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:
