Weekly Liturgical/Service Schedule

Transcription

1 Weekly Liturgical/Service Schedule 2 nd Sunday of the Great Fast March 19-20, 2011 Sat. Mar. 19 5:00 p.m. Divine Liturgy (+John Shovlin, III, req. by Maureen Leckenby) Sun. Mar. 20 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy (Health and Welfare of Charles Levkulich, req. by Anonymous) 3 rd Wednesday of the Great Fast March 23, 2011 Wed. Mar. 23 7:00 p.m. Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts 3 rd Friday of the Great Fast - Feast of the Annunciation March 25, 2011 Fri. Mar. 25 7:00 p.m. Vespers with Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom 3 rd Sunday of the Great Fast - Veneration of the Holy Cross March 26-27, 2011 Sat. Mar. 26 5:00 p.m. Divine Liturgy (+Anna & Francis Kostelnik, req. by Robert Checque) Sun. Mar. 27 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy (+David Milan, req. by Bernie & Michael Revak) Seminarian Thomas Slosky Blogspot Sem. Tom Slosky has set up a blog site to keep everyone updated on his seminary progress. The blog site is Catechists' Day of Reflection A day of reflection will be held for all catechists, youth ministry coordinators and adult faith formation facilitators on Sat., April 2 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Sts. Cyril and Methodius Byzantine Catholic Seminary (3605 Perrysville Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15214). The theme for the day of reflection is "Forgiveness: Gives Us New Life." The presenters will be Father Damon Geiger and Deacon Diodoro Mendoza. All catechists are highly encouraged to attend. To register for the day of reflection, please contact Fr. Tom. Deadline for registration is Wednesday, March 23. Fudge Orders Fudge order forms are due to Fr. Tom by Wed., April 6 for Palm Sunday delivery. Fasting Reminder Just a reminder that all Wednesdays and Fridays during the Great Fast are days of simple abstinence (no meat is to be eaten). This the least amount of fasting that we Byzantine Catholics are asked to do. We are encouraged to do more according to our state of health. Anyone needing a dispensation from these fasting rules is asked to contact Fr. Tom for a substitute penance to be assigned. The three practices we are called to increase during the time of the Great Fast are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Also, visiting the sick and imprisoned and serving Christ in the poor is highly encouraged. Volunteer Help Needed at Church Would you like to help save our church $4,000 per year. Our parish is trying to organize groups of parishioners (ages 16 and up) to help snowplow the driveway of our church in Winter and mow the church lawn in Summer. A sign-up sheet has been placed in the narthex (vestibule) of the church for those who wish to sign-up for a Saturday grasscutting at the church this Summer. For more information about how to help at the parish, please contact Fr. Tom. Slovak Cooking Demonstration at St. Gregory s The Western Pennsylvania Slovak Cultural Association is sponsoring a Slovak cooking demonstration at our church on Sat., April 16 at 1 p.m. Magda Lukac, a popular cook from Slovakia will demonstrate how to make palacinky (Slovak crepes). Class size is limited to 25. Call Pam at for a reservation. Fee: $10. Historical Committee Update Now that the Historical Committee is finishing Volume 2 and their job is coming to a completion, all the unused materials that were donated by the parishioners will be placed on a table set up in the church basement for you to pick up at your convenience. We appreciate all your contributions and wish Barb Stasiuk good luck in continuing with this project. 40 Days for Life - Spring Campaign Another 40 Days for Life Campaign is being planned for the upcoming Lenten season. Our St. Gregory Church will be participating on Tues. April 12. Sign up in entryway of church. Come stand up for life, the greatest gift from God!

2 This Week s Reflection Sacrifices and Oblations The offering of sacrifices and oblations is found in the Scripture ever since the first days of human life, in the sacrifices of Cain and Abel. Through them, the person is opened to the encounter with God; but in order for the offering to be pleasing, a pure heart is necessary, according to the rule that applies to the whole economy of salvation. This condition is perfectly fulfilled in the New Alliance when Christ offers in truth a sacrifice and worship pleasing to God, and when this his gesture is repeated in his name by the Apostles and the Church. The one source and culmination of sacrifice is that of Calvary, which is rendered present in the eucharistic offering and continuously nurtures the faithful. (excerpt from Liturgical Instruction, Congregation for the Eastern Churches, The Vatican) Prayer Shawls Prayer Shawl Ministry is calling upon those who knit and crochet and will commit to making a prayer shawl for a charity. We will be donating several shawls to Rachel's Vineyard. It is psychological and spiritual organization for post abortion healing offering weekend retreats for support group meetings. We will be donating our shawls to participants for a weekend retreat in April. Shawls will need to be completed by the end of March. We would love to have some of our first prayer shawl volunteers join us again to knit or crochet and pray for healing for someone for this worthy charity. If you are interested, see Barbara Stasiuk. for yarn and pattern. Check bulletin for upcoming Sit, Knit, Crochet, Circle after church. St Gregory Easter Kolbasa Sale Once again our parish is selling kolbasa for Easter. We ve enjoyed exceptional cooperation from the members of St Gregory in past sales and are again asking that parishioners buy kolbasa personally and also sell some of this fine product to friends, neighbors, and colleagues. The price is $5.00 per pound. Sign up sheets are available in the Church vestibule for placing orders. Alternatively, the kolbasa can also be ordered by accessing the St Gregory home page at and then clicking the order link on the right side of the page. The kolbasa will be available for pickup during Palm Sunday weekend, April 16 and 17. Thanks to all St Gregory parishioners for your continued support of this important fundraiser. Category Amount 1. Envelopes $ 2, Loose Candles Debt BCW Total Deposited $2, Weekly Envelopes 1@ 100 = @ 80 = @ 75 = @ 60 = @ 50 = @ 40 = @ 35 = @ 30 = @ 25 = @ 20 = @ 15 = @ 12 = @ 10 = @ 5 = Total 85 $ 2, Average = $ WEEKLY COLLECTION 2011 March 13 Average needed per week to meet expenses prior to fund-raising (based on last year s total expenses including debt reduction expenses) = $

3 St. Elias Lenten Kitchen St. Elias Byzantine Catholic Church, 4200 Homestead-Duquesne Road, Munhall, will hold a Lenten Kitchen Ash Wednesday and Fridays during Lent from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (not Good Friday). The following food items are available: Soup, Haluski, Potato/Cheese Pirohi, Fried Fish Sandwich or Dinner, Crabcake or Shrimp Dinner & more Upcoming Retreats at Mt. St. Macrina House of Prayer To register or for more information, please contact the House of Prayer at March 26 - Lenten Day of Prayer - Presenter: To Be Announced - Time: 9:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (includes lunch) - Offering: $25 - Registration Due: March 21. March 27 - Lenten Day of Prayer - Presenter: To Be Announced - Time 1:15 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. (includes supper) - Offering: $25 - Registration Due: March 22. Penguins Playoff Tickets Raffle St. Gregory s Men s Club & GCU Lodge 52 are sponsoring a raffle for 4 tickets to a Penguins Playoff Game in Section 121, Row P, Seats 5-8 for the opening game of Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The winner will also receive $200 in cash. The winner will be determined by the PA Daily Lottery First 3-Digit Number drawn at 7 p.m. on Sunday, April 10. Tickets are $10 each (two 3-digit numbers on each ticket). All proceeds benefit St. Gregory Church Debt Reduction Fund. The Penguins raffle is on but we need everyone s help. We are asking that all families take 10 of the 500 tickets available for sale. Currently we have distributed 135 tickets and the raffle is 29 days away. Please see Father Tom after Saturday Liturgies or Mike Kiss after Sunday Liturgies to obtain your tickets. If you can sell any tickets, then take what you can while others who can sell more than 10 can make up the difference. With all tickets sold the fundraiser will profit $ towards our annual goal. Mandatory ECF Preparation Classes for First Reconciliation All second grade ECF students (and any first grade ECF students whose parents feel they are ready to receive this Holy Mystery) who will be participating in the First Reconciliation Holy Mystery ceremony on Sat., April 30 must attend mandatory ECF preparation classes to receive this Holy Mystery. These classes will be held on consecutive Sundays on March 20 and 27 and April 3. If your child is unable to attend these classes, please contact Fr. Tom, as soon as possible. Men s Club Meeting There is a meeting of the Men s Club scheduled for Sunday March 20, 2011 following the Divine Liturgy in the parish social hall. Topics of discussion will be the Easter Kolbasi Sale, Mother s Day and the 40 th Anniversary of the Parish. All members and any one wishing to become a member are encouraged to attend. An Eastern European Experience The Duquesne University Tamburitzans are presenting a free, 45 minute performance on Wednesday, March 23 rd at 9 pm in Duquesne s Student Ballroom. Extending beyond the performance will be a complete cultural experience, offering tastings of Eastern European cuisine and displays of traditional costumes of the represented countries.the Duquesne University Tamburitzans is the longest-running American folk ensemble dedicated to the artistic performance and preservation of Eastern European music, song, and dance. Colorful and spellbinding, it's the best of culture and tradition brought to life on stage by some of the world's most talented young folk artists. Founded in 1937, The Duquesne University Tamburitzans are dedicated to the authentic artistic performances of Eastern Europe and neighboring folk cultures. Come and join in acknowledging the history of the Tamburitzans while experiencing timeless entertainment that appeals to all ages. Find out more about this cultural ensemble at Donations for this wonderful cultural event can be made on the website. Parish Website Under Construction Our parish of St. Gregory Nazianzus has a website currently under construction. To view the parish website go to Thanks to Nick Kiss for getting our parish website online and for updating it with the latest information (including the most recent bulletin editions). This website will help our parish to continue to reach out to our local community and to the world with the Light of Christ shining through our Byzantine Catholic Faith and Tradition. Lenten Sunday Evening Vespers The Pittsburgh area Lenten Sunday evening vespers will be held this Sun., March 20 at 4 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Cathedral, Munhall, PA. Confessions will be heard from 3:30 to 4 p.m. A Lenten Soup and Bread meal will follow the celebration of vespers. Walk for Jesus A parish Walk for Jesus event will be held at St. Gregory s on Sunday, April 17.

4 St. Gregory of Nazianzus Byzantine Catholic Church 2005 Mohawk Road Upper St Clair, PA (cell) Pastor: FATHER THOMAS J. WESDOCK Website: or 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 or Youth Ministry: Michael Kiss at or Church Founding & Historical Committee: Gerri Luchok ( ), Nancy Romza ( ), Helen Utlak ( ) or Barb Stasiuk ( ) Bethany Ministry: Jennifer Kehm at or Parish Nurse: Dorothy Mayernik at 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. Single, 21 & Over (or know someone who is) Looking for a new way to meet people, make friends, and share good times with others? Check out the Catholic Alumni Club. The group offers parties, picnics, hiking, volleyball, tennis, softball, dinners, trips, scripture study, community service, bowling, cultural and many other great events. For more information, visit our website: or 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 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. Greatly needed items include: spaghetti sauce, macaroni and cheese, canned vegetables (green beans, peas, corn, carrots, spinach etc.), cereals and diapers. Your help in this endeavor is greatly appreciated! 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, Church Slavonic Divine Liturgies, and ecumenical presentations featuring Byzantine Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant choirs. For more info: or by rbenya@neo.rr.com 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! 4 th Annual Catholic Men s Fellowship Conference On April 9, the 4 th annual Catholic Men s Fellowship will be held at the A. J. Palumbo Center on the campus of Duquesne University. One of the dynamic speakers this year is Dr. Scott Hahn. Dr. Scott Hahn was born in 1957, and has been married to Kimberly since He and Kimberly have six children and are expecting their fourth grandchild. An exceptionally popular speaker and teacher, Dr. Hahn has delivered numerous talks nationally and internationally on a wide variety of topics related to Scripture and the Catholic faith. Hundreds of these talks have been produced on audio and videotapes by St. Joseph Communications. His talks have been effective in helping thousands of Protestants and fallen away Catholics to (re)embrace the Catholic faith. He is currently a Professor of Theology and Scripture at Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he has taught since 1990, and is the founder and director of the Saint Paul Center for Biblical Theology. In 2005, he was appointed as the Pope Benedict XVI Chair of Biblical Theology and Liturgical Proclamation at St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. To obtain tickets to the conference or for more information, please call Rich Dovi at or Mark Joseph at or visit the conference website at

5 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 Free Income Tax Assistance Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) will be available at the South Hills Bible Chapel, 300 Gallery Dr., McMurray, PA 15137, beginning Tues., Feb. 1 through Fri., April 15. Regular hours are weekdays, 8:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. There are no appointments, only walkins. Gallery Drive is located 6 miles south of the South Hills Village on the west side of Route 19, across from the Sears Service Center. Follow signs 0.4 mile to the VITA entrance. Volunteers will assist taxpayers with Federal, PA and local wage tax returns and real estate/rent rebate and PACE applications. Please bring: W-2 s, all 1099 s, (e.g. interest and dividend statements, social security, and pension statements), totals of itemized deductions, (e.g. medical, taxes, charitable, and misc.) and social security cards for you, your spouse and dependents. Don t forget copies of your 2009 federal and state tax returns, real estate tax receipts and receipts for large purchases such as cars. For direct deposit of refund, have bank account and routing numbers. 11 th Carpatho-Rusyn Heritage Tour of Eastern Europe The Carpatho-Rusyn Society is sponsoring a trip to Slovakia, Ukraine, and Poland where our particular Byzantine Catholic (Ruthenian) Church originated in Eastern Europe. The tour dates are July 14-26, Cost of the trip from Pittsburgh is $4,225 (double occupancy). For more information, please contact Fr. Tom. Deadline for making reservations is May 13, 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. St. Gregory Byzantine Catholic Church Did you know? (financial) 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. Debt Reduction Offering

6 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%) 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 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 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: