Four Evangelists Orthodox Church, Bel Air, Maryland

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Vespers

Vespers for the Feast of the Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary

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Glory to Jesus Christ!

Please join us tomorrow, Thursday, 14 August 2024, at 6pm, as we celebrate Vespers for the Feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God (15 August).

All are welcome!

In giving birth, you preserved your virginity, / and in falling asleep you did not forsake the world, O Theotokos. / You passed into life as the Mother of Life, / and by your prayers, you deliver our souls from death.
— Troparion for the Feast of the Dormition

Dormition of the All-Holy Mother of God
Dormition of the Mother of God

Weekly Update: Feast of the Transfiguration, Catechumens’ Class, and the 9th Sunday after Pentecost

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Glory to Jesus Christ!

The Feast of the Transfiguration
The Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord is celebrated on 6 August and is one of the Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church. Please join us on Tuesday, 5 August 2025, at 6pm as we celebrate Vespers for the Feast of the Transfiguration.

It is also an ancient tradition for the faithful to bring grapes and other fruit to be blessed on the Transfiguration.

After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. — Gospel According to St. Mark 9.2–8

The Transfiguration of our Lord
 

Prayers
In your prayers please continue to remember our catechumens (Rob & Stacy, Michael, Nicholas, and Michael), new mothers and babies, the sick, the poor, travelers, those impacted by war and calamities, and those in need.

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,…” — 1st Epistle of St. Timothy 2.1

 

Bible Study and Catechumens’ Classes
Mark your calendars! Wednesday, 6 August 2025, at 7pm will begin a new session of catechumen classes. Classes will alternate every other week with a new Bible Study class on the Gospel of St. John (starting on 13 August 2025 at 7pm).

 

Stuff the Bus and Charitable Pantry
Every year our parish gathers school supplies for students in need. This year we are accepting donations for the Stuff the Bus campaign, a donation drive to assist students locally here in Harford County. (See supply list below). We will collect items from now until September 7th, at which point they will be delivered to Harford schools. 

The St. Caritas (from the Latin for love) Pantry in our parking lot is continually used throughout the week. Thanks be to God! If you have canned goods or non-perishable items to donate, you can place them in the supply box in the restroom hallway. Thank you!

 

9th Sunday after Pentecost
Sunday, 10 August 2025, is the 9th Sunday after Pentecost. On this day we commemorate the Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Lawrence of Rome (+258), among others.

St. Ambrose relates that when the Roman authorities demanded that St. Lawrence bring out and hand over the treasures of the church, he returned with the poor of the church. St. Lawrence was martyred for the Faith in 258 A.D. by being burned alive and is said to have remarked to his executioners, “turn me over. I’m done on this side.”

The readings for this Sunday are:

 

Parish Council Meeting
There will be a parish council meeting on Tuesday, 12 August 2025, at 7:30pm.

 

Feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God
The Feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God is celebrated on 15 August. This Feast is one of the Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church and concludes the two-week Dormition Fast.

Please join us on Thursday, 14 August 2025, at 6:00pm as we celebrate Vespers for the Feast of the Dormition.

 

Metropolitan Antony’s Visit
As a reminder, there will be a signup sheet in the kitchen for cleaning duties in preparation for Metropolitan Antony’s visit on Sunday, 24 August 2025. Thank you in advance for any help in this endeavor!

Please note that the date above is a correction to a previously announced date.

 

Blessing of Backpacks
Calling all students and teachers of all ages! Bring your backpack or school bag to church on 24 August 2025 for our annual Blessing of the Backpacks. The blessing with be following the Divine Liturgy and will be a fitting way to begin the new academic year.

 

This Week and Looking Ahead

Weekly Update: Dormition Fast, 8th Sunday after Pentecost, and the Feast of the Transfiguration

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Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dormition Fast and the Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord
From 1 August through 14 August the Orthodox Church keeps a two week fast known as the Dormition Fast. This fast —the final fast of the liturgical year— is in preparation for the Feast of the Dormition (Falling Asleep) of the Mother of God on 15 August, one of the Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church.

See the article Why a Fast for Dormition? from the UOC of the USA website.

During this time falls the Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord on 6 August (also one of the Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church). Please join us on Tuesday, 5 August 2025, at 6pm as we celebrate the Transfiguration with the service of Vespers. It is also an ancient tradition for the faithful to bring grapes and other fruit to be blessed on the Transfiguration. As Fr. Thomas Hopko explains:

The summer celebration of the feast, however, has lent itself very well to the theme of transfiguration. The blessing of grapes, as well as other fruits and vegetables on this day is the most beautiful and adequate sign of the final transfiguration of all things in Christ. It signifies the ultimate flowering and fruitfulness of all creation in the paradise of God’s unending Kingdom of Life where all will he transformed by the glory of the Lord. (from Feast of the Transfiguration 2015, Saint Tikhon’s Monastery)

At the conclusion of the Fast, we will celebrate Vespers for the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos on Thursday, 14 August 2025 at 6pm.

Transfiguration of Our Lord
Transfiguration of Our Lord
 

Prayers
In your prayers please continue to remember our catechumens (Rob & Stacy, Michael, Nicholas, and Michael), new mothers and babies, the sick, the poor, travelers, those impacted by war and calamities, and those in need.

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,…” — 1st Epistle of St. Timothy 2.1

 

Charitable Pantry
The St. Caritas (from the Latin for love) Pantry in our parking lot is continually used throughout the week. Thanks be to God! If you have canned goods or non-perishable items to donate, you can place them in the supply box in the restroom hallway. Thank you!

 

8th Sunday after Pentecost
Sunday, 3 August 2025, is the 8th Sunday after Pentecost. On this day we commemorate the Holy Myrrhbearer and cousin of the Virgin Mary Salome (+1st c.) and Venerable Isaac the Ascetic of the Dalmatian Monastery at Constantinople (+383), among others.

The readings for this Sunday are:

 

Bible Study and Catechumen’s Classes
Mark your calendars! Wednesday, 6 August 2025, at 7pm will begin a new session of catechumen classes. Catechumen classes will alternate every other week with a new Bible Study class (starting on 13 August 2025 at 7pm).

 

Parish Council Meeting
There will be a parish council meeting on Tuesday, 12 August 2025, at 7:30pm.

 

Metropolitan Antony’s Visit
As a reminder, there will be a signup sheet in the kitchen for cleaning duties in preparation for Metropolitan Antony’s visit on Sunday, 17 August 2025. Thank you in advance for any help in this endeavor!

 

Frequently Asked Questions – Mid-Week Services
If you haven’t taken a look, please check out our growing list of Frequently Asked Questions on our website. We hope these will be of use to neighbors, potential visitors, new visitors, or anyone else who might have questions about our parish. If you have a question or suggestion, please send a note to 4ev.webmaster@gmail.com.

Someone recently asked, do you have mid-week services?

Great question. The short answer is yes. Following the liturgical calendar, a church could (and some do!) have services every day, including the Divine Liturgy. In our local setting, due to the constraints of employment and other factors, we will most often celebrate mid-week feast days with Vespers on the preceding evening. There are times, however, when we are able to meet during the day for mid-week services.

According to a liturgical reckoning of time, the day begins in the evening/sundown following the biblical account of creation and then is patterned on the Daily Offices (i.e., Liturgy of the Hours). Hence, Vespers is the first service of the day, then Compline, then the Midnight Office, etc.

For example, the Feast of the Transfiguration is on 6 August every year, but will be celebrated by us on the evening of 5 August (according to your wall calendar! … but 6 August according to liturgical time!).

 

This Week and Looking Ahead

Weekly Update: 3rd Sunday after Pentecost and the Feast of the Holy Glorious and All-Praised Leaders of the Apostles, Peter and Paul

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Glory to Jesus Christ!

Baptism and Chrismation of Daniel B.
Join us in officially welcoming Daniel to the Orthodox Church and to our parish. Many years!

Baptism of Daniel B. — 22 June 2025 (Feast of All Saints of North America)

Prayers
In your prayers please continue to remember our catechumens (Tyra, Jimmy, Rob & Stacy, Michael, Nicholas, and Michael), new mothers, the sick, the poor, travelers, and those in need.

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,…” — 1st Epistle of St. Timothy 2.1

Choir Practice
Choir practice for Tuesday, 24 June 2025 at 6:30pm, will be at the Mukai home and not at the church. Please contact Peggy for details.

Chrismation
Join us on Sunday, 29 June 2025 at 8:30am, for the chrismation of Tyra D. and Jimmy S. Please continue to pray for Tyra and Jimmy and all catechumens as they prepare to enter the Orthodox Church.

3rd Sunday after Pentecost and the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul
Sunday, 29 June 2025, is the 3rd Sunday after Pentecost and the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. On this day we remember the martyrdom of the apostles in Rome.

The readings for this Sunday are:

O foremost of the Apostles and teachers of the inhabited earth, / intercede with the Master of all / to grant peace to the world and great mercy to our souls.
— Troparion for the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul

Sts. Peter and Paul

This Week and Looking Ahead