Special Events Happening Today:

Memorial
There will be a one year memorial service today for Louis Strousis. May his memory be eternal.

Philoptochos General Meeting

Please grab a plate of food and come join us for a quick meeting. Then stick around and help with rolling dolmades for our upsoming festival.

Timely Notes: 

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Ministries:

Philoptochos 

Welcome back Philoptochos members and prospective members. Our next general meeting will be held on Sunday, September 15th immediately following Divine Liturgy in the Hall. Grab some lunch, come and join us for a quick meeting and then plan on staying to help roll Dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves) for our festival!!

We are asking members of Philoptochos to be on the lookout for all opportunities to help with our church's festival - prep work as well as the weekend of festival. Check the Church Calendar on the St George Website for preparation days, or if you downloaded the calendar check there. If you do not know where you can assist, please contact the church office.  

Helping the Homeless Initiative - Sunday, November 17th

If you are interested in helping us plan this event, please mark SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22nd on your calendar for our ONE PLANNING MEETING. We will be needing EVERYONE'S help in the month leading up to this event.....stay tuned!

Men’s Group of St.  George Church

Will Resume in the Fall.

Couples Ministry

Meetings will resume in the fall. 

Parish Council 

Next meeting is September 19th , at 7 p.m. 

Sunday School

Sunday school lesson 2. Please have your children head to the Sunday school building immediately after communion.

Youth Group/GOYA 

Questions please call Michael or Gabriella Ryan at 219-3421.

HOPE/JOY

Next meeting to be announced. 

Women's Psalter Study Group

We will be meeting on the first Tuesday of every month. Next meeting is Tuesday, October 1st at 10:15 am to discuss Kathisma I (Psalms 1-8). Join us for study, coffee, and fellowship! For more info or to RSVP, please visit our parish bookstore or contact  Monica (Cassiana).

Book Club 

Join our parish book club as we read Father Arseny, 1893-1973: Priest, Prisoner, Spiritual Father. Our next gathering is on Sun., Oct 13 at 12:30 pm in the church hall and we will be discussing pages 1-37. All are welcome! For more details, contact Monica (Cassiana) 661-337-0566.

Bookstore

The church bookstore is open Sundays during coffee hour or by appointment. For more info, special ordering, or questions please call or text Julie Pierucci (661) 342-2407.

Prosphora Schedule 

9/15 Basema Madain, 9/22 Elaine Dorlis. 9/29 Nahla Demestihas,10/6 Basema Madain, 10/13 Mary Mekhel, 10/20 Elaine Dorlis, 10/27 Sahar Ayoub Thank you.Please make arrangements with Sahar or Despina to bring the offering Saturday night either to the church or Father's home.  We are looking for more people to make the blessed bread. Please approach Father Joseph if interested. If you want to learn more about how to make Prosphora, you can visit our Prosphoro site under the "Resources" tab on our website. Thank you.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Follow and join us on Facebook! 

St George Orthodox Christian Church of Bakersfield: www.facebook.com/StGeorgeOrthodoxBakersfield

St George Orthodox Community of Bakersfield (Facebook Group): www.facebook.com/groups/175227557308

General Announcements: 

Legacy

Leave your mark!

Consider naming St. George Church as a beneficiary on your life insurance policy. It's a great legacy gift to your parish and very easy to do...just ask your provider for the change beneficiary form and complete and return to them.  The legal name for the church is Hellenic Community St. George Church Tax ID #95-3575365 God bless you.

Endowment

Honor your loved ones birthday and or anniversary by making a contribution to the Endowment Fund in their name. Make checks payable to St. George Church and write Endowment Fund on the memo line. Distributions from the fund will benefit the youth and maintenance needs of the Parish. For more information contact a Parish Council Member. 

Thank you.

Festival Baking/Dolmades Schedule

Please note the dates have changed

September 15^th      Dolmades     After Church

September 24^th      Koulourakia             6 p.m.

September 25^th      Kouroumbiedes      6 p.m.

September 26^th      Melomakarina          6 p.m.

September 27^th      Bake baklava/Syrup  9 a.m.

September 28th      Pastitsio                 9 a.m.-11 a.m.

September 28th      Packing Baklava      11 a.m.-2 p.m.

September 29^th       Packing Pastries      After Church

October 2^nd-3^rd       Karidopita & Falafel TBA

By helping others…We help ourselves. Come serve your parish of St. George! If you are not able to make it for preparations there will be a donation list available with Mary or Sahar. If you have any questions please call Sahar in the office.

Text Notifications

If you would like to be part of our system, please provide your phone number to Sahar (stgeosecretary@gmail.com).

This service will only be used to notify parishioners of any changes to service times or to provide information on events or occurences that affect the entire parish.  We see this as being used infrequently but feel that we need to an effective way to communicate important information quickly. 

Stewardships Envelopes

Each family is asked to sign off on a box of envelopes.  Please see Julie in the bookstore.

Items on the Bar in the Hall

We are asking all parishioners--young and old--to help clean the hall clutter.  Many items are frequently left in the bar area, kitchen and back room.  Beginning in January, any clothing, books, decorations, office supplies, etc. will be saved for two weeks.  After that time all remaining items will be gathered and donated to local charities.

Please check the hall every Sunday to claim your family's items and take them home. 

Thank you for helping keep our hall neat and clean.   

Father Joseph's Hours

Father Joseph will be in the office Tuesday and Thursday from 11:00 to 3:00. Wednesday and Friday and available at the church by appointment. Confessions appointments can be made with Sahar or Presbytera. 

If you need to meet with Father please make appointments during the week. Sunday should be left for Father to have time to visit with parishioners during coffee hour. Please give him the time to do so unless it is an emergency. Thank you for your understanding.

Outreach/Church tours for Festival

Volunteers needed.  See Michael or Gabriela Ryan.

Church Beautification

Phase II Church building fascia replacement, termite spot treatment, minor roof repairs and painting with elasomeric paint (25 year life) bid obtained for $27,750 with 5 year warranty

We would like to complete this project this fall before the winter season.  We still need to raise funds before signing the contract and starting the project (after the festival).  Thank you in advance for your support to continue to beautify the church!

Hall Reservation System

To reserve the hall for any church functions or activities please communicate with Sahar if you will be using the hall anytime to be placed on the calendar. This includes groups that meet on a regular basis or for any event. Thank you for your cooperation.

Anyone using the hall during the week, please make sure you turn off all lights, coffee maker and the hall is left clean.

Welcome New Parish Members

Prayers/Thanksgiving

Glory to God for His Bountiful Blessings

Please add to your daily prayers for: 

• Catechumens:  Daniel(Moses), Angela, Michelle. 
• Holy Cross Seminarian Anthony Cornett and family (Anna, Miriam,Zoë and Despina).
• Our brothers & sisters unable to attend:  Marika Psihoundas, Mary Valos, Zoe Spanos & Beverly Balasis.
• Healing: Marika, Victor, Helen K., Irene, Mary, Mary, Serephima, and others in our parish.
• Those who are traveling
• Orthodox-Katherine,Kaliope,Lorece Noel,Mary C., Sophia,Virginia, Petros, Panagi, Elle, Eva L., Nicholetta Y., Dan S., Monica, Yorgos K, Giorgos, Anna,Angela, Antonia, Stelios, Petros, Anne, Anna, Leonid, Mariyka, Archalia,Natalie, Eva,Eleni K.,Efstratios, Ourania, Christopher, Alice, Suha,Abla, Jennifer, Tom, Gabriela,Ion,Danny,Nadia, Niko, Musa Daoud, Vasiliki, Theodore, Achilles, Vasiliki, Elizabeth, Labrini, Bert & Louise Moosios,Olympia,Margarita, Seraphim, Mary, Tika,Maria Sporaa, Athina, Helen, Gerry Collis, Nektarios,Marika,Noah A.,Nick K., Kyriaki, Fred, Hannah, Irene Sinopole, Helen Protopapas, Candess Strategos,Gene, Kathy, Sofia, Clemy (Clementina), Jane, and Matthew.
• Non-Orthodox -Uvaldo,Yesenia, Angelica, David, Nancy, Bud Lung,Julie, Pamela Y., Debbie, Emmitt, Donna,Steve, Richard,Donald, Christina, Eva, Dominic,Gaby Garcia,Romona, Elea, Graysen Astumian, Marie,Michelle, Irma,  Julie, Greg, Allyson, Margaret, Valerie, Martha Rogers, Joseph, Stephen, Elizabeth,Ellen, Ling, Richard, Christine & David, Debby.

 Financials               Budgeted                    Actual

Annivesaries

• 9/16 Chuy & Joyce Cisneros          

• 9/17 Hesham & Sahar Ayoub

• 9/17 Osama & Angela Dawood         

• 9/18 Matthew & Nahrain Antonaros

Birthdays  

• 9/2 Naguib Mekhel
• 9/4 Nader Al-Sheikh
• 9/8 Joshua Ryan
• 9/9 Jimmy Andrews
• 9/15 Mary Mekhel
• 9/15 Nahrain Antonaros
• 9/19 Zain Ayoub
• 9/19 Fotini Stevens
• 9/21 Annette Londquist
• 9/23 Dena Southerd

Please note:  All bulletin announcements must be received each week by 3:00 pm Tuesday to be included in the Sunday bulletin for that week.