SS PETER AND PAUL CHURCH 401 Hamilton St Syracuse NY ?STHE ENLIGHTENER

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1 SS PETER AND PAUL CHURCH 401 Hamilton St Syracuse NY 13204?STHE ENLIGHTENER AMERICA I^^y Vol 40 No 7 Learn the Word Dear Faithful, The summer is upon us! A time for a little respite, relaxation, and vacations - a lovely time of the year. For this, we need to be ever grateful to Almighty God for His Blessings and express it many times a day. These blessings include living in the greatest country in the world, a country founded by immigrants who fled their homelands because of oppression by their government or to pursue religious freedom. They came here with the hope of a better life where they were free to worship, free to live without oppression, for a place where they could strive to live in peace and harmony with everyone. Love the Word Our freedom has been secured for us by the many fine young men and women who have (or are) serving in our armed forces to preserve this ideal. Countless are those who have given their lives in service to us so that everyone now and in the future would have the opportunity to fulfill the pursuit of life liberty and happiness, without the fear of oppression. This is what we celebrate on the 4*^ of July. It is not just an opportunity for a party. It is a time to reflect on the core values of this country which are set forth in the Constitution. Moreover, it is a time to thank God for blessing the founding fathers with the wisdom to formulate a checks and balances system between the Judiciary, Legislative and Executive branches of our government. These public servants, who give their service to the country through these institutions, must be selected because of their moral integrity. This should preclude anyone from diabolically attacking our institutions in an attempt to undermine them for personal agenda. The wisdom of our founding fathers came from their personal life experiences. They were oppressed under monarchs, dictators and authoritative leaders. Their belief in the instructions and beliefs found in the "Good Book" led them to desire a better way. They understood that every man, woman, and child is created equal and deserves the same respect because they are created in the image and likeness of God. Let us all pray for this understanding of the Christian life. Read the letter on the next page that our Metropolitan wrote to the President about family values. And let us remember these words of Christ:" / was a stranger and you did not welcome Me'\t us grow in our faith so that we "who have ears to hear, will hear the Word of God" and live it!

2 Metropolitan Tikhon, Primate The President The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC Dear Mr. President, I write to you asking compassion for the children and their parents now being separated and confined in detention centers as a result of the Administration's zero tolerance policy. On behalf of these children some of them infants and toddlers and together with all the bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, I ask that you reconsider this policy and allow families to be kept together while the immigration courts are considering their cases. This past January you proved to be a champion of life when, addressing those gathered in Washington D.C. to proclaim the sanctity of life, you offered the following words: "Under my administration, we will always defend the very first right in the Declaration of Independence, and that is the right to life." As Christians we are called to defend all life, be it the life of a fetus in the womb, the life of a child at the border, or the life of a mother fleeing violence and seeking a better life. Every one of these immigrants is a child of God. The United States of America is a nation of laws from which we derive great benefit. And because of this we enjoy many freedoms here, chief among them to us Christians, and others of faith, being the freedom to worship. We well understand the need to protect our borders and our cities, but surely there must be a better way to do so. Mr. President, let us embrace the vision of President Ronald Reagan who, in his farewell address, likened our country to a city on a hill, a "God-blessed" city, a city that if needing walls, has walls with doors, doors "open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here." Surely, this is the vision of America to which we all aspire. In service to this vision I ask you again, in the name of compassion, to reconsider the government's policy of zero tolerance. +TIKHON Archbishop of Washington Metropolitan of All America and Canada 1 P.O. Box 675 Syossei- New York, metropolitan@oca.org -

3 ORTHODOX CHURCH IN AMERICA DIOCESE OF NEW YORK & NEW JERSEY 33 Hewitt Avenue - BronxviUe. NY Office (914) Fax (914) Prot. No /2018 June 1, 2018 Very Rev. Archpriest John Chupeck, Rector Parish Council Members and Parishioners Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church 401 Hamilton Street Syracuse, New York Dear Father John and Beloved Faithful: Chmt is in our midst! - He is and sliall be! Please accept my personal thanks and the appreciation of our entire Diocese for your incredibly generous contribution of another One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), to this year's Distinguished Diocesan Benefactors Fund, with the designation of your gift as "scholarship assistance for a diocesan seminarian." Your participation in the DDB Program of our Diocese makes possible a number of important ministries. DDB contributions established and continue to support four mission parishes: Oneonta, NY; Lansing, NY; Potsdam, NY; and New Brunswick, NJ. DDB offerings make possible scholarships for our 5 seminarians currently studying at St. Tikhon's Seminary. And DDB donations also fund assistance to: parishes that are financially struggling, youth retreats and gatherings, liturgical music workshops, and continuing education programs for clergy and laypersons. The beneficiaries of your kindness and generosity might not say "thank you" to you in person - but I know you are in their thoughts and prayers of gratitude for the blessings made possible by your support and the support of others like you throughout our Diocese. I can assure you, without reservation, that every dollar contribiuted to the DDB Fund is accounted for, carefully administered, and used exclusively for our ministries - not for operational expenses - with the wisdom and diligence of faithful stewards doing the Lord's work. Please know that the "seed" of your sacrificial offering has been planted in very good soil, and it will continue to bring forth good and abundant fruit In the Lord's holy Vineyard. Your most gracious contribution makes the eloquent words of Saint John Chrysostom come alive in practice: "Lift up and stretch out your hands, not to heaven, but to those in need; for if you stretch out your hands in giving to those who are in need, you will have reached the very summit of heaven/' Once again I thank you for your continued generosity as Distinguished Diocesan Benefactors. Please be assured of my remembrance of you in prayer, as a pledge of the good things to come from God's hands. With my prayers, my blessings and my love. Archbishop of New York and New Jersey Check Received: # 5292 {$1,000.00); YTD: $2,000.00

4 July 2018 Bulletin Board READERS SCHEDULE July 1'' Hours: Larissa Fitzgibbons Epistle: Tim Chupeck July 8'^ Hours: Rachel Sahm Epistle: Matt Chupeck July 15'^ Hours: Sophia Sahm Epistle: Henry Dotterer July 22"^ Hours: Henry Dotterer Epistle: Bill Helwig July 29'^ Hours: Bill Helwig Epistle: Adam Kantor August 5^^ Hours: Peter Mc Elvein Epistle: Matt Chupeck August 12'^ Hours: Rachel Sahm Epistle: Tim Chupeck August 19'^ Hours: Sophia Sahm Epistle: Adam Kantor August 26'^ Hours: Elena Kantor Epistle: Bill Helwig Want to make a difference? Join the DDB, the Distinguished Diocesan Benefactors and support our diocesan ministries: Mission Parishes, Seminarians, Struggling Parishes or simply to be used "as needed". More Info at our Diocesan Website: Save the Date! SPP Annual Chicken BBQ and Bake Sale Sept 30" after Liturgy Continues in the month of July in the parlors after. Come and see. Come and hear. Come and be filled. Announcing the 1^^ Annual Diocese of NY & NJ BIBLE BOWL Saturday Nov 3'^ 10-2pm Holy Trinity Orthodox Church Yonkers, NY Age groups: Pre-Teen: Ages 9-11 Teens: Ages Adult: Ages 20+ Questions from the Gospel of Mark (OSB) See Fr John, Larissa, Tatiana, or Tim Food Pantry Donations are accepted and appreciated all year round COFFEE HOUR HOSTS July 1'' -Gressels July 8'^-Kara & Becky July IS'^-Matt&Jaclyn July 22"^ - Andersons July 29^^-Szymaniaks August 5*^ - Eatons August 12^^-Swifts August 19^^ Kondakoff/Sweet August 26^^ - Wlesners Next Parish Council Meeting Sunday Sept,2018 Bottle and Can Drive is on-going to benefit our Youth Programs Search the Scriptures Name the garden where Jesus prayed after the Last Supper. (Mt 26:36) a. Genessaret b. Golgotha c. Gethsemane What was Jesus' first miracle? (Jn 2:1-11) a. Walking on water b. Changing water Into wine c. starting a fire after the wood was soaked Who were John the Baptist's parents? (Lk 1:5-25) a. Zachariah & Elizabeth b. Joachim & Anna c. Abrahams Sarah

5 Icon of the Mother of God "It Is Truly Meet"- July 13 The "It is Truly Meet" Icon of the Mother of God is in the high place of the altar of the cathedral church of the Karyes monastery on Mount Athos. One Saturday night an Elder went to Karyes for the all-night Vigil. He left instructing his disciple to remain behind and read the service in their cell. As it grew dark, the disciple heard a knock on the door. When he opened the door, he saw an unknown monk who called himself Gabriel, and he invited him to come in. They stood before the icon of the Mother of God and read the service together with reverence and compunction. During the Ninth Ode of the Canon, the disciple began to sing "My soul magnifies the Lord..." with the Irmos of Saint Cosmas the Hymnographer (October 14), "More honorable than the Cherubim.../' The stranger sang the next verse, "For He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden..." Then he chanted something the disciple had never heard before, "It is truly meet to bless Thee, O Theotokos, ever-blessed and most pure, and the Mother of our God../^ Then he continued with, "More honorable than the Cherubim..." While the hymn was being sung, the icon of the Theotokos shone with a heavenly light. The disciple was moved by the new version of the familiar hymn, and asked his guest to write the words down for him. When the stranger asked for paper and ink, the disciple said that they did not have any. The stranger took a roof tile and wrote the words of the hymn on its surface with his finger. The disciple knew then that this was no ordinary monk, but the Archangel Gabriel. The angel said, "Sing in this manner, and all the Orthodox as well." Then he disappeared, and the icon of the Mother of God continued to radiate light for some time afterward. The Eleousa Icon of the Mother of God, before which the hymn "It Is Truly Meet" was first sung, was transferred to the katholikon at Karyes. The tile, with the hymn written on it by the Archangel Gabriel, was taken to Constantinople when Saint Nicholas Chrysoberges (December 16) was Patriarch, (oca.org)

6 The Enlightener July 2018 Upcoming Diocesan Activities as announced by His Eminence Archbishop Michael St Andrew's Camp Jewell NY 2018 Week One - Horse Week (full) July 8-July 14 Week Two - Ecology Week July 15-July 21 Week Three-Art Week July 22-July 28 Week Four - Music Week July 29-August 4 Week Five - Teen Week August 5 - August 11 For more information see: Church School Teachers Workshop Saturday August 18^ 2018 at Ss Peter & Paul Church Syracuse NY Details to follow The Church must be the future of our children, for their salvation! Archbishop Michael is seeking one clergy volunteer and one recommended by clergy lay volunteer from each deanery to strengthen the reach and effectiveness of our Diocesan Dept. of Youth Ministry that is chaired by Danielle Geeza and other volunteers. The volunteers from each Deanery will be expected to collaborate.coordinate, and facilitate with others to accomplish this most essential goal. The Commission on Liturgical Music is happy to announce the following workshops and hope you will ^^Save the Dates^^ to attend them. Title: Choir : For Directors and Singers Date: September 15,2018 Speaker: David Drillock (tentatively scheduled to lead this workshop) Place: Holy Trinity Church, Rahway NJ How to give and get the pitch. How to keep the pitch! How to sing chant vs other music. How to set tempi. How to start together and end together. Title: Workshop for Church Readers II Date: October 13, 2018 Speaker: Fr. Sergius Halvorsen Place: St. Vladimir's Seminary, Crestwood NY Back by popular demand, we present the second workshop dedicated to reading in church. At the Workshop for Church Readers IIv</c will address practical concerns regarding rubrics, melodic patterns for reading, and how to chant the Prokeimenon and Alleluia in synergy with the choir. You will also have an opportunity to receive vocal coachine and practice the strateeies learned at the workshop.

7 Ss Peter & Paul Church Annual Chicken BBQ & Bake Sale Sunday Sept 30, am - sold out $6 for ^2 Chicken $11 for meal (w/ salt potatoes and choice of 2 sides) Eat in or Take-Out Open to the public, bring your friends and family. Activities and a bounce house will be available fo^r all children. Your help is needed and a greatly appreciated. Be on the look-out for sign-up sheets. See Peter Sahm or Tim Chupeck for: Set-up, clean-up, serving, food prep (cutting, chopping), baking for bake sale, delivering meals to our shut-ins, etc.

8 we T«ei July 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 SthSun 7 5 pm Great Vespers Confessions 8 ethsun 75 7thSun 16 SSP Church School Seabreeze Day ' ^ ' P ^ ^ F ^ ' r^p^ F^^^ F^F^ F"^" F^IF^ F^^^ rnf'^ F^^^ "He who prays with understanding patiently accepts circumstances, whereas he who resents them has not yet attained pure prayer." 17 Saint Mark the Ascetic 18 9 am pm Great Vespers Confessions 21 5 pm Great Vespers Confessions 22 8thSun am pm Great Vespers Confessions 29 9thSun ^^^N^^^N ^^^^^^^N^^^N^^^N^^^N^^^N^^^N^^^N^^^N "Whenever the Holy Spirit is present. He makes men of gold out of men of clay." Saint John Chrysostom