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St. George Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2020-07-05
Bulletin Contents
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St. George Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (562) 862-6461
  • Fax:
  • (562) 862-2672
  • Street Address:

  • 10830 Downey Avenue

  • Downey, CA 90241
  • Mailing Address:

  • 10830 Downey Avenue

  • Downey, CA 90241


Services Schedule

SUNDAYS Orthros at 9:00 AM; Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM

WEEKDAY LITURGIES Orthros at 9:00 AM; Divine Liturgy 9:30 AM

 

Mission Statement

The Mission of Saint George Greek Orthodox Church is to proclaim and teach the Mystery of Salvation and the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; to enhance the spiritual life of our communicants through participation in the fullness of Orthodox worship, through loving and dedicated service to God and to mankind.

Vision Statement

Saint George will provide a welcoming, loving, and caring environment for our parishioners and visitors where our God - given talents will be allowed to flourish and grow in faith, through worship, service, witness and fellowship. The programs offered by Saint George will serve the religious, educational, cultural, philanthropic and social activities of the community of all ages.


Past Bulletins


This Week at Saint George

RESERVATIONS MUST BE MADE IN ORDER TO ATTEND SERVICES

  1.     Reservations are required to attend church. When we reach our maximum capacity of 35 families, we will cease to take reservations.
  2.        Reservations can be made    Reservations are on a “first come basis” and must be made by Saturday 5:00 p.m.
    1. online from the St George Website (http://www.stgeorgedowney.org), or
    2. Directly from our Eventbrite page: Click here, or
    3. calling Georgia Covell at 818/523-8396 or
    4. emailing "parishcouncil@stgeorgedowney.org"
  3.     Families in the same household will be allowed to sit together and will count as one reservation. At the time of the reservation, we will need to know the number of people attending the service 
  4. Please do not come to church unless you have a reservation.
  5.     We strongly encourage our parishioners that are 65 and over or who have underlying health conditions not to attend church services.
  6.     If on the day you are scheduled to attend church, you experience any of the following symptoms, fever, dry-cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, please stay home to protect not only yourself but others as well.

Services will continue to be live streamed through our Facebook page

www.facebook.com/StGeorgeDowney and on www.Youtube.com nand search "st george downey"

 Schedule

Sunday, July 5, 2020- 4th Sunday of Matthew

Orthros (in progress) 9:45 AM Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM

 + + + + + 

 

INFORMED CONSENT

 WHAT YOU AGREE TO BY ATTENDING

 (This will be posted at the entrance to the Church)

 

 By voluntarily entering the church facility, you affirm that:

  • -You are not currently ill or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
  • -You agree to abide by the social distancing and safety guidelines as being practiced in our Parish.
  • -You acknowledge, that while the recommended CDC, State and Local County safety measures are being taken by the Church, the parish cannot guarantee that there is no risk of infection for attendees.
  • -If you are not able to agree with the above statements, we ask that you remain at home to participate in the live-streaming of our services.

 

 

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Parish News and Events

REOPENING GUIDELINES

We have instituted guidelines for the re-opening that reflect local Health Department and Metropolis guidelines. These guidelines are in place to protect ourselves and others and to create a safe environment for worship.

In accordance with these guidelines, we will be opening St. George with a 25% of our seating capacity. This means that 35 families will be allowed in the Church.  We have set up a reservation system to accommodate those who wish to attend church.

Our Parish Council and volunteer staff will be available to guide you through this re-opening. If you have any questions, please reach out to Georgia Covell and she will be happy to answer any questions.

GUIDELINES FOR ATTENDING CHURCH AT ST. GEORGE

Attending Church-Reservation System

1.    Reservations are required to attend church. When we reach our maximum capacity of 35 families, we will cease to take reservations.

2.       Reservations can be made:

    1. Online from the St George Website (http://www.stgeorgedowney.org), or
    2. Directly from our Eventbrite page: Click here, or
    3. calling Georgia Covell at 818/523-8396 or
    4. emailing "parishcouncil@stgeorgedowney.org"
    5. Reservations are on a “first come basis” and must be made by Saturday 5:00 p.m.
    6.  Families in the same household will be allowed to sit together and will count as one reservation. At the time of the reservation, we will need to know the number of people attending the service 
    7. Please do not come to church unless you have a reservation.
    8.  We strongly encourage our parishioners that are 65 and over or who have underlying health conditions not to attend church services.
    9.  If on the day you are scheduled to attend church, you experience any of the following symptoms, fever, dry-cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, please stay home to protect not only yourself but others as well.

 Attending Church-Attendee Expectations

Always follow the instructions of the staff/ushers on duty. They have been trained to ensure that all rules are followed and will guide you through this process.

  1. A mask must always be worn. Please bring a mask with you. If you do not have a mask, one will be provided for you.
  2. You are to maintain a 6’ social distancing space between you and another person not from your household at all times.
  3. Hand Sanitizers will be available for your use prior to entering the church.
  4. There will be no social gatherings after the church service. When service is done, everyone should depart following usher directions.

Attending Church-Liturgy

Please arrive at church between 9:45 AM and 10:00 AM

  1. Upon arrival at church, you will check in at the greet and meet table where you will be checked in from a roster created by the reservation person. This roster is kept in case contact tracing is necessary.
  2. Hand Sanitizer will be applied by one of the volunteers so that you may enter the church and light a candle. We ask that you place your candle donation and stewardship donations in the basket provided. Please note that there will be no passing of trays nor change given at the candle stand.
  3. Please leave your offering in the designated tray. Digital Giving is encouraged by following this link http://stgeorgedowney.org/stewardship/
  4. Please venerate the icons and relics of St. George by simply doing the sign of the cross and bowing. Please do not touch or kiss the icons.
  5. Please do not kiss the priest’s hand, nor hug, shake hands, or kiss others.
  6. You will be escorted to your pew by the usher on duty. This may not be where you normally sit. Please do not move from the pew where you are placed.
  7. Communion-Will take place at the end of the church service
    1. Please follow the directions of the ushers as to traffic flow
    2. Practice social distancing-stay on the marked spaces on the floor
    3. Pick up a white napkin from the table on the solea
    4. Approach Father John and tip your head back so that he may tip the communion in your mouth. Please do not close your mouth over the spoon.
    5. Use napkin to wipe mouth and dispose of napkin in the container near the solea
    6. Antidoron will be placed in a small plastic bag and given at the end of the service by one of the ushers.

 Church Service Schedule for the month of June

Please use the following schedule below to make reservations for the services you wish to attend.

                        Sunday, June 14                            

                        Sunday, June 21

                        Sunday, June 28

 We look forward to seeing you once again! We thank you for your continued support, patience, cooperation and prayers as we gather as a family of God.


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Saints and Feasts

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July 07

Kyriake the Great Martyr

Saint Kyriake was the daughter of Christian parents, Dorotheus and Eusebia. She was given her name because she was born on Sunday, the day of the Lord (in Greek, Kyriake). She contested in Nicomedia during the reign of Diocletian, in the year 300. After many bitter torments she was condemned to suffer beheading, but being granted time to pray first, she made her prayer and gave up her holy soul in peace.


Procopius
July 08

The Holy Great Martyr Procopius

The holy Martyr Procopius was born of a pious father named Christopher, but his mother Theodosia was an idolater. After Christopher's death, she presented Neanias - for this was the Saint's name before - to Diocletian, who was at Antioch in Syria. Diocletian made him Duke of Alexandria, and sent him there to punish the Christians. On the way to Alexandria, our Lord spoke to Neanias as once He had to Saul, and turned this new persecutor to faith in Him. Neanias turned back to Scythopolis, and preached Christ. He was betrayed by his own mother, and was arrested and tormented in Caesarea of Palestine. While he was in prison, the Lord appeared to him again and gave him the new name of Procopius (which is derived from the Greek word meaning "progress, advancement"). He was brought out of prison and taken to worship the idols, but at his prayer, the idols fell; many then believed in Christ and suffered martyrdom, among them certain soldiers, twelve women of senatorial rank, and the Saint's own mother, Theodosia. Saint Procopius, after further torments and imprisonment, was beheaded about the year 290.


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July 11

Euphemia the Great Martyr

In 451, during the reign of the Sovereigns Marcian and Pulcheria, the Fourth Ecumenical Council was convoked in Chalcedon against Eutyches and those of like mind with him. After much debate, the Fathers who were the defenders of Orthodoxy, being 630 in number, agreed among themselves and with those who were of contrary mind, to write their respective definitions of faith in separate books, and to ask God to confirm the truth in this matter. When they had prepared these texts, they placed the two tomes in the case that held Saint Euphemia's relics, sealed it, and departed. After three days of night-long supplications, they opened the reliquary in the presence of the Emperor, and found the tome of the heretics under the feet of the Martyr, and that of the Orthodox in her right hand. (For her life, see Sept. 16.)


Olga
July 11

The All-Praised Olga, Equal-to-the-Apostles, Princess of Kiev

Saint Olga, renowned for her wisdom and sobriety, in her youth became the wife of Igor, Great Prince of Kiev, who ruled during the tenth century. After her husband's death, she herself ruled capably, and was finally moved to accept the Faith of Christ. She traveled to Constantinople to receive Holy Baptism. The Emperor, seeing her outward beauty and inward greatness, asked her to marry him. She said she could not do this before she was baptized; she furthermore asked him to be her Godfather at the font, which he agreed to do. After she was baptized (receiving the name of Helen), the Emperor repeated his proposal of marriage. She answered that now he was her father, through holy Baptism, and that not even among the heathen was it heard of a man marrying his daughter. Gracefully accepting to be outwitted by her, he sent her back to her land with priests and sacred texts and holy icons. Although her son Svyatoslav remained a pagan, she planted the seed of faith in her grandson Vladimir (see July 15). She reposed in peace in 969.


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Fourth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Luke 24:1-12

On the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women went to the tomb, taking the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of man must be delivered in to the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise." And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the apostles; but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.

But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home wondering at what had happened.

Fourth Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 24:1-12

Καὶ τὸ μὲν σάββατον ἡσύχασαν κατὰ τὴν ἐντολήν, Τῇ δὲ μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων ὄρθρου βαθέος ἦλθον ἐπὶ τὸ μνῆμα φέρουσαι ἃ ἡτοίμασαν ἀρώματα, καί τινες σὺν αὐταῖς. εὗρον δὲ τὸν λίθον ἀποκεκυλισμένον ἀπὸ τοῦ μνημείου, καὶ εἰσελθοῦσαι οὐχ εὗρον τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Κυρίου ᾿Ιησοῦ. καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ διαπορεῖσθαι αὐτὰς περὶ τούτου καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄνδρες δύο ἐπέστησαν αὐταῖς ἐν ἐσθήσεσιν ἀστραπτούσαις. ἐμφόβων δὲ γενομένων αὐτῶν καὶ κλινουσῶν τὸ πρόσωπον εἰς τὴν γῆν εἶπον πρὸς αὐτάς· τί ζητεῖτε τὸν ζῶντα μετὰ τῶν νεκρῶν; οὐκ ἔστιν ὧδε, ἀλλ᾿ ἠγέρθη· μνήσθητε ὡς ἐλάλησεν ὑμῖν ἔτι ὢν ἐν τῇ Γαλιλαίᾳ, λέγων ὅτι δεῖ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδοθῆναι εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων ἁμαρτωλῶν καὶ σταυρωθῆναι, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἀναστῆναι. καὶ ἐμνήσθησαν τῶν ῥημάτων αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὑποστρέψασαι ἀπὸ τοῦ μνημείου ἀπήγγειλαν ταῦτα πάντα τοῖς ἕνδεκα καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς λοιποῖς. ἦσαν δὲ ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ Μαρία καὶ ᾿Ιωάννα καὶ Μαρία ᾿Ιακώβου καὶ οἱ λοιπαὶ σὺν αὐταῖς, αἳ ἔλεγον πρὸς τοὺς ἀποστόλους ταῦτα. καὶ ἐφάνησαν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν ὡσεὶ λῆρος τὰ ῥήματα αὐτῶν, καὶ ἠπίστουν αὐταῖς. ὁ δὲ Πέτρος ἀναστὰς ἔδραμεν ἐπὶ τὸ μνημεῖον, καὶ παρακύψας βλέπει τὰ ὀθόνια κείμενα μόνα, καὶ ἀπῆλθε πρὸς ἑαυτόν, θαυμάζων τὸ γεγονός.


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Grave Mode. Psalm 149.5,1.
The saints shall rejoice in glory.
Verse: Sing to the Lord a new song.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 5:22-26; 6:1-2.

Brethren, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us have no self-conceit, no provoking of one another, no envy of one another. Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Look to yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Προκείμενον. Grave Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 149.5,1.
Καυχήσονται ὅσιοι ἐν δόξῃ
Στίχ. Ἄσατε τῷ Κυρίῳ ᾆσμα καινόν.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Γαλάτας 5:22-26, 6:1-2.

Ἀδελφοί, ὁ καρπὸς τοῦ πνεύματός ἐστιν ἀγάπη, χαρά, εἰρήνη, μακροθυμία, χρηστότης, ἀγαθωσύνη, πίστις, πρᾳότης, ἐγκράτεια· κατὰ τῶν τοιούτων οὐκ ἔστιν νόμος. Οἱ δὲ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, τὴν σάρκα ἐσταύρωσαν σὺν τοῖς παθήμασιν καὶ ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις. Εἰ ζῶμεν πνεύματι, πνεύματι καὶ στοιχῶμεν. Μὴ γινώμεθα κενόδοξοι, ἀλλήλους προκαλούμενοι, ἀλλήλοις φθονοῦντες. Ἀδελφοί, ἐὰν καὶ προληφθῇ ἄνθρωπος ἔν τινι παραπτώματι, ὑμεῖς οἱ πνευματικοὶ καταρτίζετε τὸν τοιοῦτον ἐν πνεύματι πρᾳότητος, σκοπῶν σεαυτόν μὴ καὶ σὺ πειρασθῇς. Ἀλλήλων τὰ βάρη βαστάζετε, καὶ οὕτως ἀναπληρώσατε τὸν νόμον τοῦ Χριστοῦ.


Gospel Reading

4th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 8:5-13

At that time, as Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, beseeching him and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress." And he said to him, "I will come and heal him." But the centurion answered him, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth." And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; be it done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed at that very moment.

4th Sunday of Matthew
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 8:5-13

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, εἰσελθόντι δὲ αὐτῷ εἰς Καπερναοὺμ προσῆλθεν αὐτῷ ἑκατόνταρχος παρακαλῶν αὐτὸν καὶ λέγων· Κύριε, ὁ παῖς μου βέβληται ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ παραλυτικός, δεινῶς βασανιζόμενος. καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· ἐγὼ ἐλθὼν θεραπεύσω αὐτόν. καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ ἑκατόνταρχος ἔφη· Κύριε, οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς ἵνα μου ὑπὸ τὴν στέγην εἰσέλθῃς· ἀλλὰ μόνον εἰπὲ λόγῳ, καὶ ἰαθήσεται ὁ παῖς μου. καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ ἄνθρωπός εἰμι ὑπὸ ἐξουσίαν, ἔχων ὑπ᾿ ἐμαυτὸν στρατιώτας, καὶ λέγω τούτῳ, πορεύθητι, καὶ πορεύεται, καὶ ἄλλῳ, ἔρχου, καὶ ἔρχεται, καὶ τῷ δούλῳ μου, ποίησον τοῦτο, καὶ ποιεῖ. ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ἐθαύμασε καὶ εἶπε τοῖς ἀκολουθοῦσιν· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, οὐδὲ ἐν τῷ ᾿Ισραὴλ τοσαύτην πίστιν εὗρον. λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι πολλοὶ ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν καὶ δυσμῶν ἥξουσι καὶ ἀνακλιθήσονται μετὰ ᾿Αβραὰμ καὶ ᾿Ισαὰκ καὶ ᾿Ιακὼβ ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν, οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ τῆς βασιλείας ἐκβληθήσονται εἰς τὸ σκότος τὸ ἐξώτερον· ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς τῷ ἑκατοντάρχῳ· ὕπαγε, καὶ ὡς ἐπίστευσας γενηθήτω σοι. καὶ ἰάθη ὁ παῖς αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ὥρᾳ ἐκείνῃ.


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Messages of Hope and Wisdom

Brothers and sisters in the Lord,

To hear the words of the Declaration of Independence can still bring a shiver to my spirit. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” These words sparked the American Revolution, providing our nation, then and now, with an ideal that still inspires, and also still needs to be accomplished for all our citizens. We live in a nation founded on a set of principles, enshrined in that Declaration ratified on July 4, 1776.

We celebrate this momentous occasion, the birthday of our nation, and the ideals that it professes. These ideals and the promise of America attracted our immigrant ancestors. They were drawn to a land that would open her doors to people of all races and creeds and nationalities. They wept when they saw the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, knowing that they were beginning a new life.

Yet they did not always experience that welcome right away. Our immigrant ancestors were subjected to racial policies, discrimination, and violence. It would take a generation or two to find acceptance and to secure the rights we saw others enjoy. It took the courage of our leaders to proclaim our equality within the society, such as the effort to have the Eastern Orthodox Faith declared a “major religion” in the United States.

This is the never-finished business of our nation: extending the ideals of equality to all, no matter their background, race, creed, or nationality, so eloquently and potently proclaimed on this day almost 250 years ago. Teaching these ideals to our children is part of that generational task, recalling the struggles of the past. Take a moment with them to explore our nation’s history. Go beyond the myths and into the depths of that history, but always look to the future.

The July 4th holiday is not just a time to celebrate with fireworks and backyard barbeques. It is also a time to look forward with that same vision as the founding fathers. Today is a day to commit ourselves to a greater resolve towards the fulfillment of that vision.

Let us, therefore, celebrate this day with pride as American citizens. Let us also celebrate that we are Orthodox Christians. In the Book of Psalms we read, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance,” (Psalm 33:12). Indeed, we are a blessed nation, and God has given us this opportunity to succeed and achieve great things for His Glory! Let us work to extend those blessings to all.

God Bless You and God Bless America!

+Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco

 
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