1.- Voice of the Church All Saints Greek Orthodox Church 601 W. McMurray Road Canonsburg, PA 15317-2437 Office: (724) 745-5205 FAX: (724) 746--0999 Hall: (724) 745-2249 Volume 30 April 7, 2019 Number 14 Parish Web Site www.allsaintscbg.org Fr. George L. Livanos, Proistamenos frgeorge@allsaintscbg.org Deacon George Athanasiou gfa@allsaintscbg.org Office Email Address office@allsaintscbg.org Sharon Gomber Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Our Mission Statement: to glorify our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through our words and actions according to the Holy Traditions and sacred teachings of our Orthodox Christian faith. 4 th SUNDAY OF GREAT LENT - April 7, 2019: Today we commemorate Saint John of the Ladder (of Divine Ascent), Calliopus & Akylina, Martyrs, Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and Enlightener of North America, Righteous Father Savvas the New of Kalymnos. First Orthros Gospel, Fourth Tone. MEMORIAL/TRISAGION SERVICE: Today s 40 day Memorial is offered for the departed servant of God John D Pankas sponsored by his loving wife Carole, Marcy Cadez, Jim Pankas and their families. The Trisagion is offered by the Velisaris and Pankas Families in memory of Dimitrios Pankas. Eternal be their memory! PRAYER CORNER: Your prayers are requested for God s protection, and the renewed health and healing of His Eminence Metropolitan Maximos, His Beatitude Met, Theodosius (O.C.A.), Mary Lou Markanich, Eleanor Elizabeth Gray, Norma Jones, Mary Karras-Gardner, Leah, Koula Loutsion, Lorraine Mahramus, Lucille Mahramus, Mark Mallory, Baby Noah (Josh & Jess Peniazek), Sean Rovers, Sofia Teodorof, Joel Rivera, our Parish Shut-ins, the Armed Forces, those in Prison, who have lost a loved one, who are ill, suffering or in need, the leaders of our Church and country, and for Mission ministries. COFFEE HOUR: Memorial Luncheon for John D. Pankas, sponsored by his loving wife Carole, Marcy Cadez, Jim Pankas and their families.
WE WELCOME THOSE WHO ARE VISITING TODAY! It is our joy to share today s Worship with you! Holy Communion is a Sacrament of our Faith and thus only Baptized and/or Chrismated Orthodox Christians who are in Good Standing and have spiritually prepared to receive are invited to come forward from the middle aisle of the Nave with reverence and humility, row by row, in a QUIET and ORDERLY fashion, and depart as directed. Please remain seated in your pews until invited forward by a Council Member. If you are standing in the back of the Nave, please wait until all who are seated have gone forward and a Council Member invites you forward. In receiving Holy Communion, you should place the Cloth under your chin, recite your CHRISTIAN NAME, then wipe your mouth after receiving. Women: please remove any lipstick prior to Communing. Non Orthodox Christians are welcome to receive the Blessed Bread offered at the end of the Liturgy. Today s Epistle Reading St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 6:13-20 O Lord, how manifold are your works. You have made all things in wisdom. Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul. The reading is from St. Paul s Letter to the Hebrews 6:13-20 BRETHREN, when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore to himself, saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Men indeed swear by a greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he interposed with an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God should prove false, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
Today s Gospel Reading Sunday of Saint John Climacus The Gospel According to Mark 9:17-31 At that time, a man came to Jesus kneeling and saying: "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit; and wherever it seizes him it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able." And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me." And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, "How long has he had this?" And he said, "From childhood. And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us." And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again." And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, "He is dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting." They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would not have any one know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise." WORSHIP& EVENTS TODAY: - Lentern Vespers at SS Peter & Paul Ukranian Orthodox Church (Carnegie) 5:00 p.m. MONDAY: - Food Festival Cooking - 9:00 a.m. - Noon - Great Compline Service - 7:00 p.m. TUESDAY: - Food Festival Cooking - 9:00 a.m. - Noon - Pee Wee & Junior Dance Troops Practice - 6:00 p.m. - Senior Dance Troop Practice - 7:00 p.m. - Making Palm Crosses Class (Hall) - 7:00 p.m. - Daughter s of Penelope Meeting (Kings Restaurant) - 7:00 p.m.
WED: - Pee Wee Dance Troop Practice - 4:30-5:30 p.m. - Making Palm Crosses Class (Hall) - 5:30p.m. to 6:00 p.m. - Presanctified Liturgy - 6:00 p.m. followed by Community Potluck Meal & Lenten Presentation by: Jonathan Cadez (Benefits of a Pilgrimage) THURS. - Prosfora Baking Class 6:00-9:00 p.m. FRIDAY: - Akathist Hymn: Readers (Lea Tselepis & Stephanie Zeremenko) 7:00-9:00 p.m. WELCOME: to our new Parish Administrator, Sharon Gomber. Sharon come to us after years of service at the St. Joan of Arc R.C. Church in South Park. A devoted wife, mother and grandmother, she is looking forward to her new career at All Saints. Please give her a warm All Saints welcome and allow her the time needed to learn our unique way of Administrative Ministry. THANK YOU: our former Parish Secretary, Dawn Mavrich, sends her love and appreciation to all of us for our support and love shown to her while working at All Saints. She misses us and hope to see us at the Food Festival! ST. PHOTIOS AWARDS BANQUET: We are honored to announce that this year s Parish Recipients of the Metropolis St. Photios Award are: Sevasti Koupiaris & Anna Berg. Please join us in celebration of this event by attending the Banquet on Saturday, May 11 2019, at 4:00 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh in Cranberry. The cost is $85.00 for adults and $25.00 for children under 12. The deadline for reservations is April 19 th. The Parish will reserve two (2) tables so please contact the Office via email or phone ASAP before you purchase tickets so that we may all sit together. NEW BROCHURE RACK: Through the generosity of our Outreach and Missions Ministry the parish has added a new brochure rack in the outer narthex, produced by Ancient Faith Ministries. You will find pamphlets on many different topics and the Orthodox teaching, understandings and responses to these issues. Please feel free to take those that interest you and encourage visitors to also take a look for something that may interest them. AHEPA AND PAN-RHODIAN SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE: Applications for the AHEPA District and National Scholarships, and Pan-Rhodian Local and National Scholarships are now available through Nick Scouloukas (724) 873-5752. Applications must be completed and post-marked as follows: AHEPA National is due by March 31st; AHEPA District by April 19th. The Pan-Rhodian Local Scholarship is due by June 30th and Pan-Rhodian National by July 15 th. The applicant s sponsor MUST BE a paid up member of the corresponding Chapter through December 31, 2019.
Sunday, March 31, 2019 Donations Building Fund: $21.00 Second Tray (HCHC) $400.00 Stewardship: $3,868.50 Candle Tray: $702.71 Cash in Tray: $91.00 St. Phanourious: $40.00 A MESSAGE FOR OUR VETERANS: The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is the nation s largest veteran s service organization, committed to mentoring youth and sponsorship of wholesome programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow service members and veterans. The Pittsburgh Hellenic Post No. 595 of the American Legion is dedicated to those Americans of Hellenic descent who served our country and to those who made the supreme sacrifice in order that this land of ours shall remain free. Pittsburgh Hellenic Post No. 595 has met at St. Nicholas Cathedral since its founding in 1938. The post meets the second Sunday of every month and is seeking new members. Service men and women interested in joining may call any of the listed officers below. 1. Van Paras vanparaspgh@gmail.com 412.527.4248 2. Taki Darakos edarakos@aol.com 412.944.4961 3. Gus Stamoolis gstamoolis@verizon.net 412.913.6451 ALL SAINTS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS: The All Saints Greek Orthodox Church and the Komorowski family is pleased to facilitate the awarding of two $1000 college/vocational scholarships in memory of John M. Pankas and Harriet M. Pankas. Any child of a member in good standing of All Saints Greek Orthodox Church is eligible to apply if they are graduating high school this year and are planning to enter college or vocational school in the summer or fall. Applications can be picked up or requested from the church office. Please call (412-745-5205) or email office at office@allsaintscbg.org to obtain applications. Applications for these scholarships must be properly completed and delivered/postmarked to church office by Monday June 10, 2019.
ÔÏ ÁÃÃÅËÌÁ ÔÇÓ ÇÌÅÑÁÓ ~ MESSAGE OF THE DAY Benefits of Our Prayers for the Dying Fragment of a homily by Saint Gregory the Pope of Rome about a monk who was almost swallowed by a serpent but was released thanks to his brothers prayers. Brothers, we all must pray for each other at all times, following the law of Christian love; hence, the Apostle says, pray one for another (James 5:16); notwithstanding that, our prayer for those of our neighbors who are getting close to death must be especially zealous and persistent. The dying need our prayers the most; our fervent prayers for them set them free from the horrors of their death hour and sometimes even makes them whole. Here is a story told to us by Saint Gregory, Pope of Rome: There was a pious monk in my monastery. His brother came to the monastery and asked us to let him become one of us. We accepted him. But alas! The second brother led a completely different life. He didn t care for his soul at all: he didn t follow the monastic rules; he judged others and wore fashionable clothes; he couldn t tolerate anyone who would talk to him about the afterlife and the need of repentance. We wanted to expel him more than once but each time we didn t want to make his pious brother sad, so we let him stay. After a while, the slothful monk fell severely ill and was dying. While his body was growing stiff, the monks circled him and began to pray. All of a sudden, the dying monk screamed, Leave me alone! A scary serpent is about to swallow me but he can t do it because of your prayers. Go away so that I would stop feeling this pain: I d rather he swallowed me and it were over. What are you talking about? Cross your heart! the monks said to the dying man. I can t, he replied. The serpent is squeezing me. The monks proceeded to pray even harder, and their prayer wasn t in vain. Soon, the dying man felt better and told them in a happy voice, Praise God! The serpent, to whom I was given as prey for my sins, has spat me out and is running away. Please keep praying for me; I want to improve and start a new life. The brothers kept praying for him. What do you think happened? His life was spared. He improved and persevered in repentance and godliness until his death. Seeing how beneficial your prayer for the dying can be, hurry to their deathbeds and pray for them. It may be that your prayer will save the sick person, and the Lord will make him strong again; undoubtedly, your prayer will bring them spiritual benefit, empower them as they grapple with demonic attacks, and help them to die as Christians. In addition, it will alleviate your grief at losing them. Amen. Translated by The Catalog of Good Deeds
Where to Arrange Icons at Home: Why the East Is So Important? Traditionally, icons are placed on the east wall of a building. We can see it in Orthodox churches where the iconostasis is made in the eastern part of the church and divides the sanctuary from the nave. That s because, in keeping with the established church tradition, the Orthodox believers face east during prayer. Why east? Our forefathers Adam and Eve communicated with God directly in the Garden of Eden but then lost access to him due to the Fall. The Garden of Eden was situated in the east. Beside that, the Lord is called the Dayspring (Luke 1:78), the Light (1 John 1:5), the Sun of righteousness (Malachi 4:2) in the Holy Scripture. We have to mention that, according to a tradition, the Second Coming of Jesus Christ after which God shall judge all humankind justly, will also appear from the east. That is why the Orthodox direct their eyes to the east while praying. St. John Damascene writes, As we anticipate His (that it, Christ s author s note) Coming, we bow to the east. That s the oral tradition passed on to us from the apostles. For they taught us a lot orally. It must be noted, though, that this practice is by no means peremptory and absolute. When the Samaritan woman asked Jesus where to pray to God, willing to know the exact geographical point, either Jerusalem or Mt. Gerizim, the Savior replied, God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24). Holy Fathers take these Savior s words to mean that isn t the place where we serve God that is important; in fact, what is important is our heart and our spirit. Thus, Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt points out, If you don t pray in spirit, then you don t pray in your heart; if you don t pray in your heart, then you don t pray at all. Therefore, the main criterion of our prayer isn t in which direction we turn to while praying but what kind of inner spiritual disposition we have at that time. Even if our icon corner is on the west wall but we pray sincerely, that prayer will please God more than the traditional prayer facing the east, if we do it as a mere formality. Translated by The Catalog of Good Deeds
2019 All Saints Greek Orthodox Church Canonsburg, PA Annual Food Festival June 3-8 FESTIVAL BOOKLET AD REQUEST FORM Our Annual Food Festival is visited by nearly 30,000 guests throughout the tri-state area and we invite you to advertise your business in our menu booklet. Your Name: Contact Information (phone & email): Select Ad Size (booklet is 8 1/2 by 5 1/2 ): - $2,000 Back Cover (color) - $1,500 Inside Cover (color) - $1,500 First Page (color) - $1,000 Center Page Right Side (color) - $1,000 Center Page Left Side (color) - $ 300 Full Page (black & white) - $150 Half Page (black & white) - $ 50 Sponsor Single Line Checks Payable to All Saints Greek Orthodox Church Memo Food Fest Ad Send form with payment and ad content to: John Mesogitis 100 Sugarwood Dr. Venetia, PA 15367 412-551-1907 / jmesogitis@yahoo.com Ad content may be sent in paper or electronic format. Ad deadline May 7, 2019 THANK YOU FOR YOU PATRONAGE!
April 7 2019 Youth Activities SAVE THE DATE Friday, Apr 19 into Saturday, Apr 20 GOYA Lock In at the Church Hall Details Coming Soon Friday, Apr 26 12:30pm to 3:00pm Youth Holy Friday Retreat Friday, Apr 26 Evening Myhrr-bearing Girls participates with the Evening Church Service Girls 1st grade through sixth Sunday, April 28 Agape Service at Noon Youth Egg hunt after service Youth Coordinator Irene Douglas iedouglas@yahoo.com 412-760-0528 Sunday, May 19 Church School, High School & College Graduation after church service
GREEK DANCE PRACTICE for Our Food Festival Juniors Group (going into 1 st grade through 6th grade) 6:00pm to 7:00pm in the hall. Seniors Group (going into 6th grade and older) 7:00pm to 8:00pm in the hall Practices are Tuesdays Now through May 28 with exception of Holy Week Pee Wee (ages 3 through K) Tuesdays 6pm and Wednesdays 4:30pm Including Palm Making Classes for parents! Others welcomed to join. Great turn out for all age groups.but we want to see more next week too!!!! We already have 5 boys committed to dancing with the Senor group..lets add more to that list!!!