21st SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST — Tone 4. Synaxis of the
Holy Unmercenaries. Martyrs Acindynus, Pegasius, Aphthonius,
Elpidephorus and Anempodistus, of Persia (ca. 341-345). St. Marcian
of Cyprus (381-391).
Galatians 2:16-20
Luke 8:26-39
What is repentance? People often think of it as just taking the blame for
something, confessing that one is guilty of wrongdoing, being sorry for
having done something “bad.” And they shy away from it. Repentance is
much more than that. It’s recognizing and mourning our separation from
God – Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted, Jesus said.
It brings the divine grace that cleanses us of the spiritual weakness (the sin)
in our fallen nature that separates us from God. When God sees earnest
desire, he takes passions out of us, says one early saint. Repentant prayer is
the expression of such earnest desire.
Repentance is everything you do to get sin, those inborn passions, out of
you. It’s reading, thinking, praying, weeding out disruptive influences in
your life, sharing time with fellow Christians, following the guidance of the
saints. Repentance is the renunciation of what harms us and the acquisition
of what is beneficial to us, writes a holy counselor. Jesus called people to
repent, saying: The kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the
Gospel. Paul told the Gentiles to repent and turn to God, and do the works
meet for repentance. Repentance involves godly sorrow over past sins and
over the passions that are presently in us. Godly sorrow causes repentance
which brings salvation. We are carried into and all the way throughout
repentance by the Holy Spirit.
Have you ever thought about the great and deep beauty that God has put
into our human nature? It’s there in the saints, and in many people who
haven’t been known as saints. Do you know when you will certainly see that
beauty in yourself? You will see it when you look through the window of
repentance, say the saints. By being able to see and condemn what we are,
we immediately become able to love what we shall be in God.
That’s the point of Christianity – to be united with God (theosis) and have
our souls take on the godly beauty that’s natural to them. As the saints keep
telling us, that’s why Jesus came – God became man that we might become
gods. This takes faithful practice, they say. So, Tarry the Lord’s leisure; be
strong, and He will strengthen you.
From Path to Sanity by Dee Pennock
SCHEDULE
Sunday, November 2…………………..9:30 am Third Hour
9:45 am St. Xenia Prayers
10:00 am Divine Liturgy
Tuesday, November 4………………….7:00 pm Parish Council Meeting
Saturday, November 8…………………9:00 am – 1:00 pm Church Clean-up
Sunday, November 9……………………9:30 am Third Hour
9:45 am General Confession
10:00 am Divine Liturgy
December 13………………………..Speaker – KYRIACOS MARKIDES, Author
of The Mountain of Silence and Gifts of the Desert
Diocesan Girls’ Retreat: A Diocesan Girls Retreat for girls in grades 7-12 will take
place at Saint Basil’s Academy from Friday-Sunday, November 14-16. There is no
fee. Information is on the bulletin board. Registration deadline is November 3.
Prosphora Baking and Seals: Matushka Kerri invites bakers to join her church
Friday, November 14th to bake prosphora from 9:30- 11:30. All are welcome!
Please bring cookie sheets. If you have a prosphora seal at home please bring it.
Holiday Fundraisers:
We are offering beautiful amaryllis bulbs for sale. Order forms are in the
narthex. Deadline is November 15. Please support this project.
Holiday Bake Sale: Order forms for holiday nut or poppy seed rolls, and for
holiday cookies are in the narthex. Order deadline is November 30.
Saints Anna and Catherine: Will be meeting on Saturday, November 15th at 4:30
and December 13th at 4:00. Please make every try to join us.
Happy November Birthdays and Many Years to: Fr. George Hasenecz, Niki
Barna, Lynn Blackburn, Deborah Burne, Eugenia Connerat, Mary Ellen Cullinan,
John Eremin, Patricia Fitzgerald, Natasha Gurevich, Eugenia Hasenecz, Alexander
Hersonski, Alexandra Hersonski, Lorraine Krapcho, Annette Krawchuk, Matthew
Krawchuk, James Penola, Tanya Palomino, Serge Wirhanowsky, Joseph Robinson,
and Alfred Soliman. Happy Anniversary and Many Years to Mr & Mrs King and Mr
and Mrs Timpani.
Interfaith Food Pantry donations have fallen off lately. As the holidays approach,
please be generous! Consider donating your supermarket “freebie” turkeys and
hams to the Pantry.
HTOC 50th Anniversary Books are for sale for the printing cost = $12.00. Consider
buying one of these beautiful “history lessons” as a gift for a friend or family of the
parish.
Holy Trinity Orthodox Church
“Offering the Fullness of the Christian Faith”
Orthodox Church in America: Diocese of NY and NJ
PO Box 630, Ironia, NJ 07845: 120 Dover-Chester Road, Randolph, NJ 07869
www.holytrinityrandolph.com 973-366-8360
“Rejoice in the Lord Always” – the HTOC Choir’s latest CD makes a fine holiday
gift. It contains a large collection of familiar liturgical music, chanted by the voices
we all know!
Parking: Please consider parking in the upper area in order to prevent "double
parking" in the main lot.
Rev. David R. Fox, Rector
(c) 201-841-7590 – fatherdavid@holytrinityrandolph.com
V. Rev. George Hasenecz, Attached – Carol Wetmore, Choir Director
As we continue to celebrate our 50 Year Milestone, keep an eye out for changes in
our exterior sign – a Boy Scout project is underway to improve its appearance!
…our sins are subject to measure and can be
numbered, but it is impossible to measure the mercy
or number the compassions of God. There is no time
for despairing, but only for recognizing mercy and
renouncing sins.
+Basil the Great
Holy Trinity Parish Council
Senior Warden – Suzette Eremin
Treasurer – Niki Barna
Secretary – Carol Wetmore
Eugene Bohensky
George Bohensky
Peter Dardaganis
Junior Warden – William Cullinan
Financial Secretary – John Babiak
Brian Farbanish
Drew Krause
Sandra Masklee
Christ, the Word of God