December 27, 2015

A PRAYER FOR THE NEW YEAR

MMMM aster, Lord our God, the Source of Life and of immortality; the author of all created things both visible and invisible, who has placed all seasons and years in Thy

power and directs all things with Your most-wise and all-precious providence; We most

sincerely thank You and praise Your Holy Name for our newly built church, for our

families and friends, and for our bounties which You have poured out upon us during our

life that is past, and we invite You O all-bountiful Lord to bless the crown of the coming

year with Your goodness and bless our God-fearing authorities. Multiply the days of their

life in health unalterable and grant them progress in all virtues.

Bestow all good things from above upon all Your people, as

well as good health and salvation. Make us people of good will

toward each other, our Church and our society. Heal the sick

and be with those who travel by land, sea and air. Grant us Your

everlasting peace by taking away all fears from our hearts.

Deliver the Holy Church, our Nation, and every troubled place

from every evil assault and vouch safe unto them peace and

tranquility; and grant that we may always offer thanks-giving

unto You, the Father, who is everlasting, together with Thine

only-begotten Son, and the all-holy, good and life-giving Holy

Spirit, now and ever unto ages and ages.

Amen.

December 27, 2015

Issue 501

�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 Nidal Fakhoury - Parish Council Chairman

Linda Lawson - Choir Director Stacey Badeen - Church Administrator Christina Stavros - Parish Ministries

Coordinator Haitham Fakhouri - Communications

Richard Shebib/Sami Azzouz - Ushers

Dr. Tom Saba - Young Adults-

St. John Divine

Irene Saba - 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

His voice has gone out into all the earth. The heavens declare the glory of God.

The Reading is from the Acts of the Apostles

Chapter 6:8-7:5,47-60

IIII n those days, Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, arose and disputed with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. Then they secretly instigated men, who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, and set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel. The high priest said, “Is this so?” And Stephen said: “Brethren and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, and said to him, ‘Depart from your land and from your kindred and go into the land which I will show you.’ Then he departed from the land of the Chaldeans, and lived in Haran. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living; yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot’s length, but promised to give it to him in possession and to his posterity after him, though he had no child. But it was Solomon who built a house for Him. Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made with hands; as the prophet says, ‘Heaven is My throne, and earth My footstool. What house will you build for Me’, says the Lord, ‘or what is the place of My rest? Did not My hand make all these things?’ You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, Whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.” Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they grinded their teeth against him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together upon him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And he knelt down and cried with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

THE GOSPEL

The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew

Chapter 2:13-23

WWWW hen the wise men had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the Child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the Child, to destroy Him.” And he rose and took the Child and His mother by night, and departed to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt have I called My Son.” Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was in a furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region, who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they were no more.” But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” And he rose and took the Child and His mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus reigned over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. And he went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

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)

Dec. 27th - 1 year memorial in loving memory of Amal Kakish offered by her husband Sulieman Kakish and family,

Thank You

“A Vigil Light is Burning”

In Loving Devotion

FFFF or The Health and Well Being Of:

Lucille Lane, David Najjar, Moussa

Farhat,

IIII n Memory Of: Joseph Michael

Mouaikel, George Abodeely, Nawal

Fakhouri,

HOLY BREAD OF

OBLATION

HHHH oly Bread of Oblation is offered by the families, for the

month of December, in loving

memory of:

Fred Essa

Jalil Ghannam

Suad Ghannam

Azizeh and Julia Harb

Clair Harb

Jad Harb

Henry Jahshan

Alex and Miriam Kandah

Mousa Kharsa

Patricia Mason

Hala Sackllah

Martha Sackllah

Refka Serhan

Suhail Saba, Sr.

Leo Snage

Naim and Jaleeleh Warra

HHHH oly Bread of Oblation is offered by the families, for

the month of December, for the

health and well being of:

Irene Saba and family

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,

Rimon Warra, Andre, Johnny Isam

Qassis, Louis, Hiba, Samar, Wadih

David, Fr. Richard Peters, Rosie,

Saseen Ghajer,

TTTT he following parishioners and

friends of the Basilica of St.

Mary have given special donations

to the Church in the past few

weeks:

$200-In loving memory of Suheil

Ajluni offered by Dr. Steven and

Samar Ajluni,

$200-In loving memory of Mouna

Zakhem Saad offered by the

family,

$500-In loving memory of brother

Marwan Sawlha offered by May

and William Salaita,

Thought for the Day

“I need all of you to bring peace and joy and

forgiveness to your homes, to your church, to your friends, to your children and to all

your loved ones during this holy season. Call your loved ones and tell them you love them.”

His Eminence Metropolitan JOSEPH

The Synaxis of the Most-Holy Theotokos

December 26

OOOO n the second day of the Nativity, the Christian Church gives glory and thanksgiving to the Most-Holy Theotokos, who

gave birth to our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ. This feast is called “the Synaxis” because on this day all of the faithful gather to glorify her, the Most-Holy Theotokos, and to solemnly and universally celebrate a feast in her honor. In Ohrid, it has been the tradition from ancient times that, on the eve of the second day of Nativity, Vespers has been celebrated only in the Church of the Most-Holy Theotokos called theChief-tain (Celnica). All the clergy with the people gather together to glorify the Most-pure Mother of God.

Page 4 The Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary

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 Ms. Chris�na Stavros at (734) 422-0010.

@ the Basilica of Saint Mary

What is

the WONDER of

CHRISTMAS ??? (...or maybe we should say “Who?”)

The universe is a wonderful place! From incredible landscapes on earth, to beautiful scenes in space there's so much

beauty in the universe, so many things to inspire wonder. And perhaps there's no greater wonder than what happens on

Christmas Day. Take a look at the hymns of Christmas, there's a link in the description. They beautifully show how the

Nativity of Christ turns the whole world upside down. "He whom nothing can contain has been contained in a womb."

God who created the universe, who is infinite who can't be contained by the universe

suddenly allows himself to be contained in the womb of the Virgin Mary. "Fleshless

as He was He willingly took flesh." God who is beyond even spirit who is invisible,

who is infinite, decided to take on flesh; to be hungry with us, to be cold with us, to

bleed with us, to die with us.

"And while departing not from His own nature, He shared in our natures substance." The Son of God, the second person

the Holy Trinity became man, and never stopped being God. He was weak as man and strong as God, finite as man,

infinite as God. I... I mean what?! There is nothing I can say that we do this justice. Nothing. All we can do is cry out

from the depths of our souls Christ is born! Glorify Him! Christ is born! Therefore glorify! Christ is come from heaven,

encounter Him! Christ is on earth, arise to Him! Sing to the Lord all you who dwell on the earth and in Mary's spirit. All

you people praise His name for He is Glorified! —adapted from Steven Christophorou, Be the Bee #14

This past week on Sunday, December 13, the

Middle School Church School Class went on

a field trip a)er the Liturgy with their

teacher, Mr. Michael Ansara . They went to

Detroit to serve with FOCUS Motor City in an

inner city school library. There, they met Mr.

Eric Shanburn and learned about the needs

in the city and schools of Detroit. What a

beau2ful way to serve and give alms during

the Na2vity Fast!

For more info: focusmotorcity.org

The Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary Page 5

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The Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary

FROM OUR FAMILY HERE AT THE BASILICA OF ST. MARY TO YOUR FAMILY, WE WISH YOU A

SAFE, HEALTHY AND VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!

† Father George and Nouhad Shalhoub † Fr. Jim and Audrey King † Archdeacon Issa Rizkallah † Deacon and Mrs. Dennis Bojrab, M.D. † Deacon and Mrs. Samer Hanna † St. Mary’s Parish Council, Nidal Fakhoury, Chairman † The Cultural Center Andrew Ansara and Dr. Radwan Khoury, Co-Chairmen † The Financial Controllers, Andrew Ansara, Don Hayes and Maha Khalil † Church Administrator, Stacey Badeen † Administrative Associate, Bill Lawson † Ladies Socie-ty, Mrs. Nancy Ghannam, President † St. Mary’s Church Choir, Mrs. Linda Lawson, Director † The Chanters, Sub-deacon Suheil Kashou, Sub-deacon Dr. George Zacur, and Joe Zogaib † The Altar Boys † The Ushers, Richard Shebib and Sami Azzouz † Custodian, Randy VanNispen † Parish Ministries Coordinator, Christina Stavros � Church School Teachers † Arabic School, Mrs. Lina Nunu, Director † Teen Soyo Gloria Sultani, President † The Cultural Center, Mr. Keith Rowe, General Manager and Mrs. Robin Schlack, Office Manager † Bulletin Volunteers † Men’s Club † Senior Heritage Fellowship † Mother/Toddler Group † Young Adults † Webmaster, Haitham Fakhouri † Daughters of St. Mary † the Order of St. Ignatius † Festival Committee †