S t . B a s i l t h e G r e a t A nt i o c h i a n O r t h o d o x C hu r c h
S t . B a s i l t h e G r e a t A nt i o c h i a n O r t h o d o x C hu r c h His Eminence Metropolitan JOSEPH, Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of all North America.
His Grace Bishop THOMAS, Auxiliary Bishop of The Diocese of Oakland, Charleston, and the Mid-Atlantic.
REV. FATHER JAMES PURDIE, PASTOR 1520 Todds Lane Hampton, VA 23666 Phone: Office (757) 223-4159, Cell: (412) 327-4099 Email: OrthodoxHampton@gmail.com Web Site: www.OrthodoxHampton.com
Welcome visitors! If you are visiting with us for the first time, we greet you in the Holy Name of Christ, our Saviour, and hope you will join us in fellowship after worship. We are genuinely pleased to have you with us today. We must remind you that while the Orthodox Church prays for the unity of all, we do not practice “open Communion.� Only those Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves with prayer, fasting, and regular confession should approach the chalice.
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For questions, please contact Fr. James Purdie. Blessings.
Herman the Wonderworker of Alaska & First Saint of America Saint Herman (his name is a variant of Germanus) was born near Moscow in 1756. In his youth he became a monk, first at the Saint Sergius Hermitage near Saint Petersburg on the Gulf of Finland; while he dwelt there, the most holy Mother of God appeared to him, healing him of a grave malady. Afterwards he entered Valaam Monastery on Valiant Island in Lake Ladoga; he often withdrew into the wilderness to pray for days at a time. In 1794, answering a call for missionaries to preach the Gospel to the Aleuts, he came to the New World with the first Orthodox mission to Alaska. He settled on Spruce Island, which he called New Valaam, and here he persevered, even in the face of many grievous afflictions mostly at the hands of his own countrymen in the loving service of God and of his neighbour. Besides his many toils for the sake of the Aleuts, he subdued his flesh with great asceticism, wearing chains, sleeping little, fasting and praying much. He brought many people to Christ by the example of his life, his teaching, and his kindness and sanctity, and was granted the grace of working miracles and of prophetic insight. Since he was not a priest, Angels descended at Theophany to bless the waters in the bay; Saint Herman used this holy water to heal the sick. Because of his unwearying missionary labours, which were crowned by God with the salvation of countless souls, he is called the Enlightener of the Aleuts, and has likewise been renowned as a wonderworker since his repose in 1837. + Holy Transfiguration Monastery
ANTIPHON tHE
RESURRECTIONAL APOLYTIKION IN TONE TWO When Thou didst submit Thyself unto death, O Thou deathless and immortal One, then Thou didst destroy hell with Thy Godly power. And when Thou didst raise the dead from beneath the earth, all the powers of Heaven did cry aloud unto Thee: O Christ, Thou giver of life, glory to Thee.
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for the whole world, teacher of the Orthodox Faith, good instructor of piety, adornment of Alaska and joy of all America, holy Father Herman, pray to Christ God that He save our souls. TROPARION OF ST. BASIL THE GREAT IN TONE ONE
In all the earth that received thy sayings, thy melody did resound, O righteous father, through which thou didst go about and proclaim, APOLYTIKION OF THE as worthy of God, the nature of FOREFATHERS IN TONE TWO creatures, cultivating the character of mankind, O thou of kingly Thou hast justified by faith the Priesthood, Basil. Wherefore, plead ancient Forefathers, and through thou with Christ God to save our them Thou hast gone before and betrothed unto Thyself the Church souls. of the Gentiles. Let the saints, KONTAKION OF PREPARATION OF therefore, take pride in glory; for CHRIST’S NATIVITY IN TONE THREE from their seed sprouted forth a noble fruit, and it was she who On this day the Virgin cometh to gave birth to Thee without seed. the cave to give birth to * God the Wherefore, by their pleadings, O Word ineffably, * Who was before Christ God, save our souls. all the ages. * Dance for joy, O earth, APOLYTIKION OF ST. HERMAN IN on hearing * the gladsome tidings; * with the Angels and the shepherds TONE FOUR now glorify Him * Who is willing to be gazed on * as a young Child Who Blessed ascetic of the northern * before the ages is God. wilds and gracious intercessor
EPISTLE tHE
Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our Fathers. For Thou art just in all that Thou hast done for us. The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Colossians. (3:4-11) Brethren, when Christ, Who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these, the
wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. In these you once walked, when you lived in them. But now put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old nature with its practices and have put on the new nature, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator. Here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all, and in all. 5
GOSPEL THE
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (14:16-24) The Lord spoke this parable: “A man once gave a great banquet, and invited many; and at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for all is now ready.’ But, one by one, they all began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it; I pray you, have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and 6
therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported this to his master. Then the householder in anger said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”
tHE
KOINONIKON ( COMMUNION HYMN)
Praise the Lord from the Heavens; Praise Him in the highest; Alleluia.
Post Communion Prayer of St. Basil the Great (pray silently after receiving the Holy Gifts) O Master, Christ our God, King of all ages and Maker of all things, I thank Thee for all the good things which Thou hast given me and of partaking of Thine immaculate and life-giving Mysteries. Wherefore, I pray Thee, who art good and loves mankind, keep me under Thy protection and in the shadow of Thy wings, and grant me a pure conscience, even unto my last breath to partake of Thy Holy Gifts for unto Thee we ascribe glory and thanksgiving, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
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OFFERINGS + Prayers of Health and Safety are offered for +
Josiah, Ben, Brian, Hannah and Child, Nasi family, David, Lauren, Vandenbrook family, Sylvia family, Saur family, Sheldon family, Erin, Lillia, Celeste, Edens family, Brown family, Howell family, Dn. Chris and family, Ross family, Caroline, Daniel, Irina, Nicole,
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Catherine, Maria, Anna, Robert, Anne, Daria and child, Christopher, Christopher, Daniel, Sophia, George, Nun Thecla, Ekaterina, Roman, Angelina, Igor, Alexander, Mark, Alexander, Caroline, Planinka, Maria, David, Archimandrite Ilya, Fr. James and family
OFFERINGS +++ Prayers of Loving Memory are offered for +++
Ealenor, Richard, Richard, Beatrice, David, Robin, Gabby, Patricia, Eddison, Marcie, Lena, Mary, Roger, Kelly, Gerhard, Lydia, Victor, Tatyana, Alexander, Evdokia,
Ephimia, Ephim, Michael, Alexey, Alexander, Alexandra, Yuri, Boris, Valentin, Valentina, Vladimir, Seraphima, Elena, Evdokia, Fr. Neil, Priscilla, Dan, Lazar, Agrapena
Holy Bread is offered by Planinka Whelan for the health, safety, and memory of her loved ones. 9
The Great Banquet
In the passage immediately preceding today’s Gospel, Luke 14:12-15, we hear Jesus say, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” Can there be any more succinct statement that summarizes the true meaning of the Christmas season? It’s not about what we can do for each other, we who have means, power, wealth, property, jobs and a family. Rather, it’s about what can we do for those who do not have these things and who cannot repay us for our generosity towards them. Our salvation depends on putting away all our excuses, accepting the invitation, and extending the same invitation to others. “Advent” means ‘coming’. Christ, the eternal Word & Son of God, is coming to us as a little child during this season. But are we coming to Him? Are we coming to His birthday party this year? Are we coming to His resurrection banquet every Sunday? And who will we bring with us? Amen! Rev. Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews