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St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2018-12-09
Bulletin Contents
Saints and Feasts
Hymns of the Day
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Wisdom of the Fathers
Ministry News
Bulletin Inserts
Stewardship
Anna
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St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (908) 968-4004
  • Fax:
  • (908) 968-4002
  • Street Address:

  • 85 Voorhees Corner Road,

  • Flemington, NJ 08822

Contact Information

St. Anna Office staff

stannagoc@gmail.com | (908) 968-4004

Proistamenos Rev. Fr. Anastasios Kousoulas

frakousoulas@gmail.com | mobile (908) 528-1077

Services Schedule

Weekly Services

(Please note schedule subject to change.  Please call church office to confirm times.)

Sunday Services:  Orthros 8:15 am; Divine Liturgy 9:15  am.  Followed by Sunday School and Fellowship Hour in our Community Center.

Weekly Feastday / Major Saint Day Liturgies:  9 am Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy.

Past Bulletins


Saints and Feasts

Anna
December 09

The Conception by St. Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos

According to the ancient tradition of the Church, since Saint Anna, the Ancestor of God, was barren, she and her husband Joachim remained without children until old age. Therefore, sorrowing over their childlessness, they besought God with a promise that, if He were to grant them the fruit of the womb, they would offer their offspring to Him as a gift. And God, hearkening to their supplication, informed them through an Angel concerning the birth of the Virgin. And thus, through God's promise, Anna conceived according to the laws of nature, and was deemed worthy to become the mother of the Mother of our Lord (see also Sept. 8).

Bowedwoman
December 09

10th Sunday of Luke

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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Third Mode

Let the heavens sing for joy, and let everything on earth be glad. * For with His Arm the Lord has worked power. * He trampled death under foot by means of death; * and He became the firstborn from the dead. * From the maw of Hades He delivered us; * and He granted the world His great mercy.

Apolytikion for Conception of the Theotokos in the Fourth Mode

Today the bonds of childlessness are loosed; for God hearkened to Joachim and Anna. And though it was beyond hope, He clearly promised them that they should bear a divine child, from whom was born the Uncircumscribable One Himself Who became a mortal, and through an Angel commanded them to cry unto her: Rejoice, thou who art full of grace; the Lord is with thee.

Apolytikion for St. Anna (Dec. 9) in the Fourth Mode

Today the bonds of childlessness are loosed; for God hearkened to Joachim and Anna. And though it was beyond hope, He clearly promised them that they should bear a divine child, from whom was born the Uncircumscribable One Himself Who became a mortal, and through an Angel commanded them to cry unto her: Rejoice, thou who art full of grace, the Lord is with thee."

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Mode

Today the world rejoices in the conception of Anna, wrought by God. For she bore the One who beyond comprehension conceived the Logos.
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Grave Mode. Psalm 63.11,1.
The righteous shall rejoice in the Lord.
Verse: Oh God, hear my cry.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 4:22-27.

Brethren, Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, the son of the free woman through promise. Now this is an allegory: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written, "Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and shout, you who are not in travail; for the children of the desolate one are many more than the children of her that is married."

Gospel Reading

10th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 13:10-17

At that time, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your infirmity." And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and she praised God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, said to the people, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and not on the sabbath day." Then the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?" As he said this, all his adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.

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Wisdom of the Fathers

So great an evil is envy. For not against strangers only, but even against our own, is it ever warring.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 40 on Matthew 12, 4th Century

And yet here He speaks only; whereas elsewhere in many cases He heals by laying on of hands also. But nevertheless none of these things made them meek; rather, while the man was healed, they by his health became worse. For His desire indeed was to cure them before him, and He tried innumerable ways of healing, both by what He did in their presence, and by what He said: but since their malady after all was incurable, He proceeded to the work.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 40 on Matthew 12, 4th Century

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Ministry News

Agia_anna

TODAY is our Parish Feastday The Conception by St. Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos.  Chronia Polla. 

TODAY, the Parish Council will offer "Fasolada" bean soup Greek style and Pasta for the kids. We would like all of you to stay, cast your Election Day vote, have some nice and warm Fasolada,  and enjoy the day. 

TODAY  is Stewardship Sunday.  We asked that all our Steward families recommit themselves for the coming new year and submit a 2019 Stewardship Commitment Card.  As you know, we rely on this free-will offering of stewardship from every family that we serve as an expression of our love for the church and so we can continue doing God’s work.  Thank you for your continued generosity and support.

TODAY we will hold our Parish Council General Elections.   As was mailed out by the Board of Elections, there are six candidates to fill 6 of the 7 open positions. 

 

Church Calendar:

Daily Liturgy during the Christmas Fast, 9 am  

Sunday, December 9:  GOMNJ Annual Christmas Tree Lighting, 5pm – 9pm, GOMNJ, Westfield, NJ  

Saturday, December 22:  GOMNJ Byzantine Music Christmas Concert, 6pm, St John Theologian Cathedral, Tenafly,NJ  

Sunday, December 23:  Christmas Pageant, Choir Concert, Greek School Christmas Program

Monday, December 24: Christmas Eve Divine Liturgy of St. Basil, 9 am 

Monday, December 24: Christmas Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, 10:30 pm (to 12:30 am) 

Tuesday, January 1, 2019:  St. Basil - Circumcision of Our Lord, Orthros / Liturgy 9 am

Sunday, January 6: Epiphany and 2nd Agiasmos (Blessing of Waters)

 

 

St. Anna is hosting the 27th Annual Holiday Sing-A-Long for the ARC of Hunterdon County on Friday, December 14at 7 pm.

Please volunteer for this very specialand very funcommunity outreach event, by helping set up & decorate, attending or by baking Cookies, Cakes or other Treats.

Volunteers are asked to arrive before 6:30 pm to:

·         Set up Refreshments, Greet Guests, Seat Guests and Hand out Songbooks & Props

·         Sing Along with this boisterous crowd.

·         Clean-up including taking down tables at end of event (~8:30 pm)

·         Please Dress Festively; Think Santa Hats and Christmas Sweaters

 This is a great local event serving Hunterdon County clients.  Children can earn volunteer hours.  Questions?  Call Leader Stephanie McElroy at 908-399-0080.

  

 

EDUCATION: Our Community food drive ends today.  Thank you all for your generosity.  

Upcoming dates:  

Rehearsal for the Christmas Pageant  - December 16  

Christmas Pageant  -  December 23 

No Sunday School on December 30  and January 6 (Epiphany).  

We wish everyone a wonderful Christmas season.  Sunday School contact:  aimeedouvris@gmail.com

Christmas Concert Choir:  Please see the flyer on our adult and youth Christmas concert choir to sing on Sunday December 23.   Adults and youth who like to sing are welcome to participate. Youth will rehearse starting this Sunday after Church.  Adult rehearsals will be scheduled soon. Please see Choir Director Diana Grina at dianakg2003@yahoo.com.

Adult Greek School:  Adult Greek school that classes will start on January 7 and registration has begun!  Please see Maria Sfondouris to register today and on December 9 (msfondouris@gmail.com)

Adult Bible Study:   Adult Bible Study is on Fridays from 12 – 1 pm. Please let Fr. A know if you are interested.  All are welcome!

Philoptochos Vasilopita Sale:  Please see Zoi Kaldes to order Vasilopita.  Cost $17.  Checks payable to "St. Anna Philoptochos".  Orders due by December 16.  Pick up Vasilopita at St. Anna on December 23.

PC CORNER: 

  • The PC partnered with local Authorities to review our security systems and procedures and make the necessary improvements to improve the safety and security of our Parishioners and our Facilities. This is not a one meeting event and to be successful we will need everyone's participation. We will be keeping you informed as we have the opportunity to learn more and be able to share with you details.
  • Our first Eat & Shop event was successful. Preliminary report shows that we will net over $8,000. Thanks to all of those who came and helped during preparation and during the event. We managed to have everything cleaned and in storage within one hour after the event.
  • We are in the process of the next phase of the iconography. We will let you know as soon as we have an agreed-upon date.

 

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Bulletin Inserts

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Stewardship

 

Stewardship is the sharing of the talents and treasures that God has provided for us.  An Orthodox Christian Steward is an active participant in the life of the Church. The parish encourages all who accept the Orthodox Faith to become practicing Stewards.

2018 Stewardship Status: We have 163 Pledges totaling $152,685 for an average of $ 937 and $138,726 received to date. We also have 6 families who have contributed $3,650 to date but have not submitted a stewardship card.   It is important that all families complete a stewardship card to be considered a steward. If you have not already done so, please fill out your Stewardship Card for 2018.

 

…Remember a rich man is not one who has much, but one who gives much

 

 

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