HOW TO PARK ON SANFORD STREET DURING THE WINTER We have even/odd day parking on Sanford Street. On odd dates, parking is restricted to the side of the street across from the church. On even dates, parking is restricted to the church side of the street. For example, tomorrow is December 18—an Eeven date—park on the church side of the street. This is to help facilitate plowing on Sanford Street as needed. If you park on the wrong side of the street during winter, your car could be ticketed.
WELCOME TO OUR VISITORS Whether you are new to Bangor or if you're just passing through - welcome! Please don't hesitate to introduce yourself to someone you've never met and consider staying for some refreshments and fellowship after the morning service. If you would like to receive mailings or otherwise stay in touch, please leave your contact information (name, address, phone, email) with the person in the church office.
TODAY, Sun, Dec 18 - MANY YEARS! XRONIA POLLA! To Dave Walter (Holy Prophet David) and Esther Bingham (Righteous Esther of the Old Testament).
NEXT SUNDAY IS THE FEAST OF OUR LORD'S HOLY NATIVITY Please stay true in keeping the Advent Fast through the Divine Liturgy of Christmas, culminating with the Feast on the morning of December 25 (next Sunday). Continue observing a largely vegan type of diet (veggies, fruits, legumes, nuts) and continue to include seafood as desired, but omit the fish that was permitted earlier in the fast. Seafood is completely acceptable on any day during the Advent period. Enjoy seafoods such as clams, mussels, shrimp, lobster or crab. Seafood pairs very nicely with pasta or rice dishes. When the Christmas Feast arrives, we can then truly enjoy the Twelve Holy Days of Christmas with much joy and feasting. It is well-worth preparing for.
ORTHODOX CHRISTMAS GREETING CARDS They are available in the bookshop in the hall. They're beautiful, too! They are reasonably priced and appropriate for expressing the Truth of our Orthodox Faith and the great miracle of Christ's Incarnation--God with us!
PLEASE HELP US END THE YEAR IN THE BLACK We are getting close to the end of 2022. We need to raise $7854 to pay our expenses for the rest of this year (Thank You for the gifts received recently that gave us a new, reduced figure)! Please search your heart and see if you can help us through the holiday season. Thank you and may your love for God and St. George be more than rewarded in return! Lee
SAINTS CELEBRATED THIS WEEK Tuesday, Dec 20 - St. Ignatios, the God-Bearer; Saturday, Dec 24 - St. Eugenia the Nun-martyr of Rome - Name Day of Donna Walter and Gina Kolkas - Xronia Polla!
HOLIDAY DECORATING AT ST. GEORGE It's been a tradition to decorate the nave and narthex for the holiday season. We have decorations upstairs, but we need a team to decorate (set up) and later remove & stow decorations right before Holy Theophany (January 6). Would someone be willing to organize this activity? The result will be a ministry of beauty to glorify the upcoming Holy Days. Please let Presbytera know if you're willing. Thank you.
CHRISTMAS SERVICE SCHEDULE Saturday, December 24, Christmas Eve - Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom at 5:30PM. Sunday, December 25, Christmas morning - 9AM Orthros / 10AM Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great. Please realize that the Christmas Eve services are not a substitute for the Christmas Day services. Now, more than ever, let us give first priority to the God who loves us and became Incarnate, Whom we worship and adore, despite our sins and failings. We hope and pray that all who love and worship the Lord Jesus will attend all the services offered for Christ's Holy Nativity this year. Let us give to Christ a modest gift in return for His loving care--with our time and worship on this Christmas Feast. He truly IS the reason for the season.
A MINISTRY TO OUR CHURCH'S NEIGHBORS Our church sits in a neighborhood where there are some obvious on-going needs. A number of lower income people living nearby rely on Manna Ministries' food pantry and soup kitchen (located in the Old Brick Church) somewhat regularly. In an effort to help the pantry help our neighbors, let us make the effort to bring some staple foods to church every Sunday and leave them in the office. We will take the donated foods down to Manna Ministries so we can be part of the effort to feed those who are hungry in our area. This is not meant to be a one-time thing, rather something we do routinely as a ministry to our neighbors. A verse from the Old Testament speaks to the needs for on-going charity, Deuteronomy 15:11, For there will never cease to be poor in the land; that is why I am commanding you to open wide your hand to your brother and to the poor and needy in your land. And the Lord Jesus speaks about the effects of our charitable giving in Matthew 25:40, And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of Mine, you did it for Me.’ So, let us fulfill that which pleases God and He will reward the love and obedience of the giver.