jxx~Äç VtÄxÇwtÜ **Dormition Fast: begins Wed (Strict Fast)**

Sunday, July 29 9TH

SUNDAY OF MATTHEW

�Orthros 8:00am �Divine Liturgy 9:15am

Yiayia’s Blankets Workday after Liturgy

Monday, July 30 Philoptochos Board Meeting 5:30pm

Wednesday, August 1 Dormition Fast Begins

�Paraklesis 6:30pm

Friday, August 3 �Paraklesis 6:30pm

Sunday, August 5 10TH

SUNDAY OF MATTHEW

�Orthros 8:00am �Divine Liturgy 9:15am

TODAY’S FELLOWSHIP HOSTS: Du through Ka

NEXT SUNDAY’S FELLOWSHIP HOSTS: Ko through McR

ALTAR TEAM ST. MATTHEW: Acolyte Captain: Daniel Papadopoulos, Acolytes: Alex Arnold, Nick Arnold, Josiah Dow and Gabriel Dunn. Acolyte Coordinator(s): Greg Arnold.

Aug 6 – DIVINE LITURGY (Transfiguration), 9:15am Aug 6 – BLESSING OF THE GRAPES, following Liturgy Aug 6 – PARAKLESIS, 6:30pm Aug 8 – PARAKLESIS, 6:30pm Aug 10 – PARAKLESIS, 6:30pm Aug 18 – PHILOPTOCHOS SPIRITUAL RETREAT Aug 20 – PARISH COUNCIL MEETING, 6:30pm Aug 25 – GREAT VESPERS, 5:00pm Sept. 16 – BUILDING COMMITTEE PRESENTATION, after Liturgy

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134-A Talbert Pointe Drive Mailing: PO Box 1513

Mooresville, NC 28117 Mooresville, NC 28115

Phone #: 704-660-6915

Email: office@stluke-nc.org Web: www.stluke-nc.org

Father Robert Lawrence, Pastor

Cell #: 980-829-7826 Email: father@stluke-nc.org

Office Hours: M & W 10:00am – 3:00pm Additional times by appointment

Renee Bowman, Parish Administrator

Office Hours: T-Th 9:00am – 2:00pm

Greg Arnold, Parish Council President

parishcouncil@stluke-nc.org

fàA _â~x ZÜxx~ bÜà{ÉwÉå V{âÜv{ UâÄÄxà|Ç A NOTE TO OUR VISITORS

Welcome to our Parish! We are honored and pleased that you are joining us in worship this morning. If you are interested in learning more about Orthodox Christianity or would like information about joining our parish family, please see any Parish Council member or remain after Liturgy to speak with our priest, Fr. Robert.

If this is your first visit to an Orthodox Church, our ancient worship may not be familiar to you. Any Parish Council member or Greeter can help you get situated and show you how to follow along in the Liturgy book. You are warmly encouraged to join in our prayers and participate as much as you would like. Orthodox Worship, however, understands the Eucharist (also known as “Communion” or the “Lord’s Supper”) to truly be the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Such a sacred and powerful gift is held in high esteem by our parish family and only those faithful who have properly prepared to receive the Eucharist should come forward at the appointed time. We respectfully ask that, as a visitor, you refrain from coming forward for the

Eucharist until you have first spoken with our priest.

Please do accept a portion of the blessed bread (called “Antidoron,” a remembrance of the

ancient Agape Feast) at the close of Liturgy as our offering of warm welcome and gratitude for

your presence in worship with us this morning.

We hope you will also join us for our Fellowship Hour in the social hall after the conclusion of the Liturgy. Again…thank you for the gift of your presence this morning.

May our loving and merciful God watch over you always.

OUR ONGOING MINISTRIES

ADULT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION – Bible Study is on hiatus for the summer. We will resume in September. Check out St. Luke Greek Orthodox Church Ministries on YouTube for archived studies you can watch anytime! COMMUNITY OUTREACH MINISTRIES – Stop by the Community Outreach table in the Fellowship Hall for ideas on how you can help and support our broader community. This month’s Food for Days is: Crackers (variety pack)

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YIAYIA'S BLANKETS WORK DAY – TODAY after Liturgy! All are welcome to join us as we work on blankets to be gifted to those in need in our community. No sewing experience is necessary to help out! See Mary Jo Richiusa for more details.

STANDING VIGIL – The Dormition Fast begins THIS WEDNESDAY as we prepare for the falling asleep of our Lady, the Ever-Virgin Mary and Mother of our Lord. We will offer a Paraklesis service every Mon, Wed, and Fri during the two week fast. Unfortunately, Fr. Robert will be out of town for the Feast on August 15th. Please make plans now to attend this beautiful service at a neighboring parish.

PHILOPTOCHOS SPIRITUAL RETREAT – Our annual Philoptochos Spiritual Retreat will be held here at St. Luke on Aug. 18th. More information coming soon.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! – We will have an important parish family conversation with the Building Committee on Sept. 16th after Liturgy to learn more about plans to find our permanent spiritual home. We’ll look back on our history, look at our present situation, and begin to talk about our future. Please mark your calendars and pray for our efforts!

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY – Our St. Luke parish family is partnering with other local churches to build a Habitat for Humanity home in October. More information to follow!

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ctÜ|á{|ÉÇxÜ cÜÉy|Äxá Hattie Marandici

Patron Saint: Saint Sarah � Helps with hospitality and is a Sunday school teacher. � Member of Philoptochos and serves on the Board of Directors.

Fun Facts: � Growing up, her family hosted eight foreign exchange students. � Met her future in-laws for the first time a day before her wedding. � Has a passion for eating hand crafted farm-to-table cuisine. � Would choose traveling & experiences over material possessions.

� Ultimate goals in life: to invest more time in her family and to be content with simplicity.

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g{x UÉààÉÅ _|Çx YTD Financials: Ministry Income: $100,309.37 Expenses: $118,309.37

St. Luke Greek Orthodox Church is dedicated to continuing the ministry of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through the proclamation and teaching of the Gospel; and Baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We seek to live as a community of worship, shared faith and service, accepting of all, in loving service to God and mankind, where each member

shares freely the gifts and talents received from God.

The Holy Martyr Callinicus.

The Holy Woman Martyr Theodota

1 Cor. 10:28-11:8, Matt. 16:24-28

Callinicus was born in Cilicia. He was brough up in Christian piety. He left all and

began to preach the gospel. Arrested by the pagan governor, he was martyred in 250.

Theodota, a young widow with three children, labored for God in Salonica with St.

Anastasia. She was thrown into a fiery furnace with her three children under Emperor

Diocletian.

“Amartia”: Missing the Mark

In the New Testament the word for sin is “amartia.” Translated literally from Greek it does not mean “to break a rule.” It means rather “to miss the mark,” “to miss the target, the bull’s eye.” That is the great tragedy of sin which occurs when a person doesn’t measure up to his or her full potential and fails to become all that God created him to be. Thus sin is to miss the target, to fail to claim and develop the fantastic potential God has placed in us. For, man is not only hell bent, the potential God has placed in us makes us also – and even more so – heaven bent. As St. Paul writes in Romans 5:20, “Where sin abounded, grace abounded all the more.”

Church Fathers Speak

He was born, but he was already begotten; He issued from a woman, but she was a virgin… He was wrapped in swaddling bands, but he removed the swaddling clothes of the grave when he rose again. He was laid in a manger, but he was glorfied by angels, and proclaimed by a star, and worshipped by the Magi. He had no form no comeliness in the eyes of the Jews, but to David he was fairer than the children of men. And on the mountain he was bright as the lightning and became more luminous than the sun, initiating us into the mysteries of the future. – St. Gregory Nazianzen

(Taken from Daily Vitamins for Spiritual Growth, Vol. 3, by Fr. Anthony Coniaris)

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Hymn of the Day

You descended from on high, O compassionate One, and condescended to be buried for three days, so that from the passions You might set us free. Our life and resurrection, O Lord, glory be to You.

Hymn of the Church

O holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke, make intercession to our merciful God, that He grant our souls remission of offenses.

Kontakion

Upon the mountain were You transfigured, and Your disciples beheld Your glory as far as they were able, O Christ our God; so that when they would see You crucified they might understand that Your Passion was deliberate, and declare to the world that in truth You are the Father's radiance.

*********************************************************************** FEASTS/SAINTS COMMEMORATED TODAY Kallinikos of Asia Minor; Theodota and her Children

FEASTS/SAINTS COMMEMORATED THIS WEEK

Phocas, Bishop of Sinope; Christina the Great Martyr; Dormition of Anna, mother of Theotokos; Hermolaos & his Companions; Pateleimon the Great Martyr; Prochoros, Nicanor, Timon;

Irene of Chrysovalantou

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Parish Prayer Corner

Please contact the office to have your prayer needs remembered in the bulletin.

Please Pray for: Bill Graban Raymond Jacobson Irene Karas

Andrew Karres George Kerhoulas Harriet Kerhoulas Marie Labriola

Koula Litchos Hattie Marandici Ann Moser Jerry Moser

Crystal Mullis Kathy Papas Jenna Prenares Leanne Pupchek

Jayne Lachlan-Savage Krissy Sloan Deana Tzimopoulos Maria Villanueva

EPISTLE READING

1 CORINTHIANS 3:9-17 (Reader: Mark Moser)

Brethren, we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder, I laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it. Let each man take care how he builds upon it. For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each man's work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If any one destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and that temple you are.

GOSPEL READING

MATTHEW 14:22-34 9TH

SUNDAY OF MATTHEW

At that time, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. But immediately he spoke to them, saying, "Take heart, it is I; have no fear." And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water." He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?" And when they entered the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.