Saint George Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church
1250 Oakdale Avenue
West Saint Paul, Minnesota 55118
Parish Website:
http://www.saintgeorge-church.
Very Reverend Archpriest Thomas Begley, Pastor
Right Reverend Archimandrite Duane Pederson, attached
Reverend Deacon Russell Hodge, Assisting Deacon
Reader Leonard Soroka, Director of Music
Church Phone - 651-457-0854 Pastor’s Phone - 651-882-7809
SUNDAY, MAY 17, 2009
THE SUNDAY OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN
TONE: 4
On this day, we commemorate: The commemoration of the Apostle Simon the Zealot; venerable Laurence of Egypt.
DIVINE LITURGY TODAY OF ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
Sing during the Little Entrance:
Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life.
After the Little Entrance with the Gospel Book, sing the Troparion of the resurrection in
Tone: 4
Having learned the joyful message of the resurrection from the angel the women disciples of the Lord cast from them their parental condemnation and proudly broke the news to the disciples saying death hath been spoiled Christ God is risen granting the world great mercy.
Then sing the Troparion of Mid-Feast in Tone 8:
At Mid-feast give thou my thirsty soul to drink of the waters of piety; for thou, O Savior, didst cry out to all: Whosoever is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Wherefore, O well-spring of life, Christ our God, glory be to thee.
Then sing the Troparion of St. George, our patron saint.
Then sing the Kontakion of Pascha in Tone 8:
Though Thou didst descend into the grave, O Immortal One, yet didst Thou destroy the power of Hades, and didst arise as victor, O Christ God, calling to the myrrh-bearing women: Rejoice; and giving peace unto Thine Apostles. O Thou who dost grant resurrection to the fallen.
Prokeimenon: How great are Thy works, O Lord! In wisdom hast thou made them all.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
.
EPISTLE: The Reading is from the Acts of the Apostles
(11:19-30)
I
n those days, the apostles who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen, traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the Word to none except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, upon coming to Antioch, spoke to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number that believed turned to the Lord. News of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad; and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose; for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a large company was added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church, and taught a large company of people; and in Antioch the Disciples were for the first time called Christians.
Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world; and this took place in the days of Claudius. And the Disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brethren who lived in Judea; and they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
AW
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN
(4:5-42)
t that time, Jesus came to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and so Jesus, wearied as He was with his journey, sat down beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.
There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For His Disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to Him, “How is it that Thou, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and Who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, Thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep; where do you get that living water? Art Thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, and his sons, and his cattle?” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst forever; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”
Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered Him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and he whom you now have is not your husband; this you said truly.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that Thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain; and Thou sayest that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming [He Who is called Christ]; when He comes, He will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I Who speak to you am He.”
Just then His Disciples came. They marveled that He was talking with a woman, but none said, “What dost Thou wish?” or, “Why art Thou talking with her?” So the woman left her water jar, and went away into the city, and said to the people, “Come, see a man Who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the city and were coming to Him.
Meanwhile the Disciples besought Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” So the Disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him food?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me, and to accomplish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see how the fields are already white for harvest. He who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”
Many Samaritans from that city believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony, “He said to me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to Him, they asked Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His words. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”
HOLY BREAD
Holy bread is offered for the health and welfare of Khouria Vergin and her children, Elias, George, Feryal, Tony, and their families. In memory of Father John, & ZuZu Khoury, Fr. George and Khouria Zarafat Khoury, Elias Khoury and Mary Khoury.
COFFEE HOUR
SPRING DINNER immediately following the Divine Liturgy. We will be serving from 12:00 noon until 5:30 P.M. Please bring your family and friends!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
W
ELCOME to all our guests and visitors. We are delighted to have you visiting and worshipping with us this morning and hope that you return again soon. We invite you to participate in the Divine Liturgy, but due to the sad divisions in Christianity only baptized/chrismated members of the Orthodox Church who have made their Confession before an Orthodox priest and prepared themselves by fasting may receive Holy Communion. Please come forward after Liturgy to venerate the Cross and partake of the Antidoron - Holy Bread - at the end of the Service. Please join us in the Parish Hall for Coffee Hour after the Liturgy.
PRAY FOR THE SICK
Please pray for Lorraine DeFlorin, Wally Golden, Nicholas Marinkov, Yasmin Kakish, Mary Saba, Erma Ziton, Peter Hafiz, John Etoll, Nicholas Bolt and John Feilmeier, Nick & Julie, Jackson & Hunter Golden, Joni Meister, Julie Funari, Denise, Mavis, John & Pat Burbank, Robert & Barbara Hafiz.
If you are ill and wish to be remembered in the Liturgy and daily prayers of the priest, please
contact Father Tom.
ST. GEORGE SPRING DINNER TODAY!
CHRIST IS RISEN
Thanks to all of you for supporting our Annual Middle Eastern
Spring Dinner! Your efforts made the dinner a success!!
Our Community comes together to welcome members and non members. PLEASE
WELCOME EVERYONE YOU SEE AND THANK THEM FOR COMING TO SUPPORT ST. GEORGE
CHURCH! Enjoy the Day. Again, Thanks for all you do!!
THANK YOU!
Fr. Tom and family would like to thank those who send cards and gifts for Fr. Tom’s anniversary to the priesthood. A special thanks to Renee Melchert and her committee for a superb dinner and program on Saturday night. Also, our thanks to the Ladies of St. George for the wonderful brunch on Sunday. Finally, thank you to Mary Rudquist and the children of St. George for there beautiful performance at the Sunday morning brunch.
A SPECIAL THANK YOU!
The Ladies of St. George would like to thank Sherief Mikhail for providing a wonderful luncheon on Mother's Day. Also, a thank you for all those who helped clean up.
FASTING REGULATIONS
The Holy Synod of Antioch has given its blessing for no fasting during the 40 days of Pascha! You may return to the Wednesday/Friday fast or be fast free until the Feast of the Ascension. ALL SAINTS SUNDAY is June 14th. On the following Monday, June 15th, we begin the Apostles' Fast which continues until the feast of Ss Peter and Paul on June 29th (a 3rd Class/Vigil Rank Commemoration), the patronal feast of our Patriarchate of Antioch the Great City-of-God and all the East. During the APOSTLES' FAST we observe the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, eggs, cheese, milk or other dairy products, fish, wine, and olive oil) on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays, with katalysis for wine and olive oil on Tuesdays and Thursdays (some also permit fish on Tuesdays and Thursdays), and for fish, wine, and olive oil on Saturdays and Sundays.
Attention Workers for the up coming Dinner-
Thank you for volunteering to work at the church dinner. We really appreciate all your help and know with your help this should be a great dinner. If you haven't signed up to work yet please sign up in the church hall and give me a call so I know you can work and which shift works for you.
We are again planning on wearing white shirts and black pants or skirts when working on the floor. Kids can wear their St. George Shirts (yellow or green) with black pants if they want or the same as adults. Hair needs to be pulled back and hands washed. If you are working the first shift, we are planning on leaving the church after communion, and eating before our shift starts. We will wait to open the dining room doors until after all have eaten. If we are ready, the doors will be open before 12pm - (possibly 11:30).
If anyone would like to help on Saturday, we would love to have your help. We will be preparing food, setting up the dining room, packaging cookies, and baking bread to list a few things. So please come and join the fun at St. George. Thank you again for your help, if you have any questions just give me a call. Thanks, Vicky
THIS WEEK
SPRING DINNER
Sunday, May 17th, 2009, Noon - 5:30PM, we are hosting our Annual Middle Eastern Spring Dinner. Invitation is open for all to volunteer so sign up in the Church Hall. Please provide Homemade Baked Goods ~ Cookies, Cakes, Cup cakes, Brownies, Carmel's, Fudge, Pies, Pastries, Assorted Breads, etc. to be sold at the bake sale in conjunction with the dinner. An assortment at hand will make our Bake Sale look Grand! Please contact Sue Perry or Christine Quam with questions about the bake sale & Vicky Michaels for the dining hall questions. Since we are hosting a Middle Eastern Dinner, we will decorate with a Middle Eastern Theme. If you would like, please wear your Ethnic costume. The bake sale area, ticket sale area, cookbook sale area would be a great place to wear and show our beautiful dresses. We will have some available for you to put on that day. Please come and help at the Annual Spring Dinner!
CHIOR REHERSAL
Choir rehearsal will be Wednesday May 20, at 7:00 P.M.
VESPERS
We will serve Vespers Saturday, May 16 at 5:00 P.M.
UPCOMING EVENTS
MEN’S CLUB
The St. George Men’s club will meet after coffee hour on Sunday, May 24, to discuss the upcoming festival.
You are invited to a Sunday School BBQ. Let's celebrate Sunday School students teachers and families at an outdoor BBQ on Sunday, May 24th at the home of Christina and Jonsey Worrall. We look forward to your joining us after church (12:00 - 2:30) p.m. for lunch and play in our yard. We will provide the meat, condiments, bread, paper goods, and drinks. If you would like to bring a side dish or dessert, please let us know when you RSVP to Christina at 952-920-8020 or rjwcaw@ comcast.net. Our address is 4907 Sunnyside Road, Edina.
BENEFIT DINNER
A Benefit Dinner with Robert Alexander will be coming soon to St. Mary’s Cathedral. Mr. Alexander will speak about his travels in Russia and his new novel, which tells the story of the New Martyr St. Elizabeth. Proceeds will be going to benefit Children's charities and medical needs in St. Petersburg Russia." The event will take place at 6:00 PM Thursday May 21st at St. Mary's OCA Cathedral, 1701 5th Street NE, Mpls.
ARABIC LITURGY
Brothers and Sisters in the Risen Lord!
Please join us in celebrating the Divine Liturgy in the Arabic Language, 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 23, 2009 at St. George in West St. Paul. Thank you for your support of this very special ministry at St. George! All are welcome! Please also forward this message to anyone who may be interested in attending. Don't forget the family luncheon afterwards.
Yours,
Anthony Rezcallah.
The TEEN GROUP will be going to the Twins verses Milwaukee baseball game at the Metrodome on Sunday, May 24th. It is an evening game (7:05), There is a sign up sheet posted in the Social Hall. Please sign up as soon as possible so we can get a count of who is all going. For questions please see Tim Johnson or Luke Mikhail.
FEAST OF THE ASCENSION
We will be celebrating the Feast of the Ascension on Thursday, May 27, at 6:30 P.M.
PUTTING FOR GOLFERS
Golf 3 - 9 - 18 holes,
miniature game or visit the driving range can make a huge difference
for someone who needs a buddy. Hang out on a monthly basis. Do activities
that you both enjoy besides golfing, like going out for coffee, shopping,
watching sports or attending events. Reimbursement for mileage and expenses
is available. Learn more by contacting the VolunteerCoordinator at Guild
Incorporated: (651) 925-8465 or e-mail at volu teerteer@guildincorporated.org
Check out our website at www.guildincorporated.org for more information. A variety of volunteer positions are available.
HOLY BREAD
Boshra Haddad has volunteered to take over the scheduling of Holy Bread for Sundays and Feast Days.
ANTIOCHIAN WOMEN’S SCHOLARSHIP The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Women of North America are offering scholarships, usually in the amount of $500 to help women continue their education in order to improve their circumstances and those of their families. Qualifications for the scholarship are as follows:
1. The applicant must be a female over 26 years of age.
2. The applicant must be a member in good standing of a parish of the Antiochian Archdiocese.
3. The applicant must be actively involved in her parish.
4. The applicant must be applying for or registered in an academic or trade program of study
5. The applicant must demonstrate financial need.
Please contact Fr. Thomas if you would like an application form.
Music & Dinner
Chants of the Russian Orthodox Church and folk songs from Russia. Following the
concert will be a Russian-style dinner sponsored by
St Johns in the Wilderness Episcopal Church
2175 First Street
White Bear Lake
Sunday, May 17th
3:00 PM
Admission to concert is $10 at the door and includes the meal. (see flyer).
COFFEE HOUR
If you would like to host the coffee hour on Sunday after liturgy, please call Sana Jubran (651)-731-2988. We need people to host coffee hour. Also, please consider hosting the coffee hour the same day that you offer the holy bread. Thank you.
Announcing the 2009 Summer Camp Scholarship Contest!
Now open to our entire Pan-Orthodox Community! Two Camp scholarship coupons will be awarded in memory of Presbytera Mary Coniaris and James H. Zubulake. Camp registration fees will be rebated to two contest winners. This year’s theme is, “How do I let Christ’s light shine through me?” There will be two divisions:
Junior Division- open to children entering 3rd- 6th grades Fall 2009. Contestants are required to submit a 250- word (typed) essay on the theme.
Senior Division- open to teens entering 7th- 12 grades Fall 2009. Contestants are required to submit a 500- word (typed) essay on the theme.Entries must remain as close to the word limits (250 or 500) as possible.ENTRIES ARE DUE NO LATER THAN FRIDAY MAY 22, 2009.Please submit entries to:Fr Christopher WojcikE-mail to htoc@amerytel.net
Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
El Messieh Kahm! Hakken Kahm!
Kristos Voskrese! Voistinu Voskrese!
Christos Aneste! Alethos Aneste!
Cristos a inviat! Adevarat a inviat!
Christos tensiou! Bahakee Tensiou!
73rd Annual Midwest Federation of American Syrian Lebanese Clubs Convention
August 6th-8th
Marriott Minneapolis West
9960 Wayzata Blvd, St. Louis Park, MN
Book of tickets include: Thursday night Hospitality night, Friday night Hafli and Banquet, Saturday night Hafli and Banquet and Sunday morning breakfast. (Arabic entertainment by John Khoury). Cost is $125 for the book of tickets and $75 for children (this includes all events). Single event tickets are available at the cost of $65 Friday evening Hafli and Banquet; $35 for children. And for Saturday night the cost is $75 for Hafli and Banquet; $35 for children.
Limited space. Please reserve as soon as possible. To reserve your tickets please contact Mark Lett at 402-895-8976 (checks should be made payable and sent c/o Midwest Federation - to 13935 Monroe St., Omaha, NB 68137.