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Sunday Bulletin - St. George Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2021-04-11
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Sunday Bulletin - St. George Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (651) 222-6220
  • Street Address:

  • 1111 Summit Ave

  • St. Paul, MN 55105


Contact Information






Services Schedule

Welcome!

We hope that you will make this your spiritual home. Connect with us on our website, Facebook page, YouTube, or sign-up for our email list at www.lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/eBK0V6U/sgparishlist.

Worship Sunday Orthros 8:30 am & Divine Liturgy 9:30 am

Confession (by appointment frperry@stgeorgegoc.org)

Weekday Services (www.stgeorgegoc.org/calendar)

Streaming

www.youtube.com/StGeorgeGreekOrthodoxChurchofSaintPaulMN

www.facebook.com/stgeorgestpaul

Fellowship Hour Sunday following Divine Liturgy

Office Hours Tuesday - Friday 9:00 am - 2:00 pm

Our Mission St. George Greek Orthodox Church is a Christ-centered community that: inspires faith and worship, cultivates spiritual growth and fellowship, and encourages benevolence and outreach.

Our Vision Ascending together to the fullness of Life.


Past Bulletins


Calendar

  • Upcoming Events

    March 15 to April 18, 2021

    Monday, March 15

    +STRICT FAST GREAT LENT (through April 23)

    Sunday, April 11

    Sunday of St. John Climacus

    8:30AM ORTHROS

    9:30AM DIVINE LITURGY

    10:30AM Oratorical Festival

    Monday, April 12

    5:30PM COMPLINE

    Wednesday, April 14

    5:30PM NINTH HOUR

    6:00PM PRESANCTIFIED LITURGY

    7:00PM Lenten Book Discussion

    Friday, April 16

    6:00PM AKATHIST HYMN

    7:00PM Lenten Lecture

    Saturday, April 17

    9:45AM Divine Liturgy in Eau Claire, WI

    Sunday, April 18

    Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt

    8:30AM ORTHROS

    9:30AM DIVINE LITURGY

    10:30AM Sunday School

    10:30AM Virtual Fellowship Hour

    11:30AM Altar Servers Training

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Sunday of St. John Climacus
The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 6:13-20

BRETHREN, when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore to himself, saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Men indeed swear by a greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he interposed with an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God should prove false, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.


Gospel Reading

Sunday of St. John Climacus
The Reading is from Mark 9:17-31

At that time, a man came to Jesus kneeling and saying: "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit; and wherever it seizes him it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able." And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me." And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, "How long has he had this?" And he said, "From childhood. And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us." And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again." And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, "He is dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting." They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would not have any one know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise."


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Announcements

Sign-up for Divine Liturgy April 11

Please sign up in advance by clicking https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4ca5ad2babff2-divine47 for services on Sunday, April 11 at 8:30/9:30am. Thank you!

Greeters: Dean Natto & Bill Clemons

Fellowship Hour: Thank you to Lisa & Misael Jordan for hosting this Sunday. 

Oratorical Festival this Sunday, April 11

There will be no Sunday School classes this Sunday. Instead, students in the Junior High and High School classes will make presentations in person and via Zoom.  This event will be in the Fellowship Hall after the Liturgy.

Elevator Service Restored

Recent electrical issues have been resolved and the elevator is now operational.

Philoptochos Mother’s Day Honorees

Please see insert for donation form & details - Philoptochos will send your honoree a Mother’s Day card to announce your donation in her name. If your honoree is deceased their name will appear in a special Mother’s Day recognition, in the Sunday bulletin on Sunday, May 9th. There will be a table in the fellowship hall set up to collect your forms on Sunday following Divine Liturgy on April 11th, April 18th and April 25th, or you can mail it back to the church.

Lenten Food Drive March 15 - April 25

We are collecting shelf-stable foods to supply FOCUS MN's Second Helping Food Pantry. In particular, we would like to provide Mac N Cheese, Spam, Granola Bars, Applesauce/Fruit Cups, and Graham Crackers. The collection box is in the parking lot vestibule- Kali Sarakosti! (Good Lent!)

Presanctified Liturgy & Final Lenten Book Discussion on Wednesday, April 14

Click this link https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4CA5AD2BABFF2-presanctified4 to attend the liturgy in person, followed by the book discussion this Wednesday, April 14.  See insert for reading assignments. For those unable to attend in person:  

Akathist Hymn & Final Lenten Lecture on Friday, April 16

Click https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4CA5AD2BABFF2-akathist to attend the Akathist in person, followed by the Lenten lecture this Friday, April 16. See insert for lecture topics. For those unable to attend in person: 

Interim Sunday School Director

Please contact Fr. Perry at frperry@stgeorgegoc.org or (651) 222-6220 if you would be interested in serving as Interim Director of our church's Sunday School catechetical program. We are looking for someone to serve on an interim basis for the rest of this school year, preparing for and directing the 2021-22 school year. Interested candidates should have a solid knowledge of our Orthodox Christian Faith and experience in a related field.

New Office Hours

The office is now open Tuesday - Friday, 9 am-2 pm.

Saturday of Lazarus

All St. George parishioners are welcome to attend a Saturday of Lazarus retreat on Saturday, April 24. Please join us for Liturgy, palm folding, breakfast, and preparation of the sanctuary for Holy Week. Sign up to attend Liturgy and the retreat here https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4CA5AD2BABFF2-palm1 

Palm Sunday Fish Dinner

On Sunday, April 25, AHEPA will serve fish dinners in the Fellowship Hall and To-Go. All proceeds will go towards the Gekas College Scholarship. Stay tuned for details!

Holy Friday Youth Retreat

Youth grades preK-12 are invited to participate in the youth retreat on Holy Friday: April 30, 2021. The Holy Hours service begins at 09:00 am. The Retreat begins at 11 AM. Please register for the retreat here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCSG2BNX-6jPsC2vMC6KTH8DHvcChzzHkH6LI450L22CqEDw/viewform?usp=sf_link. Contact Joanna Tzenis if you questions and/or if you’d be willing to help support the event. (joanna.tzenis@gmail.com)

Pascha Flowers 2021

Donations for flowers to beautify the sanctuary and Kouvouklion (Epitaphion) during Holy Week & Pascha may be made in memory of a loved one(s). Please complete the form found in the Inserts Section or in the March-April Glad Tidings and submit it to the office by Sunday, April 25. Thank you!

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Wisdom of the Fathers

Seest thou how He now proceeds to lay beforehand in them the foundation of His doctrine about fasting? ... See, at any rate, how many blessings spring from them both. For he that is praying as he ought, and fasting, hath not many wants, and he that hath not many wants, cannot be covetous; ...
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 57 on Matthew 17,4,5. B#54, pp.355,356., 4th Century

... he that is not covetous, will be also more disposed for almsgiving. He that fasts is light, and winged, and prays with wakefulness, and quenches his wicked lusts, and propitiates God, and humbles his soul when lifted up. Therefore even the apostles were almost always fasting.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 57 on Matthew 17,4,5. B#54, pp.355,356., 4th Century

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Archdiocese News

Family Connections

04/06/2021

We're halfway through Lent last Sunday! Check out our Family Connection from the Center for Family Care for some ideas on how to review your family's Lenten progress.

Why Young People Leave: Exploring Common Ministry Mistakes in the Way We Introduce People to the Church

04/06/2021

60% of young American Christians fall away from the tradition that raised them. We face the same problem in the Orthodox Church. In this talk, Steve presents three common ministry mistakes. And he explores how we can transform those mistakes into opportunities for transformational ministry that meets the needs of young people. This is the first of two talks that are part of the Lenten retreat titled: Authentic Christianity: Why Young People are Leaving the Church (and How We Can Inspire them to Stay) . The second talk was given by Father Andrew Stephen Damick. The retreat took place as a live, virtual panel discussion on April 3, 2021.

Communiqué of the Holy Eparchial Synod

04/06/2021

Today, April 5, 2021 His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America convened the Holy Eparchial Synod via video conference for a regularly scheduled meeting.

Pilgrimage to Pascha: Lenten Services

04/05/2021

On this week's episode of "Comfort Food for Families: Pilgrimage to Pascha" from the GOA Center for Family Care, Pres. Kerry Pappas talks about the Lenten services of the church and how important it is for us to attend as many as we can!

Live with the Louhs: Self Esteem and Our Children

04/02/2021

On this week's episode of "Live with the Louhs," a radio ministry of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, hosts Fr. Nicholas and his wife, Dr. Roxanne, a Clinical Psychologist, discuss "Self Esteem And Our Children" with Psychologist, Dr. Philip Mamalakis, Professor at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology.

A Missionary Mindset: How International Missions Benefit the Local Parish

04/02/2021

Overseas missions is an experience that fulfills our calling as Christians, transforms individuals who participate and infects the local parish with a zeal for sharing the faith.Mission-minded parishes instill the importance of mission. Parishioners return from overseas missions forever changed. A missionary mindset can play a key role in revitalizing the faith of active Orthodox Christians and the entire parish.
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In Other News

Pan-Orthodox Sunday Lenten Vespers

Let us come together to worship God and support each other in the Journey to Pascha! Vespers begin at 4pm. Attendance at host churches is limited. Live streaming links and in-person sign ups at www.meocca.org. Donate to support MEOCCA's work www.meocca.square.site.

April 11, Saint John Climacus: St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church, Minneapolis; April 18, Saint Mary of Egypt: Twelve Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church, Duluth; April 25, Palm Sunday – Bridegroom Matins: St. Herman’s Orthodox Church, Minneapolis.

St. Mary's Summer Camp Is Back!

St. Mary's Summer Camp will be held this year July 3-10 at Camp Courage near Maple Lake, MN. The move to a different site is due to maximum participant limitations at the Camp Wapo facilities for this summer only. We plan to return to Wapo in 2022. Appropriate safety protocols will be in place to ensure a safe, fun, and enriching experience for our youth. The start of registration will be delayed until May, after Pascha, this year. Please stay tuned for all the registration details that will be coming soon!

Spring Opportunities at National Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF)

  • Spiritual Wake-Up: During lent (Mar 16 - Apr 22), this community of prayer will meet virtually to learn together throughout the Lenten season. More details will be released on the website soon!
  • College Conference: Mark your calendars for May 28-31!
  • District Day: Instead of having a regional retreat, we’ll be having an in-person district day, hosted in Minneapolis. More details about this event will come later. For more information email minniowastudent@ocf.net

Metropolis Worship & Engagement Survey

As part of its strategic goals, the Metropolis of Chicago invites all the faithful (whether active or inactive in parish life) to complete a 10-minute survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SCMDBSQ before April 30. The purpose is for the Metropolis to understand and clarify how people of all ages define meaningful worship and engagement and hope to implement practices that will enhance our collective worship experience. All responses are anonymous. Thank you for your participation!

Sermons on YouTube Channel

Click the following link to view past sermons: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcYoNEUYiMji56SjSVlJpu3IN_zSJrvS_

 

Support for those in Need

Please contact Fr. Perry or our Ladies Philoptochos if you or someone you know is in need (food, clothing, shelter, etc.). Our Ladies Philoptochos, Missions & Benevolence, Discretionary support, FOCUS MN, etc. are here to help.

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Saints and Feasts

Climicus
April 11

Sunday of St. John Climacus

The memory of this Saint is celebrated on March 30, where his biography may be found. He is celebrated today because his book, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, is a sure guide to the ascetic life, written by a great man of prayer experienced in all forms of the monastic polity; it teaches the seeker after salvation how to lay a sound foundation for his struggles, how to detect and war against each of the passions, how to avoid the snares laid by the demons, and how to rise from the rudimental virtues to the heights of Godlike love and humility. It is held in such high esteem that it is universally read in its entirety in monasteries during the Great Fast.


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Stewardship

Afentoulis.compassion_of_christ.edited.vert

Our 2021 Archdiocesan Stewardship theme comes from Paul's first epistle to the Corinthians, "…the greatest of these is love" (13:13). We are excited for 2021 and continuing the challenge of fulfilling our mission at St. George, especially through developing the gift of love.

As of April 9, 80 families have pledged a total of $134,750.

Please consider submitting a 2021 pledge card and becoming active in our 2021 program today! Pledge cards are available on the candle stand. Please contact the office to have one sent to you, or print one from a pdf by clicking here. Pledge cards can be filled out and emailed digitally to info@stgeorgegoc.org or mailed to the church office. We thank you for supporting the ministries of our parish!

Welcome Visitors!
Thank you for joining us in worship. Whether you are an Orthodox Christian or this is your first visit to an Orthodox Church, we are pleased to have you with us. Although Holy Communion is offered only to baptized and chrismated Orthodox Christians, all are invited to receive the Antidoron (blessed bread) at the end of the service. The Antidoron is reminiscent of the agape feast that followed worship in the early Church. One does not have to be of Greek descent, nor speak Greek, to be an Orthodox Christian and member of our parish. All people, of any background, are welcome to join the Orthodox Church. For those interested in learning more about the Christian Faith or becoming a member of our church, please contact Fr. Perry after services or at frperry@stgeorgegoc.org or (651) 222-6220. You may also sign our Guest Book with your preferred contact and we will follow up. Finally, we hope you will join us in our hall upstairs after service this morning for fellowship and refreshments.

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Bulletin Inserts

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