Wednesday, April 21, 2021 |
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"For when a man abandons his sins and returns to God, his repentance regenerates him and renews him entirely." Isaiah the Solitary
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On the Fifth Sunday of Lent, the Church offers us the life of St. Mary of Egypt, an awe-inspiring model of repentance, holiness, and transformation. St. Mary's life reminds us that we, too, are to grapple with and grow through our solitude, drawing closer to the Lord. And like Father Zosima, we are challenged to be reverential and amazed by what is holy in our lives. As Father Dahdal stated: "St. Mary of Egypt is a very revered saint in our church for the following reasons: first, her humility. She did not want to see anybody, and she didn't want to give her story. She only wanted to repent. Regardless of her sins, God accepted her repentance. St. Mary of Egypt also teaches us how to be prudent and steadfast and not give up. She could have gone out to the desert and, after the first year, left. But instead, she persevered." To listen to Father Dahdal's entire sermon, please click on the video. To read the full account of St. Mary of Egypt's life, please click on the button below:
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Holy Week Schedule and Information
Sign Up / Cancellation: Thank you to all the Holy Apostles' family members who made reservations for Holy Week services, honoring the request to "share limited space" with others. There are several services still taking reservations at this time, and we encourage you to sign-up using the button below. Also, if you are unable to make it to a service, please be sure to cancel your reservation by calling the office or removing your sign-up following these instructions, so that others may attend.
Please note: a reservation is not necessary for those who will be outside (weather permitting) for the Anastasi service, beginning at 11:40pm on Saturday, May 1, only for the indoor Divine Liturgy that follows the Anastasi at approximately 12:20am.
Live Stream: We will live-stream all the evening services during Holy Week, as well as Holy Friday afternoon, Holy Saturday morning, and the Easter Agape service. A separate email with all the services beginning Palm Sunday evening through Pascha will be sent out later this week with all the live-stream links and service texts in one convenient location. The live-stream links will also be posted to our website, Youtube, and Facebook accounts.
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Palm Sunday Palms
Palm Sunday calls each of us to lift our voices, praising God and beholding our King, the Word of God made flesh. We are all invited to participate, joyfully welcoming and praising God by crying out, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!"
The branches of the palm trees symbolize Christ's victory over the devil and death. Although our Palm Sunday service is full and no longer accepting reservations, all are welcome to come, receive palms, and light a candle in the multi-purpose room from 11:30AM-12:30 PM by entering through the North Entrance. It is tradition to arrange the palm behind an icon or cross in your home.
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Please click on the blue button below to secure a reservation. If services are full, be sure to check back for reservations that may open. If you are unable to attend Divine Liturgy, please be sure to remove your reservation from Signup Genius so others may attend. If you do not know how to cancel your reservation, please contact the church office.
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Wednesday, April 21st, 5:30|6:00 PM
Ninth Hour & Presanctified Liturgy
"Through them we are given life that we may be united to Your Christ, our true God, who said: Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him, so that with Your Word, O Lord, abiding in us and walking among us, we may become temples of Your all holy and worshipful Spirit."
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Saturday, April 24th, 8:00|9:00 AM
Orthros and Divine Liturgy
"O Christ our God, before Your Passion, You raised Lazarus from the dead to confirm the common Resurrection for all."
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Sunday, April 25th, 8:15|9:30 AM
Palm Sunday Orthros / Divine Liturgy
(Click the icon to watch online)
"O Christ, Our God, we have been Buried with You through Baptism, and by Your Resurrection made worthy of Life immortal. Praising You, we cry out, "Hosanna in the highest, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord."
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Ways to Participate This Lent |
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"We can do nothing better or greater than to pray for them, offering commemoration for them at the Liturgy." St. John Maximovitch |
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Prayer and Candle Requests
If you would like to have your living or departed loved ones commemorated during the Divine Liturgy, please submit your names using the button below. Likewise, if you cannot attend a church service and would like candles lit, please click on the buttons below. All requests should be made by 7 pm the night before the service.
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Holy Unction Request
Anyone who would like to be anointed with Holy Unction can ask Fr. Dahdal or Dn. Perry to be blessed before/after one of the upcoming services or by appointment.
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Schedule Confession
If you would like to schedule a confession with Father Nicholas Dahdal please contact the church office at 708-562-2744.
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Flower Donation Request
During our journey through Lent, we humbly ask our Holy Apostles family to help offset the costs for Lenten and Paschal flowers. At Divine Liturgy, our clergy will commemorate the names of those donations offered in memory of a loved one. If you'd like to make an online donation please click here. Names then can be submitted by contacting the office at 708-562-2744 or by emailing. Donations can also be made by calling the office. May God be glorified through your efforts.
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Saturday, April 24th, 2021
Sacrament of Holy Chrismation
Let us joyfully welcome to the Church:
Dr. James Rupp
Sponsor: Demetra Vlagos
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Saturday, April 24th, 2021
40 Day Blessing
Kristin Adams
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Our Virtual Fellowship Hour will continue this Sunday, 4/25 at a special time beginning at 1PM due to Palm Sunday. We hope you will join us in fellowship as we would love to see all your faces once more. To join, please click on the button below:
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5th Annual Holy Apostles Feed6 Event
We need your help! We encourage you to register by May 1, 2021 to ensure that we order sufficient supplies for our event.
For the fifth consecutive year, Holy Apostles will partner with Feed6 to pack nutritious meals to feed the area hungry. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to provide for the hungry is more significant than ever. This year’s event will occur at Holy Apostles on Saturday, June 5, 2021. Modified operating procedures will be in place, including fewer volunteers per shift/table, social distancing, masks during the event, and sanitization between shifts. Please consider donating to or volunteering for the event by clicking below:
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Holy Apostles is excited to announce that our Holy Apostles Resource Center (HARC) is open on Sundays after Divine Liturgy from now until Pascha for all those wishing to purchase much needed Orthodox items. Purchase Holy Week Books, Divine Liturgy Books, Pascha cards, incense, and so much more!
Please note that we will be following the safety guidelines and protocols as directed by the Metropolis.
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"Money, possessions, and all material goods are not our own, but God's. We are simply responsible for the way in which they will be used."
St. Porphyrios
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The sixth week of Lent has begun, which means a new occasion to offer the fruits of your weekly labors to our Lord. As we move toward Pascha, look into your heart and consider your Paschal offering. Our Holy Apostles family cannot continue to minister without your generous financial support. When we come together, we are one faith, one belief, one family. To make a weekly or Paschal offering, please click below:
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At Holy Apostles, we are one family, one Body of Christ. Our Stewardship Committee is challenging every family and member of Holy Apostles to offer their time, talent, or treasure and unite as one. We thank all who have already pledged. So far, we have reached 66% of our goal for total stewards. But that means we still need 1/3 of our parish family to complete their 2021 pledge.
Compassionate stewardship is about how our Holy Apostles family can do God’s work with love and compassion. As Scripture teaches, It is less about the parish’s need to receive and more about our spiritual need to give back in thanksgiving the gifts and blessings God has entrusted to us.
Click the buttons below to see the March/April 2021 Stewardship report and to give back today:
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Holy Apostles Ministries and Events |
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The Metropolis Junior Olympics will celebrate its 40th year Memorial Day Weekend (May 29-30) at SS. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Palos Hills.
Holy Apostles is looking for those who are interested in participating. The activities that will be offered this year are as follows: 7-9 Soccer, 7-10 Basketball, 11-13 Basketball, 13-18 Girls Volleyball, 13-18 Boys Volleyball, 13-18 Coed Volleyball. There will be no individual sports.
We are also in search of Soccer and Volleyball coaches.
Those interested in coaching or participating should contact Aleka Ernst using the button below:
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Usher Volunteers Needed
Are you looking for a way to offer your time and talent to the Lord? We need your help serving as an usher during Holy Week. There are still slots to be filled for Holy Wednesday, Holy Saturday Morning, and the Agape vespers.
As an usher, you will assist your brothers and sisters in Christ, offering the best possible visit to our church while encouraging and maintaining current safety protocols.
For details, please contact Val Dranias using button below:
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Over the past twenty years, first as an OCMC missionary in Romania and now in Alaska, Floyd Frantz has advanced addiction treatment by adapting and enhancing the well-known Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step program with an Orthodox therapeutic perspective.
All donations we receive during Lent will support this ongoing outreach ministry as Floyd Frantz offers the hope of treatment, and our faith, to those who need it the most. May God be glorified through our efforts!
To support this ministry financially, please click below:
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Philoptochos News & Events |
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Decorated Easter Candles (Lambathes)
Philoptochos is selling decorated candles (lambathes) for Easter again this year. Candles will be available to purchase after the Divine Liturgies every Sunday in April and after the afternoon Holy Unction service on Holy Wednesday and the morning (Royal Hours) and afternoon (Apokathelosis) services on Good Friday. The candles will be sold outside in front of the church. The cost is $15.00 per candle. Please wear a mask while browsing and purchasing. Due to COVID restrictions, cash will NOT be accepted, only checks or credit cards. These candles are hand-made by our Philoptochos members and make great gifts for Godparents to give to their Godchildren.
Please contact Angela Karras Neboyskey at [email protected] or (773) 719-2619 with any questions.
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Family Activity
The Saturday before Palm Sunday is “Saturday of Lazarus” and on this day it is tradition to make “Lazarakia” (literally meaning “Little Lazaruses”). These are traditional small, sweet and mildly spiced bread, made only once a year. They represent the miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Try your hand at making these Lazarakia this year. If you do, we'd love to see your pictures. Tag us or send us a message on our Holy Apostles social media pages.
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Ingredients:
- 400 g water, lukewarm
- 1 tablespoon(s) yeast
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 50 g olive oil
- 1 teaspoon(s) cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon(s) cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon(s) cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
- 800 g all-purpose flour
- 50 g raisins
- 50 g walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 40 cloves
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Baking Instructions:
- In a mixer, add the water, yeast and sugar.
- Whisk by hand until the yeast and sugar dissolve and set it aside for 10 minutes until the yeast activates.
- Add the olive oil, cinnamon, ground cloves, cardamom, salt and flour.
- Beat with the hook attachment on medium speed for 8-10 minutes, until the ingredients come together and a dough is formed.
- Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 170* C (338*F) Fan.
- When the dough has rested, divide it into 20 pieces that are 60 g each and shape into balls.
- Each ball will become a little Lazarus so cut off a small piece and weigh 50 g for the body and 10 g for the arms.
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Prepare the filling by combining the raisins and coarsely chopped walnuts in a bowl.
- With the 50 g of dough, knead and shape little Lazarus’s bodies in an oblong shape, fill with 1 teaspoon of the filling and seal. With the 10 g of dough, shape into 2 arms, crisscrossing in the back and bringing them to crisscross again in the front.
- Insert 2 whole cloves above the arms where the head should be to create the eyes.
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Transfer the little Lazarus buns onto a baking pan lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, until golden.
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Athos, the World's Brightest Peak
The world premiere of the documentary "Athos: The World's Brightest Peak" is now being screened online at the 18th San Francisco Greek Film Festival. The film follows three monks from Mount Athos, the largest monastic center of Orthodox Christianity, share their thoughts about faith, Monasticism, their decision to become monks, their lives in Mount Athos and the monastic community.
The film is free to watch but you will have to use an email address to access the documentary. To watch the film click here.
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Live Lent
Authentic repentance begins with reflecting on who we truly are in the presence of God. Set aside some quiet time this week to stand in front of your icons and to sincerely reflect on the ways you have sinned against God and others. After reflecting, reach out to schedule a time to participate in the sacrament of Holy Confession.
For more information, or to hear this week's sermons, please visit their website HERE
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We Need your Feedback on how we Worship!
The Metropolis of Chicago is conducting a survey as part of its Strategic Plan to
to understand and clarify how the laity of all ages define meaningful worship and engagement. The survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete and responses can remain anonymous. To participate, you must be located within the Metropolis of Chicago and 18 years or older.
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Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church
2501 South Wolf Road
Westchester, IL 60154
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