The Forerunner
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The Forerunner weekly bulletin of St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church Orthodox Church in America – Archdiocese of Pittsburgh 601 Boone Avenue, Canonsburg, PA 15317 724-745-8216 – www.frunner.org – www.facebook.com/frunneroca/ Memory Eternal, Vladyka Theodosius! October 24th/25th, AD 2020 20th Saturday after Pentecost/5th Saturday of Luke St. Demetrius Memorial Saturday 20th Sunday after Pentecost/5th Sunday of Luke (Tone 2) Holy Martyrs Marcian & Martyrius Home Parish of the Ever-Memorable Met. Theodosius, (+10/19) May his memory be eternal! Вѣчная память! Rector, Fr. John Joseph Kotalik 425-503-2891 – [email protected] Assigned Clergy: Protodeacon John Oleynik, 724-366-0678 Deacon Theodosius Onest, 724-809-3491 Parish President & Warden, Mr. Kiprian Yarosh, 724-743-0231 Interim Choir Director, Mrs. Diane Yarosh; Cantor, Lara Galis All Services are Live-Streamed Online on our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/StJohntheBaptistOrthodoxChurchCanonsburg/live Upcoming Schedule October 24, Saturday (St. Demetrius Memorial Saturday): -8:45 – 9:15 AM, Confession -9:30 AM, Divine Liturgy (Open to all & live-streamed via YouTube) Church Open Until Noon -4:30 PM, Catechesis -6:00 PM, Vespers (Live-streamed via YouTube) & Confession Followed by Fellowship Meal to Use Up Leftovers from Vladyka’s Funeral October 25, Sunday: -8:45 – 9:00 AM, Confession -9:30 AM, Divine Liturgy (Last names P-Z & live-streamed via YouTube) Church Open Until Noon October 26, Monday (Great Martyr Demetrius): -10:00 AM, Divine Liturgy (Open to All) @ St. Nicholas Orthodox Church: 1 St Nicholas Dr, Donora October 27, Tuesday: -7:00 PM, All-OCA Online Church School for Middle and High School Students: Every Tuesday, go to https://www.oca.org/ocs and click your age group! -6:30 PM, Vespers for St. Job of Pochaev (Live-streamed via YouTube) & Confession October 28, Wednesday (ST. JOB OF POCHAEV – ALTAR SAINT): -9:00 AM, Divine Liturgy (Live-streamed via YouTube) -6:30 PM, Moleben to St. Job of Pochaev (Live-streamed via YouTube) & Confession October 31, Saturday: -8:45 – 9:15 AM, Confession -9:30 AM, Divine Liturgy (Last names P-Z & live-streamed via YouTube) Church Open Until Noon -4:30 PM, Catechesis -6:00 PM, Vespers (Live-streamed via YouTube) & Confession November 1, Sunday: -8:45 – 9:00 AM, Confession -9:30 AM, Divine Liturgy (Last names A-O & live-streamed via YouTube) Church Open Until Noon October 27, Tuesday: -7:00 PM, All-OCA Online Church School for Middle and High School Students: Every Tuesday, go to https://www.oca.org/ocs and click your age group! Donations We thank our dedicated parishioners for their continued donations in this trying time; the parish still has bills and it is only by our sacrificial offerings that we can continue to meet our financial responsibilities. If unable or uncomfortable coming to church, please mail your donation. Additionally, you can now give online: go to tithe.ly and search for St. John Orthodox Church – Canonsburg. Fundability Our parish scrip program – Fundability – is still taking orders. Please call or text Wendy Petronka at 724-255-5046 or email her at [email protected] in order to place your order and to arrange to get your gift cards. One of our dedicated Fundability helpers will be available after our weekend Liturgies too! Food Drive Chronic hunger is always a problem in the United States and Washington County, but the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic have made the issue worse. Even before the pandemic, Washington County had a food insecurity rate of over 10% and now, with the unemployment rate of 12.8% (an 8.3% increase from last year and above the national average of 7.4%); that rate is rising. Please consider purchasing one or two non-perishable food items when you shop. You can drop off the items in the narthex the next time you are in church, and Committee members will deliver it to area food banks. If you’d like to contribute in other ways, baby supplies (diapers, wipes, & formula) and toiletries are also needed. Any financial donations are welcome too! If you have questions, please contact Julianna Cario: 724-263-1046. Toy Drive The Jr. O Club is sponsoring a Toy/Gift Drive from September 26th to November 8th. New or gently used toys will help support the Canonsburg United Presbyterian Church Toy Chest. While toys for little kids are appreciated and accepted, toys and goods for older kids (ages 13 to 17) are especially needed. There is a box in the narthex. St. Demetrius Memorial Saturday (Oct. 24) In 1380, the Grand Prince of Moscow, St. Dimity Donskoy, instituted this commem- oration in honor of his heavenly patron, the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica (a Roman general who had refused to worship the Emperor rather than Christ), and in memory of those faithful Orthodox who had fallen at the Battle of Kulikovo (Sept. 8, 1380), giving their lives to free Russia from Muslim tyranny. On the Saturday before St. Demetrius’ Feast (Oct. 26), we commemorate all Orthodox Christians who have offered their lives for the good of the Holy Church and in defence of their homelands. We also commemorate all the departed from our parish, as well as any additional names which might be brought. Please consider coming to Liturgy, or the Pannikhida on the eve, to pray for our departed brethren; even if you can’t make it, feel free to offer your names! OCA Online Church School To help our youth stay involved and catechized during the pandemic, the OCA has decided to continue with its online church school for middle and high school students. Classes will be held every Tuesday at 7:00 pm EST, with separate classes for middle and high school students. Please attending if you are able. It’s easy: every Tuesday, go to https://www.oca.org/ocs and then click on your age group! Apartment Fire Response On Sunday, Sept. 27, a fire ravaged the apartment complex on Summit Avenue, down the hill from the church. 1 unit was destroyed, 25 were damaged, and 45 resi- dents have been displaced. They are currently overwhelmed with donated goods, but to address financial needs, Mayor Rhome and the Ministerial Association have set up a fund through the Canonsburg Lions Club. If you would make a donation to this fund, please send checks made out to the Canonsburg Lions Club to the Clearview Federal Credit Union located at 105 E Pike St, Canonsburg, PA 15317, writing “Summit Avenue Fire Victims” in the memo line. Consider Helping a College Student One of our college students has courageously decided to stand up and do the right thing, even though it meant an increase in living expenses by $250/month. Please consider helping one of our college students in their choice to follow Christ; if you’d like to help, write “Melissa Yoder Expenses” on your envelope or check’s memo line. Where’s the Belltower?! If you didn’t notice when you walked in, the bell tower has been removed and placed to the side of the church while the bells undergo a MUCH needed refurbishment project. Most importantly, a new ringing system is being installed – so no more flicker- ing lights when they ring! As you can see, the cupola itself could also use some refur- bishment, and we are looking into options for this. Many thanks to Richard Blaha and Chris Weber for all their hard work in organizing this project! The cost of the bell work will be at least $26k, and we are waiting on an estimate for the cupolas. While the main- tenance fund will be able to cover these costs, any donations would be a great help! Why ‘Father, Bless’? You may have noticed that we were now saying “Father, bless” rather than “Master, bless” at the conclusion of our services this weekend. While our beloved Met. Theodosius was in residence at our parish, his episcopal staff (called a ‘crozier’ or ‘zhezhl’, the symbol of his authority) remained in our church, representing him even when he was not present. We thus addressed our prayers to Vladyka (which is the Russian word for ‘Master’). Now that he has fallen asleep in the Lord, we must go back to ‘Father, bless’, as is the case in a parish when a bishop of his staff is not present. Leftover Get-Together after Vespers on Oct. 24 Thankfully, we had more than enough food to offer to those who came to pay their respects and offer their prayers for Vladyka Theodosius this week. However, we have many snacks and goodies left over which we need to use up before they go bad. Pleas join us in the parish hall after Vespers on Oct. 24 for a change for some much-needed fellowship, especially when we are unable to do full coffee hours. Please maintain as much social distance as possible, and wear a mask when not eating/drinking. St. Michael’s Day Party at the Galis’ House Following the annual parish meeting on Sunday, November 8th, Michael and Lara Galis would like to invite you all to their house for an outside-only get-together in honor of the Archangel Michael, whose feast is commemorated on November 8th. There will be pizza, salad, drinks, mountain pies on the bonfire, and NFL football on the projector. Barring uncooperative weather, all are welcome after the parish meeting until around 4pm or so. Use of the inside of the house will be limited to the restroom due to COVID concerns, so dress warmly. Don't feel like you need to bring anything, but if you want to, bring a side or dessert.