Welcome to Annunciation/Evangelismnos Church!

For Our Guests & Visitors

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.

Weekend Update

Third Sunday of Lent. Veneration of the Holy Cross, April 7, 2024
Κυριακὴ Γʹ τῶν Νηστειῶν, τῆς Σταυροπροσκυνήσεως, 7 Απριλίου, 2024. Το κήρυγμα εδώ

8:30 am - Matins, 9:30 Divine Liturgy
Catechism classes following Holy Communion. Holy Cross Procession.
Collection by Philoptochos to benefit Hellenic College/Holy Cross.
PTO will hosts the coffee fellowship hour.
2 pm - Greek Independence Day Parade in Philadelphia. Sign upe here for the bus ride to and from the parade

Monday, April 8, 2024

10 am - Viewing, followed by Funeral at 11 am for Chariclia "Harriet" Draganis (nee Kanellopoulos) of blessed memory.
6 pm - Great Compline

Tuesday, April 9, 2024

9 am - Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Jersey Clergy-Laity Assembly and Philoptochos Convention at The Waterfall in Claymont, Delaware.
5 pm - Greek School classes.

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

9 am - Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
11 am - Paschal mailing preparation. Any help is appreciated!

Thursday, April 11, 2024

7 pm - Parish Council meeting.

Friday, April 12, 2024

5 pm - Greek School classes.
6 pm - Small Compline with Salutations. IV Stanza
6:30 pm - GOYA Sights & Sounds practice.

Saturday, April 13, 2026

9 am - Del Val GOYA Sights and Sounds Arts Festival at St. Demetrios, Upper Darby.

Fourth Sunday of Lent, April 14, 2024

8:30 am - Matins, 9:30 Divine Liturgy
Catechism classes following Holy Communion.
40-day mother & child blessing: Arryn, daughter of Joanna and Anthony Chonofsky. Congratulations!
We will offer memorial prayers for the peaceful repose of the souls of Marianthi Nikolopoulos (3 years), Sotirios Nikolopoulos (12 years), John Beldecos (40 years), Angerou Kolokithias (5 years), Petros Kolokithias (8 years), Efstathios Soulintzis (20 years), Chryssoula Soulintzis (39 years), Stavroula Tsenopoulos (29 years), and Chrysavgi Giordas (25 years) of blessed memory.
Our Philoptochos will host the coffee fellowship hour.

Looking Ahead Beyond Next Week

Wednesday, April 17: Young at Heart Coffee Fellowship
Friday, April 19: The Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos, presided by His Eminence Metropolitan Apostolos. Followed by Orthodoxy On Tap Lenten Potluck
Saturday, April 20: Delaware Valley Region Religious Education Teachers Seminar
Friday, April 26: PTO Palms & Pizza Youth Event
April 28 - May 5: Holy Week and Holy Pascha
Holy Friday, May 3: Holy Friday Youth Retreat (Grades K-6)
Thursday to Saturday May 9 -11: OPA Greek Food Festival
Saturday, May 18: Orthodoxy On Tap Coffee Tasting Event
Sunday, June 2: Graduation Sunday

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal Second Mode. Psalm 27.9,1.
O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance.
Verse: To you, O Lord, I have cried, O my God.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:1-6.

BRETHREN, since we have a high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, "Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee"; as he says also in another place, "Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek."

Προκείμενον. Plagal Second Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 27.9,1.
Σῶσον, Κύριε τὸν λαὸν σου καὶ εὐλόγησον τὴν κληρονομίαν σου.
Στίχ. Πρὸς σἐ, Κύριε, κεκράξομαι ὁ Θεός μου.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Ἑβραίους 4:14-16, 5:1-6.

Ἀδελφοί, ἔχοντες οὖν ἀρχιερέα μέγαν, διεληλυθότα τοὺς οὐρανούς, Ἰησοῦν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ, κρατῶμεν τῆς ὁμολογίας. Οὐ γὰρ ἔχομεν ἀρχιερέα μὴ δυνάμενον συμπαθῆσαι ταῖς ἀσθενείαις ἡμῶν, πεπειραμένον δὲ κατὰ πάντα καθʼ ὁμοιότητα, χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας. Προσερχώμεθα οὖν μετὰ παρρησίας τῷ θρόνῳ τῆς χάριτος, ἵνα λάβωμεν ἔλεον, καὶ χάριν εὕρωμεν εἰς εὔκαιρον βοήθειαν. Πᾶς γὰρ ἀρχιερεύς, ἐξ ἀνθρώπων λαμβανόμενος, ὑπὲρ ἀνθρώπων καθίσταται τὰ πρὸς τὸν θεόν, ἵνα προσφέρῃ δῶρά τε καὶ θυσίας ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτιῶν· μετριοπαθεῖν δυνάμενος τοῖς ἀγνοοῦσιν καὶ πλανωμένοις, ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτὸς περίκειται ἀσθένειαν· καὶ διὰ ταύτην ὀφείλει, καθὼς περὶ τοῦ λαοῦ, οὕτως καὶ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ, προσφέρειν ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτιῶν. Καὶ οὐχ ἑαυτῷ τις λαμβάνει τὴν τιμήν, ἀλλὰ καλούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ, καθάπερ καὶ Ἀαρών. Οὕτως καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς οὐχ ἑαυτὸν ἐδόξασεν γενηθῆναι ἀρχιερέα, ἀλλʼ ὁ λαλήσας πρὸς αὐτόν, Υἱός μου εἶ σύ, ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε. Καθὼς καὶ ἐν ἑτέρῳ λέγει, Σὺ ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδέκ.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Holy Cross
The Reading is from Mark 8:34-38; 9:1

The Lord said: "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."

Sunday of the Holy Cross
Κατὰ Μᾶρκον 8:34-38, 9:1

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος· Εἴ τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἐλθεῖν, ἀπαρνησάσθω ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀκολουθείτω μοι. ὃς γὰρ ἂν θέλῃ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ σῶσαι, ἀπολέσει αὐτήν· ὃς δ᾿ ἂν ἀπολέσῃ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ καὶ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, οὗτος σώσει αὐτήν. τί γὰρ ὠφελήσει ἄνθρωπον ἐὰν κερδήσῃ τὸν κόσμον ὅλον, καὶ ζημιωθῇ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ; ἢ τί δώσει ἄνθρωπος ἀντάλλαγμα τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ; ὃς γὰρ ἐὰν ἐπαισχυνθῇ με καὶ τοὺς ἐμοὺς λόγους ἐν τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ τῇ μοιχαλίδι καὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ, καὶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπαισχυνθήσεται αὐτὸν ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἐν τῇ δόξῃ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ μετὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων τῶν ἁγίων. Καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι εἰσί τινες τῶν ὧδε ἑστηκότων, οἵτινες οὐ μὴ γεύσωνται θανάτου ἕως ἂν ἴδωσι τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐληλυθυῖαν ἐν δυνάμει.

Youth Ministries

Sunday School News

This Week's Children's Word from OCN
Saturday, April 20: Delaware Valley Region Religious Education Teachers Seminar
Holy Friday, May 3: Holy Friday Youth Retreat (Grades K-6)

GOYA Activities

Saturday, April 13: Regional Sights and Sounds Youth Arts Festival at St. Demetrios Church, Upper Darby
Good Friday Luminaries. Please submit by April 21
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

PTO Events

Sunday, April 7: Greek Independence Day Parade in Philadelphia
Sign upe here for the bus ride to and from the parade
Annual PTO Tsoureki Sale. Pre-order only by April 14
Friday, April 26: PTO Palms & Pizza Youth Event
Pascha Sunday, May 5: Easter Egg Hunt for Children

Community News & Events

From the Parish Council

Hello, everyone,

As you know, our Church facilities are over 50 years old and require regular maintenance and repairs. Therefore, we wanted to update you on 2 key repair projects and our facility expansion plans.

Roof & Interior Dome Repairs

First, you may have noticed water damage to the icon of Mark the Evangelist on the arch under the Church dome. There is also water damage to plaster in that area and other areas under the dome. In March, we completed the necessary repairs to the roof flashing and exterior masonry around the dome, so water is no longer seeping into the walls under the dome. The next steps are to schedule the repairs to the icon, repair the plaster, and then repaint as needed. We appreciate your patience as this work will occur over the next several months.

Parking Lot Lighting

The second project is upgrading our parking lot lighting. We currently have temporary lighting in the main lot, and the lights in the back lot work intermittently. Over the next several weeks, all the lighting will be replaced with energy-efficient LED fixtures, which will address all the problems.

Expansion Plans

Also, on April 21, you are invited to join us after Liturgy for a meeting to review facility improvement and expansion plans. We presented these at the Spring General Assembly meeting and want to share them with more people than we were at that meeting. We will review a phased approach to improving our facilities and beautifying our Church.

Please join us in understanding and providing your comments and input on the plans. A light lunch will be provided.

Thank you,

Dean Dalson, PC President

Philoptochos News

Young at Heart News

Join us for coffee, tea, and conversation after the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts (stats at 9 am) on Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Our 2023 Annual Report is Here

We are pleased to offer you the 2023 Annual Report to our Community!

We publish the Annual Report to accomplish two things: to provide a concise and transparent report of the state of our Parish and to celebrate our church community's many good works.

You may view the 2023 Annual Report as a flipbook HERE or as a continuous PDF HERE.

Our reports from previous years can be viewed HERE.

Parish Office Help Needed

We will process the Paschal mailing on Wednesday, April 10, starting at 11 AM.
We need parish office coverage from Monday, April 22 to Friday, April 26. It involves answering the phone and receiving some supplies. Any amount of time is appreciated. Please sign up here or let George know what days and times you can help.

Any help is appreciated!

Understanding Byzantine Chant Class

We are pleased to offer introductory lessons to Byzantine Chant. The lessons are 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:

The structure of the liturgical services and cycles of the Eastern Orthodox Church: when, how, and why we do what we do in church.
The history and purpose of our hymnology: what are the eight Modes? Psalms? Troparion? Apolytikion? Kontakion? Triodion?
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.

Pray Together the Church Services on Your Smartphone!

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 (Compline, Akathist, Vespers, Matins, Divine Liturgy, etc.).

EvangelismosWifi
Password: aoc12345

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.

In Our Prayers: “Pray for one another that you might be healed.” (James 5:16): Josephine, Emma, Paulette, Virginia, Effie, James, Grace, Hollie, Valerie, Virginia, Rizos, Brad, Elaine, Diane, Evangelia, Vaitsa, Donna, Anastasia, Michael, Kyriaki, Olga, Angela, Kira.

Names will be kept 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 up 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 Week: Stephanie & Matthew Tsolakis, Alexandra & John Metzger.

Χρόνια Πολλά & Ευλογηµένα! God Grant You Many Years! To Those Who are Celebrating Birthdays this Coming Week: Megan Maris, Ronald Markos, Christos Tasopoulos, Iakovos Toumbanakis,, Peter Gouris, Fotini Rivera, Frankie Zanikos, Dimitra Afthinou, Ryan Downie, John Haviras, Lynn Lambrou, Ryan Nowlan, Rubena Papakirk, Tina Vaganos, Elisabeth Cripps, Anastasia Driscoll, Savanah Exarchos, Maria Ioakimidis, Eleni Pieces, Stefanos Stamoulacatos, Maria Tsoubis, Christen Cosmas, Dori Fifis, Alexandra Hionas, Jeffrey Klebanoff, Andreas Nikolaidis, Dean Samios, Remy Bentz, Many Metsikas, Eleni Papanikoloaou, Rachel Ann Pappas, Loukas Stylianou, Michael Trivelis, Matteo Verdhi, Georgia White, Jacqueline Angelis, Charlotte Barr, Nicholi Cardwell, Nicholas Fkiaras, Angelo Louridas, Nikolaos Tsiakanikas.

We Extend Our Love and Sympathy to the Draganis, Kanellopoulos, and Psihogios families for the passing of their beloved daughter, spouse, mother, and grandmother, Chariclia "Harriet" Draganis (nee Kanellopoulos), 69, of blessed memory, on April 2, 2024. Her funeral is this Monday, April 8, 2024. May her memory be eternal.

Do We Have Your Birthday and Anniversary Dates?

We include upcoming birthdays and anniversaries in our bulletin to help us celebrate each other's milestones and get to know each other better.
If you notice that your birthday or anniversary is not included in our weekly bulletin, it means that we do not have that information from you. We ask you kindly to contact the parish office and provide us with those dates.

This information also gives us a better understanding of our community's demographics, which helps us improve our ministries and how we serve you.

Beyond Annunciation

Monday, April 8: Exploring Greek Citizenship Seminar at St. George Cathedral, Philadelphia

The Waiting List is Open at Saint George Senior Housing in Philadelphia

Project Mexico: July 5-11, 2024

EXPERIENCE ORTHODOX AND GOSPEL MUSIC TOGETHER. Our faith is for all! Our friends at Cappella Romana are offering their recent concert online for you. “How Sweet the Sound: Black Voices in Orthodox Music” features selections from the "Jubilee Divine Liturgy" based on spirituals by Abbess Katherine and Greek Orthodox Vespers infused with Gospel and Jazz by Shawn Wallace. You'll hear "O Gladsome Light" (Phos hilaron) and Psalm 103 chanted as you've never heard them: accompanied by Hammond B3 organ in Gospel style. This very moving concert is available until the end of October, with video samples and interviews, at cappellaromana.org/sweetsound

Stewardship News

Vanco Giving Updates

Vanco Mobile App

We have updated some features, so please refresh it. If you haven't downloaded it yet, please do so now! You can make all your church offerings and donations in one convenient and safe location:

Download the free Vanco Mobile App here: iPhone or Android
Make one-time or recurring donations using your debit/credit card or checking/savings account.
Login to your Vanco account or donate as a guest.
You can also check out this Vanco Mobile How-To Guide for step-by-step instructions.

Vanco Online

We have also updated the Vanco Faith Page on our website. Please login with your existing Vanco account and check out the new easy-to-use giving features.

You can now edit your recurring transactions from within your Vanco profile. To make edits to your recurring transactions, log into your profile, navigate to scheduled transactions, and click the edit button on the recurring transaction you wish to update. Once you have selected the edit option, you can make changes to your gifts: