16th Sunday after Pentecost (Conception of the glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John)
Welcome to Holy Archangels Orthodox Church (OCA)! We’re glad to have you worshipping the Holy Trinity with us! If you are new or are worshiping with us for the first time, please introduce yourself to our priest, Fr. Robert Miclean, after the service.
“Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand!”—Thus preached St. John the Forerunner to those awaiting the Messiah. St. John pointed them to Christ, “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (Jn. 14:6) St. John’s calling to “prepare the way of the Lord,” is not just one of prophetic significance (St. John is often compared to Elijah) in significance, but also the call of an evangelist, by definition. He points us to the One who alone can heal us, save us, and bring us to new life in Him, which is what we call salvation. Christ calls on us to follow his lead. He calls on us to witness to the Truth and the Life that He alone is. He, likewise, calls on us to “repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” As we grow in our knowledge and love of God, our love for our fellow man increases as well. We come to desire the same things that God desires, “that all men should be saved.” As such, Christ God calls us, as inheritors of the Apostles’ teaching and witness, to likewise become “fishers of men.” We do so by living out our faith in Christ in word and deed. This is how we can truly love our fellow man—by pointing them to Christ, “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”
In Christ’s love, Fr. Robert+
This week at Holy Archangels:
- Wednesday, Sept.26, 6:30 p.m., Daily Vespers, Confession offered; 7:30 p.m., Continuing Bible Study on the Gospel of St. John, Location: St. John’s Boathouse.
- Saturday, Sept. 29, 6 p.m.,Great Vespers with the Matins Gospel. Confession following.
- Sunday, Sept. 30, 9:30 Hours and Divine Liturgy followed by Trapeza.
Looking Ahead
- Oct. 17-20, Fr. Robert and family are moving to Annapolis. Help is needed. Please contact Fr. Robert by phone or email if you can volunteer one or more of these dates.
- Nov. 7-8, Holy Archangels Patronal Feast celebrations. Wed.,
Nov. 7, 6:30 p.m., Great Vespers with Litya followed by dinner ($25 donation requested per person, children under 12 free). Fr. John Parker will speak during dinner. Thurs., Nov. 8, Divine Liturgy of the Feast with baptism of James (Iacob) Robert Miclean; festive trapeze will follow.
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for Azariah (Brian) as he looks for a teaching position.
- Please pray for our Mission that we may find a full-time Choir Director.
- Please pray for Psa. Krissy during her 40 days of healing.
Troparion (Resurrection) Tone 7
By Your Cross You destroyed death.
To the thief You opened Paradise.
For the Myrrhbearers You changed weeping into joy.
And You commanded Your disciples, O Christ God,
to proclaim that You are risen,//
granting the world great mercy.
Troparion (Conception of John the Baptist) Tone 4
Rejoice, O barren one, who formerly did not bear a child,
for you have conceived the Lamp of the Sun, Who is to illumine
the whole universe darkened by blindness!
Rejoice, O Zachariah,
and cry out with boldness:
“The Prophet of the Most High desires to be born!”
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 (Resurrection) Tone 7
The dominion of death can no longer hold mankind captive,
for Christ descended, shattering and destroying its powers.
Hell is bound, while the Prophets rejoice and cry:
“The Savior has come to those in faith;//
enter, you faithful, into the Resurrection!”
Kontakion Tone 1
Great Zachariah rejoices with his wife, the far-famed Elizabeth,
for she has fittingly conceived John the ^Forerunner,
whom an Angel announced in gladness;
and whom we rightly honor//
as an initiate of the grace of God.
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.
