The Church Herald Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church

2053 North Road, NE

Warren, OH 44483

Church Phone: (330) 372-6240 Rectory Phone: (330) 372-9778

Pastor: The Very Rev. Protopresbyter Kenneth M. Bachofsky, D. Min.

Email: otecken@yahoo.com—Parish Web Page: www.stnicholaswarren.org

Volume 33 January 15, 2017 Number 3

“This is the message which we have

heard from Him (Jesus Christ) and proclaim to

you, that God is light, and in Him is no dark-

ness at all. If we say we have communion with

Him while we walk in darkness, we lie, and do

not live according to the truth.

But if we walk in the light, as He is in

the light, we have communion with one an-

other, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses

us from all sin.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive

ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we con-

fess our sins, he is faithful and just and will

forgive our sins and cleanse us form all un-

righteousness. If we say we

have not sinned, we make Him

a liar, and His word is not in

us.

I am writing this to you

so that you may not sin. But if

anyone does sin, we have a

advocate with the Father, Je-

sus Christ the Righteous, and

He is the expiation for our

sins, and not for ours only, but

also for the sins of the whole

world.” (I John)

Many people confess

that he practice of confession is

confusing to them. They do it,

they say, form a sense of habit

or duty, as a ritual formality

without meaning or inspiration.

There are any number

of reasons for this avowed con-

dition, and we could not begin

to diagnose its causes or symp-

toms in this small article. It is

our hope, rather, that we can

come ot a clear insight inot the meaning of hu-

man life as God sees it and shows it to us in

Christ and the Church, so that the practice of

confession as we do it will become meaningful

for us and will be the inspiring event that it

should be: the liberating experience of life in

Christ and the Holy Spirit which leads to com-

munion to God.

We claim faith in Christ. This means that

we must do what Christ has shown us to do. And

this means, more than anything else, that we

must love with a perfect love.

Christians are called not merely to love

God with all their heart, mind, soul and strength;

and their neighbor as themselves. These are the

chief commandments of the Old Testament.

(See mark 12:28) But we Christians are called

to hear the Lord of the New Testament and to

fulfill His commands:

“Love your enemies, do good to those

who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray

for those who abuse you, turn the other cheek

to those who strike you, give to those who

steal, beg or borrow from you, asking nothing

in return. Do to all me not as they actually do

to you but as you would with them to do to

you, do not condemn or judge, but give and

forgive. You, therefore, must be perfect as

your Heavenly Father is

perfect.” This is the teach-

ing of Jesus Christ, told

simply and clearly on the

pages of the Gospel.

(Matthew 5 and Luke 6).

All of the com-

mandments of Jesus Christ

can be summed up as the

Perfection of God” in the

one new commandment

that the Lord gave: that we

should love with the very

same love with which He

loves.

“A new command-

ment I give to you, that

you love one another; even

as I have loved you, that

you also love one another.

By this will all men know

that you are my disciples,

if you have love one for

another.” (John 13:34,35).

This “new com-

mandment” of Christ came to a world-without-

God as something radically new. But it was not

originally meant to be new at all. God wanted

the world to be filled with His Love from the

moment of creation. This was the original des-

tiny of man: to live with God’s life and to fill

all the ends of creation with His Divine Pres-

ence, which is Love Itself. (See I John 3 & 4).

We all fail to fulfill our destiny to

“perfect as God,” the bearers of His Presence

which is Love. In some sense our failure is un-

derstandable—not justifiable, but understand-

able.

It is understandable to the extent that

If We Confess our Sins: Part I.

such a task is never fully achieved. In this sense,

the Christian life, the life of every man as Christ

has revealed it, is not a “state” but a

“movement.” No one is “real” Christian—or

even a real man—until he is fully filled with

God’s love. And this is an Eternal Life!

Our failure, however, is not merely that

we have not achieved what is in fact eternal, for

that is certainly not sinful! Our failure is that as

baptized, chrismated Christians who have the

Holy Spirit and Holy Communion with God in

the Church, we hardly even realize our task! We

hardly pay attention to it! We hardly desire it!

We Harley work at it!

This is our sin. Not only that our life is

not the constant and continual growth to perfec-

tion which St. Paul called the movement to

“mature manhood, to the measure of the stat-

ure of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4: 13).

But our sin is that we are not really aware of our

“high calling” and we constantly and continually

offend against it by thoughts, words and actions

which are in fact movements in exactly the op-

posite direction. This “movement in the opposite

direction” is the definition of sin. It calls us to

repent, which means literally to change our-

selves. It demands that we confess our sins.

Our life in the Church, therefore—the

Icon of what all human life must be—must be

continual change towards God. This means con-

tinual confession and repentance. This is the fun-

damental realization which alone can make the

practice of confession meaningful to us. This is

what Christ has revealed, and His revelation is

always before us whenever we gather as the

Church for the Divine Liturgy where we hear

His Word, beg His Mercy, and receive His Body

and Blood always and forever “For the remis-

sion of sins and unto Life Everlasting!”

- By: Father Thomas Hopko—

Worship Schedule

S u n d a y ,

January 15th

9:30 a.m.

The Reading

of the Third

Hour.

10:00

a.m. The

30th Sunday

After Pente-

cost, Tone 5.

(Page 93).

The Vener-

able Paul of Thebes, John the Hut-dweller, and

Gabriel of Lesnovo are commemorated.

Epistle—Colossians 3:12-16

Gospel—Luke 18:18-27

Wednesday, January 18th 4:00 p.m. The

Akathist Service to the Theotokos with prayers

for the sick and anointing of the faithful.

Sunday, January 22nd 9:30 a.m. The Reading of

the Third Hour.

10:00 a.m. The 31st Sunday After Pente-

cost, Tone 6. (Page 96) The Apostle Timothy, St.

Anastasius of Persia and the Martyr Peter of Bul-

garia are commemorated.

Epistle—I Timothy 1:15-17

Gospel—Luke 18:35-43

Wednesday, January 25th 4:00 p.m. The

Akathist Service to the Theotokos with prayers

for the sick and anointing of the faithful.

Sunday, January 29th 9:30 a.m. The Reading of

the Third Hour.

10:00 a.m. The Sunday of Zaccheus,

Tone 7. (Pages 99) The Relics of Ignatius of An-

tioch, the Recluse Lawrence and St. Gerasimus

are commemorated.

Epistle—I Timothy 4:9-15

Gospel—Luke 19:1-10

MONDAY, JANUARY 30 9:00 A.M. THE

FEAST OF THE THREE HOLY HIERARCHS!

EPISTLE—HEBREWS 13:7-16

GOSPEL—MATTHEW 5:14-19

Memorial Service

Following the Final Blessing and the dis-

tribution of the Antidoron there will be a

Panachida offered for the repose of the soul of

+Michael Sheptock, in observance of the 40th

Day of his repose. These prayers are being of-

fered by Mary Ann Sheptock, David Sheptock

and Patti Sheptock Bossasge. Faithful in atten-

dance are invited to add their prayers to our by

attending this service.

With the Saints, O Lord, grant rest to the

soul of your departed servant, +Michael Shep-

tock, where there is no pain, sorrow nor mourn-

ing but only Life-Everlasting! Eternal be his

Memory!!!

Happy Birthday!

Ted Sekela………………………..

Julie Moroczka…………………...

Andy Cristo……………………....

A.C.R.Y. Meeting

There will be a meeting of the St. Nicho-

las A.C.R.Y. chapter #54 next Sunday, January

15th. All of the officers and members are asked

to please attend. It will be held during the morn-

ing coffee social.

The board of officers for the new year

will be elected and a calendar of activities will

be planned for the new year. We need every-

one’s help and cooperation!

They are always looking for new mem-

bers! If you would like to be a part of this parish

youth organization please come to the meeting

next Sunday.

Home Blessing

Father Ken

will continue with

the Home Blessing

Schedule for the

faithful of our par-

ish this coming

week. There have

been an number of

families who were

sick or out of town that father was not able to

visit. Also, there were some who Father Ken

tried to call but was not able to because of a

change in phone number. If anyone was missed,

please give Father Ken a quick phone call or

email and he will schedule a day and time for

your home blessing!

Please remember that this week’s sched-

ule may change because of inclement weather,

and any other additional pastoral responsibilities.

If there are any changes you will be contacted by

phone. Father Ken would like to thank you in

anticipation of your patience and hospitality!

Church Offerings

One of the many acts of worship con-

ducted at each Sunday Divine Liturgy, is per-

formed in our generous donations made during

the Church Offering! This is an excellent way of

expressing our love, devotion to the Lord, as

well as our thanksgiving for the many blessings

received from His Hands!

We would like to share with you last

Sunday’s Church Offerings: Regular Offering

$695.00/ Candle Offering $130.00/ Church Dues

$450.00/ Memorial Offering in loving memory

of +Michael Sheptock by Gotthardt $50.00/

Cemetery Cross Donation: $300.00 Mitch Duch-

nak/ Church Donation by Elizabeth Thomas

$300.00/ Total Church Offering = $1,925.00.

May our Lord and Saviour bless all of

you 100 fold for your gracious gifts offered for

the continuing salvic work being done at our be-

loved St. Nicholas Church!!!

Kitchen Reopens!

We will reopen the doors to our Church

Kitchen this coming Thursday, January 19th for

the second half of the 29th season of our ethnic

dinners. We are now soliciting the help and as-

sistance of the St. Nicholas Society and the

Kitchen Crew to ensure the success of our Inter-

nationally Renowned Holupki & Perohi Din-

ners and take-outs!

We will be rolling the holupki Tuesday

afternoon and preparing the fillings Tuesday

evening. Wednesday brings the job of cooking

the perohi and holupki beginning at 9:00 a.m.

and concluding with lunch. Help will be needed

on Thursdays for the dinners, 11:00 a.m. until

1:00 p.m. and take outs until 5:00 p.m. Let’s roll

up our sleeves and work together as a family!

Cemetery Cross!

As of this date, a total of $10,300.00 dol-

lars have been given toward the construction of a

beautiful, black marble, Cross Monument for our

section of the Pineview Cemetery. We are so

grateful for the generosity of these donors! Our

goal is $18,000.00 dollars. We pray that dona-

tions toward this noble cause will continue!

If you would like to contribute toward the

proposed Cross Monument at the cemetery,

please see Father Ken or you can give your do-

nation in the Vestibule Office of our Church.

May the Lord bless you abundantly!

Aussie Quiz Night

The Holy Trinity Academy will sponsor

an Aussie Quiz Night on Friday, February 10,

2017 at the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Building

(the old Sts. Cyril & Methodius Church Hall)

175 Laird Avenue, N.E. in Warren. The Aussie

Quiz Night will begin at 7:00 p.m. Admission

will be $10.00 per person.

We challenge you to come and test your

trivia knowledge in teams of 5—8 people and

win cash and prizes! If you do not have a team,

come anyway, one will be put together at the

door. Topics to challenge you: sports, US his-

tory, entertainment, world geography, science,

world religion, current events, movies, music,

art, and literature.

Please bring you own favorite snacks and

drinks as well as any plastic ware and plates

needed for your snacks that evening!