PARISH NEWS AND EVENTS
Memorial:
2 Years ~ Stamatia (Toula) Kokolis , Right Row 1
Coffee Fellowship:
The Coffee Fellowship is hosted by the Sunday Church School in celebration of Godparents Sunday. A light lunch will be served. All are invited to stay and enjoy fellowship.
Kathara Deftera (Clean Monday):
On Monday, February 19th, our Church begins its journey through this solemn Season of Great Lent. On this day, which is called Kathara Deftera (Clean Monday), Church Services will be held on the first evening of Lent beginning at 5:30 pm, with the Great Compline Service. Following this solemn Worship Service, the traditional Lenten Meal will be served in Plato Hall. Donation is $10.00. A Flyer can also be found in this Weekly Bulletin. To RSVP, please call the Church Office (773-626-3114
Supporting Parish Ministry:
Orthodox Christian Stewardship is a way of life which acknowledges accountability, reverence, and responsibility before God. A primary goal of Stewardship is to promote spiritual growth and strengthen faith. Becoming a Steward begins when we believe in God, to whom we give our love, loyalty and trust and act on those beliefs. As Stewards, we affirm that every aspect of our lives comes as a gift from Him. Stewardship calls on the faithful to cheerfully offer back to God a portion of the gifts with which they have been blessed.
An Orthodox Christian Steward is an active participant in the life of the Church. The parish encourages all who accept the Orthodox Faith to become practicing Stewards. Each year the Steward is expected to carefully review his or her personal circumstances and make a commitment of time, talent, and treasure to support the Parish and her Ministries, which in turn support the National ministries of our Archdiocese, Metropolises, and institutions.
Effective stewardship ministry is not a single event or project. Rather, it is going out to our people, wherever they are in their walk with Christ, listening to their concerns, helping them to realize their importance as branches of the True Vine, and encouraging them to offer their gifts in His service. We use various resources to support our efforts, but unless we meet with our people personally, sincerely listen to their ideas and concerns, and share a vision for the future of the parish, our efforts will not reach their full potential.
In ‘Oriented Leadership’, their book on Orthodox Christian leadership, Williams and McKibben define stewardship as the “call of the faithful to share willingly the gifts that God has bestowed on them, including sharing these gifts for God’s work”. Stewardship is devotion and service to God and His Church as persons, as families, as a Parish, as a Metropolis, as a National Church, and as the Church Universal. Stewardship is our active commitment to use ALL our time, talent, and treasure for the benefit of humankind in grateful acknowledgement of Christ’s redeeming love.
- Stewardship is caring for the needs of others.
- Stewardship is offering one's self to God as He offered Himself to us.
- Stewardship is what a person does after saying "I believe..." as proof of that belief. - Williams and McKibben in Oriented Leadership
“People do not give to need; they give to vision…. Church people do not stretch their giving because of need to meet the budget; they give more because they are able to see a vision of people being reached and God’s purposes being accomplished in the life of the Church and its ministry.”
Parishes with successful Orthodox Christian Stewardship programs have found that incredible support is unleashed from Stewards who unselfishly and joyfully offer their time, talent, and treasures, which in turn enhances the spirituality and ministry of the local parish.
Stewardship 2018:
We are forever grateful to our many stewards who faithfully contribute their stewardship gift to our Panagia Church without fail. It is with the support of each member, supporter, and friend to Panagia and Her Church that allows this Parish to continue to offer its ministry to the faithful who enter its doors.
Stewardship is our way to give to back to God a portion of the ‘never-ending blessings’ that He unceasingly gives to us each and every day. That is a gift that can only be measured by us, and God expects us to make that determination honestly and with an open and loving heart. Our Parish of Panagia is grateful to the vast majority who understand how we are expected to be ‘caretakers’ of His Earthly Church. We call upon those individuals and families who have not, as yet, made your stewardship contribution for the year 2018, to consider doing that today. Stewardship cards and information is located on the Pangari in the Narthex. Please consider making your gift. Thank you.
Lenten/Easter Needs:
As we enter the Lenten Season and as in the past we look for donors for the flowers that are used during the Lenten/Easter Season. Should you wish to offer a donation for one of the items below, please call the Church Office - 773-626-3114
Icon for The Salutations to the Theotokos (5 Friday’s)
Feb. 23rd, March 2nd, March 9th, March 16th, March 23rd - $175 per week
Jonquils for the Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross March 11th - $250
Palm Leaves for Palm Sunday April 1st- $1,175.00
Icon for Bridegroom Services, April 2nd, April 3rd, April 4th - $175
Large Icon of the Last Supper – April 4th - $400
3 Wreaths for Holy Thursday, April 5th - $325 each
Rose Pedals, Holy Friday, April 6th - $75
Carnations, Holy Friday, April 6th - $500
Lavaro, April 7th - $200
Easter Lilies for Holy Pascha, April 7th - $625
Philoptochos:
The Philoptochos and Sunday Church School are pleased to announce a fundraising partnership to benefit the children of St. Basil Academy - the sale of “Be Kind” Tee-shirts. The project was inspired by the thoughtful design of tenth grade SCS student Stephen Kozil. The gray V-neck tee-shirts have a red heart with the words BE KIND and synonyms of kindness inset. The price of the shirt is $15 and available in various sizes. The Sunday Church School Children will be taking orders during the coffee fellowship following the Divine Liturgy beginning this Sunday. We hope you will support this worthy project!
The One Warm Coat Drive is ongoing through Sunday, March 4th. Clean, gently used coats, new children’s underwear in various sizes or monetary donations in any amount are welcome. Donation boxes are located in St. Catherine’s narthex. Thank you for your generous contributions in response to this appeal and for giving the gift of warmth to so many!
The Metropolis of Chicago Philoptochos Lenten Retreat is scheduled for Saturday, March 10, 2018, 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and hosted by the Assumption Philoptochos. The theme of the Retreat is The Body: Temple of the Holy Spirit Raising Diabetes Awareness. All are welcome to attend. For further details, please see the flyer printed in the bulletin.
St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival:
The 2018 St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival will be held on Sunday, March 11th. The Oratorical is an annual event that encourages 7th-12th grade SCS students to engage with their faith by writing essays, speeches, or poetry based on topics that the Archdiocese provides. However, creating icons, videos, or other media is also a great way to get involved if a student prefers. Submissions will be judged, and the winners will move on to represent Panagia at the Metropolis Festival on April 14th. There is scholarship money available for students who advance further to the Archdiocese level. This year's topics and more information can be found here: https://www.goarch.org/- /st-john-chrysostom-oratorical -festival.
Students in 4th-6th grade are also able to participate in Panagia's Festival by giving a 30-90 second talk. These students will not be judged for competition, and do not advance to the Metropolis Festival. This is a chance for younger SCS students to practice talking about their faith, and will prepare them for future Oratorical competition. Topics for these short talks are more flexible than those for the older divisions. Some suggested topics can be found at the website listed above. Feel free to email Maki Gilroy at philipgilroy94@gmail.com with any questions!
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 as we now broadcast live each Sunday. Just access it by going to our website at: www.assumptionchicago.org
Also, our parish is starting a database of all college students in the community. If you have a college student in your family or if you are a college student, please send your name, school, area of study, address, and email address to Fr. Dimitri at frdimitrios@assumptionchicago.org..
This fall, our parish will be introducing a Byzantine Music class for all those interested in learning the art of Orthodox music. Classes will be led by Fr. Dimitri and are for students in middle school through college. If interested in registering or if you have any questions, please contact Fr. Dimitri at frdimitrios@assumptionchicago.org.
Dates to Remember:
Saturday, February 17th
2nd Saturday of the Souls
Feast of St. Theodore Tyro
8:30 am – Orthros
9:30 am – Divine Liturgy
Monday, February 19th
GREAT LENT BEGINS
Clean Monday
5:30 pm – Great Compline
7:00 pm – Lenten Dinner
Wednesday, February 21st
6:00 pm – Presanctified Liturgy
Friday, February 23rd
7:00 pm – 1st Salutations
Saturday, February 24th
3rd Saturday of the Souls
8:30 am – Orthros
9:30 am – Divine Liturgy
Monday, February 26th
6:00 pm – Great Compline
Wednesday, February 28th
9:00 am – Presanctified Liturgy
Save The Date:
Mark your calendars, once again the Assumption Golf Outing will be held on Monday, May 14, 2018 at 11:00 am at the White Pines Golf Course. Watch for more information.
Coffee Fellowship Hosts Needed:
Have you considered selecting a day to host the Weekly Fellowship Hour following Worship Services on a specific Sunday in 2018? 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 2018 Year:
Feb. 18 May 13 June 10 July 15
April 22 May 20 June 24 July 22
April 29 May 27 July 1 July 29
May 6 June 3 July 8 Aug. 5
We are in the Loop!
Through a generous donation by Mr. and Mrs. Chris Maniates in memory of Mrs. Helen Maniates, we are delighted to announce that we are now part of a growing number of places with a hearing loop.
If you need assistance, please see one of the Parish Council Ushers for assistance.
Assumption Prayer Ministry:
The Assumption Adult Bible Study Group has developed an idea that may be of interest to parishioners and friends of our Panagia Parish. They are interested in being able to form a ministry comprised of individuals who would like to pray for the health of those 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 with the many others who are offering a prayer for the person who is ill, will bring comfort beyond comprehension.
Just think about that….collectively praying for a person who needs the loving and tender Hand of God during his/her special time of need. It’s that simple. Just provide us with your email address, and you can join this ministry team who will pray for the person who needs help the most. It costs nothing, takes only a few seconds to do, but will make us all part of a spiritual family that looks and cares for one another.
Prosfora Bakers Needed:
One of the blessings of Stewardship that we are given is the ability to serve our Church in a number of ways. Our Church is in need of individuals who can offer the weekly Prosforo (Bread) for the Divine Liturgy. Should you be able to offer your service, please inform the Church office or see either Fr. Timothy or Fr. Dimitrios. With the help of each steward/member, we come together as a Church family to better offer our thanks to our Lord.
Bookstore:
Do you need gifts for your family or relatives? 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.
Holy Communion Announcement:
While we pray and work for the reconciliation and unity of all the world’s Christians, the reality remains that there is still no intercommunion between our Orthodox Churches and the Churches of the West. This means that only baptized, chrismated, and observant Orthodox faithful are allowed to receive Holy Communion in our churches. At the same time, we warmly welcome all non-Orthodox to join us in prayer and celebration, and humbly offer to all present the Antidoro bread of fellowship at the end of the worship service. We offer this important symbol ‘instead of the Gifts’, in the words of the Apostle Paul, ‘Till we all come to the unity of the Faith’ (Eph. 4.13).
Website News:
In addition our Parish’s website, we encourage you to keep abreast on the latest news and happenings about Orthodoxy from our Metropolis of Chicago and our Holy Archdiocese.
Please use the links below to access any of the three sites:
Assumption Church: www.assumptionchicago.org
Metropolis of Chicago: www.metropolisofchicago.org
Archdiocese of America www.goarch.org
All three websites will provide you with articles and resources for the Orthodox Church. They include the history of Orthodoxy, special Services and Blessings, Spirituality, Teachings of the Orthodox Church, how to become a member of the Orthodox Church, the meaning and celebration of The Holy Eucharist, the form and characteristics of Orthodox worship, the Sacrament of Confession, Holy Week Meditation and Study Guide, Fasting, the Orthodox Calendar, and much more. Specifically, on our Parish’s website, we have uploaded past and current editions of the Assumption Newsletter and the St. Catherine Newsletter, which are available for reading online.
We Need Your E-mail Address:
Are you receiving the weekly bulletin online in your e-mail mailbox each week? How about our Assumption Church’s Newsletter and the Saint Catherine’s Newsletter? If not, please give the Church Office your e-mail address so that you can stay informed about the schedule of religious services, events, and news of our Community.
Our Sunday Church Services are broadcast live on the Internet each week:
A reminder to all, our Parish of Panagia began broadcasting live to the internet each Sunday. This is of particular benefit to our shut-ins, elderly, college students, and vacationers who are away from home, yet need to receive the benefit and blessing of the weekly Divine Liturgy experience. All you need to do is log on to our website www.assumptionchicago.org, and click the link to begin watching the Worship Service live. We have also archived our Services, allowing anyone to click and watch the Service/sermon at their leisure. We encourage you to give it a try.
NOTE: Please note that this morning’s Divine Liturgy, as well as prior Divine Liturgies, are available for rebroadcast. Simply log on to our Parish’s website (www.assumptionchicago.org) and click on the “Watch Worship Services Online” link.
Ushers:
Andrew Kanel, Dr. Evie Maggos, Dr. Peter Panton, George Sefer, Lynn Voulgarakis, Dr. Voula Spyropoulos