Welcome to Saint George Church

ORTHROS/MATINS AT 9:30 AM   

DIVINE LITURGY AT 10:30 AM

JOIN US!

All are Welcome

Visit us on our web site and on  facebook.

"...I was a stranger and you welcomed me...."

WELCOME TO SAINT GEORGE CHURCH. We hope you will return and join us on Sundays and to participate in our various programs as you are able. Fellowship hour follows Divine Liturgy and we welcome you to join us for fellowship, food and refreshments. Visit us online to learn about our church and our various programs. Sign up for our weekly bulletin and become a supporting member at www.SaintGeorgeNYC.org.

VIEW THE COMPLETE MATINS SERVICE FOR TODAY IN ENGLISH & GREEK HERE.

ST GEORGE PHILOPTOCHOS: Our first general meeting for the new ecclesiastical year will be on Sunday, October 1 in the second floor board room area. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend. All parishioners welcome.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2017

Saint George Church Welcomes

Basile the Commedian

for an evening of laughter and fellowship

in our new 2nd floor fellowship room

cabaret seating is limited to 100

Saturday Evening, December 2

YOUR ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED FOR COFFEE & FELLOWSHIP HOUR. We invite individuals & families to support this ministry by providing food items and assisting with set-up, serving and/or clean-up. Thanks to all that assist in this important ministry of outreach, hospitality and fellowship.

VISIT OUR MINISTRIES PAGE: CLICK HERE

“Let your light so shine before others, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:15)

MARILENA'S MEALS
Join our Saint George Marilena's Meals program, preparing and delivering 70 meals each month and feeding those in need in New York City on the last Sunday of each month. Preparers and deliverers are welcome! If you have a car, please volunteer to drive. Thank you!!!

June will be our last Marilena's meals until we resume in September. October Marilena's meals was sponsored by Zaphra Reskakis and Helen Vitelas. November was sponsored by Maria & Taso Pardalis. December was sponsored by Efstathia "Soula" Lolis. January was sponsored by Terri & John Skiadas. February was sponsored by Dina Manos. March was sponsored by Cally Kordaris. April was sponsored by Kate and Luke Swezey-Scandalios. May is sponsored by Alexia and Katerina Skiadas. June is sponsored by Alexandra Dimitrakakis. September is sponsored by Darrin Dayton in memory of his grandparents George & Edna Gallanis. October is sponsored by Nick & Tina Plagos. November is sponsored by George, Cindy and Sophia Koumbaroulis. THANK YOU!

BESTSELLING AUTHOR RETURNED TO SAINT GEORGE IN NOVEMBER

Signed Books are Available for Purchase in the Church Hall.

 Patricia Schultz, NY Times Bestselling Author of 1000 Places to See Before you Die spoke on her volume 1000 Places to See in the US and Canada

Patricia Schultz is the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers 1,000 Places to See Before You Die and 1,000 Places to See in the United States and Canada Before You Die. A veteran travel journalist with 30 years of experience, she has written for guides such as Frommer’s and Berlitz and periodicals including The Wall Street Journal and Travel Weekly, where she is a contributing editor. She also executive-produced a Travel Channel television show based on 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. Her home base is New York City.

Patricia is also known to us as Mrs Nick Stringas. All proceeds to the St George Renovations Fund.

Congratulations!!!

to Taso & Maria Pardalis on the birth of Chloe Georgia

to Anthony & Irene Louh on the birth of George Jakub

&

to Kevin & Christina White on the birth of Penelope Helene

Maria P. Tsakos

Saint George Sunday School

Our School Year Ends on May 21

Sunday School is held from October - May following Holy Communion near the library on the 2nd floor. Just before Holy Communion, Fr Jim invites the children to come forward to the seats behind the pulpit where they will be offered a brief sermon/reflection, after which Holy Communion is offered and then the children proceed Upstairs.  Parents are welcome to escort children upstairs and to assist as needed.

SUNDAY SCHOOL FACULTY We are blessed to have four excellent teachers for our Sunday School this year: Elena L, Alexandra L., Alexandra S. and Christopher S. All love the kids and love teaching them about the faith. Elena L, (PhD) is a post doctoral researcher at Columbia University Medical Center. Alexandra L. is a teacher by profession and has recently earned her masters degree. Alexandra S is a lawyer by profession and a long-time member of Saint George Church. Christopher S. received an MDiv from St Vladimir's Seminary. Fr. Jim serves as spiritual advisor to our Sunday School.

Parents are asked to complete a Sunday School Registration Form and give it to the teachers. Parents are welcome to help with bringing the children downstairs and as needed during class.

AFTER SUNDAY SCHOOL PROJECTS  The children are engaged in projects following Sunday School ranging from art projects to community service projects. The children enjoy painting & building various art & design projects. They have participated with fun science projects and have assisted with preparing Marilena's meals.

This past spring, and again this winter, our children assembled 100 emergency hygeine packets for IOCC - International Orthodox Christian Charities (www.iocc.org/take-action/assemble-emergency-kits). The packets are warehoused near IOCC headquarters in Baltimore so that they may be shipped on short notice when emergencies arise anywhere in the world. Supplies for the preparaton of 100 hygeine packets last spring were provided by Cally Kordaris. This project will be repeated by the Sunday School again in the fall. To be a one-time sponsor of this project, the cost is $500. Contact FrJimK@goarch.org.

Do Your Best: A traditional American proverb says, “God makes this request of his children: Do the best you can – where you are, with what you have, now.” The story of Jesus Christ feeding the 5,000 illustrates this through the boy’s offering of all that he had – five loaves and two fish. This boy did his best with what he had, and Jesus used it to perform an incredible miracle.

We are Stewards of the Gospel: We are called to guard the Gospel message, but not to hoard it. We are instructed not to hide our light under a bushel. As we share the voice of Christ, the message we share is one of hope, truth, grace, divine power, life and invitation. In this busy, ever-changing world, His voice of wisdom is needed to guide us in discerning what is good, what is true and what will bring us closer to Him and to one another.

Saint George Church seeks to offer:

1. A sense of Peace and Presence of God in worship;
2. Opportunities to Serve Others;
3. Meaningful opportunities for Fellowship;
4. Education in aspects of the Faith for all ages; and
5. A well-maintained and inspiring place of worship & fellowship

    SAINT GEORGE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

Our mission is to bring together young professional members & friends of St George Church to form stronger friendships through events & activities. We accomplish our mission through Laughing, Learning and Giving, alternating between social, philanthropic and spiritual activities. Questions or Ideas? Contact Sarah at sgalanis@hotmail.com .

Contact Sarah at sgalanis@hotmail.com to be added to the YP e-list.

 VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF SAINT GEORGE

  ST GEORGE CHURCH 2nd FLOOR UPDATE

The 2nd floor renovations are nearing completion. We are awaiting the arrival of a 10 foot tall stained glass window from a church in England dating to the 1880s. This has been donated by an individual that visited our parish and was moved by our hospitality. The window, which has been restored, will be installed & back-lit on the west wall.

We are also installing a stair-lift to assure that all are able to participate in gatherings and events on the second floor.

Most of the steam pipes rising through the church space have been removed and the holes in the ceiling have been closed. Potential water damage to walls & iconography from occasionally leaking steam pipes has been eliminated and past damage has been repaired and painted.

The aging florescent lights and wiring above the icons lining the walls of the church have been replaced with LED lights. The beautifully restored icons may now be enjoyed with brighter, more even lighting at a fraction of the energy cost. They also run cool and are easier on the artwork.

The New Saint George Church Library has been Built

Donations of Books are Welcome

Many thanks to Dean Pardalis and George Xerakias of APEX Design, our general contractors, for providing their expertise and services at no cost to the church, while donating many materials and resources to our ongoing renovation of Saint George Church.

Thank you all for your support.

Bible Reading  In private study, when a Christian profitably reads the Bible, receiving inspiration and strength from it, family members, friends, relatives and even acquaintances will inevitably notice the difference. Any person who comes into contact with such a Christian cannot but notice the growing peace, love and inner assurance - the spirit of Christ - in that Christian, and will frequently ask (if not ask, certainly think) what gives that person such strength and radiance. God will provide many opportunities to the growing Christian for sharing with others his or her experience with the Bible. What better witness for the truth of the Christian faith than a solid Christian life nourished by Holy Scripture and radiating true Christian love at home, at Church and at work? The Christian's own life becomes a kind of gospel, a living Bible, in which other people observe, read and experience the truths of God in action.

From Bread for Life, by Father Theodore Stylianopoulos 

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Department of Religious Education

PROSPHORO (offering bread)
A prosphoro (Greek for offering) is a small loaf of leavened bread used in Orthodox Christian liturgies. The term originally meant any offering made to a temple, but in Orthodox Christianity it has come to mean specifically the bread offered at the Divine Liturgy (Eucharist). We are blessed at Saint George that Kyria Dina Manos bakes prosphora for us as needed. This is a very special ministry and we thank God for Kyria Dina's service to our church.

WINE FOR HOLY COMMUNION If you would like to offer wine to be used for the preparation of Holy Communion at Saint George Church, you are welcome to do so. The sweet wines that we use for Holy Communion are: Mavrodaphne, Commondaria and Nama Byzantino.

STEWARDSHIP OF FAMILY 

Throughout our lives and the roles we assume within the family, we are stewards of the love, authority, trust and respect that exist among members of the family. Unlike material possessions, these are not diminished by use. But if mishandled, they can be lost. Love, authority, trust and respect require the most diligent stewardship, because once they are lost, they are most difficult to recover.

OUR CALLING:

Research shows that most unchurched Americans would come to church if invited. As the visible presence of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, we are called to witness to those within and those outside the community of believers.  If we believe that in Orthodoxy we have the fullness of the Truth, then we have the great responsibility to share it with all people. The very nature of this mission implies creative witness within society in word and in deed. Bring a friend to Church!

SUNDAY PARKING: is available for $10 at ICON Parking on 54th St just east of 8th Ave. Bring your ticket to the candle stand to be validated. Effective from 8:00 AM-2:00 PM after which regular rates will apply.

“Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea

until we have someone to forgive.”

C. S. Lewis in Mere Christianity

 What is Christian Stewardship?

 Stewardship is caring for the needs of others.

 Stewardship is offering one’s self to God as He offered Himself to us.

Stewardship is what a person does after saying “I believe…” as proof of that belief.

 Williams and McKibben in Oriented Leadership

Click here to set up regular or 1-time stewardship contributions to St. George Church.

from Gems from the Sunday Gospels in the Orthodox Church, volume 1, by Anthony M. Coniaris - Light & Life Publishing

The time was noon. Jesus was weary. He sat down on the ground beside Jacob's well. And as He rested: "There came a woman of Samaria to draw water."

Notice that Jesus was at the well before she came. God is always there first waiting for us.

As the Samaritan woman filled her pitcher, Jesus addressed her with a request:"Give me a drink."  

Nothing puts people at ease as quickly as to be asked for help. By asking someone for a favor, we place ourselves at the mercy of that person. We accept a lower, inferior position. This is how Jesus tried to establish a relationship of trust with the woman of Samaria.

Jesus needed water to quench His physical thirst; the Samaritan woman needed living water for her spiritual thirst. The physical thirst would occur again; the spiritual thirst would be satisfied by the living water.

By speaking to the Samaritan woman, Jesus broke the social, political, and racial barriers of His time. As a man He talked to a woman. As a rabbi, He spoke to an immoral woman. As a Jew He spoke to a Samaritan. He gets straight to the point -what He has to offer every person of every race:"If You knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,'you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water"(John4:10, 11).

Jesus speaks of Himself as living water. But the woman sees only a weary man.   And so she says, "Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep; where do you get that living water...?

The well is deep---it is true---and we need something to draw with. It is a long way from man to God. But Christ is the One-the only One-Who can bridge the gap and bring the living water to our thirsty soul. We have not somethingbut  Someone  to draw with.

Jesus proceeds to make one of the greatest statements He ever made:"Every one who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

Jesus declared that He could give permanent satisfaction to the dried out human spirit. The water He gives is as a spring welling up constantly. It is never exhausted, never grows stale.

Hearing these words the Samaritan woman replied,"Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw" (John 4:15).

It could be that the Samaritan woman was tired of her life, tired of men, tired of adultery, tired of being a social outcast, tired of pretending to be satisfied when all along her life was no more than a living death. So when she heard this talk about the living water that satisfies completely, her soul fairly shrieked, "Give me this water."

As they continued to speak, the Samaritan woman said: "I know that the Messiah is coming.”

And Jesus says, "I who speak to you am he" (John 4:26).

Jesus declares for all generations to hear that He is the Messiah. The greatest mystery of faith is announced not to the disciples but to this foreigner. "I am he"-the One you have been expecting, the One who brings God to you, the One who brings you to God, the One who has the power to forgive sin, the One who gives direction to your life, the One who has overcome death. "I am he."

She came to draw water. When she realized she had found the True Well, she left behind her water jar, as the disciples had abandoned their nets. Hardly a convert yet already a missionary, she ran to the village to tell her people: "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?" (John 4:29).

Her heart burns within her. She cannot keep silent. She feels compelled to lead others to the Messiah. Yet she does not say, "You must believe what I say," rather she tells them, "Come, and see for yourselves." They came and after seeing the Lord, they said, "It is no longer because of Your words that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world" (John 4:42).