We meet for divine worship every Sunday morning and on holy days starting with Orthros (Matins) at 8:30, Divine Liturgy at 9:30-11 AM.
Visit us at www.anngoc.org for information on how to attend church services during the COVIT-19 Pandemic.
We strongly encourage everyone to wear masks while in the church building regardless of their vaccination status.
The Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple , November 21, 2021
Τα Εισόδια της Θεοτόκου στον Ναό, 21 Νοεμβρίου, 2021. Το κήρυγμα εδώ.
Wednesday, November 24, 2021
Thursday, November 25, 2021, Thanksgiving Day
Saturday, November 27, 2021
13th Sunday of Luke, November 28, 2021
Tuesday, November 30: The Youth Ministries will decorate the church and church hall for the holiday season.
Friday, December 3: Youth Christmas Party, (GOYAns will help).
Saturday, December 4: Advent Retreat “Building an Orthodox Marriage Foundation” with Fr. Alexander Goussetis (Young Couples Ministry).
Sunday, December 5: Stewardship Appreciation Luncheon.
Saturday, December 11: Holiday Greek Frozen Food Festival. Thank you for supporting your church and it’s ministries. A portion of OPA’s proceeds are donated to a local charity. Thus far this year, we have donated $5,200 to Food Cupboard of Jenkintown from our May and September food festivals!.
Sunday, December 12: Angel Tree Project Gift Collection (Matthew 25 Ministry).
Parish Council Elections.
Wednesday, December 15: Young at Heart Ministry Christmas Luncheon & Caroling.
Sunday, December 19: PTO Holiday Vasilopita Sale. PTO Bake Sale.
Dear Annunciation Family,
I have the great pleasure to invite you to the 2021 Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Jersey Delaware Valley Ambassador Awards Banquet held on Sunday, December 12, 2021, at 5:30pm, at "The Merion" in Cinnaminson, NJ.
Our Metropolis established this awards program as a means for the church to recognize young men and women of our Metropolis who significantly personify the attributes of Faith, Love, Hope, and Peace. This program has expanded over the years to also honor adults in a variety of parish roles.
This year, the adult roles are a Parish Honoree, a Youth Worker Honoree, a Philoptochos Honoree, and an Essential Medical Worker Honoree.
Our Youth Ambassadors and Parish Honorees for this year are:
Congratulations to all!
Families and friends, please purchase your Ambassador Awards Banquet tickets here by November 28.
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. John L. Johns
A Note of Gratitude from the Young at Heart Ministry
We would like to thank Dr. Angie Makris McCulloch for taking time out of her busy schedule to be our guest speaker for our November 9, 2021 Young at Heart event.
In addition, we appreciated everyone who attended Dr. McCulloch's presentation, which helped educate us on the importance of maintaining a healthy Mediterranean diet and lifestyle. For those who could not attend, you may find handouts form the event at the counter in our cultural center.
Young at Heart Ministry: ”Offering a social and supportive network and fostering relationships among our 65 and older members”
Let's Give Thanks, Then Lets Give Back. Glory to God for All Things!
This Thanksgiving, the Homeless Ministry is especially grateful to Father John and our Annunciation church family for your ongoing prayers and support in sharing your time, talent, and treasure to help those in need. In addition, we give thanks for our Sunday School Students and Philoptochos for their leadership in our SOCKTOBER Drive; all those who prepared and donated the food and helped in serving our church family during our coffee fellowship in recognition of National Hunger and Homelessness week; our Matthew 25 Ministry who through the generous donations of our parishioners once again donated turkeys to the Homeless Ministry, our Young at Heart for their donations of tissue packs and Chapstick; those parishioners who answered the last minute call to serve at Aviator Park in October and our all of our parishioners who continue to offer food donations, help in serving at Aviator Park and clothing donations to help those experiencing homelessness.
Our gratitude, love, and prayers to all for a blessed Thanksgiving and Nativity Fast!
Thank you!
The Homeless Ministry
Matthew 25 would like to express our warmest wishes from our families to yours this blessed Thanksgiving Season.
We have so much to be grateful for every year. The Lord continues to bless our Ministry and provide us with just what we need to help the many families in need.
We want to thank Barbara Crits Kelly for reaching out to us to help. She delivered an entire carload of groceries from our church bins. We were humbled by the large quantity of food that we provided to Seeds of Hope on 11/15/21. For a minute, our delivery felt like a pre-Covid delivery with the outpour of non –perishable donations. Thank you so much for your generosity!
Giant of Maple Glen delivered two truckloads of Turkey, eggs, butter, gravy, stuffing, and chicken broth! We don’t have a final count on turkeys yet, but we delivered 53 turkeys today, and an additional three turkeys were given to our own Homeless Ministry. We will be placing another order as your donations continue to pour in. The additional donations we receive will also be applied to the purchase of meats for the Christmas holiday.
We will also be donating canned green beans and corn to Somerton Interfaith Food Pantry in the northeast.
We made a substantial delivery to Shady Grove Elementary School with healthy snacks for the after-school homework program. Lexi Trivelis brought this to our attention along with Presvytera Lia. Most of the children attending are victims of food insecurities. So many of the kids have also been displaced as a direct result of Hurricane Ida.
We are so grateful to represent Matthew 25 and our Annunciation. We are no longer surprised by the stories we hear or the growing needs of our communities. We can give because you give, and for that, we are all doing our part in fulfilling God’s will.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Please make all your church donations via:
Thank you for your generosity
Elections will be conducted in person in the large church hall on Sunday, December 12, 2021, after the divine liturgy until 1:00 pm. You will have the option to request online voting before December 12. Ten days before the elections, we will mail and email you the voting guidelines, the official list of candidates, and information on voting in person or online.
Parish Council Members and Endowment Fund Board Members will be elected for a two-year term beginning January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2023
The safety and well-being of our congregation are top priorities. Therefore, in the event of extremely bad weather on any given Sunday, the following procedure will be followed:
Based on the local weather forecast and the conditions on the ground at Elkins Park, at approximately 7:00 a.m., the Parish Council President, Vice President, and Fr. John will decide whether or not to
A) open one hour late: Matins at 9:30, Divine Liturgy at 10:30, or
B) cancel the Divine Liturgy and all other scheduled church activities.
Any decision to change the schedule will be communicated by 8:00 a.m. to our parishioners through our Announcer and Facebook page.
Our deepest sympathy to the Bavas family for the repose in the Lord of Leonidas (Louie) Bavas, 83, on 11/16/2021. Leonidas and his family were very active in our parish for many years until moving to Florida a few years ago. May his memory be eternal.
As we are approaching the end of 2021, we offer our gratitude to the 276 parishioners below who have pledged and are supporting stewards in good standing for 2021.
1. Pablo & Julianna Aguilar
2. Paul & Maria Anagnostakos
3. Kimon & Effi Angelikas
4. Helen Angelos
5. Annunciation Philoptochos
6. Theodore & Victoria Aristoklis
7. John & Catherine Avgiris
8. Harry & Argetta Ballas
9. Harry & Connie Bandy
10. Peter Bandy
11. Christos Bazalekos
12. Michael & Marina Blackton
13. Nina Borras & Alfredo Yiannateli
14. Thomas & Joann Borrell
15. Christos & Maria Botsaris
16. Anastasia Bouikidis
17. Michael & Christine Bouikidis
18. William & Kristina Burch
19. Helen Callas Reiner
20. Mihalis Calliagas
21. Nicholas & Katerina Calliagas
22. Ken & Maria Chin
23. Joseph Colistra II & Colleen Farrell
24. Terry Contoudis
25. Christopher & Andrea Cosmas
26. Angelina Costa
27. Calliope Costalas
28. Dinos & Antoinette Couppas
29. Niki Crits
30. Curtis & Maria Cummings
31. George & Maria Dalagelis
32. Constantine & Anna Dalson
33. Sally Danciu
34. John & Joanne Dell
35. Maritsa Demas
36. Leontios & Demetra Diamantas
37. Anna Doucoure
38. Cornelius & Athena Douris
39. Teri Douris
40. Ryan & Megan Downs
41. Olga Econome
42. Nicholas & Beverly Economopoulos
43. Maria Economou
44. Panagoula Ekonomou
45. Evangelos Exarchos
46. Alexander & Andrea Falbo
47. Stephen & Christine Ferello
48. Chris & Dori Fifis
49. Apostolos & Stella Fisfis
50. George Fisfis
51. Ioannis & Alexzandra Fisfis
52. Harvey & Elpitha Fishman
53. Efstathios & Kyriaki Fragogiannis
54. Maria Frangetis
55. Carl & Helen Freedman
56. Dimitra Ganas
57. George & Angela Gaugler
58. Eric & Elizabeth George
59. Chrysanthos & Eun Georgiou
60. George & Polly Georgiou
61. Peter & Christine Georgiou
62. Koula Gerasklis
63. Panagiotis & Eugenia Giannoumis
64. John & Rosalie Gilliland
65. George Giordas
66. Craig & Angela Godshall
67. Peter & Susan Gouris
68. Evangeline Gouzouasis
69. William & Vickie Grau
70. Costas & Maria Grigorakakis
71. George & Joyce Gutchigian
72. Peter & Christina Hadgimallis
73. Robert & Vasiliki Hadgimallis
74. Andreas & Argero Hagiandreu
75. Irene Halkias
76. Kenneth & Victoria Hartery
77. Terry & Christina Hatzigeorgiou
78. Yiorgos & Angelique Hatzinikolaou
79. Magda Hatzis
80. Chrisanthi Hatzopoulos
81. Thomas & Maria Hatzopoulos
82. Douglas & Angela Heinze
83. Frank & Linda Holberg
84. Christina Iliadis
85. Steven & Eleni Janke
86. Jodi Jasionowicz & Helen Giannakopoulos
87. Francis & Mary Jaxheimer
88. Paul & Mary Ann Jensen
89. Fr. John & Presv. Evangelia Johns
91. Gregory & Roseanne Kaldes
92. John & Zoe Kaldes
93. Dean & Kara Kalogrias
94. Andrew Kanakis
95. John & Francesca Kanakis
96. Argyro Kanellopoulos
97. Dimitrios & Glykeria Karagiannis
98. John & Katherine Karamatsoukas
99. Lazaros & Areti Karasavas
100. Nikos & Patra Karidas
101. Marika Karivalis
102. Constantine & Gail Karmokolias
103. Alex Karras
104. Kevin Kelly & Barbara Crits-Kelly
105. Evangelia King
106. Ryan & Ana Kiscaden
107. Stephen Kolokithias
108. Marina Konstantinidis
109. Eleni Konugres
110. Margo Konugres
111. Georgios & Lila Koskinas
112. Angela Kotsopoulos
113. Speros & Christina Koulouris
114. Georgia Kouskousaki
115. Ioakim & Kimberly Koutsouradis
116. Helen Koutsouros
117. Paul & Mary Koutsouros
118. William Kyriakatos
119. George & Alice Kyriakodis
120. Peter & Jennifer Kyriakodis
121. Stephanos & Helen Kyriakodis
122. Christos & Demetra Kytzidis
123. George Labrinakos
124. Petroula Labrinakos
125. Stacy & Susan Lagakos
126. Peter & Peggy Lambrou
127. Dora Lekas
128. Alex & Penelope Limbanovnos
129. Anthony & Maria Limberakis
130. Anthony & Kathryn Limberakis
131. Virginia Livanos
132. Dimitrios & Dawn Loizos
133. Agnes Louridas
134. Gregory & Barbara Louridas
135. Kevin & Mary Mack
136. Simeon & Galatea Mackrides
137. Vasilios & Faye Mackrides
138. Anastasia Magrini
139. Theodoros & Doreen Makris
140. Anastas & Odeta Malita
141. Spiro & Vojsava Malita
142. Apostolos & Anastasia Malitas
143. Demetrios Malitas
144. Eleftherios & Kyriaki Malitas
145. Fotios & Alexandra Malitas
146. Kalliopi Malitas
147. Mark & Maria Malusa
148. Sophia Mamas
149. John & Marjorie Mantas
150. Christopher & Katrina Maples
151. Ronald & Virginia Markos
152. Marianne Marmarou
153. George & Frederiki Martinos
154. Dennis & Vincenza Matarangas
155. David & Angela McCulloch
156. Stephen & Aspasia McGrath
157. Thomas & Olga McHugh
158. Catherine McNally
159. James & Maria McNally
160. Duglas Mesthos
161. Gregory Mesthos
162. Steve Mesthos
163. Theodora Mikroulis
164. Georgia Mitsas
165. Stamatios & Maria Mountis
166. Philip & Vrisida Nanos
167. Michael & Stephanie Nanz
168. Argyro Neumeister
169. Argiris & Jennie Niamonitos
170. Constantino & Anastasia Niamonitos
171. Peter & Stella Nikolopoulos
172. Ryan & Kristalia Nowlan
173. Dawn Nylander
174. Dennis & Mary O'Hara
175. Jason & Jacinda Ojeda
176. Tina Onassis
177. Stephen & Maria Oratis
178. Elisavet Panagiotidou
179. Antonis & Katherine Pantazopoulos
180. Arthur Papacostas
181. James & Jane Papacostas
182. Chris & Despina Papadeas
183. Afthentia Papadopoulos
184. Demetrios & Rubena Papakirk
185. Chris Papakostantinou & Melissa Kohler
186. Helen Papanicolaou
187. Nikolaos & Maria Papanikolaou
188. Albert & Sophia Pappas
189. Helen K Pappas
190. Nicholas & Urania Pappas
191. Philip Pappas
192. Theodoros & Alexandra Pappas
193. George Pashardis
194. Aris Pasles
195. Achileas & Afrodite Patounas
196. Peter & Paula Pavlis
197. Russell & Sophia Penning
198. John & Anastasia Perry
199. Daniel & Demetra Pithis
200. Alexandros & Heather Pitsakis
201. George & Melinda Pitsakis
202. Andrew & Georgianne Pogas
203. Anthony & Karen Poulos
204. Dr. Andrew & Melissa Prousi
205. Margie Prousi
206. Konstantinos & Marigo Psaroudis
207. Gjergji & Polina Pulia
208. Christopher & Evangelia Ramey
209. Marc Redemann & Adrienne Frangakis
210. Kevin & Joanna Rega
211. Mary Roscioli
212. Dean & Mary Samios
213. Charles & Maria Sandilos
214. William & Elaine Sandilos
215. Alexander & Diane Saphos
216. Nicholas Saphos
217. Dimitria Sfarnas
218. Evangeline Sfarnas
219. Elefteris & Francine Sferedes
220. Kostas & Donna Sfiridis
221. Zachary & Christina Shaw
222. David & Voula Sidelsky
223. Kostas & Stamatia Sklikas
224. James & Maria Skoutelas
225. Vasili & Helen Soultoukis
226. Nikolaos Spiliotis & Dimitra Afthinou
227. Helen Spilliotis
228. Dimitrios & Eugenia Spyrou
229. Dianne Stackhouse
230. John & Despina Stakias
231. Demetrios & Christina Staurinos
232. Paulette Steffa
233. Peter Steffa
234. George & Despina Steiros
235. Jacob & Emily Stine
236. Loukas & Nicky Stylianou
237. Helen Sullivant-Davis
238. Konstantinos Theodorakis
239. Helen Thomas
240. Sotirios & Despina Thomas
241. Eleftherios & Deborah Topakas
242. Emanuel Topakas
243. Iakovos & Kelly Toumbanakis
244. Michael & Kaliopi Triantafellou
245. Cosmas & Shauna Trifonidis
246. Vasiliki Trifonidis
247. Zoe Tripolitis
248. James & Elizabeth Trivelis
249. Michael & Renee Trivelis
250. Nicholas Trivelis
251. Anne Tsatalis
252. Demetrios & Sofia Tsatsanis
253. Dimitrios & Fotini Tsikoudis
254. Stelios & Laurie Tsinontides
255. Shane & Despina Twyman
256. Kurt Ufer & Joanne Epitropou-Ufer
257. George & Polikriti Vafiadis
258. Chrysanthe Vaganos
259. Rizos & Vasiliki Vagelaras
260. John & Aspasia Varoumas
261. Helene Vellios
262. Dimitrios & Katharine Verros
263. Anthony & Elyse Vlahos
264. Chris & Evangelea Vlahos
265. Christine Vlahos
266. Efthymios & Carly Vlahos
267. Gregory & Venetia Voutsinas
268. Frank & Carol Voutsinos
269. Byron & Christina Warner
270. Stephen & Georgia Weiss
271. Benjamin & Angelica Worthington
272. Joseph Wyllie
273. Louise Zervos
274. Argie Zoubroulis
275. Ioannis & Eleftheria Zoubroulis
276. Theodore & Zaffie Zoubroulis
Look for your 2022 personalized Stewardship Pledge Card of Time, Talent, and Treasure in the mail, including our Sustaining Stewardship Initiative information.
November 2021
November 21, 2021
November 2021
Place your order by December 3, 2021
Saturday, December 4, 2021
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November 21 to December 12
Friday, December 3, 2021
Saturday, December 11, 2021
Wednesday, December 15, 2021
Sunday, December 19, 2021
Prokeimenon. Third Mode. Luke 1: 46-48.
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
Verse: For he has regarded the humility of his servant.
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 9:1-7.
BRETHREN, the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary. For a tent was prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence; it is called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain stood a tent called the Holy of Holies, having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, which contained a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. These preparations having thus been made, the priests go continually into the outer tent, performing their ritual duties; but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood which he offers for himself and for the errors of the people.
Προκείμενον. Third Mode. Λουκάν 1:46-48.
Μεγαλύνει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν Κύριον, καὶ ἠγαλλίασε τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐπὶ τῷ Θεῷ τῷ σωτῆρί μου.
Στίχ. Ὅτι ἐπέβλεψεν ἐπὶ τὴν ταπείνωσιν τῆς δούλης αὐτοῦ.
τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Ἑβραίους 9:1-7.
Ἀδελφοί, εἶχεν ἡ πρώτη σκηνὴ δικαιώματα λατρείας, τό τε ἅγιον κοσμικόν. Σκηνὴ γὰρ κατεσκευάσθη ἡ πρώτη, ἐν ᾗ ἥ τε λυχνία καὶ ἡ τράπεζα καὶ ἡ πρόθεσις τῶν ἄρτων, ἥτις λέγεται ἅγια. Μετὰ δὲ τὸ δεύτερον καταπέτασμα σκηνὴ ἡ λεγομένη ἅγια ἁγίων, χρυσοῦν ἔχουσα θυμιατήριον, καὶ τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς διαθήκης περικεκαλυμμένην πάντοθεν χρυσίῳ, ἐν ᾗ στάμνος χρυσῆ ἔχουσα τὸ μάννα, καὶ ἡ ῥάβδος Ἀαρὼν ἡ βλαστήσασα, καὶ αἱ πλάκες τῆς διαθήκης· ὑπεράνω δὲ αὐτῆς Χερουβὶμ δόξης κατασκιάζοντα τὸ ἱλαστήριον· περὶ ὧν οὐκ ἔστιν νῦν λέγειν κατὰ μέρος. Τούτων δὲ οὕτως κατεσκευασμένων, εἰς μὲν τὴν πρώτην σκηνὴν διὰ παντὸς εἰσίασιν οἱ ἱερεῖς, τὰς λατρείας ἐπιτελοῦντες· εἰς δὲ τὴν δευτέραν ἅπαξ τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ μόνος ὁ ἀρχιερεύς, οὐ χωρὶς αἵματος, ὃ προσφέρει ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τῶν τοῦ λαοῦ ἀγνοημάτων·
The Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple
The Reading is from Luke 10:38-42, 11:27-28
At that time, Jesus entered a village; and a woman called Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve you alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her." As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked!" But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"
The Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 10:38-42, 11:27-28
Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, εἰσῆλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς κώμην τινά· γυνὴ δέ τις ὀνόματι Μάρθα ὑπεδέξατο αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτῆς. καὶ τῇδε ἦν ἀδελφὴ καλουμένη Μαρία, ἣ καὶ παρακαθίσασα παρὰ τοὺς πόδας τοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦ ἤκουε τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ. ἡ δὲ Μάρθα περιεσπᾶτο περὶ πολλὴν διακονίαν· ἐπιστᾶσα δὲ εἶπε· Κύριε, οὐ μέλει σοι ὅτι ἡ ἀδελφή μου μόνην με κατέλιπε διακονεῖν; εἰπὲ οὖν αὐτῇ ἵνα μοι συναντιλάβηται. ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· Μάρθα Μάρθα, μεριμνᾷς καὶ τυρβάζῃ περὶ πολλά· ἑνὸς δέ ἐστι χρεία· Μαρία δὲ τὴν ἀγαθὴν μερίδα ἐξελέξατο, ἥτις οὐκ ἀφαιρεθήσεται ἀπ᾿ αὐτῆς. ᾿Εγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ λέγειν αὐτὸν ταῦτα ἐπάρασά τις γυνὴ φωνὴν ἐκ τοῦ ὄχλου εἶπεν αὐτῷ· μακαρία ἡ κοιλία ἡ βαστάσασά σε καὶ μαστοὶ οὓς ἐθήλασας. αὐτὸς δὲ εἶπε· μενοῦνγε μακάριοι οἱ ἀκούοντες τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ φυλάσσοντες αὐτόν.
According to the tradition of the Church, the Theotokos was brought to the Temple at three years of age, where she was consecrated to God and spent her days until she was fourteen or fifteen years old; and then, as a mature maiden, by the common counsel of the priests (since her parents had reposed some three years before), she was betrothed to Joseph.
This week’s “How-to” Green Your Parish episode features Franchesca Duval “It’s Not Politics!”
This week’s “How-to” Green Your Parish episode features Dr. Christos Durante “Creation Care and Christian Ethics”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwOFKTHKXh8