Come and Worship!

Join us in person for Liturgy or watch online on our Facebook page or Youtube

Upcoming Calendar Events

Friday, January 24
10:00 am Visitation Spyros Stylianou
11:00 am Funeral Spyros Stylianou

Sunday, January 26 - 15th Sunday of Luke
Click here to view the printed liturgy
8:45 am Orthros
10:00 am Divine Liturgy
11:30am Church School & Catechism

Tuesday, January 28
11:00 am Morning Bible Study with Fr. Nick (Click here to join Zoom Meeting)
12:00 pm Tuesday Lunch Group
5:00 pm Youth Greek Classes (in person)
6:30 pm Adult Greek Classes (on Zoom)
7:00 pm Evening Bible Study with Fr. Nick (Click here to join Zoom Meeting)

Wednesday, January 29
7:00 pm Paraklesis

Thursday, January 30 - Synaxis of the Three Hierarchs
9:00 am Orthros
10:00 am Divine Liturgy
5:00 pm Adult Greek Classes (on Zoom)

Friday, January 31
7:00 pm AA Meeting in Parish Hall

Saturday, February 1 - Forefeast of the Presentation of our Lord and Savior in the Temple
6:00 Basketball Practice
5:00 pm Great Vespers for the Presentation of our Lord

Sunday, February 2 - The Presentation of Our Lord and Savior in the Temple
Click here to view the printed liturgy
Godparent Sunday
8:45 am Orthros
10:00 am Divine Liturgy
11:30am Church School & Catechism
12:30 pm GOYA Meeting

Parish News and Updates

SCHEDULE YOUR HOUSE BLESSING! As is customary, following the days of the Epiphany feast, the priest visits the homes of parishioners to perform the Agiasmo and to bless the family. If you wish to have your home blessed, please fill out form on the candlestand and return it to the church office. Fr. Nick or Kathy will contact you for a day and time, which works for everyone. Alternatively, you may call the Church Office at 734-420-0131 to schedule a visit.

BIBLE STUDY OPPORTUNITIES -Father Nick will offer two bible study sessions on Tuesdays. The morning session at 11 am focuses on the scripture readings for the day. The Tuesday evening session will focus on the Gospel of John. All are welcome to attend in person or via the zoom platform.

11:00 AM Bible Study: Scripture for the day (meets January 28)
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83311173595?pwd=PpJyREbAZk82bESGnwSVKJdaPHu7NO.1
Meeting ID: 833 1117 3595 Passcode: bible

7:00 PM Bible Study: The Gospel of John (Meets January 28)
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86288449376?pwd=izrDrXJAl8tv6ll4JEbdEVlTREEVl4.1
Meeting ID: 862 8844 9376 Passcode: bible

ORATORICAL FESTIVAL REGISTRATION Nativity's Oratorical festival is Sunday, February 23—if you are a high school or middle school student contact Peggy Collias or Jerry Takis for more information. Rehearsal is scheduled for February 9. It’s time to get writing! Register your participating students at SJC Oratorical Festival Registration

oratorical festival

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 ON PURPOSE - St. Nicholas is hosting Fr. Barnabas Powell in February. Fr. Powel is a former Evangelical pastor who became an Orthodox Priest. He teaches others about the Orthodox Faith from his unique perspective. Visit Orthodox on Purpose retreat or the bulletin insert below for more information.

ORTHODOX YOUTH BASKETBALL– important dates to note:

February 14-16, 2025: Dayton Tournament
March 14-16, 2025: Pan Orthodox Tournament

2024 CONTRIBUTION STATEMENTS will be emailed in January to everyone who has an email address on file, and will be printed as requested by those who need a paper copy. Contact Kathy in the church office if you have questions.

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.

AHEPA SCHOLARSHIP
The Order of AHEPA District 10 Educational Foundation will be awarding educational scholarships to high school students who are graduating in June 2025 and to college students in undergraduate and postgraduate studies. Visit https://apply.ad10ef.org/ to register

Save the Date

February 1 - Great Vespers for the Presentation of our Lord
February 2 - Godparent Sunday
February 8 - GOYA Apocreatiko Glendi @ 6 PM
February 9 - Super Bowl Party
February 16 - Philoptochos Love Luncheon

COMING LATER THIS YEAR (Previous promoted date needed to be changed) NATIVITY'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY GALA - More details coming soon.

Those in Our Prayers

Nicholas the Bishop, John the Priest, John the Priest, Cassani the Presvytera, Kalliope the Presvytera, Panayiotis Christodoulos, Mary Christopoulos, Constantin Dumitrescu, Kosta Efthimiou, Tracey Ford, Gregory Georvassilis, George Hrisoulis, Zoe Jaimee, Kathy Jenaras, Maria Kalas, Abraham Kalasse, Kanella Katsikas, Diane Kotsonas, Elias Koumariotis, Panayiota Koutoupa, Gus Kyriakou, Penelope Kyriakoula, Jim Lee, Nick Malamis, George Margaritis, Frank Maroudis, Angie Mcintire, Freda Mollasis, Gregory Morakeas, Evelyn Morris, Alexander Nichoff, Marchela Papageorgakis, Stella Papasavva, James Pappas, Nikolia Pappas, Nicholas Pappas & Family, Katerina Peters, George Peters, Helen Peters, Costas Photsios, Penny Poulos, Helen Sitaras, Rick Stanley & Family, Evan Kotsonas Stoecklein, Mike and Julia Tate, Jim Tsakos, Evris and Helen Tsaprazis, Steve Valice, Nicholas Valice, Chris Vardouniotis, John Vardouniotis, Alexander Varverakis, Jim Vlahakis, Irene Vouharas, Sandy Zembylas, Selina Zembylas-Hernandez, Little Jack, Carrie, Marie.

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.

Any Hospital Stay: Illness, Surgery, etc.
Death - Call when a person is dying and at the actual time of death, regardless of the hour!
Substance abuse involving you or a loved one.
Domestic problems of any sort, Marital or children.
When you desire spiritual direction.
Birth of a child, (naming, and 40 day blessing).
When you become engaged and are planning a wedding.

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Second Mode

When the angelic powers appeared at Your tomb, the soldiers guarding it feared and became as dead. And standing by the sepulcher was Mary, who was seeking Your immaculate body. Unassailed by Hades, You divested it of spoils. Then You met the Virgin. You granted life. O Lord, risen from the dead, glory to You!

Ἀγγελικαὶ Δυνάμεις ἐπὶ τὸ μνῆμά σου, καὶ οἱ φυλάσσοντες ἀπενεκρώθησαν, καὶ ἵστατο Μαρία ἐν τῷ τάφῳ, ζητοῦσα τὸ ἄχραντόν σου σῶμα. Ἐσκύλευσας τὸν ᾍδην, μὴ πειρασθεὶς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ, ὑπήντησας τῇ Παρθένῳ, δωρούμενος τὴν ζωήν, ὁ ἀναστὰς ἐκ των νεκρῶν, Κύριε δόξα σοι.

Seasonal Kontakion in the First Mode

You sanctified the womb of the Virgin by Your birth, and by Your presentation You blessed the hands of Symeon, when You came, and You saved us, O Christ our God. Now we pray You give peace to Your world at war, and let love for Your people prevail in all, O only benevolent Lord.

Ὁ μήτραν παρθενικὴν ἁγιάσας τῶ τόκω σου, καὶ χείρας τοῦ Συμεὼν εὐλογήσας ὡς ἔπρεπε, προφθάσας καὶ νὺν ἔσωσας ἡμᾶς Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός. Ἀλλ' εἰρήνευσον ἐν πολέμοις τὸ πολίτευμα, καὶ κραταίωσον Βασιλεῖς οὓς ἠγάπησας, ὁ μόνος φιλάνθρωπος.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal Second Mode. Psalm 27.9,1.
O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance.
Verse: To you, O Lord, I have cried, O my God.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to Timothy 4:9-15.

Timothy, my son, the saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and suffer reproach, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things. Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Till I come, attend to the public reading of scripture, to preaching, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophetic utterance when the council of elders laid their hands upon you. Practice these duties, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress.

Προκείμενον. Plagal Second Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 27.9,1.
Σῶσον, Κύριε τὸν λαὸν σου καὶ εὐλόγησον τὴν κληρονομίαν σου.
Στίχ. Πρὸς σἐ, Κύριε, κεκράξομαι ὁ Θεός μου.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Τιμόθεον α' 4:9-15.

Τέκνον Τιμόθεε, πιστὸς ὁ λόγος καὶ πάσης ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος. Εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ κοπιῶμεν καὶ ὀνειδιζόμεθα, ὅτι ἠλπίκαμεν ἐπὶ θεῷ ζῶντι, ὅς ἐστιν σωτὴρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων, μάλιστα πιστῶν. Παράγγελλε ταῦτα καὶ δίδασκε. Μηδείς σου τῆς νεότητος καταφρονείτω, ἀλλὰ τύπος γίνου τῶν πιστῶν ἐν λόγῳ, ἐν ἀναστροφῇ, ἐν ἀγάπῃ, ἐν πνεύματι, ἐν πίστει, ἐν ἁγνείᾳ. Ἕως ἔρχομαι, πρόσεχε τῇ ἀναγνώσει, τῇ παρακλήσει, τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ. Μὴ ἀμέλει τοῦ ἐν σοὶ χαρίσματος, ὃ ἐδόθη σοι διὰ προφητείας μετὰ ἐπιθέσεως τῶν χειρῶν τοῦ πρεσβυτερίου. Ταῦτα μελέτα, ἐν τούτοις ἴσθι, ἵνα σου ἡ προκοπὴ φανερὰ ᾖ ἐν πᾶσιν.

Gospel Reading

15th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 19:1-10

At that time, Jesus was passing through Jericho. And there was a man named Zacchaios; he was a chief collector, and rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaios, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today." So he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it they all murmured, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." And Zacchaios stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost."

15th Sunday of Luke
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 19:1-10

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, διήρχετο τὴν ῾Ιεριχώ· καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ ὀνόματι καλούμενος Ζακχαῖος, καὶ αὐτὸς ἦν ἀρχιτελώνης, καὶ οὗτος ἦν πλούσιος, καὶ ἐζήτει ἰδεῖν τὸν ᾿Ιησοῦν τίς ἐστι, καὶ οὐκ ἠδύνατο ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄχλου, ὅτι τῇ ἡλικίᾳ μικρὸς ἦν. καὶ προδραμὼν ἔμπροσθεν ἀνέβη ἐπὶ συκομορέαν, ἵνα ἴδῃ αὐτόν, ὅτι ἐκείνης ἤμελλε διέρχεσθαι. καὶ ὡς ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον, ἀναβλέψας ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶδεν αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν· Ζακχαῖε, σπεύσας κατάβηθι· σήμερον γὰρ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου δεῖ με μεῖναι. καὶ σπεύσας κατέβη, καὶ ὑπεδέξατο αὐτὸν χαίρων. καὶ ἰδόντες πάντες διεγόγγυζον λέγοντες ὅτι παρὰ ἁμαρτωλῷ ἀνδρὶ εἰσῆλθε καταλῦσαι. σταθεὶς δὲ Ζακχαῖος εἶπε πρὸς τὸν Κύριον· ἰδοὺ τὰ ἡμίση τῶν ὑπαρχόντων μου, Κύριε, δίδωμι τοῖς πτωχοῖς, καὶ εἴ τινός τι ἐσυκοφάντησα, ἀποδίδωμι τετραπλοῦν. εἶπε δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ὅτι σήμερον σωτηρία τῷ οἴκῳ τούτῳ ἐγένετο, καθότι καὶ αὐτὸς υἱὸς ᾿Αβραάμ ἐστιν. ἦλθε γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ζητῆσαι καὶ σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλός.

Saints and Feasts

January 26

15th Sunday of Luke

January 26

Xenophon & his Companions

This Saint, a wealthy nobleman of Constantinople, was filled with piety toward God. He had two sons, Arcadius and John, whom he sent to Beirut to study law. But they were shipwrecked during their voyage; barely saved, they forsook all things and departed for Palestine. Saint Xenophon and his wife Mary, ignorant of what had happened, went in search of their sons. On finding them in Jerusalem, dressed in the habit of monks, they also took up the monastic life. And thus, having completed their lives in holiness, they departed for the Lord about the beginning of the sixth century. Saint Xenophon and his sons reposed at Saint Sabbas Monastery, and Mary at the Monastery of Saint Theodosius.

February 01

Bridget of Ireland

When Ireland was newly converted to the Christian Faith, the Holy Abbess Bridget devoted herself to the establishment of the monastic life among the women of her country, and founded the renowned convent of Kildare-Kil "Cell (or Church)" Dara "of the Oak." She was especially renowned for her great mercifulness, manifested in her lavish almsgiving and in miracles wrought for those in need. The Book of Armaugh, an ancient Irish chronicle, calls Saint Patrick and Saint Bridget "the pillars of the Irish" and says that through them both, "Christ performed many miracles." She reposed in peace about the year 525.

Wisdom of the Fathers

For Christ's presence is like that of some life-giving, scented balsam which restores health, enriches life and gives savor to the soul, the thoughts, the words of a man. In brief, distance from Christ means corruption and death, and closeness to Him means salvation and life.

Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic

Prolog, 4 February

Christ is the salvation that comes, and Zacchaeus is the house to which He comes.

Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic

Prolog, 4 February

Nativity's Gmail Calendar

Nativity of the Virgin Mary Google Calendar

January 26 to February 9, 2025

Sunday, January 26

GOYO in Grand Rapids

15th Sunday of Luke

8:45AM Orthros

10:00AM Divine Liturgy

11:30AM Church School & Catechism

Tuesday, January 28

12:00PM Tuesday Lunch Group

5:00PM YOUTH GREEK CLASSES

6:30PM ADULT GREEK CLASSES 101 (on Zoom)

7:00PM Evening Bible Study with Fr. Nick

Wednesday, January 29

7:00PM Paraklesis

Thursday, January 30

Synaxis of The Three Hierarchs: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, & John Chrysostom

9:00AM Orthros and Divine Liturgy - The Three Hierarchs

6:30PM ADULT GREEK CLASSES 102, 103, 201 (on Zoom)

Friday, January 31

7:00PM AA Meeting in Social Hall

Saturday, February 1

Forefeast of the Presentation of our Lord and Savior in the Temple

5:00PM Great Vespers for The Presentation Of Our Lord

6:00PM Basketball Practice

Sunday, February 2

Memorials and Trisagion

Godparent Sunday

🐟 The Presentation of Our Lord and Savior in the Temple

8:45AM Orthros

10:00AM Divine Liturgy

11:30AM Church School & Catechism

12:30PM GOYA Meeting

Monday, February 3

6:00PM Philoptochos Meeting

Tuesday, February 4

5:00PM YOUTH GREEK CLASSES

6:30PM ADULT GREEK CLASSES 101 (on Zoom)

Wednesday, February 5

4:00PM Visitation and Trisagion (6:30 pm) for Helen Peters

7:00PM Paraklesis

Thursday, February 6

10:00AM Instate and Funeral ( for Helen Peters

6:30PM ADULT GREEK CLASSES 102, 103, 201 (on Zoom)

Friday, February 7

10:30AM Instate and Funeral (For Ioannis Stefos)

7:00PM AA Meeting in Social Hall

Saturday, February 8

1:00PM Baptism

6:00PM Basketball Practice

6:00PM Goya Apokriatiko Glendi /Lamb Roast 6pm

Sunday, February 9

Triodion Begins

Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee: Triodion Begins Today

Oratorical Festival Practice

8:45AM Orthros

10:00AM Divine Liturgy

11:30AM Church School & Catechism

6:00PM Superbowl Party