St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2025-08-10
Bulletin Contents
Hymns of the Day
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Wisdom of the Fathers
Saints and Feasts
Upcoming Schedule
Pastor's Ponderings
Memorials & Celebrations

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St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (978) 685-4052
  • Street Address:

  • 8 Lowell Street

  • Lawrence, MA 01840-1416
  • Mailing Address:

  • PO Box 10

  • Methuen, MA 01844

Contact Information

Father Ephraim Hastings
Pastor

[email protected] | 617-519-3966

Services Schedule

5 PM Saturdays - Vespers

9 AM Sundays - Orthros

10 AM Sundays - Divine Liturgy

Sunday School (Sept-May) following Holy Communion

Past Bulletins


Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Eighth Tone

From on high didst Thou descend, O Compassionate One; to burial of three days hast Thou submitted that Thou mightest free us from our passions. O our Life and Resurrection, Lord, glory be to Thee.

انحدرت من العلوّ ايها المتحنن وقبلت الدفن ذا الثلاثة الايام لكي تعتقنا من الآلام فيا حياتنا وقيامتنا يارب المجد لك.

Apolytikion for Afterfeast of the Transfiguration in the Seventh Tone

Thou wast transfigured on the mountain, O Christ our God, showing to Thy disciples Thy glory as each one could endure. Shine forth Thou on us, who are sinners all, Thy light ever-unending, through the prayers of the Theotokos. Light-bestower, glory be to Thee.

لما تجليت أيها المسيح الإله على الجبل أظهرت مجدك للتلاميذ حسبما استطاعوا فأشرق لنا نحن الخطأة نورك الأزلي بشافاعات والدة الإله يا مانح النور المجد لك.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Seventh Tone

You were transfigured upon the mount, O Christ our God, and Your disciples, in so far as they could bear, beheld Your glory. Thus, when they see You crucified, they may understand Your voluntary passion, and proclaim to the world that You are truly the effulgence of the Father.
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Eighth Tone. Psalm 75.11,1.
Make your vows to the Lord our God and perform them.
Verse: God is known in Judah; his name is great in Israel.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 3:9-17.

Brethren, we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it. Let each man take care how he builds upon it. For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw - each man's work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If any one destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and that temple you are.

البروكيمنون. Eighth Tone. مزمور 75: 11، 1.
أنذِروا وأوفُوا للرّبِّ إلهِكُم
Verse: الله معروف في يهوذا واسمه عظيم في إسرائيل

فصل من رسالة بولس الاولى الى اهل كورنثس 3: 9-17.

يَُّا إِخْوَة، إِنَّنَا نَحْنُ عَامِلاَنِ مَعَ اللهِ وَأَنْتُمْ فَلاَحَةُ اللهِ بِنَاءُ اللهِ. حَسَبَ نِعْمَةِ اللهِ الْمُعْطَاةِ لِي كَبَنَّاءٍ حَكِيمٍ قَدْ وَضَعْتُ أَسَاساً وَآخَرُ يَبْنِي عَلَيْهِ. وَلَكِنْ فَلْيَنْظُرْ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ كَيْفَ يَبْنِي عَلَيْهِ. فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُ أَحَدٌ أَنْ يَضَعَ أَسَاساً آخَرَ غَيْرَ الَّذِي وُضِعَ الَّذِي هُوَ يَسُوعُ الْمَسِيحُ. وَلَكِنْ إِنْ كَانَ أَحَدُ يَبْنِي عَلَى هَذَا الأَسَاسِ ذَهَباً فِضَّةً حِجَارَةً كَرِيمَةً خَشَباً عُشْباً قَشّاً فَعَمَلُ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ سَيَصِيرُ ظَاهِراً لأَنَّ الْيَوْمَ سَيُبَيِّنُهُ. لأَنَّهُ بِنَارٍ يُسْتَعْلَنُ وَسَتَمْتَحِنُ النَّارُ عَمَلَ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مَا هُوَ. إِنْ بَقِيَ عَمَلُ أَحَدٍ قَدْ بَنَاهُ عَلَيْهِ فَسَيَأْخُذُ أُجْرَةً. إِنِ احْتَرَقَ عَمَلُ أَحَدٍ فَسَيَخْسَرُ وَأَمَّا هُوَ فَسَيَخْلُصُ وَلَكِنْ كَمَا بِنَارٍ. أَمَا تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّكُمْ هَيْكَلُ اللهِ وَرُوحُ اللهِ يَسْكُنُ فِيكُمْ؟ إِنْ كَانَ أَحَدٌ يُفْسِدُ هَيْكَلَ اللهِ فَسَيُفْسِدُهُ اللهُ لأَنَّ هَيْكَلَ اللهِ مُقَدَّسٌ الَّذِي أَنْتُمْ هُوَ.

Gospel Reading

9th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 14:22-34

At that time, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. But immediately he spoke to them, saying "Take heart, it is I; have no fear."

And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water." He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?" And when they entered the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.

9th Sunday of Matthew
متى 14: 22-34

22في ذلك الزمان أَلْزَمَ يَسُوعُ تَلاَمِيذَهُ أَنْ يَدْخُلُوا السَّفِينَةَ وَيَسْبِقُوهُ إِلَى الْعَبْرِ حَتَّى يَصْرِفَ الْجُمُوعَ.23وَبَعْدَمَا صَرَفَ الْجُمُوعَ صَعِدَ إِلَى الْجَبَلِ مُنْفَرِداً لِيُصَلِّيَ. وَلَمَّا صَارَ الْمَسَاءُ كَانَ هُنَاكَ وَحْدَهُ. 24وَأَمَّا السَّفِينَةُ فَكَانَتْ قَدْ صَارَتْ فِي وَسَطِ الْبَحْرِ مُعَذَّبَةً مِنَ الأَمْوَاجِ. لأَنَّ الرِّيحَ كَانَتْ مُضَادَّةً. 25وَفِي الْهَزِيعِ الرَّابِعِ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مَضَى إِلَيْهِمْ يَسُوعُ مَاشِياً عَلَى الْبَحْرِ. 26فَلَمَّا أَبْصَرَهُ التَّلاَمِيذُ مَاشِياً عَلَى الْبَحْرِ اضْطَرَبُوا قَائِلِينَ: إِنَّهُ خَيَالٌ. وَمِنَ الْخَوْفِ صَرَخُوا! 27فَلِلْوَقْتِ كَلَّمَهُمْ يَسُوعُ قَائِلاً : تَشَجَّعُوا! أَنَا هُوَ. لاَ تَخَافُوا. 28فَأَجَابَهُ بُطْرُسُ وَقَالَ : يَا سَيِّدُ ، إِنْ كُنْتَ أَنْتَ هُوَ ، فَمُرْنِي أَنْ آتِيَ إِلَيْكَ عَلَى الْمَاءِ. 29فَقَالَ: تَعَالَ. فَنَزَلَ بُطْرُسُ مِنَ السَّفِينَةِ وَمَشَى عَلَى الْمَاءِ لِيَأْتِيَ إِلَى يَسُوعَ. 30وَلَكِنْ لَمَّا رَأَى الرِّيحَ شَدِيدَةً خَافَ. وَإِذِ ابْتَدَأَ يَغْرَقُ ، صَرَخَ قَائِلاً : يَا رَبُّ ، نَجِّنِي ! 31فَفِي الْحَالِ مَدَّ يَسُوعُ يَدَهُ وَأَمْسَكَ بِهِ وَقَالَ لَهُ: يَا قَلِيلَ الإِيمَانِ لِمَاذَا شَكَكْتَ؟ 32وَلَمَّا دَخَلاَ السَّفِينَةَ سَكَنَتِ الرِّيحُ. 33وَالَّذِينَ فِي السَّفِينَةِ جَاءُوا وَسَجَدُوا لَهُ قَائِلِينَ: بِالْحَقِيقَةِ أَنْتَ ابْنُ اللَّهِ!.34فَلَمَّا عَبَرُوا جَاءُوا إِلَى أَرْضِ جَنِّيسَارَتَ .

 

 

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Wisdom of the Fathers

The principle and source of the virtues is a good disposition of the will, that is to say, an aspiration for goodness and beauty. God is the source and ground of all supernal goodness. Thus the principle of goodness and beauty is faith or, rather, it is Christ, the rock of faith, who is principle and foundation of all virtues. On this rock we stand and on this foundation we build every good thing (cf. I Cor. 3:11).
St. Gregory of Sinai
On Commandments and Doctrines no. 83, Philokalia Vol. 3 edited by Palmer, Sherrard and Ware; Faber and Faber pg. 228, 14th century

Christ did not command the winds to cease at that time, but Himself stretched forth His hand and took hold of Peter, because here faith was required of him. When we do not do our part, divine (grace) slows and stands still.. . . it was not the wind that did Peter harm; his lack of faith sank him. Where faith is fruitful, firm and strong, none of the evils that may befall us can do us any harm.
St. John Chrysostom
The Gospel Commentary edited by Hieromonk German Ciuba, 2002, 4th Century

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Saints and Feasts

August 10

Laurence the Holy Martyr & Archdeacon of Rome

This Saint, who was born in Spain, was the Archdeacon of the Church of Rome, caring for the sacred vessels of the Church and distributing money to the needy. About the year 257, a harsh persecution was raised up against the Christians by Valerian. Pope Sixtus, who was from Athens, was commanded to worship the idols, and refused; before his martyrdom by beheading, he committed to Laurence all the sacred vessels of the Church. When Laurence was arrested and brought before the Prefect, he was questioned concerning the treasures of the Church; he asked for three days' time to prepare them. He then proceeded to gather all the poor and needy, and presented them to the Prefect and said, "Behold the treasures of the Church." The Prefect became enraged at this and gave command that Laurence be racked, then scourged with scorpions (a whip furnished with sharp iron points - compare II Chron. 10:11), then stretched out on a red-hot iron grill. But the courageous athlete of Christ endured without groaning. After he had been burned on one side, he said, "My body is done on one side; turn me over on the other." And when this had taken place, the Martyr said to the tyrants, "My flesh is now well done, you may taste of it." And when he had said this, and had prayed for his slayers in imitation of Christ, he gave up his spirit on August 10, 258.

August 13

Maximus the Confessor

The divine Maximus, who was from Constantinople, sprang from an illustrious family. He was a lover of wisdom and an eminent theologian. At first, he was the chief private secretary of the Emperor Heraclius and his grandson Constans. But when the Monothelite heresy became predominant in the royal court, out of hatred for this error the Saint departed for the Monastery at Chrysopolis (Scutari), of which he later became the abbot. When Constans tried to constrain him either to accept the Monothelite teaching, or to stop speaking and writing against it - neither of which the Saint accepted to do - his tongue was uprooted and his right hand was cut off, and he was sent into exile, where he reposed in 662. At the time only he and his few disciples were Orthodox in the East. See also January 21.

August 15

The Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary

Concerning the Dormition of the Theotokos, this is what the Church has received from ancient times from the tradition of the Fathers. When the time drew nigh that our Savior was well-pleased to take His Mother to Himself, He declared unto her through an Angel that three days hence, He would translate her from this temporal life to eternity and bliss. On hearing this, she went up with haste to the Mount of Olives, where she prayed continuously. Giving thanks to God, she returned to her house and prepared whatever was necessary for her burial. While these things were taking place, clouds caught up the Apostles from the ends of the earth, where each one happened to be preaching, and brought them at once to the house of the Mother of God, who informed them of the cause of their sudden gathering. As a mother, she consoled them in their affliction as was meet, and then raised her hands to Heaven and prayed for the peace of the world. She blessed the Apostles, and, reclining upon her bed with seemliness, gave up her all-holy spirit into the hands of her Son and God.

With reverence and many lights, and chanting burial hymns, the Apostles took up that God-receiving body and brought it to the sepulchre, while the Angels from Heaven chanted with them, and sent forth her who is higher than the Cherubim. But one Jew, moved by malice, audaciously stretched forth his hand upon the bed and immediately received from divine judgment the wages of his audacity. Those daring hands were severed by an invisible blow. But when he repented and asked forgiveness, his hands were restored. When they had reached the place called Gethsemane, they buried there with honor the all-immaculate body of the Theotokos, which was the source of Life. But on the third day after the burial, when they were eating together, and raised up the artos (bread) in Jesus' Name, as was their custom, the Theotokos appeared in the air, saying "Rejoice" to them. From this they learned concerning the bodily translation of the Theotokos into the Heavens.

These things has the Church received from the traditions of the Fathers, who have composed many hymns out of reverence, to the glory of the Mother of our God (see Oct. 3 and 4).

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Upcoming Schedule

Wednesday, August 13 

6PM Paraklesis Service

Thursday, August 14 - Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos 

6PM Divine Liturgy

Saturday, August 16

5PM Vespers

Sunday, August 17

9AM Orthros

10AM Divine Liturgy

11:30AM Parish Council

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Pastor's Ponderings

And they cried out for fear. But immediately he spoke to them, saying "Take heart, it is I; have no fear." We hear our Lord in this Sunday's Gospel assuring the apostles in the storm tossed boat. May these words, may the voice of the Lord illumine our mind, heart body and soul in the midst of the trials and tribulations of our lives. Let us "take heart" that the Lord with with us for as we experience and hear every Sunday - "Christ is in our midst...He is and ever shall be!" Glory to God! Fr. Ephraim

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