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The Nativity Fast 2014

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The Nativity Fast 2014 A Monthly Publication of 1240 Broadbridge Avenue , Stratford, CT 06615 Vol. 4. No. 36 - December 2014 = The Nativity Fast 2014 Preparing For the Coming of the Savior Pastor’s Message.................................................................................... Page 2 Life Passages ... Birthdays, Anniversaries.............................................. Page 3 St. John’s Stewards..... Coffee Hour, Cleaning,= Reading Schedules...... Page 3 Community Outreach.............................................................................. Page 4 Month In Review, Parish and Diocesan News, Photos and More..........Pages 5 -8 December News and Announcements.................................................... Pages 9-10 Coming Events……………………………....................................................... Pages 11-13 Spiritual Reading But Church is Boring…Nativity Fast & Tradition….. Pages 14-17 An Orthodox Christmas Can be a Remedy for Christmas Depression…. Pages 17-18 Daily Scripture Readings, Prayer List..................................................... Pages 19-20 December Calendar of Services and Events............................................ Page 21 The Prophet Fr Peter’s Message Dear Parishioners & Friends The Official Monthly Publication of The Orthodox Greek Catholic Church Christ Is In Our Midst! of Saint John the Baptist He Is And Ever Shall Be! 1240 Broadbridge Avenue, Stratford, CT 06615 Parish Website: www.sjoc.org The month of December is upon Email: [email protected] us. The Church, at this time of year, invites us to take a Pastor: Very. Rev. Protopresbyter Peter Paproski spiritual journey with the Most-Holy Mother of God and Phone & Fax: 203-375-2564 Cell: 203-260-0423 the Righteous Joseph to the cave in Bethlehem where our Saviour is to be born. We begin this arduous Parish Council President: William Bilcheck, Jr. journey, recalling the intense spiritual and physical 203-421-3121 email: [email protected] struggles our Blessed Mother faced. Divine Services Church Tradition tells us that, when it was learned by Vespers: Sat: 5:00 pm, Eve of Feasts: 7:00 pm the High Priest, that the Mother of God was with child Divine Liturgy Sunday & Week Day 9:00 am and was not married, she had to endure a humiliating Services of Intercession as Announced trial before the High Priest and experienced intense Coffee Hour Fellowship Sundays 10:30 am spiritual pain and suffering, knowing that she had done Church School (Sept- May) Sundays: 10:45 am nothing wrong, but was instead bearing the Son of God Parish Ministries Coordinators in her womb. While eventually vindicated, this experience was traumatic, and, in addition, when she Church School Coordinator: Pani Carol Paproski was far along in her pregnancy, she had to endure the extreme physical discomfort of travelling a difficult ACRY Youth Group: Hailey Meyernick three day journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. As the time drew near to giving birth, she suffered the Outreach Coordinators indignity of being denied access to a comfortable inn Community & Mary Householder/ and had to taking lodging and give birth in a dirty cave Soup Kitchen Eve Nucifora which was used to house animals. Bereavement Jean Lomme Young Families Michelle Mihaly Despite this physical, emotional and spiritual pain, the The Sick /Shut-ins M.Allis/E. Nucifora Mother of God did not despair, but remained in a constant state of prayer and spiritual contemplation. Financial Investment William Bilcheck,Jr. William Booth, Jr. During this time of the Nativity Fast, our Church Thomas Decerbo encourages us to emulate the Mother of God and focus Matthew Mihaly our minds and hearts on the Lord, imitating her patient Orestes Mihaly endurance of suffering by ourselves patiently and Property Maintenance/ Thomas Decerbo willingly taking on the discipline of fasting. At the Improvements Frank Meyernick same time we are asked to enter more deeply into the spiritual life, through increased prayer and Scholarship Eve Nucifora contemplation of the Glory of God. Helen Guman May we during this Season of Advent follow the Database Coordinator: Christine LeClerc example of the Theotokos and keep our minds and hearts focused on the Lord, the Prince of Peace. By Webmaster: Michael Decerbo doing so, instead of being worn down during this season of endless shopping, holiday preparations, and general busy-ness we will be renewed and strengthened. Happy Fasting and a Blessed Nativity Journey! SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR THE 2 JANUARY ISSUE OF THE PROPHET With Love In Christ, me DECEMBER 23, 2014 Fr. Peter LifeDECEMBER Passages BIRTHDAYS – December & ANNIVERSARIES 2014 Date Name Event Dec 2 Sue Harrison Birthday Dec 3 Mary Nichols Birthday Dec 7 Brendan Bilcheck Birthday Dec 9 John Mihaly Birthday Dec 12 Ryan Pierce Birthday _____________________________________________________________________________ Dec 13 Louis Gregory Birthday Dec 14 Amy Booth Birthday Dec 15 Hailey Meyernick, Ken Lomme, Jr. Birthday Dec 21 Nicole Sutyak Birthday Dec 23 William Booth, Sr. Birthday Dec 25 Maribel Best Birthday Dec 27 Faith Stirna Birthday Dec 29 Bryan Papillo Birthday Dec 30 Jeff Stokely Birthday __________________________________________________________________________ St John’s Stewards: Doing the Work of the Church COFFEE HOUR CHURCH READING CHURCH CLEANING Date Host Date Hours Epistle Date Cleaner 11/30 Booth/Nichols 11/30 Brett Bill Bilcheck 11/24-12/6 Cleaning Svc 12/7 Decerbo 12/7 Pani Carol M. Mihaly Jr. 12/8-12/20 Cleaning Svc 12/14 Ivers 12/14 Holly Rob 12/22-1/3 Bilcheck 12/21 St Nick Brunch 12/21 Brett Cantors 1/5-1/17 Decerbo 12/28 OK Mihaly 12/28 Pani Carol Serge 1/19-1/31 Householder SPONSOR A CLEANING OF THE CHURCH We are now soliciting sponsorships from our parishioners who wish to assist with the cleaning of the Church, but are not able to join the cleaning roster. You may offer a single cleaning sponsorship of $30.00 or multiple cleaning sponsorships. If you are interested in doing so, please place your donation in a donation envelope clearly marked with your name and the amount, indicating it is a Cleaning Sponsorship and place it in the metal collection box. You may also mail it to the Church. Thank you for your consideration of this request. CHRISTMAS PASTRY ROLL SALE BAKERS NEEDED FOR PASTRY SALE Workshops Bakers are needed to assist making nut, poppy, Date Time prune and apricot filled rolls for our Christmas Sat Dec 6th 9:00 am Pastry Roll Sale. Please See Pani Carol if you Sat Dec 13th 9:00 am can help. Thank You! Wed Dec 17th 9:00 am th 3 Parish Outreach & Community Service COMMUNITY SUPPER PROGRAM UPDATE We are responsible for providing supper once a month on Wednesday Evening at Christ Episcopal Church from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm and quarterly on Mondays at St. George Episcopal Church, Bpt. If you are able to work at a supper, or if you are able to make a salad or dessert for a scheduled meal, please see Mary Householder or Eve Nucifora. If you would like to Sponsor a meal, a donation of $150.00 would cover an entire meal. Many thanks to all who helped during the Month of November. PARISH COMMUNITY SUPPER SCHEDULE Date: Location Dec 24 Christ Church, Stratford Jan 21 Christ Church, Stratford Feb 11 Christ Church, Stratford FOOD FOR THE NEEDY Our Food Drive for Sterling House is ongoing and their needs are especially crucial in this difficult economy. Child-friendly food items are needed. Among the items needed are hot and cold cereals, juices, pancake and waffle mixes, frozen breakfast foods, peanut butter, jelly, tuna fish, instant puddings, crackers, snack foods, canned soups and fruits, powdered drink mixes, boxed and canned potatoes and macaroni and cheese, as well as microwavable and single-serving meals. Now refrigerated items such as milk and eggs are also accepted. Also: We need some basic items for a needy, mentally disabled person whom we directly help to tide him over until the beginning of each month. Here are items our friend can use: Creamy Peanut Butter and Crackers, Vanilla Wafer cookies, 2 Liter Bottle of Regular Pepsi, Paper Towels, Shampoo, (large bottle any brand), Folgers coffee. NO MORE RAVIOLI’S PLEASE. Also, gift cards from Stop and Shop would be helpful so that we may purchase perishable food items such as bread, milk, meat and other foods items that are needed.... If you can contribute any of these specific items, please leave these items in Father Peter’s Office, not in the general food collection basket. Cash donations/gift cards should be put in an envelope marked clearly for needy food purchase and placed in the collection box on the candle desk. Thank You! “For I was Hungry and You Fed Me” Wisdom From The Fathers “He that loves Me, saith the Lord, will keep My commandments; and 'this is My commandment, that you love one another.' He therefore who does not love his neighbor does not keep the commandment. Nor is he that does not keep the commandment able to love the Lord.” - St. Maximos the Confessor, from St. Maximus the Confessor, Century 1 4 The Month In Review _________________________________________________________________________________________ Parish Council Updates The parish council continues to address the expected budget shortfall for the current fiscal year, ending on December 31, 2014, and the anticipated gap of over $20,000 in the 2015 budget. This deficit is due to demographic changes such as decreased weekly attendance and the death of active, faithful parishioners over the past several years. The parish council, in reviewing the annual budget, has determined that there is little
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