Divine Liturgy Schedule Feb 26 MARCH 5, 2017 SUNDAY OF CHEESEFARE OR FORGIVENESS

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1 SUNDAY OF CHEESEFARE OR FORGIVENESS Welcome to St. Nicholas of Myra Byzantine Catholic Church. We invite you to join us for coffee hour, which is held in the fellowship hall, immediately after the Divine Liturgy. We ask that you introduce yourself to our Pastor or Deacon, who would be happy to answer your questions. Please visit our Mission in Wasilla. Blessed Theodore Romzha (Bishop and Martyr murdered by Communists in 1947, whose feast day is October 31st). We meet on Sunday afternoons at 4 p.m. Blessed Romzha mission is an outreach to the Mat-Su Valley and we are delighted to welcome all who choose to attend our Divine Liturgy at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church. Please see the address on back of this bulletin. Divine Liturgy Schedule Feb 26 MARCH 5, 2017 SUNDAY OF CHEESEFARE OR FORGIVENESS Sat 2/25 5:00 pm Royce Drake ( The Drake family) Sun 2/26 10:00 am St. Nicholas Parish Family ( Ted and Mary Pat Heller ) 4:00 pm Living and Deceased Members of Parish Mission in Wasilla Mon 2/27 5:30 pm Liturgy Pre-Sanctified Snizhana Kurta (Sidun Family) Tues 2/28 No Service Wed 3/1 5:30 pm Liturgy Pre-Sanctified Bruce Heller ( Fr. Michael) Thur 3/2 No Service Fri 3/3 5:30 pm Liturgy Pre-Sanctified Tereza Sidun ( Family Sidun) 1st SUNDAY OF THE GREAT FAST Sat 3/4 5:00 pm Christina Drake ( Fr. Michael) Sun 3/5 10:00 am Ted and Mary Pat Heller ( Fr. Michael) 4:00 pm Living and Deceased Members of Parish Mission in Wasilla TONE 1 Readings: Jn. 1:43-51, Heb 11: :2 Metropolitan Cantor Institute Bible Study with Dean Mandrell Sunday 8:15am and in Wasilla 2:30 pm. 7 DAY CANDLE INTENTIONS (Please Use Envelopes*) EUCHARIST LIGHT: Kurta family THEOTOKOS : MARTA SIDUN CZESTOCHOWA: Tereza Sidun *7 DAY Candle intentions may be requested by filling out an envelope at the entrance. Donation is $10.00 Happy Birthdays in March! Happy March Birthdays! 3/2/Bruce Heller; 3/2/Timothy Bramer; 3/3/Christina Drake; 3/4/Teresa Sidun; 3/6/Theodore Heller; 3/7/Patrick Davidson; 3/10/Kathrin Anna Niglio; 3/18/Daniel Reitzig; 3/18/Dorothy Savok; 3/19/Alice Lambertsen; 3/22/Christian Kowalke; 3/23/Teresa Trombley; 3/25/Eleanor Hostman; 3/26/Dustin Lambertsen; 3/30/Michael Truso; 3/31/Ayden Bond Trombley. May God grant them many blessed years!

2 2017 BISHOP S APPEAL This week, registered parishioners of the st. Nicholas Church should have received information in the mail from the Bishop s Office about the 2017 Bishop s Appeal. Bishop John is asking us to pledge toward these ten categories: *Seminarian & Clergy Education *Vocations & Youth Ministry *Missionary Outreach *Priest Pension & Disability *Communication & Media Development *Evangelization & Pro-Life *Religious Education & Safe Environment Programs *Facilities Renovation *Support Staff Development Reserve Funds The requested individual annual gift to the Appeal for 2017 is $ Please pray and consider how you might contribute to assist in the work of the Eparchy. Let us make a sincere effort to support this year s Appeal to the best of your financial ability, but please support it! Our parish goal is $4,125 The Prayer of St. Ephrem Lord and Master of my life, spare me from the spirit of indifference, despair, lust for power, and idle chatter. Instead, bestow on me, your servant, the spirit of integrity, humility, patience, and love. Yes, O Lord and King, let me see my own sins and not judge my brothers and sisters; for you are blessed forever and ever. Amen. *Thank you: to H.Lotton, A.McCarron, D.Savok for hosting last week s coffee social. Sunday of February 26 th. Please bring yummy dairy products (cheese, ice cream, etc) to share after the service. We appreciate everyone`s hospitality. UPCOMING EVENTS February 27: First Day of the Great Fast: Day of Strict Fast and Abstinence March 11: Second All Souls Saturday

3 St. Nicholas of Myra Byzantine Catholic Church 2200 Arctic Blvd., Anchorage AK, Tel: Webpage: Pastor: Rev. Father Michael Sidun Deacon: Joseph Kaiser Divine Liturgy Schedule Weekday Divine Liturgy: 5:30pm Saturday Divine Liturgy: 5:00 pm Sunday Divine Praises: 9:40 am Divine Liturgy: 10:00 am Holy Mystery of Confession: 20 minutes before every Divine Liturgy and upon request Blessed Theodore Romzha Byzantine Catholic Mission Sacred Heart Church, 1201 Bogard Road in Wasilla Tel: Holy Mystery of Confession: Sundays After Liturgies Divine Liturgy: 4:00 pm Our Parish and Mission are in Communion with the Pope of Rome and the Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix

4 Today: Sunday of Forgiveness This Sunday is in our Liturgical calendar the last Sunday before the beginning of the Great Fast and is called Cheesefare Sunday. This Sunday is also called Forgiveness Sunday from the pious Eastern Christian custom of asking each other s forgiveness for discourtesy and disrespect before we begin together our journey through the Great Fast-Lent. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, as a parish family we will celebrate this ancient Rite of Forgiveness during which we will ask each other for forgiveness The Prayer of St. Ephrem Lord and Master of my life, spare me from the spirit of indifference, despair, lust for power, and idle chatter. (Prostration) Instead, bestow on me, your servant, the spirit of integrity, humility, patience, and love. (Prostration) Yes, O Lord and King, let me see my own sins and not judge my brothers and sisters; for you are blessed forever and ever. Amen. (Prostration) THE FEAR FACTOR AND CONFESSION There are some people who fear Confession. But why? The priest is merely a witness, the Lord forgives the sins. It is He who commands the priest to give absolution to the person who confesses. It is the Lord who is merciful. He is just waiting for a person to confess his sins, and as soon as he does, the Lord immediately forgives him. What is there to fear from such a Lord? From the Counsels of St. Theophan the Recluse Jesus Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have mercy on me, a sinner

5 Forgiveness Sunday Forgiveness Sunday: The Sunday of Forgiveness is also known as Cheesefare Sunday. This is the last day that dairy products can be eaten before the Lenten fast. The full fast begins the following day on Clean Monday, the first day of Great Lent. If you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you (vv ). The triumph of sin, the main sign of its rule over the world, is division, opposition, separation, hatred. Therefore, the first break through this fortress of sin is forgiveness the return to unity, solidarity, love. To forgive is to put between me and my enemy the radiant forgiveness of God Himself. To forgive is to reject the hopeless dead-ends of human relations and to refer them to Christ. Forgiveness is truly a breakthrough of the Kingdom into this sinful and fallen world. We seek forgiveness from God and forgiveness from our brothers and sisters in Christ. Traditionally, on the evening of the Sunday of Forgiveness the Church conducts the first service of Great Lent, the Vespers of Forgiveness. This is the first time that the Lenten prayer of St. Ephraim accompanied by prostrations is read. At the end of the service all the faithful approach the priest and one another asking for mutual forgiveness. After our coffee social we at St Nicholas will experience this profound and wonder filled service on Sunday of February 26 th. Please bring yummy dairy products (cheese, ice cream, etc) to share after the service.

6 A certain Christian man went to consult Abba Silouan. "I have a deadly enemy, Father," he confessed. "The evils which he has brought upon me are innumerable. A short time ago he gained a large piece of my land by deceit. He slanders me wherever he is and he speaks ill of both me and my family. He has made my life unbearable. Now, finally, he is even plotting to take my life. A few days ago, I learned that he attempted to poison me. But he is not getting away with anything else. I have decided to hand him over to the law." "Do as you like," Abba Silouan told him with indifference. "Do you not think, Father, that when he is punished, and especially severely, as he should be, his soul will be saved?" asked the man, who was now beginning to show concern for the welfare of his enemy's soul. "Do whatever gives you peace," the Saint continued to say, with the same air. "I am going straight to the judge, then," the Christian said, getting up to leave. "Do not hurry off so," the Saint told him calmly. "Let us first pray for God to bring success on your action." He began the Our Father.' "And do not forgive us our trespasses, as we do not forgive those who trespass against us," he heard the Saint saying in a loud voice, as if making an error in this verse. "You made an error, Abba. The Lord's Prayer is not said that way," the Christian hastened to correct him. "Nevertheless, that is the way it is," the elder answered in all of his impassivity. "Inasmuch as you have decided to hand over your brother to the court, Silouan is offering no other prayer."

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