SUNDAY, July 15, 2018 + The 7th Sunday after Pentecost Saints Cyril and Methodius Orthodox Christian Church A Parish of the Diocese of New England of the Orthodox Church in America Fr. John Hopko, Pastor Protodeacon Paul Nimchek 860.582.3631 email: [email protected] www.terryvilleorthodoxchurch.org www.facebook.com/TerryvilleOrthodoxChurch Sunday, July 15, 2018 The 7th Sunday after Pentecost – Tone 6 Schedule of Services 7/15 Sunday --------------------------- 9:15 AM – Divine Liturgy th The 7 Sunday after Pentecost, annually, is the day on 7/18 Wednesday which we commemorate the Holy Fathers of the first six of 8 :00 AM – Matins (Morning Prayers) the seven Ecumenical Councils 7/21 Saturday --------------------------- 6:00 PM – Vigil Followed by Monthly General Confession July 15, annually, is the date of the commemoration of the Great Prince Vladimir, Enlightener of Rus’ (10th c.) 7/22 Sunday 9:15 AM – Divine Liturgy --------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------- Fr. John, together with our Lay Delegate Deb Wegh, will be in St. Louis, MO, representing our parish at the 19th Orthodox Church in America What is an Ecumenical Council? All-American Council (OCA AAC), from Monday morning, July 23, until Saturday, July 28. Fr. John will be present to preside at the Divine An Ecumenical Council is a council which is recognized as having universal Liturgies here in Terryville on both Sundays, July 22 and July 29. authority in the Church. In other words, the decisions of a council that is ------------------------------------------------------------------- formally recognized as “Ecumenical” are decisions that Church sees as 7/28 Saturday binding upon all members of the Church. The word “ecumenical” comes from the Greek word “oikoumene,” which means the “inhabited world,” so an 6:00 PM – Vigil ecumenical council is, therefore, a universal council gathered from 7/29 Sunday throughout the Christian world. 9:15 AM – Divine Liturgy The Orthodox Church accepts seven councils as Ecumenical Councils. In 7/30 Monday actual practice, these councils were among those councils of the Church’s 7:00 PM – Parish Council Meeting bishops that were called together by the Emperor of Constantinople, the 8/1 Wednesday decisions of which were then enforced by the Emperor as imperial law in the First Day of the Dormition Fast Byzantine (Late Roman) Empire in which Christianity was by then the state 8 :00 AM – Matins (Morning Prayers) religion. Byzantine Emperors, in fact, called together more than seven such 8/4 Saturday councils of bishops, but of them only seven have been recognized as truly 6:00 PM – Vigil authoritative and trustworthy. Followed by Choir Rehearsal The Orthodox Church recognizes the decrees of the following seven councils 8/5 Sunday as binding on all Orthodox Christian believers—these are the Seven 9:15 AM – Divine Liturgy Ecumenical Councils: Nicea I (325 AD), Constantinople I (381 AD), Ephesus (431), Chalcedon (451), Constantinople II (553), Constantinople III (681) and 8/8 Wednesday Nicea II (787). 8:00 AM – Matins (Morning Prayers) The first two Ecumenical Councils resulted in the agreement upon the 8/9 Thursday Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (usually just called the Nicene Creed), Feast of Saint Herman of Alaska which is the Creed that we still use today in the Orthodox Church during every 9:00 AM – Prayer Service to St. Herman celebration of the Divine Liturgy. The word “Creed,” comes from the Latin 8/11 Saturday word “credo,” which means “I believe,” which is, of course, how the Creed 6:00 PM – Vigil begins. The Creed defines the divinity of the three persons of the Holy Trinity: 8/12 Sunday Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 9:15 AM – Divine Liturgy This article, “What is an Ecumenical Council?”, continues on page two of this bulletin Alex—John Dubnansky’s brother, suffering permanent effects of stroke PARISH PRAYER LIST Darlyne—facing health challenges; daughter of Bob and Vera Martin Gregory Shesko—long-time laborer in the Diocese of New England; lung cancer Please pray for all victims of disaster, difficulty and child Asa—great-grandson of friend of E. Watras; child with developmental challenges senseless violence throughout the world. Barbara—Arlene Osuch’s sister; epilepsy with complications William “Bill” Markovich—unwell and in need of prayerful support Samantha—extremely ill child for whom we have been asked to pray + THOSE WHO HAVE DEPARTED THIS LIFE: Memory Eternal! Eugene—Tania Bouteneff’s uncle; battling cancer Newly Departed Donna—Ann Sovyrda’s niece; kidney disease Anne Topek—a Waterbury parishioner d. 6/25/18 Dayrl—Ann Sovyrda’s niece; kidney disease Ludena Reader—M. and J. Liverman’s grandmother d. 6/26/18 JoAnn—acquaintance of Jeanne Moore; ovarian cancer Anthony Jones—relative of the Livermans d. 6/29/18 MaryEllen—Louine King’s daughter-in-law; declining due to Huntington’s Disease Rita—friend of Ann Sovyrda d. 7/8/18 Virginia (“Gina”)—Elena Watras’ sister; unwell and in need of prayers Paul Hrabsky—friend of J. Osuch d. 7/12/18 Dawn—friend of Joan Markovich; Stage Four lung cancer Anniversaries of Repose – Memory Eternal! Vera Bouteneff—Tania Bouteneff’s mother; presently unwell Martin Wallick 7/14/1970 Joan Spencer—has asked for our prayers Tessie Panchak 7/17/1969 Michael—nephew of Joan Markovich; in need of prayerful support Makar Krivoy 7/17/1975 Anna Szepel—Waterbury parishioner; underwent surgery recently Anastasia Kovaleski 7/17/1975 Vera—Waterbury parishioner; unwell and in need of prayerful support Anna Tczap 7/17/1977 John Mamchuk—presently in hospice care Steven Duke 7/17/1982 Louine “Anna” King—our fellow parishioner; recently unwell Alexander Rewak 7/19/1994 Anthony—friend of D. Kowaleski; recent surgery Metro Glowa 7/20/1992 Eleanor—Rdr. J. Boruch’s mother; upcoming surgery; chronic health challenges Stephen Letish 7/21/1917 Carleen—major heart surgery; acquaintance of C. Palleria Eugene Kymanov 7/21/1927 Maria Oraschewsky—presently undergoing inpatient rehabilitation therapy Audi Khish 7/21/1934 Shut-ins and those resident in long-term Care Facilities James P. Casey 7/21/1965 Eva Kopcha—at Sheriden Woods, Bristol Michael O'Hazo 7/21/1973 Sonya Petroff—at Sheriden Woods, Bristol THOSE IN NEED OF GOD’S MERCY AND HELP Irene Kiehart—Jayne Grasso’s mother; now resident in Connecticut Mary Fomenko—shut-in at home Persons captive and suffering for the Faith Robert (Bob)—Patty Nimchek’s brother; recently worsening health Metropolitan Paul and Archbishop John—hostages in Syria Expectant Mothers and the Children to be born of them Those who are sick and suffering Juliana and the child to be born of her Archpriest Nicholas Timpko—presently unwell Anya and the child to be born of her—Fr. John’s niece Fyodor (Frank) Guba—increasing sufferings from Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Dolores Twombly—permanent colon malfunction following colon cancer treatment Those from among us serving in the Armed Forces Karen—Mary Fomenko’s niece; unwell and in need of prayers Joel Orelup—U.S. Navy, hospital corpsman (“medic”) serving with the Marines child Drew—grandson of friends of the Nimcheks; ongoing treatment for eye cancer Joseph Bellmay—a Terryville neighbor; U.S. Marine Corps child Matthew—son of friends of M. Osuch; genetic disorder with medical complications Those traveling, soon to be traveling, and apart from us child Ava—young daughter of friends of Melanie Osuch; suffering seizures Protodeacon Paul and Patty Nimchek Alexander—acquaintance of M. Osuch; suffering and in need of God’s mercy and help John, Effie, and Anna Saltourides Michele—very close friend of M. Osuch; troubled and in need of God’s mercy and help Helena Guba Anna Osuch—suffering in ill health And all those travelling during these summer months Jadwiga [“Yahd-vee-gah”]—mother of an acquaintance of E. Watras; cancer Anniversaries Steven Belonick—Cynthia Belonick’s father; unwell Jayne & Gerard Grasso 7/17 Archpriest Steven Belonick—Cynthia Belonick’s brother; chronic illness Phyllis George—Donna Kriniske’s cousin; battling breast cancer Birthdays Anna Saltourides 7/15 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ This article, “What is an Ecumenical Council?”, continues here from page one of this bulletin The Third and Fourth Councils dealt in greater detail with the Church’s teachings about Jesus Christ, about whom and what He was and is. The Third Council defended the use of the term “Theotokos” (a Greek word meaning “Birth-giver of God”) to refer to Jesus’ mother, the Virgin Mary, so as to defend the teaching of the Church that Jesus Christ is truly the incarnate (“made flesh”) Son and Word of God. The Fourth Council, following up on the work of the Third Council, stressed the fact that Jesus Christ is both fully and perfectly human, and fully and perfectly divine, thus possessing two “natures” in union in one person. Thus we say of Jesus Christ that he is one person, fully God and fully Man. The Fifth Council reaffirmed and confirmed the teachings of the first Four Councils, in a mostly unsuccessful effort to heal the serious and significant splits in the Church that had developed over the five centuries of Christian history to that point. The Sixth Council affirmed the true humanity of Jesus Christ by insisting upon the reality of his human will and action: In the one person, Jesus Christ, there are both divine activity and will, and human activity and will; just as there are in the one person, Jesus Christ, two natures, human and divine. The Seventh Council affirmed and declared the correctness of icons as true expressions of the Christian faith against those who saw them as idolatrous. Indeed, icons are not just acceptable, they are necessary, for icons affirm what is taught and affirmed by the previous six Councils: that human and divine have been made one in Christ.