St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church

Transcription

1 St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church Sunday May 27, 2018 Holy Pentecost Epistle: Acts of the Apostles 2:1-11 Gospel: John 7:37-52; 8:12 Weekly Schedule of Services/Events Sunday, May 27 Pentecost Epistle: Jenna Greenhill 9:00AM Divine Liturgy 1:00PM Grave Blessings FAST FREE WEEK Monday, May 28 9:00AM Divine Liturgy Tuesday, May 29 12:00PM St. John's Seniors Thursday, May 31 9:00AM + by Thomas Polascik Saturday, June 2 9:00AM 40th Day Peter Cipkala by MM Stefan Hudak Sunday, June 3 Epistle: Gregory Morrison 9:00AM Divine Liturgy 11:00AM Scholastic Breakfast For as thirsty men, when they have taken a bowl, eagerly drain it and then desist, so too they who hear the divine oracles if they receive them thirsting, will never be weary until they have drunk them up. For to show that men ought ever to thirst and hunger, "Blessed," It said, "are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness" (Matt.5:6) St. John Chrysostom Homily 51 on John 7, 4th Century Service Schedule Divine Liturgy 9am Weekday Eve Service 7pm General Information Street Address: 384 Mill Hill Ave., Bridgeport, CT Mailing Address 40 Beaver Dam Road Stratford, CT Contact Information Fr. David Cochran H: C: pauldcochran@gmail.com Carol Feduik, President carolcfeduik@yahoo.com John Galpin, Choir Dir. choir@stjohnsmillhill.com Diocesan Resources Diocesan Website: Camp Nazareth: Facebook: acroddiocese Twitter: You Tube: acroddiocese

2 Weekly Announcements MEMORIAL DAY: Please remember those who have given their lives in defense and in service to our country this Memorial Day. Many thanks to our Veterans who presented colors today and to Dennis Kaputa for playing taps. SCHOLASTIC BREAKFAST: Our Annual Scholastic Breakfast will take place next Sunday. The cost is $6 for adults and children free of charge. In addition, we will be doing something a little different this year. All High School and College graduates will be honored at the end of Divine Liturgy next Sunday. If possible, they are asked to wear their cap and gown for the recognition. If you have a graduate in your family, you are pleased asked to contact Lynne Goetz or Chrissy Adzima as soon as possible so that they can be included in the recognition. YOUNG WOMENS RETREAT: Information about this year s Young Women s Retreat is in the topic. If anyone is interested, please see Fr. David ALTAR BOY RETREAT: This year s Altar Boy Retreat will take place July 1-4. Registration information will be available next week. LAST PIROHI SALE FOR SUMMER: June 15th will be our last pirohi sale until September. Please be sure to order enough to get you through the summer!! Holy Pentecost After the Saviour's Ascension into the Heavens, the eleven Apostles and the rest of His disciples, the God-loving women who followed after Him from the beginning, His Mother, the most holy Virgin Mary, and His brethren-all together about 120 souls returned from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem. Entering into the house where they gathered, they went into the upper room, and there they persevered in prayer and supplication, awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit, as their Divine Teacher had promised them. In the meanwhile, they chose Matthias, who was elected to take the place of Judas among the Apostles. Thus, on this day, the seventh Sunday of Pascha, the tenth day after the Ascension and the fiftieth day after Pascha, at the third hour of the day from the rising of the sun, there suddenly came a sound from Heaven, as when a mighty wind blows, and it filled the whole house where the Apostles and the rest with them were gathered. Immediately after the sound, there appeared tongues of fire that divided and rested upon the head of each one. Filled with the Spirit, all those present began speaking not in their native tongue, but in other tongues and dialects, as the Holy Spirit instructed them. The multitudes that had come together from various places for the feast, most of whom were Jews by race and religion, were called Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and so forth,

3 according to the places where they dwelt. Though they spoke many different tongues, they were present in Jerusalem by divine dispensation. When they heard that sound that came down from Heaven to the place where the disciples of Christ were gathered, all ran together to learn what had taken place. But they were confounded when they came and heard the Apostles speaking in their own tongues. Marvelling at this, they said one to another, "Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?" But others, because of their foolishness and excess of evil, mocked the wonder and said that the Apostles were drunken. Then Peter stood up with the eleven, and raising his voice, spoke to all the people, proving that that which had taken place was not drunkenness, but the fulfilment of God's promise that had been spoken by the Prophet Joel: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that I shall pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy" (Joel 2:28), and he preached Jesus of Nazareth unto them, proving in many ways that He is Christ the Lord, Whom the Jews crucified but God raised from the dead. On hearing Peter's teaching, many were smitten with compunction and received the word. Thus, they were baptized, and on that day about three thousand souls were added to the Faith of Christ. Such, therefore, are the reasons for today's feast: the coming of the All-holy Spirit into the world, the completion of the Lord Jesus Christ's promise, and the fulfilment of the hope of the sacred disciples, which we celebrate today. This is the final feast of the great mystery and dispensation of God's incarnation. On this last, and great, and saving day of Pentecost, the Apostles of the Saviour, who were unlearned fishermen, made wise now of a sudden by the Holy Spirit, clearly and with divine authority spoke the heavenly doctrines. They became heralds of the truth and teachers of the whole world. On this day they were ordained and began their apostleship, of which the salvation of those three thousand souls in one day was the comely and marvellous first fruit. Some erroneously hold that Pentecost is the "birthday of the Church." But this is not true, for the teaching of the holy Fathers is that the Church existed before all other things. In the second vision of The Shepherd of Hermas we read: "Now brethren, a revelation was made unto me in my sleep by a youth of exceeding fair form, who said to me, 'Whom thinkest thou the aged woman, from whom thou receivedst the book, to be?' I say, 'The Sibyl.' 'Thou art wrong,' saith he, 'she is not.' 'Who then is she?' I say. 'The Church,' saith he. I said unto him, 'Wherefore then is she aged?' 'Because,' saith he, 'she was created before all things; therefore is she aged, and for her sake the world was framed."' Saint Gregory the Theologian also speaks of "the Church of Christ... both before Christ and after Christ" (PG 35:1108-9). Saint Epiphanius of Cyprus writes, "The Catholic Church, which exists from the ages, is revealed most clearly in the incarnate advent of Christ" (PG 42:640). Saint John Damascene observes, "The Holy Catholic Church of God, therefore, is the assembly of the holy Fathers, Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Evangelists, and Martyrs who have been from the very beginning, to whom were added all the nations who believed with one accord" (PG 96, 1357c). According to

4 Saint Gregory the Theologian, "The Prophets established the Church, the Apostles conjoined it, and the Evangelists set it in order" (PG 35, 589 A). The Church existed from the creation of the Angels, for the Angels came into existence before the creation of the world, and they have always been members of the Church. Saint Clement, Bishop of Rome, says in his second epistle to the Corinthians, the Church "was created before the sun and moon"; and a little further on, "The Church existeth not now for the first time, but hath been from the beginning" (II Cor. 14). That which came to pass at Pentecost, then, was the ordination of the Apostles, the commencement of the apostolic preaching to the nations, and the inauguration of the priesthood of the new Israel. Saint Cyril of Alexandria says that "Our Lord Jesus Christ herein ordained the instructors and teachers of the world and the stewards of His divine Mysteries... showing together with the dignity of Apostleship, the incomparable glory of the authority given them... Revealing them to be splendid with the great dignity of the Apostleship and showing them forth as both stewards and priests of the divine altars... they became fit to initiate others through the enlightening guidance of the Holy Spirit" (PG 74, ). Saint Gregory Palamas says, "Now, therefore... the Holy Spirit descended... showing the Disciples to be supernal luminaries... and the distributed grace of the Divine Spirit came through the ordination of the Apostles upon their successors" (Homily 24, 10). And Saint Sophronius, Bishop of Jerusalem, writes, "After the visitation of the Comforter, the Apostles became high priests" (PG 87, 3981B). Therefore, together with the baptism of the Holy Spirit which came upon them who were present in the upper chamber, which the Lord had foretold as recorded in the Acts, "ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence" (Acts 1:5), the Apostles were also appointed and raised to the high priestly rank, according to Saint John Chrysostom (PG 60, 21). On this day commenced the celebration of the Holy Eucharist by which we become "partakers of the Divine Nature" (II Peter 1:4). For before Pentecost, it is said of the Apostles and disciples only that they abode in "prayer and supplication" (Acts 1:14); it is only after the coming of the Holy Spirit that they persevered in the "breaking of bread,"that is, the communion of the Holy Mysteries- "and in prayer" (Acts 2:42). The feast of holy Pentecost, therefore, determined the beginning of the priesthood of grace, not the beginning of the Church. Henceforth, the Apostles proclaimed the good tidings "in country and town," preaching and baptizing and appointing shepherds, imparting the priesthood to them whom they judged were worthy to minister, as Saint Clement writes in his first Epistle to the Corinthians (I Cor. 42). All foods allowed during the week following Pentecost.

5 Scripture Readings for Sunday Epistle Reading The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 2:1-11 WHEN THE DAY of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. And they were amazed and wondered, saying, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontos and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God." Gospel Reading The Reading is from John 5:1-15 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, "If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, 'Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.'" Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. When they heard these words, some of the people said, "This is really the prophet." Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?" So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. The officers then went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why did you not bring him?" The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this man!" The Pharisees answered them, "Are you led astray, you also? Have any of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, who do not know the

6 law, are accursed." Nikodemos, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, "Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?" They replied, "Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee." Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." Heavenly Father On this Memorial Day, we pray for those who courageously laid down their lives for the cause of freedom. May the example of their sacrifice inspire in us the selfless love of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Bless the families of our fallen troops, and fill their homes and their lives with your strength and peace. Amen.

7 May Memorial Service - June 9th 9am Parents: Nicholas, Anastasia; Sisters: Mildred, Mary Ann and Elizabeth; Uncle: Wasil by the Vrona Family Anna, George, Henry, Anne, Scott, Alex, Julia, Susan, John, Stephen, Pete, Pete by the Borodach family Edward and Martha by the Bizub family Peter and Hermina by M&M James Wheeler Family Rudolph by Mrs. Margaret Plavnicky William by Stephen Pollock George and Susie by the Polascik family Stephen and Marie by Stephen & Marcia Thrush Andrew Bobko by Mrs. Helen Bobko Michael and Maria by Mary Pjura Susan and John; John, Julia, John; Mildred by John Sepelak Kollar Family by Laura Bashar Peter Kasper Sr., Maria Sivecs Kasper, Peter Kasper Jr., John Kasper by Robert P. Kasper Parish Announcements Lucky 52 Winners: May: 5/6 Ann Louis #13 5/13 Don Semanchik #19 5/20 David Skirkanich #26 5/27 Holly Mesavage #15 Rescue Mission Volunteers: June 10 : Cathy, Cindy, PJ, David School Supplies: As you are shopping, please remember to pick up some school supplies! The R Club will be collecting school supplies throughout the year. Please bring in any supplies that will help children succeed in school. We will be setting up kits next June to send to the IOCC. Supplies needed: pencils, crayons, markers, spiral notebooks, rulers, pens, etc. this is the time of year that these things are on sale.

8 Birthdays and Anniversaries Happy June Birthday to: Stormey Ford 3 Pam Duranko 4 Peter Adzima 5 Tahilya Mesavage 7 Billy Lesko 10 Father John Duranko 11 Gail Pekata 11 Shannon Adzima 13 Colleen Dobosz 16 Alix Semanchik 19 Max Mudre 20 John Kopchik 20 Karen Fuller 22 Irene Telep 23 Anthony Cavaliere 24 Lisa Maxwell 24 Ryan Scinto 27 Christopher Greenhill 30 May God grant you many more years! Please Alix your birthday or anniversary!!! amsdrs@optonline.net Scholastic Breakfast GRADUATE SUNDAY and our annual SCHOLASTIC BREAKFAST Sunday, June 3 following Divine Liturgy Please join us next Sunday for our annual Scholastic Breakfast where we will honor our Church School children for all their hard work this year as well as award scholarships to the winners of the Senior R Club/ William T Soltis memorial scholarship program. The cost is $6.00 for adults with children free. Please get you tickets downstairs today! In addition, we will be starting something new by honoring all high school and college graduates in Church at the end of Divine Liturgy. All graduates are asked to wear their cap and gown for the recognition if possible. If you have a graduate in your family, please contact Lynne Goetz or Chrissy Adzima so that they can be included.

9 Parish Prayer List Please prayer for parish family and friends Laurie Ann Jim Bill Susan Nancy Mary Ann Arleen Nicholas Janice Helen John Kevin Tom Leslie Reenie Rebecca Bryre David Debby Nicholas Breanna Sophie Anne Sean Sharon Alexander Noreen Luke Taitu Fr. Stephen David Elizabeth Pappa Kristen John John O Meara Family Edward Deborah Juliana Dallas Terry Kelly Dorothy Lavia Amanda Shaun Michael Layla Mary Glenn Lilly Trevor Linda Helen Helen Helen Justin Diane John Rebecca Paul Colleen Lona Gary Maggie Ludmila Joseph Denise Laura Elena Ken Carl Larissa Irene William Cathy Paul John Irene Angie Janet Lillian Bill Susan Renee Jodie Melissa Shelly Bruce Joe Scott Luann Sandy Dan Janet Bill Janet Carolyn Gary Lauren Rebecca Mary Sarah Craig Roger Lorraine Ellen Bernadette Mary Jane Korie Ronald Thomas Laura Larissa

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13 Donations Monthly Pirohi Sale - June 15, 2018 Name Phone How many dz. Potato? How many dz. Cabbage How many dz. Prune To place orders: Leave this form in the Church Office; Call Church office and leave message:(203) ; Call Carol Feduik (203) or carolcfeduik@yahoo.com. Orders must be placed Sunday prior to sale. Liberation Project As you are aware, we have been making sack lunched for Liberation Programs once a month. Funds are needed to continue this project. Please consider making a donation to help offset the cost of making the lunched. Each lunch costs about $1 and we prepare 150+ each month. Your generosity will go a long way in helping the Church in its outreach efforts. God bless you.

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16 On Stewardship - Part 86 - Every One s in Debt Owe no one anything, except to love one another. (Romans 13:8 RSV) How many have never learned the lesson of keeping expenditures within the limit of their income? So many do not learn to adapt themselves to their circumstances. They borrow and borrow again and again. They become overwhelmed with debt. And the result? So often they become discouraged and disheartened. Sometimes such discouragement leads to get-richquick schemes like lottery or gambling, all of which cost even more money with the debt circle then widening and widening. Some even resort to illegal or criminal ways to get rich. Here s a few garnered from the internet: Advanced Fee Scams, Inheritance Scam, Lottery Scam, money laundering, money mule, Mystery Shopper, Red Cell, Romance Scam, Secret Shopper and the list goes on and on. This world makes it even easier to be in debt. Credit card debt is at the top of the list of ways to accumulate debt. Use of a credit card is simply borrowing money at a (usually) outrageous interest rate. One might get an auto loan of a few percentage points; but a credit card loan is usually 9% to upwards of 20%. Such loans can build up very quickly. Today there are actual companies whose mission is to help people get out of debt and of course you have to pay them to help you. Now, let s see. You can pay them through installments or you can put it on your credit card And here we go again. Paying off personal debt usually gets to be a priority when it comes to budgeting income. The cause of God is usually not remembered. Paying off that debt is vitally important these days because we are also duped into thinking that our credit score is a description of who we are: the better the score, the better the person. And when it comes to spending, despite the debt we still must have our amusements, entertainments and good food. What does God s cause get in the end? Leftovers that is if there is anything left. In the thirteenth chapter of his letter to the Romans, St. Paul talks about the relationship a Christian has with government. Government is a tool that God uses to keep order in the world. Thus taxes are imposed to pay the costs of keeping such order. In the 7 th verse of that chapter, he writes: Pay all of them their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due. But the key comes in the next verse: Owe no one anything, except to love one another. (to be continued) This weekly series of brief thoughts on stewardship and Orthodox life is brought to you by your Diocesan Stewardship Commission.

17 The Tenth Annual Charles Gullotta-William Soltis Memorial 9 Hole Golf Tourney Tournament to honor the memory of Charles Gullotta and William (Uncle Bill) Soltis, two men who contributed greatly to our Church. All proceeds from the tournament will go to programs sponsored by St John s The tournament will be a nine hole, scramble format Highland Golf Club Shelton, CT Saturday, June 2, 2018 Tee times start at 2:00 Cost of $80 per golfer Hamburger and Hot Dog Cook out to follow immediately at the conclusion of golf For more information or to register, please contact: Greg Dobosz at Please make your check out to St John s Senior R Club and return them to 360 Ashwood Terrace Stratford, CT Deadline to enter is Friday, May 25, 2017

18 Charles Gullotta / William Soltis Golf Tourney Registration Form The following people intend to participate in the Charles Gullotta / Bill Soltis Memorial Golf Tournament sponsored by the St. John s Senior R Club. The tournament will be held at Highland Golf Club on Saturday, June 2, Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Groups of less than four will be accepted and will be paired with others to fill out a foursome. The cost of the tournament will be $80 per player. All proceeds will go to benefit programs at St. John s. Hole Sponsors Hole Sponsorship for the tourney will be sold for $ If any individual and/or business would like to participate, please fill out the form below. Name to appear on the sign Contact person Phone number

19 Daily Scripture Readings for June 2018 Prayer before Reading Scripture Illumine our hearts, O Master Who lovest mankind, with the pure light of Thy divine knowledge. Open the eyes of our mind to the understanding of Thy gospel teachings. Implant also in us the fear of Thy blessed commandments, that trampling down all carnal desires, we may enter upon a spiritual manner of living, both thinking and doing such things as are well-pleasing unto Thee. For Thou art the illumination of our souls and bodies, O Christ our God, and unto Thee we ascribe glory, together with Thy Father, Who is from everlasting, and Thine all-holy, good, and lifecreating Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. 1.Proverbs Proverbs Proverbs Proverbs Proverbs Proverbs Proverbs Proverbs Proverbs Ecclesiastes Ecclesiastes Ecclesiastes Ecclesiastes Songs Songs Kings Kings Kings Kings Kings Kings Kings Kings Kings Kings 11-14: Joel Kings 14:21-25 & Jonah Kings 14:26-29 & Amos Amos 7-9 Memory Verse Thy testimonies are my delight, they are my counselors - Psalm 119:24 * Reading plan courtesy of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese

20 St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church Sunday Divine Liturgy 9am Holy Day Divine Liturgy 9am Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 27 PENTECOST Divine Liturgy 9am Kneeling Prayers Epistle: J. Greenhill Grave Blessings 1pm 3 All Saints Divine Liturgy 9am Epistle: G. Morrison Scholastic Breakfast 10 Divine Liturgy 9am Epistle: J Morrison EP Jankowski Family Rescue Mission 17 Father s Day Divine Liturgy 9am Epistle: L Gerety EP Galpin Family 24 Divine Liturgy 9am Epistle: H. McKane Liberation Project 28 Holy Spirit Day Liturgy 9am 4 Choir 7pm Apostles Fast Begins 11 Prospect House 18 Choir 7pm 25 Liberation Project 7am 29 St. John s Seniors 5 + Michael Kudravy 9am St. John s Seniors 12 St. John s Seniors 19 St. John s Seniors 26 St. John s Seniors June EL by Thomas Polascik 9am ********** Fast Free Week ************ 6 7 Board Meeting 7pm Pirohi 9am Officer s Meeting 7pm th Day Peter Cipkala 9am R Club Golf Tournament 8 9 Monthly Memorial and Confessions 9am Broadbridge BBQ and Trivia Nite 15 Pirohi 9am EL & AL Divine Liturgy 9am Evening Services 7pm St. Dimitri Food Fest 16 Silver Lane Food and Book Sale