ST. GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
Rev. Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews, Presbyter
1111 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105, (651) 222-6220, www.stgeorgegoc.org
February 17, 2019 SUNDAY OF THE PUBLICAN & PHARISEE
TODAY’S EVENTS: TRIODION Begins (no fasting this week); Choir Practice 12:00pm.
Epistle Reader: Stephen Kanavati Prosfora: anonymous
Fellowship: Anastasia & Jon Maier Head Greeters: Joe Weiser, Jim Theros
Monday 02-18 Catechism Class “Church I- Birth, Mission, Structure” with Dcn. Jason Ketz 7:00PM
Tuesday 02-19 Parish Council meeting 6:30PM
Wednesday 02-20 Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) at University of St. Thomas 7:00PM
Thursday 02-21 Glad Tidings mailing – volunteers needed 12:00PM
AHEPA meeting 7:00PM
Saturday 02-23 Divine Liturgy in Eau Claire, Wisconsin 9:30AM
VESPERS 5:00PM
Youth & Family Night – about St. Photini the Samaritan 6:00PM
Sunday 02-24 ORTHROS (8:15am) &DIVINE LITURGY – PUBLICAN & PHARISEE 9:30AM
TRIODION begins
Choir practice 12:00PM
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Welcome Again! to Fr. Paul Hodge who is serving Divine Liturgy today for Fr. Rick while he is on vacation, returning this Tuesday February 19th. For pastoral emergencies, please contact St. Mary Greek Orthodox Church at 612-825-9595. For non-emergencies, please call the office.
Memory Eternal! Haralambos Taratsas fell asleep in the Lord on February 8th. Funeral and burial were held in Greece. Our sympathies and condolences to his wife, Maria, and his siblings- George and Assimo.
Basketball Tourney: congrats to our participant teams: coed JOY, GOYA boys and YAL men. Several women joined with the St. Mary Mpls team. Everyone arrived and returned safely and enjoyed the hospitality of our host Annunciation Church in Milwaukee. We also met our new Metropolis Youth Director Fr. Kosmas Kallis and Chancellor Fr. Chrysostom Panos. Already looking forward to next year!
Think About It: The soul cannot know peace unless she prays for her enemies. St. Silouan of Athos (+1938)
New Office Hours: effective February 4, the church office will be open Tuesday-Friday, 9am to 5pm. The office will be closed on Mondays. This will be in place for a three-month trial period. Please contact Fr. Rick or parish council member if any questions or concerns.
New Sunday Social Hour Coordinator: Thank you to Rita Kanavati for assuming this important task! Please contact Rita at ritakanavati@comcast.net if your family or group would like to host a Sunday Social Hour.
Stewardship 2019: Theme is “All things are possible to the one who believes in Christ” (Mark 9:23). 55 pledges have been received averaging $1,856, total $102,095. Three things to do: 1) pray for God’s inspiration and guidance, 2) plan-budget stewardship first, 3) give generously and sacrificially, at least three percent (3%) of gross yearly income. We thank you for supporting the ministries of our parish!
Fresh Phyllo - Philoptochos will be taking orders for FRESH phyllo following liturgy on February 24 and March 3,10. FRESH phyllo will be ready for pick up March 24. If you have any questions, please contact Presbytera Jane at janedono1@gmail.com.
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.
Church Fathers Speak: He who loves little, gives little. He who loves more, gives more. He who loves beyond measure, what has he to give? He gives himself! St. Porphyrios the Kapsokalivite (+1992)
Youth & Family Night: Saturday, February 23, pizza dinner immediately following 5pm vespers. Learn about St. Photini, participate in activities that help us “drink the living water” of Christ, and discuss how we as Christians must treat everyone with respect. There’ll be time to hang out with your church friends and get to know new friends. This is also an opportunity for parish youth to come together and make decisions about the direction and activities of the St. George youth group. If you are a youth in the parish and you don’t want the grown-ups to make all the decisions for you--please attend! It's your chance to be a leader.
FOCUS MN Update: Volunteers opportunities at new home 550 Rice Street in St. Paul: team leader and workers to renovate kitchen and food shelf area- contact Vera at 651-324-2705 or vsproctor@gmail.com. On Mondays, Thursdays & Saturdays 10am – 2pm volunteer to unpack and sort donations, clean, make minor repairs and more. Contact Kathy Schtowchan, 651-343-4183 or k.schtowchan@comcast.net.
Ribbon-Cutting: Join us tomorrow, February 18 at 3pm to celebrate the Lyn Olson Medical Crisis Program becoming a new member of the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce! Location: REVÉ Bistro and Bar, 200 East Chestnut Street, Stillwater, MN. To assist in planning, please RSVP to ribbon-cutting-lyn-olson
Girls Day-Treat– An Orthodox Lenten Retreat for Girls grades 8 – 12 aims to help them grow into womanhood through the teachings of the Church. Twelve Holy Apostles Church in Duluth hosts this wonderful day of prayer, learning and fellowship on Saturday, March 9! Please register and see more details at www.12holyapostles.org!
Wisdom from the Fathers: In society, if each person sees himself as the first, no one makes any progress. If however, each considers oneself to be the last, then every meeting with another becomes an opportunity for spiritual profit and progress. If I try to be first, life is infernally tiresome. So, it is best to be the last—that brings continual joy because I am always learning something useful. Elder Sophrony Sakharov of Essex (+1993)
Patristic Wisdom: The devil does not hunt after those who are lost. He hunts after those who are aware, those who are close to God. St. Paisios the Athonite (+1994)
Lenten Retreat: March 22-24 with Fr. Moses Berry on African Americans and Orthodox Christianity including Fr. Moses’ life journey into Orthodoxy, Christian History in Africa and the African American Experience.
Choir Practices: on the third Sunday of each month after Divine Liturgy. Also, in preparation for Lent and holy Week- March 12 6:30 pm, March 18 7:00pm, March 26, April 2, April 9 – 6:30 pm, April 15 7:00pm.
Lenten Lectures- Wednesday theme is Christian Italy in which Fr. Rick shares images, memories and history from his recent trip. Friday’s theme is Patrology and Patristics: Church Fathers in Orthodoxy covering the Apostolic Fathers of the 1st cent, Cappadocians of the 4th cent., Greek Fathers and the Syriac/Desert Fathers.
Photos Updated! Through December 2018 on parish website www.stgeorgegoc.shutterfly.com.
Metropolis Clergy Laity: The St. George and St. Mary Church communities will co-host in the Twin Cities September 25-29, 2019. Alexis Bighley will co-chair. Hotel is Hyatt Regency in Bloomington.
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