Service Schedule

Saturdays
  • 6:00 pm - Great Vespers​
Sundays
  • 8:50 am - Orthros
  • 10:00 am - Divine Liturgy
Feast Day Liturgies
  • 6:00 pm - Preceding Evening
Confession

Upcoming Events

Weekly Church Bulletin
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News & Events

Holy Week, Pascha, & Bright Monday
Saturday April 12 - Monday April 21, 2025

Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!

Our Holy Week began with Lazarus Saturday and preparations for the coming week, including folding palms, preparing candles for Holy Wednesday and Thursday, and decorating the frame for the Bridegroom icon.

Sunday we joyously celebrated Palm Sunday as well as the first of the Bridegroom matins services that took place Monday evening and Tuesday evening as well. Wednesday we received Holy Unction and Thursday morning we celebrated Vesperal Divine Liturgy for the Last Supper and the Foot Washing.

Thursday night was the service of the 12 Passion Gospels and the men’s vigil by the Tomb which took place all night until Royal Hours on Friday Morning. Friday afternoon and evening was the Unnailing Vespers and Lamentations with the procession of the bier. 

After the Friday evening Lamentations the Teen SOYO held their own vigil at the tomb until midnight. Holy Saturday began with Divine Liturgy in the morning and the harrowing of Hell, and Saturday night, we celebrated Great and Holy Pascha! 

Sunday we held Agape Vespers where volunteers read the Gospel in different languages (this year included German, Japanese, Latin, Dutch, and others). 

Finally, on Bright Monday, we celebrated Divine Liturgy and the Blessing of the Graves. This long and wonderful week is capped off with a luncheon of steak, chicken, wedge salads, and more that we all enjoy after the Bright Monday services and an in-depth cleaning of the church and parish hall. 
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​It was truly a blessed week of worship and celebration! Christ is Risen!

Heirarchical Divine Liturgy with His Grace Bishop JOHN
Sunday, March 2, 2025

We venerate Your most pure image, O Good One, / and ask forgiveness of our transgressions, O Christ God. / Of Your own will You were pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh / to deliver Your creatures from bondage to the enemy. / Therefore with thanksgiving we cry aloud to You: / You have filled all with joy, O our Savior, / by coming to save the world.
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On Sunday, March 9, we celebrated the first week of Great Lent which is traditionally the Sunday of Orthodoxy. His Grace Bishop JOHN joined us for Hierarchical Divine Liturgy after which the St. John’s youth joined the clergy to process around the church with their icons. Every year this is done to commemorate the Triumph of Orthodoxy over the heresy of the Iconoclasts!

St. John Hosts Pan Orthodox Vespers
Saturday, March 8, 2025

This year, we had the honor of hosting the annual Orthodox Council of Churches of South Central PA's(OCCSCP) annual Triumph of Orthodoxy/Pan Orthodox Vespers! On the evening of Saturday, March 8th we welcomed parishioners from many of the 15 Orthodox churches that are members of the OCCSCP, along with 13 priests, deacons, and His Grace Bishop JOHN.
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Clergy and Parishioners came together to show unity of the faith and commemorate the restoration of the holy icons after the iconoclast controversy.  For more information about the Sunday of Orthodoxy please visit: https://www.antiochian.org/regulararticle/31. 

Every year, the location of the vespers service is held at a different church and we all have the honor of coming together to celebrate the Triumph of Orthodoxy. This year, Bishop JOHN was our speaker. After vespers all attendees were invited to stay for a wonderful lenten meal and fellowship in the St. John’s fellowship hall.

The charity for the evening was the Women’s Care Center in York, PA (womenscarecenter.org).

DMC/Teen Retreat
Saturday, March 8, 2025

On Saturday, our teens traveled to St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Washington, D.C. for the DMC Spring Retreat! Joining adults (who participated in retreat sessions with Fr. Paul Abernathy), as well as His Grace Bishop THOMAS and teens from parishes in Pennsylvania and Maryland, the teens took part in a retreat led by Fr. Joshua Burnett.
The day started with morning prayers which were followed by an icebreaker. Each teen shared their name, home parish, age, fun fact, and what type of potato they’d be - which got everyone laughing and ready for their collaborative activity. Once they’d gotten to know each other a bit, they broke out into groups and worked together to create advertising videos for the Oratorical Festival, Bible Bowl, and other PLC activities. 
The teens’ retreat sessions were led by Fr. Joshua who talked about turning the other cheek, helping those in need, and other topics. The floor was then opened for an Ask Abuna session where Fr. Joshua answered the teens’ questions about the iconostasis, head coverings, and other topics related to the liturgy.
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The day ended with a community service project of assembling care packages for those in need in Pittsburgh. These hygiene kits will go to the Neighborhood Resilience Project, a ministry of St. Moses the Black parish in Pittsburgh.

Forgiveness Vespers
Sunday, March 2, 2025

Following Divine Liturgy and Coffee Hour on Sunday on March 2, the faithful of St. John's celebrated Forgiveness Vespers.  At the end of the service all the faithful approach the priest and one another asking for mutual forgiveness.   Over 100 people were in attendance!  Please read this reflection on the Forgiveness.  [Click Here]

Teen SOYO Church Cleaning
Saturday, March 1, 2025

Every year we are blessed by the Teen SOYO’s generosity as they clean the church for Clean Week! On Saturday, March 1, the teens gathered at the church to tackle the extensive deep cleaning of the sanctuary, narthex, and other areas. 
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​The teens took this opportunity to discuss fasting, renewal, and repentance. We start our fasting from meat and dairy and we renew ourselves by attending more church services during the first week. During this time, we start to repent and change our behaviors and attitudes to turn towards Christ.  

All of these things are a cleaning of our souls. What better way to meditate on these ideas than to clean the church as it is a temple of God?
The teens wiped down all wooden icons, cleaned the Bishop’s Throne, reached high up to clean the cobwebs from the ceiling and vents, and wiped down the Baptismal Font and windows. They also vacuumed the Iconostasis and choir area, mopped the nave floor, and more!
We ended by reflecting on 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 “Do you now know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" and enjoyed some pizza before attending vespers.

Thank you teens for taking such great care of our church!

Family Fun Night
Friday, February 14, 2025

On Valentine’s Day, the families of St. Johns gathered for a Family Fun Night! This annual tradition is an evening of games, food, and family time to brighten the winter and come together for fellowship before Lent begins.
​Everyone enjoyed trivia and other games, fantastic food brought as a potluck, and more. Huge thank you to Kh. Pam for organizing this fun evening!

Ladies Tea
Saturday, January 18, 2025

The ladies of St. John Chrysostom gathered on Saturday, January 18 for their annual winter retreat! Finding inspiration in the quote from Saint Sophrony Sakharov who encourages us to “draw back a little, and have a cup of tea”, the ladies hosted an afternoon tea. We were honored to have Fr. Ed Hughes as our retreat leader who spoke to us about Hieromonk Seraphim, St. Sophrony, and their guidance regarding God’s control of our lives.
Fr. Ed shared stories from his own ministry as a parish priest, and walked us through St. Seraphim’s spiritual testament titled “That Was From Me.” This beautiful document expresses time and again how God provides all for us–even the things we may think are bad are given to us as gifts to help us strengthen our faith and belief in God’s power. 
​Thank you to Fr. Ed as well as all the ladies who attended and helped provide food and tea for a wonderful and spiritually enriching afternoon.

Mini Oratorical Workshop
Saturday, January 11, 2025

Saturday, January 11 was St. John Chrysostom’s 2nd annual mini-oratorical workshop! Our teens gathered with peers at St. Philips in Souderton, PA to participate in an afternoon of fellowship, workshop, and oratorical practice. 
The group of teens was introduced to the Oratorical Festival that takes place every year at the PLC with a brief overview. V.Rev. Noah Bushelli led the introduction, followed by words from the previous year’s Oratorical winner, then attendees took part in two sessions. The first session was about research and the anatomy of an oratorical presentation: developing an introduction, body, and conclusion. The second session was all about presentation, from pacing and speaking volume, to confidence, gestures, and tips on how to avoid mumbling. 
Students had the opportunity to practice their presentation skills while reading an epistle and received feedback from their peers. They were also given the chance to deliver a mini-oratorical and hear constructive feedback from other participants as well as the instructor, Cynthia Long from St. George Orthodox Church in Upper Darby, PA. 
We are excited to see what this year’s participants bring to the 2025 PLC!

Christmas Caroling
Sunday, December 15, 2024

This past Sunday, December 15, the St. John’s JOY Club, SOYO members, and parishioners, along with Father Peter and Dn. Jason visited three of our homebound parishioners to sing carols. At each home the carolers sang the Nativity Troparion and a selection of secular Christmas songs — some by special request — spending about twenty minutes spreading Christmas cheer through song.  Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, O Holy Night, Silver Bells, Deck the Halls, and Little Drummer Boy were just some of the songs chosen by our beloved homebound parishioners who were also given cookies and cards made by the JOY Club children.
​It was a blessing to visit and bring joy to our loved ones! Thank you to Leslie A. for organizing this yearly tradition!

Nativity Pageant
Sunday, December 8, 2024

This year’s St. John Chrysostom Sunday School pageant was performed in honor of St. Nicholas! Acting out this beloved saint’s life with narration, costumes, and sets, the children of St. John’s brought the story of St. Nicholas’s generosity and faithfulness to life. 
After four weeks of rehearsal, the children performed for the entire parish after Divine Liturgy on December 8, extending the commemoration of St. Nicholas. 
​A huge thank you to Kyra F. for directing, and the Sunday School teachers for working with their students and helping the show run smoothly!

Teen SOYO Bring a Friend Event
Saturday, November 23, 2024

On November 23, our Teen SOYO members hosted friends for their Bring a Friend event! The teens and their friends attended Saturday night Vespers and were able to witness pre-chrismation prayers before helping to prepare a meal for the baptism the following day. 
They also guided a church tour where they talked about the layout, why we face East, the icons, altar, and more. And they got a demo of the censer. 
​It was a joy to welcome our guests for the evening!

Patronal Weekend With His Grace Bishop THOMAS
Friday, November 8 - Sunday, November 10, 2024

We were blessed to spend this past weekend worshiping, gathering, and learning together for our Patronal Weekend! 

It was an honor to once again welcome Bishop THOMAS to St. John Chrysostom. He visited our parish from Friday, November 8 through Sunday, November 10th, meeting with various members of our parish and celebrating Divine Orthros and Hierarchical Divine Liturgy with us.​

Friday night, Bishop THOMAS met with the parish council members and their spouses, along with clergy and their wives, enjoying dinner and taking the opportunity to discuss the growth of Orthodoxy throughout the country. Included in the conversation were all the elements of Orthodoxy that draw converts as well as the role of the internet in sharing our faith.

On Saturday morning, the St. John’s men’s group celebrated the Feast Day of St. Nektarios with Third Hour prayers, followed by a delicious breakfast buffet and a Q&A session with his Grace Bishop THOMAS. The men discussed St. Nektarios’ life and how his virtues can resonate with Christian men today. We also discussed the role of men in the church, growth of Orthodoxy, the role of comedy in today’s world, and how to reconcile being an Orthodox Christian and politics — Bishop THOMAS encouraged people to vote based on what’s best for their salvation.

Great Vespers was celebrated on Saturday evening, followed by the 2nd annual chili cookoff.  We had 15 homemade chilis submitted for judging from contestants representing Team Lancaster and Team York. Anna M. won best of Lancaster and Ted B. won best of York. Robert K. took home the Bishop Choice Award and Team Lancaster went home with the Best Overall County by a nail biter — only a handful of votes separated the winner and runner up!

On Sunday morning we celebrated Orthros and Divine Hierarchical Liturgy with His Grace Bishop THOMAS as well as V. Rev. Father Peter and V. Rev. Ed Hughes. At the conclusion of Divine Liturgy the younger Sunday School students presented Bishop THOMAS with flowers and sang a beautiful song written for him.

At coffee hour, Bishop THOMAS spent time talking to the teens, encouraging them to visit a monastery if they have the chance, and discussing the exhumation of St. Raphael at Antiochian Village. Politics and the way teens feel about school and other things happening in the world were also addressed during the discussion.

As always, our Patronal Weekend was blessed with many opportunities to gather and worship together as a community, and we are continuously grateful for the spiritual guidance and prayers of His Grace Bishop THOMAS. A special thank you as well to everyone who helped prepare food and make this weekend a success!

Teen SOYO Attend Retreat
Saturday, October 26, 2024

On Saturday, October 26, seven of our teens attended a retreat at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Little Falls, NJ. Alongside teens from a variety of other regional parishes, our teens started the day with morning prayer and then dove into an ice breaker.

Then they broke into small groups for team building activities such as using toothpicks and tape to build the highest tower! They were then joined by His Grace Metropolitan SABA who spoke with the teens for an hour and fielded questions about saints, humility, and prayer.

After lunch, the teens packed backpacks with food items for the needy and made blankets as service projects, then enjoyed a workshop with V. Rev. Nicholas Belcher spoke about “the rock of faith”, focusing on centering our lives on Christ and the church.​

The day concluded with Vespers. Thank you so much for hosting us St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, we look forward to gathering together again soon for another fantastic teen retreat!

Teen SOYO Hosts Give Back Dinner
Saturday, September 28, 2024

On Saturday, September 28, the St. John’s teens hosted a Give Back Dinner for the parish. To thank the parish for all they do for the teens, the teens prepared and served dinner and offered babysitting services to those who needed it.
Before vespers on Saturday, the teens cooked a delicious menu of chicken, sausage, noodles, alfredo sauce, rolls, and salad. They then attended vespers and, afterwards, served dinner to the attendees. 
Back in the Sunday school hall, the teens also offered babysitting for younger kids. They built puzzles and train tracks, played games and cards, and even constructed a makeshift ping pong table! Dn. Jason even dazzled the teens with a card trick that some of the teens then learned so they could dazzle others. 
During dinner, the teens led a game called “match the teen” where a table of adults was paired with a teen and had to match answers to questions. It was a lot of fun with lots of laughs! 
​Huge thank you to everyone who attended, as well as the teens for giving back to the St. John’s community!

Deacon Retreat
Saturday, September 21, 2024

On Saturday, September 21 Deacons John, Jerome, and Jason joined their fellow deacons and His Grace Bishop THOMAS for St. Mary’s Antiochian Orthodox Church’s Deacon Retreat. 

Deacons from all over Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia gathered for Matins at 8am which was followed by breakfast. The day’s speaker was the Rev. Father Ted Pulcini, PhD, Dmin. who spoke on the topic The Deacon and Anger: Confronting Anger on the Personal and Parish Levels.

His Grace Bishop THOMAS also spoke with the deacons about opportunities within his dioceses for the ministry of a deacon, and the day was concluded with vespers and a meal at a local restaurant.

Our New Metropolitan SABA (Esper)

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On February 22/23, 2023, the Holy Synod of Antioch, presided over by His Beatitude Patriarch JOHN X, prayerfully elected Metropolitan SABA (Esper) as the new Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of North America.  May God grant His Eminence many years of fruitful service in the vineyard of North America!
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Read a Statement from Patriarch JOHN X
Read the Decision of the Holy Synod
Read Metropolitan SABA's Biography

St. John Chrysostom Antiochian Orthodox Church
1993 - 2023

On Sunday, January 8, 2023, His Grace Bp. THOMAS (Joseph), proistamenos the Very Rev. Father Peter Pier, along with the clergy and faithful gathered to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the founding of the parish of St. John Chrysostom, as well as the 30th anniversary of Fr. Peter's ordination to the priesthood.  Following a hierarchical divine liturgy, celebrated by His Grace Bp. THOMAS, approximately 190 clergy and faithful gathered in the parish hall to give thanks to God for all that he has accomplished over the past thirty years.  The hall was full of great joy and thanksgiving as Mr. James Clymer, Parish Council President, emceed the event.  Fr. Peter and Kh. Pam both shared memories of the early days of the parish with both humor and tenderness.  Sayidna THOMAS commended all those who have lovingly labored to build the parish to what it is today, through the prayers and inspiration of His Grace Bp. ANTOUN of blessed memory, and called all present to view the spiritual success of the first thirty years as a foundation for all that is to come through the grace of the Holy Spirit.  

Special thanks goes to Leslie Atherholt, who organized the  celebration and catering by Mission BBQ of York, along with the many volunteers who helped with set up, serving, and clean up. ​Joining us for the celebration was the Rev. Economos Andrew Tsikitas, Presbytera Katherine Tsikitas, Rev. Deacon Tom & Jan Shelley of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation of York, Pennsylvania. 
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Click here to read more and to see photos

Daily Readings

Location & Directions

2397 N. Sherman St. / York, Pennsylvania / 17406

St. John Chrysostom Antiochian Orthodox Church

2397 N. Sherman St., York, Pennsylvania 17406
[email protected] / 717-515-2156