SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

Resurrection Angels John Baptist

Jesus’ Betrayal

Apostles & St.

Nicholas

Jesus’ Crucifixion

Virgin Mary, All Saints & All Departed

22School 9AMMatins 9AMLiturgy 10AM

23 24 25 Vespers6:00PM Men's BookstudyClass to follow

26 27Theology by the Cup8:45AM-9:45 @ Meg's on Alpine

28

Vespers6:00PM

29School 9AMMatins 9AMLiturgy 10AM

306PMVesperal Liturgy

Oct. 1Holy Protection

2Vespers6:00PM Women's Book Study

3 Library Lecture 6:30PM

4 5

6School 9AMMatins 9AMLiturgy 10AM

7Theology by the Cup8:45AM-9:45 @ Meg's on Alpine

8 9Vespers6:00PM Orthodox Spirituality

10 11 12

Vespers6:00PM

13School 9AMMatins 9AMLiturgy 10AM

14 15 16 17 18 19 Synergy SymposiumChicago, ILVespers6:00PM

20School 9AMMatins 9AMLiturgy 10AM

21Theology by the Cup8:45AM-9:45 @ Meg's on Alpine

22 23 24 25 26Vespers6:00PM

ORTHODOX CHURCHCHRIST THE SAVIOR

1802 Pershing Ave. Rockford, Illinois 61108 - Father Jonathan Bannon Father’s Cell Phone: 815-721-4952 www.CTSRockford.org

September 22nd 2019 Parish Bulletin

ONLINE RESOURCES FROM DIOCESE:

Rockford’s New Parish Website: www.CTSRockford.org

Diocesan Website: www.acrod.org

Camp Nazareth: www.campnazareth.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/acroddiocese

Twitter: https://twitter.com/acrodnews

You Tube: https://youtube.com/acroddiocese

American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of North America

ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE OF CONSTANTINOPLE

“Sow, sow everywhere, even on rock. You never know what might

come up.” Fr. Sophrony of Essex

September is Stewardship Month(Pledge Cards will be mailed this

week)STEWARDSHIP SUNDAY IS OCT. 6th 2019

CONGRATULATIONS!:

Ryan Kwosek won 3rd Place for college student submissions for His Eminence Metropolitan Gregory's Essay Contest!

Your Parish is proud of you.

PROSFORA MINISTRY: This Week: Wiederholtz Family

Sept 29/Mon 30th: Debbie Anderson

Epistle Reading: Mike Strapko Next Week: Tim Lake

CARPENTER’S PLACE:We are collecting CEREAL, MILK and

BANANAS for offering breakfast

Label Milk in Fridge and Boxes on table near church entrance.

If you have any questions please ask Fr. Jonathan.

BOOK STUDIES: Women’s Study: Nearly Orthodox - October 2ndMen’s Study: Mountain of Si lence - September 25th Teen’s Study: ICON: A Novel - September 24thChildren: Spyridon's Shoes (Date pending!)

Have you been to Confession? Schedule with Fr. Jonathan for this healing sacrament. Know someone who is sick? In the hospital? About to have surgery? Traveling? Call Fr. Jonathan and let him know for Prayers.

LIBRARY LECTURES RETURN!: OCTOBER: 10.3.19Focused Prayer for a Distracted World: Spirituality of St. Maximos the Confessor.

Speaker: Hieromonk Fr. Seraphim (Serbian Orthodox)

NOVEMBER: 11.18.19Old Testament use in Orthodox Worship: FINDING Christ IN THE OLD TESTAMENT and

other figures and symbols. Speaker: Fr. Andrew Kishler(Antiochian Orthodox - studied Hebrew and served with Fr. P.H.Reardon for years.)

D E C E M B E R : 1 2 . 3 . 1 9

The Orthodox Church: Who we are in the foundations of our faith.(Basics of Orthodoxy: How we appraoch Scripture, Worship and the like.) Speaker: Fr. Fouad Saba (Antiochian Orthodox)All Lectures are at 6:30PM at the East Branch Library with light refreshments.

Vespers and Matins are the original adult education program of the Orthodox Church because of the theology contained therein. Please come and worship the Lord in body, mind and spirit with Matins at 9:00AM on Sundays and Vespers on Wednesdays. FEEDING THOSE IN NEED: We are collecting Cereal, Milk and Bananas to offer breakfast at Carpenter’s Place for the month of September. THIS WEEK: Sunday September 22nd: School:9AM Matins 9AM Liturgy 10AM ((Cross Blessing to follow service. Monday September 23rd: Youth Book Study: (Rescheduled for future date) Wednesday September 25th: Vespers 6:00PM Orthodox Spirituality Class to follow. (We are working through the Orthodox Church by Kallistos Ware.) Friday September 27th - Theology by the Cup: Location Meg’s Daily Grind on Alpine 8:45AM - 9:45AM Fr. Jonathan will be available for discussion. Saturday September 28th: Vespers 6:00PM - Confessions to follow. A LOOK AHEAD:

October 13th through Wednesday, October 16th, 2019 XXIV Diocesan Council-Sobor in Johnstown, PA

Sobor Johnstown, PA

COMMUNITY EVENTS: LIBRARY LECTURES: OCTOBER: 10.3.19Focused Prayer for a Distracted World: Spirituality of St. Maximos the Confessor.Speaker: Hieromonk Fr. Seraphim (Serbian Orthodox)

All Lectures are at 6:30PM at the East Branch Library with light refreshments.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22nd 2019 - ONLINE -Orthodoxy Live with Fr. Evan Armatas offers listeners an opportunity to ask pointed questions about the Orthodox Church. Perfect for seekers, converts, and cradle Orthodox Christians alike, this program is your chance to ask the tough questions about the Orthodox Church. Fr. Evan is a great communicator and well-versed in all aspects of Orthodox theology. The program streams live, with listener call-ins from around the world, on

the first and third Sundays of each month.Go to:http://www.ancientfaith.com/radio/live

2019 ANNUAL CONFERENCE “Isolation. Violence. Hope and Communion.” NOVEMBER 7 – 9 OCAMPR.ORG

Hardly a week goes by without news of another tragedy, a shooting, violence in our cities, rising suicide rates, crazy stories of murder, abduction, human trafficking, and even abortion. We all know of people who refuse to watch the news at night because it is so disturbing. And we have all become familiar with the ritual of news of an active shooter, numbers of dead, capture/suicide of the shooter, stories of the lost, stories of the heroic, political rhetoric where the positions are pre-determined and the statements predictable. Increasingly we hear words of despair. “What can we do to stop the violence?”Equally predictable is the sense of hopelessness we experience as individuals, communities, and even as a country in the face of violence. And the stories of the shooters, the perpetrators, are often the same. Men, mostly, who live lives of isolation and reflect a growing phenomenon in our wealthy country of psychologically and spiritually vulnerable individuals living painfully isolated lives who mentally snap under the weight of psychological and spiritual forces of rage and evil.Particularly in our first world setting, where we have lived in relative peace for a lifetime, the presence of ongoing and random violence in our communities serves to unsettle us and frustrate our expectation that this should not be happening.Yet for the Orthodox Church, violence is nothing new. The Church was birthed in violence. Thousands of babies were murdered at the command of Herod around the time of Christ’s birth. Eleven of the 12 apostles were brutally murdered. Church history is an unbroken history of Christian saints losing their lives, offering up their lives, to pirates, barbarians, and even enraged family members. First and foremost, we worship a God who died a violent death. However, He was not murdered. Christ, the Light, entered this world of violence and offered Himself and His Church as an invitation to communion and life in the face of violence.Join us this Fall at our Annual Conference as we explore: “Isolation. Violence. Hope and Communion,” and how it is that we as Orthodox care providers can live and love as light in a violent world searching in vain for solutions.

BREAD FOR THE ROAD AHEAD:JOYCheerfulness is not a sin. It drives away weariness; and it is from weariness that despondency comes, and there is nothing worse than that. It brings with it everything that is negative. + St. Seraphim of Sarov.The word "rejoice" is found in the Gospels 365 times. That means the Lord is sending us a means of rejoicing every day. + Metropolitan Theodosy of Omsk and TarskTo be able to bring people joy is the very best of what there is in life, and to not be able to do it is the worst thing that can be. + Monk Symeon the AthoniteIf we find ourselves cast down and weary, let us recall the words of the Gospel and apply them to ourselves: "Arise, be of good cheer. Christ is calling you" (Mark 10:49).ALL OF US ARE “SENT”Few words, much love. To all. No matter who they are because every one of us is ‘sent’, every one of us is created with a purpose, every one of us is unique in his own way.Nobody is useless, even if some of us feel like so but we are only useful when we do not exist for ourselves. We must open towards the others with what we have and let us not have the complex of inferiority which is only a chimera of the evil one in our mind. God is a loving father and He knows that we must try many times in order to improve and reach a certain level. That is why he gave us time. Time did not exist – it was created by God for us, so let us try to do good deeds because the one who doesn’t try, surely won’t succeed.Do not hate the others, because as God loves you, so does He love your enemy. Love the others, but remember that true love is only found on the Cross. Prepare for the crucifixion because only in this way you will escape from the singularity of death and reach to resurrection of love.We have no other road but to love even if we feel the crucifixion to be painful because of our fallen nature.See, God put the sense of sight in the head. Why? Do you know? So that we cannot see ourselves. So that we see only the other and love only the other. And so that we see ourselves only in the eyes of the Other.Based on Gerontissa Gabriella

Enjoy the SilenceMany times I regretted that I spoke; I have never regretted keeping silent.Stop and hear what the Lord God is saying within you.Based on St. Isaac the Syrian

salvation. My husband is not a series of problems to be fixed; rather, he is a person who has a need to be loved and heard in a Christ-like manner and, through this, transformed. Despite this difficulty of having to confront our flaws, mirroring each other is an important aspect in the growth of our marriage and our growth toward Christ.

Moving forward in our marriage, I know that we will have moments when we exhibit true Christian love to each other while also having just as many moments when we are not. I know we will have times of growth when we are reflecting well to each other what we need to work on, as well as many times when it feels like we are not growing at all. However, in the times of doubt and struggle, I hope to cling to these beautiful words from Archimandrite Aimilianos’s homily Marriage: the Great Sacrament as motivation, “When two people get married, it’s as if they’re saying: Together we will go forward, hand in hand, through good times and bad. We will have dark hours, hours of sorrow filled with burdens, monotonous hours. But in the depths of the night, we continue to believe in the sun and the light. Oh, my dear friends, who can say that his life has not been marked by difficult moments? But it is no small thing to know that, in your difficult moments, in your worries, in your temptations, you will be holding in your hand the hand of your beloved.” Taking hold of the hand of my beloved husband, I pray that we will continue to bear our cross together as we continue our journey toward the Lord.

 

Maria is the Media Coordinator for the Center for Family Care. She and her husband Brian reside in Wheaton, Illinois.

Marriage, Mirrors, and the Path to Salvation

Maria Diveris McMullen

Our wedding day was magical, filled with joy and tears, love and nerves, excitement and countless other emotions. This moment had been planned out for months, every detail meticulously reviewed and anticipated. With every last flower arranged to perfection, the tables precisely set, our guests welcomed, and pictures taken, this was the day. Hand in hand, we took our first steps as husband and wife. All of the hard work from the year of planning came to a climax as we celebrated the magnificence of our wedding feast! However, as we basked in the beauty of the celebration, we knew that the real work was just beginning.

During the feast of the Venerable and Life-Giving Cross on September 14, I am always reminded that the sorrow of the Cross and the joy of the Resurrection are inextricably tied and can never be separated; there cannot be one without the other. Similarly, in marriage the joyous fruits and labors of love walk hand in hand. Jesus once said, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). When we are joined in matrimony, the Church places us side by side so that we may carry the cross of life together. But what does this journey look like as we face the day-to-day struggles of marital life?

A priest close to our hearts once talked about how my husband and I are mirrors for each other, which was a very eye-opening statement. I look in a mirror multiple times a day to make sure that my lipstick isn’t smudged, that I do not have food stuck in my teeth, etc. Even though mirrors show my flaws and imperfections, I am thankful, for without them I would never see the things I need to fix about my physical appearance. In the same way, our true inner selves are reflected in the “mirror” of our spouse. When you live so closely with another human being, you get a much fuller picture of what you truly look like, not physically but in your heart and soul. When my husband and I point out to each other something that was said or done that was hurtful or selfish, it can be painful to hear and hard to admit, but seeing our flaws reflected in each other is the best way for us to better ourselves. As uncomfortable as this process can be at times, I am realizing the value of this necessary step toward transformation and repentance.

As a “mirror” to my spouse, I must often remind myself that my role is not to point out my husband’s imperfections and flaws and simply say  change them. Our Orthodox perspective of love never intrudes upon personal freedom. My job is to exude Christ’s love, confronting issues with tenderness and grace, to provide my husband the opportunity to be transformed through his experience of God’s love through me, and vice versa. I see this example throughout the New Testament in every story of Jesus, especially in the story of the sinful woman washing Jesus’s feet with her tears. Simply being in Jesus’s presence inspired this woman to change her entire life. What a motivation! If we as husband and wife, sinners ourselves, can show even a fraction of this kind of love toward each other, there is great hope for our marriage and for our ultimate

A LIVING COMMUNITY: A few days ago I had lunch with local Lutheran Pastor Brent who asked for assistance with visiting Mount Athos (It is not the easiest trip to plan as there are permissions from Constantinople, letters from respective hierarchs and bus tickets, boat tickets and plane tickets to arrange to get to the peninsula we call the Holy Mountain and the Garden of the Panagia.) He shared while on sabbatical to holy sites he was at the church of the Transfiguration on its feast in the Holy Land, he happened to be on the island of Kefalonia on the feast of St Gerasimos (the patron of the island) and stopped by Meteora before also heading over to Turkey. On Mount Athos, the Monastery of Xenophontos was a blessed experience for him

thanks be to God! Pastor Brent will be sharing aspects of his trip with our men’s book study as schedules allow. (All necessary permissions for this photo to be shared in our bulletin were received, respectfully. - Fr. Jonathan Bannon)

Above: Pastor Brent sharing an icon

of the Transfiguration of our Lord

with me, Adrian and George while

meeting to hear about his trip.

It’s For the Kids… and you too!

Have you ever planted a garden? When it was time to pick, what did

you do with your fruits or vegetables or flowers? Did you keep them for yourself or did you share them with somebody else? Long, long ago, a saint named St. Phocas planted a small garden each year. He was a little poor, but he still shared what he grew with people who were even poorer. Saint Phocas gave hospitality and love to everyone! Later in his life, the authorities found out he was a Christian, and they sent soldiers to arrest him. But St. Phocas was hospitable and loving even to the soldiers, and he gave them food and let them stay the night at his little house! We always try to be like the saints. In Toronto, Canada, some Orthodox Christians plant a special garden. They plant lots of fruits and vegetables. When things are ready to pick, everything goes to the poor people in the city! This group is called the St. John the Compassionate Mission, and they do many other things to help the poor and needy in their city. You may not have a garden, but what can you do to try to be like St. Phocas the Gardener? ________________________________________________________________________

The Camping Weeks for 2020 are as follow:

Week 1: July 19-25, 2020  Johnstown, Pocono, Southern Tier, Youngstown and Chicago DeaneriesSCIENCE AND NATURE CAMP - Aug 9 - Aug 15, 2020

PARISH PRAYER LIST: Share names with Fr. Jonathan if you have someone you would like to be prayed for. REQUESTS: Prayers for those seeking the fullness of the Faith and our parish remodeling projects be done according to God’s will. Newly Illumined:: Julie, Jacob, Pamela, Timothy, Silas, Luke and George. Catechumens: Joseph, Damen, Spencer, Steven, Sarah, Riley, Nicklas, Brennen, Gavin, Lucretia, Ian and Micah. Preparing for Marriage: Spencer and Lisa 2020.Newly Married: Matthew and Sarah.

LIVING: His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople and those serving in the Patriarchate in Turkey, His Eminence Metropolitan Gregory of Nyssa and all those working in Johnstown and throughout our Diocese.our Spiritual Fathers and All Patriarchs and Bishops. All College Students, OCF members and recent graduates! Safety of Local Law Enforcement and Firefighters and Emergency Care. Joshua (Jeremy Erber’s Brother), Jonathan Zimmerman, Panayoiti, Ilija, Emilia (baby born early), Ludmilla R., Tom (Julie Orr’s dad) Elisabeth, Michael Athanasios, Michael and Marie Strapko, Jeremiah, Efthalia, Elisabeth (Rex and Michelle’s Daughter), Walter Rakuc, Evan, Greg Bradfisch, Maurita, John Fedorko III,, J.R.(Cancer) Phyllis Schmuck, Jessica, Rev. Deacon Janke and Nina, Fr. Mark Lowery, Lamont, Lidia, Jamie, Sarah Sherry’s 33rd Military Police Battalion, Father Daniel Mathewson and Matushka Gail, Kira Wiederholtz, Tony, Victor, Roger, John, Amy Stokes, Lawrence, (Colleen: young person with cancer for 2nd time) and Kevin (Cancer), Maria, Lidia, Mark(Fr. Jonathan’s brother), Simon + Family in Lebanon and Shawn, Kostas and Katina, Kirk, Mary and their families, Matushka Miriam Nelson, Fr. Luke, Ksenia, Carol, Erika and Anne, Marie, Sophie, Aaron, Theodora, Michael, Athanasios, Fr. Lucas., Geraldine, Carolyn.(Paula’s Sister and Cousin) Father Michael Polanichka, Kristen Makita (Jonathan Zimmerman’s daughter) Nicholas (A gentleman in Chicago) Trent "Tryphon" Orfanos

For the Souls of the Reposed: Kevin, Newly Departed Mary Andrews, Newly Departed Professour Liakos (Former Art Director of NIU and Orthodox Iconologist) Daniel, Helen, Sandy, His Grace Bishop Athanasius Akunda. Francis J. Schmuck (Craig Warmke’s Grandfather) and Beatrice, Weira Hryszcuck, William (Bill) Johnson. (husband of Masry Johnson Friend of Parish) Edward (Paula Grady’s cousin) Soija Ageev (Natasha Wagner’s Grandma) Anna Evanisko (Pani Miloro’s mother) Trevor Larry Koss (Laura Warmke’s Grandfather), Stephen Harbachuk / Very Rev. Protopresbyter Fr. Ronald Hazuda, Fr. William George, Danny, Nicholas, Maria. Lawrence, Valerie, Scott, Mary, Pearlene, Gary, Anne and, Glen, Fr. George S Zervos,

God commissions us! God commissions us! Have you ever gotten a special job? Have your parents or your teacher ever given you a special task that you were supposed to finish? In today’s Gospel reading, we read about how the disciples got a special job from the Lord. Jesus showed them a miracle when they were out catching fish. He called them, and then the disciples “left everything and followed Him.” God had a special task, a special job for them. He told them, “you will be catching men.” They would “catch” people to teach them and to lead them to Christ! The epistle today also tells us about a special task that Christians have. Saint Paul writes in the epistle, “It is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has commissioned us; He has put His seal upon us and given us His Spirit in our hearts.” Do you know what “commission” means? It means God sends us with a special task, a special job. God wants us to do that job. He wants us to do our best! We know that the disciples had special jobs to do. We know that our bishops have special jobs too. We know that our priests have special jobs. But God gives us a “commission” too! Let’s follow our Lord, so He can show us what our special commission is!

- Children’s Word