Services at St. Andrew

Divine Services:  Wednesday, Thursday & Friday 8/1-8/3 @6:30pm Paraklesis Service

Sunday August 5th , 2018 + 10th Sunday of Matthew  +Orthros @8:45am & Divine Liturgy @10:00am

Memorial Service: An Annual Memorial Service is offered today for the repose of the souls of our ever memorable +Paraskevi Παρασκευή ς and +Kyriakos Κυριάκου Livas, beloved family of Kyriaki Evangelis. May their memory be eternal. Αιωνία η μνήμη αυτών. 

Divine Services

Sunday 8/5 @6:30pm Great Vespers

Monday 8/6 •Transfiguration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ +Orthros @8: am & Divine Liturgy at 9am

Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 8/7-8/9-@6:30pm Paraklesis Service

Friday 8/10 @9:30am Paraklesis Service

A Paraklesis is a service of supplication specifically for the living.

Please fill out the names of those you would like to pray for and submit the names to the church office or bring the names with you to church in the evening. Most Holy Theotokos save us!

St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church

ENGAGED: The Call to Be Disciples

Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

Matthew 28:19-20

Monday, July 30

Stewardship: Giving to God What Belongs to God—Part Fourteen

My Life as a Steward—Be a Steward of TODAY

This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

Good  morning Prayer Team!  

In a world where we are constantly looking with regret at the past and with hope for the future, I find myself increasingly more focused on the present. As stewards, we are called to be stewards of TODAY. We are called to be present and attentive to the opportunities and challenges of TODAY.  

In Luke 12: 16-21, Jesus tells this parable:

“The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; and he thought to himself, “What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample good laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is he who lays us treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” 

There are two lessons to be taken from this parable. First, one has to be rich towards God. Accumulating material riches may help us in this life, but we can’t take them with us into everlasting life. The second message is that the man was so concerned with his future financial security, that he didn’t have an eye on the opportunities of today. The Lord called him a “fool” because on that very night, the man was going to die, and there would be no more “todays” for the man to help others. This man was so concerned with his own things and his own life, that he wasn’t a good servant to others. He had so many things that he had nowhere to store them, and rather than considering sharing of his abundance with those who have nothing, he decided to build bigger storehouses in which to store his goods.  

Christ tells us repeatedly, that the two greatest commandments are to love Him and love one another. There is no sin in accumulating material things—I’m so thankful to have a house, a car, to have food to eat, clothes to wear, and even enjoy a few “luxuries” like an occasional vacation or a nice set of priest vestments. However, as we accumulate for ourselves, we are supposed to think also of sharing with others. Because a good steward uses what he has to help other people.  

There should, however, always be a sense of immediacy when it comes to helping others. There are many people who think “I’ll help once I’m out of college,” or “I’ll help once I have my kids,” or “I’ll help once I’ve attained a certain level of wealth,” or “I’ll help once my kids are out of college,” or “I’ll help once I’m retired and don’t have to work anymore.” The problem with this thinking is what if we don’t live long enough for these things to happen? What if we are like the man in the parable and TONIGHT is the night our soul will be required of us? The second problem with this thinking is that for most of us, there are years until we retire, or have our kids out of college, or until we attain the level of wealth we consider sufficient (some people will continue to raise their definition of “sufficiency” and never attain it). And in between now and then, many years will go by and many opportunities to serve will go by and many people will go unserved and won’t get helped.  

One bold statement to make in our daily prayers is asking God to send someone into our path today who needs help.  

The other bold statement to make in our daily prayers is a statement of thanks to God for today. Why is that a bold statement? Because most people think that most days are “mundane” because on face value, most days are mundane. They are filled with a mundane repetition of work, childcare, travel, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc. When we thank God for the blessing of today, we recognize that even if on the surface, our day may seem mundane, that every day is an opportunity to glorify God, to help others and to be a good steward. Ideally, our first thoughts each day should be thoughts of gratitude for the blessing of today. For as we read in Psalm 118:24, “This is the DAY (not the month, the year of the lifetime) which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

I thank Thee that Thou hast answered me and hast become my salvation. The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Save us, we beseech Thee, O Lord! O Lord, we beseech Thee, give us success! Blessed be he who enters in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord. The Lord is God, and He has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar! Thou art my God, and I will give thanks to Thee; Thou art my God, I will extol Thee. O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 118: 21-29

Be a good steward of TODAY and its opportunities and start your day with gratitude for the new day, asking God for the opportunity to serve someone today!

+Fr. Stavros

SUNDAY Coffee Hour is hosted by the Melekos Family

BAGELS are donated by ALPHA BAGELS on Route 10

Coffee Hour hosts: needed for Sundays in August / consider hosting in Memory of a Loved one or in Honor of a Special Occasion: Birthday, Anniversary, Name Day…

MON-FRI 8/6-8/10 @10a-1pm GOYA Volleyball Clinic

MON 8/7 @7:45pm Parish Council Meeting

WED 8/8 @10am Knitting Group

FRI 8/10 @ 10:30am Dormition Fast Study – Our Most Holy Theotokos

SAT 8/11 @11am Westberg Baptism

8/12 •11^th Sunday of Matthew |+ΙA’Ματθαῖου

8/12 Memorial Services for: +Sophie Demitrack

8/12 Coffee Hour (Lenten)  Hosts Melekos Family

8/15 Wednesday Artoclasia will be offered by the Jellis, Balaskonis and Kelly families as well as Luncheon for the health of all family members of  the community of St. Andrew.

8/18 Baptism

8/19 •12^th Sunday of Matthew |+ΙB’Ματθαῖου |

Memorial Services for: +Van Paftinos, +Eleutherios Colombaris

8/19  Coffee Hour Hosts: family of +Eleutherios in honor of his memory

8/19 @3pm Wedding of Constantinou & Georgiou

8/25 Faith Kitchen - Parish Council

8/26 •13^th Sunday of Matthew | +ΙΓ’Ματθαῖου

Tisagion Service + Panayiota Kali

8/26 Coffee Hour Hosts Families of Constantinides and Karoly in honor of their beloved mother +Panayiota Kali

Coffee Hour Hosts: 9/2 Philoptochos 9/9 PTA, 9/16 at Asbury Park, 9/23 DOP, 9/30 GOYA

9/2 •14^thSunday of Matthew | +ΙΔ’Ματθαῖου |Memorial Services for: +Hrisostomos Dimitriou 

9/3 LABOR DAY

9/4 @7pm Religious Education Meeting

9/7 & 9/8 @9am-4pm Rummage Sale (accepting donations after August 15^th)

9/9 •Sunday before Holy Cross| Προ της Υψώσεως

Dormition Fast Study - Our Most Holy Theotokos

 August 3 and 10, Friday morning at 10:30am Sharp

How much do we really know about the Theotokos, especially after her Son and our Christ's Resurrection?  What was her life like after that?  Did she travel?  What did she do?  How do we honor her?

This study will explore some of these questions, particularly focusing on the Paraklesis or Small Supplicatory Canon which is chanted to her in our church most weekday evenings during the Dormition Lenten Period.

Please join us for the brief study honoring the Theotokos!

A Lenten lucheon will follow the study.  Please bring a Lenten dish as you are able.

Everyone is welcome!  Bring a friend!

GOYA 

Kick off Meeting on Thursday, Sept.13 at 7pm

Registration Form Link: 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeKJd9suD7RRaG7m4cK7VBZMZbZx5H8ZHkYQbsJd8e0RDrerA/viewform?usp=sf_link

Rummage Sale To benefit St. Andrew Church

Friday, Sept. 7, from 9am-4pm &  Saturday, Sept. 8, from 9am-4pm

The St. Andrew Philoptochos is looking for items you no longer want or need. Don’t fill the landfills -- your trash may be someone else’s treasure! Electronics, small appliances and costume jewelry are popular items. We will accept any clean, unbroken, useful items (except tube TVs and baby/child car seats). You may begin dropping your items off at church on August 16. If you would like to volunteer to help during the month of August or it you have any questions about donating items, contact: Petra Knox petraknox@aol.com  or call (973) 270-0396, or Eleni Constantinides, Maro Schuster, Marina Venizelos

 GYRO & Souvlaki TAKEOUT

Saturday Sept. 8^th  from 11am – 4pm (contact the office if you are able to help.. before during or after) 

Mission Work in Kenya and Albania

Help the Orthodox mission work in Kenya and Albania with focused outreaches to women and youth. Clergy wives and women lay leaders Teams to Albania (Sep 17-27) and Kenya (Nov 19-28) to offer encouragement, education and guidance to women in their roles to strengthen the church’s witness. Team opportunities in Kenya – Nairobi (Nov 28-Dec 8) and Kisumu (Nov 28-Dec 8) – to participate in the church’s outreach to youth and young adults. Participate in the unending work of Orthodox missions. Apply today to serve on an Orthodox Mission Team at www.ocmc.org

 Summer Coffee Hour

It is our summer tradition that all coffee hour trays will benefit our Ministries. We all share the responsibility of bringing food. Please bring a cake, cookies, fruit, etc. to church with you from time to time to add to our coffee hour table. Or, arrange to host a coffee hour by contacting the church office. If we do not have someone host and/or sponsor the coffee hour, we will not be able have one on that particular Sunday.  Thanking-you in advance for your participation this summer.

Registration Forms 2018-2019

Are  available on our web site https://sagocrnj.orthodoxws.com/ or upon request E-mail info@standrewgonj.org 

E-Bulletin or call church (973)584-0388 or pick one up from the church office. Please sign up ASAP so we may plan accordingly

Religious Education (Sunday school)

Classes will begin on Sunday, Sept. 9 (PTA Form Required)

Hellenic Afternoon School (HAS) Ελληνικό Σχολείο

Greek Language classes will begin on Thursday, Sept.13 (PTA Form Required)

Greek Dance (Juniors & GOYA)

Will start on Thursday, Sept.20 (PTA Form Required)

PTA: Membership and Volunteer Form

All families must complete the PTA Form with above registrations

Greek Language classes for adults (HES)

Tuesdays at 7:00-9:00pm (Sept. 25– Dec. 4, $300)

NEW Greek Dance for Adults

On Wednesdays at 7:30-8:30pm (Sept. 26^th-Dec. 5^th $125)

smile.amazon.com : Amazon.com will donate 0.5% of your purchases to Saint Andrew the Greek Orthodox Community of Morris County Saint Andrew Inc. You pay the same prices for merchandise & Amazon.com automatically sends a donation to the charity of your choice! (Also applies to Amazon prime customers)

Here's how: 

1. STARTING NOW, shop by going to smile.amazon.com  

2. FIRST TIME ONLY - You'll be asked to designate a charitable organization - PLEASE search for Greek Orthodox Community of Morris County Saint Andrew Inc. & SELECT US! 

Or link to our Amazon Smile Account: http://smile.amazon.com/ch/22-1755125

3. Enjoy the same Amazon shopping experience while helping to support our church ! 

In the Hospital? Home-Bound?

Please let the Church Office know!  In today’s age of information privacy, churches are not notified when parishioners are admitted to hospitals, nursing homes or other care facilities. Both those facilities and your church depend on having the church notified by a friends or family member so pastoral care and outreach can be offered. The same goes for those homebound. If you or any of your loved ones are in any of these situations, please contact the Church Office at 973-584-0388  to request a visit from our priest Fr. John Theodosion or our new and wonderful Visitation Ministry. Also, if you are interested in helping reach out to fellow parishioners in those situations, please contact the office info@standrewgonj.org. 

Food for Sale

We have Pastitsio, Mousaka, Meatballs, Tiropitakia, Spanakopitaki, Spanakopita, Greek Pastries and other Bakaliko items for sale.  

Call the office if interested - 973-584-0388

If you would like us to remember you or your loved one in our prayers, please contact the office. 973-584-03

Names will be kept on this list for approximately 3 months. Please resubmit Names if needed.   Fr. John will pray for the Names above during the Proskomide “Offering of gifts” during the first part of the Divine Liturgy when our priest prepares the mystical gifts of bread and wine. Please keep these names in your prayers as well.

Geoffrey, Theonimfi, Donald, Alexandra, Kathy, John, Reggie, Yotta, Christopher, Asimina, Margarita, Ellen, Konstantinos, Despina, Margaret,  Angeliki, Georgia, Theodore, Antonios, Maria, Kleo, Constantine, Paul, Christos, Vasilis, Maxine, Hanna, Eva, Nikoletta, Nicholas, Tina, Olga, Efthymia, Demetra, Christian, Stefanos, Paraskevi, George, Anastasia, Hristos, John, Christopher, George, Chris, Konstantinos, Aristea, Fr. Demetri, Prz Spyridoula, Eleni, Marcella, Demetri, Patrick, Fotini, William, Robert, Nicholas, Vasiliki, Konstantinos, Helen, Kelly, Susan, Christina, Angeliki, Brett Anthony, Vasiliki, Spyridoula, Mary,  Effie, Marissa, Demetri, Kyriaki, Debbie, Sergio, Peggy, Maria, Panagiota, Reta, Antonis, Stephanie, John, George, Larry, Maria, Panayiotis, Athanasios, Richard, Thomas, Sharon, Theodore, John, Xenophon, Bruce, Pat, Anna, Stephania, Christopher, Megan, Laura, 

Prayer for a Sick Person:

Heavenly Father, physician of our souls and bodies, who have sent Your only-begotten Son and our Lord Jesus Christ to heal every sickness and infirmity, visit and heal (me) Your servant from all physical and spiritual ailments through the grace of Your Christ. Grant (me) patience in this sickness, strength of body and spirit, and recovery of health.  Lord, You have taught us through Your word to pray for each other that we may be healed.  I pray that You heal (me) as Your servant and grant (me) the gift of complete health. For You are the source of healing and to You I give glory, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen