"...do not worry about your life….” Matthew 6:25

Dearly Beloved in Christ,

“Worry” is something that all of us have wrestled with, and would certainly benefit from learning to live without.

As we enter into the new ecclesiastical year on September 1^st by celebrating the feast of Indiction, let us cast our cares upon the Lord knowing that He loves us and has a wonderful plan for each of us.

God assures us that we are to, “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33

In other words, if we make the “Kingdom of God” our number one priority, and earnestly pursue its realization within us by being obedient to God’s Holy commandments and earnestly striving daily to live in communion with Him, all of our earthly needs will be met.

Let’s be clear in stating, however, that earthly attainment is not the objective of our desired union with God, but the meeting of our earthly needs is rather a consequence of our having established a healthy personal relationship with God, and such a relationship with God is impossible if our hearts, and souls and minds are consumed and afflicted with the worries and cares of this life.

Just as, “Tranquility” is the opposite of “Worry” - “Courage, Confidence and Belief”, are the opposites of “Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt”, which are manifestations of worry. How are we to attain such tranquility within ourselves, and to acquire such inner stillness? How are we to live our lives without worries and anxieties?

These are exactly the questions and the theme (“Stop Worrying…”) that our GOYAns will be exploring at the upcoming DVYC Fall GOYA Retreat, scheduled for the weekend of Sep 29 - Oct 1. We are hoping that all of our Holy Trinity GOYAns will join us for this year's Retreat, as it is certain to be a blessing to all participants.

As a result of a generous gift made to our Holy Trinity parish youth programs, scholarship money is available for eligible Holy Trinity youth. The only eligibility requirement is that families be in good standing with our Holy Trinity community by becoming current Holy Trinity financial stewards (i.e. prayerfully and sacrificially pledging & contributing to the annual operation of our church). Please stay tuned for more information as registration details will be distributed as soon as they become available.

Additionally, we are hoping to give every participant in this year’s Fall GOYA Retreat a copy of a little book entitled, “Confronting and Controlling Thoughts according to the Fathers of the Philokalia”, written by the late Very Rev. Fr. Anthony M. Coniaris, who served as a venerable priest of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America for more than 50 years, and wrote more than 60 books.

This tiny little book (approx.110 pages in length) is a masterfully written distillation of more than 2000 years of Orthodox Christian spirituality, summarizing the nature of our daily spiritual struggle, and containing proven guidance on how to win the battles that are waged within.

The book's purpose is to, 1) assist Orthodox Christians in making our personal journeys of Theosis (deification), which is a journey from our minds to our hearts, by aligning ourselves (through recitation of the Jesus prayer), purifying ourselves (through acts of repentance and letting go of the cares of this life), and waiting upon The Lord (practicing patience, humility and self-abasement), until God has mercy upon us and makes His home in us as a loving act of voluntary condescension.

The fruit of this transformative journey will be love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23

In much the same way that rushing water finds its rest in a level plane, we can indeed attain such inner stillness and union with God by practicing inner peace.

Praying that one and all will embark anew on this sacred journey.

Paternally yours,

Fr. Philemon Patitsas

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)

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September 3, 2023

13th Sunday of Matthew

Epistle: 1Corinthians 16:13-24 Page 84

Gospel: Matthew 21:33-42 Page 85

Memorials:

NARTHEX DUTY TEAM:  Group 1

TODAY’S FELLOWSHIP IS OFFERED BY:  Ministry Coffee Hours will resume next week starting with our Annual Picnic.

THIS WEEK AT HOLY TRINITY:

Sunday, September 3

13th Sunday of Matthew

9:00am Orthros / 10am Divine Liturgy

Monday, September 4

Happy Labor Day

Church Office Closed

Wednesday, September 6

12pm Spiritual Pearls Bible Study  ~ St. Philotheos

Friday, September 8

Nativity of Theotokos

9:00am Orthros / 10am Divine Liturgy / Agiasmos

5:30pm HOPE JOY Family Night

Sunday, September 10

Sunday before the Holy Cross

9:00am Orthros / 10am Divine Liturgy

Annual Welcome Back Picnic and Ministry sign-up

GOYA Meeting after picnic

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A GIANT THANK YOU

to those who came and volunteered at the Festival.

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 Ἀναστάσιμον. Ἦχος δʹ.

Τὸ φαιδρὸν τῆς ἀναστάσεως κήρυγμα, ἐκ τοῦ Ἀγγέλου μαθοῦσαι αἱ τοῦ Κυρίου Μαθήτριαι, καὶ τὴν προγονικὴν ἀπόφασιν ἀποῤῥίψασαι, τοῖς Ἀποστόλοις καυχώμεναι ἔλεγον· Ἐσκύλευται ὁ θάνατος, ἠγέρθη Χριστὸς ὁ Θεός, δωρούμενος τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος.

Resurrectional Apolytikion. Mode 4.

When the tidings of the resurrection from the glorious angel was proclaimed unto the women disciples and our ancestral sentence also had been abolished to the Apostles with boasting did they proclaim that death is vanquished evermore and Christ our God has risen from the dead and granted to the world His great mercy.

Τοῦ Ἱερομάρτυρος. Ἦχος δʹ.

Καὶ τρόπων μέτοχος, καὶ θρόνων διάδοχος, τῶν Ἀποστόλων γενόμενος, τὴν πρᾶξιν εὗρες Θεόπνευστε, εἰς θεωρίας ἐπίβασιν· διὰ τοῦτο τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας ὀρθοτομῶν, καὶ τῇ πίστει ἐνήθλησας μέχρις αἵματος, Ἱερομάρτυς Ἄνθιμε· πρέσβευε Χριστῷ τῷ Θεῷ, σωθῆναι τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν.

For the Hieromartyr. Mode 4.

Becoming a partner with the Apostles in way of life and successor to their thrones, O God-inspired Saint, in the active life you found an entrance to contemplation. Hence you rightly expounded the word of truth, and you shed your blood in struggling for the faith, O Hieromartyr Anthimos. Intercede with Christ our God, beseeching Him to save our souls.

Τοῦ Ὁσίου.  Ἦχος πλ. δʹ.

Ταῖς τῶν δακρύων σου ῥοαῖς, τῆς ἐρήμου τὸ ἄγονον ἐγεώργησας, καὶ τοῖς ἐκ βάθους στεναγμοῖς, εἰς ἑκατὸν τοὺς πόνους ἐκαρποφόρησας, καὶ γέγονας φωστὴρ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ, λάμπων τοῖς θαύμασιν, Θεόκτιστε Πατὴρ ἡμῶν ὅσιε· πρέσβευε Χριστῷ τῷ Θεῷ, σωθῆναι τὰς ψυχὰς ἠμῶν.

For the Devout Man. Mode pl. 4.

With the rivers of your tears you made the barren desert bloom; and with your sighs from deep within, you made your labors bear their fruits a hundredfold; and you became a star, illuminating the world by your miracles, O Theoktistos our devout father. Intercede with Christ our God, for the salvation of our souls.

Ἦχος πλ. δʹ.

Εὐλογητὸς εἶ, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ πανσόφους τοὺς ἁλιεῖς ἀναδείξας, καταπέμψας αὐτοῖς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, καὶ δι' αὐτῶν τὴν οἰκουμένην σαγηνεύσας, φιλάνθρωπε, δόξα σοι.

Mode pl. 4.

O Blessed are You, O Christ our God, who by sending down the Holy Spirit upon them, made the fishermen wise, and through them illumined the world and to you the universe was ever drawn – all Glory to you O Lord.

Κοντάκιον. Ἦχος δʹ.

Ἰωακεὶμ καὶ Ἄννα ὀνειδισμοῦ ἀτεκνίας, καὶ Ἀδὰμ καὶ Εὔα, ἐκ τῆς φθορᾶς τοῦ θανάτου, ἠλευθερώθησαν, Ἄχραντε, ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ γεννήσει σου· αὐτὴν ἑορτάζει καὶ ὁ λαός σου, ἐνοχῆς τῶν πταισμάτων, λυτρωθεὶς ἐν τῷ κράζειν σοι· Ἡ στεῖρα τίκτει τὴν Θεοτόκον, καὶ τροφὸν τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν.

Kontakion. Mode 4.

Both Joachim and Anna from their sterility's stigma, and Adam and Eve from their mortality's ruin have been set free, O immaculate Maid, by your holy nativity. For this do your people hold celebration, redeemed from the guilt of transgression as they cry to you, "The barren one bears the Theotokos, the nourisher of our Life."

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 frphilemon@holytrinitywilmington.org.

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