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Welcome to Saint George’s today. We are glad to have you! If you are here for the first time, please stay for the coffee social in the parish hall after liturgy so we can get acquainted.
SCRIPTURE READINGS THIS WEEK
Dec 26th 2nd Day of the Nativity; Synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos
Hebrews 2:11-18 Matthew 2:13-23
Dec 27th 3rd Day of the Nativity; Holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen
Acts 6:8-15; 7:1-5, 47-60 Matthew 21:33-42
Dec 28th After feast of the Nativity; 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia
Hebrews 5:11-6:8 Mark 11:23-26
Dec 29th After feast of the Nativity; 14,000 Holy Innocents slain by Herod
Hebrews 7:1-6 Mark 11:27-33
Dec 30th After feast of the Nativity; Martyr Anysia of Thessalonica
Hebrews 7:18-25 Mark 12:1-12
Dec 31st Leave taking of the Nativity; Venerable Melania the Younger of Rome
Ephesians 2:11-13 Luke 17:3-10
Reader: Stefan Russin
Activities/Services this Week
Men’s & Women’s Fellowship: Tuesday, December, 27th, see announcements
Compline/Akathist Service: Wednesday, December 28th, 6:30 PM, at the church
Bowling Green Book Club: Thursday, December 29th, 6:30 PM at Grounds for Thought in BG
Rossford/Toledo Book Club: Friday, December 30th, 9:30 AM, at Biernacki Home
Great Vespers: Saturday, December 31st, 5 PM, at the church
New Year Day Liturgy: Sunday, January 1st, 10 AM, at the church
Last Sunday, December 18th, 53 adults and 16 youth attended Divine Liturgy.
The Sanctuary Lamp is burning this week for the health of all St. George parishioners for peace and prosperity for the New Year. Sponsor forms for 2012 for both the Sanctuary Lamp and Bulletin are now available in the Narthex to fill out.
The Bowling Green Book Club will meet on Thursday, December 29th, 6:30 PM at Grounds for Thought in BG. We will study Psalms 91 to 104 of Christ in the Psalms by Fr. Patrick Reardon. The Rossford/Toledo Book Club will meet on Friday, December 30th, 9:30 AM at the Biernacki Home. We will discuss Essays 37 to 40 of The Winter Pascha by Fr. Thomas Hopko.
Please remember to save the icons from the 2011 church calendars and bring them to church. Fr. Paul can take them to St. Gregory’s monastery where they can mount and laminate them then sell them to support their community life.
The St. Anna’s Ladies Guild has the following available for purchase at $9.00 each:
• Walnut kolachi, Apricot kolachi, Poppyseed kolachi, and Prune kolachi
• Apple and Cherry Strudel (frozen and unbaked)
Additionally, there are some 1/2 rolls of walnut kolachi ($4.50 each). Please see Mary Gresko, Margaret Ostas, Vi Costoff or Joanne Pentsos if interested.
St. Anna’s Women’s Guild Christmas Luncheon
• When: December 27, 2011 12:30 PM
• Where: Bravo’s Italian Restaurant, 5001 Monroe St. Toledo, OH 419-472-1200
• Hope you can join us for a nice lunch and great company. Please RSVP by December 25th to Joanne Pentsos, 419-698-1884.
• P.S. The ladies will not have a gift exchange this year, but will give a donation to a charity.
There is an effort to get our men together from the parish for dinner on Tuesday evening, December 27th, for more information, speak with Stan Pentsos (419-698-1884).
Here is the schedule for the upcoming services for Holy Theophany: (All services at the church)
Thursday, January 5th:
10 AM, Theophany Royal Hours (We will be joined by the other three Orthodox Churches in the area for this service)
6:30 PM: Great Vespers with 13 OT readings & Great blessing of water afterwards
Friday, January 6th:
10 AM: Divine Liturgy for Theophany
One of the ways we celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ on December 25 is to sing the Troparion of the Feast.
The words of the hymn describe Jesus Christ as the light of the world, the Sun of Righteousness and the Orient from on high. The hymn also refers to the wise men from the East who followed a star to find this newborn King. Depictions and descriptions of the wise men differ. They are sometimes called Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, but have also been given other names. In Western art they are often shown riding camels, presumably to indicate that they come from the East, but in icons they ride horses, a way of showing that they wanted to get to the Savior as quickly as possible. Swift horses can certainly maintain a different pace from that of plodding camels, though the ride was arduous no matter what animals they rode.
While in many representations all three men look to be approximately the same age, icons show one as distinctly older than the other two, emphasizing that the urgent work of seeking salvation is for people of all ages, just as it is for people of every background and origin. One word that is used by most traditions to identify the three travelers is "magi." This word brings to mind images of men who watched the stars closely and tried to derive wisdom from them, or who "worshipped the stars," as the Troparion states.
The wise men are not the only ones to whom this word is applied. In Acts 8: 9-24 we meet a "magus" (the singular of "magi") named Simon, who says of himself that he is "something great." He is popular and is listened to because he has amazed the people with magic. But Simon's response to the truly great things he sees the apostles doing is all wrong. He hopes to buy the power they have, so that "anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." Peter rebukes him and urges him to repent. The magi who come to worship Jesus in the cave are quite different. They are ready to humble themselves before this Child. They are willing to be "taught by a star to adore" Him, as the Troparion puts it, not seeking to share His power but just to offer Him gifts. They are ready to accept what God is showing them by means of a star that is different from all the stars they have studied so attentively.
Troparion - Tone 4
Your Nativity, O Christ our God, has shone to the world the Light of wisdom!
For by it, those who worshipped the stars, were taught by a Star to adore You, the Sun of Righteousness,
and to know You, the Orient from on High. O Lord, glory to You!
In his poem "Journey of the Magi" T.S. Eliot writes that the men returned to their kingdom homes but were "no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation, with an alien people clutching their gods." The magis' lives were changed, and perhaps they would never again be comfortable. God had shown them something entirely new in the stars, and the only possible response was the one we sing in the Troparion: "O Lord, glory to Thee."
Taken from: http://dce.oca.org/page/bulletins
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