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For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was (James 1:23-24).
Do not let your hands drop the polished mirror [which is] the Gospel, which reproduces the image of everyone who gazes at it and the likeness of everyone who peers into it. [The mirror of the Gospel] shows every detail. It rebukes the ugly ones for their defects so that they might heal themselves and remove the foulness from their faces. It exhorts the [spiritually] beautiful to be watchful over their beauty and even to increase this beauty with whatever ornaments they wish, lest they become sullied with dirt…To everyone who peers into this mirror [i.e. the Gospel], his and her sins are visible in it… There [in the mirror of the Gospel], the kingdom of heaven is [also] depicted and can be seen by those who have a pure eye… Take firm hold, then, of this clear mirror of the divine Gospel in your two hands and look at it with a pure eye that is able to look at the divine mirror. Not everyone is able to see his or her soul in it, but only the one whose heart is discerning, whose mind is sympathetic, and whose eyes desire to see its Helper…And when I saw these [sins] in that bright mirror to the holy Gospel, my soul became weak and my spirit was at an end and my body was bent down to the dust…And I remember that good Lord and kindly God who cancels through tears the bond of those in debt and accepts lamentation in the place of burnt sacrifice. When I came to this point, I took refuge in repentance and I hid myself beneath the wings of compunction. – St. Ephrem
Sermons:
Church Announcements:
- New Live and Updated Church Calendar:
- For live updates on church events and activities, please bookmark the Church Activities & Calendar page.
- Feast of the Cross:
- Vespers, Thursday 9/26: 7:00-8:00pm
- Liturgy, Friday 9/27: 7:30-10:30am
- Liturgy, Saturday 9/28: 8:30-10:30am
- Liturgy, Sunday 9/29: 8:00- 11:30
- Men’s Meeting:
- The next Men’s Meeting will be on September 26th
- To receive information on the Men’s Meeting, click: Men’s Meeting
- Marital Seminar:
- Art Show:
- Women’s Meeting:
- ACTS Gala Dinner
- Bible Pleasure:
- For streaming, use the Church’s YouTube Channel
- Deacon’s Meeting:
- To receive information on the Deacons’ Meeting, click Deacon’s Meeting
- To join the COCC Advanced Hymns Class meeting, click Advanced Hymns Class
This Week’s Schedule:
- Monday:
- Midnight Praises: 8:00-9:30pm
- Tuesday:
- Bible Study: 7:30-8:30pm (In-Person and On Church YouTube Channel)
- Wednesday:
- Liturgy: 8:30-10:30am
- Thursday:
- Liturgy: 8:00-10:00am
- Friday:
- Liturgy: 8:00-10:00am
- Sports Activities: 6:00-8:00pm
- Jr. High Bible Study: 7:30-8:30pm
- Youth Meeting: 8:00-9:00 pm
- Saturday:
- Hymns: 5:00-6:00pm
- Sunday School/Adult Bible Study: 6:00-7:00pm
- Vespers: 7:00-7:30pm
- Midnight Prayers: 7:30-9:30pm
- Sunday:
- Liturgy: 8:00-11:30am
- College Meeting: 11:30-12:00pm
For Live and Updated Church Calendar: Church Calendar