St. George

Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church

2587 W. 14th Street, Cleveland OH 44113

Serving the Orthodox Christian Communityof Greater Cleveland

Sunday before Theophany of Christ

St. George

Antiochian

Orthodox Church

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The mission of St. George

Antiochian Orthodox Church

Is to serve God and the community

by commitment to the Gospel’s

command to grow in the knowledge

of Jesus Christ through faith,

hope, and love. It is a parish of the

Self –Ruled Antiochian Orthodox

Christian Archdiocese of North

America.

The Orthodox Church follows the

faith and practice of the apostles

and disciples of Christ handed

down by the ancient Christian

fathers and twenty centuries of

Church tradition. Genuine Christian

life nurtures and stimulates our

spiritual and moral development.

The liturgical life of the Orthodox

Church has been developing over

the last 2000 years. By taking part

in the mysteries of Christ’s life,

death and resurrection at the

liturgical services, the community

members are drawn to repentance

and the gradual change of their

inner selves.

To join the community of St.

George or to find out more

information, please fill out the

Guest Book in the Narthex. We

hope this day will be spiritually

rewarding for you. Fr John will be

happy to answer any questions.

Join us in the hall after Liturgy for

our Coffee Hour and Fellowship.

V. Rev Father John Ojaimi, Pastor

Office: (216) 781-9020 Fax: (216) 781-9545

Cellular: (440) 665-6724

Archdeacon Yarid Sahley

Subdeacon Sam Elias

www.stgeorgecleveland.com

Pastor’s E-Mail: frjojaimi@msn.com

Parish E-Mail: office@stgeorgecleveland.com

Sunday December 31, 2017

Tone 5/ Eothinon 8Sunday before Theophany of Christ,Which Falls on the (Leave-taking) of

the Nativity of Christ

Venerable Melania the Younger of Rome;Hieromartyr Zotikos of Rome, the friend

of orphans; Blessed Theophylact,Archbishop of Ochrid

WELCOME TO OUR GUESTS

We are glad you are worshiping with us

today. There are Service Books in the pews.

Orthodox Christians must be prepared for

Holy Communion through Confession,

Fasting, Prayer and by being at peace with

others. Please seek and give forgiveness

before receiving Holy Communion. At the

conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, please join

us for coffee hour in the Parish Hall.

Candles are offered for the Health, Safety & Spiritual Welfare of:Kh. May, Nuha Karsheh, Sahar Akel and Evelyna Abdelnour & their FamiliesBob Mourad by the Hayek FamilyFamily & Friends by George & Joie Haddad

Candles are offered in Beloved Memory of:Eilia Marary by Joseph & Deana MarariMichel Hayek by the Hayek FamilyMy Beloved, Mother Mary, Father Abraham, Brothers Emile and James, SittehZaineh & Uncle Kaiser by Emilie L. EasaWadia Ameen by his wife Mary & FamilyEdward Haddad by his wifeEdward Fadel by his wife & family

UPCOMING DIVINE SERVICES

Friday January 05, 2018 Theophany Evening Divine Liturgy and the Blessing of the WaterSevice @ 5:00 pm

Sunday January 01, 2018 Matins Service @ 9:30 am, Divine Liturgy @ 10.30 amConfessions will be heard on Sundays Morning before Liturgy starts or by appointment.

“Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying,How can this man give us His flesh to eat? So Jesus saidto them, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat theflesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have nolife in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks Myblood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the lastday”. John 6:52-54

“With fear of God, faith And love draw near”.Come to Church, Jesus loves you, we love you

we are waiting for you.

Sign up and take your turn in offering a Coffee Hour.

Pick a birthday, memorial, anniversary etc..

or just a day that no one has sponsored.

for the sick, sufferings,shut-ins , needy, homeless, victims of disasters,

war and violence in the whole universe.

Divine Liturgy Variables on Sunday December 31, 2017Tone 5/ Eothinon 8; Sunday before Theophany of Christ, Which Falls on the (Leave-taking) of

the Nativity of ChristVenerable Melania the Younger of Rome; Hieromartyr Zotikos of Rome, the friend of orphans; Blessed

Theophylact, Archbishop of Ochrid

APOLYTIKION OF SUNDAY AFTER THE NATIVITY IN TONE TWOProclaim, O Joseph, to David, the grandparentof God, the amazing wonders; for thou hastseen a Virgin great with child; for with theshepherds thou didst give glory, with the Magithou didst worship, and by the angel it wasrevealed to thee. Wherefore, plead thou withChrist God to save our souls.

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RESERVE THESE DATES ON YOUR CALENDER Friday January 05, 2018 The Theophany Liturgy @ 5:00 pm Sunday January 14, 2018 General Assembly in Metropolitan Hall after Liturgy ^ƵŶĚĂLJ�&ĞďƌƵĂƌLJ�Ϭϰ͕ �ϮϬϭϴ�zŽƵŐ��ĚƵůƚ�WƌĞ�s ĂůĞŶƟŶĞ͛Ɛ��ĂLJ��ŚŽĐŽůĂƚĞ��Žǀ ĞƌĞĚ�̂ ĂůĞ Sunday Feb. 11, 2018 Meat Fare Sunday Celebration Buffet —Home made food by our Ladies .

Preparation opens the road

In order to begin his work, Christ prepares the ground with the preaching of St. John the Baptist.Without preparation, nothing that ought to happen is able to happen, in anything. The same occurseven with the work of Christ. St. John the Forerunner comes and urges men to prepare themselves,because the kingdom of God is approaching: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”. He callsthem to repentance, and in this way prepares them to receive Christ the Saviour, to listen to his word,and to believe it.

If even for the work of Christ certain preparation is needed, how much more is needed for thespiritual work in our own souls? Many Christians seek to spiritually build up their souls, but do thiswithout preparation. They prefer things a bit casual and superficial. And because of this they becometired and are not benefitted.

The hour in which you stand in the presence of God – either to pray or to confess or whateverelse – you need to prepare yourself a little: you can read or listen to something, so as to warm, tosweeten, your soul and for you to be humbled a bit, to see yourself, to see your sin, and to repent.Then, you will talk to God differently, will communicate with him differently. God will hear you,differently. So why do we flee this preparation? Because it grieves the old man that we carry aroundwithin us. However, if we seriously consider this theme, the road of authentic life in Christ will open.

Transcribed talks by Archimandrite Symeon KragiopoulosFrom: Holy Hesychasterion “The Nativity of Theotokos” Publications.

THE SYNAXARIONOn December 31 in the Holy Orthodox Church, we take leave of the Nativity of Christ, and wecommemorate our Venerable Mother Melania the Younger of Rome; Hieromartyr Zotikos of Rome,the friend of orphans; and Blessed Theophylact, Archbishop of Ochrid.

On the Sunday after the Nativity of Christ, we commemorate the holy and just Ancestors ofGod: Joseph the Betrothed of the Holy Virgin, our Lady the Theotokos; James the Brother of the Lordand the First Bishop of Jerusalem; and David the Prophet and King.

VersesI honor Joseph, the Betrothed of the Virgin, who to be her protector was alone chosen.

Thou art a carpenter’s son, but also the brother of the Lord that built all with a word, O blest James.What shall I say, seeing that the Lord testifieth, as a man after Mine own heart, I have found David.

David committed adultery and murder, yet God forgave him and glorified him above all the kings ofIsrael. He gave him the great grace to compose the most beautiful penitential prayers (the Psalms) andto prophesy the coming of Christ. Thus, God was not ashamed to take upon Himself flesh fromDavid’s seed. God designated Joseph to protect the Most-holy Virgin, and imparted to him great honorin the plan of the salvation of mankind. Although Joseph was of the royal lineage of David, he was ahumble carpenter in Nazareth. At the age of 80, Joseph took the Most-holy Virgin from the Temple inJerusalem and into his home. He entered into rest at the age of 110. The Apostle James is called the“Brother of the Lord” because he was the son of the righteous Joseph the Betrothed. James greatlyloved Jesus and, according to tradition, he traveled to Egypt with the Most-holy Virgin and Joseph,when Herod sought to slay the newborn King.

By their holy intercessions, O God, have mercy upon us and save us. Amen.

Church Level

Church’s HallLevelStreet Level

Total Cost: $154000Donnated: $130634Balance: $23366

The Teens GroupMeets everySunday after

ChurchIn The Teens Room

If you’re a TeenJoin us

For fun andEducation

ANTIOCHIAN WOMENOF ST. GEORGE

We will be having our nextMeeting and Bible Study on

Monday, Jan.08, 201712:00 p.m.

In Yarid Hall at theChurch.

God willing, see youthere !

St. George Orthodox

Young Adult MinistyThursday January 11, 2018

7- 8:30 pm

St. George Antiochian Orthodox

Church 2587 W.14th St. Cleveland.

St. George’sMen’s Club

Meets every

First Sunday of theMonth

In The Yarid Hall@ 7:00 pm

Join us forFellowship & Fun

What is Orthodoxy?

First of all, Orthodoxy is right faith in God; it is that mighty power which makeseach truly believing Orthodox Christian unwavering on the righteous and piouspath of his life. To be Orthodox means to know correctly with the mind, to believecorrectly with the heart, and to confess correctly with the lips all that God Himselfhas revealed to us about Himself, about the world and man, and about the tasksand aims of our life in the teaching on the attaining of our spiritual union with Himand our eternal salvation. Without such right faith, according to the word of theApostle Paul, it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6).

Orthodoxy is not only right faith and a right confession of the fundamental truthsand dogmas of the Church of Christ, but also a right and virtuous life, founded onan unshakable law: the fulfilling of God’s commandments, the permeating of theheart with humility, meekness and love for one’s neighbor, the rendering of help tothe needy and unfortunate, and the serving of one’s church. The Apostle Jamesteaches: “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). The Lord Jesus ChristHimself, the future Judge of the whole world, promises to “reward every manaccording to his works” (Matt. 16:27). The Apostle Paul testifies that “every manshall receive his own reward according to his own labor” (1Cor. 3:8). Here is theOrthodox point of view. Right faith must be expressed in deeds, and deeds mustserve as a manifestation of faith. One must be closely united with the otherindissolubly, like soul and body. This only, then, is the Orthodox, the correct wayleading us to God.

Orthodoxy is not only right faith and a life according to faith, but also correctservice to God. Our Lord Jesus Christ expressed the essence of the right worshipof God in these brief but profound words: “God is Spirit, and those who worshipHim must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). Only the inspired divineservice of the Holy Orthodox Church, which is permeated by prayer, has realizedthis sacred worship of God in truth. Moreover, Orthodoxy is strict proportionalityand correctness in the manifestations of all the powers of soul and body. InOrthodoxy, a proper place is allotted to everything: to the intellect, to the wantsand needs of the heart, to the manifestations of man’s free will, to labor andprayer, to abstinence and watchfulness, in a word, to everything of which man’slife consists.