ORTHROS: 9:00
LITURGY: 10:00
SUNDAY, AUGUST 11 - NO MORNING ORTHROS The Divine Liturgy will be celebrated beginning at 10AM. See you then!
HONOR THE HOLY DORMITION FEAST - VESPERAL DIVINE LITURGY, WEDNESDAY EVENING, AUG 14 A Vesperal Divine Liturgy will be offered at 6PM this Wednesday evening in celebration of this Holy Day. Please fast from food and drink from 11AM to prepare for Communion.
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!
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.
WE'RE STILL IN THE MIDST OF THE DORMITION FAST The fasting period for the Holy Dormition began on Thursday, August 1 and continues through Wednesday, August 14. The fast is broken on the Feast of the Panagia's Holy Dormition, Thursday, 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?=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.
OUR RELIQUARY The Saints' relics entrusted to our church are often available for veneration when you enter the nave. They are in the front of the church, in the reliquary on the table before the icon of St. George. You may approach to venerate them when you arrive. You will sometimes find they emit a sweet fragrance on their own. One of the Saints whose relics are in the reliquary is St. Timothy, Archbishop of Evripos, the Wonderworker, from the 16th century. His relic is on the left side of the box (all the relics are labeled). St. Timothy's Feast Day is this Friday, Aug 16. Let us honor his holy relics which bring grace to our modest church! Also the center relic in our reliquary is a relic of St. George (this is a great honor for our church which is named for him)! The relic on the right side belongs to the Sainted monastic martyrs of Sinai and Raithu. There were two martyrdoms which occurred at those sites--one in the fourth century, one in the fifth. This group of martyrs is remembered on January 14 each year. Learn more here: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/01/holy-fathers-slain-at-sinai-and-raithu.html. Wondrous is God in His Saints!
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 Please continue to remember two Orthodox "sisters in Christ" recovering from strokes (slow, but sure), Panagiota (Jaye) and Seraphima (Linnea). Also, please remember Pat Egan whose eyesight is limiting her options. Your prayers for these dear women will be of great assistance. We also ask supportive prayers for Fr. Scott from Christ the Savior in Brewer who is recovering from a surgery with unexpected complications. He is back at home now. God grant him needed strength and a quick, solid recovery!
WEEKLY FELLOWSHIP HOUR 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!
A REQUEST TO FIND AN ACCOMMODATION The son of an Orthodox family (known to us) will be a student at Eastern Maine Community College studying diesel mechanics this fall. The family lives a little too far away for a daily commute and are hoping their son could find a suitable small apartment or room in someone's home while he's a student. Would anyone be able to offer him a rental arrangment for the coming academic year? Please contact Fr. Leo 207 385 3000 (text) or Presbytera (her phone is out of commission, so please use email: [email protected]). Either of them can put you in contact with the family. Thank you!
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.
This Martyr was from Catania in Sicily and contested during the reign of Diocletian. He presented himself of his own accord to Calvisianus the Governor, who put him to exceedingly harsh torments. As Euplus was on the rack, Calvisianus commanded him to worship Mars, Apollo, and Aesculapius; he answered he worshipped the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He was beheaded in the year 304.
Προκείμενον. Sixth Tone. 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 ῾Ρωμαίους 15:1-7.
Ἀδελφοί, ὀφείλομεν δὲ ἡμεῖς οἱ δυνατοὶ τὰ ἀσθενήματα τῶν ἀδυνάτων βαστάζειν, καὶ μὴ ἑαυτοῖς ἀρέσκειν. Ἕκαστος ἡμῶν τῷ πλησίον ἀρεσκέτω εἰς τὸ ἀγαθὸν πρὸς οἰκοδομήν. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Χριστὸς οὐχ ἑαυτῷ ἤρεσεν, ἀλλά, καθὼς γέγραπται, Οἱ ὀνειδισμοὶ τῶν ὀνειδιζόντων σε ἐπέπεσον ἐπʼ ἐμέ. Ὅσα γὰρ προεγράφη, εἰς τὴν ἡμετέραν διδασκαλίαν προεγράφη, ἵνα διὰ τῆς ὑπομονῆς καὶ διὰ τῆς παρακλήσεως τῶν γραφῶν τὴν ἐλπίδα ἔχωμεν. Ὁ δὲ θεὸς τῆς ὑπομονῆς καὶ τῆς παρακλήσεως δῴη ὑμῖν τὸ αὐτὸ φρονεῖν ἐν ἀλλήλοις κατὰ Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν· ἵνα ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἐν ἑνὶ στόματι δοξάζητε τὸν θεὸν καὶ πατέρα τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Διὸ προσλαμβάνεσθε ἀλλήλους, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς προσελάβετο ὑμᾶς, εἰς δόξαν θεοῦ.
Prokeimenon. Sixth Tone. 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 Letter to the Romans 15:1-7.
Brethren, we who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves; let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to edify him. For Christ did not please himself; but, as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached thee fell on me." For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome one another, therefore, as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
7th Sunday of Matthew
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 9:27-35
Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, παράγοντι ἐκεῖθεν τῷ ᾿Ιησοῦ ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ δύο τυφλοὶ κράζοντες καὶ λέγοντες· ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς, υἱὲ Δαυΐδ. ἐλθόντι δὲ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν προσῆλθον αὐτῷ οἱ τυφλοί, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· πιστεύετε ὅτι δύναμαι τοῦτο ποιῆσαι; λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· ναί, Κύριε. τότε ἥψατο τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτῶν λέγων· κατὰ τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν γενηθήτω ὑμῖν. καὶ ἀνεῴχθησαν αὐτῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί· καὶ ἐνεβριμήσατο αὐτοῖς ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς λέγων· ὁρᾶτε μηδεὶς γινωσκέτω. οἱ δὲ ἐξελθόντες διεφήμισαν αὐτὸν ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ γῇ ἐκείνῃ.
Αὐτῶν δὲ ἐξερχομένων ἰδοὺ προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ ἄνθρωπον κωφὸν δαιμονιζόμενον· καὶ ἐκβληθέντος τοῦ δαιμονίου ἐλάλησεν ὁ κωφός, καὶ ἐθαύμασαν οἱ ὄχλοι λέγοντες ὅτι οὐδέποτε ἐφάνη οὕτως ἐν τῷ ᾿Ισραήλ. οἱ δὲ Φαρισαῖοι ἔλεγον· ἐν τῷ ἄρχοντι τῶν δαιμονίων ἐκβάλλει τὰ δαιμόνια.
Καὶ περιῆγεν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς τὰς πόλεις πάσας καὶ τὰς κώμας διδάσκων ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς αὐτῶν καὶ κηρύσσων τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς βασιλείας καὶ θεραπεύων πᾶσαν νόσον καὶ πᾶσαν μαλακίαν ἐν τῷ λαῷ.
7th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 9:27-35
At that time, as Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, "Have mercy on us, Son of David." When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to him, "Yes, Lord." Then he touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith be it done to you." And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly charged them, "See that no one knows it." But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.
As they were going away, behold, a dumb demoniac was brought to him. And when the demon had been cast out, the dumb man spoke; and the crowds marveled, saying, "Never was anything like this seen in Israel." But the Pharisees said, "He casts out demons by the prince of demons."
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.