St. Nicholas Orthodox Church Monthly Parish Bulletin

Transcription

1 St. Nicholas Orthodox Church Monthly Parish Bulletin Diocese of Toledo - Orthodox Church in America 2143 S. Center Road Burton, Michigan Served by: Fr. Matthew-Peter Butrie Rector & Fr. Esteban Vázquez Deacon Kerry Luke Gonser stnicholas1916@att.net Website: Fr. Matthew s mpbutrie@bdoca.org Cell: Church: Services: Wednesday - 9:00 am Adult Ed- 11:00 am Sunday - 9:30 a.m. Third Hour 10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy Holydays, Vigil and Vespers as announced Confessions are heard before all morning services and after all evening services. But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God; wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. St. Jude 1:20 September 1-30, 2016

2 FROM FATHER S DESK Dear faithful and friends of St. Nicholas parish, We all have calendars at home, on our cell phones, in our pockets (even in this bulletin!) They give us a way to organize our time: appointments, to do lists. They also mark time off for us. On September 6 many local schools will begin classes. For those in college the school year already began before Labor Day. Our civil year begins on January 1. Beginnings and endings of the year are ways we mark off time. August 31 is the last day of our Church year. Every year on September 1 we begin a new Church year. We may not think about this often or even at all. What does it mean for us that we are ending one church year and beginning another? On September 1 we begin anew the seasons of fasting and feasting, of remembering the holy men and women whom we call saints, of celebrating the great feasts of our Lord Jesus and His Holy Mother, of beginning anew another year of favor from the Lord. The church year begins and ends with the Mother of God. It is bookended by her feasts. The first great feast of the new church year is September 8 when we celebrate the birth of Mary from her parents, Joachim and Anna. She is the one chosen by the Father to give birth to His Son through the Holy Spirit. And we conclude the preceding Church year, every August 31, with a feast dedicated to the Theotokos also, the placing of her precious sash in Constantinople following its journey from Jerusalem. This relic is from her clothing, the belt which she wore that healed many. Today it is kept at the Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos. (In 2011 the sash was brought to Russia for the faithful there to venerate it.) We are reminded by this feast that the Mother of God is our mother also. One who is higher than the Cherubim and more glorious than the Seraphim, the two groups of angels whose sole purpose is to behold the face of God and worship Him. Mary, the Mother of God, she is higher than they. St. Paul describes the Ark of the Covenant which held Aaron's rod, the manna from the desert and the tablets of the law. The Ark was surmounted by an image of the Cherubim. They were bowed down before these images of God's manifestation to Israel. The Ark of the Covenant is an image of the Mother of God. She did not hold a staff or manna or stone tablets but her womb contained the uncontainable God. Through her the Son of God came to dwell among us. Therefore she is higher than the Cherubim and Seraphim because she held God within her. And she is one of us. She intercedes for us before her Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. In the icons she is depicted closest to our Lord, at the place of honor, His right hand. She is shown in supplication, beseeching mercy on us sinners. She is shown in icons as the one who points the way to her Son. And her Son, who loves us to the fullest, sends His mercy upon us because it is in His nature to be merciful and because His mother is asking Him. Our Lord Jesus Christ comes Himself to us as a gift in the Holy Eucharist. He comes within us, to dwell with us, that as He lives in us we may live in Him. We become Godbearers in imitation of The Godbearer, the Mother of God. Before January 1 many of us may make resolutions about how we will change our lives, whether it's more exercise, more reading, or less sweets. The end of a period of time provides a moment to look back and also to look forward. As we end one Church year and begin another we can look back and see how we lived in Christ or did not live in Him in the year that is ending. It is important for us to take time to examine our lives in the light of Christ Himself, honestly, so that we may know our sins and repent of them. We can ask our Lord Jesus to forgive us for our sins. Today is also a moment when we can look to the future, how will we live our faith this coming year? Worse? The same? Better? Our life as followers of Christ is not to be founded on fear, fear of hell, fear of death. Rather Jesus calls us to live in His love. He commands us to love one another as He has loved us. People will know we are Christians by our love. Love necessarily involves sacrifice. When we come to worship in the temple we have sacrifice time to God. We could be elsewhere doing something else. But we gather in the holy temple, gathered to worship God and receive Him in Holy Communion. Our love for our Lord Jesus Christ means making time on our calendar to come and worship on Sundays, at Vespers and on holydays. And, if we're able, there is a weekday service we can also come to offer up our time, ourselves, to God. Let us commit ourselves to offer the time to confess our sins that God may forgive us. Let us offer our time to show mercy to those who are in need. Let us offer our time to God that we may share also our talents and our treasure. By making time for God we draw closer to Him and that's where we all want to go and be, with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. We all want to join the saints who worship God in heaven. The only way we will get there is by making the time to worship Him here on earth. With love in Christ,

3 Third Hour Schedule September October November 4 Lucy 2 Reggie 6 Lucy 11 Reggie 9 Angelo 13 Reggie 18 Angelo 16 Lucy 20 Angelo 25 Lucy 23 Reggie 27 Lucy 30 Angelo If you are unable to make your assigned reading date, you must find a replacement. Reader Schedule September October November 4 Kathy 2 Angelo 6 Angelo 11 Taras 9 Kathy 13 Johnny 18 Amir 16 Johnny 20 Kathy 25 Johnny 23 Amir 27 Taras 30 Taras If you are unable to make your assigned reading date, you must find a replacement. ST. CATHERINE S NEWS As a reminder St. Catherine s Women s League meets on the first Sunday of each month during coffee hour. Next meeting date: To be announced. The parish council will meet on September 13 at 6:45 pm. If you are unable to attend this meeting please call the parish office. The Orthodox Book Club will meet Monday, September 19 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at St. George. For more information please contact Deacon Michael Bassett at frdnmike@gmail.com NOMINATING COMMITTEE The nominating committee will meet on September 14 at 10:30 am. If you have any names of parishioners in good standing that you think would be an asset to the parish council please see any member of the nominating committee. They are: Allison Borkovich, Anna Branoff, Dorothy Goodman, Christine Panoff, and Stephanie Stikovich. CHURCH SCHOOL NEWS Teachers meeting will be held on Sunday, September 18 Church School will begin on Sunday, September 25. See you then! September 16 - Konevets 6:30 pm 17 - Jackpot Race at Independence Oaks County Park, Clarkston, MI October th Anniversary Gala-see flier in this bulletin November 13 - Thanksgiving Dinner December 9 - SVSU Chorus Christmas 7:30 pm 100 th Anniversary Events

4 BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES BIRTHDAYS NAMESDAYS 3 Gregory Oginsky 1 Aspasia Stathopoulos 5 Germanos Batcos Athena Adkisson 6 Anastasia Butrie Joshua Brucksch Roseanne Bagale Joshua Vuckovich 10 Catherine Steiner 5 Betty Nicevski 12 Brandon Conover Caitlyn Elizabeth Nicole Rittman Cierra Conover Lisa Pray Joseph Neely Ressa Ann Borkovich 14 Matthew Batzos 9 Anita Glusica Amani Helal Anna Zubovich 18 Peggy Russell Courtney Anne Batzos 20 Taras-Michael Butrie Kelly Ann Panoff Peter Economou Peggy Ann Russell Noah Gonser 13 (St. Amatus) Cheryl Ellis 25 Jimmy Todorovsky (St. Cornelius) Corey Treloar Jo Sredich 16 Lucy (Ludmilla) Hogg 26 John Goodman 17 Luba Todorovsky 28 Kathy Swanigan Luba Yosheff 29 Georgiana Adkisson Sophia Batzos Sophia Todorovsky ANNIVERSARIES Sophia Treloar 3 George & Sherry Brown 18 Ariana Loomis 6 Nick & Sharon George Arinn Alexandra Pray 9 Scott & Georgiana Adkisson Ashley Goodman 11 Tom & Nancy Krigner 20 Oleg Dashevsky 19 Dennis & Sharon Jernigan 21 Jerry & Christine Brucksch 26 George & Julie Jonascu 27 Jeremy & Jami Fisher COMMUNITY REWARDS KROGER $34.03 YTD Total: $ HOPE IN A BOX September Bar & Hand Soap October Toothpaste/Toothbrushes November Dish Soap September Coffee Hour Volunteers Fannia Young-1yr Sophie Stavridis

5 FROM THE ROMANIAN EPISCOPATE OF THE OCA [CLINTON, MI - August 12, 2016] With sadness, we report that around noon on Friday, August 12, the church of Ascension of the Lord Monastery in Clinton, Michigan burned down. The cause of the fire is as yet unknown. His Eminence, Archbishop Nathaniel together with Rev. Fr. Vicar Dan Hoarste traveled to the monastery to be with the monastic community immediately following the fire. During this difficult time, we pray to God to give peace and comfort to the monastic community during this difficult test. Out of concern and a display of support, the Episcopate is establishing a fund for the monastery and encourages parishes to make a collection. As with all official Episcopate Appeals, we ask that the parishes combine all donations and send a check(s) made payable to: ROEA, PO BOX 309, GRASS LAKE MI Note"Ascension Monastery Fire" on your check. The total collected will be distributed to the monastery and will be reported in Solia - The Herald. VISITATION TO THE SICK Fr. Matthew brings Holy Communion to the shut-ins on Mondays. If you would like to be added to this list, please contact the office. Presently, those receiving weekly visits are: Thomka Brayanis, Mary Ann Brayan, Aspasia Stathopoulos, Helen Ashmun, Faouzi Ghantous, Fred Oginsky and Gloria Zelenko. Monthly Fr. Matthew visits Larry Bladecki (Bay City) and Peter and Olga Samaras (Caro). DAILY INTERCESSION FOR OUR SICK AND HOMEBOUND The following are our brothers and sisters of St. Nicholas who are currently homebound, suffering from chronic illness, in recovery or in need of special prayers. Please remember them in your prayers and reach out to them with a card, a phone call or a visit! Please call the office to schedule a visit for Holy Communion. Josephine Baker Gladys Edwards Mary Karayanis Larry Bladecki Susan Goodman Macy Lemmen John Bocek Jo Ann Havens Pauline Nenoff Aspasia Stathopoulos Anna Branoff Bill Haw Fred Oginsky Bill Tadrick Linda Branoff Helen Iwanoff Ron Salhany Wendy Tadrick Mary Ann Brayan Goldie Johnson Peter Samaras Ron Waskerwitz Thomka Brayanis Nick Karayanis Olga Samaras Gloria Zelenko To aid in your outreach, here is a listing of the addresses and phone numbers of our Homebound: Larry Bladecki th Street Bay City, MI Mary Ann Brayan 5230 Warwick Woods Trail Grand Blanc, MI Thomka Brayanis S. Belsay Rd #223B Grand Blanc, MI Nick & Marge Butrie 30 E. Bertsch St. #12 Lansford, PA Gladys Edwards 2 Harbor Dr. St. Clair, MO Goldie Johnson 310 E. Willard Ave Lansing, MI Pete & Olga Samaras 1285 Cleaver Rd. Caro, MI Aspasia Stathopoulos 4064 Sheraton Dr. Flint, MI Gloria Zelenko 5370 E. Baldwin Rd. #520 Grand Blanc, MI 48439

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8 $36.00 Single Space for 6 months Your $50.00 Double Space for 6 months Business $65.00 Triple Space for 6 months Here

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10 AN EVENING WITH The Konevets Quartet A Concert of Traditional Russian Folk & Church Music Friday September 16, :30 pm Hosted by: St. Nicholas Orthodox Church 2143 S. Center Rd. Burton, MI (810) The Konevets Quartet, under the direction of Igor Dmitriev, was founded by graduates of the St. Petersburg Music Conservatory in July 1992 with the goal of sharing the rich Russian vocal tradition with its audiences. The Quartet takes its name from the Konevets Island and Monastery, outside of St. Petersburg. A free-will offering will be collected, a portion of which will benefit the restoration of the Konevets Monastery. CDs will be available for purchase.

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13 September 2016 St. Nicholas Orthodox Church 2143 S. Center Rd. Burton, MI Website: Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Fast Dairy Permitted (no meat) Wine & Oil Permitted (no meat) Fish Permitted (no other meat) No Vespers 4 5 Labor Day 6 Fr. in Toledo 7 Forefeast Nativity of the Theotokos 6 pm Combined Vesperal Divine Liturgy 8 Nativity of the Theotokos pm Vespers Leavetaking Nativity of the Theotokos Fr. in Toledo 13 5:45 pm 100 th Anniversary Meeting 6:30 pm Vesperal St. Mary Magdalene 6:45 pm Parish Council Meeting 14 Elevation of the Cross 10:30 am Nominating Committee Konevets 6:30 pm 17 Jackpot Independence Oaks County Park 5 pm Vespers Book St. George 6-8 pm 20 Communion Calls in Caro and Bay City 21 Leavetaking of the Cross 22 o 23 Conception of St. John the Baptist Fr. in Toled 24 5 pm Vespers 25 1yr Parastas +Sophie Stavridis Church School Fr. in Toledo

14 October 2016 St. Nicholas Orthodox Church 2143 S. Center Rd. Burton, MI Website: Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat All times and dates are tentative 1 5 pm Vespers Communion Calls in Caro and Bay City pm Vespers 9 Church School 10 Fr. in Toledo 11 5:45 pm 100 th Anniversary Meeting 6:45 pm Parish Council Meeting th Anniversary 1pm Anniversary Davison CC 16 Fathers of the 7 th Ecumenical Council Church School 17 Book St. George 6-8 pm pm Vespers 23 Church School Fr. in Toledo pm Vespers 30 Church School 31 Fast Dairy Permitted (no meat) Wine & Oil Permitted (no meat) Fish Permitted (no other meat)