Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

The Reading is from Acts of the Apostles 11:19-30

IN THOSE DAYS, those apostles who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to none except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number that believed turned to the Lord. News of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad; and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose; for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a large company was added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church, and taught a large company of people; and in Antioch the disciples were for the first time called Christians. Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabos stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world; and this took place in the days of Claudius. And the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brethren who lived in Judea, and they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
The Reading is from John 4:5-42

At that time, Jesus came to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and so Jesus, wearied as he was with his journey, sat down beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.

There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep; where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, and his sons, and his cattle?" Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw."

Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here." The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, 'I have no husband'; for you have had five husbands, and he whom you now have is not your husband; this you said truly." The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain; and you say that Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." The woman said to him, "I know that the Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ); when he comes, he will show us all things." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he."

Just then his disciples came. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but none said, "What do you wish?" or, "Why are you talking with her?" So the woman left her water jar, and went away into the city and said to the people, "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?" They went out of the city and were coming to him.

Meanwhile the disciples besought him, saying "Rabbi, eat." But he said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know." So the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought him food?" Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see how the fields are already white for harvest. He who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."

Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's testimony. "He told me all that I ever did." So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard ourselves, and we know that this is indeed Christ the Savior of the world."

Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion of Great and Holy Pascha in the Plagal First Mode

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life.

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Fourth Mode

Having learned the joyful proclamation of the Resurrection from the Angel, and having cast off the ancestral condemnation, the women disciples of the Lord spake to the Apostles exultantly: Death is despoiled and Christ God is risen, granting great mercy to the world.

Apolytikion for Mid-Pentecost in the Plagal Fourth Mode

At Mid-feast give Thou my thirsty soul to drink of the waters of piety; for Thou, O Saviour, didst cry out to all: Whosoever is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Wherefore, O Well-spring of life, Christ our God, glory be to Thee.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

Though You went down into the tomb, You destroyed Hades' power, and You rose the victor, Christ God, saying to the myrrh-bearing women, "Hail!" and granting peace to Your disciples, You who raise up the fallen.

Apolytikion of Great Martyr Catherine in the Plagal of the First Tone

Let us praise the most auspicious bride of Christ, the divine Catherine, protectress of Sinai, our aid and our help. For, she brilliantly silenced the eloquence of the impious by the sword of the spirit, and now, crowned as a martyr, she asks great mercy for all.

Kontakion of Great Martyr Catherine in the Second Tone

O friends of martyrs, now divinely raise up a renewed chorus, praising the all-wise Catherine. For, she proclaimed Christ in the arena, trampled on the serpent, and spat upon the knowledge of the orators.

Wisdom of the Fathers

THE persecution turned out to be no slight benefit as "to them that love God all things work together for good." (Rom. viii. 28.) If they had made it their express study how best to establish the Church, they would have done no other thing than this--they dispersed the teachers.[*] Mark in what quarters the preaching was extended. "They travelled," it says, "as far as Phenice and Cyprus and Antioch; to none however did they preach the word but to Jews only." Dost thou mark with what wise purposes of Providence so much was done in the case of Cornelius? This serves both to justify Christ, and to impeach the Jews. When Stephen was slain, when Paul was twice in danger, when the Apostles were scourged, then the Gentiles received the word, then the Samaritans. Which Paul also declares: "To you it was necessary that the Word of God should first be spoken; but since ye thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy, lo, we turn unto the Gentiles." (ch. xiii. 46.)..."And the hand of the Lord," it says, "was with them," that is, they wrought miracles; "and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord." (v. 21.) Do you mark why now also there was heed of miracles (namely) that they might believe? "Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch." (v. 22.) What may be the reason that, when such a city received the word, they did not come themselves? Because of the Jews. But they send Barnabas. However, it is no small part of the providential management even so that Paul comes to be there. It is both natural, and it is wisely ordered, that they are averse to him, and (so) that Voice of the Gospel, that Trumpet of heaven, is not shut up in Jerusalem..."And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch." (v. 26.) Verily this is the reason why it was there they were appointed to be called Christians, because Paul there spent so long time!

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 25 on Acts 11, 4th Century

The example of the good Samaritan shows that we must not abandon those in whom even the faintest amount of faith is still alive.

St. Ambrose of Milan

Two Books of St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, Concerning Repentance, Chapter 11

He shows that she is worthy to hear and not to be overlooked, and then He reveals Himself. For she, as soon as she had learnt who He was, would straightway hearken and attend to Him; ...

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 31 on John 3, 4th Century

Here is love! Here is teaching! Here is acquiescence! Here is a model! ... Those who love they also serve. If you want to find out how great your love is towards God, then measure your obedience to the will of God, and you will immediately learn.

Bishop Nicolai Velimirovic

Prolog, 7 Sept., B #80, 706.

Saints and Feasts

May 10

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman

One of the most ancient cities of the Promised Land was Shechem, also called Sikima, located at the foot of Mount Gerazim. There the Israelites had heard the blessings in the days of Moses and Jesus of Navi. Near to this town, Jacob, who had come from Mesopotamia in the nineteenth century before Christ, bought a piece of land where there was a well. This well, preserved even until the time of Christ, was known as Jacob's Well. Later, before he died in Egypt, he left that piece of land as a special inheritance to his son Joseph (Gen. 49:22). This town, before it was taken into possession by Samaria, was also the leading city of the kingdom of the ten tribes. In the time of the Romans it was called Neapolis, and at present Nablus. It was the first city in Canaan visited by the Patriarch Abraham. Here also, Jesus of Navi (Joshua) addressed the tribes of Israel for the last time. Almost three hundred years later, all Israel assembled there to make Roboam (Rehoboam) king.

When our Lord Jesus Christ, then, came at midday to this city, which is also called Sychar (John 4:5), He was wearied from the journey and the heat, and He sat down at this well. After a little while the Samaritan woman mentioned in today's Gospel passage came to draw water. As she conversed at some length with the Lord and heard from Him secret things concerning herself, she believed in Him; through her many other Samaritans also believed.

Concerning the Samaritans we know the following: In the year 721 before Christ, Salmanasar (Shalmaneser), King of the Assyrians, took the ten tribes of the kingdom of Israel into captivity, and relocated all these people to Babylon and the land of the Medes. From there he gathered various nations and sent them to Samaria. These nations had been idolaters from before. Although they were later instructed in the Jewish faith and believed in the one God, they worshipped the idols also. Furthermore, they accepted only the Pentateuch of Moses, and rejected the other books of Holy Scripture. Nonetheless, they thought themselves to be descendants of Abraham and Jacob. Therefore, the pious Jews named these Judaizing and idolatrous peoples Samaritans, since they lived in Samaria, the former leading city of the Israelites, as well as in the other towns thereabout. The Jews rejected them as heathen and foreigners, and had no communion with them at all, as the Samaritan woman observed, "the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans" (John 4:9). Therefore, the name Samaritan is used derisively many times in the Gospel narrations. After the Ascension of the Lord, and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the woman of Samaria was baptized by the holy Apostles and became a great preacher and Martyr of Christ; she was called Photine, and her feast is kept on February 26.

May 10

Simon the Zealot & Apostle

This Apostle was one of the Twelve, and was called Simon the Cananite by Matthew, but Simon the Zealot by Luke (Matt. 10:4; Luke 6:15). The word "Cananite" used by Matthew is believed to be derived from kana, which in the Palestinian dialect of Aramaic means "zealot" or 'zealous"; Luke therefore translates the meaning of "Cananite." Later accounts say that he was the bridegroom at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, where the Lord Jesus changed the water into wine, making this the first of His miracles (John 2:1-11); according to some, he is called Cananite because he was from Cana (according to others, from the Land of Canaan). Simon means "one who hears."

Parish News and Events

PARISH NEWS AND EVENTS

Weekday Service:

Thursday, May 21st
Feast Day of the Ascension and the
Feast Day of Sts. Constantine and Helen
8:30 am – Orthros
9:30 am – Divine Liturgy

Memorials:

3 Months ~ Pauline (Politimi) Velikanakis, Right Rows 1 - 3
3 Months ~ Evangelos Toumbas, No Pews
6 Months ~ Sophia Karagiannias, No Pews
10 Years ~ Elaine (Eleni) Isaac, No Pews
33 Years ~ Harry (Aristarchos) Phillips, No Pews

Coffee Fellowship:

Today’s coffee fellowship is hosted by the Assumption Community. Please join us in Plato Hall to enjoy fellowship.

Sunday Church School Awards Sunday:

The Sunday Church School concludes this Sunday. Following Worship Services, the students will receive their certificate and awards in Plato Hall. For your information, please note that the new Sunday Church School year will begin on September 13th.

Sacrament:

The son of Telly and Doris Psaradellis will be baptized next Saturday, May 23, 2015 and given the name Luke by his Godparents Eduard and Emma Theodosescu.

AHEPA Sunday:

Today, throughout our Holy Archdiocese, our Church recognizes this day as AHEPA Sunday, in recognition of the members of the American Hellenic Education Progressive Association and their vital work around the world. Through housing for senior adults, scholarship for youth, and many charitable and education programs, the AHEPA family has been generously and compassionately meeting needs. In the spirit of Christ Who said to His disciples, Let your light so shine before the people, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16), the members of AHEPA are offering light, hope, and opportunity to many.

This is especially visible in the vital work of AHEPA in providing medical and food relief for the people of Greece. During the current crisis the AHEPA family has participated in the relief effort through donation to food charities, gifts of medical equipment, and facilitating regular shipments of medical supplies. This reveals the compassionate character of AHEPA members and their longstanding willingness to respond to urgent needs.

We pray and acknowledge the many members of AHEPA, the leaders and benefactors in our communities, who offer a vital witness of the strength and importance of Hellenic ideals, our Orthodox faith, and the power of the Resurrection in meeting the needs of others.

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:

Sunday, May 17th
Sunday Church School Awards Day

Tuesday, May 19th
7:00 p.m. Adult Bible Study in St. Catherine’s
Meeting Room

Thursday, May 21st Feast Day of the 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

Sunday, June 7th
Outdoor Divine Liturgy in the Park and Picnic

Philoptochos News:

On Monday, June 15th, the Assumption Philoptochos will be visiting the residents at the Greek American Rehabilitation & Care Center. Please contact Mrs. Betty Tsiolis if you wish to attend.

The General Philoptochos meeting that was scheduled for Thursday, June 18th has been Cancelled.

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:

Greek Fest is Two Months Away! The annual Assumption Church Festival will be held on Saturday and Sunday, July 25 & 26, 2015 on Church grounds. Our Festival Committee is working hard, planning and coordinating one of our largest fundraising events of the year. Please speak with Chris Limperis or Eileen Szubert, who serve as Co-Chairmen for this year’s event, to volunteer your talents (students & adults) or provide resources for Festival Supplies.

Early Bird Raffle - Raffle tickets were mailed to parishioners and supporters recently and we encourage you to ask everyone you know (family, friends, neighbors, business associates and co-workers to name a few) to help support our Festival. There are two Early Bird Raffle Drawings to be held on Sunday, May 17thand Sunday, June 28th [$100 on each date - winner need not be present.] Kindly return your paid* raffle tickets to the Church Office or see Eileen Szubert (708-610-5682) on Sundays to be eligible for drawing #1 on May 17. Tickets are $20 each or 6 for $100 – request additional tickets through the Church Office.

* payment can be in the form of cash, check or credit card (through the Church Office.)

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 #1-68 Completed – Please visit our website or our bulletin board to see who benefited from these Acts of Kindness

Act of Kindness #69 – We will be collecting children’s books (reading levels from birth-6th grade, no text books) for Bernie’s Book Bank. Bernie's Book Bank facilitates the collection, processing and redistribution of new and gently used children's books to significantly increase book ownership among at-risk infants, toddlers and school-age children throughout Chicagoland.

Act of Kindness #70 – We will be collecting new and expired manufacturer’s coupons (6 months or less expired) for our troops overseas though the Krazy Coupon Lady program. All SCS students will help sort, package and mail to Army Post and Navy Bases in Germany and Italy.

Act of Kindness #71 – We will be doing gardening for TLP at their Belfort Home residence on Saturday, June 6th from 10am-1pm. Volunteers needed please see Christina Arvanites to sign up and for more information.

Act of Kindness #72 – On Thursday, June 11th from 1:30-2:30 we will be volunteering at the Wheeling Township Food Pantry. Helping sort and stock shelves. Volunteers needed all ages welcome! Please see Lisa Lucas or Christina Arvanites to volunteer.

Act of Kindness #73 – On Saturday, June 20th we will be participating in the Greater Chicago Food Depository 30th Hunger Walk. The walk will take place at 8:30am at Soldier Field. There is no fee to participate and everyone signed up will get a t-shirt. Walkers needed, please see Christina Arvanites to sign up

Act of Kindness #74- On Saturday, June 27th from 10am-2pm we will be hosting a craft booth at the Helping Hand Family Picnic, Walker Park, Burr Ridge 7425 S. Wolf Road. Helping Hand Center serves children and adults with disabilities. Volunteers of all ages needed. Please see Christina Arvanites to sign up.

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.

SEWonderful Quilts

To our parishioners that have a quilt kit please complete it and return it to the collection box in the St. Catherine's Narthex at your earliest convenience. If you are unable to complete the quilt please return the kit.

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 TUESDAY, May 19, 2015:

Our Adult Bible Study will meet on Tuesday evening, May 19, 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, June 11, 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:

May 24 July 5 Aug. 16 Sept. 20 Nov. 15 Dec. 27

May 31 July 12 Aug. 23 Oct. 4 Nov. 22

June 14 July 19 Aug. 30 Oct. 18 Nov. 29

June 21 Aug. 2 Sept. 6 Nov. 1 Dec. 13

June 28 Aug. 9 Sept. 13 Nov. 8 Dec. 20

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

General Information

Contact Information

Services Schedule

Past Bulletins