March 7, 2010 Church Bulletin
Sunday, March 7, 2010
THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT
ADORATION OF THE HOLY CROSS
VARIATION IN TODAY’S DIVINE LITURGY
At the entrance (Service Book page 97):
1. THIRD ANTIPHON AND TROPARION OF THE HOLY CROSS – Tone 1: – Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship the footstool of His feet: Save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance: Shepherd them and bear them up unto eternity. O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance. Give victory to those who battle evil, and with your cross protect us all.
2. THE ENTRANCE HYMN: O Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ. O son of God, who art risen from the dead save us who sing unto thee: Alleluia.
3. TROPARION OF THE RESURRECTION – Tone 6: When Mary stood at thy grave looking for thy sacred body, angelic powers shone above thy revered tomb, and the soldiers who were to keep guard became as dead men. Thou held hades captive and wast not tempted thereby. Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst give life to the world; O thou that art risen from the dead! O Lord, glory to thee.
4. THE TROPARION OF THE HOLY CROSS – Tone 1: O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance. Give victory to those who battle evil, and with your cross protect us all.
5. TROPARION OF ST. GEORGE – Tone 4: As deliverer of captives and defender of the poor, healer of the infirm, champion of kings, victorious, Great Martyr George, intercede with Christ our God for our soul’s salvation.
6.KONTAKION FOR THE SUNDAYS IN LENT – Tone 8: Verily, I thy servant, O Theotokos, inscribe unto thee the banners of conquest, O defending soldier; I offer thanks to thee as a deliverer from tribulation, and since thine is the might unconquerable, deliver me, O deliver me from oppression, that I may sing unto thee: Rejoice, O bride without bridegroom.
The Trisagion is replaced with “Before thy cross …”.
Prokeimenon: O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance.
To you, O Lord, have I cried, O my God.
EPISTLE: The reading is from St. Paul to the Hebrews. (Chapters 4:14-16; 5:1-6.)
BRETHREN, since we have a high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was.
So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, "Thou art my son, today I have begotten thee"; as he says also in another place, "Thou art a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek."
THE HOLY GOSPEL LESSON ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. (Chapters 8:34 to end; 9:1.)
The Lord said: "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." And Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power."
Special note: Except for those who are elderly and/or disabled, please remain standing during Holy Communion.
NEXT WEEK’S HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: Hebrews 6:13-20; Mark 9:17-31.
MARCH IS ANTIOCHIAN WOMEN’S MONTH
On Sundays during the month of March the ladies will read the epistle, collect the trays and hold the communion cloth. TODAY a special collection will be taken in support of their Project 2009-2010, The Convent of St. Thekla at the Antiochian Village. Please refer to Metropolitan PHILIP’S letter and the brochure enclosed in this bulletin for more details about all the good works of the Antiochian Women. An Antiochian Women Scholarship Application for those women 25 years of older who wish to continue their education is also included in the brochure. As an added note, the St. George Ladies Society will host their Annual Lenten Supper on Friday, March 19, 2010 at 5:00p.m. followed by the Akathist/Medayeh Service at 7:00pm.