ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR MARCH 4, 2018

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1 ST. NICHOLAS ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR MARCH 4, 2018 WHAT S HAPPENING TODAY Special General Assembly during Coffee Hour. Agenda items: the updated 2017 Financial Report & 2018 Budget. All parishioners are encouraged to attend this important meeting. Women of St. Nicholas Mystery Box fundraiser. Marriage Matters tickets are on sale. GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS The final phase of the church banding project will occur next week. During this installation, you may see scaffolding up during services. We encourage you to continue to enter into worship and to not be distracted. His Eminence, Metropolitan ANTONIOS of Zahle in Lebanon will be visiting our parish on March He is seeking support for some worthwhile efforts in his Archdiocese. We are tentatively scheduling a dinner to be held following the Presanctified Liturgy on Wednesday, March 14. More information will be out in the next few days, but please make every effort to attend and support His Eminence. Anyone wishing to host him during his visit should contact Fr. Michael. We have helpful information on our St. Nicholas website to assist you in your journey through Great Lent (service times & resources, fasting guidelines, preparation for confession checklist, and ideas for almsgiving). Visit: All we know is that it is guaranteed to be great! A Mystery Box drawing will occur each Sunday in March during Coffee Hour. What s in the mystery box is ---well a mystery until the winning ticket is drawn and the unwrapping occurs! As you enter Coffee Hour, you will have the opportunity to purchase one ticket for $1.00 or 6 tickets for $5.00. Fr. Michael will draw the winning ticket during each week. Every Sunday will feature a different mystery! Join the fun while supporting the Women of St. Nicholas as we raise money for our Antiochian Women NAB Project, Strengthening the Ministries of our Church Vocations.

2 Fr. Michael has shared two of the five mini-talks on the Sacrament of Confession during the end of the potluck following the Presanctified Liturgy. The discussions have been insightful and have stimulated lots of wonderful questions. You are invited to join us after the Pre-sanctified Liturgy for food, fellowship, and faith as we continue this series of short reflections on the Sacrament of Confession. The following topics will be discussed in the weeks ahead: 3/7 Confession as Therapy 3/28 Making a Good Confession For our Lenten Service Project, the Church School will be volunteering at Kids Food basket on Saturday, March 10 from Noon-1 PM. All students ages 5+ are asked to come and assist as we serve our neighbors. Direct questions to Amy Amash, Gretchen Zahn, or Dn. Justin. St. Nicholas will be hosting the Akathist service on Friday, March 16. We are asking that each family bring a Lenten dessert, appetizer, or fruit tray. Because this is a Pan-Orthodox event, many people will be attending, so we need everyone to participate. We will also need support with set-up and clean-up. Please contact Jenny Khorey at Khoreyegr@gmail.com to let her know what you can do or sign-up on the sheet at the Parishioners Table. Are you registered yet? You do not want to miss the upcoming Marriage Matters retreat being held at St. Nicholas on Saturday, March 17 from 9am-3pm. There are married and engaged couples currently registered as well as single people. This is truly an event for every adult. Guest speaker Bishop JOHN of the Diocese of Worcester & New England and the author of Building an Orthodox Marriage will lead three dynamic sessions drawing from the wisdom of the ancient Orthodox Wedding Service and its wisdom for today. The minimum suggested cost is $30 per couple and $15 for a single ticket. Lunch is provided. Register at Mark your calendars for Lazarus Saturday, March 31. Come to the Liturgy, stay for breakfast and then help spruce up the church and polish Liturgical items in preparation for Holy Week and the visit of Metropolitan JOSEPH. Everyone is welcome. Many Hands make light work!

3 Now that two weeks have passed, reflect on how you ve taken part in the three pillars of Great Lent: fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. Please keep filling your FFHP boxes and pray for those who need prayer and have no one to pray for them. "When you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. That your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly." Mathew 6:3-4 We wish to acknowledge and thank everyone for your prayers, support and most importantly, your love during this difficult time. JR was at peace when he passed. He knew the end was near and he embraced it. Memory Eternal! The Karrip, King, and Ayoub families I am so grateful for all of the beautiful cards, delicious meals brought to my home, loving and tender concern for my health, and mostly for all of your continuing prayers. God bless all of you, my family! Nora Ayoub FELLOWSHIP GROUPS This summer, His Eminence Metropolitan JOSEPH will be leading a pilgrimage to Orthodox Thessaloniki, Kosovo, and Serbia. Titled "Spiritual Awakening," the trip is slated for June 14 26, 2018, with a registration deadline of March 15. Traveling through holy lands with a hierarch at the head of the trip often opens "the pearly gates" through unplanned and grace-filled opportunities unique to this type of adventure. Click for details. Join us Tuesday, March 13 at 10 AM at Meijer Gardens for a fun morning together exploring the butterflies & gardens! Admission $14.50 (Adults), $4 (3-4 year olds), Free (2 years and under). Many of our moms have memberships that include a free guest passes, so post in our Facebook group if you don t have a membership. Join us on Thursday, March 15 at Noon for lunch and a wonderful concert by Ann Hoodhood and friends! Ann has prepared a concert filled with variety of talent and surprises! You will not want to miss the fun! Contact Eileen Adolphson for additional information.

4 Last week we had a second collection to support the education of our Seminarians. Our contribution of $719 will allow future generations of Orthodox Clergy to be adequately prepared to lead the Church in challenging times. Thank you for your generosity! THIS WEEK S ACTIVITIES Monday, March 5 Great Compline (7 PM) Tuesday, March 6 Archdiocese Convention Executive Leadership meeting (6:30 PM) Wednesday, March 7 6th Hour Prayer (Noon) Pre-sanctified Liturgy followed by potluck and reflection (6 PM) Friday, March 9 Akathist Services (7 Annunciation Romanian Orthodox Church Saturday, March 10 Church School Service Kids Food Basket (12 PM) Great Vespers (6 PM) Sunday of the Cross, March 11 Matins & Orthodox Education (8:50 AM) Divine Liturgy (10 AM) SOYO Leadership meeting LOOKING AHEAD For a complete listing of all of St. Nicholas services and events, visit our website at March 14 Metropolitan ANTONIOS s visit March 17 Marriage Matters Retreat March 24 Forefeast of the Annunciation (5 PM) Great Vespers Annunciation Romanian Orthodox Church: 2573 Hillside Dr. NW March 31 Lazarus Saturday, (9 AM) Matins (10 AM) Divine Liturgy followed by breakfast & Lazarus Saturday Clean-up April 1 Palm Sunday April 1-7 Holy Week April Metropolitan JOSEPH s visit

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9 The Forgotten Medicine A Series of Short Reflections on the Sacrament of Confession (followed by a Q &A session) Every Christian feels a natural yearning of the heart towards God, a true desire to taste the sweetness of communion, of being with Him as He created us to be. But the impurity of our hearts - full of the weight of passions, conflicts, and fears bars the way. Yet, there is a cure for the weight of sin which burdens the heart and soul of each one of us and afflicts the conscience, keeping us from that longed-for inner peace and from peace with our neighbors and loved ones. That cure is the Mystery of Repentance. 2/21 Why Do We Go To Confession? 2/28 The Weight of Sin 3/7 Confession as Therapy 3/14 The Spiritual Father 3/28 Making a Good Confession Please join together for food, fellowship, and faith following the Pre-sanctified Liturgy on the above Wednesday dates!