~~ Father Stephen's Message to the Faithful ~~

Liturgical Schedule
November/December 2009

~ St John Chrysostom's Feastday & His Grace Bishop Nikon's Visit to our Sister Parish

• November 14 - 15 (Saturday & Sunday) - NO SERVICES AT SS PETER & PAUL
• Vespers at St John Chrysostom with His Grace Bishop Nikon - Saturday, November 14, 6 PM
• Divine Liturgy at St John Chrysostom with His Grace Bishop Nikon - Sunday, November 15, 10 AM. Please be early!
• Parking will be available at SS Peter & Paul Catholic Basilica Cathedral. The lot entrance is off of 17th Street. If the gate is closed, please buzz and tell them you are with St John's
• A nice dinner will be available after Sunday Liturgy, donation only, no set charge

~ Nativity of Christ

• December 25 (Friday) - Divine Liturgy, 10 AM

~ Eve of the Circumcision of Our Lord & St Basil the Great

• December 31 (Thursday) - Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St Basil, 6 PM

Schedule of Other Services

~ Bible Study

• Every Wednesday 7 PM - 8:30 PM in the Church Hall. Bible Study led by Dn. Gregory. The title for the Bible Study is "Seeking the Treasure of Christ Throughout Scripture." The study will use the new Orthodox Study Bible of the Old and New Testament as a base. The first topic of discussion will be the meaning of the story of Adam and Eve and the discussions will proceed with a journey through the Hebrew Bible.

Church News & Reminders

~ Icon Pledges
Icon Pledges can be paid at any time to the treasurer, James Schaeffer. Please note: when returning your Icons, please return them to the Church Store. You will be given a receipt for all Icons returned. All Icons were to be returned by the end of September. If you have not yet returned your Icons, please do so ASAP. All Icon Pledges are due by the end of December. Please check with Jim if you are not sure how much you owe.

~ Membership Dues 2009
Please note: the Church Fiscal Year ended September 30th; if you have not yet paid your dues of $125 per person, please do so ASAP. Dues can be paid at any time to James Schaeffer, our Treasurer. Thank you!

~ Church Council Meeting
Monday, November 9, 7 PM. All parishioners are welcome to attend.

~ No Smoking/No Cell Phones
Please remember that SS Peter & Paul has a no smoking policy in the building and that ringers on cell phones should be off during the Divine Liturgy.

~ Special Services
If you are planning to have a special service in the Church, please be considerate and notify either Father Stephen or the Church Committee one week in advance. When you are planning for a Baptism, Wedding, Funeral, or any other Prayer Service in the Church, please speak with Father Stephen in advance to determine if there is any way you can contribute to help the Church in helping others. Thank you. Please note: if the services of the Church Choir are required, please notify the Choir Director, Christina Murianka, as soon as possible.
Memorials: Any help in setting up and cleaning up from the families involved is truly appreciated and welcomed by the Ladies Society.

The Joy of Giving

~ Casseroles for the Homeless
Please continue to help feed the hungry. Frozen casseroles are collected by Harry Halkedis. A $10 donation for casseroles can be given at any time. Please Note: The hospice is still in need of disposable razors and individual/small tubes of hand lotion. Thank you!

~ Church Library Donations
We are greatly in need of monetary donations for buying books to establish our Church Library to help all of us continue to learn about the Orthodox Faith. Any amount is truly appreciated and can be given to our Treasurer, James Schaeffer, at any time. May God bless you for your generosity!

~ Pastoral Fund Box/Poor Box
Please note: There are now 2 collections boxes in the back of the church, the Poor Box AND a Pastoral Fund Box. Please donate generously!

~ Orthodox Herald Collection
Collections for the Orthodox Herald will take place every 2nd Sunday of the month. Please donate generously.

~ Collection for the Poor
A special collection for the poor will be held on the 1st Sunday of every month. Please plan to give generously every month to those whose lives are less fortunate than ours. Donations can also be placed in the Poor Box at any time.

~ Donations of Wine and Oil
Altar wine and virgin olive oil for the altar lamps are always needed. The name of the altar wine is Mavrodaphne of Patras and it is available at most PA State Stores. Please help make sure that we always have a plentiful supply.

~ Pastoral Fund Collection
On the 3rd Sunday of every month SS. Peter & Paul will hold a collection for the Pastoral Fund, which needs to grow. Please plan to give generously every month so the Pastoral Fund can be available for the Church's future. "Pastoral Fund" donation envelopes are found in the Church foyer, on the left side of the glass partition, should you wish to donate at another time.

~ Pop Tab Collection Prgram for Ronald McDonald House
RJ (and his parents, Debbie & Bob Krimetz) is collecting flip tabs from any aluminum cans to donate to the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House. Help by bringing your tabs! Thank you!

Ladies Society News

~ Annual Christmas Bazaar

• December 6 - following the Divine Liturgy
• Donations of new, unused items for the raffle are welcomed. Monetary donations are also welcomed. Please help with your time, donations, or special talents! Thank you!

~ A Request...

• if you have borrowed any containers, trays, bowls, coffee carafes, etc. from the kitchen, please return them as soon as possible. These items are used for many of the functions held in the Church Hall and they are needed. Thank you!

Events at SS Peter & Paul

~ Hot Dog Sunday

• November 1, immediately following the Divine Liturgy
• The Sunday School, with the help of the Ladies Society is hosting a Hot Dog Sunday a Bake Sale. All proceeds (including a special collection) will support a program run by the Church in Albania to buy Christmas Stocking Gifts for children in Albania.

~ Swearing In Ceremony of New and Re-elected Members of the Church Committee

• November 8
• Congratulations to Both the Re-elected and the New Members of the Church Committee:

General Interest

~ In their own Tongue

• The first in-depth documentary to chronicle the fascinating story of the Albanian Archdiocese in America. The film takes the viewer on an epic journey beginning with the conquest of the Albanian territory by the Ottomans through the stories of the early immigrants who were a part of the historical Divine Liturgy served for the first time in the Albanian language. The journey continues through the years of settlement as Albanians made the United States their home and proceeds with an exploration of the current day and a look beyond to the future of the Church.
• Available for immediate purchase in our Church Store!

~ Albanian Forum on the Internet ( Forumi Shqiptar)

• has a section on: Komuniteti Orthodhoks. It has extensive offerings on Orthodoxy in the Albanian language. They are divided into many themes, i.e. "The Birth of Christ," "The Church is One," a catechism and includes Fr. Thomas Hopko's entire Rainbow series.
• Ne gjuhen shqipe: per te dhena informative mbi Kishen Orthodhokse, klikoni "Komuniteti Orthodhoks" ne uebsajten Forumi Shqiptar me poshte:
• The url is: http://www.forumishqiptar.com/forumdisplay.php?f=186

~ Ancient Faith Radio

• This is a 24 hour a day Orthodox radio station providing high quality internet-based Orthodox programming. Here you will find music, teaching, interviews, features, convert testimonies, conference recordings, and much more! The URL is: http://ancientfaithradio.com

Miscellaneous

~ SS Peter & Paul Has A New Website
The new url is: www.sspeterpaulalbanianorthodox.org
We will be gradually phasing out the current website. If you have any news or annoncements that you would like to see up on the new website, please e-mail David at davidbiando@verizon.net and he will post it ASAP. Suggestions are always welcomed.

~ SS Peter & Paul Church Store

• Open every Sunday at 9:30 AM (1/2 hour before Divine Liturgy)
• Items available: Divine Liturgy Books; Icons; Crosses (Baptismal, lapel pins, Georgian style, orthodox); Prayerbooks (Georgian and English); Censors; Unique and different wearing apparel; CDs and cass.ettes; Religious Books

~ Web Page/E-mails
SS Peter & Paul Webpage: http://homepage.mac.com/aliciaj17/sspeterpaulhome1.html. New bulletins can be viewed the Saturday before distribution by 7 PM (just click on the top link, "Church Bulletin"). If you would like to be kept up-to-date by e-mail or to be removed from our "paper" mailing list, please send me an e-mail at: aliciaj17@mac.com Thanks very much!

~ Announcements/News about Parishioners
If you have any items that you would like to see included in next month's Bulletin, please call Alicia at 215-742-0492 or e-mail: aliciaj17@mac.com. The deadline for the next Bulletin is Sunday, November 27. Thank you! Parishioners will be able to pick up the Bulletins at the Church on Sunday 12/6/09. Bulletins will be mailed to any Parishioners unable to attend. Please remember to let Alicia know the names of our members who are ill or in need of prayer so that they can be included in our Bulletins.

~ Thank You
To all members of the Parish who have helped out or volunteered in any way with their time and efforts, and a very special thank you to anyone whose name was inadvertently omitted from the Bulletin.

~ A Very Happy Birthday
is wished to the following parishioners and friends of SS Peter & Paul who are celebrating November Birthdays: Yelena Alekseyeva, Marie Antony, Jim Bachelor, Alicia Jaroni, Joanne Johns, Sallie Muzekari, Al Rifkin, Fr Dn Gregory

~ Weekly Devotional Lights
Beginning November 1, envelopes will be available at the counter of the Church Store for special prayers to be said during the week in conjunction with the burning of the Seven-Day Votive Light hanging above the Royal Doors. The specific need of purpose can be checked from a host of choices. The suggested offering for the weekly prayers is $10, which will go towards building up our Pasotral Fund with the ultimate goal of supporting a full time priest.

~ SS Peter & Paul Community Christmas Card
If you wish to have your name included in the Community Christmas Card, please see Jim Bachelor ASAP. This is a great opportunity to support your Parish! The donation is $10 and the deadline is Sunday, December 6.

~ A Volunteer Is Needed to Direct the Casserole Program
Harry Halkedis is retiring in January 2010! Thank you, Harry, for all your incredibly hard work. We desperately need someone to take over this most worthwhile program.

~ Volunteers Are Needed to Work in the Candle/Bookstore Room
Please speak with Joe Bacon or Harry Halkedis if you are interested.

~ Gregory Vrato, Sr.
is at John Neumann Nursing Home, at the intersection of Haldeman & Tomlinson Road (make a right on Tomlinson and the parking lot is immediately on your right). Gregory is in Room 726 and visitors are welcome anytime from noon to 8:00 PM. Please continue to keep Gregory in your prayers. May God grant him good health!

TBILISI, GEORGIA [OCA Communications/St. Catherine Representation Church] - On Sunday, October 18, 2009, the last day of the official visit of the Primate of the Orthodox Church in America to Georgia, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah of All America and Canada once again concelebrated the Divine Liturgy with His Holiness and Beatitude, Ilia II, Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, this time at Holy Trinity Cathedral.

To view the full article and also the photo gallery of the event (including beautiful pictures of the Church in Tibilisi), go to:
http://www.oca.org/news/1967 and scroll to the bottom

Please continue to pray for the full and speedy recovery of: Gregory Vreto, Sr., Matthew Murianka, Joyce Dorsey, Andi Steffa, Mary Palmerick, John Palmerick, Thimi Daka, Al Rifkin, Sophie Bacon, James Vesho, Margot Craig, Eteri Okropiridze, Katherine Halkedis, Mary Ann Clark, Paulette Steffa, Alexandra Pana, Nicholas Desloges, Steven Yarrow

God knows the names and ages of all who need His love and mercy...

O Christ, Who alone art our Defender: Visit and heal Thy suffering servant _____________, delivering him (her) from sickness and grievous pains. Raise him (her) up that he (she) may sing to Thee and praise Thee without ceasing, through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Thou Who alone lovest mankind.

 ~~ Feast Day of the Month ~~

(This section will be included from now on so that the internet folk know what the rest of the Parishioners are reading. This is the part that is found right below the "Holy Days & Name Days" page in the Bulletin.)

The Reading for November is: Martyr Menas of Egypt

To access the Reading and Icon, go to: www.oca.org/FSlives.asp?SID=4 Change the date to November 11, click on "search" and scroll down to "Martyr Menas of Egypt"