Issue No.25, March 2, 2014 Sunday, March 2, 2014 Romans 13:11-14:4 St. Matthew 6:14-21 1
Sunday of Forgiveness Cheesefare Sunday Schedule of Altar Boys for Sunday, March 9 th : English Divine Liturgy: Group #3 Matthew Greaves, Zachary Tatoczenko, John Meaden, Adam Panas. Schedule of Ushers for Sunday, March 9 th : English Divine Liturgy: Group #5 Mr. William Dobransky, Mr. Stephen Mihnovets, Mrs. Donna Tuck. Welcome, Your Grace! Vitayemo! Our St. Vladimir parish family most sincerely welcomes His Grace Bishop Daniel, who honors us by serving the Ukrainian Liturgy and delivering the sermon at both Liturgies. We welcome you back from your visit to our brothers and sisters in Ukraine, assuring them of our love, concern and support in their struggle for democracy. We also thank you for this visit on the Eve of Great Lent and pray that you will have a spiritually uplifting journey to Holy Pascha. As in past years, our faithful living in Parma and surrounding communities are requested to come to the Holy Mystery of Confession on Saturday evening at 4:30 p.m., prior to the 5:00 p.m. Vespers. Those living a distance from the church may come on Sunday morning before the Liturgy. Sick and elderly parishioners who would like the clergy to bring Communion to their homes are asked to phone the rectory. Do not wait for the last week of Great Lent, when the priests are busy preparing for the Holy Week services. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated. With the Federal HIPAA laws in effect at all medical institutions, it is difficult for the clergy to locate parishioners who have been transferred from the hospital to a rehab facility. Since some parishioners do not have families or their families are not known to the clergy, it is impossible to find out to which rehab facility they have been transferred. Since the ministry of visiting the sick is a very important one, please be sure that the clergy is contacted with the name and address of the new location. 2
Calendar of Events for the week of March 2 nd : Sunday (today)- Junior U.O.L. Coffee Hour following both Liturgies - 5:30 p.m., Forgiveness Vespers at Sts. Peter & Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Monday Church in Youngstown - First Day of Great Lent (see separate insert for schedule of Lenten services) - 7:00 p.m., Monthly Brotherhood meeting Wednesday - 8:30 a.m., Moleben for sick parishioners Thursday - 7:00 a.m., Pyrohy project (peeling) - 12:30 p.m., Pyrohy project (scooping) - 4:00 p.m., Pyrohy project (making) Friday Saturday Sunday - 9:00 a.m. noon, Pyrohy sales - 4:30-7:30 p.m., Fish Fry - 8:30 a.m., Confession - 9:00 a.m., Divine Liturgy - 9:00 a.m., Ukrainian school - 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Library hours - 4:45 p.m., Confession - 5:00 p.m., Vespers - 8:30 a.m., English Divine Liturgy - 9:45 a.m., Sunday School - Junior U.O.L. Coffee Hour following both Liturgies - 10:15 a.m., Ukrainian Divine Liturgy - 5:00 p.m., Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers at St. George Orthodox Church, W. 14 th Street in Cleveland HELP!!! FISH FRIES BEGINS THIS FRIDAY!!! Lent is around the corner. Please volunteer to help on Fridays at the Fish Fry. Last year, we made over $3,000 after 1-time equipment costs and supply expenses. This year we hope to make a greater profit. We cannot do it without your help. Please contact Mrs. Mary Ann Skaryk (216) 642-9355, Mrs. Pauline Osad (440)773-0856 or Gene Boyko (440) 885-0468 for more information and to volunteer. Thank You! Memorial services (Sorokousty) began, as is the tradition in our parish, on the first Friday of Great Lent (March 7 th ) and will continue every Friday. If you would like your deceased family members remembered during this service, please notify the clergy. This request must be made annually. Special envelopes for Sorokousty can be found in the office. Please write the names legibly. We warmly welcome Dr. Michael Samotowka and Mr. Wasyl Jermolenko, who were recently accepted as new members to our St. Vladimir parish family. 3
Please remember our sick and elderly parishioners in your prayers. Also, the clergy request that they be notified when parishioners are admitted to and/or discharged from the hospital and transferred to a nursing home and if a home visit is desired. The Fund to Aid Ukraine, through the generosity of our community, has raised over $1,000,000 for causes in Ukraine. Today the United Ukrainian Organizations of Ohio calls to action to support the needs of the Euromaidan. Your donations will provide funds for food, clothing, medicine, blankets and other necessities to our brothers and sisters in Ukraine. Donations are being accepted at Cleveland Selfreliance Federal Credit Union, account #6308. The Fund to Aid Ukraine is registered as a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. Contributions to Fund to Aid Ukraine are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. The Fund to Aid Ukraine s tax identification number is 34-1684139. Please mark the following dates in your calendar and plan to participate: Today 5:30 p.m., Eve of Great Lent, Forgiveness Vespers at Sts. Peter & Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Youngstown. A Lenten meal will follow. Sunday, March 9 th - 5:00 p.m., Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers will be served at St. George Syrian Orthodox Church, West 14 th Street in Tremont. Attend Church every Sunday as a family and unite with Our Lord in Holy Communion. The parish office has received information about scholarships being offered to Orthodox Christians attending college. For more information about this program, sponsored by the John C. Kulis Charitable Foundation, contact our parish secretary. The deadline for applications is May 1, 2014. ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN GREETINGS Greeting: Glory to Jesus Christ! Reply: Glory Forever! Slava Isusu Christu! Christ is Among Us! Slava Na Veeky! Is and always will be! Church Office Hours: Monday thru Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Office Phone: (440) 886-3223 4
Special Services Scheduled for the First Week of Great Lent, beginning on Monday, March 3 rd Monday - 6:00 p.m., Canon of St. Andrew of Crete (English & Ukrainian) Tuesday - 6:00 p.m., Canon of St. Andrew of Crete (English only). The English choir is requested to sing the responses Wednesday - 6:00 p.m., Canon of St. Andrew of Crete (mostly English & Ukrainian). Youth Service. The responses will be sung by the parish youth. Thursday - 6:00 p.m., Canon of St. Andrew of Crete (Ukrainian only). The Ukrainian choir is requested to sing the responses. Friday - 6:00 p.m., Passion Service, Sorokousty (Ukrainian) and Confession Saturday - 8:30 a.m., Holy Confession - 9:00 a.m., Divine Liturgy - 4:30 p.m., Holy Confession - 5:00 p.m., Vespers Sunday - 8:30 a.m., English Divine Liturgy - 10:15 a.m., Ukrainian Divine Liturgy - 5:00 p.m., Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers at St. George Antiochan Orthodox Church, W 14 th Street in Tremont. Children should meet at the church at 4:40 p.m. and bring their icons. As we begin this Lenten season, in preparation for the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Pascha as Orthodox Christians, we are called upon to make time for God and our spiritual well-being. We will all feel better for having done this. The following are Church regulations that you are asked to adhere to during this Lenten season: Attend Church every Sunday and participate in the special Lenten services that are scheduled. Participate sincerely in the Sacraments of Holy Confession and Communion every Sunday. Fast the entire first and last week of Lent, as well as on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays. To those of stronger body and more willing spirit, it is wholeheartedly recommended that the practices of a sterner quality of the traditions and customs of our Holy Orthodox Church be followed, namely fasting the entire Great Lent from meat and dairy products. Practice deeds of charity; think of others; visit the sick, lonely and elderly. Participate in the Liturgy of Pre-Sanctified Gifts every Wednesday evening at 6:00 p.m. Confessions will be heard at 5:30 p.m. Those desiring to receive Holy Communion at this evening Liturgy must begin fasting from food and drink at 12:00 noon. Parishioners who, because of age or ill health, are unable to attend services to receive Holy Communion in Church are asked to call the clergy to arrange to have the Sacraments brought to their homes. However, please do not wait until the last week to do so because that is when the clergy are most busy preparing for Holy Week and the Paschal services. Please note that the faithful are NOT required to fast from medicine they are taking. To those who have not actively participated in the services of our parish, what better time than now to make a change. Also, if for any reason you have not received the Sacraments of Holy Confession and Holy Communion for a number of years and would like to discuss this matter with the clergy, please do not hesitate to call. Remember that to be considered a member in good standing in the Orthodox Church requires the believer to receive the Holy Mysteries of Confession and Communion a minimum of once a year. Great Lent is the appropriate time to fulfill this requirement. May God bless you with strength, wisdom, and a heart of prayer as we begin the Great Lent! In Christ s Love, Fr. John & Fr. Michael Having suffered the passion for us, O Lord, Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on us. 5
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MESSAGE FROM YOUR PASTOR February 24, 2014 Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ, Slava Isusu Christu! Glory to Jesus Christ! So let each one give as he desires in his heart, not grudgingly; for God loves as cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7) These words of St. Paul must be taken to heart by every member of Christ s Church. Ask yourself: Are you one who gives grudgingly or are you a cheerful giver? I write these words because parishioners have been asking me about our structure of having parish dues and they have been comparing our parish to others. Rather than answer these questions individually, I decided that I would reach out to all parishioners. First of all, it is important to understand that the system of paying dues is a Western concept. There is no such structure in Ukraine and other countries and this is one reason why individuals coming to this country cannot comprehend our system of administration. Donations to support the parishes in other countries come from regular collections and candle sales. They do not have Pyrohy projects or Craft Fairs or Fish Fries. Our present system is important because it gives an accurate count of parish members, which is needed to properly elect a parish Board, according to the Church Constitution. At the same time, we encourage newcomers from Ukraine to donate generously and to join parish organizations such as the choir, school, Pyrohy Group, etc. We are thrilled that this, in fact, is happening. Maybe someday, they will pay dues or not because perhaps, in the future, there will be no more need for parish dues. At our last Sobor in South Bound Brook in October 2013, discussion took place involving a new system of stewardship. This system depends on parish members pledging a sum of money to be donated during the particular year. It was decided that this idea would be discussed at a future Sobor. However, a number of Diocesan parishes already use this system. At the last meeting of our Orthodox Clergy Association, I learned that many of our local parishes already follow the system of Stewardship and it is working for them Regarding dues the question was asked about other local parishes. I have learned the following: and Parish A Parish B Parish C - Dues are $40.00 per person - Dues are $25.00 per person - Dues are $25.00 plus $20.00 for your box of offering envelopes a once-a-month collection is taken for the Diocese. As for our parish dues, the cost for 2014 is, in reality, $55.00. In fact, this is a reduction of $23.00 from the amount paid in 2013 - $78.00. The reason that our dues are 7
currently $155.00 per adult member is this: last year, $77.00 of the amount collected from each member went to our Diocese in South Bound Brook, as well as for the Seminary. Subsequently $78.00 stayed in our parish. Following the decision of the 2013 Sobor, it was voted by 200 delegates, in a democratic forum, although not unanimously, that the assessment to maintain our beautiful church headquarters and seminary would be raised to $100.00 per member, leaving $55.00 of the total cost of parish membership within our parish - $23.00 less than previously. $55.00 dues comes to $1.05 per week. A cup of coffee at ParmaTown costs $1.39. At a recent 60+ Club meeting, when this was explained to the members, one of them asked how we could make up the difference. The answer is simple: Donate more in your weekly envelopes! On this the 90 th anniversary of our St. Vladimir parish let us take the pioneers example of giving all to ensure the parish s existence and financial stability. The people who started our parish had so little but they gave so much. Let us do the same and become cheerful givers. In order for us to maintain the church building without a deficit, we need to have an income that is approximately $40,000 more than we received last year. Funds donated by the Pyrohy Group can only go so far. Please increase your weekly offering donations. We must also be aware of the major capital expenses that are looming on the horizon, namely: ~~ Paving of the parking lot. (Naming rights are still available) ~~ Replacing the front steps to the church. (Naming rights are available) ~~ Repairing the facing of the church. ~~ Capital expenditure projects for the cultural center will also be needed. None of the above-mentioned needs are beyond our capabilities. We have a large parish and, by explaining these needs, I believe that we will be successful in meeting our goals. Keep in mind that the Ukrainian saying: If not I, then who? If not now, then when? should always be in our hearts. Also remember the words of St. Paul: bountifully (2 Cor. 9:6) He who sows bountifully will also reap Please so not hesitate to call me or any Board member for further clarification or with any additional questions. I thank you most sincerely for your patience in reading this letter. In gratitude, Pani Matka Mary Anne and I wish to donate $1,000 for the extra expenses of heating the church this very cold winter. Also, this week marks 27 years of having the honor of serving as your pastor. We thank you most sincerely for your love and support. We are always very grateful. 8 Yours in Christ, Fr. John