ORTHROS BEGINS AT 8:30AM & THE DIVINE LITURGY BEGINS AT 9:30AM
Website Links: Visit the church's website at www.stgeorgeclifton.org for our online streaming links.
To find the prayers for each service and to follow along, visit the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America’s Digital Chant Stand at https://digitalchantstand.goarch.org.
WE WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR CHURCH COMMUNITY!
We are grateful that you have joined us for prayer and worship. Please join us after the Divine Services in our Fellowship Hall for our Hospitality Hour sponsored by the Mentzelopoulos & Kosmidis families in memory of their beloved family member.
Memorial Services Today For:
+Fr. Angelo Artemas – 1 year John Tsavlakis – 40 days
Leonidas Mentzelopoulos – 9 months Efrosini Mentzelopoulos – 1 year
Nick Kosmidis – 3 years John Iapichino – 4 years
Sotirios & Anna Hadginikitas Bianca Exarheas
May their memory be eternal.
Liturgical Schedule:
Saturday, April 27th– Saturday of Lazarus……Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:30AM Followed by a luncheon and Rise Against Hunger
Sunday, May 5th – Great & Holy Pascha - The Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ – The Great Paschal Vespers of AGAPE & St. George celebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan APOSTOLOS of NJ..............11:00 AM
Monday, May 6th – Saint George the Great Martyr, Feast Day of our St. George Community, Orthros & Divine Liturgy …………8:30AM (Followed by a luncheon in our Fellowship Hall)
Get Ready for Pascha:
Come for the sacrament of Holy Confession. “Be ashamed when you commit sin, not when you come to confess it. The one who gets up and continues after each fall is the one who reaches paradise.” ~ St. John Chrysostom
Mark Your Calendar:
Tuesday, April 23rd……………..Making Palm Crosses, 4:00 – 7:00PM
Wednesday, April 24th…………Lenten Presentation – 6:30PM
Thursday, April 25th……………Making Palm Crosses, 4:00 – 7:00PM
Friday, April 26th ……………….EFGOCM “The Spirit of Lent” Concert at 7:30PM at St. George GOC in Piscataway, NJ
Saturday, April 27……………...Rise Against Hunger
Sunday, April 28th ……………..Palm Sunday Luncheon Philoptochos Tsoureki Sale Pick-up
Sunday, May 5th ……………Great & Holy Pascha – His Eminence Metropolitan Apostolos will preside over the Agape Services
Greek School Easter Egg Hunt
Monday, May 6th……………….St. George Feast Day
Monday, May 13th ……………2024 Metropolis Northern NJ Region Honoree Grand Banquet at the Venetian in Garfield, NJ – 6:00PM
Sunday, May 19th ……………..Last day of Sunday School
May 31, June 1 & 2 …………..Greek Festival
Sunday Sermon:
Please note, that going forward, the sermon will be delivered right after the Gospel reading which means at about 10:00AM. The Divine Liturgy, as you know, begins at 9:30AM and this is the time when all the faithful are called to be in Church. It is an appointment with the most Holy One, will you keep it? Put your best effort forward!
Holy Communion Line:
We remind everyone that the Communion line is to be formed in the center aisle, and once you receive, depart to the right or to the left to return to your seat. Sunday School children and their teachers will come up first. Infants may be brought up to the front of the line at any time. Please remain at your seat, (you may sit if you need to), and enter the center aisle once the Parish Council members indicate that it is time for people in your pew to come up. While you are waiting, you may read the prayers for before Holy Communion on page 76. Once you return to your seat read the thanksgiving prayers for after Holy Communion on page 90. This is one of the most sacred moments of the service, so please treat it accordingly, refrain from talking and be respectful and prayerful. Also, please wipe any excess lipstick from your lips before coming to the Holy Chalice and no chewing gum during services. Thank you.
The Lenten Presentation Series at St. George:
Our final presentation will be on Wednesday, April 24th beginning at 6:30PM. The speaker will be Peter Tarhanidis from Holy Trinity in Westfield, and he will be presenting “Finding the Joys of Heaven at Home”, and working on our salvation through our interactions with our family at home. A light Lenten meal will be also offered.
Great Lent, Holy Week and Pascha Donations:
We would like to thank the parishioners who have made donations towards the flowers and many other liturgical items needed for Holy Week. Please donate if you can, several items are still needed as indicated in the enclosed flyer.
Philoptochos Tsoureki Sale:
The ladies of the St. Paraskevi Philoptochos will be offering delicious Tsoureki Breads for Easter that are baked, wrapped and individually boxed by the Sisters of Agia Skepi. Only pre-orders will be sold! The cost is $25 for each 2-pound bread. Please make checks payable to St. Paraskevi Philoptochos. Orders must be received by April 21, 2024. Tsoureki will be available for pick-up on Palm Sunday, April 28th after Liturgy.
Easter Candles/Lambades:
Our St. George Greek School will once again be selling beautiful Easter Candles/LAMBADES! The Lambades will be on sale following church services and the cost is $25. Please email greekschool@stgeorgeclifton.org for any further questions regarding orders or sales. All proceeds will benefit our St. George Greek School. Kali Sarakosti!
2024 Metropolis Northern NJ Region Honoree Grand Banquet:
The banquet will take place on Monday, May 13, 2024 at the Venetian in Garfield, NJ at 6:00PM. The following parishioners from our community will be honored:
Parish Community Honoree: Stratis Xanthos
Philoptochos Honoree: Anthoula Bozios
Greek School Teacher: Bessie Batalas-Long
Youth Worker Honoree: Andrew Dakos
Religious Education Teacher: Andreas Dimitratos
Senior Steward: Evangelos Bozios
Parish Council Honoree: Gus Haritos
GOYA Honoree: Paraskevi Gerollari
If you would like to join the honorees and their families you may do so, the cost for the evening and dinner is $135.00 per person. If you would like to place an ad in the Grand Banquet Commemorative Journal to express your well wishes or to congratulate one of the honorees of the Metropolis, you may do so by April 23rd. For dinner reservations or journal ads please contact Elaine Manoliadis or Angela Delaney at the church office.
Sponsor A Day Program:
One way to help the church is through our “Sponsor A Day” program. We encourage our parishioners to select a day that has special meaning to them like a birthday, feast day, anniversary or a memorial and make a suggested donation of $250. We would like to thank the Daughters of Penelope Kronos #188 for sponsoring May 3rd, Holy Good Friday & the Myrofores (Myrrh-Bearing Women). For more information about the program, please speak to one of our Parish Council members, Ministry Leaders or call the church office.
Sunday School News:
- Making of Palm Crosses: Our Sunday School students will be taught how to make crosses from a palm during class time on Sunday. April 21st. On Tuesday & Thursday, April 23rd & 25th we will be meeting in the lower hall to continue making palm crosses from 4:30pm – 7:00pm. On Saturday of Lazarus, April 27th, we will make additional crosses as needed. PLEASE PLAN TO JOIN US!
- GOOD FRIDAY: On Friday, May 3rd Myrofora/Flower Girls are needed for the afternoon and evening Liturgical Services. Additional details are in the flyer. Please sign up by Palm Sunday.
- HOLY PASCHA: On Sunday, May 5th, no regular classes will be held. This is a family worship day.
- LAST DAY OF SUNDAY SCHOOL: Sunday, May 19th will be our last day of Sunday School. Our 10th graders will "officially" graduate on that day with informal presentations made in the church upon completion of the Divine Liturgy.
Agape Vespers Readers Needed:
We are looking for volunteers to read the Resurrectional Gospel reading during the Agape Vespers service on Great & Holy Pascha on Sunday, May 5th. If you can read another language and are able to attend the service, please contact Fr. Peter or the Church Office. During the Agape Vespers it is the tradition of the Church to read the Gospel reading (John 20:19-25) in multiple languages. This is a great way to reinforce the message of the Great Commission of Christ to our own community today.
Red Easter Eggs:
The St. Paraskevi Philoptochos is once again asking that you please remember to prepare Red Easter Eggs and bring them to Church by Good Friday, May 3rd. The eggs will be distributed at the Anastasi service and Easter Sunday Agapi service. Please leave them at the pangari or bring to the upstairs kitchen. All are invited to participate in this simple but meaningful project.
Stewardship Report:
We have launched the 2024 Annual Giving Stewardship Program and we invite all those who have offered an annual gift in the past to try and maintain or even increase their contribution this year. For those that have never given an annual gift, we need your help. Our community has nearly $40K in monthly expenses and the annual stewardship is the primary program that raises funds for us to meet our obligations. You can make a difference today with your participation. Please visit our website at www.stgeorgeclifton.org to make a gift or pledge. Our community is our common spiritual home, we owe it to God, our founding families, ourselves, our children and their children to sustain, maintain and grow it. We understand that philanthropy is something very personal. Each person is invited to give according to their ability. If you are able, please consider joining one of the following giving levels this year: ($5,000 or more – Grand Benefactors, $2500 – $4,999 – Benefactors, $1,200 – $2,499 – House of Stewards, $800 – $1,199 – Patrons). Of course, whatever you decide to give please know that you have our utmost gratitude and appreciation, and please know our Church is here to serve your each and every need. The important thing to keep in mind is that we need everyone to do something.