Sunday - March 21, 2021  

 8:30 a.m. Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy

  * * * * * GIFT OF LIGHT * * * * *

 This Week's Gift of Light (March 21, 2021)

For The Health & Well-Being Of 

and In Honor Of

 Frieda  Aravosis

* * *  * * *  * * *

Church Services This Week 

Monday, March 22

5:30 p.m - Great Compline 

Friday, March 26   

9:00 a.m. - 9th Hour 

9:30 a.m. - Presanctified Liturgy

6:30 p.m. - 2nd Salutation Service His Grace Bishop Timothy of Hexamilion, Chancellor of our Metropolis will lead us in the service.

Live Streaming begins at 9:00 a.m. on Sundays and 9:30 a.m. on Weekdays and Saturday.

Church Order Please come into the church prior to the start of the sermon, but remain in the back if the sermon has started. Please follow the direction of our Parish Council for the new procedure for receiving Holy Communion.

Holy Confession This week Father will be available Saturday, March 27 from 10:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. please contact the Church Office to make an appointment. If you would like to come at another time or day please call or see Father Apostolos.

Sunday of Orthodoxy This week, our parish along with all the Orthodox parishes around the world will be celebrating the Sunday of Orthodoxy, on March 21, 2021.  The Sunday of Orthodoxy marks a historic event in the life of the Orthodox Church: the restoration of icons as an important way of living and expressing the Christian faith. We ask for all the faithful in attendance to bring an icon of their choice from home so that they may participate during the procession of icons during the Liturgy.    

Visitation of His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael It is with great joy that we announce that His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael will lead us in the service of the Akathist to the Virgin Mary on Friday, April 16th, at 7pm.  Please join us to welcome His Eminence as we offer prayers of praise to the Theotokos.

CONGRATULATIONS To Our Newly Elected 2021 Parish Council Executive Board Members!

• Tom Demos, President
• Mitch Celik, Vice President
• Kristin Callahan,Secretary
• Eileen Szubert, Treasurer

Donations Needed for Flowers Donning the Icon of Panagia As we prepare our Church for this Lenten season, we kindly ask parishioners to help with the cost of flowers. Each week, the icon of Panagia is adorned for the Salutations. We request that one family per week contribute to help continue this tradition. April 16th is still available for The Akathist Hymn. A donation of $250.00 is needed per week. As you may know, decorating the Church is a labor of love. We appreciate your help as we prepare for what is the center of our Orthodox faith, the Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Please contact the Church office if you would like to donate. Thank you and God bless!

  Reminders...

LET’S STAY CONNECTED - Help us to update our mailing lists. If you have moved, changed telephone numbers, or are not receiving our Church mailings, please call the Church Office. Also, our Church’s Listserv provides information and events related to the church, the weekly bulletins etc. Simply subscribe your email address through our Church’s website www.assumptionchicago.org under General Church Information link. Thank You!! 

HOW TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION—Orthodox Christians in good standing are encouraged to receive Holy Communion frequently, provided they have prepared themselves spiritually, mentally and physically. They must be on time for the Divine Liturgy, and be in a Christ-like, calm state of mind. They should be in a confession relationship with their priest or spiritual father, and they should have self -examined their conscience. On the day of receiving Holy Communion, it is not proper to eat or drink anything before coming to church. When you approach to receive Holy Communion, state your Christian (baptismal) name clearly, remove your mask and open wide. Do not hold or touch the red communion cloth and do not blot your lips. Please wait about 10 – 15 seconds before placing your mask on your face as to allow your lips to dry. 

WORSHIPPING FROM HOME AT THIS TIME? Come to church when you feel comfortable doing so.  We will be here for you. Thank you for your prayers during this trial and trying time.  We will continue to pray for those suffering and those who help the suffering.

A Few More Announcements.... 

Philoptochos News

-> 3rd Sunday of Lent/Veneration of the Holy Cross 

National Philoptochos asks all parishes to pass a basket for the benefit of Hellenic College/Holy Cross Seminary, April 4

 -> Palm Sunday collection for donations towards the flowers for the Epitaphio, Sunday, April 11, 18 & 25

 -> Easter Bake Sale!!  Delicious Greek pastries and Tsoureki Easter Bread are back! Through April 17.  See details on order form. Contact Betty Tsiolis for more information  847.813.6491

 Sunday School

Our church school classes for the youth of the parish are going strong in this time of public health crisis. Making a connection with other kids, teachers, and clergy seems especially important for our children during this long time of “stay-at-home” orders. Church school is held Sunday afternoons at 4:30 p.m. Zooming with Jesus is this year's theme! To learn more about Sunday Church School at Assumption, please visit our new family web site: www.assumptionsundaychurchschool.org. Thank you for helping your kids get connected with each other and the Church of Christ! 

Stewardship 

2021 Stewardship Cards and letter have been mailed. If you have not received a Stewardship Packet, please contact the church office at assumptionorthodoxchurch@gmail.com or 773-626-3114. It may be that we do not have you in our records as a Steward, or do not have your current address on file. If you are moving, or have moved recently, please contact the church office with your new address.

Stewardship Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, Thou are the Good Steward, who redeemed Adam and Eve of their failed stewardship by offering Thyself for the life of the world. Thou didst teach us in the feeding of the multitudes that whatever we give to God is returned to us manifold. Thou didst praise those good and faithful servants in the parable of the talents who returned to the Master their gifts multiplied. So help us to learn the joy of stewardship, remembering that everything we have comes from Thee. For Thou art the Good Steward and to Thee we offer thanksgiving, praise and glory, together with Thy Father who is everlasting and Thine all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit now and ever and onto the ages of ages. Amen.

Memorials

Please contact our church office in advance if you wish to have a memorial for a loved one. We will do our best to accommodate you, but please be aware that sometimes it is difficult to reserve for large groups due to space limitations. If desired, you may inquire with the office about the alternative option of Father offering the memorial at the gravesite.

Weekly Offering

Please remember to make an offering this week to support the work of our parish in serving the needs of our many faithful! You may do this in person at the end of the Divine Liturgy (there will be an acrylic box on a stand in the narthex of the church), or if you are watching from home you may use the following link: www.assumptionchicago.org. Every little bit helps, and no gift is too small. We appreciate your support!

Church Services

In order to give more worshippers the chance to attend the Divine Liturgy, we ask that for the time being you sign up for a maximum of two Sundays per month. We will be sure to update you with any revisions to this guideline. We encourage you to also take advantage of our weekday services if your schedule permits. You may visit our website for information and for the link to reserve a spot for church. Schedule of upcoming services and sign up to attend a service can be made through our Church’s website: www.assumptionchicago.org. Please be aware that on-line signups will not be available on the day before the service; the list will be closed for administrative purposes.

Other Notes 

* Who May Receive Holy Communion? Because receiving Holy Communion or any other Sacrament is an expression of our acceptance of the dogmatic and moral teachings of the Orthodox Faith, only Orthodox Christians (by baptism or chrismation) in good standing may participate. For this reason, persons who do not agree with these teachings, or who are not in good standing (for example, married outside the church, or civilly divorced but not ecclesiastically divorced, etc.), must return to good standing in order to participate in Orthodox Sacraments such as Holy Communion and Unction; this also applies to those who have been asked to be a Godparent for a Baptism or a Sponsor for a Wedding. If you or another person(s) have fallen into any of these (or other) predicaments, please contact Father Apostolos and he will direct you with information needed to attain complete restoration in the Church. 

* The Gift of Light Please give the “Gift of Light” to Assumption Panagia’s Church. We need a family or an individual, to sponsor, per week, the lighting of our vigil lamps and candles in both of our holy Altars of Panagia and Saint Catherine. This includes the daily lighting of both of our holy Altars throughout the week. Suggested donation for this ministry is $100.00. Sign up can be made through our Tithe.ly platform. Through our Church’s Website simply click on the big green GIVE button, request your week and make your donation. Reservations, with your donation to Assumption Church, can also be made through the church office. Simply, ask for the week you desire and remember to offer the names of your loved ones, both the living and those who have fallen asleep, so that they may be commemorated at the Prothesis Table of Oblation) during the Sunday Orthros of that week.

An acknowledgement in the weekly bulletin will be printed. Please specify if you would like your donation posted either in memory of… or for the health and wellbeing of…. Our Church is blessed to have two consecrated Altars. During the Consecration service, and forever after, the Lord entrusts to the angelic powers to keep the holy Altar pure and holy. As Saint Symeon of Thessaloniki reminds us, the Holy Altar is the border between heaven and earth, it is the throne of glory and the dwelling place of God and the workshop of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We all need prayers, and your “Gift of Light” will help.

Donations and Stewardship may be sent via US mail or electronically through our Tithe.ly platform. Through our Church’s Website simply click on the big green GIVE button and scroll down to where you wish to give. You also have the option to set up recurring payments for your Stewardship through this page.

People Helping People  A number of parishioners have made known their desire to help people who need assistance. The church office is keeping a list of volunteers. Call the office if you would like your name added to the list of volunteers. There can’t be too many. If you know of anyone who needs any sort of help call the church office 773-626-3114 to make the connection. Remember, many people are ashamed/afraid to ask for help. Keep your eyes and ears open and ask about needs with kind concern.

Please be sure to review flyer & announcement page for important upcoming and current events.

Καλή Σαρακοστή - A Blessed and Holy Lent

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“Prayer of Saint Ephrem”

“O Lord and Master of my life, a spirit of idleness, despondency, ambition, and idle talking give me not. But rather a spirit of chastity, humble-mindedness, patience, and love bestow upon me Thy servant. Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my failings and not condemn my brother; for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages. Amen.”

Everyone should say this prayer daily during the week in Great Lent. Because of the  physical way in which we say this prayer (it is done with bows and prostrations), it has the remarkable ability to put the soul in the right frame of mind.  One might even go so far to say that if the Prayer of Saint Ephrem has been prayed with attention at least once during the day,  and nothing else has been done, the Christian has prayed well.

COMMUNITY PRAYER LIST (put this in your prayer corner at home)

O Lord our God, Who by word alone did heal all diseases, Who cured the mother in law of Peter, You Who chastise with pity and heal according to Your goodness; grant aid to these Your servants (Names) and heal them of every sickness of which they are grieved; lift them up from their pain, and send down upon them Your great mercy. For to you we send up Glory: to Father, and to Son, and to Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

PRAYERS FOR: Mantia, Vasilios, john, violet, Cynthis, Demetra, Fr. Jon-Stephen Hedges,  Evangelos, Jenna, William, Momcilo, Jill, Panagiotis, Vasiliki, Elizabeth, Panagiota, Betty, Dimitri, Alexander, Vasiliki, Eleni, Panagiotis, George, Thomas, Nicholas, Sophia, Susan, Mary Lou, Mehmet.  (Contact Assumption Business Office to add names at   assumptionorthodoxchurch@gmail.com  or call office at 773.626.3114