PALM SUNDAY ANNOUNCEMENTS APRIL 1, 2018

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1 ST. NICHOLAS ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH PALM SUNDAY ANNOUNCEMENTS APRIL 1, 2018 WHAT S HAPPENING TODAY All-Parish Palm Sunday Luncheon Bridegroom 7 PM GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS The Guide to Holy Week booklets have been distributed. This booklet provides not only a glimpse of each of the services during Holy Week but it also contains the Holy Week schedule of services. This booklet is available on the Parishioners table in the Narthex. An indispensable part of our preparation for Holy Week and Pascha is the offering of our Confession. Because of the liturgical schedule of Holy Week, the last opportunity to have Confession prior to Pascha will be this Tuesday, Holy Tuesday, following Bridegroom Matins. Fr. Michael will remain after the services tomorrow and Tuesday for those wanting Confession. Confessions are heard year-round without an appointment following Great Vespers on Saturday evening, or by appointment Tuesdays through Fridays. We are in the final days of our Food For Hungry People charity drive! Keep filling the FFHP boxes! There is a table prepared in the Narthex for you to place your filled boxes. If you are writing a check, make it payable to St Nicholas and note FFHP in the memo line. Our parish goal is $4,000, which is approximately $13 dollars per parishioner (only 33 cents a day for the 40 days of Lent) and with your help, we can do it!

2 Books: We have stocked some children's books featuring Paschal activities, decorating eggs and coloring books, Lenten cookbooks, and homilies on repentance, Cards: Pascha cards are available while supplies last! Don't delay! Pascha Basket Ideas: Come by the bookstore to get gifts for your friends and family. We have Pascha basket covers, a Tapestry bookmark, a set of wooden eggs in the Pysanky Design, CD's featuring beautiful Byzantine chant, and illustrated children's books. As always, we can order products for your specific needs! Our clergy will con-celebrate the Paschal Liturgy at St. George on Bright Week Wednesday at 6:00 PM. All of the Orthodox faithful in the Grand Rapids area are encouraged to attend for a united celebration of our Lord s Resurrection. Following the Paschal Liturgy, we will gather for a potluck & fellowship. Please bring a potluck dish to share. A TRULY EXCITING EVENT will be held Sunday, April 22! A Live and Silent Auction will occur after Divine Liturgy. You will be biding on art, jewelry, dinners, massages, cookware, and more! Plan now to participate in this exciting event! Proceeds support the activities of the Forerunners! If you are planning to attend this year s June PLC in Sylvania, Ohio, please complete the 2018 Senior Presentation form located on the Parishioners table in the Narthex. Graduating seniors attending the PLC will receive a blessing from Bishop ANTHONY. Teens, it is time to sign-up for the Oratorical Festival at this year s June Parish Life Conference in Sylvania, Ohio. We are pleased to announce the annual Wade Abraham Scholarship Fund benefiting Oratorical Participants from our parish. A scholarship of $850 ($350 cash gift and $500 in reimbursed travel costs) will be given to the participant in the Senior Division from St. Nicholas. We encourage all of our teens to participate. If necessary, we will plan to hold our own St. Nicholas Oratorical Festival to choose who will represent St. Nicholas! Share your interest in participating with Fr. Michael, Dn. David, Dan or Kathy Abraham. As a result of the great generosity of the faithful in our West Michigan Antiochian Orthodox Churches, $10, was collected for the work of Metropolitan ANTONIOS!

3 It is time to begin forming teams, reviewing rules, and practicing for this year's Parish Life Conference Bible Bowl at this year s June Parish Life Conference in Sylvania. Ohio. Visit: St. Nicholas would love to have teams in each of the following Bible Bowl Categories: Pre-teen (Ages 10-12) Teen (Ages 13-19) Adult (Ages 20 and above) Contact Fr. Michael if you are interested in participating. Did you know that you can support St. Nicholas by "liking" and sharing The Cultural Center's Facebook page? If every parishioner assisted, together we could increase the business that comes to St. Nicholas through hall rentals with The Cultural Center. Go to stnicholasgr.com/the-cultural-center/ for step-by-step instructions. FELLOWSHIP GROUPS Thank you to all the ladies who served as Epistle readers, greeters, tray passers, communion ushers, and those who distributed the announcements during March, ladies month. Thank you, also, to those who donated items for the mystery box. And thank you to all who donated towards the NAB Women s project Strengthening the Ministries of our Church Vocations. If you missed the opportunity to make a donation to this project, it is not too late, just see Jenny Khorey, Janet Ansara, or Barbara Thomas. The last mystery was a casserole set with serving base and carrying case. Join us in creating some spring cheer for the older parishioners in our parishes on Tuesday, April 10! We will be making cards/crafts and visiting and doing acts of kindness for these very special people! Please let us know if you have someone in mind that you'd love to do an act of service for. Also, if you plan to participate in this service activity with your children, let us know. Please RSVP to Elizabeth Ayoub. Bishop Anthony has requested that St. Nicholas, along with the other churches in the Midwest Diocese, have at least six representatives from the Women of St. Nicholas, Young Adults, and Teen SOYO in attendance at the spring meeting on April 21 in Troy. Contact your leaders if you are interested in attending.

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5 A booklet reviewing all of the Holy Week worship opportunities has been distributed. Additional copies are available on the table in the Narthex or you can find this information on our website: Every family is invited to contribute toward the liturgical items needed for Holy Week and Pascha (Palms, Oil, Bay Leaves, Decorations and Flowers) for the health of loved ones or in memory of departed loved ones. Each name will be remembered in the services of Lazarus Saturday through Pascha. Forms and envelopes are on the Parishioners table in the Narthex. Candles will be used for the Holy Thursday, Holy Friday, and Pascha Services. Please keep candles upright and the protective disc or cup close to the top of the candle to collect the dripping wax. Our desire is to keep the wax off of the pews and floor. Remember to use caution when holding a lit candle! Also, keep a watchful eye on your children while they are holding a lit candle. We desire everyone to worship together for the Holy Thursday and Holy Friday services. Excuse forms are available on the table in the Narthex or from the Church office for you to submit to your child s school and/or your employer. Please make these services a priority. Our sister churches will be joining us for the Holy Unction service. There will be a dessert reception following the service that St. Nicholas is hosting. We are asking every family to bring a Lenten dessert, appetizer, or fruit tray. One of the most beautiful but neglected services of Holy Week is the Liturgy of the Institution of Holy Communion on Holy Thursday morning. This is the invitation to take OUR place at the Last Supper, to be present as Christ offers us His saving Body and Blood for the first time. Just as the Disciples had their feet washed by Our Lord during the Last Supper, so too Father Michael needs 12 people willing to have their feet washed during the Liturgy. This is a very moving experience. (A sign-up form is available in the Narthex or call Church Office if you desire to participate.) OVER

6 Fasting: As much as possible we abstain from all food and drink, especially from noon through the afternoon Vespers Service. Of course, the Church recognizes that some people have unique health issues that will alter this fasting guideline. The Royal Hours Services: The time between these services is a time to reflect upon the passion of Christ and to pray. The Church campus (Chapel, gardens/grounds, hallways, etc.) are available for you to reflect, pray, read or rest. All-night Vigil: Having laid the body of Christ into the Tomb on Holy Friday, we stand vigil at His Tomb all night by taking turns reading from the Holy Scriptures. The experience of being in the near-empty, candlelit Church in the middle of the night and hearing and reading the words of our Lord is not soon forgotten. A Reader s Sign-up Schedule is available in the Narthex for those desiring to read. Even if you do not desire to read, come at any time to be a part of this experience. Our Lord asked His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, "Can you not watch with me one hour?" Let us answer "Yes" and take our place in the Holy Friday Vigil. Pascha Service: It is perfectly acceptable to dress your children in their pajamas and bring them to the Pascha Service. If you look around, you'll see many sleeping children under the pews! Pascha Baskets: Fr. Michael will bless Pascha baskets during the Paschal Liturgy. Place them on the left side of the Solea when you come for the Paschal Liturgy and then take it with you at the dismissal. For a helpful link on the types of items to place in your Pascha Basket, visit: Celebration Meal: The Parish Council is preparing lamb & rice. Each family is asked to bring a side dish and a dessert as we celebrate Our Risen Lord! Celebration Clean-up: The Young Adults and Teen SOYO are facilitating the post-pascha party clean-up, and they need everyone s help. Before leaving the celebration, pick-up any trash left on or around your table and push in your chairs. Please be certain to take home any dishes that you brought. Let s all do our part to make this a joyous feast! Agape Vespers: Do you speak a language other than English? If so, you are needed to read a portion of the Gospel during the Agape Vespers Service on Sunday, April 8. Contact Dn. Dave if you can assist. Easter Egg Hunt: Following Agape Vespers will be an Easter Egg Hunt for the Church School children.

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8 REJOICING ON PALM SUNDAY On the Sunday before the Feast of Great and Holy Pascha and at the beginning of Holy Week, the Orthodox Church celebrates one of its most joyous feasts of the year. Palm Sunday is the commemoration of the Entrance of our Lord into Jerusalem following His glorious miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead. Having anticipated His arrival and having heard of the miracle, the people went out to meet the Lord and welcomed Him with displays of honor and shouts of praise. On this day, we receive and worship Christ in this same manner, acknowledging Him as our King and Lord. THIS WEEK S ACTIVITIES For a complete listing of all of St. Nicholas services and events, visit our website at Holy Monday, April 2 Pre-Sanctified Liturgy (9 AM) Bridegroom St. George (7 PM) Holy Tuesday, April 3 Pre-Sanctified Liturgy (9 AM) Bridegroom Matins (7 PM) Holy Wednesday, April 4 Pre-Sanctified Liturgy (9 AM) Holy Unction followed by desserts and fellowship (7 PM) Holy Thursday, April 5 Divine Liturgy of the Institution of Holy Communion w/washing of Feet (9 AM) Matins with 12 Passion Gospels (6:30 PM) Holy Friday, April 6 Royal Hours 1st Hour (12 PM) 3rd Hour (1 PM) 6th Hour (2 PM) 9th Hour (3 PM) Vespers of the Un-nailing of Christ (4 PM) Vigil at the Tomb Matins w/lamentations (7 PM) Vigil at the Tomb Holy Saturday, April 7 Divine Liturgy (10 AM) Rush, Matins, & Paschal Liturgy followed by Paschal Breakfast Celebration (10 PM) Great & Holy Pascha Sunday, April 8 Agape Vespers (1 PM) Easter Egg Hunt following Agape Vespers LOOKING AHEAD April 11 Pan-Orthodox Bright Week Liturgy followed by a potluck (6 St. George April Spring Gathering May Trip to the Antiochian Village June PLC Sylvania, OH