St. Alexis of Wilkes-Barre Church
Publish Date: 2017-10-15
Bulletin Contents
Welcome
Announcements
Saints and Feasts
Parish Calendar
Prayers, Intersessions and Commemorations
Bulletin Inserts
Hymns of the Day
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Wisdom of the Fathers
In House
Allsaint
Organization Icon
St. Alexis of Wilkes-Barre Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • 860-664-9434
  • Street Address:

  • 108 E Main St

  • Clinton, CT 06413-0134
  • Mailing Address:

  • PO Box 134

  • Clinton, CT 06413-0134

Contact Information

Rector Fr Steven Hosking

frsteve@stalexischurch.org | 860-866-5802

Services Schedule

Weekly Services

Tuesdays at 8:30a - Daily Matins

Wednesdays at 6:00p - Daily Vespers

Thursday at 8:30a - Daily Matins

Saturday at 5:30p - Great Vespers

Sunday at 9:30a - Divine Liturgy

The Church is also open on Wednesdays for "Open Doors" - confession, meditation and reflection.

Please see our online calendar for dates and times of Feast Day services.

Past Bulletins


Welcome

Gospel1

Jesus Christ taught us to love and serve all people, regardless of their ethnicity or nationality. To understand that, we need to look no further than to the Parable of the Good Samaritan(Luke 10:25-37). Every time we celebrate the Divine Liturgy, it is offered "on behalf of all, and for all." As Orthodox Christians we stand against racism and bigotry. All human beings share one common identity as children of God.

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatian 3:28)

 

 

Members of our Parish Council are:

Susan Hayes - President: Ad Hoc ministires (25th Anniversary, Red House)

Deborah Bray - Vice President: Building & Grounds/ Maintenance Ministries (MEMORY ETERNAL)

William Brubaker - Secretary: Communications Ministry

Susan Egan - Treasurer

James Pepitone - Member at Large: Outreach & Evangelism Ministries

Demetra Tolis - Member at Large: Fellowship & Stewardship Ministries

BACK TO TOP

Announcements

The Outreach Ministry is planning to ship seasonal packages to our college students and young adults.  We are reaching out to all parishioners to help by donating any of the following items.  Please bring the items to church no later the Sunday, Oct. 22.

  • Snacks: Cliff Bars, Kind Bars, Easy Mac, dark or milk chocolate, gum, pretzels or Goldfish
  • Gift cards: Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, Subway or gas cards
  • Seasonal candy or decorations

Three Saints Orthodox Church at 26 Howard Ave., Ansonia will hold its “Slavic Festival” on Fri., Nov. 3rd (4 – 7 pm) and Sat., Nov. 4th (9 am – 4 pm, kitchen opens at 10 am).  Enjoy two days of shopping opportunities and a variety of homemade ethnic foods including: pierogi, holupsi, holushki, borscht, Russian zakuski, cheese blintzes, baked goods, and more.  Shop for religious items, tag sale treasures, and used books.  Eat in or take out available.  For more information, contact:  203-735-0117.

Pastoral Care - General Information

Emergency Sick Calls can be made at any time. Please call Fr Steven at (860) 866-5802, when a family member is admitted to the hospital.

Anointing in Sickness: The Sacrament of Unction is available in Church, the hospital, or your home, for anyone who is sick and suffering, however severe. 

Marriages and Baptisms require early planning, scheduling and selections of sponsors (crown bearers or godparents). See Father before booking dates and reception halls!

Funerals are celebrated for practicing Orthodox Christians. Please see Father for details. The Church opposes cremation; we cannot celebrate funerals for cremations.

 

 

BACK TO TOP

Saints and Feasts

Allsaint
October 15

Sunday of the 7th Ecumenical Council

On the Sunday that falls on or immediately after the eleventh of this month, we chant the Service to the 350 holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, which gathered in Nicaea in 787 under the holy Patriarch Tarasius and during the reign of the Empress Irene and her son, Constantine Porphyrogenitus, to refute the Iconoclast heresy, which had received imperial support beginning with the Edict issued in 726 by Emperor Leo the Isaurian. Many of the holy Fathers who condemned Iconoclasm at this holy Council later died as Confessors and Martyrs for the holy Icons during the second assult of Iconoclasm in the ninth century, especially during the reigns of Leo the Armenian and Theophilus.

BACK TO TOP

Parish Calendar

  • Parish Calendar

    October 15 to October 23, 2017

    Sunday, October 15

    Sunday of the 7th Ecumenical Council

    Evangelism and Outreach Ministry meeting

    9:30AM Divine Liturgy

    Monday, October 16

    Longinus the Centurion

    Tuesday, October 17

    Hosea the Prophet

    John & Joan Skobrat - A

    8:30AM Daily Matins

    Wednesday, October 18

    Luke the Evangelist

    8:30AM Akathist to St Luke Evangelist

    4:30PM Open Doors

    6:00PM General Confession

    Thursday, October 19

    Joel the Prophet

    Susan Hayes - B

    8:30AM Daily Matins

    6:00PM Council Meeting

    Friday, October 20

    Victor H

    Artemius the Great Martyr of Antioch

    Saturday, October 21

    Hilarion the Great

    9:00AM Liturgy at St Nicholas Church

    5:00PM Memorial for Deborah Bray

    5:30PM Great Vespers

    Sunday, October 22

    6th Sunday of Luke

    Buildings and Grounds Ministry Meeting

    9:30AM Divine Liturgy

    Monday, October 23

    James (Iakovos) the Apostle, brother of Our Lord

    Akathist to St James, Brother of Our Lord

BACK TO TOP

Prayers, Intersessions and Commemorations

Cross2

Joseph, Williams, Sophia, Robert, Ann, Daria, Dori, John, Evelyn, June, Nina, Joan, John, Alex, Alan, Luke, Kathryn, Anastasia, Glenn, Veronica, Darlyne, Irene, Nancy, Dionysian, Elena, Jevon, Ivan and Joscean.

And for... John, Jennifer, Nicholas, Isabel, Elizabeth, John, Jordan, Michael, Lee, Eva, Neil, Gina, Joey, Michael, Madelyn, Sofie, Katrina, Olena, Valeriy, Olga, Tatiana, Dimitri, Alexander and Maxim.

All of our College Students: Alex, Katy, Kaitlyn, Jack, Connor, Nadia and Matthew. 

We celebrate:

Susan Hayes and Victor Hoehnebart on the occasion of their birthdays; Joan and John Skrobat on the occasion of their anniversary.

Memory Eternal: Deborah Bray

Pray for:All those confined to hospitals, nursing homes, and their own homes due to illness; for all those who serve in the armed forces; widows, orphans, prisoners, victims of violence, and refugees;

All those suffering chronic illness, financial hardship, loneliness, addictions, abuse, abandonment and despair; those who are homeless, those who are institutionalize, those who have no one to pray for them;

All Orthodox seminarians & families; all Orthodox monks and nuns, and all those considering monastic life; all Orthodox missionaries and their families.

All those who have perished due to hatred and intolerance and all those departed this life in the hope of the Resurrection.

Today we commemorate:

Fathers of the 7th Ecumenical Council. Ven. Euthymius the New, of Thessalonica, Monk of Mt. Athos (889). Martyr Lucian, Presbyter of Antioch (312). St. John, Bishop of Suzdal’ (14th c.). Hieromartyr Lucian, Presbyter of the Kiev Caves (Far Caves—1243). Martyrs Sarbelius and Bebaia (Barbea) of Edessa (2nd c.). St. Sabinus, Bishop of Catania (760).

 

 

 

BACK TO TOP

Bulletin Inserts

BACK TO TOP

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the 2nd Tone

When Thou didst descend unto death, O Life Immortal, then didst Thou slay Hades with the lightning of Thy Divinity. And when Thou didst also raise the dead out of the nethermost depths, all the powers in the Heavens cried out: O Life-giver, Christ our God, glory be to Thee.

Apolytikion for Sun. of the 7th Ecumenical Council in the 8th Tone

Most glorified art Thou, O Christ our God, Who hast established our Fathers as luminous stars upon the earth, and through them didst guide us all to the true Faith. O Most Merciful One, glory be to Thee.

Seasonal Kontakion in the 2nd Tone

O Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the creator most constant: O despise not the voices of those who have sinned; but be quick, O good one, to come unto our aid, who in faith cry unto thee: Hasten to intercession and speed thou to make supplication, O thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.
BACK TO TOP

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. 4th Tone. Daniel 3.26,27.
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers.
Verse: For you are just in all you have done.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to Titus 3:8-15.

Titus, my son, the saying is sure. I desire you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to apply themselves to good deeds; these are excellent and profitable to men. But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels over the law, for they are unprofitable and futile. As for a man who is factious, after admonishing him once or twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is perverted and sinful; he is self-condemned.

When I send Artemas or Tychicos to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. And let our people learn to apply themselves to good deeds, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not to be unfruitful.

All who are with me send greeting to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the 7th Ecumenical Council
The Reading is from Luke 8:5-15

The Lord said this parable: "A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the path, and was trodden under foot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew, and yielded a hundredfold." And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience." As he said these things, he cried out "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

BACK TO TOP

Wisdom of the Fathers

For by seed here He means His doctrine, and by land, the souls of men, and by the sower, Himself .... For as the sower makes no distinction in the land submitted to him, but simply and indifferently casts his seed; so He Himself too makes no distinction of rich and poor, of wise and unwise, of slothful or diligent, of brave or cowardly; but He discourses unto all, fulfilling His part, although foreknowing the results.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 44 on Matthew 12, 4th Century

When you see life's pleasures, beware that they might not distract you, for they conceal death's snares. Likewise a fisherman casts not his hook to no purpose. As bait for his hook, the enemy uses the delusion of sensuality to arouse desire, that he might thereby catch men's souls and subject them to himself. A soul which has been caught to serve the enemy's will then serves as a snare for other souls, for it conceals the grief of sin with its apparent delight.
St. Ephraim the Syrian
A Spiritual Psalter no 43, pg. 74, 4th century

BACK TO TOP

In House

Burnbush

Commemoration of the Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council

Troparion & Kontakion

Today the Church remembers the 350 holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council under the holy Patriarch Tarasius (February 25).

The Synod of 787, the second to meet at Nicea, refuted the Iconoclast heresy during the reign of Empress Irene and her son Constantine VI.

The Council decreed that the veneration of icons was not idolatry (Exodus 20:4-5), because the honor shown to them is not directed to the wood or paint, but passes to the prototype (the person depicted). It also upheld the possibility of depicting Christ, Who became man and took flesh at His Incarnation. The Father, on the other hand, cannot be represented in His eternal nature, because “no man has seen God at any time” (John 1:18).

In Greek practice, the holy God-bearing Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council are commorated on October 11 (if it is a Sunday), or on the Sunday which follows October 11. According to the Slavic MENAION, however, if the eleventh falls on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, the service is moved to the preceding Sunday.

BACK TO TOP