Please see our online calendar for dates and times of Feast Day services.
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:
Joseph Barbera - Council Member at Large
Dori Kuziak - Council Secretary
Carolyn Neiss - Vice President
Marlene Melesko - Council Member at Large
Kyle Hollis - President
Roderick Seurattan - Treasurer
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.
This bulletin is being sent out early, via the internet; because of the Diocese Assembly, I will not have time to work on it as usual.
Return of "regular" Daily Services
Beginning this week, I am returning to regular daily services on Tuesday and Thursday. Routinely, these will be Daily Matins services, but they could also be Akathists as well. Akathists will be servced as is appropriate as well. These morning services will be held virtually for the time being. All Akathists will be held virtually as well.
Open Doors
Beginning Wednesday, Nov 4th, I will be making myself available via Zoom during Open Doors, as well as having the church open. The Zoom meeting will be open, but it would certainly help if you let me know that you want to "call in" before hand.
A couple of "Important" Dates
November 2nd: Election Day
November 7th: End of Day Light Savings Time
November 11th: Veterans Day
November 15th: Beginning of Nativity Fast
Annual Meeting
This year's Annual Meeting will be held on Sunday, November 14th, after Liturgy; it will be both in person and via Zoom (although this may be subject to change). Members of the Nominations adhoc Committee will be floating around asking for your willingness to be nominated for the Parish Council (2 positions), an Auditor (1), delegate to the Diocesan Assembly (1), and a deligate to the All-American Council (1). Please prayerfully consider becoming involved the parish administration ministries.
If anyone has any resolutions or such that you wish to be presented at the Annual Meeting, they should be presented to the parish council no later than Sunday, Nov 7th.
Stewardship form will be distributed over the next few weeks. The council is asking that members be prepared to return these forms at the Annual Meeting. If you do not intend to attand the Annual Meeting, please make arrangements to return your stewardship forms as soon as possible.
More information can be obtains about the All American Council at this web site: https://www.oca.org/aac/
Web Site
I would love to have the photographs on our web site updated. If someone would be willing to take pictures during and throughout services, please let me know.
The Chosen
The Chosen is: https://watch.angelstudios.com/thechosen
While this is not an endorsement, I provide this information because I have been asked about it. I have begun watching the series myself, but have only gotten into two or so episodes thus far. If enough people become interested, I am certainly willing to have a more directed conversation about the series. I have yet to determine the "orthodoxy" of this production.
Archpriest Dennis, Archpriest Michael, Deacon Timothy, Evelyn, Katheryn, Anne, Aaron, Veronica, Richard, Nancy, Susanne, Carol, Alexander, Gail, Kelley, Nina, Ellen, Maureen, Elizabeth, Christopher, Joshua, Jennifer, Petra, Olivia, Jessica, Sean, Sarah, Justin, Dayna and Maria.
Please pray for our catecuments: Daniel, Gregory and David.
Memory Eternal for Joan Narvaro and the newly departed David.
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Hieromartyr Archpriest John Kochurov (1917). Apostles of the Seventy: Stachys, Amplias, Urban, Narcissus, Apelles, and Aristobulus (1st c.). Martyr Epimachus of Alexandria (250). Ven. Spyridon and Νikόdēmos the Prosphora-bakers, of the Kiev Caves (Far Caves—12th c.). St. Maura of Constantinople (5th c.).
6th Sunday of Luke
Martyrdom of St. John Kochurov
9:30AM Divine Liturgy
+Joan Narvaro
Cosmas and Damian the Holy Unmercenaries of Asia, and their mother Theodota
The Holy Martyrs Acindynos, Pegasios, Aphthonios, Elpidophoros, and Anempodistos
8:30AM Daily Matins
Acepsimas the Bishop, Joseph the Presbyter, & Aeithalas the Deacon, Martyrs of Persia
4:30PM Open Doors
6:00PM General Confession
Joannicius the Great
8:30AM Daily Matins
7:00PM Book Study
Galaktion & his wife Episteme, the Martyrs of Emesa
Paul the Confessor, Patriarch of Constantinople
5:30PM Great Vespers
7th Sunday of Luke
9:15AM Divine Liturgy
Synaxis of the Archangel Michael & the other Bodiless Powers: Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Salaphiel, Jegudiel, & Barachiel
Repose of Mother Olga
Of these holy Apostles, Stachys became the first Bishop of Byzantium, consecrated by the Apostle Andrew. Having shepherded his people for sixteen years, he reposed in the Lord. As for the others, each one shone forth in the episcopal see appointed to him: Apelles, Bishop of Heraclea; Amplias, Bishop of Odyssopolis; Urban, Bishop of Macedonia; Narcissus, Bishop of Athens; and Aristobulus, Bishop of Britain.
These Saints were from Asia (that is, Asia Minor). After the death of their father, their Christ-loving mother Theodota reared them in piety and in all manner of virtue, and had them instructed in every science, especially that of medicine. This became their vocation, and they went about healing every illness and malady, bestowing healing freely on both men and beasts alike; because of this, they are called "Unmercenaries." And thus, having completed the course of their life, they reposed in peace.
Saint Joannicius was born in Bithynia about the year 740. His father was named Myritrikes and his mother Anastaso When he had reached maturity, he excelled in soldiery and was counted worthy of royal honours for his bravery. He had been brought up an iconoclast, but while yet a soldier, he was converted to Orthodoxy by a certain holy elder. He later forsook all things and departed for Mount Olympus, where he spent the remainder of his life in asceticism. Becoming great in virtue, he reposed in the Lord in the year 834, having lived some ninety-four years. To this Saint is ascribed the brief prayer, "My hope is the Father . . . ."
Tone 2 Troparion (Resurrection)
When You descended to death, O Life Immortal,
You slew hell with the splendor of Your Godhead.
And when from the depths You raised the dead,
all the powers of heaven cried out://
“O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory to You!”
Tone 1 Troparion (St. John)
You were revealed to all as a true shepherd
O Hieromartyr John of Chicago,
for you nurtured your people in the Orthodox Faith,
guiding them by word and deed on the path of salvation,
and defended the Faith even unto the shedding of your blood.
Therefore we your spiritual children cry out in thanksgiving:
“Glory to Him Who gave you strength!
Glory to Him Who granted you the Martyr’s ^crown!//
Glory to Him Who through you grants mercy to all!”
Tone 2 Kontakion (Resurrection)
Hell became afraid, O almighty Savior,
seeing the miracle of Your Resurrection from the tomb!
The dead arose! Creation, with Adam, beheld this and rejoiced with You,//
and the world, my Savior, praises You forever.
Tone 3 Kontakion (for St. John)
Now the holy Hieromartyr is glorified,
for he took up his cross and followed Christ.
In so doing, he gave us a model of true discipleship.
Therefore, let us cry aloud to him: //
“Rejoice, O Father John, the glory of priests!”
Alternate Troparion and Kontakion
Tone 1 Troparion (St. John)
Aflame with love for God,
you gave your life as a martyr for Christ and ^neighbor,
for this you received a crown of righteousness from Him.
Hieromartyr John, entreat the most merciful God
to preserve the Holy Church in peace and to save our souls!
Tone 8 Kontakion (St. John)
As you zealously fulfilled your pastoral service,
you brought your soul to God as a well-pleasing sacrifice, O Father John.//
Entreat Christ God to grant peace to the world and great mercy to our souls!
Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest! (Ps. 148:1)
The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. He shall not fear evil tidings. (Ps. 111:6)
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Prokeimenon. 2nd Tone. Psalm 117.14,18.
The Lord is my strength and my song.
Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely.
The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 11:31-33; 12:1-9.
Brethren, the God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed for ever, knows that I do not lie. At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to seize me, but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped his hands.
I must boast; there is nothing to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven -- whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into Paradise --whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows -- and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. Though if I wish to boast, I shall not be a fool, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me; but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
The Reading is from Luke 8:26-39
At that time, as Jesus arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, there met him a man from the city who had demons; for a long time he had worn no clothes and he lived not in a house but among the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and said with a loud voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech you, do not torment me." For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him; he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters, but he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the desert.) Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them leave. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. When the herdsmen saw what happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country. Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how he who had been possessed with demons was healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them; for they were seized with great fear; so he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but he sent him away, saying, "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.
Proclamation for the Glorification of St. John in 1994
November 29 - December 2, 1994
St. Daniel’s Monastery, Moscow, Russia
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit!
Cognizant of Her unbroken connection with the synaxis of the new martyrs of Russia, the Russian Orthodox Church continues to glorify individually those who, during the persecutions to which the Orthodox Church in Russia was subjected, through their righteous lives and martyrs’ death, manifested the highest ideal given to the Church of Christ by the Holy Apostle Paul: “For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord” (Rom 14:8).
The first clergyman of the Russian Orthodox Church whom Our Lord Jesus Christ made worthy of bearing a martyr’s crown in the twentieth century from the hands of the godless Bolshevik authorities, the first murdered Russian Orthodox priest, about whom the Holy Confessor Patriarch Tikhon said: “Adorned with a martyr’s crown, the reposed pastor now stands before the throne of God among the chosen faithful of Christ’s flock,” was destined to be the zealous parish priest, and inspired witness “even unto death” (Rev 12:11) of Christ’s Truth - Archpriest John Kochurov, who met a martyr’s death at the hands of apostates and fighters of God on October 31, 1917, in Tsarskoye Selo.
The Holy Council, having examined the zealous service and martyr’s death of Archpriest John Kochurov, is convinced of the holiness of his deeds and hereby decrees:
That Archpriest John Kochurov, killed in Tsarskoye Selo by persecutors of the Church of Christ on October 31, 1917, be numbered among the hieromartyrs for Church-wide veneration.
That the righteous remains of Hieromartyr John, buried in Tsarkoye Selo, henceforth be considered holy relics and be left to the care of God’s mercy, until such time as they may be uncovered.
That the service to Hieromartyr John, following this, the day of his glorification, be the general service for martyrs and that a blessing is given for the composition of a special service to him.
That the memory of Hieromartyr John be celebrated on October 31 according to the Julian Calendar.
That the memory of Hieromartyr John be included in the synaxis of the new martyrs and confessors of Russia.
That an icon for veneration of the newly-glorified Hieromartyr John be written according to the Decree of the Seventh Ecumenical Council.
That the life of Hieromartyr John be published for the edification of the Church’s faithful in piety.
That, on behalf of the Holy Council, the great and grace-filled joy of the glorification of the new hieromartyr of Russia be announced to the flock of All Rus’.
That the name of the newly-glorified hieromartyr be made known to the Primates of the sister Orthodox Churches for inclusion in their calendars.
Through the intercessions and prayers of Hieromartyr John, may the Lord strengthen the faith of all the faithful of the Russian Orthodox Church and bestow His blessing upon them. Amen.
+ ALEKSY
Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
And the Members of the Holy Synod
Cosmas and Damian