Sunday, May 29 – Sunday of the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council
8:30 AM Matins
9:30 AM Divine Liturgy
Tuesday, May 31 – Hermans, Apostle & Hermeas, Martyr
8:30 AM Morning Prayer
4:00 PM Evening Prayer
Saturday, June 04 – 5th All Souls Saturday
5:00 PM VC Outreach Divine Liturgy
6:30 PM Vespers
Sunday, June 05 – Pentecost Sunday
8:30 AM Matins
9:30 AM Divine Liturgy
Please remember the following people in your prayers: Estella Biedenbender, Ken Bosak, Fletes Family: Alicia, Frankie, Layla, Lupita & Veronica, Victoria Flores, Larry Goodwin, Holly Garlow, Michelle Grana, Virginia Harrington, Jeanne Hart, Michael Hefferon, Nicole Hefferon, Rob Hooper, Chris Johnson, Mary-Jo Koman-Keogh, Patricia Kurczak, Irene Lehman, Elizabeth & John Mallas, Dylan Mancia, Toni Martin, Marg Mauro, Juan Gabriel Martinez, Pedro Medina, Mina family: Mila, Diana, Rev. John & Mike, Shannon O’Neill, Denise Painter, Austin Pearce, Tanya Petach, Casandra Porch, Nicholas, Rodriguez Diane Romano, Paul Saucedo, Kathleen Savko, Robert Stamer, Leanne Steuer, Mary Washko, Dina & Matthew Wiggins, Carmen Zambrano, Lana Zimmerman, Patrick Zimmerman, Fr. Chris Zugger and all those who serve in the Armed Forces
Collection: $1,431.00; Candles: $24.00; Socials: $15.00; Online: $95.00; VC Outreach: $1,362.00; Church Improvements: $50.00; Holydays: $20.00; Married Priest Subsistence: $15.00; Bishops Appeal: $360.00
Total: $3,372.00 / Attendance- PSM: 54 VCO: 47
Because both Father Nathan and Father Michael have an unusually complicated month of June, we will take a break from Wednesday evening Divine Liturgies and firepit socials. We will resume the first week of July.
It is very important to me that I continue learning about the history of St. Mary’s, and listen to the thoughts of those who have been part of this parish for longer than I have. If you have been coming to St. Mary’s regularly for more than 10 years, please join me for a listening session at 12pm on Sunday, July 10th. Thanks in advance! Love, Father Michael
The Annual Eparchial Appeal is underway! You should have received a letter and donation instructions from Bishop Olmsted and the Eparchy of Phoenix. You can use the instructions you received from the bishop, or you can visit our parish’s donation page here: https://ephx.org/st-marys-eparchial-appeal/ We are working to support our Eparchy as a community, so please prayerfully discern what you can give, and I know we will meet and exceed our goal (we get a large percentage back) if we have full participation. Thank you for your generosity! Thank you to those who have contributed: Chirdon, Clemens, Crans, Koman-Keogh, Michnya, Patzwahl, Theisen, Wiggins, P. Zimmerman, and W. Zimmerman
The Nicene Creed, except for one phrase, is comprised entirely of biblical phrases. However, some passages that give important Scriptural evidence about the second Person of the Trinity, e.g., “The Lord begot me, the first-born of His ways” (Prov. 8:22) and “When He established the heavens, I was there” (Prov. 8:27) were misunderstood by some. They were unable to imagine how begetting a son could take place except within time, so they thought that there must have been a time when only the Father existed and when the Son did not yet exist. They interpreted these passages from Proverbs as showing that the Son of God is “the first born” and the very best, but nonetheless a creation.
To end this heresy—and to preserve the Church’s long-standing faith in the Tradition of biblical interpretation that had been handed down from the very beginning, the Council of Nicaea piled up biblical phrases, calling Jesus “only begotten, born of the Father before all ages, Light from Light, true God from true God.”
Then, after long and vigorous debates on the Council floor, they included a phrase that came from philosophical circles: “one is essence with the Father.” The phrase “one in essence with” (in Greek, homoousios) is a very precise and abstract way of putting the matter. It uses the metaphysical language of being and essence in order to make absolutely clear, once and for all, that the second Person of the Holy Trinity is in no way a creation but a person who is truly divine and “begotten, not made.” He is eternally the Son of the Father, from whom he has received all that he is.
Our icon of the Trinity portrays this graphically by depicting Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as angels with no differentiation in their ages or appearances.
“Keep them through your Name which you have given me, so that they may be one, even as we are one.” Jesus prayed that we would share in the unity of the life-creating Trinity. The Church needs men and women who are called to live this prayer out in a religious vocation. He may be calling you to become a monk, a nun, or to ordained ministry. To learn more, contact the Vocations Office at 206-329-9219 or email: vocations@ephx.org
Saturday, May 28 –
