14-27, 2021

ARCH M FOR

Pray ▪ Fast ▪ Give ULLETIN B

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES & E VENTS

Sunday, Mar. 14 6:00 PM Vespers for the Beginning of the Great Fast

Monday, Mar. 15 First Day of the Great Fast/Lent (Strict Fast) 6:00 PM Canon of Repentance of St. of Crete

Tuesday, Mar. 16 8:30 AM Parastas—Perpetual: +John & +Mary Spondike; +Andrew & +Agnes Karas +Vasil & Melania Hercha

Wednesday, Mar. 17 6:00 PM Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

Friday, Mar. 19 6:00 PM Akathist to Our Lord Jesus Christ Blessing of Koliva in Honor of St. Theodore Saturday

Sunday, Mar. 21 Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy Panachida—Perpetual: +John Belous +Paul, +Ruth, +Paul Denny Pavlick

Tuesday, Mar. 23 8:30 AM Parastas—Perpetual: +Frederick & +Julia Stroke (Rescheduled)

Wednesday, Mar. 24 6:00 PM Great Vespers for the Holyday

Thursday, Mar. 25 (Holyday) ANNUNCIATION TO THE MOTHER OF GOD 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy

Friday, Mar. 26 6:00 PM Paraklis to the Mother of God

Saturday, Mar. 27 Soul Saturday 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy & Panachida

Sunday, Mar. 28 2nd Sunday of the Great Fast: St. Gregory Palamas 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy Panachida—Perpetual: +JoAnn & +Eric Burprich

ENTEN NNOUNCEMENTS L A

We will usher in the Great Fast with the special Vespers Service on Sunday, March 14th at 6:00 PM. Please take note of the additional services scheduled during this sea- son, as found on the monthly calendar and in the bulletin.

Reminder About the Eucharistic Fast: Those receiving Communion at an evening Lit- urgy are to fast for a minimum of 3 hours prior to the service. (Ideally, we should not eat after lunch.) Fasting from midnight is still observed before receiving Communion at any morning Liturgy. Also, remember that only services titled “Liturgy” have the distribu- tion of Holy Communion. Other services offered during Lent—Vespers, Canon, Moleben, Akathist, Paraklis, Parastas—do not have Communion.

Confessions will be heard before evening services, starting at 5:25 PM and before Di- vine Liturgy on Sunday mornings, starting at 8:25 AM. (There is no need to make an appointment for these “walk-in” confession times.) If you would like to schedule an appointment for Confession at another time than those listed above, please call/text/e- mail Fr. David (724-813-3172, [email protected]). All Orthodox Christians are expected to approach this sacrament during Lent!

Sunday of Orthodoxy Procession of Icons: Following Liturgy on March 21st, the tradi- tional Procession of Icons will be held inside the church to celebrate the “Triumph of Orthodoxy” and the restoration of icons after iconoclasm in the 9th century. All youth who will be in attendance are invited to participate by bringing an icon from home.

“Willow Watch”: Please keep an eye out for pussy willows for Palm Sunday! Cut them as soon as they are ready and bring them to the church. We do have ONE request: do not put them in plastic bags. Please use paper bags. Palm and willow preparation will be on Lazarus Saturday, April 24th,

Visit the “Lenten Resource Center” in the Hall We have a variety of items available in the Fellowship Hall to help you go on your Len- ten Journey this year, including: Prayer Sheets; Lenten “Self-Denial” Boxes; Lenten Prayer Bracelets with the “Jesus Prayer”; Examination of Conscience for Confession; Lending Library for spiritual reading; and more!

Mission Sunday 2021

March 14th is designated as “Mission Sunday” by the Assembly of Orthodox Bishops in the US. Focus is given to the work of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center—OCMC. Please say a prayer for Orthodox Missions and Orthodox Missionaries serving around the world, consider volunteering to serve as part of an Orthodox Mission Team, and support this eternal work of the Church with a gift to the Mission Center. If you have any questions about the work of OCMC, ask Dr. Henry Van Zanten—he is both a short-term OCMC Missionary to Guatemala and now a member of OCMC’s Board!

E ASTER BAKE SALE

Pre-Orders Only!

Two Pick-Up Dates 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM on:

Saturday, March 27, 2021 (Deadline March 21, 2021)

April 24, 2021 (Deadline April 18, 2021)

 Nut Roll—$13 14” long, with walnut filling.

 Paska Bread—$10 7” round loaf, with or without raisins. Please specify!

 Holiday Braid—$10 12” long/2 lb. loaf, with raisins and a hint of almond.

Please Note: Baked goods are frozen to maintain peak freshness.

To order, call Francine Fabian at 724-699-7614 (Orders will be capped, so please order early!)

2021 marks the 10th Anniversary of the repose of Metropolitan (Smisko), who fell asleep in the Lord on the Sunday of Orthodoxy, March 13th, 2011. He served as the ruling hierarch of our Ameri- can Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese from 1985 until his death. We offered a Panachida on Sunday, March 14th. Please take a moment to offer a private prayer for his blessed repose!

“Remember, O Lord, our departed hierarch, shep- herd and Father in Christ, METROPOLITAN NICH- OLAS, who has fallen asleep in the hope of resurrec- tion and eternal life. Forgive all his transgressions, voluntary and involuntary, in thought, word, or deed, and place him in a place of light and refresh- ment and peace where there is no pain, affliction or sorrow, and where the light of Your divine counte- nance shines forever and gives joy unto Your saints. Amen.”

Eternal Memory!

Vičnaja jemu pamjat’!

In this photo, Metropolitan Nicho- las extends a blessing in our previ- ous church building in Sharon, with Fr. Michael Polanichka and John Anderson looking on.

THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP

By Dan Hromyak

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son..." -John 3:16

Of all the wonderful gifts that God has given to us, the gift of His own Son is truly the greatest. How can we ever thank God for a gift like that? God does not ask us to sacrifice our own precious firstborn, but He does ask that we are grateful and gen- erous with our God-given gifts. That we nurture and develop our gifts, and in grati- tude, generously give back with increase our time in prayer, our talent in charitable works and our treasure to support the mission and ministry of our parish.

"I will be their God and they shall be my people." - Jeremiah 31:33

What does it mean to be God's people? It means we recognize that everything we have and everything we are belongs to God. We aren't "owners" of anything, we are merely "stewards" of the gifts God has given us. It means we are willing to use our gifts and our lives to care for our family, our neighbors and for people we don't know, just as God cares for each of us.

CAMP NAZARETH SUMMER 2021 INFORMATIONAL WEBINARS!!!

Camp Nazareth is offering 2 live INFORMATIONAL WEBINARS about the 2021 Summer Camping Program for Campers, Parents, Clergy and Volunteers!!! The Informational Webi- nars will take place on Thursday, 3/18/21 at 7pm (EST) and on Tuesday, 3/23/21 at 7pm (EST). Camp strongly encourages anyone interested in attending Camp this summer (campers and their parents, clergy, and volunteers) to attend ONE of these two Informa- tional Webinars. We will be presenting important information about the 2021 Summer and you will have an opportunity to ask questions. You must register for the Webinars. Registration is quick and easy. (You DO NOT need to register each family member, only one of you.) Once you register, you will receive an email with the link to attend the webi- nar. The links to register for the Webinars are below: Thursday, 3/18/21 -- 7pm (EST): https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/ WN_SKks02XcSeyTLfGTVsM33w

Tuesday, 3/23/21 -- 7pm (EST): https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/ WN_DUSIakAGQXy08qpUlBoeMg

CAMP NAZARETH SUMMER 2021 INFORMATIONAL MEETING!!!

Camp Nazareth is offering a live online INFORMATIONAL MEETING about the 2021 Sum- mer Camping Program for potential CN Staff!!! The Informational Meeting will take place on Wednesday, 3/17/21 at 8pm. Camp strongly encourages anyone interested in being a part of the 2021 CN Staff to attend this Informational Meeting. We will be discussing important information about the 2021 Summer and you will have an opportunity to ask questions. The link to join the meeting is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85974599591

Staff Applications are available on the Camp Website campnazareth.org. Please contact Fr. Stephen Loposky, Camp Nazareth Director, if you have any questions – 724-662- 4840 or [email protected] .

SAINT JOHN’S ORTHODOX CHURCH

3180 Morefield Road • Hermitage, PA 16148 Office: 724-981-0571 • Rectory: 724-346-4457 E-mail: [email protected] • Website: www.stjohnacroc.org

Clergy: Rev. Father David Mastroberte Very Rev. Protopresbyter Michael Polanichka Rev. Deacon John Anderson

A Parish of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese—Ecumenical Patriarchate of

Sacramental and Membership Information Sick Calls can be made at any time. Please phone the rectory Church Funerals are, under ordinary circumstances, provided for (724-346-4457) when a family member is admitted to the hospi- practicing Orthodox Christians who are current in their spiritual tal, or to request a home visit. Hospitals do not call to alert the and material obligations to the parish; otherwise, the funeral parish when someone is admitted. service is conducted at the funeral home. The Church does not permit cremation. Marriages are solemnized on Saturdays or Sundays. Circumstanc- es may require a dispensation from the diocesan bishop. Consult Parishioners in “good standing” are those Orthodox Christians the pastor at least six months in advance and before any plans who, as members of Saint John’s Orthodox Church, strive to live have been made for the wedding reception. Marriages cannot be according to the teachings of the Orthodox Church; participate in celebrated during the fasting seasons of the church, or on Fridays. the life of the parish through regular church attendance, regular reception of Holy Communion and periodic Holy Confession (and Baptisms are usually scheduled on Saturdays or Sundays. Consult receive these sacraments no less than once a year); if married, the pastor. Two godparents (godfather and godmother) are re- having been married in the Orthodox Church; and financially sup- quired, at least one of whom must be a practicing Orthodox Chris- port the parish (especially through an annual “pledge”). tian in good standing at an Orthodox parish, and the other (at least) a practicing, baptized Christian. Prospective members and returning members are asked to fill out an application form, copies of which are available in the church office.

Website: stjohnacroc.org

YouTube: youtube.com/user/saintjohnsharon

Facebook: facebook.com/SaintJohnHermitagePA

Instagram: instagram.com/saintjohnhermitagepa

Diocese: acrod.org