Weekly Liturgical/Service Schedule

Transcription

1 Weekly Liturgical/Service Schedule 32 nd Sunday after Pentecost Sunday of Zacchaeus January 21-22, 2012 Sat. Jan. 21 5:00 p.m. Divine Liturgy (+George & Ann Checque, req. by Robert Checque) Sun. Jan. 22 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy (+James Radick, req. by Family) Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee January 28-29, 2012 Sat. Jan. 28 5:00 p.m. Divine Liturgy (+Paul Yanak, req. by Agnes Kikta) Sun. Jan. 29 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy (+Jacqueline Galloway, req. by Chris Weber) 7:00 p.m. Vespers for the Feast of the Three Holy Hierarchs New Metropolitan Archbishop Appointed for Pittsburgh On Thursday, Jan. 19 th, Pope Benedict XVI announced the appointment of a new metropolitan archbishop for Byzantine Catholics of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh. Bishop William C. Skurla of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic, N.J., was appointed as the new metropolitan archbishop. His enthronement liturgy will take place on April 18, 2012 at St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Cathedral in Munhall. Bishop William will take over the role as the highest ranking Eastern Catholic hierarch in the United States. May God grant to his newly-appointed Metropolitan William, many blessed years in peace, health, and happiness! Upcoming Retreats & Programs at Mt. St. Macrina House of Prayer Poustinia (Silent) Retreat Feb , 6 p.m. Friday to 7:00 p.m. Saturday, Offering: $50, Registration due: Feb. 20; Lenten Day of Prayer March 4, 1:15 p.m. 4:30 p.m., Presenter to be announced, Offering: $25, Registration Due: Feb. 29; Spiritual Reading Series Mar. 6, 13, 20, 27, 9:30 a.m. 11:00 a.m., Presented by Sr. Carol Petrasovich and Sr. Barbara Jean Mihalchick, Free Will Offering, Registration Due: March 5; Morning of Personal Prayer March 26, 28, 30, 9:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m., Presenter to be announced, Free Will Offering, Registration Due: March 23. Snowblower Training Class Anyone who would like to help clear the church driveway with the new church snowblower, in the event that Fr. Tom is unable to do so, is asked to attend a training session on Sun., Jan. 22 following the Men s Club meeting in our church hall. A Quick Journey through the Bible Program to Begin Fr. Tom will once again be offering the Bible Study program entitled, A Quick Journey through the Bible. This year s class will take place on Sunday s after the 9:30 a.m. liturgy, beginning Jan. 22. The program will consist of 8 classes meant to give an introduction to the entire story of salvation history contained in the Bible. It is especially designed for those who are unfamiliar with Sacred Scripture and would like to learn more about it. To register for the class, please sign up on the sign-up sheet located in the narthex (vestibule) of our church. There will be a fee of $20 per person to cover the expense of the workbooks. 11 th Carpatho-Rusyn Heritage Tour of Eastern Europe The Carpatho-Rusyn Society is sponsoring a trip to Slovakia, Ukraine, and Poland, where our Byzantine Catholic (Ruthenian) Church originated in Eastern Europe. The tour dates are July 10-20, Cost of the trip from Pittsburgh is $4,126 (double occupancy). For more information, please contact Fr. Tom. Deadline for making reservations is Feb. 1, Notable sights on the tour include our Byzantine Catholic Cathedrals in Presov, Slovakia and Uzhorod, Ukraine, Uzhorod castle (where the Union of Uzhorod was signed April 24, 1646 formally bringing the Byzantine Catholic (Ruthenian) Church into existence), and many quaint wooden Byzantine Catholic Churches, which dot the Carpathian Mountains landscape. 39 th Annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. The 39 th annual March for Life to stand up for the rights of the unborn and for women who are suffering from the physical and emotional after effects of abortion will take place on Monday, January 23 beginning at 12 noon on the Capitol Mall in Washington, D.C. Local churches will have buses traveling to the event. To reserve a space on one of these busses, please contact BETHEL PARK St Thomas More Carolyn Sopher ; BETHEL PARK Ruthfred Lutheran Aaron Kroenke VAN; UPPER ST CLAIR St Louise DeMarillac Andy Lucas ; McMURRAY St Benedict Frank Torok ; McMURRAY St Benedict Vic Vandewater ; McMURRAY Bible Chapel Allison Mish Please come join the thousands upon thousands of young people who want to give witness to the sanctity of human life. May their prayers be answered! Men s Club Meeting There will be a meeting of our parish Men s Club on Sun., Jan. 22 in our church hall immediately following the 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy. The 2011 Christmas Kolbasi sale, the 2012 Easter Kolbasi Sale and other 2012 events will be discussed. All members are encouraged to attend.

2 WEEKLY COLLECTION 2012 January 15 Category Amount 1. Envelopes $ 1, Loose Candles Initial Offering Special Donation Pilgrim Vocation Icon Program Our Pilgrim Vocation Icon Program has begun. This program is being conducted in every Byzantine Catholic Parish in the United States. Everyone in every Byzantine Catholic parish in the United States is invited to pray for and encourage others within the Church that they might respond generously to God s call in their lives. We need generous women and men to minister among us as priests, deacons, monastics and sisters. We need people like you to pray for and encourage them. Please sign up today to have the Pilgrim Vocation Icon in your home. You may sign up on the sheet in the narthex (vestibule) of the church. For more information or to volunteer to help, please contact Fr. Tom. TOTAL Deposited $ 1, Envelopes 4@$50 =$ @40 = @35 = @30 = @25 = @20 = @15 = @10 = @5 =5.00 Total 53 envelopes $ 1, Average donation = $ Average needed per week to meet expenses prior to fund-raising (based on last year s total expenses including debt reduction expenses) = $ Parish Advisory Board Meeting There will be a meeting of the Parish Advisory Board on Sun., Feb. 26, immediately following the 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy. All parishioners are invited to attend. Topics for discussion include: Holy Week and Pascha schedule of services, Lenten Bible Study, and upcoming Youth Group activites. Great Fast Lock-In Retreat for Teens and Young Adults The Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Parma is offering a Great Fast retreat for teenagers and young adults entitled, Rediscovering Repentance in Today s World. The retreat will be held from 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 3 to 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 4 at St. Anne Ukrainian Catholic Church (3055 S. Raccoon Road) in Austintown, OH. Cost is $20 per participant (includes presentations, light meals, T-shirt, and fun). For more information or to register, please call Subdeacon Myron Spak at or by at mjspak@verizon.net. Slovak Language Classes The Western Pennsylvania Slovak Cultural Association is offering free Slovak language classes every Tuesday from Feb. 28 through April 24 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. at the Mount Lebanon Public Library, 16 Castle Shannon Boulevard, Pittsburgh. Call Pam at to reserve a place in the class. Donate Your Car Help Needy Receive Tax Deduction of $500+ Cars for Help, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit charity, is working to strengthen individual churches and various Catholic charities through vehicle donations. The process is fast, easy, and requires just a phone call or visit to our website. If you would like to donate a vehicle in any condition, even severely broken or crashed, or just have questions, please call us directly at (630) You can also donate your vehicle at With mention of this bulletin, 25% of your vehicle donation proceeds will go directly to St. Gregory Nazianzus parish.

3 This Week s Reflection St. Gregory the Theologian Our father among the saints Gregory the Theologian, also known as Gregory of Nazianzus (though that name more appropriately refers to his father) and Gregory the Younger, was a great father and teacher of the Church. His feast day is celebrated on January 25 and that of the translation of his relics on January 19. With Sts. Basil the Great and John Chrysostom, he is numbered among the Three Holy Hierarchs, whose feast day is celebrated on January 30. St. Gregory is also known as one of the Cappadocian Fathers. He was born in 329 in Arianzus, a village of the second district of Cappadocia, not far from Nazianzus. His father, who later became Bishop of Nazianzus, was named Gregory (commemorated Jan. 1), and his mother was named Nonna (Aug. 5); both are among the saints, and so are his brother Caesarius (Mar. 9) and his sister Gorgonia (Feb. 23). At first he studied in Caesarea of Palestine, then in Alexandria, and finally in Athens. As he was sailing from Alexandria to Athens, a violent sea storm put in peril not only his life but also his salvation, since he had not yet been baptized. With tears and fervor he besought God to spare him, vowing to dedicate his whole self to Him, and the tempest gave way to calm. At Athens St. Gregory was later joined by St. Basil the Great, whom he already knew, but now their acquaintanceship grew into a lifelong brotherly love. Another fellow student of theirs in Athens was the young Prince Julian, who later as emperor was called the Apostate because he denied Christ and did all in his power to restore paganism. Even in Athens, before Julian had thrown off the mask of piety, St. Gregory saw what an unsettled mind he had, and said, "What an evil the Roman State is nourishing" (Orat. V, 24, PG 35:693). After their studies at Athens, Gregory became Basil's fellow ascetic, living the monastic life together with him for a time in the hermitages of Pontus. His father ordained him presbyter of the Church of Nazianzus, and St. Basil consecrated him Bishop of Sasima (or Zansima), which was in the archdiocese of Caesarea. This consecration was a source of great sorrow to Gregory and a cause of misunderstanding between him and Basil, but his love for Basil remained unchanged, as can be plainly seen from his Funeral Oration on Saint Basil (Orat. XLIII). About the year 379, St. Gregory came to the assistance of the Church of Constantinople, which had already been troubled for forty years by the Arians; by his supremely wise words and many labors he freed it from the corruption of heresy. He was elected archbishop of that city by the Second Ecumenical Council, which assembled there in 381, and condemned Macedonius, Archbishop of Constantinople, as an enemy of the Holy Spirit. When St. Gregory came to Constantinople, the Arians had taken all the churches, and he was forced to serve in a house chapel dedicated to St. Anastasia the Martyr. From there he began to preach his famous five sermons on the Trinity, called the Triadica. When he left Constantinople two years later, the Arians did not have one church left to them in the city. St. Meletius of Antioch (see Feb. 12), who was presiding over the Second Ecumenical Council, died in the course of it, and St. Gregory was chosen in his stead; there he distinguished himself in his expositions of dogmatic theology. Having governed the Church until 382, he delivered his farewell speech-the Syntacterion, in which he demonstrated the Divinity of the Son before 150 bishops and the Emperor Theodosius the Great. Also in this speech he requested, and received from all, permission to retire from the See of Constantinople. He returned to Nazianzus, where he lived to the end of his life. He reposed in the Lord in 391, having lived some sixty-two years. His extant writings, both prose and poems in every type of meter, demonstrate his lofty eloquence and his wondrous breadth of learning. In the beauty of his writings, he is considered to have surpassed the Greek writers of antiquity, and because of his God-inspired theological thought, he received the surname "Theologian." Although he is sometimes called Gregory of Nazianzus, this title belongs properly to his father; he himself is known by the Church only as Gregory the Theologian. He is especially called "Trinitarian Theologian," since in virtually every homily he refers to the Trinity and the one essence and nature of the Godhead. Hence, Alexius Anthorus dedicated the following verses to him: Like an unwandering star beaming with splendour, Thou bringest us by mystic teachings, O Father, To the Trinity's sunlike illumination, O mouth breathing with fire, Gregory most mighty. (From the OrthodoxWiki article, Gregory the Theologian, at 3 rd Annual Comedy Night Tickets are now on sale for the THIRD ANNUAL COMEDY NIGHT BEING HELD ON FRIDAY FEBRUARY 17 th. Last years event was so entertaining that we were told the tickets were too cheap. Those who have been to the comedy night know what fun it is and now it is time to share it with others. TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW FOR $20.00 and include light snacks and draft beer. TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AFTER ALL WEEKEND LITURGIES, AS WELL AS BY PHONE. We will also SELL SEPERATLY AN ETHNIC DINNER THAT WILL INCLUDE HALUSKI AND STUFFED CABBAGE while it lasts. Of course you are free to bring your own coolers and picnic baskets filled with any of your own favorites. In addition we will also have the famous Comedy Night Hot Dogs. Please see Mike Kiss ( ) or Father Tom ( ) for more details, table reservations, and to help sell tickets to make this a huge success. Parish Financial Board Meeting There will be a meeting of our Parish Financial Advisory Board on Sun., Feb. 5 immediately following the 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy. All parishioners are invited to attend. Topics for discussion include: 2011 End of the Year Parish Financial Report, Super Bowl Pool, Spaghetti Dinner, and Comedy Night Fundraisers. O Joyful Light ByzanTEEN Youth Rally 2012 This year s ByzanTEEN youth rally will be held July at the University of San Diego in San Diego, California. Total rally cost per teen is $275 (airfare not included). The deadline to register is June 1. For more information about the rally please go to To register for the event, please contact Fr. Tom for registration forms.

4 St. Gregory of Nazianzus Byzantine Catholic Church 2005 Mohawk Road Upper St Clair, PA (cell) Church Slavonic Divine Liturgies, and ecumenical presentations featuring Byzantine Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant choirs. For more info: or by Please Take Care of Pew Books Just a reminder to take care of our church s pew books. Please do not allow children to rip pages and pull and fray ribbons. These books are expensive, so please take care of them! Pastor: FATHER THOMAS J. WESDOCK Website: saintgregorychurch@gmail.com or frthomas2000@gmail.com ECF Classes: Sundays 10:45-11:45a.m. Confession: By appointment & Saturday at 3-4 p.m. Marriage: at least six months notice; Pre-Cana classes from the Archeparchy Cantors: George Tichi, Michael Pillar, Sylvia Bender, Jeremy Mayernik ECF Coordinator: Carol Planitzer at cplanitzer@comcast.net or Youth Ministry: Michael Kiss at jandmkiss1@comcast.net or Church Founding & Historical Committee: Barb Stasiuk ( ) Bethany Ministry: Jennifer Kehm at nkehm@aol.com or Parish Nurse: Dorothy Mayernik at dorothymayernik@comcast.net or Fr. Tom s Communion Visitation List If you know of any parishioners who are sick and unable to come to church for an extended period of time, please inform Fr. Tom, so he can call them up and see about putting them on his home communion visitation schedule. Thank you. Slavjane Folk Ensemble Recruiting Youth Dancers Do you like to sing and dance and perform for people? Are you interested in learning the songs, dances, and traditions of your relatives that reside in Eastern Europe? Do you want to make friends that will last a lifetime? If you are between the ages of 5-18 then you can do so. The Slavjane Folk Ensemble, which is the official cultural representative of the Rusyn culture for the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh is accepting applications for the 2012 season. Learn traditional Rusyn song and dance as well as those of other Slavic and non-slavic cultures. For more information about Slavjane, please call Dean Poloka, Program Director at or rusyn31@verizon.net. St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church Choir Recordings St. Nicholas B. C. Church choir in Barberton, OH is selling recordings of Byzantine Catholic liturgies and hymns. CD s for sale include seasonal chants of the Eastern church, Eastern Christian Publications Eastern Christian Publications, the company that produces our weekly bulletin covers, has a wide variety of Eastern Christian spiritual, liturgical, and historical books, CD s, and DVD s available for purchase. They have an online catalog available at their website: ecpubs.com. To request a catalog by mail, please call or write to Eastern Christian Publications, P.O. Box 3909, Fairfax, VA Afterschool Volunteers Needed South Hills Interfaith Ministries is looking for volunteers for an after school program in Baldwin-Whitehall that works with a multi-cultural population grades K-5. Shifts are available M-F 4:30-7:00 p.m. All volunters must have Act 33/34 clearances. Call SHIM program director - Doris Nagel at ext. 20. Extra Help for People with Medicare Insurance Do you know someone on Medicare, and who has a low income and limited assets? If so, it is possible that they may qualify for financial assistance with their Medicare expenses.there are two programs that help: The Medicare Savings Program, which helps with Part B premiums for individuals with monthly income that is below $1,226 (for a married couple, $1,655); and The Low Income Subsidy, which helps with the Part D premiums and prescription drug copayments for individuals with monthly income below $1,361 (for a married couple, $1,839). To find out more, to obtain an application, or for assistance in completing an application, please call the Allegheny County Department of Human Services at or kburk@alleghenycounty.us St. Gregory Byzantine Catholic Church Did you know? (financial)

5 St. Gregory s financial board has recently released the 2010 financial report and set financial goals for It is important that our Parishioners understand the facts and goals set forth. Weekly and Holiday Offerings Weekly offering (white envelopes) are able to sustain regular monthly debts. Average envelopes offered each week 65 If you only use a white envelope from the offering box and are contributing all you can please continue to do so in that manner since we are making projections from the amounts you offered in the 2010 white and holiday envelopes. Mortgage payments are $ a month and applied to the 1 st mortgage until completed. Then applied to the interest free mortgage when the balance in completed Current 1 st mortgage balance $240,000 but after 5 years $68,603. In 80 months the entire first mortgage will be paid in full 21 months later the $75,000 second mortgage will be paid in full Air Conditioner: Debt Reduction Offering Monthly offering needed for payment on the two outstanding mortgages is $ Monthly offering needed for the Air Conditioning loan is $ for a term of five years Monthly average offered from 2010 was $ Average envelopes offered in 2010 was 45 Shortfall in 2011 debt payments can be made up in several ways and will be published in the Debt Reduction 5 year plan document Terms of the debt payments are determined by the Archeparchy Original Mortgages FIVE YEAR DEBT REDUCTION PLAN (1 st Mortgage balance of 5.5% and 2nd Mortgage of 0%) The terms of this loan are estimated at $ a month for 60 months How we bridge the GAP: Increase the average debt envelopes collected but not at the expense of the weekly envelopes offering reducing in any way. A blend of an increase in debt reduction offerings and fund raising 2010 debt offering equaled $22,700 ($ a month) 2011 projected debt payments $58,800 ($ a month) GAP $36,100 or ( $3008 a month) Fundraising goal $36,100 (without any new debt offerings) Fundraising through Easter is projected to be $16,500 and nearly half way to our goal and it s only April See Annual fundraising ideas and goals for the closing of the GAP potential to be published in a future bulletin

6 Foreclosure Help for those in Need If you re worried about foreclosure, there s a place to turn for help. If you re worried about losing your house, you may be eligible for financial assistance, including new emergency federal loans. In fact, a whole host of programs may help you avoid foreclosure and stay in your home. The first step is to call today, because funding is available for a limited time. Call now to learn more. St. Vincent de Paul Seeking Household Items and Usable Clothes The St. Vincent de Paul Society Pittsburgh Council is seeking all types and sizes of clothes, shoes, boots, housewares, appliances, etc. To donate call Donations for the Poor Collection Container During the four fasting seasons of the Byzantine Catholic Church Year, a blue specially marked container will be located in the narthex (vestibule) of the church to collect donations (non-perishable food items, winter clothing, especially infant clothing, or monetary donations) for the Pittsburgh-area poor. Items and monetary donations collected will be forwarded to the South Hills Interfaith Ministry for distribution in the South Hills and Greater Pittsburgh area. Your help in this endeavor is greatly appreciated! Sponsor a Pro-Life Billboard To help sponsor Pregnancy HELP hotline billboards around Pittsburgh and on the Pennsylvania turnpike, please contact or make a donation to Pennsylvania Foundation for Life at P.O. Box 12741, Pittsburgh, PA Volunteers Needed at South Hills Interfaith Ministries South Hills Interfaith Ministries, 5301 Park Ave., Bethel Park, is looking for volunteers in the following areas: Food Pantry, Thurs., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or Fri., 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. (twice a month for two hours); Receptionist, Mon. Fri., 9 to 12 or 12 to 3; and Tax Preparation, Feb. 4 Mar. 10. Whether you re looking to give an hour a week or an hour a month, South Hills Interfaith Ministries needs you! For more information, please contact Natalie at Clothing Collections Taken Year Round at SHIM Families who use SHIM s Food Pantry also are able to shop in the Community Clothing Room, selecting donated clothing items for members of their household. Donated clothing must be clean and free of rips, holes, etc. All sizes are welcome, though there is a particular need now for boys clothing (infant and youth). Clothing donations are accepted seasonally, as follows: Spring/Summer April 1- August 31, Fall/Winter September 1- March 31. Drop off your clothing at the SHIM offices (5301 Park Ave., Bethel Park) between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.