St. Nicholas Orthodox Church Monthly Newsletter Diocese of Toledo - Orthodox Church in America 2143 S. Center Road – Burton, Michigan 48519 Served by: Fr. Matthew-Peter Butrie – Rector Fr. Esteban Vázquez Deacon Kerry Luke Gonser Email: [email protected] Website: www.saintnicholasburton.org Church Office: 810-744-0070
Services: Wednesday- 9 am Adult Education-11 am Saturday – 5 pm Vespers followed by Confessions Sunday - 9:30 a.m. Third Hour 10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy Holydays, Vigil and Vespers as announced
“But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God; wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” St. Jude 1:20
JULY & AUGUST 2017
FROM FATHER’S DESK
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ: Christ is among us!
Pilgrimage means different things to different people. The English word “pilgrim” originally comes from the Latin word peregrinus (per, through + ager, field, country, land). It can describe a traveler making a brief journey to a particular place or someone settling for a short or long period in a foreign land. The word “pilgrimage” in English means a journey undertaken for spiritual purposes and implies a degree of hardship or discomfort. But the Greek word for pilgrimage, proskynesis (προσκύνησις) means prostration or veneration: in other words it lays stress on what you do when you arrive rather than on how you got there. We venerate the holy icons and relics, we worship God in the divine services. The earliest Christian pilgrimages were to the holy places associated with the life of our Lord Jesus Christ: Bethlehem, Jerusalem, the Mount of Olives. Egeria, a nun from Spain, left a detailed account of her pilgrimage to the Holy Land in the 380s. She made this journey to visit the places of our Lord Jesus’s life and to worship and pray to God at these sacred places. Not all of us may be able to make a pilgrimage such as Egeria’s. Yet we may make a pilgrimage – a spiritual journey – even here. Holy Dormition Monastery is less than two hours’ away from our parish. This monastery made up of women monastics (nuns) is a spiritual oasis in the world. The nuns dedicate themselves to prayer and work. The most important activity of the monastery is to follow St. Paul’s injunction to “pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonian 5:17). The nuns’ entire life and their day to day activities are scheduled around the daily cycle of services. The services are held in the main church and are open to the public. Guests and pilgrims are encouraged to attend the services and to provide names of those to be prayed for. The monastery is organized as a cenobitic community, meaning everything is held in common, and each member of the community shares in the work and responsibilities, that is, the daily “household” chores that any family would have--though on a larger scale. The gardens, orchard, vineyards, and chickens all need to be tended to. Meals need to be cooked and dishes washed. The church and chapels, as well as the guest house and other public buildings need to be cleaned and prepared for services and visitors. Lawns need mowing and bushes need trimming. These and many other tasks are carried out faithfully not only by the nuns, but also with the help of a multitude of volunteers. The monastery is a pillar of fire for us who live in the world. A place where we may journey to be refreshed and renewed in and by Christ through our participation in the sacred services and being present in such a sacred space. The monastic community receives all visitors as fellow pilgrims, joining together in our common journey toward Christ. Some stop by for only a few minutes, while others stay for several days in the guest house, but the nuns’ prayer is that all will have the opportunity to “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8) and to “Be still, and know that He is God.” (Psalm 46:10) The feast of the monastery is the Dormition of the Mother of God (August 15). This year is the 30th annual pilgrimage. Among the pilgrims this year will be Archbishop Nathaniel, our own Archbishop Alexander, Bishop Paul of Chicago and the Midwest, and Bishop Anthony of Toledo and the Midwest (Antiochian Archdiocese). If you can, make time to come to the lamentations we will sing on August 14 in the monastery church where we will stand before the icon of her dormition and sing her praises in imitation of the lamentations we sing before the icon of our Lord in the tomb on Holy Friday. On August 15 the bishops will lead us all in the holy Liturgy where we may, indeed, taste and see that the Lord is good as we receive His Precious Body and Life-Giving Blood for the remission of our sins and to life everlasting. After lunch there will be Holy Unction led by the bishops and priests. All come to be anointed with the blessed oil for spiritual and physical healing. Vespers and supper will follow. If you can’t make both days, perhaps come for one or the other service: the lamentations, or Liturgy or Unction. If you cannot make the journey, join the clergy and faithful at Assumption Church in Grand Blanc as they celebrate their parish feast. Draw near to Christ on this great feast of His Mother. You will receive God’s grace. Come and be enlightened, be refreshed and renewed by Christ Jesus Himself.
With love in Christ,
Third Hour Schedule Reader Schedule July August September July August September 2 Lucy 6 Lucy 3 Reggie 2 Amir 6 Angelo 3 Taras 9 Reggie 13 Reggie 10 Angelo 9 Angelo 13 Amir 10 Amir 16 Angelo 20 Angelo 17 Lucy 16 Johnny 20 Johnny 17 Angelo 23 Lucy 27 Lucy 24 Reggie 23 Kathy 27 Kathy 24 Johnny 30 Reggie 30 Taras If you are unable to make your assigned If you are unable to make your assigned reading date, you must find a replacement. reading date, you must find a replacement.
COFFEE HOUR volunteers are needed. There is a sign-up list outside of the kitchen. Please commit to helping out so that we can continue having this social time together.
July Coffee Hour Volunteers August Coffee Hour Volunteers 2 6
9 13
16 20 23 27 30
MEMORY ETERNAL! CHRIST IS RISEN! Milan Glusica fell asleep in the Lord on June 1 and was buried from Sharp Funeral Home on Fenton Rd at Evergreen Cemetery by Fr. Gabriel Bilas assisted by Fr. Matthew on June 3. He is the husband of Anita Glusica. Bog da prosti! God forgive him! Christos voskrese! Christos anesti! Christ is risen!
PLEASE NOTE that the voice mail system for the office has been reworked. If Marcia is assisting another caller, you will be redirected to voice mail. Please leave a message so that she can get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you.
CONTACT INFORMATION Please contact the church office with any updates to your mailing address, email address or telephone number(s) HOPE IN A BOX whenever you have a change. Thank you!
DIOCESAN ASSESSMENT You will find in your box of offering July Toilet Paper envelopes one marked “Diocesan Assessment.” Each parish in the Feminine Care Diocese is assessed $35 per pledging adult. We have been paying this August Products/Razors & directly out of our Sunday offerings, presently $5,320 per year. If every Shaving Cream adult will make the $35 assessment above and beyond their regular Toothpaste/Tooth pledge, our parish will save $5,320 per year. If you have not yet turned in September brushes your envelope, please do so as soon as possible.
ORTHODOX BOOK CLUB will meet in September.
JULY NAMESDAYS, ANNIVERSARIES & BIRTHDAYS NAMESDAYS BIRTHDAYS 3 Cynthia Economou 1 Kara George 11 Olga Samaras 2 Lucy Hogg Olga Todoroff 3 John Borkovich 15 Allen Vladimir Adams Walter Borkovich Bruce Vladimir Borkovich Déva Burnett Vladimir Akkerman Natasha Oginsky Walter John Borkovich 4 Peter Branoff Vladimir Pyatenko 5 Peter Sredich 19 Milica Beslach 8 Oleg Dashevskiy 20 Elias Kokaly Kathryn Gurin Elijah Daniel George 11 Richard Elieff 22 Magda Popoff Robert Elieff Marla Houser 14 Charlie Jernigan 24 Popadia Amanda Christine Vázquez Dante Hatch Chelsea Christine Borkovich 16 Alexander Gonser Christine Adkisson Rimi Abu-Aita Christine Brucksch 17 Bob Russell Christine Panoff 19 Austin Selmi Kirsten Lee Popoff Dorothy Goodman Kristin Hart Jo Ann Havens Krysten Brown Julie Jonascu 25 Anita Glusica 21 Linda Branoff 27 Ponte Brown 23 Calvin Conrad WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES 25 Alexa Stevens 6 Calvin & Ruth Conrad Zoe Stevens 17 Bob & Peggy Russell 28 Ian Price 20 David & Marla Houser Helen Ashmun 27 Chad & Julie Conover 30 David Batzos Nicholas & Constance Maxim Stephanie Price 30 David & Kris George
AUGUST NAMESDAYS, ANNIVERSARIES & BIRTHDAYS, NAMESDAYS NAMESDAYS (CONTINUED) 4 Maximilian Biernacki 18 Laurie (Florinka) Brock 6 Xavier Abdallah 21 Cameron Stevens 10 Lawrence Bladecki 26 St. Adrian-Adriane Grossi 11 Susan Goodman St. Adrian-Adrienne Biernacki Susan Oginsky Natasha Oginsky Susan Popoff 27 Monica Mitevski 15 Mia Jonascu 30 Saśo Pirkovic Deva Glusica (Theotokos) Maria Papalazarou ANNIVERSARIES Marie Todorovsky 3 Peter & Jo Sredich Marika Karavanis 7 Peter & Mary Anne Brayan Marilyn Branoff 19 Luai & Amani Helal Mary Abu-Aita 21 Bill & Cindy Economou Mary Ann Brayan 22 Jimmy & Diane Todorovsky Mary Batzos 27 John & Rose Goodman Mary Kosman Maryanna (Marie Anna) Nedanis May Kokaly Sharon Jernigan (Theotokos) Sharon George Linda Marie Branoff Donna (Susie) Ford (Theotokos)
AUGUST BIRTHDAYS BIRTHDAYS (CONTINUED) 1 Julie Conover 19 Fr. Matthew-Peter Butrie Sophia Todorovsky Alexis Liley 3 Hannah Seeley 21 Sebasian Vázquez Cherly Ellis 22 Michael Borkovich 5 Paul Brayan 25 Sophia Batzos 6 Diana Broadfoot 26 Betty Dimich 8 Peter Brayan Christine Panoff Maria Green 27 Kathy Gonser 9 Milan (Michael) Stikovich Tom Batzos Katelyn Price 29 Fr. Esteban Vázquez 11 Janja Beslach 30 Cortney Batzos 13 Emilia Seeley 31 Lydia Nicoloff 18 Tom Krigner Zina Pyatenko Lisa Pray If your name is missing or has the incorrect information in the birthday, anniversary or namesday list please call the office: (810) 744-0070 LOOKING AHEAD No Parish Council Meeting in August Election Meeting November 5 (first Sunday of November) – elect parish council members, auditors, and lay delegate for the 2018 Diocesan Conference Annual Meeting January 14, 2018 (the Sunday after our Theophany banquet)
COMMERCIAL MIXER AND STAND have been donated to the church in memory of Aspasia Stathopoulos with her memorial fund. Thank you to Angelo and Christine Panoff for thinking of such a fitting tribute.
MACEDONIAN OPEN GOLF SCRAMBLE, Thank you to everyone who took part in this year’s Golf Scramble, especially to the committee members: Chris Nedanis, Angelo Panoff, Christine Panoff, Linda Branoff, and George Branoff.
GRADUATIONS Stacy Jean Binelli graduated from Kettering University with a Masters in Business Administration. She is the daughter of James & Vivian Binelli, granddaughter of Lydia Nicoloff and the late Nick Nicoloff.
Timothy Seeley graduated from Baker College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology and Security. He is the husband of Hannah Seeley.
OUTDOOR CLEAN-UP Please contact Dennis Jernigan (810-908-3631) if you are able to assist with trimming the trees and bushes at church.
2ND ANNUAL PAN-ORTHODOX SOFTBALL GAME Sunday, July 9, 2017 - 3pm - 8pm at Grand Blanc East Middle School Baseball Field B, 6100 East Perry Rd, GB, 48439. Sign up sheet will be in the hall.
PAN-ORTHODOX CEDAR POINT TRIP Tuesday, July 18. Cost $42 per person. Plan is for the parishes to meet at the park. Includes: St. Mary Magdalene, our Diocesan cathedral of St. George in Toledo, our parish, St. George, Assumption and St. Paul in Dearborn Heights.
PAN-ORTHODOX DIVINE LITURGY at Saint Mary Magdalene for their feast on Saturday, July 22 at 10 am.
PAN-ORTHODOX VACATION CHURCH SCHOOL hosted by Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, Grand Blanc August 7, 8 & 9 from 6 to 8:30 pm. Please contact our church office if your children want to attend, you wish to volunteer or if any of our teens need volunteer hours, they can assist. Office: 810-744-0070 or [email protected]
PAN-ORTHODOX CELEBRATION OF DORMITION at Assumption Church on Monday, August 14 Vespers at 6 pm and Tuesday, August 15, Divine Liturgy at 10:30 am. Flint Area
Pan Orthodox Vacation Church School
Monday thru Wednesday - August 7, 8 and 9 from 6 to 8:30pm
Hosted by Assumption Church in Grand Blanc
Save the dates! More information and registration to come!
ST NICHOLAS FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT! To be held Friday, July 14 at the church at 6pm. Please bring a dish to pass. Popcorn will be provided. Our movie will be “The Incredibles” and August 11 the movie will be “Night at the Museum”. Please feel free to bring your family and friends, even if they do not attend St. Nicholas. 10 children and adults were at our movie night in June.
VISITATION TO THE SICK Fr. Matthew brings Holy Communion to the shut-ins on Mondays. If you would like to be added to this list, please contact the office. Presently, those receiving weekly visits are: Helen Ashmun, Mary Anne Brayan, Paul Ellis, Fred Oginsky, Gloria Zelenko. Monthly Fr. Matthew visits Larry Bladecki (Bay City) and Peter and Olga Samaras (Caro).
DAILY INTERCESSION FOR OUR SICK AND HOMEBOUND The following are our brothers and sisters of St. Nicholas who are currently homebound, suffering from chronic illness, in recovery or in need of special prayers. Please remember them in your prayers and reach out to them with a card, a phone call or a visit! Please call the office to schedule a visit for Holy Communion.
Larry Bladecki JoAnn Havens Fred Oginsky Deacon John Bocek Bill Haw Ron Salhany Anna Branoff Helen Iwanoff Olga Samaras Linda Branoff Goldie Johnson Peter Samaras Gladys Edwards Mary Karayanis Bill Tadrick Paul Ellis Nick Karayanis Wendy Tadrick Susan Goodman Macy Lemen Gloria Zelenko
To aid in your outreach, here is a listing of the addresses and phone numbers of our Homebound:
Helen Ashmun 4436 Beecher Rd Flint, MI 48532 Larry Bladecki 409 15th Street Bay City, MI 48708 Mary Anne Brayan 6500 Hickory Hollow Ct. Flint, MI 48532 (810) 820-8180 Gladys Edwards 2 Harbor Dr. St. Clair, MO 63077 Paul Ellis 5931 Western Rd Flint, MI 48506-1305 Goldie Johnson 3215 W. Mount Hope Ave. Apt. 142 Lansing, MI 48911 Pete & Olga Samaras 1285 Cleaver Rd Caro, MI 48723-9241 (989) 673-0821 Gloria Zelenko 5370 E. Baldwin Rd. #520 Grand Blanc, MI 48439 Please contact our parish office if you would like to attend: 810-744-0070 or [email protected]
6 PM - FRIDAY, JULY 14 – “The Incredibles” 6 PM – FRIDAY, AUGUST 11 – “Night at the Museum” ST. NICHOLAS CHURCH 2143 S. CENTER RD. BURTON, MI 48519
Popcorn will be provided.
Please bring your family and friends, even if they do not attend St. Nicholas.
$36.00 Single Space
for 6 months
$50.00 Double Space ? for 6 months
$65.00 Triple Space for 6 months
St. Nicholas Orthodox Church 2143 S. Center Rd. Burton, MI 48519 810-744-0070 July 2017 Email: [email protected] Website: www.saintnicholasburton.org
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
. Charitable Ministries by the Orthodox Churches of Flint: 1 Fast th St. George – N. End Soup Kitchen, 4 Tuesday, 9 am to 12:30 pm Dairy Permitted (no meat) Assumption – Center for Hope 517 E Fifth Ave, 5 pm Vespers 3rd Wednesday, 11 am to 1 pm (Sept thru June) Wine & Oil Permitted (no meat) St. Mary Magdalene – Compassion in Action – Fish Permitted (no other meat) contact Fr. Gabriel: [email protected]
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Independence Day 9:am to 12:30 pm 3 pm Blessing of 9:30 Third Hour North End Soup marriage of Dennis 10 am Divine Liturgy Kitchen Goodman and Eileen Branoff Office Closed Office Closed No Vespers 9 9:30 Third Hour 10 11 12 13 14 15 10 am Divine Liturgy 3 pm Pan-Orthodox 6:30 pm Parish 9 am Divine Liturgy 6 pm Family 5 pm Vespers Softball Game at GB Council 11 am Adult Ed Movie Night East Middle School Office Closed “The Incredibles”
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 St. Mary Magdalene Cedar Point Trip with 9:30 Third Hour St. Mary Magdalene 9 am Divine Liturgy 10 am Liturgy at St. 10 am Divine Liturgy & St. George 11 am Adult Ed Mary Magdalene Cathedral, Toledo Office Closed 5 pm Vespers 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 9:30 Third Hour 9:am to 12:30 pm 10 am Divine Liturgy ______St. George Church at 9 am Divine Liturgy 5 pm Vespers 30 31 North End Soup 11 am Adult Ed 9:30 Third Hour Kitchen 10 am Divine Liturgy Office Closed St. Nicholas Orthodox Church 2143 S. Center Rd. Burton, MI 48519 810-744-0070 August 2017 Email: [email protected] Website: www.saintnicholasburton.org
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5 All times Dormition Fast 9:am to 12:30 pm 9 am Divine Liturgy North End Soup 5 pm Vespers with and dates are Fr. in Toledo 11 am Adult Ed. Kitchen Litya
tentative Office Closed 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Transfiguration Fr. in Toledo 9 am Divine Liturgy 5 pm Vespers 9:30 Third Hour 11 am Adult Ed. 6 pm Family
10 am Divine Liturgy Vacation Church Vacation Church Movie Night School School Vacation Church 12:30 pm Moleben to School “Night at the 6-8:30 pm @ 6-8:30 pm @ Museum” the Theotokos (Shrine) Assumption 6-8:30 pm @ Assumption Assumption Office Closed 13 14 15 Dormition 16 17 18 19 6 pm Vespers & 9:30 Third Hour Artoklasia at 10:30 am Divine 9 am Divine Liturgy 5 pm Vespers 10 am Divine Liturgy 12:30 pm Moleben to Assumption Liturgy @ Assumption 11 am Adult Ed. the Theotokos (Shrine) Pilgrimage to Dormition Monastery see flier in the newsletter Office Closed 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 9:am to 12:30 pm 9:30 Third Hour St. George Church at . Office Closed 5 pm Vespers 10 am Divine Liturgy North End Soup in the Pavilion Kitchen Rib Dinner
27 28 29 Beheading of 30 31 St. John the Baptist Fast
9:30 Third Hour Dairy Permitted (no meat)
10 am Divine Liturgy Wine & Oil Permitted (no meat)
Fish Permitted (no other meat) St. Nicholas Orthodox Church 2143 S. Center Rd. Burton, MI 48519 810-744-0070 September 2017 Email: [email protected] Website: www.saintnicholasburton.org
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
Fast 1 2
Dairy Permitted (no meat) No Vespers Wine & Oil Permitted (no meat)
Fish Permitted (no other meat)
3 4 Labor Day 5 6 7 9:am to 12:30 pm 8 Nativity of the Theotokos 9 9 am Divine Liturgy North End Soup 9:30 Third Hour 11 am Adult Ed. Kitchen 5 pm Vespers 10 am Divine Liturgy 6 pm Combined Liturgy
(location tbd) Office Closed Office Closed
10 11 12 Leavetaking 13 14 Elevation of the Cross 15 16 Nativity of the 9 am Divine Liturgy 9:30 Third Hour Theotokos 11 am Adult Ed. 5 pm Vespers
10 am Divine Liturgy 6 pm Combined 6:30 pm Parish Church School Begins Vesperal Liturgy Office Closed Council (location tbd)
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 9 am Divine Liturgy Conception of 9:30 Third Hour 11 am Adult Ed. St. John the Baptist 10 am Divine Liturgy 11 am to 1 pm Bingo Assumption at Office Closed 5 pm Vespers Center for Hope 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 9:am to 12:30 pm All times 9:30 Third Hour St. George Church at 9 am Divine Liturgy 10 am Divine Liturgy North End Soup 11 am Adult Ed. and dates are Kitchen
Office Closed tentative