ANNUAL MEETING
This Sunday following Liturgy, St. Luke Parish held its Annual Parish Meeting. Reports from parish council members, ministry leaders, and Fr. Paul were prepared and distributed to all parishioners. The annual budget was presented and approved as well as any new business. We thank all involved for the work and dedication and ask God to help us in the upcoming year.
HIS GRACE BISHOP PAUL VISITS ST. LUKE PARISH
This Sunday His Grace, the Right Reverend Paul, Bishop of Chicago and the Diocese of the Midwest visited St. Luke Parish for Divine Liturgy.
Bishop Paul at the altar.
Scene from the Liturgy.
Scene from the Liturgy.
Ispola Eti Despota – Many Long Years.
The Epistle is read.
His Grace shares his widsom with the parish during the sermon.
Scene from the Liturgy.
Following the conclusion of the Liturgy, Bishop Paul visited the Church School classes and then shared a luncheon and fellowship with the parishioners. We thank Bishop Paul for taking the time to spend his day with us.
DIVINE LITURGY FOR THE FEAST OF EPIPHANY
This week we celebrated Divine Liturgy celebrating the Baptism of Christ. The feast is called Epiphany or Theophany which means shining forth or manifestation. At the conclusion of Liturgy, Father Paul led a procession blessing the building.
The procession ended at our Prayer Shrine where our well(the source of our water) is located.
Father Paul dsimisses the parishioners.
GARDEN CENTER VISIT FOR JANUARY
Deacon John’s first visit to the Garden Center started with the story of John baptizing Jesus in the Jordan. As soon as John had baptized Jesus, the sky opened, and the Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a dove, and the voice of God was heard, saying, “THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED.”
Deacon John explained how we can show our love for God through prayer and kindness to others.
Residents watched eagerly as Deacon John and Stea sliced the sweet bread. This tradition from the fourth century, when St. Basil the Great, who was a bishop, wanted to distribute money to the poor. He didn’t want it to look like charity, so he commissioned some women to bake sweetened bread, in which he arranged to place gold coins. The families were pleasantly surprised to find the coins.
Conversation was a little slow at the end of our visit, everyone was too busy enjoying Stea’s sweet bread. Donna found the coin, and she beamed with joy.
LITURGY OF ST. BASIL AND ST. BASIL’S BREAD (VASILOPITA)
On New Year’s Day, St. Luke Parish celebrated the Liturgy Of St. Basil and blessing of St. Basil’s Bread (Vasilopita). Father Paul prays over and blesses the Vasilopita.
After the blessing the bread is cut.
The bread is given to all those present. Hidden in the bread is a coin. Tradition holds that whoever receives the coin receives the blessing of St. Basil for the coming year.