Let Us Remember in Prayer: Those who are ill or convalescing. May our Lord Jesus Christ, the Physician and Healer of souls and bodies, grant them peace and good health for many blessed years.
Please let Fr. Lewis know if anyone should be added or taken away from this prayer list.

Condolences: Condolences to Ellie and Mary Jane on the falling asleep in the Lord of their sister, +Irene Shiring. May God grand to His servant Irene, blessed repose!

2017 Annual Bishop’s Appeal: Please prayerfully consider your pledge to the Eparchy because whatever our parish donates over our goal we will receive a 40% rebate of that amount. We have gone over this goal the past two years that I am aware of, and the extra funds were greatly needed. Please remember that checks are to be made out to the Eparchy of Passaic, and not to the parish.

Kolásci & Plrohi Still for Sale: We do still have plenty of kolásci and pirohi left for purchase. These can be purchased after liturgy—please tell your friends and family that they still have an opportunity to purchase our kolásci—this will only increase our festival profits.

Traveling Vocation Icon Program: Please consider bringing the Vocation Icon into your home for a week and praying for vocations to strengthen our church and to lead us all to heaven. Without consecrated religious (nuns and monks), without ordained priests, we cannot benefit from the example of prayer and the administration of the Sacraments that these vocations provide us with. Without the Sacraments, and without properly trained teachers of the True Faith, our salvation will be in peril. Please pray that Christ send us more vocations, and that those He inspires to vocations have the courage to answer the call in the affirmative. Sign up sheet is in church hall.

Philip’s Fast: This voluntary fast is almost over, but if we have stumbled in any way, there is still time to strengthen our resolve, so that we can be properly disposed to meet Christ in the manger, and welcome Him into our hearts. Please note that the traditional Christmas Eve Strict Fast has been transferred to Friday, December 22nd, for those who are not observing the strict fast, it is still a day of simple abstinence (no meat).

Liturgy Intentions: We offer the Divine Liturgy for those who have died and for the those who are living for special graces, help, thanksgiving, or the forgiveness of sins of the departed. The sacrifice of the Divine Liturgy itself is the most powerful prayer that we have, and as such is the best that we can offer our loved ones and deceased friends and relatives. While there can be many intentions for a Divine Liturgy, there is usually one “main” intention that the priest especially prays for during the Anaphora (consecration), thus joining that intention to the Body and Blood of Christ.
However, on Holy Days of Obligation (major feast days and every Sunday) the “main” liturgy intention must be for the living faithful of the parish according to Canon Law. It is for this reason that if we have a special intention on these days that it is necessary to have a Panachida for the deceased or a Moleben for the living—even though the intention has been prayed for during this Divine Liturgy and remembered during the Anaphora, it was not the “main” intention. It is also necessary because there are other petitions that should be prayed during the different litanies—these are the petitions that we pray in both the Panachida and Moleben. When an intention is offered for a normal weekday Divine Liturgy, these special petitions are prayed within the litanies of the liturgy itself, thus retaining the unity of the special intention in one service.
There is no backlog of intentions at Saint Gregory of Nyssa, so if a Divine Liturgy is scheduled and no intention has been requested, then Fr. Lewis will insert a petition special to him. The recommended sacrificial offering for the liturgy, panachida, or moleben intention is $15. Some have chosen to give more which is fine but not necessary. Also, if someone has a special intention and find it difficult to pay the recommended amount, then no offering is necessary, and the intention will still be prayed for.

2018 March For Life: The 2018 March For Life in Washington DC will be on Friday, January 19th. While there are many Roman Catholic events for this occasion there will also be some Byzantine events:
Thursday, 1/18: 9:30-10:30PM Bishop Kurt Burnette will be the main celebrant of Compline at the Crypt Church in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. Responses will be led by the Slava Mens Chorus of Epiphany of Our Lord, Annandale, VA.
Friday, 1/19:10:00AM Bishop Kurt Burnette will be the main celebrant at the Divine Liturgy for Life at Epiphany of Our Lord in Annandale, VA.
All who attend the liturgy are then invited to a brunch at the parish center. Many are then planning on driving to the Dunn Loring Metro station to take the metro into DC for the March For Life. Fr. Lewis will be attending these events and encourage as many as possible to join. Those who attend the march are invited to pray the Akathist to the Theotokos across the street from the Supreme Court with the intention of promoting a culture of life in our court system.

The Mystery of Repentance: Catholics are obligated to avail themselves of the Mystery of Repentance (confession) at least once each year—usually either before the Feast of the Nativity or the Glorious Feast of Pascha. However, as with many of the Church’s minimum requirements, more is always more spiritually beneficial. Catholics are encouraged to confess once each month, this is even for Catholics who are not guilty of Mortal Sin. The more frequent we repent of our sins, the better we will be to engage in the Spiritual Warfare in which we find ourselves in our daily lives. For this reason, the Mystery of Repentance will be available more frequently this week. If one cannot make it to their own parish priest, then any Catholic Church will suffice.

Parish Calendar and Liturgical Schedule: It has been Fr. Lewis’ personal experience that progress in the spiritual life and closing the gap between us and God is more easily achieved through participation in the Divine Services. It is usual for those embarking on this path to find it difficult at first to participate in more services or longer services. But when we let go of our control and our impatience and give ourselves to these services in worship and praise of God, we are then filled with a great sense of peace and a more clear focus of our lives and what God is asking of us. It is for these reasons that there are now more services being offered; for the opportunity of the faithful to experience a more full prayer life. We are encouraged to avail ourselves of these opportunities as our schedules allow.

Rectory Open House: It was my intention to have a true open house for the repairs and remodeling done to the rectory on Theophany of 2017; however, not enough repairs were completed and the liturgical times did not lend well to this event being well attended. Also, it takes some time to live in a new home before furniture can be properly arranged and for pictures to be set in their proper place. A lot of time has elapsed and this year we are better setup for a good open house. The Feast of Theophany is on a Saturday, January 6, and since it is a Holyday of Obligation, this should be convenient for everyone to attend. We will celebrate the Divine Liturgy and the Great Blessing of Water in the church. After this is completed, we will then bless the Church and Hall with the new Jordan Water, and process to the rectory to bless it. We can then remain for a little snack and some socializing. Some have asked to see the rectory, so if you have been curious, then this is your opportunity. A slide-show of renovation process will be playing on the TV.

Contribution Envelopes and 2018 Wall Calendars: 2018 Contribution envelopes and wall calendars are now available in the church hall on the table next to the coat room/counting room. Please pick them up for yourself, family, and neighbors.

2017 Contribution Reports: The 2017 contribution reports will be available for pickup on Sunday, January 21st. Those that have not been picked up will be mailed on Monday, January 22nd.

Cookie Social: It is a joyous tradition at Saint Gregory of Nyssa to have a Cookie Social after both Christmas Divine Liturgies. All are invited and encouraged to bring your best cookie samples to share with each other on the occasion of this most joyous feast.