SAINT NEKTARIOS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

SUNDAY MISSAL FOR MARCH 22, 2020 View all services online: www.agesinitiatives.com/dcs/snc/dcs/

DIVINE LITURGY OF ST. BASIL

Doxology

Procession of the Holy Cross

The First Antiphon 4

The Second Antiphon 5

S ave us, O Son of God, risen from the dead. We

sing to You, Alleluia.

The Third Antiphon

Apolytikion of the Feast. Mode 1.

S ave, O Lord, Your people and bless Your

inheritance, granting victory to the faithful

over the enemy, and by Your Cross protecting

Your commonwealth.

The Small Entrance 7

C ome, let us worship and bow down before

Christ. Save us, O Son of God, risen from the

dead.

Hymns After the Small Entrance.

Resurrectional Apolytikion. Grave Mode.

B y means of Your Cross, O Lord, You abolished

death. To the robber You opened Paradise.

The lamentation of the myrrh-bearing women You

transformed, and You gave Your Apostles the

order to proclaim to all that You had risen, O

Christ our God, and granted the world Your great

mercy.

For the Feast. Mode 1.

S ave, O Lord, Your people and bless Your

inheritance, granting victory to the faithful

over the enemy, and by Your Cross protecting

Your commonwealth.

For St. Nektarios. Mode 1.

A s we joyfully commemorate the welcome

arrival of your sacred Relics, holy Hierarch

Nektarios, we call upon the grace of God in you,

which sanctifies our bodies and our souls. You

alleviate our suffering and you cure the illnesses

afflicting us. Glory to Christ, who glorified you!

Glory to Him for your miracles! Glory to Him for

all the cures that He works through you.

Kontakion. Mode pl. 4. Automelon.

O Champion General, I your City now inscribe

to you Triumphant anthems as the tokens of

my gratitude, Being rescued from the terrors, O

Theotokos. Inasmuch as you have power

unassailable, From all kinds of perils free me, so

that unto you I may cry aloud: Rejoice, O

unwedded Bride.

Trisagion Hymn 8

The Readings

Epistle: Heb. 4.14:16; 5.1-6 140

Brethren, since we have a high priest who has

passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God,

let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a

high priest who is unable to sympathize with our

weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been

tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then

with confidence draw near to the throne of grace,

that we may receive mercy and find grace to help

in time of need. For every high priest chosen from

among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in

relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.

He can deal gently with the ignorant and

wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.

Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifice for his

own sins as well as for those of the people. And

one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is

called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did

not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was

appointed by him who said to him, "Thou art my

Son, today I have begotten thee"; as he says also in

another place, "Thou art a priest for ever, after the

order of Melchizedek."

Gospel: Mk. 8:34-38; 9.1 141

The Lord said: "If anyone wishes to come after me,

let him deny himself and take up his cross and

follow me. For whoever would save his life will

lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and

the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a

man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?

For what can a man give in return for his life? For

whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this

adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the

Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the

glory of his Father with the holy angels." And he

said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some

standing here who will not taste death before they

see the kingdom of God come with power."

The Great Entrance 12

The Creed 18

Hymn to the Theotokos

I n you, O Lady full of grace, rejoices all creation,

the orders of Angels and the human race

together. O hallowed temple and rational Garden

of Paradise, the pride of virgins, from you did God

become incarnate, and our God who existed before

the ages became a child. For He made your womb a

throne for himself, and your body He made wider

than the heavens. In you, O Lady full of grace,

rejoices all creation. Glory to you.

The Lord's Prayer 26

Communion Prayers 29

(Read aloud by the Congregation)

I believe and confess, Lord, that You are truly the

Christ, the Son of the living God, Who came into

the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first. I

also believe that this is truly Your pure Body and

that this is truly Your precious Blood. Therefore, I

pray to You, have mercy upon me, and forgive my

transgressions, voluntary and involuntary, in word

and deed, known and unknown and make me

worthy, without condemnation, to partake of Your

pure Mysteries for the forgiveness of sins and for

eternal life. Amen. How shall I, who am unworthy,

enter into the splendor of Your saints? If I dare to

enter into the bridal chamber, my clothing will

accuse me, since it is not a wedding garment; and

being bound up, I shall be cast out by the angels. In

Your love, Lord, cleanse my soul and save me.

Loving Master, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, let not

these Holy Gifts be to my condemnation because of

my unworthiness, but for the cleansing and

sanctification of both soul and body and the pledge

of future life and Kingdom. It is good for me to

cling to God and to place in Him the hope of my

salvation. Receive me today, Son of God, as a

partaker of Your mystical supper. I will not reveal

your mystery to Your adversaries. Nor will I give

You a kiss as Judas. But as the thief, I confess to

You: Lord, Remember me in Your Kingdom.

Communion Hymn

P raise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in

the highest. Alleluia.

Holy Communion: Orthodox Christians prepared to

receive Holy Communion come forward quietly and

reverently at the direction of the ushers.

Prayers of Thanksgiving after Holy Communion

can be found on pages 40--42.

After Communion 32

W e have seen the true light; we have received

the heavenly Spirit; we have found the true

faith, worshiping the undivided Trinity, for the

Trinity has saved us.

Homily

The Dismissal 34

B lessed be the name of the Lord, from now and

to the ages.

ST. NEKTARIOS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

Community Announcements

Sunday, March 22, 2020

Reflection from Fr. Steve

It is amazing how one of God’s smallest of creatures (COVID-19)

can bring the world and the most powerful nation the world has

ever known to its knees.

This should be a time of contemplation and prayer for all

Americans. It should be a time of repentance and humility.

Just as God sent Jonah to the great city of Nineveh to warn them

of eminent disaster, we should also look at this disease as a

warning of worse things to come. This relatively mild disease is

infecting thousands around the world. 80% of those who contract

it will have mild to no symptoms. 3.6%, thus far have resulted in

fatalities. What will happen when a really devastating disease

similar to the plague where whoever contracts it will die? 100%

fatalities. At a time in history where international travel is so

abundant, the world population could be virtually wiped out.

Wiped out by the tiniest of creatures.

Nineveh took Jonah’s warning seriously. They repented. They

looked to God for salvation and were spared destruction.

In this modern world where the hubris of technology has lulled

humanity into thinking we can fix or cure anything. We thing that

technology can replace God. In essence we are creating a god

from our own achievements. We who have all but rejected the

God who created us to serve Him, now believe that we have

created a god (technology) to serve us. We have created an idol

and worship it. When disaster strikes we pray to this idol and

expect to be redeemed by it. Sometimes this works. But, there is

a day coming where it will not. That day may not be that far off.

As Orthodox Christians our Church has designated certain times

of year where we reflect on and remember that God is our only

savior. Especially during Lenten season this is made evident in

the hymns that we chant. The Great Compline “Lord of the

powers” and the Salutations “Most holy Theotokos” are

examples of our dependence on God for all things. He is the one

we look to for salvation. Every year we renew our faith in our

Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In Nineveh they fasted, wore sackcloth and poured ashes

over their heads as a show of repentance. Today we

(Orthodox Christians) fast, pray and give alms to show our

repentance and dependence on God.

While others are praying and depending on a false, man

created, god, we are praying and depending on the God that

is the creator of all. A God that can create a tiny creature

that has the capability to wipe out humanity is the same God

that can save us from it.

During these days of uncertainty and world fear we as

Orthodox Christians must on faith and repentance. Fasting

and prayer is our life model, never forgetting who the true

Ruler of all is.

My prayers are with all of you during these days of

uncertainty not in a spirit of despair, but rather in a spirit of

hope and faith in our Lord. A Lord who was tortured,

crucified, died and resurrected as a witness to His love for

us. This is the season of remembrance of this extreme love.

It is a time when we should rejoice that our God is so loving

of His creatures He became man so that men can be forever

united to Him as His children in His Kingdom. It is the time

of year that we joyfully remember His Resurrection with the

triumphal hymn:

“Christ is risen from the dead, conquering death by death,

and granting life to those in the tomb.”

The text for today’s service is available on mobile devices at

www.agesinitiatives.com/dcs/ public/dcs. Please note that we are web streaming

today’s service.

On March 20, 2020 we received updated instructions from His Eminence, Metropolitan Alexios to reduce the number of those attending services to be no more than 10 people including one priest, one altar server, and one chanter, effective immediately and until further notice.

Please be aware that misinformation is being circulated online through social media. Our official source of instruction is from His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios who is following guidelines as established by the Center for Disease Control as well as conferring with the Synod.

We encourage you to stay at home and follow our services online by going to www.stnektarios.org and click on live streaming.

All of our previously scheduled services will take place with the exception of Vespers on March 24

th and all Matins services which have been

canceled.

Please note the following for this coming week:

We have added three drop-in times during which the sanctuary will be open for the faithful to be able to light a candle, to receive Holy Communion, to venerate the Cross, by only bowing, and for just a few minutes of private prayer and meditation. Again, we will be monitoring the number of people entering the sanctuary as they drop-in.

Sunday, March 22, 2020 We will begin at 9:15 with the

Procession of the Holy Cross followed by the Divine Liturgy.

There will be no Fellowship Coffee Hour.

We will have the sanctuary open from 11AM to 1PM for drop-in only

Monday, March 23 – Compline Service will begin at 7PM

Tuesday, March 24 --Presanctified Liturgy beginning at 10AM. The sanctuary will be open from 11AM to 1PM for drop-in only.

Wednesday, March 25 – (no matins) Divine Liturgy will begin at 10AM. The sanctuary will be open from 11AM to 1PM for drop-in only. No evening Presanctified Service.

Friday, March 27 – Salutations Service will begin at 7PM.

The Youth Acolyte schedule has been suspended.

The Sunday missal will be available on our website before services.

The Eucharist will be distributed as per usual.

All ministry activities/gatherings and fellowship meals have been suspended until further notice

The Church Office will remain open during normal business hours (M-F, 9-4:30). We ask that no one come in person unless invited or in the case of an emergency. All business may be conducted via email (office@stnektarios.org) or by calling 704-708-4669.

We remind everyone that our clergy are available to come to the homes of those who are ill in order to offer Holy Communion. Please call the office to make an appointment.

We will continue to provide updates to the Parish when they are received. Fr. Steve Dalber, Protopresbyter Fr. Nektarios Karantonis, Presbyter Fr. Paul Tsahakis, Presbyter Charlie Hubbard, Parish Council President

SPECIAL GIFTS "Lord, bless this offering and receive it upon your heavenly altar.

Remember in your goodness and mercy those who offered it and those to whom it is offered."

The Flowers for the Feast of the Holy Cross are offered by

The John and Christine Michael in memory of George Choueiri

and for the health of the Choueiri, Mansour and Michael families.

THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT

Veneration

of the holy cross

SUNDAY, MARCH 22ND

(NO MATINS)

9:15 a.m. The procession of the Holy Cross followed by

the Divine Liturgy

Wednesday, March 25 10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy

You may drop-in between 11AM and 1PM during

which the sanctuary will be open for the faithful to be able to light a candle, to receive Holy Communion, to venerate the Cross, by only bowing, and for just a few minutes of private prayer and meditation. Again, we

will be monitoring the number of people entering the sanctuary as they drop-in.

You may drop-in between 11AM and 1PM during which the sanctuary will be open for the faithful to be able to light a candle, to receive Holy Communion, to venerate the Cross, by only

bowing, and for just a few minutes of private prayer and meditation. Again, we will be monitoring the number of people entering the sanctuary as they drop-in.

As of 3/20/2020 — Please visit the Church website for updates