ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR MARCH 18, 2018

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1 ST. NICHOLAS ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR MARCH 18, 2018 WHAT S HAPPENING TODAY Women of St. Nicholas Mystery Box fundraiser Parish Council meeting GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS We are honored to have His Grace Bishop JOHN Abdalah, of the Diocese of Worcester and New England with us. Bishop JOHN led the Marriage Matters retreat yesterday. Please extend a warm welcome to His Grace. We were extremely blessed by the generous time, talent, and treasures given by Suzi & Rick Merpi and their team who organized the dinner and beautified the Cultural Center and by Marwan Karadesheh for the delicious food he made for Metropolitan ANTONIOS Benefit Dinner. We can t thank you enough for all you did! The Forerunners wish to give a grateful thanks to all the ladies who helped prepare cookies for our cookie sale, to all those who helped us set-up and sell, and to all those who gave donations! We made $400! We appreciate your kindness and generosity. 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). Go to to access this information. The first two mystery boxes have been revealed. The first week was a nice set of tools. Last week was the book Wounded by Love and a book about the Jesus Prayer along with two small icons. What will this week's mystery be? Purchase your ticket on the way into coffee hour for a chance to win the mystery, $1.00 per ticket or 6 for $5.00. You will be supporting the 2018 NAB Antiochian Women's Project, Strengthening the Ministries of our Church Vocations. Join the fun!

2 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. Everyone is welcome. Many hands make light work! "A Holy Soul cares for his neighbors, either close at hand or far away. He cares where the homeless will spend the night, how the hungry will be fed, with what the naked will be clothed. He cares and he prays for the salvation of his neighbors: that their hearts may be filled with love towards God, that their minds may be directed towards God, that the wicked may turn from the paths of wickedness, that the hesitant may be confirmed in the Faith, that the firm may persevere, that the departed may behold the face of God, that the living may be written in the Book of Life in the Kingdom of Light". St Nicholas Velimirovich Stop by the bookstore to get a new CD so you can enjoy listening to the beautiful hymns from Great Lent & Holy Week every day during the Lenten Season. We have stocked some children's books featuring Paschal activities, decorating eggs and coloring books, Lenten cookbooks, homilies on repentance, and a great assortment of Pascha cards too! Do you need some Pascha Basket stuffers? 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! We are in the countdown stages with only 2 months left before our Adult group heads to the Antiochian Village on May If you are interested in going to the Village with us, please register before Sunday, April 15! The Village trip itinerary can be found by visiting: Registration Information: Sign-up on-line or during Coffee Hour. A $50 deposit is due when registering. Online Registration: Cost: $295 Triple Occupancy, $350 Double Occupancy, $450 Single Occupancy. Chris Afendoulis, a parishioner at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church and the state representative for the 73rd District, is hosting a family friendly Greek Independence Day Celebration at Bill's Family Restaurant in Grand Rapids on Monday, March 26 from 5-7 pm. Cost is $25 per family, in support of his campaign for State Senate. Call (616) for more information.

3 It is time to register for the June Diocese of Toledo & the Midwest s Parish Life Conference hosted by St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox in Sylvania, Ohio. For more information visit: Teens, it is time to start thinking about participating in the Oratorical Festival at this year s Parish Life Conference in Sylvania, Ohio. Some teens may be reluctant to commit to speaking publically; however, those who do appreciate the experience. Public speaking is increasing in value in our society and in the job market. 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. It is time to begin forming teams, reviewing rules, and practicing for this year's Parish Life Conference Bible Bowl at this year s 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. FELLOWSHIP GROUPS Men! Plan to attend the Men of St. Nicholas Breakfast this Saturday from 9-11 AM. We will begin with a light breakfast and then view and discuss the third of four videos in the Lionheart Mens Series entitled: The Pursuit of Priorities. This session will focus on discovering how to identify temptations and put them into proper perspective. Please RSVP to Greg Lambert. Join us on Tuesday, March 27 at 10 AM as we learn about the Annunciation. We ll chat with Fr. Michael about this feast, have a craft, and play time! Coffee for the mammas and snacks for the kiddos will be provided! Contact Elizabeth Ayoub with questions.

4 A THOUGHT FROM ST. JOHN CLIMACUS In all your undertakings and in every way of life, whether you are living in obedience, or are not submitting your work to anyone, whether in outward or in spiritual matters, let it be your rule and practice to ask yourself: Am I really doing this in accordance with God's will? (The Ladder of Divine Ascent, Step 26, Section 91) THIS WEEK OF GREAT LENT Monday, March 19 Great Compline (7 PM) Wednesday, March 21 6th Hour Prayer (Noon) Little Compline w/canon of St. Andrew & Life of St. Mary of Egypt (6 PM) Thursday, March 22 Pre-sanctified Liturgy/no potluck (6 PM) Saturday, March 24 - Forefeast of the Annunication Great Annunciation Romanian Orthodox Church 2573 Hillside Dr. NW (6 PM) Sunday, March 25 - Forefeast of the Annunication Matins & Orthodox Education (8:50 AM) Divine Liturgy (10 AM) Friday, March 23 Akathist Services (7 Holy Trinity LOOKING AHEAD For a complete listing of all of St. Nicholas services and events, visit our website at March 31 Lazarus Saturday Matins (9 AM) Divine Liturgy (10) Breakfast Church clean-up for Pascha April 1 Palm Sunday Outside procession Collection for Patriarchate Bridegroom Matins (7 PM) April 1-7 Holy Week Refer to Holy Week Booklet for Service times April 7 Holy Saturday Divine Liturgy (10 AM) Rush, Matins, & Pascal Liturgy (10 PM) Pascal Celebration April 8 Agape Vespers (1 PM)

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8 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!