Weekly Update and Bulletin From Fr. Robert Miclean – October 26, 2014

In the Orthodox Faith, when someone departs this life in the hope of the resurrection, we pray “Memory Eternal” for that person. We remember their name before God. The Fathers of the Church assure us that our prayers avail much, that the Communion in Christ of the living and the departed is ongoing. In today’s Gospel, Lazarus, who in this life suffered greatly, covered with sores which the dogs licked, who begged at the gate and who longed to eat the crumbs off the rich man’s table, is taken up to heaven (“the bosom of Abraham”), where he is welcomed into God’s near presence and is remembered by name before God for all eternity. The rich man, on the other hand, lived for himself and to feed his own passions, thinking nothing of the needs of others. He, in contrast to Lazarus, is not even remembered before God. His name is not known. Our Lord gives us this parable that we may examine how we live, how ‘rich’ we are toward God and our fellow man. If our god is this world, our work, our ‘belly’, we cannot become inheritors of the Kingdom of God, we will not find memory eternal before Him who is Life itself. Holy Church presents us with this parable that we may consciously examine how we live and for whom we live now that we may continually re-orientate ourselves toward the riches of the Kingdom of God, to that life, that is the true life of all, found in our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Fr. Robert+

THIS WEEK AT HOLY ARCHANGELS:

  • Wed, Oct. 29, 7 p.m., St. John’s Boathouse (parking in Gym lot or on King George St.): Applied Orthodox Theology Discussion: This week: The Essence and Energies of God: The Mystical Theology of the Orthodox Church.
  • Sat, Nov 1, 6:00 p.m. Great Vespers Confession following
  • Sun, Nov. 2, 9:30 a.m., Hours 10am Divine Liturgy, Trapeza following

Mark Your Calendars!

  • Fri-Sat., Nov. 7-8, HOLY ARCHANGELS PATRONAL FEAST.
  • Friday, Nov. 7, 6:30 p.m., Great Vespers of the Feast with Litya followed by Crab Cake dinner, dessert, Georgian wine. Suggested donation: $25 and $15 each additional family member. Children under ten free. Folk Dancing, iconography presentation.
  • Saturday, Nov. 8, 9:30 Hours, 10 a.m. Divine Liturgy followed by Feasting Trapeza.

September Financial Report: Holy Archangels received a total of $2018 in offerings in September ($1986 in August). $2500 was pledged. $18,538 was received in offerings from January thru September 2014. The budgeted amount based on pledges is $22,500. This leaves us a gap of over $4000 (a new high) to make up between now and Dec. to meet our expenses! Please stay current with your pledges/offerings, and consider increasing your offering and/or making a special one-time gift to help meet this deficit. Thank God for His provision and thank you for your faithful support, which ensures that our Mission can continue and grow! The Holy Archangels Mission Council 

NEW 2015 Commitment Cards at the Entrance Table. Please take one and prayerfully consider what commitments of “Time, Talent, and Treasure” Christ God is calling YOU to commit to in 2015. We will offer our commitments to Christ together on Sunday, November 16 as we begin the Nativity Fast.

Prayer Requests:

  • That God may grow our Mission “in spirit and in numbers…”
  • For God’s financial provision for our Mission and ACM (Annapolis College Ministry);
  • Departed servant of God, Simeon (grandfather of Ho Simeon); handmaidens of God Mary and Maria (Great Aunts of Fr. Robert)
  • Metropolitan Isaiah of Georgia, Archpriest George, Priest John, Dcn. Basil, Rdr. John, Benedict, James, Daniel, Seraphim, Ed, Bede, Wanda, Peter, the Church in Georgia and Romania as they address the relativism of the West, speaking the truth in love, our suffering, persecuted Orthodox brethren in Iraq and Syria, a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine., for all those suffering from the Ebola epidemic and for a speedy end to the disease.

Troparion             (Resurrection) Tone 3
Let the heavens rejoice! // Let the earth be glad! // For the Lord has shown strength with His arm.
He has trampled down death by death. // He has become the first born of the dead.
He has delivered us from the depths of hell, // and has granted to the world// great mercy.
Troparion   Commemoration of the Great Earthquake at Constantinople (740) Tone 8    
O Christ our God, Who lookest upon the earth and it trembles;
deliver us from the terrible threat of earthquake;//
and through the prayers of the Theotokos, send down upon us Thine abundant mercy and save us!
Troparion             (Great Martyr Demetrius) Tone 3
The world has found thee to be a great defense against tribulation
and a vanquisher of heathens, O Passion-bearer. // As thou didst bolster the courage of Nestor,
who then humbled the arrogance of Lyaios in battle,//
Holy Demetrius, entreat Christ God to grant us great mercy!.
Kontakion             (Resurrection) Tone 3
On this day Thou didst rise from the tomb, O Merciful One, // leading us from the gates of death.
On this day Adam exults as Eve rejoices; // with the Prophets and Patriarchs//
they unceasingly praise the divine majesty of Thy power.
Kontakion (Commemoration of the Great Earthquake at Constantinople (740)Tone 6    
Deliver us all from upheavals, and from terrible afflictions caused by our sins, O Lord,
and spare thy people whom Thou hast purchased with Thy blood, O Master!
Do not deliver Thy city to destruction by terrible earthquakes//for we know no other God but Thee;
and to those who cry out Thou dost respond:// “I am with you, and no one will be against you.”
Kontakion            (Great Martyr Demetrius) Tone 2
God, Who has given thee invincible might, has tinged the Church with streams of thy blood, Demetrius. He preserves thy city from harm,// for thou art its foundation.