كنيسة مار نقوال االنطاكية االثوذكسيةSt. Nicholas Weekly Bulletin Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church Antiochian Archdiocese of North America

Diocese of Los Angeles and the West 5200 Diamond Hts. Boulevard, San Francisco, CA 94131

Tel: (415) 648-5200 Email: stnicksf@msn.com--website:stnicholas-sf.com

Pastor, V. Rev. Fr. George Baalbaki (586) 214-4428- revbaalbaki@yahoo.com

Pastor Emeritus, V. Rev. Fr. Gregory Ofiesh

Rev. Deacon Niphon Sweiss

Sub-Dn. Michel Khoury

Parish Council Chairman: Salim Qaru

Galatians 6:11:18 ~~BRETHREN, see with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. It is

those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that would compel you to be circumcised, and not only

in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For even those who receive circumcision

do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh.

But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been

crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a

new creation. Peace and mercy be upon all who walk by this rule, upon the Israel of God . Henceforth let no

man trouble me; for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus . The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your

spirit, brethren. Amen .

إن كل الذين يريدون ان يرضوا . ما أعظم الكتابات التي كتبتها اليكم بيدييا إخوة، انظروا ١:-١::: غالطية :الرسالةبحسب الجسد يلزمونكم ان تختتنوا، وانما ذلك لئال يضطهدوا من اجل صليب المسيح، ألن الذين يختتنون هم أنفسهم ال

ي أن أفتخر اال بصليب ربنا يسوع المـسيح ل فحاشى اما أنا. يحفظون الناموس بل إنما يريدون ان تختتنوا ليفتخروا بأجسادكموكل الذين . الذي به صلب العالم لي وأنا صلبت للعالم؛ ألنه في المـسيح يسوع ليس الختان بشيء وال القلف بل الخليقة الجديدة

بعد فإني حامل في افي م فال يجلب علي احد أتعابا. يسلكون بحسب هذا القانون فعليهم سـالم ورحمة، وعلى إسرائيل للا .نعمة ربنا يسوع المـسيح مع روحكم ايها اإلخوة، آمين. جسدي سمات الرب يسوع

Sunday, November 24th

, 2013

Luke 18:18-27 ~~At that time, a ruler asked him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

And Jesus said to him, "Whydo you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the

commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your

father and mother.'" And he said, "All these I have observed from my youth." And when Jesus heard it, he

said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will

have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." But when he heard this he became sad, for he was very rich.

Jesus looking at him said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is

easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Those

who heard it said, "Then who can be saved?" But he said, "What is impossible with men is possible with

God."

الـح، ماذا أعمـل ألرث الحيـاة أيهـا المعـلم الص: فـي ذلك الزمان دنـا الى يسوع إنسان مجربـا لـه وقائل 72-81:81لوقا : اإلنجيل

ال تزن، ال تقتل، ال تسـرق، ال : لماذا تدعوني صالحا، وما صالح اال واحد وهو هللا؟ انك تعرف الوصايا: األبديـة؟ فقال له يسوع

بـع كـل شيء : زك بعـدواحـدة تعـو: فلما سمع يسوع ذلك قـال له. كل هذا حفظته منذ صبائي: فقال. تشهد بالزور، أكرم أباك وأمك

فلـما رآه يسـوع قد . فلمـا سمع ذلك حـزن ألنه كان غنيـا جـدا. لك ووزعه على المساكين، فيكون لك كنـز في السماء وتعـال اتبعنـي

ن يدخل غني إنه ألسهـل أن يدخـل الجمـل في ثقـب اإلبرة من أ. ما أعسـر على ذوي األمـوال أن يدخلـوا ملكوت هللا: حـزن قال

ما ال يستطاع عند الناس مستطاع عنـد هللا: فمن يستطيع إذن أن يخلص؟ فقال: فقال السامعون. ملكوت هللا

The Sunday Holy Bread of Oblation will be offered by: Khader, Basima, and Lisa Atwan for the good health of Chris Atwan. Many years!

Saida Jaghab and family in loving memory of Basem Jaghab and Yacoub Louh. May their memory be eternal.

+

Altar Candles & Coffee Hour قناديل الهيكل Adele Khoury and family in memory of Jabra Khoury on the occasion of his name day on November 21

st.

May his memory be eternal!

Bajalia Family and Mazen Shatara in memory of Azeez Bajalia. May his memory be eternal!

Sponsors for Sunday’s are needed. Please make checks payable St. Nicholas Church in the amount of $25.00 or more.

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING: PRIEST: O Lord Jesus Christ our God, the God of all mercies and bounties Whose mercy is immeasurable,

and whose love for mankind is an unfathomable deep: falling down in adoration before Thy majesty, with fear

and trembling, as unprofitable servants, and now humbly rendering thanks unto Thy loving-kindness for Thy

benefits bestowed upon us: We thank Thee O Lord for having become one of us, suffering, dying and rising

again, by which Thou hast reopened to us, the doors to Paradise. We thank Thee O Lord, Thy One, Holy,

Catholic and Apostolic, Orthodox Church, through which Thy teachings are preserved and practiced, and we

are led to Thee. We thank Thee O Lord for the Saints, whom Thou hast given us as role models and as

intercessors before Thy Judgment Seat. We thank Thee, O Lord, for having helped us to overcome all

difficulties, tensions, passions, temptations and restored peace, mutual love and joy in sharing the communion

of the Holy Spirit. We thank Thee, O Lord, for the sufferings Thou didst bestow upon us, for they are

purifying us from selfishness and reminding us of the "one thing needed;" Thine eternal Kingdom. We thank

Thee, O Lord, for having given us this country where we are free to Worship Thee. We thank Thee, O Lord,

for our families: husbands, wives and, especially, children who teach us how to celebrate Your holy Name in

joy, movement and holy noise. We thank Thee, O Lord, for everyone and everything. Great art Thou, O Lord,

and marvelous are Thy deeds, and no word is sufficient to celebrate Thy miracles. Glory to Thee, O God our

Benefactor, together with Thine unoriginate Father, the Creator and Source of all things, and Thine All-holy,

Good, and Life-giving Spirit, the Treasury of Blessings, unto the ages of ages.

Let us believers praise and worship the Word, co-eternal

with the Father and the Spirit, born of the Virgin for our

salvation; for he took pleasure in ascending the Cross in the

flesh, to suffer death, and to raise the dead by his glorious

Resurrection.

Today the Virgin is the foreshadowing of the pleasure of

God, and the beginning of the preaching of the salvation of

mankind. Thou hast appeared in the Temple of God openly

and hast gone before, preaching Christ to all. Let us shout

with one thrilling voice, saying, Rejoice, O thou who art

the fulfillment of the Creator's dispensation.

Thy work of justice did reveal Thee to Thy community as a

Canon of faith. The likeness of humility and the teacher of

abstinence. O, Thou Father and great Bishop Nicholas.

Wherefore by humility thou didst achieve exaltation, and by

Thy meekness wealth, intercede therefore, intercede with

Christ that He will save our souls.

The all-pure temple of the Savior, the most precious bridal-

chamber and Virgin, the treasure-house of the glory of God,

today entered the Temple of the Lord, bringing with her the

grace which is in the divine Spirit: whom also the angels of

God do celebrate in song; for she is the heavenly tabernacle.

ونسجد للكلمة، المساوي لنسبح نحن المؤمنين

لآلب والروح في األزلية وعدم االبتداء، المولود

ألنه سر بالجسد أن يعلو . من العذراء لخلصنا

على الصليب ويحتمل الموت، وينهض الموتى

.بقيامته المجيدةالتي هي مقدمة مسرة هللا وابتداء اليوم العذراء

الكرازة بخلص البشر، قد ظهرت في هيكل هللا

فلنهتف . علنية، وسبقت مبشرة للجميع بالمسيح

افرحي يا كمال تدبير : نحوها بصوت عظيم قائلين

.الخالق لإليمان، قانونا لرعيتك، الحق أفعال أظهرتك لقد

األب أيها للمساك، ومعلما للوداعة وصورة

بالتواضع أحرزت فلذلك نيقوالوس، الكهنة رئيس

اإلله المسيح إلى فتشفع الغنى، الرفعة وبالمسكنة

.نفوسنا خلص في

البتول , هيكل المخلص, النقاوة الكلي إن الهيكل

, والكنز الطاهر لمجد هللا, الخدر الجزيل الثمن

وتدخل معها نعمة , اليوم تدخل إلى بيت الرب

ألنها هي , فلتسبحها ملئكة هللا, الروح اإللهي

.المظلة السماوية

Celebrating the Feast of St. Nicholas the Patron Saint of our Church

امير رئيس أساقفة، نيقوالوس العجائبي

Vesper, December 5th @ 6:00 PM December 6th Matins @ 10:30 AM &

Divine Liturgy @ 11:00 AM

Delicious “Burbara” Pudding will be served after

Liturgy on Sun; Dec. 1st

بربارة Donated by Diana Batshon In memory of her

Husband Michel Batshon.

2014 Parish Life Conference ~~

As many of you know, St. Nicholas will be hosting the 2014 Parish Life Conference for the Diocese of Los

Angeles and the West on July 2-6, 2014 at the Hyatt Regency in Burlingame, CA (www.plc2014.org). This is a

big undertaking and will require many volunteers. Committees will be formed to work on various aspects of the

conference planning. For anyone interested in volunteering, please join us for a meeting on Sunday, Dec. 1st immediately after Divine Liturgy. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.

Christmas play -We will begin preparing for the

Christmas play on Sunday, November 17th. All children

who want to be in the Christmas play must be present on

Sunday, November 17th & EVERY Sunday until the

Christmas play on December 22nd .We will also have a

mandatory rehearsal at the Church on Friday, December,

20th at 7 p.m.

Parish Council Election December 15th

after the Divine Liturgy

On Sunday, December 15th, there will be a parish Council election meeting for the sole purpose of electing some members of the Parish Council

for the coming term. Three are to be elected and one to be appointed by the Pastor. This annual process will keep the membership of 12 complete.

Each elected/appointed member serves for three years. Nominating committee is in formation.

The candidate interested to fill that position must be fully pledged and spiritually

qualified. In order to vote in the elections, members must be in spiritual and financial

good standing with the Church.

General Assembly meeting on Sunday, January 26th.

Feast Day November 21 الهيكلدخول السيدة إلى st

لذلك دخولها إلى هيكل . ال نعرف شيئا عن والدة اإلله قبل أن يجيئها جبرائيل ليبشرها بوالدة المخلص

أي التي " منحولة"أورشليم وإلى قدس األقداس فيه ليس مذكورا في الكتاب ولكن في احد األناجيل المسماة

يسميه العلماء . ة هذا العيد وهو غير مؤسس في الواقعمع ذلك أقامت الكنيس. لم توافق الكنيسة على قانونيتها

.عيدا فكريا أي أرادت الكنيسة أن توحي إلينا بأن هللا اختارها منذ طفوليتها لتكون والدة المخلصولما لم تجد الكنيسة أساسا لحادثة الدخول نقبل معناه، ومعناه أن مريم اختارها اآلب وصارت هي قدس

مريم صارت اذا في حضرة هللا .رئيس الكهنة يدخله مرة في السنة ليكون في حضرة هللا األقداس الذي كان

.منذ طفوليتهار الفصل الذي ولما كان ممنوعا أن نقرأ في الكنيسة نصا منحوال، غير رسمي، اعتمدنا في صلة الس ح

ارتكض الجنين "أم المعمدان يتحدث فيه لوقا عن لقاء مريم وأليصابات حيث يبدأ الحديث عن أن اليصابات

مباركة انت في النساء : "وسلمت على مريم بقولها". في بطنها وامتألت اليصابات من الروح القدس

: هذه الكلمات إذا أضفناها إلى كلم رئيس الملئكة تؤلف صلة معروفة في الكنيسة". ومباركة ثمرة بطنك

...".افرحي يا والدة اإلله العذراء مريم الخ"ر آية آية ونقول بين " تعظم نفسي للرب: "ند ذاك قالت مريمع إلى آخر النشيد الذي نرتله في كل صلة س ح

وهو يعتمد بل شك على ...". يا من هي أكرم من الشيروبيم وارفع مجدا بغير قياس من السيرافيم"اآليات

.أنا من الملئكةعيد رقاد والدة اإلله حيث بانت مريم في انتقالها إلى الملكوت أعظم ش ".قدس األقداس"في رسالة العيد المأخوذة من الرسالة إلى العبرانيين مذكور

من : "وال سيما قول اليصابات للعذراء. في لقاء مريم اليصابات نجد عدة تأكيدات بعضها ذو طابع عقائدي

والتأكيد العقائدي . هو الربأي إن أم يوحنا المعمدان تعترف بأن يسوع " أين لي هذا أن تأتي أم ربي إلي

مريم تتنبأ بأن األجيال المسيحية القادمة سوف ". ها منذ اآلن تطوبني جميع األجيال: "الثاني قول مريم

ثم يدحض موقف الذين ال . هذا الكلم اإلنجيلي يبني اعتقادنا على إنها األولى بين القديسين. تقدسها

فقون للكتاب عندما نخاطبها وندعوها شفيعة لنا أي مصلية أمامنا فنحن اذا إنجيليون أي موا. يطوبونها

فاستقامة الرأي التي نحن عليها هي في جوهرها أننا موافقون لإلنجيل وأننا ال نحرفه . ومعنا إلى هللا وابنه

.وال نزيد عليه شيئاالصلة والمحبة مع إن الشيء األساسي في المسيحية األرثوذكسية أن المؤمن ليس وحده ولكنه شريك في

فإذا كنت في الكنيسة فلست منعزال عن أجواق القديسين الذين سبقوك إلى . أولئك الذين انتقلوا إلى الملكوت

هللا يجعل من المؤمنين الراقدين واألحياء كنيسة واحدة هي جسد المسيح أي كيانه الحي . الحضرة اإللهية

وإذا كنا إخوة .المعمودية عضو من هذا الجسد الكلي الشامل الممتد منه رأسا إلى كل أحبائه وكل منهم في

تصير مريم أمنا جميعا إذ قال وهو على الصليب للتلميذ الحبيب داال " اشترك في اللحم والدم"للمسيح لكونه

والمعنى طبعا أنها حاضن لنا جميعا كأمنا الطبيعية وأنها تسهر على ". هذه أمك: "على مريم الواقفة هناك

كنيسة وأنها في وسطها كما كانت مع التلميذ واإلخوة وحاملت الطيب في العلية لما انحدر الروح القدس ال

.بشكل ألسنة ناريةنحن نتقبل بفرح أمومتها وتصبح كل نفس عذراء إذا أ خلصت . ال ينبغي أن ننسى أن مريم أم وعذراء معا

مستمر بأمومتها العجيبة وبكونها تغذي العذرية دور مريم تجاهنا. للمسيح واحتضنته باإليمان والحب

وإذ ذاك نكون ليس في هيكل . الروحية فينا أي استعدادنا لنتقبل كلمة هللا زرعا فينا وال نتقبل زرعا آخر

.أورشليم القديم ولكن في هيكل هللا الوحيد الذي هو يسوع

(.لبنانجبل )جاورجيوس مطران جبيل والبترون وما يليهما

THE ENTRANCE OF THE THEOTOKOS INTO THE TEMPLE V. Rev. Ihor Kutash

“She is the heavenly Tabernacle” (From the Kontakion)

On November 21 the Church celebrates the Feast of the

Entrance (or Presentation) of the Most Holy Theotokos into

the Temple. It is one of the Twelve Great Feasts on the

Church Calendar, one of four dedicated to the Theotokos.

This event is not recounted in the New Testament. Instead

the account is found in the Protoevangelion of James, an

apocryphal book which was very popular in the early

centuries of the Church.

According to the tradition recorded by this work, Mary, as a

little girl, was brought to the Temple in Jerusalem by her

aged parents, Joachim and Anna, to be raised there. They

thus fulfilled a vow they had made that if God would bless

them with a child, this child would be dedicated to Him,

rather than kept to look after them in their old age. Little

Mary was greeted by a kinsman, the High Priest, Zechariah,

who was later, in his old age, to become father of St. John

the Forerunner (commonly known as the Baptist). To

everyone’s astonishment the toddler ran up the steep steps

which led to the Holy of Holies, where he, as High Priest,

could only enter once a year, having prepared himself with

great diligence. The Presence of God dwelt there in bright glory and an unprepared, sinful man might

simply die upon encountering this Presence, even if he did bear the dignity of High Priest. For this

reason he would have a long chord about his waist and little bells on his vestments. Should the bells

cease ringing for a lengthy period of time his assistants would pull on the chord and, if the tragedy had

occurred, his body could be pulled out of the Holy of Holies without the assistants encountering the

same fate.

Little Mary was perfectly at home in this holiest of places and was ministered to by the Archangel

Gabriel and other Angels. For you see, she herself was becoming the living Temple, the place where

God would dwell among humans, as Ezekiel, among others had prophesied: “My tabernacle also shall

be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people” (Ezekiel 37:27).

This Feast is part of the preparation for the “winter Pascha”, the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord, God

and Saviour Jesus Christ. That term was coined by Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann of blessed

memory to describe the glory and joy of the Feast as celebrated by those of us who live in the

Northern Hemisphere. The little girl, Mary, enters the Holy of Holies and in the fullness of time

becomes, as Fr. Thomas Hopko puts it, “the ‘animated Holy of Holies’, the one in whom Christ is

formed, thereby making her, and everyone who is one with her in faith, the 'abode of heaven’”.

The One Whose Presence dwelt in the Holy of Holies in Jerusalem, through Mary, comes into the

world as a Baby, entirely dependent, as all babies are, upon the love and kindness of those who care

for Him. We celebrate this on the Feast of the Nativity, which fulfils the time of the Advent Fast.

This Baby is Christ the Lord Himself. His Mother, Mary the Theotokos (“She who bears God”), and

His guardian, St. Joseph the Betrothed, by God’s grace fulfill their vocation to perfection. He, too, in

the fullness of time perfectly accomplishes His vocation. His mission continues in the Church. Fr.

Thomas Hopko describes this mission thus: “We are all made to be living temples of God. We are all

created to be dwelling places of His glory. We are all fashioned in His image and likeness to be

abodes of His presence”. Amen.

5200 Diamond Heights Blvd. San Francisco, CA 94131

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We are located in the heart of San Francisco

Please call us to make an appointment at

(415) 648-5200.

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St. Nicholas Annual Christmas Party

Proudly Presents

FARAH IBRAHIM & ASSEMBLE

December 21st, 2013

Appetizers at 7:00 PM & Doors open at 8:00 PM

Donation$75.00

To RSVP call the church office 415-648-5200

or Maurice Kari 650-455-1600