Weekly Bulletin

MEAT FARE SUNDAY

While only Orthodox Christians may approach the chalice for Holy Communion, everyone is welcome to venerate the Cross and receive the blessed bread at the end of the Divine Liturgy.

VARIATION IN TODAY’S DIVINE LITURGY
At the entrance (Service Book page 97)

1. TROPARION OF THE RESURRECTION – Tone 3: Let the Heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad, for the Lord hath done a mighty act with His own hand. He has trampled death by His death and has become the first born from the dead.  He has delivered us from the depths of Hades, granting to the people of the world His Great Mercy.
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. Repeat #1 above.
4. 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.
5. KONTAKION OF MEAT FARE SUNDAY - Tone 1:  All creation shall tremble, O Lord, when you come to earth in glory! Past your throne will the river of fire flow, and the book of life will reveal the secrets of all. Then, rescue me from unquenchable flames, and count me worthy of standing at your right.

Prokeimenon:  The Lord is my strength and my song.
            The Lord has chastened me sorely.

EPISTLE:  First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians.  (Chapters 8:8-13; 9:1-2.)

BRETHREN, food will not commend us to God, we are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.  Only take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.  For if any one sees you a man of knowledge, at table in an idol's temple, might he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols?  And so by your knowledge this weak man is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died.  Thus, sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.  Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother's falling, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall.
Am I not free?  Am I not an apostle?  Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?  Are not you my workmanship in the Lord?  If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW.  (Chapter 25:31-46.)

When the son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.  Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at his left.  Then the King, will say to those at his right hand, "Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me."  Then the righteous will answer him, "Lord when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink?  And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee?  And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?"  And the King will answer them, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me."  Then he will say to those at his left hand, "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me." Then they also will answer, "Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?"  Then he will answer them, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these you did it not to me."  And they will go away into eternal punishment but the righteous into eternal life."

(Consult the Parish Ecclesiastical Calendar for daily readings.)

CONGRATULATIONS & THANK YOU:

Our Annual Parish Meeting took place last Sunday, February 12^th.  Congratulations to re-elected Parish Council Members, Subdn. Douglas Howdy and Michael Sassine and newly-elected Parish Council Members, Zana Audy and Robert Saba and appointed Member, Faris Saba.  Thank you to outgoing Members Dr. Fadi Metri and Ghassan Moussa.  May God bless you all!  Unanimously passed, our operating budget for 2012—$455,450.  Also the three proposed revisions to the Parish Constitution were passed.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

DIOCESAN WINTER MEETINGS – For the Antiochian Women, Teens and Fellowship of St. John the Divine, Saturday, February 25^th beginning with Liturgy at 9AM, presided over by Bishop JOHN; light refreshments meetings and lunch to follow.

ST. GEORGE WEEKEND SCHEDULED  - This year, we plan to celebrate our Patronal Feast over the weekend of the April 27-29.  His Grace, Bishop JOHN has accepted our invitation to preside over this year’s celebration.  We are honored that our new Bishop in Christ will be with us for this joyous occasion.  A committee is being formed to oversee the success of the weekend and additional information will be published as it develops.  Please mark the calendar now and plan to support this important annual parish event. St. George weekend is a traditional feature of our parish life that offers us an opportunity to celebrate our community and honor the successes we enjoy as a parish.

SAVE THE DATE - The AABA Benefit Hufli will be May 12th at St. John's Church in Dedham. If you would like to provide in-kind donations or help support the event, please contact George Matook at georgematook@mac.com or Jenna Weiskerger at jweisker@student.umass.edu..

2012 PARISH LIFE CONFERENCE – This year’s Parish Life Conference will be held at The Cliff House, Ogunquit, Maine, June 21-24. Amazing Room Rate:  $149 (Regularly $310) Reservations are now open:  Call 207-361-1000 or visit their website www.CliffHouseMaine.com/attendees  User Name:  PARISH  Password: pa986B.  Sponsored by St. George, Norwood, www.StGeorgeNorwood.org/PLC2012.

REMINDERS:

Our gift to St. George. - 2012 initial Pledge Packets were mailed out December 1^st.  Thank you for your immediate response.  A second follow-up letter was mailed out February 1^st5t to anyone who has not responded to date.  Goal:  $235,000.  Pledged to date:  $168,408.

FYI:

SYRIAN-LEBANESE WOMEN’S CLUB SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM – Applications are available for a number of scholarship awards in the amount of $1,000 each to young women of Syrian and Lebanese origin, residing in Massachusetts within a 50-mile radius of Boston, who plan to pursue a four-year college education.  Please call the church office for an application and further information.  Completed applications must be postmarked by March 31, 2012.

WAYS YOU CAN HELP:

BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION – BOX TOPS which can be found on most General Mills products and many other items you bring home from the supermarket greatly benefit the THEOPHANY SCHOOL.  So please save them and put them in the box at the Religious Items Table.