Announcements

ORTHROS 8:30AM

DIVINE LITURGY 9:30AM

The mission of our beloved parish of St. George is to put into practice our Orthodox faith for our spiritual growth while creating fellowship and ministries for all the faithful. It should be our mission to spread the word of the Gospel and build harmony and love within the community and be the example of our Orthodox faith for our youth.

WE WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR 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 hosted by the Haritos family in memory of their beloved family member.

Memorial Services Today For:

Peter Haritos – 21 years. May his memory be eternal.

The Artoclasia Service today is offered by the Protopapas family in honor of the feast day of St. Anna and for the health and well being of their family and friends.

Liturgical Schedule:

Thursday, December 12^th – St. Spyridon the Wonderworker…...Orthros & Divine Lit. 8:30AM

Sunday Memorials, Artoclasias and Other Blessings:

Please inform the church office well in advance of Sunday mornings for all memorials, artoclasias, 40 day blessings and other blessings so as not to disrupt the Divine Liturgy. If any requests or lists of names are received after the Great Entrance they will have to wait until the following Sunday.

****Additionally, in order to preserve the sanctity of the Divine Liturgy, please wait to light candles in the St. Nectarios Chapel at the correct time. If one arrives after the Great Entrance, they will have to wait until the end of Liturgy, while the Andithoron is being given out, to light candles in the Chapel.

Holy Confession:

If you wish to partake in the Sacrament of Holy Confession, please feel free to call the Church office or Fr. Peter to arrange a time.

Mark Your Calendar:

Sunday, December 8^th ………..Parish Council Elections

Daughters of Penelope Christmas Money Tree Raffle

Metropolis of NJ Annual Christmas Tree Lighting – 5:30PM

Monday, December 9^th ……….St. Paraskevi Community Christmas Gathering – 7:00PM at Calandra’s Mediterranean Grill in Fairfield, NJ

Tuesday, December 10^th ……..Orthodox Faith Class will resume again on Jan. 14, 2020

Orthodox Life Institute – 7:30PM

Thursday, December 12^th …….Mommy & Me – 12:00PM

Sunday, December 15^th ………St. Paraskevi Philoptochos Sandwich Sunday

Sunday, December 22^nd………Sunday School Christmas Pageant

Greek School Hosts Christmas Brunch

St. Paraskevi Philoptochos Vasilopita Sales

Tuesday, December 31^st ……...New Year’s Eve Celebration at St. George

Communion Guidelines:

Baptized and Chrismated Orthodox Christians who have properly prepared, according to the Holy Orthodox Church guidelines, may receive Holy Communion. Please allow our Sunday School children to receive Holy Communion first and wait for the ushers to dismiss your row.

Parish Council Elections:

Please note that elections for the Parish Council will be held on Sunday, December 8, 2019 following Church services until 2:00pm. Only Stewards in good standing for the year 2019 are eligible to vote in the election.

New Year’s Eve Party:

Ring in the New Year with fabulous food and entertainment right here at St. George! Please support our efforts and join us at our annual New Year’s Eve party which will take place on Tuesday, December 31^st from 9pm – 1am. Music and entertainment by DJ Yorgo. Appetizers, Dinner, BYOB and raffle prizes! Reservations and payment in advance by December 22^nd: $65 for adults and $35 for children 18 and under. After December 22^nd: Adults $75.00 and $45 for children 18 and under. Doors open at 8:30pm. For more information contact the church office at office@stgeorgeclifton.org or Morfia Sokolic at msokolic@verizon.net. We promise a memorable evening so gather your friends and family and come ring in the New Year with the St. George community!

New Year’s Eve Grand 50/50 Raffle:

Ring in the New Year with excitement and a chance to win CASH!!! Please support our efforts and join us at our annual New Year’s Eve party where the Grand 50/50 drawing will take place on January 1, 2020 at 12:15am. Tickets are $50 each and only 1000 will be sold! Tickets are available at the church office and during coffee hour. REMEMBER, the more tickets that are sold, the bigger the cash prizes!!! Winner need not be present.

Sponsor A Day Program:

In the New Year 2020 our ambitious goal is to meet our operating budget through Stewardship. It is estimated that the operating expenses of our church average to be $1,400 per steward/family. If this average were to be reached, then the Church would be able to pay all its bills only with Stewardship donations and no other monies. All other funds collected from candles, trays, raffles, fundraisers, etc. could be used towards capital improvements. One way to bridge the gap in the meantime 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 $250 donation. All donors will be recognized on a calendar located in our atrium. Therefore, we would like to recognize Nick and Lisa Marcopoulos for being our first sponsors for December 6^th in honor of the feast day of St. Nicholas. With the advent season upon us please consider sponsoring the following feast days: St. Spyridon, the Nativity of our Lord, St. Stephen, St. Basil, the Epiphany or St. John the Baptist. Please contact the church office for more information. Remember that as Orthodox Christians, we are also stewards of our Church family – those with whom we worship, fellowship and serve the community. In the same way that we care for our immediate family, we also care for our Christian brothers.

Security System and Office Computer Upgrades:

We are kindly asking for donations from our community that will be used to install a Door Access Control System on the church doors and for three new office computers. The cost for the new computers and installation is $3,300 and the remaining $6,700 is for the Door System. A new fob security system will be installed on the front glass doors, the metal doors by the downstairs kitchen, the glass doors in the gym and the rear metal gym doors. The church office will also have a remote button to unlock the doors to allow visitors to enter. All this will greatly enhance the security of our building. Additionally, the computers in the church office are no longer efficient and this is interfering with productivity. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Please contact the church office for more information. We have a long way to go but we are very grateful to the following for their generous donations thus far:

Mr. Evan Zaros, Ms. Dina Papadakos, The Orthodox Life Institute, Mrs. Linda Chelius, Mr. & Mrs. Nick & Lisa Marcopulos, Dr. Peter Salierno, Mr. & Mrs. Ross & Antionette Halkias, Mrs. Morfia Sokolic, Mr. Evan Zaros, Mr. & Mrs. Emanuel & Maria Karras, Mr. & Mrs. Sam & Maria Arvanites, Mrs. Helen Therianos, Mrs. Diana Pitsikoulis

‘Tis the Season for the Angel Tree!

Parishioners are invited to select an Angel from our Christmas Tree and purchase the item mentioned. Gifts should be returned no later than Sunday, December 15th. Please be sure to tape the Angel tag to the outside of the box and place the gift under the Christmas tree. The wrapped gifts will be picked up by the Resource Development Office in Paterson and the unwrapped gifts will be donated to Warm the Children. Monetary donations for Warm the Children will also be accepted in the Church office to help defray shipping costs. We thank all of you for your generosity during this joyous season!

IOCC Christmas Cards:

Once again, our Church School children are teaming up with the Philoptochos to create beautiful IOCC Christmas Cards. The children created the cards and they will be offered for sale to the community for $5.00 each. Family names will be added and the cards will be displayed in the upstairs Church hall. All money raised will go directly to the IOCC (International Orthodox Christian Charities). Please support this worthwhile project and help us teach our children to think of others.

St. Peter’s Haven Christmas Toy Drive:

Donated toys can be left in the donation box outside the back church office. We are asking for a toy value of $10 or more. Please indicate on the outside of the wrapped gift if it is for a boy or a girl and the age group. Thank you for your generosity during this Christmas season.

Christmas Caroling/Kalanda:

The Daughters of Penelope (Kronos Chapter #188), along with the Maids of Athena (Hara Chapter #240), will be Christmas caroling and spreading joy to our beloved Saint George parishioners and beyond. Your generous donations will go to the many charities that we support. We welcome the opportunity to visit your homes and sing inspiring Christmas carols and Greek Kalanda on Sunday, Dec. 15^th from 2-6 pm or Saturday, Dec. 21^st from 2-6 pm. Email Konstantina at papadakosk@yahoo.com by December 12th with the following: Name, Date/time, Address and Phone Number. Thank you for your support.

Stewardship 2019:

Thank you to all of our Stewards who have made their pledges and donations so far for 2019. Our Saint George parish depends upon your generous donations to envision our goals and enhance our ministries and outreach. So please don’t forget to submit your 2019 Stewardship Pledge card. We currently have 281 stewards and we are hoping to reach our goal of 350 stewards for 2019! Pledge cards can be found in the Narthex, Atrium or Church office.

Saints and Feasts

December 08

10th Sunday of Luke

December 08

Forefeast of the Conception by St. Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos

December 08

Apollo, Tychikos, Sosthenes, Cephas, Epaphroditos, Caesar, & Onesiphoros, Apostles of the 70

December 09

The Conception by St. Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos

According to the ancient tradition of the Church, since Saint Anna, the Ancestor of God, was barren, she and her husband Joachim remained without children until old age. Therefore, sorrowing over their childlessness, they besought God with a promise that, if He were to grant them the fruit of the womb, they would offer their offspring to Him as a gift. And God, hearkening to their supplication, informed them through an Angel concerning the birth of the Virgin. And thus, through God's promise, Anna conceived according to the laws of nature, and was deemed worthy to become the mother of the Mother of our Lord (see also Sept. 8).

December 12

Spyridon the Wonderworker of Trymithous

Spyridon, the God-bearing Father of the Church, the great defender of Corfu and the boast of all the Orthodox, had Cyprus as his homeland. He was simple in manner and humble of heart, and was a shepherd of sheep. When he was joined to a wife, he begat of her a daughter whom they named Irene. After his wife's departure from this life, he was appointed Bishop of Trimythus, and thus he became also a shepherd of rational sheep. When the First Ecumenical Council was assembled in Nicaea, he also was present, and by means of his most simple words stopped the mouths of the Arians who were wise in their own conceit. By the divine grace which dwelt in him, he wrought such great wonders that he received the surname 'Wonderworker." So it is that, having tended his flock piously and in a manner pleasing to God, he reposed in the Lord about the year 350, leaving to his country his sacred relics as a consolation and source of healing for the faithful.

About the middle of the seventh century, because of the incursions made by the barbarians at that time, his sacred relics were taken to Constantinople, where they remained, being honoured by the emperors themselves. But before the fall of Constantinople, which took place on May 29, 1453, a certain priest named George Kalokhairetes, the parish priest of the church where the Saint's sacred relics, as well as those of Saint Theodora the Empress, were kept, took them away on account of the impending peril. Travelling by way of Serbia, he came as far as Arta in Epirus, a region in Western Greece opposite to the isle of Corfu. From there, while the misfortunes of the Christian people were increasing with every day, he passed over to Corfu about the year 1460. The relics of Saint Theodora were given to the people of Corfu; but those of Saint Spyridon remain to this day, according to the rights of inheritance, the most precious treasure of the priest's own descendants, and they continue to be a staff for the faithful in Orthodoxy, and a supernatural wonder for those that behold him; for even after the passage of 1,500 years, they have remained incorrupt, and even the flexibility of his flesh has been preserved. Truly wondrous is God in His Saints! (Ps. 67:3 5)

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

You descended from on high, O merciful Lord, and accepted the three-day burial in order to free us from our passions. Glory to you, O Lord, our life and our resurrection.

Ἐξ ὕψους κατῆλθες ὁ εὔσπλαγχνος, ταφὴν καταδέξω τριήμερον, ἵνα ἡμᾶς ἐλευθερώσῃς τῶν παθῶν. Ἡ ζωὴ καὶ ἡ Ἀνάστασις ἡμῶν, Κύριε δόξα σοι.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Third Mode

On this day the Virgin cometh to the cave to give birth to * God the Word ineffably, * Who was before all the ages. * Dance for joy, O earth, on hearing * the gladsome tidings; * with the Angels and the shepherds now glorify Him * Who is willing to be gazed on * as a young Child Who * before the ages is God.

Ἡ Παρθένος σήμερον, τὸν Προαιώνιον Λόγον, ἐν Σπηλαίῳ ἔρχεται, ἀποτεκεῖν ἀπορρήτως. Χόρευε ἡ οἰκουμένη ἀκουτισθεῖσα, δόξασον μετὰ Ἀγγέλων καὶ τῶν Ποιμένων, βουληθέντα ἐποφθῆναι, παιδίον νέον, τὸν πρὸ αἰώνων Θεόν.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Third Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Mark 16:9-20

When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.

Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they sat at table; and he upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. And he said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."

So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen.

Third Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Μᾶρκον 16:9-20

᾿Αναστὰς δὲ πρωῒ πρώτῃ σαββάτου ἐφάνη πρῶτον Μαρίᾳ τῇ Μαγδαληνῇ, ἀφ᾿ ἧς ἐκβεβλήκει ἑπτὰ δαιμόνια. ἐκείνη πορευθεῖσα ἀπήγγειλε τοῖς μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ γενομένοις, πενθοῦσι καὶ κλαίουσι. κἀκεῖνοι ἀκούσαντες ὅτι ζῇ καὶ ἐθεάθη ὑπ᾿ αὐτῆς, ἠπίστησαν. Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα δυσὶν ἐξ αὐτῶν περιπατοῦσιν ἐφανερώθη ἐν ἑτέρᾳ μορφῇ, πορευομένοις εἰς ἀγρόν. κἀκεῖνοι ἀπελθόντες ἀπήγγειλαν τοῖς λοιποῖς· οὐδὲ ἐκείνοις ἐπίστευσαν. ῞Υστερον ἀνακειμένοις αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἕνδεκα ἐφανερώθη, καὶ ὠνείδισε τὴν ἀπιστίαν αὐτῶν καὶ σκληροκαρδίαν, ὅτι τοῖς θεασαμένοις αὐτὸν ἐγηγερμένον οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· πορευθέντες εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἅπαντα κηρύξατε τὸ εὐαγγέλιον πάσῃ τῇ κτίσει. ὁ πιστεύσας καὶ βαπτισθεὶς σωθήσεται, ὁ δὲ ἀπιστήσας κατακριθήσεται. σημεῖα δὲ τοῖς πιστεύσασι ταῦτα παρακολουθήσει· ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου δαιμόνια ἐκβαλοῦσι· γλώσσαις λαλήσουσι καιναῖς· ὄφεις ἀροῦσι· κἂν θανάσιμόν τι πίωσιν, οὐ μὴ αὐτοὺς βλάψει· ἐπὶ ἀρρώστους χεῖρας ἐπιθήσουσι, καὶ καλῶς ἕξουσιν. ῾Ο μὲν οὖν Κύριος μετὰ τὸ λαλῆσαι αὐτοῖς ἀνελήφθη εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ. ἐκεῖνοι δὲ ἐξελθόντες ἐκήρυξαν πανταχοῦ, τοῦ Κυρίου συνεργοῦντος καὶ τὸν λόγον βεβαιοῦντος διὰ τῶν ἐπακολουθούντων σημείων. ἀμήν.

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal Fourth Mode. Psalm 75.11,1.
Make your vows to the Lord our God and perform them.
Verse: God is known in Judah; his name is great in Israel.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 4:1-7.

Brethren, I, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.

Προκείμενον. Plagal Fourth Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 75.11,1.
Εὔξασθε καὶ ἀπόδοτε Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν.
Στίχ. Γνωστὸς ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ ὁ Θεός, ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ μέγα τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Ἐφεσίους 4:1-7.

Ἀδελφοί, παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς ἐγώ, ὁ δέσμιος ἐν κυρίῳ, ἀξίως περιπατῆσαι τῆς κλήσεως ἧς ἐκλήθητε, μετὰ πάσης ταπεινοφροσύνης καὶ πρᾳότητος, μετὰ μακροθυμίας, ἀνεχόμενοι ἀλλήλων ἐν ἀγάπῃ, σπουδάζοντες τηρεῖν τὴν ἑνότητα τοῦ πνεύματος ἐν τῷ συνδέσμῳ τῆς εἰρήνης. Ἓν σῶμα καὶ ἓν πνεῦμα, καθὼς καὶ ἐκλήθητε ἐν μιᾷ ἐλπίδι τῆς κλήσεως ὑμῶν· εἷς κύριος, μία πίστις, ἓν βάπτισμα, εἷς θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ πάντων, ὁ ἐπὶ πάντων, καὶ διὰ πάντων, καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν ἡμῖν. Ἑνὶ δὲ ἑκάστῳ ἡμῶν ἐδόθη ἡ χάρις κατὰ τὸ μέτρον τῆς δωρεᾶς τοῦ Χριστοῦ.

Gospel Reading

10th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 13:10-17

At that time, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your infirmity." And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and she praised God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, said to the people, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and not on the sabbath day." Then the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?" As he said this, all his adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.

10th Sunday of Luke
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 13:10-17

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ῏Ην δὲ διδάσκων ἐν μιᾷ τῶν συναγωγῶν ἐν τοῖς σάββασι. καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ ἦν πνεῦμα ἔχουσα ἀσθενείας ἔτη δέκα καὶ ὀκτώ, καὶ ἦν συγκύπτουσα καὶ μὴ δυναμένη ἀνακῦψαι εἰς τὸ παντελές. ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτὴν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς προσεφώνησε καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· γύναι, ἀπολέλυσαι τῆς ἀσθενείας σου· καὶ ἐπέθηκεν αὐτῇ τὰς χεῖρας· καὶ παραχρῆμα ἀνωρθώθη καὶ ἐδόξαζε τὸν Θεόν. ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ ἀρχισυνάγωγος, ἀγανακτῶν ὅτι τῷ σαββάτῳ ἐθεράπευσεν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς, ἔλεγε τῷ ὄχλῳ· ἓξ ἡμέραι εἰσὶν ἐν αἷς δεῖ ἐργάζεσθαι· ἐν ταύταις οὖν ἐρχόμενοι θεραπεύεσθε, καὶ μὴ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου. ἀπεκρίθη οὖν αὐτῷ ὁ Κύριος καὶ εἶπεν· ὑποκριτά, ἕκαστος ὑμῶν τῷ σαββάτῳ οὐ λύει τὸν βοῦν αὐτοῦ ἢ τὸν ὄνον ἀπὸ τῆς φάτνης καὶ ἀπαγαγὼν ποτίζει; ταύτην δέ, θυγατέρα ᾿Αβραὰμ οὖσαν, ἣν ἔδησεν ὁ σατανᾶς ἰδοὺ δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ ἔτη, οὐκ ἔδει λυθῆναι ἀπὸ τοῦ δεσμοῦ τούτου τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου; καὶ ταῦτα λέγοντος αὐτοῦ κατῃσχύνοντο πάντες οἱ ἀντικείμενοι αὐτῷ, καὶ πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος ἔχαιρεν ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἐνδόξοις τοῖς γινομένοις ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

Wisdom of the Fathers

So great an evil is envy. For not against strangers only, but even against our own, is it ever warring.

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 40 on Matthew 12, 4th Century

And yet here He speaks only; whereas elsewhere in many cases He heals by laying on of hands also. But nevertheless none of these things made them meek; rather, while the man was healed, they by his health became worse. For His desire indeed was to cure them before him, and He tried innumerable ways of healing, both by what He did in their presence, and by what He said: but since their malady after all was incurable, He proceeded to the work.

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 40 on Matthew 12, 4th Century