Orthodox Church in America
Diocese of Washington
7124 River Road
Bethesda, MD 20817
Church Office: 301-229-6300
/ Rector
V. Rev. Gregory Safchuk
Office: 301-229-6300
Home: 301-320-0739
/ Parish Council President:
Michael Thompson
Home: 703-204-9092
36TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST FEBRUARY 7, 2016
EPISTLE1 Tim. 1:15-17 /
GOSPEL
Matt 15:21-28 / Tone 3DIVINE LITURGY OF ST. JOHN
Afterfeast of the Meeting. St. Parthenius, Bishop of Lampsacus on the Hellespont (4th c.). Ven. Luke of Hellas (ca. 946). The 1,003 Martyrs of Nicomedia (303). New Hieromartyrs Vladimir, Metropolitan of Kiev and Galich (1918) and Peter, Archbishop of Voronezh (1929); Vasily (Basil), Bishop of Priluk (Vologda – 1930); Presbyter Stephan and Martyr Boris (1938) – (Jan 25th O.S.).
Sunday / Feb / 7 / 9:30a / Divine Liturgy (Scout Sunday)
11:15a / Piroghi Luncheon Fundraiser for Bazaar
11:30a / Church School & Adult Study
11:30a / Basics of Orthodoxy Class
12:00p / Stepping Stones Meal Delivery
Monday / Feb / 8 / 8:00a – 5:00p / Lifeline Screening
7:45p / Choir Rehearsal
Saturday / Feb / 13 / 5:00p / Private Confession
5:30p / Great Vespers
Sunday / Feb / 14 / 9:30a / Divine Liturgy – Zacchaeus Sunday
11:15a / Coffee Hour Fellowship
11:30a / Choir Rehearsal
11:30a / Church School & Adult Study
11:30a / Basics of Orthodoxy Class
Tuesday / Feb / 16 / 10:30a / Bl. Mat. Olga Prayer Group - Akathist
CONTINUED ON LAST PAGE
Saturday / Feb / 20 / 5:00p / Private Confession
5:30p / Great Vespers
6:30p / FOCA Chapter Meeting
6:30p / Parish Council Meeting
Sunday / Feb / 21 / 9:30a / Divine Liturgy
11:15a / Fr. Basil's 90th Birthday Extended Coffee Hour Fellowship
TheAltar Candles are donated by the Hydock Family in loving memory of mother and Baba, Olga Ference. May Her Memory Be Eternal!
TheSanctuary Candlesare donated by the German and Firestone Families incelebration of mother and Baba, Marge German’s birthday. God Grant Her Many Years!
Coffee Hour Fellowship
Date
/Hosts/Hostesses
/ Donuts/BagelsFeb 7 / PIROGHI LUNCHEON BAZAAR FUNDRAISER
Feb 14 / Vasilian / Hottle / Taylor / Helba
Choir Directors, Readers, Preparers, Greeters, & Altar Servers
Date / Director / Reader / Preparer / Greeter / AltarServers
Feb 7 / W.
Tatusko / A.
Norton / Dn. D.
Phelps / G. Freimann
K. Phinney / A. Ahmadi
A. Datch
T. Dillon
F. LeFors
V. Lutes
J. Sedor
M. Sedor
Feb 14 / D.
Pierce / K.
Lungociu / A.
Norton / P. Masick
T. Sekellick
Classes
Date
/Church School
/Adult Study
(in Fr. Gregory’s Office) /Basics of Orthodoxy
(in Church Library)Feb 7 /
Following Liturgy
/Following Liturgy
/Following Liturgy
Feb 14 /Following Liturgy
/Following Liturgy
/Following Liturgy
FATHER BASIL'S 90TH BIRTHDAY RESCHEDULED FOR SUNDAY, FEB. 21ST:Come celebrateFr. Basil Summer’s90thbirthday at St. Mark on Sunday, February 21st. Everyone is invited to attend and celebrate an "Enhanced Coffee Hour" with Fr. Basil following Liturgy, see details below. May God Grant Fr. Basil Many Years!Join Us in Celebrating V. Rev. Basil Summer’s 90th Birthday
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Let's make this a special time for Fr. Basil, St. Mark's first priest who served us for over seventeen years. His wish for this visit is to simply enjoy the food and fellowship and to spend a casual afternoon visiting with his former parishioners and meeting the many other members of our church family. Save the date and plan to attend this happy and special event! Church school, Adult Study, and the Basics of Orthodoxy classes are all cancelled on Sunday, Feb. 21st so everyone may fully participate in the celebration.
BIRTHDAY CARDS: If you want to give Fr. Basil a birthday card, please do. A collection box will be made available to deposit cards before his arrival and will be presented to him during the celebration.
GIFTS: If you wish to give Fr. Basil a birthday gift, please consider a monetary donation. Other gifts are not recommended since he will be traveling alone by train. Carry-on items and packages will be too cumbersome for him to manage. If you choose to give a monetary gift, it is recommended you write a check to "St. Mark Orthodox Church" and add "Fr. Basil" in the memo section. This way, St. Mark will issue one check, including all monetary gifts, to Fr. Basil as part of an honorarium and love gift. Thanks for your cooperation.
ENHANCED COFFEE HOUR: One of St. Mark's famous "enhanced coffee hours" will be served following Liturgy. Everyone is invited to participate and attend. Please sign-up and let us know what food you plan on bringing on the sign-up on the sheet near the kitchen serving window in the Fellowship Hall. Please see Debbi Dillon for questions.
QUESTIONS? Please see or contact Coy Williamson, Tina Burpee, Marcella Hydock, or Aurora Thompson.
HOUSE BLESSING SIGN-UP: Fr. Gregorywill be contacting parishioners to schedule house blessings, but if parishioners have a preference for a specific date and time, they may contact Fr. Gregory at any time. Thank you.
MEMORY ETERNAL to Marina McKee’s aunt Valentina who passed away on January 21st. Please keep the McKee family in your prayers.
THANK YOU to all who participated in our diaper drive for the Shady Grove Pregnancy Center.
THANK YOU to all who helped make our 6th Annual Chili Cook-Off a success!
ANDCONGRATULATIONS to this year’s Chili recipe winners!
TODAY IS SCOUT SUNDAY! Today we are observingScout Sunday internationallyfor all scouts, both Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. These young people have made a commitment to live by their Oath and Promise, and to set a good example for others. We are proud of all their accomplishments! Many Years!
PICKUP YOUR 2015 DONATION STATEMENT TODAY: Donation statements for the year 2015 will be distributed in the Fellowship Hall today during the Piroghi Luncheon. Please pickup your yearly donation statement for tax purposes. For those who do not pick up their statement at church, it will be mailed to your home address on file. Please direct any questions to Gene Jacobsen.
LIFE LINE SCREENINGS TOMORROW, FEBRUARY 8TH: Life Line Screening, a leading provider of community-based preventive health screenings, will host their affordable, non-invasive andpainless health screenings tomorrow,Monday, February 8th from 8AM-5PM at St. Mark.Five screenings will be offered that scan for potential health problems related to: blocked arteries which is a leading cause of stroke; abdominal aortic aneurysms which can lead to a ruptured aorta; hardening of the arteries in the legs which is a strong predictor of heart disease; atrial fibrillation or irregular heart beat which is closely tied to stroke risk; and a bone density screening, for men and women, used to assess the risk of osteoporosis. Register for a Wellness Package that includes 4 vascular tests and osteoporosis screening from $149 ($139 with our member discount). All five screenings take 60-90 minutes to complete. In order to register for this event and to receive a $10 discount off any package priced above $129, please call 1-888-653-6441 or visit
CHOIR REHEARSALS: The next choir rehearsal will take place tomorrow,Monday, February 8th at 7:45 PM. Future rehearsal dates are as follows: Sunday, February 14th at 11:30 AM (following Liturgy); Monday, February 29th at 7:45 PM; Sunday, March 6th at 11:30 AM (following Liturgy); and Monday, March 21stat 7:45 PM. Choir members, please mark your calendars!
TAMBURITZANS folk ensemble will be performing at two local venues. The first show is onSaturday, February 13th at 7:00 PM at the Ernst Theatre at 8333 Little River Turnpike in Annandale, VA. For tickets, call 877-826-6437. The second show is on Sunday, February 14th at 2:00 PM at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre at 603 Edmonston Drive in Rockville, MD. For tickets, call 240-314-8690. For more information, see the flyer on the St. Mark Fellowship Hall bulletin board.
BLESSED MAT. OLGA OF ALASKA WOMEN’S PRAYER GROUP will meet on Tuesday, February 16that 10:30 AM for Akathistprayer. Please join us if you can. If you would like the group to remember someone in prayer, please give their name to Debbi Dillon, Marcella Hydock, or Mat. Alexandra.
PARENT & TEACHER WORKSHOP on “Educating Ourselves and Our Children in Godliness” will be held at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Bethesda, Maryland on
Saturday, February 20th from 8:30AM - 4:30PM. The workshop is a pan-Orthodox endeavor for continuing education of the faithful and is coordinated by the Orthodox Christian Education Commission Department of Teacher Training. The events costs $25 and includes breakfast, lunch and handouts for each part of the sessions. For event information and schedule, and to Register on-line by Saturday, February 13th, visit: You may also register by phone or mail by contactingAudrey Barbazette at: 301-469-7990; email: .
EVENTS AT THE CENTER FOR BYZANTINE MATERIAL ARTS: Over the next few months, the following events will take place at the Center for Byzantine Arts located at 716 Monroe St. NE, Studio #7, Washington DC, 20017. For more information on each event, please see the community events bulletin board at the back of our Fellowship Hall.
Icon Workshop: Feb. 20th & 27th from 9AM - 4 PM.
Lectures on Icons given by Scholars/Clergy: Mar. 3rd, Apr. 7th (all 7 PM).
Iconography Course on “Icons of the Mother of God”: Mar. 10-13 from 10AM - 4PM, Sunday 3-6PM.
ST. MARK FOCA CHAPTER MEETING will be held onSaturday, February 20thfollowing Vespers in the fellowship hall.
PARISH COUNCIL MEETING will take place onSaturday, February 20th following Vespers. Observers are welcome!
SIGN-UP FOR FR. BASIL'S 90TH BIRTHDAY ENHANCED COFFEE HOUR CELEBRATION ON SUNDAYFEBRUARY 21ST: Please sign-up and let us know what dish you plan on bringing to the enhanced coffee hour to celebrate Fr. Basil Summer's 90th birthday. It doesn't have to be specific, but would help us get an idea of what people are planning to bring so we can fill in any gaps,need be. The sign-up sheet is in the Fellowship hall just outside the kitchen serving window. If you have any questions please see Debbi Dillon, Tina Burpee, or Coy Williamson. Thank you!
FUNERAL FOR CONSTANCE, MOTHER OF KIM LUNGOCIUwill take placeon Saturday, March 5that 11:00 AMat St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 6030 Grosvenor Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814. The Lungociu's will have a reception at their house afterwards at: 11406 Stonewood Lane N. Bethesda, MD 20852 (a 7-minute drive from St Luke's). Burial will be primarily a family gathering held at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, March 7th at 9:00 AM. May Connie's Memory Be Eternal!
RUMMAGE SALE: It’s that time of year again to begin planning for our anxiously awaited fund raiser! Last year we earned approx. $6,500 for the St. Mark Iconography Project and General Fund. This year’s rummage sale will take place on Saturday, June 11th. Rummage sale chairperson, Marsha Zellem, will need at least THREE COMMITTED COORDINATORS to help make this year’s sale successful. In addition, dozens of volunteers will be needed to price, and sort the "treasures" the two weeks PRIOR to the sale. Mark your calendars and let Marsha know if you’re interested in being a coordinator.
FINAL 2015 BAZAAR GROSS PROCEEDS TOTAL: The final gross total proceeds for the 2015 bazaar was $34,909.59. This included proceeds from the three days of the bazaar and left-over food sales through 12/31/15. Thank you to everyone who made this possible!
SAVE THE DATE!! The 2016 Bazaar will be held on November 4, 5, 6. Please mark your calendars and plan to be on hand to help any way you can.
UNCLE MICHAEL’S HOT SAUCE FOR SALE: Uncle Michael’s Hot Sauce is made right here at St. Mark and will be sold Sundays during coffee hour. Proceeds from sales will go toward the St. Mark General Fund. Two sizes (Small 5 oz. bottles are $6.00 ea; Large 10 oz. bottles are $11.00 ea) are available for purchase at the drink table in the Fellowship hall. Payment may be made to Michael Lungociu or Gene Jacobson.
HANNAH LEFORS MISSION TRIP: Hannah has reached her online goal towards her OCF RealBreak 2016 trip to Alaska this upcoming spring! Any more donations submitted online will not go to Hannah's trip, but rather the general OCF program. If you are interested and able, Hannah still needs to purchase her airline ticket, which costs about $900. If you would like to help, please give money to Hannah in person instead of online. Thank you so very much for your generosity to help spread the Orthodox faith!
- With Love in Christ, Hannah and Rachel LeFors
VICTOR LUTES MISSION TRIP: This spring break I have the opportunity to join other college students from all over the USA to serve those in need, educate myself on The Faith, and deepen my relationship with Christ. I’m excited to announce that I plan on going on another Orthodox Christian Fellowship RealBreak mission trip this upcoming March, this time toAlaska!I’ll be spending the weekalongside the community of St. John Orthodox Cathedral in Eagle River, AK on community service projects with the poor and homeless in the surrounding areas, as well as projects at the Cathedral itself. Please consider making a donation to help me go on this trip! The cost of the trip is $1,300, which includes ground transportation, lodging, meals, outings, materials, and a donation to the host location. If you’d like to help, you maydonate online at OCF’s website and click on “Donate Now”, then select your amount and specify “Sponsor a Real Break Student,” then enter Victor Lutes into the “Honoree’s Name” section. I would also appreciate your prayers for me and the other Orthodox studentsembarking on this incrediblejourney! - In Christ, Victor Lutes
FATHER BASIL'S 90TH BIRTHDAY PHOTOS: Fr. Jerome and Mat. Wendy Cwiklinski have set up a Facebook page for those who would like to offer greetings to Fr. Basil as well as view some great photos! Here’s the link:
Also, check out photos from the celebration of Divine Liturgy at the OCA Chancery’s St. Sergius of Radonezh Chapel marking Father Basil’s 90thbirthday on Sunday, January 31st. Here’s the link:
PRAYER REQUEST– O Christ, You alone are our Defender: Visit and help Thy servants who are in need of your help, protection and healing. Among them: JohnMarti Badila; Jenifer Calomiris; Arvid and Justin Daniel; Paul Dean; Zachary Firestone; Julie Flick; Marge German; Jurretta Heckscher; Neal,Cristin, & Samuel Kumar; Evelyn Leleck; Larisa Looby; Marina McKee; Catherine Mikuluk; Karen Nichols; Timothy Parrish; Mark Phinney; Alexandra and John Sedor; Katie Sheppard; Peter Sielinski; Cathy Tatusko; Andrea Ticich; and Peter Truitt.
Please pray for Margaret, Mary Carol Ashley’s mother; Tina Burpee’s mother Margaret and friend David; Christine Cacic’s friend, Carmen; Julie Flick’s son, James Shimer, and her stepdaughter, Jeanie Folton; MargeGerman’s brother, John,her niece, Therese, who is diagnosed with lung cancer, her grandson, Joshua,and her friend, Kema; Jeff Jordan, friend of the Hardy family; JurrettaHeckscher’s father, Stevens; Olga, friend of Helen Kerch; Mat. Jan and Fr. Mark Koczak’s friends, Metropolitan Isaiah (Georgian Patriarchate) and Archimandrite Athanasy; Mary Everhart, mother of Ted Koopersmith; Rachel LeFors’ friend,Ilene, who has been diagnosed with cancer; MichaelLungociu’s father, Nicholas,and friend’s mother, Gitta Finch; Marilyn Macht’s friend, Ghadha Saah; Judi, JoanMitchum’s sister; Jim Orban’s daughter, Rebecca; KylaPrentice’s friend, Ashley; GaleRutan’s father-in-law, Joseph; Katherine Sheppard’s mother, Judy; JuliaShiller’s father, Vadim Pyatovolenko; friend of Debbie Sieff, Fr. Taras Chubenko, of St. Demetrius Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Carteret, NJ, who is recovering from esophageal surgery; PeterSielinski’s brother-in-law Arthur, and friends Brenda Jim Hall, Kelly, Samuel, Ron, Pat, Bailey, Jenn and Matt; Olga & SlavinaSkenderska’s cousins, Desi Stanislav,and friends CatherineJustin; Ellen Thompson’s daughter, Sonya; Don Truitt’s parents; friends of St. Mark, Tanya & James Twyman; LindaWeir’s mother, Ruby; Paula Zabela’s grandson Wyatt, cousin Kathleen who is afflicted with cancer, and her neighbor Harvey; and Zachary (Zecchaeus) Jensen, member of St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church in Thurmont, MD, who is recovering from severe head injury.
Deliver them from sickness and grievous pains. Raise them up that they may sing to Thee and praise Thee without ceasing, through the prayers of the Theotokos and all your Saints!