Pentecost Schedule of Services and Events: Sunday, November 26, 2017-Twenty-fifth Sunday After

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1 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, November 26, 2017-Twenty-fifth Sunday After Pentecost Schedule of Services and Events: Sunday, November 26 9:30 AM; Divine Liturgy; Panachida for Joseph Schwab on the Third Anniversary of his repose; offered by wife Irene Tuesday, November 28 3:30 PM; Emmaus Soup Kitchen Tuesday, November 28 6:00 PM; Adult Education Class Saturday, December 2 5:00 PM; Vespers Sunday, December 3 9:30 AM; Divine Liturgy Sunday, December 3 11:00 AM; Executive Board Meeting 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

2 UPCOMING EVENTS November 26 - Election of Parish Council Officers November 27 - Bishop Gregory s Fifth Anniversary of Episcopal Consecration November 28 - Beginning of Advent Fast November 28 - Emmaus Soup Kitchen December 3 - Executive Board Meeting December 4 - Feast of the Entrance of the Virgin Mary December 10 - Parish Annual Meeting December 17 - St. Nicholas Brunch December 19 - Feast of St. Nicholas; Patronal Feast of Parish 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.

3 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. Elections for the Parish Executive Board will take place on November 26 following the Divine Liturgy. At this time, the proposed changes to the cemetery by-laws will be available for your perusal. This is the second official announcement of the Parish Year-End Meeting to be held on December 10 following the Divine Liturgy. On Sunday, December 16, we will celebrate our parish s patronal feast day with a tureen/potluck brunch. Please use the sign-up sheet in the office to indicate what dish you will be bringing. The parish will provide a meat dish. Also, if you have any children under 16, please RSVP to Fr. Nick, so that St. Nicholas can be sure to have enough gifts for the children in attendance! Birthdays & Anniversaries Dec 3 Andy Shufran 5 Elaine Stafford 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

4 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, Barbara Scheibeck, Irene Schwab, Elizabeth Skalko, Isabella Smith, Cheryl 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, 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

5 WEEKLY OFFERINGS Sunday, November 19, 2017 DONOR $2.00 WEEKLY CANDLES FOR HEALTH GIVEN FOR Tamara Kloss Husband John Kloss John & Tamara Kloss Her Brother George Hazuda s Birthday, November 23 Phyllis Tarasovich Herself and Family Phyllis Tarasovich Dena Feagley Phyllis Tarasovich Mary DeHaven Peter & Marge Sima Mary DeHaven Theodore & Patricia Molly Themselves and Family Paul & Mary Ellen Demyanovich His Brother Bill Demyanovich Mark & Jenny Beskid Bill Demyanovich Richard & Sonia Koerner Themselves John & Donna Novak Health and Well-being of Ann DiMarco John Lipchik Jr. & Kathleen Boyce Uncle Peter & Aunt Marge Sima 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 and Uncle Paul Sima David Lipchik Parents Steve & Ann Lipchik Phyllis Tarasovich Deceased in the Tarasovich and Kelley Families Reader David & Debra Tarasovich Grandson Carter Robert Egloff CATEGORY AMOUNT CATEGORY AMOUNT Candles Social Hour Loose Change IOCC Regular Envelopes Total Income ATTENDANCE Adult Education Class (Tue., Nov. 14): 5 Vespers (Sat., Nov. 18): 2 Divine Liturgy (Sun., Nov. 19): 38

6 To Ponder Let us give thanks to God continually. For, it is outrageous that when we enjoy His benefaction to us in deed every single day, we do not acknowledge the favor with so much as a word; and this, when the acknowledgment confers great benefit on us. He does not need anything of ours, but we stand in need of all things from Him. In point of fact, thanksgiving adds nothing to Him, but it brings us closer to Him. For if, when we recall the benefactions of men, we are the more warmed by affection for them; much more, when we continually bring to mind the benefits of the Master towards us, shall we be more earnest with regard to His commandments. For this cause Paul also said, Be ye thankful. For the best preservative of any benefaction is the remembrance of the benefaction, and a continual thanksgiving for it. St. John Chrysostom

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9 Protocol No. 13/2017 NATIVITY FAST 2017 Glory to Jesus Christ! Dear Beloved Faithful Clergy and Laity of our God-Protected Diocese, It is hard to believe that this month marks the fifth anniversary of my Consecration and Enthronement as your Bishop. During my visits to the parishes you have heard me preaching on the state of affairs, locally and globally. Conflicts, wars and senseless violence continue to inflict pain and suffering and spill blood everywhere. I am deeply saddened that peace continues to elude us. Recent events continue to reveal that demonic forces are fighting us, that evil continues to exist in the world. So many innocent people killed and wounded at a concert in Las Vegas. So many innocent killed and wounded in a small church in Texas. Everyday people are dying needlessly in our towns and cities. For what? Can someone please explain it to me? This lack of peace is the direct result of increased selfishness and hatred throughout the world. Whatever we as inhabitants of this planet are doing it is not working, somehow it is not enough. Obviously we as humans cannot achieve peace on our own. We need the help of someone and that someone is the Lord. As we once again enter the Season of the Nativity Fast, I ask you, actually I plead with you, the good faithful people of our Diocese, to join me on a journey to meet the new born King. During these 40 days leading to the Nativity of our Lord let us increase our efforts in church attendance, in prayer, in fasting, in scriptural reading, in almsgiving, in repentance and confession, in receiving the Eucharist. This year, just like the last two years, I am challenging everyone, clergy and laity, to offer a special prayer for peace during evening prayers. During the Litany of Fervent Supplication at each Divine Liturgy a special petition is also to be included. The text of these prayers will be provided to the Clergy for distribution. Each household should have sufficient copies so that each young person that can read has one by their bed to use nightly and those who are too young to read may say the prayer with their parents before they go to bed. Of course all the adults should also participate.

10 To assist with this challenge, a special web page has been created on the Diocesan Website, Praying for Peace, which contains downloadable texts of the special prayers. Other postings will be made on various social media outlets to encourage maximum exposure and participation. With all of us united in prayer and laboring for peace this Nativity Fasting Season, I am convinced that we will help to make our lives and that of others throughout the world more peaceful, even if only in a small way. Working in His Vineyard with much love, +Bishop Gregory of Nyssa This Archpastoral Letter is to be read in all new calendar parishes of the Diocese from the pulpit on the Sunday prior to the beginning of the Nativity Fast (November 12), if not then definitely on the first Sunday of the Nativity Fast (November 19) during the reading of the parish announcements and placed in your weekly bulletins. Old calendar parishes on Sunday November 26 or Sunday December 3.

11 Prayer For Peace Evening Prayers Lord Jesus Christ, Son and Word of God, You became flesh and dwelt among us. You made the womb of Your most-pure Mother more spacious than the heavens. Yet You, the true light, were born in the darkness of a cave, thereby enlightening the world that was darkened by sin. To redeem us, You shared Your whole life. You submitted to death on the Cross and rose from the dead, bestowing life. We share in Your death and resurrection, that we may indeed be dead to sin and alive in You. As we fast and prepare to celebrate Your lifegiving manifestation, we pray especially that our respect for life will prevail in the world. Directed by Your command to care for the least of these, may we and all people heed Your call to show care and concern for life in the womb; for the lives of the poor, oppressed, and suffering; and for the lives of the sick, the elderly, and the dying. May Your peace reign in our hearts and throughout world, especially in places of unrest, so that the shedding of blood in warfare, violence, terrorism, tyranny, and all manner of strife may come to an end. May aggression between neighbors and nations fade away. May love reign in the lives of families. O Savior, You have said I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. May we become partakers of Your abundant life, together with all the saints whose lives have pleased You from the beginning. For You are the way, the truth and the life, O Christ our God, and to You we give glory, together with Your eternal Father and Your mostholy, gracious and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and forever. AMEN.