Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church

Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church
A parish of the New England Diocese ✣ Orthodox Church in America
285 ALDEN AVENUE NEW HAVEN, CT 06515 (203) 397-9682 www.holytransfigurationnh.org
The Very Reverend Michael Westerberg, Rector
phone (203) 387-3882
fax (203) 387-3043
email frwesterberg@sbcglobal.net
Rectory and Parish Mailing address: 25 Kohary Drive New Haven, CT 06515-2418
Sunday, April 10, 2016
Fourth Sunday of Great Lent / Sunday of Saint John Climacus (of the Ladder)
Today’s readings are:
Hebrews 6:13-20 and Saint Mark 9:17-31
WEEKLY CALENDAR:
Today
church school and coffee hour
4:00pm Sunday Lenten Vespers at St. Nicholas Church, Pittsfield, Massachusetts
April 11 Mon
5:30pm Daily Vespers
April 12
Tue
5:30pm Daily Vespers
6:00pm Panikhida- remembering Gladys Kruchok – 1 year anniversary
6:30pm parish council meeting
April 13 Wed
4:45pm Confessions (until 5:50pm)
6:00pm Pre-sanctified Liturgy — followed by a pot-luck lenten supper
April 14
Thu
5:00pm OCF at Yale – Vespers in the Lovett Room of Battell Chapel
April 15
Fri
5:30pm Akathist Hymn of Praise to the Most Holy Theotokos
April 16
Sat
3:00pm workshop for parish council and church school staff
4:30pm choir rehearsal
5:00pm Great Vespers – with Confession afterward
April 17
Sun
9:00am Divine Liturgy- Fifth Sunday of Great Lent / Sunday of Saint Mary of Egypt
[Hebrews 9:11-14 and Saint Mark 10:32-45]
church school and coffee hour
4:00pm Sacrament of Holy Unction at Three Saints Church, Ansonia
The mid-point of Great Lent has come and gone. The time of the Holy Fast is passing quickly. Remember: the
last scheduled opportunity for Confession is following the Vigil of Palm Sunday. Delay no longer.
Information about the Paschal Breakfast was in last Sunday’s bulletin. Please look over the list of needed items
and speak to Susan Papademetris about how you will help with the food; and speak to Judy Ross about how
you will help out with the Pascha and/or Bright Monday breakfasts.
The sign-up sheet for reading at the tomb of our Lord is posted in the church hall.
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
Before our transgressions rise up against us, arise, O Lord, and help us! For you are our Father, and beside
you we know no other!
(Troparion of the Prophecy, from Monday Matins of the Fifth Week of Great Lent)
As we enter the fifth week of the Holy Fast we offer a reminder: All year long we give priority to other
things in our life. We miss church, we miss prayers, we miss sacraments because of home, or family, or work,
or friends, or company, or social commitments, or hobbies– concerts, sports events, parties, television specials,
laziness or just plain indifference, all-the-while making our excuses and self-justifications. Yet, if we are at all
familiar with the Gospel, the worship and life of the Church, the example of the saints, etc., we understand the
sinfulness and spiritual shallowness of such priorities and excuses. And in varying degrees we make an effort
to set our priorities right. At the same time, there are other demands on our time, commitments and
responsibilities, some genuine and some hollow or false. Nevertheless, if we are at all serious about our lenten
effort, and about a Christian struggle in our lives, at the very least for a few days, we need to set aside other
priorities, giving first consideration to our sacramental and liturgical participation in the life of the Church.
Specifically, from the Matins of the Raising of Lazarus thru the Paschal Liturgy on Bright Monday, we need to
make every effort to attend services as regularly and as faithfully as possible. If we think of the things we ‘like
to do,’ we would acknowledge that we could easily do them day after day. (A sports fan can watch or play
sports every day for a week; others could go shopping [spending] every day for a week; most could watch
television or sit in the internet every day for a week [or a year]; so when we think about it, it is not unreasonable
to ask ‘the faithful’ to attend services every day for a week, or at least as often as humanly possible. In our
parish participation in Holy Week has not always been ‘the best,’ though in recent years there has been a
marked improvement. Let’s make and effort and continue the trend this year!
As we enter the fifth week of lent, about twenty percent of the parish has not yet come to confession. This is
not a problem- there is still some time, but time does have a way of slipping away, even a whole lifetime, but
certainly the few weeks of Great Lent. Don’t wait until the last minute. Except for special circumstances, our
confessions should be completed before Holy Week. While some 'faithful' consider confession as a 'barely
tolerable nuisance', confession is a privilege, a gift of healing and a gift of God’s love for us- that sins may be
forgiven, that the baptismal garment of our souls may be renewed, becoming once again spotless and radiant,
without wrinkle or stain or blemish.
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
Сегодня- Неделя 4-я В. Поста - Памят Преп. Иоанна Лествичника
[Послание к Евреям 6:13-20 и от Марка 9:17-31]
4:00чд Вечерня в Питтсфелде, Массачусетсе
Сред. 4:45чд Исповедь (до 5:50чд)
6:00чв Литургия Преждеосвящнных Даров
Пятн. 5:30чд Акафист Пресвятей Богородице
Субб. 5:00чд Великая Вечерня и Исповедь
Воск. 9:00чу Литургия Василия Великого – 5-я В. Поста - Памят Преподобной Марии Египетской
[Послание к Евреям 9:11-14 и от Марка 10:32-45]
4:00чд Елеосвящение в Ансоние
Исповед и Святае Таинство не толко во время Великого Поста, но во время Великого Поста каждой
Православне Христянин обязин исповедоватса и принесть Сватяе Таинство. Те которие не
исповедуютса отказиваю голос голосование в Церковном распяложение, и не можим быть похоронон с
церкви во время смерти.