Sunday Services: Orthros 8:30 am; Divine Liturgy 9:30 am.
Weekday Services: See parish website calendar link for updates.
March 1 Trivia Night Ticket Sales: Buy your tickets online at greekdinners.com. This will be an evening of fun and fellowship for family and friends 21 years of age and older. In addition to challenging your trivia knowledge, there will also be prizes for Trivia game winners, a Wine Pull, a 50/50 raffle, door prizes, and dessert. Register to attend by Feb. 18 at $25 per person, however, if you register after Feb. 18, it is $30 per person – so register early and save. For questions and more information, ask Arge Mardakis.
March 23 Lenten Retreat Registration for parishioners is now open. A link was sent to the e-bulletin list. Maria Tattoli will also be taking registrations on Sunday during the Fellowship Hour. Please register now before we open it to the public as space is limited. The price is $30. (This Retreat may sell out so register today. On Monday, Feb. 12, registration will be open to the entire public.)
To schedule a house blessing from Feb. 19 through March 10, please contact Fr. A. Thank you.
NEW! Please reply ASAP. Sat., Feb. 24 Parish Outing in NYC! Exhibition: Africa and Byzantium at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/africa-byzantium
A stunning exhibit that includes icons from St. Catherine Monastery on Mt. Sinai, and some rare artifacts from Byzantine Christianity in Africa. This exhibition explores Africa’s position within the Byzantine world’s artistic, cultural, economic, and sociopolitical life.
Please contact Irini Daskalakis erinoula@yahoo.com if interested. The deadline is Friday, Feb. 16. Please join Fr. A, Presvytera Nektaria, and many others from our parish for the day in NYC. We will meet at the museum at 11 AM. Group pricing (including the entire museum) is as follows (lunch on our own is separate):
| Adults | $28 |
| Seniors (65 and over) | $20 |
| Students | $12 |
YOUTH MINISTRY CONTACTS:
Sunday School Director: Nikol Toulatos nikoltoulatos44@gmail.com
Greek School Director: Maria Sfondouris msfondouris@gmail.com
GOYA Head Advisor: Larisa Trumpy larisatrumpy@gmail.com
Hope & Joy Advisor: Kristen Diagelakis kdiagelakis@gmail.com
Greek Dance Lead: Larisa Trumpy larisatrumpy@gmail.com
Young Adult League (YAL): Kali Vaporakis rangerkali@gmail.com
College Care Package Ministry: Maria Tattoli mtattoli@gmail.com
Parent Advisory Council (PAC) Chair: Lisa Soteropoulos lisasoteropoulos@gmail.com
The Oratorical Festival topics are now online! Please encourage all youth from grades 7 to 12 to pick out a topic as we prepare for a March 2024 Parish Oratorical Festival. (The District Level will be on Sat, April 6 at our neighboring parish of St. George in Trenton, NJ.) Please see the Bulletin Insert for a list of topics.
YOUNG ADULT LEAGUE (YAL):
Virtual Blood Drive. When: Through March 10
How to Get Involved: Every 2 seconds a person in the United States needs blood. As Orthodox Christians we are called to "Love your neighbor as yourself" Mark 12:31. What is a greater act of love than selflessly giving your neighbor the gift of life? Pledge your support and make your donation by going to: https://sleevesup.redcrossblood.org/campaign/nnj-yal/ #NNJYALSleevesUp
A monthly initiative for connecting with fellow Orthodox Young Adults to learn and discuss our faith. Past discussion topics have included Orthodoxy in a Roman Catholic and Protestant World (Dn. Symeon Williams), How Should an Orthodox Christian Approach Reading and Understanding the Bible? (Nicholas Ruvelas M.Div.) and How we Understand Fasting Today as Orthodox Christians (Fr. Nicholas Mataragas).
When: Wednesday, February 28th, 7-10 pm
Where: Tavern on George
361 George St, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Speaker and Topic: TBD
All are welcome to join us for a night of feasting on unlimited filet mignon, pasta, ice cream, and more! Explore enticing raffle baskets with gift certificates, designer handbags, and local business goodies. Get ready for a night of dancing with our live DJ, then quench your thirst at the full cash bar, featuring “The Mediterranean” our special drink of the night.
Day Tea, on Sunday, February 18th to renew your membership, or to sign up as a new member! Please see Maria Gimbel or Carrie Kafalas, our membership chairs for the application! Your membership donation is essential for our Philoptochos chapter to continue growing and thriving, allowing us to better help our community!
STEWARDSHIP 2024: Stewardship is the sharing of the talents and treasures that God has provided for us. An Orthodox Christian Steward is an active participant in the life of the Church. The parish encourages all who accept the Orthodox Faith to become practicing Stewards.
2024 Stewardship Status: we have 37 Pledges totaling $90,330 and $34,940 received to date. We also have 7 families who have contributed $1,085 to date but have not submitted a stewardship card. It is important that all families complete a stewardship card to be considered a steward. The current Stewardship List and other stewardship information is posted in bulletin board by water cooler.
If you have not done so already, we ask that you prayerfully consider your stewardship commitment and submit a 2024 pledge card as soon as you can.
…Remember a rich man is not one who has much, but one who gives much…..
CrossRoad Institute: Are you an 11th or 12th grader looking ahead to the summer? Learn more today about CrossRoad Institute Summer Program, a 10-day academic institute made just for you! Travel to Boston, Northern California, or Chicago to connect with other Orthodox Christians as you prepare to make big life decisions and start new adventures.(Boston: Session 1: June 8-18th; Session 3: June 22nd-July 2nd. Hosted At: Hellenic College Holy Cross SOT)
Learn more today at www.CrossRoadInstitute.org. Application deadline is February 20, 2024.
Saint Blaise was Bishop of Sebastia. Divine grace, through which he healed the diseases of men and beasts, and especially of infants, made his name famous. He contested for the Faith under Licinius in the year 316. Saint Blaise is invoked for the healing of throat ailments.
This Martyr contested during the reign of Maximian, in the year 290, in Caesarea of Palestine, and was put to death by command of Firmilian, the Governor of Palestine. His fellow contestants' names are Valens, Paul, Seleucus, Porphyrius, Julian, Theodulus, and five others from Egypt: Elias, Jeremias, Esaias, Samuel, and Daniel. Their martyrdom is recorded in Book VIII, ch. 11 of Eusebius's Ecclesiastical History, called The Martyrs of Palestine.
Saint Theodore who was from Amasia of Pontus, contested during the reign of Maximian (286-305). He was called Tyro, from the Latin Tiro, because he was a newly enlisted recruit. When it was reported that he was a Christian, he boldly confessed Christ; the ruler, hoping that he would repent, gave him time to consider the matter more completely and then give answer. Theodore gave answer by setting fire to the temple of Cybele, the "mother of the gods," and for this he suffered a martyr's death by fire. See also the First Saturday of the Fast.
Prokeimenon. 3rd Tone. Psalm 46.6,1.
Sing praises to our God, sing praises.
Verse: Clap your hands, all you nations.
The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 6:1-10.
Brethren, working together with him, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, "At the acceptable time I have listened to you, and helped you on the day of salvation." Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We put no obstacle in any one's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors, watching, hunger; by purity, knowledge, forbearance, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
16th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 25:14-30
The Lord said this parable: "A man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more. So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.' And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.' He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth." As he said these things he cried out: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
Letter from Stewardship Committee as we prepare for 2024. Thanks for your support!
Sermon translation into English from Greek publication.
Come join us on March 23 for a wonderful Lenten Retreat led by Presvytera (Dr.) Eugenia Constantinou!
The Ladies Philoptochos offers koliva preparation for those who would like to order in advance. Please note the 2 to 3-week lead time. May their memory be eternal!
Looking for dedicated Camp Staff for this summer's program. Young Adults, please see Fr. A if interested.
In support of the area Young Adult Ministry. On March 9 at the St. John Cathedral in Tenafly.
Attached letter from H.E. Metropolitan Apostolos inviting all to this fundraising luncheon scheduled for Sat., March 16 at the St. Luke Church in Broomall, PA. A great cause!
Our parish festival will be in March. Date TBA. All youth in 7th to 12th grade are encouraged to write a speech.
All invited.