Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Psalm 18.4,1.
Their voice has gone out into all the earth.
Verse: The heavens declare the glory of God.

The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 2:1-11.

WHEN THE DAY of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. And they were amazed and wondered, saying, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontos and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God."

Gospel Reading

Holy Pentecost
The Reading is from John 7:37-52; 8:12

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, "If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, 'Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.'" Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

When they heard these words, some of the people said, "This is really the prophet." Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?" So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

The officers then went back to the chief priest and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why did you not bring him?" The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this man!" The Pharisees answered them, "Are you led astray, you also? Have any of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, who do not know the law, are accursed." Nikodemos, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, "Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?" They replied, "Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee." Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion for Pentecost in the Plagal Fourth Mode

Blessed art Thou, O Christ our God, Who hast shown forth the fishermen as supremely wise by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit, and through them didst draw the world into Thy net. O Befriender of man, glory be to Thee.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

Once, when He descended and confounded the tongues, the Most High divided the nations; and when He divided the tongues of fire, He called all men into unity; and with one accord we glorify the All-holy Spirit.

Apolytikion of Apostle Jude in the First Tone

We know thee as a kinsman of Christ and we laud thee with sacred hymns and songs as a most steadfast Martyr who trampled on error and who courageously kept the Faith. As we celebrate today thy holy remembrance, we receive forgiveness of our sins and transgressions, O Jude, through thy holy prayers.

Kontakion of Apostle Jude in the First Tone

Sprung from a noble root, thou art risen before us, a branch bestowed by God, ever feeding the whole world upon the fruits of thy words, O eyewitness of God the Lord, O thou brother of our God, and Christ's all-wise herald, who hast taught the Lord's pure Orthodox Faith to all men, initiate of His grace.

Apolytikion of the Church in the First Mode

In giving birth, O Theotokos, you have retained your virginity, and in falling asleep you have not forsaken the world. You who are the Mother of Life have passed over into life, and by your prayers you deliver our souls from death.

Kontakion in the First Mode

O Christ our God, upon fulfilling Your dispensation for our sake, You ascended in Glory, uniting the earthly with the heavenly. You were never separate but remained inseparable, and cried out to those who love You, "I am with you and no one is against you."

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

Goings up, and advances and progress from glory to glory, the Light of the Trinity might shine upon the more illuminated. For this reason it was, I think, that He gradually came to dwell in the Disciples, measuring Himself out to them according to their capacity to receive Him, at the beginning of the Gospel, after the Passion, after the Ascension, making perfect their powers, being breathed upon them, and appearing in fiery tongues...You see lights breaking upon us, gradually; and the order of Theology, which it is better for us to keep, neither proclaiming things too suddenly, nor yet keeping them hidden to the end...He said that all things should be taught us by the Spirit when He should come to dwell amongst us. Of these things one, I take it, was the Deity of the Spirit Himself, made clear later on when such knowledge should be seasonable and capable of being received after our Saviour's restoration, when it would no longer be received with incredulity because of its marvellous character. For what greater thing than this did either He promise, or the Spirit teach. If indeed anything is to be considered great and worthy of the Majesty of God, which was either promised or taught...Look at these facts:--Christ is born; the Spirit is His Forerunner. He is baptized; the Spirit bears witness. He is tempted; the Spirit leads Him up. He works miracles; the Spirit accompanies them. He ascends; the Spirit takes His place.

St. Gregory the Theologian

5th Theological Oration

Saints and Feasts

June 19

Holy Pentecost

After the Saviour's Ascension into the Heavens, the eleven Apostles and the rest of His disciples, the God-loving women who followed after Him from the beginning, His Mother, the most holy Virgin Mary, and His brethren-all together about 120 souls returned from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem. Entering into the house where they gathered, they went into the upper room, and there they persevered in prayer and supplication, awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit, as their Divine Teacher had promised them. In the meanwhile, they chose Matthias, who was elected to take the place of Judas among the Apostles.

Thus, on this day, the seventh Sunday of Pascha, the tenth day after the Ascension and the fiftieth day after Pascha, at the third hour of the day from the rising of the sun, there suddenly came a sound from Heaven, as when a mighty wind blows, and it filled the whole house where the Apostles and the rest with them were gathered. Immediately after the sound, there appeared tongues of fire that divided and rested upon the head of each one. Filled with the Spirit, all those present began speaking not in their native tongue, but in other tongues and dialects, as the Holy Spirit instructed them.

The multitudes that had come together from various places for the feast, most of whom were Jews by race and religion, were called Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and so forth, according to the places where they dwelt. Though they spoke many different tongues, they were present in Jerusalem by divine dispensation. When they heard that sound that came down from Heaven to the place where the disciples of Christ were gathered, all ran together to learn what had taken place. But they were confounded when they came and heard the Apostles speaking in their own tongues. Marvelling at this, they said one to another, "Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?" But others, because of their foolishness and excess of evil, mocked the wonder and said that the Apostles were drunken.

Then Peter stood up with the eleven, and raising his voice, spoke to all the people, proving that that which had taken place was not drunkenness, but the fulfilment of God's promise that had been spoken by the Prophet Joel: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that I shall pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy" (Joel 2:28), and he preached Jesus of Nazareth unto them, proving in many ways that He is Christ the Lord, Whom the Jews crucified but God raised from the dead. On hearing Peter's teaching, many were smitten with compunction and received the word. Thus, they were baptized, and on that day about three thousand souls were added to the Faith of Christ.

Such, therefore, are the reasons for today's feast: the coming of the All-holy Spirit into the world, the completion of the Lord Jesus Christ's promise, and the fulfilment of the hope of the sacred disciples, which we celebrate today. This is the final feast of the great mystery and dispensation of God's incarnation. On this last, and great, and saving day of Pentecost, the Apostles of the Saviour, who were unlearned fishermen, made wise now of a sudden by the Holy Spirit, clearly and with divine authority spoke the heavenly doctrines. They became heralds of the truth and teachers of the whole world. On this day they were ordained and began their apostleship, of which the salvation of those three thousand souls in one day was the comely and marvellous first fruit.

Some erroneously hold that Pentecost is the "birthday of the Church." But this is not true, for the teaching of the holy Fathers is that the Church existed before all other things. In the second vision of The Shepherd of Hermas we read: "Now brethren, a revelation was made unto me in my sleep by a youth of exceeding fair form, who said to me, 'Whom thinkest thou the aged woman, from whom thou receivedst the book, to be?' I say, 'The Sibyl.' 'Thou art wrong,' saith he, 'she is not.' 'Who then is she?' I say. 'The Church,' saith he. I said unto him, 'Wherefore then is she aged?' 'Because,' saith he, 'she was created before all things; therefore is she aged, and for her sake the world was framed."' Saint Gregory the Theologian also speaks of "the Church of Christ ... both before Christ and after Christ" (PG 35:1108-9). Saint Epiphanius of Cyprus writes, "The Catholic Church, which exists from the ages, is revealed most clearly in the incarnate advent of Christ" (PG 42:640). Saint John Damascene observes, "The Holy Catholic Church of God, therefore, is the assembly of the holy Fathers, Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Evangelists, and Martyrs who have been from the very beginning, to whom were added all the nations who believed with one accord" (PG 96, 1357c). According to Saint Gregory the Theologian, "The Prophets established the Church, the Apostles conjoined it, and the Evangelists set it in order" (PG 35, 589 A). The Church existed from the creation of the Angels, for the Angels came into existence before the creation of the world, and they have always been members of the Church. Saint Clement, Bishop of Rome, says in his second epistle to the Corinthians, the Church "was created before the sun and moon"; and a little further on, "The Church existeth not now for the first time, but hath been from the beginning" (II Cor. 14).

That which came to pass at Pentecost, then, was the ordination of the Apostles, the commencement of the apostolic preaching to the nations, and the inauguration of the priesthood of the new Israel. Saint Cyril of Alexandria says that "Our Lord Jesus Christ herein ordained the instructors and teachers of the world and the stewards of His divine Mysteries ... showing together with the dignity of Apostleship, the incomparable glory of the authority given them ... Revealing them to be splendid with the great dignity of the Apostleship and showing them forth as both stewards and priests of the divine altars . . . they became fit to initiate others through the enlightening guidance of the Holy Spirit" (PG 74, 708-712). Saint Gregory Palamas says, "Now, therefore ... the Holy Spirit descended ... showing the Disciples to be supernal luminaries ... and the distributed grace of the Divine Spirit came through the ordination of the Apostles upon their successors" (Homily 24, 10). And Saint Sophronius, Bishop of Jerusalem, writes, "After the visitation of the Comforter, the Apostles became high priests" (PG 87, 3981B). Therefore, together with the baptism of the Holy Spirit which came upon them who were present in the upper chamber, which the Lord had foretold as recorded in the Acts, "ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence" (Acts 1:5), the Apostles were also appointed and raised to the high priestly rank, according to Saint John Chrysostom (PG 60, 21). On this day commenced the celebration of the Holy Eucharist by which we become "partakers of the Divine Nature" (II Peter 1:4). For before Pentecost, it is said of the Apostles and disciples only that they abode in "prayer and supplication" (Acts 1:14); it is only after the coming of the Holy Spirit that they persevered in the "breaking of bread,"that is, the communion of the Holy Mysteries-"and in prayer" (Acts 2:42).

The feast of holy Pentecost, therefore, determined the beginning of the priesthood of grace, not the beginning of the Church. Henceforth, the Apostles proclaimed the good tidings "in country and town," preaching and baptizing and appointing shepherds, imparting the priesthood to them whom they judged were worthy to minister, as Saint Clement writes in his first Epistle to the Corinthians (I Cor. 42).

All foods allowed during the week following Pentecost.

June 19

Thaddeus (Jude) the Apostle & Brother of Our Lord

The Apostle Jude was of the choir of the Twelve, and by Luke was called Jude, the brother of James the Brother of God (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13), and therefore also a kinsman of the Lord according to His humanity. But by Matthew (10:3), he is called Lebbaeus, surnamed Thaddeus (he is not the Thaddeus who healed the suffering of Abgar, as Eusebius says in his Eccl. Hist., 1:13; see Aug. 21). Saint Jude preached in Mesopotamia, Arabia, Idumea, and Syria, and, it is said, completed the path of his divine apostleship by martyrdom in Beirut in the year 80. Written after the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, his is the last of the Catholic (General) Epistles to the believing Jews in the Diaspora. His name (a variant of Judah) means "Praise."

June 20

Monday of the Holy Spirit

As it is the custom of the Church, on the day after every great Feast, to honour those through whom it came to pass our Lady on the day after the Lord's Nativity, Joachim and Anna after our Lady's Nativity, the holy Baptist the day after Theophany, and so forth, on this day we honour our God the All-holy Spirit, the Comforter promised by our Saviour to His disciples (John 14:16), Who descended upon them at holy Pentecost and guided them "into all truth" (ibid. 16:13), and through them, us.

Rest from labour.

June 24

Nativity of the Forerunner John the Baptist

He that was greater than all who are born of women, the Prophet who received God's testimony that he surpassed all the Prophets, was born of the aged and barren Elizabeth (Luke 1: 7) and filled all his kinsmen, and those that lived round about, with gladness and wonder. But even more wondrous was that which followed on the eighth day when he was circumcised, that is, the day on which a male child receives his name. Those present called him Zacharias, the name of his father. But the mother said, "Not so, but he shall be called John." Since the child's father was unable to speak, he was asked, by means of a sign, to indicate the child's name. He then asked for a tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And immediately Zacharias' mouth was opened, his tongue was loosed from its silence of nine months, and filled with the Holy Spirit, he blessed the God of Israel, Who had fulfilled the promises made to their fathers, and had visited them that were sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, and had sent to them the light of salvation. Zacharias prophesied concerning the child also, saying that he would be a Prophet of the Most High and Forerunner of Jesus Christ. And the child John, who was filled with grace, grew and waxed strong in the Spirit; and he was in the wilderness until the day of his showing to Israel (Luke 1:57-80). His name is a variation of the Hebrew "Johanan," which means "Yah is gracious."

Parish News and Events

PARISH NEWS AND EVENTS

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE CONDEMNS THE TERRORIST ATTACK IN ORLANDO

NEW YORK – The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is saddened and appalled by the latest senseless mass shooting in Orlando, Florida, in which 49 people lost their lives and many more were injured.

We express our unequivocal condemnation for this terrorist attack, the worst mass shooting in American history.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims. May God give rest to the souls of those who were brutally killed and may He provide comfort and courage to their families, as well as to those injured and are now facing the difficult road to recovery.

We also fervently pray to the Lord and God of mercy and peace, to strengthen and guide all efforts to eliminate from the face of the earth the plague of terrorism and the poison of hatred and violence, and to advance reconciliation and peaceful coexistence among all people.

A FATHER’S DAY TRIBUTE – 10 THINGS I LEARNED FROM MY DAD

I thank God for giving me the Dad He did. For the past (almost) 46 years my life has been impacted by God’s grace through his life. I clearly see it… and I’m grateful. The following is a list of 10 of the most important things my Dad taught me. When I say, “he taught me”, understand I’m not talking about lectures he gave me, or times of intentional instruction, or classes he made sure I attended. I’m talking about things he insisted upon as household standards or things that he “exampled” for me.

10 things I learned from my Dad

Be truthful. Some of the worst spankings I ever got were for times when I had lied. They were very effective (and I don’t consider them abusive at all). And he lived it too. I remember once hearing a man in the community say, “If my father says he’ll do it, it’s as good as done.” That statement worked wonders in my little boy heart.

Respect your mother. I recall another time of intense discipline (how’s that for a description?) for smarting off to my mom. Dad made sure we understood that she would be respected… and we didn’t forget. That’s a lesson I’ve carried into my own home… and my oldest son can tell you a similar story between him and me that had the same impact.

Work hard. Dad worked well over 50 hours a week every single week I lived in his home. He’d come home and work on house repairs, family vacations, remodeling projects, baseball skills, fishing trips for the family, and much more. I learned how to work hard from watching my Dad. Provide for your family. In our home we saw very clear and appropriate male and female roles modeled. Dad was the provider and Mom was the homemaker. That doesn’t mean Mom couldn’t or never worked, but one thing it does mean is that Dad took his role as provider very seriously, and he did it well. As a result, I’ve had a deep conviction to make sure I take care of my family diligently.

Be a man. I’m not sure exactly how I learned this from my Dad, but I did. It was probably more in the way he handled himself than anything else. I learned that men don’t let their emotions rule them. They don’t take their ball and go home. They don’t take out their anger on others. They don’t let circumstances keep them down. Men face challenges instead of running from them. Dad’s stick-to-it nature has impacted me greatly.

Be friendly. To be honest I still struggle to apply this one, mainly because of how I’m wired. I get focused on a task or thought and I can easily slip into a mode where people come second. But Dad was not that way. To this day he’s very welcoming and friendly to anyone he meets. Around our little town, it seemed like everyone knew my father and had nothing but good to say about him.

Do a good job. I still remember when Dad helped me work on my pinewood derby car for Cub Scouts. He didn’t do the work for me like some Dads… he showed me how to do the work; and it was really, really good work. That year my car not only won the award for speed but also the award for appearance (it looked like an American flag). I learned something about quality, taking pride in what you do, attention to detail, and doing a job well. Dad is very good at those things.

Be faithful. I can remember as a kid being amazed (and thankful) that my parents were still married when many of my friend’s parents were not. I attribute a lot of that to my Dad’s faithfulness. When he married my Mom he made a commitment, and he understood what that meant. He has stayed true to it all these years (They’ll celebrate 66 this year). They still talk fondly of each other and they still kiss goodnight (I saw them last time I visited). That’s faithfulness.

Do the right thing. I remember once when I came home and told Dad that I’d run into a parked car when I was messing around on my bike, and broke the tail lights. He went with me to knock on the stranger’s door, tell them what I’d done, and arrange to pay for the damage out of my paper route earnings (and it was a classic car, so it wasn’t cheap). I still remember knocking on that door and the integrity it built into my life.

Sacrifice for others. My dad worked blue collar jobs all his life. He liked working with his hands and building things so I suspect he did so, at least in part, because it was the kind of work he liked to do. He may have fulfilled every one of his personal ambitions simply by being a husband and dad and a good employee. But I’ve wondered more than once if he gave up any dreams or personal ambitions in order to do the right thing by us… his family. I’ve wondered often how much true sacrifice he demonstrated that I’ve not known about. It’s probably fuel for a great conversation. But I think if I asked him about it he’d simply say, “I don’t think I made sacrifices. I just did what needed to be done.“

That’s my Dad. Thanks Dad, for teaching me these and an incalculable sum of other things that have shaped me into the man I am today. Thanks for being God’s tool in my life. ---Borrowed

Coffee Fellowship:

This Sunday the coffee fellowship is hosted by Jim Demos in celebration of his birthday. All are invited to stay and enjoy fellowship following the Divine Liturgy.

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.

Have You Made Your 2016 Stewardship Pledge Yet?

We have come to the end of the first quarter of 2016. 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 2016 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, June 19th
Feast Day of Pentecost
8:00 am – Orthros
9:30 am – Divine Liturgy

Monday, June 20th
Feast of the Holy Spirit
8:30 am – Orthros
9:30 am – Divine Liturgy
7:00 pm – Adult Bible Study will
meet in St. Catherine’s Meeting Room

Tuesday, June 21st
9:00 am – Visit Assumption Greek Orthodox Church
in Homer Glen to visit the myrrh-streaming icon
of St. John the Baptist

Thursday, June 23rd
1:45 pm – Philoptochos outing to the
Greek American Rehabilitation & Care Centre

Friday, June 24th
Nativity of St. John the Baptist
8:30 am – Orthros
9:30 am – Divine Liturgy

Friday, June 24th
7:00 pm – “Supper Club” by Philoptochos
Join us for a Gourmet Dinner and Fellowship

Sunday, June 26th
Feast of All Saints
8:00 am – Orthros
9:30 am – Divine Liturgy

Wednesday, June 29th
Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul
8:30 am – Orthros
9:30 am – Divine Liturgy

Thursday, June 30th
Synaxis of the Holy Apostles
8:30 am – Orthros
9:30 am – Divine Liturgy

The Next Orthodox Adult Bible Study Monday June 20, 2016:

Our Adult Bible Study will meet Monday evening, June 20, 2016, at 7:00 pm, in Saint Catherine’s Meeting Room. We will continue our study of St. Paul’s Epistle to Timothy. 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.

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 2016-17 academic year. “The Assumption Church Scholarship Fund” is available to a student entering college in the fall of 2016, 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 2016. Applications and further details are available by calling the Church Office (773.626.3114). Deadline to submit an application is June 27th.

Fanari Camp:

Registration is open for Fanari Camp 2016 at the St. Iakovos Retreat Center. There will be four one-week sessions in June and July, but spots are filling up quickly. Please visit Fanari.org for information and to register. Also, there is a unique opportunity through the Pick Up Your Cross and Follow Me ministry for special needs campers to attend Fanari Camp from Thursday to Saturday of the third session (July 14th-16th). If anyone is interested in this opportunity, please contact Presvytera Toni Mihalopoulos at toni.poteres@gmail.com. The registration code for the three-day package is SPECIALPRICE16.

Visit to view the Myrrh-Streaming Icon of St. John the Baptist:

Our Panagia Parish will have the blessing to visit the myrrh-streaming icon of St. John the Baptist at Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Homer Glen. We will be visiting the church on Tuesday, June 21st at 10:00 am. This visit will include a tour and explanation of the miraculous icon, a paraklesis service, anointing with the myrrh from the icon, and myrrh to take home as well.

PLEASE NOTE that the bus that was advertised in the flyer will NOT be available, you will need to make your own transportation arrangements.

The address of the Church is:

          Assumption Greek Orthodox Church
          15625 South Bell Road
          Homer Glen, IL 60491
          Phone No. 708-645-0652

For directions to the Church please go to www.assumptiongreekorthodox.org and click on the Map button at the bottom of the page.

Philoptochos Outings:

The Assumption Philoptochos will be visiting the Greek American Rehabilitation & Care Centre on Thursday, June 23, 2016 at 1:45 pm. Anyone interested in wanting to visit the G.A.R.C.C. with the Philoptochos you can join the ladies at 1:45 pm at 220 North First Street, Wheeling, IL.

Please join our Philoptochos for a Supper Club on Friday, June 24, 2016 at 7:00 pm for a gourmet dinner and great conversation. Chef Dave will prepare an awesome meal for 24 guests, $70 per person. Conversation starts at 7:00 pm and dinner will be served at 7:30 pm. The address is: Dave’s Specialty Foods, 105 West Prospect Avenue, Mont Prospect, IL. For reservations please contact Evie Maggos at, 847-791-5644 or evelynmaggos@comcast.net. Payment must accompany reservation. The Password for entry is: Philoptochos!

Parish Outing:

Join us on Sunday, July 10^th at 5:00 pm for a fun filled evening at the Allstate Arena as the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) Chicago Sky takes on the Phoenix Mercury team. Tickets are limited!! More information can be found on the flyer in this bulletin.

Panagia Annual Festival, Saturday/Sunday, July 23rd & 24th:

GET INVOLVED!!! It's that time of year to start planning Panagia's largest fundraiser of the year. We are looking for additional committee members with new ideas and enthusiasm to help plan our 2016 Festival. Our next meeting will be held in St. Catherine’s Meeting Room on Thursday, July 7, 2016. This year’s Chairman is Chris Limperis. While this event is sponsored by the Parish Council, it is a parish-wide event, and there is the need to have participation from all our stewards (members). Without the help of everyone, we cannot possibly continue undertaking an event of this size. Please call the Church Office (773.626.3114), and speak with either Georgia or Gail to offer your time and talents.

White Sox Game, Saturday, August 27th:

We have made arrangements for an outing to the White Sox baseball game on Saturday, August 27th. The game starts at 6:10 pm and there will be bus transportation from the Church to US Cellular Field. Tickets are $25.00. If you are interested, please call the Church office to reserve your tickets, 773-626-3114.

Parade of Prizes is Back!

The Assumption Philoptochos will be hosting the Parade of Prizes Fundraiser, on Thursday, November 3rd. Please start to gather any donations you may have including housewares, accessories, holiday items, costume jewelry, wine, tickets to events, gifts for men, women, children or pets. PLEASE - NEW ITEMS IN ORIGINAL PACKAGING ARE PREFERRED. Collection drop off details to follow. Any questions? Please contact Demetra Lakerdas (630-732-1133).

Coffee Fellowship Hosts Needed:

Have you considered selecting a day to host the Weekly Fellowship Hour following Worship Services on a specific Sunday in 2016? 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 2016 year are:

June 26 Sept. 4 Oct. 9 Nov. 13 Dec. 18

July 3 Sept. 11 Oct. 16 Nov. 20

July 10 Sept. 18 Oct. 23 Nov. 27

July 31 Sept. 25 Oct. 30 Dec. 4

Aug. 21 Oct. 2 Nov. 6 Dec. 11

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

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.

Cemetery Graves Update:

Individuals/Families interested in purchasing graves at Elmwood Cemetery, please be advised of the following rates: $1,995.00 (members), and $2,295.00 (non-members). Our Parish has only a few 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).

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.

PROPER CHURCH ETIQUETTE FOR WORSHIP

ENTERING THE CHURCH

When entering an Orthodox Church, reverently make the sign of the Cross. First, light your candle. Candles represent the light of Christ and the flame of the Holy Spirit. Candle-stands are in the narthex. You may then venerate the icons before you.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PUNCTUALITY

The Orthodox Divine Liturgy begins when the priest intones, “Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” We need to arrive early enough to receive this blessing. Arriving later causes a distraction for others who are praying. If an occasional problem occurs and you have to come in late, enter the Church reverently and quietly. Try not to interrupt the Liturgy by your entrance. The best way to avoid this situation is to arrive on time.

STANDING IN CHURCH

It is the custom of some Orthodox Christians to stand throughout the Divine Liturgy. If you choose to stand, please do so near the sides so that the view of the Altar is not blocked for those who are seated. If you are accustomed to sitting during the Divine Liturgy, remember to stand at these times:

When the Liturgy begins and the priest gives the blessing
During the Small and Great Entrances
When the priest turns and faces the congregation, giving his blessing
When the priest is censing the icons and congregation
During the Gospel reading
At the Anaphora
For Holy Communion
At the final blessing

RECITATION OF NICENE CREED AND LORD’S PRAYER

We must remember that when the Orthodox Divine Liturgy is celebrated, it is ‘interactive’. That means we are not merely spectators but participants. The Nicene Creed is the foundation and principle tenets of our Orthodox Faith. Therefore, we should recite it together, loudly and with conviction, as it defines us as ‘believers’ and ‘Orthodox Christians’. Likewise, the Lord’s Prayer is to be recited loudly and boldly. It is the one prayer that Jesus Christ authored and recited when preaching here on earth.

HOLY COMMUNION

Orthodox Christians are invited to approach and receive Holy Communion if they are properly prepared. The Church school students and their teachers should approach first. All others who are prepared to do so may then approach the holy chalice. The cloth held by the priest and the altar servers is there to prevent any particles of the gifts from falling onto the floor.

CHILDREN

If a baby or toddler needs a snack, please clear away any leftover pieces. However, the child should not have anything in his/her mouth when he/she comes to Holy Communion. It is not acceptable at any time to chew gum in Church (at any age). Plan to have your children use the restroom and get a drink before Liturgy begins, and don’t allow them to come and go continually.

RESPECTFUL BEHAVIORS

Remember that you are in Church to worship God, the Holy Trinity. The priest says, “With the fear of God, faith, and love draw near.” Let this be the way you approach your worship:

Refrain from socializing during the Liturgy: Save your greetings and conversations for the fellowship hall. We are in the Liturgy to pray and worship God, not to distract others.
Mobile devices: The use of mobile phones is never proper during the Liturgy. If you have a professional reason to carry one for emergencies, keep it on mute, not vibrate, and sit near the exit so that leaving for an emergency will not be a distraction to others. Otherwise, turn off your phone before entering the sanctuary.
We do not clap in Church.
Lipstick: Do not wear lipstick while taking Holy Communion or when kissing the cross, an icon, the priest’s or bishop’s hand, or any sacred object. It is best not to wear it at all in the Church.
Leg crossing: One should not be too casual in the Divine Liturgy. In our North American culture, we tend to cross our legs to get comfortable when sitting. Crossing one's legs in Church is not permitted, not because it is "wrong" but rather because it is too casual and relaxed for being in Church. Keeping your feet on the ground also enables you to remain attentive and to stand when necessary.
Church Dress: Respectful attire is also an important part of attending Orthodox services. You do not need to be dressed "fancy" but respectfully and modestly so as to present yourself to God. No shorts, short skirts, or revealing clothing please. Men and boys must remove their hats when entering the Church.

HANDLING THE HOLY BREAD (ANTIDORON)

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, it is customary to receive a piece of holy bread or antidoron. While antidoron is not Holy Communion, it is blessed bread and as such should be eaten carefully so that crumbs do not fall. Both adults and children should always remember to eat the antidoron with respect. Leaving Church without receiving antidoron and the final blessing from the priest is foreign to our Orthodox culture. This includes the chanters, choir, parish council members, and ushers as well.

LEAVING BEFORE DISMISSAL

Leaving Church before dismissal deprives us of a blessing. Worship has a beginning ("Blessed is the Kingdom...") and an end ("Let us depart in peace..."). To leave immediately after Communion is to treat the Church with disrespect.

NOTE: Worship services are vital instruments and components to our prayer development. In order to do this, we need to be cognizant of our fellow parishioners and all those around us. For those parents with children, we encourage you to expose them to the worship experience. If a child is 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).

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:

Dean Bastounes, Nick Mansour, John Vassiliades, Joann Stavropoulos, Mary Zouras

General Information

Contact Information

Services Schedule

Past Bulletins