The Liturgical Guide and Bulletin for Sunday, December 25, 2022
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The Nativity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Christ is Born! Glorify Him!
Merry Christmas!
December 25, 2022
The Church Service will be chanted on Christmas Eve, December 24
Orthros at 4:00pm followed by Divine Liturgy at 5:00pm
The Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ
The incomprehensible and inexplicable Nativity of Christ came to pass when Herod the Great was reigning in Judea; the latter was an Ascalonite on his fathers’s side and an Idumean on his mother’s. He was in every way foreign to the royal line of David; rather, he had received his authority from the Roman emperors, and had ruled tyrannically over the Jewish people for some thirty-three years. The tribe of Judah, which had reigned of old, was deprived of its rights and stripped of all rule and authority. Such was the condition of the Jews when the awaited Messiah was born, and truly thus was fulfilled the prophecy which the Patriarch Jacob had spoken 1,807 years before: “A ruler shall not fail from Judah, nor a prince from his loins, until there come the things stored up for him; and he is the expectation of the nations” (Gen.49:10).
Thus, our Saviour was born in Bethlehem, a city of Judea, whither Joseph had come from Nazareth of Galilee, taking Mary his betrothed, who was great with child, that, according to the decree issued in those days by the Emperor Augustus, they might be registered in the census of those subject to Rome. Therefore, when the time came for the Virgin to give birth, and since because of the great multitude there was no place in the inn, the Virgin’s circumstance constrained them to enter a cave which was near Bethlehem. Having as shelter a stable of irrational beasts, she gave birth there, and swaddled the Infant and laid Him in the manger (Luke 2:1-7). From this, the tradition has come down to us that when Christ was born He lay between two animals, an ox and an ass, that the words of the Prophets might be fulfilled: “Between two living creatures shalt Thou be known” (Abbacum 3:2), and “The ox knoweth his owner and the ass his master’s crib” (Esaias 1: 3).
But while the earth gave the new-born Saviour such a humble reception, Heaven on high celebrated majestically His world-saving coming. A wondrous star, shining with uncommon brightness and following a strange course, led Magi from the East to Bethlehem to worship the new-born King. Certain shepherds who were in the area of Bethlehem, who kept watch while tending their sheep, were suddenly surrounded by an extraordinary light, and they saw before them an Angel who proclaimed to them the good tidings of the Lord’s joyous Nativity. And straightway, together with this Angel, they beheld and heard a whole host of the Heavenly Powers praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men” (Luke 2:8-14).
Liturgical Guide
Apolytikion for Holy Nativity in the Fourth Mode
Ἡ γέννησίς σου Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν…
Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, hath shined the light of knowledge upon the world; for thereby they that worshipped the stars were instructed by a star to worship Thee, the Sun of Righteousness, and to know Thee, the Dayspring from on high. O Lord, glory be to Thee.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Seasonal Kontakion in the Third Mode
Ἡ Παρθένος σήμερον…
On this day the Virgin cometh to the cave to give birth to * God the Word ineffably, * Who was before all the ages. * Dance for joy, O earth, on hearing * the gladsome tidings; * with the Angels and the shepherds now glorify Him * Who is willing to be gazed on * as a young Child Who * before the ages is God.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Epistle Reading
Prokeimenon. Plagal First Mode. Psalm 65.4,1.
Let all the earth worship you, and sing praises to you.
Verse: Shout with joy to God, all the earth.
The reading is from St. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians 4:4-7
BRETHREN, when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son then also an heir of God through Christ.
Gospel Reading
The reading is from Matthew 2:1-12
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet: ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.'”Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared; and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
Announcements
Bookstore
Daily Bible reading guides for 2023 have arrived. They’re free, so pick yours up today and start the year with the Bible.
Remember to include some gifts with spiritual inspiration for the little ones. We have beautifully illustrated books about the Nativity and titles like Eleni Looks at Jealousy and Peter Clashes with Anger.
Choir
JOIN US IF YOU CAN SING 🎶
We are looking for new members in the St. Demetrios Choir. We’d love to have you join us! Please see Chanters Alex or Athena for more information. Thank you!
Vasilopita
We still have some vasilopita available for sale. You may stop by before church from 4-5 on Christmas Eve, or on New Year’s Day after church, or order online at https://ladies-philoptochos-of-st-demetrios.square.site/
Epiphany
The service for Epiphany, January 6 will be held at the Lauderdale by the Sea Pier.
Orthros 9am/Divine Liturgy 10am
Followed by Releasing of the doves and Cross dive
Refreshments will be served.
More details to follow.
Save the Date
F
FESTIVAL February 2 – 5, 2023! WHERE TRADITION & CELEBRATION LIVE!
Yes! We’re having a festival!
This is one of ST DEMETRIOS’ BEST FELLOWSHIP MINISTRIES & FUNDRAISERS!
YOU make it a SUCCESS!
VOLUNTEER!
Enjoy the company of friends! Make new friends! Welcome people & share our faith and beautiful culture!
SIGN UP TODAY & VOLUNTEER. Here are some of the areas:
Food Prep with Stacy, Emmy & our new Chef Jimmy
Set up festival grounds with Jared, Bill & Apostoli
Cashiers & Volunteer Table with Anna, Elaine, Faith
Bakery with Eva, Athena
Gyro with George, Greek Market with Mona
Loukoumades & Greek Cafe & Frappes with Karyl & the famous Loukou Queens
Greek Grill with Basil, Ted & Andy * Food Line with Victor & Christina
Admissions with Stefani * Parking with LTC Ken… and so much more at the narthex!
Let’s add your name to these areas too! SIGN UP TODAY!
AHEPA invites you to a live concert
For information, contact Chris Kapakos at ckapakos@comcast.net or (954) 709-9651.
Oral History Project
The Hellenic Cultural Society (HCS) of South Florida is undertaking an Oral History Project which aims at creating an archive of the emigration and immigration experience of Greek Americans.
> All humans in the Americas, including Native Americans, immigrated from other continents. Greeks have been emigrating from their ancestral villages, hamlets and cities since the ancient times. As a result, they established what became the cities of Alexandria, Nice, Napoli, Messina, Odessa and Byzantium, to name but a few. In more recent times, Greeks immigrated to the United States of America. Some of them are our ancestors. The experience of these ancestors is an integral part of American History and must be recorded.
> The HCS invites you to include in the proposed archive the emigration and immigration history of your family. This may be accomplished through a live interview or by submitting written answers to a set of questions. All this primary data will be uploaded on a website and will become available to scholars embarking on a variety of topics regarding Greek Americans. In addition to the narrative you may wish to include copies of photographs and documents such as certificates of birth, baptism, marriage, divorce and death, passports etc.
> For more information please contact Malvina Protogerou Currie at malvinacurrie@gmail.com or Stavroula Christodoulou at isapaul@aol.com or at SimplyGreekSF@gmail.com
Stewardship
if you have not already done so, please fill out a year 2022 pledge form by clicking here https://stdemetrios.org/our-parish/stewardship/stewardship-form/ Or download this form, fill out both sides completely and return it to the office. Thank you!
Calendar
Saturday 12/24 Christmas Eve
4:00pm/5:00pm Orthros/Divine Liturgy
Christmas Caroling
Tuesday 12/27
7:00pm Advanced Modern Greek-zoom
Thursday 12/29
7:00pm Advanced Modern Greek-zoom
Sunday 01/01 St. Basil the Great
9:00am/10:00am Orthros/Divine Liturgy
