St. Thomas the Apostle
Romanian Orthodox Church
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Wednesday, January 24, 2024
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You were a disciple of Christ, and a member of the divine college of Apostles. Having been weak in faith you doubted the Resurrection of Christ, but by feeling the wounds you believed in His all-pure Passion: pray now to Him, O all-praised Thomas, to grant us peace and great mercy.
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A Message from Father
Un mesaj de la părintele
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Dearly Beloved,
Christ is in our midst!
By the mercy of our God and Savior Jesus Christ, we will continue having services every day, at our Church, including Catechism tonight, at 7 pm; Great Vespers and Confessions on Saturday, 5 pm, and Matins and Divine Liturgy on Sunday, starting from 8:45 am, ending with Sunday School on the same day 12:30 pm.
Please also note that next week we will be celebrating two important feasts of the Church, namely, that of the Three Holy Hierachs (Sfinții Trei Ierahi) on Tuesday, January 30, and the Meeting of the Lord (Întâmpinarea Domnului), Friday, on February 2. For both of these feasts we will be celebrating the Vesperal Divine Liturgy on their preceding days.
We will also continue to do the House Blessings. If you would like to have your house blessed in the new year, please call or text me at (914) 525-0758 or email me at fr.topris@gmail.com.
I would also like to remind you that the new financial pledge (membership) forms for 2024 are now available our website (CLICK HERE for the link), alongside having printed versions for distribution at the kiosk at the church.
It goes without saying that we continue to need your support and involvement in all the aspects of the church, since YOU are the church, and the church building and all that we have belongs to all who are part of the church, you and me both. We are called to be stewards of what God has entrusted to us, our gifts, or talents, and use them for the benefit of the community, so that like in the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14–30), those gifts might be multiplied, and that we may receive our reward from the Lord.
Finally, please note that we will be having our Parish General Assembly on February 25 this year, after the Divine Liturgy. If you have been a member for the last year, please make all the effort necessary in order to ensure your participation at this important event in the life of our Church.
As always, please make sure to double-check the Google Calendar on our website (https://www.stthomasstl.org) before coming to one of these services or other events, since at times there may be changes or cancellations to the schedule, due to unforeseen circumstances or unexpected events.
After the Sunday Divine Liturgy, you are of course also invited to join us for the Coffee Hour, generously sponsored by our Church's Aurora Ladies Auxiliary Organization; this week, it will be sponsored by Mirela Nicola. Thank you, Ladies, for your help; without your aid, our Church would not be able to organize any of our events.
We hope to see you this Sunday, as well as at the other services held at our Church!
In Christ,
Rev. Fr. Tiberiu Opriș
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Liturgical Schedule
Program liturgic
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Wednesday Jan 24th
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6:00 pm – Great Vespers
7:00 pm – Catechism Class
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Thursday Jan 25th
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Saint Gregory the Theologian, Archbishop of Constantinople
Saint Bretanion, Bishop of Tomis
7:45 am – Matins
(Reader's Service)
6:00 pm – Daily Vespers
(Reader's Service)
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Friday, Jan 26th
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Saint Joseph the Merciful, Metropolitan of Moldavia
7:45 am – Matins (Reader's Service)
6:00 pm – Great Vespers (Reader's Service)
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Saturday Jan 27th
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Translation of the Relics of Saint John Chrysostom,
Archbishop of Constantinople
8:00 am – Third and Sixth Hours, Typika (Reader's Service)
5:00 pm – Great Vespers
6:00 pm – Mystery of Holy Confession
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Sunday Jan 28th
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Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
(The Marriage of the King's Son)
8:45 am – Matins
10:00 am – Divine Liturgy
11:30 pm – Sunday School
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Monday Jan 29th
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6:00 pm – Vesperal Divine Liturgy
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Tuesday Jan 30th
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Synaxis of the Three Holy Hierarchs: Basil the Great,
Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom
8:00 am – Festal Matins
(Reader's Service)
6:00 pm – Daily Vespers
(Reader's Service)
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Wednesday Jan 31st
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8:00 am – Daily Matins
(Reader's Service)
6:00 pm – Daily Vespers
(Reader's Service)
7:00 pm – Catechism Class
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Epistle and Holy Gospel Readings
Citirile din Apostol și Evanghelie
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Epistle and Gospel Readings for the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
(The Marriage of the King's Son)
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Epistle Reading
2 Corinthians 1: 21–24; 2, 1–4
(click here for the text in Romanian)
Brethren, He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. Moreover I call God as witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth. Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand. But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me? And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.
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Holy Gospel Reading
Matthew 22: 2–14
(click here for the text in Romanian)
The Lord said this parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.” You're like your birth do you wanna watch your birds
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News and Announcements
Știri și Anunturi
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On January 25th
The Orthodox faithful celebrate the memory of Saint Gregory the Theologian, Archbishop of Constantinople.
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Financial Pledge Form for 2024
Formular de membrie pentru 2024
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The new financial pledge (membership) forms for 2024 are now available on our website. We also have printed copies available at our Church. Please fill them out and return them as soon as possible. Thank you for offering your time, talent, and financial support to St. Thomas!
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Pan-Orthodox Youth Retreat 2024
February 17
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TRAVEL THE WORLD
Youth on a Mission
For children in grades K – 8
Sign up to get your travelling papers and learn about five missionary countries where the Orthodox Church is growing through the efforts of missionaries and the support of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC).
See, Taste and Feel what it is like to live in Fiji, Guatemala, Romania, South Korea and Uganda as an Orthodox Christian.
Special: Parents Open Discussion – Help your children grow in the Faith.
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House Blessings for 2024
Binecuvântarea casei pentru anul 2024
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Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The season of Theophany is a time of renewal for us, a time to fully acknowledge the One into Whom we have been baptized, which means living a life devoted to loving God and our neighbor, as Christ did, going so far as to be nailed to the Cross for us all.
One of the ways that our faith encourages us to become once again aware of this is to have our houses blessed by the priest, so that the evil spirits that have made their dwelling in there might be banished, thus allowing us to continue to work our salvation through the renewed grace that is being given to us in this manner.
If you would like to schedule an appointment for a house blessing,
please contact Fr. Tiberiu at
(914) 525-0758 or fr.topris@gmail.com
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Prayers Requested
Să ne rugăm unii pentru alții
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Praying for each other is a tangible display of our love within the Christian family, a testament to our living faith. Just as our bodies require nourishment, our souls find sustenance in prayer. Scripture echoes this truth—Jesus advises us to 'watch and pray' (Matthew 26:41-42), and St. Paul sought the prayers of his fellow workers (2 Corinthians 1:11). In the words of James, 'Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, for powerful and effective is the prayer of the righteous' (James 5:16).
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Therefore, we invite you to pray for our fellow Orthodox Christians as such:
- For the healing of their soul and body: Mariana Magdalena, Hermina, Flori, George, Dianne Elizabeth, Aurica, Flora, Niculina, Antonia, Maria, Florica, Georgeta, Tatiana, Constantin Florin, Ioana.
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For the blessed repose of those fallen asleep in the Lord: Archpriest Michael, George, Archpriest Moses.
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For the progress in the Orthodox faith of the catechumens at our Church, and in all the Orthodox Churches, and for whom we pray at each and every Divine Liturgy, that they may be numbered among God's chosen flock: Michaela (Jacqueline) and Dymphna (Teresa).
In your mercy, you could also pray for the non-Orthodox Christians who:
- are suffering from various illnesses and afflictions: Diana, Bryan, Alexander, Chanda, Brianna, Haley, Andy, Luigi, Mandy, Dominic, Magdalena.
- have departed from this life: Adrian.
Please continue to pray also for the people who are impacted by the conflict in Ukraine, and also for all those who are suffering from the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, especially for the following:
Archimandrite Teofil, Protosyngellos Ioan, Protosyngellos Roman, Priestmonk Avraam, Nun Nicodima, Nun Nicolaida, Nun Tavita, Nun Iustina, Nun Veronica, Sister Maria, Sister Floarea, Sister Dorina, Sister Elena, Gabriel with his family, Roxana with her family, Priest David with his family.
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Help needed
Avem nevoie de ajutor
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Sound Technician - Enhance church acoustics.
Photography/Videography - Capture moments during services and events.
We're always seeking new ways for members to engage. Feel called to serve in these or other roles? Or have skills to benefit our community? Please reach out to Fr. Tiberiu via email or phone.
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Giving Back
Dând înapoi la caritate
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Andrei Ștefănescu, the FOCUS (Fellowship of Orthodox Christians United to Serve) representative for our Church, has set u p a collection bin for your donations in the social area of St. Thomas. We will periodically take your donations to St Michael's Orthodox Church, the HQ of FOCUS - St Louis / Gateway City. This is a great opportunity to put into practice what we hear preached at Church, so all of us are highly encouraged to participate as much as it is within our power, thus allowing Christ to work in and through us (the Liturgy after the Liturgy).
As part of the FOCUS Gateway City Pantry and Clothing Closet Rotation, our Church has been asked to bring the following items only:
- Big soup cans 18 oz
- Small soup cans 10 oz
You can also make a monetary donation if bringing these items to Church is not possible.
Please also note that FOCUS Gateway City recently launched a initiative meant to attract monthly sponsors who would commit to donating at least $25/month, in order to increase their income and be able to expand. In order to find out more, please access their website.
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Helping our Orthodox Friends in Alaska
Ajutându-i pe frații și surorile noștri ortodocși din Alaska
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Each Sunday until April 1, our Church will be taking a collection for the Orthodox Diocese of Alaska, according to the decision taken at the 2023 ROEA Congress, so that we may be fulfilling the task of loving our impoverished neighbors who are struggling to preach the Gospel under very difficult conditions.
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Vatra Generations Project
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Please help support the restoration of the historic hearth of the Romanian Orthodox faithful in North America, in order to honor the heritage of the Episcopate and to ensure that this treasure will be passed to future generations.
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Learn More
Află mai multe
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About us
Are you new here? Learn more about our church family.
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Want to learn more about what's happening in our community?
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Illness or Hospital Visits
In times of illness or hospitalization, it is crucial for Orthodox Christians or their relatives to promptly inform us.
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Thank You to Our Benefactors
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who supports and actively participates in the life of our church.
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