Sign-up for Divine Liturgy September 13

Follow this link to sign up for services on Sunday, September 13 at 8:30/9:30am. Bring your own coffee for the parking lot after services.

Sign-up for Divine Liturgy September 20

Follow this link to sign up for services on Sunday, September 20 at 9:30am.

Click the links below to stream upcoming services

YouTube Channel

Facebook Page

Sunday School Update

Thank you everyone for filling out the Sunday School registration form and survey. Please keep the registrations coming.

Grades 7th through 12: The virtual start date is today, September 13th. Grades 7th through 9th will be taught by Anastasia Mastrogiorgis. Grades 10th through 12th will be taught by Nick Kanavati, Vicky Paraschou, and Steve Ryan. As we continue to work through Metropolis protocols, Middle & High School classes will begin virtually. 

Grades K through 6th: We are still in the planning process for these grades. The expected start date is late September or early October. Thank you for your feedback and patience as we prepare.

Please contact Aida at aidaabebe1@gmail.com or 651-434-7826 if you have any questions. Register at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/18OjPn_btCpruFFSYEnLiFFQYM5BfPUCLgR6P_9bJt6E/edit.

Submit Names for Prayer

Please click this link to submit names (first name only) of the living and those who have fallen asleep (add a + in front of the names of those who are deceased) to pray for during Divine Liturgy. The form is found toward the bottom of the page https://stgeorgestpaul.square.site. 

Basil (Vasiliko) for the Elevation of the Holy Cross

Please bring basil to the church today, September 13, for the Feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross on September 14^th. 

Daytime Bible Study

Our next virtual session will be on Wednesday, September 16 at 1:30pm when we will study God’s covenant with Noah in Genesis 8.1 to 9.17. Click here to join the Zoom Meeting; Meeting ID: 868 2072 9309. If questions, contact Kathy Ryan at kathy.aeiou@gmail.com.

September-October 2020 Glad Tidings

To read the current issue:  http://stgeorgegoc.org/assets/files/glad-tidings/GladTidings-2020-September.pdf

Intro to Orthodoxy

Our 12-week Fall 2020 catechism class on the basics of Eastern Orthodox Christianity will begin on Tuesday evenings 7-9 pm, starting September 15. The course is open to all; inquirers, those interested in converting to Orthodoxy, those wanting to grow in their faith, etc. Classes will be held virtually via Zoom. If we move to in-person, classes will take place here at St. George. See insert for schedule; register online at https://forms.gle/JuYZfmJGMWEUPpfE6. Feel free to join us for individual classes without registering.

Silent Auction Update

The Missions & Benevolence Silent Auction has gone online! The traditional silent auction started 5 years ago and raised over $8,000 in support of the St. Luke Mobile Medical Clinic. The online silent auction starts this month, with new items added each month. Bids will be accepted until the end of each month. As in the past, most items will also have a "Buy it NOW" price for those who can't wait till the end of the month. We are restarting with just a few items for the September auction while we assess the process. Click https://forms.gle/LVbSHjioCTizhBUJ7 to register and then to place your bid. Moving forward, the proceeds of the Silent Auction will support our local mission on Rice Street, FOCUS Minnesota, https://www.focusmn.org/. Thank you for your support of the charitable missions of St. George GOC! 

Opportunities to Serve 

Opportunities are available the first week of every month to serve a hot, nutritious meal to the hungry at either Loaves and Fishes or FOCUS. Please consider volunteering to help make a difference. Upcoming dates are October 5, November 1, and December 7. Contact George Mastrogiorgis at info@stgeorgegoc.org to reserve a volunteer spot.

AHEPA Meeting

Weather permitting, AHEPA will hold a socially distanced meeting in the parking lot of Gyropolis on Thursday, September 17th at 7pm. Please bring your own chair and plan to distance yourself 6 feet apart from other members. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we will still hold a phone meeting. Gyropolis, 2325 W 90th St, Minneapolis, MN 55431, (952) 746-2091

Metropolis Family Synaxis Parenting University – September 18 Zoom Event

Our homes have become our office, our school, our entertainment–even our church. We are "doing life" together with our families in ways we would never have imagined a year ago. We are also being inundated with information and suggestions from so many different sources on how to adapt, and how to navigate our new lives. How do we order our home so we can keep our faith when we can't be in church? 

We need now more than ever, to lean-in to faith and make our home a little church, for the sake of our children and for ourselves! But—HOW do we do this with all the demands on our time and energy? Can we possibly replace our parish life with home life? Join His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael and parents from around the Metropolis for a discussion about these important and challenging questions. Join our Family Synaxis community to listen, learn, and ask questions with His Eminence Friday, September 18 from 7-8:15pm. Click here to register.

4^th Annual National Advanced Leadership Conference

This pan-Orthodox virtual conference September 18-19, 2020 showcases the Intensive Program in Servant Leadership Workshop, among other presentations. The two-day event sponsored by the Orthodox Christian Leadership Initiative, features various speakers, including Fr. Marc Boulos, who will lead live, online presentations, Q&A sessions, and virtual break-out rooms. The cost is $200 (scholarships available). For details and registration click here.

Annual Gala Benefiting the Medical Crisis Program (MCP)

The 2020 MCP Gala will be 100% virtual this year. Bid on items in the online silent auction. Purchase a ticket/link to view the Gala streamed live from the Korluka Equestrian Farm on September 20 from 4-4:45pm. Visit http://bidpal.net/mcpgala2020 to see other ways you can participate. MCP is a non-profit organization that supports individuals and families who are suffering financially from medical crisis by offering grants to qualifying applicants to help cover unpaid medical expenses.

Sts Peter & Paul Divorce Rebuilders (DVR) 

DVR offers support, guidance and hope to those who are separated and divorced. Meetings will begin this fall on consecutive Mondays October 5 through October 26 for four weeks by ZOOM starting at 7:00 pm. This fall’s DVR will offer sessions co-led by Fr. Richard Andrews and Maria Boyle. This group provides a safe place where you can learn and heal from the hurt of divorce. New insights and perspectives will help you create new understandings towards developing new personal, relational and spiritual goals in your life. Biblical applications will be included. Discussion, feedback and support are integral components of this program. Leader: Maria Boyle, MA Counseling, Northwestern University. To enroll in this program and receive a ZOOM link, please email Maria at: sspp.divorcerebuilders@gmail.com and please put Divorce Rebuilders in the subject heading. There is no cost for this program. “No Christian should walk through the pain of divorce alone.”

Family Camp 2020: Communion of Saints

Because we are unable to host our typical Family Camp, our task force is offering an online version on Saturday, October 10.  for adults and teens, Fr. Jonathan Proctor and Dr. Michael Lotti of Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in St. Paul, MN, will discuss how the Scriptures and the Orthodox liturgical tradition help us understand and live out this beautiful teaching. Check out the schedule and register today!  Click Here or go to www.stmaryscamp.com/family-camp/to learn more! Hope to see you…even if it is only online!

University of Minnesota Orthodox Christian Fellowship

OCF is an organization that allows us as college students to connect through our faith. Over the past few years, we have continued to grow in numbers and hope to adapt this fall to continue to support each other through this time. We have been incredibly grateful in the past to have received meals and support from our local Orthodox community. Due to the current COVID-19 situation and university guidelines, we will be hosting our meetings every other Thursday on Zoom. We are excited to include those at other colleges in the Twin Cities and beyond in addition to the University of Minnesota students. Please pass on contact information for any students that would be interested in joining us! 

Visit our new website to learn about our ministry and to learn ways to support us at ocfumn.com. Please reach out to Anna Karos or Nina Lind at ocf@umn.edu with any questions or concerns. We ask for your prayers as we head back to school, thank you!

Save the Date

Summer Camp 2021 will be held on July 3-9, 2021. Staff applications at http://youth.stmarysgoc.org/ are being accepted until November 30, 2020. If you are a returning youth worker, please sign in with your username and PW; new applicants please create a new account. Feel free to pass this message along to anyone you think may be interested!

2020 Stewardship Contributions

Through September 11, $153,941 of our 2020 goal of $257,500 in Stewardship contributions have been received.

Stewardship Response Fund

Thank you all for your generous support! Our Stewardship Response Fund was created to help us live out our 2020 budget goals. We have set a goal of raising an additional $15,000 in stewardship. Any contribution amount will help us reach our goal!

Goal & Progress

8/50 contributors have given $50 

11/75 contributors have given $100

6/20 contributors have given $250

7 contributors have given more than $250

In total, as of September 11, 32 parishioners have contributed $8,205.50/$15,000

If you are able to give, please visit http://www.stgeorgegoc.org/give. Please enter - "2020 Stewardship Response Fund" in the "Notes" box.

Or please mail a check to:

Saint George Greek Orthodox Church, Attn: Stewardship – 2020 Stewardship Response Fund, 1111 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105, In the memo line, please add: "2020 Stewardship Response Fund."

OUR 10th ANNIVERSARY FUNDRAISER ON 10-10-2020 WILL START WITH A 10-DAY COUNTDOWN ON OCTOBER 1

2020 marks 10 years of service for FOCUS Minnesota. Thanks be to God! We've planned a 10-day virtual celebration that will culminate on Saturday, October 10, 2020. With the theme The Power of Ten, here's how you can get ready to join the party!

• LIKE our Facebook page. Beginning October 1, we'll offer posts about our 10-year impact on individuals and the community.
• SHARE this newsletter with friends who are new to FOCUS, and invite them to sign up to get it by scrolling to the bottom of our home page. During the 10-day countdown, they'll receive informative briefs about FOCUS Minnesota.
• REFLECT on how you're able to support FOCUS Minnesota financially. All levels of giving will help us reach our $30,000 goal.

UPDATE: MILLE LACS BAND OF OJIBWE MISSION TRIP

Our second mission trip to Onamia, MN, in support of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe departs on October 17th, and we are announcing a drive for some specific items:
• Diapers and wipes for the Onamia Head Start.
• Children's jackets and outerwear (new and gently used) for infants through high schoolers.
• *Supplies for housewarming kits, specifically:
- Dish Sets (plates, bowls, glassware, mugs)
- Cutlery Sets
- Cooking and Baking Utensils
- Pots and Pans
*On our previous visit to the shelter, we learned about many obstacles women face when leaving the shelter, including financial and logistical challenges associated with obtaining basic kitchen items. It can cost hundreds of dollars to stock a kitchen with pots, pans, utensils and dishes, and due to the remote location, there are few low-cost options. Your gifts, new or used and in good condition, are especially appreciated!

DONATE: Now through October 9. Contact us to arrange a drop-off time (651-222-0712 or focustwincities@gmail.com).

SORT & PACK: If you're available on Monday, October 12, please contact program manager Courtney Shaw, courtneyshaw349@gmail.com to volunteer.

WE NEED YOU!

We are grateful for all who serve beside us, both seasoned and new volunteers at FOCUS Minnesota. Here's a synopsis of current activities and opportunities to help. Contact us if something piques your interest, focustwincities@gmail.com or 651-222-0712.

Front Desk Receptionist: Needed daily from 10am-2pm
We are in need of a few volunteers answer the phone and take messages, let people into the building and direct them to where they need to go, answer questions about our programming, and perhaps make inquiries for us or confirm Clothes Closet appointments. Hours can be shared.

Food Shelf: Open the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month, 10-11:30am
Occasional help is needed stocking shelves, filling bags of staples for distribution, dividing large quantities into smaller bags for distribution, picking up food, etc.

Bag Lunch Distribution: Mondays and Thursdays, 11:30am-12:30pm
Volunteers are needed to make sandwiches and pack bags on Thursdays from 10am-12pm. Additional help is needed to distribute and/or deliver lunches to various youth partners and neighbors in need on Mondays and Thursdays.

Clothes Closet: Operating by appointment only
Volunteers needed to meet with clients one-on-one, with masks. At this time we are only accepting winter wear for men, women and children including coats, boots, hats, scarves, gloves and mittens. Please donate all other clothing to other organizations.

Takeout Sunday Dinners: Served most Sundays, 5-7pm
Groups prepare and bring the meal to FOCUS where it is put in to-go containers and distributed. We are scheduling through 2020.

Organize a collection in your parish or neighborhood
We would be honored if you organized a collection on your own. Items in need:
- Winter Outerwear for Men, Women and Children
- New Socks and Underwear for Adults or Kids
- Household Items for Onamia Mission Trip (see above)
- Diapers and Wipes
- School Supplies - crayons, markers, No. 2 pencils, ink pens, spiral bound paper, construction paper