Sunday Morning Orthros/Matins 8:15am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am; Saturday Great Vespers & Weekday Services (see Online Calendar, Sunday Bulletin & Newsletter); Confession (by appointment).
Parish Mission Statement: “St. George Greek Orthodox Church is a Christ-centered
Community that:
+NATIVITY FAST+
+ST. ANASTASIA PHARMOKALYTRIA
SUNDAY BEFORE THE NATIVITY
8:15AM ORTHROS
9:30AM DIVINE LITURGY
11:00AM Makers Mall Deliveries/ Caroling
12:00PM Basketball Practice
+CHRISTMAS EVE
3:00PM ROYAL HOURS
4:00PM VESPERAL LITURGY
Christmas - Office Closed
+NATIVITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
8:30AM ORTHROS
9:30AM DIVINE LITURGY
+NO FASTING+
+SYNAXIS OF THEOTOKOS
+ST. STEPHANOS PROTOMARTYR
10:00AM Glad Tidings Mailing
6:00PM Holiday Party (AHEPA)
SUNDAY AFTER NATIVITY
8:15AM ORTHROS
9:30AM DIVINE LITURGY
11:30AM Basketball Practice
Youth Caroling with Makers Mall Gift Delivery
Today, December 22nd, after church. We’ll divide into groups and visit 3-4 homebound parishioners each. Would you like to lead a group? Please see any of our Makers in the Social Hall to coordinate. Or sign up to join a group that might be passing through your neighborhood!
Youth & Family Snow Tubing
Sat., January 11, at 10am in Maple Grove, see flyer on candlestand for details!
Reminder when writing checks…
During this busy time of year for the Treasurer, if you are making a stewardship contribution, please note in the memo line which stewardship year the funds should be applied to, 2019 or 2020. It helps the process run smoothly. Thank you for your continued stewardship support!
Help for the Holidays
Please contact Father Perry if you or someone you know could use some support (food, gifts, etc.) for the holidays.
Basketball Tourney
Registration Tournament is now open at www.greekbball.org! Practices start this Sunday December 22 and run every Sunday until February 2 from noon - 2pm at St. Thomas More Catholic School gymnasium (1065 Summit Avenue, across the street from St. George). Questions? Contact Co-chairs Dan Simon or Milam Paraschou. Next Basketball Meeting: Tuesday, January 7 at 6:30pm.
Giving Options with a Tax Advantage
There are some simple ways to make stewardship contributions with significant tax savings. One way is to transfer appreciated stock to the church. This process is a simple and easy way to fulfill your stewardship commitment.
The second way involves the new tax law that allows people older than 70½ to transfer up to $100,000 from their IRAs to charity each year and have it count as their RMD without being added to their adjusted gross income.
There are 2 main benefits of gifting stock:
-Avoid large embedded capital gains by gifting highly appreciated stock
-Stock donations are tax deductible up to 30% of an individual’s AGI / cash donations up to 60% of AGI
*Assuming donors have surpassed the standard deduction
We strongly encourage those considering this option to consult with their tax advisor prior to doing so. Donors initiate the process and complete appropriate paperwork through their delivering firm (where the stock is currently held). Contact Alexis Bighley with questions.
Sunday before Nativity
The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 11:9-10; 32-40
BRETHREN, by faith Abraham sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city which has foundation, whose builder and maker is God.
And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets - who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated - of whom the world was not worthy - wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
Sunday before Nativity
The Reading is from Matthew 1:1-25
The book of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, and Aram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.
And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa, and Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel, and Salathiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.
So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus.
On the Sunday that occurs on or immediately after the eighteenth of this month, we celebrate all those who from ages past have been well-pleasing to God, beginning from Adam even unto Joseph the Betrothed of the Most Holy Theotokos, according to genealogy, as the Evangelist Luke hath recorded historically (Luke 3:23-38); we also commemorate the Prophets and Prophetesses, and especially the Prophet Daniel and the Holy Three Children.
This Saint, who was from Rome, was a most comely, wealthy, and virtuous maiden, the daughter of Praepextatus and Fausta. It was her mother who instructed her in the Faith of Christ. The Saint was joined to a man named Publius Patricius, who was prodigal in life and impious in disposition, but she was widowed after a short time. Henceforth, she went about secretly to the dwellings of the poor and the prisons where the Martyrs of Christ were, and brought them whatever was needed for their daily subsistence. She washed their wounds and loosed them from their fetters, and consoled them in their anguish. Also, because the Saint, through her intercessions, has healed many from the ill effects of spells, potions, poisons, and other harmful substances, she has received the name "Deliverer from Potions." Since the fame of her deeds had spread about, she was arrested by Diocletian's minions, and after enduring many torments she was put to death by fire in the year 290.
The incomprehensible and inexplicable Nativity of Christ came to pass when Herod the Great was reigning in Judea; the latter was an Ascalonite on his fathers's side and an Idumean on his mother's. He was in every way foreign to the royal line of David; rather, he had received his authority from the Roman emperors, and had ruled tyrannically over the Jewish people for some thirty-three years. The tribe of Judah, which had reigned of old, was deprived of its rights and stripped of all rule and authority. Such was the condition of the Jews when the awaited Messiah was born, and truly thus was fulfilled the prophecy which the Patriarch Jacob had spoken 1,807 years before: "A ruler shall not fail from Judah, nor a prince from his loins, until there come the things stored up for him; and he is the expectation of the nations" (Gen.49:10).
Thus, our Saviour was born in Bethlehem, a city of Judea, whither Joseph had come from Nazareth of Galilee, taking Mary his betrothed, who was great with child, that, according to the decree issued in those days by the Emperor Augustus, they might be registered in the census of those subject to Rome. Therefore, when the time came for the Virgin to give birth, and since because of the great multitude there was no place in the inn, the Virgin's circumstance constrained them to enter a cave which was near Bethlehem. Having as shelter a stable of irrational beasts, she gave birth there, and swaddled the Infant and laid Him in the manger (Luke 2:1-7). From this, the tradition has come down to us that when Christ was born He lay between two animals, an ox and an ass, that the words of the Prophets might be fulfilled: "Between two living creatures shalt Thou be known" (Abbacum 3:2), and "The ox knoweth his owner and the ass his master's crib" (Esaias 1: 3).
But while the earth gave the new-born Saviour such a humble reception, Heaven on high celebrated majestically His world-saving coming. A wondrous star, shining with uncommon brightness and following a strange course, led Magi from the East to Bethlehem to worship the new-born King. Certain shepherds who were in the area of Bethlehem, who kept watch while tending their sheep, were suddenly surrounded by an extraordinary light, and they saw before them an Angel who proclaimed to them the good tidings of the Lord's joyous Nativity. And straightway, together with this Angel, they beheld and heard a whole host of the Heavenly Powers praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men" (Luke 2:8-14).
Intro to Orthodoxy
Our 12-week Winter 2020 catechism class on the basics of Eastern Orthodox Christianity will begin on Monday evenings 7-9pm, starting January 6. The class is open to all, especially inquirers, and those interested in converting to Orthodoxy. Classes are held here at St. George. Register online at https://forms.gle/CELCdCiVHCfWb3JU8 . Feel free to join us for individual classes without registering.
March for Life
Join us for the annual March for Life on January 22, 2020, which takes place at the State Capitol in St. Paul. Orthodox Christians across the country will be joining in their local marches to speak out against abortion and to pray for healing for those affected by it. The bus will pick up participants at St. Mary’s at 9:30am & at St. George’s at approx. 10:00am. 10:30am Service for Life at the Cathedral of St. Paul (we have reserved seating). Following the service, we will march together to the Capitol building for the program. Departure is 1:00pm. Children are welcome to attend. Dress warm!
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 the church with questions.
Pan-Orthodox Ethnic Dance Party
Save the date, February 1st, 7:00pm at St. Mary’s GOC in Minneapolis. Last year there were over 200 participants! Questions? See posting or contact Steve Selin at 616-443-0970/skselin5@gmail.com or TJ Perry at 651-895-9693/ thomas.perry@osumc.edu.
Project Mexico
Fr. Perry is interested in bringing a few people with him to Tijuana, Mexico in July, 2020 to participate in a Project Mexico Home-Build. More info at: www.projectmexico.org/homebuilding. Older high schoolers and/or adult ages recommended. Similar to camp; daily worship, discussions on faith, fellowship time, spending time at the orphanage, & building a home. We will work to fundraise the cost of the trip. See Fr. Perry with questions.
Grants for Medical Crisis Expenses
Please be aware that the Medical Crisis Program (aka Lyn Olson Fund) provides grants to support individuals & families who are financially suffering from medical crisis. Visit: www.lomcp.com for more info.
May their memory be eternal!
Metropolitan Nathanael
Hosted by AHEPA on December 28, 2019
January 11, 2020
January 22, 2020
We rejoice in the Lord on this blessed Feast of the Nativity, for we proclaim in the hymns of the feast, “Heaven and earth are united today, for Christ is born!” (Great Compline) In a divine and wondrous act of His abundant grace, God has bowed the heavens until they touched the earth.