PARISH NEWS AND EVENTS
40 Day Baby Blessing:
The son of Apostolos and Stephanie Xanthopoulos will be Churched today following the Divine Liturgy.
Sacrament:
The daughter of Tom and Natalie Kott will be Baptized next Saturday, April 25, 2015 at 10:30 am and given the name Maria by her Godparents Joseph Kott and Vicki Tsafogiannis.
Coffee Fellowship:
Today’s coffee fellowship is hosted by Dimitrios and Mina Demos. Please join us in Plato Hall to enjoy fellowship.
Ministry, Ministry, Ministry!
Every Christian who has accepted salvation has also accepted the responsibility of working in the ministry of the Church. The clergy have been called apart and given the grace and blessing to perform the specific sacramental functions of the church, but all Christians, clergy and laity alike, have been called to serve in our Lord’s ministry. If this is not what the Church is doing, then we have entered into serious error. Everything that we do as a Church should be in direct support of Christ’s ministry of salvation. If we build buildings, they should be to support ministry. Any event sponsored by the Church should be ministry or in support of ministry. The Church’s budget should be driven by its ministry, not the ministry to be limited by its budget.
Have You Made Your 2015 Stewardship Pledge Yet?
We have come to the end of the first quarter of 2015. We thank and are appreciative to all stewards who have pledged and remained committed to our beloved Parish of Panagia. The Parish Council reminds all stewards and supporters of our beloved Panagia Parish to complete your stewardship pledge card for 2015 and return it to the church office. Pledge cards and info can be found at the Pangari in the Church Narthex. May our Lord continue to bless us abundantly.
Dates to Remember:
Monday, April 20th
7:00 p.m. Adult Bible Study
Wednesday, April 23rd
Feast Day of Saint George the Great Martyr
8:30 a.m. Orthros
9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Friday, April 24th
7:30 p.m. Joy Meeting
Sunday, May 3rd
Spring General Assembly Meeting
Monday, May 4th
7:00 p.m. Adult Bible Study in St. Catherine’s
Meeting Room
Friday, May 8th
7:30 p.m. Jr. GOYA Meeting
Thursday, May 14th
7:00 p.m. Book Club Meeting
Friday, May 15th
7:30 p.m. GOYA Meeting
Saturday, May16th
3rd Annual Assumption Golf Outing, please refer
to the flyer in the bulletin.
Monday, May 18th
7:00 p.m. Adult Bible Study in St. Catherine’s
Meeting Room
Thursday, May 21st Ascension and the
Feast Day of Sts. Constantine and Helen
8:30 a.m. Orthros
9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Friday, May 22nd through May 24th
Jr. Olympics to be held at Sts. Constantine and Helen Church
Saturday, May 30th
Saturday of the Souls
8:30 a.m. Orthros
9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Sunday, May 31st
Feast of Pentecost
General Assembly Meeting Scheduled May 3rd:
The Spring General Assembly will be held on Sunday, May 3, 2015 immediately following the Divine Liturgy. Please make every effort to attend. We request that you make sure your stewardship pledge is up to date no later than Friday, May 1st. As mandated by the Archdiocese and Parish By-Laws, only Stewards whose stewardship obligation is current will be allowed to participate in the General Assembly, meaning those stewards who have already pledged for 2015, at least half of your pledge is due by May 1st, 2015 to be considered eligible to vote.
Upcoming Philoptochos Fellowship Event:
Tapas & Wine, a culinary demonstration and wine tasting, Sunday, April 26, 2016, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. at Dave's Specialty Foods, 105 W. Prospect, Mount Prospect. Chef Dave will prepare dishes, share recipes and techniques and provide generous tastings, along with various wines. Donation $50. Space is limited there are only 40 spots available--for reservations or more information contact Evie Maggos, phone 847-253-8835 or email: evelynmaggos@comcast.net. There are only a few seats still available, so make your reservations as soon as you can. Reservations will be confirmed when payment is received.
Assumption Church Scholarship Fund:
Fr. Timothy, the members of the Parish Council, and the scholarship committee are pleased to announce that it will again award scholarship(s) for the 2015-16 academic year. “The Assumption Church Scholarship Fund” is available to a student entering college in the fall of 2015, or current college students. The parents of the applicants must be members (stewards) of the Assumption Church for four (4) consecutive years leading up to 2015. Applications and further details are available by calling the Church Office (773.626.3114). Deadline to submit an application is June 19th.
Annual Assumption Church Festival:
Mark Your Calendars! The dates for the Annual Church Festival July 25 – 26, 2015. We need volunteers for the planning and preparation for the Picnic. Please speak with Chris Limperis or Eileen Szubert, who serve as Chairpersons for this year’s event.
Sunday Church School 90 Acts of Kindness Challenge:
Our 90 Acts of Kindness Challenge continues to progress! Thank you to all our fellow parishioners for the continued support of our Sunday Church School and its events. Together we are making a positive difference one kind act at a time!
Act of Kindness #1-61 Completed – Please visit our website or our bulletin board to see who benefited from these Acts of Kindness
Act of Kindness #62 – On April 19th we will be making sack lunches for The Night Ministry and will have the opportunity to distribute them to the area homeless from 4pm - 5pm All Volunteer spots to distribute the sack lunches are filled. THANK YOU!
Act of Kindness #63 – On April 25th from 10am-12 we will be doing a craft or game with disabled children of Marklund Home in Bloomingdale. Volunteers ages 9 and up needed. Please see Christina Arvanites to volunteer
Act of Kindness #64 – On Sunday, April 26th students will have a jump rope contest and raise money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society, we will also be wearing orange to raise awareness and support this organization.
Act of Kindness #65 – On Saturday, May 2nd from 10am-11:30am we will be visiting the Animal Care League (Oak Park) children will have an opportunity to tour the facility, learn about the organization, make “Kitty go home kits” and Stuff Kongs, there will also be a chance for interaction with one of the animals. Volunteers needed. Please see Christina Arvanites or George Rodinos to volunteer
Act of Kindness #66 – We will be making quilts for the SEWonderful Quilts. SEWonderful Quilts recycles designer fabric into one-of-a-kind quilts which are gifted, free of charge, to children suffering with life-threatening illnesses, as well as children who have been sexually abused.
Act of Kindness #67 – On Sunday, May 3rd Students will be packing care packages for cancer patients that Phil’s Friends will be delivering to local area hospitals.
Act of Kindness #68 – We will be making goody bags for homeless teens that will be going to prom with the help of the organization TLP
There’s so much more kindness to spread and our Sunday Church School is just the right group to do it!! Our goal is 90 by our Anniversary Dinner on October 18, 2015! You can watch our progress as we fill in a “thermometer” that is displayed in St. Catherine’s Meeting room. *Do you have a suggestion for an Act of Kindness or have an organization that you would like to see benefit? Please let Mrs. Christina Arvanites know.
Church School on FACEBOOK:
Our Sunday Church School has created a FACEBOOK page. Like our page: Assumption Sunday Church School! See our progress on our Acts of Kindness Challenge, keep up to date on upcoming events and view photos from recent events.
Next Orthodox Adult Bible Study Monday, April 20, 2015:
Our Adult Bible Study will meet on Monday evening, April 20, 2015, at 7:00 pm, in Saint Catherine’s Meeting Room. We have moved into study of another Epistle written by Saint Paul the Apostle, the Epistle to the Philippians. This class is open to all, and it is hoped that you will avail yourself to the opportunity to study the Bible in-depth. All you need to bring along with you is your Bible. For further information and/or questions, please see Father Timothy.
Panagia’s Monthly Book Club:
Our Monthly Book Club will meet on Thursday, May 14, 2015, at 7:00 pm at the Pan Arcadian House, 880 North York Road, Elmhurst, IL. The discussion will center on the Man of God: The Life of St. John Maximovitch. The Monthly Book Club meets the 2nd Thursday of each month. If you would like to join the group or want further information, please contact Father Athanasios.
Assumption Prayer Ministry:
The Assumption Adult Bible Study Group has developed an idea that may be of interest to parishioners and friends of our Panagia Parish. They are interested in being able to form a ministry comprised of individuals who would like to pray for the health of those individuals who may be ill or experiencing health issues. Our Orthodox Faith teaches us that the ‘power of prayer’ literally works miracles, and Jesus instructs us in the Bible that we should “always pray for one another in the fellowship of love and through the Holy Spirit”. As a Panagia Parish, we are united as brothers and sisters in Christ, and we are encouraged to pray for one another as any family would do. So, how do we plan to do it? It’s simple, easy, and spiritually uplifting and rewarding. Here is what we can all do:
- If you are interested in participating, you need only submit your name and email address to the Church Office or Fr. Timothy.
- When a name is submitted to be prayed for, you will be contacted by email, given the first name of the person to be prayed for, along with the prayer to be read by you, offering the prayer for the intercession of God upon that individual, and asking that the afflicted be healed by God’s abundant blessing.
- Your prayer, together along with the many others who are offering a prayer for the person who is ill, will bring comfort beyond comprehension.
Just think about that….our prayers collectively praying for a person who needs the loving and tender Hand of God during his/her special time of need. It’s that simple. Just provide us with your email address, and you can join this ministry team who will pray for the person who needs help the most. It costs nothing, takes only a few seconds to do, but will make us all part of a spiritual family that looks and cares for one another.
Bookstore:
Do you need gifts for your family or relatives? Then please visit the Bookstore in Plato Hall after the Divine Liturgy on Sundays. There you will find unique gifts for everyone, such as books for children and adults, icons of your or your children’s patron saints, crosses, key chains and other beautiful items, which will make much appreciated gifts this year. Please stop in and browse, you’ll be glad you did.
Coffee Fellowship Hosts Needed:
Have you considered selecting a day to host the Weekly Fellowship Hour following Worship Services on a specific Sunday in 2015? You might want to celebrate a family event, a memorial, or just want to share time with the Church family. Please call the Church Office (773.626.3114) to book a date and for more information. Available dates for the first half of 2015 are:
April 26 May 31 July 5 Aug. 9 Sept. 6 Oct. 18
May 3 June 14 July 12 Aug. 16 Sept. 13 Nov. 1
May 17 June 21 July 19 Aug. 23 Sept. 20 Nov. 8
May 24 June 28 Aug. 2 Aug. 30 Oct. 4 Nov. 15
Prosfora Bakers Needed:
One of the blessings of Stewardship that we are given is the ability to serve our Church in a number of ways. Our Church is in need of individuals who can offer the weekly Prosforo (Bread) for the Divine Liturgy. Should you be able to offer your service, please inform the Church office or see either Fr. Timothy or Mrs. Demetra Spyropoulos. With the help of each steward/member, we come together as a Church family to better offer our thanks to our Lord.
College Students -- Check Out OCF (Orthodox Christian Fellowship):
To our young people who are going away to college for the first time, or to those returning to school to continue their studies, Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) is the organization which keeps you connected to your Church and your Orthodox Faith. OCF has 300 chapters in colleges and universities throughout North America. So be sure to check out their web site to locate and find out about your chapter -- WWW.OCF.NET. We also encourage our college young people to share their e-mail addresses with our Church so that we may keep them informed of their “Spiritual Home” while they are away. And always remember, your Assumption Church’s weekly Divine Liturgy Services are just a click away on your computer each Sunday as we now broadcast live each Sunday. Just access it by going to our website at: www.assumptionchicago.org
Cemetery Graves Update:
The Parish Council announces that effectively immediately, prices for graves at Elmwood Cemetery will be the following: $1,995.00 (members), and $2,295.00 (non-members). Our Parish has only forty-six (46) graves remaining in the Panagia section, and the Church pricing is about 50% less than the graves that are being sold at Elmwood. For more information, please call the Church office and speak with Gail (773.626.3114).
Proper Church Etiquette:
Worship Services are vital instruments and components to our prayer development. In order to help us achieve this, we need to be cognizant of our fellow parishioners and all those around us. Therefore, please make sure that cell phones are completely turned off during Services. In addition, while we most welcome children to participate in the liturgical life of the Church, it remains the responsibility of parents to make sure that children do not become a distraction to those around them. Therefore, if a child is crying, or in some way in need of attention, please feel free to take him/her to the Narthex or Cry Room. You are most welcome to enter and exit the Church proper as many times as necessary. By doing this, all who are in attendance will be afforded the opportunity to worship and pray together. (Please keep in mind that we are also privileged to have a complete Sunday School Liturgy celebrated in Saint Catherine’s Chapel each week for your use as well). We ask for your cooperation. Ushers will be available to help you, if needed.
Holy Communion Announcement:
While we pray and work for the reconciliation and unity of all the world’s Christians, the reality remains that there is still no intercommunion between our Orthodox Churches and the Churches of the West. This means that only baptized, chrismated, and observant Orthodox faithful are allowed to receive Holy Communion in our churches. At the same time, we warmly welcome all non-Orthodox to join us in prayer and celebration, and humbly offer to all present the Antidoro bread of fellowship at the end of the worship service. We offer this important symbol ‘instead of the Gifts’, in the words of the Apostle Paul, ‘Till we all come to the unity of the Faith’ (Eph. 4.13).
We Need Your E-mail Address:
Are you receiving the weekly bulletin online in your e-mail mailbox each week? How about our Assumption Church’s Newsletter and the Saint Catherine’s Newsletter? If not, please give the Church Office your e-mail address so that you can stay informed about the schedule of religious services, events, and news of our Community.
Website News:
In addition our Parish’s website, we encourage you to keep abreast on the latest news and happenings about Orthodoxy from our Metropolis of Chicago and our Holy Archdiocese.
Please use the links below to access any of the three sites:
Assumption Church: www.assumptionchicago.org
Metropolis of Chicago: www.metropolisofchicago.org
Archdiocese of America www.goarch.org
All three websites will provide you with articles and resources for the Orthodox Church. They include the history of Orthodoxy, special Services and Blessings, Spirituality, Teachings of the Orthodox Church, how to become a member of the Orthodox Church, the meaning and celebration of The Holy Eucharist, the form and characteristics of Orthodox worship, the Sacrament of Confession, Holy Week Meditation and Study Guide, Fasting, the Orthodox Calendar, and much more. Specifically, on our Parish’s website, we have uploaded past and current editions of the Assumption Newsletter and the St. Catherine Newsletter, and are available for reading online.
Our Sunday Church Services are broadcast live on the Internet each week:
A reminder to all, in April of last year, our Parish of Panagia began broadcasting live to the internet each Sunday. This is of particular benefit to our shut-ins, elderly, college students, and vacationers who are away from home, yet need to receive the benefit and blessing of the weekly Divine Liturgy experience. All you need to do is log on to our website www.assumptionchicago.org, and click the link to begin watching the Worship Service live. We have also archived our Services allowing anyone to click and watch the Service/sermon at their leisure. We encourage you to give it a try.
Ushers:
Dean Bastounes, Nick Mansour, John Vassiliades, Joann Stavropoulos, Mary Zouras