ST. NICHOLAS OF MYRA ORTHODOX CHURCH A PARISH OF THE AMERICAN CARPATHO-RUSSIAN ORTHODOX DIOCESE OF THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE OF CONSTANTINOPLE

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1 O who loves Nicholas the Saintly O who serves Nicholas the Saintly Him will Nicholas receive And give help in time of need Holy Father Nicholas O kto kto Nikolaja l ubit O kto kto Nikolaju služit Tomu svajatyj Nikolaj Na vsjakij čas pomahaj Nikolaj, Nikolaj ST. NICHOLAS OF MYRA ORTHODOX CHURCH A PARISH OF THE AMERICAN CARPATHO-RUSSIAN ORTHODOX DIOCESE OF THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE OF CONSTANTINOPLE 288 E. 10 th Street, New York, NY Divine Liturgy: 10 am Rev. Fr. William Bennett Church Phone #: For Dial-in Service: ten minutes prior to Liturgy call and enter access code # Website: info@stnicholaschurchnyc.org December 25, th Sunday after Pentecost SUNDAY OF THE HOLY FOREFATHERS Epistle Reading: Colossians 3:4-11 Gospel Reading: Luke 14:16-24 Tropar & Kondak: p WELCOME, ALL ST. NICHOLAS FAITHFUL AND ALL VISITORS! PASTORAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Fr. William & Pani Ileana will be out of town from December 29 th until December 31 st, Thursday to Saturday. In the case of any emergencies, please contact Fr. Alexandre by way of the church phone number listed above. PLEASE CONTINUE PRAYERS FOR: Priest John Baranik, Anna Benyo, Walter Bubniak, Ernie Canovas, Maria Ceselka, Tony Ceselka, Priest Vasyl Dovgan, Mary Fackovec, John Geida, Priest James Gleason, Michael Halama, Anna Hubka, Magdalena Ilanovska, Helen Karpiak, Maria Koneval, Betty Kormanik, Priest Elias Kozar, Pani Ann Kozar, Anna Mamrillova, Holly Marchak, Luboš Matlak, Sean Merriam, Deacon Michael Pirich, Rastislav Salon, John Salony, Toni Sikoryak, Anna Strenk, Miroslav Strenk, Miron Timoshuk, Lorraina Vira, Victoria Vislocky, Cathy Walsh, & Mary Zizik. Contact Fr. William to add or remove names: fr.william.bennett@gmail.com HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Mnohaja i Blahaja L'ita! Let us all wish many more happy & blessed years to Charlie Gaydos, Helen Gaydos, Holly Marchak, Caitlin Brozell, Jackie Righetti, Stacey Petricha, & Petrutia Ganfalean! PICK UP YOUR 2017 ENVELOPES in the #2 Hall. Sunday of the Holy Forefathers is celebrated in the Church as the 2 nd Sunday before the Nativity, honoring those who came before the birth of Jesus Christ. They conversed with the Lord and entered into salvation history as they prepared a way for the Son of God to come into the world. God gave His Word to them that He would come down and dwell with His people. For a great many of them, from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to the Kings David and Solomon, Christ would be their direct descendants by blood. We can refer to the genealogies listed in the Gospels of Matthew (1:1-17) & Luke (3:23-38) for the parentage of Jesus Christ. The kondak of the day comes from the Three Youths that were saved in the fiery furnace in Babylon (Ch. 3). This is another celebration done in anticipation of Christ s life, as Christ was revealed in that same fiery furnace. O Holy Forefathers, pray to God for us! NATIVITY FAST: A REMINDER THAT CONFESSIONS ARE AVAILABLE Fr. William will be available for confessions before and after Vespers services on Saturdays, up until a half hour before Liturgy on Sundays, and by appointment throughout the week. Let us begin to shine in spirit once again, being made free of the weight and stain of our own faults! Lord, if you will, you can make me clean. (Luke 5:12)

2 TODAY S ANNOUNCEMENTS For this month, the Children s Sermon will be during the Vigil, at 7pm on FRIDAY, JAN. 6 th. The High School class is rescheduled for SUNDAY, JAN. 8 TH TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE NYE DANCE Jan. 14 th from 7pm 2am. Details are found on the flyer attached to this bulletin. DIY COFFEE HOUR TODAY: There is no formal coffee hour planned today. DESSERTS NEEDED FOR NATIVITY OF CHRIST COFFEE HOUR, Saturday, January 7 th. Please let Helenka Tymus, Kim Busel or Deb Derevjanik if you can bring a sweet treat. Thank you. FOOD PANTRY UPDATE Bob Zizik transported all of the non-perishable items collected in #2 Hall and the donations from those in attendance at the Manhattan Choral Ensemble concerts. The Food Pantry also received our $500 donation for the Christmas Food Distribution program (proceeds from the two concerts). Bob volunteers at the North Rockland Food Pantry and was a part of the Christmas distribution on Dec. 19 th. Over 300 people (95+ families) were served. Thank you to all who made donations and helped so many people. ST. NICHOLAS DAY LUNCHEON Last week, St. Nicholas Church held its annual St. Nicholas Day Celebration. Many thanks to Tanya McAusland and Debbie Derevjanik, who organized and brought the food for the delicious luncheon (with help from Kim, Mike & Janice). Thanks also to Justine Timko for organizing the gifts and Helenka Tymus for spearheading the raffle. FULL SCHEDULE OF SERVICES Week of December 25 th December 31 st SUNDAY, December 25 th Divine Liturgy, 10 AM Wed, December 28 th Daily Matins, 8 AM Fri, December 30 th *No Services Sat, December 31 st *No Liturgy Vespers, 6 PM Week of January 1 st 7 th SUNDAY, January 1 st Divine Liturgy, 10 AM Wed, January 4 th Daily Matins, 8 AM Fri, January 6 th Royal Hours, 9 AM NATIVITY VIGIL, 7 PM Sat, January 7 st Divine Liturgy, 10 AM FEAST OF THE NATIVITY Vespers, 6 PM Week of January 8 th SUNDAY, January 8 TH Divine Liturgy, 10 AM PANACHIDA will be celebrated in memory of +Walter & Diane Madey, offered by their friend Anna Lasley Note from Fr. William: If you would like anyone remembered during the course of the week or would like someone remembered in a memorial service, please see Fr. William or him: fr.william.bennett@gmail.com Jan Kindja visited the grave of +Met. Nicholas as we honor and remember all Nicholas on the Feast of St. Nicholas.

3 COOKIE WALK WRAP-UP by Kim Busel Are you happy? Every year, I laugh. After waiting for me to re-emerge from my cookie coma after a few days, the next inevitable question I am asked is if I am happy with the results of the Cookie Walk. It s not an easy answer. In my head, I start rapidly running down a list of everything that happened (did people like the cookies, was the price increase too much, was the line too long, have I finally come down from all that hot chocolate I drank) and what looms ahead (the reconciliation of the bills, trying to make sense of my life again after putting it on hold). That simple question transports me into evaluative head games about the past and the future, until finally I blurt out something profound like Yes. Defining happiness is an elusive concept. At a very simple level, happiness can refer to the I just ate-the-best-cookie-ever happiness - the immediate kind. There is that instantaneous, satisfying sensory overload of flavors, like from eating the new triple chocolate merlot or the Nutcello cookies. Looking at the gross total ($27,000+) for the CW is that kind of happiness. Likewise, if happiness is supposed to be based on an overall assessment of everything that happened, the fact is that the Cookie Walk is hard work, hours and hours of it that can fray nerves and inflict pain in joints and muscles that haven t seen a gym in years. My feet are still not happy. If happiness has real meaning as a goal, I think it needs to point to something deeper, broader, and more sustaining than a delicious cookie or conversely, by thoroughly examining each task, each hour, each ache and pain. Happiness hits us when we re awestruck. And, I am awestruck. Over the moon. In February, we had a Meeting of the Cookie Walk Minds to try to hammer out how to make improvements to the event and then we watched as decisions made then, coalesced into one amazing weekend. You are a remarkable group of people. I am honored to work beside you each year as we tackle all of the craziness of making an unimaginable amount of cookies, with totals I keep raising. It was 62,500+ this year. I smile every time I think of Natalka and Irena saying that they didn t have a lot of experience making cookies and then helped bake 14,000 in one day. I see John Ceselka, the Renaissance Man, hunched over and piping drizzle on 500 lemon cookies while somehow preparing the most delicious tomato soup for 20 with 2 cans of Campbell s, while rolling out perfect dough squares for pinwheel cookies. And I laugh out loud at the two Andrews (Timko and Koss) in their aprons like they were auditioning for a segment of The Worst Cooks in America but their Rudolph s Red Velvets show they have hidden talent in there. In fact, this was the year of discovering hidden talents and pushing beyond comfort zones. No one said no it was always, let me see if I can, especially with the kids (and their parents). Let s make a reindeer stable; let s sell hot chocolate ornaments; sure, we can make 1,000 krinkle cookies; give me the box of frozen dough, I can fit it into my freezer; I will make time to come help bake this week. I asked Julia Clemente if she could run the printer in the photo booth immediately she said just show me how. I thank each and every one of you for all of your tireless work and for your dedication to making the seemingly impossible, possible We are a team. We work together to make the Cookie Walk an amazing experience for our guests that truly reflects the joy we share as a church family and our faith in God. As I say each year, this is a priceless gift and a blessing bestowed to us from God. Thank you for your kind donations: Wegman s 100 pounds of butter & 30 doz eggs Acme Markets Eastchester 100 pounds of flour and a $50 gift card Shoprite New Jersey Gift card used for crafts Donations in Memory of Ivan Bulik from Jan Kormanik and Justina & Michal Rinkovsky Helen & Alice Biles (Aunt Helen is Pani Ileana s Godmother) - 25 pounds of walnuts Mike & Evelyn Kormanik Cabot Creamery butter and a $100 donation Ed Pilpel (friend of John Busel) $100 + $30 from other work associates Thousands of cookies are baked at home with many thanks to: Patricia Bubniak Lemon Ricotta cookies Iveta & Tiffany Canjura Bear Hugs, Hedgehogs, Snow Pear, Certified Homemade Doreen Clemente Biscotti & Meringue Christmas Trees Anna Gajdos specialty chocolates & pretzels Helen Gajdos decorated cookies Beverage Bar Justine & John Gidicsin Holiday Magic Bars Mary & Amanda Krupp Kris Krinkle cookies Tanya McAusland Ghirardelli Shortbread Justina Ryan Nutella Surprises Merka Stack St. Nicholas Apricot Squares Justine Timko all of the Vegan and GF cookies Helenka Tymus Spritz, Cinnamon Twists, Belly Buttons, Bark Hearts Ann Vislocky Oatmeal Raisin Bob Zizik Uncle Bobby s Chocolate Chippers

4 CW 2016 ON SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE NEWS Why this East Village church is baking over 50,000 holiday cookies FROM FACEBOOK: James Edmund writes: From Saturday: Annual cookie walk at St. Nicholas of Myra Orthodox Church in the East Village. Buy a box, you get to fill it. No sampling! Must be able to close box! (Ed. Comment the signs worked!) Dennis Cudworth writes: Cookie Walk - St Nicholas Church - East Village NYC I changed my mind and ended up adding the cookie walk to my East Village Itinerary today. I am so glad I did. It is cookie heaven. This year I went for the $15 box, next year I will do the $35 box. At 11.45am there was a line up the block to even get inside. Now there's a line for everything in this town. I'll try again later but may have to pass on this lovely event this year if the crowds continue. Good for them though. 3:00 pm - Success shortly after 3pm! No lines to all the cookie deliciousness. December 11, 2016 Attended their cookie walk and my family and I had a great time. It was a well organized, well thought out and tasty event. Definitely plan to go back. Marie D Arroyo Facebook Thank u for a wonderfully charming, extremely well presented holiday event to which I could take my children locally. Not only were the cookies amazing, the value incomparable, but on the heels of Santacon when, just running errands around town by day, my babies got to experience the joys of seeing Santa curse, vomit, stagger, etc, it as magical that they got to meet the real Santa in your basement. (Their declaration, not mine.). He was spot on and my kids will surely dream of sugar plums tonight. Thank you so much for putting together such an amazing holiday afternoon. - Jenny Mayer PS - Next year, sell the red shirts!! INSTAGRAM - #COOKIEWALKNYC Gojira said... BLOG EV GRIEVE Got there before it opened, and found a line of about 20 people - apparently New York magazine mentioned it, so there were a lot of new faces that had no idea what to expect, and the lines to get in, buy boxes, and get cookies continued to grow the entire time I was there. They've given a lot more floor space to stuff like photo booths and tchotchkes, so the cookie section feels sort of cramped, not expansive and airy the way it used to, but [darn], those little discs of flour, butter and sugar are still the best around, and the church people that work the floor in their cute red t-shirts are very sweet, so I'm happy to support them and purchase 18,954 calories that I really don't need while doing so. NASH FM 94.7@NASHFM947NY Dec 10 The 8th Annual Taste of Christmas Cookie Walk is happening today til 4 and tom. from noon-3 in the East Village. Yummy! #christmascookies TWITTER NYC Foodscape Cookie Walk! #stnicholasofmyranyc #christmas #cookies #holidays #santa I'm glad I have no idea how many zillion calories are in the box I bought, but I do believe that all that yummy baking will show up directly on my personal bottom line very soon!

5 COOKIE WALK PREP WEEK SUNDAY - A fun day of rolling, baking, unpacking, putting up decorations and setting up each area (and trying on a few trinkets from Tinseltown). Everyone is busy getting ready for the week ahead!

6 MONDAY is mice day. Over 600 of them this year. It is tedious work, for sure. TUESDAY THURSDAY are baking days. This year, we had 42 cookie doughs to bake plus made six more kinds for a total of 39,000+ cookies baked in those three days. It took three shifts of people to accomplish this feat. Thanks to all who gave so much time! 14,200 cookies baked in one day a new record! 200 baked at 11pm by request of Lorraine. She came to bake cookies and we did! Why do Bogdan and John have such big smiles? There is a new baking crew in town John, Fr. William and Peter another baking shift!

7 Controlled Chaos: At any point in time, we had as many as eight different cookies going in eight different directions. The finishing team had their hands full of sea salt sprinkles, coconut, chocolate, drizzle FRIDAY is the get-it-all-done day and with it is the big job of plating all of the cookies. Bob, Rich and Ann are the experts!

8 COOKIE WALK 2016 The day started with an inspirational prayer by Fr. William Baby it was cold outside hot chocolate & other goodies were very popular The line of people did not let up on Saturday and stayed busy Sunday, too! The photo booth was the fun place to be and Santa was the star attraction!

9 The main floor was bustling with activity especially at the Reindeer Stable!

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11 BEHIND THE SCENES Did you know that there was another Cookie Walk going on in #2 Hall? We had over $4,000 in preorders this year. And, here is a look behind the curtain where the cookie magic happens. And speaking of magic, thank the team of bakers who seemed to pull cookies out of a black hat! Thanks to all the unseen warriors!

12 I m dreaming of a white Christmas... Don t tell Robert that I used his hammer for candy canes Cute slippers or are the bells a clever early warning system to give people time to eat more cookies? Packing is the best job One for the box, two for me! Last year, I put coconut on a million hedgehogs. Now, a million sprinkles on all these marshmallows. Just keep smiling LET ME OUT OF THIS MADNESS I will now explain the baking schedule in the form of an interpretive dance

13 With thanks to the friends who come to help the first year and then return the next year to help even more!

14 DEC FEB No formal coffee hour planned - DIY JAN Daily 8am Daily 8am *Shaded areas indicate days of fasting SUN MON TUES WED THUR FRI SAT *No Services *No Liturgy No formal coffee hour planned - DIY 8 (Fast-Free Week) DIY/Pot Luck Coffee hour 15 DIY/Pot Luck Coffee hour 22 Board of Trustees Meeting Team Black & White Royal 9am Nativity Eve 7pm 6pm 7 NATIVITY Divine 10am 6pm FEAST OF THE CIRCUMCISION OF OUR LORD Divine 10am Theophany Eve 7pm 19 THEOPHANY Divine 10am 20 The Blessing of Homes Begins! FEB Happy New Year! Team BQE 5 Annual Parish Mtg. The A Team TRZASKA FUNERAL HOME, INC. ALEXANDER MARCHAK, JR. Licensed Funeral Director & Owner Services available whenever and wherever needed th St (Corner of 13 th Ave), BROOKLYN, N.Y Family Owned & Operated since 1924 Large Parking Area

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