Attending services at Saint Andrew

Below are the links for upcoming services.

Registration to services will be open until allowed seating has been reached.

Just Click on the Eventbrite Link  below and make your Reservation.

You will then get a confirmation that you may attend the service. For Sunday’s Liturgy please come to church by 10:15am. Late arrivals will lose their reservation if we have people waiting to be seated.  If you are not able to attend please cancel your reservation.

If you are having problems with link or do not have access to the internet call the church office 973-584-0388 (leave a message and we’ll get back to you).

Saturday 12/5

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/130122541023

+Sabbas the Sanctified

@8am Orthros & @9am Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom

Divine Liturgy Youth & Family Worship for Sunday School Students & Families @9am

SUNDAY, 12/6

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/130123489861

10^th Sunday of Luke, +St.  Nicholas the Wonderworker Archbishop of Myra

@8:45am Orthros & @10:15am Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom

Saturday, 12/12

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/130123915133

+Saint Spyridon the Wonderworker of Trymithous

@8am Orthros & @9am Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom

Divine Liturgy Youth & Family Worship for Sunday School Students & Families @9am

*Youth & Family Worship:  Inlieu of an in-person or virtual Sunday School, the Religious Education Department is offering Youth Family Worship on select Saturdays each month. We encourage all our families to join us on these Saturday mornings. The Religious Education Department is focusing on “Family & Orthodoxy” as a way to bring our Orthodox Faith into the home and have a comprehensive spiritual life on the daily. Additional materials/lessons will be provided during  these services.

Prayers/Liturgy can  always be found at: https://www.agesinitiatives.com/dcs/public/dcs/dcs.html 

Stewardship 2020 Update

As of November 29th a total of 376 families committed $318,278 towards their membership in the church. 59 families gave $25,575 without a pledge and 315 families pledged $292,703 ($37,797 unfulfilled to date). The average pledge for the year 2020 is $929. 

If you have not submitted your stewardship 2020 or fulfilled your commitment to Saint Andrew, please do so as our ministries depend on your support. 

Stewardship 2021 Update

On December 3, 2020 49 families made their 2021 Pledge to Saint Andrew Greek Orthodox Church totaling $76,468.  The average pledge for 2021 is $15561.

Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to children, ages 1-12, whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. The program was founded in 1947 by reservist Major Bill Hendricks. Saint Andrew Greek Orthodox Church is an official drop off site for TOYS FOR TOTS.  Last day of collection is Friday, December 11, 2020

Saint Andrew Philoptochos Christmas Card: Please contact a Philoptochos member to participate. Deadline for greetings is December 14, 2020

Saint Andrew Family News issues are on our Web site 

https://www.standrewgonj.org/
https://www.standrewgonj.org/files/November-2020.pdf 

Bakaliko Bake Sale NOVEMBER 2020 see  Order form 

Attending services at Saint Andrew

1. Wear your mask throughout the service

2. Social distancing is 6 feet please

3. No seating where indicated..

• make reservation to attend Divine Liturgy look for Eventbrite links

• Please be on time or you run the risk of losing your seat, as people may be waiting to attend the service.

• If you cannot attend please cancel your reservation by using your Eventbrite confirmation or calling the church office and leaving a message

• Parishioners must sanitize their hands upon entering the Church.

• Parishioners must wear protective masks throughout the Services.

• Parishioners must adhere to the social distancing guidelines of keeping a six foot distance from other parishioners at all times in the pews and throughout the Church. The only exception being for families that have quarantined together, as they will be able to sit together in a designated section of the Church.

• Parishioners are not to wander in the Church, in the Parish facilities, or outside on the parish grounds.

• Small children shall not be allowed to roam the aisles.

• Parishioners must leave the Church premises, including the parking lot and exterior grounds, upon conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, all the while maintaining social distancing standards.

If the church is full you may pray outside.

• If you don't have a seat in church you may enter the narthex to light a candle and then go back outside to pray.

• For those outside, who wish to receive Holy Communion, you will be directed to enter at the appropriate time all the while maintaining social distancing standards.

At this phase, our Church occupancy is limited during the  service and is on a first come, first serve basis and we will adhere to the protocols outlined in our web site. In order to attend a service you MUST pre-register using the link which will become available a few days prior to the service or by calling the church during office hours (If NO Answer: please leave a message and we will return your call). You will then get a confirmation that you may attend the service. Please bring that with you when you come to church. If you are not able to attend, we invite you to participate in the celebration of the Divine Services through live streaming services that are available.

Live Stream of Services

From the Church's Facebook Page

From the Church's Website

Prayers/Liturgy can always be found at:

https://www.agesinitiatives.com/dcs/public/dcs/dcs.html

Light a Virtual Candle

We know we can't physically be at church, but if you're following the live video stream of the services and would like to continue to light a candle as you "enter" the church or would like to "drop some money in the basket" please consider a donation by lighting a "virtual candle".

Just go to the church's Facebook page and select "posts". You can light your virtual candle via the Facebook donate button which you should be able to see.

If you don't have Facebook or prefer not to donate through Facebook, you can always go to the Saint Andrew Website and select either PayPal or WeShare from the home page.

Father John will pray for the living and the reposed during Liturgy.

Just email him at prayersstandrew@gmail.com  PLEASE indicate Living or Reposed 

Saint Nicholas 

December 6 

There are many patron saints for children, but perhaps the most popular is Saint Nicholas. Saint Nicholas is a patron of many things, including entire countries, but he is especially esteemed as a patron of children, which was greatly enhanced in the 19th century when he came to be identified with the gift-giving Santa Claus of Christmas. However, with the rise of the mythical Santa Claus, there was a decline of devotion towards the real Saint Nicholas.

 Before the rise of the Santa Claus legend, Reverend Alban Butler wrote in the mid-18th century:

 "St. Nicholas is esteemed a patron of children, because he was from his infancy a model of innocence and virtue, and to form that tender age to sincere piety was always his first care and delight. To impress on the minds of children perfect sentiments of devotion, religion, and all virtues, with an earnestness in all duties, is a task often as delicate as it is important. Instructions must be made sensible, and adapted by similes, parables, and examples, to the weakness of their capacities. Above all, they are to be enforced by the conduct of those with whom children converse. They learn their maxims, imbibe their spirit, and are moulded upon their example. A child which sees those who are about him love their own ease, and ever seek what best pleases their senses; still more if he observes them to be choleric, peevish, vain, slothful, or impatient, will naturally cherish these passions, and yield up the government of himself to them, instead of learning by tractableness, humility, meekness, and self-denial, to subdue and govern them. And so in all other points. Precepts and exhortations lose their force when contradicted by example: and whilst the infant sees every one study to please himself in every thing, in flat opposition to the rules of the gospel, which he hears preached from their mouths, he seems tacitly persuaded, that such a conduct is reconcilable with those very maxims which condemn it."

 For Reverend Butler, Saint Nicholas was a patron of children to serve as a model for children, a model of innocence and virtue and sincere piety. He then gives some advice on how to educate children, primarily through our own example. We are also told in his life story how he raised from the dead three little boys who had been murdered by an innkeeper. The most popular story about Saint Nicholas tells of his compassion for three poor young girls. Their father had lost his fortune and with it all hope of providing dowries for his daughters. To save them from their poverty and the threat of having to support themselves as prostitutes, Nicholas threw bags of gold coins through an open window of the poor family’s house so that each daughter would have enough to make a good marriage.

 It was in Germany and the Netherlands that Saint Nicholas as the patron saint of children led to the idea that he gave gifts secretly to children on December 6, his feast day. It was from this notion that the idea of Santa Claus ultimately developed. Today there is a movement to restore Saint Nicholas to his former status. Children should be taught to separate the Saint Nicholas of history from the Santa Claus of legend, and make Saint Nicholas a model of virtue instead of an arbitrator of the naughty and the nice.

 There are many patron saints for children, but perhaps the most popular is Saint Nicholas. Saint Nicholas is a patron of many things, including entire countries, but he is especially esteemed as a patron of children, which was greatly enhanced in the 19th century when he came to be identified with the gift-giving Santa Claus of Christmas. However, with the rise of the mythical Santa Claus, there was a decline of devotion towards the real Saint Nicholas.

Before the rise of the Santa Claus legend, Reverend Alban Butler wrote in the mid-18th century:

 "St. Nicholas is esteemed a patron of children, because he was from his infancy a model of innocence and virtue, and to form that tender age to sincere piety was always his first care and delight. To impress on the minds of children perfect sentiments of devotion, religion, and all virtues, with an earnestness in all duties, is a task often as delicate as it is important. Instructions must be made sensible, and adapted by similes, parables, and examples, to the weakness of their capacities. Above all, they are to be enforced by the conduct of those with whom children converse. They learn their maxims, imbibe their spirit, and are moulded upon their example. A child which sees those who are about him love their own ease, and ever seek what best pleases their senses; still more if he observes them to be choleric, peevish, vain, slothful, or impatient, will naturally cherish these passions, and yield up the government of himself to them, instead of learning by tractableness, humility, meekness, and self-denial, to subdue and govern them. And so in all other points. Precepts and exhortations lose their force when contradicted by example: and whilst the infant sees every one study to please himself in every thing, in flat opposition to the rules of the gospel, which he hears preached from their mouths, he seems tacitly persuaded, that such a conduct is reconcilable with those very maxims which condemn it."

 For Reverend Butler, Saint Nicholas was a patron of children to serve as a model for children, a model of innocence and virtue and sincere piety. He then gives some advice on how to educate children, primarily through our own example. We are also told in his life story how he raised from the dead three little boys who had been murdered by an innkeeper. The most popular story about Saint Nicholas tells of his compassion for three poor young girls. Their father had lost his fortune and with it all hope of providing dowries for his daughters. To save them from their poverty and the threat of having to support themselves as prostitutes, Nicholas threw bags of gold coins through an open window of the poor family’s house so that each daughter would have enough to make a good marriage.

 It was in Germany and the Netherlands that Saint Nicholas as the patron saint of children led to the idea that he gave gifts secretly to children on December 6, his feast day. It was from this notion that the idea of Santa Claus ultimately developed. Today there is a movement to restore Saint Nicholas to his former status. Children should be taught to separate the Saint Nicholas of history from the Santa Claus of legend, and make Saint Nicholas a model of virtue instead of an arbitrator of the naughty and the nice.

12/13 Memorial Service: +Thalia Arvanitis, +Nick Bardis, +Aikaterini_+Demetrios Rotsides 

12/15+St. Eleutherios the Holy Martyr

12/20 Sunday before the Nativity 

12/22 +St. Anastasia the Great Martyr

12/24 +Eve Of The Nativity Of Christ, +Eugenia The Righteous |Orthros, Great Hours, Great Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil the Great

12/25 +Holy Nativity Of Our Lord Orthros & Divine Liturgy of SJC @6pm

12/27 Sunday After Nativity |+St. Stephen, Archdeacon & First Martyr

12/27 Memorial Service: +Katie Sedereas, +Petra Knox, +Gregory_+Photini ‘Sikolas & +Konstantinos_+Garifalia Skoufi 

12/31 Circumcision Of Our Lord & Commemoration St. Basil | Great Vespers @3:30pm 

2021

1/1 Circumcision Of Our Lord & Commemoration Of  St. Basil @8:45am

1/3 Sunday before Epiphany

1/5 Eve of the Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: + Orthros, Great Hours, Great Vespers, & Divine Liturgy Of St. Basil The Great, Great Agiasmos  (Fasting Day) 

1/6 Holy Theophany, Baptism Of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ , Orthros, 

Divine Liturgy & The Great Agiasmos

1/7 The Synaxis Of The Holy Prophet +St. John The Baptist

1/10 Sunday after Epiphany

 1/10 Memorial Service: +Athanasios "Ernie" Stamoutsos 

1/17 12^th Sunday of Luke | +St. Anthony the Great

1/18 +St. Athanasios the Great & Cyril, Patriarchs of Alexandria

1/20 + St. Euthymios the Great

1/23 Divine Liturgy Youth & Family Worship @ 9:00AM

1/24 14^th Sunday of Luke 

1/30 +Synaxis of The Three Hierarchs: |+Basil the Great, +Gregory the Theologian, & +John Chrysostom

1/31 15^th Sunday of Luke 

If you would like us to remember you or your loved one in our prayers, please contact the office. 973-584-0388 or send us an email to info@standrewgonj.org 

Names will be kept on this list for approximately 3 months. Please resubmit Names if needed.   Fr. John will pray for the Names above during the Proskomide “Offering of gifts” during the first part of the Divine Liturgy when our priest prepares the mystical gifts of bread and wine. Please keep these names in your prayers as well.

Christina, Eleni, Fr. Konstantine, Prz Spiridoula, Margaret, Nikolaos, Ismini, Linda, Jeremy, Kyriacos, Angeliki, Olga, Antonia, Maria, Anastasia, Kleio, Sofie, Marina, Vasiliki, klaus, Lori, Despina, Bob, Isabella, Julie, Kyriaki, Sergios, Nikoletta, Roger, Constantinos, Ioanna, Alexandra, Dimitri, Maria, Angeliki, Constantinos, Panagiotis, Fevronia, Alexandra, Eleni, Anastasia, George,  Vasiliki, Jeff, George, Eugenia, Joanna, Eliana, Constantinos, Elena, Nicholas, Konstantinos, Georgia, Vasileke, Jutta, Irene, George, Eftihia, Athena, Christina, Athanasios,  Anna, John, Rick, Christine, John, Freda, Estelle, Christina, Fotios, Julie, Joanna, Efthymios, Evangelos, John, Joanna, Lisa, Rich, Magdalini, Irini, Christos, Fr. Christos, Nancy, Brian, Thomas, Vasilios,  Evanthia, , John, Stavroula, Anna Christina, Manny, Mary, George, Susan, Dimitrios, Peter, Michael, Ryan, Ioannis, Monica, Katerina, Tasia, Christina, Andrew, Andrew, Margaret, Eleni, Paraskevi, Panagotis, Maria, Caroline, Demetrios, Konstantinos, Susan, Afrodite, Cassandra, Aristea, Konstantinos, George, Mary, Holly, Gary, Roye, Cristos, Panagiota, Anna, Panagiotis, John, Nicos, Hannah, Christos, Theoseva, George, Genevieve, Christine, Anna, Louis, Marilyn, Suriana, Antonios, John, Maria, Dimitry, Elias, Evangelia, George, Kyriaki, John,  Evmorfia... 

Prayer for a Sick Person:

Heavenly Father, physician of our souls and bodies, who have sent Your only-begotten Son and our Lord Jesus Christ to heal every sickness and infirmity, visit and heal (me) Your servant from all physical and spiritual ailments through the grace of Your Christ. Grant (me) patience in this sickness, strength of body and spirit, and recovery of health.  Lord, You have taught us through Your word to pray for each other that we may be healed.  I pray that You heal (me) as Your servant and grant (me) the gift of complete health. For You are the source of healing and to You I give glory, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen