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It’s for the Kids…

Tomorrow is the very first day of Great Lent.

We have a long way to go before Easter, and a lot to do before we get there! We want to prepare ourselves for that awesome feastday, and the Bible today tells us just how to do it.

By now, we all pretty much know the right thing to do as Christians, don’t we? We know we should pray more, be kind to others more, help the hungry and the poor more, listen to God more by reading the Bible, fast more, and so on. But did you know that we should try to do all these things IN SECRET?

That’s right! In today’s Gospel, we hear about how we aren’t supposed to tell every-body about it when we fast. So in Lent, we shouldn’t say, “Oh, I’m so hungry! I haven’t been eating the treats I usually eat.” Instead, we should keep it a secret.

And that goes for other good things we do, too. If we donate money, nobody else should know about it. If we pray, we close the door to our room so nobody can see. Then, guess what! The Bible also tells us what will happen when we do this. “Your Fa-ther who sees in secret will reward you openly.” God knows our secrets and He knows when we are doing good things. When He sees what we are doing, He will reward us!

—Presvytera Alexandra Houck

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Monday February 19 6:30 P.M.

Compline with Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete #1

Tuesday February 20 6:30 P.M.

Compline with Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete #2

Wednesday February 21 6:30 P.M.

Compline with Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete #3

Thursday February 22 6:30 P.M.

Compline with Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete #4

Friday February 23 9:30 A.M. Roll Baking

6:30 P.M. Pre-Sanctified Liturgy

Saturday February 24 5:00 P.M.

Great Vespers

Sunday February 25 9:30 A.M.

Divine Liturgy Sunday of Orthodoxy

Followed By: Procession of Icons

Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Christian Church

66 Beach Street, Rockaway, NJ 07866

A Parish of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese

Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople

Reverend Father Matthew G. Stagon, Pastor

Phone: (973) 627-1462 Cell-Phone: (304) 777-9402

Email: FatherStagon@yahoo.com

Mr. Stan Brajer, Parish Council President

Phone: (908) 406-2640 Email: njathletic@gmail.com

February 18, 2018 Volume 2 Number 7

Sunday of Forgiveness

Weekly Schedule of Services and Activities

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Daily Scripture Readings for the Week (February 19—February 24)

Monday Isaiah 1:1-20 Genesis 1:1-13 Proverbs 1:1-20

Tuesday Isaiah 1:19—2:3 Genesis 1:14-23 Proverbs 1:20-33

Wednesday Isaiah 2:3-11 Genesis 1:24—2:3 Proverbs 2:1-22

Thursday Isaiah 2:11-22 Genesis 2:4-19 Proverbs 3:1-18

Friday Isaiah 3:1-14 Genesis 2:20-3:20 Proverbs 3:19-34

Saturday Hebrews 1:1-12 Mark 2:23—3:5

A Warm Welcome to our Visitors

We are happy that you have joined us today.

Please join us downstairs for coffee and a bite to eat. It is our pleasure to have you in our presence this morning and we wish God’s Blessings to all who visit with us today & hope you stop in again soon!

You have just experienced the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom which is the ordinary service of worship celebrated on regular Sunday’s in the Orthodox Church. The Liturgy—as experienced at Saints Peter and Paul Church—stems from the 4th century though its practices were inherited from the time of the apostles in the book of Acts. (Acts 1:14) It also represents a time when all Chris-tians worshipped in One Undivided fully Catholic Christian Church.

If you have any questions in regards to our worship or the Orthodox Church in general please see Fr. Matthew and he will gladly answer any of your questions to the best of his ability. He looks forward to meeting you.

At our best we are known for our welcoming attitude, hospitality, prayerfulness, generosity and compassion. At our worst, we are sinners, but we’re working out our salva-tion together, and could use your help.

If you are looking for a church home, we hope you will prayerfully consider making Saints Peter and Paul Church that place.

Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Be Forever!

Are you or a loved one ill?

Please notify Fr. Matthew

when you or a family

member are going into the

hospital for an emergency

or having a scheduled

procedure so he can pray

with you and anoint you.

Good Strength!

Is it time to

confess your sins?

The Sacrament of

Holy Confession is availa-

ble to Orthodox Christians

prior to Great Vespers on

Saturdays between:

4:15—4:45 P.M.

or by making special

arrangements with

Fr. Matthew.

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Our Parish Prayer for Special Intentions & Other Needs

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing Psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name

of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven (James 5:13-14).

For the Health of...Fr. Andrew Bartek, Fr. James Gleason, Fr. John Baranik, Fr. Jonathan Tobias, Pani

Connie Miloro, Pani Marsha Tobias, Desiree Stanchina, Margot Nemerovich, Adam Nemerovich, Debbie

Nemerovich, Michael Carmona, Elizabeth T., Peter Lyasko, Inna Kudravtseva, Mary Elizabeth, Gregory

Griff, Sandi Reisbeck, Ann Smith, Dolores Falk, Tatyana Ellis, Zoe Ellis, Anna Hollis, Joann Talmadge,

Roy Michaelsen, Eleni Matangos, Jeannette Webb, George Matangos, Ann Willis, Marilyn George, Tony

George, Estella Vreeland, Rosalie Nemerovich, Klava Trofimova, Sonia Geiger, Catherine Bowan, Lilli-

an, Barbara Kmech, Florine Nandrajog, Joan King, William O’Keefe, Pamela Angle, Luc Bourgin, Be-

atrice Stagon, Jonathan Shenesky, Donald King, Connie Mantlik, Greg Olyear...through the prayers of St.

Nectarios the Wonderworker; St. Luke, the Surgeon & Archbishop; & St. Panteleimon, the Great-Martyr

& Healer.

For the Special Intentions of…Chris Fekos, Presvytera Stacey...through the prayers of St. Nicholas

the Wonderworker; St. John the Baptist; the Archangels Michael & Gabriel; and the Theotokos and Ever-

Virgin Mary.

For those serving in the Armed Forces & Civil Authorities…Michael Delcher, Matthew

Fetchina...through the prayers of St. George, the Great-Martyr & Wonderworker.

For Expectant Mothers…Pani Ileana Bennett, Pani Stacey Mihaly, Heather Susich...through the

prayers of St. Anna, the mother of the Virgin Mary & St. Irene Chrysovlantou.

For our Catechumens & Inquirers...Maria Mantlik, Jonathan Shenesky, Elena Shenesky...through

the prayers of St. Paul the Apostle, St. Mary Magadalene & St. John Maximovitch.

For those Preparing for Marriage…Vince and Chrystin...through the prayers of Sts. Adrian &

Natalia & all the Holy Martyrs.

Please, remember that each of us are remembered by name in the Proskomedia (Preparation) prayers of the Di-

vine Liturgy. This is to be used for the special intentions of our brothers and sisters and can be inserted as a pray-

er itself into our daily prayers. Let Fr. Matthew know if you would wish to make additions or subtractions (in the

case of answered prayers) to our Parish List. The words of the Gospel are true it is good to pray for one another.

Let this be a place where we layout our concerns and beg the help of our brothers & sisters in Christ. Those

whom we add to the list do NOT need to be Orthodox Christians.

“When we or someone else are facing a problem let us ask others for their prayers and let us all en-treat God with faith and love. Be sure that God is pleased with these prayers and intervenes with

miracles. This is something we haven’t understood properly. We say, ‘say a prayer for me’, but with out realizing the true power of common prayers.”

+ St. Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia +

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A Look Ahead…

Monday February 19

First Day of Great Lent

Friday March 2

Roll Baking

Sunday March 4

Installation of Parish Council Officers

Wednesday March 21

Our Lenten Mission at Saints Peter and Paul

Saturday March 24

Eastern Region Lenten Retreat in Bethlehem, PA

Sunday March 25

Sacrament of Chrismation:

Maria Mantlik and Jonathan Shenesky

Sunday April 8

Pascha of the Lord

Saturday May 19

Ethnic Dinner Fundraiser

May 2018

Summer with the Saints: Adult Education Class Begins

Friday July 6—Sunday July 8

90th Anniversary Celebration with His Grace, Bishop Gregory

Thursday July 12

Patronal Feast of Saints Peter and Paul

Sunday July 15—21

New Jersey Deanery Week @ Camp Nazareth

September 2018

Journey to Fullness: Adult Education Series Begins

Please Save these Dates!!!

Coffee Social

Schedule

February 25 Binyam and Roman

March 4 Judy Rugg

March 11 Ann Smith

Thank You to all those who support this great ministry of our Church!

Epistle Readers

February 25 Matt Peles

March 4 Zach Fitzgerald

March 11 Alexa Fitzgerald

“Through all the world their voice resounds, their

message reaches to the ends of the earth.”

If there are any additional announcements you wish to

have included in the Church Bulletin please let

Fr. Matthew know by

Thursday of the preceding week.

Thank You!!!

Who’s Cleaning the Church in February?

Turn-Over Month

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“C an any-one tell

me,” a Sunday School teacher asked following a lesson on sin and for-giveness, “what you must do

before you can obtain forgiveness of sin?”

There was a short pause, and then from the back of the room a small boy spoke up.

“Sin,” he said, “I think you need to sin first.”

The boy is right. And, I, a sinner like my forefa-ther, Adam, am happy to be on the right track towards forgiveness.

While my life story is still untitled, and unau-thored, the first-man Adam’s can be found in the book of Genesis.

The Sacred Scriptures tell us of the first sin that the woman Eve was tricked by the serpent into eating the forbidden fruit from the tree of life. She then invited her husband to do the same, and he obliged.

Then their eyes were opened, they realized they were naked, and when God came calling for them, they hid.

When God asked Adam why he had eaten of the one tree he had been told not to eat from he blamed first God, and then the woman. Eve in turn blamed the serpent.

Neither took responsibility for their sin, nor for their spouses sin, and here in lies the trouble.

On Forgiveness Sunday we are inspired by our consideration of the sin of Adam and Eve to take responsibility not only for our personal sins, but for all sins.

At the conclusion of Forgiveness Vespers as we stand at the very beginning of Great Lent we are encouraged to ask forgiveness, and to offer forgiveness to all those around us.

To many this might appear a strange practice, we might think to ourselves, “why do I have to ask forgiveness of that person, I have never ev-er seen them, they do not know me, nor do I know them, and I surely have not hurt or offended them.”

This is our pride speaking, and we have to tell it to be quiet, so that we may seek out for-giveness from one another, and freely like our Lord and Savior offer it to one another.

The Holy Elder Sophrony, a disciple of Saint Silouan the Athonite, noted that this is “the spirit of Christian love which sees nothing strange, but something natural in sharing the guilt of those we love even in assuming full re-sponsibility for their wrong.”

This is what Christ does as the New Adam, Who while remaining sinless Himself takes re-sponsibility for all the sins of men. He did not make the original mistake of the first Adam by blaming others, but, took on our sins, and in-stead of separating Himself from us, united Himself to us.

The doors of Paradise are again open both to Adam and Eve, to you, and to me, if we love one another in the manner Christ loves us, and unite ourselves to Him, and to one another through forgiveness.

Think about it: you are already half way there by your sins, and like that small boy said, for-giveness is next.

My love be with you all in Christ Jesus,

Fr. Matthew

From Ink to Hearts...

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A Special Thank You… Thank you to those who assisted with the Pirohi Sale Fri-day and were available for a few hours at the Church for people to pick up their purchases.

Sunday February 25 Sunday of Orthodoxy Icon Procession

This is not just for the kids! Please, bring your favorite icon to Church with you on this day so that at the conclusion of Divine Liturgy we may process around the Church pro-claiming the Triumph of Orthodoxy together! If you do not bring or do not have your own icon one will be provided for you here in the Church!

Sunday March 4 (Tentative) Installation of Parish Council Officers

The newly elected Parish Council Officers will be installed following the Gospel Reading. Council Officers should approach the tetrapod following the Gospel and will take their oath of office on this day. We will then pause for a photo, and continue with the Divine Liturgy. Congratula-tions to our new officer John Yanoso, and God’s blessings on all those continuing their service in different or the same positions. I look forward to working with all of your for another year.

OCMC Lenten Self-Denial Coin Collection Boxes Available

The Coin Collection Boxes are available in the Parish Hall and can be used to collect spare change throughout the Lenten Season. The collected money will be sent to the Orthodox Christian Mission Center and will be used to support Orthodox Christian Mission Work across the world. Please, give generously during this season of pray-er, fasting, and almsgiving. Boxes should be returned to the Church by Palm Sunday, April 1, 2018.

Lenten Coffee Hour Hosts Please, be mindful during the Lenten Season to not have meat products included in your coffee hour foods, and to do your best to include a non-dairy option as part of your offering. Thank you for your understanding and coopera-tion in this matter.

Soul Saturday Commemorations I have received a few Soul Saturday commemoration en-velopes from the envelope boxes which allows families to add additional departed relatives to their family lists com-memorated at each of the five Soul Saturday Liturgies.

Please, submit soon so that your family and friends can be commemorated during the final four Soul Saturday Litur-gies. If you have never submitted names before and would like to please do so as well. Thank you for your coopera-tion in this matter.

Lenten Confession Schedule During this heightened season of repentance, I will be available to hear the Sacrament of Confession on Satur-day afternoons when Great Vespers is scheduled from 4:15-4:45 P.M. (please view monthly calendar) and also prior to each evening Lenten Service at Saints Peter and Paul from 5:45—6:15 P.M.

Lenten Presanctified Preparation As we do not celebrate the Divine Liturgy on the regular weekdays of Great Lent, the Holy Church provides us with the Pre-sanctified Gifts on this first Friday of the Lenten season and on other occasions throughout this period.

In order to receive the Holy Gifts properly at these evening services, the Diocese asks us to abstain from food and drink for three hours prior, that is for us around 3:30 P.M.

The Presanctified Liturgy is a beautiful, powerful, and en-gaging spiritual experience offered in order to feed us what is necessary, please, make it part of your Lenten journey. I look forward to praying with you.

What’s Going On at Saints Peter and Paul’s...

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Quick Recap of Annual Meeting The newly elected 2018 Parish Council Officers:

-President, Stanley Brajer -Vice President, Stan Griff

-Finanical Secretary/Treasurer, Matt Peles -Recording Secretary, Barbara Fitzgerald

-Curator, Mark Griff -Sergeant-at-Arms, John Yanoso -Auditors, Joe and Marge Roman

-Trustees, Joyce Lyasko, Elizabeth Lion

Additionally, much old business was discussed regarding the hall renovations of the last year, the resolution of the court appearance with our neighbor, and much else.

The Church approved the painting of a number of rooms in the rectory, and the fixing of the front door, in addition, to seeking estimates on the painting of the Mission Hall and the hallway between the Mission Hall and Church.

An update was also provided on the current state of the Narthex Icon Project. The icons have been selected and work has begun on the painting of the icons to be installed, we pray, around Pascha.

Thank you for your participation in this meeting and con-tributing to its success.

2018 A.C.R.Y. Annuals are Available… Members of the A.C.R.Y. are able to pick up their Annuals. They are available in the Church Hall please see Barbara Fitzgerald. If you would like to purchase a copy of the A.C.R.Y. Annual they are for sale at a cost of $15.

Did You Know… Our Diocese has a really strong presence on the internet. There are plenty of helpful resources available at the fol-lowing links…

Diocesan Website: http://www.acrod.org Camp Nazareth: http://www.campnazareth.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acroddiocese Twitter: https://twitter.com/acrodnews

You Tube: https://youtube.com/acroddiocese

You can subscribe to diocesan updates at the diocesan website in order to keep you up to the date.

What’s Going On at Saints Peter and Paul’s...