Publish-header
Assumption Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2018-04-08
Bulletin Contents
Anastasi
Organization Icon
Assumption Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (773) 626-3114
  • Fax:
  • (773) 626-3141
  • Street Address:

  • 601 South Central Avenue

  • Chicago, IL 60644-5089


Contact Information






Services Schedule

Sunday -MAIN CHURCH
8:30 am - Orthros
10:00 am - Divine Liturgy
Sunday Summer Hours - MAIN CHURCH
8:00 am - Orthros
9:30 am - Divine Liturgy
Sunday Church School 
 9:45 am - Divine Liturgy

Weekday Services
8:30 am - Orthros
9:30 am - Divine Liturgy

 

The Mission Statement of the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church

Is to lead the faithful into the Kingdom of God by:

Proclaiming and teaching the Gospel in accordance with the Orthodox Faith;

Sanctifying the faithful through God’s grace in worship, the Divine Liturgy and the sacraments;

Enhancing the spiritual life of the faithful;

Adding to the numbers of the faithful by receiving persons into the church through instruction, baptism and/or chrismation.


Past Bulletins


Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion for Great and Holy Pascha in the Plagal First Mode

Christ is risen from the dead, by death hath He trampled down death, and on those in the graves hath He bestowed life.

Hypakoe of Great and Holy Pascha in the Fourth Mode

When they who were with Mary came, anticipating the dawn, and found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre, they heard from the Angel: Why seek ye among the dead, as though He were mortal man, Him Who abideth in everlasting light? Behold the grave-clothes. Go quickly and proclaim to the world that the Lord is risen, and hath put death to death. For He is the Son of God, Who saveth the race of men.

Apolytikion of Dormition of the Theotokos in the First Tone

In birth, you preserved your virginity; in death, you did not abandon the world, O Theotokos. As mother of life, you departed to the source of life, delivering our souls from death by your intercessions.

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

Let us praise the most auspicious bride of Christ, the divine Katherine, 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.
BACK TO TOP

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Great and Holy Pascha
The Reading is from Acts of the Apostles 1:1-8

In the first book, O Theophilos, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. To them he presented himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me, for John baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom of lsrael?" He said to them, "it is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth."


Gospel Reading

Great and Holy Pascha
The Reading is from John 1:1-17

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light.

The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. (John bore witness to him, and cried, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, for he was before me.'") And from his fullness have we all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.


BACK TO TOP

Wisdom of the Fathers

But why did He appear not to all, but to the Apostles only? Because to the many it would have seemed a mere apparition, inasmuch as they understood not the secret of the mystery For if the disciples themselves were at first incredulous and were troubled, and needed the evidence of actual touch with the hand, and of His eating with them, how would it have fared in all likelihood with the multitude? For this reason therefore by the miracles [wrought by the Apostles] He renders the evidence of His Resurrection unequivocal, so that not only the men of those times-- this is what would come of the ocular proof--but also all men thereafter, should be certain of the fact, that He was risen. Upon this ground also we argue with unbelievers. For if He did not rise again, but remains dead, how did the Apostles perform miracles in His name? But they did not, say you, perform miracles? How then was our religion instituted?
St. John Chrysostom
Homily I on Acts I, 4th Century

Now this is a proof that Christ is God the Word, and the Power of God. For whereas human things cease, and the Word of Christ abides, it is clear to all eyes that what ceases is temporary, but that He Who abides is God, and the true Son of God, His only-begotten Word.
St. Athanasius of Alexandria
On the Incarnation 55, 4th Century

BACK TO TOP

Saints and Feasts

Anastasi
April 08

Great and Holy Pascha

Mary Magdalene, and the other women who were present at the burial of our Saviour on Friday evening, returned from Golgotha to the city and prepared fragrant spices and myrrh, so that they might anoint the body of Jesus. On the morrow, because of the law which forbids work on the day of the Sabbath, they rested for the whole day. But at early dawn on the Sunday that followed, almost thirty-six hours since the death of the Life-giving Redeemer, they came to the sepulchre with the spices to anoint His body. While they were considering the difficulty of rolling away the stone from the door of the sepulchre, there was a fearful earthquake; and an Angel, whose countenance shone like lightning and whose garment was white as snow, rolled away the stone and sat upon it. The guards that were there became as dead from fear and took to flight. The women, however, went into the sepulchre, but did not find the Lord's body. Instead, they saw two other Angels in the form of youths clothed in white, who told them that the Saviour was risen, and they sent forth the women, who ran to proclaim to the disciples these gladsome tidings. Then Peter and John arrived, having learned from Mary Magdalene what had come to pass, and when they entered the tomb, they found only the winding sheets. Therefore, they returned again to the city with joy, as heralds now of the supernatural Resurrection of Christ, Who in truth was seen alive by the disciples on this day on five occasions.

Our Lord, then, was crucified, died, and was buried on Friday, before the setting of the sun, which was the first of His "three days" in the grave; observing the mystical Sabbath, that "seventh day" in which it is said that the Lord "rested from all His works" (Gen. 2:2-3), He passed all of Saturday in the grave; and He arose "while it was yet dark, very early in the morning" on Sunday, the third day, which, according to the Hebrew reckoning, began after sunset on Saturday.

As we celebrate today this joyous Resurrection, we greet and embrace one another in Christ, thereby demonstrating our Saviour's victory over death and corruption, and the destruction of our ancient enmity with God, and His reconciliation toward us, and our inheritance of life everlasting. The feast itself is called Pascha, which is derived from the Hebrew word which means "passover"; because Christ, Who suffered and arose, has made us to pass over from the curse of Adam and slavery to the devil and death unto our primal freedom and blessedness. In addition, this day of this particular week, which is the first of all the rest, is dedicated to the honour of the Lord; in honour and remembrance of the Resurrection, the Apostles transferred to this day the rest from labour that was formerly assigned to the Sabbath of the ancient Law.

All foods allowed during Renewal Week.


Allsaint
April 08

The Holy Apostles of the Seventy Herodion, Agabus, Rufus, Asyncritus, Phlegon, and Hermes

The Apostle Herodion, whom Saint Paul mentions in his Epistle to the Romans (16:11) and calls his "kinsman," was ordained presbyter and then Bishop of New Patras, where he was slain by Jews and pagans. Saint Agabus is mentioned in Acts 21:10-11, where he prophesied SaintPaul's arrest in Jerusalem at the hands of the Jewish leaders. In Acts 11:27-28 it is mentioned also that this Saint foretold the great famine that would come to pass in the time of Claudius Caesar. Having preached the Gospel throughout various regions, he departed to the Lord. The Apostle Rufus became Bishop of Thebes in Greece. The Apostles Asyncritus and Phlegon preached Christ in many places, suffered many afflictions at the hands of the pagans and Jews, and departed unto the Lord. The Apostle Hermes is mentioned with them in the Epistle to the Romans (16:13-14).


Allsaint
April 13

Martin the Confessor, Pope of Rome

Saint Martin was born in Tuscany. He had been the papal delegate at Constantinople; upon the death of Pope Theodore, Saint Martin was elected his successor. At this time the Emperor Constans II, also known as Constantine Pogonatus (reigned 641-668), was seeking support of his confession of faith called the Typos, which espoused the Monothelite heresy, that is, that there is only one will and energy in the Incarnate Son of God. But the newly-consecrated Pope not only did not accept the Typos, but convened the Lateran Council of 649 (attended by 105 of his bishops, and Saint Maximus the Confessor, who was then in Rome), which anathematized the Typos and the Monothelite heresy. Because of this Saint Martin was seized by an imperial force in 653 and brought to Constantinople, where he was charged with sending money to the Saracens and conspiring with them, and blaspheming against the most holy Mother of God. Though innocent of these accusations, he was exiled to Cherson on the Black Sea, where, after many sufferings and privations, he received the crown of his courageous confession in the year 655.


BACK TO TOP

Parish News and Events

Lenten/Easter Donation Thank You:

We are humbly appreciative of the outpouring of love by individuals and families who replied to the request of our blessed Panagia Community. We thank each of those individuals/families who responded to the Church's request.

Additionally,  we thank all parishioners, supporters, and friends of Panagia who generously remembered their chuch through its general Pascha Appeal.  Envelopes may still be found at the Church Pangaria both upstairs in the main Church as well as in Saint Catherine's Chapel.  Again, thank you to all who remember their Church during this most glorious Resurrection season.

Philoptochos:

Reservations are being accepted for the Philoptochos 20th Anniversary Celebration on Thursday, April 26, 2018,today, as well as on April 15th and April 22nd in Plato Hall during the Coffee Fellowship.  You may also call or email Nikki Massouras, (630) 655-4421 Nikkikm2@hotmail.com, or Betty Tsiolis, (847) 813-6491 James.tsiolis@gmail.com, to secure your spot. Payment to accompany reservation.  

The next General Meeting will be held on Thursday, April 19th, 10:30 a.m., in the St. Catherine meeting room. 

Pascha Agape Meal

Following the Midnight Resurrection and Divine Liturgy services, join us at the Agape Pascha Meal in Plato Hall. The meal is generously underwritten by an anonymous donor. We hope that everyone will stay and enjoy fellowship together on this most holy day.

Greek Independence day Parade

Will be April 29, at 2:30pm:  If you are interested in marching in this year's parade please see or email Fr. Dimitrios: frdimitrios@assumptionchicago.org
We will sign up if we have a group of 20 or more. PLEASE let us know if you are interested as soon as possilble.

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 website 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.

Hepzibah House Service Outing

On Sunday, April 29, the community will be catering Sunday dinner at the Hephzibah House in Oak Park.  We will prepare the meal in our kitchen at 3pm and bring the food at 4:30.  Volunteers will meet at Assumption to prepare the food and travel to Hephzibah House to begin to set up and serve.  Our visit ends around 6:30.  We need 15 volunteers from 7th grade to Senior Citizens to help prepare, serve, and visit with the children.  Everyone who has participated in the past has been emotionally impacted and spiritually rewarded.  We will serve approximately 50 people (children, staff, and volunteers) and need paper goods (plated, napkins, plastic utensils) and food items.  Please contact Nick Papafotopoulos at 630-956-0533 or npapafot@hotmail.com to volunteer or donate items for the meal.  To Learn more about Hephzibah House, please visit https://www.hephzibahhome.org/   

Dates to Remember:

Tuesday of Bright Week, April 10

Feast of Panagia Portaitissa

8:30 am ~ Matins

9:30 am ~ Divine Liturgy

 

Friday of Bright Week, April 13

Zoodohos Peghe - The Life-giving Fountain

8:30 am ~ Matins

9:30 ~ Divine Liturgy

Fundraising Luncheon Event

Join us on May 6th immediately following Divine Liturgy in Plato Hall for a luncheon catered by Greek Islands, this luncheon will serve as a church fundraiser to help offset the projected deficit that was discussed in our February General Assembly. It is with your love and support that this event can be a true success while also enjoying fellowship.  For more information please see flyer or contact the church office. Reservations can be made by calling the church office.

 Annual Golf Outing

Mark your calendars! The Assumption Golf Outing will be held on Monday, May 14, 2018 at 11:00 am at the White Pines Golf Course.  Contact office@assumptionchicago.org or call 773.626.3114.  Information and registration packet can be found on Pangari in Narthex. 

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:

April 29 

May  27

June 3, 10, 24

July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29                 

August 5, 19, 26

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.

Catechism Class

For those interested in joining the Orthodox Christian Church, our parish of Panagia will be beginning a catechism class after Pascha. Catechism is the process of learning and beginning to live the Orthodox faith under the guidance of the Church and is a necessary step to baptism and/or chrismation. Please contact Fr. Dimitri at frdimitrios@assumptionchicago.org to register. Once a class list is gathered, we will work out dates and times that work for everyone.

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).

Thinking of Converting to Orthodoxy?

If you, a family member, or friend, who are not of the Orthodox Faith, and may be considering conversion to Orthodoxy, please contact the Church Office (773.626.3114) or speak with Fr. Timothy or Fr. Dimitrios. A Confirmation/Chrismation Class is being formed to prepare those who have expressed interest to convert to Orthodoxy.  This also includes couples who are planning to be married in the Orthodox Church in the near future, and where one of the couple is contemplating converting to the Orthodox Faith.  We plan to begin this process in late March.

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 Kanal, Evelyn Maggos, Lynn Voulgarakis, Peter Panton, George Sefer, Stavroula         Spyropoulos

BACK TO TOP

Flyers

BACK TO TOP