JULY 2011 HOLY TRINITY ORTHODOX CHURCH

Transcription

1 JULY 2011 HOLY TRINITY ORTHODOX CHURCH

2 July 2011 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Charity: Cleaners: For the week of - 3 rd Koles 10 th?? 17 th?? 24 th?? Greeter:???? 1 Unmercenaries Cosmas & Damian 2 3 3rd after Pentecost Divine Liturgy 9:00A.M. Coffee Hour Myszka 4 Independence Day Icon of our Lady of Kazan th after Pentecost Divine Liturgy 9:00A.M. Coffee Hour Cabrera Study Group St. Vladimir th after Pentecost Divine Liturgy 9:00A.M. Coffee Hour Polzun / Wagner 18 New Martyrs Elizabeth & Barbara Men s Club Rock Cats Outing 7:00 pm St. Mary Magdalene th after Pentecost Divine Liturgy, 9:00 A.M. Coffee Hour Potter/Dounouk Study Group St. Jacob of Alaska St. Irene Chrysovolantou GENERAL

3 Monthly Newsletter of HOLY TRINITY ORTHODOX CHURCH 305 Washington Street PO Box 2876 New Britain, CT JULY 2011 CHURCH RENOVATION UPDATE: We are open for business during our renovation project. On Monday, June 20th we began our renovation project with the removal of all the icons, candle stands, liturgical items, etc. etc. and set up our temporary chapel (until the end of August) downstairs. A very big THANK YOU to all those who assisted in the move! We will be open for business during this time keeping to our normal weekend schedule. Please don t forget about our pledge, charity collection, coffee hour and study group, which will continue during the summer months. If you want to sponsor a portion of the project, you can speak with Fr. David, Mike Wanik, the project coordinator Dan Bradanini or project treasurer George Ludko. Many have contributed to the Hundred Plus Club to honor the hundred plus years since our founding. All these contributions are being used solely for the purpose of renovating our church building. You can read the article in the NB City Journal by Robin Vinci at When the renovation and beautification of our church building is completed it will be just two years until we mark 100 years on Washington Street in Rock Cats Baseball - Men s Club: All members are reminded to keep Monday, July 18th available for the annual Rock Cats Baseball outing. Please see Paul Culton for tickets. The July monthly charity collection is for the International Orthodox Christian Charities. The IOCC is the official international humanitarian organization of the Episcopal Assembly (formerly SCOBA). It s mandate, in the spirit of Christ s love, offers emergency relief and development programs to those in need worldwide, without discrimination, and strengthens the capacity of the Orthodox Church to so respond. With the earthquake in Haiti and recent tsunami in Japan or tornados in Missouri, Alabama, Massachusetts the IOCC is in need of a boost to its treasury! 92% of resources go towards emergency relief and development programs. Every dollar you give helps IOCC secure $7 in support from governments, foundations and other sources The collection will be taken on the last Sunday of the month. Please use the envelope provided in your monthly mailing and be generous!! GENERAL : is normally held on the last Saturday of each month (except for lenten periods) following Great Vespers. All regular communicants should make every effort to attend each General Confession. The next General Confession will be held on Saturday, July 30th. PARISH COUNCIL: The next meeting of the Parish Council will be held on Monday evening, August 30th at 7:00 p.m. All council members are asked to make every effort to attend the meeting. Archpriest David Koles, Rector 9 Frankie Lane Terryville, CT Phone: frdavid@htocnb.org 1

4 Birthdays & Anniversaries in JULY: 2 Zachery Truhan Timothy Clark Olga Skotnicki Annette Salina Elizabeth Hamisevich Mat. Melanie Gloria Horbal Rebecca Ahern Alexy Rudy Stella Tynik Elizabeth Bradanini Vera Luzietti Fr. David Ann Cook Dimitry & Raissa Shafran Dan & Elizabeth Badanini Joseph & Alicyn Pulcini Alex & Diane Polzun Francis & Irene Ferrandino Nicholas & Mallory Kokus Adam & Danielle Salina 2000 WHEN I WAS SICK YOU CAME TO ME The following parishioners (and friends) are now homebound or in long-term care facilities. If there are any names missing, please inform Fr. David. The regular schedule of visitations is included on the monthly calendar. Parishioners are welcomed and encouraged to make regular visitations to nursing homes and shut-ins. Our loved ones NEED to feel connected to their parish family. Walnut Hill, New Britain Olga Skotnicki Mary Cherpak Middlewoods, Newington Jennie Skovich Jerome Home, New Britain Sadie Albino Helen Karabin Arbor Rose, New Britain Nona Belomyzy Mary Camarata Ledgecrest Nursing Home, Berlin Natasha Zaiko Nicholas Zamayduk St. Lucian Residence, New Britain Mary Kotrady Alzheimer's Resource Center, Plantsville Jean Prusik At Home: Anne Cherpak, Mary Fairbanks, Susan Labas, George Liwen, Stella Liwen, Irene Prigodich, Helen Roberts, John Steffick and Stella Tynik. PARISH DIPTYCHS Please remember our departed brothers and sisters in your prayers. Moisey Rostella 54 July Michael Fetzko 75 July Peter Shevchuk 68 July Samuel Sopko 67 July Mary Labas 78 July Child (No name) Ladutko 1 day July Jennie Mandro 30 July Donna Stelman 77 July Nicholas Cherpak 63 July Pauline Gregorowich 77 July Andrew Truhan July Diomid Gel 75 July Child Vladimir Martinchuk 4 July Peter Petrioka 24 July Natalie Mikuno 36 July Mary Garlewsky 57 July Prohor Novosett July Richard Skovich, Jr. 56 July Evan Panysh 77 July Walter Tynik 94 July William Aduskevicz July Catherine Rusinovsky 79 July Alexander Stepanec 59 July Paul Lechowicz July Nadia Dwyer 63 July Nicolai Sotirov 54 July Alexander Alexieff 70 July Vera Martinook 73 July Aleksandra Lashenka 87 July Katherine Kolveka 23 July Walter Waskiewicz July Child Anastasia Vilenin 10 days July Child Sophie Panasevich 7 mo July

5 Michael Belomyzy 79 July Alexander Pyzow 87 July Andrew Bogdan 67 July Daria Dalidovich 55 July Paul Kislicki 67 July Melania Hamilla July Anne Hamilla Christien 81 July Anthony Moskoluk 66 July Nicholas Romanuk 65 July Mary Zuk 62 July Ajanas Ludko 84 July Child Alexander Martinchik 1 July Child Alexander Kinon 6 mo July Thaddeus Kostanchuk 77 July Mary Zuk 68 July Elbert Everson 55 July John Horbal 78 July Child Sergei Stankevich 2 mo July Nadezhda Matyschsyk 68 July Anna Colwick 80 July Sophie Comba 75 July Child Vladimir Kasperovich 2 mo July Michael Roman 84 July Child Mary Perut 9 mo July Elena Tabakow 59 July John Colwick, Sr. 76 July Antony Srogi 83 July Sophie? July Nina Cenewicz July Child Paul Zhoyka 7 mo July Wasil Danilevich 63 July Nicholas Steffick 67 July Helen Lechowicz 92 July Child Anna Stankevich 4 mo July Nicholas Trubeev 36 July John Tavorons 59 July Andrew Panasevich 54 July Sophie Novick 89 July George Augustinovich 58 July Olga Makula 65 July Isidore Prigodich July Alexander Gregorowich 75 July Jean Janusonis 62 July Olga (Alice) Wilczek 81 July Anna Lewchik 78 July Arthur Pobrezny July SAINTS DAYS IN JULY: St. Vladimir - July 15th Saint Vladimir was the grand prince of Kiev who converted to Orthodox Christianity in 988, and proceeded to baptize the whole Kievan Rus. The Primary Chronicle reports that in the year 987, as the result of a consultation with his boyars, Vladimir sent envoys to study the religions of the various neighboring nations whose representatives had been urging him to embrace their respective faiths. The result is amusingly described by the chronicler Nestor. Of the Muslim Bulgarians of the Volga the envoys reported there is no gladness among them; only sorrow and a great stench, and that their religion was undesirable due to its taboo against alcoholic beverages and pork; supposedly, Vladimir said on that occasion: Drinking is the joy of the Rus. Russian sources also describe Vladimir consulting with Jewish envoys and questioning them about their religion but ultimately rejecting it, saying that their loss of Jerusalem was evidence of their having been abandoned by God. Ultimately Vladimir settled on Christianity. In the churches of the Germans his emissaries saw no beauty; but at Constantinople, where the full festival ritual of the Byzantine Church was set in motion they found their ideal: "We no longer knew whether we were in heaven or on earth, they reported, describing a majestic Divine Liturgy in Hagia Sophia, nor such beauty, and we know not how to tell of it. Troparion - Tone 4 Holy Prince Vladimir, you were like a merchant in search of fine pearls. By sending servants to Constantinople for the Orthodox Faith, you found Christ, the priceless pearl. He appointed you to be another Paul, washing away in baptism your physical and spiritual blindness. We celebrate your memory, asking you to pray for all Orthodox Christians of Russia and for us, your spiritual children. Grand Duchess Elizabeth - July 18th Saint Elizabeth was the older sister of Tsarina Alexandra, and was married to the Grand Duke Sergius, the governor of Moscow. She converted to Orthodoxy from Protestantism of her own free will, and organized women from all levels of society to help the soldiers at the front and in the hospitals. Grand Duke Sergius was killed by an assassin's bomb on 3

6 February 4, 1905, just as St Elizabeth was leaving for her workshops. Remarkably, she visited her husband's killer in prison and urged him to repent. After this, she began to withdraw from her former social life. She devoted herself to the Convent of Sts Martha and Mary, a community of nuns which focused on worshiping God and also helping the poor. She moved out of the palace into a building she purchased on Ordinka. Women from the nobility, and also from the common people, were attracted to the convent. St Elizabeth nursed sick and wounded soldiers in the hospitals and on the battle front. On Pascha of 1918, the Communists ordered her to leave Moscow, and join the royal family near Ekaterinburg. She left with a novice, Sister Barbara, and an escort of Latvian guards. After arriving in Ekaterinburg, St Elizabeth was denied access to the Tsar's family. She was placed in a convent, where she was warmly received by the sisters. At the end of May St Elizabeth was moved to nearby Alopaevsk with the Grand Dukes Sergius, John, and Constantine, and the young Count Vladimir Paley. They were all housed in a schoolhouse on the edge of town. St Elizabeth was under guard, but was permitted to go to church and work in the garden. On the night of July 18, they were all taken to a place twelve miles from Alopaevsk, and executed. The Grand Duke Sergius was shot, but the others were thrown down a mineshaft, then grenades were tossed after them. St Elizabeth lived for several hours, and could be heard singing hymns. The bodies of St Elizabeth and St Barbara were taken to Jerusalem in 1920, and buried in the church of St Mary Magdalene. Alaska. His father, Yegor Vasil'evich Netsvetov, was Russian from Tobolsk, Russia, and his mother, Maria Alekscevna, was an Aleut from Atka Island. Jacob was the eldest of four children who survived infancy. Although not well off, Yegor and Maria did all they could to provide for their children and prepare them to live their lives. Jacob chose a life with the Church and enrolled in the Irkutsk Theological Seminary. On October 1, 1825, Jacob was tonsured a sub-deacon. He married Anna Simeonovna, a Russian woman perhaps of a Creole background as was he, and then in 1826 he graduated from the seminary with certificates in history and theology. With graduation he was ordained a deacon on October 31, 1826 and assigned to the Holy Trinity-St. Peter Church in Irkutsk. Two years later, Archbishop Michael ordained Jacob to the holy priesthood on March 4, Archbishop Michael had earlier ordained John Veniaminov (St. Innocent) to the priesthood. With his elevation to the priesthood, Father Jacob began to yearn to return to his native Alaska to preach the Word of God. Upon departing, Archbishop Michael gave Father Jacob two antimensia, one for use in the new church that Father Jacob planned to built on Atka, and the other for use in Father Jacob's missionary travels. After a molieben, Father Jacob and his party set off for Alaska on May 1, The travelers included Father Jacob, Anna his wife, and his father Yegor who had been tonsured reader for the new Atka Church. This journey, which was always hard, took over year to complete, which was completed on June 15, Father Jacob's new parish was a challenge. The Atka "parish" covered most of the islands and land surrounding the Bering Sea: Amchitka, Attu, Copper, Bering, and Kurile Islands. But, he was to meet the challenge as clothed in his priestly garments; he actively pursued his sacred ministry. To his parishioners, his love for God and them was evident in everything he did as he made his appearances while enduring the harsh weather, illness, hunger, and exhaustion. For him life was Christ. Being bi-lingual and bi-cultural, Father Jacob was uniquely able to care for the souls of his community. St. Jacob Netsvetov, Enlightener of the Alaskan People - July 26th Our righteous Father Jacob Netsvetov, Enlightener of Alaska, was a native of the Aleutian Islands who became a priest of the Orthodox Church and continued the missionary work of St. Innocent among his and other Alaskan people. His feast day is celebrated on the day of his repose, July 26. Father Jacob was born in 1802 on Atka Island, part of the Aleutian Island chain in Since St. Nicholas Church was not yet available, Father Jacob built a large tent in which to hold his services, and after the church was completed he took the tent with him on his missionary travels. By the end of 1829, six months after arriving at Akta Father Jacob had recorded 16 baptisms, 442 chrismations, 53 marriages, and eight funerals. With the completion of the church on Atka, Father Jacob turned to education of the children, teaching them to read and write both Russian and Unangan Aleut. Initially the Russian-American Company helped support the school, but in 1841 the school was re-organized as a parish school. Many of his students would prove to be distinguished 4

7 Aleut leaders. He corresponded with St Innocent on linguistics and translation matters. He worked on an adequate Unangan-Aleut alphabet and translations of the Holy Scriptures and other church publications. In addition to praises from St. Innocent he began to receive awards for his services. In time he was elevated to Archpriest and received the Order of St. Anna. You offered yourself as a living sacrifice To bring light to a searching people. Offspring of Russian America, Flower of brotherly unity, Healer of sickness and terror of demons: O Holy Father Jacob, Pray to Christ God that our souls may be saved. Father Jacob's life was not without its personal sufferings and 1837 were to bring successively the death of his beloved wife Anna in March 1836, the destruction by fire of his home in July 1836, and the death of his father, Yegor, in After considering the message of these misfortunes, he petitioned his bishop to return to Irkutsk so that he could enter a monastic life. A year later he request was granted contingent on the arrival of his replacement. But none came. Soon Bishop Innocent arrived and invited Father Jacob to accompany him on a trip to Kamchatka. During the voyage Bishop Innocent seemed to have accomplished three things with Father Jacob: with the healing salve of the Holy Spirit provided words of comfort, dissuaded Father Jacob from entering a monastery, and revealed to the saintly priest the Savior's true plan for his life that was for him to preach Christ to those deep in the Alaskan interior. On December 30, 1844, St. Innocent appointed him head of the new Kvikhpak Mission to bring the light of Christ to the people along the Yukon River. With two young Creole assistants, Innokentii Shayashnikov and Konstantin Lukin, and his nephew Vasili Netsvetov, Father Jacob established his headquarters in the Yup'ik Eskimo village of Ikogmiute. From there, now known as Russian Mission, he traveled to the settlements for hundreds of miles along the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers, visiting the inhabitants of settlements along the way. For the next twenty years he learned new languages, met new people and cultures, invented another alphabet, and built more churches and communities. At the invitation of the native leaders he traveled as far as the Innoko River baptizing hundreds from many, and often formerly hostile, tribes. He continued even as his health deteriorated. Yet the devil's presence came to stir up spurious and slanderous charges against him in To clear the air his Bishop Peter called him to Sitka where he was cleared of all the charges. As his health and mammography worsened he remained in Sitka serving at the Tlingit chapel until his death on July 26, He was 60 years old. During his last missionary travels in the Kuskokwim/Yukon delta region he is remembered for baptizing 1,320 people and for distinguishing himself as the evangelizer of the Yupik Eskimo and Athabascan peoples. Troparion - Tone 4 O righteous Father Jacob, Adornment of Atka and the Yukon Delta; Holy Communion The Greatest Sacrament of the Church Bishop Alexander (Mileant) The Importance of the Eucharist. The Sacrament of the Eucharist (which means thanksgiving), also known as Holy Communion, holds a central place in the Orthodox Church. While in other sacraments objects such as water or oil are only sanctified, in Holy Communion the objects of the Sacrament, bread and wine, are not only sanctified but actually transformed into the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. As a result, when a Christian receives Holy Communion, he receives Jesus Himself and joins with Him. So great is this mystery that no possible explanation can be found of how this happens, and one can only say with gratitude: "Thank You, my Lord!" It is only the Orthodox and some ancient churches preserving the Apostolic tradition which hold to the belief that Communion is the actual Body and Blood of Christ. Most contemporary Christian churches think of Communion only as an observance commemorating the Last Supper. Every Orthodox Christian should be grateful to God for the privilege given to him in Holy Communion and should partake of it as often as possible unto the remission of his sins, unto the healing of soul and body and for eternal life. Preparing for Holy Communion. When we think of the greatness of Communion, a natural question arises in our mind: are we worthy of receiving Christ in us? The early Church Fathers never suggested that a Christian should refrain from taking Communion because of his feeling of unworthiness. One of the most ancient Christian documents, the Didache, says, "If anyone is holy, let him come [to Communion]; if he is not, let him repent and come." We need to realize that we never will become worthy to receive Jesus Christ. Communion is not a matter of worthiness but of God's mercy. It is not a reward but a 5

8 Divine gift! It is proper for us to sense unworthiness so that we will always remain humble and grateful to God. However, some preparation for the partaking of the Eucharist is necessary, for it helps us to acquire the right attitude toward this great Sacrament. St. Paul writes, "Let a man examine himself and so eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup" (1 Cor. 11:28). Here are some specific suggestions for those wishing to take Communion. 1. Self-examination is something that should be practiced regularly by every Christian as he prays daily and reads God's word, and it becomes especially important before one approaches the Chalice to receive Communion. The purpose of self-examination is to bring us to an awareness of our shortcomings. This awareness leads us to repentance and improvement. 2. On the morning before going to Liturgy to receive Communion we do not eat or drink anything. Prior to Communion there should be abstinence from meat and dairy products on Wednesdays and Fridays. During a fasting period one should observe abstinence from these products all the days. However, one thing we must remember is that there is no rigid connection between fasting and Communion. We must never allow an overemphasis on fasting to become a wall separating us from Christ Who wishes to renew us. We must never allow a self-righteous emphasis on so-called "rules of fasting" to destroy the all-important relationship with Jesus Christ. The Church Fathers emphasized that true fasting is to abstain from sin and evil. 3. The Orthodox Prayer Book contains some very moving prayers written by the Church Fathers that are designed to be read before and after Communion. All of these beautiful prayers contain the cry of humility, unworthiness, and penitence, as expressed by this sample: ".. I am not worthy, Master and Lord, that You should enter under the roof of my soul. Yet inasmuch as You desire to live in me as the lover of men, I approach with boldness. You have commanded: let the doors be opened which You alone have made and You shall enter with Your love You shall enter and enlighten my darkened reasoning. I believe that You will do this " These prayers give us the proper attitude for the reception of Communion. 4. Repentance. One must approach Jesus with a plea for mercy and forgiveness. It is sincere faith and repentance, not perfection, that make us worthy of frequent Communion. Although it is not necessary to go to Confession before each Communion, if we receive Communion regularly it is still necessary to seek forgiveness through prayer. It is up to our father-confessor to decide how often we should go to Confession. 5. Forgiveness from those we have hurt should be sought before Communion. We must approach the Holy Table "with the fear of God, with faith and with LOVE." We are bound to share with others the forgiving love we receive from Jesus. Love is the one thing we must pray for before coming to the Holy Table. No hostilities or grudges or dissension must be brought there. There must be penitence for lack of love. Thus, we prepare for Communion with selfexamination, fasting, prayer, repentance and forgiveness. The most wonderful thing about man is that he was created to contain God. This is the miracle of miracles! Each one of us was made to be a temple of God, a golden chalice, a tabernacle of God's presence. The infinitely great God Who revealed Himself in Jesus as the great God of love waits to take up residence in us. He stands at the door of our soul and knocks until we hear His voice and His knock to open and let Him come in to sup with us in the heavenly banquet (Rev. 3:20). He will not rest until He has invaded our heart and made it His throne. Conclusion. Thus the Bread and Wine of the Eucharist are not just signs or symbols reminding us of the Last Supper, as the Protestants think, but they are the actual Body and Blood of Christ, as the Savior said, "For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed," and, "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him." The Eucharistic sacrifice is not a repetition of the Savior's Sacrifice on the Cross, but it is an offering of the sacrificed Body and Blood once offered by our Redeemer on the Cross. The sacrifice on Golgotha and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are inseparable, comprising a single sacrifice. When a Christian receives Holy Communion, he assimilates the redeeming act that Jesus Christ performed at the Cross. In Communion we unite in the most intimate fashion with the Lord. Holy Communion nourishes our soul and body and aids our strengthening and growth of spiritual life. It serves for us as a pledge of the future resurrection and the eternally blessed life. All of this reminds us of the necessity to approach Holy Communion with the fear of God, faith and love. Amen. Note: It is praiseworthy that many take communion regularly. However, we should be careful about preparation for communion. Equally, if we are taking communion regularly, then we need to have confession regularly. Not once a year, but about once every forty days, with the understanding that confession may be required very often at certain points in our lives. It is also important to remember that if we absent ourselves from communion, three consecutive times as a guide, we need to prepare again with confession before approaching the chalice. 6