The Prokeimenon in the 3rd Tone: Sing praises to our God, sing praises!

// hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.’ For I
Sing praises to our King, sing praises! say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my
V: Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy! supper.’”
The Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Colossians 5th Sunday of Advent (Nativity Fast)
Brethren: When Christ who is our life appears, Candle: Purple (Repentance)
then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, Symbolism: This candle reminds us of our need to
uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. repent before we can meet the coming of Christ. “Repent,
Because of these things the wrath of God is coming for the kingdom of God is at hand.”
upon the sons of disobedience, Scripture: Mark 1:1-8, 14-15.
in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. Theme: Prepare for and participate in the Holy Mystery of Repentance
But now you yourselves are to put off all these:
(Confession) and Communion.
anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your
Script: “It is the Fifth Sunday of Advent.
mouth.
Do not lie to one another, as you have put off the old man with his deeds,
We light the green candle (symbolizing Faith),
and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge the blue candle (symbolizing Hope),
according to the image of Him who created him, the gold candle (symbolizing Love),
where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, the white candle, (symbolizing peace),
barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. and a PURPLE candle
(symbolizing REPENTANCE) :
The Alleluia is in the 3rd Tone: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
for we must repent before we can truly meet the coming of Christ.
v: In Thee, O Lord, have I hoped; let me never be put to shame!
The Lord said: “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.”
v: Be Thou a God of protection for me, a house of refuge, in order to save
me!
Parish Wide Education
An Old Testament Survey during Coffee Hour
The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke
Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited This Week | Part V – Minor Prophets: 12 Prophets (Hosea –
many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were Malachi)
invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ But they all with one accord Sun, Dec 24 | Part VI – Wisdom Literature: Psalms, Proverbs, Job,
began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of etc.
ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ And Sun, Dec 31 | Part VII – Apocrypha + “Reading Scripture in 2018”
another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test
them. I ask you to have me excused.’ Still another said, ‘I have married a
wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So that servant came and reported Adult Bible/Book Study
these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said Discussion on Wednesday evenings after Vespers: Ladder of Divine
to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and Ascent
bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’ And NO Bible Study this week – Parish Council Meeting
the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is Wed, Dec 27 @ 6:30pm John 8:12-8:59 [Study Guide: 149-
room.’ Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and 167]
 Wed, Jan 3rd @ 6:30pm John 9:1-12 [Study Guide: 168-174]
Catechism/Adult Ed: Worship in 5 Senses / Life in 5 Disciplines
Discussion on Orthodox Worship & spiritual disciplines in the Orthodox
tradition
Tuesday evenings from 7:00pm-7:45pm.
Tue, Dec 19th @ 7pm Sense 5: Taste + Discipline 5: Holy Communion
Using The Ten Commandments to Prepare for Confession
I. ‘I am the Lord thy God: Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.’
- Have I loved God as much as I should?
- Have I been more interested in my own will rather than God’s?
- Have I failed to pray sincerely and regularly?
- Have I failed to trust in God and His mercy?
- Have I complained against God in adversity?
- Have I been thankful for God's blessings?
- Have I doubted the Christian faith and the teachings of the Church?
- Have I tried to serve God and keep His Commandments?
II. ‘Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.’
- Have I put another person or object before God in my life?
- Have I been insincere about my religion?
- Have I made an idol of any person or thing?
- Have I given to anyone/anything the worship that is due to God alone?
- Have I set before myself the holy life of Jesus and tried to imitate
Him?
- Have I read the Holy Scriptures regularly?
- Have I neglected to prepare for & receive Communion regularly?
III. : ‘Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain.’
- Have I paid proper attention to holy persons and things?
- Have I broken any solemn vow or promises?
- Have I profaned the holy name of God in any way?
- Have I cursed anyone or anything, or sworn a false oath?
- Have I failed to give proper reverence to holy persons or things?
- Have I disrespected the clergy or hindered them in doing God's work?
IV: ‘Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.’
- Have I always kept Sunday as it ought to be kept?
- Have I stayed away from Church on Sundays or kept others from going?
- Have I done unnecessary work on Sundays?
- Have I misused the day or profaned it by improper conduct?
- If I could not go to Church due to a grave cause, have I prayed at home?
- Have I caused anyone else to profane the Lord's Day?
- Have I kept the Fasts and Festivals prescribed by the Church?
V: ‘Honor thy father and thy mother.’
- Have I respected my parents and been obedient to them?
- Have I done my duty towards my family?
- Have I been lacking in love/kindness towards my spouse?
- Have I exemplified and modeled the Christian life for my children?
- Have I corrected their faults with patience and not with anger?
VI: ‘Thou shalt not kill.’
- Have I harmed others by ridicule & sarcasm or contempt &
stubbornness?
Have I caused the injury of any one, or wished that they or I were dead?
- Have I done anything to shorten my life or another’s by my choices?
- Have I given way to anger, or harmed others with words or actions?
- Have I defamed others who needed help, or not stood up for others?
- Have I been cruel? Mistreated or destroyed any life unnecessarily?
- Have I failed to forgive anyone or harbored evil thoughts against them?
VII: ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery (or infidelity).’
- Have I given way to impure thoughts, words, or deeds?
- Have I looked at pornographic material, or delighted in any obscenity?
- Have I associated with bad companions or frequented unsavory places?
- Have I eaten or drunk or smoked too much?
- Have I been lazy, idle, or wasted my time?
- Have I led others to commit sinful acts?
- Have I been unfaithful to any trust confided in me?
VIII: ‘Thou shalt not steal.’
- Have I ever stolen or wished to do so, or shared in stolen goods?
- Have I given to my Church what I know I can afford to give?
- Have I kept anything that did not belong to me?
- Have I tried honestly to find owners of lost articles I have found?
- Have I cheated anyone? Have I paid my debts?
- Have I lived within my income, and not wastefully and extravagantly?
- Have I given to charitable causes in proportion to my means?
- Have I been honest and upright?
IX‘Thou shalt not bear false witness.’
- Have I exaggerated or let others take the blame?
- Have I told lies, or added or subtracted from the truth?
- Have I made careless statements or spoken evil of anyone?
- Have I told any secrets entrusted to me, or betrayed anyone?
- Have I gossiped about anyone or harmed their reputation?
- Have I tried to see the good in others rather than their shortcomings?
X.: ‘Thou shalt not covet.’
- Have I been jealous of another's good fortune?
- Have I wished for anything that was another's?
- Have I been stingy or held back anything due another?
- Have I hoped for the downfall of anyone so that I might gain by it?
- Have I failed to be gracious and generous to anyone?
- Have I expected God to give me that which I would refuse to give?