Today’s Readings:
Epistle: Acts 20:16-18, 28-36
Gospel: John 17:1-13
Schedule of Services:
Saturday, June 3rd, Great Vespers at 4pm.
Sunday, June 4th, PENTECOST Divine Liturgy at 10am. Hours begin at 9:40am.
Sunday, June 4th, PENTECOST Kneeling Vespers immediately following Divine Liturgy.
Announcements:
-Memory eternal to all of the men and women who have fought and died serving this country.
-Immediately following Divine Liturgy next Sunday, for the Feast of Pentecost, we will pray the Kneeling Vespers and ask for the Holy Spirit to come upon us as He came upon the Apostles in the upper room on the first Pentecost—the “Birthday” of the Church.
-Don’t forget the needy. Shop Rite gift cards or non-perishable foods are greatly appreciated.
-Please note the sign-up sheet on the freezer for hosting a coffee hour.
Prayers for:
Living: John, Archpriest George, Steven, Paul, Charles, Archpriest Paul, Melissa, Helen, John, Stephen, Michele, Janet, Teresa, Irina, Alla, Ira, Victor; Vinni, Caroline, Tyler, and Aubrey, Metropolitan Onuphry and the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church; the suffering people and innocent victims of the Ukrainian/Russian war and those being persecuted; the suffering people of Yemen, Syria and Turkey, and Palestine.
Words for the Day:
This council, known now as the First Ecumenical Council (held by Emperor Constantine) decreed that the Logos, the Word or Son of God, is uncreated, ever-existent, and fully divine. He is begotten—that is “born” or generated—
from the Father, and not made or created by Him. He is of one essence (Greek, homoousios) with the Father. He is true God of true God, the Word of God by Whom all things are made. It is this uncreated, only-begotten, divine Son of God Who became man from the Virgin Mary as Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the World. The Council of Nicea also decreed a number of canons (Church regulations) concerning various issues of order and discipline in the Church. For example, It confirmed the jurisdictional authority of Alexandria over Egypt and neighboring regions, that Rome only had authority in Rome and its neighboring territory, and that the churches in major cities have full authority only over their surrounding regions. Also, that those who have “lapsed” or fallen away from the Church may be restored to communion after a period of 12 years of heartfelt contrition. The practice of penitential kneeling during Sunday Liturgy and the entire Pentecostal season (the 50 days following Pascha) was prohibited. It established guidelines for determining the date Pascha. Finally, this council affirmed once and for all, at least for the Eastern Churches, the propriety of allowing married men to be ordained as deacons, presbyters, and at that time even bishops, and to still have a normal married life. While the Roman Church during the 4th century began trying to force its clergy to be celibate, it was not until the 12th century that it was finally able to enforce this rule.
From Fr. Thomas Hopko’s Book, The Orthodox Faith, Vol. 3, pgs. 50-52.
Next Week’s Readings:
Epistle: Acts 2:1-11. When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these
who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”
Gospel: John 7:37-52, 8:12. On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!” The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”