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Home , Great martyr, Moses the Black

the Orthodox Church 146 Third Avenue, Rankin, PA 15104 Pastor: Very Reverend Nicholas Ferencz, PhD Cantor: Professor Jerry Jumba Parish President : Carole Bushak

Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever! Slava Isusu Christu! Slava vo v’iki!

Rectory Phone: 412 271-2725. E-mail: [email protected] Hall Phone: 412-294-7952 WEB: www.stmichaelsrankin.org

23RD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST NOVEMBER 15, 2020 CELEBRATION OF OUR PATRONAL FEAST: SYNAXIS OF HOLY ARCHANGEL MICHAEL AND ALL THE BODILESS POWERS OF HEAVEN Z’PRAZDNIKOM!

Sun., Nov. 15 23rd Sunday after Pentecost. 6th Sunday of Luke. Feast of St. Michael and all the Bodiless Powers of Heaven, our Parish’s Patronal Feast Day 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy. Panachida: We celebrate the Memorial Service for the Founders of our parish! Wed., Nov. 18 Galaction and Episteme 6:00 PM Church Cleaning: Thorough Scrub-down of the Pews Sun., Nov. 22 24th Sunday after Pentecost. 7th Sunday of Luke. Matrona. Metropolitan Nectarios the Wonder-worker of Aegina 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy. Mon., Nov. 23 Great- Orestes. Diocesan Priests’ Convocation (virtual) Tue., Nov. 24 Confessor Theodore the Studite. Martyr Menas. Martyrs Stephanie, Victor and Vincent Diocesan Priests’ Convocation (virtual) Thu., Nov. 26 Archbishop of Constantinople THANKSGIVING DAY Sat., Nov. 28 Martyrs Gurias, Samonas and Habib Philip’s Fast (Christmas Fast) Begins Sun., Nov. 29 25th Sunday after Pentecost. 8th Sunday of Luke. Apostle and Evangelist Matthew 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy Panachida: Mary Chakos – 40-day Memorial Holy Mystery of Confession: I will be available for Confessions after the Divine Liturgy, when the church is more private. Or, you can make an appointment and we will arrange an appropriate time. Please just contact me. PEOPLE STUFF Prayer List: Deceased: Mary Chakos. Metropolitan Maximos. Kalliope and Michael Condolian. Living: Father George Livanos. Father Patrick. Mother Christophora and the of Holy Transfiguration . Christina Anatakis. Dana Andrade. Gloria Andrade. Gregory Michael Aurilio. Georgia B. Chastity and Jeff Bache. Brandon. Walter Bolbat. Donald Bodnar. Jaime Budesa. Barbara Chappie. Barbara and Steve

Page 1 of 4 Bournius. Nicholas Burkhart. Rebecca, & Bradley Cozad. Mary Ann Crouse. Martha Danchak. Christina Duranko. Nicholas Duranko. George & Margaret Dorogy. Breanne Glass. Dorothy Glass. Eddie Gombos. Jennifer Hartrick. Hlavac. George Hrabchak. Raymond Hrabchak. Shirley Hrubic. Zhensan Huang. Kevin and Karen Ianni. Gary Ingelido. Andrea Kerkentzes. Glenn Lesko. Jeanne Lesko. Bobby Malackany. Marina. Joan Martell. Sharon Mascilak. Ed McCreanor. Jake McLaughlin. Zoe Mehalik. Helen Mihalik. Teresa Onuska. Frank Palmieri. Millie Phillips. Robert Petro. Anna Senich. Bernice Siudak. Terry Slezak. Milton and Thelma Supak. Diana Terezis. Bobby and Dee Triffanoff. Josh Walendziewicz. Paul & Valerie Yednak. Edward Yoon. Jim Zajac. Prosphora Bakers: Trudy Trifanoff. Delores Cubakovic and their intentions. Also: Chase Vlad, Gianna Vlad, Laura, Sharita, all First-Responders, and all who are working in the Health and Medical Fields during this time of crisis. F(E)ASTING Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Michael and all the Bodiless Powers of Heaven TODAY!!! PARISH STUFF NEW!!!!! Fall Lottery Gift Basket! Drawing is TODAY after Divine Liturgy! NEW! Renewed COVID 19 Protocols This is an issue that was discussed at the Parish Council Meeting this past week. Unless you have no radio, phone or TV, we all know that the pandemic is spiking up rapidly, creating a situation where we need to be more careful than ever. Allegheny County is reporting 3 times the number of cases as they were only a couple of months ago. Pretty much everyone in our parish belongs to the “At Risk” group, and so we need everyone to be extra careful here at the parish, in consideration of each other as well as ourselves. The Parish Council is asking, therefore, that we tighten up our precautions, and try to be as aware as possible of the need to do whatever we can to minimize the spread of the Virus. Of course, we will continue wearing the masksWe will be doing a couple of things differently for the time being to try to help this out: 1. ENTERING THE CHURCH a. We will no longer greet folks at the hall door. The space is way too small and constricted, and difficult for many to go through. b. However, there will be someone at the top of the stairs to greet you, take your temperature, and ask you to sanitize your hands before going further. c. We are expecting everyone to comply with these guidelines, if not for yourself, then in consideration of others around you who will be expecting everyone to be as careful as possible. 2. IN CHURCH a. Everyone will be expected to wear your mask. b. We ask that everyone keep your distance! If two or more people live in the same house, you can sit together. ELSE, please keep 6 feet apart. Remember, according to those who are keeping track of all of us, the new spike in cases is at least in part due to family and close friends getting together although they do not live in the same house. Please keep your close friends, your close family, and your close whatever, close in your heart, but double arm’s length away! The best gift we can give others is to NOT take the chance of giving them the Virus! 3. DISTRIBUTION OF HOLY EUCHARIST, BREAD, ANOINTING OIL, ETC. a. We are not going to distribute Antidor (blessed bread) either at Communion time or at the end of the Liturgy. However, we do ask everyone to still come forward so that we can greet each other, and we maintain an orderly exit out of the church, without having to get in each other’s way. b. Exception: we are still going to have the blessed Festal Bread for Feast Days, but it will be properly bagged and safe.

Page 2 of 4 c. I will still be anointing on Feast Days, using one-use q-tips. d. Holy Communion: as we have already been doing, even if you do not wish to receive Holy Communion, you may come forward and receive a blessing with the chalice. 4. HELP PLEASE! We really could use at least one more person to take temperatures of folks entering. Please let me or Carole know if you are willing to help. And once again, I remind all that if at any time you are not comfortable coming to church, please stay home that week. If you are uncomfortable because of something going on here during Liturgy or before or after, please let me know. If we can do something to alleviate the problem, we will. NEW! HELP! Christmas Church Cleaning This issue was also discussed at the Parish Council Meeting. Some folks have been working hard to keep our church and hall disinfected and as clean as possible. However, we have not done a major church cleaning for over a year (since the church was virtually shut down for 5 months). We need help with cleaning this year from as many people as can come out. Please plan to help out this year: as usual bring a bucket and some rags – we should have the rest here. Here are a few dates to note: Wednesday, Nov. 18 AND Wednesday, Dec. 2. Both days start at 6 PM. Pew Scrub down! We want to really scrub down all of the pews this year. It will require a number of hours and as much help as we can get. Saturday, December 5, 9 AM. Cleaning everything else in the church and hall. Building and Repairs Donations which are available for upcoming repairs to date are $4712! Thanks & God Bless! To ALL who helped with the Sandwiches for the Homeless Project: Offered in honor of our patron St. Michael the Archangel! We commend all of you folks that donated for the project (in addition to the food and materials that were donated, we collected a total of $330) got the materials together, made the lunches and finally transported them to the Neighborhood Resilience Project in the Hill District. This is a great and important thing that we do for others! DIOCESE, DEANERY AND ADDITIONAL STUFF Reminder! The Neighborhood Resilience Project (Sandwiches for the Homeless) has a three-night open house scheduled November 17-19 from 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM. Attendees of the event will be able to get acquainted with the new building and see the chapel for St. the Black Our Gifts to God and our Church Orthodox Church. Along the tour each small group will November 8, 2020 learn what the ministries are doing- Neighborhood Resilience Attendance 21 Project team members will be giving 10-minute summaries Communions 11 of their work. It will also include a walk through and Collections discussion of how the trauma response vehicle is used to Monthly 55.00 bring Hope and Resilience to the community. Sunday 640.00 All Votive Candles 149.00 The event is free to attend, though donations will be Building Maintenance 185.00 requested and people can sign up at http://bit.ly/NRP_Tour. Sandwiches for the Homeless 100.00 People attending can secure a time for a group from church, Orthodox Orphanage Offering 10.00 family, friends or fellow employees from work as many Perpetual Remembrance 300.00 businesses are looking for volunteer opportunities. Total Offerings: 1439.00 New! Diocesan Priests’ Convocation: This annual event will be held virtually this year (Schedule above). We are all going Update: Building and Repairs Donations to sit at home and pretend we are camping out in the middle which are available for upcoming repairs to of the woods while we get together. Please say a prayer for date are $4712! God bless your generosity! all of us.

Page 3 of 4 Reminder! St. Peter and Paul Church, Carnegie’s 17th Annual Cookie Walk! “Virtually!” Ends today! Cookie Pickup: Saturday, December 12, 9 AM – 12 Noon at Ss Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church Hall, 220 Mansfield Blvd., Carnegie PA. For Questions, Contact: Rachel at 412-877-9878 OR Sherri at 412-874-4190! Reminder! The DDD Campaign for 2020 is on! Gifts of $100 or more are asked. Checks are payable to: “Distinguished Diocesan Donors.” Donations can be sent directly to the Diocesan Chancery, 312 Garfield Street, Johnstown, PA 15906. May the Lord bless you and yours during these stressful times. SYNAXIS OF THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL AND THE OTHER BODILESS POWERS The Synaxis of the Chief of the Heavenly Hosts, Archangel Michael and the Other Heavenly Bodiless Powers: , , Uriel, Selaphiel, Jehudiel, Barachiel, and Jeremiel was established at the beginning of the fourth century at the Council of Laodicea, which met several years before the First Ecumenical Council. The 35th Canon of the Council of Laodicea condemned and denounced as heretical the worship of angels as gods and rulers of the world, but affirmed their proper . A Feastday was established in November, the ninth month after March (with which the year began in ancient times) since there are Nine Ranks of Angels. The eighth day of the month was chosen for the Synaxis of all the Bodiless Powers of Heaven since the Day of the Dread Last Judgment is called the Eighth Day by the holy Fathers. After the end of this age (characterized by its seven days of Creation) will come the Eighth Day, and then “the Son of Man shall come in His Glory and all the holy Angels with Him” (Mt. 25:31). Archangels (1 Thess 4:16) are one of the Nine Ranks of Angels. They are messengers of great and wondrous tidings. They reveal prophecies and the mysteries of the faith. They enlighten people to know and understand the will of God, they spread faith in God among the people, illuminating their minds with the light of the Holy Gospel. Over all the Nine Ranks, the Lord appointed the Holy Archangel Michael (his name in Hebrew means “who is like unto God”), the faithful servitor of God, as Chief Commander. He cast down from Heaven the arrogantly proud Lucifer and the other fallen spirits when they rebelled against God. Michael summoned the ranks of angels and cried out, “Let us attend! Let us stand aright before our Creator and do not consider doing what is displeasing unto God!” According to Church Tradition, and in the church services to the Archangel Michael, he participated in many other Old Testament events. During the Exodus of the Israelites from he went before them in the form of a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Through him the power of the Lord was made manifest, annihilating the Egyptians and Pharaoh who were in pursuit of the Israelites. The Archangel Michael defended Israel in all its misfortunes. He appeared to Joshua Son of Navi and revealed the will of the Lord at the taking of Jericho (Josh 5:13-16). The power of the great Chief Commander of God was manifest in the annihilation of the 185 thousand soldiers of the Assyrian emperor Sennacherib (4/2 Kings 19:35); also in the smiting of the impious leader Heliodorus (2 Macc. 3: 24-26); and in the protection of the Three Holy Youths: Ananias, Azarias and Misail, thrown into the fiery furnace for their refusal to worship an idol (Dan 3:22-25). Through the will of God, the Chief Commander Michael transported the Prophet Habbakuk (December 2) from Judea to Babylon, to give food to in the lions’ den (Dan. 14:33-37). The Archangel Michael disputed with the devil over the body of the holy Prophet Moses (Jude 1:9). The holy Archangel Michael showed his power when he miraculously saved a young man, cast into the sea by robbers with a stone about his neck on the shores of Mt Athos. This story is found in the Athonite Paterikon, and in the Life of St Neophytus of Docheiariou (November 9). We invoke St Michael for protection from invasion by enemies and from civil war, and for the defeat of adversaries on the field of battle. He conquers all spiritual enemies.

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