Troparion – Tone 3 (Resurrection) Let the heavens rejoice! Let the earth be glad! For the Lord has shown strength with His arm. He has trampled down death by death. He has become the first born of the dead. He has delivered us from the depths of hell, and has granted to the world//great mercy.
Troparion - Tone 4 (Forefeast) Prepare, O Bethlehem, for Eden has been opened to all! Adorn thyself, O Ephratha, for the Tree of Life blossoms forth from the Virgin in the cave! Her womb is a spiritual paradise planted with the Divine Fruit; if we eat of it, we shall live forever and not die like Adam.//Christ comes to restore the image which He made in the beginning.
Troparion – Tone 2 (Fathers) Great are the accomplishments of faith, for the three Holy Youths rejoice in the fountain of flames as though in the waters of rest; and the Prophet Daniel appeared a shepherd to the lions as though they were sheep.//So by their prayers, O Christ God, save our souls!
Kontakion – Tone 1 (Fathers) Rejoice, O Bethlehem! Prepare thyself, O Ephratha! The Lamb is on her way to give birth to the Chief Shepherd she carries in her womb. The God-bearing Forefathers will rejoice, beholding Him, and with the shepherds, they will glorify the Virgin nursing Him.
Kontakion – Tone 3 (Forefeast) Today the Virgin comes to the cave to give birth to the Eternal Word. Hear the glad tidings and rejoice, O universe! Glorify with the Angels and the shepherds the Eternal God, Who is willing to appear as a little child!
Prokeimenon – Tone 4 (Song of the Fathers) Blessed are Thou, O Lord God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Thy name forever! (Song of the three Holy Youths, v. 2) verse: For Thou art just in all that Thou hast done to us. (v. 3)
Epistle - Hebrews 11:9-10, 17-23, 32-40; Gospel – Matt. 1:1-25
(All Prayer Requests Remain On The List For 40 Days, Unless Otherwise Specified)
This Week’s Services & Events Today, Sun., Dec. 21
st
---- Matins & Church School ---- 9:00am Divine Liturgy ----
10:00am
Coffee Hour follows the Divine Liturgy each Sunday, join us! ---- Senior R Club Meeting & Choir Rehearsal ---- Following Coffee Hour Wed., Dec. 24th (STRICT FAST DAY) ---Vesperal Liturgy 10:00am ---- Matins & Compline 6:30pm Thur. Dec. 25th (Christ Is Born! Glorify Him!) ----Divine Liturgy 10:00am Sat., Dec. 27th ---*Vespers ---5:00pm *Fr. John hears confessions after evening services or by appointment. Sun. Dec. 28th ---- Matins & Church School ---- 9:00am ---Divine Liturgy ---10:00am
The Ministry Corner – January’s Featured Service Project Rescue Mission of Trenton – Clothing Drive Everyone is invited to bring gently used or new clothing to church throughout January as a donation to the Rescue Mission of Trenton. The Rescue Mission helps to do the work of the Gospel by feeding the hungry and clothing the naked (Matt. 25) of our city. Items may be dropped off in the big brown box in the church entranceway. Please speak with Fr. John or Mat. Andrea for more information.
25% of Trentonians live in poverty.
All parish activities should include these core Christian values: Worship, Fellowship, Education, Service, Outreach, & Evangelism.
Fr. John will be away on vacation from Dec. 26th – Jan. 2nd. In case of emergency, please contact him at: 347-624-0480. Upcoming Events Home Blessings
Communion Hymns Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest! (Ps 148:1) Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; praise befits the just! (Ps 32:1) Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! Love being with each other! Love being with the Lord! Love sharing God’s love!
Let Us Pray To The Lord! For The Health & Salvation Of: Pdn. Michael, Dka. Leslie, Ksenia, Maria, Ann, Olga, Richard, Mary, Marie, Joan, John, Pauline, Maryann, Jan, Natasha, Charles, Nadia, Mary, Irene, Joseph, Zinna, Theodore, Paul, Lynne, Newly Departed: Nadia Danilenko, Alexander Kush
Letters for home blessings have been mailed out. This year, everyone is scheduled to have their home blessed – even you! Please speak with Fr. John about any questions or if you need to reschedule your home blessing day or time.
Potluck Luncheon –Tue., Jan. 6th You and your friends are invited to celebrate Holy Theophany with a potluck luncheon following the services this day!
Russian Tea Party – Sun., Jan. 11th
As one of their service projects to the parish community, the Church School will host a Russian Tea Party this day during coffee hour. This is a great opportunity to bring a friend to church!
Did You Know…??? There is no fasting at all from Christmas Day (following the Divine Liturgy) through January 4th, even on Wednesdays or Fridays!
Sophia – Wisdom of the Saints Christ, finding the holy body and soul of the Virgin, builds for Himself a living temple, and as He had willed, formed there a man from the Virgin; and, putting Him on, this day came forth; unashamed of the lowliness of our nature. For it was to Him no lowering to put on what He Himself had made. Let that handiwork be forever glorified, which became the cloak of its own Creator. For as in the first creation of flesh, man could not be made before the clay had come into His hand, so neither could this corruptible body be glorified, until it had first become the garment of its Maker. –St. John Chrysostom (Homily on the Nativity of Christ)
Rev. Fr. John Diamantis, Parish Priest 812 Grand Street, Trenton, NJ 08610 609.393.1234 FrJohnDiamantis@gmail.com SaintVladimir.org
December 21st, 2014 Sunday Before Nativity Virgin-Martyr Juliana Stay Connected! To join our mailing list, please contact: Admin@SaintVladimir.org or 609.393.1234. Learn even more online: www.saintvladimir.org, www.nynjnoca.org, www.oca.org or follow
Weekly Offering Last Sunday’s Attendance: 62 Last Sunday’s General Fund Offering: $2,083.00 Weekly General Fund Goal: $3,322.26 (The goal meets our annual budget.)
Welcome
If this is your first time with us, be sure to sign the guest register in the entranceway then join us next door for light food & hearty fellowship! Birthdays, Names’ days, and Anniversaries will be celebrated in Daria Hall following the Divine Liturgy. Common names’ days celebrated this week include: Juliana (today), Anastasia (Dec. 22), Mary (Dec.
26), & Stephen (Dec. 27).
Seeking, Knowing, and Living God’s Will
us on: