14th Sunday after Pentecost

The Indiction - Church New Year

Христос међу нама! Christ is in our midst! Cristo esta entra nosotros!

Homily on the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

A Brother of the Holy Cross Monastery

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit...

Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory be forever!

What is the essence of Orthodoxy? Orthodoxy has a lot of rituals. Rituals are important but the essence is not about rituals. Orthodoxy has a lot of rules—liturgical rules, fasting rules, prayer rules. The rules are important, but the essence is not in rules. Orthodoxy has a lot of theology—dogmatic, ascetical, mystical. Theology is important, but the essence is not theology. Orthodoxy is about that great mystery that our forefather Adam prophesied at the beginning. When God brought Eve to Adam after He fashioned her from his rib, Adam said, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Gen. 2:24). The essence of Orthodoxy is this prophesy. Referring to this, St. Paul writes to the Ephesians that while human marriage “is a great mystery” it points to an even greater one: “but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Eph. 5:32). The essence of Orthodoxy is that Christ should leave His Father in heaven, not by a change of place, but by becoming man. And that He should cleave to His bride—the Church, and they shall be one. God is love and His love is so superabundant that He desires to pour it, or rather, Himself, upon on all creation; to have such creatures as us humans to respond to and receive this love and to partake of the unending life of the Trinity. The essence of Orthodoxy is the Wedding Banquet of the King’s Son that we hear in today’s Gospel. 

If this is so, we can see how terrible it is to reject the King’s invitation, preferring things of this life as the first guests did. We can also see how spiritually disastrous it is to accept the invitation only to arrive unprepared, improperly dressed. Today I want to examine “What is this wedding garment that the guest did not wear?”

According to St. Augustine, the garment God requires us to bring to the wedding is love. St. Paul reminds us that it doesn’t matter what spiritual gifts we have, what great deeds we perform—even martyrdom! for if we do not have love, these things profit us nothing. How often do we need to be reminded of this painful truth! It doesn’t matter how long we’ve been Orthodox or been at this monastery. It doesn’t matter what our ascetic practices are, how successful our projects and tasks and obediences are. None of these matter if we don’t actually love the people God places in our life. If we don’t love our brother, we, too, will appear at the wedding feast naked and speechless before the Bridegroom. 

If the wedding garment that we must have is love, what is that love? Archimandrite Vasileos, a disciple of St. Paisios, writes that “Love is sacrifice, not sentimentality”. Love is sacrifice. It’s not the intense emotional feelings one might get when they first meet someone new. It’s not the fiery zeal a new convert or a novice when they just begin the spiritual life. It is sacrifice. And providentially today, if I may be so bold, we have in front of us the garment of love that Christ wears—His precious Cross. What greater love could God possibly show us than what He shows us this week as the Cross is displayed for all to see and to bow down and kiss? Is not the Cross the Bridegroom’s pledge of His eternal and boundless love for us? Is this not the sign that love is sacrifice, that love denies itself?

How do we put on this garment of love? By our sacrifices. Not just great sacrifices like putting off a career for years to support family members, rescuing people out of a burning building, raising millions of dollars for the homeless. We rarely, if ever, have opportunities to do these great deeds. More importantly, our sacrifice is what we can offer our brother and our neighbor every day, the small, unnoticed sacrifices of our attention and care.

God will not require of us the sacrifices of the early Christians—their asceticism (even amongst lay people), their trials and torments they went through. He knows that we’re more or less spiritually handicapped. This is not an excuse not to bother, but to have a better understanding of what we can do.

Fr. John Parker of St. Tikhon’s Seminary gives the following advice to catechumens. He tells them to read the New Testament every day. And when you see the trash is full, take the trash out. And when you see the trash is full again, take the trash out again. Even if nobody’s helping you. Even if it seems nobody else is doing it. And every time you see the trash is full, keep taking the trash out until you stop caring that nobody is helping you and nobody else seems to be doing it. And then maybe you can begin to live the spiritual life. According to Fr. John’s definition, how many of us have actually begun the spiritual life?

There’s a lot to unpack here. First, we have to actually be paying attention to our environment and the people in it. Our ADHD, smartphone, smart watch, 24/7 social media news world makes it particularly hard to pay attention to things outside of our immediate anxious concerns and distractions. This isn’t just about trash, we have to actually pay attention to our brothers, to our family members, to our co-workers. Not as busybodies or witch-hunters, but in a loving and attentive way. Do we even notice that our brother is quieter than usual and seems that perhaps he’s having some temptations and we should perhaps cheer him up or at least pray for him? Or are we so busy stewing in our own problems that we can’t see? Ross Douthout, in his memoirs recounting his struggle with chronic Lyme disease, writes, “We filter for people who are like us—we also filter for misery, so that suffering around us passes unheard and unseen”. If we can’t see the struggle and pain the people around us are in, how can we love them? If we can’t love the people we encounter every day, how will we ever love strangers or our enemies? We have to learn how to see. 

Second, if we’re aware of a problem that we can take care of, do we actually do something about it? Once we learn to see something—a full trash can, a task left undone by an overburdened family member or co-worker, we will see these things more often and we can respond better. Taking the trash out, washing dishes, cleaning toilets, putting the chairs back in order, covering up the small mistakes someone else left behind. All these simple obvious tasks are ways of sacrificing our time and showing our love. And this is what God is usually calling us to do almost all the time if we have eyes to see. Fr. John Krestiankin writes, “We long to do great works, because minor good deeds do not feed our pride, for they go unnoticed, are hidden, and are salvific precisely for that reason”. (May God Give You Wisdom, p. 352). How do we imagine that we’ll rise to the challenge of enduring persecution and slander, of loving those who hate us, when we can’t give five minutes for a tired brother, when we can’t clean up someone else’s mess? Love starts in small things.

Third, what Fr. John Parker says is key, “keep taking the trash out until you stop caring that no one else is doing it”. That requires us to sacrifice our martyr’s complex, our exalted view of ourselves and what we do. If we’ve ever had the thought, “If it weren’t for me, nobody would do x,” or “Once I’m gone, then they’ll realize how much I did”—it’s a good sign we have a martyr’s complex. It’s so self-pitying and narrow-minded, as if only the tasks we do are the ones that are necessary for the upkeep of our family, or of the monastery, or of our parish or place of work. Our capacity is fairly limited and if we think we’re taking the lion’s share of work, we probably think this because we enjoy staring at the load on our shoulders more than the observing the burdens others are carrying. It’s the saints among us who bear us up, regardless of what tasks they may or may not be doing. Even if we think they’re doing nothing at all. And they certainly don’t believe in their own significance, but rather remember Christ’s words, “When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do’” (Luke 17:10). And yet, these unprofitable servants are the ones who love God and us the most. In their prayers and their humility, they are the ones who cooperate with God and weave for themselves the shining wedding garment that they will present themselves in on that day.     

Beloved, our whole life is Christ calling us to Himself, bidding us to come to the wedding feast. Christ clothes Himself in the Cross, the raiment of His love for us, and we, too, must clothe ourselves in our wedding garment. We must put on works of love, the sacrifices of our time and attention for the people in front of us. God invites us to the wedding feast each day at the Divine Liturgy. It’s this wedding feast that prepares us for that one—or rather, they are one and the same. The grace that we receive in the liturgy is what enables us to do what Christ commands. We can’t pay attention to our environment, to our brothers, to our family, to our co-workers with just force of will alone. We can’t properly respond to them with just the force of will alone. We can’t even do good deeds without complaining with just the force of will alone. We need God’s grace for everything. And He graciously provides, if only we hearken unto Him Who said, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage” Amen.

Commemoriating St Simeon Stylites the Elder and his mother Venerable Martha, Martyr Aithalas of Persia, Holy 40 Women Martyrs and their teacher Martyr Ammon the Deacon at Heraclea in Thrace, Martyrs Callista and her brothers Evodius and Hermogenes at Nicomedia, Righteous Joshua son of Nun, Saint Meletius the New, Venerable Evanthia

RESURRECTIONAL 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.

CHURCH NEW YEAR TROPARION—TONE 2

O Creator of the universe, You did appoint times by Your power; bless the crown of this year with Your goodness, O Lord. Preserve in safety Your rulers and cities: and through the intercessions of the Theotokos, save us!

VENERABLE SIMEON TROPARION—TONE 1

You were a pillar of patient endurance, having imitated the forefathers, O Venerable One: Job in suffering, and Joseph in temptations. You lived like the bodiless ones while yet in the flesh, O Simeon, our Father. Beseech Christ God that our souls may be saved.

RESURRECTIONAL KONTAKION—TONE 5

You descended into hell, O my Savior, shattering its gates as Almighty, resurrecting the dead as Creator, and destroying the sting of death. You have delivered Adam from the curse, O Lover of Man, and we cry to You: “O Lord, save us!”

CHURCH NEW YEAR KONTAKION—TONE 4

O Creator and Master of time and the ages, Triune and Merciful God of all: grant blessings for the course of this year, and in Your boundless mercy save those who worship You and cry out in fear: “O Savior, grant blessings to all mankind!”

READERS:

This Week: Matins: Nick Ressetar Epistle: Zach Bare

Next Week: Matins: Milan Radanovic Epistle: Stefan Gligorevic

EPISTLE: 2 Corinthians 1:21-2:4, Romans 6:3-11 (Baptism)

DEACON:      Let us pay attention. 

PRIEST:        Peace be unto all!

READER:      And with your spirit!

DEACON:      Wisdom.

READER:      The Prokeimenon in the Fifth Tone: You, O Lord, shall protect us and preserve us from this generation forever.

CHOIR:          You, O Lord, shall protect us and preserve us from this generation forever.

READER: v: Save me, O Lord, for there is no longer any that is godly!

CHOIR: You, O Lord, shall protect us and preserve us from this generation forever.

READER: And in the Third Tone: The Lord is my Light and my Savior, whom then shall I fear!

CHOIR: The Lord is my Light and my Savior, whom then shall I fear!

DEACON: Wisdom!

READER: The Reading is from the second Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Corinthians.

DEACON: Let us attend!

READER: Brothers and Sisters, now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God,  who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. Moreover I call God as witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth. Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand. But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me? And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.

Brothers and Sisters, do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in the newness of life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the sinful body might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For He who has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him. For we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over Him. The death He died He died to sin, once for all, but the life He lives, He lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

PRIEST: Peace be unto you, reader!

READER: And with your spirit! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

READER: I will sing of Your mercies, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim Your truth from generation to generation.

CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

READER: For You have said: “Mercy will be established forever; My truth will be prepared in the heavens.”

CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

АПОСТОЛ: 2 Коринћанима  1: 21 - 2:4, Римљанима, 6: 3-11

Ђакон:           Пазимо

Свештеник: Мир свима!

Читач:           I Духу Твоме!

Ђакон:           Премудрост

Читач : ПРОКИМЕН- глас 5 Ти ћеш нас, Господе, одбранити и сачувати од рода овога до вјека.

Хор: Ти ћеш нас, Господе, одбранити и сачувати од рода овога до вјека.

Читач: Помилуј ме Господе, јер неста Светих, јер је мало вјерних међу синовима човјечијим.

Хор: Ти ћеш нас, Господе, одбранити и сачувати од рода овога до вјека.

Читач: И Глас 3 Господ је светлост моја и спаситељ мој, кога ћу се, дакле, бојати?

Хор: Господ је светлост моја и спаситељ мој, кога ћу се, дакле, бојати?

Ђакон: Премудрост

Читач: Читање је од Прве посланице Светог апостола Павла до Коринћана

Ђакон: Пазимо

Читач: Браћо, Бог је онај који нас утврђује с вама у Христу, и који нас помаза, Који нас и запечати, и даде залог Духа у срца наша. А ја призивам Бога за свједока на своју душу, да штедећи вас не дођох више у Коринт. Не као да господаримо над вјером вашом, него смо помагачи ваше радости; јер у вјери стојите чврсто. А ово одлучих у себи да вам опет не дођем у жалости. Јер, ако вас ја жалостим, ко је тај који мене весели, ако не онај кога ја жалостим? И ово вам баш написах, да када дођем не будем ожалошћен од оних од којих би требало да се радујем, уздајући се у све вас, да је радост моја радост свију вас. Јер од многе жалости и с болом срца написах вам са многим сузама, не да се ожалостите него да познате преобилну љубав коју имам према вама.

Брачо, Или не знате да сви који се крстисмо у Исуса Христа, у смрт Његову крстисмо се? Тако се с Њим погребосмо крштењем у смрт да као што уста Христос из мртвих славом Очевом, тако и ми у новом животу да ходимо. Јер кад смо једнаки с Њим једнаком смрћу, бићемо и васкрсењем; Знајући ово да се стари наш човек разапе с Њиме, да би се тело грешно покварило, да више не бисмо служили греху. Јер који умре опрости се од греха. А ако умресмо с Христом, верујемо да ћемо и живети с Њим, Знајући да Христос уста из мртвих, већ више не умире; смрт више неће овладати њиме. Јер шта умре, греху умре једанпут; а шта живи, Богу живи. Тако и ви, дакле, држите себе да сте мртви греху а живи Богу у Христу Исусу Господу нашем.

Свештеник: Мир свима Читачу!

Читач: I Духом Твоме! Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа

Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа

Читач: Пјеваћу увјек милости Господње; од кољена на кољено јавићу истину Твоју устима својим.

Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа

Читач: Јер си рекао: Милост ће бити основана заувјек; на Небесима си утврдио истину Своју.

Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа

~Prayers for the Faithful~

In Our Prayers

Newly Illumined Evelyn Caryn Howell, her parents and sponsors, Metropolitan Paul, Archbishop Youhanna, Protinica Ljubica Jockovic, Protopresbyter Rodney Torbic, Protostavrofor Ilija Balach, Protostavrofor Joseph Fester, Archpriest Gabriel Rochelle, Protinica Ana Stepanov, Matushka Barbara Ealy, Matushka Theodora Ressetar, Sister Anastasija, the child Katie Elizabeth and her parents Mileva and Michael Repasky, the child Louise Bare and her parents Zachary & Elizabeth, Catherine Lewis and the newborn Caleb Ereno, Jessica Crowe and the newborn Maverick Archer, Bethany Peterson and the newborn Maverick Michael, Mileva Repasky and the newborn Caroline Grace, Jensen Swartz and the newborn Trace Keith, Kyranna Baker and the child to be born of her, Michelle Adams, Addy Andy, Kevin Appleby, Samuel Atzeff, Lori Bare, Elijah Barnett, Christina Berchock, Dori & Doug Bert, Jonathan Bertsch, Carole & Nick Blitva, Stephan and Barbara Blitva, Jason Brill, Voni Brown, Guiliana & Aleksandar Carricato, Maria Chigrintseva, Susan & Jim Cibort, Leann Cox, Victoria Cox, Tommy & Kara (Blitva) Dorsey, Edward Dry, JoAnn Filepas, Anaya Garvin, Eric Garvin, Christian & Melanie Geib, Michael Geppert III, Dr Andrea Govelovich, Rdr. Nicholas & Teresa Govelovich, Kata Gruich, George Gutshall, Dan Hazlett, Travis Heilman, Adam Herigan, Edith Herigan, Kay Himes, Matthew Hoover, Nicole Stefan Imschweiler, Susan Jacobs, Slobodan Jovicic, Tony Kepp, Stephen Kerstetter, Keith & Kelly Kessler, Myong Sook Kim, Caryn Kiraly, Nadine Klipa, Dorothy Krnjaich, Dragica Kuzmanovic, Henry Laichak, Peter Lalic, Dragan Lalovic, Stella Wren Lappas, Susan Leis, Jovan Lemajic, Richard Livingston, Margaret Livingston, Stephen Lundingrin, Penny MacDonald, Dianne & Jim Martin, Jean & Paul Martin, Rowan Martin, Jack McFall, George Milakovic, Slavka Miljevic, Marija Miljkovic, Daria Milletics, Rosanda Mitrovic, Diane & Slobodan Momic, George Myers, Patty Navarro, Bosiljka Ninkovic, Lila Packer, Daniel Paddock, Vid & Marica Pejcic, Hope Pesner, Makaylie Peterson, Kobe Petrovich, Duke & Sue Petrovich, Tracy Petrovich, Milena Pilipovic, Christopher Radanovic, Ioanna Radanovic, Logan Roszkowski, Chloe Ruff, Christine Sakran, Michael Schaffner, Maryann Seiders, Greg Selman, Steven Semic, Benjamin Shaffer, Tessa Shaffer, John Sheaffer, Milan Shumkaroff, Branko Smitran, Zorka Starcevich, Karen Stefan, Timothy Stefan, Michael Stepanovich, Stevan & Mary Stojic, Patricia & Joseph Sypniewski, Linda Szeerba, Leonard Tepsich, Leroy Tepsich Jr, Savka Trivun, Edith & Michael “Bo” Venesevich, Michael Vishnesky, Magdalen Vloutely, Rita Vorkapich, Kristina Vukalo, Traci Weaver, Paula Werner, Nicolette & Nikola Wiel, Draga Worman, Charlotte Wright, Tosh Yanich, Dewey Yetter, Elizabeth Yezdimir, Mila “Millie” Yezdimir, Marija Zabrodnaya, Jason Zeigler, Ashley Ziobrowski, Miriam “Mim” Codan Ziolkowski

Those Who Need Special Care 

ECUMENICAL (COUNTRY MEADOWS) Jane Rush, HOMELAND: Draga Donato; MASONIC HOME: Ray Foltz; RS: Cedo Lukic

Those to be Baptized

Caleb Lewis, Barrett Scott, Maverick Peterson, Maverick Crowe, Caroline Rapasky, Trace Swartz

Our College Students

Sophia Adams, Cameron Barber, Kyle Barber, Dieter Geib, Gunner Geib, Kirsten Geib, Michael Geppert, Anastasija Gligorevic, Natalija Gligorevic, Matthew Hoover, Faith Kingsbury, Natasha Milanovich, Sophia Mummert, Christina Radanovic, Luis Antonio Radanovic, Aleksandra Šaran, Theodore Sukhernik, Madison Vorkapich, Anastasija Vukalo

Our Seminary Students

Elizabeth Bare

Our Dearly Departed Loved Ones

Milan Pejčić, Stephen Vulich, Djordje Gajovic, Vera Ressetar Bortniak



~Vigils Offered~

KATA GRUICH Offered in celebration of her birthday (Sept 14). Thank you for being our beautiful Mother, Baba and Stara Baba. May God bless you with many more years!! Ziveli! Mnogaja Ljeta! With love from your family.

KATA GRUICH Offered for Kuma Kata’s birthday (Sept 14). May God shower her with His many blessings and good health. Love Kuma Tootsie. Mnogaja Ljeta! Many Years!

BRIAN & CATHERINE LEWIS Offered in celebration of their 5th Wedding Anniversary (September 19). May God bless you with many more years together! Ziveli! Mnogaja Ljeta! With love from your family!

BRIAN & CATHERINE LEWIS Offered in celebration on their 5th Wedding Anniversary (September 19) and with prayers for God’s blessings of many more years! Mnogaja Ljeta! With much love and congratulations from Baba.

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.

†AARON WHITMYER Offered in loving memory of Aaron (Sept 16). May his Memory be Eternal! Love from Chloe Lewis Ruff and family. 

†ANNA BARBER Offered in loving memory of our Mother, Baba and Great-Grand-Baba’s birthday (Sept 17). Always in our hearts and prayers. Sadly missed by her family. Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal!

Please continue to pray for all of those currently being persecuted for Christ's sake in Kosovo, Metohija, Montenegro, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gaza, West Bank, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Egypt, the Sudan, China, North Korea, for all of our brothers and sisters in Christ suffering throughout the world, especially in Ukraine and Russia, 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 race. We also pray for the Orthodox clergy in Alaska, that the Lord might grant them more than enough to feed their families.

LET US PRAY TO THE LORD!

Stewardship Offering Information

Date 9/7/2025

Collection: $4,420.00

Date 8/31/2025

Collection: $3,336.00

Date 8/24/2025

Collection: $2,175.00

September Birthdays

Elliott Klipa (Sep 2), Andjela Lojpur (Sep 3), Graham Bazdar (Sep 3), Dominik Bowser (Sep 3), Aleksandar Milanovich (Sep 4), Aleksandar Gerhart (Sep 4), Peter Barber (Sep 5), Lincoln Govelovich (Sep 6), Mike York (Sep 6), Radomir Raic (Sep 7), Misha Bowser (Sep 8), Stacey Mummert (Sep 9), Tina Tepsich (Sep 10), Bennett Spangler (Sep 12), Nemanja Jovic (Sep 13), Kat Gruich (Sep 14), Jacob Bebeau (Sep 14), Ben Shaffer (Sep 18), Zeljko Raic (Sep 18), Marija Miljkovic (Sep 20), Angie Vorkapich (Sep 21), Terry Govelovich (Sep 22), Dean Stefan (Sep 22), Milijan Lukic (Sep 22), Ljilja Lazarevic (Sep 24), Louise Bare (Sep 24), Clara & Thea Goodling (Sep 25), Fran Radosevich (Sep 29)

September Anniversaries

Frank & Marie Brescia (Sep 2), Anney & Randy Holdeman (Sep 3), Mark & Yovanka Hoover (Sep 9), Dori & Steve Barry (Sep 9), Alan & Marina Radanovic (Sep 9), Luke & Waad Jacobs (Sep 13), Val & Fran Radosevich (Sep 16), Tim & Kaitlyn Hook (Sep 19), Brian & Catherine Lewis (Sep 19), Tina & Lenny Tepsich (Sep 20), Jon & Mara Bebeau (Sep 25), John & Cindy Semic (Sep 26)

CHURCH SCHOOL BLESSING AND BACK TO SCHOOL SOCIAL

The Blessing of the Church School will occur during the Liturgy on Sunday, September 21st, the Feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos. After Liturgy, we will have our annual Church School BBQ and games. Register your children at the following link: https://forms.gle/JuVAESBtWpQL6X7s8

OFFICE CLOSURE

The office will be closed NEXT week (Sept 22-26) while Daria is on vacation. Please have any requests for the September 28th bulletin to her by Thursday, September 18.

FOR SALE (BENEFITS THE MORTGAGE)

Matushka Z’s Very Russian Looking Hat is a children’s book (suited for all generations) written by St. Nick’s very own, Jane Svitchan and illustrated by Sheena Hisiro who grew up going to Christ the Savior OCA. Jane is a long-time, very generous, member of our parish and is also the author of Herman My Love, Mishka the Mouse, and The Dishpan that Glowed. All are autographed and available at the Gift Shoppe Table in the Hall. All proceeds from the books will benefit the effort to pay off the church mortgage. Jane has generously gifted several copies of Matushka Z and tea towels featuring Grisha, the rat, a character in the story. This combination will be part of a special Christmas sale of $27 (after Nativity it will be $30). Books alone are on sale for only $18 ($20 after Nativity).

FUNDRAISER FOR SHADELAND (WRAPPING UP TODAY SEPT 14)

The tables of surplus items and displaying Jane Svitchan’s books will be available until Sunday, Sept 14 to accommodate for SerbFest. Books will then be available at the Gift Shoppe in the Narthex. The Surplus Table will be closing. Frozen pizzas will remain available (Red Baron, Tony’s and Freshette) for $5, see Terry Govelovich.



SOTAYA GIFT CARD FUNDRAISER

Thinking of a gift for someone, a special occasion, birthday or a reward for yourself? Gift cards are a good choice! And there is no need to go to the store, SOTAYA is selling Texas Roadhouse and Darden Restaurant Group cards (which includes Olive Garden, Longhorn, Cheddar’s, Yard House, Bahama Breeze and Seasons 52) at a face value of $50. Just see any SOTAYA member or Sladjana for a purchase. Thanks for your support!

CHURCH SCHOOL REGISTRATION

Register for the 2025-2026 Church School year with the following link:

https://forms.gle/JuVAESBtWpQL6X7s8

PLEASE HELP - BETHESDA MISSION WOMEN’S SHELTER OUTREACH

On the second Saturday of every month, volunteers from our four Orthodox churches prepare and serve lunch for shelter residents. We also help with various projects and activities that assist with shelter operations. If anyone would like to volunteer or learn more about this important program, please contact Andrea Gunther.

BULLETIN DEADLINE

Please send all Bulletin requests to the church office at office@stnicholassteelton.org. You may also call (717) 939-3872. Bulletin Deadline is Wednesday at 11 am.

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS

Office hours are Monday through 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.

ANNUAL KSS/MOTHERS CLUB

PULLED PORK & PALACINKE SALE

Sunday, October 5, 2025

Pick from 11:30 am -- 12:30 pm

ALL sales are PRE-ORDER by Sept 28, 2025

Pulled Pork Sandwiches are $6

Cheese, Strawberry or Apple Butter Palacinkes are $2 each

Forms are available on the tutors stand and can be turned into Daria Milletics,

or call Daria at 717-939-3872 during office hours (you can leave a message). 

September Charity

St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary

575 Scarsdale Road, Yonkers, NY 10707

http://www.svots.edu/

The mission of St. Vladimir’s Seminary is to “serve Christ, His Church, and the world through Orthodox Christian theological education, research, and scholarship, and the promotion of inter-Orthodox cooperation”. 



The Seminary offers educational programs for clergy, those preparing for clerical ministries, lay leaders and religious scholars so they “may build up Orthodox communities, foster Church growth through mission and evangelism, teach the Orthodox faith, and care for those in need”. The Seminary has a diverse student body and a strong faculty committed to teaching, learning, and serving the Church to the glory of God. Academic programs include Master level degrees in divinity, theology, and religious studies for lay leaders. A stimulating array of special academic programs is also available. We encourage you to visit the St. Vladimir’s Seminary website listed above to learn more about the exciting and challenging learning opportunities, programs and resources.