Tenth Sunday of Luke Conception of the Theotokos

Transcription

1 Tenth Sunday of Luke Conception of the Theotokos Icon of Saints Joachim and Anna Eastern Christian Bulletin Service -- PO Box Fairfax, VA Ph: Fax:

2 St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church A Parish of the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese (antiochian.org) and The Diocese of Charleston, Oakland & The Mid-Atlantic (antiochian.org/east) ( the Disciples were called Christians first in Antioch! Acts 11:26) 111 Alberta Avenue Johnstown, PA stmaryaocc.org // office@stmaryaocc.org Most Rev. Metropolitan PHILIP Archbishop & Primate Right Rev. Bishop THOMAS Auxiliary Bishop (Diocese of Charleston / Oakland & The Mid-Atlantic) Very Rev. Fr. Donald E. Shadid, M.Div. & D.Min. Archpriest & Pastor Rev. Fr. Anthony G. Roeber, M.A. (Theology) & Ph.D. Attached Clergy Edward Makdad Parish Council Chairperson Go to Church Say Your Prayers Don t Forget God! Fr. Don Home: frdon@stmaryaocc.org Office: THE TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST Sunday, December 8, 2013 Venerable PATAPIOS of Thebes; SOPHRONIOS, Bishop of Cyprus; Apostles SOSTHENES, APOLLOS, CRISPOS, CAESAR & EPAPHRODITOS of The Seventy and Martyr PARTHENIOS. +. Glory be to Jesus Christ! Glory be to Him Forever! Today is Choir & Chanter Appreciation Sunday and December is Order of St. Ignatius Month! A WARM WELCOME TO ALL! We welcome all of you, our Faithful and our visitors, to St. Mary Orthodox Church! It is a pleasure to have you with us as we glorify and praise the Name of our God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Please sing along with our Choir during the Liturgy. Please note that the Sacrament of Holy Communion can only be given to Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves by prayer, fasting, regular Confession (at least twice per year 7 Yrs. old & up), who attend Liturgy regularly & on time and are at peace with all people. When receiving Holy Communion, please fold your arms over your chest, open your mouth wide, tip your head back slightly and allow the priest to place the elements in your mouth. For our non-orthodox brethren, we welcome you to sing and pray with us, venerate the Cross and receive the Holy Bread at the end of the Divine Liturgy. Please join us again soon. May God Bless You Always!

3 HOLY OBLATION: Offered by Janice Agypt for the health of the Agypt, George & Mulkey Families God Grant Them Many Years!. PASCHAL CANDLES: Offered in beloved memory of: (1) son, brother & uncle, Eddie Martin by Huda Martin & Family and (2) father, grand & greatgrandfather, John Andrew Spada by Tony & Marianne Spada and Family. PROSKAMEDIA CANDLE: Offered in beloved memory of father, William ( Speedo ) Salem (+49 Yrs.) by Christine Salem. SEVEN-BRANCHED CANDLE: Offered in beloved memory of dear friends, James & John Salem by Mitchell & Gloria Kempisty. PRAYERS OF LITURGICAL REMEMBRANCE: Offered: (1) for the health of her Family & Heather by Connie; (2) in beloved memory of Jodie Erb (Charlotte, NC cousin to Renee D Ettorre) by Butch & Renee D Ettorre, Marjorie Hamaty & Family and Lottie & Larry Bertino; (3) in beloved memory of Geraldine Joseph (+12/12/1943) by the Joseph Family and (4) for the health & safety of His Eminences, Metropolitan PAUL Yazigi (Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Aleppo brother of our Patriarch, His Beatitude, John X of the Great City of God, Antioch and all the East) & Metropolitan YOHANNA Ibrahim (Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese of Aleppo), who were abducted in Syria on Monday, April 22; and in beloved memory of their Driver, Rev. Dn. Fatha Allah Kabboud, by Fr. Don and all the Faithful of our St. Mary Parish Family. TRISAGION PRAYERS OF MERCY (Naha): Offered in beloved memory of: (1) parents, Stanley & Anne Azar and aunt, Mary Azar Ripple by Kathy Azar McMillan and Jim & Rita Azar; (2) son, brother & uncle, Edward Martin (+6 Yrs.) by Huda Martin and Family (Susan Martin & Laila [Martin] Fogleman & Family) and (3) father, grand & great-grandfather, John Andrew Spada (+4 Yrs.) by Tony Spada & Family and Barbara (Spada) Skala & Family. May Their Memory Be Ever Eternal! For The Living God Grant Them Many Years! and For The Departed May Their Memory Be Ever Eternal! VARIATIONS & NOTES ON THE LITURGY - THIRD ANTIPHON: (Troparion During The Little Entrance Tone Seven) See Troparion of the Resurrection Below.

4 AFTER THE LITTLE ENTRANCE: TROPARION OF THE RESURRECTION: (Tone Seven) Thou didst shatter death by Thy Cross; Thou didst open Paradise to the thief; Thou didst turn the sadness of the ointment bearing women into joy, and didst bid Thine Apostles proclaim a warning that Thou hast risen, O Christ, granting to the world the great mercy. TROPARION FOR THE DORMITION (Falling-Asleep) OF THE HOLY THEOTOKOS: (Our Patronal Feast Day Tone One) In thy birth-giving, O Theotokos, thou didst keep and preserve virginity; and in thy falling-asleep thou hast not forsaken the world for thou wast translated in-to life, being the Mother of Life. Wherefore, by thine intercessions, deliver our souls from death. KONTAKION OF THE PREPARATION OF THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST: (Tone Three) Today the Virgin cometh to the cave where she will give birth in an ineffable manner to the Word Who is before all the ages. Rejoice, therefore, O universe, when thou hearest it heralded: Glorify Him, with the angels and the shepherds, Who chose to be seen as a new-born babe, the God Who is before all the ages. EPISTLE: Ephesians 2:14 22 (Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost) HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 13:10-17 (Tenth Sunday of Luke) Concerning the Kiss of Peace, prior to the Nicene Creed, we encourage you to greet those around you with a handshake, saying: Christ is in Our Midst! the response being: He is and Always Shall Be! In this way, we express: (1) our Joy that God has acted to restore our Communion with Him and (2) our Hope in the Resurrection from the Dead that is offered to us by our Lord s own trampling down death by death! God is With Us ( Emmanuel )! KOINONIKON (Communion Hymn Tone Eight): Refrain: Praise ye the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the highest. Alleluia! (Note: The Alleluia! is done at the end of the Refrain only after the last Verse has been sung.) Verse: Praise Him, all ye His angels; praise Him, all ye His hosts. (Refrain) Verse: Praise Him, O sun and moon; praise Him, all ye stars and light. (Refrain) Verse: Praise Him, ye heavens of heavens, and thou water that art above the heavens. (Refrain)

5 - THIS WEEK S EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS - (Church Office: Monday Friday: 9:00 AM 1:00 PM Dec. 9-Jan. 3) + Tuesday, December 10 DAILY MATINS 8 AM and CHOIR PRACTICE 7 PM. + Wednesday, December 11 NO GREAT VESPERS or DISCUSSION GROUP. + Thursday, December 12 DAILY MATINS 8 AM. + Friday, December 13 PARAKLESIS SERVICE (Prayers of Supplication) IN PREPARATION FOR THE FEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD 6 PM Advent is the 40 Day Period prior to the Nativity of our Lord, during which we prepare ourselves for the coming of the Messiah. It is a period of Fasting, Prayer, Almsgiving and Participation in the Church Services & Sacraments (i.e. Confession & Holy Communion) to help us understand the full meaning of Christ s coming. + Saturday, December 14 GREAT VESPERS 5 PM. + Sunday, December 15 SUNDAY OF THE HOLY FOREFATHERS OF CHRIST 8:15 AM & DIVINE 9:30 AM Followed by Church School (Youth) & Fellowship in the Social Hall! THOSE IN SPECIAL NEED OF OUR PRAYERS: MEMORIAL MEDICAL CTR. Lee Campus: Anthony Abraham (#453); ALLEGHENY LUTHERAN HOME: Mitchell Spanovich (#22); ARBUTUS PARK MANOR (Crossroads Unit): Mitchell Azar (#402); CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN HOME: Bea Jaber (#251); LAUREL VIEW VILLAGE: Very Rev. John (#104) & Matushka Olga Govrusik (#528), George Heider (#210) & Vivian Salem (#214) and IN TREATMENT, RECOVERING AND / OR SHUT-IN AT HOME : Cheryl Baxendale (sister of Roger Knepper); Vivian (Saleeba) Curry; Florence Judy Davidson; Renee D Ettorre; Elaine Emeigh; Jill Jaber; Genevieve Milkie; Samuel Shahade and Greg & Mary Evelyn (Finley) Smith and infant son, Simeon Lee. May God Be With All of Them & All of Those Who are Ill and / or in Need! St. Mary Parish Financial Snapshot As of October 31, 2013 October 2013 Year to Date (YTD) Parishioner Giving (Income) $ 8, $ 108, Expenses Paid $ 11, $ 114, Parishioner Giving vs. Expenses Paid $ - 2, $ - 5,370.33

6 IT IS A BOY! : Fr. Don is pleased to announce the birth of Brooks William Curry (Nov. 25 / 10 lb. 6 oz. / 22 in.), son of Nicholas & Julie Curry! May God Grant Many Years of Health, Joy & Peace (John 14:27)! to the newborn Brooks William, his parents, his grandparents (Darryl & Lisa Curry and Bill & Terry Huck) and all within his Family. WE NEED YOU AT THE FAMILY KITCHEN C MON & HELP US!: Our Lord tells us that when we serve those in need, we serve Him! Our Parish Family has been asked to help serve Weekend Meals at The Family Kitchen downtown at 231 Bedford Street. Our last date for this year that we have committed to is Saturday, December 21. We are asked to meet at the Kitchen at 10 AM and are done by about 1 PM. We have also been asked to make a Donation of $ each time to help defer the expenses of each meal. If you can help us down at The Kitchen and/or with a Donation, please contact Fr. Don or our Parish Office ( ). We have always taken away from our experience more than we have given please help us out if you can! Thank You & God Bless! A Spiritual Gem (compiled by Fr. Noah Bushelli St. Philip Antiochian Orthodox Church Souderton, PA) Masters, Fathers, Mothers, Brothers & Sisters, Bless! I hope you all will be edified by the stark contrast between the perspectives of God and fallenhumanity, which St. Nicholai of South Canaan points out so beautifully in his homily on Christ s healing the infirm woman (Luke 13:10-17) which we read today (_Homilies_, Vol. 2, p. 279). May God strengthen us for a profitable Advent Fast and give us love and humility to replace our worldly vision with His Divine Vision! This woman s infirmity was so great and she had borne it so long that those who saw her for the first time turned away from her, and those who looked longer at her saw her no more as a human being but as a withered, twisted tree, good for nothing but to be cut down and burned But the Lover of mankind looked with concern and sympathy on this miserable human creature, and saw in her not a withered and twisted tree but a daughter of Abraham, a soul created by God and deserving of His Mercy. In Christ, +Fr. Noah

7 THE INCARNATION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST! The Nativity Fast is a period of abstinence and penance practiced by the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches, in preparation for the Nativity of Christ (December 25). Like the Western Advent, the Nativity Fast prepares Eastern Christians for the celebration of Christmas. However, it differs in two significant respects: the Eastern Fast runs for 40 Days instead of Four (Rome) or Six Weeks (Milan) and thematically focuses on proclamation & glorification of the Incarnation of God, whereas the Western Advent focuses on the two comings (or Advents) of Jesus Christ: His Birth & His Second Coming or Parousia. The Fast is observed from November 15 to December 24, inclusively. These dates apply to those Orthodox Churches which use the Revised Julian Calendar, which currently matches the Gregorian calendar. For those national Churches which still follow the Julian Calendar (Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem), the Winter Lent does not begin until November 28 (Gregorian) which coincides with November 15 on the Julian Calendar. Sometimes the Fast is called Philip's Fast (or the Philippian Fast), as it traditionally begins on the day following the Feast of St. Philip the Apostle (November 14). Some churches, such as the Melkite-Greek Catholic Church, have abbreviated the Fast to start on December 10, following the Feast of the Conception by Saint Anne of the Most Holy Theotokos. (Taken from Wikipedia ) What is most important for us, as Orthodox Christians, is that we make use of this Time to purify both Soul & Body to enter properly into and partake of the great Spiritual Reality of Christ s Coming, much like the preparation for the Lenten Fast of the Lord s Resurrection! Let us join together as Parish Family, Fasting, Praying, Offering our Alms, Confessing our Sins & Partaking of the Holy Eucharist the Very Body & Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ (John 6:53) the God-Man Who comes in the Flesh in order to show us how to be Human, created in the Image & Likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27)! May our Heavenly Father guide us & bless us as we prepare the Manger of our Hearts to receive His Only-Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ!

8 ... i.e. Group meets at approximately 6:45 PM. Thus far, we have listened to & discussed 4 Podcasts on such subjects as An Introduction to God: Encountering the Divine in Orthodox Christianity by Fr. Andrew Damick & Angels & Demons by Fr. Tom Hopko. All those present are encouraged to provide input as to what our Group discusses & studies. It is our Prayer that through this time together, we will grow in our Faith & Fellowship! Please pray about this, so that we might accomplish God s Will in all that we do! Take Care and God Bless! F.Y.I His Eminence, Metropolitan PHILIP has announced the new Project for the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Women of North America Help the Orphans of War in Syria. Our Father-in-Christ has asked the Antiochian Women to raise $200,000 towards this worthwhile project. Stay tuned for further information Fr. Don would like our Parish to participate. Remember, every Woman in our Parish is an Antiochian Woman!

9 Epistle Priest: Let us attend. Reader: The Lord will give strength unto His people. Verse: Bring unto the Lord, ye sons of God; bring unto the Lord glory & honor! Priest: Wisdom. Reader: The Reading is taken from St. Paul s Letter to the Ephesians (2:14-22). Priest: Let us attend. BRETHREN, Christ is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of partition, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that He might create in Himself of the two one new man, thus making peace, and might reconcile them both to God in one body through the Cross, thereby having slain the enmity in Himself; and He came and preached peace to you, to those who were far off and to those who were near, for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. Now therefore you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief Cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, fitly framed together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit Over + + +

10 The Saints Of The Day December 8, 2013* The Venerable Patapius Patapius was born and brought up in the Faith and in the fear of God by pious parents in the Egyptian city of Thebes. At an early age he perceived and abhorred the vanity of this world and withdrew into the wilderness of Egypt. There he devoted himself to a life of asceticism, cleansing his heart of all earthly desires and thoughts, for the sake of God's love. However, when his virtues became known among the people, they began to come to him and to seek solace from him in their sufferings. Fearing the praise of men, which darkens the minds of men and separates them from God, Patapius fled this wilderness to Constantinople, for this wonderful saint thought that he could hide himself more easily from people in the city than in the wilderness. Patapius built a hut for himself in the proximity of the Church of Blachernae in Constantinople. There, immured and unknown, he continued his interrupted life of eremetic asceticism. However, a light cannot be hidden. A child, blind from birth, was led by God's providence to St. Patapius. He besought the saint to pray to God that he be given his sight and be able to look upon God's creation-thus allowing him to praise God all the more. Patapius having compassion on the suffering child, prayed to God, and the child's sight was restored. This miracle revealed God's chosen one throughout the entire city, and people rushed to him for healing, comfort and instruction. Patapius healed an eminent man of dropsy by tracing the sign of the Cross over him and anointing him with oil. By making the sign of the Cross in the air with his hand, he freed a youth from an unclean spirit that had cruelly tormented him. The evil spirit, with a loud shriek, came out from God's creature like smoke. He made the sign of the Cross over a woman who had a sore on her breast all filled with worms, and made her healthy. Many other miracles did St. Patapius perform, all through prayer in the name of Christ and by the sign of the Cross. He entered into rest peacefully in great old age and took up his habitation in the Heavenly Kingdom in the seventh century. The Holy Apostles Sosthenes, Apollos, Tychicus, Epaphroditus, Onesiphorus, Cephas and Caesar All of them are commemorated on January 4 with the other lesser apostles. St. Apollos is also commemorated separately on September 10; St. Onesiphorus, September 7; Saints Cephas and Caesar, March 30. St. Sosthenes was bishop in Caesarea, and St. Tychicus was his successor in the same city. Epaphroditus was bishop in Andriopolis in Pamphylia; Cephas, in Iconium; and Caesar, in the Colophon Peloponnese. They all preached the Gospel of Christ with burning love, endured suffering for His holy name and entered into the Kingdom of Eternal Joy. REFLECTION He who surrenders himself completely to God is guided by God to salvation, and is used by Him for the benefit of many others. St. Nicholas, devoted to the will of God, fled from the glory of men, from his city of Patara, and came to the city of Myra in Lycia, where he knew no one and was known by no one. Without any means-for, although he had been wealthy by virtue of his family, he had abandoned everything-without acquaintances and without plans, he walked as an unknown one throughout the city, waiting for God to direct his steps. At that time John the Archbishop of Myra died, and the Synod gathered for the election of a new archbishop, but could not agree on any person who had been nominated. Finally, the members of the Synod decided to fast and pray to God that He would designate the one who was most worthy of this calling. God heeded the prayers of His servants and revealed to them the one most worthy. When the presiding bishop stood for prayer, a man appeared to him in light and told him to go out early, stand in front of the church, and await the first one who would enter for morning prayer. Appoint him as archbishop; his name is Nicholas,'' he said. Seeing and hearing this, the bishop informed all of his companions. Early the next day, he went in front of the church and waited. At that moment St. Nicholas, who had the habit of rising early for prayer, appeared. Seeing him, the bishop asked him: What is your name, son?'' Nicholas remained silent. The bishop again asked him, and he replied: I am called Nicholas, O Bishop, the servant of your holiness.'' Then the bishop took him by the hand, brought him before the Synod, and said: Receive, brethren, your shepherd, who was anointed by the Holy Spirit and was elected not by the Synod of men but rather by the providence of God.'' *Taken from The Prologue from Ochrid by Saint Nicholas (Velimirovich) To God Be Glory and Praise Always! Amen.

11 Venerable Daniel the Stylite of Constantinople December 11, 2013 To Always Be Ready and Shining But those who are of God keep Faith and therefore cannot suffer from the moth which divides the garment. For everything which is divided within itself, like the kingdom of Satan, cannot be everlasting (Mt. 11:25). Moreover, it is rust of the spirit when the keenness of religious intention is dulled by the defilement of worldly desires or the purity of faith is stained by a cloud of unbelief. Rust of the moth is desire for the familiar; rust of the mind is carelessness; rust of the mind is longing for honours, if the greatest hope of the present life is set thereon. And, therefore, let us run toward the Divine and let us sharpen our character; let us drill our disposition, so that we may have that sword which the Lord bade us sell our garment and buy (Lk. 22:36); always ready and shining, as if sheathed in the scabbard of our mind. For the soldiers of Christ must always have strong spiritual weapons for the destruction of fortifications against God (II Cor. 10:4), lest when He come, the Leader of the Heavenly Host (Lk. 2:13), offended by the dullness of our weapons, separate us from the company of His legions. Saint Ambrose of Milan, Exposition of the Holy Gospel According to Saint Luke, translated by Theodosia Tomkinson, p. 24. Troparion Tone 1 You were a pillar of patient endurance, / having imitated the forefathers, O Venerable One: / Job in suffering, and Joseph in temptations. / You lived like the bodiless ones while yet in the flesh, O Daniel, our Father. / Beseech Christ God that our souls may be saved. Kontakion Tone 8 You ascended your pillar like a brightly shining star, O blest One; / you illumined the world with your venerable deeds dispersing the darkness of error. / Therefore we pray you, Father Daniel, / now illumine the hearts of your servants with the never-setting light of wisdom

12 *** Parish Scrip Earnings Exceed $30, in 7 ½ Yrs.!!! *** Please remember to use Scrip for all of your Household, Family & Holiday Shopping especially gas & groceries! Scrip is Fundraising while you shop! See Olga Hodge, Martha McLoota or Becky Azar for details! WE HAVE A WEBSITE CAN WE HAVE YOUR ADDRESS? Did you know that our Parish has a Website and our Parish Office is connected to the Internet?!? Yes, we are catching up with Technology and we have some interesting things on our Site (e.g. a video of the 1960s Groundbreaking and Consecration of our Church). Jay McClatchey is our Web Master. If you will give us your address, we can keep in touch with you as well. Lastly, if there is any news that you would like posted on our Site and / or if you have any ideas, please contact Fr. Don and Jay. NEW ORTHODOX WEBSITE ASSEMBLY OF ORTHODOX BISHOPS IN THE AMERICAS! His Grace, Bishop BASIL (Diocese of Wichita & Mid-America), Secretary of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North & Central America, has announced the newly functional Website of the Assembly The Assembly of Bishops is a council of all the active Orthodox bishops of North America. Its purpose is to deepen the ties of brotherhood among the bishops, give them a common and united voice, and create a greater unity of action among all the Orthodox Faithful of North America, thereby strengthening the Church s witness to her Faith in Jesus Christ! WEEKDAY LITURGICAL SERVICES AT ST. MARY PARISH: One of the purposes of our precious Church, as given to us by our Lord Himself, is to serve as the Meeting Place of Heaven & Earth and this is beautifully fulfilled via our Liturgical Services. Indeed, it is when we are in our Congregational / Corporate Liturgical Prayer that we are participating in the Eternal Worship of God s Heavenly Kingdom! Complementing this, the Holy Mothers & Fathers of our Church have always attested to the belief that our Life in Eternity will simply be the Utmost Fulfillment of our Life here on Earth i.e. ifthe priority of our Earthly Life is seeking Communion with God, then our Eternity will be a Fulfillment of that Communion and conversely, if the priority of our Earthly Life is spent in the pursuit of earthly things, thus separating us from God, our Eternity will be one of separation from God i.e. Hell! In light of this, Fr. Don is pleased to announce that our Daily Services will resume again on Tuesday, September 3. Our Schedule is as follows:

13 Tuesday & Thursday Mornings Daily Matins (Morning 8 AM and Wednesday Evening Daily Vespers (Evening 6 PM. Please join us as we begin & end our days with Prayer let us gather together as the Family that God has called us to be! A Prayer for Peace Almighty God and Creator, You are the Father of all people on the earth. Guide, I pray, all the nations and their leaders in the ways of justice and peace. Protect us from the evils of injustice, prejudice, exploitation, conflict and war. Help us to put away mistrust, bitterness and hatred. Teach us to cease the storing and using of implements of war. Lead us to find peace, respect and freedom. Unite us in the making and sharing of tools of peace against ignorance, poverty, disease and oppression. Grant that we may grow in harmony and friendship as brothers and sisters created in Your image, to Your honor and praise. Amen. OUR BULLETIN IS ONLINE!: Did you know that thanks to the wonder of the Internet and our Webmaster, Jay McClatchey, our Weekly Bulletin is now Online! All you have to do is go to: stmaryaocc.org and then click on Weekly Bulletin (on the left menu). Please check out the Bulletin before you come to Church that way you will be prepared to fully participate in the Liturgical Worship & Praise of our Lord! A special Thanks! to Jay for his ministry! THE WELCOMING OF OUR GUESTS!: Fr. Don would like to ask all within our St. Mary Parish Family to help him with the Welcoming of Guests to our Liturgical Services. If you have a Family Member or Friend who is visiting that you would like publically welcomed, or if you see someone new and you get their name, please inform Fr. Don of this before, or if need be, during the Service via a note. Remember, Fr. Don is leading us in our Liturgical Prayer and his concentration and attention are directed towards the proper celebration of the Divine Services. Your help in this matter would be greatly appreciated. Thank You and God Bless! FAMILY KITCHEN WISH / NEEDS LIST: The Family Kitchen (Clinton Street Downtown) has issued a new Wish & Needs List Coffee, Flour, Brown Sugar, Sugar & Creamer Packets, Sweet & Low / Equal Packets, Salt & Pepper, Parsley Flakes, Garlic Salt, Paprika, Poultry Seasoning, Onion Salt, Allspice, Lemon Pepper, Rosemary, Italian Seasoning, Chili Powder, Pepper Flakes & Meat Tenderizer. If you can help by donating any of these, or

14 perhaps a SCRIP Card for Giant Eagle, etc., that would be greatly appreciated! Thank You and God Bless! WE NEED YOU AT THE FAMILY KITCHEN C MON & HELP US!: Our Lord tells us that when we serve those in need, we serve Him! Our Parish Family has been asked to help serve Weekend Meals at The Family Kitchen downtown at 231 Bedford Street. This year, we have been asked to help on 3 Weekends the remaining date for this year is Saturday, December 21. We meet at the Kitchen at 11 AM and are done by about 1 PM. We have also been asked to make a Donation of $ each time to help defer the expenses of each meal. If you can help us down at The Kitchen and/or with a Donation, please contact Fr. Don or our Parish Office ( ). We have always taken away from our experience more than we have given please help us out if you can! Thank You & God Bless! "Find out how much God has given you. From it, take what you need. The remainder which you do not require is needed by others. The excesses of the rich are the necessities of the poor." Blessed Augustine

15 + How to Prepare for the Holy Eucharist + To all those who partake of the Body & Blood of Christ when they participate in the Divine Liturgy: As Orthodox Christians, we are called to the Chalice each and every time that we celebrate the Divine Liturgy; however, it is most essential that we prepare ourselves to receive the Lord, so that we will not approach unworthily and risk experiencing the consuming, rather than the purifying fire of the Eucharist. With this in mind, the following guidelines will help us in our preparation: +++ No excessive partying or socializing on Saturday evening we should keep ourselves in a quiet & prayerful atmosphere, reading the gospels and epistles of the New Testament and praying the Prayers of Preparation before Communion (these latter prayers can also be done on Sunday Morning if there is time); +++ Maintain a prayerful atmosphere on Sunday morning (difficult with children, yes, but not impossible try it!); +++ No consumption of food or drink past a reasonable bedtime the night before (preferably no later than Midnight) this includes no coffee, no smoking and no chewing gum on Sunday morning as well; +++ If you need your medicine in the morning, please take it if you are supposed to eat or drink something with it, then do so as moderately as possible; +++ As always, we should partake of the Sacrament of Confession at least 2-4 times a year if we are taking Communion frequently (hint: use the 4 fasting periods of the liturgical year Advent, Great Lent, Apostles Fast & Dormition Fast) if we are not frequent communicants (3-4 times per month), then Confession before Communion is necessary each time we partake; +++ At the very least, attend the Sunday cycle of prayer Saturday Evening Vespers, Sunday Morning Matins (Morning Prayers) and Sunday Divine Liturgy if we attend Sunday Liturgy irregularly (e.g. missing more than once a month), then we should not be taking Communion each time we attend, unless we have had Confession in the recent days prior; +++ Be on time to the Divine Services and be at Peace with all people if we arrive at Church after the Little Entrance with the Gospel, we should not receive Communion on that day it is truly a sign of disrespect when we enter the services late and / or when we leave the Liturgy early (before the Dismissal) and our Lord tells us that we cannot love God and hate our brother for whoever is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; (Matthew 5:22) and +++ Fellowship Hour is not to be started until after the Divine Liturgy is completed!

16 + + + VOLUNTEER MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES Do you enjoy helping people? Looking for a way to give of yourself in a positive way? You can serve our Lord by serving others! Community Nursing Hospice Care Home Care Volunteers Provide socialization by visiting with the patient & respite for the Caregiver. Bereavement Volunteers Follow up with the primary caregiver after the patient dies through phone calls, cards, letters or a visit once a month. Spiritual Care Volunteers Provide spiritual support with prayer, offering Communion or Bible Reading and are involved in our Annual Memorial Services. This group consists of Pastors, as well as lay people. Reference & Criminal Background Checks and Training Required. For more Information Home Nursing Agency Hospice Volunteers show compassion, are emotionally present and listen, write letters, read, talk or listen, provide administrative support, work as part of the Hospice Team, are responsible & dependable, etc. Healing Patch offers a soft place to fall for children & their families who have lost a loved one here they can discover they are not alone in their grief by interacting with others who have encountered similar losses some of a volunteer s qualities: compassion, empathy, acceptance of others, flexibility, dedication & commitment must be at least 21 years of age volunteers do not fix what has happened they bring Hope & Healing back into the life of a child! For more Information (ext Patty or 4110 Melody).

17 Think About This In light of the recent Sandy Hook School Shooting, and in remembrance of the Amish School Shooting of 2006, we reprint this reflection by our own Terry Mattingly. Please keep the young Victims and their Families in your Prayers. (This column was syndicated by Scripps Howard News Service on October 4, 2006.) The helicopters kept making circles in the air so that the cameramen could keep showing the dairy farms and country roads, the bonnets and wide-brimmed straw hats, the horse-drawn buggies and the one-room schoolhouse framed in yellow police tape. Soon the facts started going in circles as police recited a litany about 600 rounds of ammunition, a shotgun, a semiautomatic pistol, a stun gun, explosives and, later, the killer s sick collection of chains clamps, hardware and sexual aids. Witnesses said Charles Carl Roberts IV was angry with God, angry with himself, haunted by guilt, fed up with life and driven by a hellish grudge. Then journalists began asking questions that went in circles, the questions that nag clergy as well as state troopers. Why? Why the Amish? How could God let this happen? How can justice be done now that the killer is dead? Like everyone else, I could not believe what I was seeing on my television, said Johann Christopher Arnold, senior elder of the Bruderhof communes. While sharing many beliefs with the Amish and Mennonites, the Bruderhof ( place of the brothers ) embrace some modern technology. Still these movements share European roots in pacifism, simple living and an emphasis on the sanctity of human life. The Amish are our cousins so I know some of what they must be feeling, said Arnold, in his thick German accent. I know these parents are hurting, I know they are asking questions, but I know that they know the answer is forgiveness. Tragedy and pain can soften our hearts until they break. But if we trust God this will help us to feel compassion. The gunman s stunned wife released a media statement that showed her understanding of her Amish neighbors and their beliefs. She knew she could appeal for prayers and forgiveness, even though outsiders might find her words hard to fathom Over + + +

18 Our hearts are broken, our lives are shattered, and we grieve for the innocence and lives that were lost today, said Marie Roberts. Above all, please pray for the families who lost children and, please, pray, too, for our family and children. Some of the Amish went ever further. One woman told the Los Angeles Times: I am very thankful that I was raised to believe you don t fight back. You should forgive. To grasp the Amish point of view, it s crucial to understand that they truly believe God desires justice, but also shows mercy and they believe that these are not contradictory things, said Arnold. They know that God said, Vengeance is mine, I will repay. The Amish certainly believe that this killer will not go without punishment, but they also believe that his punishment is in God s hands. These are hard words in an age when many Americans hold one of two competing beliefs about eternity and God s judgment. Millions of believers lukewarm and fervent alike assume that the really bad sinners are the people who commit the really bad sins, those spectacular sins tied to violence, drugs and sex. These really bad people are condemned to hell. Meanwhile, many other people believe that all people are automatically going to heaven, no matter what they believe or what they do. According to this point of view, the massacre inside the West Nickel Mines Amish School will have no impact on the eternal destiny of Charles Carl Roberts IV. Once again, the Amish believe that God knows all and that God, and only God, can judge. What the Amish emphasize, stressed Arnold, is that forgiveness is the only way that humans can break a cycle of violence and sin. In this case, the gunman left suicide notes that showed that he was driven by guilt and a grudge that he would not surrender. It appears that Roberts could not forgive God and could not forgive himself. In the end, this killed him and through him this grudge killed others. If you hold a grudge, it will live on in your heart until it leads to violence of some kind, said Arnold. If you do not forgive, then you cannot be healed. Forgiveness can heal the forgiver as well as the one who is forgiven. This is what the Amish believe. It will be hard and it will take time, but this is what they now must strive to live out for all the world to see. Terry Mattingly ( directs the Washington Journalism Center at the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. He writes this weekly column for the Scripps Howard News Service. Terry is also a member of our sister parish, Holy Cross Orthodox Church, in Linthicum, MD.

19 *** Parish Scrip Earnings Exceed $30,000.00!!! *** Our Scrip Coordinator, Olga Hodge, is pleased to report that since the inception of our Scrip Program in December of 2005, we have raised over $30, for our Parish! Remember, our Parish Family benefits each and every time that you shop with Scrip, because instead of paying with Cash or Credit, you use pre-paid Gift Cards from your favorite and most trusted local & national retailers. Please remember to use Scrip for all of your Holiday, Household & Family Shopping Food, Gas, Gifts, Dining Out, Appliances, etc. Scrip is Fundraising while you shop! Please See Olga Hodge, Martha McLoota or Becky Azar after Church to get your Scrip. As always, Becky Azar has Scrip at her Home during the Week Thank You & God Bless!

20 Tenth Sunday of Luke Conception of the Theotokos Icon of Saints Joachim and Anna Eastern Christian Bulletin Service -- PO Box Fairfax, VA Ph: Fax: