Parish Announcement of Fr. Timothy's Appointment to Chancellor of Metropolis
To the Stewards, Contributors, and Friends of Panagia,
I am pleased to announce that the Very Rev. Father Timothy Bakakos, who has served our parish as Proestamenos for the past 14 years, has been appointed as Chancellor of the Metropolis of Chicago. Although we are saddened that we are losing his presence in our community, we are overjoyed and proud that our beloved Fr. Timothy assumes this important leadership position in the Metropolis. We wish to thank Father Timothy for his many years of pastoral love and guidance, and pray that God bless him so that his ministry as Chancellor may be fruitful.
Father Timothy has begun his duties as Chancellor as of September 1, and he continues to serve here at Panagia until a successor is in place. We do not yet know the date of his last Sunday at Assumption, but we do know that day will be a wonderful opportunity for all of us to express to him our love and gratitude. As soon as the date of his last Sunday at Panagia is known, we will announce the date via email, website, social media, and Parish Bulletin.
Sincerely,
Chris E. Limperis
President, Parish Council
Metropolis of Chicago Announcement of Fr. Timothy's Appointment to Chancellor
His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael announced the appointment of the Very Reverend Father Timothy Bakakos as Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago. He will begin in his new role on September 1.
"As the most senior priest in the Metropolis of Chicago, Fr. Timothy brings a wealth of experience, relationships, and insight to the role of Chancellor. I am most pleased by Fr. Timothy's desire to serve the Metropolis given that he has embodied the essence of Christ-centered servant leadership throughout his ordained ministry, a blessing which will directly benefit our parishes, our clergy, and our faithful," said His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael.
As Chancellor, Fr. Timothy will be responsible for nurturing the spiritual growth and overseeing administrative matters of the clergy of the 58 parishes and two monastic communities across the Metropolis' six-state region. Beyond working closely with the clergy, Fr. Timothy will also interact with lay leadership, maintain and grow the Metropolis' ministries, and advance Metropolis' policies and programs.
"I am honored to be chosen as Chancellor of the Metropolis of Chicago and am eager to help implement the vision of His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael. The calling of the priesthood is in my blood, and though I will now serve the Metropolis in another capacity, I will remain an advocate for the clergy and work hard to foster a culture of openness and brotherhood," said Fr. Timothy.
During his nearly 40 years of priesthood, Fr. Timothy served at St Elias the Prophet Church in Dubuque, IA; St. Sophia in Elgin, IL; St. Nicholas Church in Oak Lawn, IL; and (currently) the Assumption Church in Chicago, IL. He attended Hellenic College/Holy Cross School of Theology, Pierce College in Agia Paraskeve, and the University of Athens. In 1975, Fr. Timothy received a B.S. from Hellenic College and an MDiv from Holy Cross School of Theology in 1978. He was ordained into the Holy Diaconate in 1980 and, months later, ordained into the priesthood.
Please join us in congratulating Fr. Timothy on his appointment as Chancellor. Axios! May God bless and guide Fr. Timothy in his new ministry in the Church.
Coffee Fellowship
Today's coffee fellowship is hosted by the Assumption Church Community.
Dates to Remember
Tuesday, September 17th
St. Sophia and her daughters - Faith, Hope & Love
8:30am ~ Orthros
9:30am ~ Divine Liturgy
Friday, September 20th
St. Eustathios and his family
8:30am ~ Orthros
9:30am ~ Divine Liturgy
Youth Ministries Kick-off TODAY!
Our Youth Ministries year starts TODAY with a pizza party and fellowship games following the conclusion of Sunday School! Our Youth Ministries events are open to all children grades Pre-K through High School.
Grand Raffle Dinner
The Assumption Church is hosting its annual Grand Raffle Dinner on Thursday, October 24th at the Cafe La Cave in Des Plaines. 6pm cocktails, 7pm dinner. Tickets are $125 and can be purchased from any parish council member or by calling the church office at 773-626-3114. See the included flyer for more information.
Adult Education Program
The Adult Education Program will begin in September on the theme, "Full of Grace: The Life of the Theotokos". Lectures will be held either once or twice a month. Dates to be announced soon!
Have you made your 2019 Stewardship Pledge Commitment?
We are forever grateful to our many stewards who faithfully contribute their stewardship gift to our Panagia Church without fail. It is with the support of each member, supporter, and friend to Panagia and Her Church that allows this Parish to continue to offer its ministry to the faithful who enter its doors. To date, we have received 311 pledge cards from families/individuals who have responded and lovingly made their offering pledge to this parish. We reach out to all who consider this ‘home of worship’ as their refuge and spiritual home to please consider making your pledge commitment for 2019. Orthodox Theology teaches us that we should participate in offering the three ‘T’’s (time, talent, and treasure). Your Panagia Parish needs your support, love, and participation so that it may continue providing the blessed ministry of our Lord. Pledge packets can be found at the pangari in the narthex, in the church office, or by asking one of the members of the parish council or welcoming committee. We thank you for your past and continued support.
Thinking of Converting to Orthodoxy?
If you, a family member, or friend who are not of the Orthodox Faith may be considering conversion to Orthodoxy, please contact the Church Office (773.626.3114) or speak with Fr. Timothy or Fr. Dimitrios. If there is a need and interest, a Confirmation/Chrismation Class will be formed to prepare those who have expressing an interest to convert to Orthodoxy. This also includes couples who are planning to be married in the Orthodox Church in the near future, and where one of the couple is contemplating converting to the Orthodox Faith.
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 website 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 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.
Coffee Fellowship Hosts Needed
Have you considered selecting a day to host the Weekly Fellowship Hour following Worship Services on a specific Sunday in 2019? 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 2019 Year:
October 6, 13, 27
November 3, 10, 17, 24
We are in the Loop!
Through a generous donation by Mr. and Mrs. Chris Maniates in memory of Mrs. Helen Maniates, we are delighted to announce that we are now part of a growing number of worship spaces with a hearing loop. If you need assistance, please see one of the Parish Council Ushers for assistance.
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 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, 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 with the many others who are offering a prayer for the person who is ill, will bring comfort beyond comprehension.
Just think about that….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 Fr. Dimitrios. 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? 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, which 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: George Sefer, Ray Riha Jr., Dean Sarantos, John Vassiliades