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 30, 2019 SYNAXIS OF TWELVE APOSTLES
TODAY’S EVENTS: Greek Dance practice 6:30pm.
Epistle Reader: Stephen Kanavati Prosfora: anonymous
Fellowship: St. George Parishioners, Philoptochos Greeters: Jim Theros, Bob Baffa
Thursday 07-04 Independence Day holiday – office closed
Sunday 07-07 ORTHROS (8:15am) &LITURGY- 3rd SUNDAY OF MATTHEW 9:30AM
Greek Dance practice 6:30PM
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Farewell! Today is Father Rick's and Presvytera Jane's last Sunday as proistamenos of our parish. Please join us for Divine Liturgy. Afterwards, the Parish Council will host a luncheon program sponsored by Philoptochos and individual parishioners to honor 20 years of dedicated service to our community and to wish them well as they embark in faithful service at their new parish of Saints Peter & Paul Greek Orthodox Church in Glenview, Illinois.
Fr. Perikles Assigned: Metropolitan Nathanael has officially assigned Fr. Perry Kallis to our parish effective August 1, 2019. He will preside at the Divine Liturgy on Sunday July 28th. Presvytera Cassie, and their children: Joshua (8) Demetrios (5) and Penelope (2) are excited to begin their new ministry.
Kids at Camp: Please pray for the ten campers from our parish who will be at Summer Church Camp this week with Fr. Rick. Pray also for all the campers and staff and their safety.
Think About It: Never abandon prayer and God will not abandon you. St. Nikolai Velimirovich (+1956)
A Child is Born! Constantine John to parents Christina & Jesse Andrist; on May 30, 2019. Congratulations to them and siblings Sophia, Steven, Maria and Penelope, and to grandparents Nicholas & Effie Psimos!
Baptism Invitation: Everyone is invited to the baptism of Panagiotis Telemachus, son of Christopher Christoforides & Emily Connolly, on July 6, 2019 at 11:00 am with reception to follow. Please rsvp via call, text or email. 218.428.0449 or christoforides@gmail.com. Thank you!
Help the Cash Flow this Summer: please continue stewardship contributions throughout the summer to avoid using 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. Thank you to all for your generous support!
Discounted Festival Tickets are now available for sale. Don't wait, purchase $12 worth of tickets for only $10 until July 31. See a festival representative in the social hall on Sundays.
2020 Basketball Tourney: will be hosted by our parish here in Saint Paul, MN on February 7-8-9, 2020. The parish council approved at February meeting and planning committee is formed. The last time we hosted was 2012. For more info or to volunteer, contact tournament co-chairs Milam Paraschou and Dan Simon.
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
Patristic Wisdom: Has your prayer been heard? Thank God! Have you not been heard? Persist in your prayer until you are heard. St. John Chrysostom (+407)
Stewardship 2019: Theme is “All things are possible to the one who believes in Christ” (Mark 9:23). 112 pledges have been received averaging $1,565, total $175,329. 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!
Exterior Restoration- Brick, block and tuckpointing have been completed. Cost of project is $118,647. We have raised over $92,281 from our parishioners and friends. Please join us in this important work. Thank you!
Church Fathers Speak: Let us then honor the Saints and invoke their help, in order that they might strengthen us in our prayer. And may we rest assured that our prayer will be listened to by God. St. Raphael of Lesvos (+1463)
Roselawn Cemetery Lots: 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!
Festival Yard Signs:Please return your festival yard signs to church to have their date changed- it’s almost time to put them out. If you don’t have a sign, they’re coming soon! Just ask any member of the Festival cmte.
Classroom Clean-up: Sunday School teachers, please clear your classrooms so that they can be cleaned for the summer and used to store supplies for the Greek Festival. Contact Aida with any questions.
Clergy Laity Registration: is now open. Please consider a sponsorship and registering as an observer with choice of a la carte meals. http://chicago.goarch.org/clergy-laity-2019 Everyone is invited to participate in the strategic planning on Friday. St. George and St. Mary Church communities are co-hosting Sept 25-29, 2019.
Wisdom from the Fathers: Before you ask the Lord for forgiveness, you must yourself forgive. That is what it says in the Lord’s Prayer. St. Nikon of Optina (+1931)
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.
Join an IOCC Homebuild Team! In response to hurricanes, 3 one-week projects are scheduled in Texas through August 24, 2019. The only cost is a $100 participation fee and getting to the respective city. Participants arrive on Monday afternoon and depart on Saturday morning; IOCC covers all costs on the ground (room, board, and local transportation). For project dates and locations, see posting in social hall or visit https://iocc.org/take-action/join-action-team/home-build-volunteers. More info DChristopulos@iocc.org
Bible Study: will continue in July on 10th and 24th in the conference room at church. RSVP or questions to Kathy Ryan 651-292-9948 or Kathy.aeiou@gmail.com. All are welcome!
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
I stand here before you this evening, and I think about all that has transpired in just the past few weeks, and I have to say that I am so happy when I reflect upon my first interaction with the clergy of the Archdiocese, in the phone call of Thursday May 16th, just five days after my election as Archbishop of America.
Your love and welcome are truly overwhelming, and I thank all of you from the bottom of my heart. So many expressions of appreciation, so many warm words of greeting. From the Enthronement Ceremony in the Cathedral to this festive and magnificent luncheon – a fellowship meal of faith and love. You will forgive me if I say that I am truly overcome by your kind and generous reception of my humble person. I truly thank you all for such a glorious day!
Indeed, my heart, soul, and mind are ready and eager to embark on this great challenge and charge that our Thrice-Holy God has granted to me by His grace, with my election, at the recommendation of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, by the most reverend members of the Holy and Sacred Synod, in order that I might serve you, the beloved faithful of America, as your spiritual father and pastor, the seventh Archbishop of the Holy Archdiocese of America.
Today, then, begins a new liturgical cycle of our Church, one in which we must make every effort to live the witness of all the Saints of our Church, which stretches across ceaseless centuries since the Day of Pentecost, and which draws a straight line of our faith from the time of the Holy Apostles and the Holy Martyrs – men and women.
His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America has appointed the Rev. Protopresbyter Alexander Karloutsos to be the Vicar General of the Holy Archdiocese of America.
NEW YORK – His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America received yesterday evening in his office, his first official visit following his enthronement, the U.S. Ambassador-at-large for Religious Freedom Samuel Brownback.
NEW YORK– The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is excited to announce a generous grant for Orthodox Christian Fellowship’s annual Summer Leadership Institute, a four-day training workshop for young adults ages 18-25.
