St. Stephen Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2025-08-24
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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

August 24

Euplus the Holy Martyr & Archdeacon of Catania

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.


August 24

Our Holy Father Niphonus, Patriarch of Constantinople


August 24

Commemoration of St. Spyridon's Miracle in Corfu against the Turkish invasion of 1716


August 24

Afterfeast of the Transfiguration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ


August 24

Blane, Bishop of Bute


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Eleventh Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 21:14-25

At that time, Jesus revealed himself to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. And he said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." A second time he said to him, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go." (This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this he said to him, "Follow me." Peter turned and saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved, who had lain close to his breast at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?" When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?" Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!" The saying spread abroad among the brethren that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?" This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these things; and we know that his testimony is true. But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

Eleventh Orthros Gospel
يوحنا 21: 14-25

14في ذلك الزمان أظهر يسوع نفسه لتلاميذه من بعد ما قام من بين الأموات 15وقال لسمعان بطرس ((يَا سِمْعَانُ بْنَ يُونَا، أَتُحِبُّنِي أَكْثَرَ مِنْ هَؤُلاَءِ؟)) قَالَ لَهُ: ((نَعَمْ يَا رَبُّ أَنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنِّي أُحِبُّكَ)). قَالَ لَهُ: ((ارْعَ خِرَافِي)). 16قَالَ لَهُ أَيْضاً ثَانِيَةً: ((يَا سِمْعَانُ بْنَ يُونَا، أَتُحِبُّنِي؟)) قَالَ لَهُ: ((نَعَمْ يَا رَبُّ، أَنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنِّي أُحِبُّكَ)). قَالَ لَهُ: ((ارْعَ غَنَمِي)). 17قَالَ لَهُ ثَالِثَةً: ((يَا سِمْعَانُ بْنَ يُونَا، أَتُحِبُّنِي؟)) فَحَزِنَ بُطْرُسُ لأَنَّهُ قَالَ لَهُ ثَالِثَةً: أَتُحِبُّنِي؟ فَقَالَ لَهُ: ((يَا رَبُّ، أَنْتَ تَعْلَمُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ. أَنْتَ تَعْرِفُ أَنِّي أُحِبُّكَ)). قَالَ لَهُ يَسُوعُ: ((ارْعَ غَنَمِي. 18اَلْحَقَّ الْحَقَّ أَقُولُ لَكَ: لَمَّا كُنْتَ أَكْثَرَ حَدَاثَةً كُنْتَ تُمَنْطِقُ ذَاتَكَ وَتَمْشِي حَيْثُ تَشَاءُ. وَلَكِنْ مَتَى شِخْتَ فَإِنَّكَ تَمُدُّ يَدَيْكَ وَآخَرُ يُمَنْطِقُكَ، وَيَحْمِلُكَ حَيْثُ لاَ تَشَاءُ)). 19قَالَ هَذَا مُشِيراً إِلَى أَيَّةِ مِيتَةٍ كَانَ مُزْمِعاً أَنْ يُمَجِّدَ اللَّهَ بِهَا. وَلَمَّا قَالَ هَذَا قَالَ لَهُ: ((اتْبَعْنِي)). 20فَالْتَفَتَ بُطْرُسُ وَنَظَرَ التِّلْمِيذَ الَّذِي كَانَ يَسُوعُ يُحِبُّهُ يَتْبَعُهُ، وَهُوَ أَيْضاً الَّذِي اتَّكَأَ عَلَى صَدْرِهِ وَقْتَ الْعَشَاءِ، وَقَالَ: (( يَا سَيِّدُ ، مَنْ هُوَ الَّذِي يُسَلِّمُكَ؟)) 21فَلَمَّا رَأَى بُطْرُسُ هَذَا ، قَالَ لِيَسُوعَ: ((يَا رَبُّ، وَهَذَا مَا لَهُ؟)) 22قَالَ لَهُ يَسُوعُ: ((إِنْ كُنْتُ أَشَاءُ أَنَّهُ يَبْقَى حَتَّى أَجِيءَ ، فَمَاذَا لَكَ؟ اتْبَعْنِي أَنْتَ!)). 23فَذَاعَ هَذَا الْقَوْلُ بَيْنَ الإِخْوَةِ: إِنَّ ذَلِكَ التِّلْمِيذَ لاَ يَمُوتُ. وَلَكِنْ لَمْ يَقُلْ لَهُ يَسُوعُ إِنَّهُ لاَ يَمُوتُ، بَلْ: ((إِنْ كُنْتُ أَشَاءُ أَنَّهُ يَبْقَى حَتَّى أَجِيءَ ، فَمَاذَا لَكَ؟)).24هَذَا هُوَ التِّلْمِيذُ الَّذِي يَشْهَدُ بِهَذَا وَكَتَبَ هَذَا. وَنَعْلَمُ أَنَّ شَهَادَتَهُ حَقٌّ.25وَأَشْيَاءُ أُخَرُ كَثِيرَةٌ صَنَعَهَا يَسُوعُ ، إِنْ كُتِبَتْ وَاحِدَةً وَاحِدَةً، فَلَسْتُ أَظُنُّ أَنَّ الْعَالَمَ نَفْسَهُ يَسَعُ الْكُتُبَ الْمَكْتُوبَةَ.

 

 


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. 2nd Tone. Psalm 117.14,18.
The Lord is my strength and my song.
Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 9:2-12.

Brethren, you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defense to those who would examine me. Do we not have the right to our food and drink? Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a wife, as the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? Do I say this on human authority? Does not the law say the same? For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain." Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of a share in the crop. If we have sown spiritual good among you, is it too much if we reap your material benefits? If others share this rightful claim upon you, do not we still more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.

البروكيمنون. 2nd Tone. مزمور 117: 14، 18.
الرب قوتي وتسبيحتي
Verse: أدباُ أدّبني الرب

فصل من رسالة بولس الاولى الى اهل كورنثس 9: 2-12.

يَُّا إِخْوَة، أَنْتُمْ خَتْمُ رِسَالَتِي فِي الرَّبِّ. هَذَا هُوَ احْتِجَاجِي عِنْدَ الَّذِينَ يَفْحَصُونَنِي. أَلَعَلَّنَا لَيْسَ لَنَا سُلْطَانٌ أَنْ نَأْكُلَ وَنَشْرَبَ؟ أَلَعَلَّنَا لَيْسَ لَنَا سُلْطَانٌ أَنْ نَجُولَ بِأُخْتٍ زَوْجَةً كَبَاقِي الرُّسُلِ وَإِخْوَةِ الرَّبِّ وَصَفَا؟ أَمْ أَنَا وَبَرْنَابَا وَحْدَنَا لَيْسَ لَنَا سُلْطَانٌ أَنْ لاَ نَشْتَغِلَ؟ مَنْ تَجَنَّدَ قَطُّ بِنَفَقَةِ نَفْسِهِ؟ وَمَنْ يَغْرِسُ كَرْماً وَمِنْ ثَمَرِهِ لاَ يَأْكُلُ؟ أَوْ مَنْ يَرْعَى رَعِيَّةً وَمِنْ لَبَنِ الرَّعِيَّةِ لاَ يَأْكُلُ؟ أَلَعَلِّي أَتَكَلَّمُ بِهَذَا كَإِنْسَانٍ؟ أَمْ لَيْسَ النَّامُوسُ أَيْضاً يَقُولُ هَذَا؟ فَإِنَّهُ مَكْتُوبٌ فِي نَامُوسِ مُوسَى: ((لاَ تَكُمَّ ثَوْراً دَارِساً)). أَلَعَلَّ اللهَ تُهِمُّهُ الثِّيرَانُ؟ أَمْ يَقُولُ مُطْلَقاً مِنْ أَجْلِنَا؟ إِنَّهُ مِنْ أَجْلِنَا مَكْتُوبٌ. لأَنَّهُ يَنْبَغِي لِلْحَرَّاثِ أَنْ يَحْرُثَ عَلَى رَجَاءٍ وَلِلدَّارِسِ عَلَى الرَّجَاءِ أَنْ يَكُونَ شَرِيكاً فِي رَجَائِهِ. إِنْ كُنَّا نَحْنُ قَدْ زَرَعْنَا لَكُمُ الرُّوحِيَّاتِ أَفَعَظِيمٌ إِنْ حَصَدْنَا مِنْكُمُ الْجَسَدِيَّاتِ؟ إِنْ كَانَ آخَرُونَ شُرَكَاءَ فِي السُّلْطَانِ عَلَيْكُمْ أَفَلَسْنَا نَحْنُ بِالأَوْلَى؟ لَكِنَّنَا لَمْ نَسْتَعْمِلْ هَذَا السُّلْطَانَ بَلْ نَتَحَمَّلُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ لِئَلاَّ نَجْعَلَ عَائِقاً لإِنْجِيلِ الْمَسِيحِ.


Gospel Reading

11th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 18:23-35

The Lord said this parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, 'Pay what you owe.' So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' And in anger his lord delivered him to the torturers, till he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."

11th Sunday of Matthew
متى 18: 23-35

23 قال الرب هذا المثل  يُشْبِهُ مَلَكُوتُ السَّمَاوَاتِ إِنْسَاناً مَلِكاً أَرَادَ أَنْ يُحَاسِبَ عَبِيدَهُ. 24فَلَمَّا ابْتَدَأَ فِي الْمُحَاسَبَةِ قُدِّمَ إِلَيْهِ وَاحِدٌ مَدْيُونٌ بِعَشْرَةِ آلاَفِ وَزْنَةٍ. 25وَإِذْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ مَا يُوفِي أَمَرَ سَيِّدُهُ أَنْ يُبَاعَ هُوَ وَامْرَأَتُهُ وَأَوْلاَدُهُ وَكُلُّ مَا لَهُ ، وَيُوفَي الدَّيْنُ. 26فَخَرَّ الْعَبْدُ وَسَجَدَ لَهُ قَائِلاً: يَا سَيِّدُ ، تَمَهَّلْ عَلَيَّ فَأُوفِيَكَ الْجَمِيعَ. 27فَتَحَنَّنَ سَيِّدُ ذَلِكَ الْعَبْدِ وَأَطْلَقَهُ ، وَتَرَكَ لَهُ الدَّيْنَ. 28وَلَمَّا خَرَجَ ذَلِكَ الْعَبْدُ وَجَدَ وَاحِداً مِنَ الْعَبِيدِ رُفَقَائِهِ كَانَ مَدْيُوناً لَهُ بِمِئَةِ دِينَارٍ ، فَأَمْسَكَهُ وَأَخَذَ بِعُنُقِهِ قَائِلاً: أَوْفِنِي مَا لِي عَلَيْكَ. 29فَخَرَّ الْعَبْدُ رَفِيقُهُ عَلَى قَدَمَيْهِ وَطَلَبَ إِلَيْهِ قَائِلاً: تَمَهَّلْ عَلَيَّ فَأُوفِيَكَ الْجَمِيعَ. 30فَلَمْ يُرِدْ بَلْ مَضَى وَأَلْقَاهُ فِي سِجْنٍ حَتَّى يُوفِيَ الدَّيْنَ. 31فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْعَبِيدُ رُفَقَاؤُهُ مَا كَانَ ، حَزِنُوا جِدّاً. وَأَتَوْا وَقَصُّوا عَلَى سَيِّدِهِمْ كُلَّ مَا جَرَى. 32فَدَعَاهُ حِينَئِذٍ سَيِّدُهُ وَقَالَ لَهُ: أَيُّهَا الْعَبْدُ الشِّرِّيرُ ، كُلُّ ذَلِكَ الدَّيْنِ تَرَكْتُهُ لَكَ لأَنَّكَ طَلَبْتَ إِلَيَّ. 33أَفَمَا كَانَ يَنْبَغِي أَنَّكَ أَنْتَ أَيْضاً تَرْحَمُ الْعَبْدَ رَفِيقَكَ كَمَا رَحِمْتُكَ أَنَا؟. 34وَغَضِبَ سَيِّدُهُ وَسَلَّمَهُ إِلَى الْمُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّى يُوفِيَ كُلَّ مَا كَانَ لَهُ عَلَيْهِ. 35فَهَكَذَا أَبِي السَّمَاوِيُّ يَفْعَلُ بِكُمْ إِنْ لَمْ تَتْرُكُوا مِنْ قُلُوبِكُمْ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ لأَخِيهِ زَلَّاتِهِ. 

 

 


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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the 2nd Tone

When Thou didst descend unto death, O Life Immortal, then didst Thou slay Hades with the lightning of Thy Divinity. And when Thou didst also raise the dead out of the nethermost depths, all the powers in the Heavens cried out: O Life-giver, Christ our God, glory be to Thee.

عندما انحدرت إلى الموت ايها الحياة الذي لايموت ، حينئذ أمتّ الجحيم ببرق لاهوتك، وعندما أقمت الاموات من تحت الثرى صرخ نحوك جميع القوات السماويين : ايها المسيح الاله المعطي الحياة المجد لك.

Apolytikion of Martyr Euplus the Deacon 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.

Apolytikion of Holy Transfiguration in the Grave Tone

You were transfigured on the Mount, Christ God revealing Your glory to Your disciples, insofar as they could comprehend. Illuminate us sinners also with Your everlasting light, through the intercessions of the Theotokos. Giver of light, glory to You.

Kontakion of Martyr Euplus the Deacon in the First Tone

While bearing in thy hands the divine laws of Christ God, thou camest to thy foes, in the stadium crying: Now being self-called, I come to contend with most firm resolve. Wherefore, having bent thy neck in great jubilation, thou was then beheaded with the sword, O wise Euplus, completing thy valiant course.

Kontakion of Holy Transfiguration in the Grave 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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Wisdom of the Fathers

Do we forgive our neighbors their trespasses? God also forgives us in His mercy. Do we refuse to forgive? God, too, will refuse to forgive us. As we treat our neighbors, so also does God treat us. The forgiveness, then, of your sins or unforgiveness, and hence also your salvation or destruction, depend on you yourself, man. For without forgiveness of sins there is no salvation.
St. Tikhon of Zadonsk
Unknown, 18th century

Wherefore then did He not do this, nor forgive the debt before the account? Desiring to teach him, from how many obligations He is delivering him, that in this way at least he might become more mild towards his fellow servant .... He gave more than he asked, remission and forgiveness of the entire debt.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 61 on Matthew 18, 4th Century

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