Saint John the Baptist Orthodox Church Orthodox Church in America ~ Diocese of New York & New Jersey

855 Goodman Street South ~ Rochester NY 14620 Very Reverend Ken James Stavrevsky, Rector Protodeacon Stephen Sweet, Attached Website: SaintJohnOrthodox.org Email: frski@rochester.rr.com Fr. Ken: 585-770-3496

2014 EVANGELIZATION DRIVE IN FULL SWING

The Lord said to His Apostles and to us:

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the

Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19)

At our 2013 Annual Meeting, we decided that maintaining our parish's mission

of spreading the “Good News” was a “capital maintenance” issue we would

support by raising $12,000 for evangelization efforts in our home community of

Rochester NY. Blake Keller agreed to form an Evangelization Task Force

comprised of: Tom Gervais, Claudia Cowling, Marge Cavalcanti, Mitch

VanDuyn, Ryan Platte, Petr Chudoba, Boris Glus, Sean McNulty, Jan VanDuyn,

and Raphael Platte. If you are interested, please start coming to meetings!

Evangelization is for everyone! The Task Force has met twice, with the

following results:

GOAL

Increase regular attendance at Liturgy by 20%, by the end of 2014. Numbers

can't tell us about people's spiritual growth, but that is tough to measure!

FOCUS 1) Those who are, or should be, close to our parish family, but are not

2) People looking for an Orthodox Church or ancient Christianity

3) Visitors to our parish

ACTIONS & PROGRESS 1) Update our web site so it is easier to find: almost done

2) Use a Visitor's Book to keep in contact with those who visit: being done

3) Put up a new sign in front that is more visible to auto traffic and makes clear

that all are welcome

4) Update the parish directory: projected delivery of September 1st

5) Institute a Brother's Keeper's program to encourage one another in our faith

6) Establish a data base of those who have been to our parish but do not attend:

in progress

Funding for the evangelization drive has come from a variety of sources. Proceeds from

several breakfasts and dinners sponsored by parishioners have gone into this effort, as

have individual donations designated for the purpose (just mark your envelope

"Evangelization"). Funds donated for 50th Anniversary Commemorative Book pages,

rather than going toward printing costs, have been donated toward the drive.

If YOU think the actions being taken are great, terrible or could be better ...

please come to the Parish Council -- June 24th at 7:00 p.m. -- or to Task Force

meetings as announced in the parish bulletin.

This is the work of the Church,

and it can't be done by only the "select few" ...

How About YOU?

Today 1:30 p.m.

Wednesday -- June 11, 2014

7:15 a.m. Daily Matins followed by a light breakfast

Saturday -- June 14, 2014

6:00 p.m. Great Vespers 6:45 p.m. Confessions

Sunday -- June 15, 2014 All Saints Sunday 9:45 a.m. Reading of the Hours

10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy

11:45 a.m. Fellowship/Coffee Hour (hosted by the Joseph family)

Wednesday -- June 18, 2014

No Daily Matins Father Ken is attending a symposium at Saint Tikhon’s Seminary

Saturday -- June 21, 2014

6:00 p.m. Great Vespers 6:45 p.m. Confessions

Sunday -- June 22, 2014 9:45 a.m. Reading of the Hours

10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy

11:45 a.m. Fellowship/Coffee Hour (hosted by ?????)

Birthdays & Anniversaries this week and last . . . Donna Chalupiak (June 1)

Semhal Gabriella Beyene (June 5)

Zeray Weldeslassie Imame (June 12)

Boris & +Ellen Glus (June 1)

Carmella & Larry Dunn (June 14)

God grant you many years!

Fellowship & Coffee Hour If you are willing and able, please “sign-up” to host a Sunday fellowship/coffee hour (questions? Ask Marge Cavalcanti)

On the Sunday of Pentecost ~ 50 Days after PASCHA ~ as we celebrate the Descent of the Holy Spirit (“the Comforter” and “the Giver of Life”), we especially remember and pray for our departed loved ones and all those who have fallen-asleep in the Lord.

Almighty Master, God of our Fathers and merciful Lord of the living and the dead, Creator of all mortal nature:

Hear us, humble and pitiable, as we pray to You, and give rest to the souls of Your Servants who have departed this life, in a place of light, a place of renewed life, a joyous place, shunned alike by pain and sorrow and sighing. And place their spirits where the Righteous dwell, counting them worthy of peace and repose; for the dead do not praise You, Lord, nor do those in Hades dare to offer You glory, but it is we the living who bless and entreat You and offer You propitiatory prayers and sacrifices for their souls. O God, great and eternal, holy and loving, having deemed us worthy to stand at this hour in the presence of Your unapproachable glory, to sing in praise of Your wondrous acts, be gracious to Your unworthy servants and grant us grace to offer You in contrition of heart the thrice-holy doxology and thanksgiving for the great gifts You have bestowed on us and continue always. Lord, be mindful of our weakness, and do not let us be lost in our wrongdoing, but show mercy as we humble ourselves, so that, escaping the darkness of sin, we may walk in the day of justice, and girded with the armor of light, we may live free of the assaults of the Evil One, and so with courage glorify You the only true and loving God in all things.