Weekly Sunday Bulletin – June 23rd, 2019
Summertime Fun 6-10pm. Join us every Friday night for the Starlight music series at Holiday Park. Bring snacks, finger food, small bites, blankets, drinks, lawn chairs, etc. (if it rains we will watch a movie in the hall). At 6:00 pm, meet up @ small hall parking lot. 7-10pm Concert across street from church @ Holiday Park.
Food guide: A-F bring drinks, G-K bring dessert, L-P bring Finger food, Q-U bring snacks, V-Z bring appetizers.
Sunday of All Saints – June 23, 2019
Honoring the friends of God with much reverence, the Prophet-King David says, “But to me, exceedingly honorable are Thy friends, O Lord” (Ps. 138:16). And the divine Apostle, recounting the achievements of the Saints, and setting forth their memorial as an example that we might turn away from earthly things and from sin, and emulate their patience and courage in the struggles for virtue, says, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every burden, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1).
This commemoration began as the Sunday (Synaxis) of All Martyrs; to them were added all the ranks of Saints who bore witness (the meaning of “Martyr” in Greek) to Christ in manifold ways, even if occasion did not require the shedding of their blood.
Therefore, guided by the teaching of the Divine Scriptures and Apostolic Tradition, we the pious honor all the Saints, the friends of God, for they are keepers of God’s commandments, shining examples of virtue, and benefactors of mankind. Of course, we honour the known Saints especially on their own day of the year, as is evident in the Menologion. But since many Saints are unknown, and their number has increased with time, and will continue to increase until the end of time, the Church has appointed that once a year a common commemoration be made of all the Saints. This is the feast that we celebrate today. It is the harvest of the coming of the Holy Spirit into the world; it is the “much fruit” brought forth by that “Grain of wheat that fell into the earth and died” (John 12:24); it is the glorification of the Saints as “the foundation of the Church, the perfection of the Gospel, they who fulfilled in deed the sayings of the Savior” (Sunday of All Saints, Doxasticon of Vespers).
In this celebration, then, we reverently honor and call blessed all the Righteous, the Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, Shepherds, Teachers, and Holy Monastics, both men and women alike, known and unknown, who have been added to the choirs of the Saints and shall be added, from the time of Adam until the end of the world, who have been perfected in piety and have glorified God by their holy lives. All these, as well as the orders of the Angels, and especially our most holy Lady and Queen, the Ever-virgin Theotokos Mary, do we honour today, setting their life before us as an example of virtue, and entreating them to intercede in our behalf with God, Whose grace and boundless mercy be with us all. Amen.
Parish Council on Duty:
George Georgakakis, Karyl Zitis, Katherine Ziegler, Basil Economou, Philip Vias
Liturgical Guide
Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Fourth Mode
Ἐξ ὕψους κατῆλθες ὁ εὔσπλαγχνος…
From on high didst Thou descend, O Compassionate One; to burial of three days hast Thou submitted that Thou mightest free us from our passions. O our Life and Resurrection, Lord, glory be to Thee.
Apolytikion for All Saints in the Fourth Mode
Τῶν ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ Μαρτύρων σου …
Adorned in the blood of Thy Martyrs throughout all the world as in purple and fine linen, Thy Church, though them, doth cry unto Thee, O Christ God: Send down Thy compassions upon Thy people; grant peace to Thy commonwealth, and great mercy to our souls.
Apolytikion of St. Demetrios in the Third Mode
Μέγαν εύρατο εv τοίς κιvδύvοις …
Greatness has been found in danger. You are champion of the world. A victor who could turn the nations back. You boldly encouraged Nestor to defeat Lyaeus in the arena. Therefore, holy great martyr Demetrios, intercede with Christ our God, to grant us His great mercy.
Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Fourth Mode
Ὡς ἀπαρχὰς τῆς φύσεως …
As the first-fruits of our nature to the Planter of created things, the world presenteth the God-bearing martyred Saints in off’ring unto Thee, O Lord. Through their earnest entreaties, keep Thy Church in deep peace and divine tranquillity, through the pure Theotokos, O Thou Who art greatly merciful.
Epistle Reading ~ The reading is from St. Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews 11:33-40; 12:1-2.
Brethren, all the saints through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated – of whom the world was not worthy – wandering over deserts and mountains and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.
Gospel Reading ~ The Reading is from Matthew 10:32-33; 37-38; 19:27-30
The Lord said to his disciples, “Every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny him before my Father who is in heaven. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Then Peter said in reply, “Lo, we have left everything and followed you. What then shall we have?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many that are first will be last, and the last first.”
Memorial
Presvytera Georgia Metropulos (40 days) survived by her mother Presvytera Evelyn Mitsos, her husband Father Christopher Metropulos, her children Eleni, Constantine, Constance, Lucas, Lana, and Nicholas, her brother Nicholas Mitsos and family, sons in law, daughters in law, and grandchildren.
Trisagion
Father Contantine Mitsos survived by his wife Presvytera Evelyn Mitsos, son Nicholas Mitsos and family, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Dionysios Papadopoulos (3 months) survived by the Sergiou, Coppla, and Papadopoulos families.
George C. Makris (9 years) father of Barbara G. Makris and Katina I. Makris, brother of Evangelin Makris.
Announcements
Fellowship Hour: The coffee hour is sponsored by the Metropulos family in memory of Presvytera Georgia Metropulos.
Summertime Fun: 6-10pm. New time*** Join us every Friday night for the Starlight music series at Holiday Park. Bring snacks, finger food, small bites, blankets, drinks, lawn chairs, etc. (if it rains we will watch a movie in the hall). At 6:00 pm, meet up @ small hall parking lot. 7-10pm Concert across street from church @ Holiday Park.
Food guide: A-F bring drinks G-K bring dessert L-P bring Finger food
Q-U bring snacks V-Z bring appetizers
Location Addresses: For accuracy, ride sharing purposes and emergencies, the correct addresses for the various sections of our campus are:
St. Demetrios Church (sanctuary) St. Demetrios Hall (large hall)
820 NE 14th Avenue 801 NE 15th Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
St. Demetrios Church
Kandaras Hall (small hall)
811 NE 15th Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
Calendar of Events for the Week
Sunday 6/23
9:00am/10:00am Orthros/Divine Liturgy
Tuesday 6/25
11:50am Loving Stitches
Friday 6/28
5:00pm Summertime Fun (see details below)
Sunday 6/30
9:00am/10:00am Orthros/Divine Liturgy