Camp Good Shepherd, August 15-21, 2021. Registration is Now Open

Register here: app.campdoc.com/register/cgsn

https://www.projectmexico.org/news/2021/7/7/the-gift-of-service-by-emmalia-godshall?fbclid=IwAR3peFYA393UDjn7rkprpBRUf6K0VCo4GgvPLmhOc9hkiNXnPnBC26iVfvw 

Here are ways to make a difference this summer:

• Donate water to the summer water drive.
• Sign up here to serve at Aviator Park or donate food: Signup genius - Homeless Ministry/Aviator Park-July. July Servers, tastycakes, and clementines are still needed!
• Donate to the 4th Annual Parish Backpack Drive.

We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone!

The Homeless Ministry

Help Childen from Homeless Families

Every child deserves their very own backpack and school supplies to start the new school year!

Help restore some sense of normalcy for these children and send the message that they are important—and so is their education!
Donate $10 to cover the cost of one backpack,
or
Donate $15 to cover the cost of school supplies for one backpack,
or
Donate $25 to cover the cost of one backpack filled with school supplies.
Donate any amount towards this drive. FOCUS North America will supply the backpacks and school supplies.
You can participate either by mailing or dropping off a check made payable to “FOCUS North America” to our church office or by making a donation to the Homeless Ministry on GivePlus. Please indicate that your donation is for the backpack drive.
This drive will end on August the 15th.
Backpacks and supplies will be distributed to homeless families through Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network and Project Home.

Let’s Help Kids in Need Succeed!

The Homeless Ministry

Want to participate in an Orthodox book club?

In celebration of the 200^th anniversary of the birth of Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky, the Ancient Faith book club is reading and discussing Crime and Punishment in August. (Not exactly a beach read but well worth the effort!)

Here are reviews of two studies on the Book of Revelation, from Konstantine:

An Introduction to Reading the Apocalypse by Columba Graham Flegg. Before addressing the text of Revelation, the author lays a solid foundation by offering the full texts of pertinent prophecies from Ezekiel, Daniel, Matthew, Corinthians, Thessalonians, Peter, and John, and by discussing the background, history, and structure of Revelation. The letters to the seven churches and the future prophecies are then commented on, again with extensive portions of the actual text. Since this brief and simple introduction is best suited for the person with minimal experience in Scriptural prophecy and Revelation, in particular, it thus admirably fulfills its purpose.

Revelation: A Liturgical Prophecy by Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon. While Fr. Reardon’s treatment of the details of Revelation can be disappointing––he passes over a great deal, presents new interpretations with no corroborating evidence, and offers excellent references and parallel passages but fails to explain their significance––his real contribution, and it is a profound one, is his “vision” for understanding the context of Revelation, dismissing the idea that it is a letter and for a far-future time, and rather identifying it as a book and a prophecy that is situated within a liturgical setting and has real significance for the seven churches. Another valuable contribution is that Revelation was not written to inform us about the future so that we could feel self-pleased in our knowledge, but to call us to present repentance, because of the future.

Many thanks to our parishioners who have graciously shared book reviews with us!  Please let us know if you’d like to share what you’ve been reading with the Annunciation community.

1. Download the AGES Initiatives app on your smartphone.
2. Click on the Service Calendar. The app defaults to the current date.
3. Choose the bilingual service (Hours, Vespers, Matins, Divine Liturgy, etc.).

Church Wi-Fi:  COA-Guest
Password: coa12345

1. Download the free GivePlus+ mobile app here:  iPhone or Android
2. Make one-time or recurring donations using your debit/credit card or bank account
3. Login or donate as a guest.
4. Securely and conveniently manage donations using Touch ID/Fingerprint, PIN, or password.

Church Wi-Fi:  COA-Guest
Password: coa12345

Bulletin Announcements

Please submit your material by Tuesday 12 noon for the upcoming Sunday’s bulletin during the summer months. 

Your submission should be an editable document (Word, Publisher, Google Doc, Pages), as well as your final PDF document. Please send your submission to office@anngoc.org and 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.

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.

It is a great privilege to be with you today, and I want to express the appreciation of the Greek Orthodox Church of America – a province of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Mother Church of Eastern Christianity – for the exceptional work of the International Religious Freedom Summits. The partner and supporting entities bear witness to the inclusive and the comprehensive nature of the vision for human liberty and freedom of conscience we seek to enhance around the globe.

The “How-to” Green Your Parish series is an initiative of the Department of Inter-Orthodox, Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations. New episodes will be released weekly featuring ideas and ways to introduce creation care and sustainability in your parish and home. Ranging from practical to theological, each three-minute video offers a unique perspective on environmental stewardship through the knowledge and expertise of Orthodox Christians across the United States.