St. Stephen Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2024-09-15
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St. Stephen Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (707)235-0316
  • Street Address:

  • 11055 Hirschfeld Way

  • Rancho Cordova, CA 95670


Contact Information




Services Schedule

 

Saturday

Vespers: 3:00 pm

Sunday

Matins: 8:15 am

Liturgy: 9:30 am


Past Bulletins


Saints and Feasts

September 15

Mammas the Martyr

Saint Mammas was from Gangra of Paphlagonia. He was born in prison, where his parents were suffering for Christ's sake and ended their lives. He was named Mammas because, after he had long remained without speaking, he addressed his foster mother Ammia as "mamma." He contested for Christ about the year 275.


September 15

John the Abstainer, Patriarch of Constantinople

Saint John became Patriarch during the reign of Tiberius, in the year 582, governed the Church for thirteen years and five months, and reposed in peace in 595. It was during this Patriarch's reign, in the year 586, that the title "Ecumenical Patriarch," not used before this, came to be instituted.


September 15

Paul, Patriarch of Constantinople


September 15

Cosmas the Hermit


September 15

Ammon & Aeithalas the Martyrs of Thrace


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

First Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Matthew 28:16-20

At that time, the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw Him they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age. Amen."

First Orthros Gospel
متى 28: 16-20

16في ذلك الزمان انْطَلَقُ الأَحَدَ عَشَرَ تِلْمِيذاً إِلَى الْجَلِيلِ إِلَى الْجَبَلِ ،حَيْثُ أَمَرَهُمْ يَسُوعُ. 17وَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ سَجَدُوا لَهُ ،وَلَكِنَّ بَعْضَهُمْ شَكُّوا. 18فَتَقَدَّمَ يَسُوعُ وَكَلَّمَهُمْ قَائِلاً: ((دُفِعَ إِلَيَّ كُلُّ سُلْطَانٍ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَعَلَى الأَرْضِ، 19فَاذْهَبُوا وَتَلْمِذُوا جَمِيعَ الأُمَمِ وَعَمِّدُوهُمْ بِاسْمِ الآبِ وَالاِبْنِ وَالرُّوحِ الْقُدُسِ.

20وَعَلِّمُوهُمْ أَنْ يَحْفَظُوا جَمِيعَ مَا أَوْصَيْتُكُمْ بِهِ. وَهَا أَنَا مَعَكُمْ كُلَّ الأَيَّامِ إِلَى انْقِضَاءِ الدَّهْرِ)). آمِينَ. 

 

 


Gospel Reading

The Reading is from Matthew 19:16-26

At that time, a young man came up to Jesus, kneeling and saying, "Good Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" And he said to him, "Why do you call me good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." He said to him, "Which?" And Jesus said, "You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and You shall love your neighbor as yourself." The young man said to him, "All these I have observed; what do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.

And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

متى 19: 16-26

16في ذلك الزمان دنا إلى يسوع شابٌ وجثا له قائلاً : ((أَيُّهَا الْمُعَلِّمُ الصَّالِحُ، أَيَّ صَلاَحٍ أَعْمَلُ لِتَكُونَ لِيَ الْحَيَاةُ الأَبَدِيَّةُ؟)) 17فَقَالَ لَهُ: ((لِمَاذَا تَدْعُونِي صَالِحاً؟ لَيْسَ أَحَدٌ صَالِحاً إِلاَّ وَاحِدٌ وَهُوَ اللَّهُ. وَلَكِنْ إِنْ أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تَدْخُلَ الْحَيَاةَ فَاحْفَظِ الْوَصَايَا)). 18قَالَ لَهُ: ((أَيَّةَ الْوَصَايَا؟)) فَقَالَ يَسُوعُ: ((لاَ تَقْتُلْ. لاَ تَزْنِ. لاَ تَسْرِقْ. لاَ تَشْهَدْ بِالزُّورِ. 19أَكْرِمْ أَبَاكَ وَأُمَّكَ ، وَأَحِبَّ قَرِيبَكَ كَنَفْسِكَ)).20قَالَ لَهُ الشَّابُّ: ((هَذِهِ كُلُّهَا حَفِظْتُهَا مُنْذُ حَدَاثَتِي. فَمَاذَا يُعْوِزُنِي بَعْدُ؟)) 21قَالَ لَهُ يَسُوعُ: ((إِنْ أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تَكُونَ كَامِلاً فَاذْهَبْ وَبِعْ أَمْلاَكَكَ وَأَعْطِ الْفُقَرَاءَ ، فَيَكُونَ لَكَ كَنْزٌ فِي السَّمَاءِ ، وَتَعَالَ اتْبَعْنِي)). 22فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ الشَّابُّ الْكَلِمَةَ مَضَى حَزِيناً ، لأَنَّهُ كَانَ ذَا أَمْوَالٍ كَثِيرَةٍ.23فَقَالَ يَسُوعُ لِتَلاَمِيذِهِ: (( الْحَقَّ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ: إِنَّهُ يَعْسُرُ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ غَنِيٌّ إِلَى مَلَكُوتِ السَّمَاوَاتِ! 24وَأَقُولُ لَكُمْ أَيْضاً: إِنَّ مُرُورَ جَمَلٍ مِنْ ثَقْبِ إِبْرَةٍ أَيْسَرُ مِنْ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ غَنِيٌّ إِلَى مَلَكُوتِ اللَّهِ ! )). 25فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ تَلاَمِيذُهُ بُهِتُوا جِدّاً قَائِلِينَ: ((إِذاً مَنْ يَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ يَخْلُصَ؟)) 26فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ يَسُوعُ وَقَالَ لَهُمْ : ((هَذَا عِنْدَ النَّاسِ غَيْرُ مُسْتَطَاعٍ ، وَلَكِنْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ مُسْتَطَاعٌ)).

 

 


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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the 3rd Tone

Let the Heavens rejoice; let earthly things be glad; for the Lord hath wrought might with His arm, He hath trampled upon death by death. The first-born of the dead hath He become. From the belly of Hades hath He delivered us, and hath granted great mercy to the world.

لتفرح السماويات وتبتهج الارضيات ، لأن الرب صنع عزاً بساعده ، ووطئ الموت بالموت، وصار بكرالاموات ، وأنقذنا من جوف الجحيم، ومنح العالم الرحمة العظمى.

Apolytikion of Martyr Mammas in the Fourth Tone

Thy Martyr, O Lord, in his courageous contest for Thee received as the prize the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our immortal God. For since he possessed Thy strength, he cast down the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons' strengthless presumption. O Christ God, by his prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful.

Kontakion of Martyr Mammas in the Third Tone

With the staff bestowed on thee by God, O holy Great Martyr, shepherd us thy people now in green and life-giving pastures; swiftly crush with godly power unseen and wild beasts underneath the feet of them that praise thee with longing; for in dangers we all have thee, O Mammas, as our fervent protector and help.
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Forms & Flyers

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Support St. Stephens

It is our hope that you will support our church so that we can continue to support our community, with the Good Lord’s blessings. Please note that no amount of help is too small, as every bit helps. We thank you in advance and may our Lord keep you in His care.

 Mail Check to: 

 St. Stephen Orthodox Church

 PO Box 292343

 Sacramento, CA 95829 

    

 

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Wisdom of the Fathers

The key to knowledge is the humility of Christ. The door of the Kingdom of Heaven is open, not to those who only know in their learned minds the mysteries of faith and the commandments of their Creator, but to those who have progressed far enough to live by them.
St. Bede the Venerable
Unknown, 8th century

To deny oneself means to give up one's bad habits; to root out of the heart all that ties us to the world; not to cherish bad thoughts and desires; to suppress every evil thought; to avoid occasions of sin; not to desire or to do anything out of self-love, but to do everything out of love for God. To deny oneself, according to St. Paul means "to be dead to sin. . . but alive to God."
St. Innocent of Alaska
The Lenten Spring, SVS Press, p. 147, 19th Century

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