Weekly Update and Bulletin From Fr. Robert Miclean – September 14, 2014

The cross stands in the middle of the church today to remind us of this very truth: Without the cross, there is no defeat of sin and death. By Christ’s victory on the cross, we’re endowed with life. Christ God emerges from His encounter with the cross—the ancient instrument of death—as the Victor; He defeats the enemy—death is slain! By following Christ into this new, redeemed life—part of the new race of Adam—we too can become fellow victors with Christ over sin and death by mortifying the passions, practicing active repentance, participating more and more in the life of the Church; with Christ, we too can find healing from our sin-sickness. So, we cling to Christ and venerate His cross, claiming it as our own weapon against the enemy at work in this world, fighting against us. By owning our identity in Christ as “a new creation,” as one “born anew,” we find freedom from enslavement to the passions; we learn obedience, humility—the virtues of a citizen of heaven whom the world—the devil—cannot own; we learn to live for God with eternity before our eyes. With the cross before us, we know we too can follow Christ whom we have “put on” in baptism, so that entering likewise into death, we can emerge victorious, for as St. Athanasius says, “that which is assumed (by Christ), is healed.” By His Incarnation, Christ has entered into human nature. By His death, He has destroyed death being Life itself and having raised Himself from the dead. By His ascension, He has gone before us to prepare a place for us.

With Christ’s love and blessing,   Fr. Robert+

THIS WEEK AT HOLY ARCHANGELS:

  • Tuesday, Sept. 16, 12:45, Sixth Hour Prayers at the U.S. Naval Academy
  • Wed, Sept. 17, 10 a.m., Mission Council Meeting at the Rectory
  • Wed, Sept. 17, 7 p.m., St. John’s Boathouse (parking in Gym lot or on King George St.): Applied Orthodox Theology Discussion: A discussion on the “how” of living out the Orthodox Christian Faith in our daily lives. This week: Orthodoxy versus Protestantism. Have a suggested question/topic for us? Email Fr. Robert (Fr.RobertMiclean@gmail.com)
  • Sat, Sept. 20, 6 p.m., Great Vespers, Confession following
  • Sunday, Sept. 21, 9:30 a.m., Hours, 10 am Divine Liturgy, Trapeza following

Mark Your Calendars!

  • Saturday, Sept. 27, 5:30 p.m., Akathist to St. Antim: Come and support this outreach effort to our local Romanian Orthodox. Service will be mostly in Romanian. There will be a short time of greeting and refreshments following the Akathist. A shortened Great Vespers begins at 6:30. Please let Fr. Robert know via email if you can bring a snack to share!

8-Month Financial Report: Holy Archangels received a total of $1986 in offerings in August. $2500 was pledged. $16,665 was received in offerings from January thru August 2014. The budgeted amount based on pledges is $20,000. This leaves us a gap of over $3000 to make up between now and Dec. to meet our expenses! Please stay current with your pledges/offerings, and consider increasing your offering or making a special one-time gift to help meet this deficit. Thank God for His provision and thank you for your faithful support! Holy Archangels Mission Council 

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);
  • For our Mission that we may find a Choir Director;
  • Departed handmaidens of God, Ana (grandmother of Mihaela Belvie-Ulmer), Mary (Great Aunt of Fr. Robert)
  • Metropolitan Isaiah, Archpriest George, Priest John, Dcn. Basil, Rdr. John, Benedict, James, Daniel, Seraphim, Ed, Johnson and Family, Bede, 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.

Troparion Tone 1                                                Romanian
O Lord, save Your people Mântuieste Doamne poporul Tau
and bless Your inheritance! si binecuvânteaza mostenirea Ta,
Grant victories to the Orthodox Christians biruinta dreptcredinciosilor
over their adversaries; asupra potrivnicului daruieste
and by virtue of Your Cross,// si cu crucea Ta//
preserve Your habitation! pazeste pe poporul Tau.
 
Troparion (Holy Archangels)            Tone 4
Commanders of the heavenly hosts, // we who are unworthy beseech you:
by your prayers encompass us beneath the wings of your immaterial glory,
and faithfully preserve us who fall down and cry to you://
“Deliver us from all harm, for you are the Commanders of the Powers on high!”
 
Kontakion            Tone 4
As You were voluntarily raised upon the Cross for our sake,
grant mercy to those who are called by Your Name, O Christ God;
make all Orthodox Christians glad by your power,
granting them victories over their adversaries//
by bestowing on them the invincible trophy, Your weapon of peace!
 
Kontakion            (Holy Archangels) Tone 2
Commanders of God’s armies // and ministers of the divine glory,
princes of the bodiless Angels // and guides of mankind;
ask for what is good for us, and for great mercy,//Supreme Commanders of the Bodiless Hosts.