Sign-up for Divine Liturgy October 4

Follow this link to sign up for services on Sunday, October 4 at 8:30/9:30am. Bring your own coffee for the parking lot after services.

Sign-up for Divine Liturgy October 11

Follow this link to sign up for services on Sunday, September 27 at 8:30/9:30am.

Click the links below to stream upcoming services

YouTube Channel

Facebook Page

May their Memories be Eternal!

It is with a heavy heart, but with hope in the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we share with you the passing of +Harold Johnson on October 8. Sympathies to the Johnson and Arvanitis families. https://willwerscheid.com/obituary/harold-r-johnson/.

And also the passing of +Thomas P. Bovis, father of Tina Bovis Fuller, on September 22. https://www.doughertyfuneralduluth.com/obituary/Thomas-Bovis. May the Lord grant them rest with the saints and may their memories be eternal!

Thank you Church Musicians!

Parishes across the Archdiocese observe National Church Music Sunday today. This day is an annual Archdiocese-wide commemoration occurring on the first Sunday in October following the Feast of St. Romanos the Melodist, the patron saint of church musicians. On National Church Music Sunday, we honor the contributions that clergy, choir directors, choir members, organists, chanters, and other parish music educators make to their churches. In addition, it is a day when the work of the eight Metropolitan Church Music Federations and the National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians is recognized. A heartfelt thank you to all who serve in this vital ministry! "I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing to my God as long as I exist!” Psalm 103:33

Virtual Fellowship Hour Today

Click here to join the Zoom Fellowship Hour following Divine Liturgy. You do not have to have Zoom to participate. Those interested may simply call in. Call (312) 626 6799 and enter the Meeting ID: 821 5028 9821 Passcode: 240047

Sunday School Update

Middle & High School classes are being held in-person and virtually. Teachers will email Zoom login information weekly for those who would like to participate virtually. Parents and students, as a refresher, please see in-person protocols listed below.

Grades K through 6th: We are still in the planning process for these grades. Thank you for your feedback and patience as we prepare. Please contact Aida if you would like to receive the weekly Zoom login email at aidaabebe1@gmail.com or call 651-434-7826 if you have any questions. Register at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/18OjPn_btCpruFFSYEnLiFFQYM5BfPUCLgR6P_9bJt6E/edit.

Daytime Bible Study

Our next virtual session will be on Wednesday, October 7 at 1:30pm when we will study the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11:1-9. Click here to join the Zoom Meeting; Meeting ID: 852 6170 5436 Passcode: 945984. If questions, contact Kathy Ryan at kathy.aeiou@gmail.com.

Loaves and Fishes

Our next meal is scheduled for tomorrow, October 5^th at Saint Matthews in West Saint Paul. We start around 4:30 and will finish before 6:30. We will be serving a hot nutritious take-out meal while wearing masks and social distancing. Please consider helping this worthwhile mission that is seeing substantial growth during the pandemic. Reserve your spot at Loaves and Fishes October Sign Up or contact George Mastrogiorgis.

Volunteer Opportunity

The Parish Council is looking for volunteers to serve on the Board of Electors. (Relatives of current parish council members are not eligible). We need 2-3 individuals. If you are interested, please contact Diane Anastos at anastos.diane@gmail.com by tomorrow, October 9.

Vespers

Vespers Services have resumed, Saturdays at 5pm. Vespers has beautiful hymns about the Resurrection and the Saints of the day, petitions, prayers, and readings. It is a good preparation for Sunday Divine Liturgy.

Signup Genius Attendance

Weekday Divine Liturgies and Vespers do not require advance online signup. Please sign-in when you arrive at church.

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. 

Restoration Capital Campaign Comes to a Close

Thank you to all who contributed to the capital campaign to restore the building exterior! The official campaign came to a close in July. Here is a quick recap of the restoration project: We had a total of 79 donors. Altogether, we raised $101,281 over a two-year period. The total cost of the restoration project was $118,647. Thank you to committee chairperson Mrs. Nanette Gomez and all who volunteered for the campaign!

2021 Festival of Nations Cancelled

The International Institute of Minnesota has decided to cancel next year’s Festival of Nations. They will consider holding it in 2022 and look at other, smaller options for 2021, depending what the pandemic and stay at home situation will be at that time.

Summit Avenue Now Open

The Summit Avenue bridge over Ayd Mill Road, which was demolished in November 2019, has re-opened. The transition back to normal traffic patterns will be phased and minor finishing work will continue around the bridge; please use caution when travelling through the area. Ayd Mill Road will continue to be closed while it is reconstructed under a separate City contract.

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.

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!

Young Adult Sunday School

YAL Chicago invites you to attend “Young Adult Sunday School” every Sunday from 11:15am-12:15pm to discuss topics surrounding orthodoxy, modern-day issues, and more. To attend via Zoom or in-person, register at https://www.chicago.goarch.org/-/yal-sunday-school. Up to 8 individuals can register to attend in-person at locations that vary each week. To stay notified about the Sunday School locations, please visit the YAL Chicago Facebook page at facebook.com/yalchicago.

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!

Benefit Concert

Join Dr. Chris Granias and his fellow composers and musicians on Monday, October 19 at 4pm for Kalo Taxidi: Evening of Original Music. To learn more about this virtual concert, which is a benefit for the national MS Society, click here. 

Learn to Chant

The Trisagion School of Byzantine Music is a new online Byzantine Chant training program offering instruction in English with a focus on the ever-growing English-language repertoire available in Byzantine notation. The cost of each 7-week course is $225 which includes access to repertoire scores, audio recordings, instructional videos, and weekly online practice sessions. For course descriptions and more information, visit https://trisagionschool.org

Thank You!

The board and all volunteers at the Medical Crisis Program thank you for your continued support towards MCP's mission. The Annual Gala which was virtual this year was another amazing event! MCP has been blessed to provide most probably another 15/ $1,000 grants for 2021! Save the date for next year's Annual GALA scheduled to take place on Sunday, September 19th, 2021; virtually and hopefully in person once again!

Free Home-Delivered Meals

Meals on Wheels of Ramsey County is providing FREE meals to Ramsey County residents aged 18 and over who are experiencing hardships due to COVID-19. Individuals who are homebound and unable to afford meals are eligible to receive up to 21 meals per week. For more information, or to begin receiving meals, go to https://meals-on-wheels.com/ramsey or call 651.318.9091.

• Grades preschool - 6th grade will be distance learning platform.
• Grades 7-12 will be in-person classroom format. 7-9 in one classroom. 9-12 in another
classroom.
• Sunday School in-person classes will be conducted outdoors whenever weather permits.
• Masks will be worn at all times by all in attendance of in-person class format.
• Point of contact for COVID-19 concerns will be Fr. Perry
• Class size will be limited to 4 students plus 1 teacher to provide a minimum of 6 ft distance
between all in attendance.
• If the class size exceeds 4 students on any Sunday, grade 7-9 class will move to the social hall,
grade 9-12 class will move to the board room to allow for the minimum 6 ft distancing with a
larger group.
• Students will sign up via SignUpGenius prior to each Sunday that they will be attending.
• SignUpGenius will be the record of attendance should contact tracing be needed.
• Parent/guardian of students will prescreen health status of their student immediately prior to
attending Liturgy/Sunday School that day. The health criteria for attending Sunday School is the same as for attending Divine Liturgy, and consistent with the recommendations from the Metropolis, the CDC, and the MN Dept. of Health.
• After communion student will proceed independently to the classroom.
• Students will be reminded to maintain 6 ft distance when using the hallways. Reminder signage
will be placed in the hallways.
• A hand sanitizing station will be available at the entry to the classroom. Students will use hand
sanitizer upon entering the classroom. Signage will be posted to serve as a reminder.
• Students will keep all of their personal belongings with them at their seat in the classroom.
• Lesson hand outs will be preprinted and placed at the students seat prior to class and taken home, or disposed of, by the student at the end of class.
• Pencils/pens/etc will not be shared. If pencils/pens/etc are left in the classroom after class, they will be wiped with sanitizing wipes by the teacher at the end of class.
• Any books used in class will not be shared between students. Used books will be wiped with sanitizing wipes by the teachers at the end of class.
• Teachers will use provided gloves when cleaning.
• Extra hand sanitizer, extra face masks, gloves for cleaning, sanitizing wipes, and tissues will be
available in each classroom and overflow classrooms. Supplies will be checked and replenished at the end of each class by the teachers.
• When needed, one student at a time will be allowed to use the restroom. The Church's small multiple stall restrooms will have this signage: "Please limit one person at a time in restroom. Please Knock Before Entering" Signage to "Please wash your hands before exiting the restroom" will be posted in each bathroom.
• Access to the Sunday School classrooms and the adjacent hallways will be restricted to the students and teachers. Signage will be placed in the hallways and on classroom doors.
• Sunday School will not be scheduling any visitors or guest speakers for in-person sessions.
• Sunday School will not be conducting any additional gatherings or events until further notice.
• Feedback and updates regarding policies and procedures will be reviewed via email on a weekly
basis, and/or as needed, with the Sunday School Staff and the COVID Parish Safety Team.
• If a student begins to exhibit symptoms of illness while attending Sunday School, the following procedures will be implemented by the classroom teacher: The Sunday School Director will be notified; the student with all of their belongings will be escorted to the designated isolation room; effort will be made to make the student as comfortable as possible until the student's parent/guardian can be notified; the parent/guardian will be instructed to exit the Church to the parking lot, and pick up their student from the exit door adjacent to the isolation room. The Sunday School Director will ensure that the student is delivered safely to the parent/guardian's care.
• If any student in a classroom displays symptoms of illness, immediately after the affected student has been attended to, the remainder of the students will be dismissed. They will be directed to locate their parent/guardian and exit the building as soon as possible. The classroom door will be closed. The cleaning service will be notified of the situation.
• If a classroom teacher begins feeling ill while teaching a class, they will exit the classroom, notify the Sunday School Director, and proceed to exit the building as soon as possible. The Sunday School Director will dismiss the classroom and direct the students to find their parent/guardian and exit the building as soon as possible. The classroom door will be closed. The cleaning service will be notified of the situation.
• Parents/guardians of in-person Sunday School class attendees and Sunday School Staff will be instructed to contact the Parish Priest to discuss any personal COVID-19 illness, or possible COVID-19 exposure, that they become aware of anytime in the 2 weeks after the date that they attended in-person Sunday School. The individual's privacy will be protected by the Parish Priest.
• The Priest will direct any individual who reports illness from COVID-19, or a possible exposure, to stay home and contact their medical professional for further guidance.
• If there is any question regarding a possible exposure to COVID-19, whether reported or observed, involving any in-person Sunday School Classroom participant, Sunday School will then be conducted virtually for a minimum of 2 weeks beyond such time that any of the participants displayed symptoms, or 2 weeks beyond the reported date of a possible exposure. Sunday School Staff and the COVID Safety Team will review each incidence to evaluate safety, and make adjustments to policy and procedures if needed, prior to resuming in-person classroom format.
• Sunday School Staff, students, and parents/guardians will be encouraged to express any concerns, and offer feedback, regarding Sunday School policies and procedures to the Sunday School Director, the Parish Priest, or the COVID Safety Team Point of Contact person. Contact information will be provided via email.

2020 Stewardship Contributions

Through September 30, $162,552 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 (stretch goal) 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

9/50 contributors have given $50 

12/75 contributors have given $100

7/20 contributors have given $250

7 contributors have given more than $250

In total, as of September 30, 35 parishioners have contributed $8,605.50/$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."

Remember the church in your will/estate planning

If you would like to support the mission and vision of the church through your will/estate, consider adding a statement such as, "After all my bills are paid, I want 10 percent of my estate (a tithe or another percentage) to go to St. George Greek Orthodox Church in St. Paul, MN."