St. George Melkite-Greek Catholic Church1617 West State Street Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53233–1246“An Eastern Church in communion with the Church of Rome”

Rectory and Office: (414) 342-1543 Website: byzantinemilwaukee.comThe Rt. Rev. Paul G. Frechette, Pastor Facebook: fb.me/ByzantineMilwaukee

September 12, 2021 — Sunday before the Holy Cross; Leavetaking of theNativity of the Theotokos

Icon of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross – September 14th

September 12, 2021 — Sunday before the Holy Cross; Leavetaking of the Nativity ofthe Theotokos

Divine Liturgy Livestreams and recordings of services on the parish’s Facebook page: facebook.com/pg/Byzan-tineMilwaukee/videos/. An account is not needed.Correction: An earlier edition of today’s bulletin said that today is the 5 Year Memorial

for Matthew Stano (req. by Judy Stano). It is, in fact, next week. Apologies for the confusion.

HymnsTroparion of the Resurrection (Tone 7): Through your Cross You destroyed death, You opened Paradise to the thief, and turned into joy the mourning of the oint-ment bearing women, and You ordered your Apostles to proclaim that You rose, O Christ God, Bestowing great mercy upon the world.Troparion of the Nativity of the Theotokos: Your Nativity, O Mother of God, heralded joy to the whole universe, for from you rose the Sun of Justice, Christ our God. He canceled the curse and poured forth His grace: He vanquished death and granted us eternal life.

Troparion of St. George: O Great among the saints and glorious martyr, George, since you are a deliverer of captives, a doc-tor for the sick and a noble attendant to kings, intercede for us to Christ God, that he may save our souls!Kontakion: of the Nativity of the Theotokos Through your holy birth, O Immaculate One, Joachim and Anne were delivered from the shame of childlessness, and Adam and Eve from the corruption of death. Your people, redeemed from the debt of their sins, cry out to you to honor your birth: “the barren one gives birth to the Mother of God the Sustainer of our life!”

Prokimenon: You, O Lord, will keep us and preserve us always from this generation.Stichon: Save me, O Lord, for there is no longer any holy man, for truthfulness

has vanished from among the children of men.Apostolic Reading: Gal 6:11-18Brethren, see with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand! All those who want to please in a human way are forcing you to be circumcised merely to avoid persecution because of the cross of Christ. For not even the circumcised ob-serve the Law: but they want you to be cir-cumcised that they may boast of your sub-jection to external rites. But as for me, God forbid that I should glory save in the cross

of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circum-cision nor uncircumcision but a new cre-ation is of any account. And whoever fol-low this rule, peace and mercy be upon them and on God’s Israel. From now on, let no man give me trouble, for I bear the marks of the Lord Jesus in my body. The

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September 12, 2021 — Sunday before the Holy Cross; Leavetaking of the Nativity ofthe Theotokos

grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.Alleluia: Your favor, O Lord, I will sing forever; from generation to generation, my

mouth will proclaim your faithfulness.Stichon: For you have said, “My kindness is established forever.” In heaven you

have confirmed your faithfulness.Gospel: God so loved the world, Jn 3:13-17The Lord said, “No one has gone up into heaven except the One Who has come down from heaven: the Son of Man Who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the ser-pent in the desert, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that those who believe in Him may not perish, but may have life ev-

erlasting.” For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that those who believe in Him may not perish, but may have life everlasting. For God did not send His Son into the world in order to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

Stewardship

Last week: candles=$8; donations=$350; ordinary collections=$515. Thanks for your generosity!Owed to eparchy (assessment, retirement and medical insurance): $30,230.Want to automate donations? One-time or monthly payments via PayPal: byzantinemil-waukee.com/donate. Use your bank’s online billpay (payee information): St. George’s Syrian Congregation · 1617 W State St · Milwaukee, WI 53233-1246; phone: (414) 342-1543; email: info@byzantinemilwaukee.com.

Prayer List

Please remember—All those who are sick and in need: Alice Herro*, Nick Langenfeld, Barb Moden (sister of Jan Taylor), Eva Nora (niece of the Noras), Bob Peterson, Joe Radanovich, the Rebholz family, Eva Saseen (Theresa and Janelle Herro’s niece), Jan Taylor, Kathy Tomaz, John Zambo and Kathy Zambo. For those who have died: Bruce Moden (brother-in-law of Jan Taylor) For those we have been asked to pray for: Justin & Krysten Hager (Jan Taylor).* Please particularly remember Alice Herro who has been having health issues recently.

Upcoming EventsSeptember 25th (10am–5pm) and 26th (12:15pm–5pm) Doors Open Milwaukee at St.

George, freeHelp give tour or simply greet visitors for as long as you're able. Even long-time parishioners might learn something by listening in on a tour or by taking a closer look of what is in the church! Contact Benjamin Neumann for more information.

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September 12, 2021 — Sunday before the Holy Cross; Leavetaking of the Nativity ofthe Theotokos

September 26th, 2019, noon–2:00pm, Middle Eastern Dinner, $15.00 standard dinnerOur tempting menu includes: kafta (beef, parsley, onion, spices) riz bi Djaaj (chicken, rice, spices), foul moudammas (fava beans, parsley, onion, garlic, lemon), hummus and middle-eastern salad.We need your tempting sweet treats and savory items for our the bakery table; Syrian-Lebanese especially appreciated. Please include a note with description of donated bakery item and suggested sale price (round dollars only) and drop off your bakery at the table before Liturgy that Sunday. Contact Gabrielle Diffenbaugh or Alison Sedlak for more information.

Ladder of Divine Ascent: Online Discussion Group

Fr. David Abernethy in Pittsburgh will be leading a Zoom-based discussion group on the Ladder of Divine Ascent on Wednesday (6:30-7:30pm CST), starting in the next month or two probably. For more information and to get on the email list or order a book (they have a good discount but limited supplies), can visit: https://www.thepitts-burghoratory.org/philokalia-ministries or email: info@pittsburghoratory.org.

Schedule for This WeekMonday: Dedication of the Basilica of the ResurrectionTuesday: EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSSThursday: Great-Martyr EuphemiaSaturday: Saturday after the Holy CrossSunday: Sunday after Cross

10:30am Divine LiturgyCongratulations and Happy Birthday to Christopher Warner (9/13) and Michael Mc-Shane (9/17). May God grant you many years!

The Holy CrossInstead of the Trisagion: We bow in wor-ship before Your Cross, O Master, and we glorify Your Holy Resurrection.Greek Phonetic transliteration: ton-stav-ron soo pros-ki-noo-men Dhes-po-ta, keh tin a-ghi-an soo a-nas-ta-sin dho-xa-zo-men.Arabic phonetic transliteration: li-Sa-lee-bi-ka yaa Say-yi-da-na nas-jud, wa-li-Qi-yaa-ma-ti-kal- mu-Qad-da-sa, nu-maj-jidTroparion: O Lord, save Your people and bless Your inheritance, granting peace to

the world. And preserve Your community by the power of Your Cross.Kontakion: O Christ God, who chose by Your free volition to be elevated upon the holy cross, grant Your mercies to Your new people who are called by Your name. In Your power gladden the hearts of our pub-lic authorities. Strengthen them in every good deed so that Your true alliance may be for them a weapon of peace and a stan-dard of victory.

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September 12, 2021 — Sunday before the Holy Cross; Leavetaking of the Nativity ofthe Theotokos

Hirmos: O Mother of God, you became a mystical paradise when without tilling you brought forth Christ our God by Whom the life-giving tree of the Cross was

planted on earth. Wherefore we deeply bow before this Cross which is exalted to-day, and we magnify you.

Prokimenon: Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His footstool, for He is holy.Stichon: The Lord is reigning: let the peoples’ rage; He is enthroned upon the

Cherubim: let the earth quake.Apostolic Reading: 1 Corinthians 1: 18-24,Brethren, the doctrine of the cross is fool-ishness to those who perish, but to those who are saved, that is, to us, it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will de-stroy the wisdom of the wise and the pru-dence of the prudent I will reject (Is. 29: 14; 33: 18).” Where is the “wise man,” where is the scribe? Where is the dis-putant of this world? Has not God turned into foolishness the “wisdom” of this world? For since, in God’s wisdom, the

world did not come to know God by “wis-dom,” it pleased God, by the foolishness of our preaching, to save those who be-lieve. For the Jews ask for signs, and the Greeks ask for “wisdom” — but we for our part preach a crucified Christ, to the Jews indeed a stumbling-block and to the Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Alleluia: Remember Your congregation which You have acquired from the begin-ning: You redeemed the scepter of Your inheritance.

Stichon: God is our King forever: He brought about salvation in the midst of the earth.

Gospel: John 19: 6-11, 13-20, 25-28, 30-35At that time the chief priests and the el-ders took counsel among themselves against Jesus to put Him to death. And they went to Pilate saying, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves and crucify Him. for I find no guilt in Him.” The Jews answered him, “We have a Law, and according to that Law He must die, because He has made Himself Son of God.” Now when Pilate heard this statement, he feared the more. And he again went back into the praeto-rium, and asked Jesus. “Where are You

from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. Pi-late therefore said to Him, “Will You not speak to me? Do You not know I have power to release You?” Jesus answered, “You would have no power at all over Me were it not given you from above.” Pilate therefore, when he heard these words, brought Jesus outside, and sat down on the judgment seat, at a place called Lithostrotos, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. Now it was the Preparation Day for the Passover, about the sixth hour. And he said the Jews, “Behold, your king!” But

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September 12, 2021 — Sunday before the Holy Cross; Leavetaking of the Nativity ofthe Theotokos

they cried out, “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your king?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” Then he handed Him over to them to be crucified. And so they took Je-sus and led Him away. And bearing the cross for Himself, He went forth to the place called the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgo-tha, where they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on each side and Je-sus in the center. And Pilate also wrote an inscription and had it put on the cross. And there was written, JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Many of the Jews therefore read this in-scription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Greek and in Latin. Now there were standing by the cross of Jesus His mother and His mother’s sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus, therefore, saw His mother

and the disciple He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then He said to the disciple, “Be-hold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. After this, Jesus, knowing all things were now accomplished, bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. The Jews therefore, since it was the Preparation Day, in order that the bodies might not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a solemn day), asked Pilate that their legs be broken, and that they be taken away. The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other, who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw He was already dead, they did not break His legs; but one of the soldiers opened His side with a lance, and immediately there came out blood and water. And the one who saw it has borne witness, and his witness is true.

COVID-19

According to the Milwaukee Health Department, the best way to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 is to take preventive actions to protect yourself and others:

• Get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as you can (city.milwaukee.gov/CovidVax). Vac-cines are safe and readily available at walk-in clinics throughout the community for anyone over the age of 12 years old.

• If you are unvaccinated, wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth to help protect yourself and others, and stay at least 6 feet apart from others who do not live with you.

• Avoid crowds and poorly ventilated indoor spaces, and improve ventilation whenever possible.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water. Use hand sanitizer if soap and wa-ter aren’t available.

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September 12, 2021 — Sunday before the Holy Cross; Leavetaking of the Nativity ofthe Theotokos

More information is available from the health department: city.milwaukee.gov/coron-avirus

Paradox of the Holy CrossA hardened criminal was moved from his prison cell to solitary confinement because he deserved additional punishment. In the corner of his new cell, he saw something wedged into the corner of the room. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that it was a copy of the New Testament left there by the inmate before him. Out of curiosity, he began reading the Bible for the first time in his life and was drawn again and again to the account of our Lord’s suffering and crucifixion. Our Lord suffered on the cross for the good of many. Thinking of his own present sufferings, the inmate then won-dered how his own life would have been different if he had used all of his energies for good instead of evil. Then he realized that even he was among the many for

whom Jesus died on the Cross! Because of the Cross, the inmate repented and found a place for God in his life!The Cross is the instrument of Christ’s suffering and passion, however it is also the Trophy of Victory and the means by which Christ conquered death by His death. The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross places before us this most profound mystery of suffering and its undeniable paradox: that in death there is life and that in suffering there is glory. As we continue to celebrate this holy feast may we turn our own sufferings over to Jesus and ask Him for the grace to bear them with resig-nation to His divine will for those who bear the Cross are also sheltered by it.

Text and cover-icon courtesy of Eastern Christian Bulletin ServicePO Box 3909 – Fairfax, VA 22038-3909

www.ecbulletin.com – Ph: 703-691-8862 – Fax: 703-691-0513

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