August 22, 2010 Afterfeast of the Dormition 13th Sunday of Pentecost

Commemorations:   Martyr Agathonicus of Nicomedia and his companions: Martyrs Zoticus, Theoprepius, Acindynus, Severian, Zeno, and others who suffered under Maximian (4^th c.), Ven. Anthusa—Nun, and her servants, Virgin Martyr Eulalia of Barcelona (ca. 303)

Troparion of the Resurrection    Tone  4

When the women Disciples of the Lord / learned from the Angel the joyous message of the Resurrection, / they cast away the ancestral curse / and elatedly told the Apostles: / “Death is overthrown! / Christ God is risen, // granting the world great mercy!”

Troparion of the  Dormition    Tone 1

In giving birth thou didst preserve thy virginity. / In falling asleep thou didst not forsake the world, O Theotokos. / Thou wast translated to life O Mother of Life,// and by thou prayers hast delivered our souls from death.

Troparion of St. Anthony   Tone 4

Imitating the zealous Elijah in behavior / and following the Baptist on the straight path / you became an inhabitant of the desert, O Father Anthony / and by your prayers you made secure the whole world! // Therefore, intercede with Christ our God that our souls may be saved.

Troparion of Martyr Lupus     Tone 4

Thy holy martyr Lupus, O Lord, / Through his suffering has received an incorruptible crown from Thee, our God. / For having Thy strength, he laid low his adversaries, / and shattered the powerless boldness of demons. // Through his intercessions, save our souls!

Kontakion of the Resurrection   Tone 4

My Savior and Redeemer / as God rose from the tomb and delivered the earth-born from their chains. / He has shattered the gates of hell, / and as Master,// He has risen on the third day.

Kontakion of St. Anthony     Tone 2

Having rejected the turmoil of a worldly life / you achieved true life by inner stillness, O Most Venerable One. / Imitating the Baptist in every way, //  therefore, we honor you with him O Father of Fathers, Anthony.

Glory to the Father…

Kontakion of Martyr Lupus   Tone 2

As a steadfast warrior of the Lord, / you vanquished the enemy array, O Lupus. / Strengthened by divine love, / with strength surpassing that of man your prevailed in your contest. // Now you unceasingly intercede with Christ our God for us all.

Now and ever…

Kontakion of the Dormition  Tone 2

Neither the tomb, nor death, could hold the Theotokos, / who is constant in prayer and our firm hope in her intercessions. / For being the Mother of Life, // she was translated to life by the One Who dwelt in her virginal womb.

Prokeimenon  Tone 4

O Lord, how manifold are Thy works!  In wisdom hast Thou made them all!

v.  Bless the Lord, O my soul !  O Lord my God, Thou art very great!

(Song of the Theotokos)

My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. 

Epistle:    1 Corinthians 16: 13 – 24

Brethren, Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.  Let all your things be done with charity.  I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,) That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth.  I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied.  For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such.  The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.  All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss.  The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand.  If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.  My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Alleluia  Tone 4

v:  Go forth, prosper and reign, for the sake of meekness, righteousness and truth.

v:  For Thou lovest righteousness and dost hate iniquity.

Theotokos  Tone 2

Arise, O Lord, into Thy resting place, Thou and the ark of Thy holiness.

Gospel:   Matthew 21: 33 - 42

And Jesus told another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:  And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.   And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.  Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.   But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.  But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.  And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.  When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he  do unto those husbandmen?  They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.  Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

Hymn to the Theotokos

The Angels, as they looked upon the Dormition of the Virgin, were struck with wonder, seeing how the Virgin went up from earth to heaven.  The limits of nature are overcome in thee, O pure Virgin: for birthgiving remains virginal, and life is united to death; a virgin after childbearing and alive after death, // thou dost ever save thine inheritance, O Theotokos.

Communion Prayer

I believe O Lord, and I confess that thou art truly the Christ, the Son of the Living God, who camest into the world to save sinners, of whom I am first.  And I believe also that this is truly thine own pure Body, and that this is truly thine own precious Blood.  Therefore, I pray thee, have mercy on me and forgive my transgressions, both voluntary and involuntary, of word and of deed, committed in knowledge or in ignorance; and make me worthy to partake without condemnation of thy most pure Mysteries, for the remission of my sins and unto life everlasting. †Amen.  Of thy Mystical Supper, O Son of God, accept me today as a communicant; for I will not speak of thy Mystery to thine enemies, neither like Judas will I give thee a kiss; but like the thief will I confess thee:  Remember me, O Lord, in thy Kingdom.  And may thy most holy Mysteries, be neither to my judgment nor to my condemnation, O Lord, but to the healing of soul and body.   †Amen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Upcoming Liturgical Services

Wednesday, August 25th,  7 pm    Daily Vespers 

Sunday, August 29^th, 10  am    Divine Liturgy   Feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist (Strict Fast Day)

The People of God in attendance:  Last Sunday -  80

Thank You!  Our greeter was Ann Spence.  Today’s coffee hour was hosted by Julia Dunaway, Victoria Lundblade and Alex Peña.  The temple was cleaned this past week by Nancy Smith, Vera Panasenko and Elaine Jenkins.  Thank you to our volunteers for their hard work and commitment to the mission of St. Anthony’s.  If you would like to volunteer, your help would be greatly appreciated.  See Nancy Smith for the cleaning team and Jamie Armstrong for the greeting and coffee hour teams. 

GREETER / COFFEE HOUR / CLEANING TEAM SCHEDULE

Greeters:    August 29^th  Jamie Armstrong, September 5th  Laurie Chambers, and September 12^th  Vera Panasenko

Coffee Hour Hosts:  August 29^th   Vera Panasenko, Nancy Smith & Svetlana Bryant  (Fast Day),  September  5^th  Brotherhood BBQ Luncheon, and September 12^th  Church School

Cleaning Teams:    August  22^nd  Mark Freemyer & Jenny & Steven Baine,  August 29^th  Jamie Armstrong & Gregg Gerasimon,  and September 5^th  Sarah &  Zach Tolleson

**A reminder to coffee hour hosts – Please make sure all trash is emptied and taken home for collection, including all items in the recycling bin located in the kitchen.  We are recycling all plastic, glass and cardboard.  **

Sisterhood Meeting Today:     The Sisterhood will meet briefly this morning during Coffee Hour to discuss setting a date for the Fall Yard Sale and other important business.

Parish Photos and Member Directory:   The updated parish photo board remains a work in progress but it can be finished soon with everyone’s cooperation.  Konica Panasenko has made a great start, but some photos remain to be taken.  If you or your family have not had your photo taken, Ann Carter has volunteered her photography services for the next few Sundays (except today, August 22^nd), so come with a smile and see her after Divine Liturgy.  Ann, also the keeper of the parish mailing list, will have a copy of the directory in the Hall for your review.   Please check the list as soon as possible and make any necessary corrections to your home address, phone number(s), and/or email address.

Church School News:  The 2009/2010 Church School year will start on Sunday, September  12th.  Students will meet immediately following Holy Communion.  This year should be very exciting and fun for our children with the start of a new schedule and a fun-filled Super Saturday program once each month.  The first 6-weeks curriculum will follow the OCA’s program, “My Orthodox Family”.    The next 5 weeks will be spent on “The Nativity Season”, and in preparing a program and photo collage for Metropolitan Jonah’s tentatively scheduled visit on Dec. 10 & 11^th.   Our children will be greeting his Eminence with an enthusiastic and well-rehearsed singing of “Eis polla”.   If you’d like to review the curriculum and read articles on children’s ministry in the Church, follow the link to the OCA Education Dept:   http://dce.oca.org/page/focus/ and  http://www.oca.org/RHSection.asp?SID=15&Section=YYA.  Below is a schedule of Church School dates through December. 

Fall / Winter 2010 Church School Schedule

Sunday, September 12^th    Following Holy Communion

Sunday, September 19^th    Following Holy Communion

Sunday, September 26^th   Following Holy Communion

Sunday, October 3^rd   Following Holy Communion

Sunday, October 10^th   Following Holy Communion

Sunday, October 17^th    Following Holy Communion

Sunday October 24^th   Following Holy Communion

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30^th    SUPER SATURDAY

Sunday, November 7^th   Following Holy Communion

Sunday, November 14^th   Following Holy Communion

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20^th  SUPER SATURDAY

Sunday November 28^th – Thanksgiving Break

Sunday, December 5^th    Following Holy Communion

Sunday, December 12^th  Following Holy Communion

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19^th  SUPER SATURDAY

NATIVITY BREAK – CLASSES RESUME JANUARY 9

Catholic Worker House:   A new family has moved into the Catholic Worker House (602 Nolan Street) and it’s time for St. Anthony’s parishioners to once again step up and become involved in the charitable efforts of this worthy organization by providing a hot supper to the staff and family in residence on the 2^nd Friday of each month.  The Catholic Worker House is a transitional living facility for families that are trying to get back on their feet.  All dates are open for Saint Anthony’s volunteer spots through the end of the year.  Please see Mark Freemyer today to volunteer for meals or email him at freebfree@yahoo.com 

Please keep the faithful in your prayers:   Mat. Mary Freemyer,  Sarah Tolleson, Ann Spence, James Smith, Malfada Manuel, James Yankovich, Dimitri Oomanskie, Richard Tausch, Louise Dorang, Luda Selasco,  Irina Novikova, Cathy & Donnie Merrill, Olga Tsvetkova, Dot Hamlin, Valentina Mitrochina, Tatiana Robinson, Natalie Digeratu, Gordon Gilson, Shirley Kaye, Daniel Tsareyov, Marianne Chrisenberry, AnaMarie Charbonet, Carlos Martinez, Larysa Sholom, Ann Carter, Adrienne Kramer, Baby Piper and her parents Belinda & Jeff, Joe Vargas, Lyudmila Alekseenko, Caleb Bryant, Yulia, Alexander, Annalyssa Cardenas.

Catechumens:     Enrique Villarreal, Tad Gilbreath

Memory Eternal:   Rt. Rev. Nicholas Senofsky (19^th),  Paul Hobbs, Sr.

Birthdays & Namesdays for the week of August 22nd:   Natalie Kramer (ND-26^th), Adrienne Kramer (ND-26^th), Alexander Piskunov (27^th)

Anniversaries:   Gus & Christine Evangelakos (24^th), Mark & Linda Bowka (26^th), Jan & John Tolleson (28^th)

THE YOUTH-FRIENDLY PARISH

By:  Fr. Michael Anderson    Part 1 of 2

Everyone wants to see youth involved in the Church and there are many reasons for this. Clergy see them as a sign of parish vitality and growth. The elderly see them as a guarantee for the Church's future. Parents hope and pray that their children will find an example in the Church by which to live their life. Youth look for peers who share their faith to affirm that they really do belong in the Church. But how does a parish actually get them involved? The real questions are :  What characteristics do parishes need to be places where youth do come and participate in the life of the Church? What makes a 'youth friendly' parish?

Youth, as adolescents, by virtue of their stage in life, are in the process of evaluating everything in their lives and choosing what they will accept and what they will reject. Often they are making choices without being fully informed. As they begin to determine the role the Church will play in their lives, they probably are not aware of everything the Church teaches. They may or may not be aware of having a direct and genuine encounter with the Living God. Another problem that arises is that often we, as sinful adults, have incorrectly taught them, through our example, about what the Church teaches. Children and youth learn most effectively by example and from experience. How often, in our daily and weekly actions, do we teach them that Church teachings can be disregarded at a whim, or that the Church is a place where people fight and gossip? For these reasons the youth-friendly parish wants above all "to be identified by young people as a community of care and concern," a place where young people can see and experience the Love of Christ living and acting in its members.

Educators and psychologists agree that adolescents require four basic needs:

1. The need to find a place in a valued group that provides a sense of belonging.

2. The need to identify tasks that are generally recognized in the group as having adaptive value and that thereby earn respect when skill is acquired for coping with tasks.

3. The need to feel a sense of worth as a person.

4. The need for reliable and predictable relationships with other people, especially a few relatively close relationships--or at least one.

Youth spend most of their adolescence searching for a place that can fulfill these needs. Unhealthy subcultures such as gangs and cults attract so many teens precisely because they provide these four elements to adolescents. But why should young people have to go to such destructive extremes to fulfill their basic needs? Our Church provides the perfect place for all these things: the parish community.

What better place to find a sense of belonging, build reliable and predictable relationships, and develop a sense of worth as a person, than in a community whose vision is to actualize the Kingdom of God in this fallen world? It is a place, a community, with people of many ages, talents, and backgrounds. It is a place where all these people have no other purpose than to proclaim the Gospel of Christ by living as a group who support, challenge, and work for each other.

Based upon this, the youth-friendly parish continually evaluates how it can best address these needs. It continually asks itself:

1. Do we see our parish as an essential place for people, including teenagers, to spend their time, where they are provided with a genuine sense of belonging, where they are needed, where they receive what they need; or is it just somewhere you have to go on Sunday?

2. Does our parish give teenagers opportunities to learn and do important and valued tasks within its life (reading, serving, directing the choir, singing, leadership, making prosphora, etc.), or does it really just want them standing quietly in the back at worship services?

3. Does our parish continually affirm to teens that they are special and essential persons within the community, or does it feel that they are a problem that must be dealt with (i.e., too much youthful energy, apathy, etc.)?

4. Do people within the parish try to develop reliable relationships with youth where Christ is the center point, or are the youth avoided and sent away whenever possible?

5. Does the parish provide the necessary opportunities for teens to meet and develop these types of relationships with each other, or is everyone just too busy with other things to exert the effort and time?

                                                  (Part 2 continued next Sunday)