SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018 Sunday of the Last Judgment

Meatfare Sunday Hieromartyr Blaise, bishop of Sebaste; Theodora the empress; New-

martyr George of Serbia; Vsevolod, prince and wonderworker of Pskov; Venerable Demetrios of Prilutsk.

Tone 3 Eothinon 3

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SAINT ELIAS ORTHODOX CHURCH

408 E. 11TH STREET • AUSTIN, TX 78701 (512) 476-2314

www.sainteliaschurch.org

WELCOME…to all our visitors worshipping with us! Please be sure to sign the Guest Book or fill out a Visitor’s Card and drop it in the collection plate (or give it to a greeter). Please be our guest downstairs in the Fellowship Hall for coffee and refreshments after the service this morning. We look forward to meeting you and welcoming you personally to Saint Elias.

We’re glad you’re here!

ST ELIAS ORTHODOX CHURCH A Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America

and the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America METROPOLITAN JOSEPH, PRIMATE BISHOP BASIL, BISHOP OF WICHITA

Parish Office: The Parish Office is located at: 12731 Research Blvd, Ste. A110 Austin, TX 78759

Church Office Phone: (512) 476-2314 Church Hall Phone: (512) 476-2316 Office Hours: Tuesday–Friday 10:00 AM–4:00 PM Church & Clergy email addresses: Office: office@sainteliaschurch.org Very Rev. Fr. David Barr, Pastor frdavidbarr@gmail.com Rev. Fr. Raphael Daly, Assistant Pastor synaxis@gmail.com Very Rev. Fr. Traian Buican tbuican@yahoo.com Reverend Archdeacon Niketas Sanders niketas@yahoo.com Reverend Deacon Gregory Farman gregfarman@gmail.com Reverend Deacon Elisha Long rlongsummer@gmail.com

Parish Council:

Officers: Mark Cherry, Chairman Philip Gunter, Vice Chairman Adam Wall, Treasurer Imad Zaccak, Secretary

Members: Nesreen Khoury Dn. Elisha Long David Jabour James Mercier Michael Friends Alexandre Rourk Sam Ibrahim

Organizational Representatives: Choir: Bill Attal Church School: Dn. Elisha Long OYA: Adam Wall Ladies Guild: Danielle Wolf

Check out our parish website: www.sainteliaschurch.org Sacraments: Baptism, Matrimony, Adult Initiation Contact the Church Office and set up an appointment with the Pastor to discuss the arrange-ments for these sacraments.

Pastoral Care of the Sick Please call the Parish Office with names of the sick and hos-pitalized of the parish so they can receive proper pastoral care.

Offering the Holy Bread Sign up to offer Holy Bread by calling the Church Office.

Become a Member of St. Elias We would love to have you be a part of our community! Please talk to the Pastor or call the Church Office to get an information packet on becoming a member of the parish.

Times for Confession: Confessions are heard before Vespers on Saturday evenings, and by appoint-ment during the week. One of the priests will be available in the church starting at 5:00 PM prior to Vespers. You may also call the church office or email one of the priests to set up an appointment for confession. To indicate your desire to go to Confession, come to the front right pew and wait for the priest….

THE DIVINE LITURGY OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM 8:30 AM Liturgy: Congregational Singing We will be using the blue-covered Congregational Liturgy books found in the pews this morning for the 8:30 AM Divine Liturgy. Check the Early Liturgy supplement for music for the Troparia of the day.

10:30 AM Liturgy: St. Elias Choir The Divine Liturgy may be found in the white Visitor’s Liturgy books. When we reach the point in the service for Antiphons and hymns, the ones for today's service are listed below and on the next page.

1st Antiphon It is good to give praise unto the Lord, and to chant unto Thy name, O Most High. Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Saviour, save us. To proclaim in the morning Thy mercy, and Thy truth by night. Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Saviour, save us. Upright is the Lord our God, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Saviour, save us. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Saviour, save us.

2nd Antiphon The Lord is King, He is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength and He hath girt Himself. O Son of God who art risen from the dead, save us who sing to Thee:

Alleluia! For He established the world which shall not be shaken. O Son of God who art risen from the dead, save us who sing to Thee:

Alleluia! Holiness becometh Thy house, O Lord, unto length of days. O Son of God who art risen from the dead, save us who sing to Thee:

Alleluia! Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. and “Only-begotten Son…” 3rd Antiphon–Troparion of the Resurrection (Tone 3) The Daily Hymns

Troparion of the Resurrection (Tone 3) et the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad; for the Lord hath done a mighty act with his own arm. He hath trampled down

death by death and become the Firstborn from the dead. He hath delivered us from the depths of hades, granting the world great mercy.

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Troparion of the Prophet Elias (Tone 4) he incarnate Angel and the Prophets’ summit and boast, the forerunner of the second coming of Christ our God, Elias the

glorious, from above sent down his grace upon Elisha; he doth cast out sickness and doth also cleanse lepers; and unto all that honour him, he poureth forth streams of cures.

Kontakion of the Last Judgment (Tone 1) hen thou, O God, shalt come to earth with glory, all things shall tremble, and the river of fire shall flow before thy

judgment seat; the books shall be opened, and the hidden things made public; then deliver me from the unquenchable fire, and make me worthy to stand at thy right hand, O righteous Judge.

The Lectionary

Prokeimenon in Tone 2 (from Psalm 117) The Lord is my strength and my song, and He is become my salvation. With chastisement hath the Lord chastened me, but He hath not given me over unto death. The Reading is from the First Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Corinthians (8:8-13;9:1-2)

rethren, food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. Only take care lest this

liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if any one sees you, a man of knowledge, at table in an idol’s temple, might he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak man is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother’s falling, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall. Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

Alleluia Verses in Tone 2 (from Psalm 19) The Lord hear thee in the day of affliction; the Name of the God of

Jacob defend thee. O Lord, save the king, and hearken unto us in the day when we call

upon Thee.

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The Holy Gospel — St. Matthew 25:31-46 he Lord said, “When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before

him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the King will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison, and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.’ And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Sermon: Father Raphael Daly The Sunday Gospel (Mt. 25, 31-46) reminds us of the third theme of repentance: preparation for the last judgment. A Christian lives under Christ’s judgment. He will judge us on how seriously we took His presence in the world, His identification with every man, His gift of love. "I was in prison, I was naked..." All our actions, attitudes, judgments and especially relations with other people must be referred to Christ, and to call ourselves "Christians" means that we accept life as service and ministry. The parable of the Last Judgment gives us "terms of reference" for our self-evaluation.

-Fr. Alexander Schmemann

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Today’s Commemorations Holy bread is offered by Natalia Smith on the occasion of her son Ian’s

12th birthday (on the 12th). Holy bread is offered by Sh. Nina Long and family for Dn. Elisha on the

occasion of his birthday. Prayers are requested for those on the St. Elias Prayer List: Nader Jaber,

Sh. Laura Sanders, Martha Dent, Adele Homsieh, as well as Tereza, Emily, Yekaterina, and Mother Eisothia.

Please also remember our catechumens: David Ballard; Jacob Benevides; Rachel Esler; Zach Flaten; Robbye Kirkpatrick-Schroeder; Luke Kubena; Nicholas Lynch; Geoffrey Miller; Scott, Melody, Jason and Michaela Schroeder; Raul, Ali, and Simon Scully; Joseph Snyder; Josh Stemper; Samuel Yang; Joseph Clint; and Wilson Whitener.

Prayers are requested by Bishop BASIL for Metropolitan Paul of Aleppo, Syria, and the Syrian Orthodox Archbishop Youhanna (John), also from Aleppo, Metropolitan Saba and the clergy and people of our sister diocese of Bosra-Hauran, Deacon Aidan Asthon, Marie Dunaway-Bell, Khouriya Elizabeth Bethoney, Asher Bourqin, Father Daniel Griffith, Father Michael and Khouriya Angelina Keiser, Father Basil McMurray, Father John & Khouriya Cheryl Morris, Archdeacon George and Shamassy Linda Palmer, Father Stephen and Khouriya Joan Walinski, and Khouriya Jody Williams.

Departed remembered from the Parish Dyptichs: for the repose of Sam Attal, Sr. (†2/11/1997), Amjad Fashho (†2/15/1991), and Pericles Criss (†2/17/1991). These names come from the parish dyptichs—the record of those who have been buried from St. Elias. May their memory be eternal!

At the Divine Liturgy during the Great Entrance, we normally commemorate only Orthodox Christians by name among the living and departed since this is the Church praying for the Church. Non-Orthodox are remembered liturgically in prayers at Vespers and other intercessory services of the Church.

On Receiving Holy Communion in the Orthodox Church: Only Orthodox Christians who are prepared through prayer, fasting, and a recent sacramental confession should approach the Chalice for the Eucharist. The Orthodox Church does not practice “open communion” and has no intercommunion with other churches (non-Orthodox). If you have any questions concerning this, please talk to one of the priests before taking communion.

And Remember… …to receive Holy Communion, one should be present at the Divine Liturgy no later than the time for the Epistle and Gospel readings. We feed both our minds and our hearts as part of the Orthodox Christian life. To feast on the Lord without listening to his words is disrespectful.

Announcements for Sunday, February 11 Our Greeters this morning are… … Sh. Nina Long (8:30) and Rania Cruz (10:30). Thank you for this important ministry of hospitality. …Next week's greeters are Darrin Roush (8:30) and David Jabour (10:30). Thank you for this important ministry of hospitality.

Coffee Hour Schedule February 4: A-C February 11: D-I (Meatfare) February 18: J-Q (Cheesefare) February 25: R-Z* Mark your calendars for your week and participate in this ministry of fellowship

in our parish. And remember, help clean up afterwards on your Sunday

February Sunday School Schedule

February 4 Class: The Triumphal Entry February 11 Class: Holy Week February 18 Class: The Mystical Supper February 25 Class: The Crucifixion

Book Store News

Check out our parish book and gift store for wonderful reading material for kids and adults alike. Look for new items coming soon as we welcome Lent! First service volunteer: Jan Gunter Second service volunteer: open We need volunteers for the second service; if you can help please contact the church office..

Sign up to bake Holy Bread! ould you like to sign up for Holy Bread? We are always in need of bread and have limited freezer space for storing it. Email Fr. David

and let him know you would like to offer Holy Bread. We need 6-7 loaves each Sunday.

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Last Week to Eat Cheese…

his coming week is Cheese Fare Week which concludes on Cheese Fare Sunday, February 18. Clean the cheese and eggs out of your

refrigerator this week as we prepare for the Great Fast of Lent. Great Lent is Coming!

here is a Guide to Fasting and Abstinence in the Orthodox Church in the pamphlet rack in the Narthex of the Church. This is an aid for

you in your preparation for the Great Fast. If you have any questions on fasting or how to keep the fast in your home, please talk to Father David. Fr. Daniel's Class

s we approach the Season of Great Lent, Fr. Daniel (departing from the Fathers of the Church) will offer two special class on Sunday

morning at 10:00 AM. Sunday February 11: An Introduction to Orthodox Spirituality. Sunday February 18 "The Ladder of Divine Ascent" The 7th Century spiritual classic by St. John of the Ladder.

All are welcome. Did You Know? During the Great Entrance with the Holy Gifts, the clergy, preceded by altar boys, leave the altar and circle the nave. You often see people in the congregation reach out to touch the priest’s robe. Why is that? This custom imitates the woman with the issue of blood who was healed by touching the hem of Christ’s robe. We understand Christ to be the Physician of our Souls and Bodies and in the eyes of the Church we are all ill, either spiritually or physically or both. By touching Christ’s “representative”, we are praying, "Lord, I do not know the ways that I am ill in my soul or in my body; please heal that in me which is in need of healing. Nevertheless Your will, not mine." If you choose to touch the robes during the procession, it is important not to pull, push or jostle the priest because he is carrying the communion chalice..

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Ladies Guild Cheesefare Sunday Breakfast Fundraiser

he Ladies Guild will be hosting a breakfast fundraiser on Cheesefare Sunday, February 18th. We will be serving stratta, along with some

other foods, during coffee hour after both services. Suggested donations are $5 per person or $10 per family. Anyone interested in providing food should contact Kh. Luanne Barr (luanne.barr@gmail.com) or Barbara Miller (bmiller@proassurance.com). 3rd Annual Women's Retreat Women's Retreat February 23-24, 2018 at T-Bar-M in New Braunfels Reserve your spot now by emailing Kh. Luanne Barr at Luanne.barr@gmail.com This year’s retreat theme is "Finding the Spiritual in the Midst of the Material" and will begin Friday, February 23 with check-in at 4pm and concluding on Saturday at 4pm. Khouria Laila Ellias from St. Mary’s in Brooklyn, NY will guide us as we come together to learn and share how we might embrace peace and quiet in our world, so often filled with hurry and stress. We will learn some techniques to restore calm through discussion and sharing and have time to reflect, rest, and explore our beautiful surroundings. The cost is $120 to share a room and $155 for a single room and includes your lodging and 3 meals. Saturday only spots are available for $55 and includes 2 meals. RSVP to Kh. Luanne by Monday, January 22 to ensure your spot. Payment arrangements can be made and limited scholarships are available if cost is a barrier. Pascha Clothes for Annunciation Maternity Home Mothers & Children Please help the 22 women (and their children) who are living at the Annunciation Maternity Home. We are once again committing to provide them with new clothes for Easter/Pascha! Starting this Sunday, an Easter Egg Tree is displayed in the Parish Hall. If you can help provide a new outfit for a mother and her baby, please take an egg and return the requested clothes by March 25--Annunciation. This week we are providing 11 Eggs for the first service and 11 for the second. This year, the task has been simplified. We are asked to provide each woman with only a t-shirt dress, a matching cardigan, and a long necklace. The sizes are on the "Egg." Pictures of the kinds of requested clothes are displayed around the tree. Baby clothes are identified by boy/girl and clothes size. WHEN YOU TAKE AN EGG: please fill out a paper egg (on the table) with your name and a way to contact you. Then, place your paper egg back on the tree so that we know who has committed to this--and so that the tree still looks festive. If you have questions, please contact Sh. Geri Farman (gerifarman20@gmail.com)

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Scholarship Funds—Time to Apply! The Arthur and Theodore Jabour Scholarship

St. Elias has set up a scholarship fund in the names of Arthur and Theodore Jabour available for Orthodox high school seniors and college students in Central Texas. For more information on this scholarship, download the application at www.sainteliaschurch.org/announce or call the Church Office. The deadline for this Scholarship is May 15.

The Rabab Sayegh Scholarship

St. Elias has set up a scholarship fund in the name of Rabab Sayegh available for Orthodox high school seniors and college students in Central Texas. For more information on this scholarship, download the application at www.sainteliaschurch.org/announce or call the Church Office. The deadline for this Scholarship is May 15.

The Francis Maria Scholarship

The Francis Maria Scholarship is available for Orthodox high school seniors and college students in the US and Canada. For more information on this and other scholarships, go to www.antiochian.org/scholarships . The deadline for this scholarship is May 15.

The Harry and Florence Kouri Scholarship

The Harry and Florence Kouri Scholarship is available for a 2017 DOWAMA Graduating High School Senior. For more information on this and other scholarships, go to www.antiochian.org/scholarships. The deadline for this scholarship is April 28.

This Week at St. Elias Saturday, February 17 5:45 PM — 9th Hour 6:00 PM — Vespers Sunday, February 18 Sunday of Cheesefare 8:10 AM — 3rd & 6th Hours 8:30 AM — Divine Liturgy 10:30 AM — Divine Liturgy 5:00 PM — Forgiveness Vespers

Camp Saint Raphael 2018 Registration opened Thursday February 1 Session I (June 24th-30th) [St. Elias normally goes 1st session] Session II (July 1st-7th) Session III (July 8th-14th) Staff & CIT applications will be posted online January 1st (both are due back by February 15th for selection). Camper applications will be available February 1st and accepted on a first come first serve basis. To access applications, go to www.campstraphael.org Questions? Contact CSR's Executive Director GAYLE MALONE gayle@campstraphael.org Camp Scholarships! In addition to the St. Ignatius Camp Scholarships, we have 4 additional scholarships available for our children to go to Camp St. Raphael this summer. Cost should never be a reason not to go to camp. We will do our best to be sure all our children are able to go to camp. If you need a scholarship for your child (children), please let Fr. David or Fr. Raphael know as soon as possible. And thanks to our anonymous donor who is helping with camp scholarships! We're looking forward to a great year