PROTOCOLS FOR REOPENING OUR PARISHES IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19:

The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Jersey has endeavored to take active steps in order to prepare our parishes for re-opening.  Except where these GOMNJ Reopening Guidelines are more restrictive, each Parish must also follow the orders and directives of their State, County, and Local Authorities. Regulations NOW allow us to open with a maximum of 100 people. 

PARISH SAFETY REQUIREMENTS:

• There are to be no gatherings of any kind after the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy.
• There will be no access for parishioners to enter other buildings or areas, other than where the Liturgy is being celebrated, except for use of the restroom.
• Parishioners must wear protective masks throughout the Service.
• Parishioners must sanitize their hands upon entering the Church.
• Parishioners upon entry must register their attendance with their full names and contact information.
• Parishioners must adhere to the social distancing guidelines of keeping a 6 foot distance from other parishioners at all times in the pews and throughout the Church. The only exception being for families that have quarantined together, as they will be able to sit together in a designated section of the Church.
• Parishioners are not to wander in the Church, in the Parish facilities, or outside on the parish grounds.
• Parishioners must leave the Church premises, including the parking lot and exterior grounds, upon conclusion of the Divine Liturgy.
• The traditional practice of receiving Holy Communion will not be changed.

Parishioners MUST register online at St. George's website in order to attend services. Please visit stgeorgeclifton.org and click on "CHURCH SERVICE RSVP" on the home page. Orthros will begin at 8:30 am and the Divine Liturgy at 9:30 am. If you have difficulty registering online, please call the Church office at 973.779.2626 to register.

Follow us on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Stgeorgeclifton.org/ or on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJEO_34m3S9yKpiFfzZQo5A or visit the church's website at www.stgeorgeclifton.org for online streaming links. To find the prayers for each service and to follow along, go to agesinitiatives.com. 

To light a candle or make a donation follow this link https://st-george-greek-orthodox-churchand-the-shrine-of-st-nectarios.square.site/. 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.  

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.  

National Church Music Sunday: 

This Sunday, our parish community observes National Church Music Ministry Sunday. It comes each year in the month of October, the Sunday close to the feast day of Saint Romanos, the Melodist (October 1st).  On this day, we recognize those women and men who have heard and responded to the Lord’s invitation to be church musicians: that is, parish chanters and choir singers. As church musicians, these people represent the laity in the liturgical dialogue of our worship services. In glory to God, the Holy Trinity, they commit themselves to learning the hymns of our Orthodox faith, understanding the sequence of our liturgical worship, and actively offering their prayers in song to enhance the beauty of our worship.We ask each of them, and our congregation as well, to be mindful of the special ministry they fulfill in singing the hymns of our faith and leading us to worship. 

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. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.   

St. Paraskevi Philoptochos:

“Save the Date” - Monday, October 19, 2020 at 7:30 pm - St Paraskevi Philoptochos is having a Virtual Meet & Greet - more details to follow!

Sunday Church School:  

During these difficult and unprecedented times, maintaining a connection to our Orthodox faith is especially important.  Registration for St. George Church School is in progress and we have reduced the fee to only $20 per family.  Until we are able to meet safely indoors, our Church School program will take place virtually. Lessons will be emailed to students and families every Saturday.  We hope that you will take a few minutes each week to review with your child. Should you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at:  stgeochsch@gmail.com.

Adult Bible Study With Fr. Peter:

Fr. Peter will conduct a virtual adult bible study through ZOOM at 7:00PM on Thursday evenings. We will continue with the study of the Book of Romans.  Also, please make a list of topics that you will submit to Fr. Peter of what you would like to discuss throughout the year. We will notify everyone through a separate email to join the meeting with a ZOOM invitation so that all the faithful can join us in learning.    

Sponsor A Day Program: 

For 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. For more information about the program, speak to one of our Parish Council members, Ministry Leaders or call the church office. 

Orthodox Life Institute:

We have moved our lessons online to Wednesday nights at 7:00pm through ZOOM. If you would like to join us virtually, send your email address and contact information to Lisa Marcopulos at lmarcopul@gmail.com and we will send you the ZOOM invitation.  

St. George Endowment Fund Scholarship Deadline Extension: 

The Endowment Committee has elected to extend this year's application deadline for the scholarship to October 15, 2020. Since applicants are experiencing difficulties in retrieving high school transcripts and other necessary documents as a result of the COVID-19 restrictions, we hope the extension gives them sufficient time to complete their application. Scholarship awards are tentatively scheduled to be presented on November 29, 2020. For more information about the memorial scholarship, please inquire at the church office or read our online bulletin.