PRAYERS ARE BEING OFFERED DAILY for all our parish families. Fr. sees it as a sacred duty to pray for us all daily and we thank him for that. Please keep him in your prayers, too.
PRAYER SUPPORT APPRECIATED We’ve just learned that Dr. Allison Kulikowski is scheduled to work in the ICU (tip of the spear). Please lift her up before God each day that she stay healthy and that all who come in contact with her stay healthy as well. We have a number of physicians and health care workers among us who are actively engaged with patients in various settings routinely. God grant them health, safety, and discernment to make wise decisions for those entrusted to their care. Thank you!
WHEN WILL THIS BE OVER? Let us ask God to hasten the end to the seeming scourge of this covid-19 virus. The monks of Mt. Athos are undertaking a vigil today, Friday, March 27, beginning at 3PM, EST, for the purpose of petitioning Panagia and St. Haralambos for special help in this time of need. Please add your prayers to those keeping vigil so that we may all offer prayers of repentance and hope in God’s goodness for all of us at this time.
PARISH COUNCIL REQUEST: PLEASE REMEMBER YOUR STEWARDSHIP during these weeks of uncertainty due to Covid-19 concerns. Without the weekly stewardship or tray donations and candle sales, our ability to continue to meet our standing obligations for bill paying is hampered. Please, either mail your stewardship by post or use the Paypal or credit card option (call either Lee or Ambrose for how-to details if you’ve not used this method in the past). We hope and pray that we will be able to worship again in our beloved St. George Church. In the meantime, we only ask that you keep the financial concerns of the parish in mind while we are yet physically separated. Thank you!
WAYS TO NOURISH YOURSELF SPIRITUALLY AT HOME Use your prayer book regularly, read both morning and night time prayers. After morning prayers, have a little holy water, a piece of dried antidoron (if you have kept some on hand) and anoint yourself with holy oil if you have some. This will help you meet the demands of the day with greater serenity. Read the Scriptures for the day (daily readings app here: https://www.goarch.org/-/daily-reading-app) or find readings at GOA On-line Chapel: https://www.goarch.org/chapel/.
In times of distress, it’s recommended to read the book of Psalms aloud. We should also use the Jesus Prayer “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner,” throughout each day. Go before the icons and offer this prayer, quietly, for 10 or 15 minutes and put yourself and all that concerns you into the Lord’s care. One of the consistent messages of Great Lent is “God is with us,” as noted in the Great Compline prayers. Indeed, He is. Have no worry or despair—and if you do, actively turn each worry into a prayer you lift up to God. As a result, your faith will be more grounded in reality as, in challenging times, we learn that God is there for us in ways we might not otherwise realize.
LET US ASK FOR GOD’S WILL for the near future. Let us ask that it may include our ability to celebrate Lazarus Saturday, then Palm Sunday, partake in the events of Passion Week and Holy Pascha to follow. God grant it!
WANT TO KNOW SOME NEAT PLACES TO GET EDIFYING SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT AT HOME? Send Pres. Candace an email and she can send you a list of some great blogs you can visit during these stay at home days. Here’s how to reach her: doxa141@gmail.com
Dear St. George Family,
Please know we are here for you during this uncertain time in our nation. Feel free to contact me or Presbytera to share any needs or prayer requests you might have while we are unable to meet at the church. Here is how to reach us (as a quick reminder)
Fr. Leo 207 385 3000 57frleo@gmail.com
Pres. 207 949 2913 doxa141@gmail.com
If you want to take communion, we can arrange to meet at the church on an individual basis. It may be better that I not come to your home, so that we don’t introduce “all that I have” to your house.
I encourage you all to pray at home. Tonight (Friday, March 27), you can read the forth stanza of the Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos (download from here) http://www.stgeorge.me.goarch.org/Daily/AKATHIST_HYMN_eg.doc. Please ask for this text if you would like to have it. We can pray together (while yet apart) if we all start reading at 7PM. This will be our offering this evening since we cannot conduct services at this time.
We can also pray the Paraklesis to St. George at 7PM, Saturday evening. http://stgeorge.me.goarch.org/Daily/ParaklesisGeorge.html
On Sunday morning, we can read the Orthros and also the Typica (http://www.stgeorge.me.goarch.org/Daily/Sun.html) at home, beginning at 9AM. Again we can offer this together, while we are yet apart. Some might prefer to watch the church broadcasts suggested by the Archdiocese: https://www.goarch.org/live-broadcasts. If these churches are not able to broadcast at some point, we will still be able to offer prayers at home. Remember that prayer is both a protection and a weapon—a weapon against sin and evil. In a very real way we are soldiers in God’s army. We have the imagery in the Epistle to the Ephesians, chapter 6, verse 11 and following.
While we are not able to assemble physically, let us consider strongly assembling at home at common times with mutual spiritual goals. This is not a requirement, but a suggestion and a help for our spiritual community. Please consider taking part as you feel led. We are going through an unprecedented time right now and this is an extraordinary suggestion to help ourselves and others spiritually through it. You are welcome to participate, but it is not required that you do so.
It is easy to give way to fear in times of uncertainty.
Let us not do that.
Let us pray for one another, for our nation, our leaders, and our world.
Our prayers matter.
GOD IS WITH US
If you want service texts, please let me know. If you have other needs or want to otherwise reach out, we are here for you.
I pray for all of you daily.
+Fr. Leo & Pres. Candace
Psalm 150 - LORD OF THE POWERS, from Great Compline
Lord of the Powers, be with us; for other helper have we not, in tribulations but you. Lord of the Powers, have mercy on us.
Verse: Praise God in all his Holies; praise him in the firmament of his might.
Lord of the Powers, be with us....
Verse: Praise him in his sovereign Powers; praise him in the multitude of his greatness.
Lord of the Powers, be with us....
Verse: Praise him with the sound of the trumpet; praise him with psaltery and harp.
Lord of the Powers, be with us....
Verse: Praise him with drums and dancing; praise him with string instruments and organ.
Lord of the Powers, be with us....
Verse: Praise him with sweet sounding cymbals; praise him with cymbals of joy. Let every breath praise the Lord.
Lord of the Powers, be with us....
Praise God in his Holies.
Praise him in the firmament of his might.
Lord of the Powers, be with us; for other helper have we not, in tribulations but you. Lord of the Powers, have mercy on us.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
Lord, if we did not have your Saints as intercessors, and your goodness feeling compassion for us, how would we dare, O Savior, to sing hymns to you, whom the Angels unceasingly bless? O you who know our hearts, spare our souls.
Now and ever and to the ages of ages amen. Theotokion.
Great is the multitude of my errors, O Mother of God; to you have I fled, O Pure one, seeking salvation; visit my ailing soul, and intercede with your Son and our God, to grant me forgiveness for all the evils I have done, O only blessed one.