St. Alexis of Wilkes-Barre Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2020-01-12
Bulletin Contents
Allsaint
Organization Icon
St. Alexis of Wilkes-Barre Orthodox Church

General Information

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

  • PO Box 134, 108 E Main St

  • Clinton, CT 06413-0134


Contact Information



Services Schedule

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)

Weekly Services
Tuesdays at 8:30a - Daily Matins
Wednesdays at 6:00p - General Confession; First Wed of the Month
(The Church is open at 4:30p for "Open Doors" - during fasting seasons or by appointment).
Thursday at 8:30a - Daily Matins
Saturday at 5:30p - Great Vespers
Sunday at 9:30a - Divine Liturgy

Members of our Parish Council are:
Joseph Barbera - Council Member at Large
Dori Kuziak - Council Secretary
Natalie Kucharski - Council Treasurer
Glenn PenkoffLidbeck - Council President
Kyle Hollis - Member at Large
Roderick Seurattan - Council Vice President

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

Announcements

House Blessings Continue

Ministry Meetings

Beginning next Sunday, the 19th, I would like to reestablish the weekly ministry meetings; beginning with Evangelism and Outreach. These ministries were put on hiatus last year as we focused on our 25th Anniversary. We will now refocus our mission and will be discussing procedures and process at these meetings.

January 19 is “Sanctity of Life Sunday”

https://www.oca.org/news/headline-news/january-19-is-sanctity-of-life-sunday

Pledges

If you have not yet given me you pledge slip for 2020, please do so as soon as possible. We really need everyone to complete this form as it helps with the parish financial planning as well as your involvment with parish ministries. 

BACK TO TOP

Prayers, Intercessions and Commemorations

Christ_forgiveness

William, Sophia, Robert, Ann, Evelyn, Nina, John, Alex, Vincent, James, Luke, Aaron, Kathryn, Veronica, Richard, Darlyne, Irene, Nancy, Susanne
All of our College Students: Alex, Sam, Nadia, Isaac, Jack and Matthew.
___

Many Years! to Natalie Kucharski on the occasion of her Name's Day (St Tatiana), and to Gail Kuziak, and Stephen Wexell on the occasion of their birthdays.

Memory Eternal: Victor Kuziak

___

  • 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:

Afterfeast of the TheophanySunday after Theophany. Martyr Tatiana of Rome and those who suffered with her (226-235). Ven. Martinian, Abbot of Belozersk (1483). Martyr Mertius of Mauretania (284-305). Martyr Peter Apselamus of Palestine (309-310). Ven. Eupraxia of Tabenna, in Egypt (393).

BACK TO TOP

Parish Calendar

  • Services and Events

    January 12 to January 20, 2020

    Sunday, January 12

    St. Tatiana

    Sunday after Epiphany

    Fellowship and Stewardship Ministry

    9:15AM Reading of the 3rd Hour

    9:30AM Divine Liturgy

    Monday, January 13

    Ellen Page - B

    Afterfeast of the Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

    Tuesday, January 14

    Gail Kuziak

    Leavetaking of the Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

    Stephen Wexell

    8:30AM Daily Matins

    9:00AM Bible Study

    Wednesday, January 15

    John the Hut-Dweller

    Thursday, January 16

    Veneration of Apostle Peter's Precious Chains

    8:30AM Daily Matins

    Friday, January 17

    Anthony the Great

    Saturday, January 18

    Athanasios and Cyril, Patriarchs of Alexandria

    Repose of Victor Kuziak

    5:30PM Great Vespers

    Sunday, January 19

    12th Sunday of Luke

    Evangelism and Outreach Ministry meeting

    Sanctity of Life

    9:15AM Reading of the 3rd Hour

    9:30AM Divine Liturgy

    Monday, January 20

    Righteous Euthymius the Great

BACK TO TOP

Saints and Feasts

Allsaint
January 12

Tatiana the Martyr of Rome

Saint Tatiana was the daughter of a most distinguished consul of Rome. She became a deaconess of the Church, and for her confession of the Faith of Christ, she endured many torments. As she was suffering, angels punished her tormentors with the same torments they inflicted on her, until they cried out that they could no longer endure the scourges invisibly brought upon them. She was beheaded during the reign of Alexander Severus (111-135).


Allsaint
January 13

Hilary of Poitiers

The holy Hierarch Hilary was born of pagan parents in Gaul, and was trained in philosophy and rhetoric. At a time when paganism was still strong in Gaul, Saint Hilary understood the falsehood of polytheism, and became a Christian, and a great defender of his new Faith. About the year 350 he was ordained Bishop of Poitiers, when Arles and Milan were in the hands of the Arians and the Arian Constantius was sole Emperor. Like his contemporary Saint Athanasius, Saint Hilary's episcopate was one long struggle against the Arians. As bishop of Poitiers, Saint Hilary foresaw the future greatness of Martin (see Nov. 12), and attached him to himself. In 355, when required to agree to the condemnation of Saint Athanasius passed by the Council of Milan, Hilary wrote an epistle to Constantius convicting the wrongs done by the Arians and requesting, among other things, the restoration of the Orthodox bishops, including Athanasius. For this, Hilary was banished to Asia Minor, where he wrote his greatest work, On the Trinity. Saint Hilary returned to his see in 360, where Saint Martin sought him out again. It was this time that Saint Hilary blessed Martin to found a monastery near Poitiers, where Martin remained until being consecrated Bishop of Tours in 371. In his last years, Saint Hilary, strove for the deposition of Auxentius, the Arian Bishop of Milan, but by affecting an Orthodox confession Auxentius retained his see. Saint Hilary reposed in peace about the year 368. Auxentius died in 374 and was succeeded by Saint Ambrose, who continued Saint Hilary's battle against Arianism.

Allsaint
January 14

Sabbas (Sava), Archbishop of Serbia

Saint Sabbas (Sava), the first Archbishop and teacher of the Serbs, and the most beloved of all the Saints of Serbia, was born in 1169, and was named Rastko by his parents. He was the son of Stephen Nemanja, the ruler of Serbia, who is better known as Saint Symeon the Myrrh-streamer (see Feb. 13). As a young man, Rastko fled secretly to the Holy Mountain, Athos, to the Monastery of Saint Panteleimon. When his father learned of his flight, he sent soldiers after him. Before they could seize him, he was tonsured a monk with the name of Sabbas, after Saint Sabbas the Sanctified (celebrated Dec. 5). Soon after, he entered the Monastery of Vatopedi, where his father joined him in 1197. Together they rebuilt the Monastery of Hilandar and made it a great spiritual center for their countrymen. In 1200 Saint Symeon reposed, and his body became a source of holy myrrh; in 1204 Saint Sabbas was compelled to return to Serbia with his father's relics, that he might restore peace between his two brothers, who were struggling over the rule of the kingdom. The grace of Saint Symeon's relics, and the mediations of Saint Sabbas, healed the division between his brethren. After persuading the Emperor in Constantinople and the Ecumenical Patriarch to grant autocephaly to the Serbian Church, the Saint against his will was ordained first Archbishop of his native land in 1219, where he labored diligently to establish the Orthodox Faith. In 1221 he crowned his brother Stephen first King of Serbia (the memory of Saint Stephen, First Crowned King of Serbia, is kept on September 24). In 1234, foreseeing by divine grace his coming departure to the Lord, he resigned the archiepiscopal throne, named his disciple Arsenius as his successor, and made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and Mount Sinai; while returning through Bulgaria, he fell asleep in peace in 1236. Because he has been ever since the national hero of Serbia and an invincible bulwark strengthening the Orthodox Faith, the Moslem Turks burned his incorrupt relics in the year 1594. See also June 28.

Allsaint
January 14

Nina of Georgia

The holy virgin Nina was from Cappadocia. According to some, her father Zabulon was a friend of the holy Great Martyr George, whose father was a Cappadocian. The conversion of Georgia by Saint Nina is reported in the Church histories of Rufinus, Socrates, Sozomen, and Theodoret: Rufinus, writing less than a hundred years after Saint Nina, said that he heard the history in Jerusalem from a Georgian Prince named Bacurius. Saint Nina was taken captive by the Georgians (whom the Greek accounts call Iberians), and while in captivity she lived a very devout life of sobriety and virtue, praying unceasingly night and day; this drew the attention of the Georgians, and to all who asked her about her way of life, she preached the dispensation of Christ. When she healed by her prayer a certain woman's sick child, whom no one else had been able to help, the report of her came to the ears of the Queen of Georgia, who was herself gravely afflicted with an incurable malady. She asked that the captive women be brought to her, but Saint Nina declined out of modesty, so the Queen commanded them to carry her to Nina. Saint Nina healed her immediately, and the Queen returned home in joy. When she extolled Nina and her faith to the king, he gave her no heed, although she mentioned it to him often. But while hunting in the forest, he was shrouded with an impenetrable darkness in which he lost his way, became separated from his men, and fell into despair; he made a vow that if Christ should deliver him, he would worship him alone. The light of day straightway shone again, and the king fulfilled his vow. He and the Queen were instructed in the Faith by Saint Nina, and they with the whole Georgian nation became Christ's. The King also sent an embassy to Saint Constantine the Great, informing him of their conversion, and requesting that priests be sent to Georgia. Saint Nina reposed in peace in about the year 335. The above-mentioned Church historians speak of her without calling her Nina. She is celebrated in the Roman Martyrology on December 15 under the name Christina.

Because of the Apodosis of the Feast of Holy Theophany also on the 14th of January, the liturgical services to Saint Nina are transferred to January 13th.


Peter
January 16

Veneration of Apostle Peter's Precious Chains

Herod Agrippa, the grandson of Herod the Great and king of the Jews, grew wroth against the Church of Christ, and slew James, the brother of John the Evangelist. Seeing that this pleased the Jews, he took Peter also into custody and locked him up in prison, intending to keep him there until after the feast of the Passover, so that he could win the favour of the people by presenting him to them as a victim. But the Apostle was saved when he was miraculously set free by an Angel (Acts 12:1-19). The chains wherewith the Apostle was bound received from his most sacred body the grace of sanctification and healing, which is bestowed upon the faithful who draw nigh with faith.

That such sacred treasures work wonders and many healings is witnessed by the divine Scripture, where it speaks concerning Paul, saying that the Christians in Ephesus had such reverence for him, that his handkerchiefs and aprons, taken up with much reverence, healed the sick of their maladies: "So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them" (Acts 19:12). But not only the Apostles' clothing (which certainly touched the bodies of the sick), but even their shadow alone performed healings. On beholding this, people put their sick on stretchers and beds and brought them out into the streets that, when Peter passed by, his shadow "might overshadow some of them"(Acts 5:15). From this the Orthodox Catholic Church has learned to show reverence and piety not only to the relics of their bodies, but also in the clothing of God's Saints.


BACK TO TOP

Hymns of the Day

Angel_design

Tone 5 Troparion  (Resurrection)

Let us, the faithful, praise and worship the Word,
co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit,
born for our salvation from the Virgin;
for He willed to be lifted up on the Cross in the flesh,
to endure death,
and to raise the dead//
by His glorious Resurrection.

 Tone 1 Troparion of the Feast

When You, O Lord, were baptized in the Jordan,
the worship of the Trinity was made manifest.
For the voice of the Father bore witness to Thee,
calling You His Beloved Son;
and the Spirit in the form of a dove
confirmed the truthfulness of His word.
O Christ our God, You have revealed Yourself,//
and have enlightened the world, glory to You.

Tone 5 Kontakion  (Resurrection)

You descended into hell, O my Savior,
shattering its gates as Almighty,
resurrecting the dead as Creator,
and destroying the sting of death.
You have delivered Adam from the curse, O Lover of Man,//
and we cry to You: “O Lord, save us!”

Tone 4 Kontakion (Martyr Tatiana of Rome)

In your sufferings you shone brightly
in the royal purple of your blood,
and like a beautiful dove you flew to heaven,
passion-bearer Tatiana.//
Therefore, always pray for those who honor you!

Tone 8 Kontakion (St Sava, Enlightener of Serbia)

Your church glorifies you as its first great hierarch and the Apostles’ companion, O ven’rable one.
Since you have boldness before Christ God,
Save us by your prayers from every tribulation, so that we may cry out to you:
“Rejoice, O divinely-wise Father Sava!”

Tone 4 Kontakion of the Feast

Today You have shone forth to the world, O Lord,
and the light of Your countenance has been marked on us.
Knowing You, we sing Your praises:
“You have come and revealed Yourself,//
O unapproachable Light.”

(Instead of “It is truly meet,” we sing:) 
 
Magnify, O my soul, the most-pure Virgin Theotokos, 
more honorable than the heavenly hosts.
 
No tongue knows how to praise you worthily, O Theotokos; 
even Angels are overcome with awe praising you.
But since you are good, accept our faith;
for you know our love inspired by God.
You are the defender of Christians, and we magnify you.

Communion Hymn

The grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men.
Praise the Lord from the heavens! Praise Him in the highest!  Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

BACK TO TOP

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. 1st Tone. Psalm 32.22,1.
Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 4:7-13.

BRETHREN, grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it is said, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." (in saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.


Gospel Reading

Sunday after Epiphany
The Reading is from Matthew 4:12-17

At that time, when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned." From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."


BACK TO TOP

Wisdom of the Fathers

For as persons not even knowing where to put a step forward, so they sat, overtaken by the darkness.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 14 on Matthew 4, 4th Century

Take heed, then, often to come together to give thanks to God, and show forth His praise. For when ye assemble frequently in the same place, the powers of Satan are destroyed, and the destruction at which he aims is prevented by the unity of your faith.
St. Ignatius of Antioch
Epistle to the Ephesians Ch. 13, 2nd century

BACK TO TOP

Beyond the Sermon

Burnbush

My Light in the World

 

As Orthodox Christians, what?s the first thing we do when we walk into to the church? If we say ?have a lengthy conversation with fellow parishioner? that may be true but of course it is not correct. The first thing we do, or that we are supposed to do, is light a candle, saying a prayer, placing it in the sand, venerating the icon and then taking our place in the nave to worship God. The practice of lighting a candle when entering is rooted in the Paschal tradition of receiving the light of Christ from the priest at the midnight Resurrection service. He exits the altar with a lit candle while the following hymn is chanted: ?Come receive the light from the light, that is never overtaken by night; and glorify Christ who is risen from the dead? (Deute lavete phos?). The utter darkness within the building is quickly overcome with light as the priest passes the flame to the faithful and they in turn pass it on to others. 

   This same light is given to each one of us at our baptism, when our nouna or nouno (godmother or godfather) holds the candle and us, processing around the font as we chant, ?All those who have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Alleluia!? We are to carry this light with us into our marriage as both the husband and wife hold a lit candle during the wedding ceremony/sacrament. This light also accompanies us when we die and return to Christ as the lit candle is placed at the end of our casket on the solea in the church.

   Jesus said, ?I am the light of the world? (John 8:12). We not only receive His light in baptism, we become light ourselves. This is why Jesus says to His disciples in today?s gospel reading (Matthew 5:14-19) for the Feast of the Three Hierarchs, ?you are the light of the world? (v.14). Notice that he did not say, ?you are the light of your little group? or ?you are the light of Jerusalem.? He says, ?You are the light of the world.? He does not say to us, ?You are the light of St. George Church? or ?of the city of St. Paul?. ?You are the light of the world? implies that the light must be shared and spread throughout the whole world. The light of Christ is not to hidden by putting it under a basket (v.15). Of course, the light begins spreading with us and our close circle of family and friends. We cannot be invisible Christians because an invisible Christian is no Christian at all. The Gospel of the Baptismal service (Mt.28:16-20) is about the Great Commission in which Jesus tells the apostles to go unto all the world and baptize (v.19), thereby spreading His light.

   Christ says in today?s gospel passage, ?Let your light shine so that people may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is heaven? (v.16). The implicit message here is that the light of Christ shines through good works done in His name with humility. We do not do good in this world to bring glory to ourselves but to bring glory to God the Father from other people. This good, what we call righteousness, is explained in the rest of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) that follows today?s gospel. In that sermon Jesus points to the deeper meaning of the Law of Moses. Our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees in Jesus time (Mt.5:20). We do not murder, but we must also stamp out anger within us (vv.21-26). We do not commit adultery nor fornication, but we must also quell lustful desire within us (vv.27-32). We do not swear or take an oath falsely, but we should strive never to have to take an oath in the first place. Our yes, should always be yes and our no should always be no (vv.33-37). We should resist evil but not with equal action. Rather, we turn our cheek, returning good for evil (vv.38-42). We love our neighbor but we should love our enemies also (vv.43-48). These are some of the many ways we can let the light of Christ shine.

   A candle or an oil lamp or the battery of a flashlight will eventually wear down and burn out. Therefore it must be replenished in order to radiate light. In a similar manner, the light of Christ within us must be replenished. How? Looking back to our baptism, this sacrament in the early Church was called ?fotisma/fotisis? or ?illumination.? Before being baptized, the catechumen faces the West, the direction where the sun sets, which is symbolic of darkness and evil, and then renounces Satan. After this, the catechumen faces the East, where the sun rises, and professes adherence to Christ, ?I do unite myself to Christ!? This action of turning, from darkness to light, from Satan to Christ is called repentance and we need to do it often, as much as possible?everyday?even every minute if necessary. 

   Fr. Anthony Coniaris says that the light (of Christ) will not remain in us as long as we are harboring an unconfessed sin. The natural fallen humanity within us has a perverse antipathy to the Light because it exposes sins. Therefore, sin must go if the light is to remain. That will not happen if we love darkness more than light (John 1:?). Likely, many people are atheists for moral, rather than intellectual, reasons. They choose darkness over light, atheism over belief. Listen to John the Evangelist, ?19And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed? (Jn.3:19-20). When the sun shines into the altar through the windows of the apse, I can see all the cobwebs and dust on the tabernacle and altar table. Without the sun I thought everything was clean. It wasn?t but as soon as I noticed it, I cleaned it. Likewise, Bishop Theophan the Recluse says that when the light of Christ shines on us and reveals our sins, we need to repent immediately and let Jesus erase those sins.

   Fr. Coniaris goes on, we should ask ourselves, ?What do a car headlight covered with mud, a window covered with soot, and a person spotted with sin have in common?? The answer is that all are incapable of allowing light to shine for the benefit of others. It doesn?t matter how bright and pure the light is, the net result will be dimness and darkness until the filth is dealt with. The problem is not the source of the light (Jesus) but the vessel through which the light is shining. Thus, we can block, dim, color or distort the light of Christ that is shining forth from us. Jesus specifically warns us about this possibility. In the Lukan (ch.11) version of today?s passage, He says, 33?No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light. 34The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. 35Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.36If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.? How are we passing along the light of Christ?

   How many of us can find our tv remote when it?s completely dark? We can if it?s always clutched in our hand but if not, we can find it because the buttons glow. That?s because they have a phosphorus element which absorbs light and then slowly releases it. At or shortly after our baptism, we receive the Body and Blood of Christ in the Holy Eucharist. We literally receive the light of Christ within us and we must keep receiving it in order for us to keep glowing. The practice of never or rarely receiving Holy Communion is a relic of our pious but ignorant past. Frequent communion, along with frequent confession is the ideal according to the canons and teachings of the saints. Moses? face was shining when he descended from Mt. Sinai after being in God?s presence (Gen.?). St. Stephen the Archdeacon, because of his great faith, his face was shining as he was being stoned to death by the Jews (Acts 6-7). Jesus Himself, His face was shining as bright as the sun when He was transfigured on Mt. Tabor revealing His glorious divinity to His disciples. 

   If we think our problems to big, our sins to great or our God to small to help us, consider that one small candle can burn down a whole house and a city (Mrs. O?Leary?s cow in Chicago). One small candle can illumine the path for a traveler at night. Likewise, just a tiny spark of faith can kindle a life-changing revolution within us. I will conclude with the words of Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the Russian Orthodox Soviet dissident. ?Gradually, it was disclosed to me that the line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either?but right through every human heart?Since then I have come to understand the truth of all the religions of the world: they struggle with the evil inside every human being. It?s impossible to expel evil from the world in its entirety, but it is possible to construct it within each person? (The Gulag Archipelago).

   The revolutions of the world try to destroy the outer evils, but they cannot touch the inner evil in man?s heart. That is why they are doomed to failure. The only true revolution is the one instituted by Jesus Christ?the revolution called repentance.

http://www.stgeorgegoc.org/pastors-corner/fr-ricks-sermons/my-light-in-the-world

BACK TO TOP

Bulletin Inserts

    2020 Stewardship Form

    2020 Stewardship Form

    Please think and pray seriously about completing this form and returning it to me. It represents your commitment to this parish, the Body of Christ, and to one another. Thank you. Fr Steven


BACK TO TOP