ST. GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
Rev. Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews, Presbyter
1111 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105, (651) 222-6220, www.stgeorgegoc.org
December 23, 2018 SUNDAY BEFORE NATIVITY
TODAY’S EVENTS:
Epistle Reader: Stephen Kanavati Prosfora: Krisandrea Ballas-Rylander
Fellowship: Delton-Karvounarakis family Head Greeters: Bill Clemons, Yodahe Gamada
Monday 12-24 ROYAL HOURS (8:00am) & VESPERAL LITURGY 10:00AM
Office closed
Tuesday 12-25 ORTHROS (9:00am) &DIVINE LITURGY – NATIVITY OF CHRIST 10:00AM
Office closed
Sunday 12-30 ORTHROS (8:15am) &DIVINE LITURGY – SUNDAY AFTER NATIVITY 9:30AM
Tuesday 01-01 ORTHROS (9:00am) &LITURGY – ST. BASIL & CIRCUMCISION OF LORD 10:00AM
Friday 01-04 ROYAL HOURS OF THEOPHANY 9:00AM
Saturday 01-05 ORTHROS (9:00am) &DIVINE LITURGY – EVE OF THEOPHANY 10:00AM
AGIASMOS – Holy Water Service 11:30AM
BLESSNG OF WATERS at Hidden Falls Park, St. Paul 1:00PM
VESPERS 5:00PM
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Nativity Services: As we enter the final week of Advent, we encourage everyone to make plans to attend worship services on Christmas Eve and/or Day unless traveling out of town both days. Give glory to Him!
Office Closed Notice: the parish office will be closed on December 24, 25 and January 1.
Stewardship Update: we need to raise $48,925 before Dec.31st to fulfill our 2018 stewardship commitments. This will help us avoid drawing from our savings and investments to support our ministries and programs. Please give generously as God has blessed you. 2019 pledge cards, brochure and letters were mailed recently. Our theme is All things are possible to the one who believes in Christ” (Mark 9:23). Thanks for your support!
Think About It: Grumbling begets grumbling, and doxology begets doxology. If you don’t grumble over a problem, but rather praise God, then the devil gets frustrated and leaves to find another grumbler. St. Paisios the Athonite (+1992).
Roselawn Cemetery Lots: There is still time to get 15% discount off 2018 list prices. Discounted prices are: $6,120.00 for a Monument Lot (2 graves); $3,655.00 for a Flat Lot A (2 graves); $2,125.00 for a Flat Lot B (1 grave). 2019 prices are: $6,120 for a Monument Lot (2 graves); $3,825 for a Flat Lot A (2 graves); $2,167.50 for a Flat Lot B (1 grave). Single graves have limited availability. Contact church today!
Blessing of Waters: Please mark your calendars for the third annual Pan-Orthodox Theophany Blessing of the Waters service on Saturday January 5th at 1pm, at Hidden Falls Regional Park on Mississippi River, 1313 Hidden Falls Drive, St Paul, MN 55116.
Exterior Restoration- Brick, block and tuckpointing have been completed. Cost of project is $118,647. We have raised over $63,000 from our parishioners and friends. Please join us in this important work. Thank you!
Youth Minister Position Open: applications are now being accepted for this part time position. To apply, email a resume, cover letter and two references to Fr. Rick at fatherrick@stgeorgegoc.org.
New Sunday School Director! Thank you to Miss Aida Abebe for graciously volunteering to lead our religious education program, working with our current teachers: Lerah McCullough (PreK), Carol Alexis (K-1), Lama Ghazi (2-3), Stephen Kanavati (4-5-6), Anastasia Mastrogiorgis (7-9) and Nick Kanavati & Vicky Paraschou (10-12). Please support Aida and the teachers by frequently bringing your children to liturgy and Sunday school.
New Youth Advisors: Several youth advisors have volunteered for various age groups to organize events and work with parents and children to increase participation. GOYA Anastasia Mastrogiorgis and Phyllis Kapetanakis will lead junior high and high school (7-12 grades). JOY Maria Paraschou and Katherine Cabieses will lead elementary ages (K-6 grades). HOPE: Lerah McCullough and Joanna Tzenis will lead preschool ages.
Patristic Wisdom: The fear of God illumines the soul, annihilates evil, weakens the passions, drives darkness from the soul and makes it pure. The fear of God is the summit of wisdom. Where it is absent, it is difficult to find any good. Whoever lacks the fear of God is open to diabolical falls. St. Ephraim the Syrian (+373)
AHEPA Christmas Party: Saturday, December 29th, 5:30pm at St. Mary’s GOC in Minneapolis. Enjoy buffet dinner by Gyropolis, music and dancing. Tickets $40 in advance; $50 at the door. See posting in social hall for more details and to reserve your seats.
Wisdom from the Fathers: In truth, there is only one freedom—the holy freedom of Christ, in which He freed us from sin, from evil, from the devil [and from death]. It binds us to God. All other freedoms are illusory and false. That is to say, they are all, in fact, slavery. St. Justin Popovich (+1979)
Basketball Practices: Sundays, Jan 6-Feb 3 from 12:30-2:30pm at Saint Paul Academy lower school, 1150 Goodrich Ave. Coaches: GOYA Boys- Milam Paraschou & George Mastrogiorgis, JOY Coed- Elena Condos, Women- Anastasia Mastrogiorgis, Men- Luke Simon. Contact Milam or George with questions. All family participants are encouraged to register for the tournament and book hotels as soon as possible. We look forward to another great family basketball tournament in Milwaukee, WI on the weekend of February 8-10.
2019 Basketball Tourney: hosted by Annunciation Church, Milwaukee, February 8-10. Early team registration for Men, Women, Boys, Girls & JOY teams is $300 until Dec 15; $400 afterwards. For Player Registration, click here. Meal registration is separate click here.: Early Bird Weekend Package is $90/adult, $55/child until Jan 14; afterwards $110/adult, $60/child until Jan 28. Rooms $119/night at the Brookfield Hotel, 375 South Moorland Rd, Brookfield, WI 53005, 262-364-1100 or here. Questions? Email 2019greekbball@gmail.com.
Church Fathers Speak: The fire of love must be kept burning warmly and brightly with the sweet wood of sacrifice…Divine love is always self-effacing, seeking to give rather than receive, to serve rather than being served, to love rather than to be loved, and will sacrifice anything for the beloved. Only then does love become a clean and holy fire in the heart, and not an ugly flare of lust. St. Seraphim of Sarov (+1833)
Things Sound Different- yes, that’s right, the Sunday liturgy is sounding a bit different the last few months. That’s because the choir is using minor mode from the Cherubic Hymn through the Epiklesis/Consecration. Although this is new to our community, it is not innovative or novel in the Tradition. Many Greek Orthodox churches throughout the United States and the world do this. Minor mode conveys a mystical and penitential quality that is so important to our Orthodox Christian phronema (mindset). Fr. Rick has encouraged this addition to the choir’s repertoire for many years. Recently, they accepted the challenge and are working hard to execute it better each and every Sunday. Please support them and seek to understand what minor mode is all about.
Note from Treasurer: as we near the end of the fiscal year, don’t forget to include designations on checks when making contributions to the church. A few words on the memo line noting the purpose of the check (e.g. xmas flowers, 2018 stewardship, 2019 stewardship) is extremely helpful for bookkeeping, thank you!
Welcome Visitors Thank you for joining with us in prayer and fellowship. The worship of the Orthodox Church is deeply rooted in and very similar to that of the early Christian Church. Unique sensory stimuli and mystery are elements that go back even to the liturgy of the Jewish temple. Everything in an Orthodox Christian church communicates the majestic presence of God the Holy Trinity with His Saints. It is literally heaven on earth. It is a sad consequence of the divisions in Christianity that we cannot extend a general invitation to receive Holy Communion. Visitors are invited to receive the blessed bread (antithoron) at the conclusion of the liturgy. We pray and work for the reconciliation and unity of all Christians. If you are interested in learning more about Orthodoxy, please contact Fr. Rick at fatherrick@stgeorgegoc.org. We are proud of our Greek heritage, but one does not have to be of Greek descent, nor speak Greek to be a Greek Orthodox Christian.
Note to Orthodox about Holy Communion: Receiving the Body and Blood of Christ is one of the most Holy experiences for a Christian in order to be granted the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life. We are never worthy to partake of Divine Nature. Yet, it is essential that we prepare ourselves for this sacred Communion by constant prayer, reading the Scriptures, regular fasting and periodic Confession. At a minimum, we should fast all morning before Communion, arrive at the beginning of Liturgy, and come for Confession at least once a year. In addition, we should not have separated ourselves from the Church through serious sin. Otherwise, please refrain from Communion to avoid “judgment…not discerning the Lord’s body” (1Cor. 11:29). Contact Fr. Rick for pastoral guidance.
Glad Tidings deadline: The 10th of each month. Glad Tidings email: gladtidings@stgeorgegoc.org Sunday Bulletin Deadline: Wednesday Noon each week. Email: office@stgeorgegoc.org