All Saints Weekly Bulletin

^{Sunday, April 7th}

^{Sunday of the Holy Cross}

9:00am Orthros 10:00am Divine Liturgy

Ceremony of the Veneration of the Holy Cross will take place today at the end of Orthros (before the Divine Liturgy begins)

Fellowship Hour hosted by the McGuire Family

Today's Greeter is Lisa Gerontes

Epistle Reading

St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:1-6

BRETHREN, since we have a high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, "Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee"; as he says also in another place, "Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek."

Gospel Reading

Mark 8:34-38; 9:1

The Lord said: "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."

Weekly Calendar

Sun, Apr. 7: Sunday of the Holy Cross (Wine & Oil Allowed)

9:00am Orthros 10:00am Divine Liturgy

Ceremony of the Veneration of the Cross at the end of Orthros

(before the Divine Liturgy)

5:00pm Great Vespers – followed by Lenten refreshments

Mon, Apr. 8: St. Rufus the Obedient (Strict Fast)

         6:00pm Great Compline

Tues, Apr. 9: St. Euspychios the Martyr (Strict Fast)

         12:00pm Seniors Club @ Asia Grill (Junction City)

Wed, Apr. 10: St. Terence the Martyr & his Companions (Strict Fast)

         6:00pm Presanctified Liturgy followed by Potluck & Presentation

         “The Role of Memory in Prayer” – Fr. Theofanis Rauch

Thurs, Apr. 11: St. Antipas the Heiromartyr (Strict Fast)

Fri, Apr. 12: St. Basil the Confessor (Strict Fast)

         6:00pm Salutations to the Theotokos

Sat, Apr. 13: St. Theodosios the Martyr (Wine & Oil Allowed)

         11:30am Philoptochos Meeting @ Olympia Restaurant

Sun, Apr. 14: Sunday of St. John Climacus (Wine & Oil Allowed)

9:00am Orthros 10:00am Divine Liturgy

Parish Announcements

Lenten Service Schedule

Great Compline - Mondays @6pm

Presanctified Liturgy, Potluck, & Reflection – Wednesdays @6pm

Salutations to the Theotokos – Fridays @6pm

Veneration of the Cross – Today, Sun. April 7^th, at the end of Orthros

Next Sunday we will celebrate the Veneration of the Holy Cross. At the request of His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael, the ceremony of the Veneration of the Cross will take place at the end of Orthros (before the Divine Liturgy begins, around 9:45am), not at the end of the Divine Liturgy.

Seniors Club – Tues. April 9^th @12pm (Asia Grill – Junction City)

RSVP to Nikki (309-363-3141) if you plan to attend.

Next Philoptochos Meeting – Sat. April 13^th @ 11:30am (Olympia Restaurant)

The meeting will take place at Olympia Restaurant (1301 W Pioneer Parkway, Peoria, IL 61615).



Memory & Tribute Votives – Deadline to Order is April 20^th

Our parish will be offering both Memory & Tribute Votives to be displayed at the Church on Holy Friday. Memorial Votives will share the names of loved ones who have passed away from this life, and Tribute Votives will share the names of the living you wish to commemorate and pray for. This year, we will not be asking to pay per votive, instead it is a free will offering. To order your votives, either fill out a form in the Church or complete the online form by clicking the link below.

Holy Week & Pascha Flower Donations

Please help us to beautify our Church as we prepare to celebrate the services of Holy Week & Pascha. If you would like to donate specific flowers, please see the sign-up sheet in the Narthex. Otherwise, you can give a check to the church office with “flowers” in the memo, or give online by using the donation link at the bottom of the bulletin and selecting “flowers”.

Orthodox Theology & Christian Culture – Tues. April 23^rd @ 6:00pm (In-person & Zoom)

Our next lecture will be by Rev. Dr. George Tsourous on Celebrating Pascha in the Holy Land. Fr. George is a social anthropologist and Associate Fellow at the Centre for Ethnographic Studies at the University of Kent in the UK. He is also the Archdeacon of the Holy Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain.

Palm Sunday Luncheon – Sun., April 28^th Following the Divine Liturgy

We will be hosting a Palm Sunday fish luncheon following the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, April 28^th. There is no cost to attend, just the opportunity to offer a free will donation. We hope to see you then!

Sunday School – Sundays following Holy Communion

Sunday School is under way! Any children (Pre-school through High School) are welcome to attend class! We have introduced a 2nd class specifically for our Middle School and High School students that will meet at the same time. Sunday School children and teachers come to receive Holy Communion first, and then go downstairs for class.

Middle school and High school students come downstairs following Holy Communion and meet with George Sarraf & Hannah Malley in the Fellowship Hall for their lesson. For any questions, please reach out to Trisha Holton (trisha.meier@gmail.com).

Wisdom of the Fathers

"In the cross, like light in the sun, is concentrated the Love of God the Almighty for the world and men: in the cross is the whole power of Love. If God, the Father, has given His Son for us, how would He not, with Him, give everything to us… Thus the cross, which we use during prayer, is a token of God’s great mercy to us and an answer to our prayers. The cross is also a weapon for the banishment of spiritual enemies and worldly passions."

St. John of Kronstadt

"Come, believers, and faithfully draw the waters that never fail, issuing abundantly by the Cross’s grace, as we behold set before us now the wood of the holy tree, yes, the wellspring of the gifts of the Spirit, which is itself watered by the blood and the water that issued from the Master who was willingly exalted thereon, exalting humanity."

Praises of Orthros