Fr John served his first Divine Liturgy at Holy Ghost’s park grounds in Shelton on Sunday, June 30th.  It was a beautiful day filled with delicious food and great fellowship.  Thank you to everyone who helped make this picnic another success!

Enjoy ye all the feast of faith: Receive ye all the riches of loving-kindness. Let no one bewail his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed. Let no one weep for his iniquities, for pardon has shown forth from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Savior‟s death has set us free. He that was held prisoner of it has annihilated it. By descending into Hell, He made Hell captive. He embittered it when it tasted of His flesh. And Isaiah, foretelling this, did cry: Hell, said he, was embittered, when it encountered Thee in the lower regions. It was embittered, for it was abolished. It was embittered, for it was mocked. It was embittered, for it was slain. It was embittered, for it was overthrown. It was embittered, for it was fettered in chains. It took a body, and met God face to face. It took earth, and encountered Heaven. It took that which was seen, and fell upon the unseen.

PASCHAL SERMON OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

Holy Ghost Church had a surprise visit from His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon yesterday. Met Tikhon was on his way back from Boston where he was visiting His Eminence, Archbishop Nikon, who is in the hospital recovering from surgery. With Abp Nikon’s blessing, His Beatitude stopped in Bridgeport to attend the Divine Liturgy for the Second Sunday of Great Lent. At the end of the Liturgy he spoke briefly about his family history in New England (his ancestors go back to the 1620’s in Massachusetts) and encouraged everyone to find ways to integrate their Orthodox faith and their family backgrounds, wherever they come from. Orthodox Christianity is not just for people of “Eastern” origins! He held the Cross for parishioners to venerate and then after the Liturgy he had a tour of the church and saw its famous coronation bells and iconostasis, donated by Tsar Nicholas II in 1898. Rich Jankura led us up the into the bellower and explained the history. His Beatitude also saw the street ministry group in action preparing meatball sandwiches for the homeless. Later  Metropolitan Tikhon and Fr John visited Fr Steven Belonick (and Mat Deb) in Bridgeport Hospital. What an unexpected blessing it was to have His Beatitude visit us. May God grant him many years. Eis polla eti Despota!

Schedule of Services for Great Lent, Holy Week and Pascha 2019
Fr John will generally be available to hear Confessions 1 hour before mid-week services
and on Saturdays after Vespers (but check the schedule).

Holy Week and Pascha

Great and Holy Monday, April 22, 2019 – 7:00 pm
Bridegroom Matins, St George, Trumbull
Great and Holy Tuesday, April 23, 2019  – 5:00 pm Confessions
6:00 pm Bridegroom Matins

Great and Holy Wednesday, April 24, 2019  –  5:00 pm Confessions

6:00 pm Bridegroom Matins and Anointing

Great and Holy Thursday, April 25, 2019 –  9:00 am Vesperal Liturgy

6:00 pm Matins and 12 Passion Gospels

Great and Holy Friday April 26, 2019 –  2:00 pm Vespers with Burial of the Lord
6:00 pm Matins of Lamentations

Great and Holy Saturday April 27, 2019  –  9:00 am Vesperal Liturgy with Readings
Paschal Midnight Service 11:00 pm Nocturnes, Procession, Matins and Divine Liturgy of Pascha

Holy Pascha, April 28, 2019 –  12:00 pm Vespers of Pascha

Blessing of Easter Baskets will take place on Holy Saturday morning after the Divine
Liturgy; after the midnight Liturgy on Pascha night; and after Paschal Vespers.

This Sunday the parishes of Holy Ghost and St George came together for divine liturgy.  The Feast of Theophany was held at St George in Trumbull with Fr John Jillions presiding.  Parishoners of Holy Ghost were kindly welcomed by the members of St George.  A notable sermon was given by Fr John that recalled of the history of the two churches coming together in the past.  Thank you St George for a memorable liturgy!

This past Sunday the Holy Ghost community came together to fill 50 “St Nicholas Sacks” provided by FOCUS, for those in need in the surrounding towns.  Items such as toothpaste, tissues, and washcloths were stuffed in reusable canvas totes.  Church school children provided cards and parishoners donated items for the sacks.  The totes will be distributed in the coming weeks before Christmas.  Thank you to young and old who helped!

This Christmas season, Holy Ghost Church will partner with FOCUS North America, an Orthodox organization, aimed at providing action-oriented and sustainable solutions to poverty in communities, and deliver “St Nicholas Sacks.”     Sacks will be filled with various hygiene essentials such as toothpaste, tissues, and deodorant, as well as toys and games.  Fifty sacks will be assembled and delivered to those in need in the surrounding communities.  All are welcomed to contribute and participate in this first partnership with FOCUS.  We look forward to spreading some cheer to those in need!

The 25th Annual FORCC Benefit Banquet will be held on Sunday, October 7th at Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church, Park Ave., Bridgeport beginning at 1:00 P.M.  This year’s speaker is Father (Dr.) George Parsenios.  Father George is a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary and at Saint Vladimir’s Seminary. The title of his presentation will be “Holy Tradition & the Greatest Commandment:  Everyday Life & Our Orthodox Faith”.  For tickets, see Rich or Mary Ann Kendall, our FORCC representatives. (Tickets are not available at the door.)

Today marked another chapter for Holy Ghost.  Father John Jillions served his first Divine Liturgy as the parish’s new priest.  It was with great joy that Holy Ghost welcomed Father John Jillions and his wife Matuska Denise to the community.  Holy Ghost has been without a permanent priest since Fr Steven Belonick retired in October.  Fr David Mezynki has graciously served as our interim priest for the past 9 months.  A delicious brunch was prepared by a few members of the parish followed by a cake to celebrate the special occasion. Holy Ghost is very excited and blessed to have Fr John as its new priest!

A few words on Fr John, taken from the SVS Press website.

He joins the church after serving as Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America since 2011 and has been a member of the clergy for 34 years.  Before his role as Chancellor he was Associate Professor at the Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies at Saint Paul University in Ottawa, where he was a member of the Faculty of Theology since 2003. He taught courses in Orthodox Theology, 20th Century Orthodox Thought, New Testament, East-West Ecumenism, and Pastoral Theology. He also directed the DMin program there for several years.

Throughout his priestly and academic career he has taken an active interest in promoting inter- Christian and interfaith understanding, most notably as a vice-president of the Canadian Council of Churches and in the UK as a member of the Cambridge Theological Federation.

Father John was born in Montreal in 1955 and is a life-long member of the Orthodox Church. He has a B.A. in Economics from McGill University, and theological degrees from St. Vladimir’s Seminary (M.Div. ’80, D.Min. ’05), and the University of Thessaloniki (Ph.D., New Testament, ’02). Ordained a deacon in 1981 and priest in 1984, he served parishes in New York City, New Jersey, Australia (Brisbane), Greece (Thessaloniki), the UK (Cambridge), and Canada (Ottawa and Brockville, ON). He is currently rector of St. Sergius Chapel at the OCA Chancery in Oyster Bay Cove, New York.

Father John was founding director of the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies in Cambridge and served as its first Principal (1997–2002). Early in his career, he served as administrator of Ss. Cosmas and Damian Adult Home and as a bank officer. In 1990–92 he served a brief stint as a chaplain (Captain) in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. He is married to Denise (Melligon) and has three adult sons, Andrew (Alice and granddaughter Eloise), Alexander and Anthony.

Welcome Father John!  God grant you many years!