The Witness (December 3rd – 11th)
SERVICES AND EVENTS
Saturday, December 3, 6:30pm Vespers
Sunday, December 4, 9am Matins 10am Divine Liturgy
Monday, December 5, 6:30pm Vespers (St. Nicholas)
Tuesday, December 6, 9am Divine Liturgy (St. Nicholas)
Wednesday, December 7, 6:30pm Advent Paraklesis
Saturday, December 10, 6:30pm Vespers
Sunday, December 11, 9am Matins 10am Divine Liturgy
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Parish Council meets December 4
Children’s Choir practice December 4
WE’RE DEBT FREE! This past week we closed on the sale of the Annex. With the money made we were able to pay off our remaining debt on our main church property. We currently have around $50,000 in a building fund for the future. We also were able to keep the yard portion of the former annex property. As an additional blessing, our new neighbors are Through the Gate Ministry – a Christ centered residential addiction recovery program for women who were in need of additional housing/space.
St. Herman Day Game Night and Clothing Drive On December 13th we will host a Game Night and Clothing Drive at 6pm. We’ll enjoy games and fellowship while doing a clothing drive for Kids Closet, a clothing ministry in our community. Snacks will be provided as well as an activity for children. A list of most needed items is available on the bulletin board. Monetary donations also accepted.
Coffee Hour Volunteers Needed Six volunteers are needed for the January through April coffee hour rotation (serving approximately every six weeks). Responsibilities include bringing simple refreshments for approximately 60 people, setting out food and serving during coffee hour, and cleaning up (wipe tables, clean up kitchen, and gather trash). Someone in the kitchen rotation will be there to assist you and handle the coffee and tea service. With enough volunteers, two families will be assigned to serve each week, to help distribute the cost and effort required as (joyously) our weekly attendance increases. Unable to commit to serving and cleanup, but would like to bring food? Only able to commit to bringing food and helping with coffee hour one Sunday? We would love your help too. Please talk to/email Rachel Hassler (rachel.hassler@gmail.com) or Debra Wolf if you have questions or would like to help. Signup sheet will be on bulletin board through December 11.
Project Mexico Chad Hassler and Fr. Joel are organizing a service trip to Project Mexico this summer June 8-14, 2023. An email was sent with further details on registration. Email or call Chad Hassler for more info. chadhassler@gmail.com 765-376-2277
Coffee Hour Guests are welcomed and invited to go first in line at coffee hour. Kids 12 and under are to be accompanied by a parent/adult in the line.
CONFESSION SIGNUP (October-December) Also available at Church. Please let Fr. Joel know when you sign up as well.
Birthdays: Ada Wilson (12/6)
Names Days: Bill Combs (12/4 St. Barbara) Ada Wilson (12/4 St. Ada) Ann Hatfield, Nick Hitt, Nikki Jones, Nicole Wilson (12/6 St. Nicholas)
Tone 8 Troparion (Resurrection)
You descended from on high, O Merciful One!
You accepted the three day burial to free us from our sufferings!// O Lord, our Life and Resurrection, glory to You!
Tone 8 Troparion (St. Barbara)
Let us honor the holy Martyr Barbara,
for, as a bird, she escaped the snares of the Enemy,//
and destroyed them through the help and defense of the Cross!
Tone 8 Troparion (St. John)
O Champion of Orthodoxy, teacher of purity and of true worship,
the enlightener of the universe and the adornment of hierarchs;
all wise Father John, your teachings have gleamed with light upon all things.// Intercede before Christ God to save our souls!
Tone 6 Troparion (St. Alexander)
In a time of fiery temptations for the Church of Russia,
you manifested Christ’s love to your flock through meekness and humility. As a good pastor you laid down your life for Him.//
Pray for us, Hieromartyr Alexander, that our souls may be illumined!
Tone 8Kontakion (Resurrection)
By rising from the tomb, You raised the dead and resurrected Adam.
Eve exults in Your Resurrection,//
and the world celebrates Your rising from the dead, O greatly Merciful One!
Tone 4 Kontakion(St. Barbara)
Singing the praises of the Trinity,
you followed God by enduring suffering;
you renounced the multitude of idols,
O holy martyr Barbara.
In your struggles, you were not frightened by the threats of your torturers, but cried out in a loud voice://
“I worship the Trinity in one Godhead.”
Tone 4 Kontakion (St. John)
Let us sing praises to John, worthy of great honor,
the composer of hymns, the star and teacher of the Church,
the defender of her doctrines:
through the might of the Lord’s Cross he overcame heretical error,//
and as a fervent intercessor before God he entreats that forgiveness of sins may be
granted to all!
Tone 2 Kontakion (St. Alexander)
Hieromartyr Alexander, you bore labors and illness upon your shoulders, and joyfully took the narrow path of suffering for Christ,
through which you attained the heavenly Kingdom.// Entreat God the Savior to grant us mercy on the Day of Judgment!
Tone 8 Prokeimenon (Resurrection)
Pray and make your vows / before the Lord, our God! (Ps. 75:10a)
V. In Judah God is known; His Name is great in Israel. (Ps. 75:1)
Ephesians 4:1-6 (Epistle)
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Tone 8 Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
V. Come, let us rejoice in the Lord! Let us make a joyful noise to God our Savior! V. Let us come before His face with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise! (Ps. 94:2)
Luke 17:12-19 (Gospel)
Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner? And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”
Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest! (Ps. 148:1) Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!