OUR MISSION is to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, sanctify the faithful through the liturgy and the Holy Sacraments, grow the church by receiving new members, live the Orthodox Christian Faith, and serve humanity through Christ-centered ministries.

OUR VISION is to be a loving, caring, and welcoming Christian community where all belong and grow in the Orthodox Christian Faith through worship, witness, fellowship, and service to others.

HOLY COMMUNION is offered to those baptized and confirmed in the Eastern Orthodox Christian Faith who have prepared according to the Orthodox Tradition. Guests and visitors are welcome to worship with us and receive the antidoron (“instead of the gifts”) blessed bread at the dismissal.
Please allow Catechism School children to receive Holy Communion first, followed by the newly baptized infants. When you approach the chalice, please give your baptismal name to the priest.

GUESTS AND VISITORS: Enter your contact information in the Guest Book at the narthex if you want us to contact you and join us for fellowship hour in our church hall following the liturgy.

16th Sunday of Luke (Publican and Pharisee), February 25, 2024
Start of the Triodion
ΙΣΤ΄ Λουκᾶ (Τελώνου καί Φαρισαίου), 25 Φεβρουαρίου, 2024. Το κήρυγμα της Κυριακής εδώ

• 8:30 am MATINS, 9:30 am DIVINE LITURGY
• Catechism classes following Holy Communion.
• "Ask Father", Little Apostles.
• Greek School hosts our coffee fellowship hour.
• 1 pm Baptism: O'Hara family.
• 12:30 pm GOYA Sights & Sounds practice.

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

• 5 pm Greek School classes.
• 6 pm GOYAns will make sandwiches for the Homeless Ministry to be served on Thursday.

Thursday, February 29, 2024

• 7 pm Youth Council of Ministries quarterly meeting.
• 7:45 Our Homeless Ministry serves at Aviator Park.

Friday, March 1, 2024

• 5 pm Greek School classes.
• 6:30 pm GOYA Sights & Sounds practice followed by dance practice at 7:30.
• 6:30 pm JOY dance practice.
• 6:30 Understanding Byzantine Chant class.

Sunday of the Prodigal Son, March 3, 2024

• 8:30 am MATINS, 9:30 am DIVINE LITURGY
• Catechism classes following Holy Communion.
• GOYA will host our coffee fellowship hour.
• 12:30 pm GOYA Sights & Sounds practice.

Monday, March 4, 2024

• 6:30 pm Spring General Assembly of our parishioners.

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

• 5 pm Greek School classes.

Thursday, March 7, 2024

• 7 pm Philoptochos Board meeting

Friday, March 8, 2024

• 5 pm Greek School classes.
• 6 pm Philoptochos & Hope-Joy Koliva & Cocoa.
• 6:30 pm GOYA Sights & Sounds practice followed by dance practice at 7:30.
• 6:30 pm Understanding Byzantine Chant class.

Saturday of Souls, March 9, 2024

• 8:30 am MATINS, 9:30 am DIVINE LITURGY
• 11 am Young @ Heart coffee fellowship.
• 12 pm Graveside trisagion prayers at Lawnview Cemetery.
• 1:30 pm Graveside trisagion prayers at Whitemarsh Cemetery.

Judgement Sunday, March 10, 2024

• 8:30 am MATINS, 9:30 am DIVINE LITURGY
• Catechism classes following Holy Communion.
• We will offer memorial prayers for the peaceful repose of the soul of Stamatios Mountis of blessed memory (40-days).
• Collection by Philoptochos to benefit the Metropolis Social Services.
• The Mountis family will offer luncheon in memory of Stamatios of blessed memory.
• 12:30 pm GOYA Sights & Sounds practice.

• Monday, March 4: Spring General Assembly of Our Parishioners
• Friday, March 8: Philoptochos & HOPE-JOY Koliva Making
• Saturday, March 9: Young at Heart Coffee Fellowship
• Saturday, March 16: Philoptochos Annual Seminarian Luncheon "Walking with Christ"
• Sunday, March 17: Greek School Independence Day Program
• Monday, March 18: Clean Monday, Start of Great and Holy Lent
• Saturday, March 23: Parish Name-Day & Greek Independence Day Dinner Dance
• Monday, March 25: Annunciation/Evangelismos Feast Day Events
• Sunday, April 7: Greek Independence Day Parade in Philadelphia
• Saturday, April 13: Regional Sights and Sounds Youth Arts Festival at St. Demetrios Church, Upper Darby
• Wednesday, April 17: Young at Heart Coffee Fellowship
• April 28—May 5: Holy Week and Holy Pascha
• May 16-18: Spring OPA Greek Festival

• This Week's Children's Word from OCN
• 2023-2024 Youth Ministries Registration

• February Newsletter

• Saturday, February 10: Regional JOY Bible Bowl, at St. Sophia Church
• Friday, March 8: Philoptochos & HOPE-JOY Koliva Making

• Attention all GOYAns! We will be making sandwiches for the homeless on Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 6:00 PM, in the kitchen of our church hall. These sandwiches will be handed out at Aviator Park that week by our homeless ministry. 
  Your help will be greatly appreciated. Any questions, please contact Gina at goya@anngoc.org

• June 23-29: Camp Good Shepherd
• Summer 2024: Crossroads Institute

• IONIAN VILLAGE 2024. The Office of Ionian Village, with the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, is pleased to announce applications for need-based scholarships for those wishing to attend Ionian Village 2024. Ionian Village Scholarships Here

   

Our Spring General Assembly will be held on Monday, March 4, 2024, at 6:30 PM.

Information here:

1. 2024 Spring Assembly Invitation and 2023 Fall Assembly Minutes
   
2. The 2023 Annual Report highlighting our community’s activities (coming soon)

We are excited to see you actively participate in the administration of your Parish.
If you are unable to participate in person, please join us through Microsoft Teams here:

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join on your computer, mobile app, or room device

Click here to join the meeting

Meeting ID: 936 312 808 315 5
Passcode: d9CyKi

Download Teams | Join on the web
Learn More | Meeting options

• Saturday, March 16:  Philoptochos Annual Seminarian Luncheon "Walking with Christ"

• Philoptochos 2024 Membership Letter
• Philoptochos 2024 Membership Brochure
• Philoptochos Career Wardrobe Clothing Drive 2/1 to 3/31
• Help Support Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia: Stephanos Kyriakodis

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

You have two options to submit the name of your loved departed ones to be commemorated:

A)   electronically here, or

B)   in writing with your koliva when you attend liturgy. If you submit your names electronically, you don't have to re-submit them in writing when you attend liturgy in person.

Matins begin at 8:30 am, and we kindly ask you to bring your koliva (memorial wheat) and printed names to church no later than 9 am on Saturday. Ushers on duty will be here to assist you. We will share a coffee fellowship hour after the liturgy.

Fr. John will also offer graveside trisagion prayers after the divine liturgy on Saturday, March 9. He will be at Lawnview Cemetery at approximately 12 pm, and Whitemarsh Cemetery at 1:30 pm.

We associate February with the heart and LOVE! February is also the beginning of the season of Lent. Preparing for Lent is a great time to reflect on ourselves and open our hearts to the world. There are several elements to Lent: prayer, fasting, and giving back. Matthew 25 is a ministry that acts on love and hope for our brothers and sisters. Although our Lenten timeline doesn't align perfectly with Western Easter this year, we will ensure that Matthew 25 and our parish can provide holiday meats to our pantries before March 29th. Please complete and return the donation form below. You can always donate directly through VANCO, and in the memo portion, type Lenten Meat Drive. We recommend donating around $35 or more, but you give what you can. Please help us continue to care for our food-insecure communities.

We will prepare about 15 trays of lasagna for Lasagna Love on 3/5/2024. It's a great organization, and we are excited to cook for a worthy cause for the second year. If you would like to act on this individually, please visit lasagnalove.org.

Sowing seeds of goodness is good for both the heart and the soul. These straightforward acts of kindness that Matthew 25 offers to our parish are simple ways to prepare your personal Lenten journey and give hope to those in need.

During Lent, let us find CONCRETE ways to overcome our indifference~ Pope Francis.
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Matthew 25 - LENTEN MEAT DRIVE
YOUR NAME: _______________________________
Quantity: ____________ x $35 = ______________
Please send the form (and check if not giving through VANCO) to:
Lisa Trivelis. 31 Trailwood Drive. Holland, PA 18966

We are pleased to offer introductory lessons to Byzantine Chant starting Friday, February 23 at 6:30 pm. The lessons will be a combination of in-person, virtual, self-study, and practicum during the services of Great Lent.

Open to all parishioners, especially the young. The only requirement is a willingness to learn. We will focus on the following:

1. The structure of the liturgical services and cycles of the Eastern Orthodox Church: when, how, and why we do what we do in church.
2. The history and purpose of our hymnology: what are the eight Modes? Psalms? Troparion? Apolytikion? Kontakion? Triodion?
3. Sight reading neumes - the distinctive musical notation of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Please let George Dalagelis know if you are interested (215) 635-0316, office@anngoc.org. If Friday night does not work for you, the group can decide on a different date.

In Honor of:

a. the Feast Day of Annunciation/ Evangelismos of Theotokos,
b. the 203^th Anniversary of the Greek Revolution of 1821,  and
c. the 123^th Anniversary of the Founding of Our Community in 1901,

Great Vespers * will be prayed on Sunday, March 24, at 6:00 pm.

Our Philoptochos will offer a reception following vespers.

The Feast Day Orthros & Divine Liturgy * will be celebrated on Monday, March 25, starting at 8:30 am, with participation of area clergy. A thanksgiving doxology for the liberation of Greece will be offered at the conclusion of the liturgy.

Our Philoptochos will host a luncheon following the divine liturgy.

* Please let the church office know in advance if you would like to offer artoklasia—the blessing of the bread, wine & oil- for the health and salvation of your family in honor of the Annunciation Feast.

January 2024 Stewardship Communication

Last November, you received your 2024 personalized Stewardship Pledge Card of Time, Talent, and Treasure and the 2024 Stewardship Increase Request in the mail.

Thank you to the 162  parishioners who have already returned their 2024 Pledge Card or pledged through VANCO.

If you are already a Sustaining Steward, that is, you have set up regular payments through VANCO or your bank bill payer service:

1. You do not have to fill out a pledge card!
2. Check with your VANCO account or bank bill payer service to ensure your regular payments continue through 2024.
3. Use the 2024 Pledge Card information as a guide to update your giving to reflect your current level of commitment.
4. Don't hesitate to call us at the parish office if you need help updating your VANCO donations for 2024.