March 3 Saturday 4 p.m. Great Vespers; 4:30 Confession
March 4 Sunday of Orthodoxy, 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy with procession of icons; Deanery  Vespers, 4 p.m. Nativity of Theotkos Church, Waterbury; St. John the Baptist Church, Bridgeport.
March 7 Wed 5 p.m.-5:45 p.m. Confession; 6 p.m. Presanctified Liturgy
March 9  Friday 6 p.m. Panikhida
March 10 Saturday 4 p.m. Great Vespers; 4:30 p.m. Confession
March 11, Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy;
4 p.m. Deanery  Vespers, Holy Trinity Church, Willimantic.
March 14 Wed 5 p.m.-5:45 p.m. Confession; 6 p.m. Presanctified Liturgy
March 17 Sat. 4 p.m.  Great Vespers; 4:30 p.m. Confession
March 18 Sunday of Veneration of the Cross 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy; 4 p.m. Deanery  Vespers, St. George Church, Trumbull.
March 21 Wed 5 p.m.-5:45 p.m. Confession; 6 p.m. Presanctified Liturgy
March 23 Friday 6 p.m. Panikhida.
March 24 Sat. Eve of the Annunciation 4 p.m. Great Vespers.
March 25 Sun.- Annunciation to the Most Holy Theotokos and St. John Climacus 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy; 4 p.m. Deanery Vespers, Holy Ghost Church, Bridgeport.
March 28 6 p.m. Canon of St. Andrew of Crete..
March 31 4 p.m.  Great Vespers; 4:30 p.m. Confession
April 1, Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt; 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy; 4 p.m. Deanery Holy Unction-Healing Service, Three Saints, Ansonia; visit of Kursk Root Icon of the Theotokos.
April 4, Wed.—5-5:45 p.m.   LAST TIME DURING GREAT LENT FOR INDIVIDUAL CONFESSION; 6 p.m.  Presanctified Liturgy;
April 7 Sat. Raising of Lazarus: 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy; Lenten breakfast. All welcome!
5 p.m. Eve of Entry, Great Vespers, Blessing and distribution of Pussy Willows and Palms.
April 8 Sun. Entry of our Lord into Jerusalem: 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy; distribution of pussy willows and palms; Church School procession;
4 p.m. Deanery Bridegroom Matins, Christ the Savior Church, Southbury.
HOLY WEEK
April 9 Great and Holy Monday
April 10 Great and Holy Tuesday —Quietude—Church will be open 5 to 6 p.m. for prayers and meditation.
April 11--Great and Holy Wednesday
April 12--Great and Holy Thursday: 6 p.m. Matins with Reading of 12 Passion Gospels.
April 13--Great and Holy Friday: 2 p.m. Vespers with Entombment of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; 6 p.m. Matins of Burial with Procession.
April 14-15--Great and Holy Saturday: 9:30 a.m. Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil the Great followed by small blessing of food; 4 p.m. small blessing of food in Church nave; 9:30 p.m.. Nocturns
April 15--RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST
10 p.m.--Procession, Resurrection Matins, Divine Liturgy, Great Blessing of Food, Agape Meal and Fellowship in Church Auditorium; distribution of candy to children.
11:30 a.m. Paschal Vespers followed by Egg Hunt for Children.
April 16, BRIGHT MONDAY 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy with Procession and reading of four Gospels and Blessing of Church, followed by Agape Meal. (Everyone is encouraged to participate in this Liturgy, continuing our celebration of THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST, a feast that cannot be contained in one day!
April 21 Bright Saturday 4 p.m. Great Vespers.
April 22 St. Thomas Sunday 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy.
April 28 Sat. 4 p.m. Great Vespers
April 29 Sun. Holy Myrrh-bearing Women, 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy.
May 5 Sat. 4 p.m. Great Vespers.
May 6 Sun. Paralytic, 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy.
May 12 Sat. 4 p.m. Great Vespers.
May 13 Sun. Samaritan Woman, 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy.
May 19 Sat. 4 p.m. Great Vespers.
May 20 Sun Blind Man 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy.
May 23 Leavetaking of PASCHA, Eve of Ascension, 6 p.m. Great Vespers.
May 24  ASCENSION OF CHRIST, 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy.
May 26  Sat. 4 p.m. Great Vespers.
May 27 Sun. Fathers of 1st Ecumenical Council 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy
May 28 Monday Memorial Day-Annual Pilgrimage to St. Tikhon’s Monastery and Seminary, South Canaan, PA.
June 2 Sat. 4 p.m. Great Vespers;
June 3 Sun. HOLY PENTECOST, 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy;  followed by Vespers with Kneeling Prayers.
June 9  Sat. 4 p.m. Great Vespers
June 10 Sun. All Saints Day 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy, with procession of icons.
June 11-29  Peter and Paul Fast.
June 16 Sat. 4 p.m. Great Vespers.
June 17 Sun. All Saints of America  9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy.
June 23 Sat. 4  p.m. Great Vespers.
June 24 Sun. Nativity of St. John the Baptist, 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy.
June 30 Sat.  No Vespers
July 1 Sun. 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy.
NOTE: PLEASE READ WEEKLY BULLETIN FOR CHANGES.
BLESSING OF GRAVES
April 21, Noon,  Hillside Cemetery, East Hartford.
April 22, Sunday of St. Thomas--12:30 p.m. Rose Hill; 1:30 p.m. p.m. Cedar Hill.
All other cemeteries, please see Fr. William for an appointment.

This Lenten season we are without our regular choir director for week day services. We therefore encourage everyone to participate in singing and reading parts of the service.
  We may also modify or change some of the services until our director returns.

     As we come closer to spring, we near a season of new life, as trees bloom, the sun appears to us for longer periods, grass is greener and more birds sing their songs.
    It also is the time of Great Lent, Holy Week, Pascha.
   Each day we are occupied by many things, and sometimes are overwhelmed by them. The Church recognizes  this, and before we experience the consecration of bread and wine, and before we partake of our Lord’s Body and Blood, we sing of putting aside all earthly cares.
   It is not an easy task, for our minds are often on overload, spinning, thinking, obsessing. It is sometimes even difficult to do this for the two hours we are in Church, let alone when we are away from this Holy place.
  This special time of year, with the great Holy Days of the Church, with preparation for Pascha, help us to focus more on the Holy, and at least lessen the impact of earthly cares in our life.
  During this time we can remind ourselves of the many comforting words of our Lord, Who told us to find rest for our weariness in Him. And during this time we can increase our prayer life, and perhaps find some time to spend in the quiet of meditation. All religions point to a quiet time, a time of clearing the mind, a time of true rest from even our thoughts, which is good for both body and soul. Different than some other faiths, we do it with a focus on Jesus Christ as in the Jesus Prayer.
   May we be reminded of this too by our journey through Great Lent when we change our diets and shake the bonds of food, food, food, and find that there is nutrition enough in humble partakings, strengthened through God’s Grace. We too are reminded to shed some of the baggage of sin as we come to Confession and begin our Repentance, leaving behind mistakes and misadventures and looking to rebirth in a life in Christ.
  Holy Week heightens our attention not on ourselves but on the Lord as we experience His Passion for us.
  Then dawns Pascha and we proclaim and experience the Light that extinguishes all darkness--the Risen Light of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Who reminds us not to give thought to the ‘morrow, and Who now shows us why in His glorious Resurrection.
  May we find through God ways to dissolve in some measure those earthly concerns as we taste of those first fruits of the Kingdom, and come to know real freedom of heart and mind, of body and soul. May it be so. -- Fr. William

There is something good we can do for our Church and her ministry as a witness for Christ.
  If 100 of our members each gave $3 more a week than they are now giving, we could largely eliminate our projected deficit for 2012. That's just $3 a week--The price of some small thing that we purchase during the week, that we perhaps can go without, putting that money aside for God and His Church.
  If you are not giving now, you can start with just $3 a week. If you have been generous in your giving, you can prayerfully consider being just a bit more giving, with an additional $3 a week. If you are not receiving envelopes and would like them, see Fr. William, Dave Vargas or Joan Holobinko.
 And just think, with that small increase in giving, about 43 cents a day, you will be contributing so much to the work of our Church.
  Thank you in advance for your positive response.


 We are collecting ideas for Church Revitalization as well as for marking our 100th Year in 2014. I have  begun writing a history of the parish for the 2014 event. Your contributions would be most welcome...most welcome.
Your ideas, volunteer spirit, application of talents are encouraged, and needed. Nothing can happen without you.
I am easily accessible. Persons may give me items in person, by email, or in the box in the vestibule.
  Many may have photos from our early days. In a recent visit to John and Anne's they shared with me their wedding album, which had many photos from our first Church edifice on Broad Street. It was most enjoyable to see them and share their memories. If you have photos to give, or lend for copies to be made, please do so through me.
  We now have a 100th anniversary committee, which is getting organized. And, as Joan presented at our Annual meeting,  our Council will be deeply involved in shepherding Revitalization efforts.
  We still have need of an archivist to organize all the photos and materials we have already collected. If you can assist, please see me.
  These are exciting times. It is exciting to be a follower of Christ, especially in a society that desperately needs Him. And it is exciting to be part of the All Saints parish  as we move toward our 100th year.
May God bless our efforts.                
                                                                    --Fr. William

                   

     There are many reasons to donate to the Church.
     What are some of them?
     We at All Saints  do not often speak or write about the many needs for funds facing the Church, or about the broader implications of giving.
    In fact if one visited many Churches in the region after having been a member of All Saints, one would be surprised at the pleas for contributions and the positive responses, heard regularly. 
     Why then do we give? We of course give to pay expenses. Simply put without sufficient donations we would not have the things that go into being a parish: Electricity, water, heat, candles, incense, music,  maintenance, a priest. We simply need to meet these costs of being a Church, and to be a member of All Saints we are called to pledge.
     But giving goes beyond this.
     We give because throughout the Bible we are taught the importance of giving—in both the Old and New Testaments are many examples offered us about giving.
     St. Paul speaks of us as being good stewards of the mysteries of God—and those mysteries are found in His Church.
     Being good stewards, calls us to give.
     The Lord Himself speaks of giving in several ways.
     He cites the example of the widow who gave all she had in donating two mites to the Church. And of the ruler to whom he told to give all that he had to the poor, which sadly the ruler declines. And also of the rich man who ignored the poor before him and suffered for this selfishness in his eternal life.
    And our Lord teaches that the widow’s  gift is greater than all others as she gave from the heart, she made  a sacrifice to do this, and she did not give from what was left over—nor should we, and that  is the example He gives. He teaches us that obsession with possessions gets in the way of following Him. And he gives us the example of the rich man and Lazarus to warn us of our fate should we elect a path of ignoring those in need.
    His words in these instances are enough to to inspire us in our attitude toward giving.
    We also know from the Bible and teachings of the Church that we are made in the image and likeness of God.
    And, that part of our effort in this earthly life is to grow in that likeness...
    God loves, and so we love...
     God is merciful and so we show mercy.
    God is compassionate and so are we.
    And God gives and so we give.
     This giving brings us closer to God allowing us to share in yet another of His actions. And giving reflects God in our lives.
     Also, it is in  giving that we show thanks to God, acknowledging that all that we have is a gift from Him, and offering back a portion of all that is His.
     And another wonderful aspect of giving, is that in giving to God and His Church, we in fact benefit from the act. It feels good to give. We have a sense of accomplishment, and a feeling of commitment and dedication to the Lord.  .And the Lord pours His blessings upon those who do give as we read in the Bible.
     Finally, too, in giving we find that rather than being deprived, we are enriched and even have more to share with others and the Church.

     In the Orthodox Church the liturgical day begins in the evening with the setting of the sun. This practice follows the Biblical account of creation: "And there was evening and there was morning, one day" (Gen 1:5). 
     The Vesper service in the Church always begins with the chanting of the evening psalm: "...the sun knows it's time for setting, Thou makest darkness and it is night...." (Psalm 104: 19-20) This psalm, which glorifies God's creation of the world, is man's very first act of worship, for man first of all meets God as Creator.
Bless the Lord, oh my soul, 0 Lord my God, Thou art very great ... 
     O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! In wisdom hast Thou made them all. The earth is full of Thy creatures (Ps 104:24).
     Following the psalm, the Great Litany, the opening petition of all liturgical services of the Church is intoned. In it we pray to the Lord for everyone and everything. 
     Following this litany a number of psalms are chanted, a different group each evening. These psalms normally are omitted in parish churches though they are done in monasteries. On the eve of Sunday, however, sections of the first psalm and the other psalms which are chanted to begin the week are usually sung even in parish churches. 
     Psalm 141 is always sung at Vespers. During this psalm the evening incense is offered:
Lord, I call upon Thee, hear me. Hear me, O Lord. 
Let my prayer arise in Thy sight as incense. 
And let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice. Hear me, O Lord. 
(Psalm 141:1-2).
     At this point special hymns are sung for the particular day. If it be a Church feast: songs in honor of the celebration are sung. On Saturday evenings, the eve of the Lord's Day, these hymns always praise Christ's resurrection from the dead. 
     The special hymns normally end with a song called a Theotokion which honors Mary, the Mother of Christ. Following this, the vesperal hymn is sung. If it be a special feast or the eve of Sunday, the celebrant will come to the center or the church building with lighted candles and incense. This hymn belongs to every Vesper service.
     O Gladsome Light of the holy glory of the Immortal Father, heavenly, holy, blessed Jesus Christ. Now we have come to the setting of the sun and behold the light of evening. We praise God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. For it is right at all times to worship Thee with voices of praise, O Son of God and Giver of Life, therefore all the world glorifies Thee.
Christ is praised as the Light which illumines man's darkness, the Light of the world and of the Kingdom of God which shall have no evening (Isa 60:20, Rev 21:25). 
     A verse from the Psalms, the prokeimenon, follows -- a different one for each day, announcing the day's spiritual theme. If it be a special day, three readings from the Old Testament are included. Then more evening prayers and petitions follow with additional hymns for the particular day, all of which end with the chanting of the Song of St Simeon:
     Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy word, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation: which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people. A light for revelation to the Gentiles, and to be the glory of Thy people Israel (Lk 1:29-32).
     After proclaiming our own vision of Christ, the Light and Salvation of the world, we say the prayers of the Thrice-Holy (trisagion) through to the Our Father. We sing the main theme song of the day, called the Troparion, and we are dismissed with the usual benediction. 
    The service of Vespers takes us through creation, sin, and salvation in Christ. It leads us to the meditation of God's word and the glorification of his love for men. It instructs us and allows us to praise God for the particular events or persons whose memory is celebrated and made present to us in the Church. It prepares us for the sleep of the night and the dawn of the new day to come. On the eves of the Divine Liturgy, it begins our movement into the most perfect communion with God in the sacramental mysteries.
(From Fr. Thomas Hopko's Rainbow Series.)

     All persons are encouraged to activate or renew their membership and support of All Saints Church.
     God has called us to be stewards of the Church and that is what we must be giving of our money, time, talent and energy. We need to be communicants of the Church to which He has called us and we need to follow the teachings of the Church. All of these needs originated from God’s call to us as we read in the Bible.
     The by-laws provide the following for those 18 and older: “The religious and moral obligations of the parishioners shall be attendance at Sunday and Holy Divine Services, observance of the Church Statutes, to be at yearly confession and to receive the Holy Mysteries, to educate and instruct their children in the spirit of the Orthodox Faith, to honor their priest and in all ways to cooperate with him in his good understandings for the benefit of the Church and parish, and guide their personal activities for the good and welfare of the parish.”
     The Bylaws also provide that “Participants of parish meetings, with a right to vote, may be all competent members of the corporation and those who are 18 years of age and over, who are, participants in the pledge system...”
     Accordingly and always keeping in mind God’s Word, we ask all persons 18 and older to complete a membership form and return it to Fr. William. Also, to complete a pledge form and submit it to the treasurer.  We ask them to come to Church to participate in the life-saving Sacraments of Confession and Communion. (Remember that once a year is only a minimum…try eating just once a year.)  We ask all as best as they are able, mindful of the Lord’s admonitions and teachings on giving, to try and share in that joy of being a cheerful giver, of participating in the giving through which God has so blessed us, and continues to reward us. Giving does feel good if we have the right spirit, the right state of mind.  (Read Malachi, Chapter 3, to hear His clear words on this subject). We ask persons to be supportive of the Church, her clergy and hierarchs; and to live in a spirit of Christian love with each other. We ask too that persons remember the poor, the ill, the suffering among us and try our best to make their lives a bit better, bringing some of Christ’s love to them.
    We ask all thus to always strive to be followers of our Lord, and to be willing to make the sacrifices that such a life entails.


     We all by now should be following the teachings of the Church in preparing to receive Communion. But, how do we prepare for Confession?
     Let us, though, first review our preparation for Communion: Those who do not regularly participate in Communion, that is coming more than once a month, have a need to participate in individual Confession before approaching the Chalice. Those who are or wish to participate in Communion regularly, as our Lord invites each of us to regularly participate in individual Confession. Regular does not mean once every few months or even more infrequent. If we have not been to Confession in the last two months we should not approach the Chalice before we do Confess.
     These teachings are for our salvation. To ignore them risks condemnation of our soul.   Having said that we turn to the truth that no one lives without sinning. It is sad, but true. We may be so cold spiritually that we are indifferent to sin. Some, though sincere, may not recognize sin to the delight of Satan. Others may be confused. It is through God’s Grace, and we must open ourselves to that Grace, that we come to know our sins.
     And, as in all things we do or try to accomplish, we need to pray.  We benefit in our preparation by using the Trisagion Prayers, as well as reading and praying some of the Psalms, especially Psalm 51. (After Confession we benefit from Psalms 23, 24 and 116 as well as others.), and the Canons.
     We need to examine ourselves, which we should do each day, before our participation in individual Confession. We need to ask God to open us up to our weaknesses and guide us through His strength. We need to look at our attitudes, words, thoughts, actions toward each others; toward our Church and her clergy and hierarchs; and first and foremost toward God. When we come to Confession we come to be forgiven by God of our sins, the authority for which He exercises through His priests.
     From there we can work on our repentance—that is the changing of our minds and hearts, our directions, so that we may live a life more closely united with God, and thus find true fulfillment in this world that will carry us into eternity.
     What are some areas in which we need to examine ourselves? Here are some questions to assist us:
Do I pray mornings and evenings?
Do I attend and am I attentive at Church Services Sundays, evenings,  Feasts?
Do I thank God for all things?
Do I use God’s name in vain? Swear?
Do I wish harm on others?
Do I judge persons, or been harshly critical of others?
Am I envious of others?
Do I rejoice in the good fortune of others?
Have I engaged in gossip?
Have I shown respect to my children and to my parents?
Have I been obedient to the Church and supportive of her? Her hierarchs? Her clergy?
Have I shown respect toward the bishops, priests and deacons of the Church?
Have I helped others in need?
Have I prayed for those who need God’s mercy?
Do I regularly read God’s word in the Bible?
Have I given joyfully to the Church?
Is there anything or anyone that I cannot give up for Christ?
Do I try to see Christ in each person that I meet?
If I had the opportunity, would I physically care for another?
Have I physically or mentally hurt my spouse?
Have I supported and shown love to my husband or wife?
Have I mistreated animals or anything living in God’s Kingdom on earth?
Have I been a good steward of the earth?
Have I forsaken my faith and the teachings of the Church to please another or to fit in with others?
Have I participated in abortion or encouraged someone to do so?
Is God and His Church truly the priority in my life? Do I come to Church to worship and to pray?
Have I hurt myself or another physically or spiritually?
Do I doubt God in any situation?
Am I sorry for my sins?
Do I truly desire to be a better Orthodox Christian?


     If someone is entering the hospital and would like communion or for Father to visit, please call him.  Hospitals do not inform priests of admissions. Likewise, if someone who is totally confined to their home and wants a visit or communion, please call. Father visits persons in convalescent homes if he knows the person is there and would welcome his visit. Also, Father is accessible by telephone and sometimes by email. However, the Church does not provide Father with a beeper service, cell phone or answering service. Therefore, Father cannot respond to calls, even in an emergency, until he is back in his office. He is at times out for Church-related activities as well as for other reasons.

     As our new year continues we are reminded that all activities in the parish or of organizations affiliated with the parish need the approval and blessing of the pastor/rector, and must not be conducted without the knowledge of the Council president and council nor without its approval. Also, no one should select a date for a wedding, baptism or other service without first meeting with the pastor. These practices keep order in the Church and are consistent with our past practices, as well as the OCA Statute, Guidelines for Clergy, and bylaws of the parish.


     The following persons were elected to the Church Council at our annual parish meeting:
President                          Joan Holobinko

First Vice-President            Phyllis Sturtevant

Second Vice-President        Chris Evans

Recording Secretary            Nick Medynski

Financial Secretary            Dave Vargas

Treasurer                Tom Denisky

            Immediate Past-President        Cathy Vargas

TRUSTEES

    Term Expiring January 2015
                Dr. Chet Andrzejewski
                Mark Ranstead

    Term Expiring January 2014
                Greg Belekewicz
                Mary Beth Stenko

    Term Expiring January 2013
    Cathy Vargas
        Linda Kolios

AUDITORS

    Two-Year Term Expiring 2014
    Michael Danchak
    Two-Year Term Expiring 2013
        Anita Karsky

    When requesting a Panikhida on a Sunday, please remember that Panikhidas are served on the last Sunday of the month. Father has made an exception and served on another Sunday when the date of the first  40 days or one year anniversary of passing coincided with the date  on a different  Sunday. Otherwise the last Sunday schedule is used. Please give Father names at least one week in advance During Great Lent we serve Panikhidas on certain Fridays as listed in the schedule.

When coming to Confession for the first time this year, please fill out a Confession card and give it to Fr. William. Please remember some sound practices for receiving Communion: One comes with right arm folded over left, thus forming a Cross. There is no need to bless oneself while at the Chalice as it is easy to bump it. Also one simply tilts their head back and opens their mouth. The celebrant will then turn the spoon over in the mouth thus giving the precious Body and Blood. There is no need to clamp down on the spoon; thus no particles are on one's lips and nothing enters the chalice. Also, there is no need to kneel or crouch to receive. Father’s  chair allows him to give Communion, but he can reach persons as they stand upright.  Kissing the chalice is not done in all places; if it is done, it must be done with great care. Finally, and most importantly, we come to the Chalice prayerfully, with reverence, and humility, forgiving of others and being at peace with them.

Thank you to all who have returned their pledge form for 2012. However, there are still a few persons who have not done so and we ask that you complete a form available at the candle desk and return it to Tom Denisky at your earliest convenience. Please remember that All Saints as part of its fair share, gives $180 to the Diocese and national Church for each member.

Funerals

Stephen Powlishen, Nov. 3, 2011

Edward Liptak, Dec. 2, 2011












 

November 2011 Through February 2012


Divine Liturgy is celebrated 9:30 a.m. Sundays, and on Feast Days. Vespers Saturdays are celebrated at 4 p.m. When celebrated weekdays, Vespers are at 6 p.m.  The following schedule is subject to change as noted in Father’s announcements, emails and the weekly bulletin. Individual confessions are heard  Saturday after Vespers and by appointment.

Nov. 5 Sat.  4:30 p.m.  Great Vespers; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Russian Tea Room and Bazaar,
Nov. 6 Sun. 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy;  noon to 3 p.m. Russian Tea Room and Bazaar
Nov. 12 Sat.  4 p.m. Great Vespers
Nov. 13 Sun. 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Nov. 15 Nativity Fast begins
Nov. 19 Sat. 4 p.m. Great Vespers
Nov. 20 Sun. 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy, followed by Vespers for Theotokos
Nov. 21 Mon. 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy, Entry of the Most-Holy Theotokos Into The Temple
Nov. 26 Sat. 4 p.m. Great Vespers
Nov. 27 Sun. 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Dec.  3 Sat. 4 p.m. Great Vespers
Dec. 4 Sun. Divine Liturgy
Dec. 5  Mon. 6 p.m.  Akathist to St. Nicholas
Dec. 6  St. Nicholas Feast Day
Dec. 10 Sat. 4 p.m. Great Vespers
Dec. 11 Sun. 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Dec. 13 St. Herman of Alaska
Dec. 17 Sat. 4 p.m. Great Vespers
Dec. 18 Sunday Before Nativity. 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Dec. 24  Sat. 4 p.m. Vigil, Eve of Nativity of Christ  
Dec. 25 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy, NATIVITY OF CHRIST
Dec. 31 Sat. 4 p.m. Great Vespers
Jan. 1 Sun. 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy, Circumcision of the Lord; and St. Basil Feast Day
Jan. 5 Thur. Eve of Theophany, 6 p.m. Great Vespers; Great Blessing and distribution of Holy Water
Jan. 6 Fri. Theophany, 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy; distribution of Holy Water
Jan. 7  Sat.  4 p.m. Great Vespers
Jan. 8 Sun. 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Jan. 14 Sat. 4 p.m. Great Vespers
Jan. 15  Sun., 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy; Molieben for New Year
Jan. 21 Sat. 4 p.m. Great Vespers
Jan. 22 Sun. 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Jan. 28 Sat. 4 p.m. Great Vespers
Jan. 29 Zacchaeus Sunday 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy;  Annual Parish meeting follows Liturgy
Feb. 1 Wed. 6 p.m. Vesperal Liturgy for Meeting of the Lord
Feb. 2 Thur.  Meeting of the Lord
Feb. 4 Sat. 4 p.m. Great Vespers
Feb. 5 Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy;
Feb. 11 Sat.. 4 p.m. Great Vespers
Feb. 12  Sunday of the Prodigal Son; 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy;
Feb. 18 Sat.  4 p.m. Great Vespers
Feb. 19 Meatfare Sunday 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy; parish dinner to follow
Feb. 25  Sat. 4 p.m. Great Vespers
Feb. 26 Cheese Fare Sunday, 9:30 a.m. Meatfare Sunday Divine Liturgy; Forgiveness Vespers
Feb. 27 Mon.  6 p.m. Canon of St. Andrew

Future Dates

April  8—Palm Sunday
April 15 –PASCHA
April 8--Western Easter

     Participating each week in the services of the Church benefits us in every aspect of our life, helping us to improve and draw closer to God, while opening us to His Grace, necessary for our salvation.  
     It is through this participation that we live as a community in which God dwells.
     It is through this participation that we are transformed.
     It is through this participation that mystically we become One with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.


Revealing God In The Parish

     "Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven." We read these words in Matthew and further read verses addressing certain aspects of the life in Christ that commonly are experienced in Parish communities - admission to the Holy Mysteries, prayer, worship, forgiveness, healing and the active participation of children. Each of these elements of parish life includes lay men and women, the clergy, and above all, God Himself Who actively reveals Himself in and through our gathered life. An Orthodox Christian of a worthy heart seeks God and seeks to reveal Him in all that happens within the parish.
     Being accustomed to worship in a parish Church, some may perceive the Divine services as 'just another activity' of our community life. Some parishes put announcements in the weekly bulletin grouped under various headings, with 'Divine Services' listed apart from 'Meetings and Activities.' Such separation calls attention to the reality that Divine Services are unique gatherings and actions in their own right. How so? They are the chief means and special moments that God appoints for revealing Himself among us. Saint Paul stresses this truth when he asks, "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?" (1 Cor. 10:16).
     This miracle of the presence of God in the Holy Mysteries requires Orthodox Priests to guard the Holy Gifts from profanation. Priests are responsible to protect the Chalice, turning away both those who are not yet united to the Body of Christ through the Initiation Mystery and those members who by sins have broken Communion with the Church and are not yet reconciled. What Priests 'bind and loose' is bound and loosed in heaven (Mt. 18:18).
     In addition, the Lord Jesus reminds us that as we pray, our Heavenly Father responds to our requests. Whatever we ask "...will be done," particularly as we 'agree' (vs. 18:19). In the original, the word, 'agree,' implies 'being in harmony with others through talking over a matter.' The miracle of God's response to our prayers is neither automatic nor guaranteed. We must work with each other and be led by the Holy Spirit to attain deep unanimity of heart. However, let none of us wickedly think that because two of us happen to 'agree,' that God is obligated to violate His will in a given matter. Agreement comes to us when our Lord leads and is included: "Your will be done..." (Mt. 6:10). God reveals Himself as we agree in the Holy Spirit in prayer.
     Forgiveness is a great miracle among God's People. May this sacred wonder bless all our relationships "...seventy times seven" (Mt. 18:22) and reveal God's forgiveness in a hundred unnoticed reconciliations. This may also occur formally at times such as at Forgiveness Vespers before the Great Fast. But let all forgiveness begin through repentant confession at every season!
     Thanks be to God that His miracle of healing is disclosed frequently in parish life. Our Lord still heals the multitudes who come to Him (vs 19:2) through Holy Water and Oil, in special Unction Services, and as we partake of the Holy Gifts, and by our constant intercessions.
     God reveals Himself visibly in parish life through our children. We are given the privilege of seeing tiny children grow in Christ as they partake of the Holy Mysteries. Pray for the infants and mothers who come to be 'Churched.' Pray at Baptisms and for Church School classes. Christ reveals Himself miraculously through the earthly hands of our Priests who anoint, bless, and touch our children, for "...of such is the kingdom of heaven" (vs. 19:14).
Used by permission of Dynamis, 7515  E  13TH St. N, Wichita, KS 67206-1223 Email Editorial Address: dynamis@dynamispublications.org.

Diocesan Funeral Guidelines

Following are guidelines for funerals, which we follow at All Saints.

...all things should be done decently and in order.... (1 Corinthians 14:40)

  The Orthodox Liturgy of Death (a term used to describe all services - panikhidas, requiems, Divine Liturgies - that are usually celebrated in connection with death) presupposes that the deceased had been baptized, was a communicant of the Eucharist and, in life, strove to be obedient to the Lord's commandments in pursuit of that "holiness without which no one will see God" (Hebrews 12:14).
  Through prayer and remembrance, the function of the Liturgy of Death is to incorporate and affirm the departed in the death and resurrection of Christ, which are the very content of the life of the Church. The primary - and probably only - function of the Liturgy of Death is to make and proclaim that connection - and even identification - between the death of each Christian and Christ's death. "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:3).
  The Liturgy of Death celebrates the tragedy of the spiritual and physical death of each Christian as being the very sign and victory of Christ's death and resurrection. In that way, the Liturgy of Death preserves the unique Christian vision of death - and life - and calls on the rest of the community to persevere more deeply and zealously in the baptismal way of dying and rising in Christ, so that one's last breath can become a witness to the "glory of the Father." It was, after all, to living people that Saint Paul wrote: "You have died and your life is hid with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3). "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord henceforth" (Revelation 14:13). They are "blessed" because their death is their final and supreme offering, witness and "Eucharist" through which the Lord is declared and "made known." The death of an authentic Christian builds up the community of faith, enabling it to declare more powerfully that "death is no more!"

I. LITURGICAL EXPRESSION
A. Place of Service
- The body of a departed communicant of the Church should be brought into the temple, at least on the day of burial.
According to traditional Orthodox practice, the casket is to remain open until the end of the service.
B. Services
  Presently there are two main ways of celebrating the feast of Christian death, ways that reflect the inner experience of the Church:
- A panikhida service is sung in the funeral home (or the temple) on the eve of burial. Funeral matins (requiem) is celebrated in the temple on the day of burial. In principle, the requiem may "stand alone" and does not "require" Divine Liturgy. (This is practice followed at All Saints.)
- The body is brought into the temple on the eve of burial and the requiem is sung. Divine Liturgy is celebrated on the day of burial, provided Orthodox family members and friends of the departed are prepared to receive Communion. (Divine Liturgy, however, is precluded during Great Lent, when weekday liturgy is forbidden.)
C. Times and Days of the Liturgy of Death
- Burials may not be celebrated on Sundays during the year. the body is not to be brought into the temple on that day except towards evening.
- Burials should not be celebrated on Great Feast days and the body should not be brought into the temple, except towards evening.
- Burials may not be celebrated on Holy Friday, Holy Saturday or the Sunday of Pascha. The body is not brought into the temple on those days.
D. Memorial Services (i.e., Panikhida Services)
- Requested memorial services should not be celebrated during Holy Week.
- The practice of celebrating requested memorial services after Sunday Liturgy should not be encouraged for it tends to nominalize the Liturgy in which all - the living and the dead - have already been incoporated into the Kingdom of God. The practice tends to disintegrate the Eucharist from the reality of death when, in fact, it is precisely the Eucharist - as the sacrament of the Kingdom - that most fully and adequately "proclaim the Lord's death and confess his resurrection" (cf. Hebrews 12:22-24). the best time for memorial services on weekends is Saturday, before evening vigil.

II. NON-COMMUNICANT "MEMBERS"
  Non-communicant "members" (that is: people identifying themselves as Orthodox, who may have attended church services in life and even supported the church financially, but who willfully did not receive the Eucharist at all), are not to be brought into the temple upon their death. By refusing the Eucharist, which is the sacrament of membership, and membership as sacrament, they have refused as well to "proclaim the Lord's death and confess his resurrection" (1 Corinthians 11:26) - which is the very content of the Liturgy of Death and of Orthodox Christian life.
The burial of such people, not taking place in the temple, may only include a memorial service, with the celebrant vested only in a stole. The service may include scriptural readings for the dead.

III. THE BURIAL OF NON-ORTHODOX PERSONS
  The burial of non-Orthodox persons is done in the same manner as the burial of non-communicant "members."

IV. SUICIDE
  Like "non-communicant membership" (which is a form of suicide), suicide itself remains a profound tragedy and sin that should elicit from the community of faith a deep prayer for forgiveness, repentance and sorrow - for the sake of the suicide and for the members of the community as well.
The Orthodox Church normally denies a Church burial to a person who has committed suicide. However, special pastoral considerations may allow a determination to be made, in consultation with the Bishop, to permit a service of burial. Such a determination has, as its goal, to build up the community of faith and not lead it to scandal of confusion.

V. THE BURIAL OF MASONS
  Upon the death of a freemason, the family of the deceased must choose between masonic services and Orthodox Christian burial. If a masonic service is chosen, the body is not to be brought into the temple and the priest may not celebrate any service at all - except to commit the body to the grave (if he is asked to do so) with the singing of "Holy God...."
If a masonic service is not chosen and the body is not bedecked with masonic or other non-Christian ritual clothing or objects, the priest may celebrate the Liturgy of Death.
  This position is taken because masonic services do not specifically mention, proclaim or confess Jesus Christ, Son of God, dead and risen, as being the only answer and Victor after death. Neither do they proclaim the resurrection of all flesh as being God's plan for us, nor do they function to incorporate the death of the deceased into the death of Christ - the only way death can be overcome. Rather, they presuppose a doctrine of spiritual immortality and tend to view the disconnection of soul and body as the natural end of life. This is not a biblical teaching: a soul-less body and a body-less soul are not "natural." Death is the sign and fruit of sin, and the mutilation of a human person.

VI. CREMATION
· The witness of the catacombs and the tombs of martyrs and saints reveals that it has never been the Christian practice to cremate the dead. Therefore, this practice is not encouraged at all. Cremated remains are not to be brought into the temple for services, or for any other reason.
· Although cremation is not encouraged and funeral services over cremated remains is forbidden, cremated remains may be buried with the singing of "Holy God...."

VII. AUTOPSIES AND ORGAN DONATION
  Autopsies and donations of bodily organs after death may be done so long as respectful care is exercised toward the body. In a broad sense, all Christian bodies, as anointed temples of the Holy Spirit, are "relics," and they are organic components of the wholeness of human personhood.

Bishop’s Marriage Guidelines
    Marriage in the Church, like all Mysteries (Sacraments), is part of the community of believers who live in and as the Church, Christ’s Body. We therefore need to be living as an active member of that community, worshipping regularly, receiving Communion, seeking repentance, and struggling to live a life in Christ, in order to be married in the Church. Following are guidelines from our Bishops, which we follow at All Saints Church, regarding marriage. They are offered for a fuller life for those desiring to marry.

“The Church’s vision of marriage is as an icon of the Trinitarian life of God Himself. In such a union, human love and desire for companionship become a love pervaded and sanctified by Divine Grace. God unites in body and spirit, heart and mind. Love unites in such a way that two lives become one life in perfect harmony. Such love implies a relationship in marriage that is total in character. To live up to its high calling, the Christian family must be firmly established in the faith.”
    And:
    “Thus we see marriage as more than some nice ceremony in which two persons join together with some legal standing. Before consideration is given for a marriage in the Church, the persons must display a commitment to the faith through their participation in the life of the Church. And the couple needs to meet with the priest to discuss the proposed marriage before any other plans are made.”

Teachings on Baptism
     Infant baptism is the normal practice of the Orthodox Church. It directly implies a sincere confession of faith and a vibrant Christian life on the part of the parents.
     Parents should be concerned that within their family Christ is confessed as King and Lord. They should be concerned that they themselves are living the new life, and that this life is being nurtured through the Eucharist and liturgical cycles of the Orthodox Church.
     Otherwise, on what basis do parents bring an unknowing infant to baptism? How will a child be nurtured in the Christian life in a home that does not practice it? St. Paul speaks of the children of believers being born holy (1 Corinthians 7:14). But by believers he means people who sincerely believe in and practice the Christian faith.
     Baptism is not an empty ritual or simply the occasion for a party. The initiatory Sacraments cannot be divorced from the totality of family and Church life. Prior to the baptism of their children, parents should seriously consider these matters. They need to be regular communicants and active participants in the liturgical life of the Church before a Baptism. (See separate article, Self Excommunication in this bulletin.)
     The person to be baptized is given a Christian name. This name must be taken from the calendar of Orthodox Saints. The Saint whose name is selected becomes the patron and guide of the newly baptized. The life of the Saint is a path toward holiness, which the newly-baptized can emulate.
     The faith of the sponsors is another decisive consideration. Formally speaking only one sponsor—who is Orthodox--is required. Usually, this sponsor is of the same sex as the child. In practice, it is customary to invite two sponsors. The sponsors have an important part in the Service. They answer the questions about the rejection of Satan and the acceptance of Christ, make other responses and read the Nicene Creed. These duties indicate that the sponsors should be sincere, practicing members of the Orthodox Church. How can a non-Orthodox person confess the Creed of the Church to which he or she does not belong, or promise to sponsor someone into a Church of which he or she is not a member? In the adult baptisms of the Early Church, the sponsors vouched for the integrity of the person desiring to be baptized. How could they do this if they themselves were not Church members?
     The whole Church is involved in the performance of the Sacraments. The confession of faith by the sponsor is the confession of the faith of the Church. In reading the Creed, the sponsor becomes the mouth of all the members. How can a person who is not a member of the Church express the Church’s solidarity of the faith?
     There are rare instances in which a pastor may permit a non-Orthodox Christian to act as a honorary sponsor. The honorary sponsor takes no actual part in the Service. He or she can assist in holding the child. The Orthodox sponsor makes all the necessary responses. (It should be noted that sponsors cannot be mothers, grandmothers, fathers, grandfathers, brothers or sisters of the person being baptized, since they already have a close blood relationship with the child, and cannot add that of Godmother or Godfather.)
     Finally sponsors are called upon to look after the Orthodox Christian upbringing of the child. They should remember the child on such important spiritual occasions as his or her Name Day, enrollment in Church School or any area of service in the Church. The sponsor, too, should be a spiritual example for his or her child in the Lord.   (Adapted From The Introduction by Archpriest  Paul Lazor in the Service Book of Baptism)
     (Note: At All Saint, the norm, as stated above, is to Baptize infants of parents who are members of the Church and who are active participants of the faith.  In rare circumstances, consideration may be given by the pastor for the Baptism/Chrismation of a child if the sponsor or guardian is an active member in good standing of the Church and thus a communicant of the Church, who brings the infant or child to services regularly and promises to continue to do so. This again is an exception to the norm and is determined by special circumstances.  Infants and children cannot act for themselves in relationships to the Church and thus the active Church life of an adult is necessary for the infant or child to have a life in the Church, which begins at Baptism and Chrismation.)

A Special Time
    We share again this message with the prayerful hope that it may contribute in us the spirit of this holy season:
     This is a most special time for all as we near the Nativity of Christ, or Christmas. It is a time during which we prepare in many ways.
     There is appropriate criticism that this Great Feast Day is being secularized by a fallen society. However, even this world, entered into by Christ, cannot hide nor overcome the reality of our Lord’s Nativity, His coming to us in the flesh.
   Trees, lights, garland, snowmen, Santas, are all decorations found in the secularized world, and yet all point in some way to a happening that was Holy—the incarnation of God in the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.
     Many times in history, Christians have come upon societies in which God was alien to the people. And many times, Christians infused those societies with Christian ideas and ideals. From the earliest records of the Bible, we see that the Chosen Jewish people turned from the worship of golden images and pagan symbols, and embraced the one true God, Yahweh.
     And later, a Jewish teacher, Jesus Christ, would come, and through His teachings, the Gentiles of those times would be converted from false gods and rituals, and embrace Him as the Son of God.
     Today is very similar, as Christians encounter many non-believers. We are not called to conquer them with swords, but to offer them the teachings of Christ in words and actions, and win them, too, with love.  Christ’s lessons to us speak of the truth of God and those actions of love and forgiveness, of caring and compassion.
     That is the Christmas gift we can offer all those with whom we have contact—in our Churches, our homes, in our schools, at our workplaces, in chance encounters, in communities and throughout the world.
    And this year when we hear so much about the secularized world, let us resolve to be different and to infuse that world again with the Holy. May every festive light remind us of His light, which could not be overcome by the world’s darkness; every twist of garland, remind us of His seamless robe; every snowflake of His gentle  and pure coming; and every tree of his saving acts upon the Cross.
     May we have a joyful Nativity.
     Fr. William