HOLY OBLATION

THE HOLY BREAD IS OFFERED by Fr. Michael, Kh. Melanie and their family for the health and salvation of all the faithful of St. John Chrysostom Church.

IN MEMORY of those who have fallen asleep in the hope of resurrection to life. For the souls of the departed servants of God, Marwan, Bassam, Ed, Yakoub, and all the departed clergy and faithful of St. John's.

BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES

November Birthdays

1 Dana; 2 Najwa; 3 Marcia, Jeff; 4 Alex P; 10 Michael S; 12 Michelle B; 14 Michael Z; 17 Jennifer B, LaVerne; 21 Eric; 26 Paul B; 30 David B

November Wedding Anniversaries

17 Alan & Karen; 26 Andre & Dima; 29 Robert & Milinda

May God grant you many years!

 ANNOUNCEMENTS

2016 Christmas Services

Friday, Dec. 23:      9 am Royal Hours for the Prefeast of the Nativity of Christ

Saturday, Dec. 24:  9 am Great Vespers & 7 pm Matins & Divine Liturgy for Nativity Feast

NO SERVICES SUNDAY, DEC. 25th

Baklava Sales & Baking

Deadline for Christmas orders is Nov. 27^th

Prices are as follows:           Large Tray-$50             Small Tray-$30            Hostess Tray-$20

We are always looking for help.  If you can volunteer with baking or boxing please see Angela. 

Baking Days are Nov. 27^th (12:30 pm-4pm), Dec. 3^rd (9am-4pm), and Dec. 4^th (12:30 pm-4pm).  Boxing is done on Sunday afternoons & Mondays.

Junior Orthodox Youth Meeting Saturday, Dec. 3rd

Our next scheduled Junior Orthodox Youth (JOY) Club meeting (for children 9-12), will be on Saturday, Dec. 3rd.  All the children and their families are invited to come to Vespers at 5 pm that evening.  After Vespers, we will enjoy a light lenten supper together in the church hall, and Fr. Michael will talk with the children about the Nativity Fast and the coming feast of the Nativity of Christ.

Parents, we need your help for this evening.  Each family is asked to bring a dish for the lenten meal after Vespers (enough for 10-15 people, which includes adults.)  You can bring anything you like (but please, no meat or dairy products.)

Chicago Bus Trip

The annual Chicago bus trip is Saturday, December 10, 2016 will be leaving St. John's at 7 AM and will be returning around 11 PM (leaving Chicago 6:30pm Central standard time).  The cost is $55 per person includes transportation, light breakfast, and appetizers and beverages on the way back. Deadline is November 28, 2016. Please make checks payable to St. John Chrysostom.  Please see Andre or Ashley for questions.

Nativity Fast began on Nov. 15th

The Nativity fast is our preparation for the Incarnation of Christ on December 25th.  It will help us prepare our bodies and souls for the coming of Christ in the flesh.  The general guidelines for the fast are as follows:

The Nativity Fast runs from November 15 until after Liturgy for Nativity and traditionally entails fasting from red meat, poultry, meat products, eggs, dairy products, fish, oil, and wine. Fish, wine and oil are allowed on Saturdays and Sundays, and oil and wine are allowed on Tuesdays and Thursdays. As is always the case with Orthodox fasting rules, persons who are ill, the very young or elderly, and nursing mothers are exempt from fasting. Each individual is expected to confer with their spiritual father regarding any exemptions from the fasting rules, and should never place themselves in physical danger.

Stewardship Pledging for 2017 Underway

You should have received your stewardship pledge packet in the mail.  Included in the packet was Father Michael’s letter, the 2017 budget summary, and your stewardship pledge card.  Please complete your pledge card as soon as possible and return it to the church.  You may put it in the offering tray, mail it back, or give it to Don. We will not be having a Stewardship Sunday luncheon/presentation this year.  We should all be familiar with the process and we are hopeful that everyone will be responsive and make a decision quickly.  We are still trying to establish a reserve fund of about $10,000 each year that will show up in the budget as maintenance expense.  We have recently experienced significant expenses for maintenance on the building & facilities.  We can anticipate this in the future and must be financially prepared for it.  If you have any questions, please speak to Don or to Nick.  Thank you for your consideration and generosity in supporting St. John Chrysostom Orthodox Church with your time, talent & treasure that God has provided to each of us. 

Bulletin info due by Monday, 11:59 pm to stjohnfortwaynebulletin at yahoo dot com. 

PASTOR'S CORNER

Christ is Born, Glorify Him!

 Last week, on the Feast of the Entrance of the Virgin Mary into the Temple, we sang for the first time this year the following hymn:

"Christ is born; glorify Him!

Christ comes from heaven; go to meet Him!

Christ is on earth; be exalted!

Sing to the Lord, all the earth!

And praise Him in gladness, O people,

for He has been glorified!"

This hymn comes from a beautiful sermon once preached by St. Gregory Nazienzen.  As we prepare for the Nativity of Christ, it is very uplifting to think about some of his words:

"Christ is born; glorify Him!  Christ comes from heaven; go to meet Him! Christ is on earth; be exalted! Sing to the Lord, all the earth! And praise Him in gladness, O people,

for He has been glorified!  Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad, because of Him Who is of heaven and is now on earth. 

Again the darkness is past; again light is made.  The people that sat in darkness have seen a Great Light!  Behold, all things are become new!

Clap your hands together, all people.  For unto us a Son is born, unto us a Child is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulders.

This then is our present festival.  It is this that we are celebrating today; the coming of God to man, that we might go back to God - that putting off the old man we might put on the New; and that as we have died in Adam so we might live in Christ, being born with Christ and crucified with Him and buried with Him and rising with Him. 

Therefore, let us keep the feast, not after the manner of a pagan festival, but in a godly way.  Let us who are worshippers of the Word of God, if we must in some way seek luxury, let us seek it in God's Word and in the law and the scriptural stories, especially those which tell us of the present festival so that our pleasure may be like unto Him Who has called us together today.

...for He Who gives riches becomes poor, for He assumes the poverty of my flesh, that I may assume the riches of His divinity....He gave us a share of His own good nature."