St. Nicholas Orthodox Church,

McKinney, Texas

Electronic Newsletter

August 15/28

11th Sunday after Pentecost

Dormition of the Theotokos

In giving birth thou didst preserve thy virginity;

In thy dormition thou didst not forsake the world, O Theotokos.

Thou wast translated unto life since thou art the Mother of Life,

and by thine intercessions dost thou redeem our souls from death!

Announcements
Prayer Requests
Schedule of Divine Services in the Coming week
Fasting in the Coming week

Links related to Transfiguration, Dormition

Announcements

We began our Church School program for 2011-2012 on Sunday, August 14th. We will be running three regular classes this year, in addition to the year-round preschool class during the Sunday homily. All three classes will take place at approximately 12:45 on Sunday afternoons, after we have had some time to get something to eat.

1. The Elementary School class, for children in grades 1-4 or so, will meet on the 1st, 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month. Matushka Marina will teach this class.
2. The Middle School class, for children in grades 5-8 or so, will meet on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month. Dn. Nicholas will teach.
3. The class for adults and teens will meet on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month. It will focus on the fundamentals of the faith — the Creed and the Lord's Prayer — and their meaning for our daily lives as Orthodox Christians. Dn. Nicholas and Fr. Seraphim will teach.

We have a list of things our parish needs. If you or somebody you know wish to supply one of these items, please contact us.

We will be holding our annual membership and pledge drive in September. If you consider St. Nicholas your parish home, please consider filling out a membership form. In addition, new and continuing members are encouraged to fill out a financial pledge form. This is a good-faith estimate of your monthly contributions for 2012, so that the treasurer can generate a relatively accurate budget for the year.

Prayer Requests

For the Health and Salvation.

• Natalia and Nicholas (traveling in Ukraine until mid August)
• David
• Elizabeth
• Priests Jean and Grégoire & all the faithful and suffering of Haiti.
• The suffering people of East Japan.
• The suffering people of Minot, ND

For a more complete listing, please see our parish prayer list. Anyone can make requests.

Schedule of Divine Services in the Coming week

Friday 8/26

• 7PM Paraklesis

Saturday 8/27

• 4PM Confession
• 5PM Vigil

Sunday 8/28. Dormition of the Theotokos.

• 10AM  Divine Liturgy
• 12:45PM Sunday School

Monday 8/29

• 7:30PM Molieben
  

Wednesday 8/31

• NO Vespers

Thursday 9/1

• NO Liturgy

Saturday 9/3

• 4PM Confession
• 5PM Vigil

Sunday 9/4

• 10AM  Divine Liturgy
• 12:45PM Sunday School
  

Fasting in the Coming weeks

There is no fasting on the feast of Dormition, Sunday 8/28, and after this we fast as usual on Wednesdays and Fridays only.

Links: Dormition

Here is a short talk about the Dormition of the Theotokos.

• Dormition means falling asleep
• The Story.
• A balanced view.
• The intercession of the Theotokos.
• Heresies about the Theotokos:
  • The heresy of the Theotokos as "co-mediatrix"
  • The heresies of The "Immaculate Conception" and "Original Sin" are discussed at length. VERY IMPORTANT!
• The ever-virginity of the Theotokos explained.

If the "LISTEN NOW" link does not work, copy this URL into your browser: http://www.orthodox.net/catechism/feasts-of-the-theotokos_2010-08-28+dormition+after-liturgy-short-talk.m3u

If this file does not work for you, try the direct link to the actual mp3 file:http://www.orthodox.net/catechism/feasts-of-the-theotokos_2010-08-28+dormition+after-liturgy-short-talk.mp3

• Explanation Of The Dormition Troparion

Dormition Troparion, Kontakion & Exapostilarion, sung at St Nicholas.

LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtFHdVdHotE

Explanation of the Dormition troparion

In giving birth thou didst preserve thy virginity, /
in thy dormition thou didst not forsake the world, O Theotokos. /
Thou wast translated unto life, /
thou who art the Mother of Life. //
And by thine intercessions dost thou redeem our souls from death

Text Homily.

We can learn almost everything that we need to know from listening and praying in the services.

The Dormition troparion, "In giving birth Thou did preserve Thy virginity," proclaims our belief, that the  Theotokos was a virgin before birth, during birth and after birth. And if you want to have this explained, then you do not understand. It is a mystery that we cannot understand, but the Church has been unanimous about this for well over a millennium, almost two millennia. …

The entire troparion is explained.

Also in audio: LISTEN NOW

If the "LISTEN NOW" link does not work, copy this URL into your browser: http://www.orthodox.net/sermons/feasts-of-the-theotokos_2009-08-28+dormition+explanation-of-the-dormition-troparion.m3u

If this file does not work for you, try the direct link to the actual mp3 file:http://www.orthodox.net/sermons/feasts-of-the-theotokos_2009-08-28+dormition+explanation-of-the-dormition-troparion.mp3