Calendar

Upcoming Events

January 5 to January 12, 2020

Sunday, January 5

+EVE OF THEOPHANY - STRICT FAST DAY

8:15AM ORTHROS

9:30AM DIVINE LITURGY

10:30AM Sunday School

10:30AM AGIASMOS - BLESSING OF THE WATERS

11:30AM Basketball Practice

11:45AM Greek School

4:30PM Greek Dance Practice

Monday, January 6

+THEOPHANY (EPIPHANY): BAPTISM OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

8:00AM ORTHROS

9:00AM DIVINE LITURGY

10:00AM AGIASMOS - BLESSING OF THE WATERS

7:00PM Catechism Class

Tuesday, January 7

+SYNAXIS OF THE FORERUNNER JOHN THE BAPTIST

6:30PM Basketball Tournament Meeting

Wednesday, January 8

+FAST DAY

Friday, January 10

+FAST DAY

+ST. GREGORY OF NYSSA

8:50AM Doxology

9:00AM DIVINE LITURGY

Saturday, January 11

+ST. THEODOSIOS CENOBIARCHOS

10:00AM Youth & Family - Snow Tubing

5:00PM Vespers

Sunday, January 12

+SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

8:15AM ORTHROS

9:30AM DIVINE LITURGY

10:30AM Sunday School

11:00AM VASILOPITA CUTTING

11:15AM Parish Council Oath of Office & Election of Officers

11:30AM Philoptochos Meeting

11:30AM Basketball Practice

11:45AM Greek School

4:30PM Greek Dance Practice

Announcements

Join us Saturday, January 04, 2020, at 12:00 pm for MEOCCA's annual Outdoor Blessing of the Waters at 1313 Hidden Falls Dr, St Paul, MN 55116.

Basketball Tourney
Registration Tournament is now open at www.greekbball.org! Practices run every Sunday until February 2 from (after Sunday School) 11:30am-1:30pm 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.

Daytime Bible Study
Will be held once in January, on Wednesday, January 15, at 1:30 to 3 pm at church. We will study The Good Samaritan Luke 10.25-37. Everyone is invited. For questions call Kathy Ryan 651-292-9948 or email kathy.aeiou@gmail.com

Metropolis of Chicago—Divine Liturgy Every Day of the Year!
Join us in worship for Divine Liturgy this Friday, January 10 at 9:00am for the feast of St. Gregory of Nyssa. His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael has asked all of the parishes of the metropolis to work together to ensure Divine Liturgy is celebrated every day of the year 2020. January 10 will be our first Liturgy celebrated in participation with this Metropolis wide initiative. The full schedule can be found at https://chicago.goarch.org/-/2020-divine-liturgy-daily-schedule-announced.

House Blessings
Following Epiphany, please contact Fr. Perry to have your house blessed! No complicated planning or preparation necessary. You provide a bowl of water and make sure your family is present. Please call, text, or email Fr. Perry (651) 706-9672 cell or frperry@stgeorgegoc.org to schedule a house blessing. Χρόνια πολλά! Many Years for the feast of Epiphany!

Correction: Regrettably, Kostas & Naomi Tsantir and Barbara & Jerry Bauman were not included on the parish Christmas card that was mailed in December.

Bronze Cross of the Metropolis Award Nomination
We have the opportunity as a parish to honor one of our parishioners with the Bronze Cross of the Metropolis Award. See page 7 for the purpose and criteria of this award. If there is someone you feel demonstrates the qualities of service, leadership, and innovation to receive the Bronze Cross of the Metropolis we encourage you to complete the form on page 7 and drop it in the secured voting box located in the Social Hall. Additional paper forms are also available in the Social Hall. Or you can complete the online form which is available on our website stgeorgegoc.org. If you have any questions please talk to Vicky Paraschou or send your inquiry to info@stgeorgegoc.org. The nomination process will be open until Sunday, February 2, 2020.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Sunday before Epiphany
The Reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to Timothy 4:5-8

TIMOTHY, my son, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry.

For I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Gospel Reading

Sunday before Epiphany
The Reading is from Mark 1:1-8

The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophets, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who shall prepare your way; the voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.' John was baptizing in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

Saints and Feasts

January 06

The Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

About the beginning of our Lord's thirtieth year, John the Forerunner, who was some six months older than Our Saviour according to the flesh, and had lived in the wilderness since his childhood, received a command from God and came into the parts of the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance unto the remission of sins. Then our Saviour also came from Galilee to the Jordan, and sought and received baptism though He was the Master and John was but a servant. Whereupon, there came to pass those marvellous deeds, great and beyond nature: the Heavens were opened, the Spirit descended in the form of a dove upon Him that was being baptized and the voice was heard from the Heavens hearing witness that this was the beloved Son of God, now baptized as a man (Matt. 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:1-22). From these events the Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ and the great mystery of the Trinity were demonstrated. It is also from this that the present feast is called "Theophany," that is, the divine manifestation, God's appearance among men. On this venerable day the sacred mystery of Christian baptism was inaugurated; henceforth also began the saving preaching of the Kingdom of the Heavens.

Wisdom of the Fathers

It is the sole and peculiar property of the Substance that transcends all, to be able to bestow on men the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and make those that draw near unto It partakers of the divine nature.

St. Cyril of Alexandria

Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke, Homily 10., 4th Century

But this exists in Christ, not as a thing received, nor by communication from another, but as His own, and as belonging to His substance, for He baptizes in the Holy Spirit.

St. Cyril of Alexandria

Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke, Homily 10., 4th Century

Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion for Eve of Epiphany in the 4th Tone

River Jordan was turned back by Elisseus' mantle once, when the fiery man of zeal Elias had been taken up; then were its waters divided hither and thither. The running streams became dry passage unto him, truly as a sign and type of Baptism, whereby we pass to the other side of the shifting stream of this fleeting life. Christ hath appeared in the Jordan River, to sanctify the waters.

Seasonal Kontakion in the 4th Tone

In the running waters of the Jordan River, on this day the Lord of all crieth to John: Be not afraid and hesitate not to baptize Me, for I am come to save Adam, the first-formed man.

In Other News

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 tomorrow, 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!

Pan-Orthodox Ethnic Dance Party
February 1^st, 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.

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.

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.

Bulletin Inserts

Youth & Family Snow Tubing

January 11, 2020

Bronze Cross of the Metropolis Award

Parish Nomination Form

The Ministry of Iconography

Icon Art Studios 2020 Class Schedule

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese News

Gov. Cuomo and Archbishop Elpidophoros Announce Construction to resume on St Nicholas

01/02/2020

NEW YORK – Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo officially welcomed Archbishop Elpidophoros of America to New York and announced plans to resume the rebuilding of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at the World Trade Center. This was the Governor's first meeting with His Eminence since the Archbishop was elected by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate as Archbishop of America to succeed Archbishop Demetrios in May. The project will be driven by a new non-profit organization with an independent, 13-member board - the Friends of St. Nicholas. The new entity has been formed to ensure that the sacred space is completed as expeditiously as possible and can begin welcoming visitors from around the world. The Friends of St. Nicholas will aim to resume construction with a two-year target to complete the church

https://www.goarch.org/-/gov-cuomo-and-archbishop-elpidophoros-announce-construction-to-resume-on-st-nicholas

General Information

Contact Information

Services Schedule

Past Bulletins