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SUNDAY DECEMBER 15th 2024

25th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

*5th SUNDAY OF THE NATIVITY FAST
5 НЕДІЛЯ НЕДІЛЯ ПИЛИПІВКИ*

THE SUNDAY BULLETIN | ВІСНИК

SUNDAY OF THE RIGHTEOUS FOREFATHERS:
The two Sundays before Christmas announce to us the coming celebration of the Incarnation of Christ from the Virgin. The first of these two Sundays is called the Sunday of the Forefathers, while the Sunday directly before Christmas is called the Sunday of the Fathers. On these Sundays, we participate in the history of awaiting the coming of the Messiah. The Forefathers, Fathers, prophets, judges, righteous people of the Old Testament - they all lived in the blessed hope of the coming of the promised Saviour Jesus Christ.
The troparion we sing today "By faith You justified the ancestors..." (see facing page), reveals to us that all those who believed in God from the ages, who expected the coming of the blessed Messiah, are justified by this faith, that is, saved by faith. Neither Adam, nor Abraham, nor Noah, or the others with them had the law of the Ten Commandments (the law was given later through Moses), so they could not be justified by fulfilling the commandments, but they were justified before God by their faith. And even those who came after the law (Moses, Aaron, the prophets) could not be justified by keeping the commandments (there is not a single person who perfectly fulfills the law), but were justified by faith in their salvation. All those who believed in God created the Old Testament Church (Church meaning "gathering"), therefore in today's troparion we are shown that God engaged the Church through the Forefathers, because their faith drew other people to follow, moreover in different nations (for instance, Melchizedek and Job were not from among the chosen people).
The troparion goes on to say that "the saints exult in glory", because from their seed (their generation/human geneology) the Virgin Mary came into the world - the One who gave birth to the long-awaited Messiah. People cannot boast that God was born from their seed or generation, because His birth was seedless (without male seed), but they can and do boast that the Mother of God was born from them. Following the example of the Forefathers, let us justify ourselves by faith. By faith in the One who became incarnate for our sake, lived on earth, died and rose again, granting salvation.
-Maria Yarema (Translated from the Ukrainian by I.R.G.)

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES FOR CHRISTMAS also available at: invite your friends and family! saintelias.com/christmas2024 РОЗКЛАД СЛУЖБІВ НА РІЗДВО також доступний на сайті парафії: Запрошуйте своїх друзів та родину!

Volunteers needed to help decorate the church for Christmas. Email anastasia@galadza.com if you can help. Tentative dates: Friday December 20th and/or Saturday 21st. Time TBD other dates may be added

Потрібні волонтери для прикраси церкви на Різдво. Якщо можете допомогти, надішліть лист на anastasia@galadza.com. Орієнтовні дати: П’ятниця 20 грудня та/або субота 21-го. Час уточнюється, можуть бути додані інші дати

ST NICHOLAS CONCERT 2024
Thank you to all the participants and organizers - a few photos below

AT THE PARISH

SUNDAY BULLETIN | БЮЛЕТИН - CLICK HERE

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Your generosity is appreciated now more than ever. Thank You for donating your time, talent or treasure and most importantly thank you for staying connected to your parish.

Make your regular church support donation AUTOMATIC
Зробіть свою регулярну пожертву на підтримку церкви АВТОМАТИЧНО

with pre-authorized debit. Fill out the form below and put it into the sunday donation collection basket.
за допомогою попередньо авторизованого дебету. Заповніть форму нижче та додайте її до недільного кошика для збору пожертв.

Download the form here
Завантажте форму тут

CANADA HELPS - ON LINE DONATIONS

PARISH WEBSITE

SAINT ELIAS THE PROPHET CHURCH
saintelias.com
10193 Heritage Road Brampton Ontario L7A 0A1
905-459-8888

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