Lectionary & Typicon

Third Sunday of Great Lent

The Veneration of The Precious Cross

Epistle : Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:1
Gospel: Mark 8:34-38; 9:1

Resurrectional Tone 6

Church Services and Events

Calendar

March 19 to April 2, 2017

Sunday, March 19

9:00AM Divine Liturgy - Retreat Sunday

10:45AM Church School

4:00PM Pan-Orthodox Vespers - St Nicholas Church, Bridgeport, CT

Monday, March 20

4:00PM Lord's Kitchen - Christ Church

Wednesday, March 22

12:00PM Sixth Hour Service

6:30PM Presanctified Liturgy & Adult Ed

Friday, March 24

9:00AM Pastry Roll Workshop

7:00PM Paraklis Service & All Souls Panachida

Saturday, March 25

9:00AM Pastry Roll Workshop

5:00PM Great Vespers

Sunday, March 26

9:00AM Divine Liturgy

10:45AM Church School

4:00PM Pan-Orthodox Vespers - St Nicholas - Stratford, CT

Wednesday, March 29

12:00PM Sixth Hour Service

6:30PM Presanctified Liturgy & Adult Ed

Friday, March 31

7:00PM Paraklis Service

Sunday, April 2

9:00AM Divine Liturgy

10:45AM Church School

4:00PM Pan-Orthodox Unction - Three Saints Church - Ansonia, CT

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:1-6

BRETHREN, since we have a high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, "Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee"; as he says also in another place, "Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek."

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Holy Cross
The Reading is from Mark 8:34-38; 9:1

The Lord said: "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."

Saints and Feasts

March 19

Sunday of the Holy Cross

With the help of God, we have almost reached the middle of the course of the Fast, where our strength has been worn down through abstinence, and the full difficulty of the labour set before us becomes apparent. Therefore our holy Mother, the Church of Christ, now brings to our help the all-holy Cross, the joy of the world, the strength of the faithful, the staff of the just, and the hope of sinners, so that by venerating it reverently, we might receive strength and grace to complete the divine struggle of the Fast.

March 19

42 Martyrs of Amorion in Phrygia

These Martyrs, men of high rank in the Roman (Byzantine) army, were taken captive when the city of Amorion in Phrygia fell to the Moslem Arabs in 838, during the reign of Theophilus the Iconoclast. Among them were Aetius and Melissenus, the generals; Theodore, the chief of the imperial ceremonial bodyguard; Craterus, the eunuch; Callistus, Constantine, Bassoes, and Theophilius, who were military officials; and certain others who held important positions. Because of their experience in war and their virtue, the Moslems did not slay them, but tried by all means to convert them to Islam and have them to fight in their own campaigns. They kept the holy Martyrs shut up in a dark dungeon in the city of Samarra in Syria, threatening and abusing them, making promises of glorious rank and magnificent riches, keeping them in hunger, oppression, and darkness, not for a few weeks, or a few months, but for seven full years. Finally, unable to break the courage and faith of their captives, they beheaded them in the year 845.

Wisdom of the Fathers

And see how He also makes His discourse unexceptionable: not saying at all, "whether you will, or no, you must suffer this," but how? "If any man will come after me."

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 55 on Matthew 16, 1. B#54, p.339., 4th Century

"I force not, I compel not, but each one I make lord of his own choice; wherefore also I say, 'If any man will.' For to good things do I call you, not to things evil, or burdensome; not to punishment and vengeance, that I should have to compel.

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 55 on Matthew 16, 1. B#54, p.339., 4th Century

Parish Stewardship

Date	Coffee Hour Host	Hours	Epistle	Church Cleaner
March 26	Decerbo	Pani Carol	Bill	Cleaning Service
April 2	Ivers/Piercce	Holly	Matt	Cleaning Service

2017 Parish Stewardship Offering (As of 03/12/17)

YTD: $14,207.00

Goal: $68,000.00

Be a Good Steward Help Your Parish Carry Out Its Vital Mission!

Announcements

GREAT LENT- The Holy Season of the Great Fast is now here. We have services frequently during the week specifically designed by the Church for your spiritual and even physical well being. While you may not be able to make all services, as a family please make a decision to attend one additional service a week, and if that is not possible at least ONE Lenten Presanctified or Paraklis service during Lent. Please fast as strictly as possible, and as a minimum on WED and FRI and ALL of Holy Week and Holy Saturday. Please do what you can to help the poor and reach out to the lonely and troubled.

ADULT EDUCATION DISCUSSION - Our Adult Education continues on Wed Evenings throughout Great Lent following Presanctified Liturgy at approximately 8 pm. We are discussing The Way of A Pilgrim Copies are available for $10.00 Please see Fr. Peter to Purchase. Please let Fr. Peter know if you are unable to physically attend the class, but would like to participate via video conferencing or by telephone.

PAN ORTHODOX VESPERS RECEPTION AT OUR PARISH - Thank very much to all who helped prepare for and serve at the reception. We had a nice representation from the parish at the Vespers and all made our guests feel welcome!W

IN PARISH RETREAT - Today we welcome Fr. Sergei Bouteneff who is leading us in the first of what I hope will be a seasonal event - a Retreat Sunday. The Theme For This Year is Standing At The Crossroads – Living Our Orthodox Faith in the Twenty-First Century. Fr Sergei will lead a group discussion at the Coffee Hour while our children are in Church School

CHARITABLE OUTREACH - The youth of the Diocese are once again collecting funds for St. John The Compassionate Mission. The Kulis Foundation is matching the funds up to $10,000. FUnds from the soup sales and any donations others would like to make will be forwarded for this cause. A canister in the Church hall will be in the Church Hall during Lent for the benefit of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center , earmarked for Fr. Juvanly Repass' missionary work in Guatemala. Please be generous.

FUND DRIVE FOR AIRCONDITIONING - At our parish annual meeting, we decided to allocate the necessary funds to install central airconditioning in the Church. While there is sufficient funds in the Church Treasury to cover the cost, we have decide to have a special fund drive to defray the cost to allow a bigger cash reserve in case of unforseen expenses or shortfalls in the parish budget. To date, $1935.00 has been already raised. If you would like to make a donation please see Fr. Peter or any parish council officer. Thank you for your consideration of this request.

COMMUNITY SUPPER - Our next meal will be March 20 at Christ Church. Please See Mary or Eve if you wish to help.

EASTER BAKE SALE - Our Easter Bake Sale will be on Sat. April 8, 2017. Many thanks to all who helped make Pagachi. The crew is now shifting to Pastry Roll Production: The following work sessions have been set: Fri March 24 & Sat March 25 at 9:00 am.

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES

March 21	Marcia Leonetti	Birthday
March 21	Matt Mihaly, Jr.	Birthday
March 24	Tim Paproski	Birthday

FINANCIAL STATISTICS -3/12/17

Offering At The Door	14.00
Pew Collection	1133.00
First Sunday	20.00
7 Day Candles	6.00
Church Dues	150.00
Lenten Service Offerings	7.00

TOTAL	$1,375.00

Bulletin Inserts

Diocesan Lenten Retreats

Dates and topics for 2017 Diocesan Regional Retreats.

Diocesan Camp 2017

Registration Information From Camp Nazareth re: The 2017 Camping Season

2017 Lenten Youth Project

Flier for the annual diocesan youth outreach project

ACROD News

Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) Officially Begins National Search for Executive Director

03/10/2017

http://www.acrod.org/news/2017/ocf-executive-director

BROOKLINE, MA — Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) is officially accepting resumes from interested candidates for the position of Executive Director.

OCF is an agency of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States and serves as the official campus ministry for the twelve (12) Orthodox Christian jurisdictions that the Assembly represents. Its mission is to transform the lives of college students in the United States and Canada by guiding them along the path to Jesus Christ through His Church, cultivating a campus community of worship, witness, service, fellowship, and education.

Headquartered on the campus of Hellenic College Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts, and with a network of more than 400 chapters that stretches across the United States and Canada, OCF is seeking a motivated individual who can champion Orthodox campus ministry and oversee the operations of OCF’s regional and national programs.

Diocesan Priests and Students to Travel to Thessaloniki!

03/09/2017

http://www.acrod.org/news/2017/real-break-thessaloniki

JOHNSTOWN, PA [Diocesan Chancery] -- Eight Diocesan college students, accompanied by Diocesan Priests, Jonathan Bannon and William Bennett, will be taking part in an OCF Real Break Trip to Thessaloniki, Greece, from March 10-18, 2017 in order to personally experience the living witness and service of the Christian communities of Northern Greece. The host institution will be the historic Great Church of the Theotokos, that is, the Church of the Acheiropoietos, which was built in the center of Byzantine Thessaloniki in the fifth century.

During Real Break Thessaloniki, the students will visit many of the region’s sacred sites and venerate the numerous relics and icons that have adorned them for centuries. This includes the churches and relics of St. Demetrios, Sts. Cyril and Methodios, St. Gregory Palamas, St. Theodora and St. David, as well as the churches of Rotunda, Haghia Sophia, St. Nicholas Orphanos and the Holy Apostles.

Diocesan Resources

Diocesan Website: http://www.acrod.org	Camp: http://www.campnazareth.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/acroddiocese	Twitter: https://twitter.com/acrodnews
You Tube: https://youtube.com/acroddiocese	National ACRY: http://www.acry.org

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