St. Nicholas Orthodox ChurchAmerican Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese

Ecumenical Patriarchate1123 East Avenue

Erie, PA 16503Parish Website: stnicholaserie.org Diocesan Website: www.acrod.org

Rev. Fr. Nicholas Mihaly Rectory: (814) 453-4902 Cell: (203) 241-1027 E-mail: nmihaly1013@gmail.com

Sunday, February 18, 2018-The Sunday of Forgiveness

Schedule of Services and Events: Sunday, February 18—9:30 AM; Divine Liturgy & Panachida for William Demyanovich, offered by Sue and Jerry Varga Monday, February 19 (Strict Fast)—6:00 PM; Great Canon of St. Andrew Tuesday, February 20—6:00 PM; Adult Class Wednesday, February 21—6:00 PM; Presanctified Liturgy Friday, February 23—6:00 PM; Paraklis to the Mother of God Saturday, February 24—5:00 PM; Vespers Sunday, February 25—9:30 AM; Divine Liturgy

Dear Children & Parents, Next week is the Sunday of Orthodoxy! Please bring your favorite icon from home so that you can join in the procession at the end of Divine Liturgy! Church School will start after the Procession at the end of Liturgy, instead of right after communion.

Confessions are available thirty minutes prior to Divine Liturgy on the first Sunday of every month; thirty minutes before vespers on Saturday evenings; or by appointment.

https://www.facebook.com/StNicholasErie/

UPCOMING EVENTSFebruary 19 - First Day of Great LentFebruary 25 - Parish Shower for Pani StaceyMarch 9 - Pan-Orthodox Presanctified Liturgy; St. Nicholas March 11 - Deanery Lenten Mission; Warren, OHMarch 17 - ACRY Lenten Retreat; Homestead, PA

The parish is throwing a small shower for Pani Stacey on February 25. All are invited to attend, young and old, male or female! Please see Pat Molly for more information.

During this season of Great Lent, it is important that we take advantage of the sacrament of Confession. Fr. Nick will be at the Church one hour before each Lenten service for confession. He will also be hearing confessions 30 minutes prior to Vespers on Saturday evenings and the first Sunday of the month. If these times do not work for you, please schedule a confession appointment with Fr. Nick so that you can celebrate Pascha with a clean soul!

Following some of the Lenten services, we will be watching Becoming Truly Human, a movie about the rise of the nones, those who do not have a religion. If you would like to bring a fasting dish, please feel free to do so. We will watch the movie in four sections on: Wednesday, February 21 Wednesday, February 28 Wednesday, March 7 Friday, March 16

On Friday, March 9, we will be hosting a Pan-Orthodox Presanctified Liturgy at our parish. A Lenten Potluck will follow the service. Please use the sign up sheet in the office to indicate what dish you will be bringing. Then, on Friday March 23, Sts. Peter & Paul in Crossingville will be hosting a Pan-Orthodox Presanctified Liturgy.

If you would like to go to the ACRY Lenten Retreat in Homestead on March 17, please let Fr. Nick know by Sunday, March 10. There are still two seats available in Fr. Nick’s car if you are looking for a ride.

Birthdays & Anniversaries

If you would like Many Years to be sung for you or a loved one, please let Fr. Nick know prior to the beginning of Divine Liturgy

Feb

20 Atty. Kenneth & Pamela (Laboda) Vasil-37th Anniversary

23 Rev. Stephen E. Krivonak, III

Parish Prayer List“Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be

healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.” James 5:16

For the Health of…Fr. John Baranik, Fr. James Gleason, Fr. John Gido, Fr. Nicholas Palun, Fr. John Zboyovski, Fr. David Smoley, Pani Donna Smoley, Pani Connie Miloro, Pani Eleanor Pribish, Douglas Borkowski, Ann Burdick, Emma Burkell, John Candia, Tom Candia, Sandy Carlisle, James DeHaven, Mary DeHaven, Ann DiMarco, Peter Dimitriadis, Helen Douglas, Irene Fendya, Miko Jovanovich, John E. Kelley, John Kloss, Richard Koerner, Jean Kramer, Don Kuzmin, Olivia Kuzmin, Evelyn McCambridge, Mike McCambridge, Serge Mihaly, Barbara Scheibeck, Irene Schwab, Elizabeth Skalko, Isabella Smith, Paul Toaso, Cheryl Walker, David Walker, Katlyn Wyant, George Yurcan …through the prayers of St. Nectarios the Wonderworker & St. Panteleimon the Great-Martyr and Healer

For Expectant Mothers…Pani Stacey Mihaly, Pani Ileana Bennet, Kalina Walker, Anastasia Mihaly…through the prayers of St. Anna, the Mother of the Virgin Mary

For the Repose of…Fr. Charles Sunderland, Pani Ann Kozar, Lawrence Beck Helen Bires, Vera Fetchina, William Demyanovich, Maria Keim, Paul Meaden …May their memories be eternal!

If you have someone you would like to be added to the prayer list, please see Fr. Nick

To Ponder “Thou dost not so much desire thy sins to be forgiven, as He desires to forgive thee thy sins. In proof that thou dost not so desire it, consider that thou hast no mind either to practice vigils, or to give thy money freely: but He, that He might forgive our sins, spared not His Only-Begotten and True Son, the partner of His throne.”—St. John Chrysostom

“‘And forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors.’ For we have many sins. For we offend both in word and in thought, and very many things we do worthy of condemnation; and ‘if we say that we have no sin’ (1 John 1.8), we lie, as John says. […] The offenses committed against us are slight and trivial, and easily settled; but those which we have committed against God are great, and need such mercy as is His only. Take heed, therefore, lest for the slight and trivial sins against you, you shut out for yourself forgiveness from God for your very grievous sins.”—St. Cyril of Jerusalem

WEEKLY OFFERINGS – Sunday, February 11, 2018

DONOR $2.00 WEEKLY CANDLES FOR HEALTH GIVEN FOR Tamara Kloss Husband John Kloss Phyllis Tarasovich Herself and Family John Lipchik Jr. & Kathleen Boyce Uncle Peter & Aunt Marge Sima Kathleen Boyce Families of Brother John Lipchik Jr. and Husband Gary Boyce DONOR $2.00 WEEKLY CANDLES FOR THE DECEASED GIVEN FOR John & Tamara Kloss Her Parents Very Rev. Proto. Ronald & Pani Dolores Hazuda Douglas & Jean LaBoda and Family His Father Michael LaBoda Douglas & Jean LaBoda and Family His Mother Virginia LaBoda George Yurcan Parents Wasyl & Aniela Yurcan and Deceased in Family Richard & Susanne Demchak Beloved Parents Joseph & Susan Demchak Dr. George & Kitty Kuzmishin Beloved Family Members Janet Belliveau Parents Douglas & Anne Liebel John Lipchik Jr. & Kathleen Boyce Parents John Sr. & Helena Lipchik David Lipchik Parents Steve & Ann Lipchik Phyllis Tarasovich Deceased in the Tarasovich and Kelley Families Phyllis Tarasovich Mother Anna Kelley Reader David & Debra Tarasovich Grandson Carter Robert Egloff CATEGORY AMOUNT CATEGORY AMOUNT Candles 35.00 Diocesan Assessment 140.00 Regular Envelopes 430.80 Social Hour 9.00 Total Income 614.80 ATTENDANCE Adult Education Class (Tue., Feb. 6): Canceled Moleben to St. Nectarios (Wed., Feb. 7): 4 All Souls Liturgy (Sat., Feb. 10): 4 Divine Liturgy (Sun., Feb. 11): 30 JANUARY 2018 CHURCH YEAR 2018 YTD (11/01/17 TO 01/31/18) Income 10,710.93 Income 20,596.13 Expenses 7,856.01 Expenses 18,816.60 (Loss)/Gain 2,854.92 (Loss)/Gain 1,779.53

GREAT LENT 2018

Protocol No. 3/2018 My Beloved Faithful Clergy and Laity of Our God-Protected Diocese: As we begin Holy and Great Lent this year on February 19th, I wanted to share with you a few thoughts so that we may journey through the season and arrive safely at the Great Feast of Feasts, Holy Pascha with the proper frame of mind. Holy and Great Lent is a truly beautiful period of time filled with moments in which we can focus our hearts and our minds on the grace of God. Through daily prayer, fasting, worship, and giving to others and by the grace of God our lives will continue to be transformed by Him and our souls will be drawn closer and closer to our Lord Jesus Christ! In the hymns and services of the Triodion period and at the entrance of this holy season of Great Lent, we are called to repentance. We are invited to come before God in the humility of the Publican. We are beckoned to return to His dwelling and His compassionate embrace as the Prodigal Son. We are confronted with the causes of our separation from God and our need for His great mercy. It is truly a time of repentance as we prepare to commemorate and contemplate all that has been done for us through Christ our Lord. This solemn and reflective journey is not one of despair. This is not a time of inconsolable grief or deep anguish and anxiety. Holy and Great Lent is a time of spiritual renewal in which repentance finds forgiveness and grace, engenders hope, strengthens our faith and leads us to abundant and eternal life. We know through the Gospel that genuine repentance receives forgiveness and grace. The sincerity of the Publican expressed in his cry, “God, be merciful to me a sinner” was recognized

by God, and his sins were forgiven (Luke 18:13 – 14). We also know that repentance nurtures hope. God’s grace transforms us, as we see the blessedness of life restored to communion with Him, we experience the joy of hope. For the Prodigal Son it was the journey to return to the house of his father, hoping that something better awaited. As through repentance we receive forgiveness and grace and our hearts are filled with hope, our faith is strengthened. As we prepare to celebrate the fulfillment of God’s promise to defeat death, restore us to life, and lead us to the Resurrection, our faith in Him grows. At the beginning of Great Lent, let us contemplate the power of repentance and take this opportunity to examine our hearts and minds. Let us pray for humility in seeking the forgiveness and grace of God, returning to communion with Him. Let us find renewed hope in the light, peace and joy that comes from our Crucified and Risen Christ. I pray that this Holy and Great Lent season is a spiritually uplifting time for all of us.

Working in His Vineyard with much love for all of you,

+Bishop Gregory of Nyssa

Join the clergy and faithful of our Deanery as we prayerfully journey together towards Pascha!

Sunday, March 11, 2018 St. Nicholas, 2053 North Road NE, Warren, OH

Vespers, 4:00 PM Homilist: V. Rev. Andrew Harmon

Saturday, March 24, 2018 St. John’s, 3180 Morefield Road, Hermitage, PA

Confessions, 2:00 PM Vespers, 4:00 PM Homilist: Rev. Nicholas Mihaly

Friday, March 30, 2018 St. Nicholas, 1115 East Avenue, Erie, PA

Confessions, 5:00 PM Presanctified Liturgy, 6:00 PM Homilist: V. Rev. Stephen Loposky

A free-will offering will be taken at each service.

Meal and fellowship to follow.

2018 MISSION SERVICES in the

YOUNGSTOWN DEANERY