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The Wonderworker St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church The Wonderworker ISSUE 2 FEBRUARY 2020 Pg 2 Fr. Soterios and Memorials Pg 7 Parish Council & Investment Pg 3 Family Night Pg 8 Key Contacts Pg 9 Philoptochos & Vision 2022 Pg 4 Saturday of Souls Pg 5 Youth Ministry Pg10 Picture Album Pg11 Monthly Calendar Pg 6 Sunday School Pg12 Special Invitation Special Dates in February Sunday, February 2nd, 8:45am Orthros and Divine Liturgy Presentation of our Lord February Greeter Duty: Sunday, February 2nd Thursday, February 6th, 8:30am Orthros and Divine Liturgy Damian & Sabrina Piaschyk St. Photios Sunday, February 9th Sunday, February 9th, 8:45am Bryan Cummings Orthros and Divine Liturgy Publican and Pharisee Sunday, February 16th Tatiana Malys Sunday, February 16th, 8:45am Orthros and Divine Liturgy Sunday, February 23rd Prodigal Son Kim Tatoian Saturday, February 22nd, 8:30am Please be on time, 9:30am, for Orthros and Divine Liturgy your duty and if you can’t be here, 1st Saturday of the Souls Please find someone to fill in. Sunday, February 23rd, 8:45am February Prosforo Schedule Orthros and Divine Liturgy Judgement (Meatfare) Sunday Sunday, February 2nd Madison Christ Friday, February 28th, 6:00pm Paraklesis Sunday. February 9th For Health and Healing Joanne Christ Saturday, February 29th, 10:30am Sunday, February 16th Divine Liturgy Christine Cheronis 2nd Saturday of Souls In Olean Sunday, February 23rd Angie Turner Reverend Father Soterios Rousakis, Protopresbyter 15 Francis Street · Jamestown, NY 14701 www.stnicholasjamestown.org Email: [email protected] 716-483-0022 FROM THE DESK OF FR. SOTERI The Orthodox Church Liturgical life calendar is dominated by two very important peri- ods: the TRIODION PERIOD and the PENTECOSTARION PERIOD. The first is a time which contains a preparation period for the GREAT LENT and the HOLY and GREAT WEEK. The PENTECOSTARION time is the period which covers PASCHA (HOLY SATUR- DAY NIGHT) to PENTECOST. The TRIODION begins on Sunday, February 9th and is symbolic of our life and spiritual struggles on earth. The PENTECOSTARION period symbolizes the life that awaits us in the Heavenly Kingdom when we finish the earthly race and spiritual journey. I would like to share with you an overview of the four Sunday pre-Lenten period. It opens with the Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee. This Gospel story is taken from St. Luke and its central theme is a lesson in humility and its spiritual benefits. The next Sunday, we hear the Parable of the Prodigal Son from St. Luke, which presents us with a comprehen- sive, step by step, unfolding of the process of repentance and confession. The period then moves on to the MEAT FARESUNDAY, otherwise known as the SUNDAY OF THE LAST JUDGEMENT. MEATFARE (APOKREO) because that is supposed to be the LAST DAY OF MEAT until PASCHA. The LAST JUDGEMENT because the Gospel lesson from St. Mat- thew speaks about the events of THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT as they will be determined by our use or abuse of Christian love. The last Sunday of the pre-Lenten period is known as CHEESEFARE SUNDAY, the last day for dairy products until PASCHA. However, the real theme of this Sunday is FORGIVENESS as the Gospel from St. Matthew reminds us. Before entering the spiritual workshop and journey of the GREAT LENT, our Holy Or- thodox Church wisely and gradually gives us the spiritual ingredients, the humility, repent- ance and confession, love and forgiveness. There are three moving hymns, chanted after the Matins (Orthros) Gospel lesson every Sunday throughout the TRIODION PERIOD that I want to share with you, hoping that these hymns will become a constant reminder of the spir- itual disposition with which we must enter the journey to PASCHA. “Open to me the gates of repentance, O giver of life, for my spirit rises early toward Your Holy Temple to pray, bearing the temple of my body all-defiled; but as the compassion- ate One, purify me by Your loving mercy.” “Lead me on the paths of salvation, O Theotokos, for I have profaned my soul with shameful sins, as I have wasted my life in laziness. But, through your intercessions, deliver me from all impurity.” “When I, the wretched one, think of evils I have done, I tremble at the fearful day of judgement. But, encouraged by your loving mercy, like David, I cry out to you: have mercy on me, O God, according to your great mercy.” Let us pledge to enter our training for the Lenten Journey with a humble and contrite heart, with an honest effort to see the image of God in everyone, especially in the person we do not like. Who knows, chances are you will discover a most valuable person in Christ you never allowed yourself to believe existed. May God bless and sustain you in your efforts. MEMORIALS William Nicholas Bender Crissi Verros & Chris A. Verros Joanne and Terry Christ & Maddie * flowers for the Christmas Season Dr. Anthony & Kim Tuccio Theodora (Terri) & Joe Porte Kevin, Karen & Ava Palmquist FAMILY NIGHT Please join us for: Every Wednesday during Great Lent beginning Wednesday, March 4th and running through Wednesday, April 8th (except March 25th) Immediately following the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy. This year’s theme is: Sacred Symbols that Speak. Wednesday, March 4th - Vestments (Dinner hosted by the Parish Council) Wednesday, March 11th - Services of Kairos & Proskomidi (Dinner hosted by the Philoptochos) Wednesday, March 18th - Church Building (Dinner hosted by the Choir) Wednesday, April 1st - Liturgical Items (Dinner is Open for everyone to bring something) Wednesday, April 8th - The Ascension (Dinner hosted by the Youth Ministries and Sunday School) Come be a part of our St. Nicholas Community Family Night program for prayer, faith, food, fellowship and discussion. 5:30pm Pre-Sanctified Liturgy 6:40pm Dinner 7:00pm Presentation SATURDAY OF SOULS SATURDAY OF SOULS—ΨΥΧΟΣΑΒΒΑΤΟΝ February 22nd, 29th and March 7th On the first two Saturdays prior to the Great Lent and the first Saturday of the Great Lent, the Church commemorates the departed on the SATURDAY OF SOULS. Please complete the form below with the BAPTISMAL FIRST NAMES ONLY of those to be commemorated at the “Saturday of Souls” memorial services. PLEASE WRITE CLEARLY. Σάς παρακαλούμε να συμπληρώσετε το κάτωθι φόρμ με τα ονόματα τεθνεώτον (μόνο το βαπτιστικό πρώτο όνομα) και να το στείλετε στο Πατέρα Ρουσάκη. ΝΑ ΓΡΑΨΕΤΕ ΜΕ ΚΑΘΑΡΑ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΑ! ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ YOUTH MINISTRY Family Bowling Saturday February 29th at 3pm at Frewsburg Lanes. All are welcome and encouraged to attend! A Lenten BeeTreat at St. Sophia in Syracuse, NY for Pre-K through Young Adult. Steve Christoforou, Star of the Y2AM YouTube Channel (Orthodox Christian Youth & Young Ministries) will be there, Live and In Person! If you are interested in attending, please see Alexis or Father. SUNDAY SCHOOL JOIN US ON SUNDAY FEBURARY 23RD AT 10:00AM FOR THE CELEBRATION OF MEATFARE SUNDAY THERE WILL BE RED AND WHITE CHILI OP- TIONS, SALAD, AND DESSERT. $10/adult Children $5, less than 5 years old are free All proceeds benefit Sunday school Great Lent is the 40 day period in which we start to prepare ourselves for the greatest feast of our Church! Sunday school will be helping to prepare students for this journey by focusing on the following: • seeing Great Lent as opportunity, not as an imposition • the importance of simplifying and ‘slowing down’ during Great Lent • there’s more to Great Lent than avoiding certain foods—there are opportunities for prayer, reflection, and renewal. PARISH COUNCIL & MEMORIALS Dear Fellow Parishioners, It is with great honor and privilege that I have been reelected as your Parish Council President. After now beginning my twelfth year on the Council, and starting my fourth year as President, it’s important to reflect on all the hard work and effort that goes into the volunteer service of the Council as we serve the Lord and his mission through the maintenance and growth of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church. While I may hold the title of President, it is the perseverance and love of many, in and out of the Council that have always aided in truly making our church what it is today. Thank you to all of my fellow Council members and Executive Committee as we approach another calendar year with the love of God and our Parish in mind. Our initiative to bring more people into the involvement of the Greeter Ministry has been a success. Thank you to Angie Turner for spearheading
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