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St. George Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2019-06-02
Bulletin Contents
Hymns of the Day
Saints and Feasts
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Wisdom of the Fathers
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese News
Message from His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios
Fr. Rick's Sermon
News and Events
Bulletin Inserts
Jcblind1
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St. George Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (651) 222-6220
  • Fax:
  • (651) 225-9276
  • Street Address:

  • 1111 Summit Avenue

  • Saint Paul, MN 55105

Contact Information

Priest Rev. Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews

fatherrick@stgeorgegoc.org

Administrative Assistant Julie Delton

office@stgeorgegoc.org

Bookstore Steve Arsenault


bookstore@stgeorgegoc.org

Newsletter- Glad Tidings Julie Delton

gladtidings@stgeorgegoc.org

Services Schedule

Sunday Morning Orthros/Matins 8:15am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am; Saturday Great Vespers 5:00pm (October thru May); Weekday Services (see Online Calendar, Sunday Bulletin & Monthly Newsletter); Confession (by appointment).

Past Bulletins


Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion of Great and Holy Pascha in the Plagal 1st Mode

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and bestowing life on those in the graves.

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal 1st Mode

O Faithful, let us sing a hymn of praise and worship to the Logos, coeternal with the Father and the Spirit, who was born of the Virgin for our salvation. Of His own will He went upon the Cross in the flesh and suffered death, to raise the dead through His glorious Resurrection.

Apolytikion for the Church in the 4th Mode

As the deliverer of captives, and the protector of the poor; a physician of the sick, the defender of kings; O Great Martyr St. George Victorious, intercede to Christ our God, to save our souls.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal 4th Mode

Though You went down into the tomb, You destroyed Hades' power, and You rose the victor, Christ God, saying to the myrrh-bearing women, "Hail!" and granting peace to Your disciples, You who raise up the fallen.
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Saints and Feasts

Jcblind1
June 02

Sunday of the Blind Man

The Lord Jesus was coming from the Temple on the Sabbath, when, while walking in the way, He saw the blind man mentioned in today's Gospel. This man had been born thus from his mother's womb, that is, he had been born without eyes (see Saint John Chrysostom, Homily LVI on Matthew; Saint Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book V:15; and the second Exorcism of Saint Basil the Great). When the disciples saw this, they asked their Teacher, "Who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?" They asked this because when the Lord had healed the paralytic at the Sheep's Pool, He had told him, "Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee" (John 5:14); so they wondered, if sickness was caused by sin, what sin could have been the cause of his being born without eyes. But the Lord answered that this was for the glory of God. Then the God-man spat on the ground and made clay with the spittle. He anointed the eyes of the blind man and said to him, "Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam." Siloam (which means "sent") was a well-known spring in Jerusalem used by the inhabitants for its waters, which flowed to the eastern side of the city and collected in a large pool called "the Pool of Siloam."

Therefore, the Saviour sent the blind man to this pool that he might wash his eyes, which had been anointed with the clay-not that the pool's water had such power, but that the faith and obedience of the one sent might be made manifest, and that the miracle might become more remarkable and known to all, and leave no room for doubt. Thus, the blind man believed in Jesus' words, obeyed His command, went and washed himself, and returned, no longer blind, but having eyes and seeing. This was the greatest miracle that our Lord had yet worked; as the man healed of his blindness himself testified, "Since time began, never was it heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind," although the Lord had already healed the blind eyes of many. Because he now had eyes, some even doubted that he was the same person (John 9:8-9); and it was still lively in their remembrance when Christ came to the tomb of Lazarus, for they said, "Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have caused that even this man should not have died?" Saint John Chrysostom gives a thorough and brilliant exposition of our Lord's meeting with the woman of Samaria, the healing of the paralytic, and the miracle of the blind man in his commentaries on the Gospel of Saint John.

June 02

Demetrios the New Martyr of Philadelphia

June 02

Nicephorus the Confessor, Patriarch of Constantinople

Saint Nicephorus was born in Constantinople about the year 758, of pious parents; his father Theodore endured exile and tribulation for the holy icons during the reign of Constantine Copronymus (741-775). Nicephorus served in the imperial palace as a secretary. Later, he took up the monastic life, and struggled in asceticism not far from the imperial city; he also founded monasteries on the eastern shore of the Bosphorus, among them one dedicated to the Great Martyr Theodore.

After the repose of the holy Patriarch Tarasius, he was ordained Patriarch, on April 12, 806, and in this high office led the Orthodox resistance to the Iconoclasts' war on piety, which was stirred up by Leo the Armenian. Because Nicephorus championed the veneration of the icons, Leo drove Nicephorus from his throne on March 13, 815, exiling him from one place to another, and lastly to the Monastery of Saint Theodore which Nicephorus himself had founded. It was here that, after glorifying God for nine years as Patriarch, and then for thirteen years as an exile, tormented and afflicted, he gave up his blameless soul in 828 at about the age of seventy. See also March 8.

June 02

Constantine the New Martyr of the Hagarenes

June 02

Erasmos of Ochrid & his Companion Martyrs

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Eighth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:11-18

At that time, Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that He had said these things to her.

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal 1st Mode. Psalm 11.7,1.
You, O Lord, shall keep us and preserve us.
Verse: Save me, O Lord, for the godly man has failed.

The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 16:16-34.

IN THOSE DAYS, as we apostles were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by soothsaying. She followed Paul and us, crying, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation." And this she did for many days. But Paul was annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, "I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour. But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the rulers; and when they had brought them to the magistrates they said, "These men are Jews and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs which it is not lawful for us Romans to accept or practice." The crowd joined in attacking them; and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and every one's fetters were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out and said, "Men, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds, and he was baptized at once, with all his family. Then he brought them up into his house, and set food before them; and he rejoiced with all his household that he had believed in God.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Blind Man
The Reading is from John 9:1-38

At that time, as Jesus passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him. We must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day; night comes, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." As he said this, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the man's eyes with the clay, saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar, said, "Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?" Some said, "It is he"; others said, "No, but he is like him." He said, "I am the man." They said to him, "Then how were your eyes opened?" He answered, "The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash'; so I went and washed and received my sight." They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know."

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. The Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, "He put clay on my eyes and I washed, and I see." Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" There was a division among them. So they again said to the blind man, "What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet."

The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight, and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" His parents answered, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself." His parents said this because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess him to be Christ he was to be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, "He is of age, ask him."

So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, "Give God the praise; we know that this man is a sinner." He answered, "Whether he is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I know, that though I was blind, now I see." They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" He answered them, "I have told you already and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you too want to become his disciples?" And they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from." The man answered, "Why, this is a marvel! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." They answered him, "You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?" And they cast him out.

Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, "Do you believe in the Son of man?" He answered, "And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?" Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and it is he who speaks to you." He said, "Lord, I believe"; and he worshiped him.

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Wisdom of the Fathers

But I assert that he even received benefit from his blindness: since he recovered the sight of the eyes within.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 56 on John 9, 4th Century

When, then, have they taken place, save when the Word of God Himself came in the body? Or when did He come, if not when lame men walked, and stammerers were made to speak plain, and deaf men heard, and men blind from birth regained their sight? For this was the very thing the Jews said who then witnessed it, because they had not heard of these things having taken place at any other time.
St. Athanasius
Incarnation of the Word 38, 4th Century

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Greek Orthodox Archdiocese News

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Arrival and Enthronement of Archbishop Elpidophoros

05/23/2019

NEW YORK – Metropolitan Methodios of Boston, the Archiepiscopal Vicar, announces that the Enthronement Ceremony for His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America will take place at the Holy Trinity Archdiocesan Cathedral, 337 East 74th Street, New York, NY, on Saturday June 22, 2019 at 11:00 am. The Ceremony of Enthronement will be followed by an Enthronement Luncheon at 1:30 pm at the New York Hilton Midtown (1335 Avenue of the Americas).
https://www.goarch.org/-/arrival-and-enthronement-of-archbishop-elpidophoros
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Fr. Rick's Sermon

Spiritual Half-Time (5-26-2019)

   Basketball, football and soccer are the major sports that incorporate a half-time into their games. Primarily, it is a brief period of rest for the players. It is also an opportunity for the team and the coaches to regroup, assess their play and strategize for the second half.

   We Orthodox Christians have a half-time every Sunday. After first part of the Divine Liturgy, also known as the Liturgy of the Word, we pause for a moment to regroup, assess and plan for what comes next. Half-time is the sermon or homily that comes after the Gospel reading and before the Great Entrance, which starts the second half of the Sunday worship—the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

   This also happens seasonally two times during the liturgical year. The first is the third Sunday of Great and Holy Lent, marking the halfway point between Cheesefare and Palm Sunday. On that day we venerate the precious Cross remembering Christ’s ultimate sacrifice so that we may be inspired to continue to deny ourselves in fasting and asceticism. The second halftime is much lesser known, almost forgotten. We just celebrated it this past Wednesday. It is the Feast of Mid-Pentecost, halfway between Pascha and Pentecost.

   The Gospel reading for that day is John 7:14-30 and it begins with the words, 14Now about the middle of the feast (v.14). Although, it refers to the Jewish Feast of Booths or Tabernacles, the early Church appropriated it for the feast of Mid-Pentecost in the fourth century.

   What is the purpose of Mid-Pentecost? It is for us to regroup, assess and plan for the theme the Pentecostarion (the 50-day period between Pascha and Pentecost), that is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit which is poured out as a gift to all who believe in Christ. The main symbol of this theme is water. The Canon of Pascha, sung throughout the entire Pentecostarion, invites us to “drink a new drink,” not brought forth from a “barren rock” as in the Old Testament during Moses, but that which “springs forth from the grave of Christ.” As well during all Divine Liturgies during this period, the Eisodikon or Entrance hymn is not “Come let us bow down to Christ…” but “In the churches, bless God, the Lord who comes out (literally “springs forth”; Greek ‘pngwn’) of Israel…”

   The first two Sundays after Pascha--Saint Thomas the Apostle and the Holy Myrrhbearers--focus on the centrality of faith and trust in God through belief in the risen Jesus Christ as His Son and our Lord. The next three Sundays, water becomes more prominent. Last Sunday, Jesus heals the paralytic (John 5:1-15) by the pool near the Sheep Gate called Bethesda. Today, Jesus encounters the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well (John 4:5-42) and tells her that He provides living water springing-up to eternal life. Next Sunday, Jesus will restore sight to the blindman (John 9:1-38) by anointing with spit/saliva and then by washing in the pool of Siloam.

   Mid-Pentecost is not just the halfway point between two feasts. It links them together. Pascha is the penultimate feast of our Lord Jesus Christ and His resurrection. Pentecost is the Feast of the Holy Spirit and its descent upon the Holy Apostles. There is no Pascha without Pentecost and no Pentecost without Pascha. There is no where, and no way that the Son of God is without the Spirit of God. Christ and the Holy Spirit are inextricably and intimately linked together. They are the two hands of God working harmoniously in the world to accomplish the will of God the Father.

   We Orthodox Christians know, teach and practice this central tenet of our Faith beginning with baptism in Christ and chrismation in the Holy Spirit. It continues at every liturgy with the Epiklesis as we beseech the Holy Spirit to descend upon the bread and wine to make them into the Body and Blood of Christ—the Eucharist. But we also pray that the Holy Spirit descend upon each one of us so that together we may confess one Faith, becoming the Body of Christ—the Church/Ekklesia. Even the reading of Scripture is a “Christo-Pneumatiko” experience.

   And that leads us to the next theme of Mid-Pentecost, that Christ is the Teacher and Wisdom incarnate. As we said the gospel passage starts with:

     14Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. 15And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?” 16Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own.

   Jesus not only works miracles and signs of healing, He also teaches the people that He encounters--Thomas, the Paralytic, the Samaritan woman, the Blindman--granting them wisdom. When David in the Psalms and Solomon in Proverbs mention wisdom, they are talking about the wisdom of God. Christ doesn’t just teach wisdom but He is wisdom itself.

   There are at least two churches named “Hagia Sophia,” the great cathedral in Constantinople and a more modest one in Thessalonike. Interestingly, their feast day is not September 17 after St. Sophia and her three martyred daughters. Rather, their feast is Mid-Pentecost because they are churches named Holy Wisdom.

   Mid-Pentecost, like many major feasts, lasts for eight days. That is why we continue to sing its Apolytikion today, the Sunday after the feast. It says: In the midst of this Paschal season, Savior, let my thirsty soul partake of the waters of true worship; for You call out inviting all: Let those who thirst come to me and drink. O Fountain of Life, Christ our God, glory to You. (pp.166-67 Lawrence Hymnal)

   The hymn recalls the dialogue between Christ and the Samaritan woman in which He enlightens her with His teaching: God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24). That is why we call her ‘Photini’ meaning the ‘enlightened one.’ The hymn also recalls Jesus teaching a few verses after the Mid-Pentecost Gospel.

37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:37-39)

   As we conclude today, we remember that Jesus went up to the temple and taught. The Jews were surprised at Jesus’ wisdom because they did not believe that He was the Messiah of God. Let us not be ignorant and unbelieving as they were. We also hear in the Mid-Pentecost Gospel:

18He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. 19Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?”  20The people answered and said, “You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill You?” …24Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

   Let us be mindful of the words of Peter Chrysologos, the Archbishop of Ravenna Italy (380-450AD), who noted that “the Lord goes up to the temple of our heart.” The question is, will we receive His teaching. Will we embrace it or ignore it? Will we have Christ live in us or will we seek to kill Him because His very presence condemns us of our unrepented sin? Will we say to Him, “You have a demon” because we’ve allowed the demons to take over our life? Christ thirsts for us but do we thirst for Him and His teaching and His wisdom? Athletes thirst after the exertion of competition and then re-hydrate at half-time to continue the contest. Likewise, we must strenuously combat the adversary in the arena of life. Let us satisfy the consequent thirst, not with Gatorade, but with the living water of the Holy Spirit, at the Feast of Mid-Pentecost and every Sabbath rest. Amen! Christ is Risen!

 

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News and Events

ST. GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

 Rev. Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews, Presbyter

1111 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105, (651) 222-6220, www.stgeorgegoc.org

 

June 2, 2019                                                                                       6th SUNDAY PASCHA – THE BLIND MAN

 

TODAY’S EVENTS: Philoptochos meeting 12pm;Greek Dance practice 6:30pm.

 

Memorial: Metropolitan Iakovos (2 yrs)   Prosfora: Rita Kanavati     Greeters: Yodahe Gamada, Joe Weiser

Epistle Reader: Stephen Kanavati            Fellowship: Lily Zahariades & Tina Sageotis

 

Monday       06-03     Clergy-Laity meeting in Bloomington                                                                   2:00PM

                                   Loaves & Fishes at St. Matthew’s in West St. Paul                                                4:30PM

Wednesday 06-05     ORTHROS (8am) &LITURGY- APODOSIS OF PASCHA                                          9:00AM

                                  VESPERS –ASCENSION OF OUR LORD                                                                6:00PM

Thursday     06-06     ORTHROS (8am) &LITURGY- ASCENSION                                                         9:00AM

Friday          06-07     Office closed through June 11

Sunday        06-09     ORTHROS (8:15am) &LITURGY-7th SUN. OF PASCHA – HOLY FATHERS              9:30AM

                                   Welcome & Outreach event                                                                             12:00PM

                                   Greek Dance practice                                                                                        6:30PM

Thursday     06-13     MEOCCA meeting                                                                                           11:00AM

                                   Investment Committee meeting                                                                        6:30PM

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Fr. Rick Transfer: Last Sunday Fr. Rick announced after liturgy and emailed to the community that he will be transferred to the Saints Peter & Paul Greek Orthodox Church in Glenview Illinois near Chicago. The approximate timing will be end of June or early July. The parish council is working with Metropolitan Nathanael regarding the assignment of the new parish priest. Fr. Rick thanks everyone for their support!

Philoptochos Meeting Today: after Liturgy. We will be holding our biannual elections and collecting the remainder of the outstanding 2019 membership dues. Your membership support is greatly appreciated.

Pray with Holy Trinity Sunday: today to support our sister parish in Chicago that is in an extremely dire financial situation at risk of losing their church and property. The Metropolis and the Church issued a joint statement on May 23rd. Please pray for them. For more info visit: www.chicago.goarch.org

Think About It: Nourish your soul with Bible reading. It will prepare a spiritual feast for you.     St. Augustine of Hippo (+430)

Prison Ministry Awareness Sunday: today throughout all the Orthodox Churches in North America. OCPM needs your help to bring the mercy, forgiveness and love of Christ to those in prison. Let us not forget that “the very essence of the person is the image of God, and this remains in him or her despite every disfigurement” (St. John of Kronstadt). For more info: www.theocpm.org and www.ocpm-mn.org. If interested in volunteering, please contact Fr. Rick or Eleni Hoffhines eleni42@q.com

Loaves and Fishes: next meal is tomorrow, June 3rd. Volunteers always welcome and needed. Arrive at 4:30pm, we serve 5-6pm and clean-up is done by 7pm. Location is St. Matthews, 490 Hall Avenue in West Saint Paul. “I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was hungry and you gave me food” Mt.25

Last Time to Sing Christ is Risen at liturgy this Wed. June 5th , 9am for the Apodosis/Leave-taking of Pascha.

Fr. Rick on Vacation: this week and next June 6 – 14. For any pastoral emergencies, please contact St. Mary Greek Orthodox Church 612-825-9595. For other needs, call the church office.

Office Closed: Julie will be on vacation from Friday, June 7 through Tuesday, June 11. The office will re-open on June 12. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Patristic Wisdom: Nothing, whether it is good or bad, happens to a person by blind chance. There is a provident God who steers the affairs of the world, and with each one of us there is a Guardian who does not miss anything, and whose watchfulness never relaxes or grows weak.   St. Isaac the Syrian (+7th cent.)

Congratulations Graduate: to Sarah McCloud who graduated with honors from Northland College in Wisconsin with a degree in English. She hopes to work as a professional writer in Chicago.

Consecration Service: St. John Chrysostom Monastery invites you to attend the Consecration of its “Panagia Quick-to-Hear” chapel by Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago June 7-8, 2019. See posting in social hall.

Metropolitan Nathanael Feast Day: Everyone is invited to the Great Vespers on June 10 followed by an open house at St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Palatine, IL. Divine Liturgy on June 11 followed by a luncheon at the Annunciation Cathedral in Chicago. For details see posting in social hall.

Help the Cash Flow this Summer: please continue to make stewardship contributions now and throughout the summer so that we don’t have to use our savings to pay our bills. Costs associated with fulfilling our mission and ministries remain constant throughout the summer. Please don’t wait until the end of the year to make stewardship contributions. Thank you to everyone for your generous support!

Wisdom from the Fathers: Do not rejoice when others show you kindness and love—consider yourself unworthy of it. But rejoice when an occasion presents itself for you to show love. Show love simply, without any deviation into cunning thoughts, without any trivial, world, covetous calculations.    St. John of Kronstadt (+1907)

College Scholarship Contest:college students and graduating high school seniors are invited to apply for 2019-2020 academic year by submitting an essay discussing the topic: “How does the liturgical/worship life of the Greek Orthodox Christian Church help you draw/grow closer to God?” Awards:1st place $1000 by John Pitsavas Memorial Scholarship; 2nd place $500 and 3rd place $300 by Missions & Benevolence Ministry Scholarship. Deadline is June 15, 2019. Applications and guidelines are available in the church office.

Families Moving Forward: Friday June 21st our parish hosts an entire evening for 4-5 homeless families at Saint Mary's GOC in Minneapolis. We need volunteers for childcare, overnight supervision and general hosts. Contact any member of Missions & Benevolence for details. Please support this thoughtful ministry.

Strategic Planning Update: based on everyone’s input, the mission statement was recently finalized "St. George Greek Orthodox Church: A Christ-centered community that inspires faith and worship, cultivates spiritual growth and fellowship and encourages benevolence and outreach.” We now move into our next phase, which is called a SWOT survey. We invite your feedback about Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats regarding our parish community. Complete survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/J9LH9FG

Church Fathers Speak: Let the icons of saints bring to your mind how many intercessors you have always praying for you before God, and how many allies fighting for you in your unceasing battles.    St. Theophan the Recluse (+1894)

Stewardship 2019: Theme is “All things are possible to the one who believes in Christ” (Mark 9:23). 110 pledges have been received averaging $1,571, total $172,829. 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!

 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. Note: there is no July issue; deadline for August issue is July 10. Glad Tidings email: gladtidings@stgeorgegoc.org  Sunday Bulletin Deadline: Wednesday Noon each week.  Email: office@stgeorgegoc.org

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