Great Vespers for Sunday Divine Liturgy - Saint Paul the Confessor, Archbishop of Constantinople is remembered on Sunday Nov. 6.  "For confessing the divine faith, among her priests the Church has shown you to be another Paul.  Abel cries out to the Lord  together with you, as does the righteous blood of Zachariah.  Venerable father, entreat Christ God to grant us his great mercy."    (Troparion)

Divine Liturgy - Saint Paul the Confessor, Archbishop of Constantinople -  Paul preached from the pulpits and supplemented his oratory with considerable writings, the bulk of which denounced Arianism and discountenanced its place in the Church.   Paul’s successful forays against the heresy of Arianism infuriated its adherents to the degree that they plotted the death of Paul.     As Paul was preparing to celebrate the Divine Liturgy, he was set upon and murdered by a handful of Arian madmen, virtually sacrificing himself upon the altar of his own church for having defended the faith.  This infamous incident touched off such a wave of protest against Arianism that it never again posed a threat to Christian belief.  Paul died for Christ on November 6, 361.

Panikhida for Veterans following Divine Liturgy.

Please give Barbara articles to be added to next months' Enlightener by today.

Divine Liturgy - The Synaxis of Michael the Chief Commander, and of the Other Bodiless Hosts.  All the Angels, according to the Apostle Paul, are ministering spirits, “sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation” (Heb. 1:14)    God set them as overseers of every nation and people, and guides to that which is profitable (Deut. 32:8); and while one Angel is appointed to oversee each nation as a whole, one is also appointed to protect each Christian individually.    The name Michael means “Who is like God?” and Gabriel means “God is mighty.”  The number of Angels is not defined in the divine Scriptures, where Daniel says that “thousands of thousands ministered before Him, and ten thousands of ten thousands attended upon Him”  (Dan. 7:10).  But all of them are divided into nine orders which are called Thrones, Cherubim, Seraphim, Dominions, Powers, Authorities, Principalities, Archangels, and Angels.  “Supreme Commanders of God and ministers of the Divine glory, guides of men and leaders of the bodiless hosts:  Ask for what is to our profit and for great mercy, since you are Supreme Commanders of the bodiless hosts.”  (Kontakion)    

Great Vespers for Sunday Divine Liturgy - St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople remembered tomorrow.    “Grace shinning forth from your lips like a beacon has enlightened the universe.  It has shown to the world the riches of poverty.  It has revealed to us the heights of humility.  Teaching us by your words, O Father John Chrysostom, intercede before the Word, Christ our God, to save our souls.”  (Troparion in the 8th Tone) 

General Confession following Vespers.

The New Jersey District of the FOCA willl meet in Jersey City for their  annual convention.

Sunday Divine Liturgy -  St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople - The treasure of letters which St. John Chrysostom left behind included the moving sermon that is heard at Easter Sunday services.  The immense store of his extant theological and exegetical works reveals his insight, straightforwardness, and rhetorical splendor, and commands a position of the greatest respect and influence in Christian thought, rivaling that of other Fathers of the Church.  His liturgy, which we respectfully chant on Sundays, is a living testimony of his greatness.  The slight, five-foot St. John stood tall in his defiance of State authority, bowing only to God and never yielding the high principles of Christianity to expediency or personal welfare. 

Trustees' Meeting will follow Divine Liturgy and coffee hour.11

Food Donations for the food pantry for Thanksgiving baskets is due today.

Advent begins today. - Forty days before Christmas, the Church begins to prepare for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord.  During this time we should try to improve our way of living, and we should spend our time to allow more time for prayer and preparation for the coming feast.  Advent begins on November 15.  Special preparatory days announcing the approaching birth of the Savior precede the feast.  On November 16, we remember St. Matthew the Evangelist, who wrote a Gospel on the life of Jesus.  The Prophet Obadiah, who rebuked God’s unfaithful people for their pride and wicked deeds, said that on the Lord’s Day, the Day of Judgment, they will be rewarded according to their deeds.  He is remembered on November 19, and the Feast of the Presentation of the Theotokos in the temple is on November 21.  On November 30, St. Andrew’s Day, special songs are sung to announce the coming birthday of the Lord.  All of these special days are in November, but  many more are in the month of December and they will be mentioned further in the December calendar.  

Forty days before Christmas, the Church begins to prepare for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord.  During this time we should try to improve our way of living, and we should spend our time to allow more time for prayer and preparation for the coming feast.  Advent begins on November 15.  Special preparatory days announcing the approaching birth of the Savior precede the feast.   On November 16, we remember St. Matthew the Evangelist, who wrote a Gospel on the life of Jesus.  The Prophet Obadiah, who rebuked God’s unfaithful people for their pride and wicked deeds, said that on the Lord’s Day, the Day of Judgment, they will be rewarded according to their deeds.  He is remembered on November 19, and the Feast of the Presentation of the Theotokos in the temple is on November 21.  On November 30, St. Andrew’s Day, special songs are sung to announce the coming birthday of the Lord.  All of these special days are in November, but  many more are in the month of December and they will be mentioned further in the December calendar.  

Great Vespers for Sunday Divine Liturgy.  Prayer of Healing:  Heavenly Father, Who sent Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to be the Physician of our souls and bodies, Who came to heal sickness and infirmity, Who healed the paralytic, and brought back to life the daughter of Jairus, Who healed the woman who had been sick for twelve years by her mere touch of the hem of Your robe, visit and heal me also, Your beloved servant, from all physical and spiritual maladies by the power and grace of Your Christ.    Grant me the patience that comes from believing that You are always at work in our lives to bring good out of evil.  Grant me strength of body, mind, and soul.  Raise me up from the bed of pain.  Grant me full recovery.  May I experience the same surge of healing power flow through my body as did the sick woman who touched Your robe.  For I, too, am touching your robe today, dear Lord, through this my prayer.  I approach You with the same faith as she did. Grant me the gift of health for you alone are the source of healing.  Amen.  

Sunday Divine Liturgy.  Troparion for today:  "Let us, the faithful, praise and worship the Word, coeternal with the Father and the Spirit, born for our salvation from the Virgin; for He willed to be lifted up on the Cross in the flesh, to endure death, and to raise the dead by His glorious Resurrection."

Molieben of Thanksgiving following Divine Liturgy - "Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."       (1 Thess 5"15) 

Great Vespers with Litiya for the Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple.

Divine Liturgy - Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple -  The second great feast of the Theotokos is the celebration of her entrance as a child into the Jerusalem Temple.   Mary was brought as a small child to the temple by her parents in order to be raised there among the virgins consecrated to the service of the Lord.  According to Church tradition, Mary was solemnly received by the temple community which was headed by the priest Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist.  She enters the Temple to become herself the living temple of God.  “Today is the preview of the good will of God, of the preaching of the salvation of mankind.  The Virgin appears in the temple of God, in anticipation proclaiming Christ to all.  Let us rejoice and sing to her:  Rejoice, O Divine Fulfillment of the Creator’s dispensation.”  (Troparion)

Psalm of Thanksgiving – I give You thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;  before the angels I sing Your praise;  I bow before Your Holy Presence and give thanks to Your name for Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness;  for You have exalted above everything Your name and Your word.  On the day I called, You answered me; my strength of soul You increased.  Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve my life; You stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my adversaries, and your right hand delivers me.  The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.   (Psalm 138:1-3, 7-8)  - Anthony M. Coniaris

Great Vespers for Sunday Divine Liturgy - "And the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perserverance."  (Luke 8:15)   Be a good seed this Advent Season and come to church and worship. 

Sunday Divine Liturgy - Greatmartyr James the Persian - "You astounded all, long-suffering James, by enduring horrible tortures with great patience.  As the evil assembly performed the slaughter, you uttered prayers of thanksgiving to the Lord.  Through your sufferings you received your crown, and came to the throne of the heavenly King, Christ God.  Entreat Him to save our souls."  (Troparion)