Divine Liturgy: Sunday, April 6, 2025
Fifth Sunday of Lent: Forefeast of Annunciation (Tone 8)
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Sunday, April 6, 2025
Fifth Sunday of Lent: Forefeast of Annunciation (Tone 8)
Fast: Wine and oil allowed
Priest Micah J. Chisholm, Rector Phone: (989) 324-8773
[www.stsebastianorthodoxchurch.org]
Entrance Hymn: Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, Who rose from the dead O Son of God, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia!
Resurrectional Troparion – Tone 8: Thou didst descend from on high, O Merciful One! Thou didst accept the three day burial to free us from our sufferings! O Lord, our Life and Resurrection, glory to Thee!
Troparion – Annunciation Forefeast - Tone 4: Today is the prelude of joy for the universe. Let us anticipate the feast and celebrate with exultation: “Gabriel is on his way to announce the glad tidings to the Virgin; he is ready to cry out in fear and wonder: ‘Rejoice, O Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee!’”
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit!
Resurrectional Kontakion – Tone 8: By rising from the tomb, Thou didst raise the dead and resurrected Adam. Eve exults in Thy Resurrection. And the world celebrates Thy rising from the dead, O greatly Merciful One!
Both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Kontakion – Annunciation Forefeast - Tone 8: Thou art the beginning of salvation for all of us on earth, O Virgin Mother of God. For the great Archangel Gabriel, God’s minister, was sent from heaven to stand before thee to bring thee joy: Therefore, we all cry to thee: “Rejoice, O unwedded Bride!”
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The Prokeimenon (in the 8th Tone): Pray and make your vows before the Lord our God! Verse: In Judea is God known, His name is great in Israel.
Epistle Reading (Hebrews 9:11-14 (§321 mid)
Brethren, Christ came as a High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Gospel (St. Mark 10:32-45 (§47)
At that time: His disciples were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him: "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again." Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask." And He said to them, "What do you want Me to do for you?" They said to Him, "Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory." But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able." So Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared." And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
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Hymn to the Theotokos
All of creation rejoices in you, O Full of Grace, the assembly of angels and the race of men. O sanctified temple and spiritual paradise, the glory of virgins, from whom God was incarnate and became a child – our God before the ages. He made your body into a throne, and your womb He made more spacious than the heavens. All of creation rejoices in you, O Full of Grace. Glory to you, glory to you!
Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Pre-Communion Prayer
I believe, O Lord, and I confess that Thou art truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, Who didst come into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Moreover, I believe that this is truly Thy most Pure Body, and that this is truly Thine Own Precious Blood. Wherefore, I pray Thee: Have mercy on me and forgive me my transgressions, voluntary and involuntary, in word and in deed, in knowledge and in ignorance. And vouchsafe me to partake without condemnation of Thy most pure Mysteries unto the remission of my sins and life everlasting. Amen.
Of Thy Mystical Supper, O Son of God, receive me today as a communicant; for I will not speak of the Mystery to Thine enemies, nor will I give Thee a kiss as did Judas, but like the Thief do I confess Thee: Remember me, O Lord, in Thy Kingdom.
Let not the communion of Thy Holy Mysteries be unto me for judgment, or condemnation, O Lord, but for thehealing of soul and body. Amen.
Polychronion (The Many Years)
Our Great Lord and Father, His Holiness Kyrill, Patriarch of Moscow and All the Rus, our Lord the Very Most Reverend Nicholas, Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, our lord the Most Reverend Gabriel, Archbishop of Montreal and Canada, and their God-protected flock, this land, its civil authorities and armed forces, the God-preserved Lands of Rus, the Rector of this Holy Parish and all Orthodox Christians: preserve, O Lord, for many years!
We welcome everyone to Saint Sebastian Orthodox Church. Please join us for a time of fellowship following the Divine Liturgy.
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Note: The Parish Council has decided to regularly publish our latest “Operational” financial health status for general awareness. The information will be freshened each month. Here is the 2025 status as of 02/28/25:
Feb. only Yr to Date
Total Operating Income to Date: $ 7,572 $ 11,788
Total Operating Expenses to Date: $ 5,996 * $ 15,209 *
Current Building Fund Balance $ 129,706
* Includes Diocesan Assessment increment
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Please pray for our Catechumens:
Claire, Vanessa, Seth, Kourtney, Jon, Jessica, Leo, & Luke
And also for Ma. Stephanie, and Donald Clewley & Family
If you are interested in learning more about the Orthodox faith,
or are interested in learning how you can become a part of Saint Sebastian Orthodox Christian Church,
please speak to Father Micah.
