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Annunciation/Evangelismos Church, Elkins Park, PA
Publish Date: 2023-01-22
Bulletin Contents
Weekend Update
Youth Ministries
Community News & Events
Focus on Our Church Family
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Saints and Feasts
Bulletin Inserts
Archdiocese News
Anastasiospersian
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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

Presiding Priest: Rev. Fr. John L. Johns


frjohn@anngoc.org | (215) 635-0316

Services Schedule

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. Check our Parish Calendar for more information.

Past Bulletins


Weekend Update

For those unable to attend in person, install the GOA Ages Initiatives App on your phone or tablet to see the liturgy text and pray with us through our Facebook Livestream.

15th Sunday of Luke, January 22, 2023

Κυριακή ΙE’ Λουκά, 22 Ιανουαρίου, 2023. Το κήρυγμα της Κυριακής εδώ

  • 8:30 am MATINS, 9:30 am DIVINE LITURGY
  • Youth Catechism: following Holy Communion.
  • Memorial: join us in offering memorial prayers for the peaceful repose of the souls of Agnes Louridas (40 days) and Constantinos Niamonitos (9 months) of blessed memory.
  • 40-day mother & child blessing: Maria, daughter of Kaliopi and Andreas Diamantas. Congratulations!
  • Coffee fellowship: hosted by PTO.
  • Greek School: Three Hierarchs Program.
  • 12 pm GOYA Sights & Sounds practice.
  • 4 pm Metropolis Three Hierarchs Banquet at St. Luke Church, Broomall, PA.

Monday, January 23

Tuesday, January 24

  • 5 pm Greek School classes.

Wednesday, January 25 —Gregory the Theologian, Archbishop of Constantinople

  • 8:30am MATINS, 9:30am DIVINE LITURGY.
  • 7 pm Bible Study: Galatians.

Thursday, January 26

  • 7 pm Choir practice.

Friday, January 27

  • 5 pm Greek School classes.
  • 6:30 pm GOYA Sights & Sounds practice.
  • 6:30 pm JOY Greek dance practice.
  • 7:30 pm GOYA Greek dance practice.

Saturday, January 28

Sunday of the Canaanite, January 29

  • 8:30 am MATINS, 9:30 am DIVINE LITURGY
  • Youth Catechism: following Holy Communion.
  • Memorial: join us in offering memorial prayers for the peaceful repose of the souls of John Gouris (1 year), Mary Gouris (7 years), and George Mitsas (3 -years) of blessed memory.
  • Ask Father: 5th-7th Grades return to church for a lesson with +Fr. John.
  • Coffee Fellowship: Gyro sale hosted by Philoptochos.
  • 12 pm GOYA Sights & Sounds practice.
  • 12:30 Baptism: The Marino family.
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Youth Ministries

Sunday School News

Divine Liturgy begins at 9:30am at Annunciation/Evangelismos Greek Orthodox Church 7921 Old York Rd, Elkins Park, PA 19027.

All Nounos and Nounas are invited to attend church with their Godchildren.

Preceding Holy Communion, a special prayer service will be offered for Godparents and Godchildren.

Refreshments will be offered by the PTO in our Cultural Center following Liturgy.


Greek School News


HOPE & JOY Activities


GOYA Activities


Young Adult News


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Community News & Events

Effective Parish Assessment Program is Now Live

Beloved Parishioners,

We wish you and your families a blessed and healthy New Year! Χρόνια πολλά και ευτυχισμένο το 2023!

As part of our efforts to improve our Parish and encourage everyone to continue their journey to a Christ-centered life, we are pleased to announce that Annunciation is participating in the Effective Parish Assessment Program, sponsored by the Archdiocese and created by Orthodox Ministry Services. Click here for details.

The Assessment Program is a data-driven assessment of how we perform in 6 key areas that drive the effectiveness of a Parish:

  • Parishioner engagement
  • Ministries
  • Stewardship and generosity
  • Leadership and teams
  • Vision and planning
  • Operational effectiveness

We invite you to take a few minutes to take the online survey, a set of multiple-choice questions.

The survey is open and available at https://www.effectiveparish.org/survey.

The survey will be open until January 27, and your responses are completely anonymous. So please give us your input, and thank you for your time and thoughtfulness in assessing our Parish and helping to make it a better place for everyone to live a full, Orthodox Christian life.

Once the survey is complete and the data analyzed, Parish Council will work with Orthodox Ministry Services to develop action plans. We expect to present the findings and plans to the community in April-May.

The Assessment Program gives us an objective framework to assess and improve our Parish. It is essential to get the broadest possible input from across the community so that the conclusions accurately represent the state of our Parish. We encourage you to make the time to take the survey once the link is sent to you. If you would like to discuss the survey or the Assessment program in more detail, feel free to reach out to either of us.

Thank you for your time and thoughtfulness in assessing our Parish life and helping to make it a better place for everyone to live a full, Orthodox Christian Life.

Respectfully,

Father John L. Johns,

Dean Dalson, PC President


God Bless Our 2023 Parish Council

We are pleased to present the members of our 2023 Parish Council who have been elected by our community, approved by the Metropolis of New Jessy, and taken the Oath of Office.

Constantine Dalson, President
Anthony Vlahos, Vice President
James Papacostas, Secretary
Demetrios Papakirk, Treasurer
Panagiotis Giannoumis, Assistant Treasurer
Marina Blackton
Leontios Diamantas
Evangelos Exarchos
Alexander Falbo
Apostolos Fisfis
Panagiotis Kyriakou
Russell Penning

Led by our priest, the Parish Council is the body of practicing Orthodox Christians in good standing, sacramentally, with the church.  They are elected by the members of our parish for the purpose of working together with the priest in fulfilling the goals and needs of our parish. This brief description of the local governing body also describes the fundamental structure of the Orthodox Church. That is we, as clergy and laity together, are the "People of God" seeking to fulfill the mission entrusted to us by our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ to the best of our human abilities.


Homeless Ministry News

This month, the Homeless Ministry is collecting and delivering “Grab & Go” foods for local college students experiencing homelessness currently housed by DePaul USA, a Germantown nonprofit.

Please sign up here to help.

Homelessness among college students has existed almost undetected for years. Homeless students blend in with other college students; they all wear jeans and T-shirts. There’s much shame associated with being homeless, and students try to hide it if they can.

Homelessness can strike college students at any time and for various reasons: Financial aid is delayed. A poor choice is made. A car breaks down. A parent gets sick. Sometimes a door has been shut.

Most are students who have had very challenging lives and see education and college as the way out. And that’s really the marvel, the miracle, and hope in all that. The kind of persistence and tenacity they show to keep going despite all the obstacles.

If we don’t help those students get through whatever challenge they’re experiencing, we’re doing a disservice not only to them but to the broader society. Education is key.  Someone can take away your home, money, and physical possessions, but they can’t take away your knowledge.

Please click In college and without a home to listen to a KYW podcast. 

REMINDER: Our next scheduled date to serve at Aviator Park is 3/30. Please join us!

Thank you!


Matthew25 Ministry News

New Year Prayer: “Thank you, God, for giving us the brand new year ahead. Help us live the way we should as each day we tread. Give us gentle wisdom that we might help someone in need; give us strength and courage so a shoulder we might lend. The year ahead is empty; let us fill it with good things, each new day filled with joy and happiness that it brings. Amen”

This prayer is a beautiful reminder of the heart of Matthew 25 but applies to every one of us as we begin a new year and focus on the positive change we hope to nurture and grow from within. Our ministry has quieted down for a few weeks, and we look forward to what the winter and spring will bring. We distributed over 18 gift cards to Aspira schools this month. We will continue to collect gift cards until the end of January. Feel free to place them in our Matthew 25 slot in the office. These gift cards can be Visa, Walmart, Mastercard, or grocery store cards. They provide food, clothing, and hygiene to so many children and families in need. We are preparing another delivery to Seeds of Hope in late January. Egg prices will remain high throughout the spring, but we will continue to provide them to the many shoppers at Seeds of Hope.

We plan on coming together in February to make several pans of lasagna for a wonderful organization called “Lasagna Love.” We will provide the link to research and get involved with this philanthropic organization. We would love to see our parish ministries come together in the future and bake trays of lasagna that we will gladly distribute for you. If you are interested in participating, reach out to sophiagreekgirl@gmail.com and oceancitymom1@gmail.com for more information.

Our Lenten Meat drive will run from February 28 through April 17. We will purchase an assortment of requested meats and foods and deliver them to Seeds of Hope and Somerton Interfaith on April 4 and 18. We break up the deliveries to ensure that all shoppers can have Easter meat in April. We will be asking for monetary donations (as we did for our Turkey Drive) and will be doing the buying for the parish. As always, donations are accepted throughout the year on Vanco. We are always appreciative to receive these donations. They sustain the ministry!
Lasagna Love Link:  https://www.lasagnalove.org

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” - Mahatma Gandhi


Looking Ahead Beyond Next Week

Saturday, February 4: Regional HOPE & JOY Bible Bowl
Sunday, February 5: Start of the Triodion (three-week pre-Lenten period)
                               Godparents Sunday
Thursday, February 9: Metropolis vasilopita celebration
Friday, February 10: Young at Heart coffee get together
Saturday, February 11: Regional Altar Servers Retreat

Sunday, February 12: Philoptochos Go Red Sunday
Sunday, February 26: Parish Oratorical Festival
Clean Monday, Feb 27: Start of Great and Holy Lent
                                  Spring General Assembly of our parishioners
Saturday, March 4: Orthodox Christian Mission Center Lenten Retreat
Sunday, March 19: Greek School Greek Independence Day program

Saturday, March 25: Parish Name-day & Greek Independence Day

Sunday, April 2: Greek Independence Day Parade in Philadelphia
Sunday, April 16: Great and Holy Pascha
May 19-20: Spring OPA Greek Festival


Friendly Reminders

Bulletin Announcements

Please submit your material by Tuesday noon for the upcoming Sunday’s bulletin.
Your submission should be an editable document (Word, Publisher, Google Doc, Pages), as well as your final PDF document. Avoid dark page backgrounds and use white because it is easier to read and ‘lighter’ to include on our e-bulletin. Please 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 for content, clarity, and space.

Sunday Extra Services

Please call or email us at the parish office at least two weeks in advance if you would like a 40-day mother & child blessing, memorial, trisagion, artoklasia (the blessing of the five loaves-wine & oil), fanouropita (St. Phanurios bread), etc.

Requests are considered based on the ecclesiastical calendar.


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Focus on Our Church Family

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 add someone to the prayer list.
 
Let us pray to the Lord for the health and salvation of: Suffering and persecuted Christians in the Middle East and the non-Christian world, Kyriaki, Mary, Maria, Betty, Lisa, Dennis, Sandi, Karl, Athena, Andy, Eugene,  Philip, Donna, Lucy, John, Smaragdi.
 
We will keep the names on this list for approximately 3 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 as well.
 
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, 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. 

Happy wedding anniversary to those celebrating this coming week: Panagiota Mazer & Pablo Vargas.

Χρόνια πολλά & ευλογηµένα! God grant you many years! To those who are celebrating birthdays this coming week: Kaden Avgiris, Isabelle Hartery, Alice Karnavas, Angelique Maher, Juliano Marino, Athanasia McLeod, Victoria Sourovelis, Stephanie Tsolakis, Kristian Zoubroulis, Nicholas Chin, William Koutsouros, Viviana Malita, Andrew Markou, Damon Parisse, Michael Avrich, George Hionas, Voula Metzler, Panagiotis Psihogios, Elizabeth Trivelis, Alexandra Vlachos, Alexandra Drobac Diagne, Lambros Karazournias, Nicholas Lucarini, Nicholas Romas, John Avgiris, Christopher Demetriou, Urania Staurinos, Adam Anastasiadis, Katerina Botsaris, Aspasia McGrath, Lukas Rodenhausen, Olivia Speir, Kostas Staparounas, Joshua Tait, Annamaria Topakas, Isabella Weggel.

Our deepest sympathy:

To the Godshall family for the passing of their beloved mother, mother-in-law and grandmother Anna Marie Bolt Godshall, 95, of blessed memory on January 13, 2023. May her memory be eternal.

To the Sagias family for the passing of their beloved husband, father and grandfather, Spyridon Sagias, 86, of blessed memory on January 16, 2023. May his memory be eternal.

 

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Grave Mode. Psalm 28.11,1.
The Lord will give strength to his people.
Verse: Bring to the Lord, O sons of God, bring to the Lord honor and glory.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to Timothy 4:9-15.

Timothy, my son, the saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and suffer reproach, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things. Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Till I come, attend to the public reading of scripture, to preaching, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophetic utterance when the council of elders laid their hands upon you. Practice these duties, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress.

Προκείμενον. Grave Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 28.11,1.
Κύριος ἰσχὺν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ δώσει.
Στίχ. Ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κυρίῳ υἱοὶ Θεοῦ, ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κυρίῳ δόξαν καὶ τιμήν.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Τιμόθεον α' 4:9-15.

Τέκνον Τιμόθεε, πιστὸς ὁ λόγος καὶ πάσης ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος. Εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ κοπιῶμεν καὶ ὀνειδιζόμεθα, ὅτι ἠλπίκαμεν ἐπὶ θεῷ ζῶντι, ὅς ἐστιν σωτὴρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων, μάλιστα πιστῶν. Παράγγελλε ταῦτα καὶ δίδασκε. Μηδείς σου τῆς νεότητος καταφρονείτω, ἀλλὰ τύπος γίνου τῶν πιστῶν ἐν λόγῳ, ἐν ἀναστροφῇ, ἐν ἀγάπῃ, ἐν πνεύματι, ἐν πίστει, ἐν ἁγνείᾳ. Ἕως ἔρχομαι, πρόσεχε τῇ ἀναγνώσει, τῇ παρακλήσει, τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ. Μὴ ἀμέλει τοῦ ἐν σοὶ χαρίσματος, ὃ ἐδόθη σοι διὰ προφητείας μετὰ ἐπιθέσεως τῶν χειρῶν τοῦ πρεσβυτερίου. Ταῦτα μελέτα, ἐν τούτοις ἴσθι, ἵνα σου ἡ προκοπὴ φανερὰ ᾖ ἐν πᾶσιν.

Gospel Reading

15th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 19:1-10

At that time, Jesus was passing through Jericho. And there was a man named Zacchaios; he was a chief collector, and rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaios, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today." So he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it they all murmured, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." And Zacchaios stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost."

15th Sunday of Luke
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 19:1-10

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, διήρχετο τὴν ῾Ιεριχώ· καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ ὀνόματι καλούμενος Ζακχαῖος, καὶ αὐτὸς ἦν ἀρχιτελώνης, καὶ οὗτος ἦν πλούσιος, καὶ ἐζήτει ἰδεῖν τὸν ᾿Ιησοῦν τίς ἐστι, καὶ οὐκ ἠδύνατο ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄχλου, ὅτι τῇ ἡλικίᾳ μικρὸς ἦν. καὶ προδραμὼν ἔμπροσθεν ἀνέβη ἐπὶ συκομορέαν, ἵνα ἴδῃ αὐτόν, ὅτι ἐκείνης ἤμελλε διέρχεσθαι. καὶ ὡς ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον, ἀναβλέψας ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶδεν αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν· Ζακχαῖε, σπεύσας κατάβηθι· σήμερον γὰρ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου δεῖ με μεῖναι. καὶ σπεύσας κατέβη, καὶ ὑπεδέξατο αὐτὸν χαίρων. καὶ ἰδόντες πάντες διεγόγγυζον λέγοντες ὅτι παρὰ ἁμαρτωλῷ ἀνδρὶ εἰσῆλθε καταλῦσαι. σταθεὶς δὲ Ζακχαῖος εἶπε πρὸς τὸν Κύριον· ἰδοὺ τὰ ἡμίση τῶν ὑπαρχόντων μου, Κύριε, δίδωμι τοῖς πτωχοῖς, καὶ εἴ τινός τι ἐσυκοφάντησα, ἀποδίδωμι τετραπλοῦν. εἶπε δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ὅτι σήμερον σωτηρία τῷ οἴκῳ τούτῳ ἐγένετο, καθότι καὶ αὐτὸς υἱὸς ᾿Αβραάμ ἐστιν. ἦλθε γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ζητῆσαι καὶ σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλός.

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Saints and Feasts

Anastasiospersian
January 22

The Righteous Martyr Anastasius of Persia

Saint Anastasius was a Persian by race, the son of a Magus, and a soldier in the Persian army in the days of Chosroes II, King of Persia, and Heraclius, Emperor of New Rome. The Saint's Persian name was Magundat.

When Chosroes captured Jerusalem in the year 614 and took the Precious Cross away captive, Magundat heard the report of the miracles that came to pass through the Cross of our salvation. Being of a prudent mind, perplexed that an instrument of torture should be so highly honored by the Christians, yet seized with longing to learn their Faith, he diligently sought out instruction in the whole divine dispensation of Christ: His Incarnation, Passion, and Resurrection. When he learned what he sought to know, his soul was filled with wonder and joy. Withdrawing to the Holy City, he was baptized by Saint Modestus, Patriarch of Jerusalem, and became a monk, receiving the new name of Anastasius.

As he read the lives of the Saints and the accounts of the holy Martyrs, his heart was kindled with love for them to such a degree that he prayed to be counted worthy of a martyr's end like unto theirs. Finally, unable to contain his longing, he left his monastery. Encountering certain Persian Magi at Caesarea, he rebuked them for their delusion. Since Palestine was still held in the captivity of the Persians, he was taken before the Persian ruler, questioned, beaten, and imprisoned. He was then taken with other captives to Persia, where, after many tortures, refusing to espouse again the error of his fathers, he was hanged up by one hand, strangled with a noose, and beheaded. The translation of his holy relics is celebrated on the 24th of this month.

22_timothy1
January 22

Timothy the Apostle of the 70

The Apostle Timothy, who was from Lystra of Lycaonia, was born of a Greek (that is, pagan) father and a Jewish mother. His mother's name was Eunice, and his grandmother's name was Lois (II Tim. 1:5). He became the disciple of the Apostle Paul when the latter first preached there, and he followed St. Paul during the whole period of the Apostle's preaching. Afterwards, Timothy was consecrated by him as first Bishop of the church in Ephesus. Under the supervision of John the Evangelist, who governed all the churches in Asia, he completed his life as a martyr in the year 97. He was stoned to death by the heathens, because, as some surmise, he opposed the festival held in honor of Artemis (Diana). The Apostle Paul's First and Second Epistles to Timothy were written to him.

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Bulletin Inserts

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Archdiocese News

Registration for all programs of Ionian Village 2023 opens this Saturday, January 21st at 12pm EST on ionianvillage.org!!!

01/19/2023

Registration for all programs of Ionian Village 2023 opens this Saturday, January 21st at 12pm EST on ionianvillage.org!!!
https://www.goarch.org/-/registration-programs-ionian-village-opens-saturday-january-21

SUNDAY SERMON SERIES 15th Sunday Of Luke January 22

01/18/2023

Luke 19:1-10 This week, find insights about the upcoming Gospel reading, where we learn about a short man named Zacchaeus who had to climb a tall tree to see Jesus. What does his height have to do with his spiritual life? And how is this tree connected to the cross? Also, why did the Lord tell Zacchaeus that He must stay at his house?
https://www.goarch.org/-/sunday-sermon-january-22
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