Welcome! The entire parish family of St. Nikolai Orthodox Church welcomes you today! Please take a moment to introduce yourself to the clergy and the people of our parish. We hope that you will stay for coffee hour and a brief adult Christian education discussion after the service. Feel free to ask any questions about our worship, the chapel, or anything the Lord puts in your heart to ask. Again, welcome! We invite all Baptized and Chrismated members of the Orthodox Church to receive Holy Communion. This assumes that all taking Holy Communion have prepared with prayer, confession, and fasting according to the discipline of your home parish. If you are not taking Holy Communion today, please accept a piece of blessed bread. Although it is not Holy Communion it is a token of our welcome and love! We long for the day when we can all take Holy Communion together!

Troparion of Palm Sunday – Tone 1

By raising Lazarus from the dead before Your Passion, You confirmed the universal resurrection, O Christ God. Like the children with the palms of victory, we cry out to You, O Vanquisher of Death: “Hosanna in the highest! // Blessed is He that comes in the Name of

the Lord!”

Troparion of Palm Sunday – Tone 4 When we were buried with You in baptism, O Christ God, we were made worthy of eternal life by your Resurrection. Now we praise You and sing: “Hosanna in the highest! // Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord!”

Troparion of St. Nikolai - Tone 4

Kontakion of Palm Sunday – Tone 6 Sitting on Your throne in Heaven, carried on a foal on earth, O Christ God, accept the

praise of angels and the songs of children, who sing:// “Blessed is He Who comes to recall Adam!”

Saint Nikolai Orthodox Church 9837 State Street, Louisville, Ohio 44641

Sunday April 9, 2017

Palm Sunday The Entry of our Lord into Jerusalem

Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

Right Reverend Bishop Alexander (Golitzin) Bishop of Dallas, the South, and the Bulgarian Diocese

Reverend Protodeacon James Gresh, Mission Administrator

Saturday Vespers – 5:00 PM

Sunday Reading of the Hours – 9:10 AM Sunday Divine Liturgy - 9:30 AM

Book study/Christian Education following Vespers on Saturday – All are welcome!

Parish Council Meetings

Second Wednesday of every month at 6:30 PM Parishioners are welcome!

We encourage you to check out our website and to like us on Facebook for updates and information! Website: www.stnikolaiorthodoxmission.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/SaintNikolaiOrthodoxMissionOfAlliance/

Prokeimenon Tone 4 Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord.

God is the Lord and has revealed Himself to us. V: O give thanks unto the Lord for He is good, for His mercy endures forever.

Epistle Reading –Phil. 4:4-9

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Tone 1--Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. O sing to the Lord a new song, for the Lord has done marvelous things.

V: All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Gospel Reading – John 12:1-18 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.” Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus. The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ The King of Israel!” Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.” His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him. Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign.

Hymn to the Theotokos God is the Lord and has revealed Himself to us! Celebrate the feast and come with gladness! Let us magnify Christ with palms and branches, singing: Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord!

Communion Hymn

Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord! God is the Lord and has revealed Himself to us!

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

For Contemplation By St. Nikolai of Zicha

HOMILY About the two Adams; the Death-creating and the Life-giving "For just as in Adam all die, so too, in Christ, shall all be brought to life" (1 Corinthians 15:22). Following Adam's example, life is sown in shame, and following Christ's example, life is raised in glory. Sin is from Adam and justice is from Christ. Weakness and death come from Adam and strength and life come from Christ. Accordingly, in Adam we all die. Accordingly, in Christ, we shall all be brought to life. That one is the earthly man [Adam], this one is the heavenly man [Christ]. That is the bodily man [Adam] and this is the spiritual man [Christ]. Christ did not resurrect for His sake but for our sake just as He did not die for His sake but for our sake. If His resurrection does not signify our resurrection, then His resurrection is bitterness and not sweetness. Where, then, would the love of God be? Where, then, would the meaning of our miserable earthy experience be? What, then, would be the purpose of Christ's coming to earth? There, where Adam ends, Christ begins. Adam ends up in the grave and Christ begins with the resurrection from the grave. Adam's generation, i.e., the seed underground that rots and decays, does not see the sun, does not believe that it can emerge from beneath the earth to blossom into a green plant with leaves, flowers and fruit. Christ's generation is a green field upon which wheat grows, turns green, becomes covered with leaves, blossoms and bears much fruit. "In Adam" does not only mean that we will die one day, rather it means that we are already dead; dead to the last one. "In Christ" does not only mean that we will revive one day, but rather that we are already alive, i.e., that the seed in the ground has already begun to germinate and to break through to the light of the sun. The complete expression of death is in the grave, but the complete expression of eternal life is in the kingdom of God. The mind of the sons of Adam are in accordance with death, reconciled with being decayed and sink even deeper into the ground. The mind of the sons of Christ rebel against death and decay and exert all the more, to burgeon a man toward the light, which the Grace of God helps. O resurrected Lord sober the minds of all the sons of man that they would flee from darkness and destruction and reach out toward the light and life eternal which is in You. To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

PRAYERS requested - For The Health and Salvation of: Gloria Helen, Carl, Lisa, Kitty Cervo Family, Gregory, & Ann Harper Arika, Renee, Ashley, and Chloe. Valentina Josh Minnick Family Kathy Jo, Michael, and Family. Pres. Zoe, Maria, Angelique Kelli Liz, Carla Michalik Max and the Turcola family Kim, Dale, Helen, Larissa, and Niki Larissa Steve and Sandy B. Anthony B. Donna Jovich Donald Rininger Tuck Joan Brena Slavco For the Repose of the Souls of the departed Servants: +John and Jenny Codrea +John Maxwell +John Oliver Coffee Hour: April 2 – Washington April 9 – Ralich April 16 – Pascha baskets blessed/All bring/share food. April 23 – TBD April 30 – TBD

Service and Clergy Schedule: April 8 – Lazarus Saturday w/ Fr. Mikel Hill Liturgy at 9:30 AM Cotterman Baptism at 3:00 PM Vespers at 5:00 PM April 9 – Palm Sunday w/ Fr. Mikel Hill April 10 – Monday Bridegroom Matins at 6:30 PM w/ Fr. Mikel Hill April 11 – Tuesday Bridegroom Matins at 6:30 PM w/ Fr. Mikel Hill April 12 – Wednesday Pre-Sanctified Liturgy at 6:30 PM w/ Fr. Mikel Hill April 13 – Holy Thursday Services w/ Fr. Basil Stoyka Liturgy at 2:00 PM

12 Gospels at 6:30 PM April 14 – Holy Friday Services w/ Fr. Basil Stoyka Friday morning decorating of the tomb by the women Burial Vespers at 3:00 PM Lamentations at 6:30 PM April 15 – Holy Saturday w/ Fr. Basil Stoyka Morning Liturgy at 9:30 AM Pascha Night Service at 10:00 PM

(No services on the feast day of Great and Holy Pascha April 16)

April 22/23 – Fr. Mikel Hill Baby shower following Liturgy April 30 – Holy Myrrbearers’ Slava w/ Fr. Basil Stoyka May 6/7 – St. Nikolai Slava (priest TBD) Birthdays: April 2 – Evelyn White April 3 – James T. Gresh April 5 – Caleb Walentik April 8– Nick Ralich April 14 – George Blebea April 15 –Nolan Catania Anniversary: April 24 – Joe and Monica Novak Other Announcements: Choir Practice – Please note that choir practices will resume on May 8th on Monday evenings at 7 pm. Thank you to all who have attended practices in preparation of Holy Week and Pascha! Baby shower – April 23 following Liturgy at Georgie’s home and is a covered dish event. Please let her know if you are attending and what dish you plan to bring!! Fashion Show –This event will be on Saturday, May 6th. Benefit for inner city youth. See details on the church bulletin board. For purchasing tickets, please see Georgie Washington. Coffee Hour!!-Please sign up for the open dates of April 23 and April 30th. I would suggest that the 23rd be simple due to the baby shower. April 30th could be shared by all the women?? Discuss.