February 2, 2025

Presentation of Our Lord

 

TO OUR VISITORS

Welcome! We hope your time with us is healing and worshipful. Please note that, although we have much respect for other Christian traditions, Holy Communion is reserved for properly prepared members of the Orthodox faith. Everyone is invited to partake of the blessed bread after the conclusion of the Liturgy. May God’s blessing be upon you!

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Hymns in Today’s Liturgy

 

Resurrectional Apolytikion (Tone 7)

Thou didst shatter death by Thy Cross, Thou didst open paradise to the thief; Thou didst turn the sadness of the ointment-bearing women into joy. And didst bid Thine Apostles proclaim a warning, that Thou hast risen O Christ, granting to the world the Great Mercy.

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Apolytikion of the Presentation (Tone 1)

Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos, full of grace, for from thee arose the Sun of justice, Christ our God, lighting those who are in darkness. Rejoice and be glad, O righteous elder, carrying in thine arms the Deliverer of our souls, Who granteth us Resurrection.

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Kontakion of the Presentation (Tone 1)

Thou, O Christ God, Who by Thy Birth, didst sanctify the Virgin’s womb, and, as is meet, didst bless Simeon’s arms, and didst also come to save us; preserve Thy fold in wars, and confirm them whom Thou didst love, for Thou alone art the Lover of mankind.

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​THE EPISTLE

Hebrews 7:7–17

Brethren, it is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. Here tithes are received by mortal men; there, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him. Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not according to a legal requirement concerning bodily descent but by the power of an indestructible life. For it is witnessed of him, “Thou art a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”

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THE GOSPEL

Luke 2:22–40

In those days, the parents of Jesus brought Him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And inspired by the Spirit he came into the Temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now lettest thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word; for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Thy people Israel.” And His father and his mother marveled at what was said about Him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.” And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher; she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity, and as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of Him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. And when they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon Him.

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UPCOMING AT ST MARY OF EGYPT

 

​Monday

Book Study  19:00 @ Online​​​​​

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Tuesday

Christian Education / Catechism 19:00 @ St. Mary​

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Friday

Community Dinner 17:00 @ St. Mary

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​Saturday

Great Vespers 18:00 @ St. Mary

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Sunday

Orthros & Divine Liturgy 09:00 @ St. Mary

Christian Education 12:00 @ St. Mary

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Parish Council: The parish council will meet briefly during coffee hour to elect officers.

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House Blessings: House blessings are available now until 3 March (Cheesefare Sunday). To schedule one for your home, please contact Charles.

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2025 Stewardship: Please fill out both the Pledge Form and the Time & Talent Survey you should have received via e-mail as soon as possible. If you have not completed your pledge form, please do so as soon as possible. If you did not receive them, please e-mail Fr. Peter.

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Coffee Hour: Coffee Hour is our time of fellowship after the Liturgy. This week, group A (led by Kenbra Blanchard) will oversee coffee hour; group B (led by Bobbi Cornelius) will oversee coffee hour next week.

 

Christian Education: Christian Education classes are held after coffee hour. The adult class meets in the front classroom, the SOYO class (ages 11–18) in the first room at the foot of the stairs in the basement, and the younger class (ages 3–10) in the back classroom.

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COMMUNITY OUTREACH

 

Community Dinner:  Community Dinner: We will be having our next community dinner 2025‑02‑07 17:00–19:00; we will be serving ham & beans with cornbread, salad, fruit, and dessert. As always, we need people to volunteer to help with set-up, serving, and cleanup on that day. We especially need men to help set up chafing dishes, etc. For questions, contact Amal at  amal@stmaryegypt.org.

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Community Box Pantry: Thanks to everyone who recently donated items for the pantry. We currently have a need for hot cocoa, canned pasta, pasta sauce, helper meals, dry soup mixes, rice/Rice-a-Roni, peanut butter, and oatmeal. We have plenty of ramen for now. Remember: all donated items must be non-perishable, unexpired, and unopened. Also, no dented cans please. If you have questions, please contact Amal.

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PARISH PRAYER REQUESTS

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Living:  Archpriest Athanasius; Archpriest Zachariah; Archpriest James; Sdn. Alexander; Sdn. Mark; Abraham; Amber; Amy; Andrea; Bonnie; Connie; Deborah; Demetrios; Elen; Elena; Eric; Evgeni; Ezra; Hannah; Joanna; Kathy; Katya; Larry; Lee; Natalia; Robert; Robert; Roye; Sunday; Tanya; Terry; Thomas; Vicki; Wanda; Amira (02‑23); Sergei (02‑25);

 

Departed: Abp. Anastasios (02‑23); Rdr. Dennis (02‑18); Juliana (02‑18)

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​Please, notify Charles  of any new prayer requests by Wednesday for inclusion in the bulletin.

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SYNAXARION
 

On 2 February, in the Holy Orthodox Church, we elebrate the Meeting (Presentation) of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ in the Temple, wherein the righteous Simeon received Him into his arms.

The hands of righteous Simeon, as they bear Thee,

depict, O my Christ, the bosom of Thy Father.

On the second, Simeon received Christ in the Temple

The Greek word for the feast is “Hypapante” [ee-pah-pan-DEE] which means “Encounter” or “Meeting.” However, this was not just some chance encounter. This feast, which closes the cycle of the Nativity of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, reminds us that on the fortieth day after the birth of her first-born Son, Mary carried Him to the Temple in accordance with the Mosaic Law to offer Him to the Lord, and to ransom Him by the sacrifice of a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons (Luke 2:22– 37). In one of many acts of extreme humility, the divine Word thus lowers Himself and submits to the law in order to fulfill it. This lowering is also Jesus’ first official encounter with His people in the person of Simeon. It is not only an encounter, but also a manifestation. Simeon bears in his arms the One he knows to be the Salvation of the world, “a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.” His endearing prayer, as found in the Gospel of Luke, endures in the Orthodox Church to this day. The Church considers this celebration as a Feast of the Theotokos in praise of her role in this Presentation, and her connection in the work of her Son. “Adorn thy chamber, O Zion, and receive Christ the King. Welcome Mary the heavenly gate; for she hath appeared as a cherubic throne; she carrieth the King of glory” (Aposticha of Great Vespers). The Virgin today accompanies the Child in His first offering to the Father; she will also accompany Him even to the realization of His sacrifice for humanity.

 

Unto the very God be glory and dominion unto the ages. Amen.