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St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2018-02-18
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Eden
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St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (203) 375-2564
  • Street Address:

  • 1240 Broadbridge Avenue

  • Stratford, CT 06615


Contact Information




Services Schedule


Divine Liturgy - Sundays and Feast Days : 9:00 am

Great Vespers - Saturday Evenings: 5:00 pm

Great Vespers - Eve of Great Feasts: 7:00 pm

Moleben to St. Nectarios - Second Tuesday 7:00 pm 


Past Bulletins


Lectionary & Typicon


Forgiveness Sunday  -  Feb. 18, 2018 
Cheesefare Sunday - Expulsion of Adam From Paradise
The Holy Martyr Agatha

 

Epistle : Romans 13:11-14:4   Gospel : Matthew 6:14-21


Resurrectional  Tone 4    


Image result for icon publican and Pharisee

 

First Sunday of Lent -  Feb. 25, 2018
The Sunday of Orthodoxy
St. Meletius, Archbishop of Antioch

 

Epistle :   Hebrews 11:24-26,32-12:2  Gospel:  John 1:43-51


Resurrectional  Tone 5

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Church Services and Events

  • Calendar

    February 18 to March 4, 2018

    Sunday, February 18

    9:00AM Divine Liturgy with Rite of Forgiveness

    10:45AM Church School

    4:00PM Forgiveness Vespers

    Monday, February 19

    9:00AM Lenten Hours

    7:00PM Great Canon Service

    Tuesday, February 20

    6:30PM Great Canon Service - At Univ. of CT

    Wednesday, February 21

    6:30PM Presanctified Liturgy, Lenten Supper, Adult Ed

    Thursday, February 22

    7:00PM Great Canon Service

    Friday, February 23

    7:00PM Paraklis To The Mother of God.

    Saturday, February 24

    9:00AM Pagachi Workshop.

    5:00PM Great Vespers

    Sunday, February 25

    9:00AM Divine Liturgy - Children's Procession with Icons, Panachida + Ann Mikulak

    10:45AM Church School

    4:00PM Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers - St Dimitri - Easton, CT

    Tuesday, February 27

    7:00PM Teen Catechism Class

    Wednesday, February 28

    12:00PM 6th Hour

    6:30PM Presanctified Liturgy, Lenten Supper, Adult Ed

    Friday, March 2

    10:00AM Presanctified Liturgy - Cambridge Manor

    7:00PM Paraklis to the Virgin Mary

    Saturday, March 3

    9:00AM All Soul Saturday Liturgy - Repose Gedeon Steinhaus

    5:00PM Great Vespers

    Sunday, March 4

    9:00AM Divine Liturgy - Panachida - Irene Wargo & George Halzak

    10:45AM Church School

    4:00PM Great Vespers - St. George Church, Trumbull

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Parish Stewardship

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DATE COFFEE HOUR HOST HOURS EPISTLE
Feb 25 Booth Holly Bill
March 4 Decerbo Pani Carol Matt
March 11   Ivers/Pierce Holly Serge

2018 STEWARDSHIP

     YTD: $6,952.00  As of 2/11/18  Goal: $70,000.00

 

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Announcements

SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY PROCESSION - All parish children are asked to bring their favorite icon with them to Church next Sunday,  Feb 25th to carry in the annual Sunday of Orthodoxy Procession which takes place at the end of the Liturgy. 

ADULT EDUCATION - We are now now studying Holy Scripture. Our study is of a practical nature:  we are learning about the basics of the Bible, its origin and how to  read it  with them main focus being  how the bible offers answers to the struggles we face in everyday life. Those who are interested in taking part in the class either in person or by telephone or video conferencing are kindly asked to contact Fr. Peter.  It will take place on Wed nights following presanctified Liturgy. 

LORD’S KITCHEN - Our Next  Meal is Mon,  March 26, 2018 at  Christ Church in Stratford.  Please See Mary or Eve if you  wish to help. 

FIRST WEEK OF LENT - PILGRIMAGE  - During the first week of Great Lent we will be be embarking on a spiritual pilgrimage with Divine Services being offered daily. Come Take Advantage of the Beauty of the Orthodox Faith and Services and Join us.  On Tues Feb 20th  ( NOTE DATE CHANGE)  we will travel to  Three Holy Hierarchs Chapel at the University of CT where we will celebrate the Great Canon  Service with  the members of the UCONN OCF and parishioners of Holy Trinity Church of Willimantic CT. Please see Fr. Peter if you wish carpool. We will join the students for a lenten meal after the service at a local restaurant.        

LENTEN READING CHALLENGE: - We will be reading Help I Am Bored In Church: Entering Fully Into Worship In The Divine Liturgy – A newly released book by Fr David Smith which offers four compelling reasons for going to church regardless of how we feel. It also explores six reasons people sometimes feel bored in church, five ways to think about your priest, four ways to participate more fully in services,three kinds of waiting, two kinds of prayer, and the one thing truly needful in our relationship with God. This book will help the reader see church as the best place they could possibly be—and the place they most want to be There will be an opportunity to discuss your reading at our Sunday coffee hour.. Books Are Now On Sale For $11.00 See Fr. Peter!

LENTEN RETREAT  Please make plans now to attend the Eastern Regional Lenten Retreat on March 24, 2018 at St. Francis Center for Renewal in Bethlehem, PA. Cost is $35 for adults , $20.00 ages 13-18  and $7.00 ages 7 and under. Bishop Gregory will be keynote Speaker for the Adults and Teens.  This year's Theme is  “Our Calling as Disciples and Evangelists”  Deadline is March 14th.  Please see Fr. Peter to take Part. 

 

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES 
Feb 21 John Vargovchik Birthday
Feb 23 Michael Donofrio Birthday
Feb 25 Elsi Lotufo Birthday
Feb 25 Orestes Mihaly Birthday
 
FINANCIAL STATISTICS 2/11/18 
Pew Collection              1090.00
7 Day Candles                   6.00 
First Sunday Collection                 10.00 
Offering at Door                  14.00 
Four Hour Candles               138.00 
Church Insurance Credit                 25.00   
Dues                75.00
TOTAL          $1,358.00
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Saints and Feasts

Eden
February 18

Forgiveness Sunday

The Holy Fathers have appointed the commemoration of Adam's exile from the Paradise of delight here, on the eve of the holy Forty-day Fast, demonstrating to us not by simple words, but by actual deeds, how beneficial fasting is for man, and how harmful and destructive are insatiety and the transgressing of the divine commandments. For the first commandment that God gave to man was that of fasting, which the first-fashioned received but did not keep; and not only did they not become gods, as they had imagined, but they lost even that blessed life which they had, and they fell into corruption and death, and transmitted these and innumerable other evils to all of mankind. The God-bearing Fathers set these things before us today, that by bringing to mind what we have fallen from, and what we have suffered because of the insatiety and disobedience of the first-fashioned, we might be diligent to return again to that ancient bliss and glory by means of fasting and obedience to all the divine commands. Taking occasion from today's Gospel (Matt. 6:14-21) to begin the Fast unencumbered by enmity, we also ask forgiveness this day, first from God, then from one another and all creation.


Agatha
February 18

Agatha the Martyr

This Martyr, who was from Panormus (that is, Palermo) or perhaps Catania of Sicily, was a most comely and chaste virgin. After many exceedingly harsh torments, she gave up her spirit in prison at Catania in 251, because she did not consent to the seductions of Quintian, the Governor of Sicily. At her burial, an Angel placed a stone tablet on her grave inscribed with the words, "A righteous mind, self-determining, honor from God, the deliverance of her father-land." The following year this was fulfilled when Mount Etna erupted, spewing forth violent fire from which Catania was manifestly saved by Saint Agatha's prayers. The holy Martyr Agatha, the protectress and chief patroness of Sicily, is, with perhaps the exception of Saint Agnes of Rome, the most highly venerated Virgin Martyr of the West. Saint Damasus, Pope of Rome, and Saint Ambrose of Milan both wrote in praise of her.


01_firstlent1cp
February 25

Sunday of Orthodoxy

For more than one hundred years the Church of Christ was troubled by the persecution of the Iconoclasts of evil belief, beginning in the reign of Leo the Isaurian (717-741) and ending in the reign of Theophilus (829-842). After Theophilus's death, his widow the Empress Theodora (celebrated Feb. 11), together with the Patriarch Methodius (June 14), established Orthodoxy anew. This ever-memorable Queen venerated the icon of the Mother of God in the presence of the Patriarch Methodius and the other confessors and righteous men, and openly cried out these holy words: "If anyone does not offer relative worship to the holy icons, not adoring them as though they were gods, but venerating them out of love as images of the archetype, let him be anathema." Then with common prayer and fasting during the whole first week of the Forty-day Fast, she asked God's forgiveness for her husband. After this, on the first Sunday of the Fast, she and her son, Michael the Emperor, made a procession with all the clergy and people and restored the holy icons, and again adorned the Church of Christ with them. This is the holy deed that all we the Orthodox commemorate today, and we call this radiant and venerable day the Sunday of Orthodoxy, that is, the triumph of true doctrine over heresy.


Allsaint
February 25

Meletius, Archbishop of Antioch

This holy Father, who was from Melitene of Armenia, was a blameless man, just, reverent, sincere, and most gentle. Consecrated Bishop of Sebastia in 357, he was later banished from his throne and departed for Beroea of Syria (this is the present-day Aleppo). After the Arian bishop of Antioch had been deposed, the Orthodox and the Arians each strove to have a man of like mind with themselves become the next Bishop of Antioch. Meletius was highly esteemed by all, and since the Arians believed him to share their own opinion, they had him raised to the throne of Antioch. As soon as he had taken the helm of the Church of Antioch, however, he began preaching the Son's consubstantiality with the Father. At this, the archdeacon, an Arian, put his hand over the bishop's mouth; Meletius then extended three fingers towards the people, closed them, and extended one only, showing by signs the equality and unity of the Trinity. The embarrassed archdeacon then seized his hand, but released his mouth, and Meletius spoke out even more forcibly in defense of the Council of Nicaea. Shortly after, he was banished by the Arian Emperor Constantius, son of Saint Constantine the Great. After the passage of time, he was recalled to his throne, but was banished again the third time by Valens. It was Saint Meletius who ordained Saint John Chrysostom reader and deacon in Antioch (see Nov. 13). He lived until the Second Ecumenical Council in 381 (which was convoked against Macedonius, Patriarch of Constantinople, the enemy of the Holy Spirit), over which he presided, being held in great honor as a zealot of the Faith and a venerable elder hierarch.

Some time before, when the Emperor Gratian had made the Spanish General Theodosius commander-in-chief of his armies in the war against the barbarians, Theodosius had a dream in which he saw Meletius, whom he had never met, putting upon him the imperial robe and crown. Because of Theodosius's victories, Gratian made him Emperor of the East in Valens' stead in 379. When, as Emperor, Saint Theodosius the Great convoked the Second Ecumenical Council in Constantinople two years later, he forbade that anyone should tell him who Meletius was; and as soon as he saw him, he recognized him, ran to him with joy, embraced him before all the other bishops, and told him of his dream.

While at the Council, Saint Meletius fell ill and reposed a short while after. Saint Gregory of Nyssa, among others, gave a moving oration at his funeral; bewailing the loss of him whom all loved as a father, he said, "Where is that sweet serenity of his eyes? Where that bright smile upon his lips? Where that kind right hand, with fingers outstretched to accompany the benediction of the mouth?" (PG 46:8-6). And he lamented, "Our Elias has been caught up, and no Elisseus is left behind in his place." (ibid., 860). The holy relics of Saint Meletius were returned to Antioch and were buried beside Saint Babylas the Martyr (see Sept. 4), in the Church dedicated to the Martyr which Meletius, in his zeal for the Martyr's glory, had helped build with his own hands.


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 13:11-14; 14:1-4

Brethren, salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed; the night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions. One believes he may eat anything, while the weak man eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats; for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for God is able to make him stand.


Gospel Reading

Forgiveness Sunday
The Reading is from Matthew 6:14-21

The Lord said, "If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

"And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."


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Wisdom of the Fathers

Henceforward then we must be free from our listlessness; "for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed."[*] You see how he puts the Resurrection now close by them. For as the time advances, he means, the season of our present life is wasting away, and that of the life to come waxes nearer. If then thou be prepared, and hast done all whatsoever He hath commanded, the day is salvation to thee...Yes, for the day is calling us to battle-array, and to the fight. Yet fear not at hearing of array and arms. For in the case of the visible suit of armor, to put it on is a heavy and abhorred task. But here it is desirable, and worth being prayed for. For it is of Light the arms are! Hence they will set thee forth brighter than the sunbeam, and giving out a great glistening, and they place thee in security: for they are arms, and glittering do they make thee: for arms of light are they!...It is the deadly kind of passions then that he is for extinguishing, lust, namely, and anger. Wherefore it is not themselves only, but even the sources of them that he removes. For there is nothing that so kindles lust, and inflames wrath, as drunkenness, and sitting long at the wine...
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 25 on Romans 13, 4th Century

Here it were well to sigh aloud, and to wail bitterly: for not only do we imitate the hypocrites, but we have even surpassed them.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 20 on Matthew 6, 4th Century

For I know, yea I know many, not merely fasting and making a display of it, but neglecting to fast, and yet wearing the masks of them that fast, and cloaking themselves with an excuse worse than their sin.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 20 on Matthew 6, 4th Century

Do we forgive our neighbors their trespasses? God also forgives us in His mercy. Do we refuse to forgive? God, too, will refuse to forgive us. As we treat our neighbors, so also does God treat us. The forgiveness, then, of your sins or unforgiveness, and hence also your salvation or destruction, depend on you yourself, man. For without forgiveness of sins there is no salvation.
St. Tikhon of Zadonsk
Unknown, 18th century

Before we enter the Lenten fast, we are reminded that there can be no true fast, no genuine repentance, no reconciliation with God, unless we are at the same time reconciled with one another. A fast without mutual love is the fast of demons. . . We do not travel the road of Lent as isolated individuals but as members of a family.
His Grace Bishop Kallistos of Diokleia
20th Century

For he who is praying as he ought, and fasting, has not many wants, and he who has not many wants is not covetous. He who fasts is light, and winged, and prays with wakefulness, and quenches his wicked lusts, and propitiates God, and humbles his soul when lifted up ... nothing is mightier than the man who prays sincerely.
St. John Chrysostom
Fourth Century

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Bulletin Inserts

    Diocesan Lenten Retreats

    Diocesan Lenten Retreats

    Information pertaining to the 2018 Diocesan Regional Lenten Retreats - coordinated by the National Senior ACRY


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Diocesan Stewardship Blog

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On Stewardship and the Orthodox Life - Part 152: Bad Excuses (6/25/17)

05/02/2017

"Honor the Lord with your substances and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.” (Proverbs 3: 9-10 RSV)

We tend to shy away from a discussion involving money when it comes to stewardship. The reason lies in the fact that the Western church has put such an emphasis on it in America that even the Orthodox Church has adopted the “westernization of stewardship.” We have tried very hard to present the true biblical connotation of stewardship through the Diocesan Stewardship Commission. Stewardship of your treasure/wealth is an important factor in the church. Without it, the church cannot pay the mortgage, priest salary, utilities and most importantly, outreach efforts.

On Stewardship and the Orthodox Life - Part 151: Giving Away the Kingdom (6/18/17)

05/02/2017

“Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it.” (Matthew 21: 43 RSV)

The New Testament is full of parables which Christ attempts to teach us using common day examples. We see in Matthew, Chapter 21, several parables. The parable of the two sons (versus 28 -32) and the parable of the wicked tenants (versus 33- 41) both teach us that we are not guaranteed a place in the Kingdom of God. Eternal life is truly a gift that God has given us but how we experience that gift depends entirely on how we use the gifts that God has given us as well as expressing our gratitude for those gifts.

On Stewardship and the Orthodox Life - Part 150: Fairness and Credibility (6/11/17)

05/02/2017

"I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me. You know that I have served your father with all my strength; yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, but God has not permitted him to harm me.”.” (Genesis 31: 5-7 RSV)

Jacob was deceived several times by La’ban. It was not fair how La’ban had treated him yet Jacob persisted until God instructed him to take his wives, children and flocks and leave. I think that most of us at one time or another and to one degree or another have had something happen to us that was just not fair. Most of us took it in stride and continued with other lives. There is an ever increasing movement in this country that there must be an equality of outcomes.
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ACROD News

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Eternal Memory: +Lawrence Beck

02/13/2018

JOHNSTOWN, PA - With profound sadness the Diocesan Chancery announces that Lawrence Beck, the father of Pani Carol Paproski, reposed in the Lord on Monday, February 12, 2018.

Funeral Services will held at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, 305 Washington St., New Britain on Thursday, February 14, 2018. Burial will follow at the Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Cemetery. Calling hours will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 14th, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Newington Memorial Funeral Home, 20 Bonair Ave., Newington followed by a Panikhida service at 7:00 p.m.

17th Annual Orthodox Christian Camp and Youth Workers Conference Begins February 1st

01/31/2018

[DIOCESAN CHANCERY] --- With the blessing of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America the 17th Annual Orthodox Christian Camp and Youth Workers Conference will take place in Atlanta, GA from Thursday, February 1 – Saturday, February 3rd, 2018. Co-sponsored by our Diocese and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA, Camp and Youth Workers from across North America will gather together for two full days of enriching and uplifting presentations and discussions, as well as opportunities to connect with other Youth Ministry professionals. This year’s theme “The Place of Gratitude in Youth Ministry”, will help our Camp and Youth Workers discover a key element of ministry that often eludes us: the “gratitude of St. Paul”, who while struggling to establish and maintain churches, was in fact thankful for everyone and everything. Come and learn what it means to “abound in thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:7) in the midst of the beautiful, but often difficult field of Youth Work.
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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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