July 29, 2012

Who are the Prophets?

The history and meaning of the word prophet: ♦ One who is inspired by God. ♦ Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secrets to His servants the prophets. A lion has roared. Who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken. Who can but prophesy? - the Prophet Amos - ♦ Elders, priests, seers, and men of God. ♦ Women were not excluded from the prophetic office; among them are

Miriam, the sister of Moses, Deborah and Huldah. ♦ The Prophetess Deborah during the time of the Judges.

How did the prophets receive their messages from the Lord? The answer is both clear and tantalizingly vague. “Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). Perhaps Jeremiah provides the best answer, “The word of the Lord came to me saying…..”

By what means did the prophets communicate their message? They did whatever was necessary, sometimes in bizarre fashion. They spoke, dramatized, used symbols, and acted out their allegories.

The word of the Prophet. Their words were seldom believed, especially in matters of political and religious expediency. But the prophets weren't prognosticators; their call for repentance and godly living was based on God’s word. (continued next week)

FATHER GEORGE H. SHALHOUB

248-374-0591 July 29, 2012 Issue 332

�18100 Merriman Road � Livonia, Michigan 48152 � www.saintmarylivonia.com � Office: (734)-422-0010 �

Sunday Services

Confession: 8:30AM

Matins: 9:00AM

Divine Liturgy: 10:00AM

St. Mary’s Cultural

and Banquet Center

(734) 421-9220

Daily Confession by Appointment - Call the Church Office

“And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” Acts 11:26

The Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary

Fr. George Shalhoub - Pastor Fr. Jim King - Director of Youth & Pastoral Outreach Programs Deacon Issa Rizkallah

313-690-2030 Deacon Dr. Dennis Bojrab Robert Harb - Parish Council Chairman Linda Lawson - Choir Director Stacey Badeen - Church Administrator Dianne Farah-Church School Administrator Arwa Ansara-Asst. Church School

Administrator Richard Shebib/Sami Azzouz - Ushers George Chalhoub - Young Adults- St. John Divine Georgine Hayes - Ladies Society President Nicole Khamis - Teen Soyo President Lina Nunu - Arabic School Keith Rowe - Cultural Center General Manager 734-421-9220

The Light of Christ

AL-NOUR

PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY:

THE ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX BASILICA OF ST. MARY

Page 2 The Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary

THE EPISTLE

.

The Lord will give strength to His people.

Ascribe to the Lord, O sons of God, ascribe to the Lord honor and glory.

The Reading is from the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians Chapter 1: 10-17

BBBB rethren, I appeal to you, by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissension among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispos and Gaius; lest anyone should say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the Gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

THE GOSPEL

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew Chapter 14:14-22

AAAA t that time, when Jesus went ashore he saw a great throng; and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They said to Him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” And He said, “Bring them here to Me.” Then He ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish He looked up to Heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Then Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds.

The Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary Page 3

PRAYER CORNER memorials

IIII am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me shall never die.” (John 11:25) July 29th - 40 day memorial in loving memory of Allan Ingram offered by his daughter Karen, grandson Nicholas and family, July 29th - 1 year memorial in loving memory of Tina Melki offered by the family, Aug. 5th - 40 day memorial in loving memory of George Ziadeh offered by his wife Rima Ziadeh and family, Aug. 5th - 1 year memorial in loving memory of Pam Ajlouny offered by her husband Jimmy Ajlouny and children and her parents, Peter and Wisam Khoury, Aug. 12th - 1 year memorial in loving memory of Sami Mousa Mashni offered by Bahieh Mashni and family, Aug. 12th - 1 year memorial in loving memory of Rola Kassis offered by her husband Rimon Kassis and children, Aug. 26th - 6 month memorial in loving memory of Shawky Mousa offered by his wife Jannette Mousa and family,

Thank You

OUR NEW ARRIVALS

“A Vigil Light is Burning” In Loving Devotion

FFFF or The Health and Well Being Of:

IIII n Memory Of: Joseph Michael

Mouaikel; George Abodeely;

Ken Biedron,

HOLY BREAD OF OBLATION

HHHH oly Bread of Oblation

is offered, for the month of July by

the families, in loving memory of:

Janan Bateh

Boulos and Helen Saba

Amjad Saba

George Kaoud

Naim Kawwas

James Kawwas

LLLL ord, you are the physician of

our souls and body. We pray

You grant the following parishioners

good health and blessings: Anthony

Salah, Colleen Ansara, Corinne

Haddad, Dr. Muaiad Shihadeh,

Nahida Farhat, Gloria Harb, Debbie

Harb, baby Angela Barakat, Farida

Rabah, Fahdeh Kakish, Nabiha

Kashou, Fr. Anis Elias,

CCCC ongratulations and best

wishes to Joe and Marie Zogaib on

the birth of their baby girl, Zoe

Angele. Proud grandparents are

Tom and Debbie Zogaib and

George and Janice Saba.

May God bless parents, grand-

parents and child.

TTTT he following parishioners

and friends of the Basilica

of St. Mary have given special

donations to the Church in the

past few weeks: $50-In loving memory of Jamileh

Samaan offered by Nabeeh and

Hilda Beshara,

$100-For the health and well being

of newly baptized Gina Maria

offered by her parents Hussam and

Yara Azar,

$100-In loving memory of sister,

Jamileh Samaan offered by Jalileh

Mansour,

$100-In loving memory of grand-

mother and great grandmother,

Jamileh Samaan, offered by Eddie,

Michelle, Megan, Joey and Steven

Salah,

$100-In loving memory of Jamileh

Samaan offered by David and

Mary Khoury,

$100-In loving memory of Jamileh

Samaan offered by Dolores

Abdelnour,

$200-In loving memory of sister

Jamileh Samaan offered by Khalil

and Faride Mansur,

$200-In loving memory of grand-

mother Jamileh Samaan offered by

Dr. Michael and Elizabeth Khoury

and family,

$500-In loving memory of mother

Jamileh Samaan offered by Samira

Ayyash and family,

$500-In loving memory of mother

Jamileh Samaan offered by Peter

and Wisam Khoury,

$700-For the health and well being

of newly baptized Emile John

offered by his parents John and

Narmeen Mitri,

Condolences

TTTT he clergy and parishioners at the

Basilica of St. Mary extend

their deepest sympathy to Jihad

(Nadia) Alkateeb, Souad (Hasib)

Richani, Abdullah (Ansaf)

Alkateeb, Nehmet (Mahmoud)

Aboulhosn, Fadia (Fouad) Hani and

the entire Alkateeb family on the

passing of their beloved mother,

Jamal Alkateeb, age 91 from

Khalwat, Lebanon.

May her memory be eternal.

OUR NEW ARRIVALS

CCCC ongratulations and best

wishes to Abraham and Rania

Nunu on the birth of their baby

girl, Rosemary. Proud grandparents

are Nicola and the late Mary Nunu

and Theodor and Rose Farah. May

God bless parents, grandparents

and child.

Public Announcement Parents and teens - if you or

someone you know has a

problem with alcohol or drugs,

information is available on how

to get help in the church

vestibule.

Page 4 The Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary

Week of July 29, 2012

Please visit our website for details about all the Basilica of St. Mary events and activities. www.saintmarylivonia.com

The Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary Page 5

18100 MERRIMAN ROAD � LIVONIA, MICHIGAN 48152

Return service requested

Dated Material

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE

PAID LIVONIA, MI

PERMIT NO. 413

visit our website: www.saintmarylivonia.com

The Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary Golf Outing Thank You

We wish to thank the following for their kind and generous sponsorships to our Golf Outing:

Platinum Sponsors: Ansara Restaurant Group/Red Robin - Bashar & Natalya Ashkar and family

Dr. Louis & Sandy Bojrab and family - Detroit Bio Medical Lab-Suhail Shaya

DTE Energy-Fouad Ashkar - Heart Cardiology Consultants-Dr. Shukri David

NRC Construction Company-Sam Shehadeh - Saab of Troy-Tony Malouf

Drs. Alex & Melissa Shalhoub & family

Gold Sponsors: Allstate Insurance-Bill Harb Agency -Bold Media-Haitham Fakhouri

Benchmark Appraisal-Alex Harb - Alex Harb and family

Robert & Rana Harb and family -Intraco/Casite-J. John Antakli

Mastercraft Jewelry of Livonia-Jack Demirijian - Meadows Fine Wine and Liquor

Mark Miller and family-Personal Investors - Remon Oudeh and family

360 Risk Management-Lynn Ingram, Paul Murphy