August 30, 2026

Saturday, August 29               FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 

     4:00 PM                              Michael B. Sirack- Michaelene Ostrum                   

Sunday, August 30                 FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

     8:30 AM                                            Donald Magill- Anna Magill

Saturday, September 5          FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 

     4:00 PM                              John Ostrum- Gayle & Bobby Miles            

Sunday, September 6             FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

     8:30 AM                                            God’s Blessings & Good Health for All Parishioners

Nativity of the Theotokos

In addition to the celebration of the Annunciation, there are three major feasts in the Church honoring Mary, the Theotokos. The first of these is the feast of her nativity which is kept on the eighth of September.  The record of the birth of Mary is not found in the Bible. The traditional account of the event is taken from the apocryphal writings which are not part of the New Testament scriptures. The traditional teaching which is celebrated in the hymns and verses of the festal liturgy is that Joachim and Anna were a pious Jewish couple who were among the small and faithful remnant—“the poor and the needy”—who were awaiting the promised messiah. The couple was old and childless. They prayed earnestly to the Lord for a child, since among the Jews barrenness was a sign of God’s disfavor. In answer to their prayers, and as the reward of their unwavering fidelity to God, the elderly couple was blessed with the child who was destined, because of her own personal goodness and holiness, to become the Mother of the Messiah (the Christ).  The fact that there is no Biblical verification of the facts of Mary’s birth is incidental to the meaning of the feast. Even if the actual background of the event as celebrated in the Church is questionable from an historical point of view, the divine meaning of it “for us men and for our salvation” is obvious. There had to be one born of human flesh and blood who would be spiritually capable of being the Mother of Christ, and she herself had to be born into the world of persons who were spiritually capable of being her parents.  The feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos, therefore, is a glorification of Mary’s birth, of Mary herself and of her righteous parents. It is a celebration as well of the very first preparation of the salvation of the world. For the “Vessel of Light,” the “Book of the Word of Life,” the “Door to the Orient,” the “Throne of Wisdom” is being prepared on earth by God Himself in the birth of the holy girl-child Mary.  The verses of the feast are filled with titles for Mary such as those in the quotations above. They are inspired by the message of the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments. The specific Biblical readings of the feast give indications of this.  At Vespers the three Old Testamental readings are “mariological” in their New Testamental interpretation. Thus, Jacob’s Ladder which unites heaven and earth and the place which is named “the house of God” and the “gate of heaven” (Gen 28.10–17) are taken, to indicate the union of God with men which is realized most fully and perfectly—both spiritually and physically—in Mary the Theotokos, Bearer of God. So also the vision of the temple with the “door ‘to the East’” perpetually closed and filled with the “glory of the Lord” symbolizes Mary, called in the hymns of the feast “the living temple of God filled with the divine Glory” (Ezek 43.27–44.4). Mary is also identified with the “house” which the Divine Wisdom has built for himself according to the reading from Proverbs 9.1–11.  The Gospel reading of Matins is the one read at all feasts of the Theotokos, the famous Magnificat from Saint Luke in which Mary says: “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden, for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed” (Lk 1.47).  The epistle reading of the Divine Liturgy is the famous passage about the coming of the Son of God in “the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of man” (Phil 2.5–11) and the gospel reading is that which is always read for feasts of the Theotokos—the woman in the crowd glorifies the Mother of Jesus, and the Lord himself responds that the same blessedness which his mother receives is for all “who hear the word of God and keep it” (Lk 11.27–28).  Thus, on the feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos, as on all liturgical celebrations of Christ’s Mother, we proclaim and celebrate that through God’s graciousness to mankind every Christian receives what the Theotokos receives, the “great mercy” which is given to men because of Christ’s birth from the Virgin.

The Altar Candles were requested by Michaelene Ostrum IMO her mother Helene Sirak and her brother Michael B Sirak.

The Sanctuary Light is requested by Anna Magill IMO her husband Donald Magill.

WOMEN’S SOCIETY RUMMAGE SALE:  The Women’s Society is holding a Rummage Sale  (soup and baked goods will also be sold) October 1st and 2nd at the church hall. A Basket Raffle for Humanitarian Aid to Ukraine will also be held. Help is needed to assure this fundraiser is successful. Here are some ways you can help. 

– donate gently used household items

– make a basket for the raffle

– bake goods are needed on the two days of the sale

– come and support the sale!!

ALTAR CANDLES & SANCTUARY LIGHT:  There are many weeks available for sanctuary lights and months for the altar candles. The lists are in the back of the church. They are a special way to remember our dearly departed loved ones or for special intentions.

LABOR DAY FOOD FESTIVAL:  IT’S NEXT WEEK!!

Transfiguration of Our Lord Church is holding a one day Food Festival on Saturday, September 5^th from 11-4pm.  Homemade Pyrohy, Haluski, Potato Pancakes, Clam Chowder, and Sausage sandwitches.  Can you hear the polka music playing!!  Save the date.

ASK FATHER A QUESTION? Father, I heard Mary Magdalene was the first of the disciples of Jesus.  I heard that she was a special disciple of Christ and was endowed special knowledge (“secrets”).  Is that true?

A disciple is a follower of Jesus.  There were hundreds, well over five hundred, when he made his trip to Cesarea.  Was Mary Magdalene among those?  We do not know.  Many people today promote errors within the Church and will use the excuse that Mary Magdalene had special insights and messages given to her. No such message or concept exists in the Scriptures or the Church tradition.  This idea comes to us from the Gnostics, who taught that there were secret and hidden teachings of Jesus that only those with special insight could know.  This has been identified as a heresy to the Church a long, long, long time ago.  Those with special “insights” are those who were closest to Christ, those whom Jesus called the twelve Apostles.  The special insight given to them was not a different message but Jesus made especially clear to them the meanings of the Parables.  Mary Magdalene was one of many disciples and any insight she had is the same as the Whole Church.  Mary Magdalene is a good example for all of us in the Church today of what it means to repent, to turn away from our personal sin, and live a life of virtue.  Putting off, the “old” man and putting on the “new” man.  

Who is Mary Magdalene?  Mary Magdalene was the adulteress who was possessed by many devils.  Jesus cast out the seven demons and she repented from her life of sin and lived a life of virtue and thanksgiving to Christ for forgiving her sins and healing her of the possession.

How many “Marys” are in the Bible?  There is Mary the Mother of Jesus, Mary the sister of Martha-who are the sisters of Lazarus, Mary Magdalene-the repentant adulteress, Mary the Mother of Saint John & Saint James, and others, for example.  Mary Magdalene and Mary the Mother of Saint John & Saint James are the “Marys” that went to the tomb on the day of Resurrection.  There are many “Marys” in the Bible.  The name Mary is in the Scriptures 54 times.  Most of the time the name Mary refers to Mary the Mother of God.