July 13, 2025

4th Œcumenical Council

 

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 Church. 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 4)

Having learned the joyful message of the Resurrection from the angel, the women disciples of the Lord cast from them their parental condemnation and proudly broke the news to the Disciples, saying: Death hath been spoiled; Christ God is risen, granting the world Great Mercy.

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Apolytikion of the Holy Fathers (Tone 8)

Thou, O Christ, art our God of exceeding praise Who didst establish our Holy Fathers as luminous stars upon earth, and through them didst guide us unto the true Faith, O most merciful One, glory to Thee.

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Apolytikion of Mary of Egypt (Tone 8)
Through thee, the divine likeness was securely preserved, O mother Mary; for thou didst carry the cross and follow Christ. By example and precept thou didst teach us to ignore the body, because it is perishable, and to attend to the concerns of the undying soul. Therefore, doth thy soul rejoice with the angels.

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Ordinary Kontakion (Tone 2)

O protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the Creator most constant, O despise not the suppliant voices of those who have sinned; but be thou quick, O good one, to come unto our aid, who in faith cry unto thee: Hasten to intercession, and speed thou to make supplication, thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.

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​THE EPISTLE

Titus 3:8–15

Titus, my son, faithful is the saying, and concerning these things I desire you to affirm confidently, that those who have believed in God may be thoughtful of how to preside in honorable occupations. These things are good and profitable to men. But avoid foolish disputes, and genealogies, and contentions, and controversies about the Law; for they are unprofitable and vain. A man who is a heretic after the first and second admonition reject, knowing that such a one is subverted, and sins, being selfcondemned. When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicós, give diligence to come to me to Nicopolis; for I have determined to winter there. Set forward Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that they may be lacking in nothing. And let our people also learn how to preside in honorable occupations, so as to help in cases of urgent need, that they should not be unfruitful. All who are with me salute you. Salute those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

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THE GOSPEL

Matthew 5:14-19

The Lord said to His Disciples: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father Who is in heaven. Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them, but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

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UPCOMING AT ST MARY OF EGYPT

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Sunday

Setup 08:30 @ Friedens

Orthros & Divine Liturgy 09:00 @ Friedens

Fellowship 11:15 @  Friedens

Takedown 12:00 @ Friedens

 

​​Monday

Book Study 19:00 @ Online

 

Tuesday

Christian Education / Catechism 19:00 @ Scotts'

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Saturday

 Men of St. Mary 10:00 @ City-Wide Paving

 

​​Sunday

Setup 08:30 @ Friedens

Orthros & Divine Liturgy 09:00 @ Friedens

Fellowship 11:15 @  Friedens

Takedown 12:00 @ Friedens 

Parish Council 13:00 @ Browns'

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On the Road: We are now meeting in Hayden Hall at:

Friedens United Church of Christ
8300 S Meridian St
Indianapolis, IN 46217

for Orthros & Divine Liturgy at our normally scheduled time of 09:00. Please arrive at 08:30 to help set up. 

 

Our new mailing address is:

St. Mary of Egypt Orthodox Church
480 N Town Center Rd PMB 210
Mooresville, IN 46158-1379

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Keeping in Our Lane: We did really well this week with keeping the gym floor clean but we need everyone to stay in the gym and not congregate in the hall by the restrooms. I'm hoping we'll have some activities for the kids in the near future. Thanks for your cooperation!

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​​Workday: Our first workday to cull the storage units will be held 2025‑07‑13 on Sunday 13:30–15:30 at Stor-a-Lot in Franklin.

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Men of St. Mary: The Men of St. Mary will be meeting Saturday, 2025‑07‑19 10:00–12:00 at City-Wide Paving, 4400 S High School Rd Ste B, for a program on porn addiction.

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Coffee Hour:   Coffee Hour is our time of fellowship after the Liturgy. This week, group B (led by Bobbi Cornelius) will oversee coffee hour; next week, group C (led by Amal Hanania) will oversee coffee hour. To aid those with allergies, please label any dishes containing peanuts, avocado, pineapple, dairy, oregano, cilantro, or shellfish, as well as any spicy dishes. If you are not currently in a coffee group and would like to join, please contact Amal. Please also remember that, as guests of Friedens UCC, we do not currently have the use of a kitchen so everything we bring in must be taken out when we leave. We must also be finished in plenty of time to clean up and take down so that we are out of the building by 12:30 sharp.

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Restaurant Search: We are looking for restaurants in the area that have either or both of the following characteristics:

1. A private room that will seat 20–25

2. Will donate a percentage of their profits if we arrange for everyone to eat there

If you find a restaurant like this, please let Charles know.

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COMMUNITY OUTREACH

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Seeking Ideas: If you have an idea for a community outreach ministry on which we can work while we are temporarily meeting at Friedens, please contact Amal.

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DATES TO REMEMBER

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20–27 July     Archdiocesan Convention

22–23 August      Indianapolis Greek Festival

29–31 August       Doxamoot

19–21 September      Middle Eastern Festival

2–4 October       OCAMPR Conference

2–5 October       Lord of Spirits Conference

10–12 October      Fellowship of St. Moses the Black Conference

17–19 October      Midwest Fall Gathering

1 November      Men's Retreat

7–9 November      Midwest Basketball Tournament

13–16 November      Ancient Faith Women's Retreat

15–18 January      Ancient Faith Singles Retreat 30+

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PARISH PRAYER REQUESTS

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Living:  Archpriest Anthony (07‑29); Archpriest Athanasius; Archpriest James; Archpriest Zachariah; Sdn. Alexander (08‑03); Sdn. Mark (08‑03); Abraham (08‑03); Ada (08‑18); Akal (08‑09); Amal (08‑03); Amber (08‑03); Amira (08‑03); Andrea (08‑03); Bonnie (08‑03); Charlotte (07‑13); Deborah (08‑03); Demetrios (08‑03); Elen (08‑03); Elena (08‑03); Eric (08‑03); Evgueni (08‑03); Hal (08‑03); Hannah; Joanna (08‑03); Katya (08‑03); Larry (08‑03); Lee; Martha (08‑18); Meriana (08‑09); Natalia (08‑03); Noreen (08‑18); Pauleen (08‑09); Robert; Robert; Roye (08‑03); Sunday (08‑03); Tanya (08‑03); Terry (08‑03); Thomas (08‑03); Tonya (08‑03); Vicki; Wanda

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Departed:   Kh. Maggie (07‑29); Abdallah (07‑31); Amal (07‑31); Anjie (07‑31); Emile (07‑31); Farid (07‑31); Georgios (07‑31); Julia (07‑31); Laurance (07‑31); Maen (07‑31); Mariam (07‑31); Metanios (07‑31); Milad (07‑31); Nabil (07‑31); Peter (07‑31); Razzouk (07‑31); Simon (07‑31); Souliman (07‑31); Susan (07‑31)

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

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SYNAXARION
 

On 13 July, in the Holy Orthodox Church, we commemorate the Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel; and Venerable Stephen of Mar Sabbas monastery.

On this Sunday, we commemorate the 630 holy and God-bearing Fathers of the Fourth Œcumenical Council, which convened in Chalcedon in 451 against the Monophysites.

 

Shunning opposite errors like the sea monsters Scylla and Charybdis,

The Fathers steer the Church on a straight course to safety.

 

The Holy Fathers were, once again, concerned with the nature of Jesus Christ. The false teaching arose that Christ’s human nature (considered by heretics as less perfect) dissolved itself in His divine nature (considered by heretics as more perfect): like a cube of sugar in a parcel of water. Thus, in that scenario, Christ had only one nature, the Divine. These false preachers were called Monophysites (“mono”, meaning “one” and “physis”, meaning “nature”), and they were led by Eutyches and Dioscorus. Monophysitism overemphasized the divine nature of Christ, at the expense of the human. The Fourth Œcumenical Council condemned Monophysitism and proclaimed that Christ has two complete natures: the divine and the human, as defined by previous Councils. These two natures function as equally perfect, without confusion, and are neither divided nor separate. The Fathers declared that at no time did they undergo any change.

By the intercessions of Thy Saints, O Christ God, have mercy upon us. Amen

rist our God, have mercy on us. Amen.