St. John Chrysostom Antiochian Orthodox Church in York, Pa.
St. John Chrysostom Church
St. John Chrysostom Antiochian Orthodox Church is a Pan-Orthodox English-Speaking parish of the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America. Visit our other website at http://yourpage.blazenet.net/Chrysostom/main.html.
2397 N. Sherman St .
Phone (717) 751-4709
York , PA 17402
"...the Disciples were called Christians first in Antioch!" Act 11:26
St. John Chrysostom Antiochian Orthodox Church is a parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America and the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East.
St. John Chrysostom Antiochian Orthodox Church was established in York in 1992 under the spiritual guidance of Patriarch Ignatios IV of Antioch in Syria, and his North American representative, Metropolitan Phillip. The Church of Antioch is one of the oldest Christen communities. As the Book of Acts tells us, it was in Antioch that "Christians" were first called by that name (Acts 11:26), and it was also from the Church of Antioch that Sts. Paul and Barnabas were sent out on their missionary journeys. Immigrants from Syria and Lebanon began to organize churches in the United States in 1895, and through them the two thousand year spiritual heritage of the Antiochian Patriarchate began to enrich the New World. It is to this same Church, tracing its unbroken historical roots back to Apostolic times, that St. John Chrysostom Antiochian Orthodox Church belongs.
Only about an eighth of St. John Chrysostom's parishioners trace their heritage back to Middle Eastern roots, however. St. John Chrysostom is a Pan-Orthodox parish, welcoming Christians of many different backgrounds, and celebrating all of its worship services in English. Our parishioners come from a host of Middle Eastern, Greek, Slavic, and Western European backgrounds.
The diversity of backgrounds at St. John Chrysostom attests to the appeal of Orthodoxy at a time when many religious groups have become accommodating and trendy. Many converts have sought out Orthodox Christianity in recent years, discovering its fidelity to the scriptural and doctrinal foundations of historic Christianity- its changeless expression of "the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." (Jude 3)
St. John Chrysostom Antiochian Orthodox Church has now grown to approximately eighty families. In addition to the choir and Sunday School Program, we have a functioning Antiochian Orthodox Women's chapter (St. Olympia Chapter), a Teen SOYO chapter and a JOY club for preteen youth.
In April of 1995 we were able, by God's grace, to purchase 14 acres of property at the corner of N. Sherman Street and Druck Valley Road. On April 28, 1997 we began construction of our first church building upon this tract of land. This building was completed in October of 1997. We are currently in the second phase of our building program. Construction of our permanent temple and a Sunday Church School wing began in March of this year with completion expected in the fall.
We invite you to visit us, and learn more about us. If you have any questions, or if I can be of service in any way, please do not hesitate to write or call me.
Yours in the service of Christ,
Fr. Peter Pier
Pastor, St. John Chrysostom Antiochian Orthodox Church
(717) 757-2222
Please direct any questions or comments about this site itself to aljadam@suscom.net
The Consecration of St. John Chrysostom Antiochian Orthodox Church in York, PA – Nov 14
Wednesday November 17, 2004
Unless the LORD builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it; -Psalm 121:1
This weekend the parish of St. John Chrysostom Antiochian Orthodox Church in York, PA opened their doors for all to come and see the house the Lord has built among them. Guests, friends and family, including their beloved Bishop ANTOUN, joined this loving orthodox community in joyful worship and fellowship to celebrate their twelfth anniversary. During services and events throughout the weekend the congregation expressed great thanks and praise to God for the many blessings He has given this parish over the years. Included most recently among those blessings is the completion and consecration of their new church building and Christian education wing. Throughout the weekend, in conversations and speeches, parishioners and parish council members also expressed thanks for the wonderful support and leadership of our Archdiocese, especially that given by His Eminence Metropolitan PHILLIP and His Grace Bishop ANTOUN.
The arrival of Bishop ANTOUN on Friday afternoon marked the beginning of the weekend’s celebration itinerary. His Grace’s arrival was followed that night with the celebration of Evening Divine Liturgy for St. John Chrysostom (the patron saint of the parish). After Liturgy, Bishop ANTOUN had dinner with the parish council.
Saturday morning, when Bishop ANTOUN arrived to bless the dedication of the Christian education wing, he found himself surrounded by young children offering him gifts of song, cards, and their love. The parish also had another surprise for Bishop ANTOUN that morning. The parish dedicated the Christian education wing in his honor for all of his spiritual guidance over the years. The dedication plaque which they presented reads,
“This Christian Education Wing dedicated to the visionary leadership of Bishop ANTOUN Khouri November 13th 2004.”
After the dedication, the Antiochian Orthodox Women hosted a brunch in honor of Bishop ANTOUN.
Saturday night’s Vespers service included guests from local area clergy representing OCA, Serbian, and Bulgarian Macedonian jurisdictions. Vespers was followed by a wine and cheese reception for Bishop ANTOUN and guest clergy.
Sunday morning began with Orthros at 9am. Then the service celebrated only once in a lifetime of an Orthodox Church, the Consecration of St. John Chrysostom Antiochian Orthodox Church.
Holy Relics are carried to the Altar by Father Theodore Pulcini. Bishop ANTOUN reverences the relics as children gather around to be close to the service.
Bishop ANTOUN in the Savanon, together with serving priests, takes great care with washing the altar.
One parishioner commented at how moved she was to see the great care Bishop ANTOUN and serving priests took in the washing of the Holy Table during the consecration. She recognized they were washing a Holy Table they loved and respected. She said she was reminded of how a bride might be cared for by family and prepared for her groom, and how this was an initiation and a cleansing for our parish to serve as Christ’s bride.
The vesting and adornment of the Holy Table
The consecration was followed by Hierarchical Divine Liturgy with Bishop ANTOUN as celebrant. The priests Father Theodore Pulcini from Saint Mary’s in Chambersburg, PA, and Father Michael Kovach from Christ the Saviour Orthodox Church (OCA) in Harrisburg, PA, served along with Father Peter Pier during the Liturgy. Deacon Elias Yelovich (a frequent guest and speaker at the parish) also from Saint Mary’s in Chambersburg, PA, served as deacon along with St. John Chrysostom parish’s own Deacon John Shumski.
Hierarchical Divine Liturgy with Bishop ANTOUN as celebrant
Bishop ANTOUN blesses the little children after Divine Liturgy
After Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, Bishop ANTOUN inducted members of the parish Francis Patrick Barrett and Marko Bourne into the Order of St. Ignatius.
As this is a parish that loves to be together in worship and in fellowship, it was fitting that the celebration concluded with a Grand Banquet in which parishioners and guests shared a meal, memories of the past twelve years, toasts for the future and mutual exhortation to never stop being the welcoming community they have worked to be since their beginning.
Read the offsite article:
Prayers for a holy place St. John Chrysostom Antiochian Orthodox Church declared its building sacred in a consecration service Sunday.
See photos of the construction of the new church:
http://yourpage.blazenet.net/Chrysostom/construction.html
Pictures of The Consecration of St. John Chrysostom Antiochian Orthodox Church in York, PA
The censing of the church temple, blessing it with holy water and anointing it with Holy Chrism.
As the children look on.
The parish worships together to celebrate this blessed occasion.
After Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, Bishop ANTOUN inducted members of the parish Francis Patrick Barrett and Marko Bourne into the of Order of St. Ignatius.
Bishop ANTOUN with Order members gathered around him, speaks of the importance of the work of the Order of
Connecting Within Our Parish
The high school Sunday church school class is working on a project to help keep the parish informed and connected. Click on the links to the left for homily summaries and announcements. Send your ideas to this timm@timmwenger.com address.
Homilies
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Fr. Peter started with a quote, "God made man in His image and ever since, man has been trying to return the favor." We give God our attributes when we trying to justify our sins. We've seen the signs in front of churches: "All Welcome Here." These are some of the same churches that proclaim the "Jesus of tolerance," which accept anyone without saying anything about a person's sin.
Jesus does indeed accept everyone, but He also calls all to repentance and says, "Go and sin no more." There is a difference between God's image and God's likeness. We are all created in His image and are called to grow into His likeness. As Peter says in one of his epistles, "We become partakers of the divine nature. Our job is to live in His image and realize His nature in us. How?
Fr. Peter mentioned that we are to exercise the disciplines, including: confession and receiving forgiveness; fasting; praying; and giving alms (a way to love others as God loves us).
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Fr. Peter spoke about the Apostle James, the brother of the Lord, whom we are commemorating today. James, one of the 70 apostles, was the first bishop of Jerusalem. He was called James the Just, because of his righteousness. His other name is Camel Knees, because, as tradition holds, he spent so much time praying on his knees that he developed callouses that made his knees look like a camel's knees. This James is also the author of the Epistle of James and of the first liturgy used by the Church (which is still used in Jerusalem to this day). He was a great teacher who converted others.
Why is it important to commemorate saints such as James? Fr. Peter shared two reasons:
1. Saints shows us what we are capable of becoming by God's grace. The saints instruct us to be more than we are. To say that we are all that we can be is to deny God's power.
2. The saints continue to intercede for us. Who better to pray for us than Camel Knees? In his epistle, James writes that the effective prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much. He knew this from firsthand experience.
Sunday, October 16, 2005
Fr. Peter shared from this morning's Gospel reading, the parable of the sower. The seeds represent various types of people: those with hard hearts, those who have no root, those who allow Christ to be choked out by earthly cares, adn those who allow the Word to take root and bear fruit. The message of this passage is to "Be Good Soil."
Fr. Peter noted that in our lives we are not always the same soil. We can be different types of soil at different times in our lives. He shared an example of a young woman in his youth group who bore good fruit. Several years later, she saw Fr. Peter and told him that she had made decisions that were not bearing Godly fruit in her life. However, last year, Fr. Peter saw her again and was glad to hear that she is now actively involved in a church and is bearing good fruit again.
Fr. Peter reminded us to be vigilant to remain good soil and to not give up on others who may not be open to receiving the Word now. God doesn't give up on them, and they may be ready to receive the "seed" at another point in their lives.
Sunday, October 9, 2005
Fr. Peter shared from this morning's Gospel reading, St. Luke 7:11-16. The widow of Nain was burying her only son, full of grief. Not only was she now alone, she also had no one to take care of her. Jesus saw her mourning and raised her son from death. This story shows two things about God:
1. His power over death. This story, along with other examples from the Scriptures (Elijah raising the son of the widow of Zarephath, Jesus raising Jairus' daughter and Lazarus) were given to us that we may believe that God is all powerful. Jesus' resurrection was even greater than the above examples; his resurrection can translate us into an immortal existence, whereas the the widows' sons, Jairus' daughter, and Lazarus were returned to mortal life; they died again.
2. His compassion. The story of the widow of Nain is one of the few examples of Jesus healing someone without anyone asking. Jesus saw the woman's tears and responded out of his love and compassion for her.
Fr. Peter reminded us that it is proper for us to mourn when someone dies. However, we are not to weep as those who have no hope. God's power gives us life and his compassion gives us comfort.
Sunday, October 2, 2005
Fr. Peter started by talking about how Bishop ANTOUN regularly "yelled" at our parish, "Next year you will break ground. Next year you will consecrate a new Church building." Even though it may have sounded like yelling, Bishop ANTOUN said these things as a loving father for our parish. In the same way, Fr. Peter admonished us to show more respect to God by being on time to Church and not going in and out of the nave during Divine Liturgy.
He shared a story from his teen years when he attended a Jefferson Airplane concert (his favorite band). He arrived early so as not to miss anything, and even though the concert started late and lasted five hours, he stayed for the whole concert (and ended up being grounded for getting home late). We make time for the things we value. Do we value being in the presence of God enough to arrive on time, stay involved so as not to miss anything, and be glad when the Divine Liturgy may go longer than anticipated?
Announcements
Sunday, November 27, 2005
There is liturgy for St. Andrew on Tuesday evening at 6:00 p.m., following Vespers at 5:30 p .m.
Fr. Peter is prepared to hear confessions on Saturday evenings after Vespers and by appointment.
There's an Advent Retreat at Holy Cross Church in Linthicum, Md. on Saturday.
The AOW is selling poinsettias. Don't forget to submit payment for the Christmas card.
JOY Club is setting up a mitten tree on Saturday around 4 or 4:30 p.m. Bring a snack and plan to stay for Vespers.
The coffee hour schedule is being revamped. In the meantime, for coffee hour in December, everyone who wants to can bring a snack, based on this schedule:
12/4: last names beginning with A to F
12/11: last names beginning with G to L
12/18: last names beginning with M to R
12/25: last names beginning with S to Z
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Today there was a special offer for seminarians.
The Bible study continues on Wednesday evening at 7 p.m.
Sign up for the Grand Banquet during our Patronal Weekend, November 12 and 13. Vespers on Saturday evening will be at 5 p.m., with the Grand Banquet following. On Sunday, there will be Orthros and Hierarchical Liturgy.
Next week is the Annual Parish Meeting, following Divine Liturgy.
Deacon Elias of St. Mary's in Chambersburg is being elevated to the Priesthood today.
The McLootas are celebrating their 30th anniversary.
Tomorrow is Fr. Peter's birthday. God grant him many years!
Sunday, October 16, 2005
There is a collection for Special Olympics today.
The Teen SOYO is having a sandwich sale today.
There is no vespers service planned for this Saturday evening, October 22.
The Bible study (1 Corinthians) continues this Wednesday.
Sign up for the patronal weekend banquet by the end of October.
The AOW is putting together a cookbook to raise funds for the kitchen project. Submit your recipes to Susie Troop or Suha Ayoub.
Sunday, October 9, 2005
Coffee hour today is hosted by the Dr. Julie Nickles and her family in honor of Tom Sauer, for whom the memorial was celebrated today.
The JOY Club Saints Festival will be held after Sunday Church school today.
Next Sunday, Teen SOYO will be selling sandwiches as a fundraiser.
The Bible study on the Book of Acts will begin this Wednesday at 7 p.m.
It's time to begin signing up for the dinner and dance for our Patronal celebration on November 12.
Bill Bennett and Cindy Skopic invite everyone to their wedding this Saturday at 11 a.m.
Next Sunday's Scripture Readings: Titus 3:8-15 (Sunday of the Holy Fathers) and Luke 8:5-15 (4th Sunday of St. Luke)
Sunday, October 2, 2005
Today begins SOYO month, during which Teen SOYO and JOY Club will help with the ushering, read the Epistle (today Nicholas Pier did a great job!), and take up the collection.
The Saints Festival for the JOY Club is next Sunday after Church school.
The AOW will be selling frosted pecans as a fundraiser again this year.
Please pray for the Stikas' daughter who was in an accident yesterday.
Thomas Sauer, the father Ashley and Christina Nickles, passed away this week.