The Cathedral Messenger

Transcription

1 St. Alexander Nevsky Orthodox Cathedral ( ( The Cathedral Messenger Orthodox Church in America Diocese of Western Pennsylvania Archpriest Michael Senyo Protodeacon Michael Wusylko Deacon Stephen Boyd February 2019 What Does the Word Church Mean? (Refelctions in Christ by Fr. Lawrence Farley) Every Sunday the Creed is said in Church in which Christians say the words, I believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church. It many ways it is an odd thing to say. In the Creed we confess things that are matters of faith, things contestable, maybe even controversial. Thus we confess that God the Father Almighty made the heaven and the earth, including all things visible (such as animals and men) and invisible (such as angels). This is not beyond dispute, and many people manage to dispute it, believing either that the universe always existed or that it began without any help from God. It is similar with our confession of Jesus Christ as light from light, true God from true God, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, and raised from the dead three days after He died. This is a matter of faith, and so it finds its way into the Creed. But the Church? Surely the existence of the Church is hardly a matter of faith. We do not need faith to believe in the Church we can see churches all around us. Why is the Church in the Creed? In fact we often do not know the meaning of the words we are saying when we confess that we believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church. Sometimes we mean by the words something not much more than we believe in the existence of an institution which is very good and worthy of respect. This is not quite what the Creed is getting at. Let us look first at the term church in Greek ekklesia. The word church is used in lots of ways. Most often the term refers to the building in which the Christians meet for worship. If I say, I ll meet you at the church at noon, I am obviously referring to the building used for Sunday services. Some- This month s newsletter is sponsored by the Pazin Family in honor of Dr. George Pazin who is celebrating his 80th birthday on February 7th. Many blessed years! 1

2 times, in an earlier day, the term meant simply the clergy, so that if a young man answered the question about what career he had chosen by saying, I am going into the church, we meant he was seeking ordination as a priest. More often by the church people mean the Christians wherever they might meet for services. Often too by the term the church people mean an institution, as the Smithsonian is an institution or as the British Crown is an institution. I suspect that most people when they say the Creed mean something rather like this. When they confess belief in the Church they mean to express loyalty to a venerable institution. The institution came into existence in the time of Jesus and now has branches or spiritual franchises in many places, including our little congregation down the street. In fact the church is not an institution, however many outward similarities to an institution it may possess. The term ekklesia (the Greek version of the Hebrew qahal) meant a gathering, an assembly. People assembled or gathered that is, they left their homes to congregate in a particular place for a particular reason, and the result of all that individual assembling was an assembly. After they had gathered, they constituted a gathering. The assembly could be called for a number of purposes, either secular or religious. One could assemble to select a king, as Israel assembled to select King Saul [1 Samuel 10]. One could assemble to prepare for war, as Israel did to wage war on the tribe of Benjamin [Judges 20]. One could assemble for a religious convocation as Israel did when they repented before God at Mizpah [1 Samuel 7]. One could assemble to debate a civic problem, as the silversmiths of Ephesus did when they met to protest against the work of Saint Paul [Acts 19]. This last example is particularly instructive: those who assembled were pagans, and men motivated mostly by financial concern, despite their loudly professed civic devotion to Artemis of the Ephesians. Their assembly almost turned into a riot until the town clerk quieted the crowd and told them to go home. Then, as Luke reports, When he said this, he dismissed the ekklesia i.e. the crowd which had gathered together. These men, pagans motivated by secular concerns at a town hall meeting, were an ekklesia an assembly. That is the word used in the New Testament to describe Christian liturgical experience. Individual Christians left their respective homes on Sunday to assemble and gather in a particular prearranged place. Having assembled, they were an assembly. Having gathered, they were a gathering. But not just any assembly or gathering they were an assembly to which Christ pledged His presence. Whenever they assembled together to remember Him at the Eucharist He promised that He would be in their midst, even if the assembly were so small that only two or three were there [Matthew 18:20]. (The Greek of this last passage is interesting: Christ promises to be among them even if only two or three assemble in Greek sunago, the same word used in the word synagogue, which was the word James used to describe the Christian assembly in James 2:2.) Christian assembly/ekklesia is what happens after the Christians assemble. It is not so much an institution as an event. For at that assembly Christ manifests His presence as He promised He would. One can there talk of the ekklesia or church in the plural because Christians assembled in many assemblies throughout the world. One can also talk of the ekklesia or church in the singular, because wherever one went throughout the world one found the same Christ in every single assembly. The assembly in Thessalonica was the same as the assembly in Corinth because Christ was equally present in both. Christ s presence made the different assemblies into one Assembly one Church. 2

3 From this, three things follow. First, one cannot consider oneself a part of the assembly unless one actually assembles, because that is what the word assembly means. Membership in the Ekklesia of God is not like membership in the Public Library. I am a member of the library in that I still have my library card and it does not expire. I may not have set foot in the library for years, but the card still works. It is otherwise with the Church. If you didn t assemble on Sunday, we were not a part of the assembly, and if you haven t attended the Eucharist for years, you are no longer a part of the Church. It is easily remedied to be a part of the assembly, just go next Sunday and assemble. (If it really has been years since you partook of the Eucharist, going to confession is also recommended.) The name Christian is the term for one who assembles regularly, and one forfeits the right to use the name if you never assemble. Secondly, one should assemble on Sunday with the expectation of meeting Christ there. That is the whole reason for assembling. Valuable as sermons are and uplifting as the choir sounds one mostly assembles to meet the Lord and to be fed with His Body and Blood. We go in our brokenness to be healed, and in our filthiness to be washed clean. We assemble because the only one who can heal and cleanse is there and He has promised to do both for us if we come in penitence and faith. Finally, if we plan on assembling on Sunday we must live in anticipation of this event on the six days previous. The priest will call us to the Chalice by saying the words, The holy things for the holy! or, in another possible translation, The sanctified things for the saints! The usual New Testament term for a believer is the word saint [Greek agios], which is what we are. A saint is not a sinless person, but a person who belongs to God and who is striving to please Him, whatever his or her rate of success. It is as saints that we assemble, which is why the priest uses that term. As members of the Ekklesia and the Household of God we must strive to become what we are. No Choir rehearsals in January. Enjoy the break! Choir Rehearsal (on Tuesdays at (or following Compline during Lent) February 5 February 19 March 5 March 18 (Monday) April 2 April 16 Junior Choir Rehearsal (After Liturgy) February 10 February 24 March 24 April 7 April 14 May 5 Youth Sunday is on May 19th 3

4 SANWA Announcement Please mark your calendars; 2 special luncheons prepared by our sisterhood: 1. March 3, 2019 Meatfare Sunday Lamb roast 2. March 10, 2019 Cheesefare Sunday Pancakes from around the world! Pierogie-Making Schedule March 22, April 5, April 19 (Western Holy Friday), May 17, June 21, July 19 (Benefit Youth Group), September 20, October 11, November 15, December TBA (mega batch - can sell kitchen sink on this one!!!) St. Alexander Nevsky Church School Calendar March 17, 2019 Icon Procession Sunday of Orthodoxy March 30, 2019 March 31, 2019 Lenten Retreat No Church School April 21, 2019 Procession with Palms Palm Sunday April 28, 2019 No Church School Pascha May 5, 2019 No Church School / Egg Hunt St. Thomas Sunday May 19, 2019 Youth Sunday / Last Day of Church School Mother's Day ** Classes start at 9:00 a.m. Sunday mornings revised 01/22/2018 Our church is honoring all Scouting organizations on February 3rd! Examples of such organizations are Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and American Heritage Girls. All scouts are encouraged to wear their uniforms to church. 4

5 Schedule of Divine Services February 2019 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Jan. 27 New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia Church School 9 am Hours 9:40 am Liturgy 10:00 am Jan. 28 Jan. 29 Jan. 30 Synaxis of the Three Hierarchs Hours 8:40 am Liturgy 9:00 am Jan Note: No Eve of the Meeting Service 2 Meeting of Our Lord in the Temple Hours 8:40 am Liturgy with Blessing of Candles 9 am and Confessions 5:00 pm 3 Righteous Simeon and Anna Church School 9 am Hours 9:40 am Liturgy 10:00 am 4 5 Choir Rehearsal 6 Postfeast of the Meeting 9th Hour and Vespers 7 Parish Growth Committee Meeting 8 9 and Confessions 5:00 pm 10 Sunday of Zaccheus Church School 9 am Hours 9:40 am Liturgy 10:00 am th Hour and Vespers and Confessions 5:00 pm Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee (Beginning of Lenten Triodion) Church School 9 am Hours 9:40 am Liturgy 10:00 am Choir Rehearsal 9th Hour and Vespers and Confessions 5:00 pm 24 Sunday of the Prodigal Son Church School 9 am Hours 9:40 am Liturgy 10:00 am th Hour and Vespers 28 Mar. 1 Mar. 2 Soul Saturday Hours 8:40 am Liturgy 9:00 am and Confessions 5:00 pm 5

6 Gift Shop We still have some copies of the Lives of the Saints calendar books for Although the book starts on January 1st, there are an abundance of readings throughout the year. If you've never gotten a copy, come and look through the material. Consider ordering an Icon Family Tree. We have a Hanna model to see. It's a unique gift or keepsake. Icons can be added as a family grows. See Sylvia Hanna for ordering details. The 2019 Pocket Calendars are reduced in price. (from $4.00 to $3.00) We've sold a number of jewelry crosses recently. If you need s particular style or size, see Beth Benton or Sylvia Hanna. Message from Council President Church changes from Dues to Proportional Giving The first two weeks of December Fr. Michael provided me the blessing to speak to the Parish about changes in 2019 for Parishioner giving. There were two main themes that we want to highlight: 1. The generous donations received in 2018 were 10% under our actual expenses 2. The Cathedral Parish is adopting the Archdiocese recommendation for pledge giving Cathedral donation shortfall of $26,000 in 2018 resulted from less than anticipated donations in the general donation (white) envelope. We do expect that the new budget, which is scheduled to be adopted by the Parish at the Annual Meeting on January 27, 2019, will be equal to the 2018 budget of roughly $260,000. Our collections in 2018 were $235,469, which was $26,469 less than we spent. In addition, we asked that everyone remove Dues envelope from the envelope box in 2019 and ask that everyone include what you would normally have placed in the dues envelope into the general giving envelope. As you read above, we do need to collect 10% more in 2019 to meet the needs of the Cathedral. We plan to explain the changes from a Dues based donation system to a Proportional Giving system at the annual meeting on January 27, 2019, after Liturgy. We hope you are planning to attend. 6

7 SUNDAY BRUNCH GROUPS GRP GROUP LEADER GROUP MEMBERS DATES ( ) 1 MAT MARY MAT SUSANNE, BARB B, WARSHANKSKY, ZHIKHAREV Mar. 3 Mar. 10 PASCHA Oct. 6 2 SOPHIA BENTON, FEDOR, LANE, KLIMKO, PITZ, WOLENSKI Jan. 27 May 5 Jul. 21 Oct NIKKI WILLIAMS HERSHEY, LESZUNOV, BAKER, TOMASIC Feb.3 May 12 Jul. 29 Oct LENA O'ROURKE RENNISON, GAYKOVA, RUEDENKO, DIMITRIEV, TARASSOV, DILLE Feb. 10 May 19 Aug. 4 F Oct CLAUDIA STEEB T. STEEB, GLISAN, ROMANCHIK, MASTERS, VERNAK, BRKOVICH Feb. 17 May 26 Aug. 11 F Nov. 3 6 MARILYN MARKOFF HINKLE, CHAFFIN, KOVACEVIC, TESONE, ZALLOW Feb. 24 Jun. 2 Aug. 18 Nov JANET CASCIATO 8 LORY NESCOTT EASTON, STAYANOS, HORODNIC, POLANICHKA, MULCAHY, BALOG, GEEZA, HANNA, MOONEY Mar. 17 F Jun. 9 Aug. 25 Nov. 17 F Mar. 24 F Jun. 16 Sept. 1 Nov. 24 F 9 CAROL NAMISNAK DASKIVICH, SAVCHIK, DUNFEE, MERVOSH, MIKLOS Dec. 30 Mar. 31 F Jun. 23 Sept. 8 Dec. 1 F 10 TIZ GOEHRING G. PAZIN, G. PAZIN, J. PAZIN, RIBAR Jan. 6 Apr. 7 F Jun. 30 Sept. 15 Dec. 8 F 11 LARISSA LINDQUIST BOYD, FRANCINO, VOLYNKIN, SAVASTA, SCHEWCZYK Jan. 13 Apr. 14 F Jul. 7 Sept. 22 Dec. 15 F 12 BRAIN DUBOS YOUTH GROUP, K DUBOS Jan. 20 Apr. 21 F Jul. 14 Sept. 29 Dec. 22 F 15 F = FASTING PERIOD Please note: Underlined bolded dates are out of order. They are special meatfare, cheesefare and Pascha Night Meals. 7

8 Clip and insert in prayer book to pray for those in the prayer list Prayer List (All names should be submitted to one of the Cathedral Clergy for commemoration at the divine services.) For Health and Salvation: Metropolitan Herman Archpriest Paul Archpriest John Archpriest David Archpriest Stephen Subdeacon Christopher Subdeacon Gregory Matushka Susanne Matushka Emily Matushka Larissa Patricia with child Nicholas Gregory Michael Stephanie Michael Barbara Olga Katherine Juliana Gregory Hayley Marie with child Maria Mara with child Carrie Dorothy Lillian Anne Anastasia Gregory Patricia Claudia Marina Irene For the Newly Departed: Rodion James Assignments Date Epistle Hours Greeters Candle Desk Feb 3 J Pazin F Namisnak C Steeb, V Rennison R Glisan Feb 10 G Pazin S Francino E O Rourke F Balog Feb 17 D Leszunov R Hershey J Pazin S Romanchik Feb 24 JM Pazin Romanchik Class E Glisan R Glisan Mar 3 L Lindquist L Nescott C Steeb, V Rennison F Balog Mar 10 R Hershey L Lindquist E O Rourke S Romanchik Mar 17 D Geeza A Nescott J Pazin R Glisan Other Assignments Date Collection Counters Fundability Feb 3 G Ribar, R Steeb J Savchik Feb 10 J Dille, G Ribar B Banosky Feb 17 R Steeb, R Hrodnik A Lane Feb 24 N Tesone, K Zallow J Casciato Mar 3 G Ribar, R Steeb J Savchik Mar 10 J Dille, G Ribar B Banosky Mar 17 R Steeb, R Hrodnik A Lane 8

9 Are we coming to a city near you? Join us for a grand performance! 9

10 SHARING IS CARING SANWA is sponsoring an ANGEL TREE to help needy families in the area. HOW YOU CAN HELP: 1. Choose one or more angels from the tree located in the Fellowship Hall 2. Purchase the gift card(s) identified by the angel at our FUNDABILITY TABLE. (the cards will be collected there) 3. Purchases may be made from February 3 rd through March 3 rd 4. The cards will be distributed to the needy families. ( this project will help them and our church) This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed If you have questions, see Judy Tesone or Sylvia Hanna. 10

11 Special Church Events Feast of the Theophany of Christ and the Blessing of Water 11