Schedule of Services and Events for April 23 – April 30

There are no services this week, as Fr. Luke is way in Florida from Monday to Wednesday for an OCMC Board of Trustee’s meeting and then in Pennsylvania at Camp Nazareth for the Priest Synod meeting from Thursday to Friday.

Saturday, April 29
8:30 AM – OYMT training session lead by Andy Lekos of OCMC
5 PM -Vespers

Sunday, April 30
10 AM
– Divine Liturgy followed by an OYMT pancake breakfast fundraiser.

Readers Schedule
4/30 – Paul Toaso
5/7 – Bob Faubel
5/14 – Susan Paltauf

Coffee Hour
4/30 – OYMT Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser
5/7 – Budyonny

Pascha Archpastoral Letter

Protocol N.6-2017 – Paschal Archpastoral Letter

PASCHA ARCHPASTORAL LETTER

To the Very Reverend Protopresbyters, Very Reverend and Reverend Fathers, and Faithful of our God-Protected Diocese:

CHRIST IS RISEN! INDEED HE IS RISEN!

“…its truth is seen in Him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.” (1 John 2:8)

In this world where darkness unceasingly prowls and is ever ready to overtake and consume any goodness which may exist, we must remain steadfast in our faith and allow Christ’s Light to shine through us, transforming us into beacons of hope for the entire world.
During the beautiful service of the Resurrection, waiting in a darkened church, anticipating the Light, we should be mindful of what we are about to experience and its significance. The Resurrection is a real event. It is happening right now for all of us.
On this great and glorious Feast of Pascha – the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, our hearts are filled with tremendous joy, our souls are transformed and we bask in the Light of the Truth.
It is my fervent prayer that we continue and increase our efforts to help conquer the seemingly overwhelming sorrows and despairs in this darkened world by sharing the “Good News” of our Lord’s Resurrection, not only with the proclamation of “Christ is Risen” but also by also being the shining, radiant beacons of our Lord’s Light and Love.

Personal Greetings
On this Bright and Holy Feast, I extend my prayerful best wishes to you, the Clergy and Laity, Friends and Supporters of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese. May you truly experience the love, joy, and excitement of the early followers of Christ when they first saw Him after His Resurrection. Christ is Risen!
Working in the Risen Lord’s Vineyard with much love,
+Bishop Gregory of Nyssa

Schedule of Services and Events for April 16 – April 23

Christ is Risen!  Indeed He is Risen!

 

On this Most Bright and Glorious Feast of our Lord Resurrection, I greet everyone with joy filled exclamation: Christ is Risen! I am grateful for all of you have taken seriously this Lenten journey that has been given to us by our Church.  Your efforts have allowed you to safely enter into the harbor our Lord’s Resurrection.  For all of us who have taken up the Cross of Lent, God’s grace has made this day that much brighter and joy filled!  You have seen and experienced that Pascha, if only for a brief moment, is about Life and how to have it more abundantly!  You have learned that by cooperating with God’s grace you can come to better recognize Christ in our every day life and be able choose Him above all else.

May the Light of the Risen Lord always shine upon us,

In the Risen Christ,

Fr. Luke Mihaly

 

Saturday, April 15
11 PM –
Nocturnes, Matins, Divine Liturgy followed by the blessing of Baskets and Agape Meal – HOLY PASCHA

NO FASTING for Bright Week

Sunday, April 16
12 noon –
Paschal Vespers – Blessing of Baskets

Monday, April 17 – Bright Monday
9 AM –
Divine Liturgy with Procession
7 PM – Spirituality Class

Tuesday, April 18 – Bright Tuesday
9 AM –
Divine Liturgy

Wednesday, April 19
6:30 PM –
Monthly St. Nectarios Anointing Service – Rescheduled
7 PM – Catechism Class

Thursday, April 20
6:30 PM –
Parish Dinner out at The CUE Restaurant.  Please consider carpooling

Friday, April 21
9 AM –
Old Testament Class

 Sunday, April 23
10 AM
–Divine Liturgy

Readers Schedule
4/23 – Harry Fong
4/30 – Paul Toaso
5/7 – Bob Faubel
5/14 – Susan Paltauf

Coffee Hour
4/16 – PASCHA
4/23 – OPEN
4/30 – OYMT Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser

Great and Holy Friday Sermon 2017

Great and Holy Friday 2017

During this week there have been many images from the services in the hymnography of our church of marriage and wedding.  It is hard to imagine and think why would the Church have such images of marriage and wedding at this time of the liturgical year that leads us to Christ’s death and ultimately his resurrection?  These images are very important and purposeful because at the heart of this is God wedding Himself to us through Christ’ death and resurrection.  This is the wedding feast that all of us are invited to participate in.

            We should remember that at every wedding in the Orthodox Church the bride and groom wear crowns or wreaths upon their heads.  There are many images that come to mind, but I often remind couples that the wedding crowns that we wear are a reminder of the sacrificial love that is expected of us if we desire to enjoy the communion that is marriage.  Too often marriage is portrayed by the world as something that each individual should get something out of, i.e. most often fulfillment, happiness, gratification.   In stark contrast to this the Church presents to us the crown of thorns.  To remind us that there is something much more to marriage, indeed, something more to life, than fulfillment, happiness or gratification. 

            And here, the Church presents to us a crucified and buried Lord as the means of true communion and intimacy with God.  Heaven is not cheap; not everyone enters.  Narrow is the gate that one must enter and Our Lord has shown us the way.

            What our Lord shows us today as he lies here in the tomb, that if we want true communion, if we want true, deep, joy and not just the fleeting feeling of happiness, if we want a wellspring of God grace springing up within us and not an immediate gratification of our passing desires, then we must go through the crown of thorns.  We need to follow the example of our Lord to experience our own death to our selfish wants and desires in order to attain that most intimate communion with God and through God with all those around us.

            By brothers and sisters:  Do not be afraid for our Lord has trod this path before us, he has blazed that trail that leads from death to life, from the grave to the empty tomb, from earth to heaven.  Every obstacle has been taken away it is only up to us to pick up our cross, deny ourselves and follow Him.

Fr. Luke Mihaly – Great and Holy Friday Sermon 2017

Schedule of service and events for April 9 – April 16

Monday, April 10
9 AM – Bridegroom Matins
6 PM – Presanctified Liturgy

Tuesday, April 11
9 AM – Bridegroom Matins
6 PM – Presanctified Liturgy

Wednesday, April 12
9 AM – Bridegroom Matins
12 noon – Presanctified Liturgy
6 PM – Holy Unction Service

Thursday, April 13
9 AM – Vesperal Liturgy – Institution of the Eucharist
7 PM – Matins and the Reading of the 12 Passion Gospels

Friday, April 14
9 AM – Royal Hours
7PM – Great & Holy Friday Vespers with Procession and Guarding the Tomb

Saturday, April 15
9 AM – Vesperal Liturgy
11 PM – Nocturne, Paschal Matins, Paschal Divine Liturgy followed by blessing of the Baskets and Agape Meal

Sunday, April 16
12 Noon – Paschal Vespers

 Readers Schedule
4/16 – Paul Sulich
4/23 – Harry Fong
4/30 – Paul Toaso

Coffee Hour
4/16 – PASCHA
4/23 – OPEN

2017 Holy Week Schedule of Services

Easter.letter.2017

Dear Faithful and Friends of Holy Trinity:
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever!
His Grace, Bishop Gregory, at the beginning of Lent shared with us his thoughts on our journey through Great Lent.  He did so that we may arrive safely at Holy Pascha with the proper frame of mind.  His Grace wrote of how prayer, fasting, worship and service to others during Great Lent are intended lead us to Christ.  Have we wisely used this time of Great Lent to lead us to Christ? Have we spent time in prayer talking to Christ?  Have we fasted from those material things that have separated us from Christ?  Have we made an attempt to come to those extra weekday Lenten services to break through the drudgery of our daily routine and encounter Christ?  Have we seen Christ in those around us who are in need?
As we pass through Lent I am sending you the services of Holy Week so that you may plan your schedule now so that we as a parish family can participate in as many services as possible to more fully enter into our Lord’s Passion, Death and Resurrection.   You should have already increased your prayer, your fasting and your almsgiving along with your attendance at church services and spiritual readings.  Along with this is an increase in our self-examination, reflection and confession.  Confession is not an optional sacrament but one in which we should regularly participate.  Please avail yourself of the Sacrament of Confession before or after services.  If those times are not good for you, it is your responsibility to contact Fr. Luke to schedule an appointment for confession.
Below is the schedule of services for Holy Week.
Monday, April 10, 9 AM – Bridegroom Matins
Monday, April 10, 6 PM – Presanctified Liturgy
Tuesday, April 11, 9 AM – Bridegroom Matins
Tuesday, April 11, 6 PM – Presanctified Liturgy
Wednesday, April 12, 9 AM – Bridegroom Matins
Wednesday, April 12, 12 noon – Presanctified Liturgy
Wednesday, April 12, 6 PM – Holy Unction Service
Thursday, April 13, 9 AM – Vesperal Liturgy – Institution of the Eucharist
Thursday, April 13, 7 PM – Matins and the Reading of the 12 Passion Gospels
Friday, April 14, 9 AM – Royal Hours
Friday, April 14, 7 PM – Great & Holy Friday Vespers with Procession and Guarding the Tomb
Saturday, April 15, 9 AM – Vesperal Liturgy
Saturday, April 15, 11 PM – Nocturne, Paschal Matins, Paschal Divine Liturgy followed by blessing of the Baskets and Agape Meal
Sunday, April 16, 12 Noon – Paschal Vespers
Assuring you of our love and prayers for you and your families for a spiritually uplifting Pascha/Easter, I remain, as always,
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr. Luke Mihaly

Schedule of services and events for April 2 – April 9

Monday, April 3
7 PM –
Spirituality Class

Tuesday, April 4
8:30 AM –
Lenten Hours

Wednesday, April 5
6 PM
– Presanctified Liturgy followed by Lenten Meal
7 PM – Catechism Class

Thursday, April 6
8:30 AM –
Lenten Hours
9 AM – Prayer Group

Friday, April 7
9 AM –
Lenten Hours
9:30 AM – Old Testament Class
6 PM – Presanctified Liturgy

Saturday, April 8
9 AM
– Divine Liturgy for Lazarus Saturday
10 AM – Family and Youth Retreat – Making Palm Crosses, Dyeing Eggs, making Luminaries and Prayer Ropes preparing for Palm Sunday and Pascha
5 PM – Great Vespers with Litya for Palm Sunday

Sunday, April 9
10 AM
– Divine Liturgy Feast of PALM SUNDAY
11:30 AM – Lenten Cook Off

Patriarchal Pence Collection—On Palm Sunday, April 9th we will have our annual collection for the Patriarchate of Constantinople

Readers Schedule
4/9 – Suzanne Molineaux
4/16 – Paul Sulich
4/23 – Harry Fong
4/30 – Paul Toaso

Coffee Hour
4
/9 – Lenten Cook Off
4/16 – PASCHA