Sunday, March 20, 2016 To all who are present with us this morning,

Welcome! Thank you for being here. Please join us for coffee and...

in the Fellowship Hall following Divine Liturgy.

You May Find the Text of the Divine Liturgy beginning on the bottom page 91 of the Service Book (gold embossed cross on the reddish brown cover) or in the green-spiral-bound book; sheet music can be found in the 8.5” x 11” large, spiral-bound booklet.

At the Kiss of Peace our practice is for each of us to greet the person to our right and left with the bowing of our head, hands held in a prayerful clasp or crossed on the chest, while offering each other the Christian greeting, “Christ is born!” and responding, “Glorify Him!”

Please remember that Holy Communion is reserved for those Chrismated Orthodox Christians who have appropriately prepared themselves through prayer, fasting and Confession to receive the Holy Mysteries of the Church. The bread (anti’doron, which means ‘in place’ of the gifts) which we share after Communion and at the end of the Liturgy is for all.

Being mindful we are in church, let us always remember to… ...be quiet and attentive. Let us sing, pray, stand, sit, kneel and respond where

responses are indicated. Let us not talk, look around, text message, play games, etc. Especially let us work at this in the Communion line and when in line to venerate the Cross and depart. If we cannot hear the post-Communion prayers being chanted during our church departure, we are way too noisy.

...refrain from eating, drinking or chewing gum. (most obviously and especially if you will be receiving Holy Communion).

...stay put. Except in rare cases, there are few of us who cannot stay in one location for two hours (actually less, for most of us).

St. Michael’s Orthodox Christian Church

1182 Ashland St., Greensburg, PA 15601 Diocese of Charleston, Oakland and the Mid-Atlantic

Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America.

(See the back cover for detailed contact information.)

The Mission of Our Church The mission of St Michael’s Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church is to tend the flock of our Lord Jesus Christ and to spread the Good News of Christ to those outside the flock. This mission is to be accomplished by a) living a full liturgical and sacramental life, b) proclaiming the Orthodox Christian faith to all people, c) providing effective charitable and social programs, and d) establishing strong spiritual leadership and resources. ___________________________________________________

SYRIAN CHRISTIAN RELIEF As the Syrian crisis continues, we continue to accept donations to do what we can to help ease the suffering there. Checks may be written to “St. Michael’s” with the note “Syrian Relief.” The following is a link to International Orthodox Christian Charities ((IOCC) “Response to the Crisis in Syria” page, with more information on what you can do to help:

http://www.iocc.org/countries/countries_syria.aspx

Sunday, March 20, 2016 Greeting: Christ is in our midst! Response: He is and shall be!

Tone: 1 Eothinon: 9 First Sunday of Great Lent. The holy fathers slain at the monastery of Mar Sabbas; New-martyr Myron of Crete

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THE EPISTLE READING St. Paul to the Hebrews (11:24-26, 32-40)

B RETHREN, by faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting

pleasures of sin. And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon,

Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated of whom the world was not worthy wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

THE HOLY GOSPEL According to St. John (1:43-51)

A T THAT TIME, Jesus decided to go to Galilee. And he found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael,

and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” Nathanael said to Jesus, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.” __________________________________________________________

GREETERS TEAM MEETING Sunday, April 3, in the Multi-Purpose Room

Immediately following Divine Liturgy (your coffee and… will be in the room)

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Antiochian Women Upcoming Opportunities 1) This Saturday, Mar. 26—Spinach Pie making, here at 10 AM2) Saturday, April 2—Lenten Retreat at Christ the Savior Cathedral,

Johstown - Retreat Leader - Matushka Sophie Daniels of St. Cyriland Methodius Church, Jeannette (Mat. Sophie recently lead aretreat at Holy Resurrection, Belle Vernon, that was very wellreceived.)

3) Saturday, April 16—Lenten Retreat at Antiochian Village - BishopNICHOLAS of the Antiochian Diocese of New York and the Eastwill lead this annual Antiochian Women’s Lenten Retreat.

It is important that we all support this life-saving work of IOCC!

+ SYRIAN RELIEF PRAYERS

and DINNER Sunday, April 17, 2016

St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Oakland

See Pete Papas for details and tickets

St. Michael’s Annual Pirate Baseball Game

PNC Park Thursday July 21

Pirates vs Milwaukee Brewers See Michelle Gajewski for details!

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Dear friends, We hope we have thanked everyone individually, and we thank all of you once again right here, but want to repeat our sincere thanks, especially to anyone that we may have missed. The terrible and sudden loss of our dear Diana has been met by a tidal wave of love, mercy, compassion and prayers. THANK YOU, everyone, for all of this and more! God bless you! Please continue to keep Diana and us in your prayers as it continues to be a most difficult time, being challenged by this sudden tragedy.

Sincerely, with gratitude and love, Tom, Petros and Irene, Dina, Nick & Patty, Athena and Greg ________________________

Our father in Christ,

His Eminence Metropolitan

JOSEPH, will visit

St. Michael’s at 7:00 PM

on Friday, March 25. During the week of March 21, Metropolitan JOSEPH will be at Antiochian Village for Archdiocesan business. At the completion of that week he will be with us for the praying of the Akathist Hymn to the Virgin Mary. We have not been blessed with the physical presence or our Metropolitan Archbishop here in Greensburg in about twenty years. Let none of us miss this opportunity to pray with and meet Sayidna JOSEPH. Sayidna JOSEPH will arrive and be greeted by us in the church at St. Michael’s right around 7:00 PM. Fellowship with Sayidna will be shared in the Fellowship Hall following the Akathist Prayers. (Our regular Lenten covered dish dinner will begin a little earlier than usual - 5:30 PM.)

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RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE

9:00 AM to 2:00 PM Saturday,

April 2 St. Michael’s Church

1182 Ashland St., Greensburg, PA

Sign up at our main entrance.

THANK YOU to Joyce Eger for coordinating our Food For HungryPeople effort this year. Boxes are assembled and ready to be picked up at the secretary window in the main hallway. There is not better reminder of the arrival of Spring than robins and FFHP boxes. Please be sure to take a box home, fill it, and returning it to the church, for the sake of hungry people around the world.

As directed by Metropolitan JOSEPH, our Great Lenten calendar this year for the first time includes the praying of the Great Compline on the Mondays of the Fast. This service takes less than an hour to complete, setting up Monday evenings as a natural time-slot for us to utilize to sit with each other and speak about things that matter most in life. So here’s the deal — On each of the evenings listed below, following the Great Compline (which all are encouraged to attend) Fr. John will present a framework for discussion about how each of us may take the next step in our spiritual growth. As each of us are unique in relationship to God, our prayer will be that by the time we reach Holy Pascha we will notice something about ourselves that has shifted regarding what can sometimes seem to be a rather static sort of thing—our standing before God.

The Spiritual Path: How to Discover, Get On, or Narrow Yours

A Conversation to be held at 7:00 PM on the following five Mondays of the Great Fast

(following the 6:00 PM Great Compline) 1) March 21 - The Spiritual Path: What is it?2) March 28 - Praying on the Path: How do I grow my soul?3) April 4 - Fasting on the Path: What tools will I need? 4) April 11 - Compassion on the Path: Who’s on it with me?5) April 18 - The Final Destination: What’s the Point?

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THE SYNODIKON OF THE SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY As the prophets beheld, as the Apostles have taught, as the Church has received, as the teachers have dogmatized, as the Universe has agreed, as Grace has shown forth, as Truth has revealed, as falsehood has been dissolved, as Wisdom has presented, as Christ awarded, thus we declare, thus we assert, thus we preach Christ our True God, and honor His Saints in words, in writings, in thoughts, in sacrifices, in churches, in Holy Icons; on the one hand worshipping and reverencing Christ as God and Lord; and on the other hand honoring as true servants of the same Lord of all and accordingly offering them veneration. (louder) This is the Faith of the Apostles. This is the Faith of the Fathers. This is the Faith of the Orthodox. This is the Faith which has established the Universe. ____________________________________________________________

CALEB’S CUPBOARD, the big chest you see as you come through the main entrance of our church, is a simple way to help our hungry neighbors. Just bring in a few cans of food or other unperishables when you come to church and you will making a difference for someone.

Please check that the goods you bring are “reasonably” close in time to the expira-tion date. (While we know the food lasts longer than that date, it is not always easy to tell how much longer.)

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CLEAN-UP IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE. No matter what kind of gathering has occurred here at the church, a common lament in ‘wrap-up’ conversations is the wish that a few more of us would have hung around to help clean up. Let us all keep that thought in mind when we are here for anything.

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REMEMBER, the Second Week of this schedule may change: ALWAYS USE THE MOST CURRENT BULLETIN!

March 27 through April 2 Sunday, March 27

- 8:30 AM - MATINS - 9:30 AM - Choir Rehearsal - 10:00 AM - DIVINE LITURGY

- Church School - “God grant you many years…” - Church School Assembly

on Confession—in church - AMEN Meeting in MP Room

- 4:00 PM - LENTEN VESPERS at St. Michael Church, Monessen;

Speaker—Fr. Anthony Yazge Mon., March 28

- 6:00 PM - GREAT COMPLINE - Lenten Conversation follows

Tuesday, March 29 - 7 AM to 10 AM - CONFESSIONS

Wednesday, March 30 - 9 AM to 11 AM - CONFESSIONS - 5:30 PM - 9th HOUR - 6 PM - PRESANCTIFIED LIT’GY

- soup and bread fellowship - Choir Rehearsal follows

Friday, April 1 - 6:00 PM - Lenten Covered Dish - 7:00 PM - AKATHIST HYMN

to the Theotokos - CONFESSIONS follow

Saturday, April 2 There will be no Divne Liturgy this morning or Vespers this evening as Fr. John will be traveling to Bethesda, Maryland today for the annual Spring Delegates Meetings of our Diocese.

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Holy Saturday Divine Liturgy of Christ’s Descent into Hades

9:00 AM, April 30 Many single this out as their ‘favorite’

service of the year.’ Mark your calendar now.

Come and see for yourself. _________________________________

March 20 thru March 26 Sunday, March 20 - Orthodoxy Sunday

- 8:45 AM - MATINS - 9:30 AM - Choir Rehearsal - 10:00 AM - DIVINE LITURGY

- Procession with Holy Icons - “God grant you many years…” - Church School - Syrian Relief Information - Mari Alhaj at Fellowship Hour

- 4:00 PM - Sunday of Orthodoxy Service at St. Nicholas, Oakland

Monday, March 21 - 6:00 PM - GREAT COMPLINE

- Lenten Conversation follows Tuesday, March 22

- 6:30 PM - Executive Board Mtg - 7:00 PM - Parish Council Meeting

Wednesday, March 23 - 5:30 PM - 9th HOUR - 6 PM - PRESANC. DIV. LIT’GY

- soup and bread fellowship - Choir Rehearsal follows

Thursday, March 24 - 5:00 PM - FESTAL MATINS - 6:00 PM - FESTAL DIV. LIT’gy

Great Feast of Annunciation - CONFESSIONS follow

Friday, March 25 - 5:30 PM - (earlier) Covered Dish - 7:00 PM - AKATHIST HYMN

to the Theotokos Metropolitan JOSEPH presiding

Saturday, March 26 - 9:00 AM - DIV. LIT. of Souls - 10:00 AM - Spinach Pie making

- 6:00 PM - GREAT VESPERS - CONFESSIONS follow

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Thank you to “guest” Secretary Debbie who has completed her

substitute ‘secretarying.’ Welcome back to regular Secretary Debbie who soon returns from ‘new grandmother’ trip to Alaska and should be back in the office on Thursday. March 24.