ORTHROS: 9:00
LITURGY: 10:00
WELCOME TO OUR VISITORS Whether you are new to Bangor or if you're just passing through - welcome! Please don't hesitate to introduce yourself to someone you've never met and consider staying for some refreshments and fellowship after the morning service. If you would like to receive mailings or otherwise stay in touch, please leave your contact information (name, address, phone, email) with the person in the church office.
CHOIR MEMBERS, WE NEED YOU As you all know, this is vacation season. Choir, we ask you to keep this in mind and make every effort to be present to offer the Divine Liturgy every Sunday during the summer season, especially. Thank you!
THIS TUESDAY, AUG 6 is the Feast of the Holy Tansfiguration. On that day, the fast is relaxed to allow for a festal meal containing fish. Some beautiful meditations for the Feast can be found on the Full of Grace and Truth blogspot: https://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2009/08/holy-transfiguration-of-our-lord-god.html
DORMITION FAST The fasting period for the Holy Dormition began on Thursday, August 1 and continues through Thursday, August 14. The fast is broken on the Feast of the Panagia's Holy Dormition, August 15. The Church guides us to fast as during Great Lent, that is, eat a vegan diet (no meat, fish or dairy products during this period), although fish is permitted on Tuesday, August 6 for the Feast of the Holy Transfiguration. Seafood is always acceptable during fasting days / seasons. The Church guides us wisely--roughly half the year is spent following a vegan diet which more and more people realize is to our health's benefit. Not only is it to our health's benefit, but it is also a great spiritual benefit. Places you can look on-line for recipe ideas: https://plantbasedcookingshow.com/ and YouTube.com--look for the channel "Heavenly Fan." Fan follows a vegan keto plan and has had much success over a number of years. Both cooks--Jill from the Plant Based Cooking Show and Fan of the Heavenly Fan channel are both excellent cooks with tasty recipes.
IF YOU ARE NOT YET FAMILIAR... make an effort to learn to chant the small paraklesis service to the Mother of God (the Holy Theotkos) during the Dormition Fast this year. It is customary to offer paraklesis prayers to the Mother of God on the weekdays of the Dormition Fast. The Orthodox choral group, Eikona, has made this beautiful service accessible to us in the English language. You can listen to the prayers being chanted at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbfD6pYWu5g. If you print out the text, you can learn to chant along with Eikona. The words are here: https://hrmonline.org/documents/2016/10/Paraklesis%2020161021.pdf.
THE MOTHER OF GOD IS THE MOTHER OF ALL CHRISTIANS She is a strong ally and protection for God's children. Give her your love and devotion, she is more than deserving of every laud we can raise to her name. As a good and loving Mother, she is always there for us and comes to our aid when we call out to her.
WOULD YOU BAKE SOME PROSFORA? Our supply of breads is running low. If you can bake prosfora, would you kindly let Fr. Leo that you will bake some bread for the Holy Offering?
PRAYER REQUESTS Seraphima (Linnea) is continuing to improve slowly, but surely, in her stroke recovery. It's a blessing and encouragment for her and all the Flazala family members. Panagiota (Jaye) Goulet is at home and continuing her recovery after a number of months in the hospital. This is a great encouragement not only to her, but to her entire family and host of prayer partners! God bless and strengthen His two children--Seraphima and Panagiota on their way to full recovery by the mercy and grace of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ! Please continue to pray for them both. Remember, too, Pat Egan who has gone through two eye surgeries with reasonable success. Even though she's had surgery to arrest deterioration, it hasn't actually improved her eyesight significantly. Life is more challenging as a result, but Pat is undaunted--she has too much yet to accomplish! Her writing profession does take a toll on her eyesight. So, she asks that you please continue to pray for her and says, "thank you!"
THANK YOU to everyone who brings something to share at table during fellowship hour. Fellowship hour is that much more pleasant with refreshments thanks to your thoughtful generosity each week!
PLEASE HELP ST. GEORGE RAISE A BIT OF EXTRA INCOME by turning in bottles and cans for redemption at Damon's Beverage and Redemption Center at 700 Hogan Road in Bangor. Last year St. George received just shy of $400 for the year by this redemption method--every little bit helps. Thank you!
FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE - Donations can be made online.
The Seven Youths hid themselves in a certain cave near Ephesus in the year 250, to escape the persecution of Decius. By divine grace, a sleep came upon them and they slept for 184 years, until the reign of Saint Theodosius the Younger, when the doctrine of the resurrection was being assailed by heretics. They then awoke, that is, were resurrected, confirming in the sight of all the bodily resurrection; and again after a short time, by divine command, they reposed in the Lord in the year 434.
Προκείμενον. Fifth Tone. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 11.7,1.
Σὺ Κύριε, φυλάξαις ἡμᾶς καὶ διατηρήσαις ἡμᾶς.
Στίχ. Σῶσον με, Κύριε, ὅτι ἐκλέλοιπεν ὅσιος.
τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς ῾Ρωμαίους 12:6-14.
Ἀδελφοί, ἔχοντες δὲ χαρίσματα κατὰ τὴν χάριν τὴν δοθεῖσαν ἡμῖν διάφορα, εἴτε προφητείαν, κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν τῆς πίστεως· εἴτε διακονίαν, ἐν τῇ διακονίᾳ· εἴτε ὁ διδάσκων, ἐν τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ· εἴτε ὁ παρακαλῶν, ἐν τῇ παρακλήσει· ὁ μεταδιδούς, ἐν ἁπλότητι· ὁ προϊστάμενος, ἐν σπουδῇ· ὁ ἐλεῶν, ἐν ἱλαρότητι. Ἡ ἀγάπη ἀνυπόκριτος. Ἀποστυγοῦντες τὸ πονηρόν, κολλώμενοι τῷ ἀγαθῷ. Τῇ φιλαδελφίᾳ εἰς ἀλλήλους φιλόστοργοι· τῇ τιμῇ ἀλλήλους προηγούμενοι· τῇ σπουδῇ μὴ ὀκνηροί· τῷ πνεύματι ζέοντες· τῷ κυρίῳ δουλεύοντες· τῇ ἐλπίδι χαίροντες· τῇ θλίψει ὑπομένοντες· τῇ προσευχῇ προσκαρτεροῦντες· ταῖς χρείαις τῶν ἁγίων κοινωνοῦντες· τὴν φιλοξενίαν διώκοντες. Εὐλογεῖτε τοὺς διώκοντας ὑμᾶς· εὐλογεῖτε, καὶ μὴ καταρᾶσθε.
Prokeimenon. Fifth Tone. Psalm 11.7,1.
You, O Lord, shall keep us and preserve us.
Verse: Save me, O Lord, for the godly man has failed.
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 12:6-14.
Brethren, having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; he who teaches, in his teaching; he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who contributes, in liberality; he who gives aid, with zeal; he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
6th Sunday of Matthew
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 9:1-8
Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἐμβὰς εἰς πλοῖον διεπέρασε καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν πόλιν. Καὶ ἰδοὺ προσέφερον αὐτῷ παραλυτικὸν ἐπὶ κλίνης βεβλημένον· καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς τὴν πίστιν αὐτῶν εἶπε τῷ παραλυτικῷ· θάρσει, τέκνον· ἀφέωνταί σοι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι σου. καὶ ἰδού τινες τῶν γραμματέων εἶπον ἐν ἑαυτοῖς· οὗτος βλασφημεῖ. καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς τὰς ἐνθυμήσεις αὐτῶν εἶπεν· ἵνα τί ὑμεῖς ἐνθυμεῖσθε πονηρὰ ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν; τί γάρ ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν, ἀφέωνταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι, ἢ εἰπεῖν, ἔγειρε καὶ περιπάτει; ἵνα δὲ εἰδῆτε ὅτι ἐξουσίαν ἔχει ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας - τότε λέγει τῷ παραλυτικῷ· ἐγερθεὶς ἆρόν σου τὴν κλίνην καὶ ὕπαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου. καὶ ἐγερθεὶς ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ. ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ ὄχλοι ἐθαύμασαν καὶ ἐδόξασαν τὸν Θεὸν τὸν δόντα ἐξουσίαν τοιαύτην τοῖς ἀνθρώποις.
6th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 9:1-8
At that time, getting into a boat Jesus crossed over and came to his own city. And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on his bed; and when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven." And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming." But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say 'Rise and walk?' But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" he then said to the paralytic -- "Rise, take up your bed and go home." And he rose and went home. When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.