December 17th, 2017 (1)

SAINT SOPHIA CATHEDRAL

MIAMI, FLORIDA
11th Sunday of Luke

Sunday, December 17th, 2017

On the Sunday that occurs on or immediately after the eleventh of this
month, we commemorate Christ's forefathers according to the flesh, both
those that came before the Law, and those that lived after the giving of the
Law.Special commemoration is made of the Patriarch Abraham, to whom
the promise was first given, when God said to him, "In thy seed shall all the
nations of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 22:18). This promise was given
some two thousand years before Christ, when Abraham was seventy-five
years of age. God called him and commanded him to forsake his country,
parents, and kinsmen, and to depart to the land of the Canaanites. When
he arrived there, God told him, "I will give this land to thy seed" (Gen. 12:7); for this cause, that land
was called the "Promised Land," which later became the country of the Hebrew people, and which is
also called Palestine by the historians. There, after the passage of twenty-four years, Abraham
received God's law concerning circumcision. In the one hundredth year of his life, when Sarah was
in her ninetieth year, they became the parents of Isaac. Having lived 175 years altogether, he
reposed in peace, a venerable elder full of days.

Christmas Service Schedule
December 24th Sunday Morning

Matins and Liturgy as usual
10:00 AM

Christmas Morning–December 25th
Matins–9:30 PM - Divine Liturgy –10:00 PM

Rev. Fr. Spiro D. Bobotas

Telephone 305- 854-2922 * Fax: 305-858-1854
Website: stsophiamiami.org
2401 S.W. 3rd Avenue, 33129

Mailing Address: 244 SW 24th Road Miami, Fl. 33129

Liturgical Guide

Resurrectional Apolytikion –Tone 3

Εὐφραινέσθω τὰ οὐράνια,

Let the heavens sing for joy, and let everything on earth be glad. * For with His Arm
the Lord has worked power. * He trampled death under foot by means of death; *
and He became the firstborn from the dead. * From the maw of Hades He delivered
us; * and He granted the world His great mercy.

Apolytikion for 11th Sun. of Luke in the Second Mode

Ἐν πίστει τοὺς Προπάτορας ἐδικαίωσας ...

By faith didst Thou justify the Forefathers, when through them Thou didst betroth
Thyself aforetime to the Church from among the nations. The Saints boast in glory
that from their seed there is a glorious fruit, even she that bare Thee seedlessly. By

their prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.

Apolytikion for St. Sophia Tone 3

Χαίρει ἔχουσα ἡ Ἐκκλησία,

Having you and your three daughters, as a sacred boast the Church rejoices, and
with gladness she praises you, You are to me my pride and joy, as are the most pre-
cious relics of your children; Oh Glorious Martyrs: Sophia, Faith, Hope and Love,

intercede to Christ our God to save our souls

Seasonal Kontakion in Tone 3

Ἡ Παρθένος σήμερον

On this day the Virgin cometh to the cave to give birth to * God the Word ineffably,
* Who was before all the ages. * Dance for joy, O earth, on hearing * the gladsome
tidings; * with the Angels and the shepherds now glorify Him * Who is willing to be

gazed on * as a young Child Who * before the ages is God.

Scripture Readings

Epistle Reading:

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Colossians 3:4-11.

BRETHREN, when Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him
in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil
desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is
coming upon the sons of disobedience. In these you once walked, when you lived in them.
But now put them all away; anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth.
Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old nature with its practices
and have put on the new nature, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of
its creator. Here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, bar-

barian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all, and in all.

Gospel Reading:
The Reading is from Luke Luke 14:16-24

The Lord said this parable: "A man once gave a great banquet, and invited
many; and at the time of the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been
invited, 'Come; for all is now ready.' But they all alike began to make excuses. The first
said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I go out and see it; I pray you, have me excused.'
And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I must go to examine them; I pray
you, have me excused.' And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot
come.' So the servant came and reported this to his master. Then the householder in
anger said to his servant, 'Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in
the poor and maimed and blind and lame.' And the servant said, 'Sir, what you command-
ed has been done, and there is still room.' And the master said to the servant, 'Go out to
the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.
For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet. For many are
called, but few are chosen.'"

Vote for
5

PC-Elections 2017-18

Will be held Today

SAVE
THE
DATE!
JANUARY
13TH

Saturday, January 13th, 2018 If you have not gone to this
Matins event I would strongly

encourage you to do so. It is
a beautiful affair starting
with Matins and the Divine

liturgy. Immediately followed
by the cross dive directly be-

hind the church.

The luncheon is always the
perfect way to end the day.
This Dinner is prepared by

the community of Saint
Catherine’s and is always a

treat.

The Christmas Pageant will be held
Immediately after
the Liturgy

A wonderful & generous thank you to Mrs. Tia Mekras & Mrs. Athena Guillen for their
donations for new costumes for the Pageant

Journey to Marriage
IF you are thinking of
getting married or you
ae about to marry This

class is for you.
This is a mandated
class for all those who
are seeking to marry in
the Greek Orthodox

Archdiocese.
It is a vibrant and
worthwhile class and it
is given three time a
Year in the Southeast

Florida area.
For more information

please log on to :
http://

www.familylifeministr
y.atlanta.goarch.org/
upcoming-events-2/

STEWARDSHIP

Christian Stewardship is…

…learning how to be a responsible and concerned caretaker of Christ’s Church; it is
learning how to enjoy Church life and be happy in Church work., for in Her dwells the
fullness of the Spirit of God.
…our active commitment to use all our time, talent and treasure for the benefit of human-
kind in grateful acknowledgment of Christ’s redeeming love.
…caring for the needs of others.
…offering one’s self to God as He offered Himself to us.
…what a person does after saying “I believe…”, as proof of that belief.
…devotion and service to God and His Church as persons, as families, as diocese/
metropolis, as national Church and as Church universal.

It is by offering our blessings back to God that He will be able to continue His forgiving,
healing, liberating, empowering, transfiguring, loving ministry through the Church. For
God, Infinite though He be, has chosen to work through us, through our gifts, to continue

His saving work in the world today.
Fr. Anthony M. Coniaris

On January 7th we will have kickoff our 2018 Stewardship Campaign.
This will be a great way to start the Year by offering God your gift.

This is a great opportunity for us to prayerfully contemplate what we can
sacrificially give to God and His Cathedral.

To be clear we are not asking for your check or money but your pledge for
2018. This act of giving will help us administer and forecast our finances

as the year progresses.

UPCOMING EVENTS

December 17th- 11th Sunday of Luke - Matins: 9:00 AM

- Liturgy: 10:00 AM

Christmas Pageant & Parish Council Elections Immediately after Liturgy

Also

Join us for a St. Nicholas Brunch hosted by the Philotochos in the Fellowship Hall

Next door

December 24th, Sunday before the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour

Christmas Eve Morning - Matins: 9:00 AM

- Liturgy: 10:00 AM

Christmas Day - Matins: 9:30 AM
- Liturgy: 10:00 AM

Share the Joy of the Season
with those who are less

fortunate by volunteering at the

Miami Rescue Mission

WEDNESDAY
DECEMBER 20TH
Meet us in the office @ 2:30