Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Daniel 3.26,27.
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers.
Verse: For you are just in all you have done.

The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 20:16-18, 28-36.

IN THOSE DAYS, Paul had decided to sail past Ephesos, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. And from Miletos he sent to Ephesos and called to him the elders of the church. And when they came to him, he said to them: "Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God which he obtained with the blood of his own Son. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by so toiling one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, 'it is more blessed to give than to receive.' " And when he had spoken thus, he knelt down and prayed with them all.

Gospel Reading

Fathers of the 1st Council
The Reading is from John 17:1-13

At that time, Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work which you gave me to do; and now, Father, you glorify me in your own presence with the glory which I had with you before the world was made.

"I have manifested your name to the men whom you gave me out of the world; yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you; for I have given them the words which you gave me, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you did send me. I am praying for them; I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are mine; all mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves."

Saints and Feasts

June 16

Fathers of the 1st Council

The heresiarch Arius was a Libyan by race and a protopresbyter of the Church of Alexandria. In 315, he began to blaspheme against the Son and Word of God, saying that He is not true God, consubstantial with the Father, but is rather a work and creation, alien to the essence and glory of the Father, and that there was a time when He was not. This frightful blasphemy shook the faithful of Alexandria. Alexander, his Archbishop, after trying in vain to correct him through admonitions, cut him off from communion and finally in a local council deposed him in the year 321. Yet neither did the blasphemer wish to be corrected, nor did he cease sowing the deadly tares of his heretical teachings; but writing to the bishops of other cities, Arius and his followers requested that his doctrine be examined, and if it were unsound, that the correct teaching be declared to him. By this means, his heresy became universally known and won many supporters, so that the whole Church was soon in an uproar.

Therefore, moved by divine zeal, the first Christian Sovereign, Saint Constantine the Great, the equal to the Apostles, summoned the renowned First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, a city of Bithynia. It was there that the shepherds and teachers of the Church of Christ gathered from all regions in the year 325. All of them, with one mouth and one voice, declared that the Son and Word of God is one in essence with the Father, true God of true God, and they composed the holy Symbol of Faith up to the seventh article (since the remainder, beginning with "And in the Holy Spirit," was completed by the Second Ecumenical Council). Thus they anathematized the impious Arius of evil belief and those of like mind with him, and cut them off as rotten members from the whole body of the faithful.

Therefore, recognizing the divine Fathers as heralds of the Faith after the divine Apostles, the Church of Christ has appointed this present Sunday for their annual commemoration, in thanksgiving and unto the glory of God, unto their praise and honour, and unto the strengthening of the true Faith.

June 16

Tychon the Wonderworker

This Saint was born of pious Christian parents and flourished in the fifth century. Because of his piety and purity of life he was ordained deacon by the Bishop of Amathus, and later was made Bishop of Amathus by the great Epiphanius (see May 12). He worked many signs and wonders and turned many from the worship of idols unto Christ. Once he planted a vine in the ground and it wondrously sprouted and brought forth ripe grapes. After his death, on his annual feast-day on June 16, it being yet early in the season, that vine would be laden with unripe grapes, as is natural; but as the Divine Liturgy began, the grapes would begin to darken, and by the end of it, they would be fully ripened. The third of the Vespers stichera in the Menaion service to Saint Tychon alludes to this yearly miracle.

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Second Mode

Αγγελικαί Δυνάμεις επί τό μνήμα σου, καί οι φυλάσσοντες, απενεκρώθησαν· καί ίστατο Μαρία εν τώ τάφω ζητούσα, τό άχραντόν σου σώμα· εσκύλευσας τόν Άδην, μή πειρασθείς υπ’αυτού· υπήντησας τή Παρθένω, δωρούμενος τήν ζωήν. Ο αναστάς εκ νεκρών, Κύριε δόξα Σοι.

Αgelike Dinamis epi to mnimasou, ke I filasontes apenekrothisan, ke istato Maria en to tafo zitousa, to ahranton sou soma, eskilefsas ton Adin, mi pirasthis ipaftou, ipindisas ti Partheno, doroumenos tin zoin, O anastas ek ton nekron, Kirie doxa Si.

Angelic powers appeared at Your tomb, and those guarding it became like dead, and at Your grave Mary was standing, seeking Your most pure body. You plundered Hades, not being tempted by it; You encountered the Virgin, granting life. O Lord, who rose from the dead, glory to You!

Apolytikion for Holy Ascension in the Fourth Mode

You ascended in glory, O Christ our God, after You filled the Disciples with joy, by promising to send them the Holy Spirit, and You blessed them and established their faith, the You are the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world.

Apolytikion for Fathers of the 1st Council in the Plagal Fourth Mode

Supremely blessed are You, O Christ our God. You established the holy Fathers upon the earth as beacons, and through them You have guided us all to the true Faith, O greatly merciful One, glory be to You.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Second Mode

When You had fulfilled the dispensation for our sake, | and united things on earth with the things in heaven, | You were taken up thither in glory, O Christ our God, | going not away from any place, | but continuing inseparable, | and to them that love You crying out: | “I am with you, - and there is, therefore, none against you.”

Welcome

This week’s Announcements

Welcome to all our guests. We are glad you are here worshiping with us today!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL THE FATHERS!

_____________________________________________________________________________________
Mission Statement | St. Paul Greek Orthodox Church is a community that worships the Holy Trinity and lives out the gospel of Christ as Orthodox Christians. We seek to do God’s will, while sharing the Faith and serving others as we pursue salvation in Christ.
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Holy Communion in the Orthodox Church is only offered to Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves through the disciplines of our faith. Speak to Fr. Costas for further details.

Today ~ Parish Council & Ushers ~ Team 3 | Altar Boys ~ Team 1 | Greeters ~ Team 2
Today ~ MNYMOSINO | 6 months for Mike Rahas [for Panagiotis and Konstantina Rahas]
Today ~ in honor of Father’s Day, we were instructed by the Archdiocese to honor our spiritual fathers, the priests who serve our communities, by having a special collection to go towards the Clergy Pension Fund. A basket will be in the narthex for all who would like to contribute to this effort. Checks can be made payable to St Paul Greek Orthodox Church with Clergy Pension Fund in the memo. You can also donate online through the Ways to Give [Stewardship] button on the church website.
Today ~ Coffee Social hosted by the Rahas family. GOYA is providing a cake for Father’s Day.
Monday - Tuesday ~ 10:00 AM Festival baking resumes as we make Moussaka. Please join us!
Monday ~ 6:30 PM Dance practice for Senior dancers.
Thursday ~ 1:00 PM Senior OPA kafenio with speaker on scam awareness.
Thursday ~ 6:30 PM Dance practice for Senior dancers.
Thursday – Next Sunday ~ St Demetrios Rocky River Festival.
Friday - Saturday ~ Pan-Pontian Greek Youth Festival in Cleveland. More information at www.clevelandpontians.org.
Saturday ~ Saturday of Souls | 8:30 AM Orthros; 9:30 AM Liturgy & commemoration of departed.
St Paul Prayer Chain ~ If you have a prayer request, send email to: [email protected].
The kiosk in the Narthex is available for your assistance. If you have any questions, see an usher.

Upcoming Events in Our Parish and Beyond

Next Sunday ~ Parish Council & Ushers ~ Team 4 | Altar Boys ~ Team 2 | Greeters ~ Team 3
Next Sunday ~ Orthros John 20:19-23 | Epistle Reading Acts 2:1-11 | Gospel John 7:37-52; 8:12
Next Sunday ~ Zoe for Life!® Baby Shower sponsored by the Stewardship Committee. Items in need include NEW baby clothes newborn-2T, cribs, and car seats. Also accepting like new strollers, blankets, play yards, high chairs, bouncers, baby swing, and maternity clothes. Diapers sizes 4 – 6 always in need. Drop off your donation on the stage during coffee social.
June 24 ~ Monday of the Holy Spirit | 9:30 AM Liturgy at Holy Trinity OCA on Broadview Road in Parma.
June 25 ~ 6:30 PM Stewardship meeting.
June 28 ~ 7:00 PM Great Vespers for the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul followed by reception.
June 29 ~ feast of our Patron saint, Saint Paul & St. Peter | 8:30 AM Orthros; 9:30 AM Liturgy followed by luncheon sponsored by Philoptochos.
July 1 – 5 ~ National Clergy Laity in SanDiego CA attended by Father Costas and parish delegates.
July 18 – 21 ~ St Paul Greek Fest. Learn how you can offer your time to make this year’s festival a success at https://tinyurl.com/VolunteerGreekFEST. Someone will also be available during weekly coffee social to assist you in signing up.
July 29 – August 2 ~ 9:00 AM - Noon Vacation Church School “Feasts of the Lord” for students in K-6^th grade. Register at https://tinyurl.com/STP-VCS. Only $30/student!