NEW CHURCH PROTOCOLS AS WE FACE COVID-19:
We ask that everyone please follow the directives sent to us by His Eminence, Metroplitan Evangelos, per the directives issued by the Ecumenical Patriarch through Archbishp Elpidophoros: Effective immediately, Divine Services and Liturgy will take place in our parishes with only the parish priest and a chanter. The church doors will remain closed to the faithful who are instructed to participate in the services through online streaming services. Please visit the church's Facebook page or YouTube channel - St. George Greek Orthodox Church, Clifton, NJ. To find the prayers for each service and to follow along, go to agesinitiatives.com.
All Ministry and non-worship events are STILL CANCELLED until further notice. Thank you for your cooperation and we pray that God keeps everyone resilient and strong through these unsettling times.
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.
Liturgical Schedule via Online Streaming Only:
Sunday, April 5th - Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt................Divine Liturgy 9:30AM
Message from our Parish Council President:
My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
As I sit down to write this letter I have you all in my heart and pray for the well-being of you and your families.
The impact of this Corona virus (COVID-19) will not only challenge us physically and mentally, but spiritually as well. It will require us to reach deep down to our core beliefs and ask ourselves many important questions. The main concern of our Parish Council is the safety of all our parishioners and their well-being. Therefore, the procedures we are following are guidelines set up by the State of New Jersey Health Department, which are also the guidelines followed by His Eminence, Metropolitan Evangelos and the Metropolis of New Jersey.
We are asking everyone not to come to church for any reason on any day. However, we want you to know we are here for you, so please leave a voicemail on the church’s phone and either Father Peter or Angela will be in contact with you. The office will keep our community apprised of any changes to these procedures as we get closer to Palm Sunday and Holy Week. We will let everyone know about the schedule of Divine Services and whether they will be viewed online on our Facebook page and YouTube channel or if they can actually be attended by the faithful in our church.
The Parish Council along with our St. Paraskevi Philoptochos have been working together to offer assistance to those in need. We remind you, if it is a medical emergency please contact your physician or go to your closest hospital.
Our Greek School with the direction of Mrs. Joyce Logothetis has set up a program in which the students and teachers can continue their classes.
As you can imagine this has taken a toll on the finances of the church. As a Parish Council we have instituted many cost saving measures to help the financial solvency of the church. Here is an overview of the income the church has lost and will be losing over the next couple of months:
- Parking Lot & Hall rentals: $3,500
- Rummage Sale: $6,500
- Festival & Raffle: $75,000
- Holy Week: $6,500
- Weekly Sunday Candles & Trays: $1,750
The fundraisers are the events which carry us through the summer months and you can see how our church will be impacted. We understand that many of you are feeling the same impact on your finances and we are all in this together.
As your Parish Council President, I am asking for your support. For those who are able and not already done so, we ask you to consider sending in your Fellowship donation as soon as you can. We will be mailing out Easter donation envelopes and I am asking all of you to consider making a donation to help our church. Finally, to those who have the means, I am asking you to increase your Fellowship donation. Our love for our church and the continued prayers of the faithful will soon bring us all back together again worshiping in our beloved Saint George.
Now is the time to stay in contact with family, friends and fellow parishioners. Stay positive, pray, watch the services online and read scripture. Through the prayers of our spiritual Father, Rev. Peter Balkas, we will all come out of this stronger and more faithful than ever.
In His Service,
Dr. George C. Scordilis
Church Office:
For all matters, please make sure to call the office directly or email directly rather than using texts or various forms of social media. Office hours are limited so please leave a message and we will respond as soon as possible. DO NOT COME TO THE CHURCH UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
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. All other funds collected from candles, trays, raffles, fundraisers, etc. could be used towards capital improvements. One way to bridge the gap 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. For more information about the program, speak to one of our Parish Council members, Ministry Leaders or call the church office.
St. George Endowment Fund Scholarship:
On June 7, 2020, the Endowment Committee will be awarding three memorial scholarships to graduating high school seniors from our community in the name of Aspasia Smith, the endowment fund’s original benefactor. The scholarship awards will be in the amount of $750, $500 and $250 respectively. Application must be filed no later than May 22, 2020. For more information about the memorial scholarship, please inquire at the church office or read our online bulletin.
The Hellenic Musical Society Scholarship:
HMS awards scholarships to graduating high school seniors entering a college, university or trade school, who demonstrate musical talent and academic achievement. Applications are tentatively due on May 22, 2020. For questions or an application please contact: hellenicmusicalsoc@gmail.com.
National Philoptochos Young Philanthropist Award:
This is a new initiative to promote Philanthropy among the next generation. Philanthropy makes a significant difference in a community and an impact on society. 18 award honorees will receive a gift of $1000 to design and establish a Philanthropic program within their community. Please see our online bulletin to download the application or visit the National Philoptochos website at: www.philoptochos.org and select Events-Conventions 2020. All applications must be received no later than April 15, 2020.
St. Paraskevi Philoptochos Cancer Awareness:
April is Testicular Cancer, Esophageal Cancer and Head and Neck Cancer Month. Continuing with the Philoptochos' year-long cancer project, please see the online bulletin for a brief overview of these cancers.