Services at St. Andrew

Saturday 6/ 24
The Nativity of St. John +Orthros @8am & Divine Liturgy @9am

On Saturday June 24^th at 11am Christopher and Lauren (Talamini) Spiropoulos will baptize their daughter.

Sunday 6/25
3^rd Sunday of Matthew +Orthros @8:15am & Divine Liturgy @9:30am

Memorials - Μνημόσυνα

A SIX-MONTH Memorial Service will be held for the repose of the soul of our ever memorable:+Christos Χρήστου Tsilios, beloved brother of Konstantinos (Maria)Tsilios, Athanasios Tsilios, Georgia (Gary) Nice, Athena (Konstantinos) Gizas in Greece. Friends and relatives are invited to join the family for refreshments in honor of Christos blessed memory.

A NINE-MONTH Memorial Service will be held for the repose of the soul of +Dimitrios Δημήτριου Karagiannakis, beloved husband of Irene Karagiannakis, father of Athina Karagiannakis and Anna Triantafyllou.

An Annual Memorial Service will be held for the repose of the souls of our ever memorable: +Kanella Κανέλας and Nikolaos Νικολάου (Perdis) Perdikoulias, beloved parents of Vickie (Vasiliki) and Perry (Pereklis), grandparents of Thomas, Nicholas and Peter Geannakakes.

An Annual Memorial Service will be held for the repose of the souls of our ever memorable:+Gerasimos Γεράσιμουand +Stelyani Στυλιανής Economo, beloved parents of Marion Economo.

May their memory be eternal. Αιωνία η μνήμη αυτών.

Monday 6/26
@10am A Funeral Service will be prayed for the repose of the soul of +Asimina “Mina” Papathomas. beloved mother of Jim and Harry Papathomas and Effier Zuretti. Viewing will be at the Madison Memorial Home, 159 Main Street, Madison on Sunday 2-6pm. May her memory be eternal.

Thursday6/29
Saints Peter and Paul +Orthros @8am & Divine Liturgy @9am

Friday 6/30
NO Service at Saint Andrew - Synaxis of the Twelve Holy Apostles will be celebrated @9am Orthros and Hierachical Divine Liturgy at St. Athanasios in Paramus NJ

Sunday 7/2
4th Sunday of Matthew +Orthros @8:15am & Divine Liturgy @9:30am

Participation in services is also available via livestream - go to: Home | St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church (orthodoxws.com) and choose LIVESTREAM on the Menu bar

Prayers/Liturgy can always be found at: https://www.agesinitiatives.com/dcs/public/dcs/dcs.html

Online Giving System: Website: https://www.standrewgonj.org/ and choose PayPal / online WeShare | Consider making your donations using our New Abundant App

Announcements

The Parish Council has a Safety team, but we need members to help us develop materials for training, planning, and to be present during services to help us be more vigilant and effective in a real emergency.If you want to learn more or participate on the Safety team, please email [email protected] (see attached PDF for more details)

Thank you! To all the volunteers who worked so hard before, during and after our 2023 Big Greek Festival. As well thank you to all who came out to support us. We need all of you to continue our work at Saint Andrew.

The Name Day Celebration of His Grace Bishop Apostolos of Medeia will take place on Friday, June 30, 2023, at St. Athanasios Greek Orthodox Church in Paramus, NJ . @9am Orthros and Hierachical Divine Liturgy. A Luncheon Reception will follow in the Parish Hall.

We need all of you to continue our work at Saint Andrew

SUNDAY COFFEE HOUR On June 25th is hosted by BAKALIKO (July and August see below)

Bagels are donated by Jimmy Psaras of ALFA BAGELS on Route 10 in Randolph, NJ

Coffee is donated by Aristotle Leontopoulos of Coffee Associates in Edgewater, NJ

Coffee Hour Hosts JULY & AUGUST Summer Schedule:

It is our summer tradition that all coffee hour trays will benefit our Ministries. We all share the responsibility of bringing food. Please bring a cake, cookies, fruit, etc. to church with you from time to time to add to our coffee hour table. Or, arrange to host a coffee hour by contacting the church office. If we do not have someone host and/or sponsor the coffee hour, we will not be able have one on that particular Sunday. Thanking-you in advance for your participation this summer.

2023 MERCEDES-BENZ RAFFLE! TICKETS $25 EACH | DRAWING SEP. 24, 2023, 1PM

help us with cost of postage and pick up your raffle tickets from the office

Please sell your raffle tickets, mail, or bring in your money with the stubs to the office, and consider selling more tickets in front of the church.

We need your help to make this year’s raffle a success! Sign up for JUST 2 HOURS and sell raffle tickets! Sit and read or even bring your laptop (Wi-Fi available).

To schedule times email [email protected] or call 973-584-0388. It is an easy way to help our church meet our annual budget and unforeseen expenses. We have made over $1,000 in just one day by manning the curbside raffle ticket sales. Please consider helping out in this easy way. Your church needs your support.

Fr. John's Message

Lord’s Voice 6-25-2023

MAN’S JUSTICIATION IN CHRIST

Today's Epistle reading also comes from the Apostle Paul's Epistle to the Romans. Our passage begins with Paul's reference to man's justification in Christ, which originates from the sacrifice on the cross and the Resurrection of the Lord. Justification is God’s decision by which man is freed from his sins and becomes righteous, i.e. liked, pleasing before God.

Christ "delivered himself for our transgressions and was raised for our justification" (Rom. 4:25). So, justification, as a scriptural and theological term, means man’s salvation and rebirth, that is, his union with Christ through faith.

After all, justification, salvation, is an energy of God's Grace, in which man cooperates with living faith, as an expression of absolute trust and love for God.

Faith in Christ

And faith in Jesus Christ means that the believer recognizes the person of the Lord, He whom the Father sent to save the world. It means that he accepts His words as "words of eternal life" (John 6:68), that he risks everything for His Kingdom, that he accepts to lose everything to gain Christ. Faith in Jesus Christ means for us to know "the love that God has in us" and to confess that "God is love" (1 John 4:16). Through faith, we become capable of living the life of Christ and of becoming communicants of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Peace in Christ

The Apostle Paul connects the effectiveness of man's justification in Christ with the presence of peace in the human being. Peace has to do with the harmonious functioning of all man's powers, which, however, were disturbed by sin, and broke the unity of existence. And this, because sin, as "the train of thought of the flesh" (Rom. 8:7) and as "the friendship of the world" (James 4:4), caused and continues to cause separation, man’s alienation from God and fellow man. The reacquisition of peace in man, is achieved through his personal communion with Christ, who revealed to us the way and the ethos of God’s existence.

With His love, Christ convinces us of the truth of our creation “in the image of God". And thus, the believer gets out of the narrow straits of egotism. He recognizes that his existence is a gift from God; and that he carries within him the image of the One who made peace with the earthly and the heavenly things "through the blood of his cross" (Col. 1:20). Therefore, he is led from existence to coexistence; to the communion of love with God and fellow human beings.

Peace unites the many into one, while with its absence, the one is divided into many. Since the peace of Christ refers to all the dimensions of human life, precisely living this peace, the believer makes peace with the whole world. "Be at peace within yourself", says Saint Isaac the Syrian, "and heaven and earth will be pacified with you".

Boasting in trials

The believer, as the Apostle emphasizes, boasts not only about the hope of his participation in the glory of Christ, but also for the various trials and tribulations, because trials contribute man’s upward course. "Take away the temptations and no one will be saved", said Anthony the Great. Man may be grieved by his fellow man and be hurting. However, his communion with Christ helps him not to narrow the space of his heart (stenochoria in Greek - narrow-area). That is, to not stop sympathizing and loving his fellow human being who causes the grief. Thus, the believer is lead to patience, to the tried character and hope. Which hope, as a gift from the Holy Spirit, cannot possibly disappoint man. It graces him with a permanent optimism that comes from living faith. And, finally, the love of God, witnesses, verifies for all these things, with which the Holy Spirit that was given to us, filled and overflowed in our hearts.

Archim. N.K.

Daily Calendar

Monday 6/26

A Funeral Service for the repose of the soul of +Asimina Papathomas at 10am at St Andrew Viewing will be at the Madison Funeral Home in Madison NJ on Sunday 2-6pm

Thursday 6/29

Saints Peter and Paul Orthros @8 am & Divine Liturgy @9 am

@7:30PM Festival Recap meeting in church

Friday 6/30

No services at Saint Andrew - Synaxis of the Twelve Holy Apostles will be in Paramus. Name day Celebration of His Grace Bishop Apostolos of Medeia, will take place at 9am on Friday, June 30, at St. Athanasios Greek Orthodox Church in Paramus, New Jersey.

Sunday 7/2

4th Sunday of Matthew +Orthros @8:15am & Divine Liturgy @9:30am

Sunday 7/9

5th Sunday of Matthew +Orthros @8:15am & Divine Liturgy @9:30am

Sunday 7/16

Sunday of the Holy Fathers +Orthros @8:15am & Divine Liturgy @9:30am

Camp Good Shepherd at Sandston, NJ week of July 16^th to 22^nd

Saturday 7/22

Faith Kitchen – Phioptochos hosting

Sunday 7/23

7th Sunday of Matthew +Orthros @8:15am & Divine Liturgy @9:30am

Services TBA 7/ 25: Dormition of St Ana, 7/26: St Paraskevi, 7/27: St Panteleimon

Saturday 7/29

@11am Baptism

News - Flyers - Registrations - Other

LORD'S VOICE

FONI KYRIOU 6-25-2023

car raffle

2023 MERCEDES-BENZ | GLA 250 SUV W4 - MSRP $50,150 | TICKETS $25 EACH | DRAWING SEP. 24, 2023, 1PM

Safety team

We are looking for members to help us develop materials for training, planning, and to be present during services to help us be more vigilant and effective in a real emergency.

Stewardship

Consider your blessings as you make your 2023 Pledge to Saint Andrew

Stewardship

Where does your pledge fall?

HELLENIC AFTERNOON SCHOOL

Information, calendar and Registration for2023-2024

Camp Good Shepherd

July 16-22nd Ages 8-18 at Camp Linwood MacDonald in Sandyston, NJ | To Register go to http://app.campdoc.com/register/cgsn |Also on our Metropolis Website here: https://www.nj.goarch.org/camp-good-shepherd

Scripture Talk

The meeting begins every Tuesday, 7-8 pm EST, on Zoom. Weekly Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88548756745 \ Scripture Talk reveals the Scriptures one week at a time. A different priest is invited each week to help guide our discussion.

Rummage Sale

Saint Andrew Philoptochos Annual Rummage Sale on FRI 9/8 ● SAT 9/9 ● SUN 9/10 / drop off 8-16-2023

Holy Cross Celebration

Sunday September 17, 2023 8:30am Orthros and Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at St. George in Asbury Park (Ocean) no services at Saint Andrew | 12:30pm Asbury Park Beach: Trisagion at the Patriarch Athenagoras Statue, Procession to the Water, the Blessing of the Waters, and the Diving for the Cross by the Youth

Prayer List

Prayer for a Sick Person:

Heavenly Father, physician of our souls and bodies, who have sent Your only-begotten Son and our Lord Jesus Christ to heal every sickness and infirmity, visit and heal (me) Your servant from all physical and spiritual ailments through the grace of Your Christ. Grant (me) patience in this sickness, strength of body and spirit, and recovery of health. Lord, You have taught us through Your word to pray for each other that we may be healed. I pray that You heal (me) as Your servant and grant (me) the gift of complete health. For You are the source of healing and to You I give glory, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen

Please keep these names in your prayers

Sultana, Stephanie Christos, Theoseva, Antonia, Costatninos, Eleni, Ioannis, Terry Ann, George, Elias, Eleni, Robert, John, Christina, Helen, Vasileke, John, Efrosini, Nicholas, Nino, Paulina, Christos, Stanley, Efthimios, Anastasia, Katrina, Georgia, George, Michael, Helen, Evangelia, Christine, Rebecca, Argiros, Paul, Gavin, Christos, John, Michelle, Katie, Nicole, Ioanna, Angela, Stefanos, Eugenia, Sarah, Vasilios, Alexandros, Nikolaos, Kyriaki, James, Florence, Konstantinos, Ekaterini, Antonia, Georgia, Olga, Angeliki, Vasilis, Hariklia, Alex, Peter, Alexandra, Dimitra, Kenneth, Andy, Dutch, Danny, Irene, Pamela, Anita, Maria, Sophia, Ioannis, Maurice, Pat, Bonita, Maria, Deryl, Mary, …..

…..

If you would like us to remember you or your loved one in our prayers, please contact the office. 973-584-0388 or send us an email to [email protected]

Names will be kept on this list for approximately 3 months. Please resubmit Names if needed. Fr. John will pray for the Names above during the Proskomide “Offering of gifts” during the first part of the Divine Liturgy when our priest prepares the mystical gifts of bread and wine. Please keep these names in your prayers as well.

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. Second Mode. Psalm 117.14,18.
The Lord is my strength and my song.
Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 5:1-10.

Brethren, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have obtained access by faith to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us. While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man -- though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we are now justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

Προκείμενον. Second Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 117.14,18.
Ἰσχύς μου καὶ ὕμνησίς μου ὁ Κύριος.
Στίχ. Παιδεύων ἐπαίδευσέ με ὁ Κύριος.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς ῾Ρωμαίους 5:1-10.

Ἀδελφοί, δικαιωθέντες οὖν ἐκ πίστεως, εἰρήνην ἔχομεν πρὸς τὸν θεὸν διὰ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, διʼ οὗ καὶ τὴν προσαγωγὴν ἐσχήκαμεν τῇ πίστει εἰς τὴν χάριν ταύτην ἐν ᾗ ἑστήκαμεν, καὶ καυχώμεθα ἐπʼ ἐλπίδι τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ. Οὐ μόνον δέ, ἀλλὰ καὶ καυχώμεθα ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν, εἰδότες ὅτι ἡ θλῖψις ὑπομονὴν κατεργάζεται, ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ δοκιμήν, ἡ δὲ δοκιμὴ ἐλπίδα· ἡ δὲ ἐλπὶς οὐ καταισχύνει, ὅτι ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ ἐκκέχυται ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν διὰ πνεύματος ἁγίου τοῦ δοθέντος ἡμῖν. Ἔτι γὰρ Χριστός, ὄντων ἡμῶν ἀσθενῶν, κατὰ καιρὸν ὑπὲρ ἀσεβῶν ἀπέθανεν. Μόλις γὰρ ὑπὲρ δικαίου τις ἀποθανεῖται· ὑπὲρ γὰρ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ τάχα τις καὶ τολμᾷ ἀποθανεῖν. Συνίστησιν δὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀγάπην εἰς ἡμᾶς ὁ θεός, ὅτι ἔτι ἁμαρτωλῶν ὄντων ἡμῶν Χριστὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀπέθανεν. Πολλῷ οὖν μᾶλλον, δικαιωθέντες νῦν ἐν τῷ αἵματι αὐτοῦ, σωθησόμεθα διʼ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς. Εἰ γὰρ ἐχθροὶ ὄντες κατηλλάγημεν τῷ θεῷ διὰ τοῦ θανάτου τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, πολλῷ μᾶλλον καταλλαγέντες σωθησόμεθα ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ.

Gospel Reading

3rd Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 6:22-33

The Lord said, "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear? For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well."

3rd Sunday of Matthew
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 6:22-33

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος· ῾Ο λύχνος τοῦ σώματός ἐστιν ὁ ὀφθαλμός· ἐὰν οὖν ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ἁπλοῦς ᾖ, ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου φωτεινόν ἔσται· ἐὰν δὲ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου πονηρὸς ᾖ, ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου σκοτεινὸν ἔσται. εἰ οὖν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἐν σοὶ σκότος ἐστί, τὸ σκότος πόσον; Οὐδεὶς δύναται δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν· ἢ γὰρ τὸν ἕνα μισήσει καὶ τὸν ἕτερον ἀγαπήσει, ἢ ἑνὸς ἀνθέξεται καὶ τοῦ ἑτέρου καταφρονήσει. οὐ δύνασθε Θεῷ δουλεύειν καὶ μαμωνᾷ. Διὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑμῖν, μὴ μεριμνᾶτε τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν τί φάγητε καὶ τί πίητε, μηδὲ τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν τί ἐνδύσησθε· οὐχὶ ἡ ψυχὴ πλεῖόν ἐστι τῆς τροφῆς καὶ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ἐνδύματος; ἐμβλέψατε εἰς τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ὅτι οὐ σπείρουσιν οὐδὲ θερίζουσιν οὐδὲ συνάγουσιν εἰς ἀποθήκας, καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος τρέφει αὐτά· οὐχ ὑμεῖς μᾶλλον διαφέρετε αὐτῶν; τίς δὲ ἐξ ὑμῶν μεριμνῶν δύναται προσθεῖναι ἐπὶ τὴν ἡλικίαν αὐτοῦ πῆχυν ἕνα; καὶ περὶ ἐνδύματος τί μεριμνᾶτε; καταμάθετε τὰ κρίνα τοῦ ἀγροῦ πῶς αὐξάνει· οὐ κοπιᾷ οὐδὲ νήθει· λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐδὲ Σολομὼν ἐν πάσῃ τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ περιεβάλετο ὡς ἓν τούτων. Εἰ δὲ τὸν χόρτον τοῦ ἀγροῦ, σήμερον ὄντα καὶ αὔριον εἰς κλίβανον βαλλόμενον, ὁ Θεὸς οὕτως ἀμφιέννυσιν, οὐ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὑμᾶς, ὀλιγόπιστοι; μὴ οὖν μεριμνήσητε λέγοντες, τί φάγωμεν ἢ τί πίωμεν ἢ τί περιβαλώμεθα; πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα τὰ ἔθνη ἐπιζητεῖ· οἶδε γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος ὅτι χρῄζετε τούτων ἁπάντων. ζητεῖτε δὲ πρῶτον τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ, καὶ ταῦτα πάντα προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν.

Saints and Feasts

June 25

Methodius of Nevritos

June 25

3rd Sunday of Matthew

June 25

Leavetaking of the Nativity of the Forerunner John the Baptist

June 29

Peter and Paul, the Holy Apostles

The divinely-blessed Peter was from Bethsaida of Galilee. He was the son of Jonas and the brother of Andrew the First-called. He was a fisherman by trade, unlearned and poor, and was called Simon; later he was renamed Peter by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Who looked at him and said, "Thou art Simon the son of Jonas; thou shalt be called Cephas (which is by interpretation, Peter)" (John 1:42). On being raised by the Lord to the dignity of an Apostle and becoming inseparable from Him as His zealous disciple, he followed Him from the beginning of His preaching of salvation up until the very Passion, when, in the court of Caiaphas the high priest, he denied Him thrice because of his fear of the Jews and of the danger at hand. But again, after many bitter tears, he received complete forgiveness of his transgression. After the Resurrection of Christ and the descent of the Holy Spirit, he preached in Judea, Antioch, and certain parts of Asia, and finally came to Rome, where he was crucified upside down by Nero, and thus he ascended to the eternal habitations about the year 66 or 68, leaving two Catholic (General) Epistles to the Church of Christ.

Paul, the chosen vessel of Christ, the glory of the Church, the Apostle of the Nations and teacher of the whole world, was a Jew by race, of the tribe of Benjamin, having Tarsus as his homeland. He was a Roman citizen, fluent in the Greek language, an expert in knowledge of the Law, a Pharisee, born of a Pharisee, and a disciple of Gamaliel, a Pharisee and notable teacher of the Law in Jerusalem. For this cause, from the beginning, Paul was a most fervent zealot for the traditions of the Jews and a great persecutor of the Church of Christ; at that time, his name was Saul (Acts 22:3-4). In his great passion of rage and fury against the disciples of the Lord, he went to Damascus bearing letters of introduction from the high priest. His intention was to bring the disciples of Christ back to Jerusalem in bonds. As he was approaching Damascus, about midday there suddenly shone upon him a light from Heaven. Falling on the earth, he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?" And he asked, "Who art Thou, Lord?" And the Lord said, "I am Jesus Whom thou persecutest; it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks." And that heavenly voice and brilliance made him tremble, and he was blinded for a time. He was led by the hand into the city, and on account of a divine revelation to the Apostle Ananias (see Oct. 1), he was baptized by him, and both his bodily and spiritual eyes were opened to the knowledge of the Sun of Righteousness. And straightway- O wondrous transformation! - beyond all expectation, he spoke with boldness in the synagogues, proclaiming that "Christ is the Son of God" (Acts 9:1-21). As for his zeal in preaching the Gospel after these things had come to pass, as for his unabating labors and afflictions of diverse kinds, the wounds, the prisons, the bonds, the beatings, the stonings, the shipwrecks, the journeys, the perils on land, on sea, in cities, in wildernesses, the continual vigils, the daily fasting, the hunger, the thirst, the nakedness, and all those other things that he endured for the Name of Christ, and which he underwent before nations and kings and the Israelites, and above all, his care for all the churches, his fiery longing for the salvation of all, whereby he became all things to all men, that he might save them all if possible, and because of which, with his heart aflame, he continuously traveled throughout all parts, visiting them all, and like a bird of heaven flying from Asia and Europe, the West and East, neither staying nor abiding in any one place - all these things are related incident by incident in the Book of the Acts, and as he himself tells them in his Epistles. His Epistles, being fourteen in number, are explained in 250 homilies by the divine Chrysostom and make manifest the loftiness of his thoughts, the abundance of the revelations made to him, the wisdom given to him from God, wherewith he brings together in a wondrous manner the Old with the New Testaments, and expounds the mysteries thereof which had been concealed under types; he confirms the doctrines of the Faith, expounds the ethical teaching of the Gospel, and demonstrates with exactness the duties incumbent upon every rank, age, and order of man. In all these things his teaching proved to be a spiritual trumpet, and his speech was seen to be more radiant than the sun, and by these means he clearly sounded forth the word of truth and illumined the ends of the world. Having completed the work of his ministry, he likewise ended his life in martyrdom when he was beheaded in Rome during the reign of Nero, at the same time, some say, when Peter was crucified.

June 30

Synaxis of the Twelve Holy Apostles: Peter, Andrew, James & John the sons of Zebedee, Phillip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Jude the brother of James, Simon & Matthias

The names of the Twelve Apostles are these: Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew, the First-called; James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, who was also the Evangelist and Theologian; Philip, and Bartholomew (see also June 11); Thomas, and Matthew the publican, who was also called Levi and was an Evangelist; James the son of Alphaeus, and Jude (also called Lebbaeus, and surnamed Thaddaeus), the brother of James, the Brother of God; Simon the Cananite ("the Zealot"), and Matthias, who was elected to fill the place of Judas the traitor (see Aug. 9).

July 01

Cosmas & Damian the Holy Unmercenaries

These Saints, who are different from those that are celebrated on the 1st of November, were from Rome. They were physicians, freely bestowing healing upon beasts and men, asking nothing from the healed other than that they confess and believe in Christ. They ended their life in martyrdom in the year 284, under the Emperors Carinus and Numerian.

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Second Mode

When Thou didst descend unto death, O Life Immortal, then didst Thou slay Hades with the lightning of Thy Divinity. And when Thou didst also raise the dead out of the nethermost depths, all the powers in the Heavens cried out: O Life-giver, Christ our God, glory be to Thee.

Ὅτε κατῆλθες πρὸς τὸν θάνατον, ἡ Ζωὴ ἡ ἀθάνατος, τότε τὸν ᾅδην ἐνέκρωσας τῇ ἀστραπῇ τῆς Θεότητος, ὅτε δὲ καὶ τοὺς τεθνεῶτας ἐκ τῶν καταχθονίων ἀνέστησας, πᾶσαι αἱ Δυνάμεις τῶν ἐπουρανίων ἐκραύγαζον·Ζωοδότα Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν δόξα σοι.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Second Mode

O Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the creator most constant: O despise not the voices of those who have sinned; but be quick, O good one, to come unto our aid, who in faith cry unto thee: Hasten to intercession and speed thou to make supplication, O thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.

Προστασία τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀκαταίσχυντε, μεσιτεία πρὸς τὸν Ποιητὴν ἀμετάθετε. Μὴ παρίδῃς ἁμαρτωλῶν δεήσεων φωνάς, ἀλλὰ πρόφθασον, ὡς ἀγαθή, εἰς τὴν βοήθειαν ἡμῶν, τῶν πιστῶς κραυγαζόντων σοι· Τάχυνον εἰς πρεσβείαν, καὶ σπεῦσον εἰς ἱκεσίαν, ἡ προστατεύουσα ἀεί, Θεοτόκε, τῶν τιμώντων σε.

Wisdom of the Fathers

The truth is that people are frightened of being poor because they have no faith in Him who promised to provide all things needful to those who seek the kingdom of God (cf. Matt. 6:33). It is this fear that spurs them, even when they are endowed with all things, and it prevents them from ever freeing themselves from this sickly and baneful desire. They go on amassing wealth, loading themselves with a worthless burden or, rather, enclosing themselves while still living in a most absurd kind of tomb.

St. Gregory Palamas

To the Most Reverend Nun Xenia no. 32, Philokalia Vol. 4 edited by Palmer, Sherrard and Ware; Faber and Faber pg. 305, 14th century

There is none who has tasted God's richness and does not regard money as dung; none who has enjoyed the company of angels, none who has gotten drunk with their rapture, none who has shared their secrets, who does not hate the world and its intrigues. There is none whom the love of Christ has pierced who can any longer bear the filth of abominable lust; none whose mind has been captivated by God's beauty who can be captivated by any passions of this world; none who has found God and known Him who has not proudly forgotten this world. These precious stones he collects and keeps in the treasure of his heart.

St. John of Dalyatha

Homily on the Greatness of the Rank of Angels, Unknown

General Information

Contact Information

Services Schedule

On Sunday we celebrate

Past Bulletins

Services at St. Andrew

Announcements

Fr. John's Message

Daily Calendar

News - Flyers - Registrations - Other

LORD'S VOICE

car raffle

Safety team

Stewardship

Stewardship

HELLENIC AFTERNOON SCHOOL

Camp Good Shepherd

Scripture Talk

Rummage Sale

Holy Cross Celebration

Prayer List

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Epistle Reading

Gospel Reading

Saints and Feasts

Methodius of Nevritos

3rd Sunday of Matthew

Leavetaking of the Nativity of the Forerunner John the Baptist

Peter and Paul, the Holy Apostles

Synaxis of the Twelve Holy Apostles: Peter, Andrew, James & John the sons of Zebedee, Phillip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Jude the brother of James, Simon & Matthias

Cosmas & Damian the Holy Unmercenaries

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Second Mode

Seasonal Kontakion in the Second Mode

Wisdom of the Fathers