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Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Entrance of the
Most Holy Mother of God
into the Temple
St. Nicholas Bulletin - December 4, 2022
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Christ is in our midst! Христос међу нама! Cristo está entre nosotros! | |
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Let It Be!
by Fr. John Behr
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“Today the Theotokos, the temple that is to hold God, is led into the Temple and Zacharias receives her… Let us cry aloud with Gabriel: Rejoice, you who are full of grace, the Lord is with you, he who has great mercy.” So we sang at Vespers last night. The one who is to become the temple and palace of God is led into the temple. In the readings last night, we heard how, of old, the tabernacle was constructed according to the command of God as the place where the ark of testimony was to be placed, covered with a veil, illumined by candlesticks and lamps, with incense offered on a golden altar, and with the tabernacle and all the vessels anointed with the oil of anointing.
We heard that when it was finished, the tabernacle was overshadowed by the cloud and filled with the glory of the Lord, so that no one, not even Moses, was able to enter the tent.
Now, today, the Theotokos is led into the temple of the Lord, to preach Christ to all, and to become the temple, the dwelling place of the glory of God, overshadowed by the Holy Spirit; and not only the dwelling place, as the tabernacle of old, but the one who gives birth to God, so that in her and through her, in and through a human being, the glory of God radiates to the world.
All aspects of the temple point to her; she is their fulfillment. She is the jar containing the manna, the ark of the covenant, the rod of Aaron which budded forth, and all the other images we use to praise her. As we sang: “The written law has passed away and vanished as a shadow, and the rays of grace have shone forth at your entry into the temple of God, O undefiled Virgin Mother.” All the Law and the Prophets point to her; the reality has come and the shadows have passed away. She is, as we sing, the fulfillment of the dispensation of the whole economy, indeed, of the whole of creation. As St Nicodemus put it: the world was created for Mary… and she for Christ. The whole world was created for the one who would say, “Let it be!”—the one who gives space to God as his temple and so allows the creator to enter his creation.
The tabernacle made by hands finds its fulfillment in the temple that is Mary, and through her, God enters this world to dwell amongst us, no longer hidden in the inner sanctuary in the man-made temple in Jerusalem, but dwelling among us, and now us in him. She is the gate, as Ezekiel says, through which the Lord has entered the world: “O Gate of the Lord, unto you I open the gates of the temple,” Zacharias exclaims. “I now know and believe that the deliverance of Israel shall come to dwell openly in our midst.”
For this deliverance to come about, however, we must go one step further into the temple. The epistle reading spoke of how the priests would go into the outer tabernacle to perform their ritual services, but the high priest alone would go into the Holy of Holies only once a year, to offer blood for himself and the errors of the people. The apostle continues: Christ himself, the High Priest of the good things to come, entered the greater and more perfect tabernacle, the one not made by human hands, entering once for all, offering not the blood of animal sacrifices, but his own blood, so securing an eternal redemption for all.
It is by his self-sacrifice that Christ enters this more perfect tabernacle and does so once-for-all… so that the gate remains shut: “It shall not be opened, and no man shall enter by it, for the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered by it. Therefore it shall remain shut,” says Ezekiel.
His sacrifice is once and for all—for all people and for all time. It is an eternal sacrifice and an eternal redemption. The gateway remains shut, but salvation is available for all.
Today, then, as the Theotokos enters the temple, preaching Christ to all, she becomes the one through whom the glory of God enters this world, by being the gateway through which the Lord enters the more perfect tabernacle, offering his eternal sacrifice and being the High Priest of the good things to come. She is the bridge, the passageway or the exodus from creation to recreation and redemption.
The Temple is both the place where God enters the world and the place where the sacrifice is made; and these two aspects—the womb and the tomb—cannot be separated.
For all this to happen, of course, Mary had to say: “Let it be!” Not only “Let the power of the most high overshadow me,” but also, “Let the sword piece my heart, too.” Yet these words of Mary—“Let it be!”—are glaringly absent from the hymnography for this feast. The reason for this is because, today, as we celebrate this feast, she is our “Let it be!” She is the completion or culmination of creation as it—as we—respond to the Word of God.
Mary is not simply brought into the temple; she is offered there, she is sacrificed by our “Let it be!” Joachim and Anna, the hymns said, “rejoice exceedingly, for they have offered to God, as a three-year old victim of sacrifice, the Queen without blemish.” Mary is the pure and blameless sacrifice to God on behalf of all human beings, “the dove without blemish and the ewe-lamb of God without spot.” This is what it means to say “Let it be”!
For our high calling, to be conformed to the image and likeness of God, for this to be realized, we too need to be able to say for ourselves: Let it be!
God does not enter into this world except by our offering him space, not a geographical space somewhere else in the world, but our own place—ourselves and our own time, today—the sacrifice of our own sense of self, our attempts to construct our own identity, to set limits and boundaries on how much we are prepared to accept, to say “let it be,” but only on my terms.
No! Our own terms need to be sacrificed if we are to say: Let it be! We must sacrifice ourselves, becoming ourselves temples of God, sacrificing ourselves on the altar of our heart, so that he can now be present in us and through us; we must decrease so that he might increase.
This has been accomplished in our offering of the virgin child Mary. In a month’s time we will sing of how we offer her at Christ’s Nativity and for his Nativity; today we offer her as the temple and the Gate of the Lord, so that High Priest can, by his own once-for-all sacrifice enter the Holy of Holies. We too, even we, can be refashioned—pass through from the creation to the new creation, but only if we can say for ourselves, “Let it be!”
As we present the Theotokos into the temple today, saying to God “Let it be,” let us not misunderstand what it demands of us as ourselves temples of God. May we have the strength to say with her: “Let it be!”
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RESURRECTION TROPARION—TONE 8
You descended from on high, O Merciful One! You accepted the three day burial to free us from our sufferings! O Lord, our Life and Resurrection, glory to You!
FEAST OF THE ENTRANCE TROPARION—TONE 4
Today is the prelude of the good will of God, of the preaching of the salvation of mankind. The Virgin appears in the Temple of God, in anticipation proclaiming Christ to all. Let us rejoice and sing to her: “Rejoice, O Fulfillment of the Creator’s dispensation!”
RESURRECTION KONTAKION—TONE 8
By rising from the tomb, You raised the dead and resurrected Adam. Eve exults in Your Resurrection, and the world celebrates Your rising from the dead, O greatly Merciful One!
FEAST OF THE ENTRANCE KONTAKION—TONE 4
The most pure Temple of the Savior; the precious Chamber and Virgin; the sacred Treasure of the glory of God, is presented today to the house of the Lord. She brings with her the grace of the Spirit, therefore, the Angels of God praise her: “Truly this woman is the abode of Heaven!”
Instead of “It is truly meet…” —TONE 4
The Angels beheld the Entrance of the Pure One and were amazed. How has the Virgin entered into the Holy of Holies? Since she is a living Ark of God let no profane hand touch the Theotokos. But let the lips of believers unceasingly sing to her, praising her in joy with the Angel’s song: “Truly, you are more exalted than all, O pure Virgin!”
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~Scripture Readings of the Day~ | |
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READERS:
This Week: Matins: Nick Ressetar Epistle: Teddy Sukhernik
Next Week: Matins: Lenny Tepsich Epistle: Wayln John
EPISTLE: Ephesians 4:1-6, Hebrews 9:1-7
DEACON: Let us pay attention.
PRIEST: Peace be unto all!
READER: And with your spirit!
DEACON: Wisdom.
READER: The Prokeimenon in the Eighth Tone: Pray and make your vows before the Lord, our God!
CHOIR: Pray and make your vows before the Lord, our God!
READER: v: In Judah God is known; His name is great in Israel.
CHOIR: Pray and make your vows before the Lord, our God!
READER: Pray and make your vows...
CHOIR: ...before the Lord, our God!
DEACON: Wisdom!
READER: The Reading is from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Ephesians.
DEACON: Let us attend!
READER: Brethren, I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance.
PRIEST: Peace be unto you, reader!
READER: And with your spirit! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
READER: Come, let us rejoice in the Lord! Let us make a joyful noise to God our Savior!
CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
READER: Let us come before His face with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise!
CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
АПОСТОЛ: Ефесцима 4:1-6, Јевреји 9: 1-7
Ђакон: Пазимо
Свештеник: Мир свима!
Читач: I Духу Твоме!
Ђакон: Премудрост
Читач : ПРОКИМЕН- глас 8 Молите се и извршујте своје завјете Господу Богу нашему.
Хор: Молите се и извршујте своје завјете Господу Богу нашему.
Читач: Зна се у Јудеји за Бога, у Израиљу је велико име Његово.
Хор: Молите се и извршујте своје завјете Господу Богу нашему.
Читач: Молите се и извршујте своје завјете
Хор: Господу Богу нашему.
Ђакон: Премудрост
Читач: Читање посланице Светога апостола Павла Ефесцима
Ђакон: Пазимо
Читач: Браћо, молим вас, дакле, ја сужањ у Господу, да се владате достојно звања на које сте позвани, са сваком смиреношћу и кротошћу, са дуготрпљењем, подносећи један другога у љубави, старајући се да чувате јединство Духа свезом мира: Једно тијело, један Дух, као што сте и позвани у једну наду звања својега; Један Господ, једна вјера, једно крштење, један Бог и Отац свију, који је над свима, кроза све, и у свима нама.
Имала је, додуше, и прва скинија правила за богослужење, а и Светињу земаљску. Јер бјеше уређен први дио скиније, у њему свијетњак и трпеза и постављени хљебови, и то се зове Светиња. А иза друге завјесе дио скиније, назван Светиња над светињама, која имаше златну кадионицу, и ковчег обложен свуда златом, у коме бјеше златни сасуд са маном, и процвјетали штап Аронов, и плоче Завјета, а над њим херувими славе, који осјењаваху очистилиште; о чему сада не треба говорити подробно. А пошто ово бијаше тако уређено, улажаху свештеници свагда у први дио скиније да врше службу Божију; а у други једном у години сам првосвештеник, не без крви, коју приноси за себе и за народне гријехе из незнања.
Свештеник: Мир ти читачу!
Читач: I Духом Твоме! Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа
Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа
Читач: Ходите, запјевајмо Господу, покликнимо Богу Спаситељу нашем.
Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа
Читач: Изађимо пред лице Његово с хвалом, ускликнимо му у пјесмама.
Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа
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LITURGY GOSPEL:
Luke 10: 25-37, Luke 10: 38-42, 11: 27-28
And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’” And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!” But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
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ЈЕВАНЂЕЉЕ:
Лука 10: 25-37, Лука 10: 38-42, 11: 27-28
У вријеме оно, законик неки приступи Исусу и кушајући га рече: Учитељу, шта ми треба чинити да наслиједим живот вјечни? А он му рече: Шта је написано у Закону? Како читаш? А он одговарајући рече: Љуби Господа Бога својега свим срцем својим, и свом душом својом, и свом снагом својом, и свим умом својим; и ближњега свога као самога себе. А он му рече: Право си одговорио; то чини и живјећеш. А он, желећи себе да оправда, рече Исусу: А ко је ближњи мој? А Исус одговарајући рече: Човјек неки силажаше из Јерусалима у Јерихон, и западе међу разбојнике, и ови га свукоше и ране му зададоше, па одоше, а њега полумртва оставише. Случајно пак силажаше оним путем неки свештеник и видјевши га, прође. А тако и левит, кад је био на оном мјесту, приступивши, погледа га и прође. А Самарјанин неки путујући дође до њега, па кад га видје сажали му се; И приступивши зави му ране и зали уљем и вином; и посадивши га на своје кљусе, доведе га у гостионицу, и постара се око њега. И сутрадан полазећи извади два динара те даде гостионичару, и рече му: Побрини се за њега, а што више потрошиш ја ћу ти платити кад се вратим. Шта мислиш, дакле, који је од оне тројице био ближњи ономе што бјеше запао међу разбојнике? А он рече: Онај који му милост учини. А Исус му рече: Иди, па и ти чини тако.
У вријеме оно, уђе Исус у једно село, а жена нека, по имену Марта, прими га у кућу своју. И у ње бјеше сестра по имену Марија, која сједе код ногу Исусових и слушаше бесједу његову. А Марта се заузела да га што боље услужи, и приступивши му рече: Господе, зар ти не мариш што ме сестра моја остави саму да служим? Реци јој, дакле, да ми помогне. А Исус одговарајући рече јој: Марта, Марта, бринеш се и узнемираваш за много, А само је једно потребно. Али је Марија добри дио изабрала који јој се неће одузети. А док он то говораше, подиже глас једна жена из народа и рече му: Блажена утроба која те је носила, и дојке које си сисао! А он рече: Ваистину, блажени су они који слушају ријеч Божију и држе је.
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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, Protopresbyter Srboljub and 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 Danijela and her parents Mark and Jennifer Belo, Melissa Thomason and the child newly born of her, Clare Jurkovic and the child newly born of her, Jazmin Cruz and the child newly born of her, Lauren Spangler and the child newly born of her, Mara Bebeau and the child newly born of her, Bethany Peterson and the child to be born of her, Michelle Adams, Addy Andy, Louise Bare, Dori Bert, Jonathan Bertsch, Darlene & Larry Black, Carole Blitva, Stephan and Barbara Blitva, Walter “Bud” Brown, Guiliana & Aleksandar Carricato, Leann Cox, Joseph Derk, Art Dils, Draga Donato, Tommy and Kara (Blitva) Dorsey, Anaya Garvin, Christian & Melanie Geib, Michael Geppert III, Dr Andrea Govelovich, Nick & Terry Govelovich, Kata Gruich, George Gutshall, Dan Hazlett, Basil Havalchak, Travis Heilman, Adam Herigan, Edith Herigan, Nicole Stefan Imschweiler, Susan Jacobs, Tijana Jaksic, Slobodan Jovicic, Spencer Klinge, Ljuban Kosovac, Dorothy Krnjaich, Henry Laichak, Peter Lalic, Dragan Lalovic, Stella Wren Lappas, Catherine Lewis, Dick Livingston, Maggie Livingston, Stephen Lundingrin, Dianne & Jim Martin, Rowan Martin, Jack McFall, Annabelle McLaughlin, John J Milakovic, Marija Miljkovic, Daria Milletics, Infant of God Ryan Leigh Moffitt, Dave Morris, Peter Mrgich, George Myers, Patty Navarro, Bosiljka Ninkovic, Eva Orr, Lila Packer, Daniel Paddock, Ljubomir Pejanovic, Vid & Marica Pejcic, Hope Pesner, Tracy Petrovich, Logan Roszkowski, Greg Selman, Michael Schaffner, Michael Semic, Steven Semic, Benjamin Shaffer, Tessa Shaffer, John Sheaffer, Pat Shoemaker, Branko Smitran, Tim Stefan, Patricia & Joseph Sypniewski, Leonard Tepsich, Leroy Tepsich Jr, Edie & Michael “Bo” Venesevich, Rita Vorkapich, Kristina Vukalo, Steve Vulich, Paula Werner, Draga Worman, Dewey Yetter, Mileva “Millie” Yezdimir, Marija Zabrodnaya, Demetrios & Eleni Ziogas, Miriam “Mim” Codan Ziolkowski
Those Who Need Special Care
COUNTRY MEADOWS MECHANICSBURG: Florence Ivanoff; MASONIC HOME ELIZABETHTOWN: Ray Foltz; RS: Cedo Lukic; SPRING CREEK: Chuck Belic
Those to be Baptized
Sloane Ivey & Berkeley Blythe Semic, Emilia Renee Peterson, Barrett Scott, Divna and Danica Mitrovic, Nora Katherine & Maeve Noelle Van Huysen, Sloane York, Logan Michael Livingston, Bennett Noah Spangler, Ethan and Lauren Bebeau, Endora Wolf
Our College Students
Anastasija Gligorevic, Cayden Healy, Matthew Hoover, Kalei Howard, Sophia Mummert, Kobe Petrovich, Christina Radanovic, Ioanna Radanovic, Kyranna Radanovic, Maxim Reznitchenko, Madison Vorkapich
Our Dearly Departed Loved Ones
Matushka Anna Hopko, Protinica Donna Merick, Nenad ‘Nesho’ Pantelich, Mark Gruin, Slobodanka Balaban, Mihailo Novakovic, Ljubica Tajkovic, Jo-An Tracey Stanovich, William Yovanovich, Eva Stimac, Ljubisa Stankovic, Natalija Mandic
~Vigils Offered~
STEPHANIE YORK Offered in prayer for God’s blessings on her birthday (Dec 2). Much love from Mom and the family. Mnogaja Ljeta! Many Years!
STEPHANIE YORK Offered in happy celebration of my Godchild’s birthday (Dec 2). May God bless her with many years of good health and happiness. Mnogaja Ljeta! Many Years! Love Kuma Tootsie.
ALEXANDRA MCFALL Offered in celebration of her birthday TODAY (Dec 4) by Kuma Kat Gruich and family. Many Years! Mnogaja Ljeta!
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.
DARLENE BLACK Offered with love by the Barber & Geib Families for God’s Blessings during her recovery. We pray that He will bless her with good health. Our Love & Prayers are with her.
MICHAEL GEPPERT Offered prayerfully by Mom & Dad for improvement in health and God’s blessings and loving care during his recovery.
†NATJA KESSLER Offered by her devoted husband Paul, in loving memory of her 7 year repose (Dec 9). Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal!
†NATJA KESSLER Offered in loving memory of her repose (7 years—Dec 9) by Kumovi Dave, Daria, Jason and Sarah Milletics. 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, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the Sudan, China, North Korea, for all of our brothers and sisters in Christ suffering throughout the world, especially in Ukraine, that they might be comforted with the Joy of our Lord, and for all of those suffering from the pandemic, for those who minister, and for those who are unjustly persecuted that they may be strengthened by the love of Christ which knows no race.
LET US PRAY TO THE LORD!
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Stewardship Offering Information
Date 11/27/2022
Collection: $785.00
Date 11/20/2022
Collection: $5,365.00
Date 11/13/2022
Collection: $1,845.00
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December Birthdays
Laurie Brosius (Dec 1), Stephani York (Dec 2), Alex Govelovich (Dec 2), Gordana Fasnacht (Dec 4), Alexandra McFall (Dec 4), Paul Kasper (Dec 7), Alexa Healy (Dec 10), Nicholas Blitva (Dec 11), Sarah Milletics (Dec 11), Lorraine James (Dec 15), Quinn Gilroy (Dec 15), Irina Miljkovic (Dec 17), Steve Barry (Dec 17), Michael Filepas Jr (Dec 23), Carole Blitva (Dec 25)
December Anniversaries
Alex & Nicole Bazdar (Dec 11), Dori & Doug Bert (Dec 18), Lauren & Ross Spangler (Dec 21), Pharon & Christine Bertsch (Dec 27)
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NATIVITY FAST
The Nativity Fast began on Monday, November 28. This means that we prepare the body to receive the Incarnate Christ Child through fasting, alms-giving and prayer. It is a time to focus upon giving alms to the poor. It is a time to focus upon offering ourselves to God’s Church. It is a time to re-dedicate ourselves to praying to God, both in Divine Services and at home. Receive the Fast with Joy!
POINSETTIA SALE
Once again, we will be decorating our church for Christmas with Poinsettias. You can purchase one for $9 to help offset the church’s cost. Please contact Daria Milletics (717-939-3872) or email [email protected], if you are interested in purchasing any.
STEWARDSHIP SUNDAY (TODAY)
Please see Daria Milletics in the lobby after Liturgy to pick up your Stewardship packet. And then join us in the Social Hall for a light lunch and presentation.
GREETERS TEAM
Hello! Welcome to St. Nick’s! If you can say this with a smile, you are a born GREETER. Have you ever felt uncomfortable upon entering a place where no one knows you? It is not a great feeling. St. Nick’s is asking you to be a steward willing to share your warm welcome to all those who enter our beautiful church for the first or the five hundredth time. Please let Daria or Terry know that you can be that steward once every 6 weeks.
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 also new Nativity/Christmas Cards available with a SPECIAL deal. Choose any 5 Nativity cards for only $9 (they are currently being displayed on the table next to the display case). Check them out!
KSS/CIRCLE OF SERBIAN SISTERS 2023 DUES
Starting today, Dec 4, Jovanka Shaffer will be seated in the church hall after Liturgy on Sundays to collect 2023 dues. Dues remain at $5 for the year. You can also mail your dues to Jovanka at 900 Woodridge Drive, Middletown, PA 17057. Checks payable to KSS.
ST NICHOLAS SENIORS 2023 DUES
Starting today, Dec 4, JoAnn Filepas will be seated in the church hall after Liturgy on Sundays to collect 2023 dues. Dues remain at $5 for the year. You can also mail your dues to JoAnn at 7054 Red Top Road, Harriburg PA 17111. Checks payable to St Nicholas Seniors.
ST NICHOLAS SENIORS MEETING
The next meeting for the Saint Nicholas Seniors will be held on Tuesday, December 13 at 12 noon in the Church Social Hall. Hope to see you there!
KOLO SRPSKIH SESTARA/CIRCLE OF SERBIAN SISTERS NEXT MEETING
The next meeting for the KSS will be on December 11th after Divine Liturgy, in the church library. Election of officers will take place, so all members are urged to attend. Hope to see you there.
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LEARN CHRISTMAS CAROLS WITH THE CHOIR
Learn to sing a selection of beautiful Serbian and traditional Christmas carols in 4-part harmony. Non-choir members, you are invited to join the choir for four 30-minute rehearsals. The choir will be dedicating the last 30 minutes of our weekly choir rehearsals, as well as 30 minutes on Sundays after Liturgy to rehearse Christmas carols. Plenty of dates to choose from. For December the rehearsal dates are: December 4, 9, 11, 15, 18, 22, 29, If interested, and/or for more information, please contact Nina Radanovic at 717-634-6170, or by email: [email protected]. Looking forward to singing with you!
SING CAROLS WITH THE CHOIR
After learning the carols, join us in singing them both on January 1st as we visit our parishioners who are shut-in or in nursing homes and then in the choir loft to sing Carols during communion and at the end of Liturgy on January 7th. If you know of anyone we should visit, please contact Nina Radanovic at 717-634-6170, or by email: [email protected].
CHURCH OFFICE HOURS
Office hours are Monday thru Friday from 9am until noon. You may call the office during these hours at (717-939-3972) 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 [email protected]. You may also call the office at (717-939-3872).
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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 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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MOTHERS CLUB CHRISTMAS PARTY
Sunday, January 15th at Gilligan’s on Eisenhower Blvd at 12 noon
Whether you are a mother, godmother, stepmother or grandmother, please join us for food and fun, and of course our traditional polyanna/white elephant gift exchange.
Please RSVP to Angie Vorkapich by Sunday, January 8th
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SOTAYA LAMB SALE
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 $15 per pound
Deadline to place your lamb order is Saturday, December 24.
Contact Chris Radanovic at 717-841-6794 or [email protected]
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Church School Corner -
Learn with your children at home!
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