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St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2018-09-09
Bulletin Contents
Allsaint
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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

Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost  

The Venerable Poemen the Great

Epistle : 2 Corinthians 4:6-15;  
Gospel : Matthew 22: 35-48

Resurrectional  Tone 6

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Welcome Your Grace!

 
We offer a warm welcome to His Grace, Bishop Gregory who is
joining us  today to celebrate His first Divine Liturgy  at our
parish as we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Fr. Peter's
Ordination to the Holy Priesthood. 

We also offer our heartfelt congratulations to His Grace upon his recent  elevation by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
of Constantinople to the Rank of Metropolitan. 

                              AXIOS! AXIOS! AXIOS!

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Church Services and Events

  • St John's Church

    September 9 to September 23, 2018

    Sunday, September 9

    Fr Peter's 25th Anniversary Celebration

    9:00AM Divine Liturgy - Bishop Gregory Presiding

    12:00PM Anniversary Celebration Luncheon

    Tuesday, September 11

    Beheading of St. John The Baptist

    9:00AM Divine Liturgy - Beheading of St. John The Baptist

    7:00PM Moleben To St. Nectarios

    7:30PM Parish Council Meeting

    Friday, September 14

    9:00AM Divine Liturgy - Repose Louis & Catherine Decerbo

    Saturday, September 15

    9:00AM Divine Liturgy - Repose Marion Fallon

    5:00PM Great Vespers

    Sunday, September 16

    9:00AM Divine Liturgy

    10:45AM Church School

    Wednesday, September 19

    7:00PM Adult Education

    Thursday, September 20

    7:00PM Great Vespers & Litya

    Friday, September 21

    Nativity of The Theotokos

    9:00AM Liturgy - Nativity of the Mother of God

    Saturday, September 22

    9:00AM Pagachi Workshop

    12:00PM Picnic Set-up

    5:00PM Great Vespers

    Sunday, September 23

    9:00AM Divine Liturgy

    10:45AM Church School

    12:00PM Church Picnic

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

The Reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 4:6-15

Brethren, it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For while we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, "I believed, and so I spoke," we too believed, and so we speak, knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into His presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.


Gospel Reading

The Reading is from Matthew 22:35-46

At that time, a lawyer came up to Jesus and asked him a question, to test him. "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets."

Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, saying, "What do you think of the Christ? Whose son is he?" They said to him, "The son of David." He said to them, "How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying, 'The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, till I put your enemies under your feet'? If David thus calls him Lord, how is he his son?" And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.


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Saints and Feasts

Allsaint
September 09

Pimen the Great

Saint Pimen was from Egypt and shone forth in the ascetical life in Scete in the fourth century; he was renowned for his discretion. Many of his sayings and deeds are preserved in the Paradise of the Fathers and the Sayings of the Fathers.


Phanourios
September 09

Holy Martyr Phanurius

Little is known of the holy Martyr Phanurius, except that which is depicted concerning his martyrdom on his holy icon, which was discovered in the year 1500 among the ruins of an ancient church on Rhodes, when the Moslems ruled there. Thus he is called "the Newly Revealed." The faithful pray to Saint Phanurius especially to help them recover things that have been lost, and because he has answered their prayers so often, the custom has arisen of baking a Phaneropita ("Phanurius-Cake") as a thanks-offering.


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Wisdom of the Fathers

For since Nicodemus had said, "We know that Thou art a teacher come from God," on this very point He sets him right, all but saying, "Think Me not a teacher in such manner as were the many of the prophets who were of earth, for I have come from heaven (but) now. None of the prophets hath ascended up thither, but I dwell there."
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 27 on John 3, 4th Century

For not in heaven only is He, but everywhere, and He fills all things; but yet He speaks according to the infirmity of His hearer, desiring to lead him up little by little ... For after having spoken of the very great benefaction that had come to man by Baptism, He proceeds to mention another benefaction, which was the cause of this, and not inferior to it; namely, that by the Cross ...
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 27 on John 3, 4th Century

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Parish Stewardship

Logo_-_stewardship_commission_-_10-7-2013_(234_x_249)
Date Coffee Hour  Host Hours Epistle Church Cleaner

Sept 16

Bilcheck Holly Matt Cleaning Service
Sept 23  Booth Pani Carol Cantors Cleaning Service
         

2018 Parish Stewardship Offering (As of 08/26/18)

YTD: $44,337.00 Goal: $70,000.00
 
Be a Good Steward Help Your Parish Carry Out Its Vital Mission!

 

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Announcements

 

ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION - Today Father Peter will be honored on the occasion of his upcoming 25th Anniversary of Ordination to the Holy Priesthood.  We are pleased to announce that His Grace, Bishop Gregory has joined  us for the weekend and presided over Great Vespers last night and at Today's  Divine Liturgy.   For those who made reservations,  the luncheon will begin today at 12 noon at Vazzano's Restaurant on Kenyon Street in  Stratford. 

CHURCH PICNIC - SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 23, 2018 - All are invited to attend our Annual Parishioner appreciation Picnic on Sunday Sept 23rd at 12 Noon.  There is no cost to attend, but we are in need of a few items to be donated in addition to raffle prizes.  Help is also needed setting up for the picnic on Sat the 22nd, and taking shifts at the grill/kitchen area.  Please add your name to the sign up sheets in the Church hall or contact Jean Lomme, Picnic Chairman.   

NEW:  PROPERTY MAINTENANCE FUND  Our monthly Property Maintenance Fund Collections are now targeted towards specific needs.  As anounced at the Semi-Annual Meeting we have two pressing projects at the parish Rectory:  Replacing the Front Door and sidelights  (Original Doors from the 1890's) and the Garage overhead doors.   The total cost is approximately $6000.  ($4000 for Front Door and $2000 for the garage doors). Please keep this in mind when making your monthly property maintenance fund donation.  The August Collection netted $448.00.  We are pleased to announce that we have a pledge of $2000 for the cost of replacing the garage doors and an additional $100  towards the repair or replacement of the front doors of the Rectory.    Additional donations of any amount will gratefully be accepted.  We are most grateful to our parishioners for all their efforts in maintaining and improving our Church properties over the years. How blessed we are to have such a beautiful parish complex which is truly our little slice of Paradise,  the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.  AS OF 8/26/18  TOTAL  = $448.00, Cash Received plus  $2100 pledge  = $2548  GOAL = $6000. WE ARE ALMOST HALF WAY THERE!  WILL YOU HELP US REACH OUR GOAL? 

PARISH SURVEY  -  All parishioners  have received a copy of our parish survey.  As of this writing only 6 people have returned the form.  Perhaps this seems like a daunting task as the form is several pages long.  Feel free to fill out those areas that are applicable or for which you feel strongly about.   It is to be completed by all parishioners, including youth.  Please place the completed forms  in the metal collection box  on the candle desk or mail them into the Church by next Sunday.

ADULT EDUCATION DISCUSSION -  Our Weekly Scripture Study Class  is now taking a pause until after the beginning of the Church New Year.  It will resume on Wednesday,  September 19, 2018. 

COMMUNITY SUPPER -  Our next meal will be  Monday Sept 17 th  at The Lord's Kitchen,  Christ Church, Stratford, CT.  Please see Mary or Eve if you  wish to help. 

CHURCH HALL CHAIR REPLACEMENT -  THANK YOU PARISHIONERS! We have received sufficient  pledges to purchase new chairs for the Church hall.   The molded plastic chairs received the most votes, so we will be going with that.  Please see Tom Decerbo to fulfill your pledge and make payment.  You may also place your payment in an envelope clearly marked with your Name and Chair Pledge Payment  and put it in the collection basket or in the metal donation box on the candle desk.  Once we have received all the money pledged, they will be purchased.  While we be using many of the existing chairs for our church picnics,   a number of these chairs will be available for purchase at a suggested price of $5.00.  If anyone is interested in purchasing chairs, please see Tom Decerbo.  

CHURCH DUES - As a reminder Church dues are $75.00 per adult member. If you have not already paid your annual dues, please do so as soon as possible.  As always if you are experiencing a financial hardship please speak to Fr. Peter so that they can be waived if necessary. 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR -  NE Deanery  DDD Dinner - Sunday Oct 21 at Robertos Restaurant in Monroe, CT. 

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES  
  
Sept 11 Debbie Booth Birthday
Sept 11 Monica Booth Birthday

Sept 12

Sarah Booth Birthday

  

FINANCIAL STATISTICS  8/26/18
 Pew Collection          1409.00
7 Day Candles              12.00
First Sunday- Property Maintenance Collection               29.00
Third Sunday - Metropolitan Fund              75.00
 Flower Donation 
             75.00
 TOTAL         $1,600.00
 

 

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Bulletin Inserts

    Diocesan Camp 2017

    Diocesan Camp 2017

    Registration Information From Camp Nazareth re: The 2017 Camping Season


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ACROD News

Acrod-logo

Bishop Gregory Is Elevated to Rank of Metropolitan!

08/31/2018

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- [Diocesan Chancery] With great joy, the Diocesan Chancery has learned that the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople at its monthly meeting on August 29, 2018 voted to elevate His Grace, Bishop Gregory to the rank of Metropolitan.

His Grace, Bishop Gregory, in announcing the decision of the Holy and Sacred Synod to the Clergy and Faithful of the Diocese in a special Archpastoral Letter, expressed his gratitude in writing ... His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Holy and Sacred Synod have honored all of us. I am truly greatly humbled.

Schedule of His Grace, Bishop Gregory For September 2018

08/31/2018

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- The schedule of His Grace, Bishop Gregory of Nyssa for September 2018 has been released by the Diocesan Chancery.
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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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