Sunday,  September 8, 2024

Nativity of the Theotokos​

 

TO OUR VISITORS

Welcome! We hope your time with us is healing and worshipful. Please note that, although we have much respect for other Christian traditions, Holy Communion is reserved for properly prepared members of the Orthodox faith. Everyone is invited to partake of the blessed bread after the conclusion of the Liturgy. May God’s blessing be upon you!

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Hymns in Today’s Liturgy

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Resurrectional Apolytikion (Tone 2)
When Thou didst submit Thyself unto death, O Thou deathless and immortal One, then Thou didst destroy hell with Thy Godly power. And when Thou didst raise the dead from beneath the earth, all the powers of Heaven did cry aloud unto Thee: O Christ, Thou giver of life, glory to Thee.

Apolytikion for the Nativity of the Theotokos (Tone 4)
Thy nativity, O Theotokos, hath proclaimed joy to the whole universe; for from thee did shine forth the Sun of justice, Christ our God, annulling the curse, and bestowing the blessing, abolishing death and granting us life everlasting.

Kontakion of the Nativity of the Theotokos (Tone 4)
By thy holy nativity, O pure one, Joachim and Anna were delivered from the reproach of barrenness; and Adam and Eve were delivered from the corruption of death; thy people do celebrate it, having been saved from the stain of iniquity, crying unto thee: The barren doth give birth to the Theotokos, who nourisheth our life.

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THE EPISTLE

Galatians 6:11–18

Brethren, see with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that would compel you to be circumcised and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For even those who receive circumcision do not themselves keep the Law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh. But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. Peace and mercy be upon all, who walk by this rule, upon the Israel of God. Henceforth, let no man trouble me; for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.

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THE GOSPEL

John 3:13-17

The Lord said, “No one has ascended into heaven but He who descended from heaven, the Son of man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent His Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”

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UPCOMING AT ST MARY OF EGYPT

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​Tuesday

Daily Vespers 18:00 @ St. Mary

OCMC Dinner 19:00 @ St. Mary

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Saturday

Orthros & Divine Liturgy for
the Elevation of the Cross 10:00 @ St. Mary

Work Day 11:00 @ St. Mary

Great Vespers 18:00 @ St. Mary

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Sunday

Orthros & Divine Liturgy 09:00 @ St. Mary

Christian Education 12:00 @ St. Mary

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Fall Gathering: A focus of our Midwest Regional Fall Gathering at St. Nicholas, Grand Rapids, 18–20 October, will be group ministries. If you participate in any of our group ministries such as the Ladies of St. Mary, the Men of St. Mary, SOYO, or Christian Education, you need to attend even if you can only go for Saturday and Sunday. The room rates are $109–119 and both hotel and conference registration is now open; register today!

 

Prayer List: If you have any prayer requests, please submit them either to Charles. The information needed is the person’s name (preferably baptismal, if Orthodox) and whether the person being added is Orthodox or not. Unless we are notified that the person has a long-lasting need, all persons on the list will rotate off after 40 days.

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Coffee Hour: Coffee hour is our time of fellowship after the Liturgy. This week, the group in charge of coffee hour will be group B, led by Bobbi Cornelius. Next week, the group in charge of coffee hour will be group C, led by Amal Hanania.

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St. Mary Fall Fest: Our Parish Festival on 2024‑10‑05 is fast approaching. We need everyone here that day to support the parish in this endeavor that is both a fundraiser and an outreach to the community. The different areas for which we need you to sign up for are: Setup, Parking (we will have the use of both SCS and Isom Elementary), Welcome Booth, Church Tours, Food Booth, Bake Sale, Cashier, Café, Runner/Busser, Kid’s Area, Beer & Wine, and Breakdown/Cleanup. The sign-up sheets are in the fellowship hall. We also have a sign-up sheet for those who have not yet gotten a parish T-shirt.

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Bake Sale: There is a sign-up sheet in the fellowship hall for people to contribute baked goods for our festival’s bake sale. Also, we are now taking pre-orders for Russian Honeycakes made by Tatiana Craig and Czech Nut Rolls made by Connie Heermann. These have always been very popular; pre-order forms were sent via e-mail and are available on Facebook.

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Work Days:  This Saturday, we will continue deep-cleaning and other tasks in preparation for our Fall Fest. We are going to have workdays every Saturday in September leading up to the Festival. We will have a master list posted with what needs to be done in each area, both indoors and out, that was sent out by e-mail and posted on Facebook.

 

Building Search: As Fr. Peter mentioned recently, we are looking for a new, larger place for us to meet as our current building, while serving us well for 11 years, is too small for our growing parish. We have a building committee appointed that currently consists of Fr Peter, Michael Frank, Barry Craig, and Katya Alexeeva. If you have any input or information that would be helpful in this endeavor, please let one of them know.

 

Christian Education: Christian Education classes (formerly Sunday School) is held after coffee hour. The adult class meets in the front classroom, the SOYO class (ages 11–18) in the first room at the foot of the stairs in the basement (today, they will continue to work on that room), and the younger class (ages 3–10) in the back classroom. We need someone to help with teaching the grade school children (ages 7–10) so that all our kids can have an age-appropriate curriculum. The online book study will resume on Monday, 2024‑09‑16 at 19:00 and Adult Education/Catechism will resume on Tuesday, 2024‑09‑17 at 19:00. If you are interested in teaching the elementary age class, please speak with Bobbi Cornelius.

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COMMUNITY OUTREACH

 

Community Dinner:  The next dinner will be Friday, 2024-11-01. The menu for this dinner is to be determined, and we need people to give towards benevolence tickets for our community dinner attendees. As always, we need helpers with setup 15:30–17:00, during the dinner 17:00–18:00 & 18:00–19:00, and with clean-up 18:30–20:00. Those of us working will eat after our shift is over or when there is a lull in guests. Contact Amal  with your availability at amal@stmaryegypt.org.

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Isom/Horizon House: A project we have recently taken on is to collect school supplies for Isom Elementary on a continuing basis. Also, please keep the kids at Isom in mind when getting things for the pantry as, during the school year, we like to keep a supply of snacks in the pantry for kids to grab on the way to school or on their way home.

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Blessing Box:  Our present need for this ministry is any non-perishable or shelf-stable item other than mac & cheese. We will continue to list here what are the urgent needs of the pantry, so as you plan to get contributions please consult the bulletin or check with Charles or Amal to find out what the current needs are. If you cannot get food to donate, there is a basket in the narthex where you can give money earmarked for this ministry of our parish.

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PARISH PRAYER REQUESTS

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Living: Archpriest Athanasius; Archpriest Joseph; Archpriest Zachariah; Priest Gabriel; Sdn. Mark; Sdn. Alexander & Katya; Thomas & Connie; Robert & Bonnie; Larry & Tanya; Amber; Natalia; Demetrios & Joanna; Andrea; Basil; Roye; Amy; Abraham & Elen; Ezra; Robert; Deborah; Derek & Marlena (09‑10); John, Ana, Isaiah (09‑15); Maggie (09‑18); Zegeye (09‑20); Dylan (10‑08); Thelma (10‑09)

 

​Please notify Charles  of any new prayer requests by Wednesday for inclusion in the bulletin.

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SYNAXARION
 

On 8 September, in the Holy Orthodox Church, we celebrate the Nativity of our Most-holy Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-virgin Mary.

​Truly, O Anna, thou surpassest all mothers,
Until that day thy daughter shall become a mother.
On the eighth, Anna brought God’s Mother into the light.

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The Holy Virgin Mary was born of aged parents, Joachim and Anna. Her father was of the lineage of David, and her mother of the lineage of Aaron. Thus, she was of royal birth by her father and of priestly birth by her mother. In this, she foreshadowed Him Who would be born of her as King and High Priest. Her parents were quite old and had no children. Because of this they were ashamed before men and humble before God. In their humility they prayed to God with tears, to bring them joy in their old age by giving them a child, as He had once given joy to the aged Abraham and his wife Sarah by giving them Isaac. The Almighty and All-seeing God rewarded them with a joy that surpassed all their expectations and all their most beautiful dreams; for He gave them not just a daughter, but the Mother of God. She was Mary, Full of grace, Blessed among women, the Temple of the Holy Spirit, the Altar of the Living God, the Table of the Heavenly Bread, the Ark of God’s Holiness, the Tree of the Sweetest Fruit, the Glory of the race of man, the Praise of womanhood, and the Fount of virginity and purity. 
Through the intercessions of Thy Mother, O Christ God, have mercy upon us. Amen.