DIVINE SERVICE SCHEDULE
Sunday
Divine Services 9:00 am
Saturday
Great Vespers 5:00 pm
Weekday
Special Feastday 8:30 am
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Greek Standard Text
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Greek Standard Text
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Greek Standard Text
Saint Sylvester was a native of Rome. Because of his exceeding virtue, he succeeded Saint Miltiades as Pope in 314. Since he himself was unable to be present at the First Ecumenical Council in 325, he sent delegates of his own Roman clergy to represent him in Nicaea. He reposed in the year 325.
The Prophet Malachi ("messenger of God") is the last of the twelve minor Prophets, and also of all the Prophets of the Old Testament. He prophesied in the days of Nehemias, a wise man among the Jews, who also held a high and powerful position in the court of Artaxerxes the Long-armed, King of the Persians, who reigned from 465 to 424 B.C. Malachis' book of prophecy is divided into four chapters; he foretold the coming of Christ as the Sun of Righteousness (4:2)
The Seventy Disciples and Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ are those Whom our Saviour chose in addition to the Twelve and sent forth unto the work of preaching. With the passage of time, others were added to their number by the Holy Apostles, who, with the accompaniment and assistance of the Seventy, were preaching the Gospel of Christ in various lands. Although their number eventually exceeded seventy, they were all nonetheless referred to as "of the Seventy" out of reverence for the number of Apostles which the Lord chose.
The divine Apostle and Evangelist Luke describes the calling and the sending forth of the Seventy as follows in his Holy Gospel (Luke 10:1-16): "After these things the Lord appointed another seventy disciples, and sent them two and two before His face into every city and place, whither He Himself would come. Therefore said He unto them, the harvest is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He send forth labourers into His harvest. Go then: behold, I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry neither purse, nor bag, nor sandals: and greet no man on the way. And into whatsoever house ye enter first say, Peace be on this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it; if not, it shall turn to you again. And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. And into whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you; And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveeth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding know ye this, that the Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be brought down to hades. He that heareth you heareth Me; and he that despiseth you despiseth Me; and he that despiseth Me despiseth Him that sent Me."After the Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension of our Lord, and after Pentecost, on which all the Apostles and men and women disciples of Christ, together with the Most Holy Theotokos (some 120 in number), were gathered in the upper chamber, they received the grace of the All-holy Spirit and went forth throughout the ends of the world, everywhere preaching and teaching the Gospel of Christ, and leading to the true Faith the peoples who were sunk in the darkness of impiety and idolatry.
When the persecution of Diocletian broke out in 290, Saint Theopemptus, a bishop, was taken for his confession of Christ, and convicted Diocletian to his face for his error and ungodliness. Remaining unhurt after cruel tortures, he was given poison to drink, which had been prepared by a sorcerer named Theonas. Protected by divine grace from this also, he drew Theonas to Christ, and after other torments, was beheaded. Saint Theonas was cast into a pit and buried alive.
About the beginning of our Lord's thirtieth year, John the Forerunner, who was some six months older than Our Saviour according to the flesh, and had lived in the wilderness since his childhood, received a command from God and came into the parts of the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance unto the remission of sins. Then our Saviour also came from Galilee to the Jordan, and sought and received baptism though He was the Master and John was but a servant. Whereupon, there came to pass those marvellous deeds, great and beyond nature: the Heavens were opened, the Spirit descended in the form of a dove upon Him that was being baptized and the voice was heard from the Heavens hearing witness that this was the beloved Son of God, now baptized as a man (Matt. 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:1-22). From these events the Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ and the great mystery of the Trinity were demonstrated. It is also from this that the present feast is called "Theophany," that is, the divine manifestation, God's appearance among men. On this venerable day the sacred mystery of Christian baptism was inaugurated; henceforth also began the saving preaching of the Kingdom of the Heavens.
Today we celebrate the Synaxis in honour of the most sacred Forerunner, since he ministered at the Mystery of the Divine Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rest from labour. Fish allowed.
Saint George lived about the beginning of the ninth century in Palestine, in a certain monastery called Hozeva, which lies in a great ravine between Jerusalem and Jericho.
Saint Polyeuctus, a soldier in rank, contested during the reign of Valerian, in the year 255. He was from Melitene, a city in Armenia.
Sixth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Luke 24:36-53
At that time, Jesus, having risen from the dead, stood in the midst of his disciples and said to them, "Peace to you." But they were startled and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit. And he said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in your hearts? See my hands and feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have." And when he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them.
Then he said to them, "These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled. Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high."
Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and they returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.
Sixth Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 24:36-53
Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ἔστη ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· εἰρήνη ὑμῖν. πτοηθέντες δὲ καὶ ἔμφοβοι γενόμενοι ἐδόκουν πνεῦμα θεωρεῖν. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· τί τεταραγμένοι ἐστέ, καὶ διατί διαλογισμοὶ ἀναβαίνουσιν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν; ἴδετε τὰς χεῖράς μου καὶ τοὺς πόδας μου, ὅτι αὐτὸς ἐγώ εἰμι· ψηλαφήσατέ με καὶ ἴδετε, ὅτι πνεῦμα σάρκα καὶ ὀστέα οὐκ ἔχει καθὼς ἐμὲ θεωρεῖτε ἔχοντα. καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἐπέδειξεν αὐτοῖς τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τοὺς πόδας. ἔτι δὲ ἀπιστούντων αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τῆς χαρᾶς καὶ θαυμαζόντων εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ἔχετέ τι βρώσιμον ἐνθάδε; οἱ δὲ ἐπέδωκαν αὐτῷ ἰχθύος ὀπτοῦ μέρος καὶ ἀπὸ μελισσίου κηρίου, καὶ λαβὼν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν ἔφαγεν. εἶπε δὲ αὐτοῖς· οὗτοι οἱ λόγοι οὓς ἐλάλησα πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἔτι ὢν σὺν ὑμῖν, ὅτι δεῖ πληρωθῆναι πάντα τὰ γεγραμμένα ἐν τῷ νόμῳ Μωϋσέως καὶ προφήταις καὶ ψαλμοῖς περὶ ἐμοῦ. τότε διήνοιξεν αὐτῶν τὸν νοῦν τοῦ συνιέναι τὰς γραφάς, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὅτι οὕτω γέγραπται καὶ οὕτως ἔδει παθεῖν τὸν Χριστὸν καὶ ἀναστῆναι ἐκ νεκρῶν τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ, καὶ κηρυχθῆναι ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ μετάνοιαν καὶ ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, ἀρξάμενον ἀπὸ ῾Ιερουσαλήμ. ὑμεῖς δέ ἐστε μάρτυρες τούτων. καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ πατρός μου ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς· ὑμεῖς δὲ καθίσατε ἐν τῇ πόλει ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ἕως οὗ ἐνδύσησθε δύναμιν ἐξ ὕψους.
᾿Εξήγαγε δὲ αὐτοὺς ἔξω ἕως εἰς Βηθανίαν, καὶ ἐπάρας τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ εὐλόγησεν αὐτούς. καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ εὐλογεῖν αὐτὸν αὐτοὺς διέστη ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν καὶ ἀνεφέρετο εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν. καὶ αὐτοὶ προσκυνήσαντες αὐτὸν ὑπέστρεψαν εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ μετὰ χαρᾶς μεγάλης, καὶ ἦσαν διὰ παντὸς ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ αἰνοῦντες καὶ εὐλογοῦντες τὸν Θεόν. ἀμήν.
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 Second Letter to Timothy 4:5-8.
TIMOTHY, my son, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry.
For I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
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 Τιμόθεον β' 4:5-8.
Τέκνον Τιμόθεε, νῆφε ἐν πᾶσιν, κακοπάθησον, ἔργον ποίησον εὐαγγελιστοῦ, τὴν διακονίαν σου πληροφόρησον. Ἐγὼ γὰρ ἤδη σπένδομαι, καὶ ὁ καιρὸς τῆς ἐμῆς ἀναλύσεως ἐφέστηκεν. Τὸν ἀγῶνα τὸν καλὸν ἠγώνισμαι, τὸν δρόμον τετέλεκα, τὴν πίστιν τετήρηκα· λοιπόν, ἀπόκειταί μοι ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης στέφανος, ὃν ἀποδώσει μοι ὁ κύριος ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, ὁ δίκαιος κριτής· οὐ μόνον δὲ ἐμοί, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάσιν τοῖς ἠγαπηκόσιν τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν αὐτοῦ.
Sunday before Epiphany
The Reading is from Mark 1:1-8
The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophets, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who shall prepare your way; the voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.' John was baptizing in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
Sunday before Epiphany
Κατὰ Μᾶρκον 1:1-8
᾿Αρχὴ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ. ῾Ως γέγραπται ἐν τοῖς προφήταις, ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω τὸν ἄγγελόν μου πρὸ προσώπου σου, ὃς κατασκευάσει τὴν ὁδόν σου ἔμπροσθέν σου· φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου, εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ, ἐγένετο ᾿Ιωάννης βαπτίζων ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καὶ κηρύσσων βάπτισμα μετανοίας εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν. Καὶ ἐξεπορεύετο πρὸς αὐτὸν πᾶσα ἡ ᾿Ιουδαία χώρα καὶ οἱ ῾Ιεροσολυμῖται, καὶ ἐβαπτίζοντο πάντες ἐν τῷ ᾿Ιορδάνῃ ποταμῷ ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐξομολογούμενοι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν. Ἦν δὲ ὁ ᾿Ιωάννης ἐνδεδυμένος τρίχας καμήλου καὶ ζώνην δερματίνην περὶ τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐσθίων ἀκρίδας καὶ μέλι ἄγριον. Καὶ ἐκήρυσσε λέγων· ἔρχεται ὁ ἰσχυρότερός μου ὀπίσω μου, οὗ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς κύψας λῦσαι τὸν ἱμάντα τῶν ὑποδημάτων αὐτοῦ· ἐγὼ μὲν ἐβάπτισα ὑμᾶς ἐν ὕδατι, αὐτὸς δὲ βαπτίσει ὑμᾶς ἐν Πνεύματι ῾Αγίῳ.
Rev. Fr. Jon Magoulias, Protopresbyter
PARISH PRIEST
Rev. Fr. Michael Sergakis
ASSISTANT PRIEST
Manoli Rodarakis
PARISH COUNCIL PRESIDENT
Saturday, January 1st
Circumcision of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ
St. Basil the Great
Epistle Col. 2:8-12
Gospel Luke 2:20-21; 40-52
Divine Services 8:30 a.m.
Sunday, January 2nd
Sunday Before Epiphany
Epistle 2 Tim. 4:5-8
Gospel Mark 1:1-8
Sunday Divine Services 9:00 a.m.
Wednesday, January 5th
Epiphany Eve
Epistle 1 Cor. 9:19-274
Gospel Luke 3:1-18
Royal Hours and
Divine Liturgy of St. Basil 8:30 a.m.
Blessing of the Waters
Thursday, January 6th
EPIPHANY
Epistle Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7
Gospel Matt. 3:13-17
Divine Services 8:30 a.m.
Blessing of the Waters
Friday, January 7th
Synaxis of St. John the Baptist
Epistle Acts 19:1-8
Gospel John 1:29-34
Divine Services 8:30 a.m.
Saturday, January 8th
Great Vespers 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 9th
Sunday After Epiphany
Epistle Eph. 4:7-13
Gospel Matt. 4:12-17
Sunday Divine Services 9:00 a.m.
VASILOPITA SUNDAY
MEMORIAL SERVICES
Memorial prayers will be offered this Sunday by the family of John and Galatia Aretakis. We will pray for the repose of the souls of the Servants of God:
Chrysoula
Argyro
Angeliki
Nikos
Mihali
Mihali
On behalf of the entire Parish we extend our prayers to their family and friends. May our Heavenly Father grant them eternal rest where there is no pain or sorrow, but everlasting life.
Eternal be their memory!
WELCOME
It is always a blessing to welcome visitors to our Parish. We continue to pray that our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ bless you through the intercessions of the All-Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.
The guidelines regarding Covid-19 are changing each day, but we continue to be concerned about everyone's safety. We give thanks to God that the vaccines being offered seem to have a positive affect in managing the coronavirus and its variants.
Many people have been vaccinated and we see a gradual increase in church attendance. While we welcome our parishioners returning to Divine Services, we still encourage you to be cautious. We will continue practicing social distancing in church and if you would like to wear a mask, please do so.
In the Narthex of the church, there is sanitizer, as well as, masks for those who wish to wear them. It is acceptable to bring your own sanitizer and mask. We strongly advise you to be responsible in making decisions in regards to your health. During Divine Services, we will continue to follow the procedures that include social distancing and other practices that promote good hygiene. We ask that you be patient and follow the directions given by the Parish Council.
Presently, we are still refraining from meetings on the Parish Campus, along with Fellowship Hour or receptions in our hall. As soon as we are granted permission to fully return to our Parish activities, we will inform you. While the Metropolis of San Francisco is concerned about our well-being, they will support our decision on how to proceed. At the same time, we must also follow the guidelines of the Department of Health for Stanislaus County.
The Supreme Court of the United States of America has ruled that churches may be open during the pandemic. We, however, will continue to follow the guidelines provided by the State of California, the Metropolis of San Francisco, and our Parish. Divine Services will continue to be prayed and livestreaming continues to be available, but we strongly encourage everyone to make the best choices in regards to their safety.
The Guidelines for Attending Church during a Pandemic have been sent to you in our Monthly Bulletin (the hardcopy and the digital), along with through emails. Please read it carefully and follow the instructions.
Please remember, ALL Divine Services may be viewed on our Internet Broadcast shown on our Parish Website (www.goannunciation.org/LiveServices), from the Archdiocese "Goarch" app, or from our Facebook site (Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation Modesto).
Fellowship Hour continues to be suspended until further notice. We will continue praying the Divine Services and advise our parishioners to follow the directives given by the County and State Health Departments and to use their discretion regarding attendance.
May you have a blessed week!
PARISH COUNCIL
Sunday, January 2nd - Team 2: Andrea Mayer, Jeff Brown & Nick Pallios
Sunday, January 9th - Team 3: Pete Mamalis,Stamatis Tsatsaronis & Nick Stavrianoudakis
Parish Council Elections for the term 2022-2023 have been held. The Stewards newly elected to serve on the Parish Council are: Jeff Brown, Peter Mamalis, and Nick Pallios.
Once the Metropolis of San Francisco has ratified our election, the Affirmation of Office will be administered to the entire Parish Council. Immediately following the Affirmation of Office, the officers for the 2022 Parish Council will be elected.
The members of the Parish Council for 2022 are: Jeff Brown; Nick Faklis; Jaylen French; Tony Gavrilis; Mike Kordazakis; Peter Mamalis; John Mangelos; Nick Pallios; Manoli Rodarakis; Stamatis Tsatsaronis; and Mitcheal Word.
ALTAR BOYS
Acolyte Coordinator: Manoli Rodarakis
Senior Altar Boys: Andreas Alexander ~ Panos Constantinou ~ John Hillas ~ Frankie Zanotto
John Capous, Reid Fortin, Niko Fortin, Athan French, Luke Hartley, Carson Maroudas, Aristedes Mason, & Peter Zanotto
We are inviting our younger acolytes to return to the blessing of serving in the Holy Altar. Should parents desire that their sons wear a mask while serving, that is acceptable.
Young men who are turning 9 years old before December 1st may join the Altar Boys. Please contact Fr. Jon or Fr. Michael if your son would like to have the blessing and honor to serve in the Holy Altar.
STEWARDSHIP 2021 & 2022
As we come to the close of the year of our Lord 2021, we want to express our appreciation to ALL the Stewards of our Parish that are generously supporting and actively participating in our Stewardship Ministry for 2021. The Stewardship we offer supports our Parish Ministries, along with support to the ministries of our Metropolis and Archdiocese.
The 2022 calendar and Stewardship Directory have been mailed to your homes. If you have not receieved them, please contact the Parish Office.
Our Stewardship theme for 2022 is: "Our Church - Our Spiritual Home." In these very unusual times, it is important to remember that the constant in our lives is the Church! Even though times and values change, the Church is changeless and continues to proclaim and preserve the teaching that our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ established in His Church.
Active Christian Orthodox Stewardship is the means by which we live our precious Christian Orthodox Faith. The pandemic has shown how important the Stewardship Ministry is in regards to how our Parish functions. During this time, we have continued many of our ministries and we encourage you to reach out to one another.
We hope you prayerfully take time to read the the Stewardship Directory and our Church's teaching on being faithful and active Stewards focusing on the theme dedicated to the words of St. Paul: "...the greatest of these is love" (1 Cor. 13:13). It is in our faith that we believe and Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior but it is in "love" that we express our Stewardship in being faithful to His example and teachings!
As we continue to serve you, the people of God, our Parish Church, we are managing the Covid-19 Pandemic the best way possible. It has caused us to examine how we do things and how we will adjust to life once the coronavirus has passed.
From this experience, it has become obvious that the Parish Church MUST be supported through the Stewardship of the Parish Stewards. Reliance on outside sources to financially support our Parish cannot be the means by which our Parish will continue to function in the future.
Our Holy Church is established upon Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition. We are taught to give cheerfully and without reluctance to the mission of God’s Holy Church. Your support is necessary to continue the growth and development of our Parish Ministries. We pray that we seriously consider what it means to become a more active participant in our Stewardship Ministry. We ask that you consider:
1) increasing the Time you spend in Church;
2) giving of the Talent you offer through various ministries of our Parish and;
3) considering increasing the financial offering from your Treasure that will enable us to fully fund the operating costs of our Parish through YOUR Stewardship commitment!
Christian Stewardship is the very essence of living our precious Faith that teaches each us to return to the Lord a portion of our earnings so that the Church may continue to grow. Offering one’s support to the Church in weekly, monthly or quarterly contributions is a much easier way to manage the finances of one’s household. Each year we are blessed that a number of our Stewards increase their commitment to the Church. We continue to see many stewards increase their offering above the previous year’s contribution by as much as 25%! We would hope that each Steward would increase their offering by at least 10%.
Every person baptized and/or chrismated into the Orthodox Christian Faith is a parishioner but a Steward is one who is a baptized and/or chrismated person who understands his responsibility to God and His Church. This understanding directs him to live his life according to the teachings of our Faith and at the same time, offers Time, Talents and Treasure to the sacred work of the Church. It is important to understand that our Stewardship obligations determine a family (husband, wife, & children) or an individual as stewards of our Parish. Young adults (18 years and older) that have completed their schooling and/or find themselves in the workplace are expected to become stewards of the Parish. These individuals are not included in one’s “Family Stewardship” obligation.
The response that many of our Stewards have shone is a beautiful expression of their faith in God and His Church. While our obligations continue to be met, it is only possible through the generosity being expressed by our Stewards. The restrictions of the pandemic have had an impact on the contributions we receive. Candle offerings are down, trays are not being passed, and we hope you will consider those offerings in your Stewardship commitment of the "Treasure" you give to Christ and His Church.
It is, therefore, imperative that we make our Stewardship offering in support of the sacred mission of our Church in Modesto… While we have been able to reduce our operating expenses substantially we will still need an average Stewardship Offering of $1600.00 per family to fund the ministries of our Church. When considering your financial commitment to our Parish, please realize that the first $250.00 from your Stewardship offering in 2021 is contributed to the Archdiocese of America for National Ministries. Your Stewardship offering supports the mission of our Church in Modesto and beyond! Please remember that our website enables you to securely make Stewardship contributions (and other donations) online.
We have a goal of 325 Stewardship families/individuals for our Parish this year. To reach 325 Stewardship families/individuals IS an attainable goal…As of December 24th we have 297 Stewardship families/individuals supporting our sacred ministry in 2021, as compared to 292 in 2020. Please support our efforts! In supporting these efforts we ask that you reach out to family and fellow parishioners to become more active in the ministries of our Parish.
If you have any questions regarding your offering please contact Fr. Jon.
PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS
The Philoptochos continues to minister during this time of pandemic. We are conducting many of our Parish ministries through internet technology. Please be sure to give your email to the Denna Tsatsaronis, President of the Philoptochos so that members are apprised of meetings and activities being planned. As we provide a virtual concept to our Philoptochos Ministry, we ask that you please support this sacred work of our Church.
Donations are accepted by Philoptochos for its philanthropic ministry. It is important that ALL ladies in our Parish join the Philoptochos so that we can strengthen our sacred mission. The “2021 Stewardship Drive” to become a Philoptochos member will end on December 31, 2021. The Stewardship offering to join Philoptochos may be sent to the Parish Office. Please make your offering check out to "Philoptochos" and in the memo, please write "Stewardship".
The Philoptochos is a beautiful ministry that assists so many people and organizations in our Church and in our county. For further information please contact one of the officers of Philoptochos.
The Philoptochos Board of Trustees is comprised of: Denna Tsatsaronis, President; Dena Brown, Vice-President; Diane Hillas Treasurer; Markella Tsatsaronis, Secretary; Maria Berris, Mary Gavrilis, Janelle Hatton, Helen Katotakis, Diana Demetrulias - Mayer, Kiki Shaw, Gloria Tronis-Bolakis, Ella Velthoen, and Eleni Venierakis.
CHURCH ETIQUETTE
When attending services, please be prompt! In order to partake of the Holy Eucharist please remember proper preparation is required to receive Holy Communion. Proper preparation in receiving Holy Communion requires that the person be in the Divine Liturgy on time, that means BEFORE 10:00 a.m.!
Please be mindful of the Covid-19 protocols: Social distancing is still in affect. Please sit where there is a cushion in the pew; It is encouraged for you to wear a mask while in church.
When receiving the Holy Eucharist come forward reverently, give your baptismal name, hold the red cloth under your chin and after receiving, wipe your lips.
Please remember that the "Cry Room" is intended only when an infant child may seem to be disrupting a divine service. It is wonderful to see so many families with young children and for this reason, we ask that only one parent and child be in the "Cry Room" at any given time. Parents should not be giving their children games to play while in the "Cry Room". Once the child has settled down they should return to the pews for the service.
VISTATIONS: HOSPITALS, SHUT-INs & EMERGENCIES
"Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;...for I was sick and you visited me..." (Matthew 25:31-46). When a member of the parish is ill and has been admitted to the hospital, the immediate family of the ill person should contact the Parish Office as soon as possible so that one of the priests may visit the one who is ill.
When health circumstances hinder a parishioner from coming to church, the Parish Office should be contacted by a member of the immediate family when the family wishes for one of the priests to visit.
The priests cannot rely on the hospitals or members of the parish to inform him and it is the responsibility and duty of the immediate family to communicate with the Parish Office. Our priests are attentive to the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of the faithful and they are ready to minister to you at any time.
In the case of an emergency, if it is during Parish Office hours, the immediate family should call: 209-522-7694. If the emergency is after Parish Office hours, you may contact either Fr. Jon or Fr. Michael.
To contact Fr. Jon in the case of an emergency, he may be reached in one of two ways: 1.) You may call his home (telephone number is listed in the Parish Stewardship Directory); or 2.) If you call the Parish Office and connect to Fr. Jon's office to leave a message, he will receive an email within minutes so he may respond to your emergency.
To contact Fr. Michael in the case of an emergency, he may be reached by calling: 1.) 209-602-7979; or 2.) If you call the Parish Office and connect to Fr. Michael's office to leave a message, he will receive an email within minutes so he may respond to your emergency.
VISIT OUR WEBSITE
In an effort to continue improving our Parish Ministry, we continue to upgrade and improve our Parish Website: www.goannunciation.org
The broadcasting of our Divine Services may now be seen from both our Parish Website and Parish Facebook page. The newly installed high definition cameras have added to the viewing clarity of our services. We do suggest that when viewing Divine Services from our Parish Website, that it may be better to use Chrome as the browser.
The use of today's technology to improve our ability to serve you, the faithful stewards of the Annunciation Church, is of paramount importance. Whether it is through our website or the broadcasting of Divine Services, it is the responsibility of good stewardship that we strengthen our ability to communicate Christ's message of love, peace and salvation to all.
A feature on the website now enables donations and Stewardship offerings to be made online. After researching a number of programs to provide a means by which online contributions may be made we have chosen to use "Paypal" which is a well tested and secure method.
Please accept this improvement to our Parish Ministry as an offering from your Parish Council. We are grateful to the stewards and friends of our Parish that support our ministry and we pledge to continue to provide the highest quality of service to you, the people of God.
The ministry of our choir members is to represent YOU and to serve as volunteers by using the gift of music to sing praises to our Lord is a true act of Christian Orthodox Stewardship.
Parishioners, who may be interested in of our Church, and especially our young people, are invited to join the choir. St. Augustine wrote: "What better thing can the people do than sing. I know of no better thing than this!" Please contact Markella Tsatsaronis or the Church Office, to find out more about our Church Choir.
Divine Services on Sunday morning begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. (Weekdays at 8:30 a.m.). There is no set time as to when the Divine Liturgy actually begins since the hymns of the Matins vary from week to week. According to actual Church Service procedures, each and every member of the congregation is required to be seated in the pews by the beginning of the Divine Liturgy.
It is only through leniency that anyone is allowed to enter the Church once the Service has begun. Thus it behooves us not to take undue advantage of this leniency. Also, unnecessary noise is extremely distracting during worship, especially when it comes from the adults talking; in addition, our nursery is equipped with all the conveniences for young children and a parent to participate in the Liturgy. Please remember to prepare yourself properly to attend the Divine Liturgy; dress accordingly; do not chew gum; turn off your cell phone; and please do not create a disturbance. Please remember that the Parish Council members are re quired to see to the order during Church Services and everyone should follow their directions at all times.
"The Lord has given us many counsels and commandments to help us toward salvation. He has even given us a pattern of prayer, instructing us on how we are to pray. He has given us life, and with His accustomed generosity, He has also taught us how to pray. He has made it easy for us to be heard, as we pray to the Father in words taught us by the Son.Let us pray as God our Master has taught us. To ask the Father in words His Son has given us, to let Him hear the words of Christ ringing in our ears, is to make our prayer one of friendship, a family prayer." St. Cyprian, martyred Bishop of Carthage (+258)
PARISH RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Our Sunday Church School Ministry has begun conducting "in-person" class. We are grateful to our Sunday Church School Staff and families that have planned a safe and inspirational program for the new Ecclesiastical Year.
We are continuing to work on our Sunday Church School Ministry registration. We hope and pray that we will be able to begin having classes on campus. For this reason, it is important to register our young people from ages 3 - high school.
When attending Sunday Church School, the following is the list of requirements necessary to attend:
1. Students will sit with their parents in church;
2. They should come up prayerfully for Holy Communion following the acolytes and the choir, no matter where they are sitting;
3. Teachers and students will wear masks while in class (masks will be available);
4. They will be socially distanced in class;
5. Sanitizer will be provided;
6. Classes should be about 20 minutes;
7. There will be no snacks offered; and
8. Students will be dismissed and escorted out of class maintaining social distancing.
We are grateful to our Sunday Church Directors Helen Katotakis, along with our teaching staff, for planning activities and lessons. Please see the Sunday Church School Facebook page (Sunday School of Annunciation Modesto) for details and times classes will be held...
Parents are encouraged to use this time to be an example and to teach their children our precious Christian Orthodox Faith so that our young people may “Grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
GREEK SCHOOL NEWS
Our afternoon Greek School Ministry has begun holding in-person classes. Children 5 years old and older may register for Greek School. Classes are being held on Tuesday afternoons at 4:00 p.m.
As we return to Greek School, the same guidelines as Sunday Church School will be followed. They are:
1. Students will sit with their parents in church;
2. Teachers and students will wear masks while in class (masks will be available);
3. They will be socially distanced in class;
4. Sanitizer will be provided;
5. There will be no snacks offered; and
6. Students will be dismissed and escorted out of class maintaining social distancing.
Our afternoon Greek School teaches our children the Orthodox Christian Faith and Hellenistic culture and we encourage all of our young people to participate. You may contact the Parish Office to register.
PARISH YOUTH MINISTRY
Our Parish Youth Ministry is designed to teach our Faith through fellowship and service. The success of this ministry rests with the parents and we urge them to support this ministry with enthusiasm and love. Our Youth Ministry is comprised of young people in:
H.O.P.E. – Grade 3-5; J.O.Y. – Grades 6-8; G.O.Y.A. - High School; Y.A.L. – College - 35.
Last Tuesday evening, HOPE and JOY went ice skating at the Modesto Civic Plaza. We had a great turnout and enjoyed a wonderful evening on the ice. We would like to thank the families for supporting this activity...Everyone had a great time!
We have begun conducting youth meetings in person. The young people are expected to wear masks when attending the meetings.
The next meeting of GOYA will be on January 3rd, at 7:00 p.m. ALL High School students are invited to attend so that we may plan activities for 2022.
HOPE and JOY will meet on Monday, January 17th, at 7:00 p.m. in the Classroom Building. Young people in grades 3-8 are invited to attend.
We would like to ask that should any parent wish to serve as an advisor, please contact Fr. Michael. The parent advisors assist in coordinating meetins and activities.
We ask that parents please support and encourage their children to participate in these meetings. It is important for our young people to participate in this ministry so that they may develop the skills necessary to live our Christian Orthodox teachings in today’s world.
PARISH BOOKSTORE
It has been said: “The more you read…the more you know!” Our Bookstore Manager, Ella Velthoen, is willing to assist you through a great selection of books, icons, music and other items for every Orthodox Christian. Included in our selection are Children’s Orthodox books and games. New titles in our bookstore include: Parent Points, Illness and the Believer, Do not Judge, Love your Enemies, Be Ready, and Repentance and Confession. In addition, our bookstore has many excellent gifts for every occasion. Please visit our Bookstore during Fellowship Hour!
During the pandemic of the Coronavirus, people are reading a lot more. If you are interested in visiting the bookstore to obtain books on our Faith, please schedule a time to visit with the Church Office.
The Metropolis of San Francisco has announced that it is planning on hosting the Greek Folk Dance and Choral Festival in Phoenix, Arizona. FDF is being scheduled for February 11-14, 2022.
As we continue to responsibly consider everyone's safety, we will not schedule dance practices or encourage participation in FDF 2022 until we evaluate how the virus is being handled. Please understand our concerns and support the decisions that will be necessary during this time.
PLEASE TAKE NOTE
It is the practice of our Faith that upon entering the House of God, an offering and prayer is made as we light candles to symbolize that Christ is the Light of the world. Please remember that if a check is being written for this purpose or for a donation, in accordance with the non-profit status of our Parish, any check made out to the Annunciation Church must be for the exact amount. Thank you!
The Divine Liturgy begins with the offering of the faithful people of God. The gifts we bring forth are an expression of our faith in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Holy Communion makes us one with the Holy Trinity and is given for "remission of sins and life everlasting". The people are invited to bring forth their offering, i.e. "Prosforon", for the Divine Liturgy to be celebrated. We use 4 prosfora on a regular Sunday and they may be given through our Philoptochos for a donation. The Eucharist Bread may be offered in memory of a loved one or for someone's health and well-being. Anyone wishing to donate the Eucharist Bread ("Prosphoron") on a particular Sunday may contact Anna Petrulakis, 522-0298. In addition to contributing the Eucharist Bread it is customary to bring a bottle of olive oil for the vigil lights and a bottle of wine for Holy Communion. The ONLY wine being used for Holy Communion is Coumantaria and will now be available for purchase from the Church Office.
We would also like to obtain the e-mail addresses of ALL the families in our Parish. We have begun to communicate much more frequently via the internet. Parents and students are asked to send their email addresses so that we may have them for our Parish records. We also ask that you please submit the names, addresses and e-mails for college students attending school away from home.
It is also important to inform the Church Office when you have an address change. In this way we are able to keep our files current and avoid unnecessary charges from the Post Office.
In addition, we ask that you please notify the Church Office when you plan a trip and put your mail on "Hold." Each time there is an address change or a temporary hold one's mailing address, the Parish is charged by the Post Office.
For the safety of our Parish complex we have installed security cameras on the exterior and interior of our church complex. Please be aware that the cameras will be recording daily 24/7 – 365 days a year. Don’t forget to smile!
The ongoing responsibility to maintain the beauty and safety of our church complex is of utmost importance. We have accomplished many projects and express our appreciation to the Stewards and Friends of our Parish that have been so generous to our ministry.
In the last three years we have completed:
1. The replacement of the doors throughout our facility which was approximately $25,000.00.
2. The installation of new lighting around the complex perimeter that was completed at a cost of $3500.00.
3. The new lighting in front of the church (replacing the old MID poles) has finished. The cost of this project was $23,000.00.
4. Sealing and repairing the parking lot - cost $17,000.00
5. The addition of new curbing on back parking lot planters - cost $4,000.00.
6. New lighting in the Classroom Building - cost $10,000.00...DONATED.
7. New Heating/Air Conditioning for the back of the Church Hall - cost $12,000.00;
8. Upgrading of the main electrical panel of our Church complex - cost $3,000.00.
9. Painting of the outdoor pavilion. (Donated.)
10. Landscaping in the upgraded planters behind our complex.
11. Trimming of the cypress trees. (Donated)
12. Upgrade to the Internet Broadcast equipment.
13. Painting of the Vestry and Sacristy. (Donated).
14. Sound System for the Pavilion. (Donated).
15. 2 Flagpoles (Donated).
16. New handicap ramp on side of the church (Donated).
17. Remodeling of the Classroom Building (Donated).
18. New and repair of gutters on the entire church complex (Donated and completed).
19. Security cameras inside and outside our facilities (Donated).
20. A new sound system for the church (Donated and completed).
21. A railed platform area and ramp behing the kitchen. (Donated and completed)
22. Roofing repairs over the kitchen, Lodge Room and entry way to the Hall. (Completed at a cost of $12,580.00)
23. Resealing and restriping of the front Church parking lot and area behind the kitchen. (Completed at a cost of $10,500.00)
24. The purchase of 3 AED units (Donated)
25. The paneling of the kitchen walls (Donated and being completed).
26. Installation of a ceiling fan and lights in the Choir Room. (Donated and completed)
27. Installation of automatic hand towel and soap dispensers throughout our facility. (Completed)
28. Replacing of the church carpet (Donated and installed).
29. Refurbishing the cushions in the church pews (Donated and completed).
30. Chairs and Tables for the Hall (Donated).
31. Fans for the outdoor pavilion (Donated and Installed).
32. New silverware for the GFF (Donated and received).
33. New LED lights in the pavilion (Donated and installed).
34. New LED lights to be installed in the existing parking lot light poles (Donated and Installed).
35. Seal coating and striping of the church parking lot (Donated and Completed.).
36. New metal doors for the Utility Room of the Classroom Building (Donated and installed).
37. New Heating and Air Conditioning systems for the Classroom Building installed ($26,000).
We, again, are grateful to the parishioners that have already made contributions towards these projects.
Recently, we have received donations for new items that will be used during Divine Services. They are:
1. New Acolyte Robes (Donated and received);
2. A new Resurrection Candleholder (Donated and received);
3. 2 new sets of covers for the Holy Altar Table and Chalice Set (Donated and received);
4. A set of new Bishop Candlesticks (Donated and received);
5. A new Gospel in Greek and English (Donated and received);
6. A new set of covers for the Holy Altar Table and Chalice Set (Donated)
7. One Rantistirion (Sprinkler) for Holy Week (Donated)
8. Two silver vigil lights that are placed on each side of the Cross (Donated);
9. An icon of the Virgin Mary Directress (Donated)
10. A new set of covers for the Holy Altar Table and Chalice Set (Donated and received)
11. Updating of our electronic Carillon (bell) system (Donated and installed)
12. The installation of 7 new chandeliers for the Church (Donated and completed).
13. The installation of a new High Definition Broadcast System (cameras, control panel, monitors, and computer) for the church (Donated and completed).
14. Two brass candlestands for the 7 Day Vigil Lights (Donated and completed).
15. New altar and chalice covers (Donated).
16. New altar curtain (Donated and being made).
17. New microphones for the church (Donated and installed).
18. New sterling silver candle holders for the Holy Altar Table (Donated and being used).
19. New cabinets and closet doors for the Vestry (Donated and installed).
20. A new computer to manage the broadcast of our Divine Services (Donated and installed).
21. A new woodcarved chair for the Holy Altar (Donated and installed).
22. A new set of purple Altar Covers (Donated and received).
23. A woodcarved children's icon stand (Donated and installed).
24. An icon of our Lord for the children's icon stand (Donated and installed).
25. The purchasing of 4 new bakery convection ovens (Donated and installed).
26. A new sterling silver blessing cross for the Holy Altar Table (Donated and received).
27. A new gold-plated censer for the Holy Altar (Donated and received).
28. New icons to be placed in the "Cry Room" (Installation around the Spring of 2022).
29. A beautiful new set of red and gold covers for the Holy Altar Table including Chalice covers (Donated and received).
The Parish Council continues to review each area of our Parish Complex so that we can meet the ongoing needs that include upgrading certain areas.
If you would like to contribute toward ecclesiastical items needed, please contact Fr. Jon or a member of the Parish Council.
We encourage you to visit our Parish Website: www.goannunciation.org. It is frequently updated and contains the Monthly and Weekly Bulletins, along with photographs and other information about our Parish.
We are very blessed to have a wonderful church complex. This has only been accomplished by the generosity of the stewards of our Parish that understand the importance of gathering for Christian Orthodox Fellowship. We are grateful to everyone that has contributed over the years and we commit ourselves to be responsible to maintain our facilities to the best of our abilities.
For this to happen, we need YOUR support too! This is why we must remind parishioners that church property is not to be removed from our complex. Please do not remove plates, pans or other utensils from our facilities for any reason unless approved by the Parish Priest and Parish Council. If you have any items from the Cultural Center please return them this week. In addition, we would like to remind parishioners that we rely on volunteers to serve the meals at our luncheons. During meals that are served in our Church Hall please do not enter the kitchen unless you are volunteerin g to help! We thank you for your understanding and support!
The demands on each individual and family are great. In an effort to understand this we would like to remind our parishioners that before anyone plans on selling items in our church complex or during Parish activities, they must have the approval of the Parish Priest. We also understand that organizations within our Community, as well as, organizations we may support, have a need to raise funds for their activities. We do not want times of fellowship to become a time when parishioners may be bombarded to purchase items.
We would also like to remind everyone that the placement of flyers on our cars is prohibited! Flyers that you wish to have distributed may be brought by the Church Office for approval and then included in either our Monthly and/or Weekly bulletins.
We will celebrate the Vasilopita in the Church on Sunday, January 9th.
If you plan on attending Divine Services in Church please be agree to these conditions
Please read and follow carefully.