Remember to pray for…

Betty Chisholm (and her husband, Don) as they struggle with the infirmities of age.

An opportunity to help a fellow parishioner

Betty Chisholm would very much like to come to church, but needs a special Medical-Transport van to do so.  If you would like to donate the price of one (1) trip ($103.00), please speak with Matushka Deborah Johnson.

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction….

Our parishioner, Olga Prisekin, has lost a lot of her eyesight and her hearing.  She would be grateful for help with grocery shopping, if anyone can donate the time to take her to one of her favorite stores, either MOM’s or Trader Joe’s.  If you would like to help Mrs. Prisekin by driving her to the store, the best way to let her know would be to tell her at church.  It’s easier to communicate with her by writing things down on paper; phone calls are difficult.

Books for Spiritual Growth and (great for gifts too!)

In our bookstore we have these items, all highly recommended (they wouldn’t be there otherwise).  They should be a part of every Orthodox Christian’s library.

Father Seraphim Rose, His Life and Works by Abbot Damascene

Confession, the Holy Mystery of Repentance by Father John Townsend

Orthodox Dogmatic Theology by Father Michael Pamazansky

We have other books for sale and please also take advantage of our library.

Purchase of Books, Candles, Prosphora and Other Items

Please remember when buying anything from the church to record the item name, quantity, and $ amount on the columned paper at the candle stand.  Also indicate your purchase on the “for” or memo line of a check, or on a slip of paper with your name attached to cash and leave your check or cash in the wicker basket.  By so doing, you will make possible a correct accounting by our treasurer.

Our Choir

Our choir, as you can hear, is very effective, but small, and new members are always welcome.  If you can sing and would like to participate, please speak with our choir director, Reader Christopher Johnson.  Rehearsals are held on Thursday evenings from 7 to 9 (see the schedule), and attendance at them is required (which is directly related to the choir’s effectiveness).

Our Sunday School

2010-2011 classes start on September 12^th.   We have these classes available:

1)      3 to 6 years old, taught by Sophia Blahut and assisted by Matushka Anastasia Dantinne

2)    From 7 to 9 years old, taught by Claire Mendis – The pre-k through k and first through second grade classes will be working together this year – The two classes will share materials and class area, and separate to do age appropriate activities while doing prayer time and the occasional game or project together

3)     From 10 to 12 years old, taught by Peter Gardner (no students in this age bracket at this time)

4)    From 13 to 15 years old, taught by Mariya Petrenko (no students in this age bracket at this time)

5)     From 16 to 18 years old, taught by Reader Christopher Johnson – The class for older teens will be a study of the scripture readings for the day – Each student will be required to make at least one observation or ask a question relating to the readings, followed by discussion

6)    Adults, taught by Father George – Traditional Orthodox Christian Piety will be reviewed for the instruction of inquirers and as a refresher for those who desire it

Church Cleaning & Flowers

Currently Friday is cleaning day & we adorn the church with donated flowers, whenever possible. We have a need for more volunteers during the autumn months. If you would like to donate flowers or if you would like to enter the cleaning rotation with a donation of your time and effort, please contact sisters, Mariya (musliba [at] yahoo [dot] com) or Claire (301.807.8495 or danikacm [at] yahoo [dot] com).

Holy Apostles Chariots

We are blessed to have many Orthodox people in the community who are interested in attending our services. A few are unable to bring themselves to the services. If you need a ride or if you can offer a ride please contact Kyrill Shillenn (301.989.0748) to coordinate.

Сonfession

It is right and good that we should want to receive Holy Communion and prepare for it through repentance and confession.  The best time for this is on Saturday evening, not only because there is plenty of time, but because attendance at Saturday evening Vigil is a traditional part of preparation.  If, however, because of distance or other considerations (pre-arranged with Father George), it is necessary to confess on Sunday morning before the Liturgy, we should arrive at church for this purpose no later than 9:00 AM.  Also, it is necessary if one is unable to attend vigil, that Saturday evening be spent quietly and prayerfully, preparing for confession and reading the pre-Communion prayers.  As Orthodox Christians, we should do our best to preserve the traditions of the Church.

Dressing for Church

While it is important to feel at home in our parish, it is also important to remember that when we gather for services, we are here for prayer and the worship of God.  In this light, there are traditional customs of dress that should be observed.  No one who is not a small child should wear shorts.  Girls and women should wear head coverings and skirts.  Shirts and blouses should cover the shoulders.  Any revealing and borderline-modest clothing is not appropriate.  Slogans should not appear on apparel.  A Church service is neither the time nor the place for advertisement or self-promotion.

Good Stewards, Good Neighbors – Membership at Holy Apostles – A standard element of the Orthodox Christian life is membership in an Orthodox parish.  Parish membership is the way to demonstrate the seriousness of our commitment to maintain not only our individual or household Orthodox life, but to maintain our mutual Orthodox life as a parish community, or, as the Holy Apostle puts it, to “bear… one another’s burdens.”  By committing to keeping the parish supplied and in place, we are instruments of God’s providence.  At the same time that we give of our substance, we provide the proper circumstances to supply each other’s spiritual needs.

If you regularly attend services, please consider also that being one of the living stones that St. Peter speaks of entails material contribution.  We read in the Acts of the Holy Apostles, that time when the spiritual temperature of the new-born Church was at its height, that the members gave very generously of their substance, in fact, they gave everything.  While we do not live in their circumstances and are not now called upon to pool everything for the sake of physical survival, we do live in a time of great spiritual incoherence and hostility.

We each need, therefore, to do all we can to secure, maintain and grow our parish so that it may continue to serve as a harbor for those who seek spiritual peace and refuge from the stormy sea of this life.

A good foundation for giving is 10% of income.  Some of us are doing this already.  Those who so give can testify that God takes care of such benefactors.  First of all, they are remembered in prayer at every Divine Service.  Let all who read this be stimulated to become one among the choir of benefactors.  To become a member of the parish, please see our Treasurer, Dorothy Johnson.

Save these Dates!

Yard Sale – Saturday, September 18^th

"How beloved are Thy dwellings, O Lord of hosts"

Claire & Mariya, will be hosting a Yard Sale –

Proceeds will go to the church building fund –

Volunteers needed for –

Transport – moving items back and forth between storage and the sale site

Marketing – pricing, customer service and advertising

To be of help, get in touch with Mariya (musliba@yahoo.com) or Claire (danikacm@yahoo.com)

Come shop to support the building fund

all are welcome & encouraged to participate.

WHEN: Saturday, September 18, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

WHERE: 602 Burnt Mills Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20901

Parish Picnic – Sunday, October 3^rd

(This is an opportunity to invite a guest to experience an Orthodox Liturgy followed by fellowship, if you have questions contact a member our Sisterhood)

~also~

The miraculous myrrh-streaming icon of the Iveron Mother of God from Hawaii on Friday, 10/22, and Saturday, 10/23 will be with us for the Vigil and Liturgy for the Optina Elders 

~also~

We are expecting Metropolitan Hilarion to be in attendance for our 10^th Anniversary Parish Feast, July 16-17, 2011