Divine Liturgy is celebrated at 9:30 a.m. Sundays and Feast Days, or as announced Vespers Saturdays are celebrated at or as announced.When celebrated weekdays, Vespers are at or as announced. Please check weekly bulletin for changes to this schedule. Note: If it is excessively hot in the Church proper, we will have the service in the auditorium.
July 3 Sat. GreatVespers.
July 4 Sun. Divine Liturgy.
July 10 Sat.No Vespers.
July 11 Sun. Divine Liturgy.
July 17 Sat. Great Vespers.
July 18 Sun. Fathers of the 1st Six Ecumenical Councils, Divine Liturgy; Church picnic.
July 24 Sat. GreatVespers.
July 25 Sun. Divine Liturgy.
July 21, Sat. No Vespers.
Aug. 1 Sun. Divine Liturgy; Beginning of Dormition Fast.
Aug 5. Thur. Eve of Transfiguration, Great Vespers and blessing of fruit.
Aug. 6 Fri. Transfiguration of our Lord, Divine Liturgy; Blessing of Fruit; lenten brunch.
Aug. 7 Sat. Great Vespers
Aug. 8 Sun. Divine Liturgy.
Aug. 14 Sat. Eve of Dormition of Theotokos, 4 p.m. Great Vespers; blessing of flowers.
Aug. 15 Sun. Dormition of the Most-Holy Theotokos, Divine Liturgy.
Aug. 21 Sat. No Vespers.
Aug. 22 Sun. Divine Liturgy.
Aug. 28 Sat.4 p.m. Great Vespers
Aug. 29 Sun. Beheading of St. John the Baptist; Divine Liturgy
Sept. 1. Beginning of New Church Year.
Sept. 4 Sat. Great Vespers.
Sept. 5 Sun., Divine Liturgy
Sept. 8 Wed.. Nativity of Theotokos, Divine Liturgy.
Sept. 18 Sat. Great Vespers Sept. 19 Sun., Divine Liturgy;
Sept. 25 Sat. Great Vespers.
Sept. 26 Sun. Divine Liturgy.
Oct. 1 Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos
Oct. 2 Sat Great Vespers.
Oct. 3 Sun. Divine Liturgy.
Oct. 9 Sat. Great Vespers.
Oct. 10 Sun. Divine Liturgy.
Oct. 16 Sat. Great Vespers
Oct. 17 Sun. Fathers of the 7th Ecumenical Council., Divine Liturgy.
Oct. 22-23 New England Diocesan Assembly.
Oct. 23Sat. 4 p.m. Great Vespers.
Oct. 24 Sun. Divine Liturgy.
Oct.30 Sat. Great Vespers.
Oct. 31 Sun. Divine Liturgy.
“…but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua 24:13
Obedience=Freedom
When we think of the word obedience, many bad connotations come to mind. Persons think of being controlled, dominated, enslaved.They resist such a notion as obeying another—even God—and pretend that God is not real, or that the Church uses the idea of obedience to keep people in check.
Obedience to God is a form of “slavery.” It is taking our will and crucifying it on the Cross of Jesus Christ. It is doing this so that we can live fully in God’s light, according to His will, under His Grace, and free from the enslavements of the world.
We will follow someone or something. We are not free of the influences of the world, universe, cosmos, heavens, unless we find unity with God. We see, feel, taste, experience, and all of this adds to who we are, and influences what we do, who we want to be and where we want to go…etc.
To regain our true freedom the Church calls us to the Almighty, God, Yahweh, Divine Creator, Lord. Following Christ’s way, the Church
teaches, leads us to real freedom. Some do not want to hear this. We remember the young man in the Bible who rejects Christ’s teachings and goes away. Christ reacts by telling His disciples it will be hard for some to enter the Kingdom. If we fail to learn what the Church teaches before we die, what will it be like to be in the full presence of God in eternity? Will it be our hell?Repent, Christ tells us, the Kingdom of God is at hand.
To be obedient, as we are called to be, is to accept the fact that God’s Will is supreme; that His Providence will unfold; that He deserves our trust; and that in Him wecan escape those earthly enslavements.
We unite ourselves as sheep to His call by turning to the Church in which His teachings are proclaimed and explained, worshipped and lived. His Wisdom, personified in Jesus Christ, is not offered in a vacuum, and not in terms that persons always want to hear, but in the wisdom of 2,000 years of Holy Tradition that began with Christ, Who established the Church. Living in this knowledge sustain us, fulfills us, brings us peace—His peace--and gives us life everlasting.And the Church offers us guidance in her teachings and procedures, some of which we outline in this bulletin.
To begin to accept all of this, we need humility through which we can escape the “I” mentality, as in: I know best for me and for you. I want to do it my way. I can tell you how to do it. NO! NO! NO! We need to become His sheep, listening for the Shepherd’s call. Become His saints, recognizing our inadequacies but seeing in them an offering we can make to God. Forget what others teach regarding God and the human will. Learn from the Master.
Let us always remember that the more we surrender our will to God’s will, the freer we become; that through surrendering we throw off the ties with which others seek to bind us; and in God’s freedom we will know something of the freedom of perfection—come taste and see.
We need only to look around, to reflect on our life’s experiences, to verify all of this, unless we are so eager to have it some other way that we seek to deny truth itself.
Yes, some things are still only possible with and through God; freedom is one of them. All good things are.
—Fr. WilliamDuBovik
Each Week!
None of us goes without food for which we all can give thanks to God. Yet, God asks more than our thanks. He asks us to care for each other, and to feed the hungry. At All Saints our Sisterhood conducts a food drive EACH WEEK. Items collected are given to Foodshare which feeds persons throughout the region. There is no reason why each of us cannot EACH WEEK that we grocery shop, buy at least one item to feed someone else. Then EACH WEEK we can bring an item of food to donate, filling the collection basket in the vestibule EACH WEEK. We remember our Lord’s words after curing a person, when He was asked whose fault it was that the person was ill, that person’s or his parents—as those questioning sought to assess blame. Our Lord responded it was neither, but rather that God’s glory be revealed. So let it be with us, not looking at whose “fault” something happens, or seeking to put the responsibility for helping on someone else, but rather seeking to feed persons so that God’s glory will shine through us. Let us continue this effort.
Activating Membership
We are asking all persons to activate or reactivate 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.
On Receiving Communion
Communion is important for our salvation and thus for our eternal life. When we are to partake of the Eucharist, we come as prepared as we can, and so Confession and other preparation is essential lest we partake to our condemnation.
Thus, if a person has not participated in the Sacrament of Confession inmore than the past two months, one should not approach the chalice until after coming to Confession and receiving Absolution. . For most of our lifetimes, persons did not come to Communion unless they first participated in Confession, and this usually involved worshipping at Vespers. (Indeed Vespers are still important as we prepare for Sunday Liturgy whether we are communicants or not. If we cannot come each week, then we need to try and come at least once a month.)When frequent Communion became the practice of many, it was taught that persons did not have to Confess each time they came to Communion if they were regular communicants. However, this did not mean that persons could receive the Eucharist, while only coming to Confession once or twice a year. Again, we need to come as prepared as we can and this means Confession and Absolution regularly. If you have questions about the frequency of your participation, please see Fr. William.Further, when we do approach the chalice we come with arms folded over each other, right over left, thus forming a Cross on our bodies. We do not bless ourselves at the chalice, nor do we ever touch the chalice. The practice of kissing the bottom of the chalice is seen in some Churches such as All Saints, although it is not a universal practice. And if done it must be done with care. If for some reason we do not make contact with the chalice with our lips we should not make herculean efforts to do so. What is important is that we have received the Body and Blood of Christ. And remember that in receiving Communion, we tilt our heads back and open our mouths, allowing the priest or deacon to give us the Body and Blood. There is no need to clamp down on the spoon with our mouths or touch the spoon with our lips.
Remembering Our Shut-Ins
It is especially difficult to be cut-off from friends, associates and most important, our Church and our worship. Several of our brothers and sisters in Christ who have been participants in our Church life, are in convalescent and nursing facilities, making it very difficult if not impossible to come to Church. Perhaps you can take a few minutes to remember them with a card, a note, phone call or a visit. They include:
If you would like contact information for others who may be restricted in their private residences, please see Fr. William or consult our directory.
Contacting Father
Father William regularly visits members of our parish who are in convalescent homes, if he knows they are there.In other situations requests must be made to our pastor for visits; these include: 1. Persons in their homes who cannot leave their home, and thus cannot come to Church, because of some physical condition and would like to participate in Confession and Communion. 2. Persons who will be or are hospitalized and would like a visit from Father. (Hospitals do not inform the priest.) 3. Someone who is a member of the Church and is newly going to a convalescent home or transferring to a different one, and would like to be visited. In these situations, the person or their family needs to call Father. Also, please note that Father is sometimes not in his office and does not have beeper or cellular service. Therefore a telephone call, even if it is an emergency, will not receive a response until Father returns to his office. Finally, when calling Father, if he is not home the phone must ring four times before the answering machine picks up and allows one to leave a message. If Father is on vacation the answering machine will inform the caller of what to do in an emergency, but will not record any message. Thank you.
Participating, Pledging
Please remember that to be a full member, which we all should desire to be, requires that one participates in Confession and Communion each year at one’s parish, leads the life of an Orthodox Christian, and participates in the pledge system thus indicating one’s donations for the coming year, which facilitates planning.Such participation in the parish also entitles one to the services of the Church, burial in the Church, the right to speak and vote at meetings, etc. Yet even more than these concerns, such participation means one is more fully realizing a life in and as the Church so important to each of us.
Youth Rally
Youth Rally, the annual event for those who have completed fifth grade and are younger than 18, will be held Aug. 16-21 at the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Boston Camping and Retreat Center in Contoocook, NH.
Sponsored by our New England Diocese, Youth Rally 10 will feature worship, fellowship and leisure activities. Volunteers to be a cabin or activity counselor are needed. Please contactFr. John Hopko, coordinator, at 860-582-3631 or saintcyril@snet.net, for applications and information
Dressing For Church
What we wear to Church should reflect our relationship with God—reverence, respect, humility. As such we should dress throughout the year in clothes that do not call needless attention to ourselves. Clothes do not have to be expensive, but that does not mean we cannot be neat. As the temperature warms, it is good to remember, too, that what we wear to Church is not what we would wear to a picnic or the beach. As such, those 12 and older are not to wear shorts to Church. Nor should tee shirts be worn by anyone. And all should dress with some modesty in mind. Socks also should be worn by men with ones’ footwear. And remember that neither boys nor men (other then Bishops, and priests if they are blessed to do so) wear hats in the Church nave, sanctuary or vestibule.
Funerals
Being emotional times, the burial of a loved one often cause much stress. We have taught verbally and in the printed word much about the practices and teachings of the Church. If someone is seeking to ignore the teachings and traditions of the Church in their lives and in planning for their funerals, then they or their families have decided to act outside the Church and to have their funeral outside the Church. It is considerate and important not to leave requests for funerals that will cause hardship for one’s family—that is asking for things that are incompatible with the teachings of the Church, and which will preclude a funeral in or with the Church.
To be clear we summarize:
--The funeral service of a communicant (one who receives Communion in one’s parishChurch ) belongs in the Church, which is holy and sanctified. The guidelines of our Bishops state:
“Membership in the Body of Christ, His Holy Church, is defined by participation in the Holy Eucharist. Inasmuch as a person, by refusing to partake of the Divine Body and Blood of Christ during his/her lifetime, has chosen freely not to be incorporated into the Body of Churst, unless there is a reason to assume that the person has returned to Christ, at the end of his/her earthly existence, that person will not be buried from the temple.
“The burial service of such a persons should only be a Service for the Departed (Panikhida) including Scripture readings for the dead. The priest may be vested in the epitrachelion."
Further:
--The casket at an Orthodox funeral remains open. (Only in cases of extreme disfigurement as from an accident can the casket be closed at the discretion of the priest.) With an open casket, the deceased makes his or her final witness to the belief that Christ has triumphed over death. As a priest, Fr. Michael Zahirsky,once wrote, “The body is not hidden in its exodus to a life in Christ.Hiding is for shame and pessimism. Openness and inclusion are for faith and hope and love.”
--Persons or their families who elect Masonic rites, regalia or anything related to this organization are not buried with an Orthodox service by an Orthodox priest. The same holds true for including any non-Orthodox ritual or service. Masonry is a non-Christian philosophy, incompatible with the true Church.
--Priests are the only persons who give the homily in the Church or during a funeral service in the funeral home, since the homily, like the funeral, in the Orthodox Church is Christ-centered and is not simply a eulogy for the departed. Also, only those tonsured or ordained give homilies in Church. This preserves order and dignity. This remains the practice in the New England Diocese.(Persons may speak before or after the service or at calling hours at the funeral home, as well as at a repast.)
--Persons who desire to be cremated are not buried with a traditional Orthodox service or by an Orthodox priest. If a funeral service is not served in these situations, it is because of the action and choices of the deceased and/or his or her family. They thus exclude themselves and their loved ones, not the Church. However, we will continue to pray for the person.
Please be prayerful in accepting the teachings of the Church and rather than look for exceptions to the guidance of the Church, seek God’s Grace to live fully in the Church and in God. That is what these teachings assist us in doing.
Finally, regarding contributions for services, we have a schedule of donations for members of the parish, non-members with a relative who is a member of the parish, and for non-members with no such connection. However, funerals like any service of the Church are not denied because of a lack of money. Please note that the suggested donations are the same whether the persons is buried from the Church, the funeral home or with a graveside service.
Marriage
From the Bishop’s Guidelines:
“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.”
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.
In this day, we see many Orthodox seeking to marry non-Orthodox, and the Church in her understanding and love will permit this providing the non-Orthodox has been baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (This excludes those who may be Christian Scientist, Jehovah Witness, Jewish, Mormon, Moslem, Unitarian, etc.)
The norm in the Church is one marriage. With the Bishop’s approval, the Church may allow a person to enter into a second or third marriage. Permission for a second or third marriage must be sought through the parish priest, and such request will include a statement of repentance from the divorced person; a statement that the reason they want to marry again is necessary for their salvation.
Under no circumstances is a fourth marriage allowed.
Regarding persons who marry outside the Orthodox Church the guidelines provide in part:
“Orthodox Christians who marry outside the Orthodox Church thereby exclude their marital life from the life of the Church, exclude themselves from participation in the Holy Eucharist, and therefore exclude themselves from full membership in the Church.
“Such persons, after a period of penance, may be restored to Eucharistic fellowship by recommendation from the priest and on the approval of the hierarch.
“Normally, such an act of restoration includes the confirmation of the marriage through a rite approved by the hierarch.”
On Baptism
(Adapted From The Introduction by ArchpriestPaul Lazor in the Service Book of 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 ). 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.
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 EarlyChurch, the sponsors vouched for the integrity of the person desiring to be baptized. How could they do this if they themselves were notChurch 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 ChurchSchool or any area of service in the Church. The sponsor, too, should be a spiritual example for his or her child in the Lord.
(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 will bring 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.)
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June 13, Sun. 9 a.m. Hours; 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy.
June 19 Sat. 4 p.m. Great Vespers.
June 20 9 a.m. Hours; 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy.
June 27 Sat. No Vespers
June 28 Sun. 9 a.m. Hours; 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Destination: The Kingdom
We have taken the first steps of Great Lent, and already we can anticipate the things to come—the Cross, and then the Resurrection.Through these special moments we have the opportunity, in unity with Christ, to share in eternal life in His Kingdom.
As we continue on our Lenten journey we would do well if we renew ourselves.
This renewal calls on us to plan, to work and to interrupt many of our normal routines and focus on our life in Christ. That life when lived humbly, reverently and obediently is a life offered to us by God as a great gift. And while we are not deserving of gifts from Him, in His love, He offers them to us, and strengthens us to struggle to share with Him in attaining a new life.
It was God Who out of His love, seeing us fallen, who came to us, Christ the Son and our Savior, and made possible the unity of our human nature with the divine. It is Christ who shows the way, uniting the human and divine as He submitted the human nature, which He took, with the divine nature of which He was a part. Even the Cross and death could not divide that unity.
Each one of us enjoys that special calling and each of us is called to be like Him. We will advance in this through increasing our prayers, our participation in worship, in the holy mysteries, in doing charitable works, in reading the Bible, in meditating on the lives of saints, in fasting as health permits. And we gain too in spending some quiet moments contemplating God and all the good He has created for us, and our special relationship to Him.
We are made in His image and likeness of God. May we project that image, which may have become clouded since our last Confession, since last Pascha, since our Baptism, so that Christ’s light shines in us, through us and from us.
Let us again ready ourselves for Pascha.
May the Lord God bless each of you in this important effort this Great Lenten season.
In Christ’s love,
Fr. William
Why Donate?
There are many reasons to donate to the Church.
What are some of them?
We at All Saintsdo 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 give first of all 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, maintenance, a priest.
We simply need to meet the costs of being a Church.
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 our Lord teaches that her gift is greater than all others as she gave from the heart, she madea sacrifice to do this, and she did not give from what was left over—nor should we, and that is the example He gives.
This in itself needs 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 ingiving 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.
Preparing Through Vespers
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.)
Coming To Confession? Let’s Get Ready!
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:
1.Do I pray mornings and evenings?
2.Do I attend and am I attentive at Church Services Sundays, evenings,Feasts?
3.Do I thank God for all things?
4.Do I use God’s name in vain? Swear?
5.Do I wish harm on others?
6.Do I judge persons, or been harshly critical of others?
7.Am I envious of others?
8.Do I rejoice in the good fortune of others?
9.Have I engaged in gossip?
10.Have I shown respect to my children and to my parents?
11.Have I been obedient to the Church and supportive of her? Her hierarchs? Her clergy?
12.Have I shown respect toward the bishops, priests and deacons of the Church?
13.Have I helped others in need?
14.Have I prayed for those who need God’s mercy?
15.Do I regularly read God’s word in the Bible?
16.Have I given joyfully to the Church?
17.Is there anything or anyone that I cannot give up for Christ?
18.Do I try to see Christ in each person that I meet?
19.If I had the opportunity, would I physically care for another?
20.Have I physically or mentally hurt my spouse?
21.Have I supported and shown love to my husband or wife?
22.Have I mistreated animals or anything living in God’s Kingdom on earth?
23.Have I been a good steward of the earth?
24.Have I forsaken my faith and the teachings of the Church to please another or to fit in with others?
25.Have I participated in abortion or encouraged someone to do so?
26.Is God and His Church truly the priority in my life? Do I come to Church to worship and to pray?
27.Have I hurt myself or another physically or spiritually?
28.Do I doubt God in any situation?
29.Am I sorry for my sins?
30.Do I truly desire to be a better Orthodox Christian?
Scheduling Activities, Requesting Services
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.
New Church Council
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: Gregory Belekewicz
Recording Secretary: Thomas Denisky
Financial Secretary: Mark Ranstead
Treasurer: David Vargas
Immediate Past President: Catherine Vargas
Trustees: Catherine Vargas, Linda Kolios, Chester Andrzejewski, Nicholas Medynski, Phillip Hritcko, Christopher Evans
Auditors: Michael Danchak and Anita Karsky
Requesting A Panikhida
When requesting a Panikhida on a Sunday, please remember that Panikhidas are servedon the last Sunday of the month. Father has made an exception and served on another Sunday when the date of the first40 days or one year anniversary of passing coincided with the date on a differentSunday. Otherwise the last Sunday schedule is used. During Great Lent we serve Panikhidas on certain Fridays as listed in the schedule. For a Sunday Panikhida, please give Father names at least one week in advance.
On Approaching The Chalice
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’schair 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.
Orthodoxy in America
