St. Nicholas Orthodox Church Monthly Parish Bulletin Orthodox Church in America 2143 S. Center Road Burton, Michigan 48519 Email: stnicholas1916@att.net Website: www.saintnicholasburton.org Fr. Matthew s e-mail: lanscoal@sbcglobal.net Home: 810-695-2023 Church: 810-744-0070 Fax: 810-744-4880 Services: Sunday - 9:30 a.m. Third Hour 10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy Holydays, Vigil and Vespers as announced Confessions are heard before all morning services and after all evening services. But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God; wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. St. Jude: 20 March 1-31, 2009
SCHEDULE OF SERVICES March 1-31, 2009 Sunday, March 1 CHEESEFARE SUNDAY SUNDAY OF FORGIVENESS 9:30 am Third Hour 10:00 am Divine Liturgy, Service of Forgiveness followed by Cheesefare luncheon 12:30 pm Vespers GREAT LENT BEGINS MARCH 2 Monday, March 2 6:00 pm Compline with the Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete Tuesday, March 3 6:00 pm Compline with the Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete Wednesday, March 4 6:00 pm Compline with the Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete Thursday, March 5 6:00 pm Compline with the Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete Friday, March 6 6:00 pm Presanctified Divine Liturgy followed by Lenten potluck Saturday, March 7 1ST SATURDAY OF LENT ST. THEODORE SATURDAY 9:30 am Confessions 10:00 am Divine Liturgy 4:30 pm Great Vespers followed by Confessions Sunday, March 8 1ST SUNDAY OF LENT SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY 9:30 am Third Hour 10:00 am Divine Liturgy followed by procession with Icons SECOND WEEK OF GREAT LENT Monday, March 9 7:00 pm Compline at St Nicholas Wednesday, March 11 6:00 pm Presanctified Divine Liturgy at St Nicholas followed by Lenten potluck Friday, March 13 6:00 pm Akathist to our Lord Saturday, March 14 2ND SATURDAY OF LENT -MEMORIAL SATURDAY ZADUSNICA 9:30 AM Confessions 10:00 am Divine Liturgy followed by Trisagion with the reading of the names of our departed loved ones 4:30 pm Great Vespers followed by Confessions Sunday, March 15 2ND SUNDAY OF LENT ST. GREGORY PALAMAS 9:30 am Third Hour 10:00 am Divine Liturgy
THIRD WEEK OF GREAT LENT Monday, March 16 7:00 pm Compline at St George Wednesday, March 18 6:00 pm Presanctified Divine Liturgy at St George followed by Lenten potluck Friday, March 20 6:00 pm Vespers followed by Trisagion with the reading of the names of our departed loved ones Saturday, March 21 3RD SATURDAY OF LENT -MEMORIAL SATURDAY LENTEN RETREAT at St Mary Magdalene Schedule to be announced Sunday, March 22 3RD SUNDAY OF LENT VENERATION OF THE CROSS 9:30 am Third Hour 10:00 am Divine Liturgy FOURTH WEEK OF GREAT LENT Monday, March 23 7:00 pm Compline at Assumption Wednesday, March 25 ANNUNCIATION OF THE THEOTOKOS 6:00 PM Divine Liturgy at Assumption followed by Lenten potluck Friday, March 27 6:00 PM Akathist to the Cross of our Lord Saturday, March 28 4TH SATURDAY OF LENT - MEMORIAL SATURDAY - ZADUSNICA 9:30 AM Confessions 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy followed by Trisagion Service with the reading of the names of the faithful departed. 4:30 pm Great Vespers followed by Confessions Sunday, March 29 4TH SUNDAY OF LENT ST. JOHN CLIMACUS 9:30 AM Third Hour 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy FIFTH WEEK OF GREAT LENT Monday, March 30 7:00 pm Compline at St Nicholas LENTEN PRAYER PARTNER We will have our Lenten Prayer Partners again this year. If you are out of town for Lent or are homebound and would like to participate, please call the office: 810-744-0070. Here s how the Lenten Prayer Partner works: prayer cards are printed with a blank for your name. It is then folded in half and returned to the office. On Cheesefare Sunday (March 1), everyone participating will draw a prayer card. Then, everyone will pray daily for the person on the card they drew. Remember to keep it secret! At Pascha, you can let your prayer partner know you remembered them in prayer during Lent by giving them a card or a red egg.
BAPTISM AND CHRISMATION Jessica Diane Biggs, daughter of Michael and Sheila Biggs and sister of Peter Biggs, was received into the Holy Orthodox Church through the sacraments of Holy Baptism and Chrismation on Saturday, February 28. MEMORY ETERNAL The handmaiden of God +Dorothy Michalsky, strengthened by the holy sacraments of Holy Unction and Holy Communion, fell asleep in the Lord on February 3, 2009. +Dorothy was the widow of +Walter Michalsky and sister-in-law of Millie and Larry Bladecki and Julia Michalsky. Services were held at Penzien-Steele Funeral Home in Bay City with interment at Floral Gardens Cemetery. May God grant his handmaiden +Dorothy a blessed repose and eternal memory. PARISH COUNCIL The Parish Council will meet in March on Sunday, March 8 following the Divine Liturgy. Please call the parish office if you will be unable to attend. ST. CATHERINES S WOMEN S LEAGUE The League will meet on Tuesday, March 10 at 6:30pm. New members are welcome. Rummage Sale: Set-Up March 25, Sale March 26-28. April meeting will be held on Thursday, April 2 at 6:30 pm Palm Sunday Bake Sale will be held on Sunday, April 12 following the Divine Liturgy. CHOIR REHEARSAL SCHEDULE FOR FEBRUARY 2008 Saturday, March 7 5:30 pm or after the 4:30 Vespers Saturday, March 14 5:30 pm or after the 4:30 Vespers Saturday, March 21 5:30 pm or after the 4:30 Vespers Saturday, March 28 5:30 pm or after the 4:30 Vespers All rehearsals are subject to change if needed. Please call me on my cell phone if you cannot attend at 586-665-0550. Thanks! Joseph Tome CHURCH SCHOOL NEWS Cheesefare Luncheon Sunday, March 1 Sunday, March 8 is the Sunday of Orthodoxy. Please, bring your Icon from home to carry in the procession. If you don t have your own Icon, we will have on here for you to carry. Lazarus Saturday services will be held on Saturday, April 11 at St. George. 9:30 am Preparation of the Gifts; 10:00 am Divine Liturgy followed by a pancake breakfast. COMING EVENTS Cheesefare Luncheon: Our traditional Cheesefare Luncheon will be held on Sunday, March 1, following the Divine Liturgy. All are invited to attend. COMING EVENTS! VISITATIONS TO THE SICK Please inform Fr. Matthew about any sick members of our parish. Please remember that most hospitals do not inform parishes about the sick. Father Matthew brings Holy Communion every week. If you would like to be added to his scheduled visits, please call the office. Remember that we pray for all the sick at every Divine Liturgy.
PARISH PRIDE PROJECT UPDATE The total donations to the Parish Pride Project now total $46,337.07. We need $53,662.93 to meet our goal of $100,000 for the parish improvement projects: handicap bathroom, new sign, and furnaces. Please be generous in supporting our parish. HANDICAP RESTROOM We have started to Handicap Restroom project! We expect to have the project completed by Pascha. Thank you to everyone that donated towards this special and badly needed project. PARISH NEEDS LIST The office is in need of a new photocopier. The cost is $4,500. If you can donate the total cost or assist by making a donation to help defray this expense, your generosity would be greatly appreciated. May our Lord bless you all! FLOWERS FOR THE CROSS On March 22, the Third Sunday of Lent, we celebrate the Veneration of the Cross. The Cross is wreathed in a garland of flowers and placed upon the tetrapod for us to come forward and venerate at this mid-point of Lent. If you would like to donate the wreath of flowers for the Cross, please see Father Matthew or call the office (810-744-0070). PARISH BULLETIN DEADLINE If you wish for something to be in the monthly bulletin, please submit your entry to the parish office by the 15 th of that month. This will help us prepare and send the bulletins in a more timely matter so that you will have it by the first of the month. Thank you for your cooperation. SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF SAINT NICHOLAS Every month parishioners gather to assemble the monthly bulletin. The prep work for April s bulletin will take place on Friday, March 20 beginning at 10:00 am. It would be wonderful if you could come and join us! WEDDINGS AND FUNERALS At the parish council meeting on December 11, 2007, the motion was made and passed to assess a $500 fee for use of the church for weddings and funerals by Orthodox Christians who are not parishioners of Saint Nicholas Church. This fee is to offset the operating costs only. Orthodox Christian children and grandchildren of parishioners are entitled to use of the church without fee. The pastor shall have pastoral discretion for extenuating circumstances. DIOCESAN YOUTH RETREAT The Youth Group of St. Paul Cathedral (Dearborn Heights, MI) is sponsoring a Youth Lenten Retreat at Holy Dormition Monastery in Rives Junction, from Friday evening, March 27 to Sunday afternoon, March 29. This retreat is for the teenagers of our Diocese and Michigan area. Presenters will include Fr. Dusan Koprivica, Mother Gabriella, Mother Macrina, and hopefully Fr. Roman Braga. Please call the office if you would like to attend. (see flier) CONGRATULATIONS Josh Vuckovich; Josh won the Tech Expo Top Gun Student Competition on Friday, February 13. He has won $3,000.00 toward collage and a trophy. An article on Josh was featured in Tuesday s Flint Journal (February, 16 2009) and also online at mlive.com Way to go Josh! Happy Birthday Stella Kantor celebrated her 93 rd birthday in January. Congratulations Stella, may God grant you many years.
FROM FATHER S DESK HOW CAN I KEEP GREAT LENT? Most of us realize that prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are the three basic Christian and Lenten necessities. But, knowing that we will not make a maximum effort, some of us may feel frustrated, lost, and without guidance when facing the Lenten season. Other may simply ignore it. DO WHAT YOU CAN Great Lent, however, should never be ignored. The only realistic Lenten guideline is this: do the best you can. The essentials of Great Lent are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Intensify your prayer. Fast as fully as possible. (And, more and more, people are finding that the total abstinence from meat for the entire Lenten season is surely not out of the question!) Give to others, asking nothing in return. Know as well that all of your fasting, praying, and almsgiving must be exercised in secret. The only real goal and purpose of Great Lent is to enter into a deeper love for God and for those around us. CERTAIN WEEKS another concrete yet traditional step towards a fuller Lenten participation is to keep certain Lenten weeks in a more careful and strict way than others. For example, the first and third weeks of Great Lent, in addition to Holy Week, can be set aside for a greater and more concentrated Lenten effort. Very practically speaking, everyone can keep certain weeks, or at least one week, in a very special way. If this is done, there is no doubt that the result will be very positive and the time spent may prove to be the most inspiring and fruitful time of our entire life. We can only try it and see! WHAT TO DO here are some concrete guidelines for taking Great Lent more seriously: + Turn off the TV, radio, and stereo for the entire Lenten season, except for news and serious or educational programs. + Keep useless talking to a minimum. Do only necessary business, good works, and acts of charity. + In the name of Jesus Christ, forgive all who have offended you and seek forgiveness from those whom you have offended. If it will not be embarrassing or misinterpreted as an act of self-righteousness, express yourself as concretely as possible. Visit; make a phone call, etc. + Set aside and give a sizable portion of your resources for others: the parish, the poor, and a social or educational agency. Tell no one what you have done. Do not advertise what you are doing. + Fast. Eat no meat, as the basic minimum. Suit your fast to your work, but avoid luxury. Tell no one. Do not advertise or discuss your fasting and avoid judging the fasting of others. + Pray at home at least at 1 fixed time each day; use even a brief rule of prayer & keep it faithfully. + Read the scriptures in the same way: follow the church's calendar or read a chapter a day. + Be faithful to Christ's Gospel in every word, action, and thought - even the smallest. + Participate in all the weekly Lenten services especially the Presanctified Liturgy, Vespers, and the Divine Liturgy, confessing seriously and receiving Holy Communion often. PEACE AND JOY If we do these things, not in a spirit of gloomy self-denial or irritated self-pity, we will gain an awareness of genuine peace and joy in communion with God and those around us. This is guaranteed -and our participation in the celebration of the feast of Our Lord's Resurrection will be cherished forever! (From Orthodoxy A to Z by Father George Grubbe)
Daily Intercession for our Sick and Homebound: The following are our brothers and sisters of St. Nicholas who are currently homebound, suffering from chronic illness, in recovery or in need of special prayers. Please remember them in your prayers and reach out to them with a card, a phone call or a visit! Holy Communion is available upon request. Anna Allen Bill Haw Lydia Keeler Luba Stevens Domna Batzos Olga Haw Athena Kosman Walter Sudia Bogdon Beslac Maria Ilijev Daisy Marvosh Maria Sztaba Helen Bibilikow Goldie Johnson Julie Michalsky Marion Sztaba Mary Lou Brayan Stella Kantor Evdokia Naumoff Bill Tadrick Joe Eckert Mary Karayanis Elva Paul Wendy Tadrick Frank Evanoff Nick Karayanis Anne Smith Helen Todorow Mickey Gonser Daisy Karkoski Aspasia Stathopoulos Gloria Zelenko Mary Harrison Alfred Keeler To aid in your outreach, here is a listing of the addresses and phone numbers of our Homebound: Anna Allen 4444 Court St. # 4113 Flint, MI 48532 732-4238 Bogdon Beslac 3005 Blue Grass Lane Swartz Creek, MI 48473 Joseph Eckert 5080 E. Baldwin Rd. #A6 Holly, MI 48442 Frank Evanoff 2205 N. Long Lake # 9 Fenton, MI 48430 Olga Haw 1085 Oak Rd Davison, MI 48423 Daisy Karkoski 3011 N. Center Rd Flint, MI 48506 Lydia & Alfred Keeler 4104 Squire Hill Dr. Flushing, MI 48433 733-8053 Daisy Marvosh Julia Michalsky Walter Sudia Almost Home 305 Furlong Ct. Fenton, MI 48430 Bay Medical Care Facility 564 W. Hampton Rd Essexville, MI 48732 Clare Bridge 5130 E. Baldwin Rd A-1 Holly, MI 48442 Maria Sztaba 3564 Ridgecliffe Dr. Flint Twp, MI 48532 234-6265
St. Nicholas Orthodox Church 2143 S. Center Rd Burton, MI 48519 810-744-0070 Thursday, March 26-9:30am until 3:30pm Friday, March 27 11:00am until 6:00pm Saturday, March 28-9:30am until 12 noon Please have your donations here by Monday, March 23. Set-up will be on Wednesday, March 25. Sponsored by St. Catherine s Women s League
Pascha Sunday April, 19 Following Vespers Come and have your picture taken with the Paschal Easter Bunny!
The Orthodox Churches of Greater Flint Assumption (Greek) 3170 Beecher Rd Flint, MI 48532 810-732-2660 St. George (Antiochian) 5191 Lennon Rd Flint, MI 48507 810-732-0720 St. Nicholas (OCA) 2143 Center Rd Burton, MI 48519 810-744-0070 Pan-Orthodox Divine Services for the Great Fast, Holy Week, and Bright Week Great Compline Starting the 2 nd Week of the Great Fast we will be celebrating the Great Compline service together every Monday night. The service begins at 7pm. This beautiful service allows us to experience the Great Fast more deeply. Confessions will be available from 6:30pm 7pm. Presanctified Divine Liturgy Starting the 2 nd Week of the Great Fast we will be celebrating the Presanctified Liturgy every Wednesday night beginning at 6pm. Holy Communion is given at the Presanctified Liturgy. To partake of Holy Communion, please be prepared with prayer and fasting (not eating or drinking anything after 12 Noon). Confessions will be available from 5:30pm 6pm. Potluck Dinner Everyone is invited to a Lenten Dinner following each liturgy. Please bring a covered Lenten Dish (no meat or dairy products) to the church hall prior to the beginning of liturgy. If you have questions, please call the church coordinator from Assumption at (810-732-2660), Aida Nassar (from St. George at 810-584-0575), and Allison Borkovich (from St. Nicholas at 810-742-4422). The Great Fast (March 2 nd -April 10 th ) Mondays at 7pm Wednesdays at 6pm Church March 9 th March 11 th St. Nicholas March 16 th March 18 th St. George March 23 rd March 25 th Evening Liturgy -- Feast of the Annunciation Assumption March 30 th April 1 st St. Nicholas April 6 th April 8 th Assumption Palm Weekend (April 11 th -12 th ) and Holy Week (April 13 th -18 th ) Saturday, April 11 th Raising of Lazarus Divine Liturgy at 9:30am St. George Sunday, April 12 th Bridegroom Matins(Palm Sunday Evening) at 7pm St. George Bright Week (April 19 th -25 th ) Monday, April 20 th Paschal Divine Liturgy at 10am St. Nicholas Thurs., April 23 rd Paschal Divine Liturgy/Feast of St. George at 10am St. George Friday, April 24 th Paschal Divine Liturgy at 10am Assumption Assumption is located ¼ mile west of Ballenger Highway on Beecher Road. St. George is located between Linden and Dye Roads on Lennon Road. St. Nicholas is located ½ mile south of Lippincott on Center Road. Member Churches of the Standing Conference of Orthodox Bishops in America (SCOBA) A Vision of Orthodox Unity
St. Catherine s Women s League PALM SUNDAY BAKE SALE Sunday, April 12, 2009 *NO ORDERS CAN BE ACCEPTED AFTER MARCH 29, 2009* Name Address Phone ORDER FORM ITEM COST QUANTITY Sweet Bread $6.00 each TRIANGLES Cheese Frozen $1.75 each Spinach Frozen $1.75 each Leek Frozen $1.75 each Piroshki $1.50 each Baked Fried Any other donations of baked goods are most welcome!
March 2009 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Cheesefare Cheesefare Luncheon No Church School 2 Great Lent Begins 6:00 pm Compline 3 6:00 pm Compline 4 6:00 pm Compline 5 6:00 pm Compline Office Closed 6 6:00 pm Presanctified followed by Lenten potluck 7 St. Theodore 4:30 Great Vespers 8 Orthodoxy Sunday Parish Council Meeting Church School 9 7:00 pm Compline at St. Nicholas 10 St. Catherine s League Meeting @ 6:30pm 11 6:00 pm Presanctified at St. Nicholas followed by Lenten potluck 12 Office Closed 13 6:00 pm Akathist to our Lord 14 Soul Saturday w/trisagion for the departed 4:30 Great Vespers 15 Gregory Palamas Church School 16 7:00 pm Compline at St. George 17 18 6:00 pm Presanctified at St. George followed by Lenten potluck 19 Office Closed 20 April bulletin prep 6:00 pm Vespers w/trisagion for the departed 21 Soul Saturday Lenten Retreat at St. Mary Magdalene (schedule to be determined) 22 Sunday of the Cross Church School 23 7:00 pm Compline at Assumption 24 25 Annunciation 6:00 pm Divine Liturgy at Assumption followed by Lenten potluck Rummage Sale Setup 26 Rummage Sale 9:30-3:30 Office Closed 27 Rummage Sale 11:00 6:00 6:00 pm Akathist to the Cross 28 Soul Saturday w/trisagion Rummage Sale 9:30 12:00 4:30 Great Vespers 29 St. John Climacus 30 31 7:00 pm Compline at St. Nicholas Church School
April 2009 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Dates & Times are subject to change. 1 6:00 pm Presanctified at St. Nicholas followed by Lenten potluck 2 St. Catherine s League Meeting @ 6:30 Office Closed 3 6:00 pm Akathist to the Theotokos 4 Akathist Saturday 4:30 Great Vespers 5 St. Mary of Egypt Church School Ask Father 6 7:00 pm Compline at Assumption 7 8 6:00 pm Presanctified at Assumption followed by Lenten potluck 9 Office Closed 10 6:00 pm Vespers 11 Lazarus Saturday at St. George 9:30 am Preparation of Gifts 10:00 am Divine Liturgy& Breakfast 12 PALM SUNDAY 12:30 Vespers 7pm Bridegroom Matins at St George Palm Sunday Bake Sale 13 Great & Holy Monday 6 pm Presanctified w/ Lenten potluck 14 Great & Holy Tuesday 10 am Bridegroom Matins 6 pm Presanctified w/ Lenten potluck 15 Great & Holy Wednesday 10 am Bridegroom Matins 6 pm Holy Unction 16 Great & Holy Thursday 9 am Betrayal Matins 3 pm Vesperal Divine Liturgy 6 pm Passion Matins w/ 12 Gospels 17 Great & Holy Friday 9 am Royal Hours set-up of the Grave 3 pm Great Vespers 7 pm Matins w/lamentations Office Closed 18 Great & Holy Saturday 12 pm Simple Blessing of Paschal foods 10:30 pm Nocturnes 11 pm Procession & Matins 12 am Divine Liturgy 19 HOLY PASCHA 11 am Paschal Vespers & Procession Easter Egg Hunt No Church School 26 Thomas Sunday 2 pm Blessing of Graves at St. Nicholas Cemetery 20 Bright Monday 10:00am Divine Liturgy & Procession followed by Breakfast 21 Bright Tuesday 22 Bright Wednesday 23 Bright Thursday St. George 10:00am Divine Liturgy at St. George BRIGHT WEEK IS A FAST FREE WEEK. 27 28 29 30 24 Bright Friday 10:00am Divine Liturgy at Assumption Lapeer Outing ENJOY! 25 Bright Saturday 4:30 Great Vespers