St. Innocent Orthodox Church Z Founded in 1967 Z Patriarchal Parishes Z 23300 W. Chicago _ Redford, MI 48239 _ 313-538-1142 _ Fax: 313-538-8126 Church Website: www.stinnocentchurch.com _ E-Mail: [email protected] St. Innocent Monastic Community: 9452 Hazelton, Redford, MI 48239 _ 313-535-9080 PASTOR: Rt. Rev. Mitered Archpriest ROMAN STAR _ Cell: 313-319-0590 Dean, Central States Deanery, Patriarchal Parishes SEPT. 25, 2016 ASSISTANT PRIEST: Rev. DANEIL SHIRAK _ 313-295-3073 EPISTLE: 2 Corinthians 1:21– 2:4 (#170) DEACON: Rev. Dn. Michael Comerford GOSPEL: St. Luke 5:1 – 11 (#17) SUBDEACON: Dr. Joshua Genig TONE: 5 ATTACHED: Sister Ioanna CHOIR DIRECTOR: Elizabeth Star Hatfield St. Sergius of Radonezh, feast 9/25 READERS: Robert Joseph Latsko & George Hanoian

Z 14th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST Z

_ 9:15AM — HOURS, AKATHIST and/or CANON _ _ 10am — DIVINE LITURGY OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM _

COMMEMORATED TODAY: Repose of Ven. Sergius (Sérgii), Abbot and Wonderworker of Rádonezh (1392). Ven. Euphrosyne of Alexandria (5th c.). Ven. Euphrosyne of Suzdal’ (1250). Translation of the Relics of St. Herman, Archbishop of ’ (1595). Martyr Paphnutius and 546 companions in Egypt (3rd c.).

FOR THE REPOSE OF: Estelle & Joseph Star; Anna & John Witkowski; Michael Sr. & Margaret Rusko; Mary, Andrew, Daniel, Michael & Lottie Yakuber; Ross & Margaret Falsetti; Helen, John & Carole Andrayko; Peter & Theresa Harvilla; Betty Martell; Frances & Todd Smoly; Peter Glover; Irene Adams; Ethel Elizabeth & Wayne Joshua deVyver, David Horka; Michael Rusko; Anna Lichagina, Yelena & Zinaïda Korniyevskaya; Joseph Nossal; Michelle Tucker; Todd Comerford MEMORY John Manier, Jr. (newly departed, 40th-day — Tuesday, 9/27), brother of Ed Manier ETERNAL! Fr. Rastko Trbuhovich, whose anniversary of his repose is Saturday, 30 September, by Fr. Roman & Mat. Rose Marie David Horka, whose anniversary of his repose is Tuesday, 27 September, by Sister Ioanna

FOR THE HEALTH OF: Archimandrite Seraphim; Priest Daneil, Matushka Debra & Corrina Shirak; Deacon Michael, Matushka Mary Ellen & Julius Comerford; Matushka Mary Donahue; Subdeacon Joshua & Abigail Genig; Reader Robert Latsko, Reader George & Betty Hanoian, Rose Nossal, Mary Glover, Nancy Cupp, Vasiliki Stamoulis, Gerald Martell, Azbehat, Donald Yakuber, Carl deVyver, Jo Anne Nicholas, Joan Rusko, Daria, Joseph Nossal, Ed Manier. ALSO FOR: Henry Hancock, who celebrates his birthday on Tuesday, 27 September Š MAY GOD GRANT THEM MANY YEARS! Š

SCHEDULE FOR THE COMING WEEK (regular Wednesday & Friday fasting) Saturday 10/1 10am DIVINE LITURGY for the Feast of the PROTECTION (POKROV) OF THE THEOTOKOS 4pm GREAT VESPERS & CONFESSIONS Sunday 10/2 15th Sunday After Pentecost 9:15am HOURS, AKATHIST &/or CANON; CONFESSIONS 10am DIVINE LITURGY; followed by Coffee Hour Feast days this week: Monday, Sept. 26: Apostle St. John the Theologian & Evangelist

PROSPHORA FOR TODAY IS OFFERED BY: Deborah Hartz In Memory Eternal of: Parents, Paul & Bernadette; Infants Mark & Barbara; John & Elizabeth; Philip & Hilda; Edward & Irene; Caroline & Louis; Agnes & August; Charles & Stephen; Fr. Roman Braga; and all members of the Hartz, Zwilchir, Smith, Nied & Fisher families; and for the Health of: Mother Gabriella & all the sisters of HDM; Father Roman & Matushka Rose Marie; Elizabeth & Larry & family; Elaine; Sherri. CANDLES FOR LAST SUNDAY, 18 SEPTEMBER YEARLY CHURCH VIGIL LAMPS: Royal Doors Lamp: In Memory of Husband, Joseph; Son, Kenneth; parents, Michael & Margaret Rusko, & John & Martha Nossal, by Rose Nossal Altar Candelabra: In Memory of Parents, Nicholas and Susan Yakuber, by son, Donald Yakuber Altar Candles (2): In Memory of Irene Adams, by Goddaughter, Rose Ann Everhardt Iconostasis Lamps: In Memory of Parents, Ethel Elizabeth & Wayne Joshua; Robert David H; & Health of brother, Carl, by Sister Ioanna Candles on the Solea: In Memory of Peter & Theresa Harvilla, Norman & Monica Holst, & Ricky Ellis, by Jason & Debra Truskowski Table of Oblation Lamp: In Memory of Parents, Helen & John Andrayko, Sr. & sister, Carole Andrayko, by John Andrayko, Jr. Reliquary-Icon Lamps: Sts. Innocent, & Herman: Health of Joseph/Sue; Robert/Diane; Pat/John; Joseph B., Jared, Jay; Rachelle/Aaron, Gabriel; Tricia, Lindsey; & In Memory of sisters, Anna, Margaret, Theresa & Irene; & brothers, John, Edwin & Michael by Rose Nossal Reliquary-Icon Lamps: Sts. Elizabeth & Raphael: Health of the Genig and the Just Families, by Subdeacon Joshua & Abigail Genig Reliquary-Icon Lamps: St. Seraphim & St. Alexis: In Memory of Ross & Margaret Falsetti, by daughters, Rose Ann Everhardt & Margie Martell Reliquary-Icon Lamps: St. Hilarion & Sts. Alexandra & Martha (AVAILABLE) Reliquary-Icon Lamps: St. Nestor & St. Gerontius (AVAILABLE) IN MEMORY OF (MEMORY ETERNAL!) Joseph & Estelle Star, by son Father Roman and family Paul & Alexandra Yupco, Basil & Ellen Starinshak, by grandson, Father Roman and family John & Anna Witkowski, by daughter, Matushka Rose Marie and family Samuel & Mary Kupec, by granddaughter, Matushka Rose Marie and family Parents, Helen & John Andrayko, and sister, Carole Andrayko, by John Andrayko + + + My husband, Michael Rusko, by Joan Rusko My husband, Joe; my sisters, Margaret & Ross Falsetti, Anna & Mike Elaschat, Theresa & Pete Harvilla, Irene, & brothers, Michael, John & Edwin Rusko; niece, Rose Mary & Dean Hough; Joe’s brothers, Raymond & Walter Nossal, & sisters, Theresa, Florence & Helen Nossal, by Rose Nossal ++ + Pete & Theresa Harvilla, by Mary Ann Harvilla & Kay Truskowski + + + Jaimie Truskowski, by daughter Kay T. Parents, Ethel Elizabeth & Wayne Joshua; David H; Nina I; Marion P; Fr. Photius; Mo. Benedicta; Archm. Roman; Lillian; Olive, by Sr Ioanna FOR THE HEALTH OF: (MANY YEARS!) Elizabeth & Lawrence, Caitlin & Zachary, by parents & grandparents, Father Roman & Matushka Rose Marie Gregory & Tamiko Star, by parents, Father Roman & Matushka Rose Marie Children, Grandchildren & Great-grandchildren; Monk Fr. Sdn. Tikhon (Dade); by Rose Nossal Father Roman & Matushka & family; Sister Ioanna; John Andrayko; Nancy; Mary G; Jo Anne N; Grandson Joey (in the Navy Reserves) & all people in the Armed Forces; & all St. Innocent Church parishioners, by Rose Nossal + + + Family & Friends, by Mary Ann Harvilla & Kay Brother, Greg & Donna; nephew, Gregory & Liz; & nephew, Alex, by Mary Ann Harvilla & Kay + + + Ed Manier, by Mary Ann Harvilla & Kay Archimandrites Nafanail, Gregory & Seraphim; Fr. Roman & Mat. Rose Marie; Fr. Lawrence & fam; Fr. Laurence & fam; Fr. Daneil & fam; Dcn. Michael & fam; Mat. Mary D; Carl; Monk-Sdn. Fr. Tikhon; Sdn Andrew; Sdn Joshua, Abigail & children; Rdr Robert; Robert M; David Samuel, Sky & Avi; JoAnne/Nick; Athanasius; John A; Ed/Tiffany; Kim & fam; Vasiliki; Rose; Emil; Billy/Fonda; Donald Y, by Sister Ioanna John Andrayko (May God watch over him), by Rose Nossal + + + Rose Nossal, by John Andrayko + + + Sdn. Joshua Genig, by Genig Family

ANNOUNCEMENTS 1) LISTEN TODAY, SUNDAY, 9/25, TO FR. ROMAN BEING INTERVIEWED ABOUT “ONE REDFORD” ON THE COCC’S DETROIT’S OWN ORTHODOX RADIO HOUR [DOOR] ON WNZK 690-AM, 4-5pm, or on your computer or smart-phone, live, at http://www.doorradio.org. If you miss it, the DOOR website archives all of its previous programs within a day or 2. The programs are superb! 2) THE KONEVETS QUARTET FROM ST. PETERSBURG, , MADE ITS ANNUAL VISIT LOCALLY THIS PAST WEEK. They sang at the Annual Russian Festival at St. Vladimir’s ROCOR Church in Ann Arbor/Dexter and at their Vespers and Divine Liturgy last weekend, and then on Monday night at St. George Serbian Church in Monroe (photo with Fr. Roman). On Wednesday morning, the Old Calendar Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos, the Quartet sang the Divine Liturgy at the Assumption/Dormition ROCOR Cathedral in Ferndale, at which Fr. Roman presided, as the senior ranking priest. Then they also sang at River Rouge City Hall on Thursday, sponsored by All Saints Orthodox Mission. 3) OUR ANNUAL FALL BLANKET DRIVE IS HERE. Every year we collect blankets and donate them to the homeless and poor. We now are giving them to the Redford Interfaith Relief (RIR), where Fr. Roman is on the Executive Board. Founded by Redford clergy, the RIR ministers to many hundreds of the needy who live in Redford, with food, clothing, household items, and blankets. We have been donating 150-200 for a number of years and our parish is referred to as the “Blanket parish.” Our goal is 200 blankets. The need is so great, that they are given out almost as fast as we deliver them. Rather than you having to buy the actual blankets and bring them in, we now are collecting the money, and we special- order them at a local Walmart. The price has gone up to $6 each this year. Please donate as much as you can afford. See Mary Ann Harvilla. 4) UP-COMING SCHEDULE OF SPECIAL EVENTS: Saturday-Sunday, October 1st-2nd, Holy Cross Monastery Annual Patronal Feastday Pilgrimage, Wayne WV Friday-Sunday October 7th-9th, Annual Conference of the national Brotherhood of St. Moses the Black, Indianapolis, IN Saturday, October 15th, Visitation of Bishop John to St. Elias, Battle Creek, Hierarchal Divine Liturgy, celebration of 50th Anniversary Tuesday–Wednesday, October 18th - 19th, Central States Deanery Clergy Meeting, Nativity of Christ, Youngstown, OH iSaturday, November 12th, Visitation of Bishop John to St. Innocent, Redford, Hierarchal Divine Liturgyi ST. SERGIUS OF RADONEZH (c.1314 - 1392) Feast Days: July 5th & September 25th Source: http://stinnocentchurch.com/lifeofstsergiusofradonezh.html St. Sergius of Radonezh is the patron saint of Russia, father of northern Russian monasticism, and founder of the Holy Trinity Lavra Monastery (see our church website’s article, Sergiev Posad, http://stinnocentchurch.com/sergievposad.html). Few people have had such a profound influence on Russian life as St. Sergius and his monastery. He was a great mystic and ascetic, whose life spanned much of the 14th century, at the time that Russia was occupied by the Mongol Tartars. Even as a child the future saint was devoted to the Holy Trinity and sought the monastic life. After the repose of his parents, in 1334 the 20-year-old youth went into the deep forest, about 45 miles northeast of Moscow, to seek spiritual solitude as in a desert. He lived a very austere ascetic life, marked by extreme poverty, hard physical labor, and profound humility and simplicity. After a few years of solitude in the forest, disciples started to gather around him, and Russia was forever changed.

Through the labors of St. Sergius’ disciples, the northern forest wilderness blossomed with numerous monasteries, which were to play a very significant role in the subsequent life of Russia (and America). In St. Sergius’ great humility, he rejected all honors: only reluctantly did he accept ordination as priest and appointment as abbot of his own monastery; and he flatly refused to accept the office of Metropolitan of Moscow. The many spiritual gifts granted to him include powerful and effective prayer, clairvoyance, spiritual direction, and numerous visions. He reposed in 1392.

St. Sergius’ church, monastery and life’s work were dedicated to the Holy Trinity (icon to the right). The Holy Trinity expresses the unity between the three Persons of the One God, and hence, also symbolizes the spiritual vision of the restoration of all things to their original unity, including Russia. St. Sergius recognized that the Russian Church and the Russian people were united, and that unification of Russian lands was required for their mutual well-being. Thus, with St. Sergius’ spiritual guidance and blessing, the Grand Prince of Moscow, St. Dimitri Donskoi, united the fragmented Russian principalities under Moscow’s leadership, and in 1380, defeated the Mongol Tartars. As a result, Moscow became the center of Russian life, and St. Sergius and his Holy Trinity Monastery have been looked to for guidance and support ever since.

St. Sergius’ original wooden Holy Trinity Church burnt down and was replaced in 1422 by a white stone church (photo to the left), for which St. Andrei Rublev (see our church website’s Saints' Lives article) did much of the iconographic work, including his most famous Holy Trinity icon (above right). This icon is an eloquent expression and testimony to St. Sergius’ spiritual vision of the beauty of salvation.

In the process of building the stone church, St. Sergius’ relics were uncovered, and it was discovered that after 30 years, his relics remained incorrupt. His relics were placed in a reliquary in his Holy Trinity Church on the right side of the solea, readily accessible for veneration (photo to the right). Ever since the discovery of his incorrupt relics, untold numbers of healings and other miracles have occurred. Every day, all day long, pilgrims come and venerate St. Sergius’ relics, and are profoundly touched by being in St. Sergius’ presence. By Sister Ioanna, St. Innocent of Alaska Monastic Community, Redford, Michigan The second icon from the top was written/painted in 1997 by the Master Iconographer, Fr. Theodore Jurewicz of Erie, Pennsylvania, and is part of the deisis in the sanctuary of St. Innocent Orthodox Church in Redford, MI. LOVE ONE ANOTHER Fr. Ted’s Blog, 9/21/16 And so when the Lord said, “This is my commandment, that you love one another,” He added immediately, “just as I have loved you.”

He means that we must love for the same reason he has loved us. My friends, when the devils draws us to take pleasure in passing things, he also stirs up a weak neighbor against us. This neighbor may plot to take away the very things we love. In this case, our enemy is not concerned with doing away with our earthly possessions; he wants to destroy our love. We may suddenly begin to burn with hatred, and while we try to be outwardly invulnerable, inwardly we are gravely wounded. As we defend our few external possessions we lose our great interior one, because when we love something passing we lose true love. Anyone who takes away one of our external possessions is an enemy; if we begin to hate this enemy, our loss is not of anything external, but of something insides ourselves. And so whenever we suffer anything from a neighbor, we must be on our guard against the enemy hidden within. Our best way of overcoming this inner enemy is to love the one who is attacking us from without. The unique and supreme proof of love is this: to love a person who opposes us.

That is why Truth himself bore the suffering of the cross, and even bestowed his love on his persecutors. He said, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. Should we marvel that his living disciples love their enemies when their dying Master loved his? He expressed the extent of his love when he said that no one has greater love than this, to lay down his life for his friends. The Lord had come to die even for his enemies. He said that he would lay down his life for his friends to show us that we are able to win over our enemies by our love for them, then even our persecutors are our friends. But no one is persecuting us to the point of death, and so how can we prove that we love our friends? In fact there is something we ought to do during times of peace to make clear whether we are strong enough to die for the sake of love during a time of persecution. John, the author of the gospel I have been quoting from, says in his first letter: Those who have this world’s goods and see a brother or sister in need, and who close their hearts, how does God’s love dwell in them? And says: Let one who has two coats give to one who has none. Will those who refuse to give up a coat for the sake of God during a time of peace give up their lives during a persecution?

You must cultivate the virtue of love during times of tranquility by showing mercy, and then your love will be unconquerable in a time of chaos. First you must learn to give up your possessions for almighty God, and then yourself. You are my friends… How great is our Creator’s mercy! We were unworthy servants, and he calls us friends! How great is our human dignity, that we should be friends of God! Now listen to what this dignity costs: if you do what I command you. And we have already heard that this is my commandment, that you love one another.” (Spiritual Readings from St. Gregory the Great, Be Friends of God, pp 48-50) FROM THE HEART OF AFRICA An Interview with Fr. Phillip Gatari, an Orthodox Priest from Kenya Interview by Vasily Tomachevski Source: www.pravoslavie.ru; 12/18/2011 Fr. Phillip Gatari recently visited Moscow. He was a guest of Sretensky Monastery for two days, and celebrated the Liturgy with the brothers and other visiting monks from Mt. Athos. After the services, this joyful pastor told us about Orthodoxy in Kenya and his work as the principal of a rural school.

Kenya is not a wealthy country, and people live a very simple life there, especially in the provinces. Fr. Phillip, the rector of the Church of St. Anthony in the village of Ishamara in central Kenya, is no exception. He is very busy—Orthodoxy is the most dynamically growing confession in Kenya, and mass baptisms in villages are not a rarity, including as many as fifty to seventy people at once. —Fr. Phillip, tell us about your church. What ecclesiastical jurisdiction does it belong to? —Our church is dedicated to St. Anthony the Great, who Fr. Phillip Gatari of Kenya, at Stretensky Monastery, Moscow lived in Egypt and is the head of monasticism for the whole world. We belong to the jurisdiction of the Alexandria Patriarchate, and our faith is Orthodoxy. My parish is located in the diocese of Kenya, and we are trying to broaden and increase it. We do not have a large parish—around 300 people, about 100 of them active parishioners. —How did the Kenyans come to Orthodoxy? —Orthodoxy came about here at the initiative of the local people. They tried to find the true Church. Back in 1932, Orthodox Kenyans wrote a letter to Patriarch Meletios about being received into the Patriarchate of Alexandria; the Patriarch gave them a positive answer, but he soon died. The Kenyans again wrote a letter, this time to Patriarch Christopher. In 1942, Metropolitan Nicholas of Aksum came to us, looked everything over, and in 1946, the Kenyan Church was received into communion with the Patriarchate of Alexandria. Soon, in Kenya the liberation movement against the colonial regime began. This was in 1952. There were many Orthodox parishes on the side of the rebels, and the Protestant and Catholic priests called the uprising a rebellion of pagans and savages. They imprisoned the Orthodox priests. For example, Fr. George Arthur Kaduna, the first “black” bishop in Kenya, spent ten years in prison together with the future president of the country and leader of the Kikuyu tribe, Jomo Kenyatta. The president left after his death a parcel of land for the building of an Orthodox seminary, which opened its gates in 1982. The current archbishop of Albania, Anastasios, Blessing the Faithful at Stretensky Monastery, Moscow. opened this seminary. We began with private classes on weekends, studying only Liturgics, and now the seminary has risen to a serious level; we graduate students with diplomas. So, this is part of our history. —How did you personally become Orthodox? —I became Orthodox in my childhood, at nine years old. I was not baptized as an infant. —Are your parents also Orthodox? —They were not believers, but later they followed in their son’s footsteps and became Orthodox. —What was most significant on your path to Orthodoxy—a person, school, or something else? —Our parish priest. He influenced me, in my village, in our church. I was a child then. I continued to go to church also after growing up. Fr. Phillip with Heirodeacon Seraphim, Stretensky Monastery, Moscow —Tell us about your church. What is it built of? —At first our church was made of clay, and only later was there a stone building. But we have no iconographers to paint the frescoes, and it is very expensive to hire artists from Europe. Therefore we have only icons that we hang on the wall, but no wall paintings. We also had a bell, but it was stolen right from the tell tower. —I would like to know about the spiritual life at your parish: how often do people confess and receive Communion? —Those who feel the need and have prepared themselves generally receive Communion whenever there is a Liturgy. But of course, if something prevents them, they do not commune. We usually try to talk with these people and find out what the problem is. Confession before Communion is generally not mandatory. It depends upon the particular people. If someone comes and says, “I need to confess,” then of course we take his confession. But in many cases I try to send the person to a more experienced priest for confession. —What kind of missionary work is done in Kenya, in your parish, and in your diocese? —We have many different kinds of missionary work. There are youth programs, programs for women, programs of male brotherhoods. We have Sunday school classes. There are also educational programs directed at work in high school and elementary classes. In the secular schools, we also try to keep a Christian direction. I am very proud of the fact that there is an Orthodox high school in our parish that was founded by the Church, but we accept all children there, no matter what confession. We work according to a state educational program that is required in all schools in Kenya. This program is used everywhere, even in private schools: the lesson is forty minutes long, there should be eight lessons per day, qualified teachers teach them, and so on. Education is under government control. Now we have sixty-five students, and this part of our missionary work — I, as the director of our school, and the students. When I was assigned to this parish there was a five-acre parcel of land designated for a school. It had been abandoned over the course of ten years, there was nothing there; no building, nothing. Now with God’s help there is a school there, with classrooms and desks. In the church we try to use the local languages. Sermons are also in the local language. But in the schools, English is used throughout Kenya. The entire population speaks English. —In your opinion, does Orthodoxy have a larger future in Kenya? —If we have wise governance and we rely upon the local peoples, follow their needs, and be their partners, then we have great potential. Our mission must encompass new ethnic groups.