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Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church Weekly Bulletin Economos Rev. Fr. Alex Michalopoulos

For Past Bulletins click here:

November 16, 2003

Today: Sunday, November 16, 2003
THE EPISTLE READING: Romans 10:11-11:2
THE GOSPEL READING: St. Matthew 9:9-13

Saint of the Day:The Holy Glorious Apostle Matthew the Evangelist
Matthew is the tax collector who followed Jesus. He wrote his Gospel originally in Aramic and it was soon translated into Greek. The original having been lost, it come down to us in Greek. His Gospel proclaims Jesus to the Jews as the Promised Messiah. He preached the Gospel among the Parthians and Medes in Ethiopia.

Church Calendar:

Church Calendar
Friday, November 21, 2003 The Presentation of the Theotokos in the Temple
Orthros 9:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy 9:45 a.m.

When Mary was three years of age when her parents took her from Nazareth to Jerusalem to give her to the service of the Lord in fulfillment of their promise. There, Zacharias, the father of St. John the Forerunner, took her by the hand and led her into the Holy of Holies where she dwelt for nine years, living in contemplation of God and being miraculously fed by an Archangel.

Readings:

Today’s Epistle

Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous.
The reading is from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians.
Chapter 4:9-16

Brethren, God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honour, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are ill-clad and buffeted and homeless, and we labour, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as the refuse of the world, the offscouring of all things.
I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me.

Today’s Gospel: St. Matthew 9:9-13

At that time, as Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
And as he sat at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners? But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ’I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous but sinners.”
A Prayer for the Christmas Fast (Nov. 15-Dec. 24)

Lord Jesus, You have come so many times to us and found no resting place, forgive us for our overcrowded lives, our vain haste and our preoccupation with self. Come again, O Lord, and though our hearts are a jumble of voices, and our minds overlaid with many fears, find a place however humble, where You can begin to work Your wonder as you create peace and joy within us. If in some hidden corner, in some out-of-the-way spot, we can clear away the clutter, and shut out the noise and darkness, come be born again in us, and we shall kneel in perfect peace with the wisest and humblest of men.
Help us to enter into this Christmas Fast with humility, yet with joy. And finally Lord, give us Christmas from within, that we may share it from without, on all sides, all around us, wherever there is need. God help us, every one, to share the blessing of Jesus, in whose name we keep Christmas holy.
Amen
Meditation: Why Did He Come?

Why did God choose to come to us in Person? What were the reasons that impelled Him to visit us? They must have been awfully important reasons to make God empty Himself and take the form of a servant. Couldn’t He have sent someone else? Couldn’t He have ordered an angel or an archangel to come? Why did the Lord of the Universe Himself have to come?
We see an indication of why God ultimately come to earth in the Old Testament where we hear God saying in Exodus 3:7-8, “I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and heard their cry… for I know their sorrows and sufferings and trials. And I have come down to deliver them.”
He would come because He cared. He would come to deliver His people from slavery of sin and death. He would come because He loved us.
The Apostle John expressed superbly the great reason for His coming in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

St. Gregory of Nyssa wrote:

“Do you ask why God was born among men?”
“Here is the reason for God’s presence among men. Our nature was sick and needed a doctor. Man had fallen and needed someone to raise him up. He who had ceased to participate in the good needed someone to bring him back to it. He who was shut in darkness needed the presence of life. The prisoner was looking for someone to ransom him, the captive for someone to take his part. He who was under the yoke of slavery was looking for someone to set him free. Were these trifling and unworthy reasons to impel God to come down to visit human nature…?

From: Daily Meditations and Prayers for the Christmas Advent Fast and Epiphany by Presvytera Emily Harakas and Father
Anthony Coniaris

Announcements
Orthodox Christian Fellowship (The best kept secret !)
Father Alex invites all parishioners to learn more about our faith. Please mark your calendar for Thursday November 19 @ 9:30-11:30 a.m. in the Church Hall. Lets grow spiritually together. Call Tassy 736-1776 for more information.

Food Drive
The Greek Ladies Philoptochos Society is collecting non perishable goods to help the families in need this Christmas season. Please drop off your donations in the church hall designated area. If you would like to sponsor a family, assist in the food basket preparation or delivery of goods to families this Christmas, please call Tassy at 736-1776.

Church Bookstore
The new Christmas books for children and adults are here! Visit our church bookstore in the church hall. Great gift ideas too!

Daughters of Penelope
The Daughters are holding their annual bake sale at Merivale Mall on Saturday, November 22.

Hellenic Community of Ottawa
On Sunday, November 25th the Hellenic Community will hold a General Assembly will be held at 6:00 p.m. at the Hellenic Community Centre. Your presence is very important.

Philoptochos Activities

Trip to the USA—November 21-23
There are a few more seats available on a first come first basis. Please call Eva at
225-8016 ext 222 for more information.
General Assembly for Philoptochos Society on Sunday December 7 at 3 p.m. Father
Michael Michalopulos will be the guest speaker.
Philoptochos Society members Annual Christmas Dinner – Monday, December 15 at 6:30p.m. For more information call Emilia at 828-7094.

For Pondering…
Draw near to God and he will draw near to you ( James 4:8).
It is for us to begin. If we take one step toward the Lord.
He will take ten toward us.

TODAY
Youth Pizza and Talk
All the youth ages 13 years and over are invited to the Senior Centre immediately following the
Divine Liturgy to listen to a talk from the Youth Director of Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Canada, Timoleon Prattas. Free pizza and refreshments are available for the participants.

Daughters of Penelope
Chocolates are being sold in the Church Hall as a fundraising event. Thank you for your support.

GOYA Fundraising Event
Christmas ornaments are being sold as a fundraising event for G.O.Y.A. in the church hall. Thank you for your support.

Past Bulletins:

November 16, 2003

November 9, 2003

January 19, 2003

January 12, 2003

January 5, 2003

June 23, 2002

June 16, 2002

June 9, 2002

June 2, 2002

May 19, 2002

May 26, 2002

May 12, 2002

April 14, 2002

April 21, 2002

April 28, 2002

April 7, 2002

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Church office: 225-8117
Father Alex's personal line: 225-5060
Life threatening emergency answering service: 239-4736