Sundays
8:45am - Orthros
10:00 am - Divine Liturgy
PARISH SUPPORT STAFF OFFICE HOURS
Join us in person for Liturgy or watch online on our Facebook page or Youtube
Thursday, December 5
5:00 pm Adult Greek Classes (online)
7:00 pm Vespers for St. Nicholas at St. Nicholas, Ann Arbor; and St. Nicholas, Troy
Friday, December 6 - Nicholas the Wonderworker and Archbishop of Myra
9:00 am Orthros
10:00 am Divine Liturgy
6:30 pm Christmas Auction
Saturday, December 7
12:30 pm Philoptochos Marketplace preparation
Sunday December 8 - 10th Sunday of Luke
Click here to view the printed liturgy
PARISH COUNCIL ELECTIONS - POLLS OPEN FROM 11 AM TO 2 PM
PHILOPTOCHOS CHRISTMAS MARKETPLACE
8:45 am Orthros
10:00 am Divine Liturgy
11:30 am Church School & Catechism
12:30 pm GOYA Meetiing
Tuesday, December 10
11:00 am Bible Study with Fr. Nick Join Zoom Meeting
12:00 pm Nativity Senior Lunch
6:00 pm Youth Greek Classes (Ed Center)
6:30 pm Adult Greek Classes (online)
Wednesday, December 11
6:30 pm Great Vespers for Saint Spyridon - at the Metropolis chapel
6:30 pm Nativity Men's Club @ Big Tommy's
Thursday, December 12 - Spyridon the Wonderworker of Trymithous
9:00 am Orthros
10:00 am Divine Liturgy
5:00 pm Adult Greek Classes (online)
Friday, December 13
7:00 pm AA meeting in the social hall
Saturday, December 14
6:00 pm Youth Basketball Practice
Sunday December 15 - 11th Sunday of Luke
Click here to view the printed liturgy
8:45 am Orthros
10:00 am Divine Liturgy
11:30 am Church School Christmas Pageant Rehearsal
CHRISTMAS AUCTION THIS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6! Our Christmas Auction is always a good time with some really awesome prizes. We hope to see you there for an evening of fellowship and fun - on the menu is baked fish and shrimp with pasta.
WIN TWO AIRLINE TICKETS TO GREECE! - Raffle tickets are still available. inquire in the church office during regular business hours and plan to attend our Christmas Auction and Raffle on December 6.
UPCOMING SERVICES
PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS
GOYA NEWS
TUESDAY BIBLE STUDY WITH FR. NICK ON DECEMBER 10 - We hope you can join him at 11 am for lively discussion and stay for food and fellowship with the Nativity Senior Lunch following Bible Study. Join Zoom Meeting, Meeting ID: 833 1117 3595, Passcode: bible
ATTENTION MEN OF NATIVITY - The Men's Club will meet at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, December 11 at Big Tommy's Parthenon. Contact Chris Varlamos for more information.
CHURCH SCHOOL CHRISTMAS PAGEANT - Rehearsal on December 15 and Christmas program on December 21.
Please come out and support our young people as the tell the story of Christ's Nativity.
HOPE/JOY MEETS AT 6 PM ON DECEMBER 20. We hope to see you there for food, fellowship and activities.
CHOIR PRACTICE HAS BEEN SUSPENDED UNTIL AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR - Contact Louis Poulos if you have questions.
ATTENTION PARENTS OF YOUNG ADULTS—we’re looking for contact information to your children who are off to University or new beginnings. Send their address, email and phone to Kathy in the church office. We’d like to send them notes of encouragement as they step out into the world.
ORTHODOX YOUTH BASKETBALL– important dates to note:
FRIENDS OF THE METROPOLIS END-OF-YEAR APPEAL When you support the Friends of the Metropolis campaign, you become a greater part oft he ministry of our Holy Orthodox Church to serve the people of God. The Friends Program funds activites to educate the youth, help our parishioners grow in their faith, share our Orthodox faith with our neighbors, and so much more. Learn more about the program - pick up a flyer on the table in the Narthex or visit https://www.detroit.goarch.org/friends.html
PANHELLENIC SCHOLARSHIP - Do you or an exceptional undergraduate student you know qualify to be a PanHellenic Scholar? The 2024/2025 application is now open and accepting applications. Visit https://www.panhellenicsf.org/apply to apply.
Nicholas the Bishop, John the Priest, John the Priest, Cassani the Presvytera,Kalliope the Presvytera, Sevi Bertolis, Panayiotis Christodoulos, Mary Christopoulos, Constantin Dumitrescu, Kosta Efthimiou, Tracey Ford, Greg Georvassilis, Randa Istephan, George Hrisoulis, Zoe Jaimee, Kathy Jenaras, Maria Kalas, Diane Kotsonas, Panayiota Koutoupa, Elias Koumariotis, Gus Kyriakou, Penelope Kyriakoula, Jim Lee, Nick Malamis, George Margaritis, Frank Maroudis, Freda Mollasis, Gregory Morakeas, Evelyn Morris, George Mortis, Alexander Nichoff, Marchela Papageorgakis, Stella Papasavva, Nikolia Pappas, Nicholas Pappas, George Peters, Helen Peters, Katerina Peters, Costas Photsios, Penny Poulos, Pam Provgna, Helen Sitaras, Vasillios Sotiropoulos, Rick Stanley & Family, Evan Kotsonas Stoecklein, Mike & Julia Tate, Jim Tsakos, Evris & Helen Tsaprazis, Chris Vardouniotis, John Vardouniotis, Alexander Varverakis , Jim Vlahakis, Irene Vouharas, Trevor Wilhelmi, Sandy Zembylas, Selina Zembylas-Hernandez, George Zervos, Little Jack, Sofia.
THE CHURCH IS HERE FOR YOU In times of need or times of celebration, there are a number of pastoral situations that warrant contacting Father Nick.
Prokeimenon. Grave Mode. Psalm 28.11,1.
The Lord will give strength to his people.
Verse: Bring to the Lord, O sons of God, bring to the Lord honor and glory.
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 2:14-22.
Brethren, Christ is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Προκείμενον. Grave Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 28.11,1.
Κύριος ἰσχὺν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ δώσει.
Στίχ. Ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κυρίῳ υἱοὶ Θεοῦ, ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κυρίῳ δόξαν καὶ τιμήν.
τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Ἐφεσίους 2:14-22.
Ἀδελφοί, Χριστός ἐστιν ἡ εἰρήνη ἡμῶν, ὁ ποιήσας τὰ ἀμφότερα ἕν, καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας, τήν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκί αὐτοῦ, τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασιν, καταργήσας· ἵνα τοὺς δύο κτίσῃ ἐν ἑαὐτῷ εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον, ποιῶν εἰρήνην, καὶ ἀποκαταλλάξῃ τοὺς ἀμφοτέρους ἐν ἑνὶ σώματι τῷ θεῷ διὰ τοῦ σταυροῦ, ἀποκτείνας τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν αὐτῷ· καὶ ἐλθὼν εὐηγγελίσατο εἰρήνην ὑμῖν τοῖς μακρὰν καὶ τοῖς ἐγγύς· ὅτι διʼ αὐτοῦ ἔχομεν τὴν προσαγωγὴν οἱ ἀμφότεροι ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι πρὸς τὸν πατέρα. Ἄρα οὖν οὐκέτι ἐστὲ ξένοι καὶ πάροικοι, ἀλλὰ συμπολῖται τῶν ἁγίων καὶ οἰκεῖοι τοῦ θεοῦ, ἐποικοδομηθέντες ἐπὶ τῷ θεμελίῳ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ προφητῶν, ὄντος ἀκρογωνιαίου αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐν ᾧ πᾶσα οἰκοδομὴ συναρμολογουμένη αὔξει εἰς ναὸν ἅγιον ἐν κυρίῳ, ἐν ᾧ καὶ ὑμεῖς συνοικοδομεῖσθε εἰς κατοικητήριον τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν πνεύματι.
10th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 13:10-17
At that time, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your infirmity." And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and she praised God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, said to the people, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and not on the sabbath day." Then the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?" As he said this, all his adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.
10th Sunday of Luke
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 13:10-17
Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ῏Ην δὲ διδάσκων ἐν μιᾷ τῶν συναγωγῶν ἐν τοῖς σάββασι. καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ ἦν πνεῦμα ἔχουσα ἀσθενείας ἔτη δέκα καὶ ὀκτώ, καὶ ἦν συγκύπτουσα καὶ μὴ δυναμένη ἀνακῦψαι εἰς τὸ παντελές. ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτὴν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς προσεφώνησε καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· γύναι, ἀπολέλυσαι τῆς ἀσθενείας σου· καὶ ἐπέθηκεν αὐτῇ τὰς χεῖρας· καὶ παραχρῆμα ἀνωρθώθη καὶ ἐδόξαζε τὸν Θεόν. ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ ἀρχισυνάγωγος, ἀγανακτῶν ὅτι τῷ σαββάτῳ ἐθεράπευσεν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς, ἔλεγε τῷ ὄχλῳ· ἓξ ἡμέραι εἰσὶν ἐν αἷς δεῖ ἐργάζεσθαι· ἐν ταύταις οὖν ἐρχόμενοι θεραπεύεσθε, καὶ μὴ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου. ἀπεκρίθη οὖν αὐτῷ ὁ Κύριος καὶ εἶπεν· ὑποκριτά, ἕκαστος ὑμῶν τῷ σαββάτῳ οὐ λύει τὸν βοῦν αὐτοῦ ἢ τὸν ὄνον ἀπὸ τῆς φάτνης καὶ ἀπαγαγὼν ποτίζει; ταύτην δέ, θυγατέρα ᾿Αβραὰμ οὖσαν, ἣν ἔδησεν ὁ σατανᾶς ἰδοὺ δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ ἔτη, οὐκ ἔδει λυθῆναι ἀπὸ τοῦ δεσμοῦ τούτου τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου; καὶ ταῦτα λέγοντος αὐτοῦ κατῃσχύνοντο πάντες οἱ ἀντικείμενοι αὐτῷ, καὶ πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος ἔχαιρεν ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἐνδόξοις τοῖς γινομένοις ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ.
Spyridon, the God-bearing Father of the Church, the great defender of Corfu and the boast of all the Orthodox, had Cyprus as his homeland. He was simple in manner and humble of heart, and was a shepherd of sheep. When he was joined to a wife, he begat of her a daughter whom they named Irene. After his wife's departure from this life, he was appointed Bishop of Trimythus, and thus he became also a shepherd of rational sheep. When the First Ecumenical Council was assembled in Nicaea, he also was present, and by means of his most simple words stopped the mouths of the Arians who were wise in their own conceit. By the divine grace which dwelt in him, he wrought such great wonders that he received the surname 'Wonderworker." So it is that, having tended his flock piously and in a manner pleasing to God, he reposed in the Lord about the year 350, leaving to his country his sacred relics as a consolation and source of healing for the faithful.
About the middle of the seventh century, because of the incursions made by the barbarians at that time, his sacred relics were taken to Constantinople, where they remained, being honoured by the emperors themselves. But before the fall of Constantinople, which took place on May 29, 1453, a certain priest named George Kalokhairetes, the parish priest of the church where the Saint's sacred relics, as well as those of Saint Theodora the Empress, were kept, took them away on account of the impending peril. Travelling by way of Serbia, he came as far as Arta in Epirus, a region in Western Greece opposite to the isle of Corfu. From there, while the misfortunes of the Christian people were increasing with every day, he passed over to Corfu about the year 1460. The relics of Saint Theodora were given to the people of Corfu; but those of Saint Spyridon remain to this day, according to the rights of inheritance, the most precious treasure of the priest's own descendants, and they continue to be a staff for the faithful in Orthodoxy, and a supernatural wonder for those that behold him; for even after the passage of 1,500 years, they have remained incorrupt, and even the flexibility of his flesh has been preserved. Truly wondrous is God in His Saints! (Ps. 67:3 5)
Saint Lucia was from Syracuse in Sicily, a virgin betrothed to a certain pagan. Since her mother suffered from an issue of blood, she went with her to the shrine of Saint Agatha at Catania to seek healing (see Feb. 5). There Saint Agatha appeared to Lucia in a dream, assuring her of her mother's healing, and foretelling Lucia's martyrdom. When her mother had been healed, Lucia gladly distributed her goods to the poor, preparing herself for her coming confession of Christ. Betrayed as a Christian by her betrothed to Paschasius the Governor, she was put in a brothel to be abased, but was preserved in purity by the grace of God. Saint Lucia was beheaded in the year 304, during the reign of Diocletian.
1 Year Memorial for Christopher Smith
May his memory be eternal.
Thank you to the Smith Family for sponsoring coffee hour.
As Orthodox Christians, we see the world as God’s gift, as a sacrament of God’s presence and a means of communion with Him. This way we are able to offer back to God, in thanksgiving and love, the many gifts we receive from Him. Like the boy in the New Testament who offered the five loaves and two fish and Jesus multiplied them to feed the 5,000, God receives our humble gifts and multiplies them to feed the world.
When we see great need in our community and in the world, we may ask, “If God is so loving, then why is there so much poverty and suffering in the world? Where is God when we need Him?” Sometimes the need is so overwhelming that to help at all seems impossible, but in the miracle of the five loaves and two fish, we are taught to offer what we have, no matter the amount, and miracles will happen.
So it is with our church, we often imagine only what is humanly possible. If we do our part in faith, God will lovingly return to us much more than we could ever imagine. This is the true meaning of “Your own from Your own.” We will see our church, not as it is, but as it could be, with our humble gifts multiplied by God’s generosity and love. With our faithful offering, we will see in our church as they did in the early Church, “…the Lord added to their number daily, those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).
COMMIT TO SHARING YOUR TIME, TALENTS AND TREASURES IN 2025 Help us share the good news of Christ’s redemptive work through His death and resurrection. 2025 Stewardship forms are available on the table in the Narthex.
We give thanks for all who have submitted their stewardship commitments for 2024 We now look ahead to 2025 as we enter into the fall and traditional time of Stewardship. Our goal for 2025 is to update the information in our member database so we can produce and updated directory. Please be sure to complete all of the information on your Stewardship Card. A printable copy is attached below. or visit bit.ly/2025nvm-stewardship to fill out the stewardship commitment form online.
GIVE ONLINE IN 2025 - Abundant is Nativity's online giving service! You can donate by ACH/EFT or Credit Card by App (available for Apple or Android devices) by web (click here to visit Abundant online giving page) We can help you set up your electronic giving - it's safe and easy and best of all, it connects directly with our parish data system - so your stewardship gifts are imported directly into your record.
DONATION WITHOUT TAXATION Donations from a qualifying Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) directly to Nativity is a tax free way to support our ministries. By contrast, if you receive the money first and then donate to Nativity, you must pay federal income tax on the "income." The recent increase in the standard deduction means that most people will not benefit from using charitable contributions as a deduction in computing federal income tax. Now is the time to work with your financial institution in order to assign all or part of the RMD, which will be distributed during 2025. For more information consult your financial institution or contact Kathy in the Church Office.
2024 CONTRIBUTION STATEMENTS will be sent via email to those who have a working email in our Parish Database. Paper copies available upon request for those who do not have an email on file. Please contact the church office if you have any concerns or if changes need to be made.
🐟 10th Sunday of Luke
Parish Council Elections 11 am to 2 pm
Memorials and Trisagion
Philoptochos Christmas Marketplace
8:45AM Orthros
10:00AM Divine Liturgy
11:30AM Church School & Catechism
12:30PM GOYA Meeting
11:00AM Bible Study with Father Nick
12:00PM Senior Lunch Group
5:00PM YOUTH GREEK CLASSES
6:30PM ADULT GREEK CLASSES 101 (on Zoom)
6:30PM Great Vespers St Spyridon with reception to follow (At the Metropolis Chapel)
6:30PM Men's Club Meeting @ Big Tommy's Parthenon
Spyridon the Wonderworker of Trymithous
9:00AM Orthros and Divine Liturgy - St Spyridon
5:00PM ADULT GREEK CLASSES 102, 103, 201 (on Zoom)
7:00PM AA Meeting in Social Hall
6:00PM Basketball Practice
🍇 11th Sunday of Luke
Philoptochos Christmas Marketplace
8:45AM Orthros
10:00AM Divine Liturgy
12:00PM SCS Christmas Program rehearsal
11:00AM Bible Study with Father Nick
12:00PM Tuesday Lunch Group
5:00PM YOUTH GREEK CLASSES
6:30PM ADULT GREEK CLASSES 101 (on Zoom)
7:00PM Paraklesis
5:00PM ADULT GREEK CLASSES 102, 103, 201 (on Zoom)
GOYA CAROLING
6:00PM Hope/Joy Family Night
7:00PM AA Meeting in Ed Center
GOYA CAROLING
Memorials and Trisagion
🍇 Sunday before Nativity
8:45AM Orthros
10:00AM Divine Liturgy
11:30AM SCS Christmas Program
Our Christmas Auction Team is selling raffle tickets to win a voucher for two airline tickets to Greece. Tickets cost $100 and are available at church - see Fr. Nick, Maria Kaplantzes or inquire in the church office during regular business hours. Plan to attend our Christmas Auction and Raffle on December 6 - It's always a good time with some really awesome prizes to win.
Christmas Auction on December 6 - Save the Date
Information about our service schedule.
Register your children for Sunday Church School
Use this form to make your stewardship commitment for 2025.
Updated list of coffee hour servers and ushers as of 10.31.2024
When you support the Friends of the Metropolis campaign, you are part of a greater outreach that proclaims with one universal voice that God is truly our hope and our rock of salvation. Because of your devotion to the Friends program, ministries and programs are implemented on a Metropolis-wide Basis which strengthen and enhance our faith and our joint ministry of service. I would like to invite you to join forces with the faithful throughout the Metropolis of Detroit in support of the ministries which are part of the Office of the Metropolitan. MORE INFO AT:WWW.DETROIT.GOARCH.ORG/FRIENDSOUTREACH