Everyone must wear a face mask indoors. Please bring one from home.

Help us stay safe and remain 6 ft apart especially while waiting in line for communion or to venerate the cross after liturgy.

Thank you

Fr George M Coca and  Spiro C. Fatsy, Parish Council President

We will celebrate the major feast day of the church, Elevation of the Cross, on Monday, September 13 and Tuesday, September 14

Vespers will be held on Monday evening at 6:00 and Holy Liturgy on Tuesday at 10:00am. Welcome visitors from St George Albanian Church who will join us for liturgy and then for coffee in the Tonna Hall.

Elena (Helen) Nicola Olszyk, of Shelton, beloved wife of Richard Olszyk, passed away on Saturday, September 4. Born a day after the 1938 Hurricane, Helen was delivered by her midwife grandmother on September 23, 1938, to the late Vasil and Parascheva Demeter Nicola. She  was raised in Bridgeport, graduated from Bassick High School and worked at Perkin Elmer and Oxford Health.

Helen loved the water and would swim laps year round in an indoor pool, but, as soon as it was warm enough, would be found with her gang of friends at Jennings Beach in Fairfield. She and Marie spent weekends with cousins at Matunick beach in Rhode Island and made trips to Cape Cod.

Helen was an avid fan of all the Boston sports teams and would eagerly talk about games, players and statistics but the Red Sox held a special place in hear heart. Every year on her birthday Jimmy would take her to Yankee Stadium for a game between the rival teams and they would sit in his seats on the first base line.

She enjoyed all sorts of travel and loved to go to outdoor concerts at Tanglewood in Lenox, MA with her sister Marie, cruises to sunny climates or local trips to art exhibits.

A lifelong member of St. Dimitrie Orthodox Church, Helen belonged to the Ladies Auxiliary and attended weekly “Living Our Faith” classes and was always ready to visit shut ins or help at the Festival.

Helen is survived by several cousins and was predeceased by her sister, Marie and brother James Nicola. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, September 9 at 11:00am at St. Dimitrie Orthodox Church, 504 Sport Hill Rd., Easton with burial to follow in Lakeview Cemetery. Friends may call at the Church on Thursday from 10:00am - 11:00am until the time of services. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Dimitrie Church. Arrangements in the care of the Lesko & Polke Funeral Home. To sign an online register or to get travel directions, please visit www.LeskoPolkeFuneralHome.com

To know and experience the love of GOD –Father, Son and Holy Spirit; to worship Him in spirit and in truth as taught by the Lord through His Apostles; and to welcome and encourage others to know and love Him! 

You will be required to adhere to the following CDC Directives: 

1. Everyone must wear a face mask. Please bring one from home.

2. Your temperature will be taken with a thermal thermometer as you enter. Anyone displaying a fever will not be permitted to enter.

3. You will be required to use hand sanitizer (made available in the vestibule).

4. You will have to sign in–name and phone number–for our records in order to do tracking just in case, God forbid, someone contracts the virus. 
   
   By signing in each week, you are agreeing to what is stated in the document “COVID-19 Sign-in Sheet.” These notices will also be posted at church.

5. You will be allowed to sit in the open pews keeping the proper distance (6 feet or 2 meters) between each other unless you live together. Alternate rows will be taped off.

6. . HOLY COMMUNION - When you approach the chalice, you will be given a napkin to hold under your chin and I will use a new, disposable spoon for each person who receives the body and blood of Christ.  

7. No handshakes or hugs (I’m sorry ‘cause I want to hug all of you). 

8. Icons, etc. should not be kissed, it would be fine to bow your head.

9. Unfortunately, there will be no Fellowship Hour in the Hall until further notice.

10. We will try to have doors open so that you don’t have to touch handles.

11. There will be no books in the pews so that you don’t have to worry about touching them.

12. The pews and all items will be disinfected after each service and multiple doors will be open after the service so that we can keep our distance while exiting. 

13. We may offer nafura (church bread) in the most sanitary manner possible. 

    I urge those of you who are among the more vulnerable to not rush back just yet and if you don’t feel safe, it’s alright to excuse yourself. We are in very careful times and we want everyone to be safe and to stay safe. I know that the Church should be the best and safest place to be, but we also have to be sensible. We don’t need to test the Lord and His care and love for us. 

    God bless us and protect us and keep us safe. 

    With love and concern for all of you, 

    Fr. George

Many parishioners have been expressing a desire to have candles lit and prayers said for them. Click the "Prayers and Virtual Candles" tab above (it will appear white when you mouse over it.)

1. Request Candles be lit
2. Submit Prayer Requests (confidential between you and Fr George)
3. Make Donations

For additional information click this link for a pdf outlining step by step instructions.

This year because of our limitations in participating in our hall, Ladies’ Auxiliary President Diane Nicola asked the ladies not to bring food for Caraga. Instead, they were requested to help our kitchen crew by bringing kitchen supplies. P-sa Marian said she felt like Christmas with the all the “gifts” that were brought. The above picture shows her with all the supplies brought just by Evelyn Balamaci.

God bless our Ladies' Auxiliary and all the generous contributors from so many ladies. I’m sorry we can’t name all of you individually- God bless! Thank you so much for your kindness. Please consider joining them as members of our Auxiliary in Fellowship and working for the Parish---and fun times, too!

Please keep in mind we can always use these donations

Congratulations to our new officers. May God bless their work for St Dimitrie and our community. 

President  - Diana Nicola
Vice President - Marie Wood
Treasurer - Linda Lazar
Secretary/Recording Administrator - Annette Shawah
Auditors - Audrey Fatsy and Jennie Babu
Membership - Marie Agostin
 

A special thanks to outgoing President Betsy Cipu, who has been President of the Ladies for a total of 16 years, and her outgoing officers.

Our own vegan chef extraordinaire, Linda Soper-Kolton offers her recipe blog to our community.  All her recipes are meat- and dairy-free.  You can even search for recipies by meal or specific ingredient. 

She also has written a vegan cookbook for the Catskill Sanctuary called "Compassionate Cuisine: The Cookbook" .  See her for information about purchasing a copy.

Linda - Thank you for your sharing your gifts with us

St. Dimitrie 's new icons are in the Pulse Section of Saturday's (8/31/13) CT Post!  See the article "Creative Gifts, Spirituality Shine in Icon Painter's Art"

http://www.ctpost.com/entertainment/article/Creative-gifts-spirituality-shine-in-icon-4769165.php