St Nicholas Parish Bulletin – May2011

Fr George Lardas, Rector – Telephone 203 386-9516 Rectory

Emergency: 203 209-9374

Web Site: StNicholasStratford.org

Announcements

Announcements – May 2011

Christ is risen! – Хрістосъвоскресе! – Χριστὸςἀνέστη!

Happy Mother’s Day!

This Mother’s Day and May Bulletin is sponsored by the Sisterhood of St Nicholas Church in honor and celebration of Mother’s Day for all our parish mothers, and in memory of all the departed mothers and sisters of our Parish. Happy Mother’s Day!

Verse:I was glad because of them that said unto me: Let us go into the house of the Lord. – Psalm 121 [122]:1.

Стjхъ:Возвесели1хсz њ рeкшихъ мнЁ: въ д0мъ гDень п0йдемъ. –Pал0мърк7а, ст7 №7.

Стихъ:Возрадовался я, когда сказали мнѣ: пойдемъ въ домъ Господень.– Псаломъ121 [122]:1.

Commentary:This verse expresses the joy of the faithful when they go to the House of God, the Church. This is our spiritual home, and as we look forward to seeing those that love us, we rejoice to go to the House of the Lord Who loves us and Who welcomes us. When we partake of that joy, we carry it with us wherever we go.

This Bulletin

Sponsor the Bulletin: If you wish to sponsor any future issues in whole or in part, please contact our treasurer, Anastasia Milligan or ask at the Candle Desk. You may donate in memory of a departed relative, or for some milestone, a birthday, anniversary or other celebration. The cost of the Bulletin is approximately $125.

Paschal Donation Envelopes:Please send in your Paschal Donation from the previous bulletin if you have not yet done so. Your donations can be either mailed in or dropped into the collection basket when you come to church.

Services

Blessing of Graves: There was an error in the previous Bulletin; the two schedules given in the monthly Calendar section and that given in the tabular listing did not agree. Therefore the schedule of blessing of graves is as follows, as will be announced from the Ambo on Sunday 1 May:

  • Sunday 1 May – 1:30 pm, Lakeview Cemetery in Bridgeport; 3:30 pm, St Joseph’s Cemetery in Lordship; 5:30 pm, St John’s Cemetery in Stratford.
  • Monday 2 May – 3:30 pm, Lakeview Cemetery in Bridgeport; 5:30 pm, King’s Highway Cemetery in Milford.
  • Tuesday 3 May – 3:30 pm, Union Cemetery in Stratford; 5:30 pm St John’s Cemetery in Monroe.

If you cannot be present for the blessing of a grave at the stated time, or if you have a loved one buried elsewhere you can arrange to have Fr George bless a grave at another time.

St George: Vespers for St George will be at 5 pm Tuesday 5 May. Please note the earlier time of the service.

Mid-Pentecost: Vespers for Mid-Pentecost will be at 5 pm Tuesday 17 May, and will be followed immediately by the Lesser Blessing of Waters. Please note the earlier time of the service.

Armed Forces Day: There will be a moleben for our soldiers in the Armed Forces at 1 pm Saturday 21 May, before the early Vigil. Please pray for our soldiers who are in the field of battle.

Early Vigil and Translation of the Relics of St Nicholas:This celebrates the transfer of the relics of our patron Saint from Myra in Asia Minor (now Turkey) to Bari, Italy, to keep them in the hands of the faithful, and to protect them from the enemies of the Church. As a feast of St Nicholas, it is the secondary Feast of our Parish. As the eve of this feast falls on the third Saturday of the month, Vigil with Litya and blessing of Bread will begin early, at 3 pm. This will permit those who cannot drive at night, but wish to attend the evening service to do so. This is an opportunity for those people to pray and confess and prepare for Holy Communion the following day. Divine Liturgy for the Feast will be Sunday 22 May, and will be combined with the service for the 5th Sunday of Pascha, that of the Samaritan Woman. It would be well for our faithful to take the duty and joy of Holy Communion on this day seriously.

Lesser Holy Days: To celebrate lesser holy days in May, we will serve the following services: St John the Theologian, Moleben at 6:30 pm Friday 20 May; Ss Cyril and Methodius, Moleben at 5 pm Tuesday 24 May. Please note the earlier time of the latter service.

Memorial Day:In observance of Memorial Day, Monday 30 May, we will have a Memorial Service at the end of the Divine Liturgy on Sunday 29 May for all Orthodox soldiers that died in battle, and we also ask our parishioners to remember in their private prayers all non-Orthodox who perished and gave their lives for the defense of freedom, and that the Lord may have mercy on them. Please remember to display the flag Monday.

Blessing of Homes: If you missed your scheduled time and still wish to have your house blessed, please contact Fr George and set up an appointment.

Ascension: Vigil with Litya at 6:30 pm Wednesday 1 June, and Divine Liturgy at 9:30 am Thursday 2 June. This marks the end of the Paschal period and is one of the major holy days of the Orthodox Church.

Our Parish

Visit from Bishop Jerome: Bishop Jerome of Manhattan will visit us for the first time on the first weekend of June. He will serve the Vigil beginning at 6:30 pm Saturday 4 June, and Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning, 5 June. The Meeting of the Bishop will be at 9:30 am. We ask all our parishioners to attend both services and to prepare for Holy Communion at the hand of the bishop. We also ask for help in preparing the supper after the Vigil and the Coffee Hour after the Liturgy. Those who receive email bulletins may expect a notification as the time draws near.

Lenten Vespers and Coffee Hour: For the first time in decades, our St Nicholas Church hosted the Pan-Orthodox Lenten Vespers on the 4th Sunday of Lent, 3 April this year. The Vespers were very well attended and prayerful, and we had many visitors, including nine priests. The Coffee Hour afterwards was a great success and enjoyed by both parishioners and friends. We thank the ladies that helped in the kitchen: Ann Sharog, Maria Peavy, Vera Peebles, Kay Pcolka, Mary Colello, and Matushka Ann. We also thank Michael Nettle and Reader James Lardas for their efforts.

Holy Week and Pascha:We thank all those who helped with cleanup and preparation and the decoration of the Tomb of our Lord during Holy Week and on Pascha: Ann Sharog, Eugene Kallaur, Anastasia Milligan, Thomas Milligan, Martin Hudobenko, Joan Hudobenko, and others. We also thank those who remained behind on Pascha night and set things up while the procession circled the church. Christ is risen! ХрістосъВоскресе!

Brasswork: We thank Fr Deacon Paul Giatas, the brother of our parishioner Joy Paschalidis, who polished the brasswork so beautifully in preparation for Pascha. The refurbished pieces include the Tabernacle on the Holy Table, two hand-blessing Crosses, the Sacred Vessels, candlesticks and more.

Pussy Willows: We thank Steve Wetowitz, John Denisevich and Matushka Ann for donating pussy willows for Palm Sunday.

Kulich Sale: We thank those who worked to make the kulich and paskha sale a success: Maria Peavy, Kathy Callaghan, Irene Ambrose, and Galina Rakov

Russian Tomatoes:We thank Alec von Voigt for his offering of Russian (Bull’s Heart) tomato plants to benefit our Parish. He will distribute these on Mother’s Day, Sunday 8 May.

Save on Your Grocery Bill:Times are tough and we all seek ways to economize and to help others. Here we have both: There is a nation-wide Christian program called Angel Food Ministries which offers all people, regardless of income or religion, a chance to buy boxes of groceries at a discount once each month. We have tried them, and found that the food is of good quality (no dented cans or outdated items, “restaurant quality”), and the price is certainly good. You can buy boxes from $25 to $51, each containing a good variety of healthy items such as fresh and frozen meat, vegetables and potatoes. They also offer pre-packaged frozen meals, each in its own contain suitable for elderly or shut-ins. These arrive frozen and can be heated in the microwave. The web site is, or call toll-free 1-877-FOOD-MINISTRY (1-877-366-3646) for more information.

We first learned of it from Matushka Elizabeth Payne, in Texas. If you use her email address () as a reference, their family of seven will earn credit toward a free box of food.There are also places on the web siteto donate toward boxes of food for the needy and for the families of members of our armed services. You have to pre-order the food and pick it up in person at delivery sites on delivery day, but there are 26 sites near us from which to choose, most in Protestant churches.

– From Matushka Ann

Lampada Sponsorship: Offerings may be made to sponsor the lighting the lampadas at the Divine Liturgy, either in memory of loved ones, or in gratitude for blessings received, or for any other good intention. The sponsorship of the lampadas is $25 for all the lampadas in the church. Register at the Candle Desk if you wish to sponsor the lampadas, in whole or in part, on a Sunday of your choice.

Become a Member: If you attend services but are not a member, would you please consider joining? The cost is not great - $150 per adult, or $300 for families with two adults and any number of children. This amounts to about $12.50 a month per person. We have an introductory rate for students.

Consider the Church in Your Will: Please consider including St Nicholas Church in your will. There are many advantages in making the Church one of your beneficiaries. It is possible to structure the bequest so that there is little loss to the estate. Please contact our Starosta, Dexter Peavy, for more information.

Utilities: Please remember that on the first Sunday of each month there is a special collection for utilities.

Candle Desk

Candle Desk Duty: We need people to watch the Candle Desk, handle donations, light candles, and ring the bell during services – one person for Vigil and two for the Divine Liturgy. Unfortunately, Walter Wolog, who handles the sign-up sheet, is not able to find people for all positions. We have discontinued the listing of coming services for which we seek volunteers, as the volunteer sheet is always at the Candle Desk.

Our Children

Mother’s Day: This is the second Sunday of May, the 8th. We will honor the mothers of our parish with carnations handed out by the Church School children.

Church School Graduation: This will take place at the end of the Divine Liturgy on the Sunday after Pentecost, 19 June, which is also Father’s Day, along with a moleben to mark the end of the school year. We ask all Church School children and their teachers to attend. We will also congratulate all graduates in our parish from all schools or colleges. If you have children in school and wish to have their names commemorated, please submit them to the Candle Desk by the end of the Liturgy of that day.

St Seraphim’s Orthodox Summer Camp:The seventeenth year of St Seraphim Russian Orthodox Youth Camp has been announced. The camp is open to all children of the Russian Orthodox Church and will take place July 31 through August 7, which includes the feast of St Seraphim of Sarov. The cost is less this year: $225.00 per child. Each year, over 200 participate, making the camp the largest youth activity of the Russian Church Abroad. Each day begins with morning prayer and is filled with wonderful activities such as the Law of God, hiking, tube rafting, sports, arts and crafts, and bonfires. Evening prayers end the day. Each campsite is supervised by adult counselors as well as junior college-aged counselors. Several priests spend the entire week at camp, offering counseling, prayers, and instruction. All instruction is in English and services are in both English and Church Slavonic. Vigil and Liturgyare served the final weekend and all children receive the Holy Mysteries.

This is an opportunity for our children to experience summer activities with other Orthodox children from other parishes and leads to life-long friendships. Our Albany and Wilkes-Barre parishes are especially active in the camp. The deadline for camp applications is 1 July. If you are interested, please contact Fr George or email Fr Alexis Duncan at or visit the website at or call 678 613-2270.

Community and Neighbors

Free Dental Services: Dr Brian Vaughn of Vaughn Family Dentistry, 2 Corporate Dr, Trumbull CT, will be offering free dental services from 7 am to 2 pm on Friday 3 June. Services will be provided on a first-come first-served basis, and no advance appointments will be made. This offer is a public service for those who lack dental insurance. For further information call 203 261-2511 or visit the website

Lilac Nights: The parishioners of St Xenia’s Orthodox Church in Methuen MA invite you to a semi-formal evening of dinner and dancing for the entire family. Doors open at 7 pm, dinner at 8 pm, and dancing until midnight on Friday 17 June at the Hellenic Cultural Center, 25 Bigelow Ave, Watertown MA. Live Big-Band music by White Heat Swing Orchestra. Tickets: Adults $60, Students $40, Children (5-12) $20, under 5 free. Discounts apply, including a family cap of $200, and 15% off for groups. All proceeds go to the St Seraphim Russian Orthodox Youth Camp. Please send inquiries to , or write to Mirelle Lang, St Xenia Sisterhood, 170 N Lowell St, Methuen MA 01844.

Liturgical Notes

White: Before the Divine Liturgy on Holy Saturday morning, 23 April, the red cloths are taken away, and white cloths are laid down. On top of these are the black cloths which will be removed before the Gospel reading at the Liturgy that morning. The white remains until the end of Pentecost week, 18 June.

Carnations: Before the Liturgy on Mother’s day a bunch of carnations are placed in the church for the children of the Church School to hand to the mothers in the parish as they come to kiss the Cross.

Holy Water: Before the Vespers of Mid-Pentecost, Tuesday 18 May, a vat of water is prepared for the Blessing of Waters that will take place at that service.

Plaschanitsa: This is put away on the eve of Ascension, Wednesday 1 June.

Sign: The Christ is Risen sign is removed on the Eve of Ascension, Wednesday 1 June.

The Creed

On the Creed: Our series on the Creed will resume in the June issue of this Bulletin with Part 8.

On The Christian Life

More about Holy Communion: Some have asked about how to prepare for Holy Communion. We present the following article by Archpriest Gregory Naumenko from the website of his parish, the Protection of the Mother of God Russian Orthodox Church in Rochester NY, The article is available in both English and Russian. While some of our people may not have observed all these rules before, the following gives guidelines as to how to be better prepared. If you have any questions please address them to Fr George.

Church Rules for Confession and Holy Communion
by Archpriest Gregory Naumenko

If thou desirest, O man, to eat the Body of the Master, approach with fear, lest thou be burnt; for It is fire.

Behold, I approach the Divine Communion. O Creator, let me not be burnt by communicating, for Thou art Fire, consuming the unworthy. – Prayers before Holy Communion

Those who desire to partake of Confession and Commune of the Holy Mysteries must prepare properly according to the rules instituted by the Holy Orthodox Church. Namely:

1. Those who desire to Commune on Sunday must begin preparation from the previous Monday by at least being continually conscious of the fact that they are preparing to partake of the Most-precious Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Explanation: In the 32nd chapter of the Typicon (Book of Church Rules) we find the following rule concerning this: “When one desires to commune of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, it is most proper for him/her to keep properly the entire previous week; to remain in fasting, prayer and complete sobriety from the previous Monday; and then with fear and great reverence accept the Most-precious Mysteries.

2. Fast according to the rules of the Church.

Explanation: During the entire Great Lent and Dormition Fast, we do not partake of meat, eggs, milk and fish. (Fish is only allowed on the days of Annunciation and Palm Sunday and on Transfiguration during Dormition Fast). During the entire Nativity Fast and Apostles Fast, we do not partake of meat, eggs, milk. It is allowable to lessen the Fast only: in the case of severe illness, for small children, the feeble and elderly, for those with child or nursing an infant.

3. Be present at and attentively participate in the evening services before the day of Holy Communion.

Explanation:Communion of the Most-pure Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is the highest form of communication with the Lord God. Communing is the completion, the culmination of our communion with God. If a person comes to the Chalice not having gone through the labor of prayer through which he or she comes nearer to God; if he/she does not go through a process of ever increasing interaction with God; then this leap, as it were, from noncommunion to the ultimate level of communion (i.e. Holy Communion), is too drastic. That person is unworthy at that point for the acceptance of the Body and Blood of the Lord, and the Gifts for that person become “Fire, consuming the unworthy.” In other words, for such a person, Communion brings not healing, but rather harm. This is why it is necessary to be at the Divine Services preceding Holy Communion, for they are one of the most important forms of interaction with God open to us, and thus an important component of our preparation.