ASSUMPTION GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
601 South Central Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60644
Main: 773-626-3114
Fax: 773-626-3141
Father Apostolos N. Georgiafentis – Protopresbyter

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2021 - ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ 5 ΔΕΚΕΜΒΡΙΟΥ 2021
+Αγίου Σάββα του ηγιασμένου και Αγίου Διογένους Μάρτυρος
+Saint Savas the Sanctified and +Holy Martyr Diogenes

STEWARDSHIP SUNDAY

READINGS AND PRAYERS
 
+ Our Venerable, Godbearing Father Sabbas the Sanctified (533)
"This Saint was born in 439 in Moutalaska, a small village of Cappadocia. He entered the arena of the monastic life from childhood and was under that master trainer of monastics, Euthymius the Great, the teacher of the desert. He became the spiritual father of many monks and an instructor for the monasteries in Palestine, and was appointed leader (archimandrite) of the desert-dwellers of Palestine by the Patriarch of Jerusalem. In his old age he went to Constantinople, to the Emperors Anastasius and Saint Justinian the Great, in behalf of the Orthodox Faith and the dogmas of the Council of Chalcedon. Having lived ninety-four years, he reposed in 533. The Typicon for the ecclesiastical services had its beginning in the monastery established by this righteous one." (Great Horologion)


Epistle Reading for the Day
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 5:22-26; 6:1-2
Brethren, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us have no self-conceit, no provoking of one another, no envy of one another. Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Look to yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.


Gospel Reading for the Day
10th Sunday of Luke - The Gospel According to Luke 13:10-17
At that time, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your infirmity." And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and she praised God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, said to the people, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and not on the sabbath day." Then the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?" As he said this, all his adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.

Απόστολος της Ημέρας
Πρὸς Γαλάτας 5:22-26, 6:1-2 τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα
Ἀδελφοί, ὁ καρπὸς τοῦ πνεύματός ἐστιν ἀγάπη, χαρά, εἰρήνη, μακροθυμία, χρηστότης, ἀγαθωσύνη, πίστις, πρᾳότης, ἐγκράτεια· κατὰ τῶν τοιούτων οὐκ ἔστιν νόμος. Οἱ δὲ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, τὴν σάρκα ἐσταύρωσαν σὺν τοῖς παθήμασιν καὶ ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις. Εἰ ζῶμεν πνεύματι, πνεύματι καὶ στοιχῶμεν. Μὴ γινώμεθα κενόδοξοι, ἀλλήλους προκαλούμενοι, ἀλλήλοις φθονοῦντες. Ἀδελφοί, ἐὰν καὶ προληφθῇ ἄνθρωπος ἔν τινι παραπτώματι, ὑμεῖς οἱ πνευματικοὶ καταρτίζετε τὸν τοιοῦτον ἐν πνεύματι πρᾳότητος, σκοπῶν σεαυτόν μὴ καὶ σὺ πειρασθῇς. Ἀλλήλων τὰ βάρη βαστάζετε, καὶ οὕτως ἀναπληρώσατε τὸν νόμον τοῦ Χριστοῦ.

Ευαγγέλιον της Ήμέρας
Ἐκ τοῦ Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 13:10-17 Εὐαγγελίου τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα
Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ῏Ην δὲ διδάσκων ἐν μιᾷ τῶν συναγωγῶν ἐν τοῖς σάββασι. καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ ἦν πνεῦμα ἔχουσα ἀσθενείας ἔτη δέκα καὶ ὀκτώ, καὶ ἦν συγκύπτουσα καὶ μὴ δυναμένη ἀνακῦψαι εἰς τὸ παντελές. ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτὴν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς προσεφώνησε καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· γύναι, ἀπολέλυσαι τῆς ἀσθενείας σου· καὶ ἐπέθηκεν αὐτῇ τὰς χεῖρας· καὶ παραχρῆμα ἀνωρθώθη καὶ ἐδόξαζε τὸν Θεόν. ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ ἀρχισυνάγωγος, ἀγανακτῶν ὅτι τῷ σαββάτῳ ἐθεράπευσεν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς, ἔλεγε τῷ ὄχλῳ· ἓξ ἡμέραι εἰσὶν ἐν αἷς δεῖ ἐργάζεσθαι· ἐν ταύταις οὖν ἐρχόμενοι θεραπεύεσθε, καὶ μὴ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου. ἀπεκρίθη οὖν αὐτῷ ὁ Κύριος καὶ εἶπεν· ὑποκριτά, ἕκαστος ὑμῶν τῷ σαββάτῳ οὐ λύει τὸν βοῦν αὐτοῦ ἢ τὸν ὄνον ἀπὸ τῆς φάτνης καὶ ἀπαγαγὼν ποτίζει; ταύτην δέ, θυγατέρα ᾿Αβραὰμ οὖσαν, ἣν ἔδησεν ὁ σατανᾶς ἰδοὺ δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ ἔτη, οὐκ ἔδει λυθῆναι ἀπὸ τοῦ δεσμοῦ τούτου τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου; καὶ ταῦτα λέγοντος αὐτοῦ κατῃσχύνοντο πάντες οἱ ἀντικείμενοι αὐτῷ, καὶ πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος ἔχαιρεν ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἐνδόξοις τοῖς γινομένοις ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

ΜΙΚΡΟΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ
Ο ΟΣΙΟΣ ΣΑΒΒΑΣ ο Ηγιασμένος - 5 Δεκεμβρίου
Ο θεοκίνητος Παύλος συμβουλεύει τους αγωνιζόμενους χριστιανούς:
"Ειδέναι έκαστος υμών το εαυτού σκεύος κτάσθαι εν αγιασμώ και τιμή". Α' προς Θεσσαλονικείς, δ' 4. Πρέπει δηλαδή να γνωρίζει ο καθένας από σας, να συγκρατεί στην κυριαρχία και κατοχή του το σώμα του και να το διατηρεί πάντοτε αγιασμένο και τιμημένο. Μέσα σ' αυτά τα πλαίσια αγωνίστηκε και ο όσιος Σάββας ο ηγιασμένος. Έζησε στα χρόνια του αυτοκράτορα Ιουστινιανού (527 μ.Χ.). Καταγόταν από το χωριό Μουταλάσκη της Καππαδοκίας και ήταν γιος ευσεβών γονέων, του Ιωάννη και της Σοφίας. Από μικρός είχε μοναχικές τάσεις και μπήκε στο μοναστήρι των Φλαβιανών. Ήταν τόσο εγκρατής, ώστε για λόγους ασκήσεως ορισμένα συνηθισμένα τρόφιμα δεν τα έβαλε ποτέ στο στόμα του. Σε ηλικία 16 χρονών πήγε στην Ιερουσαλήμ, στη Μονή του Μεγάλου Ευθυμίου. Αυτός, λόγω του νεαρού της ηλικίας του Σάββα, τον έστειλε στη Μονή του Αγίου Θεοκτίστου. Εκεί, ο Σάββας προόδευσε ακόμα περισσότερο στην ασκητική ζωή και έγινε πατέρας και ποιμένας πολλών μοναχών της ερήμου. Προσείλκυσε με τη ζωή του πλήθη μοναχών στην περίφημη κτισθείσα από αυτόν Λαύρα. Για την αγιότητα της ζωής του και για τη μεγάλη του φήμη, είχε σταλεί από τον Πατριάρχη Ιεροσολύμων δυο φορές πρεσβευτής στην Κων/πολη, προς το βασιλιά Αναστάσιο και έπειτα προς τον Ιουστινιανό. Πέθανε ειρηνικά σε ηλικία 94 χρονών.

+SAINT NICHOLAS THE WONDERWORKER - December 6
This Saint lived during the reign of Saint Constantine the Great, and reposed in 330, As a young man, he desired to espouse the solitary life. He made a pilgrimage to the holy city Jerusalem, where he found a place to withdraw to devote himself to prayer. It was made known to him, however, that this was not the will of God for him, but that he should return to his homeland to be a cause of salvation for many. He returned to Myra, and was ordained bishop. He became known for his abundant mercy, providing for the poor and needy, and delivering those who had been unjustly accused. No less was he known for his zeal for the truth. He was present at the First Ecumenical Council of the 318 Fathers at Nicaea in 325; upon hearing the blasphemies that Arius brazenly uttered against the Son of God, Saint Nicholas struck him on the face. Since the canons of the Church forbid the clergy to strike any man at all, his fellow bishops were in perplexity what disciplinary action was to be taken against this hierarch whom all revered. In the night our Lord Jesus Christ and our Lady Theotokos appeared to certain of the bishops, informing them that no action was to be taken against him, since he had acted not out of passion, but extreme love and piety. The Dismissal Hymn for holy hierarchs, The truth of things hath revealed thee to thy flock ... was written originally for Saint Nicholas. He is the patron of all travellers, and of seafarers in particular; he is one of the best known and best loved Saints of all time.


COMMUNITY PRAYER LIST - PRAYERS FOR: Marino, Helen, Peter, Sophia, Angeliki, Alexandra, Marina, Christos, Reem, Athanasia, Terry, Becky, Salem, Mantia, Georgia, Vicki, Maria, Vasilios, Nektaria, John, Violet, Cynthis, Fr. Jon-Stephen Hedges, Evangelos, William, Momcilo, Jill, Panagiotis, Vasiliki, Elizabeth, Panagiota, Betty, Dimitri, Alexander, Vasiliki, Eleni, Panagiotis, George, Thomas, Nicholas, Sophia, Susan, Mary Lou, Mehmet.
 
O Lord our God, Who by word alone did heal all diseases, Who cured the mother in law of Peter, You Who chastise with pity and heal according to Your goodness; grant aid to these Your servants (Names) and heal them of every sickness of which they are grieved; lift them up from their pain, and send down upon them Your great mercy. For to you we send up Glory: to Father, and to Son, and to Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
 
Prayers for the living will be retained on the list for 40 days. Contact Church Office to add names at office@assumptionchicago.org or call Panagia office at 773.626.3114
 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

This week’s Gift of Light is given in remembrance of the wedding anniversary of the late Maria and James Paganis.

MEMORIALS
40 days for the late Helen P. Collis
May her memory be eternal.

Stewardship Presentation
following the Divine Liturgy

Stewardship Sunday Brunch today following the Divine Liturgy in Plato Hall.
Please join us!

YAL - Letter writing to Santa today beginning at 12:00 p.m. - Help Santa and be an elf in writing back (on Santa’s behalf) to local kids.

Please note:
Church Office Hours are Monday thru Friday, from 9:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES AND EVENTS THIS WEEK:
 
MONDAY, DECEMBER 6                                    
9:00 a.m. - Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker
 
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11                                
12:00 p.m. - Philoptochos Christmas Luncheon at Greek Islands in Lombard

WEDDING - 3:00 p.m. - Alyssa Deolitsis to Patrick Ryan

ARTOKLASIA – THE BLESSING OF BREAD
The Blessing of Five Loaves of Bread is a brief service of thanksgiving through which we express our gratitude for all the blessings of life. Oil, wine, wheat, and the loaves of bread which are used in the service, are viewed as the most basic elements necessary for life. The Blessing reminds us of the miracle of the multiplication of the bread and fish by which Christ fed the multitude. This Blessing is usually offered during Vespers or after the Divine Liturgy on Feast days and other special occasions. After the Service, the bread is cut and distributed to the congregation. If you would like to offer an Artoklasia, please contact the church office at: 773.626.3114 or email: office@assumptionchicago.org to reserve a date. 

GIFT OF LIGHT
Please give the “Gift of Light” to Assumption Panagia’s Church. We need a family or an individual, to sponsor, per week, the lighting of our vigil lamps and candles in both of our holy Altars of Panagia and Saint Catherine. This includes the daily lighting of both of our Holy Altars throughout the week. The suggested donation for this ministry is $100.00. Through our Church’s Website, sign-up can be made through our Tithe.ly platform. simply click on the big green GIVE button, request your week, and make your donation.

ORTHODOX STUDIES – LIVING THE DIVINE LITURGY
Please join us for our next monthly study on Monday, December 20, 2021, at 6:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. in Saint Catherine’s Chapel as we explore the mystery of the Holy Spirit and Its Divine Grace through the Divine Liturgy. Refreshments will be provided before Father Apostolos' presentation.

TENDERHEARTED MINISTRY
Assumption Greek Orthodox Church is excited to announce a new ministry for our senior adults 65 years and older, Tenderhearted Ministry! We will host monthly meetings on the last Monday of each month. Please join us on Monday, December 27, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. This month’s meeting will be filled with Christmas cheer! The singing of Christmas carols are in order! All are asked to bring a $10.00 gender-neutral grab-bag gift. Each meeting will begin with a Church Service, followed by lunch and the day’s presentation. Please contact the church office at: 773.626.3114 or email: office@assumptionchicago.org to reserve a seat for each month. 


 LIGHT THE TREE!
'Tis the season to light the tree! Join your Panagia family on Dec. 4 at 6pm in Plato Hall as we celebrate the season of our Lord's birth! Your generous gift allows us to light the Assumption community tree in front of our Church and keep our parish's future shining bright by supporting our mission. We hope you'll join us to partake in the merriment, featuring treats, hot chocolate and caroling! To RSVP and donate, please contact the Church office or visit https://bit.ly/3mABK9i
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS
Sunday Church School will be putting on a musical Christmas program after Divine Liturgy on Sunday, December 19. All parish members and their guests are encouraged to attend this performance which will celebrate the incarnation of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Parent volunteers are needed for the program, so please email sundayschool@assumptionchicago.org if you can assist. 
Families can still register online at: tinyurl.com/AssumptionSCS2021

PHILOPTOCHOS CORNER
Christmas Luncheon, Dec. 11, 12:00 noon at Greek Islands, Lombard. All (gentleman
too!) are welcome to enjoy a meal, fellowship and Christmas cheer. Reservations are required. Please bring a bag of individually wrapped pieces of candy for Feed the Hungry. See flyer enclosed for details.
 
Feed the Hungry at Annunciation: Tues., Dec. 14. We are collecting new hats, wrapped pieces of candy, and monetary donations towards the meal that will be served. Donation collection box in Narthex of St. Catherine’s Chapel.
 
Christmas bake sale: Pre-order by Dec. 13. Pick up items after church Dec. 19. Flyer is attached.
 
Special thanks to Father Apostolos for the informative talk he gave at our general meeting last Sunday. 
 
UPCOMING EVENTS
YAL (Young Adult League)
December 5 - Letter writing to Santa - Help Santa and be an elf in writing back (on Santa’s behalf) to local kids
For more information, please contact Katherine at: 847.208.6013 or follow us on social media: @AssumptionChi or visit our website: www.assumptionchicago.org or Metropolis YAL website: yalchicago.com
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PanHellenic Scholarship Foundation is offering Greek American college students scholarship awards to undergraduates. For inquiries, please email vpanos@panhellenicsf.org or call 312.357.6432. Applications are due electronically by January 31, 2022.
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Special Events

Santa For a Day has been changed to December 12 from December 19

Please note the above date changes.

Austin Community Toy Drive and Letters to Santa
 
Philoptochos Christmas Luncheon at Greek Islands in Lombard - Dec. 11 at 12:00 noon
 
Parish Council Elections - December 12 in Plato Hall
 
Sunday Church School Musical Christmas Program - December 19
followed by students making Gingerbread Houses
 
Scholarship Presentation - January 2, 2022
 
Parish Vasiloptia Cutting and Parish Brunch - January 9, 2022


Please see flyers included below for more information.

Merry Christmas! * Καλά Χριστούγεννα!
Assumption Panagia Greek Orthodox Church of Chicago
Learn more: assumptionchicago.org