Bulletin Sun 170625

ST.
NICHOLAS ALBANIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH

ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE
SHRINEOFTHEHOLY VIRGIN MARY
2701 NORTH NARRAGANSETT AVENUE CHICAGO, IL 60639 773-889-4282
stnicholasalbanianchicago.org
rd
3 Sunday of Matthew
June 25th, 2017
Epistle Reading produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us,
St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 5:1-10 because God's love has been poured into our hearts
Prokeimenon. Mode 2. through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.
Psalm 117.14,18
The Lord is my strength and my song. While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died
Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely. for the ungodly. Why, one will hardly die for a
BRETHREN, since we are righteous man -- though perhaps for a good man one
justified by faith, we have peace will dare even to die. But God shows his love for us in
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Since,
we have obtained access to this grace in which we therefore, we are now justified by his blood, much
stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to
knowing that suffering produces endurance, and God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we
endurance produces character, and character are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
Gospel Reading air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns,
The Gospel According to Matthew 6:22-33
and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not
The Lord said, "The eye is the lamp of more value than they? And which of you by being
of the body. So, if your eye is sound, anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And why
your whole body will be full of light; are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of
but if your eye is not sound, your the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet
whole body will be full of darkness. I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed
If then the light in you is darkness, like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the
how great is the darkness! No one can serve two field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into
masters; for either he will hate the one and love the the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of
other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What
other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall
I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you we wear? For the Gentiles seek all these things; and
shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, your heavenly Father knows you need them all. But
what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all
the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the these things shall be yours as well."
JOANI - ORESTI - PAIS - JULIANI - ALBANI

AGRIPINA - ATHANASI - DHIMITRIAN
ZAHARIA - ELISABETA
MESSAGES FROM Fr. KOSTANDINs OFFICE
With blessing and guidance of Fr. Tuda, both Ladies auxiliary and Parish Council are joining
efforts in these important future events for our parish. Please make plans to participate
SUNDAY, JULY 23, 2017, 80TH BIRTHDAY OF OUR VERY SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017 CELEBRATION OF 30TH
OWN, HIS GRACE, BISHOP ILIA ANNIVERSARY OF WEEPING MARY.
The St. Nicholas Parish Council and Ladies Auxiliary Once again the St. Nicholas Parish Council and Ladies
will be jointly hosting a wonderful dinner in honor Auxiliary will be jointly planning a celebration honoring
of His Grace Bishop Ilias 80th Birthday. The event this most momentous occasion that occurred in our
will be held at Venutis Banquet Hall in Addison. Church. The event will be commemorated at St.
Invitations will be going out shortly and will contain Nicholas Church with a special service immediately
more detailed information. Check out our website following Divine Liturgy and with a reception
for updates as we get closer to the event.. afterwards in the church hall. Flyers will be posted
containing more information. Please watch our
website for any updates.
A CHRISTIAN PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND LED BY OUR Your donations and membership
VERY OWN, HIS GRACE, BISHOP ILIA dues allows us to continue to
His Grace Bishop Ilia will be leading a 12-day tour to provide our unique services and
the Holy Land beginning on Wednesday, November 1 operational upkeep. Donations to
and ending on Sunday, November 12. Participants will our church are vital to support and
visit Nazareth, the Garden of Gethsemane and the to keep our mission strong (and
original baptismal site of our Lord at the Jordan River. are tax-deductible). We envision a community where
In Jerusalem they will visit the Patriarchate and have a individuals with disabilities and their families have a
private audience with His Beatitude Theophilos. The network that supports independence, choice and
all inclusive cost for the tour is $3,893.00 per person personal success. The services and activities we offer
based on double or triple occupancy. If interested, you would not be possible without the continued and
can pick up a registration form in the St. Nicholas generous support of our community.
Church narthex which contains a detailed itinerary. All donations are tax deductible and MUCH
APPRECIATED
NOV 1 12, 2017: A CHRISTIAN PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND LED BY

OUR VERY OWN, HIS GRACE, BISHOP ILIA
PARTICIPANTS WILL VISIT NAZARETH, THE

GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE AND THE
ORIGINAL BAPTISMAL SITE OF OUR LORD AT
THE JORDAN RIVER. IN JERUSALEM THEY
WILL VISIT THE PATRIARCHATE AND HAVE A
PRIVATE AUDIENCE WITH HIS BEATITUDE
THEOPHILOS.
The fame of John reached the ears of Jesus in
ST JOHN THE BAPTIST Nazareth, and he came from Galilee to Jordan to be
The forerunner
The glorious Prophet and baptized by John, on the special ground that it became
Forerunner John the Baptist is also him to "fulfill all righteousness". John's special office
referred to as John the Forerunner ceased with the baptism of Jesus, who must now
because he was the forerunner of Christ. He was an "increase" as the King come to his kingdom. He
ascetic and great prophet, who baptized Christ and continued, however, for a while to bear testimony to
became one of the most revered saints in the the Messiahship of Jesus. He pointed him out to his
Orthodox Church. John is a cousin of Christ through his disciples, saying, "Behold the Lamb of God." His public
mother Elizabeth who was the daughter of Zoia. Zoia is ministry was suddenly (after about six months
the sister of Christ's grandmother. He was later probably) brought to a close by his being cast into
beheaded by Herod in the first century to satisfy the prison by Herod, whom he had reproved for the sin of
request of Herod's stepdaughter, Salome, and wife having taken to himself the wife of his brother Philip.
Herodias. Because he baptized Christ, he is the patron He was shut up in the castle of Machaerus, a fortress
saint of godparents. He is sometimes called the Angel on the southern extremity of Peraea, 9 miles east of
of the Desert; because of this title, he is sometimes the Dead Sea, and here he was beheaded at the
depicted with wings. instigation of Herodias; later tradition also implicates
His father, Zacharias, was a priest of the course Salom. His disciples, having consigned the headless
of Abia, and his mother, Elizabeth, was of the body to the grave, went and told Jesus all that had
daughters of Aaron. John held the priesthood of Aaron, occurred. John's death occurred apparently just before
giving him the authority to perform baptisms of God. the third Passover of Jesus' ministry.
His birth took place six months before that of Jesus himself testified regarding John that he
Jesus, and according to the Gospel account was was a "burning and a shining light". John was the last
expected by prophecy and foretold by an angel. of the Old Testament prophets, thus serving as a
Zacharias lost his power of speech because of his bridge figure between that period of revelation and
unbelief over the birth of his son, and had it restored Jesus. They also embrace a tradition that, following his
on the occasion of John's circumcision. death, John descended into Hell and there once more
John was a Nazarite from his birth. He spent his preached that Jesus the Messiah was coming.
The Tomb of Christ, within the Cathedral of the Holy Sepulchre,
early years in the mountainous tract of Judea lying
from which the Patriarch (or presiding archbishop) of Jerusalem
between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. He led a simple emerges with the Fire.
life, wearing rope (gamla) fiber clothing and eating
"locusts and wild honey". As an adult John started to Welcome to St. Nicholas Church
preach in public, and people from "every quarter"
Be part of our Albanian-American community
were attracted to his message. The essence of his
preaching was the necessity of repentance and turning
away from selfish pursuits. He denounced the
Sadducees and Pharisees as a "generation of vipers,"
and warned them not to assume their heritage gave
them special privilege. He warned tax collectors and
soldiers against extortion and plunder. His doctrine
and manner of life stirred interest, bringing people
from all parts to see him on the banks of the Jordan
flasim shqip Shrbehet n Shqip dhe Anglisht
River. There he baptized thousands unto repentance.

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ST.

NICHOLAS ALBANIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH

JOANI - ORESTI - PAIS - JULIANI - ALBANI

NOV 1 12, 2017: A CHRISTIAN PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND LED BY

PARTICIPANTS WILL VISIT NAZARETH, THE

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