SUN MAR 27 3^rd Sunday of Lent. Veneration of the Holy Cross. Tone 7

• 3^тя Неділя Посту. Хрестопоклонна.
• Divine Liturgy. Свята Літургія @ 9:00 AM
• Apostle . 4:14-5:6
• Gospel: Mk. 8:34-9:1
• Panakhyda for departed members of Kochanowski and Belonick families, requested by Kathy Santa Maria and the family.

SAT APR 2 Memorial Liturgy. Заупокійна Літургія @ 9:00 AM

SUN APR 3 4^th Sunday of Lent. Of St. John of the Ladder.  Tone 8

• 4^та Неділя Посту. Св. Іоанна Ліствичника.
• Divine Liturgy. Свята Літургія @ 9:00 AM
• Apostle Heb. 6:13-20
• Gospel  Mk.      9:17-31
• Panakhyda for Irena and Piotr Kurianowicz, requested by Anna Gulko and the family.

AID for UKRAINE: we collected $3736 this week. We are coordinating our efforts with Maidan United, which buys and sends medical supplies for Ukraine’s wounded and refugees. Please continue to donate! Thank you to Dunphy’s Ice Cream Store for their donation of $3000, to the Auxiliary of New Britain General Hospital for $500, and all others.

PASCHA BREAD BAKING is being planned for Friday and Saturday, April 8 and 9, only to fill orders. We will have large round raisin paschas for $9.00 and small round raisin for $5.00. Please place your orders on the sign-up sheet downstairs. Please, mark your calendars and come help. We will have shifts both in the AM and PM. Donations to cover the cost of ingredients are welcome!

CONFESSION: Father Andrii will hear Confessions before or after any of the Lenten services or before Divine Liturgy on Sunday. Please arrive early on Sunday morning for Confession so this won’t interfere with the beginning of the Divine Liturgy.  PLEASE NOTE:  In order to be in good standing with the Church, all Orthodox Christians need to go to Confession and receive Communion at least once a year; Great Lent is the best time to fulfill this spiritual requirement. All parishioners who receive Communion should fast, (no food or drink) from midnight up to the point of receiving Communion. The night before, it is customary to read special prayers before Holy Communion (see your Prayer Book). If someone has a medical condition and has to take medication in the morning they can be released from fasting with a blessing from the priest. Children under the age of seven are also released from fasting, however their parents are encouraged to let them try.

UOL: Please come and get your Easter items at the Tag Sale Booth downstairs!

CULTURAL: pysanky making supplies and Easter eggs are now available.

CEMETERY CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS:  Please remove all winter decorations from the cemetery.  They will be discarded the week of April 11th (one week before Passion Week).  Water will be turned on by the middle of April.

AFFIRMATION OF OFFICE:

The recently elected Church Council members for 2022 will take their oath of office on Sunday, March 27 2022:

*** A Reminder: According to our Parish Constitution, Council members must receive Sacraments of Confession and Communion before oath of office is administered.  

PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF CONFESSION: In today’ society, which is full of temptations, the importance of Confession in our spiritual lives is greater than ever. Therefore, it is so important to understand the practical aspects of Confession, which we tend to forget. First, before you come to confession you need to try to prepare properly. By preparing, examine your life carefully, using the guidance of the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, the list of the eight principle passions and the lists of sins in the daily prayers – especially those before sleep. If necessary, write out a list and bring it with you to confession. Try not to omit anything you may think is not important. It is up to God through the father confessor to judge what is important or not. Remember that no sin is too small to be confessed and no sin is so great that it cannot be forgiven by God. In confessing, try to be brief and to the point; although sometimes it’s necessary to explain the circumstances of a certain sin, refrain from excusing yourself or confessing the sins of others. Oftentimes there are many people who come to confession at the same time and the priest will need to hear several confessions, in this case try to be considerate of time. If you have some personal difficulties or some particularly troublesome problems in your spiritual life, and need to discuss them at length, please arrange for a special time that the priest can dedicate only to you. There are times after Confession that the priest may recommend to you what is called “epitimia”. This may represent the reading of certain prayers, a rule for fasting, or a certain number of prostrations, etc. Remember that this is not a punishment for your sins, but a necessary prescription for your spiritual healing. If you understand its importance and accept it, you are bound to follow it as closely as possible, any changes to it should be discussed with your father confessor. Overall come to confession with an open soul and remember that the person that repents and comes to receive the Sacrament of Confession properly, is not limited to just confessing their sins, but also commits to unceasingly fighting against sin and passion. Confession is not an end, but rather a new beginning in a new life in Christ.

COFFEE and…Thank you to Natalia Sachchenko and her family for hosting, last Sunday! Hostess for today is Oksana Systum. Next Sunday  4/3/2022, hosting coffee and.. Halina Vitrykush. Donations of Coffee, individual creamers, butter and monetary donations are always welcomed. Thank you for your support!!