6-17-23 Bulletin
Synaxis of the Feast of All-Saints of North America
 PLEDGES & DONATIONS: HERE

 St. Luke 2023 Strategic Plan 

St. Luke Strategic Plan Tally
(Fill out the form in order to prioritize action steps). 

SERVICES & ACTIVITIES THIS WEEK:

  • Saturday, June 17th, 5;30pm, Great Vespers with Confessions following.
  • Sunday, June 18th, 8:30am: Matins; 9:30am: Divine Liturgy for the Sunday of the Feast of All-Saints with Coffee Fellowship following. Presentation: “Addiction & Healing in Orthodox Spirituality.”
  • Wednesday, June 21st, Bible Study at 6pm: Livestreamed – On the Book of Acts.
  • Saturday June 24: 9:30am Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist
 The Loneliness Epidemic – Part 1
“Ah! Look at all the lonely people.”
(‘Eleanor Rigby,’ George Harrison & the Beatles, 1966).
A study written and published by the US Surgeon General earlier this year raised the alarm about the rise of loneliness here in America. “Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling—it harms both individual and societal health. It is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. The mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day” (Office of the US Surgeon General, 2023).

Now, what strikes me most about this report is not the poor health outcomes caused by loneliness and isolation (this I’ve seen as both a priest and a counselor) but that it, loneliness, continues to grow exponentially despite the advances in communications technology that we have seen during the last 30 years. So the question is, “How is it that even with all of our immediate access to each other through cell phones, email, text messaging, “zoom” video conferencing and the like, that loneliness has reached such epidemic proportions and with such frightening consequences to our physical and mental health? Shouldn’t it have been the other way around? That with the increase of technology, our isolation in the human realm should have been reduced? And wasn’t that the assumption and the “selling-point” of the technocrats themselves—that our advances in “communications technology” would band together our global humanity in ways that would have been inconceivable 100 years ago? Moreover, could it be that the rise of technology itself is actually correlated to this epidemic of loneliness? I for one believe there is a correlation, unequivocally, and for reasons that are not difficult to understand.

One obvious reason is that “communications technology” eliminates the powerful dynamic of direct and concrete person-to-person, face-to-face conversation. As I have written before, it is not just the “words” themselves or even the personal voice with its texture and tone, but it is the face with all of its various expressions that adds a richness to true conversation that cannot be duplicated in any way or by any electronic gadget, no matter how sophisticated. Anthropologists tell us that the human face, with its 43 individual muscles, is capable of 21 succinct emotional expressions. When compounded in human conversation, one can see how and why the face is an essential feature of how we as human beings learn, from the time of our infancy, to connect with each other in ways that go beyond mere words. Emails and texts radically diminish the primal need for human connection that can only be gained through genuine conversation with a direct, physical-facial presence. Many of Christ’s miracles begin with His loving and compassionate “gaze,” which is part of the incarnational miracle of the Son of God made flesh.

Another reason for loneliness in America lies much closer to our cultural character, so close to us that it—like the nose on our face—is difficult to perceive. This is seen in Apple’s prefix of “i” to all of its hardware products, as in iMac (1998) iBook (1999), iPod (2001), iSight (2003), iPhones (2007), and iPad (2010). Apple’s software services include iMessage, iTunes, iCloud, iDisc, iBooks, iPhoto, and iMovie—just to name a few! The common denominator staring us each in the face is the fall back on the individual self, on the “i.” All of these products sold by Apple and other tech companies tailor them as “adding value” to the individual instead of emphasizing the “we” that would be the normal experience of any healthy (and holy) human interaction. And it is precisely the way we understand ourselves as autonomous “individuals” that reveals why Americans have come to be so terribly lonely.

To be continued…

Congratulations and Many Years
to Genet and the Pamphilis Family on the grand opening of:
Genetti Bistro (pictured above!)
12240 South Harlem
Palos Heights, IL 60463

Stop in for some delicious treats and support our St. Luke Family!
Mike Nikolaou Barbecues the Lamb!

SUMMER CAMP FOR KIDS! The thirty-sixth annual CHICAGO DEANERY YOUTH CAMP WEDNESDAY, JULY 5, Check in at 1PM – Check Out at 3 PM on SATURDAY, JULY 8, 2023 At Edwards YMCA Camp, N8901 Army Lake Road East Troy, WI 53120 Orthodox Church in America, Chicago Deanery For deanery youth, ages 11 – 18 (For questions of eligibility, call the Coordinator). ALL-INCLUSIVE FEE (lodging, meals, activities) $170. (Registration form attached…) CAMPING SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE FOR OUR CHILDREN AT ST. LUKE – Contact Fr. Paul at pjannakos@gmail.com  FOR THE REGISTRATION FORM CLICK HERE. 

THE APOSTLES FAST: Just a reminder that we are still observing the Ss. Peter and Paul Fast which will last until June 29th. During this fasting period we not only refrain from meat (and dairy if possible), but we also intensify our prayer life. May God bless our efforts!

ON FATHER’S DAY, JUNE 18TH, during Coffee Fellowship after the Liturgy (11:00am), Fr. Paul will present an abbreviated talk on the subject of his recent Mission Trip to Romania. Fr. Paul will speak about “ORTHODOX SPIRITUALITY AND HEALING FROM ADDICTION.” Pass the word!

BIBLE STUDY: Summer Bible Study: Fr. Paul and Rick Wolf have begun Bible Study on Wednesday evenings. We are studying the Book of Acts. It is being live-streamed on both Facebook and Zoom. Pass the word and join us!

ELIJAH’S CHARIOT: This is a wonderful ministry here at St. Luke to help our elderly (and others) find transportation to Church for the services. Given the rise in gas prices, we will be expanding it to include gas cards for those in financial difficulties (distributed anonymously by Fr. Paul). If you would like, buy a gas card for $20 or $30 and help us out!

SERVICES IN JUNE: On Saturday, June 24th, at 9:30am our parish will serve a Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Nativity of St. John Forerunner, and on June 28th (6:00pm) and 29th (9:30am) our parish will celebrate the Feast of Sts. Peter & Paul at Sts. Peter & Paul parish in Burr Ridge. Mark your calendars!

2023 PARISH DEVELOPMENT FORUM: In Parma ,Ohio at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, 1:00 PM EDT Thursday July 13 2023 thru Noon July 15. Theme: Our Parish and the Future. At this forum attendees will face forward — actively considering what it will take to build a brighter parish future.  Attendees will collaborate on The 2030 Project — a set of structured, facilitated discussions designed to share experiences and identify the key behaviors, skills and “new muscles” parishes will need to thrive amidst future societal, cultural, demographic and technological trends.  In depth discussions will include:

  • Healthy Clergy-Laity Dynamics,
  • Attracting and Integrating Converts intoYour Parish/Sharing the Faith
  • Connecting Your Parish to the Neighborhood Community.    
  • Additional presentation segments.

To maintain an intimate setting for thoughtful exchange among attendees the 2023 Forum attendance will be limited to 100 persons.  There will be no live streaming of the Forum sessions.. Register Early — Before June 22. Registrations received before June 22 will be eligible for a $75 per attendee early bird rate. After June 22 registration will be $150 per attendee. Registration fee includes lunches, dinners, breaks, an attendee reception Friday night & conference materials. You may register here: https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ejq38xise3538e27&oseq=&c=&ch=

FOOD FOR THE SOUL IS BACK! Food For the Soul Sunday Lunch: Sunday, June 25, 2023, 12:30pm, Genetti’s Bistro, 12240 South Harlem Avenue in Palos Heights. Please RSVP to Caye Caswick. Pass the word!

YOCAMA SUMMER MISSION TRIP!: July 21 to July 28 Mission trip to Navajo Nation New Mexico. Work on construction and the food pantry and food distribution. Ages 16 and up with parents. Check out YOCAMA.com

ST. LUKE STRATEGIC PLAN: Our St. Luke Strategic Plan report is ready to be viewed and the tally sheets for our Action Items are now available. If you have NOT filled out a tally sheet please take the time to do so.
LUBA’S KITCHEN ANNOUNCEMENTS: Update: Summer Coffee Hour is in effect. Reminders: Clean up own table. Kitchen clean up will begin around 11:45. Kitchen closed by noon. Please help Crys and Matt out by washing some dishes, put items away, learn to start the dishwasher and just overall be more proactive each Sunday. Thank you all!

JUNE MONTHLY CHARITY: Our Monthly Charity is for ORTHODOX GHANA – St. Peter’s College & Summer Camp. Please be generous!
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