PARISH NEWS AND EVENTS
Sacraments:
The son of Dean and Nicole Vlahos will be Baptized, Saturday, April 22, 2017 at 10:00 am and given the name Stelios and the Sponsor is Marika Maggos
The daughter of Jason and Erin Christopoulos will be Baptized, Saturday, April 22, 2017 at 12:30 pm and given the name Stella and the Sponsor is Leon Christopoulos
The daughter of Vicki and James Conner will be Baptized, Sunday, April 23, 2017 at 1:30 pm and given the name Julia and the Sponsor is Nicholas M. White
Ms. Maricela Aguirre will be Chrismated, Sunday, April 23, 2017 during the Sunday Church School Liturgy and the Sponsors are David and Nina Diehl
Palm Sunday Luncheon Recap:
Thank you to all parishioners and friends who attended the Palm Sunday Fish Luncheon following worship services on Sunday, April 9th. A very special thank you to our anonymous donor who had underwritten this event, with the total proceeds going to our Sunday Church School Lenten Project: ‘40 Charities in 40 Days’. The total amount collected was $2,254.00. Thank you to all who attended and supported this event. And a special thank you to the donor who graciously underwrote this luncheon.
Pascha Thank You:
Father Timothy, Fr. Dimitrios, and the members of the Parish Council of Panagia thank the tremendous outpouring of love, service, and generosity during this past Great Lent, Holy Week, and Pascha. A special thank you is extended to those who gave of their gifts to the Church, and to the many individuals and families who gave of their time and service for the benefit of all. Thank you for remembering and supporting your Church. We wish to also thank our chanters, altar boys, choir, Philoptochos ladies, office staff, and the many volunteers who offered their time and service throughout Great Lent, Holy Week, and Pascha.
PASCHA APPEAL THANK YOU:
Thank you to all the individuals and families who prayed for and remembered our Church during this Pascha Season. Your kind thoughts, prayers, and generous support to our beloved Panagia is deeply appreciated.
Resurrection AGAPE Meal:
Following the Anastasis Divine Liturgy, a lamb meal was served in Plato Hall, underwritten by a generous steward in our Parish. It was a delicious meal enjoyed by a large crowd that remained to break bread together and share in the joy of the Resurrection saying “Christ Is Risen! Truly He Is Risen”! We graciously thank this donor for the kindness and generous love shown to our Beloved Panagia and Her parishioners. We also thank the cooks, servers, and people who tended to the setup/cleanup.
Fanari Camp:
Registration is open for Fanari Camp 2017 at the St. Iakovos Retreat Center. There will four (4) one-week sessions in June and July, but spots are filling up quickly. Please visit Fanari.org for information and to register.
Church School on FACEBOOK:
Our Sunday Church School has created a FACEBOOK page. Like our page: Assumption Sunday Church School! Keep up to date on upcoming events and view photos from recent events.
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.
Sunday Church School Happiness Challenge:
The children of our Sunday Church School continue to spread happiness from organization to organization.
January: Cards for a child with leukemia
Dinner for families staying at Ronald McDonald House (Loyola Hospital)
February: Valentine Cards for children at LaRabida Children's hospital
March: Fleece Blankets for patients at Ronald McDonald House
Every month the children will have an opportunity to put our faith in action with various philanthropic service projects. We will have monthly bulletin updates to show our children’s progress as well as updates to our website with pictures that will show a glimpse of the beautiful example of our faith in action that our children continue to offer.
Stewardship:
The 2017 stewardship packets were mailed to all faithful (stewards) of this Parish. We ask that you please prayerfully consider your pledge commitment for 2017, complete the pledge card and mail in the the envelope provided. We are forever grateful to the many loving stewards, supporters, and friends of this Parish who stand tall in their commitment to our Lord, the Blessed Panagia and this ministry.
General Assembly Meeting Scheduled May 7th:
The Spring General Assembly will be held on Sunday, May 7, 2017 immediately following the Divine Liturgy. Please make every effort to attend. We request that you make sure you have made a stewardship pledge for 2017. As mandated by the Archdiocese and Parish By-Laws, only Stewards whose stewardship obligation is current will be allowed to have a voice and participate in the General Assembly.
Adult Education Program:
Once again, Fr. Dimitrios is continuing the Adult Education Program (AEP) one Sunday each month for the 2016-17 year. The next AEP will be held today, April 23, 2017 in St. Catherine Chapel following the SCS Liturgy.
Did you miss the last Adult Education Program session? Have no fear! The hard working video team at Assumption will be recording all of the AEP sessions and posting them on the parish website. You can watch all of the videos at http://www.assumptionchicago.org/video/educational-videos/.
Philoptochos News:
Thank you to all our parishioners who donated funds for flowers to decorate the Epitaphio/Kouvouklion so beautifully.
Thank you to everyone who supported the Easter Bake Sale. We hope you enjoyed the delicious baked goods.
Please note there is no general meeting in April. Our next general meeting will be on Thursday, May 11, in the St. Catherine Meeting Room at 10:30 a.m. Elections for board members will be held and refreshments will be served.
5th Annual Assumption Golf Outing @ White Pines GC in Bensenville
Five years ago, when the idea of a golf outing was presented to the Council for approval, many believed that it would never last. Not only has it lasted, but because of the great response received over the years, it has thrived! Please consider joining us for this landmark outing, and making it the most successful to date!
$125 – Includes Lunch, 18 holes of golf, Golf Cart, Dinner, Door Prizes and Awards
Don’t golf or can’t get the day off? Join us for dinner, only $40 Consider joining us for Fellowship, Door Prizes, Raffle Prizes and a Really Good Time!
Lunch starts at Noon, Tee Time at 1:00pm and Dinner at 6:00
Please contact the Assumption Office for more details @ (773) 626-3114
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
Also, our parish is starting a database of all college students in the community. If you have a college student in your family or if you are a college student, please send your name, school, area of study, address, and email address to Fr. Dimitri at frdimitrios@assumptionchicago.org.
Dates to Remember:
Sunday, April 23rd
Saint George the Great Martyr
8:30 am – Orthros
10:00 am – Divine Liturgy
Monday, April 24, 2017
7:00 pm - Adult Bible Study in St. Catherine
Meeting Room
Tuesday, April 25th
Feast of St. Mark the Evangelist
8:30 am – Orthros
9:30 am – Divine Liturgy
Assumption Church Scholarship Fund Applications Available:
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 2017-18 academic year. “The Assumption Church Scholarship Fund” is available to a student entering college in the fall of 2017, or current college students. The parents of the applicants must be paid contributing members (stewards) of the Assumption Church for four (4) consecutive years leading up to 2017. Applications and further details are available by calling the Church Office (773.626.3114). Deadline to submit an application is Sunday, June 25th.
Adult Bible Study Monday April 24, 2017:
Our Adult Bible Study will meet Monday evening, April 24, 2017, at 7:00 pm, in Saint Catherine’s Meeting Room. We will continue with our study of the Epistles written by Saint Paul the Apostle. 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.
Coffee Fellowship Hosts Needed:
Have you considered selecting a day to host the Weekly Fellowship Hour following Worship Services on a specific Sunday in 2017? 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 2017 Year:
May 7 June 4 July 23 Aug. 20
May 14 June 25 July 30 Aug. 27
May 21 July 9 Aug. 6 Sept. 3
May 28 July 16 Aug. 13 Sept. 10
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
Our Sunday Church Services are broadcast live on the Internet each week:
A reminder to all, 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.
NOTE: Please note that this morning’s Divine Liturgy, as well as prior Divine Liturgies, are available for rebroadcast. Simply log on to our Parish’s website (www.assumptionchicago.org), and click on the “Watch Worship Services Online” link.
Ushers:
Chris Limperis, Vince Nicholas, Rose Marie Stewart, Bill J. Vranas, Mary Zouras