St. Nicholas Orthodox Church Monthly Parish Bulletin
Orthodox Church in America 2143 S. Center Road – Burton, Michigan 48519
Served by: Fr. Matthew-Peter Butrie – Rector Deacons Kerry Luke Gonser & Esteban Julio Vázquez Email: [email protected]
Website: www.saintnicholasburton.org Fr. Matthew’s Email: [email protected]
Cell: 810-247-4265 Church: 810-744-0070
Services: Sunday - 9:30 a.m. Third Hour 10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy Holydays, Vigil and Vespers as announced
Confessions are heard before all morning services and after all evening services.
“But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the
love of God; wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”
St. Jude 1:20
January 1-31, 2016
St. Nicholas on Vermont St. 1916 - 1949
St. Nicholas 1949-1969 St. Nicholas 1969-Present
FROM FATHER’S DESK
Dear faithful and friends of St. Nicholas parish,
This year of 2016 is the centennial year of
our parish. One hundred years ago, Orthodox
Christian faithful who came to the United States
organized the first Orthodox church in Flint,
placing the parish under the patronage and
protection of the wonderworker Saint Nicholas,
the archbishop of Myra in Lycia (modern-day
Turkey). Each month of this year our parish
plans on having a special event to celebrate this
jubilee. One of the ways each household of the
parish will be able to celebrate is through the
pilgrim icon that was commissioned especially
for the 100th
anniversary. Each week of our
anniversary year the icon will be available to go
to the homes of our parishioners so that we may
pray before the icon, asking the intercession of
the Mother of God for each and every one of us.
Fr. Theodore Jurewicz, who did almost
all of the iconography in the present temple,
fashioned the icon of the Mother of God
“Częstochowa” shown here (commemorated
March 6). According to tradition this icon is one
of seventy that the Saint Luke the Evangelist
painted of the Mother of God. This particular
image was painted onto the cedar-wood table-top in the Holy Family’s home. In the year 326 the icon was
given to St. Helen, the mother of St. Constantine the emperor, in the Holy Land. She brought the icon with her
to Constantinople. It remained there for almost five hundred years before it traveled to various places
including Galicia, Bavaria, and Moravia.
In 1382 the Tatars invaded Poland and came to the fortress-city of Belz where the icon of the Mother of
God was kept. Orders were given that the icon be placed on the top of the fortress walls as the Tatars began
their siege. Blood began dripping from the icon where it had been struck by an arrow. A dark cloud then
descended on the Tatars who retreated, defeated.
The icon eventually was transferred to Jasna Góra (“Bright Mountain”) in Częstochowa, Poland where
a monastery was built to house and protect the icon. The image was damaged in the 15th
century when Hussites
attacked the monastery and the icon was struck with a sword twice on the face of the Mother of God leaving
two gashes. The icon at Częstochowa still bears these marks.
When the Swedes invaded Poland they remained almost undefeated until they fought a battle near Jasna
Gora and the place where the icon of the Mother of God was kept. The Poles were able to defeat the Swedes
and in 1656 King Jan Casimir of Poland then decreed that the Mother of God was the Queen of Poland. In
1920, when the Bolshevik army was on the verge of conquering Poland, the “Miracle of the Vistula (River)”
took place when, through the intercession of the Mother of God of Częstochowa, the invading army was turned
back.
Copies of this icon are found in many Orthodox and Catholic monasteries. “Some of these copies are
venerated in the village of Pisarevkain in the Volhynia Province (June 29 and September 8), at Verhnaya
Syrovatka in the Kharkov Province, at Tyvrov in the Vinits Province (Holy Spirit day), in the Kazan Cathedral
at St. Petersburg, and in several other places.” (www.oca.org)
In this, the centenary of the founding of Saint Nicholas parish, we ask the intercession of the Mother of
God who directs us to her Son that we may continue to put our faith in Him who came among us, died for us,
and rose from the dead that we may be living lights of His gospel to all those around us, here in Genesee
County, as our forebears did before us, bearing the Light of Christ in a weary world.
With love in Christ
ANNUAL MEETING The Annual Meeting of Saint Nicholas Parish will be held on Sunday, January 24, 2016
beginning with a short prayer service after the Divine Liturgy. The Meeting will then reconvene in the Parish
Hall. All parish organizations must prepare a report, oral or written, to be given at this meeting. A sub
sandwich lunch will be held.
COMING EVENTS
Theophany Banquet: Sunday, January 10 following the Divine Liturgy.
Winter Dinner for Dormition Monastery to be held on January 28. Please see the sign-up sheet in
this bulletin. ST. CATHERINE’S NEWS as a reminder St. Catherine’s Women’s League meets on the first Sunday of each
month following the Divine Liturgy
Next meeting date: Sunday, February 7 in the conference room following the Divine Liturgy.
Upcoming St. Catherine’s League Events
Dinner Out on January 19 at Italia Gardens in Davison at 6:30 pm. All ladies of the parish are welcome.
The Orthodox Book Club will meet on Monday, January 18 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at St. George. The book we
are reading is The GURUS, the YOUNG MAN, and Elder Paisios by Dionysios Farasiotis. A
powerful memoir of a youth who, desiring to know the truth empirically; began to experiment in
yoga, hypnotism, and various occult techniques. For more information please contact Deacon
Michael Bassett at [email protected]
2016 OFFERING ENVELOPES are ready to be picked up. They are located in the parish hall. If you do not see
envelopes with your name on them and you did not request to no longer receive offering envelopes, please see
Debbie so that she can get envelopes for you.
2016 CALENDARS have arrived they are located in the rear of the church. Please, one per family.
COFFEE HOUR VOLUNTEERS the 2016 coffee hour volunteer schedule has been posted. It is located next to
the kitchen window. The schedule is for the entire year.
MANY THANKS Thank you to everyone that helped with the Cookie
Walk. Thank you to everyone that baked their wonderful cookies, you
helped make the Cookie Walk a success.
To the Serbian Lodge for purchasing the 6 guest chairs for Father
Matthew and Debbie’s office and to those that helped assemble them
WE PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE WITH CHILD
Kelly Bakousidis (Phillip Bakousidis’ wife, Gerry & Lena Bakousidis’ daughter-in-law)
READER SCHEDULE
January February March
3 Amir 7 Amir 6 Taras
10 Johnny 14 Johnny 13 Amir
17 Kathy 21 Kathy 20 Johnny 24 Angelo 28 Angelo 27 Kathy
31 Taras
If you are unable to make your assigned reading date, you must find a replacement.
THIRD HOUR SCHEDULE
January February March
3 Reggie 7 Lucy 6 Reggie 10 Angelo 14 Reggie 13 Angelo
17 Lucy 21 Angelo 20 Lucy 24 Reggie 28 Lucy 27 Reggie
31 Angelo
If you are unable to make your assigned reading date, you must find a replacement.
COMMUNITY REWARDS
KROGER MEIJER
$51.28
YTD Total: $158.71
The parish council will meet on Tuesday, January 12 at 6:45 pm.
Please call the parish office if you are unable to attend this meeting.
AXIOS! Esteban Julio Vázquez, who was ordained into the Holy Diaconate on Saturday, November 21.
HOUSE BLESSIINGS will begin on January 6. See the enclosed flyer to set up your appointment.
BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES
BIRTHDAYS WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES
1 Luai Helal 13 Lloyd & Linda Kilbourne
Lloyd Kilbourne Jr. 14 Randall & Diana Broadfoot
2 Barbara Vuckovich 31 John & Marie Todorovsky
6 Stella Nedanis
10 Jennifer Brucksch
Nikolai Evanenko
15 Luba Yosheff
21 Nancy Borkovich
26 Deborah Gonser-Adams
27 Ressa Borkovich
29 Deacon Kerry-Luke Gonser
NAMESDAYS
1 Bill Cvetkovski 12 Tatyana Eckert
Bill Economou Tatyana Safford
Bill Kosman Tanya Sikorski
Bosiljka Kantar (St. Basil) Tonya Cvetkovski
Vasilios Georgopoulos 14 Benjamin Goodman
Vasilka Karatza Nina Sfetkides
William Zelenko Serafina Naomi Whittaker
2 Julia Peck 17 Anthony Mitevski
Asher (Seraphim) Whittaker 18 Atanas Zelevarovski
Juliana Loomis 21 Janja Beslach
Julie Marie Conover 22 Hayley Louise (Lynn) Paul
3 Genevieve Whittaker Timothy Seeley
Jenna Carole Paul 24 Ksenya Tveritina
Jennifer Broadfoot 25 Gregory Oginsky
Jennifer Lynn Borkovich 28 Les (Ephraim) Ford
Jennifer Nicole Brucksch 31 Atanas Sozovski
Jennifer Nicevski
6 Donna (Ordana) Nedanis
Fannia Young
Fanny Cvetkovski
Fanny Popoff
Jordan Abu-Aita
7 Evanka Zelevarovski
Jeanette Brayan
John Borkovich
John Cvetkovski
John Goodman
Subdeacon Johnny Kantor
John Joseph Tome
John Nastos
John Naum
John Popoff
John Sfetkides
Jonathan Sfetkides
John Zelenko Jr.
JANUARY COFFEE HOUR VOLUNTEERS 3
10 Theophany Banquet
17 Johnny Kantor & Jo Ann Havens
24 Annual Meeting/Sub Sandwich Luncheon
31
MONTH NEED OF THE MONTH January Toilet Paper February Shampoo
March Feminine Care Products
WELCOME TO OUR PARISH FAMILY Ruth & Calvin Conrad and Pam Pitlanish, we are happy to have you
as a part our of parish family!
DOVES FOR THEOPHANY We need donors for the three doves we release at the outdoor Blessing on Water
on January 10. The cost of each dove is $59 for a total of $175.00. Please call the office at 810-744-0070 if you
would like to donate to keep up this special tradition of St. Nicholas Church this Theophany season.
ST. NICHOLAS CHOIR “Every good and perfect gift cometh down from Thee, the Father of Lights” (James
1:17) Have you been blessed with the ability to sing for our Lord? Are you using your voice to be a part of the
body of Christ? Why not raise your voice and be a dedicated choir member. Our choir needs committed people
to join us every Sunday. Can you step up to the plate and commit so St. Nicholas can sing praises unto the
Lord? Please think about this, whether you are a past or a potential choir member. We need you! We are in
need of all parts (sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses). If you enjoy singing, please see our choir director, Reader
Joseph Tome. Thank you to our dedicated choir members and looking forward to welcoming new members!
God bless you! “Serve the Lord with Gladness: come before His presence with singing!” (Psalms 100:2)
TEEN RETREAT St. George will be hosting a retreat for the teens of the Orthodox Churches in Michigan!
The retreat will take place February 26-27, 2016 at Colombiere Conference Center in Clarkston, MI.
Additional information is included on the flyer and registration forms are included in this bulletin.
GODPARENTS’ SUNDAY – FEBRUARY 7 Serving as a godparent is a great blessing and spiritual
responsibility. And if we allow Him to, God nurtures a special spiritual relationship between godchildren and
godparents and with their families as well. Celebrating Godparents’ Sunday is one way of renewing and
reaffirming our relationship with God and the special relationships we enjoy with our godparents and
godchildren. Please make plans to participate in the Divine Liturgy with your godchild/godparent on Sunday,
February 7, 2016 coming to Communion together with them. If your godchild/godparent lives somewhere else,
we encourage you to come with another member their family if they live in town or simply to come by yourself
and offer special prayers for your godchild/godparent.
VISITATION TO THE SICK Fr. Matthew brings Holy Communion to the shut-ins on Mondays. If you would
like to be added to this list, please contact the office. Presently, those receiving weekly visits are: Thomka
Brayanis, Paul Ellis, Aspasia Stathopoulos, Helen Ashmun, Fred Oginsky, Gloria Zelenko and Anne Smith.
Monthly Fr. Matthew visits Larry Bladecki (Bay City) and Peter and Olga Samaras (Caro) and Lydia Keeler
(Flushing).
DAILY INTERCESSION FOR OUR SICK AND HOMEBOUND
The following are our brothers and sisters of St. Nicholas who are currently homebound, suffering from
chronic illness, in recovery or in need of special prayers. Please remember them in your prayers and reach out
to them with a card, a phone call or a visit! Please call the office to schedule a visit for Holy Communion.
Josephine Baker Susan Goodman Lydia Keeler
Larry Bladecki Jo Ann Havens Macy Lemmen
John Bocek Bill Haw Pauline Nenoff Anne Smith
Anna Branoff Helen Iwanoff Fred Oginsky Aspasia Stathopoulos
Linda Branoff Goldie Johnson Ron Salhany Bill Tadrick
Thomka Brayanis Nick Karayanis Peter Samaras Wendy Tadrick
Gladys Edwards Mary Karayanis Olga Samaras Gloria Zelenko
To aid in your outreach, here is a listing of the addresses and phone numbers of our Homebound:
Larry Bladecki 409 15th
Street Bay City, MI 48708
Thomka Brayanis 11941 S. Belsay Rd #223B Grand Blanc, MI 48439
Gladys Edwards 2 Harbor Dr. St. Clair, MO 63077
Goldie Johnson 310 E. Willard Ave Lansing, MI 48910
Lydia Keeler 4104 Squire Hill Dr. Flushing, MI 48433 733-8053
Pete & Olga Samaras 75 Roedel Dr. Caro, MI 48723 989-673-0821
Anne Smith 3375 N. Linden Rd #306 Flint, MI 48504
Aspasia Stathopoulos 4064 Sheraton Dr. Flint, MI 48532
Gloria Zelenko 5191 Woodhaven Ct #722 Flint, MI 48532
Poinsettias
Bosa Kantar Milutin, Anka, Pavle, Milan, Bogdan, Bogdana, Saja, Milica,
Milutin, Pera, Rade, Nikola, Dane, Radic, Rade
Vladimir & Zina Pyatenko In honor of Vladimir, Zina, Gene, Lois, Michael, Carol, Ashley, Chris, Hunter, Wesley & Ryan
Lucy Hogg In memory of Ivan Ponomarenko In memory of Evdokia Ponomarenko
Kira Rabkina In memory of Luba & Don Stevens
Stojan & Mira Prusac In honor of Stojan & Mira Prusac In memory of Danica, Milosh, Mary, Milka, Luka, Mara, Marko, Rosemary, Agata
Val Evanenko In honor of Helen Ethington In memory of Sam & Vera Chorenko
Vladimir & Taisa Akkerman In honor of Vladimir, Taisa & Eugene
Maria Green In memory of Roger Green, Kosta & Eleni Nedanis
Allen & Deborah Adams In memory of John Skolnick
Nick & Connie Maxim In honor of Nick & Connie Maxim, our children and grandchildren
Helen Ethington In memory of Vasil & Maria Samaras and Don Ethington
10 Inch Wreath Diane Broadfoot In memory of Mildred Bladecki
24 Inch Wreaths Dorothy Goodman & Family In memory of Joseph Goodman Allen & Deborah Adams In memory of Joe & Mickey Gonser
36 Inch Wreaths Tom Branoff & Family In memory of Stella Branoff Donna & Marv Zischke In memory of Daisy & Sam Marvosh
50 Foot Garland Tom & Marie Batzos In memory of Kosta & Dimitra Georgopoulos
Theophany Banquet
Sunday, January 10, 2016
Following the Divine Liturgy and
Outdoor Blessing of Water
MENU
Lamb or Chicken,
Rice & Vegetables
Bread & Butter
Salad
Dessert
Beverage
Adults: $12.00 Children 12 & Under: $6.00
Family Bingo Day Sunday, February 14
Following the Divine Liturgy
FUN FOR ALL AGES
?
$36.00 Single Space
for 6 months
$50.00 Double
Space
for 6 months
$65.00 Triple Space
for 6 months
09/2015-03/2016
Theophany House Blessings
We (I) wish for Fr. Matthew to visit our home with the traditional blessing this year.
Name ____________________________________________
Address __________________________________________
Phone Number _____________________________________
Please visit _________ on a weekday
_________ on Saturday only
_________ any day
Please indicate what time of day works best for you.
Father Matthew or the parish office will call the day before your house blessing.
Please have the following prepared:
1. A dignified place covered by a white cloth with a candle placed
there along with an Icon or Cross.
2. Please turn off television and radios.
Father will bring the Holy Water.
January 2016 St. Nicholas Orthodox Church
2143 S. Center Rd. Burton, MI 48519
810-744-0070
Email: [email protected] Website: www.saintnicholasburton.org
St. Nicholas Orthodox Church
2143 S. Center Rd. Burton, MI 48519
810-744-0070
Email: [email protected] Website: www.saintnicholasburton.org
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 Fast Free
New Years Day
Circumcision of our Lord
Fr. Vacation
Office Closed
2 Fast Free
5 pm Vespers
Fr. Vacation
3 Fast Free
9:30 Third Hour
10 am Divine Liturgy
Church School
4 5
Fr. in Toledo
7 pm Royal Hours
6 Fast Free
Theophany
9 am Divine Liturgy
11 am Adult
Education
7
9 am - 1 pm
North End Soup
Kitchen
Office Closed
8 9
5 pm Vespers
10
9:30 Third Hour
10 am Divine Liturgy
Theophany Dinner
No Church School
11 12
5:45 pm 100th
Anniversary meeting
6:45 pm
Parish Council
13
9 am Divine Liturgy
11 am Adult
Education
14
Office Closed
15 16
5 pm Vespers
17
9:30 Third Hour
10 am Divine Liturgy
Church School
18
Book Club @
St. George 6-8 pm
19
St. Catherine’s
Ladies Night Out
at Italia Gardens
@ 6:30 pm
20
9 am Divine Liturgy
11 am Adult
Education
21
Office Closed
22 23
5 pm Vespers
24
9:30 Third Hour
10 am Divine Liturgy
Annual Meeting
Church School
25 26 27
9 am Divine Liturgy
11 am Adult
Education
28
Dormition Winter
Dinner Fundraiser
@ St. George
Office Closed
29 30
Three Holy Hierarchs
5 pm Vespers
31
9:30 Third Hour
10 am Divine Liturgy
Church School
Fast
Dairy Permitted (no meat)
Wine & Oil Permitted (no meat)
Fish Permitted (no other meat)
St. Nicholas Orthodox Church
2143 S. Center Rd. Burton, MI 48519
810-744-0070
Email: [email protected] Website: www.saintnicholasburton.org
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2
Presentation of the
Lord into the Temple
3
9 am Divine Liturgy
11 am Adult
Education
4
Office Closed
5 6
5 pm Vespers
7 Godparents Sunday
9:30 Third Hour
10 am Divine Liturgy
Church School Breakfast
No Church School
St. Catherine’s
Meeting
8 9
5:45 pm 100th
Anniversary meeting
6:45 pm
Parish Council
10
9 am Divine Liturgy
11 am Adult
Education
11
Office Closed
12 13
5 pm Vespers
14 Valentine’s Day
Zacchaeus Sunday
9:30 Third Hour
10 am Divine Liturgy
St. Nicholas Bingo Day
Church School
15
Book Club @
St. George 6-8 pm
16 17
9 am Divine Liturgy
11 am Adult
Education
18
Office Closed
19 20
5 pm Vespers
21
Publican & Pharisee
9:30 Third Hour
10 am Divine Liturgy
Church School
22 Fast Free 23 Fast Free 24 Fast Free
9 am Divine Liturgy
11 am Adult
Education
25 Fast Free
Office Closed
26 Fast Free 27 Fast Free
5 pm Vespers
28
Prodigal Son
9:30 Third Hour
10 am Divine Liturgy
Church School
29 Fast
Dairy Permitted (no meat)
Wine & Oil Permitted (no meat)
Fish Permitted (no other meat)
February 2016
Diocesan Clergy Retreat at Dormition Monastery, Rives Junction, MI
Teen Retreat at Colombiere Center
Dates and Times are subject
to change.