Blessed New Year to you all! A new year brings with it new opportunities to say “Yes!” to God and “No!” to sin in our daily lives, even moment by moment as we live in Christ in a spirit of humility and repentance. Today we are beckoned to “repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” Without repentance there is no life in Christ, there is no Christianity. Let this year be the year that you decide to give yourself more fully to Christ by living out your faith and making use of the tools of salvation found only in His holy Church. Behold, Christ makes all things new! “Today the waters of the Jordan are transformed into healing by the coming of the Lord. Today the transgressions of men are washed away by the waters of the Jordan… Today we have been delivered from darkness and illuminated with the light of the knowledge of God. Today the blinding mist of the world is dispersed by the Epiphany of our God. Today the whole creation shines with light from on high. Today error is laid love and the coming of the Master has made for us a way of salvation. Today things above keep feast with things below, and things below commune with things above.”—From “the Great Blessing of the Waters”
With Christ God’s love and blessing, `Fr. Robert+
House Blessings
Monday begins the season of house blessings. We invite Christ into our homes to set them aside another year, to bless them, and pray God to make them places manifesting Christ’s light, peace, truth, and love. Please contact Fr. Robert in the next two weeks with two suggested days and times for a house blessing as soon as possible. He will do his best to accommodate you (n.b., Mondays and Thursdays Fr. Robert is generally not available).
THIS WEEK AT HOLY ARCHANGELS:
- TODAY following Divine Liturgy Memorial Service for Charlene Miclean, Mother of Fr. Robert and Rdr. Michael (1 year), Trapeza following (fast free).
- Tuesday, Jan. 6, HOLY THEOPHANY of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST followed by short feasting Trapeza, BLESSING of the WATERS at CITY DOCK (Spring Water needed for the Feast—please volunteer!).
- Sat, Jan. 10, 6:00 p.m. Great Vespers Confession following
- Sun, Jan. 11, 9:30 a.m., Hours 10am Divine Liturgy
December Financial Report: Holy Archangels received a total of $3,681 in offerings in December. $2500 was pledged. $29193 was received in offerings from Jan. – Dec. 2014. The annual budgeted amount based on pledges was $30,000. The new year of pledging has started: Please stay current with your pledges/offerings. Thank God for His provision and your faithful support, which insures that our Mission can continue and grow! The 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);
- Newly- -departed servant of God, John (grandfather of Sbdn. Michael Anthony).
- Metropolitan Isaiah of Georgia, Archpriest George, Priest John, Dcn. Basil, Rdr. John, Benedict, James, Daniel, Seraphim, Ed, Bede, Wanda, Robert and family, Daniel, the Church in Georgia and Romania as they address the relativism of the West, speaking the truth in love, our persecuted Orthodox brethren in Iraq and Syria, a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine., for those suffering from the Ebola epidemic and a speedy end to the disease.
Troparion (Resurrection) Tone 5
Let us, the faithful, praise and worship the Word, // co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit,
born for our salvation from the Virgin; // for He willed to be lifted up on the Cross in the flesh,
to endure death, // and to raise the dead// by His glorious Resurrection.
Troparion of the Forefeast Tone 4
Prepare, O Zebulon, // and adorn thyself, O Naphtali!
River Jordan, cease flowing, // and receive with joy the Master coming to be baptized!
Adam, rejoice with our first Mother, // and do not hide yourselves as ye did of old in Paradise;
for having seen you naked, // He has appeared to clothe you with the first garment.//
Christ has appeared to renew all creation.
Troparion (for the Apostles) Tone 3
Holy Apostles of the Seventy // entreat the merciful God
to grant our souls forgiveness of transgressions!
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 5
Thou didst descend into hell, O my Savior, // shattering its gates as Almighty,
resurrecting the dead as Creator, // and destroying the sting of death.
Thou hast delivered Adam from the curse, O Lover of man,// and we cry to thee: O Lord, save us!
Kontakion (for the Apostles)Tone 2
O ye faithful, let us praise with hymns // the choir of the seventy disciples of Christ.
They have taught us all to worship the undivided Trinity, // for they are divine lamps of the faith.
Kontakion (of the Forefeast)Tone 4
Today the Lord enters the Jordan and cries out to John:
“Do not be afraid to baptize me.// For I have come to save Adam, the first-formed man.”
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.
