WELCOME TO OUR VISITORS Whether you are new to Bangor or if you're just passing through--welcome! If you've come because you are curious about the Orthodox Church, its beliefs and worship, you are very welcome, too! Please don't hesitate to introduce yourself to someone you've never met and consider staying for some refreshments and fellowship after the morning service. If you would like to receive mailings or otherwise stay in touch, please leave your contact information (name, address, phone, email) with the person in the church office. 

SUNDAY SCHOOL gets underway again next Sunday, September 14!  Mrs. Bucklin welcomes all students ages 6+ (youngers are welcome, when accompanied by a parent).  Sunday School starts right after Holy Communion is served.  See you then!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR FELLOWSHIP HOUR DISHES  Your generosity is always appreciated!

FOOD ALLERGIES  We do have food allergies among us.  Please mark any dish containing walnuts, pecans or cashews or products made with them.  Cashews are in many vegan products.  Consuming them without knowing will cause someone to become ill.  Someone else is highly allergic to salmon and crab.  Please label any dishes containing these ingredients.  We want to avoid causing illness in others.  Of course, we all know about peanuts--please don't bring those at all.  Thanks, everyone!

PRAYER REQUESTS UPDATE  Prayer changes things--let us support one another.  A note of thanks from George Z--he and Svetlana are feeling better and are grateful for all the prayers that were offered for them.  George continues to ask prayer for his uncle and aunt, Daniel and Georgine, for strength as they are both up in years and Daniel recently entered the hospital.  Daniel and Georgine express their sincere thanks for your prayer support!  They visited us here at St. George some time ago.  Please keep Mona, Anthony and their "Little Sprout" on your prayer lists, please.  They feel cautious as they move closer to the baby's date of viability around September 19.  May all go well!  Remember Roman, who serves in the altar, who is a student at Holy Trinity Seminary in New York during the academic year.  Catherine, who was on this list in the past, needs a second surgery to correct an aneuyrism, hopefully we'll hear more about her condition soon.  She appreciates your prayers. Summarized requests from past weeks: for Fr. Leo (he has a complete rotator cuff tear--weighing whether or not to have surgery); for Eleni M who has chronic health struggles, for continued prayers of protection for Mona's family living in Pakistan; for Cathy who is seeking to overcome cancer naturally, for John, who needs treatment for esophageal disease, and for Mark, UMaine student now at Hellenic College for this fall.  Also, for a parishioner relative, Nick, afflicted with a serious illness.  Continue to uphold Victoria's son, Matthew (at St. Tikhon's Seminary now with his family), Panagiota & Seraphima (stroke recovery) and Pat (managing eyesight health).  Again, your prayers for these these brothers and sisters in Christ are of great assistance to each person being upheld.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THOSE who are learning more about the Orthodox Church and Faith.  These plan to unite themselves to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.  Let us remember Zach, Joshua, Sarah and baby Henry, Dana, Spencer, Jada, and Valerie in our prayers.  God grant each of you wisdom and lead you as you seek Him through prayer, worship and reading.  If others would like to join this group, please let Fr. Leo know.

BASIC STEPS FOR CATECHUMENS  Please see the section Informal Learning Corner for guidance.  Part two on Fasting has been added this week.  

COMMEMORATIONS THIS WEEK  Monday, Sept 8, Nativity of the Theotokos; Tuesday, Sept 9, Ss. Joachim and Anna, parents of the Theotokos; Thursday, Sept 11, St. Euphrosynos the Cook. 

DIVINE LITURGY CELEBRATING THE NATIVITY OF THE THEOTOKOS  Monday, Sept 8 starting at 10AM.  Presbytera would appreciate choral support for the chanting of the Divine Liturgy.  Will you be available?  Please let her know today (Sunday).

LEARN ABOUT THE NATIVITY OF THE THEOTOKOS  Trisagion Films presents The Icon of the Nativity of the Ever Virgin Mary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xqAt119ZCk

XRONIA POLLA! to those who have St. Anna as their namesake and celebrate this Monday.

NEXT SUNDAY, SEPT 14 is the Elevation of the Holy Cross.  It is usually held as a strict fast day, although wine and olive oil are allowed as it falls on Sunday this year.  Fresh basil and flowers will be blessed for you to take home next week.

YOUNG ADULT ACTIVITY SUGGESTED FOR THIS MONTH  Hiking, canoeing, kayaking at Hirundo Wildlife Refuge (not far from St. George).  There is a shelter building there, a pond and a dock.  Hiking trails are along Pushaw Stream.  Demetri knows the area like the back of his hand and is the Refuge Manager.  Want to make it happen?  Talk with Demetri during fellowship hour.

ABOUT THE MINNEAPOLIS SCHOOL TRAGEDY  Please see this article which appeared in The Orthodox Observer on 8/28:  https://www.goarch.org/-/minneapolis-shooting-oo.  Please remember all the afflicted families in your prayers, and especially the souls of the departed children, Fletcher (8) and Harper (10).  God grant full recovery to young Sophia (12) a Greek Orthodox student who was wounded and remains in critical condition.  She also needs much prayer.  Thank you.

WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE?  It is essential that we give attention to the Divine Perspective which is not always revealed to us (read the Book of Job in the Old Testament).  It is essential for every Christian to trust God fully regardless of our experiences and fortify ourselves spiritually that we remain rooted and strong in Christ, no matter what our future holds.  Let us find joy in each moment and allow life's experiences (which God uses to refine us) to fit us for life with Him eternally in His glorious coming Kingdom.  St. Paul emphasized God's overarching love for us when he wrote to the Christians in Rome, summarized below:  

THANK YOU for remembering to buy shelf staple items to donate to the Bangor homeless shelter!  Continue to bring your grocery donations and we will continue to deliver them to the shelter for you.  Community members Jack, Areti, Gabriya and Kathy graciously collect and deliver items monthly--thank you!  Here is a list of foods needed regularly by the shelter:  Pasta  / Pasta Sauce / Macaroni & cheese / Boxed stove-top meals / Instant potatoes / Pancake mix / Butter / Margarine / BBQ sauce / Salad dressing / Mayonnaise / Mustard / Ground coffee / Powdered coffee creamer / Sugar.  Note to senior citizens:  Ocean State Job Lot in Bangor offers 20% off food items (many on the above list) every Monday between 8-9AM.  You can get more for your donation dollars there!

A DESIGNATED SPOT FOR HANDICAPPED PARKING  Please note the spot designated for handcapped parking right outside the front door - the curb is painted blue to advise us to leave that space free for those who may need it. 

FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE - Donations can be made online.

ORTHODOX BIBLE STUDY  Here is a recommended resource for Bible Study for Orthodox Christians. Learn from Dr. Jeannie Constantinou, a well respected and engaging Orthodox Christian expositor.  Visit her site and go deep into the Scriptures: https://orthodoxbiblestudy.info/   Read her bio here:  https://orthodoxbiblestudy.info/about-your-professor/.  Many of us have read books written by Dr. Constintinou already and been greatly edified. She has a second web site, as well:  https://www.drjeannie.com/.  

BASIC STEPS FOR CATECHUMENS 

I have my catechisim book (Orthodox Way a Catechism for Seekers by Deacon Charles Joiner, PhD) and am going through it at my own pace.  I am making note of any questions I have as I go.  I am attending the Divine Liturgy regularly.  Should I be doing something else?  Yes.

#1  ESTABLISH A PRAYER CORNER AND START TO PRAY  As an Orthodox Christian and even while yet a catechumen, you will want to establish a prayer corner in your home or room.  Start with at least one icon, often of Christ and His mother, our Panagia, and an Orthodox prayer book.  You can add a wall cross and a candle, too, or an oil lamp.  Often a prayer corner grows and other icons get added as time passes.  It is also a good place to keep your Bible and an Orthodox Psalter (Book of Psalms). Examples of icon corners can be found by doing a search of images on-line.

Set up your prayer corner facing east whenever possible.  Use the area for prayer only, don't stage other personal items there.  If you use a shelf or top of a bookcase or dresser, perhaps put down a cloth and arrange your icons there.  Keep it a sacred space where you meet with God.  Use an Orthodox prayer book--our bookshop area has a variety of books from different publishers and you can choose which one you like.  Some people use just one prayer book, some like to collect more than one.  A hardcover prayer book is a very good investment.  Follow the prayers in the prayer book in the order they are written for morning and evening.  You can also purchase a knotted prayer rope and use the Jesus Prayer, "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me."  This prayer helps cleanse the heart and draw grace to oneself. 

An Orthodox Christian life is rooted in prayer, repentance and love.  Setting a daily discipline of prayer will undergird you for the rest of your life.  You can start while you are yet a catechumen and we suggest that you do--to begin getting rooted in Orthodox Christian practice.

Learn Psalm 50/51 "Have mercy on me, O God," and the Nicene Creed.  If you read them regularly, you will naturally commit them to memory over time.  Psalm 50/51 is King David's prayer of repentance.  The Nicene Creed states what we believe as Orthodox Christians.  The Nicene Creed we use at St. George is standard throughout the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese.  It is printed on pew cards.  You can photocopy it for use at home.  If anyone ever asks you what you believe, you can recite the Nicene Creed.  If you have questions or concerns about any tenet of the Nicene Creed, please talk with our priest.  You will be asked to state the Nicene Creed at your Baptism / Chrismation before being received into the Church.  It is very important that you are in full agreement with it.

#2  START TO FAST ON PRESCRIBED DAYS AND SEASONS OF THE YEAR

Orthodox Christians fast every Wednesday and Friday of the week except during special weeks of the year that are held as non-fasting, i.e., the Twelve Days of Christmas, the first week of the Triodion, Bright Week (the week of Holy Pascha), the week following Holy Pentecost.  More detail below:

How to fast?

A plant based diet, or a vegan diet, is suitable for the Orthodox fasting days and seasons.  Abstain from meat (from any animal, including fish) and dairy products (eggs are classified under the dairy category) and products made with them.  

Dairy refers to products derived from mammalian milk.  Dairy encompasses milk products--most often sourced from cows, sheep and goats.  Butter is  outside the list of acceptable fasting foods.  Ghee  is not for fasting periods, either.  It may have most milk solids removed, but it still contains dairy-derived components.  So, no mammalian milk, butter, ghee or by-products sourced from mammals.

Eggs (for our consideration) are most often laid by birds.  Eating fowl or fowl derived products is not on the list of acceptable fasting foods.    

Is this food OK for fasting?

If a food comes from an animal with a backbone, it is not for fasting.

Why do we fast?

On Wednesdays, we remember Christ's betrayal and arrest.  On Friday, we remember Christ's Crucifixion and laying down His life for our Salvation.

Eat moderately, endeavor to pray and reflect on the meaning of why we are fasting on particular days and seasons.

Fasting effects a good outcome for us when done with obedience and prayer.  Fasting humbles the body and make us more reliant on God.  We are also able to be better attuned to God's leading in our lives.  Remember the great result Daniel and the Holy Children had in the land of Babylon while in captivity.  They were told not to fast as they were accustomed to do, but to eat luxuriously from the king's table.  Instead they respectfully decilined, deciding to please God and not man and kept their fasting rule.  God elevated their status in the eyes of the king and people.  Read the Old Testament Book of Daniel, chapter 1.