάστασιν πρὸ τοῦ σοῦ Πάθους πιστούμενος, ἐκ νεκρῶν ἤγειρας τὸν Λάζαρον, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός· ὅθεν καὶ ἡμεῖς ὡς οἱ Παῖδες, τὰ τῆς νίκης σύμβολα φέροντες, σοὶ τῷ Νικητῇ τοῦ θανάτου βοῶμεν· Ὡσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις, εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ἐν  ὀνόματι Κυρίου.

Apolytikion. Mode 1.

To confirm the general resurrection before Your Passion, You resurrected Lazarus from the dead, O Christ our God. Therefore imitating the children, carrying the symbols of victory, we cry out to You the Victor over death: "Hosanna in the highest! Blessed are You, the One, who comes in the name of the Lord."

Ἕτερον. Ἦχος δʹ.

Συνταφέντες σοι διὰ τοῦ Βαπτίσματος, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, τῆς ἀθανάτου ζωῆς ἠξιώθημεν τῇ Ἀναστάσει σου, καὶ ἀνυμνοῦντες κράζομεν· Ὡσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις, εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου.

Another. Mode 4.

We were buried with You through Baptism, O Christ our God, and thus by Your Resurrection we have been granted immortal life, and extolling You we cry aloud, "Hosanna in the highest! Blessed are You, the One who comes in the name of the Lord."

Κοντάκιον. Ἦχος πλ. βʹ. Αὐτόμελον.

Τῷ θρόνῳ ἐν οὐρανῷ, τῷ πώλῳ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἐποχούμενος Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, τῶν Ἀγγέλων τὴν αἴνεσιν, καὶ τῶν Παίδων ἀνύμνησιν προσεδέξω βοώντων σοι· Εὐλογημένος εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος, τὸν Ἀδὰμ ἀνακαλέσασθαι.

Kontakion. Mode pl. 2. Automelon.

In heaven upon the throne, on earth upon the colt, You were carried, O Christ our God; and the praise of the Angels, and the hymns of the children, You received as they cried to You, "Blessed are You, the One, who is coming to call Adam back again."

Dearly Beloved in Christ,

Our Lord Jesus Christ came in to the world that He might restore our humanity by filling it with the Divine and life-giving Holy Spirit. When this happens, we become a new creation in Christ overflowing with abundant life. All of us are called to participate in this Divine way of being. 

Although Holy Trintiy has a vibrant history extending over 85 years, we are continually gaining new families and new parish members through marriages, childbirths, conversions from non-Christian religions and by people who are embracing the Orthodox Chrisitan way of life.

If you or someone you may know are desiring to join our Church, please know that Fr. Philemon has an on-going process for welcoming, educating and recieving such candidates into our Holy Trinity Parish Family.

We ask that all of our members prayerfully reflect on who we have the opportunity to be welcoming here at Holy Trinity, so that you might share that information with Fr. Philemon. He may be reached directly on his cell phone (239) 963-7558 or by email at [email protected].

May the Lord bless,

The Outreach & Evangleism Ministry

Matthew 28: 18-20

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Please note:

Fr. Philemon has been visiting homes and sharing meals with various families in the community to get to know them on a more personal level. He would love to come and visit with you, especially those with youth, to bless your home, meet everyone in your family and strive to know you & your children better! If you would like to have a pastoral visit with your family, please call the church office to set up a time.

If you have a pastoral emergency please call the

Church office @ 302.654.4446

Fr Philemon @ 239.963.7558, or

Stephen Karakasidis @ 302.383.0476