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But let us hear what Zacharias, prophesying and blessing God said, “Blessed by the Lord God of Israel because He has visited and redeemed His people.” We must note in these words that the blessed Zacharias was telling by way of prophecy as if it had already come to pass that which he had foreseen in spirit and would soon come to pass. By His appearance in the flesh, our Lord visited us when we were, in a certain way, drawing farther away from Him, and He took care to seek out and justify us when we were lying in sins. He visited us as a physician does a patient who is ill, and, in order to cure the ingrained sickness of our pride, He provided for us the unheard of example of His own humility. He brought about the redemption of His people by giving us freedom, at the price of His own blood—we who had been sold into the slavery of sin and were held bound to serving the ancient enemy. Hence the Apostle exhorts us, saying, “For you have been purchased at a great price; glorify and carry God in your bodies”… Do you want to see and hear, my brothers, in what condition He found His people, and what He made of them? He found us sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, weighed down, that is, by the long-standing blindness of sins and ignorance, beguiled by the deception and besieged by the errors of the ancient enemy. Our Lord brought us the true light of recognition of Himself, and having taken away the darkness of errors, opened up for us a sure way to the heavenly fatherland. – The Venereble Bede 

Sermon:

• Repentance – Preparation For Christ (Fr. Gregory) – 4nd Sunday of Kiahk (Jan 2)

Church Announcements

• Blessed New Year to Everyone!
  
• Nativity Feast
  
  • Paramouni Liturgy: Thursday Morning, 8:00 -10:30am
  • Nativity Feast: Thursday Evening: 8pm-12:00am
• No 8am Liturgy Friday morning. No fasting on Friday.

Saints of the Week:

• St. John Kame– Monday, Jan. 3
• St. Anastasia – Tuesday, Jan. 4
• St. Bisadi– Wednesday, Jan. 5
• Martydom of 150 Men and 24 Women from Ansena – Thursday, Jan. 6
• Feast of the Nativity of Christ – Friday, Jan. 7
• St. John of Scetis – Saturday, Jan. 8

This Week’s Schedule:

• Monday:
  • Midnight Praises: 8:00-10:00pm
• Tuesday:
  • Bible Pleasure at 7:00pm
• Wednesday:
  • Liturgy: 5:00-7:00am
• Thursday:
  • Paramouni Liturgy: 8:00-10:30am
  • Nativity Liturgy: 8:00pm-12:00am
• Friday:
  • NO Liturgy
• Saturday:
  
  • NO Liturgy
  • Hymns Class: 5:00-6:00pm
  • Sunday School: 6:00-7:00pm
  • Vespers: 7:00-7:30pm.
  • Midnight Praises: 7:30-9:30am
• Sunday:
  • Liturgy: 7:30-11:00am
    
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Thank you, God Bless