WELCOME TO THE GOD-LOVING & GOD- PROTECTED PARISH OF ST. MICHAEL! A parish of the UOC-USA and the Ecumenical Patriarchate 74 Harris Ave. Woonsocket, RI 02895 401.762.3939 www.stmichaeluoc.org Fr. Borislav Kroner Each one shall give what he has decided in his own mind, not Grudgingly or because he is made to - for God loves a cheerful giver. - II Cor. 9:7 March 3, 2019 SERVICE SCHEDULE Sunday, March 3rd Sunday of the Last Judgment - Meatfare 8:45 AM Service of Repentance Tone 7 / Epistle: 1 Cor. 8:8-9:2; Gospel: Matt. 25:31-46 9:00AM Divine Liturgy LAST DAY FOR MEAT UNTIL PASCHA Saturday, March 9th Great Vespers 6:00PM Great Vespers Sunday, March 10th Sunday of the Last Judgment - Cheesefare Tone 8 / Epistle: Rom. 13:11-14:4; Gospel: Matt. 6:14-21 9:00AM Divine Liturgy LAST DAY FOR DAIRY PRODUCTS UNTIL PASCHA Monday, March 11th BEGINNING OF GREAT LENT 6:00PM Great Canon of St. Andrew Tuesday, March 12th Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete 6:00PM Great Canon of St. Andrew
Wednesday, March 13th Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete 6:00PM Great Canon of St. Andrew Thursday, March 14th Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete 6:00PM Great Canon of St. Andrew Saturday, March 16th Sorokousty & Great Vespers 6:00PM Sorokousty for the Deceased followed by Great Vespers Sunday, March 17th Sunday of Orthodoxy Tone 1 / Epistle: Heb. 11:24-26, 32-12:2; Gospel: Jn. 1:43-51 9:00AM Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great 5:00 PM Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers / St. Mary AOC 249 High St., Pawtucket / Preacher Fr Aaron Walker Remember: even when you are absent, expenses continue. PARISH NEWS --A hearty welcome to our guests and visitors. Please sign our Guest Book, and include either your mailing address &/or email address, so we can keep you informed of parish events and be sure to join us in the church hall after the Divine Liturgy for coffee and fellowship. --We extend birthday greetings: to Patricia Bourgery (Feb. 25), Eugene Kuczer (Feb. 26), Derek Gemski (Feb. 26), and Joseph & Jacob Choquette (Mar. 1) may God grant you all Many, Happy Years. Многая літа. --If you know of any members of our parish family in need of assistance, please see Fr. Borislav. Thank you. --ZAPUSTY / MEATFARE DINNER: TODAY, Sunday March 3, 2019 / Divine Liturgy 9AM / Dinner to follow at 11AM Adults $15 / Children (to 16) $6.00 / Children 7 and under are free. --From Pani Mary Ann Cherkas: Strong arms needed to disassemble Christmas Trees and bring them to the Church basement. Thank you!
--The monies from the Special Collection will be used to defray the very costly heating bills for the month of February. The cost of oil alone was $1243. Just a reminder that your contribution can be recorded on the weekly envelopes for tax purposes. Any size donation is greatly appreciated. Also, the money collected from the coffee hour is used to purchase gift cards for the needy. --Cheesefare Potluck Brunch: Sunday, March 10, 2019 During Coffee Hour. Great Lent is almost here! On the Sunday of Forgiveness (aka Cheesefare) we are asking for food donations for our Cheesefare Potluck Brunch. Please bring your favorite "cheesy" dish to share with everyone! Please remember by that time we will have eliminated meat (except eggs) from our diets... so anything made with cheese/eggs/dairy, veggies, etc. would be greatly appreciated! Thank you. --The UOL invites you to mark your calendars to attend one of the four Lenten Retreats they have planned for this year! March 23 -- Tampa, Florida / March 30 Villa Maria, PA / April 6 Troy, NY / April 13 Bethlehem, PA --From Fr. Borislav & Joe Cherkes: In the event of inclement weather, parish services and events will be canceled, if the city of Woonsocket declares a No Parking ban. The safety of our parishioners and guests are too important. --Please consider our Scrip Program for gift cards and it s an excellent way for the church to benefit from your gift card purchases!! Remember, they can be used for everyday purchases. Any questions, please see or email Val Sternadore (valiaws@yahoo.com).
--From Eleanor Kogut: 1-For the Saver's drive, we are still collecting bagged clean useable clothing, linens, coats, etc. We need still help bringing items to Savers, but we have rescheduled for March 24th, due to wintery conditions. Thank you. 2-We are seeking suggestions as to what organization or program should benefit from the special collection. Please see Eleanor Kogut with your suggestions. Thank you for your generosity and cooperation. Thank you. 3-There will be a Welcome Back Open House on Sunday May 19th. If you have contact with any former parishioners or current ones not attending, please share this invitation with them. Also forward their names to either Patricia Bourgery or Susan Chase. Thank you in advance for any help you may be able to offer. 4-Bulletin If you want to receive Consistory press releases, please check their website (https://www.uocofusa.org/) at the very bottom of their home page you will see a little black box with an envelope and the words, SUBSCRIBE. Click on that and you should be able to receive all email updates from the Consistory. KITCHEN WORK SESSIONS Tuesday, March 5: 7:30am - peel and mash 50# potatoes, make potato balls Wednesday March 6: 7:30am - pinch perohe Tuesday, March 12: 7:30am - sauté 50# onions Tuesday, March 19: 7:30am - prepare 25# cabbage filling Wednesday, March 20: 7:30am - pinch perohe Tuesday, March 26: 7:30am - steam cabbage (90#), cook meat, rice, and assemble holubts UPCOMING PARISH EVENTS **Every 1st. Sunday of the month is Ukrainian Sunday, when a majority of the Divine Liturgy is sung in Ukrainian, also, we celebrate the Service of Repentance, before the Divine Liturgy at 8:45AM.
**Every 2nd. Sunday of the month is our Open House, invite your friends to come investigate our Faith Community. **Every last Saturday of the month is Father Borislav s class on different theological topics, right after Vespers, in the nave of the church. **Every last Sunday of the month is Father Borislav s 15 mins with Father, a talk aimed at our youth of St. Michael s, in the church nave, after the Divine Liturgy. CHILDREN OF ALL AGES ARE WELCOME. Sunday, Mar. 3rd Zapusty/Meatfare Dinner @ 11AM Sunday, Mar. 10th Cheesefare Potluck Brunch after Liturgy. Monday, Mar. 11th Beginning of Great Lent. Sunday, Mar. 17th Orthodox Sunday Vespers 5:00PM - St. Mary AOC, 249 High St., Pawtucket Preacher: Fr. Aaron Walker Tuesday, Mar. 19th Parish Board Meeting @ 6:30PM Sunday, Mar. 24th Transport clothing to Savers. Festal Vespers Annunciation (New Calendar) 5:00PM - Annunciation GOC, 175 Oaklawn Ave., Cranston Preacher: Fr. Shnork Souin Sunday, Mar. 31st Pan-Orthodox Lenten Vespers 5:00PM St. John the Baptist Romanian Orthodox Church, 501 East School St., Woonsocket Preacher: Fr. George Economou Sunday, Apr. 7th Pan Orthodox Lenten Vespers 5:00PM - St. Michael s UOC Preacher: Fr. Elie Estephan Sunday, Apr. 14th Pan-Orthodox Lenten Vespers 5:00PM Sts. Mary & Mena Coptic Orthodox Church, 2433 Scituate Ave., Hope Preacher: Fr. Borislav Kroner Tuesday, Apr. 16th Parish Board Meeting @ 6:30PM Saturday, Apr. 20th Annual Spring Cookie Walk Sunday, May. 19th Welcome Back Open House Sunday Welcoming any former parishioners or current ones not attending,
Wednesday, May. 21st Parish Board Meeting @ 6:30PM Six Principles on Fasting What should we be really doing during the Lenten season? In a recent essay entitled, Giving It Up? Fasting During Great Lent in the Armenian Church, V. Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan explains the often misunderstood and maligned tradition of fasting. Here are six principles which he presents on this important Christian discipline. 1. Fasting is about reducing excess to make room for God: The point of fasting is to eliminate from our lives all manner of excess that distracts us from God s love for us. Such excesses could be food, alcohol, shopping, electronics, gambling and all other diversions. By fasting we trim these excesses from our lives so that we can more clearly perceive God in this world and among us. 2. Fasting is not about Giving Up anything: God does not want us to deprive ourselves of anything, especially when it may hurt us or affect our health. God does not expect us to sacrifice animals and perform sacrificial rituals as the Jewish people did before Christ. The ultimate sacrifice and the only one that counts is the death of Jesus Christ on the cross for us. Our eternal God sacrificed His only Son for us as a sign of His unconditional love for mortal humans. So, fasting is not about depriving ourselves from candy or anything else. It is rather the complete dedication of our lives to God, as St. Paul challenges us: Present your bodies as a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1). 3. Fasting alone will not make me a better Christian: Fasting is not about earning brownie points to get into heaven. No human being can achieve salvation on his or her own, whether through fasting or any other effort. Jesus Christ is the only door to salvation. Christ brought salvation with Him into this world. All we have to do is accept it. We fast not to earn our way to God s favor, but to celebrate the fact that salvation has already been achieved for those who follow Christ. Fasting
should assist us to refocus on our faith, aid us to recognize God s love for us, and inspire us to love one another. 4. An effective fast must be thoughtful and prayerful: Rather than ask, What shall I give up this Lent? we might better ask ourselves, What is holding me back from devoting myself more wholeheartedly to the Lord? What am I overindulging in? What is sucking up time that I could better use for the sake of more Christian pursuits? How am I spending my money? What can I relinquish to simplify my life and make it more Christ-like? Thoughtful and prayerful reflection on these questions will guide us to a more correct and edifying Lenten fast. 5. Fasting is a personal but not a private matter: Christ was very clear that we should keep our fasting practices to ourselves. And yet the fruits of fasting are interpersonal, because ultimately fasting is about healing God s community, the Church. Fr. Daniel writes, Good, prayerful fasting should lead to an outgoing, compassionate spirit of reconciliation among the members of the Church, which mends and strengthens that community and fosters communion with one another and thereby with Jesus Christ. So, while the details of my Lenten fast should be between God and me, my fasting is the business of the Church. To put it another way, my fasting affects you and your fasting affects me. 6. Happy Fasting If we are fasting with the proper mindset, then it should lead us to a deeper, more meaningful and uplifting communion with the Creator. And that will bring us joy. As we trim the excess, we fill ourselves with hope and joy as we wait for the ultimate celebration.
GREAT LENT 2019 Sunday, March 10 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy w/ Rite of Annual Forgiveness (Cheesefare Sunday) Monday, March 11 6:00 PM Great Canon of St. Andrew Tuesday, March 12 6:00 PM Great Canon of St. Andrew Wednesday, March 13 6:00 PM Great Canon of St. Andrew Thursday, March 14 6:00 PM Great Canon of St. Andrew Saturday, March 16 6:00 PM Sorokousty for the Deceased followed by Great Vespers Sunday, March 17 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy Sunday of Orthodoxy 5:00 PM Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers St. Mary AOC 249 High St., Pawtucket Preacher Fr Aaron Walker Wednesday, March 20 6:00 PM Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts (w/ Pot Luck Dinner) Saturday, March 23 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy with Sorokousty for the Deceased Sunday, March 24 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy of St Basil The Great 5:00 PM Festal Vespers of Annunciation (New Calendar) / Annunciation GOC 175 Oaklawn Ave., Cranston - Preacher Fr Shnork Souin Wednesday, March 27 6:00 PM Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts (w/ Pot Luck Dinner) Saturday, March 30 Deanery Mission 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy @ St. Mary s, New Britain, CT Followed by Holy Unction Service @ St. Michael s / Woonsocket, RI Followed by Great Vespers @ St. Andrew s / Boston, MA Sunday, March 31 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy of St Basil The Great Sunday, March 11 5:00 PM Pan-Orthodox Vespers St. John the Baptist / 501 East School Street, Woonsocket Preacher Fr George Economou Wednesday, April 3 6:00 PM Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts Saturday, April 6 6:00 AM Sorokousty for the Deceased followed by Great Vespers. Sunday, April 7-9:00 AM Divine Liturgy of St Basil Sunday, March 18 5:00 PM Pan-Orthodox Vespers St. Michael UOC / 74 Harris Ave., Woonsocket Preacher Fr Elie Estephan Thursday, April 11 6:00 PM Canon of St Andrew Saturday, April 13-6:00 PM Akathist to the Mother of God Sunday, April 14-9:00AM Divine Liturgy of St Basil Sunday, March 25 5:00 PM Pan-Orthodox Vespers St. Mary / Mena Coptic Orthodox Church- 2433 Scituate Avenue, Cranston (Hope, RI) Preacher Fr Borislav Kroner Wednesday, April 17 6:00 PM Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts Saturday, April 20 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy Lazarus Saturday During Great Lent, we are encouraged to slow down the pace of our lives and spend more time in quiet and prayer. Unless we focus on the basics (prayer, family, worship) and downsize the rest, the additional disciplines of Lent will either go unused or just add stress to our lives. Neither approach is useful.
Praying Our Way Together Through Great Lent 2019 What: Reading the Psalter When: March 18, 2019 April 12, 2019, five days a week, Monday - Friday, at any convenient time Where: In the comfort of your home or wherever you may be with your device. Why: To heighten your Lenten journey by reading the Prayer Book of the Church! If you would like to journey with us, please email your name, address, phone number, parish name, and parish address to Janice Meschisen at Bridesong150@gmail.com and more information will be sent to you. Please respond by March 13, 2019 Sponsored by the UOL