Sunday, September 13th, 2026
Fore-feast of the Elevation of the Cross
Today’s Readings
Epistle: 2 Corinthians 4:6-15, Galatians 6:11-18
Gospel: Matthew 22:35-46, John 3:13-17
Schedule of Services:
-Saturday Great Vespers at 4pm.
-Sunday Divine Liturgy at 10am. Hours begin at 9:40am.
-Monday, September 14th, Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross at 10am.
Announcements:
-Thank you to the Daggetts, Nellie, and Stephanie V. for hosting coffee hour today.
-There is church school for the older students, and a council meeting today. Church school for the older students will be held every Sunday for the rest of the month.
-Tracy Cordasco is at home and resting. Please keep her in your prayers!
-Sign up sheets for coffee hour are posted on the freezer. Kindly consider signing up to contribute to coffee hour.
-Tomorrow is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. This is a Major Feast Day. Divine Liturgy is at 10am.
-The calendar for September has been posted on the parish website. Our first Study Session/Catechesis will be on Wednesday, September 16th, at 6:30pm.
-This year’s parish picnic will be at the Schafranek’s this Saturday, September 19th at 2pm. We will hold Vespers at their home at roughly 4pm that day. All are welcome. Please let Mila know.
-Posted downstairs is the flyer for the four regional Parish Council Conferences, throughout our three Deaneries, on “Best Practices For Parishes As Non-Profits". Archbishop Michael expects every parish to be represented at these events. Our Deanery’s conference is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 26th in Jersey City.
Parish Goal Setting/Vision Session:
-To maximize attendance to this Session that is open to our parishioners, the earliest we will hold this session is in November. So far, it seems that a good date could be Saturday, November 7th. Nevertheless, at our next Parish Council meeting, we will determine the final date and time. Please know that although this time frame has been chosen to maximize attendance, this session is not “mandatory”, so to speak, nor will any votes be taken. In other words, this is not the equivalent of a "Parish Assembly" as specified in the By-Laws. However, seeing as our "Annual Parish Assembly" will take place during the winter, hopefully what comes to be discussed at this Session will be fresh in our minds in the case that the fruit of this Session needs to be revisited at our "Annual Parish Assembly" in 2027.
Prayers for:
Departed: Russel, Ben, Sylvester
Living: Haley and her newborn child Sloane, Tracy, Byron, Robert and Marie, Sandy, Antonia, Carol, Archpriest Vladimir, Cristi, Nissa, Natalie, John, Jeannine, Bernard, Nicholas, Galina, Alexey, Sergei, Liona, Amelia, Vera, Eleonora, John, Ted, Paul, Gary, and Billy
Next Week’s Readings:
Epistle: 2 Corinthians 6:1-10: Brethren, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. 4 But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, 5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; 6 by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, 7 by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 8 by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30: Jesus said, “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ 26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
