Welcome to Saint George Church

Sunday Service Schedule:

ORTHROS/MATINS AT 9:30 AM   

DIVINE LITURGY AT 10:30 AM

Celebrated in English & Greek

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.

Many thanks to Thanasi for chanting Orthros and Divine Liturgy Today

Friendliness can have Eternal Consequences: Remember that Zacchaeus was converted merely by Christ’s acceptance of him. Reaching out to those who enter our doors with a sincere handshake, greeting and a welcoming smile could be the most important missionary work we do.

ST GEORGE PHILOPTOCHOS: Our first general parish meeting to plan 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.

PARISH GENERAL MEETING: We will hold a General Meeting of St George Parish members on Sunday, October 15 following Divine Liturgy. We will offer a vision for ministry at Saint George, outline an administrative structure, review finances and accept nominations for parish council elections to be held on Sunday, December 3. 

Choosing Suitable Candidates for the Parish Council: Parishioners are often nominated as candidates for the Parish Council because of their education, business experience or legal background.  The best parish council members are not necessarily those who are business-oriented, but rather, those who are Church-oriented and Christ-centered.  To be a good council member, one must be active in the worship and sacramental life of the Church.  The best candidates are easy to find – they are in church.

 Leaders don't create followers.They create more leaders

(Tom Peters)

 St John Chrysostom on Leadership:  “The most basic task of the Church leader is to discern the spiritual gifts of all those under his authority, and to encourage those gifts to be used to the full for the benefit of all. Only a person who can discern the gifts of others and can humbly re­joice at the flowering of those gifts is fit to lead the Church.”

 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

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 - Back in September
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. All volunteers please check in with Marilena in the church hall when you arrive Sunday morning. Thank you!!!

Marilena's meals will resume in September. 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. December is sponsored by Taso & Maria Pardalis. January is sponsored by John & Terri Skiadas.  THANK YOU!

MARILENA'S MEALS for 2017-2018, Marilena's Meals will resume in September 2017 and conclude in May 2018. You may support this ministry in one of three ways:

2. Assist with distribution as a driver, bringing your car for 2 hours after church;

Maria P. Tsakos

Saint George Sunday School

Sunday School Resumes on Sunday, September 24

Sunday School will resume on Sunday, September 24 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.

THANK YOU TO OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL FACULTY We are blessed to have excellent teachers for our Sunday School this year: Elena L and Alexandra S.  They will be assisted as needed by Christina W.  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 S is a lawyer by profession and a long-time member of Saint George Church. Christina received her bachelor's degree from Dartmouth and her MBA from Columbia and is a mother of 4. 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 upstairs.

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.

In Spring 2016, and again in winter 2016-2017, 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 in Spring 2016 were provided by Cally Kordaris. This project was repeated by the Sunday School again in Winter 2017. 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 have completed the installation 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, has been installed & back-lit on the west wall.

We have installed a stair-lift from the main level to the 2nd floor to assure that all are able to participate in gatherings and events on the second floor. We have also installed a stair-lift from the main level to the lower church hall. This will further increase accessibility at St. George.

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 Completed

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.

Life’s Essential Question

Fr Luke Veronis - Webster, MA

Matthew 19:16-26

Several years ago, Tony Dungy, the coach of the Super Bowl champs, and a devout Evangelical Christian, gave an interview where he shared part of his locker room talk: “I told my players that winning the Super Bowl shouldn’t be their ultimate goal. What will happen after the Super Bowl? I then shared with them one of my favorite verses in the Bible, which says, “For what profit is it to a person if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” There’s a much greater goal and purpose than the Super Bowl, and this other goal has eternal consequences.”

What a beautiful witness Coach Dungy gave not only to his football players, but to our entire nation. In a country as sports-crazed as our own, where too many spectators look upon the many self-centered, arrogant, and immoral athletes as superstars and even role models, simply because they’re talented players, it’s refreshing to hear Coach Dungy keep the entire sports world, and even his own achievements in proper perspective. And obviously, such a perspective transcends sports, entailing every aspect and pursuit in life.

“What does it profit a person if he gains the entire world, and loses his own soul?” These words of our Lord, which Dungy quoted, hopefully will make each of us pause and reflect for a moment upon our own lives, and the direction and spirit in which we live our lives.

We live in such a “here and now” society, one which too often focuses on our own egocentric desires and pleasures and one which tempts us to try and fulfill these passions immediately. So easily we can lose sight of life’s essential purpose. One of my favorite stories in the Gospels is when our Lord Jesus reprimands his dear friend with a similar warning. “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things, but one thing is needful.” And this one essential purpose is our pursuit for a deep, intimate, rich relationship with our Creator. Entering into the kingdom of God, and allowing ourselves to live under His eternal reign, happens when we cultivate and develop this living relationship with our Lord. Only in such a relationship will we fulfill our deepest desires and wishes. As St. Augustine noted, “Our soul will remain restless until it rests in the Lord.”

Thus, today is as good a day as any to ask ourselves, “Are we spending enough time in our own lives reflecting upon the essential, not the seemingly urgent, issues of life? Do we carve out enough time in our daily schedules to pursue this vital relationship with our Creator? And are we aware of those obstacles that hinder a healthy relationship with God?

In today’s Gospel reading, we meet a rich, young man who wrestled with these issues. One day, he approached our Lord and asked the right question. “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”  This man had progressed in his spiritual journey to the point of asking the most crucial question in life.  “What must I do?” he queried.  So Jesus responded by reciting the basic ethical commandments of the faith - do not steal, do not murder, do not lie, do not commit adultery.  Here we learn that the beginning of eternal life starts with obedience to a certain way of life. Christianity is not a philosophy or an intellectual set of beliefs; Christianity first and foremost is a relationship with God which leads to a certain way of life. And to begin our path towards eternal life, and grow in our relationship with God, we must learn to obey the basic teachings of our Lord and His Church.

For the rich young ruler in the Gospel, however, obedience to the commandments didn’t appear to be his problem. He seemed to sincerely try to follow all the commandments of God since the days of his youth. He was progressing down the right path. In this particular case, however, Jesus saw something holding this man back from a truly abundant life in God. Our Lord knew the ruler was rich, and could sense that his riches were enslaving the young man, so Christ challenged him, “There is still one thing lacking. [If you really want to discover eternal life] sell all that you own and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”  And at this extremely difficult command, the rich man became very sad and walked away from the Lord.

“There is still one thing lacking.” Imagine, the young ruler said that he had obeyed all the commandments of the faith from his youth, and yet he still lacked one thing. Here, Jesus warns us of a great danger in the Christian life – the heresy of reducing our faith simply to following certain rules. Of course we must obey; that is the first step. Yet it is only one step in our journey into the perfection of the kingdom of heaven. As we strive to deepen our relationship with God, we need to continually proceed to a higher level – a level where nothing possesses us and stands between us and God, a level where we understand that everything we have is not our own, but is a loan from God – whether our possessions, our pleasures, our family, or even our life itself!  Our path towards eternal life in Christ cannot proceed in a proper manner if any such barriers stand in our way. 

Now, many of us struggle with step one – simply obeying the commandments. We must first strive with all our heart do this. As we proceed, though, then comes the important question, “What is the one thing still lacking in our own life?  Is there something that hinders us in experiencing a vibrant relationship with Christ?” Jesus’ advice to the rich young ruler was a particular commandment to a particular individual, for he realized that riches enslaved this young ruler.

For other people, though, our danger may be something else. What is the one thing holding us back from a rich relationship with our Lord? Can it be our work? Our money? Our desire for success? Our desire for quick and easy money through such things like lotteries and casinos?  Our greed? Certain hobbies and pleasures? Are there any sins, or continual habits, that we can’t get rid of in our life like some hatred or disagreement with another person.  Maybe even our obstacle is something that appears good, like our families or life itself. Remember, even our children and families, and our lives themselves, are gifts from God that He loans us. We cannot possess them, or allow them to possess us.

All these things can become gods in and of themselves, replacing the one and only true God.  We must surrender all other desires and loves to our first and primary love -- Jesus Christ.

Remember, our Lord didn’t congratulate the rich young ruler by saying, “You have followed all the commandments from your youth. Great job! Don’t worry that you still have one problem hindering your spiritual growth.”  No, Christ said no such thing. Instead, he challenged the young man, “One thing you still lack.”  Correct that one thing and discover eternal life!

Tony Dungy reminded his Super Bowl winners “For what profit is it to a person if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” Today’s Gospel reading reminded us of a rich young man who asked a related question, yet in the end, didn’t like the answer and walked away.

May each of us begin by asking the necessary question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” and then proceed in listening to the answer, striving to cast off anything that hinders us in experiencing a rich, vibrant, living relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the beginning of eternal life!