Parish Bulletin – July 28th, 2012

8TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

TONE 7

HOLY MARTYR CALLINICUS OF GANGRA

I Corinthians 1:10-18
Matthew 14:14-22

Choir Director: Veronika

Welcome

We welcome you to the Orthodox Church. Please feel at ease and free to participate in the singing. As a visitor you are welcome to come forward at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy and venerate the Cross offered by the priest. Additionally you may receive the blessed bread (Antidoron) that is offered at that time. If you have questions or would like further information, the priest or one of the members of the parish will be pleased to help.

A word to our visitors on Holy Communion

The Orthodox Church does not practice open Communion. Therefore, only members of Canonical Orthodox Churches exercising jurisdiction in America may approach the Chalice for Holy Communion. The Orthodox do not regard Holy Communion solely as an act of personal piety, but also as an expression of union with the Orthodox Church’s faith, doctrine, and discipline. Orthodox visitors wishing to receive Holy Communion should make their intention known to the priest in advance — ask any member of the parish for help in relaying your intention to the priest. Orthodox Christians should prepare themselves to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion through recent Confession, prayers of preparation for Holy Communion, and fasting (at minimum, from midnight before receiving).

“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in a an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord.” – I Corinthians 11:27

TROPARIA AND KONTAKIA

Troparion of Saint Callinicus, Tone 3:

In his suffering, O Lord, Thy martyr Callinicus received an imperishable crown from Thee, our God; for, possessed of Thy might, he cast down the tormenters and set at naught the feeble audacity of the demons. By his supplications save Thou our souls.

Kontakion of Saint Callinicus, Tone 2:

The beautiful things of heaven hast thou now inherited as is meet; for, greatly aflame with the love of Christ, thou didst manfully brave the fire therewith, O Callinicus. Standing now before Him, cease not to pray in behalf of us all.

Opportunities to give:

➢ Food donations to the Ashland Food Project

➢ This is the last week that the parish will be accepting donations to give to the Magdalene Home (a resource for homeless pregnant and parenting teens). We are hoping to be able to send them $300.

Announcements:

• Now that we are back to a regular schedule of Liturgy, please sign up for coffee fellowship/kitchen cleanup.
• The Yogurt Hut event will take place Sunday, August 19^th, 12-4 pm. Plan to be there, to eat delicious frozen yoghurt, and invite your friends as well!
• Adult Education Classes will continue on Wednesday, following Vespers.
• The Dormition Fast begins on Wednesday. Please try to observe the fast to the best of your ability.
• If you have old photos of parish life, services, Blessing of the Waters, etc., please lend them to Fr. Andreas so that he can copy them for a parish “picture library.”

Service Schedule this Week:

Tuesday – 6.00 pm, Great Vespers

Wednesday – 6.40 am, Hours, Divine Liturgy, Blessing of Water (Procession of the Lifegiving Cross) –  6.00 pm, Vespers

Thursday – 6.40 am, Hours, Divine Liturgy

Saturday – 5.30 pm, Great Vespers

Sunday – 8.40 am, Hours, Divine Liturgy

Confession after Vespers or by appointment!

Other Activities Next Week:

• Wednesday, following Vespers – Adult Education Class
• Thursday, 7 pm – Mary & Martha Fellowship
• Saturday, 4.30 PM – Choir practice

Bulletin Insert (OCA Department of Education):

On August 1st the Church remembers seven brothers, the Maccabees, and their mother Solomonia. She had to witness the brutal deaths of all her beloved boys, but the way she did it is memorable.

Antiochus IV, who reigned from 175 to 164 B.C., was the Syrian king so full of pride that he took the title “Epiphanes” and felt entitled to demand that his whole kingdom follow one set of customs—those of the pagan Greek culture.

What this meant for the Jews living under his rule was that they were directed “to forbid burnt offerings and sacrifices and drink offerings in the sanctuary…to build altars and sacred precincts for idols, to sacrifice swine and unclean animals, and to leave their sons uncircumcised. They were to make themselves abominable by everything unclean and profane” (I Maccabees 1: 45-480).

While this was intolerable to many Jews, some went along with it so as to escape persecution and get along with the ruler. I Maccabees tells us: “All the Gentiles accepted the command of the king. Many even from Israel gladly adopted his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the Sabbath” (1:41). Antiochus oversaw the desecration of the Temple itself. A faithful priest of the Temple who was in his nineties, Eleazar, was tortured and killed for his insistence on upholding the Old Testament Law.

The seven young martyrs remembered on this day were disciples of Eleazar. When the king brought them to trial, they openly declared their allegiance to him, and refused to break the Law of Moses by eating pork. The oldest brother, speaking for them all, challenged the king by asking, “What do you intend to ask and learn from us? For we are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our fathers” (II Maccabees 7: 2).

When only the youngest boy was left alive, Antiochus urged his mother Solomonia to persuade him to give in, so that she would at least have one son left. She pretended to do this, but actually whispered to him that he should show the same bravery his brothers had shown. She was sure they would all, by God’s grace, be reunited. When her youngest defied the king and was killed, she said a prayer and died too.

On August 2nd we read the account of the mother of the sons of Zebedee who comes to Jesus and asks Him to “command that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom” (Matthew 20: 21).

So we have two mothers, both wanting things for their sons. One seeks honor; the other encourages martyrdom. Yet both women, different as they are, give sons to God for His service, and He accepts them all.

Troparion – Tone 7
Let us praise the seven Maccabees,
with their mother Salome and their teacher Eleazar;
they were splendid in lawful contest
as guardians of the teachings of the Law.
Now as Christ’s holy martyrs they ceaselessly intercede for the world.
Kontakion – Tone 2
Seven pillars of the Wisdom of God
and seven lampstands of the divine Light,
all-wise Maccabees, greatest of the martyrs before the time of the martyrs,
with them ask the God of all to save those who honor you.
Jesus knows that it is really the two sons themselves who are asking this, and He turns His attention directly to them. He tells them that places at His right or left are the Father’s, not His, to give.