Parish Council Meeting
The October Parish Council meeting will be this Monday, October 12
at 7PM.* *Anyone interested can attend.
Supplication Service for our Bishops
On October 15-17, our North American Antiochian bishops will gather
in Houston for their Fall Synod meeting. In order that we may properly
support our beloved bishops in prayer as they make God-pleasing decisions
for the welfare of our Holy Church, we will have a supplication service this
Wednesday October 14, at 7PM, asking that God would help them to administer
the Church in the power of the Holy Spirit, and "rightly divide the word of
truth".
OCF Dinner and Gathering at Branch-Peterson's House
On Friday, October 16, beginning at 5PM (come when you can), the OCF
(college group) is invited to Robert Peterson and Lori Branch's home (831
Dearborn St., Iowa City) for a soup supper and time of fellowship.
Holy Bread Baking Session for Sunday School Children
All St. Raphael Church children are invited to Newman and Kristi
Abuissa's home (1428 Buresh Ave., Iowa City) at 3PM to help bake the holy
bread for next Sunday.
Run for the Schools
Next Sunday, October 18, is the Run for the Schools Race in Iowa
City. Our church building is right along a heavily used portion of the race
course. Please keep in mind that parking may be much more difficult next
Sunday because of the race. Our portion of College Street will be closed to
traffic for probably most of the morning. The public parking garage on
College St., between Gilbert St. and Van Buren St. may be your best option
for parking, but you will likely have to enter the garage from Washington
St. Please allow yourself some extra time in order to find parking.
Special Olympics Awareness Day
Next Sunday, October 18 is Special Olympics Awareness Day across our
Archdiocese. Nationally, Teen SOYO groups will be sponsoring the 29th
Annual* *Special Olympics Sports Camp this next summer at the Antiochian
Village.* *More than 240 athletes and coaches participated in our camp last
summer. Teen SOYO members come from all over North America to volunteer
their time, to reach out to others, and to fulfill the Gospel: "Inasmuch as
you did it to the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." (Matthew
25:40) On Sunday October 18, our teens will solicit your financial
donations to enable them to sponsor the 2010 camp. Please be generous in
helping our teens raise $50,000. As an expression of our teens' gratitude
for your support of this important project, you will receive an icon
bookmark of intercessory saints written by the hand of Nick Pappas. Thanks
for your help!
Introduction to Orthodoxy Class
A seven week Introduction to Orthodoxy class has begun and will
continue to meet on October 19, 25, November 2, 9, 23, 30. This class is
designed for newcomers and those interested in exploring the Orthodox faith,
and everyone else who feels they would like a little more teaching about
what the Orthodox Church is, and what we believe. Please contact Fr.
Ignatius if you are interested in attending. It's not too late.
Russian Language Class
Beginner's Russian language classes has started meeting at church
weekly on Wednesdays at 7PM.* *Please contact our teacher Olena
Bezugla/Coffin at olena.coffin@yahoo.com if you are interested.
Nativity Liturgy Choir Rehearsal
During the Nativity season which begins November 15, we switch to
more Russian-style music for the Liturgy. In order to prepare for that and
other music coming up at the end of the year, the choir will be holding an
important, BIG rehearsal on Saturday, October 31 from 9AM-12PM (or so) at
the church. If you sing in the choir, please plan on coming to this special
rehearsal in order to learn the upcoming music.
Patronal Feast Day Services
This year, St. Raphael's feast day is Saturday, November 7 (always
the first Saturday of November.) We will remember our heavenly patron with
Vespers with Litia/Artoklasia on Friday, November 6 at 7PM and Matins at
8:45AM followed by 10AM Liturgy on Saturday. Does anyone want to go out for
lunch afterward?
Younkers "Community Day" Fundraiser
St. Raphael Church is selling coupon booklets for the Younkers
Community Day sale on November 14. For a $5 donation to the church Building
Fund, you get a booklet with a $10 off coupon, and many other discounts,
redeemable at Younkers or any Bon-Ton owned store. St. Raphael Church keeps
the $5, and you keep the savings. See Fr. Ignatius for details.
Overflow Shelter Volunteering
During the cold winter months, local churches and other
organizations in Iowa City work to provide an area where people who do not
have a bed in the local shelter, because of a lack of space, can find a warm
place to sleep. This winter, St. Patrick's Catholic Church has volunteered
the use of their parish hall for this purpose. St. Raphael Church has
volunteered to provide staffing for the week of January 17-23, 2010 for this
overflow shelter. Three volunteers are needed each night, for shifts of 3-4
hours in length. Volunteers need to attend one of the required training
sessions:
October 22 (Thursday) - Zion Lutheran Church at 7 pm;
October 25 (Sunday) - Congregational UCC at 7 pm;
October 29 (Thursday) - Zion Lutheran Church at 7 pm;
November 5 (Thursday) - Zion Lutheran Church at 7 pm;
November 10 (Tuesday) - First United Methodist Church at 7 pm
For further information, or to volunteer, please contact Amy Jongeling at
319-331-2275 or ajongeli@gmail.com
Do You Have a Prayer Request?
Please give it to Fr. Ignatius and he will distribute it by email to
all those on the Prayer Chain. If you wish to join the Prayer Chain, please
let Fr. Ignatius know.
Holy Bread and Coffee Hour
On Sunday, October 18, the Sunday School children will provide the
holy bread. We do not yet have a volunteer to provide food for coffee
hour. Thank you in advance. Anybody who would like to host the coffee hour
or bake the holy bread can sign up to do so.
Food For Thought
For we have shown that the Son of God did not begin to exist when he became
incarnate, and was made man, [for he was] eternally with the Father; rather
[when he became incarnate] he recapitulated in himself the long narration of
human beings, furnishing us... with salvation, so that what we lost in Adam
to be according to the image and likeness of God- we might recover in Christ
Jesus.
St. Irenaeus of Lyons, "Against Heresies" 3.18.1.
