Sunday, December 17, 2017 Celebration of the Patronal Feast Day of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, Erie, PA

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1 Sunday, December 17, 2017 Celebration of the Patronal Feast Day of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, Erie, PA

2 St. Nicholas Orthodox Church American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese Ecumenical Patriarchate 1123 East Avenue Erie, PA Parish Website: stnicholaserie.org Diocesan Website: Rev. Fr. Nicholas Mihaly Rectory: (814) Cell: (203) Sunday, December 17, 2017-Twenty-eighth Sunday After Pentecost Schedule of Services and Events: Sunday, December 17 9:30 AM; Divine Liturgy and St. Nicholas Brunch Monday, December 18 6:00 PM; Akathist to St. Nicholas Tuesday, December 19 9:30 AM; Divine Liturgy for St. Nicholas Tuesday, December 19 6:00 PM; Adult Education Class Saturday, December 23 5:00 PM; Vespers Sunday, December 24 9:30 AM; Divine Liturgy Confessions are available approximately one half-hour before the Divine Liturgy on the first Sunday of each month. Confessions are also available approximately one hour before evening services or by appointment

3 UPCOMING EVENTS December 10 - Parish Annual Meeting December 14 - ACRY Sub Sandwich Sale December 17 - St. Nicholas Brunch December 19 - Feast of St. Nicholas; Patronal Feast of Parish December 26 - Emmaus Soup Kitchen Please join us on Tuesday evenings at 6:00 PM for an adult education class. The class is open to anyone who wants to learn more about our Orthodox Faith. To begin, we will be reading through The Orthodox Way by Metropolitan Kallistos Ware. It is an excellent book which reviews the basic tenets of our Faith. Please bring yourselves and any friends who might be interested in learning more! There are some icons in the church hall, please help yourself! There are some household items from the rectory in the church hall. The parish is asking for a donation if you would like them for your own home. Lots-O-Luck Calendars are now available for a donation of $ This important National ACRY fundraiser supports Diocesan Funds. Winning numbers and cash amounts will be determined by the 3 digit Pennsylvania Lottery drawn daily at 7:00 PM and the amount listed on the calendar for that day. Please see Phyllis if you would like to purchase a calendar.

4 Birthdays & Anniversaries Dec 20 Richard & Kathryn (Zetts) Sesco-31st Anniversary 23 John Leonard 26 Jayden Gaydosh 31 Helen Douglas If you would like Many Years to be sung for you or a loved one, please let Fr. Nick know prior to the beginning of Divine Liturgy

5 Parish Prayer List Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects. James 5:16 For the Health of Fr. John Baranik, Fr. John Gido, Fr. Nicholas Palun, Fr. John Zboyovski, Fr. David Smoley, Pani Donna Smoley, Pani Connie Miloro, Pani Eleanor Pribish, Ann Burdick, Emma Burkell, John Candia, Tom Candia, James DeHaven, Mary DeHaven, Ann DiMarco, Peter Dimitriadis, Helen Douglas, Irene Fendya, Miko Jovanovich, John E. Kelley, Laura Klepek, John Kloss, Richard Koerner, Jean Kramer, Don Kuzmin, Olivia Kuzmin, Serge Mihaly, Barbara Scheibeck, Irene Schwab, Elizabeth Skalko, Isabella Smith, Cheryl Walker, David Walker, Katlyn Wyant, George Yurcan through the prayers of St. Nectarios the Wonderworker & St. Panteleimon the Great-Martyr and Healer For the Repose of Fr. Charles Sunderland, Pani Ann Kozar, William Demyanovich, Maria Keim, Paul Meaden May their memories be eternal! If you have someone you would like to be added to the prayer list, please see Fr. Nick

6 A Life of St. Nicholas In the year 270 AD, St. Nicholas was born not far from Myra, in what is now modern day Turkey. At that time, Orthodox Christians were persecuted for their faith. Many of them were tortured and executed because of their belief in Jesus Christ. Nicholas was taught by his parents to love the Lord with his whole mind, heart, soul, and with all his strength. When they died he inherited their money. He used this to help the poor, the hungry, and the sick. Whenever he helped anyone he did it secretly, so that only God would know, He did not want praise from people; he wanted his reward to be only in Heaven. After he gave away the money his parents had left him he decided to become a monk. He went to a monastery where he lived and worked and prayed, intending to spend the rest of his life repenting of his sins. But soon it became clear that God wanted him to be a priest, and so he began to study the Law of God. St. Nicholas became the parish priest of a village church after his ordination. He worked very hard, instructing his flock and helping those in need. He also performed all the Divine Services and was a spiritual father to all. It came that the then Archbishop of Myra died. The other bishops, as well as the priests and people of the town, gathered to choose a successor. They couldn't decide who should be their new archbishop. They kept a vigil and prayed all night long in the cathedral, begging God to guide them. God revealed to one of the bishops that the first priest to enter the church in the morning should

7 be chosen as the new archbishop. At sunrise, a simple priest, Father Nicholas, came quietly into the cathedral to say his morning prayers. In this way the Lord God revealed His choice for archbishop. In the year 325 a great Council of the Orthodox Church was held in the city of Nicea. 317 bishops from all over the world came. At this Council part of the Creed we sing in every Divine Liturgy was written down and St. Nicholas had a wonderful opportunity to defend the teachings of the Church against Arius who denied that Jesus Christ was God in the flesh and was leading many people astray by his false teaching. Upon hearing the blasphemies that Arius brazenly uttered against the Son of God, Saint Nicholas struck him on the face. Since the canons of the Church forbid the clergy to strike any man at all, his fellow bishops were in perplexity what disciplinary action was to be taken against this hierarch whom all revered. In the night our Lord Jesus Christ and our Lady Theotokos appeared to certain bishops, informing them that no action was to be taken against him, since he had acted not out of passion, but out of extreme love and piety. St. Nicholas followed the words of our Lord, Lay up treasure for yourself in Heaven, by saying his prayers every day, by fasting, and by performing many good deeds. God was so pleased that He worked many miracles through him. Because he was able to calm storms on the sea he became known as the patron saint of sailors. Because he protected children (he even raised 3 children from the dead!), he is also a patron of young people. He was able to multiply food, just as

8 our Saviour did with the fish and loaves, and in this way he once kept a whole city from starving. People began to call him a "wonderworker" (a person who works wonders or performs miracles). They were so inspired by his life of service to others that many of them, too, began to lead holy lives, filled with good deeds. One old man was so poor that he decided to send his three beautiful daughters into the streets to make a living. Finding out about this, St. Nicholas came secretly at night and threw some gold coins tied in a stocking through the window. In the morning they found the money and gave thanks to God for saving them from misfortune. After a long life, God called his slave home to heaven on December 6, 343. He was buried in his cathedral, but in the year 1087 the remains of his holy body (relics) were taken to Italy to save them from the Turks who were persecuting Christians and destroying churches and holy objects, and they remain to this day in the city of Bari. The Orthodox Church celebrates this translation of his relics on May 9, St, Nicholas led a life so pleasing to God, that God glorified His saint even after his death, As a sign of God's grace, a fragrant substance called "myrrh" comes from the relics of St. Nicholas and many sick people anoint themselves with it and receive healing. There is an Orthodox church in Bari whose priest frequently celebrates

9 services before the relics, asking St. Nicholas to pray for us before the throne of God. People all over the world know and love St. Nicholas. For instance, he is the patron of Russia. Children in America, Germany, Holland, and many other countries know about him. Unfortunately very few know that he was a Bishop of the Orthodox Church. American children don't know that Santa Claus is St. Nicholas (Santa comes from the Latin for "saint"; Claus is a nickname for "Nicholas''). They know mostly about his gift giving to children; they don't realize that he was so generous because he loved Christ more than anything else and wanted to serve Him by helping others. Orthodox children are fortunate to know the whole story of St. Nicholas, and not just one small part of it. We should try to tell our non-orthodox friends and neighbors the truth about "Santa Claus" so that they too, can realize how important and wonderful it is to follow Christ!-Adapted from:

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11 WEEKLY OFFERINGS Sunday, December 10, 2017 DONOR $2.00 WEEKLY CANDLES FOR HEALTH GIVEN FOR Tamara Kloss Husband John Kloss Phyllis Tarasovich Herself and Family Theodore & Patricia Molly Themselves and Family Richard Koerner Wife Sonia Koerner George Kramer Jr. & Joanne Coursin Richard Koerner James & Nancy DeHaven Mothers Mary DeHaven and Louise Butts John & Donna Novak Health and Well-being of Ann DiMarco John Lipchik Jr. & Kathleen Boyce Uncle Peter & Aunt Marge Sima Kathleen Boyce Families of Brother John Lipchik Jr. and Husband Gary Boyce DONOR $2.00 WEEKLY CANDLES FOR THE DECEASED GIVEN FOR John & Tamara Kloss Her Parents Very Rev. Proto. Ronald & Pani Dolores Hazuda Douglas & Jean LaBoda and Family His Father Michael LaBoda Douglas & Jean LaBoda and Family His Mother Virginia LaBoda George Yurcan Parents Wasyl & Aniela Yurcan and Deceased in Family Richard & Susanne Demchak Beloved Parents Joseph & Susan Demchak Dr. George & Kitty Kuzmishin Beloved Family Members Janet Belliveau Parents Douglas & Anne Liebel John Lipchik Jr. & Kathleen Boyce Parents John Sr. & Helena Lipchik David Lipchik Parents Steve & Ann Lipchik Phyllis Tarasovich Deceased in the Tarasovich and Kelley Families Reader David & Debra Tarasovich Grandson Carter Robert Egloff DeHaven Sons & Wives Father George DeHaven CATEGORY AMOUNT CATEGORY AMOUNT Candles Pledges Loose Change Social Hour 9.00 Regular Envelopes Memorials* Christmas Flowers Total Income 1, *Thank you to Richard Dill ($45), James & Nancy DeHaven ($25), Andy Shufran ($25), Phyllis Tarasovich ($25), and George Kramer Jr. & Joanne Coursin ($10) for their donations in memory of William Demyanovich. ATTENDANCE Entrance of the Mother of God Liturgy (Mon., Dec. 4): 7 Adult Education Class (Tue., Dec. 5): 4 Moleben to St. Nectarios (Wed., Dec. 6): 3 Vespers (Sat., Dec. 9): 1 Divine Liturgy (Sun., Dec. 10): 30

12 St. Nicholas Orthodox Church 2018 Elected Parish Officers President: Richard Koerner Vice President: Elaine Stafford Treasurer: Joanne Coursin Assistant Treasurer: Reader David Tarasovich Financial Secretary: Phyllis Tarasovich Recording Secretary: Parliamentarian: Sandra Kulich Trustees: 1) Tamara Kloss 2) Michael Gaydosh 3) John Lipchik, Jr. 4) Lorain Wyant 5) Gary Kulich Auditors: 1) Mark Beskid 2) George Kramer 3) Sandra Kulich Congratulations to all of our newly elected officers! Thank you to the past officers for your help and sacrifice to our parish and thank you to the new officers for the sacrifices you will be making!

13 St. Nicholas Orthodox Church Christmas Schedule East Avenue Erie, PA Friday, January 5; 6:00 PM-Royal Hours of the Nativity of Our Lord Saturday, January 6; 8:00 PM-Vigil Service on the Eve of the Nativity of Our Lord Sunday, January 7; 9:30 AM-Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord Monday, January 8; 9:30 AM-Divine Liturgy for the Synaxis of the Virgin Mary Tuesday, January 9; 9:30 AM-Divine Liturgy for the Feast of St. Stephen