Worship Hours:
Sunday
8:30 am - Orthros
10:00 am - Divine Liturgy
Sunday Summer Hours
8:00 am - Orthros
9:30 am - Divine Liturgy
Sunday Church School
9:30 am - Divine Liturgy
Weekday Services
8:30 am - Orthros
9:30 am - Divine Liturgy
The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 2:16-20
BRETHREN, you know that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were found to be sinners, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
6th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 8:26-39
At that time, as Jesus arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, there met him a man from the city who had demons; for a long time he had worn no clothes and he lived not in a house but among the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and said with a loud voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech you, do not torment me." For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him; he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters, but he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the desert.) Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them leave. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. When the herdsmen saw what happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country. Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how he who had been possessed with demons was healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them; for they were seized with great fear; so he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but he sent him away, saying, "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.
These Martyrs were disciples of Saint Paul the Confessor (see Nov. 6). Martyrius was a subdeacon, Marcian a chanter and reader. They were beheaded by the Arians in the year 346. Miracles were wrought at their tomb, and demons were cast out; Saint John Chrysostom began the building of the church in their honour in Constantinople, and it was completed by patriarch Sisinius.
Saint Demetrius was a Thessalonian, a most pious son of pious and noble parents, and a teacher of the Faith of Christ. When Maximian first came to Thessalonica in 290, he raised the Saint to the rank of Duke of Thessaly. But when it was discovered that the Saint was a Christian, he was arrested and kept bound in a bath-house. While the games were under way in the city, Maximian was a spectator there. A certain friend of his, a barbarian who was a notable wrestler, Lyaeus by name, waxing haughty because of the height and strength of his body, boasted in the stadium and challenged the citizens to a contest with him. All that fought with him were defeated. Seeing this, a certain youth named Nestor, aquaintance of Demetrius', came to the Saint in the bath-house and asked his blessing to fight Lyaeus single-handed. Receiving this blessing and sealing himself with the sign of the precious Cross, he presented himself in the stadium, and said, "O God of Demetrius, help me!" and straightway he engaged Lyaeus in combat and smote him with a mortal blow to the heart, leaving the former boaster lifeless upon the earth. Maximian was sorely grieved over this, and when he learned who was the cause of this defeat, he commanded straightway and Demetrius was pierced with lances while he was yet in the bath-house, As for Nestor, Maximian commanded that he be slain with his own sword.
The Feast of the Protection commemorates the appearance of the most holy Theotokos in the Church of Blachernae in Constantinople in the early sixth century, as recorded in the life of Saint Andrew the Fool for Christ's sake. While the multitudes of the faithful were gathered in church, Epiphanius, the friend of Saint Andrew, through the Saint's prayers, beheld the Virgin Mary above the faithful and spreading out her veil over them, signifying her unceasing protection of all Christians. Because of this we keep a yearly feast of gratitude, imploring our Lady never to cease sheltering us in her mighty prayers.
In the Greek tradition, this feast is celebrated on October 28, while in the Slavic tradition, this feast is celebrated on October 1.
PARISH NEWS AND EVENTS
Memorials:
40 Days ~ Bessie (Vasiliki) Trihas, Right Rows 1 - 2
40 Days ~ Esther (Efstathia) Polydoros, Right Rows 3 - 4
1 Year ~ Cynthia (Kinthea) Gatziolis, Right Rows 5 - 6
1 Year ~ Sophia Karagiannis, Left Row 1
5 Years ~ Nicholas G. Manos, Left Row 2
Sacraments:
The daughter of Dimitri and Angela Eliopoulos was baptized Saturday, October 24th and given the name Georgia. The sponsors are Katherine and Mitchell Celik.
Chris E. Limperis and Cynthia Alcantara were joined in Holy Matrimony Saturday, October 24th. The Sponsor is George Psaras.
Sunday Church School:
Our Panagia Sunday Church School Divine Liturgy begins promptly at 9:45am. Sunday Church School classes takes place immediately following the Divine Liturgy in Plato School. If you have not, as yet, registered your child for the 2015-16 school year, please do so by contacting the Church Office, securing a registration form online at our Church’s Website (www.assumptionchicago.org), or by speaking with our SCS Director, Mrs. Christina Arvanites.
Coffee Fellowship:
Today’s Coffee Fellowship is hosted by the members of Leadership 100. The members of Leadership 100 of our Parish are Constance and Demetra Andrews, Louis and Alexandra Apostle, John and Mae Calamos, Louis G. Malevitis and Marion Malevitis Gouvas, Mrs. Catherine and the late Nicholas G. Manos, the late Louis Mitchel, Dr. John and the late Mary Panton, Dr. Peter and Estelle Panton, James and Georgia Regas and John Regas. Join us for fellowship in Plato Hall.
National Leadership 100 Sunday:
Today, Sunday, October 25th, our Holy Archdiocese recognizes and gives thanks to the many faithful and steadfast members of Leadership 100, and celebrates the great achievements of the Leadership 100 Endowment Fund, which, for over 30 years since its founding by Archbishop Iakovos of Blessed Memory, has continuously provided assistance to the ministries of our Church for the glory of God. Through the generosity of many and through the grants and philanthropic endeavors of the members of Leadership 100, we all have benefitted, and have experienced what the Apostle Paul prayed for the Hebrews, namely that they “consider one another in order to stir up love and good works”.
The Organization of Leadership 100 has held as one of their precious missions, to give unwavering support of giving scholarships and grants to the young men who study at our Holy Cross Theological School. In addition, Leadership 100 has long supported the Retired Clergy Association, and also provided assistance to widowed presbyters and presvyteres. It has also assisted, through their love and good works, to provide our youth and young adults and families through ministries in the care centers of our Church and in our summer camps across the United States. Leadership 100 is also sensitive to the need of the Clergy to remain informed and knowledgeable of the world we live, so it provides funding for further education, wellness seminars, and ongoing education, which ultimately provides our Parishes befits as well. Listed in this morning’s bulletin, is an itemized accounting of what Leadership has supported though the past 30 years. This amount totals over 84 million dollars.
We are honored to have several stewards/members of our Parish who also are members of Leadership 100. They are:
Constance & Demetra Andrews
Louis & Alexandra Apostle
John & Mae Calamos
Louis G. Malevitis & Marion Malevitis Gouvas
Mrs. Catherine & the late Nicholas G. Manos
The late Louis Mitchell
Dr. John & the late Mary Panton
Dr. Peter & Estelle Panton
James & Georgia Regas
John Regas
To our stewards listed above, and to all the members of Leadership 100, we thank you for your support, unwavering commitment, and continued love to Jesus Christ and His Church.
Have You Made Your 2015 Stewardship Pledge Yet?
We have entered the last 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, October 26th
Feast Day of St. Demetrios
8:30 am – Orthros
9:30 am – Divine Liturgy
Tuesday, October 27th
6:00 pm – Metropolitan’s Names Day
Dinner at the Chateau Ritz
Wednesday, October 28th
The Holy Protection of the Theotokos
8:30 am – Orthros
9:30 am – Divine Liturgy
Sunday, November 1st
Fall General Assembly Meeting
following the Divine Liturgy
Monday, November 2th
7:00 p.m. – Adult Bible Study will meet
in St. Catherine’s Meeting Room
Monday, November 9th
7:00 p.m. – Adult Bible Study will meet in
St. Catherine’s Meeting Room
Friday, November 13th
Feast day of St. John Chrysostom
8:30 am – Orthros
9:30 am – Divine Liturgy
Saturday, November 14th
Youth Bowling Night
Sunday, November 15th
Christmas Fast Begins
Monday, November 16th
Feast Day of St. Matthew the Apostle
8:30 am – Orthros
9:30 am – Divine Liturgy
Thursday, November 19th
10:30 am - Philoptochos General Meeting will
be held in St. Catherine's Meeting Room
Friday, November 20th
7:30 pm – Youth Night at the Oak Brook Park District
Saturday, November 21st
Feast Day of the Entrance of the Theotokos
8:30 am – Orthros
9:30 am – Divine Liturgy
Tuesday, November 24th
7:00 pm – Vesper Service of St. Catherine
Wednesday, November 25th
Feast Day of St. Catherine
8:30 am – Orthros
10:00 am – Divine Liturgy
Thursday, November 26th
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
Monday, November 30th
Feast Day of St. Andrew
8:30 am – Orthros
9:30 am – Divine Liturgy
The Next Orthodox Adult Bible Study Monday November 2, 2015:
Our Adult Bible Study will meet Monday evening, November 2, 2015, at 7:00 pm, in Saint Catherine’s Meeting Room. We will continue our study of St. Paul’s Epistle to the Thessalonians. 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.
Youth Ministries:
We are off to a great start to our ministry year and hope to continue growing as the year goes on. Our next youth night (Joy, Jr. GOYA and GOYA) will be Friday, November 20th at 7:30pm at the Oak Brook Park District. We look forward to seeing everyone there! Also on Saturday, November 14th we will have a Bowling Night. We hope that everyone will plan on attending these fun and fruitful events!
This year, we will be fielding basketball teams in the 5th/6th grade and 7th/8th grade divisions of the Greek Orthodox Athletic League. We are also in need of a coach or coaches to coach the 7th/8th grade team. If you are interested in signing up or in volunteering as a coach, or if you have any questions regarding Assumption Youth Programs, please contact Fr. Dimitri at frdimitrios@assumptionchicago.org.
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.
Hellenic Link-Midwest Scholarship:
A number of scholarships, $2,000 or more each, will be awarded for the academic year 2015-16. Awards will be presented to the recipients during the Annual Dinner Dance and Scholarship Award celebration in January 2016. Only college level and university level students, undergraduate or, when need is show, graduate students, are considered. Applicants must be residents of a Midwestern state (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio or Wisconsin), must have completed at least one year (as of June 2015) full time study at an accredited college or university, have at least one parent of Greek descent and should not have received a Hellenic Link-Midwest scholarship in the past. Call the Church Office, 773-626-3114 to receive the Scholarship Application Form. Applications and all related materials and documents must be post-marked no later than November 1, 2015.
Hellenic Bar Association
65th Annual Scholarship Ball to Honor Assumption Church
The Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois’ 65th Annual Scholarship Ball will be held on Saturday, November 7, 2015 at 6 PM at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers in Chicago, awarding scholarships to worthy law students. Honorees at the event will be Tom Demetrio, of the firm of Corboy and Demetrio; Mariyana Spyropoulos, Board President of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Chicago, with a special tribute to her father, philanthropist Ted Spyropoulos; Paul Vallas, former CEO of Chicago Public Schools and recent Lt. Governor candidate; and the 90 Acts of Kindness of the Assumption Church. The Mistress of Ceremonies for the event will be Andrea Darlas, award winning WGN radio and TV personality, with the entertainment of the Linardakis Band and Kosta DJ. Please support this wonderful event!
Tickets may be purchased online at www.Hellenicbar.org, and information for the event can be obtained by calling Thomas Massouras at (312) 913-8649.
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:
Nov. 22 Dec. 13 Dec. 20 Dec. 27
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:
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.
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
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, 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:
Chris Limperis, Bill J. Vranas, Demetra Lakerdas, Stacy Lynch, Dean Sarantos