Weekly Bulletin 8/2/2014

ST. THOMAS

EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH

 

555 S Cleveland-Massillon Road

 Fairlawn, OH 44333-3109

Phone  330.666.8006 or 330-328-5393

Web Site www.stteoc.com

Rev.Fr. Vladimir Bakurdzhiev, Pastor

Ph. 330-819-8463    frvlado@stteoc.com

Subdeacons:  Daniel Machar, JamesWaltenberger

 

Choir Director – Sara Tyrrell

Parish President – Daniel Machar

 

Church Secretary – Annie Fry

Ph. 330-328-5393   info@stteoc.com

A parish of the

Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese

of the USA, Canada, and Australia

www.bulgariandiocese.org

Prayer Requests:www.stteoc.com

 

Please silence your cell phones in Church

Sunday,  July 20, 2014
Candle Offering	$25.00
Weekly Envelopes	$62.00
Loose Tray Collection	$11.00
Donations	$40.00
Membership	$0.00
Building Fund	$0.00
TOTAL	$127.00

 

Sunday,  July 27, 2014
Candle Offering	$29.00
Weekly Envelopes	$582.00
Loose Tray Collection	$56.00
Donations	$0.00
Membership	$0.00
Building Fund	$0.00
TOTAL	$632.00

 

From Abbas and Ammas

"Long-suffering and readiness to forgive curb anger; love and compassion wither it."

~ St. Thalassios the Libyan

 

Sunday, August 3, 2014

8^th Sunday after Pentecost

 

Scripture lesson for August 3rd:
8th Sunday After Pentecost			Tone 7
Epistle:	1 Cor 1:10-18	Gospel:	Matt 14:14-22
Scripture lesson for August 10th:
98th Sunday After Pentecost			Tone 8
Epistle:	1 Cor 3:9-17	Gospel:	Matt 14:22-34

 

Birthdays:  Sophia Kostoff (4), Aaron Spidell (9)

Anniversaries:  Steve & Rose Yovanovich (2), Steve & Katie Yovanovich (5)

Please Pray For:  Mike & Leppa Stakleff (1824 Wynhurst Drive, Akron, Ohio   44313), Popedia Joan Wine (cards only to 8321 Traphagen St NW, Massillon, Ohio   44646), Chris Kostoff (at home, 161 Grayling Drive, Fairlawn 44333), Frances Petroff (with daughter Elaine Vrabel, 6451 Aberdeen Lane, Medina, Ohio   44256), Popedia Marika Mitov, (Sheila's Home Care, 2099 Tallmadge Rd. Kent, Ohio   44240, Contact son Michael @ 330-730-9658),Mike, Andrea and Brennan Domangue (Mike has MS), George Karakis, Jean & Alex Sombaty, Popedia Mary Christoff (Regina Health Center, 5232 Broadview Road, Richfield, Ohio 44286), Paul Nakovski

Today's Coffee Hosts:

Alex Minev & Raisa Atadjanova

Announcements:

• PHEW!  Another tough job tackled by the Call to Duty Team yesterday!  B big THANK YOU to Josh Caridi, Jon Halchak, Dan Lewis, Jim Wood, Steve Yovanovich and Father Vlado for removing the last of the damp and rusty shelving from the basement storage room.  It is ready for an upgrade!

• Garden ELF  Connie Lewis gets a thank you for 2 days of weed pulling and replanting in the courtyard.  Nice job Connie!

• Feeling blue? Need a pick me up?  Father has the solution for you.  Go visit Popedia Mitov!  On a recent visit Father Vlado found her to be upbeat, happy and full of joy to spread around.  He was amazed at her condition.  After all that she has been through, she is a teacher of positivity.  You can also email her at moosha650@aol.com.

• Tools Wanted.I  f you are sorting out your lawn and garden tools this summer, the church could use some tools such as rakes, shovels, mattocks, axes and the like.  The Call to Duty Team frequently takes on projects to help clean up the lawn and repair landscaping and needs the tools to do so.  Thank you for any tools you can donate.

• Subdeacon Jim Waltenberger  is returning to his studies for the deaconate after a hiatus for his health.   He will continue his three-year, distance- education-based, certificate program.  Tuition is $450 per semester.  Anyone who feels led to contribute to Jim's school and/or vestment expenses can do so by labeling your gift for Jim W.  He is a beloved, hard-working member of our family, and we all pray God's blessings on this next step of his journey. 

• Coffee Hour needs YOU!  The format of Coffee Hour has changed in order to get everyone involved!  Each Sunday is hosted by a different group, family, or friends.  Please see the sign-up sheet posted in the basement and serve coffee to the parish and greet your friends!

• Remember your spare change at Coffee Hour!  Where else can you get a cup of coffee so cheap!  Supplies are not free and the sisterhood needs help keeping the larder stocked!

• Call to Duty!   Team leader Jim Wood has posted new job lists for the spring.  Stop by the bulletin board, take a look and sign up to help out for a job, or see Jim or Father Vlado.
  

Prayer Request Sunday July 20 & 27, 2014	Offered By
No donations received

Weekly Bulletin 11/2/2013

ST. THOMAS

EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH

 

555 S Cleveland-Massillon Road

 Fairlawn, OH 44333-3109

Phone  330.666.8006 or 330-328-5393

Web Site www.stteoc.com

Rev.Fr. Vladimir Bakurdzhiev, Pastor

Ph. 330-819-8463    frvlado@stteoc.com

Subdeacons:  Daniel Machar & James Waltenberger

 

Choir Director – Sara Tyrrell

Parish President – Daniel Machar

 

Church Secretary – Annie Fry

Ph. 330-328-5393   info@stteoc.com

A parish of the

Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese

of the USA, Canada, and Australia

www.bulgariandiocese.org

Prayer Requests:  www.stteco.com

Sunday, November 3, 2013

19^th Sunday after Pentecost

 

Scripture lesson for November 3rd:
19th Sunday after Pentecost			Tone 2
Epistle:	2 Cor 11:31-12:9	Gospel:	Luke 8:41-56
Scripture lesson for November 10th:
20th Sunday after Pentecost			Tone 3
Epistle:	Gal 1:11-19	Gospel:	Luke 10:25-37

 

Birthdays:  Kristen Latchaw (3)

Anniversaries: 

Please Pray For:  Ted Chuparkoff, Julie Steingass' mother, Chris Kostoff (at home, 161 Grayling Drive, Fairlawn 44333), Mildred Petroff, mother of Patricia Kline (Arbors at Fairlawn, Room 613), Frances Petroff (with daughter Elaine Vrabel, 6451 Aberdeen Lane, Medina, Ohio   44256), Popedia Marika Mitov, (son Michael's home, 451 River Bend Blvd., Kent, Ohio  44240, 330-730-9658), Mike, Andrea and Brennan Domangue (Mike has MS), Todd Kurilko, Nick Karakis, George Karakis, , Jean & Alex Sombaty, Popedia Mary Christoff, Paul Nakovski

v  Happy Birthday, Father Vlado!  Popedia Toni is sponsoring Coffee Hour in Father's honor for his birthday which was on Thursday.  Join them for the celebration.

v  Reverse Raffle  tickets are now available for the November 9^th and going fast!  Don't forget to see a board member to get yours before they are gone!  Tickets are $50 for one chance at the raffle and 2 of our famous prime rib.

v  Auction items  are needed for Silent Auction at the Reverse Raffle.  Contact your favorite vendors for certificates or put together a basket of goodies with a theme.  Collaborate on a gift item with your friends or family.  We need eye catching items to make the Auction a success!  Solicitation and thank you letters for items are available at coffee hour.

v  Let's study James!  Not just any James, but the letter of James to fellow believers back in the day. It's a letter full of practical every day advice to help us live more loving, godly lives. Join us for four Thursday nights from 7-8:30p for lively, interactive discussions in a casual, friendly atmosphere.  Come and discover why James was called "Old Camel Knees".

Nov. 7	Dorothy Frengou	75 East Dartmore Ave. Akron 44301
Nov. 21	Dorothy Frengoun
Dec. 5	Annie Fry	4479 Copley Rd. Copley 44321
Dec. 12	Steve & Rose Yovanovich	446 Strattford Rd. Fairlawn 44333

You are encouraged to read the five short chapters of James prior to the first night--but fear not--there will be no pop quiz!

 

 

v  It is cookie sale time again!  Pollywogs to Frogs Consignment Sale will return in November.  We will be holding our concurrent bake sale on November 15^th and 16^th and need your help.  Please bake a batch of cookies to sale that weekend.  Delivery by Thursday, November 14^th, if possible.  See Annie Fry for details.

v  Father would like to get to know your family!  Father Vlado will be visiting homes during the week on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays to better connect with our parish family.  If you would like to have Father pay you a visit, sign up at coffee hour on the front table.

v  The holidays are just around the corner!  It is time to fire up the mixer and get baking for our holiday cookie sale.  Se the schedule to find out when you can be part of the St. Thomas Elf Team!

v  Check it out!  During Coffee Hour view the Team's bulletin board for full job listings.  Pick your project and sign up!  You only need to look around the church to see what this group can accomplish.  See Jim Wood or Father Vlado for more information.

v  Women Wanted : The Call to Duty team is not just for men.  The women of St. Thomas have been working for our parish since its founding.  See Jim Wood or Father Vlado if you are interested in joining this amazing team.

v  Help a Hero 

 by donating your unopened toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss or travel sized mouthwash for our soldiers stationed overseas.  Please place them in the box that will be placed in the church basement next

STEWARDSHIP # 17:  DISCOVER IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES OF MAKING GOOD DECISIONS

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (Romans 12:2).

IDEA: How is self-knowledge important in discerning God's will?  When it comes to making decisions about your life and the direction it should take, focus on your strengths, not on your weaknesses.

So far, the biblical principles for decision-making have all focused on godly attitudes:

·         We are to submit to the sovereign will of God.

·         We are to submit to the moral will of God.

·         We are to be motivated by agape love as we seek the best for others.

Now it's time for some personal analysis. In Romans 12:1-2 Paul writes: "I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

Here Paul calls for a radical reorganization of our approach to life. He begins by encouraging us to be realistic: "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you. not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith" (Romans 12:3).

 

 

Paul's message is urgent: We need to be sober in our judgment of our gifts and talents. We ought to know our strengths. We ought to know our weaknesses. We shouldn't think more highly of ourselves than we ought. Nor should we put ourselves down.

Then, having an understanding of what our gifts and abilities are, we need to go with our strengths (Romans 12:4-8).

Unfortunately, we don't always do that. Often we have a strange fascination with our weaknesses. Perhaps we pay more attention to our weaknesses because we're insecure about them.
Or maybe our weaknesses are always cropping up in life. Sometimes we focus on our weaknesses by accepting opportunities for which we are not prepared, e.g., playing the church pipe organ when our abilities are limited to the harmonica.

Instead, Paul tells us: "Know yourself. Do what you can to shore up your weaknesses, but go with your strengths!" We see this played out in Acts 6:3-4 in the Jerusalem church. The apostles went with their strengths and trusted the strengths of others. In doing so, they made a wise decision.

If you want to build a house, you don't want a violinist. If you're going to lead an orchestra, you don't want a bricklayer.

No two of us are exactly alike. None of us has every gift and ability. Our responsibility is to exercise the gifts we have, not the ones we wish we had.

When it comes to making decisions about your life and the direction it should take, focus on your strengths, not on your weaknesses. Know yourself. Know what you do well, then go with your strengths.

 

Prayer Request Sunday October 27, 2013	Offered By
For the health of my family & myself	Anna Arfaras
For the health of Ted Chuparkoff & Chris Kostoff	Joanne Theodore
For the health of Wayne & Katherine Waltenberger, Dorothy Jean Waltenberger and Jimmy & Eleanor Jackson	Subdeacon Jim & Robin Waltenberger
Thank you to the whole parish for celebrating our 50th anniversary with us	George & Carol Karakis

Sunday,  October 27,  2013
Candle Offering	$38.00
Weekly Envelopes	$481.00
Loose Tray Collection	$26.00
Donations	$40.00
Coffee Hour	$40.00
TOTAL	$625.00

 

From Abbas and Ammas

 

As long as the prayers and invocations have not yet been made, the Eucharist is mere bread and a mere cup.  But when the great and wondrous prayers have been recited, then the bread becomes the Body and the cup, the Blood, of Our lord Jesus Christ.  The Word descends on the bread and the cup and it becomes  Body and Blood.

St Athanasius

 

 

 

week.