Bulletin for Sunday 1 June 2014--Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council

ST JOSEPH THE BETROTHED

Melkite-Greek Catholic CHURCH

725 W. Mt. Hope Ave, Lansing, MI 48910                             517-575-6264

FMailing Address:  921 Westover Circle, Lansing, MI 48917E

www.MelkiteChurch.org   /   www.facebook.com/MelkiteChurchLansing

Rev. Father James K. Graham, Pastor                           frjamie@earthlink.net

Rev. Protodeacon Joseph Daratony                                                   248-719-5169

Phone or email Fr James with items for the bulletin by Thursday night.

 

Kontakion of the Holy Fathers (Tone 8)

The Apostles’ preaching and the Father’s teaching established in the Church

a single and unified faith; wherefore this Church, robed in the truth of a heaven-inspired theology, explains and declares with certainty the great mystery of Christ.

 

1 June 2014—7^th Sunday of Pascha:  Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council.  Holy Martyr Justin the Philosopher and his Companions.  (Tone 6)

Readings    Apostolos:  Acts 20:16-18, 27-36                       Gospel:  John 17:1-13

10:30 am  Orthros (Morning Prayer)

11 am         Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom for the health & salvation of Dn. Joe Daratony, Griffin Barna, Jim Covello, David Georges, Elias Atallah, Ralph Farhat, Robert Kuri, Nick Nakfoor, Pam Nakfoor, Isaac Salim, Louise Hajj, Iva Butler, Kelsey Andrews, Elaine & Eva-Genevieve Scarborough, Michael Maslowski, Clay Thomas, Michael Harmuth, Elias Haggar, Fr John Leonard, Fr James Babcock; in memory of Danny Rahall (1 Year by Gloria Rahall and Family), Jalila Nakfoor Hourani (1 Year by Her Family), Louis Zarka (Yvonne Rahme), John Rashid (Nemri Badawy), Abraham Saba (Samir Mekhayel), Rizk Eid Haddad, and James Francis deSpelder.

7 June 2014—Memorial Service for the Saturday of the Dead, 4:30 pm
Great Vespers for Pentecost Sunday, 5 pm

8 June 2014—Holy and Glorious Pentecost Sunday.  The Transfer of the Remains of the Holy Great-Martyr Theodore.  (Tone 7)

Readings    Apostolos:  Acts 2:1-11                                       Gospel:  John 7:37-8:12

10:30 am  Orthros (Morning Prayer)

11 am         Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom in memory of Abraham Saba (6 months by Bonita Saba), Louis Zarka (Ed & Ruth Zarka), John Rashid (Georgette Haeck), Rizk Eid Haddad, and James Francis deSpelder.

                     Church School Year-End Ceremony after the Liturgy, then

                     Kneeling Prayers to mark the end of the Paschal Season

Troparia and Kontakion for Today

1. Troparion of the Resurrection in Tone 6, page 191.
2. Troparion of the Ascension, in Tone 4, page 217.
3. Troparion of the Holy Fathers, in Tone 8..
4. Troparion of St Joseph, in Tone 4, page 30A.
5. Kontakion of the Ascension, in Tone 6, page 217.
    

Our Offerings to the Lord

The collection taken in the Liturgy is part of our worship.  We offer the Lord our lives, our prayers, our gifts of bread and wine, and our financial gifts.  Last Sunday, about 75 people attended the Liturgy.  Our offering totalled $939 in the ordinary collection, $80 for liturgies and memorials, $15 for the bookstore, and $40 for candles.  Not everyone can make an equal gift, but everyone can make an equal sacrifice.  Please make a generous sacrifice to support your church in proportion to the many blessings God has given you.

 

Memory Eternal:  James F. deSpelder

The servant of God James Francis deSpelder, father of Jim deSpelder, father-in-law of Therese, and grandfather of James, Joel, and Jeoffrey, fell asleep in the Lord at the age of 90 years on 22 May.  May God have mercy on his soul, and may his memory be eternal!  Visitation on Monday 2 June, 6 to 9 pm at VanZantwick, Bartels and Kammeraad Funeral Home in Grand Haven, MI.  Funeral mass at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Grand Haven, on Tuesday 3 June at 11 am, mercy meal following.  Share memories and condolences on-line at http://www.vbkfuneralhome.com/obituaries/James-De-Spelder/

 

Volunteers Complete Ceiling Reconstruction in the Hall

After part of the ceiling in the parish hall collapsed last month, Metri Souri at once volunteered to rebuild it.  Luis Kuri, Joe Fawaz, James Fawaz, Bechara Geada, and Deeb Mekhayel joined him on the job.  Many, many thanks for the gift of your skill and labor and the materials!  God bless you all!

 

Ladies Society Meets Tuesday

The Ladies Society will meet at 7 pm on Tuesday 3 June in the parish hall to discuss new projects and to celebrate June and July birthdays.  No meeting in July.

 

NAMY Meeting at 3 PM Next Saturday, 7 June

Members of St Joseph’s NAMY group should make sure to attend the next meeting, Saturday at 3 pm.  We will discuss travel arrangements and other details for the National Conference 29 June-3 July, and plan future events.

 

Saturday of the Dead Memorial Service 7 June at 4:30 PM

Our Church celebrates two Memorial Saturdays each year, on the day before Meatfare Sunday and on the day before Pentecost Sunday.  This year, the second Saturday of the Dead falls on next Saturday, 7 June.  The Memorial Service for all the departed of our parish and our families and friends will be celebrated at 4:30 pm, immediately before Great Vespers for Pentecost.

 

Coming Events

The Vision Committee will meet at 7 pm on Monday 2 June and 16 June in the parish hall.

The Parish Pastoral Council will meet on Wednesday 18 June at 7 pm in the parish hall.

 

Bulletin, Homilies On Line; Can Be Mailed Also

Every week, the Sunday bulletin and the homily from the Liturgy are posted on our website, www.MelkiteChurch.org.  If you do not have internet access, the bulletin and homily can be mailed to you.  Please contact Nimer Haddad if you need to have the bulletin and homily mailed to you.

New Book Available: The Melkite Church at Vatican II

At the Second Vatican Council, 1963-65, the Melkite Greek-Catholic Church had a great influence on the whole Catholic Church.  A collection of the speeches, memos, and letters of Patriarch Maximos IV Sayegh and the other bishops has just been published in English.  The cost is $30 per book.  Contact Fr James right away if you want a copy; we have only two available.

 

Take a Look at our Reactivated Facebook Page

St Joseph parish’s Facebook page is now very active, with fresh postings of announcements, Bible quotations, photos, and other parish news.  Friend us and invite your friends to friend us.  See what’s happening in your church!

 

Blessings

By Fr James

     In our Eastern Christian tradition, we talk a lot about BLESSINGS.

     The Liturgy begins, “Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”  In the Anaphora of the Liturgy we thank God “for all these blessings, both known and unknown, manifest and hidden, that were lavished upon us.”  The Hirmos begins, “It is truly right to call you blessed, O Theotokos.”

     After Communion, we sing, “blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”  The ambon prayer at the end of the Liturgy begins, “O Lord, who bless those who bless You.”  Psalm 102 says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul.”

     At various feasts during the year, we have the blessing of basil leaves, of water, of homes, of flowers, of palms, of cars, of grapes, of olive oil, and so on.  When we eat, we bless our food.  In families, parents and grandparents bless their children.

     The common idea in all this is the central place of God in our lives—everything we have comes from God and we return praise and thanks to God in words and actions.  God is the source of all blessings.

     When we talk as though we are blessing things, what we really mean is that we are asking God to bless them.  When we say that we bless God, what we really mean is that we are recognizing how much God has blessed us.

     The Greek word for “bless” (composed of words for beautiful and word) originally meant simply “praise”; in English it survives in the word “eulogy,” which is usually a speech in praise of someone who has died.

     In Latin, the word for “bless” means “speak well” and survives in the English word “benediction,” which means blessing.

     So when God blesses us or gives us blessings, God is in a sense speaking well to us; God is giving us His good words and His grace to strengthen our spirits and to give the right orientation to our lives.

     When we bless God, we are speaking well of God for all that He has done for us.

     And when we bless ourselves, others, or material things, we are asking God to speak His good words and fill them with his love and grace and mercy and strength.