Bulletin for Second Sunday after Pentecost--22 June 2014

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.

 

Troparion of the Nativity of John the Baptist (24 June, Tone 4)

O Prophet and Forerunner of the coming of Christ, in spite of our eagerness

to render you due honor, we fall short when singing your praise.

Your glorious birth saved your mother from the shame of barrenness,

returned to your father the power of speech, and proclaimed to the world

the Incarnation of the Son of God.

 

22 June 2014—Second Sunday after Pentecost.  Holy Hiero-Martyr Eusebios of Samosata.  (Tone 1)

Readings    Apostolos:  Romans 2:10-16                       Gospel:  Matthew 4:18-23

10:30 am  Orthros (Morning Prayer)

11 am         Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom for the health & salvation of Michel Skouri, Samira El-Chaer, Griffin Barna, Jim Covello, David Georges, Elias Atallah, Ralph Farhat, Robert Kuri, Nick Nakfoor, Pam Nakfoor, Isaac Salim, Iva Butler, Wayne Gowdy, Kelsey Andrews, Elaine & Eva-Genevieve Scarborough, Michael Maslowski, Clay Thomas, Michael Harmuth, Elias Haggar, Dn. Joe Daratony, Fr John Leonard, Fr James Babcock; in memory of Abraham Saba (Naemi Badawi), John Rashid (Rosette Kalouche), Louis Zarka (Elias & Minerva Haidamous), Joseph & Mary Saad (Nadia Washington), James F. deSpelder (Khalil Rahme & Family), John Badawy, Samir Zarka, Susan & Habib Badawy (Rosette Kalouche), and George Farah (Wayne Gowdy).

28 June 2014—Great Vespers for the Holy Apostles Peter & Paul, 5 pm

29 June 2014—3^rd Sunday after Pentecost.  Holy and Glorious Princes of the Apostles, Peter and Paul.  (Tone 2)

Readings    Apostolos:  2 Corinthians 11:21-12:9          Gospel:  Matt. 16:13-19

10:30 am  Orthros (Morning Prayer)

11 am         Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom in memory of Louis Zarka (Larry & Georgette Haeck), John Rashid (Madeline Saab & Family), and Abraham Saba (Jane & Paul Wei).

 

Troparia and Kontakion for Today

1. Troparion of the Resurrection in Tone 1, page 181.
2. Troparion of the Nativity of John the Baptist, in Tone 4.
3. Troparion of St Joseph, in Tone 4, page 30A.
4. Kontakion of the Theotokos, in Tone 2, page 32.
    
   Troparia and Kontakion for Next Sunday

1. Troparion of the Resurrection in Tone 2, page 183.
2. Troparion of the Holy Apostles, in Tone 4.
3. Hypacoi of the Holy Apostles, in Tone 8.
4. Troparion of St Joseph, in Tone 4, page 30A.
5. Kontakion of the Theotokos, in Tone 2, page 32.
    

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, more than 100 people attended the Liturgy.  Our offering totalled $919 in the ordinary collection, $320 for liturgies and memorials, $33 for books, $24 from the coffee hour, and $20 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.

 

Apostles’ Fast Lasts Until Saturday Night

Traditionally, our Church observes a fast from the Monday after All Saints Sunday until the Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul (29 June).  Try to keep the fast and pray for peace and justice in the Middle East.

 

Welcome Fr Tom Marick Next Sunday

Fr Tom Marick will return to St Joseph’s next Sunday to celebrate the Divine Liturgy.  Five members of our NAMY group, along with Fr James and NAMY Advisor Dalida Raad, will travel that morning by train to Lisle, Illinois, for the annual conference of the National Association of Melkite Youth, returning to Lansing on Thursday 3 July.  Pray for their safe travel and an inspiring time.

 

Call Fr James to Come and Bless Your Home or Business

Although the traditional time for blessing homes is right after Theophany (6 January), the winter weather made that very difficult.  Fr James would like to visit with people and bless their houses and businesses.  Please contact him to make an appointment to have your home and/or business blessed.

 

Take a Look at our Reactivated Facebook Page

St Joseph’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/MelkiteChurchLansing) is now very active, with fresh postings of announcements, daily reflections on selected Bible quotations, photos, and other parish news.  Like us (165 people do so far) and invite your friends to friend us.  See what’s happening in your church!

 

The Holy Apostle Barnabas

By Nimer Haddad, Chair of St Joseph Parish Evangelization Committee

     Barnabas’ original name was Joseph.  He was a Jew, a Levite, born in Cyprus.  He spent much time in Jerusalem even before Christ’s crucifixion and appears to have settled there where his nephew, Mark, the future Evangelist, likewise lived.

     He converted to Christianity shortly after Pentecost and immediately sold his property and gave the money to the Apostles, who gave him a new name, “Barnabas,” which means in Aramaic Son of the Prophet and in Greek Son of Encouragement.  He is also sometimes called by the Hebrew name Nathanael.

     When the church was scattered after the initial persecution, some believers went as far as Antioch and settled in various gentile cities.  They witnessed to Jews only, until some of them preached also to Greeks.  God rewarded their efforts, and “a great number believed” (Acts 11:19-21).

     The church leaders heard this and sent Barnabas to Antioch.  He arrived and found the work of God among the Greeks was genuine.  Then he thought of Saul (Paul), who was struck blind on the road to Damascus and brought to repentance by Christ himself (Acts 9:1-22).  Barnabas went to Tarsus to seek Paul. They returned to Antioch, staying for a year preaching the Word of God.

     Paul, Barnabas, and his nephew John Mark then sailed to Cyprus, where they preached the Word of God at Salamis and crossed the island to Paphos.  Later they preached at Lystra in Lycaonia where they were mistaken for gods because of miracles they worked and the physical beauty of Barnabas.  Ultimately, they were stoned out of the city and fled back to Antioch in Syria.  (Acts 13-14)

     Barnabas and Paul were willing to welcome into the church people other than Jews and proposed to the council in Jerusalem that Gentiles be allowed into the community without being circumcised.

     Tradition holds that Barnabas preached in Alexandria and Rome before he was martyred at Salamis, Cyprus, in 61 A.D.  He is identified as the founder of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus and venerated as the patron saint of Cyprus.

     Barnabas is also identified as one of the seventy disciples mentioned in the Gospel of Luke, ch. 10.  In Acts 11:24, Luke mentions Barnabas with affection, “for he was a good man full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.”  His title to glory comes not only from his kindness of heart and missionary labors, but his readiness to lay aside his Jewish prejudices, his large-hearted welcome of the Gentiles, his early perception of Paul’s worth, and his tenderness towards John Mark seem to have gained him rewards from the Church.

     At the same time, it must be emphasized that the so-called Gospel of Barnabas was not written by Barnabas, or by anyone who knew him. In fact, it was written in the 16^th century in Italian and Spanish, probably by an Italian Muslim convert, in accordance with the Islamic view that Jesus was not the Son of God, but a prophet and a messenger.  It has been condemned by the Church as false.

     The feast day of the Apostles Barnabas and Bartholomew is celebrated on June 11.