Ss. Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church /Assumption B.V.M. Church 131 North Beech Street, Mount Carmel, Pa. 17851 Very Reverend Archpriest Michael Hutsko, Pastor Rectory 570-339-0650 Church Hall 570-339-4333 Web Site- sspeterandpaulmc.org - E-Mail: stsppmc@ptd.net - Fax 570-339-2715 Prayer Line: Louise Cuff 339-3660 Eleanor Stebila 339-2353 Louise Troyan 339-1565 Please notify the rectory office if you or a loved one is hospitalized or admitted to a nursing home. Office Hours: Mon. Tues. Fri. - 9:00 AM 3:00 PM Wed. Thurs. 9:00 AM -12:00 Noon 1 st Collection: Candles 2 nd Collection: Regular Offering 29 th Sunday After Pentecost December 8, 2013 Saturday 12-07-13 Welcome: We the people of Ss. Peter & 3:15 PM Confessions Paul/Assumption Churches, are a Catholic 4:00 PM + John & Helen Cheddar req. by Son, Joseph Sunday 12-08-13 29 th Sunday After Pentecost 8:15 AM Confessions 9:15 AM For the Parishioners 11:00 AM at Assumption B.V.M. Church +Anthony Budraitis req. by Wife, Anna Monday 12-09-13 Conception of St. Anne (Immaculate community that worships God, spreads the Good News of Christ, and serves those in need. Come into the house. Bring all you are, no need to check your failures at the door. There are no perfect people here. You are invited: come. Come in seeking, come in wondering, come in hurting. Come into this house of companionship and compassion. Come in. You are welcome here. Ss. Peter & Paul/Assumption Churches open their doors to you. Conception) Holy Day of Obligation 9:00 AM at Assumption B.V.M. Church + Wesley & Helen Mekosh req. by Anna Budraitis 6:00 PM at Ss. Peter & Paul Church + Edward Coveleski req. by Wife, Evalyn Tuesday 12-10-13 No Divine Liturgy Wednesday 12-11-13 No Divine Liturgy Thursday 12-12-13 8:00 AM at Assumption B.V.M. Church + Charles Kent req. by Margie & Dot Shamonski Friday 12-13-13 8:00 AM at Assumption B.V.M. Church + John Plachko req. by Pearl Hutsko & Family Saturday 12-14-13 8:00 AM + John Broda req. by Wife & Children Upcoming Events: Mark your calendars and plan to support the following events. December 8 Holy Name Society Sunday December 9 Conception of St. Anne Holy Day of Obligation- Divine Liturgy- 9:00 AM at Assumption B.V.M. Church 6:00 PM at Ss. Peter & Paul Church Choir practice 7:00 PM December 11 & 12 December Pyrohy Sale December 15 Annual Christmas Pageant and St. Nicholas Party Christmas Pageant begins at 4:00 PM - Hot Buffet meal at 5:00 PM Holiday Cookie Sale Orders are due today Drawing of I Pad & Kindle Fire Raffle Tickets Last day for Baby Item Donations - Items will be taken to the Pregnancy Center 3:15 PM Confessions 4:00 PM For the Parishioners Sunday 12-15-13 Sunday of the Forefathers 8:15 AM Confessions Sunday Social: Sunday Social is held every Sunday after the 9:15 AM Divine Liturgy at Ss. Peter & Paul Church. All are welcome. Donations are greatly appreciated 9:15 AM + Leo, Sr. & Anna Berzinski Anniversary of Death - req. by Leo Berzinski, Jr. 11:00 AM at Assumption B.V.M. Church + Nicholas Balandovich req. by Theresa Mattu & Family 8:00 AM weekday liturgies are at Assumption B.V.M. Church until further notice In Your Prayers: Please remember to pray for the sick and the infirm of our Parishes. Please Remember: To pray for vocations to the Holy Priesthood and religious life. Rosary Intention: For the week of December 8, 2013, for the sick and the infirm of our parishes.
Ss. Peter & Paul Replenish Fund Donations as of December 1, 2013 are: $ 250.00 Louise Pochikilo $ 250.00 Rebecca Amaris Scott $ 25.00 Robert Colahan $ 10.00 - Anonymous Non- Parishioner Replenishing Fund Donations: $ 2, 000.00 In Memory of our Grandparents + Andrew (Peggy) & Eva Karlak and our Parents + Frank & Vera (Karlack) Anuszewski donated by Father Damian Anuszewski, O.S.S.T. and Diane E. Bittman $ 100.00 Michael & Lorraine Kandra Total To Date Replenishing Fund Donations: $ 35, 098.73 Ss. Peter & Paul Church Rebuilding Fund: $ 100.00 In Memory of + Nicholas & Mary Pochakilo donated by Louise Pochakilo $ 20.00 In Memory of + Bernice Sulick donated by Nicole & Thomas Onuschak Holy Name Society: Sunday, December 8, 2013 is Holy Name Society Sunday. All members are asked to pray together, receive the Holy Eucharist as a group and attend a short meeting immediately after liturgy. New members are always welcome to join this society. Altar Flowers: Altar flowers can be sponsored weekly for $30.00 per arrangement. Parishioners can sponsor these flowers in Memory of a loved one, or for any occasion. Anyone interested in sponsoring flowers may call 570-339-0650. Altar Flowers: Altar Flowers at Ss. Peter & Paul Church for the week of December 8, 2013 are In Loving Memory of + John J. Bailoni 50 th Birthday - request by Wife, Evelyn. Feast of Conception of St. Anne: The Feast of Conception of St. Anne Divine Liturgy will be celebrated on Monday, December 9, 2013 at 9:00 AM at Assumption B.V.M. Church. The Feast of Conception of St. Anne Divine Liturgy will be celebrated on Monday, December 9, 2013 at 6:00 PM at Ss. Peter & Paul Church. I Pad & Kindle Fire Raffle: SS. Peter & Paul Church Holy Name Society will be selling tickets for an I Pad, and a Kindle Fire. Drawing will be December 15 th, 2013. You need not be present to win. Tickets are $2.00 ea. / 3 for $ 5.00. Please contact any Holy Name Member for tickets. Thank you for your support of this raffle. Bulletin Requests: Any requests or any information to be placed in the bulletin must be in writing and submitted to the church office by 12:00 Noon on Mondays. Ss. Peter & Paul Church Collecting Donations: SS. Peter & Paul Church Altar Rosary Society will be collecting donations for the Pregnancy Center in Shamokin. Items needed are as follows: diapers, wipes, formula, baby cereal, baby food, clothing sizes newborn to 4t, bottles, and toys. New items please. You may place the donations in the bassinette in the front of the church. Donations will be accepted until December 15, 2013. Collected items will then be taken to the Pregnancy center in time for Christmas. Thank you so much in advance for your donations. Divine Liturgy Intentions: All the Divine Liturgy Intentions requested to date will be celebrated or scheduled to the end of calendar year 2013. There are Not any open dates available for the weekend Divine Liturgy; but there are weekday dates opened. Divine Liturgy Intention requests for Calendar Year 2014 are now being accepted. Note: Weekend requests are limited to two per person, but weekday intentions are available. Please Note: All Divine Liturgy Intentions are subject to change only by Father Michael. Thank you for your consideration requesting Divine Liturgy Intentions. In addition, please remember that although there are usually three (3) Divine Liturgies on the weekend that one Liturgy Intention must be for all parishioners. Special Thank You: A very special thank you to everyone who came out this past week to decorate SS. Peter & Paul and Assumption B.V.M. churches for Christmas. The churches look beautiful. May God Bless each of you for donating your time to decorate our parishes for the birth of Our Savior Jesus Christ. It was greatly appreciated. MNOHAYA I BLAHAYA LITA!
Ss. Peter & Paul Church Lector Schedule: Sat. December 7-4:00 PM Ed Cuff Sun. December 8-9:15 AM Justina Eisenhart Sat. December 14-4:00 PM Ellen Goretsky Sun. December 15-9:15 AM Christine Bogner Assumption B.V.M. Church Lector Schedule Sun. December 8-11:00 AM Bryce Fiamoncini Sun. December 15-11:00 AM Bryce Fiamoncini Next Pyrohy Sale: The SS. Peter & Paul/Assumption Pyrohy Sale will be held on Wednesday, December 11 th, starting at 9:00 AM, and on Thursday, December12 th, starting at 8:00 AM. We are still in need of help in all aspects of this project please try to devote some of your time and talents to this project. All are welcome. Thank you Christmas Offering: Please begin now putting aside a couple of dollars a week so that you can make an extra special offering to our church on Christmas Day. We ask each parishioner to consider making a Christmas donation of at least $25.00. Gifts of $50.00, $75.00, $100.00 or more would be greatly appreciated. When we stop to consider the great gift of Jesus himself, The Son of God, given to us at the first Christmas it is easy for us to respond generously as we celebrate His birthday. 2014 Calendars: The 2014 Calendars are in the vestibules of our Churches. A very special thank you to C. J. Lucas Funeral Home, Mount Carmel for sponsoring the 2014 Calendars for SS. Peter & Paul Church, Mount Carmel, and to Joseph J. Stutz Funeral Home, Inc for sponsoring the 2014 calendars for Assumption B.V.M., Centralia. May God Bless You! Religion Classes: Religion classes at SS. Peter & Paul Church have resumed. Classes are held Monday evenings from 6:00 PM to 7:15 PM. All children from pre-school age to 8 th grade are encouraged to attend. Children receiving the Sacrament of Penance/Holy Communion in Calendar Year 2013-2014 must attend these classes. Registration forms are available. Please bring along a copy of your child s (children s) baptismal certificate if they have not been baptized in either Mt. Carmel or Centralia. Instructors will be available to register your child, and answer any questions you may have. Children receiving Penance and First Solemn Eucharist must be ACTIVE members of our parishes and complete 2 years of instruction. It is expected that all children of our parishes, along with any other interested children from the area, will faithfully attend these very important classes to learn more about Jesus Christ and our faith-tradition. If you have any questions please contact Christine Bogner at 570-847-4385. Fund Raising Donations Request from Church Office: Please! When you are donating to the new Fund Raising (Replenishing) Donation Fund, the $250.00 fundraising donation request, please enclose your donation in a plain white envelope, mark it Fund Raising Donation. Also please include your name and amount you are donating to the fund. The green envelope which is in your envelope box is the Church Renovation envelope and is a separate fund raising project. Thank you for your cooperation. Advent Season: During the time of Christmas Fast the Psalm of Typica/Beatitudes found on page 6 and page 10 respectively of the white Divine Liturgy booklet will be responded instead of the Regular Sunday or Weekday Antiphons. This will last until the Sunday before Christmas. Ss. Peter & Paul/Assumption B.V.M. Churches Collecting Food Donations: Ss. Peter & Paul/Assumption B.V.M. Churches are continuing to collect food items to be donated to the Mount Carmel Area Food Bank. With the holidays fast approaching please continue to donate to the less fortunate in our community. Thank You!
29 th Sunday after Pentecost Troparion: When the disciples of the Lord learned from the angel the glorious news of the resurrection and cast off the ancestral condemnation, they proudly told the apostles: Death has been plundered! Christ our God is risen, granting to the world great mercy. Kontakion: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: My Savior and Deliverer from the grave as God has raised out of bondage the children of earth and shattered the gates of Hades; and as Master, He rose on the third day. Theotokion: Now and ever and forever: Amen. By your birth, O Immaculate One, Joachim and Anna were freed from the reproach of childlessness, and Adam and Eve from the corruption of death. And your people, redeemed from the guilt of their sins, celebrate as they cry out to you: The barren one gives birth to the Mother of God and nourisher of our Life. Prokimenon: How great are Your works, O Lord; You have made all things in wisdom. V. Bless the Lord, O my soul; O Lord my God, You are exceedingly great. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Poise yourself and advance in triumph and reign in the cause of truth, and meekness, and justice. V. You have loved justice and hated iniquity. Alleluia (3x) Communion Hymn: Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the highest Alleluia! (3x) Epistle: Col 3:12-16; Gal. 4:22-31 Gospel: Lk 17:12-19; Lk 8:16-21 Thoughts to Ponder. Happiness is enhanced by others but does not depend upon others. Do what you can, for who you can, with what you have, and where you are. A Prayer for Renewal Almighty Lord, we bow our heads in prayer And beseech You to rebuild our House of God. The psalmist reminds us, Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Dear Lord, rebuild this house and guide the hands of the architects, the contractors, the laborers; May they perfect the imperfections, as they recreate and renew this church, our Heaven on earth, where we gather to lay aside all cares of life. Almighty Lord, we are also reminded that we too are temples, living temples of the Holy Spirit. During this time of re-creation and renewal May our imperfections also be perfected. May the gifts of the Holy Spirit renew in each of us our faith and our love of God and each other. May we spiritually become the children of God we are called to be Christian faithful who are forgiving and caring, and welcoming. And may our patrons, Saints Peter and Paul, always inspire us through their courage and example to faithfully hear the Word of God and live it. 2014 Church Envelopes: 2014 Church Envelopes are in the vestibules of our parishes. Every married couple or single person 18 years or over is to be registered and receive envelopes. To be considered a member of our parishes, SS. Peter & Paul or Assumption B.V.M. Churches, regular attendance and use of church envelopes is required. If you are ill and/or aged let Father Michael know. The neglect of regular church attendance and regular use of church envelopes can lead to difficulties at the time of baptisms, weddings, funerals, etc. If you have used your 2013 envelopes faithfully, no action is needed. If you did not receive church envelopes for 2014 and would like to receive offering envelopes, please call the church office at 339-0650 during regular office hours. Holiday Cookie Sale: The Holidays are a busy time for all of us. Why not save some time and let us do the baking for you? This year we re taking orders for cookie trays. Orders are due by December 15, 2013 and may be picked up on December 21, 2013. Cookie trays include an assortment of different types of cookies and are $13.00 a tray. To place an order call Amy Lapointe 570-205-9923 or Abbie Timmins at 570-339-3375, or the church office at 570-339-0650. All proceeds benefit the parish.
Choir Rehearsal: With the Christmas Season fast approaching we will soon be starting choir practice for the upcoming Christmas Season. We would like to have as many people as possible join our choir so we will be able to make our Christmas Season a festive and joyous one. Please mark your calendars. Choir rehearsal will be held on: Monday, December 9, 2013 at 7:00 PM at SS. Peter & Paul Church. Anyone interested in joining our choir please call Ed Cuff at 339-3660. Please come and share your God given gift of talent. All are welcome. Annual Christmas Pageant and St. Nicholas Party: All members of our parish are cordially invited to attend and participate in our Annual Christmas Pageant and St. Nicholas Party which will be held on Sunday, December 15, 2013. Festivities will begin at 4:00 PM with the Christmas Pageant which includes our parish children and adult choir. At 5:00 PM a hot buffet meal will be served in the social hall for all present. During dinner we will have a very special visit from St. Nicholas who will distribute gifts to all our children. We hope you will plan to join us as we begin our Christmas celebrations. For more information please call the rectory office during normal business hours. Closing of Books for Calendar Year 2013: The closing of the Church Books will be on Sunday, January 12, 2014. Any donations received after that date will be credited to calendar year 2014. In the beginning of the year 2014, anyone wanting a print out of their 2013 donations may contact the church office at 339-0650 during normal office hours, and one will be sent to you. Altar Rosary Society Preparing Traditional Christmas Dinner: The Altar Rosary Society will be preparing the Traditional Christmas Dinner for our parishioners who are homebound. The dinners will be prepared and delivered on December 22, 2013. The Holy Name Society will be delivering the dinners late morning. Mystery (Sacrament) of Repentance: Mystery (Sacrament) of Repentance is available before each Divine Liturgy on Saturday, 3:15 PM to 4:00 PM and on Sunday in SS. Peter & Paul Church, 8:15 AM to 9:15 AM, and at Assumption B.V.M. Church on Sunday at 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM in the confessionals. Ss. Peter & Paul Christmas Tree: This year, we are planning to decorate a Christmas Tree to honor all of our parish families. Any family wishing to participate is asked to bring in an ornament to decorate our family tree. The tree will be set up in the vestibule with lights only. Bring in your ornament and place it on the tree. After the holidays are over, feel free to take your ornament home or leave it for next year. Prayer Intention Line: SS. Peter & Paul Parish has established a Prayer Intention Line sponsored by the Altar Rosary Society. On the top page of the bulletin you will see several numbers, you are free to call to request prayers for you or a loved one. Your intention will be remembered in prayer by the members of the Altar Rosary Society and also written in a special book which will be placed in the vestibule of the church so that all members of our parish can remember your prayer needs. You can request to remain anonymous if you like. It is my hope we can all pray for each other in time of need and be lifted-up through the prayers of our parish. Daily Liturgy: Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest! Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest of your souls. For my yoke is easy and My burden light. Mt. 11, 28-29. All are invited to be refreshed by the Lord on a daily basis by attending Divine Liturgy and receiving the Holy Eucharist! What a beautiful way to start the day! Your participation on a daily basis allows Jesus to refresh and renew your life as only he can.
DECEMBER 9 The Feast of the Conception of St. Anne The feast of the Conception of St Anne, when she conceived Mary, the Mother of God is not a so-called Holy Day of Obligation. It technically never has been except that the Roman Catholic Church in the United States designated the feast they know as the Immaculate Conception as the patronal feast of the country. In most other places except for Ireland and The Philippines even the Latin Church does not consider it a holy day of precept. A feast called the Conception of Mary arose in the Eastern Church in the seventh century (prior to the Great Schism of 1054). It spread to the West in the eighth century. In the eleventh century it received the name Immaculate Conception in the West. In the eighteenth century it became a feast of the Roman Catholic Church the only Marian feast that came to the Western Church not by way of Rome, but from the Byzantine area to Naples; thence to Normandy during their period of dominance over southern Italy. From there it spread into England, France, Germany, and eventually, Rome. Prior to Pope Pius IX s definition of the Immaculate Conception as Church dogma, missals referred to it as the Feast of the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The festal texts of this period focused more upon the action of her conception rather than a theological question of her preservation from original sin. A missal published in England in 1806 indicates the same set of prayers for the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary was used for this feast as well. In 1854, Pius IX gave the statement Ineffabilis Deus: The most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin. Eastern liturgical texts do not express the later-defined Roman Catholic dogma of the Immaculate Conception. They do note December 9 as the Feast of the Conception by St. Anne of the Most Holy Theotokos. They stress that Mary was, from her conception, filled with every grace of the Holy Spirit, in view of her calling as the Mother of God; they do not explicitly say she was conceived without original sin as the understanding of this doctrine differs from the Roman Catholic articulation. All prayers affirm that Mary is allholy and in eloquently poetic terms call her completely sinless. The Eastern feast is not exactly nine months before the feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos (September 8) as it is in the West, but a day later. This feast is not ranked among the Great Feasts of the church year, but is a lesser-ranking feast (Polyeleos). Historically it appears that belief in Mary s immunity from sin in her conception was prevalent among the Fathers, especially those of the Greek Church. The rhetorical character, however, of many of the passages prevents laying too much stress on them, and interpreting them in a strictly literal sense. However, the Greek Fathers never formally or explicitly discussed the question of the Immaculate Conception, about which an implicit reference may be found in the angel s greeting to Mary. The angel Gabriel said, Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you (Luke 1:28). The phrase full of grace is a translation of the Greek word kecharitomene. It therefore expresses a characteristic quality of Mary. The U. S. Ukrainian Catholic hierarchy issued the following letter dated November 30, 2006: To the Clergy, Sisters, and the Faithful of the Metropolitan Province of Philadelphia for Ukrainians: As long as anyone can remember, we have celebrated the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in the United States on December 8th as a Holy Day of Obligation. This was done so we may be in solidarity with our brothers and sisters of the Latin Church as this title of the Mother of God is the patron of our great country. In accordance with the decree (1.4) of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Catholic Church during the Synod of 1997 (September 14th-20th), the holy days of obligation were promulgated and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception was not included as a day of obligation. As the feast of the Conception of St. Anne is celebrated on December 9th in all of the Eastern Churches (Gregorian Calendar) and specifically in the Ukrainian Church, we, the undersigned, promulgate that the Feast of the Conception of St. Anne is to be celebrated on December 9th in the United States of America. This will enable our Church sui iuris to be of one accord in its celebration of the Liturgical life of our Church. This is to take effect immediately. Given on the Feast of St. Andrew (November 30) 2006. +Stefan Soroka +Robert M. Moskal +Richard S. Seminack +Paul Chomnycky, O.S.B.M.
METROPOLITAN ARCHEPARCHY OF PHILADELPHIA Ukrainian Catholic 827 North Franklin Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19123-2097 Phone (215) 627-0143 Fax (215) 627-0377 ukrmet@catholic.org No. 785/2013 O This Number Should be Prefixed to Your Reply Metropolitan Office of the November 25, 2013 My Brother Clergy, Reverend Sisters and Faithful of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, Слава Ісусу Христу! Recently, all Catholic bishops in the world received a lengthy and detailed questionnaire in preparation for an Extraordinary Synod on Pastoral Challenges for the Family. Each bishop is asked to submit a response before the end of this year on a number of questions. I ask your thoughtful contribution to the areas of interest for that Synod. Your opinions and suggestions are valued and are needed in assisting me to prepare the responses to this questionnaire. Eleven pages of material are presented. It can be a difficult challenge to digest and respond in the short period of time being offered to all of us. I have elected to offer the full questionnaire on our archieparchial website for you to read (www.ukrarcheparchy.us) You may wish to respond to all or any part of the questionnaire. To assist in bringing together the material, I ask that you specify which specific question you are responding to. I am also offering the following brief outline or summary of some of the major points being presented in the document to be considered. You may wish to respond or comment on all or any of the following. Please specify which question you are addressing. Please respond by December 13, 2013, allowing me sufficient time to consider all the responses and prepare my response. My heartfelt and prayerful gratitude is offered to all who are able to assist me in this endeavor. God bless you! Sincerely yours in Christ, +Stefan Soroka Metropolitan-Archbishop of Philadelphia for Ukrainians
METROPOLITAN STEFAN S SUMMARY QUESTIONNAIRE 1) Sacred Understanding and Church Teaching on the Family Your perception of the clergy s and faithful s knowledge and understanding of Family as revealed through Sacred Scripture and Church Teaching. Is it known? Is it practical? 2) Marriage According to the Natural Law Is the understanding of natural law in the union between a man and a woman commonly accepted by all of us? What may be some pastoral challenges for us? 3) The Pastoral Care of the Family in Evangelization Is marriage preparation being offered effectively? What have we learned from our experience in enhancing family spirituality? How do we help couples in crisis? 4) Pastoral Care in Certain Different Marital Situations Is living together a reality amidst our faithful? How do we relate and minister to divorced and remarried people? Do some feel marginalized or suffer from not being able to receive the sacraments? 5) On Unions of Persons of the Same Sex What is our attitude to societal recognition of civil unions and marriages between persons of the same sex? What pastoral attention ought we to give? 6) The Education of Children in Irregular Marriages What do parents in these situations ask? Do they express interest in catechesis? How do we minister to these parents and children? 7) The Openness of the Married Couple to Life Are faithful aware of the Teachings of the Church on responsible parenthood? What insight can you offer? Are there moral teachings not accepted or which pose difficulty for a couple? How can we foster a more open attitude to having children? 8) The Relationship between the Family and the Person How can the family be a privileged place for a person to encounter Jesus Christ? 9) Other Challenges and Proposals Are there other challenges or proposals which you consider urgent and useful to consider? Thank you.
Christmas - 2013 Christmas New Year Schedule 2013-2014 My Dear Parishioners and Friends, During the Christmas Season, all of us will be receiving a second DVD from our beloved Archbishop Stefan entitled Come home for Christmas. What a fitting title and theme for us to ponder as we prepare to celebrate the most wondrous time of the year, the Birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Indeed, our culture is filled with songs and references to coming home for Christmas. We love to sing the beautiful carol, I ll be home for Christmas, or the song Oh, there s no place like home for the holidays. It seems our every thought, every dream, and every plan is to join family and friends at home. Home is a place of love, warmth, peace, joy and safety for all of us. To be home is to be surrounded with those whom we love and who love us. This Christmas, I join Archbishop Stefan in extending an invitation to all of you, along with your family and friends, to come home to our parish church. Our parish is our spiritual home. Our parish provides a place where we can experience the same love and peace as we do in our own homes. Even more, our parish provides the unique opportunity to gather with our brothers and sisters in Christ, in the presence of our loving Father to share in HIS LOVE and HIS MERCY. Our church, our spiritual home will be ready to welcome the coming of GOD WITH US this Christmas. Please join us in celebrating the Birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Please, join us around the manger this year. Please, Come Home for Christmas! Wishing you and your family a very Blessed and Joy-filled Christmas, I am Fr. Michael Hutsko Tuesday, December 24 th Christmas Eve 8:00 AM - Divine Liturgy Mount Carmel 4:00 PM - Great Compline Centralia 5:00 PM Christmas Liturgy - Centralia 7:30 PM Great Compline followed by Traditional Caroling Mount Carmel 8:00 PM Christmas Liturgy Mount Carmel Wednesday, December 25 th Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord 8:00 AM - Christmas Divine Liturgy Mount Carmel 10:00 AM - Christmas Divine Liturgy Centralia Thursday, December 26 th Feast of the Mother of God 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy Centralia 6:00 PM - Divine Liturgy Mount Carmel Friday, December 27 th Feast of St. Stephen 9:00 AM - Divine Liturgy - Centralia 6:00 PM - Divine Liturgy Mount Carmel Saturday, December 28 th Saturday after Christmas 4:00 PM Divine Liturgy Mount Carmel Sunday, December 29 th - Sunday after Christmas David, Joseph and James 9:15 AM Divine Liturgy Mount Carmel 11:00 AM Divine Liturgy - Centralia Monday, December 30 th 8:00 AM Divine Liturgy Centralia Tuesday, December 31 st - New Years Eve Feast of St. Basil the Great/ Circumcision of our Lord 4:00 PM Divine Liturgy Mount Carmel Tuesday, January 1 st 2014 New Years Day Feast of St. Basil the Great/Circumcision of our Lord 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy - Centralia SS. Peter & Paul/Assumption Churches