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Annunciation/Evangelismos Church, Elkins Park, PA
Publish Date: 2020-02-09
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Annunciation/Evangelismos Church, Elkins Park, PA

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (215) 635-0316
  • Fax:
  • (215) 635-8301
  • Street Address:

  • 7921 Old York Road

  • Elkins Park, PA 19027


Contact Information




Services Schedule

We meet for divine worship every Sunday morning starting with Orthros (Matins) 8:30, Divine Liturgy 9:30-11AM, followed by a fellowship hour in our community center. All are invited!

Please see Community Calendar for a complete listing of all weekday feast-days and worship services.


Past Bulletins


Weekend Update

Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee
Leave-taking of the Feast of the Meeting, February 9, 2020
Κυριακή τοῦ Τελώνου καὶ τοῦ Φαρισαίου
Ἀπόδοσις τῆς Ἑορτῆς τῆς Ὑπαπαντῆς, 9 Φεβρουαρίου, 2020. Το κήρυγμα της Κυριακής ΕΔΩ
  • 8:30 am MATINS, 9:30 am DIVINE LITURGY.
  • The Triodion starts today. Godparents’ Sunday. Youth Sunday.
  • Philoptochos Go-Red for women & collection to benefit heart health.
  • PTO invites all to a buffet honoring our godparents.
  • GOYA Sights & Sounds practice.
  • 3 pm Father John will be attending the three-day Metropolis winter clergy retreat at Ocean City, MD.
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
  • 5 pm Greek School classes.
  • 7 pm Intermediate/Advanced adult Greek class.
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
  • 7 pm Bible Study.
Thursday, February 13, 2020
  • 7 pm Choir rehearsal.
  • 6:30 pm Stewardship committee meeting.
Friday, February 14, 2020
  • 5 pm Greek School classes.
  • 6:30 pm Beginners adult Greek class.
  • 6:30 pm GOYA Sights & Sounds practice.
  • 6:30 pm HOPE & JOY dance practice.
Saturday, February 15, 2020
  • 12 pm HOPE & JOY Ice-skating.
  • 1 pm GOYA Bowling & Laser-tag.
Sunday of the Prodigal Son February 16, 2020
  • 8:30 am MATINS, 9:30 am DIVINE LITURGY.
  • 40-day mother & child blessing: The LePage family.
  • Memorial prayers will be offered for Constantine Giovetsis (40-days) and Andigoni Ticco Steffa (3- years) of blessed memory.
  • The fellowship hour will be hosted by the Greek School.
  • GOYA Sights & Sounds practice.
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Saints and Feasts

Publphar
February 09

Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee: Triodion Begins Today

The Pharisees were an ancient and outstanding sect among the Jews known for their diligent observance of the outward matters of the Law. Although, according to the word of our Lord, they "did all their works to be seen of men" (Matt. 23:5), and were hypocrites (ibid. 23: 13, 14, 15, etc.), because of the apparent holiness of their lives they were thought by all to be righteous, and separate from others, which is what the name Pharisee means. On the other hand, Publicans, collectors of the royal taxes, committed many injustices and extortions for filthy lucre's sake, and all held them to be sinners and unjust. It was therefore according to common opinion that the Lord Jesus in His parable signified a virtuous person by a Pharisee, and a sinner by a Publican, to teach His disciples the harm of pride and the profit of humble-mindedness.

Since the chief weapon for virtue is humility, and the greatest hindrance to it is pride, the divine Fathers have set these three weeks before the Forty-day Fast as a preparation for the spiritual struggles of virtue. This present week they have called Harbinger, since it declares that the Fast is approaching; and they set humility as the foundation for all our spiritual labors by appointing that the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee be read today, even before the Fast begins, to teach, through the vaunting of the Pharisee, that the foul smoke of self-esteem and the stench of boasting drives away the grace of the Spirit, strips man of all his virtue, and casts him into the pits of Hades; and, through the repentance and contrite prayer of the Publican, that humility confers upon the sinner forgiveness of all his wicked deeds and raises him up to the greatest heights.

All foods are allowed the week that follows this Sunday.


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. First Mode. Psalm 32.22,1.
Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.

The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to Timothy 3:10-15.

TIMOTHY, my son, you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions, my sufferings, what befell me at Antioch, at lconion, and at Lystra, what persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceivers and deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Προκείμενον. First Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 32.22,1.
Γένοιτο, Κύριε, τὸ ἔλεός σου ἐφ' ἡμᾶς.
Στίχ. Ἀγαλλιᾶσθε δίκαιοι ἐν Κυρίῳ

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Τιμόθεον β' 3:10-15.

Τέκνον Τιμόθεε, παρηκολούθηκάς μου τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ, τῇ ἀγωγῇ, τῇ προθέσει, τῇ πίστει, τῇ μακροθυμίᾳ, τῇ ἀγάπῃ, τῇ ὑπομονῇ, τοῖς διωγμοῖς, τοῖς παθήμασιν, οἷά μοι ἐγένετο ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ, ἐν Ἰκονίῳ, ἐν Λύστροις, οἵους διωγμοὺς ὑπήνεγκα· καὶ ἐκ πάντων με ἐρρύσατο ὁ κύριος. Καὶ πάντες δὲ οἱ θέλοντες εὐσεβῶς ζῇν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ διωχθήσονται. Πονηροὶ δὲ ἄνθρωποι καὶ γόητες προκόψουσιν ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον, πλανῶντες καὶ πλανώμενοι. Σὺ δὲ μένε ἐν οἷς ἔμαθες καὶ ἐπιστώθης, εἰδὼς παρὰ τίνος ἔμαθες, καὶ ὅτι ἀπὸ βρέφους τὰ ἱερὰ γράμματα οἶδας, τὰ δυνάμενά σε σοφίσαι εἰς σωτηρίαν διὰ πίστεως τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.


Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee: Triodion Begins Today
The Reading is from Luke 18:10-14

The Lord said this parable, "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee: Triodion Begins Today
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 18:10-14

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τήν παραβολὴν ταύτην· Ἄνθρωποι δύο ἀνέβησαν εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν προσεύξασθαι, ὁ εἷς Φαρισαῖος καὶ ὁ ἕτερος τελώνης. ὁ Φαρισαῖος σταθεὶς πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ταῦτα προσηύχετο· ὁ Θεός, εὐχαριστῶ σοι ὅτι οὐκ εἰμὶ ὥσπερ οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἅρπαγες, ἄδικοι, μοιχοί, ἢ καὶ ὡς οὗτος ὁ τελώνης· νηστεύω δὶς τοῦ σαββάτου, ἀποδεκατῶ πάντα ὅσα κτῶμαι. καὶ ὁ τελώνης μακρόθεν ἑστὼς οὐκ ἤθελεν οὐδὲ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐπᾶραι, ἀλλ᾿ ἔτυπτεν εἰς τὸ στῆθος αὐτοῦ λέγων· ὁ Θεός, ἱλάσθητί μοι τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ. λέγω ὑμῖν, κατέβη οὗτος δεδικαιωμένος εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἢ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος· ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ὑψῶν ἑαυτὸν ταπεινωθήσεται, ὁ δὲ ταπεινῶν ἑαυτὸν ὑψωθήσεται.


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Wisdom of the Fathers

If there is a moral quality almost completely disregarded and even denied today, it is indeed humility. The culture in which we live constantly instills in us the sense of pride, of self-glorification, and of self-righteousness ... Even our churches - are they not imbued with that same spirit of the Pharisee? Do we not want our every contribution, every 'good deed,' all the we do 'for the Church' to be acknowledged, praised, publicized? ... How does one become humble? The answer, for a Christian, is simple: by contemplating Christ..."
Fr. Alexander Schmemann
Great Lent, pp. 19-20., 20th Century

It is possible for those who have come back again after repentance to shine with much lustre, and oftentimes more than those who have never fallen at all, I have demonstrated from the divine writings. Thus at least both the publicans and the harlots inherit the kingdom of Heaven, thus many of the last are placed before the first.
St. John Chrysostom
AN EXHORTATION TO THEODORE AFTER HIS FALL, 4th Century

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Annunciation Sunday Catechism School

Godparents Sunday, February 9, 2020

We invite all children and their godparents to attend the liturgy and a special ceremony as a reminder of this beautiful sacrament and bond. Please join us for refreshments in the cultural center with your nounas and nounos!  If your godparents are unavailable, please bring a special family member or friend with you. We want every child to participate.

Thank you, Sunday school Directors Tina Hadgimallis and Stella Fisfis.

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Community News and Events

Philoptochos News & Events

Go Red Sunday – February 9, 2020

The Ladies Philoptochos ‘Nausica’ continues its commitment to Go Red for Women, the American Heart Association’s national call to increase awareness and help prevent heart disease, the number one killer of American women. This is a call for women, by women, to take charge of their well-being and live stronger, healthier lives.

We invite all of our parishioners to show support for this important mission to increase awareness and help prevent heart disease in women by wearing red, the color of our hearts, on Go Red Sunday, February 9, 2020, attending church services. We will also be taking a collection that day to benefit the American Heart Association.

Save the Date - Homemade Pita Sale

The Ladies Philoptochos Society 'Nausica' will hold a Homemade Pita Sale during kalosorisma/coffee hour on Sunday, March 1, 2020. The platter will include Hortopita with Homemade filo (Pita with feta, greens, and herbs), tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, dolma, olives, and a soft drink.

A $10.00 minimum donation is requested. Proceeds benefit the pledge of The Ladies Philoptochos Society 'Nausica' to our Parish 50th Anniversary Campaign. 

NATIONAL PHILOPTOCHOS TELEPHONE CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP

The National Philoptochos Department of Social Services is mounting a “Telephone Caregiver Support Group” beginning at the end of February specifically for Orthodox Christians who are caring for a loved one who is elderly or suffers from a chronic or life-threatening illness, or who is disabled.  We are fully aware that many organizations sponsor caregiver support groups; however, ours is faith-based and thus, unique.  It will incorporate and recognize our community’s cultural characteristics, attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs that can influence how caregivers address the challenges they face. 

For seven consecutive Thursday evenings from February 27th to April 9th, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm, EST, we will “meet” over the telephone, thus allowing caregivers throughout the Archdiocese to participate.  

Please click HERE for details and how to register to attend.


Thank You!

Dear parishioners and ministry leaders of Annunciation,

We sincerely thank all your efforts to spread the word, as well as your generous contributions to support IOCC’s campaign against hunger. The non-perishable canned goods collected on Super Bowl Sunday, as well as your monetary donations, made this endeavor a success yet another year. A special thank you should be appointed to our priest, all youth groups participating, as well as the Youth Ministry Council for their support!

All canned goods collected will be delivered by the diligent “Matthew 25” ministry team to Seeds of Hope food pantry on February 19th. (Please follow the link below for their signup genius page for more information on how you can help). In addition to the food collection, we were able to raise $500 from your generous contributions, which will directly go to support IOCC and their food drive campaign against hunger. 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Learn more at iocc.org/souperbowl

MATTHEW 25 SIGNUP GENIUS
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c054ba5a729a20-matthew 


Looking Ahead Beyond Next Week...

  • Monday, March 2, 2020- Clean Monday, Start of Holy and Great Lent
  • Saturday, March 14, 2020- Regional Sights and Sounds Youth Arts Festival. St. Luke Church, Broomall, PA
  • Sunday, March 22, 2020 - Greek School Independence Day Program

  • Sunday, March 29, 2020- Philadelphia Greek Independence Day Parade
  • Sunday, April 13, 2020- Palm Sunday, Start of Holy Week

Saturday of Souls - Ψυχοσάββατα

February, 22, 29, March 7

The church teaches us that those who have fallen asleep are not dead but still alive in Christ Jesus! Therefore, in its very essence, prayer for the dead is a proclamation of the Resurrection of Christ. This is a major reoccurring theme for the Saturday of the Souls. It is therefore imperative for us, the living, to remember our loved ones who have passed on and to pray that the Lord accepts them into His heavenly kingdom.

Please submit, in person, names to be commemorated on the specific Saturday of Souls you are attending. Matins begins at 8:30 am, and we kindly ask that koliva (memorial wheat) and/or names be brought to church no later than 9 am on Saturday morning. The ushers on duty will be there to assist you.

Please print this form and clearly print or type the baptismal name to be commemorated.

Fr. John will be offering graveside Trisagion prayers at Lawnview Cemetery after the divine liturgy on the first Saturday, February 22.


Liturgical Items Needed

Prosforo for the Eucharist. We use 2 –3 loaves on Sunday plus a few more for weekday liturgies.  There will never be too much prosforo in stock.  Please do not hesitate to bring any amount at any time!

Charcoal briquettes & incense. Donations are appreciated as we purchase specific king of charcoal & incense.

Thank you!


Friendly Reminders

Sunday Extra Services

Please contact the parish office at least two weeks in advance if you would like to have a 40-day mother & child blessing, memorial, trisagion, or artoklasia (the blessing of the five loaves-wine & oil).

 Requests are considered based on the ecclesiastical calendar.

Bulletin Announcements

Please submit your material by Wednesday noon for the upcoming Sunday bulletin. Send your submission to office@anngoc.org, and always Cc Fr. John at frjohn@anngoc.org for his review and approval.

All submissions will be placed on a first-come, first-served, space-available basis and are subject to editing and review.


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Focus on Our Church Family

Celebrations, Milestones, Gratitude, Comfort & Support

Pastoral care: If you or someone you know is sick, homebound elderly, or scheduled for surgery, please call the church office to let us know so Fr. John can make a pastoral visit, or to add someone to the prayer list.

Let us pray to the Lord for health and salvation: Suffering and persecuted Christians in the Middle East and the non-Christian world, Antonios, Anthony, Debora, Despina, Nikolaos, George, Yiannis, Eugene, Mary, Maria, Noel, Pavlos, Vincent, Alexandros, Constantino, Janet, Dionysios, Elizabeth, Peter, Athanasia, Earnest, Virginia, Sandra, Tom, Stephen, Betty, Chryssie, Stacey, Athena.

Names will be kept on this list for approximately three months. Please resubmit Names if needed. Fr. John will include the submitted names at the Psokomide “Offering of Gifts” during the first part of the liturgy when he prepares the mystical gifts of bread & wine. Please lift these names to the Lord in your personal prayer life also.

Prayer for healing: Heavenly Father, physician of our souls and bodies, who have sent our Lord to heal every sickness. Visit and heal us. Grant patience in this sickness, the strength of body and spirit, and recovery of health. Lord, You have taught us to pray for each other that we may be healed. We pray that You heal, guide, and protect your servant (s) (pray by name for those who are sick) and grant them the gift of complete health. You are the source of healing, and to You, we give glory, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen

Χρόνια πολλα!  Happy birthday!   God grant you many years!  To those celebrating this week:  Kaliopi Mountis, Daniel Pithis, Emmanuel Topakas, Maria Frangetis, Maria Kanakis, Fotios Malliaris, Eugenia Spyrou, Michael Browne, Anna Dalson, Krystin Avgiris, Teri Douris, Maria Karidas, John Koutsouros, Isabelle Lambrou, John Metzger, Alexandra Siokos, Christos Angelis, Nicole Oquendo, Evan Pappas, Leontios Bougioukas, Ioannis Hatzigeorgiou, Kiriakos Zanikos, John Anagnostakos, Michael Avrich, Harry Bandy, Anna Fountas, Chrisanthi Hatzopoulos, Dean Kosiras, Kimberly Koutsouradis, Eleftherios Malitas, Frank James Petronis, Efstathia Siokos, Dana Vellios, Ioannis Zoubroulis.

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Bulletin Inserts

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Help Needed

HAVE YOU CONSIDERED SAVING A LIFE TODAY?

My name is Andrea Thomas Merrick, and I am an Annunciation parishioner. 

My husband, Alan Gnessin, was diagnosed at age 16 with Type 1 Diabetes. Back then, treatment was much different than today.  Now, there are insulin pens, different types of insulin,  pumps, meters that test your blood without pricking your fingertips and many other medical advances. He followed the rules, watched what he ate, and lived his life.  But, these things don’t stop the progression of this chronic, incurable disease.

Today, Alan has Stage IV Kidney Disease and needs a kidney transplant. This is a daunting milestone.  His quality of life has greatly diminished.  His kidneys are failing with each passing day.  He continues to live the best life that he can but, without a kidney transplant, he will not be able to continue.  That is just the inevitably sad fact for all of us who care so much for him. 

There are two ways of obtaining a kidney. The first is from a deceased donor, which means you are put on the List and wait your turn until a matching kidney becomes available. You must receive dialysis while you wait what could be 5 or more years if you are lucky.

Alternatively, there are living kidney donors.  Having a living kidney donor has better outcomes than a cadaver donor. It also avoids having to wait years on the List for a match and means that the recipient need not spend endless time on dialysis.  This is a true gift.

On behalf of Alan, I am reaching out to you and asking for your help. Would you be willing to be tested to see if you are a compatible donor? Would you be willing to share Alan’s story and ask others? I am hoping that among family, friends, acquaintances and new connections, there is someone out there who can help save a life.  Please know that Alan’s immediate family are not suitable donor candidates, hence this outreach. (Alan has Type O blood, so a direct donor needs to be Type O (+ or -).

If you want to learn more about how the process works to be evaluated as a kidney donor, please go to www.donorsforalan.com.  If you prefer speaking directly and confidentially with the transplant program, please feel free to reach out to our transplant coordinator at Jefferson at livingdonor@jefferson.edu or at 1-888-855-6649.  You can download and complete the Living Donor Medical Assessment and Referral Form at  https://hospitals.jefferson.edu/content/dam/health/PDFs/departments/Kidney-Transplant/Living-Donor-Kidney-Transplant-Form.pdf  and e-mail it to livingdonor@jefferson.edu if you are interested in being considered as a living kidney donor. This form is the initial screening form.

We are so grateful for your interest, your questions, your help, and your friendship during this very difficult time.

Thank you all for listening to Alan’s story and considering his situation.

Andrea Thomas Merrick, Alan’s wife.

For questions and more information, please contact Fr. John at  215-6350316

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Beyond Annunciation

2020-2021 HUC SCHOLARSHIPS

The Hellenic University Club of Philadelphia is pleased to announce its Scholarships for the 2020-2021 Academic Year.  This year we are offering 17 Scholarships (8 Undergraduate, 6 Graduate and 3 Undergraduate/Graduate) totaling $57,500 to worthy students in the greater Philadelphia area of Greek descent and to students who are declared majors in Greek Studies, regardless of their heritage.

Descriptions of our scholarships and applications can be found on our website at www.hucphiladelphia.org. We encourage eligible students to apply for one of our scholarships. 

Please note applications and all supporting documents must be received no later than Wednesday, April 1, 2020.

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