Altar Team: Luke
Parish Council Members on Duty: George Plaster, Helen Rogers & Tim Weeks
Congratulations to Christian and Amy Hung on their recent marriage! We pray that God will bless their marriage and grant them many blessed years together!
Church Photo this Sunday, August 25th! After Liturgy today, we will take a congregational photo with Father Gregory, Presvytera Sofia and family. Don’t miss this important moment in our Church’s history.
SAVE THE DATE!!! Mark your calendars for the 32nd Annual Greek Festival on September 6th, 7th, and 8th, 2019! We are going to need lots of volunteers before, during and after the festival. Sign-up sheets are now available after Church on Sundays in the hall. Please consider giving of your time and talent to help us make this festival the best one yet!
Festival Preparations will continue this coming week starting on Monday, August 26th. We will be preparing and packaging pastries daily starting at 9:30 am, excluding Thursday when we will begin at 10:30 am after the Liturgy. Whether you can come and help all day or just for one hour, any and all help will be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
A Message from the Stewardship Committee: Now that fall is coming and the kids are back in school, just a reminder to keep your stewardship donations coming in so we can make our goal for the year. Our goal is 120 pledges and we are almost there! We have, as of today, 113 pledges totaling $318,520. If you have not filled out a stewardship pledge card, please find one in the Narthex and fill it out and turn it in. We thank you for everything each of you does for the Church. It is noticed by all.
Greek Orthodox Youth of America (GOYA) - All children in grades 6th through 12th are invited to participate in GOYA. We try and meet monthly with organized activities like serving dinners at local shelters, walk/hike fundraisers for charities, fun fellowship outings including: bowling, Escape games, skating, canoeing and meetings where we nurture and discuss our Greek Orthodox faith. Our next meeting is scheduled for September 22nd after Divine Liturgy at approximately 12:00pm. We will meet in the Education Building. Parents and children are encouraged to attend and meet Father Michael and help make plans for the year. If you have not participated in GOYA this past year or if your contact information has changed, please email the Church office @ htgocoffice@gmail.com with parent contact information, child name, grade and email, if available. We will add you to the GOYA email list. Father Michael is very much looking forward to meeting with everyone. He asks that parents and GOYANS be prepared to bring ideas and suggestions to the meeting in September so that we can plan the best first year together possible!
The Church is still in need of volunteers to work on the Maintenance Committee. Ronnie Richard and Pete Shack have signed up to volunteer but the committee is still hoping to find one other individual to join the current committee which includes John Miller, Lambert Lamberson and Kareem Jabbour. Helpful skills include basic knowledge of AC, electrical, technical and plumbing. Maintenance committee members coordinate and supervise vendors on behalf of the Parish Council. It is a 2 to 3-year commitment. Please contact the Church office if interested at (615) 333-1047 or htgocoffice@gmail.com.
If you are interested in hosting a coffee hour, please contact the Church office at 615-333-1047 or htgocoffice@gmail.com.
PARISH PRAYER LIST
Anatoliy (Tony); Dimitri; Judson Phillips; Joel Rivera; Malcolm; Evan Parhas; Alyssa; Keith Singley; Evie; Ann; David Ward; Fr. George Vaporis; Eleni Taylor; Isabella Marie Fuller; Bryan; Jeff; Gary; Dorothy Nicklas; Mary Beth; Karen Ingraham; Mick Elias Kuttab; Byron Dwight Wallace; Michael; Nicholas; Patrick; Elli; Eleni; Rhea & Juan Carlos; Lazarus; Subdeacon Victor & Robin Poletajev; Rod Caulkins; Christos Tsiodras; Marie; George Pierides; Christina; George S.; Anastasia; Christoforos; Ekaterina; Emily; Jacob Sotiriadis; Twila; Teresa; George; Basil; Heather Ritscher; Matt, Ali, Lucas & Olivia Ritscher; James & Wesley Austin; Gary Andrew; Andreas; Klitos; Kleo; Erica; Antonia; Glenda; Maggi; Dorcas; John Timothy; Abigail; Lisa; John; Olivia; Anastasia; Steve Turner; Timothy; Mark Santana; Tyler Dugas; Angelyn; Tillie; Dale; Amanda; Freeman family; Rose, Scott; Ben, Jessica, Addison & Rogan; Siharya Siloman; Chrysoula; David; Charlie
To add names to the prayer list, please contact the Church office at (615) 333-1047 or htgocoffice@gmail.com.
CHURCH ETIQUETTE FAQs
Who may receive Holy Communion in the Orthodox Church?
Holy Communion is a Sacrament within the Orthodox Church and therefore is offered to Baptized and/or Chrismated Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves to receive the Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Everyone is welcome to receive the Blessed Bread (Antidoron) at the end of the Divine Liturgy.
How should I dress in the Orthodox Church?
Wear modest and appropriate attire. Common sense and good judgment should prevail. Avoid wearing lipstick when venerating the icons and receiving Holy Communion. Also, please refrain from chewing gum.
Why do the Ushers/Parish Council ask us to wait before entering at certain times of the service?
There are several parts of the Liturgy where all movement within the Sanctuary should be restricted, including entering the Nave from the Narthex. These parts are:
1) Procession of the Priest and Acolytes with the Gospel
2) The reading of the Epistle and Gospel
3) The priest’s homily (sermon)
4) The Great Procession of the Priest and Altar Boys with the Holy Gifts
5) The recitation of the Nicene Creed
6) The prayers of offering and consecration (From “Thine own of thine own…” until “Especially for our most Holy Lady….”
7) The recitation of the Lord’s Prayer
8) Special services (40-day blessings, memorials, processions…)
My child is being noisy. What should I do?
Children are a great blessing in Church. It is very special to hear our young people begin to participate in the Liturgy, by reciting the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer and singing along with our hymns. It is also important that children are present from a very young age to absorb the holy atmosphere of the Divine Liturgy. But sometimes, children have a hard time being quiet or sitting still. Little noises here and there are not worrisome, but in those times when the situation becomes very boisterous, there is a cry room located in the back of the Sanctuary in addition to a foyer with a monitor to watch the Liturgy while the child calms down.
Archbishop Elpidophoros was received August 22, 2019, by Metropolitan Joseph for their first official visit at the headquarters of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. The two hierarchs discussed the various practical, pastoral, and ecclesial matters pertaining to the Orthodox Christian community in the United States of America.
FAITH: An Endowment for Orthodoxy and Hellenism (FAITH), in partnership with The Fletcher School at Tufts University, is pleased to announce a new leadership training program, the “Executive Education Program in Strategic Leadership and Transformative Action” (SLTA) for members of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese at The Fletcher School at Tufts University.
On Tuesday, August 20, 2019, Archbishop Elpidophoros met with Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church under the jurisdiction of the Holy See of the Great House of Cilicia.
In a moving atmosphere, the Dormition of the Theotokos was celebrated in Imbros, where the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the village of Agios Theodoros.
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America reports that a donation of $260,000 is being made to the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine from the proceeds of the Enthronement Luncheon for His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros.
