Diocese: Diocese of New York and New Jersey
Deanery: New Jersey Deanery
Address
17 Platt Ave
Saddle Brook, New Jersey 07663
Website: holyapostlesnj.org
Office: 201-845-7259
Parish Contacts
Lay Leadership
Directions
From the north or south
Take the Garden State Parkway to exit 159 (Saddle Brook). Follow Rt 80 east to first exit- 62B (Saddle River Rd). Make a right at the stop sign and the Church will be on the right.
From the east
Take Rt 80 west to the exit for Garden State Parkway and Saddle Brook. Follow signs for Saddle Brook (not the parkway). Follow signs for Pehle Ave east. Make a right at the stop sign at the end of the exit ramp onto Pehle Ave. Take Pehle Ave to the end and at the light make a right onto Saddle River Rd. Cross the railroad tracks (under Rt 80) and make a right onto Platt Ave. The Church is on the right.
From the west
Take Rt 80 to exit 62B (Saddle River Rd). Make a right at the stop sign. Make a right onto Platt Ave and the Church is on the right.
Schedule of Services
All services are conducted in English with occasional hymns in Church Slavonic.
5:00 PM Vespers. On the FIRST Saturday of the Month, a Panakhida is served immediately following Vespers.
Saturday Evening
9:15 AM Church School.
Sunday Morning
10:00 AM Divine Liturgy (9:00 AM in July and August) followed by Coffee Hour.
Sunday Morning
6:00 PM Vespers.
Eves of Great Feasts
9:00 AM Divine Liturgy.
Mornings of Great Feasts
7:00 PM Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts followed by Lenten supper.
Wednesday Evenings in Great Lent
For a complete list of upcoming services, please visit the Monthly Calendar on the parish website.
Confessions are heard following Vespers, preceding Divine Liturgy, and by appointment.
Confessions
Parish Background
Holy Apostles Orthodox Church of Saddle Brook, NJ came into being on December 18, 1968 when a group of around forty individuals chose to remain faithful to the then Metropolia when the majority of parishioners of Three Saints Church of Garfield, NJ chose to go to the Moscow Patriarchate.
For its first seven years divine services were held at the Amvets Hall in Garfield, NJ. The founding pastor was Fr John Steffaro who was followed by Fr Eugene Tarris and Fr Cyril Lukashonak. It was during Fr Lukashonak’s pastorate that the parish purchased property in Saddle Brook. Fr James Worth served the parish for a short time until the appointment by +Metropolitan Ireney of Fr Thomas Edwards in 1974 who served as parish rector for 30 years.
It was during Fr Edwards’ pastorate that the church was built in Saddle Brook. It was financed by the sale of interest-bearing bonds and the free-will offerings of parishioners and friends. The Myrrhbearing Women made substantial financial contributions with various arts and crafts projects that they sold for many years at an annual charity booth at a nearby mall. They also sponsored Chinese auctions, dinners, raffles, “mystery bus rides” and a variety of other projects. The parish council sponsored “Russian New Years Eve’s dances” as well as barn dances and other activities. Other than erecting the four walls and roof of the church, the men of the parish did the majority of the labor to complete the church interior. Two parishioners, +John Hoc and +Edward Yuhas were called to eternal rest while working on the church, and +John Cherba reposed while helping to set up the altar in the make-shift days of the Amvets Hall.
The iconography is principally the work of +Monk Sergius (Timothy Girioux) and Timothy Loya. Additional iconography has been completed by iconographers Fr Philip Koufos and Dmitry Shkolnik. The cherry wood iconostas, altar table, oblation table and other liturgical items were hand carved by Master Woodcarver +Paul Mozes of blessed memory. The stained glass windows are faithful reproductions of classic Russian iconography of the Novgorod School.
Divine Services are conducted for the most part in English with some Slavonic selections. For most of the parish history, Leonard Davis has been parish choir director. Archbishop Peter ordained Peter Eagler as a parish subdeacon. The parish has given one vocation to the priesthood, Fr Paul (Ken) Wesche, presently pastor of St Herman’s Church in Minneapolis. In addition to the Sunday Liturgy and major holy days, a Panakhida is served the first Saturday of the month for deceased parishioners, benefactors and friends of the parish. The sacrament of Confession is conducted before all Divine Liturgies. During Great Lent, the Presanctified Liturgy is served every Wednesday followed by a lenten supper. The parish coffee hour is something of an institution that has existed from day one.
For quite a few years the parish has been contributing food items to a nearby food pantry on a year-round basis. Other works of mercy and charity include donations of money and/or goods to various relief efforts at home and abroad. The parish responds to a variety of individual needs from financial assistance to widowed matushki and others in need. The parish helps to support our seminaries and monastic communities. For quite a few years the parish was an active supporter of the works of +Bishop Basil Rodzianko (of blessed memory) of the Holy Archangels Broadcasting Center of Washington, DC. At the present the women continue to work on a project of making warm articles of clothing for poor children in Romania and other Eastern European countries. Parishioners assist one another with rides to church services, visitations of the sick and shut-ins, and other works of mercy.
