Sunday January 19, 2020, The 29th Sunday after Pentecost
This Week's Services and Events
January 21, Tuesday
+ Office Hours, 12:30PM-3:00PM
+ 9th Hour Prayers, 3:00PM
January 22, Wednesday
+ Office Hours, 1:45PM-3:00PM
+ 9th Hour Prayers, 3:00PM
+ Akathist, 6:50PM
+ Praying the Psalms Discussion and Fellowship, 7:30PM
January 23, Thursday
+ Office Hours, 11:00AM-3:00PM
+ 9th Hour Prayers, 3:00PM
January 24, Friday
+ 3rd Hour Prayers, 9:00AM
+ Office Hours, 9:15AM-12:30PM
January 25, Saturday
+ Great Vespers, 5:00PM
January 26, Sunday (29th Sunday after Pentecost)
+ Matins, 8:45AM
+ Sunday School, 9:20AM
+ Divine Liturgy, 10:00AM, followed by Fellowship Hour
+ Vespers for St. Nina of Georgia, 6:00PM
Upcoming Events and Announcements
Many Years!
Daniel Hettrick was received as a catechumen during liturgy today. May God grant him many years!
Memory eternal!
We mourn the passing of Fr. Patrick Kinder who reposed in the Lord on January 14. Fr. Patrick was a priest of our diocese and deanery, having served as pastor of St. Ignatius Church in Madison, Wisconsin for many years. Fr. Patrick was also the long-time former director of Camp St. George in Iowa. He is survived by his wife Kh. Vanessa and their son, Anthony. May his memory be eternal!
Treasurer Minute
As of the Annual Meeting we had a shortfall as of $950 per month. As of a couple weeks ago, this deficit had been lowered to $700, which is still a significant amount. Some individuals in the community have offered to increase their gifts to cover this deficit so that we don’t have to consider moving Father to part time. I’m calling these our “Second Mile” gifts since these are above and beyond regular pledges. God willing, if additional pledges come in, or if others in the church offer to assist by offering their own second mile gift, we can decrease the burden on these givers over the course of the year.
As His Grace Bishop Anthony pointed out, this is a significant improvement in our financial situation. Two years ago, our monthly deficit was $2500. Now our deficit was such that we could solve the dilemma with effort from within the congregation. We discussed this situation at the Parish Council meeting, and with this extra income, we can move forward with the Basic Budget as approved at the Annual Meeting in December! Father can remain with us full time and we will be able to fund our basic expenses! I will be distributing contribution letters for your records for tax purposes today. As always, if you have questions or would like to adjust your pledge in some way at any time, just let me know verbally, by email, or drop a note in one of the donation boxes.
Wednesday Nights: Praying the Psalms
Starting on January 22 and lasting through May, each Wednesday at 7:30PM (7:45PM once Lent starts), we will be meeting for our weekly fellowship. Through the end of April, we will be discussing the Psalms. And then we will have five weeks on the novel Laurus, by Eugene Vodolazkin. All are welcome. One need not commit to attending every week in order to participate. Printed schedules are available in the narthex or can be downloaded here.
A year of Supplication to St. Raphael
If you were able to attend the annual meeting last month, you will remember our plan to make this year, 2020, a year of supplication to our patron, St Raphael of Brooklyn. If we are to survive and thrive in Iowa City, our church community needs to grow—Grow in faith, grow in numbers, and grow in giving. Who better to lead us than the blessed saint who helped establish Orthodoxy in America by his leadership! Father and Karen have been working on gathering materials and ideas for this program. February 27th is the anniversary of our beloved saint’s repose, and we thought it would be a fitting day to begin. As a parish, we will commit regularly to asking the prayers of St. Raphael for his guidance and intercessions. We encourage everyone to participate in a way that works for them, whether that is by saying a short prayer to St Raphael each day, or praying the Akathist service regularly. Our year of prayer will culminate on November 7th, when we celebrate his feast day together as a parish. In the next few weeks, we will be sharing more about this program and asking each of you to consider joining our prayer team. We hope that as we pray together as a parish we will grow together in love for our patron and with his guidance establish our church more firmly.
Epistle Reading
Reading the Epistle during liturgy is open to anyone who is interested. We have a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board at the top of the stairs. The Epistle will also be read in English, but we welcome it to be read in other languages as well. If you are interested and have questions, see Subdeacon Panteleimon (Todd) or Fr. Ignatius.
Gift card scam alert
Parishes and religious communities are being targeted by a phishing scam where the perpetrator poses falsely as the priest via email and asks the recipient for money in the form of gift cards. The scam states that the priest is going to use these gift cards to help out people who have approached the church looking for assistance. These emails come from fake accounts which appear to an unsuspecting person as a clergy email address. The perpetrator then goes on to ask the recipient to buy gift cards and send photos of them back so that they can use the numbers to acquire the money. Fr. Ignatius will not be sending out emails asking you to buy gift cards. If you receive such an email, it is a scam.
House Blessing Season is Here
Fr. Ignatius would like to bless the home of everyone associated with St. Raphael Church during the traditional house blessing season which lasts until the beginning of Lent, March 1. Contact him and set up a day and time for him to come! We bless our homes because we want God to be a part of every aspect of our lives. There is nothing in our lives, that is unimportant to Him. So, we invite Him to make our homes sacred places, through the house blessing prayers. These house blessing visits can be short and quick (10-15 minutes) or longer, if you want to have some social time. You decide.
St. Raphael Food Pantry Needs
We are especially in need of the following items to help stock the shelves of our food pantry. Can you buy a few extras during your next grocery shopping trip and bring them in to church soon? Financial donations are also accepted - our food pantry funds are depleted.
Next Sunday's Gospel Reading
At that time, Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector, and rich. And he sought to see Who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Jesus, for He was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today.” So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. And when they saw it they all murmured, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:1-10)
Pray for our Catechumens
Please keep our catechumens Ilya Buchkin, Scott Dorr, Fabian Muller-Dahlberg, Madison Frei, Elizabeth Michael, Michael Spies, Austin and Maddie Collins, Evren Sasmazer, Derek Ward and Daniel Hettrick in your prayers as they prepare to be sacramentally joined to the Orthodox Church.
Do You Have a Prayer Request?
Please give it to Fr. Ignatius and he will distribute it by email to all those on the Prayer Chain. If you wish to join the Prayer Chain, please let Fr. Ignatius know.
Remember Your Departed Loved Ones With Flowers
Would you like to memorialize your departed loved ones with a bouquet of flowers to be placed in the church on the weekend of your choice? Decide what weekend you would like your loved one(s) remembered, mention it to Fr. Ignatius, give $25 to the church, clearly marking it for "Memorial Flowers" and your loved one(s) will be mentioned during the Great Entrance prayers and in the weekly bulletin. If your departed loved ones are Orthodox, and you would like Trisagion Prayers for the Departed to be offered at the end of Liturgy, you can indicate that on the sign-up sheet as well.
Keep Praying for Kidnapped Orthodox Bishops in Syria
Since April 22, 2013, the Orthodox Metropolitan of Aleppo, Metropolitan Paul, and the Syriac Metropolitan of Aleppo, Youhanna, have been in captivity and have not been heard from. Please pray for their well being and release and also pray for their captors as well.
Food for Thought
Repentance is a renewal of baptism. Repentance is a covenant with God for a second life. The penitent is a purchaser of humility... Repentance is a daughter of hope and refusal of hopelessness.
- St. John Climacus
January 21, Tuesday
+ Office Hours, 12:30PM-3:00PM
+ 9th Hour Prayers, 3:00PM
January 22, Wednesday
+ Office Hours, 1:45PM-3:00PM
+ 9th Hour Prayers, 3:00PM
+ Akathist, 6:50PM
+ Praying the Psalms Discussion and Fellowship, 7:30PM
January 23, Thursday
+ Office Hours, 11:00AM-3:00PM
+ 9th Hour Prayers, 3:00PM
January 24, Friday
+ 3rd Hour Prayers, 9:00AM
+ Office Hours, 9:15AM-12:30PM
January 25, Saturday
+ Great Vespers, 5:00PM
January 26, Sunday (29th Sunday after Pentecost)
+ Matins, 8:45AM
+ Sunday School, 9:20AM
+ Divine Liturgy, 10:00AM, followed by Fellowship Hour
+ Vespers for St. Nina of Georgia, 6:00PM
Upcoming Events and Announcements
Many Years!
Daniel Hettrick was received as a catechumen during liturgy today. May God grant him many years!
Memory eternal!
We mourn the passing of Fr. Patrick Kinder who reposed in the Lord on January 14. Fr. Patrick was a priest of our diocese and deanery, having served as pastor of St. Ignatius Church in Madison, Wisconsin for many years. Fr. Patrick was also the long-time former director of Camp St. George in Iowa. He is survived by his wife Kh. Vanessa and their son, Anthony. May his memory be eternal!
Treasurer Minute
As of the Annual Meeting we had a shortfall as of $950 per month. As of a couple weeks ago, this deficit had been lowered to $700, which is still a significant amount. Some individuals in the community have offered to increase their gifts to cover this deficit so that we don’t have to consider moving Father to part time. I’m calling these our “Second Mile” gifts since these are above and beyond regular pledges. God willing, if additional pledges come in, or if others in the church offer to assist by offering their own second mile gift, we can decrease the burden on these givers over the course of the year.
As His Grace Bishop Anthony pointed out, this is a significant improvement in our financial situation. Two years ago, our monthly deficit was $2500. Now our deficit was such that we could solve the dilemma with effort from within the congregation. We discussed this situation at the Parish Council meeting, and with this extra income, we can move forward with the Basic Budget as approved at the Annual Meeting in December! Father can remain with us full time and we will be able to fund our basic expenses! I will be distributing contribution letters for your records for tax purposes today. As always, if you have questions or would like to adjust your pledge in some way at any time, just let me know verbally, by email, or drop a note in one of the donation boxes.
Wednesday Nights: Praying the Psalms
Starting on January 22 and lasting through May, each Wednesday at 7:30PM (7:45PM once Lent starts), we will be meeting for our weekly fellowship. Through the end of April, we will be discussing the Psalms. And then we will have five weeks on the novel Laurus, by Eugene Vodolazkin. All are welcome. One need not commit to attending every week in order to participate. Printed schedules are available in the narthex or can be downloaded here.
A year of Supplication to St. Raphael
If you were able to attend the annual meeting last month, you will remember our plan to make this year, 2020, a year of supplication to our patron, St Raphael of Brooklyn. If we are to survive and thrive in Iowa City, our church community needs to grow—Grow in faith, grow in numbers, and grow in giving. Who better to lead us than the blessed saint who helped establish Orthodoxy in America by his leadership! Father and Karen have been working on gathering materials and ideas for this program. February 27th is the anniversary of our beloved saint’s repose, and we thought it would be a fitting day to begin. As a parish, we will commit regularly to asking the prayers of St. Raphael for his guidance and intercessions. We encourage everyone to participate in a way that works for them, whether that is by saying a short prayer to St Raphael each day, or praying the Akathist service regularly. Our year of prayer will culminate on November 7th, when we celebrate his feast day together as a parish. In the next few weeks, we will be sharing more about this program and asking each of you to consider joining our prayer team. We hope that as we pray together as a parish we will grow together in love for our patron and with his guidance establish our church more firmly.
Epistle Reading
Reading the Epistle during liturgy is open to anyone who is interested. We have a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board at the top of the stairs. The Epistle will also be read in English, but we welcome it to be read in other languages as well. If you are interested and have questions, see Subdeacon Panteleimon (Todd) or Fr. Ignatius.
Gift card scam alert
Parishes and religious communities are being targeted by a phishing scam where the perpetrator poses falsely as the priest via email and asks the recipient for money in the form of gift cards. The scam states that the priest is going to use these gift cards to help out people who have approached the church looking for assistance. These emails come from fake accounts which appear to an unsuspecting person as a clergy email address. The perpetrator then goes on to ask the recipient to buy gift cards and send photos of them back so that they can use the numbers to acquire the money. Fr. Ignatius will not be sending out emails asking you to buy gift cards. If you receive such an email, it is a scam.
House Blessing Season is Here
Fr. Ignatius would like to bless the home of everyone associated with St. Raphael Church during the traditional house blessing season which lasts until the beginning of Lent, March 1. Contact him and set up a day and time for him to come! We bless our homes because we want God to be a part of every aspect of our lives. There is nothing in our lives, that is unimportant to Him. So, we invite Him to make our homes sacred places, through the house blessing prayers. These house blessing visits can be short and quick (10-15 minutes) or longer, if you want to have some social time. You decide.
St. Raphael Food Pantry Needs
We are especially in need of the following items to help stock the shelves of our food pantry. Can you buy a few extras during your next grocery shopping trip and bring them in to church soon? Financial donations are also accepted - our food pantry funds are depleted.
- Peanut butter
- Jelly
- Canned Tuna and Chicken
- Any Canned Soup, especially soups with meat
- Canned Chili with meat
- Canned Fruit
- Breakfast cereal
Next Sunday's Gospel Reading
At that time, Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector, and rich. And he sought to see Who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Jesus, for He was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today.” So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. And when they saw it they all murmured, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:1-10)
Pray for our Catechumens
Please keep our catechumens Ilya Buchkin, Scott Dorr, Fabian Muller-Dahlberg, Madison Frei, Elizabeth Michael, Michael Spies, Austin and Maddie Collins, Evren Sasmazer, Derek Ward and Daniel Hettrick in your prayers as they prepare to be sacramentally joined to the Orthodox Church.
Do You Have a Prayer Request?
Please give it to Fr. Ignatius and he will distribute it by email to all those on the Prayer Chain. If you wish to join the Prayer Chain, please let Fr. Ignatius know.
Remember Your Departed Loved Ones With Flowers
Would you like to memorialize your departed loved ones with a bouquet of flowers to be placed in the church on the weekend of your choice? Decide what weekend you would like your loved one(s) remembered, mention it to Fr. Ignatius, give $25 to the church, clearly marking it for "Memorial Flowers" and your loved one(s) will be mentioned during the Great Entrance prayers and in the weekly bulletin. If your departed loved ones are Orthodox, and you would like Trisagion Prayers for the Departed to be offered at the end of Liturgy, you can indicate that on the sign-up sheet as well.
Keep Praying for Kidnapped Orthodox Bishops in Syria
Since April 22, 2013, the Orthodox Metropolitan of Aleppo, Metropolitan Paul, and the Syriac Metropolitan of Aleppo, Youhanna, have been in captivity and have not been heard from. Please pray for their well being and release and also pray for their captors as well.
Food for Thought
Repentance is a renewal of baptism. Repentance is a covenant with God for a second life. The penitent is a purchaser of humility... Repentance is a daughter of hope and refusal of hopelessness.
- St. John Climacus
Sunday January 12, 2020, The Sunday after Theophany
This Week's Services and Events
January 14, Tuesday
+ Office Hours, 12:30PM-3:00PM
+ 9th Hour Prayers, 3:00PM
January 15, Wednesday
+ Office Hours, 1:45PM-3:00PM
+ 9th Hour Prayers, 3:00PM
+ Akathist, 7:00PM
January 16, Thursday
+ Office Hours, 11:00AM-3:00PM
+ 9th Hour Prayers, 3:00PM
January 17, Friday
+ 3rd Hour Prayers, 9:00AM
+ Office Hours, 9:15AM-12:30PM
January 18, Saturday
+ Parish Council meeting, 2:30PM
+ Great Vespers, 5:00PM
January 19, Sunday (29th Sunday after Pentecost)
+ Matins, 8:45AM
+ Sunday School, 9:20AM
+ Divine Liturgy, 10:00AM, followed by Fellowship Hour
Upcoming Events and Announcements
Wednesday Nights: Praying the Psalms
Starting on January 22 and lasting through May, each Wednesday at 7:30PM, we will be meeting for our weekly fellowship. Through the end of April, we will be discussing the Psalms. And then we will have five weeks on the novel Laurus, by Eugene Vodolazkin. All are welcome. One need not commit to attending every week in order to participate. Click here to download the schedule.
Let's Start a Youth Group!
Calling all parents of junior high and high school aged teens. We would like to get a youth group started again. We envision meeting twice monthly, in our homes if possible. We propose that our youth group nights be a combination of food (pizza!) studying the Gospel of John for the upcoming Bible Bowl competition at the Parish Life Conference in June, and fun activities. If you and your teen(s) are interested please plan to stay and discuss during coffee hour this Sunday, January 19.
A year of Supplication to St. Raphael
If you were able to attend the annual meeting last month, you will remember our plan to make this year, 2020, a year of supplication to our patron, St Raphael of Brooklyn. If we are to survive and thrive in Iowa City, our church community needs to grow—Grow in faith, grow in numbers, and grow in giving. Who better to lead us than the blessed saint who helped establish Orthodoxy in America by his leadership! Father and I have been working on gathering materials and ideas for this program. February 27th is the anniversary of our beloved saint’s repose, and we thought it would be a fitting day to begin. As a parish, we will commit regularly to asking the prayers of St. Raphael for his guidance and intercessions. We encourage everyone to participate in a way that works for them, whether that is by saying a short prayer to St Raphael each day, or praying the Akathist service regularly. Our year of prayer will culminate on November 7th, when we celebrate his feast day together as a parish. In the next few weeks, we will be sharing more about this program and asking each of you to consider joining our prayer team. We hope that as we pray together as a parish we will grow together in love for our patron and with his guidance establish our church more firmly.
Treasurer Report
Good news to report! If you remember, a couple weeks ago, I announced our pledge income for next year remained short of our basic budget needs by $950 per month. Since then, some of our pledging households have increased their pledge commitments for next year. We have received $245 in additional pledge income. Our shortfall is now down to just over $700 per month. We need just a few more households to pledge, or to increase their pledge even slightly, for next year. If we work together, we can reach our goal of a fully funded basic budget. Please consider prayerfully your commitment to St Raphael for this year.
A Brief Note from Bishop Anthony
Upon recently being told that our previous $2500 monthly gap between income and expenses has been reduced to around $700 and may be reduced further, His Grace Bishop Anthony wishes to extend his congratulations and his gratitude to us.
Holy Water
At the end of our Theophany liturgy, we blessed water. This holy water can be taken back to our homes and used throughout the year as a sign of God's presence and grace. Bottles of holy water are now available to take home.
House Blessing Season is Here
Fr. Ignatius would like to bless the home of everyone associated with St. Raphael Church during the traditional house blessing season which lasts until the beginning of Lent, March 1. Contact him and set up a day and time for him to come! We bless our homes because we want God to be a part of every aspect of our lives. There is nothing in our lives, that is unimportant to Him. So, we invite Him to make our homes sacred places, through the house blessing prayers. These house blessing visits can be short and quick (10-15 minutes) or longer, if you want to have some social time. You decide.
St. Raphael Food Pantry Needs
We are especially in need of the following items to help stock the shelves of our food pantry during this Nativity season. Can you buy a few extras during your next grocery shopping trip and bring them in to church soon?
Do You Shop at Amazon.com?
If you make purchases on Amazon.com, there is a simple and easy way to benefit the church while doing so. If you go to Amazon's companion site, smile.amazon.com, you will find all of the same items for purchase (at the same prices) as are found on the main site. Once you sign in, you will be asked what charity you would like to benefit. Enter "St. Raphael of Brooklyn Orthodox Christian Church" and 0.5% of qualifying purchases will be given back to the church. It's that simple.
Next Sunday's Gospel Reading
At that time, as Jesus entered a village, He was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When He saw them He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving Him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus said, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:12-19)
Pray for our Catechumens
Please keep our catechumens Ilya Buchkin, Scott Dorr, Fabian Muller-Dahlberg, Madison Frei, Elizabeth Michael, Michael Spies, Austin and Maddie Collins, Evren Sasmazer and Derek Ward in your prayers as they prepare to be sacramentally joined to the Orthodox Church.
Do You Have a Prayer Request?
Please give it to Fr. Ignatius and he will distribute it by email to all those on the Prayer Chain. If you wish to join the Prayer Chain, please let Fr. Ignatius know.
Remember Your Departed Loved Ones With Flowers
Would you like to memorialize your departed loved ones with a bouquet of flowers to be placed in the church on the weekend of your choice? Decide what weekend you would like your loved one(s) remembered, mention it to Fr. Ignatius, give $25 to the church, clearly marking it for "Memorial Flowers" and your loved one(s) will be mentioned during the Great Entrance prayers and in the weekly bulletin. If your departed loved ones are Orthodox, and you would like Trisagion Prayers for the Departed to be offered at the end of Liturgy, you can indicate that on the sign-up sheet as well.
Keep Praying for Kidnapped Orthodox Bishops in Syria
Since April 22, 2013, the Orthodox Metropolitan of Aleppo, Metropolitan Paul, and the Syriac Metropolitan of Aleppo, Youhanna, have been in captivity and have not been heard from. Please pray for their well being and release and also pray for their captors as well.
Food for Thought
"Devote yourselves unceasingly to the divine words [of Holy Scripture] for the loving labor expended on them consumes the passions."
- Abba Thalassios
January 14, Tuesday
+ Office Hours, 12:30PM-3:00PM
+ 9th Hour Prayers, 3:00PM
January 15, Wednesday
+ Office Hours, 1:45PM-3:00PM
+ 9th Hour Prayers, 3:00PM
+ Akathist, 7:00PM
January 16, Thursday
+ Office Hours, 11:00AM-3:00PM
+ 9th Hour Prayers, 3:00PM
January 17, Friday
+ 3rd Hour Prayers, 9:00AM
+ Office Hours, 9:15AM-12:30PM
January 18, Saturday
+ Parish Council meeting, 2:30PM
+ Great Vespers, 5:00PM
January 19, Sunday (29th Sunday after Pentecost)
+ Matins, 8:45AM
+ Sunday School, 9:20AM
+ Divine Liturgy, 10:00AM, followed by Fellowship Hour
Upcoming Events and Announcements
Wednesday Nights: Praying the Psalms
Starting on January 22 and lasting through May, each Wednesday at 7:30PM, we will be meeting for our weekly fellowship. Through the end of April, we will be discussing the Psalms. And then we will have five weeks on the novel Laurus, by Eugene Vodolazkin. All are welcome. One need not commit to attending every week in order to participate. Click here to download the schedule.
Let's Start a Youth Group!
Calling all parents of junior high and high school aged teens. We would like to get a youth group started again. We envision meeting twice monthly, in our homes if possible. We propose that our youth group nights be a combination of food (pizza!) studying the Gospel of John for the upcoming Bible Bowl competition at the Parish Life Conference in June, and fun activities. If you and your teen(s) are interested please plan to stay and discuss during coffee hour this Sunday, January 19.
A year of Supplication to St. Raphael
If you were able to attend the annual meeting last month, you will remember our plan to make this year, 2020, a year of supplication to our patron, St Raphael of Brooklyn. If we are to survive and thrive in Iowa City, our church community needs to grow—Grow in faith, grow in numbers, and grow in giving. Who better to lead us than the blessed saint who helped establish Orthodoxy in America by his leadership! Father and I have been working on gathering materials and ideas for this program. February 27th is the anniversary of our beloved saint’s repose, and we thought it would be a fitting day to begin. As a parish, we will commit regularly to asking the prayers of St. Raphael for his guidance and intercessions. We encourage everyone to participate in a way that works for them, whether that is by saying a short prayer to St Raphael each day, or praying the Akathist service regularly. Our year of prayer will culminate on November 7th, when we celebrate his feast day together as a parish. In the next few weeks, we will be sharing more about this program and asking each of you to consider joining our prayer team. We hope that as we pray together as a parish we will grow together in love for our patron and with his guidance establish our church more firmly.
Treasurer Report
Good news to report! If you remember, a couple weeks ago, I announced our pledge income for next year remained short of our basic budget needs by $950 per month. Since then, some of our pledging households have increased their pledge commitments for next year. We have received $245 in additional pledge income. Our shortfall is now down to just over $700 per month. We need just a few more households to pledge, or to increase their pledge even slightly, for next year. If we work together, we can reach our goal of a fully funded basic budget. Please consider prayerfully your commitment to St Raphael for this year.
A Brief Note from Bishop Anthony
Upon recently being told that our previous $2500 monthly gap between income and expenses has been reduced to around $700 and may be reduced further, His Grace Bishop Anthony wishes to extend his congratulations and his gratitude to us.
Holy Water
At the end of our Theophany liturgy, we blessed water. This holy water can be taken back to our homes and used throughout the year as a sign of God's presence and grace. Bottles of holy water are now available to take home.
House Blessing Season is Here
Fr. Ignatius would like to bless the home of everyone associated with St. Raphael Church during the traditional house blessing season which lasts until the beginning of Lent, March 1. Contact him and set up a day and time for him to come! We bless our homes because we want God to be a part of every aspect of our lives. There is nothing in our lives, that is unimportant to Him. So, we invite Him to make our homes sacred places, through the house blessing prayers. These house blessing visits can be short and quick (10-15 minutes) or longer, if you want to have some social time. You decide.
St. Raphael Food Pantry Needs
We are especially in need of the following items to help stock the shelves of our food pantry during this Nativity season. Can you buy a few extras during your next grocery shopping trip and bring them in to church soon?
- Peanut butter
- Jelly
- Canned Tuna and Chicken
- Any Canned Soup, especially soups with meat
- Canned Chili with meat
- Canned Fruit
- Breakfast cereal
Do You Shop at Amazon.com?
If you make purchases on Amazon.com, there is a simple and easy way to benefit the church while doing so. If you go to Amazon's companion site, smile.amazon.com, you will find all of the same items for purchase (at the same prices) as are found on the main site. Once you sign in, you will be asked what charity you would like to benefit. Enter "St. Raphael of Brooklyn Orthodox Christian Church" and 0.5% of qualifying purchases will be given back to the church. It's that simple.
Next Sunday's Gospel Reading
At that time, as Jesus entered a village, He was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When He saw them He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving Him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus said, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:12-19)
Pray for our Catechumens
Please keep our catechumens Ilya Buchkin, Scott Dorr, Fabian Muller-Dahlberg, Madison Frei, Elizabeth Michael, Michael Spies, Austin and Maddie Collins, Evren Sasmazer and Derek Ward in your prayers as they prepare to be sacramentally joined to the Orthodox Church.
Do You Have a Prayer Request?
Please give it to Fr. Ignatius and he will distribute it by email to all those on the Prayer Chain. If you wish to join the Prayer Chain, please let Fr. Ignatius know.
Remember Your Departed Loved Ones With Flowers
Would you like to memorialize your departed loved ones with a bouquet of flowers to be placed in the church on the weekend of your choice? Decide what weekend you would like your loved one(s) remembered, mention it to Fr. Ignatius, give $25 to the church, clearly marking it for "Memorial Flowers" and your loved one(s) will be mentioned during the Great Entrance prayers and in the weekly bulletin. If your departed loved ones are Orthodox, and you would like Trisagion Prayers for the Departed to be offered at the end of Liturgy, you can indicate that on the sign-up sheet as well.
Keep Praying for Kidnapped Orthodox Bishops in Syria
Since April 22, 2013, the Orthodox Metropolitan of Aleppo, Metropolitan Paul, and the Syriac Metropolitan of Aleppo, Youhanna, have been in captivity and have not been heard from. Please pray for their well being and release and also pray for their captors as well.
Food for Thought
"Devote yourselves unceasingly to the divine words [of Holy Scripture] for the loving labor expended on them consumes the passions."
- Abba Thalassios
Sunday January 5, 2020, The Feast of the Theophany of our Lord (Transferred)
This Week's Services and Events
January 7, Tuesday
+ Office Hours, 12:30PM-3:00PM
+ 9th Hour Prayers, 3:00PM
January 8, Wednesday
+ Office Hours, 1:45PM-3:00PM
+ 9th Hour Prayers, 3:00PM
+ Akathist, 7:00PM
January 9, Thursday
+ Office Hours, 11:00AM-3:00PM
+ 9th Hour Prayers, 3:00PM
January 10, Friday
+ 3rd Hour Prayers, 9:00AM
+ Office Hours, 9:15AM-12:30PM
January 11, Saturday
+ Outdoor Blessing of Water, 4:00PM (at 1st Ave. bridge over Cedar River in downtown Cedar Rapids)
+ Great Vespers, 5:00PM (at St. John the Baptist Church, 501 A St., Cedar Rapids)
January 12, Sunday (Sunday after Theophany)
+ Matins, 8:45AM
+ Sunday School, 9:20AM
+ Divine Liturgy, 10:00AM, followed by Fellowship Hour
Upcoming Events and Announcements
Memory Eternal!
Earlier this week, Irakli Tskhakaia's mother Leila passed away. We said memorial prayers for her repose at the end of liturgy. Our condolences go out to Irakli, Natalie and the entire Tskhakaia family. May Leila's memory be eternal.
Patronal Feast Day Services at St. John the Baptist Church
St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Cedar Rapids (501 A Ave. NE.) is celebrating their patron saint with vespers at 6:00PM on Monday, January 6 and matins and liturgy at 9:00AM on Tuesday, January 7. All are welcome.
Treasurer Report
Good News to report! If you remember, a couple weeks ago, I announced our pledge income for next year remained short of our basic budget needs by $950 per month. Since then, some of our pledging households have increased their pledge commitments for next year. We have received $245 in additional pledge income. Our shortfall is now down to just over $700 per month. We need just a few more households to pledge, or to increase their pledge even slightly, for next year. If we work together, we can reach our goal of a fully funded basic budget. Please consider prayerfully your commitment to St Raphael for this year.
A Brief Note from Bishop Anthony
Upon recently being told that our previous $2500 monthly gap between income and expenses has been reduced to around $700 and may be reduced further, His Grace Bishop Anthony wishes to extend his congratulations and his gratitude to us.
Holy Water
At the end of our Theophany liturgy today, we blessed water. This holy water can be taken back to our homes and used throughout the year as a sign of God's presence and grace. Bottles of holy water are now available to take home.
January/February Calendars
Calendars showing services and other events are printed and available in the church narthex.
Outdoor Blessing of the Water
At 4:00PM on Saturday, January 11, St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church in Cedar Rapids is hosting a pan-Orthodox Blessing of the Water on the 1st Ave. bridge spanning the Cedar River in downtown Cedar Rapids. All are welcome. There will be vespers at St. John the Baptist Church (501 A Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids) at 5:00PM. There will be no vespers at St. Raphael Church that day.
House Blessing Season is Here
Fr. Ignatius would like to bless the home of everyone associated with St. Raphael Church during the traditional house blessing season which lasts from the feast of Theophany until the beginning of Lent: this coming year, January 7- March 1. Contact him and set up a day and time for him to come! We bless our homes because we want God to be a part of every aspect of our lives. There is nothing in our lives, that is unimportant to Him. So, we invite Him to make our homes sacred places, through the house blessing prayers. These house blessing visits can be short and quick (10-15 minutes) or longer, if you want to have some social time. You decide.
Our Sponsorship of Naser
St. Raphael Church has sponsored a boy in Ethiopia named Naser for several years. We are soliciting donations to keep him monthly sponsorship going in 2020. The monthly cost is $44. If you can help with Naser's sponsorship, please clearly designate your funds so that they can be used appropriately.
St. Raphael Food Pantry Needs
We are especially in need of the following items to help stock the shelves of our food pantry. Can you buy a few extras during your next grocery shopping trip and bring them in to church soon?
Do You Shop at Amazon.com?
If you make purchases on Amazon.com, there is a simple and easy way to benefit the church while doing so. If you go to Amazon's companion site, smile.amazon.com, you will find all of the same items for purchase (at the same prices) as are found on the main site. Once you sign in, you will be asked what charity you would like to benefit. Enter "St. Raphael of Brooklyn Orthodox Christian Church" and 0.5% of qualifying purchases will be given back to the church. It's that simple.
Next Sunday's Gospel Reading
At that time, when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulon and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:12-17)
Pray for our Catechumens
Please keep our catechumens Ilya Buchkin, Scott Dorr, Fabian Muller-Dahlberg, Madison Frei, Elizabeth Michael, Michael Spies, Austin and Maddie Collins, Evren Sasmazer and Derek Ward in your prayers as they prepare to be sacramentally joined to the Orthodox Church.
Do You Have a Prayer Request?
Please give it to Fr. Ignatius and he will distribute it by email to all those on the Prayer Chain. If you wish to join the Prayer Chain, please let Fr. Ignatius know.
Remember Your Departed Loved Ones With Flowers
Would you like to memorialize your departed loved ones with a bouquet of flowers to be placed in the church on the weekend of your choice? Decide what weekend you would like your loved one(s) remembered, mention it to Fr. Ignatius, give $25 to the church, clearly marking it for "Memorial Flowers" and your loved one(s) will be mentioned during the Great Entrance prayers and in the weekly bulletin. If your departed loved ones are Orthodox, and you would like Trisagion Prayers for the Departed to be offered at the end of Liturgy, you can indicate that on the sign-up sheet as well.
Keep Praying for Kidnapped Orthodox Bishops in Syria
Since April 22, 2013, the Orthodox Metropolitan of Aleppo, Metropolitan Paul, and the Syriac Metropolitan of Aleppo, Youhanna, have been in captivity and have not been heard from. Please pray for their well being and release and also pray for their captors as well.
Food for Thought
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
II Cor. 5:17
January 7, Tuesday
+ Office Hours, 12:30PM-3:00PM
+ 9th Hour Prayers, 3:00PM
January 8, Wednesday
+ Office Hours, 1:45PM-3:00PM
+ 9th Hour Prayers, 3:00PM
+ Akathist, 7:00PM
January 9, Thursday
+ Office Hours, 11:00AM-3:00PM
+ 9th Hour Prayers, 3:00PM
January 10, Friday
+ 3rd Hour Prayers, 9:00AM
+ Office Hours, 9:15AM-12:30PM
January 11, Saturday
+ Outdoor Blessing of Water, 4:00PM (at 1st Ave. bridge over Cedar River in downtown Cedar Rapids)
+ Great Vespers, 5:00PM (at St. John the Baptist Church, 501 A St., Cedar Rapids)
January 12, Sunday (Sunday after Theophany)
+ Matins, 8:45AM
+ Sunday School, 9:20AM
+ Divine Liturgy, 10:00AM, followed by Fellowship Hour
Upcoming Events and Announcements
Memory Eternal!
Earlier this week, Irakli Tskhakaia's mother Leila passed away. We said memorial prayers for her repose at the end of liturgy. Our condolences go out to Irakli, Natalie and the entire Tskhakaia family. May Leila's memory be eternal.
Patronal Feast Day Services at St. John the Baptist Church
St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Cedar Rapids (501 A Ave. NE.) is celebrating their patron saint with vespers at 6:00PM on Monday, January 6 and matins and liturgy at 9:00AM on Tuesday, January 7. All are welcome.
Treasurer Report
Good News to report! If you remember, a couple weeks ago, I announced our pledge income for next year remained short of our basic budget needs by $950 per month. Since then, some of our pledging households have increased their pledge commitments for next year. We have received $245 in additional pledge income. Our shortfall is now down to just over $700 per month. We need just a few more households to pledge, or to increase their pledge even slightly, for next year. If we work together, we can reach our goal of a fully funded basic budget. Please consider prayerfully your commitment to St Raphael for this year.
A Brief Note from Bishop Anthony
Upon recently being told that our previous $2500 monthly gap between income and expenses has been reduced to around $700 and may be reduced further, His Grace Bishop Anthony wishes to extend his congratulations and his gratitude to us.
Holy Water
At the end of our Theophany liturgy today, we blessed water. This holy water can be taken back to our homes and used throughout the year as a sign of God's presence and grace. Bottles of holy water are now available to take home.
January/February Calendars
Calendars showing services and other events are printed and available in the church narthex.
Outdoor Blessing of the Water
At 4:00PM on Saturday, January 11, St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church in Cedar Rapids is hosting a pan-Orthodox Blessing of the Water on the 1st Ave. bridge spanning the Cedar River in downtown Cedar Rapids. All are welcome. There will be vespers at St. John the Baptist Church (501 A Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids) at 5:00PM. There will be no vespers at St. Raphael Church that day.
House Blessing Season is Here
Fr. Ignatius would like to bless the home of everyone associated with St. Raphael Church during the traditional house blessing season which lasts from the feast of Theophany until the beginning of Lent: this coming year, January 7- March 1. Contact him and set up a day and time for him to come! We bless our homes because we want God to be a part of every aspect of our lives. There is nothing in our lives, that is unimportant to Him. So, we invite Him to make our homes sacred places, through the house blessing prayers. These house blessing visits can be short and quick (10-15 minutes) or longer, if you want to have some social time. You decide.
Our Sponsorship of Naser
St. Raphael Church has sponsored a boy in Ethiopia named Naser for several years. We are soliciting donations to keep him monthly sponsorship going in 2020. The monthly cost is $44. If you can help with Naser's sponsorship, please clearly designate your funds so that they can be used appropriately.
St. Raphael Food Pantry Needs
We are especially in need of the following items to help stock the shelves of our food pantry. Can you buy a few extras during your next grocery shopping trip and bring them in to church soon?
- Peanut butter
- Jelly
- Canned Tuna and Chicken
- Any Canned Soup, especially soups with meat
- Canned Chili with meat
- Canned Fruit
- Breakfast cereal
Do You Shop at Amazon.com?
If you make purchases on Amazon.com, there is a simple and easy way to benefit the church while doing so. If you go to Amazon's companion site, smile.amazon.com, you will find all of the same items for purchase (at the same prices) as are found on the main site. Once you sign in, you will be asked what charity you would like to benefit. Enter "St. Raphael of Brooklyn Orthodox Christian Church" and 0.5% of qualifying purchases will be given back to the church. It's that simple.
Next Sunday's Gospel Reading
At that time, when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulon and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:12-17)
Pray for our Catechumens
Please keep our catechumens Ilya Buchkin, Scott Dorr, Fabian Muller-Dahlberg, Madison Frei, Elizabeth Michael, Michael Spies, Austin and Maddie Collins, Evren Sasmazer and Derek Ward in your prayers as they prepare to be sacramentally joined to the Orthodox Church.
Do You Have a Prayer Request?
Please give it to Fr. Ignatius and he will distribute it by email to all those on the Prayer Chain. If you wish to join the Prayer Chain, please let Fr. Ignatius know.
Remember Your Departed Loved Ones With Flowers
Would you like to memorialize your departed loved ones with a bouquet of flowers to be placed in the church on the weekend of your choice? Decide what weekend you would like your loved one(s) remembered, mention it to Fr. Ignatius, give $25 to the church, clearly marking it for "Memorial Flowers" and your loved one(s) will be mentioned during the Great Entrance prayers and in the weekly bulletin. If your departed loved ones are Orthodox, and you would like Trisagion Prayers for the Departed to be offered at the end of Liturgy, you can indicate that on the sign-up sheet as well.
Keep Praying for Kidnapped Orthodox Bishops in Syria
Since April 22, 2013, the Orthodox Metropolitan of Aleppo, Metropolitan Paul, and the Syriac Metropolitan of Aleppo, Youhanna, have been in captivity and have not been heard from. Please pray for their well being and release and also pray for their captors as well.
Food for Thought
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
II Cor. 5:17
