News and Events

Crown them with Honor & Glory
Congratulations to Anastasia Pathos and Reece Jacklitch who were united in the Mystery/Sacrament of Marriage on October 5. Sponsor is Cecelia Johnson.

Trip on a Riverboat Cruise
A reminder to those joining us: we depart in caravan on Sat., Oct. 19 from St. George at 11:00am; for those meeting us in Hudson, WI, we board the boat at 11:30am sharp! Don’t miss the boat! ;) We are accepting payments for the trip now in the church office; $30 per person. Please submit your payment at your earliest convenience, with cash or check (made out to St. George with Boat Trip written in the memo line), prior to the event if possible. Questions to Lily Zahariades at 651.646.0872.

75th Anniversary Albums Available for Pick Up
The wait is over! The 75th Commemorative Album is now available for pick up. If you purchased a family page, your complimentary copy/copies will be available during fellowship in the social hall on October 20 and October 27. If you cannot make it to church either of these days, stop by the church office during business hours to get your album(s). They will also be available in the bookstore while supplies last, price per copy $20. Thank you for your patience!

Pan-Orthodox Ladies Tea
Saturday, November 9, 2019 at 2pm, St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral, Parish Center. Vespers follow at 5pm. See posting in social hall for details, or contact Karen Schwebach at schh99@msn.com.

Youth & Family Event on Sat., Oct. 26 at 5:30pm. Joanna Tzenis & Dean Natto invite youth & families to their neighborhood's "island beach club" for a "Fireside Chat" youth event. Burgers & beverages will be provided (we will need help grilling!) Please bring something to share. 1520 Arden Place, Arden Hills, MN 55112 on the shores of Lake Johanna; basketball, soccer, playground & bonfire pit.

Memory Eternal
Annoula H. Bahneman, aunt of Mr. Takis Taratsas, & mother of Mr. George Taratsas (Jennifer) passed away on Oct. 1, 2019. The wake for +Annoula will be held on Sun. Oct. 20 from 4:30-7pm, with the Trisagion at 7:00pm at Willwerscheid. The Funeral Service will take place at 10:00am on Mon., Oct. 21 at St. George. Interment to follow at Roselawn Cemetery. Makaria (mercy meal) to follow in the social hall.

Lions vs. Vikings - Discussion & Get-Together
Join us in the Conference Room on Sunday October 20 after coffee hour for a brief discussion and informal get-together to watch the Detroit Lions beat the Minnesota Vikings. We will begin with a discussion on parenting and our faith. Afterward, we will enjoy each others' company, the game, and some delicious chicken wings. $5 suggested donation for cost of the food and drinks, kids (17 and younger) free. Space is limited. Please sign up on the sign-up sheet in the hall so we can have a count for food.

Fresh Phyllo
Philoptochos will be taking orders for fresh phyllo following Liturgy on Oct. 20, 27 and Nov. 3. The fresh phyllo will be available for pick up on Nov. 17. If you have any questions please contact Lani Hattling at lanihattling@gmail.com or Anastasia at ssacacos@yahoo.com

Daytime Bible Study has completed one year of meetings. The next one is Wed., Oct. 16. If you would like to give it a try, there is room at the table for you! We will study Luke 3:1-20. Questions? Contact Kathy Ryan 651.292.9948 or Kathy.aeiou@gmail.com.

Want to Dance?
The Greek Dancers of Minnesota have started their new season and this is the best time for new members to join. Also welcome are musicians who play Greek folk instruments (eg. zournas, lyra, gaida, clarinet, violin, santouri, daouli). All ages can join (including adults); there is no membership fee and you do not need to be Greek or Greek Orthodox. Contact Angela Mortari at 651-730-1652 or contact us through our website www.greekdancersmn.com

Philoptochos Fall Brunch
Ladies of the St. George Philoptochos & their guests are invited to a Fall Welcome Brunch on Sat., Oct. 26 from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm in the social hall. We encourage you to bring a friend or two & join us. This event will be catered, & promises to be a tasty, interesting and fun event designed to get to know each other better & relax for a few hours! $20 per person.

An Evening Bible Study Group will start soon & take place twice a month, focused on Orthodox Christian parenting. We will have two volunteers to help take care of our little ones. All are welcome! For more info, contact either Katherine Cabieses at (240) 705-1520 or katherineecabieses@gmail.com, or Stephen Kanavati at (651) 335-2124 or skanavat@gmail.com. Please fill out this form: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ix8qnQRNPnmZxFF-JRSpRk2h6kBk9SEiblJAHe-6Hks/edit?usp=sharing

Next Game Night is Saturday, October 26, 7pm, here at St. George. The Orthodox Game League invites adults 18+ to learn a new game, play a classic, teach a game, and have fun! Flyer in social hall; contact Nikki Beauchamp 612.910.2943 for details.

Changes to our Publications
You may have noticed that our Sunday Bulletin looks different this week. This change is a part of a process that will be taking place over the next few months of experimenting with, and refreshing, our modes of communication. Starting next month, we will begin to produce our Glad Tidings newsletter on a bimonthly basis. With the reduction in time needed to produce the newsletter, we plan to enhance our listserv/email communications, social media, website, etc. As you may have also noticed, our Sunday Bulletin will incorporate some information that has historically been reserved for the Glad Tidings; for example photos, flyers, and brief articles. We ask for your patience and feedback during this period. Please contact Fr. Perry or George Mastrogiorgis with your feedback.

Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion for Sun. of the 7th Ecumenical Council in the Plagal 4th Tone

You are greatly glorified, O Christ our God, who established our Fathers as luminaries upon the earth, and through them led us all to the true Faith. O Most compassionate, glory to You.

Saints and Feasts

October 13

Sunday of the 7th Ecumenical Council

On the Sunday that falls on or immediately after the eleventh of this month, we chant the Service to the 350 holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, which gathered in Nicaea in 787 under the holy Patriarch Tarasius and during the reign of the Empress Irene and her son, Constantine Porphyrogenitus, to refute the Iconoclast heresy, which had received imperial support beginning with the Edict issued in 726 by Emperor Leo the Isaurian. Many of the holy Fathers who condemned Iconoclasm at this holy Council later died as Confessors and Martyrs for the holy Icons during the second assult of Iconoclasm in the ninth century, especially during the reigns of Leo the Armenian and Theophilus.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Sunday of the 7th Ecumenical Council
The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to Titus 3:8-15

Titus, my son, the saying is sure. I desire you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to apply themselves to good deeds; these are excellent and profitable to men. But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels over the law, for they are unprofitable and futile. As for a man who is factious, after admonishing him once or twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is perverted and sinful; he is self-condemned.

When I send Artemas or Tychicos to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. And let our people learn to apply themselves to good deeds, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not to be unfruitful.

All who are with me send greeting to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the 7th Ecumenical Council
The Reading is from Luke 8:5-15

The Lord said this parable: "A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the path, and was trodden under foot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew, and yielded a hundredfold." And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience." As he said these things, he cried out "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

Wisdom of the Fathers

For by seed here He means His doctrine, and by land, the souls of men, and by the sower, Himself .... For as the sower makes no distinction in the land submitted to him, but simply and indifferently casts his seed; so He Himself too makes no distinction of rich and poor, of wise and unwise, of slothful or diligent, of brave or cowardly; but He discourses unto all, fulfilling His part, although foreknowing the results.

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 44 on Matthew 12, 4th Century

When you see life's pleasures, beware that they might not distract you, for they conceal death's snares. Likewise a fisherman casts not his hook to no purpose. As bait for his hook, the enemy uses the delusion of sensuality to arouse desire, that he might thereby catch men's souls and subject them to himself. A soul which has been caught to serve the enemy's will then serves as a snare for other souls, for it conceals the grief of sin with its apparent delight.

St. Ephraim the Syrian

A Spiritual Psalter no 43, pg. 74, 4th century

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese News

Assembly of Bishops of the USA and the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches Revive the Joint Commission of Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches

10/08/2019

NEW YORK – Representatives of Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Christian churches met today at the Armenian Cathedral of St. Vartan for the first meeting of the joint commission in nearly a decade. The meeting began with a common prayer service followed by open discussions.

https://www.goarch.org/-/2019-10-08-assembly-scooch-meeting