25th Sunday After Pentecost

November 22, 2009

And I shall say to myself, “Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!”  But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’  Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.”  (Luke 12:19-21)

Happy Thanksgiving
Let us on this day reflect on all that we have to be grateful for…
The Gospel for Thanksgiving Liturgy.
As he was entering a village, ten lepers met (him).  They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying, “Jesus, Master!  Have pity on us!”  And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.”  As they were going they were cleansed.  And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.  He was a Samaritan.  Jesus said in reply, “Ten were cleansed, were they not?  Where are the other nine?  Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”  Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”  (Luke 17:12-19)

DIVINE LITURGY / SERVICES SCHEDULE
Sat. Nov. 21 – 4:00 p.m. †Seniuk, Williams & Nadzan Families – Marion Williams
Sun. Nov. 22 – 8:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy – God’s Blessing for Parishioners
Mon. Nov. 23 – 9:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy – No Intention Offered
Tues. Nov. 24 – 9:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy – No Intention Offered
Wed. Nov. 25 – 6:30 p.m. Thanksgiving Divine Liturgy – Gods Blessing for Parishioners
Thurs. Nov. 26 – NO SERVICES
Fri. Nov. 27 – NO SERVICES
Sat. Nov. 28 – 4:00 p.m. †John & †Mary – Waslasky Hall & Waslasky Families
Sun. Nov. 29 – 8:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy – God’s Blessing for Parishioners
Divine Liturgies for St. Vladimir (Edwardsville)
Saturday 6:00 p.m. English – Sunday 10:30 a.m. Slavonic

SACRAMENT OF PENANCE (CONFESSION) – Before Liturgies or by appointment.  Parish members should go to Holy Confession at least once a month on average, or more often if there is a serious or mortal sin.  In case of a serious or mortal sin, one may not receive Holy Communion, until they have first gone to Confession and received absolution.  For small or ‘daily’ sins, one may receive Holy Communion as often as once a day, provided they have made an examination of conscience, a sincere Act of Contrition and recite the Prayer before Holy Communion, found in the text of the Liturgy.
WELCOME – To all who are tired and need rest; to all who mourn and need comfort; to all who are friendless and need friendship; to all who are discouraged and need hope; to all who are hopeless and need sheltered love; to all who sin and need a Savior; and to whomsoever will, this Church opens wide its doors in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ To all who are worshipping with us today – WELCOME!
LITURGY REQUESTS – We ask that if you have dates on which you would like a liturgy offered that you make those requests as early as possible.  Request for liturgy dates will be assigned in the order in which they are received. Contact the rectory office to make your requests.
STAYING IN TOUCH – If there is anyone who is regularly unable to attend liturgy but would like to keep in touch with what’s going on in the parish, please contact the rectory office about receiving a copy of the bulletin through the mail.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING – Our thanks to all who came out to help support our parish by helping with the Pyrohy Project this week.  Know that your efforts are appreciated, and not just by those who like to eat those delectable treats.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION – Religious Education Classes will take a break next weekend for Thanksgiving.  Classes resume the following weekend, Saturday, December 5th in the church school building from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM.
BIRTHDAY GREETINGS – Birthday Greetings to John Dybach (11/24), Myron S. Feszchak (11/26) and Joseph Antonishak, Jr. (11/27).  May God grant them long life, good health and happiness.  MNOHAYA BLAHAYA LITA!
CHRISTMAS DECORATING – We will be decorating the church for the holidays on Sunday, December 6th starting at 2:00 PM.  Please mark your calendar and come out to help, many hands will make short work.
CHOIR PRACTICES – The choir will meet to practice for the Christmas Season on Thursday, December 3rd, and again after decorating on Sunday, December 6th.  Please make every effort to come out and brush up on music for the upcoming holiday.
CHRISTMAS CAROL SING ALONG – Our Choir’s Annual Christmas Carol Sing-Along will be held Sunday, December 13, 2009, starting at 2:00p.m. All are invited to join in the joyous singing of our traditional Ukrainian Koliada (carols) as well as many other, in anticipation of Christmas.  Carols will be sung in the church followed by a cold buffet reception in the lower level of the church.  Saint Nicholas will also pay a visit.  Mark your calendars and plan to make this part of your celebration of the Nativity of Our Lord.
PARISH SIGN – Plans are being finalized for our new parish sign.  The sign will be roughly 2 feet by 5 feet, double sided and installed in front of the church.  Renderings of the sign are posted on the bulletin board in the back of the church.  If you’d like to make a donation to help defray the cost, please place your donation with the collection using a Supplemental Envelope from the back of the Church and label it “Parish Sign”.
NEW COUNCILS TO BE FORMED – At the Parish Meeting last week Father informed those in attendance that following the new policy from the Chancery, a new (6-12 member) Parish Pastoral Council will be formed.  This council will replace the existing parish Building and Grounds, Pastoral and Cemetery Committees.  Father has selected members for this council and they will be announced after their approval by the Chancery.  The Pastor/Administrator (Father) will serve as the chairman for the council.  The decisions of the Parish Pastoral Council will be advisory only, and not be binding on the Pastor/Administrator (Father) or the parish.  This change will take affect on December 1, 2009.  Also included in the changes from the Chancery, starting January 1, 2010 a (2-3 member) Parish Finance Council will replace the function of the existing Trustees and Finance Committees.  Upon approval from the Chancery those council members will also be announced.  Father wishes to extend his thanks to all who served on the committees.
CEMETERY RULES & REGULATIONS – Out of respect for all parish families and their deceased members, these rules and regulations were designed for the uniform appearance, ease of maintenance, safety, and cleanliness of our cemetery.  Please give your full co-operation.  Thank you.
All decorations, including unplanted and artificial flowers, must be removed before March 31 or be subject to removal.  Christmas decorations must be removed by January 31.  All stone, metal, and other borders around monuments or memorials are prohibited.  Only low borders, one inch above ground level, are permitted in front of hillside graves in order to prevent erosion. No shrub or tree planting is allowed.  Loose stone and / or gravel are prohibited on any grave plot.  Persons causing any damage to cemetery property will be liable.  No dumping on the cemetery grounds or beyond the perimeter.  No walking pets through the cemetery.  No trespassing on cemetery property after hours.  Cemetery hours are 7:00 AM to sundown.  These Rules Effective Immediately.
NOTICE REGARDING HOLY DAY – This notice is written to remind the clergy and faithful that the Holy Day of the Conception of St. Anne (Immaculate Conception) is celebrated on Wednesday, December 9th.  It is not a Holy Day of Obligation.  By decree of the Ukrainian Bishops of the Metropolitan Province of Philadelphia on November 30, 2006 this Holy Day has been re-appointed to its original celebration.
TURKEY BINGO – Transfiguration of Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church, Hanover Section, Nanticoke is sponsoring its Third Annual Turkey Bingo on Sunday, November 22, 2009, in the church hall, Bliss and Center Sts. Doors open at 12:00 with Early Bird at 1:00.  Admission is $2.00 and prizes will be cash and turkeys.  Food and beverages will be available for purchase along with homemade baked goods.  For more information contact Jill Gagliardi at 824-4603.  A Ukrainian Auction, featuring theme baskets – each with a homemade or handcrafted treat – is being held in conjunction with the Bingo.
MALANKA 2010 – The 6th Annual Ukrainian New Year Dinner Dance – MALANKA – will take place on Friday evening, January 15, 2010, 6:00pm to 1:00am at St. Vladimir Parish Center, 428 North Seventh Avenue, Scranton.  Michael Trusz and Kathleen Izak are serving as chairman and cochairman respectively.  Tickets are $40 and can be obtained by calling Dr. Michael Labuda at 820-7105.  Dinner buffet will include borchsh, holubchi, chicken Kyiv, kobasa, pyrohy and more, along with a cash bar.  Dancing to the internationally known orchestra Fata Morgana and a late night champagne toast are also included.
SLOATSBURG JUBILEES – During the next two years the Sister Servants of Mary Immaculate will be celebrating two milestones in their history. December 8th will mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the American Province, under the patronage of the Immaculate Conception and during the coming year 2010, they will celebrate 75 years of ministry in the United States.  The celebration of this double jubilee will take place during the weekend of December 11-13, 2009, being highlighted by a special Divine Liturgy of Thanksgiving and a banquet.  Ads are being sold for a remembrance book, please pick up a copy of the ad form in the back of the church.  In addition the Sisters are embarking on a project to build a shrine to Blessed Josaphata (their foundress) on the grounds of their home in Sloatsburg.  The small chapel will be a place of prayer, open year round, where people could come to light candles and pray to Blessed Josaphata for her intercession before God.  Memorial Pavers for the walkway leading to the chapel will be sold to help defray the costs of the construction.  Forms to sponsor those pavers are also available in the back of the church.
HEALTH CARE REFORM – Congress continues to debate health care reform legislation.  While the U.S. House passed a health care bill that prevents the federal government from funding elective abortions, the U.S. bishops remain deeply concerned about Senate action, especially as it will affect abortion funding, conscience rights, affordability for the poor and vulnerable, and accessibility for immigrants.  In your bulletins today, you’ll find a newly updated flier/bulletin insert from the U.S. Bishops Conference asking you to please contact your Senators immediately and urge them to address these moral issues.  The flier/bulletin insert includes a web address that allows you to send an email message to Congress with a click of a button.  The bishops have asked for our swift action and our prayers.  Thank you for your help.  We can help make sure that health care reform will be about saving lives, not destroying them.
PRINTED COPIES OF ‘THE WAY’ ARE AVAILABLE IN THE VESTIBULE
RENOVATION FUND – Should you wish to make a contribution to this fund please use the “Special Collection for Renovations to the Church Complex” envelopes that are available in the back of the church.
SPONSORS SOUGHT FOR SIGN – Donations are being sought to defray the cost of a Saints Peter & Paul Parish Sign.  If you would like to make a donation for this purpose, please place the donation with the collection using a Supplemental Envelope from the back of the Church and label it “Parish Sign”.

Philip’s Fast (Pylypivka)
From earliest times, the feast of Christmas was given equal rank with the feast of the Resurrection (Easter). For this reason the Typicon looks upon the Nativity of Christ as another Pasch (Easter). In old typicons and liturgical Psalters, under the 25th of December, there is this note: “The Pasch, a three day feast.” Thus, just as the faithful prepared themselves for the feast of the Pasch with prayer and fasting, so too, they prepared themselves for the coming of Christ the Savior with the Christmas fast. (Julian J. Katrij, OSBM, A Byzantine Rite Liturgical Year)
Philip’s Fast (Pylypivka), the pre-Christmas fast which begins with the feast of Saint Philip (November 14th), is a 40-day period of spiritual preparation for the celebration of the Nativity/Theophany cycle. At one time a period of strict fasting, it has now been abrogated in favor of voluntary fasting, works of penance and almsgiving. (Typikon)