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St. Nicholas Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2020-03-22
Bulletin Contents
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St. Nicholas Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • 434-973-2500
  • Street Address:

  • 7581 Rockfish Gap Turnpike

  • Charlottesville, VA 22906
  • Mailing Address:

  • PO Box 6981

  • Charlottesville, VA 22906


Past Bulletins


Weekly Update

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Updated Directive from our Hierarchs

Please see the special announcement from Fr. Charles, sent Tuesday, regarding special instructions from our Council of Bishops. Please continue to check the Weekly Updates, the parish website and special announcements for additional information as it becomes available. 

Due to impacts of the Coronavirus, all special Lenten services are cancelled.  Sunday Divine Liturgy will be offered but only the priest, server and cantors may attend:  no congregation is allowed.

Weekly Sermons from Father

During this period of curtailment of the parish' ability to gather in worship, audio sermons, written meditations and other resources will be posted regularly to the parish website ['Updates from Father Charles' link on the homepage]. Weekly bulletins and email communications will continue. Please use these resources to remain connected to your parish family.

Updated Information for the Semi-Annual Parish Meeting

The semi-annual parish meeting, originally scheduled to convene on 29 March, was primarily to present and approve the budget for the year. Given current restrictions the Parish Board will circulate the proposed budget to the parish via email along with instructions for comment. The Board has further recommend the parish move to one general meeting per year, to occur in late October or early November.  Stand by for additional communications from the Parish Board on these two important items.

Stewardship Reminder

Despite the current (temporary) modification to the parish's schedule of services, meetings, and events, all parishioners are reminded of the pledges they have made as part of their stewardship commitment of time, talent and treasure. Some parishioners may encounter financial hardship during this time of crisis, and we can only give as we are able. That said, the parish must continue to meet its budgetary obligations and operating expenses.  Please consider sending your contributions by to the church via US Mail:

St. Nicholas Orthodox Church

PO Box 6981

Charlottesville, VA 22906

Update From the Charitable Works Service Group

The Charitable Works Service Group has planned two projects during this Lenten season to demonstrate the importance of almsgiving and acts of mercy. The first project involves assembling personal hygiene kits for the Waynesboro Victim-Witness Assistance Program to distribute to trafficking victims.  Each kit should contain shampoo/conditioner, toothbrush and toothpaste, body wash and skin lotion, deodorant, washcloth, and a small snack (granola bar, crackers, etc.).  We encourage each family to contribute one or more of these kits, which can be assembled at home and will be collected at a future date when restructions allow.  The second project is collection of paper towels for Grace Grocery in Crozet.  We ask everyone to contribute one or more paper towel packages.  These also will be collected at the church when restrictions allow.  Please consider these worthy charitable offerings to assist our most vulnerable neighbors, especially in this time of uncertainty and public crisis.

Special Intentions, Needs and Requests

A reminder to contact Father directly (fr.charles@mailbox.org | 443-204-4542) with any special prayer requests, intentions or concerns/needs, and he will make sure these are addressed.

Recent Prayer Requests

+Marcia (reposed 18 March)

+Matthew (anniversary of repose)

Lisa and Daniel (illness)

Karen (recovery)

All medical personnel ministering to the sick

All those in high-risk populations during this pandemic

 

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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Troparion in the 7th Tone

By Your Cross You destroyed death. To the thief You opened Paradise. For the Myrrhbearers You changed weeping into joy. And You commanded Your disciples, O Christ God, to proclaim that You are risen,// granting the world great mercy.

Apolytikion for Sun. of the Holy Cross in the 1st Tone

O Lord, save Your people, and bless Your inheritance! Grant victories to the Orthodox Christians over their adversaries; and by virtue of Your Cross,// preserve Your habitation!

Kontakion (for the Cross) in the 7th Tone

Now the flaming sword no longer guards the gates of Eden; it has been mysteriously quenched by the wood of the Cross. The sting of death and the victory of hell have been vanquished; for You, O my Savior, have come and cried to those in hell:// “Enter again into Paradise!”
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Seventh Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:1-10

On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. 6th Tone. Psalm 27.9,1.
O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance.
Verse: To you, O Lord, I have cried, O my God.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:1-6.

BRETHREN, since we have a high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, "Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee"; as he says also in another place, "Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek."


Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Holy Cross
The Reading is from Mark 8:34-38; 9:1

The Lord said: "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."


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Wisdom of the Fathers

If you would be victorious, taste the suffering of Christ in your person, that you may be chosen to taste His glory. For if we suffer with Him, we shall also be glorified with Him. Blessed are you if you suffer for righteousness' sake. Behold, for years and generations the way of God has been made smooth through the Cross and by death. The way of God is a daily Cross. The Cross is the gate of mysteries.
St. Isaac the Syrian
The Orthodox Way: Revised Edition, SVS Press, p. 129

Nothing comes without effort. The help of God is always ready and always near, but is given only to those who seek and work, and only to those seekers who, after putting all their powers to the test, then cry out with their whole heart: "Lord, help us."
St. Theophan the Recluse
19th Century

When, on this day, we look at the precious Cross of Christ, in faith let us adore it, let us rejoice, and embrace it ardently, beseeching our Lord, who of His own choice gave Himself to be crucified on it, to make us worthy of adoring His most precious Cross so that, free from all defilement, we may attain the day of Resurrection.
Orthros for the Adoration of the Holy Cross

A Christian's . . . duty is to "take up his cross." The word cross means sufferings, sorrows and adversities. To take up one's cross means to bear without grumblings everything unpleasant, painful, sad, difficult and oppressive that ay happen to us in life. . .without expecting any earthly reward in return, but bear it all with love, with joy and with courageous strength.
St. Innocent of Alaska
The Lenten Spring, SVS Press, p. 147, 19th Century

"... For although it be in my power, as Son of God, to hinder thee from having any trial at all of those hardships; yet such is not my will, for thy sake, that thou mayest thyself too contribute something, and be more approved."
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 55 on Matthew 16, 1. B#54, p.339., 4th Century

Interior crosses can found at all times, and more easily than exterior ones. You have only to direct your attention to yourself and examine yourself with a sense of repentance, and a thousand interior crosses will at once present themselves to you. . . Interior crosses are sometimes so burdensome that the sufferer can find no consolation whatever in anything. All this can happen to you too! But in whatever position you may be, and whatever sufferings of the soul you may feel, do not despair and do not think that the Lord has abandoned you. NO! God will always be with you and will invisibly strengthen you even when it seems to you that you are on the very brink of perdition.
St. Innocent of Alaska
The Lenten Spring, SVS Press, p. 148, 19th Century

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Saints and Feasts

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March 22

Sunday of the Holy Cross

With the help of God, we have almost reached the middle of the course of the Fast, where our strength has been worn down through abstinence, and the full difficulty of the labour set before us becomes apparent. Therefore our holy Mother, the Church of Christ, now brings to our help the all-holy Cross, the joy of the world, the strength of the faithful, the staff of the just, and the hope of sinners, so that by venerating it reverently, we might receive strength and grace to complete the divine struggle of the Fast.


Allsaint
March 22

Basil the Holy Martyr of Ancyra

Saint Basil strove in martyrdom during the short reign of Julian the Apostate, from 361-363. The Saint was denounced as a Christian to Saturninus, Governor of Ancyra, who, when Basil would not deny Christ, had him hanged from a post and scraped on his sides, then beaten, and cast into prison. A few days later, when Julian himself came through Ancyra, the Saint was brought before him and was asked to deny Christ, Whom he rather confessed the more. Julian then had strips cut in his flesh, so that they were left hanging from his body in front and in back. The valiant Martyr tore one of these strips off of his body and cast it into Julian's face. At this Julian commanded that iron spits be heated fiery hot; Saint Basil's belly, his back, and all his joints were pierced with them, and he received the crown of martyrdom.


Allsaint
March 22

Kalliniki & Vassilisa the Martyrs


Allsaint
March 22

Euthemios the New Martyr


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