Sunday before the Nativity of our Lord | |
Christ is in our midst! Христос међу нама! Cristo esta entra nosotros! | |
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Homily on the Sunday
Before the Nativity of Christ
Priest John Boddecker
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Growing up, my grandmother made Christmas magical. In the days and weeks following Thanksgiving, her home was changed from your typical suburban house into a veritable Christmas wonderland. The mantle over her fireplace, bookcases in the walls, bay window and other shelves would all be cleared of their usual occupants and filled to the brim with handmade ceramic Christmas villages, churches with lights shining from within through their miniature stained-glass windows, nativity scenes, ice skaters, singing angels and Christmas carolers, all set atop white glistening angel hair and surrounded by a myriad of Christmas lights. As the time drew nearer, an enormous tree would take up residence in the middle of her dining room and, as more and more grandchildren came into the picture, its base would be surrounded by more and more presents. My grandfather was put in a good humor by my grandmother’s dedication to decorating for Christmas and used to quip that if he stood still for too long at this time of year, he might find himself covered in tinsel. For us children, though, all of this fostered in us a sense of wondrous excitement and joyful anticipation of the coming celebration of birth of Christ.
Now, if you have been attentive over the past few weeks, you have likely noticed that our Mother, the Church, has been doing something quite similar to stoke up a spiritual excitement and anticipation in our hearts as we approach the coming feast. Our first sign that something was coming was the transition to a period of fasting. Next, little hints that the feast was approaching began to spring up in the hymns sung at Vigil. I, for one, witnessed in this very church a few weeks ago one little girl, with a sparkle in her eye, nearly break into a dance when she heard the choir begin to sing the katavasia, “Christ is born, glorify him” at the vigil on the Entrance of the Mother of God in the Temple. Throughout this season, we have commemorated many of the Old Testament prophets and spiritual Ancestors of Christ — each of them, in their own way, pointing us to the coming celebration. Finally, on this, the last Sunday before the Feast, the Church presents to us the genealogy of our Lord as recorded in the Holy Gospel according to St Matthew.
At first glance this might seem somewhat odd. If we are honest, we tend to find the biblical genealogies to be boring, something to be skipped over or, at least, rushed through, in hopes of finding something more interesting on the next page. But if the Church has placed this Gospel reading at such a liturgically pivotal moment, there must be something important to be discovered in it. While there is certainly a number of points that can be drawn from this text, I would like to follow one particular line of reflection that might help us to see the mystery of the Incarnation from a different angle than we might usually do. We often hear the Incarnation discussed in terms of abstract, metaphysical categories: “humanity”, “divinity”, “hypostasis”, etc. As helpful as these may be for clearly defining our dogmatic teaching, the reality of Christ’s genealogy might help us to see that in the Incarnation, Christ not only “became man” in the abstract, but became our Kinsman, thereby making us His kin. It might also help us to understand what that means for us.
Who can describe his generation? (Isaiah 53:8)
First, we must raise the question, “How is it possible for the Son of God to have a genealogy at all?” The Holy Prophet Isaiah remarks of Him, “Who can describe His generation?” (Isaiah 53:7–8 // Acts 8:32–33). It might be easy enough for us to trace our own lineages back through parents to grandparents and so on, until the generations are lost in the sands of time, but how can the Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father without a mother, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, how can such a one be found as a single link in the chain of a genealogy and be said to have a mother and brothers and sisters? Of this mystery, St Gregory Palamas says the following:
It is impossible to recount Christ’s descent according to His divinity, but his ancestry according to His human nature can be traced, since He who deigned to become Son of Man in order to save mankind was, in very fact, the offspring of men. (Homily on the Old Testament Saints)
You see, then, the mere fact that we have a genealogy of Christ is itself a confession of the mystery of the coming feast, that the Word has become flesh to dwell among us. But since it is in a genealogy that we first find Christ’s Incarnation proclaimed to us, it demonstrates to us that, while He could have simply created a human nature and then taken it upon Himself, He chose instead to become a Kinsman of real live human beings. He became a Son, a Brother, a Grandson; a reality we bear witness to every time we make reference to the Mother of God, to the Holy Apostle James, Brother of the Lord, and to Sts Joachim and Anna, the Ancestors of God. So, it is not only in the terms of these metaphysical categories, but in His coming in the flesh as our Kinsman that we find Christ. What does that mean for us? How might this fact help us to see some of what Christ has done for us in a different light?
This man is a kinsman of ours … (Ruth 2:20)
This leads us to our second consideration, that Christ became our Kinsman in order to fulfill the responsibilities of a Kinsman laid out in the Old Testament. Living, as we do, in this modern age of individualism, in which many think very little of the duties to even their immediate families, it can be hard for us, perhaps, to understand the world of Ancient Israel in which one’s identity was rooted in a network of kinship relations and the obligations bestowed by these. A person’s place in Israelite society, ranging from the plot of land he occupied to the trade he performed, were all determined by his place within a tribe, a clan and a family. Among its many defining features, one significant feature of Old Testament kinship relations was the responsibility of one’s kin to demonstrate love and loyalty to its members in times of difficulty, many of which are laid out in Leviticus 25. When one member of the kin fell into economic hardship and had to sell his property, it was the responsibility of his nearest kinsman to buy it back and restore it to him, so that the unfortunate one would not lose his inheritance in the Promised Land. When one member of the kin was sold into slavery, it was the responsibility of his nearest kinsman to pay the price of his deliverance, so that he might not lose his share in the liberty of the people of God. When one member of the kin was killed by an outsider, it was the responsibility of his nearest kinsman to avenge the blood of the victim on the unjust murderer. In each of these instances, a single Hebrew root is used, the verb ga’al (גאל) which, while often translated “redeem,” really has the meaning “to act as a kinsman” with the implied responsibilities of such a kinsman being understood by all. The particular emphasis on the nearness of relation arises from the fact that these acts of redemption were to be carried out by the near kin of the sufferer, not the people of Israel in general.
All of this helps us, then, as we seek to consider the significance of the genealogy of Christ this day, for this same Hebrew word, ga’al (גאל), is used regularly throughout the Old Testament as a description of God’s actions towards his people. The Holy Prophet Isaiah, alone, uses it some twenty times to describe the future redemption to be carried out by the Holy One of Israel. But how can the uncreated God, who transcends all that is, “act the kinsman” to His creatures, unless He becomes one of them, becomes their kin? It is true that the familial language found in the Old Testament is, at times, applied generally to the people of Israel (e.g. Exodus 4:22 or Hosea 11:1) or, more particularly, to the sons of David (II Kingdoms 7:14 and Psalm 2:7), but before the Incarnation of Christ, this language could only ever have been figurative, an analogical extension of the kinship relations and responsibilities from the human to the divine plane. Now, though, since Christ has shared in our flesh and blood (Hebrews 2:14ff), what was once only a type has become a fact: God has become our kinsman and as such has “acted the kinsman to us.” He has demonstrated His love and loyalty to us, His kin, by redeeming us out of our slavery to sin by the price of His own blood, by restoring in us the hope of an inheritance in the Promised Land of the heavenly kingdom, and, finally, by avenging the injustice against us by destroying him who has the power of death. But what does this mean for us? What does this mean for our relationship to God?
He gave them power to become the children of God (John 1:12)
The result of the incarnation, though, was not only that it made God our Kinsman in Christ, but that we have become His kin as well, for when the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, He gave to all who received Him and believed in His name the power to become the children of God. Of this mystery, St. John Chrysostom, commenting on the Savior’s genealogy, said the following:
Hearing these things, let us marvel, that He, being the Son of the Unoriginate God, and His true Son, suffered Himself to be called also Son of David, that He might make you a son of God. He suffered a servant [David] to be father to Him, that He might make the Lord Father, though you were only a servant. (Homilies on Matthew, II.3)
The whole purpose, then, of Christ’s coming in the flesh was that we might receive the adoption as sons and heirs of God whereby we might be able to call God our Father (Galatians 4:4–7). Our incorporation into a kinship relation with God, though, brings with it not only the above mentioned privileges resulting from Christ’s “acting the kinsman” on our behalf, but also a series of responsibilities or obligations to live as one worthy to be called the kinsman of God. As St. Gregory Palamas says,
Just as a newborn infant has received potential from his parents to become a man and heir to their house and fortune, but does not yet possess that inheritance because he is a minor, nor will he receive it if he dies before coming of age, so a person born again in the Spirit through Christian baptism has received power to become a son and heir of God, a joint-heir with Christ, and in the age to come will, with all certainty, receive the divine and immortal adaptation as a son, which will not be taken from him, unless he forfeited this by spiritual death. … Everyone who has been baptized, if he is to obtain the eternal blessedness and salvation for which he hopes, should therefore live free from all sin. (Homily on the Old Testament Saints)
God has become our Kinsman and in making us His kin, calls us to live in a way that bears witness to our familial relationship.
He is not ashamed to call them brethren (Hebrews 2:11)
So then, to summarize: the genealogy of Christ signifies to us that the Son of God has truly come in the flesh, for how else could we compose a genealogy for Him; it signifies that He has done so that He might become our Kinsman and “acted the Kinsman” on our behalf; and it signifies to us that God has summoned us to become His sons and daughters by baptism and living a life, thereafter, free of sin. But, perhaps at this point, you find yourself losing heart. You wonder how you could ever live up to so high a calling. Here, the genealogy has a word of comfort to offer. We have not, up to this point, examined the particular individuals included in the genealogy and time, or your patience with me, would fail to speak at length about Adam, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, David and Solomon, Zerubabel and others. But I will point out that the reading we heard from St Matthew’s Gospel included mention of four women in the genealogy of Christ, quite anomalous in Jewish genealogies which usually only included the male ancestry of an individual, and each of these — the incestuous Tamar, the prostitute Rahab, the pagan foreigner Ruth, and the adulterous Bathsheba — demonstrates that Christ has a few “skeletons” in his genealogical closet.
St John Chrysostom, meditating on the presence of these women in Christ’s genealogy, remarks that “even if we were only reciting the family background of a mere man, we might naturally have been silent touching such matters” – you might try to sweep them under the rug or at least not go out of your way to point them out – “but since we are recounting the genealogy of God Incarnate, so far from being silent, we ought to glory in them, for they show forth His tender care and Hs power.” (Homily Matthew, III.3) Why, you might ask? “Because this is the very reason Christ has come, not to escape our disgraces, but to bear them away. … He came as a Physician and not as a Judge.” Christ, in becoming our Kinsman, did so in full recognition of our sinfulness and, as the Great Physician, He comes near to us who are in the greatest need of His care, that He might make us whole again. As St. Paul says, both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of One: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren (Hebrews 2:11).
Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, seeing what marvelous things Christ has accomplished for us, in becoming and acting the kinsman for us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets us so that we may run the race set before us, to live in such a way as to be worthy of being called the children of God, and, by so purifying our hearts and mind, we might be able to draw near with the angels, the shepherds and the wise men to adore the little Child Who is born, the Pre-eternal God. Amen.
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Commemorating Martyr Sebastian at Rome and his companions, Venerable Sebastian Abbot of Pshekhonye Monastery Vologda, Righteous Simeon Wonderworker of Verkhoturye, St Modestos Archbishop of Jerusalem, St Florus Bishop of Amisus, St Michael the Confessor at Constantinople, New Hieromartyr Archbishop Thaddeus of Tver, Venerable Daniel the Hesychast
RESURRECTION TROPARION—TONE 5
Let us, the faithful, praise and worship the Word, co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit, born for our salvation from the Virgin; for He willed to be lifted up on the Cross in the flesh, to endure death, and to raise the dead by His glorious Resurrection.
HOLY FATHERS TROPARION—TONE 2
Great are the accomplishments of faith, for the three Holy Youths rejoice in the fountain of flames as though in the waters of rest; and the Prophet Daniel appeared a shepherd to the lions as though they were sheep. So by their prayers, O Christ God, save our souls!
HOLY FATHERS KONTAKION - TONE 6
A hand-wrought image ye would not worship, O thrice-blessed ones; but armed with the Indescribable Essence, ye were glorified in your ordeal by fire. Standing in the midst of the
irresistible flame, ye called upon God: Speed Thou, O Compassionate One, and hasten, as Thou art Merciful, to come unto our aid, for Thou art able if Thou will it.
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~Scripture Readings of the Day~ | |
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READERS:
This Week: Matins: Lenny Tepsich Epistle: Natasha Milanovich
Next Week: Matins: Nicholas Ressetar Epistle: Ruby Cangialosi/Aleksandra Saran
EPISTLE: Hebrews 11:9-10, 17-23, 32-40
DEACON: Let us pay attention.
PRIEST: Peace be unto all!
READER: And with your spirit!
DEACON: Wisdom.
READER: The Prokeimenon in the Forth Tone: Blessed are You, O Lord God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Your name forever!
CHOIR: Blessed are You, O Lord God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Your name forever!
READER: v: For You are just in all that You have done for us!
CHOIR: Blessed are You, O Lord God of our fathers, and praised and glorified is Your name forever!
READER: Blessed are You, O Lord God of our fathers...
CHOIR: ...and praised and glorified is Your name forever!
DEACON: Wisdom!
READER: The Reading is from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Hebrews.
DEACON: Let us attend!
READER: Brothers and Sisters, by faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. But You are the same, and Your years will not fail.” By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
PRIEST: Peace be unto you, reader!
READER: And with your spirit! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
READER: We have heard with our ears, O God, for our fathers have told us.
CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
READER: For You have saved us from them that oppose us, and have put to shame them that hate us.
CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
АПОСТОЛ: Јеврејима 11:9-10, 17-23, 32-40
Ђакон: Пазимо
Свештеник: Мир свима!
Читач: I Духу Твоме!
Ђакон: Премудрост
Читач : ПРОКИМЕН- глас 4 Благословен си, Господе Боже отаца наших, и хвално и прослављено је име Твоје у вјекове.
Хор: Благословен си, Господе Боже отаца наших, и хвално и прослављено је име Твоје у вјекове.
Читач: Јер си праведан у свему што си учинио за нас.
Хор: Благословен си, Господе Боже отаца наших, и хвално и прослављено је име Твоје у вјекове.
Читач: Благословен си, Господе Боже отаца наших,
Хор: и хвално и прослављено је име Твоје у вјекове.
Ђакон: Премудрост
Читач: Читање из посланице Св. Апостола Павла Јеврејима
Ђакон: Пазимо
Читач: Вјером се насели Аврам у земљи обећаној као у туђој, и у шаторима становаше са Исаком и Јаковом, сунасљедницима истога обећања. Јер очекиваше Град који има темеље, којему је неимар и творац Бог. Вјером принесе Аврам Исака када је кушан, и јединца приношаше онај који је примио обећања, коме бјеше казано: У Исаку ће ти се назвати сјеме, Јер је разумио да је Бог кадар и из мртвих васкрсавати; зато га и доби као праслику. Вјером у оно што ће доћи благослови Исак Јакова и Исава. Вјером Јаков умирући благослови свакога сина Јосифова, и поклони се преко врха палице своје. Вјером Јосиф на самрти напомињаше о изласку синова Израиљевих, и заповједи за кости своје. Вјером су Мојсеја, пошто се роди, крили три мјесеца родитељи његови, јер видјеше да је дијете красно, и не побојаше се заповијести цареве. И шта још да кажем? Јер ми не би достало времена кад бих стао казивати о Гедеону, Вараку, Самсону, Јефтају, Давиду, Самуилу и о другим пророцима, који вјером побиједише царства, чинише правду, добише обећања, затворише уста лавовима, угасише силу огњену, утекоше од оштрица мача, од немоћних постадоше јаки, бијаху силни у рату, поразише војске туђинске; Неке жене примише своје мртве васкрсењем; други пак бијаху мукама уморени не приставши на избављење, да би добили боље васкрсење; А други искусише поруге и шибања, па још окове и тамнице; Камењем побијени, престругани, измучени, од мача помријеше; потуцаше се у кожусима и козјим кожама у оскудици, у невољама, у патњама; Они којих свијет не бијаше достојан, потуцаху се по пустињама и горама и по пештерама и по јамама земаљским. И сви ови, освједочени у вјери, не добише обећање; Зато што је Бог нешто боље предвидјео за нас, да не би они без нас достигли савршенство.
Свештеник: Мир ти читачу!
Читач: I Духом Твоме! Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа
Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа
Читач: Боже, својим ушима слушасмо, оци наши проповједаше дјела која си учинио у њихово вријеме, у старо вријеме.
Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа
Читач: Избавио си нас од непријатеља наших и ненавиднике наше посрамио
Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа
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LITURGY GOSPEL:
Matthew 1:1-25
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa. Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah. Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon. And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man,and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.
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ЈЕВАНЂЕЉЕ:
Матеј 1:1-25
Родослов Исуса Христа, сина Давидова, Авраамова сина. Авраам роди Исака. А Исак роди Јакова. А Јаков роди Јуду и браћу његову. А Јуда роди Фареса и Зару с Тамаром. А Фарес роди Есрома. А Есром роди Арама. А Арам роди Аминадава. А Аминадав роди Наасона. А Наасон роди Салмона. А Салмон роди Вооза с Рахавом. А Вооз роди Овида с Рутом. А Овид роди Јесеја. А Јесеј роди Давида цара. А Давид цар роди Соломона са Уријиницом. А Соломон роди Ровоама. А Ровоам роди Авију. А Авија роди Асу. А Аса роди Јосафата. А Јосафат роди Јорама. А Јорам роди Озију. А Озија роди Јоатама. А Јоатам роди Ахаза. А Ахаз роди Језекију. А Језекија роди Манасију. А Манасија роди Амона. А Амон роди Јосију. А Јосија роди Јехонију и браћу његову, у сеоби вавилонској. А по сеоби вавилонској, Јехонија роди Салатила. А Салатил роди Зоровавеља. А Зоровавељ роди Авиуда. А Авиуд роди Елиакима. А Елиаким роди Азора. А Азор роди Садока. А Садок роди Ахима. А Ахим роди Елиуда. А Елиуд роди Елеазара. А Елеазар роди Матана. А Матан роди Јакова. А Јаков роди Јосифа, мужа Марије, од које се роди Исус звани Христос. Свега, дакле, кољена од Авраама до Давида, кољена четрнаест, а од Давида до сеобе вавилонске кољена четрнаест, и од сеобе вавилонске до Христа, кољена четрнаест. А рођење Исуса Христа овако би: Кад је мати његова Марија била обручена Јосифу, а прије него што се бјеху састали, нађе се да је затруднила од Духа Светога. А Јосиф муж њезин, будући праведан и не хотећи је јавно изобличити, намисли је тајно отпустити. Но кад он тако помисли, гле, јави му се у сну анђео Господњи говорећи: Јосифе, сине Давидов, не бој се узети Марију жену своју; јер оно што се у њој зачело од Духа јe Светога. Па ће родити сина, и надјени му име Исус: јер ће он спасти народ свој од гријеха њихових. А све се ово догодило да се испуни што је Господ казао преко пророка који говори: Ето, дјевојка ће зачети, и родиће сина, и надјенуће му име Емануил, што ће рећи: С нама Бог. Уставши Јосиф од сна, учини како му заповједи анђео Господњи и узе жену своју. И не знадијаше за њу док не роди сина својега првенца, и надјену му име Исус.
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~ The Week Ahead: Scriptures and Services ~ | |
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~Prayers for the Faithful~
In Our Prayers
Metropolitan Paul, Archbishop Youhanna, Protinica Ljubica Jockovic, Protopresbyter Rodney Torbic, Popadija Sara Golic, Matushka Barbara Ealy, the child Katie Elizabeth and her parents Mileva and Michael Repasky, the child Metodija and his parents Fr. Dn. Milan and Mira Damljanovic, the child Louise Bare and her parents Zachary & Elizabeth, Shayle York and the newborn Šeren Lily, Kaitlyn Hook and the child to be born of her, Cassandra Semic and the child to be born of her, Catherine Lewis and the child to be born of her, Kyranna Baker and the child to be born of her, Michelle Adams, Addy Andy, Lori Bare, Dori & Doug Bert, Jonathan Bertsch, Darlene & Larry Black, Carole Blitva, Stephan and Barbara Blitva, Walter “Bud” Brown, Rebecca Cappetta, Guiliana & Aleksandar Carricato, Leann Cox, Victoria Cox, Art Dils, Tommy and Kara (Blitva) Dorsey, JoAnn Filepas, Anaya Garvin, Christian & Melanie Geib, Michael Geppert III, Dr Andrea Govelovich, Nick & Terry Govelovich, Kata Gruich, George Gutshall, Dan Hazlett, Travis Heilman, Adam Herigan, Edith Herigan, Kay Himes, Edward Hojnicki, Nicole Stefan Imschweiler, Susan Jacobs, Slobodan Jovicic, Myong Sook Kim, Spencer Klinge, Dorothy Krnjaich, Henry Laichak, Peter Lalic, Dragan Lalovic, Stella Wren Lappas, Dick Livingston, Maggie Livingston, Boro Lojpur, Stephen Lundingrin, Dianne & Jim Martin, Rowan Martin, Jack McFall, Marija Miljkovic, Daria Milletics, Dave Morris, Peter Mrgich, George Myers, Katherine Nation, Patty Navarro, Bosiljka Ninkovic, Lila Packer, Daniel Paddock, Vid & Marica Pejcic, Hope Pesner, Kobe Petrovich, Sue Petrovich, Tracy Petrovich, Linda Rodgers, Logan Roszkowski, Chloe Ruff, Nathan & Jane Rush, Greg Selman, Michael Schaffner, Maryann Seiders, Steven Semic, Benjamin Shaffer, Tessa Shaffer, John Sheaffer, Branko Smitran, Zorka Starcevich, Tim Stefan, Stevan and Mary Stojic, Patricia & Joseph Sypniewski, Leonard Tepsich, Leroy Tepsich Jr, Savka Trivun, Edie & Michael “Bo” Venesevich, Michael Vishnesky, Rita Vorkapich, Kristina Vukalo, Steve Vulich, Paula Werner, Draga Worman, Tosh Yanich, Dewey Yetter, Mila “Millie” Yezdimir, Marija Zabrodnaya, Jason Zeigler, Ashley Ziobrowski, Demetrios & Eleni Ziogas, Miriam “Mim” Codan Ziolkowski
Those Who Need Special Care
HOMELAND: Draga Donato; MASONIC HOME ELIZABETHTOWN: Ray Foltz; RS: Cedo Lukic
Those to be Baptized
Sloane & Berkeley Semic, Barrett Scott, Divna & Danica Mitrovic, Nora & Maeve Van Huysen, Sloane & Šeren York
Our College Students
Sophia Adams, Kyranna Baker, Cameron Barber, Michael Geppert, Anastasija Gligorevic, Cayden Healy, Matthew Hoover, Kalei Howard, Faith Kingsbury, Sophia Mummert, Kobe Petrovich, Christina Radanovic, Ioanna Radanovic, Madison Vorkapich, Anastasija Vukalo
Our Dearly Departed Loved Ones
Eva Orr, Helen Kapac, Basil Havalchak, Dragoljub (Don) Maransky, Marshall Vujasinovich, Goran Stekovic, Louis 'Chuck' Belic, Florence Ivanoff
~Vigils Offered~
CHRIS KRNJAIC Offered in joyous celebration of her birthday (Jan 5). Given by the Gruich family. Mnogaja Ljeta! Many Years!
VONI GRUICH BROWN Offered in joyous celebration of her birthday (Jan 6). Given by Kat and family. Mnogaja Ljeta! Many Years!
TOOTSIE KRNJAICH Offering vigils and prayers for our Kuma Tootsie. May God’s blessings be with her during her rehab period. From her Godchildren, Kat and families.
MICHAEL GEPPERT Offered prayerfully by Mom & Dad for improvement in health and God’s blessings and loving care during his recovery.
†BETTY GRUICH Offered in loving memory of her birthday (Jan 1). Given by her family. Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal!
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Please continue to pray for all of those currently being persecuted for Christ's sake in Kosovo, Metohija, Montenegro, Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea, Morocco, China, North Korea, for all of our brothers and sisters in Christ suffering throughout the world, especially in Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, that they might be comforted with the Joy of our Lord, and for those who are unjustly persecuted that they may be strengthened by the love of Christ which knows no division.
LET US PRAY TO THE LORD!
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Stewardship Offering Information
Date 12/24/2023
Collection: $4,170.00
Date 12/17/2023
Collection: $4,122.00
Date 12/10/2023
Collection: $2,306.00
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January Birthdays
Kristina Carricato (Jan 3), Brad Livingston (Jan 4), Betty Matovich (Jan 5), Chris Krnjaic (Jan 5), Voni Brown (Jan 6), Jody Atty (Jan 7), Fred Book (Jan 7), Ellen Long (Jan 8), Lauren Spangler (Jan 9), Jason Milletics (Jan 11), William Hernjak (Jan 12), JoAnn Filepas (Jan 13), Tracy Petrovich (Jan 13), Bill Wenner (Jan 15), Stacey Stanovich (Jan 15), Nicole Stefan Imschweiler (Jan 15), Christina Radanovic (Jan 15), Tatyana Reznitchenko (Jan 16), Sylvia Stefan (Jan 18), Nina Radanovic (Jan 19), Makrina Rocknage (Jan 19), Kristina Vukalo (Jan 20), Rita Vorkapich (Jan 22), Protinica Andreja (Jan 24), Kobe Petrovich (Jan 24), Andjelija Lojpur (Jan 27), Sophia Mummert (Jan 28), Jane Svitchan (Jan 29), Maxim Reznitchenko (Jan 29), Ashtyn Isadora Cruz (Jan 30)
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SOTAYA LAMB SALE (DEADLINE TODAY)
We are once again having our Christmas Fund Raising event. For your Christmas dinner on January 7, let us provide you with hot Roast Lamb. This year the lamb will be sold by the pound, for $16 per pound. Deadline to place your lamb order is Sunday, December 31. Contact Sladjana Gligorevic at 717-538-2073 or sladjagligorevic@gmail.com
SAINT NICHOLAS SENIORS
The Seniors’ next meeting/luncheon will be 12 noon on Tuesday, January 9th at Rod’s Roadhouse on Eisenhower Blvd. This will be our annual Christmas Party. Hope to see you there.
PARISH COUNCIL SERVICE
We are at the end of the year 2023, preparing for our upcoming Annual Assembly in February. Please consider serving on the Parish Council. We are currently in need of the following positions in the coming year: Treasurer, Vice President and Member at Large. Please see Nikki Lewis, Nina Radanovic, Tatyana Reznitchenko or Father Chris if you are able to serve our community.
WAYS TO BE A GOOD STEWARD
If you are wondering what you can do as a Steward of the Church, please consider becoming a Greeter or a Tutor. A Greeter does just that, they greet those who come to share in the services held in our church (Divine Liturgies as well as other events such as Lenten services or Pan Orthodox events). If you are willing to serve the church as a Greeter or Tutor please contact the church office or Terry Govelovich at 717-561-1590 (leave a message if there is no answer).
NEW ITEMS AVAILABLE IN THE DISPLAY CASE
Check out the Mother’s Club Display Case as we are getting new items in weekly. There are new Nativity/Christmas Cards available. Check them out! There are also new items available for purchase that were donated by Fr Dcn Bojan, from his recent trip to Serbia.
HIRING CUSTODIAN
As our beloved brother in Christ, Michael Healy will be retiring from this position in January, we are looking for his replacement. Please see Father Christopher, Nick Ressetar, or Zach Bare if interested in applying for the position.
MOTHER’S CLUB PARTY!!!
On Sunday, January 14th, the Mothers Club will have their annual Christmas Party and gift exchange at Gilligan’s Restaurant after Liturgy. All Mothers are encouraged to attend, and bring a gift to be exchanged in a White Elephant game.
EXPERIENCED WOOD FINISHERS
We are calling all experienced wood finishers to assist with the pew restoration and installation. Once we have the process mapped out, workers will be able to sand and refinish pews at their convenience. Please contact Father Christopher 412.400.7146 or Dean Stefan 717.679.1907 to get more information.
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CHURCH SCHOOL REGISTRATION
It is that time again, getting ready for a new academic year. Please follow this link to register your children for our Church School program. All children, ages 3—18 are expected to attend classes each Sunday to grow in the Faith and in fellowship.
https://forms.gle/SGWWhv3iBLWqJfHd7
2024 ORGANIZATIONAL DUES
To pay your 2024 dues (or if you still owe 2023 dues) please see Nikki Lewis for Mothers Club, Jovanka Shaffer for KSS, Linda Yandric for Seniors, Jason Milletics for Choir and Protinica Andreja for Serb Club.
CHURCH OFFICE HOURS (this week)
Office hours are Tuesday thru Friday from 9 am until noon. You may call the office during these hours at (717) 939-3872 or come by the office in person. Office hours will be adjusted when services are occurring during those hours.
BULLETIN DEADLINE
Bulletin Deadline is Wednesday at 11 am
Please send all bulletin requests to the church office at office@stnicholassteelton.org
You may also call at (717) 939-3872
BURN THE MORTGAGE/CHURCH FINANCES
We have been entreating the Lord God for His help in our time of need. We give thanks, both for our need and for His help, and for all of you who have given from your hearts of your time, your talents and your treasures. We will continue our efforts in financial sustainability to have the healthiest St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church possible!
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December Charity
Very Reverend Stavrophor Srboljub Jockovich Fund
for St. Nicholas Church Ministries & those in Need
In 2010, our congregation established The Fr. Srboljub Fund as a permanent resource for special ministries and other special needs or events in our church community or with our Orthodox Christian partners in the Central PA area or the larger Orthodox Christian community. Each month we participate in the Charity Sunday program and we always give those donations to an outside charity. Through the Fr. Srboljub Fund, we have created a dynamic new way to support the special ministries of our Church community and to respond to the special needs of our Orthodox Christian brothers and sisters. We are preparing ourselves to respond to ministries and programs in areas such as feeding the hungry, youth and senior programs, library needs, gift shop resources, education and outreach initiatives, visitation efforts and unforeseen emergencies or crises.
Please give generously to the Fr. Srboljub Fund so we may honor the memory of our long-time spiritual leader in this unique way as we grow our resources and are prepared to respond when a special need arises. God bless you and thank you for your generosity.
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