Welcome to Saint George Church

NOTE: IOCC is effective and efficient. We take our role as stewards of your donor dollars very seriously. When you give to IOCC, you can give confidently knowing that we are committed to maintaining low administrative costs so that more funds can go directly to helping people in need. On average, 92 cents of every dollar donated goes directly to assisting the people IOCC serves.

Sunday Service Schedule:

ORTHROS/MATINS AT 9:30 AM   

DIVINE LITURGY AT 10:30 AM

Celebrated in English & Greek

JOIN US!

All are Welcome

Chrismation Today:

Charissa Morrisroe

Memorials Today:

Joseph Shantz 40 days

Themistoklis Makkos: 1 year

Visit us on our web site and on  facebook.

Sunday School Begins next Sunday, September 24

"...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.

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 GENERAL PARISH MEETING: Our first general parish meeting to plan for the new ecclesiastical year will be on Sunday, October 1. We will offer a vision for ministry at Saint George, outline an administrative structure. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend. All parishioners welcome.

PARISH GENERAL MEETING FOR NOMINATIONS TO THE PARISH COUNCIL: We will hold a Meeting of St George Parish members on Sunday, October 15 following Divine Liturgy at which we will nominate individuals to serve on the parish council. Parish council elections will be held on Sunday, December 3 following Divine Liturgy.

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 - Begins Next Sunday, September 24
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 next Sunday. 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!

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 next 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.

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 activities following Sunday School ranging from art projects & games 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 PROFESSIONALS

Our mission is to bring together 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 will have an unveiling with the donor of the window on Sunday, November 5 following Divine Liturgy.

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.

Life on earth is a gift. The work we do is also a gift if we see it as an opportunity to serve God and others. Saint Paul instructs us, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men….” (Colossians 3:23).  When we see our work in this way, we are able to become Christian stewards of our work.

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.

Saint Phocas was a gardener and Saint Euphrosinos was a cook. They are not known as “Phocas the Great” or “Euphrosinos the Theologian.” Known instead by the work they did, they became saints of the Church. We know that service to God and His Church is sacred, and because of this we strive to serve and support the Church. But is it possible for our work to be sacred?  Can we be Christian stewards of our work? According to Saint Porphyrios, “At your work, whatever it may be, you can become a saint through meekness, patience, and love.”

In the second chapter of the Old Testament Book of Genesis we read, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it”(Genesis 2:15).  God put man in the garden to work. It is part of God’s plan for us that we work. In Exodus we read, “Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest….”  The world has changed, very few of us are called to work the land, and our work week may not be six days, yet we are created and called by God to work, and we can serve him through our work.

Some are blessed to follow a career path to a life’s work bringing satisfaction. Others may work in a position that may not appear to be spiritually or emotionally fulfilling. In whatever type of work we find ourselves, our work can become sacred when we dedicate it to God. In the words of Mother Theresa, “Wherever God has put you, that is your vocation. It is not what we do, but how much love we put into it.”

Life on earth is a gift. The work we do is also a gift if we see it as an opportunity to serve God and others. Saint Paul instructs us, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men….” (Colossians 3:23).  When we see our work in this way, we are able to become Christian stewards of our work.

Stewardship of work teaches us that we don’t own our work, our position, our title. We are only stewards of a position for a period of time. We are responsible to fulfill our duties and also to prepare it for the person that will follow us in that position. We may also have the opportunity to mentor the person that will assume our position when we move on, empowering them to apply their particular gifts and talents to take the position to the next level.

Christian stewardship of work also teaches us that we are responsible to those with whom we work and those that may be served by our work. We are called to reflect the light of Christ in their lives, encourage them, support them and even love them.  We are also stewards of our co-workers inasmuch as we cooperate and support them in their efforts for the good of all.

Saint Phocas the Gardener lived in the late 3^rd Century, in the ancient region of Paphlagonia (now northern Turkey). Phocas lived humbly on the sale of fruits and vegetables he would grow in his garden. Through his work, Phocas fed the hungry and gave shelter to those in need. Because of his dedication to his work and his generosity to those in need, he became a Christian example to others. Even the non-believers treated him with respect, and by his Christ-like manner, many were drawn to the Christian Faith. 

Saint Euphrosynos worked as cook in a monastery in Palestine, serving the brother monks humbly and faithfully. The others were not aware of the depth of his spiritual growth until it was revealed in a dream to a priest-monk of the monastery and then related to the brother monks. Euphrosynos is known to us by his humble work – Saint Euphrosynos the Cook.  

In times of trouble or worry, especially over our career, we call upon God to strengthen us, to provide opportunity and to bring us success. When we achieve some measure of worldly success, it is easy to say to ourselves as we read in the Old Testament Book of Deuteronomy (8:17), “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But the next verse quickly reminds us, “Remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.”

As Christian Stewards we are called to give back to God from the “first fruits” of our labor. We support our parish and her ministries in an intentional way and not with only what it left after everything else has been taken care of.

In whatever work we do, we are called to give glory to God for the abilities and opportunities he provides. We do this by caring for the work we do, applying our God-given abilities to our work, and by respecting the responsibilities with which we have been entrusted. We do our best and give the glory to God.

 TEXT: Department of Stewardship, Outreach & Evangelism

 ICONOGRAPHY: Miltiadis Afentoulis  / afentoulis.com

GRAPHIC DESIGN: Christina Meares  / christinameares.com