Sunday, April 19, 2026
St. Thomas Sunday - Antipascha
Today’s Readings
Epistle: Acts 5:12-20
Gospel: John 20:19-31
Schedule of Services:
-Saturday Great Vespers at 4pm.
-Sunday Divine Liturgy at 10am. Hours begin at 9:40am.
Announcements:
-Today’s Coffee Hour is Pot-luck.
-There will be both Church School for the children today, and a Parish Council meeting next Sunday.
-A special thanks to everyone who brought red eggs for Pascha.
-The Coffee Hour sign-up sheet is posted on the freezer. Please consider hosting a Sunday Coffee Hour.
-Please see the bulletin board in the hall downstairs and the weekly parish email regarding all the events and retreats taking place in the diocese these upcoming months (i.e, Women’s Retreat, Adult and Teen Retreat, and Altar Server Retreat).
-Kindly consider donating a Shop Rite gift card for those who are in need.
Prayers for:
Departed: Forrest, Richard, Stephen Living: Robert and Marie, Sandy, Antonia, Carol, Archpriest Vladimir, Cristi, Pamela, Nissa, Natalie, John, Jeannine, Bernard, Nicholas, Galina, Alexey, Sergei, Liona, Amelia, Vera, Eleonora, John, and Ted.
Words for the Day:
The Church is the entrance into the risen life of Christ; it is communion in life eternal, “joy and peace in the Holy Spirit.” And it is the expectation of the “day without evening’ of the kingdom; not of any “other world,” but of the fulfillment of all things and all life in Christ. In him death itself has become an act of life, for he has filled it with himself, with his love and light. In whom “all things are yours; whether…the world or life or death of the present or the future, all are yours; and you are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s” (1 Cor 3:21-23). And if I make this new life mine, mine this hunger and thirst of the kingdom, mine this expectation of Christ, mine the certitude that Christ is Life, then my very death will be an act of communion with Life. For neither life nor death can separate us from the love of Christ. I do not know when and how the fulfillment will come. Indo not know when all things will be consummated in Christ. I know nothing about the “when’s” and “hows.” But I know that in Christ this great Passage, the Pascha of the world has begun, that the light of the “world to come” comes to us in the joy and peace of the Holy Spirit, for Christ is risen and Life reigns.”
Fr. Alexander Schmemann, O Death Where is Thy Sting, 113-114
Next Week’s Readings:
Epistle: Acts 6:1-7: Brethren, in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. 2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, 6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them. 7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.
Gospel: Mark 15:43-16:8: At that time, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time. 45 So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. 46 Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. 47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid. 16 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. 2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3 And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. 6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. 7 But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”8 So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
