Saint Mark Orthodox Church
Orthodox Church in America
Diocese of Washington
7124 River Road
Bethesda, MD 20817
Church Office: 301-229-6300
www.stmarkoca.org / Rector
V. Rev. Gregory Safchuk
Office: 301-229-6300
Home: 301-320-0739

/ Parish Council President:
Michael Thompson
Home: 703-204-9092

13th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

EPISTLE
Gal. 2:16-20
1 Cor. 16:13-24 /
GOSPEL
Mark 8:34- 9:1
Matt. 21:33-42 / Tone 4
DIVINE LITURGY OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
13th Sunday after Pentecost. Afterfeast of the Elevation of the Cross. Sunday After the Elevation of the Cross. St. Eumenes, Bishop of Gortyna (6th c.). Martyr Ariadne of Phyrgia (2nd c.). Martyrs Sophia and Irene of Egypt (3rd c.). Martyr Castor of Alexandria. Greatmartyr Prince Bidzini and Martyr Princes Elizabar and Shalvi, of Georgia (1660).
Sunday / Sept / 18 / 9:15a / Reading of the Third Hour
9:30a / Hierarchical Divine Liturgy
11:30a / Coffee Hour Fellowship
Tuesday / Sept / 20 / 9:30a / Lady Locks Cookie Workshop
10:30a / Blessed Mka. Olga Prayer Group - Akathist
Saturday / Sept / 24 / 5:00p / Private Confession
5:30p / Great Vespers
Sunday / Sept / 25 / 9:15a / Reading of the Third Hour
9:30a / Divine Liturgy
11:30a / Coffee Hour Fellowship and celebration of Helen Kerch and Steven Wilcox marriage
11:30a / Women’s Book Club Meeting
11:30a / First Day of Church School!
Monday / Sept / 26 / 7:45p / Choir Rehearsal
Thursday / Sept / 29 / 10:00a / Pirog Dough Making and Cabbage Prep Workshop
Friday / Sept / 30 / 10:00a / Pirog Assembly Workshop
Saturday / Oct / 1 / 5:00p / Private Confession
5:30p / Great Vespers
6:30p / FOCA Oktoberfest!
The Altar Candle is donated by Joan Mitchum asking prayers for recovery for Greg Mitchum.
The Sanctuary Candle is donated by Joan Mitchum in honor of Lauren’s Birthday. May God Grant Her Many Years!

Coffee Hour Fellowship

Date
/
Hosts/Hostesses
/ Donuts/Bagels
Sept 18 / Hottle / Tucker / Prentice / Phelps
Sept 25 / Cacic / E. Barber / J&K Barber / Pearson

Choir Directors, Readers, Preparers, Greeters, & Altar Servers

Date / Director / Reader / Preparer / Greeter / Altar
Servers
Sept 18 / C. Berencz / K. Lungociu / D. Golembiewski / Mat. G. Phelps
N. Stanton / A. Ahmadi
A. Datch
C. Datch
F. LeFors
J. Sedor
M. Sedor
Sept 25 / S. Hardy / J. Rosolanka / V. Lutes / P. Masick
T. Sekellick

Classes

Date
/
Church School
/
Adult Study
(in Fr. Gregory’s Office) /
Basics of Orthodoxy
(in Church Library)
Sept 18 /
CLASSES BEGIN 9/25
/
TBD
/
TBD
Sept 25 /
CLASSES BEGIN!!!
/
TBD
UPCOMING BAZAAR WORKSHOPS: There will be Lady Locks Cookie Workshop on Tuesday at 9:30 am. Please attend if you are able!
NEW BABY! The Rodak family is sharing some good news!! On Saturday, September 10th, Michelle Rodak Weaver gave birth to a healthy 8 lb 4 oz. baby boy, John Moses! Mommy and baby are doing well. The Weaver and Rodak families are very happy and thank all for their prayers! God bless you! Glory to God for all good things!!!
PRAYER REQUEST – O Christ, You alone are our Defender: Visit and help Thy servants who are in need of your help, protection and healing. Among them: John & Marti Badila; Kaitlin & baby Barber; Jenifer Calomiris; Paul Dean; Margaret & Bill Dove; Julie Flick; Claire Baby German; Marge German; Jurretta Heckscher; Evelyn Leleck; Larisa Looby; Marina McKee; Catherine Mikuluk; Karen Nichols; Stacy & baby Nimmer; Nicholas & Maura Moser; Timothy Parrish; Mark Phinney; Alexandra Sedor; Katie & Elowen Sheppard; Peter Sielinski; Andrea Ticich; and Don & Peter Truitt.
Please pray for Margaret, Mary Carol Ashley’s mother; Tina Burpee’s mother Margaret, cousin Andrew and friend, Edward; Christine Cacic’s friend, Carmen; John & Suzette Eremin; Julie Flick’s son, James Shimer, and her stepdaughter, Jeanie Folton; Marge German’s brother, John, sister in-law, Cecilia, sister, Elaine, grandson, Joshua, and friend, Gisela, who has been diagnosed with breast cancer; Jeff Jordan, friend of the Hardy family; Jurretta Heckscher’s father, Stevens; Will & Janie McNamara, friends of Christina Kalavritinos; Olga, friend of Helen Kerch; Mat. Jan and Fr. Mark Koczak’s friends, Metropolitan Isaiah (Georgian Patriarchate) and Archimandrite Athanasy; Mary Everhart, mother of Ted Koopersmith; Michael Lungociu’s father, Nicholas, and friend’s mother, Gitta Finch; Marilyn Macht’s friend, Ghadha Saah; Joan Mitchum’s sister, Judi, and her son Gregory, who is having hip replacement surgery. Katherine Sheppard’s mother, Judy, and friends Ellen Sherrie Garrett; Julia Shiller’s father, Vadim Pyatovolenko; friend of Debbie Sieff, Fr. Taras Chubenko, of St. Demetrius Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Carteret, NJ, who is recovering from esophageal surgery; Peter Sielinski’s friends Brenda & Jim Hall, Kelly, Samuel, Ron, Pat, Bailey, Jenn and Matt; Sharon Sielinski’s friend, Nichole, who has been diagnosed with cancer; Olga & Slavina Skenderska’s cousins, Desi Stanislav, and friends Catherine & Justin; Ellen Thompson’s daughter, Sonya; Don Truitt’s parents; friends of St. Mark, Tanya & James Twyman; Linda Weir and her mother, Ruby; and Paula Zabela’s grandson Wyatt, cousin Kathleen who is afflicted with cancer, and her neighbor Harvey.
Deliver them from sickness and grievous pains. Raise them up that they may sing to Thee and praise Thee without ceasing, through the prayers of the Theotokos and all your Saints!
WELCOME METROPOLITAN TIKHON! We warmly welcome His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon, to St. Mark today! His Grace will celebrate Divine Liturgy with us and bless our iconography. There will be an enhanced coffee hour following the service so that we may spend some time together with our Bishop in fellowship!
CHURCH SCHOOL BEGINS SEPT. 25th!! The first day of Church school is fast approaching! Please register your children in the hall during coffee hour so we will know how many children will be attending.
TEACHERS NEEDED: Kids need teachers! There will be an information session for prospective Church school teachers after liturgy TODAY in the high school class room. Please attend if you're interested in teaching or assisting with Church school this year.
MEMORY ETERNAL! Julia Mikulak, mother of Dorothy Mikulak Gumpert, died Monday, September 12th inNortheasternPA. She was 106 years old. Funeral services will be at St. Basil Orthodox Church in Simpson, PA. May Her Memory Be Eternal!
MARRIAGE CELEBRATION!Helen Kerch and Steven Wilcox were married on Saturday, September 17th at Ss. Cyril and Methodius Orthodox Church inTerryville, CT. Next Sunday, September 25th,we would like to celebrate their marriage here at St. Mark. Please join us forcake and mimosas during coffee hour.May God grant them many years!
CALLING ALL BAKERS: It’s time to plan how you can use your special baking talents to help Saint Mark’s at the Bazaar! Our Bake Sale customers come looking for all kinds of yummy homemade sweet or yeast breads and ethnic specialties. Several workshops will be held in the church kitchen this fall; if your schedule permits, we hope you will join in the fun!
·  Sept. 20 – 9:30 am – Lady Locks Cookie Workshop
·  Oct. 5 – 10:00 am – Poppy Seed Roll Baking
·  Oct. 11 – 10:00 am – Nut Roll Baking
·  Oct. 17 – 10:00 am – Black Bread Baking
·  Oct. 22 – 9:00 am – Apricot Roll Baking
·  Oct. 29 – 9:00 am – Nut/Poppy Seed Roll Baking (if needed)
If this is your first Bazaar, you may want to pick up a copy of “Suggested Recipes For Baked Goods For Our Bazaar” from the table in the church hall. It contains suggestions for donations to the Bake Sale and the Dessert Table, along with instructions for at-home preparation and storage. On that same table you will find a clipboard with a sign-up sheet where you can list the baked goods you will donate to the Bake Sale. Please sign up! Questions? Contact Ginny Albert () or Paula Zabela ()
BAZAAR SIGN UP SHEETS: The Bazaar sign-up sheets are posted! Please take a moment to sign up to work on all three days of the bazaar. The sheets are posted on the bulletin board next to the kitchen door. All slots need to be filled to have the bazaar run smoothly.
CALLING ALL ARTISTS: Do you have artistic ability? We would like to have the a-frame sign which stands by the bazaar entrance door updated. If you can help with this project, please see Tina Burpee.
BAZAAR INGREDIENT SPONSORSHIP: Please prayerfully consider making a donation towards the cost of bazaar ingredients. These usually run between $8,000 and $10,000. A list of ingredients and approximate cost is posted to the bulletin board next to the sign-up sheets.
ICONOGRAPHY COMMITTEE: At the last parish meeting, the parish voted for the Iconography Committee to continue its plan of iconography for Phase III. Phase III includes the preparation of the cinder block walls on both sides of the church between the two columns and including those columns outside the iconostasis. The committee is continuing discussion with Dmitri Shkolnik regarding the design. Even though, there are some funds left over from Phase I and Phase II, additional funds are required to cover the cost of the Phase III expansion. Please contact George Freimann or Wayne Tatusko for more information and/or to make a prayerful donation.
ST. MARK WOMEN’S BOOK CLUB: If you enjoy a good read followed by a worthy discussion, please consider attending the St. Mark Woman's Book Club. We choose books well in advance and then meet on the last Sunday of every month to discuss the merits of our choices. Upcoming books are: September 25 - The Nightengale by Kristin Hannah. October 30 - The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls. Book suggestions are always welcome. See Mat. Sasha for more details.
2016 BAZAAR LUCKY DRAW DONATIONS: It may seem early but it’s time to start thinking about the 2016 Bazaar. Please begin asking your favorite grocery stores, boutiques, theaters or restaurants for donations to our annual bazaar. Personal gifts or cash will also be accepted, which will be used to purchase gift cards. Also, if you have a talent like knitting, embroidering, crocheting, sewing, or painting, and would be willing to donate a handcrafted item, it would be appreciated immensely. Remember to note the donor’s name on the contribution so we may acknowledge and keep track of all donations. Feel free to contact Lucky Draw chairperson, Vicky Jacobsen, with questions or for suggestions at: . Donations can be given to any Jacobsen or Prose family member, just let them know it's for the LUCKY DRAW. Thank you all for all your help and support. -Vicky Jacobsen
BAZAAR CHRISTMAS/GIFT TABLE: We will be accepting high-quality homemade Christmas and gift items for this table. If you do woodworking, candle or soap making, embroidery, needlework, knitting, crocheting, pysanky eggs or any other similar crafts, please consider making something for this table.
SS. PETER & PAUL BAZAAR: Mark your calendars! Ss. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church of Potomac, MD, will hold their 33rd annual Middle Eastern Bazaar on September 23 – 26, 2016. Authentic Food, Music, Tours and Kids Activities! Bring the whole family! For more information and hours: http://www.peterpaulpotomac.org/bazaar.html.
FALL PICNIC: Mark your calendars and save the date! St. Luke Serbian Orthodox Church in McLean, VA will be holding their fall picnic from 3:00pm to 7:00pm on Saturday, September 24th. They will once again feature our spit-roasted lambs, other barbecued goodies and side dishes and fun activity for the children. Stay tuned for details and a flier!
SAVE THE DATE: St. Mary Orthodox Church is holding their annual Dinner, Dance and Silent Auction on Saturday, October 1st, 2016. This year’s event will be held at St. Luke Orthodox Church in McLean, VA. Tickets are $50 and proceeds will go to the church architecture fund. Semi-formal or thematic attire is requested. Invitations with additional information and RSVP cards are located in the parish hall on the bulletin board. RSVP deadline is September 19th. Sounds like fun!
OKTOBERFEST: Achtung! Coming soon! OKTOBERFEST! October 1, 2016 following Vespers. Great German food; lots of fun and prizes, and BINGO! Save the date. Tickets will go on sale TODAY! Adults $15, Church School Students $5, Toddlers and babies are Free. Music will be provided by “Kim’s Celtic Band.” Sponsored by St. Mark FOCA. Prosit!
ST. JOHN’S ANNUAL RUSSIAN BAZAAR: Join us for a taste of old Russia. Two days to experience Russian culture, food, entertainment and shopping at its best! Enjoy: Homemade Ethnic Food, Live Traditional Music, Unique & Imported Handicrafts, Kid's Activities, tours of our 17th-Century-Style Russian Church. Admission is FREE! Where: 4001 17th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011. When: Saturday, October 1 Noon–6:00 pm (Rain or Shine.) Sunday, October 2 Noon–6:00 pm (Rain or Shine.) For complete information, please visit www.facebook.com/russianbazaar or www.russianbazaar.com
FIREBIRDS SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: Firebirds School offers a Russian language immersion and child development curriculum for children ages 2-6. They cater to parents who are seeking a safe, stable, highly-stimulating environment which encourages cognitive and intellectual growth at a critical stage of a child’s development. The school will hold their open house Saturday, September 24th. For more information please contact Xenia Woyevodsky, Administration Director, at (301) 365-3763 or .