+ A Parish of +

The Orthodox Church in America www.oca.org

Most Rev. Archbishop Benjamin, Diocese of San Francisco and the West

www.dowoca.org

Very Rev. Fr. Archpriest John Armstrong frjohnarm@hotmail.com

+ Worship Services +

Saturdays, 6:00 pm Great Vespers & Confession

(3rd & 6th Hour Prayers, 9:10 am) Sundays, 9:30 am

Divine Liturgy

Feast Days (See Monthly Calendar)

+ Parish Prayer List +

Please pray for and ask the Lord to have mercy on:

Hieroschemamonk Ambrose (Young) Mother Theodelphi Archpriest Michael Oleksa; Archpriest Lawrence The Clergy & Parishioners of our Mission Parishes Priest Jacob & the Parishioners of St. Mark’s Matushki: Sophia, Lauren, Priscilla, Alice, Teresa & Mary Graham; “Mary”; LeAnne; Shirley Kathy; Peter & Katherine Andrew; Benjamin; Justus & Kalena Karin, Yancey & children; Brian Kathryn Birmingham; Dale Brinkman Tom & Jane; Megan George Eckert; Joyce Mikita Jeanie (Mary) Cooper; Agnes Craig; Kafa Dalal Lee Anthony; Adam Goodman Aaron; Olga; Natalia; Kira; Alice Maria Gorsevski; Lauren Hansen Laura Lemco; Esther Schafer Ronald & Rhonda; Joshua & Shannon Charles; Patrick; Jonathan Oleg; James; Joshua Barbara Murray; John; Michael Glenda & family John & Sophia; Irina; Vitaly Sona, Mardig & Seta Barbara Payne; John Russell John Salmon; Joel Snyder Christopher Sprecher; Barbara Stokilo; Mary Streech Jack Whitaker; Natalia Zolotoochin Missionaries & Ministries: OCMC: Michael, Lisa & Liam Colburn; James Hargrave & family. OCPM: Protopresbyter Steven Powley. “Dipes & Wipes”: Mary, Herman, Ida & friends Catechumens: Troy (Vladimir) Nunley; Melanie (Ruth) Gardner; Ron (Isidore of Pelusium) & Lisa (Dymphna) Abbott; Erin (Mary Magdalene) Hollingsworth; Marie (Sophia of Thrace) Inquirers: Michelle & her children; Damian; Aaron; Danielle & Dalton; Mark; Winslow; Fr. Patrick Newly Departed: Archpriests John Matusiak (8/15) & Steven Belonick (8/7); Michael Fedorowicz (8/3); Roberta (“Betty”) (7/18) Memorial: Joel Perry (Aug./Sep.)

Saint Herman

Orthodox Church

991 West Prentice Avenue Littleton Colorado 80120 303-798-7306 www.sthermanoca.org

+ Pastoral Ministries +

Please contact Fr. John anytime for any of

the following: Confession; Hospital Visits /

Holy Unction; Memorial Services; Slavas;

Moliebens; or, just to talk… You can call or

txt me at: 720-971-5931; and/or email me at:

frjohnarm@hotmail.com

Saint Herman Orthodox Church

August 18, 2019

9th Sunday after Pentecost, Tone 8 Afterfeast of the Dormition of the Theotokos

Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 3:9-17; St. Matthew 14:22-34

Handmaidens Schedule for August/September

Today, Aug. 18, Sophie & Abigail Reynolds August 25, Katherine Pyle & Kyriana Kratter September 1, Juliana & Katherine Gaines September 8, Nika & Sophia Bergbauer September 15, Sophie & Abigail Reynolds September 22, Katherine P. & Kyriana K. September 29, Juliana & Katherine Gaines

Greeters Schedule for August/September

Today, August 18, Angelica Zolotoochin August 25, Olga Thomas September 1, Jeny Hardin September 8, Christine &/or Garry Baker September 15, Julia Urdenis September 22, Angelica Zolotoochin September 29, Jeny Hardin

+ This Week +

Saturday, Aug. 24, 6:00 pm, Great Vespers

followed by Confession

+ Today + August 18, 2019

Welcome to St. Herman Orthodox Church! We’re glad you came to worship with us!

Patron Saints: Holy Prophet Samuel (8/20);

Virgin-Martyr Kira of Persia (558; 8/24)

Birthdays: Jane Costigan (8/19)

“Preserve them, O Lord, for many years!”

Coffee Hour

+ This Week +

Wednesday, Aug. 28, 6:30 pm, Great Vespers w/Litiya for the Beheading of St. John

Thursday, Aug. 29, 9:30 am, Divine Liturgy for the Beheading of St. John [Strict Fast]

Sunday, September 1st, Church New Year

Wednesday, Sept. 4, 10 am & 6:30 pm, Book Study: “Mystical Marriage” (resume…)

Thursday, September 5, 6:30 pm, Intro. to the Orthodox Church/Faith

Sunday, September 8th (Nativity of Mary): • 8:30 am, Baptism of Melanie (Ruth) • 9:30 am, Divine Liturgy for the Feast

Tuesday, Sept. 10, 7:00 pm, Parish Council

Friday, September 13, 6:30 pm, Vigil for the Elevation/Exaltation of the Cross

Saturday, Sept. 14, 9:30 am, Festal Liturgy for the Elevation of the Cross [Strict Fast]

Thursday, September 26, 9:30 am, Divine Liturgy for St. John the Theologian

Wednesday — Friday, October 15—17, 2019 Diocesan Assembly in CO Springs

Saturday, Oct. 26, 9:30 am, Memorial Liturgy for St. Demetrios the Myrrhgusher

Thursday, Nov. 14, 9:30 am, Divine Liturgy for St. Gregory Palamas (20th Anniversary of Ordination to the Holy Priesthood, FJ)

Friday, November 15th, Beginning of Nativity Fast (in preparation for Christmas)

+ Synaxarion +

The Holy Martyrs Florus and Laurus. Brothers in both the flesh and the spirit, they were both zealous Christians, and stonemasons by craft. They lived in Illyria. Some pagan prince set them to build a pagan temple. It happened during the course of their work that a fragment of stone splintered off and flew into the eye of the pagan priest's son, who was watching the building work with curiosity. Seeing his son blinded and bleeding, the priest shouted at Florus and Laurus and tried to thrash them. Then the holy brothers told him that, if he would believe in the God in Whom they believed, his son would be restored to health. The priest promised. Florus and Laurus prayed to the one, living Lord with tears and made the sign of the Cross over the child's stricken eye. The child was healed instantly and his eye became whole as it had been before. Then the priest, Merentius, and his son were baptized, and they both very soon suffered for Christ in the flames. But Florus and Laurus, when they had finished the temple, put a Cross on it, called together all the Christians and consecrated it in the Name of the Lord Jesus with an all-night vigil of hymns. Hearing of this, the governor of Illyria burned many of these Christians by fire and had Florus and Laurus thrown alive into a well, which was then filled with earth. Their relics were later discovered and taken to Constantinople. These two wonderful brothers suffered for Christ, and were glorified by Him, in the 2nd C.

Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos (Aug. 15). The Lord, Who, on Sinai, gave the 5th Commandment: 'Honor thy father and thy mother', showed by His own example how one must reverence one's parents. Hanging in agony on the Cross, He remembered His Mother, and, indicating the Apostle John, said to her: 'Woman, behold thy son!', and to John: 'Behold, thy Mother!' And, with this concern for His Mother, He breathed His last. John had a home on Sion in Jerusalem, where he settled the Mother of God and left her to pass her remaining days on earth. By her prayers, her kindly advice, her meekness and patience, she was of immense help to her Son's Apostles. She spent virtually the rest of her life in Jerusalem, often going to the places that reminded her of the great events and the great works associated with and performed by her Son. She especially visited Golgotha, Bethlehem, and the Mount of Olives. Of her journeys farther afield, her visit to St. Ignatius the God-Bearer is recorded; as are those to St. Lazarus, the Four-days-dead, Bishop of Cyprus; to the Holy Mountain [of Athos], to which she gave her blessing; and, her stay in Ephesus with John during a fierce persecution of Christians in Jerusalem. In old age, she often prayed to her Lord and God on the Mount of Olives, on the spot from which He ascended, to take her from this world. One day, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her and revealed that she would enter into rest in three days' time, and the Angel gave her a palm-branch to be carried in her funeral procession. She returned home with great joy, with the heartfelt hope that she would see Christ's Apostles once more in this life. The Lord fulfilled her desire and all the Apostles, brought by angels and clouds, gathered together at John's house on Sion. It was with great joy that she saw the Holy Apostles, and she encouraged, advised and upheld them, then peacefully gave her soul into God's hands without the slightest physical pain or struggle [just as her Birth was without pain or corruption]. The Apostles took the coffin containing her body, from which an aromatic fragrance arose, and, accompanied by many Christians, took it to the Garden of Gethsemane, to the grave of Ss. Joachim and Anna. By God's [loving divine] Providence, they were hidden from the wicked Jews by a cloud. A Jewish priest, Antony, touched the coffin with his hand, intending to overturn it, but at that moment an angel of God cut off both his hands. He cried out with the pain, begging the Apostles' help, and was healed in confessing his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It was left to the Apostle Thomas, who was delayed, again by God's Providence, to reveal a new and glorious mystery about the All-holy Mother of God. He arrived on the 3rd day, and desired to embrace the body of the All-holy and most-pure. When the Apostles opened her grave, he found only the winding-sheet – the body was not in the grave. That evening, she appeared to the Apostles, surrounded by a multitude of angels, and said to them: 'Rejoice; I will be with you always!' It is not known exactly how old the Mother of God was at the time of her falling-asleep [dormition], but the prevailing belief is that she had reached the age of 60.