Welcome

We welcome all visitors to our Divine Liturgy and services. While Holy Communion may only be received by prepared Orthodox Christians, our non-Orthodox guests are welcome to participate in our prayers and hymns and to join us in venerating the Cross and and receiving blessed bread at the conclusion of the Liturgy. Please sign our guest book and join us for refreshments and fellowship after the services.

Feel free to ask questions before or after the services. Any member of our Council or Congregation are glad to assist you. Literature about the Orthodox faith and this parish can be found in the narthex (back of the Church).

Members of our Parish Council are:

Deborah Bray - Secretary

Natalie Kucharski - Treasurer

Glenn PenkoffLidbeck - Member at Large

Demetra Tolis - Member at Large

Phyllis Sturtevant - President

Sophia Brubaker - Vice President

Announcements

Thank you to every one who helped prepare for and participated in hosting His Eminence, Archbishop Nikon. In particular, I would like to thank John and Joan Skrobat for coordinating His Eminence’s visit; Sophia Brubaker and the Fellowship Committee for attending to the details of meals; Susan Lukianov and the choir for their work and commitment.

As you know, we will have two vacancies on the Parish Council to fill at our Annual Meeting. I know that the Nominating Committee has approached several of you, with a request that you consider being nominated to serve on the Council; most have turned down this request, for a myriad of reasons. I would simply remind you that this is an essential ministry of the Church and this parish. We need to have committed laity participating in the leadership of this community.

We are still looking for individuals to serve on the “Red House” and “25th Anniversary” committees as well. “Be the difference.”

Parish Calendar

Parish Calendar

October 4 to October 12, 2015

Sunday, October 4

2nd Sunday of Luke

9:30AM Divine Liturgy

Monday, October 5

Charitina the Martyr

6:00PM Akathist to St Innocent

Tuesday, October 6

The Holy and Glorious Apostle Thomas

Glorification of St. Innocent, Apostle to America

6:30PM Choir Rehearsal

Wednesday, October 7

Sergius & Bacchus the Great Martyrs of Syria

Gail Ferris - B

Alexandra Richards - B

Thursday, October 8

Pelagia the Righteous

Vincent Melesko - B

8:30AM Daily Matins

Friday, October 9

James the Apostle, son of Alphaeus

Glorification of St. Tikhon of Moscow

Jennifer Chobor - B

8:30AM Akathist to St Tikhon

Saturday, October 10

Visit by ArchBishop Nikon

Eulampius & Eulampia the Martyrs

Loyd Davis - B

5:30PM Great Vespers

6:30PM Dinner with the Archbishop

Sunday, October 11

Sunday of the 7th Ecumenical Council

9:30AM Divine Liturgy

11:30AM Lunch with the Archbishop

Monday, October 12

Probus, Andronicus, & Tarachus, Martyrs of Tarsus

Marlene Melesko - B

Ed & Susan Hayes - A

Prayers, Intersessions and Commemorations

Robert, Joseph, Christine, Raymond, Olga, Daria, Daria, Dori, John, Evelyn, Alla, June, Nina, Joan, John, Alex, Alan, Nadia, Glenn, Kathryn, Ivan, Elena & Jevon and Jocean, Kyra, Roderick, Darlyne, Albert, Irene

- and for…

Barbara, John, Jennifer, Nicholas, Isabel, Elizabeth, John, Jordan, Michael, Lee, Eva, Neil, Gina, Joey, Michael, Madelyn,Sofie, Katrina, Olena,Valeriy, Dionysia, and Nona.

We commemorate:

Fathers of the 7th Ecumenical Council. Holy Apostle Philip of the Seventy, one of the Seven Deacons (1st c.). St. Theophanes the Confessor and Hymnographer, Bishop of Nicæa (ca. 850). Ven. Theophanes, Faster, of the Kiev Caves (Near Caves—12th c.). Ven. Leo of Optina (1841). Synaxis of the Optina elders. Martyrs Zenaïs (Zinaída) and Philonilla, of Tarsus in Cilicia (1st c.).

Many Years! to Ed and Sue Haynes and to John and Joan Skrobat on the occasion of their anniversaries. And to Marlene Melesko on the occasion of her birthday.

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the 1st Tone

When the stone had been sealed by the Jews and the soldiers were guarding Thine immaculate Body, Thou didst arise on the third day, O Saviour, granting life unto the world. Wherefore, the powers of the Heavens cried out to Thee, O Lifegiver: Glory to Thy Resurrection, O Christ. Glory to Thy Kingdom. Glory to Thy dispensation, O only Friend of man.

Seasonal Kontakion in the 2nd Tone

O Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the creator most constant: O despise not the voices of those who have sinned; but be quick, O good one, to come unto our aid, who in faith cry unto thee: Hasten to intercession and speed thou to make supplication, O thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.

Saints and Feasts

October 04

Hierotheus, Bishop of Athens

According to some, Hierotheus, like Saint Dionysius, was a member of the court of Mars Hill. Having first been instructed in the Faith of Christ by Paul, he became Bishop of Athens. He, in turn, initiated the divine Dionysius more perfectly into the mysteries of Christ; the latter, on his part, elaborated more clearly and distinctly Hierotheus' concise and summary teachings concerning the Faith. He too was brought miraculously by the power of the Holy Spirit to be present at the Dormition of the Theotokos, when, together with the sacred Apostles, he became a leader of the divine hymnody. "He was wholly transported, wholly outside himself and was so deeply absorbed in communion with the sacred things he celebrated in hymnology, that to all who heard him and saw him and knew him, and yet knew him not, he seemed to be inspired of God, a divine hymnographer," as Dionysius says (On the Divine Names, 3:2). Having lived in a manner pleasing to God, he reposed in the Lord.

October 04

Domnina the Martyr and her daughters

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

The Reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 9:6-11

BRETHREN, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work. As it is written, "He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures for ever." He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your resources and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

Gospel Reading

2nd Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 6:31-36

The Lord said, "And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful."

Wisdom of the Fathers

The sign that thou lovest God, is this, that thou lovest thy fellow; and if thou hatest thy fellow, thy hatred is towards God. For it is blasphemy if thou prayest before God while thou art wroth. For thy heart also convicts thee, that in vain thou multipliest words: thy conscience rightly judges that in thy prayers thou profitest nought.

St. Ephraim the Syrian

ON ADMONITION AND REPENTANCE.

Let us then, bearing in mind all the things which have been said, show forth great love even towards our enemies; and let us ease away that ridiculous custom, to which many of the more thoughtless give way, waiting for those that meet them to address them first.

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 18 on Matthew 5, 4th Century

There are three things that impel us towards what is holy: natural instincts, angelic powers and probity of intention. Natural instincts impel us when, for example, we do to others what we would wish them to do to us (cf. Luke 6:31), or when we see someone suffering deprivation or in need and naturally feel compassion. Angelic powers impel us when, being ourselves impelled to something worthwhile, we find we are providentially helped and guided. We are impelled by probity of intention when, discriminating between good and evil, we choose the good.

St. Maximos the Confessor

Second Century on Love no. 32, Philokalia Vol. 2 edited by Palmer, Sherrard and Ware; Faber and Faber pg. 71, 7th century

Every work which does not have love as its beginning and root is nothing.

St. John Chrysostom

Unknown, 4th century

'But I say to you,' the Lord says, 'love your enemies; do good to those who hate you, pray for those who persecute you.' Why did he command these things? So that he might free you from hatred, sadness, anger and grudges, and might grant you the greatest possession of all, perfect love, which is impossible to possess except by the one you loves all equally in imitation of God.

St. Maximos the Confessor

Unknown, 7th century

Christians ... should strive in all things and ought not to pass judgment of any kind on anyone, not on the prostitute nor on sinners nor on disorderly persons. But they should look upon all persons with a single mind and a pure eye so that it may be for such a person almost a natural and fixed attitude never to despise or judge or abhor anyone or to divide people and put them into boxes ... For this is purity of heart, that, when you see the sinner and the weak, you have compassion and show mercy to them.

St. Makarios the Great

Homilies 5.8, 4th century

Why do we judge our neighbors? Because we shun knowing ourselves. Someone busy trying to understand himself has no time to notice the shortcomings of others. Judge yourself - and you will stop judging others. Judge a poor deed, but do not judge the doer. It is necessary to consider yourself the most sinful of all, and to forgive your neighbor every poor deed.

St. Seraphim of Sarov

Unknown, 19th century