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Assumption Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2019-11-17
Bulletin Contents
Hymns of the Day
Saints and Feasts
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Wisdom of the Fathers
Parish News and Events
Flyers
Gregwonderjohnmercy
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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

Proistamenos Very Rev. Timothy Bakakos


frtimothy@assumptionchicago.org | 773-626-3114

Associate Pastor Rev. Dimitrios Burikas


frdimitrios@assumptionchicago.org | 773-626-3114

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 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

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal First Mode

Let us worship the Word, O ye faithful, praising Him that with the Father and the Spirit is co-beginningless God, Who was born of a pure Virgin that we all be saved; for He was pleased to mount the Cross in the flesh that He assumed, accepting thus to endure death. And by His glorious rising, He also willed to resurrect the dead.

Apolytikion for Gregory the Wonderworker in the Plagal Fourth Mode

By vigilance in prayer, and continuance in the working of wonders, thou didst acquire thine achievements as a surname; wherefore, intercede with Christ our God, O Father Gregory, to enlighten our souls, lest we sleep in sin unto death.

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.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Mode

Today, the most pure temple of the Savior, the precious bridal chamber and Virgin, the sacred treasure of God, enters the house of the Lord, bringing the grace of the Divine Spirit. The Angels of God praise her. She is the heavenly tabernacle.
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Saints and Feasts

Gregwonderjohnmercy
November 17

Gregory the Wonderworker & Bishop of Neo-Caesarea

Saint Gregory was born in Neocaesarea of Pontus to parents who were not Christians. He studied in Athens, in Alexandria, in Beirut, and finally for five years in Caesarea of Palestine under Origen, by whom he was also instructed in the Faith of Christ. Then, in the year 240, he became bishop of his own city, wherein he found only seventeen Christians. By the time the Saint reposed about the year 265, there were only seventeen unbelievers left there. Virtually the whole duration of his episcopacy was a time of continual, marvellous wonders worked by him. Because of this, he received the surname "Wonderworker"; even the enemies of the truth called him a second Moses (see Saint Basil the Great's On the Holy Spirit, ch. 29).

Allsaint
November 17

Righteous Mother Hilda of Whitby

Our righteous Mother Hilda was of noble birth, being a kinswoman of Saint Edwin, King of Northumbria (celebrated Oct. 12). At the age of thirty-three she renounced the world, and lived another thirty-three years as a nun and abbess. The last six years of her life she suffered a burning fever with patience and nobility, and reposed in peace in the year 680.

18_lukewriting
November 17

9th Sunday of Luke

Allsaint
November 17

Gennadios I and Maximus, Patriarchs of Constantinople

Allsaint
November 18

Anastasios the New Martyr

Vmentrnc
November 21

The Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple

According to the tradition of the Church, the Theotokos was brought to the Temple at three years of age, where she was consecrated to God and spent her days until she was fourteen or fifteen years old; and then, as a mature maiden, by the common counsel of the priests (since her parents had reposed some three years before), she was betrothed to Joseph.

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

9th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 6:11-18

Brethren, see with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that would compel you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For even those who receive circumcision do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh. But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. Peace and mercy be upon all who walk by this rule, upon the Israel of God. Henceforth let no man trouble me; for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.

Gospel Reading

9th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 12:16-21

The Lord said this parable: "The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' And he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." As he said these things, he cried out: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

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Wisdom of the Fathers

I cannot be silent about the story of Hesychius the Horebite. He passed his life in complete negligence, without paying the least attention to his soul. Then he became extremely ill, and for an hour he left his body.
St. John Climacus
Ladder of Divine Ascent. Step 6: On Remembrance of Death, 6th Century

And when he came to himself, he begged us all to leave him immediately. And he built up the door of his cell, and he stayed in it for twelve years without ever uttering a word to anyone, and without eating anything but bread and water.
St. John Climacus
Ladder of Divine Ascent. Step 6: On Remembrance of Death, 6th Century

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Parish News and Events

Artoklasia

Today’s Artoklasia is being offered in celebration of 90 years for the Daughters of Penelope.

Coffee Fellowship

Today's coffee fellowship will be hosted by Daughters of Penelope, Homer #98 Chapter.

Dates to Remember 

Friday, November 15
Christmas Fast Begins

Saturday, November 16th
Feast of St Matthew
8:30 am Orthros
9:30 am Divine Liturgy

Thursday, November 21st
Entrance of Theotokos into Temple
8:30 am Orthros
9:30 am Divine Liturgy

Friday, November 22nd
Feast of St Iakovos
8:30 am Orthros
9:30 am Divine Liturgy

Saturday,  November 23rd
Assumption Family Retreat
at St Iakovos Retreat Center

Sunday, November 24th
St Catherine’s Great Vesper
7:00 pm Vespers

Monday, November 25th
Feast of St Catherine
8:30 am Orthros
9:30 am Divine Liturgy

General Assembly Today

We will be holding our annual Fall General Assembly Today. All stewards in good standing are welcomed to participating in shaping the future of our community. Notices have been mailed to each steward; however, mailings did not include a copy of the minutes, financial reports, or 2020 budget. These documents will be passed out at the Assembly. If anyone would like to receive these documents prior to the Assembly, please stop by the church office or call 773-626-3114 to request them to be emailed to you.

Daughters of Penelope

We are Celebrationg the 90th Birthday of the Daughters of Penelope. Our founder Alexandra Apostolides had a vision to start a women’s organization in the USA that is now a global organization.  We support domestic violence centers, Saint Basil’s Academy, Scholarships, Penelopean Day Care Centers (Athens, Greece), Cancer Research Center (Papanicolaou), & honor individuals who have been leaders in business, the arts, medicine and politics to name a few. We strive to keep the flame of Hellenism by remembering our roots and reminding our children of the importance of those roots in our lives.  We are so blessed to be connected to each other through the Sisterhood of the Daughters of Penelope.

Fall Family Retreat

We will be holding our 2nd annual Fall Family Retreat on Saturday, November 23rd at the St. Iakovos Retreat Center. The theme for the retreat is "By Prayer and Fasting" and will focus on these two Christian practices, their impact on our family life, and how to implement them in our own homes. This all-day retreat is for all members of our community regardless of age or family situation. Even if you can only come for part of the day or with part of the family, please come. There is no cost to attend and all meals will be provided. See the included flyer for more details, and visit https://forms.gle/pr5rwHGz2vBhcmwf6 to register.

Light the Tree

The 3rd annual Assumption Light the Tree fundraiser is now underway! $10 for five bulbs/$50 for a medium ornament/$100 for a large ornament. Your gift helps us light the community tree in front of our church and keep our parish's future bright by supporting our mission. The tree will be lit on December 7th at 4:30pm. All are welcome for food and merriment followed by hot chocolate and caroling as we light the tree. 

Metropolis of Chicago Christmas Open House

Express your Christmas greetings to Metropolitan Nathanael and enjoy fellowship with fellow Orthodox Christians at the Metropolis of Chicago Christmas Open House. This year, the Open House will be held on Sunday, December 15th at the National Hellenic Museum (333 S. Halsted St., Chicago) from 3-7pm. Light appetizers and refreshments will be served.

Austin Thanksgiving Meal in Plato Hall
Assumption will be hosting a Thanksgiving meal this year from 11:30-2:30. Volunteers are needed to help set up, serve, and socialize with guests. Food donations are welcomed, and prep will begin at 8:30am. Please RSVP to volunteer to outreach@assumptionchicago.org. Due to the overwhelming response of our volunteers last year, only the necessary amount of volunteers will be accepted.

Chicago Bulls Group Outing
Join your Assumption Family on Monday, December 30th for a night at the United Center as the Chicago Bulls take on the Milwaukee Bucks (and the Greek Freak!). Tip-off is at 7pm. Tickets are $60 and can be reserved by calling the church office or visiting tithe.ly/event-registration/#/1018054.

Assumption Toy Drive
Help us collect toys for Santa to give to children ages 7-9 living in the Austin community! Please wrap donations with a value of $10 and label them for either boy or girl. Collection will take place through December 8th.

One Warm Coat
Please help those in need by donating your clean and pre-loved coats. Collection boxes will be located in the narthex of St. Catherine Chapel. While all coats will be gratefully accepted, children's coats and new children's underwear is especially needed. Collections will go on throughout the winter.

Telos Project
Our Panagia parish is one of five local communities participating in the Telos Project, a process designed to help parishes reinvigorate young adult ministries and ingrain young adults into the fabric of parish life. The first mission of our Telos Team is to gather as much information as possible about the young adults connected to our parish, and we need your help! Please visit https://tinyurl.com/agocya to submit basic contact info for any young adult ages 21-35 with a connection to Assumption. The Telos Team thanks you!

Adult Education Program

The Adult Education Program will offer lectures on the theme, "Full of Grace: The Life of the Theotokos". Lectures will be held either once or twice a month. Dates ~ December 8th, January 12th & 26th, February 2nd. 

Thinking of Converting to Orthodoxy?

If you, a family member, or friend who are not of the Orthodox Faith may be considering conversion to Orthodoxy, please contact the Church Office (773.626.3114) or speak with Fr. Peter or Fr. Dimitrios.  If there is a need and interest, a Confirmation/Chrismation Class will be formed to prepare those who have expressing an 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.

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.

Coffee Fellowship Hosts Needed

Have you considered selecting a day to host the Weekly Fellowship Hour following Worship Services on a specific Sunday in 2019or 2020?  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 2019 & 2020 Years:            

December    8, 22

January        5, 12, 19, 26

February      2, 9, 16, 23

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 worship spaces 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 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, 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 Father Peter.
  • 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  Fr. Peter 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?  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:   George Sefer, Ray Riha, Dean Sarantos, John Vassiliades

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Flyers

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