Sunday, September 9, 2012    Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost — Tone 5
                                                               Sunday before Elevation
Afterfeast of the Nativity of the Theotokos, Holy and Righteous Ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna; Martyr Severian of Sebaste; Commemoration of the Third Ecumenical Council

9:10a Hours
9:30a Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom
            Epistle:   II Corinthians 1:21-2:4
                             Galatians 6:11-16

             Gospel:  Matthew 22:1-14
                             John 3:13-17

Thursday, September 13
7:00p Vigil

Friday, September 14  Elevation of the Precious and Life-giving Cross
9:10a Hours
9:30a Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom
Epistle: I Corinthians 1:18-24
Gospel: John 19:6-11, 13-20, 25-28, 30-35

Saturday, September 15
4:30p Vigil
Resurrection Gospel IV

Sunday, September 16  Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost — Tone 6
Sunday after Elevation Greatmartyr Euphemia the All-praised; St.
Sebastiana, disciple of St. Paul the Apostle, marty- red at Heraclea; Martyr Melitina of Marcianopolis; Martyrs Victor and Sosthenes at Chalcedon; Martyr Ludmila, grandmother of St. Wenceslaus, Prince of the Czechs

9:10a Hours
9:30a Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom
            Epistle: 2 Corinthians 4:6-15
                           Galatians 2:16-20
            Gospel: Matthew 22:35-46
                           Mark 8:34-9:1

Registration for Church School continues today. Please see Tina Richardson to enroll your students.

On Wednesday, September 19, at 7:00p, we will celebrate a Healing Service for those who are in need of healing: physical, emotional, and spiritual.

This moleben service is open to all who wish to come.  With the blessing of His Grace, Bishop MATTHIAS, we will celebrate this service for the healing of soul and body on the second Wednesday of each month.

When we feel ill, or not ourselves, going to the doctor is an excellent idea. But, they can only heal physical ailments. When we feel ill, or are afflicted we should follow the advice given us by the Holy Apostle James who instructs us that if any are ill, they should call for the elders (the bishops and priests) of the Church who will pray over them, anointing them with oil.

There will be a meeting of Holy Trinity’s Parish Council on Wednesday, October 3, 2012, at 6:30.
Open Forum before beginning of meeting.

All Parish Council members are urged to attend.

This is a quick reminder of the Sts. Martha and Mary Sisterhood's Annual Rummage Sale, which will be held on Saturday and Sunday, October 6 and 7.

Please be sure to check your closets, basements, attics, garages: wherever you may be keeping your “stuff” for donations to the sale.

Remember, your trash might be someone's treasure.

On Sunday, November 11, and Monday, November 12, the clergy and laity of the Diocese of the Midwest will meet in assembly in Cleveland, Ohio.

This meeting will allow us to discuss important ideas and plans for the Diocese not only for the coming year, but to prepare for the future as well.

Fr. John and Fr. Deacon Thomas will be clergy delegates to the Assembly; Joseph Mamczij and Dennis Garlick will be our lay delegates.

This year, we will also elect a new metropolitan at the 17th All American Council, which is being convened in Cleveland, OH, on Tuesday, November 13. This will be a one day council called specifically to elect the new metropolitan.

These are trying times for the Orthodox Church in America, but She shall prevail!
Please be sure to remember His Grace, Bishop MATTHIAS, and the Diocese in your prayers.

St. Athanasios the Great takes note of the promise of the Lord regarding the perseverance of the Church: “The word is sure, the promise hold strong: the Church is invincible, even if hell itself were raised and the rulers of darkness brought forth turmoil!”

Two events in connection with the Honorable Cross of Christ are commemorated on this day: first, the finding of the Honorable Cross on Golgotha and second, the return of the Honorable Cross from Persia to Jerusalem. Visiting the Holy Land, the holy Empress Helena decided to find the Honorable Cross of Christ. An old Jewish man named Judah was the only one who knew where the Cross was located, and, constrained by the empress, he revealed that the Cross was buried under the temple of Venus that Emperor Hadrian had built on Golgotha. The empress ordered that this idolatrous temple be razed and, having dug deep below it, found three crosses. While the empress pondered on how to recognize which of these was the Cross of Christ, a funeral procession passed by. Patriarch Macarius told them to place the crosses, one by one, on the dead man. When they placed the first and second cross on the dead man, the dead man lay unchanged. When they placed the third cross on him, the dead man came back to life. By this they knew that this was the Precious and Life-giving Cross of Christ. They then placed the Cross on a sick woman, and she became well. The patriarch elevated the Cross for all the people to see, and the people sang with tears: ``Lord, have mercy!'' Empress Helena had a silver case made and set the Honorable Cross in it. Later, the Persian Emperor Chozroes conquered Jerusalem, enslaved many people, and took the Lord's Cross to Persia. The Cross remained in Persia for fourteen years. In the year 628 the Greek Emperor Heraclius defeated Chozroes and, with much ceremony, returned the Cross to Jerusalem. As he entered the city Emperor Heraclius carried the Cross on his back, but suddenly was unable to take another step. Patriarch Zacharias saw an angel preventing the emperor from bearing the Cross on the same path that the Lord had walked barefoot and humiliated. The patriarch communicated this vision to the emperor. The emperor removed his raiment and, in ragged attire and barefoot, took up the Cross, carried it to Golgotha, and placed it in the Church of the Resurrection, to the joy and consolation of the whole Christian world.
St. Nicholai of Zicha

As you can see, work is being started on the bell tower. This work includes not only the scraping and painting of the wood (both old and new) in the tower itself, but will eventually incorporate the slate roof and hips of the towers, as well as reworking the cupolas on both the bell tower and the main dome.

Upon further examination of the proposed work, it was decided to include the further work on the cupolas and roof as we will have the necessary equipment on site to accomplish this.
The estimated cost of this extensive work is approximately $80,000.00. While we have the funds in the Building and Restoration Fund (one separate from the General Fund) to cover this expenditure, the members of the Committee think it wise to take one half from the existing fund, and to raise $40,000.00 independently through donations and fund raising activities.

Therefore, please support the work of the Committee through your continued, gracious donations, as well as the fund raising events which are being planned.

B&R Fund to Receive up to $10,000.00 in Matching Funds
An anonymous parishioner has agreed to match donations (up to a total of $10,000.00) made to Holy Trinity’s Building and Restoration Fund.  Donations made to the B&R Fund between August 26 through December 31, 2012 are eligible to be matched.

If you were thinking this was the year to make a large donation or perhaps this might even be your first time to donate -- you can now do so and enjoy the idea that your dollars are being matched. The B&R Fund is a separate account and resource used to fund capital projects, major repairs and restoration work on the Cathedral and Rectory.

According to Parish Council President Joe Mamczji, “If we meet this goal and parishioners enthusias- tically give...we will realize a $20,000.00 contribution to the fund. I want to tell people that their dollar is worth more than before during this matching gift challenge.”

Please consider making a donation to the Building and Restoration Fund by the end of the year.
You can already see the fruits of your donations. Let's keep up the good work!

We take this time to thank: Anthony Scott, for his donation for the flowers which decorate the icon of the Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos; Anne Pawlikowsky,for her donation for the flowers which beautify the Cross on the feast of its Elevation.

May God grant you Many Years!