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Assumption Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2021-07-11
Bulletin Contents
Saints and Feasts
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Wisdom of the Fathers
Parish News and Events
Share Your Talents & Treasures....
11_ephemia
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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

Church Office


office@assumptionchicago.org | 773.626.3114

Services Schedule

Sunday Services
8:30 am - Orthros
10:00 am - Divine Liturgy

Sunday School after Communion

 

Weekday Services in Chapel of St. Catherine
9:00 am - Orthros
10:00 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


Saints and Feasts

11_ephemia
July 11

Euphemia the Great Martyr

In 451, during the reign of the Sovereigns Marcian and Pulcheria, the Fourth Ecumenical Council was convoked in Chalcedon against Eutyches and those of like mind with him. After much debate, the Fathers who were the defenders of Orthodoxy, being 630 in number, agreed among themselves and with those who were of contrary mind, to write their respective definitions of faith in separate books, and to ask God to confirm the truth in this matter. When they had prepared these texts, they placed the two tomes in the case that held Saint Euphemia's relics, sealed it, and departed. After three days of night-long supplications, they opened the reliquary in the presence of the Emperor, and found the tome of the heretics under the feet of the Martyr, and that of the Orthodox in her right hand. (For her life, see Sept. 16.)

Olga
July 11

The All-Praised Olga, Equal-to-the-Apostles, Princess of Kiev

Saint Olga, renowned for her wisdom and sobriety, in her youth became the wife of Igor, Great Prince of Kiev, who ruled during the tenth century. After her husband's death, she herself ruled capably, and was finally moved to accept the Faith of Christ. She traveled to Constantinople to receive Holy Baptism. The Emperor, seeing her outward beauty and inward greatness, asked her to marry him. She said she could not do this before she was baptized; she furthermore asked him to be her Godfather at the font, which he agreed to do. After she was baptized (receiving the name of Helen), the Emperor repeated his proposal of marriage. She answered that now he was her father, through holy Baptism, and that not even among the heathen was it heard of a man marrying his daughter. Gracefully accepting to be outwitted by her, he sent her back to her land with priests and sacred texts and holy icons. Although her son Svyatoslav remained a pagan, she planted the seed of faith in her grandson Vladimir (see July 15). She reposed in peace in 969.

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Euphemia the Great Martyr
The Reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 6:1-10

Brethren, working together with him, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, "At the acceptable time I have listened to you, and helped you on the day of salvation." Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We put no obstacle in any one's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors, watching, hunger; by purity, knowledge, forbearance, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

Gospel Reading

3rd Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 6:22-33

The Lord said, "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear? For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well."

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Wisdom of the Fathers

There is an old saying: 'Excesses meet.' Too much fasting and too much eating come to the same end. Keeping too long a vigil brings the same disastrous cost as ... sluggishness... Too much self-denial brings weakness and induces the same condition as carelessness. Often I have seen men who would not be snared by gluttony fall, nevertheless, through immoderate fasting and tumble in weakness into the very urge which they had overcome. Unmeasured vigils and foolish denial of rest overcame those whom sleep could not overcome. Therefore, 'fortified to right and to left in the armor of justice,' as the apostle says (2 Cor. 6:7), life must be lived with due measure and, with discernment for a guide, the road must be traveled between the two kinds of excess so that in the end we may not allow ourselves to be diverted from the pathway of restraint which has been laid down for us nor fall through dangerous carelessness into the urgings of gluttony and self-indulgence.
St. John Cassian
Conferences, Conference Two: On Discernment no. 16; Paulist Press pg. 76, 5th century

For God, He said, gave us understanding, that we might chase away all ignorance, and have the right judgment of things, and that using this as a kind of weapon and light against all that is grievous or hurtful, we might remain in safety. But we betray the gift for the sake of things superfluous and useless.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 20 and 21 on Matthew 6, 4th Century

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Parish News and Events

Sunday - July 11, 2021

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

 

  *  *  *  *  *  GIFT OF LIGHT  *  *  *  *  *

 This Week's Gift of Light (July 11, 2021)

In Loving Memory

of

George, Ifigenia & Jim Copitas 

+++

This Week's Coffee Hour

is Sponsored by

Assumption Philoptochos 

PLEASE NOTE:  Due to White Sox Game Outing, there will be NO Coffee Hour next Sunday, July 18.

Coffee hour will resume Sunday, July 25. Contact Church office if you wish to sponsor a future Coffee Hour.

~ + ~

   Welcome Guests and Visitors If you are visiting with us today, we welcome you and hope that you will join us regularly for prayer and fellowship. If you would like to join our mailing list or would like more information about our Church, please see a Parish Council Member or Father Apostolos.

 
Attending Services In-Person Given recent updates to COVID guidelines for Phase IV in the City of Chicago, we will no longer require reservations to attend church services in-person at Assumption. While pre-reservation will no longer be required, the health and safety of our community remain our top priority, and we need your help in adhering to the public health protocols we've set in place in accordance with Metropolis guidelines. Seating is first-come, first-serve.

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.

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, if you are still wearing a mask. 

 A Few More Announcements.... 

 June/July Weekday Church Services

  • Saturday, July 17 - 9:00 a.m. - Orthros & Divine Liturgy +Saint Marina of Antioch
  • Tuesday, July 20 - 9:00 a.m. - Orthros & Divine Liturgy +Saint Elias the Prophet
  • Thursday, July 22 - 9:00 a.m. - Orthros & Divine Liturgy +Saint Mary Magdalene the Myrrhbearer and +Saint Markella of Chios
  • Monday, July 26 - 9:00 a.m. - Orthros & Divine Liturgy  +Saint Paraskevi of Rome
  • Tuesday, July 27 - 9:00 a.m. - Orthros & Divine Liturgy +Saint Panteleimon the Great Martyr
 
Upcoming Parish Events
  • July 18 - White Sox Outing - 1pm, game tickets are $21, see flyer and contact Tom Demos for details, RSVP 
  • August 28 - Liturgy in the Park II - St. Iakovos Retreat Center (Kansasville, WI) - Details coming soon! 

 Orthodox Catechism

If you are interested in learning about the Orthodox Faith, join our catechism classes beginning in September 2021 (TBA). The program is made for people from various backgrounds, Christian or not, and is intended to familiarize you with the theology, traditions, and daily life of Orthodox Christians. The lessons usually take about an hour, but we might run over occasionally on some more challenging topics. Besides actually coming to classes, in order to get yourselves acquainted with the practical aspects of the faith, I strongly suggest that you participate in as many Church services (including weekday services) as possible moving forward. Check our website www.assumptionchicago.org for updates on the calendar. Worship is the most important aspect of our faith, and it is important that you get familiar with it. In the meantime, I highly recommend “Becoming Orthodox” by Peter Guilquist. It is a story of every believer who is searching for the Church. Where Christ is Lord. Where holiness, human responsibility, and the Sovereignty of God are preached. I also highly recommend purchasing your own copy of the Orthodox Study Bible. If you have any question, please don’t hesitate to call.  ~Father Apostolos

Altar Boy Meeting

Join us!   Altar boy Meeting on Saturday, July 31 followed by lunch here at the church

Elderly Home Care Supplies

If you or someone you know is in need of elderly home care supplies, please let us know. We have an assortment of items, all of which are unopened and unused, available for donation. Please contact Kristin Callahan with inquiries: (630) 464-5828

Philoptochos News  

Welcome to the first ‘Indoor Coffee Fellowship

It’s so nice to enjoy the company of our Church Family at long last!  We extend our warmest congratulations to Peggy and Bill Vranas on the occasion of their 50th Wedding Anniversary.  On Sunday, July 11, 1971 Peggy and Bill were joined in Holy Matrimony here at our beloved Panagia. May they enjoy many more years of health and happiness together!  Chronia Polla!   We will need help serving refreshments after the August 14th Vespers and August 15th Liturgy.  Please email office@assumptionchicago.org or Melia Linardos at mlinardos@comcast.net or 630-660-4643 if you can help.  Looking  forward to seeing everyone at the COFFEE HOUR next Sunday, July 11th.  We can’t wait! Also, please watch for updates in the coming weeks.

 Stewardship

Stewards 245

Amount Pledged $198,939.29

Average Pledge $815.32

Numbers reflected as of (7/1/2021)

If you have not received a Stewardship Packet, please contact the church office at stewardship@assumptionchicago.org 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!

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.

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: Athanasia, Terry, Kyriakos, Becky, Salem, Mantia, Georgia, Vicki, Maria, Vasilios, Nektaria, John, Violet, Cynthis, Fr. Jon-Stephen Hedges,  Evangelos, 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   office@assumptionchicago.org or call Panagia office at 773.626.3114

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Share Your Talents & Treasures....

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