St. Nicholas Orthodox Church Monthly Parish Bulletin

Orthodox Church in America 2143 S. Center Road – Burton, Michigan 48519

Served by: Fr. Matthew-Peter Butrie – Rector Deacons Kerry Luke Gonser & Esteban Julio Vázquez Email: stnicholas1916@att.net

Website: www.saintnicholasburton.org Fr. Matthew’s Email: mpbutrie@bdoca.org

Cell: 810-247-4265 Church: 810-744-0070

Services: Sunday - 9:30 a.m. Third Hour 10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy Holydays, Vigil and Vespers as announced

Confessions are heard before all morning services and after all evening services.

“But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the

love of God; wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”

St. Jude 1:20

January 1-31, 2016

St. Nicholas on Vermont St. 1916 - 1949

St. Nicholas 1949-1969 St. Nicholas 1969-Present

FROM FATHER’S DESK

Dear faithful and friends of St. Nicholas parish,

This year of 2016 is the centennial year of

our parish. One hundred years ago, Orthodox

Christian faithful who came to the United States

organized the first Orthodox church in Flint,

placing the parish under the patronage and

protection of the wonderworker Saint Nicholas,

the archbishop of Myra in Lycia (modern-day

Turkey). Each month of this year our parish

plans on having a special event to celebrate this

jubilee. One of the ways each household of the

parish will be able to celebrate is through the

pilgrim icon that was commissioned especially

for the 100th

anniversary. Each week of our

anniversary year the icon will be available to go

to the homes of our parishioners so that we may

pray before the icon, asking the intercession of

the Mother of God for each and every one of us.

Fr. Theodore Jurewicz, who did almost

all of the iconography in the present temple,

fashioned the icon of the Mother of God

“Częstochowa” shown here (commemorated

March 6). According to tradition this icon is one

of seventy that the Saint Luke the Evangelist

painted of the Mother of God. This particular

image was painted onto the cedar-wood table-top in the Holy Family’s home. In the year 326 the icon was

given to St. Helen, the mother of St. Constantine the emperor, in the Holy Land. She brought the icon with her

to Constantinople. It remained there for almost five hundred years before it traveled to various places

including Galicia, Bavaria, and Moravia.

In 1382 the Tatars invaded Poland and came to the fortress-city of Belz where the icon of the Mother of

God was kept. Orders were given that the icon be placed on the top of the fortress walls as the Tatars began

their siege. Blood began dripping from the icon where it had been struck by an arrow. A dark cloud then

descended on the Tatars who retreated, defeated.

The icon eventually was transferred to Jasna Góra (“Bright Mountain”) in Częstochowa, Poland where

a monastery was built to house and protect the icon. The image was damaged in the 15th

century when Hussites

attacked the monastery and the icon was struck with a sword twice on the face of the Mother of God leaving

two gashes. The icon at Częstochowa still bears these marks.

When the Swedes invaded Poland they remained almost undefeated until they fought a battle near Jasna

Gora and the place where the icon of the Mother of God was kept. The Poles were able to defeat the Swedes

and in 1656 King Jan Casimir of Poland then decreed that the Mother of God was the Queen of Poland. In

1920, when the Bolshevik army was on the verge of conquering Poland, the “Miracle of the Vistula (River)”

took place when, through the intercession of the Mother of God of Częstochowa, the invading army was turned

back.

Copies of this icon are found in many Orthodox and Catholic monasteries. “Some of these copies are

venerated in the village of Pisarevkain in the Volhynia Province (June 29 and September 8), at Verhnaya

Syrovatka in the Kharkov Province, at Tyvrov in the Vinits Province (Holy Spirit day), in the Kazan Cathedral

at St. Petersburg, and in several other places.” (www.oca.org)

In this, the centenary of the founding of Saint Nicholas parish, we ask the intercession of the Mother of

God who directs us to her Son that we may continue to put our faith in Him who came among us, died for us,

and rose from the dead that we may be living lights of His gospel to all those around us, here in Genesee

County, as our forebears did before us, bearing the Light of Christ in a weary world.

With love in Christ

ANNUAL MEETING The Annual Meeting of Saint Nicholas Parish will be held on Sunday, January 24, 2016

beginning with a short prayer service after the Divine Liturgy. The Meeting will then reconvene in the Parish

Hall. All parish organizations must prepare a report, oral or written, to be given at this meeting. A sub

sandwich lunch will be held.

COMING EVENTS

Theophany Banquet: Sunday, January 10 following the Divine Liturgy.

Winter Dinner for Dormition Monastery to be held on January 28. Please see the sign-up sheet in

this bulletin. ST. CATHERINE’S NEWS as a reminder St. Catherine’s Women’s League meets on the first Sunday of each

month following the Divine Liturgy

Next meeting date: Sunday, February 7 in the conference room following the Divine Liturgy.

Upcoming St. Catherine’s League Events

Dinner Out on January 19 at Italia Gardens in Davison at 6:30 pm. All ladies of the parish are welcome.

The Orthodox Book Club will meet on Monday, January 18 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at St. George. The book we

are reading is The GURUS, the YOUNG MAN, and Elder Paisios by Dionysios Farasiotis. A

powerful memoir of a youth who, desiring to know the truth empirically; began to experiment in

yoga, hypnotism, and various occult techniques. For more information please contact Deacon

Michael Bassett at frdnmike@gmail.com

2016 OFFERING ENVELOPES are ready to be picked up. They are located in the parish hall. If you do not see

envelopes with your name on them and you did not request to no longer receive offering envelopes, please see

Debbie so that she can get envelopes for you.

2016 CALENDARS have arrived they are located in the rear of the church. Please, one per family.

COFFEE HOUR VOLUNTEERS the 2016 coffee hour volunteer schedule has been posted. It is located next to

the kitchen window. The schedule is for the entire year.

MANY THANKS Thank you to everyone that helped with the Cookie

Walk. Thank you to everyone that baked their wonderful cookies, you

helped make the Cookie Walk a success.

To the Serbian Lodge for purchasing the 6 guest chairs for Father

Matthew and Debbie’s office and to those that helped assemble them

WE PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE WITH CHILD

Kelly Bakousidis (Phillip Bakousidis’ wife, Gerry & Lena Bakousidis’ daughter-in-law)

READER SCHEDULE

January February March

3 Amir 7 Amir 6 Taras

10 Johnny 14 Johnny 13 Amir

17 Kathy 21 Kathy 20 Johnny 24 Angelo 28 Angelo 27 Kathy

31 Taras

If you are unable to make your assigned reading date, you must find a replacement.

THIRD HOUR SCHEDULE

January February March

3 Reggie 7 Lucy 6 Reggie 10 Angelo 14 Reggie 13 Angelo

17 Lucy 21 Angelo 20 Lucy 24 Reggie 28 Lucy 27 Reggie

31 Angelo

If you are unable to make your assigned reading date, you must find a replacement.

COMMUNITY REWARDS

KROGER MEIJER

$51.28

YTD Total: $158.71

The parish council will meet on Tuesday, January 12 at 6:45 pm.

Please call the parish office if you are unable to attend this meeting.

AXIOS! Esteban Julio Vázquez, who was ordained into the Holy Diaconate on Saturday, November 21.

HOUSE BLESSIINGS will begin on January 6. See the enclosed flyer to set up your appointment.

BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES

BIRTHDAYS WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES

1 Luai Helal 13 Lloyd & Linda Kilbourne

Lloyd Kilbourne Jr. 14 Randall & Diana Broadfoot

2 Barbara Vuckovich 31 John & Marie Todorovsky

6 Stella Nedanis

10 Jennifer Brucksch

Nikolai Evanenko

15 Luba Yosheff

21 Nancy Borkovich

26 Deborah Gonser-Adams

27 Ressa Borkovich

29 Deacon Kerry-Luke Gonser

NAMESDAYS

1 Bill Cvetkovski 12 Tatyana Eckert

Bill Economou Tatyana Safford

Bill Kosman Tanya Sikorski

Bosiljka Kantar (St. Basil) Tonya Cvetkovski

Vasilios Georgopoulos 14 Benjamin Goodman

Vasilka Karatza Nina Sfetkides

William Zelenko Serafina Naomi Whittaker

2 Julia Peck 17 Anthony Mitevski

Asher (Seraphim) Whittaker 18 Atanas Zelevarovski

Juliana Loomis 21 Janja Beslach

Julie Marie Conover 22 Hayley Louise (Lynn) Paul

3 Genevieve Whittaker Timothy Seeley

Jenna Carole Paul 24 Ksenya Tveritina

Jennifer Broadfoot 25 Gregory Oginsky

Jennifer Lynn Borkovich 28 Les (Ephraim) Ford

Jennifer Nicole Brucksch 31 Atanas Sozovski

Jennifer Nicevski

6 Donna (Ordana) Nedanis

Fannia Young

Fanny Cvetkovski

Fanny Popoff

Jordan Abu-Aita

7 Evanka Zelevarovski

Jeanette Brayan

John Borkovich

John Cvetkovski

John Goodman

Subdeacon Johnny Kantor

John Joseph Tome

John Nastos

John Naum

John Popoff

John Sfetkides

Jonathan Sfetkides

John Zelenko Jr.

JANUARY COFFEE HOUR VOLUNTEERS 3

10 Theophany Banquet

17 Johnny Kantor & Jo Ann Havens

24 Annual Meeting/Sub Sandwich Luncheon

31

MONTH NEED OF THE MONTH January Toilet Paper February Shampoo

March Feminine Care Products

WELCOME TO OUR PARISH FAMILY Ruth & Calvin Conrad and Pam Pitlanish, we are happy to have you

as a part our of parish family!

DOVES FOR THEOPHANY We need donors for the three doves we release at the outdoor Blessing on Water

on January 10. The cost of each dove is $59 for a total of $175.00. Please call the office at 810-744-0070 if you

would like to donate to keep up this special tradition of St. Nicholas Church this Theophany season.

ST. NICHOLAS CHOIR “Every good and perfect gift cometh down from Thee, the Father of Lights” (James

1:17) Have you been blessed with the ability to sing for our Lord? Are you using your voice to be a part of the

body of Christ? Why not raise your voice and be a dedicated choir member. Our choir needs committed people

to join us every Sunday. Can you step up to the plate and commit so St. Nicholas can sing praises unto the

Lord? Please think about this, whether you are a past or a potential choir member. We need you! We are in

need of all parts (sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses). If you enjoy singing, please see our choir director, Reader

Joseph Tome. Thank you to our dedicated choir members and looking forward to welcoming new members!

God bless you! “Serve the Lord with Gladness: come before His presence with singing!” (Psalms 100:2)

TEEN RETREAT St. George will be hosting a retreat for the teens of the Orthodox Churches in Michigan!

The retreat will take place February 26-27, 2016 at Colombiere Conference Center in Clarkston, MI.

Additional information is included on the flyer and registration forms are included in this bulletin.

GODPARENTS’ SUNDAY – FEBRUARY 7 Serving as a godparent is a great blessing and spiritual

responsibility. And if we allow Him to, God nurtures a special spiritual relationship between godchildren and

godparents and with their families as well. Celebrating Godparents’ Sunday is one way of renewing and

reaffirming our relationship with God and the special relationships we enjoy with our godparents and

godchildren. Please make plans to participate in the Divine Liturgy with your godchild/godparent on Sunday,

February 7, 2016 coming to Communion together with them. If your godchild/godparent lives somewhere else,

we encourage you to come with another member their family if they live in town or simply to come by yourself

and offer special prayers for your godchild/godparent.

VISITATION TO THE SICK Fr. Matthew brings Holy Communion to the shut-ins on Mondays. If you would

like to be added to this list, please contact the office. Presently, those receiving weekly visits are: Thomka

Brayanis, Paul Ellis, Aspasia Stathopoulos, Helen Ashmun, Fred Oginsky, Gloria Zelenko and Anne Smith.

Monthly Fr. Matthew visits Larry Bladecki (Bay City) and Peter and Olga Samaras (Caro) and Lydia Keeler

(Flushing).

DAILY INTERCESSION FOR OUR SICK AND HOMEBOUND

The following are our brothers and sisters of St. Nicholas who are currently homebound, suffering from

chronic illness, in recovery or in need of special prayers. Please remember them in your prayers and reach out

to them with a card, a phone call or a visit! Please call the office to schedule a visit for Holy Communion.

Josephine Baker Susan Goodman Lydia Keeler

Larry Bladecki Jo Ann Havens Macy Lemmen

John Bocek Bill Haw Pauline Nenoff Anne Smith

Anna Branoff Helen Iwanoff Fred Oginsky Aspasia Stathopoulos

Linda Branoff Goldie Johnson Ron Salhany Bill Tadrick

Thomka Brayanis Nick Karayanis Peter Samaras Wendy Tadrick

Gladys Edwards Mary Karayanis Olga Samaras Gloria Zelenko

To aid in your outreach, here is a listing of the addresses and phone numbers of our Homebound:

Larry Bladecki 409 15th

Street Bay City, MI 48708

Thomka Brayanis 11941 S. Belsay Rd #223B Grand Blanc, MI 48439

Gladys Edwards 2 Harbor Dr. St. Clair, MO 63077

Goldie Johnson 310 E. Willard Ave Lansing, MI 48910

Lydia Keeler 4104 Squire Hill Dr. Flushing, MI 48433 733-8053

Pete & Olga Samaras 75 Roedel Dr. Caro, MI 48723 989-673-0821

Anne Smith 3375 N. Linden Rd #306 Flint, MI 48504

Aspasia Stathopoulos 4064 Sheraton Dr. Flint, MI 48532

Gloria Zelenko 5191 Woodhaven Ct #722 Flint, MI 48532

Poinsettias

Bosa Kantar Milutin, Anka, Pavle, Milan, Bogdan, Bogdana, Saja, Milica,

Milutin, Pera, Rade, Nikola, Dane, Radic, Rade

Vladimir & Zina Pyatenko In honor of Vladimir, Zina, Gene, Lois, Michael, Carol, Ashley, Chris, Hunter, Wesley & Ryan

Lucy Hogg In memory of Ivan Ponomarenko In memory of Evdokia Ponomarenko

Kira Rabkina In memory of Luba & Don Stevens

Stojan & Mira Prusac In honor of Stojan & Mira Prusac In memory of Danica, Milosh, Mary, Milka, Luka, Mara, Marko, Rosemary, Agata

Val Evanenko In honor of Helen Ethington In memory of Sam & Vera Chorenko

Vladimir & Taisa Akkerman In honor of Vladimir, Taisa & Eugene

Maria Green In memory of Roger Green, Kosta & Eleni Nedanis

Allen & Deborah Adams In memory of John Skolnick

Nick & Connie Maxim In honor of Nick & Connie Maxim, our children and grandchildren

Helen Ethington In memory of Vasil & Maria Samaras and Don Ethington

10 Inch Wreath Diane Broadfoot In memory of Mildred Bladecki

24 Inch Wreaths Dorothy Goodman & Family In memory of Joseph Goodman Allen & Deborah Adams In memory of Joe & Mickey Gonser

36 Inch Wreaths Tom Branoff & Family In memory of Stella Branoff Donna & Marv Zischke In memory of Daisy & Sam Marvosh

50 Foot Garland Tom & Marie Batzos In memory of Kosta & Dimitra Georgopoulos

Theophany Banquet

Sunday, January 10, 2016

Following the Divine Liturgy and

Outdoor Blessing of Water

MENU

Lamb or Chicken,

Rice & Vegetables

Bread & Butter

Salad

Dessert

Beverage

Adults: $12.00 Children 12 & Under: $6.00

Family Bingo Day Sunday, February 14

Following the Divine Liturgy

FUN FOR ALL AGES

?

$36.00 Single Space

for 6 months

$50.00 Double

Space

for 6 months

$65.00 Triple Space

for 6 months

09/2015-03/2016

Theophany House Blessings

We (I) wish for Fr. Matthew to visit our home with the traditional blessing this year.

Name ____________________________________________

Address __________________________________________

Phone Number _____________________________________

Please visit _________ on a weekday

_________ on Saturday only

_________ any day

Please indicate what time of day works best for you.

Father Matthew or the parish office will call the day before your house blessing.

Please have the following prepared:

1. A dignified place covered by a white cloth with a candle placed

there along with an Icon or Cross.

2. Please turn off television and radios.

Father will bring the Holy Water.

January 2016 St. Nicholas Orthodox Church

2143 S. Center Rd. Burton, MI 48519

810-744-0070

Email: stnicholas1916@att.net Website: www.saintnicholasburton.org

St. Nicholas Orthodox Church

2143 S. Center Rd. Burton, MI 48519

810-744-0070

Email: stnicholas1916@att.net Website: www.saintnicholasburton.org

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 Fast Free

New Years Day

Circumcision of our Lord

Fr. Vacation

Office Closed

2 Fast Free

5 pm Vespers

Fr. Vacation

3 Fast Free

9:30 Third Hour

10 am Divine Liturgy

Church School

4 5

Fr. in Toledo

7 pm Royal Hours

6 Fast Free

Theophany

9 am Divine Liturgy

11 am Adult

Education

7

9 am - 1 pm

North End Soup

Kitchen

Office Closed

8 9

5 pm Vespers

10

9:30 Third Hour

10 am Divine Liturgy

Theophany Dinner

No Church School

11 12

5:45 pm 100th

Anniversary meeting

6:45 pm

Parish Council

13

9 am Divine Liturgy

11 am Adult

Education

14

Office Closed

15 16

5 pm Vespers

17

9:30 Third Hour

10 am Divine Liturgy

Church School

18

Book Club @

St. George 6-8 pm

19

St. Catherine’s

Ladies Night Out

at Italia Gardens

@ 6:30 pm

20

9 am Divine Liturgy

11 am Adult

Education

21

Office Closed

22 23

5 pm Vespers

24

9:30 Third Hour

10 am Divine Liturgy

Annual Meeting

Church School

25 26 27

9 am Divine Liturgy

11 am Adult

Education

28

Dormition Winter

Dinner Fundraiser

@ St. George

Office Closed

29 30

Three Holy Hierarchs

5 pm Vespers

31

9:30 Third Hour

10 am Divine Liturgy

Church School

Fast

Dairy Permitted (no meat)

Wine & Oil Permitted (no meat)

Fish Permitted (no other meat)

St. Nicholas Orthodox Church

2143 S. Center Rd. Burton, MI 48519

810-744-0070

Email: stnicholas1916@att.net Website: www.saintnicholasburton.org

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2

Presentation of the

Lord into the Temple

3

9 am Divine Liturgy

11 am Adult

Education

4

Office Closed

5 6

5 pm Vespers

7 Godparents Sunday

9:30 Third Hour

10 am Divine Liturgy

Church School Breakfast

No Church School

St. Catherine’s

Meeting

8 9

5:45 pm 100th

Anniversary meeting

6:45 pm

Parish Council

10

9 am Divine Liturgy

11 am Adult

Education

11

Office Closed

12 13

5 pm Vespers

14 Valentine’s Day

Zacchaeus Sunday

9:30 Third Hour

10 am Divine Liturgy

St. Nicholas Bingo Day

Church School

15

Book Club @

St. George 6-8 pm

16 17

9 am Divine Liturgy

11 am Adult

Education

18

Office Closed

19 20

5 pm Vespers

21

Publican & Pharisee

9:30 Third Hour

10 am Divine Liturgy

Church School

22 Fast Free 23 Fast Free 24 Fast Free

9 am Divine Liturgy

11 am Adult

Education

25 Fast Free

Office Closed

26 Fast Free 27 Fast Free

5 pm Vespers

28

Prodigal Son

9:30 Third Hour

10 am Divine Liturgy

Church School

29 Fast

Dairy Permitted (no meat)

Wine & Oil Permitted (no meat)

Fish Permitted (no other meat)

February 2016

Diocesan Clergy Retreat at Dormition Monastery, Rives Junction, MI

Teen Retreat at Colombiere Center

Dates and Times are subject

to change.