September 4, 2016

THE BEGINNING OF THE CHURCH YEARTHE BEGINNING OF THE CHURCH YEARTHE BEGINNING OF THE CHURCH YEARTHE BEGINNING OF THE CHURCH YEAR

OROROROR

THE BEGINNING OF THE INDICTIONTHE BEGINNING OF THE INDICTIONTHE BEGINNING OF THE INDICTIONTHE BEGINNING OF THE INDICTION

TTTT he First Ecumenical Council (Nicaea, 325) decreed that the Church year should begin on September 1. The month of September was, for the Hebrews, the beginning of the civil year (Exodus 23:16), the month of gathering the harvest and of the offering of thanks to God. It was on this feast that the Lord Jesus entered the synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:16-21), opened the book of the Prophet Isaiah and read the words,

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me; because the Lord hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek;

He hath sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim, the acceptable year of

the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn.” (Isaiah 61:1-2)

The month of September is also important in the history of Christianity, because Emperor Constantine the great was victorious over Maxentius, the enemy of the Christian Faith, in September. Following this victory, Constantine granted freedom of confession to the Christian Faith throughout the Roman Empire. For a long time, the civil year in the Christian world followed the Church year, with its beginning on September1. The civil year was later changed, and its beginning transferred to January 1. this occurred first in western Europe, and late in Russia, under Peter the Great. The Prologue of Ohrid

September 4, 2016

Issue 537

�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

Archdeacon Issa Rizkallah

313-690-2030

Deacon Dr. Dennis Bojrab Deacon Samer Hanna

Nidal Fakhoury - Parish Council Chairman

Linda Lawson - Choir Director Stacey Badeen - Church Administrator Sonya Kassis - Parish Ministries

Coordinator Haitham Fakhouri - Communications

Richard Shebib/Sami Azzouz - Ushers

Dr. Tom Saba - Young Adults-

St. John Divine

Nancy Ghannam- Ladies Society President Gloria Sultani - 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 is my strength and my song. With chastisement has the Lord chastened me!

The Reading is from the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians

Chapter 9:2-12

BBBB rethren, the seal of my apostleship are you in the Lord. My defense to those who would examine me is this: Do we have no authority regarding what to eat and what to drink? Do we have no authority to lead about a wife, who is a sister, as the rest of the apostles, even as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no authority to refrain from working? Which soldier ever served at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit thereof? Or who shepherds a flock and does not eat from the milk of the flock? Do I speak of these things according to human nature? Or does not the Law say the same also? For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Thou shalt not muzzle an ox which treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God cares, or does He say it altogether for our sakes? Indeed, for our sakes it was written: because he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope, so that the same might partake in hope. If we have sown in you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we should reap your carnal things? If others are partakers of this authority over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this authority, but we endure all things, in order that we may cause no hindrance to the Gospel of Christ.

THE GOSPEL

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew

Chapter 18:23-35

TTTT he Lord spoke this parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also My heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

The Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary Page 3

Please visit www.saintmarylivonia.com for details about events and ac�vi�es happening

at the Basilica of Saint Mary. If you have any ques�ons regarding Youth and Outreach Events,

please contact Fr. Jim or Sonya Kassis at (734) 422-0010.

Parish Ministries Updates

The Basilica of Saint Mary

Our Basilica is so blessed to have

many ministries that cater to all

our parishioners at all stages of

their lives. Each ministry, whether

it’s the Mother-Toddler Ministry,

Church School, Camp. St. Mary, Teen

SOYO, the Young Adult Fellowship, the

Men’s Fellowship, the Ladies Society,

or Senior Heritage Fellowship, allows us to come together

with people who are experiencing the same issues at the

same �me in their lives and to provide love, support and

friendship with fun social events, spiritually edifying services

and discussions, and service projects. We are truly blessed.

Glory to God!

Below: Members of our Senior Heritage Fellowship enjoyed a day at the

Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids. Above: Several of our 2016-2017 Church School

Teacher par�cipated in a teacher training given by the

Orthodox Chris�an Educa�on Commission and hosted

by St. George of Flint. They were able to meet educa-

tors from mul�ple Orthodox churches from Flint,

Grand Rapids and Grand Blanc and learn helpful skills

and techniques to bring back to the classroom.

Below: The Young Adult Fellowship held their first

Potluck and “Ask Abouna” night of the year. Hosted

at the home of Freddy and Monica Sackllah, members

enjoyed good food, good discussion, and ice cream!!

The next event is a bowling night on September 22.

Page 4 The Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary

PRAYER CORNER memorials

IIII am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me shall never die.” (John 11:25) Sept. 4th - 40 day memorial in loving memory of Jalileh Yousef Fakhoury offered by children Majdi (Rema) Fakhoury and Salam (Nidal) Fakhoury and family,

Sept. 18th - 40 day memorial in loving memory of Jamal Zahran offered by his

wife Oufah Zahran, sons Imad and Husam Zahran and family, Sept. 18th - 1 year memorial in loving

memory of Rose Asfour offered by her husband Fares Asfour and family,

Thank You

“A Vigil Light is Burning”

In Loving Devotion

FFFF or The Health and Well Being Of:

Major Timothy Lawson, Jeffrey

Wolenter, Laura Meyers, Dee Snage,

Nikoula Chehade,

IIII n Memory Of: Joseph Michael

Mouaikel, George Abodeely, Nawal

Fakhouri, Osama Chehade,

HOLY BREAD OF

OBLATION

HHHH oly Bread of Oblation

is offered by the families, for the

month of September, in loving

memory of:

Fred Essa

Jad Harb

Fuad Saliba Kandah

Hala Sackllah

Martha Sackllah

Leo Snage

HHHH oly Bread of Oblation

is offered by the families, for the

month of September, for the health

and well being of:

Maram Fakhouri

George Said

Mike Simone

LLLL ord, You are the physician of

our souls and body. We pray You

grant the following parishioners

good health and blessings:

Metropolitan PAUL Yazigi,

Archbishop Youhanna Ibrahim,

Rosie, Mera Harb, Naimeh, Sahar,

baby Henry, baby Grace, Sadie

Shaheen,

TTTT he following parishioners and

friends of the Basilica of St.

Mary have given special donations

to the Church in the past few

weeks:

$100-For the health and well being

of Alex, Mera, Jad and Joseph

Harb offered by Rima Harb,

$100-For the health and well being

of newly churched Noah Victor

offered by parents Dr. Victor and

Ann Faris,

$100-In loving memory of Jad

Harb offered by his wife Rima

Harb,

$200-For the health and well being

of Wejdan, Rula, Issa, Ayoub,

Rafat, Maysoon and Hani Kakish

and in loving memory of Faris,

Ayoub, Nada, Rita, Azizeh, Issa,

Putros, Samir, Nicola and Itidal

Kakish offered by Wejdan Kakish,

$200-In loving memory of Nabih

Tawfic Qassis offered by his wife

Juliet Qassis and family,

$200-In loving memory of uncle

Habib Sabbagh offered by Dr. Elias

and Lara Chahin Hazzi,

$300-For the health and well being

of Janet Saad and in loving

memory of Hakemah, Salwa,

Yacoub, Nazeh and Najah Saad

offered by Dr. George and Zoya

Saad,

$300-In loving memory of brother

Habib Sabbagh offered by Dr. Saad

and Elisabeth Sabbagh,

$500-For the health and well being

of Ghassan and May Qaqish and

family,

Condolences

TTTT he clergy and

parishioners at the Basilica of

St. Mary extend their deepest

sympathy to wife Salwa Ajlouny,

children Judy Ajlouny, Norma

(Michael) Hannemann, Hanan

(Terry) Flood, Gloria (Paul)

Stablein, siblings George (Janet)

Ajlouny, Samira (Joe) Ajlouny,

sister-in-law Suad (the late Hanna)

Ajlouny, the grandchildren and the

entire Ajlouny family on the passing

of Fred S. Ajlouny.

May his memory be eternal.

SAVE THE DATE

St. Mary’s Gala

“A Night in Paris”

Dinner and Dancing

Saturday, November 5, 2016

Weekend caregiver needed.

Please contact Bernadette Khalaf

at 248-515-2929

for more information.

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

14600 Kinloch

Redford, MI 48239

313-531-1240

Sunday,

September 11, 2016

Cost: $150 per player

Registration:

12:00pm

Shotgun Start: 1:30pm

FOR RESERVATIONS &

INFORMATION PLEASE

CONTACT:

Bashar Ashkar

248-763-9050

Salem Samaan

734-751-6046

Church Office

734-422-0010

WESTERN GOLF &

COUNTRY CLUB

St. Mary’s 16th Annual Golf Outing

This year’s event will be held on September 11, 2016 at

Western Golf & Country Club.

Registration and lunch begins at 12:00pm, with shot-gun start at 1:30am.

The cost for this event is $150 per player. Enjoy 18 holes of golf (including cart), lunch, dinner and

drinks, followed by presentation of awards and prizes.

Prizes given for:

2-Hole in One

Closet to Pin