St. Paul the Apostle Orthodox Church PO Box 12635 • 5400 Annie Oakley Drive • Las Vegas, NV • 89112-0635 702.898.4800 • www.lasvegasorthodox.com Archpriest John J. Dresko, Rector 860.833.4921 mobile • fatherjohn (at) lasvegasorthodox (dot) com Weekly Bulletin for the Week of February 2-8, 2015 STEWARDSHIP TODAY’S SCRIPTURES EPISTLE: My son Timothy, But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra – what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 3:10-15) GOSPEL: The Lord told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men – extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. ’I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ “And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:10-14) Stewardship 1/25: Total Income 1/25: $2,813.14 $6,159.14 Weekly income needed: $ 4,282.27 2015 INCOME GOAL (4 wks): 2015 INCOME ACTUAL: Percentage of Budgeted Income: $ 17,129.08 $ 20,042.14 117.0% CAPITAL FUND GOAL CAPITAL FUND ACTUAL $ 60,000.00 $ 48,459.00 WEEKLY CALENDAR TODAY: 34th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST, Tone 1. Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee (Lenten Triodion Begins). Prefeast of the Meeting. Martyr Tryphon of Campsada near Apamea in Syria. Martyrs Perpetua, a woman of Carthage, and the Catechumens: Saturus, Revocatus, Saturninus, Secundulus and Felicitas. Ven. Bridget (Brigid) of Ireland. Hours: Youth Greeters: Osburn/Wheeler Epistle: Youth Post-Communion: Youth Coffee: Yonisakm Gobru CHURCH SCHOOL MONDAY, February 2 Divine Liturgy, 7:30 am; MEETING OF THE LORD Father John out of town Monday aft—Tuesday WEDNESDAY, February 4 Daily Vespers, 6:30 pm; Adult Faith Forum THURSDAY, February 5 Eritrean Service, 8:00 am; Coffee Chat, 10:00 am SATURDAY, February 7 DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS Feb 2: Heb 7:7-17 Feb 3: 2 Pet 2:9-22 Feb 4: 2 Pet 3:1-18 Feb 5: 1 John 1:8-2:6 Feb 6: 1 John 2:7-17 Feb 7: 2 Tim 3:1-9 Luke 2:22-40 Mark 13:14-23 Mark 13:24-31 Mark 13:31-14:2 Mark 14:3-9 Luke 20:46-21:4 Baptism, 10:00 am Memorial Service, Cornell Lazar, 3:30 pm Great Vespers, 5:00 pm; Confessions SUNDAY, February 8 35th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST, Tone 2. Sunday of the Prodigal Son. Postfeast of the Meeting. Hours: Hood Greeters: Campbell/Chong Epistle: Brooks Post-Communion: Parker Coffee: Youth CHURCH SCHOOL; Melody Crowning, 1:00 pm ANNOUNCEMENTS The Meeting of the Lord (Feb 2) — oca.org Schedule Change Father John has been tasked by His Eminence, Archbishop Benjamin, to attend a financial summit meeting in New York in preparation for the All-American Council. This was a last-minute request, and he will be out of town after liturgy on Monday through Tuesday. Liturgy will begin one-half hour earlier (at 7:30 am) than originally scheduled. Father will go right to the airport from liturgy. Forty days after His birth the God-Infant was taken to the Jerusalem Temple, the center of the nation’s religious life. According to the Law of Moses (Lev. 12:2-8), a woman who gave birth to a male child was forbidden to enter the Temple of God for forty days. At the end of this time the mother came to the Temple with the child, to offer a young lamb or pigeon to the Lord as a purification sacrifice. The Most Holy Virgin, the Mother of God, had no need of purification, since she had given birth to the Source of purity and sanctity without defilement. However, she humbly fulfilled the requirements of the Law. At this time the righteous Elder Simeon (February 3) was living in Jerusalem. It had been revealed to him that he would not die until he should behold the promised Messiah. By inspiration from above, St Simeon went to the Temple at the very moment when the Most Holy Theotokos and St Joseph had brought the Infant Jesus to fulfill the Law. The God-Receiver Simeon took the divine Child in his arms, and giving thanks to God, he spoke the words repeated by the Church each evening at Vespers: “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light to enlighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32). St Simeon said to the Most Holy Virgin: “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against. Yea, a sword shall pierce through your own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:34-35). At the Temple was the 84-year-old widow Anna the Prophetess, daughter of Phanuel (February 3), “who did not leave the temple, but served God with fasting and prayers night and day. She arrived just when St Simeon met the divine Child. She also gave thanks to the Lord and spoke of Him to all those who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem” (Luke 2:37-38). In the icon of the Feast she holds a scroll which reads: “This Child has established Heaven and earth.” Before Christ was born, righteous men and women lived by faith in the promised Messiah, and awaited His coming. The Righteous Simeon and the Prophetess Anna, the last righteous people of the Old Testament, were deemed worthy to meet the Savior in the Temple. The Feast of the Meeting of the Lord is among the most ancient feasts of the Christian Church. We have sermons on the Feast by the holy bishops Methodius of Patara (+ 312), Cyril of Jerusalem (+ 360), Gregory the Theologian (+ 389), Amphilocius of Iconium (+ 394), Gregory of Nyssa (+ 400), and John Chrysostom (+ 407). Despite its early origin, this Feast was not celebrated so splendidly until the sixth century. In 528, during the reign of Justinian, an earthquake killed many people in Antioch. Other misfortunes followed this one. In 541 a terrible plague broke out in Constantinople, carrying off several thousand people each day. During this time of widespread suffering, a solemn prayer service (Litia) for deliverence from evils was celebrated on the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord, and the plague ceased. In thanksgiving to God, the Church established a more solemn celebration of this Feast. On this day we also commemorate the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos known as “the Softening of Evil Hearts” or “Simeon’s Prophecy.” The Mother of God is depicted without Her Child, with seven swords piercing her breast: three from the left side, three from the right, and one from below. A similar icon, “Of the Seven Swords” (August 13) shows three swords on the left side and four from the right. The icon “Simeon’s Prophecy” symbolizes the fulfillment of the prophecy of the righteous Elder Simeon: “a sword shall pierce through your own soul” (Luke 2:35). Memory Eternal To the servant of God, Cornell (Corky) Lazar, who fell asleep in the Lord suddenly last Sunday. Although he is being interred in Oregon, we will celebrate a Panikhida (Memorial) for him next Saturday, February 7, at 3:30 pm. A small repast will follow the service before Vespers. Annual Benefit Dinner Our annual Fundraiser and Silent Auction Dinner will be held next Sunday, February 8, at Sunset Gardens. Silent Auction will begin at 5:30, with dinner served at 6:30. Dancing will follow. Tickets are $100 and available from Pam Campbell. This is the only major fundraiser our parish holds during the year. Please invite friends of St. Paul’s and all family and friends! If you or someone you know would like to attend but has financial need, please see Father or Pam. Forgiveness Vespers/Great Lent Sunday, February 22, is Forgiveness Sunday and we will celebrate the Vespers and Rite of Forgiveness after liturgy. Every Orthodox Christian makes every effort to be present for that service as we fall down before each other in forgiveness before beginning our lenten effort. Icon Project/Capital Fund Everyone is reminded of our two special funds: The Icon Fund and the Capital Improvements Fund. Donations to either should be above and beyond your normal support of our parish. Our iconographer is preparing the master plan for the iconography of our entire church building. He will be here after Pascha to complete the sanctuary. We will need the Icon Fund to continue the beautification of the church. We will need the Capital Fund to finish work on the bell tower. Please consider a donation to either or both funds. REMEMBER, O LORD...those in need of prayer Protopresbyter Thomas (Hopko) Madeline (DeSomov) Archpriest John (Bruchok) Fernande (Bica) Archpriest Michael (Koblosh) Nicholas (Ashie) Matushka Lila (Regan) Laura (Draskovic) The child Christopher (Elliott) Bobbie (Lazar) Marteen (Moore) Anita (Maresca) Michelle (Chong) Peter (Jolevski) Robert & Anne (Rice) Dorothy (Grudzina) Sophie & Natasha (Zonitch) Christine (Sechrist) The newly departed Cornell