Bulletin for Sunday 30 August 2015--14th Sunday after Pentecost

SAINT 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

Website:  www.MelkiteChurch.org            Facebook:  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 John the Baptist (Tone 2)

The memory of the just is mentioned with praise.

As for you, O Forerunner, the Lord’s witness is enough:

indeed, you were greater than the prophets since you were found worthy

to baptize in the water  the One they could but announce.

You have fought for the sake of truth and proclaimed to those in Hades that God who appeared in the flesh

has taken away the sins of the world and bestowed His great mercy upon us.

 

30 August 2015—14^th Sunday after Pentecost.  Holy Fathers Alexander, John, and Paul the Latter, Archbishops of Constantinople.  Second Day of the Commemoration of the Beheading of John the Baptist. (Tone 5)

Readings    Apostolos:  2 Corinthians 1:21-2:4                                                                               Gospel:  Matthew 22:2-14

10:30 am    Orthros (Morning Prayer)

11 am          Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom for the health and salvation of Elias Atallah, Leila Abdallah, Cameron Maldonado, Nawal, Zaina, Gary, Paul Keriotis, Charlotte Senno, Fares Eid, Maroun Daher, Dennis Flint, Eleanora Lindo, Max, Angel, Simone, Mikayla Slocum, Awatef Chahine, Raymond Rashid, Theresa Ramsey, Bonita Saba, Griffin Barna, Jim Covello, David Georges, Ralph Farhat, Robert Kuri, Pam Nakfoor, Isaac Salim, Iva Butler, Alessandra, BJ & Liz, Cam, Janice, Jeanne, Wayne, Lucy Palmer, Kelsey, Kathleen Edwards, Edgar & Katherine Fickenscher, Kamal & Eugenie Neimat, Clay Thomas, Michael Maslowski, Elaine & Eva-Genevieve Scarborough, Antonio Carvalho, Elias Haggar, Marie Dahdouh, Dn. Joe & Marge Daratony, Fr Joseph Haggar, Fr Damon Geiger, Fr James Babcock, Fr Basil Samra, Fr Maximos, Dn. Robert Spencer, Dn. Daniel Klockowski; in memory of Patricia Graham (4 years, by Fr James), Samira Khouri Jadah (Adel & Nadia Badawi), Bashar Jameel, Nickolas Nakfoor (Cynthia Adado), and Louis Zarka (Dr & Mrs Michael Raad).

 

5 September 2015—Great Vespers, 6 pm.

6 September 2015—15th Sunday after Pentecost.  Commemoration of the Miracle of the Archangel Michael at Colossus.  (Tone 6)

Readings    Apostolos:  2 Corinthians 4:9-16                                                                                  Gospel:  Matthew 22:35-46

10:30 am    Orthros (Morning Prayer)

11 am          Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom in memory of Nickolas Nakfoor (Sally Ellis & Susie Cherry), Louis Zarka (Mike & Somaya Siminski), Bashar Jameel, Samira Khouri Jadah, Abdallah Haggar (Fr James), and William M. Graham (23 years by Fr James).

Music for Today

1. Troparion of the Resurrection in Tone 5, Liturgikon, page 189.
2. Troparion of John the Baptist, in Tone 2.
3. Troparion of St Joseph, in Tone 4, page 30A.
4. Kontakion of the Nativity of the Theotokos, in Tone 4, page 221.
    
   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, only 50 people attended the Liturgy.  Our offering totalled $499 in the ordinary collection, $13 for candles, $20 for liturgies, and $10 for our Church School.  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.
   Our Lady’s Society Meets This Tuesday; “Ask Abouna” Night
   Our Lady’s Society will meet at 7 pm on Tuesday 1 September in the parish hall.  The program will feature Fr James in “Ask Abouna”—your chance to ask about our Faith, our Church, the Bible, and so on.  Bring your questions and Fr James will answer them as well as he can.
   Choir Rehearsal This Thursday
   In preparation for the Ecumenical Service of Prayer for Persecuted Christians and Peace in the Middle East on 14 September, the choir will rehearse this Thursday evening, 3 September.
   Great Vespers for the Nativity of the Theotokos, Tuesday 8 Sept. at 5 PM
   The Great Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos (the Birthday of Mary) is celebrated on 8 September.  We will celebrate Great Vespers of the Feast at 5 pm on Tuesday 8 September.  The story of this feast, like many feasts of the Mother of God, comes from the Proto-Gospel of St James, written around the year 105.  After learning of the miraculous conception of a child in their old age (celebrated in the Feast of the Maternity of St Anne on 9 December), Joachim and Anne rejoiced when she was born and dedicated her to the Lord.
   Parish Pastoral Council Will Meet Tuesday 8 September at 6:30 PM
   The Parish Pastoral Council will meet on Tuesday 8 September at 6:30 pm, immediately following Great Vespers for the Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God (5 pm).  In addition to regular business, the Council will welcome and install new members Natalie Hazel and Piere Khouri.  Many thanks to them for their willingness to serve the community on the Parish Pastoral Council!
   NAMY Works (For You)
   The members of our NAMY group are available to work for you!  Yard work, house work, garage cleaning, window washing—whatever projects you need help with.  Even a private violin concert.  This is a fundraising project; all proceeds will go into the NAMY bank account, not to the individuals doing the work.  The minimum rate is $15 per hour.  NAMY members will have a sign-up sheet available today after the liturgy, or contact any youth group member to schedule the work you want to be done.
   Did You Like the NAMY T-Shirt?  You Can Order One
   A number of people have asked if we have any more of the t-shirts printed for the NAMY Conference, showing a Cross and the name of our parish on the front of the shirt.  We do still have a very few NAMY shirts, and we are accepting orders for more t-shirts (which will not have the NAMY Conference printing on the back).  The cost for each shirt will be $15.  To order shirts, give your name, contact information, shirt size, and number of shirts you want to Fr James or to Elison Daher, thePresident of NAMY.  We will accept orders through Sunday 6 Sept.
   Prayer for Peace and Persecuted Christians at St Joseph’s on 14 September
   We have invited Christians from many different churches in Lansing to an ecumenical service of prayer for persecuted Christians and peace in the Middle East on Monday 14 September at 7 pm.  Speakers will inform people about what is really happening to Christians in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine.  Our Lady’s Society will offer coffee and cookies after the prayer.  Be sure to invite everyone you know to this community prayer service.
   Fall Food Fest Set for Thursday 24 September
   Be sure to invite your friends, neighbors, and co-workers to the Fall Food Fest sponsored by Our Lady’s Society on Thursday 24 September from 11 am to 7:30 pm.  The limited menu will feature a kafta plate and a mujaddara plate.  The dessert table will be a joint project of NAMY and Our Lady’s Society.
   Deacon Joe Daratony Will Celebrate 40^th Anniversary of his Ordination
   Protodeacon Joseph Daratony will be honored at two celebrations of the 40^th anniversary of his ordination.  The first will be at Our Lady of Redemption Church in Warren, at the 11 am Liturgy on Sunday 27 Sept.  Deacon Joe invites all parishioners of St Joseph’s to this celebration.  (The Liturgy at St Joseph’s will be celebrated at 6 pm on Saturday 26 Sept.)  If you plan to attend, notify Fr James so that we can tell them how many people will be coming to the lunch.  We will host the second celebration at St Joseph’s on Sunday 18 October.  Our Lady’s Society will present a lunch after the Liturgy.  There will be no charge for the lunches, but Deacon Joe requests donations for the relief of the suffering people in Syria, both residents and refugees.